Daily Fantasy Football November 8: DFS Stock Up, Stock Down

Very few NFL stars can produce immense fantasy value regardless of their circumstances. More than any other major sport, football players depend on a nurturing environment.

A pass-catcher needs a quarterback willing to look his way and able to deliver accurate passes. Running backs are especially beasts of volume, as one Week 1 starter has learned by watching his replacement quickly reach stardom. Meanwhile, a top-tier starter receives a boost with his short-yardage vulture no longer around.

Heading into Week 9's remaining 12-game slate, let's take a look at DraftKings' latest stock report. 

Stock Up

Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints ($6,500)

R Brent Smith/Associated Press

In an alternative universe with different red-zone play calls, Mark Ingram headlines a whole bunch of winning Week 7 and 8 lineups. Despite registering 267 total yards on 36 touches, the New Orleans Saints running back left both games with one touchdown.

New Orleans scored seven touchdowns against the New York Giants, but Drew Brees hogged all of them versus the league's worst passing defense. Against the Indianapolis Colts the previous game, Ingram did all the heavy lifting before Khiry Robinson vultured two short scores. The reserve running back is now out for the season with a fractured tibia, as confirmed by the team on Monday:

Before going down for the year, Robinson poached four touchdowns. Even without those extra end-zone visits, Ingram has averaged the fourth-most DraftKings points per game (18.2) among all active running backs.

Week 9's game flow bodes well for Ingram, which is a fancy way of saying the Saints should run a lot while beating the Tennessee Titans. Their 1-6 opponent is yielding 4.3 yards per carry, and Ingram has enjoyed enhanced efficiency at a larger volume in Saints victories.

Result	GP	ATT	RUSH YD	YPA	TD
Win	4	67	346	5.2	3
Loss	4	51	184	3.6	2

A heavy workload, completed by a full share of goal-line carries, makes Ingram a veritable top-five rusher given all of the position's duds and injuries.

Rishard Matthews, WR, Miami Dolphins ($4,500)

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

If Rishard Matthews keeps his current pace, he'll finish 2015 with 1,142 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. It's past time to give the Miami Dolphins wideout his proper recognition.

Matthews didn't have his finest fantasy showing last weekend, recording 62 yards against the New England Patriots. However, the 26-year-old netted season highs in receptions (7) and targets (12). Matthews, not Jarvis Landry, leads the team with 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns while also accruing a club-high seven catches of 20 yards or more.

Lamar Miller isn't the only one enjoying Miami's new coaching regime. Matthews fared just fine under former head coach Joe Philbin, but he has amassed 16 catches, 222 yards and a score in three games since the change in course.

Week	OPP	REC	TAR	REC YD	TD	DK PTS*
6	@ TEN	6	6	85	0	14.5
7	HOU	3	3	75	1	16.5
8	@ NE	7	12	62	0	13.2

Even if September's back-to-back 100-yard outings won't occur again, he has now cemented his spot as the Dolphins' No. 2 receiver, averaging 0.3 fewer DraftKings points per game (16.1) than Eric Decker. The Buffalo Bills, Matthews' Week 9 opponent, oversaw his 113 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3, and they rank No. 25 in DraftKings points against opposing receivers.

For $4,500, Matthews is a reasonably priced No. 3 wideout or flex play.

Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers ($2,700)

Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

The Oakland Raiders guard tight ends as well as James Bond keeps cars safe. Per ESPN.com, they have allowed 446 yards and eight touchdowns to the position. As a result, only the Giants have relinquished more DraftKings points against them.

Recommending Heath Miller isn't entirely dependent on his matchup. The veteran vanished in Ben Roethlisberger's absence, compiling five catches for 52 yards in four games without the starting quarterback. Immediately upon his Week 8 return, Miller resurfaced for 10 catches and 105 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals.

In four games with Roethlisberger, Miller has mustered 22 catches and 221 yards. DraftKings, however, is not impressed. Due to his inconsistencies and below-ground floor, the tight end costs a minuscule $2,700 despite getting Oakland with the Pittsburgh Steelers' star passer. Nineteen tight ends cost more than Miller, who is priced for the same amount as Chris Gragg.

Not accounting for daily fantasy costs, FantasyPros ranks Miller No. 10 in a list including Tyler Eifert and Gary Barnidge. Take the sizable discount.

Stock Down

Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons ($3,600)

John Bazemore/Associated Press

Tevin Coleman had no chance of getting his starting job back. The Atlanta Falcons' initial No. 1 running back sat out two weeks early in the season, during which Devonta Freeman churned out consecutive three-touchdown gems. Tough break for the rookie.

Yet in a league driven by change-of-pace committees, Coleman is barely getting any leftovers out of Atlanta's backfield. Since returning as Freeman's understudy, the third-round pick has received 13 touches in four games.

Despite not starting until Week 3, Freeman leads all running backs with 152 carries. Yet Coleman isn't bitter about the turn of events, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 

“Yeah it was tough, but Devonta, that’s my boy,” Coleman said. “He’s killing the game right now. I can’t hate. I’ve got to respect him, you know what I’m saying?”

If ever there were a game to halt the Coleman search party, it's this one. The San Francisco 49ers' B offense would defy expectations by scoring a single touchdown, so Atlanta should build a comfortable lead. Rather than going against the new norm and giving Freeman 25-30 handoffs, this is the perfect opportunity to get Coleman involved.

James Jones, WR, Green Bay Packers ($5,600)

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

The unsustainable fun was bound to end eventually. Touchdown machine James Jones predictably malfunctioned against the Denver Broncos, finishing last Sunday night's game with a lone two-yard catch. It was not a touchdown.

Despite his low reception tallies, the Green Bay Packers wideout had scored six times through as many games. Even after backing into a prominent role, the 31-year-old has received 31 targets this season, fewer than Andrew Hawkins, Brian Hartline, Marquess Wilson and Lance Moore.

Fantasy gamers can't chase touchdowns without a hearty side of yardage, especially not under DraftKings' point-per-reception scoring. An optimist will credit Denver's defense as inciting a fluke rather than Jones regressing to the mean, but Green Bay doesn't get a reprieve on Sunday.

The Carolina Panthers have yielded the sixth-fewest DraftKings points to wide receivers. Jones is especially in trouble if he sees any of Josh Norman. Pro Football Focus monitored the star cornerback's dominance before limiting T.Y. Hilton to 15 yards during Week 8:

Ever since a tremendous Week 3 display over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Packers have suffered some ill effects from losing top wideout Jordy Nelson during the summer. Stay away from their usually prolific offense this weekend.

All scoring data obtained from DraftKings.com unless otherwise noted.

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