This article is part of our NFL Barometer series.
RISING
Darren McFadden, RB, DAL
When Joseph Randle left Sunday's game against the Giants with an oblique injury, it was McFadden who ran away with the lead running back role in Dallas, not recent trade acquisition and bye week hero Christine Michael. While Michael plodded his way to 18 yards on five carries, McFadden turned the clock back to 2010 and bolted for 152 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Randle has underwhelmed as the starter in Dallas, and McFadden's breakout game has likely earned him a more prominent role regardless of Randle's health.
Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN
That was convincing. For the third week in a row, Diggs had a very good game, turning in his best showing of the season even as the attention on him greatly increased. Diggs was targeted nine times against Detroit, catching six of those passes for 108 yards and one of the best touchdown catches anyone will make this year. Diggs won't turn 22 until Nov. 29, yet he has 19 catches for 324 yards and a touchdown in his first three NFL games. He's very talented and the Vikings seem committed to giving him a lead role – his target counts check in at 10, nine, and nine over the last three weeks.
Chris Johnson, RB, ARZ
McFadden wasn't the only aging veteran to turn the clock back to 2010 this week. Despite getting signed as last-second injury insurance just before the season started, Johnson has convincingly
RISING
Darren McFadden, RB, DAL
When Joseph Randle left Sunday's game against the Giants with an oblique injury, it was McFadden who ran away with the lead running back role in Dallas, not recent trade acquisition and bye week hero Christine Michael. While Michael plodded his way to 18 yards on five carries, McFadden turned the clock back to 2010 and bolted for 152 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. Randle has underwhelmed as the starter in Dallas, and McFadden's breakout game has likely earned him a more prominent role regardless of Randle's health.
Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN
That was convincing. For the third week in a row, Diggs had a very good game, turning in his best showing of the season even as the attention on him greatly increased. Diggs was targeted nine times against Detroit, catching six of those passes for 108 yards and one of the best touchdown catches anyone will make this year. Diggs won't turn 22 until Nov. 29, yet he has 19 catches for 324 yards and a touchdown in his first three NFL games. He's very talented and the Vikings seem committed to giving him a lead role – his target counts check in at 10, nine, and nine over the last three weeks.
Chris Johnson, RB, ARZ
McFadden wasn't the only aging veteran to turn the clock back to 2010 this week. Despite getting signed as last-second injury insurance just before the season started, Johnson has convincingly taken over the Arizona backfield, with Monday's 18-carry, 122-yard showing against the Ravens possibly his strongest statement yet. The younger duo of Andre Ellington and David Johnson seemingly isn't all that close to pushing Chris for lead-runner snaps, so the elder Johnson is poised to finish the year as one of the most unlikely RB1s in recent fantasy memory.
Ladarius Green, TE, SD
With Antonio Gates potentially missing time beyond Sunday with his MCL sprain, the super-talented Green could remain in the starting lineup for a few more weeks. Green isn't under the radar at this point, as his size, athleticism and recent production leave little doubt that he's one of the best tight ends in the league, with Gates' presence the only thing preventing his breakout. After catching five passes for 45 yards and a touchdown on nine targets in Sunday's loss, Green has 304 yards and four touchdowns on 36 targets this year.
Allen Hurns, WR, JAC
Hurns' college production and athletic profile say he's nothing more than an average talent, but his numbers to this point in his NFL career convincingly say otherwise. Hurns' rookie-year receiving line of 51 catches for 677 yards and six touchdowns on 97 targets was surprising enough, but he's been much more efficient in 2015. Though he only caught two of his eight targets against Buffalo on Sunday, he turned them into 53 yards and a game-winning touchdown – his fifth straight game with a score. With 31 catches for 513 yards and five touchdowns on 51 targets in seven games, Hurns is in position to finish the year as a WR2 in fantasy.
FALLING
Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI
Big things were expected of Matthews in 2015, as he was taking over the lead role in a Philadelphia passing offense that proved highly profitable for Jeremy Maclin in 2014, and he followed up a strong rookie season with a dominant training camp. Matthews' 2015 season to this point, however, could hardly be more of a contrast than everything that led up to it. He's been incredibly bad, regularly dropping passes and totaling just 39 catches for 398 yards and a touchdown on 63 targets. That's just 6.3 yards per target. Matthews' owners probably can't get many worthwhile offers while his stock is this low, but he has the convincing look of a bust, at least for the 2015 season.
Christine Michael, RB, DAL
So much for Michael taking the starting role in Dallas. McFadden can always get hurt, and history says he will at some point, but McFadden's performance against the Giants was quite convincing, and he's doubtlessly far ahead of Michael on the depth chart at this point. Compared to McFadden's total of 152 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries, Michael's box score of five carries for 18 yards is obviously quite weak. Michael probably isn't worth holding on to outside of deeper formats.
Knile Davis, RB, KC
It appears as if Davis is just about toast in Kansas City. His career rushing average of 3.4 yards per carry hasn't done him any favors, and neither will Charcandrick West's breakout performance against Pittsburgh on Sunday. While Davis took just one carry for two yards, West received 22 carries, turning them into 110 yards and a touchdown. Davis figures to still get occasional looks as a short-yardage specialist, but West has made the much stronger impression since Jamaal Charles' season-ending injury.
