NFL Barometer: What Can This Brown Do For You?

RISING

Charles Sims, RB, TB

After sitting out up to this point due to an ankle injury, Sims is expected to make his debut for Tampa Bay in Week 9 or Week 10. The third-round pick from West Virginia could see a surprising amount of work for a team with nothing to play for. The Lovie Smith regime picked Sims in May, and it has no ties to Doug Martin or Bobby Rainey, so between coaching favoritism and the team's need to evaluate its younger players, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where Sims emerges as Tampa Bay's top running back within a month or so. There's little doubt he's one of the more skilled receiving backs in the NFL, so at the least Sims should probably be owned in most PPR leagues with 12 or more teams.

Martavis Bryant, WR, PIT

The rookie fourth-round pick has seven catches for 123 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets in his first two career games, and you would think results like that will compel the Steelers to give him more work going forward. Bryant played only 32 snaps against the Colts while splitting snaps with Markus Wheaton (34 snaps), yet Bryant saw seven targets compared to five for Wheaton. Bryant out-targeted Wheaton 5-to-2 in the game before that, as well. At 6-foot-4, 211 pounds with 4.4 speed, Bryant has the size/athleticism dimensions to project as a long-term factor in the Pittsburgh passing game.

Donte Moncrief, WR, IND

Even with Reggie Wayne in the way, Moncrief might establish himself as the Colts' No. 2 wideout behind T.Y. Hilton before the season ends. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds Moncrief is both bigger and faster than Wayne, who is averaging just 7.0 yards per target and will turn 36 on Nov. 17. Moncrief was explosive in his first extended audition Sunday, burning the Steelers for 113 yards and a touchdown while catching seven of 12 targets. Even if Wayne remains definitively ahead of Moncrief in the Colts' wideout rotation, Moncrief could maintain fantasy relevance if he can just erase the already invisible Hakeem Nicks from the picture. Nicks is averaging 4.75 targets per game, and the Colts would be wise to lower that number to zero since Nicks is averaging just 4.4 yards per target. Moncrief is currently just under three targets per game (23 in eight games), and the fact that he has 216 yards on 23 targets means he can be expected to produce around 60 yards per game if he can push for six targets per contest by tossing Nicks aside.

Theo Riddick, RB, DET

One might argue that a 'falling' entry for Reggie Bush would make more sense than a 'rising' entry for Riddick, but the second-year player from Notre Dame appears poised to provide some stable low-end production in PPR formats at the least. Although he has offered basically nothing as a runner this year (12 carries for 33 yards), Riddick has been very busy as a pass catcher in his last two games, securing 13 receptions on 18 targets for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Riddick won't be that busy once Bush returns from his ankle issue, but there's a chance that Riddick's snaps will remain steady if the Lions give him a look at receiver, a position he played often during his college career at Notre Dame.

FALLING

Jordan Cameron, TE, CLE

Cameron suffered his third concussion in less than two years against the Raiders on Sunday, and as a result he is expected to miss the Browns' next two games. Even before the concussion, Cameron was one of fantasy football's most disappointing players. He has just 13 catches on 31 targets, totaling 250 yards and one touchdown. He had 80 catches for 917 yards and seven touchdowns a year ago.

Geno Smith, QB, NYJ

The Geno Experiment seems just about over in New York. After going 2-of-8 for five yards and three interceptions against the Bills on Sunday, the Jets made the switch to Michael Vick. Although Vick wasn't much better, throwing for 153 yards and an interception while losing two fumbles, Vick is expected to start for the Jets as they take on the Chiefs this week at Arrowhead. Stadium. This is a rotten situation for both fantasy owners and the Jets.

Isaiah Crowell, RB, CLE

Crowell appeared poised to push aside Terrance West as the Browns' backup running back a couple weeks ago, even though West was the more favored prospect as a third-round pick. Crowell was given 11 carres against the Steelers on Oct. 12 – his third 11-carry game in a four-week span – but two fumbles in that game led to Cleveland scaling back his workload. In the two games since, Crowell had just eight carries for 19 yards, whereas West saw 12 carries for 19 yards. Neither player has immediate fantasy value behind Ben Tate as long as the other keeps getting in the way.

Rashad Jennings, RB, NYG

Jennings' long-term value is sound enough for 2014 – rookie fourth-round pick Andre Williams has been a below average player while Jennings sat with an MCL injury over the last two games – but it looks like Jennings will miss another game as the Giants take on the Colts this week. Jennings only started running Monday, in fact, so he might be limited even if he's ready to return at Seattle in Week 10.