NFL Barometer: Prepping for the Playoffs

We're quickly closing in on fantasy playoff season, and it's a great time to make some tough roster decisions, such as players to trade and acquire as well as players who need to be moved to the bench.

RISING

Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN

After writing off Diggs a number of weeks ago, the change at offensive coordinator has brought about drastic improvement for the second-year receiver. He hadn't seen more than nine receptions in any of the six games when Norv Turner was calling the plays, but with the Vikings going to a new quick-strike offense, he's caught 13 passes in each of the last two games. He's running more short crossing routes than ever, and has become the primary means for Sam Bradford being able to consistently move the offense. As a result, he's now posted at least 76 yards in three straight games, and unless something changes in the team's philosophy, he's back to being an automatic weekly fantasy starter.

Rob Kelley, RB, WAS

Once Matt Jones was declared a healthy scratch before Washington's Week 10 matchup, any speculation was put to rest that Kelley is now the team's lead running back. In his two games as the starter, he's rushed for over four yards per carry while receiving at least 21 attempts in each contest. The biggest factor he has in his favor is that he hasn't fumbled the ball, which is something that Jones did far too often, and is the likely reason why the rookie will have some job security. With Washington having a very solid passing attack, it isn't likely that he'll see anything resembling a stacked box, which should allow him to remain successful. If he's still on your league's waiver wire, he certainly shouldn't be any longer, as he's a very functional RB2 based on the volume he should receive.

Zach Ertz, TE, PHI

The Eagles have chosen to make Ertz more of a focal point in their offense over the last two weeks, as Carson Wentz has fired 15 passes in his direction, and the tight end rewarded him by catching 14 of those for 152 yards. To provide perspective, he only had 20 targets over his first five matchups of 2016, resulting in just a single game over 37 yards. His production comes as no surprise, as he's shown flashes of his ability over the past two seasons, and since he's yet to score a touchdown this year, he could be a player that could be acquired at a fair price on the trade market. For now, it appears he's back to being a weekly lineup option, albeit not an elite one.

Tyrell Williams, WR, SD

Williams has been a solid fantasy performer for the majority of the season, but with fellow wide receiver Travis Benjamin dealing with a knee injury, Williams could see enough volume to be a difference-maker down the stretch. He's now posted three games with at least 117 yards in his last six contests while finding the end zone in back-to-back matchups. Sure, he had a pair of ugly performances, as he had just four and 28 yards in two games against the Broncos, but he won't be facing them again this year. Actually, he hasn't had fewer than 40 yards in any game other than those against Denver, so his downside isn't terrible. He's also been quite busy lately, as he's averaging 8.5 targets over his last four contests, and he certainly can be considered a WR2 at this point.

CHECK STATUS

Mike Wallace, WR, BAL

Wallace was on fire during his last three games before Week 10, averaging 114 yards and scoring once. However, his target share with Steve Smith in the lineup makes Wallace a risky weekly option. In the six full games that Smith's played, Wallace has exceeded six targets just once, but in each of those other four games, he averaged 11 targets. The good news is that he's scored each of his four touchdowns this season with his teammate on the field, but his consistent lack of targets makes him a player who's tough to endorse as more than a WR3. Overall, Wallace has had a productive season, so his trade value could be higher than his actual value.

Ty Montgomery, RB/WR, GB

Well, the Packers offense looked good for a couple weeks this season while including Montgomery relatively often. Unfortunately, head coach Mike McCarthy didn't feel the same way about Montgomery, as he reduced his touches in each of the last two weeks. After touching the ball at least 13 times in matchups against the Cowboys and Bears, he got the ball just 15 times over his past two matchups. He was able to overcome his reduced usage in Week 9 by posting 91 combined yards, but he had no chance when given just three rushing attempts and two targets against the Titans. Unless the coaching staff decides to reestablish him as an integral part of the offense, he'll become a risky fantasy option with a low weekly floor.

Allen Robinson, WR, JAC

Robinson just put together his best pair of games of 2016, and they occurred right after Blake Bortles brought back his personal quarterback coach to work on his throwing motion (which had become terribly inefficient). During the last two games, he's scored a pair of touchdowns while posting 76 and 107 yards, and the yardage totals were his two highest of the season. A-Rob has been targeted 40 times over his past three games, and volume has never been his issue, but it's looking as if the quarterback/receiver duo is starting to put things together. It's still possible that Robinson can be acquired in a trade, though his value us certainly a bit higher than it was a couple weeks ago. He'll likely be a WR2 with WR1 upside down the stretch.

Tyreek Hill, WR, KC

With Jeremy Maclin missing Week 10 against the Panthers, Hill caught 10 of 13 targets for 89 yards while adding a 12-yard run. Although he'll likely see his target share drop whenever Maclin returns to the lineup, the rookie has been productive in each of his last four games. During that time, he recorded at least 61 total yards in three games while scoring twice. There's no way to know whether he's earned an increased role based on his recent performance, but with his ability to make a big play at the drop of a hat, he should be considered a solid flex option. This is especially true because of his ability to post at least 50 yards and a touchdown in any matchup, and his upside could increase if he becomes a bigger part of the offense.

FALLING

Gary Barnidge, TE, CLE

Without a touchdown this season, Barnidge was already a marginal weekly fantasy starter, but he's almost become unstartable when Corey Coleman is on the field. During the four games Coleman's been active, the veteran tight end has totaled 14 targets, catching eight for just 68 yards. For perspective, Barnidge recorded 42 to 66 yards in each of the six games that Coleman was inactive. For now, it's recommended that Barnidge be used as part of a tight-end-by-committee approach in fantasy leagues, and he should be benched in favor of any reasonable lineup option.

Quincy Enunwa, WR, NYJ

After posting a pair of games with a receiving touchdown and at least 73 receiving yards, the bottom has fallen out for Enunwa the last two weeks. During that time, he had his worst two games of the season, catching a single pass in each for a two-week total of 32 yards. Before his disastrous stretch, he hadn't posted fewer than 37 receiving yards in any matchup. Bryce Petty could continue to start at quarterback, and if that's the case, Enunwa may be difficult to consider as a viable option in just about any fantasy league.

Greg Olsen, TE, CAR

Olsen recorded at least 64 yards in each of his first six games of 2016, but he's fallen on hard times lately. In his last three games combined, he has just nine receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown, totals he produced in single games a few times in recent seasons. In addition, he averaged 10 targets during those first six games, but he's averaging just six per game over his last three matchups, which obviously coincides with his decreased production. Although he's an elite player capable of blowing up any time, it's possible the Panthers are simply looking to spread Cam Newton's passes to multiple receivers. He's obviously still worth hanging onto and starting each week, but it might not be a bad idea to see what he could bring back in a trade.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI

Although he's had 28 targets over his last three games, Jeffery hasn't caught more than four passes in any of those contests. In addition, he's averaging just 48 yards during that span, although he did score his only touchdown of the year in Week 8. The Bears are still struggling with injuries along their offensive line, Jay Cutler looked particularly awful against the Buccaneers, and it's looking as if he doesn't have the weekly upside that he's demonstrated throughout most of his career. Obviously, he still needs to be starting in fantasy lineups, though expectations need to be realistic. That said, it's possible that his reputation and name value could get him more than he's worth on the trade market.