Who are the best stock market investments and liquidations for week 4? Here’s who to buy and sell, to help your fantasy portfolio this season!
Every fantasy manager should look at their teams as the stock market. You want to buy rising stocks for cheap and sell at their peak, in order to secure a premium return. And just like stockbrokers and investors, you want to diversify your portfolio, with a number of different options. Not all stocks pan out and sometimes there are substantial losses, but there are also those penny stocks that can make you rich! You have to diversify your fantasy portfolio with all types of stocks that you can help you maximize your returns. Hopefully, my weekly stock market can guide you to a championship and those big payouts and help avoid those major losses.
Stock Market Investments
(Blue Chip Stock of the Week)
LB, Logan Wilson, Cincinnati Bengals
Last Week: 29 snaps (32%), 5 tackles (all solos), 1 interception, 1 PBU
If you have been following my work at all, then you already know how super high I am on Logan Wilson. His stock began rising during his senior season at Wyoming and continued to rise through the draft process. Wilson landed in a terrific spot with Cincinnati who needed a young stud at the linebacker. As with any promising rookie, the hype in the fantasy football world can overinflate the initial public offering (IPO) their stock. However, if you are a patient investor, you can find some great stocks to buy after the season starts when the hype buyers have begun liquidating their shares. Wilson is one of these stocks. Fantasy managers expected super high returns immediately and dumped them when it didn’t happen.
After three weeks of the season in the books, now is the time to grab up all the shares of Wilson you can for your fantasy teams. Wilson’s snap count is trending upward and with that, we have seen better production form him. He’s just simply too good to keep off the field for a team that desperately needs talent at the linebacker position. In week three versus the Philadelphia Eagles, we saw the kind of impact play that we are were expecting from him in the beginning. So now is the time to buy up those shares at the pennies on the dollar price, before they begin to trend back up. Wilson is a great long-term asset, that will return a big profit for fantasy managers.
DE, Derek Barnett, Philadelphia Eagles
Last Week: 38 snaps (53%), 4 tackles (all solos), 2 TFL’s, 2 sacks, 2 QB hits
It was already hard enough to find production at the defensive end position but with all the injuries (Danielle Hunter, Nick Bosa) and slow starts (Demarcus Lawrence, Clelin Ferrell), it’s getting even harder. However, with just a little homework, I have found you a stock that is beginning to trend back up, in Derek Barnett. Barnett’s stock has been up and down over the past three seasons, but this is an important season for him - it’s the final year of his rookie deal. We’ve seen many times that is a motivator for players as they want to get that next big contract. There is a lot to like about Barnett and his game, but the big issue for him has been injuries.Â
He started this season a little banged up and lost the starting job to Josh Sweat. However, this past week versus the Cincinnati Bengals, these two split snaps 50/50 and Barnett had the better performance. When healthy, there is no doubt that Barnett is a much better talent and a stock that fantasy managers need in their fantasy portfolios. He looks to be back on track, as he’s off to the best start to a season of his career and last week was his fourth career multi-sack game. For me, Barnett is a great stock market addition. He’s a low investment option who can provide a potentially high return.
DE, Kerry Hyder, San Francisco 49ers
Last Week: 36 snaps (69%), 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 3 QB Hits
Injuries happen every year, but it seems there have been more this year. The entire team has been decimated by injuries and the defensive end position, in particular. San Francisco lost both veteran Dee Ford (back), young stud Nick Bosa (ACL), and Solomon Thomas (knee), which left them super thin at the position. They signed Kerry Hyder to a one year deal to provide depth, but he has now become a starter. Hyder has experience as a pass rusher, as he led the Detroit Lions in sacks (eight) in 2016, while only starting two games. He was hurt in 2017 and was lost in the shuffle after that. Now with a change of scenery, it seems he getting another chance to shine.
I am willing to bet that very few fantasy managers even know who Hyder is, let alone have him rostered, which makes him a perfect stock market investment. I knew he was due to having picked him up off waivers in 2016, where he helped me win a championship. It pays to know the penny stock history, as you never know when they will pay off big again. He is off to a hot start for the 49ers as he has two sacks and six QB hits through the first three games. Hyder is a penny stock that could pay off huge as a short-term option. He can be picked off waivers in virtually every league. If you’re in a pinch for defensive end help, then Hyder is a great pickup that is going to cost you nothing.Â
Stock Market Liquidations
SS, Shawn Williams, Cincinnati Bengals
Last Week: 24 snaps (all on special teams), No stats
There was a huge concern among fantasy managers when the Cincinnati Bengals signed strong safety Vonn Bell, to a three year, $18 million deal. With Bell now in the fold, the big question is who would suffer the most? All offseason this was the elephant in the room. Now after Week 3, I think we finally have our answer. This past week against the Philadelphia Eagles, it was Willaims was the odd man out. Bell and free safety Jessie Bates both played 100% of the defensive snaps, relegating Willaims to special team duties. It was thought Williams could play snaps in the box at linebacker. Cincinnati has a group of youngsters manning those spots. This is leaving Williams without a role.
Williams has been one of the most volatile stocks over the last month. His value has been depreciating quickly. So, what to do with Williams? He has been a top 15 fantasy safety the past two seasons. It's made it difficult for fantasy managers to sell their shares of him. As your fantasy advisor, I suggest selling him now. Recoup what return you can, before another week goes by and his value drops lower. The possibility remains that the Bengals could use him in some capacity, but what that would be and how many reps he would receive is unknown. Based on last week’s snaps, the future doesn’t look promising for Williams, at least as long as he’s in Cincinnati.
DE, Demarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
Last Week: 31 snaps (41%), 2 tackles, 1 solo
There has been a drastic drop off in production for the Cowboys star pass rusher since 2018. He was given a pass last year as he was recovering from an injury. Here we are over a year later and the production hasn’t returned. In his last 19 games played, he has only recorded five sacks and has zero so far this year. What’s a little more concerning to me is that his snap count (47%) for this season has dropped below 50%. For a team that has been desperately seeking a pass rush, your main pass rusher has taken a back seat. It’s one thing to have to carry your team, but he has legit help this season and hasn't been productive.
When a stock underperforms for an extended period of time, I feel its best to sell all my shares while I can still recoup some value. Lawrence still carries the big name. He's a piece you can sell without too much trouble. If this downward trend continues, it will get harder to sell him, so I would get out now, while there is still some value return. Lawrence is currently scoring as a DE4/DE5 option - way below his expected output. I suggest packaging him in a trade to maximize your possible return. Unless you need the help at DL.
SS, Ronnie Harrison, Cleveland Browns
Last Week: 6 snaps (9%), 1 tackle
You have heard me say how a change of scenery can help a player, but not always. This happens to be the case with Harrison’s trade to Cleveland. A once-promising player in Jacksonville is now merely a special teams player with the Browns. When he first arrived in Cleveland, the coaching staff mentioned he wouldn’t start right away until he could get acclimated to their system. We’re now headed into Week 4 and there is no sign of an increase in playing time. The one thing that puzzles me - how is he already not one of their 11 best defenders?
Until we can see a change in his snap count I don’t see the value in holding onto Harrison. If you have room on deep rosters then I can see it, but otherwise, its time to liquidate him. I would try and package him in a deal, to a Browns fan and see what you can get in return. It’s possible he could be valuable again at some point. But how long will fantasy managers have to wait? Anyone’s guess really, as Cleveland is hard to figure out. I am currently moving on from him where I don’t have a huge need at safety.Â
Thanks for reading my article and if you enjoyed it, you can read more of my articles on my author page at IDP Guys and Dynasty Football Digest. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America) and you can also follow me on social media, on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub I’m user KingTitan1 and you can tune in each week and listen to the podcasts, IDP Nation & Devy IDP Grind, that I co-host, on a number of different platforms. Feel free to hit me up with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy
