IDP Stock Market: Week 15

We have made it, folks. The reason we play all those regular season games is to get here. The playoffs are starting, or maybe already have for some. These crucial choices in your lineup go from long-term ideas to short-term decisions. The good news is, if you're reading this, you're either in it and preparing to win it, or you're just a sicko like me and can't get enough of this stuff. So, let's soak up our remaining time and enjoy the ride. We do this to have fun, but it would be naïve to think there isn't a little… something at the end of this road! So, whether you're fighting to avoid your league punishment or looking for some cold, hard cash, let's open the market for the playoffs! Ring the bell!

Fortune 5

Stock Up: Jamien Sherwood, NY Jets

At the beginning of this season, I felt there were only two options for linebackers in New York for the Jets. Neither of those was Sherwood. Starting linebacker and perennial IDP contributor C.J. Mosley has had a very hard time getting and remaining on the field this season, and when opportunity knocks, someone must answer. Sherwood has been the guy behind that door, and he has been a breath of fresh air on an otherwise disappointing Jets defense. Sherwood has gone from backup to potential dynasty darling in his first real season of action. This week, he cemented himself by having the highest-scoring "standard" IDP game this week with 18 total tackles and a defended pass. He's at 125 tackles this season and is 24 years old. Boy, it Sherwood be nice if he continued this run through the playoffs!  

Stock Up: Ernest Jones IV, Seattle

Last we spoke about Ernest Jones IV, it was fresh off his second trade this season, and it was more a response to the potential concerns that come with a player being traded. Since this trade in Week 8, he has had 48 tackles, averaging just under 10 per game! The Seahawks have a proven track record of success at the linebacker position, and we are seeing Jones add his flair for production to this team's resume. He's still just 25 years old, so he is a buy in any dynasty format, but he also has a tasty playoff schedule against the Packers and Vikings the next two weeks, both of which are in the bottom half of the league against the linebacker position (Minnesota being dead last).

Stock Up: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh

Sometimes, the old guy is just better, and as ugly as it may look on your roster, you must accept that it's the best decision. Eventually, Heyward is going to retire, but until then he must be mentioned at the top of the league for the defensive tackle position. Year in and year out, he is a consistent force of nature, but this season, it seems he has saved his best production for the stretch run. He has five sacks in his last five games and is coming off his best game of the season this past week with five total tackles and two sacks. He faces the Eagles next, who are second to last against the defensive tackle position, but regardless of matchup he is a must-start player if you have defensive tackle requirements. I would start him even without them as well.

Stock Up: Jordyn Brooks, Miami

Is Jordyn Brooks back? It sure feels like it lately, and we should all be here for it. The notorious Brooks has been a top contributor in IDP for many years, but over the last two to three years, he has been very disappointing and downright frustrating to manage. Something changed a few weeks ago, and since then, he has been arguably the best linebacker in the game. 51 tackles and a sack since Week 10 and a monster outing this past weekend with nine tackles, a sack, and a defended pass. He has one of the best schedules down the stretch for the position, ending the season against the Texans, 49ers, and Browns, all of which are in the bottom half of the league (or close; the 49ers are 14th). Brooks is a buy for me in the offseason, but if I am a manager, good luck getting him off my team!  

Stock Up: Josey Jewell, Carolina

Another player who we probably don't talk about nearly as much as we should is Jewell for the Carolina Panthers. Maybe it is because of the lack of sexy names on this team, the Panthers linebacker is putting together a quiet but effective season and seems to be peaking at the right time for fantasy managers. He is on another level lately. Since Week 10, he has had 35 tackles, but the most exciting part has been his ability to get to the quarterback. He has had 3.5 sacks over the last three weeks. While that streak likely won't last the rest of this season, it is nice to know he has this in his bag as we enter the money weeks. His schedule isn't as favorable as some of the other guys on this list, but he has had some of his best games against the top ten against his position, showing us that he may be matchup-proof.