IDP Stock Market: Week 17

Congratulations! If you're still reading this article in Week 17, there's an increased likelihood that you have something to play for this holiday weekend. Even if you don't, congrats again for studying earlier for next season! This is for all the marbles folks. This is why we wait the entire summer, throwing out trades like old boxes. Whether this starts for you in a garage with your buddies shooting the breeze or a highly passionate bar-room style draft, it all ends here. Who are the guys bound for glory? Who are the Christmas donkeys obnoxious and out of place? One last time for 2024, RING. THE. BELL.

Fortune 5

Stock Up: Brian Branch, Detroit

Branch had a four-game stretch where it was touch and go on whether we should trust him down the season's stretch run. In a four-game stretch from Week 11 Through 14, he combined for just 20 tackles and no other statistics. While this is somewhat stable tackle production, his ability to hit the big play for his defense sets Branch apart from others at the position. So, barring elevated tackle numbers or other meaningful stats, he's very pedestrian. These past two weeks? He combined for 26 tackles and two defended passes. This is the guy we thought we had at the beginning of the year; it appears his batteries are recharged for the championship run!

Stock Up: Blake Cashman, Minnesota

For the stretch run of the playoffs, we will see players emerge year after year from "nobody" to "somebody". While Cashman may be more popular than to be called a nobody, he is defitnitely a surprise player that is helping managers stay in and potentially win their playoff brackets. Last season he achieved his career year, achieving 106 total tackles as well as his career high in TFLs, this season he is well on his way to surpassing these numbers as well as already setting a career-high in defended passes. He has a fun matchup versus the Packers this week, with both teams having something to play for, so expect Cashman to keep producing like he has the last two weeks (20 total tackles).

Stock Up: Micah Parsons, Dallas

There are a variety of things to discuss here. To start with, this market has been brutal to Parsons managers in the past. He is the perfect trade candidate at this stage of his career, but there is the downside of seeing him produce for someone else. If you were bold enough to go against this market advice, it has paid off handsomely over the past two weeks. He has been the definition of a league winner. Nine tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble will lift any team from the bottomless pit that is playoff elimination. He now faces an Eagles team with something to play for, but their offensive line is ranked 29th against edge rushers this season, leaving us with a tantalizing matchup for Parsons in Championship Week 17. This may be the rare advice on the market that is pro Parsons. He is a must-start this week with the highest upside in the league.  

Stock Up: Zack Baun, Philadelphia

One final victory lap for the most favorable pick the market had all season. Baun has emerged as a true IDP asset and is currently ranked No. 1 in all IDP. He is undoubtedly in the conversation for dynasty LB1 and plays with his tail on fire each week. He is a model of consistency. He has the safe tackle floor with just enough consistency in his boom games that you can almost rely on it. The best part? This is just his first full season of playing time, and you can see when he is popping off the screen during games that the Eagles have found a pivotal piece of their defensive roster in Baun.

Stock Up: Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh

I hope you were here last week! Highsmith appeared as No. 4 in last week's market and there were definitive statements that he was a must-start. Four tackles and a sack was just another day at the office for Highsmith, who, when healthy, is a game-wrecking type of a player for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Star edge rusher T.J. Watt did manage to play last week, but that didn't stop Highsmith from making his presence known yet again. He is now on a three-game streak with a sack and is averaging five tackles a game through that stretch. He is on the list again because he finishes against a Chiefs team with both teams playing for something, and when games like that appear in the schedule, the stars on the field tend to shine bright!