Week 18 always gives a handful of players a chance to prove their worth for next season, especially when teams resort to backups if they are eliminated from playoff contention or cannot improve their seeding. Washington’s Sam Howell made the most of that opportunity, leading the Commanders to a dominant 26-6 victory and putting the thought into the organization’s mind that he should be the starting quarterback next year. As a result, his Mojo stock share skyrocketed by 18.3%.
We continue our weekly Mojo Market Advice: Buy & Sell column with a look at some players that are still active in the playoffs and who should be added to your portfolios ahead of this weekend. We also discuss two players we advise selling ahead of next season.
(All prices reflect Mojo’s market)
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Buy
Kadarius Toney (WR – KC): $6.78
Since being acquired by the Chiefs on November 6, Toney has become increasingly acclimated to his new high-powered offense each week. For example, Toney had a team-high (and season-high) 71 receiving yards in Week 17 (season-high) and followed that up with a rushing touchdown on a jet sweep in Week 18. Thus, head coach Andy Reid trusts Toney to run more routes as he continues learning the playbook and is utilizing Toney’s speed in his ever-evolving creative offensive scheme. Toney plays in an offense that led the league with 41 passing touchdowns, and we like what he can bring to the offense not just through the playoff run but into next season as well.
Tony Pollard (RB – DAL): $13.03
Pollard may continue to be in a timeshare with Ezekiel Elliott through the remainder of this season, but we want to buy his shares going forward, as he should supplant himself as the lead back of the Cowboys offense. Pollard finished the fantasy season as the RB7 and had 246.9 points entering Week 18. He was one of six running backs with 1300+ scrimmage yards and 12+ touchdowns and is the better of Dallas’s two running backs in terms of explosiveness and yards after contact. Pollard averaged 22 fantasy points per game since Week 8 (2nd among RB). That was better than players like Nick Chubb, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon, and Aaron Jones, despite being 22nd in running backs in touches. Even if Pollard receives 15 touches or fewer against Tampa Bay (it would be the fourth time in the last five games doing so), he has shown he can do damage with limited touches, but it would still make him an excellent buy-low option with massive upside for next season.
Sell
Aaron Rodgers (QB- GB): $113.69
Rodgers surpassed the 260-passing yards mark in just one game this season, and he had fewer than two passing touchdowns in each of the final five games of the regular season. He never finished better than the QB10 in any given week, and he had zero games scoring 20 or more fantasy points in 2022. That is even more surprising, considering he ranked tenth in air yards, nine in red zone attempts, and 12th in accuracy rating.
Green Bay’s season ended heartbreakingly, as the Packers controlled their own destiny for a playoff spot, needing just a win over Detroit in Week 18. As it was, the loss was just the second in December or January in the Matt LaFleur era, and now rumors will swirl all offseason about what Rodgers intends to do next year. With so much uncertainty surrounding him and how disappointing this season ended, we recommend selling on the Green Bay quarterback ahead of next season.
Mac Jones (QB – NE): $28.97
It may just have been a sophomore slump, but nothing about what Mac Jones did this past season should excite anyone. In his rookie year of 2021, Jones went 10-7 as a starter, had a QBR of 57, and had a 22-13 TD-INT ratio. This past season, Jones went 6-8, had a 36 QBR (the fourth-worst in the NFL), and a 14-11 TD-INT ratio. Head coach Bill Belichick has already announced he will be back for his 24th season, but if the Patriots handle their offensive coordinator duties like they did this year, Jones is likely in for more struggles.
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