Playoff Stockwatch: C.J. Stroud, Rashee Rice, and Dalton Kincaid among Fantasy dynamos with star potential

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The Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs were somewhat wild, as we saw Dallas, Philadelphia and Cleveland lose despite many expecting all three teams to advance. The Dolphins and Cowboys struggles against good teams continued in the postseason, and two young quarterbacks made their presence known in C.J. Stroud and Jordan Love.

A lot more happened in the opening round of the playoffs, and we're going to spin it forward for you with an eye toward next season when it comes to the Fantasy values of several players. This is your playoff stockwatch.

Each week through the Super Bowl, we'll see who improved -- or hurt -- their Fantasy value for 2024 based on what happened from the previous weekend. And we'll also update our rest of postseason rankings below for any of you who need help in your playoff challenge.

I'm excited about the Divisional Round coming up this weekend, and we have some awesome games with Kansas City at Buffalo, Houston at Baltimore, Tampa Bay at Detroit and Green Bay at San Francisco. But before that starts, let's look back at the Wild Card weekend and see if anything changed for some players heading into 2024 when it comes to their Fantasy outlook.

Quarterback

Stock up

C.J. Stroud

Stroud was fantastic against Cleveland in Houston's 45-14 victory. He completed 16-of-21 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns, and he's looking like a slam-dunk No. 1 Fantasy quarterback for 2024. I already had him ranked No. 8 for next season, and I can't wait to see what he does in his sophomore campaign with a healthy Tank Dell (leg) joining Nico Collins. Stroud will likely be one of the best values at quarterback in next season's Fantasy drafts.

Jordan Love

Love almost had the exact same stats at Stroud in Green Bay's 48-32 victory at Dallas. He was 16-of-21 passing for 272 yards and two touchdowns, and I'm excited to draft Love as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback next season. He's No. 9 in my early rankings, and I expect him to also be a tremendous value pick. His receiving corps will hopefully continue to improve, and Love has thrived in his first season as the starter for the Packers.

Stock down

Jalen Hurts

Hurts had a miserable game at Tampa Bay in a 32-9 loss, completing 25-of-35 passes for 250 yards and one touchdown, along with just 5 rushing yards. The early playoff exit shouldn't make you panic about Hurts, but this performance makes it easier to justify drafting Josh Allen as the No. 1 quarterback next season, if there was any debate. The Eagles could look slightly different in 2024, with future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce retiring for example, and we'll see if the tush push remains in place. But Hurts is still worth drafting as a top-three quarterback in Round 3, and he's No. 2 in my early rankings

Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa had a rough playoff exit at Kansas City with 20-of-39 completions for 199 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and he added 25 rushing yards on three carries. Including the playoff loss, that's now six games in a row with fewer than 19 Fantasy points to close the season. He should rebound in 2024, especially with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle on his side, but I don't like Tagovailoa as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback for next season. I prefer him as a high-end backup and someone I'll only draft with a late-round pick.

Running back

Stock up

Aaron Jones

Jones was a star for the Packers against the Cowboys with 21 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns, along with one catch for 13 yards on one target. That's now four games in a row with at least 100 rushing yards, and Jones is making a case to remain the Packers lead running back in 2024. Now, keep in mind that he just turned 29 in December, and he missed six games in 2023 due to injury. But if he returns to Green Bay with limited competition for touches then you can still draft Jones as a low-end No. 2 running back in all leagues as early as Round 6.

Devin Singletary

Singletary had a solid game for the Texans against the Browns with 13 carries for 66 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 4 yards on three targets. He's now scored a touchdown or gained at least 100 total yards in four of his past six games, and he might have done enough to enter 2024 as the No. 1 running back for Houston if he stays as an impending free agent. If that happens then Singletary would be worth drafting as a high-end reserve or flex option as early as Round 7 in the majority of leagues.

Stock down

De'Von Achane

I don't think much will deter Fantasy managers from drafting Achane in the first two rounds in 2024, especially if he's the lead running back for Miami. But the 26-7 loss at Kansas City showed that maybe the Dolphins don't want Achane in a true featured role. It didn't make sense giving Achane and Raheem Mostert the same amount of touches against the Chiefs (nine) since Mostert had missed the past two games with ankle and knee injuries, especially since Achane had performed well as the starter against Baltimore and Buffalo with a combined 24 carries for 163 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 35 yards and a touchdown on six targets. He has the potential to be a star, and hopefully the Dolphins give him the chance to prove that on a weekly basis.

D'Andre Swift

Swift might have played his last game with the Eagles in the playoff loss at Tampa Bay since he'll be a free agent this offseason. His final stat line against the Buccaneers was 10 carries for 34 yards and four catches for 32 yards on four targets. Overall, it was a successful season for Swift, who only missed a meaningless Week 18 game with an illness and earned his first 1,000-yard campaign. However, his 13.1 PPR points per game were the lowest of his career, and now we have to see where he ends up in 2024. With the right team, Swift can still be a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues, but I hope he leaves Philadelphia to get more chances to score touchdowns and work in the passing game. He's only 25, so Swift can still be a quality Fantasy option in the right situation.

Wide receiver

Stock up

Rashee Rice

Do the Chiefs need to add another wide receiver this offseason? The answer is likely still yes, especially with Travis Kelce, 34, near the end of his career. But Rice had a huge game against Miami with eight catches for 130 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets, and that's now 17.7 PPR points or more in five of his past seven games. He has the ability to be the next go-to option for Patrick Mahomes, but we have to see what Kansas City does this offseason to potentially add to its receiving corps. We'll also see what happens in the Divisional Round at Buffalo, but Rice could be drafted as early as Round 2 in all leagues next season.

Nico Collins

Collins had another big game against the Browns with six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown on seven targets, and he's now scored at least 21 PPR points in four of his past seven games, with only one outing below 13.8 PPR points over that span. He was a third-year breakout in 2023 thanks to C.J. Stroud, and Collins should be a star Fantasy option once again in 2024. He also showed he can co-exist with Tank Dell, who is out with a broken leg, and Fantasy managers will have a tough call of which Houston receiver should be drafted first next season. I lean slightly toward Dell, but Collins is right behind him, as both Texans receivers should be drafted no later than Round 4 in all leagues.

Puka Nacua

It's hard for Nacua's stock to rise much after his standout 2023 campaign where he set the NFL record for most catches (105) and receiving yards (1,481) by a rookie, but he was exceptional in the Rams' 24-23 loss at Detroit. Nacua had nine catches for 181 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets, and he's clearly become the go-to option for Matthew Stafford heading into 2024. Fantasy managers might consider drafting Nacua as early as Round 1, and he's definitely a top-10 receiver in all leagues. Conversely, Cooper Kupp's stock is down coming off the loss to the Lions where he had five catches for 27 yards on nine targets. Kupp will be a back-end No. 2 Fantasy receiver in 2024, and the earliest you should draft him is Round 4.

Stock down

George Pickens

I'm hopeful the Steelers find a quarterback upgrade in 2024 because there's a lot of talent in Pittsburgh, especially with Pickens. He showed that in Week 16 against Cincinnati and Week 17 at Seattle when he combined for 11 catches for 326 yards and two touchdowns on 15 targets, and he had five 100-yard outings in 2023. But he was held without a catch in Week 18 at Baltimore and then finished the season with just five catches for 50 yards and a fumble on 11 targets at Buffalo in the 31-17 playoff loss. Kenny Pickett will likely be the starting quarterback in 2024, which is a downgrade for Pickens, but let's hope the Steelers find a way to bring in a new passer. If that happens then Pickens could be a top-20 receiver in all leagues. As it stands now, he's a high-end No. 3 receiver worth drafting as early as Round 6.

Jaylen Waddle

Waddle was playing through an ankle injury, so we'll give him a pass for his poor stat line at Kansas City with two catches for 31 yards on five targets, as well as one carry for 9 yards. But it was an overall down season for Waddle in 2023, who was limited to 14 games due to injury, and he missed parts of several others. He averaged a career-low 14.6 PPR points per game, and he was a bust based on his lofty CBS Sports Average Draft Position in Round 3. That said, I'm excited to draft him in 2024, especially since he'll come at a reduced cost. He still has the potential to be a quality No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues, and I'll be looking to draft him as early as Round 4. While 2023 was frustrating, if he's healthy next season then he can still be a star.

Jayden Reed

Reed had no catches on three targets against the Cowboys when all the Packers receivers were healthy, and I'm really hopeful that's not a sign of things to come. He was fantastic during the regular season, but he really took off when Christian Watson started dealing with a hamstring injury and missed the final five games of the year. Over that stretch, Reed had four games with at least 15.2 PPR points, and he scored more than 15 PPR points only twice when Watson was healthy. I definitely think it's possible Reed can be a star with Watson, but Jordan Love doesn't appear the need to rely on one receiver to succeed. Reed, Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks all have the ability to thrive with Love, and Doubs had six catches for 151 yards and a touchdown on six targets against Dallas. It's giving me a slight pause to say Reed is a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in 2024, and he might be better off as a high-end No. 3 option in all leagues.

Tight end

Stock up

Jake Ferguson

Ferguson is never going to be an elite Fantasy tight end, but he can be drafted as a No. 1 option with a late-round pick in all leagues. He was great against the Packers as the Cowboys tried to fight back from a 27-7 halftime deficit, finishing with 10 catches for 93 yards and three touchdowns on 12 targets. We'll see what happens with Dallas this offseason, but Ferguson will likely remain the No. 2 option in the passing game behind CeeDee Lamb. Ferguson is a great tight end to wait for on Draft Day, and he could easily be a top-10 Fantasy option once again in 2024.

Dalton Kincaid

Kincaid had another quality outing in the victory against the Steelers with three catches for 59 yards and a touchdown on six targets, and he's now scored at least 12.7 PPR points in three games in a row. I'm curious to see what Buffalo does this offseason with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, who is a free agent, and Kincaid could emerge as the No. 1 option in the passing game for Josh Allen. Kincaid is quickly trending toward becoming a top-five Fantasy tight end in all leagues -- if he's not there already in 2024.

Stock down

Tucker Kraft

The Wild Card round was actually great for tight ends as David Njoku (16.3 PPR points), Dalton Schultz (10.7), Travis Kelce (14.1), Jake Ferguson (37.3), Sam LaPorta (10.4), Pat Freiermuth (12.6), Dalton Kincaid (14.9), Dallas Goedert (12.1) and Cade Otton (16.9) all did something of significance. Even Luke Musgrave had three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on three targets for 14.2 PPR points, and it appears like he's all the way back from the abdomen injury he suffered prior to Week 12. As such, Kraft is probably going to have a reduced role, and his run as the best tight end for the Packers is probably over. Kraft scored at least 10 PPR points in four of the six games without Musgrave, but Kraft had just two catches for 15 yards on three targets against Dallas.

Playoff rankings for the remainder of the postseason ...

Quarterback

1. Josh Allen
2. Brock Purdy
3. Lamar Jackson
4. Jared Goff
5. Patrick Mahomes
6. Baker Mayfield
7. C.J. Stroud
8. Jordan Love

Running back

1. Christian McCaffrey
2. James Cook
3. Jahmyr Gibbs
4. Isiah Pacheco
5. Aaron Jones
6. David Montgomery
7. Rachaad White
8. Gus Edwards
9. Devin Singletary
10. Justice Hill
11. Dalvin Cook
12. Elijah Mitchell
13. Chase Edmonds
14. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
15. Dameon Pierce

Wide receiver

1. Deebo Samuel
2. Stefon Diggs
3. Brandon Aiyuk
4. Amon-Ra St. Brown
5. Zay Flowers
6. Rashee Rice
7. Mike Evans
8. Nico Collins
9. Chris Godwin
10. Khalil Shakir
11. Odell Beckham
12. Jayden Reed
13. Romeo Doubs
14. Josh Reynolds
15. Gabe Davis
16. Jameson Williams
17. Christian Watson
18. John Metchie III
19. Dontayvion Wicks
20. Bo Melton

Tight end

1. George Kittle
2. Dalton Kincaid
3. Mark Andrews
4. Sam LaPorta
5. Travis Kelce
6. Dalton Schultz
7. Luke Musgrave
8. Cade Otton
9. Isaiah Likely
10. Dawson Knox
11. Tucker Kraft
12. Brevin Jordan