Devy Stock Market

The Devy Stock Market continues this week as we feature a fifth-year senior breakout, a wide receiver catching passes at an insane rate, a freshman in the doghouse, a pair of Badgers capitalizing on an opportunity and a running back who isn’t necessarily missing Zach Wilson.

Kenny Kicking Down the Door – Kenny Pickett, QB Pittsburgh

A common theme of this article throughout the season has been the carousel of quarterback talk on who will emerge as the QB1 between this amalgamation of quarterbacks in the 2022 class including Matt Corral, Sam Howell, Carson Strong, Desmond Ridder, Spencer Rattler (no longer in the mix), and now Pickett has joined the conversation. He is producing unlike we’ve ever seen him previously in his collegiate career thus far. Pickett is putting up big numbers with a 10.9 AY/A and a 23-1 touchdown-interception ratio. He is averaging 319 passing yards per game; including three games above 380 passing yards and four touchdowns.

While many are getting excited about Pickett, there is one glaring red flag that I am unable to shake. The list of successful quarterbacks who played five years of college football is minimal, especially ones who saw minimal success in the first four seasons. Due to his lackluster first four seasons, it is unlikely he is rostered in many devy leagues, but in leagues where he is, I would be selling to anyone who is buying the first-round draft pick hype.

I’m on a roll like Cottonelle – Drake London, WR USC

London was seen by some devy players as a “low ceiling, high floor” play over the last two off-seasons in devy drafts, but his 2021 season has proven so far that he has anything but a low ceiling. London has 79 catches in only seven games, including 31 in the last two games. In six of his seven games, he has had at least nine catches for 130 receiving yards, living up to the high floor projection with plenty of room for the high ceiling as well.

The 6’5” 210-pound wideout is averaging 143 receiving yards per game with five touchdowns on the season. London has played his way into a first-round 2022 NFL draft projection. This may end up being a strawman argument, but if any London managers don’t see his ceiling due to his 12.7 yards-per-catch average, he may end up being cheaper in November 2021 than he will be in May 2022.

Hall in the Doghouse – Agiye Hall, WR Alabama

Like many incoming Alabama freshman, Hall was one of the few incoming freshman on the radar of devy fantasy football players. He was the 14th-ranked wide receiver in the class per Rivals and some devy players thought he’d be able to work his way into the Alabama rotation quickly.

We are nearly in November and Hall’s lone catch of the season was September 4th against Miami. Last week against Tennessee, not only did Hall not produce, he wasn’t even in uniform. Commenting on Hall, Saban said: “What we do with our players on our team is really kind of our business, and we’re encouraging guys to do the right thing, whether it’s personally [or] academically.”

The cause for Hall not playing is unknown at this time, but this is certainly not an encouraging quote for anyone anticipating him producing in 2021. This is a clear stock down for Hall and we will see if this doghouse leads to a transfer portal or if he is able to work his way out of it in 2022.

Bruising Badgers – Chez Mellusi and Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: The Badgers have running back(s) you should be interested in. 2021 was not the season many had hoped for Jalen Berger. The number five running back in 2020 class per Rivals flashed in 2020 with 301 rushing yards and five yards per carry, but in 2021 he disappointed on and off the field with only 88 rushing yards in three games and actions off the field leading to his dismissal from the program.

With Berger out, a pair of Badgers have capitalized. Mellusi is a transfer from Clemson who has seen an increased opportunity in his third collegiate season and has capitalized with four 120+ yard performances in seven games, including 149 rushing yards and a touchdown against Purdue.

While Mellusi is an interesting sleeper, the real excitement is around 17-year-old Allen. He is a 6’2” 238-pound back and has shown why he is the Wisconsin runner to watch over the next few seasons. Allen had his first game with over eight carries three weeks ago, and in those three games since, he is averaging 15 carries for 126 rushing yards and four total touchdowns. Allen’s age, size and production all lend themselves to being a top pick on 2022 devy drafts.

Allgeier All Night Long – Tyler Allgeier, RB BYU

Allgeier had a breakout season in 2020 with 1,304 yards for scrimmage and 13 rushing touchdowns, however many credited that success with the breakout of 2020 first-round pick, Zach Wilson. In 2021, it has been “No Zach Wilson? No problem” for Allgeier as he is averaging 108 rushing yards per game, including a huge game against Washington State last week with 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That was his second performance of the season exceeding 190 rushing yards with 218 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Utah State in early October.

Allgeier has the production in the last two season to be a day two NFL draft pick. His athletic testing should be a positive as a former linebacker at 5’11” 220 pounds, so he is a name to monitor the rest of the season and the early part of the draft process to see if he declares for the 2022 NFL draft.