NFL Stock Up, Stock Down (October 10, 2025)

We are now 5 weeks into the NFL season, and there are so many things that have changed for most teams, if not all of them, for both good and bad. Preseason predictions are now completely out of the window and it is time to recognize whose stock has risen or taken a hit since the season has started. Teams, players, coaches, and even some trends will be touched on, if necessary. Let’s get into it.

Stock Up: Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts have easily been the most pleasant surprise of the season so far. RB Jonathan Taylor looks how he did when he led the league in rushing a few years ago, rookie TE Tyler Warren already looks like one of the best players at his position, and QB Daniel Jones is playing like the best QB the Colts have had since Andrew Luck shockingly retired in 2019. The defense is also much improved after replacing Gus Bradley and his outdated, stagnant scheme with Lou Anarumo’s much more adaptable scheme. The free agent additions in the secondary have also been much more noticeable, along with 2nd-year EDGE Laiatu Latu’s development.

These were things that were all hit on as things to believe in, in my preview of the team, but the one thing that held many back from believing in this Colts team before the season was the uncertainty at QB, and Jones has answered the call. HC Shane Steichen is working the magic he has with many QBs he has worked with in the past, including being one throw away from making the playoffs with Gardner Minshew starting at QB in 2023. If Steichen continues to get this level of play out of Jones, the Colts will be a headache for all of the teams looking to contend in the AFC.

Stock Down: My Super Bowl Teams (Ravens vs Eagles)

It’s safe to say neither of these teams have flexed their muscles like many thought they would this season. For Baltimore, this already feels like a lost season even though there’s a path for them to sneak their way back into the playoffs. An abundance of injuries (including a couple important season-ending ones), a lack of balance on offense, and poor gameplanning on the defense have quickly derailed this season. There’s no reason to believe the defense can find its way with the injuries and how they were playing even before those same injuries came into play. Now, they have to go on a big run just to give themselves a shot at a playoff berth.

Philly’s offensive schematics are what’s holding them back from looking like the real deal Holyfield in the NFC. Their overly conservative nature is quite embarrassing given the amount of talent the coaching staff has at their disposal on offense. AJ Brown hardly getting the ball and essentially being used as a clear-out. Devonta Smith running fades and some outs every here and there. The imbalance week-to-week, and sometimes half-to-half, is also puzzling. It’s constant overcorrection from an offensive coordinator who looks in over his head and an offensive head coach who has shown an inability to make adjustments for said offense during the season in the past. Between this and the interior offensive line not looking as dominant due to Landon Dickerson battling with injuries and Steen and Jurgens not playing at the level they need to in the run game, this Philly offense has a long way to go before they can perform at a championship level.

Stock Up: Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags were one of the most popular “sleeper” picks to be a new division winner and make the playoffs before the season, but I don’t think anyone expected a 4-1 start that included a road win vs the 49ers and a primetime win vs Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. HC Liam Coen has improved the run game and instilled more toughness and belief into this team than they showed in their final year under Doug Pederson. LB Devin Lloyd has a case for Defensive Player of the Year through 5 weeks, and his breakout has turned this defense into one of the best in the league so far. QB Trevor Lawrence also continues to look better every week in Coen’s system. If they can get more out of the passing game and Travon Walker stays healthy as the year goes on, the Jags can continue to turn heads in the AFC.

Stock Down: Geno Smith

After an offseason where many predicted Geno Smith would take the Raiders offense out of the gutter and make the team more competitive than they’ve been in recent years, Smith has proceeded to turn in his worst stretch of football since he became the full-time starter for the Seahawks in 2022. 9 interceptions in 5 games, an inability to see the field, pre-determined throws, poor decisions, holding the ball for too long, and inaccuracy have all defined his play outside of Week 1 vs the Patriots. Some of these issues popped up in Week 1, but they weren’t nearly as severe and appalling as they have been in 4 losses from Weeks 2-5. You can argue the Raiders could be 3-2 (2-3 at worst) and could’ve been in every game had it not been for Smith’s dismal play, which is the opposite of the stability Geno Smith was supposed to bring to the QB position while the Raiders figure out the rest.

Stock Up: Cleveland Browns’ Rookie Class

The Cleveland Browns have been better than most expected them to be despite only having one win, albeit vs a very good Green Bay Packers team. A big reason for that is Andrew Berry saving his job with his 2025 NFL Draft class. DT Mason Graham and LB Carson Schwesinger have helped make this Browns run defense the best in the NFL, and Schwesinger already looks like one of the best linebackers in the entire NFL. Rookie RB Quinshon Judkins already looks like a star at his position, with RB Dylan Sampson looking like a good 3rd down back and a more than capable backup to Judkins. TE Harold Fannin also looks like a solid receiving weapon who can be moved around without any issues. QB Dillon Gabriel looks like a decent backup at worst, and QB Shedeur Sanders is TBD. With Cleveland obviously in a rebuild, finding foundational pieces through the draft is extremely important, and they have found multiple foundational pieces in what looks like a home run of a draft.

Stock Down: Jets and Dolphins (AFC East Bottom Feeders)

Somehow, both of these teams found a way to be worse than they were projected to be. For the Dolphins, Mike McDaniel is going to be fired at the end of the year, if not sooner. While Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane are good skill players, Tyreek Hill’s time in Miami is now done and 33-year old Darren Waller is your #2 receiving weapon after taking a year off to be a rapper. Miami’s 2025 NFL Draft class also doesn’t look any good through 5 games, hasn’t been able to help solve any of their problems, and who knows if they will be able to. The worst part: Tua Tagovailoa’s contract doesn’t have an out that’s even slightly comfortable until the 2027 offseason. Not much of a light at the end of the tunnel for Miami as we speak.

The Jets, on the other hand, also look like a complete disaster. While the defense is devoid of talent for the most part, the coaching and lack of discipline are jarring. Two things that were expected out of Aaron Glenn’s Jets are toughness and effort, and the Jets don’t take it to other teams and look like they don’t care about what’s going on. The offensive scheme has some promise, and so does the offensive line, but Justin Fields’ play, the penalties, and turnovers aren’t taking this team anywhere. Aaron Glenn’s Year 1 is already loaded with red flags through 5 weeks, and there isn’t anything that indicates future improvement.

Stock Up: Brian Schottenheimer

While Jerry Jones likes to run the Cowboys like a circus, Brian Schottenheimer has done a good job keeping the Cowboys competitive despite injuries and a lack of defensive talent. The Cowboys’ running game has arguably been one of the 5 best in the league this season after being one of the absolute worst in football just a year ago. Schottenheimer also has Dak Prescott playing the best football of his career even without CeeDee Lamb and multiple starting linemen. The Cowboys had to be a prolific offense to compete this year because of their talent profile on defense, and Schottenheimer has his offense scoring in bunches.

Stock Down: Cincinnati Bengals

What is there to say about the Bengals that hasn’t been said already? The defense is abysmal (again) and a coaching change on that side of the ball wasn’t enough, unsurprisingly. A cheap and conservative front office has kept the team from building upon any success they have. Paying Tee Higgins, their #2 WR, WR1 money when the rest of the team outside of 3 players (Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Trey Hendrickson, maybe Dax Hill) isn’t good enough to contend the way they want to. Higgins is an awesome player, but that is fundamentally bad team building. The amount of swings and misses on the offensive line and the defense has been historically bad, and the Bengals hardly want to make trades or stop being cheap and sign players who can help them win. Joe Burrow can probably put on the cape and carry the Bengals to the playoffs in future years, but this team won’t be a serious contender as long as they continue to operate like this, and putting a QB of Burrow’s caliber to waste is a shame.