NFL Stock Up: Week 3

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Every Monday during the season we will take a look back at three players who are entering important stages of their contract that may have helped their stock in upcoming negotiations with their play on Sunday. In addition we will also look at one player signed in the offseason to a new contract that exceeded all expectations and provided exceptional value to his team.

Stock Up

Nick Foles– Whatever early season jitters may have been there in the first game, those seem to be gone from his system. Foles is cementing himself as one of the top three QB’s of the 2012 draft and is putting himself in position to cash in after the season when he becomes extension eligible. On Sunday he put up over 300 yards with no running game to take any pressure off him and against a defense that just wanted to tee off on him. The way his teammates jumped to his defense after he got hit by a Washington player showed just how much he means to that team.

Dez Bryant– It’s becoming clearer and clearer than Bryant is the driving force of the Cowboys stalling passing game and is finally getting the attention he deserves this year from the play calls. I don’t know how a team loses sight of a player like this, but his big play caps off another big week where he is positioning himself as one of the top 4 or 5 players at the position as he heads into free agecy.

Jeremy Maclin– Following last season’s devastating injury Maclin opted for a one year contract with the hopes of getting a big contract in 2015 rather than settling for more security in 2014. Maclin was magnificent Sunday catching 8 passes for 154 yards and 1 TD on the day. Maclin is certainly developing into the unquestioned number 1 on his team and is putting himself in the position to get the big payday by season’s end.

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New Contract Player Of The Week

Rashad Jennings– Last week Jennings played a critical part in the Giants loss, but he more than atoned for that this week with an inspired 176 yard performance against the Houston Texans. These are once in a career type of games and it does not go unnoticed when you have them. Jennings was a major reason the Giants were able to earn their first win of the season.

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