Some of you brilliantly drafted Alvin Kamara this summer despite his nearly undraftable RB-55 / Overall-174 ADP. The biggest steal of the season, Kamara entered Week 14 as the third highest scoring fantasy RB, fourth highest scoring RB/WR/TE, and fifth highest scoring fantasy player in general (including QBs in traditional PPR scoring leagues) despite essentially playing behind Mark Ingram.
When does that ever happen? When has a non-starter been so dominant?
Yet for some of you, that no longer matters. Arguably the biggest surprise of the 2017 season was sidelined with a concussion on the opening drive. And just like that, some fantasy seasons were dashed.
Just about all of us can relate. We know the randomness of the NFL--particularly with injuries--and the ways it wreaks havoc on our fantasy prospects. But it's always toughest to take in the playoffs, when optimism surrounding Kamara's potential Week 15 return is clouded by fantasy managers wondering if they'll still be competing in Week 15.
Other unexpected outcomes from last night's game: Drew Brees and Matt Ryan combining for three red-zone picks, including two in the end zone. Brees had a decent back-end QB1 performance. Ryan, on the other hand, looked mentally unprepared. Yesterday marked only his ninth 3+ INT performance in 155 games. Rather than bounce back from one of the worst outings of his career, he reinforced the concerns many people had. I foresaw a rebound and was wrong.
Devonta Freeman did his job, as did Michael Thomas. Mohamed Sanu surprised me by leading the Falcons in receptions and nearly collecting a season high in yardage (83), while the normally reliable Tevin Coleman had only his third catch-less day of the season and only his fourth since 2015. After catching 13 balls in the season's first four games, he's largely been ignored in the passing game, and now it's fair to say that he shouldn't be starting in most leagues next week.
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What am I following heading into the weekend? The health of Jimmy Graham and Zach Ertz, both of whom appear to be on track to play. As you all know, I'm down on Graham this week for reasons previously shared. You might be viewed as an idiot if you bench him for someone like Stephen Anderson. But remember that the guys who get us into the playoffs aren't always the guys who help us win in the playoffs.
Finally, I'm also tracking Jalen Ramsey's ankle injury. If he can't suit up Sunday, Russell Wilson and (more significantly) Doug Baldwin get boosts. We all know what Ramsey can do. But I wanted to look at his game-by-game numbers, so here they are: Opposing teams' #1 receivers are averaging four catches for 51 yards with only two total TDs. That's how good Ramsey has been, and that's why his status should impact nearly every fantasy manager rostering Baldwin.
When does that ever happen? When has a non-starter been so dominant?
Yet for some of you, that no longer matters. Arguably the biggest surprise of the 2017 season was sidelined with a concussion on the opening drive. And just like that, some fantasy seasons were dashed.
Just about all of us can relate. We know the randomness of the NFL--particularly with injuries--and the ways it wreaks havoc on our fantasy prospects. But it's always toughest to take in the playoffs, when optimism surrounding Kamara's potential Week 15 return is clouded by fantasy managers wondering if they'll still be competing in Week 15.
Other unexpected outcomes from last night's game: Drew Brees and Matt Ryan combining for three red-zone picks, including two in the end zone. Brees had a decent back-end QB1 performance. Ryan, on the other hand, looked mentally unprepared. Yesterday marked only his ninth 3+ INT performance in 155 games. Rather than bounce back from one of the worst outings of his career, he reinforced the concerns many people had. I foresaw a rebound and was wrong.
Devonta Freeman did his job, as did Michael Thomas. Mohamed Sanu surprised me by leading the Falcons in receptions and nearly collecting a season high in yardage (83), while the normally reliable Tevin Coleman had only his third catch-less day of the season and only his fourth since 2015. After catching 13 balls in the season's first four games, he's largely been ignored in the passing game, and now it's fair to say that he shouldn't be starting in most leagues next week.
---
What am I following heading into the weekend? The health of Jimmy Graham and Zach Ertz, both of whom appear to be on track to play. As you all know, I'm down on Graham this week for reasons previously shared. You might be viewed as an idiot if you bench him for someone like Stephen Anderson. But remember that the guys who get us into the playoffs aren't always the guys who help us win in the playoffs.
Finally, I'm also tracking Jalen Ramsey's ankle injury. If he can't suit up Sunday, Russell Wilson and (more significantly) Doug Baldwin get boosts. We all know what Ramsey can do. But I wanted to look at his game-by-game numbers, so here they are: Opposing teams' #1 receivers are averaging four catches for 51 yards with only two total TDs. That's how good Ramsey has been, and that's why his status should impact nearly every fantasy manager rostering Baldwin.