First off, congrats to all you winners who locked down the W last night. Since my results wrapped up Sunday night, I could relax with a bag of Bamba and a Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar and cheer on many of you.
And by the way, that last sentence is 100% true. My wife and I stock up on 99-cent bags of Bamba (best deal in any supermarket in the continental United States or Canada) and $1.79 Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bars (each package comes not with one, but with *two* bars). Our pantry is filled with them. Some might think we're preparing for the End of Days. No, I just really like Bamba and Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bars.
And by the way (again), I just did a quick search on the site. After nearly nine seasons and 1,600 articles, this is the first time I've written the word "lover's." I like to keep things clean on this page. But as some of you long-timers know, as we get closer to the end of the season, I start pushing the envelope. A couple years ago I wrote about riding the bus home from camp. That's the benefit of hanging around this community late in the year. You get anecdotes about bus rides, peanut snacks, and dark chocolate for people who love things.
So back to the game. Joshua Pugh, I was pulling for you up until Chase Edmonds was declared out, and then I decided to conserve my emotional energy for those with a fighting chance (Joshua was down 61 points with DeAndre Hopkins remaining). Ray Kaufman, I was hoping DB Jalen Thompson would grab an interception out of a teammate's hand and then fumble it--anything to get you a couple more points. From what I can tell, Murray's early interception at the goal-line--an 8-point swing--might have been the difference. Jeffrey Holub, I'm concerned that your huge lead all but vanished when Van Jefferson and Cooper Kupp scored in the third, and that Matt Prater's late field goal didn't help.
I was tracking the progress for a lot of you yesterday. Would've been easier if you'd just sent me all your league login info so I can track it on my laptop. But only Aaron Weaver has entrusted me with his login info in-season, and I don't want to assume the rest of you are as trusting as he is (though Aaron would probably say that you are).
Yesterday did not go as I expected. Did not anticipate Matthew Stafford would comfortably outperform Kyler Murray. My midseason warnings about Stafford were foolish. Three touchdowns in Green Bay, and then three more in Arizona? That's what Super Bowl-caliber quarterbacks do. If the Rams get Cam Akers back for the playoffs, they'll probably have the most talented three-headed backfield in a decade or more. And Odell Beckham, Jr. has been better than I expected. His catch rate remains very low among WR starters (59% as a Ram), but I can't argue with a touchdown per game.
So to summarize, my Rams-related sensibilities have been flawed. The only positive is that I picked up and rostered Sony Michel earlier this year in the belief the injury-prone Darrell Henderson would miss time. Then I dropped him or traded him away because my team had too many injuries, and someone had to go. So, there's that I guess.
For Arizona, a huge letdown for those banking on Kyler. Gotta say his rushing numbers have changed dramatically since returning from his ankle injury. He was #17 or #18 in QB rushing yards per game before last weekend. I traded him away because he was too much of a mid-QB1 pocket passer. Now that he's running again, his ceiling is as high as any QB's. But the Rams had his number last night.
Elsewhere, DeAndre Hopkins still doesn't look quite right. It was A.J. Green's turn to shine. And James Conner: wow. According to my quick research, Conner is the only RB this season to score two rushing touchdowns and exceed 80 yards through the air. He's now leapfrogged Cordarrelle Patterson in fantasy points as the RB6. What an extraordinary story for a guy who was supposed to be one of 5-6 weekly contributors behind offensive centerpieces Kyler and Hopkins.
Finally, the closest-score competition. Final score was 30-23. Honorable mention goes to Doug Pastor (27-24), Jerry Bevil (31-27), Adam Brooks (27-22) and near-winner Jeremy Milbrandt (31-24). And the winner . . . of the first annual Week 14 Monday Night Football closest-score competition is . . . Tyler Nelson! Tyler picked 30-24. For the third time in the past few weeks, the winner was one point off. So to all of you, next time think of a final score, and then change it by one number. And then you'll win.
---
- PFN fantasy site -- www.profootballnetwork.com/fantasy-football/
- PFN fantasy podcast -- podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-mood-for-fantasy-football/id1580114372
- Free fantasy advice newsletter -- www.getrevue.co/profile/pfnfantasy
And by the way, that last sentence is 100% true. My wife and I stock up on 99-cent bags of Bamba (best deal in any supermarket in the continental United States or Canada) and $1.79 Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bars (each package comes not with one, but with *two* bars). Our pantry is filled with them. Some might think we're preparing for the End of Days. No, I just really like Bamba and Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bars.
And by the way (again), I just did a quick search on the site. After nearly nine seasons and 1,600 articles, this is the first time I've written the word "lover's." I like to keep things clean on this page. But as some of you long-timers know, as we get closer to the end of the season, I start pushing the envelope. A couple years ago I wrote about riding the bus home from camp. That's the benefit of hanging around this community late in the year. You get anecdotes about bus rides, peanut snacks, and dark chocolate for people who love things.
So back to the game. Joshua Pugh, I was pulling for you up until Chase Edmonds was declared out, and then I decided to conserve my emotional energy for those with a fighting chance (Joshua was down 61 points with DeAndre Hopkins remaining). Ray Kaufman, I was hoping DB Jalen Thompson would grab an interception out of a teammate's hand and then fumble it--anything to get you a couple more points. From what I can tell, Murray's early interception at the goal-line--an 8-point swing--might have been the difference. Jeffrey Holub, I'm concerned that your huge lead all but vanished when Van Jefferson and Cooper Kupp scored in the third, and that Matt Prater's late field goal didn't help.
I was tracking the progress for a lot of you yesterday. Would've been easier if you'd just sent me all your league login info so I can track it on my laptop. But only Aaron Weaver has entrusted me with his login info in-season, and I don't want to assume the rest of you are as trusting as he is (though Aaron would probably say that you are).
Yesterday did not go as I expected. Did not anticipate Matthew Stafford would comfortably outperform Kyler Murray. My midseason warnings about Stafford were foolish. Three touchdowns in Green Bay, and then three more in Arizona? That's what Super Bowl-caliber quarterbacks do. If the Rams get Cam Akers back for the playoffs, they'll probably have the most talented three-headed backfield in a decade or more. And Odell Beckham, Jr. has been better than I expected. His catch rate remains very low among WR starters (59% as a Ram), but I can't argue with a touchdown per game.
So to summarize, my Rams-related sensibilities have been flawed. The only positive is that I picked up and rostered Sony Michel earlier this year in the belief the injury-prone Darrell Henderson would miss time. Then I dropped him or traded him away because my team had too many injuries, and someone had to go. So, there's that I guess.
For Arizona, a huge letdown for those banking on Kyler. Gotta say his rushing numbers have changed dramatically since returning from his ankle injury. He was #17 or #18 in QB rushing yards per game before last weekend. I traded him away because he was too much of a mid-QB1 pocket passer. Now that he's running again, his ceiling is as high as any QB's. But the Rams had his number last night.
Elsewhere, DeAndre Hopkins still doesn't look quite right. It was A.J. Green's turn to shine. And James Conner: wow. According to my quick research, Conner is the only RB this season to score two rushing touchdowns and exceed 80 yards through the air. He's now leapfrogged Cordarrelle Patterson in fantasy points as the RB6. What an extraordinary story for a guy who was supposed to be one of 5-6 weekly contributors behind offensive centerpieces Kyler and Hopkins.
Finally, the closest-score competition. Final score was 30-23. Honorable mention goes to Doug Pastor (27-24), Jerry Bevil (31-27), Adam Brooks (27-22) and near-winner Jeremy Milbrandt (31-24). And the winner . . . of the first annual Week 14 Monday Night Football closest-score competition is . . . Tyler Nelson! Tyler picked 30-24. For the third time in the past few weeks, the winner was one point off. So to all of you, next time think of a final score, and then change it by one number. And then you'll win.
---
- PFN fantasy site -- www.profootballnetwork.com/fantasy-football/
- PFN fantasy podcast -- podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/in-the-mood-for-fantasy-football/id1580114372
- Free fantasy advice newsletter -- www.getrevue.co/profile/pfnfantasy