We all know the risks of starting players on Thursday night. When they hit, we can relax for a couple days. When they don't, some managers feel compelled to take bigger risks on Sunday. Not ideal.
Last night's contest was relatively abysmal from a fantasy perspective, with only D'Onta Foreman "hitting big." Cairo Santos was the #2 fantasy scorer with 12 points, though he had 11 in the first half. So if you're in a kicker league and happened to start him, you probably were ecstatic at halftime, only to find yourself wanting more in the final two frames.
There's not much to say. Many of the concerns surrounding Bryce Young are valid until/unless he proves otherwise. The problem is that Carolina gave significant draft capital to the Bears in exchange for the rights to Young. Every Panthers loss is a reminder that Chicago probably will get better in the offseason, while Carolina will need significant help in free agency. Can a dismal team with a questionably capable "franchise' quarterback attract franchise-elevating talent? If Miles Sanders is any indication, possibly not.
Adam Thielen's fantasy decline is a microcosm of the problem. The once resurgent 33-year-old has been largely locked down. Earlier this season, he flew under the radar. Now as Young's unquestioned #1 playmaker, this connection has been exposed. The running game is truly a mess. D.J. Chark hasn't been able to stay healthy since 2019. Jonathan Mingo is a raw rookie. Terrace Marshall publicly wants out. Hayden Hurst is a 30-year-old with one 50-500 season under his belt.
Young has leaned on Thielen because he doesn't have any remotely better options. And no doubt, the veteran has delivered. But defenses have caught on, meaning Thielen is no better than a high-floor flyer going forward. For a team with no other fantasy-relevant players, it's a horrendous situation, exacerbating the fact that Young needs surrounding talent to expedite his development. The Panthers' offseason roster decisions have only hurt him.
For Chicago, it was a no-lose evening that happened to turn into a win-win evening. They're still barely in playoff contention at 3-7 and Justin Fields on the verge of returning. While they still have almost no shot (their next four games are @Lions, @Vikings, Lions, @Browns), dynasty managers can take heart that unlike Carolina, this franchise is built for growth in 2024. Two likely early first-round draft picks, a slowly improving defense, a deep backfield, a great #1 WR, and a very good #1 TE give them a strong foundation . . . assuming Fields can take another step forward.
Notably last night, Roschon Johnson got a bit more run, possibly because Foreman earned 20 touches on Sunday, and the team didn't see the need to give him 30. While Johnson has shown promise, the fact that he couldn't wrest the starting job from Foreman tells us he remains a work-in-progress. And with Khalil Herbert eventually returning, Johnson's path to relevance will narrow, while Foreman will revert to flyer status unless Herbert somehow takes a backseat. Given how well Herbert has run when healthy, I imagine he'll be the 1A. But of course, this is a situation to monitor.
For the closest-score competition, we have three winners. As a consolation prize, I should mention three community members who came within two points: Brian Cloutier (15-12), Rick Esterly (17-14), and Clay Pickett (17-14). But Tom Windedahl Jr., Jonathan Aaron, and Ray Johnson did one better, predicting a 17-13 Bears victory. They used their football knowledge and guile to join this exclusive club. Congrats to all three, who can now feel good these next couple days, even if they started Chuba Hubbard and Darnell Mooney.
two bottom-of-the-barrel offenses Happy Daylight Savings Time for those who celebrate. Denver, Detroit, Jacksonville, and San Francisco are