What can be said about last night that isn't obvious? Not much. The Chargers have come undone too many times the last 20 years because of injuries to key players, and the Raiders had the good fortune of facing a depleted and deflated franchise "led" by a 28-year-old QB making his first NFL start.
By my count, Vegas went 5-for-5 on third-down conversions in the first quarter, leading to all three of their touchdowns in the opening frame and a momentum that carried them to a blowout victory. The Chargers actually entered this game with the seventh-best third-down-conversion defense. But their inability to stop recent backups Aidan O'Connell and Zamir White doomed them from the start.
As suggested yesterday, the Raiders' win means they'll still have something to play for next week against the Chiefs. It also means that the Chargers' season effectively is over. Keenan Allen might not play again. Austin Ekeler might not play enough these next few weeks to be startable in most fantasy leagues. And of course, Easton Stick's presence means no Charger will be an obvious start, even if Allen returns.
For the closest-score competition, Chris Hupe picked 34-6 Raiders, which looked great until the Chargers netted a couple of garbage-time scores, which catapulted Rick Esterly (31-18 Raiders) to the winner's circle. Rick won several times last year, earning him awe and admiration from at least me. Now that awe and admiration has been reignited. Congrats, Rick.
And because we have Saturday football this week, here's an early look at the Sunday matchups and some of the most notable fantasy storylines. Then tomorrow I'll dive into Saturday's matchups.
Browns (-3) vs. Bears -- Once again, the question is whether Joe Flacco can elevate two or more receivers. The odds remain very good. And how much longer will D’Onta Foreman remain Chicago’s the clear lead back? I still have to believe it’s a hot-hand situation.
Packers (-3.5) vs. Buccaneers – For Green Bay, it’s once again about injuries and how much we can trust their starters. It’s that simple and that complicated. For Tampa Bay, Mike Evans “finally” took a backseat to Chris Godwin last week. Will we see more balance in this final stretch, just as we have so often with this duo in recent years?
Titans (-3) vs. Texans -- Not sure if we can trust anyone in Houston, given their injury situation. And for Tennessee, can Will Levis take another step toward deep-league-streamer status?
Jets (+8.5) at Dolphins -- The storyline a couple weeks ago might have been “High-flying ‘Fins versus free-falling Jets.” But Miami just lost a key cog in their offensive line, and two of their four best offensive playmakers are hobbled. Is Tua Tagovailoa a top-12 fantasy QB this week, and will game script feed Breece Hall’s need for volume? Expecting a close Miami victory.
Chiefs (-7.5) at Patriots -- Do Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon cancel each other out against a brutally tough run defense? And can Zeke Elliott sustain the magic he delivered last week?
Giants (+6) at Saints -- Take last week’s blowout victory over the hapless Panthers with a grain of salt. New Orleans is struggling, and either Derek Carr is the ultimate gamer for playing through so many injuries, or he’s the same ceiling-capped QB we’ve seen for the better part of a decade. While I expect New Orleans to win this game, trusting him in fantasy seems to hinge too much on Alvin Kamara’s after-the-catch yards and scores. And for the Giants, as strange as this might have sounded a few weeks ago (or even now), a strong finish by Tommy DeVito could lead this franchise to bypass a QB in the next draft. Consider how many backups struggle, and consider what DeVito has had to work with. Yes, Saquon Barkley has been a huge help. But if he outplays Carr, it’ll be yet more proof that DeVito deserves an even longer look in 2024.
Falcons (-3) at Panthers -- Drake London went nuts last week, and I didn’t see it coming. Is he finally safe in fantasy? And for Carolina, it remains Adam Thielen vs. Jonathan Mingo, and I’m still betting on Mingo, though it’s all relative in an abysmal passing attack.
Rams (-6.5) vs. Commanders -- As well as Sam Howell has played, a healthy Rams offense should prove overwhelming. Can Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua both thrive in the same game? And which Washington WR can we trust most in the fantasy playoffs?
49ers (-12.5) at Cardinals -- A huge road point spread, but the Niners are locked in, and the Cards quite simply are not. I’m wondering if James Conner is benchable in a game that could get out of hand, and along those lines, whether Arizona will give another RB more run as they look to 2024. For San Francisco, can Jordan Mason put an exclamation point on his push to become CMC’s handcuff?
Jaguars (+3) vs. Ravens -- Jacksonville for the win, with huge question marks surrounding their three healthy starting WRs. Calvin Ridley has caught only eight of his last 21 targets. He’s become the ultimate boom-bust WR. And for Baltimore, will Keaton Mitchell render Gus Edwards useless in fantasy? It’s looking that way, but another game should tell us if this a real trend.
Bills (-2) vs. Cowboys -- James Cook was a Week 14 hero, though it came at the expense of every teammate except Josh Allen. I’m wondering if Stefon Diggs will bounce back. The 30-year-old receiver had 13.6+ points in each of his first nine contests, but has exceeded 6.7 points in only one of four games since. And for Dallas, will we see a true backfield timeshare this week, or will Tony Pollard reassert himself as the unquestioned lead RB.
Eagles (-3.5) vs. Seahawks – Kenneth Walker vs. Zach Charbonnet, and D’Andre Swift vs. Philadelphia’s offensive approach. As I wrote on Monday, Week 14 was the first time Swift didn’t have a target in his NFL career. A couple weeks ago, I was very comfortable approaching the playoffs with Isiah Pacheco and Swift, but now it’s quite possible I’ll start Rico Dowdle and Samaje Perine. And so it goes . . .