Would you like to know how I know I’m a pessimist? Despite being up by as many as 60 points going into Sunday’s middle afternoon games in one of my leagues, I was in a tight, and ultimately losing race in my other league. Guess which of those I spent all day dwelling on?
In both leagues, my teams showed some signs of life, bouncing back with some high point totals among my best this season, and that’s what you want. That’s why I drafted these guys or made these additions. You just wish that when things start to go right that it actually translates into a win.
So let’s start on that losing side and see what went wrong, shall we?
| Week |
5 |
| Opponent |
Sarknado 2 – David |
| Outcome |
128 – 139 L |
| Wildcats |
Player |
Team |
Points |
| QB |
Derek Carr |
Oakland Raiders |
25 |
| RB1 |
Lamar Miller |
Houston Texans |
3 |
| RB2 |
Jordan Howard |
Chicago Bears |
24 |
| WR1 |
Kelvin Benjamin |
Carolina Panthers |
12 |
| WR2 |
Jordan Matthews |
Philadelphia Eagles |
10 |
| WR3 |
Randall Cobb |
Green Bay Packers |
19 |
| TE |
Rob Gronkowski |
New England Patriots |
15 |
| K |
Matt Bryant |
Atlanta Falcons |
12 |
| DST |
|
Philadelphia Eagles |
8 |
| BN |
Sterling Shepard |
New York Giants |
3 |
| BN |
Kirk Cousins |
Washington Redskins |
16 |
| BN |
|
Seattle Seahawks |
BYE |
| BN |
Jamison Crowder |
Washington Redskins |
12 |
| BN |
Dennis Pitta |
Baltimore Ravens |
12 |
| BN |
Jamaal Charles |
Kansas City Chiefs |
BYE |
128 points was my second highest point total in my Yahoo PPR league this season, but it came against the 139 highest point total put up by the previously 0-4 team sitting in last place. David started Theo Riddick, Philip Rivers, Odell Beckham Jr. and Amari Cooper against me, and they all paid off in bigger and better ways than my standouts. Riddick, a running back, caught both of his touchdown passes for an extra jab of points, and they came against my Philadelphia defense, which I streamed this week in place of Seattle on a bye week. I started Derek Carr, who delivered a solid 25 after playing well from behind in the first half, but of course Carr’s primary weapon was Amari Cooper, so any of those gains were effectively neutralized. And while the Raiders may have won that game, Rivers came away with the bigger fantasy day, throwing four touchdowns despite throwing two interceptions.
And finally let’s talk about that Packers-Giants game. Full disclosure, I’ve actually proposed a trade to Sarknado 2 acquiring Odell Beckham Jr. in exchange for Randall Cobb and Dennis Pitta. So I was interested in the outcome of this game for a handful of reasons. If either player had faltered and failed to put up solid numbers, either I would cancel the trade or he would decline it. But the way the scores would have it, I needed Beckham to have another poor game and for Cobb to get back on track. In fact, Cobb did get back on track. He had nine receptions on 11 targets, the most of either in all four of the Packers’ games. He even found the endzone in a play that was ultimately called back. The touchdown that wasn’t called back however was Beckham’s controversial late TD, in which it was a question as to whether he actually landed in bounds. Could you imagine if both of those had gone my way? I’d be writing a much different column today.
But look back at my chart above and tell me if you notice any other deficiencies on that roster. Got it? It’s Lamar Miller! Three points? Are you kidding? If you recall in my preview from last week, I expected that against Minnesota, this would not be the week that Lamar Miller would turn it around, but I didn’t expect it to be this bad. Orleans Darkwa scored more points against him in Week 4 than Miller did in Week 5. There’s something wrong with the Texans, and there’s something seriously right about the Vikings. It’s a situation where I’m not sure what to do with Miller. If he doesn’t turn it around against Indianapolis in Week 6, then you hit the panic button and try and cut bait while you can. But after this, do I still start him over Jamaal Charles finally returning from an injury against the Raiders? It’d be impossible to sit Jordan Howard after he’s quickly emerged as a borderline RB1 and will be getting Jacksonville in Week 6.
Jordan Matthews had a slow day and might be finally settling back into a WR3 role, hardly the target monster you were expecting after the first four weeks, Gronk looked good but ended up having all the TDs go Martellus Bennett’s way, and Kelvin Benjamin might’ve had a more productive day had Cam Newton been behind center. I finished this week having my best record since Week 1, so you hope if I can keep this up things will eventually turn around.
| Week |
5 |
| Opponent |
Poopshoot – Tony |
| Outcome |
116.28 – 90.26 W |
| Meltdowns |
Player |
Team |
Points |
| QB |
Andrew Luck |
Indianapolis Colts |
22.18 |
| RB1 |
Terrance West |
Baltimore Ravens |
8.90 |
| RB2 |
Jerick McKinnon |
Minnesota Vikings |
4.60 |
| WR1 |
Jordy Nelson |
Green Bay Packers |
9.80 |
| WR2 |
Brandon Marshall |
New York Jets |
17.40 |
| TE |
Rob Gronkowski |
New England Patriots |
10.90 |
| FLEX |
Jordan Matthews |
Philadelphia Eagles |
6.50 |
| K |
Adam Vinatieri |
Indianapolis Colts |
21.00 |
| DST |
|
Arizona Cardinals |
15.00 |
| BN |
Doug Martin |
Tampa Bay Bucs |
0.00 |
| BN |
Tyrod Taylor |
Buffalo Bills |
15.76 |
| BN |
Jeremy Hill |
Minnesota Vikings |
1.20 |
| BN |
|
Seattle Seahawks |
BYE |
| BN |
Sterling Shepard |
New York Giants |
1.40 |
| BN |
Terrelle Pryor Sr. |
Cleveland Browns |
5.30 |
In my other league, you look at that point total and it’s very easy to get excited. It was good enough for beating six of the nine remaining teams in all, and my lineup choices of benching Jeremy Hill and Sterling Shepard were smart ones.
But I might not want to get too excited. Take away that Adam Vinatieri performance, five FGs, two of them 50+ yards, and you have a much more pedestrian day. Maybe it’s still a win over a team that only posted 90 points, but it’s not as much cause for celebration. Running back still proves to be a sore spot. Doug martin and Jerick McKinnon both go on bye in Week 6, limiting me to Terrance West and Jeremy Hill. West has been great, but still could lose his job to Kenneth Dixon once he’s fully healthy. Hill continues to be boom or bust, and next week he plays New England. I dropped Darren Sproles in favor of the Seattle defense, but I may regret that. Seattle next week gets Atlanta, and I won’t feel comfortable starting them after seeing their statement victory over Denver in Week 6. Sproles meanwhile looked good in Week 5, but nothing so exciting as to think he has enough upside to be owned in a 10-team league. During the waivers this week I may be looking to add someone like Jalen Richard or Cameron Artis Payne and still sitting Hill until I see some more consistent production.
I haven’t been writing recaps in a while because I was in a place the last few weeks where I was dominating, but at the same time I was busy. For as high as I was scoring, the weeks were fairly uneventful, a lack of real choices. I was happy to report that my team in each league started performing up to expectations, and in at least my Yahoo league, I’ve been the best team over the last three weeks, quickly climbing the rankings into playoff contention.
Fantasy Assassin 