Before we start, I have to mention something about last week's MOTW: my prediction came true to a tee. Bailey's extra point on Witten's TD pushed Cho over Mike during MNF. I may have the gift of fantasy prophecy. Anyways, time to look to the future...
David vs. Goliath. A classic story about how someone who looked unfit to win a battle overcame obstacles to eventually become king. Well, this week's matchup pits two Davids against each other. Which one will stay true to his name and which one will receive the terrible fate suffered by Goliath?
MOTW
7. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
Yim has gotten to this point with inconsistency. One week his team looks like world beaters, the next week they suffer a loss they shouldn't have. Which team will show up this week? Kim meanwhile was on a hot streak until his team fizzled out and suffered a blowout of the week. Can he bounce back to reclaim his first playoff berth?
Key Players on Bye:
Yim - Rodgers
Kim - Marshall
QB: No Rodgers means a huge leg up for Kim's team. He gets an angrier-than-usual Philip Rivers who wants to bounce back from a tough Denver loss with 10 days of preparation. Although he plays on the road, Miami's weather should be similar to what Rivers is used to in San Diego. Edge: Kim
WR: Without Marshall, this matchup becomes slightly more interesting. Although in the past I had anointed David's team as arguably the best WR corp in our league, an inconsistent Patterson and an injury-plagued Marshall have limited the output. But with that being said, Dez should beast his way to his usual numbers and Allen Robinson should get decent looks in a matchup that will require a ton of throwing. On the other side, David's going with a very unusual strategy. He's using two receivers from the same team that's not even a pass-happy offense. They play with a QB who hasn't started this season and against a Chiefs team that's starting to get their players healthy. Yim may be hoping that sneaking a 3rd running back at the WR spot is what will swing this battle for him but in the end, he'll fall short. Edge: Kim
RB: Last week, Yim's RB produced the best score from a pair of running backs the league has seen this season. Although Charles plays a tough run D in the Jets, he'll get plenty of touches, even if it comes in the pass game. Foster should be able to dominate his touches against a porous Eagles line. Meanwhile, one of the worst backfields in the league tries to keep up with this two-headed monster. Let's just say there's no chance. Edge: Yim
TE: Heath Miller? I don't expect Rape-lisberger to repeat last week's feat and you can see in the 3 weeks before the fluke of the century, Miller was barely averaging a point a game. Let's stick with Olsen who has been Cam's security blanket and red zone threat. Edge: Kim
K/DEF: Seattle gets to play Oakland. At home. Over/Under on 20 points? Although Philly's special teams has played admirably, they won't be able to match the demolition the Seahawks will perform. Both kickers should get plenty of looks in games that should see drives stall out in the red zone. Edge: Yim
Winner: Yim
I should have given myself an easier matchup as this is probably going to be one of the toughest matchups to call. If Rodgers had played, this would have easily gone Yim's way but without him, he'll have to bank of his RBs providing at least half of his team's points. Although he only wins two position battles, I believe he'll thoroughly dominate those while keeping it close at the other positions.
MOTW Record: 9-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Thursday, October 23, 2014
MOTW - Week 8
So somehow I still haven't missed a pick! Time to really challenge myself this week:
MOTW
4. taeyeon (Mike) vs. 6. Jacked Up! (Cho)
The two unluckiest teams go head to head in a showdown that could end up having huge playoff implications. While both are top 5 in the league in scoring, they are 1st and 2nd in points against. If anyone played the schedules they've had to play, they would probably have no chance of sniffing the playoffs. Let's see what happens when these cursed teams play each other.
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - OBJ, Kaepernick
Cho - Crabtree
QB: With Kaepernick out, Mike must resort to his only other option in Cam Newton. He plays the Seahawks who may have looked beatable in recent weeks, but are still a formidable defense. But Foles has just as tough of a matchup with the Cardinals in the desert. He comes off a bye but that secondary is arguably the best in the league. Edge: Even
WR: If AJ Green does not play AND with OBJ on his bye, Mike will be forced to use Quick. If that's the case, and it's looking more and more like it is, Jordy should steal this matchup single-handedly for Cho. He plays one of the worst secondaries and although Keenan Lewis has been solid, Jordy will find his space. The only problem would be if they win too easily and Jordy gets taken out halfway through like he did against the Vikings. Edge: Cho
RB: The Carolina front was supposed to be a defensive monster but it's been anything but this season. Beast Mode should feast on that d-line like it's made out of Skittles. Oliver and Hillman play on Thursday, which I always believe is an advantage for the offense. Expect solid games from both. So it'll come down to whether or not Forte can match Marshawn's production. Against a Pats team missing Chandler Jones, I'll say he's a huge factor in the pass game. Edge: Even
TE: With Jimmy missing half the season, Gronk has fallen in as arguably the 2nd best TE in the league (although, Olsen is making his case known). Against a Chicago defense who has a white safety? GG. Bennett will do his best to keep it close but Brady's only got Gronk on his mind. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: Although lately they've looked more competent, a solid defense against Jacksonville should still be counted on for double digit points. However, I have a feeling about Dan Bailey... meaning:
Winner: Cho
Here's my actual crazy prediction: Cho will be behind going into Monday night but a Dan Bailey field goal will ultimately push him ahead of Mike to get back to .500.
MOTW Record: 8-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
MOTW
4. taeyeon (Mike) vs. 6. Jacked Up! (Cho)
The two unluckiest teams go head to head in a showdown that could end up having huge playoff implications. While both are top 5 in the league in scoring, they are 1st and 2nd in points against. If anyone played the schedules they've had to play, they would probably have no chance of sniffing the playoffs. Let's see what happens when these cursed teams play each other.
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - OBJ, Kaepernick
Cho - Crabtree
QB: With Kaepernick out, Mike must resort to his only other option in Cam Newton. He plays the Seahawks who may have looked beatable in recent weeks, but are still a formidable defense. But Foles has just as tough of a matchup with the Cardinals in the desert. He comes off a bye but that secondary is arguably the best in the league. Edge: Even
WR: If AJ Green does not play AND with OBJ on his bye, Mike will be forced to use Quick. If that's the case, and it's looking more and more like it is, Jordy should steal this matchup single-handedly for Cho. He plays one of the worst secondaries and although Keenan Lewis has been solid, Jordy will find his space. The only problem would be if they win too easily and Jordy gets taken out halfway through like he did against the Vikings. Edge: Cho
RB: The Carolina front was supposed to be a defensive monster but it's been anything but this season. Beast Mode should feast on that d-line like it's made out of Skittles. Oliver and Hillman play on Thursday, which I always believe is an advantage for the offense. Expect solid games from both. So it'll come down to whether or not Forte can match Marshawn's production. Against a Pats team missing Chandler Jones, I'll say he's a huge factor in the pass game. Edge: Even
TE: With Jimmy missing half the season, Gronk has fallen in as arguably the 2nd best TE in the league (although, Olsen is making his case known). Against a Chicago defense who has a white safety? GG. Bennett will do his best to keep it close but Brady's only got Gronk on his mind. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: Although lately they've looked more competent, a solid defense against Jacksonville should still be counted on for double digit points. However, I have a feeling about Dan Bailey... meaning:
Winner: Cho
Here's my actual crazy prediction: Cho will be behind going into Monday night but a Dan Bailey field goal will ultimately push him ahead of Mike to get back to .500.
MOTW Record: 8-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 16, 2014
MOTW - Week 7
This is getting scary. I'm 7-0 at predicting the winners in MOTWs this season. The one year I don't play pick'ems...
Nonetheless, I'll look to keep my streak going in the highest rated matchup we've had to date.
MOTW
2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric) vs. 3. Rice Beaters (David K.)
QB: Although Rivers has the better real season, Cutler's been a beast in the fantasy world. Last week was the first week he did not throw for multiple touchdowns this season but he put up 381 yards to make up for the lack of another score. He'll keep Eric right in this matchup with arguably the best QB to date. Edge: Even
WR: What I believe to be the two best WR corps in the league get to take a shot at each other. Let's do a head to head:
Marshall vs. DT: I like Marshall for 2 reasons: 1) He plays a softer defense and 2) Marshall should negate some of the points that Cutler amasses in the game
Bryant vs. Cobb: Dez has not found the end zone against the Giants since 2011. Meanwhile, Cobb faces a Carolina team that hasn't been able to stop anybody.
Holmes vs. Smith: The wildcard. I will not make the same mistake as Carolina. I pick Steve Smith. Always pick Steve Smith.
Edge: Eric
RB: Ben Tate does get a look against an awful Jacksonville team but nobody is stopping Murray. I don't even think Andre + Tate will be enough to equal Murray's points. Edge: Eric
TE: Kelce has been a consistent weapon in Andy Reid's TE happy schemes. But Olsen has been Cam's favorite target since the aforementioned Smith has left town. I expect Carolina to have to throw to keep up with Rodgers and company. Edge: David
K/DEF: In a bubble, San Francisco's defense is better than the Cowboys. But I can't trust them going against Peyton and the Broncos, even if Manning has struggled against the 49ers throughout his career. Gostkowski should hit around 20 points as a high-scoring, revamped New England team go against a Jets team that's just been miserable. Edge: Even
Winner: Eric
Too much talent as Eric pushes his way towards the top spot in the league. He ends David's 4 game winning streak while pushing his own to 4. Eric has eclipsed the 130 point threshold in half of his games this season. No other team has eclipsed that mark more than once. A true juggernaut is forming.
MOTW Record: 7-0 (I'm adding it now because it's something I can be proud of)
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Nonetheless, I'll look to keep my streak going in the highest rated matchup we've had to date.
MOTW
2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric) vs. 3. Rice Beaters (David K.)
QB: Although Rivers has the better real season, Cutler's been a beast in the fantasy world. Last week was the first week he did not throw for multiple touchdowns this season but he put up 381 yards to make up for the lack of another score. He'll keep Eric right in this matchup with arguably the best QB to date. Edge: Even
WR: What I believe to be the two best WR corps in the league get to take a shot at each other. Let's do a head to head:
Marshall vs. DT: I like Marshall for 2 reasons: 1) He plays a softer defense and 2) Marshall should negate some of the points that Cutler amasses in the game
Bryant vs. Cobb: Dez has not found the end zone against the Giants since 2011. Meanwhile, Cobb faces a Carolina team that hasn't been able to stop anybody.
Holmes vs. Smith: The wildcard. I will not make the same mistake as Carolina. I pick Steve Smith. Always pick Steve Smith.
Edge: Eric
RB: Ben Tate does get a look against an awful Jacksonville team but nobody is stopping Murray. I don't even think Andre + Tate will be enough to equal Murray's points. Edge: Eric
TE: Kelce has been a consistent weapon in Andy Reid's TE happy schemes. But Olsen has been Cam's favorite target since the aforementioned Smith has left town. I expect Carolina to have to throw to keep up with Rodgers and company. Edge: David
K/DEF: In a bubble, San Francisco's defense is better than the Cowboys. But I can't trust them going against Peyton and the Broncos, even if Manning has struggled against the 49ers throughout his career. Gostkowski should hit around 20 points as a high-scoring, revamped New England team go against a Jets team that's just been miserable. Edge: Even
Winner: Eric
Too much talent as Eric pushes his way towards the top spot in the league. He ends David's 4 game winning streak while pushing his own to 4. Eric has eclipsed the 130 point threshold in half of his games this season. No other team has eclipsed that mark more than once. A true juggernaut is forming.
MOTW Record: 7-0 (I'm adding it now because it's something I can be proud of)
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 9, 2014
MOTW - Week 6: Super MOTW
As a certain individual pointed out, I have been slacking quite a bit on these MOTWs this season. I missed the first three weeks and sloppily made an excuse about... something. So to make it up, here comes a super MOTW your way.
Looking at the standings, we have 10 teams within a game of each other at 3-2 or 2-3 and the craziest part is, each 3-2 team is playing a 2-3 team this week. We could end up with 10 3-3 teams next week or 5 teams separating themselves from the teams that will eventually miss the playoffs. Most likely, we'll end up with a healthy mix that will muddy the playoff picture more. Let's take a look at how things could shake out. I'll put them in order of what I predict to be the largest margin of victory to the smallest.
MOTW 5
7. Leaky Spark Tube (Dan) vs. 5. Turn Down For Watt (Nelson)
Key Players on Bye:
Dan - None
Nelson - Brees, Graham
Ouch. Without his 2 best fantasy players, what can Nelson do to keep himself from dropping three games in a row?
QB: Luck has arguably been the best QB in fantasy this year (him or P. Manning). Meanwhile, Nelson needs a struggling Cousins to fill in for Brees. Can he get it going against one of the best secondaries in the league? My sources say no. Edge: Dan
WR: Nobody really stands out in this group but if there's any chance of an upset, Vincent Jackson will need to step up big. We saw what he can do when he has a competent QB throwing bombs his way so with Glennon at the helm, I'm expecting a big day from him. On the flip side, I really do think Alshon has been overrated but he's still a legit top 20 WR. I'm going to say he has a huge day against this awful Falcons secondary. Edge: Even
RB: When you have to start two RBs from the same team, you know you're not in a good spot. Sure, you'll pick up pretty much all the rushing yards and scores for the team but it limits the damage your team can do. Meanwhile, a revitalized Lacy gets to face a relatively soft Dolphins front and Bell has been a top 10 RB all season. Edge: Dan
TE: Donnell's been hit or miss this season and last week he was as big of a miss as you can get. 1 target, 0 catches, 0 points. Will Philly be up to the task to stop the big man? Owen might just squeeze out enough to give Nelson his first position win. Edge: Nelson
K/DEF: Detroit gets to take on an unsure Minny offense that got demolished by the Packers last week. Houston has to try and stop the Colts, whose offense has looked dominant even in their losses. Edge: Dan
Winner: Dan
Nelson and Dan end up even at 500, with one looking to snag a bye and the other slowly falling out of the playoff race altogether.
MOTW 4
11. Keenan & Cal (Biggie) vs. 2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric)
Key Players on Bye:
Biggie - None
Eric - Kelce
Half of Biggie's team name will be gone for this crucial matchup while Eric's been the best team in the league, according to total points scored. Will someone step up and get the points Calvin should have gotten this week?
QB: Stafford's ability as a fantasy QB has always relied very heavily upon Megatron. Now that he's gone, what can we expect? Golden Tate's a decent second option but what if Minnesota brackets him and leaves only a slew of TEs? It'll be a long day for Stafford. Meanwhile, Cutler gets to throw against a Falcons defense that I think I could throw a couple TDs on. Edge: Eric
WR: Eric's WRs are arguably the best in the league. With Demaryius finally finding his form, Cobb as the WR1B (B standing for black) in the dangerous Packers offense, and a Steve Smith who is literally out for blood, it would be hard pressed to find a better trio. With Calvin, Benjamin and Keenan become a solid 2 and 3 that can keep up with Eric's team. But with Terrance Williams against the Seahawks secondary? GG. Edge: Eric
RB: If anybody is going to flip this script, it'll be CJ2K. He gets to play a Denver defense, which is the best matchup any of the RBs have. His pass catching ability should come into play as Ellington torched them on a long catch and run last week. Murray, the best RB in football so far, has to face a Seattle line that will try to keep him behind the line of scrimmage. Even with that being said, there's too much talent on Eric's side to give the full edge to Biggie. Edge: Even
TE: With Kelce out, this becomes a crapshoot. I'll give a slight edge to Ertz as he's playing in a game I expect to be a shootout, even if he has been allergic to the end zone for the past 4 weeks while Allen's become a consistent red zone target for Luck. Edge: Biggie
K/DEF: Both kickers should get a lot of reps in games with defenses that will bend but not break, leaving the points to be scored in multiples of three. But San Francisco gets to face a terrible team in the Rams. Austin Davis's reign ends here. Edge: Eric
Winner: Eric
Eric separates himself from the .500 pack while Biggie's season continues to go as Calvin's ankle goes.
MOTW 3
6. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 9. Jacked Up (Cho)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Charles
Cho - None
With Charles back and Rodgers in form, David's been rolling for the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Cho has been the unluckiest team with opponents averaging 120+ points per game against him (you gotta work on that defense, Cho). Can David continue Cho's bad luck?
QB: While Rodgers is clearly the better QB, especially in recent weeks, I can see Foles keeping up this week. He gets to play an underrated but still leaky Giants secondary and like I mentioned before, I believe this game will be a shootout. Edge: Even
WR: Decker's questionable, Percy and Welker are great slot receivers but don't have an affinity for the end zone. Meanwhile, Jordy will negate a ton of Rodgers's points and Crabtree and DeSean are black. Edge: Cho
RB: What do you do when your best player is out? You try to find a home run threat to replace him and that's exactly what David's done. Antone Smith only touches the ball 2 times a game, but somehow ends up with 100 YFS and a TD. There is literally no better lottery ticket. Foster gets an Indy defense that's struggled with the run for about 15 years. While I believe Forte will have a lot of touches and Bradshaw's been better than expected, I think this will be closer than it looks on paper. Edge: Even
TE: Ew, Heath Miller. He's old, slow, big, and not even the top end zone threat thanks to Antonio. Bennett has become a consistent target for Cutler, especially in the end zone. Edge: Cho
K/DEF: Denver's defense gets to FEAST on the Ge-chael Smick combination that hasn't been able to make anything work with that Jets offense. Denver's defense is teeming with big names and I think this is the week they get their first double digit fantasy game. Edge: Cho
Winner: Cho
Cho finally ends the string of bad luck while David tries to recoup for a playoff push now that his best player has gotten over the awful bye week.
MOTW 2
4. Rice Beaters (Davik K.) vs. 10. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Khiry Robinson
Paul - None
Both teams started on a losing streak but have since turned it around, fighting for a chance at the playoffs. Can Paul pull even with all of the other contenders or will David use his brother as a launching pad to fight for a top two spot and the bye that comes with it?
QB: Right after Manning and Luck lies a spot reserved for another top 3 QB. Is it Rodgers? Is it Brees? In most years, I would say yes to either, or even both. But this year, Rivers has been a monster. He's kept his 2013 form and continues to find ways to make plays. Plus, I don't want to root for a rapist even if he does have a good matchup (although, I'm finally glad that Ben ended up on the team that has his namesake) Edge: David
WR: The WRs in this matchup are a list of who's who in the receiving world. Dez, Marshall, Patterson, Julio, E. Sanders (okay, that's kind of a stretch), and Wheaton... Wheaton? What's he doing here? I don't know if Garcon is benched at this time of writing because of his struggles and the bad matchup against the Cardinals but Wheaton is what will end up being Paul's demise. Edge: David
RB: Every running back in this matchup was a backup as recently as a year ago. Tate behind Foster, Williams behind Jennings, Vereen behind Ridley, and Bell behind Bush. Now they are all starters due to some combination of trade, injury, bad performances by the lead back, or a 1A/1B option depending on the situation. Of the group, I expect Tate to put up the best performance against a surprisingly gap-filled Steelers defense. Edge: David
TE: Olsen has become one of Cam's favorite targets, especially in the red zone, which is great news for David. The bad news is, the Bengals defense is still one of the best in the league, even after being torched by the Pats. I expect Gates to have a field day against a team that I'm not even sure has a defense. Edge: Paul
K/DEF: Philly has surprisingly been a great fantasy defense thanks to a ton of big defensive plays and special teams scores. They give up a ton of points but who cares if they score two touchdowns of their own? I expect that to continue as they match Cincinnati's performance against a bi-polar Panthers team that has struggled to generate offense on the road. Edge: Even
Winner: David
I know David wins 3 matchups but this doesn't mean that he'll be able to relax. This one will come down to the wire with David ripping Paul's heart out as he puts himself in a better position for that first round bye.
MOTW 1
8. Taeyeon (Mike) vs. 3. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - None
Jon - Colston
The closest matchup this week. Jon's positive attitude has actually been backed by his players and although he dropped a spot in the rankings from last week, he still remains firmly in the playoff picture even after losing 2 RBs to the law. Can he continue or will Mike's explosive yet inconsistent team find the right week to pull off a win?
QB: When Mike took Kaep and Cam, it looked like he had 2 top QB1s that he could switch between depending on who had an easier matchup. Through 5 weeks, both QBs look like borderline QB2s and it's been a struggle to really trust either one. However, Kaep should run through, around, and over the struggling Rams to match Matt Ryan's passing numbers against a relatively competent Bears pass defense. Edge: Even
WR: Ouch. AJ Green getting hurt just might have swung this position battle the other way. Not only did Mike lose Green this week, but Sanu, who Jon has, might add insult to injury by scoring against him. Although Tate will get a chance to put up huge numbers with Calvin out, I still think Brown and company gets it done even without Colston. Edge: Jon
RB: If Jennings was around, this would be a landslide victory for Mike. But without him, it looks like he'll be banking on Oliver to reproduce his numbers from last week. Against a struggling Raiders defense, this is most definitely a possibility. Beast Mode will continue to do Beast Mode things and Ellington will be the focus of a Washington defense that can contain running backs. Edge: Mike
TE: Gronk is a faster, more athletic, more involved in the offense version of Witten. And Witten has to deal with Kam and Earl. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: None of the kickers or defenses stands out in this matchup. Edge: Even (by default)
Winner: Mike
Gronk is the main difference as Mike climbs his way a little bit closer back into playoff contention. Meanwhile, Jon remains positive that this will be the season he breaks his 3 year playoff drought.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Looking at the standings, we have 10 teams within a game of each other at 3-2 or 2-3 and the craziest part is, each 3-2 team is playing a 2-3 team this week. We could end up with 10 3-3 teams next week or 5 teams separating themselves from the teams that will eventually miss the playoffs. Most likely, we'll end up with a healthy mix that will muddy the playoff picture more. Let's take a look at how things could shake out. I'll put them in order of what I predict to be the largest margin of victory to the smallest.
MOTW 5
7. Leaky Spark Tube (Dan) vs. 5. Turn Down For Watt (Nelson)
Key Players on Bye:
Dan - None
Nelson - Brees, Graham
Ouch. Without his 2 best fantasy players, what can Nelson do to keep himself from dropping three games in a row?
QB: Luck has arguably been the best QB in fantasy this year (him or P. Manning). Meanwhile, Nelson needs a struggling Cousins to fill in for Brees. Can he get it going against one of the best secondaries in the league? My sources say no. Edge: Dan
WR: Nobody really stands out in this group but if there's any chance of an upset, Vincent Jackson will need to step up big. We saw what he can do when he has a competent QB throwing bombs his way so with Glennon at the helm, I'm expecting a big day from him. On the flip side, I really do think Alshon has been overrated but he's still a legit top 20 WR. I'm going to say he has a huge day against this awful Falcons secondary. Edge: Even
RB: When you have to start two RBs from the same team, you know you're not in a good spot. Sure, you'll pick up pretty much all the rushing yards and scores for the team but it limits the damage your team can do. Meanwhile, a revitalized Lacy gets to face a relatively soft Dolphins front and Bell has been a top 10 RB all season. Edge: Dan
TE: Donnell's been hit or miss this season and last week he was as big of a miss as you can get. 1 target, 0 catches, 0 points. Will Philly be up to the task to stop the big man? Owen might just squeeze out enough to give Nelson his first position win. Edge: Nelson
K/DEF: Detroit gets to take on an unsure Minny offense that got demolished by the Packers last week. Houston has to try and stop the Colts, whose offense has looked dominant even in their losses. Edge: Dan
Winner: Dan
Nelson and Dan end up even at 500, with one looking to snag a bye and the other slowly falling out of the playoff race altogether.
MOTW 4
11. Keenan & Cal (Biggie) vs. 2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric)
Key Players on Bye:
Biggie - None
Eric - Kelce
Half of Biggie's team name will be gone for this crucial matchup while Eric's been the best team in the league, according to total points scored. Will someone step up and get the points Calvin should have gotten this week?
QB: Stafford's ability as a fantasy QB has always relied very heavily upon Megatron. Now that he's gone, what can we expect? Golden Tate's a decent second option but what if Minnesota brackets him and leaves only a slew of TEs? It'll be a long day for Stafford. Meanwhile, Cutler gets to throw against a Falcons defense that I think I could throw a couple TDs on. Edge: Eric
WR: Eric's WRs are arguably the best in the league. With Demaryius finally finding his form, Cobb as the WR1B (B standing for black) in the dangerous Packers offense, and a Steve Smith who is literally out for blood, it would be hard pressed to find a better trio. With Calvin, Benjamin and Keenan become a solid 2 and 3 that can keep up with Eric's team. But with Terrance Williams against the Seahawks secondary? GG. Edge: Eric
RB: If anybody is going to flip this script, it'll be CJ2K. He gets to play a Denver defense, which is the best matchup any of the RBs have. His pass catching ability should come into play as Ellington torched them on a long catch and run last week. Murray, the best RB in football so far, has to face a Seattle line that will try to keep him behind the line of scrimmage. Even with that being said, there's too much talent on Eric's side to give the full edge to Biggie. Edge: Even
TE: With Kelce out, this becomes a crapshoot. I'll give a slight edge to Ertz as he's playing in a game I expect to be a shootout, even if he has been allergic to the end zone for the past 4 weeks while Allen's become a consistent red zone target for Luck. Edge: Biggie
K/DEF: Both kickers should get a lot of reps in games with defenses that will bend but not break, leaving the points to be scored in multiples of three. But San Francisco gets to face a terrible team in the Rams. Austin Davis's reign ends here. Edge: Eric
Winner: Eric
Eric separates himself from the .500 pack while Biggie's season continues to go as Calvin's ankle goes.
MOTW 3
6. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 9. Jacked Up (Cho)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Charles
Cho - None
With Charles back and Rodgers in form, David's been rolling for the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Cho has been the unluckiest team with opponents averaging 120+ points per game against him (you gotta work on that defense, Cho). Can David continue Cho's bad luck?
QB: While Rodgers is clearly the better QB, especially in recent weeks, I can see Foles keeping up this week. He gets to play an underrated but still leaky Giants secondary and like I mentioned before, I believe this game will be a shootout. Edge: Even
WR: Decker's questionable, Percy and Welker are great slot receivers but don't have an affinity for the end zone. Meanwhile, Jordy will negate a ton of Rodgers's points and Crabtree and DeSean are black. Edge: Cho
RB: What do you do when your best player is out? You try to find a home run threat to replace him and that's exactly what David's done. Antone Smith only touches the ball 2 times a game, but somehow ends up with 100 YFS and a TD. There is literally no better lottery ticket. Foster gets an Indy defense that's struggled with the run for about 15 years. While I believe Forte will have a lot of touches and Bradshaw's been better than expected, I think this will be closer than it looks on paper. Edge: Even
TE: Ew, Heath Miller. He's old, slow, big, and not even the top end zone threat thanks to Antonio. Bennett has become a consistent target for Cutler, especially in the end zone. Edge: Cho
K/DEF: Denver's defense gets to FEAST on the Ge-chael Smick combination that hasn't been able to make anything work with that Jets offense. Denver's defense is teeming with big names and I think this is the week they get their first double digit fantasy game. Edge: Cho
Winner: Cho
Cho finally ends the string of bad luck while David tries to recoup for a playoff push now that his best player has gotten over the awful bye week.
MOTW 2
4. Rice Beaters (Davik K.) vs. 10. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Khiry Robinson
Paul - None
Both teams started on a losing streak but have since turned it around, fighting for a chance at the playoffs. Can Paul pull even with all of the other contenders or will David use his brother as a launching pad to fight for a top two spot and the bye that comes with it?
QB: Right after Manning and Luck lies a spot reserved for another top 3 QB. Is it Rodgers? Is it Brees? In most years, I would say yes to either, or even both. But this year, Rivers has been a monster. He's kept his 2013 form and continues to find ways to make plays. Plus, I don't want to root for a rapist even if he does have a good matchup (although, I'm finally glad that Ben ended up on the team that has his namesake) Edge: David
WR: The WRs in this matchup are a list of who's who in the receiving world. Dez, Marshall, Patterson, Julio, E. Sanders (okay, that's kind of a stretch), and Wheaton... Wheaton? What's he doing here? I don't know if Garcon is benched at this time of writing because of his struggles and the bad matchup against the Cardinals but Wheaton is what will end up being Paul's demise. Edge: David
RB: Every running back in this matchup was a backup as recently as a year ago. Tate behind Foster, Williams behind Jennings, Vereen behind Ridley, and Bell behind Bush. Now they are all starters due to some combination of trade, injury, bad performances by the lead back, or a 1A/1B option depending on the situation. Of the group, I expect Tate to put up the best performance against a surprisingly gap-filled Steelers defense. Edge: David
TE: Olsen has become one of Cam's favorite targets, especially in the red zone, which is great news for David. The bad news is, the Bengals defense is still one of the best in the league, even after being torched by the Pats. I expect Gates to have a field day against a team that I'm not even sure has a defense. Edge: Paul
K/DEF: Philly has surprisingly been a great fantasy defense thanks to a ton of big defensive plays and special teams scores. They give up a ton of points but who cares if they score two touchdowns of their own? I expect that to continue as they match Cincinnati's performance against a bi-polar Panthers team that has struggled to generate offense on the road. Edge: Even
Winner: David
I know David wins 3 matchups but this doesn't mean that he'll be able to relax. This one will come down to the wire with David ripping Paul's heart out as he puts himself in a better position for that first round bye.
MOTW 1
8. Taeyeon (Mike) vs. 3. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - None
Jon - Colston
The closest matchup this week. Jon's positive attitude has actually been backed by his players and although he dropped a spot in the rankings from last week, he still remains firmly in the playoff picture even after losing 2 RBs to the law. Can he continue or will Mike's explosive yet inconsistent team find the right week to pull off a win?
QB: When Mike took Kaep and Cam, it looked like he had 2 top QB1s that he could switch between depending on who had an easier matchup. Through 5 weeks, both QBs look like borderline QB2s and it's been a struggle to really trust either one. However, Kaep should run through, around, and over the struggling Rams to match Matt Ryan's passing numbers against a relatively competent Bears pass defense. Edge: Even
WR: Ouch. AJ Green getting hurt just might have swung this position battle the other way. Not only did Mike lose Green this week, but Sanu, who Jon has, might add insult to injury by scoring against him. Although Tate will get a chance to put up huge numbers with Calvin out, I still think Brown and company gets it done even without Colston. Edge: Jon
RB: If Jennings was around, this would be a landslide victory for Mike. But without him, it looks like he'll be banking on Oliver to reproduce his numbers from last week. Against a struggling Raiders defense, this is most definitely a possibility. Beast Mode will continue to do Beast Mode things and Ellington will be the focus of a Washington defense that can contain running backs. Edge: Mike
TE: Gronk is a faster, more athletic, more involved in the offense version of Witten. And Witten has to deal with Kam and Earl. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: None of the kickers or defenses stands out in this matchup. Edge: Even (by default)
Winner: Mike
Gronk is the main difference as Mike climbs his way a little bit closer back into playoff contention. Meanwhile, Jon remains positive that this will be the season he breaks his 3 year playoff drought.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
MOTW - Week 5
This is an interesting week for MOTWs because there are no close battles. Everyone is playing somebody who is at last 4 places away from them in the standings. With that being said, I'll give a special MOTW shout out to 2 perennial under-performers who may have found a team that can take them to the playoffs.
MOTW
2. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
I usually don't get to write too many MOTWs about these guys because their teams are never involved in the playoff hunt. David's been in the league for 3 years before this one but has yet to sniff the playoffs. The last time Jon was in the playoffs, David hadn't joined the league yet. They're both hoping to flip that script this season and this week will be a huge step in the right direction for one team and a step towards continued futility for the other.
2. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
I usually don't get to write too many MOTWs about these guys because their teams are never involved in the playoff hunt. David's been in the league for 3 years before this one but has yet to sniff the playoffs. The last time Jon was in the playoffs, David hadn't joined the league yet. They're both hoping to flip that script this season and this week will be a huge step in the right direction for one team and a step towards continued futility for the other.
Key players lost to bye:
Jon - None
David - None
Jon - None
David - None
QB: Rivers has been hot this season. Other than a semi-dud against Arizona, he's been firing on all cylinders with his offense. He gets a horrendous Jets secondary at home in the heat. Ryan's been solid except a dud against arguably the best defense. He's a little more human on the road but can the Giants stop all the weapons the Falcons have? My answer is yes. Edge: David
WR: While I might have to call the police to pre-report a rape for what Antonio Brown is going to do to that horrendous Jags secondary, take a look at David's WR corp: 3 arguably top 20 WRs, with 2 arguably in the top 5. His third option could be your ace. That's just ridiculous. I don't care who they're playing, David's WRs always win. Edge: David
RB: If you told me that the four starting RBs in this matchup should be drafted before the season, I would have punched you in the face. A Colts castoff who hasn't shown us anything special since his days at UConn? A perennial backup for a prolific offense who couldn't get snaps in front of another busted Alabama running back? A backup to the (then) most reliable player in the NFL who can't average more YPC than Adrian Peterson could if AP ran backwards? Oh wait, there's Ellington. Ellington wins. Edge: Jon
TE: 2 white boys with good hands. I'm going with the younger one. Edge: David
K/DEF: Pittsburgh's been struggling on the defensive side on the ball this year. But Christmas comes early this year. Here comes Jacksonville!!! Philly has been surprisingly useful due to their special teams. But nothing beats playing Jacksonville. Edge: Jon
WR: While I might have to call the police to pre-report a rape for what Antonio Brown is going to do to that horrendous Jags secondary, take a look at David's WR corp: 3 arguably top 20 WRs, with 2 arguably in the top 5. His third option could be your ace. That's just ridiculous. I don't care who they're playing, David's WRs always win. Edge: David
RB: If you told me that the four starting RBs in this matchup should be drafted before the season, I would have punched you in the face. A Colts castoff who hasn't shown us anything special since his days at UConn? A perennial backup for a prolific offense who couldn't get snaps in front of another busted Alabama running back? A backup to the (then) most reliable player in the NFL who can't average more YPC than Adrian Peterson could if AP ran backwards? Oh wait, there's Ellington. Ellington wins. Edge: Jon
TE: 2 white boys with good hands. I'm going with the younger one. Edge: David
K/DEF: Pittsburgh's been struggling on the defensive side on the ball this year. But Christmas comes early this year. Here comes Jacksonville!!! Philly has been surprisingly useful due to their special teams. But nothing beats playing Jacksonville. Edge: Jon
Winner: Rice Beaters (David K.)
No AP. No Rice. Jon's team finally comes down to earth after scrapping together three big wins. That receiving corp makes up 50% of Jon's points and carries David to victory.
No AP. No Rice. Jon's team finally comes down to earth after scrapping together three big wins. That receiving corp makes up 50% of Jon's points and carries David to victory.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
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