(On another note, the consolation bracket started off with 2 upsets of the Kim brothers by a Kim and another Kim. The semifinals will be Kim vs. Kim and Kim vs. Lee (but really Kim))
MOTW 1
1. BOBODDY vs. 4. David Y Team
At first glance, this looks like a runaway victory for Dan. But with Pat's hand concerns and Dallas's urgency to make the playoffs, this could be much closer than we think. David is hoping that this deep playoff run ends with his first ever ring. But Dan's thinking "wait your turn and pay your dues" as his championship is long overdue. Who takes the step towards the final?
Studs: CMC vs. Zeke
The two first round running backs have been critical for their respective teams all season. While neither have a plus matchup and could be playing from behind depending on the game flow, they're both pass catching options that won't be phased out by more passing plays. I see the two RB1s pretty much cancelling each other out.
Duds: Ingram vs. Laird
Now these are clearly 2 different levels of RB2s but Ingram faces a surprisingly tough Jets run defense on a short week. Not only will the Jets slow him down but I can see Harbaugh limiting his snaps to preserve him for the real life playoff run that is to come. On the other side, Laird is just not a good running back. Even worse, he plays for the Dolphins, meaning he has to play from behind in most games.
X-Factors: Shepard and Landry vs. Slayton and Samuel
While both stud WRs on each team should get theirs, the WR2 and 3 positions provide some intrigue. Landry gets a great matchup against a terrible Cardinals secondary. With the Browns still fighting for the playoffs, he could produce one of his best games of the year. David has Samuel, who has scored 10+ points in the last 5 weeks and 6 of the past 7. He's clearly earned Jimmy and Kyle's trust and gets a Falcons secondary that is only out-worsed by the Eagles and Cardinals (what's with all the bird teams being terrible at guarding the pass?). Shepard and Slayton present the most interesting matchup as they should both be successful against the Dolphins absent pass defense (are Dolphins birds?). The big question will be who gets more targets? Eli seems to like Slayton more but Jones could be back for this game.
Winner: Dan
It's still hard to bet against Mahomes and the superiority of this backfield compared to David's. Additionally, Ertz > Njoku and even special teams leans slightly in Dan's direction. David's coup will have to wait one more season.
MOTW 2
2. Jacked Up! vs. 3. Jacked Down!
Cho is looking to 3-peat for the first time in league history but his opponent owns 3 trophies of his own. Both teams do have some flaws but the talent on their team stacks up well against each other. Can Eric stop Cho from joining him in the pantheon of greatest fantasy managers?
Studs: Jones vs. Thomas
Who is the best WR in the league? Maybe a question we'll never be able to answer but two of the best face off and should have monster games. Julio gets a tough matchup against the 49ers but with Ridley dealing with injuries and the Falcons playing from behind, expect Julio to get 10+ targets. Michael Thomas should feast on an Indy D that's better at stopping the run than the pass and have been giving up huge point totals in the past few weeks.
Duds: Bell vs. Ekeler
Baltimore's defense has been overshadowed by the second coming of Vick but they have been great all season. They don't quite match up to the Lewis, Reed, Suggs, defenses of the past but they don't have glaring weak spots. Bell will have a tough time finding holes and gaps. And even if he does, can his QB find him? Ekeler has been a godsend for Eric's team as Lindsay has regressed but he gets a tough matchup this week against the Vikings defense that's reverting back to 2017, when they were arguably the best defense in the league.
While both stud WRs on each team should get theirs, the WR2 and 3 positions provide some intrigue. Landry gets a great matchup against a terrible Cardinals secondary. With the Browns still fighting for the playoffs, he could produce one of his best games of the year. David has Samuel, who has scored 10+ points in the last 5 weeks and 6 of the past 7. He's clearly earned Jimmy and Kyle's trust and gets a Falcons secondary that is only out-worsed by the Eagles and Cardinals (what's with all the bird teams being terrible at guarding the pass?). Shepard and Slayton present the most interesting matchup as they should both be successful against the Dolphins absent pass defense (are Dolphins birds?). The big question will be who gets more targets? Eli seems to like Slayton more but Jones could be back for this game.
Winner: Dan
It's still hard to bet against Mahomes and the superiority of this backfield compared to David's. Additionally, Ertz > Njoku and even special teams leans slightly in Dan's direction. David's coup will have to wait one more season.
MOTW 2
2. Jacked Up! vs. 3. Jacked Down!
Cho is looking to 3-peat for the first time in league history but his opponent owns 3 trophies of his own. Both teams do have some flaws but the talent on their team stacks up well against each other. Can Eric stop Cho from joining him in the pantheon of greatest fantasy managers?
Studs: Jones vs. Thomas
Who is the best WR in the league? Maybe a question we'll never be able to answer but two of the best face off and should have monster games. Julio gets a tough matchup against the 49ers but with Ridley dealing with injuries and the Falcons playing from behind, expect Julio to get 10+ targets. Michael Thomas should feast on an Indy D that's better at stopping the run than the pass and have been giving up huge point totals in the past few weeks.
Duds: Bell vs. Ekeler
Baltimore's defense has been overshadowed by the second coming of Vick but they have been great all season. They don't quite match up to the Lewis, Reed, Suggs, defenses of the past but they don't have glaring weak spots. Bell will have a tough time finding holes and gaps. And even if he does, can his QB find him? Ekeler has been a godsend for Eric's team as Lindsay has regressed but he gets a tough matchup this week against the Vikings defense that's reverting back to 2017, when they were arguably the best defense in the league.
X-Factors: Sanders vs. Waller
Sanders has been dealing with a nagging rib injury for the past few weeks but looked great in the game against New Orleans. He won't be throwing a TD in every game but we'll see if he can find success against a soft Falcons secondary. Waller has been quiet since the hype train in week 1 but this seems like the perfect game for him to reintroduce himself to the league. A close game against an inconsistent defense while still fighting for a playoff spot is the perfect formula for a monster game.
Winner: Eric
Cho has some rough matchups this week and Derrick Henry and Thielen's statuses are still up in the air. The good news is, he might be able to get one more vintage performance from New England this week to make up the talent gap at other positions.
Good luck to all!
Simon
Sanders has been dealing with a nagging rib injury for the past few weeks but looked great in the game against New Orleans. He won't be throwing a TD in every game but we'll see if he can find success against a soft Falcons secondary. Waller has been quiet since the hype train in week 1 but this seems like the perfect game for him to reintroduce himself to the league. A close game against an inconsistent defense while still fighting for a playoff spot is the perfect formula for a monster game.
Winner: Eric
Cho has some rough matchups this week and Derrick Henry and Thielen's statuses are still up in the air. The good news is, he might be able to get one more vintage performance from New England this week to make up the talent gap at other positions.
Good luck to all!
Simon
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