Week 14 Thoughts & Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

Here are some random thoughts and observations about Week 14 as I wonder if anyone in the NFL truly knows what is a fumble or a reception anymore.

I'm sorry but there is no way anyone can convince me that they can say with 100 percent certainty Travis Kelce fumbled late in the game against the Cardinals. There wasn't a single replay which clearly showed he might have fumbled. And yet that's what the refs called, likely costing the Chiefs a chance to win.

That being said, if there was ever a game that was a clear indictment of Alex Smith this was it. Down three late and he starts dinking and dunking because that's all he can do. If your quarterback either cannot threaten a defense deep or is unwilling to try, you need a new quarterback.

End of story.

Kelce, by the way, looked like every bit the stud talent he is. The Chiefs lost so I'm guessing Andy Reid will go back to featuring Anthony Fasano next week.

Reggie Wayne is done as a professional football player. And given his comments last week about family time I think he knows it too.

I think we've found out conclusively that if you have TY Hilton you just start him and don't give it a second thought. Guy is all kinds of studly.

Trent Richardson caught 19 passes in his first 7 games. He's caught three in the last five and none in the last three. I know he stinks but I still find that rather odd.

So the Browns don't want to start Johnny Manziel because he has things he likes to do on his day off? Makes perfect sense. Keep pissing away a promising season, Mike Pettine.

Hey Jay Gruden, how's that whole benching RG3 thing working out? It fixed all your team's problems because he clearly was the only player who needed to be benched right?

I have to think Manziel and RG3 are both starting this week, right?

Right?

I mean ... RIGHT?

Jeff Fischer making the six players acquired in the RG3 trade captains on Sunday against Washington was outstanding. I'm totally in favor of more stuff like that.

The idiotic fight in the end zone in New Orleans on the other hand, not so much.

How geeked would you have been going into this week if your wide receivers were Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant and Josh Gordon? Were you putting 75-80 points on your live scoring before the week began? I wouldn't have blamed if you had. Instead ...

Wow.

Just wow.

On the other hand, if you have any combination of Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown right now you may not stop smiling anytime soon.

Wide receivers are definitely growing in stature in fantasy leagues but if you have a stud running back that can still cure a lot of ills. Bell, Jamaal Charles and DeMarco Murray owners know what I'm talkin about.

On the plus side, my top 3 Go For Broke plays all came through this week - Kyle Orton, Jonathan Stewart and Malcom Floyd.

On the flip side, predicting that Mark Ingram would be a Top 10 running back this week didn't work out so well.

Speaking of the Saints ... WTF?

Seriously, just WTF?

I said on our Sirius show last week that A.J. Green would drop 200 yards on the Steelers and he did. So how could I nail all those predictions and still start Frank Gore, Kenny Stills, Delanie Walker and Josh Gordon in some of my Daily lineups this week?

Has Jim Harbaugh taken another head coaching job somewhere yet?

Is it crazy to think that of the two teams in the Bay Area, Derek Carr is the quarterback with the brightest future?

Hold on Ohio State just scored on Wisconsin again.

I know that's college football but as a Badgers alum that was a tough one to watch Saturday night.

I've said many times that there isn't a better fantasy resource than Twitter. Sunday morning there were numerous reports about Andre Williams being in line for a huge role despite Rashad Jennings being active and how Torrey Smith was hobbling around during pregame warmups. If you were following those reports, you would've been able to start Williams and bench Jennings and Smith. All of those moves would've paid off in a big way. That's how Twitter can work for you.

Russell Wilson doing Russell Wilson things is a lot of fun to watch.

So is that Seattle defense. Which, by the way, is most definitely back.

Yes the Seahawks D is playing lights out again but 96 yards passing by Mark Sanchez? Ninety-six? How is that even possible in a Chip Kelly offense.

Which begs the question - is Nick Foles healthy yet?

About that whole Bishop Sankey was the top rookie taken in fantasy drafts this year thing.

I'm not sure Teddy Bridgewater is going to be a great NFL quarterback but I do think he can be a pretty good one. I like a lot of what I've seen from him this season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick missed two touchdown passes by a whopping two yards. This can be a really cruel game we play.

On behalf of the entire fantasy industry I would like to apologize for that whole Stedman Bailey thing.

When the Rams use Tavon Austin properly he can be one helluva difference maker.

I know it's tough to run on the Lions but you have to at least try. Or if you're the Bucs you can attempt 39 passes and let Josh McCown get killed all day.

Just when I was all set to bury Sammy Watkins for the season he rises from the dead faster than a walker on "The Walking Dead."

Ryan Tannehill is playing like Ryan Tannehill again. Figured it was just a matter of time.

And finally, if you started Peyton Manning, Mark Ingram, Frank Gore, Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, Josh Gordon and Jimmy Graham this week well at least the first 13 weeks were fun, right?

[BigBlueNation]

On the other hand, if you have any combination of Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown right now you may not stop smiling anytime soon.

In the beat "Geoff Erickson" OC, Tom Yates picked from the 12 slot, took La'veon at 1.12 and Antonio at 2.1. In later rounds also selected Heath, Big Ben and DArcher. If that wasn't enough, he also selected MWallace in the 6th round. And of course, he acquired Martavious via FAAB. IS TOM A DIEHARD STEELER FAN OR NOT. Tom's team qualified for the OC championship rounds and I'm sure the only reason he didn't start BigBen this week, he took ARodgers at 3.1.

[Tom Kessenich]

Being a homer isn't so bad if your team knows how to score. I'm not sure there are too many people trying to stack a bunch of Jaguars or Titans on their teams.

In my top league I took Cobb over Marshall early in the second because I never get Packers in that league and dammit I just wanted one this year on that team. The fact Cobb is really good and the Packers' offense is exceptional certainly helped my position but I did have Marshall ranked higher. However, I went with the homer call which is something I rarely do. It's worked out given what's happened with both players and both teams but that was an example of me just wanting to have a Packer on my top team.

I will say this, though - if Julio hadn't gone one pick before me I would've taken Julio over Cobb. It would've been tough for all the reasons I mention above but I love me some Julio.

[TR]

Wide receivers are definitely growing in stature in fantasy leagues but if you have a stud running back that can still cure a lot of ills. Bell, Jamaal Charles and DeMarco Murray owners know what I'm talkin about.

Wide receivers may get u to the dance but a stud feature back will still carry u home.

[TR]

Ryan Tannehill is playing like Ryan Tannehill again. Figured it was just a matter of time.

Yep good luck relying on a QB who doesn't have a single 300 yard game all season in today's passer friendly NFL...basically hoping he can get his 50 rushing yards to make up for it and when that drys up...well he is still the turd we thought he was..stick a fork in the dolphins!

[TR]

On the other hand, if you have any combination of Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown right now you may not stop smiling anytime soon.

I went to the game with Leveon Bell on my Primetime Championship team...was smiling the entire time...he is amazing to watch and all the moreso being able to witness him go over 200 yards combined for the third consecutive game live as the previously smack talking bandwagon bungals fans were forced to file out in mass exodus long before 4th quarter ended...WE DEY!

[TR]

The ageless Charles Woodson with a pick to put the dagger in 49ers

[Tom Kessenich]

I'd be interested to hear thoughts from people who have played Daily a lot longer than I have but my initial thoughts are the approach to the game is the same as season-long contests. You need your studs to play like studs and you need some sleepers to emerge. I cashed in all of my contests this week and the reason was pretty simple. Most of my studs played like studs. I hit on some sleepers like JStew but it was primarily guys like Lacy, Green, Ryan and C.J. Anderson coming through as expected that lifted me to the money.

I've been trying to come up with some form of strategy I could apply but that's pretty much it so far. If your studs perform like studs it goes a long ways toward cashing. Now I haven't played in any of the enormous tourneys so maybe things are different there.

[Coach JP]

I've been trying to come up with some form of strategy I could apply but that's pretty much it so far. If your studs perform like studs it goes a long ways toward cashing. Now I haven't played in any of the enormous tourneys so maybe things are different there.

Is this in the big tournaments? Big tournaments you have to fade the public and not go for guys that are going to be heavily owned. You need to take 1-2 fliers and hope they go off. Aka you really have to make crazy picks and hope they hit. One guy hit $1 million once last year using Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles the weekend Charles went off.

Speaking of homers, I saw a guy in DK was leading for $200k coming into last night because he used Cam Newton, Jon Stewart, Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin, Carolina D and even his old friend Steve Smith. I imagine he got passed after the scoring last night.

[Tom Kessenich]

I've been trying to come up with some form of strategy I could apply but that's pretty much it so far. If your studs perform like studs it goes a long ways toward cashing. Now I haven't played in any of the enormous tourneys so maybe things are different there.

Is this in the big tournaments?

I haven't played in anything with a big entry fee yet. Mostly done 50-50s but also cashed in a smaller tournament this week.