So Week 9 is almost in the books except for the Monday Night Game between the New England Patriots and the New York Jets. Here is wishing very little of your fantasy fortunes are riding on this game.
There are three…maybe four things that are quite apparent after Week 9:
- The Pittsburgh Steelers will play down to their competition…not just Week 9 it’s a thing. The defense will almost always invariably pull the game out…but until then. “Yippie-Ki-Ya, Mother**ker” cause it is going to be a wild ride.
- The Los Angeles Chargers are going to find a way to lose the game. Not by a lot…less than seven points. Most of the time they manage to do it after leading in the second half by double digits. And all of the time they are doing while rookie quarterback Justin Herbert is balling out. He must feel like, “Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs…”
- And it is almost time for one of the top five Christmas movies to start playing on a loop…”If this is their idea of Christmas, I gotta be here for New Year’s…”
WELCOME TO THE PARTY PAL
As fantasy football managers we look at the stats…follow the trends and pick our best available players to play. But if 2020 has taught us anything is that there will always be the party crashers that very few of us counted on being there:
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS RUNNING BACK, KALEN BALLAGE
Justin Jackson injured his knee on the opening drive of the game. Ballage who was just recently promoted from the practice squad jumped into the game. Ballage’s 2020 has been eventful. He was on the Miami Dolphins, traded to the New York Jets, failed his physical, was returned to Miami, released by Miami, signed by the Jets, released by the Jets, and then signed by the Chargers.
In week 9 the Chargers jumped Ballage ahead of rookie running back Joshua Kelley after Jackson went down. Ballage finished the game with 15 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. He was also on the receiving end of three targets, catching two for 15 yards.
ATLANTA FALCONS WIDE RECEIVER, OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS
When the news that Calvin Ridley would be out for the Week 9 matchup, many thoughts went with wide receiver Russell Gage or tight end Hayden Hurst as the replacement. But it was sometimes, often forgotten Olamide Zaccheaus who crashed the party. Zaccheaus was targeted one less time than Julio Jones (6 to 7) but he almost doubled Jones’ receiving yards (103 to 54). Each had a touchdown, but with a game stat line of 4-103-1, Zaccheaus was the clear life of the party. (Just a little aside one of the people to mention him as a potential star was @TheFantasyGPod…you might want to get you some of that).
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, QUARTERBACK JAKE LUTON
Is it still Gardner Minshew‘s team? The Jaguars wanted to see what they had in the sixth-round pick. Luton who was a healthy scratch for the first seven games of the season was comfortably sitting behind both Minshew and Mike Glennon on the depth chart. That experiment appears to be over.
Make no mistake the Jaguars are still a whole lot of mess going on there but Luton held up admirably. He completed 26 of his 38 attempts for 304 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. His 68.4% completion rate is higher than Minshew’s ( I know fewer games stats skewed…) and his one rushing touchdown equals Minshew’s rushing touchdown production. It’s Jacksonville so literally, anything is possible, but Luton was a welcome party crasher for one week.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS, TIGHT END IRV SMITH JR.
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UGH! Smith is that party goer that stands in the corner for most of the party and then in the most unexpected times shouts that it is time to do shots, while he gets up on the table and proceeds to do keg stands.
You see him…you know he has the talent…you know he is going to break out… you fear that he is being held back by his buds. And you would be correct. The Minnesota Vikings have the least passing attempts per game this season (26.1). Quarterback Kirk Cousins has a blistering 65.6% completion rate on 209 attempted passes. So excuse for just giving his peripheral targets a cursory glance.
For the season, Smith has two touchdowns. They were both acquired this week. He has 21 targets. In comparison rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson has 44 targets but Kyle Rudolph only has 19. So the question remains are you going to party with Smith each week or just pass him by and take your chances?
MIAMI DOLPHINS QUARTERBACK, TUA TAGOVAILOA
This is what we have been waiting for…it’s Tags time! It was an accepted reality that Tagovailoa would be starting under center for Miami sometime this season. When he got the call to start after their bye week some were apprehensive. And after the Dolphins won the game (albeit on the backs of the defense and special teams) some suggested and wait and see approach with Tagovailoa.
The wait is over. In what was the game of the week against the Kyler Murray led Arizona Cardinals, Tagovailoa went 20-for-28, with 248 yards, and two touchdowns. He also carried the ball seven times for 35 yards, making him the second-best rusher on the team by three yards. The party in Miami has officially started.
And to misquote Hans Gruber, “…I could talk about industrialization and men’s fashion all day…” However, I am far more interested in fantasy football and its implications to my winning every league.
So good luck Week 10, and if you have time shoot me over on Twitter @neverenoughglt your favorite line from your favorite Christmas movie!
Happy Trails…
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