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All-Star vs. All-Misfit, Week 6

My friend Jordan S. messaged me his fantasy sorrows.

The poor guy thought his team was solid. He was in a 14-team league, and had traded for some good (not great) fantasy players to compliment his team. He was projected to win this past week 103-78. Going into Sunday, he was all but assured of a win.

But this would be a boring story if he won.

He lost Stevan Ridley and Victor Cruz to injury, and then his QB (Eli Manning) doesn’t show up to play. His Bengals defense fell apart and cost him some points. The rest of his team couldn’t pull out the W. Tough loss, but that’s fantasy.

He wakes up Tuesday and goes to work at the bank where he’s a teller. He writes, “I was cashing this customer’s check when my phone buzzed. I looked at it and let out a little groan. The customer asked me if something was wrong, and all I said was ‘Looks like I lost Knowshon Moreno for the season too.’”

If you lose someone to injury, remember this: You’re not Jordan. Here’s the weekly All-Star vs. All-Misfit matchup.

Just a reminder - The All-Star team contains the top players from each position in terms of Average Draft Positions. For instance, Peyton Manning was the first quarterback off of most boards this year. Therefore, he’s the weekly All-Star QB. If the All-Star player has a bye, I go to the next person at that position by ADP (when Manning is out, I go to Aaron Rodgers, the second QB off the board). The All-Misfit team contains the players that nobody expected to score, but hit paydirt. This team will change drastically week-to-week, as no player can be on it consecutive weeks.

The scoring is ESPN standard, and the team format is: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, D/ST, K.

Without further ado, here is your Week 5 All-Star team!

QB: Peyton Manning – 21 points
RB: LeSean McCoy – 14 points
RB: Matt Forte - 27 points
WR: Dez Bryant - 6 points
WR: Demaryius Thomas – 16 points
TE: Julius Thomas - 11 points
D/ST: Seahawks - 9 points
K: Stephen Gostkowski – 16 points

Total: 120 points

With Calvin Johnson, Jamaal Charles, and Jimmy Graham out this week, we saw some new faces on the All-Star team. Shady McCoy had his best game of the season, although he didn’t find the endzone. I think he’s back (for real). Matt Forte is reminding fantasy owners why they drafted him in their top 5 overall this season, while Dez Bryant suffered from a Dallas team that now like to run. With the injury to Graham, I think Julius Thomas is almost a lock to end the year as the number 1 fantasy TE. He’s certainly putting up enough touchdowns.

Here’s the All-Misfit team!

QB: Derek Carr – 25 points
RB: Theo Riddick - 13 points
RB: Antone Smith - 12 points
WR: Brandon Lloyd - 14 points
WR: Robert Woods - 15 points
TE: Clay Harbor - 15 points
D/ST: Titans - 12 points
K: Graham Gano - 13 points

Total: 119 points

Surprising game for Derek Carr – but I’m not buying it for the rest of the season. Theo Riddick is about to disappear again with Reggie Bush coming back for a “revenge” game against the Saints. You don’t really need to pay attention to Lloyd, Woods, or Harbor – these were fairly fluky games for them and they’re not reliable fantasy options. However, I will say this: FREE ANTONE SMITH. He’s produced on extremely limited touches, imagine what even a half-workload would do.

VICTORY: For the first time, ALL-STARS!!

 
Photo Credit

(Slightly Late) Week 7 Free-Agent Picking

Whoops. Mid-October is here and I missed an update Tuesday. However, I did update the layout/theme of the site... hopefully you like it (and if you don't, comment below?) I know you all were craving it, so here's the Week 7 Waiver Free Agent Picks.

I'm recommending these players either because they have a change in situation (someone got injured or someone got smart) or because they are have a decent matchup when players are on bye.

Go get 'em.

QUARTERBACKS

Austin Davis (not especially vs. Seattle. But after that? Yah)

Davis came out slingin’ against the 49er’s, and he looked great in the first half. In fact, he looked pretty OK in the second half too. He’s had a few good halves this year, and he’s got good weapons around him. I think he strings together a pretty good game soon. He’s a great bye-week add if you need one… just not against Seattle.

Ryan Tannehill @ Chicago

Don’t get me wrong – Tannehill is not a stud. However, he threw to seven different receivers last week and has put up two touchdowns in each of his last two games. Miami wants to run the ball, but with Moreno out they’ll end up slinging the rock a lot as well. And Tannehill’s running ability is the most overlooked stat in the league – he’s run 16 times for 102 yards this year (6.4 YPA average).

Tom Brady vs NYJ

Is Tom Brady back? Maybe. Does it matter? Not really. New England lost its lead back when Ridley went down, which means the Patriots either have to lean more on Shane Vereen (not likely), lean more on Branden Bolden, or let Tom Brady throw it more. My money’s on the three-time Superbowl Champion.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Odell Beckham Jr. @ Dallas

With Victor Cruz down, and Reuben Randle likely owned in your league, turn to Odell Beckham Jr. He is a rookie talent who the Giants need to utilize if they’re going to have any passing game… which they clearly realize. He’s been named the starting WR across from Randle, and will be a huge factor going forward.

Mohamed Sanu @ Indianapolis

Sanu is another guy who has stepped up because of injury – and now that Marvin Jones is out for the season he’s likely to maintain his value. He exploded last week, so he may have been claimed in your league. However, if he is available you have to grab him. With AJ Green likely out another week, he’s the best WR option the Bengals have.

Brandon LaFell vs NYJ

LaFell is a mystery wrapped in an enigma – he’s exploded in the last two road games and produced duds in the last two home games. However, he’s going up against a depleted Jets secondary that just lost Dee Milliner for the season. I think he’s going to have a good day, even though he doesn’t like to show up at home.

RUNNING BACKS (aka Slim Pickin’s)

Jerick McKinnon @ Buffalo

McKinnon finally got the start over Matt Asiata this week – after I told you to pick him up last week. However, many of you have still not picked him up. In case you need convincing, here’s his stat line from this past week: 11 rushes for 40 yards and 6 catches for 42 yards… AGAINST THE DETROIT LIONS, who have one of the absolute best run defenses in the league. Sure, he’s up against Buffalo this week (another good run defense) but you’re going to add him and start him. This is your last chance.

Ronnie Hillman vs SF

Another guy who got a good opportunity this week and is going to stay there. Sure, I have concerns about Juwan Thompson getting the goal line carries. But Ronnie Hillman ran well where Montee Ball did not. When Ball comes back, Hillman likely keeps this job.

Storm Johnson vs Cleveland

This is more a PSA for you Toby Gerhart owners out there than an endorsement of Storm Johnson – if you want to own a Jags running back, you want Storm Johnson. Toby Gerhart is not good. But then again, the Jags are not good. So if you own one of their RBs, it better be this guy.

TIGHT ENDS

Dwayne Allen vs Cincinnati

The Cincinnati defense has been embarrassed the past two weeks (it suck - I have them in two leagues). Allen has produced 4 touchdowns in his last 6 games, and his yardage totals aren’t bad either. He’s one of Andrew Luck’s favorite targets in the endzone, against the league’s worst TE defense. Go get ‘em.

Jared Cook vs. Seattle

Yes, it’s Seattle. But Seattle is actually the second worst TE defense in the league (after the Bengals… see Allen, Dwayne). Cook has had at least 4 catches and 44 yards in each contest this year, and Austin Davis will have to throw to him to have any success in this game.

Jace Amaro - @ NE

This is more for deeper leagues, but Jace Amaro is worth a look. If you need a tight end this week, consider that Amaro is going against a Patriots defense that allowed 105 yards to Scott Chandler last week. For those of you who are scratching your heads and asking “Who’s Scott Chandler?” – he’s the Bills’ tight end. And Amaro is better than him. 

TOFFG Interview: Bill Belichick!

The Other Fantasy Football Guys brings you the best mediocre fantasy advice on the planet - and now we're bringing you the best mediocre fake interviews! Starting with Bill Belichick - head coach of the Patriots, five time Super Bowl Champion, and the physical incarnation of Satan to fantasy players everywhere.

The Other Fantasy Football Guys: Mr. Belichick, thank you so much for talking to us today. Can we call you Bill?

Bill Belichick: No.

TOFFG: Right… Mr. Belichick, I’m sure you’ve seen on ESPN and Yahoo the comment that you must hate fantasy football players, because you change your gameplan every week so that you have no real fantasy-reliable players. What do you have to say to that?

BB: I don’t hate fantasy football players. I’m a fantasy football player myself.

TOFFG: Oh? How many leagues are you in?

BB: One. And I’ve won it three times. 2001, 2003, and 2004.

TOFFG: Those happen to be all the years you won the Super Bowl with the Patriots.

BB: I draft Patriots.

TOFFG: But Mr. Belichick, if you draft Patriots then why is New England’s backfield so unclear? It’s always been a weekly debate between Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen. Even now that Ridley’s out for a while, we have to debate between Brandon Bolden and Vereen. Why the uncertainty?

BB: That’s easy. I hate Shane Vereen.

TOFFG: What?

BB: I hate Shane Vereen. It’s my personal mission to make his life hell. I’d trade him off the Patriots, but it’s easier to torture him if I have direct control over his snap count.

TOFFG: Is he on your fantasy team?

BB: Hell no. But I know he has himself on his team. So I give him enough snaps to give him hope that he’ll do well, then hand the goal-line touches to some lumbering oaf like James Develin. He loses his matchup every week. Almost enough to make me smile. Almost.

TOFFG: But what about Ridley’s lack of touches?

BB: I have Ridley on my team, and I usually give him the bulk of the carries when I’m gonna have a tight fantasy game. I have Brandon Bolden handcuffed to him though. That’s why Bolden had 10 carries when Ridley went down.

TOFFG: Ok… What about Tom Brady? I guess it must have stunk to have him for the first four weeks of the season.

BB: I actually didn’t have him for the first four weeks – I just recently got him in a trade. That’s why I’m giving him the ball more now. I didn’t want someone else to cash in on my gameplan.

TOFFG: So does that mean we can count on Brady for the rest of the season?

BB: No. I might trade him. You know who you can count on though? Tim Wright.

TOFFG: Tim Wright? Are you serious? He’s owned in less than 5% of leagues!

BB: Yes, but I just started a league where I have two TE slots. So I start Gronk and Wright. That’s why Wright had 1 catch for 1 yard and 1 touchdown. I was playing against Vereen and he was in line for the carry… so I had Brady throw it to Wright. Vereen almost had an aneuryism. Wright's gonna get a TD a week if I can manufacture it.

TOFFG: Why hasn’t Danny Amendola done anything for fantasy owners this year? He seems almost like an afterthought in your real-life offense.

BB: Wes Welker has Danny Amendola on his fantasy team. F**k Wes Welker.

TOFFG: You are a horrible, vindictive little man.

BB: Correct. But I have five more Super Bowl rings than you.

TOFFG: And three more fantasy championships. Any last comments for our readers?

BB: On to Chicago.

TOFFG: You play the Jets next – it’s a division matchup. On Thursday night.

BB: Yah, but they suck. On to Chicago.

The Other Guys Take the NFL...

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The Other Guys Take the NFL

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