Some people have blogs, and some just take to social media or other means to speak their own personal thoughts and feelings out loud as if we want someone to hear us or express our emotions. I’ve done that plenty of times because just writing about something you care about can feel refreshing and at the same time like a nice outlet. If you have been around for the time that this site has been up with my own side journey enjoying the data and sports then I know you have read a few of those from me as some close people to me have passed away — or I just wanted to ramble on about something, and thank you for putting up with that.
This one is a little different. I am pushing the NFL article out early this week because I’ll be on a plane Sunday morning and traveling the next week & didn’t want it to post on Saturday either as I’m gonna be shutting down mentally to just watch the reality TV series down in Oxford, MS tomorrow night.
In one week from today, on September 25th, it will be the 20 year anniversary of when the Saints returned to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina & Steve Gleason changed the lives of many Saints fans, players, and really the city of New Orleans and beyond. We have had two dogs in our family. The first was Poydras (named after the street the Superdome is on) and the second was Gleason – a big Akita who was loyal, strong and just wanted to be able to live how he wanted too. He was a loyal servant to his Mother (My wife) and his brothers (my kids) and yeah he even got in trouble with the law once for running away and eating some Chickens at a summer day camp on a nearby farm. Not to mention catching a couple deer, some groundhogs and just being a big dirty good boy too many times. I say all that with a smile, the chicken story is actually a funny one with a harmless ending to it.
But his time after 13+ years was at an end and we had to put him to rest today.
We named him after the Saints player because I felt it was a perfect name to represent a strong dog, a loyal family member, and at the time I wanted to pay respect to Gleason who had been diagnosed with ALS just two years prior. Steve Gleason’s foundation’s motto is No White Flags. Our boy Gleason’s white fur sure would shed alot like a flag, but like any true loyal dog he was always there to want a scratch behind the ear, to lay next to me while I’m working or to jump up and act like he should get a treat whenever I celebrated a Saints touchdown. I’ll miss the clockwork 7pm walks, no matter the time of year, or the temperature outside. I’ll miss having that best friend to just talk to about whatever was on my mind, including why the Pirates are once again blowing a NRFI with 2 outs in the bottom of the 1st while we go for our walk. For those who are not dog people. Sorry, you’re the weird ones. There’s nothing like them.
He will be missed, but not forgotten.
RIP Gleason.
I actually have three Quarterbacks that I really like this week & that’s not even including the Washington/Dallas QB battle and Caleb Williams who is definitely an auto-okay play right now with how fast they’re going. Newp. I got some weird one off Quarterbacks that I just cannot erase from my vision.
DRAKE MAYE ($6100)
This one is my number one during the week but we’ll see if I stick with it come Sunday morning. He gets what should be a soft matchup at home against Pittsburgh, who was able to skate by un-noticed against Atlanta last week — but is probably not good. And right now there’s not a soul in the world who is even sniffing last years darling MVP choice for most of the season. In my mind A.J. Brown going on IR should actually help Maye in DFS, he can focus just on one new WR now and feed Romeo Doubs with the reliable Hunter Henry, and his reliable legs.
BRYCE YOUNG ($5400)
Something about that dome in Atlanta and Bryce Young just turns him into a really good Quarterback who wears #9. Alright, not htat good, but I’m fine playing him naked, or partner with Tetairoa McMillan who should thrive vs Atlanta and went for 8-130-2 on 12 targets in the 448-yard game Young had vs Atlanta last year.
BROCK PURDY ($6200)
This one is the chalk of the three & what one would refer to as “safe”. There’s no better route for the 49ers this week than the quick screen game, and my fear overall is that the 49ers on a long break after their long trip from Australia just aren’t right yet, while the Dolphins got to stay out west after their week 1 Raider game to try and recruit some local penitentiary players to maybe improve their squad. Unfortunately for Miami, they can’t improve that much, and even if they keep it close the 49ers offense will get 3+ touchdowns with Purdy being the one likely getting exposure to all 3. If you wanna fade CMC like me, go here.
REST OF THE FIELD
- Jayden Daniels ($6300) & Dak Prescott ($6400) – Both fine. I think the RB do well for them too and I’ll get Daniels exposure through the top WR of the week.
While I go above and beyond on hyping up Quarterbacks this week, the RB field isn’t as definitive and the one that I’m flipping & flopping the most with. So here’s three mid range guys and then you can certainly bank on a stud doing fine but really this is pay up at WR1 and get balance everywhere else this week. This is NOT a week to play 2 TE (in FLEX) and try to be cheap there. Balanced week 2.
JAVONTE WILLIAMS ($6400)
With this being a likely shootout (I do think it lives up to the hype) he checks in as the #1 RB in our GPP rating. We have him at 18 carries for 91.1 yards and 0.82 touchdowns. He’s 24.74% owned. This is the one spot I’m fine being chalky in the Dallas game.
BUCKY IRVING ($6100)
Fits the home RB favorite checkboxes that I love & Tampa’s gotta be smart to get right vs the Browns. Use Bucky the red zone.
TRAVIS ETIENNE JR. ($6000)
Kamara is back, and that’s just okay. The Saints run offense was a little absent minded early vs the Lions but long term we still think they’re going to be above average and going on the road to Baltimore the volume has to jump up. New Orleans cannot win without Etienne having a big game.
ALSO LIKE …
- Derrick Henry ($7200)
- Breece Hall ($6200): Jets win this week, Packers unravel once again.
- De’Vone Achane ($6700)
MY RB FADES …
- Christian McCaffrey – DNP Wednesday, calf/Achilles, IR talk out loud, and 27.49% projected ownership. At $8000 and a quarter of the field, I’ll let everybody else find out.
- Bijan Robinson and MarShawn Lloyd – Thursday game next week. Not touching them.
TERRY McLAURIN ($5200)
Chase was the top play this week at WR, but I had blinders on and while it’s clear to me that the rookie Antonio Willams is the Skins future, I’m going to believe that scary Terry still has Dallas’ number. His route match-up against Dallas grades near the top this week and it’s the game to not go full fade on.
JA’MARR CHASE ($7600)
He is a must as well IMO, no matter the Burrow status. Two catches for 12 yards in Week 1, fourth in targets on his own team, and now everybody wants to talk about the TOUGH matchup and Burrow’s back. Chase led the NFL in targets last year with 185. He gets peppered no matter who starts at quarterback.
ROMEO DOUBS ($5000)
The Maye stack piece. A.J. Brown is on IR and Doubs is the WR1 in New England now. EXTREME_SOFT matchup, 5.7 projected targets and 3.62% owned.
TETAIROA MCMILLAN ($6100)
The Bryce Young partner. 8-130-2 on 12 targets in Atlanta last year, and after a 5-75 opener I’m expecting the bounce back. SOFT matchup and 4.01% owned.
ALSO LIKE …
- Quentin Johnston ($5000)
- Luther Burden III ($5700)
- Rashid Shaheed ($4300)
- Emeka Egbuka ($6400)
- Jaylen Waddle ($6500)
GOOD VALUE
- Rashod Bateman ($4400)
- KC Concepcion ($4100)
- Caleb Douglas ($3700)
DALTON SCHULTZ ($3200)
Nico going out should boost Schultz into our must play chalk TE spot this week. He’ll get there easily.
AJ BARNER ($3300)
Right below Schultz this week for TE matchups is Barner who has a +2.2% boost based on routes vs the defense. Its our new Matchup stat here and with a full 10 days to game plan around Drew Lock I would expect him involved more.
DALLAS GOEDERT ($4800)
I have Goedert scoring again. Not sure the tempo and flow on this game is solid enough to force a player from it though.
ALSO LIKE …
- Harold fanin Jr. ($4100)
- Hunter Henry ($4000)
- Jake Ferguson ($3800)
- Broncos ($2800): Denver wins this game. Probably ugly, probably low scoring, and that’s the kind of game a $2800 defense at 4.56% owned wins you.
- Buccaneers ($3600): Top cash rated defense on the slate. Tampa -8.5 and the Browns are sitting at a 16.50 implied total.
FAVORITE PLAYS
QB – Drake Maye
RB – Javonte Williams
WR – Ja’Marr Chase
WR – Terry McLaurin
SLEEPERS
RB – Bucky Irving
WR – Quentin Johnston
FAVORITE BETS
Broncos -2.5
Ja’Marr Chase anytime TD
Saints +8.5
Will post more in Discord by Sunday