Storylines To Monitor Heading Into Week 18
The best get ready to rest. Kyle Dvorchak has the handy primer. The short of it? A lot of the best teams in football have nothing to play for in Week 18. That includes the Bills, Eagles and Chiefs. It also includes the Texans, but … they are not one of the best teams in football. The motivations are surprisingly robust elsewhere, with Week 18 seeding considerations determining factors like who will get to face the Texans or who will have to face the Lions/Vikings.
It’s not just the best who could be resting. With the Week 17 Giants not learning from the 2020 Jets or 2022 Texans, the No. 1 pick is once again up for grabs. That leaves new favorite New England pondering resting Drake Maye at the end of a campaign where he has almost as many concussion evaluations as touchdowns scored. That includes this most recent Saturday in Foxborough. A Week 18 staple is getting weird in DFS with the re-draft season largely over. Maye and company — who will be facing the resting Bills — apparently might not be an option.
The end draws nigh in New York City. The Jets’ “Aaron Rodgers era” didn’t really need an exclamation point that it was over. Everyone already knew. It got one, anyway, in the form of a 40-14 beatdown at the hands of the Bills that was 40-0 before Rodgers mercifully gave way to Tyrod Taylor, who immediately engineered two touchdown drives. To make matters spicier, Taylor’s first score was thrown to Garrett Wilson, who is not-so-cryptically hinting on social media nearly every day that the Jets are going to have to choose between him and Rodgers in 2025. On Sunday, nature made it clear: It will be Wilson who stays.
Saquon Barkley makes history, puts himself on the doorstep of more history. Barkley’s 2,005 yards rushing are already the eighth most since they started playing NFL football. He’s “just” 101 yards shy of the most rushing yards since they started playing NFL football, though Eric Dickerson’s long-standing record came in a 16-game season. A bit sad, but you play the schedule they give you. Dickerson, for instance, broke records that came in 14-game seasons. It nevertheless appears the tedious debate will be avoided by the Eagles largely resting Barkley and company against the Giants. Perhaps they will give him some first half run to take the temperature, but history will probably have to wait until another Week 18.
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Questions
1. Do the Packers understand they have a quarterback and can pass the ball?
2. Why are the Colts in #FreeJeffSaturday mode?
3. Are you going to sit here and tell me you lost faith in 2017 first-round dynasty pick Ameer Abdullah?
Stats of the Week
If you can think of a record, Brock Bowers probably set it on Sunday. The most rookie receptions (108). The most rookie receiving yards by a tight end (1,144). The Raiders’ rookie receiving record. “We” (very much including myself) thought Vegas was a poor fantasy landing spot. It turns out Bowers has the kind of talent that can’t be contained.
Only the fourth rookie in NFL history with at least 1,110 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns, Brian Thomas Jr. continues to stake his claim to WR1 overall status in dynasty leagues. Track records do mean something, and it’s hard to put someone in the top spot based on only one season. But hoo boy, what a season it was. Just now 22 years old with those quarterbacks, it’s easy to argue “BTJ” has one of the highest ceilings in recent memory.
At least for now, Thomas has surpassed Malik Nabers as the 2024 class’ top wideout, but Nabers reminded Sunday it’s hardly a done deal. Nabers’ 171 yards receiving against the Colts were the fifth most by a rookie this decade. His dominant after-the-catch ability made it look like Indy didn’t know how to tackle. Maybe they don’t, but special talents have a way of making even good defenders look silly. Now to find a quarterback.
If Bowers, BTJ and Nabers are all making first-year history, Marvin Harrison Jr. can feel like the odd man out. While “everyone else” is thriving, MHJ is … having a pretty normal rookie year? Yes, we wanted special, but 57/822/7 with a mercurial quarterback doesn’t exactly scream “bust,” especially at age 22. Marv has company at the top. It’s not inconceivable he still eventually comes out No. 1. Even if he doesn’t, third or fourth in this class would be an accomplishment for any player.
Jonathan Taylor’s 450 yards rushing over the past three weeks are his second most ever over a three-game span
Via Rich Cimini: “Garrett Wilson has now reached 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight year. The last Jets player to do that was George Sauer in 1966-1968.”
Awards Section
Week 17 Fantasy All-Pro Team: QB Joe Burrow, RB Jonathan Taylor, RB Bijan Robinson, WR Tee Higgins, WR Malik Nabers, WR DeVonta Smith, TE Trey McBride
Week 17 All Bank Examiner Squad: QB Jordan Love, RB Rhamondre Stevenson, RB De’Von Achane, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Terry McLaurin, WR Nico Collins, TE Dalton Kincaid