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+---- Thread: *Week 1 Fantasy Reaction (/showthread.php?tid=52324)
*Week 1 Fantasy Reaction - omg - 07-16-2024
We’re one week into S49, so let’s overreact to our fantasy teams! We’re gonna go game by game and try to highlight the good, the bad, and what actually will matter going forward. Let’s get to it!
New York: 28 @ Colorado: 16
Silverbacks: Slicin’ and Dyson to Victory!
Elijah Dyson had a bit of a shaky debut, going 13/25 for 220 yards. However, he did throw for 3 touchdowns, and more importantly (for fantasy purposes) he ran for 31 yards and another touchdown. Rushing quarterbacks are gold for fantasy, and while this was against Colorado (and there will be a more prominent rookie highlighted later), this performance on the road is encouraging for anyone who hitched their wagon to Dyson this season. It was also encouraging for Sean Robinson owners, who benefited greatly from a 2 touchdown performance. Less encouraging though was the running game, where Frank Dux had just 7 carries to Dominic Reynolds’s 8 carries (and neither did much with them). Dux did salvage his day with a 60 yard receiving touchdown late in the game, but given that New York was ahead much of the game, Dux owners may already begin to panic.
Yeti: 29 and Counting…
A home match against the Silverback may have been Colorado’s best chance for a win this season, so 0-16 is already a big possibility given there’s no rematch (and no matchup against Orange County this season). On top of that, on a day where the Yeti ran 88 offensive plays, there really weren’t any standout performances. The true rookie Katya Zamolodchikova was tasked with dropping back 61 times, and yet only had 280 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. No one is gonna blame Katya for this, as starting at quarterback fresh off the draft is a tall task for anyone, but their receivers are gonna suffer a bit for it. Tim Riggins managed a decent 10 catches for 70 yards, and La’Fluke Paris-Johnson made out with a solid 9 catches for 73 yards, which are decent enough but not ideal. The running game had more questions than answers overall. Second year player Dazen Guile was solid with 79 rushing yards on 16 carries and added 4 catches for 22 yards. The hyped true rookie Julian McMorris had just 10 carries for 49 yards and 4 catches for 27 yards, but also added a rushing touchdown to pad some value. Both should be good in a couple of seasons, but neither are probably cracking the replacement level for fantasy this season.
Sarasota: 23 @ Berlin: 16
Sailfish: Something’s Bugging Me Here…
For a team whose best offensive player by a wide margin is a running back, a 48:17 pass-to-rush ratio leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Granted they were behind for the whole 3rd quarter and the start of the 4th quarter, but I feel like they should have fed the ball more to Ace Anderson, especially as he averaged 5.8 yards per carry. 75 rushing yards, 4 catches for 34 receiving yards, and a rushing touchdown is a solid game for Anderson, but everyone who drafted him first overall expected more. Bugs was not great in their debut, going 20/43 for just 230 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Of course, they received no help from veteran receiver Sam Mercury, who caught just 4 passes on 14 targets for a mere 23 yards. On a positive note, Léopold Roy caught 4 of his 9 passes for 73 yards and a touchdown. Also, those who trusted in Ignatious Cleetington were handsomely rewarded with 11 tackles, a tackle for a loss, 2 sacks, and 2 pass defenses. Ultimately the Sailfish garnered a win, but if they continue to throw three times the rate that they run, Ace Anderson owners should feel a little worried.
Fire Salamanders: Is Tuna-mania Over? R-E-L-A-X.
After dominating the fantasy charts last season, fantasy experts pegged Tuna TurnDaBallOva as a top 2 quarterback coming into the season. So of course, he starts things off with a goose egg, going 23/40 for 250 yards and zero touchdowns (his first zero touchdown game since his final game of his rookie season). The poor performance also dragged down Pitter Patter, who caught just 4 of his 10 passes for 61 yards. Ironically, it was the receiver turned cornerback Jonathan Irons who caught the only touchdown for Berlin in week 1. Willie Swaggert also had a solid game, rushing for 56 yards and a touchdown while adding 9 catches for 98 yards in the air. Plus, the Clint Mustache believers were rewarded with a 2 sack performance. Overall, it’s just one week, Tuna will be back slinging the ball next week. If we get to the end of week 4 and he’s still lackluster, we’ll ring some alarms, but I’m not pulling the plug on this offense after one game.
Orange County: 14 @ San Jose: 34
Otters: The Pain of Regression
Many predicted the Otters would take a step back this season, but the onfield performance really showed how much they stepped back. Lloyd Bannings was just 24/43 for 223 yards for 1 touchdown and 1 interception. If you drafted him, feel free to use your waiver on someone else right away. Pundits pegged Reginald Hammerfall as a sleeper running back this season, but Animal Blundetto stole the show this week, rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown while catching 5 passes for 26 yards and another touchdown. Hammerfall ultimately had more yards and more total carries + targets, but it’ll be touchdowns or bust for either back this season. Chopper Donquixote commanded a team leading 12 targets, but he only caught half of them for a mere 48 yards. The preseason hype that he could replicate Big McLarge Huge’s performance from last season seems to be a bit overzealous in hindsight. Still, if you have to have an Orange County receiver, he’s the one you want. At least anyone who believed in Sim Sunigh was rewarded with a strong performance of 13 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, and 2 pass defenses.
Sabercats: Taking Care of Business
In typical Sabercats fashion, San Jose was all business and no flash. Josh Patterson was solid, going 21/35 for 235 yards and 3 touchdowns while Keanu Calhoun caught 9 of those passes for 84 yards and a pair of touchdowns, making him the current top receiver in fantasy. Orange Julius wasn’t as involved as expected, gathering just 6 targets, but he still caught 4 passes for 84 yards. Kit Fisto led the rushing attack with 84 rushing yards while catching 2 passes for 16 yards and a touchdown while Maple Dogwood had just 54 rushing yards with 2 catches for 11 yards, but he did get the rushing touchdown on the day. Both should be decent flex options going forward, though Fisto would be the preferred pick of the two. DJ Maclean was a bit underwhelming with only 3 tackles, but he made up for it with a sack, 3 pass defenses, and an interception. Blacksmith Andre also had a solid game with 6 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass defense. Ultimately all the fantasy relevant Sabercats did what they were expected to do.
Yellowknife: 34 @ Baltimore: 38
Wraiths: The Nick Williams Redemption Arc Begins Now
After an abysmal season last year, Nick Williams started things off on the right foot this season with 5 catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. Granted, that might not be elite numbers, but assuming you drafted him as a WR3 or Flex player, you’ll take that. Silence Suzuka continued his borderline fantasy relevant existence with 7 catches for 96 yards. Maximus Boudreaux went just 23/32 for 242 yards and a touchdown, though a 1 yard touchdown run on top of that salvaged his day a bit. He shouldn’t be on your fantasy radar at this point anyway. Preseason speculation that Lane Wilson would be the lead running back proved true as he out-carried and outperformed Money Tolliver overall, though Tolliver sniped the touchdown, ultimately hampering both of their fantasy outputs. Fortunately their defensive fantasy stars showed up, as Thor Dangerson gathered 11 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and a sack while Kadarius Claypool II proved last season was no fluke with 5 tackles, 3 pass defenses, an interception, and a touchdown.
Hawks: The Fantasy Elite
If you drafted a Baltimore player, you are pleased with your results. Wolfie McDummy continues where he left off from last season, going 20/35 for 323 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. The duo of Anakin Skywalker and Reginald Shrubbery proved last season was no fluke, as Skywalker had 110 rushing yards with a touchdown while catching 4 passes for 39 yards and Shrubbery had 58 rushing yards with a touchdown and 6 catches for 61 yards and another touchdown. María Teresa de la Rosa had an impressive week one as her 141 receiver yards was both a career high and the most for anyone this week, and with 6 catches and a touchdown, she ranks 4th overall in fantasy at the receiver position. Even Emile Charles had a good day for a flex player, catching 4 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. The defensive side was less impressive, with Dino Nuggets getting 5 tackles and 2 pass defenses while Carter Goad got 4 tackles and a sack, though you could do worse at both positions. Heck even Joshua Mabry had 8 pancakes on the day (though you probably went for Tunkha Danstrol who had 4 or Bengal Tigerheart who had 5).
New Orleans: 34 @ Arizona: 37
Second Line: Losses Mean Nothing to Fantasy Owners
The defending champions start the season 0-1, but fantasy owners were still thrilled with their results. Octavion Speedings may not have been widely drafted, but going 37/53 for 344 yards and 4 touchdowns, even with the 2 interceptions, is still a welcome statline. Kyle Crane avoided the end zone, but 90 rushing yards with 7 catches for 74 yards on top is still a strong performance. Hank Mardukas showed out with 9 catches for 71 yards and a touchdown while Thomas Passarelli caught 8 himself for 77 yards and a touchdown. Both were targeted 12 times for those trying to get a read on who may be the lead dog. Heck even André Benn had 4 catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. The defense did not quite pop off as much, as the Allister Adebam believers got just 7 tackles and a sack, though Ezra Azazel had 6 tackles and 2 pass deflections. Of course, Kelijah Verwae showed why he was OL1 with a whopping 13 pancakes on the day.
Outlaws: New Quarterback, Same Outlaws
If anyone was concerned about starting a rookie quarterback, Puddle O’Duck put those thoughts aside with a dominant 21/27 showing for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns. He did get sacked 5 times, but that’ll improve over time. Benji Aguilera went off for 6 catches, 122 yards, and a touchdown while Jordan Bamford’s 6 catches for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns puts him in a tie for WR2 in fantasy so far. The rushing game was a bit less impressive, as Bertie Mannering-Phipps had just 12 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown but wasn’t involved in the passing game at all. That’s fine if you expected a flex level player, but not so good if you thought he would break out this season. The defense was fine overall; Paul Dosza had 8 tackles with 2 pass defenses while Benjamin Duvernay had just 6 tackles and 1 pass defense, but added an interception to the mix. Thomas Sutha was a bit light with just 6 tackles but added 2 tackles for a loss, a pass defense, and an interception to keep his day respectable. Of course, we gotta shout out Wynn Jenkins for his 63 yard game-winning field goal. That’s impressive for anyone, let alone a rookie!
Austin: 42 @ Honolulu: 37
Copperheads: Youth Movement in Full Force
The Copperheads have a weird mix of veterans in their prime and young guns trying to make a name for themselves. Jay Cue III leads the way going 21/35 for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns; a solid line for a quarterback but not one that moves the fantasy needle. Howard Coward ran for a solid 92 yards and a touchdown with catching 2 passes for 18 yards. True rookie William Eaton stole the show by vulturing 3 touchdowns on the day, though 19 rushing yards on 11 carries leaves a lot to be desired. Eaton’s line is enticing for dynasty owners, but don’t bother spending a waiver on him in redraft leagues. On the receiving side, Seer Ial had a statement game, catching 7 passes for a career high 139 yards and a touchdown, tying him for WR2 in fantasy so far. The defense came through as well, as Crasher Wake had 10 tackles with a sack and a forced fumble while Trent Thigpen had 8 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass defense. I doubt anyone drafted Bull Dozier in fantasy, but he gets a shoutout here as he notched a safety with his 9 tackles and 2 tackles for a loss.
Hahalua: There’s a New RB1 in Town, But…
There was late breaking news in the offseason that Fig Newton would serve as RB1 for Honolulu this season. On one hand, he was the best running back on the team in week 1, rushing for 79 yards with a touchdown and catching all 4 of his targets for 61 receiving yards. On the other hand, Stenson David still had more carries and more targets than Newton, although he was less efficient, gaining just 53 yards on the ground and 40 through the air. Anyone who drafted David as a RB2 should temper expectations that he’ll be more a Flex level player going forward, though he’ll still be involved. Meanwhile, if you have a weak Flex, snap up Fig Newton. Ultimately though, both are held back by their star quarterback. Lenard McRobinson showed why he was the favorite for QB1 coming into the season. While he was just 25/39 for 277 yards and a touchdown through the air, he added 67 rushing yards and 2 more touchdowns on the ground. The receiving game predictably was not very impressive, though Brad Woof did catch 8 passes for 70 yards. I do have to give a shoutout to Ray Baker for nailing a 60 yard field goal to give Honolulu a lead late in the 4th.
Cape Town: 32 @ Osaka: 34
Crash: The Passing of the Torch
It seems that Hercules Henry has finally surpassed Nakiri Ayame atop the Cape Town depth chart, as Hercules led the team with 70 rushing yards with a touchdown and catching 4 passes for 39 yards and another touchdown. Ayame on the other hand had just 39 rushing yards while catching 3 passes for 19 yards. If your draft hasn’t finished, draft Hercules now. If it has, spend your waiver on Hercules now. Ayame is probably safe to drop if there’s another viable RB option available. Thor Bǫllrsveifla picked off where he left last season, going 33/46 for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns. Without the running aspect, you don’t need to prioritize keeping him around. Dru Freduci has taken over the top spot in the receiving line, and he caught 11 passes for 80 yards in the process. He also led the league in 18 targets. Freduci is definitely worth a pickup if he’s still available at this point. Kairo Knight was disappointing with 6 catches for 55 yards, though Julian Rose shined with 6 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Knight had more targets, so Rose is more of a dynasty pick than a redraft one. Defensively, Justin Willis kept his end of the bargain, going for 12 tackles with a tackle for a loss and a sack.
Kaiju: In Jimmies We Trust
Those of you brave enough to draft Russell Jimmies as your quarterback were handsomely rewarded to the tune of 248 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 89 rushing yards, and another touchdown. Rushing production from the quarterback position is always gold, and it seems that Jimmies is ready to take over as the next big thing at quarterback. Unfortunately, that means the running backs are likely to take a hit. Triceracop had just 41 rushing yards himself, though did add 8 catches for 72 yards. Expectations should be tempered as Jimmies will likely vulture his touchdowns throughout the season. The receivers were a bit of a mixed bag. Sem’ga Nah’sim had just 5 catches for 59 yards, but a touchdown saved their day. Tight end Neil Bonnet managed 6 catches for 55 yards, and given the tight end boost with his 10 targets, he might be a strong flex option as the season progresses. The big surprise for the day though was Diego López de Castilla. While he caught just 5 passes for 57 yards, he had 2 touchdowns, giving him a great start of the season. Ultimately all of these receivers are touchdown dependent, and not every week will be as lucrative as this one was.
RE: Week 1 Fantasy Reaction - Fangorn - 07-16-2024
Hammerfall will never be fantasy relevant - actually had fewer attempts than Blundetto (10 v 11), fewer targets (4 v 5) and less rushing yards (30 v 47).
If there’s a sleeper running back at the Otters, it ain’t ol’ Reggie.
RE: Week 1 Fantasy Reaction - br0_0ker - 07-16-2024
im sorry i came for the overreactions... these all seem like even-keeled, measured takes. 0/10
RE: *Week 1 Fantasy Reaction - lemonoppy - 07-16-2024
@TubaDeus we need a user bet on Bamford's final placement in fantasy