Week 8 Recap

Trash Pandas vs Township Gilmores

Huge win for the Trash Pandas this week! My opponent was the defending league champion & this marks the first winning streak of my season. I’m now 4-4 and right in the thick of the playoff race.

I dealt with a huge bye week, only one player on my bench actually had a game this week, and hopefully some key injuries have been resolved.

Every win in fantasy football involves a little bit of luck, and I had it this week. Despite losing the RB battle 53-0, I won at every other position, except TE where I only lost by 2. My opponent made some major managerial mistakes, leaving 98 points on their bench, an actual cost of 87 points to their lineup.

What should have been a blowout loss for me instead became a signature win for the Trash Pandas.

Justin Herbert seems to have regained his early season form, putting up over thirty points for the second straight game. I won the QB battle, 33-8, because my opponent started Baker Mayfield over Daniel Jones.

Six teams being on bye really messed with my RBs. I hit the waiver wire and added Justice Hill & Brashard Smith. It didn’t work out so well, and I predictably got crushed at RB, but it didn’t hurt me.

Rome Odunze broke his mini slump and paced my WR group with 17 points. Jordan Addison had his lowest yardage output since his return, but he did score a TD. Quentin Johnston, unfortunately, put up a goose egg but that was offset by Jerry Jeudy’s goose egg for my opponent. I won the WR battle, 25-7.

I lost the TE battle, 4-2, but my opponent made a gigantic mistake here. They played Cade Otton over Tucker Kraft. That decision cost them 28 points.

The other huge mistake made by my opponent was starting the Cincinnati Bengals defense over the Baltimore Ravens. Cincy put up negative 11 points, while Baltimore had 15. That’s a 26 point swing.

Andy Borregales won the kicker battle for me, 17-1, and I considered naming him my MVP, but instead I’m giving it to my waiver wire add at LB, Tatum Bethune, for posting my highest IDP total this season, 14 points.

Week 9 Preview

Trash Pandas vs Steel City Mafia

My opponent this week has been on a similar trajectory as me. They’ve won two in a row to get themselves back to .500 and in the thick of the playoff race.

They have some minor bye week issues and more injury issues than I have, hence why I’m currently favored.

Here’s my keys to the week:

1. Justin Herbert: I think QB is where my real advantage in this matchup lies. Herbert gets a great matchup against Tennessee and he’s been on a heater the last two weeks.
2. Jahmyr Gibbs: Gibbs is the only true fantasy superstar in this matchup and he’s coming off a bye after a monster performance against Tampa Bay. Another big performance against Minnesota would go a long way to securing me a victory.
3. Rome Odunze & Marvin Harrison Jr: Both Odunze & Harrison have plus matchups versus Cincinnati & Dallas, respectively. Odunze has been a WR1 most of the season and just broke his mini slump, he should have another big week. Harrison is tougher to predict, he’s been up and down since entering the NFL and he’s coming off a concussion.
4. Brock Bowers: Bowers missed two games due to injury and had his bye week last week. The hope is that he’s ready to go and even though the Raiders are a mess, a healthy Bowers is a fantasy cheat code.