There we have it, the first coaching casualty of 2025. My money was on Mike McDaniel in Miami, but the Tennessee Titans pulled the trigger first.
Tennessee has been bad, terrible even. There’s an argument to be made that they’re the worst team in the NFL, despite the New York Jets being the only winless team through six games.
The Titans lone win was the result of an epic collapse by the Arizona Cardinals, and two of the strangest plays you’ll ever see. In every other game, Tennessee has been almost completely uncompetitive.
As a Bears fan, I know exactly where the Titans are right now. They have a rookie, number one overall pick quarterback. Cam Ward is the franchise, everything Tennessee does has to be about maximizing his development and potential. When you come to the decision, as an organization, that the head coach is not the right guy to develop your prized quarterback, you have to get him out of the building without hesitation.
Ward is now the fourth consecutive number one overall pick quarterback to have his head coach fired midway through his rookie season. Trevor Lawrence, Bryce Young & Caleb Williams have all been where Cam Ward now is.
Ward and the Titans most closely resemble the situation with Chicago and Caleb Williams last year. Whereas Jacksonville & Carolina paired their prized rookie quarterbacks with new coaches and just chose the wrong ones, in the eyes of those respective organizations. Tennessee and Chicago, however, chose to retain their head coaches with the full knowledge that they’d be drafting a quarterback with the first overall pick.
The difference between Tennessee and Chicago is that in Chicago GM Ryan Poles had hired Matt Eberflus, in Tennessee GM Mike Borgonzi did not hire Brian Callahan. While I am not excusing Poles and the Bears not recognizing sooner that Eberflus was the wrong coach to pair with a prized rookie quarterback, perhaps there was loyalty and continuity concerns at play.
In Tennessee, those excuses don’t exist. Did ownership force Borgonzi to retain Callahan and not make his own choice for head coach? If so, that is just organizational malfeasance.
I hope, for Cam Ward’s sake, that Tennessee gets it right with their next head coach. I hope they give Borgonzi and his pick for head coach an ample chance to prove they can develop Ward and turn Tennessee around.
This is why you can never be overconfident in fantasy football. On paper this was a mismatch, and it turned out to be just that but completely in the opposite direction.
This blowout happened for two reasons; my team severely underperformed and my opponent had a couple guys go off.
Justin Herbert had another down week and I’m starting to wonder if I should alternate my QBs based on matchup. The Chargers have had a rash of injuries on their offense and they’re down to their third string running back. Maybe that bodes well for Herbert’s fantasy outlook as they may rely on the passing game.
Jahmyr Gibbs wasn’t bad, but he had a very favorable matchup and I had hoped he would have had bigger week. TreVeyon Henderson was nearly non existent and it may be time to put him on my bench. Michael Carter was a waiver wire pick up and a flex play. He responded with a nice game, equaling Gibbs’ fantasy output.
Unfortunately, I lost the RB matchup 50-30, even though I had 3 RBs to my opponent’s 2. Rico Dowdle had a monster game for my opponent.
I lost the WR battle even worse, 57-13. Quentin Johnston had his worst game of the season. Marvin Harrison Jr had a decent game, but didn’t find the end zone. Ja’Marr Chase had a huge game, mostly in garbage time, for my opponent. Chase, alone, nearly outscored all my RBs & WRs combined.
Brock Bowers was a late scratch and I picked up Mason Taylor at TE. Taylor actually had a pretty good week, putting up 9 points. That’s the most points I’ve gotten out of my TE since week one.
I’m giving Carter my MVP for week 5.
Michael Carter, RB, Arizona Cardinals Photo Credit- Joe Rondone/ The Republic/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images
This one was really all about Rico Dowdle & Ja’Marr Chase. Those were two of the highest scoring players on the week in the entire NFL. Even if my guys hadn’t underperformed, I’m not sure I could have overcome that.
Week 6 Preview
Trash Pandas vs Cleveland Steamers
Projected Lineups & Benches
I’m a slight favorite in this matchup, but I’m a little nervous. My main concern is Josh Allen. I’ve gone up against Allen too many times when he’s put up monster numbers.
On paper, I have the advantage just about everywhere, but we saw how that played out last week.
My keys to this week:
Justin Herbert: Herbert was a top five fantasy QB through three games, but he’s fallen to just a fringe starter. I’m sticking with him because of matchup this week (vs Miami) and I need him to produce. The Chargers are down to their third and fourth RBs, they should be leaning heavily on the passing game.
Quentin Johnston: Johnston had his first dud of 2025. I need him to bounce back this week. He’s got a great matchup and as I said when talking about Herbert, the Chargers should be leaning on the passing game.
Michael Carter: I’m finally making the move and benching TreVeyon Henderson, despite a plus matchup. I’m banking on Carter being the lead back in Arizona.
Brock Bowers: I really hope an extra week of rest allows Bowers to return to form. He hasn’t been himself since week one. The Raiders are a mess, but a return to form for Bowers could help, a lot.
I put up the most points in the league this week, yet I still had to sweat it out on Monday night because my opponent was #2 in points scored.
With Caleb Williams on bye, I turned to Justin Fields at QB. For most of the game it looked bad, but Fields ended up putting up good numbers in garbage time including 2 TD passes & 2 two point conversions. Fields ended up with a solid 25 fantasy points.
My running backs came through big time this week. David Montgomery had his best week while in my starting lineup. Scoring a TD on the ground and throwing for another on a halfback option. Montgomery had 21 fantasy points.
Bucky Irving’s injury was a stroke of luck for me. I quickly inserted Rachaad White into my lineup and was rewarded with 2 rushing TDs & 19 fantasy points.
I won the RB position 43-28 and I needed it because my WRs had a bad week with Rome Odunze on bye. Tetairoa McMillan & Keon Coleman each had 7 fantasy points, which is okay, but Quentin Johnston had his worst outing of the season with only 2 points. I lost the WR position 52-16.
I listed Brian Thomas Jr among my keys to the week, but then made the decision to bench him. Even with losing the WR battle, I do not regret the move as Thomas only had 5 fantasy points.
Trey McBride had another pedestrian effort and got beat by Travis Kelce, 13-4.
While Justin Fields gets my MVP for week 5, the real difference was made at kicker and team defense. Ka’imi Fairbairn won the kicking battle for me, 24-10 & I streamed the Indianapolis Colts defense, which put up 22 fantasy points compared to my opponent’s 12.
I expected a close contest this week, but I didn’t expect it to be a high scoring shoot out. I feel for my opponent, I’ve been there. It sucks to have a great fantasy week only to be matched up with someone that has a slightly better one.
My team is right in the mix, and more importantly I seem to be past the managerial mistakes that plagued me earlier.
Week 6 Preview
BJ & Da’Bears vs Loose Lucy
Projected Lineups
This week I get the only undefeated team left in our league. I’m a slight underdog, but I think I have a chance as my opponent has some bye week issues and a key injury to deal with.
Both of us will be hitting the waiver wire for kickers this week, me because of a bye, my opponent because of an injury. I have waiver priority, so…?
My keys for this week:
Quentin Johnston: Johnston has been a fantasy revelation this season, but he’s coming off his worst outing. The Chargers offense is ravaged by injuries and has been out of sorts the last two weeks. A hefty bounce back week from Johnston would be huge.
Trey McBride: My first two draft picks, Brian Thomas Jr & McBride, have been major busts thus far. Thomas has already been relegated to my bench. Unfortunately, I don’t have a viable alternative or McBride might join him. My opponent is likely to run out two tight ends in this matchup. It would be nice if McBride could at least cancel one of them out.
Rhamondre Stevenson: I stuck with TreVeyon Henderson longer than I probably should have, but I’ve finally made the move and put Stevenson into my lineup. The Patriots seem determined to keep Stevenson as the lead back and I need him to reward that faith and reward me for making the switch.
Kicker: Ka’imi Fairbairn is on bye so I’m hitting the waiver wire. My targets, in order, are Jacksonville’s Cam Little, Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell & the Rams’ Joshua Karty. Whoever I end up with needs to be the right one. Oh, and I’ve protected Fairbairn by keeping him on my roster during his bye week.
Ben Johnson, Head Coach Photo Credit- Kiyoshi Mio/ Imagn Images
Only the most delusional of Bears fans didn’t expect some ups and downs in Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach. We’ve had exactly that through four games.
The opening loss to Minnesota was frustrating because it felt all too familiar. The Bears dominated for three quarters, but offensive inconsistency and momentary defensive lapses allowed the Vikings to stay within striking distance. And then they did.
The Bears gave away a game they should’ve won. They couldn’t put away a defeated opponent and they let victory slip away, like so many times under Matt Eberflus.
Unfortunately, the following game against Detroit also resembled the Eberflus era. The Bears seemed wholly unprepared and were humiliated by the Lions.
In the first sign that this is a new era of Bears football, Ben Johnson took full accountability. He vowed that things would change and he kept his promise.
The Dallas game might have been the Bears best offensive display since the short lived glory days of the Marc Trestman era.
Caleb Williams played perhaps his best game as a professional and for the first time in his NFL career, he didn’t suffer a single sack.
The Bears squandered an early lead, and I cannot be the only fan that thought “here we go, again”. These Bears, however, are different.
After taking the lead back, the Bears then engineered a great drive to end the first half with a touchdown and a ten point lead. Then, early in the second half, the Bears embarked on a soul crushing, run heavy, time consuming drive culminating in Williams’ fourth touchdown pass.
With the help of an opportunistic defense, the Bears were able to salt away the game and claim the first victory of the Ben Johnson era.
As enjoyable as that victory was, it was the win in Las Vegas that truly made me believe that we are in a new era of Chicago Bears football.
The Bears offense was inconsistent and they lacked any semblance of an effective running game. They nearly allowed Maxx Crosby to take over the game.
Defensively, they were gashed by the Raiders running game. But, they also proved to be opportunistic, once again.
The Bears persevered. Williams made some big throws and used his legs to great effect, when needed. They took the lead late, but failed on the two point conversion that would’ve put them in a more comfortable position. They also left too much time on the clock.
To complicate matters, they gave up a long kickoff return, putting the Raiders in excellent position to win the game.
I have been jaded by past Bears disappointments. I was ready to hang my head in defeat. The Bears had been unable to fully capitalize on the four turnovers they had created and now they were about to lose a game they should have won.
But…
Kevin Byard, in addition to his two interceptions, came up with a huge run stuff on third and short, forcing the Raiders to attempt a long game winning field goal.
Then it happened.
Photo Credit- John Locher/ Associated Press
Josh Blackwell shot off the edge, launched himself through the air and blocked the kick!
After having our hearts ripped out many times in exactly this fashion, it was glorious to see the Bears do it to another fan base. This team is learning how to win.
Caleb Williams- This season was always about Williams’ development. It hasn’t always been smooth, but the growth has been evident. He’s been more decisive, more accurate on his deep passes and playing more within structure. He’s missed some throws and some reads, but with each game you can see his grasp of this offense improving. I have little doubt that the Bears have their franchise quarterback and that Caleb Williams will rewrite the Bears passing record books.
Rome Odunze- Odunze’s ascension to WR1 has been glorious to behold. The chemistry between him and Williams is obvious and it’s great to see him being used in proper fashion. With all due respect to Brandon Marshall & DJ Moore, Odunze may go down as the best WR in Bears history.
Tyrique Stevenson- Kyler Gordon hasn’t played a single down this season and Jaylon Johnson played less than a half, yet the Bears secondary has held their own, despite a distinct lack of pass rush. Stevenson has been a big reason for that. He was awful down the stretch last season and got off to a rough start this year, but he’s turned it around the last couple weeks. The Bears needed him to step up in Johnson’s absence and it bodes well for their future if Stevenson can become 1B to Johnson’s 1A on the corners.
Ben Johnson- I was ecstatic when the Bears hired Ben Johnson to replace Matt Eberflus as head coach. After four games, I’m entirely convinced he’s the right man for the job. Week one felt all too familiar with an inexcusable collapse. Week two saw the Bears thoroughly unprepared and outplayed, but unlike past years, the head coach took responsibility and vowed change. He’s delivered since. Johnson’s offensive genius was never in doubt, there were questions about whether he had the gravitas to be the head coach. In my mind, he’s answered that question and the team is buying in. It’s nice to see a coach looking pissed off on the sideline than one with a thoroughly confused look like Eberflus often wore.
I’mConcernedAbout:
The Running Game- The Bears had that one great drive against Dallas where they leaned on the running game, beyond that they’ve produced little on the ground outside of Caleb Williams scrambles. The offensive line has been decent thus far, so I think the problem lies with the running back position. In Detroit, Ben Johnson had Jahmyr Gibbs & David Montgomery, aka Sonic & Knuckles. The Bears don’t have anything close to that. D’Andre Swift can be electric in space, but he’s not proven to be an effective between the tackles runner. There’s been talk of the Bears looking for a better lead back on the trade market, but I don’t think that’s necessary or likely, due to the cost. Instead, I think rookie Kyle Monangai should be given a greater share of the carries. He’s the type of physical between the tackles runner that can wear down a defense and open up the passing game even more. They will never be Sonic & Knuckles, but Swift & Monangai could be an effective duo, if used in a more balanced fashion.
The DefensiveLine- The Bears run defense has been especially bad thus far, and they’ve generated little pass rush. They’ve been bailed out in the passing game by the play of the secondary, but I fear their inability to stop the run could prove fatal to any postseason hopes we may have. Help is on the way, however. Linebacker TJ Edwards should finally make his season debut which should help the run defense. Defensive end Austin Booker is eligible to come off IR, which helps the pass rush. Meanwhile, the return of nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon will boost their run & pass defense.
DJ Moore & Cole Kmet- This pains me because Moore & Kmet have been two of my favorite Bears for the last couple of years (hell, I even have a DJ Moore jersey), but neither have developed the chemistry with Caleb Williams that they had with Justin Fields. It’s also obvious that neither are a priority in Ben Johnson’s scheme. They’ll become less of a priority as rookies Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III become a bigger part of the offense. At this point, I would not be surprised if neither Moore or Kmet are on this team next season. Both make too much money to be, at best, the third and fourth options in the passing game. Moore, I think, has a good chance of being moved before this year’s trade deadline.
Left Tackle- It appears as if Braxton Jones has lost his starting job, but I have concerns about whether Theo Benedet can hold up at left tackle. I find myself wondering if Darnell Wright can make the switch to the left side because I think the Bears best tackle combination could be Wright and rookie Ozzy Trapilo.
LookingAhead:
The Bears have an opportunity to show the NFL they’re a different team over the next few weeks. They’ve got a string of winnable games and how they fare could define the first year of the Ben Johnson era.
@ Washington Commanders- The site and the foe that turned their season upside down last year. The second battle between the first and second picks of the 2024 draft. A chance at redemption, a chance to change the narrative surrounding the Chicago Bears. It won’t be easy, but the Bears can win this.
vs New Orleans Saints- Flat out, this is a must win game. The Saints are one of the least talented teams in the league and it’s in Chicago. The Saints play hard, but the Bears must win this one.
@ Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens season has been a disaster thus far, but if Lamar Jackson is healthy you have to believe they’ll turn it around. Two weeks ago, I would have written this down as a loss and just hoped the Bears didn’t embarrass themselves. Now, there’s at least a sliver of hope.
@ Cincinnati Bengals- Before the season started, I thought the Bears wouldn’t be able to slow down the Bengals offense enough to pull this one out. However, Joe Burrow will be out until at least December and Cincy is barely competitive without him. The Bengals defense is suspect and the Bears ball hawking defense should enjoy facing Jake Browning.
vs New York Giants- The Giants got a bit of a boost by inserting Jaxson Dart into the starting lineup, but like a lot of rookie QBs, he showed some questionable ball security in his second start. The Giants will also be without their best offensive weapon in Malik Nabers. New York does have a fierce pass rush, but with this one in Chicago, I feel the Bears should prevail.
I think the Bears should, at minimum, go 3-2 over the next five and I think there is a pretty good chance they go 4-1. That would leave them at 5-4 or 6-3 heading into the rematch with Minnesota, Five wins would also match their total from last season.
The third quarter of their schedule is tough, but heading into it above .500 should boost their confidence.
Random NFL Thoughts:
Most Surprising Team: Indianapolis Colts- I’m still not a believer in Daniel Jones, but I am a believer in Jonathan Taylor and the Colts. They’re possibly a boneheaded Adonai Mitchell play away from being the only undefeated team in the NFL.
Most Disappointing Team: Baltimore Ravens- Even before Lamar Jackson’s injury, the Ravens haven’t looked like the juggernaut I believed them to be when I picked them to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. The defense has gotten shredded in every game except versus Cleveland. Derrick Henry has had uncharacteristic fumble issues. Baltimore has issues, but they remain a dangerous team, for now.
MVP: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills- Right now, I think Allen is the favorite to repeat as MVP, but I think Baker Mayfield is a strong contender. Daniel Jones is probably number two, for now, but I still expect him to falter. A dark horse candidate could be New England QB Drake Maye.
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Photo Credit- Troy Taormina/ Imagn Images
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Egbuka has been sensational and has already established himself as Tampa’s new WR1.
Abdul Carter, EDGE, NY Giants Photo Credit- Brad Penner/ Imagn Images
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants– Carter has been as good as advertised and has fueled rumors of Kayvon Thibodeaux being on the trade block.
New Super Bowl Pick: Philadelphia Eagles over Buffalo Bills- I picked Philly over Baltimore before the season and I still think the Eagles are the favorite. I think they’ll eventually figure things out on offense and the defense is elite. Buffalo is me default pick in the AFC due to Baltimore’s collapse, but I have reservations about whether or not the Bills can overcome the Kansas City Chiefs when it matters.
What a wild week in the NFL. Four of the top five teams in the rankings lost. New Orleans and Tennessee both got their first wins of the season. There are no undefeated teams and only one winless team. We have a new number one:
#1 DETROIT LIONS (4-1) +2
Last Week: #3, won at #29 Cincinnati, 37-24
The Lions are showing that week one was an aberration. They’ve been in total control since.
ThisWeek: at #11 Kansas City
#2 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-1) -1
Last Week: #1, lost vs #14 Denver, 21-17
Philly blew a double digit lead and the offense is completely out of sorts, but I have to believe they’ll figure it out and that defense is elite.
This Week: at #27 NY Giants
#3 BUFFALO BILLS (4-1) -1
Last Week: #2, lost vs #21 New England, 23-20
Not only did Buffalo lose for the first time, they may have gotten a serious challenger for division supremacy.
This Week: at #20 Atlanta
#4 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-1) +2
Last Week: #6, won at Seattle, 38-35
All four of their wins have been fourth quarter comebacks. The Buccaneers just have a will to win.
This Week: vs #13 San Francisco
#5 GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1-1) +3
Last Week: #8, BYE
Packers benefit from the attrition in front of them on their bye week.
This Week: vs #30 Cincinnati
#6 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-1) +6
Last Week: #12, won vs #27 Las Vegas, 40-6
I still don’t wholly believe in Daniel Jones, but I do believe in Jonathan Taylor and the Colts.
This Week: vs #24 Arizona
#7 LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-2) -3
Last Week: #4, lost vs #16 San Francisco, 26-23
Rams fell to division rival and into second place in their division, but I ultimately believe they’ll win said division.
This Week: at #19 Baltimore
#8 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3-1) +2
Last Week: #10, BYE
Pittsburgh has a clear path to the division title and another post season berth.
This Week: vs #25 Cleveland
#9 DENVER BRONCOS (3-2) +5
Last Week: #14, won at #1 Philadelphia, 21-17
Denver came back from 14 down in the fourth quarter against the defending champions in what may be Bo Nix’s signature win.
This Week: vs #32 NY Jets in London
#10 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-2) +1
Last Week: #11, won at #7 LA Chargers, 27-10
The Commanders were dominant on the road in Jayden Daniels’ return from injury.
This Week: vs #17 Chicago
#11 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-3) -6
Last Week: #5, lost at #15 Jacksonville, 31-28
The Chiefs don’t seem to have the same aura around them anymore and the schedule doesn’t get easier.
This Week: vs #1 Detroit
#12 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-1) +3
Last Week: #15, won vs #5 Kansas City, 31-28
It might be time to start believing in Jacksonville as legit contenders.
This Week: vs #14 Seattle
#13 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-1) +3
Last Week: #16, won at #4 LA Rams, 26-23
The Niners injury list keeps me from elevating them into the top ten, but I may have to soon.
This Week: at #4 Tampa Bay
#14 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-2) -5
Last Week: #9, lost vs #6 Tampa Bay, 38-35
Seattle stood toe to toe with Tampa, but they need to find a way to win those games if they want a shot at the NFC West crown.
This Week: at #12 Jacksonville
#15 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3-2) -8
Last Week: #7, lost vs #11 Washington, 27-10
The Chargers have looked nothing like the team they were in the first 3 weeks, and now the injuries are mounting.
This Week: vs #29 Miami
#16 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-2) +2
Last Week: #18, won vs #24 Cleveland in London, 21-17
The Vikings need to find some offensive consistency if they’re to contend in the tough NFC North.
This Week: BYE
#17 CHICAGO BEARS (2-2)
Last Week: #17, BYE
The Bears get a shot a redemption coming out of the break, and they should get some key defenders back.
This Week: at #10 Washington
#18 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-2) +3
Last Week: #21, won at #2 Buffalo, 23-20
The Patriots look like they may be ready to surge up the rankings.
This Week: at #26 New Orleans
#19 BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-4) -6
Last Week: #13, lost vs #22 Houston, 44-10
Lamar Jackson’s return will help, but it won’t fix the Baltimore defense.
This Week: vs #7 LA Rams
#20 ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2)
Last Week: #20, BYE
Did the Falcons figure out a fix to their inconsistency over the break?
This Week: vs #3 Buffalo
#21 HOUSTON TEXANS (2-3) +1
Last Week: #22, won at #13 Baltimore, 44-10
Too soon to tell if Houston has righted the ship, but they’ve won two in a row heading into a break.
This Week: BYE
#22 DALLAS COWBOYS (2-3) +1
Last Week: #23, won at #30 NY Jets, 37-22
Dallas had their most dominating victory of the season, albeit against the lowly Jets.
This Week: at #23 Carolina
#23 CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-3) +2
Last Week: #25, won vs #28 Miami, 27-24
The Panthers are one of the more inconsistent teams in the NFL.
This Week: vs #22 Dallas
#24 ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-3) -5
Last Week: #19, lost vs #32 Tennessee, 22-21
Simply an inexcusable loss to Tennessee. Arizona is far removed from their 2-0 start.
This Week: at #6 Indianapolis
#25 CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-4) -1
Last Week: #24, lost vs #18 Minnesota in London, 21-17
No bye after a London game, on the road vs Pittsburgh. The NFL hates Cleveland.
This Week: at #8 Pittsburgh
#26 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-4) +5
Last Week: #31, won vs #26 NY Giants, 26-14
The Saints came from behind to get their first victory of the season.
This Week: vs #18 New England
#27 NEW YORK GIANTS (1-4) -1
Last Week: #26, lost at #31 New Orleans, 26-14
The Giants fell back to earth after the first win of the Jaxson Dart era with a turnover fest in the Big Easy.
This Week: vs #2 Philadelphia
#28 TENNESSEE TITANS (1-4) +4
Last Week: #32, won at #19 Arizona, 22-21
The first win in the Cam Ward era was a wild one, Tennessee should fall back to earth now.
This Week: at #31 Las Vegas
#29 MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-4) -1
Last Week: #28, lost at #25 Carolina, 27-24
Miami did what bad teams do, squandered a game they could have won on the road.
This Week: vs #15 LA Chargers
#30 CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-3) -1
Last Week: #29, lost vs #3 Detroit, 37-24
Cincy flashed some offense with the game well out of hand, but they might not win a single game without Joe Burrow.
This Week: at #5 Green Bay
#31 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-4)-4
Last Week: #27, lost at #12 Indianapolis, 40-6
Vegas has no identity right now, and little fight.
This Week: vs #28 Tennessee
#32 NEW YORK JETS (0-5) -2
Last Week: #30, lost vs #23 Dallas, 37-22
The Jets are the least disciplined and poorly coached team in the NFL.
I said, in my preview of this matchup, that this was going to be a tough one and it played out that way. My team did some good things, my opponent was just better.
I listed Caleb Williams as my #1 key. I said he didn’t need to be Superman, he wasn’t, he just needed to keep it close, he didn’t. Williams had his worst fantasy output of the season, while Josh Allen was Josh Allen.
Trey McBride wasn’t great, but he did outscore Brock Bowers by two points.
TreVeyon Henderson finally found the end zone, unfortunately Ashton Jeanty found it three times.
Brian Thomas Jr continues to disappoint and I’m not sure he’s going to reverse that any time soon.
One positive is that my managerial decisions were better this week. I opted, at the last minute, to ride with the Seahawks defense for another week and it paid off. I was actually able to win the defense matchup, albeit by only 1 point.
Also, keeping David Montgomery on my bench vs Cleveland was a wise decision, too bad it didn’t pay off better.
Quentin Johnston gets my MVP for the week. His 17 points helped me win the WR battle. Unfortunately, I got crushed at QB & RB.
Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers Photo Credit- Kyusung Gong/ Associated Press
Well, this one went about how I expected, unfortunately. It got off to a decent start with Seattle’s defense putting up 20 on Thursday night, but it went downhill from there, fast. Ashton Jeanty put the nail in my coffin with 3 TDs.
Week 5 Preview
BJ & Da’Bears vs Off the Post!
Projected Lineups
I’m slightly favored in this matchup against the only winless team in this league. I’m not as confident. The first bye week hits me rather hard, I lose my QB1 & WR1.
I honestly do not see any position where I have a clear advantage, though I do have some promising matchups.
This contest will come down to whether or not my players take advantage of favorable matchups.
Here are my keys to this matchup:
Justin Fields: Fields gets the start due to Caleb Williams being on bye. He has a favorable matchup against Dallas’ awful defense. I need this to be one of Fields’ big weeks.
Brian Thomas Jr: If Thomas is going to show that his rookie season was no fluke, this would be a good week to start. Without Odunze, I need someone to step up to help win the WR spot. How about my first round draft pick?
David Montgomery: Detroit has a favorable matchup versus Cincinnati, unfortunately my opponent has Jahmyr Gibbs. I don’t need Montgomery to outscore Gibbs, but if he could garner a closer to even split of RB points, it could go a long way to pushing me to victory.
Trey McBride: Still waiting on McBride to have a breakout game, this would be the ideal week to do so. Travis Kelce isn’t the dominant force at TE he once was, but he’s still a formidable foe. Winning the TE battle would be huge.
This was a big win for the Trash Pandas, not only did it get me back to .500 after a couple tough losses, it was a division win, moving me to 2-0 in my division.
I had Brock Bowers as my #1 key this past week, saying I needed him to resemble his form from last season. It didn’t happen this week, and I have to say I’m a little concerned. The Raiders passing game is a mess right now.
I also listed TreVeyon Henderson & Marvin Harrison Jr as keys, and both came through with touchdowns. For Henderson, it was the first of his career.
My final key was team defense. I went with Philadelphia and it paid off. Philly scored a special teams touchdown & I only lost the defense matchup by 4 points.
Of course, not everything was roses this week. I cost myself 40 points by starting Daniel Carlson over Cairo Santos at kickerand Justin Herbert had his worst game of the season, thus far.
At least Herbert was able to find Quentin Johnston for a TD. Johnston continues to be one of the pleasant surprises of fantasy football this season. He’s been putting up WR1 numbers every week.
Speaking of WR1, Rome Odunze is firmly in that category now. He’s the only WR that’s scored a TD in every game so far.
Jahmyr Gibbs had 91 yards & a TD against a very tough Cleveland defense, looking like the franchise RB I drafted him to be.
Herbert was my top scorer, but my week 4 MVP goes to Quentin Johnston.
Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers Photo Credit- Kyusung Gong/ Associated Press
This was a solid win, and it could have been bigger, had I played Santos. I won every positional matchup except team defense, which I only lost by 4. Bye weeks are starting, but I think I’m set up okay.
Week 5 Preview
Trash Pandas vs Lanc Lanc Underdawgs
Projected Lineups & Benches
I’m heavily favored in this matchup and I can see why. I feel that I have the advantage at every position, even RB where I’m seldom comfortable.
It is never wise to be overconfident in fantasy football, but it’s a struggle this week. Even without the services of Rome Odunze, I am in a solid position to win a second straight.
My keys to the week:
Justin Herbert: Herbert needs to bounce back from his worst outing of 2025 and be more like Justin Herbert.
Quentin Johnston: Johnston just needs to continue his breakout season. He’s been one of the biggest wildcards in fantasy football this season.
Brock Bowers: A monster week from Bowers shouldn’t be required, but it would be nice to see him get back to form.
Jahmyr Gibbs: Simply put, if my players live up to expectations, I’ll easily win this week. None are more important than Gibbs. He has a very favorable matchup versus Cincinnati. Hitting his projected total would be huge.
Another shakeup week in the Power Rankings. Two top five teams lost, three bottom five teams won and we had a tie. Last rankings before bye weeks start.
#1 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-0)
Last Week: #1, won at #4 Tampa Bay, 31-25
With all due respect to Buffalo, Detroit & others, it’s Philly then everyone else at this point.
This Week: vs #14 Denver
#2 BUFFALO BILLS (4-0)
Last Week: #2, won vs #31 New Orleans, 31-19
Buffalo was very much on upset alert until late in the fourth quarter this week.
#3 DETROIT LIONS (3-1)+2
Last Week: #5, won vs #21 Cleveland, 34-10
After their season opening clunker, Detroit has looked very much like the juggernaut they were last season.
#4 LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-1)+4
Last Week: #8, won vs #12 Indianapolis, 27-20
The Rams are a blocked kick, two weeks ago against Philly, from being undefeated and probably ranked first.
#5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-2)+5
Last Week: #10, won vs #7 Baltimore, 37-20
Kansas City looked very much like the Chiefs, finally, against Baltimore.
#6 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1)-2
Last Week: #4, lost vs #1 Philadelphia, 31-25
Tampa came back strong but fell short against the defending champions.
#7 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3-1)-4
Last Week: #3, lost at #29 NY Giants, 21-18
That was a bad loss, compounded by the loss of OT Joe Alt. I have faith the Chargers will rebound, though.
#8 GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1-1)-2
Last Week: #6, tied at #27 Dallas, 40-40
Green Bay was lucky to escape Dallas with a tie, and what happened to that defense?
This Week: BYE
#9 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-1) +4
Last Week: #13, won at #17 Arizona, 23-20
Seattle looks like a legitimate contender on both sides of the ball.
This Week: vs #6 Tampa Bay
#10 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3-1) +4
Last Week: #14, won vs #16 Minnesota (in Dublin), 24-21
Pittsburgh is suddenly in total control in the AFC North.
This Week: BYE
#11 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-2) -2
Last Week: #9, lost at Atlanta, 34-27
Washington was never really in that game vs the Falcons. They need Jayden Daniels back.
This Week: at #7 LA Chargers
#12 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-1)
Last Week: #12, lost at #8 LA Rams, 27-20
Indy lost & Daniel Jones came back down to earth, but the Colts still proved they’re legit.
This Week: vs #27 Las Vegas
#13 BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-3) -6
Last Week: #7, lost at #10 Kansas City, 37-20
Baltimore has looked out of sorts and now the injuries are mounting, most significantly Lamar Jackson.
This Week: vs #22 Houston
#14 DENVER BRONCOS +1
Last Week: #15, won vs #24 Cincinnati, 28-3
Denver finally resembled the team most of us thought they were, but it was against Cincy, a barely competitive team.
This Week: at #1 Philadelphia
#15 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-1)+3
Last Week: #18, won vs #11 San Francisco, 26-21
Jacksonville’s passing game is still a work in progress, but their defense & running game are on point.
This Week: vs #5 Kansas City
#16 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-1) -5
Last Week: #11, lost vs #18 Jacksonville, 26-21
San Fran got Brock Purdy back, but they looked disjointed & the injuries continue to mount.
#17 CHICAGO BEARS (2-2) +2
Last Week: #19, won at #25 Las Vegas, 25-24
It was ugly, but those are the types of games Chicago always lost in the Eberflus era.
This Week: BYE
#18 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-2) -2
Last Week: #16, lost vs #14 Pittsburgh (in Dublin), 24-21
Minnesota is a Jekyll & Hyde team, it’s hard to predict which one shows up.
This Week: vs #24 Cleveland in London
#19 ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-2) -2
Last Week: #17, lost vs #13 Seattle, 23-20
Arizona is starting to settle in to what I thought they were. Competitive, but a step below the real contenders.
This Week: vs #32 Tennessee
#20 ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2) +2
Last Week: #22, won vs #9 Washington, 34-27
Atlanta rebounded from getting shutout on the road to a dominant win at home.
This Week: BYE
#21 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-2) +7
Last Week: #28, won vs #20 Carolina, 42-13
New England had their most dominant win since the Tom Brady era.
This Week: at #2 Buffalo
#22 HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3) +1
Last Week: #23, won vs #30 Tennessee, 26-0
Houston pitched a shutout against the lowly Titans to pick up their first victory.
This Week: at #13 Baltimore
#23 DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2-1) +4
Last Week: #27, tied vs #6 Green Bay, 40-40
Dallas still has no defense, but their offense is elite, at least at home.
This Week: vs #30 NY Jets
#24 CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-3) -3
Last Week: #21, lost at #5 Detroit, 34-10
Cleveland reverted to a doormat on the road against the high powered Lions.
This Week: vs #18 Minnesota in London
#25 CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-3) -5
Last Week: #20, lost at #28 New England, 42-13
Just when I start believing in Carolina they turn in a 2023 like performance.
#26 NEW YORK GIANTS (1-3) +3
Last Week: #29, won vs #3 LA Chargers, 21-18
The Jaxson Dart era starts with a victory, but the Malik Nabers injury puts a damper on the celebration.
This Week: at #31 New Orleans
#27 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-3) -2
Last Week: #25, lost vs #19 Chicago, 25-24
Vegas continues to turn the ball over way too much, but they did finally find their running game.
This Week: vs #12 Indianapolis
#28 MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-3) +4
Last Week: #32, won vs #26 NY Jets, 27-21
Miami has gotten gradually more competitive every week, culminating in their first victory, but they lost Tyreek Hill for the season.
This Week: at #25 Carolina
#29 CINCINNATI BENGALS -5
Last Week: #24, lost at #15 Denver, 28-3
Cincy is not even competitive without Joe Burrow.
This Week: vs #3 Detroit
#30 NEW YORK JETS (0-4) -4
Last Week: #26, lost at #32 Miami, 27-21
The Jets are still the same undisciplined, mistake prone team they’ve been for years.
This Week: vs #27 Dallas
#31 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-4)
Last Week: #31, lost at #2 Buffalo, 31-19
New Orleans stood toe to toe with a legit Super Bowl contender for most of the game against Buffalo.
This Week: vs #26 NY Giants
#32 TENNESSEE TITANS (0-4) -2
Last Week: #30, lost at #23 Houston, 26-0
Cam Ward summed it up best for Tennessee, “we ass”.
Nickels and Dimes 