I ran into a buzz saw this week. Had I played any other team in the league, I’d be 2-0 & probably sitting atop the power rankings. I think it’s also safe to say that had this matchup occurred any other week I’d have won.
Ultimately, I was done in by the fourth quarter and overtime of the Giants-Cowboys game, especially Cowboys’ kicker Brandon Aubrey and this league’s scoring rules for kickers. Aubrey hit four field goals, all over 40 yards , one of which was over 50 yards and another over 60 yards. He put up a whopping 46 points for my opponent.
My kicker, Daniel Carlson, actually had a decent week, putting up 24 points, but I was crushed by 22 at the position.
Jahmyr Gibbs looked more like himself this week and more like the guy I drafted in the first round. He found the end zone once and had over 100 total yards.
Rome Odunze was huge, putting up over 100 yards receiving and scoring two touchdowns. It really looks like he could be in for a big season.
I was able to pick up Quentin Johnston and insert him into my flex position. He rewarded me with 22 points.
TreVeyon Henderson had another disappointing week as the rookie continues to try to carve out a role. He’s got a good fantasy matchup in week three and I’m not ready to give up on him, yet.
Marvin Harrison Jr had a terrible week, mustering only 2 points. It’s concerning that Kyler Murray seems to be looking elsewhere in the red zone. Feels too much like last season, right now.
Brock Bowers also had a disappointing week. Part of that was the Chargers defense and another part was that he was obviously not 100% after suffering a knee injury in week one.
Justin Herbert was my week two MVP in a losing effort. He put up 35 points and could’ve had more had the Raiders kept the game closer.
Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers Photo Credit- Drew A Kelley/ Press-Telegram/ SCNG
This is a tough loss to swallow. Second most points scored in the league this week, only to lose. Worse yet, done in by a kicker. Obviously, my team did well and I still have high hopes for this season.
Week 3 Preview
Trash Pandas vs Red Dwarf SmegHeads
Projected Lineups Benches
ESPN has me as a slight underdog in this game, but that could change in a big way. My opponent’s QB, Jayden Daniels is not a lock to play this week. According to some NFL insiders, it is trending towards him missing this week.
That would be a devastating blow for my opponent, who has Jaxson Dart as his backup. He’ll need to hit the waiver wire and land Jake Browning, Carson Wentz or Marcus Mariota, all severe downgrades from Daniels.
Not only would it leave a void at QB for my opponent, if Daniels sits, but it affects other areas of his roster. He also has Commanders TE Zach Ertz & WR Deebo Samuel in his starting lineup, each would take a fantasy hit without Daniels.
Even if Daniels plays, I like my chances in this matchup. My team is strong and can get stronger.
Justin Herbert is looking like an elite fantasy QB again. Jahmyr Gibbs bounced back after a tough opening week, though he does have a tough matchup versus Baltimore this week.
Marvin Harrison Jr continues to be up and down in the Cardinals offense, but the potential is always there for a breakout. Rome Odunze is looking very much like he’s in for a breakout season.
Brock Bowers is a cheat code at TE, and I hope he’s not hampered by the knee injury he suffered in week one. If he returns to dominating the TE position for me, I have a good chance to win every week.
I’m not planning to make any roster moves this week, though I am keeping an eye on RBs (always) and TEs. Right now, I’m carrying Michael Mayer as my TE2 as a handcuff on a possible Bowers injury.
The keys for my team this week, besides Daniels’ availability, are: 1) Harrison Jr needs to produce more like week 1 than week 2. 2) Bowers needs to produce like an elite TE. 3) TreVeyon Henderson needs to have that breakout game.
This was just ugly. I was never really in this matchup. Other than Rome Odunze (128 yards & 2 TDs) my team did not show up.
Justin Fields & Aaron Jones exited early with injuries, though they weren’t doing much before that.
TreVeyon Henderson is still carving out a role and hasn’t given me much through two weeks. Trey McBride has been disappointing, especially since he continues to not receive red zone targets.
The biggest bust, thus far, is Brian Thomas Jr. I pointed out that I think I made a mistake drafting him in the first round in my season preview and, sadly, that’s been playing out.
It didn’t help my cause that I left 69 points on my bench. Caleb Williams, David Montgomery, Rhamondre Stevenson, Dylan Sampson & Quentin Johnston all outscored starters at their positions.
Williams, Montgomery & Johnston were all under consideration as starters for me. Those three alone would have pulled me even in this matchup, though I’d have still lost on the tiebreaker.
Rome Odunze gets my week two MVP. He had a monster week and it looks like he could be in for a big season as Caleb Williams’ go to guy.
I have deep concerns about this team, starting with the manager. I’ve made some bad decisions, beginning on draft day, and I need to be better.
Week 3 Preview
BJ & Da’Bears vs Achane in the Membrane
Preliminary Lineups
RT Sports doesn’t like my chances in this one, and I can’t say I blame them. The thought of Lamar Jackson, alone, gives me chills.
My team has underperformed each week, thus far, and my managerial decisions have backfired. I need some players to step up.
Brian Thomas Jr needs to start looking like he did as a rookie. With the depth I have at WR, I’m actually debating benching him already, in week 3!
Trey McBride cannot keep being just an average TE. I need him to start winning that position battle for me.
I’ve placed Thomas Jr & McBride on the trade block, looking for a RB in return.
I really need help at RB. Preferably, TreVeyon Henderson steps up and becomes the primary ball carrier for New England.
With Aaron Jones on IR, I need a RB. I have waiver claims in on Rachaad White, Blake Corum & Kenneth Gainwell.
My streaming defense this week will be either Seattle, Atlanta or Tampa Bay.
The keys for this team are the same as last week: 1) Thomas Jr needs to hit double digits. 2) McBride needs to dominate the TE position in this matchup. 3) Henderson needs to have that breakout game.
I got in a hole early in this matchup and couldn’t quite dig myself out of it. Patrick Mahomes put up 26 points for my opponent on Friday and I never held a lead throughout the week.
The real difference in this matchup, however, was the running back position. I was outscored 38-26 at RB. Aaron Jones was decent, butI will need to get more out of David Montgomery & TreVeyon Henderson going forward.
I knew RB would be an issue for this squad after the draft, my hope was that my receivers and tight ends would make up for that. That didn’t play out in week one.
Brian Thomas Jr & Rome Odunze scored touchdowns, but I need more out of Thomas, especially. I need him to produce like the first round pick he was.
I also need more out of Trey McBride. I’d love to see him get more red zone targets.
If I had played Justin Fields instead of Caleb Williams or Keon Coleman over Tetairoa McMillan, I’d have won this matchup. Neither were considerations for me, so I cannot regret those non moves.
In a losing effort, my week one MVP was Ka’imi Fairbairn. My kicker outscored my opponent’s by 7 points, making up the difference between our quarterbacks.
It was a disappointing loss, but my team did end up with respectable numbers. My receivers must, and should, put up better numbers and hopefully my running backs won’t be as big a liability moving forward.
Week 2 Preview
BJ & Da’Bears vs Dawgs of the Gridiron
Preliminary lineups.
RT Sports gives me a 63% chance of winning this week. I think that’s too high, I believe this will be a tougher matchup than it may appear.
My opponent has a pretty solid starting lineup, and oddly enough, the exact same QB duo as I have in my other league. My only real advantage, on paper, is at TE. I need Trey McBride to win this matchup in a #2 TE vs #20 TE fashion.
I may make a switch at QB. Justin Fields was electric in week one and Buffalo doesn’t exactly have a shutdown defense. I’m still up in the air on this one and may not make a decision until Sunday.
I feel like I need to get Keon Coleman into my lineup, the question is where? Rookie WR Tetairoa McMillan or veteran RB David Montgomery are the two players I’m considering benching.
McMillan has the higher ceiling, but also the lower floor. Carolina’s offense looked disjointed in week one (as did Detroit’s, albeit against stronger competition). This is another decision that might take me until Sunday to make.
My defense will be either San Francisco, Arizona or New England, as those are the three I put waiver claims in on. Last week’s defense, Washington, has a very unfavorable matchup versus Green Bay.
I’ll also have a new WR on my bench this week, as I’ve put in waiver claims to replace Amari Cooper, who abruptly retired before week one. My waiver claims are, in order, Quentin Johnston, Kayshon Boutte and Tre Tucker.
I feel confident in this matchup, though not nearly as confident as RT Sports. I think, on paper, I should win, but I also think I need to make prudent decisions.
I think the keys for me are 1) My top three picks, Brian Thomas Jr, Trey McBride and TreVeyon Henderson need to perform that way. I cannot have all three put up single digits once again. 2) Making the right flex call. I’m 99.9% sure I’ll start Keon Coleman this week, who I decide to replace could be the difference between a win and a loss. 3) Making the right call at QB. Right now, I’m 50/50 on Caleb Williams or Justin Fields. I fear making the wrong choice could doom me to defeat.
I made a huge mistake in week one of the Thunderdome Fantasy Football league but, thankfully, it didn’t come back to haunt me.
I drafted Justin Herbert to be my QB1 and I felt confident that I could trot him out there every week and get a solid showing. Yet, I allowed myself to be convinced by a fantasy football blog that Trevor Lawrence was the safer play in week one.
All Herbert did was put up 47 fantasy points, while Lawrence managed a pedestrian 13. That’s 34 points on my bench. That could’ve spelled doom. Lucky for me, my opponent’s quarterback was equally pedestrian.
My running backs, including my top pick Jahmyr Gibbs, were disappointing. I was outscored at the running back position 17-12, but I more than made up for that at WR & TE.
I know Gibbs will eventually put up big numbers for me, and I truly believe that TreVeyon Henderson will eventually.
Neither Marvin Harrison Jr nor Rome Odunze had monster games, but they were both solid and both scored touchdowns. They also appear to be in line for plenty of targets this season.
The MVP of week one, however, was Brock Bowers, who put up 17 points, despite exiting the game with an injury and not scoring a touchdown. I outscored my opponent’s tight end by 16.
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders Photo Credit- Steve Marcus/ Getty Images
It’s always nice to start off the season with a victory, but this one was especially sweet. Achilles Heels are aptly named, from my vantage point, because I hadn’t beaten them since entering the league.
Finally, after 5 straight losses (4 in the regular season, 1 in the playoffs), I’ve slayed the dragon.
Week 2 Preview
Trash Pandas vs Mike’s Magnificent Team
Projected Lineups Benches
ESPN gives me a 46% chance of winning this matchup, I think I can get that closer to 50% with a move at flex.
As of this writing, I have Jerome Ford slotted in as my flex play, but he will not be there come Sunday. He was nearly non existent in week one, and I’m not expecting much from him moving forward as Dylan Sampson gets more touches and Quinshon Judkins eventually hits the field. Ford is certainly on the chopping block for me, but I’ll keep him rostered for now, until someone emerges worth taking a shot on.
My draft day plan was always to have Jordan Addison fill the flex spot, but I had to navigate the first three weeks as he served his suspension. In the meantime, my options for week two are Quentin Johnston, DeAndre Hopkins or Darnell Mooney.
I have waiver claims in for Johnston & Hopkins, dropping Mooney in both cases. Mooney is my fall back should both waiver claims fail.
I think the keys for me this week are 1) Getting more production out of my RBs, especially Jahmyr Gibbs. 2) Brock Bowers continuing to make TE a dominant position for me. 3) My flex play getting closer to double digit points.
It’s tough matchup for the Trash Pandas this week, but I can see avenues to pulling off the win and moving to 2-0.
As Kyle Brandt says on Good Morning Football, “week one lies”. I’ll try not to overreact to what happened, though some statements were made, while questions were raised. Week two should tell the truth. Here’s where I have them ranked after week one:
#1 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (-)
Last Week: #1, Won vs Dallas, 24-20
It wasn’t as dominant as I expected, but Philly did nothing to lose the top spot.
This Week: at Kansas City
#2 GREEN BAY PACKERS (+3)
Last Week: #5, Won vs Detroit, 27-13
It pains me to say this, but Green Bay was the most impressive team in week one.
This Week: vs Washington
#3 BALTIMORE RAVENS (-1)
Last Week: #2, Lost at Buffalo, 41-40
For 55 minutes Sunday night, Baltimore looked like the most dominant team in the NFL. Then the wheels fell off. I still think they’re the best team in the AFC.
ThisWeek: vs Cleveland
#4 BUFFALO BILLS (-)
Last Week: #4, Won vs Baltimore, 41-40
Buffalo was getting steamrolled until a Derrick Henry fumble and some Josh Allen heroics. I’m keeping them at #4 this week.
ThisWeek: at NY Jets
#5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (-2)
Last Week: #3, Lost vs LA Chargers in Brazil, 27-21
Losing a neutral site game against a 2024 playoff team isn’t enough to knock Kansas City out of the top five, yet.
ThisWeek: vs Philadelphia
#6 LOS ANGELES RAMS (+3)
Last Week: #9, Won vs Houston, 14-9
The offense didn’t do much, but the Rams defense is definitely playoff caliber.
This Week: at Tennessee
#7 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (+3)
Last Week: #10, Won vs NY Giants, 21-6
It wasn’t flashy, but Washington dominated against New York.
This Week: at Green Bay
#8 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (+6)
Last Week: Won vs Kansas City in Brazil, 27-21
Big win for the Chargers against their arch nemesis. Can they keep the momentum?
ThisWeek: at Las Vegas
#9 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (-2)
Last Week: #7, Won at Atlanta, 23-20
Tampa Bay solved their Atlanta problem, but I still drop them a couple spots, mostly because a few other teams were more impressive.
This Week: at Houston
#10 DENVER BRONCOS (-4)
Last Week: #6, Won vs Tennessee, 20-12
Denver’s defense was as good as advertised, but I saw some Mac Jones like regression in Bo Nix, so I dropped them a couple spots.
ThisWeek: at Indianapolis
#11 CINCINNATIBENGALS (-)
Last Week: #11, Won at Cleveland, 17-16
Cincinnati narrowly avoided another bad week one loss, but it was considerably less than impressive.
ThisWeek: vs Jacksonville
#12 DETROIT LIONS (-4)
Last Week: #8, Lost at Green Bay, 27-13
Detroit was never in the game versus the Packers, could be a sign they miss both their coordinators from last season.
ThisWeek: vs Chicago
#13 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (+14)
Last Week: #27, Won at NY Jets, 34-32
Aaron Rodgers was everything Pittsburgh could hope for, Steelers make a huge jump up the rankings.
ThisWeek: vs Seattle
#15 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (+4)
Last Week: #19, Won at Chicago, 27-24
Minnesota made a great comeback Monday night, and JJ McCarthy got better in the fourth quarter.
ThisWeek: vs Atlanta
#16 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (-)
Last Week: #16, Won vs Carolina, 26-10
Jacksonville was firmly in control against a bottom ten team.
ThisWeek: at Cincinnati
#17 NEW YORK JETS (-2)
Last Week: #15, Lost vs Pittsburgh, 34-32
The Jets gave Pittsburgh all they could handle, but shot themselves in the foot in the end.
ThisWeek: vs Buffalo
#18 ARIZONA CARDINALS (-1)
Last Week: #17, Won at New Orleans, 20-13
Despite the win, Arizona showed the inconsistency that troubles me.
ThisWeek: vs Carolina
#19 CHICAGO BEARS (-7)
Last Week: #12, Lost vs Minnesota, 27-24
Chicago showed flashes on Monday night, but they also showed they still haven’t figured out how to close a game out.
ThisWeek: at Detroit
#20 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (-)
Last Week: #20, Won at New England, 20-13
Even with the win, I’m not sure Vegas is any threat in the AFC.
ThisWeek: vs LA Chargers
#21 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (+2)
Last Week: #23, Won at Seattle, 17-13
San Francisco won a tough road game, but the injuries are already piling up.
This Week: at New Orleans
#22 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: (-4)
Last Week: #18, Lost vs San Francisco, 17-13
Seattle had a chance, but ultimately lost a tough one at home to a division rival.
ThisWeek: at Pittsburgh
#23 ATLANTA FALCONS (-1)
Last Week: #22, Lost vs Tampa Bay, 23-20
Atlanta hung around and Michael Penix Jr showed enough to think this team should rise in the rankings.
This Week: at Minnesota
#24 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (+5)
Last Week: #29, Won vs Miami, 33-8
Indy was as impressive as any team in the NFL, but it did come against maybe the worst team. And this is still Daniel Jones.
#25 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (-)
Last Week: #25, Lost vs Las Vegas, 20-13
New England still has a talent deficit compared to most teams.
ThisWeek: at Miami
#26 NEW YORK GIANTS (-2)
Last Week: #24, Lost at Washington, 21-6
I think the Jaxson Dart watch has officially begun.
ThisWeek: at Dallas
#27 CAROLINAPANTHERS (-6)
Last Week: #21, Lost at Jacksonville, 26-10
Carolina looked more like the team that earned the first pick in the 2024 draft than the team that surged down the stretch last season.
ThisWeek: at Arizona
#28 CLEVELAND BROWNS (-2)
Last Week: #26, Lost vs Cincinnati, 17-16
Cleveland’s defense is good enough to keep them in most games.
ThisWeek: at Baltimore
#29 DALLAS COWBOYS (-1)
Last Week: #28, Lost at Philadelphia, 24-20
I still feel like an implosion is coming in Dallas.
ThisWeek: vs NY Giants
#30 TENNESSEE TITANS (+1)
Last Week: #31, Lost at Denver, 20-12
The trajectory should be upwards for Tennessee and Cam Ward.
ThisWeek: vs LA Rams
#31 NEW ORLEANSSAINTS (+1)
Last Week: #32, Lost vs Arizona, 20-13
New Orleans is a bad football team, but at least they play hard.
ThisWeek: vs San Francisco
#32 MIAMI DOLPHINS (-2)
Last Week: #30, Lost at Indianapolis, 33-8
A couple more outings like that and Mike McDaniel won’t survive September. Either way, Miami will probably be in search of a new coach and quarterback for 2026.
I think Philly begins their title defense with a blowout of their bitter rivals. Phi 38-13.
Kansas City@ LA Chargers (+3)
Chargers are nominally the home team as this game will be played in Brazil. I like KC to win, but LA to cover. KC 28-27.
Cincinnati (–5.5) @ Cleveland
I think Cincy avoids a slow start this season and thumps Cleveland on the road. Cin 28-13.
Tampa Bay (-2.5) @ Atlanta
I think Tampa sends an early message that this is still their division. TB 24-20.
Arizona@ New Orleans (+6.5)
I think Arizona wins this, but 6.5 is a lot of points to lay on the road. Arz 24-20.
Miami (+1.5)@ Indianapolis
I think Miami will eventually implode this season, but they start with a road win. Mia 20-13.
New York Giants (+5.5) @ Washington
I think Washington will win at home, but the Giants will cover. Was 20-17.
Carolina (+3.5) @ Jacksonville
This is one of the tougher games for me to pick because I think both teams have some upside. I went with the home team to win, but Carolina to cover. Jax 24-21.
Las Vegas @ New England (-2.5)
Another tough game to pick because I think both teams will be improved. I’ll take NE by a field goal. NE 20-17.
Pittsburgh @ NY Jets (+3)
These are two teams I think are on different trajectories. I like the Jets. NYJ 17-16.
San Francisco @ Seattle (+2.5)
I’ll take Seattle & the points at home. Sea 21-17.
Tennessee @ Denver (-7.5)
Yeah, this is a mismatch. Denver rolls. Den 31-10.
Detroit (+2.5) @ Green Bay
I want to pick Detroit to win this, but I just can’t. I’ll take the points instead. GB 24-23.
Houston @ LA Rams (-2.5)
I think the Rams could be one of the better teams in the league if Stafford remains healthy. Rams 27-20.
Baltimore (+1.5)@ Buffalo
Baltimore gets revenge for last year’s playoff loss. Bal 31-28.
Minnesota @ Chicago (+1.5)
The Ben Johnson era starts with a win over a division rival. Chi 23-20.
This season I’ll be doing my own power rankings, hopefully every week. The inaugural list is purely speculative. Here we go:
Philadelphia Eagles– The defending champs remain the team to beat.
Baltimore Ravens– The best team in the AFC, can they finally get it done in January?
Kansas City Chiefs– As long as Mahomes is under center, KC is a legit Super Bowl contender.
Buffalo Bills– Josh Allen carried them as far as he could last year, did they add enough to get them over the hump?
Green Bay Packers– The acquisition of Micah Parsons pushes them into the top five, but I’m not convinced Jordan Love is a franchise QB and the NFC North is a very tough division.
DenverBroncos– They have an elite defense and one of the best coaches in football, if Bo Nix can improve on a pretty good rookie season, they could be the team to dethrone KC in the AFC West.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers– They own their division and their offense is a good as anyone’s, do they have the defense to truly contend?
Detroit Lions– This might still be one of the best teams in the NFC, but they lost a significant amount of their coaching staff. I think there may be some bumps in the road.
Los Angeles Rams– I’d rank them higher if I had more confidence Matthew Stafford can make it through the season.
WashingtonCommanders– The Commanders & Jayden Daniels are legit, but they won’t take anyone by surprise this year.
CincinnatiBengals– If they avoid another slow start, this is a playoff team. Their nearly complete lack of defense limits their ceiling, though.
ChicagoBears– There will be hiccups in year one of the Ben Johnson/ Caleb Williams era, but the talent is there to take a big step forward.
HoustonTexans– If they can protect CJ Stroud, and he proves last year was just a sophomore slump, Houston could rise in these rankings.
Los Angeles Chargers– Until they actually win in January, I’m hesitant to rank them higher.
New York Jets– I believe in Justin Fields and Aaron Glenn, not quite enough to get them into the playoffs.
Jacksonville Jaguars– If Liam Coen can do for Trevor Lawrence what he did for Baker Mayfield, this team could really rise.
ArizonaCardinals– I like a lot of the pieces Arizona has, I just don’t trust Kyler Murray.
Seattle Seahawks– Sam Darnold is another QB I just don’t believe in and that drags Seattle down in my rankings.
Minnesota Vikings– JJ McCarthy is essentially a rookie QB & the NFC North is the toughest division in the NFL, so I think the Vikings might be relegated to the basement.
Las Vegas Raiders– Vegas also has the misfortune of playing in a tough division. They’ll show improvement, but the AFC West is a minefield.
CarolinaPanthers– I think Carolina could be one of the surprise teams in the NFL this year.
Atlanta Falcons– Until they prove otherwise, I always expect the Falcons to come up short.
San Francisco 49ers– There’s just been too much attrition in San Fran to think they’ll be serious contenders.
New York Giants– Legit defense, just not sure they’ll get enough from their QBs to actually contend.
New EnglandPatriots– Vrabel will make New England better, but they still don’t have enough talent to truly contend.
ClevelandBrowns– Another legit defense that just won’t produce enough on offense to contend.
Pittsburgh Steelers– I just don’t think Aaron Rodgers has it anymore and I think Pittsburgh might implode.
DallasCowboys– I feel an implosion of epic proportions coming in Jerry World.
Indianapolis Colts– There is little reason for optimism when Daniel Jones is your QB1, ask Giants fans.
Miami Dolphins– Another team that I feel like is in for an epic implosion.
TennesseeTitans– I think Tennessee can rise much higher in these rankings, but until I see it on the field, I’ll rank them here.
New Orleans Saints– Right now, I think they’re the heavy favorite to land the first overall pick in the 2026 draft.
The second fantasy football draft I participated in this week was for the Lancaster Fighting Amish league. I’ve been in this league since 2006 and I routinely change the team name, this year I’ve gone with BJ & Da’ Bears to celebrate Ben Johnson’s first season as head coach of my beloved Bears.
As I said, I’ve been in this league since 2006, and while I’ve never won the title, I’ve been runner up three times and I’ve made the playoffs more often than not.
I’ve also twice won the Toilet Bowl and I’m one of only two teams in the history of this league to complete a winless regular season (but I did win three straight to capture the Toilet Bowl that season).
This league is a more conventional fantasy football league than my other. Smaller league, smaller rosters, mostly traditional scoring and a snake draft.
Where this league may differ from others is the keeper system. We can protect up to three players at the draft position we originally took them. For example, last year I drafted Caleb Williams in the ninth round, I can now protect him every year as my ninth round selection for as long as I want, so long as he is continuously on my roster.
Here’s a quick overview of Lancaster Fighting Amish:
12 team league.
16 man roster consisting of no more than 3 QBs, 6 RBs, 6 WRs, 4 TEs, 3 Kickers & 3 Team Defenses.
Lineups consist of 1 QB, 2-3 RBs, 2-4 WRs, 1-3 TEs, 1 Kicker & 1 Team Defense.
Scoring by RT Sports.
Limited keeper league. Keep up to 3 players at the spot you originally drafted them at. (See above)
Snake draft. We go 1-12, then 12-1, 1-12 and so on through 16 rounds.
My strategy is the same here. I highly value running backs and receivers, with RB being the highest priority. I stream defenses in this league and flat out cut my kicker on his bye week, so those are nearly always my 15th and 16th picks.
Now, onto the draft. First the protected players and where they were protected:
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons (1st Round)
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (1st Round)
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders (6th Round)
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (6th Round)
George Pickens, WR, Dallas Cowboys (8th Round)
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders (8th Round)
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (8th Round)
Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (9th Round)
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys (9th Round)
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (10th Round)
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals (11th Round)
Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11th Round)
CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (12th Round)
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12th Round)
Pittsburgh Steelers Defense (12th Round)
Michael Penix Jr, QB, Atlanta Falcons (14th Round)
Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings (16th Round)
Jonnu Smith, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (16th Round)
Now, here’s how my draft went:
Round 1– Brian Thomas Jr, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Photo Credit- Phelan M Ebenhack/ Associated Press
I had the fifth pick and things did not go my way. Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry were the first two off the board. I had a glimmer of hope when Jayden Daniels went third, but that was dashed when Ashton Jeanty went the pick before me.
Perhaps I was thrown off by not catching a break here, but as good as Thomas Jr was last year and can be this year, I can’t believe I didn’t more strongly consider Kyren Williams, Omarion Hampton or Chase Brown here.
Round 2– Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
Photo Credit- Bruce Yeung/ Getty Images
This draft is definitely not going the way I expected it to. James Cook went the pick ahead of me and suddenly I’m looking at getting shut out of the high end running back market.
Second draft in a row that I went tight end in the second, never thought I’d ever do that. I could justify the first time because it was a bigger league and I already had my RB1. Harder to justify this one and that’s not a knock on McBride.
Round 3– TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
Photo Credit- Paul Rutherford/ Imagn Images
Okay, I got my running back. As I said in my last post, I really like Henderson and I expect big things from him. Now, I need him to be what I believe he will be, because here he’s not my number two, but my number one back.
Round 4– Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Photo Credit- Brian Westerholt/ Associated Press
Two Bears I had my eye on went off the board since my last pick. I’m not sure I would have taken D’Andre Swift, but I definitely would have grabbed DJ Moore but he went one pick before mine.
I like Bryce Young this year and I think McMillan will be his number one guy sooner rather than later. I have no problem getting a young wide receiver with major upside.
Round 5– Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Photo Credit- Brad Rempel/ Imagn Images
I was hoping Isaiah Pacheco would make it back to me, but he didn’t.
Have you ever watched a guy repeatedly rip the heart out of your team, over and over, even after changing teams, that you eventually come to respect him?
That’s me & Aaron Jones. I never would have taken Jones when he was a Packer, but on the Vikings I didn’t hesitate.
Round 6– David Montgomery, RB, Detroit Lions
Photo Credit- Lon Horwedel/ Imagn Images
Old friend alert! Okay, now I’m feeling much better about my running backs. Jones and Montgomery are solid veterans and should give me consistent production.
Round 7– Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
Photo Credit-Todd Rosenberg/ Getty Images
After missing out on DJ Moore, landing Odunze became a priority and here was the spot to do it.
If I hadn’t added Jones & Montgomery with my previous two picks, I might have been more upset that Bill Croskey- Merrit went one pick before me.
Round 8– Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears (keeper)
Photo Credit- Talia Sprague/ Imagn Images
This is why I wanted one of Moore or Odunze, to pair with my franchise quarterback. I fully expect Ben Johnson to tap Williams’ enormous potential and Williams to become the first 4,000 yard passer in Bears franchise history.
Round 9– Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
Photo Credit- Brian Fluharty/ USA Today Sports
Not counting defense and kicker, I have my starting lineup set, including flex positions. It’s time to work on the bench.
I figured getting the handcuff for my rookie RB1 was a pretty solid plan.
Round 10– Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills
Photo Credit- Mark Konezny/ Imagn Images
Not going to lie, I was really hoping Jordan Addison would make it back to me, but alas it wasn’t to be.
Coleman is young and talented enough to really ascend in the Bills offense.
Round 11– Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears
Photo Credit- Kevin Sabitus/ Getty Images
I am ecstatic about this pick, For this year and the future. Loveland may develop into a possible flex play this year and he should become a cheap (fantasy draft wise) TE1 for years.
Round 12– Justin Fields, QB, New York Jets
Photo Credit- Kayla Wolf/ USA Today Sports
Another old friend alert! I actually started targeting Fields as my back up a couple rounds prior. I put off making the pick as I grabbed more important bench pieces, but the time came to make the move.
I am still a very big Justin Fields fan!
Round 13– Dylan Sampson, RB, Cleveland Browns
Photo Credit- Jeff Lange/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images
This is what I look for in back of the bench running backs. Rookies with some upside. He may be a goal line vulture this year, as well.
Round 14– Amari Cooper, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Photo Credit- Kim Klement/ USA Today Sports
I already had 4 very young receivers with upside, so I decided to add a veteran that might still have something in the tank after a change of scenery.
Round 15– Ka’imi Fairbairn, K, Houston Texans
Photo Credit- Wesley Hitt/ Getty Images
A lesson I learned in my other draft. I googled what kicker made the most 50+ yard field goals. Fairbairn was second to Brandon Aubrey, who was already off the board.
Round 16– Washington Commanders Defense
Before leaving for the draft, I looked at the week one schedule and listed my five favorite defensive matchups. Washington was my second pick after Denver, which had already been drafted.
ANALYSIS
After some early consternation, I think I had a decent draft. I got sniped a few times early on, but I stayed patient, for the most part, and stuck to my plans. When the time was right, I pulled the trigger on some moves I had been patiently waiting on.
BJ & Da’ Bears Roster
Quarterbacks
Caleb Williams, Bears *
Justin Fields, Jets
RunningBacks
TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots *
Aaron Jones, Vikings *
David Montgomery, Lions
Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots
Dylan Sampson, Browns
Wide Receivers
Brian Thomas Jr, Jaguars *
Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers *
Rome Odunze, Bears
Keon Coleman, Bills
Amari Cooper, Raiders
Tight Ends
Trey McBride, Cardinals *
Colston Loveland, Bears
Kicker
Ka’imi Fairbairn, Texans *
Team Defense
Washington Commanders *
*Starter
David Montgomery & Rome Odunze will also start as flex plays early on.
Tight end is probably my strongest position group. McBride is a high volume target machine that should score more touchdowns this year. Loveland is a major upside rookie that I think could be a flex play for me later this season. He’s also a prime keeper candidate as an 11th round pick.
My wide receivers have plenty of potential, but only Thomas Jr and Cooper have produced like a WR1. Thomas is entering his second year, and should be reliable. Cooper, however, is on the downside of his career and I’m not sure how much he’ll produce for me.
I’m quite happy with my quarterbacks. I honestly believe Ben Johnson will help Caleb Williams become an elite fantasy quarterback. I believe in Justin Fields, as well, and worst case scenario is he’s still a decent play with the chance for the occasional monster week.
My running back group actually turned out better than I feared it might. I’d be more comfortable with Henderson as my RB2, but I certainly think he’ll become a legit RB1. Jones & Montgomery aren’t elite fantasy options, but they’re solid veteran options that should offer consistency. Stevenson is merely a handcuff on Henderson, while Sampson is an upside gamble.
Fairbairn is actually a good enough kicker that I may try to protect him on his bye week.
I stream defenses in this league, so week one may be the only time I use the Commanders defense.
The keys to the season for this team are:
I have a lot of young guys with vast potential, I need more than a few of them to realize that potential. First, and foremost, is Caleb Williams. As my only keeper, I basically rested my hopes on Williams becoming the superstar the Bears drafted him to be.
TreVeyon Henderson needs to become the stud I think he should and quickly. I’m counting on him to be a legit RB1.
Brian Thomas needs to be exactly what he was as a rookie. McMillan & Odunze need to prove they were worth being top ten picks in the past two NFL Drafts.
Trey McBride needs to find the end zone more often. It would also be really nice if Loveland becomes a viable flex option as soon as possible.
I’m less confident in this squad than the one I drafted yesterday, mainly because this roster lacks any truly elite players, as of now. The potential is there, but until it materializes, I’m skeptical.
Fantasy Football time is upon us. I drafted two teams this weekend. This is the analysis of the first team I drafted, the Trash Pandas, in the Thunderdome Fantasy Football League.
This is my third season competing in Thunderdome and I’ve had mixed results the previous two years. In my inaugural campaign, I made the playoffs and had one of the stronger teams in the league. Unfortunately, there was a division rival I just couldn’t beat, going 0-3 against them, including a second round loss in the playoffs. I finished 5th for the season.
Last season, the wheels came off pretty early. Injuries mounted and I suffered through a six game losing streak en route to finishing 14th on the season.
This league presents different challenges and requires different strategy than any other leagues I’ve competed in. Most of the challenges stem from the size of the league and the scoring system, I’ll detail those shortly.
Another unique challenge arises from the fact that there are three other Chicago Bears fans in this league, besides me. I’ve never faced that problem before, I’m usually the only Bears fan in a league. Now I know how fans of the Eagles & Steelers feel. To get Bears players I want, I have to be willing to overdraft. To balance that with a desire to win, I have to weigh the actual cost of the overdraft.
I feel like I’ve managed it pretty well, thus far.
Now a bit about Thunderdome Fantasy Football:
16 team league.
18 man roster consisting of no more than 2 QBs, 4 RBs, 4 WRs, 2 TEs, 2 Kickers, 2 Team Defenses & 2 LBs.
Lineups consist of 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Kicker, 1 Team Defense, 1 LB & a Flex which can be a RB, WR or TE.
Scoring by ESPN Fantasy Sports.
Single keeper league. Keeper does NOT count as a draft pick UNLESS being kept two years in a row, then it costs your first round pick.
Ladder draft, meaning the team drafting first in the first round picks last in the second round, while the team picking second in the first picks first in the second and the team picking third in the first picks second in the second and first in the third then last in the fourth round.
As I stated earlier, the size of this league and our rosters presents a unique challenge. The draft is SUPER important because the pickings on the waiver are very slim.
Do the math, there will be 32 QBs rostered, that’s basically every starting QB in the NFL. There will also be 32 team defenses, 32 kickers, 32 tight ends & 32 linebackers rostered.
For QBs, Team Defense and kickers, we’re basically stuck with who we drafted for the entire season, there may be a little wiggle room, but not much.
For TEs and LBs, there are waiver possibilities, but the pickings are slim.
There will be 64 RBs & 64 WRs rostered. For RBs this means the only options on the waiver wire are guys that may only get 5 touches a game, if you’re lucky. WR is deeper and you may be able to find some meaningful contributors on waivers.
The ladder style draft also adds a challenge. For most of the draft each team has 16 spots between their picks, except when it’s your turn to fall down the ladder. In my case, that happened in the fourth round.
I picked third in the first round, second in the second, first in the third and then 16th in the fourth. That’s 31 spots between picks. I had to think long and hard with my third round pick. Was there any player that I really wanted that might not be the highest ranked on my board, but there was no way he’d make it back to me?
Anyway, on with the draft, first the players that were protected and unavailable to be drafted:
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Now, here’s how my draft went:
My Keeper– Marvin Harrison Jr, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Photo Credit- Mark J Rebilas/ Imagn Images
My team was bad last year and Jahmyr Gibbs was the only player I really wanted to keep, but he was my keeper for last year and losing my first round pick is a tough pill to swallow. Luckily, because I was so bad, I had the third pick and I thought it was a reasonable gamble that Gibbs, or someone comparable, would be available at three, so I decided to take another chance on Harrison Jr’s upside.
Round 1– Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
Photo Credit- Lon Horwedel/ USA Today Sports
My strategy worked perfectly. I wanted Gibbs back, I even had him ranked higher than Bijan Robinson who went with the first pick. I think Gibbs is going to have a monster season (check out my NFL Predictions for how big). When Ja’Marr Chase went second, I was ecstatic.
Round 2– Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Photo Credit- Steve Marcus/ Getty Images
This was a pivot for me. The elite receivers were gone and I didn’t think any of the running backs were worth this pick. I don’t like going quarterback this early, even though not doing so cost me any shot at Caleb Williams.
In my opinion, Bowers was easily the best player on the board, so I eagerly started the tight end run.
Round 3– TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
Photo Credit- Paul Rutherford/ Imagn Images
Henderson was one of my targets coming in. I love drafting rookie running backs with major upside. I had Henderson behind only Ashton Jeanty in this rookie class, fantasy wise.
There were no receivers I deemed worthy of this pick and I knew I couldn’t wait until my next pick to land Henderson.
Round 4– Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
Photo Credit- Todd Rosenberg/ Getty Images
It was my turn to fall down the ladder. There were 31 players selected since my last pick. The way the board was falling, I was pretty sure this pick was going to be a receiver.
I considered Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith & Jameson Williams here, but passed on Waddle because I don’t trust Tua to stay healthy. I think Odunze has the potential to put up at least similar numbers to Smith. This was a bit of a homer pick, which is why Williams was never really an option.
Round 5– Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Photo Credit- Stephen Maturen/ Getty Images
Travis Hunter almost made it back to me, but alas, he went two picks before me. Addison will serve a three game suspension to start the season, but he should give me three receivers with tremendous upside.
Round 6– Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Photo Credit- Drew A Kelley/ Press-Telegram/ SCNG
It was time to land my quarterback or else I’d be stuck with Tua again, or worse. I learned my lesson last year. Herbert isn’t the elite fantasy quarterback he was his first couple years, but he’s a solid starter that should allow me to roll the dice on a possible breakthrough guy later on.
Round 7– Philadelphia Eagles Defense
This was a last second pivot on my part because Najee Harris got sniped the pick before me. I abandoned the idea of getting my third running back and became the second team to draft a defense.
The fantasy “experts” will say I reached by making Philly the second team defense off the board, but I’m a big believer in this Eagles squad.
Round 8– Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
Photo Credit- Morgan Tencza/ Imagn Images
I needed a third running back to cover the bye weeks of Gibbs & Henderson. My first choice has the same bye week as Gibbs, so I went with Ford.
Ford will be Cleveland’s lead back, for at least a few weeks and while he may lose some goal line touches, he does offer some receiving production and big play ability.
Round 9– Bhayshul Tuten, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Photo Credit- Corey Perrine/ Florida Times/ Union/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images
With my running back bye weeks covered, I went back to the guy I wanted in the previous round. I actually had Tuten rated higher than the other Jacksonville backs, Travis Etienne & Tank Bigsby.
Round 10– Darnell Mooney, WR, Atlanta Falcons
Photo Credit- Brett Davis/ Imagn Images
My plan was to take Xavier Legette here and then Bryce Young in the next round, but that was blown up when Young got picked earlier in this round.
I went back to an old friend in Mooney and turned my attention to Michael Penix Jr.
Curses! Foiled again. Penix Jr didn’t make it back to me. I had to get a quarterback here, or I’d be left with a terrible choice between Sam Darnold or Joe Flacco (because there is no way in hell I’m drafting Aaron Rodgers, Daniel Jones sucks & Russell Wilson is blacklisted.)
In hindsight, this pick worked out well for me. Lawrence has tremendous potential in this offense & he could supplant Herbert as my number one by season’s end.
Round 12– Ernest Jones IV, LB, Seattle Seahawks
Photo Credit- Ben VanHouten/ Associated Press
I have my roster spots filled at quarterback, running back & wide receiver at this point. With Bowers at tight end, a backup isn’t a priority (and they were pretty picked over at this point).
My aversion to kickers made me go LB here. I just looked at ESPN’s linebacker rankings and took the top one still available.
Round 13– Cairo Santos, K, Chicago Bears
Photo Credit- Sue Ogrocki/ Associated Press
Okay, screw it, let’s get a kicker. Might as well make it a homer pick. Bear Down!
Round 14– Arizona Cardinals Defense
In a league where I can stream defenses, I’d never roster a second, but in this league I need to. Arizona has the best matchup, of the available defenses, the week Philly is on bye, so I went with them.
Round 15– Daniel Carlson, K, Las Vegas Raiders
Photo Credit- Mark J Rebilas/ USA Today Sports
Again, in a smaller league, I’d never roster a second kicker, but it’s a must here. Carlson was the highest ranked one left on ESPN’s board.
I was actually targeting Elijah Arroyo here, until I realized Seattle & Vegas have the same bye week. Sanders showed flashes last year and I only need him for one week.
ANALYSIS
Overall, I’m pretty pleased with the team I ended up with. I got sniped a few times on players I was targeting, but I was able to pivot and find decent alternatives. The pivot I made at backup quarterback, I think, could end up paying huge dividends.
Trash Pandas Roster
Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert, Chargers *
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
RunningBacks
Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions *
TreVeyon Henderson, Patriots *
Jerome Ford, Browns
Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars
Wide Receivers
Marvin Harrison Jr, Cardinals *
Rome Odunze, Bears *
Jordan Addison, Vikings
Darnell Mooney, Falcons
Tight Ends
Brock Bowers, Raiders *
Ja’Tavion Sanders, Panthers
Kickers
Cairo Santos, Bears *
Daniel Carlson, Raiders
Team Defense
Philadelphia Eagles *
Arizona Cardinals
Linebacker
Ernest Jones IV, Seahawks *
*Starter
My flex position will be rather fluid early on, though I expect Addison to fill that role once his suspension is over.
I think wide receiver is my strongest position group. There is no elite talent there, though Harrison Jr does have the potential. All four are solid fantasy football contributors. Barring injuries, I can see all four remaining on my roster the whole season.
My running backs have potential, but on paper, it is a weak and unproven group. Gibbs is elite, though, and I certainly believe Henderson can get there. Tuten is an upside gamble and possibly one of the first players I look to replace.
My starting tight end, Bowers, is also elite, which is why I won’t pay much attention to his back up or the waiver wire unless someone bursts onto the scene.
I am quite pleased with the quarterbacks I ended up with. Herbert is solid and I’ll have no issue starting him every week, but the upside of Lawrence is tantalizing. If Liam Coen can do for him what he did for Baker Mayfield, the sky is the limit for my team.
I don’t strategize in regard to kickers, but in this league I might have to start doing so. Scoring for kickers is heavily skewed towards long fields goals. A kicker getting a couple 50+ yarders in a game could win the week for you. I didn’t take that into account, really.
I didn’t really have a plan to take a team defense when I did, the board just kind of presented itself that way. No fantasy football cheat sheet had the Eagles as the second defense, but I really like them and went with my gut.
The keys to my season with this team are:
Marvin Harrison Jr needs to approach the elite level of wide receivers & Rome Odunze needs to become that high end #2 type receiver.
TreVeyon Henderson needs to become breakout running back I believe he can be as quickly as possible.
If Liam Coen can unlock Trevor Lawrence the way he did Mayfield, I really think this could potentially be a championship squad.
Nickels and Dimes 