I have been LIVE on national television in front of 10 million people on Football Night in America. I have had a final interview with an EVP of ESPN that would determine whether or not I got my dream job of working full-time in fantasy football. And I have been in a hospital bed as a bunch of doctors and nurses scurry around me before they put me under for an intense surgery.
And yet, in my entire life, I’ve never been more nervous than I was last Thursday, December 5th at 7:18 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Hold that thought.
The town of Cheshire, Connecticut has less than 30,000 residents and my wife and I happen to be two of them. It’s a great, nice city, but it’s small, you know? And our local youth sports programs are no different, including, for example, our local competitive cheer program. The coaches are all volunteers, fitting in practices between their real jobs and their families. The girls on the teams have to share the gym and other facilities with many other local teams, boys and girls, playing all sports. Uniforms and trips come from fundraisers and parents. And the program takes all comers. Meaning, if your child wants to do cheer, all you have to do is sign up and, boom, they are on the team. During the season, the team, among other things, has to support the local same-age junior football teams. In other words, the junior high cheer team has to support the junior high football team, sixth-grade cheer for sixth-grade football team etc., etc. And what THAT means is that instead of doing nothing but focusing on competition cheer, the team has to spend time at football games and pep rallies, learning football cheers and, you know, NOT doing things that would help them with competitive cheer. Compare that to the many professional “all-star” programs out there. These are competitive cheer programs with professional, paid full-time coaches who get to focus on coaching and only coaching. They have private gyms designed for ONLY competitive cheer. They have tryouts and the right to put kids on different, lower-level teams. Let’s be honest. Not all athletes are created equal, don’tcha know, so these All-Star teams get to pick and choose who they want on their privately coached competition teams that have access to exclusive gyms.
It is against that backdrop that Cheshire Junior Cheer started their season. A season that included my two daughters.
Our three boys are all out of the house these days, but as longtime readers know, I have twin daughters. They just turned 13 in October, and they are amazing. Smart, funny and beautiful. They are also on social media too much; they can be moody and they are often annoyed at their cringey Dad when he occasionally hugs them. In other words, they are typical teenage girls.
Girls that have, for years, played various sports and activities. They played soccer for a few years and I’m currently coaching Brooke for her fourth year in basketball. They did dance for quite a while when they were younger, and they played field hockey earlier this year. They started lacrosse last year and there was one ill-fated fall where they tried volleyball.
But the main sports my daughters focus on is competitive cheer for Samantha and gymnastics for Brooke.
Until this year.
When Samantha asked Brooke to join the team.
“We need another tumbler.”
A tumbler in competitive cheer is someone who does a bunch of moves with different names, but for our purposes they are the ones that do backflips over, and over, and over. It is not something I could ever do, at any age. But Brooke actually won the all-around for her division last year in gymnastics in the state of Connecticut. She didn’t have a ton of experience in all the other aspects of cheerleading, but she can tumble.
In that aspect, she was like a lot of the girls on the team. Skilled in one area, needing experience in others. Like, Samantha’s a flyer – you know, the one who gets thrown up in the air and stands on top of other people’s hands during pyramids – and she does great at it, but still. This is only her second year of doing competitive cheer.
So, not all, but a decent amount of the team is relatively new to the sport and collectively they don’t have anywhere close to the resources of many of their competitors. But undermanned and underfinanced, they still wanted to give it a go.
There’s a long list of what the Cheshire Junior Cheer doesn’t have.
But here’s what they did have: an incredible work ethic.
These girls worked their tails off all season. Every day after school. Late nights, weekends. They would do what they needed to for the junior high football team – showing up to football games and other events, and then they would get right back to practicing.
And they had each other.
You see, when they weren’t practicing, they were hanging out. Which doesn’t seem like something, but it very much is. Cheer is a total team sport – you’re lifting people, catching, jumping, flipping … all moving in rhythm and synchronization. The closer you are as a team, the more you know what your teammate is thinking, and about to do, the better.
I think that’s one of the reasons Samantha wanted Brooke on the team, and why Brooke was willing to leave gymnastics to join cheer. They are very close. With each other and with their friends. And as the season went on… ever closer.
The other thing they had? Coaches that CARED. They all have lives, families, and jobs, none of which was this team, so you know for them to devote as much time as they did, they had to love the sport and the girls. And they do. They went above and beyond at every step. The team had team mom’s that made sure nothing fell through the cracks. And, I have to say as someone who has had a lot of kids play on a lot of youth teams over a lot of years… this team had a strong set of supportive parents.
Now, just because I’m supportive doesn’t mean I understand what I’m supporting. So, like, I went to a final rehearsal, and it seemed strong, but what do I know? Are we good? Are we bad? I honestly had no idea. But my girls seemed happy with it so … okay.
So, this team, comprised of nothing but local girls that live in our small town, headed off to their first competition. “Locals.” This is a meet where they faced off against teams from towns near Cheshire, and if you finished top three at the competition, you moved onto “states.” Which, sure enough, they did. Ok, I thought, well at least we’re not totally terrible.
Each “locals” competition sent their teams to the state level and at that competition, the top three teams in the state of Connecticut would move onto “regionals.” I watched all the teams. And after seeing the competition and seeing our team, I turned to another dad and said, “I don’t know anything about cheer, but that seemed pretty good to me. I think we got a shot.”
Indeed, we did. We finished top three in the state of Connecticut and moved onto the New England Regional, where we would compete against not just the other two teams that made it out of Connecticut, but the top three teams from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.
The top three from this competition would go on to the national competition. Man, there were a lot of good teams there and what I learned at regionals is that there are different levels of difficulty for routines. So, when your routine is judged, it’s judged against that level of difficulty. I’m sure I’m explaining it wrong, but in essence, you get credit for the harder you make your routine. And because our team believed they could do anything; they had chosen the highest level of difficulty.
There are eight regional competitions in America, and each can send their top three teams to nationals. MANY All-Star teams were there. And so, I’ll be damned, was Cheshire Junior Cheer.
That level of difficulty I mentioned ended up proving to be the difference in terms of our score at regionals as, by less than five tenths of a point, the girls once again finished top three and were now heading to NATIONALS in Orlando, Florida. We were the only team in our division (D14, small, level 2) to make it from Connecticut.
Which you might remember, if you read this column last week, is why I was in Orlando sitting in something called the Silver Spurs Arena with my wife and all the other Cheer Moms and Dads. It was Thursday, December 5th at 7:18 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
And as I said at the top… I was more nervous than I have ever been at any point in my life. Seriously. My stomach in knots and my heart was beating a million miles a minute. My palms were sweaty, and my arms were heavy. I was an order of Mom’s spaghetti away from being an Eminem song.
This was the day all the teams from eight different regionals around the country would compete. The All-Star teams from around the country. The really experienced teams from longstanding, elite programs. And our little team.
To me, just getting to nationals was so crazy and amazing that I wasn’t focused on where we would finish. If you had looked at all the teams on paper at the beginning of the year, no one would have even picked us to be here at all. So, I actually didn’t care where we finished.
But I wanted them to do great. I wanted this for my daughters, and their teammates, and their coaches. They had worked so hard. It means so much to them. They had overachieved at every step, and I wanted them to finish it off. I wanted them to “Hit Zero” which means no mistakes, no falls, the routine was done perfectly.
They had put so much pressure on themselves, worrying about bows and makeup and how to do their hair – things male athletes never have to think about. They had to think about jumps and lifts and backhand springs and a zillion other things I can’t even fathom, all set to music and all in sync with each of their teammates. Teammates they aren’t going to be looking at during the routine because they’re all looking forward, trusting their teammates are doing what they are supposed to.
So, I’m in the stands. Love in my heart, hope in my head, and I can only watch.
The routine starts. I am holding my wife’s hand. Hard. My heart is beating a million miles a minute. Please, I think.
In a weird way, it’s a little like fantasy football, right? You have your team, you love it, and hope like hell it performs, but ultimately there’s nothing you can do but watch and hope. You’re powerless to do anything. It’s up to the players.
And in this case, the players…?
They NAIL IT. It’s the best they have performed all year long. I am screaming at the top of my lungs, I am high-fiving other parents, I am hugging my wife.
I have watched a lot of sports in my life. A lot of games. Seen a lot of big wins by teams I root for.
And I’ve never felt as much joy as I did at the end of that routine. The girls just CRUSHED IT.
Afterwards, when we went to meet up, both girls ran to Beth and I, and hugged us tight, megawatt smiles beaming across the arena. It was only the best moment ever.
The D14 Level 2 Small Cheshire Junior Cheer Rams!
The D14 Level 2 Small Cheshire Junior Cheer Rams!
The week was a blur and a total blast. The girls celebrated at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and they loved it so much we had to go back a second day. Both parks are HIGHLY recommended. The whole thing was a core memory for them and me.
We ultimately finished fifth overall in the entire country, but man it sure felt like first to me.
What a season! SO PROUD! GO RAMS!
And as we head into the fantasy playoffs, here’s to you feeling something similar. Let’s get to it. Thanks as always to my producer Damian Dabrowski for his help at various points in this column.
Here we go:
Quarterbacks I Love in Week 15
Sam Darnold vs. Chicago
This has been a big news week for failed New York Jets quarterbacks who later put up big numbers with the Vikings. But I don’t want to talk about the quarterback Mark Gastineau wants to beat up. I want to talk about Sam Darnold, the guy who posted a season-high 34.6 fantasy points last week. I’m not going to say Darnold beats that total again this week, but he should at least get close against this Bears defense. Over the past four weeks, Chicago ranks 29th in pass defense and is allowing a league-worst 10.3 yards per pass attempt. During that stretch, three of the four quarterbacks to have faced the Bears went for 20-plus fantasy points … including Darnold in Week 12 when he put up for 21.1 fantasy points behind 330 passing yards and two touchdowns. Darnold also has 19-plus fantasy points in five of his six games played at U.S. Bank Stadium. Darnold is on my Love List this week and ranked as QB5, while Brett Favre remains at the very top of Gastineau’s Hate List.
Kyler Murray vs. New England
I know, I know, I know. You’re sick of me hyping Kyler Murray up. Sometimes it’s worked this year. And sometimes… not so much. BUT! Give me one more week. You see, in Arizona’s six wins this season, Kyler Murray is averaging 21.4 PPG. In their losses, he’s averaging just 13.5. Speaking of losing, the Patriots do it quite a lot. That’s why Arizona is a six-point favorite in this game with a top five implied team total for the week. The last three quarterbacks to face New England all scored 21 fantasy points or more, while five of the last six QBs the Pats played went for 17-plus. Also, since Week 6, New England is allowing touchdown passes at the highest rate in the league. Look for Murray to have a nice fantasy day in a Cardinals win. He’s my QB7.
Brock Purdy vs. Los Angeles Rams
Excluding the snow game in Buffalo two weeks ago, Brock Purdy has scored 17 fantasy points or more in every game he’s played in since Week 5. That’s a sustained run of production. Week 5 was a long time ago. That was before Halloween. Before the World Series started. In fact, it was 637 49ers running back injuries ago. My point is this: Purdy has been playing well for a while. That includes against the Rams. Back in Week 3 against them, he went 22-of-30 for 292 passing yards, three TDs and no interceptions with an additional 41 rushing yards on 10 carries, totaling 25.8 fantasy points. It really is a great matchup for Purdy. Get this: On the season, the Rams are allowing the second-most yards per pass attempt, while Purdy is No. 1 overall in YPA. This game has the second highest Over/Under of the week at 49, and San Francisco’s implied team total is the sixth-highest. Purdy is inside my top 10 at the position this week.
Others receiving votes: Buffalo has allowed multiple touchdown passes in four of its past five games, while Jared Goff has thrown at least two touchdown passes in five straight home games. Goff is also averaging 23.2 PPG in those games, Detroit has the highest implied team total this week, and Lions-Bills has the highest Over/Under in Week 15 at 54.5. … You know what? This could very well be the last time Aaron Rodgers is mentioned in the Love section of a Love/Hate column. If the NFL would like to do a pre-game ceremony on the field to commemorate this important moment in league history, I’m okay with it. But I’ll of course need a private jet and a suite at the stadium in order to attend. Thanks! By the way, I want mention this during the ceremony, but Rodgers is listed here primarily because he’s playing the Jaguars this week. Jacksonville ranks 31st in pass defense and is tied for third when it comes to touchdown passes allowed. They’ve also allowed an opposing quarterback to finish in the top 12 for the week in nine of their 13 games. … Five of the last seven quarterbacks to face Tampa Bay have scored 23-plus fantasy points and put up 275 or more yards through the air. The two that didn’t do it were Tommy DeVito and Aidan O’Connell. Although in fairness to O’Connell, he left early with an injury. And in fairness to DeVito, well I actually don’t have a caveat there. Sorry, Giants fans. Anyway, I like Justin Herbert this week against this Bucs’ pass defense.
Quarterbacks I Hate in Week 15
Baker Mayfield at Los Angeles Chargers
Baker Mayfield’s matchup this week is bleak. Not as bleak as a person’s last-ever meal in freedom being at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. But still pretty bleak. Get this: The Bengals and the Ravens are the only two teams all season to score more than 20 points against the Chargers. And, obviously, if the Chargers are keeping entire teams off the scoreboard, they’re limiting opposing quarterbacks in fantasy, too. Only six quarterbacks have scored 18-plus fantasy points against LAC this season, and five of them had either a rushing touchdown or 40-plus rushing yards. The Chargers allow the second-fewest yards per pass attempt, and they’ve allowed multiple passing touchdowns in only four games this season (tied for third fewest). I have Mayfield outside my top 20 quarterbacks in Week 15.
Jordan Love at Seattle
Since Week 8, Jordan Love is averaging 24.8 pass attempts per game. Only Jalen Hurts is averaging fewer over that stretch. Over the same period, the Packers rank 31st in overall pass rate and 26th in red zone pass rate. Hashtag: FreeJordanLove, amiright? But assuming the Packers ignore my #FreeJordanLove campaign as well as they did my years-long #FreeAaronJones appeal, there’s little chance Love puts up big fantasy numbers this week against a Seahawks pass defense that has shown marked improvement of late. Over the past four weeks, Seattle is allowing the fourth-fewest yards per pass attempt and the sixth-fewest fantasy PPG to quarterbacks (15.2). Love also is outside my top 20 at the position this week.
Running Backs I Love in Week 15
Chuba Hubbard vs. Dallas
Only two running backs this season have 30-plus touches in multiple games. One is Saquon Barkley. The other? Chuba Hubbard. Yeah, it’s good to be included in a sentence with Saquon Barkley in 2024. And now, with both Jonathan Brooks and Miles Sanders injured, Hubbard will get even more work. Backs who have seen 17-plus touches against Dallas this season are averaging 27.7 PPG, and six of those seven backs scored at least one touchdown. By the way, last week Hubbard became the first Canadian running back to rush for 1,000 yards in the NFL since Rueben Mayes in 1986. So, it feels fitting that this week Hubbard is my RB8. Or, for my Canadian readers … my RB, eh.
Zach Charbonnet vs. Green Bay
In Zach Charbonnet’s three starts this season, he’s averaging 23 touches, 123 yards per game and seeing a 15% target share. So, the production is there, and this week Charbonnet has a positive matchup against the Packers. Over the past four weeks, Green Bay is allowing the sixth-most fantasy PPG to opposing backs. The four backs who got at least 15 touches against the Packers during that stretch averaged 19.0 PPG and every single one of them found the end zone. The massive 38.3-point game Charbonnet put up last week got a bunch of managers into the fantasy playoffs. Assuming Kenneth Walker III is out again, there’s every reason to run it back with Seattle’s running back. I have him at RB11 this week.
Brian Robinson Jr. at New Orleans
Through two weeks of the season, the Saints were 2-0 and had outscored their opponents 91-29. They looked like world beaters. Since then, they’ve gone 3-8 and have been outscored by 64 points. You know, looking back, I think the Saints may have started resting for the playoffs a smidge too early. But get this: Since the wheels started coming off in Week 3, the Saints have given up 20-plus fantasy points to a running back in all but one game. They’ve also allowed a league-high 14 rushing scores and 5.3 YPC to the position over that stretch. Considering Brian Robinson has dented the end zone in seven of his nine full games this season, I like him to do it again versus the Saints this week. He’s a top 15 running back.
Others receiving votes: The Carolina Panthers look a lot better in recent weeks. Well, as long as you don’t look at their run defense. Over the past four weeks, the Panthers are allowing a league-high 154 rushing yards per game to running backs and 6.0 YPC to the position. So, give me some Rico Dowdle this week against Carolina. Over his past three games, Dowdle has the third-most touches among all backs with 66. … Over the past four weeks, Cincinnati is allowing 5.2 YPC to running backs, which is the third-most over that stretch. They’ve also given up 15-plus points to a back in every game during that span. So, it’s a great matchup for Tony Pollard this week. … The Jaguars allow the second-most fantasy points to running backs and are also giving up 150 scrimmage yards per game to running backs this season. So, if Breece Hall somehow plays this week, I love him here. And if Hall doesn’t, I’ll take some Isaiah Davis and Braelon Allen, in that order. And if for some reason Hall, Allen and Davis all don’t play, give me any living human that the Jets ask to run with a football against the Jaguars. Thanks! … Since Pittsburgh’s Week 9 bye, Jaylen Warren is averaging 72 yards per game. He’s also out-snapped Najee Harris in two of the past three games. And, with George Pickens out last week (and likely out again this week), it’s worth knowing that Warren saw a season-high 21% target share. Soon Pittsburgh’s entire offense might be made out of Jaylen Warren. … The playoffs are the last place to get cute, so given how often Sean Payton juggles running backs (I’m old enough to remember when Audric Estime was going to get a lot of work in this backfield) starting any Broncos’ running back is definitely risky. So, approach with caution. But if you’re in a pinch and feel like rolling the dice, it’s worth pointing out that in Denver’s last game, Jaleel McLaughlin got his highest snap rate since Week 5 and a season-high percentage (64%) of team RB carries. If he can get that kind of usage again, he’ll have success against a Colts defense that, over the past four weeks, is allowing a league-high 32.7 PPG to running backs.
Running Backs I Hate in Week 15
Jonathan Taylor at Denver
Since Anthony Richardson returned as the starting quarterback, Jonathan Taylor ranks dead-last among qualified running backs in fantasy points per touch. The reason for that is because he’s seen a huge dip in usage near the goal line and in the passing game. In fact, Taylor is getting just 38% of the team’s goal-line rushes and a paltry 3.9% target share. Now, he faces a Broncos team that, since Week 7, boasts the league’s top rush defense and is allowing a league-low 3.5 YPC. I have Taylor outside my top 20 at the position this week.
Rhamondre Stevenson at Arizona
Over the past five weeks, Rhamondre Stevenson has finished as a top 20 running back only once. Of course, in Week 11 when he DID finish in the top 20, it was way up at … wait for it … wait for it … wait … for … it … he was way up at RB18. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t worth the buildup. It also may not be worth starting Stevenson this week against the Cardinals. Yes, Charbonnet went off against Arizona last week, but in the four games prior to that one Arizona had been allowing the third-fewest PPG to running backs. And during that stretch from Weeks 9-13, backs facing the Cardinals averaged just 3.7 YPC. Add to it the Patriots have the seventh-lowest implied team total this week and I have Stevenson down at RB25.
D’Andre Swift at Minnesota
D’Andre Swift has failed to post double-digit fantasy points three weeks in a row now despite getting 88% of Chicago’s RB touches in those games. That streak includes a 9.5-point game against these very Vikings in which he had just 34 total yards on 16 touches and an 8.5% target share. The good news? Swift isn’t the only back to be shut down by the Vikings. (I guess that’s not really good news, huh?) Since Week 9, Bijan Robinson is the only RB to score more than 12.3 fantasy points against the Vikings and – during that stretch – Minnesota is allowing the third-fewest rushing yards per game to backs. Swift is outside my top 25 in Week 15.
Pass Catchers I Love in Week 15
Davante Adams at Jacksonville
Since Week 9, Davante Adams has a 31.6% target share, which includes 11-plus targets in four of those five games. He has also seen 45% of the Jets’ end zone targets during that stretch. All those targets will go a long way against the Jaguars. Get this: Wide receivers with a target share of at least 25% this season against Jacksonville are averaging 23.6 PPG. Jacksonville’s pass defense makes every receiver just a little bit more explosive. And Davante Adams has a Taco Bell in his house, so he’s already probably very explosive. I have Adams at WR5 this week.
Jauan Jennings vs. Los Angeles Rams
You’ve all heard the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Well, there’s a similar saying I subscribe to even more: “One man’s sub-tweet is another man’s reason to sub someone into your lineup in fantasy.” It’s very poetic. While Deebo Samuel is deleting social media posts about not getting the ball, Jauan Jennings is … getting the ball. In the four games Jennings has played with Brock Purdy since returning from injury in Week 10, he has a 33% target share and is averaging 19.5 PPG. The snow game in Buffalo was the only time in that span he didn’t score at least 16 fantasy points. There’s every reason to think Jennings keeps it rolling this week against a Rams defense that, since Week 8, is allowing the fourth-most fantasy PPG to wide receivers. And not for nothing, but Jennings put up an 11-175-3 line on the Rams earlier this season. In fact, not only was it not for nothing, it was for 46.5 fantasy points. Jennings is a top 15 WR in Week 15.
Jordan Addison vs. Chicago
So much for Jordan Addison’s lack of consistency, eh? Yes, this is another shout out to my Canadian readers since I’m writing about a player in Minnesota (AKA America’s Canada). Anyway, over the past four weeks, Jordan Addison has seen a 29% target share and – maybe more important – a target share of at least 20% in every one of those games. During that stretch, only one receiver has seen more red zone targets than Addison – and that’s Ja’Marr Chase, not his teammate Justin Jefferson. Now, Addison has a great matchup against a Bears team that allows the third-most receptions on deep passes and the fourth-most yards. It’s also worth noting that since Week 10, 45% of Addison’s targets have come on deep passes. And don’t forget when Addison saw the Bears back in Week 12 he went for 8-162-1 on them. He’s a top 15 WR this week for me.
Sam LaPorta vs. Buffalo
Exciting news! The Lions have remembered that Sam LaPorta exists. Since Week 8, LaPorta has a 20.5% target share and has seen six-plus targets in all but one game over that stretch. He also has three straight games with multiple red zone targets. Given the game environment, (DET once again has the highest implied team total this week and the Over/Under in this game is one of the highest we’ve seen all season at 54.5) LaPorta is top eight play at TE this week.
Others receiving votes: Tampa Bay allows the second-most yards and the third-most receptions to the slot. So, the Bucs have their hands full this week against Ladd McConkey. Since Week 8, McConkey has been… McConkculous. I’m gonna make that a thing, dammit. Anyways, you’ll be Glad to start Ladd (see? It can always get worse) as he ranks third among WRs in yards per target (13.1). … Over the past four weeks, New Orleans is allowing the fourth-most yards per game to perimeter wide receivers. So, I like Terry McLaurin against the Saints, especially in a favorable matchup versus rookie cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry. By the way, if you play football and are named Kool-Aid, you should be a fullback or lineman. I mean, come on. Do some research. That dude was a people mover. … Since DK Metcalf returned from injury four weeks ago, he has been outscored in every game by Jaxon Smith-Njigba, with JSN averaging 18.3 PPG over that span. This week Smith-Njigba faces a Packers defense that allows the seventh-most receptions to the slot. … I can tell this is an audience that loves slot stats, so here’s another one: Wide receivers who have seen five-plus slot targets against the Lions are averaging 17.5 PPG. Meanwhile, Khalil Shakir has seen five-plus slot targets in seven straight games. Slot stats! Who needs more slot stats!? … Over the past two weeks, Adam Thielen leads the NFL with a 28% target share. No, really. Thirty-four-year-old Adam Thielen. He also leads all players with 18 slot targets in that stretch. OH YEAH. Slot stats!! And over the past four weeks, Dallas is allowing the fifth-highest catch rate to the slot. LOTTA SLOT!!! … Minnesota has allowed the most receptions on deep passes this season. Rome Odunze leads the Bears in aDOT, deep targets, and end zone targets. This week, the Vikings and Odunze can join together to make sweet, sweet fantasy points. … Over the past four weeks, Carolina is allowing the fifth-most PPG to tight ends. For the season, they’ve allowed the most touchdown passes to tight ends (10). That means Jake Ferguson deserves serious starting consideration this week against the Panthers.
Pass Catchers I Hate in Week 15
Michael Pittman at Denver
Michael Pittman has not seen an end zone target since Week 6. In the eight full games he’s played with Anthony Richardson this season, he has less than 50 receiving yards in six of them. Now, he will go up against a Denver defense that has allowed a touchdown on a league-low 2.8% of wide receiver targets this season. Oh, and Pittman is expected to be shadowed by Patrick Surtain II in this game, too. Honestly, my WR43 ranking for him this week feels almost generous. I guess I’m just in the holiday spirit.
DeVonta Smith vs. Pittsburgh
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and A.J. Brown was doing a bit of squeaking this week about not getting the ball. For good reason, too. Ever since their Week 5 bye, the Eagles are averaging a league-low 21.8 pass attempts per game. So, if DeVonta Smith is unlikely to see a ton of volume in this game due to being squeakless, his managers may have to hope for a touchdown. But Pittsburgh is tied for the fourth-fewest touchdowns allowed to wide receivers, while Smith has under 7.0 points in every game this season in which he hasn’t reached the end zone. Not good. Maybe Smith needs to make a squeakquel. But until then, I have him way down at WR38 this week.
Cade Otton at Los Angeles Chargers
So far this season, the Chargers have allowed just one touchdown on 99 tight end targets. That means a tight end almost literally has a one-in-a-hundred chance of catching a touchdown against them. Only fantasy analysts like Lloyd Christmas like those odds. Since Week 5, only two tight ends (Mark Andrews, Trey McBride) have put up 10-plus fantasy points against the Chargers. But it’s not only a bad matchup for Otton. There’s also the Mike Evans factor. In nine full games with Evans healthy, Otton averages 6.5 PPG and gets a 16% target share. Compare that to games in which Evans is out – 19.3 PPG and 26% target share – and, well, there’s really no comparison. Otton is outside my top 15 at the tight end position in Week 15.
