The Sandstorms are in the headlines again, not for winning of course. Late Sunday evening, Logan correctly predicted James Robinson being traded to the Jets, a move which happened a mere 24 hours later. Coined the nickname “Fantasy Guru” a few years ago, that name seems to fit him well. The only downside with Logan is that his Sandstorm team sits at 1-6 and in last place in the league. But Logan isn’t done being in the league news.
The league was not without drama as the survivor pool came down to the final plays of the game. With four managers left to play, it came down to Jack or Logan being eliminated this week. Entering the night with a low chance, Jack needed 17 from Rhamondre Stevenson and Mac Jones to get zero. As the night went on with Mac Jones on the bench, the survivor pool comeback looked primed to make an appearance for the Icecaps. Jack ended up being eliminated from the survivor pool by .22 hundredths of a point but was able to give us this gem late in the fourth quarter.
“You gotta be a Twizzler to ride the roller coaster that Logan is on.”
If you know you know.
WINNERS
PIRANHAS
The Piranhas can sit back and enjoy the rest of the season as they have essentially done all they need to do to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Consistently scoring in the upper half of the league, their 6-1 record has them easily as the favorites going forward. It also helps that when Josh Allen is on a bye, Joe Burrow steps up for 44 of his own. Aaron Jones and the Dallas defense scored over 21 to secure yet another win. Three players did score less than 5 but Burrow made up for it. This team looks solid.
Burrow (44), Jones (21), Dallas defense (22) | Samuel (4), Pitts (1), Succop (2)
AVALANCHE
Scoring their highest point total of the year, the Avalanche got a much-needed win over GWW to move to 3-4 on the year. Murray, Dalton and Kamara got off to a great start on Thursday night (fantasy wise). Dalton ended with 27 points even with throwing two pick-sixes right before the half. Mostert also added a solid performance along with kicker Graham Gano. The Avalanche are one of the teams effected by injury the most, as seven players on the bench (two on IR) were inactive for their games. For once, Erk is glad we are just counting the starters.
Dalton (27), Mostert (19), Gano (12)
HURTS SO GOOD
HSG got a win and moved to 4-3 on the year after taking down the Misfits. Scoring under projection, Barkley, Henry, Tucker and the Titans defense led the way. Everyone else was very okay or bad including Godwin and St. Brown. St. Brown left the game due to a concussion, but it turned out St. Brown did not have a concussion but just was unable to reenter the game because of showing signs of poor muscle control (thanks sleeper). Hopefully, he is okay.
Barkley (16), Henry (17), Tucker (14), Tennessee defense (20) | Godwin (5), St. Brown (0)
HCTM
Earning another win to move to 5-2, Chase, Chubb, Benjamin and Myers put up big weeks to take down the Squatches. Three starters scored less than five (Pierce, Andrews, Jacksonville def) but it did not come back to hurt them this time. HCTM did not escape the injuries though and will have to find a replacement for rookie superstar Breece Hall due to his torn ACL, which is a devastating blow to the depth for this team. They also opted to start Jacoby Brissett over Daniel Jones which backfired with a bang, but the Squatches couldn’t compete.
Chase (27), Chubb (19), Benjamin (21), Myers (17) | Brissett (9), Pierce (4), Andrews (0), Jacksonville defense (2)
Benched: Jones (33)
THUNDER
It’s Zappe hour! The newest Bailey Zappe fan, the Thunder benefited immensely from Zappe entering the game in the second quarter. The Thunder held a 15-point lead with Mac Jones being the only player stopping them from a win going into the night. Mac Jones played three drives for the Patriots and then rookie Bailey Zappe entered the game and Mac Jones didn’t see the field again to clinch the win. Williams, Pierce, Kittle and Pickens provided solid performances based off projection and helped the Thunder. However, Matt Ryan will be shut down the rest of the season with a grade 2 shoulder strain but just remember he isn’t being benched because of the injury. Whatever you say Jim Irsay. Either way it helps the Thunder from getting seven points from Matt Ryan on a weekly basis.
Williams (16), Pierce (15), Kittle (17), Pickens (13) | Ryan (7), Maher (5)
LOSERS
ICECAPS
The Icecaps will move to 4-3 on the year after a relatively average week. They as well as the Thunder in previous weeks, fell for the Isiah Pacheco hype, but the Icecaps actually got four points out of him instead of zero. The week didn’t start of strong with Rondale Moore and his three fantasy points, but if you would have told me the Cardinals were going to score 42 points, Moore would have been inserted into the lineup. DK Metcalf left with an injury before he could increase his point total from one while Herbert and Smith fell below expectations on the week. Then again when Burrow puts up 44 it’s going to be hard to combat that.
Mixon (16) | Metcalf (1), Moore (3), Pacheco (4)
GWW
What do you know, another underperforming week. Projected at 140, GWW could only score 105 and it is starting to get to them mentally. After trading away Gus Edwards and receiving Amari Cooper, they may have wished they had held on to Edwards as running back depth. Then again maybe not when you have the league winning waiver wire claim that you spent $70 on in Ken Walker III. Making an immediate impact as a workhorse and arguably best fantasy back going forward, Walker looks misplaced on this team who now owns a 2-5 record. But hey, at least this team has Walker III, right?
Walker III (31) | Fournette (3), Ertz (4), Bertolet (3)
MISFITS
Outside of Patrick Mahomes, the Misfits were not good. Five starters scored in single digits including four under six points. Mike Evans dropped an easy 75-yard touchdown on the opening drive and not only did it set the tone on the day for the Bucs, but it did as well for the Misfits. Their fifth win still eludes them in the Misfits short history in the league.
Mahomes (32), | Gesicki (3), Gordon III (6), McPherson (5), Tampa Bay defense (2)
SQUATCHES
Just another tough week for a team that looked strong a couple of weeks ago. Half the roster scored in single digits including Jared Goff who couldn’t even get a single point on the board. Needing 15 points from kicker Nick Folk on Monday night to complete the comeback, the bid fell short when Folk got two. Earlier in GWW recap I said how arguably that Ken Walker III is the best fantasy running back. It’s borderline not even arguable when the other option is Josh Jacobs. Jacobs has been even more dominant than Walker III of late and has been playing at an elite level. Jacobs is also the sole reason that the Squatches even remotely had a chance after they terrible week they put up. They sit at 3-4.
Jacobs (37), Elliot (19) | Goff (0), Lockett (6), Cooks (5)
SANDSTORMS
Needing only 15 points from Mac Jones to get a win, Logan watched in agony as Bailey Zappe entered the game in the second quarter to just about put this team’s playoff hopes to bed. Jones played three series and threw an interception and was benched for the rest of the game. Here’s the good news, Austin Ekeler is also in that category for best fantasy running back after scoring 28 points this week and has my vote as best fantasy running back. Travis Etienne Jr. had a solid week along with the Miami defense. Now here’s the bad news. Recently acquired Tom Brady stumbled with 11 points and James Robinson scored zero points. You have to wonder what made the Sandstorms want to start Robinson and Etienne in the same backfield for the Jags and it didn’t make the decision look better after this outcome. Sitting at 1-6, they benefit from Robinson being traded to the Jets, but it won’t help this team. The Fantasy Guru has to do some soul searching after this one.
Ekeler (28), Etienne Jr. (18), Miami defense (14) | Brady (11), Jones (1), Robinson (0)
SURVIVOR POOL
Still alive – Jordan, Tim, Logan
Eliminated,
Week 7 – Jack
Week 6 – Galen
Week 5 – Ezra
Week 4 – Blake
Week 3 – Book
Weeks 2 & 1 – Erk and Ben
Closing
If you want to watch some bad football being played, just tune in at 9:30 AM to watch the Broncos one more time as they play in London against the Jaguars. Apparently, it is exclusively on ESPN+ so if you don’t have ESPN+, maybe just sleep in? Otherwise, set your alarms and your lineups!
Cheers!
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