Tue Dec 10th 2024

Week Fourteen Review

It was the last week of the regular season, and fantasy points were high even with six teams on bye weeks. Sunday's early games started slow, but they picked up in the second half, and the afternoon games were ridiculously high-scoring, including the highest-scoring game of the season. I had a blast watching all week fourteen games while cheering on my dynasty teams. Here are some of my thoughts on what I took away from this week's games.

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Dynasty Impact

Oh My!

• Matt Stafford and Josh Allen put on a show Sunday afternoon in the highest-scoring game of the season. Josh Allen scored the most fantasy points by a single player in years, scoring 55 to 75 points depending on league settings. Allen became the first player since Otto Graham to have three touchdown passes and three touchdown runs in one game. Amari Cooper finally became a top target in the offense with 14 targets, but Khlil Shhakir had the best fantasy day with 101 yards receiving and a 51-yard touchdown catch and run.  As excellent as Allen played for fantasy managers, he was outdone by Matt Stafford on the field. Stafford had a season-high 320-yard passing and hit Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp for touchdowns. Nacua was the star of the game with acrobatic catches and one of the most improbable toe-tapping catches of the season. He led the team with 162 yards receiving and had a touchdown run to add to his touchdown catch. He is so fun to watch! He's become my favorite player in the NFL. I'm happy I have him on four of my nine dynasty rosters. I had him on a fifth roster that I decided to go into rebuilding mode, and I was able to sell him for a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks in 2026. He sold for an entire year's worth of draft picks. 

Oh My!

• Sam Darnold was incredible on Sunday, proving that the Vikings were smart in allowing Kirk Cousins to sign with the Falcons. He also proved that I was smart by adding him off the waiver wire last offseason after he signed with Minnesota. He carried three of my teams to victories this week, and two games were must-won games for me to make the playoffs. His five-touchdown day was the best of his season and the best of his career. Justin Jefferson finally got back in the endzone with two touchdown catches after going six weeks without a touchdown. It was his highest-scoring game of the season, too. Somehow, he was outdone by Jordan Addison, who had his highest-scoring game of the season with 133 yards receiving and three touchdowns. On Sunday, everything was clicking for the Vikings, and coach O'Connell has completely rehabilitated Darnold and his dynasty value. He's an every-week starter again with the coaching and receiving weapons that surround him. Earlier this season, I sold him for a first-round pick on a rebuilding team in a one-quarterback league. At the time, I felt he would certainly not re-sign with the Vikings, who are committed to J.J. McCarthy as their future starter. Now, I am far less sure of that. At the very least, Darnold will be a starter on another team next season, if not re-signing with the Vikings.

Ouch!

• The saddest injury of the day was Jonathan Brooks. He went down with a non-contact injury, which did not look good. I drafted and traded for him on two rebuilding teams and planned on him being a big part of my rebuild. Now that he is injured again and Chuba Hubbard has signed an extension, my rebuilding plans have taken a hit. I write this article on Monday mornings, so the reports have not yet come out, but I sure hope it is nothing serious and he can start healthy next season.  Bucky Irving left the game early on Sunday, too, just when he was beginning to take over the leading role. It's just one injury, but it fits the narrative of Irving being too small to have a leading role. Time will tell if that's the case. It looks like Rachaad White and Sean Tucker will contribute more to dynasty teams in the playoffs than Irving will. That's unfortunate for me in one of my leagues. Finally, Isaac Guerendo looked great in his first NFL start but could not finish the game. The 49ers can't keep a running back healthy. They're down to their fifth-string running back, Patrick Taylor, next week if Guerendo cannot return on a short week. I'm glad I added Izzy Abanikanda in several leagues last week. He might finally get a chance to start an NFL game after signing with the 49ers last week.  

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Stock Up

Zach Charbonnet

• It was a blast watching Charbonnet get the starting role on Sunday after Kenneth Walker was ruled out. After hearing the news, I started him in three leagues this week, and he carried my team to three wins. He had 193 total yards and two touchdowns, scoring 35 fantasy points. His performance on Sunday has to cause the coaches to increase his role even when Walker returns healthy. Walker has not had a game like this, and he's been terribly unproductive in recent weeks, especially in the red zone. Dynasty managers who patiently waited for Caharbonnet to get his opportunity were finally rewarded, and I think they'll see more of him going forward. 

Jameson Williams

• I don't like Williams as a man, but I have to admit that he's finally playing well, and his role in the Lions' offense is improving and becoming more consistent. He led the team in targets on Thursday night and had a team-high 80 yards receiving. Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of my most rostered players, so I've been rooting against Williams and have been pleased to see his on and off-the-field struggles. The tide is turning, though, and Williams has become a consistent contributor in the offense and has become the downfield weapon that Detroit was hoping for when they drafted him. Their patience with him has paid off, as it has for his dynasty managers.

Jauan Jennings

• Jennings has become the best waiver-wire find of the season for dynasty managers. I've added him in several leagues, and he's helped carry my team into the playoffs. His two touchdowns on Sunday contributed to my victories. Deebo Samuel continues to play third fiddle to Jennings and George Kittle. I am confident that the 49ers will not re-sign him next year. Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk are the future starting wide receivers for the 49ers. It's amazing that Jennings has broken out as a 27-year-old. The 49ers have stuck with him since drafting him in the seventh round four years ago, and their patience has paid off. Dynasty managers who nabbed off the waiver wire this season or somehow had him on their roster have found a gem.

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Stock Down

Nick Chubb

• Chubb has been my favorite running back for years. I hoped he would overcome the odds and have a great bounceback season after recovering from his devastating injury. He's had time enough to prove himself, but he's yet to do so. Jerome Ford has been mixed into the rotation more over the last few weeks, and Chubb seems set to be part of a committee going forward. Because of his character and history of recovering from injuries, I would not put it past him to play better next year, but this year has been more disappointing than I hoped, so I have to move him down my rankings.

Jayden Reed

• Reed is too darn inconsistent. He may finish the season as a top 24 wide receiver, but it's all based on a few blowup games. Thursday's goose egg performance was the worst of the season and a huge disappointment to dynasty managers who thought he'd be a big part of a high-scoring game against the Lions, especially since Romeo Doubs was ruled out. I traded Reed in one league this season, but I still have him on two rosters and every week, he's one of two players I am deciding whether to start or sit. Every week, I pick wrong. This week, I started him, and he let me down. Last week, I did not, and he scored two touchdowns. I can't figure it out with Reed. I'm tired of trying.

Alvin Kamara

• We have a Kendre Miller sighting. Miller saw the field for the first time in five weeks and scored his first NFL touchdown. Miller had ten carries to Kamara's 17.  Kamara is still more involved in the passing game and is the Saints lead back of the future, but Miller will cut into his workload now that he's healthy and out of the doghouse. I'll watch this Saints' backfield closely over the next few weeks to see what Miller's involvement means for Kamara's role in the coming seasons. If Miller can live up to his third-round draft capital, it will affect Kamar's dynasty value. We've just yet to see it until this week.

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Young Guns

Jalen McMillan

• McMillan finally had a breakout game in his rookie season. He's had an open door since Chris Godwin was lost for the season but has yet to seize the opportunity. He scored two touchdowns on Sunday, his first touchdown since week one. He also led the team in targets this week, even above Mike Evans. He has an excellent opportunity to win a starting role with the Buccaneers next year if he continues to play well down the stretch of this season. He's one of my most drafted rookies, so I'm excited to see him finally have a breakout game. 

Rome Odunze

• While the Bears' offense looked pathetic on Sunday, at least Odunze had a great game with two touchdown catches. He made some athletic plays, including a leaping toe-tapping catch in the corner of the end zone. The Bears still target D.J. Moore the most, but Odunze's role is increasing. He's been their downfield threat for most of the season, but he is capable of far more than that. He showed more of his versatility on Sunday. It was nice to see him in the end zone twice for the first time since week three.

Sincere McCormick

• Last week the Raiders officially signed McCormick to their roster. This Sunday, McCormick was their lead back even while Ameer Abdullah was active. He carried the ball 15 times for 78 yards. He also caught two passes. The only thing he failed to do was score a touchdown, although he had several carries near the goal line. He didn't do anything to secure the future starting position, but he did enough to continue to get looks for the rest of the season. Before this week, he was not in my rankings, even though I recommended him as a guy to pick up off waivers last week, but I'll add him to my rankings now. I'm glad I picked him up in several leagues last week.

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Old-Man Strength

Josh Jacobs

• Jacobs had three touchdowns on Thursday night, giving his dynasty teams a big leg up headed into the weekend. The Packers went with a run-first game plan on Thursday in an effort to keep the powerful Lions' offense off the field. He was bottled up most of the game but found the end zone three times in the green zone. Jacobs has become one of the league's most reliable fantasy running backs this season. He's scored double-digit fantasy points in all but two games and more than fifteen points seven times. Thursday was his second-highest-scoring game of the season with 24.6 points. This old man looks great in a Packers uniform, and they are riding him with more than 18 carries per game this season. 

Adam Thielen

• After returning healthy, Thielen has become Carolina's possession receiver, just as he was last season. He had a season-high in targets (11) and catches (9) and had his first 100-yard receiving game of the year. Just when dynasty managers thought Thielen's starting days were over, he made a case for being in starting lineups again, especially in PPR leagues. He scored 24 points last week and 19 this week. Carolina's offense is finally coming together. While they have come up shy in the win column, they have almost beaten the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Eagles (three playoff teams) over the last three weeks. Old man Thielen is helping the embattled Panthers fight. 

Davante Adams

• Aaron Rodgers and Adams looked like their old selves on Sunday, where Adams had his most productive game as a Jet. He caught nine of eleven targets and one red zone touchdown. He and Garrett Wilson had excellent games in a comeback effort and led the team to what appeared to be a game-winning drive, but the Jets allowed the Dolphins to kick a last-second game-tying field goal that forced over time. Their dynasty managers thought they would get overtime points from Adams, but the Jets never got the ball since Miami won the coin toss and scored on their first drive to win the game. Despite the loss, Adams played great for the first time as a Jet and scored more than 20 fantasy points for the first time since week three with the Raiders.

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Waiver Watch

Patrick Taylor, Israel Abanikanda, or Ke'Shawn Vaughn

• If they were not picked up last week, they're the top players to add this week. If Isaac Guerendo's injury lingers, they are the next guys up at running back for the 49ers. Taylor has been with the team all year, so I'd favor him to get the first looks, but Abanikanda is the best player of the bunch. He's who I'd most like to add from a dynasty perspective.

Desmond Ridder

• Ridder is a player to pick up in superflex leagues since he'll be the Raiders' starter for the rest of the season after Aidan O'Connell was injured. He's bounced around the NFL for a reason, but at least he has some experience. I'd add him in superlfex leagues this week. 

Jake Haener

• Haener is a player to pick up in superflex leagues since he was the next man up after Derek Carr was injured. Spencer Rattler played earlier this season when Carr was injured but was inactive last week. It looks like the Saints want to give Haener the try as the backup instead of Rattler this time. I'd add him in superflex leagues this week.

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My Teams

No trades were made in my dynasty league, as most have hit the trade deadline, so I briefly mention how my teams did this year.
 
I'm in nine dynasty leagues. I'm happy to say that I made the playoffs in five of those leagues and secured a bye week in two of them.
 
In the four leagues where I did not make the playoffs, I am rebuilding. In two leagues, I finished last (as I had hoped), and I secured the 1.1. (hello, Ashton Jeanty). One of my rebuilding teams has four first-round draft picks, two of my rebuilding teams have two first-round draft picks, and the other has multiple mid-round picks and 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th round picks in 2026. As we say in dynasty, if you're losing you can be winning if you do it right.
 
I look forward to the playoffs with my contending teams and look forward to the draft with my rebuilding teams. I can't wait for both!

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