Thursday Night Observations
That was a strange game. I had the Broncos defense going, which was good enough, but I took the Broncos -3.5 in my picking pool and started Russell Wilson in one league. I knew Matt Ryan was likely washed, but Wilson is only 33.
Wilson looks like the same guy — he’s healthy, moving smoothly, his passes have plenty of zip, but his decision-making and accuracy are bad. I’d still probably buy-low, but that was a brutal game. Maybe it’s just the offensive line, bad scheme and bad play calling, though.
Melvin Gordon (15-54-0, 3-3-39-0) was holding onto the ball for dear life and for good reason as he’s been a fumble machine the last couple years. He still looks pretty spry for a back drafted in 2015 (same class as Todd Gurley, David Johnson.)
Mike Boone (7-38-0, 3-3-47-0) looked good, but people were dropping half their FAAB budgets for 10 touches on a bad offense.
I’ve never seen a worse red-zone offense. They have no hope at all once they get down there. I’m mystified that coaches don’t look at what other teams like the Giants are doing with a bad offensive line and a bad, but mobile QB. Mix it up!
Matt Ryan is so easy to sack he practically sacks himself.
The biggest revelation this game was Alec Pierce (9-8-87-0). He had a good preseason, dropped a TD in Week 1 and is just now establishing himself as almost a 1A to Michael Pittman (8-5-59-0) who isn’t getting the volume of a real alpha, in part because the offense is so bad.
Nyheim Hines got concussed early, and Deon Jackson (13-62-0, 4-4-29-0) looked okay. Not that he’ll get any run once Jonathan Taylor comes back.
I picked up Mo Alie Cox (1-1-7-0) in a few leagues and started him over Irv Smith in one. Availing myself of Alie Cox can only be described as a regrettable act of desperation.
Oddly, the running backs and wide receivers I’ve drafted this year have done pretty well, but it’s the quarterbacks and tight ends who are killing me. I have no Lamar Jackson or Mark Andrews, No Josh Allen, no Travis Kelce and no Jalen Hurts.
Watching the edited version of these games is so much better.