Week 14 Observations

Bad

It was a bad week. I went 2-3 ATS in Circa, and my fantasy teams no-showed. My best team needs a good game from Ja’Marr Chase tonight to lock in a spot in the postseason (maybe it’s in anyway as a third-place team due to total points.) The other two fringe ones didn’t come close. And my Steak League team will miss the playoffs thanks to an utter no-show and now is in serious jeopardy of buying. I barely watched the first half of the late games, opting instead to go to sleep.

I’m soured on the season, but it’s no one’s fault but my own. The truth is I don’t give a shit that much. I mean I’m pissed but not as pissed as I should be. I had a crushing day, it torched most of my season, and I’m annoyed, but I didn’t do anything special to deserve to win. I did the research, and I did the FAAB every week, and I set my lineups carefully. But I’m not doing anything above and beyond. I have only the interest I have. I’ve completed the transition from professional to casual player.

• I took the Titans -3.5 as one of my picks and Will Levis as my Steak League QB with my other QBs on bye. For whatever reason the Jaguars were ranked last against QB scoring, but limited both C.J. Stroud, who I started last week against them, and Levis. Not that Levis was a lock against anyone.

• I had the Jets +5.5 which was the right side all game, but it was the wrong side because it was the Jets who are cursed.

• I also had Braelon Allen, so of course Isaiah Davis scores the TD and outplays him.

• The strangest storyline of the day was Jonnu Smith who I have everywhere scoring zero points on one target during regulation, then getting 13.8 on a single overtime drive including the game-winning TD. I’m happy he did so much in overtime, but what the fuck was that?

• Other than Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa is probably the best bet for passing yards in any given game.

• Sam Darnold had a monster game — he also didn’t throw a pick and scrambled to make some of those downfield throws. Jordan Addison is emerging as a star alongside Justin Jefferson too, maybe the best WR tandem in the league.

• Maybe Kirk Cousins is cooked. One more loss, and they have to whip out Penix.

• The fucking Giants. I actually laid the wood with the Saints too, and they couldn’t just send it to overtime with a chip shot FG (to give the Saints a chance to cover the 4.5). Plus I had Malik Nabers going and needed more points.

• The Panthers play everyone tough now. I used Jonathon Brooks in the flex in one league, and he got hurt again. Waiting all year for injured players doesn’t usually pan out. Nick Chubb is still healthy, but hasn’t done much either.

• Saquon Barkley had a modest game, but now has 1,623 yards with four games to go. I love Barkley, but the 17-game season really skews record books.

• I’m an idiot for not using the Steelers in the Circa contest. Of course they were going to cover after losing outright a couple weeks ago. I did start Calvin Austin in the Steak League (with George Pickens out), and Austin got me one catch for four yards.

• I had the Bucs -7 against the Raiders, and it was close for a while, but the Raiders are always on the edge of collapse with their QB play.

• I started Bucky Irving who the team shut down early as a precaution. No one told them Week 14 in fantasy is not the time for precaution.

• I foolishly used Arizona in the Circa contest. They were good for a few games a few games ago, but now they’ve reverted. Seattle has more balls than they do. As a Kenny Walker owner, it’s rough seeing Zach Charbonnet have the game you were waiting for from Walker all year.

• Maybe the style is too high-degree of difficulty, but Kyler Murray has never been consistent.

• I didn’t watch Rams-Bills. One reason why my top team is on the ropes is one of the guys I’m competing with (Bob Cramutola) had Josh Allen going. I woke up this morning, was like how did he get 196 points?

• Kyren Williams is like my size, but handles 29 carries, two catches, no problem.

• Puca Nacua should have been a first-round pick. The injury was unlucky, but he belonged ahead of A.J. Brown and Garrett Wilson. Just a target and playmaking machine.

• I had Jordan Mason on my teams all year, and of course Isaac Guerendo goes bananas when you needed it most. The Niners were the obvious buy-low, but I didn’t realize that until watching the first half.

• I had Kimani Vidal in one league, Gus Edwards in another. Edwards scored a TD at least, but would it kill Justin Herbert to target a running back?

• Thomas Hobbes famously described life in the state of nature as “nasty, brutish and short.” Chiefs games are similarly nasty, brutish and close.