Sunday Six Pack: Week Seven
We’re with you every Sunday to provide the Sunday Six Pack, an article featuring six of the biggest storylines heading into each and every week of the season. Keeping tabs on these events will keep you prepared and informed throughout the season – just don’t drive within six hours of reading this. With that in mind, let’s take a look at this week’s Sunday Six Pack:
Can #1) Gronk Smash
Well, Gronksgiving is finally here. Rob Gronkowski, his doctors, his agent, his mom, his spiritual guide, his life coach and his mixologist have all finally decided that he is ready to return to game action after reportedly “dominating” practices (whatever that means) for the last several weeks. Shockingly, Gronk’s return coincides with the Patriots trip to Met Life Stadium to face the rival Jets. ESPN provided a statistic that since 2010, Tom Brady had a 60.9% completion percentage, a total QBR of 89.9 and a 23.3-1 TD to INT ratio when Gronk was on the field as compared to a completion percentage of 50.8, QBR of 49.2 and 8-1 TD to INT ratio when Gronk was off of the field. That kind of increase in red zone efficiency will not just help Brady, but should radiate to the other Patriot pass catchers and Stevan Ridley.
Can #2) All By Himself
With Julio Jones done for the season, Steven Jackson still nursing a hamstring/quad injury and Roddy White unlikely to play with hamstring and ankle injuries, Tony Gonzalez is left as the only Pro Bowl member of the once formidable Falcons offense. Already struggling, especially in the red zone this season, expect Matt Ryan to pepper Tony G wil as many targets as he can, especially considering that his receiving corps will likely consist of Harry Douglas, Kevin Cone and Drew Davis. It will be interesting to see if TE project Levine Toilolo will get some more opportunities now. A fine blocker, the fourth round rookie out of Stanford has shown some pass catching ability and will have a chance to establish himself as the heir-apparent to Tony G.
Can #3) Full Nelson
Similar to the circumstance that Tony G has found himself in, Jordy Nelson has to also be wondering where everyone went. Randall Cobb is in IR Designated to Return with a broken fibula and James Jones’ status is in doubt with a PCL strain. The Packers will be pressed into using the slowish and droppy, but wonderfully named, Jarrett Boykin and potentially practice squad-type Myles White. The benefit for dynasty leaguers is that we may get to see some game action for deep dynasty tight end project Brandon Bostick, although you can probably county the number of deep dynasty tight end projects were going to take over for the beleaguered Jermichael Finley on two hands.
Can #4) Case Closed
With Matt Schaub out for Week 7 with a complete lack of confidence, I mean, an ankle injury and T.J. Yates not being very good at professional football, the Texans have decided to throw second year quarterback Case Keenum, who has never attempted a regular season pass, to the wolves in a road start against the 6-0 Chiefs. While this is an obvious downgrade for the Texans’ pass catchers, Andre Johnson, DeAndre Hopkins and Garrett Graham, it will be interesting to see if Keenum can transfer any of his pre-season success to this formidable regular season test. I would estimate there is approximately a 99% chance that he won’t, but in deep dynasty leagues, it couldn’t hurt to add him for the 1% or less chance that he’s the next Kurt Warner. I would certainly rather roster Keenum for Week 7 than Peyton Hillis for example.
Can #5) Randle in the Wind
Joseph Randle is an underwhelming talent who cannot pass protect to save his life. However, he went to college at Oklahoma State, and we know how Jerry Jones loves his Oklahoma and Texas players. With DeMarco Murray down with his annual injury and Lance Dunbar nursing a hamstring, Randle gets the chance to run against a fairly leaky Eagles run defense behind a surprisingly effective Dallas offensive line. Now the Eagles have cleaned up their play a little and held Doug Martin to just 67 yards last week, but they were also daring rookie quarterback Mike Glennon to beat them. That same strategy won’t work against Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and Terrence Williams (did I forget someone?). Randle should get some room to roam, and may be a passable RB2/Flex spot, but he will likely give way to Phillip Tanner in at least obvious passing situations, which will limit his upside. Murray had been a target monster prior to getting hurt, and Randle will not be able to replicate that PPR value.
Note:I truly struggled with this pun. Many thanks to Twitter greats @Dexters_Library, @Ty_In_STL, and DLF’s @Chad_Scott13 for their help, but it was FootballGuys’ @heathcummingssr that really unlocked it for me with his Randle/candle rhyme.
Can #6) Thanks for the Luck, Peyton
Jim Irsay cannot keep his mouth shut and as motivated as Peyton Manning may have been for his return to Indianapolis beforehand, he is probably even more so now. Most Colt fans, who I have to believe are fairly sane, must worship Number 18, who not only gave them a multitude of division titles and double-digit winning seasons and a Super Bowl Championship, but had the grace to leave town in a manner that immediately set the team up with its next franchise quarterback Andrew Luck. Regardless, it seems like the Colts, who will be playing on a short week, are going to finally have to give Trent Richardson a larger workload in an attempt to keep Manning off the field and keep their defense from being eaten alive.
Good luck this week!
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