The Dynasty Aftermath: Week Four

Jeff Haverlack

hartline1
Welcome to DLF’s Dynasty Aftermath. This Tuesday staple has long been one of our signature pieces as we have a little fun after a tough week at the Dynasty League Football office. You’ll find this article will review the week’s happenings in a variety of ways and help set you up for the coming weeks as we spin around the league in the way we know best.

Things are beginning to take shape now in week four.  Who had the Saints going 0-4?

Let’s take a look back at the week that was!


Week Four Fantasy MVP

Are you kidding me? 12 receptions, 253 yards and a touchdown by none other than Brian Hartline!  He’s certainly isn’t on your waiver wire and in all likelihood, he wasn’t even in a majority of lineups this week.

After posting a single reception for 41 yards in week three, Hartline was seemingly just another one of those receivers that needs to be rostered but can’t be trusted week over week.  A nice showing in week two did find him with nine receptions and 111 yards, giving hope that the later round player would be a diamond in the rough.  Going forward, it’s hard to tell just what type of production he’ll provide and I may even suggest that he’s best as a sell-high candidate to receiver needy teams.  But at only 25 years of age, he’s not a player you can move without losing at least a little sleep.

Regardless of whether you are a Hartline supporter or not, you have to marvel at his week four performance.


Week Four Fantasy LVP

Week four had it’s fair share of disappointing performances and it’s not easy to choose a single performance that stands out.  For the record, I was incredibly disappointed with the performance of Darren McFadden.  In a league where carry-the load running backs are going the way of the dinosaur, McFadden sunk many fantasy teams this week with his 13 carry, 34 yard performance, doing his best Chris Johnson impression.  I almost forgot, he also chipped in with a single reception for four yards.  Feel better?

Me neither.


Lineup Fun

The virtually unbeatable lineup of the week…

QB Tom Brady NE = 340 yards passing, three touchdowns, one rushing touchdown
RB Jamal Charles KC = 115 total yards, two touchdowns
RB Michael Turner ATL =  171 total yards, three receptions, one touchdown
RB Marshawn Lynch STL =  145 total yards, four receptions, one touchdown
WR Brian Hartline MIA = 12 receptions, 253 yards receiving, one touchdown
WR Roddy White ATL = 8 receptions, 169 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Marques Colston NO = 9 receptions, 153 receiving yards, one touchdown
TE  Jason Witten DAL = 13 receptions, 112 receiving yards, one touchdown

The dominant underdog lineup of the week…

QB Ryan Tannehill MIA = 431 yards passing, one touchdown
RB Willis McGahee DEN
 = 135 total yards, six receptions, one touchdown
RB Jackie Battle SD = 81 totals yards, four receptions, two touchdowns
RB Chris Johnson TEN = 157 total yards, two receptions
WR Andre Roberts ARI 
= 6 receptions, 118 yards, two touchdowns
WR James Jones GB 
= 5 receptions, 56 yards, two touchdowns
WR Anquan Boldin BAL 
= 9 receptions, 131 yards
TE Scott Chandler BUF 
= 4 receptions, 62 yards, two touchdowns

The unexpectedly horrible lineup of the week…

QB Christian Ponder MIN =111 yards passing, no touchdowns
RB Darren McFadden OAK = 38 total yards, one reception
RB Ben Tate HOU = 14 total yards
RB Doug Martin TB = 42 total yards, two receptions
WR Jeremy Maclin PHI = 1 reception, 7 yards
WR Julio Jones ATL = 1 reception, 30 yards
WR Steve Johnson BUF = 2 receptions, 23 yards
TE Martellus Bennett NYG = 1 reception, two yards


Gut Checks

I’d be worried if…

I believe Chris Johnson has finally turned the corner.  Many of those yards came in garbage time with the defense in prevent.  Trust me, it’s safer and less painful to simply be pessimistic for another couple of weeks.

I expect Stevan Ridley to be a consistent fantasy threat.  In New England, you just never know what’s going to happen next.  Enter Brandon Bolden.  Keep your fingers crossed.

I’m holding out hope that Beanie Wells returns to the lineup as a productive back.  It’s not going to happen.  You can’t drop him yet, but you may never start him again.

I’m a Jets fan.

I’m holding onto Randy Moss in hopes that he eventually becomes a consistent threat.  It’s obvious he’s no more than a role player at this stage in his career.

I expect anything from Justin Blackmon in the near term.  Seriously, he’s been much worse than even I expected.

I drafted Ed Dickson as an upside TE2.  He’s all but disappeared in the offense and has lost snaps to Dennis Pitta.

I own Jonathan Stewart.  Don’t you just get that feeling that you’ll be saying he’s still young and about to get his chance for the next three years?

I expect ANYTHING from Matt Cassel.  We’ve been saying that he’s terrible as a starting quarterback since he was in New England.

I own Ryan Mathews.  Oh Oh.  Too early to panic but it’s okay to start getting nervous.

I’m holding out hope for any receiver on the Rams no named Amendola.  They’re just too young and I’m not seeing much to get excited about.

I own Hakeem Nicks.  He’s still young and talented but the injury routine is getting tiresome and recurring knee issues even more concerning.

….and finally

I’m a replacement official looking for my next chance to get into the NFL.  I really feel for these guys.  They were thrust into the spotlight under the most unfortunate of situations with the entire nation watching and expecting utter failure.  It was an impossibly hopeless situation as the best outcome was a status quo performance.  Instead, every missed call, mistake or conference was met with a rain of displeasure and ridicule from fans, not to mention mocking from television personalities calling each game.  Lest we forget that, without them dutifully trying to do the best job they could under these difficult circumstances, we fans have no football for the first three weeks of the regular season.

See you next week for the next edition of the Dynasty Aftermath. You can follow Jeff on twitter @DLF_Jeff

jeff haverlack