The Dynasty Aftermath: Before the WWE, there was the WWF, Part One

By Ken Kelly

Posted on November 6, 2018

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Welcome to DLF’s Dynasty Aftermath. This staple article is our longest running signature piece 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. Expect it each and every week.

I’ve written this column for over a decade and I always forget how much I truly enjoy it. I love combing through the stats of the week, putting together ridiculous lineups, finding waiver wire gems, picking MVPs/LVPs and discussing things to worry about.

That’s not all.

I also really love sharing little bits of my life with the community of DLF and picking a theme for this column each week. This year, I’m going off the rails a bit. I’m not just exclusively choosing movies or TV shows and sticking with them.  I’m simply picking something relevant, wacky or whatever may come into my mind each given week. My hope is each week will at least be interesting in some way and hopefully make you laugh a few times along the way.

It’s time to do start a multi-part aftermath theme known as the WWF/WWE.  When I was growing up, I loved to wake up on Saturday mornings and watch WWF wrestling in the from of Wrestling Superstars. It was the golden age with such stars as Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, Andre the Giant and countless others. In fact, I once got some of Billy Jack Haynes’ blood on me when he came into town to wrestle and I was in the front row.  To put it short, I was hooked and also lucky I didn’t get HEP C. For the next few weeks, I’m going to take one of my favorite WWF matches and draw a lesson about fantasy football from it.

On March 29, 1987, one of the greatest WWF matches of all-time took place between Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat and Randy “Macho Man” Savage. Steamboat was vying for the Intercontinental Championship and revenge for Savage damaging his throat with a bell months before that we were supposed to believe was so severe he had to learn how to talk again. Steamboat had some serious Emmy Award winning acting as he attempted to say the letter “E,” in what was supposed to be a legitimate Dr.’s office the pre-match buildup, by the way.

The match itself is widely considered to be one of (if not the) best matches in the history of the WWF. Steamboat actually won the match but had to relinquish the title shortly after (the general public was outraged that he lost it just a few weeks later to The Honkytonk Man) after revealing to the WWF he needed time off for the birth of his daughter. Fans were upset because the match was so riveting.

For those who remember, the contest went back and forth for what seemed to be an hour. In the end, Steamboat found a way to win (see above) and that’s really the WWF/DLF lesson this week – never give up.  Your fantasy team may be completely out of the mix right now but you never know what can happen. I’ve seen tons of 3-6 teams rally to win championships.  Don’t start failing to pay attention because you never know what can happen and fantasy football seasons can change faster than George “The Animal’ Steele can eat a turnbuckle.

Week Nine Fantasy MVP

Those of us playing in dynasty leagues for an extended period of time remember the original cell phone celebration by Joe Horn. Michael Thomas has his own version this week that highlighted a performance for the ages that featured 12 catches, 211 receiving yards and one touchdown. Thomas came out of the gate on fire this season, then cooled off a tad. This week put him right back in to the fantasy MVP discussion. In short, this dude can play.

Week Nine Fantasy LVP

Tampa Bay is really bad but Mike Evans has been pretty matchup proof thus far. Unfortunately, the bottom fell out this week as Evans was only able to post one catch for 16 scoreless yards. Better days are ahead for Evans, but this was a hot mess.

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Lineup Fun

We’re adding something fun again this week. Our own Ryan McDowell had a great suggestion this year. If you fielded any of the lineups below, let us know and you’ll get a free three months of DLF Premium. We just need the league ID and a screenshot to verify and you’re off an running.  The first three to respond would win!

The Ricky Steamboat Unbeatable Lineup of the Week

QB Drew Brees NO  = 346 passing yards, 16 rushing yards, four touchdowns
RB Alvin Kamara NO  = 82 rushing yards, four receptions, 34 receiving yards, three touchdowns
RB Kareem Hunt KC = 91 rushing yards, one reception, 50 receiving yards, three touchdowns
RB Christian McCaffrey CAR = 79 rushing yards, five receptions, 78 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Michael Thomas NO  = 12 receptions, 211 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Julio Jones ATL  = Seven receptions, 121 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR DeAndre Hopkins HOU  = Ten receptions, 105 receiving yards, one touchdown
TE Travis Kelce KC = Seven receptions, 99 receiving yards, two touchdowns

The George Steele Underdog Lineup of the Week

QB Nick Mullens SF = 262 passing yards, three touchdowns
RB Mike Davis SEA  = 62 rushing yards, seven receptions, 45 receiving yards
RB Ito Smith ATL = 60 rushing yards, one reception, four receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Raheem Mostert SF = 86 rushing yards, one touchdown
WR Adam Humphries TB = Eight receptions, 82 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Maurice Harris WAS = Ten receptions, 124 receiving yards
WR Curtis Samuel CAR = 33 rushing yards, two receptions, 25 receiving yards, two touchdowns
TE Jeff Heuerman DEN = Ten receptions, 83 receiving yards, one touchdown

The Koko B Ware Disappointing Lineup of the Week

QB Sam Darnold NYJ  = 229 passing yards, four interceptions
RB Mark Ingram NO = 33 rushing yards, one reception, three receiving yards
RB Tarik Cohen CHI = Five rushing yards, one reception, eight receiving yards
RB Chris Carson SEA  = 40 rushing yards
WR Chris Hogan NE = No catches
WR DeVante Parker MIA = One reception, eight receiving yards
WR Mike Evans TB = One reception, 16 receiving yards
TE Jared Cook OAK = Two receptions, 20 receiving yards

Gut Checks

I’d be worried if I was ignoring the consistent production we’re seeing from OJ Howard.

I’d be worried if I owned Lamar Miller. It’s just not happening.

I’d be worried if I owned Rob Gronkowski. You just feel if he doesn’t get healthy soon, this may be his last season.

I’d be worried if I didn’t think Christian McCaffrey has really turned a corner this year.

I’d be worried if I owned Chris Carson. Hip injuries can be tricky.

I’d be worried if I owned CJ Beathard. Uhh…

I’d be worried if I was thinking Jordan Reed was going to turn a corner.

I’d be worried if I was expecting consistency from Kenyan Drake.

I’d be worried if I had given up on Amari Cooper. He’s going to be force-fed.

I’d be worried if I am not paying attention to Ito Smith.

I’d be worried if I was playing against Matt Ryan.  Here he comes again.

I’d be worried if I owned AJ Green.

I’d be worried if I spent too much to get Paul Richardson this off-season.

I’d be worried if I was ignoring how much Deshaun Watson is starting to look like Deshaun Watson.

I’d be worried if I wasn’t paying attention to George Kittle.

I’d be worried if I though I had the Lions receiving corps figured out.

I’d be worried if I had given up on Duke Johnson. Welcome back.

I’d be worried if I had Derrick Henry. It’s just not working.

I’d be worried if I was relying on anything from DeVante Parker.

I’d be worried if I was counting on anything from Kelvin Benjamin.

I’d be worried if I was ignoring Cordarrelle Patterson.

I’d be worried if I thought Le’Veon Bell was going to just show up and dominate this year.

Free Agent Find of the Week

Here’s the deal. I feel like this section of the aftermath has become a little redundant. We already post a waiver wire article each week to prep you for your weekly FAAB run or to burn your waiver priority. It’s feeling a little like double dipping since many of the same names could easily mentioned. Instead of doing that in the future, I’m going to add a name or two of players who are likely free agents in your league who you really wouldn’t even need to use your FAAB bid bucks. These are going to be deep dive players here and most are names to simply keep an eye on unless you have an open roster spot or two.

Logan Thomas, TE BUF

The former quarterback from Virginia Tech is making the transition to tight end for the Buffalo Bills. Things finally started coming together for him this week as he posted seven catches for 40 yards. The Buffalo offense is a mess but maybe they give Thomas an extended look.

Previous suggestions: Jonnu Smith, Ian Thomas, Will Dissly, Geronimo Allison, Phillip Dorsett, Phillip Lindsay, Brandon Marshall, Austin Carr, Shaun Wilson, Jakeem Grant, Corey Grant, Tyler Boyd, Taywan Taylor, Mark Walton. CJ Beathard, Rhett Ellison, Wendell Smallwood, Jeremy McNichols, Robert Turbin, David Moore, Jamaal Charles, Josh Adams, Niles Paul, Roc Thomas, Chad Kelly, Damion Ratley, Raheem Mostert, Derek Anderson, Kyle Lauletta, Maurice Harris, Trenton Cannon, Rishard Matthews,  Trenton Cannon, Rishard Matthews, Brandon Powell.

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The Dynasty Aftermath: Before the WWE, there was the WWF, Part One