Dynasty Fantasy Football Six Pack: Week 12 Storylines to Watch
Happy Turkey week. I hope you all enjoyed the family time and ate plenty. Three games have been played but let’s look at six storylines for this week.
Questionable Quarterbacks
‘Questionable quarterbacks’ does not need to mean injury. Justin Fields was described as day-to-day but also could be done for the season. Zach Wilson may have talked himself out of a starting job after his press conference following their week 11 loss. The Jets announced Mike White will be the starting quarterback. Matt Stafford is dealing with another concussion, his second in the last month. He is out this Sunday. Bryce Perkins is getting the majority of first-team reps.
The Texans benched Davis Mills and Kyle Allen is up. We will need to continue to monitor Kyler Murray’s status as well. He is trending towards playing. I will talk about Sam Darnold later.
- Mike White – I give a bump to Tyler Conklin and Michael Carter.
- Bryce Perkins – He is mobile and can escape pressure but there is a lack of offensive weapons and offensive line.
- Kyle Allen – This might be a continued tank move. Nothing exciting. Funnel targets to Brandin Cooks?
A final questionable takeaway will be Derek Carr and his future with the Raiders. It seems talk surrounding if he will be the 2023 quarterback have been circulating. They may have a top-two pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and may select one of the top quarterbacks. The Jets may have an opening at starting quarterback – could that be a location for Carr?
Ja’Marr Chase‘s Return?
It is believed Chase will return to practice. Despite his three-game absence, Joe Burrow has led the Bengals to a 2-1 record with eight touchdowns (one rushing) and three interceptions. He is also the second-highest-graded passer since week eight. Burrow stated the Bengals expect Chase to return.
Having a stud out of your fantasy lineup is frustrating but hopefully, he will be returning to the lineup this week. The Bengals are playing the Titans and will need a victory to continue to push for the AFC North. We will need to note if there are any comments regarding a ‘pitch count’ on Chase this week.
Big Quarterback Matchup
Sam Darnold was named starting quarterback for the Panthers as they play the Broncos. On the other side, through nine games Russell Wilson only has seven passing touchdowns – which is extrapolated to be 13.22 touchdowns on the season. I really have no idea what is going on in Denver. They gave up important draft capital and then gave a lucrative contract to acquire Wilson.
Darnold is back under center and he has always preferred DJ Moore. This is exciting news. Now remember, they are playing the Broncos who have a solid secondary unit.
Eagles’ Recent Struggles?
In week ten the Eagles lost to the Washington Commanders, and last week they almost lost to the Colts (17-16). I did find the win to be impressive, despite playing against the Colts, because they came back in the fourth quarter. This will be an intriguing game against the Packers. Is it finally time for the Packers to give Jordan Love a chance?
Back to the Eagles. They have huge aspirations this year and these last two weeks may be no concern. It may, however, be a worry. Rushing aside, Jalen Hurts was a combined 35 of 51 for 365 total yards and three touchdowns and one interception.
Still being the best team, hopefully shaking off this rust, the Eagles should steer back on track.
NFC South Battle
The Buccaneers (5-5) and Falcons (5-6) are battling for first place. In a division where we likely expected Tom Brady to pull away, he has the Falcons right in the rearview. Arthur Smith has had his team battling and the Falcons have committed to the run – they are currently the second-best rushing team in the league. Losing Kyle Pitts will hurt. Despite his lack of fantasy production, he provided the team and defense with a threat. It would be cool to see Desmond Ridder at some point, but Smith has his plan and it seems to be working out enough so far.
The Buccaneers have a favorable matchup against the Browns. This will all be game script dependent as the Browns could control the game with their rushing attack. With all this being said, the Saints (4-7) are still hanging in there.
A lot of dynasty-relevant stock moves will happen in the NFC South, notably regarding Bucs running back Rachaad White and his usage.
A Battle for the #2 pick
It looks like the Texans are committed to staying at one win and getting the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. There are eight teams with three wins and the second draft slot is up for grabs. Among those teams, three do not own their first-round draft pick.
The second draft pick will have a potential franchise quarterback, a franchise edge rusher (Will Anderson), or have the appeal for another team to trade up. The Panthers could use the quarterback while the Raiders would have a decision to make.
The Rams, Browns, and Broncos will unfortunately miss out on this pick. Monitor which teams might end up near the top and which skill positions they could target.
Discussion
The playoffs are right around the corner. The season has been a rollercoaster. NFL developments, like Justin Fields’ breakout, have shifted dynasty leagues. NFL downfalls, potentially Aaron Rodgers, have also shifted dynasty leagues. There will be plenty more to come.
Cheers to week 12.
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