The Dynasty Aftermath: The Beauty of AI
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 the past eighteen years and I love it (I cannot believe I just typed that). I enjoy combing through the stats of the week on Monday night, putting together ridiculous lineups, picking MVPs/LVPs and discussing things to worry about.
That’s not all. I also really love sharing observations, little bits of entertainment or some stories with the community of DLF and picking a theme for this column each week. You really never know what you’re going to get.
As a schoolteacher, AI is a huge development. The unveiling of ChatGPT and other similar resources has given us not just another piece of technology to use but also something to learn, teach and monitor. After all, the intelligence it gathers is unbelievable, unique, borderline untraceable and relatively accurate (or is it?). The image on this article was created by a student of mine today when it asked AI to create a dog with chicken legs. I’m not really sure what that image is, but it’s clearly different! In addition, the beast has what looks to be the Chic-Fil-A logo on its head. If this is where those nuggets really come from, I’m out.
For this week’s version of The Aftermath, I decided to truly put AI to the test by asking it basic questions about me and Ryan McDowell, my fellow DLF partner in crime. We’ve both been at this for over 20 years, so I felt like AI would be a good judge with some very basic questions, so I asked it to test once and for all if AI really is the wave of the future. Can it really detect that I’m clearly better than Ryan?
With that in mind, this was my interaction. Let’s find out together!
Clearly that didn’t give me what we needed. After all, we know the answer, right? I can live with those responses, though. Ryan is an excellent analyst and one of the greatest minds in fantasy football, but I needed to refine my questions to see who really was superior.
Let’s move to question two.
Still not the answer all of us are looking for. I had to move forward into more specifics.
Question three is a big one.
C’mon. Have some courage, AI. I was starting to lose faith. Time to really get into the weeds.
Again, not getting what we want, though either of us would be a tremendous roommate. However, I would clearly be the better choice and everyone knows it. With that in mind, it’s time to really test AI once and for all with a question every person needs an answer to. I wasn’t going to let AI off the hook.
I win. I’m the best. AI is amazing and this proves it’s unbelievably accurate. Prepare for an apocalypse like you see in Terminator movies because that’s coming next.
On to week one!
Fantasy MVP of the Week
It’s hard not to go with Isaiah Likely here. He had a whopping 12 more fantasy points than any other tight end in week one as he posted a massive 9/111/1 line and if you remember, it could have easily been 10/118/2 had his toe not touched the end line at the end of the Ravens game. This is likely (yep, I know) the best game he’ll have all year but anyone who used him as a streamer this week has to be downright thrilled with what they got. I’m tempted to go with the unlikely starter Jordan Mason but so few people likely had him in their lineups that I’ll likely stick with Likely. Wait. What!?!
Fantasy LVP of the Week
I love the talent from Marvin Harrison Jr and I know he’s going to be a great player. However, one catch and four receiving yards in the opener after being the first overall position player taken in just about every rookie draft is unbelievably disappointing. Again, hes going to be fine. However, we’ve waited for this debut for month and it was a major buzzkill.
The Unbeatable Lineup of the Week
QB Baker Mayfield TB = 289 passing yards, 21 rushing yards, four touchdowns
RB Saquon Barkley PHI = 109 rushing yards, two catches, 23 receiving yards, three touchdowns
RB Joe Mixon HOUÂ = 159 rushing yards, three catches, 19 receiving yards, one touchdown
RB De’Von Achane MIA = 24 rushing yards, seven catches, 76 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Jayden Reed GB = Four catches, 138 receiving yards, 33 rushing yards, two touchdowns
WR Cooper Kupp LAR = 14 catches, 110 receiving yards, ten rushing yards, one touchdown
WR Tyreek Hill MIA = Seven catches, 130 receiving yards, one touchdown
TE Isaiah Likely BAL = Nine catches, 111 receiving yards, one touchdown
The Underdog Lineup of the Week
QB Jayden Daniels WAS= 184 passing yards, 88 rushing yards, two touchdowns
RB JK Dobbins LAC = 135 rushing yards, three catches, four receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Alexander Mattison LV = 19 rushing yards, four catches, 43 receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Jordan Mason SF = 147 rushing yards, one catches, five receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Jameson Williams DET = Five catches, 121 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Alec Pierce IND = Three catches, 125 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR Allen Lazard NYJÂ = Six catches, 89 receiving yards, two touchdowns
TE Foster Moreau NO = Four catches, 43 receiving yards, one touchdown
The Disappointing Lineup of the Week
QB Caleb Williams CHI = 93 passing yards, 15 rushing yards
RB Blake Corum LAR = No rushing yards
RB Javonte Williams DEN = 23 rushing yards, one catch, no receiving yards
RB Zamir White LV = 44 rushing yards, two catches, two receiving yards
WR Dyami Brown WAS = No catches
WR Jahan Dotson PHI = No catches
WR Dontayvion Wicks GB = No catches
TE Luke Musgrave GB = No catches
Gut Checks
I’d be worried if I had Deshaun Watson, This is looking tragic. Not even borderline tragic.
I’d be worried if I had underestimated Saquon Barkley.
I’d be worried if I thought Alvin Kamara was cooked. Not quite.
I’d be worried if I thought Trey Benson was going to be a factor for Arizona early.
I’d be worried if I was counting on Rico Dowdle.
I’d be worried if I thought the Bengals running back situation was settled.
I’d be worried if I ate a nugget that came from whatever that animal is. There isn’t enough buffalo sauce to mask that.
I’d be worried if I was counting on any Denver running back.
I’d be worried if I thought Chris Olave was going to do that again.
I’d be worried if I had Terry McLaurin. That was weird.
I’d be worried if I was underestimating the potential of Anthony Richardson.
I’d be worried if I missed out on Jameson Williams
I’d be worried if I needed production from Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
I’d be worried if I was counting on Caleb Williams.
I’d be worried if I thought Jerome Ford was Nick Chubb.
I’d be worried if I gave up on JK Dobbins.
I’d be worried if I didn’t listen to me about Travis Etienne. I’m wrong a lot but this one was obvious.
I’d be worried if I was deploying D’Andre Swift. Yuck.
I’d be worried if I was overreacting about anything this week.
I’d be worried if I was playing against Josh Allen.
I’d be worried if I was underestimating De’Von Achane.
I’d be worried if I had Drake London.
I’d be worried if I thought Calvin Ridley was still a WR1.
I’d be worried if I had given up on Rashee Rice.
I’d be worried if I needed Puka Nacua over the next month.
I’d be worried if I threw in the towel on Cooper Kupp, See, Nacua, Puka.
I’d be worried if I thought I needed Jordan Love any time soon.
I’d be worried if I thought Mike Evans couldn’t do it again. He can. And will.
I’d be worried if I was overreacting to anything this week.
Fun with Numbers
Tua Tagovailoa is on pace for 5,746 passing yards this season.
Saquon Barkley is on pace to score 51 total touchdowns.
Baker Mayfield is on pace to throw 68 touchdown passes.
Deshaun Watson is on pace to post a season with 2,873 passing yards with 17 touchdowns and 34 interceptions.
Bryce Young is even worse as he’s on pace to post a season with 2,737 yards, with no touchdowns and 34 interceptions.
Joe Mixon is on pace for 2,703 rushing yards this year.
JK Dobbins is on pace for 2,295 rushing yards, which would clearly win him Comeback Player of the Year.
Cooper Kupp is on pace for 238 receptions. That would be pretty good.
Jayden Reed is on pace for a season featuring 68 catches, 2,346 receiving yards, 561 rushing yards, and 34 total touchdowns. That would be a decent season as well.
Jordan Mason is on pace for 2,499 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns with Christian McCaffrey not posting a single statistic this year. I figured some handcuffs would hit but that was ridiculous.
The Rookie Top Ten
Always check our latest rankings to see the updates throughout the week. These rankings are simply my own.
1.) Marvin Harrison Jr WR ARI
I’m not overreacting to one bad week.
2.) Malik Nabers, WR NYG
How good can he be with a decent quarterback?
3.) Rome Odunze, WR CHI
The MRI he’s getting is a concern. His talent is not.
4.) Brock Bowers, TE LV
He needs to be great to justify his draft slot and he was in week one.
5.) Brian Thomas, WR JAX
Solid start for the dynamic rookie.
6.) Xavier Worthy, WR KC
I love the production but he needs more targets to move higher on this list.
7.) Jonathon Brooks, RB CAR
Waiting patiently.
8.) Ladd McConkey, WR LAC
So far, so good.
9.) Keon Coleman, WR BUF
Not bad for one week.
10.) Jayden Daniels, QB WAS
I’d take him in the top ten in a non-SF format.
Bonus AI Question
See you next week for the Dynasty Aftermath.
Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK
