The Dynasty Aftermath: It’s Championship Week

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 seventeen years and I love it. 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. This year, I’m doing a “Five in Five” article each week and that previews this article on Saturdays. Let’s recap the storylines from last week before we get into it.

He’s All Thumbs

The Jonathan Taylor health watch has been a huge story all season long. After missing the first few weeks of the season, Taylor was eased back into the lineup and finally started looking like his old self. Unfortunately, a thumb injury that required surgery has taken him out of action the past three weeks. We were hoping to see a big week and didn’t really get it.

Prediction: Taylor goes for 100 total yards and a touchdown, despite playing against a Falcons defense that’s been stingy on the run.
Reality: Taylor goes for 43 yards and a touchdown.

Njoku is Nbelievable

The insertion of veteran Joe Flacco to the Browns lineup has boosted the value of David Njoku, who had a whopping 16 catches (on 22 targets), 195 yards and three touchdowns over the past two weeks. There are surprise players who decide fantasy championships by getting hot at the right time and Njoku fits the bill. We were thinking Njoku looked like a “set it and forget it” option the rest of the way.

Prediction: Njoku stays hot with another touchdown this week.
Reality: Yep. Another score for Njoku.

ETN is MIA

Travis Etienne has been the epitome of the “good but not great” option this year and is on a bit of a cold stretch with just one touchdown over the past four weeks. In fact, he had just one game this year with more than 100 rushing yards and hadn’t posted a 100-yard receiving game all season. His ten total touchdowns have saved his value but he was clearly in the crosshairs.

Prediction: This is it! Etienne goes for at least 100 rushing yards.
Reality: Nope. Eitenne posted just 12 rushing yards, three catches and 19 receiving yards in a total bust.

Fish Bait

The Cowboys traveled to Miami for a monster road game against the high flying Dolphins. Dallas had lost four games this year and they’ve all been on the road, including last week’s debacle against the Bills. Dynasty managers everywhere were begging for players like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Tony Pollard and the rest of the Dallas offense to re-emerge in this crucial fantasy week. This is going to be the game of the week in fantasy and reality with the likely return of Tyreek Hill and the rest of the Miami offense poised to make a point.

Prediction: The Cowboys are good but not great in a close win. Prescott throws for two, Lamb catches one of those and Pollard does what he does – compile empty yards.
Reality: We got the numbers right but Dallas loses another one on the road.

Holiday Baker

The Baker Mayfield experiment is working just fine in Tampa Bay this year. In fact, the previous week may have brought us Mayfield’s best ever game as he completed 22-of-28 passes for 381 yards and four touchdowns, becoming the first visiting quarterback to ever post a perfect passer rating at Lambeau Field. While Mayfield is still a fringe starter in dynasty leagues, he had six touchdowns and no interceptions over the past two weeks, making all the Tampa pass catchers very viable options this week. What could he bake up for us next?

Prediction: Mayfield stays on a heater with three more touchdowns.
Reality: Mayfield has two more with no interceptions, staying hot.

The theme this week is pretty simple! Here’s a list of the top ten things I didn’t get for Christmas but need during championship week. Feel free to add your own below:

1.) Jalen Hurts to be 2022 Jalen Hurts
2.) Davante Adams to look like his old self
3.) Stefon Diggs to somehow re-connect with Josh Allen
4.) Jonathan Taylor to do Jonathan Taylor things
5.) Breece Hall to somehow keep doing amazing things
6.) Travis Kelce to be Travis Kelce
7.) Zamir White to look like that again
8.) Isiah Pacheco to be OK
9.) Evan Engram to keep it up
10.) Just to win in every league I’m in. That’s it.

On to week sixteen!

Fantasy MVP of the Week

Amari Cooper is notorious for posting crazy and inconsistent stat lines. Just when you think you can count on him, we typically see duds. Just when you think he’s over the hill, he explodes. This week reminded all of us of the talent he really has and reinforced the simple truth – you never know what you’re going to get with him. He set a Browns receiving yardage franchise record with 11 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns in a win against Houston, recording one of the biggest fantasy days in history. And next week, he could catch one pass for two yards. Feel lucky?

Fantasy LVP of the Week

Davante Adams has just 86 catches for 976 yards and five touchdowns on the season, making it his worst year in the better part of the last decade. He hit rock bottom this week with just one catch for four yards and is becoming a real question mark in lineups moving forward. At this point, he needs a change of scenery.

The Unbeatable Lineup of the Week

QB Derek Carr NO = 319 passing yards, three touchdowns, one interception
RB Breece Hall NYJ = 95 rushing yards, 12 catches, 96 receiving yards, two touchdowns
RB Christian McCaffrey SF = 103 rushing yards, six catches, 28 receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Derrick Henry TEN = 88 rushing yards, 11 receiving yards, 12 passing yards, two touchdowns
WR Amari Cooper CLE = 11 catches, 265 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR George Pickens PIT = Four catches, 195 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Puka Nacua LAR = Nine catches, 164 receiving yards, one touchdown
TE George Kittle SF = Seven catches, 126 receiving yards

The Underdog Lineup of the Week

QB Joe Flacco CLE = 368 passing yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions
RB James Conner ARI = 45 rushing yards, five catches, 67 receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Ezekiel Elliott NE = 27 rushing yards, nine catches, 33 receiving yards, one touchdown
RB Chris Rodriguez WAS = 58 rushing yards, one catch, seven receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR DJ Chark CAR = Six catches, 98 receiving yards, two touchdowns
WR Gabe Davis BUF = Four catches, 130 receiving yards, one touchdown
WR KJ Osborn MIN = Five catches, 95 receiving yards, one touchdown
TE Chigoziem Okonkwo TEN = Six catches, 63 receiving yards, one touchdown

The Disapointing Lineup of the Week

QB Aidan O’Connell LV = 62 passing yards
RB James Cook BUF = 70 rushing yards, one fumble
RB De’Von Achane MIA = 24 rushing yards, one catch, seven receiving yards
RB Tony Pollard DAL = 38 rushing yards, one catch, five receiving yards
WR Davante Adams LV = One catch, four receiving yards
WR Jordan Addison MIN = One catch, two receiving yards
WR Curtis Samuel WAS = One catch, 16 receiving yards
TE Taysom Hill NO = Two rushing yards

Gut Checks

I’d be worried if I have Tony Pollard.

I’d be worried if I was needing Taysom Hill right now. What a weird season.

I’d be worried if I was underestimating the Rams.

I’d be worried if I though Mason Rudolph couldn’t do that one more time,

I’d be worried if I missed out on Puka Nacua.

I’d be worried if I thought I had the Steelers running back situation figured out.

I’d be worried if I needed anyone on the Chargers the rest of the way.

I’d be worried if I thought Stefon Diggs or Davante Adams were lineup locks this week.

I’d be worried if I wasn’t a little concerned about the average season from DK Metcalf.

I’d be worried if I thought Derrick Henry was going to be in Tennessee next season.

I’d be worried if I was playing against Amon-Ra St. Brown.

I’d be worried if I was all of a sudden sold on Aaron Jones.

I’d be worried if I was ignoring Baker Mayfield.

I’d be worried if I thought Mike Evans was over the hill.

I’d be worried if I was comfortable with Amari Cooper this week.

I’d be worried if I was underestimating Kyler Murray or James Conner.

I’d be worried if I thought the Dallas players were the same on the road.

I’d be worried if I needed Jaylen Waddle or TJ Hockenson this week.

The Top Rookie Scoring Averages

1.) CJ Stroud, QB HOU = 22.46
2.) Anthony Richardson, QB IND = 20.36
3.) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB DET = 17.72
4.) Puka Nacua, WR LAR = 17.71
5.) De’Von Achane RB MIA = 17.32
6.) Will Levis, QB TEN = 16.45
7.) Tank Dell, WR HOU = 15.04
8.) Tyson Bagent QB CHI = 14.39
9.) Bijan Robinson, RB ATL = 14.31
10.) Sam LaPorta, TE DET = 14.00
11.) Bryce Young, QB CAR = 13.95
12.) Jordan Addison, WR MIN = 13.32
14.) Rashee Rice WR KC = 13.14
15.) Aidan O’Connell, QB LV = 12.87
16.) Jayden Reed, WR GB = 12.52
17.) Zay Flowers WR BAL = 12.49
18.) Tommy DeVito QB NYG = 12.10
19.) Josh Downs WR IND = 9.47
20.) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR SEA = 9.15

The Rookie Top Ten

Always check our latest rankings to see the updates throughout the week. These rankings are simply my own.

1.) Bijan Robinson, RB ATL
The first few are pretty close in my mind.

2.) De’Von Achane, RB MIA
Still think he has monster upside.

3.) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB DET
Stringing together some monster performances now.

4.) Puka Nacua, WR LAR
What a year.

GAP

5.) Tank Dell, WR HOU
What a bummer. Lost for the season.

6.) Sam LaPorta, TE DET
Again, could make a case for 1.01.

7.)  Jordan Addison, WR MIN
Hope he heals quickly.

8.) Rashee Rice, WR KC
I think he belongs in this tier at this point.

GAP

9.)  CJ Stroud,QB HOU
Would love to see him back this week.

10.) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR SEA
Still has big upside but this rookie season has been a disappointment.

See you on Saturday for the “Five in Five!” and next week for the Dynasty Aftermath.