2021 Dynasty/Fantasy Game Analysis Week 17: Buccaneers 28, Jets 24
This game was led by the Jets for about three quarters, and when they had a 24-10 lead with a few minutes left in the 3rd-quarter...at that point, I thought (during the live watch)…the Jets really are going to win this darn thing aren’t they? Which was the signal to Tom Brady to reel off 18 unanswered and take the victory. It was closer than it needed to be, the Bucs escaped the AB drama and got the win.
Tampa Bay is now (12-4) and are either going to wind up as a #2 or #3 seed…and they’ll beat whatever team they draw 1st-round, and they don’t care too much about #2 or #3 seed really. I bet Brady would rather play in LA/a dome (down the road, if it came down to it) than host the Rams. But he likely doesn’t care either way. The Bucs may rest many key players Week 18, but they are saying they will not early on in the week...it's a supposed full-go for TB Week 18.
The Jets are now (4-12) and whether they win or lose Week 18, they’ll not get to the #1 NFL Draft pick (JAX has locked up) but the Jets will wind up with the #2-5 spot for the draft regardless of Week 18’s outcome.
Fantasy Player Notes…
-- What to make of the Antonio Brown (3-26-0/5) ordeal? Well, my first thought is this… They haven’t cut him as of this writing.
They said they cut him Sunday, but they didn’t do it officially. They might…but they might not. A heartfelt apology away and a team vote away from rejoining the team -- is what I think.
I’m betting he is no longer with the team for the playoffs, but they might keep him rostered just so he wont go anywhere else…but it’s not totally over that AB won’t rejoin the team for the playoffs…especially if Evans gets hurt and they need AB desperately.
Now, AB won’t be on the Bucs in 2022…I wouldn’t think. With Brown gone from the 2022 picture, and Chris Godwin a free agent with a poorly timed ACL tear…there might be openings for other WRs to step up/step in in 2022.
Rookie Jaelon Darden going into Antonio Brown’s old role could be interesting. The Tyreek Hill-ish type young WR that Tom has taken a little shine to this preseason…and that Bruce Arians called ‘like a young Antonio Brown’. I’m just saying… Not a guarantee, but it’s looking better today than it did a few days ago.
Cyril Grayson (6-84-1/8) could also be a factor in 2022. He will for sure be one Week 18 and into the playoffs. He’s going to get a shot to impress Tom…and apparently, he has been already. He caught the game winning TD here and crushed Breshad Perriman (2-41-0/3) in snaps 44-to-11. We have to assume Grayson as the #2 WR for Tampa right now, no?
-- Ronald Jones (10-26-0, 1-1-0/1) got hurt in-game, and that opened up more touches for Ke’Shawn Vaughn (8-31-0, 2-14-0/3). The RoJo injury cost a few people their title games – he was stuffed when he was in, and then got hurt/out. It happens – putting him in/starting him v. the Jets made sense.
Vaughn will be a potential RB1 v. CAR Week 18, but he may have a 2nd-team O-Line to work with…and he is questionable with a rib injury.
Le’Veon Bell (3-5-0, 3-30-0/3) is not a threat…he’s dying. He might see touches too just to keep Vaughn safe in case they need him for the playoffs. Bell getting 10 carries and 3-4 targets probably won’t be great.
-- Michael Carter (3-54-0) went down in-game, and it was Austin Walter (14-49-0) for some reason taking over as ‘lead ballcarrier’. He’s not good, but he tries hard.
Ty Johnson (5-35-1, 3-47-0/4) in a support role here shows he has little future with the Jets for any FF upside hope.
Carter is questionable Week 18 with a concussion, and Tevin Coleman should be back from COVID to muddy it all up if Carter is out.
-- Braxton Berrios (8-65-1/12, 2-12-1) keeps on improving, and getting more touches every week…and more TDs (now 4 this season)!!! A few of you were ‘forced’ to use him this title week…and ta-da!
Watching him the last few weeks, I’m thinking – why weren’t the Jets using him more before all this? He’s the Hunter Renfrow lite for the Jets.
-- IDP side note…
The Bucs had two edge rushers down (JPP and Shaq B.) for this game…and great setup for pass rushing against the weak Jets O-Line. But did 1st-round rookie Joe Tyron (4 tackles) take advantage? No.
No sacks.
No QB Hits.
The other fill-in edge rusher, Anthony Nelson (3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 TFLs) had a much stronger game.
Snap Counts of Interest:
59 = Jeff Smith
53 = Berrios
50 = K Cole
31 = Ty J
25 = A Walter
08 = M Carter
56 = Evans
49 = Tyler Johnson
47 = Grayson
11 = Perriman
26 = L Bell
24 = Vaughn
20 = RoJo
58 = A Nelson
53 = J Tryon
**College Football Metrics 2022…new season early-sign ups start January, 6th 2022 NoonET**
The new season of CFM will be starting up in January, as always. A little different schedule this year as the NFL extended their season by a week and the Senior Bowl was bumped back a week as well. We should have a Senior Bowl, NFL Combine…it looks like it will be a normal scouting year!
The NFL Draft, Dynasty Rookie Draft, and regular season ahead rookie analysis all gets started through CFM in January with our usual season starter -- the past two years/2020-2021 Mock Rookie Draft re-do, along with in-depth Senior Bowl analysis, and full QB scouting reports and much more as we build towards the NFL Combine and all the other positional scouting reports. Football study never ends…
Thank you for your support of CFM for the past decade now…wow, time flies.
