-- Weather Issues Week 14...
The JAX-CLE game has totally flipped from a high likelihood of rain Sunday to start the week to now 10% chance of some rain. Consider that game ‘normal’ for weather/outputs.
There are two games where rain will be an issue...
1) HOU-NYJ...90%+ chance of rain during the game...more FF worries for C.J. Stroud on top of the Jets pass defense issue. But it will be unseasonably warm...and that will help some, and the rain could neutralize the Jets cover corners a bit as well. Sloppy field conditions will make it tough for cutting and holding onto the ball.
2) LAR-BAL...almost a 100% chance of rain all week...ditto all the issues as HOU-NYJ.
One side note: the last time I saw Keaton Mitchell working on that mess of a Ravens field/surface in wet weather, he was slipping all over the place trying to make cuts. It may be more of a Gus Edwards game than Keaton game, unless he found new cleats.
-- Taysom Hill OUT this week. A boost for Kamara, and slight help for Derek Carr (who will play) who won’t lose key red zone snaps with Hill out.
-- Chris Godwin’s wife created a firestorm this week for the Bucs by complaining about Godwin’s lack of targets/general disrespect by the team...
Todd Bowles was asked about it and the fact that Godwin was banged up and rotated out a lot as to why Godwin had no catches last week...and then she pointed out he played his normal number of snaps in the game on social media on top of the general disrespect. Bowles had to meet privately with Godwin and took questions on it all week.
It was a big deal in Tampa. This has to be a game where they get him targets this game...a lot of them, you’d think. That’s the way it works in the NFL with players of some stature and spineless/awful head coaches.
-- QB injury updates...
Joe Flacco will start for CLE, but no Dawand Jones (out/injured) this week does not help – but that’s a game where the Browns face a top run defense and bottom of the barrel level pass defense, now with no rain worries like early week...Flacco could be the surprise passer of the week on volume.
Trevor Lawrence likely to start and stay contained to the pocket more than usual, but probably not totally limited...based on watching him throw and move in practice.
Geno Smith, I think is going to be ruled out...or if he plays, he could get hurt in-game and be done. Geno potentially set to miss Week 14...and Week 15...which were likely two losses coming anyway (SF and PHI). If true, PHI-DST might actually be good for once vs. Drew Lock Week 15.
-- Isiah Pacheco out Week 14. The fact he didn’t go on IR this week hopefully means it’s just a week off and he’ll play though it in Week 15 or Week 16, but a huge blow to a guy owned by most FFM teams.
Andy Reid instantly jumping up to say CEH would be in the Pacheco role as lead back this week...I’m going to believe what he tells us. CEH is no Pacheco, but being the lead RB for KC isn’t a bad thing for FF...and he’s playing for his career ahead (FA 2024).
CEH could flop and open the door for more Jerick McKinnon, but it starts with CEH getting the chance and that makes him a legit RB2.
-- Aaron Jones available/starting on MNF? Unknown. We probably won’t know until Monday.
*Reminder, two MNF games this week...be sure to have MNF players in the Flex, or SNF player if no MNF player, etc., to keep that Flex spot as flexible as possible.
-- All this Austin Ekeler talk (by Brandon Staley) this week makes me think this will be a big Ekeler week, and not a Joshua Kelley takeover. Brandon Staley just disrespected one of the most respected players on the team/in the league this week, so if Staley already wasn’t hated in the locker room...he has totally lost them now.
If I could re-do my Blazing Five, I’d put Denver +3.0 in that top 5 picks ATS.
I suspect this insult will motivate Ekeler to have a big game for pride’s sake, even though he now (has to) hate this organization with the fire of a thousand suns...but Staley still could limit his touches because Staley is an idiot and petty.
I watched some Ekeler tape of recent games, just kinda skimmed it to look at Ekeler’s movement skills/speed, to see if there was a noticeable issue...I don’t really see how Ekeler has fallen off and it’s his fault. I’d blame the HC and failing O-C.
-- Dontayvion Wicks or Jalin Hyatt?
No Christian Watson means Wicks is likely to start, and this could have his breakout performance and show he’s the real ‘top guy’ for Love, play in and play out. I want to see Wicks lead the WRs in snaps for GB this game.
Jalin Hyatt is almost a boom-bust start for FF this week, as the alternative to Wicks being a more steady/stable option. Hyatt had a 100+ yard game his last game (Week 12) and he has legit, high-end speed to make one big play to have a banner FF week. He’s also this team's top weapon in the passing game, but we don’t have the proof of concept on that like we have seen Wicks in recent weeks.
DeVito-to-Hyatt is less proven than Love-to-Wicks this season, so Wicks is the smart call...Hyatt the radical call.
-- Elijah Mitchell hurt/out again...brings Jordan Mason back into the ‘what if CMC gets hurt’...or ‘what if SF gets up big on SEA and they rest CMC some’ sweepstakes of value.
