10/26 MON (5:43amET)
Today:
-- W.A.R Report for Week 8 (Part I of II: notes Monday’s research day)
(early morningET) = Three things that gripped me from Sunday
(middayET) First batch of notes from research day
(eveningET) Last batch of notes from research day
Could be updates anywhere in-between all that. I’m going to try to keep it to three posts for the day for simplicity’s sake, but if a trade or major news items hit--we’ll go over it there. Could be BTJ trade day.
-- Week 7 TNF (CHI-NE) Game Report leads us off on game reports
-- MNF = DAL at PHI, the FFM Betting Discord MNF chat will be open.
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-- Two Scouts Talking YouTube Video
This past week/s:
Tremble/TJH: https://youtu.be/1iSevcxR_n4
JJ McMcCarthy: https://youtu.be/4ZKSVSeD6Es
Omar Cooper: https://youtu.be/hp7Ye87ubCM
Marshawn Lloyd (timely...): https://youtu.be/AMHGP2NF7Vs
Woody Marks: https://youtu.be/BtLIcmlu5oo
Dohnte Meyers: https://youtu.be/EEIw3IGX_zQ
Darius Cooper: https://youtu.be/1wj2pa_VEd8
Keon Coleman: https://youtu.be/yne4bYOpCG8
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NEW DISCORD NOTIFICATION SYSTEM/INVITE: FFM Discord Notification System
*This is not a chat room. It is a one-way channel for FFM notifications about newly posted items and critical breaking news.
== NEWS & NOTES & Xs ==
-- Sunday first/early data returns...
A decent week trending for a win-rate across all FFM tracking of various platforms. The W’s crapped out again en masse. But three RBs that FFMers have a good share of ruled Sunday...Tony Pollard was a sit-start conundrum that many who had him flipped to when Spears was ruled out...and he singlehandedly won some leagues this week. Bucky Irving is on a lot of redraft teams this year, and he was the #2 RB of the week. Josh Jacobs returning helped many who have had him in storage in Dynasty.
RBs coming through more than not. Colston Loveland’s rise. It was a week of ‘should I start these guys’ and if you did or were forced to by the byes...several snuck away with a weird-feeling victory.
FFM-land has SO much Brandon Aubrey...what he does tonight will tell the final tale. It looks like a solid but not special win-rate week across the board, not as good/high as the last two weeks but not bad for a bye week. A middling win for many, but you’ll take it.
The losses I’m seeing are the sad type, but what happens to all of us any given week -- the win was on the bench due to a sit-start choice that didn’t work out. If you're gonna beat yourself up for not starting, let's say, like a Tony Pollard who had his first real impact game and I don't know how long... If you think you were supposed to know that was about to happen, that the Browns would have such a weird start to the game and give Pollard this extra opportunity...then I don't know what to tell you.
The whole joy and pain of fantasy is trying to guess the sit-starts correctly. No one is ever gonna get them all right all the time on command.
SNF Game First Reactions...
-- When it comes down to it, the power in the NFL is in the NFC. My top 5 ‘gut feel’ teams from the tape usually contain 3 to 4 NFC teams each time.
-- Kansas City got embarrassed here. The Chiefs' last 4 games prior to this one were against the bottom-of-the-barrel type teams in the NFL, and the ‘decent’ bad teams they faced in there they barely escaped by a field goal (Indy and LV).
The Chiefs are good, in today’s NFL, and could go to the Super Bowl, no doubt...but they’d likely finish 4th in the NFC West if they were swapped into it with the Cardinals.
-- It goes without saying: And this is why you shouldn’t spend a bunch of payroll on a running back.
Seattle is winning/is a top team with RBs other teams wouldn’t consider for their 53-man roster.
The 49ers are probably just as good with Kaelon Black as CMC these days. It’s Mike Evans they cannot live without.
The Rams have a moderately priced Kyren Williams and a still-on-a-rookie-contract-deal Blake Corum split.
Seattle will run a split...SF is moving to a split...the Rams have a split...everyone is moving to a split, but KC is making a running back the centerpiece of their offense, and when it got taken away against Seattle, they have no great answer.
If KC was in the NFC West, they’d have the worst O-Line and 2nd-4th-best defense.
And I’m not slamming KC so much as showing—they don’t have what the NFC West’s more ‘progressive’ teams have for a setup.
-- The Chiefs are the only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to have a game with:
no 10+ yard rushes
no 20+ yard passes
no red-zone drives
no touchdowns
multiple missed field goals
-- Sports Cards Giveaway winners...
Contest winners, my plan is to start shipping out your cards this upcoming week as long as I don't get totally crushed with football action. When I ship them, I will e-mail you to let you know they're on the way so you can keep a lookout for them.
==Injury Center/Ward==
-- Gibbs: https://x.com/MaddoxMcCloudPT/status/2114501301996261607?s=20
-- A listing of some of the key injuries we’ll all be tracking this week...
.
Offensive Line
- Taylor Moton (RT, Panthers): Suffered a fractured left fibula against Tampa Bay and is out indefinitely, officially confirmed by head coach Dave Canales postgame. Moton faces an extended multi-week absence and is a prime candidate for injured reserve.
- Sean Rhyan (C/G, Packers): Sustained an ankle injury against Detroit when interior linemen rolled up on his lower leg. He was unable to return, and follow-up imaging on Monday is set to determine if high-ankle or deltoid ligament damage will keep him sidelined for Week 8.
- Jacob Monk (C/G, Packers): Suffered an acute quadriceps injury shortly after replacing Rhyan at center against the Lions and did not return. Exiting immediately with a muscle pull puts his status for this week in serious jeopardy, creating an immediate depth crisis along Green Bay's interior line.
Running Backs
- Aaron Jones Sr. (RB, Vikings): Exited against Indianapolis in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury and did not return. Given his history of knee/MCL sprains on that same leg, medical staff are testing for structural damage Monday, leaving his Week 8 availability completely up in the air.
- Tyrone Tracy Jr. (RB, Giants): Exited Sunday against Houston due to a left hamstring pull and did not return. Soft-tissue hamstring strains carry heavy reinjury risk, putting him in doubt pending MRI confirmation.
- Cam Skattebo (RB, Giants): Pulled up with a non-contact hamstring injury on a 42-yard run in overtime against Houston and went down immediately. With Tracy and Skattebo both tweaking hamstrings in the same game, the Giants' backfield health is under severe watch.
- Christian McCaffrey (RB, 49ers): Briefly retreated to the locker room in the first half against Atlanta with a thigh injury. Though he played through it in the second half, thigh and quad contusions typically see significant swelling and stiffness by Monday morning, making his practice participation and Week 8 workload one to track closely.
- Kenny Gainwell (RB, Buccaneers): Suffered a hip injury against Carolina and was ruled questionable to return before sitting out the second half. His upcoming status will depend on whether this is an acute hip pointer or labral/groin-related issue.
Wide Receivers
- Rashid Shaheed (WR, Seahawks): Sustained a knee injury during the first half against Kansas City and was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game. He is undergoing imaging on Monday to evaluate the joint and determine if an IR stint is required.
- Jaylin Noel (WR, Texans): Suffered a turf toe injury against the Giants and was seen leaving the stadium in a walking boot. While Houston has a Week 8 bye to buy recovery time, turf toe severity (Grade 1 vs. Grade 2/3 tear) will dictate whether he misses time when Houston returns to action.
- Drake London (WR, Falcons): Exited to the blue medical tent against San Francisco for a concussion check. While he returned late in the contest, players undergoing in-game head evaluations are monitored by team physicians on Monday for delayed symptoms that could force entry into the five-step concussion protocol.
Key Defensive Starters
- T'Vondre Sweat (DT, Jets): The starting defensive tackle exited Sunday’s divisional game against Miami with a knee injury and was officially ruled out. Monday MRI results will dictate whether he faces a short-term sprain or extended absence.
== Interesting STAT Center ==
-- Rookie WRs with at least two 100+ yard games in their first three career games [Since 1985]
+ OMAR COOPER JR.
+ Puka Nacua
+ Stefon Diggs
+ DeSean Jackson
+ Amari Cooper
+ Will Fuller
-- Rams RB touches this year:
Weeks 1-5:
Kyren 97 Corum 45
Weeks 6-7:
Kyren 31 Corum 29
-- @doug_clawson: The Vikings are on fraud alert:
* Played 3rd-easiest SOS so far (.390 opp win pct)
* Play hardest SOS in next 4 weeks (.731 opp win pct)
* Face top 3 offenses and top 3 QBs in terms of EPA in next 4 weeks (DET, BUF, SF)
RC vs. Ross Coffee bets (through Wk7):
More targets this season...
31 = Raymond (RC)
25 = D. Swift (Ross)
== QUOTES & QUOTABLES ==
-- Quote of the year candidate: John Harbaugh is “killing mosquitoes with an axe” says Mike Tomlin, referring to the NYG coach benching Cam Skateboo for fumbling last week and releasing Najee Harris after the player questioned his opportunities. He’s making an example of them to underscore his authority with new team.
-- The #Giants played the #Texans today without their Week 1 starting ...
QB (Jaxson Dart)
C (John Michael Schmitz)
EDGE (Brian Burns)
MLB (Tremaine Edmunds)
CB (Greg Newsome)
S (Jevon Holland)
Their two offensive tackles (Andrew Thomas, Jermaine Eluemunor) are playing hurt. They started their third quarterback of the season (JJ McCarthy).
They beat Houston as 10.5-point underdogs.
Think Eluemunor said it best: "It says a lot about the players, but it says even more about the coaches. Having someone like Coach (John) Harbaugh who instills confidence in you 24/7.
"We had a tough meeting after the Saints game, but for everyone to come back, bounce back from that take it on the shoulder, come out here this week, and play the way we did, it was huge."
-- Garrett v. Geno: https://x.com/MySportsUpdate/status/2114438229164208544?s=20
-- @4WhomJBellTolls: Houston traded for Marvin Harrison Jr., got Tank Dell back healthy, have Jaylin Noel breaking out, and still have Nico Collins.
So naturally they are scheming plays for Xavier Hutchinson on the game deciding drive.
Your moment of Zen for this day...
-- We’ve all been on both ends of it: https://x.com/FFMikeKash/status/2114411191397404791?s=20
-- BRAVO Mr. Rodgers: https://x.com/DesireeAmerica4/status/2114449953116631127?s=20
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