Fantasy Roundup: Week 7
Graphic by Annelise Fisher
Another week, another round of games. Once again, fans witnessed the rare sight of backup quarterbacks taking the field across the league. In many games, starters sat out the final minutes, giving backups a few limited snaps. The Chiefs were so far ahead that Patrick Mahomes was subbed out for Gardner Minshew. Meanwhile, a few starters struggled enough to prompt in-game substitutions: Kenny Pickett came in for the Raiders, Tyrod Taylor for the Jets, and Quinn Ewers for the Dolphins. Also worth nothing, the Jets still remain winless. For full team rosters, see Week 0’s issue.
First and Lowell (3-3) vs The Inn-Zone (3-3): 110.94-100.82
Top performers: Jake Ferguson (21.9) | Brandon Aubrey (18.0)
Underperformers: Saquon Barkley (5.2) | Ashton Jeanty (4.4)
The Ball Currier (3-3) vs Kirkland Cousins (2-4): 141.94-120.04
Top performers: Chris Olave (26.8) | Jahmyr Gibbs (36.8)
Underperformers: Kyren Williams (8.5) | Jaylen Waddle (2.5)
Bring it Dome (4-2) vs Pfirst Down (4-2): 154.88-180.44
Top performers: Ja’Marr Chase (38.1) | Christian McCaffrey (39.1)
Underperformers: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (4.2) | Breece Hall (7.2)
Standout Games:
With the Bengals missing star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, it seemed that Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers would have no problem getting past the 2-4 team. Immediately, the Steelers put points on the board with a touchdown on their first drive as Rodgers consistently had plenty of time to make a pass. The momentum of the game changed when the newly-acquired, 40 year-old Joe Flacco began to find his receivers, especially Ja’Marr Chase. In the middle of the second quarter, Flacco connected with Chase for the first touchdown of the night. Over the course of the night, Chase would continue to beat corner Jalen Ramsey on his routes. Despite having all the time in the world to thread the needle, Rodgers went with a risky long ball that was intercepted, setting up another Bengals touchdown. Right before halftime, Rodgers again went long for a reception that seemed to be caught until it was stripped by D.J. Turner II for Rodgers’s second interception. Both teams continued to exchange touchdowns, leading to a 17-27 score entering the fourth quarter, favoring the Bengals. With two minutes left in the game trailing 24-30, Rodgers connected with Pat Freiermuth for a 68-yard touchdown to put the Steelers up one. However, Joe Flacco was not done. On the last drive for the Bengals, Flacco set up the winning field goal to give the Bengals the win. While the game did not end the way anyone predicted, it certainly was significantly more interesting than expected from two quarterbacks with a total age of 81.
Both teams entered the game having recently defeated the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles. The Giants currently have an electric offense under Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, facing the Broncos with a consistent, stifling defense. For the first three quarters, however, this game seemed one-sided as the Giants put up 19 unanswered points. Despite the defensive pressure, Dart looked confident in the pocket and in his ability to scramble. The Giants’ biggest problem was their inability to put up extra points, as they missed a PAT and a two-point conversion. These points would prove costly later on.
Finally, the Broncos responded with a touchdown to open the fourth quarter. The first score was not enough to change momentum as the Giants put away another touchdown. After the second Broncos touchdown, Dart had the opportunity to put the game to rest and eat away at the clock. Yet unfortunately for the Giants, a low pass was intercepted, placing the Broncos in prime field position. With another crucial drive, the inexperience of the Giants squad revealed itself as New York went three-and-out, giving Bo Nix and the Broncos the chance to take the game with two minutes remaining. The Broncos put up yet another touchdown to take the lead for the first time in the game, but the Giants responded with a Jaxson Dart touchdown with less than 40 seconds remaining. The Giants’ kicker missed yet another PAT, meaning the Broncos could win with just a field goal. That is exactly what Bo Nix did, getting his team within field goal range to complete a 19-point comeback all in the last 15 minutes of play.
Looking Ahead:
Next week, six teams take their byes: the Lions, Raiders, Rams, Cardinals, Seahawks, and Jaguars. Still, there are many games to be on the lookout for. Sunday, the Giants have a rematch with the Eagles (PHI -6.5) as the Eagles hope to prove that their previous loss was a fluke. Later that day, the Cowboys will play the Broncos (DEN -2.5) as a dangerous offense under Dak Prescott faces the tough defense of Denver.
Looking ahead, two players to keep an eye on are Ja’Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson. Chase and the Bengals will take on the winless New York Jets, who are allowing an average of 200.5 passing yards per game. Chase, who is now paired with a passing-heavy quarterback in Joe Flacco, is sure to get most of the attention from both teams. However, we saw his prowess against the Steelers as he consistently beat out former All-Pro Jalen Ramsey. As for Robinson and the Falcons, they will face the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins were outclassed by the Browns, allowing running back Quinshon Judkins to score three touchdowns. The Falcons are much better passers than the Browns with their new quarterback, so Miami will have to decide between covering the passing game or the running game. In either case, Robinson is sure to get his points.
As always, some games seem clear-cut. The Buccaneers play the 1-6 Saints (TB -5.5) as Baker continues to add to his argument for NFL MVP. Similarly, the Colts once again face the 1-6 Titans (IND -14.5) in a divisional matchup. The Colts are certainly front-runners for the Super Bowl, so they should shut down Tennessee.
Tyler Dang ’28 (tylerdang@college.harvard.edu) just wants another Titans win.