Fantasy league 2020 -- week 8 recap

Think your vote doesn’t matter?

In 2016, a blowhard New Yorker with funny hair won the vote by just a few thousand votes in one of the closest contests in history. He overpromised what he could deliver over the next four years and the result was misery in New Jersey, Ohio and a lot of other places around the country

In 2008, voters’ decisions made Hawaii the default center of power in the Western world, and elevated a funny-named guy from relative anonymity to the top of the world’s top stage.

In 2000, a slick-talking Texan won his spot thanks to an unexpected surge in support right as the final ballots came in.

And that isn’t the only voting drama we’ve seen in our lifetime. Despite that, too many people believe that their vote won’t count, or if it does it won’t move the totals enough to matter. But we’ve seen time and again that just isn’t true.

One vote can make a difference. One vote can reshape the landscape. One vote can change the world.

So if you’re still upset about Giants WR Odell Beckham making the Pro Bowl in 2016 or Cowboys CB Deion Sanders making the Pro Bowl in 2000, do something about it. Make sure to vote in the league’s all-star selections this year.

Sure, your vote probably can’t return the Pro Bowl game to Hawaii, where it was played in 2008, or return Ravens LB Brendon Ayanbadejo to the glory that was his season that year, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

So don’t forget to vote when Pro Bowl voting begins on Nov. 12. It’s your duty as a responsible citizen, after all.

Oh and hopefully you already made a plan to vote in the other election too. Whatever.

QB: Patrick Mahomes, 46.64 pts — started by Bob
WR: DK Metcalf, 28.73 pts — started by me
RB: Dalvin Cook, 45.50 pts — started by Mom D
TE: Travis Kelce, 17.27 pts — started by Joel
K: Michael Badgley, 15.00 pts — on Bob’s bench
DEF: Philadelphia, 25.00 pts — started by Jeff
D: Robert Spillane, 16.00 pts — on the wire

Mahomes five-TD performance went largely ignored by football pundits this weekend, in part because it was against the Jets, but also in part because it was overshadowed by Dalvin Cook’s huge game: Three rushing TDs, 163 yds, plus 63 more receiving yds and a receiving TD. It was the best RB performance since Derrick Henry’s whopping 47.80 pts in week 14 of 2018 (where he topped 200-yds rushing and scored four TDs).

The least deserving top performance of the week was secured by the Eagles, who scored a disputed touchdown on a 80-yd fumble return and then benefitted from an intentional safety a few minutes later as the Cowboys tried to use statistical probability to win the game instead of scoring touchdowns. Those two moves accounted for more than half of the defensive fantasy points in the game for Philly.

For the record, the Cowboys defense came into the game having scored a total of 0.00 fantasy pts through seven games. QB Carson Wentz’ four turnovers and four sacks gave them 14 pts for the game, which is … checks my math .. INFINITY TIMES MORE points and shows how abysmal the Eagles offense is right now.


“Pass catchers” edition

3rd place: Cedric Wilson, -1.10 pts — on the waiver wire
2nd place: Chris Herndon, -1.30 pts — on the waiver wire
1st place: Dante Pettis, -1.64 pts — on the waiver wire

It’s not that often you get WRs/TEs on the worst performers list, but they filled up the sheet this week. Herdon and Pettis — both seen as potential breakout stars at the start of 2019 — managed a fumble in their lone touch this week. Wilson had to work harder at his miserable stat line, rushing twice for -11 yds in the Cowboys loss Sunday night.

Special shout out to Bob, who started the Tennessee defense this week, worth -3.00 pts … and that turned out to be the correct call. His other defense, San Fran, managed -4.00 pts. Some weeks you just can’t win. And if you’re the Jets, it’s all of the weeks.


** I know everyone wants to do their part to make sure that as many people as possible exercise their opportunity to vote. But the NFL has a public service announcement where Commissioner Roger Goodell says “I’m counting on you to do your part and vote” and now I’m questioning whether or not I still support democracy or want to abandon voting altogether …

Also, the NFL announced that, in an effort to encourage voting among its staff, all league employees would be given Tuesday off. And that’s a big deal for a league that… plays all its games on the weekends and considers Tuesday and Wednesday its two off days each week. Very magnanimous to give everyone a Saturday off, guys.

** ESPN reported Saturday that Patriots WR Julian Edelman underwent a “precautionary knee procedure” last week and will miss the next few games as he recovers from the surgery.

If you have a procedure that involves cutting into your leg and forces you to miss several games … is that really “precautionary” or just, you know, surgery? I mean, I guess it could always get worse, but I’m not sure that missing several games in the middle of a season counts as preventing anything.

** Wentz on Sunday, after throwing two interceptions (leading to one-third of the Cowboys points), fumbling the ball twice (leading to another third of the Cowboys points), and scoring 15 points against the league’s worst defense, told reporters that: “I’m not good enough.”

I guess that’s one way to look at it.

ESPN reported on Monday that NFL officials are considering expanding the playoff field from 14 teams (you remember they added two more spots this year, right) to 16 teams if the ongoing coronavirus pandemic forces the cancellation of additional regular season games, forcing some squads to finish the year with fewer than 16 games.

The plan, supporters argue, would be a way to compensate teams that missed a chance to win their way into the playoffs, and add a few more games to the playoff schedule as a way to make up some lost revenue.

Of course, in typical NFL fashion, the plan simply doesn’t go far enough. If the NFL really wants to find a fair solution, they’d take the only sensible option: a 34-team playoff.

Think of it. The 12 teams with the best regular season records would be seeded in the traditional way. Added to that mix would be the top four winners of a 32-team, single elimination tournament, featuring every other team in the NFL and two teams of leftovers from the XFL.

The NFL gets 28 extra games of football action (and commercial profits). If teams can’t field enough players because of coronavirus, it’s a forfeit. Fans get to see the January games they always dreamed of, like the 0-14 Jets versus the 3-13 Broncos, the 2-14 Giants vs the 7-7 Vikings, and the 5-11 Panthers versus the St. Louis BattleHawks.

The league could play the games over three weekends or just mash everything into weeknights for like 10 consecutive days. Whatever. The point is the pandemic has forced everyone to think differently, and the NFL shouldn’t let logic or fan accommodation get in the way of more football, regardless the quality.
As we have already covered, the Eagles victory over the Cowboys Sunday night wasn’t pretty, wasn’t relaxing and wasn’t anything like the Philly faithful had hoped it would be.

But it was a win, and that always counts for something. So amid all the craziness that is the post-game analysis of the mess that was on the football field, let us all take a moment to meditate on what the world is secretly spelling out to us whenever there is a Cowboys defeat:

Another week, another Dallas loss
** One halts, reason takes, world heals

Enjoy the week of healing, friends. May the Cowboys slipping in the standings bring you back to peace and tranquility.

** Lost the Thursday game to Dad but picked up two others on Sunday, so I’m back to a six-game lead in our weekly picks contest. I even gambled on Las Vegas and won. See what I did there? Gambled? Las Vegas? C'mon, you don't expect quality work at this point in the recap anyway.

** Here's a quick recap of LB Kiko Alonso's career thus far: 

-- 2013: Drafted in the 2nd round by the Bills

-- 2015: Traded to the Eagles for RB LeSean McCoy

-- 2016: Traded to the Dolphins as part of the package for QB Carson Wentz

-- 2019: Traded to the Saints for LB Vince Beigel

-- 2020: Traded to the 49ers for LB Kwon Alexander

I'm not sure what to make of that, other than somehow Alonso is worth four different player despite being a mediocre defensive cog. But I can't wait to see what team trades for him in 2021. 

** If Eagles football is getting you down, Pennsylvania folks can always just shift over to watching Penn State games where ... oh ... oh ... nevermind. Um, basketball returns soon maybe? 

Week 8 standings

1 — Bird Immunity (Mike), 1,055.60 pts
2 — Pre-Recorded Boos (Bob), 1,015.35 pts
3 — Blue Collar Killers (Jeff), 1,005.52 pts
4 — The XL Garbage Bags (Capt. Awesome), 998.63 pts
5 — 5th Grade Math (Jo), 995.65 pts
6 — Kneel Armstrong (Sam), 991.11 pts
7 — The Slaymakers (Ant), 937.00 pts
8 — The Mom Football Tm (Mom D), 930.15 pts
9 — Lataja Orly Lataja (Dad), 871.83 pts
10 — Soccer Orphans (Paul), 861.15 pts
11 — Patriots Secret Cam (Joel), 637.04 pts

Now we’re talking. A huge week from my squad (I started three of the top 10 players) and a mediocre week from everyone else vaults me into contention again. Mike remains comfortably ahead of the pack, but fewer than 25 pts separate second place from sixth. Halfway through the season, half of the teams are in the race.

After that, things get dicey. Ant and Mom D are within distant sight of the top tier. Dad and Paul are at least in the general neighborhood. Joel remains MIA.

It all sets up for an exciting second half of fantasy football. That starts this Thursday, with the Packers taking on the remains of the 49ers (who lost their starting QB, starting TE and third starting RB this week). Don’t forget to set your rosters, if we all make it through the election chaos tonight.