Why would a review make the point of saying someone’s not a genius? You think I’m especially not a genius? [Pause] You didn’t even have to think about it, did you?
– Eli Cash, The Royal Tenenbaums
Bears’ leaders met with Shane Waldron and he responded with D’Andre Swift Unleashed. But on a week where Rashee Rice was lost for the season, it’s imperative to focus on the positives.
The Green Bay Packers fell on Sunday, but they threw 54 passes and gained 465 total yards as they took full advantage of 15 possessions and 74 plays. The Packers help to fill out the RV dream team. Love was our highest-rostered QB, Jayden Reed our pick as the most undervalued in all of fantasy, and when Blair was working on his WR research in August, it seemed like every article he wrote was about Dontayvion Wicks. Reed is now the overall WR2 in half-PPR, despite playing half of his games with Malik Willis.
A couple other RotoViz favorites showed out in Week 4 as well. You have to select Jayden Daniels in every draft. That was our dynasty drumbeat and a recurrent theme of the Best Ball Banana Stand with Peter Overzet.
And Chase Brown was one of my top RB recommendations. The Brown developments were beyond frustrating through three weeks, but he again demonstrated both elite talent and a perfect team fit in scorching the Panthers. You want the list of RBs who have both scored more fantasy points and averaged more EPA/game than Brown?
- Derrick Henry
- Justice Hill
- Alvin Kamara
- Saquon Barkley
- James Cook
That’s it.
Over the first five yards, Brown looks like the most explosive RB in football, and we’ve seen what he can do with a second-level crevice, as his 54-yard receiving score in 2023 was the second-fastest ball carrier time in the NFL last year. I’d say hopefully the Bengals have learned their lesson, but I strongly doubt that’s the case.
The more realistic hope — or at least a parallel wish — is that Cincinnati could morph into an offense with a large enough rushing pie to support both Brown and Zack Moss. If you can get a Brown team through the midseason gauntlet, the Strength of Schedule Streamer really likes the Bengals backs for the fantasy stretch run.
RB Strength of Schedule – Weeks 13-17
If you’re starting to participate in resurrection-style drafts, Brown is a compelling selection as a dynamic back in what should be a rising offense.
Jordan Addison was my other top WR play this season, and it was brutal watching the first half of Week 1 and wondering what might have been if he’d stayed healthy. He was back for Week 4, turning five opportunities into 79 yards and two scores. Addison has been a TD-machine at the NFL level, and his 24 yards per reception on Sunday offered a reminder of the vertical ability that tends to be a bit undersold.
Addison’s return put my OT guillotine squad in position to overcome Breece Hall’s nightmare performance where he got benched for Braelon Allen.
Two weeks ago, I discussed a conservative bidding approach early in guillotine contests, but the injury to DeVonta Smith put me in serious jeopardy heading into Week 4, especially after I ended up as the second-highest bidder on several of the top players chopped after Week 3.
It’s a horrible feeling to rely on Trevor Lawrence, who has been worse than Daniel Jones and Gardner Minshew from a reality Expected Points Added perspective.
The Jaguars signed Lawrence to a five-year, $275 million extension this summer, and the signal caller has responded by failing as a viable starter, much less a franchise QB. Lawrence did manage to target his stars in Week 4, throwing 21 of 33 passes in the direction of Brian Thomas and Christian Kirk. Unfortunately, Kirk caught only seven of 12 for 61 yards, and the remaining 12 passes notched only 22 yards total. Lawrence missed a wide-open Thomas — who looks like an instant star and fantastic first-round reality pick — and Kirk on what could have been long TDs.
Speaking of resurrection, Colm and I will be hosting a new guillotine league for the RotoViz community soon, maybe even this Wednesday evening. To get involved, sign up at guillotineleagues.com and contact Colm (@OvertimeIreland). We may have a fun RV-related prize for the winner.
