Halfway Home
Image by Nick M. W.
By Nick M. W. and Emmitt Smith
We hit the turn in our fantasy football season and wonder what the second half holds for AGS.
Just like that, we’re seven games into the season, and we know a lot more about how our fantasy leagues could look seven games from now when the playoffs start. A couple of teams in our league of record, Any Given Sunday are buried deep in losses; they’re headed for an early off-season. A few more are a losing streak away from a guaranteed spot in the consolation playoffs. The remaining teams appear to be locked into the 2022 playoffs.
If you’re losing sleep because of draft day regrets, if poor roster management or plain old bad luck have you facing playoff elimination, if you believe in miracles, we get it. We’ve been there and experienced it, and we’re going through it right now with you. We are looking back at the week that was, and looking ahead to the next matchup. There’s still enough football left for the season to swing one way or the other; from a failure to a triumph and back again, week to week.
Reactions to Week 7
Emmitt: I didn’t even get to celebrate because I was so stressed the hell out by the lack of the offense! It took a 7-yard pass by Herbert to Everett in overtime! I don’t even think I texted any of y'all for the whole week. I didn’t want to talk about it or give it any energy.
A 1-5 record would have put a big bummer on the rest of my season, that’s for damn sure, but it all came together for me at the end of the day. I got my win, destroyed the Commissioner, and now I’m moving onto the next week!
Nick: After Thursday Night Football and PV Prime Time’s strong start, I was worried. Eno Benjamin put up 21 points, more than double what he was projected to score. That usually spells trouble, but Rebel Scum came to play, especially my guy, Austin Ekeler.
I’m glad I got the win. I’m finally over .500, but the win came at a high price. Mike Williams went down. He was my first round pick*; he’s been inconsistent week-to-week, but it looks like he’s going to be out for at least 4 weeks, which could be the rest of my season without his contributions. I’m already down a running back (Javonte Williams), now I’m down my other big Willie.
Biggest surprise of Week 7:
Nick: Aaron Rodgers struggled again. I guess the ayahuasca in the off-season wasn’t conducive to great football during the season. He probably should’ve been practicing with his new receivers instead of frying balls in a tent somewhere in rural Wisconsin (there’s absolutely no evidence that this happened). I’ll jump the gun here and say that he is part of my “Draft Day regret”. He’s the result of my foolish 3rd round decision.
A positive surprise was my kicker, Jason Meyers. He nailed all 3 of his field goal attempts, and because the Seahawks beat up on the Chargers, he got 4 extra point attempts. Nailed ‘em. 16 points for Scum that I pulled hot off the waiver wire. I love that shit.
Emmitt: I was surprised at my defense this week actually. Niners normally give me around 14 to 16 points. They had the Chiefs last week, but I thought they would hold their own at home. Nope.
I think this week showed me how inconsistent my players can be; plus the matchups are starting to come into play alongside the bye weeks.
Week 7 marks the halfway point in the AGS regular season. Looking all the way back at the draft, what regrets do you have?
Emmitt: Biggest obvious regret was not being able to attend the draft in the first place. My only other regret is that I didn’t use any of my rookie contracts. I should have done more research into rookies like Breece Hall and Tyler Allgeier, so I can have some extra keepers just in case my season doesn’t end well.
Nick: Yeah, it’s nice to have a couple of additional players going into next season, but the rookie contracts aren’t always a safe bet. I haven’t had much luck with them, but maybe Chris Olave turns out to be a homerun.
I regret grabbing T. J. Hockenson early when I could’ve had Joe Burrow. I ended up with A-Rod, but it cost me a 2023 4th round pick. As it turns out, that was a price too high to pay. Rodgers has been a little better than Daniel Jones, who I happen to be streaming this week versus the Seahawks instead of starting A-Rod against the Bills.
Burrow went to the Sugandese, defending champ, and now I’m rolling the dice with a dude who did this.
Both of you have little winning streaks going. How do you keep the momentum going into Week 7?
Nick: Stay healthy and get lucky.
Emmitt: Oh yeah! Exactly what needed to happen for me to stay in the playoff hunt. I have to take care of the easy matchups, and that’s exactly what I did. The next three games are against some powerhouses right now, to include as you mentioned, New Jax City.
The last time I beat him was in the 3rd place game back in 2016!! He’s won the last six meetings convincingly! Not only that, New Jax tried to cripple me with a Josh Jacobs trade earlier this morning! THIS IS SPARTA!!! You think i’m gonna trade my #1 everything just so he can destroy me this Sunday!? I’m going to be put on watch after this week. Once my receivers get consistent, nobody is going to want to see me.
Which teams in AGS look like they’ll make the playoffs?
Emmitt: The balanced teams with a good bench are the ones to be afraid of.
T. RUTH is always a playoff team. The Curse made some great investments, especially at the running back position, and he has a high-powered roster over there. And then there’s you, Rebel Scum, who is always one player away from being a champ; you just need your guys to stay healthy.
I’ll say I'm 50/50 on making the playoffs. What’s bothering me is the fact that I have three #1 receivers that are dealing with struggling or benched quarterbacks. If that is inconsistent, my chances of making the big 6 will fade every week.
Nick: Obviously I hope that Rebel Scum makes the playoffs. I have a shot, but it could go either way week-to-week in this damn game we play.
Unfortunately, I’m in the same division with the defending champ, The Sugandese; the only 1-loss team in our league, T. Ruth; and one of the hottest teams in the league right now, The Curse. It’s brutal. Two of these teams look like locks to make the playoffs, and The Curse has a shot, too. We won’t all make it from the same division.
That means my opponent this week, Ambassadors of Quan, has a great chance to make it. It seems like you can never count New Jax City out. Rudy is in the mix, and it seems like momentum is swinging his way.
I just named seven teams, but only six make the playoffs. I have a healthy fear of the fantasy football gods and enough sense not to speak about another team’s “imminent” demise, so I’ll just say that I wouldn’t be surprised if we got to the end of the season with a few teams tied and it coming down to individual matchup wins.
Predictions for your Week 8 matchup
Nick: For the first time since Week 2, I’m an underdog. It’s only 4 points, and it’s only projections, but it’s something.
Quan has a good team. He's missing his unicorn, Travis Kelce, but he's still going to be tough to beat. He's got some studs with good matchups this week. No me gusta.
I have my own bye week issues. No Ekeler or Mike Williams (out for 4 weeks with a high-ankle sprain, but out on a byw anyway). A bad matchup for Aaron Jones against the Bills. Danny Dimes slinging hot cakes for me. Can Cooper Kupp give me 50? It’s going to be a nerve-wracking win for me.
Emmitt: The last week for trades is upon us!! I’m telling myself I don’t have to make any drastic moves, but I know someone will come at me with a sadistic self-hating proposal, and then I'll make a move, riding the wave of any other last minute trades.
Oh and by the way, I’m predicting I break the 6-game losing streak against New Jax City. The streak ends after the Saints/Raiders game! I’m calling my shot! Just like Jake Taylor in the movie Major League. I guarantee victory; it’s my destiny! I know I shouldn’t make any baseball references due to my Chavez Ravine Dodgers giving me 111 empty calories this year! Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo!
Will Rudy propose a trade before the deadline?
To be continued…
