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Fantasy Football Mailbag: Week 3

For those of you questioning the selection of a 40-year-old quarter back in toward the end of the 3rd round in many Fantasy Football drafts this season, see the following:TB12 to Rex

Through 2 weeks, Tom Brady has totaled 714 pass yards, leading Aaron Rodgers (654), Drew Brees (647) and the rest of the NFL. Against New Orleans, Brady threw touchdown passes on each of his first 3 drives in the first quarter, and could have thrown even more.

Yes, a handful of quarterbacks can have games like that on any given Sunday…but Brady has recorded 52 games with 3+ touchdowns, an NFL record. He also rushed for more yards (9) than Ezekiel Elliott (8) on Sunday.

 

 

Mail Time!

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Jessica Kleinschmidt is one of my favorite people in the business, and when I tell people that the “Fantasy Mailbag” is open, responses like this are more than fair. So, without further ado…Kip Moore shirtless.

Kip Moore

You’re welcome.

NEXT!

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You have to go Alshon Jeffery, regardless of the matchup. The Eagles are throwing the ball too much not to. I need to see more from the practice squad hero, Rashard Higgins, to feel comfortable enough to play him (even against the Colts). As long as Sam Bradford plays, start Adam Thielen. If it’s Case Keenum again, forget about it.

 

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Truthfully, the matchups look great for both Stafford and Cutler. The volume of passes should be higher for Stafford, but Cutty has the better weapons and a worse team to face. #CuttyDoesIt

 

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Sam is making a tough decision. Letting OBJ put on his uni or not:

Odell Beckham Jr’s struggles in Week 2 were a product of his team’s more than him. Having a game to shake off his injury though, he’s still a Top-3 WR in the NFL and can make the plays to decide a game all by himself. He’s active, so you have to dress him. Yes.

 

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Duuuuuuuuude…

If DeMarco Murray is out, you have to play Henry. 

Don’t give up on Jordan Howard yet, especially if they have to take the Bears have to take the ball out of Mike Glennon’s hands some more. He has a better matchup this week as well.

Then it becomes a question of “Who gets the most touches” of your remaining players. Chris Carson is the feature back in Seattle now, and I don’t think you can deny the volume of carries Pete Carroll looks to dish out to his hot-hand at RB.

 

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You saw what Tom Brady just did to the Saints D, right?

Cam Newton’s offensive line is preventing him from lighting ANYTHING up so far, but this is the game that should tell whether or not he’s worth the start for a while. Dak has been efficient, but the upside is still with Cam going into this week.

 

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Which Bryant?

Since you didn’t specify, I’m going to assume Martavis and say him, go with him against the Bears.

 

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QB – Based on matchups, I like Alex Smith much more. We’re also still waiting for the Titans pass offense to wake up finally.

Flex – As I mentioned earlier, if DeMarco is out – definitely Henry. If not, Henry. At least you know he’s getting touches.

 

If you have more Fantasy Football questions, ask on Twitter or TUNE IN to the Fantasy Fix Facebook Live – Thursdays at 1 PM. 

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Fantasy Football Mailbag 2017: Week 2

Welcome to Year 5 of the Fantasy Football Mailbag.

Diggs

2017 started off with a doozy, as rookie running backs made you question your first round picks, a little (sorry, David Johnson owners. There’s no way you could have seen that coming.)

  • Kareem Hunt, KC – 17 carries, 148 rush yards, 5 catches, 98 rec yards, 3 TDs
  • Dalvin Cook, MIN – 22 carries, 127 rush yards, 3 catches, 10 yards
  • Leonard Fournette, JAX – 26 carries, 100 rush yards, 3 catches, 24 yards, 1 TD
  • Tarik Cohen, CHI – 5 carries, 66 yards, 8 catches, 47 yards, 1 TD

While Fournette should have been drafted in most of your leagues by the 3rd round, the other 3 RBs mentioned may have been mid, to late round, or even available on waivers (props if you took a flyer on Cohen). Could 2017 be another great year for rookie running backs, after Ezekiel Elliott and Jordan Howard led the league in rushing a year ago?

Mail Time!

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Although Kenny Golladay’s touchdowns didn’t come until the 4th quarter in Week 1, they were enough to prove he’s a real red zone threat, especially in a Lions offense that loves to chuck it. Meanwhile, Eric Decker will be on the road against a Jacksonville defense that is finally looking scary enough to worry about. While I think Decker will be an eventual target machine for Marcus Mariota, wait-and-see this week and ride the hot hand, Golladay.

 

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Two things that make you want to go with Kerwynn Williams here.

  1. Starting back.
  2. He’s going against the Colts.

However, the Cardinals are going to be taking a committee approach with Andre Ellington and Chris Johnson all expected to get touches. Especially, if you’re in a PPR league, go with Bilal Powell because you know the Jets will be playing from behind against Oakland and they’ll be forced to throw to him. I’d rather see Williams earn “bell cow” status before starting him over someone who is proven.

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QB – Never doubt the passing volume of the Jim Bob Cooter offense. Stafford.

DEF – You saw what Kansas City did to New England AT Gillette last week, right? I don’t necessarily like either of these matchups, but at least the Broncos are at home.

 

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I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Cooper F’n Kupp is a safer bet here. Tevin Coleman may play better at home (and away from the Chicago Soldier Field “turf monster”), but he was still out-touched by Devonta Freeman 14-12. Kupp led the Rams in receiving in his NFL debut and I would anticipate his PPR value rising week-to-week.

 

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I’m going to install a new rule here, mostly because I’m getting up at 3 AM on Thursday mornings to write this before going to work. You get up to 2 position questions per week.

  1. As hard as it might be to sit Martavis Bryant, at least Cooper Kupp had #1 receiver stats. Granted, Big Ben and the Steelers offense are much better at home…I’d still like to see Bryant boom first, than bust like he did last week.
  2. Ride the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week, Alex Smith. It’s weird to say, but I don’t like Mariota against the Jaguars’ pass rush.

 

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  1. Crabtree vs. Jets is a must-play.
  2. I know a lot has been made about DeVante Parker in Miami, but Jarvis Landry is a more proven receiver and the Chargers defense let Benny Fowler (who?) torch them for 2 scores. I also don’t like Pryor against the Rams defense.

 

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Umm…woof.

At least you know Paul Perkins is the Giants’ starting running back. I would anticipate he gets a lot more work against a Lions defense that can easily be run on.

 

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Yes, I took Cooper Kupp over Coleman earlier BUT, at I am way more comfortable with Tevin getting more touches at home than Emmanuel Sanders. If Denver had a better quarterback, I’d feel much differently.

 

Have more Fantasy Football lineup questions? Ask me on Twitter @Mike_PiFF03! 

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Nintendo Announces the Return of NES with 30 Built-In Games

First it was Saved by the Bell pop-up cafes. Then it was Pokemon apps and new chart-topping blink-182 albums…Nostalgia sells, friends.

Thursday morning, Nintendo of America announced their plans to rerelease the Nintendo Entertainment System as the “NES Classic Edition”.  

How about that? 30 built-in games to save you from blowing into any dusty cartridges!

With a very similar design to the original NES, the console is much smaller and will be capable of connecting to your television via HDMI cable. Included with HDMI support will be multiple suspend points and a new NES gamepad controller that also connects to Wii Remotes.

The NES Classic Edition will be available for purchase November 11th, 2016 for the price of $59.99.

The complete list of games includes…

  • Balloon Fight
  • Bubble Bobble
  • Castlevania
  • Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest
  • Donkey Kong
  • Donkey Kong Jr.
  • Double Dragon II: The Revenge
  • Dr. Mario
  • Excitebike
  • Final Fantasy
  • Galaga
  • Ghosts’N Goblins
  • Gradius
  • Ice Climber
  • Kid Icarus
  • Kirby’s Adventure
  • Mario Bros.
  • Mega Man 2
  • Metroid
  • Ninja Gaiden
  • Pac-Man
  • Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
  • StarTropics
  • Super C
  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Super Mario Bros. 2
  • Super Mario Bros. 3
  • Tecmo Bowl
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

You knew they weren’t going to leave off the classics, especially Tecmo Bowl!

Which game are you most excited about playing again? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter! 

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200-Yard Putt Contest at Scottish Open Looks As Fun As It Sounds

Golf is the best when you’re playing well, and the worst when you aren’t. So why not make it harder and tee off with a putter…

The European Tour’s annual Scottish Open traditionally takes place a week before the Open Championship. It’s an opportunity for Euro players, Americans and other PGA pros to come together and warm up prior the Major tournament. The tour also likes to get creative during the week of the Scottish Open with fun challenges like “Rory vs. the Robot” and “The Fastest Hole of Golf”.

The contest, this year, was for competitors to tee off from 210 yards out at Castle Stuart and see who could hit it closest to the pin. As you can see, it wasn’t very easy for some of the world’s best golfers…

A few golfers were able to rise to the occasion. Scottish PGA Tour pro Russell Knox hit the best, placing his ball just 9 feet from the hole.

If you happen to be at the golf course later today and there isn’t anyone playing too close behind you, maybe give it a swing with your putter on a Par-3. If you get it on video, share it with us on either Facebook or Twitter. 

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In a Game Full of Stars, Craig Sager Shines The Most

It’s amazing that after 17 seasons covering the NBA, Thursday night’s Game 6 was Craig Sager’s first time working the Finals.

Sager joined the ESPN/ABC broadcast team, working the sidelines along with Doris Burke while rocking another one of his iconic suits. In 2014, Sager was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. For the past couple years, he’s gone through multiple treatments including chemotherapy, stem cell transplants and bone marrow transplants.

After a few returns, covering marquee games and events for Turner Sports, Sager revealed in an interview with HBO that his leukemia was no longer in remission. Recognizing his juggling of work, travel and treatment, ESPN will present Sager with the Jimmy V Perseverance award in July. It’s even cooler that they and Turner could team up to give him his first NBA Finals assignment

On the court, LeBron James was the star. He recorded 41 points for the second straight game and has willed the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit to Game 7 on Sunday. Cleveland could be the first team to win a Finals after being down that much, and it would be even more impressive to do so against the 73-win Golden State Warriors. Off the court though, literally, it was Sager getting standing ovations from the Cleveland crowd.

Before the game, Sager spent time FaceTiming with University of Pittsburgh running back and Hodgkins lymphoma survivor James Connor. A mentor of Connor’s was shooting the game for WJET and connected the two on the phone.

After the game, James shared a really special moment with Sager.

“First of all, let me ask you a question: How in the hell did you go 30-plus years without getting a Finals game? That don’t make no sense. But I’m happy to see you, man. Much love and respect, and I’m happy we were able to win this in front of these fans. We really appreciate you.”

Leave it to Richard Jefferson to add some more humor to it. Game 7 tips off at 7 PM Sunday on ABC.

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Supergirl Stuntwoman Jessie Graff Makes ‘American Ninja Warrior’ History

Appearing on American Ninja Warrior’s Season 8 premiere, Jessie Graff became the first woman to complete the course. Graff is a stunt performer on DC’s Supergirl, but kicked the qualifier’s ass in full Wonder Woman swag.

As hosts Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila pointed out, Graff had competed on the series before but looked much stronger on her second try. Well, duh.

Graff is black belt in Tae Kwon Do, a black sash in Kung Fu, and also a former pole vaulter. Her stunt resume is very impressive, including blockbusters like X-Men: First Class, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Live Free or Die Hard. 

You can also see her on Supergirl as Season 2 premieres this Fall on the CW, joining the established DC weekly lineup of The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow. When they do the 4-show week-long crossover event, just keep in mind that there was a badass American Ninja Warrior on set…who also starred in a live-action Family Guy “Chicken Fight” video? Oh yeah.

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Jaguars Offensive Lineman Gets Burned Bad on Twitter by the Durham Bulls

Don’t mess with the Bulls, young man. You’ll get the horns…(I’ll see myself out now).

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Jacksonville Jaguars center Luke Bowanko was taking in some ACC Tournament baseball on television. Understandable, considering he played his college ball at Virginia. However, Bowanko appeared to take exception with the setting where the conference tourney was taking place…

Cue the snappy minor league baseball comeback!

 

Apparently Bowanko hasn’t seen the Kevin Costner baseball classic (one of many), Bull Durham. After the initial Twitter haymaker, Bowanko wasn’t going to go down without throwing one more jab…which was happily greeted by an uppercut response.

Bowanko probably thought throwing shade “at the Bull” was a good idea, but Crash Davis’ old club sent that thing “outta here in a hurry”. (I have no shame for dropping these Bull Durham quotes)

While Twitter exchanges like these are fun, it’s nice to see when the losing party can show some self-awareness and recognize when they are beat.

Kudos to you, Mr. Bowanko, for going down with dignity and grace.

I would recommend you charge your phone though.

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Vin Scully Reciting the James Earl Jones ‘Field of Dreams’ Speech is Pure Baseball

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball.”

…and Vin Scully too.

Scully will be taking a bow at year’s end on what has been an incredible broadcasting career in baseball. It began in 1950, when Scully joined Red Barber and Connie Desmond in the Brooklyn Dodgers radio and television booths. At 25 years old, in 1953, he was the youngest to ever call a World Series game…a record that stands today.

13 NL Pennants, 6 World Series titles, and 66 years with the same team makes Scully an all-timer. It’s hard to imagine someone other than James Earl Jones reciting the “People Will Come”, but then again Scully personifies what the speech means. Scully, like the game itself, endured. His voice is comforting, reminding fans of “when they were children and cheered their heroes.”

Now if only we can get Jones to recite Scully’s famous intro…

“It’s time for Dodger baseball! Hi, everybody, and a very pleasant good (day/evening) to you, wherever you may be.”

For comparison.

 

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Can We Have More ‘Bat Dogs’ in Baseball, Please?

During a Wednesday evening stint with the New York Yankees Double-A affiliate, Trenton Thunder, third baseman Alex Rodriguez (and the rest of the internet) found out about one of the best things in all of minor league baseball…

…the “Bat Dogs”.

For the first two innings of Trenton home games, golden retrievers Derby and Rookie pickup the bats after each player’s at-bat. Below are the dogs in action after Rodriguez grounded out early on.

The New York Daily News has a great story on the origins of the bat dogs. As is the way of minor league baseball, Trenton was looking for something new and different that would attract fans to the ballpark. When a fans fell in love with traveling act “Jake, the Diamond Dog” in the late 90’s, the team knew they needed one to call their own. Jake’s trainer found the Thunder a puppy named Chase, who served as Jake’s understudy before going full-time with the club.

The bat dogs have been a staple in Trenton since 2003. Chase bred Derby in 2009 and Rookie was born in 2013. When the team goes on the road, the dogs go home with Thunder Sr. VP of corporate sales and partnerships Eric Lipsman. They don’t leave teeth marks on the bats and the only issue is that dogs really don’t like pine tar, which is understandable.

Some Major League organizations host their “Bark at the Park” promotional nights, which is an awesome opportunity to bring your pup to a ballgame. Others have their own Team Dog, like the Brewers and their little bichon frise named Hank. The first MLB team to implement bat dogs will be the real winner though. It’s not like they are taking jobs from bat boys, as they the dogs could just retrieve bats for the first two innings like in Trenton.

Having dogs around the clubhouse may be good for morale, unlike Adam LaRoche having his child around 24/7 (I couldn’t resist). Just take it into consideration, MLB marketing executives. Who doesn’t love dogs?

Bat Dogs

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‘American Crime Story’ S2 Spoof: The People vs. Draymond Green

Following the events of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 133-105 Game 3 victory over the Golden State Warriors, more has been made of Draymond Green’s actions than the final score itself.

For the young basketball players at home, that’s not how you make a jump stop.

While we feel sorry for Thunder forward Steven Adams and his nether regions, at least the Internet is here to alleviate some pain…with humor, of course. Enter Bill Simmons’s new site, The Ringer…

Simmons made it clear Sunday that The Ringer will launch in June and that it will be successful because of high quality content. I’m not the biggest fan of Simmons’s strategy of bashing his former employer, but well-timed mashups like this one are a nice start.

Personally, I wanted a John Travolta/Robert Shapiro spinoff from Ryan Murphy (What About Bob?). I would take a spoof like this over a Fox Sports debate show any day though.

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