Tag Archives: Cole Kmet

Fantasy Sports, NFL

Week 14 Waiver Wire: Playoffs?!

We’re hitting the Week 14 waiver wire hard. You fancy yourself a contender, huh? Good because you should! Reaching the playoffs (playoffs?!) in fantasy football is so much harder than anything that isn’t real should ever be. That’s why the joy that comes from it is equally as strong. Weeks turned to months as your meticulously put together roster took you on an emotional rollercoaster just for a shot to take home the championship.

But you didn’t join your league just to make the playoffs (playoffs?!), no. You should have every intention of winning it all. We are through all the bye weeks so your teams should be at full strength. That doesn’t mean there aren’t holes on your roster, though, so we can’t just rest on our laurels. With the playoffs trimming the field considerably, we’ll be giving our top pick-up at each position each week and a quick take on one player you could stash. So, let’s build a champion.

Shout Out to Jim Mora Sr in the Week 14 Waiver Wire

Quarterback

Sam Darnold

New York Jets

No, this is not ideal nor a suggestion that would be made under normal circumstances. This is instead a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option for those still waiting on the return of Drew Brees and/or those who stream quarterbacks. If you fall into either category, Sam Darnold might be the guy for you. Darnold took advantage of a porous Las Vegas Raiders secondary to be Week 13’s QB10 through Sunday.

The squishy matchups continue for Darnold in Week 14 as he draws the Seattle Seahawks. They’ve allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks and are stout against the run. Seattle’s secondary is so bad they let Carson Wentz put up a performance worthy of being the QB7 in Week 12. Wentz was benched this week for a second-round rookie. Darnold doesn’t have anyone breathing down his neck (yet)  and this matchup should offer him plenty of chances to rack up points.

Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles

In perhaps the most anticipated benching of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles sent 2016 first-round pick Wentz, who leads the NFL with 15 interceptions, to the bench. Jalen Hurts came in and threw a pretty looking touchdown to Greg Ward. He also only completed 41 percent of his passes and threw a pick so proceed with caution. Philly also takes on the Saints in Week 14. They’re third in fantasy points per game.

Running Back

Peyton Barber

Washington Football Team

It’s been quite some time since Peyton Barber was a useful fantasy asset. He had 57 yards on 11 carries in Week 12, but he hasn’t scored double-digit fantasy points since Week 1 when he scored 2 touchdowns on 17 carries that netted just 29 yards. Washington Football Team leading rusher Antonio Gibson was forced out of their big win against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a toe injury putting Barber right back on the fantasy radar.

Staying true to form, he only managed 23 yards on 14 carries so you know what to expect should Gibson sit in Week 14. Washington also heads West to take on the San Francisco 49ers who are fourth against the run and have allowed just six rushing touchdowns. Still, if the Football Team can get into scoring position, Barber is as good of a bet as any to take it in.

Ty Johnson

New York Jets

No, there isn’t a concerted effort to get Jets on this list. The war of attrition is just such that we are taking the “next man up” approach to our fantasy rosters as they do in real life. Ty Johnson is where those things intersect. La’Mical Perine is on IR and Frank Gore left their Week 13 contest with a concussion. Johnson stepped up with 104 yards on 22 carries and scored a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 13 yards. The still-winless Jets face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 14. They’ve been good against the run but just let Wayne Gallman run for 135 yards.

Wide Receiver

T.Y. Hilton

Indianapolis Colts

Are we finally witnessing a strong connection between T.Y. Hilton and Philip Rivers? The diminutive Indianapolis Colts wide receiver is the WR6 in Week 13 and has caught 12 of 16 targets for 191 yards and two touchdowns over the last two weeks. He had 194 yards on 19 catches (33 targets) and no scores in his six previous games combined. As Philip Rivers continues to play better (eight touchdowns over his last four games after 10 over the first eight), Hilton can deliver too.

Sunday’s big day came against the Houston Texans who rank 21st against the pass. The good news is he’ll see the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14 and they rank 24th against the pass and are allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers. Indianapolis would prefer to be a run-first outfit and the Raiders are susceptible there. But the trends show Hilton on the rise.

Keke Coutee

Houston Texans

Speaking of the Texans, they played their first game post-suspension of Will Fuller and had an unexpected (though not surprising) player step up in his absence. Keke Coutee (WR13) caught eight balls for 141 yards against the Colts which isn’t a cakewalk. With a matchup against the Chicago Bears on deck, Coutee could be in for another big game. The Bears are reeling and Deshaun Watson could look to show out on a team that passed on him in the draft for Mitchell Trubisky.

Tight End

Cole Kmet

Chicago Bears

And speaking of the Bears, Cole Kmet was the TE7 in Week 13 catching five passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. The embattled rookie tight end caught just his second touchdown of the season, had more than one catch for just the third time and had double-digit yards for just the fourth time this season. All of that is disappointing for such a high draft pick but the Bears are searching, desperately, for answers and Kmet is a part of the future.

Houston isn’t the best matchup but they aren’t one to run from either. With folks in the organization fighting for their jobs, look for anything that can be construed as a positive in the last few weeks. Having Kmet turn out to be a quality player would certainly qualify. That might not save any jobs but he could definitely provide a boost to your fantasy team.

NFL

2020 Chicago Bears NFL Draft Recap

The 2020 NFL Draft has come and gone, the most viewed televised draft in history. 55 million over the three days. I think it’s safe to attribute that to the nation’s quarantine policies and draft being completely virtual. Though it was an interesting outcome seeing commissioner Roger Goodell call out draft picks in his man cave from in front of his big-screen to his lounging chair by the third round. Another fun aspect was seeing the draftees and their families’ reactions when their names were called of new members of club NFL.

We even had comic relief, some of the best moments was seeing 17th pick wide receiver CeeDee Lamb showing off his hand-eye coordination by snatching his cellphone back from his girlfriend. How about defensive tackle, and 14th pick, Javon Kinlaw‘s father falling off the couch when his son was selected.

Lastly, and maybe the best one, was the 29th selection, offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson‘s mom yanking his girlfriend out the camera shot, (after she appeared to resist the first request).  This was one of the deepest drafts in recent memory, teams could find solid value through all seven rounds.  Only time will tell, let us not forget 20 years ago one of the greatest players in NFL history was found in the sixth round, Tom Brady.

2020 Bears Draft Recap

Mixed Emotions on Chicago Picks

Chicago’s draft was met with an array of feelings as the team decided for their first pick to opt for drafting the best of the worst, as far as depth, in this year’s crop.  That was at the tight end position, the 43rd-overall pick Cole Kmet from Notre Dame, the 6’5″ 250-pounder is expected to come in and contribute immediately.  Kmet did have an impressive junior year campaign amassing over 500 yards receiving and six touchdowns helping Notre Dame to an 11-2 record.  Fun fact: those six touchdowns were all he had for his college career.

The team’s second selection, 50th overall, was more of a relief, picking Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson, another junior who finished with 7 career interceptions.  The one big question surrounding Johnson is not his play but his health, he played the entire season with a torn labrum.  Chicago then maneuvered to move up to the third round to grab EDGE Trevis Gipson out of Tulsa.  A solid addition to provide more edge rush depth.  Here are the rest of the new Chicago Bears as follows:

The Bears also signed undrafted free agent Ledarius Mack, younger brother of star Khalil Mack.

What to Grade Chicago’s Draft: C+

Grading the Bears 2020 draft can be debated but that’s my mark on it.  Hey at least it’s a passing grade even though it started out shaky, they brought it up though.  The immediate response was, “What are you doing??” Needs for the team are offensive line, wide receiver, and secondary; specifically safety.  The team circumvented what direction they should’ve gone (see my previous article) but recovered some.  As you’ll see, predictions were dead on as two of them went 44th & 46th.

Initially, it started out as a D, drafting a tight end to an already overcrowded position which brought the number to 10 (since down to nine) on the roster.  Not to mention signing free agents Demetrius Harris and Jimmy Graham.  With Kmet added unless the plan is to convert some of the many tight ends to offensive linemen, maybe Adam Shaheen, expect to see no more than four on the roster.

Speaking of offensive line it appears the staff is content with the unit as is and the free agents from the clearance rack they invested in.  Seeing that the offensive line wasn’t addressed until the end of the draft.  Possibly the addition of the new offensive line coach, 24-year vet Juan Castillo, will add improvement.

General manager Ryan Pace made strong moves thereafter adding substantial depth on the defensive side of the ball snatching up corner Jaylon Johnson and moving into the third round to bolster pass rush getting Trevis Gipson.  He was even able to get considerable value in the fifth at wide receiver with Darnell Mooney, fast, he will need time to develop though.

What to Expect in 2020

With the current state of the sports world, it’s hard to gauge what to expect.  Any team-related activities are virtual, there’s no timetable of when facilities will be open for players and coaches to meet.  It’s an unprecedented time in the league right now, so we all have to play it by ear.  At least the other teams in the division drafts were lackluster except for the Minnesota Vikings.

If there is a silver lining it’s the signing of Ledarius Mack, we can have the “Mack Attack” here on the defense.  This could end up being Pace’s best move of this draft.  Mack’s journey to the NFL can be compared to Vikings Hall of Fame defensive tackle John Randle, who was drafted 30 years ago.  Talk about history repeating itself, Randle also had an older brother in the NFL, Ervin Randle.

It doesn’t stop there, the similarities of both Mack and Randle are uncanny!  Both were considered undersized at their positions at 6’1, Mack weighing 240 lbs and Randle 244 lbs.  Think of the possibilities of playing with and learning from your brother who’s a defensive player of the year and considered one of the best if not the best at his position.  We could soon be witnessing history here in the Windy City but time will tell.