Add/Drop/Trade/Kill/Destroy*: Nathan's Nits

Start/Sit Thoughts

(reminder that I type up these italicized comments during the Sunday noon to 1 hour)

I set out to make these as good as possible after last week's lackluster effort. Please to enjoy.

Nathan: Keenan Allen over Richardson. Trent has to show me something before he gets another start. Keenan is ONLY showing me things. Love this.

Basic calculus. At least T-Rich doesn't have a torn labrum.

Performance: Allen caught three balls for 67 yards in a four-week low performance. Still better than Trent's 14 for 37 and a fumble for 2.7 points. Fears validated. Broncos run defense is legit y'all. Even if its just because its so damn easy to pass on.

What a mess.

Alan: no better FLEX than Airwolf!? Actually, I like this play with Freeman drawing his first Vikings start.

Jerome is so damn tempting. He has that speed to get deep and get open, which he does, but its only a blue moon scenario where he connects on a bomb. Sadly, Airwolf usually just sits on the ground, spinning his rotors. Tease.

Performance: Three catches for 32 yards. 3.2 points. Freeman kept throwing to some future version of his receivers that were three feet taller or seven yards further downfield. It was really weird. Eddie Royal would've been a better play. But c'mon, you know Royal is only going to score when he's on your bench. That's how he do.

Derrick: GRONK

Patience paid off, and now your frustration over all those low ball offers can be aloe-vera'd by all the points the meathead is going to score for your hapless team. If you're not going to win, at least wrap yourself in the warm blanket of being right, dammit.

Performance: 8 for 114 in his first game back. And he had some drops and missed opportunities. Guy is going to be a monster down the stretch.

Do whatcha do, Gronk, but double bag it.

Kendall: Harry Douglas over Decker and Stevie Stylez. You spend the money on him, let him earn it. Hopefully Trevor don’t see you getting dicey with his custody, though.

Was it even a struggle to start him over Decker? Stevie Johnson wasn't really an option. Embarrassment of riches.

Performance: Both Harry and Eric had sicks games. Decker earned one tenth more with 21.0 to Douglas' 20.9. Kendall couldn't've gone wrong.

What a goob smile.

Eric Decker's Wife

Kirk: Boykin over CJ?K? I’d consider it.

You gotta get cute sometimes, and when you get to roll with a homer on a powerhouse Green Bay offense, even better. CJ must be nauseating to start every week. Let him ride on the bench while you mash down some Boykin flavored Tums. But no, you stick with the running back toter. Better the one you know, and all.

Performance: Boykin goes off for 8/103/1 and you STILL made the correct call. Johnson has his best game of the year with 17 points. Boykin made his hay after Finley's nasty helmet hit, so he might be worth starting going forward. Nice find.

Russ: Might start thinking about Reed over Gonzo.

Well yeah. RG3 is zoning in on Reed, while Gonzo has understandably lost a step. Still two high quality options, which is some unicorn type shit in a 14 team league. Now when will we see a trade? Or will Russ just keep his COTY season rolling and sit on the depth?

Performance: Reed got nasty with 9/134/1 (straight filthy) while Gonzo got Harry Douglas'd with 3.0 points. At least Russ still won by a hair or three.

Mark: Kerley over Shorts maybe?

I love Kerley and wish I still had him. He's not going to win you games but he also won't lose them. Steady with an occasional touch. Shorts had some problem with the joint where his clavicle meets his sternum. That doesn't sound good at all. That's like heart/stomach/lung area. Pass. Shorts was one of your keepers, and was pretty impressive down the stretch last year, so you probably have some residual fondness for him. But he's only been decent, ranging between 4 and 14.3 points during the season. Not terribly different than Kerley.

Performance: Kerley scored shortly into the 1:00 pm games, which had to be tough to see. He wound up with 15.7 points, a season high. Shorts was his usual steady self, with 8 total points. Its not bad having both these guys on your squad.

Norris: benching Spiller. Hmm.

Dude ain't right. Marrone needs to stop running him out there until he is. Roll with FJax and Choice, newbie.

Performance: Spiller goes for 0.7 on the bench, which his replacement Bilal Powell, gets you a sexy flexy of 0.6. Barf.

Big Joe: Mathews over Zac Stacy. I see that.

Mathews had 22 carries in the Week 6 win over Indy, his most rushes of the season. And he looked good. Mathews definitely dominates Stacy in upside: better offense, better talent, better match up, just better. Good call, Joe.

Performance: 21 for 110 and a touch over the Jags. Stacy went for 14.7 (no slouch), and he'll see some starting opportunities with Muscle Hamster's unfortunate injury. Mathews/Stacy/Ivory/Brown is a solid, if unspectacular, running back committee considering the bummer of a season you're having.

Chad: Mike Williams and his bad hammy over Dobson, who you so pimped earlier this week? You gotta believe in your own self-made karma.

Was all that (completely awesome) defense of your Dobson pickup for naught?

Performance: 3.2 for Williams and 3.4 for Dobson. They're both trash.

Week 7 Numbers

All Play

Kendall puts a little space on Russ.
Tiers:

1) Kendall/Russ
2) Paul/Ben/Nathan/Mark/Chad (within two weeks of the lead)
3) Kirk/Patrick (three weeks)
4) Rookie/Joe/Norris (four weeks)
5) Alan/Derrick (five weeks)

Still no changes on Mr. Explosion (Kirk) and Mr. Consistency (Joe).
Hard to Kill Rankings (highest low scores):

1) Kendall 96.9
2) Ben 92.0
3) Chad 89.1

There is still noise to be made, but I'd wager our six playoff spots will come from the top seven on this table. Take that as you will, Kirk, Patrick, Rookie, Joe, Norris, Alan, and Derrick. Make a fool out of me.

Luck

Its a bit odd to see one of the worst All Play squads at the top of this chart. Its not so much that Alan isn't good when he wins, its that he's so bad when he loses. A bit counter-intuitive.
Mark and Rookie with strong bad luck numbers. For reference, the last two years, the unluckiest teams were both over negative three at the end of the year.

Jenna

Another flop at the top, as Mark cuts in on Chad. And just when the Enchantment Under the Sea dance has started getting interesting.
Kirk takes a tumble.
Can Patrick score score score to make this a four way (gross)?