Fantasy Overview - Week 8

October 28, 2020

Photo: Scott Galvin, USA Today Sports

This week I look at some interesting stats and tidbits that will ultimately make you smile at your own brilliance or help you with your team/lineup decisions heading into the end of the first half of the fantasy season.

5 eyebrow-raising stats about the Patriots from 2019 and 2020. Not all of it is bad

Tom Brady has 18 touchdown passes for the Buccaneers while the Patriots have only 3.
Last year New England had a +11 point margin. In their last three games, that point margin is an astounding -16.3.
New England is dead last in points scored per game in the first quarter with 1.2. Last year, they were 7.1, 2nd highest in the league.
Surprisingly, this is still good. The Patriots are holding opponents to 3.8 third-down conversions per game - 2nd best in the league. Last year, it was 3.1, the highest in the league.
New England penalties committed per game - 2020: 2.5. 2019: 5.7. The Patriots 2.5 penalties per game are by far the lowest of all teams. The next closest is 4.0 by the Rams.

Did You Know?

Dallas allows 34.7 points per game. 22.7 allowed in the first half and 12.0 in the second half. Score on 'em early.
Carolina allows 98.5 more yards per game to their opponent on the road. The highest difference in the league. Conversely, San Francisco allows 104.8 more yards to opponents at home. And in case you're wondering, Denver allows on average, only 1 more yard to opponents on the road than they do at home.
For those of you in kicker leagues - The Colts and Panthers average the most field goal attempts per game at 3.0 and 2.9. The fewest is Seattle with 0.7. No team averaged more than 2.5 field goals attempted per game in 2019.
Only one running back has scored more than 1 rushing touchdown in the first quarter this year - Dalvin Cook. He has 4 first-quarter touchdowns. No other running back has more than one rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Play your Defense/ST against Denver, New England, and Dallas with honorable mention to Minnesota. They average 2.3 giveaways per game, Minnesota 2.0.
Garbage time leaders - Minnesota, Houston, and Kansas City score the most points in the 4th quarter on average. Minnesota leads this category with 11.3.
You want to be playing these teams late in the game - Most 4th quarter points allowed Las Vegas 12.8, Atlanta 11.1, Seattle 10.5.
Rams punter Johnny Hekker was lauded for his punting duties on MNF recently. 61.5% of his punts go inside the 20-yard line. Interestingly enough, Jake Bailey of New England leads the league with 73.3% of punts inside the 20 yard-line. Guess who has the worst percentage? Braden Mann of the NY Jets. I guess that's what happens when you routinely punt from deep in your own territory. How bad is bad? His percentage inside the 20-yard line is 17.9%.
Four teams have equal or more rushing touchdowns than passing touchdowns - New England, San Francisco, Carolina, and Washington.
I am not sure which is worse. Wait, yes I do...The Jets have slightly more first downs per game 16.6 than the Eagles have incompletions per game 16.3.
Carson Wentz has 4 two-point conversions this year to lead the league and we aren't even halfway through the year yet. Last year's top converter on two-point conversions was Gardner Minshew with 3.
Drew Brees (72.6%) has a slight edge over Teddy Bridgewater (72.2%) for completion percentage, but Bridgewater's yards per attempt is 8.2 (6th highest in the league). Brees is 7.6 (17th).
Joe Burrow has fumbled 8 times this season - most in the league. He has lost only 3 of them.
The Titans have made 10 field goals on 16 attempts. Strangely enough, Stephen Gostkowski has made all five of his attempts from 50+ yards.
Cardinals safety Budda Baker's 59 tackles is the most of any non-linebacker. And he missed a game.
Panthers DE Brian Burns has three sacks this season. All were strip-sacks resulting in a fumble.
#1 and #2 for tackles for a loss are both Steelers. Vince Williams and T.J. Watt each have 12.
Mitchell Trubisky has the longest rushing play for the Bears this year - 45 yards.

1st quarter touchdown leaders

Arguably the best way to put a smile on your face on Fantasy Sunday is when your player scores in the first quarter. He has at least solidified a decent week and there may be more to come. Here are your leaders in 1st quarter touchdowns

Quarterbacks