Do Dynasty leagues need to state they allow tanking or explicitly outlaw it?
I posed that question to my Sunday Morning Live cohosts, Joey Wright and Adam Hutchison, as we closed this week's show. Now, sharp commissioners would say a league constitution should be in place to address this situation. Sharp commissioners would also check out Joey's new show, The Home League Show, with Kevin Murray.
Sometimes we do not have a constitution and need to make choices.
Fantasy football, like any social group, has its share of unwritten rules. Some people believe an eliminated team making a waiver claim during the fantasy playoffs should be punishable by death. Others expect any trade to go before a high tribunal with qualifications just short of those of a Supreme Court justice.
At the end of the day, we are all just trying to have fun.
If you are reading this, you likely know the power fantasy football holds to make connections. It is what we value at Footballguys, and it is the aspect that makes me most proud to be part of this brand. "Draft Local" is not just marketing; we believe in the power of this game to connect.
I landed on "tank" with a caveat of playing my worst active players. It seemed like a fair trade-off: giving my opponent a chance to win while losing, while also serving my best interests.
At the end of the day, sometimes the best we can do is find the fairest solution in pursuit of our own goal.
And now, The Roundup.
Blind Resume
| Player | Rushing Yards | Touchdowns | Receiving Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 70 | 1 | 14 |
| B | 107 | 1 | 0 |
| C | 75 | 1 | 25 |
| D | 128 | 2 | 3 |
| E | 68 | 1 | 8 |
These running backs all have something in common. Do you know what it is?
Stats Of The Week
Josh Allen, Buffalo - 1 Rushing Touchdown, 1 Passing Touchdown
Allen is back with one rushing and one passing touchdown for the second straight week. He pushes his NFL record to 50 games with this combo, now leading second-place Cam Newton by five.
Christian Watson, Green Bay - 89 Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
Watson scored twice for the second time in four games. He has five touchdowns in that span and ranks as the overall WR5 from Weeks 11 to 14. His return has given Green Bay the spark the passing offense lacked.
Michael Wilson, Arizona - 11 Receptions, 142 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
Puka Nacua, LA Rams - 7 Receptions, 167 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle - 7 Receptions, 92 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
It's been a great season to be an NFC West wide receiver. The trio were the top three receivers on the week, while Smith-Njigba and Nacua are the top two receivers in fantasy this season. Wilson is the overall WR1 over the last four weeks.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis - 1,356 Rushing Yards
James Cook, Buffalo - 1,308 Rushing Yards
A month ago, the rushing title felt decided, with Taylor holding a huge lead on the field. Over the last three weeks, Cook has closed the gap, rushing for 340 yards compared to Taylor's 217.
Taylor has also seen his lead as the fantasy RB1 overall shrink. Following his monster European performance in Week 10, Taylor had a 44.6 point lead on the field. That's down to just 5.5 points over Christian McCaffrey and 12.9 points over Jahmyr Gibbs.
Deep Waiver Wire Names To Know
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WR Adam Thielen, Pittsburgh - After claiming Thielen on waivers, the Steelers made Roman Wilson a healthy scratch while Thielen played the second-most snaps behind DK Metcalf. Metcalf was examined for internal injuries at a Baltimore hospital following the game, though he is expected to be fine for Week 15. If Metcalf were to miss, Thielen could go from waivers to the top target earner in Pittsburgh.
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TE Gunnar Helm, Tennessee - Helm has slowly but surely taken over from Chig Okonkwo as the top tight end in Tennessee. It has not meant much in fantasy production, though Helm did set the team record for rookie tight end receptions. That said, Okonkwo is a pending free agent, and Tennessee is playing for pride. At some point, they could decide to see what their rookie can do with an opportunity to be the every-down player.
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RB Jaylen Wright, Miami - One of the big remaining questions about backfield rotations received some clarity, kind of. Ollie Gordon II has served as the primary backup to Devon Achane for most of the season, while Wright has had a couple of moments. Achane left near the end of the first quarter. Gordon had the first shot, then Wright had the next drive. Wright looked better and took the lead the rest of the way. Achane is expected to be ready for Week 13, and this backfield could be a straight hot hand approach, but based on one week, Gordon appears to have his short-yardage role, while Wright looks like Achane's backup.
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WR Mike Evans, Tampa Bay - If Evans is available in your league, add him.
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WR Jack Bech, Las Vegas - Bech was trending toward the WR2 role with the Raiders, but he may have just leaped into the WR1 position. He led the team in targets with Kenny Pickett taking over for Geno Smith following a shoulder injury. The Raiders are playing for 2026, and the "Backup Connection" narrative may be in play for Pickett and Bech.
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QB Riley Leonard, Indianapolis / QB Kenny Pickett, Las Vegas / QB Marcus Mariota, Washington - Through natural attrition of a long season or the competitive natures of teams, we are in the backup quarterback season. These players are still off the radar for one-quarterback leagues, though Jayden Daniels' injury can affect those leagues. That said, it serves as a reminder that people will lose their quarterbacks, and rostering a second quarterback even in one-quarterback formats can have merit.
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RB Dare Ogunbowale / RB British Brooks, Houston - Nick Chubb left with an injury, which created an opportunity for Ogunbowale to score the game-winning touchdown when Woody Marks needed a break. Marks is the unquestioned starter here, but in deep formats, keeping an eye on Chubb's status could make Brooks or Ogunbowale a valuable stash.
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WR Dylan Drummond, Atlanta - As Drake London remains out of the lineup, the Falcons are searching for answers. David Sills V still led the team in snaps, though he caught no passes in his four targets. Drummond is a deep desperation move only, but his involvement has increased weekly.
Spike Week
Production comes from the most unlikely places. Reading the matchup tea leaves can flip weekly outcomes. The Spike Week is the holy grail for large field tournaments. These weeks could be signs of big things to come, or just a one-off blip because a safety took the wrong angle.
Surprise players who crushed this week:
- QB: Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland - 34.5 Points
- RB: Tony Pollard, Tennessee - 28.1 Points
- RB: Blake Corum, LA Rams - 25.6 Points
- RB: Jaylen Wright, Miami - 16.7 Points
- RB: Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville - 20.7 Points
- RB: RJ Harvey, Denver - 20.7 Points
- WR: Michael Wilson, Arizona - 31.7 Points
- WR: Christian Watson, Green Bay - 22.9 Points
- WR: Ryan Flournoy, Dallas - 22 Points
- WR: Tim Patrick, Jacksonville - 16.3 Points
- WR: DK Metcalf, Pittsburgh - 18.3 Points
- WR: Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland - 15.1 Points
- TE: Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland - 21.4 Points
- TE: Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati - 17.6 Points
- TE: Josh Oliver, Minnesota - 15.4 Points
- TE: Dawson Knox, Buffalo - 14.3 Points
- TE: Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo - 12.1 Points
