I am struggling. It is not an easy thing to admit. Being pulled in multiple directions, I want to give 100% in all of them. Feeling like you are not coming close in any of them.
You may be able to relate.
The frustrating aspect is that I thought I had solved the puzzle. Then life happens. Life has a way of flipping the puzzle to force you to see another side of the board. The NFL and fantasy football do as well. As soon as we think we understand a backfield situation, it changes.
It should change. Coaches are tasked to be masters of deception. If we understand a situation, we should believe professionals who spend hours each week trying to come up with a solution have it solved.
I gained perspective this week. I talked to someone. It helps.
Life should change, too. If you are the type of person who drives to learn and experience more, to do things better, you should find yourself in new situations with new puzzles to solve. It is a natural progression.
Grounding and remembering goals helps too. My goal is to help you. It’s that simple. Help you learn and occasionally entertain along the way. Help you win. More importantly, to help you know you are not alone.
This stuff is tricky. We can speculate whether Arizona will give carries to Michael Carter or Emari Demercado and in what ratio (Arizona’s usage history suggests Carter as a lead back and volume bet, but Demercardo getting valuable passing work). Or if Brock Bowers will ever get back to his healthy record-breaking 2024 production, or if we should sell on name value for more stable production (these situations always depend on record, but if you spent a second-round pick on Bowers, you have lost out on top end production to help that record and may be fighting uphill, forcing your hand to move sooner rather than later. Players like A.J. Brown and Ladd McConkey offer similar upside, despite their current struggles, and are at least healthy.
I have learned to develop a toolbox. When things become overwhelming, take a step back, regroup, and then move forward. Tools like reviewing past coaching history to analyze a backfield situation or contextualizing your competitive standing in a league can help inform decisions. This approach enables a more informed assessment of immediate production compared to relying on higher upside later.
Despite the struggle, just do the next right thing.
Week 5 introduces byes and keeps us plugged in for an early Sunday matchup. The 49ers had a problem, a lineup missing its quarterback and four of the top five receiving options. They found a solution. If you played Kendrick Bourne, you had a problem and found a solution too. 13 games remain—time to touch them all.
Number Watch
RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore - 1 Rushing Touchdown
Henry is still hunting down Walter Payton to crack the Top 5 in rushing touchdowns, at 110. Adrian Peterson is fourth at 120.
WR Keenan Allen, LA Chargers - 2 Receptions
Last week, we noted that Allen needed seven receptions to reach 1,000 in his career. He recorded five, leaving him two short in Week 5. He should get there.
WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore - 11 Receptions
Hopkins is just behind Allen at 989. He likely does not have a featured enough role in the Ravens offense to get close, though the game is a revenge spot against the Houston franchise that started his career. One to add to the radar.
QB Jared Goff, Detroit - 70 Career Starts
Goff starts his 70th game with the Lions in Week 5. That will push him past the 69 games he started for the Rams.
QB Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland - 41 Starts
Gabriel becomes the 41st different starting quarterback the Browns have fielded since returning in 1999. The Bears have started 30 different quarterbacks in that span.
Revenge!
We are back! No, Immaculate Grid has not sponsored us yet, but hope remains. Who is playing for a little extra this week?
- WR Stefon Diggs, New England vs. Buffalo
- WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore vs. Houston
- WR Mack Hollins, New England vs. Buffalo
- WR Demarcus Robinson, San Francisco vs. LA Rams
- QB Jimmy Garoppolo, LA Rams vs. San Francisco
Sadly, we missed out on a fun moment this week. Austin Ekeler would have been making his return to the Chargers, playing with Washington.
Last Week
- LB Micah Parsons, Green Bay vs. Dallas, Tied 40-40, One sack, despite what Dak Prescott says.
- WR Marquise Brown, Kansas City vs. Baltimore, Won 37-20, 3-38-1
- WR DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore vs. Kansas City, Lost 20-37, 1-24-0
- QB Marcus Mariota, Washington vs. Atlanta, Lost 34-27, 16/27-156-2-1 / 2-20-0
- QB Mac Jones, San Francisco vs. Jacksonville, Lost 21-26, DNP
- TE Luke Farrell, San Francisco vs. Jacksonville, Lost 21-26, 2-20-0
- TE Noah Fant, Cincinnati vs. Denver, Lost 3-28, DNP
- RB Samaje Perine, Cincinnati vs. Denver, Lost 3-28, 1-4-0 / 0
The Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick played for nine teams in his NFL career: Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and the Commanders.
It is possible to have a week where no teams Fitzpatrick played on face each other.
And there it is.
Week 5 ends the streak, and interestingly enough, none of Fitzpatrick’s former teams were in byes. The legacy of Fitzpatrick deserves better. We will start anew next week.