James Harden complains and cries. Then he gets his way. It’s happened everywhere he’s gone and he’s done it again.
BREAKING: The Philadelphia 76ers are trading James Harden and PJ Tucker to the Los Angeles Clippers for Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, Robert Covington and KJ Martin, and draft picks, sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium. pic.twitter.com/4gwGJgrYUb
You can watch the video on my YouTube channel from a few months ago where I broke down all the turmoil in his career to that point.
Give credit where credit is due. Daryl Morey got James Harden out of here before November. The bearded headache known as James Harden is now no longer our problem and is moving on to cause issues in the city of angels. Good riddance.
The return package, in my opinion, is shockingly good. I don’t know if it’s just for engagement or if people really don’t understand that when a situation like this happens – James Harden openly says he’ll never play a game for the Sixers again (the same thing that happened with Ben Simmons) and that he will only play for the Clippers – the Sixers have zero leverage. Everybody knows they need to get rid of him. The fact that Morey was able to get Robert Covington, Nicolas Batum, Marcus Morris, KJ Martin, two first round picks, two second round picks, and a pick swap is outstanding. They gave up a decrepit Harden, PJ Tucker who – let’s be real – wasn’t very good at all, and an unproven Filip Petrusev.
I might give this trade an A+. What were the Sixers lacking last year in the playoffs? A bench. Their bench was one of the worst I’ve seen in basketball history. What did they acquire in this trade? Solid players who can fill out the bench. What did they get rid of? A disgruntled has-been. Take away name value and call it what it is and you see how the Sixers definitively won this trade. And the Sixers got draft compensation, another thing they were sorely lacking. I can’t say enough good things about this deal.
On the Clippers side, they’ve built themselves a Big 4 that would’ve won multiple championships maybe like 8 years ago in James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard. This isn’t a video game. We’ve seen it all throughout Harden’s career. He’s selfish. We literally saw him and Westbrook not work in Houston because he was so selfish, and now you’re trying it again, but this time they’re much older and you’re adding Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to the equation. GOOD LUCK. You’re gonna need it. How long until we see a physical altercation between Harden and one of them? This is eerily reminiscent of the New York Mets acquiring both Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, despite the fact the two couldn’t stand each other when they played together in Detroit. Lo and behold, they had to be separated once again and neither play for the Mets anymore. Harden and Westbrook couldn’t stand each other in Houston and now they’re back together. That should be fun.
As for the Sixers, a Robert Covington reunion is not what I had on my bingo card for the 2023-24 season. But I’m all for it. On top of that, they add Philadelphia native Marcus Morris. Patrick Beverley and Marcus Morris will take on a small nation’s army, if need be. They may not win, but they’ll certainly instigate it and be fearless in their pursuit. Those are the type of guys you want on your side, as opposed to the other side. Nic Batum brings some veteran leadership to this team, that was clearly missing it with crybaby Harden out there (or not out there).
The loss of Tucker likely thrusts Kelly Oubre – who is averaging 19 points per game in this young season – into a starting role. A starting five of Maxey-Melton-Oubre-Harris-Embiid sounds like a good one, with a bench consisting of Covington, Batum, Beverley, Morris, and Paul Reed. Sign me up.
For the first time in a long time, I’m proud to be a fan of the Philadelphia 76ers. They made the right move today, no question about it. For once, they’re trending in the right direction, and without the stormy cloud of James Harden looming over this team, this could maybe be the year.
Brandon Pfaadt is real lucky this game is in Arizona.
This game – that is inconveniently taking place at 5pm EST – sets up to be yet another slug-fest for the Philadelphia Phillies. Brandon Pfaadt will be toeing the slab for the Arizona Diamondbacks, after posting a 5.72 ERA and 1.406 WHIP.
Putting a guy out there with an ERA of nearly 6 against the thumpers in the Phillies lineup is like throwing a child into a pack of wolves – not only is it considered unethical in some circles, and not only are you asking for trouble, but it’s probably also immoral. Luckily for Pfaadt, the stadium will be dead silent. That’s not a shot at Diamondbacks fans (at least not directly), but some Phillies fans have begun a campaign to buy up all the tickets.
Phillies fans are scooping up the cheap tickets for today's NLCS game in Arizona, just so Dbacks fans don't get them. 😂
A Phils fan in Australia called the @WIPMiddayShow today to tell them he bought four tickets: "It's my contribution to the World Series, hopefully victory." pic.twitter.com/Godbd11AO6
The idea is that the tickets are so cheap, let’s buy them all – and not go to the game since it’s on the other side of the country – so that way there’s just a bunch of empty seats. It’s not stopping any D-Backs fans from purchasing tickets because they don’t want them anyway, that’s why they’re so cheap in the first place. I think it’s just flat out hilarious.
So while Pfaadt will not have to deal with a raucous Philadelphia crowd like his teammates Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly did, he will still have to deal with a Phillies team that has hit more home runs this Postseason than they’ve allowed runs. Let me repeat that:
The Phillies have hit more home runs this Postseason than they’ve allowed runs.
This season, Brandon Pfaadt was in the bottom 3% of the league in Barrel%, bottom 16% in HardHit%, and bottom 20% in average exit velocity. He gets hit really hard. Pfaadt allowed 35 barrels in 19 appearances (96 IP). For comparison, Aaron Nola led Phillies starters in barrels, with 45, which he did in 32 starts (193.2 IP).
Pfaadt throws mostly a four-seamer, which averages about 93.7 MPH. He also throws a Sweeper, his best pitch, which garnered a 33.7 Whiff%. He mixes in a changeup and sinker, as well as a curveball, very rarely. His Sweeper had a run value of 8 (that’s pretty good), while the rest of his arsenal had negative run values (that’s bad).
He’s pitched two games in this Postseason: Game 1 of the Wild Card vs Milwaukee, and Game 3 of the NLDS vs the Dodgers. He’s yet to complete 5 innings in a start, going just 2.2 IP against MIL, allowing 7 hits and 3 earned runs, and then 4.1 IP against LAD, which was a decent start, allowing 2 hits and zero runs.
It’s a curious move by Arizona manager, Torey Lovullo, but I think it’s out of necessity rather than choice. They simply don’t have any other quality starters. But Pfaadt has shown you he’s not giving you length. In addition to not completing 5 innings in the two Postseason starts, he pitched 6 innings or more just 4 times this year. Arizona will likely have to go to the bullpen early, which doesn’t fare well for them, considering they will have – potentially – three games in three days and Game 4 has already been announced as a bullpen game for them. If they make it to Game 5 and avoid a sweep, their bullpen will be depleted and then they’ll be relying on Zac Gallen for length in that one, who has dealt with elbow issues in the past and already hit a career high in regular season innings this year.
Again, I don’t really think Lovullo is just taking it as a day-by-day thing where he’s focused on surviving and not worrying about future games, I don’t think he has another choice. Gallen, Kelly and Ryne Nelson were the only players who started more games than Pfaadt this year and Nelson will likely get the nod for the bullpen game. The only other guys who started even as little as 4+ games for the D-Backs this year are Zach Davies and Madison Bumgarner who have since been released, Tommy Henry who was left off the roster and Slade Cecconi, who has been coming out of the bullpen.
The Phils smell blood in the water. The writing is on the wall. Head to the desert and go snake hunting. Then celebrate in their pool. Lighting up Brandon Pfaadt in Game 3 will be yet another stepping stone to bringing home John Middleton’s trophy.
Ok, maybe we do, but not in terms of jerseys. All we ask for is the black sixers jerseys of the early 2000’s (I’d even take the blues!). But the Sixers just keep churning out these awful jerseys that don’t even look like basketball jerseys each year, just to get rid of them the next season.
I don’t get it. I guess things went upside once Nike took over from Adidas as the sponsor for NBA jerseys. You’d think that might be a good thing but no, it’s been terrible for NBA teams. Their jerseys suck.
We are in the middle of the most Boring & Uninspiring era of NBA jerseys:
The Sixers newest jerseys feature the words “City of Brotherly Love” which isn’t even centered and then the jersey number. The Sixers also did not release images of the back of the jersey, perhaps a strategic move because I will lose my temper if the last name in below the number. That doesn’t make any sense to me.
The design of “Brotherly ” and the number is pretty cool, I will admit, as it’s supposed to have a Reading Terminal Market feel (that’s like their whole theme here). But it just doesn’t look like a basketball jersey. It looks like a cool t-shirt you could buy off Fanatics maybe. I’d actually think it would be a nice t-shirt if it just said “City of Brotherly Love” centered.
I think the issue is they just put way too many words on there. They’d be better off putting large designs on the jerseys, such as the Denver Nuggets or Utah Jazz jerseys of old, as opposed to putting an essay on them. “City of Brotherly Love” is way too much to put on a jersey. And they’ve already done it before.
Some of these were ok. The first cream “Phila” I thought was nice and then they just remade it and cluttered it by changing it to “Philadelphia.” The grey jerseys would fall under my category of “not basketball jerseys.” The boathouse row ones were a cool concept but I don’t think they ended up looking that nice. They also not only put the last name below the number on the back, but they put it below the boathouse row design so the last name was practically tucked into the shorts. I’m actually a huge fan of the dark blue “Sixers” Spectrum jerseys. Easily the best of the bunch, but that’s not too hard to achieve. The City of Brotherly Love ones didn’t look like a basketball jersey and were way too crowded, the “Seventy Sixers” was a cool concept that I think failed because “Seventy” used the same “S” as “Sixers” and it just looked like it didn’t belong. The two red jerseys were very similar and I think they were alright, they didn’t knock my socks off or anything. The cream jersey with the stars that essentially was a re-do of the grey’s looked far better but still a bit wonky. The number inside the bell jerseys might’ve been the worst they’ve ever worn. The number hardly even fit inside the bell.
After looking at all these garbage jerseys from the past, maybe these aren’t so bad? I still think they’re pretty poor but comparatively they might be middle of the pack, or at least upper of the lower.
Even if the jerseys were good, they absolutely ruined it with the presentation. Very cool that they had small business owners model the jerseys – I like that a lot. The bad part was the players they brought. De’Anthony Melton, Paul Reed, and Danny Green. Bench players. How insulting is that? If you don’t watch the Sixers frequently you probably don’t even know who Melton or Reed are. Don’t even get me started on Danny Green. I thought he retired until I saw the Sixers signed him.
If the jerseys are any indication, it’s another disappointing year on the horizon. We’ve been asking for these black jerseys every year and we never get them. They’ve had a new “City Edition” jersey every year and we’ve been stiffed every time. Take notes from the Eagles, Phillies, and Flyers, you morons. The Eagles brought back the Kelly Greens. The Phillies wear the Powder Blues every Thursday home game. The Flyers reverted back to the far superior Burnt Orange sweaters. You know it’s bad when even the Flyers are doing something better than you. Figure it out, Sixers.
The Phillies look like a well-oiled machine right now. No sir, no squeaky wheels on this one. The Phils are a darn wagon. A juggernaut. A buzzsaw. Not only are they clicking on all cylinders but, man, they’re firing on them, too.
Playoff Nola is the real deal, my friends. Or as some like to call him (it’s me, I’m “some”), “Toothpick Nola.”
Nola lowered his 2023 Postseason ERA to a miniscule 0.96 after Tuesday night’s performance, where he went 6 shutout innings, struck out 7 batters and allowed just 3 hits, walking none. Pure dominance from Noles.
Thanks to yet another masterful outing from Nola, the Phillies weren’t going to need very many runs. The Phillies offense clearly didn’t get that memo. Trea Turner started the fun in the bottom of the first, when he sent a rocket over the left field wall, allowing the Phillies to jump out to a 1-0 lead. That was all they would’ve needed with the way the pitching staff showed up, but they didn’t stop there. A home run from Schwarber in the third and another in the sixth gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead, only for JT Realmuto to put them on the ropes with a 2 RBI double and Brandon Marsh to continue to put it out of reach, with an RBI double of his own.
The Phils brought a 6-0 lead into the 7th, where Jeff Hoffman threw a 1-2-3 inning, striking out two batters. The Phillies tacked on four more in the bottom half of the inning, courtesy of an Alec Bohm 2 RBI double, and RBIs from JT and Nick Castellanos. Matt Strahm pitched an interesting 8th, but escaped unscathed, allowing the youngster Orion Kerkering to shut things down in the 9th, with no pressure at all. Kerk allowed one hit and struck out three batters, throwing 21 pitches and collecting 3 whiffs on his sweeper.
I know I’ve been very (over)confident during this playoff run, but how could you not be at this point? They’ve outscored the Diamondbacks 15-3 through two games, lead the series 2-0 and now they go to Arizona, with all the momentum in the world and Ranger Suarez taking the hill.
The energy this team has is otherworldly. We’ve got Kyle Schwarber going first to third on a single, Jake Cave trying to stretch a double into a triple and falling flat on his face (I think he was safe, for what it’s worth), security guards laying out fans, etc. All the works. The whole nine yards. It’s everything you could imagine and more.
“I haven’t obviously heard this place on the field, but I’d be very surprised if it trumped that Venezuela game down in Miami.”
Diamondbacks Game 2 starter Merrill Kelly references his World Baseball Classic experience as he prepares to pitch in Philly pic.twitter.com/zOAyIgGmxJ
They really never do. Merrill Kelly doesn’t expect anything too crazy out of a Philadelphia crowd for Game 2 of the NLCS, where their team leads 1-0. Nah, it’ll probably be pretty casual. Just the typical 111 decibels, expletives, insults, and hollers you typically hear. You might’ve gotten away with just a typical Philadelphia crowd, which is still louder than any other fanbase on their best day.
But now? Get ready, Merrill. It will not be fun for you. Fun for the fans. Definitely not for you, though. Did he watch the Phillies-Braves series. Did he see what happened when Orlando Arcia insulted Bryce Harper? Did he see what happened when Spencer Strider said he’d prefer there be no fans at games? Even worse, Kelly directly insulted the Philadelphia faithful. If you not think this isn’t a big deal, you just don’t get Philadelphia. We pride ourselves on being maniacs. We love that. So downplaying our crowd noise? That’s as bad as insulting one of our mothers.
Game 1 was a fantastic win for the Phils, so the fanbase is already feeling confident – and dare I say, extremely cocky? I know I am.
And on top of that, the Eagles suffered their first loss on Sunday. So not only is the fanbase very confident in the Phillies and feeling great, but our Eagles lost so there’s a little bit of anger and hatred behind it, too. That’s a dangerous cocktail, Merrill. I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy. Except, I would, because I’m wishing it upon you. But that’s because you provoked it. I don’t think I’d enlist it unprovoked. You poked the bear.
“Kenneth Merrill Kelly” and his D-Backs are in desperate need of a win tonight, as no team has ever won a CS after going down 2-0. But the Phillies can’t get ahead of themselves. Focus on the task at hand. Attack Kelly early and often. The crowd will take care of the rest.
Additionally, Aaron Nola needs to continue to dominate. Nola pitched in one game against Arizona this year and he went 6.2 innings, allowing 4 earned runs on 6 hits. That’s not a terrible performance, but not what we’re looking for tonight. Also, this will be Nola’s third start of the Postseason. A season ago, he made his third Postseason start in Game 2 of the NLCS and after two masterful performances in Wild Card and NLDS (just like this year), he unraveled. We can’t have that tonight. It’s also important to note he threw 205 innings in the regular season and then 12.2 more in the Postseason, bringing him up to 217.2 IP before his first poor start. This season, he threw 193.2 innings in the regular season and now an additional 12.2 in the Postseason, bringing him to a grand total of 206.1. If last year serves as any indicator, we’ve got about 11 more innings until he blows up again. Let’s squeeze him for everything he’s got.
Merrill Kelly made one start against the Phils this year – June 14, in Arizona – and went 6 innings, allowed 3 earned runs on 3 hits and 4 walks. Kelly also has a 9.4 BB%, which isn’t awful, but it isn’t good. On one hand, I’d like the Phillies to continue to ambush the pitcher early in the count, as they did to Zac Gallen last night, collecting 5 hits on first pitches (2 of which being Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper’s home runs). But on the other hand, Kelly’s shaky control lends itself to patience. His changeup is his best pitch and he’s not a hard thrower, averaging just 91.8 mph on his fastball this season.
Merrill Kelly will learn tonight. Then again, it’s obvious that nobody ever learns.
I was once at a Braves-Phillies game last season when a wise, drunken man repeatedly called out, “They’re not very brave at all!”
I believe his rallying cry was spot on. For a team named the “Atlanta Braves,” their team, manager, fans, etc., really are not brave at all. They’re just flat out cowards.
Between the constant excuses from the fanbase, pitching around Harper, Brian Snitker waving the white flag early on in Game 3, Orlando Arcia’s antics – there’s a lot of cowardice you can point to.
But, this. This might be the worst.
Ronald Acuña Jr. didn’t speak after the game. He grabbed his bag and said “I have to go to the bus” as other players remained in the clubhouse
What an absolute coward. The “MVP” absolutely disappeared when his team needed him most and he’s got nothing to say about it. But this isn’t even what I’m calling the worst. This is:
What?
Braves fans are genuinely mad that Braves reporter Mark Bowman tweeted that out. For some reason, Braves fans have this weird idea that “the clubhouse is a sanctuary,” as Travis d’Arnaud foolishly put it. Braves fans believe reporters shouldn’t report. They don’t want them doing their jobs.
Chelsea Janes, the other REPORTER who REPORTED the “Atta Boy Harper” quote (in addition to Jake Mintz), put it perfectly: “[Reporters protecting players from themselves is] not our job. It theirs.”
Shouldn’t say that with cameras around?
2) Suggesting you shouldn’t report something said in the presence of MORE THAN A DOZEN reporters because it “wasn’t meant to get out?” is suggesting reporters should be protecting players from themselves. That’s not our job. It’s theirs.
Back to the Mark Bowman tweet, I thought those replies were just one-off, salty Braves fans who were coping with the loss. Bowman response to them, I felt, made complete sense.
Because each of his other teammates stood there and were accountable tonight https://t.co/rhB4FEPmAY
But nope. You can go look through the replies to that tweet, too. It’s all Braves fans disagreeing with him. What planet do these people live on??? Since when are reporters not supposed to report what players say? If you want a reporter to ONLY report good things, then you’re a stone cold moron. Sorry, but you are. I would think pretty much everybody thinks this way, but I know for a fact me and my fellow Phillies fans do: you want to hear the good, the bad, the ugly.
Destiny Lugardo, from Phillies Nation, made a magnificent point in response to the Arcia debacle:
I’m sure Alec Bohm wasn’t happy when cameras caught him saying “I f***** hate this place.” He could have denied it or blamed someone else, but he chose to own up to it.
Arcia is a an eight-year vet who should know by now what the deal is when reporters are in the locker room …
I think that’s the best way to sum this thing up. It’s the difference between the Phillies and the Braves. The Phillies might have only 177 wins over the past two regular seasons while the Braves have 205, but there’s a reason why the Phillies have eliminated the Braves from the past two postseasons. There’s a reason why the Phillies are 16-7 over the past two postseasons and the Braves are 2-6. It’s a team culture thing.
And that’s why the Phillies celebrate harder than anyone else. Because they love each other. They’re like a family. It’s Philadelphia, so we know no one likes us (we don’t care), which meant it came as no surprise when seemingly everyone on social media is calling out the Phillies for “overreacting.” Try to enjoy a video of the Phillies celebrating without seeing a reply that says, “didn’t know they won the World Series.” Those replies mostly come from “@bravesfan95,” “@metslover22” and such, though.
All it comes down to is other fans wish their team had as much success as the Phillies. They wish their team had as much fun as the Phillies. They wish their fanbase was as strong as the Phillies. They won’t admit it, but they really wish their team was more like the Phillies. That’s all it is.
Unless you’re an Atlanta Braves fan. Then I guess it’s kinda understandable. I think you probably wish you were a Phillies fan, or that your team was as good as the Phillies.
I’m feeling as cocky as can be after the Phillies took home the Game 4 win, eliminating the Braves from the Postseason and advancing to the NLCS, where they will host the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Phillies and D-Backs faced each other 7 times this season, with the Phillies going 4-3. Way back in May, the Phillies dropped 2/3 at home, and in June, the Phils took 3/4 in AZ.
But first, let’s give the Atlanta Braves the elegant sendoff they deserve.
Thursday night, Nick Castellanos became the first player in MLB Postseason history to have back-to-back multi-home run games (Game 3 and 4). Casty had a flurry of interviews late Thursday night that he facilitated in typical Casty fashion – making things extremely awkward for the interviewer. I can’t tell if he hates these things, is messing with the media, or just flat out doesn’t like these people. Either way, it provides some entertaining/uncomfortable moments, for sure.
And surprise, surprise: Spencer Strider couldn’t handle the intensity of the Philadelphia crowd, being handed the loss in this one as he allowed not one, but TWO NUKES to Nick Castellanos, as well as one to Trea Turner. I think it’s also important to note likely NL MVP Award winner Ronald Acuna Jr’s stats in the NLDS this year: 2-14 (.143), 0 HR, 0 RBI. I mean, there’s a lot of guys who could do that, maybe just about everyone in the MLB, besides his teammate Michael Harris, who went 0-13 in the series. Surely home run champ Matt Olson came through big time – oh wait, I’m receiving word that Olson went… 4-16? With zero RBI? With… ZERO HOME RUNS?!?!?! This can’t be. Ozzie Albies must’ve carried the weight offensively, let’s check in on him – aaaaaand he went 4-15, 0 HR, 1 RBI. Well, it must’ve been a Marcell Ozuna type of series – 2-13, 0 HR, 0 RBI. This doesn’t really sound like “the most dangerous offense in MLB history”…
The only guy on the Braves I’ll look in the eye is Austin Riley. He had his moments, but we’re certainly not here to talk positively about the Braves. Maybe I’d look Orlando Arcia in the eye, just to tell him “ATTA BOY!”
— Underground Sports Philadelphia (@UndergroundPHI) October 13, 2023
Enough about those losers, what a series from the Phils. Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner, and Bryce Harper have consistently been rising to the occasion, offensively, but we’re gonna need some help from the other guys. That being said, you know guys like Kyle Schwarber and Bryson Stott are going to find their groove eventually. JT Realmuto has also been steady, though he struggled in Game 4.
What to look out for with the Diamondbacks? I’d imagine South Jersey native, Zac Gallen, will get the ball in Game 1. Bryce Harper has slashed .333/.385/.417 lifetime against him, while other players have had less success. Phillies’ batters don’t have much experience against him, being that it’s only his fifth year in the league and he plays out west. Merrill Kelly, on the other hand, Arizona’s probable Game 2 starter, is someone Trea Turner has had tremendous success against, thanks to his Dodger days. Turner has slashed .429/.500/.571 off Kelly in his career, with 3 doubles and 6 RBI, the second most he has against any pitcher, in each category.
“This team is built for where we are going,” Rob Thomson recently told us. Well, right now, where they’re going is the NLCS. They’re built for it. This team is as resilient as it gets and as strong as it gets. Just take Game 4 for example: Ranger gave 5, strong innings, then Seranthony came in and did his job. Alvarado helped him out and then it was time to pass the baton to Kimbrel, in the seventh, where he recorded an enormous out. Soto then took care of Matt Olson and came back out for the ninth, where he struggled, but Matt Strahm was right there to pick him up. This bullpen is a testament to the depth this ballclub has, and the resiliency they show each and every time they take the field.
You may not always agree with Topper’s moves at the time, but this man pushes all the right buttons. He has a feel for the game like no other, and I think he operates purely off of feel. Topper’s been in baseball for nearly 40 years now, and I don’t think there’s a single person on the planet whose more equipped to manage and lead a team consisting of the talent this one has.
We got 8 more, Topper.
Nick Castellanos watch the Braves celebrate the NL East Championship at CBP.
He then became the first player to have back-to-back multi-home runs game in MLB Postseason history and it was against the Braves. pic.twitter.com/gkoPXbrIWb
The Phillies lost Game 2 in absolutely heart-shattering fashion Monday night, in an instant-classic that baseball fans will never forget. But admittedly, Braves and Phillies fans will remember the game for two very different reasons.
Atlanta fans will look back on this game as one of the greatest comebacks they’ve ever witnessed – down 1-0 in the series after being eliminated in the same round by the Phillies last season, down 4-0 in the game and after having their offense shut out for 14 innings, they powered their way back to a victory. A victory that included a huge home run from Phillie Killer Travis d’Arnaud, a go-ahead long ball from Austin Riley, and a tremendous game-ending double play, courtesy of not only Michael Harris II and Austin Riley, but also a baserunning miscue from Bryce Harper.
Harper had walked to start the inning and after a JT Realmuto pop-out, Nick Castellanos put a charge into one that went all the way to the warning track – reminiscent of JT’s long fly-out that was captured by Houston’s Chas McCormick in last year’s Fall Classic – only to be caught by Atlanta centerfielder, Michael Harris II. The uber-aggressive Harper knew as soon as the ball hit the bat, he needed to score from first on an extra-base-hit, so he was off to the races. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an extra-base-hit. It was a fly-out and by the time Harris caught it, Harper was on his way to third base. Combine that with Harper slipping as he gets near second and a potential inability to dive headfirst, thanks to the large brace on his arm, courtesy of Tommy John surgery, and Bryce gets doubled off to end the game. A wonderful memory for the Atlanta faithful.
Phillies fans, on the other hand, will remember this game as the one that ignited a World Series run.
I’m making that declaration now. Not only a World Series appearance, as we saw them do last year, but I’m talking about a World Series victory that culminates in a Phillies parade down Broad Street that we’ve been waiting a decade and a half for.
Why? Why after such a heartbreaking loss am I so optimistic? Well, for a number of reasons, one of which is Orlando Arcia.
Arcia, who is 1-7 this series, decided this was a good time to take a jab at 2x MVP, 7x All-Star and reigning NLCS MVP, Bryce Harper. Unfortunately for Arcia and the Braves, the contrary is true, my friends. This may go down as the worst mistake in baseball history. Worse than the Red Sox selling Babe Ruth for pocket change. Worse than Kevin Cash pulling Blake Snell in Game 6 of the World Series. Worse than any move in the history of the MLB imaginable. Orlando Arcia poked the bear known as Bryce Harper and he’s going to regret that big time.
Hunting Blooper
Do you know who Bryce Harper is? In last year’s postseason, this guy had a .349 BA, .746 SLG, 1.160 OPS, 7 doubles, 6 home runs and 13 RBI. Do you know what you’re getting into, Orlando Arcia?
Not only have you ignited a flame under Bryce Harper and the rest of the Phillies, but what a time to do it. After the Phillies came down to Atlanta and took care of business, splitting the series, you have to travel up to Citizens Bank Park and face the most raucous, passionate, deafening crowd you’ve ever faced. Orlando Arcia can’t even begin to imagine what he just got himself into.
Of course, the excerpt of Arcia mocking Harper came from Jake Mintz’s story for FOX Sports. In that, he included this quote, via Travis d’Arnaud:
Getting the crowd back into it was the biggest thing, you say? Well, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is a Philadelphia crowd in October never even begins thinking about not being into the game. So, you won’t have to worry about getting them “back in it.” The bad news? They won’t be on your side. These Braves really don’t know what they got themselves into, especially after the game, doing what would’ve been flagged for excessive celebration in the NFL.
These fans don’t forget. Expect to hear a lot of “atta-boy!’s” when Orlando Arcia inevitably goes oh for. For some reason, the Braves are refusing to announce their Game 3 starter (I guess because Brian Snitker is a grouchy old man), but boy do I feel bad for that poor sap. He will be booed into oblivion. I don’t know who I feel worse for, the pitcher the Braves throw on the mound who will stoke the fire known as the CBP crowd, or employers in the Delaware Valley on Wednesday. The game is at 5pm, so if you plan on going, you’re taking a sick day. Also, the game is at 5pm, so if you’re at work, no shot you’re doing anything all day.
Another guy who will be in bad shape (but I don’t feel bad for) is Spencer Strider. Poor little Spencer doesn’t like fans. Poor little Spencer will have 42,000 fans shouting his name, as well as obscenities (not saying I advocate for that) and insulting his mustache (which he may’ve grown an accompanying beard in fear of what the Philadelphia faithful will say???). If Spencer pitches Game 4 in the Bank, it’s over before it even starts. The Phillies could put Dylan Covey on the mound to start that one, it’ll be a no-contest.
Spencer Strider, verbally assaulting an umpire after he made a very obviously correct call.
So, thank you, Orlando Arcia, for motivating the Philadelphia Phillies. The only things your comments did was that, and make you look like the biggest fool to ever exist on planet Earth. Thank you. Go Phils.
Two weeks of NFL football have come and gone and trust me – cherish these weeks because they fly by, my friends. We saw some overtime thrillers, some blowouts and some players that you should be putting your FAAB bids on right here, right now. Let’s get into it.
Wide Receivers: Wide receivers first because there’s 8 of them.
Tier 1: Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers (Rostered in 13.4% of leagues) I had Reed on this list last week because I liked his involvement in the offense – 5 targets, a rushing attempt, 53% of the snaps. He only had 5.6 points last week (half-ppr), but he built on that this week and had his breakout game; 8 targets, 4 receptions, 37 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, for 17.7 fantasy points (snap percentage went up to 56%).
The TDs carried his performance and typically I’m not a huge fan of touchdowns (just wait) in terms of predictiveness because they’re so volatile. What I mean by that is Jayden Reed isn’t going to find pay-dirt twice every week. It’s just not sustainable. But the same way I cited his involvement in the offense in Week 1, I like him for that reason again after this week. He’s now led the team in targets both games and his main competition in this receiver group right now is Romeo Doubs, who he received five more targets than. The giant piano waiting to fall on all our heads here is the impending return of Christian Watson, but again, that’ll just slide Reed down one slot in this offense. I still think he’ll be involved and the return of Watson and even Aaron Jones could take the pressure off Reed.
Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions (Rostered in 4.4% of leagues) After a solid season opener (4 catches for 80 yards, 10.0 fantasy points), Reynolds followed up that performance in similar fashion to Jayden Reed – with a breakout game. Reynolds caught 5 of his 6 targets this week, for 66 yards and two touchdowns, earning himself 21.1 fantasy points.
Obviously, after a performance like that, your eyes are going to light up like a slot machine if you have the opportunity to add him to your team – which I’m sure you do since he’s available in 95.6% of leagues. But I think there’s good reason for that. I think his foothold in this offense can be sustainable. He played 70% of the snaps Week 1 which was second among receivers only to Amon-Ra St. Brown and has received 6+ targets in both weeks thus far. This week he played the most snaps of any receiver, with 80%. An average of 15.6 points per game? Not bad! I’m eager to add Josh Reynolds to my team this week.
Tier 2: DeVante Parker, New England Patriots (Rostered in 3.9% of leagues) DeVante Parker was inactive for Week 1, due to a knee injury, allowing for Kendrick Bourne to play 91% of the snaps and find the end zone twice. This week, Parker returned and played 100% of the snaps – yes, every single one – compared to Bourne’s drop to just 51%.
Parker scored just 8.7 fantasy points, but received 8 targets and caught 6 of them for 57 yards. Here’s what I want you to take note of: the Tier 1 guys on this list are Jayden Reed and Josh Reynolds. Reed and Reynolds both had solid Week 1’s, playing a lot of snaps and being involved in the offense a good deal. Then, in Week 2, they had great performances. Parker was heavily involved in the offense Week 2, playing every offensive snap, so it’s possible we see him come to life in Week 3, against the Jets. The Jets have a good defense, of course, but Zach Wilson’s inability to do anything productive on a football field leads to them playing a lot and getting tired. Look for Parker and the Pats to take advantage, as he’s a sneaky pickup that I don’t think many will go after.
Tank Dell, Houston Texans(Rostered in 3.8% of leagues) Despite the Texans 11-point-loss, rookie QB CJ Stroud filled up the stat sheet, with 384 passing yards. Of course, somebody had to turn those passing yards into receiving yards, and that’s what Tank Dell helped do this week.
Don’t get me wrong, Nico Collins and Robert Woods had 7 catches for 146 yards and 6 catches for 74 yards, respectively, but Dell went 7 for 72 and a TD, while gathering a team-leading 10 targets. After a quiet Week 1 (4.9 fantasy points, 3 catches for 34 yards), Dell went off in Week 2. Are Collins and Woods ahead of him on the depth chart? Yes, most likely, and definitely in the case of Collins. But do depth charts matter to CJ Stroud? They might not. He gave Dell the most targets and that’s because he loves him. Stroud’s the reason why the Texans drafted him. Collins and Trees may get their fair share of production, but don’t sleep on Stroud’s affinity for Dell.
Mack Hollins, Atlanta Falcons (Rostered in 1.1% of leagues) Hollins hasn’t exactly been Tyreek Hill through the first two weeks of the season, but his performances have been enough to keep an eye on. In Week 1 he played 63% of the snaps, caught 3/4 targets for 31 yards and scored 4.6 fantasy points. Week 2 saw Hollins put up 7.5 points, thanks to 3 catches on 6 targets for 60 yards. He also nearly had a touchdown. And on top of all of that, he played 71% of the snaps, second most again, and Drake London’s percentage dropped from 90% to 82%.
Again, he’s a guy worth taking a look at, based on the fact he’s the clear WR2 in this offense, behind Drake London. It is a run heavy offense, but Ridder showed his ability to sling it on Sunday, when he linked up for 45 yards with Hollins, himself.
Tier 3: Marvin Mims, Denver Broncos(Rostered in 7.2% of leagues) Marvin Mims had himself a day in Week 2, scoring 19.3 fantasy points, on only two catches, that included 113 yards and a touchdown. This is after a 1.9 point performance in Week 1.
I am a fan of Marvin Mims the prospect, but maybe not so much Marvin Mims the Denver Bronco. The reason for that is Week 1, even with Jerry Jeudy out, Lil’Jordan Humphrey was the one who received more snaps, at 70%, while Mims was at just 27%. Week 2, Jeudy returns, and Mims finds himself not only behind Jeudy in snaps, but also Courtland Sutton, Brandon Johnson and Humphrey. I think he’s a good player, but I don’t love his role currently, he sorta just got lucky Wilson found him for a deep strike. We’ll keep an eye on him to see if his role increases, but for now, let someone else spend on him.
Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions(Rostered in 0.2% of leagues) Raymond is definitely more of a dynasty play. He only received one target in Week 1 (which he caught for 20 yards) and played just 27% of the snaps, but this week he upped those targets to three, hauling in two, for 46 yards and a touchdown, while also receiving an uptick in snaps, playing 42%.
Right now, Marvin Jones is playing more snaps than Raymond, which I don’t expect to last much longer. The 33-year-old Jones has just 2 receptions this year, for 8 yards. Jared Goff has thrown the ball 35 times in both games so far this season and David Montgomery was carted off the field, meaning he could miss some time. That allows for this offense to become more pass-heavy, making Raymond a more attractive option as the WR3 in this offense. Playerprofiler.com also lists him as the only slot receiver on the Lions roster. Routes run in the slot data hasn’t come out yet for Week 2. He’s someone you want to consider grabbing in dynasty if he’s available and maybe stash in a deeper redraft league. Redraft leagues with tight benches, just keep an eye on him.
Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers(Rostered in 0.1% of leagues) Dontayvion Wicks, surprisingly, led Green Bay receivers in snaps Week 1. My guess is that might’ve just been an oversight by Head Coach Matt LaFleur, as he dropped down to third this past week, but still played a considerable amount (played 62% in Week 1 and 50% in Week 2). That being said, Wicks had a lineup-worthy performance in Week 2: 2 catches for 40 yards, and he found the endzone, when him and Jordan Love connected on a 30-yard strike.
Maybe Wicks is a guy who is phased out of the offense once Christian Watson returns, but his snap counts from the first two weeks are promising. They must see something in the fifth round pick out of Virginia. After all, he is in the 90th percentile in Burst Score and 84th percentile in Catch Radius, per playerprofiler.com. I’d say take a chance on him in dynasty, but redraft, just keep an eye on him. I’d rather have Kalif Raymond than him right now in redraft.
Running Backs: I don’t like them at all right now.
Tier 1: Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns (Rostered in 9.5% of leagues) Unfortunately, Nick Chubb saw his season end during Monday night’s battle with the Steelers, that included tons of injuries. We already knew Jerome Ford was the 2 in this backfield, and Kevin Stefanski and the Browns showed that, by giving Ford 16 carries for 106 yards.
I think Ford is definitely the RB1 in Cleveland now and he’s going to be one of the most popular, if not the most popular waiver wire add this week. There’s not much to be said here, Deshaun Watson looked pretty poor yet again, so they could be leaning on Ford in the run game quite a bit.
Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts(Rostered in 32.1% of leagues) Zack Moss is the clear RB1 in Indy during Jonathan Taylor’s absence, so you might want to hop on this one quick. We’re not quite sure when (if) Jonathan Taylor will come back, but in the mean time, Moss is the guy. He missed Week 1 with an injury he suffered prior to the season, but in his Week 2 return, he had 18 rushes for 88 yards and a touchdown, while making 4 catches for 19 yards.
Moss was the only running back to receive a carry and he impressed with all the opportunity he was given. Anthony Richardson went down with a potential concussion, so Gardner Minshew could be the QB there in the interim. He actually looked alright, but the Colts could lean on Moss a bit. This is going to be your last chance to go after Moss, the only concern is when Taylor will come back. Kind of like that piano we discussed earlier. Buyer beware.
Tier 2: Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers (Rostered in 40.3% of leagues) Jaylen Warren is certainly worth an add this week, after how awful Najee Harris looked Monday night, coupled with Warren’s involvement in the passing game. Against the Browns in Week 2, Warren scored 10.6 fantasy points, rushing 6 times for just 20 yards, but receiving 6 targets, 4 of which he caught and took for 66 yards.
I don’t understand what Mike Tomlin and Matt Canada’s issue is with using Najee as a pass-catching back. Harris once received 19 targets in a game during his rookie season in 2021 and got at least 3 targets every game that year. Last year, they limited his passing work and now he’s seemingly been completely phased out, with Warren taking that part over. Harris also hasn’t been effective on the ground at all, so this is more of a “Najee Harris is bad, so Jaylen Warren is good” type of thing. Not that I think either of them are bad, but they’re putting Najee in a poor position, allowing Warren to succeed.
Tier 3: Pierre Strong, Cleveland Browns (Rostered in 0.2% of leagues) As I stated, I think Jerome Ford will be the most popular waiver wire add, so Pierre Strong is the sneaky add that not as might as many people will be looking at. That being said, the reason he is “sneaky” and not as many people will be looking at him is because Ford is the better option.
But, if you don’t want to blow all your FAAB on Ford, take a look at Strong. He received a goal-line carry during Monday night’s game and punched it in for 6, but it also did occur after a 69-yard run from Ford, so he was probably gassed and I’m not really sure that’ll continue. He’s just someone to note, maybe pickup this week if you have the room and just see how it goes in Week 3.
Everyone Else:
The Buffalo and Baltimore Backfields Damien Harris, Buffalo Bills (Rostered in 18.9% of leagues) Latavius Murray, Buffalo Bills (Rostered in 0.6% of leagues) Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens (Rostered in 32.0% of leagues) Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens (Rostered in 30.1% of leagues) They’re murky, I wouldn’t even touch them. James Cook had 17 carries for 123 yards, but Damien Harris and Latavius Murray gobbled up the goal-line work, each getting a touchdown. Obviously, Cook is a solid option but he’s not available, it would be Harris and Murray you’re looking at and I wouldn’t touch either.
JK Dobbins is out for the season, so someone is going to step up in Baltimore, but it’s unclear who. Lamar Jackson will always take a lot of the rushing away from the running backs, but Gus Edwards had 10 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown, while Justice Hill had 11 carries for 41 yards. Hill played 57% of the snaps, while Edwards played 43%, if that’s any indicator. Hill also out-snapped him in Week 1.
Again, I wouldn’t go near any of these guys, but if you’re in dire need of a running back, grab one. But be prepared for volatility.
Quarterbacks: Some intriguing individuals here.
Tier 1: Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers(Rostered in 39.8% of leagues) After being selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers and subsequently sitting behind Aaron Rodgers for the past three years, Jordan Love has impressed in his first two weeks. Entering Monday night, Love is the QB2 in all of fantasy football, after back-to-back 20+ point performances.
I’m in on the Green Bay offense – as you can see with this being the third Packer on the list – and the field general of that team is Jordan Love. Now here’s where I’m the bearer of bad news: Love’s success doesn’t seem to be sustainable. Remember when I said touchdowns are volatile? Love has thrown for three of them in each game, despite having a completion percentage of about 56%. He also only threw for 245 yards Week 1 and just 151 in Week 2. But, reinforcements are coming, in Christian Watson and Aaron Jones, so they’ll help to allow the offense to continue to thrive. All of this being said, Love’s going to be the most popular pickup on the quarterback waiver wire, and for good reason, but just beware. Don’t expect him to average 20+ for the rest of the season, but if you really need a QB, he should be a steady option for now.
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams(Rostered in 29.6% of leagues) You’re going to see a theme here over the next few players. Matthew Stafford, despite throwing for just one touchdown so far in this young season, has still managed to average 16.2 fantasy points a game. Not a bad for a QB whose owned in just about 30% of leagues.
The lack of TDs is the bad. The good? He’s thrown for over 300 yards in both games, had 38 pass attempts in Week 1 and 55 pass attempts in Week 2. 55 passes is an astounding number, but it makes sense, considering the Cam Akers situation. Throwing the ball that much lends itself to high yardage totals, as well as opportunities for touchdowns. The touchdowns are going to come for Stafford. He will not continue to average 0.5 passing touchdowns a game, and that’s why I like his outlook for the remainder of the season. Remember that thing about predicting potential big performances. And as an added bonus, he’s rushed 7 times so far. Always nice to get an extra point or two out of your quarterback, by way of the ground.
Tier 2: CJ Stroud, Houston Texans, (Rostered in 7.4% of leagues) The rookie out of Ohio State looked serviceable in Week 1 and fantastic in Week 2, earning himself a spot on this list. This past week saw him go 30/47, for 384 passing yards and two touchdowns.
44 pass attempts in Week 1 and 47 in Week 2. That’s the trend here. We like guys who throw the ball a lot. More passes = more yards and more touchdowns. Possibly. I think my math checks out. Stroud’s also yet to throw an interception through his first 91 passes. I like him as a guy to add to your team right now (assuming you have the space) and start him when you see a good matchup.
Tier 3: Mac Jones, New England Patriots (Rostered in 12.6% of leagues) Mac Jones looked really good in Week 1, and looked alright in Week 2. Week 1 was a 26.1 point fantasy game out of him, while Week 2 was just 13.7.
The bad? He threw an interception both weeks and after throwing for 300+ yards and 3 touchdowns in Week 1, he followed that up with 231 yards and just one TD. The good? He’s thrown the 96 times in two games. He’s also added 40 yards on the ground in 7 attempts. Despite having Rhamondre Stevenson, the Pats have been pass-heavy throughout the first two games and that only benefits Mac. He’s looked better than he has in years past and it looks like we can count on Hunter Henry for a touchdown every week, so keep an eye on Mac Jones if you’re streaming QBs. He could be a good option each week, matchup-dependent. He plays the Jets next week though, who stymied Josh Allen’s success in the air and limited – to an extent – Dak Prescott’s.
Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons (Rostered in 2.3% of leagues) Desmond Ridder didn’t do a whole heck of a lot in Week 1, but Week 2 was a different story. After a 8.4 point performance, Ridder put up 21.4 this past week.
Immediately I thought it was due to the increase in pass attempts (you have to be so sick of hearing about pass attempts), as he had 18 Week 1, compared to 32 this past week, but then I dove a bit deeper. I’m sure that was part of it, but that doesn’t mean they were running the ball any less. After 25 rushing attempts Week 1 between Tyler Allgeier and Bijan Robinson, they jumped that number up to 35 this past week. On top of that, Ridder had just one rush attempt Week 1, but 10 this past week. How’s that happen? They dominated time of possession in Week 2, after being dominated in Week 1. They ran just 48 plays Week 1, compared to 78 Week 2. What’s the takeaway here? The better the Falcons do, the better Ridder performs in fantasy (duh). I’m sure there will be games the Falcons get thrashed this year and I wouldn’t start a single one of their players. But games where they can be competitive? That’s when you can put Ridder in, if you’re streaming. I wouldn’t be too eager to grab him this week, though.
Tight Ends: Tight ends suck.
Tier 1: Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions (Rostered in 49.5% of leagues) The Detroit Lions spent their second round selection on Sam LaPorta in this year’s draft and he’s become a big part of their offense, after TJ Hockenson’s departure last season.
LaPorta received 5 targets in Week 1 – and hauled in all 5 – and then 6 targets in Week 2, which he caught 5 of. He’s yet to find the endzone yet, but he’s receiving nice volume. LaPorta just barely makes this list, as I only include players owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues. He’s certainly a lineup-worthy option at this point and if you’re in need of a tight end, pick him up and be confident in him gaining you an ok amount of points. Don’t expect anything crazy, though, as rookie tight ends rarely perform that well.* *Being a rookie tight end doesn’t mean he won’t be good, but history has shown us that he won’t be a top option. Just don’t expect him to be giving you top 3 TE weeks.
Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (Rostered in 34.7% of leagues) Hunter Henry is currently the TE2 in fantasy football and he’s only owned in 34.7% of leagues. Why? Well because it’s been two weeks and this is Henry’s eighth season in the league, so at this point we know that he isn’t this unbelievable talent. That’s no knock on Hunter Henry, but he isn’t the young, spry San Diego Charger he once was.
That being said, he’s still a solid tight end for the remainder of the fantasy season. He’s received a total of 13 targets through two games and has caught 11 of them. He’s found the end zone in each of his games and has corralled over 50 yards in both. There’s been times in Henry’s career where he’s made a living in the painted turf, and this kind of seems like one of those times right now. I don’t think Hunter Henry will have a TD each week, but you never know with this guy. The targets are encouraging, so he’s definitely a starting tight end in fantasy.
Tier 2: Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys (Rostered in 12.4% of leagues) After only catching 2 of his 7 Week 1 targets, for a disappointing 2.1 point performance, Jake Ferguson made pay-dirt in Week 2, catching 3 of his 4 target and one being a touchdown.
I think a lot of people like Ferguson – including Dak Prescott – so he’s an interesting option. It’s somewhat alerting that he only caught about 29% of balls thrown his way in Week 1, but he sharpened that up in Week 2. He’s probably touchdown dependent if he’s not receiving a ton of targets, but he’s worth a look if you’re desparate.
Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (Rostered in 6.9% of leagues) Taysom Hill, the always-appealing, but ever-risky fantasy option. After doing nothing in Week 1, the Saints featured him quite a bit in the run game Monday night, likely thanks to a Jamaal Williams hamstring injury. Hill had 9 rushes for 75 yards, enough for 8.2 points.
For now, Hill is probably just someone to monitor, as he always is. Maybe he’s going to continue to be a big part of the offense, maybe not. He’s not someone I’d start in Week 3, but I’d keep an eye on him.
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Two years at BYU, averaged: 46 catches, 6 TDs, 715 yds
23 years old, 6’2, 210 lbs
Had an incredible week 1, no TDs. Definitely one of the most popular waiver pickups so be ready to spend your FAAB. Cooper Kupp is on IR, meaning a minimum of 3 more weeks without him. Stafford threw for 300+ yards so he had a good game just no TDs. Stafford’s always been a guy who favors an alpha receiver, used to pepper Calvin Johnson with targets, targeted him 200+ times one year, targeted Kupp nearly 200 times two years ago. He likes feeding one guy, Puka could be that guy, at least while Kupp is gone.
Tutu Atwell, LAR
8 targets, 6 receptions
119 receiving yards
Zero touchdowns
2nd round pick by Rams in 2021
Went to Louisville, had a great 2019 season where he had over 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns
Hasn’t done much of anything in the NFL, got hurt his rookie year and had about 300 yards last season
Nearly 24 years old, 5’9, 165 lbs
Second round pick in 2021, Rams didn’t have a first that year so they poured quite a bit of draft capital into him. Not as flashy of a pickup as Nacua, maybe flies under the radar. Used him in motion a lot, Rams in general used a decent amount of pre-snap motion, helped to get him open. Showed some serious big play ability, quick feet, can’t quite put my finger on who he reminds me of – maybe tyreek? But that could just because he’s short and fast. Ran a 4.39 40 at his pro day, smaller than tyreek. Steve smith might be a good comparison? He’s just a smaller guy though, only 165 lbs but definitely has the ability to be a playmaker for Stafford and the Rams.
Rashid Shaheed, NO
6 targets, 5 receptions
89 receiving yards and a touchdown
UDFA by Saints in 2022
Weber State, four-time all-American kick returner
25 years old, 6’0, 180 lbs
Third option in New Orleans, had the third most targets in the Saints victory, behind Chris Olave and Michael Thomas. Also had two rushing attempts for 11 yards and a fumble – he’s a fun player, explosive player, we can see that from the four-time all-American kick returner honors. They say 7/11 right, always open. I like going with Wawa, I like wawa they’re mostly always open 24 hours, anyway, that’s what this guy is or at least he was on Sunday it seemed Shahid was always open. He can be a high upside play if you know the Saints opponent that week can’t defend the deep ball he can sorta take the top off a defense, I like him quite a bit. Not as big of a fan as the guy whose throwing him the ball, I’ve never liked Derek Carr but he did throw for over 300 yards this week which is shocking to me because every time I saw him it looked like he was doing something wrong.
Kendrick Bourne, NE
11 targets, 6 receptions
64 receiving yards, 2 TDs
8th year in the league, former 49er
2021, first year with NE had career high in receiving yards with 800
Seems to be their number one receiver, Mac Jones looked pretty good, led team in targets. Touchdowns are volatile so don’t go crazy after the two touchdowns in week 1. Jones threw the ball 54 times so the targets had to go somewhere. I’m not saying Bourne is bad or to not pick him up, but I am saying he’s not going to find the endzone twice every week and Mac probably isn’t going to throw 54 times every week.
Jayden Reed, GB
5 targets, 2 receptions
48 receiving yards, 0 TDs
Drafted in second round out of Michigan State
Playerprofiler.com has him most comparable to Stefon Diggs
Not as flashy of a pickup as the others but worth a look. Jordan shared the Love (get it) quite a bit, targeting 8 different pass-catchers in Sunday’s contest, but none received more than Reed. He also was second among receivers in snap percentage, as he was on the field for 53% of the snaps.
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