Cooper Kupp – Page 55 – Syndication Server

NFL Prop Bets Payday: Week 18 player prop picks and predictions

Analyzing the top NFL player prop bets odds and lines of Week 18, with picks and predictions for the most intriguing individual player performances.

It’s the final week of the regular season, and we’ve decided to take five big-name players with something to play for as our picks as they look to either solidify their playoff positioning or get the win they need to get to the postseason. Below, we look at 5 NFL player prop bets for Week 18, and make our best NFL picks, predictions and bets.

Week 18 prop bet picks and predictions

Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:10 a.m. ET.

Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill OVER 66.5 receiving yards (-114)

I always love betting on Hill to hit an Over because it typically only takes one classic highlight film play of 40 yards or more to do the damage needed to hit a high number. This isn’t a high number, likely because he hasn’t hit the Over on that number in his last three games against the Broncos, but I love going with a guy like Hill, who only needs three or four catches to hit a point this low. When the number is low enough for a guy like Hill that he can hit the Over on a single reception, you got to go with it.

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Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor OVER 115.5 rushing yards (-114)

There are two players who have erupted to the point that the Over/Under has become so absurdly high that it’s hard to accept – Taylor and Cooper Kupp (see below). Taylor has rushed for more than 100 yards in seven of his last nine games, including 116 in his first meeting with the Jags. If the Colts win, they’re in, and if they want to win, they need to keep riding Taylor, who can pass some elite company in his final game of being the bell cow of the Colts offense.

Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp UNDER 120.5 receiving yards (-114)

The Rams are the No. 2 seed in the NFC but haven’t won their division yet. The San Francisco 49ers are the No. 6 seed but haven’t clinched a playoff spot yet – despite No. 7 seed Philadelphia having already punched its playoff ticket and having lost to the Niners in Week 2. Before their meeting in November, Kupp had never had more than 41 yards against the 49ers defense. In their earlier meeting, he racked up 122 yards but needed 11 receptions to accomplish that. I’ve made some solid money being ahead of the curve on the Matthew Stafford-Kupp love affair, but in a game with such huge implications, it’s hard to imagine the 49ers aren’t going to double Kupp downfield and force him to catch short passes, which makes hitting 121 yards a big ask. We were going under before this number steamed up two more yards, and we’re sticking with it.

Tennessee Titans WR A.J. Brown OVER 70.5 receiving yards (-114)

The Titans need a win to lock down the No. 1 seed in the AFC and get an extra week to potentially get Derrick Henry back. Henry has been designated to return, but there is no word on whether he’ll play this week. Brown has 114 or more receiving yards in three of five games against the Texans, but none of those games have had the gravity that this one does. Without Henry to potentially carry the ball 30 times or more, the Titans are going to have to keep the offense balanced against a defense that struggles to stop the pass. Look for Brown to dominate his matchups and potentially top 100 yards for the fourth time in six games.

Baltimore Ravens TE Mark Andrews UNDER 69.5 receiving yards (-114)

Andrews has been on fire the last month with Tyler Huntley, piling up 465 yards in the last four games. But, before that, he had four catches for 50 yards against the Steelers. That shouldn’t come as any surprise. The Steelers make Andrews a focal point of their game plan in their semi-annual bloodbath with the Ravens. The 50 yards Andrews gained was the most he ever has against the Steelers. In five career games, he has caught just 17 passes and never scored a touchdown. Mike Tomlin makes a point not to let Andrews hurt him, so he may need six or seven receptions to hit the Over… and he has never caught that many passes against a Pittsburgh defense.

Also see: All Week 18 odds and lines

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4 Rams players to watch vs. 49ers on Sunday

The Rams have a crucial matchup with the 49ers in Week 18 and here are four players to watch in Sunday’s anticipated contest.

The Los Angeles Rams are gearing up for a pivotal matchup with the San Francisco 49ers in Week 18. The Rams, who have already clinched a playoff berth at 12-4, could clinch the NFC West with a win or tie against the 49ers, or with a loss or tie from the Arizona Cardinals.

Los Angeles would also prefer to remain the No. 2 seed in the NFC, so it has plenty to play for in the final week of the regular season. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also 12-4, but the Rams hold the tie-breaker over them after beating them earlier in the season.

Even though Los Angeles has struggled to beat San Francisco in recent years, (losing five straight to them) this is a perfect time for the Rams to end the losing streak to their division rivals. With the Rams looking to end the regular season on a high note, here are four players to watch in Sunday’s showdown with the 49ers.

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

2021 is almost in the books. All but a few fantasy championships have been won and we’re wrapping up a remarkable – and challenging – season. I’ve often said that season-to-season the same thing happens, it just happens to different names. The guesswork is in figuring out which names are new and which names are gone.

But, 2021 is a very memorable season. Here’s the six items that most mark the year.

1.) COVID-19 List – We thought last year was something. We were wrong. To the best I can gather, there have been 867 players on the list including 27 who landed there twice. The rules kept changing as the virus defections grew. We never missed a game, but several were shoved off to the next week and we got to see what a Tuesday NFL game looked like. COVID-19 cast a shadow on every team. A player could go onto the list at any time, maybe they were vaccinated, maybe they were not. There was testing positive, false positives and “close contact.” When they returned, would they be 100% or take some time to get back into shape again. A full season worth should give the NFL all the data they need to make 2022 a smoother, more transparent process. We hoped 2020 would come and go and we would be back to normal. Now it appears we just have a new normal.

2.) Cordarrelle Patterson – I’ve written about the NFL for The Huddle for 25 years. There are always surprises and every season tends to produce one or two “Cinderella’s” that would experience a surprising career year. It would be hard to find any Cinderella bigger than Patterson. The 30-year-old journeyman played for five teams. He was a returner, a receiver, and eventually an occasional running backs. Patterson cooled over the previous four games but was the best weapon for the Falcons through Week 12. He turned in five games with combined yards and totaled 1,154 yards and 11 touchdowns through Week 17. Not many players have a breakout season at the age of 30.

3.) Derrick Henry – The Titans bruiser spent his 2019 and 2020 seasons as a human battering ram. Including the playoffs, he handled over 410 touches for around 2190 total yards for those seasons. That was a historic workload and I wrote “The problem with Derrick Henry” in the summer. He started his third season with an insane workload. His pace of the eight games he played would have ended with 438 carries for 1,874 yards plus 36 carries for 308 yards in the regular season, plus whatever he does in the playoffs. But he finally broke down in Week 8. He turns 28 next year, and he already has a lot of wear on the tires.

4.) Deebo Samuel – His rookie year in 2019 showed some promise with 57 catches for 802 yards and three scores that included three 100- yard games but 11 with fewer than 50 yards. He followed that up with just 33 catches for 391 yards and one score in 2020 when he missed nine games with various ailments. Brandon Aiyuk was the new Big Deal and Samuel was easy to dismiss. But Samuel posted 9-189 in Week 1 and never looked back. He was a receiver, he was a running back. He was a deep draft pick that ended up with 1,310 receiving yards, 320 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Both he and Cordarrelle Patterson are redefining wide receivers to a hybrid that proved highly effective.

5.) Cooper Kupp – Okay. So maybe swapping Jared Goff for Matt Stafford really was worth two first-round picks. Cooper Kupp was always good in his first four seasons and he ended the last two years with stat lines of 94-1161-10 and 92-974-3. He tore an ACL in 2018 and suffered knee and toe injuries for the last two years. But adding Matt Stafford produced nothing short of magic. He’s within striking distance of the all-time record for receptions and caught at least nine passes in nine different games. He has ten 100-yard performances. He was very well represented in fantasy championships this year.

6. Ja’Marr Chase – The LSU product only played as a starter for one year, glorious as it was (84-1780-20) and then opted out of 2020 on a COVID-19 ticket. Being the first wideout drafted showed how impressive he had been in 2019. He spent the summer dropping passes while claiming the lack of a white stripe on an NFL ball made it harder to catch. And then he caught five passes for 101 yards in Week 1 and never looked back. His 266 yards last week was a career-best, but he already gained 201 yards on eight catches in Week 7. He has the look of a stud wideout for many years to come.

One extra point:

7.) Kyle Pitts – He was the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history, so his expectations were sky high. But then Calvin Ridley took the year off and defenses all turned to look at Pitts as the most dangerous weapon. He only scored once so his rookie season seems like a disappointment, but he could break the NFL record for rookie tight end yardage if he gained 58 yards on Sunday. He’s already only the second rookie tight end to break 1,000 yards. He wasn’t quite the difference-maker his drafters wanted, but he was still one of the most productive rookie tight ends playing in a bad offense.

Honorable mentions – Jonathan Taylor, Antonio Brown, Najee Harris

Sean McVay sheds light on elite company Cooper Kupp could join with receiving triple crown

Sean McVay went into detail on how much it would mean for Cooper Kupp to join the legendary group of WRs that have won the triple crown.

Cooper Kupp has an opportunity to break multiple records with another productive performance for the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18 versus the San Francisco 49ers. Besides being able to set the single-season receptions record and the single-season receiving yards record, Kupp could become just the fourth wide receiver in NFL history to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.

Ahead of what could be a historic week for Kupp, Sean McVay shed light on his thoughts about the previous wide receivers (Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, and Steve Smith) that have achieved the triple crown feat.

“Incredible competitors, all three of those guys. To be mentioned in that same category is a true compliment. I know the respect that Cooper Kupp has for the history of this game and all three of those guys are so elite in their own right at playing that position,” McVay said Wednesday. “It’s a testament to the production. When you start talking about catches, yards, touchdowns – it’s unbelievable that he’s mentioned in that same category. He has to go finish it out, but he has delivered in so many different ways for us and what he does without the ball is arguably as impressive. Those people that really love studying the tape, watching the intricacies of what he does snap in and snap out, it’s pretty remarkable. You just feel fortunate to be able to work with a player like him, but all three of those guys that you just mentioned – what a special group that is. Amazing accomplishments that those men achieved. For Cooper to be mentioned in that same category and potentially be able to have his name alongside of those guys with the triple crown is a huge testament to the hard work he’s put in. Then also, being surrounded by great teammates.”

Kupp enters Sunday’s game with 138 receptions, 1,829 receiving yards, and 15 receiving touchdowns, all of which lead the league. He needs only 12 receptions and 136 receiving yards to set the single-season records for both categories.

To be mentioned in the same sentence as guys like Rice, Sharpe, and Smith is nothing to scoff at. What Kupp has done this season — regardless of whether he breaks the records or not — has been truly remarkable any way you look at it.

Even with the Rams focused on bigger things like winning a Super Bowl, McVay realizes how special it would be for Kupp to join the likes of Rice, Sharpe, and Smith.

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Chasing Calvin: Cooper Kupp needs 136 yards vs. 49ers to break NFL record

Cooper Kupp has one game left to surpass Calvin Johnson’s record for the most receiving yards in a season. Can he get it done?

Cooper Kupp has put together one of the best seasons ever by a wide receiver. Even with one game to go, he’s racked up 138 catches, 1,829 yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the NFL in all three categories.

He’s the first player in league history with 130 catches, 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns, doing something that not even Jerry Rice or Randy Moss accomplished.

Entering Week 18, he’s still in pursuit of Calvin Johnson’s single-season receiving record, which was set in 2012. Johnson sits atop the list with 1,964 yards, breaking the mark that was previously held by Jerry Rice.

Kupp needs 136 more yards against the 49ers in Week 18 to top Johnson’s record, even though he said “it wouldn’t seem right” to do so in 17 games.

6 NFL records that could be broken in Week 18

T.J. Watt, Cooper Kupp and Tom Brady are on the cusp of setting new single-season records in Week 18.

We’re heading into Week 18 for the first time in NFL history, as the league celebrates what it has been marketing as its “biggest” season ever.

Not only does the addition of a 17th regular-season game push the date of Super Bowl XVI back to Feb. 13, the latest date ever for the big game, it also puts a number of single-season NFL records in jeopardy.

A few weeks ago, Touchdown Wire took stock of nine single-season records that could fall by season’s end.

Now, with just one regular-season game remaining for each team, we’re circling back to assess which of those marks are still within reach.

Jalen Ramsey says Cooper Kupp has helped him become a better DB

Jalen Ramsey had nothing but high praise for Cooper Kupp, who he says has made him a better DB

Jalen Ramsey has been the best defensive back in the league for a couple of years now, earning Pro Bowl selections in all three seasons that he’s been with the Rams. Yet, he’s still found ways to improve as a defender, putting together what might be his best season in the NFL this year.

He’s taken on a new role as the “star,” or the defender who lines up over the slot, which has led to frequent matchups with Cooper Kupp in practice and training camp. It’s a battle between the league’s best DB and the best slot receiver, which only helps each player get better over time.

Ramsey spoke with Rams Wire via phone Tuesday and heaped praise on Kupp for being a great player and the ultimate teammate. He also said Kupp has helped him get better as a DB, elevating his game since joining the Rams in 2019.

“I joked about this last week when I talked to the local media and I said, ‘Man, I lock up Cooper Kupp all the time in practice and during camp,” Ramsey said. “I was half-serious and half-joking because honestly, me and Cooper have had some great battles – especially with me playing the ‘star’ role, he’s helped me elevate my game and try to perfect my short-area quickness. Just playing in the slot because he is dominant in that slot. He is the best in the league doing it. He’s so savvy. He knows how to work off leverages. He knows how to read coverages pre-snap, during the middle of the play. And he knows how to use his strengths to be a strength and he knows how to limit his weaknesses so they’re not taken advantage of in the game. He’s just the ultimate professional and the ultimate teammate. I could go on and on about how good of a teammate he is, how good of a player he is.”

Kupp is on the verge of potentially breaking single-season records for the most receptions and receiving yards, needing 12 catches and 136 yards in Week 18 to finish first in both categories. He’s put together a historic season with 15 games of 90-plus yards, consistently producing for the Rams and Matthew Stafford.

Ramsey has been equally good, setting career-highs in tackles and tackles for a loss, while also sitting one interception and two pass breakups shy of career marks in those departments. With Ramsey and Kupp both under contract long-term, it’s not crazy to think they’ll only keep making each other better in the coming years.

PFF names Rams’ Cooper Kupp fantasy football MVP for 2021

Cooper Kupp was a game-changer in fantasy football this season, as evidenced by him winning PFF’s fantasy football MVP in 2021.

If you were lucky enough to land Cooper Kupp in fantasy football this season, there is a decent chance you were competing for a league title in Week 17. The standout wide receiver of the Los Angeles Rams has put together a historic season in his first year with Matthew Stafford and he has an opportunity to break multiple records in Week 18.

Even before the final week of the regular season takes place, PFF named Kupp the fantasy football MVP for the 2021 campaign.

Kupp enters Week 18 with 138 receptions, 1,829 yards, and 15 touchdowns, putting him in position to be the fourth triple-crown (lead the league in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns) winner at wide receiver. The other three wideouts to accomplish this feat were Jerry Rice, Sterling Sharpe, and Steve Smith.

Besides Kupp being able to break the single-season receptions and receiving yards records, he could surpass Rice for the highest-scoring PPR season ever in fantasy football. Kupp currently has 412.9 points while Rice holds the record at 414.

The consistency that Kupp showed this season was uncanny as he eclipsed 90-plus receiving yards in 15 of his 16 games thus far. That is an NFL record that was previously set by Antonio Brown and Michael Irvin, who both had 13 games of 90-plus yards in a season.

Kupp’s numbers rest at 138 receptions, 1,829 receiving yards and 15 scores after 17 weeks of action. Hopefully, the Rams do everything in their power to get their stud No. 1 receiver to the 2,000-yard club, but if not, let me speak for the entire fantasy community by saying thank you, Mr. Kupp.

Also, what makes Kupp the most valuable player in fantasy football is the scoring gap between him and WR2 (Davante Adams). Kupp averaged 4.1 points per game more than Adams, which was the largest gap between the top two players at any position this season.

Even though Kupp should be in the conversation for the NFL MVP trophy, he’s at least getting recognized for his contributions in fantasy football this season.

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Cooper Kupp: ‘It wouldn’t seem right’ for receiving records to be broken in 17 games

Cooper Kupp says ‘it wouldn’t seem right’ for receiving records to be broken in a 17-game season

When the Rams take the field against the 49ers for their final regular-season game on Sunday, there will be a lot on the line. A win will give them the NFC West crown and the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, while a loss could potentially drop them to fifth.

For Cooper Kupp individually, this is also a huge game. With 138 catches and 1,829 yards, Kupp is 135 yards shy of Calvin Johnson’s single-season record for the most receiving yards and 11 receptions behind Michael Thomas for the most in one season. He has a chance to break both of them, albeit in one extra game due to the NFL expanding the regular season to 17 games for the first time this year.

Kupp’s top priority is to win the game, but when it comes to those records, he says it wouldn’t seem right to break them in 17 games. Johnson and Thomas accomplished those feats in 16 games, and Kupp believes records set in this expanded schedule should be separated.

“In all honesty, in my opinion, we’re in a very unique season. We’re the longest football season ever played,” Kupp said Monday. “What the guys did that set those records – Mike Thomas, Randy Moss for the touchdowns, what Calvin Johnson did with the yards. What those guys did in 16 games, it wouldn’t seem right to, I don’t know, for those to be broken in 17 games. It wouldn’t hold the same weight to me as it does for guys that have done that in a 16-game season and the accomplishments that those guys had and the seasons those guys put together. Those are incredible things, incredible accomplishments. You kind of have to separate the two. We’re in a new age of football where we’re playing 17 games a year. A lot of the stuff happened before that, those records hold a different weight, being that they were played in those 16 games. I have just an incredible respect for what those guys were able to do, what they were able to accomplish and what they were able to produce for their teams in those 16 games.”

Sean McVay said Kupp’s chase for those records won’t affect the team’s game plan against the 49ers. But he did note that Kupp’s production typically goes hand-in-hand with the offense moving the ball because of how integral he is as a player.

McVay wouldn’t rule out drawing up plays to get Kupp the ball if he’s close to breaking the records on Sunday, but he also doesn’t want to force anything in a game that has such major implications for the playoffs – especially at the risk of getting Kupp hurt.

“I don’t know. I think that’s something that I think you definitely want to kind of be open-minded where you’d never close the door on it, but not at the expense of potentially losing him too,” McVay said. “And so, all those things are up in the air. I wouldn’t pigeonhole myself into kind of one standard operating approach.”

For Kupp, he doesn’t care if he has to block more to help Sony Michel break off big runs if it means the Rams will win. He’s all about the team and helping the Rams succeed.

“My priorities are going in to win this game this week,” he said. ”Whatever it takes to win that. If it means spending more time blocking defensive ends and being able to get Sony sprung for some big gains, that would be huge. I just want to do my job.”

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Tunnel Vision of Week 17

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks	Pass-Rush	TD
Joe Burrow	446 – 10	4
Tom Brady	410	3
Russell Wilson	236 – 23	4
Josh Allen	120 – 81	2
Dak Prescott	226 – 20	3
Running Backs	Yards	TD
Rashaad Penny	25-170 rush 2-15 catch	2
Darrel Williams	14-88 rush 3-19 catch	2
Boston Scott	14-47 rush 4-39 catch	2
Devin Singletary	110 rush	2
R. Stevenson	19-107 rush	2
Wide Receivers	Yards	TD
Ja’Marr Chase	11-226	3
Amon-Ra St. Brown	8-111 catch 2-23 rush	2
DK Metcalf	6-63 catch 1-6 rush	3
Davante Adams	11-136 catch	1
Cooper Kupp	6-95 catch	1
Tight Ends	Yards	TD
Noah Fant	6-92	1
Rob Gronkowski	7-115	0
Mark Andrews	6-89	0
Travis Kelce	5-25	1
Dallas Goedert	6-71	0
Placekickers	XP	FG
Jason Meyers	6	3
Matt Prater	1	4
Justin Tucker	1	4
Brett Maher	0	4
Mason Crosby	4	3
Defense	Sack – TO	TD
Bears	4 – 4	0
Titans	2 – 3	0
Saints	7 – 2	0
Ravens	1 – 3	1
Patriots	2 – 3	0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Joe Burrow – Knee
QB Drew Lock – Shoulder
RB – Michael Carter – Concussion
RB Damien Harris – Hamstring
RB Ronald Jones – Ankle
WR Antonio Brown – Streaking
WR Michael Gallup – ACL
TE Rickey -Seals Jones – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

Nothing major other than Michael Gallup, but an interesting day.

QB Joe Burrow (CIN) – Twisted his knee at the end of the game but doesn’t appear to be an issue. He jogged off the field and did an interview.

RB Michael Carter (NYJ) – Was evaluated for a concussion and his status is not known. Ty Johnson and Austin Walter replaced him against the Buccaneers and would again versus the Bills this week if needed.

RB Damien Harris (NE) – Did not play in the second half with another hamstring injury. Harris initially injured it in Week 13 and has been hampered by it since. Harris said he was good later on so he’ll probably be questionable again for Week 18 at the Dolphins which usually means little with the Patriots. Harris did not return to the game but the Pats won 50-10 anyway.

RB Ronald Jones (TB) – The dream matchup against the Jets didn’t happen when Jones left the game with an ankle injury. Ke’Shawn Vaughn (8-31) and Le’Veon Bell (3-5) filled in after he left. They’d replace him again versus the Panthers this week if needed.

WR Michael Gallup (DAL) – The soon-to-be free agent was reported to have torn his ACL. That opens up his spot for Cedrick Wilson who replaced him earlier this season.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

WR Antonio Brown ~~(TB)~~ – The Bucs mercurial wideout was never going to let his time in the NFL end with a whimper. His outburst on the sideline was followed by stripping off his jersey, pads, and tee-shirt. His shirtless exit had him waving goodbye to ~~his career and endless second chances~~ the Jets fan as he trotted into the stadium tunnel. It was one of the more surprising game-day developments of the season. HC Bruce Arians refused to comment other than to say “He’s no longer a Buc.” Watch football all your life and you think you’ve seen everything. Not so, apparently.

WR Cooper Kupp (LAR) – He caught six passes for 95 yards and one score in the win over the Ravens. That gives him 138 receptions on the year with one game left to play. The Rams host the 49ers and Kupp is currently No. 3 in NFL history for single-season receptions. He trails only Marvin Harrison (143 – 2002) and Michael Thomas (149 – 2019). Six catches and he’s No. 2. Make a dozen catches and he owns the record.

TE Kyle Pitts (ATL) – His two catches for 69 yards in the loss to the Bills gives him 1,018 yards and he became the second rookie tight end to break 1,000 yards. If he gains more than 58 yards this week versus the Saints, he’ll pass Mike Ditka (1,076 yards) for the all-time record. Chances are the Falcons will make that a priority.

RB Saquon Barkley (NYG) – The Giants’ running back did very little to repay fantasy drafters with a season where he never rushed for more than 64 yards. So, in the unlikely chance you made the playoffs with him as your first-round pick, Barkley turned in a season-best 102 yards on 21 carries. That’s five more carries than any other game. The Giants gave up trying to throw the ball in the 29-3 loss to the Bears and ran Barkley instead of using the ineffective pass. Shame they didn’t opt for that about two months ago.

Rethinking RBs – Look, it’s been a tough year all around in the NFL and fantasy football. Remember back last summer how nuts everyone gets scraping up running backs for the first two rounds? It is championship week and here are the Top-10 fantasy running backs for Week 17.

1 SEA Rashaad Penny
2 KCC Darrel Williams
3 PHI Boston Scott
4 BUF Devin Singletary
5 NEP Rhamondre Stevenson
6 GBP AJ Dillon
7 CHI David Montgomery
8 NOS Alvin Kamara
9 SFO Elijah Mitchell
10 WAS Jaret Patterson

Yeah. Kamara cost about a No. 3 pick and Montgomery showed up later in Round 2. But, those were the best scorers for running backs. And yet, you’ll still go heavy on running back. Almost everyone does, except for those in fantasy championships this year.

RB Rashaad Penny (SEA) – He finally was given a full workload and ran for over 100 yards in three of the last four games. He comes off a career-best 170 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. Of course, that was versus the visiting Lions. Last week it was the visiting Bears (17-135, TD) and in Week 14, it was the Texans (16-137, 2). His rookie contract expires this spring and if they bring him back, they should look into giving him the jersey number “2-29” because he only shows up every four seasons like Leap Year.

WR Cyril Grayson (TB) – The third-year wideout only totaled two career catches through Week 15 but the undrafted LSU-product helped replace Chris Godwin with three catches for 81 yards in Week 16. Then he just turned in six receptions for 81 yards and a score on Sunday. And apparently, new openings in the Buccaneers wideout crew are happening all the time.

RB D’Onta Foreman (TEN) – The fifth-year back did little in the NFL until finally getting picked up in the wake of Derrick Henry’s injury. Now Foreman totals three touchdowns and three 100-yard rushing efforts in the last five weeks including a career-best 132 yards and a score on 26 carries in the win over the Dolphins. Maybe he’s finally found a home where they know how to use him. Or maybe, just maybe, he’s enjoying the advantage of lining up behind one of the elite run-blocking offensive lines in the NFL.

QB Trey Lance (SF) – His second start was better than his first. Lance filled in for Week 5 when he ran for 89 yards on 16 rushes, and passed for 192 yards and one interception at the Cardinals. On Sunday, he only ran for 31 yards on eight attempts but threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns versus the Texans. He connected with Brandon Aiyuk (4-94) and Deebo Samuel (3-63, TD) but ignored George Kittle (1-29).

WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET) – The Lions 4.07 draft pick was the seventeenth wideout taken this year. Between Dez Fitzpatrick and Jaelon Darden. But he’s been nothing short of spectacular playing on a bad offense with Jared Goff or Tim Boyle at quarterback. He produced a season-best eight catches for 111 yards and one score, plus ran in a touchdown on his two carries for 23 yards. During fantasy playoffs. He’s scored five times over the last five games and never fallen below 73 yards in that time. There was a whole lot of nothing between the third-drafted wideout and the seventeenth.

Huddle player of the week

WR Ja’Marr Chase – The Bengals star went on a downturn after midseason but then caught seven passes for 125 yards in Week 16 versus the Ravens. In Week 17, during fantasy league championships, all he did was catch eleven passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. That’s 55.6 points in a reception point league. And this is the guy that last summer said he was dropping passes because NFL balls lacked white stripes. To him and all his fantasy owners:

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy		Yards	TDs	Tragedy		Yards	TDs
QB	Tim Boyle	276	2	QB	Matt Ryan	204	0
RB	Boston Scott	86	2	RB	Ezekiel Elliott	30	0
RB	Jaret Patterson	98	1	RB	Dalvin Cook	16	0
WR	Kristian Wilkerson	42	2	WR	A.J. Brown	41	0
WR	Cyril Grayson	81	1	WR	Jaylen Waddle	47	0
WR	Zay Jones	120	0	WR	Stefon Diggs	52	0
TE	A. Firkser	24	1	TE	George Kittle	29	0
PK	Jason Meyers	6 XP 3 FG		PK	Matt Gay	2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 123				Huddle Fantasy Points = 31

Now get back to work…