Fantasy football owners who tried to exploit a Kendall Hinton loophole had their plans backfire

Oops.

The Denver Broncos were forced to turn to Kendall Hinton, a practice squad wide receiver, as their quarterback against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday due to COVID-19 protocols that forced their entire group of QBs to sit out.

It was a situation that, as my colleague Andy Nesbitt noted, should lead to Hinton getting all the praise in the world (along with a full-time job at wide receiver) for bailing out the Broncos when they needed it.

From a fantasy football perspective, Hinton actually had a Taysom Hill-like loophole in certain leagues. He was listed as a wide receiver only in Yahoo leagues, which meant Hinton had the chance to put up quarterback points at a non-QB position, just like Hill did at tight end for one week in ESPN leagues before he was stripped of TE eligibility.

When all the news dropped on Saturday about Hinton probably getting the start under center, fantasy owners — including yours truly — flocked to the waiver wire and grabbed him, hoping for Hinton to produce enough to be worth exploiting the loophole of position eligibility.

As you know by now, it didn’t go so well. He finished with 13 yards passing, two interceptions and seven yards rushing, for a cool -2.78 points in standard scoring.

Those who started him (I didn’t end up doing it but in a league where I considered swapping him for Tyler Boyd (15 yards on three catches) it wouldn’t have been that big of a difference!) weren’t happy it all backfired:

Look, sometimes fantasy football is supposed to be fun, and this was a case where you could roll the dice and have a little fun with a player who could end up surprising us with a good day despite having not a lot of time to prepare to play quarterback. Yes, losing a game in fantasy with the playoffs looming isn’t fun … but maybe think about how the anticipation was thrilling instead.

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Tunnel Vision of Week 12

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

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
 Patrick Mahomes 462-28 3
 Deshaun Watson 318-24 4
 Kirk Cousins 307-19 3
Tom Brady 345-(-1) 3
 Aaron Rodgers 211-11 4
Running Backs Rush
Receive
TD
Derrick Henry 27-178
2-7
3
Antonio Gibson 20-115
5-21
3
Nick Chubb 19-144
3-32
1
Latavius Murray 19-124
1-2
2
Kenyan Drake  22-78
3-15
2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Tyreek Hill 13-269 3
Will Fuller 6-171 2
Jarvis Landry 8-143 1
Allen Robinson 8-74 2
A.J. Brown 4-98 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Evan Engram 6-129 0
Rob Gronkowski 6-106 0
Travis Kelce 8-82 0
T.J. Hockenson 5-89 0
Kyle Rudolph 7-68 0
Placekickers XP FG
Younghoe Koo 4 5
Graham Gano 1 4
Robbie Gould 2 3
Dustin Hopkins 5 2
Greg Zurelein 1 3
Defense Sck-TO TD
Falcons 5-5 1
Panthers 2-3 2
Rams 2-4 1
Texans 4-3 1
49ers 2-4 1

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Daniel Jones – Hamstring
QB Teddy Bridgewater – Arm
RB Josh Jacobs – Ankle
RB Dalvin Cook – Ankle (returned)
RB Phillip Lindsay – Knee
WR D.J. Moore – Leg
WR Olamide Zaccheaus – Toe

Chasing Ambulances

QB Daniel Jones – Left in the third quarter with what was called a “serious hamstring injury.” An MRI will determine the prognosis but early expectations are that he could miss this week’s matchup with the Seahawks in Seattle. Colt McCoy finished the game with only 6-of-10 completions for 31 yards. The 34-year-old McCoy only started seven games over the last nine years but at least the Seahawks secondary is weak.

QB Teddy Bridgewater – Injured his arm on the final play of the game but later said his arm was “sideswiped” and that it wasn’t serious.

RB Josh Jacobs – Injured his ankle during the blowout loss to the Falcons. He lost a fumble near the end of the third quarter and did not play again, but it was already a lost cause at 30-6 entering into the fourth quarter. There was little said about it afterward, but if he were injured, then Devontae Booker would inherit the starting role this week at the Jets.

RB Phillip Lindsay – Left the loss to the Saints with a knee injury. HC Vic Fangio would only say that he “tweaked his knee a little bit.” Royce Freeman ran for 50 yards on eight rushes working as a wildcat quarterback and could see more work if Lindsay’s injury keeps him out against the Chiefs this week, but the Broncos offense is already sputtering and Melvin Gordon gets the most work regardless of what Lindsay did.

WR D.J. Moore – Had to be carried from the field after a non-contact leg injury. These types of injuries are rarely minor and if he misses time, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel will see an increase to their targets once they return from their bye this week.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

RB Alvin Kamara – Week two with Taysom Hill and Kamara was no better with only 11 runs for 54 yards and one catch for a one-yard loss. Latavius Murray ran for 124 yards and two scores but the Broncos weren’t putting up much fight and Kamara wasn’t needed. They’ll need him more this week in Atlanta. At least, theoretically.

QB Kendall Hinton – The Broncos ran out of eligible quarterbacks and dialed up the practice squad wideout that had one year as a quarterback in college. He only completed one-of-nine passes for 13 yards and threw two interceptions. He was the first Denver quarterback to throw no completions in the first half since Tim Tebow in 2011.

Falcon’s backfield – Todd Gurley was out with a sore knee, and Brian Hill had the start. He ran for 55 yards on 13 carries but they also relied on Ito Smith for 12 rushes for 65 yards and one score. Smith had nine of his carries in the final couple of series, so Hill remains the primary when Gurley is out. The Falcons already led 30-6 before Smith began to run the ball much.

QB Derek Carr – Faced the No. 32 ranked defense versus quarterbacks and flopped hard with only 215 yards and one interception in a game that the Raiders just went through the motions. Probably an after-effect of losing to the Chiefs in Week 11.

RB Austin Ekeler – His first action since Week 4 and there was no “easing” him back into the game flow. Ekeler ran 14 times for 44 yards and added a season-high 11 receptions for 85 yards. Joshua Kelley (7-35, TD) was given the goal-line plunge, but mostly because he broke a 33-yard run to reach the BUF-8 yard line.

WR Gabriel Davis – The rookie already scored four times this season, including four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 against the Seahawks. With John Brown on injured reserve, Davis led the Bills with three catches for 79 yards and a score against the Chargers. Stefon Diggs was held to 39 yards on seven receptions.

QB Brandon Allen – The Bengals opted for Allen after losing Joe Burrow for the season. He only completed 17-of-29 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. The only bright spot was that Tee Higgins (5-44, TD) caught the touchdown though it was in the final two minutes of the game.

WR T.Y. Hilton – The Colts No. 1 wideout (in theory) finally scored for the first time this year when he posted a season-best four catches for 81 yards against the visiting Titans. He plays in Houston this week with a good chance to shine again.

QB Mike Glennon – The Jaguars had enough of Jake Luton and turned to Glennon this week versus the Browns. He passed for 235 yards and two scores even though DJ Chark and Chris Conley were out. The rookie Collin Johnson led the team with four receptions for 96 yards and one touchdown from a 46-yard catch.

WR Adam Thielen – The Vikings hoped that Thielen could test negative for COVID-19 in time to play  the Panthers on Sunday but he was unable and was made inactive. In his place, Obisi Johnson led the team with seven catches for 74 yards while Justin Jefferson turned in two scores on his seven receptions for 70 yards.

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick – With Tua Tagovailoa out this week, Fitzpatrick threw for 257 yards and two scores in the win over the Jets.  The rookie had swelling in his thumb and is not feared to miss several weeks. If that happens, Fitzpatrick faces three straight home games versus the Bengals, Chiefs and Patriots.

RB DeAndre Washington – The Dolphins still have Myles Gaskin on injured reserve and Salvon Ahmed missed the game with a shoulder injury. Matt Breida ran eight times for 36 yards while Washington was given 13 rushes to gain 49 yards and he added two catches for 11 yards. Gaskin may be returning and Ahmed’s shoulder could improve. It all draws a more confusing picture of the Miami backfield for the rest of the season.

RB Raheem Mostert – Was activated from the injured reserve after missing six weeks. While he was considered questionable and his role downplayed by HC Kyle Shanahan, Mostert led the 49ers with 16 carries for 43 yards and one touchdown and two catches for no gain. Jeff Wilson also returned after missing five games and turned in 12 runs for 43 yards. Jerick McKinnon only handled three runs and two catches.

RB Cam Akers – He’s still the third back to get into the game but the rookie outplayed Darrell Henderson (10-19) and Malcolm Brown (3-4) when he ran for 84 yards and one touchdown on nine carries.  He gained 61-yards in a fourth-quarter run and was allowed to punch in the score. Henderson hasn’t shown the same form he had earlier in the season and Brown has been used more as a short-yardage back. The committee approach is still in strong use, but the rookie Akers is the only back flashing any spark lately.

RB David Montgomery – He missed Week 10 with a concussion and returned to a season-best 11 carries for 103 yards against the Packers. He broke a 57-yard run and added five receptions for  40 yards and a touchdown. It was his first 100-yard effort and a season-high for receiving yards as well. And that came with Mitchell Trubisky back as the starting quarterback.

 

Huddle player of the week

Tyreek Hill  –  Some weeks it isn’t close. Hill burned the Buccaneers, catching 13 of 16 targets for 269 yards and three touchdowns. That ties for the No. 15 most receiving yardage in any game and Hill already totaled 210 yards on eight catches at halftime. That’s a cool 57.9 points in a reception-point league. Hill already scored 13 times this year and leads all fantasy wideouts on the season.

Salute!

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

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Philip Rivers 295 2 QB Kyler Murray 201 0
RB Latavius Murray 19-124
1-2
2 RB Ezekiel Elliott 10-32
1-7
0
RB Adrian Peterson 15-55 2 RB C. Edwards-Helaire 11-37
1-2
0
WR Jarvis Landry 8-143 1 WR Cooper Kupp 2-41 0
WR Deebo Samuel 11-134 0 WR Antonio Brown 2-11 0
WR Collin Johnson 4-96 1 WR Michael Thomas 4-50 0
TE Kyle Rudolph 7-68 0 TE Darren Waller 4-23 0
PK Younghoe Koo   4 XP   5 FG PK Rodrigo Blankenship   2 XP
Huddle Fantasy Points = 129 Huddle Fantasy Points = 23

Now get back to work…

Denver Broncos’ social media nails perfect appreciation of Kendall Hinton

The Broncos’ social media team paid tribute in a perfect way to Kendall Hinton

The Denver Broncos’ social media team nailed it was a tweet about Kendall Hinton, who was forced to play quarterback for the team after its four rostered and practice squad players were ineligible due to COVID-19 violations.

The stats didn’t matter one drop. What Hinton did playing without any practice or reps was remarkable. This is the NFL and Denver forced someone into a horrendous situation.

The Broncos put Kendall Hinton in an impossible situation, and they deserve all the blame

The Broncos presented Kendall Hinton with an impossible challenge, and he responded as well as he possibly could.

Per Pro Football Reference, there are 10 instances in NFL history in which a quarterback attempted at least five passes, completed none of those passes to anyone on his own team, and threw at least two interceptions to the other team. The list of quarterbacks includes Joe Gilliam (1973) and Terry Hanratty (1974) of the Steelers, and Johnny Unitas (1971 for the Colts) and Jim Harbaugh (1998 for the Ravens). So, there are a lot of on-purpose starting quarterbacks in the annals of NFL history who have done far worse than Kendall Hinton did for the Broncos in Denver’s 31-3 loss to the Saints on Sunday.

Hinton, a practice squad receiver before all of Denver’s four quarterbacks were deemed unavailable for the game due to COVID concerns, didn’t even know some of his teammates, and he was facing one of the NFL’s better defenses. During his five years at Wake Forest from 2015 through 2019, the QB/WR hybrid completed 133 of 251 passes for 1,504 yards, eight touchdown passes, and seven interceptions. There was no way Hinton was going to succeed, but because the Broncos had a COVID disaster among their quarterbacks, and it happened late in the week, there was no recourse — no other quarterback to sign and get up to speed given the league’s coronavirus protocols.

What happened was, Broncos backup quarterback Jeff Driskel tested positive this week, and all three of Denver’s other actual quarterbacks (Drew Lock, Blake Bortles, and Brett Rypien) were not using masks while in close contact — which Lock later confirmed on Twitter.

A clear mistake, and though nobody deserves the potential result, Hinton certainly didn’t deserve what might wind up being his only shot at the NFL. Hinton completed one of his nine attempts for 13 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions, so he at least avoided the above list of ineptitude. He also doesn’t deserve any of the heat that may be coming his way. The Broncos were careless, they ran afoul of the league’s protocols even through the league has outlined those protocols in explicit detail over and over throughout the season.

So, there’s no point in showing Hinton’s interceptions. We all knew he was going to throw them. We all knew this was going to be a disaster. The Broncos knew this was going to be a disaster. That’s why they actually tried to get the NFL to let them activate offensive quality control coach Rob Calabrese on the roster as a quarterback, but the NFL wouldn’t allow that. Calabrese played quarterback and receiver at UCF from 2008 through 2012.

Yes, he does. The Broncos’ “actual” quarterbacks? Not so much at this point.

Saints improve to 9-2 by crushing undermanned Broncos

The New Orleans Saints defeated the Denver Broncos 31-3 during Week 12 of the NFL season, with Latavius Murray and the defense stepping up.

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If not for a career-long 58-yard field goal from Brandon McManus, the Denver Broncos would not have scored any points against the New Orleans Saints in Week 12’s rare matchup between NFC and AFC stalwarts. A sudden quarterback crisis due to COVID-19 took all four Broncos quarterbacks out of the game, and the Saints defense refused to give Denver’s patchwork offense any help in a 31-3 road win.

Practice squad wide receiver and former part-time collegiate quarterback Kendall Hinton gave it his best effort, but he was put in an impossible situation. Getting thrust into the starting gig for a position he hasn’t played in years on 24 hours’ notice shouldn’t be held against him.

Still, it’s good to see the Saints defense did their jobs on a day when the offense was a little sleepy. Defensive backs Janoris Jenkins and C.J. Gardner-Johnson each intercepted passes, and defensive end Cameron Jordan bagged a sack while his teammates notched half a dozen tackles for loss. They allowed just 113 yards of offense from the Broncos, most of which came from running back Royce Freeman’s 50 yards on the ground.

For comparison, No. 2 Saints running back Latavius Murray racked up 123 rushing yards and a pair of touchdown runs. He averaged an impressive 6.5 yards per carry and shouldered the load for the Saints offense in the second half after pass-happy play calling from Sean Payton went nowhere in the first half. Credit Payton for changing his approach at halftime to put his players in the best position to make a difference.

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WATCH: C.J. Gardner-Johnson snatches his second career interception

New Orleans Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson logged his second career interception in a Week 12 game against the Denver Broncos.

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New Orleans Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson helped his defense hold the Denver Broncos offense without a pass completion in the first half by picking off an errant throw, his first interception of the season and just the second of his career. His first pick came off of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan last season.

It’s the latest impressive moment for Gardner-Johnson, who has also proven to be a force in run defense and an important part of the Saints’ success on that side of the ball. His ability to make plays on the ground while lining up as a nickel defensive back gives the Saints rare flexibility, which they’ve put to good use in what’s shaping up to be an 8-game winning streak.

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New Orleans Saints vs. Denver Broncos live stream, how to watch, NFL football predictions, odds, tv channel, start time

The Denver Broncos will host the New Orleans Saints in week 12 NFL action from Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday afternoon.

The Denver Broncos will host the New Orleans Saints in week 12 NFL action from Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday afternoon.

The Broncos will be without all of their quarterbacks on Sunday and will have to start a practice squad, WR Kendall Hinton who played QB at Wake Forest. Meanwhile, the Saints will stick with Taysom Hill this afternoon when they make the trip to Denver. They are riding a seven-game winning streak.

This has all the signs of a fun game, here is everything you need to know to stream the action!

New Orleans Saints vs. Denver Broncos

  • When: Sunday, November 29
  • Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: FOX
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Prediction: I’m taking the Broncos and the points in this one. Kendall Hinton played college quarterback and he’ll step up and assume that role as starting QB when they take the field. This is way too many points for the NFL. Take the Broncos at home.

Bet: Denver Broncos +16.5

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NFL Football Odds and Betting Lines

NFL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds last updated Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

New Orleans Saints (-16.5) vs. Denver Broncos

Over/Under: 36.5 

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Report: Broncos will start an undrafted rookie wide receiver at QB vs. Saints

A practice squad wide receiver will line up under center for the Denver Broncos, according to a report.

The Denver Broncos will turn to undrafted rookie wide receiver Kendall Hinton to play quarterback on Sunday against the Saints, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

The bizarre need for Hinton to step in came after Broncos backup quarterback Jeff Driskel was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list for the week.

Because Driskel had been in a position meeting with the Broncos other quarterbacks — Drew Lock, Brett Rypien, and practice team QB Blake Bortles — and none of them were wearing masks, all of them were subsequently ruled ineligible for the game by the NFL.

None of Lock, Rypien or Bortles has tested positive, but due to the fact that they were in close quarters with Driskel, they aren’t eligible to play, per NFL rules this year.

So now the Broncos turn to Hinton.

Hinton played quarterback in high school, and briefly featured at the position in college at Wake Forest before switching to wide receiver. He went undrafted, but signed to the Broncos practice team this offseason.

How the Broncos are going to put together a playbook with a practice squad wide receiver at quarterback remains to be seen.

Why the Broncos can’t sign a quarterback to play against the Saints

Who is Kendall Hinton, option at quarterback for the Denver Broncos?

Could Wake Forest’s Kendall Hinton be the QB answer for the Broncos against the Saints?

Kendall Hinton last played quarterback in 2018 for Wake Forest. He spent last season as wide receiver for the Demon Deacons.

Sunday when the COVID-19 riddled Denver Broncos’ quarterback situation comes to fruition against the New Orleans Saints, Hinton, an undrafted player, may become a starting NFL quarterback.

Hinton appeared in 22 games over four seasons as a college QB. He threw his most passes as a freshman in 2015, going 93-for-177 for 929 yards with four TD passes and picks. He was granted a medical redshirt as a sophomore.

His numbers dropped after that effort. In the next three seasons, he completed 40-of-74 passes for one more TD.

Hinton currently has no NFL stats.

Check out these highlights of new Broncos WR Kendall Hinton

Here are highlights of new Broncos wide receiver Kendall Hinton.

The Denver Broncos signed seven college free agents after the draft, including wide receiver Kendall Hinton. Here are highlights from Hinton’s senior season at Wake Forest.

Hinton (6-0, 195 pounds) spent time at quarterback in college before transitioning to receiver. Denver gave him a $10,000 signing bonus, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Hinton is an exciting player but he will be joining a crowded wide receiver room that already includes Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, Diontae Spencer, Tim Patrick, DaeSean Hamilton, Juwann Winfree, Tyrie Cleveland, Kelvin McKnight, Fred Brown, Trinity Benson and Zimari Manning.

With so much competition at his position, Hinton will probably have long odds to make the Broncos’ 53-man roster. Hinton is an exciting player, though, and he should be able to make the team’s practice squad after totaling 3,447 all-purpose yards and 24 touchdowns while in college.

To view all seven of the Broncos undrafted free agent signings, click here.

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