Here we are approaching the end of Week 10 of the NFL season. Even though it feels like our fantasy drafts were just yesterday, the fantasy playoffs are approaching very quickly. I love this time of year. We finally know what to expect from each and every NFL game! But, then it all changes again. As the seasons change, and it begins to get colder, the cream eventually rises to the top. The true contenders will begin to present themselves, and the pretenders will start to lose pace. The same can be said for our fantasy teams. Bye weeks are beginning to be in our rear view mirrors. We have navigated the minefield of injuries and the waiver wire. Now, all that is left to do is make sure we make the smartest roster decisions we can as we drive toward the fantasy playoffs. So, what did we learn this week?

Elite QB’s Are A Blessing

As usual, I watched a lot of football this weekend. And what I watched was often atrocious. I got to see guys named Young, Bagent, Minshew, Jones, Zappe, Pickett, DeVito, and Love lead truly uninspiring offensive performances. This really points out  the discrepancy between teams who have a quality quarterback for their system, and those that don’t. Just look at what having Kyler Murray back did for Arizona. I am not sure that Kyler is elite, but he is a good fit in that system and helps make those around him better. Elite QB’s are even more of a blessing than simply a quality QB. When you have a guy like Joe Burrow or CJ Stroud out there, the team never feels like they are truly out of the game. This lifts the play of everyone else around them. This is why when the NFL Draft comes around, and your team has an opportunity to take an elite QB talent(and you don’t have one on your roster) you do it! Plain and simple. I am excited to get into draft season so that I can see which teams are ready and willing to make that decision. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that it is impossible to win without a quality or elite  QB. I am saying that it makes it much more difficult. 

Health Is Wealth

For some teams, it doesn’t matter how much depth they have. They need their top guys healthy. My prime example for this is the 49ers. When they are healthy they are proving to be almost unbeatable. Brock Purdy looks like Tom Brady, and the defense looks like the ‘85 Bears. When they are banged up, however, they look like a very average team. I have a hard time quantifying the why for this. I think the 49ers have quality depth at almost every position, but for some reason they simply cannot replicate the success they have when healthy. I have to think that it has something to do with the coaching and the way they prepare their depth guys throughout the season. For other teams, a backup can come in and offer a performance almost equivalent to what the starter provides. The Vikings are a prime example of this. Regardless, as we get closer to the final quarter of the season, health will play a large role in determining who ultimately wins both the Super Bowl, and our fantasy championships.

Official Review

I was true to my word. I did not bring up officiating as a part of my recap last week. Unfortunately, I cannot make it two weeks in a row. Something needs to be done this offseason to address the overall quality and consistency of the officiating. We have technology that can almost address some of these calls in real-time, the NFL needs to adapt. The league is too set in its ways and unwilling to see that some of these issues are going to ruin the fan experience. Players are publicly held accountable for their actions on the field, officials need to have the same treatment. Transparency and accountability need to be a requirement for officiating as we enter the gambling era of the NFL. Without it there is going to be a scandal that tarnishes the league image and scares investors and gamblers away.

That’s going to do it for me. I’ve been a bit under the weather, so my recap is a little shorter than I would like. As always, if you need assistance with your fantasy rosters please reach out to me on X(Twitter) @2fatguysff