Should You Use AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Fantasy Football? Can it actually help you win games — maybe even a championship? Last year, I partnered with Greg Kellogg, an FSWA Hall of Famer, to put it to the test in a head-to-head battle against AI. The only problem: we didn’t track the results. (Lesson learned — humans forget, algorithms don’t.) In 2025, we’re doing it right. We’ll be tracking results weekly, documenting everything, and sharing it with you. By the end of the season, you’ll finally have the answer to the question every fantasy manager quietly asks themselves: To AI, or Not To AI? Each week, I’ll be joined by Sir Whittington (Google AI’s alter ego) and KROG. We’ll each be assigned three random players — because the biggest fantasy headaches almost always come down to your flex spot. How It Works One WR or RB ranked outside the top 24 One TE ranked outside the top 12 Our mission: pick the guy who can beat his projection and make us look smart Your mission: decide whether to trust me, or the algorithm that also recommends socks after you shop for lawn chairs And here’s the twist — the “winner” each week is not the player who scores the most points. The highest score is actually the losing outcome. Lowest season-long score wins the title. Speaking of title if you won in Week 17 congrats! But we have one more week and some fantasy football junkies out there that can get enough. Admission: I am one of them!

Week 17 Recap

RB Tyler Allgeier- 2.1 points

WR Mack Hollins- 0 points (inactive)

TE Colston Loveland-21.4 points

Lopsided to say the least. We found out Friday that Mack Hollins was placed on I.R. He was ranked three for the whole staff. Here is where we stand for the yearly results of Man vs. Machines, which is now a two contestant race.

Sir Whittington- 38 points

Krog-DQ’d stop counting at 48 points

Tipp- 36 points

In this final week it has truly come down to the wire. Let’s start with that old dusty scally wag, Sir Whittington. Keep in mind we make our picks on Wednesday and with Omarion Hampton out we have to stay true to the picks.

Sir Whittington

Late-season fantasy football is less about raw talent and more about reading the room. Coaches are resting starters, injuries are lingering, and fantasy managers are left staring at their lineups like they’re solving a cryptic crossword. With that in mind, here are three fantasy options who could either make your week rather pleasant or leave you muttering “brilliant” through clenched teeth.

Omarion Hampton is shaping up as one of the more sensible selections this week by fantasy standards, at least. The Chargers are expected to give him a proper workload, and he’s been particularly useful in the passing game, catching 32 of 35 targets this season. In PPR formats, that sort of efficiency is worth its weight in biscuits. The matchup is also rather inviting. Denver’s defence has had a habit of being generous to opposing running backs, especially those who can nip out of the backfield and hoover up receptions. If Hampton is close to full fitness, he should find himself quite busy. Naturally, there’s a catch. Hampton is recently back from injury, which introduces the familiar late-season concern: is he truly ready, or merely saying he is? There’s some risk here, but it’s the manageable sort—not the “hide behind the sofa” variety. Bottom Line: Hampton profiles as a solid RB2 in PPR leagues with a respectable floor and a dash of upside. There’s some injury-related uncertainty, but the workload and matchup make him a perfectly reasonable gamble hardly reckless, but not dull either. To bad the young chap is out this week, unfortunate.

Christian Watson is fantasy football chaos in human form. When he’s on the pitch and fully unleashed, he’s capable of turning a quiet afternoon into a headline performance faster than you can say “blimey.” The upside is unmistakable. Unfortunately, so is the risk. Green Bay have already sorted their playoff affairs, which means resting starters is very much on the table. That makes Watson’s playing time wildly unpredictable and that’s before factoring in his lingering injury issues. Limited snaps, decoy duty, or an outright rest are all in play.

In short, Watson could win you the week… or provide absolutely nothing at all.

Delightful.Bottom Line: Watson is strictly for managers chasing upside and prepared to live dangerously. If you need safety, look elsewhere. If you need fireworks and don’t mind the occasional misfire, pour yourself a cup of tea and roll the dice.

Mark Andrews has long been a model of tight end reliability, particularly near the goal line. When the Ravens are taking matters seriously, Andrews is often first on the guest list in the red zone. This week, however, seriousness is debatable. Baltimore may opt to limit starters, and Isaiah Likely has been far too competent to ignore, eating into Andrews’ usual workload. To make matters worse, the Steelers have defended Andrews rather effectively this season, which rather lowers the ceiling and the floor. There’s still touchdown upside because of course there is but counting on it feels a bit optimistic. Bottom Line: Andrews remains a usable TE1, but he’s not the comfortable plug-and-play option of old. Expect some risk, some frustration, and the faint hope of a well-timed touchdown to save the day.

KROG’S Response:

Actually, we shut down Krog for the remainder of the season. Krog’s picks were no good. Perhaps he will need to recalibrate over the offseason.

Tipp’s Response:

Welcome to Week 18, the most unique week in fantasy football. It’s the week you rely on players who were buried at the bottom of your ADP rankings back in August… to save your season while the stars you drafted early are already in tracksuits holding clipboards. Speaking of holding a clipboard…

Omarion Hampton was the absolute top pick in this spot, but as Saturday turned into Sunday, we learned he will be out this week to rest for the playoff push. Unfortunately, that does nothing for your fantasy playoffs, and that is the cruel reality of playing fantasy football in Week 18. The late scratch forces fantasy managers to pivot quickly. A notable nugget: if Hampton was slotted into your flex spot, consider WR Efton Chism III of the Patriots as a replacement. Jared Patterson should also be on your radar, though fantasy managers should check on Kimani Vidal first, as he may offer the clearest path to volume depending on late injury news. Bottom Line: Hampton was the right call—until he wasn’t. With him ruled out, managers must pivot to volume-based replacements like Efton Chism III or Jared Patterson and accept the harsh truth of Week 18 chaos.

Mark Andrews has once again placed fantasy managers firmly in the “trust issues” category. The question is simple: can you trust him one more time in championship week? This week, I say yes. Andrews draws a Steelers defense that has surrendered the third-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, along with 11 touchdowns to the position. Yes, Andrews has not scored a touchdown in seven straight games, and starting him may feel like something that requires medical supervision—but the matchup is undeniable. More importantly, this is a must-win game for the Ravens. In high-leverage moments, Lamar Jackson has historically looked to Andrews in the red zone. The only lingering concern is whether Isaiah Likely siphons off too much opportunity and spoils the party. Bottom Line: Andrews is a risky but justifiable TE1. The recent production is ugly, but the matchup, game script, and red-zone history make this a spot where trusting him could finally pay off.

Christian Watson is coming off a strong performance, posting 113 yards and a touchdown, so why the pessimism heading into Week 18? The answer is the Vikings’ defense. Over their last three games, Minnesota has allowed just one receiving touchdown, and they have been playing at an elite level while firmly embracing the role of spoiler. Watson’s individual history against the Vikings is also concerning—he is averaging a meager two receptions, 25 yards, and zero touchdowns in those matchups. With Minnesota playing excellent football and Watson struggling historically against this defense, expectations need to be tempered. Bottom Line: Watson carries name value and big-play ability, but the matchup is brutal. Against a surging Vikings defense that has consistently shut him down, he is best viewed as a risky WR3 rather than a reliable championship-week starter.

Week 18 Breakdown

Sir Whittington

  1. Omarion Hampton
  2. Christian Watson
  3. Mark Andrews

KROG-DQ’d

Tipp

  1. Omarion Hampton
  2. Mark Andrews
  3. Christian Watson