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Favorite, JWW (9-5) is at home to face underdog, KED (9-5) in what should have been a more competitive game. Wonder how these teams got here? Wonder how KED could be a juggernaut most of the season, only to limp into this fight like a one-legged man in an ass kicking competition? Well, it's actually quite simple....Injuries. Oh, and for JWW, sheer managerial prowess. All season long JWW was making trades, grabbing waiver gomers...wheeling and dealing his way to a post season trip. This after a forgettable 2021 season, that essentially had JWW dreaming of 22 in September of that year. Ask Jeeves how KED could go from Malt Division winner favorite to being voted most likely to get Tyson'd in round one of the playoffs. You'll stump Jeeves! But really it's injuries. Cooper Kupp, arguably the best WR in fantasy football the last two years - HURT, and then eventually traded for R. Moore...who is now on IR #SMDH. Then there's Lamar Jackson (LaJax). This dude was pivotal in RAF's journey to DFFL glory in 2019. However, in 2022, LaJax is not helping KED, as the RB1 in him helped lead to injury in the final weeks of the regular season. The Fantasy Gods were not kind to KED - perhaps due to his trade of Kupp? - as Huntley, the replacement for LaJax, got concussed. Other injuries to RBs turned what should have been a time of much rejoicing in KEDland into a gray and bitter start to postseason. Still, this game features two 9-5 teams with owners who've won in the playoffs over the years. JWW will look to Cousins to blow up in production against an on-again-off-again Indy defense. I'm betting on Cousins doing it, but unfortunately, the Cous is inconsistent. Once he gets sacked, its like deer in the headlights, and he just stands there and takes the hits...over...and over...again. Ekeler could be huge; however, he's largely faced easy run defenses. How will Tennessee, who is fighting for playoffs, fare in their run defense? Might be tough sledding for the Chargers run offense, and game script could put this one in wideout hands - on both sides. The other two RBs, Cook and Zeke, is a story of disappointment and uncertainty. Do you sit these dudes?? Hell to the NO, you don't. But Cook has been a yuuuuge disappointment for what he is costing JWW, and Zeke...well, he's competing with SuperMan, Pollard. Easy Peasy matchups all around though for DubbaDub's Flex Spots. DARK HORSES: I've picked Michael Pittman, Jr and Evan Engram as players to watch for JWW. TLaw likes him some Evan, we've come to realize this over the 22 season (not good for DNF's C.Kirk, but lucky for him..he's got plenty of other options). The Pittman is a risky play, kinda like Mike Evans. DubbaDub has "mike" problems in his lineup. Will these Mike's get their promised points? Or will they show their unfortunate lower production floors? Both are possible, and thus key to JWW moving on in playoffs.
KED has problems! Yet, he has players that can ball out. When I think of KED's journey and lineup problems, I'm reminded of the lyrics in that awesome 80's tune by Talking Heads, "Once in a Lifetime;" (verse) "And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack...And you may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?" Change line to read, "And you may find yourself playing with no QB....", and you will live in KED's Week 15 world. Great song, btw...catchy. So here is KED with his broken QB and a lineup of tough matches. He will look to Nick Chubb to have a Week 2 game against B'More #HowDidIGetHere. Chris Godwin needs about 12 targets and 9 catches with multiple TDs #VeryPossible. Game script for Reid's Chiefs MUST be run heavy so that Isiah Pacheco can get his...in a big way. Walker, who is healthy going into Week 15, has a tough, tough matchup against the solid 49er Defense. Yet, at least he's healthy and can offer lots of production potential to KED's point coffers. Saquan Barkley can be a stud, and will need to be, in order to cancel out the potential single-digit QB play for KED. DARK HORSES: I've picked DJ Chark and George Kittle as the two players to keep an eye on for KED's starting roster. Chark, who is just getting used to the offense again, after a multi-game injury vacation, has big upside in a stormin' Lions offense. However, it's risky, as Lions have many mouths to feed. Oh, and it's a Jets Defense that is solid and searching for AFC East relevancy. Kittle has shown himself to be an elite TightEnd. Yet, '22 has not been a good year for him, production wise. KED needs Kittle to have a Week 11 game at Seattle, which is very achievable. But he could also continue on a recent trend of single point performances, and this would be no bueno for the KED squad. Ask Jeeves how KED moves on in the post season, and I'm sure the answer will include Chark and Kittle as key.
FAVORITE: JWW (-15)
UNDERDOG: KED (+15)
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