Articles
Which Draft Pick Do The Minnesota Vikings Have In The 2024 NFL Draft?
The Minnesota Vikings' chances at postseason success disappeared when Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles in Week 8 and their odds of making the playoffs at all vanished when Jaren Hall threw for 67 yards in a half against Green Bay in Week 17. The silver lining is that the subpar season is leading to a […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoIs Bryce Young Bound To Be A Bust Or Can He Rebound From His Rookie Season?
Nothing but disappointment. That was the story of the Carolina Panthers in 2023. With enough talent on their roster to win seven games in 2022, team executives saw a quarterback as their missing piece. They traded up to select Bryce Young with the first overall pick and paired him with Frank Reich, a coach known […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoIs Quentin Johnston Bound To Be A Bust Or Can He Rebound From His Rookie Season?
"...At 6-foot-4 ... weighing 215 pounds ... from TCU ... Quentin Johnston!!!" Johnston's profile emulates a starting shooting guard in the NBA. Not only does he have the size of an elite athlete, but his speed enticed NFL general managers last April. With that blend of length, build, and agility, how could he fail? Inconsistency […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoNFL Pick 'Em Pool Picks (Conference Championships) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pickem Contests
One more round of the NFL Playoffs and then the Super Bowl is here. That also means we're one step closer to the Super Bowl logo theory that's floating around social media from coming true. Both of the top seeds, Baltimore and San Francisco, whose colors comprise the logo, remain. But we're not picking off […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoWill The Broncos Cut Or Trade Russell Wilson? 2024 Offseason Outlook
A mistake was made and it's time for Denver to cut their losses. The move to trade for Russell Wilson two years ago was supposed to provide positional stability for the team riding the quarterback carousel in the years following Peyton Manning's retirement. Short-term stability it did provide, but success it did not. Two losing […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoIs Deebo Samuel Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
An injury robbed NFL fans of the matchup of the year: Deebo Samuel versus "Wisconsin Deebo" (a.k.a. Jayden Reed). The original version was off to a quick start for the 49ers in the Divisional round before suffering a shoulder injury in the first quarter. His absence impacted the entire offensive game plan for San Francisco, […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoIs AJ Dillon Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
Many NFL coaches love a one-two punch in their backfield. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs both found success playing their roles this season. A similar case down in Miami, as Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane found the end zone with ease (when both were healthy). Injuries always derail a coach's game plan. AJ Dillon and […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoIs Zay Flowers Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
Sometimes an extra week of rest and relaxation isn't enough. Workers around the globe return to work after a lengthy vacation, only to be less motivated and more drained than before they left. Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers does not appear to fall into that camp. While he's on the injury report with […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoNFL Pick 'Em Pool Picks (Divisional Round) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pickem Contests
The NFL's version of the Elite Eight remains. The betting favorites, Baltimore and San Francisco, reenter the fold after earning and serving their bye week. In each instance, the one seeds get to face off against an up-and-coming team fresh off of a playoff upset. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoWhich College Football Teams Are Moving Conferences? Full List Of Programs On The Move
In college football's NIL era, it's nearly impossible to track where players, even the stars, are suiting up year to year. Thankfully, it's a little easier to remember which programs are members of which conference. But several schools are on the move heading into the 2024 season. Television deals are largely responsible for reshaping the […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoIs D'Andre Swift Injured or Healthy? Fantasy Football Injury Update
"I chose a half measure when I should have gone all the way. I'll never make that mistake again." In one of the most famous and quotable scenes of Breaking Bad, Mike Ehrmantraut tells Walter White (in layman's terms to avoid spoilers) that he has to fully commit to this life of crime. He can't put […]
Andrew Ball 12 months agoMatthew Stafford Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - NFL Playoffs Fantasy Football Picks
BALLER MOVE: Start in all leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: QB1 ANALYSIS: The most prolific quarterback in Lions' franchise history returns to the homeland. If you went off the grid this week, Matthew Stafford is returning to Detroit to face his former team in a playoff game. The first-overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft leads the franchise […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoPuka Nacua Start 'Em, Sit 'Em - NFL Playoffs Fantasy Football Picks
BALLER MOVE: Start in all leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: WR1 ANALYSIS: Success is a moving target. Patrick Mahomes threw for 4,100 yards (sixth-best mark in the league) and 27 touchdowns (eighth-best) in 2023. For a quarterback like Derek Carr or Baker Mayfield, those are at or near career-best numbers. For Mahomes, it's a down year. There's zero […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoNFL Pick 'Em Pool Picks (Wild Card Weekend) - Targets, Avoids, Predictions for Pickem Contests
Just when you thought we were done, it's Wild Card Weekend and we aren't going anywhere! Pick 'Em pools continue and so does the weekly column. Each week of the NFL season, I’ll share my picks for each game, and rank the selections for those who play in a format that requires it. The games […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoThe Best Of Both Worlds: Recapping The Jared Goff For Matthew Stafford Trade
Whether an already established commodity in the NFL or an incoming rookie with pre-draft hype, trading a haul of assets for a quarterback can be disastrous. The 49ers and Bears traded the farm for Trey Lance and Mitch Trubisky, respectively, during the NFL Draft. Neither earned a second contract with the team that selected them. […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoDaniel Jones Expects To Be Ready For Training Camp
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (knee) said he's continuing to rehab his knee and plans to be ready to play by the start of training camp. Jones tore his ACL in early November, ending his season. Giants' GM Joe Schoen noted that the team plans to continue to build around Jones, but understands that […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoDon "Wink" Martindale and Mike Kafka Expected To Stay In New York
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll said Monday that he expects both defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to return next season. Both units struggled for the Giants in 2023. The offense ranked 30th in points per game (15.6) and the defense allowed 23.9 points per game, 26th in the […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoBill Belichick Willing To Give Up Personnel Duties In New England
With his future in New England murky, head coach Bill Belichick admitted Monday that he'd be willing to relinquish general manager duties heading into next season if it helped the team move forward. Belichick led the Patriots to a 4-13 record, the worst in his New England tenure. The offense ranked 31st in points per […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoCarolina Panthers Fire GM Scott Fitterer
The Carolina Panthers have parted ways with general manager Scott Fitterer. The team is now going through a complete overhaul, letting go of head coach Frank Reich earlier this season. The Panthers went 2-15 this season with first-overall pick Bryce Young on the roster. It will be tough sledding for whoever takes over both positions. […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoCommanders Fire Head Coach Ron Rivera
The Washington Commanders have fired head coach Ron Rivera. Rivera spent four seasons in the nation's capital, never leading the team to a winning record, although he did make one postseason appearance in his first season at the helm. Rivera took the Commanders to a 4-13 record this season, the second-worst mark in the league. […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoWan’Dale Robinson Leads Giants In Receiving In Week 18
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson caught five passes for 85 yards in the team's 27-10 upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Robinson led the team in both categories. It was also his season-high mark for receiving yards. With Tyrod Taylor under center for these final three games, the New York passing game finally […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoDarren Waller Snags Five Passes In Season Finale
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller caught five of his six targets for 45 yards in the team's Week 18 upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He briefly left the game in the first half but was able to return quickly. Waller's stat line was a microcosm for his 2023 campaign. Despite being the […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoDarius Slayton Scores For The Third Straight Game
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton continued his impressive run at the end of the 2023 season, adding five catches for 62 yards and a touchdown to his season-long totals. It's the third straight game in which Slayton has found paydirt. All those touchdowns came from the arm of veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor. With […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoSaquon Barkley Scores Twice In Victory Over Philadelphia
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley found paydirt twice, propelling his team to an upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 18. Barkley scored the Giants' first two touchdowns and New York never allowed the Eagles to get back into the game. Outside of the scores, Barkley didn't find a ton of running […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoTyrod Taylor Throws For Nearly 300 Yards In Season Finale
New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor (thumb) completed 23 passes for 297 yards and one touchdown while adding 38 yards on the ground. He also tossed one interception in an upset victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Taylor missed one series in the first quarter because of a thumb injury but was able to return and […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoWan’Dale Robinson Provides Sneaky WR3 Potential In Week 18
New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson is putting together better numbers with quarterback Tyrod Taylor under center. In Week 18, the slot receiver draws the Philadelphia Eagles, who are one of the worst defenses against wide receivers. The 23-year-old still doesn't provide much of a threat downfield, but the Giants are putting the football […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoDarren Waller Remains A Low-End TE1 Option Against Philadelphia
New York Giants tight end Darren Waller is a much safer option with a veteran quarterback under center. After being shut out for nearly the entire game against Philadelphia two weeks ago, Waller has caught seven passes for 83 yards in just over 60 minutes of game action. The numbers don't pop off of the […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoJalin Hyatt Not Seeing Enough Usage To Trust In Week 18
New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has secured five catches in four weeks, following his first 100-yard performance in Week 12. His snap counts have remained mostly the same, if not better, as he logged a career-high 77 percent of the plays against Los Angeles. He only has himself (and inconsistent quarterback play) to […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoDarius Slayton A Boom/Bust Candidate Again In Week 18
New York Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton has posted back-to-back performances of at least 90 yards and one touchdown. The veteran looks to take advantage of another favorable matchup. Two weeks ago against this same Philadelphia secondary, Slayton hit the 90-yard mark on three catches. In both of the last two contests, he's snagged a […]
Andrew Ball 1 year agoSaquon Barkley Eyes Repeat Performance Against Philadelphia
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley could again take advantage of a suddenly struggling Philadelphia run defense. Two weeks ago, the former Pro Bowl back dashed for 80 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles have been the fifth-worst defense against fantasy football running backs over the last four weeks, despite being one of the […]
Andrew Ball 1 year ago