Fantasy Football Midterm

By Will Derryberry

The National Football League just hit its midway point of the season which means that there are 5 weeks left before the fantasy football playoffs. Fantasy football is a game in which you, as the owner, create your own team of players from real players in the NFL all on your mobile device. Many people join a league with their friends and family, while some prefer a league with random people. No matter who’s in your league, the season always starts with a draft, comprised of all offensive NFL players. This is where you either “make” or “break” your team, as a bad draft can be detrimental to your season. You compete against other owners in your league to score points based on the performance of your players in real NFL games. 

This time of the NFL season has many fantasy owners at the bottom of their league standings and wondering,”What happened?” Well, if you drafted any of these players, you are probably not in great shape. First, the player who almost everyone in a standard fantasy football league drafted first overall, Justin Jefferson. Jefferson was last season’s wide receiver rank one, breaking numerous records, and a player who was rostered on many championship teams. Due to this, many owners  expected an even better season this year. Jefferson started the season off hot, averaging 28 points per game in his first 4 weeks. Week 5 came along and with a favorable matchup against a very poor Kansas City Chiefs defense, Jefferson owners were prepared to watch yet another outstanding performance. Not only did Jefferson have an underwhelming game, only logging 28 yards and 3 catches, but in the fourth quarter Jefferson collapsed with an apparent hamstring injury. Jefferson’s fantasy owners were devastated as reports quickly came out that he would be on Injured Reserve for the next 6-8 weeks. 

While some fantasy owners are still in okay shape even without Jefferson due to the great performances he put up in the first 4 weeks, Nick Chubb fantasy owners will most likely be competing in the losers bracket when the fantasy playoffs come. An expected first or second round pick, Chubb was a highly valued player going into the season, on a Cleveland Browns team that has a great offensive line and no competition in the backfield, which meant for the first time in years Chubb would not have to share the ball with anyone. Chubb had a solid week one performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, logging over 100 rushing yards and 4 catches for 21 yards. Week 2 came along and on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets, Chubb’s leg turned bent in a reverse ninety degree angle, suffering damage to his medial capsule, meniscus, and medial collateral ligament. This ended Chubbs' season and was a gruesome sight to watch for viewers. 

Not all fantasy football teams were ruined by injuries though, as Tony Pollard, running back for the Dallas Cowboys, has just had an underwhelming season, to say the least. Coming off a 2022 campaign where he finished with over 1000 rushing yards and 9 touchdowns while sharing the backfield with 3 time pro bowler Ezekiel Elliot, Pollard came into the season with the backfield all to himself, and fans expected a great season while being involved in a loaded Cowboys offense and a solid offensive line. An Ezekiel Elliot-less backfilled surely meant that Pollard would feast for Dallas. Due to this, Pollard was being drafted in the first round and the third overall running back selected in most drafts. So far, Pollard hasn’t looked like his normal self at all, and his speed and agility or visibly worse than last year. Through 8 weeks, Pollard has made a strong case for “Bust of the Year,” only logging 2 touchdowns and 474 yards. Pollard could turn things around, but for now, Pollard remains as a player many fantasy owners regret drafting and someone many Pollard fantasy owners are looking to trade.

While some owners are in need of a miracle to fix their rough start, others are riding high and feeling lucky for snagging these players in the later rounds of the draft. The first being Adam Thielen. No one expected Thielen to even be fantasy relevant this season, as  the past 3 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings have statistically decreased each year. To add on to this, Thielen signed with the 7-10, rookie quarterback and new head coach-led Carolina Panthers in the offseason. Week 1 went by and Thielen only recorded 12 yards off 2 catches. Thielen’s little fantasy value diminished to nearly nothing and many fantasy owners had already given up on him. Thielen would bounce back in week two, notching 54 yards off 7 catches and a touchdown. A solid performance, but nothing too crazy. The Carolina Panthers have almost no hope of success, but Thielen does, as since week 2, Thielen has averaged 22 fantasy points per game and is  currently the 9th ranked wide receiver. 

Next is De’von Achane. Yes, Achane has only played 4 games this season but the speedster rookie running back out of Texas A&M averages 115 yards on the ground and 30 fantasy points per game, truly ridiculous numbers for not only a player but a rookie in a crowded backfield being drafted in the last round of most fantasy drafts. No one could’ve predicted Achane’s success. Achane is set to come back next week and the Miami Dolphins look to rebound, as they have only won 2 games with Achane out. 

The final player is another rookie drafted in the last 3 rounds of most fantasy drafts, a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams: Puka Nucua. The fifth round pick out of Washington knew he had a chance to shine, as superstar receiver Cooper Kupp was placed on injured reserve for the first 4 games and the Rams WR1 spot was open. Nucua grinded and put in hours of work and it paid off, as he was named the WR1, and for good reason, starting the season with a 10 catches, 119 yard performance, one of the best first games ever. Nukua wasn’t a one game wonder, logging 147. 163, and 154 yard performances in the next couple of weeks. Nukua is currently the fourth ranked fantasy football wide receiver and if you were lucky enough to snag him in one of the late rounds of your draft and didn’t draft any of the top 3 busts, you’re probably in good shape and in the top of your league standings.

Whether your draft went terribly wrong or great in a way you never expected, don’t assume it’s all over yet, even if you think you’re a shoe in for last place or a guaranteed championship win, the season is only halfway through, and with fantasy football comes uncertainty, and with uncertainty means that truly anything can happen. So  all you can do now is cross your fingers and hope the second half of the season goes in your favor, because that 6-2 squad of superstars that you think has no chance of losing another game can quickly turn into a 6-8 team competing in the losers bracket and as you watch the playoffs happen.

As you reminisce about the start of the season and that magical start that you thought would last all season, all you can do now is ask yourself,” What happened?”