Trusting Falcons this fantasy football season hasn’t paid off much. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
As the year comes to a close, and the fantasy season draws to an end, only four teams remain in most standard formats. It’s winning time. The assignment here is simple: why are you still alive in your fantasy playoffs? What have been the keys to your success? What’s been important to focus on, and what’s been impossible to ignore?
Some of the answers are evergreen — you’ve survived because you’re smart and diligent, and because you’re lucky at times. But let’s get a little deeper than that.
You’ve survived because…
No team has thrown as much recent draft capital at offensive skill players like the Falcons have — Kyle Pitts, Drake London and Bijan Robinson were all top-eight selections over the last three years. And it appears Smith has no idea how to maximize the talents of any of these guys.
Today, Mike McDaniel’s first year helming the Dolphins has created impressive results. In McDaniel’s first year, Miami finished 11th in yards and sixth in points. This year, they’re first in both categories.
Carolina went with Bryce Young as the No. 1 overall pick, and although Young isn’t surrounded by much talent, it looks like that pick might be a generational mistake.
Puka Nacua was the biggest winner from Week 1 (10-119-0), and he validated that game with a 15-147-0 detonation against the Niners the next week. His production has been a little less juicy when Cooper Kupp has been available, but Nacua has maintained starting cred all year.
The Kyren Williams breakout didn’t happen until October, but it’s been glorious — he’s scored touchdowns in 8-of-11 starts and has a silly 126 touches over his last five weeks. Let’s hope the Rams don’t make the playoffs.