🏈 Playing Off

Good morning. It’s finally Sunday, that day to decide matchups. Well, that’s how it was supposed to go.

Since we’ve got games for basically every day next week, I told my girlfriend she can dump me now. Saves her from a long week.

That said, let’s get into it.

Actually, before we get into it, I’m so sick of this covid stuff. It reminds me of being a Bengals fan for the past 10 years. Long, boring and difficult.

Deep Dives

You pick up a player before everyone wants to grab them off the waiver wire. These are deeep sleepers.

The must-adds: 1) Rashaad Penny 2) Christian Kirk 3) KJ Osborn 4) Gabriel Davis 5) Kendrick Bourne 6) D'Ernest Johnson 7) Rashod Bateman 8) Amon-Ra St.Brown

• Damien Williams: Look, Matt Nagy is still there, sure. But with Ryan Nall on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and both Khalil Herbert and David Montgomery not practicing due to illness, the only healthy RB on the Bears is #8.

• Samaje Perine - Samaje handles all of the passing-down work and is an emergency flex-option, but with RB2 upside should Joe miss games.

• Craig Reynolds

• Ameer Abdullah - Saw the Panthers RB receiving work with an 11.4% target share last week.

• Wayne Gallman

• Donovan Peoples-Jones set season highs in target share (23.3%) and targets (7) last week. Hard to say who plays for the Browns, but DPJ could be an end-of-season breakout.

You might’ve noticed the Bears insights - We've really been digging Midway Minute, a newsletter that does for Chicago sports what we do for fantasy football. It comes out each morning and covers the Chicago Bears circus, plus the Bulls, Blackhawks and more. You can check it out for free here.

Testing Positive for COVID

Yup, that sums it up. And for the non-COVID players? See below.

Who’s In

Chase Edmonds is a risky start in his first game back, but Myles Gaskin should be fired up. Odell Beckham Jr. and Darrell Henderson both are playing.

Jets HC Robert Saleh indicated that Michael Carter would have a significant role against the Dolphins.

Valuable Reads

• Fantrax HQ’s Start/Sits, including Marvin Jones (should see Jones featured now that Bevell is running the show).

• Week 15 Hansen’s Hints, with game by game breakdown of players that John Hansen likes more than usual, stat analysis, and more to help with lineup decisions.

• NFL Week 15 Fantasy Football: Buy Low & Sell High Targets Based on High-Value Opportunities by PFF, discussing what’s gone wrong with D.K. Metcalf.

• Quick Grades Week 15 (Fantasy Football Start or Sit Advice) by FantasyPros.

Let’s have fun

The New York Giants are giving fans a free soda for fan appreciation day. That’s a real headline. And it’s a Medium-sized Pepsi.

The Browns may be starting Nick Mullins at quarterback. Also not a joke. Ja’Marr Chase almost caught omicron, but he dropped it. Now that’s a joke. But is it? Chase leads the NFL is drops (9).

Quick Slants

• NFL will end mandatory COVID-19 testing for asymptomatic vaccinated players in major protocol change. This gives players "more flexibility" "to attend meetings virtually" and opportunities for "high-risk players" to opt out of the remainder of the season.

• Unvaccinated individuals must still test daily.

• "[Sony Michel] should continue to lead the backfield. McVay wants to use both (Hendo a bit more in pass game)" — Jourdan Rodrigue, Rams beat writer

• Chargers TE Donald Parham is being released from UCLA Harbor Medical Center today, per a source familiar with the situation. He's been diagnosed with a concussion. Prayers up.

• Daniel Jones not expected to return this season.

Tweet of the Day

GOODLUCK TODAY. AND TOMORROW. AND THE DAY AFTER. AND AFTER THAT.

- Jake