Fri Jul 5 6:00pm ET
By HOWARD BENDER
Fantasy Writer
There is nothing better than winning your fantasy football league. Whether you’re playing against your friends in a home league or gearing up to take down the $500,000 grand prize in The Fantasy Championship, that euphoric feeling hits you in such a way that sometimes words can’t even describe. But it takes work. It takes tenacity. You don’t just stumble into a championship. You earn it. And that starts with your research here in July. Scouting talent is a top priority for you right now and it’s not just about the NFL players on the field. It’s also about which fantasy analysts you choose to trust each season.
Back in 2011, the folks here at RealTime Fantasy Sports led the way in premier scouting. During a raucous after-party following the FSTA Conference (currently the FSGA) in San Francisco, two of RTSports’ finest made their way to the bar and struck up a conversation with the guy slinging drinks. As it turned out, he also happened to be an aspiring fantasy analyst, freelancing for a couple of sites and looking for more work.
The conversation was light and friendly but intensified when opinions on players and teams came into play. The Giants had just won the World Series and baseball talk was buzzing in the Bay Area. The Green Bay Packers were in mini-camp looking to defend their Super Bowl championship and as we witness every year, the football frenzy was already taking over. With every lager and IPA that hit the bar, the men of RTSports also received formidable opinions, spicy hot takes, boatloads of sarcasm and some pretty entertaining jokes. By the end of the evening, a business card was handed across the bar with a firm demand: “We need a fantasy article written every week with these thoughts, these opinions and this kind of attitude.” With smiles all around and firm handshakes given, “The Weekly Bender” was born.
Yes, all of this, just to re-introduce myself to the community here at RealTime Fantasy Sports. What’s going on, everyone? I am over-the-moon with excitement about being back. In some ways, I never left. Though I was soon offered a full-time position at Fantasy Alarm and the Weekly Bender came to a close, I have remained very active on this website. For years, I hosted the Mock Draft Army here on RTSports and provided fantasy owners an opportunity to mock draft alongside dedicated fantasy players and industry analysts from all over. I’ve hosted numerous best ball drafts here for my audience at SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio and until my return today, have been logging plenty of time turning a profit in the RTSports DFS Pick ‘Em contests.
Yes, I am still over at Fantasy Alarm and you can find all of my fantasy football player rankings, cheat sheets (coming this Monday, July 8), draft strategies and my coaching scheme breakdowns in our Fantasy Football Draft Guide. The community over there is spectacular and I am sure that some of you reading this right now may already be over there. But RTSports has always been a home for me and now that I am back, I cannot wait to jump in.
In addition to the Weekly Bender, an article dedicated to providing winning strategies and picks with a hefty serving of snark, I will also be joining Jeff Paur on his weekly podcast/livestream, sharing videos with DFS Pick ‘Em contest picks, hosting mock drafts to get everyone ready for the 2024 NFL season and even setting up some “Beat Howard Bender” contests so that we can not only play against each other but also give you the opportunity to serve some of that smack-talk back to me.
When Thomas Wolfe wrote “You Can’t Go Home Again,” he was referring to the way nostalgia has us viewing the past in an overly-positive light. For those of you who remember the original Weekly Bender, you know we don’t look back at those pieces with rose-colored glasses. We crushed the research together, we ruled the waiver wire together and we shared championships together. It all comes full circle today and if Wolfe was sitting with me here right now, I’d let him know that you truly can go home again.
Here's to a spectacular 2024 season!
Bender, out!
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 11
Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had one of his best games of the 2024-25 campaign in the Week 11 win over the Patriots. The signal-caller threw for 295 yards off 18-for-27 passing. He also tossed four touchdown passes, with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp pulling in three of them. Stafford had only three touchdowns in his first six games of the season. But in all fairness, Nacua and Kupp spent time on the shelf. With Stafford throwing 10 touchdowns in the Rams' previous four contests, he deserves starting fantasy consideration for the Sunday night showdown with the Eagles in Week 12, especially since Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Kirk Cousins, and Aaron Rodgers will have the week off.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft was a non-factor in the Packers' 20-19 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 11. Kraft only earned just one target, a short target that was intercepted by Chicago's Terell Smith in the second quarter. The lack of involvement was felt in the Packers' passing attack which only had 17 pass attempts through the entire game. With the number of quality pass-catching options available for quarterback Jordan Love, there will be games like this by Kraft. With the Packers heading back home to host the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, Kraft should be considered a low-end TE1 for fantasy football.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (hip) is questionable to return to Sunday's divisional clash with the Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old carried a questionable designation heading into this contest. However, he was still a force on the defensive end, totaling four tackles and 1.5 sacks. With the game closer than most anticipated, the Niners would love to see Bosa back on the field. If not, there's a good chance he'll miss practice time leading up to the Week 12 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs was very quiet in the Packers' 20-19 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 11. Doubs only earned two targets and reeled in just one of them for 17 yards receiving. Taking a backseat in the production department to fellow wide receiver Christian Watson and running back Josh Jacobs, Doubs typically runs the most routes on the team, but with so many pass-catching options in the offense plus quarterback Jordan Love only notching 17 pass attempts, some players get a bit lost in the shuffle at times. In the Packers' next game in Week 12 against the San Francisco 49ers, Doubs is more of a low-end flex play for fantasy because of his inconsistency.
From RotoBaller
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Darnell Mooney (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's matchup with the Denver Broncos. The wideout entered Week 11 with a Achilles injury but was removed from the injury report. However, he hasn't done much to benefit fantasy managers despite his availability, catching just two passes for 27 yards. If the hamstring injury keeps him off the field for the remainder of Week 11, Kirk Cousins will likely lean more on Drake London, Ray-Ray McCloud III, and Kyle Pitts, with Bijan Robinson in line for more targets out of the backfield.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth logged two receptions for 14 yards on two targets in an 18-16 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Freiermuth, who found the end zone last week, continued to have a limited role in the Steelers' offense led by quarterback Russell Wilson. He gained fewer than 20 yards for a third straight game and ceded four opportunities to second-year tight end Darnell Washington. Fantasy managers who drafted Freiermuth likely aren't still relying on him at this point in the season. He can be dropped in most redraft formats and should not be viewed as a viable option against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson had a career day as the Packers edged the Chicago Bears 20-19 at Soldier Field in Week 11. Watson had the biggest yardage day of his young career as he caught all four of his targets for 150 receiving yards. Watson's Week 11 was capped off by a huge 60-yard reception that led to the go-ahead touchdown plunge from quarterback Jordan Love. Even with Watson's huge day, he's still a bit hard to trust knowing that he could just go back to meager production with so many pass-catching options in Green Bay. In the Packers' next matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, Watson is a boom-or-bust flex option for fantasy managers.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson brought in 2-of-3 targets for 13 yards in the team's 23-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 11. It's a discouraging effort for the 27-year-old just one week after he registered eight receptions and 72 yards and was seemingly becoming more involved in the offense. However, Tennessee has been sound against opposing passing attacks all season, so we may chalk this one up to a poor matchup. Still, seeing Hockenson garner a bit more work would have been nice. If it's any consolation, the former first-round pick did match fellow TE Josh Oliver for the second-most targets on the team behind wideouts Jordan Addison and Justin Jefferson, who each collected eight. The former Iowa Hawkeye will get a slightly softer matchup next weekend when Minnesota lines up against the Chicago Bears on the road at Soldier Field.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill wasn't able to put together much of a fantasy-relevant week against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The pass-catching specialist registered two carries for 13 yards and caught four of his seven targets for 28 yards. He would have had one more catch for a good chunk of yards, but the Steelers took the ball right from his hands for an interception. Hill has only posted two relevant weeks so far this season, but he'll try to get going against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren handled nine carries for 41 yards and caught all four of his targets for 27 yards in a Week 11 win over the Baltimore Ravens. Warren was given double-digit touches for a fourth consecutive game but still failed to make much of an impact for fantasy purposes. Although he did earn a season-high of four opportunities through the air, he was out-targeted and outgained by Najee Harris in the passing game. Warren is yet to score a touchdown in 2024 and will likely continue to offer limited upside so long as Harris stays healthy. He can be stashed as a handcuff but should remain out of starting lineups in most formats heading into a Week 12 meeting with the Cleveland Browns.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs put up a excellent day en route to the Packers squeaking by the Chicago Bears 20-19 in Week 11. On the ground, Jacobs paced the Packers with 76 yards plus a seven-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Jacobs not only paced the Packers in the rushing department, but also led the team in targets (5) and was second on the team with 58 receiving yards on the afternoon. With Jacobs' prowess on the ground and through the air, he should be looked at as a low-end fantasy RB1 for the Packers' next test against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins missed both of his field-goal attempts and did not try an extra point in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Hopkins misfired on attempts from 51 and 27 yards out in the second quarter when the game was still close. The veteran kicker has now made 14 of his 20 field goals and added 10 extra points through 10 games. He will look to bounce back against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12's Thursday night game.
From RotoBaller
The Cleveland Browns defense allowed 35 points while notching one sack and forcing two turnovers in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Cleveland's defense played well until the fourth quarter when they allowed the Saints to score three unanswered touchdowns to ice the game. They had no answer for Taysom Hill, who ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns while tacking on eight catches for 50 yards. Cleveland's defense will be challenged again in Week 12's Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews took a backseat in Sunday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran saw fewer targets than Isaiah Likely in his first game back. Andrews finished the game with two receptions for 22 yards on three targets compared to Likely's five targets and four receptions for 75 yards. Whenever Likely and Andrews are both healthy, they're difficult to predict. This marks Andrews' seventh week with less than nine fantasy points which is two more than he had all of last season. He'll try to bounce back against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers held the Baltimore Ravens to 16 points while recording two sacks, an interception, and two fumble recoveries in a Week 11 win. Baltimore has been a must-avoid matchup for fantasy DSTs this season, but Pittsburgh's defense proved itself against its toughest opponent yet. While the Steelers did allow running back Derrick Henry to find the end zone in the first half, MVP candidate Lamar Jackson was held scoreless until just over one minute remained in the fourth quarter. Former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen led the Steelers in tackles while star EDGE T.J. Watt tallied two QB hits and a sack. Rookie linebacker Payton Wilson made the defensive play of the game with an impressive interception in coverage with the game on the line in the fourth quarter. The Steelers DST should be rostered in all formats and considered a must-start against the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell drilled all six of his field-goal attempts in an 18-16 victory over the division-rival Baltimore Ravens. This contest was projected to be a relatively high-scoring affair, and while it didn't quite live up to expectations, Boswell saw plenty of action. The Ravens limited Pittsburgh's offense in the red zone, forcing the Steelers to lean on Boswell time and time again. Fortunately for the team and fantasy managers alike, he answered each call. Boswell nailed long kicks of 50, 52, and 57 yards as easily as he converted on three chip-shots. The 10th-year veteran is on pace for a career-best campaign and has solidified himself as a fantasy asset. He'll face another AFC North opponent in the Cleveland Browns next week.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers salvaged his week with a late touchdown during the 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He ended the game with two receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown on six targets. The Steelers' pass rushers did a good job at making Lamar Jackson uncomfortable and they consistently had Flowers blanketed no matter where he went. On the plays where Jackson scrambles looking for an outlet, Flowers usually finds a way to get to the ball, but he was double-covered in some of those situations as well. He'll go up against another tough pass defense in the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku caught all nine of his targets for 81 yards in a 35-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. Njoku wound up first on the team in catches while finishing behind only Jerry Jeudy in targets and receiving yards. He also caught a two-point conversion from Jameis Winston in the third quarter. Njoku has now drawn at least seven targets in five straight games while notching two touchdown catches over that span. He has solidified himself as a top-six fantasy tight end going forward and should remain in lineups for Week 12's Thursday night matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
From RotoBaller
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed was able to salvage a quiet day on the stat sheet with a touchdown in the Packers' 20-19 victory in Chicago against the Bears. Reed only earned two targets on the afternoon from quarterback Jordan Love, but he caught both of them for 23 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown that kicked off the scoring for the Packers. In addition to the receiving work, Reed also had a rushing attempt but lost five yards. With the Packers set for an NFC showdown with the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, Reed is more of a mid-range WR2 for fantasy football, as he has to compete with several other players for targets and attention from Love.
From RotoBaller
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely led the team in receiving yards during their 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. In his first game back, Likely registered four receptions for 75 yards on five targets. He saw more targets and had a more successful day than his counterpart Mark Andrews. With Likely healthy again, the Ravens' tight end room remains the most difficult one to predict each week. They'll go up against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.
From RotoBaller