The Weekly Bender: You Can Always Come Home
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!
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: Bender's Favorite NFL DFS Pickem Picks: Week 2
- FANTASY EXCLUSIVE: RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 2
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 2
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Fantasy Preview: Week 2
- YOUTUBE VIDEO: Bender DFS Pickem Plays: Week 2
- Jets may have lost Jermaine Johnson II (Achilles) for season
- Vikings' Justin Jefferson, 49ers' Nick Bosa hurt on same play
- Week 2 SNF: Bears-Texans Preview, Props, Prediction
- Rams WR Puka Nacua could be out until Week 9
- Jaguars TE Evan Engram injured in warmups, out vs. Browns
- Eagles WR A.J. Brown downgraded to out vs. Falcons
- Saints CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) inactive vs. Cowboys
- Packers QB Jordan Love (knee) hopeful of Week 5 return
- Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase gets insurance policy on himself
- Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire
- Packers list QB Jordan Love as doubtful vs. Colts
- Bears place G Ryan Bates (shoulder/elbow) on injured reserve
- Eagles WR A.J. Brown (hamstring) not spotted at practice
- 49ers placing star RB Christian McCaffrey on IR
- Giants K Graham Gano (groin) added to injury report
- Cardinals QB Kyler Murray (knee) set to play vs. Rams
- 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey ruled out, could be headed to IR
- Bengals WR Tee Higgins (hamstring) doubtful for Chiefs
- Browns star DE Myles Garrett (foot) set to go vs. Jaguars
- Packers say QB Jordan Love (knee) questionable despite no practice
- Fantasy Six Pack: NFL Week 2 Sunday Night Football Prop Bets | Bears @ Texans
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Rankings Standard
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Rankings PPR
- Fantasy Six Pack: Fantasy Football Rankings
- Fantasy Life: Big Fantasy Football Injury Updates
- Fantasy Life: Which WR Will Step Up in LA?
- Fantasy Life: Christian McCaffrey Injury Fallout: Risers, Fallers, and More
- Fantasy Life: A Fantasy Football Hollywood Horror
The Paur Report
Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 2
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert led the team in targets during Sunday's 44-19 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He caught six passes for 82 yards, including an impressive 39-yard reception. The 25-year-old averaged 9.1 yards per target and 13.7 yards per reception during Sunday's loss. As the Cowboys continue their search for a consistent No. 2 option behind CeeDee Lamb, Tolbert made a strong case for the role with his Week 2 performance. Currently rostered in just 4% of fantasy leagues, Tolbert could be a valuable waiver wire target, especially in deeper leagues next week. Tolbert will look to build on Sunday's performance in the Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin had seemingly no issues against the Detroit Lions in Week 2. Last week, Godwin finished with eight receptions for 83 yards and he was able to top that here. On Sunday, Godwin snagged seven of his eight targets for 117 yards and a touchdown in the win. It seems that moving Godwin back to the slot has really worked out for the Bucs offense. Normally, Godwin takes a backseat to fellow wideout Mike Evans, but not this week. It seems like Godwin and Mayfield have great chemistry and hopefully this continues going forward. Godwin has been excellent through the first two weeks and he should be a strong WR2 versus the Denver Broncos next week.
From RotoBaller
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans was unable to carry his Week 1 success into Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. The veteran wideout finished with 61 yards and two touchdowns in the season opener. However, he was only able to haul in three receptions for 42 yards in the Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions. Evans and quarterback Baker Mayfield weren't on the same page here as Evans only hauled in half of his targets. Fellow wideout Chris Godwin had a much better performance with over 100 yards on Sunday. Evans should be fine and remain on the WR1 radar for a favorable matchup against the Denver Broncos next week.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | Chargers rookie Ladd McConkey had two catches for 26 yards in the Chargers blowout win against the Panthers. Dynasty Analysis: Los Angeles got more than enough from JK Dobbins and Quentin Johnston in this one as McConkey was held in check. There should be better days ahead but McConkey willl need to string a few good games together to maintain his role after Johnston had a two-touchdown day and led the team in targets. McConkey's dynasty value is intact but he'll be a tough start moving forward.
Dynasty | Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson had just three catches for 15 yards in the Panthers blowout loss to the Chargers. Dynasty Analysis: Johnson now has just five catches for 34 scoreless yards in his first two games in Carolina. It's hardly his fault as Bryce Young has done virtually nothing so far this season. At this point, Johnson is going to be a "must-sit" until we see something from an offense that looks as bad as any we've seen in years to start this season.
Dynasty | 49ers running back Jordan Mason had 100 yards rushing and a touchdown in San Francisco's surprising loss at Minnesota. Dynasty Analysis: He added one catch for four yards. While Mason is hardly the same caliber of receiver Christian McCaffrey is, the offense seems very well-suited for his rushing style. His weekly ceiling may be capped moving forward if he doesn't get more targets. However, Mason has proven to be good enough to be a weekly starter, whether that's as a RB1 or RB2 moving forward.
Dynasty | Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold completed 17-of-26 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Vikings win against San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: Darnold has had a dream start to the year as he's led Minnesota to 51 points and two wins to start the season. While Darnold isn't putting up video game numbers, he's making solid decisions and taking care of the football. Today's game was extremely promising as he held strong against one of the league's toughest defenses. He could have had an even bigger game had Aaron Jones not fumbled a "would be" touchdown in the second half at the goal line. Darnold is going to be in consideration in Superflex leagues moving forward and should be rostered everywhere.
Dynasty | Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson had four catches for 133 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's win over the 49ers. Dynasty Analysis: Jefferson's day was highlighted by a 97-yard touchdown reception from a rejuvenated Sam Darnold. The bigger story could be the fact Jefferson left the game late with a quad injury. We'll wait and see just what the extent of the injury is but it's also clear Jefferson can maintain his WR1 status this year with or without Kirk Cousins after the second big day from Darnold.
Dynasty | Vikings running back Ty Chandler had 82 yards on just ten carries in the Vikings win over San Francisco. Dynasty Analysis: More importantly, Chandler had ten carries and Aaron Jones had nine. While this is just one game, it seems Minnesota may be heading more towards a time-share at this point between the two running backs. Chandler is a must-own in dynasty leagues as we monitor his touches very closely over the next couple of weeks.
Dynasty | Browns running back D'Onta Foreman had 42 yards on 14 carries in Cleveland's win over Jacksonville. Dynasty Analysis: More importantly, Foreman's 15 touches (he had one catch for nine yards) were more than the eight of Jerome Ford. Quite honestly, neither running back was very impressive on the day and the fact both were used this much may indeed make them unplayable going forward as the Cleveland offense has looked pretty inept so far this season. We'll continue to monitor the situation but neither back is going to be a recommended play until one or the other truly emerges.
Dynasty | Jags rookie Brian Thomas had two catches for 94 yards in Jacksonville's loss against Cleveland. Dynasty Analysis: Thomas only had four targets on the day but made the most of them with a 66-yard catch. Trevor Lawrence seems to be spreading the ball around a lot but Thomas also looks like the most explosive receiver on the team. While he should remain on benches, Thomas has looked the part thus far in his rookie season and his potential seems to have justified his lofty rookie draft ranking thus far.
Dynasty | Raiders tight end Brock Bowers had nine catches for 98 yards in the Raiders win over the Ravens. Dynasty Analysis: Bowers has done nothing to make anyone believe he's not the future at the position in dynasty leagues thus far after posting a whopping 15 catches in his first two games. While dynasty owners may be frustrating at him not finding the end zone yet, that's just a case of greed. Bowers is here to stay and looks like a "set it and forget it" option already in his young career.
Dynasty | Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had just two catches for 26 yards in Baltimore's loss to Las Vegas. Dynasty Analysis: This isn't a huge surprise as Baltimore's passing offense still runs through Zay Flowers and they tend to run the ball as much as possible. Still, this is a clear letdown after last week's massive explosion. The simple fact is the Ravens now have two very capable tight ends as Mark Andrews (4/51/0) and Likely are making a duo that looks great in reality but frustrating in dynasty leagues. Likely's ascension up the rankings will halt after this one and he's going to be a tough start moving forward until we see another solid outing.
Dynasty | Jayden Daniels completed 23-of-29 passes for 226 yards, while adding 44 rushing yards in the Commanders win over the Giants. Dynasty Analysis: Daniels wasn't able to produce any touchdowns on the day but one thing is very clear after two weeks - Daniels has the "it" factor. Routinely making something out of nothing, Daniels simply willed the team to a win, his first as a starter in the NFL. There are going to be some better days statistically moving forward but it seems Washington has truly found their quarterback of the future. The buying window on Daniels is creeping shut.
Dynasty | Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers had ten catches for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Giants loss against Washington. Dynasty Analysis: Even more impressive, Nabers had a whopping 18 (!) of the 28 targets from Daniel Jones. While this target share is impossible to maintain, it's clear going to Nabers is the best bet for the Giants to have any success on offense this season and they're making every effort to give him the ball. His status as the #2 rookie is cemented and he's a must-start, top-15 receiver moving forward this season.
Dynasty | Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 12 catches for 117 yards in Seattle's road win over New England. Dynasty Analysis: JSN was held in check last week but today was a different story as Geno Smith looked his way a whopping 16 times. Smith-Njigba looks to be taking over the WR2 spot from Tyler Lockett this season and could be well on his way to a second year breakout. The dynasty arrow is clearly pointing up for JSN and he's going to be a solid WR3 moving forward.
Dynasty | Patriots rookie Ja'Lynn Polk had two catches for 12 yards and his first career touchdown in a loss against Seattle. Dynasty Analysis: Polk scored and that's the good news. The bad news is he now has just three catches for 18 yards on the season. This is simply an indictment on an offense that has done next to nothing to start the year and is simply going as far as running back Rhamondre Stevenson can take them. Polk's dynasty value is safe but he needs to remain on dynasty benches for the time being.
Dynasty | Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen had 33 rushing yards, two catches, 23 receiving yards and two touchdown in New York's win against Tennessee. Dynasty Analysis: The bad news is Allen was still out-touched 21-9 by Breece Hall. There is no running back controversy here as Hall is the unquestioned bellcow for the Jets. However, it's clear Allen has talent and if Hall was to ever miss time, Allen could be in line for a RB1 stretch. Allen remains a solid hold in dynasty leagues moving forward and a solid low-cost trade target for forward-thinking managers.
Dynasty | Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson completed 17-of-34 passes for 204 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions in a loss against Green Bay. Dynasty Analysis: One of the interceptions was on a last second hail mary, so that can hardly count against him. Still, Richardson wasn't sharp and his fantasy day couldn't be salvaged, even with his 37 rushing yards. There is work to do here and while Richardson seems healthy, we need to see more consistency before making him a lineup lock moving forward - such is life in the NFL for young quarterbacks.
Dynasty | Packers quarterback Malik Willis completed 12-of-14 passes for 122 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in a win against Indianapolis. Dynasty Analysis: Willis also added 41 rushing yards on the day. The game plan for Green Bay is clear with Willis under center - they're going to run the ball with Josh Jacobs and have Willis manage football games. While that may seem like a buzzkill for dynasty managers, Willis looked surprisingly in control all day and while nobody is going to forget about Jordan Love, the trade Green Bay made for him looks like a genius move at this point. Willis belongs on dynasty rosters.
