Guest of the League
USFFL Est. 2015
FFL: Week 10 | NFL: Week 10

The Weekly Bender: You Can Always Come Home

Fri Jul 5 6:00pm ET
By HOWARD BENDER
Fantasy Writer

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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!

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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 10

Player Notes
Courtland Sutton Nov 11 12:30am ET
Courtland Sutton

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton had his third straight strong game for the team in the 16-14 loss on Sunday to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10. Sutton snapped his two-game streak with 100-plus receiving yards, but he still put forth an impressive game for his fantasy managers with a team-high six receptions on a team-high nine targets for a team-leading 70 receiving yards and his third touchdown of the year. The 29-year-old's touchdown grab came on a 32-yard pass that put the Broncos up 14-3 at the time in the second quarter. The Broncos have been involving Sutton much more ever since his zero-catch game in the Week 7 win over the Saints. That should continue next Sunday versus the Atlanta Falcons, where fantasy managers should consider Sutton a high-volume WR3/flex option.

From RotoBaller

Chris Boswell Nov 11 12:30am ET
Chris Boswell

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell connected on all four of his extra-point attempts in a 28-27 victory over the Washington Commanders. For the first time this season, Boswell did not register a field goal attempt as the Steelers' offense was able to punch the ball into the end zone on three of its four red zone visits. Pittsburgh is scoring at a much higher rate with Russell Wilson under center, but fantasy managers should not expect Boswell to be this quiet most weeks. He should bounce back in Week 11 in a divisional showdown with the Baltimore Ravens.

From RotoBaller

Justin Herbert Nov 11 12:30am ET
Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had an efficient and effective game in a Week 10 win against the Tennessee Titans. Herbert attempted 18 passes, completing 14 of them for 164 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Herbert did not take a sack, adding 32 yards on nine carries, including a four-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Herbert's other score was a passing touchdown on a 16-yard play to Quentin Johnston. It was an extremely run-heavy script for the Chargers offense, who saw 18 pass attempts and 39 runs. Herbert and the Bolts will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Devaughn Vele Nov 11 12:30am ET
Devaughn Vele

Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele found paydirt for the first time in his NFL career on Sunday in the Week 10 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on the road, finishing the contest with four receptions for 39 yards and the touchdown. The 26-year-old seventh-rounder out of Utah caught everything thrown his way on the day, and his four targets were tied for second on the team with Marvin Mims Jr. behind WR1 Courtland Sutton. It was nice to see Vele pick up his first NFL touchdown on the first touchdown of the day in this game, but he has gone over four receptions just once and exceeded 50 receiving yards once in his six games played. Expect quarterback Bo Nix to keep spreading the ball around through the air outside of Sutton, which makes it hard to recommend Vele as a flex option in fantasy, even in much deeper leagues.

From RotoBaller

Sam LaPorta Nov 11 12:30am ET
Sam LaPorta

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (shoulder) has been diagnosed with a sprained AC joint, head coach Dan Campbell said after Sunday night's win over the Houston Texans. LaPorta exited in the third quarter and did not return. He finished Week 10 with six targets, three catches, 66 yards, and one touchdown. It doesn't sound like LaPorta will be sidelined for too long, but Campbell did note that the tight end could miss Week 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. If so, Brock Wright would step up as the Lions' primary tight end, ranking as a low-end fantasy TE2.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Nov 11 12:30am ET
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. had a solid game in the win over the New York Jets, connecting with quarterback Kyler Murray on a 9-yard touchdown pass. Harrison Jr.'s official stat line was five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. Despite the Cardinals taking a commanding lead and shifting to a run-first approach, Harrison Jr. was still productive. The Cardinals made it clear that a point of emphasis was to get Harrison Jr. the ball often, singling him out in man-to-man situations and targeting him near the red zone. This was a sign of good things to come, but the Cardinals will have to wait a week to build on it, as they have a bye week in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Jaylen Warren Nov 11 12:20am ET
Jaylen Warren

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren logged 14 carries for 66 yards and hauled in both of his targets for 29 yards in the team's Week 10 win over the Washington Commanders. After a slow start to the campaign, Warren looked much more like his explosive self on Sunday and ran far more efficiently than Najee Harris. He did, however, cough up the football in the red zone with the game on the line. The Commanders failed to capitalize on the turnover and Pittsburgh ultimately came out on top, but Warren did not receive a touch after fumbling. Warren should nonetheless maintain his role going forward and is worth a look on fantasy waiver wires. He'll face a tough challenge against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Audric Estime Nov 11 12:20am ET
Audric Estime

The Denver Broncos said recently that they were looking to get rookie running back Audric Estime more involved, and they weren't kidding, as he finished with team-highs in carries (14) and rushing yards (53) in the 16-14 loss to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in Week 10. Estime was not targeted in the passing game, but out-touched both Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin 14 to five and out-gained them 53 to 19. It was the 21-year-old's biggest workload, by far, of his rookie season, and although he shouldn't be expected to lead Denver's backfield every week the rest of the way, his workload on Sunday shouldn't be ignored. At the very least, Estime is worth a deep-league waiver-wire pickup heading into a Week 11 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Estime's heavy volume is obviously bad news for Williams' fantasy value moving forward.

From RotoBaller

C.J. Stroud Nov 11 12:20am ET
C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans and quarterback C.J. Stroud looked poised for a big victory on Sunday, but they failed to generate any points in the second half as Detroit stormed back from a 16-point deficit to win, 26-23. The former Buckeye finished 19-for-33 for 232 yards with a touchdown and two second-half picks that aided Detroit's comeback. He also carried the ball once for five yards. Pass protection continues to be a major issue for Houston, which allowed four sacks Sunday and has now allowed 12 in its past eight quarters. Stroud and company will look for a better finish next week with a road trip to Dallas.

From RotoBaller

Pat Freiermuth Nov 11 12:10am ET
Pat Freiermuth

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth recorded three receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown on three targets in a Week 10 victory against the Washington Commanders. Freiermuth, after a strong start to the campaign, has been utilized sparingly with Russell Wilson under center, but it was promising to see him earn an opportunity near the goal line in the second quarter. The three-yard score was Freiermuth's first from Wilson and his third on the season. While his role in the offense has been far too inconsistent to consider him a weekly fantasy option, Freiermuth could be a streaming candidate in the right matchups. That said, he has a great opportunity next week against the Baltimore Ravens, who give up plenty of fantasy production to tight ends.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Nov 11 12:10am ET
Jared Goff

The Houston Texans defense/special teams intercepted Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff a whopping five times on Sunday, but it wasn't quite enough as the Lions came back to win on the final play of regulation by a score of 26-23. The defense did not record a sack in the defeat, during which the Houston offense failed to score in the second half after being ahead 23-7 at halftime. Houston will look to snap a two-game losing streak with a visit to the reeling Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Bo Nix Nov 11 12:10am ET
Bo Nix

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix nearly gave the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season but came up just short in a 16-14 loss on the road, completing 22 of his 30 pass attempts for 215 yards for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Nix was sacked two times for a loss of 33 yards and also had his worst rushing performance of the year, taking off three time for minus-five yards. He fumbled once but was able to recover. The 24-year-old held his own against a strong defense in a hostile environment and was able to avoid turnovers, but he just didn't do enough and was unable to lead Denver to any points in the second half. In the last five games, Nix has seven TDs and only two picks and continues to improve as a passer. He'll be a solid QB2 option in two-QB fantasy leagues for a Week 11 home date against the Atlanta Falcons.

From RotoBaller

Tank Dell Nov 11 12:10am ET
Tank Dell

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell finished with five catches for 39 yards on Sunday in a 26-23 loss to the Detroit Lions. The second-year receiver was targeted a team-high nine times, but finished fourth on the team in receiving yards. The Houston offense didn't do much of anything in the second half, during which they failed to score as Detroit rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit to win the game. Dell's time as the No. 1 receiver is likely coming to an end, as Nico Collins (hamstring) nears a return, but he should still be firmly involved for the AFC South leaders. Houston takes on Dallas in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Dalton Schultz Nov 11 12:10am ET
Dalton Schultz

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz pulled in three passes for a season-high 66 yards in a 26-23 loss to Detroit on Sunday. The big tight end didn't see a ton of volume, logging only four targets, but he was effective when called upon in the passing attack. Unfortunately for Houston, the offense was shut out in the second half as the Lions mounted a comeback from 16 points down. Schultz and the Texans will face a much friendlier matchup in Week 11 when they take on the struggling Dallas Cowboys.

From RotoBaller

Joe Mixon Nov 11 12:10am ET
Joe Mixon

On his worst rushing night of the season, Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon still compiled 90 total yards, two catches, and a touchdown on Sunday in a 26-23 loss against the Detroit Lions. It was the fifth consecutive week in which the veteran found the end zone. The Lions limited the former Bengal to 46 rushing yards on 25 carries, by far his least efficient rushing game of the season, but he broke free for 44 yards on his two catches from four targets. Mixon and the Texans will be favored to snap a two-game losing stream when they play Dallas in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Deebo Samuel Nov 11 12:10am ET
Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. fell a bit short of projections in a 23-20 win over the Buccaneers in Tampa on Sunday. The 28-year-old dual threat caught five of six targets for 62 yards receiving and three carries for 14 yards rushing. It's worth noting that Samuel Sr. was limited in practice all week with rib and oblique issues and was announced to play relatively late. Pure speculation here, but Samuel Sr. didn't appear to have his best burst and aggression with the ball in his hands in this one. Samuel Sr. surely has better performances ahead of him, but today, it was shown that the absence of Brandon Aiyuk doesn't imply increased volume for Deebo, especially with the return of Christian McCaffrey. Jauan Jennings drew 11 targets and rookie Ricky Pearsall took the same amount of targets as Samuel Sr. The 49ers will get the Seattle Seahawks at home in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

James Conner Nov 11 12:00am ET
James Conner

Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner tallied over 103 total yards in the 31-6 win over the New York Jets, including 80 yards through the air on five catches. Conner continues his aggressive running style, still leading the league in forced missed tackles. On the game's opening drive, Conner took a screen pass 44 yards before getting tackled inside the one-yard line. While his efficiency on the ground wasn't up to his usual standard, he was still able to cross the goal line for his fifth touchdown of the year. Conner has been a solid RB2 for fantasy managers this season; however, fantasy managers will need to look elsewhere in Week 11, as the Cardinals are on their bye week.

From RotoBaller

John Metchie III Nov 11 12:00am ET
John Metchie III

Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III had a career night against the Detroit Lions, finishing with five catches on six targets for 74 yards and a touchdown in a 26-23 loss. The third-year receiver missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with leukemia and has played sparingly in the two years since, but broke out Sunday with fellow Texans receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) inactive again. A 15-yard touchdown connection with quarterback C.J. Stroud was Metchie's first NFL score to go with career highs in catches and yards. He'll look to stay involved again when Houston visits Dallas in Week 11.

From RotoBaller

Christian McCaffrey Nov 10 11:20pm ET
Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey made his 2024 debut in a 23-20 victory in Tampa over the Buccaneers on Sunday. In a bit of a fantasy disappointment to managers waiting for a return on their first-round investment, McCaffrey took 13 carries for 37 yards rushing and caught six of seven targets for 68 yards receiving. Credit should go to Tampa Bay's ground defense for consistently bottling up San Francisco's rushing attack. If not for one 13-yard rush, McCaffrey would have averaged 2.2 yards per carry. Still, today's game represents the floor for a healthy McCaffrey. Importantly for CMC managers who remain in the playoff hunt, there were no signs of a setback with the dual Achilles tendinitis that held him out until today. McCaffrey did come off the field a few times, probably due to some combination of the Florida heat and his conditioning, but he only ceded two carries to his backups. Assuming he came away unscathed, McCaffrey is a must-start in Week 11 versus Seattle.

From RotoBaller

Aaron Rodgers Nov 10 11:13pm ET
Aaron Rodgers

Dynasty | Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed 22-of-35 passes for 151 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions in a loss against Arizona. Dynasty Analysis: This is about as bad as it gets for the Jets and Rodgers, who are now 3-7 on the season and a team quickly fading into irrelevance. Rodgers himself just hasn't looked like himself on the year and now has just 2,258 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions on the season. He also had a costly fumble at the three yard line that turned the game on its head. The Jets were listless on the day and it's fair to wonder what we can expect from this group moving forward. Rodgers is a QB2 right now with a dynasty value that's really hit the skids.

From Dynasty League Fantasy