Guest of the League
Alliance FFL Est. 2005
FFL: Week 6 | NFL: Week 6

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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The Paur Report

Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 6

Player Notes
Marvin Harrison Jr. Oct 13 3:20pm ET
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion) has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. He initially exited midway through the second quarter and did not return. The standout rookie finishes Week 6 with zero catches on two targets. This is a crushing blow for managers who have inserted the No. 4 overall pick as a WR1 or WR2 in fantasy football this year. Not only is he done for this week, but he'll face an uphill battle to clear concussion protocol and be eligible to play in Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Look for the Cardinals' passing attack to run through Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Greg Dortch until Harrison can return.

From RotoBaller

Diontae Johnson Oct 13 3:20pm ET
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (ankle) is officially active for Week 6 against the Atlanta Falcons. He had been listed as questionable after being limited in practice all week long, but he was trending in the right direction ahead of Sunday's game. Johnson's being active gives the Panthers a key weapon as they take on their divisional foe, the Atlanta Falcons. Johnson has played quite well with Andy Dalton under center; if you exclude last week's game in which Johnson got hurt, he's averaging 7.5 catches, 102.5 yards, and one touchdown per game with Dalton at quarterback. The former Steelers wide receiver is a solid fantasy WR2 this week in Carolina.

From RotoBaller

Tyjae Spears Oct 13 3:10pm ET
Tyjae Spears

Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (hamstring) is now listed as questionable to return to Sunday's game with a hamstring injury. The 23-year-old saw six carries out of the backfield before leaving the game. He was able to get 27 yards out of those carries. Tony Pollard has dominated a lot of the touches in this game, and Julius Chestnut will step up to take on the backup duties until Spears can get back in the game.

From RotoBaller

Dontayvion Wicks Oct 13 3:10pm ET
Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (shoulder) has officially been ruled out of the rest of the game against the Arizona Cardinals. Wicks saw three targets and registered one reception for nine yards before exiting the game. Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson, and Jayden Reed should all see more opportunities while they have a touchdown each so far in this one. The severity of Wicks' injury will likely be known when they can run some more tests on Monday.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Oct 13 3:00pm ET
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) left Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns in the first half with a hamstring injury. The team has since ruled him out for the rest of the contest, so Grant Calcaterra will be the next man up. Jack Stoll could also see some snaps with Goedert out. The 29-year-old has suffered a few injuries in the past that have kept him out for an extended period of time, so his status next week could be up in the air. He finishes this contest with one target and no receptions.

From RotoBaller

Jakobi Meyers Oct 13 3:00pm ET
Jakobi Meyers

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (ankle) has officially been named inactive for the team's Week 6 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Davante Adams (hamstring) has also been ruled out so the team will roll with a very thin receiver group. Tre Tucker and DJ Turner will likely be the top two receivers while Brock Bowers is going to get all the snaps he can handle. This also comes at the time of Aidan O'Connell's first start of the year.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Ford Oct 13 2:50pm ET
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) has been ruled out of the rest of Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Ford appeared to have tweaked his hamstring in the first half and went back to the locker room. Now that he's officially listed out, Pierre Strong Jr. and D'Onta Foreman will split carries in the backfield. With hamstring injuries usually becoming a tricky injury, Ford's status will need to be monitored throughout the week to determine the severity. Nick Chubb (knee) could also return next week, so the backfield may look a lot different. Ford finished this contest with 14 yards on two carries.

From RotoBaller

Marvin Harrison Jr. Oct 13 2:40pm ET
Marvin Harrison Jr.

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (head) suffered a head injury in the second quarter when he went head-first into the defender's leg while being tackled. He left the game to be evaluated for a concussion and is currently questionable to return. The rookie only saw two targets before leaving the game. Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, and Zach Pascal will take over as the top three receivers unless Harrison is able to come back into the game against the Green Bay Packers. His status will be something to monitor if it is confirmed to be a concussion since he could miss Week 7's game.

From RotoBaller

Dontayvion Wicks Oct 13 2:20pm ET
Dontayvion Wicks

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (shoulder) has exited Sunday's game with a shoulder issue and the team has tagged him as questionable to return. The 23-year-old was among the hottest waiver wire pickups over the last couple of weeks while the receiver corps had some injuries and suspensions. Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Romeo Doubs will be the top three receivers with Bo Melton seeing some extra action while Wicks is sidelined in this game.

From RotoBaller

David Montgomery Oct 13 2:13pm ET
David Montgomery

Dynasty | The Lions have signed David Montgomery to a two-year contract extension. Dynasty Analysis: The contract makes Montgomery the seventh-highest paid running back in the league and keeps him under team control through the 2027 season. This is a big development in dynasty leagues as it not only keeps Montgomery very relevant, but also takes any chance of Jahmyr Gibbs being a featured runner in the future and throws it out the window. At this point, both running backs are going to be very lineup worthy, but far from elite without an injury occurring. Montgomery's value should rise a touch while Gibbs is sure to fall as a result.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Anthony Richardson Oct 13 2:13pm ET
Anthony Richardson

Dynasty | Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson is the emergency quarterback today, despite practicing all week. Dynasty Analysis: Joe Flacco has given the Colts a spark off the bench as he has done for seemingly 58 other teams over the last six decades. Richardson practiced all week but the Colts have decided he wasn't ready to start. This seems to be a bit of an indictment on Richardson's early season struggles and the Colts may simply feel they need to determine if they can contend for a playoff spot with Flacco starting today. A win would put the Colts at 3-3 and in the thick of things while a loss would leave them at 2-4. The fact Richardson isn't starting in a critical game despite practicing all week is a bad sign for his dynasty value at the moment.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Trevor Lawrence Oct 13 2:13pm ET
Trevor Lawrence

Dynasty | Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 23-of-35 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in a loss to Chicago. Dynasty Analysis: Lawrence has been put in some awful situations during his four seasons in the NFL as the Jaguars have churned through their roster and coaching staff repeatedly. However, he's also looked consistently like an average to above average starter and not nearly the elite player many once thought he could be. After another inconsistent performance, dynasty managers need to really re-evaluate building around him as a QB1. Lawrence's dynasty value is starting to sink.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Tank Bigsby Oct 13 2:13pm ET
Tank Bigsby

Dynasty | Jaguars running back Travis Etienne had three carries for -1 yard in the Jags loss to Chicago. Dynasty Analysis: Etienne failed to catch his lone target, though he was lucky that one wasn't called a catch and a fumble. Meanwhile , D'Ernest Johnson (6 carries) and Tank Bigsby (7) both played more in the game. At this point, Etienne is unplayable in fantasy leagues and looks like the biggest disappointment of the year. The Jags will stay in London and could be looking for yet another new Head Coach after next week if they get dismantled again. Etienne is going to plummet down the rankings at this point.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Chris Olave Oct 13 2:00pm ET
Chris Olave

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (concussion) won't return to Sunday's NFC South meeting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The wideout didn't last long in this one, getting hit early in the contest after bringing in a catch for five yards, his only reception of the day. But now, Olave will join Derek Carr (oblique) and Taysom Hill (ribs) on the sidelines. Fantasy managers could see Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson, and Foster Moreau get more targets from Spencer Rattler, with Alvin Kamara also in line to get more looks out of the backfield.

From RotoBaller

Dallas Goedert Oct 13 1:50pm ET
Dallas Goedert

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's clash with the Browns. Philly just got DeVonta Smith (concussion) and A.J. Brown (hamstring) back in the lineup. However, the team could be without one of this season's top fantasy tight ends for at least the remainder of Week 6. If Goedert can't return, he'll finish without a catch (one target), with Grant Calcaterra and Jack Stoll in line to see more looks.

From RotoBaller

Jerome Ford Oct 13 1:40pm ET
Jerome Ford

Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford (hamstring) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Ford tweaked his hamstring early in the contest, forcing his abrupt exit to the locker room. If he doesn't return, he'll finish the day with two carries for 14 yards. If that's the case, Pierre Strong Jr. and D'Onta Foreman would likely split carries for the remainder of the contest.

From RotoBaller

Chris Olave Oct 13 1:30pm ET
Chris Olave

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (head) exited Sunday's divisional clash with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Olave made his first catch of the day, which was for five yards. However, the wideout took a hard hit, resulting in a Bucs scoop and score. Even worse, Olave was forced to undergo a concussion evaluation. With Derek Carr (oblique) and Taysom Hill (ribs) sidelined, the Saints can't afford another injury. With that in mind, Rashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson, and Foster Moreau could see more targets from Spencer Rattler if Olave doesn't return. Alvin Kamara would also presumably see more attention as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. For now, fantasy managers should consider Olave as questionable to return.

From RotoBaller

Drake Maye Oct 13 12:40pm ET
Drake Maye

New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (ankle) is officially active for Week 6 against the Houston Texans. He had been listed as questionable after logging a limited practice on Friday. The 28-year-old remains productive despite the Patriots' 1-4 record, registering 18 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble. His presence will be key as the Patriots look to slow down C.J. Stroud and the Texans in Drake Maye's first career start.

From RotoBaller

A.J. Brown Oct 13 12:40pm ET
A.J. Brown

Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (hamstring) is officially active for Week 6 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He had been listed as questionable after logging a limited practice on Friday. The 27-year-old defender has contributed eight tackles and zero turnovers through five games this season. He'll be tasked with slowing down a Philadelphia passing attack featuring A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on Sunday.

From RotoBaller

K.J. Osborn Oct 13 12:20pm ET
K.J. Osborn

New England Patriots wide receivers Kendrick Bourne (knee) and K.J. Osborn (shoulder) are active for Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Both players were listed as questionable after being limited in practice all week long. Bourne made his season debut last weekend, turning his lone target into a six-yard catch. He played just 27 percent of the offensive snaps, but that could have been a product of him playing in his first game of the year. He's likely headed for extra snaps in Week 6. Meanwhile, Osborn has seen his workload scaled back with the emergence of rookie Ja'Lynn Polk. He caught one pass on five targets when last active in Week 4. Even with Drake Maye taking over as the Patriots' quarterback, neither Bourne nor Osborn can be trusted in fantasy football given their respective roles behind Polk and Demario Douglas.

From RotoBaller