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
CeeDee Lamb Oct 14 11:00am ET
CeeDee Lamb

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was the lone productive offensive player in Sunday's 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions. Lamb was targeted 14 times (32.5% target share) and secured seven receptions for 89 yards. Quarterback Dak Prescott showed that Lamb is his most trustworthy receiver, proving again that the 25-year-old is matchup proof and should be started in all formats every week. Lamb and the Cowboys are entering a bye week in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Tolbert Oct 14 11:00am ET
Jalen Tolbert

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert proved that he is locked into the WR2 role in the offense after his big Week 5 game in the 47-9 loss to Detroit. Tolbert was targeted five times, securing four receptions for 43 yards. He finished second on the team in receiving behind CeeDee Lamb on a day where the Cowboys' offense struggled to get anything going. Tolbert will remain a matchup-dependent flex option for as long as Brandin Cooks (knee) remains out. The Cowboys are off in Week 7 before a Week 8 matchup with San Francisco.

From RotoBaller

Chase Brown Oct 14 11:00am ET
Chase Brown

Cincinnati Bengals running back Chase Brown had 53 yards and a touchdown off 10 carries in Sunday night's win over the New York Giants. He added two catches for 11 yards. This was a low-scoring contest, with the Bengals defense holding the Giants to seven points. However, Brown still did enough to give his fantasy managers a little something. With the 24-year-old finding the end zone in each of the Bengals' last three games, he's a must-start in any format for the Week 7 divisional clash with the Browns.

From RotoBaller

Dak Prescott Oct 14 10:50am ET
Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott struggled in the 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Prescott completed 17-of-33 passes for 178 yards and two interceptions, unable to get anything going through the air. He was sacked four times and was eventually pulled for Cooper Rush late in the game. Prescott also scrambled once for one yard. The 31-year-old quarterback was unable to put a single touchdown up in the shellacking as the Cowboys dropped to 3-3 on the season. He remains a low-end QB1 heading into the Cowboys' bye week.

From RotoBaller

Kyle Pitts Oct 14 10:50am ET
Kyle Pitts

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts was targeted five times in Sunday's 38-20 victory over the Panthers, hauling in three passes for 70 yards. The yardage was good, but 52 of the 70 came on a single play and the 24-year-old was held out of the end zone for the fifth consecutive game. Still, the targets were tied for second-most on the team and Atlanta leaned heavily on the run game, so outside of Drake London, the air attack underwhelmed overall on Sunday. Pitts will take on the Seahawks defense in Week 7 that has been hit or miss in regards to covering TEs, but George Kittle just went 5-58-2 this past Thursday, and with a high projected total for that game, everyone should be involved.

From RotoBaller

Wil Lutz Oct 14 10:50am ET
Wil Lutz

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz surprisingly entered the Week 6 divisional clash against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday as a top-10 fantasy kicker. However, we warned fantasy managers to avoid him as a streamer in a tough matchup against a stout Chargers defense. In the 23-16 loss, Lutz only attempted two kicks, making his lone field-goal attempt from 40 yards out and his only extra-point try in the contest. The Broncos offense was unable to do anything all day until the fourth quarter, when they scored all 16 of their points in a comeback bid that fell short. Lutz has missed just one of his 14 field-goal tries through six weeks, and his 14 attempts are tied for seventh in the league. However, he's also attempted just nine extra points, which is tied for 23rd in the league. The veteran kicker should bounce back in Week 7 on Thursday night against the Saints in the Caesars Superdome, but Denver's low-scoring offense makes him a volatile fantasy streamer.

From RotoBaller

Rico Dowdle Oct 14 10:50am ET
Rico Dowdle

Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle led the team in rushing in the 47-9 loss to Detroit, although that isn't saying much given that the team had just 53 rush yards. Dowdle carried the ball just five times for 25 yards. He also caught five passes for 30 yards. Dowdle's ability to mix in as a pass-catcher will keep him relevant week-to-week but as evidenced by this weekend, he can be sat in tough matchups. Although Dowdle was the more efficient of the two Cowboys' backs, Ezekiel Elliott had three more rush attempts. Dowdle and the Cowboys are on bye this coming week before another tough matchup with the San Francisco 49ers.

From RotoBaller

Ezekiel Elliott Oct 14 10:50am ET
Ezekiel Elliott

Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott saw eight carries in the blowout loss to Detroit. Elliott only gained 17 yards, rushing at an abysmal 2.1 yards per carry against the tough Lions' front. He saw no passing game usage, severely limiting both his fantasy floor and ceiling. Elliott was severely outplayed by Rico Dowdle, who gained 5.0 yards per carry and also saw receiving usage. The 29-year-old is not a usable fantasy option and can safely be dropped in all formats heading into Dallas' bye week.

From RotoBaller

Will Levis Oct 14 10:40am ET
Will Levis

Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis went 16-of-27 for a mere 95 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in a 20-17 home loss vs. Indianapolis on Sunday. Coming off of a bye at home against one of the league's worst pass defenses, there was a bit of optimism that Levis would be able to get going in this one, but it was quite the opposite. Conservative play calling and poor overall play doomed this offense yet again, as Levis registered a 3.5 yards per attempt on the afternoon, the worst mark of his career. What's even more disappointing about the performance is that Levis faced pressure at a season-low rate, was not sacked once in the game, and still could not reach 100 yards passing against a bottom-five defensive unit. This offense may have just hit rock bottom, and because of that, no one can be trusted for fantasy right now outside of Tony Pollard. Up next is a tough road test in Buffalo next week.

From RotoBaller

Joe Burrow Oct 14 10:40am ET
Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow threw for 208 yards in Sunday's win over the New York Giants. The signal-caller didn't do much as a passer. However, he got it done on the ground by amassing 55 yards, although most of that was due to a 47-yard scramble in the first quarter for a score. After a five-touchdown outing against the Ravens, Burrow was quiet in Week 6, with the defense doing most of the heavy lifting. At any rate, the Bengals will look to keep it going in a Week 7 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Burrow remains a must-start for that one.

From RotoBaller

Bijan Robinson Oct 14 10:15am ET
Bijan Robinson

Dynasty | Falcons running back Bijan Robinson had 95 rushing yards, three catches, ten receiving yards and two touchdowns in a win against Carolina. Dynasty Analysis: That's the good news. The bad news is the fact Tyler Allgeier had 18 carries (Robinson had 15) and scored a touchdown of his own. At this point, it is what it is - Robinson is a committee back who is going to be stuck in somewhere around a 60/40 touch-share with Allgeier for the foreseeable future. While he'll have RB1 days like this, he's also a player who has a lower floor than many had expected. Robinson's dynasty value is slipping a touch while Allgeier's is rising.

J.K. Dobbins Oct 14 10:14am ET
J.K. Dobbins

Dynasty | Chargers running back JK Dobbins had 96 rushing yards and a touchdown in a win against Denver. Dynasty Analysis: He added two catches for six yards. Dobbins was predictably busy in this one after Gus Edwards was put on IR this week. It's been a big-time bounce-back season for Dobbins, who had a season high 25 carries in this one. While he hasn't had a 100-yard game since the second week of the season, the thought Dobbins was going to be unable to return to his pre-injury form seem to have been put to rest. He'll be a solid RB2 moving forward and dynasty managers need to really look at him as a potential buy or sell depending on where they sit after six weeks.

Aidan Hutchinson Oct 14 10:14am ET
Aidan Hutchinson

Detroit Lions star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson (tibia) will miss the remainder of the 2024 season after undergoing emergency surgery Sunday to repair a compound fracture, per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. Hutchinson suffered the injury while sacking quarterback Dak Prescott in the Lions' 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The third-year defensive standout completed the sack but immediately grabbed his leg upon hitting the ground and was carted off the field in an air cast. He'll now spend the night in a local Dallas hospital. It's a massive blow to Detroit's defense, as the 24-year-old led the league in sacks (6.5) entering Week 6 and is a formidable game-breaker off the edge. Defensive end Isaac Ukwu figures to pick up snaps with the injury to Hutchinson, and Detroit may seek help elsewhere with no other healthy defensive ends on the roster. The Lions will get a road matchup in Week 7 against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

Evan Engram Oct 14 10:00am ET
Evan Engram

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram was targeted often throughout the Week 6 loss to the Chicago Bears. After not playing since Week 1, Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars made up for lost time by targeting Engram 10 times in this game. He caught all 10 of them for 102 yards but unfortunately couldn't find paydirt. Whenever healthy, Engram is a top tight end, especially in PPR formats. The good thing for fantasy managers is that Engram's fantasy success doesn't depend on the team's success. He'll look to keep the momentum going against the New England Patriots in another London game in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Gabriel Davis Oct 14 9:50am ET
Gabriel Davis

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Gabe Davis posted his best game of the season in a 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears. In the Jaguars' first of two London games, Davis posted five receptions for 45 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets. He was the second-most targeted pass-catcher on the team behind only Evan Engram. Three of his eight targets were in the red zone which is the most he's received in a single game so far this year. Davis and the Jaguars will stick around in England until they play the New England Patriots in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Trevor Lawrence Oct 14 9:40am ET
Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence registered another QB2-level performance during the 35-16 loss to the Chicago Bears in London. The 25-year-old continues to struggle as the team fell to 1-5 on the year. He ended this game with 234 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on 23-for-35 throwing. He added four carries for 17 yards and was sacked three times. The silver lining is that he has thrown for at least two touchdowns in each of the last three games, but the offense continues to sputter as they average just 18.8 points per game. He'll try to right the ship against the New England Patriots in another London game in Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Allgeier Oct 14 9:40am ET
Tyler Allgeier

Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on 18 totes in Sunday's 38-20 victory over the Panthers, adding one catch for three yards as well. The third-year back has been good when given an opportunity, averaging 5.5 yards per carry so far this season. Bijan Robinson was productive as well, rushing for 95 yards and two scores, but with Robinson popping up on the injury report earlier in the week and the Falcons in control of this game, Allgeier garnered more opportunities than usual. Prior to this contest, he had yet to reach double-digit carries in a game this season. Next week the Falcons draw a weak rush defense against Seattle, a defense that is allowing 5.0 yards per carry which is sixth-worst in the NFL. The 24-year-old remains a strong insurance policy for Robinson managers and will be worthy of FLEX consideration in better matchups.

From RotoBaller

Kirk Cousins Oct 14 9:20am ET
Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 19 of his 30 pass attempts in Sunday's 38-20 victory over the Panthers. The 36-year-old tallied 225 pass yards and threw just one touchdown pass, as it was the ground game that took over in this one with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier combining for 200 yards rushing and three TDs. Outside of his monster Week 5 performance, the veteran QB has been fairly pedestrian for fantasy, with only two multi-touchdown performances in six games, while Sunday marked just the second time this season that he didn't throw an interception. Next week's potentially high-scoring home date with Seattle makes him a viable streaming option though, and assuming the offense keeps progressing he should be at least a high-end QB2 most weeks with upside.

From RotoBaller

Travis Etienne Oct 14 9:20am ET
Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) was forced to leave Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears with a hamstring issue and didn't return. Head coach Doug Pederson said on Monday that the 25-year-old is now considered week-to-week. The once bell-cow type of back hasn't seen more than 13 carries in a game this season and finished with six in Week 5 and three in Week 6 before leaving. He even went from 70% snap share in Week 1 down to 38% in Week 5. With Etienne's status unclear, Tank Bigsby will likely take on most of the snap share while D'Ernest Johnson will slot in as the backup.

From RotoBaller

Jahmyr Gibbs Oct 14 9:10am ET
Jahmyr Gibbs

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs was efficient with his touches in the blowout victory over the Dallas Cowboys, but only turned in an RB2-level performance. The dynamic back finished with 63 yards on 12 carries and caught three of his five targets for 28 yards. This game was another instance where David Montgomery took over in the red zone and took the touchdowns instead of Gibbs. Despite that, Gibbs has remained at a higher value in PPR formats since he returned to being involved in the passing game. He might have a tough time against a stout Vikings defense in Week 7 though.

From RotoBaller