Studs and Duds: Championship Games
Mon Jan 31 10:14am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer
Kupp produces huge once again
Surprisingly, the games were almost as good this week as the previous week. That is pretty hard to believe, considering how epic the games were for the divisional round. They all came down to the wire once again. Plus, we had some big fantasy performances, providing plenty of points for fantasy owners. It was another fascinating week in the NFL.
Bengals 27, Chiefs 24
Fantasy Stud: Travis Kelce. His team lost but Kelce was huge in defeat. He led the way in the passing game for the Chiefs. He had 10 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. Kelce was great the entire playoffs, having at least 95 yards all three games and touchdowns in all those game. He finishes the year with six straight games.
Fantasy Dud: Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Edwards-Helaire was active but took a backseat to Jerick McKinnon most of the game. He had just six carries for 36 yards compared to 12 carries for McKinnon. Edwards-Helaire also caught just a pass for four yards, giving him 40 total yards in the game. It was almost a fitting end to his season, which also was a little disappointing because of injuries and inconsistency on the field. Next season might be a make or break year for Edwards-Helaire.
Game Notes: Tee Higgins hit the 100-yard mark. He had six receptions for 103 yards on 10 targets. He has 13 reception for 199 yards his last two games.
Mecole Hardman had five touches for 70 total yards and a touchdown. He had scores two straight and at least 12 fantasy points in each of those games.
Rams 20, 49ers 17
Fantasy Stud: Cooper Kupp. Kupp had another one of his monster game. He caught 11 passes fro 142 yards and two touchdowns. Kupp scored 37.2 fantasy points, giving him 30-plus points two straight games. He has eight games this season with 30-plus fantasy points. Kupp is having one of the all-time best fantasy seasons. He just keeps getting it done on a weekly basis.
Fantasy Dud: Cam Akers. Akers got a lot of touches once again but didn’t do much with that work. He ran 13 times for just 48 yards and caught a pass for two yards. Akers has fewer than 60-rushing yards all three playoff games for the Rams. He does not have more than 11 fantasy points any game this year. The positive is he has at least 14 touches three straight games and looks healthy, recovered from his torn Achilles’ tendon.
Game Notes: Deebo Samuel was highly productive once again, leading the 49ers in rushing and receiving. He ran seven times for 26 yards and had four receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. Samuel had 98 total yards and a score.
Odell Beckham had his first 100-yard game of the season. He had nine receptions for 113 yards on 11 targets. He has 15 receptions for 182 yards on 19 targets his last two games.
Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.
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The Paur Report
With the No. 15 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Colts selected UCLA defensive end Laiatu Latu. There was talk he would go earlier in the night. However, concerns surrounding his neck may have caused him to slide to the middle of the first round. But the Colts took a chance and could benefit by taking a player who totaled 34 sacks in two seasons with the Bruins. At 6'5'', 265 lbs., he may make an impact for IDP managers right out of the gate.
From RotoBaller
The Minnesota Vikings traded up to the 17th spot with Jacksonville to select Alabama edge rusher Dallas Turner. Turner had an outstanding combine and totaled ten sacks last season. He can disrupt the opponent's run game with a great reaction time. The 21-year-old can also drop into coverage when needed. The Vikings were in the middle of the pack with 43 total sacks, and Turner should help them significantly.
From RotoBaller
The Green Bay Packers selected offensive tackle Jordan Morgan from Arizona with the 25th overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft. Morgan started all 37 games at left tackle. He could move to guard if necessary but does possess the skills to make a smooth transition. The Packers added former Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs to improve on their 1,905 total rushing yards last season. Adding Morgan will hopefully provide a boost to those numbers and protect Jordan Love's blind side.
From RotoBaller
The Detroit Lions traded up to the number 24 spot with the Dallas Cowboys to bolster their secondary with Alabama defensive back Terrion Arnold. Arnold intercepted five passes last season and yet he is not afraid to defend the run and initiate contact. The Lions were near the bottom of the pack with 375 total points allowed and total passing yards allowed with 3,846. The Lions saw this need and already began to address it with the free-agent acquisition of Amik Robertson from Las Vegas and the selection of Arnold will improve on the work done in the offseason.
From RotoBaller
The Jacksonville Jaguars wasted no time in replacing Calvin Ridley by selecting LSU wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. with the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. The former Tiger played alongside fellow standout Malik Nabers, but do not overlook his talent. The 21-year-old led the FBS with 17 receiving touchdowns in 2023 and totaled 1,177 receiving yards. Thomas Jr. will be a popular pick in both dynasty and redraft as he should slot in as the number two wide-out behind Christian Kirk and should be a solid option for Trevor Lawrence.
From RotoBaller
The Miami Dolphins selected Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson 21st overall in the 2024 NFL draft. After losing Christian Wilkins, Jerome Baker, and Xavien Howard in free agency, to name a few, the Dolphins bolstered their defense with the addition of Robinson. The 21-year-old totaled four sacks and 15 total tackles last season. He had the second-fastest 40-yard dash at the combine for edge rushers and should provide both speed and explosiveness for Miami.
From RotoBaller
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected offensive tackle Troy Fautanu with the 20th overall selection of the NFL draft. Fautanu is six feet four inches tall and has long arms, which gives him good balance in pass protection. The 23-year-old started 31 games for Washington, with 29 of them at left tackle and two at left guard. Russel Wilson will get some much-needed blindside protection with this selection. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren will also benefit from having Fautanu leading the way for them.
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Bengals selected offensive tackle Amarius Mims with the 18th overall pick. Mims, a former Georgia Bulldog, started only eight games at right tackle but was dominant and has quickness and strength to move defenders off the ball. The Bengals allowed 50 total sacks last season, which resulted in their franchise quarterback missing important games down the stretch. Mims will be part of the plan to fix a weakness and protect Joe Burrow.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Rams are using their first first-round selection in eight years to select defensive end Jared Verse from Florida State. The 23-year-old is one of the most talented edge rushers in the class. He has a great first step and excellent closing speed to get off of blocks. Verse had nine total sacks last season and will be called upon to help the Rams overcome the loss of the now-retired Aaron Donald.
From RotoBaller
The Seattle Seahawks selected Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy with the 16th overall pick on Thursday evening. Murphy is credited with being an excellent run defender who can help against strong rushing attacks in the division. The Longhorn is effective when double-teamed and will join Jarran Reed and Jonathan Hankins on the interior.
From RotoBaller
With the No. 14 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Saints selected Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga. The 22-year-old had a lengthy college career with the Beavers. While he got off to a slow start, he ended his final season by being named an All-American. New Orleans has plenty of areas that need to be addressed, but the line was arguably the team's biggest weakness. Fuaga has a chance to start right away and should help keep Derek Carr vertical more often than he was during the 2023-24 campaign.
From RotoBaller
With the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos selected Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. The 24-year-old had a lengthy collegiate career, playing at Auburn before ending his career with the Ducks. He appeared in 61 games combined for both teams, throwing for 15,352 yards, 108 touchdowns, and 26 picks. He also found the end zone 38 times using his legs. With Denver recently acquiring Zach Wilson, Nix may sit to begin the 2024-25 campaign. However, no matter when he gets on the field, the Broncos don't have the pieces needed to make him a reliable fantasy quarterback.
From RotoBaller
With the No. 13 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Raiders selected Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. There was talk the Jets would bring him to New York. However, the team bolstered their offensive line, so the 21-year-old will now head to Las Vegas. The Raiders are getting arguably the top tight end available, considering he amassed 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns off 175 catches in 40 collegiate games. Bowers also added five touchdowns on the ground. Nonetheless, he'll have a chance to make an immediate impact as a Raider, although concerns at the quarterback position may limit his fantasy upside.
From RotoBaller
The Minnesota Vikings are trading with the New York Jets from the No. 11 to the No. 10 spot in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Vikings get a 2024 first-round (No. 10) selection and a 2024 sixth-round pick, while the Jets receive a 2024 first-round pick (No. 11), 2024 fourth-round, and 2024 fifth-round pick. With the Vikings unable to deal with the New England Patriots to take Drake Maye, Minnesota selected Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Jets ended up taking Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu.
From RotoBaller
After swapping picks with the Vikings, the Jets selected offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu with the No. 11 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. The 21-year-old had a potent collegiate career with Penn State and was named an All-American in 2023. While there were rumblings the Jets would draft a tight end, the team ultimately decided to protect Aaron Rodgers, who will be entering the 2024-25 campaign coming off a season-ending Achilles injury.
From RotoBaller
The Minnesota Vikings traded up one spot from 11th to 10th with the New York Jets in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night to select Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings wanted McCarthy all along and ended up not needing to trade into the top five to get their next franchise signal-caller. McCarthy won a national championship with the Wolverines last year but wasn't asked to do a lot with a strong running back behind him. He ran a pro-style offense in college, which should give him a high floor at the next level, and he'll be set up well for future success in Minnesota with a great one-two punch in receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. The talent is there with McCarthy, but he also didn't have the big sample size that the other big-name QB prospects in this draft did. McCarthy won't necessarily start in his rookie year in 2024 with Sam Darnold also in town.
From RotoBaller
The Atlanta Falcons selected Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. This is the first real surprise of this year's draft after the Falcons signed quarterback Kirk Cousins this offseason. Injuries are the main concern for Penix, but besides that, he showed plenty of long-term upside in his two seasons with the Huskies, culminating in a national championship appearance earlier this year. The 23-year-old lefty will obviously enter his first season in the NFL as a clear backup in Atlanta, but this pick will give the Falcons insurance with Cousins returning from a torn Achilles in 2023. This selection will be debated for a while, especially given all of Atlanta's needs on defense.
From RotoBaller
The Chicago Bears selected Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Thats back-to-back picks out of Washington after quarterback Michael Penix Jr. surprisingly went eighth overall to the Atlanta Falcons. Odunze led the country in receiving yards in 2023 and is a special talent. He has length and excels at contested catches down the field. It helped that he had an excellent passer to throw him the football in Penix, but this kid is still special and should have an excellent career. The Bears have now added QB Caleb Williams and Odunze with their first two picks this year. While Odunze has plenty to like in the long-term, he'll be hard-pressed to make a huge impact in his rookie season in 2024 with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen set to be target hogs in this Bears offense.
From RotoBaller
The Tennessee Titans selected Alabama offensive tackle JC Latham with the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. The Titans were hoping that Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt, the consensus No. 1 offensive lineman in this class, would fall to them at No. 7, but that didn't happen -- he went to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 5. Latham is a solid fallback option, though, and should immediately boost the protection for young quarterback Will Levis in Tennessee. The 21-year-old is a mauler at right tackle and short start immediately in his rookie season in the NFL in 2024. He weighed in at 342 pounds, so he's a mountain of a man with long arms and huge hands. This pick is great news for Levis and running backs Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears.
From RotoBaller
The Los Angeles Chargers selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft on Thursday night. Under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the Chargers are unsurprisingly trying to build up their offensive line to help protect their ground game and quarterback Justin Herbert. Alt was the consensus best offensive-line prospect in this year's draft and should be a starter in LA from Day 1 in 2024 at right tackle across from Rashawn Slater on the left side. He stands at 6-foot-8 1/2 and 320 pounds and uses his size and strength to his advantage to climb to the second level. Despite his towering size, he's quick and nasty in the trenches. Not only will Alt help keep Herbert clean in the pocket, but he should be an asset in the run game, too.
From RotoBaller
