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It can get lonely out on the mountain. Some days the only conversation you’ll get is wind whipping around your earlobes and your heart beating inside your chest. It is only week 5 but we have reached an altitude now where most animals prefer not to venture. The elements are brutal and food is scarce. I hope you aren’t in need because there is not much meat on this weeks bone. Sometimes you just have to pretend you’re not hungry.

Each week, I will list intriguing players owned in no more than 30% of leagues per ESPN. For a primer on additional roster management and waiver wire principals read this. At the end I will also point out some players that can be safely dropped for a better option.

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Have you ever shared custody of a dog with an ex-spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend? Prayfully not, my goodmen, but surely you know some poor sod who takes part in this sad and pathetic lifestyle, someone you look down upon with shame as if they were a lower form of human life. As if they, well, you know, thought sharing a dog with an ex was a solid idea. If you didn’t know someone before, you do now!! ME, Beddict, former Commander and Chief of the Players club, himself, somehow buried in this game like a rotting  casket. How did we (me) get here? There is not enough battery left in my MacBook Air (Lap top in laymen terms), to tell that tale, and thank the Elders for that, but I’ll whack ya with a few deets, just in case you want to get your beak wet…..I don’t even know what that means. 

Anyway, I have five dogs total, two with my ex in Seattle, and three with my last girlfriend in New Orleans. NOLA won’t actually speak to me, either because she despises me, that or she’s being respectful to her strange new emo- King Fiancé. All I know, is that when I stalk her Instagram every night, I NEVER SEE MY BABY JILLIAN!!! I see the other two angels, but little Jillie bean is nowhere in sight…Hmmmm, anyway, I HAD five dogs scattered across the country like dust in the wind, six if you count the dog that was mine that I gave to my Mom 14 years ago. He was so handsome, I say, “WAS,” for he was tragically killed three weeks ago, ON MY BIRTHDAY, ruining my day and in a way, my life. So I suppose we’re back to five, four if Jillian is no longer among the breathing. This led to my first ex sweetly offering to “ALLOW” me to see our two dogs for a week or so, since she felt so awful about Q-ball being run over on my birthday and all. We weren’t on speaking terms so I thought this to be a truly grand gesture of kindness………Alas, life only allows pleasant emotions for short periods of time before ripping them out with rusty machete. One week turned into 10 days, and it also turned out that she was getting married and just had nowhere else to leave the dogs since they’re too old to be left at any kennel. Married to the friend zone king who had stalked her our entire relationship, you know the type. Shit, some of you probably are the type. For me to properly draft the proper amount of ratchetness involved would take the last remaining splinters of my soul, and that, guys/gals, is too much to ask. Even of me. 

What am I going on about? This is a fantasy sports website. But isn’t that why you love (Despise) me? Below are my thoughts on this past week’s NFL games. Take heed!

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“Alexa, what’s the weather like in Buffalo?” “Look outside moron.”

The great leader has spoken and global warming has been confirmed a hoax. I mean, with this much cold weather, how can the Earth be warming? It’s like, if the ice is melting, just get out the bourbon and more ice and enjoy the free air conditioning, maaaan. And if it is snow (prove it!), that’s fine too. I mean, if we can’t have the Game of Thrones premier until next summer, then lets bring it right to Buffalo, am I right? It just makes so much sense, kinda like how Ian Eagle should do play-by-play for porn. But if it isn’t snow (believe it!), we must accept that it’s either massive amounts of cocaine (settle down Michael Irvin, settle down) or the salt of dried tears from all the Julio Jones and Melvin Gordon owners out there. It’s okay, it’s totally normal to end your Fantasy Season like this. I read that on Facebook, the bastion of legitimate news, so I know it’s true. But don’t worry, if you’re looking for a distraction in a post-fantasy football world, or you need something to do the next four years, keep in mind that anything can be a dildo if you’re brave enough…

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Welcome to the very last Beyond the Numbers! of the year and also one of the most important. I, and everyone here at Razzball, have put in our best efforts this week to get you closer towards your goal of making the fantasy Super Bowl. Sorry I had to go with another overused Blount pun as the title, but I spent too much time reviewing games to come up with a more clever one. Hell, I’ve been watching so much game tape my NFL Game Pass Replay asked me if I was a robot. To that, I of course sarcastically answered yes and it somehow let me continue watching. I guess my TV is also a robot and vouched for me or something. Let’s just say I definitely did my homework this week. There are way too many scary matchups to not be prepared. That and figuring out the value of injured players’ backups are the most crucial items on the docket. For fantasy owners in just about any situation in the playoffs, I got you covered.

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At some point, we’re going to get old. Technically, some of us are already there (children of the 80’s unite!). Okay, we’re not that old, but age is probably subjective anyways. And before I give myself an existential crisis, the point I’m trying to make is that Fantasy Sports might be one of those things that don’t have a shelf life. But this season has made me question that conclusion more than usual. I mean, sure, there are things we can do to spice up the experience. Like Craigslist and sex, maybe we’d pay attention more if money is involved, thus, the evolution of money leagues. DFS is, of course, an offshoot. But with NFL’s noticeable ratings drop this year, talk of rearranging when commercials are shown (haha, dream on), the retiring of Thursday Night Football (naw, Jags vs. Titans is always a good idea!) have been some of the things discussed internally. But time is a flat circle, maaaaaaan, so I wouldn’t expect much of anything the NFL does to change. The officiating has been garbage, the penalties for celebrations is an infringement on my right to not eye-roll infinitely. And really, whatever that was on Sunday Night Football last night, which was flexed!… It’s almost as if they aren’t even trying. (Can’t quite tell if I’m talking about the NFL or the Panthers.) The Chargers lost, but I think you already knew that based on this lede, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be mopey. What’s that? Westworld won’t be back on until 2018? Okay. Time to burn this motherf*cker down!

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Welcome back to the Razzball streamer article. I hope you didn’t miss me too much last week and had a great Thanksgiving, unless you felt too much genocidal guilt to celebrate.  The Cleveland Browns finally get to not lose this week, and that makes for a more difficult pick ‘em pool.  This just goes to show you, even if you are never successful, you could still earn a week vacation. Never give up.  Before we get to streamers, make sure that you check out the football podcast this week if you are into Westworld.  A few of us at Razzball have some takes that we need to get off of our chest, so be on the look-out for that.  Now let’s get down to business.

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While the Chargers fan in me wanted this Sunday Night Football game to be a lazy Father’s Day gift (a tie!), the football fan in me just wanted to do a bit of scouting on Tony Romo’s new team next season. But it was hard to do either with the most boring first half of a football game in the history of the NFL, since last Thursday. Though drinking games usually help, instead, to match the theme of this weekend, I went with an eating game. If a first down happened, I ate turkey, and if not, ham. Worked out pretty well, I have to say. And don’t get me wrong, there were some positives last night. Al Michaels’ continued sabbatical is one. (Kinda like February in Palm West, because it’s all about an old man drying out.) There was… okay, so there was one positive. Which really wasn’t a positive at all with Cris Collinsworth trying to speak with Roger Goodell’s balls in his mouth. Just remember, the NFL flexed this game because they honestly thought that it would be more entertaining than the Jets and Patriots. Which would have been futile anyways, unless they happened to flex Westworld instead…

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Well, minus the pants, that was probably the most regular looking color rush game (thank the lord!) of the year so far. But yeah, the Bears (DUUUUUH BEARS, if we’re doing the “iconic” pronunciation) has now officially become the NFL’s very own simulation on the cycles of depression. True, with this game being of the usual Thursday Night Football variety (Jaguars versus Titans next week? Were we Nazis in our previous life? Is that why we get that?), we had a really close game at the half… you know, a 3-6 “close game”, buuuuut there were legitimate reasons for that beyond it being just Thursday. I mean, the Bears were down to their third string quarterback behind a patchwork offensive line, their defensive secondary was in tatters, and on the other side, the Packers had Mike McCarthy (who is pretty much Marty Schottenheimer with a ring.) And while it would have been entertaining if the Bears accidentally derped their way into beating their NFC North rivals for the first time this millennium, alas, it was not to be, as vintage Aaron Rodgers decided to finally show up this season, albeit for two quarters. But I guess Chicago wouldn’t have noticed anyways because: Cubs. Connor Barth kicking. Matt Barkley quarterbacking. Ka’Deem Carey at runing back. Kyle Long not playing (this all must have been Cutler’s doing). Signs of the Apocalypse some would say… or what Chicago calls “normal”.

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What’s up Razzicans! If you are still here, you are either still playing or just can’t let us go. If it’s the latter, then all I can say is watch this and don’t take it personal. I’m kidding, glad to have you. We’re doing something a little different this week to close out the 2014 fantasy season. I’m also writing this post with my pants on for once. (It’s about as awkward as that one time I wore boxers to gym class during wrestling week.) Here is the breakdown, I’m covering the NFC games and my boy Ralph is covering the AFC later today. I’m gonna gloss over the players that should be usable and play the whole game or at least have some level of relevance.

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Man, hard to believe we’re already halfway through the fantasy season.  Where has the time gone?

At the mid-point, it’s time to start really addressing a few things.  Injury status, playoff schedule, all of that good stuff is important to start noting, especially with trades.  When trading right now, its critical that you look at the schedule and realize you’re only getting 6 regular season games out of new acquisitions past this Sunday if 4 teams make week 15/16 playoffs, and only 5 if it’s a 6-team playoff.  A little crazy to think you get that little time.  While Fantasy Baseball and Fantasy Basketball (pumped for a big year!) are both marathons, Fantasy Football is a sprint.  I pick Usain Bolt!  Championship.

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And this is why you don’t draft too early, kids. In a surprise rivaling The Sixth Sense ending, Percy Harvin was placed on the PUP list yesterday after suffering a hip injury last week during workouts. The reports out right now are possible slight tear of the labrum in his hip and that he’ll get a second opinion next week about what will need to happen from here on out. Best case scenario for fantasy owners would be the follow up news says he can play this year, though as an owner I’d be leery and worried if that were the situation. In redraft leagues, this is a pretty scary place to be if you’ve already drafted considering his current ADP in yahoo leagues places him 29th overall. Until there’s more news to go off of I’m not yet ready to move him down my fantasy football rankings, but I wasn’t too hip – pun point! – on drafting him this year anyways. If it is indeed surgery required, I think he should start getting the Hakeem Nicks draft treatment from here on out. To date, Percy has only played one full season and that was in 2011. Outside of that it’s been 15, 14 and 9 and then whatever he plays this year. As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t take too kindly to injured wide receivers ’round here. It’s a physical position for sure but just like Shakira, Percy’s hip don’t lie. He’s starting to look like someone who’s caught the chronic injury bug and I don’t want it infecting my fantasy teams. In other 2013 fantasy football news…

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