Five weeks in and Team Outsports Equality is like 99 percent of all fantasy football team out there: uncertain, unpredictable, and at times, unbelievable.
The depth at quarterback, tight end and wide receiver is strong, but the depth at running back is not. Anyone care to make a trade? Can we pick up an LGBT-friendly player off the waiver wire? I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, we don’t always get we want in fantasy football.
Last week, the team underachieved, scoring 102.68 points in a standard Yahoo! league. Its potential was halted thanks to Gio Bernard going inactive and a poor showing from the Packers defense and kicker Brandon McManus.
Let’s see if we can do better this week.
Quarterback
Start: Aaron Rodgers vs. 49ers (MNF)
Even with his damaged receiving corps, A-Rod continues to make an impact.
Sit: Andrew Luck vs. Jets , Cam Newton @ Redskins, Derek Carr vs. Seahawks, Russell Wilson @ Raiders
Luck has thrown the ball more than any other QB this season, but it doesn’t mean anything if you cannot throw to competent receivers.
Cam Newton was someone I almost started given his strong performance against the Giants and favorable matchup against the Redskins, but I opted against it.
Derek Carr and Russell Wilson face off in the first London matchup of the season. It should be a high-scoring affair, but I don’t trust either enough to make them my starting QB.
Running back
Start: Frank Gore vs. Bears
The depth is thin at running back with this team, but Gore has proven himself to not be a terrible play this season. He has averaged 4.3 yards per carry, his best since his Niners days, and has 202 rushing yards so far this season.
Start: Jordan Howard @ Dolphins
Howard is back after the bye week, but watch out. Tarik Cohen out-touched him in the game against Tampa Bay right before the bye. If we see the same this week, it is no longer a fluke.
Sit: Kyle Juszczyk @ Packers (MNF)
Juszczyk had 87 yards from scrimmage this past week, which is a very respectable number for a fullback. However, don’t expect him to keep this up. He is just a fullback.
Wide receiver
Start: DeAndre Hopkins vs. Bills
Hopkins had another 100-yard game last week against the Cowboys, including a wild 49-yard catch in overtime. He leads the NFL in receiving yards through five games.
Start: Adam Thielen @ Eagles
Who is second in the NFL in receiving yards? This guy. He’s also the first D-II player to have 100 receiving yards in each of his first five games to start a season in NFL history. Big ups.
Sit: Davante Adams vs. 49ers (MNF), Marquise Goodwin @ Packers (MNF), T.Y. Hilton @ Jets, Kenny Stills vs. Bears, Robert Woods @ Broncos
All of these guys are on the bench because it is a crime to bench either of the Top 2 receivers in the NFL.
However, expect all of these players to have boom potential on Sunday, especially Hilton, who returns from injury and Woods, who is slated to be the top receiver in the Rams offense after Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks were concussed this week against Seattle.
Tight end/Flex
Start: Rob Gronkowski vs. Chiefs (SNF), Travis Kelce vs. Patriots (SNF)
It’s Sunday Night Football, and the two best tight ends in the league are set to battle it out. Look for both to have a big game under the bright lights.
Defense
Start: Green Bay Packers vs. 49ers (MNF)
For the second week in a row, the Packers are our starting defense. While they may have pulled a dud last week in Detroit, the odds are better this week as the Packers return home to face a team that gave up two defensive TD’s last week to the winless Cardinals.
Kicker
Start: Brandon McManus vs. Rams
With Matt Prater out on a bye this week (along with the New Orleans Saints), McManus becomes our default starter. However, I like his chances against a Rams team that has given up plenty of points this season. Denver will have to keep up and give McManus opportunities to keep them in the game.
LGBT Focus
Adam Thielen
Read more on these players’ LGBT views:
- These eight players would support a gay teammate (from 2018)
- These New England Patriots linemen would support a gay teammate (from 2018)
- 14 NFL Pro Bowlers say they would welcome a gay teammate (from 2017)
- NFL players react to Michael Sam coming out (from 2014)
- 62 active NFL players who have made statements in support of gays (from 2013)
- Carson Palmer, 12 Indianapolis Colts would embrace openly gay teammate (from 2013)
Jeremy Brener is a student at the University of Central Florida who writes for Outsports. He can be reached via email ([email protected]) and followed on Twitter.