It’s getting late in the fantasy season. The playoffs for most leagues are just two weeks away. We need things we can trust. We need things we can hang our hat on.
Go South, young man. Specifically, the NFC South.
And bring some quarters, because the NFC South is all about pinball. Explosive offenses and playmakers, erratic defenses, free-flowing yards and points. Even the venues play along nicely — two domes, and two other teams in warm climates. The track is always clear. Sit back and watch the numbers roll in.
Sunday’s first stop was New Orleans, where the Saints outlasted the Panthers, 34-31. The Saints offense was tidy and narrow for our purposes, focusing on the playmakers we rely on. Drew Brees chucked for 311 yards and three scores, feeding unstoppable Michael Thomas (10-101-1) and rebounding Jared Cook (6-99-1) nicely. Alvin Kamara was sluggish for a while, but he rallied late and finished with 102 total yards (and nine juicy PPR catches). Latavius Murray had 7-64-1 in his secondary role, not bad if you were in a pinch. We know where the Saints bread is buttered (and in New Orleans, butter is a food group).
Carolina’s offense also has a narrow tree, though most of the branches say McCaffrey on them. Christian McCaffrey probably can’t win MVP given how the voting slants to quarterbacks on playoff teams, but he’s putting together a strong Offensive Player of the Year case. Even though the Saints limited CMC to 2.9 yards a carry, he still scored well through volume — 133 total yards, two touchdowns. McCaffrey is as matchup proof and game-script proof as they come.
Kyle Allen had a much-needed comeback game (three touchdowns, no picks, 112.7 rating), which allowed Carolina to keep the match competitive. DJ Moore was constantly open, scoring two lengthy touchdowns and racking up 126 yards. Greg Olsen was handy (5-44-0), and although Curtis Samuel couldn’t find room in the passing game, he did run four times for 40 yards. The Panthers don’t always win, but they usually fight back.
The other NFC South game wasn’t quite as fun, though it also featured a bunch of big plays. Tampa Bay had one of its cleaner days, as Jameis Winston threw more to his guys (313 yards, three scores) than the other guys (two picks). Chris Godwin had a field day against Atlanta’s secondary (7-184-2, including a 71-yard score), while Mike Evans was tepid with his chances (4-50-0). That’s how the Tampa offense usually rolls; one of the alpha dogs goes off, the other guy is a mild disappointment. The Bucs were in control throughout the 35-22 victory.
Ronald Jones still has to share with Peyton Barber, though Jones continues to look like the more efficient and versatile back. And forget the Tampa tight ends — Cameron Brate had just one target (after 14 the previous week) and O.J. Howard a mere two. The Bucs haven’t unlocked that position all year.
After two glorious weeks of upsets, the Falcons took a gigantic step backwards. The running game went nowhere, that’s no surprise (3.0 YPC as a team; no one over 20 yards). Julio Jones hobbled through another ordinary game (5-68-0, no scores since Week 3). Matt Ryan took six sacks and couldn’t even manage 6.0 YPA. Matt Schaub mopped up in the fourth quarter.
What happened to the resurgent Atlanta defense? And can they fix it on a short turnaround? The Falcons host New Orleans, a juicy rematch game, Thanksgiving night. Could be another case where the first team to 30, wins.
The Panthers might get a challenge, hosting the pesky Redskins — at least the Washington defense is solid — before visiting Atlanta in Week 14. The Buccaneers head to Jacksonville, up against a Jaguars defense that was embarrassed at Tennessee on Sunday.
No individual or team matchup is ever foolproof, but I’ll keep starting these NFC South guys proactively. Good work if you can get it. They sure play a mean pinball.
Chew on your first B/B item of the day, and I’ll have additional observations filed after the Sunday nighter