Fri Jul 5 6:00pm ET
By HOWARD BENDER
Fantasy Writer
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!
The Kansas City Chiefs and Pro Bowl center Creed Humphrey have agreed on a four-year extension valued at $72 million, including $50 million guaranteed. This effectively makes him the highest-paid center in NFL history. The previous holder of the highest annual salary for a center was the Detroit Lions' Frank Ragnow ($13.5 million). A former second-round pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Humphrey has been a model of consistency for the Chiefs -- yet to miss a start in his three-year career. The University of Oklahoma product has evolved into one of the premier interior blockers in the league, and he'll now anchor Kansas City's offensive line through 2028. He's allowed just 44 total pressures throughout his career. The Chiefs now have the NFL's highest-paid interior offensive lineman, interior defensive lineman (Chris Jones), and tight end (Travis Kelce).
From RotoBaller
The Cincinnati Bengals are expecting defensive end Myles Murphy (knee) to miss around four to six weeks with a knee sprain, according to sources. The Bengals will be conservative with the 2023 first-rounder to make sure he's a full-go upon his return. Murphy suffered the knee injury in Wednesday's joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts and will now miss the start of his second NFL season. The 22-year-old was selected 28th overall last year out of Clemson and finished his first year in the league with 20 tackles (10 solo), three sacks, three tackles for loss and three QB hits in 17 games (zero starts). While Murphy is out, the Bengals will be looking for the likes of Cedric Johnson, Joseph Ossai and Justin Blazek to step up and provide defensive-end depth behind Trey Hendrickson and Sam Hubbard.
From RotoBaller
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Thursday that "there's really not a lot of updates. We've continued to be in communication. Nothing to report there," when asked for an update on the ongoing situation with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots have all been mentioned as potential trade partners with the Niners for Aiyuk this summer. The Patriots dropped out a while ago, though, and the Steelers' recent extension offer to Aiyuk caused him to head back to the negotiating table with the 49ers. With two weeks remaining until the start of the regular season, it's more likely that Aiyuk either signs an extension to stay in San Fran or plays in 2024 on his fifth-year option. The 26-year-old former first-rounder is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 15 total TDs, and his fantasy value would be highest as a low-end WR1 if he sticks with the 49ers.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper (undisclosed) returned to training camp practice on Wednesday and fully participated on Thursday after only going through the walkthrough portion of practice on Tuesday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski said earlier in the week that the starters should expect to play in the preseason finale on Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks, but it's unclear if that also includes Cooper, who was pulled from practice early last Thursday due to undisclosed soreness. Cooper will have to contend with losing some targets to Jerry Jeudy in 2024, but he's still the Browns' clear WR1 and will be getting quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) back healthy. The 30-year-old veteran and five-time Pro Bowler had his seventh 1,000-yard season in 2023 and set a new career-high with 1,250 receiving yards. Cooper is being undervalued currently at his Yahoo ADP of 52.6.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver DJ Chark (undisclosed) remained on the sideline during Thursday's practice. The veteran wideout was banged up during Monday's practice. Chark has been on the sideline since then as he continues to nurse what is believed to be a hip injury. However, the Chargers haven't commented much on Chark or the injury. The expectation is that Chark is going to miss Saturday's preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys. Right now, Chark is competing for the third wideout spot alongside Quentin Johnston. Chark hasn't been a viable option in fantasy leagues for a few years. That being said, fantasy managers can leave him on the waiver wire in 12-team redraft formats to begin the season.
From RotoBaller
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is unlikely to play during Thursday's preseason finale against the Chicago Bears. Fantasy managers shouldn't be concerned as the Chiefs are expected to bench most of their offensive starters. Pacheco is undoubtedly the lead back in Kansas City after having back-to-back strong campaigns to begin his career. That being said, the team doesn't want to risk any injury to Pacheco in an exhibition game. Clyde Edwards-Helaire should join Pacheco on the sideline for this one. That being said, Deneric Prince and Keaontay Ingram should be the primary backs for the Chiefs during Thursday's contest.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant is expected to be ready to play in the Week 1 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Fant is working his way back from an undisclosed injury and hasn't been on the practice field for a few days. Head coach Mike Macdonald doesn't appear concerned about this being a long term issue for Fant. The 26-year-old is coming off the worst season of his professional career. He recorded a career-low 32 receptions, 414 receiving yards, and zero touchdowns in 17 games. Despite that, Fant remains the No. 1 tight end in Seattle and has a new offensive coordinator in Ryan Grubb. He's worth a look as a late-round option with the tight end position being limited in terms of elite fantasy contributors.
From RotoBaller
The San Francisco 49ers have decided to bring back tight end Logan Thomas on Thursday. The veteran tight end was cut by the organization two weeks ago. Thomas was dealing with an injury in camp, but he appears to be healthy now. The 33-year-old should be a decent option alongside George Kittle at the tight end spot. Last season, Thomas recorded 55 receptions for 496 yards and four touchdowns with the Washington Commanders. He could have streaming value if Kittle does miss any time. Outside of that, Thomas is unlikely to have weekly fantasy value as the No. 2 tight end in San Francisco.
From RotoBaller
Justin Fields believes he has demonstrated his capability to be the Steelers' starting quarterback despite the team still listing Russell Wilson as QB1 on the depth chart for Saturday's preseason game. Fields expressed confidence in his performance, saying, "I think the time I had with the first-team offense during training camp went well. We made progress each day, but ultimately, it's not up to me." Fields directed questions about his depth chart position to head coach Mike Tomlin. Over two preseason games, Fields has completed 16 of 23 passes for 159 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions and three sacks. He has also rushed for 44 yards on 11 carries. Given the opportunity, Fields could prove to be a significant player. While Wilson is expected to be a QB2/QB3 fantasy option, Fields has the potential to be a top-10 QB fantasy asset. Fantasy managers should watch this situation closely, and hope Fields gets his chance.
From RotoBaller
Dynasty | The Eagles have acquired wide receiver Jahan Dotson from the Washington Commanders. Dynasty Analysis: The Commanders traded the former first round pick and a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a third-round pick and two seventh-round picks in 2025. It's a deal that kind of comes out of left field, though Dotson was reportedly being outplayed in camp by both Dyami Brown and Olamide Zaccheus. Dotson will slot in as the third receiver for the Eagles behind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith. It's a move that certainly doesn't help his dynasty value as the former first rounder won't likely see anything like the 83 targets he had last season.
Dynasty | Dyami Brown moves up the depth chart after the Eagles traded for Jahan Dotson. Dynasty Analysis: Interesting. The trade of Dotson clearly paves the way for Brown to have a much bigger role in the Commanders offense this year. While he hasn't done much in his three years (62/476/3), he's also only had 62 career targets. If the Commanders don't make other moves, that number could change dramatically this season. Brown is clearly now on the sleeper radar and worth a roster spot in dynasty leagues.
Dynasty | Parris Campbell moves down the depth chart after the Eagles traded for Jahan Dotson. Dynasty Analysis: This trade represents a tough break for Campbell, who was trying to make a significant impact this year after a lost season with the Giants. Campbell and Dotson are different players but there simply aren't enough targets to keep everyone happy in the receiver room, especially when you keep in mind AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith are going to dominate targets anyway. Campbell is likely not a roster-worthy player at the moment.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin recently addressed the quarterback situation, confirming that Russell Wilson (calf) will start in the preseason finale. When asked if Wilson remains the starting quarterback, Tomlin affirmed, "Nothing's changed regarding their positions, and yes, he will start." While it's not surprising that Wilson will play, his status as the starter is notable given the concerns raised after his performance in Week 2 of the preseason against the Bills. Wilson struggled in that game, throwing for just 47 yards on ten attempts and taking three sacks for 21 yards lost. This preseason game was Wilson's first live-action since early January and followed a period of missing significant training camp time due to a calf injury. As such, Wilson is considered a late QB2 or early QB3 with uncertain job security, though he could be a viable option in favorable matchups.
From RotoBaller
After practice, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay reported that running back Boston Scott (leg contusion) is dealing with a "minor leg contusion," which led to him being held out of practice. However, McVay confirmed that Scott will receive a substantial workload in Saturday's preseason game. Scott performed well in last weekend's game, rushing ten times for 55 yards in the Rams' victory over the Chargers. Although Scott was the second back to see action behind Zach Evans, both were used early in the game. Scott and Evans are vying for a spot in a crowded running back room that includes Kyren Williams, Blake Corum, and Ronnie Rivers. Additionally, the Rams have bolstered their running back depth by signing SaRodorick Thompson, who is expected to join Evans and Scott as active ball carriers for the upcoming preseason game against the Houston Texans. Assuming he makes the final roster, Scott will likely serve in a backup and special teams role this season.
From RotoBaller
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has stated there is no specific timeline for tight end T.J. Hockenson's (knee) return from his ACL and MCL injuries. Still, he appears to be making excellent physical progress. Hockenson is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL in his right knee, which he sustained in a late-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although rumors suggest he might return sooner than anticipated, a mid-October return seems more realistic based on current data. While Vikings coaches are optimistic about Hockenson's recovery, there is a significant difference between running and cutting in practice gear and performing under game conditions with full contact. Consequently, Hockenson's fantasy value has been considerably impacted. Although he has a strong track record, catching four or more passes in 22 of 25 games with the Vikings, fantasy managers are often wary of players who will miss several weeks. However, if your league includes an IR slot, Hockenson could be a worthwhile late-round pick as insurance for the end of the season.
From RotoBaller
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans praised running back Joe Mixon's receiving skills, highlighting what sets him apart. Ryans commented, "Joe stands out as a receiving running back. While everyone recognizes his physical running style and ability to gain yards even without perfect blocking, his hands out of the backfield are exceptional. If downfield options are unavailable, we can rely on him for check-downs and big plays in the passing game." This endorsement makes Mixon a strong candidate for the middle rounds in PPR leagues. Mixon has adapted well to the zone-based schemes used by offensive coordinator Slowik and remains a valuable pass-catching asset. Despite missing most of training camp due to a quadriceps injury and lacking preseason game action, Mixon is expected to be ready for the season opener on September 8 against the Indianapolis Colts.
From RotoBaller
Tennessee Titans head coach Brian Callahan says wide receiver Treylon Burks (undisclosed) is fine, and that it was good to see him bounce back after a hard fall on Wednesday in practice. Burks participated in practice on Thursday, so he should be good to go for the Titans in Sunday's preseason finale against the hosting New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Although the 24-year-old former first-round pick had a lost 2023 season due to injury and DeAndre Hopkins' (knee) arrival in Tennessee's receiving corps, he's handling additional first-team reps with Hopkins currently sidelined. Burks is a decent late-round flier as a WR5/6 pick for fantasy managers in 12-team leagues at the moment, but he'll likely fade back to irrelevance once Hopkins is healthy.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (shoulder) participated fully in practice on Thursday after being limited on Wednesday with "general arm soreness." While there's no update yet on if Watson will face the Seahawkson Saturday night in the preseason finale at Lumen Field, it's more important to see he's back in action for the Browns on Thursday. The 28-year-old former Pro Bowler is coming off a rough season in Cleveland, dealing with a rotator cuff contusion, getting benched due to poor play altogether in Week 7, and eventually undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a fractured shoulder. Even with Watson being treated as a QB2 choice in fantasy drafts this summer, his rushing upside gives him QB1 potential if he can return to the form he once showed with the Houston Texans.
From RotoBaller
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku (undisclosed) did not practice either on Tuesday or Wednesday this week. Njoku has not practiced since last Thursday due to an undisclosed injury, so it appears unlikely he'll take the field for the Browns in Saturday's preseason finale against the hosting Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Fantasy managers will want to see the 28-year-old veteran pass-catcher back at practice with Cleveland by next week, but the tight end remains safe to pick as a backend TE1 option in drafts this summer. Njoku finished as fantasy's overall TE6 in full-PPR scoring in 2023 and is primed to serve as quarterback Deshaun Watson's No. 2 target behind Pro Bowl wideout Amari Cooper in 2024.
From RotoBaller
Buffalo Bills WRs Curtis Samuel (toe) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (neck) have 'a real good chance' of playing in the season opener versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Fantasy Spin: Samuel's return is the much more important one for fantasy purposes, although it is difficult to get overly excited about any receiver trying to return this quickly from turf toe. Fantasy managers are advised to keep him on the bench in most leagues and see how well he can push off his foot before considering him a starting option in Week 2. Turf toe tends to linger and get worse as the season progresses if it is not allowed to fully heal, which makes Samuel something of a risky bet moving forward.
From TheHuddle