Fantasy Football Forum - Week 13: Asterisks & Quarterbacks

We wrap up the regular season in many of our leagues, including the WCG Tourney, this weekend. Many of you may be fighting for your post season lives while others are sitting back and relaxing because of that little star by your team name. I’m talking, of course, about the asterisk that denotes a playoff berth. * I love seeing the asterisk early, and I earned two of them last weekend. The asterisk means that you’ve done your job. You’ve managed your squad into the post season. What happens in the post season will largely be dependent on luck, health, luck, strength of schedule, and did I mention luck?

I’m not a huge fan of the fantasy football playoffs. They can be exciting, sure, but more often than not, you won’t win it all. In a weird way, I enjoy the seasons more where I’m sneaking a team into the show than one that steamrolled the regular season. If I can steal a win or capture the championship with a ragtag team, great. And if I get knocked out by a behemoth, I don’t even sweat it. Now a squad that had a great draft, some savvy trades, and key FA acquisitions that coasts into the playoffs? Those are teams that I close my eyes because I expect to win a championship with those squads. And in this game of 1 and done, that’s not a fair expectation.

The good news for my WCG Tourney team, the Peanut Punchers, is that they are not a behemoth and I’ll have to fight my way through the playoffs. We’re planning on giving a full wrap on the WCG Tourney regular season next week, so be sure to tune in for that. If I’m going to have any success in the Payton Division playoffs, it will be because Deshaun Watson is starting to use his legs at the right time. Watson’s passing stats were pedestrian in Monday’s win against the Titans, but he ran the ball very effectively, adding 70 yards and a score on the ground. After a slow start to the season, Watson is starting to repay draft day investment and the Texans are putting it all together and currently own an 8 game winning streak. If he starts using his legs like he did Monday, he’s going to win some virtual championships.

The guy I wish I had a share of for the postseason run is Cam Newton. Boasting home games against New Orleans and Atlanta in the money weeks, Newton will be fighting to take the Panthers to a wild card berth and I imagine carry a lot of fake squads to the finish line. Newton can beat you in so many ways and he’s finally figured out how to use the cheat code that is Christian McCaffrey. I had my doubts on McCaffrey coming into the year given his inefficient rookie campaign, but he’s be an absolute dynamo in the last month. He looks like a league winner.

The other QB that I’m loving heading into the playoffs is Russell Wilson. Again, this Seahawks team has found a way to round into form, and Wilson has been playing within himself. He’s spreading the ball around to different receivers and is still a threat with his legs if needed. But what I like most is Wilson’s set up. The Seahawks go to San Francisco in Week 15 and come back home to the 12th man in Week 16 for a showdown against Kansas City. Wilson should absolutely feast in those games and if you were able to survive the regular season with him, no one is going to want to face you in the playoffs.

Good luck to everyone this weekend - unless you’re standing in my way of an asterisk. Hit up the comments or Twitter @gridironborn for any advice or general boasting of fantasy prowess.