2022 Week 7 Preview

Winners

Batavia (5-1), North Point (3-3), Marshfield (3-3), Fransburg (2-4), Culver City (5-1), Cleveland (3-3)

The entire Gold Division won, and the entire Bronze Division lost.

Prediction Record

Week 6: 3-3

Overall: 24-12

Mediocre!

2023 Divisions (if they were made today)

Week 7 Matchups

The big news for the myriad 49ers fans in our league is that Christian McCaffrey got traded to San Francisco. So rarely do you see a midseason trade of such a highly capable player. Did they give up too much? You know they did! Is his contract out of control? Sure, but what do I care, it’s not my money. Fingers crossed that this is the rare occasion in which both my fantasy team and the team I root for in real life are improved. Of course, he might not play, so there’s that.

Marshfield (3-3) @ Batavia (5-1)

Like herpes, the Pirates won’t go away.

If there’s one thing that the Pirates have done well, it’s hit the waiver wire. Last week they found some safety and he scored a season high twenty-something points. This week they got the Colts RB that’s filling in for like the first 3 injured Colts RBs.

-Josh Hammond last week

So how did that backup running back do? Obviously he scored 18.25 points. The McCaffrey move left a void at starting running back in Carolina, a void that will be filled by D’Onta Foreman, who predictably is already on the Pirates roster. The Pirates also get Dak Prescott back this week, so they definitely have a chance to upset the much cooler and more deserving Colliders.

The Pirates dispatched three of their players on Thursday night, and they collectively underwhelmed, so the Colliders are considered the favorites, with a 64% win probability. But I trust those numbers as much as I trust that the Pirates will have a bad season – I’ll believe it when I see it. Once Saquon Barkley and the juggernaut Giants take the field all bets could be off.

The Colliders still have a weak spot at QB, where obviously Trevor Lawrence shined the minute he was benched for Geno Smith. For Smith’s part, he had his 2nd worst game of the season. It might be that Geno is returning to Geno form, leaving the Colliders with a headache at signal caller. They are also without Justin Jefferson this week, and could see Christian “Questionable” McCaffrey sit out.

Still, predicting Colliders victories has worked out so far, so maybe Derrick Henry will beast it up and any Dak success will be muted by CeeDee Lame (er, Lamb.) The Colliders get Maxx Crosby back this week, so that should help if he insists on continuing his sacking ways (guy sacks so much he should be a Viking, amirite?)

GO COLLIDERS!

North Point (3-3) @ Fransburg (2-4)

Fransburg is hoping to get a jolt from the return to health of several players, including Jonathan Taylor, Keenan Allen, and Damien Harris. On the flip side, they’ll be without Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook.

North Point will be without their all-world quarterback Jalen Hurts, and they have to start Tom Brady, who is literally as old as me. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT!

That’s why I’m a BIG FAN of Fransburg winning this week and muddying the Gold Division waters. If Batavia can defeat the Pirates and Fransburg can defeat the Chitons then the very cool and deserving Colliders will open up a 3-game lead in the division while the rest of the teams fight it out in the mud of a 3-4 start. Let’s manifest it!

GO FRANSBURG!

Oregon (3-3) @ Cleveland (3-3)

The Battery got DeAndre Hopkins back this week, and he went off for 10 receptions and 104 yards (though sadly no touchdowns). They also see Derek Carr return from a bye week after a disastrous Carson Wentz start that resulted in 3 points and the most hated NFL QB going on IR. Nick Chubb had his worst game of the season last week, so I expect him to bounce back. But will it be enough?

That depends on which Josh Jacobs is going to show up for Oregon. He sucked early on, but put together back-to-back 20-point games before heading into last week’s bye. He’s going to need to be good if Najee Harris is going to be the opposite of that. And so far Tyler Algeier has proven to be a shadow of Cordarrelle Patterson.

But at least Michael Pittman seems to be returning to form. It will be interesting to see what effect, if any, the addition of Christian McCaffrey will have on Deebo Samuel. One would assume Deebo would get fewer rushing opportunities and maybe even fewer of the short/screen passes. That could free him up to be more open downfield though. VERY INTERESTING.

Drake London gets back in the lineup, but has all but disappeared the last three weeks. Is he a BUST? I mean, he’s no Justin Jefferson or Ja’Marr Chase rookie, I’ll tell you that much.

The crystal ball on this game is very cloudy, but I’m leaning towards Cleveland for a couple of reasons:

1. The Durrs seem to want to lean on Brian Robinson, and that should be more evident with the change at quarterback this week.
2. The QB-WR stack might finally make a difference as Carr goes to Davante Adams for at least 2 scores.

It’s risky picking the Battery, but that’s where I’m at. I’m sure Tim appreciates the bulletin board material I’m providing for is squad.

Bestine (2-4) @ Culver City (5-1)

But the Krakens have one thing going for them – they traded the Colliders for seeming dead-ender Eno Benjamin and this week Benjamin gets the start. The fantasy gods will surely punish Josh and Benjamin will score 24 points.

-Josh Hammond last week

Eno Benjamin scored 6.25 points, but this week he’s already on the board with 16.85 points. That’s a nice start for Culver City considering they still have Aaron Jones and Dameon FIERCE waiting to play (not to mention Patrick Mahomes, but that guy is going to get absolutely shut down by the 49ers, said Josh delusionally.)

Where the Kraken talent falls off is at wide receiver. Zay Jones? Jakobi Meyers? Those guys are bums. Amon-Ra St. Brown is good, but really hasn’t done much since week 2. Stefon Diggs is on the bye, and boy are the Krakens feeling it!

What’s going on in Bestine?

Joe Burrow got back to form last week, but it wasn’t enough. He loves Ja’Marr Chase a lot more than he loves Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, who grossly gets the start this week. They can be happy about the unstoppable Travis Kelce, who has 7 touchdowns on the season already, but he’s going to get shut down by the 49ers secondary said Josh delusionally.

I think it’s probably better to not play fantasy football. Here’s why: Bestine finally benched Ezekiel Elliott last week. Guess what he did? He had his best game of the season. That being said, it was only 12 points, but that’s enough to earn him another start. Leonard Fournette has caught approximately one million passes and he refuses to cede any ground to Rachaad White, which is very rude of him if you ask me. If Elliott can be somewhat capable, then Bestine has a good chance to take advantage of a slightly hobbled Krakens squad.

I’m feeling reckless, so let’s pick the Banthas in this one! Maybe if I keep picking against Culver City it will come true one day.

Madtown (4-2) @ Holley (2-4)

It’s hard to believe that the Hawks have two wins. Have you seen them? At least they have a good solid player in Chris Olave. Kenneth Walker is also starting to pan out now that he’s the starter. Even Isaiah Spiller is reportedly going to make his pro debut this week. I wouldn’t be putting him in the lineup with Ekeler playing, but the Hawks like to live dangerously.

Madtown inexplicably experienced a power outage and weren’t able to take advantage of the Krakens down week. That will happen when Lamar Jackson and Cooper Kupp are subdued. Kupp failed to score in double digits for the first time all season, though just barely. He’s out this week on the bye, so Holley has a puncher’s chance.

Even so, I like Madtown’s backfield and wide receivers a lot more in this game, and I’ll have a keen eye on the Giants game to see who emerges as a real threat between Wan’Dale Robinson and Kadarius Toney (just kidding, I won’t be watching the Giants play.)

Let’s go with Madtown to get back in the win column, thanks to an assist from the schedulers.

Tooz Town (2-4) @ Linn County (2-4)

If you had to play a game without Josh Allen, you’d want to play either the Hawks or the GIMB. Linn County gets a bit of a break this week as they draw an undermanned GIMB squad. The only good player in Tooz Town’s lineup this week is Kyler Murray, and he only scored 12 points. The defensive end for the Lumberjacks has already scored more than that. It’s a veritable shit show on both sides of the ball with backup running backs finding themselves in starting roles.

Tooz Town is starting Breece Hall’s backup, Ezekiel Elliot’s backup, and arguably Travis Etienne’s backup. They are also starting D’Andre Swift at press time and he might not play.

Linn County is starting Derrick Henry’s backup and Nick Chubb’s backup.

The Lumberjacks have an advantage at wide receiver, though, as Mike Evans and Jaylen Waddle have demonstrated the ability to score points, whereas Corey Davis and DeVante Parker have not. For that reason and that reason alone, I am selecting the LINN COUNTY LUMBERJACKS to win this game.

In Closing

Hard to believe we are hitting the midpoint of the fantasy season. The summer drags on forever with so much fantasy football anticipation, and then the season flies right on by. We’re nearly done with October and then it’s only 2 more months of sweet, sweet fantasy football goodness.

Here’s to hoping that Christian McCaffrey plays and is good. The 49ers could win the division if he is.

Good luck everyone!

© 2022, Josh Hammond. All rights reserved.