Many NFL teams have fanbases that become famous in their own regard and often transcend the squad they actually root for in terms of notoriety.
The Steelers obviously have Steeler Nation, a proud fanbase that likes to Twirl Terrible Towels at Heinz Field and talk smack on Twitter. The Browns have the Dawg Pound, a raucous fanbase that enjoys wearing dog masks and barking like them while attending games at FirstEnergy Stadium—and annoying Steelers fans on Twitter. The Seahawks have their 12th Man, a fanbase that’s really loud at Lumen Field—and also on Twitter when complaining about Super Bowl XL. The Packers have the Cheeseheads. I’m sure even the Jaguars have a fanbase. What is it known for other than being very quiet during Jaguars games at TIAA Bank Field—and very noisy on Twitter when talking about the previous day’s Florida Gator’s matchup? I think that’s it, actually.
The Bills have a famous fanbase, one that’s grown in notoriety and popularity over the past few seasons, thanks to Buffalo’s ascension from NFL doormat to Super Bowl contender.
I’m talking about the Bills Mafia, a group of fans whose frontline soldiers love to do things like crash through flaming tables while tailgating before games.
What does this prove, other than alcohol is one helluva drug?
I think that’s it. But, also, it shows that this Bills Mafia really believes in its team for the first time in a while and is super-excited to show it.
Perhaps it’s also meant to intimidate.
I don’t know about you, but I’d be pretty darn intimidated if I was an opposing fan watching these yahoos do their thing.
Intimidating the fans in opposing jerseys might be one thing, but it’s a totally different story to intimidate the opposing players when they visit Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York.
The Bills opened their 2021 season by hosting the underdog Steelers on Sunday, and the Mafia—including thousands upon thousands who were in attendance for the Week 1 showdown—made the visitors an offer they thought they couldn’t refuse: “I invited you to my home for one reason: to finally show my family the proper respect, capisce?”
You see, it wasn’t supposed to be an actual showdown between the Mafia and Steeler Nation. It was expected to be a coronation for the Bills and the next step toward them becoming untouchable “Made Men” and Super Bowl champions.
But the Steelers went ahead and refused the Mafia’s offer to lie down and play dead for 60 minutes. Instead, Pittsburgh slapped the Bills in the face right in front of their mothers, fathers, sisters, great aunts, cousins, everyone wearing the Buffalo horns, etc.
It was a show of utter disrespect by the Steelers and a reminder that, to quote Frank Costello in The Departed, “Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” This was in response to Billy Costigan saying, “Yeah, I could probably be you, but I don’t wanna be you, Frank.”
Do the Bills actually want to be Super Bowl contenders? Do they want to wear that heavy crown? The Steelers have worn that crown. Heck, they’re still trying to wear it, even though many have been trying to encourage them to alter their appearance and go into witness protection.
It’s not easy being a Super Bowl contender. It’s not easy having those expectations. It’s not fun to lay an egg in Week 1 in front of a bunch of people who don’t mind throwing themselves through flaming tables for the sake of YouTube.
The Bills Mafia found out one thing this past Sunday afternoon: The rest of the NFL—including the Pittsburgh Steelers—isn’t ready to bow down and kiss your ring just yet.
Among the many twists and turns that Monday night’s game took before ending with Derek Carr‘s touchdown pass to Zay Jones was the Raiders taking a delay of game penalty when they wanted to try a field goal on the previous play.
On second down from the Baltimore 26-yard-line, Raiders head coach Jon Gruden called for the field goal unit to come on to attempt a game-winning kick. The transition from offense to special teams took longer than usual and the Raiders had already used their timeouts, which led to the penalty once kicker Daniel Carlson and company were on the field.
“Our kicker was warming up in the net,” Gruden said, via Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports. “No one could find him.”
The Raiders had already failed to score from inside the 1-yard-line on their first overtime possession, so that seemed to further set the stage for a painful loss or tie against the Ravens. Thanks to Carr and Jones, Carlson and Gruden didn’t have to explain the breakdown in operations in the wake of such an outcome.
LAS VEGAS — As slow, clunky and ugly as the Las Vegas Raiders’ offense was early Monday night, it was just as efficient late. And as terrible as their defense was last season, it did just enough against the Baltimore Ravens.
In front of a delirious Allegiant Stadium crowd of 61,756 — and in the first regular-season NFL game played in front of fans in the city’s history — the Raiders came back from an early two-touchdown deficit to pull out a 33-27 win over the Ravens in overtime on ESPN’s Monday Night Football.
“I felt like I died and woke up,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “And died again. I was like a cat — I had multiple lives tonight. I don’t like playing like that. It was tough but, again, we did a lot of good things to win that football game tonight.
“Our defense made a signature play at the end of that game and I thought Derek Carr was awesome playing under some really tough circumstances today against a really good defense.”
It was a wild OT period with the Raiders thinking they had won on a 33-yard pass from Carr to Bryan Edwards, who was instead ruled to have been down inside the 1-yard line. Carr was then stuffed on a sneak and a false start penalty on first-round pick Alex Leatherwood at right tackle was followed by Carr’s pass to Willie Snead IV bouncing off him into the end zone for an interception by Anthony Averett.
On the ensuing Ravens drive, Carl Nassib’s strip-sack of Lamar Jackson and Darius Philons recovery at the Ravens’ 27-yard line set up Carr’s game-winning 31-yard pass to Zay Jones with 3:38 remaining in the extra period.
Carr said the game was a microcosm of his eight-year NFL career with the Raiders: “Yes! Crap! Gosh! Dang!”
After a slow start, Carr finished with 435 yards passing and two TDs with the interception in completing 34-of-56 attempts, tied for the third-most passes in a game in his career.
“I hope this is a sign of things to come for us,” said Carr, who has now won a franchise-best five openers for the Raiders, including three straight. “Who cares how we do it, let’s just win, right?”
It was a show unlike anything the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas had ever seen before. Gladys Knight performed the national anthem, rappers Ice Cube and Too $hort staged a halftime concert and, well, Monday Night Football delivered in Sin City. And while the crowd had its hiccups — doing the wave while Raiders defensive tackle Gerald McCoy was carted off the field — it erupted on Jones’ walk-off TD.
“Las Vegas, I tip my hat, you showed up,” said Carr, who said it was the loudest environment he could remember and thanked the fans for being quieter when the offense was on the field. “It got really loud. Las Vegas did their thing and they helped us pull out that win.”
Indeed, it propelled the Raiders’ reconfigured defense as edge rushers Maxx Crosby had two sacks, Yannick Ngakoue tipped a pass and Nassib, the first openly gay active player in NFL history, stopped Jackson on a key third-down play in regulation before his game-altering strip-sack.
“Lot of firsts today,” Nassib said. “No one blinked. It was awesome. It was a great team win, for sure.”
Said Crosby: “For me, the thing that stood out was so many guys making big plays … everybody flying around.”
And this from Carr: “Please, someone praise the defense.”
Daniel Carlson kicked a 55-yard field goal with two seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime.
Gruden did a victory lap, of sorts, slapping hands with fans in Las Vegas’ reimagined Black Hole southern end zone.
With the Raiders’ victory, every team in the AFC and NFC West is 1-0. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, there has never been a week since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger when multiple divisions saw all of its teams win.
LOS ANGELES — A lot has happened since Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw last took the mound on July 3 at Nationals Park.
The Dodgers acquired Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from the Nationals. Walker Buehler and Julio Urías are now having career seasons. Corey Seager is back from a fractured wrist, and Mookie Betts is hitting at a more consistent clip despite dealing with a hip issue.
All of those positives for the last two and a half months have the Dodgers winning at a ridiculous rate, even with Kershaw missing several months with left forearm tightness. But as well as the Dodgers have played in Kershaw’s absence, there’s no denying that Los Angeles is a better team when the future Hall of Famer is healthy.
After two long months, Kershaw made a successful return to the mound on Monday, allowing one run on four hits over 4 1/3 innings of work in the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the D-backs at Dodger Stadium.
With the win, the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch a spot in the postseason is down to two. They remain 2 1/2 games behind the Giants, who beat the Padres on Monday, in the National League West race. Los Angeles has 17 games left in the regular season.
“For me to be able to be a part of it is huge,” Kershaw said of rejoining the team as they try to chase down the Giants. “I will never take that for granted ever, to be in a playoff race and to be a part of it. It’s a good one right now. Giants aren’t losing, so they’re not making it easy on us. It’s going to be fun.”
Kershaw’s outing got off to a quick start, striking out D-backs shortstop Nick Ahmed on four pitches. After that, Kershaw ran into some early trouble. Ketel Marte hit a one-out double and Arizona got on the board early as Josh Rojas hit a two-out RBI bloop single into left field.
It took Kershaw 20 pitches to get through the first inning, but the veteran southpaw was able to settle down. Kershaw needed just five pitches to retire the side in order in the third inning. In the fourth, Kershaw struck out Jake McCarthy on a 3-2 slider to strand a runner in scoring position.
As usual, Kershaw leaned on his four-seamer/slider combination for most of the night. He did, however, utilize his curveball more than usual, and it proved to be effective. He threw the pitch 12 times, recording three swings and misses.
“He was throwing the fastball where he wanted to and mixed it up a little bit,” said Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes. “His curveball was really good today and his slider is always there. It was a good outing for Kersh and we’re excited to have him back.”
The one slight concern from Kershaw’s outing was his velocity. Kershaw was sitting at 88-90 mph with his four-seam fastball throughout the night, averaging 89.2 mph on the pitch, down from his 90.7 season average. The velocities on his slider and curveball were also down, but that didn’t stop him from being efficient.
So efficient, in fact, that Kershaw’s outing was a little longer than planned. Kershaw was slated to pitch four innings and throw no more than 60 pitches. But because Kershaw got through four having thrown just 49 pitches, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt comfortable with trotting the ace back out on the mound to start the fifth. Kershaw needed one pitch to retire D-backs pitcher Zac Gallen, ending his outing.
“There’s just no way to simulate a big league game, there’s really not,” Kershaw said. “You can do all the bullpens, all the rehabs, all the working out you want, but for whatever reason pitching in a big league game is just different. … I’m glad I got this first one behind me and I’ll have a few more that, hopefully, I can contribute and we can win this thing.”
Kershaw returning certainly boosts the Dodgers’ chances to win another World Series. He gives the Dodgers another proven starter in a rotation that also includes Scherzer, Buehler and Urías. Those four would give the Dodgers a chance against any team in a playoff series.
Kershaw admitted that he didn’t know what his availability would look like as he battled back from the forearm injury. But he was able to return on Monday, much to the delight of his teammates.
“He’s our guy,” said Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner. “We’re all excited to see him back out there.”
LOS ANGELES — A lot has happened since Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw last took the mound on July 3 at Nationals Park.
The Dodgers acquired Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from the Nationals. Walker Buehler and Julio Urías are now having career seasons. Corey Seager is back from a fractured wrist, and Mookie Betts is hitting at a more consistent clip despite dealing with a hip issue.
All of those positives for the last two and a half months have the Dodgers winning at a ridiculous rate, even with Kershaw missing several months with left forearm tightness. But as well as the Dodgers have played in Kershaw’s absence, there’s no denying that Los Angeles is a better team when the future Hall of Famer is healthy.
After two long months, Kershaw made a successful return to the mound on Monday, allowing one run on four hits over 4 1/3 innings of work in the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the D-backs at Dodger Stadium.
With the win, the Dodgers’ magic number to clinch a spot in the postseason is down to two. They remain 2 1/2 games behind the Giants, who beat the Padres on Monday, in the National League West race. Los Angeles has 17 games left in the regular season.
“For me to be able to be a part of it is huge,” Kershaw said of rejoining the team as they try to chase down the Giants. “I will never take that for granted ever, to be in a playoff race and to be a part of it. It’s a good one right now. Giants aren’t losing, so they’re not making it easy on us. It’s going to be fun.”
Kershaw’s outing got off to a quick start, striking out D-backs shortstop Nick Ahmed on four pitches. After that, Kershaw ran into some early trouble. Ketel Marte hit a one-out double and Arizona got on the board early as Josh Rojas hit a two-out RBI bloop single into left field.
It took Kershaw 20 pitches to get through the first inning, but the veteran southpaw was able to settle down. Kershaw needed just five pitches to retire the side in order in the third inning. In the fourth, Kershaw struck out Jake McCarthy on a 3-2 slider to strand a runner in scoring position.
As usual, Kershaw leaned on his four-seamer/slider combination for most of the night. He did, however, utilize his curveball more than usual, and it proved to be effective. He threw the pitch 12 times, recording three swings and misses.
“He was throwing the fastball where he wanted to and mixed it up a little bit,” said Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes. “His curveball was really good today and his slider is always there. It was a good outing for Kersh and we’re excited to have him back.”
The one slight concern from Kershaw’s outing was his velocity. Kershaw was sitting at 88-90 mph with his four-seam fastball throughout the night, averaging 89.2 mph on the pitch, down from his 90.7 season average. The velocities on his slider and curveball were also down, but that didn’t stop him from being efficient.
So efficient, in fact, that Kershaw’s outing was a little longer than planned. Kershaw was slated to pitch four innings and throw no more than 60 pitches. But because Kershaw got through four having thrown just 49 pitches, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt comfortable with trotting the ace back out on the mound to start the fifth. Kershaw needed one pitch to retire D-backs pitcher Zac Gallen, ending his outing.
“There’s just no way to simulate a big league game, there’s really not,” Kershaw said. “You can do all the bullpens, all the rehabs, all the working out you want, but for whatever reason pitching in a big league game is just different. … I’m glad I got this first one behind me and I’ll have a few more that, hopefully, I can contribute and we can win this thing.”
Kershaw returning certainly boosts the Dodgers’ chances to win another World Series. He gives the Dodgers another proven starter in a rotation that also includes Scherzer, Buehler and Urías. Those four would give the Dodgers a chance against any team in a playoff series.
Kershaw admitted that he didn’t know what his availability would look like as he battled back from the forearm injury. But he was able to return on Monday, much to the delight of his teammates.
“He’s our guy,” said Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner. “We’re all excited to see him back out there.”
Clayton Kershaw recorded 13 outs, allowed only one run and left his Monday start against the Arizona Diamondbacks to a rousing ovation, a fitting end to an encouraging return for the Los Angeles Dodgers’ iconic left-hander.
Kershaw, pitching for the first time since getting shut down with elbow inflammation more than two months ago, recorded five strikeouts and allowed five baserunners in 4⅓ innings at Dodger Stadium.
His fastball averaged a tick below 90 mph, but he generated a combined eight swing-and-misses with his two breaking balls and seemed to get sharper as his outing progressed.
Kershaw, 33 and winding down the final season of his contract, is lined up for at least three more starts this regular season and should be stretched out as a traditional starting pitcher by October, at which point he’ll join Max Scherzer, Walker Buehler and Julio Urias to help make up a devastating postseason rotation (assuming the Dodgers, 2½ games behind the San Francisco Giants, can advance into the National League Division Series).
Kershaw, six days removed from his lone rehab start in the minor leagues, allowed his only run on two hits and a walk in the first inning. He retired 10 of 12 thereafter and exited after throwing his 50th pitch.
The Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 5-1 for their seventh straight home win.
It took two “walk-off” touchdowns for the Las Vegas Raiders to finally earn a 33-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.
Derek Carr hit Zay Jones for a 31-yard touchdown in overtime to finally give Las Vegas the win minutes after it appeared they had won the game on a pass from Carr to Bryan Edwards. Carr found Edwards for what appeared to be a 33-yard touchdown pass on the opening possession of overtime that had the two teams exchanging pleasantries on the field believing the game was over. Edwards was eventually ruled down at the 1-yard line and the Raiders couldn’t close the deal.
Carr was stuffed on a quarterback sneak, Alex Leatherwood false started and then Carr was intercepted in the end zone on a deflected pass intended for Willie Snead IV by Anthony Averett to give the Ravens life. However, Carl Nassib would sack Lamar Jackson and force a fumble on Baltimore’s next drive that gave the ball back to the Raiders for a second chance to seal away the game. The Raiders were going to attempt a field goal only for a delay of game to move them back to a slightly less comfortable yardage. Carr then hit Jones for the walk-off win.
Carr finished the night with 435 yards passing with two touchdowns and the overtime interception.
After jumping out to a 14-0 lead, the Ravens offense stagnated. On a Jackson scramble, Quinton Jefferson punched the ball free as Denzel Perryman recovered to give the ball back to the Raiders at the Baltimore 41-yard line.
Jacobs converted a third down and a check down to Kenyan Drake for 16 yards moved Las Vegas inside the red zone before Jacobs’ touchdown run brought the game back to level, 17-17, with 9:18 left to play. Jacobs finished with a pair of touchdowns for Las Vegas.
The Ravens immediately answered on the next drive as Jackson connected with Sammy Watkins on a 49-yard strike to move Baltimore to the Raiders’ 8-yard line. Just three days after signing with the Ravens, Latavius Murray scored from eight yards out to put the Ravens back on top.
Carr and the Raiders would counter punch as well. A 37-yard connection from Carr to Henry Ruggs on third-and-10 moved the Raiders to the Baltimore 10-yard line. Even a holding penalty on Leatherwood didn’t stall the drive as a 10-yard touchdown pass from Carr to Darren Waller again brought the game level at 24-24.
Jackson scrambled through the Raiders defense for 28 yards before Justin Tucker‘s 47-yard field goal put Baltimore back ahead, 27-24, with 37 seconds remaining. But Carr and the Raiders wouldn’t go quietly into the night.
Carr connected with Bryan Edwards on back-to-back throws for 20 and 18 yards, respectively, with a pair of spikes to stop the clock before Daniel Carlson drilled a 55-yard field goal with two seconds left to send the game to overtime.
Jackson finished 19 of 30 for 235 yards and a touchdown and two lost fumbles. He fumbled three times overall for Baltimore.
The Ravens had won their last five season openers prior to Monday night in Las Vegas.
Nearly six years after his unexpected appointment as the head coach at USC, Clay Helton’s tenure in Los Angeles is over. Athletic director Mike Bohn’s decision to cut bait Monday just two games into the 2021 season is an acknowledgment of what most people who watch the Trojans have understood for years: Helton was never going to restore USC as a consistent national power.
It’s as apparent as it was on Monday as it was in 2018 when Helton coached the Trojans to their first losing season since 2000, but the reality is the job was always too big. Had it not been for Steve Sarkisian’s early-season dismissal in 2015, Helton never would have received the opportunity to lead a program anywhere near USC’s caliber. His coaching résumé wouldn’t have allowed it.
At the time, however, Helton was the adult in the room, and that’s what USC needed to navigate the rest of that tumultuous year without further off-field embarrassment. As an interim coach, he made sense and he did about as well as he could have, winning five of seven games before Pat Haden removed the interim tag and made him the permanent coach. Haden’s decision was baffling in the sense that he didn’t make a serious attempt to fill the job with an external candidate, and it predated his own resignation announcement by only two months.
It’s easy to say Haden shouldn’t have been the one to make the hire, if not for the ineptitude of his replacement, Lynn Swann.
To understand Helton’s tenure, it’s important to know how well-liked he was by those around him. The list of people who don’t respect his football acumen is long, but as a person? It’s nearly impossible to find someone who has interacted with him who has something bad to say.
Whether that should factor into a coach’s job security is certainly debatable, but that — and some fortuitous timing — is the primary reason why he lasted so long.
If Helton never had any success, his nice-guy persona wouldn’t have really mattered, but he did. USC won the Rose Bowl in his first season as the permanent head coach and finished ranked No. 3 in the AP poll. The Trojans won the Pac-12 the next year. That type of early success would buy any coach some time, even if it did mask lopsided losses to Alabama (52-6), Stanford (27-10), Notre Dame (49-14) and Ohio State (24-7) during those two years.
Helton’s third year in charge was an absolute disaster. To go 5-7 at USC while the Pac-12 was in a collective downturn was a fireable offense, but Swann didn’t have the ruthlessness it would have taken to fire a coach a year after he won the conference.
play
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Keyshawn Johnson explains why USC losing recruits to out-of-state programs was a significant reason why the program parted ways with coach Clay Helton.
Swann felt obligated to issue a statement defending Helton’s retention and extended his contract two months later, saying Helton “has shown that he can lead our team with integrity and stability and that he has the ability to win conference and national championships.”
The following September, Swann followed Haden out the door, and it wasn’t until November 2019, with one game left in the regular season, that Bohn was hired. Again, Bohn would have been justified to make a change — it certainly would have ingratiated himself with the school’s proud fan base — but there was apprehension about rushing into a process that he needed to get right.
Ultimately, Bohn wanted more time to evaluate what he was inheriting, so when it came to making a change, he was better equipped to find the right coach.
Then came the pandemic. Nothing about the 2020 season, especially in the Pac-12 and Los Angeles, was anything close to normal, so it makes little sense to place much value on what happened on the field. He wasn’t going to be fired after going 5-1 with that loss in the conference title game, which brings us here.
In firing Helton after just two games, Bohn delivered a statement that USC fans have long been waiting for. Mediocre isn’t good enough. Blowout losses at home won’t be tolerated. As soon as Stanford’s lead was insurmountable, it ensured Helton’s job status would be the primary topic of discussion for the rest of the season. Unless, of course, Helton was let go.
The timing helps on two fronts: First, it will allow USC fans to feel optimistic again. Savior speculation can be fun. Second, it gives Bohn — who undoubtedly has had candidates in mind since he arrived — time to go about the search in a methodical fashion.
Despite the relative lack of success since Pete Carroll’s departure, USC remains a place where winning big should be the expectation. It checks all the boxes that have always been necessary to compete for national championships and now, with the introduction of name, image and likeness rules, is even better positioned to attract the best talent in the country.
After months of waiting, the NFL is back. Week 1 gave us a sensational opening week that caused us to rethink how we view some players for fantasy football. With not all matchups being equal, here are our top start ’em and sit ’em plays for Week 2 of fantasy football.
NFL Start ’em, Sit ’em for Week 2: Quarterbacks
As the season kicks off, which QBs are must-starts and who should remain on the bench in Week 1?
Start ’em | Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
If you just look at his fantasy finish, Mayfield was a Week 1 disappointment. He was the QB25 with 13.6 fantasy points. But that’s not a true representation of his play on Sunday. Mayfield completed 75% of his passes and threw for 321 yards, which tied Matthew Stafford for No. 8 on the week.
He did all of this without Odell Beckham Jr., and Anthony Schwartz tied for the most targets. The Browns just hung 29 points on the Kansas City Chiefs, and in Week 2 they face … checks notes … the Houston Texans.
The same Texans defense that ranked 27th in fantasy points allowed to QBs last season (20.2) and just allowed Trevor Lawrence, in his very first NFL game, to throw for 332 passing yards and 3 touchdowns (QB11 in fantasy).
I am all in on a Browns team that honestly should have won last week if not for a dropped snap by the punter. They’ll take their frustrations out on the surprisingly 1-0 Texans. Mayfield is a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 in Week 2 and leads my list of starts at QB.
Sit ’em | Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
There is no question the pressure is on Tua — justified or not. But there’s no doubt he knows it, and if we are honest, it showed in Week 1 against the New England Patriots. Of the two former Alabama QBs, Tua was the one looking like a rookie. He completed just 59.3% of his passes for 202 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT as the QB19 in fantasy (17.2 points).
I have been on the Team Tua side this offseason. I think he will be better this year, and the additions of Jaylen Waddle and Will Fuller (who returns this week) will help him. But I do not feel comfortable with what I saw in Week 1 to roll him out in Week 2.
The Bills’ defense is legit. They held the Steelers to just 54 yards of offense in the first half and just 252 as a team. Ben Roethlisberger looked, well, not great, and had just 188 yards passing. Also, for all the hype surrounding Najee Harris, he averaged just 2.8 yards per carry.
The Bills exit Week 1, allowing the fourth-fewest fantasy points to QBs (12.02) and fourth-fewest overall at 61.8 (before MNF kicks off). This is not a matchup I would be looking to target for fantasy until we see the version of Tua we think is there.
Running backs
While these RBs found themselves with adjusted roles in the preseason following injuries to surrounding players, they are on opposite sides of start/sit debates for Week 2.
Start ’em | David Montgomery, Chicago Bears
I had a difficult time this offseason trying to decide how I viewed Montgomery. For all the times he flashes, he would then disappoint. Even in his end-of-season blow-up, you couldn’t help but look at the teams he faced and feel they played a massive role. Then throw in head coach Matt Nagy resuming play-calling duties, and I was luke-warm at best on Montgomery. Well, safe to say I am adjusting in Week 2.
Despite going against the No. 4 ranked run defense in fantasy last season, Montgomery carved up the Rams. He rushed 16 times for 108 yards on Sunday night and found the end zone. Montgomery also added a 10-yard reception for good measure as he was the RB8 in PPR formats (18.8 points).
In Week 2, he faces a Bengals defense that ranked 23rd in points to RBs (24.7) and just gave up 28.8 to the Vikings. If Montgomery can record a few more receptions, a top-six finish is not outside the realm of possibility. I would not spend too much time on this straightforward start ’em or sit ’em decision for Week 2.
Start ’em | Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos
This whole offseason, Gordon was pushed to the side by fantasy managers after the Broncos drafted UNC standout RB Javonte Williams. But Gordon reminded everyone in Week 1 that he, in fact, still has good football left in him.
Although Williams out carried him (14 to 11), Gordon had 101 rushing yards on the day, which he capped off with a 70-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter. He also led the backfield in targets (3), hauling in all 3 for 17 yards. This is going to remain a 50/50 split, but I don’t think that matters in Week 2.
The Broncos take on a Jaguars defense that struggled to contain 31-year-old Mark Ingram (85 yards and 1 TD). The Jags were 30th against RBs last season (30.1) and just allowed the third-highest total to RBs (36.4) this weekend.
The loss of Jerry Jeudy (ankle) likely means the Broncos will lean on the rushing game a bit more in Week 2. Gordon is a solid low-end RB2 this week, with Williams coming in as a flex.
Sit ’em | Mike Davis, Atlanta Falcons
Davis has been a divisive topic in fantasy all offseason. You either loved him or hated him. To some, he was a 300-opportunity steal in drafts. To others, a wasted pick with little upside. After one week, I don’t think we gained much clarity.
Davis totaled just 72 yards on 18 touches in Week 1 against the Falcons, finishing as the RB30 on the week (10.2 points). Still, it’s worth noting the Eagles jumping out ahead early on likely led to a change in the game plan.
If they thought the Eagles got out fast, what do they think the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to do to them in Week 2?
The Buccaneers allowed only 47 rushing yards to Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard (both of whom I can guarantee are more talented than Davis). Stay far away from Davis in Week 2. He is a very low-end RB3 at best for Week 2 and on my sit ’em list for fantasy football.
NFL Start ’em, Sit ’em for Week 2: Wide receivers
With the WR position deeper than ever for fantasy football, start ’em or sit ’em decisions for Week 2 are invariably matchup-dependent.
Start ’em | Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brown stayed on the straight and narrow this offseason and greeted fantasy managers with a vintage performance in Week 1 against the Cowboys. On just 7 targets, Brown recorded 5 receptions and led the Bucs WRs with 121 yards and 1 touchdown as Tom Brady’s vertical threat. He ended the week as the WR11 in PPR (23.7), just one spot ahead of teammate Chris Godwin (23.5).
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles just torched the Falcons to the tune of 264 passing yards and 3 TDs on Sunday, meaning this could get out of control quickly. Brown is a must-start in Week 2 in fantasy, as are all Buccaneers pass catchers.
Start ’em | Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns
Once again, Landry is being undervalued. It’s almost a running joke at this point due to its regularity. With Beckham Jr. ruled out before kickoff (ACL), Landry had his usual solid day, recording 5 receptions (5 targets) for 71 yards while adding 2 rushes for 13 yards and a touchdown — finishing as the WR17 on the week with 19.4 fantasy points.
Beckham Jr. is not guaranteed to suit up in Week 2, and the Browns are taking on the Texans, who just allowed 219 receiving yards and 2 TDs on 16 receptions to WRs last week. Landry has low-end WR2 upside this week even if OBJ returns to the field.
Start ’em | Mike Williams, Los Angeles Chargers
Talent has never been the question for Mike Williams. It’s been staying on the field. In one of the more surprising stats of Week 1, Williams had 12 targets, hauling in 8 passes (75%) for 82 yards and a score. He fell just outside the WR1 territory as the WR14 on the week with 22.2 fantasy points.
Washington was projected to be one of the most challenging defenses to face in 2021, having ranked No. 3 vs. WRs last season. But I think this is more indicative of the power the Chargers’ offense possesses with Justin Herbert at the helm and OC Joe Lombardi calling plays.
In Week 2, they take on a Cowboys defense that was just dominated through the air for 250 yards in the opening week to WRs. When making a start or sit decision in Week 2, plug Williams into your lineups this week as a high-end flex.
Sit ’em | Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons
Do not overreact to what you saw in Week 1. However, I am nervous about Gage. Despite the Falcons being in garbage time for a majority of the game, Gage drew just 2 targets and failed to bring in a catch in what should have been an easy matchup. Gage was a 100-target WR last year (109) and looked to take a step forward with Julio Jones in Tennessee. But the lack of volume, along with only a 68% snap share, has me concerned.
The Falcons take on the Buccaneers this week, and while they did allow 303 yards to WRs in Week 1, Gage is not the caliber WR of CeeDee Lamb or Amari Cooper. I expect a bounce back from the Bucs’ defense, which could lead to Gage having a second-straight disappointing week and is on my sit ’em list for fantasy football.
Sit ’em | DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins
Did Parker lead the Dolphins in targets and yards? Yes. But do I think this is enough to justify starting him in Week 2? No, I don’t.
Parker saw a 26% target share in Week 1 (7), turning those into 4 receptions for 81 yards. Yet, despite leading the team, he was just the WR43 in fantasy with 12.1 points. The issue with Parker is his fantasy value is dependant on finding the end zone. Even going back to last season, while he was one of just 35 receivers to record over 100 targets, Parker’s 1.61 points/target was 88th (minimum 30 targets).
In Week 2, the Dolphins face the Buffalo Bills. The latter shut down the Steelers’ passing attack (honestly, entire offense) and deals with the extra competition with the return of Will Fuller, relegating Parker to the WR3 role on the team in all likelihood. Parker is a no-go for me in fantasy and should be on the bench this week.
Tight ends
Although the TE position in fantasy is notoriously shallow, start ’em or sit ’em decisions for Week 1 could mean the difference in a win or a loss.
Start ’em | Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Football is more run when Gronk is around. This is a universal fact. And in Week 1, no one was having more fun than Gronkowski. It was a vintage performance, finishing as the TE1 in fantasy (29 points) while hauling in all 8 of his targets for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns.
In fantasy, if a tight end scores, they are a near-lock to end as a TE1 on the week. In Week 2, outside of maybe Travis Kelce, no TE has a better chance to find the end zone than Gronkowski. He is a top-five play at the position this week.
Sit ’em | Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins
I almost feel bad doing this because Gesicki was my sit ’em pick at TE last week. I genuinely like him too. Gesicki is one of the most athletic tight ends in the NFL. There is no debate about that, and he is coming off a strong 2020 campaign. He finished as the TE7 (10.6 ppg) with over 700 yards and 6 touchdowns.
However, what happened in Week 1? Gesicki went catchless on just 2 targets. In Week 2, the Dolphins take on a Bills defense that allowed just 1 catch for 19 yards to the Steelers’ combo of Eric Ebron and Pat Freiermuth. Add in the full complement of WRs with Fuller’s return, and once again, Gesicki is a sit ’em for me in Week 2 for fantasy.
NFL Start ’em, Sit ’em for Week 2: Defenses
The odds of winning your Week 2 fantasy football matchup skyrocket by nailing which defense to start.
Start ’em | New England Patriots
The Patriots were one of the better defenses last season despite having a league-high eight players opt-out due to the pandemic’s health concerns. In Week 1, they terrorized the Dolphins’ offense, allowing just 259 combined yards of offense (fifth-fewest), 17 points, and a takeaway.
In Week 2, they face the New York Jets and rookie Zach Wilson. Bill Belichick’s Patriots teams are 21-6 against rookie QBs since he took over the reins in New England in the 2000 season. They should have similar success in Week 2.
Sit ’em | Philadelphia Eagles
A round of applause for the Eagles and their performance in Week 1. They were great on offense, and that translated to the defensive side of the ball. The Eagles allowed just 6 points and 260 total yards to the Falcons, who were playing in catch-up mode all game. They were the No. 5 ranked defense in fantasy with 10 points.
However, I’m not buying in for the repeat, and I don’t think you should either. In Week 2, the Eagles matchup with the 49ers, who just scored 41 points last week and have as dangerous an offense as there is in football. Jimmy Garoppolo tends to be risk-averse, which limits potential turnover opportunities for the Eagles.
NEW YORK — The Yankees’ 2021 season has brought soaring highs, gut-punch plunges and seemingly everything in between. Aaron Judge aptly described his team’s first 144 games as “a roller coaster,” and the slugger would caution you to prepare for a few more twists and turns. In his view, this thrill ride isn’t close to over yet.
On Monday afternoon, Judge crushed a game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning and Gary Sánchez delivered the winning RBI single in the 10th as the Yankees rallied from five runs down for a 6-5 walk-off victory over the Twins at Yankee Stadium. It was the largest comeback win of the year for the Bombers, who had been 0-34 when trailing by four or more runs.
“You’ve got to enjoy the ride,” Judge said. “When you’re on a roller coaster, you’ve got to enjoy it. This is the fun part of the year, so just keep riding it — and ride it through the playoffs.”
With 18 games remaining, New York (80-64) moved within a half-game of Toronto (80-63) and Boston (81-64), the two clubs tied atop the American League Wild Card standings. All three could be tied by the end of Monday night, when the Blue Jays host the Rays and the Red Sox take on the Mariners in Seattle.
Judge’s homer came off right-hander Alex Colomé and Sánchez connected off righty Ralph Garza Jr., powering yet another win for the Bombers over Minnesota, a team they’ve defeated 33 times in 43 tries since 2015 (including postseason matchups).
With the clubs making up an Aug. 22 contest postponed by Hurricane Henri, the Yankees returned to action still buzzing from an emotional three-game Subway Series against the Mets that included some spicy theatrics late in Sunday night’s finale.
“For us as a whole, the goal is to win as many games as possible,” Sánchez said through an interpreter. “We find ourselves to be here in this stretch, and that’s the mentality: focus on each game at a time and try to win as many as we can.”
The Yankees trailed, 5-0, through five innings as Luis Gil gave up three home runs over six frames. Jorge Polanco and Miguel Sano each hit a two-run homer in the first off Gil, who had a second consecutive tough outing after beginning his big league career with 15 2/3 scoreless innings over his first three starts.
Byron Buxton added a solo homer in the third off Gil, who scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out eight.
“[Gil] continued to compete and allowed us to do something special late,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Just a great job by him, and then a lot of guys came up big, whether it be in the bullpen or some big hits. With these games meaning so much, that’s a good one right there.”
Sleepy start Though Twins starter John Gant lasted only three batters before exiting with a lower abdominal strain, the Yanks were held hitless until Joey Gallo dropped a bunt single to open the fifth.
“You never want to start a game in a hole, but Gil came up big for us by putting up some zeros,” Judge said. “If you put up some zeros for this offense, we’re going to get the job done eventually.”
DJ LeMahieu was robbed in the sixth by a leaping Max Kepler near the wall in right field, settling for a sacrifice fly. Gallo then launched a solo home run, his 33rd of the season and eighth for the Yankees, off righty Tyler Duffey to bring New York within three runs in the seventh.
“It was really good to see the fight that we had today,” Gallo said. “We could have easily just let that game go, but we kept grinding and competing.”
Not over yet Anthony Rizzo and Brett Gardner worked walks in the eighth to set the stage for Judge, who has been the club’s most consistent offensive performer this season. Judge was limited to two at-bats — both strikeouts — on Sunday against the Mets due to dizziness, but he reported improvement on Monday, likening his feeling to “getting [his] bell rung” during his high school football days.
“I feel better today. Not 100 percent, but I’m not too concerned about it,” Judge said.
Judge connected with a 2-1 Colomé cutter for a 394-foot drive to the seats in right-center field, Judge’s 33rd homer of the year. Aroldis Chapman and Clay Holmes each tossed a scoreless frame before Sánchez ripped Garza’s 1-1 sinker down the left-field line in the 10th, plating Gleyber Torres for the winning run.
“In that at-bat, I was trying to stick to my plan — trying to look for a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it,” Sánchez said. “I’m happy with the results there and very excited we were able to win that game.”