Order has been restored. The name of the game makes sense again.
Mired in next-to-last place just two weeks ago, I have ascended to my rightful perch atop the standings, and the goal as it was in the beginning becomes "Beat the Strick" once again. The tables also have turned for Jordan Gross, who was dead-last two weeks ago but now stands second.
The competition across the board is crazy close. Bill Voth's three-week run atop the standings is over but he's still just single digits behind in third place overall. Fellow scribe Max Henson fell all the way from second overall to ninth in the course of a week, but he's less than 30 points out of the top spot.
Fantasy points were a little more difficult to come by than expected in Week 5, as only three panelists picked a quarterback that finished in the top 10 of the NFL.com scoring system. The top five in Week 5 was dotted with Hall of Fame quarterbacks, but only Ben Roethlisberger was picked by any panelists as several of the top guys have already been used in the one-and-done format. I won the week in part thanks to stacking Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown together; the dynamic duo responded with two touchdown connections.
 Bryan Strickland |
 Max Henson |
 Bill Voth |
 Jordan Gross |
 Jim Szoke |
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| Total Pts (rank) | 403.20 (1st) | 375.34 (9th) | 394.48 (3rd) | 397.64 (2nd) | 377.02 (8th) |
| Last week | 97.20 (1st) | 48.62 (10th) | 62.48 (9th) | 82.28 (2nd) | 76.20 (4th) |
| QB | M. Ryan | A. Luck | T. Brady | A. Luck | C. Newton |
| RB | C. Carson | C. McCaffrey | M. Gordon | C. McCaffrey | I. Crowell |
| RB | J. White | T.J. Yeldon | M. Lynch | T.J. Yeldon | S. Michel |
| WR | DJ Moore | A. Thielen | DJ Moore | E. Sanders | J. Jones |
| WR | D. Adams | D. Jackson | R. Anderson | D. Jackson | D. Adams |
| TE | C. Brate | A. Hooper | C. Brate | E. Ebron | K. Rudolph |
 Jourdan Rodrigue |
 Mike Solarte |
 Kelsey Riggs |
 Josh Klein |
 John Halpin |
|
| Total Pts (rank) | 378.10 (7th) | 381.54 (5th) | 361.58 (10th) | 378.34 (6th) | 388.04 (4th) |
| Last week | 68.08 (8th) | 79.76 (3rd) | 69.62 (7th) | 74.90 (5th) | 74.10 (6th) |
| QB | A. Rodgers | K. Cousins | M. Ryan | J. Winston | J. Winston |
| RB | T.J. Yeldon | C.J. Anderson | T. Gurley | S. Barkley | S. Michel |
| RB | M. Lynch | C. Hyde | J. Conner | J. White | A. Jones |
| WR | DJ Moore | A. Thielen | D. Hopkins | D. Funchess | A.J. Green |
| WR | S. Watkins | D. Jackson | Smith-Schuster | A. Thielen | D. Funchess |
| TE | K. Rudolph | C. Brate | G. Olsen | C. Brate | C. Brate |
This week features some star power at quarterback, with panelists picking the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Cam Newton (as a Panther, he's allowed to be selected three times over the course of the season). The most popular Panther pick this week is actually rookie wide receiver DJ Moore, one of six Panthers selected this week.
The Buccaneers have headed backwards the last couple of games, but in fantasy land the panelists are showing faith in Tampa in a variety of ways this week. Facing a Falcons defense that is reeling, the Buccaneers will have quarterback Jameis Winston in the starting lineup for the first time this season (and he's in two fantasy starting lineups).
Three panelists are counting on Winston hooking up with wide receiver DeSean Jackson, and half the panelists are rolling with Tampa tight end Cameron Brate. Tight end has been a fantasy wasteland this season, but taking a flyer on Brate here or even on your waiver wire makes sense for one week with running mate O.J. Howard fighting back from a knee injury. Plus, Winston traditionally has loved targeting Brate in the red zone.
I'm among those picking both Moore and Brate this week, and I'm also going with Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and therefore hoping that the Atlanta-Tampa game resembles the Buccaneers' 48-40 victory over the Saints back in Week 1.
