Winners Club: Fantasy Football Season Comes to a Close as NFL Playoff Scenarios Become Clear
About that Najee Harris touchdown … Here’s hoping your fantasy team was on the right side of a 37-yard score in the final minute of a Monday Night Football game that had already been all but decided. What a way to come out on top after 17 weird weeks.
But if your lead vanished on a breakaway, seemingly meaningless touchdown after you thought your title was safe and Harris’ big night was over, I apologize. That’s just fantasy football. Get ‘em back next year.
NFL and Fantasy Football
Sunday’s games were dramatic in their own right with Joe Burrow leading the Bengals to a comeback win over the Chiefs to clinch the AFC North, Antonio Brown exiting the Buccaneers-Jets game early and potentially ending his career and Odell Beckham Jr. snagging the game-winning touchdown to score a fifth consecutive Rams win.
The playoff scenarios in both conferences are set. In the AFC, the Colts are in a win-and-in situation against the Jaguars. Sunday night’s Chargers-Raiders game is essentially a play-in game, unless Jacksonville beats Indianapolis, then both teams can advance with a tie. The Steelers stayed alive with their Monday night victory, but they need some help to get back to the playoffs, as do the floundering Ravens, who have dropped five straight.
In the NFC, six of the seven playoff teams are locked in with the Eagles securing a Wild Card spot Sunday. The 49ers and Saints are vying for the final spot in the first-ever Week 18. Seeding is still up in the air in both conferences, save for the Packers locking up the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
Photo credit: Andrew Weber/USA TODAY Sports
Continue to visit si.com/fantasy as we wrap up and review this rollercoaster of a fantasy season. And if Harris or any other players sank or won you your championship, I want to hear about it! Shoot me an email at winnersclub@si.com with a screenshot or description of your hard fought victory or crushing defeat for a chance to be featured in Thursday’s newsletter.
NFL Power Rankings: How does the league stack up 1-32 with one week remaining? Conor Orr weighs in on the top-ranked Packers all the way down to the Jaguars, who might be picking first in the draft once again. “I don’t see a more complete team than the Green Bay Packers right now,” writes Orr.
Ja’Marr Chase Makes OROY Case: The Bengals’ rookie receiver responded “I better be” when asked if he should win the top honor for a first-year offensive player after a record-setting 266-yard outing.
Photo credit: Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer/USA TODAY Network
Derrick Henry Could Return This Week: Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Monday the team’s star running back could be activated off injured reserve before Tennessee’s Week 18 game against the Texans. Henry last played in Week 8.
Buccaneers Have Yet to Release Antonio Brown: Tampa Bay has not officially parted ways with Brown after Sunday’s events and is reportedly in discussion with the league about how to proceed. Coach Bruce Arians said after the game that Brown is “no longer a Buc.”
NBA Action
Monday night was exciting around the Association. Trae Young poured in a career-high 56 points against the Trail Blazers in a losing effort, Ja Morant went for 36 points in a win over the Nets and the Bulls won their eighth straight thanks to, you guessed it, DeMar DeRozan.
Tuesday brings five more games including two—Pacers-Knicks and Kings-Lakers—that recurring guest picker Doug Vazquez and I will be making bets for later in the day on si.com/betting.
Photo credit: Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports
NBA Power Rankings: The Warriors and Suns have a death grip on the top two spots and the surging Bulls moved up to No. 3. “Are the Bulls title contenders?” writes Chris Mannix. “It’s officially time to ask with Chicago overtaking (for now) Brooklyn atop the Eastern Conference standings last week.”
Kyrie Irving to Make Season Debut Wednesday: Brooklyn’s star point guard will reportedly play for the first time this season Wednesday against the Pacers in Indiana. He cleared health and safety protocols last week and now joins the Nets as a part-time player.
College Football
The New Year’s Eve semifinal games between No. 4 Cincinnati and No. 1 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia and No. 2 Michigan were not particularly close. They were decided by 21 and 23 points, respectively, and very much in line with recent playoff routs.
A rematch of the SEC Championship Game, which the Crimson Tide won, will take place next Monday night when Alabama and Georgia meet in the National Championship. These two programs played in the championship game in 2018, and Alabama won that meeting as well.
Photo credit: Kevin Jairaj/CFP Images/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Bulldogs Open as Title Game Favorite: Georgia opened as a 2.5-point favorite against Alabama on SI Sportsbook. The Crimson Tide are the defending national champion and have won their last seven games against UGA dating back to 2008.
Bama-UGA Betting Insights: Data Skrive breaks down each team’s stats and trends ahead of the National Championship Game.
LSU vs. Kansas State: The final bowl game occurs tonight when LSU faces Kentucky at 9 p.m. ET. See which team Richard Johnson and the Composite are backing.
