No one came close to matching Derrick Henry’s 45.6-point explosion yesterday, but a handful of players did their best to scratch and claw their managers back into contention.

Here are the five Ws, explained …

Who is the real backup? It’s a fair question when discussing Zach Charbonnet (25.2) and Rhamondre Stevenson (24.7), who not only led their backfields but put up the RB3 and RB4 scores on the week. These committee messes are only just beginning for those of you joining me in the playoff contest streets.

What can Brown do for you? Fantasy is a funny game. Chase Brown has been hemorrhaging high-value touches to Samaje Perine of late, but that doesn’t matter when he scores TDs (two more vs. the Cardinals) at an absurd rate. His back-to-back performances of 27+ points surely delivered some ‘ships.

When will Ja’Marr Chase score a TD? After a TD drought since Oct. 16, Chase found pay dirt twice yesterday against the Cardinals. In that same game, Trey McBride finished the fantasy season strong with 18.6 points and set the Cardinals receptions record (117) while doing it.

Where will Baker Mayfield throw the ball? It’s a good question these days. Emeka Egbuka (three receptions) barely exists anymore and Mike Evans (31 yards) will fall well short of his 1k standard. In Week 17, it was Jalen McMillan (7-114) and Chris Godwin (7-108) who were the apple of his eye. What a mess (or blessing, if your name is Baker).

Why can’t the Jets be competent? In addition to Stevenson’s outburst, Drake Maye dropped 32.4 points in 2.5 quarters of football. Stefon Diggs hit 19.1 points. Hunter Henry also found the end zone. And because I’m a greedy fantasy manager with a one-track mind, I walked away from this game tilting that the Jets couldn’t muster more than a field goal through three quarters. SMH.

We still have one game to go tonight for all of the marbles. Good luck and let us know if you bring home that title …

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The Best and Worst of The 2025 Fantasy Playoffs

"If you ain't first, you're last." If you've seen Talladega Nights, then you know that Ricky Bobby was clearly talking about fantasy football when he trademarked the infamous quote.

At this point, we have one single Monday Night Football game left until the end of the fantasy football season. Outside of a Monday Night Miracle, you probably have a good idea of whether or not you'll end up in first ... or last. And if we've learned anything over these previous three playoff weeks, it's that the players who got you here won't necessarily get you where you want to be. And the players that may have struggled along the way could have found a way to redeem themselves in the fantasy playoffs.

Who were the league winners of 2025, and what players quickly went from fantasy hero to fantasy playoffs zero? Let's recap the best and worst from the 2025 fantasy football playoffs.

Time To Turn Your Attention To Dynasty …

Nothing beats a Week 18 "dynasty league speculation" column. Why? Because we can map out a multiverse of bizarre possibilities—grounded in reality, mind you!—and then just shrug if they don't come true. But I will say this much: these are moves I am making or have made in my own leagues. It's not just fluff, people!

Let's dive in.

1. Malik Willis is no longer cheap — but you should be a buyer anyway

If you think you're in on some secret that Malik Willis is a free agent heading into 2026 ... you aren't. You also aren't the only one who has come to the conclusion that the QB class in the 2026 draft is relatively weak. So Willis will likely sign somewhere and will have a shot at a starting job. If recent history is any indication, a "once-highly-regarded QB who needs a few years of experience before recognizing his true potential" is a thing now. Willis fits that mold—he played for a bunch of bad teams and has come into his own when he's been given the chance to start.

Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith, Daniel Jones ... there's a nice list of recent examples here. And remember, Willis was being mocked in the Top 10 going into 2022's draft (Kiper, Reuter, Trapasso, Mock Draft Database)—so I feel comfortable saying the skill is there. And as good as he may be as an NFL QB, Willis' rushing upside makes him an even more attractive asset. Whoever has him will be asking for a ton in a trade; consider it, as Willis will be 27 next year and has 5-6 good years ahead of him. 

Around the Watercooler

The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds.

🍳 Ok, let Cam Ward cook. He flashed enough for some Y2 optimism.

😆 Sorry babe … I was busy yesterday.

🙏 The dynasty community lost a good one. R.I.P. Dynasty Warzone.

📷️ Is that Stefon Diggs? Or Randy Moss?

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