2024 NFL Power Rankings: Week 11

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Kansas City Chiefs (9-0) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills

2.(2) Detroit Lions (8-1) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

3.(3) Buffalo Bills (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

4.(4) Baltimore Ravens (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

5.(5) Minnesota Vikings (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans

6.(6) Green Bay Packers (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears

7.(8) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

8.(10) Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Washington Commanders 

9.(7) Washington Commanders (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

10.(14) Arizona Cardinals (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Bye

11.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

12.(12) San Francisco 49ers (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

13.(9) Atlanta Falcons (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Denver Broncos

14.(11) Houston Texans (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

15.(17) Cincinnati Bengals (4-6) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

16.(15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6) Week 11 opponent: Bye

17.(18) Denver Broncos (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

18.(16) Los Angeles Rams (4-5) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots

19.(24) Miami Dolphins (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

20.(20) Seattle Seahawks (4-5) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

21.(21) Indianapolis Colts (4-6) Week 11 opponent: New York Jets

22.(19) Chicago Bears (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers

23.(30) New England Patriots (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

24.(32) New Orleans Saints (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Cleveland Browns

25.(23) New York Jets (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

26.(26) Cleveland Browns (2-7) Week 11 opponent: New Orleans Saints

27.(31) Carolina Panthers (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Bye

28.(22) Dallas Cowboys (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans

29.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins

30.(25) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions

31.(27) Tennessee Titans (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

32.(28) New York Giants (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Bye  

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2024 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

The second meeting between the Bengals and Ravens this season provided the world with another epic QB duel and once again, Burrow had a better statline (428 YDS, 4 TD's, 6 rushing YDS, 0 turnovers) than Lamar Jackson despite his team losing. Burrow should be in line for a much quieter evening this week as the Bengals take on a stingy Chargers D on SNF.   

Honorable Mentions: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Kyler Murray (Cardinals)

LVP: Jayden Daniels (Commanders)

While it wasn't a completely horrendous performance, the Steelers were able to keep Daniels relatively quiet as he threw for 202 scoreless YDS and only picked up 5 YDS on his 3 rushing attempts. The OROY frontrunner gets the Eagles and their top 5 ranked defense in Week 11. 

Dishonorable Mentions: C.J. Stroud (Texans), Sam Darnold (Vikings), Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)

Running Back

MVP: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

Robinson majorly picked up the slack for an inefficient Kirk Cousins against the Saints, gaining 144 scrimmage YDS on 23 touches (20 carries, 3 receptions) and scoring twice on the ground in a heartbreaking divisional loss for the current NFC South leaders. He'll look to extend his insane streak of earning 18+ fantasy points in half PPR leagues to 6 games this week versus a Broncos defense that currently ranks in the middle of the pack against RB's.  

Honorable Mentions: Chuba Hubbard (Panthers), James Conner (Cardinals), Chase Brown (Bengals)

LVP: Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars)

Having Mac Jones under center and Tank Bigsby exiting the game with an injury early in the 1st quarter opened up a window for Etienne to seize control of the Jags offense in a surprisingly close game with the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. He failed to do that, turning his 11 carries into 44 YDS and adding just a lone catch for -1 YDS in the passing game. Regardless of Bigsby's status for their Week 11 contest with the Lions, Etienne will be nothing more than a desperation RB2/flex play against one of the league's few truly elite run defenses.    

Dishonorable Mentions: D'Andre Swift (Bears), J.K. Dobbins (Chargers), De'Von Achane (Dolphins)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

Remember when Chase put up a 10 REC/193 YD/2 TD line against the Ravens in Week 5? Well, it turns out that was only a small taste of the damage he was capable of inflicting on them. The Bengals star went full-blown nuclear against the poor, overmatched Ravens D-catching 11 passes for 264 YDS and 3 TD's. Chase's season high against teams that don't hail from Baltimore is 118 YDS and he's only cleared 62 YDS in one other game besides that, so this level of dominance hasn't been the norm for him at all in 2024, but maybe this latest explosion can be the springboard that elevates him to a more consistent level of strong play in the second half of the season.    

Honorable Mentions: Calvin Ridley (Titans), George Pickens (Steelers), Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

LVP: DeVonta Smith (Eagles)

A combination of Hurts only having to throw 20 passes on account of the score, A.J. Brown soaking up nearly half of the targets that were available and a nagging hamstring ailment lowering his snap count a bit led to Smith putting up a really quiet performance (2 REC/14 YDS) against the depleted, dejected Cowboys. As long as he's good to go physically, Smith will be a volatile WR2 for this Thursday's contest with the Commanders.   

Dishonorable Mentions: D.J. Moore (Bears), Zay Flowers (Ravens), Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Kelce's late career rebranding as a high-volume short yardage threat continues to pay dividends for fantasy owners as he hauled in a team-high 8 receptions for 64 YDS and what ended up being the game-winning TD in a good old-fashioned AFC West rock fight with the Broncos. The nice 3-game streak he's put together over the past month is in real jeopardy of ending this week against a Bills defense that has allowed the 9th least points to tight ends this season.    

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Sam LaPorta (Lions), George Kittle (49ers)

LVP: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)

A lost fumble sunk Ferguson's line against the Eagles (4 REC/24 YDS) from relatively poor to very poor. With Dak Prescott now confirmed to be out for the season, Ferguson's already questionable fantasy value could continue to crater. He'll get a chance to regain the trust of his managers next Monday night against the Texans up-and-down secondary.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid (Bills), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Cole Kmet (Bears)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Eagles

Cooper Rush and co. handed the Eagles an abundance of gifts on Sunday as Vic Fangio's group secured 3 sacks, an INT and 4 (!) fumble recoveries in a 34-6 victory over the Cowboys. They have a date with the Commanders on Thursday night.   

Honorable Mentions: Bills, Vikings, Chargers

LVP: Jets

Man, the Cardinals just made a complete mockery of the Jets formerly vaunted defense-who generated 1 sack and 0 takeaways-this week in a 31-6 slaughter in Glendale. As poor as this group has looked on the whole since Robert Saleh's ouster in early October, they should do just fine against a wretched, turnover-happy Colts offense this week. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Bears, 49ers, Ravens

Movie Review: Heretic

Religious discourse occupies a unique space in the modern world because its prevalence tends to correlate with where you live and who you're surrounded by. Faith meaning anywhere between everything or nothing at all depending on who you elect to talk to has created this chasm that not only applies in how much discussion about it is being had in the world, but the very manner in which its discussed. Psychological horror/thriller Heretic dares to ask its audience something that almost no one bothers to ask anymore: What is the purpose of faith, and can your beliefs be challenged by your life experience or an outside force?

This question-driven exploration of faith manifests in the story of Mormon missionaries Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) and their visit with a man named Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) at his home with the hopes of converting him to their Church. Reed is a hardcore theology buff who is eager to discuss religion and the nature of belief with a pair of people that have dedicated their lives to spreading the gospel of The Church of the Latter-day Saints. What starts off as a somewhat awkward but ultimately good-natured conversation slowly becomes sinister when the Sisters realize that Reed's "wife"-who he said was is in the other making a blueberry pie when they first arrived-doesn't exist and all of the doors in his house are locked on a timer that they don't have to access to. What Reed wants from these women is simple: He's put together a game to put their belief in a higher power to the test and the path they choose will dictate whether they leave his house safely or die. Terrified and conflicted on what direction to go in, Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton must lean on each other if they wish to make it out of Reed's house of faith-testing horror with their lives.

What's really cool about Heretic is that its writer/director tandem Scott Beck and Bryan Woods waste no time getting to the suspenseful hook. Reed's ominous lectures about religion, subtly disorienting camerawork that mirrors the feeling of the walls closing in on you and sound design that turns benign domestic sounds (ticking clocks, creaking doors, footsteps) into something viscerally sinister mimics the increasingly claustrophobic dread Barnes and Paxton are feeling as they realize their safety may be compromised. This feeling of palpable discomfort is parlayed into a pretty terrific second act where their fears are confirmed in ways they probably didn't even imagine as the threat stars to veer from vague hypothetical to something terrifyingly real. It's basically everything that a contained cat-and-mouse thriller should be and the fashion in which it marries its existential questions about religion with traditional horror filmmaking practices is really seamless.                      

Of course, a chamber piece wouldn't really work if it weren't for the contributions of its cast and the actors in Heretic all deliver in a major way. Grant is having a ball playing this kind of eccentric, somewhat pretentious maniac who cruelly preys on the vulnerable in a similar fashion as the religious figures he rails against do and both East and Thatcher do great work by turning the baked-in assumption that these characters are meek, polite-to-a-fault women on its head with the quiet strength and resilience they show in the face of grave danger. 

Eventually, Heretic loses its way during a final act where it's ideas about things such as idealism vs. truth in faith and what drives people to believe or not believe in God come together in an unsatisfying, arguably silly manner that snuffs out quite a bit of the strength of the film's riveting opening 2/3's. Still, this is a really solid bounceback project for Beck and Woods after the misguided 65 and an exceptional advertisement for any filmmaker that is seeking the services of any of these three gifted actors for a future project.                        

Grade: B

2024 NFL Mid-Season Awards+Updated Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions

Top Player: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

Somehow, Jackson has been even better to start 2024 than he was during his MVP Campaign last season. He's having easily his best season as a passer by any meaningful metric you want to use (CMP%, QBR, YPA, TD's), has improved at getting the ball out quickly/evading the rush without upping his pick total (13 sacks taken, 2 INT's thrown in 9 games played) and remains the most lethal rushing QB in the league-clearing 500 YDS on only 84 attempts. A potentially tough stretch run that includes games with the Chargers, Texans and a pair of meeting with their archrival Steelers could disrupt his momentum, but if he can at least come close to maintaining this level of play during the final 7 games, he should be adding a 3rd MVP award to his trophy case.    

Honorable Mentions: Joe Burrow (Bengals), Josh Allen (Bills), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Top Offensive Player: Derrick Henry (Ravens)

Another huge factor in Jackson's incredible start to 2024 has been Henry. The 30-year-old back continues to deify conventional wisdom surrounding aging workhorse backs as he not only refuses to break down but looks about as good as he ever has. John Harbaugh and Todd Monken have done a masterful job of giving him some prolonged stretches of rest throughout the game and it's allowed him to come on like a freight train going 100 mph whenever the Ravens are trying to impose their will on the ground, which has resulted in him putting up some ridiculous numbers (6.0 YPC, 13 total TD's, season-long run of 87 YDS, clearing 1,000 YDS on the ground in only 9 games) that are well ahead of every other starting back in the league.  

Honorable Mentions: Justin Jefferson (Vikings), Saquon Barkley (Eagles), George Kittle (49ers)

Top Defensive Player: T.J. Watt (Steelers)

The Steelers defense is once again among the league's best, and Watt is the top reason why. His ability to disrupt a game is as reliable as ever-logging 33 tackles, 10 TFL's, 6.5 sacks, 14 QB hits, 16 pressures and 4 forced fumbles through 8 games and the depth-bolstering addition of Preston Smith at the trade deadline could set him up to feast even more to close out 2024.      

Honorable Mentions: Dexter Lawrence (Giants), Fred Warner (49ers), Kerby Joseph (Lions)

Top Offensive Rookie: Jayden Daniels (Commanders)

After all the buzz surrounding the 2024 QB class, Daniels has solidified himself as the clear top dog (as a rookie at least). While he's unquestionably benefitted from a really soft schedule, he's looked poised as a passer and explosive as a rusher from the jump and his high level of play is one of the top reasons the Commanders are off to such a surprisingly great start.    

Honorable Mentions: Brock Bowers (Raiders), Malik Nabers (Giants), Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars)

Top Defensive Rookie: Jared Verse (Rams)

The gap between the level of play of the offensive and defensive players in the 2024 rookie class has already proven to be enormous. Among the handful of defensive rookies that have gotten off to strong starts, Verse stands alone at the top of the mountain by a colossal margin. The Florida State product has been borderline elite as a Day 1 starter on the edge-particularly over the past month as the Rams have clawed their way back to .500 after a 1-4 start-picking up 33 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 13 QB hits, 22 pressures and a forced fumble.   

Honorable Mentions: Andru Phillips (Giants), Kamari Lassiter (Texans), Evan Williams (Packers)

Top Coach: Dan Quinn (Commanders)

We all know how Quinn's tenure with the Falcons ended after a great 2-season run from 2016-17 that included the infamous Super Bowl Collapse versus the Patriots. His (potential) redemption arc that started during his successful tenure as the Cowboys DC from 2021-23 has really kicked into high gear with the triumphant start to his 2nd head coaching gig with the Commanders. They've considerably improved in all 3 phases of the game after a horrific 2023 under Ron Rivera, OC Kliff Kingsbury has done an outstanding job of building a system that accentuates Jayden Daniels' strengths and best of all, his players have really bought into him as a leader.   

Honorable Mentions: Jim Harbaugh (Chargers), Raheem Morris (Falcons), Sean McVay (Rams)

Top Comeback Player: Kirk Cousins (Falcons)

Outside of an ugly Week 1 showing against the Steelers, Cousins has gracefully returned to form following a devastating Achilles injury that cost him the majority of the 2023 season. His accuracy has been excellent, he's on the same page as all of his top targets (Drake London, Darnell Mooney, Kyle Pitts) and has generally been the stabilizing force the Falcons wanted him to be when they brough him in free agency to succeed Desmond Ridder as their starting QB.   

Honorable Mentions: J.K. Dobbins (Chargers), Sam Darnold (Vikings), Damar Hamlin (Bills)

Mid-Season All-Pro Team

Quarterback

1st team: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

2nd team: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Running Back

1st team: Derrick Henry (Ravens), Saquon Barkley (Eagles)

2nd team: Josh Jacobs (Packers), Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

Wide Receiver

1st team: Justin Jefferson (Vikings), Zay Flowers (Ravens)

2nd team: Garrett Wilson (Jets), Nico Collins (Texans)

Tight End

1st team: George Kittle (49ers)

2nd team: Brock Bowers (Raiders) 

Tackle

1st team: Trenton Armstead (Dolphins), Penei Sewell (Lions)

2nd team: Tristian Wirfs (Buccaneers), Zach Tom (Packers)

Guard:

1st team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Trey Smith (Chiefs)

2nd team: Joe Thuney (Chiefs), Chris Lindstrom (Falcons)

Center:

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Aaron Brewer (Dolphins)

Defensive End

1st team: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), Myles Garrett (Browns)

2nd team: Nick Bosa (49ers), Trey Hendrickson (Bengals)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Dexter Lawrence (Giants), Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

2nd team: Chris Jones (Chiefs), Alim McNeill (Lions) 

Outside Linebacker

1st team: T.J. Watt (Steelers), Khalil Mack (Chargers)

2nd team: Jonathan Greenard (Vikings), Kyle Van Noy (Ravens)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Fred Warner (49ers), Logan Wilson (Bengals)

2nd team: Bobby Wagner (Commanders), Zack Baun (Eagles)

Cornerback

1st team: Zyon McCollum (Buccaneers), Marlon Humphrey (Ravens)

2nd team: D.J. Reed (Jets), Jalen Ramsey (Dolphins)

Safety

1st team: Kerby Joseph (Lions), Brian Branch (Lions)

2nd team: Xavier McKinney (Packers), Brandon Jones (Broncos) 

Kicker

1st team: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

2nd team: Austin Seibert (Commanders) 

Punter:

1st team: A.J. Cole (Raiders)

2nd team: Jack Fox (Lions)

Return Specialist:

1st team: Kalif Raymond (Lions)

2nd team: DeeJay Dallas (Cardinals)

Special Teamer:

1st team: Feleipe Franks (Panthers)

2nd team: Miles Killebrew (Steelers)

Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions:

AFC:

1.Chiefs

2.Bills

3.Ravens

4.Texans

5.Steelers

6.Chargers

7.Bengals

Wild Card:

Bills over Bengals

Ravens over Chargers

Steelers over Texans

Divisional Round:

Chiefs over Steelers

Bills over Ravens

Conference Championship:

Chiefs over Bills

NFC:

1.Lions

2.Falcons

3.Commanders

4.Cardinals

5.Packers

6.Vikings

7.Eagles

Wild Card:

Falcons over Eagles

Vikings over Commanders

Packers over Cardinals

Divisional Round:

Lions over Vikings

Falcons over Packers

Conference Championship:

Falcons over Lions

Super Bowl:

Chiefs over Falcons

2024 NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Kansas City Chiefs (8-0) Week 10 opponent: Denver Broncos

2.(2) Detroit Lions (7-1) Week 10 opponent: Houston Texans

3.(3) Buffalo Bills (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

4.(5) Baltimore Ravens (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

5.(6) Minnesota Vikings (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

6.(4) Green Bay Packers (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Bye

7.(9) Washington Commanders (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

8.(8) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Washington Commanders 

9.(10) Atlanta Falcons (6-3) Week 10 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

10.(11) Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

11.(7) Houston Texans (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Detroit Lions

12.(12) San Francisco 49ers (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

13.(14) Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Tennessee Titans

14.(16) Arizona Cardinals (5-4) Week 10 opponent: New York Jets

15.(13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) Week 10 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

16.(18) Los Angeles Rams (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins

17.(22) Cincinnati Bengals (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

18.(17) Denver Broncos (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

19.(15) Chicago Bears (4-4) Week 10 opponent: New England Patriots 

20.(19) Seattle Seahawks (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Bye 

21.(21) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Buffalo Bills

22.(20) Dallas Cowboys (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles 

23.(24) New York Jets (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

24.(26) Miami Dolphins (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

25.(25) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

26.(23) Cleveland Browns (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Bye

27.(31) Tennessee Titans (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

28.(28) New York Giants (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Carolina Panthers

29.(27) Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Bye

30.(30) New England Patriots (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Chicago Bears

31.(32) Carolina Panthers (2-7) Week 10 opponent: New York Giants

32.(29) New Orleans Saints (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2024 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals) 

Burrow has been terrific in nearly every game this season but hasn't put up too many monster lines. That wasn't the case this week however as he threw for 251 YDS and 5 TD's against the reeling Raiders at home. He'll have another chance to stuff the stat sheet this week against a Ravens team that he absolutely lit up (392 YDS/5 TD's) in Week 5.  

Honorable Mentions: Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

LVP: Kyler Murray (Cardinals) 

About the only thing Bears did well on Sunday against the Cardinals was contain Murray. The Cardinals signalcaller was held to 154 scoreless YDS through the air and just 6 YDS on the ground while also losing a fumble in the 2nd quarter. Murray should have a good chance of returning to his reliable QB1 level in a Week 10 showdown with the Jets.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Jared Goff (Lions), C.J. Stroud (Texans), Jordan Love (Packers)

Running Back

MVP: Saquon Barkley (Eagles) 

Barkley's dominant 2024 reached one of its highest heights thus far on Sunday afternoon/evening against the Jaguars. The veteran back was the engine of the Eagles offense in this surprising shootout against their former coach Doug Pederson's squad, registering 199 scrimmage YDS and 2 TD's on 30 touches (27 carries, 3 receptions). A lost fumble was the only thing preventing this from being a perfect performance. Pray for the 30th ranked Cowboys run D as they prepare to take on this unstoppable force in 5 days' time.   

Honorable Mentions: De'Von Achane (Dolphins), Derrick Henry (Ravens), Alvin Kamara (Saints)

LVP: Nick Chubb (Browns)

Chubb's bumpy return to action continued this week as he struggled to contribute (15 CAR/39 YDS, 1 REC/-4 YDS) against the Chargers stout defensive front in a blowout home loss for the Browns. He's been baptized in fire over the past 3 weeks with the Bengals/Ravens/Chargers matchups and his post-bye schedule doesn't soften up too much overall despite being bookended by dates with the Saints and Dolphins-which tentatively sets him up to be a questionable FLEX/RB3 option the rest out of the way. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Bucky Irving (Buccaneers), Tank Bigsby (Jaguars), Travis Etienne (Jaguars)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Zay Flowers (Ravens)

Flowers owners who were looking for his inexplicable TD drought to end got their wish as the Ravens WR1 found the endzone twice against the Broncos #1 pass D. Those endzone trips were the cherry on top of a monster afternoon for Flowers, who has now cleared 100+ YDS in 4 of the last 5 games after posting 127 YDS on just 5 receptions. While the presence of Diontae Johnson could hurt his target share once the ex-Panther gets acclimated to Todd Monken's system, Flowers should remain the clear cut WR1 in Baltimore-which would preserve his current surprising WR1 status in the fantasy realm.     

Honorable Mentions: Garrett Wilson (Jets), DeAndre Hopkins (Chiefs), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

LVP: Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts)

The return of his pal Joe Flacco did nothing to help Pittman Jr. break out of his slump as caught just 1-of-4 targets for 14 YDS against a burnable Vikings secondary. He has a brutal draw with the Bills strong secondary in Week 10, which makes him a really shaky start in any league that has less than 14 teams. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals), Puka Nacua (Rams), Xavier Worthy (Chiefs)

Tight End

MVP: Cade Otton (Buccaneers)

Jalen McMillan's absence after tweaking his hamstring in last Friday's practice only upped the stranglehold Otton has on the Bucs passing attack at the moment. The 3rd year tight end saw a season-high 11 targets, which he turned into 8 receptions for 77 YDS and a score in an OT loss versus the still undefeated Chiefs. Otton will look to keep rolling this Sunday against a 49ers defense that has allowed the 9th fewest points to tight ends this season. 

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Brock Bowers (Raiders), Trey McBride (Cardinals)

LVP: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

The unicorn that was a Kyle Pitts hot streak has met its demise after 4 games as the Falcons TE fell back to earth versus the Cowboys, catching his lone target for 11 YDS. Pitts would likely be among the top beneficiaries from a potential Drake London absence-who left Sunday's game early with a hip pointer-so keep an eye on the injury reports this week as they gear up to play the Saints.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Sam LaPorta (Lions), Cole Kmet (Bears), Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Chargers

After avoiding disaster in his first start, Jameis Winston put up a vintage Jameis Winston performance against the Chargers. The league's top ranked scoring defense baited Winston into embracing the worst of his gunslinger tendencies by pressuring the shit out of him-which resulted in him taking 6 sacks and throwing 3 picks. The S/T also chipped in for this fantasy feast with a blocked FG in their 27-10 victory. They have another juicy matchup on the docket this week when they take on the turnover-happy, pass block-challenged Titans.  

Honorable Mentions: Jets, Vikings, Ravens

LVP: Broncos

Is there talent on the Broncos defense? No question. Have their defensive metrics to start this season been inflated on account of their extremely soft schedule? Absolutely. This was backed up by the absolute trashing they took at the hands of the elite Ravens offense, who hung a whopping 41 points on them while they logged 0 takeaways and just 1 sack. While it probably won't look this bad again, this week's matchup with the Chiefs probably won't be a picnic either.    

Dishonorable Mentions: Chiefs, Bills, Saints  

Judy Greer Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Judy Greer-whose latest project "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" releases in theaters on Thursday. 

Judy Greer's Filmography Ranked:

26.Tommorowland (D-)

25.Adaptation (D-)

24.The 15:17 to Paris (D+)

23.The Village (D+)

22.Jeff, Who Lives at Home (C-)

21.War for the Planet of the Apes (C-)

20.The Wedding Planner (C)

19.The Hebrew Hammer (C+)

18.Wilson (C+)

17.Where'd You Go, Bernadette (B-)

16.13 Going on 30 (B-)

15.Love & Other Drugs (B-)

14.Uncle Frank (B)

13.Ant-Man and the Wasp (B)

12.Entourage (B)

11.Buffaloed (B)

10.Ant-Man (B)

9.Halloween Kills (B)

8.Jurassic World (B)

7.Grandma (B)

6.Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (B)

5.Our Souls at Night (B+)

4.Halloween (B+)

3.Three Kings (B+)

2.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 (A)

1.The Descendants (A)

Top Dog: The Descendants (2011)

While The Descendants has kind of been relegated to minor status in the acclaimed filmography of Alexander Payne, it'll always be one of my favorites of his. The way that it goes about handling the collection of conflicting strong emotions that come with finding out a damaging secret about a loved one in the aftermath of a tragedy (in this case, the husband and two daughters of a woman in a coma following a boating accident discover that she's been having an affair) is really mature and honest, Payne knows when to play into the emotional elements of the family drama and when to add levity with a comedic moment and the deeply vulnerable performances from George Clooney and Shailene Woodley remain among the strongest they've ever committed to screen.     

Bottom Feeder: Tomorrowland (2015)

Even after the phenomenal success of Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 21 years ago, the bar for Disney films based on attractions from their amusement parks remains pretty low. There's just no universe where movie adaptations inspired by rides aimed to provide children with a few minutes of fleeting fun are shooting for the stars. Wherever the bar for these films is currently set at, Tomorrowland lands well below it. How modern animation legend Brad Bird went from making one of the standout entries in the Mission-Impossible entries in Ghost Protocol on his first foray into live action filmmaking to crashing and burning in spectacular fashion with this comically convoluted snoozer on his second go-round is the kind of head-scratcher that just doesn't compute no matter hard you try to make sense of it. Tomorrowland was such a failure creatively and finically that Bird may've even permanently retreated back to the world of animation (Incredibles 2 is the only film he's put out since and he's currently working on his longtime passion project Ray Gunn with Skydance), which would be a shame since he flashed a great feel for blockbuster filmmaking on Ghost Protocol and almost certainly would've made some cool stuff in the future.           

Most Underrated: Our Souls at Night (2017)

This lovely film about two elderly widowed neighbors (Robert Redford, Jane Fonda) who agree to spend time with each other to combat their loneliness is one of the earliest cases of a Netflix original getting promptly buried by their stupid fucking algorithm before it was able to find an audience. It's a really moving drama that is powered by the beautiful work longtime collaborators Redford and Fonda do together to sell the tenderness and healing power of their unique relationship. 

Most Overrated: Adaptation (2002)

Not even Nicolas Cage going beast mode in a dual role can do anything to help remove Adaptation's head from the deepest crevasses of its own ass. The movie's entire conceit of telling a story that's highbrow to start and lowbrow to finish is one of the smuggest creative choices I've ever seen a movie make and that alone is enough to make Adaptation an absolutely insufferable watch.