Confusion reigns as the Buffalo Bills suffer an unexpected defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos. My wife and I stuck to our winning routine from the previous victory over Jacksonville—donning the same Bills attire, sitting on the same couches, and enjoying the same beverages: bourbon for me and wine for her. I even carried five lucky buffalo nickels in my pocket. In a move to change our fortune, my wife’s colleague parted with an “unlucky” Bills sweatshirt, once owned by her father-in-law, hoping it would usher in a win. Despite these efforts, we faced disappointment. Such is the life of a Bills fan, accustomed to the highs and inevitable lows. Yet, my devotion remains unshaken. As the now-former coach Sean McDermott passionately declared post-loss, “I’m standing up for Buffalo, dammit. I’m standing up for all of us.” Go Bills!
As we gear up for the Final Four of the NFL season this Sunday, the Seahawks, Rams, Broncos, and Patriots are set to battle for their spots in Super Bowl LX. Which players will shine in the fantasy league? Let’s dive into the predictions.
CHAMPS!
Quarterback Matthew Stafford at Seahawks — Stafford, arguably the top quarterback remaining in the playoffs, is familiar with the Seahawks’ turf. In his last Seattle outing, he racked up three touchdowns and 457 yards. Expect Stafford to push the pace and challenge the Seahawks, who may attempt to control the game with their running strategy.
Quarterback Drake Maye at Broncos — As the second-best quarterback left in the postseason, Maye impressed by throwing three touchdown passes against the Texans. Denver’s defense has shone against lesser teams, but if not for Josh Allen’s turnovers, the Broncos might have been on their couches watching the playoffs instead.
Running Back Kenneth Walker III vs. Rams — Walker demonstrated his potential last week, no longer needing to share the field with Zach “Box Wine” Charbonnet, who is out for the season with a knee injury. With 19 carries for 116 yards, Walker set season highs and is poised to surpass 100 yards with a touchdown or two this week.
Wide Receiver Puka Nacua at Seahawks — Stay loyal to Nacua, who boasts 35 catches for 500 yards and three touchdowns in five encounters with the Seahawks, including 225 yards and two touchdowns in his latest performance. Expect him to maintain this impressive record in the upcoming game.
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs. Rams — Sit back and watch an airshow between the Rams and Seahawks that would make the Seattle-based Boeing aircraft company jealous. In four games against the Rams, JSN has 28 receptions for 390 yards and three TDs.
TE Evan Engram vs. Patriots — Injuries to WRs Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant leave a lot of volume for Engram. He will be Jarrett Stidham’s security blanket, and I expect the Broncos to throw plenty while playing from behind.
CHUMPS!
QB Sam Darnold vs. Rams — The worst defense left in the playoffs belongs to the Rams. Curiously, in his two games against them, Darnold has tossed just one TD. Fighting an oblique injury that limited him to only 17 pass attempts last week, the Seahawks will lean on Walker III in attempt to keep Stafford, Nacua and Davante Adams off the field.
QB Jarrett Stidham vs. Patriots — A former New England 4th-round draft pick, there’s not a lot of tape on Stiddy. He’s a pocket passer who moves well, can extend plays and is not afraid to run the ball. Can he be the next Nick Foles or Jeff Hostetler, backup QBs who led their teams to the Super Bowl? If the Patriots put enough pressure on him, the answer is no.
RB Blake Corum at Seahawks — In the timeshare with Kyren Williams, Corum needs to score on the ground to be a viable starter against Seattle, who have allowed five rushing TDs all year. The best you can hope for is an 10-point outing for Blake. Look elsewhere.
RB J.K. Dobbins vs. Patriots — If Dobbins (check status) returns from injury, avoid him. The Broncos are down to their third-string center. That’s bad news facing a Pats team that’s allowed a paltry 93 yards rushing combined to RBs in their last three games.
WR Troy Franklin vs. Patriots — A WR who relies on acceleration and sharp route running needs healthy hamstrings to do so. If he plays (check status), Franklin will most likely not be 100%.
WR Cooper Kupp vs. Rams — In another revenge game for Kupp, can he get some scraps if the Rams double cover Nacua? His four catches in his last two games against Seattle screams “no.”
TE Adam Trautman vs. Patriots — If they award points for blocking, Trautman is your guy.
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
I can’t see Stidham beating potential MVP Maye, can you? Patriots 30, Broncos 14
Running the ball and the 12th Man crowd sends Seattle to the Super Bowl. Seahawks 28, Rams 24
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Bill Reinhard is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and a columnist for FantasyGuru.com.
