Fantasy Football Writers
Lisa Ann
Mike Beacom
Dennis Bennett
JJ Buck
Tod Burros
Jamie Calandro
Matthew Cherrin
Joe COLONNA
Isaac Cruz
Gary Davenport
Michael Dubner
Kyle Dvorchak
Matt Falkow
Bobby Gomes
Adam Hall
Bob Harris
Dave Hunter
Jaime Inchaurrandieta
Reginald James
KC Joyner
Emil Kadlec
Emil Kadlec
Brad Kruse
John Laub
Justin Lonero
Armando Marsal
Alex McCarthy
Damon Moffa
Jeremy Munter
Stacy Perez
Adam Pfeifer
Drew Phelps
Tera Roberts
Jen Ryan
Jake Schwanitz
Travis Spieth
Chad Stapley
Bryan Steimetz
Marcella Surra
Evan Tarracciano
Carl Tempesta
Michael Valverde
Gary Davenport
The Shadow Knows Week 16 (12/22/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 16
Neither the Washington Commanders nor the New York Jets will receive the gift of a playoff trip this year. Next year is shaky at best. But even bad teams have good players, and the Commanders and Jets have at least two in Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin and New
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IDPWeek16-dfs (12/21/2023)
DB Week 16
1. Derwin James vs. BUF: Rising up the chartsnow 10th among defensive backs in points
2. Antoine Winfield vs. JAX: Leads all defensive backs in fantasy points this season
3. Jessie Bates vs. IND: Ranks second among defensive backs i
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The Shadow Knows Week 15 (12/15/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 15
This analyst has a confession to make.
No, not about that. Or that other thing. Yall need to get your minds out of the gutter. And no, I dont murder random people in Canton at the Fantasy Football Expo every year so I can steal their sneakers.
Even by my stan
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The Shadow Knows Week 14 (12/8/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 14
For much of the 2023 season, DaRon Bland of the Dallas Cowboys has been the talk of the NFL at the cornerback position. In just his second season, Bland set a new NFL record by returning five interceptions for touchdowns. Bland has intercepted a whopping 13 passes in 2
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The Shadow Knows Week 13 (12/1/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 13
At 6-5, the Houston Texans are one of more surprising teams in the NFL. The engine of that surprise has been rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has been setting records left and right and is on pace to become the first rookie in league history to throw for 5,000 yards
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The Shadow Knows Week 12 (11/24/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 12
Back in Week 3, the Denver defense allowed the Miami Dolphins to tally 70 points and 726 yards of offense. It was a historically embarrassing performance that certainly gave the impression the 2023 Broncos were headed nowhere fast.
Fast forward two months, and the B
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The Shadow Knows Week 11 (11/17/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 11
You may not have heard, but the final game of Week 11 is rather a big one. In front of what is certain to be a ridiculously raucous crowd at Arrowhead Stadium, the teams who faced off in the last Super Bowl will do battle when the 7-2 Kansas City Chiefs battle the 8-1
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The Shadow Knows Week 10 (11/10/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 10
To watch the Las Vegas Raiders puffing cigars after last weeks blowout of a miserable New York Giants team, youd think Vegas had clinched a playoff spot and not won just their fourth game of 2023. Apparently, thats just the effect that Josh McDaniels being run out of t
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 9 (11/3/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 9
NFL fans are going to have to get up early to check out of the biggest games of Week 9, as the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins do battle at Frankfurt Stadium (those Germans and their creative stadium names) on Sunday.
On some level, thats appropriatebecause at le
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 8 (10/27/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 8
It might seem odd that an article like this would lead off with the titanic struggle between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tennessee Titans. But if this column is supposed to be about shadow coverage, then thats where we should start. Because heres the thing
Shadow cov
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 7 (10/20/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 7
If you like fireworks, then youre going to love Sunday night.
Because the fourth of July is coming early.
Sunday nights matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles is loaded with star power at the wide receiver and cornerback positions. The visiting
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 6 (10/13/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 6
Its not that often that a player enters the NFL with a nickname that sticks. Plenty have them in college, but once you hit the NFL you have to earn that catchy moniker. Show that you belong among the best of the best.
Ahmad Gardner of the New York Jets has done thatt
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 5 (10/6/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 5
The most interesting duel between cornerback and wide receiver in Week 5 just so happens to take place in the final game of Week 5. It also just so happens to involve a pair of players who used to be teammates.
When the Green Bay Packers travel to Allegiant Stadium t
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 4 (9/29/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 4
There are two times a season when there is no question which cornerback vs. wide receiver matchup is going to lead off The Shadow Knows.
If the New Orleans Saints are playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it has to be Tampa wideout Mike Evans and Saints cornerback Marsho
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 3 (9/22/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 3
I have information that I have to share with you, Dear Reader. Information that may shock you. Make you question everything you have ever believed, even.
Im wrong sometimes. And in 2023, it appears I was wrong about Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.
T
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 2 (9/15/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 2
If their Week 1 dismemberment of the New York Giants is any indication, the Dallas Cowboys just might have the best defense in the NFL. And while edge-rusher Micah Parsons is certainly a big part of that, so is arguably the best duo at cornerback in the league in vete
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The Shadow Knows Week 1 2023 (9/8/2023)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 1
The most-hyped game of Week 1 of the 2023 season also happens to be the last game of the week. As a matter of fact, its the most-hyped game for the New York Jets in---ever?
As you may have heard, Aaron Rodgers has come to town.
There has been about eleventeen millio
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Super-Sleepers The Late-Round Values Who Will Win Leagues in 2023 test (9/2/2023)
The 2023 NFL season is almost here. In just one week, the Detroit Lions will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in the Thursday night opener. And when that game begins, so will another season of fantasy football. Now, most fantasy leagues have already drafted. Their teams are already assembled
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Super-Sleepers The Late-Round Values Who Will Win Leagues in 2023 (9/2/2023)
Super-Sleepers: The Late-Round Values Who Will Win Leagues in 2023 (8/30/2023)
The 2023 NFL season is almost here. In just one week, the Detroit Lions will travel to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in the Thursday night opener. And when that game begins, so will another season of fantasy football.
Now, most fantasy leagues have already drafted. Their teams are already assemb
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Navigating the Unprecedented Fantasy RB Landscape in 2023 (8/26/2023)
There was a time not that long ago when running backs were the unquestioned kings of fantasy football. The first round was dominated by the position. If you didnt have a strong stable of running backs, you were cooked-simple as that.
But the times have changed. For the first time in recent memory
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Pitfall Players Who Will Sink Your Fantasy Squad This Season 2023 (8/24/2023)
Pitfall Players Who Will Sink Your Fantasy Squad This Season
By Gary Davenport
In some respects, fantasy football drafters are like Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Drafters are attempting to navigate the ancient temple that is draft day and secure the treasures that are valuable fantas
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The 10 Players You Must Target in Fantasy Drafts in 2023 (8/17/2023)
The NFL preseason is now fully underway, and that means that fantasy draft season has officially kicked into high gear. We have already seen one weekend of preseason action that has altered some perceptions in fantasy circles-it appears that Devin Singletary will be little more than a true handcuff
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FANTASY FOOTBALL RISERS AND FALLERS AS DRAFT SEASON RAMPS UP 2023 (8/9/2023)
FANTASY FOOTBALL RISERS AND FALLERS AS DRAFT SEASON RAMPS UP 2023 By Gary Davenport
Its no secret that fantasy football drafts are all about getting value-selecting players who will outperform their draft slot while avoiding the ones who will fail to meet expectations. The thing is though, where
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What Fantasy Draft Strategy is Best in 2023? (8/3/2023)
Not that long ago, there was essentially one fantasy draft strategy. Sure, sometimes people would draft a quarterback or wide receiver early. Maybe even a tight end if they were really feeling froggy. But the early rounds of drafts were all about one thing-banging the running back position. Running
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BRAVE NEW WORLD 2023 (7/6/2023)
Why Fantasy Draft Strategy is More Wide-Open Than Ever
Not that long ago, there was one prevailing fantasy draft strategy. Fantasy managers hammered away at the running back position early. It wasnt at all unusual to see nine or even 10 backs selected in the first round.
But the NFL is const
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Zoltan Fantasy Football Sleepers 2023 (7/5/2023)
More Infallible Fantasy Football Predictions from an Exceptionally Fallible Clairvoyant
Over the past five years, this magazine has featured the predictions of Zoltan the All-Knowing, otherwise known (especially to law enforcement) as Zoltan Zamfirescu, a Romanian soothsayer who was gifted psyc
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The Shadow Knows Week 18 2022 (1/6/2023)
The New York Jets enter Week 18 a disappointed franchise-after a 7-4 start the Jets have lost five straight games and were eliminated from the playoffs in Seattle last week. But in reality, not many expected the Jets to win even seven games, and in cornerback Ahmad Sauce Gardner and wide receiver
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The Shadow Knows Week 17 2022 (12/30/2022)
After falling in San Francisco last week for their second straight loss, the 7-7-1 Washington Commanders are clinging to the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC. The team is shaking things up in an effort to get back on the right track this week against the Cleveland Browns, going back to Cars
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The Shadow Knows Week 16 2022 (12/23/2022)
Its Christmas time, and all over the place folks are hoping that they receive that most special of gifts from Santa Claus. NFL teams may be filled with millionaires, but those players are no different. However, what those players want does differ.
The Philadelphia Eagles want a healthy Jalen Hu
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The Shadow Knows Week 15 2022 (12/16/2022)
As it turns out, Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is pretty good at catching a football.
Before Jefferson even played last week against the Detroit Lions, he had already set an NFL record for the most receiving yards over a players first three seasons. Just to make sure that everyone und
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The Shadow Knows Week 14 2022 (12/9/2022)
The New York Jets have backslid a bit of late, dropping two of three since the bye week. But by any reasonable estimation, at 7-5 Gang Green has exceeded expectations. And the teams rookie class has played a big role in the teams success. In fact, theres a real chance that the Jets could accomplis
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The Shadow Knows Week 13 2022 (12/2/2022)
Any time the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet, theres no question who will lead off The Shadow Knows. Because where matchups between cornerbacks and wide receivers go, nothing beats Marshon Lattimore vs. Mike Evans.
Now, as the Buccaneers prepare to host the Saints on Monday night
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The Shadow Knows Week 12 2022 (11/25/2022)
The Green Bay Packers are running short on good news these days.
As the Packers head to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in a primetime tilt, they do so as losers of six of their last seven games. Green Bay is in danger of missing the postseason for the first time since 2018, in part because th
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The Shadow Knows Week 11 2022 (11/18/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 11
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
After falling to the Washington Commanders last Monday night, the Philadelphia Eagles are undefeated no more. It was an ugly loss-especially considering that the Eagles were fresh off a bye week. The offense couldnt stay on the field. T
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The Shadow Knows Week 10 2022 (11/11/2022)
The time has come. It has been earned through hard work and sweat and performance on the field at the games highest level. This is the moment that every young player works for. One that can never be taken away from him.
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen has made the intro for The Shadow Kn
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The Shadow Knows Week 9 2022 (11/4/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 9
The Seattle Seahawks are one of the surprise success stories of 2022, and a big part of the reason that quarterback Geno Smith has played well is the presence of wide receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. After the Seahawks got a big win against the New York Giants in W
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The Shadow Knows Week 8 2022 (10/28/2022)
There isnt a lot going right for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. Star running back Jonathan Taylor has been on the shelf a large chunk of the season. The Matt Ryan era in Indy lasted all of seven games, and now the team is turning to a completely untested and unproven quarterback in Sam Ehlinger. Af
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The Shadow Knows Week 7 2022 (10/21/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 7
It was just a matter of time. Despite something of a slow start to the season, it was a foregone conclusion that sooner or later, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver JaMarr Chase was going to go off. And last week in his New Orleans homecoming, Chase did just that-seven catc
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The Shadow Knows Week 6 2022 (10/14/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 6
The 2022 season hasnt quite started according to plan for wide receiver JaMarr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are 2-3, and through five games Chase has caught a modest (by his standards) 32 catches for 343 yards and two touchdowns. However, as Geoff Hobson
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The Shadow Knows Week 5 2022 (10/7/2022)
Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell has had quite the rollercoaster of a first four games of the 2022 season.
After really coming into his own in his second season, many expected that Terrell would take his place among the leagues best at the position. Instead, over the first two weeks of the
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The Shadow Knows Week 4 2022 (9/30/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 4
As it turns out, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may not be a pass-catching robot from the future after all.
After humiliating the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 to the tune of 184 yards and two touchdowns on nine catches back in Week 1, Jefferson has jus
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The Shadow Knows Week 3 2022 (9/23/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 3
Well, last weeks latest installment of the rivalry between Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans and New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore didnt disappoint-if you like some boxing with your football.
The second-half fracas between the duo earned Evans
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 2 2022 (9/16/2022)
Its Justin Jeffersons world. The rest of us are just taking up space in it.
Last week, one of the premier wide receiver vs. cornerback matchups was Minnesotas star wide receiver vs. Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander-a player that some consider the leagues best at his position. Granted,
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 1 2022 (9/9/2022)
Theres no denying, as we begin another season of fantasy football, that matchups play a huge part in this pastime/hobby/obsession that we all love. Over the next several months, millions of words will be written and spoken about players that are going to blow up or bust because of them.
Heres anoth
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The 10 Biggest Must-Draft and Must-Avoid Fantasy Football Players of 2022 (7/9/2022)
This magazine serves a number of purposes (no, lining a birdcage is not one of those purposes -- at least not yet). Chief among those purposes is providing fantasy managers with a list of players to target when draft-day rolls around.
Simply put, drafters are looking for value. Looking for player
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 18 2021 (1/6/2022)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 18
It has been quite a while since we saw a cornerback like Trevon Diggs of the Dallas Cowboys.
If Diggs can intercept two passes in the season finale Saturday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, then the second-year pro would tie the single-season record for picks wi
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 17 2021 (12/31/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 17
Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings has had quite the start to his professional career. As a matter of fact, after hauling in eight passes for 116 yards last week against the Los Angeles Rams, Jefferson has more receiving yards over his first two seasons than any p
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 16 2021 (12/23/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 16
Every year, Schedule Santa leaves fans of the NFL some gifts. No sooner does the schedule come out than fans start circling the seasons biggest matchups. Meetings with rivals. Potential Super Bowl previews.
Well, the leagues players are fans too in a way, and as Kevin
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 15 2021 (12/17/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 15
There are some certainties in life. Death. Taxes. In 2021, players landing on the COVID-19 list at the worst possible time (what a brutal week). And in this column, the intro being about Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Marson Lattimore of the New Orleans Saints.
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 14 2021 (12/9/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 14
As we get to this late point in the season, plenty of games take on added importance. And none on the slate are bigger than the last one. On Monday night, the Arizona Cardinals will host the Rams in a game with massive implications in the division. If the Rams can avenge t
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 13 2021 (12/3/2021)
There is no shortage of games in Week 13 with major postseason implications. But the biggest game of the week is undoubtedly the final one-a battle for first place in the AFC East between the visiting New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills.
Its a game that features two of the NFLs best defens
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 12 2021 (11/26/2021)
Sometimes it only takes a quick glance at the NFL schedule to see what the weeks marquee matchup will be. But since the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions have already played, well have to settle here for the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers meeting at Lambeau Field.
Kidding aside, why the hel
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 11 2021 (11/19/2021)
When it comes to consistency at the wide receiver position, youd be hard-pressed to find a better example than Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With 606 yards and nine scores through nine games, Evans is on pace to notch his eighth 1,000-yard season (in as many years) and his fourth year wi
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 10 2021 (11/12/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 10
One of the biggest cornerback vs. wide receiver battles of Week 9 took place in Los Angeles, when cornerback Jalen Ramsey and the Rams locked horns with wide receiver A.J. Brown and the Tennessee Titans.
The Titans won the game in emphatic fashion, but Brown didnt post
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 9 2021 (11/4/2021)
The two teams playing on Sunday night in Week 9 had very interesting weeks.
In Tennessee, the Titans were rocked by the news that star running back Derrick Henry would need surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. The injury is almost certainly season-ending, and it elevates wide receiver A.J.
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 8 2021 (10/29/2021)
When it comes to intercepting passes in 2021, its Trevon Diggs world-other cornerbacks just live in it.
The second-year pro is on a historic rip to open the season. In all six of his games so far this season, Diggs has intercepted at least one pass. He has seven total already this year, two of wh
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 7 2021 (10/22/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 7
Its not unheard of for an NFL player to get a massive payday and then see his level of play fall off. That has not been the case with New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore. As a matter of fact, since signing a five-year, $97.6 million extension just before the s
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 6 2021 (10/14/2021)
One of the biggest contests across the NFL will take place in Baltimore, where the 4-1 Los Angeles Chargers and 4-1 Ravens will meet in a battle for AFC bragging rights. The game features some of the hottest offensive players in the NFL, and right now none are hotter than Chargers wideout Mike Willi
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 5 2021 (10/8/2021)
Sunday in the nations capital when the New Orleans Saints take on the Washington Football Team, two of the very best in the league at their respective positions will square off-and they just so happen to be old friends and former teammates.
Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin and New Orleans
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 4 2021 (10/1/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 4
Theres an old saying that familiarity breeds contempt. If thats the case, then Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey most assuredly do not exchange Christmas cards.
Dating back to Hopkins time with the Houston Texa
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 3 2021 (9/24/2021)
Theres little question what the marquee matchup of Week 3 is. On Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium, the NFLs highest-scoring offense in 2021 will face the NFLs stingiest defense from 2020 in a potential NFC Championship Game preview when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers square off with the Los Angeles Rams.
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 2 2021 (9/17/2021)
Who says you cant go home again?
After a 10-year stint with the Arizona Cardinals that included eight trips to the Pro Bowl, Patrick Peterson joined the Minnesota Vikings in free agency. Now, just two weeks into his stint in the twin cities, the 31-year-old quarterback is headed back to Arizona t
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 1 2021 (9/9/2021)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 1
Allen Robinson needs a hug.
Whether it has been in Jacksonville or in Chicago, Robinson has made a career of being one of the leagues most dependable wide receivers despite a poo-poo platter of bad quarterback play. Robinson caught 80 passes for 1,400 yards with Blake Bo
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How To Win Your IDP League 2021 (8/5/2021)
In the modern NFL, offense is king. But defense wins championships.
They can tilt the rules to benefit the offense all they want, but the Buccaneers didnt jackhammer the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV because of Tommy Terrific and Gronk. Tampa stomped Kansas City because Jason Pierre-Paul, Devin White a
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Round-by-Round Draft Strategies to Win the Title in 2021 (8/4/2021)
In fantasy football, there are as many draft strategies as there are annoying reality TV shows. Seriously, do we really need 10 different Real Housewives shows? Really?
Theres Robust RB, which is essentially the old-school approach of hitting running backs early and often. Theres Zero RB, which i
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The Fantabulous 4 2021 (8/4/2021)
One Must-Roster Player at Every Position
Dating all the way back to the release of the first Spider Man movie in 2002 (the one with Tobey Maguire and the upsidedown smooch), Americas imagination has been captured by superhero movies. When Marvel Studios released Captain America: The First Avenger
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 17 2020 (12/31/2020)
Quite a few NFL teams are in the same position as most fantasy managers-the 2020 regular season is over, even if theres a game to play. A fortunate few have secured a playoff seed that allows them to rest players in Week 17. Several others have nothing to play for this week-and as a result to reason
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 16 2020 (12/24/2020)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 16
In just his second NFL season, DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks is already a star.
Metcalf was one of seven Seahawks players who was named to the Pro Bowl this week, and with good reason-Metcalf has piled up 74 catches for 1,223 yards (third in the NFL) and 10 touch
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 15 2020 (12/18/2020)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 15
As the NFL regular season nears the finish line, the calendar expands-the last few weeks of the year features some Saturday action.
There are a pair of Saturday games this week, and the one in Green Bay features one of the better wide receiver vs. cornerback matchups
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 14 2020 (12/11/2020)
Darius Slay of the Philadelphia Eagles needs a hug.
That the veteran cornerback is nursing knee and calf injuries is the least of his problems. Slay is headed into the third game of a five-game gauntlet against some of the leagues absolute best wide receivers. First, it was DK Metcalf of the Seat
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 13 2020 (12/4/2020)
The introduction to this column is essentially turning into a DK Metcalf lovefest.
Last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, Metcalf squared off against yet another big-name cornerback in Darius Slay. And as has been the result with just about everyone whose name was not Jalen Ramsey, Metcalf we
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 12 2020 (11/26/2020)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 12
Its a big week both for NFL teams and fantasy managers as the playoff push hits high gear, And as folks across America try to shake off the tryptophan and put down the pie (you will have to pry my pie from my cold, dead fingers, pal) the Sunday night showcase game feat
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 11 2020 (11/20/2020)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 11
Two of the best games of Week 11 bookend the slate, The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks battled for NFC West supremacy on Thursday night, while the Los Angeles Rams will attempt to keep pace on Monday night when they travel to face the 7-3 Buccaneers in Tampa.
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 10 2020 (11/13/2020)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 10
Jalen Ramsey of the Los Angeles Rams may well be the first cornerback in the NFL. His level of play in 2020 makes a pretty compelling argument that he is. But the 26-year-old isnt a true shadow corner.
In fact, sometimes he isnt a cornerback at all.
As Gary Klein r
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 9 2020 (11/6/2020)
The 2020 season has been DK Metcalfs coming-out party.
Through seven games, the second-year pos has hauled in 36 of 59 targets for 680 yards and seven touchdowns. He ranks fourth in the NFL in both receiving yards and yards per game. No wide receiver with more than 20 catches averages more yards
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 8 2020 (10/30/2020)
There are a number of big matchups across the NFL in Week 8-but none are bigger than the AFC North showdown between the 6-0 Pittsburgh Steelers and 5-1 Baltimore Ravens at MT Bank Stadium. And while that contest doesnt feature any true shadow matchups, it still has plenty of drama involving cornerba
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 7 2020 (10/23/2020)
One of the biggest games on the Week 7 slate takes place in Los Angeles, where the 4-2 Rams will host the 5-1 Chicago Bears. Because of course the Bears have only lost one games despite ranking 28th in the league in total offense and 27th in scoring.
It is 2020, after all.
Where the passing ga
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 6 2020 (10/16/2020)
To say that the Dallas Cowboys are reeling is the mother of all understatements.
The 2020 season had already started in rough fashion for the Cowboys, who opened the season 1-3-largely due to a defense that couldnt stop anyone. As it turns out, that leaky defense is the least of Dallas problems
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 5 2020 (10/9/2020)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 5
Terry McLaurin needs a hug.
Despite playing with an assemblage of quarterbacks for which below average would be the kindest possible assessment, in a season and change McLaurin has gone from a relatively unheralded Day 2 pick from Ohio State To one of the most prolif
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 4 2020 (10/2/2020)
When youre the defending Super Bowl champs, every opponent gives you their best shot. Youre the team everyone wants to beat. And you have to face a first-place schedule.
After dismantling a 14-win Ravens team in Baltimore last week, the 2020 Kansas City Chiefs dont appear even slightly interested
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 3 2020 (9/25/2020)
On November 19, 2018, the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles played in arguably the best Monday Night Football game in history-a 54-51 brouhaha that was the shootout to end all shootouts. It was the second-highest scoring NFL game ever and the first time in NFL history that two teams scored over 50
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 2 2020 (9/18/2020)
The Houston Texans are cursed. Either that, or Bill O' Brien owes the guy who draws up the NFL's schedule money.
Whatever the reason, Houston's schedule to open 2020 is beyond brutal. After facing the defensing Super Bowl champions on the road (and losing by two scores), the Texans get to come ho
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 1 2020 (9/11/2020)
It got largely forgotten in the postseason madness that followed last year, but in Week 17 of the 2019 season, the Miami Dolphins knocked off the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. It cost the Pats a Round 1 bye-and set the stage for Tennessees upset of the (then) defending champions the foll
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2020 IDP RANKINGS AND ANALYSIS (8/30/2020)
2020 IDP RANKINGS AND ANALYSIS
Were in the home stretch of fantasy draft season. The first game of the 2020 NFL season is less than two weeks away, and just two more weekends of drafting remain-the busiest two weekends of the year.
The tension! The intrigue! The drama!
With boatloads of fanta
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Zoltan Lives The All-Knowing Offers Cant-Miss Fantasy Winners and Losers for 2020 (8/9/2020)
As everyone knows, in each of the past two years I have presented the prognostications of Zoltan Zamfirescu, also known as “Zoltan the All-Knowing” – the Romanian soothsayer who was gifted psychic abilities when he was struck by lightning while talking on his cell phone riding in a bus that went off
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20 Tips for Winning A Fantasy Championship in 2020 (8/9/2020)
If youre reading this article, its probably for one of two reasons. The first is that you are a cognoscenti of fine literature, and its a well-known fact that when it comes to the written word, its hard to top a fantasy football magazine.
Its true. I read it on the internet and if its on the int
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Backaholica 2020 (8/9/2020)
The Ultimate Guide to Fantasy Footballs Most Important Position
For many years, running backs were the unquestioned kings of fantasy football. The first round was all about grabbing the best running back available. It wasnt a matter of whether or not the first pick for a fantasy manager would be
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 17 2019 (12/27/2019)
Devante Parker of the Miami Dolphins is the living embodiment of how weird fantasy football is-and by extension how unpredictable the NFL can be.
At the beginning of 2019, Parker was a massive disappointment in the NFL and a punchline in the fantasy community. After several swings at the annual e
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 165 2019 (12/20/2019)
After a summer of draft prep and research and a fall and winter of lineup management, waiver pickups and trade offers, its finally here.
In most fantasy football leagues, its championship week. Only two teams remain standing, and by the time the clock winds down at US Bank Stadium one will have b
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 15 2019 (12/13/2019)
Week 15 brings with it huge stakes both in the NFL and in fantasy football. In the latter, its the semifinals in most leagues. Four teams will enter the week. Two will play on after-for the title next week.
In the NFL, the regular season isnt quite over yet. But for some teams, the postseason has
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 14 2019 (12/6/2019)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 14 Its Week 14-the first week of the fantasy football postseason in most leagues and the final week of the regular season in others. If youre playing for anything but pride in Week 14, the math is easy enough-score more points than the other dude (or dudette) or the seasons ov
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 13 2019 (11/29/2019)
This is a week about giving thanks. In fantasy football, its also one of the biggest weeks of the year-the final week of the fantasy regular season. For quite a few fantasy owners, that means the playoffs have already essentially started. Win in Week 13, and you move on to play in Week 14.
Lose,
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 12 2019 (11/22/2019)
There are no shortage of big matchups across the NFL in Week 12. One of the biggest takes place at Gillette Stadium, where a pair of first-place teams jockeying for playoff position will lock horns when the Dallas Cowboys meet the New England Patriots.
It's also a classic battle of offense vs. de
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 11 2019 (11/15/2019)
In more than a few cases, where showdowns between the NFLs best cornerbacks and receivers are concerned, Week 11 is defined as much by the matchups that arent happening as the ones that are. Whether its banged-up ball-catchers or dinged-up defenders, injuries have taken a toll at both the cornerback
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 10 2019 (11/8/2019)
From an NFL perspective, the biggest game of Week 10 is taking place Monday night in San Francisco between the undefeated San Francisco 49ers and 7-2 Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara.
But from a fantasy perspective, Sunday is all about the NFC South-specifically the return to action of offensive s
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 9 2019 (11/1/2019)
There isnt much I dont hate about London games.
I know that many fans welcome the UK games that start at 9:30 AM ET, as this weeks tilt between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars will. But as someone who covers the league full-time and is already on from the moment the 1 PM games start unt
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 8 2019 (10/25/2019)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 8
The New England Patriots defense is playing at an absolutely ridiculous level-the Pats lead the NFL in a plethora from statistical categories, from total yards to takeaways. And while that defense is playing well in every way and at every level, the engine that's made
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 7 2019 (10/18/2019)
So, I hear that there was a trade or two in the NFL this week.
And by "trade or two in the NFL this week," I mean "the Los Angeles Rams dropped a bunker buster on their secondary."
First, the Rams sent former Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters to the Baltimore Ravens for reserve linebacker Kenn
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 6 2019 (10/11/2019)
The first Sunday game of the Week 6 slate takes place across the Atlantic in London, and while a 9:30 AM Eastern tilt between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers may not turn everyones gears on this side of the ocean, the game features a pair of interesting matchups between elite wide rec
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 5 2019 (10/4/2019)
The last game of Week 5 features a potentially classic matchup between two of the best players at their respective positions of the past decade-plus-cornerback Richard Sherman and the undefeated San Francisco 49ers against wide receiver Odell Beckham and the Cleveland Browns.
Here's the thing tho
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 4 2019 (9/27/2019)
At the beginning of the 2019 season, this Sunday nights matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints looked like one of Septembers biggest games. In some respects, it still is-the two teams head into the game a combined 5-1 and in first place in their respective divisions. But a bit of
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 3 2019 (9/20/2019)
JuJu Smith-Schuster needs a hug-and so do the folks who spent a high fantasy draft pick on him.
The loss of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback to a season-ending elbow injury was a huge blow for a team with aspirations of getting back to the playoffs in 2019. However, Smith-Schuster told Joshua Axelro
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 2 2019 (9/13/2019)
Well, so much for the big Week 1 showdown between Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill managed just two catches for 16 yards before suffering a shoulder injury that will sideline the speedster indefinitely.
Ramsey may have dodged the
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THE SHADOW KNOWS Week 1 2019 (9/5/2019)
Well, we didn't have to wait long for a truly marquee cornerback vs. wide receiver battle in the 2019 NFL season. Sunday's early slate features a trip by the Kansas City Chiefs to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. And that means Tyreek Hill vs. Jalen Ramsey.
Get your popcorn ready.
Remember, as Tyl
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HANDY DANDY GUIDE TO IDP DOMINANCE (7/15/2019)
In the 21st-century NFL, offense is king. Teams are spreading the field and throwing the ball more than ever before. At the rate the rules are changing to favor offenses, within three years it will be a 15-yard penalty to look sternly at a receiver or say something mean to a quarterback.
Unless y
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The Shadow Knows Week 17 2018 (12/28/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 17
If your fantasy football league holds its championship game in Week 17, then you need to make a New Years resolution.
Either change the rules, or find a new league.
Simply put, an extra week in your league isnt worth the chaos that a Week 17 title game can wreak
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The Shadow Knows Week 16 2018 (12/21/2018)
This time of year is filled with joy and happiness. With fellowship and mirth. With smiles and laughter.
Unless, of course, youre still playing in a fantasy football league. If thats the case, then odds are its Championship Week. Instead of joy and happiness, its nervous anticipation and dread.
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IDP STUDS AND DUDS Week 16 IDP Start Sit (12/20/2018)
In the majority of IDP leagues, weve reached the end of the road. The final showdown. The last hurrah of 2018.
Its Championship Week.
Only teams are still playing for something that doesnt involve the word consolation. At the end of this week, one team will stand above all others in their leag
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The Shadow Knows Week 15 2018 (12/13/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 15
Usually, this article breaks down matchups between the very best players at the wide receiver and cornerback positions. Often, the information included here isnt exactly what can be called good news.
But in addition to it being the fantasy playoffs, its also the hol
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The Shadow Knows Week 14 2018 (12/6/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 14
Im about to impart some insider knowledge on you, intrepid reader. The sort of specialized, highly technical information thats the reason why Football Diehards tasks me with writing this piece each week.
The fantasy playoffs have begun.
I know. Youre blown away b
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The Shadow Knows Week 13 2018 (11/30/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 13
The fantasy playoffs are (in many leagues) nearly here.
As a matter of fact, for a great many fantasy owners, the playoffs are essentially here.
You know the situation. You're sitting at 6-6 or 7-5. Pouring over potential playoff tiebreaker scenarios. Dusting off y
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The Shadow Knows Week 12 2018 (11/23/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 12
We're getting down to the nitty-gritty.
That's a technical term for the fantasy stretch run—I think. Don't judge me. I'm writing this on Thanksgiving—I'm all hopped up on tryptophan and giblets.
For the record, giblets are gross.
Anyway, with the fantasy playoff
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The Shadow Knows Week 11 2018 (11/15/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 11
Do you remember way back in the olden days of September when the Jacksonville Jaguars were good? When Jalen Ramsey was considered one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL?
It seems like a million years ago. It was actually Week 2, when the Jaguars rolled the defending
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The Shadow Knows Week 10 2018 (11/8/2018)
Can you feel that? The increase in pressure? Do you hear the dramatic music? Are the hairs on your arms standing up? What about your back.
Oh hush. Everyone knows they're there.
It's stretch run time in fantasy football.
Unless you have a team that's 7-2 or better (kiss my freckled butt) or
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The Shadow Knows Week 9 2018 (11/1/2018)
CORNERING THE MARKET: Week 9
This Sunday nights showdown between the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots is a big game, no doubt. But a pretty convincing argument can be made that the biggest game of Week 9 takes place in New Orleans, where the Saints will face the undefeated Los Angeles
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The Shadow Knows Week 8 2018 (10/25/2018)
Once upon a time, the Jacksonville Jaguars were a good football team. One of the leading contenders to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIII.
And the biggest reason for that belief was a stifling defense spearheaded by the NFLs best secondary.
Of late, however, the Jags have struggled in a big
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The Shadow Knows Week 7 2018 (10/18/2018)
They say familiarity breeds contempt.
If that's true, then there's no love lost between DeAndre Hopkins of the Houston Texans and the cornerbacks of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While speaking to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone gave due credit to Hopkins, wh
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The Shadow Knows Week 6 2018 (10/11/2018)
Theres little question that the Jacksonville Jaguars possess the best secondary in the National Football League. Cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and AJ Bouye just combined to hold the Kansas City Chiefs in relative check offensively.
Sure, the Chiefs put up 30 points on Jacksonville. But that had much m
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The Shadow Knows Week 5 2018 (10/4/2018)
If you're the type of NFL fan that likes a classic offense vs. defense clash, then Week 5 is headlined by a game that's right up your alley.
Sunday in Kansas City, the NFL's No. 1 scoring offense and stingiest defense will do battle when the Chiefs host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Chiefs are av
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The Shadow Knows Week 4 2018 (9/27/2018)
Well, that didnt last long.
For all of about two weeks, it looked like the Los Angeles Rams might challenge the Jacksonville Jaguars for the title of the NFLs best secondary. The Rams shelled out a fat, greasy bundle of cash (and draft picks) to acquire veteran cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib
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The Shadow Knows Week 3 2018 (9/20/2018)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 3
Patrick Peterson needs a hug.
The eighth-year veteran owns an unenviable title in 2018hes arguably the best player on arguably the NFLs worst team. The Arizona Cardinals are a dumpster fire of a football team, although to be fair most of the blame for their struggles l
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The Shadow Knows Week 2 2018 (9/13/2018)
Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals is a no-doubt, first-ballot Hall of Famer. As Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner (who played with Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLII) told ESPN, the 11-time Pro Bowler has made a career of making unbelievable catches look like no big deal.
"Every day he woul
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The Shadow Knows Week 1 2018 (9/7/2018)
I'm going to kick off my third season (I think – the years all kind of bleed together) of The Shadow Knows by letting you in on a little secret.
There really aren't any "shadow" cornerbacks in the NFL any more.
The overwhelming majority of NFL teams in 2017 employed a "left side/right side" p
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CROSSING THE LINE: Early-Draft RB Made Riskier by Poor Offensive Lines (8/19/2018)
The running back position in fantasy football is being hit harder than an open bar at a Wisconsin wedding in 2018.
If you've already drafted, this isn't news to you. But if you haven't, you'll soon discover that tailbacks are absolutely flying off the board this year. Per the Average Draft Positi
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The Shadow Knows Week 17 2017 (12/29/2017)
It's the end of the line—past the end of it in most fantasy football leagues.
In the majority of leagues, last week brought with it the championship game. With any luck, this article and the other information available here at Football Diehards helped you to fame and glory.
A few extra bucks w
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The Shadow Knows Week 16 2017 (12/21/2017)
Sometimes in both the NFL and fantasy football, you have to be willing to change things up a bit late in the game - to alter your startegery late in the game in an effort to get the W.
That's what we're going to do with the "The Shadow Knows" in this most important of weeks. Rather than highlightin
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The Shadow Knows Week 15 2017 (12/15/2017)
Antonio Brown is having a remarkable season. A season so good that there's MVP buzz surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers star.
However, there isn't a wideout in the NFL who has had a more impressive season that DeAndre Hopkins of the Houston Texans.
Despite catching passes from such superstars
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The Shadow Knows Week 14 2017 (12/8/2017)
Not too long ago, the Los Angeles Chargers were toast. Losers of their first four games, the Bolts were written off entirely in the AFC West.
Now, as the Chargers prepare to welcome in the Washington Redskins, they are 6-6 and tied for first place in the division – in no small part due to the exp
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The Shadow Knows Week 13 2017 (12/1/2017)
T.Y. Hilton's fantasy owners need a hug.
Hilton has been without question the most feast-or-famine wideout in fantasy football in 2017. Without his bestie Andrew Luck (he calls him "Andy" or "Bae") throwing him the ball, Hilton has had two types of games this season – huge and terrible.
For th
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The Shadow Knows Week 12 2017 (11/24/2017)
THE SHADOW KNOWS
It’s Thanksgiving Week (or I guess I should say was, since as your read this many of you are either shaking off Thursday’s food coma or lapsing into a new one from leftovers – seriously, put…the…pie…down.
And among the things the Jacksonville Jaguars are thankful for in 2017,
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The Shadow Knows Week 11 2017 (11/17/2017)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 11
Sunday's showdown in Houston between the Texans and Arizona Cardinals features a showdown of quarterbacks the likes of which we haven't seen since the long-ago days of Marino vs. Montana. A battle that dwarfs piddling matchups like Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers. Makes them l
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The Shadow Knows Week 10 2017 (11/10/2017)
There is one pass defense that has emerged as a genuine concern for fantasy owners where the passing game is concerned in 2017.
That defense leads the NFL in passing yards allowed, at just 156.4 yards per game – a ridiculously low number for 2017.
That defense is also allowing the fewest PPR f
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The Shadow Knows Week 9 2017 (11/3/2017)
For the past decade or so, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been a perennial punching bag. A tomato can of a football team. The punchline to any number of jokes – several of which I told.
But in 2017, the Jaguars are no joke – especially on defense.
Through eight weeks, Jacksonville’s “Teal Curtain
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The Shadow Knows Week 8 2017 (10/27/2017)
There are matchups between cornerbacks and wide receivers in the NFL. Then there are marquee matchups. And then there’s the brouhaha brewing in the Emerald City this weekend between Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.
Hopkins, who has 37 rec
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The Shadow Knows Week 7 2017 (10/20/2017)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 7
You know a secondary is getting good when they earn a nickname.
In Denver, there’s the “No Fly Zone.” The Seattle Seahawks have “The Legion of Boom.”
And now the Jacksonville Jaguars have “Pick-Fil-A.”
Or “The Teal Curtain.”
Or, as ESPN’s Michael DiRocco repor
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The Shadow Knows Week 6 2017 (10/13/2017)
The term “shadow cornerback” gets thrown around a lot in the NFL today. But the fact of the matter is that there aren’t many corners who consistently follow around the other team’s top wideout week after week all season long.
In fact, over the first five weeks of the 2017 season there’s really be
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The Shadow Knows Week 5 2017 (10/6/2017)
It isn’t very often that one of the most intriguing matchups in a week of NFL action involves the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It’s been that kind of year so far.
Still, where matchups between cornerbacks and wide receivers go, that’s certainly the case in Week 5, when Antonio Brown and the Pittsburg
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The Shadow Knows Week 4 2017 (9/29/2017)
It’s not all that often that you get a double-dip of big-name cornerback vs. similarly renowned wide receivers in the same game. But that’s the case on Sunday in the Mile High City, when Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree of the Oakland Raiders travel to face Aqib Talib, Chris Harris and the “No Fly
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The Shadow Knows Week 3 2017 (9/21/2017)
It’s been a rough September for Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes.
In the season opener, Rhodes had to contend with Michael Thomas, Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Then it was off to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers and stud wideout Antonio Brown. Now, the 27-year-old gets to come
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THE SHADOW KNOWS week 2 2017 (9/15/2017)
There are certain constants in life. Death. Taxes. Politicians lying. The New England Patriots being a good football team (they are, you know). The Cleveland Browns being a bad one.
And Antonio Brown getting his.
While fantasy studs left and right were falling flat on their faces in Week 1, the
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THE SHADOW KNOWS week 1 2017 (9/8/2017)
You might not have heard, but the 2017 NFL season started.
No, really. It did. The Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots played a game that counted and everything.
Another season of the NFL means another year of fantasy football. The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat. The sleepless
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2017 The Curse Of 370 (8/17/2017)
What It Is And Why You Need To Know About It In 2017
I’m as big a backaholic as anyone. An old-school fantasy football enthusiast who places a lot of importance on assembling a strong stable of running backs on draft day. While it’s become trendier to draft one or even two wide receivers in the f
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 17 (12/30/2016)
THE SHADOW KNOWS: Week 17
Sunday’s matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns is an exercise in the perils of holding fantasy championship games in the final week of the NFL regular season.
Normally, fantasy owners of Steelers wideout Antonio Brown would be licking their chop
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 16 (12/22/2016)
If you’re reading this article, odds are congratulations are in order. Kudos. Accolades and attaboys, even.
If you’re playing in Week 16, then you’re at the very least playing in your fantasy league’s semifinals. In more leagues than not this is it – by this time it will be over but the crying.
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 15 (12/16/2016)
Welcome to the pressure cooker.
It’s time for the fantasy playoffs. On one hand, if you’re still playing in Week 15 it means you’ve had a relatively successful season. You’ve dispatched many of your rivals and sit only a couple games from hoisting your league’s trophy.
On the other hand, a loss
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 14 (12/8/2016)
“The playoffs are the playoffs. You just play who is put in front of you.” -- Steve Nash
We’ve reached fantasy football’s second season in most leagues, and the postseason tournament brings with it a new ball game. One bad performance or one dud stat line can mean the end of championship dreams
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 13 (12/2/2016)
One yard. One reception. One fantasy point.
This is the time of year where that can make the difference between a trip to the playoffs and an unceremonious end to another fantasy campaign. From setting lineups again next week and sullenly beginning Christmas chores.
For those teams either just
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 12 (11/25/2016)
By the time this article goes live at Football Diehards, we’ll already have seen a couple of marquee receiver/cornerback duels. Josh Norman will have covered Dez Bryant in Dallas. Vontae Davis will have had the Sisyphean task of trying to slow down Antonio Brown in the Thanksgiving nightcap. Week 12
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 11 (11/18/2016)
Generally speaking, I’m an “always start your studs” type of guy.
The whole point of this article is to illustrate which wide receivers are matching up with the best of the best at the cornerback position. But the next time I recommend sitting A.J. Green of the Cincinnati Bengals or Julio Jones o
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 10 (11/11/2016)
Bradley Roby needs a hug.
Pressed into starting duty by the back injury suffered by Aqib Talib of the Denver Broncos, Roby started last week against the Oakland Raiders. His name got called a lot during the game. And when you are a cornerback in the NFL, hearing your name called a lot is usually no
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 9 (11/4/2016)
Sometimes the matchups are just fun to watch.
Such will be the case Sunday night when the Denver Broncos travel to Oakland to meet the Raiders with first place in the AFC West on the line. It’s a game that features an MVP candidate in Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Arguably the league’s best one-t
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 8 (10/27/2016)
DeAndre Hopkins needs a hug.
The Houston Texans wide receiver was widely considered the fourth-best fantasy option at his position in 2016 after a year in which he caught 111 passes, topped 1,500 yards and found the end zone 11 times. He was a first round pick in 99 percent of fantasy drafts last s
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 7 (10/21/2016)
Always start your studs.
I’ll confess that’s a fantasy axiom I’ve never been a huge fan. Even if there are a precious few exceptions to that rule, there are exceptions. Never say never. Only a Sith deals in absolutes. So on and so forth.
However, the exceptions to that rule really are few and fa
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The Shadow Knows 2016 week 6 (10/14/2016)
NFL receivers versus the opponents shutdown cover corner.
The first game of Week 6 of the 2016 NFL season looked to be an object lesson in the making regarding the impact that cornerbacks can have on the fantasy value of the wide receivers they cover. On one hand, you had Denver’s Aqib Talib (one
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Finding Success in IDP Fantasy Football Leagues (7/24/2016)
THE DEFENSE (NEVER) RESTS
Click here for: IDP Rankings
The Denver Broncos didn’t win Super Bowl 50 because of their offense. Sure, the team has a great wide receiver tandem in Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas, but Peyton Manning alternated between serviceable and awful in 2015. The run ga
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