Who knew that trying to predict the future could be so enjoyable? In real life, it’s more productive to manifest your own future. “Bet on yourself” is a common refrain these days. Pop that protective bubble that inhibits you from taking chances in life. Go out and earn it, because nobody will give it to you.
I give it a go every week in the fantasy football community, trying to predict breakout performers that can help you decide that last starter or build the best DFS lineups. Last week, there were some helpful nuggets in my imperfect predictions.
Isaiah Hodgins was indeed a top-10 WR with 22.9 PPR points against Minnesota, even though the Vikings were able to eke out the win over the Giants.
The Cowboys beat the Eagles in overtime by six, despite the rushing attack taking a backseat to a humongous effort by Dak Prescott through the air versus the best secondary in the NFL.
Geno Smith and the Seahawks laid a smelly, rotten egg at Arrowhead.
The Steelers did prevail over the Raiders in the last minute of the game, as they did 50 years ago with the Immaculate Reception, but Najee Harris did not score any touchdowns in the touching tribute to the late, great Franco Harris.
This is the final hot takes column for 2022. I have decided to empty the clip on the hottest, spiciest takes to date. As always, hit me up on Twitter @Bo_McBigTime to let me know your spicy predictions and sound off on mine at #PICANTakes. I will never tame the spice level for the sake of better odds of success. Fantasy football is supposed to be fun, and I had an absolute blast with you all in 2022.
The fantasy season has come to a head: it’s championship week! I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors this week. As always, stay spicy and get to cashing.
Check out the rest of our weekly fantasy football advice 
Justin Fields Puts the Cherry on Top of His League-Winning Fantasy Season with 35-Point Barrage and Upset Win Over Detroit.
I love Justin Fields. I was enamored with his skill set as a prospect out of Ohio State and carried it over to having him rostered on many of my dynasty teams. He is going to be prolific yet again this week in Detroit. I truly believe he will set a new season high in passing yards in this game, along with his usual excellence on the ground.
Chicago is one of the best rushing teams in the NFL, especially when both of their RBs are healthy. Carolina exposed a big weakness in Detroit’s run defense last week en route to more than 300 rushing yards. There are a ton of fantasy teams in the championship round this week who can credit Justin Fields with some of their success. He will win a ton of trophies this week and cement himself in fantasy lore.
Rookies are the Entire Falcons Offense; Drake London Finishes With 120 Receiving Yards and Two Touchdowns, Desmond Ridder and Tyler Allgeier Combine for 40 Fantasy Points in Win Over Cardinals.
In a battle of bad teams with coaches who don’t deserve their jobs, I give a slight edge to Arthur Smith and the Falcons over Kliff Kingsbury’s Cardinals. Atlanta’s offense is virtually Herman Boone’s split veer from Remember the Titans (six plays that work like Novocain). Since casting away Marcus Mariota (for the second time), Smith has also promoted rookie RB Tyler Allgeier over Cordarrelle Patterson.
If you caught the last episode of “Hard Knocks,” you could see a resignation about the Cardinals now that they have been eliminated and JJ Watt has announced his plan to retire. I expect the Falcons to run through this shell of a Cardinals team with their trio of rookies at the skill positions to give them as much run as possible. Desmond Ridder to Drake London has been more effective than expected over the past two weeks, a refreshing experience after the infuriating usage for London and Kyle Pitts when Mariota was under center.
AJ Dillon is Unleashed Against Vikings at Lambeau Field, Finishes as a Top-5 RB and Packers Win and Cover Spread
I’ll tip my cap to the Vikings. They have fought back against two consecutive predictions of their demise. “The third time is the charm,” I mutter to myself, fully convinced that the 2022 Minnesota Vikings are just as lucky as they are good. I’m not sure any other team has ever been 11-0 in one-score games, but I am sure that it is a result of some very favorable bounces. Green Bay’s playoff hopes are hanging in the balance this week and they are a very tough matchup for their division rivals to the west.
AJ Dillon has been a monster once the air turned chilly. The Vikings have won despite their abysmal defense with a lethal passing attack, led by Kirk Cousins to Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson. The Packers have a very strong secondary that plays with great instincts and communication. Minnesota’s 23-7 victory over Green Bay in Week 1 might as well have been a lifetime ago. Dillon will bludgeon this soft defense into the frozen tundra and lead the Packers to a convincing season-saving victory.
Steelers Keep Tomlin’s Streak Alive With Road Win at Baltimore, Thanks to 60+ Yards and Multiple Touchdowns from Pat Freiermuth
In order for Mike Tomlin to continue his ridiculous success streak as an NFL head coach (he has never had a losing season), the Steelers must pull out a win in Baltimore on Sunday night and next week at home versus the Browns. They have won two in a row already to keep hope alive for a 16th-consecutive winning season, but this will be a stern test. Lamar Jackson is likely to return from his knee injury for this game, where the Ravens can set up a Week 18 row with the Bengals for the division title if they can beat the Steelers.
Pat Freiermuth was a bright spot in Pittsburgh’s loss to Baltimore three weeks ago. He was targeted six times by Mitchell Trubisky, hauling in three for 33 yards and a touchdown. Kenny Pickett is back in as the starter after getting knocked out with a first-quarter concussion in that Ravens game. He targeted Freiermuth eight times in the win over Las Vegas last week and the TE led the Steelers with 66 receiving yards on seven receptions. I expect more of the same in this game since I don’t foresee much success on the ground for Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren against this formidable Baltimore front. The Muth will get looth in the red zone and keep his coach’s legacy intact.
If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.
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