The best coaches are planners. The preparation far surpasses the Xs and Os. Every player needs a clear set of instructions on a given week. Breaking down film on that week’s opponent and understanding their tendencies is also correlated with an honest look at the team’s own identity. Where could it go wrong? What do we do if it does go sideways?

The team without unity will have mutiny. Every year a few teams see their preseason hopes burst into flames because of coaching failure. Injuries and poor performance on the field can be like tinder to that flame, but a toxic coach with an oversized ego is a gas leak. Black Monday arrives every season with a blowtorch, while a handful of bubbles were burst weeks before that.

Coaching contracts are fully guaranteed, but many would agree they shouldn’t. While players are digging deep and playing through pain this winter to meet performance bonuses and kick-in escalators, their Week 1 head coach might already be vacationing near the equator. The direct deposit stays humming along, while the name on the recipient account has already disgraced the meritocracy.

“It’s just business” is the NFL’s tagline this time of year. Employees be damned – franchises are looking to save a buck on the bottom line. Supporters and investors be damned too. That ad space next to the video board has fewer eyeballs on it, while the $200 spent on a jersey from the team store bears a name that will be emblazoned in new colors next season. Direct deposit machine is still giving off coal smoke from the inept coach fired last year.

Winning cures all. Losing wraps its tentacles around every corner of the business like a malignant tumor. A loss is torture to exhume the truth that winning will suppress like a fart on a first date. Some franchises have figured out leadership, while others seem to be doomed to repeat failure into perpetuity.

Fantasy football has a tendency to reveal tactful leadership too. Defeating friends and colleagues this time of year for money and bragging rights has a lot to do with overcoming obstacles and finding the path to victory. Congratulations on making it this far. It wasn’t easy navigating injuries and incompetent leadership throughout this season. Some players broke out, while others let us down. It happens. Our game is about maximizing probabilities and letting the chips fall as they will. “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” Here are the Glory Week (17) storylines to leave it up to fate.

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Week 17 Fantasy Football Storylines (2023)

Home on a Saturday Night

The Dallas Cowboys lost this past week in Miami. Their go-ahead scoring drive went in vain when the Dolphins methodically moved into field goal range and ran out the clock. I thought both teams looked really good. Miami finally beat a team with a winning record, while Dallas held the highest scoring team in the NFL to exactly one offensive touchdown. The Cowboys are all but locked into a road game in the wildcard round now, unless they can beat the Detroit Lions at home this week and hope the Philadelphia Eagles stumble against a couple losing teams.

Detroit has been a very fun team for fantasy managers. Jared Goff has done very well indoors and his weapons have enjoyed a lot of open field to rack up numbers, thanks to the awesome system schemed up by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a WR1, while rookies Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs have been electric. Even Jameson Williams and David Montgomery have had great moments. They will be tested against the Dallas defense. The Cowboys are undefeated at home this season and have crushed their opposition on both sides of the ball. This game will matter a ton in fantasy championships.

So Charming It’s Alarming

I love the Baltimore Ravens this season. They were my preseason pick to win the Super Bowl and MVP frontrunner Lamar Jackson was my prediction to take home that award. They sport the league’s best scoring defense and the best kicker to ever lace them up. They answered the daunting task last Monday night with five interceptions in San Francisco. They now must slow down Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill. This game scares me in the scoring department.

Statistically speaking, Jackson hasn’t been lighting up the scoreboard this year. Simply watching the games would tell you he’s playing at an unparalleled level, but the numbers have been lagging behind. Miami’s defense has been outstanding since Jalen Ramsey was activated in the middle of the season. Whether they will have any answers for wide receiver Zay Flowers and running back Gus Edwards depends on their ability to contain the former MVP from Louisville. My fear is that a riveting football game might also spell doom for the fantasy teams loaded with Ravens and Dolphins.

Bake Me a Cake as Fast as You Can

Many people, including myself, were dead wrong about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on offense. Baker Mayfield has been a revelation, while Mike Evans has continued his unique trail to the Hall of Fame. This team scores points. First year offensive coordinator Dave Canales will be a sought-after name this offseason. His ability to put running back Rachaad White in the perfect role to maximize his skill set is as commendable as any coaching accomplishment this season.

The Bucs can virtually wrap up the NFC South with a win over the New Orleans Saints this week. They crushed New Orleans, 26-9, in the Superdome back in Week 4. The Saints have been maddeningly inconsistent, never winning more than two consecutive games this season. They do, however, have an offense that can give the pass-funnel Bucs defense some fits through the air. Wide receiver Chris Olave is healthy, along with red-hot quarterback Derek Carr. Don’t be the least bit surprised if this game ends up a high-scoring affair at the old pirate ship.

New Frights

It isn’t Taylor Swift’s fault the Kansas City Chiefs are struggling on offense. Travis Kelce is drawing double and triple coverage because the other receivers have been completely inept at getting open for Patrick Mahomes. The offensive line has struggled with assignments and have been heavily penalized. Most of the nine wins the Chiefs have this season came from their defensive prowess. Mahomes is still going to pass for more than 4,000 yards this season without a reliable wide receivers anywhere on the roster.

Disappointing? Yes. Kelce’s 100 reception, 1,000 receiving yards pace isn’t what we needed from him as a first-round fantasy pick. The running game has also faltered with Isiah Pacheco‘s myriad injuries. They will need Clyde Edwards-Helaire to have a vintage LSU game against the Bengals on Sunday afternoon. Speaking of that 2019 LSU team, Ja’Marr Chase is trending well towards playing, despite a shoulder injury. Jake Browning will have his hands full with Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, led by Chris Jones and Nic Bolton. The running back tandem of Joe Mixon and Chase Brown will be necessary to keep the heat off their young quarterback while he tries to connect with Chase and Tee Higgins. Arrowhead Stadium has been a place to decide many fantasy championships over the years, and this will be no different.

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