Football is the No. 1 sport among U.S. women, and it’s still growing. According to Forbes, over 200 million viewers watched all-or-part of Super Bowl LVIII, and almost half were women. It’s called “The Taylor Swift Effect.” If Taylor’s honey-pie Travis Kelce wins another Super Bowl, maybe she can write a song about it: “My Man has Four Rings, but He Won’t Give Me One.”
FOURTH ANNUAL FANTASY BILLBOARD AWARDS II
Rookie of the Year
Jayden Daniels, QB — Daniels was an immediate star who tried to boldly go where no rookie QB has gone before, all the way to the Super Bowl. During his trek, he set rookie QB records for completion percentage (69%) and rushing yards (891) while reversing the fortunes of the Commanders, improving a 4-13 record to 12-5.
Comeback Player of the Year
Sam Darnold, QB — Darnold has bounced around the NFL like a beer-pong ball in a frat house basement. After wasted stints with the Jets, Panthers and 49ers, Darnold rose above the brew-haha in a well-crafted season for the Vikings. But career bests in yardage (4,319) and TDs (35) don’t mean Minnesota will sink $40 million a year to keep him. Injured rookie QB J.J. McCarthy is set to resurface, leaving Darnold to fly solo in 2025.
Worst Pickup
Carson Steele, RB — After RB Isiah Pacheco went down with a broken fibula in Week 2, Fantasy owners gave up all their FAAB to acquire the “hair” apparent, Carson Steele. The NFL’s version of Goldilocks started off hot, running for 72 yards in Week 3. But his 84 yards from Weeks 4-17 were as cold as day-old porridge.
Fra-gee-lay Major Award
Christian McCaffrey, RB — CMC is a true warrior. But sometimes he’s more of a kamikaze pilot. After 287 carries for the Panthers in 2019, he was so beat up that he could only manage 243 carries over the next three seasons (2020-2022). In 2023, history repeated itself: He carried 272 times for the 49ers and could only muster 50 totes this year before breaking down again. Give it a rest Christian. Kamikaze is a dying art.
SUPER BOWL GIDDY UPS AND WHOA DOWNS!
QBs Jalen Hurts vs. Patrick Mahomes — Save for one outlier game, the Eagles have not given up more than two TD passes to a QB all year. Amazingly, the same can be said for the Chiefs’ pass defense. Mahomes will get his two TDs, and about 255 yards to go with it. He’ll add 35 yards and a TD on the ground. Hurts hasn’t thrown more than two TDs in any game this year. He won’t start now. He’ll get one TD through the air and just like Mahomes, another on the ground.
RBs Saquon Barkley vs. Isiah Pacheco/Kareem Hunt — Their fight song is “Fly, Eagles Fly!”, but if Philly is to win, they must “Run, Barkley, Run!” He’s averaging 147 yards per game in the playoffs. The Chiefs have not allowed a 100-yard rusher all season, so pencil Barkley in for 95 yards and two TDs. If he can reach those numbers, he’ll end his Philly renaissance season with Lombardi and MVP Trophies. Pacheco is still not himself since his Week 2 broken fibula, paving the way for Hunt to garner extra carries. They should have a combined 65 yards on the ground.
WRs A.J. Brown/DeVonta Smith vs. Xavier Worthy/DeAndre Hopkins/Hollywood Brown — The Chiefs have yet to face as talented a WR tandem as A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith this season. Brown should get five catches for 80 yards, while the forgotten man Smith has an even better day with seven for 91 and Hurts’ only TD pass. The Eagles kept Terry McLaurin, Puka Nacua and Jayden Reed in check through three playoff games (13 catches, 194 yards, 1 TD). So, what chance does Xavier Worthy have? The Chiefs’ best WR has been terrific in his last two games, (19 catches, 209 yards, 2 TDs). But because he’s K.C.’s best, Philly will give him extra attention. Five catches for 70 yards and a TD is his ceiling. Hopkins and Brown are TD-dependent dart throws.
TEs Dallas Goedert vs. Travis Kelce — Goedert had his best game last time out since Week 3. Otherwise, he averages about four catches for 50 yards. Sounds about right. Kelce has officially become the obnoxious face of the Chiefs. What does Taylor Swift see in him anyway? The Commanders’ TE Zach Ertz torched the Eagles for 11 catches and 104 yards. I can see Kelce putting up similar numbers.
Fearless Prediction: The Eagles scored 28 points or more 10 times this season. The Chiefs have done that just five times. The Eagles also gave up the fewest points in the NFL (303). If the Birds can put up 28 on K.C., they should win. Eagles 28. Chiefs 24
The fourth Fantasy Billboard season is in the books. Thank you, it’s been a blast!
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Bill Reinhard is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and a columnist for FantasyGuru.com.