Einstein's Dog

I'm keeping Engram, hoping he plays this week. I wasn't able to get Kraft. I'm hoping this week starts Engram's trek back to form. If he goes out this week, it will be an ugly trip into a barren waiver wire for a TE - not much in there - Ertz or Henry maybe.

It is surprising. In one of my smaller 15 man roster leagues he is gone, but in my larger money 18 player roster league he is still there. So typing that out, made me think, since it doesn't happen often, where a player of this potential caliber is out there, I need to go even bigger than the normal, 15 leaguers would. IMO, this could be the waiver wire pick-up of the year (J Mason wasn't out there). Analogous to K Williams or Puka from last year.

Pacheco got 7 screws and a plate into his leg along, with possible ligament damage. Sounds to me, like he's going to be out for a while. A power runner with a gimpy leg/ankle, I wouldn't expect to see him until December Is this the K Hunt show for the foreseeable future? Hunt looks like a top priority add to me. How much FAAB (percentage) are people using who still have a chance to get him? I'm considering about 40%. If Hunt is a full-time RB1 for KC for around 8 weeks that is a possible difference maker.

So is it D Robinson over T Johnson? People with hurting WR's need to know. Both Puka and Kupp out, someone has to get something.

I had the good fortune to draft a lot of useful B level RBs. Was trying to move one for an upper level WR (I have J Jeff- ouch). Standard/redraft. RBs Mixon/Montgomery/Kamara/Mostert/+Ford. I wanted to upgrade WR (Hopkins/M Thomas) Many rejects - offered Mixon/Hopkins for D Adams/J Taylor early on - the guy was starting D Jackson. Offered Mostert + M Andrews for Kelce - no go. Offered Mostert for Tua -no go. Tried Mixon (or any RB)/Hopkins/M Andrews for Diggs/Kelce. Tried Mixon (any RB)/Hopkins/Cousins for J Chase/J Taylor (when A Rodgers went down). Offered Ford for P Nacua (after the devastating J Jeff news). He countered with Mostert for Puka. I accepted and have been violently ill since Sunday.

Saw on Rotoworld that Ekeler has the Doubtful designation.

I would.

Hard to get info on Ekeler, rotoworld hasn't reported anything yet. But on his podcast the part below caught my attention: I'm doing everything I can to get back, and be healthy, and not have any major setbacks. That blurb makes me think he is out until the Monday night Dallas game after the bye (as I predicted long ago). Not that it matters much to me because I'm not starting J Kelley over Ford or K Williams again (even though it is home against the Raiders).

I've been trying to think of ways to get Kelce. I think he will be head and shoulders above the other TEs, in a tier to himself. Unfortunately Kelce was drafted high so there is no easy way to get him. I tried M Andrews and Mostert (who I think is a sell high candidate) but no luck.

I watched the video, got to admit Ekeler is saying all the right things and not showing any grudge at all (just the way we would have told him to do it). No need for a grudge, they say, you just need to realize this is a business. From Ekeler's business perspective the games that really matter now are the Monday night against Dallas and then the national KC game. According to the Charger report, Ekeler did not practice again today (Thursday). Odds are now Ekeler won't play on Sunday. If Ekeler doesn't play Sunday, you can then see the logic of if he stays out for the Raiders game he will then get the bye and two weeks rest to be 100% for what is a big showcase game for him.

On NBC sports, the old Rotoworld, they have a podcast with Matthew Berry where they are baffled by the "no timetable for return" for Ekeler. They apparently haven't pieced it together. They love Ekeler because he is a FFer, talks about it, invested in it. Anyways, Ekeler did not practice Wednesday. Odds continue to increase that he won't suit up this weekend. J Kelley needs to get his act together. Much better opportunity this time with Minnesota.

Maybe he'll get some more chances. Per Rotoworld: Chargers HC Brandon Staley told reporters there is “no timeline” for Austin Ekeler’s return from his ankle injury. Well, that went from bad to worse real quickly. Expect Joshua Kelley to continue serving as the team’s lead back in his absence, after Kelley played a massive 79 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 2. Fantasy managers that sunk first-round capital into the veteran back have to be struggling to fill the void left behind.

That stunk.

The signs are there that Ekeler is furious. The team balked at extending him, at giving him guaranteed money. Probably told him they would ease his workload and understand and respect his position. But then when the game was on the line they sent him back in when hurt. Playing hurt, or playing through injury, is the last thing Ekeler should be doing if he wants to maximize his value for his next contract. There is a subjective element to the dreaded "high ankle sprain" diagnosis. It would not surprise me if Ekeler's doctor came to this conclusion. Sitting out through the bye week and being 100% healthy for the large audience games of Dallas (at night) and KC is a real possibility.

My underlying premise continues. Health is only part of the issue. Ekeler's actions look the part of someone who is furious with the organization. If he feels as I mentioned that he was hurt in the early part of the 4th quarter and they sent him back out because it was close. He now has had time to process that. Ekeler claims he played through injury last year. Then LAC doesn't extend him - no added money/extension/guarantee. Says he can find a trade partner - but LAC wants high draft picks for him. Guess what - no team wants to give up good draft capital and pay a high salary to an RB. Faced with no trade partners he comes back. And then the first game back this team sends him back out while injured. If you were part of the advisors to Ekeler what would you be telling him to do? When I said "so it begins"., this is what I was referring to.