There’s a candy, little finch that retains flying into one in all my kitchen home windows. It is a raised casement that sits proper above my sink, the place I’ve connected a drying rack, used to stack Tupperware lids and chopping boards. There’s nothing remotely alluring and even welcoming about my aspect of this window. No “open idea” to analyze or marble-topped island to perch upon. And I am definitely not giving Snow White vibes whereas washing dishes or rinsing produce.
And but this charming creature appears intent on flying via the glass. It is incessant. Day after day, hour after hour, she flies from one of many citrus bushes in my yard proper into the pane. She swoops delicately, although, not exhausting, like she’s attacking, however gently, as if she desires to discover what’s on the opposite aspect. I am not irritated by the fixed flapping and tapping. Quite, I am apprehensive about this tiny hen hurting herself.
I’ve rearranged the assorted and varied objects that may entice her flight, ensuring to take away any moreover reflective surfaces. I’ve gone exterior to shoo her away. I’ve sprayed the outside with water in order so as to add depth to her notion. The web suggests smearing the skin of the window with a bar of cleaning soap, which is meant to create a visible barrier for the hen. That is subsequent on the checklist of to-dos, however requires dragging a ladder out of my storage, so possibly tomorrow.
In any case, I would like her to cease. For her personal good. As a result of there’s a complete world on the market for her to find. My kitchen is fairly boring and, truthfully, no place for a Home finch (my in depth web analysis has helped me establish the species and intercourse, in case you have been questioning). This teeny critter’s habits, nonetheless, is not so totally different than what we huge, advanced people do regularly.
We’re all responsible of stubbornly making an attempt to complete the duty at hand. “See it via,” if you’ll. Even after we know, deep down inside, {that a} course correction would offer eventual reduction, benefiting ourselves and, maybe, all events concerned. But, making the choice to pivot may be nerve-racking. Whether or not it is worry of the unknown or not eager to really feel like we’re quitting, choosing change requires a leap of religion.
Satirically, we absolutely embrace the “upside of the unknown” through the preseason. But, as soon as these rosters are locked — and particularly as we creep nearer to the playoffs — it turns into harder to change our investments. The time and vitality contributed compounds because the weeks roll by. We bear in mind the highest of the season when Quentin Johnston was remarkably dependable or when Travis Etienne Jr. was recurrently posting double-digit fantasy level totals. Equally, we’re anxious to let go of constant producers like Christian McCaffrey and Drake Maye, each of whom have ill-timed byes in Week 14.
Ours is a week-to-week endeavor that calls for fixed stability. Rash selections might blow the entire thing up whereas making no selections in any respect might render our squads ineffective and the remainder of the season depressing. Finally, now we have to get actual about our private tolerances. Not each participant will return from harm in Brock Bowers-like vogue. Some might fizzle à la Kenneth Walker III. Others may shock in a splendidly Rico Dowdle manner. The one positive factor is our resolve … and the truth that whereas some home windows by no means open, all ultimately shut. Time to fly.
Details to think about and emotions to comply with for Week 10
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings: McCarthy confirmed no indicators of trepidation in coming back from a five-game absence to tug off an upset at Detroit in Week 9. Whereas his passing stats did not precisely sing, the sophomore signal-caller logged three scores, together with a dashing TD (18.9 FPTs, QB14). McCarthy’s accuracy continues to be a piece in progress and he definitely missed a couple of throws, however he flashed an thrilling quantity of chemistry with each Justin Jefferson (who briefly exited the competition with cramps) and Jordan Addison. In simply his third professional begin, the Michigan product demonstrated tantalizing upside in a fantasy-friendly scheme, inserting him firmly on the QB streaming radar.
McCarthy has but to throw for 160 yards. Nevertheless, he has registered three whole scores in two of three outings (with two of these TDs coming by way of the bottom). He figures to flirt with 200 passing yards versus Baltimore in Week 10. The Ravens have given up the ninth-most fantasy factors to quarterbacks, permitting 5 of the eight they’ve confronted to throw for not less than 260 yards. Baltimore’s protection has been on the rise as of late, admittedly, however stays a middling unit, particularly when contemplating the workforce’s latest competitors (Chicago and Miami in Weeks 8 and 9, respectively). In what’s projected to be a reasonably high-scoring affair (the whole is 48.5 at ESPN BET) whereas surrounded by high-end expertise, McCarthy presents with QB15 upside heading into Sunday’s motion.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers: Warren has put within the work this season, logging 13 or extra fantasy factors in 5 of seven outings. He’ll seemingly by no means boast big-volume numbers with Arthur Smith calling the performs, however he’s a significant cog within the Steelers’ clunky wheel. Managing a snap share of 57% (as in comparison with Kenneth Gainwell’s 39%), Warren may be very a lot the workforce’s RB1. Apparently, it was Warren who obtained all three of the RB carries contained in the 5-yard line final Sunday. Moreover, the 27-year-old has remained fantastically energetic as a pass-catcher, gathering not less than two balls in every of his seven outings (21 whole receptions, RB14).
Warren as soon as once more provides digital buyers stable RB2 worth heading into Week 10. The Chargers have allowed the sixth-most yards per carry (4.9). Even higher, Los Angeles has gifted opposing working backs with seven floor scores over the previous 5 contests. Whereas recreation movement may not work in Warren’s favor on Sunday (+3.5), it is price noting that the Bolts have given up the seventh-most catches to RBs (19) over the previous 4 weeks. Warren is worthy of managers’ respect this weekend and, given his rest-of-season schedule (sixth greatest), all through the rest of the 12 months.
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Is Kimani Vidal too inconsistent to belief in Week 10?
Daniel Dopp, Stephania Bell and Subject Yates focus on the extent of fantasy panic for Kimani Vidal heading into Week 10.
Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers: Talking of the Chargers, the squad’s backfield continues to exist as a spot of a lot travail for fantasy heads. Hopes have been excessive that Vidal would act as a balm to L.A.’s RB woes when he posted two triple-digit dashing efforts after taking on for Omarion Hampton in Week 6. As an alternative, it has been a topsy-turvy journey for the Troy College product … and that does not determine to vary.
Vidal struggled to get something going at Nashville final Sunday, ultimately ceding touches to Jarrett Patterson within the second half. The second-year again has averaged fewer than 3.0 YPC in two of his previous three efforts. With lineman Joe Alt struggling a season-ending ankle harm, Vidal’s effectivity is not more likely to rebound. The Chargers are 4-0 in contests wherein Alt is on the sector for 4 full quarters and simply 2-3 when the beginning OT misses time.
Additional working towards Vidal is the matchup versus Pittsburgh. The Steelers have allowed the eighth-fewest fantasy factors per recreation to backs, holding Jonathan Taylor to only 45 dashing yards on 14 makes an attempt (3.2 YPC) in Week 9. Given all the obstacles (and never discounting Patterson’s potential involvement), Vidal enters the week as extra of an RB3 than a surefire RB2 for fantasy functions.
Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts: Drafted exterior of the highest 40 on the vast receiver place, expectations have been decidedly low for Pittman heading into his sixth professional marketing campaign. Nevertheless, the revelatory play of Indiana Jones has breathed new life into Pittman’s inventory. The previous Trojan is just not solely managing the very best catch price of his profession (76%, up from 62% in 2024), however he has additionally emerged as an efficient finish zone weapon. Actually, his six TDs (on the midway level of the season) are tied together with his profession excessive from 2021 (when Carson Wentz was the workforce’s starter below middle). These elements have resulted in a weekly common over 16.3 fantasy factors per recreation, making him fantasy’s WR6 total. Speak about a midseason shock!
Coming off a season-high variety of grabs (9) and yards (115), Pittman is starting to achieve recognition. Admittedly, the wideout’s quantity was boosted final week by the Colts’ recreation script, which pressured Jones to air it out, lobbing the ball a season-high 50 instances. Nonetheless, the schedule is about to stiffen for Indianapolis down the stretch, which ought to result in extra unfavourable recreation scripts and subsequent targets for Pittman. If, nonetheless, that is too theatrical for buyers, then Pittman makes for a stable sell-high candidate. Both manner, he is worthy of high-end WR2 consideration heading into the season’s double-digit weeks.
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What to make of Rome Odunze’s fantasy goose egg
Subject Yates and Daniel Dopp break down Rome Odunze’s zero-point fantasy efficiency.
Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears: The place, oh the place, has our alpha gone? Unbelievably, Odunze hasn’t visited the top zone since Week 4. This, after gathering 5 TDs within the season’s first 4 video games. And he hasn’t made up for it in yardage, registering 32 or fewer yards in three of his previous 4 contests. ESPN’s Matt Bowen believes Odunze’s struggles can largely be attributed to Caleb Williams’ accuracy points. Per Bowen, “To ensure that Ben Johnson’s offense to actually take off, Williams must develop a stronger sense of timing and extra exact ball location.” That was definitely evident within the duo’s missed finish zone connection at Cincinnati final Sunday. (And so Chicago’s QB points persist.)
As we at all times say, nothing is everlasting. Odunze figures to bounce again from his Week 9 bagel this coming weekend. By how a lot, nonetheless, stays the query. The Giants have allowed the second-most catches (89) and the third-most yards to exterior receivers (1,086). Odunze is a succesful expertise. And in a recreation with a complete of 48.5 at ESPN BET, he ought to draw not less than 5 – 6 seems to be. Nonetheless, the volatility inside the state of affairs is unabashedly apparent, making Odunze a dangerous WR2 for fantasy functions in Week 10. Managers intent on exploiting the favorable matchup ought to insure their lineups with high-floor choices to stability out any potential inefficiencies.
Romeo Doubs, WR, Inexperienced Bay Packers: He is probably not in possession of Christian Watson’s big-play attraction, Matthew Golden’s versatility or Tucker Kraft’s after-the-catch capacity, however Doubs has emerged as Jordan Love’s most relied upon pass-catcher. The 25-year-old leads the workforce in routes run (26.6 per recreation), targets drawn (52) and catches collected (34). Apparently, he additionally leads the workforce in finish zone alternatives, pulling six, whereas the remainder of the corps has drawn a complete of seven. Credited with not less than eight seems to be in 4 of his previous 5 efforts, Doubs has averaged 15.8 fantasy factors per contest (WR13) since Week 4.
There was comprehensible concern that Watson’s return may negatively have an effect on Doubs’ quantity. But, Doubs led the workforce in snaps (58 to Watson’s 39) and appears (10). An sudden recreation script and accidents definitely elevated the Nevada product’s involvement, however it’s telling that when our bodies have been wanted, it was Doubs who was regarded to. With Kraft (ACL) out for the rest of the 12 months and Golden nursing a shoulder challenge, Doubs figures to stay prominently within the combine. He tasks as a low-end WR2/flex choice heading right into a tilt versus a Philadelphia protection that has given up greater than 30 fantasy factors to WR corps in 5 of its previous six contests. Doubs is ranked because the ESPN consensus WR25 heading into Monday night time’s motion.
Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans: Schultz did not hit after I projected he would two weeks in the past. Nevertheless, I am going again to the effectively, particularly if C.J. Stroud sits in Week 10. Schultz has managed double-digit fantasy totals in three of his previous 4 video games. And he is performed that regardless of not scoring a landing in any of these outings (or in any respect to date in 2025). Quantity has buoyed the 29-year-old’s inventory, as he has drawn 21 seems to be over his previous three efforts. He registered a hearty eight targets (with six coming whereas Davis Mills was below middle) in Week 9.
That bodes effectively for Schultz’s quantity heading into an exploitable matchup versus Jacksonville. The Jaguars have allowed the second-most fantasy factors to tight ends. Clearly, Brock Bowers’ Week 9 torching of the Jags protection inflated these numbers. But, it is vital to notice that Jacksonville allowed a median of 79 yards per recreation and three whole TDs to the place within the 4 video games previous to the membership’s Week 8 bye. As such, Schultz stays on the streaming radar, able to TE12-14 fantasy numbers this weekend.
Bonus: Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams: It’ll be darn close to inconceivable to enhance on final week’s Colston Loveland decide, however I really feel compelled to serve up a possible dart throw. Higbee has recorded 4 seems to be in 4 straight video games. That is in no way sturdy quantity, however when noting that his six crimson zone seems to be rank fifteenth on the place, Higbee’s utilization turns into intriguing for fantasy. Much more attention-grabbing is the truth that he is drawn only one fewer crimson zone look (6) than Puka Nacua (7). Furthermore, Higbee has registered two finish zone seems to be to Puka’s one. Talking of Nacua, have been the star receiver to be hampered by his present rib ailment, Higbee’s function would seemingly develop. In a rematch towards the 49ers protection (which gave up a rating to Theo Johnson final Sunday), the veteran tight finish may simply get fortunate on Sunday. Contemplate Higbee a Hail Mary stream in Week 10. He is obtainable in 98% of ESPN Fantasy leagues.