🏈 Win your league this year

Derrick Henry, D'Andre Swift, and the Jonathan Taylor Plan. Also, be better than your friends at fantasy football.

Good morning and welcome back to another edition of the Morning Huddle - where we make you smirk (or cry) every morning + help you win fantasy football titles.

If you enjoy the newsletter and have some league-mates who love fantasy football - don’t share this with them. You don’t want them winning the league, and neither do we. This is YOUR year.

But, maybe, even with this newsletter, they don’t stand a chance against you. In that case:

Note: if someone in your league just sent you this newsletter, they have zero faith in your fantasy football skill. They think, even with the best info in the world, you still can’t beat them. Ouch.

Without further ado, let’s get into it:

The NFL vs the NFLPA

Per Sports Illustrated: “The National Football League recommended to the National Football Players Association on Thursday that vaccinated players receive a COVID-19 test once every seven days in comparison to one every 14 days due to a rise in cases from the Delta variant, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The league says it proposed mandatory vaccinations to NFLPA in July and would like to impose a mandate on Friday if there is an agreement. However, the players' union is not backing that proposal as of now, per Mortensen.”

Apparently, 93% of players and 99% of team staff are vaccinated, but with these new variants who knows. Only one thing is for certain: The NFL season is happening, despite the Titans’ issues.

Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter

Tennessee Titans now have nine players and coaches who have tested positive, including QB Ryan Tannehill and HC Mike Vrabel, per sources.

In other, virus-related news:

Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero

The NFL has sent written warnings to roughly 120 players leaguewide and fined 25 players for refusal to wear a mask and/or Kinexon tracking device since the start of training camp, per source. All fined $14,650, the standard amount for a first offense under NFL-NFLPA protocols.

Imagine getting fined $14,650 - I’d be sleeping on a couch in my mom’s basement.

Which I’m already doing. Sh*t.

The “I’m glad I didn’t play against Derrick Henry” of the Day

Marcus Mosher @Marcus_Mosher

Here are some Derrick Henry HS highlights for absolutely no reason at all.

What’s really going on D’Andre?

Per @FBInjuryDoc:

Is Nyheim Hines the best value in drafts?

Jeff Pratt @HotlineFantasy

Nyheim Hines was PPR RB15 last year, and he currently has an ADP of #129 on @FantasyPros. I understand regression is likely, but that still seems like tremendous value.

Short answer: Probaby not. Besides a few spike games, Nyheim didn’t do much. But what about Jonathan Taylor balling out?

From Weeks 10-17 last season, Jonathan Taylor was one of the league’s best RBs, but most of those games were wins by the Colts. And look at the fantasy football playoff schedule Taylor had:

It doesn’t get much easier than that. Now look at Weeks 1-5 for the Colts this season:

The plan: wait until Week 4 or 5 before sending your trade offers for Jonathan Taylor. Owners get frustrated early, and JT is one of the best RB talents in the NFL.

Scott Barrett @ScottBarrettDFB

Top RB Prospects Since 2015 (per my model) 1. Christian McCaffrey (2016) 2. Jonathan Taylor (2019) 3. Najee Harris (2020) 4. Derrick Henry (2015) 5. Dalvin Cook (2016)

Quick Hits

• Sean McVay on Sony Michel: “Wanted to make sure that we got somebody else that’s played in big-time games.” “Darrell’s still going to have a very big role. Doesn’t really change the outlook for him." Maybe it isn’t Sony Michel szn yet.

• A great tip for the late round of your drafts: Choose players who only need one thing to break right for them to have a massive role. Comparing Chubba Hubbard vs Gio Bernard. If CMC goes down, Chubba inherits a massive workload with little competition. If Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette, Ke'shawn Vaughn, and every other possible FA signing get hurt, then Gio has a massive workload. You get it.

• Couldn’t decide if this is funny or not. Settle for mildly amusing - it’s a video of players getting distracted by big plays during preseason interviews.

• Saquon Barkley is back, and he’s looking quick.

Tweet of the Day

Ouch.

Laura Rutledge @LauraRutledge

Consider this your official reminder that College Football is a week away. @espn @SECNetwork @espnCFB #neverforget

That’s all for today folks - thanks for joining us!

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