It's time for Pete's Pick 6—a weekly recap column where I spotlight the best and the worst (the AFC East has been on one recently) performances from Sunday's games.
Let's dig in …
Mike Evans hits 1k … again
For the 11th straight year, Mike Evans has crested 1,000 receiving yards.
It wasn't necessarily easy, though. The final catch that pushed him over the top didn't come until the final seconds of the game. What a cool moment.
Evans, who finished with 9-89, was slowed down for most of the game and didn't clear his receiving prop in most places (a cautionary tale in not double-counting incentives when betting or playing DFS).
Still, he and the Bucs got the job done. In addition to the Bucs squeaking out the W vs. a scrappy Saints team, Evans also unlocked a much-deserved $3M incentive bonus in the process.
Most of the WRs from that ballyhooed 2014 draft class have long since flamed out (remember Sammy Watkins?), but Evans has been a stalwart who produces year after year.
I wouldn't want to be in the business of betting against him doing it again next year, either.
Bryce Young's roundtrip to glory
What a year for Panthers second-year QB, Bryce Young.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick was unceremoniously benched for Andy Dalton back in September. If you recall, the Panthers were the laughing stock of the league for passing C.J. Stroud for him.
Flash forward to Sunday and he's playing near-perfect football, orchestrating game-winning drives in overtime on the road, and spoiling the playoff hopes for a division rival.
How in the world did this happen? It's truly night and day:
Young finished the game against the Falcons with 251 yards passing, 3 passing TDs, 24 yards rushing, and 2 rushing TDs.
The defining moment, though, was this TD bullet to Tommy Tremble that he punctuated with the Steph Curry-esuqe no-look celebration. If that's not proof that Bryce got his swag back I don't know what is.
Tyreek on the move?
Outside of a little record-breaking, the Dolphins/Jets game ended up being the “Where Are They Headed Next? Bowl.”
Let's take a look at the disgruntled individuals who happened to play against each other yesterday …
Tyreek Hill: After the game, Hill basically said he wanted out of the Dolphins organization. It's quite the pivot after he made it seem like he'd want to stay in Miami forever earlier this summer. Whether this was just the heat of the moment or an actual reveal, it'll make for an interesting offseason subplot.
Aaron Rodgers: You know the deal. He's going to torture us all offseason with head fakes and misdirection about whether he wants to return or retire or get traded or accept a cabinet position. I'm already so tired.
Davante Adams: Adams is almost for sure gone since there's basically no way the Jets will agree to pay him his $35 million dollar salary at age 33 (or at age 34 in 2026). That means he'll likely get released before free agency begins on March 12.
Garrett Wilson: He's already insinuated that he wants out if Rodgers is back.
The AFC East dysfunction wasn't contained to just this game, though …
The Patriots dumpster fire
The Jets win the award for biggest AFC East dumpster fire, but man the Patriots are giving them a run for their money.
New England started Sunday with a clear path to the No. 1 seed and ended the day with a victory over the Bills, the fourth overall pick, and a fired head coach. Sometimes correlation does imply causation.
In a surprise move, Jerod Mayo turned to Joe Milton at the last minute over Drake Maye—presumably in an effort to lose the game.
Unfortunately, Milton III had other plans. He completed 22-of-29 passes for 241 yards and a TD and finished with an absurd completion percentage over expected. This play didn't end up counting, but showcased his skillset.
As for Mayo, it's an extremely tough look for both him and the organization to dissolve the relationship after one season. Expectations were low, but he somehow found a way to still disappoint. Being a first-year head coach with a rookie QB is always going to be tough, but it sounds like he was simply not prepared for the gig.
Despite the crappy end to the year, there should still be a decent amount of optimism for Patriots fans with second-year Maye, a top draft pick, and a new coaching staff.
The rookies finish on a high note
One of the prevailing themes of the fantasy playoffs has been the stellar play from the rookies, specifically the ones taken in Round 1.
On Sunday, Malik Nabers set the Giants franchise record for most receptions in a single season with 109 catches. Despite some truly horrific QB play at times and missing a few games, he finished the year with 1,204 yards and 7 TDs.
Brock Bowers finishes his rookie year with 112 catches (most by a rookie in NFL history), 1,194 receiving yards (1st among all TEs), and 5 TDs. He deserves to be a first-round pick next year and is poised to headline the position for the next decade.
Not to be outdone, Brian Thomas finished the year with 87 catches and led all rookies in both receiving yards (1,282) and TDs (10). Every single week I've mentally bumped up his 2025 ADP a few more spots. Good luck getting him to fall outside of Round 2.
The Falcons offense detonates in Week 18
Young and the Panthers earned the lede, but we can't forget about the Falcons. This is a fantasy newsletter, after all.
Bijan Robinson (28-170-2 on the ground) and Drake London (8/187/2 through the air) broke the slate, while Michael Penix (312 passing yards and 3 total TDs) broke the internet with penis jokes (and delivered the best game of his young career).
If you need any proof that the future is bright in Atlanta, look no further than this fun stat per Zach Klein:
The Falcons became the first team in NFL history with a 300-yard passer, 175-yard receiver, and 150-yard rusher each under the age of 25 in the same game.
We all laughed at the Penix pick at the time (and rightfully so, considering the money spent on Kirk Cousins), but this is a "what have you done for me lately" league. Everyone is going to forget about the Cousins fiasco real quick if they can keep this energy rolling into 2025.
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