Dynasty Nerds 
Draft Nerds 
NerdHerd 
It’s a little early for Halloween, but okay, who unsealed the cursed tomb earlier this week? Week 2 played out like a horror movie for dynasty managers. Every offseason, we spend months analyzing our rosters and convincing ourselves that we’ve built an unstoppable dynasty juggernaut. Then, mid-September hits, and suddenly you’re choosing between starting Marcus Mariota or Tyson Bagent (er, or Case Keenum?!) as your QB1 in your Week 3 lineup.
Buckle up, dynasty managers. Fantasy football just became #SpookySzn.
🔗 Start Building Your Dynasty
Keith’s Rants of the Week
From the ER to the IR
We go into this game of ours understanding that football is a contact sport, but most of us went through all 12 stages of dynasty grief in the past 48 hours.
In Chi-Town, the Madden curse is alive and well. Caleb Williams will be out with a hamstring. Maybe? He apparently could return next week. Or it could be season-ending. The range of outcomes given thus far has… varied.
Watching Jayden Daniels carted off the field was pure heartbreak. In my 2026 Dynasty Nerds App League Preview, I literally wrote that my team’s success hinged on my franchise quarterbacks. On the bright side, at least the injury to Daniels clears the way for me to start Bryce Young, just like I planned it.
In addition to Jayden Daniels, it was a bad injury week all around for “J” players. Jaxson Dart. Jadarian Price. Jaylen Wright. David Njoku. Njoku counts as a “J” name, right?
Dallas Goedert will miss time for Philadelphia. Maybe this will open up things for Makai Lemon? Thus far, the first round pick for Philadelphia has 4 catches for 9 yards. Can the Eagles return him and get their draft pick back?
Finally, high-priced free agent Alec Pierce played an entire half for the Colts!
And, he’s injured again.
Maserati Marv? More like N’Keal Harrison.
I shouldn’t joke about this, right? It brings me no joy to invoke the bust that was N’Keal Harry, but remember when Marvin Harrison, Jr. was dubbed “Maserati Marv” coming out of Ohio State? Right now, that sports car is sitting up on cinder blocks missing an engine.
Everyone’s can’t miss receiving prospect was supposed to be a franchise cornerstone who gets peppered with targets, regardless of game script, no matter the quarterback. Instead, we get this Week 2 stat line:
1 target.
0 receptions.
0.0 fantasy points.
In a game they were losing by 3 touchdowns! Easily the worst performance by a Cardinals wide receiver since Rod Tidwell in 1996.
When you can make a pop culture reference to a 30-year-old Tom Cruise movie, you have to do it. Shout out to the first VHS tape I bought at the Suncoast Video in our local mall. Ask the old people in your dynasty leagues. They’ll explain everything.
Jets Gonna Jet
Is this dynasty relevant? No. Will it help me work through my feelings as a Jets fan? Yes.
Up 17-7 on Green Bay with under eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, playing at home. All they have to do is manage the clock and execute basic situational football. Perhaps make a first down or two.
Nope, instead they:
- Give up a deep pass interference penalty to jump start Green Bay’s offense.
- Allow a 63-yard punt return to Skyy Moore (remember him?) to give the Packers a free field goal to tie it.
- Get stuffed on 3rd-and-1 and 4th-and-1 at midfield. Why coaches run short yardage formations out of shotgun, I’ll never understand.
- Screw up the end of game clock management, allowing Green Bay to attempt a Hail Mary.
- Win the toss, ask to receive, then start OT by taking back-to-back sacks, punt, and watch Green Bay kick a game-winning field goal to lose 20 to 17.
The last time the Jets started 2-0 was 2015. Remember that viral white and blue dress thing? That was 2015. That’s how long it’s been!
Keith’s Week 2 Superlatives
The “At Least You’re Alive” Award
Do you still have a roster full of healthy football players? Congratulations. It doesn’t matter what the final score says. You won the week.
Bench Blunder
Going forward, I’ll simply rename this award as the “Tre Tucker Award.”
Our benches thank you for the 22.9 points you scored. Also, please share this award with your teammate Cody White for his WR14 finish on the week.
I take pride in knowing NFL and college rosters from top to bottom, and I had to look up Cody White. Michigan State. Who knew? Early declare but went undrafted in 2021. Way to stick with it and good for you, young man!
Bad Beat of the Week
To the managers who started DJ Moore in a game where 72 points were scored, I’m sorry your Thursday night ended with both negative fantasy points and an injured superstar.
Watson Watch
In our staff Bold Predictions article, published in August, my five-pepper prediction was that Deshaun Watson would finish the year as a QB1. After two weeks, he’s QB13.
Yes, it’s still very early.
Pulse of the Dynasty Nerds App League
Keith Ensminger (199.24) beats Doc Mitchell (110.51)
Remember how I started this column talking about the absurdity of this game we play? I benched Bo Nix in favor of Drew Lock (Drew Lock!), and it actually worked! Unfortunately, while I won the battle, I may have lost the war with the Jayden Daniels injury. At least I have the second-highest fantasy scorer on the season, Bryce Young, waiting in the wings!
Matt Cooper (145.21) beats Mychal Warno (137.74)
In a week with a lot of blowouts in the Dynasty Nerds App League, this was our closest matchup. Matt squeaked out a win over Mychal on the back of big performances by Ceedee Lamb and a breakout game for Omarion Hampton.
On Mychal’s side? David Montgomery? We’d like to have a word with you and the Texans’ staff. What even was that on Sunday? 6 carries total?
Garret Price (174.11) beats Rich Dotson (111.04)
The battle of the Dynasty Nerds podcasters went Garret’s way with huge weeks from Dak Prescott, Stefon Diggs, and Jahmyr Gibbs.
This game also featured a battle of starting lineup disappointments on both sides. Coleston Loveland for Garret and Marvin Harrison, Jr. for Rich.
And Dallas Goedert.
And Kyle Pitts.
And Rome Odunze.
I’d say at least the Browns won, but in doing so, they beat Baker.
Poor Rich.
Jon Glosser (153.05) beats Matt O’Hara (90.47)
You know how on Sleeper, the scores in the app turn green when your player exceeds their expected scoring and red when they fall short? Matt’s lineup was a sea of red, including big-time busts by Caleb Williams, Rhamondre Stevenson, Jonathan Brooks, Justin Jefferson, and Jayden Reed.
On Jon’s side of the ledger, he won, but he has a lot of questions to ask about his roster. What to do about Drake Maye? What about Luther Burden? Are their first two games small hiccups or are they a pattern of what to expect moving forward?
Peter Monahan (208.00) beats Taylor Christianson (125.52)
Discord Peter led all scorers this week by going over 200 points.
Oh, he has Josh Allen. Well, that explains it.
Jared Wackerly (183.86) beats Steve Pintado (81.45)
And finally, Jared takes down Steve by over 100 points on the backs of Jared Goff, Joe Burrow, Josh Downs, and Ja’Marr Chase. I guess not all “J” names were bad this week!
Steve started 2-0, but week 2 proves that we play a week-to-week game in the Dynasty Nerds App League. We can’t take anything for granted in a competitive league like this one!
Tanking Alert!
In the Dynasty Nerds App League, remember the #NerdHerd has the power to save or to cut the worst-performing managers at the end of the season. The exception? Last year’s champion gets an exemption and reprieve for a few seasons.
Our inaugural champion, Doc Mitchell, has taken full advantage of this rule. He’s rebuilding while he’s safe, but the interesting twist? He traded away his 2027 1st round pick last season, and something tells me that pick’s current owner, Taylor Christanson, is savvy enough to not give it back. With Jeremiah Smith at stake, can you blame him?
In the meantime, Doc’s rebuild looks like this:
- Traded Derrick Henry to get David Montgomery
- Traded Jaxon Smith-Njigba to get Drake London, a 2026 1st, and 2026 2nd.
- With those picks, he drafted Ty Simpson and Skyler Bell
- Traded George Kittle, Tony Pollard, and Brandon Aiyuk to get Kendre Miller and a 2026 1st
- He used that pick to draft Eli Stowers
- Traded Jonathan Taylor and Tahj Brooks to get J.K. Dobbins and Travis Etienne
- Traded a 2028 2nd to get two 2026 3rds, using them to draft Kaelon Black and Zachariah Branch
- Traded Travis Etienne and Jake Ferguson to get TreVeyon Henderson and Zavion Thomas
- Traded Keenan Allen, J.K. Dobbins, Michael Pittman, Chuba Hubbard, and 2 2027 4ths to get Ollie Gordon, Isaiah Bond, De’Zhaun Stribling, Brandon Aiyuk, and 2 2028 2nds.
- Traded David Montgomery to get a 2027 3rd, a 2028 2nd, and a 2028 3rd.
Doc is currently 0-4, sitting at the bottom of the standings with the equally winless Taylor Christianson and Matt O’Hara. With Doc exempt from the chopping block, that leaves Mychal Warno (1-3) in the danger zone. It’s a long season, and there’s a lot of football left to be played.
Looking Ahead to Week 3
We start the week in Green Bay with a matchup of the Packers and Falcons. Michael Penix returns for Atlanta, so hopefully the game won’t be totally unwatchable. If you roster Kyle Pitts or Drake London, there’s your ray of sunshine.
Either the Panthers or Browns are leaving Cleveland 2-1. Either the Texans or Colts are leaving Indianapolis 0-3.
There is a world where the Raiders could depart New Orleans 3-0 as the only undefeated team in the AFC, just like we all expected. Bonus fall savings are coming to Kohl’s!
Oh, the 2-0 Chiefs play the Dolphins and the 2-0 Bills play the Chargers. I guess the Raiders will have to settle for being one of three 3-0 teams.
Speaking of the Chargers, can we have a chat about Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel yet?
Jets Head Coach Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit to face Dan Campbell and the Lions. Will the Jets play hard but ultimately make boneheaded mistakes which cost them the game? Undoubtedly.
See you in Week 3, and may all your players stay safe and healthy!
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