The Weekly Assist: Concerns for NFL Top Contenders

Kansas City OC Eric Bieniemy and Patrick Mahomes during last year's Super Bowl

Rich Graessle - Icon Sportswire

Week 12 of the NFL has provided us with some concerns for once mighty contenders.

The Raiders, Colts, and Cowboys all got blown out this week, which doesn't bode well for their confidence moving forward as they are in the midst of battling for playoff positions. A couple games were decided by last second field goals.

The Patriots stole one from the Cardinals on a 50 yard field goal off the foot of Nick Folk. It was setup by a 15 yard penalty by Arizona linebacker, Isaiah Simmons, for a hit on Cam Newton as he was going out of bounds.

The Vikings managed to sneak away with a victory due to a missed field goal from Joey Slye of Carolina. Slye missed a 54 yard attempt as the game came to a close and Minnesota came out with the W, 28-27.

The Bills, Packers, and Saints all won to keep their division leads. The 49ers and Patriots managed to keep their playoff hopes alive with Week 12 wins.

Also congratulations to the New York Giants on moving into first place in the NFC East with their win over the Bengals they are now 4-7.


AFC East Fantasy Performer of the Week

Ryan Fitzpatrick QB Miami Dolphins - 257 passing yards and 2 TDs

AFC East Week 12 Winner

Buffalo Bills - With their 27-17 win over the Chargers, Buffalo kept pace ahead of Miami for the division lead. The combination of Fitzpatrick and Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback have been good enough to keep stacking wins and the Bills cannot afford to let their foot off the pedal the rest of the way.

AFC East Week 12 Loser

New York Jets - Last I checked the news feed Adam Gase is still their head coach. Thus, the Jets are inherently the loser of the week in the AFC East until that statement is no longer true.

AFC West Fantasy Performer of the Week

Tyreek Hill WR Kansas City Chiefs - 13 receptions, 269 yards receiving, 3 TDs

There's really not much to say about Hill's performance on Sunday. All that matters is that the Chiefs' offense looks better than it did last year when they won the Super Bowl.


AFC West Week 12 Winner

Kansas City Chiefs - The Chiefs not only won behind the stellar performances of Patrick Mahomes (462 yards and 3 TDs) and Hill against one of the better teams in the league in the Buccaneers, but every other team in the division lost Week 12. Barring a historical collapse, KC should already be printing their division champion t-shirts.


AFC West Week 12 Loser

The rest of the division - The Raiders are a team that we've seen fluctuate between a contender and an imposter all season. Now that it's getting down to the wire, Las Vegas can't afford anymore games like the blowout they endured against Atlanta this week. The Broncos played without a QB this week, and the Chargers are already looking forward to 2021.


AFC South Fantasy Performer of the Week

Derrick Henry RB Tennessee Titans - 178 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 6.6 YPC

AFC South Week 12 Winner

Deshaun Watson - The Houston QB has kept his head up during a tough season. Even though he himself has struggled most weeks in 2020, the perennial pro-bowler got a chance to show the world that he's still elite even his team needs some upgrading. On a national stage on Thanksgiving, Watson threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns against the Lions in a route, 41-25.

AFC South Week 12 Loser

Indianapolis Colts - While the Texans may not be dead yet, the Colts had the chance this week to establish themselves as the new kings of the South. Instead they got rolled over by Tennessee and Derrick Henry ate their defense alive to the tune of 178 yards. Even though it's still a two man race for the division between the Colts and Titans, Indianapolis knows they need to keep pace with Tennessee or they'll be on the outside looking in come January.

AFC North Fantasy Performer of the Week

Nick Chubb RB Cleveland Browns - 144 rushing yards and 1 TD

AFC North Week 12 Winner

Cleveland Browns fans - Since their return in 1999, Cleveland has been subjected to some bad football. With only one playoff appearance over the past two decades there hasn't been much to cheer about. Cleveland now sits at 8-3 and Browns' fans are in a precarious position as they'll be rooting for the Steelers on Tuesday night. A Pittsburgh win over the Ravens would give the Browns some more breathing room as they sit alone in second place behind the undefeated Steelers squad.

AFC North Week 12 Loser

Lamar Jackson - Jackson was placed on the Covid-19 reserve list ahead of the Ravens' Week 12 game with Pittsburgh. Additional diagnoses caused the game to be rescheduled. But Jackson will miss this important division matchup and the Ravens, as we just talked about, are at risk of giving up more ground to the Browns if they lose this week.

NFC East Fantasy Performer of the Week

Antonio Gibson RB Washington Football Team - 115 rushing yards and 3 TDs

NFC East Week 12 Winner

Jerry Jones - I know that Washington had an impressive Thanksgiving day blowout win and the Giants moved into first place in the division this week. But the real winner is Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office because with their loss they're now positioned inside the top five in the upcoming NFL draft. This will allow them to go get a replacement for Dak Prescott and allow them to avoid signing him to the massive contract he's expected to get.


NFC East Week 12 Loser

Ezekiel Elliott - There is no doubt that Elliott can continue to be a productive, if not elite, running back in the NFL. We're just beginning to question whether that's going to be in Dallas next season. Zeke is one of the highest paid running backs in the league and the Cowboys may be resetting the roster if they're unable to come to terms with Dak Prescott in the offseason. Elliott's contract would be one that the team would be very motivated to move on from if that's the case.


NFC West Fantasy Performer of the Week

Kenyan Drake RB Arizona Cardinals - 78 rushing yards and 2 TDs

NFC West Week 12 Winner

Seattle Seahawks - Even though the Seahawks haven't played their Week 12 game yet (they play on MNF against the Eagles tonight) they are already the winners in the division from Week 12. The Niners knocked off the Rams who are Seattle's closest competition for the division, and the Cardinals lost a heartbreaker to the Patriots. Considering the Hawks have been on a bit of a slide, Russell Wilson and the gang must feel good about the rest of the divisions' misfortune this week.


NFC West Week 12 Loser

Kyler Murray - As we just mentioned the Cardinals took a hurtful loss this week. In such a tight race for the division and playoff spots this season, Murray needs to will his team to some wins. This was an opportunity to do just that, and he played poorly. Murray only managed 201 total yards passing and rushing combined, threw an interception, and had no touchdowns on the day.


NFC South Fantasy Performer of the Week

Latavius Murray RB New Orleans Saints - 124 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 6.5 YPC

NFC South Week 12 Winner

New Orleans Saints - The Saints have won two straight with Taysom Hill filling in for Drew Brees while he's out due to multiple rib fractures. They are riding an eight game win streak overall, and as the Bucs continue to struggle to perform with any level of consistency, New Orleans is beginning to run away with the division.

NFC South Week 12 Loser

Atlanta Falcons - Yes the Falcons just beat the Raiders 43-6, but that's why they're here on this list. It's largely been believed that the Falcons are far better than their record shows, and their Week 12 performance proved that to be true. One can only wonder how their season could've been different if Dan Quinn was replaced by Raheem Morris before the start of the season.


NFC North Fantasy Performer of the Week

Aaron Rodgers QB Green Bay Packers - 211 passing yards and 4 TDs

NFC North Week 12 Winner

Minnesota Vikings - With the help of the Packers, Minnesota has moved into second place in the division after a 1-5 start to the season. The Vikings will be in contention for a wild card spot the rest of the way out, and Kirk Cousins has started to give them more consistent performances. The Bears and Lions shouldn't be a threat, so the Vikings just need to keep winning to give themselves a chance.


NFC North Week 12 Loser

Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn - The Lions parted ways with coach Matt Patricia and GM Bob Quinn following the team's Thanksgiving day loss to the Texans. Detroit is 4-7 this season, but things haven't been trending in the right direction. Although it's a tough beat for Patricia and Quinn, they had plenty of chances to build around Matt Stafford and they failed.

HEY DETROIT THERE'S THIS GUY NAMED ERIC BIENIEMY IN KANSAS CITY THAT IS AVAILABLE.





With Football and March Madness in our rear-view window, you must think that there is nothing good to bet on these days. However, there’s so much going on right now that even we are having a hard time keeping up!

So, we sent our sports editors to chase down all of the best sports to bet on to help you out.

First things first, you’ll want to make an account with FanDuel Sportsbook — a legitimate and easy way to put your money where your mouth is and bet on just about every sport, including:

  • NFL
  • NBA
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • UFC
  • and the PGA Tour

With FanDuel, enter your name, credit card, and social security number — that’s to ensure you're not a coach or player. Then you’re good to start placing bets with the most user-friendly sports betting app out there. You’ll find an easy-to-navigate interface and in-depth tutorials on every type of bet you can make. Plus, they are always offering amazing promotions. Right now, they are offering new users their No Sweat $1,000 promotion. This means you will get up to $1,000 back in Bonus Bets if you lose your first bet!

Here’s what’s heatin’ up:

Basketball: NBA Player Combos

A popular strategy is betting on whether a player will score a certain amount of points, grab a certain amount of rebounds, or dish out a certain amount of assists. For instance, say you bet that LeBron James will hit a PRA (total Points, Rebounds, and Assists in the game) over 44.5. Therefore, if his PRA is 45, you win your bet, but if it is 44, you lose.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple bets on one game with bets on another game for a chance at an even bigger payday using FanDuels Same Game Parlay Features!

Hockey: Total Shots On Goal

A “shot on goal” in hockey refers to a statistic that counts any shot that hits the net or the goalie. So, bet on the number of shots an NHL player will attempt “on goal” in the game. When a player takes a shot and is completely off — missing the net — or the goalkeeper — entirely — this won’t count toward a shot on goal. Did you know there are no regulation-draw markets in pro hockey? A hockey game is held in 3 periods. But when teams are tied at the end of the 3rd period, the winner is decided in overtime or in a shoot-out — which often leads to a nail-biting finish.

Soccer: Total Shots

Bet on the number of shots a soccer player will attempt “on goal” over the course of the game. Just like in hockey, if a player takes a bum shot it’s not counted toward a “shot on goal” or your bet. But there have been some surprising goals that can make you a few bucks.

Golf: Over/Under Birdies

A bet we see a lot lately is “whether a player will achieve “over X / under X” birdies. A birdie is a term for a score of one under par. This is when a player’s golf ball hits the green — close to the hole — in fewer shots than it usually takes to complete the hole. Here’s a hot tip: So, bet on exceptional golfers who you think can complete all 18 holes in under 72 shots, especially at Augusta National!


Baseball: NRFI

Believe it or not, the MLB is home to one of the most popular betting props - the NRFI, the MVP bet for our time. It stands for "No Run First Inning".

With the NRFI, you don't have to waste four hours anxiously waiting to see who the winner is. Instead, you only need six quick outs at the beginning of the game, with 89 percent of the game still remaining.

Simply put, it’s revolutionized how people view baseball. For such a brief time-investment, NRFI transforms the most sleepy sport in the world into the most intense and electric betting out there. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and give you a hit of instant gratification when you win!

Just because March Madness is behind us doesn’t mean your sports betting fun is on pause until ‘24.

Make FanDuel Sportsbook your place of the year, no matter the sport or the game.

So March Madness is over, and either you won big or died trying. Whatever the case may be, now that the hoopla of the tournament is behind us, you may be thinking that there’s nothing exciting to bet on before the ramp-up to the NBA Playoffs. However, there’s so much more going on post-March Madness than you might realize.

So, we sent our sports editors to chase down all of the best sports to bet on now that the winning team has been crowned.

First things first, you’ll want to make an account with FanDuel Sportsbook — a legitimate and easy way to put your money where your mouth is and bet on just about every sport, including:

  • NFL
  • NBA
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • UFC
  • and the PGA Tour

With FanDuel, enter your name, credit card, and social security number — that’s to ensure you're not a coach or player. Then you’re good to start placing bets with the most user-friendly sports betting app out there. You’ll find an easy-to-navigate interface and in-depth tutorials on every type of bet you can make. Plus, they are always offering amazing promotions. Right now, when new users bet $5, they get $150 in Bonus Bets, win or lose!

It’s post-March Madness- Here’s what’s heatin’ up:

Basketball: NBA Player Combos

A popular strategy is betting on whether a player will score a certain amount of points, grab a certain amount of rebounds, or dish out a certain amount of assists. For instance, say you bet that LeBron James will hit a PRA (total Points, Rebounds, and Assists in the game) over 44.5. Therefore, if his PRA is 45, you win your bet, but if it is 44, you lose.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple bets on one game with bets on another game for a chance at an even bigger payday using FanDuels Same Game Parlay Features!

Hockey: Total Shots On Goal

A “shot on goal” in hockey refers to a statistic that counts any shot that hits the net or the goalie. So, bet on the number of shots an NHL player will attempt “on goal” in the game. When a player takes a shot and is completely off — missing the net — or the goalkeeper — entirely — this won’t count toward a shot on goal. Did you know there are no regulation-draw markets in pro hockey? A hockey game is held in 3 periods. But when teams are tied at the end of the 3rd period, the winner is decided in overtime or in a shoot-out — which often leads to a nail-biting finish.

Soccer: Total Shots

Bet on the number of shots a soccer player will attempt “on goal” over the course of the game. Just like in hockey, if a player takes a bum shot it’s not counted toward a “shot on goal” or your bet. But there have been some surprising goals that can make you a few bucks.

Golf: Over/Under Birdies

A bet we see a lot lately is “whether a player will achieve “over X / under X” birdies. A birdie is a term for a score of one under par. This is when a player’s golf ball hits the green — close to the hole — in fewer shots than it usually takes to complete the hole. Here’s a hot tip: So, bet on exceptional golfers who you think can complete all 18 holes in under 72 shots, especially at Augusta National!


Baseball: NRFI

Believe it or not, the MLB is home to one of the most popular betting props - the NRFI, the MVP bet for our time. It stands for "No Run First Inning".

With the NRFI, you don't have to waste four hours anxiously waiting to see who the winner is. Instead, you only need six quick outs at the beginning of the game, with 89 percent of the game still remaining.

Simply put, it’s revolutionized how people view baseball. For such a brief time-investment, NRFI transforms the most sleepy sport in the world into the most intense and electric betting out there. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and give you a hit of instant gratification when you win!

Just because March Madness is behind us doesn’t mean your sports betting fun is on pause until ‘24.

Make FanDuel Sportsbook your place of the year, no matter the sport or the game.

So March Madness is over, and either you won big or died trying. Whatever the case may be, now that the hoopla of the tournament is behind us, you may be thinking that there’s nothing exciting to bet on before the ramp-up to the NBA Playoffs. However, there’s so much more going on post-March Madness than you might realize.

So, we sent our sports editors to chase down all of the best sports to bet on now that the winning team has been crowned.

First things first, you’ll want to make an account with FanDuel Sportsbook — a legitimate and easy way to put your money where your mouth is and bet on just about every sport, including:

  • NFL
  • NBA
  • MLB
  • NHL
  • UFC
  • and the PGA Tour

With FanDuel, enter your name, credit card, and social security number — that’s to ensure you're not a coach or player. Then you’re good to start placing bets with the most user-friendly sports betting app out there. You’ll find an easy-to-navigate interface and in-depth tutorials on every type of bet you can make. Plus, they are always offering amazing promotions. Right now, when new users bet $5, they get $150 in Bonus Bets, win or lose!

It’s post-March Madness- Here’s what’s heatin’ up:

Basketball: NBA Player Combos

A popular strategy is betting on whether a player will score a certain amount of points, grab a certain amount of rebounds, or dish out a certain amount of assists. For instance, say you bet that LeBron James will hit a PRA (total Points, Rebounds, and Assists in the game) over 44.5. Therefore, if his PRA is 45, you win your bet, but if it is 44, you lose.

Pro Tip: Combine multiple bets on one game with bets on another game for a chance at an even bigger payday using FanDuels Same Game Parlay Features!

Hockey: Total Shots On Goal

A “shot on goal” in hockey refers to a statistic that counts any shot that hits the net or the goalie. So, bet on the number of shots an NHL player will attempt “on goal” in the game. When a player takes a shot and is completely off — missing the net — or the goalkeeper — entirely — this won’t count toward a shot on goal. Did you know there are no regulation-draw markets in pro hockey? A hockey game is held in 3 periods. But when teams are tied at the end of the 3rd period, the winner is decided in overtime or in a shoot-out — which often leads to a nail-biting finish.

Soccer: Total Shots

Bet on the number of shots a soccer player will attempt “on goal” over the course of the game. Just like in hockey, if a player takes a bum shot it’s not counted toward a “shot on goal” or your bet. But there have been some surprising goals that can make you a few bucks.

Golf: Over/Under Birdies

A bet we see a lot lately is “whether a player will achieve “over X / under X” birdies. A birdie is a term for a score of one under par. This is when a player’s golf ball hits the green — close to the hole — in fewer shots than it usually takes to complete the hole. Here’s a hot tip: So, bet on exceptional golfers who you think can complete all 18 holes in under 72 shots, especially at Augusta National!


Baseball: NRFI

Believe it or not, the MLB is home to one of the most popular betting props - the NRFI, the MVP bet for our time. It stands for "No Run First Inning".

With the NRFI, you don't have to waste four hours anxiously waiting to see who the winner is. Instead, you only need six quick outs at the beginning of the game, with 89 percent of the game still remaining.

Simply put, it’s revolutionized how people view baseball. For such a brief time-investment, NRFI transforms the most sleepy sport in the world into the most intense and electric betting out there. It’ll keep you on the edge of your seat and give you a hit of instant gratification when you win!

Just because March Madness is behind us doesn’t mean your sports betting fun is on pause until ‘24.

Make FanDuel Sportsbook your place of the year, no matter the sport or the game.

Terms & Conditions: 21+ and present in CO, IA, IL, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA or WV. New users only. Must wager in designated offer market. $10 first deposit required. $150 max bonus. See full terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call: 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, IL, VA), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or visit www.1800gambler.net (WV).