Random Ramsdom: Baker Mayfield named NVP for Week 14 performance

LA Rams QB Baker Mayfield Named NVP of ‘NFL Slimetime’ Week 14 (nickalive.net)

“Nate Wright from Big Nate has named Los Angeles Rams quarterback Baker Mayfield as Nickelodeon’s Valuable Player (NVP) of NFL Slimetime Week 14! Click HERE to watch the announcement!”

Baker Mayfield wins NFC Offensive Player of the Week following dramatic Rams debut (ramswire)

“Baker Mayfield has officially capped off a wild first week with the Los Angeles Rams by winning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He was announced as the winner for Week 14 after leading the Rams to a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Raiders just two days after joining the team.

Mayfield didn’t stuff the stat sheet, completing 22 of 35 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, but he did pull off one of the craziest wins in recent memory. He relieved John Wolford after just three plays and though the offense sputtered for most of the game, Mayfield led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter to stun the Raiders.

The final drive went 98 yards with only 1:45 on the clock, the longest game-winning touchdown drive in the final two minutes of any game in the last 45 years. That’s exactly why he won the award, not for his stat line.

This is the third time Mayfield has won Offensive Player of the Week honors in his career, with the previous two times coming as a member of the Browns.

It’s also the first time a Rams player has won a weekly award this season, and no one probably expected Mayfield to be the first.”

Beware the worst player in football (acmepackingcompany)

“The Packers play the Rams on what figures to be a very cold, possibly snowy night game in Lambeau Field on Monday. This is not great.

I’ve written before on some of the structural issues that make Lambeau a bad fit for the Packers when the weather turns, which you can read here. The short version is as follows:

1. Good teams excel at passing, because they almost always have good quarterbacks. They build their offense around it.
2. Lesser teams often run too much, and often have disproportionate resources devoted to stopping the run.
3. In cold and snow, running and run-stopping become more valuable relative to their value in the regular season.
4. Aaron Rodgers is an old man, and old men and cold don’t mix.

It’s more nuanced than that, but you get the idea. In a vacuum, on paper, the Packers should destroy the Rams. The Rams are terrible. They got their title, but the cost has come due, as they are old, injured, and have no depth. Unfortunately, there are some problems with this specific matchup.

First and foremost, the one thing the Rams are actually good at is stopping the run, where they rank 5th in DVOA. They may be without Aaron Donald, which certainly matters, but if this turns into a rock fight, Los Angeles is better equipped on the defensive side. Compounding this issue, the Packers will be without David Bakhtiari (everything), which means they will likely be turning to the perfectly serviceable, but very light Yosh Nijman and Zach Tom. This will not be a Packer line equipped for power running, and given how Aaron Jones has struggled lately, this may turn into an AJ Dillon game.

The Packers are at least a good running team, which should help, while the Rams quite poor, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous. Green Bay remains the worst run defense in the league by DVOA, and 2nd worst by EPA/Play, which brings us to Cam Akers. Akers is, for my money, the NFL’s worst player. You can define the “worst player” in many ways. The player currently closest to being cut league wide is perhaps the correct answer. The worst quarterback, who is capable of doing the most damage as an individual, and who may actually be Baker Mayfield, is a possibility. But let’s go with Akers, who was drafted with the 52nd pick of the 2020 draft, one spot ahead of Jalen Hurts, who plays the NFL’s least valuable position, and who is, as I write this, last in RB DVOA.”

NFL Week 15 picks, schedule, odds, injuries, stats, fantasy tips (espn)

“The Week 15 NFL schedule for the 2022 season is stacked with great matchups, and we’ve got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game and a bold prediction for each matchup.

Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a game projection. ESPN researcher Kyle Soppe hands out helpful fantasy football intel, as well. Finally, Seth Walder and Eric Moody give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.

Let’s get into the full Week 15 slate, including three Saturday matchups, Jalen Hurts vs. Justin Fields, Raiders coach Josh McDaniels facing his old Patriots team and an NFC East battle between the Giants and Commanders. It all culminates with a “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Rams and the Packers on ESPN. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)”

NFL 2022 Week 15 injury report roundup: Jakobi Meyers, Rhamondre Stevenson questionable for Pats (profootballtalk)

“Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season kicked off on Thursday with a win by the 49ers and it continues with three games on Saturday and 11 more on Sunday.

Injury reports for all of those games appear below. The Rams and Packers play on Monday night and those teams will hand in their final injury reports on Saturday.”

NFL Fantasy Football 2022: Marcas Grant’s Week 15 sleepers (nfl.com)

“Congratulations! If you’re reading this column, it means you made the playoffs. Welcome to the second season. If you somehow missed the playoffs and are still reading this column, I’m grateful for your continued patronage and wish you nothing but the best in your future.

But for those of you with matchups to consider this week, you don’t need me to tell you the importance of getting your lineup decisions right. If you want to get one step closer to hoisting a trophy — or a belt, or cup, or whatever your league plays for — it’s imperative to avoid any swings and misses. That also means moving away from underperforming big names in favor of players with better weekly upside.

In case you’re new here … first of all, welcome. Second of all, we’re trying to find guys who might exceed weekly expectations. So let’s get to it, eh? Here are some names.”