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Ekeler’s Millions

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Oh to be an NFL player! You’re a physically fit, young man, earning millions….and 2 years after you retire there is a high chance you will be BROKE! Not unless you make the right decisions.
LA Chargers running back Austin Ekeler details what he spent his first million dollars on in this Ekeler’s Millions segment.

One of the first things that comes across when you watch Austin Ekeler is how humble and grounded the guy is. This probably has something to do with growing up in rural Colorado, and not really focusing on the NFL as a career.  Often the biggest financial busts in the NFL are the players who focus on status and prestige, as opposed to building the structure for financial stability in the future.  There is nothing more frustrating as a fan watching a talented young athlete blow their wad on ‘bling’, when their career could essentially be over within 5 years.
Sure Drew Brees can spend millions on trinkets and baubles, but look where that got him.

Among some of the purchases that Ekeler bought with his first million includes:

Chrysler 300

The essential vehicle for soccer moms, single dads with weekend duties, and of course NFL rookies. Austin smartly mentions that he bought a used car, as he wanted something reliable and affordable to get him to work, while many of his other teammates were focused on the flashy, European models.
It’s better to be frugal than a fool in a league where a sudden injury can change the trajectory of your future immediately.
Cost $30,000

Gaming System

Boys love their toys, and a single man in his 20s is going to spend a lot of money on gaming. Gaming is surprisingly popular and competitive amongst NFL players themselves, so many of the rookies are going to want to update their speed and graphics in order to compete with some of their elders on the team and league. Gaming is a massively popular industry, and many NFL players are eyeing it up as not only an investment post career, but also as a potential job. Hey, it works in ‘Ballers.’
Cost $10,000

Mommy Car

Every good boy wants to thank their mom for driving their ass to and from practice and games for almost 2 decades. Ekeler thanked his mama by replacing here ugly old van, with something more fitting of a matriarch. Austin’s mom is also a Colorado real estate agent, so she has actually been working for him to upgrade his portfolio. Investing in mom is always a good investment.
Cost $40,000

Corvette

The Corvette is a classic staple of Americana muscle car, this fibre glass beast is one of the biggest killers of drivers in accidents. But…Austin Ekeler loves the ‘Vette, so he bought a shiny one. It’s got to be hard to compete with teammates (and celebrities) in LA, so players do need a car that displays the fact that they ‘made it.’ When you’re a kid you dream of owning your ‘dream car’, and luckily Ekeler was able to do just that.
Cost $80,000

Wardrobe

Some NFL players go full peacock in their post game wardrobe (talking to you Cam Newton), so it’s always refreshing to hear from a normal guy that doesn’t spend his weekly budget on hats. Again, the competitive nature of other NFL players must set the bar high, but given what Ekeler spent updating his wardrobe, many women spend that easily making way less.
Cost $5000

Home

Home is where the honey’s are, and if you want lots of honies, you need a sweet home. Read that on a washroom stall once. Everyone in their 20s’ wants to get out of the rent-trap, and Austin wisely invested a large chunk of his cash into his first house. Listening to him speak about it, you get the impression this will be the first of many home he will turn over for a profit.
Cost $240,000

Australia

Austin Ekeler bought Australia for only $15k! Kidding, but the young man invested the sum into visiting his buddy there that was setting up a gym. Sure that this good looking, rich young American man had a great time down under for that amount.
Cost $15,000

Investment Property

OK, this is when you know that Ekeler is one of the smarty ones. Ekeler’s aforementioned mom helped him pick out 17 properties in Colorado to add to his investment portfolio. 17 properties? Wowza, even local boy John Elway must be impressed enough to give him a Papa John’s franchise.
Newby athletes need to learn from Austin Ekeler so that they don’t make silly mistakes with their money. After all, who wants to go from the NFL in your 20s’, to working at Sonic in your 30s’?
Cost $800,000

What would you do if someone handed you that kind of contract? Would you invest that same way as Ekeler’s Millions, or blow it all in a blaze of glory?

Things to think about. Happy New Year!

 

 

 

Week 16 Memes

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Eesh, what a week it was in the NFL. To honour some of the odd games we experienced, we have collected and collated the best Week 16 Memes out there.
For those of you who were eliminated from your fantasy pool-we feel you.
If your team is struggling for that last playoff spot, we here you.
If you are a Jets fan complaining how you lost Trevor Lawrence, screw you.
Stop being a baby.

Week 11 DraftKings

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If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that fantasy is way more satisfying than reality. The whole year has felt like trying to unstick your unit from a rusty zipper, while baby new year watches in the corner ready to yell ‘we got a bleeder!’
Or maybe I just had a rough week 10 in fantasy.

Tom Brady was on fire in week 10, which was surprising for old man TB12. Dalvin Cook also played on Monday night, which could explain the lack of 40 points on your DK sheet.
Who will be the beasts of week 11? Here are some of the top players I am looking at for my DraftKings line-up.

QBs

Justin Herbert $6800

Who’s playing the Jets this week? Well it’s none other than rocking rookie Justin Herbert and the Chargers. Granted NYJ has made themselves less ‘sucky’ in recent weeks, but they are still the worst team in the league. Their D has made some strides, and could give Herbert some pressure in this game, but not enough to win. Herbert should have plenty of time to hook up with Keenan Allen in this one if you are looking for a tasty stack.

Taysom Hill $4800

WTF did Jameis do to get benched in this contest? Word on the dirty streets is that he had a run in with Sean Payton, and it wasn’t pretty. Speaking of pretty, stud-hunk Taysom Hill will see if he’s more than just a ‘sneak it up your bottom’ type of QB, or if he actually has some depth. Luckily Hill is playing the Falcons, who have gushed points in every contest. Will Hill prove his value, or be shown to be a bit of a starter fraud? Either way, he’s cheap at $4800.

RBs

Dalvin Cook $9000

Hey big spender, watcha got cooking? Dalvin Cook has been incredible since returning from injury, and should be able to continue gashing yards against a helpless Cowboys team. Dallas kept it tight against the Steelers a few weeks ago, but Cook is a different animal. His explosive speed and great RB vision should pay off in a few TDs.

Salvon Ahmed $4800

Who? This Miami rookie gets his first start on Sunday thanks to injuries to the Dolphins running game. Despite playing in his first year, Ahmed has shown signs of promise and should factor in the Dolphins relentless attack against an injured Broncos squad. Tua will also look to Ahmed in slot options, and a great steal at $4800.

WRs

Keenan Allen $7400

His DK price continues to rise each week, as he continues to demonstrate dominant plays. Allen and Herbert have really found a solid rhythm, and you can imagine Allen is going to feast all over the poor Jets with plenty of time and space all day. Sure, he’s pricey, but paired with Herbert he is definitely worth it.

Jakobi Meyers $4900

Meyers is quickly becoming the go to favourite for Cam Newton in this mess of a Patriots squad. After a solid win against the Ravens last week, the Pats will be looking to continue their winning ways against a weak Texans defence. He’s incredibly cheap at $4900 and should be able to get you 15 fantasy points on Sunday.

TEs

Eric Ebron $4000

One of the many shining lights in a sea of Steelers, Ebron is one of the few guys Big Ben can hit within a 10 yard radius. Jacksonville has a fast from which gave Rodgers trouble last week, but Tonyan was able to find some gaps in the armour. Ebron will have plenty of time, as the Jags will be focused on the slew of Pittsburgh receivers who will also be open.

DEF

Saints $3200

After coming back from a bye, the Saints have been on fine form-unless of course you count losing Drew Brees for 3 more weeks. Their D played with fire last week, and you can expect that to continue against a division rival. New Orleans will look to get to Matt Ryan often, breaking down his resolve and taking the pressure of Taysom Hill, who will need all the help he can get.

NFL in London League

That’s it for this week’s picks, if you want to join us and play along, why not join our DraftKings League? It’s FREE to join, and we have a mixture of FREE and PAID contests. Who knows you could be one of the guys winning every week.
Join here:
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Stay safe, stay sane, and hopefully we can all be back watching the NFL together soon.

DraftKings Week 8

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Given the way 2020 has been playing out, Fantasy seems to be working a lot better than reality. This year has felt like you’re a Jets fan who has been stuck in a lift with a Cowboys fan & a Patriots fan, while you wait for a Bucs fan to call for help. That sucky.

Thankfully, we have been playing a lot of DraftKings this season, and you can play along with us in our NFL in London League. It’s free to join, and we have FREE and PAID contests to jump into.
Here are some of my top picks for Week 8 on Halloween Weekend.

QBs

Aaron Rodgers $7600

A-Aron is playing like a man possessed, which is fitting heading into a Halloween weekend. Rodgers was on a tear last week, tapping Devante Adams like a slot machine last week. Heading into week 8 against a sad Vikings defence, it’s hard not to imagine him ripping poor Minnesota apart. Sure, he’s pricy, but you deserve it…it’s the end of the month.

Justin Herbert $6900

Anyone who plays me in Fantasy this year knows that I took Herbert in EVERY pool right off the back. He was my backup to Russell Wilson, and this tandem has kept me in first place in all of my leagues.
Any team watching Herbert play now must be thinking ‘damn!’. He is lighting it up with a weakened O-line and not too many faulty receivers to toss to. Imagine if he was on a great team? He will continue to impress this week.

RBs

Le’Veon Bell $4600

Ding a ling bitches, Le’veon is back! And he might suck. Bell is facing his former Jets team, so he might be motivated to jam it down their throats. Of course, he has to get fed the ball first. He might get barely any touches, and he might be stuffed like a crust every time he tries to cross the line, but at $4600 he will more likely be used in short yardage than CEH.

JaMycal Hasty $5000

Who wants to be a 49ers running back? It seems there is a new guy every week, and Hasty is November’s flavour of the month. Wilson Jr (?) looked great last week until he was injured, so that means another guy enters the rotation. The 49ers have as many RBs as the Bears had TE’s, and they all seem to be pretty good. Hasty is a fun name to say, and brings value against a Seahawks team that struggles against the run.

Derrick Henry $8000

The beast of the east is loose, and the Bengals should be very afraid. Henry was limited against the Steelers last week, but the Bengals have none of the tools to stop him. Henry is the priciest player of the week, which brings with it financial draw backs. Henry is primed for at least 2 TDs and potentially 200+ yards rushing, so you should be in safe hands.

WRs

Devante Adams $8800

Adams cooked up over 40 fantasy points last week, and has hot hands heading into week 8. Adams and Rodgers were in synch last week, in some sort of beautiful ballet of football. He catches more sticky balls than Paris Hilton in the 2000s, and the Vikings will have no answer for him in week 8.

Keenan Allen $6200 

Now that he is fully back, Allen is the #1 go to guy for Herbert. He has the hands and wheels to cause problems in the Broncos backfield. Herbert will struggle against that fast front of Denver, but that should allow him to feed Keenan for short route, big run gains.

Nelson Agholor $4700

Old man Agholor? Yes, the Philly flop has been trying to find his groove in Vegas, and had some pretty good deep ball receptions last week. Carr & the Raiders are struggling on offence, and the Browns are known to give up big yard plays. Nelson should factor in some big plays, which should get you some value points.

TE

Jonnu Smith $4100

The big man should be able to gash the Bengals for redzone TDs. Smith has solid hands, and is a key factor in opening up the field of play. He’s usually good for 1TD, but given the woeful state of the Bengals D, he could see more.

Hunter Henry $4200

Henry has been a solid performer for Herbert, and has been solid in short yardage and Redzone opportunities. With a limited amount of tools to choose from, Henry is a reliable TE for this game.

NFL in London League

If you don’t play DraftKings already, then you might want to join ours. It’s free and fun. We have loads of contests to choose from. Just join here!
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Have a great week 8!

 

The Picks Six

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Okay… well… let’s call that an inauspicious start. In the debut week of this column, my week 6 picks were… largely disappointing. My overall week predictions (9-5) salvaged my tips which did not have a particularly impressive showing. Largely, the blame for this falls squarely at the feet of two teams: The New England Patriots, who inexplicably made the beaten up Denver Broncos look like the ‘85 Bears, and the Cleveland Browns who… ugh… Browns-d it right up against the Steelers. Should I have seen that coming? Probably. Anyway, new week, new me! Let’s go again. Redemption starts here. Same concept: Six sections, including sure things, longshot punts and a prediction for every game. 

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The 1st and Goal from the 1. (Season Record: 1-1)

So somehow went 1-1 last week on this. Shoutout the Dolphins for doing what they were supposed to, even when Cam was too incompetent to do his job… 

Okay. Simple things. That’s what we’re looking for here. So… Who is the worst team in the NFL? Gang Green: The 0-6 New York Jets. And who are said Jets playing this week? Oh, the Bills of Buffalo? With one Joshua Allen at Quarterback? He who has a rocket arm and legs that carry his big sturdy frame forward at alarming speed and momentum? I like him. He wasn’t good against the Chiefs – but we’ll blame the conditions a bit – so I expect Josh to bounce back big here. The Jets are firmly planted in the Trevor Lawrence sweepstakes. The Bills win this game. ZERO doubt.

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The 45yd Field Goal (Season Record: 0-1)

This line should be posted all over the Cowboys’ locker room walls. The UTTER disrespect… Dallas are ONE POINT favourites against the 1-4, very average, lacking in any real talent beyond Terry McLaurin and Chase Young Washington Football Team. Yeah, I get it: The Cowboys were awful on Monday. Dalton didn’t sling it like we were expecting (see, my over losing), Zeke’s hands have been replaced with sticks of butter, and their defense couldn’t stop a team of referees from picking up a first down. BUT this is still the Dallas Cowboys offense. Zeke will not keep putting the ball on the ground. The Cowboys should run (and throw) all over this team. Dallas Cowboys -1.0. Yes please.

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The Hail Mary (Season Record: 0-1)

So we need a long shot, or at least big odds for this one. There aren’t many underdogs I like on the board this week, so I’m sticking to heavily backing a favourite I love. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this yet, but the Jets are AWFUL. Even with Sam Darnold back, they’re not good enough to put a fight up against the Bills. The Bills defense held up quite respectably against the Chiefs passing attack, and Frank Gore is not going to run through the Bills like Clyde Edwards-Helaire did. Josh Allen will sling it, the Bills will score points. I like the Bills to win every quarter at 7/1. 

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The Over (Season Record: 0-1)

Oooooooh there could be some points scored this weekend… lots of tasty matchups which I can see disintegrating into shootouts and garbage time touchdowns. So I’m gonna rattle off a few here:

Browns vs Bengals – Over 50.5

Well, Baker HAS to bounce back. The Browns really need this game, but a scrappy Cincinnati team (who pushed the Colts close last week) can put up some resistance. The Browns have been quietly very good on offense aside from in their two lopsided losses. I don’t think they lose this game; I think they score 30+ on a below-par Bengals defense. Joe Burrow is good enough and determined enough to keep himself in the game – despite the absence of Joe Mixon. Points. 

Lions vs Falcons – Over 55.0

Yep, the line is high, but Stafford and Ryan could very legitimately shred each other’s DBs all afternoon long. D’Andre Swift has started to break out a little bit, and Gurley and Hurst are providing a nice compliment to Atlanta’s stacked WR room. It’s high, but I think it’ll get there. 

Seahawks vs Cardinals – Over 56.0

Another high line, but the newly-flexed Sunday Night Football matchup is one of the most electric of the weekend. Russ gets back in the kitchen, ready to cook after his bye week. Kyler is fast becoming the one rival to Lamar’s title of biggest dual threat Quarterback. Hopkins, Kirk and Fitz vs Lockett, Moore and Metcalf. Carson vs Drake. Carroll vs Kingsbury. Nobody on the field will want to defend. 28 points each has been almost a guarantee for these two teams so far. Let’s keep that run going. 

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The Parlay (Winning Parlays: 0/1, Winning Legs: 3/5) 

Browns -3.0

I know. I know. I know. We took Cleveland last week, and they burned us. I know. BUT this is a new week, and much less formidable defense for Baker to throw against. The Browns torched the Bengals earlier this season and I think a Cleveland win by a TD or more is likely. 

Panthers +7.0

Now, I do think the Saints win this game, but Teddy Bridge is good enough to keep it close. 7 points feels like a lot for a Saints team who – whilst coming off a bye – are missing their top two WRs to injury and the COVID-list. I expect a heavy dose of Alvin Kamara and Mike Davis respectively. Tight game, Saints win, Panthers cover the 7 points. 

Cowboys -1.0

See above… this line feels fraudulent. The Cowboys comeback story arc starts here. 

Bills -10.0

Yuuuuuuup, it’s a lot of points. How many did the Jets lose by last week? 24!? 24 to 0!? Against the Dolphins!? Okay, ha, yeah, definitely Bills -10.0.

Patriots -2.0

Bill is angry. Cam is angry. Stephon is angry. The whole of Boston is angry. The Patriots conspired to lose a game where their opposition didn’t score a Touchdown… HUUUUUH!? Yup. Somehow, that’s what happened. But this is the perfect bounce back game. Bill gets to shut down the guy he traded away. I don’t believe Jimmy G is good enough to beat the team who had earmarked him as the heir to TB12. They traded him for a reason. Shanahan will have some plans cooked up, but I think the Niners are still too injury ravaged to hand the Patriots another loss. 

£10 on this parlay pays about £235 depending on your bookmaker.

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The Full English (Season Record: 9-5)

Bills vs Jets – Bills

Panthers vs Saints – Saints

Browns vs Bengals – Browns

Washington vs Cowboys – Cowboys

Lions vs Falcons – Falcons

Packers vs Texans – Packers

Steelers vs Titans – Steelers (But this is such a toss up, won’t be at all surprised if Tennessee win)

Buccaneers vs Raiders – Buccaneers (piss off please Covid… I want to watch this game)

Jaguars vs Chargers – Chargers

Chiefs vs Broncos – Chiefs

49ers vs Patriots – Patriots

Seahawks vs Cardinals – Seahawks

Bears vs Rams – Rams 

Enjoy your week 7! As ever, I’m @callumjdsquires on Twitter & Instagram. Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see me discuss or suggest picks for… Come chat and tell me why I’m wrong and your team is going to win this week. Jets fans need not contact me. Cheers.

All lines accurate as of 11pm Friday.

-Callum Squires is a British writer and former college athlete in America