Hello, 2022! The new year is always filled with hope and promise for new beginnings, change, success and health. That’s how this new year started for me.
Until Jan. 2. Well, I made it 2 whole days until I felt a tickle in my throat. I chalked it up to nothing since that’s what it was at first. Then I woke up the next day with the worst sore throat I’ve ever had.
The first thought all of us have had for the last 2 years is likely “oh no, do I have COVID-19?” It’s such a scary thought that comes with so many unknowns. With hesitation and fear, I took the test and my worst thoughts were confirmed. I had COVID-19. The disease that I had feared since the news of the first outbreak.
I have both shots of the vaccine and have been boosted. I still wore masks, even when the mask mandate was lifted. I washed my hands constantly. I sanitized relentlessly. How did this happen? Retracing every step and thinking of everyone who I came in contact with and I still don’t know how I contracted it.
Honestly, it doesn’t really matter where I picked it up. My only concern was notifying everyone who I could have possibly passed the infection to. My parents, the nanny, the other family we share the nanny with, our friends, the kids’ gym that my son goes to, etc. The fallout from there is extensive because all of those people have seen other people and have been to stores, restaurants, gyms, etc. It was mind-blowing to think of how many other people could get sick from just one person.
It’s not a new thought, but it wasn’t one that I really had before this. Luckily, it seems as if I was infected with the Omicron variant, which meant that my symptoms would likely be less severe. That was my case. I had a sore throat for 3 days and was extremely fatigued, but I didn’t have a cough, didn’t have a fever and didn’t need to be hospitalized.
I quarantined in our bedroom for the first several days, but my biggest concern was our son, Jackson. He was coughing and couldn’t clear his throat. He didn’t have a fever, but it seemed likely that I got COVID-19 from him because he developed the cough on Jan. 1 and my sore throat started on Jan. 2. We made a doctor’s appointment and got him in as quickly as we could. As of today, we still don’t have his test results, but it seems likely that we will receive a positive test for him.
Somehow, my husband, Nate, tested negative. How? No clue. But, it’s known to happen.
It’s an odd feeling to be grateful to have contracted COVID-19. I’m happy to mostly be on the other side of this virus and to not live in fear anymore. I’m grateful that I didn’t pass it to anyone else. I’m grateful that Jackson and I weren’t hospitalized. I’m grateful for minor symptoms that only lasted a few days. There’s always something to be grateful for! That is the lesson I’m going to take with me throughout the remainder of the year.
Another thing I’m grateful for is the two fantasy football championships that I won, as I slept through the final week of fantasy football while COVID-19 worked its way through my body. I started the fantasy season with 13 teams. I ended the season in the playoffs in 10 of those leagues and the championship in three.
Ending the fantasy season like that was shocking. With the injuries and COVID-19 that worked its way through the league, it’s a wonder that anyone made it to the playoffs and championships. It was a fun and stressful season, and I’m grateful it’s over.
It seems quick, seeing as though the fantasy season for many of us ended a few days ago, but now is the time to start looking at rookies and to start building a team for next season.
If you’re anything like me, I did not draft well in the quarterback position. I had way too many shares of Ryan Fitzpatrick, which left me in a lurch in Week 1 when he went out with a season-ending hip injury. Here are two rookie quarterbacks I’ll be looking at for next season.
Jen’s Friday Night Insights: Incoming Rookie QBs to Target
Matt Corral (QB, University of Mississippi)
Someone else who didn’t start 2022 in the best way is University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) quarterback, Matt Corral., He left the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the first quarter of the game with an ankle sprain. Injury aside, Corral should be on everyone’s radar for the 2022 NFL season as he’s expected to work out with teams prior to the draft. That’s great news for anyone in need of a rookie QB.
He completed 68 percent of his passes for over 3,349 yards and had 20 touchdowns to five interceptions. His 2022 performance slightly mirrored his 2021 stats (3,337 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions) with a major improvement in the number of interceptions he threw.
He is a quick player who shouldn’t have a problem proving his worth in the NFL. He is easily coached and can make improvements in his technique in the right system. He’ll likely come off the board quickly in the 2022 draft, so if you’re in need of a fast, efficient QB in dynasty leagues, look no further than Corral.
Kenny Pickett (QB, University of Pittsburgh)
Another incoming rookie quarterback who everyone is talking about is Kenny Pickett, with good reason. Pickett spent the 2021 season breaking records at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). With 4,319 passing yards, 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions, it’s easy to see why everyone is talking about him. He broke Dan Marino’s 1981 record of 37 touchdowns in a single season, while also breaking Deshaun Watson’s Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record of 41 touchdowns in a season.
Pickett is a clear QB1 for an NFL team heading into the draft and we’ll get to see him shine in the Senior Bowl in February. The accurate and quick quarterback will make a splash in the draft, as well as the NFL for whichever team gets him first. He is a slam dunk for all fantasy leagues, regardless of positional need.
I’m here to join the conversation, drink in hand and watch the 2021 NFL postseason unfold. Cheers! If you choose to make any of my drink recipes, I’d love to see them. Please take a picture and tag me!
Bi-Weekly Drink Recipe:
Whiskey Ginger Highball
- 2 oz whiskey
- 4 oz ginger beer
- Lemon slice
- Add whiskey and ginger beer in a glass with ice, stir, squeeze lemon and enjoy!
Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter for more motherly and fantasy sports advice @JenPolvogt.