“Start, Sit & Seth” is the original column of In-Between Media, bridging feel-good lifestyle advice with redraft fantasy football analysis. Consistently following Seth Woolcock’s journey as a young creator, this series is now in its sixth season. This week, NFL’s Week 18, will be Seth’s final edition before an underdetermined hiatus. Thank you for your continued support as the In-Between Media team conquers new ventures in 2024.
For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be one thing: a great writer. Not average, nor serviceable, but truly special. You know, the kind that inspires other kids from nowhere towns to pick up a pen.
I carried a journal around in the third and fourth grades. Even in high school – when my world was quietly crumbling around me – I could still get lost for hours in my writing projects. When the time came to choose what came next, there was no question.
Contributing writer, staff writer, lead writer, culture editor and editor-in-chief of my university newspaper by junior year. It all went by in the blink of an eye and was seemingly never enough.
By 21, I discovered the fantasy football community and was writing and editing for a site. By 22, I owned my own. The staff grew and shifted, as did the content and goals. Sacrifices were made… people, lifestyles and, eventually, my career in higher education.
That was two years ago now. Our site clicks and YouTube subscribers have increased substantially since, as has the time I invest daily.
I’m still a writer. Not great, but a writer nonetheless. However, I wear many more hats now. I’m an entrepreneur, a leader, a live show host, an editor, a producer, an event manager, a designer and a salesman.
From Storytelling to Living the Tale
With the passing of the seasons has come a shift in mindset. After six years and 116 editions of “Start, Sit & Seth” – sharing my stories and others – I’m ready to let go.
Let go of those egotistical and spite-filled goals of greatness. Let go of those feelings of always being insufficient.
Week 18 this year won’t just mark the end of this season’s editions of “Start, Sit & Seth.” It’ll mark the end of the series altogether (at least for now).
Each column brings about 10-12 hours of work, a new story to tell and, hopefully, an original piece of advice to the readers. I’ve unloaded my magazine and said what I needed to say. Nowadays, I spend more time writing than I do actually do living and creating new experiences to share.
As In-Between Media (IBT) grows, it’s no longer about me and my personal, self-seeking objectives. Instead, it’s about showcasing my staff and creating something we can all profit from someday.
Please don’t take this as me selling out or giving up.
Instead, look at it as me entering a new season of my life. I am no longer that 20-year-old kid with a dream, wondering if it’ll ever come to fruition. Instead, I’m a 25-year-old man living it out. With that comes different challenges, like being present for my family and learning how to take a breather here and there.
I’ll never view “Start Sit & Seth” as a failed endeavor or wasted time. My writing reached more readers over the years than I ever thought possible, and hopefully, my words at least moved some of them. I interviewed some of my heroes, told inspiring tales and spoke the truth when it needed to be said.
This series was the self-therapy I didn’t know I needed and what helped me navigate countless turning points throughout my young adult life.
This also isn’t ideally a goodbye forever, and more of a see you later. My hope is to spend the next several years making new stories of my own, meeting new people and ultimately, building In-Between Media (IBT) to the point where we have the infrastructure in place to return to writing this type of content.
I’ll always be indebted to “Start, Sit & Seth” for helping me find my way into the fantasy sports industry and, more importantly, becoming the person I am proud to be today. I will also be forever grateful for those of you who both willingly and unwillingly (shoutout to my editors throughout this run, Katie and Elliot) read these words.
Here’s to the next chapter of my life, your life and choosing to be content over content.
Alright, and for the final time, for at least a while, here we go.
With most leagues wrapped up for the seasons and not as many tough NFL Week 18 start/sit decisions with some players sitting out, we’ll use this final edition to reflect on my best and worst calls of the 2023 fantasy football season.
My Best Calls of the 2023 Fantasy Football Season
Liking Jordan Love
Sitting behind a future Hall-of-Famer for three seasons, surrounded by a promising group of young playmakers and running a relatively simple offense to pickup – the cards were in Jordan Love‘s favor to impress in his first as the Packers starter. I recommended targeting him in superflex formats in March, but even I didn’t expect 30 passing touchdowns heading into Week 18 and a QB5 overall finish.
It’s another reminder that sometimes patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to a Green Bay Packers QB with an absolute cannon of an arm.
Backing Breece Hall… Again
I re-planted my flag on Breece Hall in May when he was first seen working on the side at Jets OTAs. He showed us his dual skill set and explosiveness both at Iowa State and during his seven games in his rookie year before tearing the ACL. I liked his initial third-round pricing, considering his upside, and marked him as a must-have once he became a fourth/fifth-round pick after Dalvin Cook signed.
Despite losing Aaron Rodgers and capping this offense’s overall season just four plays in, Hall totaled 1,395 rushing yards, played all 16 games so far and scored eight total touchdowns. Hall led all RBs with 93 targets, pushing him to a Points Per Reception (PPR) RB4 finish. All bets are off on how high he can finish next season with Rodgers back in the fold.
Targeting Travis Etienne Heavily
There was a lot to like about Travis Etienne coming into 2023. He showed out as a rusher in his first season played in 2022 and showed promise as an elite pass-catcher at Clemson. Etienne put it together this season and jumped from 265 touches to 305, behind only Christian McCaffrey (33) and Rachaad White (313). He was also a prime candidate for positive TD regression, which came to fruition, totaling 12 trips to pay dirt, including four multi-TD games, which was especially helpful for providing fantasy managers with spike weeks. He cooled off down the stretch, but the Jaguars 2021 first-round pick ultimately finished as the PPR RB2.
My Worst Calls of the 2023 Fantasy Football Season
Fading the Baltimore Ravens
On multiple occasions, I faded Lamar Jackson and just about the entire Baltimore offense, aside from J.K. Dobbins. I had concerns regarding the very public offseason negotiations and initially poor receiving corps. I failed to adjust after the sides agreed to a deal and they drafted one of my favorite rookie wide receivers, Zay Flowers and discounted Todd Monken’s impact because of his underwhelming stint in Cleveland. Even after the team signed Odell Beckham Jr. (OBJ), I remained in take lock, reverting to Jackson’s past injuries as an excuse to get away from the team this season. Lesson learned.
Overlooking Quentin Johnston‘s Red Flags
As expected, increased opportunities arose for rookie Quentin Johnston as the Chargers’ receiver corps was again ravaged by injuries. But despite Mike Williams (13 missed games), Josh Palmer (seven missed games), and Keenan Allen (three missed games) all being absent at times, Johnston produced just 36 receptions for 414 yards and two touchdowns.
I knew he was a raw prospect coming out of TCU, but I overlooked questionable testing metrics, a limited route tree, and a shockingly low contested catch rate, all in the name of opportunity. Luckily I was more exposed in redraft than dynasty formats. And while I hate to write him off after just one year, Johnston is looking more like the 2022 WR10 or 11 than the WR2 or WR3 he was being drafted as in dynasty rookie drafts.
Anticipating the Second-Year Jump From Jahan Dotson
I got my comeuppance for trusting any Washington Commanders players as the franchise transitioned away from former owner Dan Snyder. Ron Rivera displayed arguably the worst head coaching job I’ve ever seen, and Eric Beiniemy’s offense was far less concentrated than I expected. Despite playing four more games than a season go, the former Nittany Lion finished with 22 fewer yards and three fewer touchdowns.
With Washington projected to have the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, an improvement might be coming at the quarterback position, along with a guaranteed new head coach. This gives me hope for improvement in the future, but it’s still concerning. Doston saw just a 14% target share this season and has yet to crack 600 receiving yards in his first two seasons after being a first-round pick.
For more fantasy sports and sports betting content, you can find me on Twitter @Between_SethFF.