“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 fifth season. Join him this week as he shares Faith Enes’ Hurricane Ian experience and his start/sit selections for Week 5.
Fantasy football is a finicky game.
It provides managers with shared highs, temporary excitement and, if you’re lucky, community. After 24 years, the game’s been kind to me, granting me my rightful path and teaching me life lessons along the way, shared in this series.
Yet, this adult version of “Madden” franchise mode can also come at the cost of forgetting what’s important. Usually, it’s in the form of a storm of self-regret and loathing, mixed with an irrational disdain for an NFL coach (read, Arthur Smith).
That was me this past week, as I lost by under a point in several leagues. I navigated through Monday and part of Tuesday, continuing to wonder why in the world I trusted to play – and advised playing – Marcus Mariota. Not only did I botch my own team, but I let my faithful readers down. My blunder burdened me as my half-hoodied-covered head hung low.
That was, however, until I understood the full scope of how the current biggest story in the nation impacted someone I know and respect.
Meet Faith Enes, the Face of Woman of Fantasy Football (WOFF)
I first met Faith Enes, 35, of Fort Myers, Florida, in June 2020 during a Scott Fish Bowl 10 (SFBX) mock draft. I’ve since had the pleasure of having powerful yet comical conversations with her and her team at WOFF and Club Fantasy FFL. Whether it was over a livestream or in a board game hotdog bar in Ohio, I always enjoyed their presence.
Working in this industry has allowed me to meet a lot of great people. But the company Faith keeps are some special individuals. The charismatic vibe radiating from them and IDP Guys, Faith’s other site affiliation, is second-to-none.
Sunshine State of Mind
After being born in Sarasota, Fla., an infant Faith moved to Cape Coral, Fla., roughly 10 miles south and across the canal from Fort Myers. She’s been a resident of Fort Myers since 2006.
There she holds a position at the Lee County Elections Office. Recently, they’ve been in full preparation mode for the Florida Gubernatorial Election on Nov. 8.
“Life was normal and laid back,” Faith said in an Oct. 4 Twitter Direct Message (DM).
Monday, Sept. 26
When Faith went to bed the night of Sunday, Sept. 25, it was with the idea that Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm, would hit north of Tampa, 126+ miles north of her.
“The thing about hurricanes is that they’re going to do whatever they want,” Faith said
That was the case with Hurricane Ian, as by 11 a.m., the storm continued to shift east, eventually causing the elections office to go into storm preparation mode. Following work, Faith returned home to grab what she could – clothes, shoes, important documents, some food and her cat – and evacuated to her parents’ home in the North Georgia mountains.
By the time she reached the Florida-Georgia line, she received a “mandatory evacuation notice” text message for the Fort Myers area.
“When I evacuated from [Hurricane] Irma, I came home to zero damage – no flood, no wind damage, nothing,” Faith said. “So I absolutely did not leave my house Monday night thinking I would not be going back to live in it.”
Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall
While the rainbands hit the Fort Myers Area as early as Monday, it wasn’t until Wednesday that Hurricane Ian’s eye made landfall. Watching from afar, Faith felt like probably most of us would – relieved not to be there, but concerned for loved ones and friends who rode out the storm.
“When I tell you I sobbed, I mean I SOBBED – ugly, loud sobs,” Faith said. “I was in Kroger when I got the pictures from my coworker. The people probably thought I was crazy, but I literally did not care.”
My coworker was finally able to go by my house.
Theres a palm tree in my bedroom. And that pink chair used to be all the way in my room.
Soooo, yea. pic.twitter.com/bDoDA825SC
— Ⓕⓐⓘⓣⓗ™️???? (@FF_LeapOfFaith) September 29, 2022
The result of Ian in the Fort Myers Area was total devastation. The 150 miles per hour (MPH) winds, 21 inches of rain and 12-plus-feet of storm surge dismantled the southwest coast of the Florida peninsula.
There have been 68 reported fatalities, according to The Washington Post. Millions of people are displaced and the total damage could exceed $74 billion, according to ABC News.
Faith was one of the thousands who lost her home and everything within it.
“You name it, I lost it,” she said. “Couch, bed – with a brand new mattress I just paid off, of course. Things that belonged to my grandparents before they passed away, food, clothes, shoes and pictures. Basically, whatever I didn’t take with me.”
Future Florida Sunsets
What’s astounding is that Faith and her fellow Floridians aren’t throwing the towel on their home anytime soon.
“Florida is home,” Faith said. “It’s where my amazing job is, where my friends and family are, where my church is. I have a support system there that I cannot replace.”
Faith poses for a picture with Ryan Weisse (left) and Josh Hudson (right) of Club Fantasy FFL in August.
Faith plans to eventually return to the Orange, find a new place to live and slowly replace what she can that was lost.
“Just make forward progress,” she said.
Though her insurance company did not come through, the fantasy football community has tried to. Friends of Faith created a Go Fund Me, and the community has continued to prove why it’s so great – helping Faith begin to pick the pieces back up following this disaster.
“Oh gosh, this community,” she said. “They have stepped up in a way that my family hasn’t. I’ve had more people in the fantasy football community check in and ask how they can help than any family who wasn’t my parents.
“People look at fantasy football as fake football. And it is. But what most people don’t realize is that the fantasy football community on Twitter is – in fact – like a family. We may fight and bicker, but we come together when one of our own needs help.”
Weathering the Storms
Faith is allowing her faith in Christ to continue to guide her as she navigates his difficult time, hopeful for a brighter future. She sees the silver linings, like how her story has positively affected other people’s outlooks and attitudes.
I know it did mine. After learning of Faith’s story, fantasy football – the game itself – didn’t seem so important. Win-loss records and waiver-wire wars meant a little less this week. While I may never win my home league, I know I found the right industry: one where others will be there to help weather the storms of good people when things get rough.
So find what helps you weather your storms – whether in life or fantasy football. Sometimes it can be as something as simple as making the time to connect with that chosen family for support. In the end, no matter how big of a storm you face, don’t forget that it too shall pass.
Check out Faith’s work on Club Fantasy FFL/WOFF’s website and YouTube channel. If you have the means and would like to support Faith’s recovery from Hurricane Ian, please do so here.
Alright, and here we go.
The following start/sit selections are based on stats, trends, and film research, reflecting value in Points Per Reception (PPR) Redraft Leagues.
Quarterback I’d Start in Week 5:
Derek Carr (Las Vegas): What continues to hold Derek Carr back from being a set-it-and-forget-it option at the QB position is the same thing that always has – TDs. Despite having Davante Adams at his disposal, Carr has a 3.9 TD percentage, in line with his career average of 4.3 percent.
A good way to remedy that is by playing the Kansas City Chiefs, who have allowed an average of 2.5 passing TDs per game to opposing QBs, tied for the most in the NFL. Teams have to pass against Kansas City to keep up, but they’re doing it effectively with an average QB rating of 104.6 against them. Three of four opposing QBs have gone for 20-plus fantasy points against the Chiefs, and my money is on Carr to make it four of five.
Quarterback I’d Sit in Week 5:
Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams): It hasn’t been a pretty start to the season for gunslinger Matthew Safford following his Super Bowl victory. He currently leads the NFL in interceptions (six) and is tied for second with the most sacks (16). Stafford’s longest completion of the season comes in at 32 yards – 25th amongst QBs. There are 32 NFL teams.
The former pride of Athens, Georgia, has crossed the 11 fantasy-point mark once in four games and has yet to eclipse 19 points.
He faces the Cowboys this week, who have the second most sacks in the NFL with 15 and average an interception per game. Additionally, the Cowboys have allowed just three passing touchdowns this season under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.
Stafford’s upside is capped until the Rams figure out their offensive line issues and how to get a second receiver involved.
Running Back I’d Start in Week 5:
Devin Singletary (Buffalo): No T.J. Watt means no stopping the run in Pittsburgh this season. The Steelers are vulnerable against the ground game this season, allowing 111.3 yards per game to opposing RBs. Teams know this as opposing backs have more carries against the Steelers than any other team.
The next beneficiary of the “string curtain” is Buffalo’s back Devin Singletary. After an early committee approach, the Bills have shifted back to primarily featuring Singletary, as he saw 73 percent and 88 percent of snaps in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively. Singletary’s averaging 5.3 targets per game, giving him a safe floor.
PPR RB12 over the past two weeks, I like Singletary to continue his hot streak here in Week 5.
Running Back I’d Sit in Week 5:
Tony Pollard (Dallas): Tony Pollard continues to be one of the most volatile RBs in the fantasy football landscape. Similar to last season, you get a boom game in about one of every four outings. The remaining weeks are littered with single-digit PPR performances.
The increase in targets some were expecting hasn’t happened, as he’s still averaging just 3.3 targets per game, only up six percent from a season ago. Also, over half of those targets came in Week 2, which now seems like an outlier performance.
Pollard and the Cowboys face the Rams this week, the stingiest defense against opposing RBs that’s allowed just one TD to the position all season. I’m taking my chances elsewhere.
Wide Receiver I’d Start in Week 5:
Curtis Samuel (Washington): Assuming he is active after dealing with an illness this week, Curtis Samuel should be back in lineups Sunday. He remains top 12 amongst WRs in targets and receptions.
Seven targets last week was his lowest mark of the season. And now rookie Jahan Dotson is likely inactive with a hamstring injury. Additionally, Samuel should see some work on the ground, as he averages two carries per game.
The matchup for Carson Wentz is excellent as the Titans leak the highest quarterback rating this season, allowing an exceptional 67.6 percent completion rate. Look for Samuel to have a busy day and maybe even return to pay dirt with the Titans allowing 1.5 TDs to the position per game.
Wide Receiver I’d Sit in Week 5:
Adam Thielen (Minnesota): Two weeks ago, Adam Thielen came through for us in a big way after I touted him as my WR start selection. He finds himself on the other end of things here in Week 5, despite being the PPR WR16 over the past two weeks.
Thielen has been uber-efficient lately, but this sit selection has to do with the matchup. The Bears have run the ball 62.1 percent of plays this season, subsequently meaning they throw the least amount. This run-heavy approach and slow pace of play limit possessions each game, causing disappointing fantasy performances. Outside of Justin Jefferson, Dalvin Cook and – if I need it – Khalil Herbert, I’m avoiding this division battle in Minneapolis.
If you have a feel-good story that you would like to share for an opportunity to be featured in an upcoming edition of “Start, Sit & Seth,” please reach out.
And for more fantasy football and uplifting content, especially start/sit advice, you can find me on Twitter @Between_SethFF.