Where should you turn in Week 12 in the suspension is upheld on appeal?
A day after Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey was ejected for throwing a punch at Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, the NFL suspended the wideout for one game for his role in the incident.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Chase will file an appeal, so this situation isn’t a done deal just yet.
Chase will appeal. https://t.co/5GQZpqQF45
The New England Patriots head to Cincy for Sunday’s intraconference battle, and they’ll have a much easier time without Chase in the lineup. On the year, New England has been respectable at slowing enemy receivers for catches and yardage allowed, but there’s an outsized ratio of touchdowns against when compared to receptions allowed. One in 7.9 grabs, on average, went into the end zone, so losing Chase will be felt for both the Bengals and our fantasy teams.
Joe Flacco is expected to turn his eye to Tee Higgins as his primary target, and the suspension puts Andrei Iosivas in a more favorable light. He’s a great option to look to first if you aren’t deep at the position, so be sure to check your waiver wire.
The position has several key absences due to bye weeks, which will create increased competition for replacing Chase. The primary choices include Christian Watson, Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch, Elic Ayomanor, and Isaiah Hodgins, among others.
We’ll be sure to update this outlook should the league overturn Chase’s suspension on appeal, but it stands to reason they have indisputable visual evidence of the alleged spat.
“That was a helluva play, but you can’t let your emotions cost the team. We’re here to win, and celebrations can’t come at the expense of making it harder for us to do that. We’ll fix it, but I expect more discipline moving forward.”
— Dan Campbell, addressing Jameson Williams after his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has been on fire over the past two games, showing why he’s one of the most promising young talents in the NFL. After a slow start to the season, Williams caught
But despite his standout performances, Williams found himself in hot water after scoring a touchdown against the Eagles. The young receiver was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after making contact with the
While the missed extra point didn’t ultimately cost the Lions the game, head coach Dan Campbell was quick to address the mistake in the post-game press conference.
Campbell didn’t mince words when discussing the penalty. In a conversation with ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, he said, “That was a helluva play, but you can’t let your emotions cost the team. We’re here to win, and celebrations can’t come at the expense of making it harder for us to do that. We’ll fix it, but I expect more discipline moving forward.”
While there’s room to debate whether the referees should have thrown the flag, the reality is that Williams gave them the opportunity with his actions. The NFL has cracked down on excessive celebrations this season, and any play that might be perceived as taunting or unsportsmanlike will be penalized.
It’s important to remember, however, that Williams’ performance was a bright spot in an otherwise challenging game for the Lions. His touchdown, where he outran Eagles cornerback Adoree’ Jackson
to the end zone, showcased his speed and ability to make game-changing plays. Despite the penalty, Williams’ speed and athleticism were on full display, and the Lions are hoping this is just the beginning of a breakout second half to his season.
For Dan Campbell, the message is clear: celebrations are great, but they need to be controlled. After the game, he reinforced that while he appreciates
Looking ahead, the hope is that this will be the last time Campbell needs to address a celebration penalty from his young receiver. If Williams continues to make costly mistakes
, it could have a more significant impact on the team down the stretch, especially in tight games where every detail matters.
Moving forward,