Halloween is a fun holiday for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, you get treats. As a kid, it was all about going from door to door and collecting candy. As an adult, it's about taking your kids door to door collecting candy, and if you get some for yourself, no harm done. Everybody wins, right?
But there can also be the occasional tricks. Pranks have been a part of Halloween’s history, at least as much as the candy. And in my opinion, sometimes bad candy counts as a trick as well. Since we're about halfway through the fantasy season, here are a few guys who have been tricks, and some who have been treats.
Brian Thomas, Jr. He tricked a lot of fantasy managers into taking him early. You thought you had a reliable receiver for high-ceiling production each week. Instead you got a question mark. Candy level: Something from those assorted boxes of chocolates, but you got the disappointing one with strawberry creme.
Brock Purdy. He got hurt, showed back up, and has promptly disappeared for a few more weeks. What do you have with him, and will he be there for your stretch run? Who knows? He's a trick so far, but treats might be coming. Candy level: A peanut M&M but the peanut is missing.
Jonathan Taylor . Wherever you took him, it was a steal. He's the focus of a successful team with a game manager behind center, and they'll never leave him out of a game plan. He's a treat every weekend unless you play against him. Candy level: Full size Snickers, and the house gives you an extra one because they like your costume.
Ashton Jeanty. He's been a treat, but maybe you were expecting a little more. Perhaps it was the hype, or inflated expectations for the Raiders, but he doesn't seem to be living up to what fantasy managers wanted when they took him (pretty early, too). Candy level: You thought you got a Milky Way, but it turned out to be Three Musketeers. Not bad, but a little less substantial than you wanted.
A.J. Brown. What a model of inconsistency. A couple of WR1 games, a few duds, talk of feeling disgruntled and now an injury. He tricks you into starting him, until you get frustrated and then he's a treat on your bench. And despite all that, his team is 6-2. Candy level: Some of that Japanese candy with the bizarre flavors where a couple are awesome but a lot of them are bad.
Emari Demercado, Hassan Haskins and all the other waiver wire letdowns. We all know the flavor of the week probably won't save your season, but do they have to blatantly hurt your team? Whatever capital you gave up to get them, they weren't worth it. Candy level: Last-minute purchase from Dollar Tree. Cheap and somehow still overpriced.
The other waiver wire guys on the Chargers. If you picked up Oronde Gadsden or Kimani Vidal, you ended up with a treat. Part of a successful season usually involves finding players to fill in for injuries or disappointments. These guys won't win your league for you by themselves, but they could be part of a team that wins the league. Candy level: Fun size variety bag with no filler.
The next guy you pick up on the waiver wire. Tyrone Tracy? Isaiah Davis? Chimere Dike? Probably tricks, but maybe there's a treat in there? You've been burned before, but you still hope against hope for another gem from the waiver wire. Don't expect much, and you'll probably still be disappointed. But maybe, just maybe the next guy will be a contributor. Candy level: That Harry Potter mystery candy where the flavors are terrible, but occasionally one is decent.
Matthew Golden. Many managers thought this guy would be a nice mid-round treat on a strong offensive team that could use a breakout receiver. Instead, he's been nothing but trick, with no scores in seven games (four of them under 50 yards), but occasional mediocre outings with just enough production to keep him on your roster. Candy level: Candy corn with the occasional circus peanut thrown in.
I know there are many more, but these came to mind first. Hopefully, you’ve had more treats than tricks. Good luck this week.
Who are your tricks and treats so far this year, and what candy would you assign to them? Share your thoughts below.