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The Athletic Fantasy Football Podcast · The Athletic

NFL Week 17 Recap

·46 min·4 clips
Chris Welsh describes the scariest football event ever seen after DeMar Hamlin's cardiac arrest on Monday Night Football.
This episode of The Athletic Fantasy Football Podcast is a Week 17 recap hosted by Chris Welsh and Brandon Funston. The conversation is dominated by the on-field cardiac arrest of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during the Monday Night Football game. Welsh and Funston describe witnessing the event and the immediate, somber response from players, broadcasters, and the league. The hosts detail the known facts: Hamlin took a hit to the chest, suffered a cardiac arrest, and received CPR on the field before being transported to the hospital in critical condition. They mention the massive public response, noting Hamlin's charitable foundation saw donations surge from a $2,500 goal to over $3 million. The NFL postponed the Bills-Bengals game, creating major uncertainty for the playoff schedule and, consequently, for fantasy football championships that involved players from that contest. Welsh and Funston discuss the immense difficulty for broadcasters like Troy Aikman and Booger McFarland in covering the traumatic event in real-time. They explore various logistical scenarios for rescheduling the Bills-Bengals game, considering options like playing mid-week or after Week 18, which would require adjusting the entire playoff bracket. For fantasy leagues, they suggest commissioners and players be patient, propose solutions like splitting prize money, and avoid letting the situation create league-destroying conflict. A memorable insight is the comparison to a professional hockey player who survived a similar cardiac event after a puck struck his chest, offering a note of hope. The hosts also reflect on how the incident might change player behavior, citing Seattle Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett's habit of sliding to avoid big hits as a smart preservation tactic. They argue the next big hit in the NFL will be viewed with unprecedented fear following this trauma. The tone is sober, empathetic, and conversational, as two hosts process a shocking real-world tragedy within the typically numbers-driven context of a fantasy football show. They consciously "palate cleanse" to briefly cover on-field Week 17 performances, highlighting vintage games from Tom Brady and Mike Evans against Carolina, and a disastrous outing for Kirk Cousins and Justin Jefferson against Green Bay. Fantasy managers grappling with the unresolved Bills-Bengals game and its championship implications will find this episode essential. Listeners seeking a standard, upbeat fantasy recap of all Week 17 action may want to skip the first half, as the hosts dedicate significant time to processing the Hamlin incident and its fallout.

As heard by us

A Week 17 recap that leaves room for fantasy football and the Monday night tragedy around it.

This Week 17 recap starts with fantasy-football housekeeping, then shifts into the Monday night tragedy that hangs over the episode. Chris Welsh and Brandon Funston handle that turn with care, and the show keeps its footing as it moves back to the final week and a quick look at…

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Why you'd press play

For when your Week 17 recap needs context before it needs rankings.

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