Start ’Em: Troy Reh, LSM, Carolina Chaos (22 coins)
Every time I watch Reh play, it feels like the Earth’s rotation slows down. The game bends around him — a different speed, a different rhythm. He’s wise beyond his years, like an old samurai living in the smoky mountains of Beijing. He reminds me of Mantis from Kung Fu Panda — quiet, overlooked, but essential. The kind of presence that holds the Furious Five together.
Nothing he does is wasted. Every motion is deliberate. He’s a consistent producer of both spirit and stats.
Reh is currently priced at just 22 coins against the Utah Archers, and his lowest output this season is eight points — which, for a defender, is a solid floor. But he’s also shown the ability to break out: two weeks in the 30s already. He’s not flashy, but he’s the glue — the type of player who quietly holds your lineup together while the stars get all the credit.
Starting him doesn’t feel like a gamble — it feels like inner peace.
And his presence? Still immaculate.
Sit ’Em: Jake Naso, FO, Utah Archers (8 coins)
How do you spell banned? B-A-N-N-E-D. What does that spell? Banned.
You were my Start of the Week last week. I pushed my chips in. I believed. And you made me look like a clown.
-6.2 points. A turnover. Three ground balls. 6-for-22 at the stripe. Twenty-seven percent.
But this isn’t about me.
It’s about the table I sat down at.
And the hand I was dealt.
The faceoff position is a zero-sum game — there’s nowhere to hide. A bad defenseman can get beat for goals and still walk away with points. He might even luck into a couple of caused turnovers and walk away with points. But at the stripe? You either win, or you lose — and when you lose, your fantasy score tanks with you.
Last week, I had been playing it safe. Reading the table. Winning hands (guys were playing good). And then I got bold. I doubled down.
Naso was my hard 16.
If you’ve played blackjack, you know a hard 16 doesn’t slam the door on you right away — it waits until the dealer flips a 10 and sweeps your chips off the table. That’s exactly how watching Naso last week felt: hope building as the cards came out… until you see that hard 16 and your stomach drops.
That was Naso’s first quarter last week.
All that belief? Gone by halftime.
He’s got the talent and potential, but in fantasy, he’s a hand that looks playable until it tanks your week.
Meanwhile, guys like Trevor Baptiste and TD Ierlan? They’re your 11s — hands you double down on without hesitation. They cost more coins, but you don’t leave the table empty-handed.
And this week? Naso’s facing Justin Inacio, who’s been on an absolute heater at the stripe. Betting on Naso now is like chasing losses against a dealer who’s hot — it’s a losing game.
Don’t chase. Sit ‘em.
