It has been a long and arduous process. The 2025 season has been full of excitement, injuries, broken records, and everything in between. To top it all off, the Week 16 slate of NFL games offered some instant classics. Some players went nuclear in the fantasy semi’s, while still others disappeared or were lost for the season like a carrot left out for Santa’s reindeer. Join us this week for a preview of the DNA league finals, along with the manager saved from elimination by you, the fans, as well as the two newest managers in the DNA league.
NFL Week 16 Recap
The NFL schedule makers did an exceptional job when mapping out the late season trove of games. Thursday Night Football kicked things off with an instant classic between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams for the top spot in the NFC West as well as the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Seattle won in a 38-37 overtime classic. Sam Daronld and Jaxson Smith-Njigba put up excellent games, but Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua dominated the fantasy statsheet with the QB tossing a crazy 457 yards and 3 TDs, with the lion’s share going to Puka with his absurd 12 catch, 225 yard, and 2 score day. This was one to remember.
The action continued on Saturday with Philadelphia and Washington slugging it out in a division showdown. Philadelphia took the opportunity to get right in this one, taking down the W with a convincing 29-18 score. Saquon Barkley, in particular, helped out his fantasy managers with a robust 21 carries for 132 yards and a score.
The Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers renewed the NFL’s oldest rivalry Saturday Night with the Bears winning an absolute classic in overtime. Caleb Williams rallied the home team from down 10 points with less than 3 minutes to go to overtime and then victory as he hit DJ Moore for a 54-yard score. Williams led the way, throwing for 250 yards and a pair of scores while also running for 30 yards to boost his stats. Jordan Love and Josh Jacobs both exited this one for Green Bay. This one was an instant classic.
The Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills played in a tightly contested one. Despite the gaping record casim the Browns managed to keep this one close. Shedeur Sanders showed both some intriguing flashes and some worrying missteps. Running Backs were the story in this one. Buffalo head runner James Cook continued his quest for the NFL rushing title. He turned a meager 16 carries into 117 yards and a pair of scores. The Browns, on the otherhand continued their snakebitten tradition as starting RB Quinshon Judkins suffered a gruesome leg injury. Early indication is that it isn’t as bad as it could have been. He is currently looking at a 4-5 month rehab, so barring any complications, he should be good to go for the start of the season.
The Los Angeles Chargers continued their late-season playoff push by taking out the Dallas Cowboys. Justin Herbert paced the bolts with his strong performance. He threw for 300 yards and a pair of scores while also chipping in 42 rushing yards and a 3rd score. Despite losing a close one, Dallas saw CeeDee Lamb eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the season, as well as former Pittsburgh playmaker George Pickens pulling down 7 grabs for a crazy good 130 yards and 1 score.
Tony Pollard continued his last season surge as he and rookie QB Cam Ward led the Tennessee Titans to a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. This one felt like the end of a dynasty. Sure, we expected the Chiefs to take a downturn with Patrick Mahomes out for the season, but KC laid an egg in this one. Backup QB Gardner Minshew tore his ACL early in the game, and the rest of the Chiefs watched as Cam Ward and a surging Tony Pollard carried the Titans to victory. Pollard has been on an absolute tear in December, putting up 3 straight 100-yard rushing performances.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals blitzed the struggling Dolphins. The Dolphins pulled a Scrooge on us this week by benching Tua Tagovailoa. Rookie Quinn Ewers struggled to support the Dolphins’ weapons thrown a pair of Interceptions. Burrow was studly throwing for 309 yards and 4 big scores. Like Dasher and Dancer, the Bengals were led by Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase, who had a TD each. But it was Chase Brown who truly led the way with a rushing score and a pair of receiving scores.
Tyler Shough continued his impressive audition for the Saints, stating job heading into 2026. The rookie signal caller won his third game in a row, 29-6, throwing for 308 yards and a score. Chris Olave was a beast in your fantasy lineups, every bit as scary as the abominable snowman that Yukon Cornealius faced, torching the Jets for 10 grabs totalling 148 yards and 2 scores. The Jets look rudderless with no true standout, and Breece Hall barely being playable, averaging less than 3.5 ypc.
In the ugliest game of the day, the Minnesota Vikings squeaked by the New York Giants 16-13. The Giants couldn’t get their passing game in gear with Jaxon Dart throwing for a pitiful 33 yards. J.J. McCarthy wasn’t much better, managing only 108 passing yards of his own. Minnesota Kicker Will Reichard was the most useful player, hitting 3 out of 3 on his field goals and an extra point.
In the intriguing matchup of former no. 1 overall NFL Draft picks, Bryce Young led the Panthers to a dramatic 23-20 victory over Baker Mayfield and the division rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mayfield and the Tampa offense were stifled as the QB threw for less than 150 yards with a single TD and an Int. Bryce wasn’t much more explosive, managing only 211 total yards, but he played a clean brand of football, tossing a pair of scores with no turnovers. This matchup put Carolina in the driver’s seat for the NFC South and a home playoff game.
In one of the top games of the day, the Jacksonville Jaguars marched into Mile High Stadium and beat the Broncos 34-20. This was a statement game for Trevor Lawrence and company, who rode on the back of their star QB and his 4 TD performance. Bo Nix threw for 352 and a score, but it wasn’t enough. The surprise of the day came from Parker Washington, who put up a career day of 6 grabs for 145 yards and a score. Cudos to those who had him in their lineups this week. The win could have some major implications on the AFC playoff picture as both of these squads fight it out for the top spot.
In a matchup that only mattered for fantasy purposes, Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons took care of business against Jacoby Brissett. Bijan actually led the Falcons in receiving yards with his 92 yards and a score on 7 grabs. He also chipped in 76 rushing yards to help out his fantasy managers. The Falcons D did a great job of holding the Cardinals’ star players, such as Trey McBride, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Michael Wilson, in check, with all three turning in disappointing fantasy outputs.
In a contest riddled with NFL playoff implications, the Pittsburgh Steelers went into Detroit and took down the Lions. Detroit struggled to find consistency in the running game, managing to turn its 12 carries on the day into 15 yards. All-Pro Jahmyr Gibbs saved his day in the receiving game with a TD, but only squeezed 66 yards out of 10 catches. The Steelers, on the other hand, rode roughshod over the Lions with Jaylen Warren turning his 14 totes into an absurd 143 yards and a pair of scores. If that wasn’t enough, backfield mate Kenneth Gainwell chipped in 100 total yards of his own with a score to boot. With top WR DK Metcalf getting a two-game suspension as a result of an altercation with a fan, look for Pittsburgh to ride these two RBs in the final two games of the season.
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty had one of his best games of the season, but it wasn’t enough to carry the Raiders past the Texans as Houston took the game by a close 23-21 margin. The aforementioned rookie gave his fantasy managers 128 yards and a score on the ground while also throwing in a 60-yard score in the receiving game in his lone catch. Houston managed just enough offense in this one, with Nico Collins leading the way in the receiving game, and former undrafted free agent Jawhar Jordan leading the way for a second week in a row as a runner.
The New England Patriots managed to hold on to the top spot in the AFC, taking care of business on the road in Baltimore. Drake Maye continued his amazing season, giving the Patriots 380 yards and a pair of scores through the air. Baltimore lost their MVP QB, Lamar Jackson, early in this one with a back injury. The team rode their future HOF RB Derrick Henry, who turned his 18 carries into 128 yards and two scores. But it wasn’t enough as the Pats took control of the game and managed to walk out of Charm City with a W.
In the last game of the week, the San Francisco 49ers kept control of their playoff destiny by beating the Indianapolis Colts 48-27. Brock Purdy carried his fantasy managers with a 5-touchdown performance. He spread the ball around, hitting multiple receivers, with George Kittle functioning as his top playmaker, turning his 7 grabs into 115 yards and 2 scores. Indianapolis has struggled to find its footing in the running game since losing Daniel Jones. Starting RB Jonathan Taylor managed a meager 2.9 ypc. A TD saved his day, but this was one to forget for the offensive star.
DNA League Semi-Final Results
In our first semi-final of the week, the no. 2 overall seeded Doc Mitchell took down the 3rd seeded Peter Monahan. This game came down to Monday Night Football with Doc needing some big games out of Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., George Kittle, and Brock Purdy. Kittle and Purdy carried the show and led Doc to victory. Pete’s team had a great season but was let down in this one with Josh Allen, David Montgomery, Travis Kelce, Emeka Egbuka, Nico Collins, Christian Watson, Josh Jacobs, and Tyrone Tracy all scoring in the single digits. Despite the loss, Peter Monahan has a squad that looks to be built for the long haul, meaning he will be a squad to reckon with in 2026.
In the game of the week, the no. 1 seed Garret Price took down the boss, Rich Dotson, in the closest game of the week with a 2.8 point margin of victory. Both squads scored extremely well on the week with Rich getting excellent games out of Trevor Lawrence, Saquon Barkley, George Pickens, Kyle Pitts, and Justin Herbert, to name a few. Garret got some really nice point totals out of his usual studs like Dak Prescott, Jahmyr Gibbs, Ashton Jeanty, Zay Flowers, A.J. Brown, and others. But the game came down to one final player entering Monday Night Football. Garret needed 14.9 points out of Juan Jennings to claim his spot in the finals. In this instance, Jennings came through for his managers, giving him 17.6 and securing the tight victory.
Finals Preview
It doesn’t always happen, but for the first season of the Dynasty Nerds DNA league, the top 2 squads will meet to determine the prize. Consequently these were the last two teams alive in the Scott Fish Bowl as well, with both finally bowing out in the semi-finals. The top-seeded Garret Price will take on the no. 2-seeded Doc Mitchell. Both managers have had excellent seasons with over 20 wins in the format.
These two squads have faced off one other time this season. The result was one of the closest contests of the entire season in the DNA league, with Garret taking the win with a nail-biting 210.42 to 210.11 score. That is less than half a point for the margin of victory. Will Doc be able to get his revenge in the final, or will Garret pull out another by the skin of his teeth? This has the makings of an instant classic.
Interview with the finalists: GP vs DOC
Interview With Doc Mitchell:
Q1: How does it feel to make the finals? Peter Monahan had been something of a Boogeyman for your squad this season, beating you soundly in Week 11.
A1: I am over the moon to make the finals. I have tried to pitch this format to the Nerds for a couple of seasons. The fact that the Nostradamus system has been used and we have turned it into a content league has made it that much more rewarding. Fingers crossed that I can get one more W on the season.
Q2: It has been a crazy season so far. In your loan matchup with Garret, it was one of the most competitive games of the season, with Garret taking it by less than 0.5 points. How do you feel about your matchup in the final?
A2: This one feels like a tall order. Garret has a dynamic lineup from top to bottom. I will be curious to see how the Cowboys play out the last couple of games since Garret has some Dallas players in the lineup. I feel like the B side in this matchup, but then again, this is fantasy, and anything can happen on any given week.
Q3: With this being the Christmas Season do you have any seasonal thoughts for the Nerd Herd?
A3: This is a time to reflect on the many blessings we have in our lives. Without delving into the religious aspect of the holiday, just be sure to reach out to your friends and loved ones and let them know how much they mean to you. There are no guarantees in life.
Q4: The floor is yours on this one. Do you have anything you would like to say about the league, format, or your opponent?
A4: I would just like to take the opportunity to espouse the virtues of this Nortradamus draft format. It is so fun to break up the draft. Doing the first two rounds before the NFL draft, it puts an amazing twist on the league. It makes the NFL draft so much more fun to watch when you are waiting to see where the player you drafted goes in the NFL draft. I cannot encourage you enough to try this with your friends. Once you try it, you’re gonna like it.
Interview With Garret Price:
Q1: How does it feel to make the final? That was an epic nail-biter between you and Rich. I’m sure you must have ribbed him a little bit. Is there any inside trash-talking you want to reveal?
A1: I thought I was eliminated several times over. On at least three separate occasions, Sleeper had me below a 3% chance of victory. That said, it’s cool to see the regular season success translate into postseason success.
Q2: It’s been a crazy season. In your loan matchup with Doc, you won by the slimmest of margins. You took that one by a score of 210.42 to 210.11. How confident are you in your finals matchup?
A2: It’s much easier to project season-long success vs weekly. Both teams are very good and on a hot streak. Truly a coin flip.
Q3: With this being the Christmas season, do you have any seasonal thoughts for the NerdHerd?
A3: The NerdHerd is incredible. They are some of the most dedicated and passionate folks in the space. Couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of this community.
Q4: The floor is yours on this one. Do you have anything you would like to say about the league, format, or your opponent in the final?
A4: I really enjoyed this league. I think it was difficult considering the massive starting lineups and drafting before the NFL draft, but that is what made it fun!
Vote Results:
We would sincerely like to thank the 42 voters who participated in our inaugural vote-off. The results were competative but in the end the fans chose to save our very own Matt Cooper. He will be given a reprieve after receiving 21 votes to continue on with his strategy into 2026.
Our managing editor, Taylor Christianson, came in second place with 16 votes. He chose to embrace a total teardown of his squad with the hopes that the fans would allow him to make use of his war chest of draft picks. But alas, all of his toys will be handed to the next manager who takes over his team.
John Hammersmith got nothing but coal and switches out of the DNA league from the very start. He was chosen at the last minute to replace the original owner. John didn’t even get a chance to draft his team. Then, to add insult to injury, he only received 5 votes to stay in the league. Ouch…
Final Thoughts:
The 2025 season has been a great inaugural year for the Dynasty Nerds DNA League. There have been changes at the top throughout the year, with multiple changes at the top of the standings. At least half of the league found themselves at the top at one point or another.
Josh Allen led all scorers from the QB position with 391.7 points. Heading into championship week, Christian McCaffrey is the top RB with an incredible 353.8 points, good for the 3rd overall scorer. Puca Nacua was the top pass catcher with 309.8 points. Despite being the top WR, he was still only 16th overall. Top TE Trey McBride was right on his heels as the 18th overall player with 302.8 points. An interesting observation on the season scoring. More than half of the top 24 scoring players were quarterbacks, with 15 ranking that high. We hope that you have enjoyed following us in this league and look forward to bringing you more great content.
