I like all of the games on MonkeyKnifeFight, because I’m not a monster. That being said, I think the Touchdown Dance is my favorite, and not only because I’ve won it more than the other games, including each of the last two weeks. I like it because I feel like I don’t have to necessarily predict how the game will go to predict who will score the touchdowns. Whether you thought the Chargers would win or it would be a shootout or both running backs would run for 150 yards, that wouldn’t necessarily dictate who would score the touchdowns. I was completely wrong about how many yards the quarterbacks would have last week, but I won the Touchdown Dance because both running backs got touchdowns. If you haven’t tried it yet, I hope you’ll play the Touchdown Dance with me this week.

Touchdown Dance

James Conner , Nick Chubb and Odell Beckham Jr. over 1.5 touchdowns.

I may have chosen a bad time to talk up the Touchdown Dance, because this week is tough. No Browns receiver has more than two touchdowns, and while I am convinced better days are coming for Odell Beckham , I’m not super confident they’ll come this week against Minkah Fitzpatrick and the Pittsburgh pass rush. That being said, when in doubt, I’m going to take the most talented player with the quarterback who has proven he will take shots downfield, often to his team’s detriment.

I feel more confident in James Conner after he was a full participant in practice Thursday, so at least we have that going for us. Conner has six touchdowns this season, and the only teams to keep him out of the end zone were New England and San Francisco. If he cannot go, I’ll play Jaylen Samuels instead.

Like Conner, Nick Chubb has six touchdowns this season. And while you could argue Conner has competition from Jaylen Samuels , I’m more worried about Chubb’s competition with Kareem Hunt . That being said, the Browns still forced the ball to Chubb when they got near the goal line last week, and I’m hoping he gets a couple more opportunities Thursday night. 

Over Under 2/2

Nick Chubb Under 17.5 fantasy points

Chubb has topped 17.5 fantasy points in three out of nine games this season, and none since Cleveland’s Week 7 bye. Combine that with Kareem Hunt possibly taking some work, and the Under is a pretty easy call.

Mason Rudolph Under 13.5 fantasy points

This puts into perspective just how unproductive Mason Rudolph is. He hasn’t had more than two touchdowns in any game this season. He has topped 13.5 fantasy points in four of his seven games. Cleveland is 23rd in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks, but we have Mason Rudolph projected for 11.8 fantasy points. The Browns are also fourth in the league in pressures per dropback, so that tips the scales for me.

RapidFire 3/3

Baker Mayfield passing yards vs. Mason Rudolph +8.5

The Browns are allowing 221.1 passing yards per game, compared to 226.9 for the Steelers. Mason Rudolph is averaging 190 passing yards per game and Baker Mayfield is averaging 244.6. Baker has at least 238 passing yards in seven of his nine games, while Mayson Rudolph has topped 200 yards in just three of his seven games, and his season-high is 251 yards against Miami. I’m not sure why Rudolph isn’t getting more yards, but I will happily take Baker.

Odell Beckham receiving yards vs. Jarvis Landry +5.5

Beckham hasn’t been that good this season, but he has already topped Landry by more than 5.5 yards in two of their last four games. Landry isn’t likely to play much better than he has been, but Beckham is, so I’ll take OBJ.

Nick Chubb rushing yards vs. James Conner +26.5

This is such a tough call. Conner has topped 43 rushing yards twice all season. He has topped 55 rushing yards just once, and that was against the Dolphins. In that game, Conner had more than 16 carries for the first time all season, and then he got hurt. I’m guessing Conner goes back to 14 carries for 40ish yards, and considering Chubb has had fewer than 75 rushing yards twice in nine games, I feel good about his chances even if he loses touches to Kareem Hunt . Give me Chubb.