How Would You Be Remembered?

Think about it. If you died today, how would you be remembered? Are you someone you can be proud of? Are you satisfied with your life? Do the people you love know that you love them?

We always say “tomorrow” this or “tomorrow” that, but “tomorrow” is nothing more than an expectation. It’s difficult to wire our brains to cherish the smallest blessings in our lives and to follow what truly makes us happy because we rely solely on faith for another day to come. When honestly, life can be taken faster than a blink of an eye and we’ll never know when that day is to come. What you thought was just joint pain could suddenly become Leukemia and a relaxing Sunday drive could turn into a fatal car accident. We have absolutely no control over the duration of our lives, but we can control how we spend our time.

Call me cliché, but everyday should be lived like it’s our last. Take risks, put yourself out there, be open to new experiences, put a smile on someone’s face, do what makes you happy, and tell the people you love that you love them. It’s easy to drown in life’s responsibilities and all that it demands, but we must take advantage of life as precious as it is because who knows….today might be your very last.

-JoJo

One, Two, & Three

A journey awaits me in only three days

and it can go a lot of different ways.

All I know is that it won’t be like the last

and my mistakes are to rest in the past.

Taking this journey head on and in full speed,

my friends, my family, and myself are all I need.

I will win our family’s fantasy football league,

my mind will be focused and filled with intrigue.

I will show up in spandex and kill it on the court.

Stevenson club volleyball, I’ll hold down the fort.

I will get that 4.0 both semesters of the year.

There’s no time to waste so I’m kicking it in high gear.

I will expand my horizons beyond my imagination,

and build a healthy, strong foundation.

I strive to become the best me I can be

and the journey awaits me in 1…2…3.

-JoJo

 

Fantasy Football Sleepers & Busts

QB Sleepers

Carson Wentz: Expect this Eagle’s quarterback to excel in the 2017-2018 NFL season. Wentz finished his rookie season with a 62% passing completion percentage and ranked 24th overall as quarterback. This definitely doesn’t make him an obvious quarterback pick, but his receivers ended the season with the second most drops in the league (31) which affected his production throughout the season. With Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery added to this offense along side Zach Ertz, Wentz is ready for a solid comeback year.

Jameis Winston: I anticipate Winston to finish the year ranked as one of the top 5 quarterbacks this 2017-2018 NFL season. Fantasy players appreciated Winston’s consistency last year as he completed 86% of his passes, had a 10.3 average depth of throw, and an admirable running game ranking within the top 10 quarterbacks in carries. With DeSean Jackson added to the Bucc’s offense, Winston is set up to produce his best fantasy season yet.

QB Bust

Ben Roethlisberger: Big Ben isn’t so big anymore. It’s not surprising, but Roethlisberger has been battling an ankle injury these past couple of weeks. He has missed at least one NFL game 7 out of the 10 seasons he’s been in the NFL. His age and his health make it hard to believe his last NFL season is going to be QB1 worthy.

RB Sleepers

Kareem Hunt: Hunt is only one injury away from being a top 15 running back in the 2017-2018 NFL season. Although he’s a rookie, he was a key player in the Cheif’s offense during the preseason opener against Cincinnati’s first string defense. He ran the ball eight times for 40 yards and caught three passes for 23 yards. His flexibility and strength is very promising. Andy Reid’s offense is built upon a heavy running game so I expect Hunt to appear on the goal line and during third and short situations behind Spencer Ware.

Bilal Powell: When given a chance, Powell takes advantage and is quite impressive. He finished his past two seasons ranked within the top 10 quarterbacks for receptions. Powell exploded in the last four games (ranked #2 RB in fantasy each week) of the 2016-2017 NFL season with 411 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, caught 21 passes for 141 yards, and one receiving touchdown. If there’s one Jet you should draft on your team this season, it’s Powell.

RB Bust

LeGarrette Blount: Blount has nine carries in the preseason but only 17 yards. Yikes! It’s still unclear where he fits in the Eagle’s offense and I doubt he’s in for another breakout season with being new to Philadelphia. Understanding how Eagle’s quarterback, Wentz plays, and the receiving weapons (Torrey Smith, Zach Ertz, Jordan Matthews, Darren Sproles, and Alshon Jefferey) he has this season, expect Blount to get only 10 touches a game and goal line work when it’s available. His playability will depend on which defense the Eagle’s face weekly.

WR Sleepers

Adam Thielen: Theielen’s production last year was a shock for fantasy players as he caught 74% of his targets (ranked 7th in the NFL), averaged 10.4 yards per target (ranked 5th in the NFL) and dropped one of a total 93 targets. Bradford and Theilen demonstrated great chemistry on the field and will continue to do so this 2017-2018 NFL season. He’s earned a top perimeter receiving spot on this Minnesota Viking’s offense and is a caliber flex option. #SKOL

Josh Doctson: Unfortunately, Doctson underwent an Achilles injury the majority of his rookie year. Going off of his two receptions for 66 yards isn’t relevant to his fantasy production, but we can take a look at who the Redskins lost last year. With Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson gone, Doctson is expected to take on a serious role in Washington’s better scoring offenses in the 2017-2018 NFL season.

WR Busts

Keenan Allen: Allen’s durability is doubtful. He’s coming off of a torn ACL and has missed 23 games within just a two-year span. In fact, Allen has yet to appear in more than 15 games in a single season. Don’t put yourself in a hole. There’s no doubt that he’s talented, but he’s no more than a WR3 pick.

Kelvin Benjamin: Benjamin’s 6’5, 245 lbs body makes him an obvious goal line go to, however, he’s also coming off of a torn ACL injury. Unfortunately, that’s the least of fantasy owners concerns. Benjamin’s usage in the Panther’s offense has significantly decreased since 2014 and his career 53% catch rate is just dreadful. He’s a WR3 and nothing more.

TE Sleepers

Jack Doyle: With Dwayne Allen gone, Doyle is without a doubt the Colt’s best tight end. Last year he caught 59 passes (ranked 11th-most at the position), scored five touchdowns, held a respectable 79% catch rate, and finished 13th in fantasy points at tight end. Let’s not forget that Chuck Pagano (head coach) and Rob Chudzinski (offensive coordinator) have directed at least 20% of their targets were given to the tight end position for ten years straight. As long as Andrew Luck is healthy, Doyle has the potential to rank within the top 5 tight ends this 2017-2018 NFL season.

Austin Hooper: Hooper has everything going for him this season. The Falcon’s are one of the league’s highest scoring offenses and a change in offensive coordinators appears to be in his favor. Steve Sarkisian highlighted his offense at the University of Washington on tight end, Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Maybe that’s just what Sarkisian will do with Hooper this 2017-2018 NFL season. Plus, Matt Ryan is the freaking man. Expect Hooper to have a much larger impact on this offense than he did last year.

TE Bust

Tyler Eifert: Eifert has missed 41% of the Bengal’s regular season games since 2013. It’s difficult to ignore his production when he is healthy, but Eifert is a risk/reward type of player. Are you willing to take the risk? Don’t depend on Eifert as a TE1.

 

Goodluck on draft day!

-JoJo

Stats came from: http://www.nfl.com/stats/player

Who Is Jordan?

I grew up as a military brat. My mother raised my brother, Jerimiah, and I on her own until she remarried in 2010 to my step-dad, Brandon. Answering “Where are you from?” is a fun story to tell. I was born in New Mexico and have lived in Las Vegas, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Alaska, and Maryland throughout the 19 years of my life. What’s my favorite place I’ve ever lived? Alaska by far wins my heart. The cold was dreadful at first, but I needed time to adjust after living in Florida for six years. Suddenly, what once felt like fifteen degrees feels like thirty. No, I didn’t live in an igloo, but the beauty leaves you lost for words. There’s no place like it. My least favorite place? I hate to say Maryland because it’s a great state, but timing was the worst for me. My family moved to Walkersville, Maryland the summer before my junior year of high school and I struggled to fit into such a tiny, corn growing, cow smelling, little town. I still live in Maryland. I go to Stevenson University in Owings Mills, MD near Baltimore and begin my sophomore year as a nursing student in a short, eight days! I have two younger brothers from my mom’s side of the family and an older brother from my dad’ side. I was always the princess on my mom’s side of the family being the only girl (including all of the cousins), but was blessed with a younger sister from my dad’s side of the family. I love sports with a passion. Momma always put me in sports whether it was cheer leading, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, and I ran track in high school. Name any sport and I’ve probably played it at least once or twice. Except for lacrosse… sorry my fellow Marylanders. I love helping others and can give great advice. It seems like I can give the best advice but sometimes fail to follow it myself. Regardless, it brings me joy to be there for other people. I admire hearing where people come from, what they’re passionate about, their beliefs, hopes, and dreams. I could talk to anybody about anything. It fascinates me how every person in this world is different in their own, unique way.  Please share your stories with me about what you’re going through, have been through, or anything at all! You can also email me about any request you have for future blogs. My Twitter and Instagram are both linked to my page so feel free to contact me on either of those as well. I will always respond. With that being said, welcome to my very first blog ever! My mind can go any which direction so you never know what you’re going to get. I can promise that you will laugh at my “Thirsty Thursday” stories, obtain different perspectives on controversial issues, and will appreciate my love to write regardless of what it’s about. I love you guys!

Thanks for reading 🙂

-JoJo