The Sanderson Gazette - 2026-09-08 - There's a Wednesday Game This Week
Week 1 Preview
Game of the Blingaweek
Pralines & Dick (Rabbit) vs. schertzopotamus (Schertz)
Rabbit leads all-time series, 13-4.
The rematch of Blingabowl XVIII starts off with a pair of QBs drafted #1 overall in real life: Matthew Stafford (vs. SF) for Rabbit and Trevor Lawrence (vs. CLE) for Schertz.
That seems pretty even, so let's move to RB, where Rabs has Jonathan Taylor (vs. BAL) and Chase Brown (vs. TAM) going against Schertz's Tony Pollard (vs. NYJ) and Omarion Hampton (vs. ARI). No matter what you think of the Chargers' second-year RB, you have to give Rabs the edge at the position.
At WR, each team has some questions. For Rabs, how healthy is Mike Evans (@LAR)? Will Drake London (@PIT) suffer with Tua Tagovailoa as his QB? And while Schertz has CeeDee Lamb (@NYG), the best of this bunch, is Rome Odunze (@CAR) going to look like the player from the first half of last year?
Pick: Pralines & Dick.
Other Blingamatches
The Chocolate Donuts (Kevin) vs. Barftastic (Richie)
Kevin leads all-time series, 9-7.
These two teams could do the Spider-Man-pointing-at-himself meme. Kevin has an injury-prone QB (Jaxson Dart (vs. DAL)), and Richie has an injury-prone QB (Joe Burrow (vs. TAM)). Kevin has a Rams RB (Kyren Williams (vs. SF)), and Richie has a Rams RB (Blake Corum (vs. SF)). Kevin has a Colts WR (Alec Pierce (vs. BAL)), and Richie has a Colts WR (Josh Downs (vs. BAL))...
Pick: Barftastic.
Rob for Today (Rob) vs. Let him Cook! (Scott)
Rob leads all-time series, 8-1.
In what has to be a Blingaleague first, Rob is starting two rookie RBs from Notre Dame, Jadarian Price (vs. NE) and Jeremiyah Love (@LAC). That's in addition Rob for Today mainstay Saquon Barkley (vs. WAS). Scott is led by an elite pair of Bills - James Cook III and Josh Allen (both @HOU) - who face a tough opposing defense.
This one might come down to which Buccaneers WR does better: Scott's Chris Godwin, Jr. (@CIN) or Rob's Emeka Egbuka (@CIN).
Pick: Rob for Today.
Double Digits (Dave) vs. Pullman's MondoSquad (Pulley)
Dave's fate could be a simple as how healthy Ashton Jeanty (vs. MIA) is. Nico Collins (vs. BUF) and Tetairoa McMillan (vs. CHI) do give him a nice backup plan, at least.
Pulley has last year's star, Jaxon Smith-Njigba (vs. DAL) alongside the still-going-strong Derrick Henry (@IND). He'll also hope for a shootout between the Cowboys and Giants, as he has Dak Prescott (@NYG) and Malik Nabers (vs. DAL).
Pick: Pullman's MondoSquad.
Live Commish (Ed) vs. Bernie's Bullies (Mike R.)
Ed leads all-time series, 10-9.
Ed has a strong trio of RBs in De'Von Achane (@LV), Kenneth Walker III (vs. DEN), and Cam Skattebo (vs. DAL). That's good. But his top WR, DK Metcalf (vs. ATL), is more concerned with what happens below the surface of Antarctica than anything else. That's bad.
Meanwhile, Mike has Christian McCaffrey (@LAR), Lamar Jackson (@IND), and Travis Kelce (vs. DEN). His team would look unstoppable in 2019, but can that trio defy aging and injury and return Mike to the Blingaleague summit?
Pick: Live Commish.
Harrison Hammers (Matt) vs. Keep Calm & Stefon (Babel)
Matt leads all-time series, 12-8.
Matt and Babel were the first two teams to draft WRs live this year (Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. NO) and Puka Nacua (vs. SF), respectively). Both have solid, if unspectacular, RB rooms, too; Matt'll go with Bucky Irving (@CIN) and Javonte Williams (@NYG), while Babel is sending out Travis Etienne, Jr. (@DET) and Chuba Hubbard (vs. CHI). What I'm saying is, I don't expect these two to finish 11th and 12th again this year.
Pick: Keep Calm & Stefon.
The Vistas are Back (Pat) vs. D's Nuts (Derrek)
Derrek leads all-time series, 11-7.
The main event here is a showdown between Pat's Jahmyr Gibbs (vs. NO) and Derre's Bijan Robinson (@PIT). The undercard is the Eagles-Commanders game, which features both QBs (Jayden Daniels for Pat, Jalen Hurts for Derrek) and a pair of Washington WRs (Stefon Diggs for Pat, Terry McLaurin for Derrek).
Pick: The Vistas are Back.
Closing Thoughts
Our nineteenth season will begin this Wednesday, so make sure to double-check your lineups before then!