A bet by any other name is still gambling

GOT A curious email in May that I've been thinking about a lot this week.

The Soul was playing in Atlantic City and, in an otherwise innocuous preview story, I wrote the following:

The fantasy gambling website DraftKings.com is the title sponsor (for the game), which is sort of appropriate. For years, Soul owner Ron Jaworski has wanted to play a home game away from the Wells Fargo Center, and a trip to A.C. represents a gamble.

Harmless, right? Not so fast.

That paragraph led to an email from a woman representing DraftKings chiding me that DraftKings is not a gambling website.

"DraftKings is a 'daily fantasy sports' site, which is in no way considered to be gambling - very major distinctions are made between these terms," she wrote before politely (and futilely) asking for a correction.

After channeling my inner Stan Hochman, I replied that I didn't care what the 2006 federal loophole says. If people put money down and win or lose on something that is out of their control, that's gambling.

The news this week that an employee at DraftKings won $350,000 in a contest run by FanDuel has besmirched the two most popular fantasy gambling websites.

Since then, both have banned their employees from playing daily fantasy games. It could be a hollow policy, however, because what's to stop friends and relatives from possibly using insider information?

The scope of the damage will be revealed in the various pending investigations, unless things get swept under a rug. Given the money daily fantasy leagues already have generated - some estimates are $4 billion for this season alone - that could buy an awfully big broom.

The guess here is that the general public quickly will forget what appears to be insider trading and get right back to playing daily fantasy sports at an alarming rate.

Remember when the Pennsylvania Daily Number was fixed? How about the 1919 World Series? Or the point-shaving scandals that have littered college basketball throughout the years? And where have you gone, Tim Donaghy?

But regulation is coming, whether or not DraftKings and FanDuel like it. It could range from something as simple as government monitoring to daily fantasy games being classified as sports betting, which is the way the sportsbooks in Vegas are rooting. This would bring much more stringent standards.

As Stan would say, "It's a disaster."

Since we're making rules, there is one nuance I wouldn't mind seeing implemented nationally.

In order for a contest - any contest - to boast how much money it gives out, it is required to reveal how much it has taken in.

The notion of fast money is as old as the apple shared by Adam and Eve, except it's more intoxicating and often just as destructive.

Whether it's the Powerball billboard on I-95 or DraftKings' pledging a million-dollar winner every week, or some AC casino touting that it has the loosest slots, don't just tell people how much money they're missing out on. Tell 'em how much they're squandering.

As a dealer in Vegas once told me, the quickest way to double your money while gambling is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

Because of teammates' injuries, Bills running back Anthony Dixon has moved up the depth and been a hot fantasy commodity lately. He's a midlevel RB2 this week at Tennessee.

Dixon picked up the nickname "Boobie" while he was a freshman at Mississippi State as a reference to running back Boobie Miles, the subject of the popular book and movie "Friday Night Lights."

With the Packers hosting the Rams, it's appropriate (and fun) to roll out some of the wildest current stats in sports this side of Jake Arrieta. Here is how Aaron Rodgers has fared in his last 19 home games:

* Won-loss. . . 17-2

* TD passes. . . 48

* Pass attempts. . . 580

* Interceptions. . . 0

Quarterback: Sam Bradford's career touchdowns-interceptions: 33-21 at home, 32-21 on the road. Those with roster space in 10- and 12-team leagues may want to consider adding Mark Sanchez and stashing him away, just in case . . . Yes, the Chargers gave up 356 yards and two TDs to Josh McCown last week, but please avoid the temptation to play Michael Vick against San Diego this week. Took a bunch of questions in yesterday's chat from folks who are considering him ahead of guys like Eli Manning and even Derek Carr.

Running back: Christine Michael is the No. 3 running back in Dallas now that Lance Dunbar (knee) is done for the season. Earlier this week, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett affirmed that Joseph Randle was the No. 1 guy. Handle Randle with care. If the Patriots, the Cowboys' opponent this week, run out to a big lead, it's feasible Dallas will work Michael in to see what they have in him . . . Of the 146 yards Todd Gurley ran for against Arizona last week, 106 came in the fourth quarter. Think the Rams want to establish the run this week at Green Bay? Gurley's an RB1.

Wide receiver: Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) is trending toward getting back in the lineup for the first time since Week 1. The Bears are at the Chiefs, which seems like a tasty matchup given that KC has given up a league-worst 10 TD passes. But five of those were at Green Bay where everybody gets torched. Consider Jeffery a WR2 if he plays . . . Steve Smith's back injury, which includes (yeesh) four microfractures, has made Kamar Aiken a popular pickup this week. In the last three games, Aiken has five, zero and five catches respectively . . . DeSean Jackson's impending return from a hamstring injury (either this week or next) probably hurts Washington rookie Jamison Crowder, who has seen 18 targets over the last two weeks, including 12 against the Eagles on Sunday. Keep an eye on Crowder should Jackson have any setbacks.

Quarterbacks

1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: vs. Stl

2. Peyton Manning, Broncos: at Oak.

3. Tom Brady, Patriots: at Dal.

4. Carson Palmer, Cardinals: at Det.

5. Matt Ryan, Falcons: vs. Was.

6. Drew Brees, Saints: at Phi.

7. Eli Manning, Giants: vs. SF

8. Alex Smith, Chiefs: vs. Chi.

9. Philip Rivers, Chargers: vs. Pit.

10. Tyrod Taylor, Bills: at Ten.

Running backs

1. Le'Veon Bell, Steelers: at SD

2. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: vs. Chi.

3. Arian Foster, Texans: vs. Ind.

4. Devonta Freeman, Falcons: vs. Was.

5. Matt Forte, Bears: at KC

6. Eddie Lacy, Packers: vs. Stl

7. Todd Gurley, Rams: at GB

8. Justin Forsett, Ravens: vs. Cle.

9. M. Lynch/T. Rawls, Seahawks: at Cin.

10. Carlos Hyde, 49ers: at NYG

11. Chris Johnson, Cardinals: at Det.

12. Joseph Randle, Cowboys: vs. NE

13. T.J. Yeldon, Jaguars: at TB

14. Jeremy Hill, Bengals: vs. Sea.

15. Boobie Dixon, Bills: at Ten.

16. Latavius Murray, Raiders: vs. Den.

17. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots: at Dal.

18. Doug Martin, Buccaneers: vs. Jac.

19. Mark Ingram, Saints: at Phi.

20. Ronnie Hillman, Broncos: at Oak

Wide receivers

1. Antonio Brown, Steelers: at SD

2. Odell Beckham, Jr., Giants: vs. SF

3. Julio Jones, Falcons: vs. Was.

4. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos: at Oak.

5. A.J. Green, Bengals: vs. Sea.

6. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans: vs. Ind.

7. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs: vs. Chi.

8. Randall Cobb, Packers: vs. Stl

9. Keenan Allen, Chargers: vs. Pit.

10. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: at Det.

11. Calvin Johnson, Lions: vs. Ari.

12. Julian Edelman, Patriots: at Dal.

13. Mike Evans, Buccaneers: vs. Jac.

14. T.Y. Hilton, Colts: at Hou.

15. Emmanuel Sanders, Broncos: at Oak.

16. James Jones, Packers: vs. Stl

17. Amari Cooper, Raiders: vs. Den.

18. Jordan Matthews, Eagles: vs. NO

19. Alshon Jeffery, Bears: at KC

20. Brandin Cooks, Saints: at Phi.

Tight ends

1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots: at NE

2. Travis Kelce, Chiefs: vs. Chi.

3. Martellus Bennett, Bears: at KC

4. Jason Witten, Cowboys: vs. NE

5. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks: at Cin.

6. Delanie Walker, Titans: vs. Buf.

7. Tyler Eifert, Bengals: vs. Sea.

8. Antonio Gates, Chargers: vs. Pit.

9. Richard Rodgers, Packers: vs. Stl

10. Owen Daniels, Broncos: at Oak.

MOST ADDED PLAYERS

1. Leonard Hankerson, WR, Falcons

2. Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars

3. Kamar Aiken, WR, Ravens

4. Gary Barnidge, TE, Browns

5. Ronnie Hillman, RB, Broncos

MOST DROPPED PLAYERS

1. Cody Parkey, K, Eagles

2. Lance Dunbar, RB, Cowboys

3. Tre Mason, RB, Rams

4. James Starks, RB, Packers

5. Andre Johnson, WR, Texans

Bye: Dolphins, Jets, Panthers, Vikings