Is RJ Harvey a Fantasy Football League Winner? | Fantasy Football Draft Court Debate (EP. 1610)

Court is now in session! Join Judge Joe Pisapia, Prosecutor Pat Fitzmaurice, and Defense Attorney Derek Brown as they present their arguments for where RJ Harvey belongs in running back draft rankings in 2025: RB12 or RB22?

Tune in as both sides of the courtroom present their arguments before you, the Twitch Jury, render a verdict in the case! 

Want to join the jury for next week’s trial? Tune in every Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET over at twitch.tv/fantasypros to enter the deliberations and cast your vote!

Timestamps: (May be off due to ads)

Intro - 0:00:00

Opening Arguments - 0:01:40

The Prosecution - 0:02:25

The Defense - 0:04:28

Cross Examinations - 0:07:54

Closing Arguments - 0:09:01

The Verdict - 0:09:37

Outro - 0:11:03

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome in everybody to Fantasy Pros. This is the Fantasy
Football Microcast. It is me Joey p joep Z a PA,
and we want to welcome you to a special edition
of Fantasy Football Draft Court. Because every week we're gonna
pull the most explosive cases from the files of Fantasy
Football Draft Court on our Twitch live stream and drop
them here for your eyes to hear, and it'll help

(00:24):
you decide whether or not to draft these players. And
the prosecution says you should dodge them, the defense says,
no way, you gotta draft them. Hear both sides and
then decide for yourself, and of course, join us on
Twitch to catch it live every Tuesday, three pm Eastern.
That's Twitch dot tv slash Fantasy Pros. Now, let's get
down to the action.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Court is in session.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Let's get to our next victim, I mean, the next defendant.
The next one is one that I've heard way too
much about.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
It's r J. Harvey.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Derek Brown has not shut up about r J. Harvey
for I don't know the last three months. So we're
gonna talk about it, RJ. Harvey because right now, Fantasy
Football Court is in session, and my Gavel's fixed sort
of gonna have to gorilla glue this thing after the show.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
What happens is my rulings are just way too powerful
a gentler about it. So let us discuss here.

Speaker 3 (01:18):
R J.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
Harvey, Pat fitz Morris, you are the prosecuting attorney.

Speaker 3 (01:22):
R J.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Harvey comes into your rankings at RB twenty two. The
fresh faced young running back just drafted by the Denver Broncos.
Deebro has him at RB twelve, which makes me uncomfortable.
And I gotta tell you, this is gonna be a
big hill for the defense to climb. But I want
to hear everybody's arguments regardless, and Pat fitz Morris will

(01:45):
begin with you. Clearly, I understand with Javonte Williams gone
in the situation in Denver, there's opportunity for RJ.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Harvey. RJ. Harvey had a nice college career.

Speaker 4 (01:54):
R J.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Harvey, some might say, fits the Elvin Kamara role. But
is the Alvin Kamara?

Speaker 3 (02:00):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (02:01):
I don't know if he is. I really don't.

Speaker 1 (02:03):
I'm not sold on that fact, and it seems like
from your rankings he is not. To mention that they
also brought in a fellow named JK. Dobbins, who seems
like he could be the thorn, and a lot of
fantasy manager's side who enjoy the RJ.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
Harvey early love.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
So, Pat fitz Morris, the court will hear your argument against,
and I say against because I'm wearing this wig and
I have to say against RJ.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Harvey. Pat fitz Morris, the floor is.

Speaker 5 (02:29):
Yours, your honor. It brings me no joy to bring
this case against RJ. Harvey, an upstanding member of the
vaunted running back draft class of twenty twenty five. I
like RJ. Harvey two ECR has him at RB twenty three.
I have him an RB twenty two, so I am
ahead of consensus on him. But mister Brown has him

(02:53):
at RB twelve. That's just reckless. And look, maybe I
could have seen the merits of a low end RB
one ranking for RJ. Harvey right after he was drafted,
But then the Broncos signed JK. Dobbins. As your honor
pointed out, I certainly don't think the oft injured JK.
Dobbins is going to block RJ. Harvey's path to fantasy

(03:15):
relevance entirely, But nor do I think the Broncos brought
in JK. Dobbins just to have him ride the pine
on Sundays. Sean Payton is pretty much always gone with
a committee approach at running back, whether it was Pierre
Thomas and Reggie Bush, Alvin Kamara and mark Ingram. Harvey
is most likely going to be part of a tag team.

(03:36):
I think it's going to be a productive tag team.
Sean Payton's running backs always catch a lot of passes,
and I think RJ. Harvey could have fifty or sixty
receptions this year. But when the Broncos get close to
the goal line, is it likely to be RJ. Harvey
in the lineup or the hammer like JK. Dobbins. I'm
okay with ranking R. J. Harvey as a lower end

(03:57):
RB two, but deeper eyed cannot see the same unicorns
and cotton candy clouds that you are seeing with this
RB twelve ranking.

Speaker 1 (04:07):
For our goodness, such flowery language, such hurtful words from
Pat fitz Morris here. Clearly he was a little upset
from losing that last case. So Pat fitz Morris is
throwing down here. I'm also reading Pat fitz Morris is
right up on Fantasy pros just so happens about R. J.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Harvey.

Speaker 1 (04:24):
Harvey is on the smaller side five nine two oh eight,
but he has outstanding quickness, lateral agility, and vision. So,
Dereck Brown, you have a vision of R. J. Harvey,
why don't you share it with this court.

Speaker 2 (04:36):
I have a vision for Harvey to be.

Speaker 4 (04:39):
One of the best running backs in all the land,
a top twelve running back. And some people might say
this is preposterous. Some people might say this is insanity.
Some people might say I am off the rails. And
what I say is just because you have not seen
it happen yet doesn't mean that it cannot come true.
I say that we should all believe and wonderful things happening.
So yes, I will live the land of unicorns and

(05:01):
ice cream, Because again, isn't this fantasy people, isn't this
fantasy football that we are playing, this game of fantasy that.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
We all love.

Speaker 4 (05:10):
Yes, mister Fitzmorris, I will live in the land of fantasy,
thank you very much, and we all enjoy it very much.
With Harvey lead in the backfields of all of my
teams in fantasy football on an offense that we know
is going to feature the running back and do we
believe that JK. Dobbins And I don't believe that JK
Dobbins is fully washed. I believe there's some talent left
in there.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
But do we believe that.

Speaker 4 (05:31):
JK Dobbins is going to catch those passes? And a
Sean Payton offense. I don't think that's going to happen,
considering JK. Dobbins zero point seventy two career yards per
route run even in college he did and eclipse one
point zero yards per route run, so and a Sean
Payton offense that over the last two years has been
top five in target shair of the running back position.

Speaker 2 (05:52):
Mister Fitzmorris, I know you know this fact to.

Speaker 4 (05:54):
Be true as well, so let's not bury that in
this entire conversation. But in all of this, who's going
to catch those passes? It's not Dobbins, it's not Julia McLoughlin.
That didn't happen last year. It's not Audric Estime, who
we're still trying to see does he actually have hands
to catch said passes? Apparently by the signing of Dobbins,
the Broncos say nay. But with Dobbins, I'm not saying

(06:17):
that he cannot be productive. But are we so worried
about a running back that was just signed off the
street in the middle of the summer. Isn't that more
of an indictment upon Audrick Estime than RJ. Harvey and
even a lesser player of Javonte Williams. Unfortunately, at this
point of his career, Sean Payton had no qualms, no

(06:38):
problems with riding him as the passing down back, although
that is not a specialty and he's not nearly the
pass catcher that r. J. Harvey is, considering RJ. Harvey's
one point four to four yards per route run in
college as well as turning in a collegiate season in
twenty twenty two where he was eleventh best, top twelve
in the nation in yards per route run against all

(06:59):
f BS running backs with at least twenty targets. So
not only is it the pass catching.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
Upside of r J.

Speaker 4 (07:06):
Harvey, but the early down prowess that we have to
discuss here that vaults him into that top twelve conversation
in this offense, which by the way, was top twelve
and scoring and probably takes another step forward this year.
Nay I say I will say with all of my
chest and breath, possibly a top five scoring offense this season,

(07:28):
considering they were tenth last year. Do we not want
the lead back? Do we not believe in the lead
back and a possibly top five scoring offense in the NFL?
We should and we should rank him put respect upon
his name, the second round pick of Sean Payton and
the Denver Broncos over a street free agent in the summer.

(07:49):
Excuse me, I dismiss your claims, mister Fitzmorre's, and the
defense rests.

Speaker 2 (07:56):
Interesting.

Speaker 1 (07:56):
Derrick Brown, I have a question to examination if you
will were you or were you not the same fantasy
analysts in twenty twenty four in July that kept telling
us how Julia McLaughlin was going to run away with
the backfield of the Denver Broncos.

Speaker 4 (08:12):
Sir, I was Joe, and I will own my past
miss steps. None of us are perfect this court, even
including you, Judge, none of us are perfect. We have
all had times when we have run astray, and I
am here to open up all of my past wounds
and indiscretions to the court. I apologize to the court.

Speaker 1 (08:33):
This is not church, this is the court. We have
a separation of church and state. You're not here to
atone for your sins. You're here, my friend, to be
judged by the law at the end of the day.
And it seems as though that prior indiscretion, although accountable,
which I appreciate your accountability, perhaps you don't know Sean

(08:55):
Payton as well as you think you know Sean Payton.
It makes me concerned that perhaps if you don't really
have your finger on the pulse of the backfield of.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
The Denver Broncos.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
After all, Pat Fitzmorris, do you have any closing arguments
after the defense of Derek Brown regarding one RJ.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
Harvey.

Speaker 5 (09:13):
Yes, I'm glad you brought up the Julia McLoughlin matter shoe,
because I do think Julia McLoughlin still might have a
role in this offense. Perhaps he can be the new
Darren Sprawls in the Sean Payton offense, which would further
chop away at the passing game role for RJ.

Speaker 2 (09:30):
Harvey.

Speaker 5 (09:31):
So I think you made an excellent point there.

Speaker 3 (09:34):
You're honor.

Speaker 2 (09:37):
Ask kissing.

Speaker 1 (09:37):
We'll only get you so far, but it will get
you far enough to get a good verdict, because I
do believe that although RJ. Harvey might be exciting, although RJ.
Harvey could certainly overtime, overtake lead this backfield emerge as
a fantasy stud to rank him as RB twelve for

(09:59):
him to be come an RB one that is too mid.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
Ruts rich for my blood, way too rich for my blood.

Speaker 1 (10:06):
Therefore, it is this court's decision to side with Pat
fitz Morris is far more reasonable RB twenty two ranking
RB twelve. What's in that energy drink? The court rules
and Pat fitz Morris's favor.

Speaker 2 (10:20):
RJ.

Speaker 1 (10:20):
Harvey shall be RB twenty two. No caveats, no way,
we're compromising twenty two, No meeting in the middle on
this one. I am sorry, ladies and gentlemen of the
court and the jury, but RB twelve is just far
too rich. We're walking down a very dangerous path.

Speaker 4 (10:39):
I will have my dad, I will have my day
in the Court of Appeals.

Speaker 1 (10:42):
You may, you may, and by the way, there you go.
Flow Bro obviously a relative of d Bro. You convinced
me Harvey's a top twelve RB Locke, So you.

Speaker 2 (10:53):
Always convinced one people.

Speaker 1 (10:55):
It's a hung jury. It's a hung jury at the
very best. But you know what, I'm in charge around here.
This isn't quite a democracy. It might be a kangaro record.

Speaker 2 (11:07):
There you have it.

Speaker 1 (11:08):
The judges spoken, but we want you to be a
part of the jury next time. Join us live every
Tuesday three pm Eastern on Twitch that's Twitch dot tv
Slash Fantasy Pros. Hit the follow button, cast or vote
and make sure your voice is heard. And if you
like this debate, check out the full courtroom session right
now on our twitch again, Twitch dot tv Slash Fantasy
prose that I'll do it for us, but the story

(11:28):
of the game goes on.

Speaker 2 (11:29):
I'm Joey P. We'll see you next time. Kids. This
court is adjourned.

Speaker 3 (11:34):
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Speaker 4 (12:03):
SID detected to be the experience