The 10 BIGGEST Fantasy Football Questions | 2025 NFL Season Preview (Ep. 1681) - FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, everybody, Welcome into the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. I'm Ryan,
warmly joined by Pat fitz Morris and by Derek Brown.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Guys, we are talking one of my.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Favorite episodes to do every single week with you guys,
of course, but also every single year we do kind
of a preseason version and that is our biggest questions.
We will be doing this as our Friday show like
we have for the.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Last couple of seasons.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
It'll be the three of us running it back again
this year, which I am very excited for. This is
our second year I think doing the sort of preseason
version of it where we take a more macro level
of view, kind of looking ahead at the whole season.
Some of our biggest questions that we want answered, and
we think answering these will go a long way towards
kind of defining the twenty twenty five fantasy season. I

(00:42):
want to be clear for everybody, due to some scheduling
stuff on my end with family in town, we are
taping this several days early.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
I know sometimes we get called out for that.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
Typically it's something we try to avoid. In this case,
it is unavoidable. With the holiday weekend and just a
lot of stuff going on this week, so we are
taping this on Wednesday morning. I want to be very
specific about that just in case, you know, news changes. Obviously,
you know this is cutdown week. There's trades still going
on as of this morning that we saw, so with
stuff kind of still changing pretty quickly here, I wanted

(01:11):
to be very clear just in case between now and
when this is released early into next week, if there's
anything that's changed, that is why Debro, how are you feeling,
Buddy doing good?

Speaker 3 (01:21):
Man?

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:22):
I mean we're not getting into the news and stuff,
but I will just leave it at the people understand
the time stamp of when we're recording this, some very
good news trades hit Baby, some wide receiver wheels up this.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
Year, Deepro and I are dude some other shows later
today that he will be I'm sure talking a lot
more about some.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Of these trades.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
I can, yes, sir, can be sure. Fits. How about
you doing great?

Speaker 4 (01:44):
Got drafts coming up, and even though you know we're
recording this early, it's still gonna come out when people
still have some drafts left. So maybe this can help
steer people one way or the other on some players.
But man, we are we're getting really close and just
knocking out the final of these tracks. I think I've
got one like every night from now.

Speaker 5 (02:02):
Until the start of the season. It's crazy.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
I've got a lot of mine.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Donald.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
I do have a few, of course heading into the
last weekend, but I do have like a lot of
them done. There's not as many kind of in this
final week or so that I feel like I usually have,
which I actually kind of regret.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
I wish I had more.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
I'm like, I don't want to be done with drafts
quite yet, so I'm jealous of those who still have
a bunch to come. A quick reminder for everybody that
all of our twenty twenty five consensus rankings and tiers
can be found a fantasypros dot com slash rankings. Also,
if you haven't seen this kind of iteration of the
show before one of these kind of biggest questions episodes.
The reason we do shows like this is because I
see my role as hosts is I get sort of

(02:37):
the chance to ask questions that I think our audience
would want to ask. These are just kind of like
the key questions that I think people are asking us
or would want to ask, or would want to hear
your guys' opinion on So my goal with the show
like this is to come up with ten questions that
I think our listeners, if they had the opportunity to
be in a conversation with Pat Fitzmorris and Derek Brown,
would say, Hey, what do you think about X, Y

(02:58):
or Z. So let's jump in to X, Y and
Z right now. We've got ten questions coming your way.
Starting off with which offensive mastermind is going to make
a bigger Fantasy impact in year one? Ben Johnson in
Chicago or Liam Cohen in Jacksonville fits I'll start with you.

Speaker 4 (03:14):
Oooh, I'll say Liam Cohen. Two of the best play
callers in the game, Liam Cohen and Ben Johnson. By
no means is this meant to throw shade at Ben Johnson.

Speaker 5 (03:24):
I just.

Speaker 4 (03:26):
I don't have unwaivering confidence that the Caleb Williams Ben
Johnson marriage is going to work. I'm optimistic, I don't
know for sure. Can Caleb get the ball out quickly?
Sometimes it seems like he just isn't wired that way
and wants to do things off script. But then there
are times when he plays on script and looks amazing,
like the Bears play the Bills in the second week
of the preseason, and Caleb's opening drive was just a

(03:48):
thing of beauty. Ball out quickly to open receivers, perfect
strikes on time. Everything look great. And now Caleb has
an offensive line that should give him the protection he
needs to turn every dropback. You know, like he's not
going to turn every drop back into a scramble drill
with this offensive line.

Speaker 5 (04:07):
But we'll see. I don't like, I don't know.

Speaker 4 (04:10):
I don't like making decisions based on vibes in my
fantasy drafts, but there have been some weird vibes with Caleb,
Like he and DJ Moore just don't seem to have
much chemistry together. I don't know if Caleb can play
the way Ben Johnson wants him to play all season.
And meanwhile, I'm pretty optimistic about the Jaguars. Liam Cohen
worked magic with the running game in Tampa, so someone
in that Jacksonville backfield is probably gonna be a valuable

(04:33):
fantasy asset at a really good price. And maybe it's
two of them giving us fantasy relevance. The slot receivers
in Liam Cohen's offenses always eat, which makes me terrified
that I haven't been high enough on Travis Hunter and
maybe Trevor Lawrence finally gives us fantasy numbers befitting a
former number one draft pick.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
See bruh, what do you think?

Speaker 1 (04:53):
I feel like the immediate answer to this question for
most people, just based on reputation and how much these
guys have been talked about over the last couple of years,
would beat Ben Johnson. I think he carries the just
kind of the heavier, like I said, weight of expectation
of like this guy is the chosen one that's not
in the McVeigh Shanahan tree. He's like the next guy.

(05:14):
But Liam Cohen is done a great job at you know.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
In multiple stops.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Now, do you feel like one of them is going
to have a stronger impact in your one?

Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, I think everybody's gonna expect like one of us
or both of us should have said Ben Johnson. But
I'm with Patty on this one. I think it's Liam
Cohen And this is not like again, this is not
shade against Caleb Williams, but you know, I know all
the offensive overhaul. The other thing about this is that,
like if we take zoom out and get the hundred
foot view of this there's a lot of moving parts
and pieces to all ask to jel extremely quickly. For

(05:44):
Ben Johnson, Like, we got two rookies, both of which
were sidelined for part of camp, a part of the
preseason because of injuries, and what have you trying to
assimilate to this offense. The quarterbacks trying to get on
the same page with Dj Moore and all the weapons,
and the offensive line needs to jel. So it's like
I'm with Pat like I have some hesitation. I have

(06:06):
the entirety of the offseason about all the Ben Johnson's
team And this isn't again shade, Like I know everything
he did in Detroit and stuff like that. I still
think Dan Campbell doesn't get enough credit for that. But
I want to go talk more about Liam Cohen here
because I think the marriage here in Trevor Lawrence, who dude,
everybody talks about. Okay, Kileb Williams had to deal with
Shane Waldron or look at what Trevor Lawrence has had

(06:26):
to deal with. It's been terrible head coach, terrible head coach,
bad offensive design, bad offensive designs. The same things you
could say for Trevor Lawrence, except it's been happening for longer,
and with Liam Cohen now coming into town, I think
he's going to give Trevor Lawrence a lot of easy
buttons in this offense and a lot of things that
are gonna help just by offensive design. Like you look

(06:48):
at Jacksonville last year, they were seventeenth in design target rate,
So again giving Lawrence easy buttons when things break down,
or just easy completions in general versus come on man like.
I mean again, that number is going to go up
with Tampa Bay or excuse me, with Jacksonville this year.
And then if you look at what he did with
as well as not only the design targets but also motion.

(07:11):
They're gonna utilize motion. So whether it's design targets in
this offense, a lot of that's gonna go to Travis
Hunter mm hmm. Easy buttons for him and Trevor Lawrence
and the motion they're gonna be offensive wrinkles. You could
say the same thing for Chicago. I'm not saying that
that's not gonna happen, but I think the dearth of
that kind of stuff in Jacksonville compared to what we're
gonna get now with the Jaguars is going to be

(07:34):
light years difference for Trevor Lawrence this year.

Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, I feel really strongling to like about that point
about it having just been longer going on for Trevor Lawrence,
because I feel like a lot of people are just
emotionally out on Lawrence and saying, like, listen, like it's
never gonna happen. He's a mid quarterback. He's not worth
it in fantasy, and I'm like, like, he and Caleb
Williams are both for the first time with what we

(07:59):
expect be a strong play calling head coach who can
really help them flourish. Just the fact that it took
till you know, year four or five for Lawrence as
opposed to year two for Caleb, to me, there's not
much of a difference there. I understand logically why people
might feel like they've been burned on Lawrence already, but
I want to give him this opportunity now. If it
doesn't work this year, I don't think I'll ever be

(08:20):
going back to that well, but I want to give
him another chance here given that this is the first
time he's been with a play caller like Liam Cohens.

Speaker 3 (08:27):
Well, and one more thing, just before we turn the page,
on this also, I think unanimously we all agree here
vibe check, like just how things just feel about Jacksonville
and Chicago. Tell me the vibes aren't better for Jacksonville
with Liam Cohen, like versus some of the things we've
heard Ben Johnson say and everything around that team. It

(08:49):
feels like a total one to eighty here, like two
totally different, Like are you in a disagreement? Like the
vibes are definitely better in Jacksonville than Chicago right now.
I think it's easy.

Speaker 4 (08:57):
Yeah, I mean, I think I'm hearing the Caago Land area,
and I feel like some of the Bears fans can
feel sort of that the vibes are maybe not great
with this offense and with Caleb.

Speaker 1 (09:08):
Chicago's one of the most fascinating teams to see both
early in the season and I think how they adapt
throughout the season. I'm really curious to see what this
team looks like in twenty twenty five. Let's go to
our next question here, Who is one player that you
each feel like you personally have not really talked about
on shows this draft season and want to weigh in on.
I feel like there are a lot of names that

(09:29):
we just kind of gloss over because we're not really
debating what their ranking should be. Maybe we have opinions
on if they can outperform it or good targets or not.
But you know, we've done a lot of shows together
and with other people for the last you know, several months,
and I feel like there are names that stand out that, like,
you know what, he hasn't really come up and on.

Speaker 2 (09:45):
Any of the shows I've done.

Speaker 1 (09:47):
So we'll start with you on this one, Deebro, who
is one player that personally you feel like you have
not really talked about enough this offseason.

Speaker 3 (09:53):
So I know that we talked about him. If anybody
Goo has already tuned into the most recent e A
Fantasy draft, court we brought him up there, but I
want to bring his name him up again because I
feel like I've come around, I bumped him up in ranks.
This isn't recency bias, but I want to talk about
Courtland Sutton because I haven't talked about him much this offseason,
like he's not a name that like when we've been

(10:14):
building show out lines where I'm just like, oh, I
must talk about Courtland Sutton today, like, so I definitely
want to get this in before week one and people understand, Like,
I know I'm coming into the party late. I know
people have been talking about him all off season, but
I've come around on Courtland Sutton. And part of this
is not the heavy target Cherry saw on the preseason.

(10:34):
Part of this is also and Patty, you've been on
this the entirety of the offseason. So giving you flowers here,
I did drop Evan Ingram. The sixty four percent route
per drop back rate in week three of preseason did
sound some alarm bells for a guy, like that's going
to limit him and you're gonna see I mean literally,
that's if he runs in the sixties all year, You're
seeing a Dalton kid K kind of situation. I hope

(10:57):
that that's not the case, and I remain above consensus,
but again, all roads lead back to Courtland Sutton, where
if Ingram's not a full eighty to ninety percent dropback player,
they're running in Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin, Marvin MIM's opposite
of Sutton. Sutton still is the clear wide receiver. One
where I looked at this previously this offseason and said, dude,

(11:17):
if Evan Ingram steps up next to him, it's gonna
impact Sutton where I'm now, I've flipped how I'm looking
at this situation, and I'm like, well, dude, Sutton is
the clear one here and we should all feel good
about that because when bo Knicks was really good last year,
Cortland Sutton was humming along as a strong wide receiver
two in fantasy is the wide receiver twenty and fantasy
points per game. You look at every single per route metric,

(11:40):
he was top twenty two and basically everything you could
pull up. And then if you zoom out even more,
the volume that he got in the role that he had,
he was wide receiver nine and expect the fantasy points
per game. So if Nicks and this offense take a
step forward and Courtland Sutton is still the preferred guy
when they get in near the red zone and he
is the clear number one option and the only full

(12:00):
time option, he could be a wide receiver one this
year that you're drafting as a wide receiver two. Heck,
maybe in some rooms because of the sexy names and
how news is going and stuff like that, you might
be able to get him on some teams, especially if
you go wide receiver heavy early as a wide receiver three.
If he is that type of season, he could define
some leagues this year.

Speaker 1 (12:21):
His real time ADP is actually his wide receiver twenty four,
so that is obviously very close to and it's like
a spot. It's actually less than a spot according to
real time ADP, ahead of DJ Moore at wide receiver
twenty five and McMillan at wide receiver twenty six. So
the point is that he is very much it is
possible that he could be a wide receiver three. The
way he is drafted, he will be.

Speaker 3 (12:40):
He is with the news like Ted's gonna hop him, Ted,
Ted will hop him.

Speaker 2 (12:45):
He is Interestingly.

Speaker 1 (12:49):
The name like not the only name that I thought
fit this category, of course, but he was actually the
first one I thought of when I was coming up
with this question. Was like, I feel like I have
not mentioned Courtland Sutton's name on any show this year,
So that's interesting that that he's the.

Speaker 2 (13:00):
One that you pick.

Speaker 1 (13:02):
And I think he's a great fit for this category,
Like I said, for all the reasons that you kind
of laid out fits, what do you think?

Speaker 4 (13:08):
Yeah, I'm more barrasshed on Sutton than debro is his
best career finish in Fantasy PPR Fantasy points per game,
it's wide receiver twenty six, and he had a pretty
deep average depth of target last year thirteen point three.

Speaker 5 (13:22):
I think it was.

Speaker 4 (13:23):
And you know, like bo Nix is a guy who
I think is maybe more comfortable throwing short than long,
but Sutton like dominated the deep targets last year.

Speaker 5 (13:34):
Is that still going to be the case if.

Speaker 4 (13:36):
Like Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin are getting these bumps
in playing time like it looks like they will this
year because those guys are both faster than Courtland Sutton
and can get downfield, maybe a little quicker than Courtland
Sutton can. I just I don't know. I think he's
being like I have no beef with his price. I
just don't think he's like a screaming buy with where
he's going right now.

Speaker 1 (13:56):
Maybe ran a little hot with touchdowns to end the
season too, Like I know he was doing other stuff.
I don't want to make it seem like he was
just a touchdown merchant, but there were a lot of
touchdowns in there. I felt like every week he was
getting one. So maybe that is some like subconscious expected
regression from people and that's why they're not talking about
it as much. I'm not sure if that plays into
it as well, but you know, deeper, you kind of
mentioned like if he maintains his red zone role, then

(14:19):
you know that's that's a path to being really profitable
where he is.

Speaker 3 (14:22):
I will also mention so I went back yesterday and
I watched all the all twenty two for Marvin Mims
in the preseason because I was like, look like, dude,
if he's gonna be a full time wide receiver in
this offense, then okay, what's that going to look like?
I'm not in on Marvin Mims at all. I think
his role in the preseason Dube was running a lot
of clear outs, a lot of stuff where he was

(14:42):
running deep to create space for screens and other players.
He wasn't the first read outside of I think it
was one, maybe two screen targets. So it's like, I
don't think that he has a high calorie role in
this offense. So Marvin Mims isn't even honestly in the
equation for me, I do see that like where Pat's
coming from with if there were any threats to Courtland
Sutton in this offense. I would say, it's Troy Franklin

(15:04):
and Pat Bryant. It's not more of a memes.

Speaker 2 (15:06):
For me fitswook player? Did you pick for this?

Speaker 4 (15:09):
Well, it seems like Dee Bro and I haven't beefed
enough on these guys because we also talked about this
guy at draft court and we hadn't really talked about
him much all season. And Norman, it'll be good to
have you in on this convo because it's Mark Andrews.

Speaker 5 (15:19):
If you're Baltimore Raves, I do you were going there? Yeah,
it's so.

Speaker 3 (15:26):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (15:26):
I just think he's a bad bet and I never
want to bet on the repetition of a big touchdown season.
And if you strip away the eleven touchdowns the Mark
Andrews had last year, like things were pretty bad. Three
point two catches and thirty nine point six yards a
game his worst numbers in those categories since his rookie
year in twenty eighteen. And there was not a single

(15:49):
game last year in which Mark Andrews reached seventy receiving
yards and there were only four games where he had
sixty or more yards. Like, remember how people were dropping
Mark Andrews early last year?

Speaker 5 (16:00):
Ye but then we got the touchdown Avalanche.

Speaker 3 (16:02):
Should do it?

Speaker 5 (16:03):
Everyone was like to do it?

Speaker 4 (16:04):
Yeah, I mean like, we did get the touchdown Avalanche
and that was great. The people with patients that paid off.
And I know Andrews might not have been at full
capacity early last year. He had the season ending injury
in twenty twenty three, then the car accident last summer.
But I think we should heed the drop off in
catches in yardage and steer away from this rather shaky

(16:26):
fantasy profile. Plays on a run heavy team, shares targets
with a really good tight end on his own team,
and Isaiah likely like Tucker Craft, is going a full
round after Mark Andrews and Drafts. According to Fantasy Pro's
real time ADP, Tyler Warren is going around and a
half later. Those guys a big time upside and they

(16:46):
are trending up for their careers. Mark Andrews is trending
in the opposite direction, like pass on Andrews and take
an exciting young tight end a round or two later.

Speaker 1 (16:56):
Patty could go go ahead worm Well, I was just
going to say that it sounds like, based on the
fact you guys debated this, that Debro is going to
lead closer to my side, which is a pro Mark
Andrews side, which I actually wasn't early in the offseason.
I have become a much more pro Mark Andrews drafter later.
I do want to quickly say, I actually really like
the strategy of waiting and getting Tucker Craft and Tyler Warren.

(17:17):
I think those guys are great values that I want
to be targeting late. I think they are real breakout opportunity,
you know, investments at the tight end position. So it's
not that I disagree with that sentiment fits, but I
do think of the other names in this range, Hockins
and Kelsey, Ingram, guys like that. I think Andrews has
a really strong case to be at the top of

(17:37):
that tier relative to where those guys are going, you
know in drafts as sort of that middle class of
tight end for a lot of reasons that I'm excited
to hear derolay out.

Speaker 3 (17:47):
Yeah, so, FITZI, I will say, after our convo on
Fantasy Draft, cord I did go back to Mark Andrews,
and I'm going to counterpoint and push back a little
bit here. So weeks ten through eighteen, I talked about
it in that episode how Mark Andrews bounced back. All
the efficiency metrics, everything looked great. He had a sixty
percent route per dropback rate. I do think that that

(18:07):
climbs this year, assuming health with Isaiah Likelely also probably
I don't know if we see a healthy version of
likely for the entirety of this season, But a sixty
sixty six percent route per dropback rate, I think that
at least climbs back into the seventies, maybe a tad higher.
But a week's ten through eighteen, Fifzy, you talked about
the ardage and stuff. Can I interest you in a

(18:28):
player that in the back half of the season that
was on pace for eight hundred and sixteen receiving yards
and that would have placed him as sixth most last
year if he had done that for the entire season.

Speaker 4 (18:37):
Fitzy, Yeah, I mean, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (18:43):
Like I'm gonna get the arguments against. I just think
he has at least one more good season left than him. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (18:51):
I mean, it's not really the age. So he turns
thirty next week, so I don't think it's an age
cliff thing. I mean, he's a lot younger than Travis Kelcey.

Speaker 5 (19:01):
I get it. I mean like they're just.

Speaker 3 (19:03):
It wasn't worm So I mean you still got there.

Speaker 4 (19:07):
Wasn't there were just not like needle moving games with
the yardage and like he didn't do much in the
playoffs for them last year either.

Speaker 5 (19:15):
It's just I don't know, I like it.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
That's putting it mildly.

Speaker 5 (19:19):
Yeah, oh well obviously there was. Yeah, So.

Speaker 4 (19:24):
I just I'm not digging it. I'm not feeling it
with Mark Anders.

Speaker 1 (19:27):
I feel like, here's my thing with Mark Andrews because
you talked about the touchdowns fits and we'll go a
little quicker on some of these later questions. I don't
see where the touchdowns are gonna go unless you think
that DeAndre Hopkins is coming in and catching twelve touchdowns,
Like we still expect this all the off season. Like
ranking of the top ten offenses in football, this was
either one or two in every ranking. You know, Lamar

(19:47):
Jackson is coming off his best season ever, he's still
in his prime. Yes, they are still going to rush
for a lot of touchdowns, but Derek Henry did that
last year and there was still plenty to go around
for everybody else. Like, even if the passing numbers come
down a bit, there's still so many to go around,
and I don't think they're ever going to go to
Zay Flowers.

Speaker 2 (20:04):
That's not the way he's used.

Speaker 1 (20:06):
Isaiah likely is deal like he has this injury, they
don't have any incentive to rush him back.

Speaker 2 (20:11):
This is a team that.

Speaker 1 (20:12):
Only cares about January, and you know, maybe they'll end
up being to their detriment this season. We'll see, But like,
this is not a team that is overly concerned about
what their record is at the end of September. It's
about making it to the Super Bowl. So I don't
think they're going to like push him back even if
he's on the field giving him this crazy usage. So, like,
I do think there's a runway here for Andrews if
he is like much healthier than he was a year ago.

(20:33):
Going into the season, Isaiah likely isn't this huge thorn
in his side. At least early on. He's still the
clear number one I think red zone target when they
passed the ball, Like, I think the touchdowns are still
going to be there. I think it would take an
injury for him to be like taking a significant step
back in the touchdown department.

Speaker 4 (20:50):
Right if the Lamar's forty one touchdowns last year were
a career high by five and in seventeen more than
he had in twenty twenty three. He only everaged a
touchdown in a half half throwing per game in twenty
twenty three, less than that in twenty twenty two and
twenty twenty one. So I just I don't I guess
I disagree with the notion that there's automatically going to

(21:13):
be a touchdown bonanza to go around for the pass
catchers on the Ravens And yeah, like I don't know,
Bateman Flowers, they're going to get some, so we'll see.
I mean, he could wouldn't totally shock me if Mark
Andrews got to double digits again, But like, if that's
what you're basing drafting him on the expectations of a
big touchdown season, I just feel like that's a house

(21:34):
of cards.

Speaker 3 (21:36):
I think the touchdown regression will hit Lamar, But I
think if I'm looking at outlier kind of players, where
I think once they get in the red zone, I
think it's very clear to me that the balls either
going to Derick Henry and they're going to run it in,
or it's going to Andrews. I think the obvious touchdown
regression candidate for me in that offense, and I do
I do think that Lamar his passing touchdown rate has

(21:57):
to drop some this year. Do you think that it's
probably going to be Rashod Bateman that feels that squeeze you.

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Speaker 1 (23:21):
Next question here, guys, fits besides the Bengals? Who is
this year's Bengals a high oct and offense, bad defense,
sort of circus team that will bring us a lot
of fantasy goodness.

Speaker 4 (23:31):
I'm gonna get two different answers here. Go to Debro
first for this one, and I can answer whichever team
he does. I know he's going to pick one of
the two.

Speaker 3 (23:38):
You know, you know the team I'm probably gonna go with.
You know who you have, Dude, it's the Cowboys. Cowboys
are the easy answer. I tweeted this out a few
weeks ago. Dude, I mean, regardless of whatever happen was
with the Michael Parsons that if he gets traded, then dude,
it's wheels up. But this, this is so predictable, Like
we know Dallas is going to pass the ball. Look

(24:00):
at the running back room, look at the players that
they added this offseason, Like if Dak Prescott is healthy,
this is gonna be an offense. It's probably gonna be
top five in passing attempts. It's a consolidated target tree.
It just I mean, it says, dude, everything's there. You
got Cee Lamb as the alpha. He's gonna challenge Jamar
Chase as the wide receiver one overall. George Pickens is
this year's Te Higgins. Jake Ferguson can absolutely be a

(24:23):
top twelve tight end, and everybody can eat in this offense.

Speaker 2 (24:28):
Fits was that I assume one of the picks.

Speaker 4 (24:30):
That was one of the picks. The other is the
Carolina Panthers.

Speaker 1 (24:35):
So let me quickly say before you do, I've in
fits that I was thinking of the head I was.
I was like, I think the Cowboys are like the
poor man's Bengals. I think the Panthers are the very
poor man. Actually I do think like if the Cowboys
are the poor man's Bengals, I think the Panthers are
the poor man's Cowboys.

Speaker 2 (24:51):
So I love that you picked this.

Speaker 3 (24:52):
Dude, see this coming, But I'm here for it. Oh
damn it fitsy, I'm here for it.

Speaker 4 (24:57):
No bad defense, a team that's gonna have to win
game games like try to win games by scoring thirty points.
A trusted play caller, but Dave Kanellis, who seemed to
like his work with Bryce Young, seemed to kick in
late last year when Bryce Young was really good down
the stretch. Ted Roa McMillan, we have an alpha receiver

(25:17):
coming in to smash, and Deebro and I are both
way above consensus on him, sir, So long, Adam Thielen.
The Koke Heads are out in full force for Jalen Cocher.
They're even more energized than usual. I think he could
surprise people. And we like this backfield, Like I know
Cuba Hubbard is not like this traditional like super skilled

(25:38):
running back, but man, he was good last year. This
offensive line is terrific. They gave Cuba like a nice
new contract. Like I think there are three or four
potentially really nice pieces in this offense, and like this
is going to be this could be a high scoring
unit this year. Is Like it's so strange to say

(25:59):
that about the Panthers, but like this could be a
pretty potent offense.

Speaker 3 (26:03):
To lay on top of what FITZI laid out there
just real quickly when Bryce Shung was in his bag.
Last year, they were thirteenth in neutral passing rate and
fourth and red zone passing rate. So like the volume
also could be there to support this.

Speaker 1 (26:18):
Yep, I think one point too to put a ball
on it, because I didn't mention this in kind of
defining this year's Bengals is the concentrated usage we know well,
I mean, I get like mcmillin's a rookie, like we
haven't seen yet, but like generally speaking, we know where
the ball is going to go, and we think this
is going to be a team that has to score
a lot and you know, keep up with the defense

(26:39):
and that you know, maybe take a step forward in
terms of just like development with Bryce.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
You like all that stuff.

Speaker 1 (26:43):
Like I think the Bengals, I think of the Panthers
are great pick and I think the Cowboys are a
great pick too, honestly, Like like these there are in
different tiers of where you have to draft the players
on these teams, which is nice because you can invest
in both offenses. Pretty you invested all three offenses Bengals, Cowboys,
and there's pretty easily this season, just depending on where
you're making your picks. And I think that's really viable.

Speaker 3 (27:05):
Shast such a good call, fit. See, I love that
call so much. Didn't see it coming either.

Speaker 2 (27:10):
Well, let's go to the flip side of that question.

Speaker 1 (27:12):
Who will be this year's most disappointing NFL team for fantasy?
And I'm gonna say like non injury reasons, because obviously
any team can be disappointing for injury reasons. I'm kind
of thinking of last year like this year's you know, Texans,
which did have injuries, but like the offensive line was
a big reason why there was disappointment for guys like CJ.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
Stroud.

Speaker 1 (27:30):
So again, that one isn't a perfect fit because there
was injuries involved in that. But teams that for non
injury reasons you are really worried about fits, you can
go first on this one.

Speaker 4 (27:37):
I'm going back to the Texans, and it's for non
injury reasons, like the offensive line was terrible last year
and the off season repairs to that unit probably weren't adequate.
I mean, the offensive line was bad and they proceeded
to trade away their best offensive lineman.

Speaker 3 (27:52):
Right away, and Cam Robinson's on the trade block right now.

Speaker 4 (27:55):
Yeah, I mean, the backfield is a mess. Joe Mixon
is hurt. Nick Chobb might not be the same post injury.
I don't think Woody Marks or Damian Pierce are capable
of being pleasant surprises since they're going to work behind
this bad offensive line, and since the Houston defense is
probably going to be really good, the Texans pass rate
probably won't be very high.

Speaker 5 (28:15):
CJ.

Speaker 4 (28:16):
Stroud was just thwarted by that bad offensive line last
year and might be again. Like Nico Collins is terrific,
but he might be the only Texan worth drafting in fantasy.
I don't want any of the other pass catchers in Redraft,
like I like Jalen Higgins or Jalen Nole excuse me,
Jalen Knowle and Jayden Higgins in Dynasty, but like Redraft

(28:38):
no thank you, Christian Kirk, no thank you. I just
don't think any of them are going to be startable
on a weekly.

Speaker 1 (28:43):
Basis, Debro, I've been ranking Nico Collins above consensus. I
just love the player so much, and I want to
believe in CJ. Stroud and everything. If there is a hesitation,
there a concern. For me, it is the offensive line,
which could ruin. I mean that could rule and everything.
So is this a He's not some much surprise by
the pick. Is this a pick that you disagree with?

Speaker 3 (29:06):
I mean, I'm higher on Houston than fits he is.
I mean, I just think we're gonna see a bounce
back by Stroud based off of the weapons. I feel
like everything, regardless, not even just the offensive line, like
everything that could have went wrong, like losing Tank Dell
right when Tank Dell looked like he was coming on,
losing Stefan Diggs right when he looked like he was
getting comfortable, Nico Collins being hurt for multiple parts of

(29:27):
the year. I think it all just came down to
and their depth at the wide receiver position just got eviscerated,
and they didn't have guys that could get open besides them. So,
like I'm higher on Houston and the CJ. Stroud bounce back,
the team that I think is glaringly obvious for me
is the Pittsburgh Steelers. I just outside of Caleb Johnson

(29:47):
and a volume bet, I don't want anything to freaking
do with this offense. Man, you got Aaron Rodgers running
around like he's like the poster boy for Ciallis commercials
right now, Like it's it's like he how is he
going to operate? Like the one thing that like in
this Steelers, like this marriage of Arthur Smith and Aaron Rodgers,
it feels like something where it's just gonna go terribly

(30:08):
wrong by week seven, Like Aaron Rodgers gonna be on
Pat McAfee sitting here throwing like not so quiet shade
at Arthur Smith and stuff like that. And because you
look at what Aaron Rodgers has done that throughout the
entirety of his career. This isn't just like a take
of like the last year or two years or whatever,
it's that he wants to operate in shotgun. Okay, Arthur

(30:28):
Smith likes to be under center, likes to boot out.
You see Aaron Rodgers doing a lot of booting these
days not so much. You see Aaron Rodgers also that
it's been a lot of eleven personnel. He sees the
field how he wants to have it. And that's not
an Arthur Smith thing. It's condensed formations. It's twelve personnel.
It's a twenty one personnel. So like, how is this marriage?

(30:48):
Somebody's got to give? How is this marriage going to work?
And then you add in all the other personalities on
the Steelers, DK Metcalf, if he's not getting targets, when
was the last time we actually saw a good wide receiver?
And we're doing the same freaking thing with DK Metcalf
that we did last year with George Pickens, we did
the previous seasons with Tennessee where it's like the only

(31:10):
wide receiver we've seen buck the trend and be actually
good in an Arthur Smith offense is AJ Brown and
everybody else has disappointed us. And then we haven't even
talked about tight ends here. John Smith, Pat Friarm youth,
both boom capsized by that move. Both of them are
not going to run enough routes, not gonna get enough

(31:32):
targets to be fantasy viable outside of tight end to
or streaming options, and less there's an injury, and then
my favorite son, everybody's favorite son over the last few
years in efficiency metrics, Jalen Warren, Caleb Johnson is gonna
be in the nausea role. So everybody that believes that
Jalen Warren is gonna take over and be the workhorse back,
I'm sorry, but Pittsburg is telling you very loudly, that's

(31:53):
not going to happen. So outside of the volume bed
with Caleb Johnson, count me out on this freaking offense.
This this could be a dumpster fire by week seven,
where it is all personalities and parts or pieces are
squawking in the media and fighting and nothing is going right.

Speaker 1 (32:12):
This is like uh in Animal House and he's like, no, no,
he's on a roll. Just let him go, Like I've
just like letting you keep going the whole time. I
just wanted to be like, they can't disappoint me because
I have no expectations for the Steelers, like I think
Tom Brady broke everybody's brains with what to expect for
a forty two year old quarterback. Like, I just don't
think Aaron Rodgers is gonna be good enough to support
a strong fantasy season from this team. So like, like,

(32:33):
everything you said was very great and smart and correct,
but like, I don't even have the expectations to be
let down by this Steelers team fits it.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
Any thoughts on the Steelers.

Speaker 4 (32:42):
Yeah, I pretty much feel the same way. And yeah,
like even well, we'll have more on the Steelers a
little later.

Speaker 5 (32:51):
Ooh, promise, I promise.

Speaker 3 (32:52):
The professional tease love it.

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Speaker 2 (34:03):
All right, let's go to our next question.

Speaker 1 (34:05):
Then pick one tight end each outside Tier one, which
Tier one is Bowers, McBride and Kittle.

Speaker 2 (34:11):
Who will finish with more.

Speaker 1 (34:12):
Fantasy points this season than at least one of Bower's,
McBride or Kittle. So this is not a tight end
that we think will be ranked in Tier one next year.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
It could be.

Speaker 1 (34:21):
That's not the point of the question. The question is
a tight end who this year will finish with more
Fantasy points than one of those Elite three guys Debro
who you got.

Speaker 3 (34:29):
I mean, dude, any Titan than we pick right now,
outside of maybe some sam La portal love is going
to sound like a hot take. And I know I
might be taking Fitzi's guy here, but I think the
answer is Tucker Craft if this all comes together, And
Matt Lafleur says, hmm, best player on a per route
basis matchup nightmare, physical freak that I need to feature

(34:52):
in my offense and make them the focal point of
the offense. I'm sorry, Packer fans, it's not Matthew Golden.
It's freaking Tucker Craft. Dude. Like he was twentieth in
target chare in twenty seventh first read share last year
didn't stop freaking Tucker Craft from being top twelve. And
hold on, let me catch my breath here for a second,
because it's gonna be long yards per route run, miss tackles,

(35:13):
force yards have to catch per reception. Oh and design
target rate second best amongst tight ends. So you're telling
me all these wonderful efficiency metrics and a player in
his prime that could step forward, and maybe because this
is the special sauce where a tight end can leap
over those guys lead his team in targets. It might
sound crazy, the real answer is freaking Tucker.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
Craft here fits as a backers fan, did you us
go with Craft or did you go in a different direction?

Speaker 4 (35:37):
Different direction? But I like that call. It could be
Tucker Craft. But we've we've seen rookie tight ends lead
new year going there scoring the last year year, Sam
Laporta in twenty twenty three, Brough Powers twenty twenty four.
How about Tyler Warren in twenty twenty five. And by
all accounts, Warren had a great training camp and in

(36:00):
the preseason he played nearly every snap with the starters.
He is not gonna come off the field very often.
And we're talking about a player who had fourteen hundred
yards from scrimmage and thirteen touchdowns last season at Penn State,
including four touchdown runs and a touchdown pass. Like he's
a former high school quarterback, Like he's they hand him

(36:20):
the ball. They just want the ball in this dude's
hands because he is a monster, like he is George
Kittle with the ball in his hands, just like does
not want to be tackled. And I think he could
be a fantasy monster from the get go.

Speaker 3 (36:32):
If George Kittle and Taysom Hill had a baby, his
name would be Tyler Warren.

Speaker 5 (36:37):
Why do you have to bring Taysom Hill into this
deep usage?

Speaker 4 (36:42):
Like I guess it is gonna be the gift on
social media the year.

Speaker 5 (36:47):
And he can pass, true.

Speaker 3 (36:49):
But he throws a freaking passing touchdown.

Speaker 4 (36:51):
Dude, all right, A better, a better, more athletic version
of Taysom Hell well, maybe not more athletic, but I
mean there's somebody who said.

Speaker 3 (36:59):
He might actually be the best quarterback on that roster
right now.

Speaker 1 (37:03):
For anybody who still has a draft to come up
as of the time they're listening to this, I want
to really emphasize that, like the tight ends we are
talking about repeatedly on this show and on a lot
of recent shows are outside of the elite tier are
Tucker Craft and Tyler Warren. Like I can't really emphasize
enough that, in my opinion, the best strategy at the position,
and I actually a guy like Mark Andrews, Like if

(37:24):
he does have a good touchdown season, maybe he could
be the answer to this question. Like there are other
names that are somewhat interesting, but your strategy should be
either you're comfortable spending up to get one of the
big three, or please target Tucker Craft or Tyler Warren.
Those are the two guys if you are waiting at
the position to go after. I feel very strongly about that.
And the fact that those are the two names that

(37:45):
these guys came up with, I think is very fitting
for that and the.

Speaker 3 (37:48):
Fits He was going with Warren and I was like,
I just want to I want to hear it, man.

Speaker 4 (37:51):
And to be clear, it's like we are far from
the only people touting Tucker Craft and Tyler Warren. It's
kind of a wisdom of crowd things with like the
people who you know, like study fantasy and everything and
are into it. It's just like these guys are better bets,
I think than some of the the Mark Andrews and
Travis Kelsey's more bang for the buck at their respective prices,

(38:12):
and we're starting to see it, I think reflected in
ADP and home league drafts, these guys that both come up,
but I still think they're value priced.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
Speaking of bang for the buck, who is the single
best value at any position in drafts this season fits
no man.

Speaker 4 (38:30):
One of the things I am trying to accomplish in
the drafts, I have remaining is to get myself some JK. Dobbins,
And I am not throwing shade at Derek Brown's guy, RJ.

Speaker 5 (38:39):
Harvey.

Speaker 4 (38:39):
You know, I like Harvey, hope not because he's my
name for this one. So we're just gonna talk about backfield.

Speaker 3 (38:46):
Yeah, yes, sir, We're just gonna talk about the backfield.
Let's go.

Speaker 5 (38:49):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (38:49):
I mean we know Sean Payton's backfields have traditionally given
us two or more useful fantasy assets, and I think
that's gonna be the case again this year. Like think
back to Alvin Kamara and mark Ingram and like, I know.

Speaker 5 (39:02):
It's a stretch to put RJ.

Speaker 4 (39:06):
Harvey in the Alvin Kamara role, but like Dobbins, I
think could very easily fit into the mark Ingram role.
Like he probably does come with an elevated injury risk, sure,
but man, if he's healthy, Dobbins is going to give
us one thousand combined yards from scrimmage, a good number
of touchdowns, a good number of catches, and right now
he's going RB thirty three ninety five overall.

Speaker 5 (39:28):
So like, sign me up at that price?

Speaker 3 (39:32):
What if this is?

Speaker 1 (39:32):
So just to let it bit another real time ADP
for these guys right now. Yes, RB thirty three, I JK.
Dobbins and this is as of the day. We're recording
this just in case anything changes.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
RJ.

Speaker 1 (39:40):
Harvey RB twenty two. So, deebro, why are you all
in on Harvey?

Speaker 3 (39:45):
I just don't for the entirety of this offseason, I
cannot wrap my head around why we continue to rank RJ.
Harvey as an RB two. I don't what in the
heck in Sean Payton's hit makes anyone think that, like
we can't project this backfield, like I understand, and I

(40:06):
feel like this is all recency. I feel like this
is all people were burned, Budgealil McLoughlin. I was there
HI with you. They were burn Budge of Vontae Williams
multip like two years in a row. I get that.
Do you not all remember Alvin Kamara? Do you not
all remember mark Ingram? Do you not all remember Reggie Bush?
Do you not all remember every other running back in

(40:28):
the Saints' history that crushed in this system? Religiously, we
can go back and not every single coach. We could
tell you that Sean Payton, regardless of who is back,
there is gonna feed targets to the running back position. JK.
Dobbins is not a pass catcher. Can he be mark
Ingram in this offense? Sure, let's go, But who is

(40:48):
gonna catch passes in this offense? Do they're designing up
screens in the preseason if anybody is sitting here taking
notice and actually watching any of the film for guys
like RJ. Harvey The two different plays where the guys
running clear outs and had Harvey on the underneath with
ten yards in front of him, and bow Nick's sailed
the screen both time both of those things get completed
and RJ. Harvey rips off like fifteen to twenty yards

(41:11):
or something like that, people would be giving more respect
to his name. I don't understand it. I haven't understood
it the entirety of the offseason. I know it seems
like I am insane and out of my mind by
ranking him as an RB one. It's not gonna look
insane this year when he's catching passes out of the backfield.
This is a top five offense in the NFL, and

(41:32):
the touchdowns are going through the backfield, and everybody's like, man,
you know what, we flip over the cards at week
five and people are like, we really should have been
drafting RJ. Harvey as an RB one. It's crazy, I know,
because it never happens when we get to week five
or week six in the season and everybody says, geez,
everything's so different than what I thought in pre draft season.
It's so crazy, except it's not. And you could see

(41:55):
the signal and you could see this coming. I really
don't understand it.

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Speaker 1 (43:11):
So let's go to our next question, which is which
rookie are you least interested in drafting at cost this season?
Clearly the answer is not going to be RJ. Harvey
for Dee bro as he is very high on him.

Speaker 2 (43:21):
And you know Fits. You know JK.

Speaker 1 (43:24):
Dobbs not a rookie, but like high on that same backfield. So, Fitz,
when you look at the rookies, the anti JK. Dobbins
is who are you least interested in drafting at costs?

Speaker 4 (43:31):
Caleb Johnson of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's going RB twenty seven,
early seventh round, just behind Aaron Jones, like Caleb Johnson
has been. He's been playing behind Jalen Warren and Kenneth
Gainwell in the preseason. I don't necessarily think that's gonna
last very long. But remember how Arthur Smith held down
b Jon Robinson's value in Atlanta, and Caleb Johnson is

(43:54):
by no means the prospect that Bijeon was. Caleb's a
good prospect, But like, I don't to ride to Arthur
Smith running back Mary go round again. And also like
I don't even know if there's that much touchdown upside
because Aaron Rodgers really likes to throw it when they're
inside the five yard line.

Speaker 5 (44:11):
So I'm just out on Caleb Johnson.

Speaker 1 (44:15):
De bro I know that, like, Caleb Johnson is somebody
that you like to lot during the draft process. Obviously,
the fit in terms of stylistically in this offense is
really appealing. Are you with fits though that just given
the offense in general, this might not be the best investment.

Speaker 3 (44:27):
No, I mean, I'm still in on Caleb Johnson where
he's going. I'm actually still above consensus just because I
think it's the volume bet, the touchdown bet. I think that,
And look, I'm not telling you that I'm over the
moon and I want to deal with Arthur Smith buffoonery
because we know we're gonna get it in some shape
form or fashion or multiple ways. But I think Caleb
Johnson is still a really good bet the guy for me,
and that the easy answer for this is Colston Loveland.

(44:50):
I just looking at that offense, all the different target competition,
missing part of camp. He's still got to deal with
Cole Comet like for me, like I look at him
and I just see even in the best case of circumstances,
unless there are injuries. Now, injuries could open up the
pathway and yes, okay, could he crush me if everybody

(45:10):
stays healthy in this offense. I don't see him breaking
out in his rookie season. I see more of a
scenario of Dalton Kincaid where he's locked into like a
sixty percent route share and we're talking about him next
year as being like, well, DJ Moore might be moving
on and no, no, no, no, like could he be the guy?

Speaker 4 (45:28):
Then?

Speaker 3 (45:29):
I don't see this as being the season to get
Colston Loveland. Like, fine, he's going as a tight end. Two.
There are guys that I will draft over Colston Loveland
at his cost. Like, give me Hunter Henry, give me
a we're gonna go basement level, like just a clear
easy path to volume. Give me Mason Taylor over freaking
Colston Loveland this year. I just don't see it outside

(45:49):
of injuries. I don't see where he carves out a
significant enough target share in this offense and gets enough
routes to crush me.

Speaker 1 (45:59):
So we picked some rookies that are not like buried
in ADP, but like are a little lower than some
of the bigger names of the position. So I just
wanted to kind of clarify for both of you guys
that we are interested in drafting even where they are going,
which is pretty aggressive for a few of these guys.
Some of these like bigger name rookies like obviously Arjie
Harvey for you Debro but like Tetero McMillan is going,

(46:22):
you know, higher and higher. You know, guys like Omary
and Hampton have moved up with the Naji Harry stuff. Obviously,
Ashton Genty was already going high. Trade has had a
hunt of Helium was Buka, and Matthew Golden has moved
up a bit, like like there's a lot of these
rookies have had a lot of steam, and it are
the fact that you guys didn't pick those rookies that
maybe have a little bit more helium than the names

(46:43):
you picked. Is that reflective of the fact that you
are deebro interested in investing in those guys.

Speaker 3 (46:47):
Oh? Absolutely, And I think the steam on those guys
is absolutely justified, like as much as like Buka and
even Real Time ADP, like we're like, he keeps going
up and up and up and up, like if you
literally were just watching the trend on Real Time ADP.

Speaker 1 (47:02):
It's a.

Speaker 3 (47:04):
I mean, that's fine, that that is perfectly fine. Like
I will I will chase him up the board and
some of these other players. I have no issues with that.

Speaker 1 (47:14):
All right, let's go to a quarterback question here. We
got a couple of them before he finished the episode. Uh,
Deebro's favorite late QB is JJ McCarthy, Pats is Drake May,
Mine is Jordan Love. So I want us to each
make the case for our guy. If you can go
first year with Drake May.

Speaker 4 (47:30):
Oh, I get to do the Drake May sales pitch
one more time.

Speaker 5 (47:33):
Awesome.

Speaker 4 (47:35):
Yeah, So Drake May started twelve games as a rookie,
left one game in the second quarter with concussion, and
in meetingless Week eighteen, played three snaps before getting pulled,
and the other ten starts he averaged seventeen point four
Fantasy points per game, which would have been QB thirteen
among quarterbacks in points per game guys who made more
than one start. Anyway, so if we exclude that Week

(47:56):
eighteen game where he was pulled after one series, he
averaged thirty six point three rushing yards per start. That
projects to six hundred and sixteen rushing yards over a
full season. But there is meat on the bone with
regard to Drake May's rushing potential because nearly all of
his rushing yardage came on scrambles. He had one designed
run last season. Alex van Pelt, Patriots OC last year

(48:18):
he just said, you know, he limited design runs for
May to protect him. So now it's Josh McDaniels running
the Patriots offense. And a few months ago, like Nate
Tice of Yahoo, went back and looked at the design
runs that McDaniels drew up for thirty one year old
Cam Newton when Cam was starting for the Patriots in
twenty twenty there were a lot of them. They were
really effective. Cam had twelve touchdown runs that year. May

(48:41):
only had two TV runs last year, but as the
two year starter at North Carolina in college, sixteen touchdown
runs in twenty six starts, and as a sophomore, May
had six hundred and ninety eight rushing yards in fourteen games.
College qbs get sack yardage deducted from their rushing totals
just about two hundred yards in sacks last that year,

(49:03):
so he was really closer to nine hundred rushing yards
and fourteen games. Like, there is some big time rushing
upside with Drake May. And he also looked good as
a passer last year, even though his offensive line and
wide receiver corps were both really bad, and those areas
have been upgraded. Like, I think he is the late
round QB to draft this year and sort of this
year is JA. I know, Jayden Daniels was a rookie

(49:25):
in May as the second year guy, but he's kind
of the Jade Daniels of this year, a guy who's
going as sort of a low end QB one, high
in QB two and has high end QB one upside.

Speaker 1 (49:36):
You know, I love Drake May a ton. I could
have easily like picked him for my pick here. I
knew you were gonna want to because you haven't.

Speaker 3 (49:43):
Seen you would have fought you if.

Speaker 2 (49:45):
Yeah, I would ever, I would ever die.

Speaker 1 (49:47):
But we've been we've been handholding on Drake May really
the entire offseason, both on Redraft shows and on the
Dynasty Show. I've said before, like if you if I
had to pick one quarterback outside the top like six
or eight, who not is going to finish as a
QB one but the QB one, I wouldn't bet on it.
But if I had to pick one, I would pick
Drake May Like I think he is the best, like
you know poor Man's Josh Allen potential of any quarterback

(50:09):
that is going late if things break right and things
might not, there is I think a low floor there.
I mean the rushing raise is the floor, but in general,
like just the situation and like I think there's a
real world where he doesn't.

Speaker 2 (50:19):
Reach that ceiling.

Speaker 1 (50:20):
But I think the ceiling is like pretty inarguable against
almost everybody else. De Bro, your guy from the very
beginning who I would never take from you in the
same vein is JJ McCarthy.

Speaker 3 (50:29):
Dude, it's just again, it's an easy case to be made.

Speaker 5 (50:32):
Man like.

Speaker 3 (50:32):
Look, we saw freaking Sam Darnold b QB nine. If
you take out the final week of the season, he's
actually QB eight and fantasy points per game. I mean,
the system is fantastic. He's whether you want to talk
about Kevin O'Connell what he's gonna do as an offensive
play call, where you want to talk about all the
parts or pieces and them continuing to add to it
with recent trades, the offensive line is upgraded and the

(50:57):
big thing with JJ McCarthy, then I want to push
back here is this this false, faulty, ridiculous narrative that
I keep hearing and I don't know what it's actually
based off of. When people are like, you do know
that Kevin O'Connell is going to run the ball more
this year because of what based off of what in
his history would tell anybody that that's actually going to happen.

(51:20):
With the addition to Jordan Mason, come on, that's more
of an addition to keep Aaron Johnes healthy and to
let him thrive in the passing game and take the
volume off of a player that they know the injury
risk is real. That's more of an indictment on ty
Chandler than it has anything to do to say about
how Koc is going to design an offense for a
guy that has been calling plays in the NFL for

(51:41):
six years. In four of those seasons has ranked top twelve.
His offenses have ranked top twelve in passing attempts with Minnesota.
This is Koc's ranking and neutral passing rate eighth, third
and fifth. So somebody please tell me an actually analytical
argument outside the addition to Jordan Mason that should make

(52:02):
anybody believe that the Minnesota Vikings are going to go
run heavy this year because I don't see it. And
this all goes back to JJ McCarthy's gonna get the volume,
he's got, the supporting cast, he has all of It's
a play caller. Andy is the talent to be a
QB one this year.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
JJ McCarthy Real time ADP QB nineteen, Drake May KB sixteen.

Speaker 3 (52:24):
Jordan Lapp on the face just saying.

Speaker 1 (52:25):
It, Jordan Love is QB seventeen, which I know, Debro,
you are lower than consensus on and your rankings, so
you're not going to disagree with it.

Speaker 2 (52:34):
I think that's too low.

Speaker 1 (52:34):
I think Jordan Love is getting kind of forgotten just
because he had some injuries that he was dealing with
last season. He was a top five quarterback in fantasy
scoring as a twenty four year old the year prior
to last. He's now still only twenty six. It wouldn't
surprise me if he's still getting better. He now has
a first round ride receiver that has apparently looked pretty
good this summer at camp and everything he is with,
you know, Matt Lafleur, who is in offensive play caller

(52:56):
I really believe in. I just don't like, I find
myself struggling to say, like, well, I definitely want to
invest in Jaden reed or I definitely want to invest
in Tucker Crafts, right, I definitely want to invest in
Matthew Golden. I'd rather just get the guy distributing the ball.
And he's young enough, talented enough in a good enough
offense that I think, and like even last year with
the injury stuff, he was QB seventeen, which is where
he's going now. So I think the ceiling is a

(53:17):
top five quarterback because we've literally seen him do it before,
and I think he could be taking another step forward.
So I like, I mean, I'm very willing to invest
in all these guys truthfully at costs. It's why I mean,
quarterback is so insanely deep, because you can get these
three guys at sixteen, seventeen, and nineteen at the position.
But yeah, that's why I would make the case for
a love But really like any of these guys I

(53:38):
think are strong, strong investments. I want to tell everybody
about Draft Assistant. Draft Assistant connects directly to your draft
and provides both real time pick suggestions and estimations of
which players might get taken before your next pick. Draft
Assistant fully integrates your customized cheat sheets and suggests picks
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(53:58):
Draft Assistant a Fantasy Slash Assistant or in the Fantasy
Pros app. Try it for free during your drafts by
claiming your three day trial a Fantasy Pros Premium at
Fantasypros dot Com slash Premium. All right, guys, we have
two questions left. Gotta get out of here shortly, so
we'll go quickly. Nobody really considers Patrick Mahomes an elite
fantasy quarterback anymore, but he was still top twelve at
the position in his last two down seasons. Then, of

(54:20):
course we know what the ceiling has been in the past.
Are we downplaying too much the possibility that this Chiefs
offense looks closer to their past explosive selves with your
two Xavier Worthy Josh Simmons, possibly solidify left tackle, then
coming back with a vengeance after the Super Bowl embarrassment,
all that stuff. I do want to note, and this
will be possibly old news for everybody by the time
they're hearing this. As of this warning, Adam Schefter did

(54:42):
tweet that the NFL is aiming for at least a
potential six games suspension for Rashi Rice. The suspension would
kick in at the start of the season. This is
still like very early like. Obviously, this has gotten a
bunch of different directions at the course of the off season.
That's just as of the most recent thing. So Rashi
Rice could change this answer, But I still wanted to
ask the question, even though so we might have different
information coming up soon. Do you think we are maybe

(55:03):
underrating Patrick Mahomes or at least the ceiling of Patrick
Mahomes as yet, I do.

Speaker 4 (55:07):
Think we are underestimating the ceiling of Mahomes and it's
it's funny like we have him with real time ADP.
He's going in the fifth rone, but like I got
him at seven oh six in a home league draft
last weekend. And Patrick Mahomes yearly Fantasy finishes in points
per game among quarterbacks with at least six starts since

(55:27):
becoming a starter in twenty eighteen. QB one, QB six,
QB one, QB five, QB two, QB eleven, QB eleven.
Mahomes is drafted QB six this year, which is fine.
That's where he should be. He is behind that big
five tier and like people are nervous about paying up

(55:49):
for another QB eleven season, but let's look at what's changed.
Mahomes has multiple weapons at wide receiver again. Rashi Rice
is healthy. He'll miss some time when the NFL inevitable
suspends him at the end of September, but he's going
to play a majority of regular season games and keep
turning those easy completions into fifteen and twenty yard games.
Xavier Worthy, who had fifty catches over the Chiefs, last

(56:12):
eight games of the season playoffs included, is going to
use his space speed to make big plays. Marquise Hollywood
Brown is a big play threat. The days of mvs
running win sprints for the Chiefs are over, and maybe
the biggest change worm the offensive line. It's been a
problem for the Chiefs lately, especially the all important left

(56:33):
tackle position, and the Chiefs absolutely stole Josh Simmons at
the end of the first round of this year's draft,
the best pure tackle in this year's class. He came
out of Ohio State with a knee injury the teams
were concerned about. Those concerns looked like they were completely unfounded.
Simmons was ready for camp and he has looked like
a stud. He played twenty six pass blocking snaps in

(56:54):
the preseason according to PFF zero pressures allowed. So Patrick Mahomes,
with his blind side secured and abundant pass catching weaponry,
I think he's a big time draft value for the
first time since his second NFL season way back in
twenty eighteen.

Speaker 3 (57:12):
Debra This could easily vary, men, I will absolutely say
this because the rushing floor of that Patrick Mahomes carries
and the passing volume that we know is going to
be there. I still can't pay a QB six ADP
price tag, Like I think for everything that fits you
laid out and I'm not saying that he's wrong. Like
there's a lot of volaty volatility here, and if he

(57:35):
bounces back, he's going to absolutely vary. Me. He's gonna
be probably like a top three option. I'm just still
not there. Man, Like Hollywood still can't stay healthy. Rashie
Rice is going to miss six games this season. Travis
Kelcey is another year older now. Yes, I know he
got in shape for the engagement photos and the wedding
and the upcoming and stuff like that. That still doesn't
mean he's gonna be able to turn back the hands

(57:55):
of time until where he was thirty. An elite option,
it can help, but it's not gonna sit here and
nge Father Times estimation of Travis Kelcey right now. So
there are a lot of parts of pieces this could
easily bury me. I just can't pay the price tag.
I still think he's gonna be a low QB one.

Speaker 1 (58:10):
Yeah, It's one of those things where I'm like I
would there's so much depth to the position that like
I am totally on board with waiting and getting a
McCarthy or a may or you know, a dak Or
or love or whoever. But I just wanted to bring
it up because I do think he's getting a little
overlooked in terms of what that the ultimate upside ceiling
could be this season with what they've done in the

(58:31):
off season. We have one last question here, guys, which
one player will define the twenty twenty five fantasy season
a la Saquon Barkley and Jamar Chase a year ago fits?
Who will define this fantasy season?

Speaker 5 (58:44):
Rock Powers?

Speaker 4 (58:46):
Oh, he was just getting started last year. At the
end of the season, I'm going to demand a formal
written apology from Deebro for ranking Trey McBride ahead of Rock.

Speaker 3 (58:57):
Powers when Trey McBride gets tinted touchdowns, So I will
expect yours as well on a fitzy letterhead.

Speaker 1 (59:05):
Okay, uh, well, it's not just McBride, it's Kittle Also,
both of them are head of Ballast for for Debro.

Speaker 3 (59:12):
I'm a hater, I guess man, all.

Speaker 1 (59:14):
Right, so figure a tight end that is bold, but
I love it. I mean from everything we've literally never
seen this guy be anything other than just an elite
tight end at every stop of his whole life. So
why would that change now? I love the call, Debro.
Who's your player that will define the season?

Speaker 3 (59:27):
I mean, Fitz, he already kind of be my case
for me. Man. If Carolina is the NFC of Cincinnati,
it's Tedoro McMillen, I mean worm. We've talked about this previously, dude,
and I tweeted this out and again like shout out
to you. We talked about this on previous shows. I
know you're riding with me on this one, and I
know I Fitzi's not far behind. I know we're all
in the same party bus here. Tedoro McMillan could be

(59:50):
this year's million neighbors. If that happens, I don't care
if you draft him as a wide receiver two. If
he's a wide receiver one, he's paying off. If you
get him as your wide receiver three on teams, he
will define be one of the players that you had
to have to crush some fantasy this year.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
I love it, Man, You're not getting this in any
other show. Picking a tight end and a rookie as
are players that will define the season the way say
quad and Chase Did's.

Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
That's what we're bringing to you on this show.

Speaker 1 (01:00:17):
I do want to let everybody know if you've drafted already,
you can sink your league instantly to my playbook to
get custom advice on how to manage your team throughout
the season. See your league's top available players, power rankings,
and more for free. Check the Are They Playing tool
each week to get the latest game day availability odds
for all injured players. If you're Premium, you can unlock
all sorts of helpful waiver, trade, lineup and league analysis
tools as well. You can even auto start your team's

(01:00:37):
optimal lineup each week with Autopilot. Sink your league and
dominate every week of the season with my playbook at
fantasypros dot com slash my Playbook or on the Fantasy
Pros app. Try all of my playbook for free after
your drafts by claiming your three day trial of Fantasy
Prospremium at fantasypros dot com slash Premium. That'll do it
for our biggest questions at the twenty twenty five season
four Fits and debro, I'm Ryan Warmley.

Speaker 2 (01:00:57):
Thanks for tuning in. We'll see again next time.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast.
If you love the show, the best freeway to support
us is by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts
at Fantasypros dot com slash review or on Spotify.

Speaker 5 (01:01:13):
Follow us on x.

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The 10 BIGGEST Fantasy Football Questions | 2025 NFL Season Preview (Ep. 1681)

Episode Transcript

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.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}The 10 BIGGEST Fantasy Football Questions | 2025 NFL Season Preview (Ep. 1681)