The Biggest Fantasy Football Questions For Each Team in Week 13 (Ep. 1866)

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, everybody, Welcome into the Fantasy Pro Football Podcast. I'm
Ryan Warmley, joined as i am every week by Derek
Brown and by Pat Fitzmorris. We are talking key questions
for Week thirteen, and unlike usual when we've had a
whole week to kind of build up to this show
and prepare for all the games and run through everything,
this is Thanksgiving week, so our schedule is looking a
little bit different. We are taping this Tuesday, early afternoon,

(00:23):
around lunchtime, so just keep that in mind. That's kind
of a blanket statement throughout all of these matchups that
we don't have all the information we're going to have
as far as injuries and things like that, so we're
gonna do the best we can. We still want to
be able to offer everybody kind of a preview show
going through every single matchup of the week, but it's
much earlier in the week than usual, so if we say, hey,

(00:44):
ranking subject to change, injuries, unknown, things like that, that
is why we are gonna be talking about the Thanksgiving
slate as well, and of course the Black Friday Game
and then getting into the Sunday State as well. It's
our only show of the entire year where we are
covering every single matchup with the entire week because usually
we don't over that Thursday night game at least, so
we are also going to move a little bit quickly
through these games relative to how we usually do. So

(01:06):
with that preamble out of the way, we will go
ahead and dive in quick reminder for everybody. All of
our weekly consensus rankings and tiers can be found at
fantasypros dot com slash rankings, And of course there are
no teams on buy. We get back to the bye
week's next week, but for this week, we have no
teams that are missing. Kicking off the Thanksgiving slate fits
I'll start with you on this one since it is
your Packers playing here in that early game, Jamior Gibbs

(01:29):
and Amena Saint Brown aren't options. I'm taking them off
the table for you. Which player in this game do
you most want to be ahead of consensus on this week?
Either the Packers or the Lions side. Gibbs and Saint
Brown are not options.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Oh man.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
And by the way, what a good way to kick off.
What is the best Thanksgiving slate we've ever had since
we went to a three game Thanksgiving like this slate
is tremendous. Normally there's one boring game where you can
go and talk to the ants and uncles. I don't
know when I'm going to find time for conversation with
ants and uncles. So anyway, Yeah, I'm torn between two guys.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Can I mention both? Real quick?

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (02:07):
All right?

Speaker 3 (02:07):
Packers side Christian Watson, it's been the Packers' best wide receiver,
or at least he is right now, not necessarily saying
a lot. Watson his wide receiver thirty two and a
half point PPR Fantasy points per game. Since coming back
from his knee injury in Week eight, He's had at
least forty five yards in every game. He doesn't get
huge target volume, but he makes catches downfield and you know,

(02:28):
averaging sixteen point six yards per catch eleven point eight
yards per target. I think he is a good day though,
It's worth noting there's a slight chance Jaden Reid comes
off fire and plays against the Lions on Thanksgiving, in
which case I'd probably have to drop wattson a few
spots in the rankings. On the other side, David Montgomery
so Jamiir Gibbs had twenty six touches on Sunday and

(02:50):
David Montgomery had eight, and obviously Jamiir Gibbs just went
on a rampage against the Giants. Dan Campbell might look
to balance out the workload a bit with the Lions
playing on Thursday and only three days rest.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Debrah, I know you are going to agree on Christian Watson.
I'm sure was he your pick here or just somebody
that you agree with?

Speaker 4 (03:09):
Agree? And he's my pick? Where is he at an ECR?
Because he's the guy I want to be ahead of it?
And I'm going to illuminate on a few of Fitzi's
points here too. Where's he at currently an ECR?

Speaker 2 (03:21):
He is?

Speaker 1 (03:21):
I must have scrolled past him because I didn't. Okay,
he's wide receiver thirty.

Speaker 4 (03:24):
Okay, I can make a case from as a wide
receiver too. Right now I have him as a wide
receiver twenty six. And the thing that Fitzy points out
here is, yeah, he hasn't had the blow up games
outside the two touchdown game. But the other thing is
the Packers haven't been pushed to pass the ball, and
this is a game where if there's a team that
could push them, if Detroit can overcome the Packers secondary

(03:45):
and their defense, which is playing lights out football. If
they can overcome that, they can push the Packers outside
of this vanilla run the ball, strangle opponents into submission,
and just bleed out the clock type of approach. And
that's what can give Christian Watson ceiling. And the other
thing is the coverage matchup is fantastic for Watson. Like

(04:08):
Detroit's running a single high the third highest rate Watson
has eaten since And I want to point out since
week ten, and I know it's a small sample size,
but guys, since week ten, Christian Watson has basically been
their wide receiver one. Like he's got a twenty five
percent target chair, he's gotten a thirty six point seven
percent first read chare. And I'm not that worried about

(04:29):
Jay and Reed coming back, Like I think when he
comes back, I think he's gonna play a part time role.
I think that's more concerning for already concerning and droppable
Matthew Golden. I think Watson's role and probably a Romeo
Dobbs role as the starting perimeter guys, I think those
two roles are kind of set, especially with Watson. So
I'm not moving Watson a ton based off of Reed

(04:51):
because I think it hurts Golden the most out of anybody.
But this is this a glorious matchup for Watson in
this Packers passing attack to get pushed if the Lions
I don't crumple under pressure and their offensive line can
hold up.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
We're not going to take too many detours this episode,
just because there's so many games to get through. I
do want to ask is this the best game on
the slate? Because I totally agree with you, Fitz, this
is the best Thanksgiving slate that we have ever had.
It's really like every single team is basically viewing this
as a must win game, which is like kind of
awesome for all six teams playing, and they're all great matchups.
Is this the best one? Though? Packers Lions fits.

Speaker 3 (05:25):
I'm obviously a little biased. I think maybe Chiefs Cowboys
a little bit sex that's my vote.

Speaker 4 (05:32):
Okay, Chiefs and Cowboys. I think that game is the
blow up game.

Speaker 1 (05:35):
Well, that game, that second one is usually the one
that sets the you know, ratings record, and like Chiefs
and Cowboys, like give them all these two franchise franchise
are I think it probably will set like the ratings
record for a Thanksgiving game. Let's get into that game now.
I was surprised by the total Chiefs and Cowboys being
fifty two on hard rock bet. When I was looking,

(05:56):
I was expecting this to be in the forties. Maybe
you guys disagree. I was really surprised by that. Do
you see this as a high score game or do
you think it'll be more? I won't call it a
defensive struggle, but a defensive driven game, Debro.

Speaker 4 (06:08):
I think we're gonna see a lot of scoring in
this game. I mean, the case is easy to make
on the chief side because the Cowboys defense is improved
over the last few weeks, but they're still not a
good unit, so I think there's a lot of points
where Kansas City can exploit. But also, dude, like, did
we just watch dak and like, I mean that offense
kind of hum versus and I know it was. They

(06:30):
didn't hump for the entire game, but the final stat
lines were monstrous for Dallas in the last week. I
think ceedee Land is a big bounce back week, and
Kansas City's past defense has honestly taken a step back
since Week seven. They're allowing the thirteenth high shards per
attempt and the sixth highest adjust A completion rates. So
I don't think Javonte has a good game on the

(06:50):
ground this week, but I think Dallas can absolutely get
it done through the air, and I think we're gonna
have a lot of points scoring in this one.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
I think both teams are going to struggle on the ground.
I do think Dallas's run defenses looked, you know, better
since Adam Quinn Williams unsurprisingly, but like, I do think
that has panned out well for them. The Chiefs like fits.
You know, it's not just about how I think the
defenses will play. The Chiefs have not scored over twenty
three points in a game since Week eight, and that
Week eight game came against the Commanders, who are terrible,
so like, it's not their offense has been totally humming either. Again,

(07:21):
that's why I kind of think it's gonna be lower scoring.
Are you more on deever side here where you think
it's gonna be a higher scoring affair?

Speaker 3 (07:26):
Oh, I'm turn about this And I was just talking
to Andrew Erickson about whether we should like the under
or the over here, and I think we might be
leaning slightly under, although I haven't bet it yet and
I don't know if I will. Yeah, the Chiefs continuing
to look for those those home run balls that aren't
there for them, and seemingly an unwillingness to commit to

(07:48):
the running game. The Cowboys defense has been better. They've
the Cavalry has has come to the rescue with some
of these reinforcements with Quinn Williams. Like they gave up
two hundred and sixty excuse me, two hundred and thirty
six yards of offense to the Raiders.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
Okay, granted that's the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
They're terrible in that Monday Night blowout a couple of
weeks ago, but then uh, twenty four points for the Eagles,
nothing down the stretch. Three hundred and thirty nine yards
of offense for the Eagles, a potent offense that they
kind of kept in check. So I'm willing to believe
that the Cowboys, if not, we can't come a good defense,

(08:28):
but it's at least a respectable defense, which they were
not earlier in the season. So I think there's a
case to be made for the under here.

Speaker 1 (08:37):
I think I think the ball will get moved. We're
gonna see yardage in this game, but I just feel
like there's gonna be a lot of settling for field goals.
Could be think the teams are gonna run very well.

Speaker 4 (08:45):
I hate betting totals over fifty. I'm just gonna throw that.

Speaker 1 (08:48):
Out there like it's it's a big number.

Speaker 4 (08:50):
There's too many ways for that to go sideways. So
like I would say, like I'm I'm more likely like
I'm not touching the total in this one. I think
the most interesting angle for this one is with the
Cowboys at home, is maybe the Cowboys money line.

Speaker 1 (09:05):
I wouldn't I wouldn't hate that. That one I'd be
more more interested in than the total. I think the
total is probably as hig as it as a because
it's two very public franchises playing in like the most
public window of the season, like people want to bet
the over on this game. And also just remembering like
Kansas City was on fire to start the year on offense,
the Dallas defense was terrible to start the year, and

(09:25):
maybe just like having kind of memories of that, whereas
the last few weeks neither side has really looked, you know,
at that same level.

Speaker 2 (09:33):
Real quick, just on on deeb Ros. Dallas thing.

Speaker 3 (09:35):
I do wonder though, if Dallas is maybe a little
bit overvalued because their last two games were the win
over the Eagles where the Eagles kind of shot themselves
in the foot, and then just the win over that
terrible the Raiders are the worst team in the league,
and so maybe they're overvalued with those two high profile
games because that Raiders game was a Monday night football game.

(09:57):
Before that, they got their doors blown off by the
Broncos and lost to the Cardinals by ten points. So
I just I wonder if maybe this line is like
closer than it would normally be, you know, if it
should maybe be more like Casey by five.

Speaker 1 (10:11):
Well, what's funny is like on the Kansas City side
before this, Colts win their last two wins or against
the Raiders and Commanders, and they.

Speaker 4 (10:17):
Barely beat the Colts by the way point. That's right, Yes,
I mean it's it's an interesting game, like this is
the game I want to be glued to.

Speaker 1 (10:24):
Well, if both teams were healthy, the game I would
be I mean, I'm gonna be glued to it anyway,
but the game, and I think a lot of people
would be glued to his Bengals rave Evans, because every
time these two teams play when they are healthy, it's
like thirty eight to thirty five back and forth, fair
like super super fun game. I'm not really expecting that
in this situation because Lamar is clearly banged up. He

(10:44):
is yet another new lower body injury. He went from
the handstraing to the knee, to the ankle. Now it's
his toe. And of course, Joe Burrow, speaking of toes,
is coming back from his turf toe injury, coming back
a couple weeks earlier than anticipated even in the best
case scenario. So with making his return from injury, it's
against the Ravens defense that has not allowed twenty points
in a game since early October. How will this Bengals

(11:07):
offense look with Burrow back but now missing t Higgins fits.

Speaker 3 (11:12):
Well, gosh, when were you aware that in two games
against the Ravens last season, Joe Burrow had eight hundred
and twenty passing yards and nine touchdowns.

Speaker 1 (11:20):
I was aware that it was roughly in that ring.
It keeps him up at night, Well, not that much
at night, because the Ravens won both games.

Speaker 3 (11:28):
But yeah, so it's Joe freaking Burrow man, what's there
to talk about. Like the Bengals terrible defense is going
to put him into some shootouts down the stretch. He
could get one here. I think he's gonna be good.
I wish he had both jam R Chase and T Higgins.
No T Higgins this week because of a concussion, but uh,
you know, it could could be a pretty good outlook

(11:50):
for jam Ar Chase. I think this one's gonna be fun.
And maybe this is the game where we get.

Speaker 1 (11:53):
A lot of points, So there's no hesitation for you.
It just in terms of the timeline of Burrow, like
they said, like mid December best case scenario for him
to return. Now he's coming back in November, there's no like, well,
maybe he's pushing it back a little early because their
backs are against the wall and desperation mode, and maybe
he's not only ready. You think it's just gonna be
like Joe Burrow full strengthier fits.

Speaker 2 (12:13):
I kind of do okay, Like I've got him. Wereuning
QB eight this week.

Speaker 3 (12:17):
I don't know if there are some high output quarterbacks
I can't put him ahead of in the rankings, but
I'm not concerned.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
If I've been waiting on Joe Burrow.

Speaker 1 (12:25):
Yes, I'm playing okay deeper. Do you feel the same way,
You're just kind of all systems go here for Burrow
in this offense, I've got.

Speaker 4 (12:31):
Him a little bit lower just because of some really
good matchups for other quarterbacks and I don't have hesitation
playing in but I've got him make QB eleven right now,
but still being the top twelve quarterback, like, I think
he's probably gonna look a little bit rusty out to
shoot in the first half. Here my biggest question, and
we still haven't gotten an answer, and I think we
finally get that answer this week. Are is the Ravens

(12:54):
past defense for real? Because if you look at them
their numbers on paper they look amazing. But also since
week eight they faced Caleb Williams to a tongue of
volo a, JJ McCarthy, Dylan Gabriel, Shader Sanders, and Tyrod Taylor.
So still we haven't had a real test for the
Baltimore Ravens defense since they've been looking amazing over the

(13:16):
last few weeks. I think Burrow puts up just because
of the game script in this I think Burrow does
put up QB one numbers, and I would be starting
him over a lot of other players like a Baker
Mayfield plays. I even think like there's reason to start
him over Sam Darnold. I've got him ranked right ahead
of Jordan Love. I would play him over Brock Purdy,
Trevor Lawrence in a good time.

Speaker 1 (13:36):
Burrow or Dak. On Thursday, I'm playing Dak.

Speaker 4 (13:39):
I'm playing Dak over him again, like I think that
that game is going to be a shootout performance. But
to your point about what this offense could look like though,
where I think we're going to get another heaping dose
and I think this is gonna be another freaking fantastic
game for Chase Brown. He has been lights out. He
has been Cincinnati CMC again. Since we nine, This dude

(14:01):
has been the RB nine and Fantasy points per game,
and that is without scoring a single freaking touchdown. So
like Chase Brown, I where's he at? E c R
dud because I want to be ahead of it. That's
the guy that I really want to highlight here.

Speaker 1 (14:16):
He is RB eight.

Speaker 2 (14:18):
Somaj p Ryan could be back this week.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
But I still don't think he's fully healthy fits and
I think we're getting it's.

Speaker 1 (14:24):
Like it's probably really hard Debro for you to be
above consensus because the seven names ahead of him are Gives, McCaffrey, Taylor,
h N, Henry or Jehan and Cook. I've got him
at RB six, So who's behind him of those seven?

Speaker 4 (14:37):
Barkley I've got right behind him, and I've got Derreck
Henry right behind him. But you can for Henry being
above him or below him. It just depends on how
you want to look at the Ravens offense.

Speaker 1 (14:47):
The other thing I will say quickly on this game,
Kyle Hampton might not play, so keep an eye on that,
like that will make things. I mean, I think actually
the Kyle Hyman remains underrated in terms of the impact
he has on the defense, Like he doesn't play. If
he doesn't play, Burrow might be QB three this week. Honestly,
that's how much of a difference I think you'll make.
So definitely keep a close eye on that. As we
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Speaker 1 (16:27):
Guys, we have another Black Friday game here, Bears at Eagles. Debro.
Good luck trying to rank aj Brown week to week
this season. He is coming off his second best Fantasy
output of the year. Around where will he rank for
you against the Bears?

Speaker 4 (16:42):
I'm going to be more aggressive on him. I understand
the downside and understand the issues, but the matchup is
freaking fantastic. I know that they probably get Jillen Johnson
back and Kyler Gordon back. I think the thing I
want to highlight here is just the splits and coverage
splits for AJ Brown have been gargantuan this year, like
versus two high, He's that's where he's had his down

(17:03):
games versus single high, which the Bears have run at
the eleventh highest rate since Week six. AJ Brown is
a thirty one point six percent target here, two point
five yards per route run, and a forty percent first
reach here. So while I've got some hesitation and some
hebgb's about playing AJ Brown, I do think that this
is a big game for him.

Speaker 1 (17:24):
He is. Actually I'm looking at the staff rankings here.
I want to see what he is in overall ECR.

Speaker 4 (17:29):
I have him at wide receiver ten.

Speaker 1 (17:31):
He's wide receiver eleven in ECR. He's dragged out in
our staff ranks a bit by Ericson, who has him
done at wide receiver nineteen. You two appear to be
more in line fits.

Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (17:41):
I am a little more worried about the Jalen Johnson
matchup than debro Is, And it does look like Jalen
Johnson is going to be back. I don't think he's
played since like Week two. He was practicing last week.
I think the Bears held him out because they didn't
want to have him play, then have him only a
four days to recover before another game, so now he's

(18:03):
going to be back. I think he's probably one of
the ten best outside cornerbacks in the league, and I
think he's gonna see a lot of AJ Brown in
this game. So I've DeVante Smith ranked one spot higher
than AJB. I've got AJ Brown.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
Ranked thirteenth, thirteenth, Okay, yeah, I I mean Brown is
just a funny player to talk about, right because, like
it's been such a roller coaster largely disappointment for people. Deeber,
you mentioned like the coverage maybe playing into his favor
in this one. Like looking at the rest of the season,
like would totally shock anybody if AJ Brown actually ended

(18:37):
up being like a fantasy playoffs hero. Just looking at
like it's Washington in Week sixteen, like he has this
Chicago Gate, Like there's some some good matchups, you know,
coming ahead. So I have a feel like this won't
be the last week we talk about AJ Brown.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
He's gonna drive you insane if you try to jerk
him in and out of your lineup every week based
on how what happened the previous week.

Speaker 2 (18:56):
Just keep just going to.

Speaker 4 (18:57):
Ride away, dude. It's like with George Kittle on previous year.
You just got to ride the way yep, Live with
the Lows.

Speaker 1 (19:03):
By the way, who do you guys think wins that game?
Chicago Philly? I mean Eagles. Philly's favored, but like Chicago
eight and three, like they're they kind of play these
weird games. Philly favored by a touch I shouldn't have
said who wins. Who you think covers in this game?
Philly Bay a touchdown?

Speaker 4 (19:16):
Eagles. This is all Eagles defense, and this is bad
Caleb showing up versus a really good defense.

Speaker 3 (19:21):
I kind of think so too. I mean, like you know,
I'm as a Packers fan. I'm not trying to diss
the Bears, but like they are not as good as
their rack.

Speaker 4 (19:29):
There they're not, and Caleb splits versus defenses have been
huge this year. So yeah, yeah, I'm gonna give them fits.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
Man.

Speaker 1 (19:40):
Let's go to the Sunday Early Slate here, Rams at
Panthers through twelve weeks. Matthew Stafford is the MVP favorite
and the Rams are Super Bowl favorites. So I want
to ask you guys, because I think it's kind of
easy to know who to start in this game, Like
there's not really a lot of question marks here, So
let's just kind of take a larger step back and
look at this as a larger conversation. What's more likely
to happen Stafford winning Envy or the Rams winning the

(20:01):
Super Bowl this year? Fits. I'll start with you.

Speaker 3 (20:04):
I think the odds of him winning MVP are better
because winning the Super Bowl is hard.

Speaker 2 (20:08):
Man, good, Yeah, I mean, well, so I.

Speaker 4 (20:11):
Know this is a fantastic conversation. I love it.

Speaker 2 (20:13):
Well.

Speaker 3 (20:14):
I think voters would probably love to give Matthew Stafford
this award as like kind of a capstone for his
career having a great season. He's the best player on
the best team in the league right now, so I
think it right now, he's absolutely winning the MVP if
we voted on the award before week thirteen.

Speaker 2 (20:34):
And it's just he's got such a good setup with.

Speaker 3 (20:37):
That dynamic duo of Puka Niku and Devonte Adams. He's
got Sean mcvayh designing or yeah, just McVeigh designing this
offense for him. Everything is set up for him so nicely.
But man, you get into the playoffs and it's like
there are a lot of dangerous teams in the NFC
this year, So huh, I have better chances of him

(21:01):
winning MVP than the Rams winning with Super Bowl.

Speaker 1 (21:04):
Debro was your reaction saying that you are going the
other way on this.

Speaker 4 (21:07):
I yeah, I'm gonna go the other way on this one.
And I it's not that I like I've been. I've
had my flag planning on the Matthew Stafford for MVP
award for the last few weeks, so I'm still there.
The only thing that I think can hurt his MVP
chances is just the sexiness of Drake May and looking
at the run out of their schedule, like if the

(21:30):
Patriots go beat the Bills and the Ravens to close
the season, May like everybody's gonna talk about May. You're
gonna have a Patriots team that's winning what thirteen or
fourteen games. I think that looking at him being the
sexy name on the list versus the old stalwart and
Matthew Stafford is going to be a real debate for
voters to where if Stafford has like because they get

(21:51):
the Lions in Seattle down the back half, if he
falters at all, I could see this flipping in May's favor,
and I just look at the NFC, and I have
tons of questions about every single freaking team in the NFC. Like,
I think the Rams should be considered and I bet
them way way in the in the summer to be
the super Bowl favorite from the NFC. I think they

(22:12):
really have a fantastic shot. Like their defense is playing
lights out, Stafford's playing the best football of his career.
I think the Rams should be considered the NFC favorite
to go to the Super Bowl. And then it's like,
who are you playing out of the AFC That really
absolutely frightens you, Like is it Denver? Okay? Well, bo
Nix is back and forth? Is it Baltimore? Lamar has

(22:34):
banged up? You just talked about that worm, Like, okay,
is it the Patriots? But how much is their schedule
like propping up? How good of a team they truly
truly are right now? So I'm taking Stafford for the
super Bowl. And I get all of Itzi's points. I
get the uncertainty. I just think there's also some uncertainty
with the MVP award and how that could shake out
too well.

Speaker 3 (22:54):
My pushback on that debral would be just that you know,
if it's close between Stafford may I think the voters
are going to look and they're going to say, well,
may is embarking on what's going to be a long
and successful career.

Speaker 2 (23:07):
They're going to be other MVP.

Speaker 3 (23:08):
Awards for this guy, whereas Stafford to give him one
now would just it seems like it would be really
appropriate and something voters would want to do. The other
thing is, we'll see how things go for May the
rest of the season. With no Will Campbell, that's no
small injury to lose his starting left tackle. So you know,

(23:29):
I do think Stafford is probably going to put on
a better finishing kick than Drake Maywell. But and if
it's a final four with like the Seahawks, the Packers,
the Eagles, and the Rams, they're gonna have to win
like two really tough games because any of those teams
could potentially take the Rams out and make that offense struggle.

(23:50):
Like that's just there are a lot of good defenses
to deal with in the NFC, for sure, And you know,
although the Rams, the Rams.

Speaker 4 (23:57):
Defensive line is ridiculous defensive line, Oh my goodness. I
think the other thing that makes me feel really confident
in the Rams is like when you get to playoff
type of football, you have to have the and that
a lot of these teams don't have this the versatility
to play a lot of different game environments, like you
need to be able to run the ball, you need
to be able to pass the ball, you need to be

(24:18):
able to go a heavy personnel, or do you have
the passing offense to play catch up mode and come
back if you needed to do that. I don't know
how many of these other teams are built in designed
to play all those different types of game environments and
have all those different types of pitches in their repertoire.
Whereas the Rams, it's like, yeah, okay, check check, check check,

(24:41):
they can do all of that.

Speaker 1 (24:44):
I mean they're the I Like I said, they're the
favorite for both, right, Stafford iss favorite for MVP and
Rams are favored for Super Bowl. So there's a reason
why it's an interesting conversation. I think the reason I
would go with the MVP one side with fits on
this is because the third most favorable odds to win
MVP Jonathan Taylor at plus two thousand, Like after Stafford
in May, there is nobody right now in the conversation,

(25:07):
Whereas with Super Bowl yes, the Rams are the best,
but there are other good teams in football. There's not
really another MVP candidate besides Drake May. And I take
your point, Debra about like voters do like to kind
of anoint the next best thing. But this does feel
like the perfect storm for Like, let's give one to
Stafford on the way out and May will have plenty

(25:27):
of opportunity to win another one. So I lean on
the MVP, but it wouldn't surprise me it both happened, truly, Like,
obviously the Rams are really really good. Let's go to
forty nine Ers at Browns. What do you guys think
of Shador Sanders's first start now that he has been
named officially the brown starter. What are your expectations for
this offense in terms of fantasy impact?

Speaker 4 (25:44):
Debro very uneven, But they're gonna show signs of life
and some explosive elements. When Schadur has the off scriptability
and money, he has those kind of type of big plays,
and we saw that last week, and Dylan Gabriel just
does not have that. Man, it has been check downs underneath.
You've see in all the limitations of Dylan Gabriel's game.
Both of his field vision and just from an ability standpoint.

(26:07):
So I mean, I'm not saying it's always going to
be pretty with Shahdour, but they did show signs of life,
like he had a fifty percent highly accurate throw rate
and only a fifty five percent catchuple target rate. Those
are not good, but I think you are going to
see more signs of energy and life from this offense
than we ever got with Dylan Gabriel fits.

Speaker 3 (26:27):
Yeah, people are going to be really entrenched in their
opinions of Shoodo are coming in and it's going to
be hard to move them off because we know Shidour
has a lot of haters, and I think there's some
people like Deebro and I who really liked him as
a prospect, really kind of rooting for him. So dee
Bro and I are probably I think we're trying to
go out of our way.

Speaker 2 (26:46):
To be objective about this. Ye And.

Speaker 3 (26:50):
I think the more we see Shadour, the more we're
going to see the things that made Debro and I
like him a lot, which is that really act in
short and intermediate range and is an anticipatory thrower, which
I think you kind of need to be in the
NFL to succeed, so hopefully we'll see a lot of that.
But you know, he can lose his head when there's pressure.

(27:12):
We saw that when he had to come in in
relief of Gabriel two weeks ago. But there is a
lot to like here. I don't think the numbers are
going to be pretty for fantasy, but maybe you can
do enough to at least put in a bid to
have that job in twenty twenty six.

Speaker 1 (27:29):
When I ask about fantasy fits, I'm even thinking more
in terms of just like the other players, is this offense, like,
how do you feel about Judkins getting scoring opportunities? Or
is Judy going to be playable again?

Speaker 3 (27:38):
Things like that not great, honestly, I mean it's it's
going to be a bottom five offense.

Speaker 4 (27:43):
Yeah, yeah, I think Judkins maybe getting more scoring opportunities
is my biggest takeaway. The rest of the pass catchers
are going to be so up and down. I think
Schador is just gonna with broken plays and just hitting
whoever's open. I don't think you're starting anybody with confidence
at all from this passing attack.

Speaker 1 (28:01):
You can let autopilot manage your fantasy football lineup automatically,
so you never have to worry about last minute changes.
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(28:23):
my playbook, or on the Fantasy Pros app. We're headed
to Texans at Colts. Tyler Warren is consistently ranked inside
the top five tight ends on a weekly basis by consensus,
but in three of his past four games, he has
finished outside the top twelve at the position where you're
ranking him. This week against a strong Houston defense, fits.

Speaker 3 (28:42):
Tight end five, so he is behind Trey McBride, Brockbauer's,
George Kittle, Travis Kelcey, and I think a lot of
people are going to have Warren ranked ahead of Kelsey.
I do not, and I'm even kind of tempted to
put Warren below Mark Andrews, who I have a tight
end six because Mark Andrews gets the red carpet matchup
against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 2 (29:05):
But right now I've got Warren and tight end five
bro I.

Speaker 4 (29:09):
Got him a tight end five two, and I think
it's more of just a it's more of a state
of the Union address for just a tight end position
like it is. It's got awful this year, like after
the top three to four guys, So really it's just
kind of like splitting hairs like Houston's been, Like it's
been a horrible matchup for tight ends like six feust
receiving arts per game, tenth lowest arts perception. So I

(29:31):
don't have like a great outlook for Tyler Warren, but
like I think him versus Brock Bowers is probably a
real conversation just based off of the matchup for Bowers
and the quarterback player Gino Smith. Like to Bits's point,
I have Kelsey ranked ahead of Warren. I actually because
I think that game does go over and I think
it's a pretty decent matchup. I actually have Jake Ferguson
ranked ahead of talent Warren too.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
I think, just for the record, fits Mark Andrews should
unequivocally be ahead of Tyler Warren. I mean, just whoever
is they seeing the Bengals should be ahead of.

Speaker 4 (30:01):
And then we get to touchdown game. I don't know
control all of us.

Speaker 3 (30:07):
Yeah, we could get them both scoring three Pittsburgh Steelers
against Yeah.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
Locked in Charlie kor.

Speaker 4 (30:17):
Anytime touchdown.

Speaker 1 (30:18):
I can't imagine that's posted. Oh gosh, yeah we uh
we love that. Okay, Yeah, I like More is just
one of those guys that like he's just kind of
like earned that spot in the top five, like like
he's just auto there every week, it feels like, and
hasn't really been living up to it lately and is
a tough matchup. So I wanted to ask, but it
is a tough position to get past the first few
names anyways, so reasonable to still be starting him, of course,

(30:40):
Let's go to Saints at Dolphins. How interested are you
guys in Devon Neil this week? Assuming album Kamara is
out again? We are taping this early his the mcl
sprain it is mc al right, not PCL. I'm not yeah,
m So, how interested are you guys in Devon Neil
this week? Deeper?

Speaker 4 (30:55):
I'll start with you, I mean fairly like, I think
he's a good vault bet he's probably gonna get the
Camara type of workload where he's living in the fifteen
to eighteen touches. It really comes down to Canny score
a touchdown because Taysom Hill is gonna be involved, and
does he get vulture to the goal line. But I mean,
I feel good about his prospects for volume and the

(31:18):
pass game stuff because he got a sixteen percent target
share last week. The matchup, I will say against Miami
is not great. Their run defense has massively improved since
Week eight. They're allowing the fourth lowest rushing success rate.
They have the second highest stuff rate and the third
lowest miss tackle rate. So he's honestly just I have
more believe or at least more hope for him in

(31:39):
PPR formats than I do halfpoint. But I think he's
right there on the cusp of like high end RB three.
If he scores a touchdown, he'll be an RB two
this week.

Speaker 1 (31:48):
He's RB thirty one in consensus, still earlier in the week,
so there's time for that to change. It sounds like
you think that's too low, Debro.

Speaker 4 (31:54):
A little bit too low. Like I mean, I've got
him an RB twenty seven. But I feel like we're
splitting hairs between like him and like Tyrone Tracy Deandres Swift.
You know, like, what do we think about Aaron Jones
and a horrible matchup for him on the ground, so
you know he's in that kind of area code w.

Speaker 1 (32:11):
How does it sound to you? Fits too high to
lower just right? A RB thirty one.

Speaker 3 (32:15):
Yeah, I've got him RB thirty and I could maybe
make the case for putting him ahead of Tyrone Tracy
who has a tough matchup against the Patriots, And Deebro
summed it up pretty well. I think what you're really
hoping for is that he continues to get a lot
of passing game usage and that you can count on
like three to five catches for him week in, wait
week out, because I do think Taysom Hill is going

(32:35):
to be annoying for the people who are spending a
lot of fab money on Devin Neil this week.

Speaker 2 (32:41):
Like, I really like Neil's.

Speaker 3 (32:43):
A prospect coming out of Kansas. He's think a top
ten running back prospect for me, and I was a
little surprised he didn't get drafted earlier.

Speaker 2 (32:51):
But good, good.

Speaker 3 (32:53):
Player, Taysom Hill is going to be a problem for him,
and maybe a Saints' offense that isn't going to be
able to string together a lot of long drives.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
It's going to be a problem for him too.

Speaker 3 (33:03):
But the passing game upside is what has me most excited.

Speaker 2 (33:07):
I think same.

Speaker 1 (33:09):
It's annoying the Dolphins aren't the terrible run defense they
were earlier in the year. It was so easy to
just start against.

Speaker 4 (33:15):
The glorious matchup. Shout out to Anthony Weaver.

Speaker 1 (33:19):
Let's go to Falcons at Jets. John Metchi has a
touchdown catch in back to back weeks. Is he startable
in a pinch this week? Fits?

Speaker 2 (33:27):
I think he is.

Speaker 3 (33:28):
I've got him ranked wide receiver forty six in half
point PPR, and so Mechi is going to take most
of his snaps in the slot. And deebro wasn't Billy
Bowman the Falcons primary slot had been ye this year. Yeah,
and he just tore his achilles, I believe. So pretty
good matchup, pretty good spot for Metchi this week, and

(33:50):
basically they've they've finally settled on. It looks like John
Metchi and ad Ni Mitchell's their top two wide receivers.
And I know that's not a pair that's striking fear
into the hearts of defensive coordinators, but at least we
can kind of focus in on them for fantasy and
in deeper leagues, maybe consider starting Mechi or ad Ni

(34:14):
Mitchell if we're in a real pinch at wide receiver.

Speaker 1 (34:17):
It's been top seventeen and HALFVPR scoring each to the
last two weeks. Obviously getting the touchdowns help, and it's
not the world's greatest passing offense debro, but it certainly
is better with Tarad Taylor playing quarterback and that can
only be a benefit to Michi.

Speaker 2 (34:30):
Here.

Speaker 1 (34:30):
He's ranked in the mid fifties and consensus right now,
again still early in the weeks, that might go up
a little bit. We'll see Fits has him up in
the mid forties. Where do you have him?

Speaker 4 (34:38):
So I've got him at right now at wide receiver fifty,
and you can make the pro case for Mechi. I'm
not going to push anybody off for that. Like Fitzist,
I'm actually more on the ad Ni Mitchell side of
this one though, considering the matchup, Like I've got him
ahead of John Metchi at wide receiver forty six, and
I know that the box scores have not been kind
to ad Ni Mitchell, but the usage has really been there. Man,

(34:59):
Like his In week eleven, the dude got a twenty
two percent target chair. He had a forty percent first
reach year. I know he dropped almost everything, but last
week he had a twenty five percent target chair too.
Like John MITCHI and him tied for targets on the
team lead. The only thing is Mechi ran hot with
the touchdowns. But Atlanta. If I want to pick on
anything versus Atlanta, it's their outside corners. They have been

(35:20):
not They haven't made good advance since week seven, given
up the second most PPR points per target. So I
think that this is probably a good regression game for
aDNA and Mitchell to where he comes away with the
big game. Not to say that Mechi can't, but both
of these guys are definitely flexworthy.

Speaker 1 (35:37):
If you went a chance to win a Justin Jefferson
signed Vikings jersey for free courtesy of our friends at
Pristineauction dot com, all you eat to do is head
to fantasypros dot com slash contest, complete the form and
either download the Fantasy Pros app, leave a review for
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entries you receive, we will be announcing a winner on

(35:58):
the podcast near the beginning of next month. If you're
watching on YouTube, be sure to subscribe and turn on
those notifications so you can be alerted when new episodes
are up and to claim your prize. Cardinals at Buccaneers
next game up for us Fellas. It's early in the week,
but it does seem like Bucky Irving might finally return
this week. How interested will you be in starting him
in his first game back? Debro Uh?

Speaker 4 (36:20):
Pretty interested? I mean, I think he's a plug and
play RB two. I do think you're probably gonna see
a lot more Sean Tucker. Like this backfels so freaking interesting.
It's like, Okay, they probably get Like, I don't think
they're going to run out three running backs, although that
is possible that this is a three way committee. I
can't say that that is not a possibility. But I'm
also kind of wondering does this become Bucky Irving and

(36:43):
Sean Tucker in the backfield. But either way it goes
this is a really good matchup for Bucky Irving to
step back into. Like, right now, I've got him at
RB seventeen, for the week just because the Cardinals run
defense has been god awful like since Week eight. They're
giving up the ninth most rushing arts per game, the
fifth highest miss tackle rate, and yards are to contact

(37:04):
per attempt. So even if I do have volume concerns
and role concerns for Bucky Irving, I do think that
he walks back into a role where he's probably somewhere
in the twelve to fifteen touch realm and probably getting
the high leverage touches in a wonderful matchup.

Speaker 1 (37:21):
If I set the line deeper at RB twenty, would
you say that's you know, would you go over under that?

Speaker 2 (37:25):
Oh?

Speaker 4 (37:25):
It's over? Like I want to start him ahead of
guys like even Breeze Hall, Rico Dawdle in a horrible
matchup Jalen Warren, who's also in a split backfield too.

Speaker 1 (37:37):
All right, fits, are you, you know, going right back
to the well with Bucky assuming he's on the field.

Speaker 3 (37:41):
Yeah, I've got him RB eighteen. And it's funny you asked,
how interested will you be in starting Bucky in his
first game back? Well, considering the leagues where I've got him,
they're deep leagues, and you know, one of them, you
have to flex three guys. I've been flexing guys like
Aj Barner, So I'm very in interested in playing Bucky
Irving in that league. I'm very interested in playing him

(38:04):
in the league where I'm just barely staying alive in
the playoff race on a team where I've been starting
Zach Sharboney at running back for weeks. So I'm very
interested in starting Bucky Irving. He is the cavalry for me. Yeah,
so go ahead.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
I was just going to say, I just always gett
nervous with guys their first game back after a long absence.

Speaker 2 (38:22):
Oh, I know, we could get a ramp up game.

Speaker 3 (38:25):
Could be a ramp up game where they lean, you know,
give Tucker and Rashad White Moore snaps. But I know
people are kind of getting into Sean Tucker here. Bucky
Irving is a way better player.

Speaker 4 (38:36):
Oh He's like, he's a way better Bucky's He is.

Speaker 2 (38:40):
A special player for sure.

Speaker 3 (38:41):
So as soon as he is fully deemed fully healthy,
I think he's gonna be stiff arming these other guys
in New Fantasy irrelevance to.

Speaker 4 (38:49):
Your point, Also, fancy this is a game where the
Bucks should lean on their ground game. Baker Mayfield, even
if he plays, just not going to be one hundred
percent if we get Teddy be Teddy two gloves in here.
I mean, what's the over under for the Buccaneers, like
rushing attempts in this game, like thirty five?

Speaker 3 (39:06):
Yeah, the you would imagine the Tampa offense would run
through the running back?

Speaker 4 (39:10):
Yes, yep, yeah, I agreed.

Speaker 1 (39:12):
Let's go to Jags at Titans, last game in the
early slate here? Which Jaguars receiver is going to rank
higher for you this week? Parker Washington or Jacoby Myers fits.

Speaker 2 (39:23):
It's really close.

Speaker 3 (39:24):
I've got Jacoby Myers wide receiver thirty seven, wide receiver
forty one.

Speaker 2 (39:28):
I like both guys.

Speaker 3 (39:29):
But you know the way Jacoby Myers has kind of
asserted himself and the Jacksonville offense so quickly, And just
Ericson and I were talking about this, like Trevor Lawrence
kind of wants to take the path of least resistance
and throw it to tight ends and slot receivers, you know,

(39:50):
and like that's Jacoby Myers and it's Brenton Strange.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
You are almost identical with ECR. You are one spot
below ECR on Myers and one spot below ECR on Washington,
but very similar ranges obviously Tee Road. Do you see
the same where it's close but you have a lean
towards one or the other.

Speaker 4 (40:11):
Yeah, I've got Jacoby Myers at wide receiver thirty five
and I've got Parker Washington at wide receiver forty. Right now,
I do give the leen to Myers, like fits is
talking about just the numbers on paper all push me
to Myers, Like over the last I know Washington had
the bigger game last week, but if you look over
the last two weeks, Myers beats Washington and targets here
at twenty one to seventeen percent. He beats him in

(40:32):
yards per route run, he beats him in first reads here,
they both have two reds on targets. So I'm just
following the volume and honestly the guy that I think
is the better player.

Speaker 1 (40:42):
Okay, I don't think we need to go too long
on this one. Not a lot of exciting players in
that game. Let's go to the Sunday late slate here
Vikings at Seahawks, whether it's JJ McCarthy or Max Brosmer.
Maybe by the time he's listening to this there'll be
more clarity on the concussion stuff with McCarthy. But whether
it's McCarthy or Brosmer at quarterback, I think it will
be easy to make the case for sitting Jordan Addison

(41:02):
against a great Seahawks defense. I'm wondering if you are
also willing to consider sitting Justin Jefferson his last four weeks,
six catches forty seven yards in a touchdown, four catches
thirty seven yards, no touchdown, five catches sixty one yards
no touchdown, four catches forty eight yards, no touchdown. That's
an average of eight point seven fantasy points per game
in half PPR scoring the last four weeks, and now

(41:23):
they are in Seattle against maybe the best defense in football. So, Deebro,
I will start with you, regardless of who the quarterback
is right now, are you willing to give any consideration
to sitting Justin Jefferson?

Speaker 4 (41:33):
It depends on your options. I'm going to throw it
out there, like, if you got a team and the
guy that I've got right behind him, and I probably
need to move ahead of him in rankings right now,
if you have Michael Wilson, dude, Like, I don't know
if that's a close case like Michael Wilson. I think
you're playing over.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
Just I just threw up in my mouth a little
talking about start. I mean, dude, Justin, Yeah, I'm not
saying it wrong. I'm just saying if you.

Speaker 3 (41:57):
Would have, if you would have told us in August
that come weeks thirteen, we would be considering starting Michael
Wilson ahead of Justin Jefferson, and I've got Wilson ranked higher.

Speaker 1 (42:06):
Yeah, I mean we like on we would have retired
from what's the point of doing fantasy analysis?

Speaker 4 (42:11):
Bridy check on this person? Sobriety check la has he
been day drinking?

Speaker 1 (42:15):
That that is repugnant? But I don't disagree with you,
So so the answery is yes, then deeb you are
you are at least really too considered contextual.

Speaker 4 (42:22):
Like yeah, and in the in that sample you laid
out worm and I know that I'm I'm fudging this
with PPR scoring, But he does have weeks of wide
receiver eighteen wide receiver twenty six, so there have been
usable weeks in there for Justin Jefferson. Do I have
a lot of faith in Justin Jefferson. The volume is
going to be there, But what his hat out of that,

(42:43):
but also the runout is okay. The Vikings are probably
gonna be trailing in this game. If he does get
a touchdown, he's going to be a wide receiver too,
So you know, garbage time plays just as well as
anything else for fantasy.

Speaker 1 (42:54):
Yeah, fits For me, the point is less that like
he's a mustant and more like he's in this range
with like Digs and Zay Flower.

Speaker 4 (43:00):
In Michael Wilson's very uncomfortable.

Speaker 1 (43:02):
Glomb of a bunch of receivers, you just got to
kind of close your eyes and pick one.

Speaker 4 (43:06):
Well, Wando Robinson versus Justin Jefferson's also a very real conversation.

Speaker 3 (43:10):
Well, I mean, for this season, de bro Wandale is
averaging ten point nine half point PPR Fantasy points per game.
Justin Jefferson is point two ahead of him at eleven
point one, and if you look at their numbers, they
are eerily similar for the season. Yep, So that that's
where we are. Unfortunately, the thing I'm thinking is that like,

(43:32):
could Max Brosmer really be any worse for Justin Jefferson
than JJ McCarthy was. So I think most people I've
got Jefferson a wide receiver nineteen, which is terrible, but
I think he's still a starter for most people. But
Debro said it, it's all based on context.

Speaker 2 (43:50):
Worm.

Speaker 3 (43:50):
You and I are final five in the Company Guillotine League.
Maybe if you've got Jefferson in the Guillotine League, you've
got better options because everyone has an all star team
at this point.

Speaker 4 (44:00):
Here's here's two other spots. Do you rank Troy Franklin
and Courtland Sutton ahead of him this week?

Speaker 1 (44:07):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (44:08):
I know, I know.

Speaker 3 (44:08):
We were Ericson and I talked about that on the
h I think Ericson does have both of the Bronx.

Speaker 4 (44:15):
I think I'm gonna move him ahead of him too.
Like I'm just like, I keep looking at options, and
I'm like, say Flowers in a shootout, he's due for
a big game, Wando Robinson. God darn it, I think
I'm moving justin Jefferson even lower.

Speaker 1 (44:28):
Oh, we're gonna get to to the Broncos later and
we're gonna talk about those receivers. Just just to your point,
fits to wrap up to put bow on this, you said, like,
you know, Ken Max Brosmer really be worse than McCarthy
statistically speaking, basically, No, the Ringer guys have been all
over this on their show talking about McCarthy. Out of
the like eight hundred and fifty two quarterbacks who have

(44:49):
enough passes to be older, he's eight hundred and fifty
first this century in EPA per drop back And like
all these JaMarcus Russell is the only quarterback who's been
worse in a lot of these like metrics that we're
looking at them early.

Speaker 4 (45:01):
But e paper dropback is a horrible stat for for
player stats, just saying, well, I don't think it's a
horrible stat to use, just saying.

Speaker 1 (45:09):
I mean, I mean, I think it's telling that the
best quarterbacks are at the top and the worst quarterbacks
are at the bottom.

Speaker 4 (45:14):
There's it's more of a team stat. But anyway, I digress.

Speaker 1 (45:18):
Well, that's that's a conversation for different I think there's
some value in it, even if it's maybe a smaller amount.
The point is he's that's not the only and uh
and so yeah, Broswick can like basically not be worse. Uh.

Speaker 4 (45:32):
Let's go to.

Speaker 1 (45:33):
Raiders at Chargers here. Do you expect any improvement from
the Raiders offense this week? After they fired offensive coordinator
Chip Kelly Fits, What do you think about this one?

Speaker 3 (45:43):
Not really, just because the offensive line is such a mess.
There's no Colton Miller, Jackson Powers. Johnson is still on IR.
I don't think he can come back until.

Speaker 2 (45:51):
Maybe next week at the earliest. It's just Ashton Genty
has no room to run. Gino Smith is.

Speaker 3 (45:59):
Getting no protection. It's just hard to see any of
that getting better with an OC change.

Speaker 1 (46:05):
Deep brouh.

Speaker 4 (46:07):
I'm with Fits. I mean, it's it's all the offensive
line and the other thing about it. We're recording this
so early, Like, I don't know if ashion Genty plays
this week, like he got dinged up with an ankle issue.
If he's out, we get raheem Moster, Like it's a
really good freaking matchup. But the Raiders. Can they open
up any holes for any of these backs? Can they
pass protect? Can Gino Smith not throw four picks or

(46:30):
get sacked ten times in a game? I don't know.

Speaker 1 (46:32):
There are just so many bad offensive lines this year.
It's so like on the other side of the Chargers.
I mean it's because of injuries, but like the Chargers
offensive line is so beat up too. It's just so
frustrated when that is what is limiting so many offenses.
Do you Has there been any word on is Hampton?
I know this was like early on I thought, man,
I ain't seen anything.

Speaker 4 (46:51):
Jim Harbaugh said he's coming back after the bye. Now
is that with this week? Oh?

Speaker 5 (46:57):
Jim?

Speaker 4 (46:58):
Is that this week? Or is the week fourteen or fifteen?

Speaker 1 (47:00):
If he was back? Would you rather start Hampton or genty?
If genty plays, Oh, Hampton, you gotta start Hampton.

Speaker 2 (47:07):
I talk about it.

Speaker 3 (47:09):
Offensive line problems exactly. They're not much better for the Chargers.

Speaker 4 (47:13):
I have more faith that the Chargers will at least
get into the red zone. I can't tell you that
that happens.

Speaker 2 (47:17):
For the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (47:19):
Yeah, right right now, it's on Hampton ranked and I've
got them behind genty.

Speaker 4 (47:23):
Yeah, I mean right now as we're projecting it, I
have it the same. But okay, you know again, we
got to see what news are if we get news.
Knowing Jim Harbaugh, good lord, Like it's so hard to
get any injury news out of them.

Speaker 1 (47:35):
Yeah, it's tough. We've got three games left, one more
in the late afternoon slate on Sunday, Bill's at Steelers.
Which player is going to be toughest for you to
rank in this game, Debro.

Speaker 4 (47:46):
Dude, I don't know what to freaking do with Kenneth
Gamewell this week. I'm just gonna throw it out there,
Like I he's getting more of the backfield, Like last
week he led the team and snaps. Is that a
Jalen Warren thing? Is that an Arthur Smith thing? Is
that a combination of both? I don't know. I mean,
he did only have ten of the twenty eight running
back carries, so like it looks like Gainwell is kind

(48:07):
of like the script agnostic player where he's getting the
passing down work get a nineteen point four percent target share.
I don't know what to do with Gamewell this week.
Like I can make a really freaking easy case to
sit here and rank him ahead at Jalen Warren. I
could make a case to rank Jalen Warren ahead of him.
To be honest, I think both of these guys are

(48:28):
really really freaking good starts, and I'm trying to push
myself away, but like both these guys, you can make
a case that both of them should be ranked as
top twenty four running backs this week.

Speaker 1 (48:39):
How do you have them ranked right now? Like, as
of right now, early in the week, right now, I.

Speaker 4 (48:45):
Have Gainwell at RB twenty one, and I have Warren
at RB twenty three because I think the Pittsburgh is
going to lean on their ground game, whether or not
Aaron Rodgers plays.

Speaker 1 (48:57):
Warren is higher in ECR. He's RB eighteen, games Well
is RB twenty seven. So there is a bit too
low for game Well, man, Like, it's just too low?
Fits how you see it?

Speaker 3 (49:07):
Running back sixteen for Warren, running back twenty three for
game Well?

Speaker 4 (49:10):
All right, so you got about talk twenty four too, fits?

Speaker 1 (49:13):
He Yeah, yeah, Okay, who's the guy who's tough to
rank for you? Fits in this one?

Speaker 2 (49:19):
This is a weird one for me.

Speaker 3 (49:20):
It's Khalil Shakir, and I'm I think I'm above consensus
at wide receiver twenty three on him, which like seems
just first blush is that it seems too high, especially
with no one on by. But Khalil Shakir is the
only credible wide receiver the Bills have right now. It's

(49:42):
sad that Bill's GM Brandon Bean has not given Josh
Allen more to work with, like he could have gotten
Rashid Shiheit at the trade deadline and could.

Speaker 4 (49:49):
Have gotten Jailen and the Wattle too, but he didn't
want to.

Speaker 2 (49:52):
Give Jalen Wattle.

Speaker 3 (49:53):
Yeah, sh he's just going to waste in Seattle. Yeah,
but so Shakir or more catches in three of his
last four games. But then again, he's not really a
downfield receiver like he's just it's short stuff. And I
don't mind the Week thirteen matchup against the Steelers and
slot corner Brandon Eckles, Shakier should be pretty busy on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (50:16):
I just wide receiver.

Speaker 3 (50:18):
Twenty three does seem too high to me, and I've
been kind of struggling with that.

Speaker 1 (50:21):
I've pushed you twenty four in consensus.

Speaker 4 (50:24):
I've got him at twenty eight, like I've got a
few guys over him that I just like their matchups
in the game script, like I've got Watson ahead of him.
I think if Herbert has time, I think this is
a QJ bounce back spot versus the Raiders who he
owned last year. So but yeah, I agree with you
the I feel like the Shaki ranking this week fits.

(50:44):
He is a little bit us to chasing the one
hundred yard game that he had last week, which a
large chunk of that came on.

Speaker 2 (50:52):
The fifth and twenty seven.

Speaker 4 (50:54):
Yeah, the trick play at the end where he just rumbles,
actually two of the plays at the end of that game.
So I don't want to feel like I'm point chasing there.

Speaker 1 (51:02):
Let's go to Sunday Night football, Broncos at Commanders. We
talked a little bit about Courtland Sutton and try Franklin earlier.
If I offered you guys a million dollars to correctly
predict who will have the better game this week, between
Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin, who would you pick. There
is a lot on the line. You have to get
this right. Courtland Sutton or Try Franklin fits.

Speaker 2 (51:21):
I'm just gonna go.

Speaker 3 (51:22):
So I do have them separated by uh separated by
Michael Pittman.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
He's the guy heading between them.

Speaker 3 (51:29):
I've got Sutton ranked one spot ahead of Pittman and
Pittman one spot ahead of Franklin. I just think Sutton
is a better player than Troy Franklin. Troy Franklin is
run hot with touchdowns, and like Franklin's if you look
at his yards per route running yards per target, I
think yards per target is like six point three yards

(51:49):
per Rount run is what like one point four to
nine or something. Not very impressive numbers, although maybe you
could put that on bon Nicks. But I still do
think Courtland Sutton is just the better player. I'm going
to bet on the better player.

Speaker 1 (52:02):
They are back to back in ECR, by the way,
for what's worth, wide receiver twenty six and wide receiver
twenty seven. Debro, if you had to pick and get
this right, yeah.

Speaker 4 (52:11):
Yeah, I'm right with FITZI on it, like in the
same area code. Like I've got them in the Michael
Pittman area code, but I've.

Speaker 1 (52:18):
Got Piman by the way, an ECR is one spot
ahead of the two of them.

Speaker 4 (52:20):
I've got Pittman at wide receiver twenty five, I've got
Franklin at twenty three and Sutton at twenty four. And
the only thing that pushes me Franklin over Sudden. I
agree with FITZI. I think that Sutton is the better player.
The only thing that pushes me with Franklin over Sutton.
It just comes down to the high leverage usage. Sutton's
not getting it. Franklin is one of the one of

(52:42):
the best in the NFL in that like right now,
he's got fourteen. Franklin has fourteen red zone targets, Sutton
has seven. Franklin has twenty one deep targets, Sutton has
twenty one or excuse me eleven. And for context about
the fourteen and twenty one, that is sixth and second
in the NFL. So it just it comes down to, Okay,

(53:04):
how do we score fantasy points? You gotta score touchdowns
and you need big plays. Franklin's getting more of that
high leverage usage than Courtland Sutton. Now he's not connecting
on a lot of those plays, but he's still getting
the usage. And that's the only thing that's splitting hairs for.

Speaker 3 (53:16):
Me with them.

Speaker 1 (53:18):
So a million dollars in the line, you guys can't
even agree on who you want to start.

Speaker 4 (53:21):
It's well, one of us is winning the Millie and
taking everybody out to dinner. We know that, at least
you know that.

Speaker 1 (53:27):
I cannot emphasize enough that you are not getting a
million dollars if you get this right in real life.
I do not have that to give up, truthfully. I mean,
obviously it's a great matchup, right, so we're gonna be
happy to start both of them. I'm actually surprised that
in consensus both are outside the top twenty four, just
given that they're going up against Washington. I mean, I
know there's no teams on buy, so there's a lot

(53:48):
of options here, but I just feel like, like, again,
you're facing Washington, this commandity like so bad.

Speaker 4 (53:54):
Like why do we feel any better about Like I mean, honestly,
you can make a case to push them even higher,
Like Stefan Diggs, we feel better when his route here
dropped off the map last week. We feel better about
Romandonsay going against freaking Eagles, Like there's some other guys
where you can make the case to push him higher,
Like I don't know whether one went two super.

Speaker 3 (54:12):
Threes, Drake May versus bon Nicks, Williams versus b.

Speaker 4 (54:17):
Nicks in a great matchup. B Nicks is basically him
and caliber like the Spiders.

Speaker 3 (54:21):
I mean, I mean that's the reason, hey man, I mean,
if it was Drake May, both of these guys would
be inside the top fifteen.

Speaker 4 (54:27):
Not fair fair.

Speaker 1 (54:29):
The two names ahead of them are Pittman and Shakir.
Like Shakir just yeah, I don't know, and like Pittman
going up against Houston's defense, right, like I think I'd
rather have both.

Speaker 4 (54:39):
I've got I got both those guys behind them to.

Speaker 1 (54:41):
It would not surprise me. The Broncos dropped forty in
this game, like the Commander's defense is just abhorrent. So yep,
we like them both.

Speaker 4 (54:48):
This is the the ticked off, get right Broncos game.

Speaker 1 (54:51):
Yeah, yeah, we're not surprised me at all. Let's go
to Monday Night football. Speaking of Drake May, it's Giants
at Patriots. The Patriots took some tough hits hits to
their offensive line this week, and they now face a
talented pass rushing group from the Giants. Are you dialing
back expectations for New England's offense at all this week
or just ranking them as you normally would, even in
this first game without Will Campbell and company. Deebra, I'll

(55:13):
start with you.

Speaker 4 (55:14):
I'm ranking them as as per usual. And do I
think that Drake May is going to face more pressure? Yeah?
I do think he does. But the big caveat between
him and other players like Jared Golf and other players
that are so pressure sensitive, Drake May has been freaking
fantastic versus pressure this year, Like he's been off like
awesome versus pressure. Drake May has the fourth highest yards

(55:37):
per attempt and the fifth highest adjusted completion rate in
passer ratings, so he has been flat out awesome in
muddy pockets this year and I think that continues this week.

Speaker 1 (55:47):
There is eventually a point of no return, though, if
the offensive line is bad enough and it's not like
they were starting from a great point fits what do
you think?

Speaker 3 (55:55):
Yeah, and it's not just Will Campbell with his MC injury,
it's also Jared Wilson, their left guard with the high
ankle strain. He's gonna miss multiple weeks. So I'm not
heavily docking any of the Patriots and the rankings, but
I don't want to get too frisky with them. And
I'll give you for a for instance, I've actually got

(56:16):
Saquon Barkley one spot ahead of Traveon Henderson, which I
think is kind of a minority opinion among rankers. And
Saquon obviously has not been running hot of late, but
he's going against this Bears defense that just gave up
two hundred and twenty seven scrimmage yards to the two
Pittsburgh running backs last week because they didn't have any

(56:37):
of their starting linebackers, And I don't know what the
status is of the Bears linebackers, how many of them,
if any of a chance to return this week. But
I really like the matchup for Saquon. Don't know if
he can take advantage. But then you've got Travion who's
got this great matchup against the Giants, but he's missing
two key offensive linemen in front of him. So will

(56:59):
the Patriots offense. It's functioned the way it has been functioning.

Speaker 4 (57:01):
And he hasn't been efficient either. Travion's ground, so.

Speaker 2 (57:05):
That's kind of it. So it's it's sort of a dilemma.

Speaker 3 (57:08):
I just I don't want to over rank the Patriots
now that their offensive line is going to look a
lot different, and it could be kind of a tough adjustment.

Speaker 4 (57:17):
To your point, fits, Yeah, I've got Barkley right ahead
of him. I got a Barkley at RB eight and
Tray on RB nine, and so I'm with you on that.

Speaker 1 (57:23):
They're nine and ten in ECR. Travion is one spot ahead.
He's nine and sake one is ten.

Speaker 4 (57:28):
If Barkley out outdoes Travion, can we get the MILLI
from that worm? Is that possible? Can we make the
movie on that one.

Speaker 2 (57:34):
Please?

Speaker 1 (57:35):
How much money do you think I have?

Speaker 4 (57:37):
I mean, I don't know, man, you know, sometimes like
people got like oil money or you know.

Speaker 1 (57:42):
I don't know, dude, I definitely do not, but I
appreciate your optimism in me.

Speaker 4 (57:48):
So it's the fun I've heard.

Speaker 2 (57:49):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (57:50):
Yeah, that's it.

Speaker 2 (57:51):
I did.

Speaker 1 (57:52):
I did get in early on doge coin very and
I see I actually did make a not insignificant profit.
It wasn't a million dollars or anywhere even remotely close.
But that's my one thing to be.

Speaker 4 (58:03):
But you know what we're not. I mean, look, beggars
cannot be choosers.

Speaker 1 (58:08):
It's okay, exactly, all right, that's that's all sixteen games.
We actually do have a minare or two left. So,
as this tradition, what is your guys' favorite Thanksgiving side dish?
Hopefully everybody has a really good time here on Thanksgiving
in a couple of days and you know, some fun
family plans, maybe friends plans, depending on where you're at
in your life. But obviously the food is the real

(58:29):
star besides football of Thanksgiving. So what is your guys'
favorite side dish? Fits?

Speaker 3 (58:34):
I know, stuffing is a more polarizing side than mac
and cheese or mashed potatoes. But uh, you know, my
mom makes a pretty awesome stuffing with my grandma's older recipe,
So got to go with the stuffing.

Speaker 1 (58:47):
Stuffing is a classic debro.

Speaker 4 (58:48):
So if I'm going just with old reliable, it's got
to be mac and cheese. If I'm going to go
off the reservation just a little bit here, I will
say that I always I buy Brussels routes on the stalk.
I slather them and bacon up, which if anybody knows,
it's there's just bacon grease you can buy. I season
them and I stick them straight on the grill. So

(59:09):
if I'm not going with old reliable mac and cheese,
it's grilled brustles sprouts.

Speaker 2 (59:14):
Baby, that's that sounds amazing.

Speaker 1 (59:16):
Yeah, that is a you know, it's funny. I never
like look forward to the mashed potatoes necessarily on Thanksgiving,
but they always are just a great part of.

Speaker 4 (59:24):
It depends on how they're done, if they're dry, if
they're if they're done properly, where they're like more like
creamy mashed potatoes, I'm with you one.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
I also say, like pounds of butter in there.

Speaker 4 (59:36):
Yeah, you're like.

Speaker 1 (59:39):
I love the turkey. Like turkey I think is actually
like underrated on Thanksgiving at this point, Like a well
made teak is awesome. If people, oh no, it's about
is the worst part of the Like what are you talking?

Speaker 4 (59:50):
People hate turkey, And my response to that is okay, fine,
you may tell me nobody has ever cooked a turkey
the right way. It's the same thing with steak. People
that don't like steak. I'm like, just tell me you've
never had it cooked right. That's all I need to hear.

Speaker 1 (01:00:03):
By the way, I think I mentioned this last year.
I a couple of years ago, my family had me
make the stuffing and the recipe that I used had
choriso sausage mixed into the stuffing. It was really good.
It was It was basically a normal stuffing, only it
was green onions instead of regular onions, and it was
chresa sausage mixed in with it. And besides that, it

(01:00:25):
was pretty much the same as all. It was so good.

Speaker 4 (01:00:29):
Well, co dude, you just saw me you won Thanksgiving
with that.

Speaker 1 (01:00:33):
Well, Well, here here's what's funny. It was not supposed
to be Trisa sausage. I forget what the recipe called.

Speaker 4 (01:00:37):
For hot sausage or well, it called.

Speaker 1 (01:00:40):
For a different meat entirely, and the store didn't have any,
and I was like, I'm just gonna use TREESA sausages,
just what's there. And it turned out so good that
I have been making it.

Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
Say that became a go to you just you felt
backwards into some magic worm.

Speaker 1 (01:00:56):
It very much did. So I'm getting hungry just talking
about this, Excited for for the meals, excited for the football.
Like you said, best slip we've ever had in Thanksgiving.
So it's going to be a super fun day. Hope
everybody enjoys it and the holidays in the time off
that you get. Best of luck here in week thirteen.
We're in the playoff stretch. Run here for getting to
the fantasy postseason, so good luck here this week and beyond.
Hopefully this show, even coming earlier in the week, can

(01:01:17):
help out a bit. We'll be back here next week
for debro and fits. I'm Ryan Warmley. We'll see you
next time. 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.
Follow us on x, Instagram, and TikTok at fantasy Pros,

(01:01:39):
and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com
slash Fantasypros

Speaker 5 (01:02:00):
B

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