Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, everybody. Welcome into the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. I'm
Ryan Warmley, joined as I am every Friday, by Derek
Brown and Pat fitz Morris. We're talking key questions for
Week fifteen. Yes, the Fantasy playoffs are here. They've officially
kicked off with that Bucks Falcons game. Falcons win twenty
nine to twenty eight on Thursday Night football. We don't
(00:21):
always dive deep into these Thursday Night games. We're not
going to dive deep here, but how could we not
talk about one Kyle Pitts senior, the best game of
his NFL career, Probably the best game is played, you know,
at any level. I had to go back and look
at his college career either. It was a great game.
Twelve targets, eleven catches, one hundred and sixty six yards
and three touchdowns. Kirk Cousins through the ball forty four
(00:43):
times in this game. There were three different Falcons with
over double digit targets, which was kind of wild. But
of course Kyle Pitts stood above the rest. Fits You
and I talked a bit about Pitts yesterday. You know,
in a start set decision I was trying to make,
I did end up starting him. So even though you
led me as we are, Okay, I didn't miss out
on this epic game five Pits. But yeah, what was
(01:05):
your reaction? Just like watching this unfold because a lot
of it came early in the first half. He had
two touchdowns at one hundred yards and it was already
the best game it felt like he had ever had.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah, it's nice to see the Cole Pits we thought
we were getting when he was an early first round
draft pick out of the University of Florida, the guy
who we thought was maybe going to help I don't
know about revolutionize the tight end position, but add more
top end firepower to it. And we got that, and
we've really seen Pits sort of blossom with no Drake
London in the lineup for the Falcons.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Glad I didn't steer you astray.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
For the record, Worm was debating between Brock Bauers and
Kyle Pits, and I said, I just couldn't start Pits
over Boers, and then I would have felt you wound
up flexing Pits, and I would have felt really guilty
about that because I was actually starting Kyle Pits myself
in an industry league against our Debro and my mutual friend.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
John Oh, yeah, poor got a Pits bomb dropped on him.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
So glad I didn't tell you not to start Pits
when I in fact benefited from Kyle Pitts.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
And yeah, I like didn't disagree with you on Bowers.
But the only reason I even brought it up is
because Bowers is facing the Eagles. If he was facing
like basically any other team, I wouldn't have even brought
it up. And and at the end of the day,
I was just like, listen, I just want to give
Kyle Pitts in the lineup facing the Bucks. So I'll
put one of these guys in the flex and I'll
go double tight end here in the Fantasy Playoffs. So
I don't I don't begrudge you for your for your
(02:34):
recommendation here because it was a totally valid one. And
I even said to you is like, yeah, I super
cannot blame you for saying I cannot possibly start Kyle
Pits over Brock Bowers in an elimination game. So uh
so there wasn't too much disagreement there, Dee bro Uh
you know, I want to ask about Mike Evans too,
but just on Pits. Quickly, like, like what was going
through your head watching this, because this is somebody who, like,
(02:55):
like Fitz said, like there could not have been a
higher pedigree when he came into the NFL here and
just higher expectations. And he's been the butt of jokes
right Like he is probably the player we have tweeted
about most on the Fantasy Pro's social media account because
he is so easy for making jokes about, like oh
I trusted Kyle Pitts again or whatever it is. There's
all we always have a meme about Kyle Pitts and
(03:17):
today he just like was kicking button taking names or
last night I should say.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
I mean, dude, he's quietly been having a really good
season for the entirety of the season. Like I know
he had like basically that dry spell before Drake Lindon's
injury and stuff, and he's been operating as Atlanta's clear
wide receiver one since then. But he was having a
solid season and it's nice to see that Atlanta's finally like, hey,
we finally understand how to utilize this guy and he's
(03:43):
finally healthy after years of getting banged up after dealing
with Arthur Smith. I love it. Man, I'm so curious
what happens with him in the years to come, Like
does he stay in Atlanta to get signed by somebody else?
What happens with that? So Kyle Pitts wheels up man.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Yeah, Mike Evans, I know you were tweeting about a
bit last night as well. Deep ro just seeing him
come back to the lineup, he immediately steps into twelve targets,
just caught six of them. Baker has obviously been off
for a little bit here, but those six catches he
had someone for one hundred and thirty two yards.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
Yeah. I mean we saw the Mike Evans usage and
we were talking about this in slack yesterday. I was
like I put it out to all of you know,
everybody in slack and I was like, were you ranking
this passing attack? Because this was the first time all
season we had seen Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, an Ameca
Buka on the field altogether. We haven't seen that, so
it was like, how is this going to play out?
(04:35):
And we got so many questions on Discord and live
streams and stuff, and people like do I play Mike
Evans And I'm like, this is not like a knee
injury or a hammy or what have you. Mike, it's
conditioning and Mike Evans coming back and we saw he played.
They held true to their word. He wasn't in every
snap player, but he was out there when it mattered.
He had seventy percent routes here last night. And that's
(04:57):
about where I I mean, I wrote him up in
the primer and I was like, look, he's not gonna
play every single down, but he's gonna play out there
when he's passing, and he's probably gonna walk back into
being the leader of the passing attack. And that's exactly
what happened. So for everybody that risking for the biscuit
and started Mike Evans, kudos he bade off Fitz.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Where did you have Devin Culp ranked at tight end
going into.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
The Amazingly, I did not have mister Culp ranked. Nice
to see him get into the end zone.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
He was a tight end fifty six in ECR. By
the way, I just had to look it up because
I honestly, I'll be honest, when I first looked it up,
I was a cee wide receiver, a tight end. I
didn't even know. It's not a name. I was overly
familiar with, So yeah, shouts to him for catching a touchdown.
Let's jump into the Sunday Slate quick reminder, though all
of our weekly consensus rankings and tiers can be found
at fantasypros dot com slash rankings, fits shoot or Sanders
(05:48):
somebody we talked about a lot throughout you know, April
and May. He had his best game of his career
so far. Also last week thirty three hundred and sixty
four yards and three touchdowns against the Tights. He now
gets the Bears. What are you expecting from him following
this breakout game?
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Expecting?
Speaker 2 (06:06):
I don't know, because it's gonna be really cold in
Chicago on Sunday game time temperature of like twelve degrees
I think, and factor in the brisk wins and it's
gonna be you know, a minus feels like temperature. So
Shudeur played at Colorado, I'm not sure he's well. I
(06:27):
don't think he's played in this sort of cold, although
he's probably played in some Chili games before. But it
would be great to see some additional signs that Chiduur
might be good enough to at least be deemed a
worthy competitor. For the Browns starting quarterback job in twenty
twenty six. I don't know if he's proven enough for
them to not draft a quarterback early this year, but
(06:49):
we've seen some pretty nice throws from Shaduur. He challenges
defense's downfield in a way that Dylan Gabriel did not.
Shadur does also hold onto the ball way too long.
He's got to fix that. I think his average time
to throw last week was something like three and a
half seconds, which is just too long. But hopefully we
continue to see shout or have good chemistry with Harold
(07:10):
Fannin junior, who had eight catches for one hundred and
fourteen yards in a touchdown last week. We're at least
seeing a functional Browns passing game, which is kind of refreshing.
Speaker 4 (07:20):
What do you think, Debra, I think he could be
a QB one again this week. I mean, I'm not
projecting him like that, I'm not ranking him like that,
But if he goes out and he does that this week,
I'm not going to be shocked. I mean, the Bears passing,
I mean the Bear's pass defense, excuse me, has not
been one that we're actually scared of. I think one
of the best things for Shadur in this game, and
(07:41):
I want to give him his flowers. He played very
well last week amongst twenty nine qualifying quarterbacks. This guy
was top ten in yards per attempt, highly accurate throw rate,
and hero throw rate. But getting back to Chicago's pass defense,
they've had a problem pressure in the quarterback and I
think that can work massively in Sudu's favor. Like since
Week ten, seventh lowest pressure rate and they've given up
(08:03):
the tenth most passing touchdowns. So I think Shador he's
a solid QB two and I wouldn't be surprised if
and really this comes back on the other side of it,
Can the Bears push the Browns? And I'm gonna say
it like in a framement that way, because we've seen
the Bears offense. I mean, the rushing attack is what's
gonna get them there in this game, but they've created
(08:24):
Caleb Williams's play has cratered against good pass defenses, and
make no mistake, the Browns are a good pass defense,
so the brown If the Bears can push the Browns,
I think this game and looking at Shadur like they
could pass and they could have a success doing it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Do you guys feel like it's a down? It's a
tough week for quarterbacks in general. I feel like there's
like there's like plenty in a one QB league, but
in a superflex format. I feel like there's not a
ton of depth this week that I feel really good about.
It's a lot of names like Jakobey Brissette we'll talk
about later, has been really good but gets a really
tough matchup. I feel like there's a lot of quarterbacks
that kind of fit that category. Shu Or is still
ranked outside the top twenty f in ecr's QB twenty six,
(09:01):
but it wouldn't surprise me if he outplays that, just
because I do feel like there are some tough matchups
fits for some of these other quarterbacks in this range.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
The confidence level drops off precipitously after the guys in
QB one range, so they are about twelve guys in
the circle of trust, and then really dicey after.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
That, Debra, where do you have you do her ranks?
Speaker 4 (09:22):
I've gone with QB twenty two. I'm actually a little
bit more bullish than some of the QB twos this week.
I like a lot of the spots for some random
guys like I like Mariota, like Stroud this week, I
like even Tyler freaking Schuck. So maybe I'm a little
bit more positive on the QB twos.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Let's go to Ravens at Bengals here, not QB twos
in this one a couple of the elite guys, although
not always this season for Lamar. These two teams usually
give us fun, high octane scoring battles, but on Thanksgiving,
Ravens miscues kept their offense from really getting going and
they got blown out by the Bengals. Is it time
to give up on the Ravens offense ever getting it
together this year? Or will they find only look the
(10:00):
way we expected in a rematch with this terrible defense? Debra,
I'll start with you.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
I think you're gonna see a middle, middle road of
the both of those things swarm unfortunately, And this comes
down to, dude, why does Todd Monkin just have a
problem running the freaking ball like Derrick Henry last time
they played this defense? Like he's slacking them, like breaking
off long runs, He's like getting chunk gains and then
Monkin just goes away from it. It's like every big
(10:27):
game Baltimore. I mean, look at the playoffs the last
few years. It's like we take these games to what
justify what? I don't understand it. So I still think
it's a game we're probably going to see some uneven play.
And this kind of goes down to Lamar's play recently
that the guy I want to highlight here specifically is
Say Flowers. I'm worried about him, and I mean looking
(10:50):
at the just the Baltimore passing attack. If Zay is
going to have a rough game or we have, I'm
calling it into question that's going to affect Lamar because
that's his clear number one wide receiver and a Zay
Flowers like he's gonna get shadowed by DJ Turner. He
followed him on sixty three percent of his routes last time,
held him into two targets and zero receiving arts. And
Turner has quietly been one of the best shadow corners
(11:12):
in the entire freaking NFL. Like he's held DK metcalf twice,
Justin Jefferson, Romeo Dobbs, and I know Gabriel Davis. He's
held all those guys to forty five or less. Scoreless
receiving arts in their covers. So I think it's a
middling performance. Unless Todd Bunkin does what Toddmunkin does not
want to do and he leans on Dereck Henry and
(11:32):
gives him twenty to twenty five carries, then maybe Baltimore
looks a little bit better here.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
It's pretty frustrating as a Ravens fan how many times
we've had postgame press conferences in the last three years
where there's been a question about, like, why didn't you
guys run more? And Harbaugh's like, yeah, we wanted to,
so we'll have to figure out how to happen. It
keeps happening. I'm like, first of all, this is under
your control. You could just decide to run more. Second
of all, like, how is this a conversation? Though it's
(11:57):
just happened so many times it's become remarkably frustrating for me. Yeah, fits,
how do you see this? I mean, interestingly, like Lamar
and Burrow are back to back in ECR. Not that
most people have to make that kind of decision, but
you know, do you have a strong preference of like
which quarterback you think is gonna have a better game?
Than I kind of do think we're gonna seem a
better Ravens offensive performance than two weeks ago on the
(12:19):
in that Thursday game. I kind of have been feeling
like this is the one because a lot of people
talked about it last week, like Okay, we'll finally get
it against the Steelers, and Ericson and I talked about
that on our show and I was like, I don't know,
he usual struggles against the Steelers. I think the turnovers
really just like throw every a wrench into everything. Two
weeks ago against Cincinnati. I kind of think the Ravens
offense is gonna be better this week. What do you think?
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Yeah, they had three hundred and forty six yards of
offense against the Bengals on Thanksgiving Night, and that's often
good enough to win, but they did keep shooting themselves
in the foot. The Ravens had five turnoffs season high.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
So I do think they'll do better this time around.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
I would like to see them stick with the run,
and even if DJ Turner is able to take out
Jay Flowers, hey man, it's the Bengals and the Ravens
have two tight ends, and tight ends just destroy the Bengals.
So we might see Mark Andrews and Isaiah likely both
have good days for fantasy. But yeah, overall this, I'm
(13:17):
sure you're not used to this form. The Ravens are
thirteenth in points per game and nineteenth in the league
in yardage per game, so not terrible, pretty average, but
that is certainly not what we have become accustomed to
from the Ravens offense.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Yeah, I think that, like it would not surprise me
if this is the first game where we come out
of it saying Lamar really does look back. I think
even like Tieryse Flowers point de Bro. You know, if
not for that OPI call, he would have had a
decently long touchdown in the last matchup with the Bengals
and kind of had his day look a little bit better,
(13:54):
Like like Lamar's day could have looked a lot better in
that game the first matchup with Cincinnati if like as
a fumble, if they don't call OPI, like, he could
have had like a three hundred yard, multiple touchdown game
and it was like just enough miscues that it didn't happen.
And I kind of feel like this might be the
game where those miscues finally don't happen. But maybe that's
that's just hope. On my end, it feels like a
(14:16):
little bit of your sipping the hopium.
Speaker 4 (14:18):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
He's historically so good against the Banks. I thought he
ran better against the Steelers too, Like I think the
mobility is like getting to be more normal or or
close to normal for him. So I don't know, it's
just it's just a feeling. I'm not saying. I'm definitely
gonna be right about it. Let's go to Cardinals at
Texans here. Jacoby Brissette, who I mentioned earlier, has been
a godsend for QB and needy fantasy managers basically right
(14:42):
away since taking over for Kyler Murray this year. He's
finished QB twelve or better in all eight starts this season. Obviously,
we are going to lower expectations for any quarterback against
this Houston defense, But just how low are we going
for Brissette coming on into this game on a hot streak.
But so is the Houston defense.
Speaker 2 (15:01):
Yeah, the confidence level is pretty low this week. The
Texans are just so good on defense, man, they are
terrifying to go against. They have the lowest opponent passer
rating in the league at sixty nine point eight and
I know the passer rating number doesn't mean a lot
to people, So just to put that into perspective, sixty
nine point eight their opponent passer rating. JJ McCarthy's passer
(15:23):
rating this year is only slightly lower at sixty seven
point four, and the Texans opponent passer rating is lower
than Jake Browning's passer rating this season.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
So opposing quarterbacks are completing fifty seven point one percent
of their throws against the Texans only the Eagles of
a lower opponent completion rate, and opponents are averaging six
point two yards per pass attempt against the Texans. Only
the Seahawks and Packers are lower than that. So I
do think we're going to get fairly heavy passing volume
out of the Cardinals. That's just how they're rolling these days.
(15:55):
They don't run the ball especially well and probably won't
this week against Houston. It's easy to envision Jacoby Brissett
throwing forty times for something like two hundred and forty
yards in one touchdown, and because such a high percentage
of his throws go to Trey McBride. Michael Wilson, I
think it's fine to start those guys. I just don't
want to start Brissett himself. And I guess the doomsday
(16:20):
scenario here, especially if you've got Trey mcbrideer Michael Wilson,
is that maybe the Cardinals just can't move the ball
and they have a bunch of three and outs so
they're only running like forty offensive plays and then you know,
maybe Brissett finishes with one hundred and sixty yards, and
that is the fear if you're a mcbrider Wilson stakeholder.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
Yeah, deebro Brissett has he started off the week I
think he was about QB eighteen. He has dropped down
to QB twenty two. So the consensus rankings are also
mirroring kind of how we all feel, which is holy cow,
like the worst matchup you can have and just having
very very low expectations. Pretty much all the guys in
that back end QB two range. I would rather start
than Berseett. I just don't want. I mean, we've seen
(17:02):
Josh Allen have a terrible game against Texas. We see
Patrick Mahomes have a terrible game against the Sextants. Why
are we trusting Jacoby Brissett to do any better? So,
like I want to get away from him if it
is at all possible. I am interested in your thoughts,
not just on Brisette Debro, but on Michael Wilson. He
is still ranked inside the top twelve. I would even
with Marvin Harrison Junior still out, like, I'd be pretty
nervous about that. If I'm in a shallow league, I
(17:24):
would actually be fine not playing Michael Wilson, even with
the volume he's been getting as of late. I just
think this defense is that scary that I want to
avoid them, And I'm just gonna be kicking myself if
I if I play any but outside of Trade McBride,
like you just can't get away from him. If I'm
playing anybody in this offense outside of Trade McBride and
they have a terrible game and it knocks me out
of the playoffs, I'm gonna be kicking myself because I'm like,
(17:44):
we knew this is the toughest matchup they can have.
So I'm a little lower than top twelve on Michael Wilson,
I'm obviously very low at Jacoby Brissette. How do you
feel about that both of those guys.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
I've got Jacoby Brissett at QB twenty four right now,
FITZI just not to go too far back into the
way back machine. Who's starting this week, Shoulder Sanders or
Jacoby Brissette.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
I've got Brissette ranked higher, but I don't feel good
about it QB twenty one versus QB twenty five.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Yeah, and I've got I've got Shore at QB twenty
two versus Brissett at QB twenty four. So I mean
that's kind of where I'm at with Brissett. Man, Like
I think the bubble gets popped this week. I think,
like in to your point, whem, yeah, like Batch Mahlms
says hi, Josh Allen says hi, better quarterbacks. I did
the volume, And I guess the only thing I'll push
back on is Michael Wilson. Like, dude, you talked about
(18:31):
like if McBride, Like, how am I not starting him?
If I get burned? I mean the same things apply
for Michael Wilson, Like he has been freaking amazing, Like
he's going to sniff ten plus targets at minimum, probably
more likely living in the twelve to fifteen range, and
for that type of volume, I mean I'll just say,
(18:53):
like I don't care about the matchup, like giving that
type of volume to him because he's had a tough
matchup with the Rams too. Their secondaries pushover, So like,
I know this one's better, and I'm worried about Brissett.
I still think Michael Wilson, you're starting him regardless because
the target volume in And this is also like a
larger conversation about just the wide receiver position just in general.
This week, so many guys in this like wide receiver
(19:16):
two to three range where it's like, like I just
talked about Zay Flowers, I don't feel good about him
this week. I don't feel good about Stefan Diggs. I
don't feel good about any of the Chargers guys. I
don't feel good about any of the Broncos. Like, so
there's so many guys that where I just don't feel
good about their matchups. I don't feel good about Michael
Wilson's matchup, but I know he's going to get a
(19:37):
crap ton of targets and in garbage time and what
have you, that might not matter.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
We should also mention that Brissette is going to be
without his starting left tackle Paris Johnson in this game.
That could be a problem. But the one thing about
Wilson that's nice and this is kind of a thing
with Trey McBride too. These guys are kind of possession guys,
short area guys like Brissett gets the ball out quick
to mitigate the pass rush. So maybe not having Paris
(20:04):
Johnson against will Anderson and company won't be ruin us.
If you know, it's just three step drop fire short completions.
We might see eight for sixty eight for Michael Wilson,
But I think you'd take that, yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
On with this wide receiver slate, you might, I mean
you that could be top fifteen numbers this.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
See see see.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
I don't think that.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
What I was gonna say is like I it's not
that I'm saying he shouldn't be ranked in a startable range.
It's that, like, I don't that doesn't sound like a
top twelve wide receiver to me. Like, I think that
if you're an if you're in a pretty standard sized
league with you know, let's say it's two receivers in
a flex that you're starting, you know, depending on the format,
I think it's very possible that you are going to
this week and on your team you have like George Pickens,
(20:48):
AJ Brown and like Tedroo McMillan or something like that.
Like I think there's gona be a lot of teams
out there that have three receivers that you can get
to that I would say, like, I just don't want
to mess with this Texas if it's I know, like
against the Rams, there's ay, the texts are on a
different level. I feel like I am really terrified of
of what this cardinal's offense will look like.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I get it, but like if I'm laying odds on
who gets more targets between Michael Wilson and Teteroa McMillan,
I'm taking Wilson and I'm probably laying a target and
at half to Tteroe McMillan.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
I think that's fair. I just I just don't think
it'll be enough to help. Like I am, I think
that the targets will not matter. And this one, I
guess is my ultimate point. I don't think that he's
gonna do anything with them. I don't think he's gonna
get touched down. I could be totally wrong. He has
been so good as of late, and obviously Brissette will
pepper him when he has the opportunity. I just don't
think the Texas defense is going to give him any opportunities.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I mean, back to this slate about wide receivers. So
you feel more confident starting Jalen Waddle on a Dolphins
passing attack that does not it will not throw the
ball more than twenty five times. You feel more comfortable
playing justin Jefferson, teddor Re McMillan, not just Jefferson. No,
but like, but that's what I'm talking about. Like this
wide receiver slate is rough, and it's it's rough like
(22:00):
outside of like the top like six to seven guys.
So like I think, like with that type of volume,
like I'm starting him and I just do not care
about the matchup.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
Yeah, I disagree, but I think it's fine to move on.
I'm just like very very scared. And I think some
of these guys like Wan Dale and a Lave who
are a little ranked a little lower, I'd like be
totally fine if somebody who just didn't want to mess
with the Texans defense. But all right, let's go to
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Speaker 1 (23:44):
Next game up here, guys. Jets at Jaguars Debro. Signs
of life from Brian Thomas Junior last week. Kind of
if you somehow made it to the fantasy playoffs despite
Thomas early in drafting him early and what he did
to your season early, how willing would you be to
start him this week if you made it this far?
Speaker 4 (24:01):
Not very I mean his his role has evolved into
being the wide receiver one and having the leading target
share to He has quickly become the wide receiver two
slash three like he's fighting Britain Strange for the number
two spot in the target pecking corner. Jacoby Myers is
their unquestioned wide receiver one. Since week thirteen, he has
(24:24):
been just their field stretcher. Fifty five percent of his
target volume has come via deep targets and against Look,
we could say it's the Jets, dude, but there their
pass defense has quietly been respectable, if not pretty decent
since week nine. They're giving up so specifically this role
for BTJ. They're given up the thirteenth the lowest deep
(24:46):
ball completion rate in the sixth fewest deep passing yards
per game. So Brian Thomas Junior will probably have more
moments before the end of the season, depending on the
matchups and stuff. This is not one where I want
to start him. Like there's a bunch of other guys
in wider three territory, Like you talked about the Giants
passing attack, Like I feel better about playing Darius Slayton
this week than I do about playing Brian Thomas Junior.
(25:07):
And that's a sad statement to make.
Speaker 1 (25:09):
He's wide receiver twenty nine in halfvpr R hits. Yeah,
what do you think about that ranking?
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Filt, so I'm gonna I'm gonna make the counter argument
to deepro here, I'm a little above consensus at wide
receiver twenty seven and here's why so.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
Number one.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
I mean, since in the two games back from his
high ankle sprain, he is average twelve point eight yards
per targets, looked a lot more like the twenty twenty
four version of BTJ in the win over the Calls
last week, like no, none of these horrible drops that
plagued him early in the season. The only issue is
that he's had three and six targets in these last
(25:48):
two games. And yes, undeniable that Kobe Myers is the
wide receiver one in Jacksonville now, and the Jaguars could
get Parker Washington back from a hip injury this week.
So the target outlook is sort of murky and does
damp in my enthusiasm a little bit. But Trevor Lawrence
probably playing the best he's ever played since coming into
(26:09):
the NFL ever since the Jaguar Spy, and I feel
good enough about the way BTJ and the Jacksonville passing
game is trending to rank him as a high end
wide receiver three, not an automatic start by any means,
but I think you can start him.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
By way just quickly. Is Trevor Lawrence inside the top
twelve for you guys just because you mentioned him?
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Fits? He is. I'm pretty sure I bumped him up
to twelve last night. Yeah, I've actually I got him
at QB eleven.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Yep, he's eleven in ECR two. So you're right in
line with consensus. Let's go to Chargers at Chiefs. What
kind of usage do you guys expect from the Chargers
backfield now that we have seen a game with o'mary
and Hampton back and it fits, I'll start with you
on this one. I'm guessing both of you are kind
of just going to throw your hands up and say,
who knows, But do you have any thoughts on this?
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (26:59):
So last week it was Kamani Videll. I think it
was either I know in Pro Football Reference they said
fifty one snap someone else had forty nine, but it
was like fifty one or fifty to twenty three, so
it was more than double the snaps or Kamani Videll.
Although Hampton did get fifteen touches, he touched the bond
almost two thirds of his snap so that was kind
(27:20):
of encouraging. I think it is inevitable that the workload
split will start to tilt back toward Hampton. Tough to
tell what it's going to look like against the Chiefs.
I'm guessing probably close to a fifty to fifty put
it this way, though, I think Videll is still gonna
be involved enough that I noticed last night while watching
(27:40):
Buccaneers Falcons that his rushing yardage prop was twenty six
and a half yards on hard rock bet, and I
went ahead and bet the over on Kamani Bydell's rushing yardage,
I think he gets more than twenty six and a
half yards.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Do you think fits before? I tossed a debro that
if you wanted to, you could start both of these guys,
just given that, like with the offensive line troubles, it
feels like the Chargers are going to have to run
the ball and there'll maybe be enough to go around.
Or would you want to try to pick one or
the other.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
That's a good point.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
I don't want to start both on the same team,
but I think in a pinch, maybe Videll could be flexworthy,
like in a deeper league, And I do think you
make a good point about them, like they have to
keep Justin Herbert out of the hospital because they just
could not protect him against the Eagles. They have to
(28:32):
ramp up the running game. I think, although that bad
offensive line is probably going to be an issue for
the running backs two against the Chiefs, especially with Steve Spagnolo,
defense is always tough against the runs, so.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I think you could.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
I wouldn't feel great about starting Kamani Videll quite honestly,
but in a deep league, if you're squeezed.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
Maybe deeper the gap here on ECR, Hampton is RB
twenty eight and Videll is RB forty two.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Wow, why, I just have to ask why? Like they
got the same workload. Kamani Videll like crushed him in snaps.
He played sixty nine percent of the snaps. He had
a fifty six percent route chair like to fits his point, like, yeah,
like Hampton got fifteen touches on twenty two snaps. This
is a horrible matchup. I think both these guys are
RB threes. Like I've got Hampton at RB thirty one.
(29:22):
I've got Camani Videll right now, I've got him at
RB thirty six. But I think the conversation starts somewhere
in the in the mid RB three range, because I
think you're gonna see a fifty to fifty split and again,
to fits his point, like, you're probably gonna see like
twelve to fifteen touches for both these backs because they
do not want and for good reason, justin Herbert throwing
(29:42):
the freaking ball very much. So, I think this game
is gonna kind of be a rock fighter, at least
that's what the Chargers want it to be. Like, if
they can keep the score low, they can bleed at
the clock and run the ball, and it's not going
to be efficient. I do agree that Hampton should be
ranked ahead of Vadell for one specific reason. Even though
(30:03):
he only played thirty one percent of the snaps, he
was the clear goal line back. He had five reds
on rushing attempts, and Camani Videll had won. So if
you're touchdown hunting or it's like I need a touchdown
out of one of these guys to save my day
in fantasy, then yeah, you're betting on Hampton over a Vadell.
But I think both these guys are flexworthy.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
See, I'm cool with that ranking. Scap because of three things. One,
as you mentioned Deebro goal line. Number Two, I think
we saw last week that Hampton is going to get
the ball on a higher percentage of his snaps than Videllas.
So if they've the same number of snaps, no doubt
in my mind, Hampton's going to finish with more touches.
And I think Hampton's just better.
Speaker 4 (30:42):
It's fair.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Yeah, I'm not totally surprised by the snap disparity in
the first game back, Like, hey, you know, he's coming
back after a long layoff, let's just like only have
him on the field. To him, we're going to use him.
And also like he really struggled in pass protection, and
so they were just like using videll you know, in
those scenarios a lot more. So I wouldn't be surprised
at that snap percentage gets a little bit closer to
and I agree with you, Fitz, that he'll probably touch
(31:04):
the ball more. Let's go to Bill's at Patriots. Really
fun game. It's the high total and a small spread.
The totals at forty nine and a half. The spread
is that Bill's minus one. At least that's what it
was when I put this together. That's a recipe for
a great game. So I'm really excited about this one
just in general to watch as a fan. Obviously, the
Patriots won this game when the first time they faced
off back in I want to say, week five, week four,
(31:26):
week five, something like that. What difference from the first meeting, though,
is that Trayvon Henderson is now a lot more involved
for the Patriots at this point in the season. Maybe
not still quite as much as we wanted, but it's
definitely more than it was in that first month of
the year. So, Debro, where are you ranking Trayvon Henderson
against this kind of poor Bill's rush defense this week?
Speaker 4 (31:46):
I've got him in RB sixteen, and I would like
to bump him higher, but the fact that he got
out snapped by Ramandre Stevenson is real. Like he played
forty seven point six percent of the snaps, he had
a forty one percent route share. What I think can
carry Travion higher this week is I quietly think he's
(32:07):
going to be massively involved in the passing game this week,
and just how I'm projecting that game, it is a
horrible matchup for Hunter Henry. It is a horrible matchup
for Stefan Diggs because I think he gets shadow coverage
from Christian Benford, and so who the hecker you left
throwing the ball to in this offense against the defense
that's really good versus tight ends, they're probably going to
(32:27):
try to take away your number one wide receiver and
then you've got a lot of low volume pass catchers
outside of that. So Travion, I might bump him further
up the ranks just because I do think this is
a game where he could see five to six targets
maybe a little bit more in this matchup.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Interestingly, fits, Travion was ranked higher earlier in the week.
He has gotten down a lot ericson I. When we
did our show on Tuesday morning, he was RB thirteen.
Now Here on Friday morning, he's down to RB nineteen
in the consensus rankings. So the rankers are fading him
relative to where he started the week. At nineteen feels
maybe like a little low. That's obviously a few spots
(33:05):
lower than you know, where Debro has him. What do
you think fits?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
Yeah, I noticed when I first did rankings on when
I hit publish on those Tuesday morning, I was like
well behind consensus on him and I might do these
people sleep through the Week thirteen game and not realize
that Romandre had more.
Speaker 3 (33:24):
Snaps and touches.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
But then again, like, I'm okay with that for Henderson
because I don't think we expected him to be a
workhorse coming out of Ohio State, where he was not
a workhorse in his final college season, and I don't
think he had more than twelve carries in any game
when he was splitting work with Quinn Shawn Judkins.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
I've got him RB eighteen.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
I think he can do perfectly fine with the fifty
to fifty split, And like Debro said, there's passing game
upside here, and there's certainly some rushing upside against a
bad run defense like the this is the bottom six
or attom seven run defense in the league. So yeah,
I mean he doesn't need a lot of touches to
(34:06):
have a good Fantasy day.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Yeah, Like the problem early in the year is he's
getting like in that first Buffalo game, for example, he
gets six carries, Like, we don't need him to get twenty,
but can he get to ten or eleven? And then
I think, like if you get a touchdown, you're looking
at a pretty good day from him. Against the defense
of run defense like this. So if he can just
get kind of closer to that like double digit range,
then yeah, I think he can outperform this ranking here,
(34:30):
especially if he's getting work in the passing game. Like
like you're saying to Debro, who do you guys think
is win wins this game? By the way, it is
still Bill's minus one with a total at forty nine
and a half. How would you bet at Debro?
Speaker 4 (34:40):
Uh, I would take the over and I probably I'm
just not touching the spread, like if I gotta go
with a winner, h dude, I think the Patriots win.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Okay, fits do you see it the same or differently?
Speaker 2 (34:55):
I think it's coming down to the wire, I'll say,
I'll say Bill's at the gone this time.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Okay. I do think it'll be close, yet, I think
this will be right.
Speaker 4 (35:02):
Whoever has the ball last is going to win this game.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
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(35:27):
my Playbook or on the Fantasy Pros app. Next game
up here, guys, Commander's at Giants. Pick one player in
this matchup fits whose consensus ranking you most disagree with.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Chris Rodriguez. I met running back thirty four, which is
like six spots behind ECR. I don't get the fascination
with this guy quite honestly. I guess he gives you
a decent chance of a touchdown. It's only scored four
this season, but he's had three in his last five games.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
But otherwise, there's.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
Only been one game this season in which Rodriguez has
just had more than twelve carries. He had fifteen carries
in one game, has never hit eighty rushing yards in
a game, and he is a complete zero in the
passing game, only two targets in one six yard reception
this season. I know the matchup against the Giants is appealing.
Running backs are averaging like six yards per carry against
(36:17):
the Giants. They're just flat out bad against the run.
I just don't know if Rodriguez gets enough volume or
is good enough to take advantage of this matchup. Plus
he's a little banged up. He's dealing with a groin injury.
I think he missed Wednesday practice but was back on Thursday.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
Debra, if you're gonna rank Chris Rodriguez as a start,
you should also just bet his anytime touchdown, because like
that's the only path to him being a good start.
He's a running back thirty By the way, in ECR,
What do you think, Debra.
Speaker 4 (36:47):
I'm kind of I mean, I'm with FITZI that I'm
behind ECR, but like there's just a few guys that
I'll like a little bit more versus Rodriguez, Like I've
got and I think he does get into the ends
on this week. So I mean, I've got him at
RB thirty three. But the guy that I want to
highlight and I'll go back to him here, Darius Slayton.
Like why he's buried as a wide receiver four, I
don't understand, Like I think that in just part of
(37:09):
how I'm projecting this game. I think this game is
going to be a slot fest. I think it's going
to be a quiet shootout. Both these defenses freaking suck,
so like really, like, I mean, Marcus Mariota showed the
ability to play quarterback and put up numbers, and now
they got a healthy offense for Washington, Like they did
that against the Broncos. What are they going to do
against the freaking Giants? So like with Slaton, he's already
(37:30):
shown the ability to be a wide receiver three, Like
over the last six weeks, like he's had top thirty
six finishes of wide receiver thirty four, twenty seven, and nineteen.
The Commander's secondary is terrible versus perimeter wide receivers. They're
terrible versus deep passing. So checking the boxes for Darius Slayton,
like I've got him as a wide receiver three this week,
I've got him at wide receiver thirty four, which I
(37:52):
know it sounds insane, but dude, like, I want to
bet on this roll. I want to bet on this
game to siter and score more points than other people are.
And what's the difference in tying like Kaisham Boute to
a really like good matchup versus de passing and Darius Slayton,
There's no difference to me. So Slayton, Gideo deep brother.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
The good news is he's actually no longer ranked as
a wide receiver four. The bad news he's now ranked
as a wide receiver five. Why why wide receiver fifty one?
Speaker 4 (38:20):
I don't good, Lord, I don't get that.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
So you definitely are well, But where do you have
him ranked? Fits By the way Slayton just quickly.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
Wide receiver thirty nine, I see it much the same
way Deebro does.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
So also well ahead of consent, Like.
Speaker 4 (38:32):
Who are we starting over Darius Slayton this week? You
feel better about Khalil Shakir and his fifty percent routes share?
You feel better about Jordan Addison in the matchup Alec
Pierce with Philip Rivers or who the heck knows? And
I mentioned like who are we ranking above freaking Darius
Slayton in this game? Like I don't understand that, Like.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
All those names you mentioned are at least ten spots
higher than.
Speaker 4 (38:51):
Slaton, But I know that's why it sounds asinine.
Speaker 2 (38:55):
I have him, I have Shakira ahead of him, but
I do have him one spot ahead of Jordan Addison.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
No, Like I just don't understand, Like what are we
doing here? Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:04):
To be fair, by the way, these rankings still do
have the like Atlanta and Tampa Bay players in there,
so if you take them out, he would be a
little higher than fifty one. He would at least be
inside the top fifty. So not that that helps you
too much with you with your ranking. But let's go
to the last game in the early slate here on Sunday.
It's Raiders at Eagles. Brock Bowers, who we mentioned at
the top of the show one of the best side
ends in football, arguably the best, but the Eagles are
(39:27):
maybe the toughest matchup for tight ends this season. So
given the matchup, are you willing to consider sitting Bowers
this week?
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Fits?
Speaker 1 (39:33):
I'll start with you, because we kind of already touched
on this a bit at the top of the show.
We know a little bit about how you feel.
Speaker 2 (39:38):
Yeah, you know the answer to this question where I'm
not willing to sit him, and it is a tough matchup,
But does it get any tougher than it was against
the Broncos where he had Patrick Sartan junior covering him
for much of that game. So I'm still starting brock
Bowers there.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
It is possible, though fits like I know Pitts wasn't
enough for you, but like somebody could easily have maybe
picked up Harold Fan and after drafting Brock Bowers and
he's ranked just one spot behind Bowers in ECR somebody
like him, would you consider, like if it's with them
being ranked back to back and Fad in the matchup,
or you're still like no, unless I have like somehow
try McBride or like Kittle, you're just going Bowers.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
You know, I have Fann in one spot behind Bowers,
and maybe if it was going to be forty five
degrees in Chicago with no wind, I'd consider it, But
not not when it's going to be the ice ball.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
Yeah that's fair, dee, bro. What do you think. Where's
Bowers ranked for you? Is he somebody that you're all
willing to consider getting off of or you're just starting
him no matter what.
Speaker 4 (40:32):
I got him at tight end three and I'm just
gonna make this very short and quick and easy. Hell no,
I'm not sitting brock Bowers like I just I don't
care like it to me. We talked about the wide
receivers position in the state of this What tight end
are we going to make a case for starting over
freaking brock Bowers. Like, fine, we can revision his history
(40:53):
and talk about Kyle Pitts, but Tyler Warren with who
knows plays at quarterback, Travis Kelsey who looks like he
is absolutely cook, Jake Ferguson probably doesn't play. Then what
do we a Dalton Kinkaid in a less than fifty
percent route share, Mark Andrews who has sucked when he
hasn't scored touchdowns. Hell no, I'm sudding. I'm not not.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
Sitting mc bride and Kennel And that's it.
Speaker 4 (41:15):
Then that the end of list.
Speaker 1 (41:17):
Now, yeah, I think Fannin and Pits were the two
that you could make a case for that was were
possible that you would have on your team with Bowers,
because a lot of these other guys you almost certainly
didn't draft them. If you had drafted Bowers, Fannin and
Pitts you could have picked up later, either much later
in the drafts or even maybe off waivers early in
the year. So those are the two that are ranked
inside the top five that you could have maybe had
a choice to make. Obviously, like you said, it's revision
(41:38):
is history with Pits And then Fannin, you know, has
this weather stuff that fits mentioned. So I'm not even
like really trying to sit here and make the case
for sitting Bowers. I just wanted to ask the question
because of the matchup and also because of the quarterback.
I mean, it is canny pick it and you know that's.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Canny play any worse than Gino Smith. Well, I mean,
honestly asking the question canny.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
It's a fair point. I didn't really have anything else
on this game, so we'll move on to the late
afternoon slate here. How about Packers at Broncos fits are
excited for this game.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
I am, I mean the two teams leading their conferences
so and interesting that I know the Packers and Broncos
are both underdogs to get the number one seed according
to the mathematical models. Like even though the Packers currently
have it, I think they were given an eleven percent
chance to get it according to one model I saw
(42:27):
behind the Rams and Seahawks.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
So we'll see.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
But yeah, this is a this is gonna be a
fun game. And worm, I know it's in your neck
of the woods, Like while we're shivering here in the
Upper Midwest. I saw that the game time temperature for
that game is going to be like fifty eight degrees
or something.
Speaker 1 (42:42):
Yesterday here in Denver was in the sixties.
Speaker 4 (42:45):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
On Thursday, Yeah, it was it was. It's really been Coraz.
We had snow like a weekend.
Speaker 4 (42:50):
Everybody's wearing of the game, got it.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Yeah, I hadn't looked. It has been crazy windy this week.
I will say, I don't know what that will look
like on Sunday. It has been really windy these last
couple of days out here, but very warm. Yeah. I've
been walking my dog like without a jacket. It's like
mid December. It's been crazy.
Speaker 4 (43:07):
Worms wearing a tank top, just walking his dog and
practically whether in Denver.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
I am not a tank top guy packers at Broncos.
I want to be with these two teams. I had
to ask with Deebro two of your favorite players in
the world, who finishes higher at their respective position deebro RJ.
Harvey or Christian Watson.
Speaker 4 (43:26):
I'm surprisingly and I'm not high on either one of
these guys. This week. I'm gonna go Harvey and it
only comes down to the touchdown equity in his offense,
Like he's probably going to get somewhere in the range
of fifteen to eighteen touches in this game, probably, and
I hope more usage in the passing game because it's
(43:46):
a horrible rushing matchup for RJ. Harvey. But again, he
could end up with two touchdowns. Like I don't think
Sean Payton is gonna want to trust Bo Nicks inside
the red zone against this past defense. So it could
just be literally and he's been their clear goal line back.
It could be pound the rock with RJ. Harvey. He
gets two touchdowns, it saves his day. And I would
(44:07):
love to tell you Christian Watson bro versus Patrick certain
id I don't want any of that smoke.
Speaker 1 (44:13):
Harvey is ranked higher at his position in ECR fits.
Before I tell you where those rankings are, maybe you
looked it up already, but before I tell you, I
don't want you to anchor to those numbers. Who do
you think will finish better?
Speaker 2 (44:23):
Yeah it's Harvey. I mean, if you have a good
offensive line, you can run on the Packers a little bit.
It's a good run defense. But like we saw the
Bears run on them with some degree of success last week,
and the Bears have a good offensive line. I think
Denver is a really good offensive line.
Speaker 3 (44:38):
So it's just.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Like, Deebro, do you think Certain does shadow Christian Watson
or do you think it's.
Speaker 3 (44:46):
Gonna maybe we get a little bit of Riley.
Speaker 4 (44:53):
I'm fifty to fifty on whether he follows him or Dobbs.
I do think it's Watson only because he's been the
explosive player, like he's been there there chunk guys. So like,
I think if you want to stifle Jordan Love, you're
probably hurting him a lot more if you take away
Christian Watson, then if you take away does Yeah, even if.
Speaker 2 (45:09):
It's not shadow coverage from Certain, the problem is that
Watson has a very deep average depth of target and
you just don't get that much time against the Denver
pass rush Nick Benino and friends. So yeah, I mean
the Broncos have fifty five sacks and what no one
else has more than forty six. So, and the Packers
(45:31):
offensive line has been better in protection lately. Love has
had a lot of time to throw the last couple
of weeks against the Lions and Bears, but I don't
know if that's going to be the case against Denver.
Speaker 3 (45:40):
That's just a different animal.
Speaker 1 (45:43):
Christian Watson three in this last four weeks, Wide receiver five,
Wide receiver thirty six, Wide receiver twelve, Wide receiver five.
He has five touchdowns in that span since week eleven.
But you heard it here first. He brov hates him,
thinks he's a terrible player. He's never gonna start it again.
Speaker 4 (45:56):
Oh good Lord, Here we go, Here we go.
Speaker 1 (46:00):
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(46:20):
winner right here on the podcast. 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. Next game. Here, guys, lions at rams.
I want to see what the total is at now,
because earlier in the week it was as high as
fifty six. It's at fifty five now in hard rock bets,
so came down a hair but obviously still super high.
(46:42):
It's the highest game of the season that I can recall.
I can't think I want even getting close to this,
but yeah, with all the offense expected in Lions Rams,
give me one player each that you guys are actually
fading in this game and maybe saying it doesn't end
up being these crazy fireworks deeper. I'll start with you here.
Speaker 4 (47:00):
I could name two touchdown dependent running backs in this game.
I'm gonna go with the uh, the sexier name that
everybody I think we're point chasing here, Blake Koram, like
he's gonna get eight to twelve carries and versus the
Detroit lane. And again we talked about Chris Rodriguez previously
not having any pass game involvement. Okay, hello, Blake Korm
he has no pass game role. So if he doesn't
(47:21):
score a touchdown, like a lot of people are like
kind of looking the last week versus like a bottom
five run defense and they want to point chase and like, oh,
he's a flex play. I do not want to flex
Blake Korm, not against the run. Defense that since Week
ten has allowed the second lowest explosive run rate eleventh
lowest rushing success rate. Nope, I'm sitting.
Speaker 1 (47:39):
In in this game. Do you brow he has ranked
two spots higher than Montgomery? Do you agree with that? I?
Speaker 4 (47:48):
No, I don't agree with them.
Speaker 1 (47:49):
It's kind of funny they're in this there's a stretch
of four names. Is Korum, Charbonne, Montgomery, and Algier who
obviously already played. We're going into the week. You would
say like these are just like touchdown dependent guys and
split back yields, like do they get in the end
zone or not? So two of them here in this
game are ranked in that kind of grouping.
Speaker 4 (48:05):
Going going to ECR just to let you know where
I'm at with Korum where is He's probably behind him.
I would play Formandrie Stevenson over Blake Korum, like.
Speaker 1 (48:14):
Even his two spots ahead of Korum RB thirty eight respectively. Okay, Fitz,
what do you think who's a player that you were
fading in this game?
Speaker 2 (48:23):
Well, and for the record, I've got those guys ranked
all in a row. Quorum Montgomery Remandre of to reassess that,
but yeah, I mean so I agree with what Deebro
said about Korum, and I don't especially want to play
Montgomery either, But as far as my rankings, I'm like
right around to ECR on those guys. Relative to ECR,
(48:44):
my biggest fade in this game is DeVante Adams, uh,
and I have him ranked wide receiver seven, so ECR
is a wide receiver five.
Speaker 3 (48:53):
It's not exactly a.
Speaker 2 (48:54):
Fade, but I'm just inclined to sort of be a
little lower than consensus untouchdown driven production profiles. And now,
obviously we have been getting an avalanche of touchdowns with
DeVante Adams fourteen this season in thirteen games, and eleven
over his last seven games. But over those seven games
(49:15):
where he's had eleven touchdowns, it's only averaging forty six
receiving yards a game, but basically forty percent of his
catches are touchdowns, So fading him relative DCR. But I'm
certainly not telling anyone to bench DeVante Adams in a
game with a total of fifty five.
Speaker 4 (49:31):
I didn't realize I was where's he at? An easy er?
Fifty seven five five? Apparently I'm fading. I'm glove that
we brought this conversation up because apparently I'm fading DeVante
Adams too, and I'm fading him like I've got him
at wide receiver nine right now. Like, there's just other
guys this week that I like more than DeVante Adams
and this is not a do not play him. I
(49:52):
hate Davonte Adams take, but like I think Rashie Rice
bounces back. I think aj Brown has another monster game.
I even want to play Nico Collins over Davonte Adams
this week.
Speaker 1 (50:02):
I like the under on this game, by the way,
with such a high total. I'm often the guy who's like,
these are two great offenses, too bad defenses. Of course
it's gonna go over. I don't care if it's a suckers,
But in this case, I'm like, I do actually kind
of like the under. But both these teams scored in
the mid forties last week. I just like kind of
think there will be some a little bit of coming
back to earth. The Rams defense is really good, Like
I like, I get that the Detroit's defense is really
(50:24):
banged up. The Rams have an awesome defense. Like, I
just think this is not gonna go like highest total
of the year. I think it's too high. I would
take the break. You guys agree, I.
Speaker 4 (50:35):
Wholeheartedly agree. Like we've talked about this on so many
different shows. When you get these totals that get above fifty,
there's just too many pathways to failure.
Speaker 1 (50:44):
And like I think the move the ball and then
just end picking the field goals, Like yeah, there's.
Speaker 4 (50:49):
And that's not even talking about like when you get
into like play volume and pace and all this. No,
I don't. I'm not touching the total at all.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
Yeah, let's go to panthers at saying it's fits. Bryce
Young and Tyler Shuck are back to back in ECR
for QB's this week. Obviously they're not guys that you're
really considering in a one QB format, But in superflex,
who would you like better, Shuck or Young? By the way,
Shuck is QB twenty three, Young is QB twenty four.
Speaker 2 (51:16):
I've got Young QB twenty two and Chuck QB twenty six. Like,
but that whole tier. Shadoor Sanders is on that tier
as well. I think I've got Brisette down on that
tier just because I hate his matchup so much. JJ
McCarthy is in there and not a horrible matchup against
(51:38):
Dallas I've got Aaron Rodgers on that tier like it's messy,
and I think I could order those guys in basically
any which way and it would be just as fine
to me. It's the way I have them now.
Speaker 4 (51:50):
Debrah, I've got a little bit pray for me as
a Saints fan, don't. I don't want to like him,
but I do. Tyler Shuck. I've up more conviction on
Shuck like i've got him, and I say more conviction.
I've got him at QB twenty one, but I've got
him ahead of Shador, I've got him ahead of Jacoby Brissett.
I've got a like not a decent gap, but like
(52:10):
QB twenty one to QB twenty five versus Bryce Young.
The Saints pass defense is playing much better as of late.
And the other thing that I want to highlight was
Shuck Dude. Like three of his five NFL starts, he's
been a QB one in Fantasy QB twelve, QB twelve,
QB six, His per dropback numbers have quietly been pretty decent.
Like he's ninth in catchuple target rate, he's thirteenth in
(52:32):
hero throw rate. Carolina's pass defense is taken a step
back since Week ten. They're giving up the five fifth
highest success rate per dropback. So, oh dear, I actually
like Tyler Shuck and that's when he's gonna disappoint me.
Speaker 2 (52:44):
And I think, but like the Saints are, the Panthers
are actively trying to hide Bryce Young in that offense,
and I don't think that's necessarily the case with Tyler Shuck.
So maybe I should have shocked ranked ahead of Young.
Speaker 1 (52:58):
Yeah, I agree, I mean Schuck for it's we two
like twenty carries the last three weeks, like combined across
the last three weeks, and two touchdowns, so giving you
some rushing Obviously a lot of that came into last week,
both touchdowns and fifty five yards, but some some rushing
production there too, which obviously helps a lot in fantasy.
Let's go to Colts at Seahawks over under nineteen and
(53:20):
a half fantasy points for the Seahawks defense this week.
I on the Prediction Show, I keep referencing this was
one of my predictions of the week that the Seahawks
defense would be a a like league winner or at
the very least a you know, winning this matchup single
handedly for teams. I think they're just gonna like Philip Rivers,
Riley Leonard whoever. Like, I think the Seahawks defense is
(53:41):
going to just like absolutely put the clamps on this
team and probably score a touchdown in this honestly, So
I am curious what you guys think about that. But also,
are you willing to start any colts here besides Jonathan
Taylor de bro.
Speaker 4 (53:54):
I'm willing to say, And then this just goes back
to the state of the tight end position, but it's
also the matchup too, Like I'm willing to start the
Warren like you're rolling them out there depending on your like,
depending on who you got and stuff. And Seattle versus
tight ends, they've goven have the second most receiving yards
per game, fourth most Fantasy points per game. So while
I don't want to play Michael Pittman Junior, I do
(54:15):
not want to play Alec Pearce. Josh Dowen's okay fine
in a deep league, but like Tyler Warren's the only
guy outside of JT that like you're starting because of
position and stuff. And yeah, dude, Seattle's gonna win this game.
Speaker 1 (54:29):
I mean, yeah, They're gonna win this game by a lot. Yeah,
Tyler Warren, Like, for what it's worth, since Week seven,
he has only been a tight end one twice. In
one of those games, he just had twenty two yards
and happened to catch a touchdown. Like it hasn't been
quite what it was at the start of the year
as this offense has come down a bit, and now
of course you have this, you know, new quarterback wrinkle
(54:50):
fits What do you think about it?
Speaker 4 (54:51):
All?
Speaker 2 (54:51):
I've got Pittman ranked wide receiver thirty five and Tyler
Warren ranked tight end ten, and I would not feel
great about starting either of those guys, and I definitely
don't want to start Alec Pierce. He just his style
doesn't really mesh with what Philip Rivers would be. I
think as a sort of a deep ball artist. Maybe
Josh Downs would, but like Josh Dollens on two thirds
(55:14):
snapshare and no, I just don't want to mess with that.
So I would take the under on nineteen and a
half fantasy points for the Seattle defense because last we
saw Philip Rivers when he was starting sixteen game four
games for the Colts in twenty twenty. He took nineteen
sacks in sixteen games, and I think if you when
(55:35):
you reach a certain age, and we're kind of seeing
it with Aaron Rodgers this year, you just do not
want to stand in the pocket and buy time to
find open receivers and take kill shots like you just
want to, you know, if you want to make it
into retirement with your body intact. And I would expect
that Philip Rivers is maybe going to make some of
those same business decisions and put the ball in the
(55:56):
third row if he has to do.
Speaker 4 (55:58):
You all think Rivers starts this week, by the way,
like Briley Litter coming out playing.
Speaker 2 (56:02):
Full Like Steven Holder of of ESPN, who's like the
cults guy for them, he says, all indications based on
what he's seen in practice are that they are preparing
Philip Rivers to be the starter.
Speaker 1 (56:17):
I mean, have we ever seen anything like this, Like
a guy who has not he's in his mid forties,
has not played in five years, and who is just
started practicing this week, starting for a team against a
really good defense, Like I just like, it is a
crazy situation, which I know people have talked about already,
but I just I can't think of anything even remotely
like this in the past. I don't know what to
(56:38):
expect if it is Rivers, because I don't know.
Speaker 4 (56:42):
How you can expectation fun stuff, dude, Like I just
I want to see it's so bad, dude, because he's
been so fun at the media stuff and somebody asked
him about his playing weight and he was like his
answers have been awesome, man, Like I want to see
him come off the cow and just I don't care
if he's dinking and duncan and he throws for two
(57:05):
forty and one score and the eight out is like three,
I don't care. I just want to see it'll.
Speaker 2 (57:11):
It'll be fun just to see that goofy release of
his one more time, Yeah, that little alligator arm release
he has, Like I just want to see it again.
Speaker 1 (57:19):
Yeah, I mean it's funny. We're like we've been kind
of laughing at you know, how crazy and fun it
is that Joe Flacco has done what he's done at
his age. He's four years younger than Philip Rivers, Like
this is just like really crazy.
Speaker 4 (57:31):
Sidebar. How pissed do you think Tom Brady is that
he didn't get the call to sit here and come
back to or maybe he did.
Speaker 1 (57:37):
And he might have gotten the I know it was like,
you know.
Speaker 4 (57:40):
Tom Brady coming up and just relacing them one more time.
But I get the River.
Speaker 2 (57:45):
Team Raiders, now you can't go to another AFC team,
And you're yeah, basically.
Speaker 4 (57:49):
Yeah, well maybe because he'll be the Raiders quarterback next year.
Speaker 1 (57:53):
I wanted to ask this before we get off, so
just very quickly because we got to move on. But
Tyler warrener Mark Andrews, Debro, I'll.
Speaker 4 (58:00):
Take Tyler Warren for the volume. Loos Andrews, Okay, I
got no Ravens. Sorry.
Speaker 1 (58:06):
Fights at forty nine ers last game in the late
afternoon slate here, Tony Pollard just gave us one of
the most surprising fantasy performances of the season. Twenty five
carri It's one hundred and sixty one yards and two
touchdowns in Cleveland. What are your expectations for him fits
against the Niners.
Speaker 2 (58:22):
You know, I've got him ranked running back thirty one,
so not very high. He gets touch volume. He's had
double digit carries in all but one game this season,
averages about two catches a game, but it has mostly
been empty volume before last week. So I just kind
of want to pretend that Tony Pollard blow up against
the Browns didn't happen. I drafted Pollard in a lot
(58:44):
of leagues because of the tij Spears injury.
Speaker 3 (58:48):
Spears was on IR.
Speaker 2 (58:49):
I figured Pollard gets off to a good start as
the workhorse the first four weeks and then is at
least flexworthy the rest of the way. Last week was
the first time all year he's done anything with the
heavy volume. Before Week fourteen, Tony Pollard was averaging nine
PPR points per game, and over those four first four
(59:10):
weeks when Spears was on IR, Pollard averaged eighteen and
a half touches a game and ten point four PPR
points per game, which put him at RB thirty and
PPR points per game, So he was doing nothing with
the volume. I'm basically ignoring last week as far as
where I rank him, and I know that puts me
way behind consensus on him because apparently everyone thinks he's
(59:33):
you know, great, now.
Speaker 1 (59:35):
Deebro Er, do you have him ranked?
Speaker 4 (59:36):
Where is ecr apt? Because I'm right with Fitzy, like
we're riding the same car together. I have him at
RB thirty three.
Speaker 1 (59:42):
Where's he at in these gard e cr Actually is
RB thirty two? I was gonna bring this up after you.
It actually is there a thirty two, so it is
a little lower than you might have guessed.
Speaker 2 (59:50):
So I'm above I'm actually above consensus. Then yikes, that's.
Speaker 1 (59:54):
The problem, Tony.
Speaker 4 (59:56):
What are you doing?
Speaker 1 (59:57):
Must start, Tony.
Speaker 4 (59:59):
Consider your life choices fitsy, But yeah, everything fits talked
about in the biggest thing for to add on to
I don't want to play Tony Pollard is last week
was his highest carry total of the whole freaking season.
It was his first one hundred yard rushing day in
twenty twenty five. And he did all of this and
he got zero pass game involvement. He had a ten
(01:00:21):
point three percent route share. So against the forty nine ers, like, okay,
welcome to your game's scripted out after the first quarter.
I mean, like, if the forty nine ers put up
twenty one points in the first quarter and score in
their first three drives, Bye bye, Tony Pollard, You're gonna
go see the bench. You're not running routes, okay, Like
(01:00:42):
forget it, don't care.
Speaker 1 (01:00:43):
Debro hates Christian Watson, Fitz loves Tony Pollard. Our pet
heads are falling off. It's crazy.
Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
Act Higgs are flying clean. Good lord, we don't want
to play Tyler Warren.
Speaker 1 (01:00:55):
Let's talk about another player that Debro loves. Vikings at Cowboys,
JJ McCarthy finally had a good game against a terrible defense,
and Justin Jefferson still finished with just two catches for
eleven yards. He's only been higher than wide receiver twenty
five once since Week five, and yet he's still ranked
inside the top sixteen at the position in ECR that
was actually earlier in the week. Let me double check
(01:01:16):
see if that's moved he is currently Let's see you
did I scroll past him here? Okay, he's still inside
the top sixteen. He's a wide receiver fifteen in ECR.
So what is your confidence level, de Bro and starting
Jefferson in the fantasy playoffs this week?
Speaker 4 (01:01:31):
Eh?
Speaker 1 (01:01:32):
Like a six?
Speaker 4 (01:01:35):
Like a five and a half. I mean, I don't
feel great about it. And this comes down to, like
Dallas can get after the freaking quarterback man, like they
have been pressuring quarterbacks that their pass rush has been good.
That could really hurt JJ McCarthy in this game. And
it could really hurt Justin Jefferson, Like I've got him
at wide receiver eighteen you're starting him in a lot
(01:01:56):
of different aspects because again, just going back to this
and I keep hammering on them, like the entire wide
receiver to range is just filled with matchups that are
god awful. Like I don't want to play Za Flowers
this week, but you're probably having to. I don't want
to play Stefan Diggs this week, but you probably got to.
I don't want to play a lot of these different
like Chargers, I don't want to play them. I don't
(01:02:17):
want to play Broncos wide receivers, Like there's just so
many landmines at wide receiver that like, Jefferson is in
a spot as a wide receiver too where I don't
feel great about it. But there's so many other players
this week that I don't feel great about. So he's
only going to go so low.
Speaker 1 (01:02:34):
It feels like the best strategy for this week is
go back in time and make sure you get a
buy this week and don't have to make these decisions.
Pretty much fits justin Jefferson, what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:02:44):
Don't have much to add to what Debro said. I'm
one spot higher on him at wide receiver seventeen, but
I had a serious debate with myself when I was
doing the receiver rankings about Justin Jefferson versus Wandel Robinson
and decided to put Justin Jefferson in one spot high.
Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
I'm not sure that's the right call.
Speaker 2 (01:03:01):
I mean, there's right ahead of him with you. Yeah,
there is always a chance that Justin Jefferson reminds us
that he's Justin freaking Jefferson and has a big game.
But we have seen what the floor looks like, and
it ain't pretty.
Speaker 1 (01:03:16):
Can you imagine making the playoffs despite this slump from
Justin Jefferson and then sitting him and then he goes off,
and then you're eliminated Like I just I might retire
from fantasy.
Speaker 4 (01:03:24):
While you're probably playing him, just like Brock Bauers and
a lot of other guys this week.
Speaker 1 (01:03:29):
Each week we're going to highlight our favorite three and
four star props from the prop bet cheat sheet ahead
of Sunday Night Football Debro. What is your favorite prop
bet this week from the cheat sheet?
Speaker 4 (01:03:37):
I am going to go over one and a half
receptions as a three star bet on the prop bet
cheat sheet for Javonte Williams. He's hit the over and
eight of thirteen eight of his last thirteen games. And
the other thing that's going to help me here is
I don't know if Jake Ferguson plays this week, so
I think Javonte could get a bump in the passing game.
Speaker 2 (01:03:55):
Fitz, Yeah, this is going to sound crazy, but I
am taking the over on JJ McCarthy's passing yardage, which
is one ninety point five. Wow, that's a four start back.
Speaker 4 (01:04:09):
Soci'll cut this part of the show. Can we cut
this this out?
Speaker 2 (01:04:12):
It does feel dirty, but it's a four star bet
on the Betting Pros Player prop bet cheat sheet, and
the cheat sheet has been red hot lately on quarterbacks
with low passing yardage. Props like Shadour like the Betting
Pros prop bet cheat sheet all over Chador's passing yardage,
and the Cowboys have only given up eighty seven point
(01:04:32):
four rushing yards a game over their last five games.
Dallas run defense has gotten much better with Quinn Williams,
so the Vikings are gonna have to throw. They're gonna
have to throw to keep up, probably with the Dallas offense,
and that could be a disaster. I mean, but I
do think McCarthy can squeeze up more than one hundred
and ninety passing yards in a game where they're gonna
get pushed by the Dallas offense.
Speaker 4 (01:04:54):
Yeah, agreed.
Speaker 1 (01:04:55):
Those were our top prop bets for Sunday Night Football
this week, courtesy of Betting Pros. You can check out
our NFL prop bet cheat sheet at Bettingpros dot com.
Slash Props Premium subscribers have access to our five star
prop bets, which have a fifty eight percent win rate,
and we're up over eighty five units this season. Luckily,
we've also got a special offer for everyone to unlock
a month of Betting Pros Premium for free. Download the
Betting Pros app today and use promo code FP one
(01:05:17):
month at check out to redeem your offer. Last game here, guys,
Monday Night Football Dolphins at Steelers. Aaron Rodgers made some
genuinely great downfield throws against the Ravens, including the very
first play of the game on Sunday. Did the Steelers
passing game figure something out or was that just an
outlier good day fits.
Speaker 2 (01:05:33):
I think it was an outlier. Rogers had two hundred
and eighty four passing yards. It was the first time
all year he's thrown for more than two hundred and fifty.
He's averaging one hundred and ninety seven point five a game,
and his average depth of throw this season, according to
Pro Football Reference, five point nine yards. And the Dolphins
really don't give up a lot of big plays in
(01:05:54):
the passing game. They've given up the twelve fewest completions
of twenty or more yards. They've only allowed two of
forty or more yards this season. So I think if
Rogers gets it done this week, it's going to be
more danking and dunking.
Speaker 1 (01:06:08):
What about so obviously you're not going to be like
starting Rogers if you can help, like outside of some
kind of urgent situation fits. What about Dk Metcalf, He's
wide receiver twenty.
Speaker 3 (01:06:16):
I'm a little lower than consensus on him twenty three.
Speaker 1 (01:06:19):
Okay, he's got I mean, he's in this rage that
Debro has been talking about of like you just want
like not a lot of guys you feel good about? Debro?
What do you think about Rogers and Metcalf?
Speaker 4 (01:06:29):
I don't want to play either one. I got like
I've got Dk. I'm fading in more than Fitzy is.
I got to my water Super twenty seven, I don't
believe it's real, man, like one one arm Aaron no
I and plus the Dolphins high blitz rate, they can't
get home. Like I don't trust the Steelers. I don't
trust the Steelers' offensive line. I don't trust Aaron Rodgers.
I mean, dude, Like just like Fitzy talked about, like
(01:06:52):
this is only his third game of the season where
he had over eight eight yards per ten to only
the second game where he's surpassed twenty fantasy points. Nothing
about this feels real. I don't want to bet on
this at all. I think of anything that tells you more.
Sorry worm about the past defense that they were facing.
Speaker 2 (01:07:08):
I gave I gave the wrong ranking. I've got him
at twenty five, not twenty three, so I am closer
to de Bro.
Speaker 1 (01:07:13):
There were some some dots in this game, like where
there was good coverage and he was dropping it. He
like he had multiple really good throws on this game,
Like I dude, still got it was a good game. Yeah,
it was a good game by him. Yeah for like
I think, so.
Speaker 3 (01:07:25):
He's got to have all he just he don't want
to get hit Ryan. Yes, that's exactly it. That's why
I don't want to get hit.
Speaker 2 (01:07:30):
That's why you're not seeing the deep completions this year.
He does not want to take hits.
Speaker 1 (01:07:34):
Yeah, he did say that. Waking up that day, he
was like, sometimes you just wake up, like when you
get old, and you're like, this is actually a good day,
and I feel really good, kind of out of nowhere.
There's no or rhyme or reason when you get older
fits can you like confirm or deny that?
Speaker 3 (01:07:48):
For me, I don't have any good days anymore, so
I can't.
Speaker 4 (01:07:51):
Can't I wake up a key and I wake up
eighty or that's a that's how the two levels that
you know, He's always heard it. It just depends on where.
Speaker 1 (01:08:00):
I shouldn't be poking fun considering I've had two different
surgeries for injuries.
Speaker 4 (01:08:03):
That's to say, if any of us here you've been
the least tell me all of us, man.
Speaker 1 (01:08:07):
I'm the oldest thirty three year old here.
Speaker 4 (01:08:10):
Mister torn groin in a beer league.
Speaker 1 (01:08:12):
Yeah, Okay that was years ago. Okay, I was still
all right. We'll go ahead to wrap things up there.
Thanks everybody for tuning in a bit of a longer
of an episode. But it's the playoffs, right, we want
to get through everything here and help you win your leagues.
Four debro and fits. I'm Ryan Warmley. Appreciate you checking
us out. We'll see you next time. Thanks for listening
to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast. If you love
(01:08:35):
the show, the best free way to support us is
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