2025 What Ifs: RB Edition

Marcas Grant, Michael F. Florio, and LaQuan Jones open the show with the latest fantasy-relevant news including Sean Payton’s optimism for Audric Esteme, the Commanders running it back with Brian Robinson Jr, and Isiah Pacheco bulking up this offseason! (2:19)

Next, the crew tackles the biggest “What If?” scenarios at the running back position heading into the 2025 season. Will Travis Etienne succeed under Liam Cohen’s system if he’s named RB1 in Jacksonville? Can Ashton Jeanty overcome a bad offensive line in Las Vegas? And how will Najee Harris impact Omarion Hampton’s rookie season? (20:33)

They close out with a look at which players are getting drafted too early or too late in fantasy drafts!  (43:14)

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wow, everybody, It's Tuesday, June third, twenty twenty five. Welcome
to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, were we're ready for
summer vacation. It's me and your man, NAMG Marcus Grant,
joined by Michael f Florio and Lakwan Jones. Happy June, Fellas.

(00:24):
This is this is the This is officially the off
season now right, this is when it actually, I mean
the off season is only six weeks long. It's basically
it's May and June. That's I'm gonna say. It's like
June first to like mid July like that, because because
like even May, like you're wrapping up the draft and

(00:44):
you got mini camps and like, this is it. This
is kind of thee I.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Did a show the other day and I was like,
if you never worked in an NFL office or anything,
June is the Jennis moment.

Speaker 1 (00:56):
It is the like June boom It. It is the
absolute deadest month. But we sold youer on because there's
still content to be made. The machine never stops. It's
like it's like the Warden and shawshank. Nothing stops. That's
what it is. Uh So we're doing a fantasy running back.
What if we did quarterback what if last week. We'll

(01:19):
do running back what ifs this week.

Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yes, okay, you've seen Shank, right, we have to make
it one of the movie.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
It's not part of the theme, but you got to
watch the Shawshank.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
It is all right, it's on the lists one of
the best movies ever made.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
I mean, yeah, man, me like, yeah, man, I hope
it is a dangerous thing. Hope is the best of things.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
I quote that movie all so I would very happily
rewatch it.

Speaker 4 (01:49):
Oh that's the guy for nothing to lose in Morgan Freeman,
Tim Robbins, nice, okay.

Speaker 1 (01:54):
Yeah, yeah, exactly, Andy Duframe, Andy Dufrayne, the man who
crawled through a river of bleep and came out clean
on the other Yes, all right, so we got dar
what ifs. We got our We're gonna do some draft prices, right.
I picked a few running backs and looked at their
current underdog best ball ADPs. We'll figure out whether we

(02:17):
think it's too high or too low. But I want
to start with some headlines, a little bit of hype
trainer smoke screen, right, because there's no actual news. This
is all just sort of people talking and we sort
of try to decide what that talking means. I saw
this one and immediately thought of you, Lakwan, Sean Payton
believes object estimate needs quote enough touches. Now, somebody on

(02:41):
this show might have been saying that Sean Payton is
not trustworthy when it comes to figuring out running back
touches and that sort of thing. Somebody else on this
show was willing to chop off his right arm to
draft RJ. Harvey. So, La, Kwan, where's your RJ Harvey? God?

Speaker 4 (02:57):
Now, that is insane you put that, and that's exactly
what I said. I was like, this is insane for
him as a question. But I think Sempagne's a nice guy.
When he's talking about all the drama that he needs
enough touch, I think he's a nice guy. This is
nice talk about his running back that he drafted last year,
wanting to see more from on the field, which could be,

(03:18):
you know, one of the things that could be true.
He could get more touches than he did last year.
But I don't think this stops the RJ. Harvey space
shuttle going to the moon right now. So we're good
to go here.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
You're still you're still on board? Huh?

Speaker 4 (03:31):
Oh yeah, absolutely, there's nothing like shaking at this point. Now,
I mean, it's June, it's official, it's it's redraft season.
I'm going all in on RJ.

Speaker 3 (03:39):
Harvey and nothing's going to change.

Speaker 1 (03:41):
Are you as confident Florio about this?

Speaker 3 (03:44):
I don't think aldrick estimate is is legit.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Like I mean, remember last year, there was that one
week where they gave him like thirteen touches and semp
for weeks. Sean Payton was like rolling out the red
carpet for him, like we are going to get this
guy more involved. And then he had that game and
everyone in fantasy was like, Okay, it's finally happening.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
I think he had two touches the week after that.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
Like he he is and this isn't me being mean,
Like he is one of the slowest running backs in
the NFL. I think he's a better real life piece
than fantasy piece are the R J. Harvey is the
only real bad I will say though, like super late,
I'll throw some darts on Julia McLoughlin.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
But that that's about it for this backfield.

Speaker 1 (04:26):
For me, just telling you you guys are all gonna
be you be sad.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
I'm not getting overexposed to Harvey, though, I'm I will
be here's someone I wanted a couple of teams.

Speaker 4 (04:36):
The middlest exposed you can ever be.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
On r JR.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
Get arrested for exposure on on r J Harvey, you know,
I mean I saw the picture that he was on
Instagram or Twitter or whatever, like you know, like r J.
Harvey was like hanging out with Sean Payton's daughter and
she was like, all, you know, excited about him on
the team and what have you. And I know everybody
got I got excited and he got a little bit

(05:01):
of an ADP bump from that. Just telling you, man,
Sean Payton is not He's not to be trusted when
it comes to his player usage, his running back usage.
I mean the quote, the quote is he's going to
get those opportunities. That's what he's saying about oddric Estima.

Speaker 4 (05:20):
You could be talking about only in practice to ladies
and gentlemen.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
So Estimate is a back that requires enough touches. He's
going to get those opportunities. You know what.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
You know what Sean Payton is.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
I say this from experience having sadly my knicks just
lost to them. But he's like Rick Carlisle Man because
the entire leading up to the Knick series and during it,
he was like, the Knicks have some good players over there.

Speaker 3 (05:42):
We really need to worry about precious Achua.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
Though, like trying to get in the head of the
opponent and play their subpar players. Like I think that's
what Peyton is doing, right. He wants everyone to be ready.

Speaker 3 (05:55):
For Audrick estimates, so that R. J. Harvey kind of
catches him by surprise.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
Okay, sure, I mean, look, I mean it could be right.
I mean when we were going through that example, I
thought of, you know, the old Notre Dame football teams
with Lou Holtz. You know where Notre Dame is a
top five ranked team and they're playing like Coastal Carolina
and every week Lou Holtz is like, well those Coastal
Carolina guys, man, you gotta watch out for him because
they can do this this and they're like, guys gonna
win by forty Like what are we doing here? Yeah,

(06:22):
what are we talking about? What are we talking about?
So maybe maybe that's what Sean Payton is doing. But
I saw the headline and I immediately thought of U LQ.
Knowing how you feel j Harvey for sure more running
back talk. In fact, this just is an all running
back show. It just sort of developed that way. Brian
Robinson Junior, the Commanders say they feel comfortable running it

(06:44):
back with him as their lead running back. Look, you
had a decent season last year, you know, was splitting
time with Austin Eckler back there. Obviously the headliner in
that offense was Jaden Daniels and what he did. But
Robinson fourteen games, seven hundred and ninety nine rushing yards,
eight rushing touchdowns, not much in the receiving area. So

(07:08):
I'll start with you on this one, Florida. What is
Brian Robinson's ceiling this year?

Speaker 2 (07:14):
I think it's kind of similar to what it was
last year, like a.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
RB three, who he'll finish the year in that RB
three range.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Sall have some weeks where he scores like two touchdowns
and finishes as an RB one, and then he'll have
some really disappointing weeks. But I don't think Austin Eckler
is I look, his best fantasy days are behind him,
but I don't think he completely goes away like he
is a better third down, two minute drill back than
Brian Robinson in my opinion at least, and.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
Those are very valuable.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Jayden Daniels is going to run. He's going to steel
yards and touchdowns away. I mean they were using him
by the goal line a lot last season, and then
on top of it, last year was the run heaviest
a Cliff Kingsbury offense has ever been.

Speaker 3 (07:58):
But as the year went on, it got more and
more pass happy.

Speaker 2 (08:03):
Like in the first half of the season Jayden Daniels
eclipse thirty five pass attempts once in the second half
of the season, including the playoffs, that's what he was averaging.
So I expect a lot more throwing out of jad
and Daniels and the Commanders two this year, which to me,
Brian Robinson is more of a floor play.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
I don't think the ceiling.

Speaker 2 (08:21):
Is all that high, So I probably won't have him
on a ton of my teams because in his range,
there's a lot of running backs to bring upside in
my opinion, and that's what I'm targeting.

Speaker 1 (08:30):
Yeah, I know, Lakwan, you were a big Brian Robinson
fan last year. I'm not sure where you stand on
him for this year. But also are we just at
a point where is Austin Eckler even draftable? It seems
like he's more of a real football piece than a
fantasy football piece.

Speaker 4 (08:45):
I think Austin Eckler is draftable this year just based
on what we saw last year with his limited role
in time. I mean, look, he averaged eleven fantasy points
per game, but so it did. Brian Robinson and Bloyo
hit the nail on the head. He's the better pass
catcher of the back through, the better third down back,
and I think Austin Eckler still had someone in the
tank to be a red zone threat as well, so
it was kind of surprising he didn't get more touches

(09:06):
once they got closer to the goal line, being that
Brian Robinson kind of struggled to get those in. So
I honestly think when you're looking at Brian Robinson or
Austin Eckler, they're nothing more but than a flex play. Like,
you shouldn't be depending on these guys to be her
everyday starter because the most efficient and best runner they
have is at the quarterback position. And I think Cliff Kingsbury,
you know, is going to dial it up more so

(09:27):
to Jayden Stretts rather than worrying about a running back
duo that kind.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
Of just serves their purpose. They do their job.

Speaker 4 (09:33):
I mean, Brian Robinson can get you seven hundred yards,
but you know he's a very inefficient runner. So therefore
that's why you have Austin Eckler back there to be
the more efficient runner who ran for four point eight
yards per carry, but every opportunity got so he keeps
the offense on tasks. So it's more so of this
backfield that you're going to have to look at. Take
the cheaper option. It's going to be Austin Eckler for
me though, yeah, I.

Speaker 1 (09:53):
Mean, he's definitely gonna be the cheaper option. I thought
when you were talking about it though, and you're like,
Austin Eckler average eleven Fantasy points per game, So did
Brian Robinson. That seems good for Austin Eckler and not
so good for Brian Robinson.

Speaker 3 (10:07):
You know, it's actually terrible.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
Like Eckler, we knew coming in was going to be
the secondary back. We hope he was gonna be the
pass catching back, and the way he was used for
him to the average eleven points a game, You're like, oh,
that's actually not bad, but for Brian Robinson to be
the lead running back and you're like, oh, he's giving
you eleven points a game.

Speaker 4 (10:23):
I didn't glad with him though, because if we look
at the last three seasons, like, okay, he won the
starting job his rookie year, that's the ramp up that
we thought we were going to get, like, oh.

Speaker 3 (10:32):
Man, he's going to hit this new height.

Speaker 4 (10:33):
And then you know, he takes the starting job and
gives us seven hundred yards and we're kind of like,
maybe it was just a bad year.

Speaker 1 (10:40):
So well, the first year he was kind of like
he've been shot before the season he missed out, like
he was working his way back, Like I think everybody
was willing to kind of give him a path. The
fact that he had almost eight hundred yards in twelve games,
it's like, all right, that's pretty good, like considering the circumstances. Yeah,
but it's never gotten better.

Speaker 3 (10:56):
Its kind of thing, it's been the same movie over
and over.

Speaker 2 (11:00):
Yeah, I think he's in the wrong era. Right, Like
ten years ago, Brian Robinson would have been a beast.
But like that style of back is just like if
you can't contribute on third downs and stuff in fantasy.

Speaker 3 (11:11):
At least you're you're a floor play.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
And also it feels like Brian Robinson is dealing with
a new injury every single week. And yeah, he plays,
but like every week you have to and he doesn't
always play because he missed like a handful of games
last year, But like I had him on a couple
of teams last year and it felt like every week
I was sweating if he was going to play.

Speaker 4 (11:31):
That que next to his name is actually nerve wracking
when you need him to do this week. And that's
why I'm out. I don't need that.

Speaker 3 (11:38):
Type of headache, you know, So I'm good.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
Yeah, his actual full name is Brian Robinson Junior Q.
That's what it was. That's apparently his actual name. That
would be interesting to see, you know. The other part
of this is are we sure? Is there any concern?
I guess not sure? Are we? Is there any concern
Lakwan that the commanders, Oh, they take a step back,

(12:00):
but the schedule is going to be tougher. They're not
going to sneak up on anybody, right, Like everybody knows
who Jayden Daniels is now, is there a concern that
maybe we don't see the Commander's offense roll along as
smoothly this year as it did last year.

Speaker 3 (12:14):
Well, you got Cliff Kingsbury on the stick.

Speaker 4 (12:16):
So if we look at his time with the Cardinals,
like the offense either took a step back in one area,
which will be the run game, or it improve in
another area. There's no real balance within Cliff Kingsbury. You know,
it's offense. And this is me being a Rams fan.
I'm trying to be not biased, but I have no
smoke on He's gone, he's out of the West. But
more so looking at how we look at this run game,

(12:37):
is it going to improve? Probably not, It's probably going
to be the same amongst the running backs. But Jade
and Daniel the tapes out there on him, But I
don't think there's going to be a defense that could
really stop him or predict what he can do because
we've seen him put in very crunch time positions and
as a rookie comes in like a vet. So I'm
not really worried about the Jade and Daniels sophomore slump

(12:57):
or the Commander's taking a step back, because they improved
the line, they got pieces, they got Deebo, Samuel Dick
Diebo at the time that.

Speaker 3 (13:04):
The accusation was made.

Speaker 4 (13:06):
Hopefully he's less than twenty five pounds than he was
last year or at the Super Bowl. But more so
looking at this offense, I don't know if we get
a complete step back, but I think we kind of
get similar to what we saw in year one.

Speaker 1 (13:18):
Yeah, I mean I think also with that's my MVP
pick Man.

Speaker 2 (13:22):
Yeah, like I'm I'm all in. I think they're gonna
throw the ball more. I think he's got better weapons
around him now that could win in different ways and stuff.

Speaker 3 (13:30):
And I know we could say like.

Speaker 2 (13:32):
He kind of snuck up on some people, but like
the Eagles were very prepared for him in the NFC
Championship game and he was their toughest opponent. I would
say in the playoff, Like watch how you played them,
and then how Patrick Mahomes played them.

Speaker 3 (13:46):
It was night and day. Toughest opponent in the playoffs
for you individuals. Well, you guys had a closer game.
I think better than Stafford.

Speaker 1 (13:53):
Absolutely, he played better than Stafford. The Rams had a
better team game, but Jayden Daniels ran up and down
the field.

Speaker 4 (14:00):
I just had to check the tempt and to make
sure my rams an't getting disrespected in my face.

Speaker 3 (14:04):
You guys really closest. I'm sorry.

Speaker 4 (14:07):
Look, Marcus, the entire weekend on TikTok, I've been arguing
with forty nine ers fans. I mean it's been doing numbers. Yes,
I didn't know that many forty nine ers fans on TikTok,
but I messed around and found out this entire week.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
Arguing on the internet is never going to end. Well,
I don't care what platform it is. Who you're arguing with.
MVP the florio like real MVP or fantasy MVP, no
real MV like staying down Josh.

Speaker 2 (14:33):
So if you if you asked me an MVP, who
because there's three players who have won it in Lamar,
Mahomes and Allen. If you ask me someone besides those three,
I think it's Jaden.

Speaker 1 (14:43):
Okay, that's fair, that's that's absolutely that's realistic. I love
that last bit of headlines here. Isaamh Checo says he
is bulking up. We got our first bso HL story
of the off season, best shape of his life. He's
bulked up, says he's going back to two hundred and
six pounds, going back to running a four to three
seven Isaiah Pachecko style. Uh, Florida. I know you were

(15:05):
really big on him before he got hurt early in
the year. I'm bsohl does this move the needle for you?

Speaker 3 (15:13):
Yes? One hundred, like I was already.

Speaker 2 (15:15):
Uh, you guys are already joked on this pod, like
you could look at the team's cover the names and
like which, like you can tell which ones are mine? Yeah,
And usually it's because Isaiah Pachecko is on that roster
and you're giving Like I was willing to take Pacheco
as a top five running back last year. Now you're
letting me take him barely inside the top thirty like
him and Brian Robinson Junior.

Speaker 3 (15:35):
Right now, we're back to back in ADP.

Speaker 2 (15:38):
It should not be that way because I understand how
bad Pachecko looked when he returned. He was returning from
a fractured fibula. And this article that you link Marcus
hit the nail on the head. I think when it
pointed out Tony Pollard suffered that injury in the playoffs
a couple of years ago, and it took him to
like November the following year, to look the same. Pretty sure,

(15:58):
Tony Pollard has been fine since it looks right and everything.
It is one of those injuries that sucks the like
you're burst out right away and stuff like that, but
over time you get it back. Plus he talks in
the article like he was rehabbing and stuff, so he
had lost weight, he wasn't at his playing weight, he
didn't have his normal speed, all of that.

Speaker 3 (16:15):
He looked awful. I get it.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
But if you think that is Isaiah Pacheco, like I
does the first two and a half years of his
career not count like yeah. And then on top of that,
who's in that backfield Kareem Hart who didn't have an
injury last year and looked like he was running in
mud every time he touched the ball and is now
a year older.

Speaker 3 (16:33):
And then Elijah Mitchell.

Speaker 2 (16:34):
To me is a good depth piece and is a
insurance piece in case Isaiah Pachecko can't get back. But
if Pachecko gets back, I still think him being a
three down back is in the cards. And even if
it's not, if they use a smith more like like McKinnon,
he is still going to be a top twenty running
back that I'm getting at RB twenty nine, right, now,
so I'm all in on Pacheco.

Speaker 1 (16:55):
Still, you're in on your fellow Jersey boy there. Uh,
the Kwan.

Speaker 4 (17:00):
Might be a show that my fellow Jersey people may
not like me, but I am not in on Pacheck.

Speaker 3 (17:05):
Go man, make Jersey.

Speaker 4 (17:06):
But I don't know if Pacheco gets back to that
twenty twenty three season with Matt Naggy gifting him all
those targets out of that backfield. And I think Andy
Reid is pretty bricked up while having Richard Smith in
the building, as is Jared McKinnon. And I say that
comfortably because you got a guy that had sixteen hundred
scrimming charts his last year in college, and he's a
former wide receiver. He's a better natural pass catcher and

(17:29):
route runner than Pacheco. Pachecko getting BF heared to me,
just seems like he just wants to play the goal line.
He just wants to find the end zone. And like
you said, it might just be bad timing of what
we're left with in that playoff. Basically, two point eight
yards per carry like that performance is not something I
expect to carry on. I think his role just honestly changes.

(17:49):
I don't think he's going to get those targets, so
he may be in the Brian Robinson bag of you know,
being a guy that gets you eight hundred and nine
hundred yards. I just don't know if he's going to
be as efficient as a fantasy option week the week
to be in my starting lineups for that price.

Speaker 1 (18:05):
That's mostly fair. I don't know that I'm worried about
a seventh round pick.

Speaker 3 (18:11):
Oh no, but I'm saying this now and I will.

Speaker 1 (18:15):
RB three no, RB three, RB three.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
Fact when the game, I'm not.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
I'm not. Look who's the.

Speaker 4 (18:23):
Better pass catcher out of that entire backfield, Elijah Mitchell.

Speaker 3 (18:26):
Blocking was an issue.

Speaker 1 (18:28):
Man, you're in telling me the seventh round pick is
going to really come up.

Speaker 3 (18:31):
Here more than past catching in the NFL.

Speaker 1 (18:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (18:34):
Man, that's the identity of what the Chiefs have been.
They want the pass catching back to be out there
running routes, helping out these wide receivers that they lack of. Honestly,
I mean Rashid Rice is the only wide receiver. I
think it's a solid and sown Xavier Worthy. We're hoping
for software, you know, jump to go leaper and higher
and hit the ground fast. But I don't know if
that's going to be a role that he's going to

(18:55):
be like taking away majority of the targets. These guys
are all role players, and I think if you want
cass is important.

Speaker 1 (19:02):
If you want somebody just running those short emergency outlet routes.
He still got sky Moore, they still got Juju, they
still got they got they got dudes too, Like I
just happens, checko.

Speaker 3 (19:13):
Crazy things can happen.

Speaker 1 (19:14):
Maybe it happens. I don't think Brishard Smith is the
guy to worry about.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
That's just we heard it last year when samaj p
Ryan Son there and like everyone was like, oh, they
don't trust and then it was until he got hurt.

Speaker 3 (19:25):
Pacheco was a three down back.

Speaker 4 (19:27):
Yeah yeah, but he's heavier now though, Well he's bulked up.

Speaker 1 (19:31):
He's bs lhl he's back to his way. He's b
s lhl man.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
We'll see if he runs, We'll see.

Speaker 2 (19:37):
We'll see if he gets pulled up to like RB
fifteen or twenty okay, then but at.

Speaker 3 (19:44):
RB twenty nine, like it it's free ups.

Speaker 4 (19:46):
It might be that for a reason though, I'm just
saying if it took a year and a half, for
Paula to come back to be normal, like you said,
November of that season.

Speaker 1 (19:54):
Why, I don't know, but.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
He tore it.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
He he heard it in January and it took till November.
Pacheco heard it in September and then played again.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
That's true. He didn't play again at the end of
the year.

Speaker 4 (20:03):
He didn't play well again. So he also could.

Speaker 1 (20:05):
He also could run a four three seven. He wasn't
trying to stomp out worms every time held the ball
in his hands. Just just run, man, angry man, just
go all right, a little bit of a I call
it hype trainer, smoke train. We didn't actually say hype
train or smoke screen, but you get the point of
what we're trying to do here. It's take a break,
come back, or do some what ifs with some running

(20:25):
backs around the league. Stick around for more of the
NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Last week we did some quarterback
what ifs. I had five questions about different quarterbacks, about
what could happen and maybe we're not anticipating, and so
now felt like it'd be a good idea to do
the same thing with some running backs. So got five

(20:46):
different running backs here on the list of varying degrees
and excitement. It will kind of go through these first
one because Florio, I know that you'd like La Kwan
beefing with folks on TikTok. You have had some disagreements
with people on x Twitter whatever about Travis Etn. Obviously

(21:07):
he has underperformed the last couple of years. The Jaguars
trying to remake that backfield all together. You know, we've
seen Tank Bigsby in the past get opportunities. They drafted
bass Shall Teuton, who, by the way, was shot it
out by Bucky Brooks recently on the Move the Sticks podcast.
But through all of that, lareo, what if Travis Etn

(21:29):
is the RB one?

Speaker 3 (21:32):
It's possible, like this is heading to a camp battle.

Speaker 2 (21:35):
But yesterday Liam Cohen had some some glowing words for
Travis CTN and they kind of took the internet by storm.
So I tweeted, don't forget just last year Liam Cohen
walked into Tampa with an incumbent running back that went
for over fifteen hundred yards and nine touchdowns the year
prior and proceeded to hand the backfield to.

Speaker 3 (21:54):
A Day three pick.

Speaker 2 (21:56):
Everyone is like, well, Rashad White wasn't as good as
his stats were the year, which Marcus you can attest.
I was like very vocal on the anti White training
and was like, he's not a good runner.

Speaker 3 (22:07):
They're just throwing him the ball a bunch and all
of that. But I'm sorry I forgot where Travis Etn was.

Speaker 2 (22:13):
Good last year because people were like, oh, well, Etn
is better than Rashaan White. You mean you mean the
Travis Etn who posted career lows in rushing yards, receiving yards,
scrimmage yards, scrimmage touchdowns, was negative in rush yard over
expectation and EPA below average and yards per carry, yards
before and after contact, and was just about league average

(22:36):
in miss tackles force. I'm sorry I forgot that that
guy was untouchable. I also forgot that he didn't lose
his job last year to a running back that is
still on the roster, And then everyone is like, well,
context matters, Bucky Irving is so much better than Twotlin.
I'm not disagreeing with that, but if you all thought
that a year ago, Bucky Irving wouldn't have gone undrafted

(22:59):
in the majority of or wouldn't have been a late
round dart throw in the majority of leagues and the
other thing like Bucky went fourth round in a week
running back class, to In went fourth round in a
strong running back class.

Speaker 3 (23:13):
To me, if if Cohen likes the running back, he
is going to get the most out of him.

Speaker 2 (23:18):
We have seen that already before. So I definitely think
this is coming to a camp battle. I think Bigsby,
Etn and two in are all in the mix. Heere,
but people are taking a June quote and slam dunking
get like Travis Etn is going to be the RB
one this year.

Speaker 3 (23:35):
It is ridiculous. It is a reminder to go outside
and touch.

Speaker 2 (23:38):
Some grass because we don't know anything right now, and
we're not going to know anything on this backfield till
July and August. But yeah, I do think the fact
that we've already seen Cohen come in and be like
I picked this running back in the fourth round, which,
by the way, the Jaguars didn't have a second round
pick this year, so that fourth round pick was very
valuable capital to them, and they don't have a first

(24:00):
next year either, Like it was that a valuable.

Speaker 3 (24:02):
Capital and they used it on a running back.

Speaker 2 (24:04):
So yes, I do think he is going to be
have a chance to steal the job and stuff and
the other thing. Do you expect him to come out
and be like, Travis Etn is awful and I don't
want him on his team, like my coach is gonna
do that when you have the potential of trading him or.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
Something if it comes to that. So yeah, I'm sorry
people made way too much of this June.

Speaker 1 (24:25):
Quote and I just thought it was kind of ridiculous.
Get some water, Get some water, take a break. Cook
absolutely cooked. I mean, so, lakwan. Is there a chance
that Liam Cohen is pulling a Sean Payton and just
trying to gas up his guy in Travis Etn and
maybe turn around and end up giving a big workload

(24:46):
to the rookie. Is that possible?

Speaker 4 (24:48):
Yes, And and look, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
I mean, Rashon White looked good, you know, researched in
his opportunities. He was averaging fourteen Fantasy points per game
in the core of the fantasy regular season. So it's
like I could deal with that as a flex Like,
I'm okay with that, And that could be Travis Atn
as essential RB one of that backfield and still find

(25:08):
relevance in Tutan. So I think, you know, Travis et
in my server purchase as a better you know, pass catcher,
third down back kind of like what Rashad White was
last season, and Totin be the Bucky Ever in that
backfield that gets all the opportunities to be explosive and
to be elusive in open field and make some scoring opportunities.
Like I think this is a backfield that, honestly, if

(25:29):
you're too worried about or confused about Shape, take the
cheaper option. Take Tank because if Travis etn sucks, Tank
is going to go right into that role and then
you got the cheapest option there with no headaches.

Speaker 1 (25:40):
I was gonna say, if you're concerned about how this
thing is going to go, stay away from it just altogether.
That's kind of my opinion, because because what a piece
of it, Because the worst case is that all three
of these guys get opportunities. I'm looking at the usage
from last year in Tampa. Rashad White fifty snaps, Bucky

(26:01):
Irving forty five percent of the snaps. I mean that
was pretty much just those two guys there. But I
mean you look at what they did in Jacksonville last
year in terms of handing out opportunities et And at
forty seven, Bigsby at about thirty five percent. Daranis Johnson
actually got a little bit of run in there as well,
nearly nearly twenty percent of the snaps for him. I'm

(26:23):
that is my fear is that suddenly it's you know,
it's eats In at about forty, it's you know, it's
Tooting at about thirty five, it's Bigsby at about thirty,
and then we're all just miserable because that's just not
enough for any of them.

Speaker 4 (26:39):
Would I would take the shot on Tank. I mean,
we saw Sean Tucker last year too find some explosive
plays and find opportunities as the third the third head
of that backfield. But we still were riding with Bucky,
you know, most weeks. So it's like, if it ends
up getting cut that way, I still want the cheapest option.
Where you saw Tank Bigsby take Etn's job last year,

(26:59):
and he could be the guy that could find fantasy
relevance at the cheapest costs on draft day, you also
have I.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
Know he's the cheapest, but Bigsby is the one I
feel least interested in.

Speaker 4 (27:10):
It was more explosive than Draves etn So it's like
he was, but all three are pretty explosive. He's just
the one that's a least passed catcher chops.

Speaker 3 (27:19):
Yeah, so like yeah.

Speaker 2 (27:21):
That but this this has headache potentially written all over it,
So like I'm not People were like, you're a two instant,
and I'm like, am I like iget him in my draft,
Like I'm avoiding this backfield because of that reason that
I said, Like I think it could go to any
woman on the.

Speaker 4 (27:40):
Sticks is why I just want a piece of it.
If this was like the Patriots backfield, which has somewhat
of a similar situation with you know what they got
going on, I would stay away just being that that's
the biggest question mark, you know, I know they want
to run the ball. But with Liam Collens showing the
proof in the pudding, like he's part of that. Thomas
Brown bringing cam Akers back into fantasy relevance on the

(28:02):
back end of his career leaving l A. He was
responsible for Bucky Evan being fantasy relevant as a guy
that went undrafted in most leagues.

Speaker 3 (28:10):
So it's like I trust in Liam Cullen's vision when
it comes to these backfields.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
I love by the way, uh he had to sneak.
I'm fine with that. I am surprised by the way,
Lakwan that you would ride for Tank Bigsby of this
group just because of how you feel about Kyen Williams
putting the ball on the ground by having four fumbles.
I mean he only lost one high four. He had

(28:38):
four fumbles last year, so he's trumbling for the Jags.

Speaker 3 (28:40):
I don't care fumbles.

Speaker 4 (28:43):
You don't care about the one points right negative.

Speaker 1 (28:46):
Look, that's how I felt. I'm just saying, you're the
one who was like, you know, like ready to you know,
throw Kien Williams off the Hollywood sign because he can't
hold onto the.

Speaker 4 (28:54):
Football personally as a Rams fan, and it hurts my
fantasy ross.

Speaker 1 (29:00):
I'm just saying it's I was just trying to get clarity,
that's all. May the most interesting running backs, certainly of
the rookie class is Ashton Johnt. Everybody is big on him.
He has been kind of the undisputed, you know, first
pick in Dynasty rookie drafts this year. He's a guy
who's very much knocking on the door of the back

(29:22):
end of the first round in redraft leagues. And that's
the whole sort of thing. But lakwan, what if he's
just stuck behind a bad offensive line, like he's a
good player. What if the Raider offensive line is just
five turnstyles then.

Speaker 3 (29:34):
What that would be real nasty work because gen Hi right.

Speaker 4 (29:39):
Now, and like I do feel like I'm a little
more hesitant now of taking ash and gent how aggressive
some folks. Again, I've seen him as high as RB
three and like that will be coming the period of
if you're going Gibbs or if you're going genty. So
like with that in mind, if the old line is
still bad, Like, to be honest, it wasn't bad bad
last year, you know, like it's middle the pack asks

(30:00):
for pff if you're looking at the run blocking grade,
if you trust them, whatever the case may be, they
were middle of the pack. But when you look at
the guys they had back there running the ball, like
they had the suicide squad of like running back rooms
right now, the worst version of them. Like it was
just like, okay, I kind of get why we didn't
see the run game, you know, actually look good because
they had Alexander Madison in the mirror doors and a

(30:23):
second carry his home team and Zamir White, which was
a total fantasy fail. So it's like, when you insert
an Ashton Genty behind a decent middle of the pack
run blocking a line, I think he takes that and
elevates it to the next level. So hopefully, you know,
Aston Genty, his destiny is in his own hands of
if he's going to be a good running back behind
this mid tier a line.

Speaker 1 (30:44):
I mean, we all love him, right, and we've all
sort of conceded that right now where he's going. People
are drafting him at his absolute ceiling. But man, if
that whole line is bad and if the Raiders are
trailing and play from behind, you know, we could we
can get our hearts broken a little bit. I mean,

(31:05):
I think that's that's why we're doing I mean, it'
why we're doing this. What is But it's in the
realm of possibilities, right I it is.

Speaker 2 (31:11):
But I think we've seen enough of Pete Carroll and
especially the Pete Carroll genal Smith to know that his.

Speaker 3 (31:17):
Games are going to come down to.

Speaker 2 (31:19):
Like, it's just what Pete Carroll does. He keeps the
games close until the end, and he.

Speaker 3 (31:23):
Tries to to pull it out late.

Speaker 2 (31:25):
But like, I'm not really worried about I get the
old line concern, but like gent is such a physical
force and so hard to tackle that he's gonna break
a bunch of tackles.

Speaker 1 (31:35):
And just be gone.

Speaker 3 (31:36):
So like I haven't ranked as my RB four and
I'm I'm not too concerned about him.

Speaker 1 (31:40):
Yeah, I mean, look again, I understand the draft prize.
I feel like I'm not going to get him in
a lot of leagues just because of where he's going.
It depends on where I am. I guess in the
draft order, because you're only gonna get one real shot
at him, and if you're not the right spot at
one oh five, you pull.

Speaker 3 (31:55):
On the trigger. No, no, no, that that's because I'm
taking wider.

Speaker 2 (32:02):
Like it's not like I would take over him, but yeah,
I'm taking CD. I would take for me, he'd have
to be late first, because I'm if I could get
Molik Neighbors or Pooka Nakua in the middle of the first,
I'm doing it.

Speaker 1 (32:13):
Yeah. Also, there is a difference between breaking tackles in
the Mountain West and breaking tackles in the AFC West.

Speaker 3 (32:22):
That is true It's just absolutely true.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
This first time getting wrapped up by Chris Jones is
gonna feel a little a little.

Speaker 1 (32:28):
Bit different, right It's a little a little bit different
than when you're running through linebackers at Hawaii. I'm just saying,
just a little different in Los ane almost in San Diego,
like where what you're am I in? In Los Angeles.
Najie Harris now has a lightning both on the side
of his helmet. But we're big on a mari and Hampton.

(32:49):
He's another guy who's going early in drafts. A lot
of times he's going ahead of Naji Harris. But Floria,
what if Naji Harris pulls a JK. Dobbins, then what there's.

Speaker 2 (32:58):
Gonna be a whole lot of sund O Marion Anton
managers and and that is my fear, Like, like you're
still paying in early drafts right now, you're getting h
Hampton's going is the RB fifteen, whereas Naji Harris is
an RB thirty five. Like I fully admit Hampton has
the more upside, he's more explosive and all of that.

(33:20):
But I don't think Naji Harris goes away. I think
that especially early on, I think he is going to
get a crack at being highly highly involved, So I
this is we're gonna talk about it more when it
comes to ADP and some running backs. But I don't
really find myself targeting Hampton at his ADP because I

(33:40):
just I love the running backs a couple of rounds
later and I don't have to pay that price with
the risk tied to it.

Speaker 3 (33:46):
So plus, look, it's June and JK.

Speaker 2 (33:49):
Dobbins is still out there, So like the closer we
get to the start of the season that the higher
the odds are in my opinion of him returning to LA.

Speaker 1 (33:57):
I mean, what so then what happens then?

Speaker 3 (34:00):
Kwan?

Speaker 1 (34:00):
If JK. Dobbins does come back to the Chargers, then
it's a complete mess back there?

Speaker 4 (34:04):
Right, Okay, this would be a backfrow that falls on
that list that I will avoid because again, I mean,
Marion Hampton will be too pricey at that ADP and
then you don't want a technology because he falls in
that bag of a guy that's not going to go anywhere.
So it's like, I feel like the opportunities to just
be splitting hairs, and then you add JK. Dobbins, it's like,
all right, I'm out. I'm pulling back, like I just

(34:27):
don't need any parts of this backfield trying to figure
it out on a week to week basis.

Speaker 1 (34:32):
I just yeah, that that's one that seems like a potent.
Here we go. We got the Marion Hampton shaking hands
with Jim Harbaugh, massive human, which Jim kind of he
isn't kind of Tom Cruisish in that picture there, like
he's a child.

Speaker 3 (34:46):
He's a child in that picture.

Speaker 4 (34:48):
Like I comped Amarin Hampton to Brock Lesner, and just
because like he's freakishly athletic to be the size that
he is, Like it just it's insane.

Speaker 1 (34:59):
I mean from minds me And I know I've told
this story on the show before, but seeing Derrick Henry
just before his rookie year come through the NFL network
offices and I knew who he was, so I was like, oh,
it's Derek Henry. But if you if I didn't and
you had told me that he was the number one
edge rushing prospect in the draft, I would have been like, Okay, yeah, sure,

(35:21):
I mean that's how big he was. I would have
been like, okay, yeah, that makes sense. I get that, right.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
I don't want to compare situations like apples to apples.
But because I know the fantasy community hates Naji Harris,
but we saw Bijon Robinson and Jamier Gibbs not get
the volume we wanted them to get as rookies because
of Tyler Raws year and David Montgomery. Like that to
me feels like like if Naji Harris gets goal one work,

(35:48):
that is going to really hurt Hampton's fantasy value.

Speaker 3 (35:51):
Like yeah, I don't know, I feel.

Speaker 2 (35:53):
Like this we're just pushing him up and just ignoring Naji,
And I don't think it's every year we're supposed to
we're supposed to put the guys up because of excitement
over off season T shirts and shorts slow motion?

Speaker 3 (36:06):
Are we are getting set up for other league mates?

Speaker 2 (36:08):
I mean?

Speaker 1 (36:10):
Or can we? Can we learn from our past mistakes
and maybe avoid them in the future, Like maybe that's
what we should do, Maybe we should try to be better.
But you talked about the guys who prevented Bijeon and
Gibbs from getting volume. One of those two guys you
mentioned was actually hashtag good. Yeah, you know, like at

(36:31):
least at least you felt like, Okay, well, Jamior Gibbs
isn't getting touches, but Damn Montgomery is like balling like
years just like what are we doing here?

Speaker 4 (36:39):
He's a pretty good backup running back. He's one of
the handcuffs that is valuable.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
But he wasn't. We didn't want him. We didn't want
him taking touches from Jon.

Speaker 4 (36:49):
Well you know why that happened. It was the old
Arthur Smith show, you know. And that's another about Caleb Johnson.

Speaker 1 (36:57):
But we'll see, well, we'll get to Caleb Johnson little
bit later on the show, for sure. This one maybe
a little bit near and dear to my heart. Look
what if Gravonte Williams isn't totally washed?

Speaker 4 (37:08):
You know what, Marcus, I will buy you at Davonte
Williams Jersey if he.

Speaker 1 (37:12):
Is not washed, Right, I guess I'm not getting Williams Jersey.

Speaker 4 (37:18):
I will get the tea and say happy Birthday, Merry Christmas,
and happy New Year, man, because that will be something
to see if he's not washed. Because I honestly don't
know what this backfield is because again you have Jayden Blue,
you have Miles Sanders. There there's still no confirm that
he's going to be the guy to take the rock
majority of the time, And like this kind of feels

(37:40):
like the season when Zeke returned back, where everybody's like, well,
somebody has to be the goal line back, somebody has
to be the third down back. Well this somebody in
this backfield is not there right now currently for me
to feel like he's going to be good. So that's
just where I'm at with it. Like, if he's not washed, hey, Marcus,
shut up to you.

Speaker 1 (38:01):
I look, I don't think he may not be totally washed,
but he's probably seventy five percent washed at this point.

Speaker 3 (38:09):
Yeah, if he's not, he's going to be a big value.

Speaker 1 (38:11):
He's gonna be a huge value if he's not. But
I you know, I've been taking Jayden Blue in late
rounds where I can because I think he's going to
get a lot of opportunity. I think the big fear
is that somehow Miles Sanders no, no.

Speaker 3 (38:27):
I will say, I will like Rico.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
Rico Dada wasn't great last year, but he went for
a thousand yards and he was viable for Fantasy. And
then the Cowboys chose Javonte over Rico for the same
amount of money, like they signed identical contracts.

Speaker 3 (38:45):
Yeah, so Basy the Sean Hamer.

Speaker 2 (38:49):
Running back is top thousand yards each of his two
years in Dallas. A thousand does not use a second
running back.

Speaker 4 (38:55):
A thousand yard. That bar should be moved.

Speaker 1 (38:57):
Oh no, no, no, it definitely should be moved. But
for now, I mean it's a nice round number volume.

Speaker 2 (39:04):
His RB won two hundred and thirty five or more
carries and at least forty nine targets in each of
the two years he was there.

Speaker 1 (39:10):
Yeah, dat stay healthy, which, by the way, I mean,
obviously the bar should be moved above a thousand yards.

Speaker 3 (39:17):
But Brian Robinson has never run for eight hundred yards
in a season.

Speaker 1 (39:21):
Oh seven ninety nine. Ooh, seven ninety nine is not
eight hundred. Seven ninety nine is not eight hundred. Someone's
never watched the prices, right, seriously, like seven ninety nine,
eight hundred wow, Dustin. Dustin Pedroia has a two to
ninety nine batting average. He did not hit three hundred

(39:43):
in his career. Just saying, I know.

Speaker 2 (39:47):
That happened to Vicky Mantle too, Like he fell behind
it his last year and it's like, why did you
have to do this?

Speaker 1 (39:52):
Man? Yeah, just that's it. That's all. It is. Last one.
This is by the least exciting one. But we'll get
through this one.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
For you.

Speaker 1 (40:04):
What if Devin Singletary is still a thing in New York.

Speaker 2 (40:07):
I'm gonna be very sad because my most drafted running
Like I'm telling you, they're in that that twenty RB
twenty through thirty range. That's where all my most drafted
running backs are right now. You got DeAndre Swift, you
got Isaiah Pacheco, and you got Cam Skattabou. So like
if if Devin, because I'm already preparing for like Skataboo

(40:27):
to beat out Tracy as the year goes on. But
if Singletary is still involved, it's gonna be where it's
hard for any of them to be really more than
like a flex.

Speaker 3 (40:35):
Option in fantasy.

Speaker 1 (40:36):
In this offense. I mean, I think, lakwan, it's going
to be Tracy and Scataboo for the most part, at
least I think by the time we get later in
the season, right, I have this sense that at least
in the early part of the year, we're gonna see
Singletary get some opportunities and maybe eventually get phased out.
But there's a part of me that's worried that Devin

(40:56):
Singletary is gonna pop off for a couple of games
and the Giants and look around and be like, hey man,
maybe he deserves more touches like that. That is in
the realm of possibilities, right, That's that.

Speaker 4 (41:07):
That does seem likely to happen, at least for the
beginning part of the season. And it's going to be
very frustrating as Cam Skataboo, you know, shareholder, because I'm
on the Scantaboo train. It's just that this Shine's team
does not look good for me to even like fully
get exposure on these guys.

Speaker 3 (41:23):
So like, if.

Speaker 4 (41:24):
Singletary is still a thing, that means, you know, things
aren't going right with Skataboo to be like an RB
one that everybody wants him to be. And with Tracy,
I think he did a very good job with his
opportunities last year, so I know for a fact that
he ain't going nowhere. I mean, he was very great
in the passing game as well. So it's one of
those things that you have to gamble with the backfield.
This will be in that bag of I'm fading at.

Speaker 3 (41:45):
All costs with these backfields though.

Speaker 1 (41:47):
No, I mean I.

Speaker 3 (41:47):
Thought I thought never benched, never benched Singletary before.

Speaker 1 (41:53):
Yeah. No, I thought Tyrol Racy was pretty good last year,
and I was glad to see him get an expanded
role as the season went on, and I think it's
going to be I think he gets first crack at
things and then it becomes a battle between Singletary and
Scataboo to see who's sort of the RB two there.
I'd like to believe that by mid season Scataboo has

(42:13):
taken that over, but you know, not impossible.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
I think Skataboo is better than Tracy.

Speaker 1 (42:21):
That's a that's that's I don't know arguing.

Speaker 3 (42:24):
I don't know. I can't say.

Speaker 1 (42:26):
Yeah, that's that's that's at least worth arguing. I think, yeah,
not on this episode.

Speaker 2 (42:32):
I think Tracy's a really good NFL RB two, all right,
I don't think he's a one.

Speaker 1 (42:36):
Okay, No, that's that's one we should dive into. Not
not on this episode, but what we can, we can
definitely get into it. We are are not done take
a quick break. We're gonna come back do a little
bit of draft prices. Right since we talked about you know,
whether or not we should go on the prices right
or what have you? You know, closest to a DP
without going over When this screwdriver off my desk or

(42:59):
something I don't know, stick around, we're working out with
more on the NFL Fantasy Football screwdriver I don't know,
so I got right here, screwd.

Speaker 3 (43:06):
He fix it up?

Speaker 1 (43:08):
Will We're right back As we round out the show,
this whole running Back edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast.
Figured I'd go through some underdog ADPs, pick out a
few running backs, and we can determine whether or not
the draft price is right, if the ADP is too
high or too low. Uh no, Bob Barker, please spay

(43:30):
new to your pets, all that whole stuff. One star
with Jonathan Taylor because we did I think our last
mock draft. Someone drafted him and in the chat was like,
why is everybody of a villy voiding Jonathan Taylor? Like
what's wrong with him? And we were kind of like,
I don't know, like could be good, could be not good,
depends on the quarterback situation. Right now, he is the
two to eight eighth pick in the second round. That

(43:51):
is the average spot of where he is going in
Bestball drafts. Lakwan uh is he is he a Jersey guy.

Speaker 4 (43:58):
Jonathan Taylor, He's a Jersey guy. And I said earlier,
you know they might not like me on this one.

Speaker 1 (44:04):
I would say, I mean, because you already you know,
you already chopped the legs out from underneath isaiaha Checo.
So too eight, too high or too low? For JT.

Speaker 4 (44:12):
That's too high, man, because like, well, we look at
the situation, right he's still going to have the up
and down season with the quarterback situation, they're going to
stack the box.

Speaker 3 (44:22):
And then we look at last season.

Speaker 4 (44:24):
I mean, look, the last three games is where he
got five hundred yards and half of his scores even recorded.
For him to be such a high fantasy value right now,
when we look at the core of this, like thirteen games,
that's all I need from a player. He played ten
of them and he was RB nineteen. So why am
I paying that two to eight price for him win

(44:45):
three seasons in a row. He's face injury, his quarterback
situation hasn't changed, and it's not going to be a
great situation there where you grab him as your RB one.
But most of the season. When you're climbing to get
to the fantasy playoffs, he's not contributing or helping you
get to the fantasy place. So that's my biggest thing
with him, where I don't look at the fourteen hundred
yards to something he earned the entire season. Get two

(45:07):
hundred yards against the freaking.

Speaker 1 (45:09):
What was it?

Speaker 3 (45:09):
He was tightens?

Speaker 4 (45:10):
Like, come on, like, these are all bad defenses and
we account for that. I think we need to stop
doing that too. For when we take the fantasy playoffs
and account for some of these players that missed time
during the regular season, those managers remember those games he
didn't play. They remember the sorry games of him putting
up RBI two or less numbers going into week ten.
So it's like, what are we doing here? Why are

(45:32):
we pumping him up for where that's not guaranteed to
even start off or be continuous through the season. If
we're three seasons in a row of him facing injuries
to that ankle.

Speaker 1 (45:42):
So I can't mention that he average one hundred and
fifty six rushing yards per game weeks fourteen through eighteen.

Speaker 4 (45:47):
No, because you probably didn't make the playoffs because it
first hard than what it is now, so it doesn't
make sense.

Speaker 1 (45:54):
I mean, where are you at on too eight for JT. Florio.

Speaker 2 (45:59):
I mean I originally was like, I look, I'm not
saying I have AIG. Time he's there, I'm taking him.
But I think that's an appropriate price for him because
his upside is higher than RB eight. We've seen that before,
and I agree with a lot of what LQ said.

Speaker 3 (46:16):
The good thing is he's gonna.

Speaker 2 (46:17):
Play that same Titans defense twice this year. It's gonna
play the Jags twice this year who he ate against.
But also, like one, I gotta look at his numbers
with Anthony Richardson, but I'm pretty sure they're good because
like in the first five games of the season for him,
he topped eighty eight rushing yards in all but one

(46:37):
in one hundred and three of those five games. So
I think his numbers with Anthony Richardson are good. And
we always hear about that, right when you get a
running QB, it helps open the blains and stuff. But
he gets Daniel Jones, he could catch a lot of
passes there because Daniel Jones is a dump off type
of quarterbacks.

Speaker 3 (46:53):
So I think it could.

Speaker 2 (46:54):
Look very different depending on how the QB is, but
I still do think Jonathan Taylor rings enough upside where,
like if I start my draft with a wide receiver
in the early portion of round one, if I could
have a pick between like Jonathan Taylor Josh Jacobs at
the end of round two, early round three, like, I'm
I'm in on that.

Speaker 3 (47:13):
Because they have the like. To me, the floor in
the upside is high enough where if I could.

Speaker 2 (47:19):
Get that as my RB one without taking one in
the first round, I'm feeling pretty good about that.

Speaker 1 (47:23):
I'm okay with it at too eight. But I would
also make sure I'm backing it up with another running
back on the back I'm.

Speaker 3 (47:30):
Getting one, I don't want to double tap you.

Speaker 1 (47:32):
I'm getting one in the first round and I'm taking
Taylor and as my RB two, or I'm taking Taylor
and I'm getting another one right behind him.

Speaker 4 (47:39):
I like that Rather if you get if you get
Gibbs or Barkley in round one and then at JT,
that's fine.

Speaker 1 (47:46):
If I'm getting Gibbs in round one, I'm probably not
taking another running back for a few rounds.

Speaker 4 (47:50):
That's how I That's why I said double tapping in
that second and third you're missing out on so much
good value in that third round when it comes to
the wide receivers, like Garrett Wilson is falling to the
early third round tear Lauren DJ Moore, I rather take
those high all those guys over.

Speaker 1 (48:05):
We're back in on Garrett Wilson. Now, I thought we
were all out on Garrett.

Speaker 3 (48:08):
I like the other guys more.

Speaker 1 (48:09):
Yeah, okay, I thought we were out on Garrett Wilson.
When did that change?

Speaker 4 (48:14):
I think it changed because he's also going like wide
receiver thirteen, Like we never get a discount.

Speaker 3 (48:19):
On Gara Wolfson.

Speaker 1 (48:20):
No, I think there's a rule.

Speaker 2 (48:21):
But also I'm looking at his game log. Now, Jonathan
Taylor had one, two, three, four games last year where
he ran for less than eighty eight yards, like he
was still a very effective runner.

Speaker 1 (48:33):
Yeah you hear. He was not a first round running
back in terms of production last year. He's week to
week production, right, But late second round, I actually think it's.

Speaker 3 (48:43):
Okay seor Jonathan Taylor. See how I would take Taylor
over Priese Hall.

Speaker 1 (48:53):
But CMC over yeah yeahmc over over all those guys like.

Speaker 3 (48:59):
The like over most games over eighty eight. That's a
safe floor.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
And then we saw what his ceiling was at the
end of the year, which I'm not expecting that over
sixteen games. But he can go for two hundred any week,
So he's not a terrible pick. Like I want to
make that clear. He's not a terrible pick there.

Speaker 4 (49:15):
I just would rather different options there, Like I don't
feel like he is priced value there where you have
Devon h chan Kiroen Breeze see him. See these are
other running backs going in that range and tier where
I would rather go that route.

Speaker 2 (49:29):
I think we all kind of feel the same, Like
none of us are saying he's a slam dunk pick there,
but we're all saying he's like an appropriate price.

Speaker 1 (49:35):
Yeah, I think that's it's too high.

Speaker 3 (49:37):
I'm gonna say it's too high then.

Speaker 1 (49:38):
All right, Oh okay, okay, that's fair too. I can
go with that one. Also, I just I think I'm
avoiding the Colts offense for the most part this year.

Speaker 4 (49:46):
I think, yeah, he's the only Colt Goshdowns No at.

Speaker 1 (49:50):
The right price like later in drafts, but even that,
like if.

Speaker 2 (49:53):
It's Daniel Jones, but also also.

Speaker 1 (49:56):
Josh Down, I'm drifting. He was like a third or
fourth wide receiver, Like that's how I'm drafting Josh Downs. Okay, yeah,
that one longer than I thought. Joe Mixon at the
five to five fifth pick and the fifth round Florida
too high or too low?

Speaker 3 (50:12):
Me and ol Q might spar on this one. I'm
out on Joe Mixon.

Speaker 2 (50:17):
Look, I understand how good he was last season, but
my approach is always I would rather be a year
early than a year late on a player. And he
is about to be twenty nine years old. He has
a lot of wear and tear on the tires, he
has an injury history in the NFL, and last year

(50:38):
was a weird year. History is always like you don't
want to take an aging running back that changes teams.
And then last year they were all good, but that
old line got worse. And even more than that, it's
it's the price, right, Like I could take Joe Mixon
as the RBS sixteen, but I keep saying it man,
Like in the twenties, there's there's Tremon Henderson, there's James Connor,

(50:59):
there's Caleb Johnson, DeAndre Swift, Pacheco, Like, I would rather
wait two rounds and get those guys and take a
wide receiver. Where I have to take Joe Mixon rather
than than take Mixing there and then have to deal
with the later wide.

Speaker 3 (51:13):
Receivers later on.

Speaker 1 (51:14):
All right, so I'm guessing Lekwan, you're cool.

Speaker 4 (51:16):
With it at five to five, Yes, like this is
what I honestly did builds where he's my RB one,
and I say that just based on what we saw
last season. I mean, look again, in those ten games,
he was RB two behind Saquon Barkley, averaging twenty one
Fantasy points per game in the first fourteen weeks. And again,
I know he missed a couple of games, but the

(51:37):
injury history has always been there. With Mixing, he's never
been an efficient runner, and like Florio said, his narrative
was more so every single year since twenty twenty one
was I'd rather be a year earlier than late getting
out on Mixing, and he's shown and improved us every
single season he could be in RB one. So like
him going at this five to five, Yeah, I'm in.
I'm on it, man, because again, who's there threatening those targets?

Speaker 3 (52:00):
What he marks?

Speaker 4 (52:00):
I don't want to hear it. It's Joe Mixon. Joe
Mixon last season still was explosive, still was the guy
to get the ball in his hands when it comes
to the goal line. There's nothing that really worries me
about Joe Mixon other than hell. But other than that,
he's still a running back that's going to get two
hundred and seventy touches and three hundred yards since twenty
twenty one. Think he's the only running back that done
that four times.

Speaker 1 (52:21):
You know what threatens you know what threatens Joe Mixon's targets.
The seventeen wide receivers the Texas have on their roster.
That's what threatening those targets. I mean, there's I actually
I'm okay with it at five to five, Like, I
think that's fine. Whereas you know, I could I could
make the argument that Jonathan Taylor at to eight is
maybe a touch high. I think Joe Mixon is fine

(52:42):
at five to five, and I'm thinking of it just
because of the way I tend to build rosters right
where I may get a good, a really good running
back in round one, I'll probably get a couple of
wide receivers, maybe a tight end and or QB depending
on how things shake out. But about around right round five,
round six, I'm probably looking to come back to the
running back position again, So Joe Mixon is my RB two.

(53:04):
I'm okay with that at five to five.

Speaker 2 (53:06):
Helly, I just I agree with the wid receiver point
because like, let's let's like they lost Nico Collins for
a good stretch, Stefan Diggs was out, Tank Dell was out,
so like, I think that did kind of prop his
target volume up. Plus he was the opposite of John
and Taylor. He was awful to find him onto the season, all.

Speaker 4 (53:27):
Right, all right, but he still helped me get to
a championship when the core of the fantasy season mattered.
I remembered those weeks. Man, I'm I'm a guy that
just he helped.

Speaker 3 (53:36):
You get to the playoffs. He did not help you
get to the champions So all I need, that's fine.

Speaker 2 (53:41):
He was giving you twenty twenty three yards, twenty six
yards in those.

Speaker 4 (53:45):
Last two games, don't count. They were going to the playoffs.
Show they lowered his you know, touchout.

Speaker 1 (53:50):
For the fantast squad.

Speaker 2 (53:51):
Like Week fifteen, first week of the playoffs, he ran
for twenty three yards.

Speaker 4 (53:56):
Okay, what about the checko, well, hurt, I don't.

Speaker 3 (54:04):
Care, man. The day I die.

Speaker 1 (54:08):
Okay, this one. I feel like this one might be easy.
I think we might all agree on this one, Alan
Kamara the six to one that I don't know the one.
I mean, I guess because there's nothing else there, but
everybody knows there's nothing else there that's that feels way high.

Speaker 3 (54:22):
To me, it is a little high.

Speaker 4 (54:24):
And I understand the darkness and fears of getting any
player in New Orleans right now, but he would have
to really be like my RB two slash flex like
that would have to be a decision how I have
to make based on the first five rounds of how
I built. But again, who's going to catch the ball.
It's going to be Adam Kamara. I mean, like the
opportunity is there for him. But how good are these

(54:46):
value of these touches are going to be with this offense?

Speaker 3 (54:49):
Like that's the biggest question.

Speaker 1 (54:52):
Uh, what if what if Tyler I know we're not
doing quarterback what is But what if Tyler shuck is
just like bleeping chrys Olave is down there somewhere, Like
what if he turns into that guy Florio? Then is
not getting those targets anymore?

Speaker 2 (55:05):
Yeah, And that was the thing I wrote about Chuck
when I watched him, was like, I don't think he
has a gunslinger arm, but he thinks he does.

Speaker 3 (55:12):
He's like he's gonna fire that thing off. So yeah,
like me.

Speaker 2 (55:17):
And that's the thing when it comes to running back targets,
like it's almost, in my opinion at least, it's almost
more of a quarterback stat than it is a running
back stat because you need to have a quarterback willing
to dump the ball off to you. Yeah, and I
know Kamara has been awesome at that and stuff, but
Derek Carr does dump the ball off at one of
the highest rates. Plus it's a new system, he's gonna

(55:37):
be thirty. The Saints could just be awful offensively. Like,
I think his price makes sense. I'm just never really
the person paying.

Speaker 1 (55:47):
Yeah, I think I guess I'm out on the Colts.
I'm also very out on the Saints. Yeah, be out
on bad offenses. It's one of the best things you
can you know.

Speaker 4 (55:56):
Sometimes sometimes it's Kamara is just at where he's going
in the draft. It makes me kind of like maybe
I should think other options here there.

Speaker 1 (56:05):
I mean, look, there are some names that I just
look at them and I'm like I can't do it,
Like maybe I'm wrong, but I'm I'm not going to
take the chance. And Alvin Kamara right now is one
of those where like, hey, look, maybe there is something
left and maybe they figure out how to get him
to a decent number this year. I'm not willing to
take the risk.

Speaker 3 (56:23):
So I don't know.

Speaker 4 (56:24):
It's one of those things I have to be in
the situation to see it happen if I'm going to
do it or not.

Speaker 1 (56:29):
Let's say you're the situation where you have the ninth
pick and the seventh round, Lakwan and Caleb Johnson is
right there because that is his ADP, because you have
you've come around on Caleb right, because you know, for
a while you were saying he was like a human
sleep aid when you were watching his tape, and then

(56:49):
he goes to Pittsburgh and you're like, all right, I
think I can kind of get down with this. So
you know, late seventh round, are you okay with Caleb
Johns in there?

Speaker 4 (57:01):
I'll be sleeping because no, he's not one of the
rookies I'm looking for. You know, the high ceiling. You
know that a lot of other guys that I rather
take in that seventh rownd on that back end, it
just feels like a wide receiver. You know, I will
get the Josh Downs, I'll get the Jalen mcmillans, I'll
get you know, guys that I think can actually have
a high ceiling as a wide receiver three rather than

(57:22):
Caleb Johnson or Arthur Smith that were led to trust
with Arthur Smith on the sticks that he won't pull
a beje On and Tyler Aljier with Jalen Moorean and
Caleb Johnson. So that's one of those things that you know,
I just feel like, Nope.

Speaker 3 (57:35):
Not not interested. I'm good, he's way too high right now.

Speaker 1 (57:39):
If they find a quarterback between now and training camp,
does that change how you might do first Florida? I mean,
are you okay with it? And if not, does does
a quarterback addition maybe change.

Speaker 2 (57:51):
That I'm operating as if Aaron Rodgers is these Steelers quarterbacks?
So if you then I have to change things because yeah,
but this is another one of those prices. Like I
like Caleb Johnson a lot, I'm okay with his price.

Speaker 3 (58:08):
I'm not.

Speaker 2 (58:09):
It's not a slam dunk though, because like I like
DeAndre Swift Moore at that price because Ben Johnson like
that being one hundred percent honest, that's the biggest thing.

Speaker 3 (58:18):
But I looked into this yesterday.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
Naji Harris on first and second down last year, sixty
percent of the snaps two hundred and fifty one carries
forty three targets, Like he dominated usage. That's more than
double the amount of carries as Warren and more targets
than him. And on third down it was more Warren,
but on third down they were running the quarterbacks like So,
I know that won't be the case this year, but

(58:41):
I could see Caleb playing that nause role in getting
all of the early down work and getting the short
yardage work.

Speaker 3 (58:47):
And he's more.

Speaker 2 (58:48):
Explosive, which could lead to big plays. So I want
some shares of Caleb Johnson. I don't I'm not gonna
like be overexposed, but I definitely want him on a
couple of my teams.

Speaker 1 (58:58):
Yeah, and I think right about there. Actually, i'd like
I'd prefer to wait if I could wait around yeah,
maybe two, Like, I think i'd feel a little bit
better about it. But I'm willing to take us some
shots on Caleb Johnson regardless regardless of who the quarterback is. Yeah,
but volume, you'll get that volume and.

Speaker 3 (59:17):
Behind the line of scrimmage with a high stuff rate.
But we're not going to say anything about that.

Speaker 1 (59:25):
I mean, dude, you're you're you're like singing the praises
of Tank Bigsby, Like what are we doing?

Speaker 4 (59:29):
What what? I was not singing the praises? He is
not part of the RB three group. It's just saying,
if you want part of that backfield, I'll take the
cheapest option.

Speaker 3 (59:40):
That's about it.

Speaker 1 (59:41):
Okay.

Speaker 2 (59:41):
If Johnson was his team's RB three though, yeah, right,
Like would let's say let's let's see maybe let's say
let's say the our lads, you know, depth chart was
a little bit different.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
Had Jay Warren one, Kenneth gain Well two, and then
Caleb Johnson three, then Laquality all about that life.

Speaker 5 (01:00:01):
Wait, so are you in on Gainwell on anything that's
going on? And Trey Sermons like just behind him on
the depth charte.

Speaker 4 (01:00:13):
I thought it was the Colts RB three. Uh, that
is DJ Giddens at this point, that is currently Riley Leonard.

Speaker 1 (01:00:23):
Sorry it's yeah, sorry, that's that's QB. I was look
at the wrong line. DJ Giddens is yes, I am
in on Giddens.

Speaker 2 (01:00:31):
I am inde on Giddens as well as yes, let's.

Speaker 3 (01:00:33):
Go the RB three crew.

Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
Let's go really so like you guys are on Jonathan Taylor,
but you're in on DJ Giddons. Make it makes sense after.

Speaker 2 (01:00:43):
I'm in on Giddens as like a dart throw at
the end of Best Ball in case Taylor miss his.

Speaker 3 (01:00:48):
Time, which you will. It's been three years in a row,
got it?

Speaker 2 (01:00:51):
Which so so if it was Khalil Herbert, would you
be in on him?

Speaker 4 (01:00:56):
I was on Khalil last year and I got smacked
and you got burned on that he fumbled the ball
his first touch, man, Like, what are we doing?

Speaker 1 (01:01:05):
Yeah? Fummos, All right, well there yo, that's our running
back show. We'll come back. Well, we'll do have cheat
sheet on Thursday. We'll be talking about Extraction two after
we extraction last week. So Tyler Rake back at it
again for a second Convision three. I have not seen

(01:01:27):
a date on three, just twenty twenty five, which we
are about.

Speaker 2 (01:01:32):
So yeah, hey, we got a date for Stranger Things. Finally,
after the youngest one of them graduated high school.

Speaker 1 (01:01:38):
I mean, like those kids are all like they all
have kids of their own now at this point. So
Eleven is legit married, yes, like, yes, Eleven is married.
I think the guy who played Joe is literally like
thirty years old now Joe, he is Joe Steve Mike
guy plays Steve. Steve is thirty three years old.

Speaker 2 (01:02:00):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (01:02:00):
Yeah that and euphoric. It's like the clocks ran.

Speaker 1 (01:02:04):
Up on Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:02:05):
Man, man, they took my boy out.

Speaker 1 (01:02:08):
Man, I am I never I missed it when it
was actually on, and then I tried to go back
and watch it, and I felt uncomfortable because right because
like I'm I'm I'm approaching middle age and I'm watching
high school students do the things that they're doing in
that show. And I felt uncomfortable, and I'm like, I
don't think this show is for me.

Speaker 4 (01:02:26):
I just think there's no way that we're in high school. No,
it's just like this show is.

Speaker 3 (01:02:30):
Just over the top. Oh my god.

Speaker 1 (01:02:34):
All right, So anyway, Thursday is cheat Sheet. We'll do
extraction too, we'll do some other stuff. We'll be back
with you next Tuesday. Maybe we'll do some mock draft
stuff or maybe we'll do some wide receiver what ifs.
I don't know. We'll figure all that out as we
come along. You know, if you was into the show,
you know, we sort of come up with things on
the fly here. It's just kind of how we operate. Anyway,
I'll do it for this edition of the NFL Fantasy

(01:02:56):
Football Podcast. They happy, save and healthy, do good and
live well, Enjoy the is everybody. We will talk to
you again on Thursday, wh