Rookies in Prime Position for Immediate Success

Marcas Grant, Michael F. Florio, and LaQuan Jones kick things off by reacting to Derek Carr’s unexpected retirement and spotlighting which rookies are best positioned to make an immediate impact in 2025. (3:30) Later, the crew plays a round of “This or That?” — debating which rookies they’re backing for fantasy success this season. (14:45)

They wrap up by breaking down key takeaways from the early 2025 NFL Schedule release and sharing the matchups they’re most excited for. (46:09)

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Wow, hey everybody, It's Tuesday, May thirteenth, twenty twenty five.
Welcome to the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. We're thinking about
Olympic flag football tickets. It's me and your man named
G Marcus Grant, joined by Michael Florio and Lakwan Jones.

(00:22):
I don't know if you guys have seen fellas the
schedule of venues and stuff for the Olympics in twenty
twenty eight is out.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
And yeah, just came out. I believe.

Speaker 1 (00:33):
I believe they announced it yesterday. Maybe it was Monday. Wait,
today is Tuesday?

Speaker 3 (00:37):
What we got?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
So he guess what in yesterday? I don't know what
day it is anymore.

Speaker 4 (00:42):
I'm the one who works overnight. Marcus Like, how don't
you know what day it is?

Speaker 1 (00:45):
I don't know because just like I know what day
it is based on what I have to do.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Like I don't necessarily know.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
What because I'm like, like today, I know my kid
gets out of school a little bit earlier than it,
so I.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Like, oh, that must be Tuesday. Like that's how I
know what day it is.

Speaker 4 (01:00):
Tells me today it is? Really? If I hear it,
I have to go to work.

Speaker 3 (01:04):
It's like in season it's like, oh, I have to
sit waivers today, it must be Tuesday, Like oh it
starts since coming out, it must be Wednesday. Like that's
how I operate.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
Robots.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
The point is the Yeah, the Olympic schedule of at
least the venues is out now. And I saw that
flag football is going to be played at Bemo Stadium,
which normally is the home of LAFC and Angel City
Football Club. So they're gonna play that in a soccer
stadium which is literally right kind of near downtown, is

(01:35):
right next to the LA Coliseum, which is where the
opening ceremonies are going to be.

Speaker 2 (01:41):
I believe that SOFI is hosting I think swimming.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
I want to say, it's not yeah, it's well, you know,
it's funny because yeah it I know in the past,
like they've done swimming like in football arenas or soccer stadiums,
uh and that sort of thing, like I know in
the past, I think they had had well no, not
not at the colis not the La Costume.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
There's a pool right next door. But I think I'm.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
Looking at right now. I don't know if this is
real though, like they did this.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, I think it's going to be like, I'm sure
it's a mock up of Yeah, but if SOFI is
going to host swimming, so yeah.

Speaker 4 (02:23):
Uh you know, I'll take a dive.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
But uh, so you know, I don't know how they're
gonna do it. I I would go see it just
to see exactly how they pull that off. And if
i'm if I'm Stan Krokey or Less Snead or Sean McVay,
I'm also checking to see if this is going to
impact our playing surface.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
For don't miss a Rams house because I'd rather not
do it if that's going to be the game.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
I mean also because like the Olympics, summer Olympics usually
happened in August, so you are going to be running
right up to the season.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
Yeah, I would guess the Rams start on the road.

Speaker 1 (03:00):
Maybe I don't know, that's three whole years away.

Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, who knows. We gotta worry about this year's schedule
coming out.

Speaker 1 (03:10):
About this year schedule, which we will talk about later
on in the show. Schedule release does happen this week?
I believe it's Wednesday that the league is fully releasing
its schedule. So we'll dive into some of that as well.
Plus we'll play a little bit of this or that
with some rookies, guys whose situation we might like better
than somebody comparable to them. So we'll get to that
in just a bit, but first let's start with a

(03:31):
little bit of news. Derek Carr has announced his retirement
from the NFL after eleven seasons due to a shoulder injury.
And Phil This kind of took a quick turn in
the sense of it seemed a couple of weeks ago
as though car was going to have surgery, he was
gonna try to work his way back. We certainly didn't
know a timeline, but it didn't seem as though retirement

(03:54):
talk was in the works. Then all of a sudden,
he makes the announcement. So he is hanging him up
after eleven seasons. So Florio, Tyler Shuckton or do you
believe in Spencer Rattler?

Speaker 3 (04:06):
No, I think it's Tyler shuck time. And Chuck was
a prospect that I found myself liking a good amount
while watching the tape. With it being said of like,
I thought he would be a really solid either backup
or like someone that you could start for stretches or
something like that. I didn't see a future franchised QB.

(04:30):
But he gets his opportunity now, Like, yeah, he's got
to beat out Spencer Rattler in camp. I wouldn't be
surprised if we see both of them start games this
year one given how much QB movement we've had in
recent years with injuries and teams just seeing some poor
games they switch stuff like that, So wouldn't be shocked
if we see both. But Tyler Shuck is going to

(04:50):
get an opportunity. The thing that I kept saying about
him is like, he is a better athlete than you think,
but he's not an elite athlete. He has a gunslinger mentality,
but I don't think he has a gunslinger arm. He
reminded me a lot of like Ryan Fitzpatrick. So there
could be some fun days for fantasy in there. There's
gonna be some rough ones as well. And I think

(05:12):
if you're the Saints, you've been kicking this can down
the road for a decade now with the cap and everything, like,
this is your time to hit the hard reset and
go through a rough year or two. But the time
has come. You got to pay this bill now.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
I was just looking with Kwan. Tyler Shuck is older
than Spencer Rattler.

Speaker 4 (05:35):
Wow, I'm actually not surprised.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
Uh, you're not that he's older than Spencer. I mean,
I guess not, because we've talked a lot about his
age and that sort of thing.

Speaker 3 (05:44):
Uh okay, yeah, my guy, he's veteran in the game.
He's three years older than Anthony Richardson.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
Oh, I mean Richardson, who's in year three. He's in
year three. He was also young when he came into
the league, for sure, But Tyler Shuck has been Uh,
he's experience.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
He's Tyler Shuck. Fun fact is he backed up Justin
Herbert for two years. Justin Herbert.

Speaker 4 (06:07):
We like, we talked about this, like this dude is
a veteran the game. Like they got a veteran for
the cheap I would say, I mean, the transition is
clean as day, you know, going from car to Shuck.
But I'm optimistic about him.

Speaker 1 (06:20):
This is because, like I don't know, because I know
how you feel about Chris Olave and I know you
weren't really big on the Saints. Like, I can't imagine
that Tyler Shuck at quarterback gets you more excited about
the Saints offense, doesn't.

Speaker 4 (06:32):
It doesn't get me like crazy excited because the only
relevance with you know, with that offense last season was
kind of just them on that deep ball with Rashid
Shaheed and Chris Olave and like you kind of just
go into this as a clean slate, Like, honestly, the
only person I'm targeting on that offense is album Kamara's
wildly undervalued right now, which he's going to be a

(06:54):
complete drafts deal, But more so looking at this offense,
like we have no priors, Like it's a veteran that's
like twenty eight years old, he's twenty five, But I'm
just joking, But more so looking at it like he's
going in with a clean slate. This offense is going
in with a clean state with Kellen Moore. So I'm
just open to anything that they put out there. You know,
Week one, you really you really think samaras undervalued?

Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (07:15):
I was gonna say, I don't know, I do I
do because him almost cracking that thousand yards and still
being very effective in the passion game, How could you
give up on that? In PPR, Like there's no really
other valuable like pass catcher that you could rely on
other than have him Kamara and he's a running back,
so there's double opportunity of him touching the ball. Chris o'lave,
who knows if he's going to be on the field

(07:36):
the entire season, Rashizia Heed returning back from injury, and
then who else is on the roster?

Speaker 3 (07:40):
Bub means like, come on, Devin Neil, the new Jamal Williams. Look,
everything you said there is factual, but there's concerns too,
like he's going to be thirty years old, Derek Carr
dumps off at one of the highest rates in the
NFL and he's not there anymore. And then if you're
opposing defense, everything that you just said, OLQ is what

(08:03):
the opposing DC is saying and being like, if we
stop this guy, we like teams are going to dare
Tyler Schuck to beat them. They're gonna be like, as
long as we don't let forty one beat us, we
are content in this. So at the age is also
the concern, because I know he was great last year,
but two years ago we started to see like was
he reaching the end? So I don't know if I'm

(08:26):
gonna be as in on Kamara personally.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
I just I think sometimes the answer to the question
is none. And I think I do.

Speaker 3 (08:33):
Think this is an offense. I'm just gonna completely avoid
I just I don't, I don't.

Speaker 4 (08:37):
I don't want any wide receivers. I'll tell you that
they're their entire rosters in the Satchel discontent, even the
guys they even drafted or signed. Yet they're all in
that bag just rumbling right now.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
Also new play caller too, So like that, who knows.

Speaker 4 (08:52):
I mean, if you walk into the building, you're like,
all right, who's my most valuable player? You're gonna look
at Alvin Kamara, Like all right, Well that's true.

Speaker 1 (08:59):
That's that's absolutely true. Just again for our fantasy purposes. Like,
I just don't know that there's really a great answer.
Remember last year when the Saints scored like ninety points
in their first two games, were like, oh my goodness,
is this gonna be a thing. I mean, I think
it took them like a month to score another ninety
points like that.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
It was even at.

Speaker 4 (09:21):
Ninety points scored on them in that matter.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
It was it was pretty bad.

Speaker 1 (09:26):
Interesting story on NFL dot Com written by Mark Ross
Tim Raviez in the best Situations to succeed in year
one and beyond, I picked out he had five offensive
guys that I that I picked out number two, Amari
and Hampton, number five, a Mecca, Abuka, number seven, Colston
Loveland number nine, Trevion Henderson, number ten, Jack Besh. I

(09:47):
know we talked about these guys in varying degrees since
the draft has happened, even before the draft happened, But
I wanted to ask you LaQuan about Abuka because like,
when he got we all sort of looked around and
we're like, I don't know, it doesn't make sense. We're like,
you know, they've got Evans, they've got Godwin. We liked
what we saw in flashes from Jalen McMillan last year.

(10:11):
Have you changed your mind about Abuka? Have you started
to come around on him maybe being a thing this year?

Speaker 4 (10:17):
I'm not quite sure because when he got that call,
you know, and DoD Wolves is basically saying like, just
like college, you know your name will be called and
be ready and just keep doing everything you were doing
in college. So it's not like the expectations is for
him to come in and start immediately. It's more so
of like your opportunity may come if there's injuries because
we look at Evans, the age is there, the injuries
are there, the histories, they're the same thing with Chris Godwin,

(10:39):
Like this is how Jayleen McMillan became fantasy relevant at
all on that back end of the season. So it's like,
there may be opportunities in year one, but I just
don't think it's going to be immediately hit the ground running.
So in these rookie drafts, he's going in that back
end of that first round, which is not a bad spot.
It's just that I'm not aggressive on him, just based
on we're gonna have to be patient for him to
actually flourish as a you know, option of that offense.

Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yeah, may think that's fair. Are you drafting Flora, are
you drafting Abuca?

Speaker 2 (11:06):
Anywhere? Have you drafted him yet?

Speaker 3 (11:09):
I would be I'm not opposed to doing so in
the later rounds, although I do feel like he's one
of those picks that the person who draft him isn't
going to be the one that benefits depending I will
change all of this if Chris Godwin is not ready
to start the year, But if Evans and Godwin are
fully healthy and out there, it's going to be hard

(11:31):
for him. And I don't think Jalen McMillan is going
completely away either, so it might be tough for him
early on to get going. But it's a long season, man,
There'll be injuries or he could just play his way
into more volume. I think he is a player who,
like in the latter half of the year, could be
really fantasy viable. But if you draft him, you're not

(11:51):
gonna wait that long, right, Like You're gonna end up
cutting him and someone else will benefits. So I'm not
like super bullish in drafting him him, but he's definitely
on my radar.

Speaker 4 (12:02):
You know what's crazy, You though, how many times people
dropped Jayleen McMillan last year, like on and off of
the waivers, And I feel it when it happened with
a BUCA because the expectations is for him to just
jump starting in for a lot of folks. When you
look at the fantasy streets and his draft stock and
where he's going in these best ball leagues, Like come summer,
there's gonna be enough hype videos in slow motion with

(12:23):
no quarter these of a mega Booga just catching these
deep balls and everybody's just gonna shoot up that ADP
and then their heart is going to be broken.

Speaker 2 (12:30):
Week one.

Speaker 3 (12:31):
Can I say one thing, I'm very I don't know
about you guys. I'm very proud of myself. I didn't repost,
I didn't get excited nothing from rookie minicamp. Like all
of these slow motion throwing videos and stuff, I just
kept scrolling. I was like, I'm not allowing this to
even enter my mind right now.

Speaker 2 (12:49):
Because it's so bad.

Speaker 4 (12:50):
I saw a good one with Jaylen Milroe basically throwing
a slow motion ball to Eliza Royo and somebody like
captured and said I thought he couldn't throw, And I'm like,
come on, man, I.

Speaker 2 (13:07):
Would say. I have not been on the socials as
much the last couple of months, so I thankfully have
sort of ignored and missed a lot of that. But
I do appreciate that we're all growing.

Speaker 1 (13:17):
At least I hope we're growing as a group and
learning to not get too high or too low on
any of these videos. Like, you watch enough of them,
one of them is gonna catch you right, Like, eventually
one of them is gonna be like You're gonna hit
you in the right moment.

Speaker 2 (13:31):
You know it's gonna.

Speaker 3 (13:32):
Be Anthony Richardson throwing like an eighty yard heat.

Speaker 4 (13:34):
It's already there.

Speaker 2 (13:35):
It's already there.

Speaker 3 (13:37):
I'm gonna freak out.

Speaker 4 (13:39):
Old social post today it was like the first they
know how to get me.

Speaker 2 (13:43):
See. Yeah, I mean there's there's going to be one.

Speaker 1 (13:45):
It's gonna be like, you know, you're gonna be like
maybe you've missed lunch and you're you're hungry, or you
just are feeling emotional and it's a player that you
really sort of.

Speaker 2 (13:52):
Love and they're gonna show a video of it, and
like it's gonna hit you. Like, But I think.

Speaker 1 (13:56):
As long as we can generally, you know, stay calm,
I think we'll all be okay.

Speaker 4 (14:01):
I think videos of guys returning back from injury are
a lot better and more valuable to see, Like, Okay,
this guy's moving really well, like Rashid Rice, Like you know,
you see his video of him moving very fast and
being able to make cuts. That's encouraging for a guy,
you know, remove from the injury that he had early
in the season. So it's like, all right, I'm glad
I know this guy's grinding, this guy's working out, he's

(14:22):
ready for the season. You know, so those videos I
do appreciate.

Speaker 2 (14:25):
Yeah, yeah, and I'm sure we'll see some of those
too as we get through this summer, for sure.

Speaker 1 (14:30):
All right, gotta take a break. Come back, We're gonna
do some rookie this or that. We compare to guys
and decide which one we would prefer to have on
our fantasy rosters this year.

Speaker 2 (14:38):
Stick around for that. More coming up on the NFL
Fantasy Football Podcast.

Speaker 1 (14:45):
Any wise, words of black Sheep, you can get with
this or you can get with that.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
The choice is yours.

Speaker 1 (14:52):
So we decided to pit some rookies against one another,
Guys who were you maybe drafted around each other or
look to be in similar situations and a little bit
of this or that.

Speaker 2 (15:01):
Uh, I know this was sort of your brain child.

Speaker 1 (15:04):
So you put together some guys which I looked at
these like this is a very interesting list for sure,
Like I'm looking forward to kind of debating some of
these things. So, uh, let's start with a couple of
running backs. You got Caleb Johnson who is in Pittsburgh,
or RJ. Harvey in Denver, LaQuan. Since you you put
this on the board, and I know, suddenly so suddenly
you become a Caleb Johnson truther like you were, you know,

(15:27):
basically comparing him to sleep Aid during.

Speaker 2 (15:32):
The off season. It was like, Oh, I'm not like
I'm out of like Nike Weill.

Speaker 1 (15:37):
So I'm just gonna use some Caleb Johnson video to
to put me to sleep for a little bit.

Speaker 2 (15:43):
Guy. Now you turn the.

Speaker 1 (15:45):
Corner, and I know how you feel about RJ Harvey.
Who would you rather have Caleb or RJ?

Speaker 4 (15:51):
This one's actually more difficult than you would think if
you read my Twitter timeline and like going up into
the draft, but I was at first siding with Caleb
Johnson just based on the situation in the offense. But
I feel like RJ. Harvey is just set up a
lot better, you know, to make a year one impact
because there's literally nobody behind him. And like in year one,
Caleb Johnson has Jalen Warren there, who's going to be

(16:14):
involved in this offense just as much as he was
last season with Niji Harris. So that makes me a
little hesitant. Not saying that Caleb cannot be fantasy relevant
in year one. I definitely think he can be. He
could be a ground and pounder, a guy that can
be in the red zone and take some of those
opportunities from Jalen Warren in some of those passing opportunities
as well. But he needs to improve as a pass

(16:34):
blocker as well to be on the field and third down.
But RJ. Harvey, you just see Sean Payton bricked up
and just excited about him every time you hear his
name ringing off the bells. So I think, with the
lack of competition behind him, I just must rather have
an RJ. Harvey in year one.

Speaker 2 (16:50):
All right? You agree with that?

Speaker 3 (16:51):
Florio, I don't know. I go back and forth on
these two. I do see the appeal of RJ. Harvey,
but I feel like Caleb Johnson's walking into two hundred
and fifty to three hundred touches in year one, and that,
to me is is hard. Like that's what Najie Harris

(17:11):
has been for years, right, and like we don't even
know who the Steelers QB is right now. Like to me,
their identity is going to be the run game, even
though it might be Aaron Rodgers who jumped the ball off,
I'll say his name, which, by the way, I watch
all the Harry Potters, I finished him for the this
weekend for the first time I got now everybody, I

(17:35):
could talk about it, man, but I know Harvey is
going to go first. I guess in a vacuum, I
would lean Harvey. But at like in the early drafts
I'm doing, I feel like I'm getting like a two
round discount on Caleb Johnson, and at that cost, I'll
take Caleb.

Speaker 1 (17:51):
I'm I'm with you, right, because what Lakwan said about
Harvey's situation is correct. Right, there's nobody there. It frightens
you in terms of taking touches, right, It's not gonna
be oadric estimagor Liil McLoughlin. I know it is making
a joke about Tyler Baddie a week or two ago.
Like in reality, this is our j Harvey's gig. I'm

(18:12):
hearing Sean Payton get all geeked out about a guy
like it's like slow motion camp videos, right, Like, I don't.

Speaker 2 (18:18):
I don't respond to that anymore.

Speaker 1 (18:20):
I just don't because we've layah, how many times is
he excited about Marvin Mims?

Speaker 3 (18:25):
Right?

Speaker 1 (18:25):
And then and then on game day there's an Amber
alert alert out for Marvin Mems because nobody's seen the dude, right,
So like, I can't. I can't really just get into
that quite anymore. The thing I do like about Caleb
Johnson is that, yeah, he's going to share touches with
with Jalen Warren.

Speaker 2 (18:42):
But last year there was.

Speaker 1 (18:45):
A pretty notable, uh you know, line of demarcation in
terms of distribution of duties. It was Najie Harris who
basically took the carries twohundred and sixty three carries. Last
year it was Jay Warren chame one who got a
lot of the targets, but not really. I mean, now
you actually got more targets in that one too. Maybe

(19:07):
they lean on Warren early in the season, but I
think if Caleb Johnson turned out to be the guy
that that we think he is, I think he quickly
sort of does slide into that Nase Harris role.

Speaker 2 (19:19):
And because the Steelers don't have a bow knicks.

Speaker 1 (19:22):
There's the other part of it, though, the qual like
you are a bow leaver, right you you scolded us
for not bow leaving enough, right Like? If you're a
bow Laever, doesn't that mean that RJ. Harvey can't necessarily
get as many touches because they're gonna have to throw.

Speaker 4 (19:35):
The football I think that we're underestimating R. J. Harvey's
ability to catch the ball as well. I mean, honestly,
I think he's a better pass catcher than a Jayleen McLoughlin,
and and that's proven coming out of college when you
look at their production. I mean, honestly, I feel like RJ.
Harvey is one of those guys that we are put
in the ne box again, like how we were very
hesitant on bow knicks and like the slow start. I

(19:57):
think that's how RJ. Harvey's going to be because when
you look at this bron O line, it's elite. It's
one of those things that you look like, oh, they're
great on the old line. They have a great quarterback,
a great play calling Sean Payton, and then you have
a running back that's superior then everybody that's in the room.
How don't you feed this guy two hundred and thirty
two hundred and fifty touches? You know what I mean?
So I think honestly, his explosiveness just sets him up

(20:18):
more in that passing game to contribute as well.

Speaker 3 (20:21):
I like, I think Harvey could do all of that.
Like to me, I remember before the draft, I was saying,
like this is a running back that if he falls
in the right spot, I'm going to be all over
for fantasy. And then he fell to the one spot
where like everyone is all over him and he's going
in like the fourth round. And that's the only thing
that gives me pause, is like he's going where some

(20:42):
of these other rookie running backs are going. And look,
I'm not saying he doesn't belong there, but it does
feel to me like everyone has RJ. Harvey hype and
it's just everyone wants to be the flag planter, you know.
And like my fear is that the hype is going
to get out of control for him, and and that
like I'll take Harvey over Johnson in a vacuum. I

(21:02):
had him over him in my pre draft rankings and stuff.
But if this range that they're in keeps getting wider
and wider, then I'm just going to fall on the
Caleb Johnson sea.

Speaker 1 (21:12):
I was in a mock draft last night and r J.
Harvey went in round six. It's where the end of
round six totally got with that. I got Caleb Johnson
fairly early in round eight.

Speaker 4 (21:29):
Okay, rather yeah, value, Yeah, I rather take that value.

Speaker 3 (21:33):
Can can the answer be both because at that price,
I mean yeah.

Speaker 2 (21:39):
I mean you can definitely go both. Certainly that and.

Speaker 4 (21:41):
Gave both in a rookie draft though, but you can
get both.

Speaker 1 (21:45):
Next one up, Meka Abuka, who we just talked about
a little bit against Luther Burden.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
Uh Floria, which of those two would you rather have?

Speaker 3 (21:53):
I mean, you guys remember our pre draft talk, right,
Like I was, I was very high on Luther Burden,
and I was ahead of him. I had him ahead
of a book. But and even on top of that,
right like, I think they fell into similar situations. There's
two receivers at least two ahead of both of them.
They're tied to offenses that we believe one was we

(22:16):
saw last year. One we believe will take that next
step and be really good for fantasy. But I'm gonna
go with Luther Burden here because one, I do feel
like the receivers ahead of him are a little bit
less like cemented into their target share. Like if Evans
and Godwin are fully healthy, those guys are going to
see a ton of volume. We know DJ Moore is

(22:38):
going to see a ton roma duneesay we want him to.
We believe he will. But he isn't in that same
group of the other guys yet in my opinion, plus
Ben Johnson's system, which targets the slot a good amount,
Caleb Williams threw like a third of his passes to
the slot last year, And I think Luther Burden comes
in and is the lead slot guy on day one,

(23:00):
whereas like Jalien McMillan is still there to compete for.
That is Chris Godwin going to be playing in the
slot like he was last year because that's where he
is best suited. So if he's not playing in the slot,
then I worry there for him. So I'm gonna go
with Luther Burden as my guy here.

Speaker 1 (23:17):
I'm I'm leaning toward Burden, and I think it's just
about playing the Ben Johnson tax, right, It's the Ben
Johnson hype train that is moving him up for me.
But I reserve the rights to change my mind in
this in a couple of months. But for now, yeah,
for now, I am. I think I'm just excited about
I mean, it's still may right. I'm excited about Ben Johnson,

(23:40):
what he brings to the table with this offense. I'm
excited about what to expect from Caleb Williams in year two,
you know, and I think I think maybe in the
short term and the immediate, I think there's a better
chance for Burden to succeed. I think over the long haul,
I don't know. Maybe I'll like Abuka a little bit more.

(24:03):
But you know, LaQuan, this is also year one in
that offense without Liam Cohen. Uh yeah, in Tampa Bay too,
and I think that that has an impact on my decision.

Speaker 2 (24:10):
I don't know how you lean on this.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (24:13):
I lean Burdon. I know we had our priors, you know,
before the draft, and I'm talking about myself, but more
so he landed in another great spot with Ben Johnson.
But I could see why you will want a Buka
a long term because the Bucks have proven us wrong
plenty of times where we think there was going to
be a drop off from Bruce Arian to Todd Bowles
and then now we're dealing with Liam Cohen to the

(24:34):
next offensive coordinator that I cannot name off the top
of my head. But more so looking at how this
offense is built, like you have Baker there to distribute.
So I think long term I will want a Mecca Buca.
But right now in Redraft. I'll probably pay whatever it's
going to be in August for Burdon, just based on
that slot role and just based on Ben Johnson on
the sticks and how creative he's probably going to be

(24:56):
with Luther Burden. Like, I'm not thinking he's going to
have like a monro Say Brown impact. It's more so
like it's gonna be one of those things that he's
going to be exciting when he gets the ball in
his hands and you're gonna be looking to see what
he could do after to catch.

Speaker 1 (25:10):
The name you're looking for, By the way, Josh Grizzard
is there, it is, Yeah, yeah in in Tampa right now.
Was the passing game coordinator last year. Now he takes over.

Speaker 3 (25:18):
Which I don't know, I think is getting enough attention,
by the way, like everyone is just kind of like
the Bucks are running it back and it's like, no,
this is their like fourth new OC in four years.

Speaker 4 (25:28):
But these always remained though.

Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah, but Baker had by far his best year last year.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
Yeah, I don't think that if there is a quarterback
that can deal with OC changes, it's probably Baker Mayfield. Like,
I mean, I see I'm trying to like I mean
I'd have to go back and actually look, but it
feels like he's never had the same OC. Maybe the
years in Tampa Tampa might be the only time he's
had the same OC. Well, Liam, he had Dave Canal

(25:58):
Tampa William last year, the.

Speaker 3 (26:01):
Browns, I remember they fired their coaches first year and
then brought in Freddy Kitchens, who was gone before the
end of his second year. Then Carolina. Yeah, no, he
maybe never has had the same OC and back to
back seasons.

Speaker 2 (26:14):
So like for Baker, it's like whatever.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
Like I'm sure for Baker at this point, it would
be weird if the same guy showed.

Speaker 3 (26:19):
Up two years ago.

Speaker 4 (26:23):
And probably won't see you next year.

Speaker 2 (26:25):
Yeah, you know.

Speaker 1 (26:26):
I mean it's like every time I do, we gotta
see my Bakers, see my doctor.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
I'm like, no offense. I hope that I don't see
you against the problem.

Speaker 3 (26:32):
Like he was gonna say, we need to give Baker
he is the coach, the head coach maker. Like that's
what Baker Mayfield is.

Speaker 2 (26:39):
Baker Baker the head coach maker. I like, I like it.
There it is.

Speaker 1 (26:46):
You got a couple of Ohio State running backs we
put against each other. Travion Henderson or Quinn Shawn Judkins.
This one feels easy to me. Guys, it feels like Judkins.
It feels like Judkins just because of situation.

Speaker 3 (26:58):
Neither oh really in Florio, it's easy for me in
the opposite direction.

Speaker 1 (27:03):
I just feel like because I just feel like in
New England there is still Romandre Stevenson there, and there
is still Drake May there, and they want to they
do want to build this thing around May right now,
you know they did. Look, I don't know what Kyle
Williams is going to be necessarily as a wide receiver, like,
you know, I don't think they're necessarily they bring in

(27:24):
Stefan Diggs, you know, they they go out and they
draft Kyle Williams. You know, they still have Pop Douglass there.
They still have you know, Kayshawan Boody. They bring in
mac Hollands there. You know, it's not necessarily spectacular, but
they're trying to build around Drake May. They still have
Ramandre Stevenson there. Antonio Gibson right now is still on
the roster. There's nobody ahead of there's nobody really competing

(27:45):
with with Judkins in Cleveland. I mean, we're not worried
about Jerome Ford. Dylan Samson you know is a Day
three guy.

Speaker 2 (27:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (27:54):
For me, it's it's it's Judkins. But I'm I'm open
to hearing your argument to the contrary.

Speaker 2 (27:59):
Florio one.

Speaker 3 (28:00):
I'm a huge Trevion Henderson fan. He was my RB
two pre draft, so I'm sticking with my priors there.
But my thing is he's got speed for days like
he might be of the high end running backs in
this class. I think he is the most explosive. Uh.
He's also a phenomenal pass catcher and pass blocker. So

(28:21):
I think for me, the two big things that I
look for in fantasy running backs are do you have
big play caspability? And are you gonna be on the
field and passing downs because those are how you rack
up your points so much. I do think Judkins might
get more volume, But what is the quality of volume
gonna be? Because if you're looking at the Browns, you're
circling one name and it's it's Judkins, right like, cause

(28:43):
who's throwing them the ball? They have four quarterbacks. That's
gonna be a probably a cycle.

Speaker 2 (28:47):
Uh. You never know who to prepare for any given
a week. Right, you face we can face pick it,
we can face We don't know.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, either teams are gonna be like, yo, let's put
ten in the box and force them to throw. But yeah,
you know, I like Junkins. I see why they're going
in similar range. I just I think this ceiling the
floor is safer for Judkins. I think because of all
the reasons you said, Marcus, but I think the ceiling is.

Speaker 2 (29:12):
Henderson's all right, which you're breaking the tie here, ooh.

Speaker 3 (29:18):
One.

Speaker 4 (29:19):
This one was one of those things of like who
do I want a media impact in year one? And
I kind of sided with Junkins because obviously what we
all explained with Ramandre Stevenson there and the Patriots are
still trying to figure things out, and I don't feel
like I can invest in trust them to get it
right in year one for Drake May So I'd rather
go to where they already have the run established as

(29:42):
their main focus, like they're going to run the rock,
They're going to run this one two duo with Samson
or fits dron Ford with Jenkins. But I think there
may be more scoring opportunities that we're missing out on
with the Browns offense because there's one thing for sure
they're going to run that rock. I mean, Denis's fantasy
has made that very clear since he came in the building.
I mean his first year he had Nick Chubb and

(30:03):
Kareem Hunk split nearly two hundred carries. So therefore, that
is definitely going to be the main focus there. And
I want Henderson to be that guy. I want him
to be the guy year one day, one week one.
I just don't know if they get it right day
one week one year one.

Speaker 3 (30:20):
Look, it's may A lot could change, But my thinking
is is twofold one Mike Rabral has always been a
run heavy style of coach.

Speaker 2 (30:28):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
Two, they they knew what they had in Rimandre Stevenson
and used their second pick on Henderson. And three I
think I like, I am a Stevenson fan. I think
he is very overrated though, because like oh for you
has propped him, but you look at his stats like
there's nothing that screams out like this is a guy

(30:50):
that you built. Like I think he got paid and
stuff because he was their face of their offense during
good transitional period like it. Yeah, I don't know, but
I might be wrong. You know, it's may.

Speaker 1 (31:03):
No, I mean I think it's all fair. I definitely
think it's all fair. I just I think the worst
case scenario is that we see some combination of three
of those guys and please.

Speaker 3 (31:13):
Get Antonio Gibson off this rosted Yeah, I mean Gibson.

Speaker 2 (31:16):
Gibson is easily the odd man out right now. He's
the one who.

Speaker 4 (31:19):
Is He looked better at times since Stevenson last year,
who had a ton of fumbles. Like I don't think
we've watched enough of the Patriots backfield last year because
I was sitting there just looking like, why is Antonio
Gibson still here? But then I went back to all
his high I was like, oh, he kind of looked
better than Stevenson at times.

Speaker 3 (31:37):
There was like three weeks where he was announced the starter,
and like twice it was he got the first. I
remember one week they were like he's starting, and then
Ramondre Stevenson was out there and got the first time.
Like I'm happy we don't have to play those games anymore.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
No, Yeah, that's true. That that is very true for sure.

Speaker 1 (31:55):
A couple of side ends pitted against each other, Mason
Taylor or Elijah who.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
You got in this one? Look?

Speaker 4 (32:03):
I got Mason Taylor just based on the target opportunity there,
because it's gonna be Garrett Wilson and then Alan Wizard
maybe No, I mean Josh Reynolds, No, I mean Mason
Taylor just seems like the obvious case here as a
security blanket for justin fields and like he's not the
most sexiest tight end out there, because again I was
on the same boat of like I'm not wild by

(32:24):
this guy. Why is he like even in the conversation
of Loveland and Warren, But then I understand like he's
a guy that understands the position, always finds a way
to be in the right areas beaten zone coverage, and
the guy that understands how the disguise in the red zone,
Like he's good at disguising that he's either blocking or
he's running out for a route. So I do appreciate

(32:44):
his football IQ. So therefore him being the second target
just makes more sense in a royal who's gonna have
to wait and be patient to become in that pecking
order where you have a JSN, where you have an
MVS and a Cooper Cup. So we'll see how that
works out.

Speaker 2 (32:58):
Yeah. Shout out to our producer Davin dropping in the
chat an article from The New York Post basically saying
Mason Taylor could be the number two target on this Wow,
let's go. I don't know.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
So does that that sway you're I don't know what
you were thinking before that florio and so does this
change you're thinking?

Speaker 2 (33:15):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (33:15):
No, I agree completely because that's my thing. Like I
was on Insiders the other day and I was like,
I'm not a huge I wasn't a huge Mason Taylor
fan before the draft, but like landing spot matters, and
he fell to his pot where he could see immediate
year one volumes. So I liked the Royal Moore as
a prospect, but it's hard to ignore the opportunity that
Taylor has. So I will take him for fantasy.

Speaker 1 (33:36):
All right, Well, I guess we could make that unanimous then,
because yeah, situation does matter a lot.

Speaker 2 (33:41):
It's sort of wild too, because.

Speaker 1 (33:44):
If you can name me one relevant fantasy jets tied end,
I will give.

Speaker 2 (33:50):
You all the change in my pocket.

Speaker 3 (33:51):
There's was.

Speaker 2 (33:58):
For one week. Oh, I was gonna say Elijah Vera Tucker,
but that's not the guy.

Speaker 1 (34:03):
As Jenkins Austin Sefarian Jenkins as Jay, that's right, That's right. Yeah,
but even that, like I mean, there hasn't been a
guy who's been relevant over a full season at tight
end for the Jets, like guys who pop up for
like a couple of weeks at a time, you know,
Like I know, I kept trying to make fetch happen

(34:24):
with Tyler Conklin, like it just they just never they
just never had a dude at that position kind of
in my life. No, I'm not even exaggerated, like in
my life, like I think I once, I think I
once googled like greatest Jets tight.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Ends and I literally have this right now. It was
an underwhelming list. It was a really underwhelming list.

Speaker 3 (34:49):
You know, they've never had a tight end reached nine
hundred yards in a single seaton.

Speaker 2 (34:55):
Color might be the best, like.

Speaker 3 (34:57):
Dustin Keller is the best of the two thousand since
for sure they had some dude named Schuler get eight
seventy nine in nineteen.

Speaker 1 (35:09):
All right, Yeah, I don't, I'm looking at the Yeah,
I don't. I don't remember Mickey Schuler. I mean it
was nineteen eighty five.

Speaker 3 (35:14):
He is probably the greatest Jets tight end of all time.

Speaker 4 (35:17):
And what numbers he wear.

Speaker 2 (35:20):
He's got one apparently four of.

Speaker 3 (35:23):
Their top ten yardage seasons by a tight end. Go
to some dude that we have never heard.

Speaker 2 (35:27):
Of Mickey Schuler.

Speaker 1 (35:29):
Wow, I mean yeah, I said, like they have, just
they have never had anybody of note at that.

Speaker 4 (35:36):
Let's just hope that Tanner Engstrand can get it right
because being that he was under Ben Johnson and he
understands the focal peace of a tight end and an offense,
and hopefully that's what Mason is.

Speaker 3 (35:47):
You made jokes about uh, Tyler Conklin. He has the
twelfth and fifteenth most yards in a season by Jets tight.

Speaker 2 (35:55):
End top ten. All right, it's rough out there, man.

Speaker 3 (36:07):
For this next one, you don't got to ask me
about either.

Speaker 1 (36:10):
I'm like, you know, base yall suitan versus cam scattaboo.

Speaker 2 (36:14):
Like, did we just all say camp scataboo and.

Speaker 3 (36:16):
Move on scataboo?

Speaker 4 (36:17):
No?

Speaker 1 (36:19):
All right, I assumed you were just because I figured, like,
you wouldn't.

Speaker 2 (36:23):
Have put this on there unless you were going to
so please yours. All right.

Speaker 4 (36:29):
So the reason why I'm going tooting over scat is
honestly because Tutor was hand picked by the Jet I
mean the Jaguars front office, like Liam Cohen, and I
understand that, you know, some people are comparing him to
have the Bucky Irving type of legacy pat, but I
think it's very different. I think Tuton's coming in out
the door as the RB one because you have two

(36:49):
guys in that in house that we've seen stinking up
the place, and they haven't been you know, consistent. They
haven't been guys jumping off the paper, off the tip,
off the film, et cetera, et cetera. With SCAT, I
think Tyrone Tracy is not going anywhere. I think Tyrone
Tracy is going to be still involved in this offense.
And I feel like you know, with Skataboo, he's getting
that hype as the angry runner guy that's hard to

(37:10):
bring down. Great in the passing game, he may take
on the role as the lead, you know runner, the
pure runner, but I think he's going to get cut
at the knees when it comes to that PPR where
the pass catching is going to because Tyron Tracy was
actually great in the passing game last season, so he
was average five point two yards per target. So therefore
him having that seven point five yards per perception is

(37:32):
up there above Bijon but right under Devon a Chan.
So he's very very good at producing after the catch.
And that's a lot of where you know, Skataboo can
be a play as well. It's just that they're split
down the middle when it comes to their utility.

Speaker 2 (37:48):
All Right, So you are, as Gavin says, rooting for Tuton,
rooting for Tooting.

Speaker 4 (37:52):
I like that saying root that might be my name
this year for one of my fantasy leaders.

Speaker 2 (37:56):
Rooting for Tuton.

Speaker 3 (37:58):
I agree with everything you said about by the way,
like he has the opportunity to run with the job
all of that. I'm just I'm just.

Speaker 1 (38:05):
Love yeah, Like I'm sort of like I've I've planted
my flag with Scataboo and like I just I think
he's taken over for Tracy. I'm just I'm sticking in
my whole lot though.

Speaker 3 (38:13):
Because Tracy. I don't think Tracy goes away. I think
can plays like sixty forty something like that.

Speaker 4 (38:20):
But that's my thinking, Like Tracy won't go away. But
then you had Jacksonville where it's obviously too and like
he's the guy, you.

Speaker 1 (38:27):
Know, Yeah, I'm I'm I'm just gonna claim confirmation bias
on this one that I you know, I was a
Scataboo guy, and yeah it's may and I'm gonna stick
with it.

Speaker 2 (38:38):
Uh you know, come hell or high water. So I'm
I'm stick.

Speaker 1 (38:42):
But everything but everything you said was valid. I'm not
discounting that at all. I appreciate that, and I've seen
I just look, I've seen the reports right that the
Jags really do like Tooting and can give him an
opportunity to to compete for that RB one job for sure.

Speaker 2 (38:58):
Jayden Higgins or Ray Harris. We know that Lakwan is
a big fan of Trey Harris.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
In fact, Higgins when we that's true, we did our
rookie monck cause you you sort of reached for Trey
Harris a little bit. We did our rookie monk if
I if I recall correctly, so I'll ask you Florio,
Jayden Higgins or Trey Harris.

Speaker 3 (39:18):
I had Trey Harris ahead of Higgins in the pre
draft process. I wasn't crazy over Higgins, if you guys remember.
And then landing Spot I think firmly pushes this Trey
Harris's direction because he gets an opportunity year one to
come in and potentially be their ex Like I think
as of today, he should be viewed as the favorite
to be the starting X receiver for the Chargers. Lad

(39:43):
McConkie is still going to be their top target and
their top receiver and taking him in round two. I
don't care what anyone says, but I think Trey Harris
is going to be a good number two option. He
also could be their top option in the red and
end zone, whereas Higgins could still be that for the
Texans even in a limited role, like I think that's

(40:03):
where he could thrive. But Nico Collins is a clear
target vacuum there, Christian Kirk is going to be playing
in the slot, Jalen Noel could get mixed in as well.
So I think it's just going to be a lot
harder to find consistent volume and production for Higgins in
year one than I think Harris, who is a much

(40:24):
in my opinion, a much clearer path to volume.

Speaker 2 (40:27):
Yeah, now I'm with you on that one too.

Speaker 1 (40:29):
I think it's Harris just I could see him being
a starter in week one just based on what the
depth chart is for receivers with the Chargers versus just
the the glut of receivers there in Houston. You mentioned Collins,
you mentioned Kirk. You know, we wait to see what
Tank Dell's recovery process is going to be. But they

(40:50):
drafted Noel, they drafted Higgins. John Metchi right now looks
like he may be working into things.

Speaker 2 (40:56):
I mean, look, I mean, I know it's not sexy.

Speaker 1 (40:58):
They brought in Justin Watson from Kansas City as a
free agent too. I mean, there are a lot of
guys competing for snaps and targets there, and I think
that is the part that makes it tough for Higgins,
just just the sheer amount of competition that he has there.

Speaker 2 (41:13):
For sure. Last one Jark was Hunter or Jayden Blue.

Speaker 1 (41:18):
Come on, man, it's I know, I know, La on
his side, on his whole, like, you know, I want
to RB three season. Let's go, Like you know, I
just want to put you know, k I want to
put Kien Williams in a rowboat with a little small
leak in it and just push him out to see
sort of thing.

Speaker 4 (41:36):
Not he's not in the bag of this content. It's
just more so of disappointment, like how how your child
does something bad and you're just like, I'm not mad
at you. I'm just disappointed in you.

Speaker 1 (41:47):
But it's just one Blue doesn't have any real like
his competition is Javonce Williams. Right, like Jim Blue really
could push and legitimately be a starter this season like
Jark was. Hunter not only has the battle Kien Williams,
he still got a boat battle Blake Korum too. Like
there are more obstacles in the way for jarqu as
much than there is for Jaden Blue.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
I'm not come on and.

Speaker 3 (42:09):
Like for me, And look, I'm not saying I'm just
plugged into the rams as you are, LQ, But to me,
I feel like these other runs, like this backfield, if
it becomes Murky, it's going to be Hunter and Korum
being a thorn in the side of Kirn.

Speaker 4 (42:24):
Kiren's never going away, No, he's not going away, but
his plate might be a little bit smaller, and you
don't plug in Korum there if he's the same exact
play type as a Kirn. And that's why I think
Hunter has more of that home run ability, has the
ball security where you can trust him in critical situation,
the red zone, and honestly, I just feel like with Jarquez,

(42:48):
his opportunity may not be in year one because this
is a contract year for Kiren, but longevity wise, I
would rather have Hunter than having Blue, where you know,
we don't even know what the Cowboys are doing with
the week. You know, like it's one of those situations
where it's like where do I feel safer with? What
do I feel more comfortable with? Give me the guy
that has no gloves on, that has one fumble last
season versus Kyron that has the most fumbles in the

(43:11):
last two seasons. I just feel like we have to
take real life situations here and with less Snead so
bricked up about all Been running back because you know
his connections for all Burn as well. But it's like,
I just feel like he has everything that Kyrien lacks
on a on a on a series note on the
utility belt when it comes to home runability, ball security,
and he can also do a lot of what Kyri

(43:32):
can do, what he's been so good at.

Speaker 3 (43:34):
He could be a phenomenal like change of pace RB two.
I think Blue could be a starter, though Kenny Williams.
That's a lot easier to do than beating out Williams.

Speaker 1 (43:48):
I'm just you know, you know, it's gonna be fun
is next year when the Rams spend like a late
day to early day three pick on a running back
and suddenly look on that, right, like I mean, I mean,
just look at the last few years, right, twenty twenty two,
they spent a fifth round pick on on Kyron Williams.

Speaker 2 (44:04):
Twenty three. I think they brought in with Ronnie Rivers
as an undrafted free agent.

Speaker 4 (44:08):
Zachlams before that.

Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yeah, yeah, you know Blake Krham last year, Darkquitz Hunter
this year. Like they're gonna spend another kind of later
round pick on a running back next year, and Lakwan's
gonna be here, and like telling you man, Jordan Coleman
on Washington, like that's gonna be the dude, Like, okay, now.

Speaker 3 (44:27):
Answers that, McVeigh just says, you know, you're on a
contract year, Kyroen, We're giving you the ball four hundred
times just running.

Speaker 4 (44:34):
That would be highly in Like I would not want that,
just based on I looked at his carries per Fombo.
Every sixty three carries these last two seasons, he's fumbled
the ball and I do not want that in the
most crucial areas of the game that we saw last season,
like those Eagles fumbles, man that crushed in three games. Listen,

(44:55):
why would we want that?

Speaker 1 (44:57):
No, Like, why don't you just why don't you just
have him of fumble early in the season and just
get him out of the way, and then like late
in the years, like.

Speaker 4 (45:03):
A fumble, good.

Speaker 3 (45:07):
Football everywhere he goes.

Speaker 4 (45:09):
You know, it's crazy all all the off season pictures
that the rams at posted and then socials him holding
the ball, so he might be doing that.

Speaker 2 (45:15):
So I mean, like you know, it's going to be
a part of his body.

Speaker 3 (45:18):
Come come.

Speaker 4 (45:19):
I want him in the lunch room holding the ball
and somebody just randomly just punches the ball out.

Speaker 3 (45:23):
I want him in the lunch room.

Speaker 2 (45:25):
Were you just watching the program recently?

Speaker 1 (45:27):
Like the Omar Epps there the ball back every single day,
Like this is what we're doing.

Speaker 2 (45:32):
Right now, like the ball you know?

Speaker 1 (45:35):
Man, all right, I still think it's Shaden Blue. Anyway,
we'll come back tell a little schedule release. I'm sure
you're seeing you know, a little bits and pieces of
the schedule come out right now, but we'll kind of
talk about our feelings on it.

Speaker 2 (45:49):
We don't know it. I'm not going to sit here
and pretend that we know the schedule are leaking it.

Speaker 1 (45:53):
Uh no, because we would all get thrown into black
vans and driven away to black side somewhere like High
Superia for sure.

Speaker 2 (46:02):
So anyway'll talk to schedule releas coming up after the
break here on the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast.

Speaker 1 (46:10):
So yeah, schedule release is coming up on Wednesday.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
We were joking before the break about whether or not
we're leaking the schedule.

Speaker 1 (46:17):
So I will say this, in the past, I have
been given the schedule because I had to write stuff
about it for fantasy like bye week replacements and you know,
best and worst playoff schedules and that sort of thing,
and so they gave it to me in advance. Like
I will tell you that it was given to me
like in a sealed envelope and I could not, under

(46:39):
penalty of death, leak any of that information to anyone.

Speaker 2 (46:43):
I mean, it was the highest level of security.

Speaker 1 (46:47):
And now like b reporters are just like putting out
stuff like daily, right, and now it's just like dripping
everything like here and there, like some.

Speaker 3 (46:54):
Of it will be leaked, but we pick what gets leaked.

Speaker 2 (46:57):
Yes, yeah, we do. All.

Speaker 1 (46:59):
I'll say this, like, look forward look on social media
on Wednesday morning, right, because then you're gonna start seeing
like beat reporters for the teams being like, oh, the
Eagles and the you know, the Eagles and the Giants
they play in weeks three and twelve.

Speaker 2 (47:15):
Like I don't know, I mean, I'm making that up.
I have no idea, but you're.

Speaker 1 (47:18):
Gonna start seeing all this stuff out and like it's
just funny because the league is just like, don't tell anybody,
and then like like this is just getting tweeted out
there the whole time.

Speaker 3 (47:25):
Funny, funny tweet I saw this morning said schedule leak.

Speaker 2 (47:28):
The Steelers will be.

Speaker 3 (47:29):
Playing on AFC Wildcard weekend on the road as eight
point underdogs.

Speaker 2 (47:36):
Is that a schedule leak or is that a script leak?

Speaker 3 (47:38):
Is like the script leaks nearly what it is for them,
They end up just I'm making it and playing the
Raven Steelers are Chiefs, Billion Chiefs.

Speaker 1 (47:47):
The Houston sections will probably be playing on that weekend too,
and they'll have the early game so that I.

Speaker 3 (47:51):
Can go Saturday first kickoff.

Speaker 1 (47:54):
It'll be the first kickoff on Saturday. I can go,
you know, run to the store, like do some errands.
Go to Low's and they get some stuff the house
or something that's ex for sure. Things that we do
know that have officially been announced, though, The Eagles and
the Cowboys will be the kickoff game on September fourth.

Speaker 2 (48:13):
Why would you wanted that game or something?

Speaker 4 (48:15):
I wanted Rams Eagles week one? Line it up, man,
I told you, man, the Rams have a good history. Yeah,
all right, all right, all right. The Bills got us
was an embarrassing performance at the crib, but I was there.

Speaker 1 (48:31):
Yeah, I guess I never really I don't think I've
ever really cared if my team plays on kickoff weekend
or not. Like the kickoff game, I don't think I've
ever like really put any thought into it.

Speaker 3 (48:43):
It was very excited when the Bills got that game.

Speaker 1 (48:45):
Yeah, you know, I just yeah, I don't think it's
ever really mattered to me one way or another, like
I'm gonna watch them, which, by the way, side, this
is why that's why this whole like schedule release thing
is very very funny, because like, if you care enough
to check in to schedule release, like watch all these
schedule lease related programming, you don't really care win the games?
Are you gonna watch all of them anyway, right, yeah,

(49:07):
because you.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
Know this game is coming on Christmas.

Speaker 3 (49:09):
You don't care. You're gonna watch the game anyway. When
when the schedule comes out, I look at the like
the international games, I'll look to see if there's any
like big standalone games. I obviously look at the Bills schedule,
and then I look at week one because I'm like,
I know I'm watching all of these games already, so
let me plan for week one.

Speaker 4 (49:28):
Now. Yeah, like back before the Rams were good, I
used to plan to just get my mental health in
order of like week one, like if this is gonna
be a blowout, then it's like I'm out by halftime.
But you know that's usually what it was back in
the day.

Speaker 1 (49:41):
I'm sure I will look at the forty nine Ers
schedule and I will make a note of week one,
and I will forget it by like fourth of July,
and I have to come back to check out the game,
like I will, I just forget about it. You did
mention the International Games. Those have been released as well.
It's all but one the the Seal Polo game. We
know that the Chargers are playing, saying, we just don't

(50:01):
know who they are playing.

Speaker 2 (50:01):
Yet. That will be revealed on Wednesday.

Speaker 1 (50:03):
But the ones we do know Vikings and Steelers at
Croke Park in Dublin.

Speaker 2 (50:09):
I have been there.

Speaker 1 (50:09):
I watched a hurling match, which if you want to
see just a sport that's completely bonkers, just go to
YouTube and look up hurling. That's no, no, not that, no, no,
that's curling, hurling with an age, which is just this
bananas combination of like soccer, baseball, rug I mean, it's
just I can't even just go to YouTube and look

(50:30):
at it. I mean, it does feel kind of like
basketball a little bit. It's the point being I saw
that at Croke Park in Dublin.

Speaker 2 (50:38):
It was a fun venue. I enjoyed that.

Speaker 1 (50:40):
But that's a Viking Steelers in week four. The Vikings
will stay over in Europe and they will play the
Browns in Week five at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium.

Speaker 4 (50:48):
Undefeatedally are they?

Speaker 3 (50:51):
I hate this, By the way, I hate this. Teams
get two back to back games.

Speaker 2 (50:57):
Because it's because the Bills got screwed.

Speaker 3 (51:00):
Yes year it happens. I'm pretty sure.

Speaker 1 (51:04):
Jaguars that were over there back to back, Yeah, the Jaguars.

Speaker 3 (51:08):
I'm saying this solely off the top of my head,
zero facts, checking in in or whatever. I feel like
the team that gets the second European game is undefeated
in that second week.

Speaker 2 (51:17):
That's a good quack. We should go back.

Speaker 1 (51:18):
I'm sure we could go back and look at it
your I mean you work with the research team, La,
you go check that.

Speaker 2 (51:22):
Check it out.

Speaker 1 (51:23):
Week six Broncos and Jets also at Tottenham Hotspur.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
Week seven of the Rams and the Jaguars go to Wimbley.

Speaker 1 (51:32):
So the West Coast may enjoy enjoy getting up for
a six thirty am kickoff.

Speaker 4 (51:37):
I should be up anyway. The United Games come on, like.

Speaker 2 (51:44):
Young kids will be up anyway.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
Over in Berlin in week ten it's the Falcons and
the Colts, and then in Madrid, Spain at the Bernabow
it's going to be the Commanders and the Dolphins.

Speaker 2 (51:59):
So that should be interesting.

Speaker 3 (52:00):
I told Nicolet this morning. I was like, you'll just
let you know the month of October. I'm gonna be
up like six am every Sunday. Don't mind me. She
was like, okay, it's may like.

Speaker 4 (52:15):
It does not.

Speaker 2 (52:16):
Care, bro.

Speaker 1 (52:19):
Yeah, So those are the International Games questions for you guys.

Speaker 2 (52:24):
Who do you think it's the most primetime games this year?
Is it the Eagles? Is it? Because I have I
have a thought? I do its what you guys think.

Speaker 3 (52:32):
I think.

Speaker 4 (52:35):
I think the Bears will be up there. I don't
think they have the most because I think the NFL
thinks the Bears are going to be good this year,
which I hope they are.

Speaker 3 (52:41):
But of the two teams that are going to be
forever linked, I think the Commanders because I think Bears
Commanders is a national team. Better like that Week one,
make that Sunday Night Football, Like I'm content with that.
I think Eagles Commander's game gets prime time. They play

(53:02):
the Lions. That could be prime time. They play the Chiefs.
That's four right there. The Cowboys might always be one.
They get the Bronco like. I just feel like the
Commanders and the soon to be MVP of the league
Jaden Daniels gets featured a lot.

Speaker 2 (53:16):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (53:17):
Yeah, I was gonna say the Bears because of the
Ben Johnson factor, because it's Caleb Williams in year two.
Just because there's so much excitement around the Bears. I
think the Bears is gonna get a lot. I do
like the Commander's call, though, I think that's a good call.

Speaker 2 (53:29):
I just ask please, please, please, schedule makers stop with
the Giants. Stop stop.

Speaker 3 (53:35):
I was gonna say the Chiefs.

Speaker 1 (53:38):
I at least understand the Chiefs, right, because I mean
they've been successful and like people will watch, people will
watch and just pray for their downfall. Like I get it,
you know, I get it. But like enough with the Giants.
You know, I know the hopes that they're going to
be better this year, but it's miserable.

Speaker 4 (53:55):
Man.

Speaker 3 (53:55):
You know Week two TNF is gonna be like Giants Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (54:00):
Yeah, you know, it's funny because now that they've actually
started putting better matchups on TNF, we don't get our
normal Titans Jags.

Speaker 2 (54:08):
Ye CNF, we haven't gotten we haven't gotten tight.

Speaker 1 (54:11):
I don't think we've gotten Titans Jags in a couple
of years, like that was a tradition, unlike any of it.

Speaker 3 (54:15):
We'll get an early Titans TNF game. I'm sure now
with camboard.

Speaker 1 (54:19):
Yeah, I we probably will. In fact, I remember when uh,
The Force Awakens came out, you know they started releasing
the uh, the the Star Wars sequels or whatever. I
remember going to see it, like it came out on
a Thursday night, and like the TNF game that night
was Titans Jags, and it's like, well, this is making

(54:39):
it easy for me to go to the movie. Yeah,
easy decision, easy to go to the movies and I'll
just check in later and see what happened.

Speaker 2 (54:47):
Yes, it was Gavin. It was a color rush game.

Speaker 1 (54:49):
It was like the you know, the Mustard Bottle Jaguars
uniforms against Like I.

Speaker 4 (54:54):
Missed the color rush. Actually the Rams versus the Bucks.
That was pretty cool. It's catch up versus Mustard.

Speaker 1 (55:00):
I feel like it sort of ended when they did
that the Bills Jets game and we found out how
many people were color blind because social media couldn't tell
the difference between the red dots and the green dots.

Speaker 2 (55:12):
Uh.

Speaker 4 (55:14):
Yeah, Seahawks had the most.

Speaker 1 (55:16):
I would say with the highlight uniform.

Speaker 2 (55:21):
Those are sick, all right.

Speaker 3 (55:23):
They should wear it daily.

Speaker 2 (55:25):
Let's take me a minute to get used to them.
But I'm like, all right.

Speaker 3 (55:28):
Not even weekly. They should play practice in those like that,
Like I would wear.

Speaker 2 (55:32):
Them all the time, all right.

Speaker 1 (55:34):
Uh. Any any particular games that you guys are looking
forward to this year?

Speaker 4 (55:40):
Uh?

Speaker 2 (55:41):
I wrote down a few.

Speaker 4 (55:42):
I wrote down a couple, so Ravens Bills.

Speaker 3 (55:47):
That was my answer.

Speaker 4 (55:48):
Yeah, let's see that one. Let's see that one.

Speaker 3 (55:52):
Wars were waged last year between those and one came
out on top with the playoff win and the m
v P, and the other one is very salty about it.
So I'm sure it won't be heated when they when
they match up this year.

Speaker 2 (56:06):
Yeah, of course not. You know it'll be to be.

Speaker 4 (56:09):
Too, I think. Yeah, super Bowl rematch, I'm looking.

Speaker 2 (56:12):
I'm looking for Rams Eagles. I think that should be
interesting after what happened.

Speaker 3 (56:17):
That game was on NFL network last night.

Speaker 2 (56:20):
Oh was it?

Speaker 3 (56:21):
Yeah? I saw it. I was like, I hope Lakwan
is asleep. I now I definitely was. Did you see
the fight? Didn't want it on. I was so busy
on my nick high, but I saw that game on
TV and I was like, oh, man.

Speaker 2 (56:36):
I think I was watching. I was busy watching the
Warriors get their doors kicked in, So I don't think
I saw it.

Speaker 3 (56:40):
And where's Jimmy?

Speaker 1 (56:42):
Playoff Jimmy? Uh, you know warranty. The warranty has expired
on Playoff three, and apparently it's only even when it's
even when it's working, it's only valid for the first
three quarters.

Speaker 2 (56:50):
Apparently it just doesn't work in the fourth quarter. I'm
not sure.

Speaker 1 (56:54):
Anyway, So I like Rams Eagles. I had the Vikings
at Seahawks, which is JJ McCarthy against Sam Donald, a
little bit of revenge.

Speaker 3 (57:03):
Can that be a Sunday night game? Please?

Speaker 2 (57:07):
Night game? It would be Bears Lions, like maybe when
they could perfectly when they go to Detroit's Ben Johnson
coming back to Detroit would be interesting.

Speaker 3 (57:17):
And then I feel late season match between those two
has Saturday night game written all over it.

Speaker 1 (57:22):
That does have Saturday especially if you know, we know
the the Lions will be competitive and should be good,
Like if the Bears turn out to be competitive, I
think that's going to be a really interesting Saturday night
game late.

Speaker 2 (57:31):
In the season.

Speaker 1 (57:32):
The other one I had is Raiders Patriots, not necessarily
because I think other team is going to be great
or make the playoffs, but it's kind of a Tom
Brady Bowl right like it is now that Brady is
in ownership with the Raiders. And look, trust me, if
you want to get a Raider fan heated to this day,
just say Tuck rule. That's all you gotta do, and

(57:54):
they will they will get heated, you might get punched
in the face. I make no promises about your own safety.
But they still are. They're not over it. And the
fact that Tom Brady is an ownership, like, it just
does not sit well with a lot of Raider fans.

Speaker 3 (58:07):
They accept Tom Brady now, I.

Speaker 1 (58:12):
Grudgingly, like, hey, look, if it turns out that he
builds this franchise and they start winning games, I'm sure
they will certainly accept him. But yeah, man, like, I
just don't I don't think uh, you know, it just
it just doesn't sit right with him because Tom Brady,
because especially at that point, the Raiders were really good
and they were on the way up and the Patriots

(58:33):
were kind of up and coming. That suck Rule game
changed the trajectory of both those franchises. Like the Raiders
wandered in the wilderness for a long time and then
the Patriots went.

Speaker 2 (58:44):
On for their run. Oh yeah, by the way, yeah,
Gavin Michie Pete was Pete Carroll was the head coach
of the Patriots for a while. He got fired. He
got fired and you know, eventually landed at USC and
that thing's there.

Speaker 3 (58:58):
That Raiders Patriots game, Like, all I want is like
Baker Mayfield running in at the end with like a
money in a bank case being like, no, we're the
real winner of the Brady Boll.

Speaker 4 (59:12):
References.

Speaker 2 (59:12):
That would be funny.

Speaker 1 (59:14):
Also, uh, Raiders Raiders Chargers just because the Pete Carrold
Jim Harbaugh rivalry is real.

Speaker 4 (59:21):
That division is crazy with the head coaches.

Speaker 1 (59:23):
Man, everybody else is like, we're gonna get young head coachess,
Like screw this man, We're going old.

Speaker 4 (59:28):
Like old school baby.

Speaker 3 (59:31):
You know what game I can't wait for? Selfishly forty
nine Ers Rams.

Speaker 2 (59:36):
Yes, just because you want to.

Speaker 3 (59:41):
I want you to that week. That week is always
a fun week on the pod.

Speaker 2 (59:45):
It's really just like at him. Yeah, because like I
don't have the same.

Speaker 1 (59:48):
Level of like hatred for the Rams like I did
once upon a time. And I think just doing this
job for so long, like I don't necessarily hate teams anymore,
so like I don't have this same like I love
that LaQuan still has like this feeling in his bones
for the rivalry, Like I don't.

Speaker 4 (01:00:06):
Bone marrow like it's in my blood.

Speaker 3 (01:00:08):
Yeah, I don't just like teams anymore. I dislike fan bases.

Speaker 2 (01:00:12):
I think that's the thing too.

Speaker 3 (01:00:13):
That's what's happened to me.

Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
It's fan base, Like, yeah, Rams fans are fine. I
mean you're not.

Speaker 3 (01:00:19):
They're that loud.

Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
Well, this is because there was twenty years when they.

Speaker 3 (01:00:23):
No, I will give you credit. You you defend the
Rams and and talk for like, but I want more.
I want I think the Rams deserve more love in
l A than they get.

Speaker 2 (01:00:34):
Well, I think they do.

Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
But again, I always say this, they abandoned the city
for a full generation.

Speaker 2 (01:00:41):
I get over it, lost, get over it. It's not
it's not no, no, look on, it's not a get
over it thing. It's not.

Speaker 1 (01:00:47):
In those twenty years, all those people adopted other teams.

Speaker 3 (01:00:51):
Trade ns are by far, they're not.

Speaker 2 (01:00:53):
They're not traders.

Speaker 1 (01:00:54):
Like if anything, if anybody's a trader, it's Georgia Frontieri
who took the team and left. Like that's the trader there, right,
And so like in that void, people adopted the Raiders,
they adopted the forty nine ers, Like it's not about
being a trader, it's not about not it's not about
a It's like, as Adam Rank once said, the Rams
went out for cigarettes and didn't come back for twenty years.

Speaker 2 (01:01:17):
Like that's what happened, dude.

Speaker 3 (01:01:19):
So that's why lewis, which is insane.

Speaker 1 (01:01:21):
It's so like they're building, like they're they're building something back,
like and I think, you know, you give it another
five years or so, Like I think you're gonna have
a really strong fan base here. And like I always
said for years when when everybody's like, why isn't the
NFL in LA? Like people in La aren't aren't football fans?
Like that's not true. People in LA really are football fans.
They're just not fans of all the same team. There's
a lot of football fans here, they just all cheer

(01:01:42):
for different teams.

Speaker 2 (01:01:44):
That's it.

Speaker 3 (01:01:45):
You shouldn't change.

Speaker 4 (01:01:46):
You shouldn't leave your fandom because the team left. Like
I don't care if the righty You're New Zealand I.

Speaker 2 (01:01:53):
Am doesn't love you back. Your favorite team does not
love you back. It doesn't.

Speaker 1 (01:01:57):
And like if you pick up because you wanted more
money out of me, and especially because the Rams at
that time weren't good like you are not, you're well,
you're not putting a good product on the field, and
then you pick up and leave because you tried to
extort me.

Speaker 3 (01:02:11):
I have absolutely a score, like there was once upon
a time like and everyone was gonna happen, but like,
would the Mets leave New York? And I was like,
if they do, I'm not going to have a baseball
team because I'm going to be so hurt that they left.
I mean that I'm never gonna be able to love again.

Speaker 1 (01:02:26):
Look at the I mean, look at the Chargers, right,
the Chargers had a loyal, dedicated fan base in San Diego.
For they should go back games and then back the
Spanos family ripped that team from San Diego. If folks
from San Diego are like one, because people from San
Diego don't really love Los Angeles, they're like one. You
took our team and you took them to a place
that we don't like. That's why when the Rams came back,

(01:02:48):
people were like, oh, that's kind of cool, and the
Chargers like, hey, we're moving to LA and everybody's like, so,
like that's what happened.

Speaker 3 (01:02:54):
They should go back to San Diego.

Speaker 1 (01:02:55):
They should go back to San Diego, go back play
a pet cot that you've figure out what you're gonna
do that goes beautiful, because it is beautiful. And I
also want the Padres feel to be chewed up because.

Speaker 3 (01:03:08):
I love that. Morgans. You might not hate other football teams,
but you do hate other baseball teams. I love that.

Speaker 2 (01:03:14):
You know, you know, Padres, the Giants, the Padres whatever.
He got a hit list they do. All right, I've
gotten that out of my system. This was fun.

Speaker 4 (01:03:28):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (01:03:28):
We'll be back with the cheat sheet on Thursday. I
did watch Havoc. I'm ready to talk about Havoc. I
have I have thoughts, so we'll get nostalgia nineties actions
because I'm not I'm not giving you any of my
thoughts right now. I'm going to hold them for Thursday.
I have thoughts.

Speaker 2 (01:03:47):
That's it. I'm gonna say that. I'm gonna say that
for sure.

Speaker 4 (01:03:49):
Yes, let's go.

Speaker 2 (01:03:50):
I'll do that. In the cheat sheet.

Speaker 1 (01:03:51):
We'll have some you know, we'll dummy up some fantasy
football talk too. Ostensibly that's what that shows all about.

Speaker 2 (01:03:57):
But I do feel like we'll probably talk some. We'll
talk Havoc.

Speaker 1 (01:04:01):
We I don't know, depending on your situations, we may
we may talk and or since we say goodbye to
that starting tonight too.

Speaker 3 (01:04:07):
I've yet to see it a single episode. Should I
change that?

Speaker 1 (01:04:11):
You should absolutely change that. You should totally totally change that.
Did you watch season one?

Speaker 2 (01:04:16):
No?

Speaker 3 (01:04:17):
I's like, oh no, because I had fatigue after Obi
wan Kenobi, and yeah that was.

Speaker 2 (01:04:24):
But you enjoyed Rogue one, right, you like Rogue one?

Speaker 1 (01:04:27):
Yeah, well, if you like Rogue one, then and or
is it's all yeah, it's because it's the build up
to Rogue one.

Speaker 3 (01:04:34):
Okay, I'll have to check it out.

Speaker 2 (01:04:35):
Then you have to absolutely check it out. All right.

Speaker 1 (01:04:38):
Yeah, I guess we'll talk some schedule release because you
know the actual schedule will be out then, so yeah
that in the meantime.

Speaker 2 (01:04:45):
I'll do it.

Speaker 1 (01:04:45):
For this edition the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, they happy,
safe and healthy, do good and live well, Enjoy schedule release,
enjoy the last bit of and or.

Speaker 2 (01:04:53):
For those of you who celebrate, watch havoc. So you
can join in with us on Thursday and we will
talk to you again, really really soon.

Speaker 1 (01:05:00):
W