May 6, 2025 • 43 mins
Matt and Dale have their regular Fantasy Football Focus segment, before trying to explore reasons why each NFL team can have optimism for the upcoming season.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
And welcome back to our number two of the Drive
here on the Steelers Audio Network. I'm Dale Lolly, he
is the Matt Williamson and uh Matt. Time for a
little Fantasy football focus here all right, as we did yesterday,
will take a look at Pro Football Focus's rankings on
the draft. We're gonna look at running backs today and
this is PPR.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Oh big. Nobody mentioned that. Yeah, yeah, worth noting at
this position that's super important because they have Bijon Robinson
as their number one running back over Saquon Barkley. And
I get it in a PPR format. Yeah, I was
gonna say, boy, that sounds a little nuts. I love
I love Bejon. I was, you know, preparing to have
(00:59):
this commonation with two things I wanted to bring up
about Barkley. So I want to do it before I forget.
If the tush push gets eliminated, that helps him. I mean,
I bet he gets two or three more short rushes.
Not that Hurts won't still score from the one. But
I heard this just since we got together last and
it adds up. I think he sat Week eighteen. Remember,
(01:21):
he could have tried gone for the record, but they're like,
let's try to win the super Bowl instead. But even
including that, if you add up all of his touchesing
going deep into the playoffs obviously to the super Bowl,
he had I think over five hundred touches. He had
more touches than any running back since DeMarco Murray's year
that he was like the total bell cow. And it's
(01:43):
been a while, but if you look at guys that
had five hundred or more like eight out of ten
of them only played like half a year the next year.
Take that what you want. But I mean, if you're
using the first overall pick in your fantasy draft on Barkley,
that would be my only concern. Ye, but it's a
great situation. Would you take Bijon over him? In PPR
(02:05):
they throw more, they throw more, and the young quarterback
dumping into him. Yeah, it's pretty appealing. Yeah, you wouldn't
consider anybody else though, you know, Yeah, Okay, Gibbs is
there RB three, I bet he's in the next year though.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
RB four and ninth overall in their rankings Ashtion Genty.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I'm cool with that. Especially in PPR, I'd have him
over Henry. I can't think who else i'd even be
in the hunt for running back four.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
This next guy, the guy's right after him. At fourteen
overall in RB five, Devin.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Ah Chan, Right, that's a big drop to me. I mean,
I can't do that. Those top four you're pretty happy.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
With now RB five or RB six, I should say
at seventeen overall is Bucky Irving.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I might have him over a Chan, but I would
definitely have him over a Chan. He can none of
them will compete for the top four, though.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
He's gonna score more touchdowns. Yeah he does catch the ball.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah yeah, it doesn't seem like much. But that only
Gordon Pick hurts a Chan too. He was such a
bad goal line back, but now he's probably not even
be out there. I cannot even imagine that plan. He's
like the smalles guy in the field and you're asking
to be the goal line back. You're hiding right right right,
and they were gonna go do the little people throw
them over the top right. At twenty one overall and
(03:31):
RB seven, Christian McCaffrey, I'd probably roll the Dice. I'd
take him over a chan in PPR. PPR definitely take
him over a Chan. I might take him over Irving.
The thing is, you're never gonna see any preseason stuff.
You're gonna have no idea. You're gonna go into a
(03:53):
blind You're just gonna have to trust to beat reporters.
And who knows how much he practices. Yeah, to leap
of faith. At twenty two are RB eight Derrick Henry
non PPR. Would you put him ahead of the three
above him? I take him over a Chan. You still
get the receiving yards, right right, it still matters. Yeah,
(04:14):
So it's not like they go away. No, he's not
gonna get any I mean the beauty that I think
at Chan is just rated too highly, that's right, right, right,
But he will catch passes. He's gonna catch a lot
more than Henry. Yeah, I think there's an argument for
Henry to be five in standard.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
At twenty three is RB nine Josh Jacobs, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I mean he's another one's had quite the workload, but
he does every year and he fights through it. You know,
at twenty so much competition and the Lloyd kid looks
like a.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Bost twenty seven RB ten is Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Love the player. He's missed like eleven games in the
last two years. Yeah, and the quarterbacks, no matter who
they are, are going to vulture some of it. He
doesn't catch a lot of passes, but I love the player.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Twenty eight RB eleven is Karen Williams.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Pretty solid. So I just heard this and I went
back and double checked it. Every year that McVeigh has
been the head coach of the Rams, they have drafted
a running back. I mean not in the first round
all those times without a first rounder, but they did again.
And they're like, well, is that an indictment on Korum
or are they less happy with Williams. No, I think
they've draft one every year in the mid rounds.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
At twenty nine overall and RB twelve is Kenneth Walker.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think he's getting ready for a real bounce back.
I think he's a tremendous player.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Thirty five overall on RB thirteen is Joe Mixon.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
I was so afraid to him last year. I thought
he was hitting a wall. I didn't think he looked
good at the end of his Bengals career. That's wrong.
I mean I think that offense will be better.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Thirty six overall and RB fourteen James Cook.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
He won't have the same touchdowns, but number one back
in a great offense, I might have him higher than that.
I think I would.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, Yeah, thirty seven overall, RB fifteen Chase Brown.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
He does catch the foot it does and it's a
really good offense. They throw in the red zone. Now, Yeah,
I just don't think he's great. I don't think he
is either. Yeah, it doesn't always matter for fancy.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
At thirty eight in RB sixteen Bri Saul.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I don't know what to make of him. I've been
in a bunch of trade talks in my dynasty league
for him, and I'm wary to invest heavily in him.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You're gonna if you're gonna bang Jonathan Taylor because.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Right the quarterbacks are gonna vlter some carries and touchdowns
away from him, Like you have to do the thing.
Same thing with brisall I know, and he's had a
fair amount of wear and tear, and he's had some injuries.
Like I don't think I'm gonna end up making the
deal in this league because I don't trust him to
that level. I mean, they want early picks and I'm not.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Quite there at thirty nine and RB seventeen Omari and Hampton.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
I get it. You might have to be a little
patient for the files. So right, yeah, any know nause,
he's probably not gonna get hurt or get out of
the way. You know, that's sticky. I don't know that
I could be in then in that camp.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
At forty and that's not his age, but it's close.
RB eighteen Alvin Kamara, he produces every year. I don't
love the situation of this year.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Oh, I hate the situation. I've hated for a couple
of years. Yeah. New coordinator too, doesn't scream real quick?
Back to Hampton, would you take Harvey over him? Yes?
I would too, just and I might say he's better,
But it's this situation, right, how about like Judkins, he's
coming up next Thunderson Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
He's RB nineteen at forty one overall, so there's not
a lot of difference here.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I hate the situation. Yeah. So back to the Browns.
I didn't realize this either, but if I crushed him
for not drafting any offensive lineman, four of their starters
are free agents after this year, too, Like, what are
you doing it makes me crazy. Draft two running backs,
two receiats or two quarterbacks and no alignment.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
At forty three. RB twenty after Judkins at nineteen is
James Connor.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Had a really good year. A couple of these guys.
I mean everyone always talks about age twenty seven. I
think this is where you win your draft. Yeah, I'm
saying this isn't real bad. Everyone's gonna be like, he's
a year older, he's so injury prone, but the course
of his career he hasn't been that injury prone. He
was early, yeah, but he's been productive all the time.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
RB twenty one is is Chuba Hubbard.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
I'll take that too.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Yeah, got a good line, And I think these are
the guys you win with. Yeah, because RB twenty two
at sixty overall is David Montgomery.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
He's gonna score. I think they had like thirty rushing
touchdowns last night, and eighteen of them they'll have to Yeah,
double digits for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Sixty one overall RB twenty three is Tony Pollard. I
like Montgomery a hell of a lot more.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
And Pollard is the first name I was like, oh yeah,
I mean Spears is so similar to him. And they're
not great. I mean he wasn't bad last year.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
But sixty three overall RB twenty four is DeAndre Swift.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Right now, he's the only show in town. Somebody else
can go down that road. I know I don't trust
him one bit, but I bet people will love him.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Sixty nine RB twenty five is Aaron Jones with the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I'm going to run that back my point before with
when we were talking mcconnor was age twenty seven. These
guys all hit a cliff Well, Kamara Henry, I mean McCaffrey.
I mean, these guys are all producing when they're out
in the same draft. They're all from the same draft.
Aaron Jones got three new linemen in Minnesota. Still pretty good.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Seventy one RB twenty six is Harvey.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I'll go up on that one. I don't think there's
any competition. They want to run the ball.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Seventy two RB twenty seven is Isaiah Pacheco.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
I'm shocked they didn't do more running back. I never
trust him because his style will play, but not before
happened last year. Yeah, bust it up.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Seventy four overall and RB twenty eight is Jalen Warren.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
I was wondering who the top stealer would be. PPR
should be Warren, yeah, without a question.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Eighty two overall, RB twenty nine is Brian Robinson.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Surprisingly didn't get much competition. I like the Costky Merrit kid.
They took him the seventh round at the seventh round pick. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Eighty six overall, RB thirty Travis or Trevor atn that
was scared is that Travis?
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I can't Travis. Yeah, I don't like it. I think
he may end up in Dallas or something like that
because they drafted Toot and they have that.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Big I thought somebody'd end up in Dallas last year
there happened. Eighty seven overall and RB thirty one is
Remandre Stevenson, so.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
He's ahead of Henderson in a PPR. I'm still a
Stevenson believer, but I would definitely have Henderson over Stevenson
in PPR.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Eighty nine overall and RB thirty two is Javonte Williams.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
He looks like the one. I don't think he's pretty
good good anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Though, at ninety and RB thirty three is Traveon Henderson.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Okay, so they're closed.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Ninety one overall, RB thirty four Tyrone Tracy.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I don't think Scatibo hurts him tragically.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Interestingly enough, they're right next to each other. Man Scatibo's
ninety two and RB thirty five, I would rather have
Tracy and PPR ninety three and RB thirty six is
Jordan Mason.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
They traded for him direct handcuff to an older guy.
I just said, I liked he's a Viking now if
people don't know, I like Jones. But Jones has never
been a full time player, and they traded for this guy.
It's a sneaky pick.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Ninety five overall and RB thirty seven is Caleb Johnson cool.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
I could see that being the lowest his ADP is
between now and when you make your real draft, I
bet he starts to creep up boards.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Ninety seven overall and RB thirty eight is Zach Sharbonnet.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Okay clear two but yeah. At one O two, RB
thirty nine is Tank Bigsby. I guess I kind of
don't want any of their backs. One O four and
RB forty is Rashad White. PPR is yeah, I mean
he is a good receiver.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
At RB forty one at one oh seven is TAIJ.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Spears. I think there's still a lot there and the
line's better. At one twelve, I think Spears is closer
to Paullard than these ranks indicate.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, one twelve and RB forty two is Trey Benson.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
He was pretty rough as a rookie, hard to trust.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
At one twenty two RB forty three, Nagee.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Harris. Now they had Hampton really high. I mean they're
really thinking it's going to be the rookies backfield. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
At one twenty six RB forty four, Tyler Algier all
the way down there.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
That's honest. That's a really good handcuff. Yeah, proven for.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
The guy that you had as a number one back
all right, and I'm gonna get him at one twenty six.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
If I'm the Bijon Oder, I'm paying a higher price
than that for it. Yeah, I'm not sure he's one
of these guys, but he's close that if the guy
in front of him is the miss time. I don't
know if he's in RB one, but he's not far.
I mean it's he the top ten in all the
RB ranks that week, closely, pretty close all the time.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Shares and right, you just take out of the equation,
you know, right. One thirty one RB forty five is
Ray Davis.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Eh, Josh Allen's their short yards back.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah, the one game where he did have to play though, Oh,
I like he's good.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
He was good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
One thirty two RB forty six is Kendre Miller.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I don't think he's even gonna be the two. I
think Neil will go past him.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
One thirty five RB forty seven is Rashawn Johnson.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I guess he is theirs. Yeah, it's getting pretty thin
right now. It is quick the most years. One thirty eight.
This implies to me, after all those rookies in this
draft too, just start drafting rookies at this point. RB
forty eight is Blake Korum. But they drafted a guy too,
and they always do. Uh.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
RB forty nine is Rico dal Dell with the Panthers.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Looks like the clear handcuff on a run first team.
He's not bad.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
We finally get to another rookie at RB five, and
that's a base shell Teuton.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
That's the third jag mentioned though.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah, crowded back for Marshaun Lloyd is our RB fifty one.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
It's a bit of a leap of faith after nothing
rookie season.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Julil McLaughlin is RB fifty two.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I mean, in a PPR if he's a third down
guy and this is thin though.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, then you're looking at Isaac Grendo at fifty three.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yuck. Yeah, I think I'd take Jordan James over.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Austin Ekelart at fifty four.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
It was a little something left PPR man, You can't
start any of these guys even close.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Trevor ATN at fifty five. Another Carolina back fourteen Carolina.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Yeah, I was trying to think where he ended up.
Jarques Hunter is going to play this year at fifty six.
See the chief with the rams. Okay, I'm the chief
draft of the dude, and I forget they get those two.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Flopped Rodrick Estimate at RB fifty seven.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
These are all like termin stomach. I'm not looking any
of these are all going to be in our league.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Actually, so they have JK. Dobbins at RB fifty eight,
Jayden Blew at fifty nine. I might roll the dice
on Blue Braylen Allen at sixty.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
He's at least a clear too right. I don't get
why he's so low right. And these other ones that
have like three competitors or two competitors in some cases. Right,
there was even talk of Hall getting traded. What if
he gets traded at the trade deadline or something. Yeah,
I would take Sean Allen that.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Late right in Miami at RB sixty one.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
That's crowded too, though.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Dylan Sampson all the way down at RB sixty two
with the.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Browns that might be in on that.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
DJ Giddens in Indianapolis at sixty three.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Mentioned how much Taylor gets hurt. I would imagine he's
the number two.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Don't understand why some of these guys are so far
down as a part. Some of the guys who are
in three and four way battles.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
They're a little biased against the rookies, and I think
that they're not looking at playing time enough.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Just looking at do you want to Mark's in Houston
is sixty six, that's the second back. Yeah, again, there's
some there's some value to be mined here. Jordan James
is RB seventy one.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
He might be the two, and he might be the
McCaffrey's true handcuff.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Who else's you can get? Kareem Hunt right now at
RB seventy seven's your chief.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah. Still, yeah, I don't know if he changed teams,
it's okay, I mean a little more reliable than some
of the other options. Yeah, it's just not. Man, it
dropped off quickly.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
If you're looking for guys like sure things, guys who
are going to get the ball on their teams, Yeah,
seventy percent of the time it's Robinson. And I don't
even know that Robinson is going to get a seventy
percent a lot because they I mean they do use
algaeer still quite a bit. Barkley Gibbs is fifty to
(17:56):
fifty good offense. Genty's gonna get.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
He may lead the league in touches a chance is
not gonna get. No, I bet he gets.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Bucky Irving will me Will McCaffrey's a no no.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I think they're gonna try to scale him back. Derrick
Henry's esa he's not gonna be out there, and there's
a lot of third downs he shit on the sidelines.
Jacobs is es Yeah, Taylor, no, I don't think he's
gonna be out there on third downs. Karen Williams is
that's the nice part. Yeah, I don't think he's great,
but he does all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Kenneth Walker's got Sharboney.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Walker's reception spiked last year. Yeah, but then he got
hurt Mixon. Yes, I think he still has that going
for him. James Cook mostly, I think I don't think
he's anything. He's a free agent after this year. I
think they're just gonna use him up. He's asking for crazy,
he wants crazy money, money, and they might just be like,
(18:53):
let's use him my crazy. He send him on his way.
Draft one in the second round. Yeah. Chase Brown, he
was last year.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
He was last year. I don't know if that's their
plan for I don't.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Think any team used a singular running back a higher
percent of the time than the Bengals. Even when he
was out, it was Moss all the time. Breese Hall,
I don't think he gets a seventy Allan's good. Allen's good.
A new staff. The old staff really seemed to like Allan. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Hampton, I don't believe he's going to get seventy percent.
Kamara is not going to get seventy percent. Judkins will yeah,
Connor feeling Connor will should unless Benson comes on strong.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Hubbard will, yeah. I would think, well, they might use
you Daldell all Over in the drafted ATM but they
paid Hubbard right Montgomerys and though no, but but it's
kind of gonna get the important ones.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
After that, Like is DeAndre Swift going to get seventy
percent of the Bear's touches?
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I bet they add somebody between now and then. I
don't know, maybe it's JK. Dobbins or who knows. But
it's what's interesting to me, is I love I loved
your strategy fifteen minutes ago when we got to like
Connor Montgomery neighborhood. You can make some money there. Yeah.
If you wait any longer, you're you're done done right,
(20:13):
Like you better how you better draft like five rookies
and hope yeah, one or two bits, or you have
to wait or you know, your bench is all these
running backs hoping.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Just clogging up your bench for the first two months
of the season.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Right, and then then you're short everywhere else and one
more one injury destroys you. But I don't love the
guys at the top either. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I mean, we'll circle back around in this stuff. When
you know, you get the training camp, we get a
little more clarity in some of these situations.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
But it's rough. It is rough. There wasn't a lot
of them where I was going. Oh yeah, I'll take
him there. It's like settle for it. You know. It's
way different than wide receiver, which we will do tomorrow. Yeah, okay,
that's a much longer conversation. Yeah. But like if Bucky
Irving is a top fifteen pick, I get it. But
(21:01):
is he a league winner? You know, I don't know. Yeah,
it's rough. It's rough.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Anyways, let's get to a break. He is the Matt Williamson.
I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here
on the Steelers Audio Network, Matt and I'll be back
with more right after this.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Block
and GOLDNR Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
And we are back.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
I'm Dale LOLLI he is the Matt Williamson and well
Matt he sues of course our daily drive here and
you can hear the Drive every Monday through Friday from
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You can also download the Steelers mobile app and get
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give us a thumbs up and leave your comments all
(21:55):
that fun stuff. Matt cbssports dot com is put together
Reason for Optimism for all thirty two teams after the
draft and free agency. So I just wanted to spin
through these year real quick, see if we agree or
disagree with these. For the Cardinals, they're in alphabetic order.
A looming year or two jump from Marvin Harrison Junior.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
I could be on board with that, and fantasy receiver ranks,
I might target him as somebody that's ready to be
better than he was in Year one. Couldn't be much worse.
It was pretty disappointing. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
For the Falcons, it's their revamped pass rush. Better be
for the fourteenth time.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Yes, last don't really worked, but they went all in.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
For the Ravens, it is. Ronnie Stanley remains is Lamar
Jackson's left tackle.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Okay, I like more of a jump, you know, as
opposed to just staying the same.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Here's the thing with Stanley. I think he's pre injury,
he was one of the top left tackles in the
in the NFL. Yeah, post injury, he's been an average
left tackle in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
It's been better. The further away from the injury he gets.
But I don't think he's ever going to be Trent Williams.
It's not gonna be on that, you know. And now
he's in his thirties, right, he probably is what he
is at this point, which you're happy with, but it's
not going to be what he was. Yeah, agreed. For
the Bills, it's Josh Allen. Oh, come on, that's kind
(23:32):
of corner that's all you got. Yeah, I mean they
went crazy drafted. I would say, now they got ten
defensive linemen that are interesting. They drafted three of them.
That's something drafted the first round cornerback. That's why I
wouldn't have done Stanley either, give me something new. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
For the Carolina Panthers, it's Bryce Young's strong finish at
twenty twenty four.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
That's a good one. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's promising.
Now you presumably got him a number one receiver. Two. Yeah,
he's in a comfortable situation for the Bears. Ben Johnson
arriving as the head coach, that's certainly reason for optimism.
I don't know if it will work out or not, but excitement.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
We're all assuming that Ben Johnson can actually be a
head coach, right, right, he's never done it before.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Coordinating the head coach is not huge difference, a huge difference.
I'm excited about their offense.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
I would you know, they could have said, you know,
they they revamped the interior of the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
They did this, drafted two pass catchers, start to draft.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Yeah, Ben Ben Johnson's head coach number, I don't know,
eight for the for the Bears in the last twenty years.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Yeah, like in Caleb Williams's quarterback number eighty seven, Yeah,
eighteen in twenty years, right, Ye, give me, I don't know.
I mean, I mean he was a crown jeweled that
everybody wanted, and I'm excited to see what he does.
But that doesn't mean he's a good head coach. Right.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
For the Bengals, the wide receiver duo is intact. Is
that something to be super excited about?
Speaker 3 (25:00):
That one? I kind of get just because I didn't
think that would end up going.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
I didn't think they would get that would happen either,
But they did it at the expense of doing very
little with their defense.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Right, running it back shouldn't be optimistic.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, if you've gone nine and nine and nine won
nine games, in each of the last two years.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
With these guys, it should be better than that. But
the same formula for Cleveland. It's the same thing. Miles
Garrett is still in Cleveland. That's your reason for optimism.
I would have said exciting new rookie class, which I
hate the rookie class, but something like that. I don't
know what else you can get excited about it, right,
(25:38):
that's the thing. Keeping the one guy usually shouldn't be
no Stanley and Garrett. I mean, as good as those
guys are, especially Garrett, like that's not enough for this article.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
For the Cowboys, it's Dak Prescott returning to full health.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
He's another one that kind of might be like Stanley,
where the best is the best. This is we're kind
of plateaued. You know it's good, but you know, is
he gonna get better or raise some Jonathan Mingo.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
For the Broncos, it's boast arguably the NFL's top defense.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
I think there's a lot to be optimistic in Denver.
Year two of Knicks. You know, improved running game defense
does look really good.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
For the Lions, it's Aiden Hutchinson's return.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
I can live with that. They lost a lot more
than they gained though, Yeah, I turned a few. The
thing about coaches.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
For the Packers, Jordan loves late season surges. I don't
know if that's a reason to be optimistic because that
means he started crappy.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah, each of the last two years as they were
searching for consistency here. Yeah, give me something more than that. Yeah,
I'm not sure what I picked though. For them. Yeah,
that's a tough one. That's a tough one, and they're
they're kind of running it back Golden's kind of interesting.
But they're losing Watson, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
For the Texans, should continue to have top pass defense.
That's a reason to be optimistic. How much how much
you're revamped the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
That's what I was gonna say too, Like maybe all the
problems on offense are gone. Yeah, right, right, right, Diggs
got hurt, Dell got hurt. Now you have four big
time receivers. Yeah, potentially O line vastly underperformed the past.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Defense is so, I don't know. For the Colts, it's
an improved secondary.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
All right, if you say so.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Yeah, I mean adding cam By them and Charvarius Ward, right,
average group, That doesn't make.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Them above that. That moves the needle a ton. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
For the Jaguars, the arrival of Travis Hunter.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
That's fun. That's I mean, we're talking about reasons for optimism.
Would be optimistic as could be if he was coming
to Pittsford. For the Chiefs, it's Patrick Mahomes pick Josh
Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, come on, you gotta a
little more creative with your choices here.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
For the Raiders, a drastic improvement in the run game.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
The Raiders have all kinds of low hanging fruit. Yeah,
Caro quarterback, the highest paid offense coordinator ever, new quarterback gent.
I mean it's like every download ladder. That's why I
said improved running game. I just say genty Yeah, I
mean they ran for I mean they were like the
worst running game in the league. Yeah, thirteen hundred yards
last Yeah, they were bad.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
The Chargers.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
It's an improved backfield, it is. I'm not sure the
Runners were the problem last year though. Well, Gus isn't good,
but Dobbins was all right, that's.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
The same Gus Edward you were talking. I signed him
after the draft.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
If they didn't really get anybody, he's a not even
make the team guy. I don't think he makes any
team this year.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Uh for LA, Trent Rams Matthew Stafford is still in LA.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
I guess that was debatable, But was it really.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
About going out and getting DeVante Adams.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Adams is a nice Yeah, that's the one to look at. Oh.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
For the Dolphins offense remains among the best in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Is it? Oh? I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
I don't think it is among the best in the
NA No.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
They had no running game either. I think their quarterback
is average. No, I'm not on the board of that,
and I think people have caught up to the scheme.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
They averaged twenty four points a game. That's not that's
not among the best in the NFL. The Steelers are
averaged almost twenty four points a game.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Yeah, that's I'm out there with that. Tyreek could be
falling off.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
For the Vikings, the perfect roster to usher in a
young quarterback.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I think the offense is phenomenal for that after the
O line moves. Sure, nice thrown to Jefferson Hawkins. I'm
on board with that. And the coach.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I just don't know that they did enough to improve
that secondary.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Oh, I think the defense is coach Flora is best
of luck. Yeah, we're going to make everything easy on
JJ and you got to coach things.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Up for the Patriots, it's Mike Rabel changing the tone.
That's what you're excited about.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
They made so many changes roster wise, right, and may
looks really promising. I think the roster actually looks acceptable.
That would have been like, the roster looks like it's
an actual NFL garbage anymore. Right, it's trending the right direction.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
For the Saints. Offensive tackle spots secured for the long term.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Oh by that we know that though, No, but it's you.
I mean, it's kind of like the Steelers going tackle years.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
But if if we just said that about the Steelers,
I'd be like, I don't know, I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
It's Soltie, you don't know, you don't know. And Laga
is going from left to right now, which might be better.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Might be better for him. But can Banks play right
or left tackle at all?
Speaker 3 (31:17):
I don't know. Yeah, there's not a lot to be
optimistic for or in New Orleans.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I don't know what I would have said there be
one of the new coaching that would have been a
new coaching staff. Yeah, oh boy, for the Giants, Jackson Dart, I.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Knew that was common. I would say D line, Yeah,
the Carter and Thibodeau and Burns and Lowren's like that
could be the best D line league. Good defense.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Okay, it's a good place to start for the Jets.
Can Justin Fields be the latest late bloomer?
Speaker 3 (31:52):
That would be tremendous for them if he is. That
a reason to be optimistic, though it's gonna be. I
think it's be a longer year for the Jets. We're
doing over under and schedule and all that stuff. I
don't see things going well for them this year. How
I do them back to back tackles in the first round.
That's a good start, yeah, memboo And for Sean here's
one of the things they say about it. And I just
(32:13):
want people to realize this.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Last season, Fields was four and two as the starter
in Pittsburgh and the offense averaged twenty point seven points
per game.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
One's good.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
The other isn't twenty point seven points per game?
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Yeah? Four and two is good. Yeah, but the offense
wasn't carrying them. No. No.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
For the Eagles, the reason to be optimistic is that
their favored to go back to back. Well, nobody it
really happens. I don't know if that's a reason to
be up. I would look at it and say.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
I mean they have all kinds of reason to be optimistic. Yeah,
the best team in the league. Yeah, what's different.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
They've they lost guys on defense, but did they replace
I mean, I could say, you know, you replaced your offense.
You're the guys that you lost on defense you were
able to replace.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
It looks like mostly true. Yeah, they lost more D
line than they replaced with.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, I don't for the forty nine ers, Christian McCaffrey
back healthy.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Maybe I hope so, I mean that would go a
long way. He was certainly missed. I would just say
health in general. Yeah, they got hit really hard, crushed,
But like when's that going to be ready for the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Jackson Smith and Jigba's rise to wide receiver one status.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
I'm fine with that. He is he he's I mean,
he's not justin Jefferson, That's what I say.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Like there are wide receiver ones and there were a
wide receivers like he's not Jefferson.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Or he's limited these guys the areas of the field.
He attacked. Yeah, I think he's a good player, but
he deserves double digit targets every week.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
For the Buccaneers, they kept Chris Godwin and Leavonte David.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Okay, I mean David is like Cam Hayward.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
Godwin was a good get, but keeping a thirty five
year old linebacker, it's like keeping Cam Hayward, but not
really because.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
He wasn't one of the defensive players a year last. Yeah,
but he's a stalwart in the community.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
David is a linebacker that has his game is predicated
on running and.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Now he's an average player. He's not a great player,
but he there's more to it than just get running
in Hayden.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Absolutely, right, absolutely. For the Titans, it's Cam Ward. Yeah,
that's number one, right after.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
You should be super excited about it.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
For Washington, it's adding key pieces around Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
I guess so Tunsel debo first round tackle. I'll buy that.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
And finally, for the Steelers, they finally acquired another star
our wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
I think that's what I had depict to. Yeah, they've
been they've been searching for a receiver for a while.
They got it. I mean, I think you know exactly
what that guy is, you know, Yeah, that's the big guess.
That's a reason for optimism, right. Sure could have used
dk Metcalf last year.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, But that was the list on CBS Sports.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
I agree with most of them. Pick them Mahomes and Allen.
I'm kind of you know, if that were the case,
you should pick Lamar Jackson for the Ravens Burrow and yeah,
yeah exactly, Herbert, you know, as opposed to better running it.
You know, we know you got a great quarterback. Tell
me something I might not know?
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Right anyways, Yeah, that was the list on the CBS Sports.
Let's get to another break He is Matt Williamson. I
am the Dale LOLLI how about that? And uh, this
is the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and
I'll be back to finish up the show right after this.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
And welcome back. I'm Dale Lolly.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
He is the Matt Williamson and Matt NFL dot Com
Mark Ross has a list of ten second year breakout
candidates in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
This yeartercent.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Some of these are pretty obvious, yeah, some of them
a little deeper. His first guy on there is Drake May.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
I have one hundred percent on board with that. Yeah.
I thought he did a lot with a little last year. Yeah,
and his sporting cast isn't perfect now, but it's better.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
Number two on there's Caleb Williams kind of better be
he better be number one overall pick.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
You got a lot around you now and can't tell
me the coach is going to hold him back or
you know, we'll see. Yeah, the boy, his life got
a lot easier.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
The third guy is Marv Harrison Junior. Could again he.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Better me better too? I mean these are big investments.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
You were the first wide receiver taken and what turned
out to be a really good wide receiver group.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
I mean what they were three of the top four
picks last year. Yeah, and May is the one I
feel best about of the three.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
I don't see this one necessarily Xavier Laget with Carolina.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
No, I don't either. I thought the tech pick was Yeah.
Now I do think he's in a better role. They
asked him to be like a true George Pickens X receiver,
and he's much more of a move he can't. He's
not good against man coverage, so he could benefit from
being Robin. I'm not sure Coker is not better than
(37:48):
Himker is a good player, right, I don't see what
the leget bet. I don't think that's a good one
for the Jets. Olufashanu.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Maybe he'd be a breakout candidate offensive tackle. There are
so many There were so many offensive tackles taken that
first round last he could honestly he could have picked
any of.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
Them, right, I mean for that late finally going back
to the spot they belong, Button who should be healthy,
was really good. Yeah, you know for the Colts layout
too late to. I expected more from him from the rookie,
and I thought the beauty of him coming out of
U c l A. Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't think he
(38:34):
had this great ceiling. But I thought he had a
really NFL ready game and it didn't quite show it.
It wasn't, you know, bust or anything, but didn't come
in really make an impact.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
For the Dolphins. Chop Robinson.
Speaker 3 (38:48):
He kind of already did though it was kind of
quiet because they were out of it. But he came
on strong. Oh boy for the Vikings, Dallas Turner. He'd
be worried about him. He was terrible last year and
they gave up a lot to get back in the
middle of the first round last year. He's a finesse guy.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
He played twenty eight percent of their defensive snaps last season.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Wow. I knew it was low, but I would have
guessed like forty. Wow. The problem with some of those
guys is they just don't play with power. Like if
they know you, okay, you can beat me the outside shoulder,
throw me nothing but curveballs. I'm gonna send on the curveball, right.
Those tackles get it, man, I just have to get
to my spot. If you can't run through my body,
I'm not that fearful of you. For the Lions, Terry
(39:30):
On Arnold, maybe corners have a tough transition, but boy,
you had a lot of penalties in a lot of
down moments. Yeah. For the Ravens, Nate Wiggins, he came
on really strong at the end too. He was part
of the reason that their their defense was shirt up.
I feel better about him than the Lions, dude, Arnold, Yeah,
(39:53):
this sounds like guys he liked coming out of the draft.
Sounds like, you know, it's like, guys, I was really
high on I think you're gonna see like they're all
first round picks, right right, right? Dig a little deeper, Yeah,
give me something a little bit more, any Steelers. I mean,
a great candidate easily could have been in the top
(40:14):
ten here without question because he just didn't see it, right,
get a chance to see it already. Did I think
Peyton Wilson could be a guy on the Yeah, yeah,
that's a good one too.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
I mean I'd feel much better about him than Dallas Turner.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Right, I saw good things out of him. His competition
were playing time is out of the way, which means
the team did that on purpose, right, you know. Yeah,
that's a good one. I mean he should be in
the top ten. But Roman Wilson, I mean breakout, it's
a big word. I mean, give me something about I'm
not saying to catch a hundred ball, but you could
(40:48):
get back on the career path. Yeah, give me give
me thirty Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He establishes himself as
the three. Like that's a breakout, right, Yeah, that's a
very successful year. I think Peyton. I think Peyton Wilson
is a real good one. He's Cormick and Fraser already
they're already Yeah, they're already starters, starters and good, you know,
and Fraser could be real good. I mean second year
(41:12):
guys about about it. Yeah, I don't think Logan Lee
all of a sudden twelve sacks or anything. You know.
I was kind of hopeful Watts could be interesting. Yeah,
I mean break out it's a big word. But take
a step forward in your two you know, you know.
But but if Lee is your fifth lineman and a
good one, it's a successful year. Yeah. Yeah, let's take
(41:33):
that year. He'd take that. I mentioned.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
I talked to Kirk Farrence uh on Friday and he
brought up Logan Lee.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
We're talking.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
We talked for a while and he said, yeah, Logan
Lee's like a forty year old man, just in his
his business, like a three handled life.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
I'm like, oh, okay, I've never been around him or
know his personality. Yeah that kind of makes sense, Okay,
just business and yeah. Interesting. I like here it though.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, I mean that's kind of approach you want those.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
Guys to have better than He's like a ten year
old kid, total goofball. Yeah, just floating through life right right, Yeah,
but it sounds like a lot of those Iowa guys
are like that. I mean they're they probably caught, they
probably recruit that type. Yeah, they stay there, they don't transfer,
come to the NFL and are pretty successful. Yeah, I'm
(42:23):
coming on that program. Kirk Faran's a good coach. How
long has he been there? Thirty years when at least
it might have been a long time when he's somewhere
because I remember it's been a while. Yeah, yeah, he's
been the guy there for a while.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
But uh yeah, interesting list and again a lot of
first round pack.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
I would like to see a lot more second through
fourth round type.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Give me somebody again, that's where you get your Peyton Wilson's.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
And things like that. That not the first round pick
that had a pretty good year that all of a
sudden they think would be better. Yeah, Like I know,
Marvin Harrison is Caleb Williams was the persfect that first
pick in the draft. You up a little more than that.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Yeah, anyways, but Matt, that's going to do for our
show today.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
All right? Good?
Speaker 2 (43:07):
One another one in the books, uh, for my partner
Matt Williamson for CJ. Wolfy here on site, keeping us
on the air, running the soundboard for Tyler Wittmeyer, making
sure our video gets out there onto YouTube. Give us
a thumbs up there. I am Dale Lelly. We thank
you for listening to this edition of the Drive on
the Steelers Audio Network
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
And welcome back to our number two of the Drive
here on the Steelers Audio Network. I'm Dale Lolly, he
is the Matt Williamson and uh Matt. Time for a
little Fantasy football focus here all right, as we did yesterday,
will take a look at Pro Football Focus's rankings on
the draft. We're gonna look at running backs today and
this is PPR.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Oh big. Nobody mentioned that. Yeah, yeah, worth noting at
this position that's super important because they have Bijon Robinson
as their number one running back over Saquon Barkley. And
I get it in a PPR format. Yeah, I was
gonna say, boy, that sounds a little nuts. I love
I love Bejon. I was, you know, preparing to have
(00:59):
this commonation with two things I wanted to bring up
about Barkley. So I want to do it before I forget.
If the tush push gets eliminated, that helps him. I mean,
I bet he gets two or three more short rushes.
Not that Hurts won't still score from the one. But
I heard this just since we got together last and
it adds up. I think he sat Week eighteen. Remember,
(01:21):
he could have tried gone for the record, but they're like,
let's try to win the super Bowl instead. But even
including that, if you add up all of his touchesing
going deep into the playoffs obviously to the super Bowl,
he had I think over five hundred touches. He had
more touches than any running back since DeMarco Murray's year
that he was like the total bell cow. And it's
(01:43):
been a while, but if you look at guys that
had five hundred or more like eight out of ten
of them only played like half a year the next year.
Take that what you want. But I mean, if you're
using the first overall pick in your fantasy draft on Barkley,
that would be my only concern. Ye, but it's a
great situation. Would you take Bijon over him? In PPR
(02:05):
they throw more, they throw more, and the young quarterback
dumping into him. Yeah, it's pretty appealing. Yeah, you wouldn't
consider anybody else though, you know, Yeah, Okay, Gibbs is
there RB three, I bet he's in the next year though.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
RB four and ninth overall in their rankings Ashtion Genty.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I'm cool with that. Especially in PPR, I'd have him
over Henry. I can't think who else i'd even be
in the hunt for running back four.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
This next guy, the guy's right after him. At fourteen
overall in RB five, Devin.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Ah Chan, Right, that's a big drop to me. I mean,
I can't do that. Those top four you're pretty happy.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
With now RB five or RB six, I should say
at seventeen overall is Bucky Irving.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I might have him over a Chan, but I would
definitely have him over a Chan. He can none of
them will compete for the top four, though.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
He's gonna score more touchdowns. Yeah he does catch the ball.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Yeah yeah, it doesn't seem like much. But that only
Gordon Pick hurts a Chan too. He was such a
bad goal line back, but now he's probably not even
be out there. I cannot even imagine that plan. He's
like the smalles guy in the field and you're asking
to be the goal line back. You're hiding right right right,
and they were gonna go do the little people throw
them over the top right. At twenty one overall and
(03:31):
RB seven, Christian McCaffrey, I'd probably roll the Dice. I'd
take him over a chan in PPR. PPR definitely take
him over a Chan. I might take him over Irving.
The thing is, you're never gonna see any preseason stuff.
You're gonna have no idea. You're gonna go into a
(03:53):
blind You're just gonna have to trust to beat reporters.
And who knows how much he practices. Yeah, to leap
of faith. At twenty two are RB eight Derrick Henry
non PPR. Would you put him ahead of the three
above him? I take him over a Chan. You still
get the receiving yards, right right, it still matters. Yeah,
(04:14):
So it's not like they go away. No, he's not
gonna get any I mean the beauty that I think
at Chan is just rated too highly, that's right, right, right,
But he will catch passes. He's gonna catch a lot
more than Henry. Yeah, I think there's an argument for
Henry to be five in standard.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
At twenty three is RB nine Josh Jacobs, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
I mean he's another one's had quite the workload, but
he does every year and he fights through it. You know,
at twenty so much competition and the Lloyd kid looks
like a.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Bost twenty seven RB ten is Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Love the player. He's missed like eleven games in the
last two years. Yeah, and the quarterbacks, no matter who
they are, are going to vulture some of it. He
doesn't catch a lot of passes, but I love the player.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Twenty eight RB eleven is Karen Williams.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Pretty solid. So I just heard this and I went
back and double checked it. Every year that McVeigh has
been the head coach of the Rams, they have drafted
a running back. I mean not in the first round
all those times without a first rounder, but they did again.
And they're like, well, is that an indictment on Korum
or are they less happy with Williams. No, I think
they've draft one every year in the mid rounds.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
At twenty nine overall and RB twelve is Kenneth Walker.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think he's getting ready for a real bounce back.
I think he's a tremendous player.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Thirty five overall on RB thirteen is Joe Mixon.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
I was so afraid to him last year. I thought
he was hitting a wall. I didn't think he looked
good at the end of his Bengals career. That's wrong.
I mean I think that offense will be better.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Thirty six overall and RB fourteen James Cook.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
He won't have the same touchdowns, but number one back
in a great offense, I might have him higher than that.
I think I would.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Yeah, Yeah, thirty seven overall, RB fifteen Chase Brown.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
He does catch the foot it does and it's a
really good offense. They throw in the red zone. Now, Yeah,
I just don't think he's great. I don't think he
is either. Yeah, it doesn't always matter for fancy.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
At thirty eight in RB sixteen Bri Saul.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
I don't know what to make of him. I've been
in a bunch of trade talks in my dynasty league
for him, and I'm wary to invest heavily in him.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You're gonna if you're gonna bang Jonathan Taylor because.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Right the quarterbacks are gonna vlter some carries and touchdowns
away from him, Like you have to do the thing.
Same thing with brisall I know, and he's had a
fair amount of wear and tear, and he's had some injuries.
Like I don't think I'm gonna end up making the
deal in this league because I don't trust him to
that level. I mean, they want early picks and I'm not.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Quite there at thirty nine and RB seventeen Omari and Hampton.
Speaker 3 (07:07):
I get it. You might have to be a little
patient for the files. So right, yeah, any know nause,
he's probably not gonna get hurt or get out of
the way. You know, that's sticky. I don't know that
I could be in then in that camp.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
At forty and that's not his age, but it's close.
RB eighteen Alvin Kamara, he produces every year. I don't
love the situation of this year.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Oh, I hate the situation. I've hated for a couple
of years. Yeah. New coordinator too, doesn't scream real quick?
Back to Hampton, would you take Harvey over him? Yes?
I would too, just and I might say he's better,
But it's this situation, right, how about like Judkins, he's
coming up next Thunderson Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
He's RB nineteen at forty one overall, so there's not
a lot of difference here.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I hate the situation. Yeah. So back to the Browns.
I didn't realize this either, but if I crushed him
for not drafting any offensive lineman, four of their starters
are free agents after this year, too, Like, what are
you doing it makes me crazy. Draft two running backs,
two receiats or two quarterbacks and no alignment.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
At forty three. RB twenty after Judkins at nineteen is
James Connor.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Had a really good year. A couple of these guys.
I mean everyone always talks about age twenty seven. I
think this is where you win your draft. Yeah, I'm
saying this isn't real bad. Everyone's gonna be like, he's
a year older, he's so injury prone, but the course
of his career he hasn't been that injury prone. He
was early, yeah, but he's been productive all the time.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
RB twenty one is is Chuba Hubbard.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
I'll take that too.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Yeah, got a good line, And I think these are
the guys you win with. Yeah, because RB twenty two
at sixty overall is David Montgomery.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
He's gonna score. I think they had like thirty rushing
touchdowns last night, and eighteen of them they'll have to Yeah,
double digits for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Sixty one overall RB twenty three is Tony Pollard. I
like Montgomery a hell of a lot more.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
And Pollard is the first name I was like, oh yeah,
I mean Spears is so similar to him. And they're
not great. I mean he wasn't bad last year.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
But sixty three overall RB twenty four is DeAndre Swift.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
Right now, he's the only show in town. Somebody else
can go down that road. I know I don't trust
him one bit, but I bet people will love him.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Sixty nine RB twenty five is Aaron Jones with the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I'm going to run that back my point before with
when we were talking mcconnor was age twenty seven. These
guys all hit a cliff Well, Kamara Henry, I mean McCaffrey.
I mean, these guys are all producing when they're out
in the same draft. They're all from the same draft.
Aaron Jones got three new linemen in Minnesota. Still pretty good.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Seventy one RB twenty six is Harvey.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
I'll go up on that one. I don't think there's
any competition. They want to run the ball.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Seventy two RB twenty seven is Isaiah Pacheco.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
I'm shocked they didn't do more running back. I never
trust him because his style will play, but not before
happened last year. Yeah, bust it up.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Seventy four overall and RB twenty eight is Jalen Warren.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
I was wondering who the top stealer would be. PPR
should be Warren, yeah, without a question.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
Eighty two overall, RB twenty nine is Brian Robinson.
Speaker 3 (10:31):
Surprisingly didn't get much competition. I like the Costky Merrit kid.
They took him the seventh round at the seventh round pick. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Eighty six overall, RB thirty Travis or Trevor atn that
was scared is that Travis?
Speaker 3 (10:46):
I can't Travis. Yeah, I don't like it. I think
he may end up in Dallas or something like that
because they drafted Toot and they have that.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
Big I thought somebody'd end up in Dallas last year
there happened. Eighty seven overall and RB thirty one is
Remandre Stevenson, so.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
He's ahead of Henderson in a PPR. I'm still a
Stevenson believer, but I would definitely have Henderson over Stevenson
in PPR.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Eighty nine overall and RB thirty two is Javonte Williams.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
He looks like the one. I don't think he's pretty
good good anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
Though, at ninety and RB thirty three is Traveon Henderson.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Okay, so they're closed.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Ninety one overall, RB thirty four Tyrone Tracy.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
I don't think Scatibo hurts him tragically.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Interestingly enough, they're right next to each other. Man Scatibo's
ninety two and RB thirty five, I would rather have
Tracy and PPR ninety three and RB thirty six is
Jordan Mason.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
They traded for him direct handcuff to an older guy.
I just said, I liked he's a Viking now if
people don't know, I like Jones. But Jones has never
been a full time player, and they traded for this guy.
It's a sneaky pick.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
Ninety five overall and RB thirty seven is Caleb Johnson cool.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
I could see that being the lowest his ADP is
between now and when you make your real draft, I
bet he starts to creep up boards.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Ninety seven overall and RB thirty eight is Zach Sharbonnet.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Okay clear two but yeah. At one O two, RB
thirty nine is Tank Bigsby. I guess I kind of
don't want any of their backs. One O four and
RB forty is Rashad White. PPR is yeah, I mean
he is a good receiver.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
At RB forty one at one oh seven is TAIJ.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
Spears. I think there's still a lot there and the
line's better. At one twelve, I think Spears is closer
to Paullard than these ranks indicate.
Speaker 2 (13:02):
Yeah, one twelve and RB forty two is Trey Benson.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
He was pretty rough as a rookie, hard to trust.
Speaker 2 (13:10):
At one twenty two RB forty three, Nagee.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Harris. Now they had Hampton really high. I mean they're
really thinking it's going to be the rookies backfield. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:22):
At one twenty six RB forty four, Tyler Algier all
the way down there.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
That's honest. That's a really good handcuff. Yeah, proven for.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
The guy that you had as a number one back
all right, and I'm gonna get him at one twenty six.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
If I'm the Bijon Oder, I'm paying a higher price
than that for it. Yeah, I'm not sure he's one
of these guys, but he's close that if the guy
in front of him is the miss time. I don't
know if he's in RB one, but he's not far.
I mean it's he the top ten in all the
RB ranks that week, closely, pretty close all the time.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Shares and right, you just take out of the equation,
you know, right. One thirty one RB forty five is
Ray Davis.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Eh, Josh Allen's their short yards back.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah, the one game where he did have to play though, Oh,
I like he's good.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
He was good. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:17):
One thirty two RB forty six is Kendre Miller.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
I don't think he's even gonna be the two. I
think Neil will go past him.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
One thirty five RB forty seven is Rashawn Johnson.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
I guess he is theirs. Yeah, it's getting pretty thin
right now. It is quick the most years. One thirty eight.
This implies to me, after all those rookies in this
draft too, just start drafting rookies at this point. RB
forty eight is Blake Korum. But they drafted a guy too,
and they always do. Uh.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
RB forty nine is Rico dal Dell with the Panthers.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Looks like the clear handcuff on a run first team.
He's not bad.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
We finally get to another rookie at RB five, and
that's a base shell Teuton.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
That's the third jag mentioned though.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
Yeah, crowded back for Marshaun Lloyd is our RB fifty one.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
It's a bit of a leap of faith after nothing
rookie season.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
Julil McLaughlin is RB fifty two.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
I mean, in a PPR if he's a third down
guy and this is thin though.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Yeah, then you're looking at Isaac Grendo at fifty three.
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Yuck. Yeah, I think I'd take Jordan James over.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Austin Ekelart at fifty four.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
It was a little something left PPR man, You can't
start any of these guys even close.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Trevor ATN at fifty five. Another Carolina back fourteen Carolina.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
Yeah, I was trying to think where he ended up.
Jarques Hunter is going to play this year at fifty six.
See the chief with the rams. Okay, I'm the chief
draft of the dude, and I forget they get those two.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
Flopped Rodrick Estimate at RB fifty seven.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
These are all like termin stomach. I'm not looking any
of these are all going to be in our league.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Actually, so they have JK. Dobbins at RB fifty eight,
Jayden Blew at fifty nine. I might roll the dice
on Blue Braylen Allen at sixty.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
He's at least a clear too right. I don't get
why he's so low right. And these other ones that
have like three competitors or two competitors in some cases. Right,
there was even talk of Hall getting traded. What if
he gets traded at the trade deadline or something. Yeah,
I would take Sean Allen that.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Late right in Miami at RB sixty one.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
That's crowded too, though.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Dylan Sampson all the way down at RB sixty two
with the.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
Browns that might be in on that.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
DJ Giddens in Indianapolis at sixty three.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
Mentioned how much Taylor gets hurt. I would imagine he's
the number two.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Don't understand why some of these guys are so far
down as a part. Some of the guys who are
in three and four way battles.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
They're a little biased against the rookies, and I think
that they're not looking at playing time enough.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Just looking at do you want to Mark's in Houston
is sixty six, that's the second back. Yeah, again, there's
some there's some value to be mined here. Jordan James
is RB seventy one.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
He might be the two, and he might be the
McCaffrey's true handcuff.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
Who else's you can get? Kareem Hunt right now at
RB seventy seven's your chief.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Yeah. Still, yeah, I don't know if he changed teams,
it's okay, I mean a little more reliable than some
of the other options. Yeah, it's just not. Man, it
dropped off quickly.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
If you're looking for guys like sure things, guys who
are going to get the ball on their teams, Yeah,
seventy percent of the time it's Robinson. And I don't
even know that Robinson is going to get a seventy
percent a lot because they I mean they do use
algaeer still quite a bit. Barkley Gibbs is fifty to
(17:56):
fifty good offense. Genty's gonna get.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
He may lead the league in touches a chance is
not gonna get. No, I bet he gets.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
Bucky Irving will me Will McCaffrey's a no no.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
I think they're gonna try to scale him back. Derrick
Henry's esa he's not gonna be out there, and there's
a lot of third downs he shit on the sidelines.
Jacobs is es Yeah, Taylor, no, I don't think he's
gonna be out there on third downs. Karen Williams is
that's the nice part. Yeah, I don't think he's great,
but he does all that stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Kenneth Walker's got Sharboney.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
Walker's reception spiked last year. Yeah, but then he got
hurt Mixon. Yes, I think he still has that going
for him. James Cook mostly, I think I don't think
he's anything. He's a free agent after this year. I
think they're just gonna use him up. He's asking for crazy,
he wants crazy money, money, and they might just be like,
(18:53):
let's use him my crazy. He send him on his way.
Draft one in the second round. Yeah. Chase Brown, he
was last year.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
He was last year. I don't know if that's their
plan for I don't.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Think any team used a singular running back a higher
percent of the time than the Bengals. Even when he
was out, it was Moss all the time. Breese Hall,
I don't think he gets a seventy Allan's good. Allen's good.
A new staff. The old staff really seemed to like Allan. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Hampton, I don't believe he's going to get seventy percent.
Kamara is not going to get seventy percent. Judkins will yeah,
Connor feeling Connor will should unless Benson comes on strong.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Hubbard will, yeah. I would think, well, they might use
you Daldell all Over in the drafted ATM but they
paid Hubbard right Montgomerys and though no, but but it's
kind of gonna get the important ones.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
After that, Like is DeAndre Swift going to get seventy
percent of the Bear's touches?
Speaker 3 (19:53):
I bet they add somebody between now and then. I
don't know, maybe it's JK. Dobbins or who knows. But
it's what's interesting to me, is I love I loved
your strategy fifteen minutes ago when we got to like
Connor Montgomery neighborhood. You can make some money there. Yeah.
If you wait any longer, you're you're done done right,
(20:13):
Like you better how you better draft like five rookies
and hope yeah, one or two bits, or you have
to wait or you know, your bench is all these
running backs hoping.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Just clogging up your bench for the first two months
of the season.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Right, and then then you're short everywhere else and one
more one injury destroys you. But I don't love the
guys at the top either. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
I mean, we'll circle back around in this stuff. When
you know, you get the training camp, we get a
little more clarity in some of these situations.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
But it's rough. It is rough. There wasn't a lot
of them where I was going. Oh yeah, I'll take
him there. It's like settle for it. You know. It's
way different than wide receiver, which we will do tomorrow. Yeah, okay,
that's a much longer conversation. Yeah. But like if Bucky
Irving is a top fifteen pick, I get it. But
(21:01):
is he a league winner? You know, I don't know. Yeah,
it's rough. It's rough.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Anyways, let's get to a break. He is the Matt Williamson.
I am Dale Lolly. You're listening to the Drive here
on the Steelers Audio Network, Matt and I'll be back
with more right after this.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
This is the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson
on your twenty four to seven home of the Block
and GOLDNR Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
And we are back.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
I'm Dale LOLLI he is the Matt Williamson and well
Matt he sues of course our daily drive here and
you can hear the Drive every Monday through Friday from
four to six pm right here in these very airways.
You can also download the Steelers mobile app and get
the show there, or you can watch along one YouTube
give us a thumbs up and leave your comments all
(21:55):
that fun stuff. Matt cbssports dot com is put together
Reason for Optimism for all thirty two teams after the
draft and free agency. So I just wanted to spin
through these year real quick, see if we agree or
disagree with these. For the Cardinals, they're in alphabetic order.
A looming year or two jump from Marvin Harrison Junior.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
I could be on board with that, and fantasy receiver ranks,
I might target him as somebody that's ready to be
better than he was in Year one. Couldn't be much worse.
It was pretty disappointing. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
For the Falcons, it's their revamped pass rush. Better be
for the fourteenth time.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
Yes, last don't really worked, but they went all in.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
For the Ravens, it is. Ronnie Stanley remains is Lamar
Jackson's left tackle.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
Okay, I like more of a jump, you know, as
opposed to just staying the same.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
Here's the thing with Stanley. I think he's pre injury,
he was one of the top left tackles in the
in the NFL. Yeah, post injury, he's been an average
left tackle in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
It's been better. The further away from the injury he gets.
But I don't think he's ever going to be Trent Williams.
It's not gonna be on that, you know. And now
he's in his thirties, right, he probably is what he
is at this point, which you're happy with, but it's
not going to be what he was. Yeah, agreed. For
the Bills, it's Josh Allen. Oh, come on, that's kind
(23:32):
of corner that's all you got. Yeah, I mean they
went crazy drafted. I would say, now they got ten
defensive linemen that are interesting. They drafted three of them.
That's something drafted the first round cornerback. That's why I
wouldn't have done Stanley either, give me something new. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
For the Carolina Panthers, it's Bryce Young's strong finish at
twenty twenty four.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
That's a good one. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's promising.
Now you presumably got him a number one receiver. Two. Yeah,
he's in a comfortable situation for the Bears. Ben Johnson
arriving as the head coach, that's certainly reason for optimism.
I don't know if it will work out or not, but excitement.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
We're all assuming that Ben Johnson can actually be a
head coach, right, right, he's never done it before.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Coordinating the head coach is not huge difference, a huge difference.
I'm excited about their offense.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
I would you know, they could have said, you know,
they they revamped the interior of the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (24:24):
They did this, drafted two pass catchers, start to draft.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Yeah, Ben Ben Johnson's head coach number, I don't know,
eight for the for the Bears in the last twenty years.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
Yeah, like in Caleb Williams's quarterback number eighty seven, Yeah,
eighteen in twenty years, right, Ye, give me, I don't know.
I mean, I mean he was a crown jeweled that
everybody wanted, and I'm excited to see what he does.
But that doesn't mean he's a good head coach. Right.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
For the Bengals, the wide receiver duo is intact. Is
that something to be super excited about?
Speaker 3 (25:00):
That one? I kind of get just because I didn't
think that would end up going.
Speaker 2 (25:04):
I didn't think they would get that would happen either,
But they did it at the expense of doing very
little with their defense.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Right, running it back shouldn't be optimistic.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, if you've gone nine and nine and nine won
nine games, in each of the last two years.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
With these guys, it should be better than that. But
the same formula for Cleveland. It's the same thing. Miles
Garrett is still in Cleveland. That's your reason for optimism.
I would have said exciting new rookie class, which I
hate the rookie class, but something like that. I don't
know what else you can get excited about it, right,
(25:38):
that's the thing. Keeping the one guy usually shouldn't be
no Stanley and Garrett. I mean, as good as those
guys are, especially Garrett, like that's not enough for this article.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
For the Cowboys, it's Dak Prescott returning to full health.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
He's another one that kind of might be like Stanley,
where the best is the best. This is we're kind
of plateaued. You know it's good, but you know, is
he gonna get better or raise some Jonathan Mingo.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
For the Broncos, it's boast arguably the NFL's top defense.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
I think there's a lot to be optimistic in Denver.
Year two of Knicks. You know, improved running game defense
does look really good.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
For the Lions, it's Aiden Hutchinson's return.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
I can live with that. They lost a lot more
than they gained though, Yeah, I turned a few. The
thing about coaches.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
For the Packers, Jordan loves late season surges. I don't
know if that's a reason to be optimistic because that
means he started crappy.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
Yeah, each of the last two years as they were
searching for consistency here. Yeah, give me something more than that. Yeah,
I'm not sure what I picked though. For them. Yeah,
that's a tough one. That's a tough one, and they're
they're kind of running it back Golden's kind of interesting.
But they're losing Watson, you know.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
For the Texans, should continue to have top pass defense.
That's a reason to be optimistic. How much how much
you're revamped the offensive line.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
That's what I was gonna say too, Like maybe all the
problems on offense are gone. Yeah, right, right, right, Diggs
got hurt, Dell got hurt. Now you have four big
time receivers. Yeah, potentially O line vastly underperformed the past.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Defense is so, I don't know. For the Colts, it's
an improved secondary.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
All right, if you say so.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
Yeah, I mean adding cam By them and Charvarius Ward, right,
average group, That doesn't make.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
Them above that. That moves the needle a ton. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
For the Jaguars, the arrival of Travis Hunter.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
That's fun. That's I mean, we're talking about reasons for optimism.
Would be optimistic as could be if he was coming
to Pittsford. For the Chiefs, it's Patrick Mahomes pick Josh
Allen and Patrick Mahomes. Yeah, come on, you gotta a
little more creative with your choices here.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
For the Raiders, a drastic improvement in the run game.
Speaker 3 (28:25):
The Raiders have all kinds of low hanging fruit. Yeah,
Caro quarterback, the highest paid offense coordinator ever, new quarterback gent.
I mean it's like every download ladder. That's why I
said improved running game. I just say genty Yeah, I
mean they ran for I mean they were like the
worst running game in the league. Yeah, thirteen hundred yards
last Yeah, they were bad.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
The Chargers.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
It's an improved backfield, it is. I'm not sure the
Runners were the problem last year though. Well, Gus isn't good,
but Dobbins was all right, that's.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
The same Gus Edward you were talking. I signed him
after the draft.
Speaker 3 (29:00):
If they didn't really get anybody, he's a not even
make the team guy. I don't think he makes any
team this year.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Uh for LA, Trent Rams Matthew Stafford is still in LA.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
I guess that was debatable, But was it really.
Speaker 2 (29:18):
About going out and getting DeVante Adams.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Adams is a nice Yeah, that's the one to look at. Oh.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
For the Dolphins offense remains among the best in the NFL?
Speaker 3 (29:30):
Is it? Oh? I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
I don't think it is among the best in the
NA No.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
They had no running game either. I think their quarterback
is average. No, I'm not on the board of that,
and I think people have caught up to the scheme.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
They averaged twenty four points a game. That's not that's
not among the best in the NFL. The Steelers are
averaged almost twenty four points a game.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
Yeah, that's I'm out there with that. Tyreek could be
falling off.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
For the Vikings, the perfect roster to usher in a
young quarterback.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I think the offense is phenomenal for that after the
O line moves. Sure, nice thrown to Jefferson Hawkins. I'm
on board with that. And the coach.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
I just don't know that they did enough to improve
that secondary.
Speaker 3 (30:17):
Oh, I think the defense is coach Flora is best
of luck. Yeah, we're going to make everything easy on
JJ and you got to coach things.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Up for the Patriots, it's Mike Rabel changing the tone.
That's what you're excited about.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
They made so many changes roster wise, right, and may
looks really promising. I think the roster actually looks acceptable.
That would have been like, the roster looks like it's
an actual NFL garbage anymore. Right, it's trending the right direction.
Speaker 2 (30:50):
For the Saints. Offensive tackle spots secured for the long term.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Oh by that we know that though, No, but it's you.
I mean, it's kind of like the Steelers going tackle years.
Speaker 2 (31:03):
But if if we just said that about the Steelers,
I'd be like, I don't know, I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
It's Soltie, you don't know, you don't know. And Laga
is going from left to right now, which might be better.
Speaker 2 (31:13):
Might be better for him. But can Banks play right
or left tackle at all?
Speaker 3 (31:17):
I don't know. Yeah, there's not a lot to be
optimistic for or in New Orleans.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I don't know what I would have said there be
one of the new coaching that would have been a
new coaching staff. Yeah, oh boy, for the Giants, Jackson Dart, I.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Knew that was common. I would say D line, Yeah,
the Carter and Thibodeau and Burns and Lowren's like that
could be the best D line league. Good defense.
Speaker 2 (31:44):
Okay, it's a good place to start for the Jets.
Can Justin Fields be the latest late bloomer?
Speaker 3 (31:52):
That would be tremendous for them if he is. That
a reason to be optimistic, though it's gonna be. I
think it's be a longer year for the Jets. We're
doing over under and schedule and all that stuff. I
don't see things going well for them this year. How
I do them back to back tackles in the first round.
That's a good start, yeah, memboo And for Sean here's
one of the things they say about it. And I just
(32:13):
want people to realize this.
Speaker 2 (32:15):
Last season, Fields was four and two as the starter
in Pittsburgh and the offense averaged twenty point seven points
per game.
Speaker 3 (32:22):
One's good.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
The other isn't twenty point seven points per game?
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Yeah? Four and two is good. Yeah, but the offense
wasn't carrying them. No. No.
Speaker 2 (32:34):
For the Eagles, the reason to be optimistic is that
their favored to go back to back. Well, nobody it
really happens. I don't know if that's a reason to
be up. I would look at it and say.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
I mean they have all kinds of reason to be optimistic. Yeah,
the best team in the league. Yeah, what's different.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
They've they lost guys on defense, but did they replace
I mean, I could say, you know, you replaced your offense.
You're the guys that you lost on defense you were
able to replace.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
It looks like mostly true. Yeah, they lost more D
line than they replaced with.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Yeah, I don't for the forty nine ers, Christian McCaffrey
back healthy.
Speaker 3 (33:18):
Maybe I hope so, I mean that would go a
long way. He was certainly missed. I would just say
health in general. Yeah, they got hit really hard, crushed,
But like when's that going to be ready for the Seahawks.
Speaker 2 (33:32):
Jackson Smith and Jigba's rise to wide receiver one status.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
I'm fine with that. He is he he's I mean,
he's not justin Jefferson, That's what I say.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Like there are wide receiver ones and there were a
wide receivers like he's not Jefferson.
Speaker 3 (33:48):
Or he's limited these guys the areas of the field.
He attacked. Yeah, I think he's a good player, but
he deserves double digit targets every week.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
For the Buccaneers, they kept Chris Godwin and Leavonte David.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Okay, I mean David is like Cam Hayward.
Speaker 2 (34:09):
Godwin was a good get, but keeping a thirty five
year old linebacker, it's like keeping Cam Hayward, but not
really because.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
He wasn't one of the defensive players a year last. Yeah,
but he's a stalwart in the community.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
David is a linebacker that has his game is predicated
on running and.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Now he's an average player. He's not a great player,
but he there's more to it than just get running
in Hayden.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
Absolutely, right, absolutely. For the Titans, it's Cam Ward. Yeah,
that's number one, right after.
Speaker 3 (34:41):
You should be super excited about it.
Speaker 2 (34:42):
For Washington, it's adding key pieces around Jayden Daniels.
Speaker 3 (34:48):
I guess so Tunsel debo first round tackle. I'll buy that.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
And finally, for the Steelers, they finally acquired another star
our wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
I think that's what I had depict to. Yeah, they've
been they've been searching for a receiver for a while.
They got it. I mean, I think you know exactly
what that guy is, you know, Yeah, that's the big guess.
That's a reason for optimism, right. Sure could have used
dk Metcalf last year.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, But that was the list on CBS Sports.
Speaker 3 (35:21):
I agree with most of them. Pick them Mahomes and Allen.
I'm kind of you know, if that were the case,
you should pick Lamar Jackson for the Ravens Burrow and yeah,
yeah exactly, Herbert, you know, as opposed to better running it.
You know, we know you got a great quarterback. Tell
me something I might not know?
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Right anyways, Yeah, that was the list on the CBS Sports.
Let's get to another break He is Matt Williamson. I
am the Dale LOLLI how about that? And uh, this
is the Drive on the Steelers Audio Network. Matt and
I'll be back to finish up the show right after this.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
He's the Drive with Dale Lolly and Matt Williamson on
your twenty four to seven home of the Black and
Gold Steelers Nation Radio.
Speaker 3 (36:12):
And welcome back. I'm Dale Lolly.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
He is the Matt Williamson and Matt NFL dot Com
Mark Ross has a list of ten second year breakout
candidates in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
This yeartercent.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Some of these are pretty obvious, yeah, some of them
a little deeper. His first guy on there is Drake May.
Speaker 3 (36:33):
I have one hundred percent on board with that. Yeah.
I thought he did a lot with a little last year. Yeah,
and his sporting cast isn't perfect now, but it's better.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
Number two on there's Caleb Williams kind of better be
he better be number one overall pick.
Speaker 3 (36:48):
You got a lot around you now and can't tell
me the coach is going to hold him back or
you know, we'll see. Yeah, the boy, his life got
a lot easier.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
The third guy is Marv Harrison Junior. Could again he.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Better me better too? I mean these are big investments.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
You were the first wide receiver taken and what turned
out to be a really good wide receiver group.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
I mean what they were three of the top four
picks last year. Yeah, and May is the one I
feel best about of the three.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
I don't see this one necessarily Xavier Laget with Carolina.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
No, I don't either. I thought the tech pick was Yeah.
Now I do think he's in a better role. They
asked him to be like a true George Pickens X receiver,
and he's much more of a move he can't. He's
not good against man coverage, so he could benefit from
being Robin. I'm not sure Coker is not better than
(37:48):
Himker is a good player, right, I don't see what
the leget bet. I don't think that's a good one
for the Jets. Olufashanu.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Maybe he'd be a breakout candidate offensive tackle. There are
so many There were so many offensive tackles taken that
first round last he could honestly he could have picked
any of.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
Them, right, I mean for that late finally going back
to the spot they belong, Button who should be healthy,
was really good. Yeah, you know for the Colts layout
too late to. I expected more from him from the rookie,
and I thought the beauty of him coming out of
U c l A. Yeah, yeah, I wouldn't think he
(38:34):
had this great ceiling. But I thought he had a
really NFL ready game and it didn't quite show it.
It wasn't, you know, bust or anything, but didn't come
in really make an impact.
Speaker 2 (38:46):
For the Dolphins. Chop Robinson.
Speaker 3 (38:48):
He kind of already did though it was kind of
quiet because they were out of it. But he came
on strong. Oh boy for the Vikings, Dallas Turner. He'd
be worried about him. He was terrible last year and
they gave up a lot to get back in the
middle of the first round last year. He's a finesse guy.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
He played twenty eight percent of their defensive snaps last season.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
Wow. I knew it was low, but I would have
guessed like forty. Wow. The problem with some of those
guys is they just don't play with power. Like if
they know you, okay, you can beat me the outside shoulder,
throw me nothing but curveballs. I'm gonna send on the curveball, right.
Those tackles get it, man, I just have to get
to my spot. If you can't run through my body,
I'm not that fearful of you. For the Lions, Terry
(39:30):
On Arnold, maybe corners have a tough transition, but boy,
you had a lot of penalties in a lot of
down moments. Yeah. For the Ravens, Nate Wiggins, he came
on really strong at the end too. He was part
of the reason that their their defense was shirt up.
I feel better about him than the Lions, dude, Arnold, Yeah,
(39:53):
this sounds like guys he liked coming out of the draft.
Sounds like, you know, it's like, guys, I was really
high on I think you're gonna see like they're all
first round picks, right right, right? Dig a little deeper, Yeah,
give me something a little bit more, any Steelers. I mean,
a great candidate easily could have been in the top
(40:14):
ten here without question because he just didn't see it, right,
get a chance to see it already. Did I think
Peyton Wilson could be a guy on the Yeah, yeah,
that's a good one too.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
I mean I'd feel much better about him than Dallas Turner.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Right, I saw good things out of him. His competition
were playing time is out of the way, which means
the team did that on purpose, right, you know. Yeah,
that's a good one. I mean he should be in
the top ten. But Roman Wilson, I mean breakout, it's
a big word. I mean, give me something about I'm
not saying to catch a hundred ball, but you could
(40:48):
get back on the career path. Yeah, give me give
me thirty Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He establishes himself as
the three. Like that's a breakout, right, Yeah, that's a
very successful year. I think Peyton. I think Peyton Wilson
is a real good one. He's Cormick and Fraser already
they're already Yeah, they're already starters, starters and good, you know,
and Fraser could be real good. I mean second year
(41:12):
guys about about it. Yeah, I don't think Logan Lee
all of a sudden twelve sacks or anything. You know.
I was kind of hopeful Watts could be interesting. Yeah,
I mean break out it's a big word. But take
a step forward in your two you know, you know.
But but if Lee is your fifth lineman and a
good one, it's a successful year. Yeah. Yeah, let's take
(41:33):
that year. He'd take that. I mentioned.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
I talked to Kirk Farrence uh on Friday and he
brought up Logan Lee.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
We're talking.
Speaker 2 (41:43):
We talked for a while and he said, yeah, Logan
Lee's like a forty year old man, just in his
his business, like a three handled life.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
I'm like, oh, okay, I've never been around him or
know his personality. Yeah that kind of makes sense, Okay,
just business and yeah. Interesting. I like here it though.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah, I mean that's kind of approach you want those.
Speaker 3 (42:02):
Guys to have better than He's like a ten year
old kid, total goofball. Yeah, just floating through life right right, Yeah,
but it sounds like a lot of those Iowa guys
are like that. I mean they're they probably caught, they
probably recruit that type. Yeah, they stay there, they don't transfer,
come to the NFL and are pretty successful. Yeah, I'm
(42:23):
coming on that program. Kirk Faran's a good coach. How
long has he been there? Thirty years when at least
it might have been a long time when he's somewhere
because I remember it's been a while. Yeah, yeah, he's
been the guy there for a while.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
But uh yeah, interesting list and again a lot of
first round pack.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
I would like to see a lot more second through
fourth round type.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Give me somebody again, that's where you get your Peyton Wilson's.
Speaker 3 (42:48):
And things like that. That not the first round pick
that had a pretty good year that all of a
sudden they think would be better. Yeah, Like I know,
Marvin Harrison is Caleb Williams was the persfect that first
pick in the draft. You up a little more than that.
Speaker 2 (43:03):
Yeah, anyways, but Matt, that's going to do for our
show today.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
All right? Good?
Speaker 2 (43:07):
One another one in the books, uh, for my partner
Matt Williamson for CJ. Wolfy here on site, keeping us
on the air, running the soundboard for Tyler Wittmeyer, making
sure our video gets out there onto YouTube. Give us
a thumbs up there. I am Dale Lelly. We thank
you for listening to this edition of the Drive on
the Steelers Audio Network
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