May 25, 2024 • 59 mins
Scott Fish and Paul Charchian break down the AFC & NFC South, including some big proclamations for the Houston Texans.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly, a production of iHeart Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly
source for the nation's best fantasy football advice, speculation, and
whatever stupid stuff they decided to drop into the show. Now,
here's your host, Paul.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly. I am Paul Chargian co
host today. After kind of a fair amount of time off.
Scott Fish welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yes, yes, but it's pretty normal this time. Last year,
between February and June and July, I only did one show.
That's not four and a half month.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
But that's not it's not gonna be.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
This is my second show.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
All right, good we want you back.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yes, we miss you and I'm excited to be in
your house again. I wore my swimsuit. I see that
pool is under construction, but I can swim at.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
The boat we're adding in the Olympic lanes under the pool.
It was traded for Paris's my my hair stylist. They're
not barbers anymore. Okay, my hair stylist decided you wanted
to get a pool put in your yard. They sold
(01:13):
their boat and then started collecting money. Do you know
much a pool a just a regular backyard pool costs
to put in.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I don't even have the slightest clues. Somody going to
take a complete guess at twenty eight thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Add about one hundred thousand dollars to that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
What yes, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
So they sell their boat and they save money and
they scrimp and they put together over one hundred thousand
dollars to get just a standard suburban backyard pool put in.
That's hand off the money to pool guy and he
goes a wall. He never did anything, kept the money
(01:55):
and took off for Kentucky. What and he did it
to like ten fifteen people in the twin cities. They're
just out over one hundred thousand dollars. There's nothing they
can do.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
There's no recourse at all. Nope, that's the.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Police are not interested, you know. It's he's filed bankruptcy
to try to protect himself, but they don't. But he
was sitting on all this cash. Nobody cares, nobody's following up,
and they're never gonna get paid.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
That's I can't even imagine. I can't even imagine.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I know I can't either. One hundred thousand dollars just gone.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Man, Oh that's street. Tell the story, dig your own pool,
get a shovel shot Aston and Sino Man did it
so anyone could do it. And he did that in summer,
so I mean a school year.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I'm not a big pool guy.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
No, I'm not either.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's just I don't know. I'm just not my thing.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
I get in the water with them. I'm not a
hot tub guy though. That feels like no, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Is it because of the germs?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Uh? You know, like if it's over chlorinated and stuff
and cleaned regularly and stuff, then sure it's fine.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
But what if it's just your hot tub for you
and your family. You're already sharing germs.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Maybe I guess I like saunas. Yeah, I don't know.
On the hot tub, I remember, you know, yeah, let's
we can move on. But yeah, I'm not a huge
hot tub guy. It's it's okay in a hotel. Hotel,
I need something to do in the pool.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I guess the pool when I'll swim a little out wide.
I just I need to gamify the pool experience that
I say, water polo, two.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Young boys footballs and stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah right, they have throw I gotta throw football. I
gotta gamify the pool experience.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
For those of you who listened to last week's show,
you know that what we're what we're doing here is
breaking down breaking A lot of people were plus fifteen seconds, Ye,
plus fifteen seconds. When is this thing going to get interesting?
Plus fifteen seconds?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
We're breaking down all the teams in each of the conferences.
Last week we did the NFC and AFC East. This
week we're doing the South. We're heading south. We're heading south,
the AFC South, the NFC South. We're highlighting the off
season moves. The rosters have stabilized, now, yeah, pretty much.
You know they were like ninety nine percent. You know
these are the rosters these teams are gonna have. So
(04:10):
we look at what the roster looks like, highlight the
key differences from last year, and just.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Give some overall thoughts on each of the teams. Ye,
at least the fantasy football you know, relevant relevant to one. Yes,
to have stabilized. I like that you took all the
good teams too, did I? I was joking I have
Carolina on my I feel like I don't mean good,
I mean fun teams, but.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Teams I may have may not. I did pick my
now Houston. I went on a way again because I'm
a big Texans. Guys, this is my team. I think
they're going to win the Super Bowl or at least
go to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So I did purposely give myself the Texans. The others
are mostly just start throws. Okay, all right, let's start
with Tennessee. I'll let you go first. Let's let's a
lot of changes for Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yes, yes, coaching changes, ground and running game. Derrick Henry gone,
Mike Vrabel gone. They bring in Brian Callahan, who uh
was OC of the Bengals for five years, but similar
to Kevin O'Connell with the Rams, he didn't call the play.
Zach Taylor called the plays for the Bengals, so we'll
(05:13):
we'll see what happens there. Brought in his old high
school friend Nick Colts from the Jags. They went to
high school together. Nick Colets actually remember that was like
a coordinator for Brian Callahan's dad Nebraska and stuff, so
long history there. But he was the pass game coordinator
for the Jags. They were ninth in passing. The Jags
were last year, so I expect a whole lot more
(05:35):
passon if you're bringing those two Rabel and Derrick Hedrick. Uh,
basically we're gonna have uh Will Levis. They're they're gonna
have to try to groom him, try to develop him.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
This I'm telling I'm telling you they made a mistake.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
But he threw four touchdowns in that first game.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
They drafted JJ McCarthy. Yeah, I yet had that four
touchdown game that first game, four touchdowns. You know where
I'm going with this. Yes, the rest of the year
four touchdowns. Wow, that's Will Levis was awful. He had
the lowest completion rate of any starter last year. He's
I'm I don't understand why teams croll out these guys.
(06:18):
You know, I realized he was a high second round
pick last year, right, right, and so you've got some
equity built into it. But can't you look at the
tape and just go, look, we can't count on Will Levis.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Let's make it.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Let's go get another guy and find out what happens.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, I don't. I don't get keep drafting until you
hit it. That's Malik Willis two years ago. Draft Levis
the next year. He didn't seem like it just keep
drafting quarterbacks. Yes, they brought in Mason Rudolph to sit
behind him. I don't know. It's not a good quarterback
in situation, but they're doing all they can on the
with the other weapons to try to give him some help.
(06:52):
They brought in Tony Pollard. They have Taja Spears.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeh.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Both just incredible pass catchers. They combined for well over
one hundred catches last year on separate teams. Obviously, yes,
but Spears was actually a little more efficient than Tony Pollard.
If you watched Tony Pollard last year, that would surprise
you at all. But they're both very versatile, and they
can take those dump offs from Will Levis maybe add
up that completion percentage. They have DeAndre Hopkins. They paid
(07:20):
Calvin Ridley to come in too much. I thought, really,
you don't think that. You don't think he should be
the tenth highest rate with the third most guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Buddy, I knew it was bad.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
I know it is that bad for forty seven million
guaranteed for a man.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
God bless his agent.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And they brought in Tyler Boyd, which
I think is also another good signing there. So yeah,
I add those. Now Treylon Burks doesn't have to start,
but yeah, he's you know, as a fourth option, he's okay.
They got Chicka Kwank Konker still, I see. I like
Chicka Kwank, but he does he does things that aren't
(08:03):
great on the football field at times, but sometimes he
can really hit that scene and look really good. So
maybe he's just got to grow. I don't think he's
a huge fantasy asset, probably a deeper guy. But they
got weapons around Levis. But as you know with fantasy,
a lot of times it depends on your quarterback. And
he's how much can he support? Can he support all
those weapons or does it just help the past game
(08:24):
a little?
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Look, We'll Levis has the opportunity to get better. Of
course in year two. I just didn't see the traits
that I wanted to in year one to make me
feel confident about it. So I don't want to make
it sound like I'm writing it writing off his career.
I'm just not very optimistic.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, yeah, it could be. It could be, And we
don't know how well Brian Callahan and Nickolets can develop
a quarterback. Yeah, we don't really know the level they've been.
You know Brian with Burrow or you know Nicholets last
year with Lawrence, etcetera. We really don't know. We'll see.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
So I asked this for each for each of the teams.
Does the passing game for the Texans Titans get better
or worse this year?
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I think it has to get better just based on
who they have and more volume if that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Like great, I don't. Yeah, you know, when you're not
the most run heavy team in the league. Yeah, it'll
it'll probably help. And then running game, yeah, better or worse.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
It's probably worse. But fantasy wise, there's gonna be a
lot of pass catching that'll help, So that that'll help.
I think it's going to be fantasy points. It might
be similar, but it might be split between two people
and it might come from pass catching instead of Derrick
Henry for one hundred and fifty yards and three scores.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
At this time last year, Tony Pollard was beginning of
the second round selection. Yeah, now in Tennessee, which runner
would you draft first? Taj Spears Tony Pollard?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Oh first. It is tough because I feel like they're
really going to give it give, really going to give
Pollard as much is he can. They really really want
to get him involved, but I like, this is your
classic who do you want it? Their ADP at the
States the question where all of us they're gonna say,
Taj Spears if he's the lower guy, but you're posing hey.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
At the same price, at the same price, they're both available,
and you've decided you're drafting a Tennessee running back.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Here here's the thing. I think I'm going Spears, And
here's why. Not only is he more efficient, and I
think he's got more juice. We saw him in training
camp against the Vikings, and we saw him last year
enough to see that he's he's got some some speed
to him. He's got that. I'm I'm losing track of
the word here, but I think I'd rather have him
(10:43):
because where I'm going to be drafting these guys is
probably my RB three or four and that point I
got my one and two. I want the upside guy.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah, Spears feels like the upside guy.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
I think his you know, just the skill set. He's
got some electric moves. Yes, honey, Pollard, I no one
play should affect me as much as this one play
from Tony Pollard last year. Cowways have the ball at
the two or three yard line of their opponent. They
hand the ball off to Tony Pollard. He's going off
(11:19):
left tackle and he's got the entire way from the
left tackle to the to the cone, no defenders. And
at the point of the handoff, I'm saying, I'm thinking
to myself, obvious touchdown. And he erased that touchdown. He took,
he went, he he he didn't go far enough outside.
(11:40):
He ran into a defender. And I'm like, ninety nine
times out of one hundred, the running back get paid
gets paid on that play, and he managed to erase
a touchdown. I can't get.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Weird how he was the opposite guy I know two
years before. I know.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
It's such a fickle game.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
I know.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Yeah, let's go to the Houston Texans. I love the Texans,
all right. So the passing game gets a big change
with perpetual ingrade Stefan Diggs arriving in Houston. He expands
the receiver room in a way that might not be
as fantasy friendly as we would like because Nico Collins
are there, Tank Dell is there, Dalton Schultz comes back,
(12:19):
you know, as we all know, and this worries me
a little bit. If Diggs he ain't getting the ball enough,
everybody has to suffer, right, If Diggs ain't happy, nobody's happy.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
It's not that a player of Diggs's level came into
the situation. It's Diggs coming into this situation.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
All the personality and the baggage and everything.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, we've seen.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Now Collins and Diggs both have ADPs inside the top thirty.
They're separated by just five picks. So I'll ask you
similar question. Would you rather have Collins or would you
rather of Digs Collins?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
That's not even I don't even think that's close to me.
I think Collins is the star in the making. But
we've we've been on the Collins train for.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Years, you and I have. But when we looked like
morons two years ago, we kept talking about Colins. So Collins,
here's the separator. I'm gonna give you some data on
Collins and Diggs. Collins on deep balls passes of twenty
or more yards last year, Get this, he caught eleven
of twelve passes on deep balls.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
It doesn't even feel surprising, But.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Isn't that amazing?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Still amazing?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Now, let's go to Diggs. Diggs got thrown to sixteen
times on deep passes from Josh Allen last year. You
want to guess how many catches he had on those
deep balls.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
I'm gonna it feels like it's bad, just the way
your team. I'm gonna go with seven.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Four, three interceptions and no touchdown.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
That's like twenty five percent of my math.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
That is correct, well done. Here's at the end of
the day. I want my receivers to get downfield passes right,
I want big plays. I want that, and Nico Collins
can deliver it. Stefan Diggs doesn't do that.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Can you Can you make the argument that because Nico Ken,
and because we know Dell Ken as well, that Digg
zill run really free in the middle. Maybe in short
but again, we've talked about this all the way back
to the days of Juju Smith Schuster with that you
need volume in touchdowns. You do and if you don't
do it though it's not fantasy.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
You mentioned Tank Dell. He returns from last year's broken
leg and last month's nightclub shooting. 'tis but a scratch.
I understand she's a flesh wound, but still wow, not
great sign he is he is participating in limited fashion
in in off season workouts. Other receivers on the team
(14:46):
like Robert Woods and Noah Brown and John Matchi are
basically plaster to the bench here. I mentioned Dalton Schultz
signed a new three year deal in the off season.
He was a highly inconsistent producer last year, and I
think that continues here and bring in Diggs doesn't add more.
I think to Dalton Schultz repertoire here, so I think
he's a spot starter. And then of course c J.
Stroud coming off very likely the best rookie season of
(15:08):
any quarterback in NFL history, numerous record set started his
career with one hundred and ninety one passes without an
interception I remember, which is staggering.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
That's incredible.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
He posted finished the season posting a touchdown to interception
ratio of twenty three to five. His average distance of
throw was eight and a half yards, the longest of
any rookie since they started tracking the stat and his
deep passing was fantastic, completing fifty nine percent of his
deep balls that was second best in the entire league,
(15:39):
not him on rookies the whole league. He had the
second best deep pass completion percentage eight touchdowns on deep passes,
no interceptions. Unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
It is CJ Stroud, Yes on CJ Stroud, just how
well he understands and knows the game. Have you watched
any of the clips of him and Michael Parsons going
through plays talking about the game. That guy tends Apparently
c J. Stowd talks about the game like on a
(16:10):
Peyton Manning level. It's unbelievable how well he understands the
They would go back and forth. Mike could be like,
well if you did that, I'm gonna do this, and
CJ's well, then I would do this, and I'm like, wow,
this is and there. It's just incredible to watch how
smart these two are with the offensive defense. And they're
(16:31):
still good too.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
You know, it's still it's a physical game, but it's
also a cerebral game. Yeah, and depending on your position
especially so. Does the passing game get better for the
Texans this year? And I think it does.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I think c J.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Stroud matures to another level. He only had he had
twenty three touchdowns last year, that number he could have
thirty three. I mean he could easily be for good
for ten more touchdowns this year and then you get
Tank del back on the full season. You know, I
just think this and add ad Indgs, so it gets better.
Let's go to the Houston running game. The Texans inexplicably
swapped the lightly used Devin singletary for the aged Joe Mixon,
(17:07):
who's going to start the season with eighteen hundred career touches.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
It's a lot of work. He has not topped four
point one yards per carry Joe Mixon in five years,
and four point one per carry is not a lot.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
And a lot of people will not a lot of people,
one person at least, but I know other people have
mentioned it. Zach Taylor ran him up the middle into
defenders so much that I wonder if that hurts, like
his yards per carrying things like that. But also that's
really painful touches. Those are touches that are really wear
(17:46):
you down.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
So last year Mixon dropped or drooped, depending on how
you want to look at it, down to running back
thirty five by Pro Football Focus. His elusiveness dropped to
running back fifty, and his yards after contract contact to
drop to fifty one. You know, everything on mixing looks
like a.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Guy into for me who is washed.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, and so let's go to the backup. Well, okay,
I can't be trusted to talk about Damian Piers. So
I'm gonna let you take it away from here. Are
you are? Damian Pierce returns as the backup. I you
know I've ruined all my credibility and matters around Damian Peers.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I don't think you have.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
But I think, what do you think?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
I think one thing we did see at the end
not last year, but the end of the year before
and might have should have been a foreshadow to the
to the following year. Although he was hurt a lot,
he consistently runs into people instead of trying to run
around people, which caused that injury. But also, you know,
if they tackle him and he isn't breaking those tackles,
(18:50):
his numbers go way down. And I think we saw
a lot of that last year as well. We should
have seen it at the end of the previous year too.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
They got to coach that out of it.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, it feels CoA it does. It feels it feels coachable.
Maybe he just he's used to you know in previous
you know, high school, college. It's being able to just
run through people and he was able to right away
in his career. But yeah, that's my problem with Pierce
is he needs he needs to fix that.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I'll note this, Pierce finished with Pro Football Focus is
second best pass blocking grade among all on the field,
So that'll help. Right now, if you don't like Pierce,
if you're with me, that mix's washed. And you don't
like Pierce, your only other option is Jawar Johnson, a
twenty five year old Louisville long shot, likely too small
to me in every down back, but maybe he gets
(19:38):
into the rotation if he shines.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
I I wouldn't be shocked if this this year is
a similar split to last year's was with Singletary, but
Pierce maybe takes more of the load later in the season.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Maybe, I mean, you know, maybe Mixon is just so
cooked they have to go to Pierce more. But I
you know, right now, I'm just as much as much
as I'm trying to get every part of the Texans offense,
I don't think I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
It Also would shock me if if Mixon has an
Alexander Madison from last year type of year where he just.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Told the spot and he's not good, that could very
well be the pay in the case right now, Mixon
going off the board at running back fifteen pick.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Fifty feels high. Feels I think that is classic. You
want the running back on the offense that's going to
be in a position to score a lot.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
And so people are doing that thing. But I just
I'm not a believer in him. Let's go to Jacksonville.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah, yeah, let's go to Jacksonville. We'll start the coaching
staff didn't have much much changes there, so we can
move on from that. Normally, I want to start there
just in case there's something. But let's start with the
passing game. Trevor Lawrence. We mentioned earlier. Nick Holtz was
the passing game coordinator there. Ninth in passing last year,
Trevor Lawrence himself QB thirteen not actually the worst year.
(20:53):
They picked him up for his fifth year option. If
you watch the games, he still has room to improve.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yeah, I did safe to say.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I think that's that's very safe to say. They did
not bad, I mean not bad, you know. No, QB
thirteen feels right, It actually feels right for him. They
did lose Calvin Ridley, but they brought in Brian Thomas Junior,
who I know you love. In the draft, they brought
in Gabe Davis paid him, I believe, three for thirty ish,
(21:21):
three for three for more than I thought was going
to get. Yeah, yeah, and they still have Christian Kirk.
So now they have you know, they replaced Ridley and
Zay Jones with Brian Thomas Junior and Gabe Davis. Whatever
you think of Gabe Davis or a rookie that still
feels like an upgrade.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Christian Kirk is going to be a guillotine superstar, you think.
So He's going to catch a ton of pass super consistent,
super consistent.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I can see that.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
You know, I don't know that he gets like double
digit touchdowns. But Christian Kirk could be sitting on one
hundred catches, yeah, you know, thirteen yards.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Or it could be the guy last year tight end,
Evan Ingram, who had one hundred and forty three targets.
Next closest was one hundred and twenty seven at tight
end one hundred and fourteen catches. Next closest was ninety
five a tight end. He had nine hundred and sixty
three yards, which was third, but he.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Only had four scores. Swhear it took half a season
for him to get the first one.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I feel like it did. Yeah, he ended his tight
end six. If his touchdowns matched what the other stats
should have been, he would have been tight end won
by a long shot. But maybe, yeah, maybe it's just
a lot of Kirk and Ingram, very consistent, tons of targets.
You love me in your guillotine league type of situation.
(22:36):
You're gonna ask the question or do you want me
to just answer it? Did the passing game improved?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Did the passing game improve?
Speaker 3 (22:43):
I think it improved? Okay, I think it improved.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
With the swapping of receivers.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
The swapping of those receivers in just another year for
Trevor Lawrence under Doug Peterson, I feel like those factors
probably just going to be a slight improvement.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Okay, let's go to the running game.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah, in the running game, the coaches recently recently said
they want to get the ball into tank tank bigsbys.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
More well more would be like twice twice. Yes, another
bruise on my ego right here.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I do think they. I do think they saw with
Etn Gain hurt again last year for a little bit,
and he still finished his running back three that they
just want to keep they want to keep him healthier.
I think I'm shocked they didn't do more of that
last year. But maybe a second year with Tank in
that offense, you know he'd learned some learned some things whatever.
But Etn running back three last year, Like he's going
(23:38):
to need to reproduce all of that to stay at
that level. I mean, he had fifty eight catches, but
he was one of only two running backs in the
top ten running backs with under four yards per carry. Wow,
three three point eight yards per carry the other one.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I just don't think he's special. Yeah, I'm just not
convinced that Travis Etn is a special player.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Man. I thought so in college. Yeah, the fifty eight
catches really helps. The twelve scores really helps. If he's
going to be the super volume focal point of that offense.
He had many twenty plus touch games last year. He's
going to do it again. But if they do get
Tanked more involved, I'd expect to slight drop up. But
he's probably still going to finish as an RB one.
(24:21):
He's probably still going to finish in that top one regards.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
It's just too volume. Yeah, yep, let's go to Indianapolis,
the last team of the AFC South. Let's go to
the passing game. We only got to see Anthony Richardson
for part of four games last year, So Week one
he did, he look good in the stretches he did.
Week one, you get the knee injury. Week two he
had a concussion, and then in Week four the shoulder
(24:44):
injury that ended a season.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
So historic levels of fantasy points person nap.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
How about that though, right that's I mean, that's the
that's the exciting part. He had the four touchdowns, despite those,
Despite those, all that that happened in the first four games,
he had four rushing touchdowns. He looked pretty mate. He
would a whopping seven yards per rushing attempt, and I
thought the passing looked pretty good. And people were really
worried about his deep ball, but Anthony Richardson's deep ball
(25:12):
connected pretty well last year in the again very limited
sample size that we had in early drafts. Right now,
Anthony Richardson's ADP Scott quarterback six.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
I've seen a lot of lists with him there fifty.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Five overall, so he's kind of like the last of
the sort of proven rushing quarterbacks. What do you think
Is that about right.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
That I like him a little more.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
I have him in my.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Top five with c J. Stroud. So I have a
question for you. In our home league, would you like
one of those?
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:44):
I would thank you very much because I have both
of them. I cannot keep both of them.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Well. You know, obviously Richardson's got way more upside, which
is how you win. But I love c J. Stroud.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
I won the league last year, so my next seven
years are paid.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
So I just worked that in. How nice of you, God,
My team was terrible. I am interested in even in
a one quarterback league. I would give up some asset
for and in this home and I know you're not
trading Anthony Richardson.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
In this home league. They do keep quarterbacks too, No,
but I I have Anthony Richardson, just on that pure
upside a little higher we've for me. I feel like
we've seen so many times these top quarterbacks. Some of
them will drop, some of them won't, but you can
find super steady, good guys late. I'd rather take Richardson
(26:31):
and all that high upside and then back them up
with someone that you know makes me feel safer.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Agreed. In traditional leagues like not guillotine leagues. You gotta
play for upside. You need to be the best of
twelve teams.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
And so you know he's this is the kind of
pick that goes and wins your league.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Exactly. If you get.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
A Lamar Jackson from four years after season, you know
you find yourself.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Jalen Hurts fifteen touchdown, you exactly winning the Colts.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Drafted six foot two at AD and I Mitchell. I
was saying it wrong earlier. Ad and I Mitchell in
the second round. He is insanely fast four three four speed.
And now you've got a guy who can get under
these long passes thrown by Anthony Richardson the way that
(27:18):
the rest of the receivers like Michael Pittman, Josh Downs,
they were not going to get under those balls. Mitchell.
Do you see Mitchell's rats, No, No, nine point nine
to nine's that's very close to the ten, very close
to the ten. Yes, Yes, amazing speed for a guy
six foot two. Yeah, so he's going to open things up.
(27:40):
But I'm not asking for consistency from Mitchell early in
his career with a young quarterback. He's still raw, needs
probably needs a season or two only had one really
productive college season, so I think he's a year away
from being a consistent contributor.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Yep, that's probably.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Speaking of guys with a nine point nine to nine rasts. Yeah,
Jilannie Woods come back this this, this is gonna be
the year for Jilannie Woods. Yes, one of these times,
I'm gonna get it right. This is gonna be like
my Zach Moss. One of these years, I'm going to
get it right. And it's gonna be when everybody's given
up on John it was.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
You know what's It's not even gonna be a season.
It's gonna be that the giant fantasy playoff run that
we talk about. Yeah, maybe that's gonna gonna be that.
And then you'll get your You'll get your flowers, your Peacocky.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Woods returns from a hamstring injury that cost him all
of these his sophomore season last year. I think he
remains a great dart throw just on the absurd athleticism
and and a lot of Titans do sort of figure
it out in year three, although really missed the whole
year last year with the hamstring. So does he get
better or worse for the Colts passing game? Well it
gets better. Richardson over Gardner Minshew is enough and then
(28:51):
you add in ad and I Mitchell and it all
gets better. So now let's go to the running game, Scott. Obviously,
Jonathan Taylor returns. Current ADP is pick thirteen overall running
back five. So here he is going at the very
top of the second round.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Yeah, I think it's fair. I think we've seen what
that offense does with Taylor at the end. They just
give him so much volume, and the curiosity is what's
going to happen with him and Richardson both on the
field more. Maybe maybe that lowers because Richardson takes so many,
so many runs he can, but Richardson's.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Not built for like Tush push style.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Touchdown no no. And Jonathan Taylor is great at the
goal line. He's got to know us for it. Yeah,
he's he I think five is fine for Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
We love that he's a workhorse. Once he took over
from Zack Moss, who had a shockingly good season, Taylor
averaged twenty two carries per game. You just don't get
that from many backs in the league anymore. Yeah, maybe
not enough though, being made of Taylor's overall lukewarm season.
Let me get you a symmetrics. You know, he missed
(29:57):
the first month of the season and then he killed
fantasy owners down the stretch. He played in just one
of five games from week eleven to week fifteen, So
here you are in your fantasy play right that hurt.
He hit one hundred yards last year one time, and
it was Week eighteen. That's it. He was profoabable, I
(30:18):
know he was. Pro football focus is running back forty
four overall, that's it. He was thirteenth in yards after contact,
which we like, twenty third in elusiveness, but overall to
play for him seemed down a bit. He topped just
four point two yards per carry, which is nothing in
just four games last year for Jonathan Taylor, and he
(30:38):
scored in the final five games of the season, which
I mean helped his overall stats because he went on
that long scoring run at the end of the year.
But many of those games were too little, too late
in a season where if you had drafted Jonathan Taylor
and missed that month and then he missed that stretch run,
you probably weren't in the playoffs any So Zach Bross
is gone. He went off to Cincinnati. That running back room,
(31:00):
it's thin. So Evan Hull returns after last year's knee injury,
and then after a two carry season last year, Trey
Sermon comes over Philadelphia. We can now call him a journeyman. Right,
Sermon's just not special.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Scott, He's just a guy.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
So does the offensive line? Oh, I'll mention Colts put
a third and fourth round pick and the offensive line
which could help. Does does it get better or worse
for the Indianapolis running game this year? I think worse
because Moss was such a good was such a good backup,
whether he was starting when Taylor was out or not.
(31:40):
I think that the drop from Moss to Evan Hull
makes this a lot worse. All right, let's take a break.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Well, that volume leads to another injury.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Which it might, which might? It's fine. Uh, Let's take
a break and turn our attention to the NFC South
when Fantasy Football Weekly continues. Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly. Hey,
we have a Discord channel. Did you know that? Check
out the show notes. You can get a link right
to our Discord channel. You can participate talk about this episode,
anything that's happening in fantasy football. We've got side conversations
(32:11):
on video games, board games, whiskey.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
And you can win it. You can win a trip
to hang out with Charts at his in his new pool.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
I was a big canon I was a cannonball guy,
not a jackknife guy. Uh yeah, it was more of
can cannonball guy.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
I think the jackknife is a little harder to pull off.
And I mean cannonball. It's just, you know, basically tuck
and jump in a pool. It can't really go wrong
with it, you can't. All right, let's let's let's talk.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
It's the belly flop guys you gotta worry about.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
You know. The belly flop competitions are pretty fascinating to
see those big fat guys dive into the pool and
just you can hear it, it's gotta hurt.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
This might be the most off the rails episode we've
had a long time.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
It probably is. I did not think we'd be talking
about belly flops.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
I feel like if I bought the show more, that
would be spread out of all your episodes, but instead
it's all in one.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Do you do if you're in the belly flop competition? Okay,
how do you train for it? Do you do you
need to like? Do you do you just eat? Do
you do you jump in the pool a lot? Is
there a lot of technique like do you go navel first?
Speaker 3 (33:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (33:27):
Or you going nipples first?
Speaker 3 (33:29):
There is someone listening who knows about this. Yes, would
probably have put it in.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
The discord in the episode. Yes, put it in the
episode discussion in our discord channel. What are the techniques?
Do they lather up with something? Do they use oils
or like a lubricating agent of some kind on the belly?
Speaker 3 (33:49):
I don't know, I really don't know.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
You do you shave because you don't want the hair?
Do you shave the chest hair off because you don't
want the hair to lessen the impact? I don't know,
belly fly, I really like these are the burning questions.
Yes that we've got the Fantasy.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Football Week and that's a show this week.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
And on that note, let's be done AFC, sorry, NFC South.
Let's begin with Division champion Tampa Bay.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Okay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They actually had one major coaching change.
They lost Dave Canalis to uh the Carolina Panthers. He
was obviously the QB coach for Seattle when Gino Smith
one comeback Player of the Year and nearly did it
again with Baker last year, as.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
I'll be talking about him momentarily, Carolina.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Yeah, absolutely, I should have saved it for the end,
but that that makes absolutely no sense because they've started
with the passing game, and uh so, I would you know,
Baker has been what he is for years and then
he had a really good season last year. I worry
that he'll down Tech without Dave Canalis, but maybe not.
He's got He's got Mike Evans back the contract extent.
(35:00):
They got Chris Godwin. Still, they got Trey Palmer. They
say they're gonna move Godwin back to the slot, where
he's been more productive in his career, and he's.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Then you got then you got Palmer playing out of position.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Yeah, Palmer played fifty three percent slot last year, so
he's yeah, a little bit more of a slock guy.
He's playing out of position. You could start some of
the other guys, but here are the other guys, Jalen McMillan,
Devin Tompkins, rakeem Jarrett, Ryan Miller, Rally.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Webb, Raley Webb.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
I'm pretty sure that's like a baseball player from the twenties. Actually,
I don't know how that got in there. Cephas, Johnson, Tanner,
Canoe or new Cameron Johnson, La Treo, Drones and scraps Charty.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Yeah, scrap char Plucky plucky.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
I love it. I love it. Yes, those are the
other wide receivers behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Trey Palmer. So,
say it falls off just a bit, I'd expect a
lot of two and three person three wide receiver, you know,
situations there. Trey Palmer weirdly enough, if he's moving outside.
(36:10):
Last year outside he had nine catches for twenty plus
yards nine times, nine times. So I wonder if that
they they want to get Godwin more productive in the slot,
they feel it's better for him, and they saw something
in Palmer that maybe maybe there's something there. Yeah, maybe
there's something there.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
I thought it was weird that they that they did
take Godwin out of that role that he had been
so productive in. Yeah, and it didn't it just didn't
feel like it was a natural fit. Last year.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Kate Oughten was
tight end twenty. I don't see him getting more targets
in an offense I think is going to be slightly
less and doesn't have depth. May maybe do maybe if
there's an injury, he does. You know, that's that's where
it come in because they don't have any depth either
behind atten or wide receivers. But I think the passing
(36:59):
game takes it a slight tick down the.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Loss of Canalis and then just Mike Evans being one
year older, right, I mean the end is coming for Mike. Yeah,
maybe it's here now and we don't know it. Hopefully
it's a year or two away, but it's coming.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
Hall of Fame career, thousand yards every year. Into the
running game, we have Rashad White, who I previously mentioned
was one of the two top ten running backs with
a yards per carry under four in this season. He
was not very efficient, but he did have sixty four
catches scored just enough to make him RB four, kind
(37:32):
of like traves et. If that offense takes a little
bit of a downturn and he doesn't score as much
and he doesn't, well, the catches should probably still be there.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
I think the catches will be there. It's the touchdowns
or worry on what and.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
There's nobody behind him. They drafted a fourth round, uh,
the Bucky Irving fourth round, and then Chase. I was
gonna say Daniels, but it's Edmunds, Chase Edmonds behind him.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
What happened to the kid with that we love from
Syracuse last preseason? Uh?
Speaker 3 (38:03):
Train Sean Tucker?
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Sean Tucker.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Yeah, yeah, he's still there. He's still there too. All right,
He's like fourth on the depth Shart, but he's still there.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
This whole show is just me about stuff I was
optimistic about happening that didn't happen last year.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah, that's uh. I think the running game also takes
a slight downturn, honestly as far as that goes, because yeah,
if the offense is going down, I think it's uh,
I think it's uh, you know, rising tide backwards.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah. Ye, all right, let's go to Carolina.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
You mentioned Dave Canalis comes over. You already mentioned that
he revived the careers of Gino Smith and Baker Mayfield.
That's the big addition here. But they also added some
players of note to the passing game. Deontay Johnson now
in Carolina, and they drafted second round pick I believe
was it end of the first They jump into the
bottom of the first I think for Xavier, like at
(39:01):
the marble mouthed, I think, yeah, I think they jumped
into the bottom of the first. Xavior. It's fun to
hear him talk. I can't understand anything he says. I hope,
I'm hoping there's not some scenario in the future where
I'm calling in like to my insurance agency and I've
got a question. I got to talk to my phone
(39:21):
representative and it's Xavier, because it's going to be a
very difficult conversation at that point, because I can't understand
the guy. Uh Panthers pored first, second, and fourth round
picks into the offense. I mean they you know, they
knew the offense was terrible. It's got to get better,
and it can only get better for Bryce Young. You
know here you are. You're Bryce Young, controversial pick, is
(39:42):
the first rookie overall. C J. Stroud is immediately a
billion times better than you. Your coaching staff gets fired
at mid season. You're working with interim guys who all
know that this is the beginning. You know that the
season is lost. It's just everything was bad for Bryce Young.
Not enough talent at wide receiver, as well some of
the dart pick throws that they had had in recent years. Also,
(40:04):
Tarres Marshall, Jonathan Mingo didn't did, did not help this offense.
So they trade for Deontay Johnson. A little weird to
me because stylistically, I think he's got some similarities to
Adam Thlen with the same number well and that, I mean,
you know that's gonna be a I want.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
To for it as far as.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
I'm concerned, Uh, Johnson and Theland sure handed guys, though,
that maybe will be something that helps that helps Young
a little bit.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Here.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
Leaguett brings vertical speed to the table, something Thelan does
and Johnson do not have. So incredibly thick for incredibly
thick for a guy who runs a four to three nine
like Guet is really well built, probably opens the year
as a starter or at least a situational player in
this offense. I shot Mingo big time, big time. I
(40:51):
think Taris Marshall, I think this is it for him
and oh yeah, cut candidate. Mingo probably makes the roster
only because he was a second round draft pick one
year ago.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
Do you know when I realized that Terrence Marshall, Terrace
Terriss Marshall wasn't going to be a thing in the NFL.
I was watching tape on him because I'm like, how
is he not producing? And there was a play they
decided he got open and they passed it away from him.
And before while the pass is in the air, he's complaining, complaining,
(41:21):
he's not going to help block. He's not. It's like,
come on, yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
That's stuff. Your coaches hate that, and they see the tape.
I could regale you with futility stats for Bryce Young. Okay,
and it is bad, but remember how we threw out
Trevor Lawrence's rookie year. We said bad coaching staff, bad situation,
(41:48):
players around him, and we threw it out and we
just went reboot for next year. I think that's the
approach to take on Bryce Young. Sure, just let's just
your race last year. Let's assume this is going to
be a much and and it really should be a
much better coaching staff that puts him in a far
better position to succeed. I will know this. The touchdowns
are total disaster, but I'll know this. We knew that
(42:11):
Young was not going to run very much. But to
be very clear, now we know zero wheels here, so
he is not going to help you on the ground
at all. And overall, does the Carolina Pathing Panther's passing
game get better worse? Well, of course it has to
get better. Can't get it, can't be worse. Let's go
to the running game. Jonathan Brooks almost certainly takes over
as the lead back, but the timetable is complicated because
(42:32):
he tore his ACL in November, so we don't know
for sure when that's going to happen. Chuba Hubbard and
Miles Sanders are still there, although I think Miles Sanders
is a post June one cut candidate. Looking at the
cap hit at that point, he would not even be
a cap hit, so there's a chance they cut him.
I mean, at this time last year we were optimistic
Miles Sanders could be an RB one. Yeah, and he
(42:52):
you know, he didn't even finish the season as the
starter on his own back, losing it to Chewba Hubbard.
He wasn't even good. So Hubbard and Sanders probably are
some combination, are your guys? Until Brooks is ready for
to hit the field and get a big workload yep October.
Maybe I don't know. I mean, you know it's Acls,
you don't You just you don't know for sure. So
(43:14):
the Brooks then could take some time. I'm in the
minority with this take. Just looking at brooks college work,
I just didn't see special NFL level traits. I saw
a running back who was good at a lot of things.
But I'm trying to find those things that are gonna
make you special at this level. And I just I
had a hard time spotting him. Thor likes him, doesn't
(43:36):
love him. He was just the one year starter of Texas.
But in fairness, he was behind Bijon Robinson two years ago,
and they could have John similar to.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
So.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
And I'll mention this Carolina is offensive line non awful.
Last year in run blocking they ranked sixteenth by Pro
Football Focus. So does it get better worse this year?
Let's assume Brooks is better than Hubbard and Sanders, which
wouldn't take a lot, and eventually this running game gets better.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Okay, I mean for fantasy, it really could have if Brooks,
you know, in the second half of the season, at
post Thanksgiving whatever is taking the load where there's not
the split that gave them secrets. Sea grades are worse
all year.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Correct, all right, let's go to the Saints.
Speaker 3 (44:20):
The Saints. Yeah, this might be the most boring one,
this one.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
They did have a boring offseason.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
So boring.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
The only coaching changes They hired Clint Kubiak, who we're
familiar with UH Minnesota OC from Minnesota a couple of
years ago. Then he was the Broncos pass game coordinator
than the forty nine Ers pass game coordinator. He's jumping
around job a job. But that's about the only change
in coaching here. They they they're quarterbacks. They they still
(44:49):
have Car, they still have Jake Hayner. They drafted Spencer Rattler,
but he's you know, going to be behind them most
likely unless there's some real faltering or or injury or
whatever or cut. Do you think Car's getting cut? I'm
looking at your face.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
I'm just what I'm I'm trying to ask myself. Is
this is there a scenario around Thanksgiving where the Saints
are like, a, let's see what three win operation or
win operations possible.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
I feel like they want to see what they happens.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
I feel like it is.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
Yeah, yep, And that's about all the changes. Then we
get to the running game, where there's Kamara, Jamal Williams,
and Kendra Miller. Still the passing. The wide receivers A Lave,
Shaheed at Perry auditions, auditioned by subtraction by Thomas.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
He's out of the league right now.
Speaker 3 (45:36):
Yeah, Yeah, let's stay in the passing game here. But
Chris Alave sixteen wide receiver sixteen last year, just he
really feels like he's on the way up. He looked
like a star. He looked like on that Nico Collins path.
He looked like on looks like what Drake London might
be too in Atlanta. Yeah, he's wherever he's going. I'm
(45:58):
sure it's worthy in drafts for sixteen. Honestly feels like
a floor for him this year. Personally, I think that
they're going to be behind. They're gonna have to throw
all the time.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
Okay, all right, that's that is possible. I just feel
like Derek Carr kind of puts a ceiling on what
Chris o'lave can do.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
Yeah, but there have been some really high passing yardag
years out of car in Oakland, so I wouldn't doubt that.
And the running game is just getting a year older
and a year older and a year older.
Speaker 1 (46:28):
Kamara fell off the table, the metrically fell off the table,
like all.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
His freak tackles, all that everything gone. That's that's what
I'm saying. I don't see the run game being able
to support them, even unless Kendre Miller takes a huge step.
And you know Jamal Williams, well, he really never was
that guy. He had a good season and half a
season or so of being that guy, but hasn't really
had it. But in the past game we got Rashid Shahid,
(46:53):
Who's probably gonna benefit from Mike Thomas's thirty nine catches
and forty eight You know I feel about Rashii Rashid yaheedr.
But but oh, first off, Alave was second interceptions in targets,
which I did not realize. I did not realize that either.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
All right, we love that volume.
Speaker 3 (47:10):
At least I wrote that, Oh no, that's Kamara. Kamara
was second receptions and targets. And what I was like,
it's quite above him. That can't be right right as
I say it. But Rashi Yahed he averaged fifteen to
twenty less targets than the the players around his rank.
He ranked wide receiver forty four last year, but he
(47:32):
had way more Fantasy points because of how Oh no, yeah,
he had way more Fantasy points because of how efficient
he was, because of all those big balls, the you know,
seven scores or whatever. At Perry twelve catches in eight games.
But those twelve catches went for two and forty six
yards and four touchdowns bombs away. So there there's some
(47:53):
real efficiency out of out of the two guys behind
a lave. So if a lave is getting the volume
those two guys, that's where I was. Those two guys
with their efficiency can still make hay for you and fantasy.
I don't know the data Perry will, but.
Speaker 1 (48:05):
No, I don't think it's very interesting.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
I still like he's so productive on twelve twelve catches.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
I'm gonna have a I'm gonna have a it's a
painful decision my second round. I have a second round
pick in a dynasty league. That looks like I'm gonna
have to drop Shaheed to make that pick. Oh, that's league, right, Empire.
Speaker 3 (48:23):
Yeah, that's gonna be tough, tough, tough, Taysom Hill, I mean,
Juwan Johnson and Foster Morrow are above him on the
on the tight end depth chart, but it seems like
it's always Taysom Hill, who is tight end twelve because
of four hundred and one rushing yards and seven combined
rushing TD but.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
The ultimate wildcard to tight end, right, Yeah, you know, yeah,
one week you get zero fantasy points. The next week
he runs into.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
Almost quite literally, he had six double digit fantasy point
weeks and then a whole bunch of like two and
three point or last weeks. Uh into the running game.
We've kind of already discussed it though, but Kamara was
running back eleven, but we've mentioned how he downturned in everything.
Thirty three percent of his stats came in those two
games where he caught twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
Now right, forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (49:12):
So when you catch twenty eight pass twenty five passes
on twenty eight targets in two games, yes, you're gonna
you're gonna most of your stats are gonna come basically
in two games.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Marriage cooked.
Speaker 3 (49:27):
As far as the passing game, I think it's gonna
be pretty similar. It's just we're gonna get more numbers
out of players without Mike Thomas there, and the running
game I think takes a downturn.
Speaker 1 (49:38):
Just go to the Falcons. What do you think is
the bigger off season story the dumping of Arthur Smith
or the signing of Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 3 (49:46):
I think it's the signing of Arthur Smith to another.
Speaker 1 (49:49):
Team, sabotaging the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
Seed story to be. I think it's oh man, they
are both man that is, I don't even that's a.
Speaker 1 (50:00):
Tough one, isn't it too tough? You new head coach
in Atlanta's Raheem Morris, You new offensive coordinator Zach Robinson.
Let's talk about Zach Robinson for a second. He's a
super thin resume, so it's hard to know what kind
of offense he's going to bring to the Falcons. For
the last two years he was the Rams passing game
coordinator and quarterbacks coach, so he has not called plays before,
(50:21):
so we have nothing to go on there. Sean McVay
runs a very balanced offense, you know, like middle of
the pack run percentage, past percentage, whereas Arthur Smith obviously
was run heavy. He ranked fourth last year and run
play percentage. So we should see a much more balanced offense,
and particularly because you bring in Kirk Cousins, who's way
better than Desmond Ritter, so you know, presumably we're going
(50:44):
to see a lot more passing in Atlanta. So let's
talk about Kirk. I'm not worried about his return from Achilles.
He was dancing on it in February. You know, he's
looked fine in mini camps and just I know there
are a lot of people that are like Achilles. Honest,
don't think it's going to matter very much. I couldn't,
you know, maybe maybe not be proven wrong. But it's
not like they needed wheels before he offers with or
(51:08):
without the Achilles. I mean, you could surgically remove his achilles,
and I still think he would be a significant upgrade
to this passing game considering what they had. And remember,
Cousins last year was having the best year of his
career pre injury. When he went down, he was leading
the NFL in passing yards. He finished touchdowns right or
second second in touchdowns. He finished with a seventy percent
(51:31):
completion rate. Last year, Cousins was on pace to finish
second in touchdown passes. Get this his ADP right now,
quarterback seventeen. Yeah, and I realized he doesn't have Justin
Jefferson anymore. But it's not like they have no weapons
to throw to.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
You made me figure it out. I will keep Anthony
Richardson and I will draft Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 1 (51:52):
There you go his previous year's finishes. Kirks, he was
quarterback four at the time of his achilles. Year before that,
he was quarterback six year before that, quarterback nine year
before that, quarterback eleven. Now he's going off the board
his quarterback seventeen, Scott yep.
Speaker 3 (52:09):
And he still has good weapons. He still has great weapons,
and they're gonna finally unlock Kyle Pitts. Some of those
some of those videos, I know you always see the
best shape of your life and the amazing catch videos.
Kirk to Pitts looked really good and.
Speaker 1 (52:24):
It does look good, right, yeah, I mean there's a
lot of opportunity here, so Drake, London, Kyle Pitts and
John of Smith and now in Miami. So that's gonna
help keep Pitts on the field. So we like that
London going off the board wide receiver fourteen. So it's funny,
you know, London's been nowhere near wide receiver fourteen prior
to now, but now he's getting drafted as though Kirk's
(52:45):
going to be really good, but nobody's drafting Kirk.
Speaker 3 (52:49):
Yeah, you got to love when that happens.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
That people are assuming a massive uptick in Drake London's production.
His two years so far in the league, he's had
almost exactly nine hundred yards and then he's had a
four touchdown season and two touchdown season. For Drake London
to get him to make good on wide receiver fourteen,
I mean, you know, he's got to get like you know,
(53:12):
we need him to get like a fifty percent bump
on these numbers. We need him at thirteen hundred receiving
yards and you know, eight touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (53:20):
And honestly, that wouldn't that that honestly wouldn't even shock
me nor what't. But you need that to hit that
adp yes is the thing that's.
Speaker 1 (53:27):
So we do need that and kurtly deliver. The team
brought in Darnell Mooney, Rondel Moore, and ray Ray McLoud,
which is a little bit baffling because they all play
the slot and they brought them all in, so I
thought that was weird. Mooney as the expected starter out
of that group and Moore's gonna probably be the gadget
guy for the Falcons. I want to mention this digging
(53:48):
up some Zach Robinson research with the Rams. Last year
they finished dead last in receptions and receiving yards to
running backs.
Speaker 3 (53:58):
Oh last year.
Speaker 1 (54:00):
So does B John Robinson automatically get the big uptick
with Kirk who did not throw to his running backs
in Minnesota either.
Speaker 3 (54:06):
And he's like, oh, he's like the anti Joe Lombardi.
Who I saw this stat this week. Joe Lombardi now
with Denver, you'll talk about him next week. With that,
I'm sure his targets to running backs top five ten
years in a row.
Speaker 1 (54:20):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (54:22):
Wow. Yeah, So he's like the anti.
Speaker 1 (54:24):
I'm struggling with what to do with Julium mouglachlan. But
that's a conversation.
Speaker 3 (54:28):
Maybe for now next week.
Speaker 1 (54:30):
So everybody thinks B John Robinson is going to be
way way better. Hopefully he will, but you know you're
going to get less total rushes out of this offense,
and if Zach Robinson follows the Rams blueprint, you might
not get as many receptions for b Jehon Robinson as
you think. So let's let's talk this through on the
running game, by the way, just a passing game get
(54:51):
better obviously, Yes, way way better, way better running game.
The only notable change in personnel Cordell Corderyl Patterson is
now in Pittsburgh. He follow Arthur.
Speaker 3 (55:00):
Smith makes sense ever since that video of him saying
he was on his fantasy team.
Speaker 1 (55:05):
Yeah, there you go. Bijon Robinson and Tyler Algier returned
last year. Robinson was almost a full yard better per
carry than Algier and despite the bigger size, Robinson had
more yards after contact. Romason is just better yep. But
the problem was they were only separated by two carries
per game. I mean, Alger was getting almost the same workload,
(55:27):
which was very frustrating. Obviously, the assumption is that Bijon's
going to be a bigger part of the workload under Robinson,
but that's just an assumption, and Bijon's ADP right now
is ridiculous. It's eight.
Speaker 3 (55:42):
Yeah, that's I just there's a lot of name attached
to that. There's a lot of everybody expected a ton
from him coming in. He was like the clear cut
number one Dynasty pick and the loss of Arthur Smith.
Everybody felt like he was misused by a Thurs Smith
that they feel like this is his true rookie year.
So I get it.
Speaker 1 (56:03):
The only way to make good on an ADP at
pick eight for Bijon is that he has to score
a lot more touchdowns. Yeah, a lot more. He had
four rushing touchdowns last year, four receiving touchdowns. So I
went and decided to look up what did he do
inside the five? Like, you know, can can he have
a big uptick on usage inside the five? He's not
(56:25):
built like a traditional goal line back. He was given
only three carries inside the five last year.
Speaker 3 (56:32):
Three yep, Arthur Smith. I actually commented on that a
couple times last year that he prefers Algerion. They thought
he was better inside the five.
Speaker 1 (56:39):
Now, on the three carries, he did score twice. So
there's that. But get this, and this is really fascinating.
Arthur Smith threw to Bjon Robinson five times from inside
the three yard line. Okay, he had zero touchdowns and
zero receptions. None were even complete.
Speaker 3 (56:56):
I'd like to watch where those balls ended up.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Yes, I assume that it's on Desmond Ridder. I'm gonna
blame for that. But yeah, they threw to him five
times from inside I think I said three before, but
it was from inside the five yard line.
Speaker 3 (57:11):
None caught interesting.
Speaker 1 (57:13):
Yeah, so does a running game get better? I don't
know that it does. I think that there's gonna be
fewer carries to go around. Algier is still there, and
you know, I just I don't know. I'm just I'm
not convinced that. I'm not convinced that Bejon Robinson's gonna
be materially different from the guy he was last year.
Speaker 3 (57:33):
I production wise, like man, I find it hard to
believe he's I find it hard to believe the new
coaching staff is gonna give Algier as much work. I
just I just find that hard to believe. I can't
I can't imagine it. So I feel like the running
game may be about the same, but the offense is
gonna be better, so there's more scoring opportunities and it
(57:55):
might be more condensed. To Beijon's side, I think I'd
lean better on that personally. But I get it. You've
you've pointed out the angles.
Speaker 1 (58:03):
Okay, well there you go. A FC South NFC South
in the books. Yes, uh, these get to be long podcasts.
Speaker 3 (58:10):
Yeah, this one is. I talk way too much. I
interrupt too much stuff that doesn't.
Speaker 1 (58:15):
Matter, like greasing your stomach for belly flops. Yes, yeah,
that that's that's not me.
Speaker 3 (58:21):
See now you're rude that you should have edited the show, Scott,
I have to go grease up our bellies. Still, we'll talk.
Speaker 1 (58:28):
To you, shave each other's chests and grease up our bellies.
Speaker 3 (58:31):
Yes, not weird. Yeah. Tweet us on Twitter or x
or whatever hashtag greased bellies, grease bellies. Yeah, d of
this show.
Speaker 1 (58:39):
You can prove you made it through our one hour show.
Thank you for listening to everybody. Will be back next
week with more Fantasy Football Weekly. Fantasy Football Weekly is
a production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio,
visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly, a production of iHeart Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly
source for the nation's best fantasy football advice, speculation, and
whatever stupid stuff they decided to drop into the show. Now,
here's your host, Paul.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly. I am Paul Chargian co
host today. After kind of a fair amount of time off.
Scott Fish welcome back.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yes, yes, but it's pretty normal this time. Last year,
between February and June and July, I only did one show.
That's not four and a half month.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
But that's not it's not gonna be.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
This is my second show.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
All right, good we want you back.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yes, we miss you and I'm excited to be in
your house again. I wore my swimsuit. I see that
pool is under construction, but I can swim at.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
The boat we're adding in the Olympic lanes under the pool.
It was traded for Paris's my my hair stylist. They're
not barbers anymore. Okay, my hair stylist decided you wanted
to get a pool put in your yard. They sold
(01:13):
their boat and then started collecting money. Do you know
much a pool a just a regular backyard pool costs
to put in.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I don't even have the slightest clues. Somody going to
take a complete guess at twenty eight thousand dollars.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Add about one hundred thousand dollars to that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
What yes, Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
So they sell their boat and they save money and
they scrimp and they put together over one hundred thousand
dollars to get just a standard suburban backyard pool put in.
That's hand off the money to pool guy and he
goes a wall. He never did anything, kept the money
(01:55):
and took off for Kentucky. What and he did it
to like ten fifteen people in the twin cities. They're
just out over one hundred thousand dollars. There's nothing they
can do.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
There's no recourse at all. Nope, that's the.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Police are not interested, you know. It's he's filed bankruptcy
to try to protect himself, but they don't. But he
was sitting on all this cash. Nobody cares, nobody's following up,
and they're never gonna get paid.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
That's I can't even imagine. I can't even imagine.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
I know I can't either. One hundred thousand dollars just gone.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Man, Oh that's street. Tell the story, dig your own pool,
get a shovel shot Aston and Sino Man did it
so anyone could do it. And he did that in summer,
so I mean a school year.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I'm not a big pool guy.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
No, I'm not either.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's just I don't know. I'm just not my thing.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
I get in the water with them. I'm not a
hot tub guy though. That feels like no, I'm not.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Is it because of the germs?
Speaker 3 (02:54):
Uh? You know, like if it's over chlorinated and stuff
and cleaned regularly and stuff, then sure it's fine.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
But what if it's just your hot tub for you
and your family. You're already sharing germs.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Maybe I guess I like saunas. Yeah, I don't know.
On the hot tub, I remember, you know, yeah, let's
we can move on. But yeah, I'm not a huge
hot tub guy. It's it's okay in a hotel. Hotel,
I need something to do in the pool.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
I guess the pool when I'll swim a little out wide.
I just I need to gamify the pool experience that
I say, water polo, two.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Young boys footballs and stuff.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
Yeah right, they have throw I gotta throw football. I
gotta gamify the pool experience.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
For those of you who listened to last week's show,
you know that what we're what we're doing here is
breaking down breaking A lot of people were plus fifteen seconds, Ye,
plus fifteen seconds. When is this thing going to get interesting?
Plus fifteen seconds?
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
We're breaking down all the teams in each of the conferences.
Last week we did the NFC and AFC East. This
week we're doing the South. We're heading south. We're heading south,
the AFC South, the NFC South. We're highlighting the off
season moves. The rosters have stabilized, now, yeah, pretty much.
You know they were like ninety nine percent. You know
these are the rosters these teams are gonna have. So
(04:10):
we look at what the roster looks like, highlight the
key differences from last year, and just.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Give some overall thoughts on each of the teams. Ye,
at least the fantasy football you know, relevant relevant to one. Yes,
to have stabilized. I like that you took all the
good teams too, did I? I was joking I have
Carolina on my I feel like I don't mean good,
I mean fun teams, but.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Teams I may have may not. I did pick my
now Houston. I went on a way again because I'm
a big Texans. Guys, this is my team. I think
they're going to win the Super Bowl or at least
go to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
So I did purposely give myself the Texans. The others
are mostly just start throws. Okay, all right, let's start
with Tennessee. I'll let you go first. Let's let's a
lot of changes for Tennessee.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Yes, yes, coaching changes, ground and running game. Derrick Henry gone,
Mike Vrabel gone. They bring in Brian Callahan, who uh
was OC of the Bengals for five years, but similar
to Kevin O'Connell with the Rams, he didn't call the play.
Zach Taylor called the plays for the Bengals, so we'll
(05:13):
we'll see what happens there. Brought in his old high
school friend Nick Colts from the Jags. They went to
high school together. Nick Colets actually remember that was like
a coordinator for Brian Callahan's dad Nebraska and stuff, so
long history there. But he was the pass game coordinator
for the Jags. They were ninth in passing. The Jags
were last year, so I expect a whole lot more
(05:35):
passon if you're bringing those two Rabel and Derrick Hedrick. Uh,
basically we're gonna have uh Will Levis. They're they're gonna
have to try to groom him, try to develop him.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
This I'm telling I'm telling you they made a mistake.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
But he threw four touchdowns in that first game.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
They drafted JJ McCarthy. Yeah, I yet had that four
touchdown game that first game, four touchdowns. You know where
I'm going with this. Yes, the rest of the year
four touchdowns. Wow, that's Will Levis was awful. He had
the lowest completion rate of any starter last year. He's
I'm I don't understand why teams croll out these guys.
(06:18):
You know, I realized he was a high second round
pick last year, right, right, and so you've got some
equity built into it. But can't you look at the
tape and just go, look, we can't count on Will Levis.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Let's make it.
Speaker 1 (06:29):
Let's go get another guy and find out what happens.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, I don't. I don't get keep drafting until you
hit it. That's Malik Willis two years ago. Draft Levis
the next year. He didn't seem like it just keep
drafting quarterbacks. Yes, they brought in Mason Rudolph to sit
behind him. I don't know. It's not a good quarterback
in situation, but they're doing all they can on the
with the other weapons to try to give him some help.
(06:52):
They brought in Tony Pollard. They have Taja Spears.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeh.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Both just incredible pass catchers. They combined for well over
one hundred catches last year on separate teams. Obviously, yes,
but Spears was actually a little more efficient than Tony Pollard.
If you watched Tony Pollard last year, that would surprise
you at all. But they're both very versatile, and they
can take those dump offs from Will Levis maybe add
up that completion percentage. They have DeAndre Hopkins. They paid
(07:20):
Calvin Ridley to come in too much. I thought, really,
you don't think that. You don't think he should be
the tenth highest rate with the third most guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Buddy, I knew it was bad.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
I know it is that bad for forty seven million
guaranteed for a man.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
God bless his agent.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And they brought in Tyler Boyd, which
I think is also another good signing there. So yeah,
I add those. Now Treylon Burks doesn't have to start,
but yeah, he's you know, as a fourth option, he's okay.
They got Chicka Kwank Konker still, I see. I like
Chicka Kwank, but he does he does things that aren't
(08:03):
great on the football field at times, but sometimes he
can really hit that scene and look really good. So
maybe he's just got to grow. I don't think he's
a huge fantasy asset, probably a deeper guy. But they
got weapons around Levis. But as you know with fantasy,
a lot of times it depends on your quarterback. And
he's how much can he support? Can he support all
those weapons or does it just help the past game
(08:24):
a little?
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Look, We'll Levis has the opportunity to get better. Of
course in year two. I just didn't see the traits
that I wanted to in year one to make me
feel confident about it. So I don't want to make
it sound like I'm writing it writing off his career.
I'm just not very optimistic.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, yeah, it could be. It could be, And we
don't know how well Brian Callahan and Nickolets can develop
a quarterback. Yeah, we don't really know the level they've been.
You know Brian with Burrow or you know Nicholets last
year with Lawrence, etcetera. We really don't know. We'll see.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
So I asked this for each for each of the teams.
Does the passing game for the Texans Titans get better
or worse this year?
Speaker 3 (09:07):
I think it has to get better just based on
who they have and more volume if that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
Like great, I don't. Yeah, you know, when you're not
the most run heavy team in the league. Yeah, it'll
it'll probably help. And then running game, yeah, better or worse.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
It's probably worse. But fantasy wise, there's gonna be a
lot of pass catching that'll help, So that that'll help.
I think it's going to be fantasy points. It might
be similar, but it might be split between two people
and it might come from pass catching instead of Derrick
Henry for one hundred and fifty yards and three scores.
Speaker 1 (09:40):
At this time last year, Tony Pollard was beginning of
the second round selection. Yeah, now in Tennessee, which runner
would you draft first? Taj Spears Tony Pollard?
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Oh first. It is tough because I feel like they're
really going to give it give, really going to give
Pollard as much is he can. They really really want
to get him involved, but I like, this is your
classic who do you want it? Their ADP at the
States the question where all of us they're gonna say,
Taj Spears if he's the lower guy, but you're posing hey.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
At the same price, at the same price, they're both available,
and you've decided you're drafting a Tennessee running back.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Here here's the thing. I think I'm going Spears, And
here's why. Not only is he more efficient, and I
think he's got more juice. We saw him in training
camp against the Vikings, and we saw him last year
enough to see that he's he's got some some speed
to him. He's got that. I'm I'm losing track of
the word here, but I think I'd rather have him
(10:43):
because where I'm going to be drafting these guys is
probably my RB three or four and that point I
got my one and two. I want the upside guy.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
Yeah, Spears feels like the upside guy.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
I think his you know, just the skill set. He's
got some electric moves. Yes, honey, Pollard, I no one
play should affect me as much as this one play
from Tony Pollard last year. Cowways have the ball at
the two or three yard line of their opponent. They
hand the ball off to Tony Pollard. He's going off
(11:19):
left tackle and he's got the entire way from the
left tackle to the to the cone, no defenders. And
at the point of the handoff, I'm saying, I'm thinking
to myself, obvious touchdown. And he erased that touchdown. He took,
he went, he he he didn't go far enough outside.
(11:40):
He ran into a defender. And I'm like, ninety nine
times out of one hundred, the running back get paid
gets paid on that play, and he managed to erase
a touchdown. I can't get.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
Weird how he was the opposite guy I know two
years before. I know.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
It's such a fickle game.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
I know.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
Yeah, let's go to the Houston Texans. I love the Texans,
all right. So the passing game gets a big change
with perpetual ingrade Stefan Diggs arriving in Houston. He expands
the receiver room in a way that might not be
as fantasy friendly as we would like because Nico Collins
are there, Tank Dell is there, Dalton Schultz comes back,
(12:19):
you know, as we all know, and this worries me
a little bit. If Diggs he ain't getting the ball enough,
everybody has to suffer, right, If Diggs ain't happy, nobody's happy.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
It's not that a player of Diggs's level came into
the situation. It's Diggs coming into this situation.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
All the personality and the baggage and everything.
Speaker 3 (12:39):
Yeah, we've seen.
Speaker 1 (12:41):
Now Collins and Diggs both have ADPs inside the top thirty.
They're separated by just five picks. So I'll ask you
similar question. Would you rather have Collins or would you
rather of Digs Collins?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
That's not even I don't even think that's close to me.
I think Collins is the star in the making. But
we've we've been on the Collins train for.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
Years, you and I have. But when we looked like
morons two years ago, we kept talking about Colins. So Collins,
here's the separator. I'm gonna give you some data on
Collins and Diggs. Collins on deep balls passes of twenty
or more yards last year, Get this, he caught eleven
of twelve passes on deep balls.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
It doesn't even feel surprising, But.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Isn't that amazing?
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Still amazing?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Now, let's go to Diggs. Diggs got thrown to sixteen
times on deep passes from Josh Allen last year. You
want to guess how many catches he had on those
deep balls.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
I'm gonna it feels like it's bad, just the way
your team. I'm gonna go with seven.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Four, three interceptions and no touchdown.
Speaker 3 (13:47):
That's like twenty five percent of my math.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
That is correct, well done. Here's at the end of
the day. I want my receivers to get downfield passes right,
I want big plays. I want that, and Nico Collins
can deliver it. Stefan Diggs doesn't do that.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
Can you Can you make the argument that because Nico Ken,
and because we know Dell Ken as well, that Digg
zill run really free in the middle. Maybe in short
but again, we've talked about this all the way back
to the days of Juju Smith Schuster with that you
need volume in touchdowns. You do and if you don't
do it though it's not fantasy.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
You mentioned Tank Dell. He returns from last year's broken
leg and last month's nightclub shooting. 'tis but a scratch.
I understand she's a flesh wound, but still wow, not
great sign he is he is participating in limited fashion
in in off season workouts. Other receivers on the team
(14:46):
like Robert Woods and Noah Brown and John Matchi are
basically plaster to the bench here. I mentioned Dalton Schultz
signed a new three year deal in the off season.
He was a highly inconsistent producer last year, and I
think that continues here and bring in Diggs doesn't add more.
I think to Dalton Schultz repertoire here, so I think
he's a spot starter. And then of course c J.
Stroud coming off very likely the best rookie season of
(15:08):
any quarterback in NFL history, numerous record set started his
career with one hundred and ninety one passes without an
interception I remember, which is staggering.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
That's incredible.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
He posted finished the season posting a touchdown to interception
ratio of twenty three to five. His average distance of
throw was eight and a half yards, the longest of
any rookie since they started tracking the stat and his
deep passing was fantastic, completing fifty nine percent of his
deep balls that was second best in the entire league,
(15:39):
not him on rookies the whole league. He had the
second best deep pass completion percentage eight touchdowns on deep passes,
no interceptions. Unbelievable.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
It is CJ Stroud, Yes on CJ Stroud, just how
well he understands and knows the game. Have you watched
any of the clips of him and Michael Parsons going
through plays talking about the game. That guy tends Apparently
c J. Stowd talks about the game like on a
(16:10):
Peyton Manning level. It's unbelievable how well he understands the
They would go back and forth. Mike could be like,
well if you did that, I'm gonna do this, and
CJ's well, then I would do this, and I'm like, wow,
this is and there. It's just incredible to watch how
smart these two are with the offensive defense. And they're
(16:31):
still good too.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
You know, it's still it's a physical game, but it's
also a cerebral game. Yeah, and depending on your position
especially so. Does the passing game get better for the
Texans this year? And I think it does.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
I think c J.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Stroud matures to another level. He only had he had
twenty three touchdowns last year, that number he could have
thirty three. I mean he could easily be for good
for ten more touchdowns this year and then you get
Tank del back on the full season. You know, I
just think this and add ad Indgs, so it gets better.
Let's go to the Houston running game. The Texans inexplicably
swapped the lightly used Devin singletary for the aged Joe Mixon,
(17:07):
who's going to start the season with eighteen hundred career touches.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
That's a lot.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
It's a lot of work. He has not topped four
point one yards per carry Joe Mixon in five years,
and four point one per carry is not a lot.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
And a lot of people will not a lot of people,
one person at least, but I know other people have
mentioned it. Zach Taylor ran him up the middle into
defenders so much that I wonder if that hurts, like
his yards per carrying things like that. But also that's
really painful touches. Those are touches that are really wear
(17:46):
you down.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
So last year Mixon dropped or drooped, depending on how
you want to look at it, down to running back
thirty five by Pro Football Focus. His elusiveness dropped to
running back fifty, and his yards after contract contact to
drop to fifty one. You know, everything on mixing looks
like a.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Guy into for me who is washed.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Yeah, and so let's go to the backup. Well, okay,
I can't be trusted to talk about Damian Piers. So
I'm gonna let you take it away from here. Are
you are? Damian Pierce returns as the backup. I you
know I've ruined all my credibility and matters around Damian Peers.
Speaker 3 (18:26):
I don't think you have.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
But I think, what do you think?
Speaker 3 (18:29):
I think one thing we did see at the end
not last year, but the end of the year before
and might have should have been a foreshadow to the
to the following year. Although he was hurt a lot,
he consistently runs into people instead of trying to run
around people, which caused that injury. But also, you know,
if they tackle him and he isn't breaking those tackles,
(18:50):
his numbers go way down. And I think we saw
a lot of that last year as well. We should
have seen it at the end of the previous year too.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
They got to coach that out of it.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, it feels CoA it does. It feels it feels coachable.
Maybe he just he's used to you know in previous
you know, high school, college. It's being able to just
run through people and he was able to right away
in his career. But yeah, that's my problem with Pierce
is he needs he needs to fix that.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
I'll note this, Pierce finished with Pro Football Focus is
second best pass blocking grade among all on the field,
So that'll help. Right now, if you don't like Pierce,
if you're with me, that mix's washed. And you don't
like Pierce, your only other option is Jawar Johnson, a
twenty five year old Louisville long shot, likely too small
to me in every down back, but maybe he gets
(19:38):
into the rotation if he shines.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
I I wouldn't be shocked if this this year is
a similar split to last year's was with Singletary, but
Pierce maybe takes more of the load later in the season.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Maybe, I mean, you know, maybe Mixon is just so
cooked they have to go to Pierce more. But I
you know, right now, I'm just as much as much
as I'm trying to get every part of the Texans offense,
I don't think I'm gonna.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
It Also would shock me if if Mixon has an
Alexander Madison from last year type of year where he just.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Told the spot and he's not good, that could very
well be the pay in the case right now, Mixon
going off the board at running back fifteen pick.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Fifty feels high. Feels I think that is classic. You
want the running back on the offense that's going to
be in a position to score a lot.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
And so people are doing that thing. But I just
I'm not a believer in him. Let's go to Jacksonville.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah, yeah, let's go to Jacksonville. We'll start the coaching
staff didn't have much much changes there, so we can
move on from that. Normally, I want to start there
just in case there's something. But let's start with the
passing game. Trevor Lawrence. We mentioned earlier. Nick Holtz was
the passing game coordinator there. Ninth in passing last year,
Trevor Lawrence himself QB thirteen not actually the worst year.
(20:53):
They picked him up for his fifth year option. If
you watch the games, he still has room to improve.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yeah, I did safe to say.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I think that's that's very safe to say. They did
not bad, I mean not bad, you know. No, QB
thirteen feels right, It actually feels right for him. They
did lose Calvin Ridley, but they brought in Brian Thomas Junior,
who I know you love. In the draft, they brought
in Gabe Davis paid him, I believe, three for thirty ish,
(21:21):
three for three for more than I thought was going
to get. Yeah, yeah, and they still have Christian Kirk.
So now they have you know, they replaced Ridley and
Zay Jones with Brian Thomas Junior and Gabe Davis. Whatever
you think of Gabe Davis or a rookie that still
feels like an upgrade.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
Christian Kirk is going to be a guillotine superstar, you think.
So He's going to catch a ton of pass super consistent,
super consistent.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
I can see that.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
You know, I don't know that he gets like double
digit touchdowns. But Christian Kirk could be sitting on one
hundred catches, yeah, you know, thirteen yards.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Or it could be the guy last year tight end,
Evan Ingram, who had one hundred and forty three targets.
Next closest was one hundred and twenty seven at tight
end one hundred and fourteen catches. Next closest was ninety
five a tight end. He had nine hundred and sixty
three yards, which was third, but he.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Only had four scores. Swhear it took half a season
for him to get the first one.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
I feel like it did. Yeah, he ended his tight
end six. If his touchdowns matched what the other stats
should have been, he would have been tight end won
by a long shot. But maybe, yeah, maybe it's just
a lot of Kirk and Ingram, very consistent, tons of targets.
You love me in your guillotine league type of situation.
(22:36):
You're gonna ask the question or do you want me
to just answer it? Did the passing game improved?
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Did the passing game improve?
Speaker 3 (22:43):
I think it improved? Okay, I think it improved.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
With the swapping of receivers.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
The swapping of those receivers in just another year for
Trevor Lawrence under Doug Peterson, I feel like those factors
probably just going to be a slight improvement.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Okay, let's go to the running game.
Speaker 3 (22:57):
Yeah, in the running game, the coaches recently recently said
they want to get the ball into tank tank bigsbys.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
More well more would be like twice twice. Yes, another
bruise on my ego right here.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
I do think they. I do think they saw with
Etn Gain hurt again last year for a little bit,
and he still finished his running back three that they
just want to keep they want to keep him healthier.
I think I'm shocked they didn't do more of that
last year. But maybe a second year with Tank in
that offense, you know he'd learned some learned some things whatever.
But Etn running back three last year, Like he's going
(23:38):
to need to reproduce all of that to stay at
that level. I mean, he had fifty eight catches, but
he was one of only two running backs in the
top ten running backs with under four yards per carry. Wow,
three three point eight yards per carry the other one.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
I just don't think he's special. Yeah, I'm just not
convinced that Travis Etn is a special player.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
Man. I thought so in college. Yeah, the fifty eight
catches really helps. The twelve scores really helps. If he's
going to be the super volume focal point of that offense.
He had many twenty plus touch games last year. He's
going to do it again. But if they do get
Tanked more involved, I'd expect to slight drop up. But
he's probably still going to finish as an RB one.
(24:21):
He's probably still going to finish in that top one regards.
Speaker 1 (24:24):
It's just too volume. Yeah, yep, let's go to Indianapolis,
the last team of the AFC South. Let's go to
the passing game. We only got to see Anthony Richardson
for part of four games last year, So Week one
he did, he look good in the stretches he did.
Week one, you get the knee injury. Week two he
had a concussion, and then in Week four the shoulder
(24:44):
injury that ended a season.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
So historic levels of fantasy points person nap.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
How about that though, right that's I mean, that's the
that's the exciting part. He had the four touchdowns, despite those,
Despite those, all that that happened in the first four games,
he had four rushing touchdowns. He looked pretty mate. He
would a whopping seven yards per rushing attempt, and I
thought the passing looked pretty good. And people were really
worried about his deep ball, but Anthony Richardson's deep ball
(25:12):
connected pretty well last year in the again very limited
sample size that we had in early drafts. Right now,
Anthony Richardson's ADP Scott quarterback six.
Speaker 3 (25:25):
I've seen a lot of lists with him there fifty.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Five overall, so he's kind of like the last of
the sort of proven rushing quarterbacks. What do you think
Is that about right.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
That I like him a little more.
Speaker 1 (25:36):
I have him in my.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Top five with c J. Stroud. So I have a
question for you. In our home league, would you like
one of those?
Speaker 1 (25:44):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (25:44):
I would thank you very much because I have both
of them. I cannot keep both of them.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
Well. You know, obviously Richardson's got way more upside, which
is how you win. But I love c J. Stroud.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
I won the league last year, so my next seven
years are paid.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
So I just worked that in. How nice of you, God,
My team was terrible. I am interested in even in
a one quarterback league. I would give up some asset
for and in this home and I know you're not
trading Anthony Richardson.
Speaker 3 (26:10):
In this home league. They do keep quarterbacks too, No,
but I I have Anthony Richardson, just on that pure
upside a little higher we've for me. I feel like
we've seen so many times these top quarterbacks. Some of
them will drop, some of them won't, but you can
find super steady, good guys late. I'd rather take Richardson
(26:31):
and all that high upside and then back them up
with someone that you know makes me feel safer.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Agreed. In traditional leagues like not guillotine leagues. You gotta
play for upside. You need to be the best of
twelve teams.
Speaker 3 (26:41):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (26:41):
And so you know he's this is the kind of
pick that goes and wins your league.
Speaker 3 (26:46):
Exactly. If you get.
Speaker 1 (26:48):
A Lamar Jackson from four years after season, you know
you find yourself.
Speaker 3 (26:52):
Jalen Hurts fifteen touchdown, you exactly winning the Colts.
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Drafted six foot two at AD and I Mitchell. I
was saying it wrong earlier. Ad and I Mitchell in
the second round. He is insanely fast four three four speed.
And now you've got a guy who can get under
these long passes thrown by Anthony Richardson the way that
(27:18):
the rest of the receivers like Michael Pittman, Josh Downs,
they were not going to get under those balls. Mitchell.
Do you see Mitchell's rats, No, No, nine point nine
to nine's that's very close to the ten, very close
to the ten. Yes, Yes, amazing speed for a guy
six foot two. Yeah, so he's going to open things up.
(27:40):
But I'm not asking for consistency from Mitchell early in
his career with a young quarterback. He's still raw, needs
probably needs a season or two only had one really
productive college season, so I think he's a year away
from being a consistent contributor.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Yep, that's probably.
Speaker 1 (28:00):
Speaking of guys with a nine point nine to nine rasts. Yeah,
Jilannie Woods come back this this, this is gonna be
the year for Jilannie Woods. Yes, one of these times,
I'm gonna get it right. This is gonna be like
my Zach Moss. One of these years, I'm going to
get it right. And it's gonna be when everybody's given
up on John it was.
Speaker 3 (28:18):
You know what's It's not even gonna be a season.
It's gonna be that the giant fantasy playoff run that
we talk about. Yeah, maybe that's gonna gonna be that.
And then you'll get your You'll get your flowers, your Peacocky.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Woods returns from a hamstring injury that cost him all
of these his sophomore season last year. I think he
remains a great dart throw just on the absurd athleticism
and and a lot of Titans do sort of figure
it out in year three, although really missed the whole
year last year with the hamstring. So does he get
better or worse for the Colts passing game? Well it
gets better. Richardson over Gardner Minshew is enough and then
(28:51):
you add in ad and I Mitchell and it all
gets better. So now let's go to the running game, Scott. Obviously,
Jonathan Taylor returns. Current ADP is pick thirteen overall running
back five. So here he is going at the very
top of the second round.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Yeah, I think it's fair. I think we've seen what
that offense does with Taylor at the end. They just
give him so much volume, and the curiosity is what's
going to happen with him and Richardson both on the
field more. Maybe maybe that lowers because Richardson takes so many,
so many runs he can, but Richardson's.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Not built for like Tush push style.
Speaker 3 (29:28):
Touchdown no no. And Jonathan Taylor is great at the
goal line. He's got to know us for it. Yeah,
he's he I think five is fine for Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
We love that he's a workhorse. Once he took over
from Zack Moss, who had a shockingly good season, Taylor
averaged twenty two carries per game. You just don't get
that from many backs in the league anymore. Yeah, maybe
not enough though, being made of Taylor's overall lukewarm season.
Let me get you a symmetrics. You know, he missed
(29:57):
the first month of the season and then he killed
fantasy owners down the stretch. He played in just one
of five games from week eleven to week fifteen, So
here you are in your fantasy play right that hurt.
He hit one hundred yards last year one time, and
it was Week eighteen. That's it. He was profoabable, I
(30:18):
know he was. Pro football focus is running back forty
four overall, that's it. He was thirteenth in yards after contact,
which we like, twenty third in elusiveness, but overall to
play for him seemed down a bit. He topped just
four point two yards per carry, which is nothing in
just four games last year for Jonathan Taylor, and he
(30:38):
scored in the final five games of the season, which
I mean helped his overall stats because he went on
that long scoring run at the end of the year.
But many of those games were too little, too late
in a season where if you had drafted Jonathan Taylor
and missed that month and then he missed that stretch run,
you probably weren't in the playoffs any So Zach Bross
is gone. He went off to Cincinnati. That running back room,
(31:00):
it's thin. So Evan Hull returns after last year's knee injury,
and then after a two carry season last year, Trey
Sermon comes over Philadelphia. We can now call him a journeyman. Right,
Sermon's just not special.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
Scott, He's just a guy.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
So does the offensive line? Oh, I'll mention Colts put
a third and fourth round pick and the offensive line
which could help. Does does it get better or worse
for the Indianapolis running game this year? I think worse
because Moss was such a good was such a good backup,
whether he was starting when Taylor was out or not.
(31:40):
I think that the drop from Moss to Evan Hull
makes this a lot worse. All right, let's take a break.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
Well, that volume leads to another injury.
Speaker 1 (31:50):
Which it might, which might? It's fine. Uh, Let's take
a break and turn our attention to the NFC South
when Fantasy Football Weekly continues. Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly. Hey,
we have a Discord channel. Did you know that? Check
out the show notes. You can get a link right
to our Discord channel. You can participate talk about this episode,
anything that's happening in fantasy football. We've got side conversations
(32:11):
on video games, board games, whiskey.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
And you can win it. You can win a trip
to hang out with Charts at his in his new pool.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
I was a big canon I was a cannonball guy,
not a jackknife guy. Uh yeah, it was more of
can cannonball guy.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
I think the jackknife is a little harder to pull off.
And I mean cannonball. It's just, you know, basically tuck
and jump in a pool. It can't really go wrong
with it, you can't. All right, let's let's let's talk.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
It's the belly flop guys you gotta worry about.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
You know. The belly flop competitions are pretty fascinating to
see those big fat guys dive into the pool and
just you can hear it, it's gotta hurt.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
This might be the most off the rails episode we've
had a long time.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
It probably is. I did not think we'd be talking
about belly flops.
Speaker 3 (33:03):
I feel like if I bought the show more, that
would be spread out of all your episodes, but instead
it's all in one.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Do you do if you're in the belly flop competition? Okay,
how do you train for it? Do you do you
need to like? Do you do you just eat? Do
you do you jump in the pool a lot? Is
there a lot of technique like do you go navel first?
Speaker 3 (33:27):
You know?
Speaker 1 (33:27):
Or you going nipples first?
Speaker 3 (33:29):
There is someone listening who knows about this. Yes, would
probably have put it in.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
The discord in the episode. Yes, put it in the
episode discussion in our discord channel. What are the techniques?
Do they lather up with something? Do they use oils
or like a lubricating agent of some kind on the belly?
Speaker 3 (33:49):
I don't know, I really don't know.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
You do you shave because you don't want the hair?
Do you shave the chest hair off because you don't
want the hair to lessen the impact? I don't know,
belly fly, I really like these are the burning questions.
Yes that we've got the Fantasy.
Speaker 3 (34:05):
Football Week and that's a show this week.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
And on that note, let's be done AFC, sorry, NFC South.
Let's begin with Division champion Tampa Bay.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Okay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They actually had one major coaching change.
They lost Dave Canalis to uh the Carolina Panthers. He
was obviously the QB coach for Seattle when Gino Smith
one comeback Player of the Year and nearly did it
again with Baker last year, as.
Speaker 1 (34:34):
I'll be talking about him momentarily, Carolina.
Speaker 3 (34:36):
Yeah, absolutely, I should have saved it for the end,
but that that makes absolutely no sense because they've started
with the passing game, and uh so, I would you know,
Baker has been what he is for years and then
he had a really good season last year. I worry
that he'll down Tech without Dave Canalis, but maybe not.
He's got He's got Mike Evans back the contract extent.
(35:00):
They got Chris Godwin. Still, they got Trey Palmer. They
say they're gonna move Godwin back to the slot, where
he's been more productive in his career, and he's.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Then you got then you got Palmer playing out of position.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
Yeah, Palmer played fifty three percent slot last year, so
he's yeah, a little bit more of a slock guy.
He's playing out of position. You could start some of
the other guys, but here are the other guys, Jalen McMillan,
Devin Tompkins, rakeem Jarrett, Ryan Miller, Rally.
Speaker 1 (35:30):
Webb, Raley Webb.
Speaker 3 (35:32):
I'm pretty sure that's like a baseball player from the twenties. Actually,
I don't know how that got in there. Cephas, Johnson, Tanner,
Canoe or new Cameron Johnson, La Treo, Drones and scraps Charty.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Yeah, scrap char Plucky plucky.
Speaker 3 (35:48):
I love it. I love it. Yes, those are the
other wide receivers behind Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Trey Palmer. So,
say it falls off just a bit, I'd expect a
lot of two and three person three wide receiver, you know,
situations there. Trey Palmer weirdly enough, if he's moving outside.
(36:10):
Last year outside he had nine catches for twenty plus
yards nine times, nine times. So I wonder if that
they they want to get Godwin more productive in the slot,
they feel it's better for him, and they saw something
in Palmer that maybe maybe there's something there. Yeah, maybe
there's something there.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
I thought it was weird that they that they did
take Godwin out of that role that he had been
so productive in. Yeah, and it didn't it just didn't
feel like it was a natural fit. Last year.
Speaker 3 (36:38):
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Kate Oughten was
tight end twenty. I don't see him getting more targets
in an offense I think is going to be slightly
less and doesn't have depth. May maybe do maybe if
there's an injury, he does. You know, that's that's where
it come in because they don't have any depth either
behind atten or wide receivers. But I think the passing
(36:59):
game takes it a slight tick down the.
Speaker 1 (37:02):
Loss of Canalis and then just Mike Evans being one
year older, right, I mean the end is coming for Mike. Yeah,
maybe it's here now and we don't know it. Hopefully
it's a year or two away, but it's coming.
Speaker 3 (37:12):
Hall of Fame career, thousand yards every year. Into the
running game, we have Rashad White, who I previously mentioned
was one of the two top ten running backs with
a yards per carry under four in this season. He
was not very efficient, but he did have sixty four
catches scored just enough to make him RB four, kind
(37:32):
of like traves et. If that offense takes a little
bit of a downturn and he doesn't score as much
and he doesn't, well, the catches should probably still be there.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
I think the catches will be there. It's the touchdowns
or worry on what and.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
There's nobody behind him. They drafted a fourth round, uh,
the Bucky Irving fourth round, and then Chase. I was
gonna say Daniels, but it's Edmunds, Chase Edmonds behind him.
Speaker 1 (37:59):
What happened to the kid with that we love from
Syracuse last preseason? Uh?
Speaker 3 (38:03):
Train Sean Tucker?
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Sean Tucker.
Speaker 3 (38:06):
Yeah, yeah, he's still there. He's still there too. All right,
He's like fourth on the depth Shart, but he's still there.
Speaker 1 (38:12):
This whole show is just me about stuff I was
optimistic about happening that didn't happen last year.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah, that's uh. I think the running game also takes
a slight downturn, honestly as far as that goes, because yeah,
if the offense is going down, I think it's uh,
I think it's uh, you know, rising tide backwards.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah. Ye, all right, let's go to Carolina.
Speaker 3 (38:40):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
You mentioned Dave Canalis comes over. You already mentioned that
he revived the careers of Gino Smith and Baker Mayfield.
That's the big addition here. But they also added some
players of note to the passing game. Deontay Johnson now
in Carolina, and they drafted second round pick I believe
was it end of the first They jump into the
bottom of the first I think for Xavier, like at
(39:01):
the marble mouthed, I think, yeah, I think they jumped
into the bottom of the first. Xavior. It's fun to
hear him talk. I can't understand anything he says. I hope,
I'm hoping there's not some scenario in the future where
I'm calling in like to my insurance agency and I've
got a question. I got to talk to my phone
(39:21):
representative and it's Xavier, because it's going to be a
very difficult conversation at that point, because I can't understand
the guy. Uh Panthers pored first, second, and fourth round
picks into the offense. I mean they you know, they
knew the offense was terrible. It's got to get better,
and it can only get better for Bryce Young. You
know here you are. You're Bryce Young, controversial pick, is
(39:42):
the first rookie overall. C J. Stroud is immediately a
billion times better than you. Your coaching staff gets fired
at mid season. You're working with interim guys who all
know that this is the beginning. You know that the
season is lost. It's just everything was bad for Bryce Young.
Not enough talent at wide receiver, as well some of
the dart pick throws that they had had in recent years. Also,
(40:04):
Tarres Marshall, Jonathan Mingo didn't did, did not help this offense.
So they trade for Deontay Johnson. A little weird to
me because stylistically, I think he's got some similarities to
Adam Thlen with the same number well and that, I mean,
you know that's gonna be a I want.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
To for it as far as.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
I'm concerned, Uh, Johnson and Theland sure handed guys, though,
that maybe will be something that helps that helps Young
a little bit.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Here.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
Leaguett brings vertical speed to the table, something Thelan does
and Johnson do not have. So incredibly thick for incredibly
thick for a guy who runs a four to three nine
like Guet is really well built, probably opens the year
as a starter or at least a situational player in
this offense. I shot Mingo big time, big time. I
(40:51):
think Taris Marshall, I think this is it for him
and oh yeah, cut candidate. Mingo probably makes the roster
only because he was a second round draft pick one
year ago.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
Do you know when I realized that Terrence Marshall, Terrace
Terriss Marshall wasn't going to be a thing in the NFL.
I was watching tape on him because I'm like, how
is he not producing? And there was a play they
decided he got open and they passed it away from him.
And before while the pass is in the air, he's complaining, complaining,
(41:21):
he's not going to help block. He's not. It's like,
come on, yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
That's stuff. Your coaches hate that, and they see the tape.
I could regale you with futility stats for Bryce Young. Okay,
and it is bad, but remember how we threw out
Trevor Lawrence's rookie year. We said bad coaching staff, bad situation,
(41:48):
players around him, and we threw it out and we
just went reboot for next year. I think that's the
approach to take on Bryce Young. Sure, just let's just
your race last year. Let's assume this is going to
be a much and and it really should be a
much better coaching staff that puts him in a far
better position to succeed. I will know this. The touchdowns
are total disaster, but I'll know this. We knew that
(42:11):
Young was not going to run very much. But to
be very clear, now we know zero wheels here, so
he is not going to help you on the ground
at all. And overall, does the Carolina Pathing Panther's passing
game get better worse? Well, of course it has to
get better. Can't get it, can't be worse. Let's go
to the running game. Jonathan Brooks almost certainly takes over
as the lead back, but the timetable is complicated because
(42:32):
he tore his ACL in November, so we don't know
for sure when that's going to happen. Chuba Hubbard and
Miles Sanders are still there, although I think Miles Sanders
is a post June one cut candidate. Looking at the
cap hit at that point, he would not even be
a cap hit, so there's a chance they cut him.
I mean, at this time last year we were optimistic
Miles Sanders could be an RB one. Yeah, and he
(42:52):
you know, he didn't even finish the season as the
starter on his own back, losing it to Chewba Hubbard.
He wasn't even good. So Hubbard and Sanders probably are
some combination, are your guys? Until Brooks is ready for
to hit the field and get a big workload yep October.
Maybe I don't know. I mean, you know it's Acls,
you don't You just you don't know for sure. So
(43:14):
the Brooks then could take some time. I'm in the
minority with this take. Just looking at brooks college work,
I just didn't see special NFL level traits. I saw
a running back who was good at a lot of things.
But I'm trying to find those things that are gonna
make you special at this level. And I just I
had a hard time spotting him. Thor likes him, doesn't
(43:36):
love him. He was just the one year starter of Texas.
But in fairness, he was behind Bijon Robinson two years ago,
and they could have John similar to.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
So.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
And I'll mention this Carolina is offensive line non awful.
Last year in run blocking they ranked sixteenth by Pro
Football Focus. So does it get better worse this year?
Let's assume Brooks is better than Hubbard and Sanders, which
wouldn't take a lot, and eventually this running game gets better.
Speaker 3 (44:03):
Okay, I mean for fantasy, it really could have if Brooks,
you know, in the second half of the season, at
post Thanksgiving whatever is taking the load where there's not
the split that gave them secrets. Sea grades are worse
all year.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Correct, all right, let's go to the Saints.
Speaker 3 (44:20):
The Saints. Yeah, this might be the most boring one,
this one.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
They did have a boring offseason.
Speaker 3 (44:26):
So boring.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (44:28):
The only coaching changes They hired Clint Kubiak, who we're
familiar with UH Minnesota OC from Minnesota a couple of
years ago. Then he was the Broncos pass game coordinator
than the forty nine Ers pass game coordinator. He's jumping
around job a job. But that's about the only change
in coaching here. They they they're quarterbacks. They they still
(44:49):
have Car, they still have Jake Hayner. They drafted Spencer Rattler,
but he's you know, going to be behind them most
likely unless there's some real faltering or or injury or
whatever or cut. Do you think Car's getting cut? I'm
looking at your face.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
I'm just what I'm I'm trying to ask myself. Is
this is there a scenario around Thanksgiving where the Saints
are like, a, let's see what three win operation or
win operations possible.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
I feel like they want to see what they happens.
Speaker 1 (45:17):
I feel like it is.
Speaker 3 (45:18):
Yeah, yep, And that's about all the changes. Then we
get to the running game, where there's Kamara, Jamal Williams,
and Kendra Miller. Still the passing. The wide receivers A Lave,
Shaheed at Perry auditions, auditioned by subtraction by Thomas.
Speaker 1 (45:35):
He's out of the league right now.
Speaker 3 (45:36):
Yeah, Yeah, let's stay in the passing game here. But
Chris Alave sixteen wide receiver sixteen last year, just he
really feels like he's on the way up. He looked
like a star. He looked like on that Nico Collins path.
He looked like on looks like what Drake London might
be too in Atlanta. Yeah, he's wherever he's going. I'm
(45:58):
sure it's worthy in drafts for sixteen. Honestly feels like
a floor for him this year. Personally, I think that
they're going to be behind. They're gonna have to throw
all the time.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
Okay, all right, that's that is possible. I just feel
like Derek Carr kind of puts a ceiling on what
Chris o'lave can do.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
Yeah, but there have been some really high passing yardag
years out of car in Oakland, so I wouldn't doubt that.
And the running game is just getting a year older
and a year older and a year older.
Speaker 1 (46:28):
Kamara fell off the table, the metrically fell off the table,
like all.
Speaker 3 (46:32):
His freak tackles, all that everything gone. That's that's what
I'm saying. I don't see the run game being able
to support them, even unless Kendre Miller takes a huge step.
And you know Jamal Williams, well, he really never was
that guy. He had a good season and half a
season or so of being that guy, but hasn't really
had it. But in the past game we got Rashid Shahid,
(46:53):
Who's probably gonna benefit from Mike Thomas's thirty nine catches
and forty eight You know I feel about Rashii Rashid yaheedr.
But but oh, first off, Alave was second interceptions in targets,
which I did not realize. I did not realize that either.
Speaker 1 (47:09):
All right, we love that volume.
Speaker 3 (47:10):
At least I wrote that, Oh no, that's Kamara. Kamara
was second receptions and targets. And what I was like,
it's quite above him. That can't be right right as
I say it. But Rashi Yahed he averaged fifteen to
twenty less targets than the the players around his rank.
He ranked wide receiver forty four last year, but he
(47:32):
had way more Fantasy points because of how Oh no, yeah,
he had way more Fantasy points because of how efficient
he was, because of all those big balls, the you know,
seven scores or whatever. At Perry twelve catches in eight games.
But those twelve catches went for two and forty six
yards and four touchdowns bombs away. So there there's some
(47:53):
real efficiency out of out of the two guys behind
a lave. So if a lave is getting the volume
those two guys, that's where I was. Those two guys
with their efficiency can still make hay for you and fantasy.
I don't know the data Perry will, but.
Speaker 1 (48:05):
No, I don't think it's very interesting.
Speaker 3 (48:07):
I still like he's so productive on twelve twelve catches.
Speaker 1 (48:10):
I'm gonna have a I'm gonna have a it's a
painful decision my second round. I have a second round
pick in a dynasty league. That looks like I'm gonna
have to drop Shaheed to make that pick. Oh, that's league, right, Empire.
Speaker 3 (48:23):
Yeah, that's gonna be tough, tough, tough, Taysom Hill, I mean,
Juwan Johnson and Foster Morrow are above him on the
on the tight end depth chart, but it seems like
it's always Taysom Hill, who is tight end twelve because
of four hundred and one rushing yards and seven combined
rushing TD but.
Speaker 1 (48:39):
The ultimate wildcard to tight end, right, Yeah, you know, yeah,
one week you get zero fantasy points. The next week
he runs into.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
Almost quite literally, he had six double digit fantasy point
weeks and then a whole bunch of like two and
three point or last weeks. Uh into the running game.
We've kind of already discussed it though, but Kamara was
running back eleven, but we've mentioned how he downturned in everything.
Thirty three percent of his stats came in those two
games where he caught twenty eight.
Speaker 1 (49:07):
Now right, forgot about that.
Speaker 3 (49:12):
So when you catch twenty eight pass twenty five passes
on twenty eight targets in two games, yes, you're gonna
you're gonna most of your stats are gonna come basically
in two games.
Speaker 1 (49:25):
Marriage cooked.
Speaker 3 (49:27):
As far as the passing game, I think it's gonna
be pretty similar. It's just we're gonna get more numbers
out of players without Mike Thomas there, and the running
game I think takes a downturn.
Speaker 1 (49:38):
Just go to the Falcons. What do you think is
the bigger off season story the dumping of Arthur Smith
or the signing of Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 3 (49:46):
I think it's the signing of Arthur Smith to another.
Speaker 1 (49:49):
Team, sabotaging the Steelers.
Speaker 3 (49:51):
Seed story to be. I think it's oh man, they
are both man that is, I don't even that's a.
Speaker 1 (50:00):
Tough one, isn't it too tough? You new head coach
in Atlanta's Raheem Morris, You new offensive coordinator Zach Robinson.
Let's talk about Zach Robinson for a second. He's a
super thin resume, so it's hard to know what kind
of offense he's going to bring to the Falcons. For
the last two years he was the Rams passing game
coordinator and quarterbacks coach, so he has not called plays before,
(50:21):
so we have nothing to go on there. Sean McVay
runs a very balanced offense, you know, like middle of
the pack run percentage, past percentage, whereas Arthur Smith obviously
was run heavy. He ranked fourth last year and run
play percentage. So we should see a much more balanced offense,
and particularly because you bring in Kirk Cousins, who's way
better than Desmond Ritter, so you know, presumably we're going
(50:44):
to see a lot more passing in Atlanta. So let's
talk about Kirk. I'm not worried about his return from Achilles.
He was dancing on it in February. You know, he's
looked fine in mini camps and just I know there
are a lot of people that are like Achilles. Honest,
don't think it's going to matter very much. I couldn't,
you know, maybe maybe not be proven wrong. But it's
not like they needed wheels before he offers with or
(51:08):
without the Achilles. I mean, you could surgically remove his achilles,
and I still think he would be a significant upgrade
to this passing game considering what they had. And remember,
Cousins last year was having the best year of his
career pre injury. When he went down, he was leading
the NFL in passing yards. He finished touchdowns right or
second second in touchdowns. He finished with a seventy percent
(51:31):
completion rate. Last year, Cousins was on pace to finish
second in touchdown passes. Get this his ADP right now,
quarterback seventeen. Yeah, and I realized he doesn't have Justin
Jefferson anymore. But it's not like they have no weapons
to throw to.
Speaker 3 (51:48):
You made me figure it out. I will keep Anthony
Richardson and I will draft Kirk Cousins.
Speaker 1 (51:52):
There you go his previous year's finishes. Kirks, he was
quarterback four at the time of his achilles. Year before that,
he was quarterback six year before that, quarterback nine year
before that, quarterback eleven. Now he's going off the board
his quarterback seventeen, Scott yep.
Speaker 3 (52:09):
And he still has good weapons. He still has great weapons,
and they're gonna finally unlock Kyle Pitts. Some of those
some of those videos, I know you always see the
best shape of your life and the amazing catch videos.
Kirk to Pitts looked really good and.
Speaker 1 (52:24):
It does look good, right, yeah, I mean there's a
lot of opportunity here, so Drake, London, Kyle Pitts and
John of Smith and now in Miami. So that's gonna
help keep Pitts on the field. So we like that
London going off the board wide receiver fourteen. So it's funny,
you know, London's been nowhere near wide receiver fourteen prior
to now, but now he's getting drafted as though Kirk's
(52:45):
going to be really good, but nobody's drafting Kirk.
Speaker 3 (52:49):
Yeah, you got to love when that happens.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
That people are assuming a massive uptick in Drake London's production.
His two years so far in the league, he's had
almost exactly nine hundred yards and then he's had a
four touchdown season and two touchdown season. For Drake London
to get him to make good on wide receiver fourteen,
I mean, you know, he's got to get like you know,
(53:12):
we need him to get like a fifty percent bump
on these numbers. We need him at thirteen hundred receiving
yards and you know, eight touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (53:20):
And honestly, that wouldn't that that honestly wouldn't even shock
me nor what't. But you need that to hit that
adp yes is the thing that's.
Speaker 1 (53:27):
So we do need that and kurtly deliver. The team
brought in Darnell Mooney, Rondel Moore, and ray Ray McLoud,
which is a little bit baffling because they all play
the slot and they brought them all in, so I
thought that was weird. Mooney as the expected starter out
of that group and Moore's gonna probably be the gadget
guy for the Falcons. I want to mention this digging
(53:48):
up some Zach Robinson research with the Rams. Last year
they finished dead last in receptions and receiving yards to
running backs.
Speaker 3 (53:58):
Oh last year.
Speaker 1 (54:00):
So does B John Robinson automatically get the big uptick
with Kirk who did not throw to his running backs
in Minnesota either.
Speaker 3 (54:06):
And he's like, oh, he's like the anti Joe Lombardi.
Who I saw this stat this week. Joe Lombardi now
with Denver, you'll talk about him next week. With that,
I'm sure his targets to running backs top five ten
years in a row.
Speaker 1 (54:20):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (54:22):
Wow. Yeah, So he's like the anti.
Speaker 1 (54:24):
I'm struggling with what to do with Julium mouglachlan. But
that's a conversation.
Speaker 3 (54:28):
Maybe for now next week.
Speaker 1 (54:30):
So everybody thinks B John Robinson is going to be
way way better. Hopefully he will, but you know you're
going to get less total rushes out of this offense,
and if Zach Robinson follows the Rams blueprint, you might
not get as many receptions for b Jehon Robinson as
you think. So let's let's talk this through on the
running game, by the way, just a passing game get
(54:51):
better obviously, Yes, way way better, way better running game.
The only notable change in personnel Cordell Corderyl Patterson is
now in Pittsburgh. He follow Arthur.
Speaker 3 (55:00):
Smith makes sense ever since that video of him saying
he was on his fantasy team.
Speaker 1 (55:05):
Yeah, there you go. Bijon Robinson and Tyler Algier returned
last year. Robinson was almost a full yard better per
carry than Algier and despite the bigger size, Robinson had
more yards after contact. Romason is just better yep. But
the problem was they were only separated by two carries
per game. I mean, Alger was getting almost the same workload,
(55:27):
which was very frustrating. Obviously, the assumption is that Bijon's
going to be a bigger part of the workload under Robinson,
but that's just an assumption, and Bijon's ADP right now
is ridiculous. It's eight.
Speaker 3 (55:42):
Yeah, that's I just there's a lot of name attached
to that. There's a lot of everybody expected a ton
from him coming in. He was like the clear cut
number one Dynasty pick and the loss of Arthur Smith.
Everybody felt like he was misused by a Thurs Smith
that they feel like this is his true rookie year.
So I get it.
Speaker 1 (56:03):
The only way to make good on an ADP at
pick eight for Bijon is that he has to score
a lot more touchdowns. Yeah, a lot more. He had
four rushing touchdowns last year, four receiving touchdowns. So I
went and decided to look up what did he do
inside the five? Like, you know, can can he have
a big uptick on usage inside the five? He's not
(56:25):
built like a traditional goal line back. He was given
only three carries inside the five last year.
Speaker 3 (56:32):
Three yep, Arthur Smith. I actually commented on that a
couple times last year that he prefers Algerion. They thought
he was better inside the five.
Speaker 1 (56:39):
Now, on the three carries, he did score twice. So
there's that. But get this, and this is really fascinating.
Arthur Smith threw to Bjon Robinson five times from inside
the three yard line. Okay, he had zero touchdowns and
zero receptions. None were even complete.
Speaker 3 (56:56):
I'd like to watch where those balls ended up.
Speaker 1 (56:59):
Yes, I assume that it's on Desmond Ridder. I'm gonna
blame for that. But yeah, they threw to him five
times from inside I think I said three before, but
it was from inside the five yard line.
Speaker 3 (57:11):
None caught interesting.
Speaker 1 (57:13):
Yeah, so does a running game get better? I don't
know that it does. I think that there's gonna be
fewer carries to go around. Algier is still there, and
you know, I just I don't know. I'm just I'm
not convinced that. I'm not convinced that Bejon Robinson's gonna
be materially different from the guy he was last year.
Speaker 3 (57:33):
I production wise, like man, I find it hard to
believe he's I find it hard to believe the new
coaching staff is gonna give Algier as much work. I
just I just find that hard to believe. I can't
I can't imagine it. So I feel like the running
game may be about the same, but the offense is
gonna be better, so there's more scoring opportunities and it
(57:55):
might be more condensed. To Beijon's side, I think I'd
lean better on that personally. But I get it. You've
you've pointed out the angles.
Speaker 1 (58:03):
Okay, well there you go. A FC South NFC South
in the books. Yes, uh, these get to be long podcasts.
Speaker 3 (58:10):
Yeah, this one is. I talk way too much. I
interrupt too much stuff that doesn't.
Speaker 1 (58:15):
Matter, like greasing your stomach for belly flops. Yes, yeah,
that that's that's not me.
Speaker 3 (58:21):
See now you're rude that you should have edited the show, Scott,
I have to go grease up our bellies. Still, we'll talk.
Speaker 1 (58:28):
To you, shave each other's chests and grease up our bellies.
Speaker 3 (58:31):
Yes, not weird. Yeah. Tweet us on Twitter or x
or whatever hashtag greased bellies, grease bellies. Yeah, d of
this show.
Speaker 1 (58:39):
You can prove you made it through our one hour show.
Thank you for listening to everybody. Will be back next
week with more Fantasy Football Weekly. Fantasy Football Weekly is
a production of iHeart Radio. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio,
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