Podcast Summary: Casuals with Katie Nolan

BONUS! Introducing Fantasy Football | with Matthew Berry

Release date: August 29, 2025
Host: Katie Nolan
Guests: Isabella, Brady, and special guest Matthew Berry

Overview

This special bonus episode of Casuals is aimed at demystifying fantasy football for beginners, specifically by walking Isabella—a self-confessed fantasy newbie—through all the essential concepts, strategy, and tips she’ll need to draft and manage a fantasy football team for the show's upcoming league. The episode covers the basics of how fantasy football works, roster construction, scoring systems, positions, draft strategy, common rookie mistakes, and ends with expert guidance from the legendary Matthew Berry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fantasy Football Basics (01:16–12:27)

• Fantasy Football Structure: A weekly competition where participants draft real NFL players to create their own "fantasy" teams and compete against others in their league.
  • "Every week you're going to set a lineup based off of the people that you have drafted...and then have that lineup face up against somebody else's lineup." — Katie Nolan (03:27)
• Roster & Drafting: Each team drafts 15 players and selects a starting lineup each week.
  • Starters: 1 QB, 2 WRs, 2 RBs, 1 TE, 1 Flex (WR/RB/TE), 1 Kicker, 1 Defense.
  • The rest are bench spots.
  • "Every week you get to choose which guys are gonna start, but you'll still possess the people that you drafted." — Katie (05:58)
• Flex Position: Allows for creative lineups by starting your choice of WR, RB, or TE.
  • "It's scary 'cuz it's like, what is this? But it's actually more freedom." — Katie (12:14)

2. Positions Explained (06:51–12:16)

• Quarterbacks (QB): Most famous names, score by throwing and sometimes running in touchdowns.
• Wide Receivers (WR): Catch the ball; examples given include DK Metcalf, Stefan Diggs, and Tyreek Hill.
• Running Backs (RB): Run the ball after handoffs or short passes.
  • "A lot of times running backs will be good for, like, three years at a time, and then they kind of fall off. It's a more volatile group." — Brady (09:10)
• Tight Ends (TE): Hybrid blockers/receivers, typically less valuable in fantasy unless they're elite.
  • "In terms of fantasy, they are like a receiver. And there's like maybe three that are el[ite]." — Katie (10:34)

3. Scoring System Breakdown (18:01–27:54)

• Passing Yards: QBs get 1 point every 25 yards passed.
• Rushing Yards (For all positions): 1 point per 10 yards.
• Touchdowns: QBs get 4 points per passing TD, 6 for rushing/receiving. WRs/RBs/TEs get 6 per TD.
• Receptions: In a PPR (Points Per Reception) league, any player gets 1 point per catch.
• Negative Points: Turnovers (interceptions, fumbles lost) and, for defenses, big plays against them can cost you points.
  • "You can also lose points as a quarterback if you lose a fumble...minus two points." — Katie (23:01)
• Defensive/Special Teams Scoring: Points for safeties, touchdowns, interceptions, fumble recoveries.

4. Draft Strategy & Logistics (30:18–44:28)

• Filling Bench Spots: Focus on WRs and RBs for bench, as they're more volatile and frequently injured.
  • "Most people choose to pick wide receivers or running backs so that...you've got backups." — Katie (29:16)
• Draft Format: Snake draft (order reverses each round). Each participant gets 1 minute per pick.
  • "Someone's gonna pick, right?...How long's our clock?...A minute clock." — Katie (37:29)
• Position Prioritization: Don’t overvalue kickers or team defenses; save those choices for last.
  • "No offense, the best kicker is not that much worse than the worst kicker. It's like pumpkin pie." — Brady (14:28)
• Average Draft Position (ADP): A tool to help you avoid overreaching for players.

5. Team Names and Bye Weeks (41:41–44:24)

• Team Names: Creative, usually punny, and often reference a player, but no restrictions.
• Bye Weeks: Each NFL team has one week off; be mindful when drafting and setting lineups.
  • "I'm just speaking as somebody who once drafted guys with all the same bye week and didn't notice." — Katie (43:47)

6. The Waiver Wire – In-Season Management (44:24–45:50)

• Brief introduction to waivers: how to add new players (like free agents) after the draft, especially when unexpected opportunities arise.
  • "If somebody that's on no one's team has three touchdowns in a week, everybody's going to want them." — Brady (44:51)

Expert Segment: Matthew Berry (49:08–70:24)

Fantasy Football Draft Advice

• Beginner Comfort: The draft is only the beginning; don't panic or overthink.
  • "If you do no research...and you just take the highest ranked player that's available...I promise you, you will not embarrass yourself." — Matthew Berry (52:16)
• First Pick Guidance:
  • If Jamar Chase (WR) is gone, take Bijan Robinson (RB, Atlanta Falcons), because he gets a lot of carries and pass targets.
  • "He was the only running back in the NFL to be top five in both targets… and carries." — Matthew Berry (50:24)
• Roster Construction:
  • Only draft one QB, one defense, one kicker. Use bench spots for WRs and RBs (possibly a backup TE only if you get a weaker one).
  • "I go with one quarterback, one tight end, one kicker, one defense, and the rest are all running backs and wide receivers." — Matthew Berry (55:57)
• Draft Flexibility: No strict rules—let the draft come to you, don’t get locked into a plan.
  • "I kind of let the draft come to me." — Matthew Berry (57:15)
  • If you don’t get an elite QB or TE early, wait till later; mid-range QBs/TEs are similar.

Avoiding Rookie Mistakes

• Common Pitfalls:

  1. Drafting extra kickers, defenses, QBs, or TEs. (Only need backups for RB/WR.)
  2. Accidentally drafting injured players—watch for injury tags.
  3. Overvaluing the draft—season outcomes often come down to management, luck, and in-season moves, not a “perfect” draft.

• Reassurance & Favorite Story:

  • Even NFL QBs make the wrong choices in fantasy!
  • "[Seahawks QB] Matt Hasselbeck knew the game plan...had more control over an NFL game than any fantasy football player ever in the history of the sport, and still got it wrong." — Matthew Berry (64:52)
  • "If Hasselbeck can’t get it right, what chance do any of us have, Isabella?" — Matthew Berry (66:22)

Late-Round Sleeper Picks

• RB Zach Charbonnet (Seattle): May be undervalued and could "go off" if given a chance due to injuries ahead of him.
  • "When he gets the opportunity to start, he's been nothing short of fantastic." — Matthew Berry (68:08)
• TE Tyler Warren (Indianapolis): Rookie, could outperform his ADP.
  • "I think he's just gonna have a monster year." — Matthew Berry (68:39)

Draft Prep Tips (69:11)

• Keep it simple: ranking sheet + pen/pencil.
• Don’t bring too much clutter; less is more.
  • "The less you have, the less cluttered it is." — Matthew Berry (69:19)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the value of fantasy for new fans:
  "I got so into football within one season of playing fantasy because you just pay attention to everything across the league." — Katie Nolan (12:24)

• On rookie panic:
  "Literally, as you go through the draft, you just draft the highest ranked available player...you will not embarrass yourself." — Matthew Berry (52:16)

• On fantasy unpredictability:
  "It's a game with 11 people and a leather ball and an oblong shape. Weird, weird stuff happens every week." — Matthew Berry (66:22)

• On not overvaluing kickers:
  "Best kicker is not that much worse than the worst kicker. It's like pumpkin pie." — Brady (14:28)

  • Isabella: "I've never really been that unhappy with a pumpkin pie." (14:45)

• On mental ease for beginners:
  "If Hasselbeck can’t get it right, what chance do any of us have, Isabella?" — Matthew Berry (66:22)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fantasy Basics & Structure: 01:16–12:27
• Positions Breakdowns: 06:51–12:16
• Scoring Explained: 18:01–27:54
• Draft Strategy/Logistics: 30:18–44:28
• Team Names & Bye Weeks: 41:41–44:24
• Waiver Wire Basics: 44:24–45:50
• Matthew Berry (Main Interview & Q&A): 49:08–70:24
  • Strategy and beginner advice: 49:37–57:00
  • Avoiding rookie mistakes: 59:46–66:22
  • Sleeper picks and Q&A: 66:45–69:45
• Episode wrap-up & Isabella’s feelings: 70:40–72:05

Final Notes

• The episode provides an accessible, friendly, and humorous introduction to fantasy football, ideal for first-timers but sprinkled with enough insights for returning players.
• The tone is supportive and light, emphasizing fun, learning, and low stakes.
• Meta: The episode sets Isabella (and listeners) up to draft confidently and enjoy the fantasy football season.