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Gatorade
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Liz Loza
If you came here looking for Fantasy Focus, surprise you now get that show five days a week plus facts versus feelings. Welcome. I'm Liz Loza and today's feeling is hope. Because without it, we are all doomed. You know me, but you may not know my producer. It's Mr. David Presley. Hi, Dave. Welcome to the show.
David Presley
Hey, Liz. I'm excited to be here. Episode two on video. Look at us making things happen.
Liz Loza
We are making things happen. Last time we spoke, you were making things happen in the draft lobby, mocking your little heart out. I am interested if you have changed your stance on Christian McCaffrey since last episode.
David Presley
I mean, after Austin was telling us that he has has the faith in him, I think I'm going to have to. I'm just so, so scarred from the past, especially last year.
Liz Loza
So burnt takes are boring, we say every show.
David Presley
Yeah, well, I'll give it him a shot. I can't guarantee he'll be on all my teams, but I'll be in a lot of leagues. So Christian, you'll be on one team at least.
Liz Loza
Oh, I think he is waiting with bated breath. Now play. Wait, what is it called? The disclaimer.
David Presley
It's a disclaimer list. Play it. Fantasy football is a game of inches, luck and irrational confidence. Proceed with caution, trust your gut and remember, ADP is a suggestion, not a command. Muck drafts a fantasy. Your real draft is war. And just because you heard it on this show doesn't mean you should do it. If all goes wrong, just say your account was hacked.
Liz Loza
Dart throws. Lotto tickets. Super sleepers, call them whatever you want. The fact remains that hitting on a player after pick 100 is one of the most exhilarating feelings in fantasy. So here are three of my favorite final round flyers.
Gatorade
So you're telling me there's a chance.
David Presley
All right, the first player on this list, list, J.J. mcCarthy. It's got me excited. I think this guy could be a free token at the end of the draft this year. And yeah, I love it.
Liz Loza
I appreciate that enthusiasm and brevity. To be honest, Dave, I thought you were going to say you were nervous because for all intents and purposes, I am nervous. He's a rookie. Oh, you are nervous, right? Because we. I mean, that's a fair response because we haven't seen him in a professional setting, but there's Plenty to be excited about. He certainly proved to be an excellent passer in college. He completed over 74% of his passes in his final year at Michigan. He has a little bit of rushing upside too, but I think more than that, we know that he is surrounded by elite weapons. Justin Jefferson can obviously drag a quarterback into production and I think this is we're bearing the lead a little bit, honestly. Kevin OConnell's scheme has elevated Sam Darnold has elevated Kirk Cousins and so we're assuming, and there is some assumptions to be made. Right. We're making a leap here. It's full of hope, it's full of enthusiasm. But we're assuming that that system can also bring the best out of J.J. mcCarthy.
Gatorade
Yeah.
David Presley
Where do you have him?
Liz Loza
Right, right now I have him as my QB20, but he is in the same tier as like CJ Stroud, Jared Goff, Trevor Lawrence, this collection of players that have a lot of potential but some obvious red flags and you know, I can shuffle these rankings a bunch. I think the key to J.J. mcCarthy is that you don't want him to be your QB one. But I do like his potential and I do like adding him late because why not?
David Presley
Yeah, I'm still nervous. Who's next?
Liz Loza
All right, let's go to the second player. It's Marvin Mims. Initial first thoughts on Marvin Mims?
David Presley
Oh, I mean I want to say yes, but I'm also a little skeptical. He didn't see the field that much last year.
Liz Loza
I think that's a misconception. He did see the field, he just was not targeted. Remember he had a rookie quarterback throwing the ball to him and it took Knicks understandably a minute to connect with Mims, to develop chemistry. Chemistry and for the game to slow down for him. But come those double digit weeks of the season, once actually Mims found the end zone for the first time of the season, then Knicks started targeting him more regularly. In fact, mims averaged around five targets per game from weeks 12 through the end of the season. But here's also the key that makes me excited for next year. Nix's passing production increased by an average of over 60 passing yards per game once he started utilizing Mims more frequently and effectively. So I am hopeful that Mims will pick up in 2025 where he left off at the end of 2024. And Mims has 4, 3, 8 speed. He is the downfield threat. His production probably going to be a little inconsistent, a little boomer bust if you will. But that doesn't mean Again, that you won't have a high upside flex. And he's going to be the wide receiver too. In an ascending offense at seven such a great value, why not take a flyer on him?
David Presley
The last player on the list. Liz, you picked another tight end for the second week in a row and you know how I feel about tight ends, so I'm gonna let you take this one.
Liz Loza
Well, I just like to give people options at every position, so that's why I picked a tight end. But I do feel like Brenton Strange is not getting the kind of love or attention that he deserves. He's Jacksonville's starting tight end, Evan Ingram. Now, as we just discussed in Denver, Christian Kirk also now in Houston. That frees up over 100 targets for Strange. Who did flash at moments last year, did he when Evan Ingram win was. Yeah, he did. I mean he did. First of all, he was a rookie and he was a second round pick and he flashed enough, particularly after the catch, frankly, while Evan Ingram was sidelined to earn himself the starting gig. So there's confidence in the offense that he can work as the over the middle safety valve for Trevor Lawrence. And again, he's going to be complimentary. We have over 110 looks vacated with the exits of Engram and Kirk. Yes, Travis Hunter enters the equation, but he's a two way player so it's going to be hard to project his volume. And again, Strange is a complimentary piece. Mike Clay has him projected to I believe clear 80 targets. If I decide to wait on the position or I'm going to stream at the position, ignore it and not deal with the volatility that you are so consistently frustrated by. Why not just add him as your last pick and you know, release yourself of that stress. If it doesn't work out, then you know you're streaming for the season. Instead of hoping and praying that Travis Kelce looks like his old self again much earlier.
David Presley
Who have you got ranked higher, Strange or your boy Chiga Conquer.
Liz Loza
I love that you know that I stan Chig so hard. Yeah, I have Chig ranked two spots ahead of Strange for reference. Strange is my tight end 19 and Chig is my tight end 17.
David Presley
Yeah, I mean opportunity is definitely one of our favorite things and late round fly is one of my favorite things in fantasy. So I've been loving this segment.
Liz Loza
I'm glad you love it. If you love it, I love it. And I think our viewers are gonna love this guest. Who's coming up next, Ryan Reynolds here.
Gatorade
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Liz Loza
@Mintmobile.Com Switch. Upfront payment of $45 for three months. Plan equivalent to $15 per month. Required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of network's busy. Taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com, hello.
Gatorade
Liz Loza. Hi.
Liz Loza
Oh, my goodness. I know this voice. We have true fantasy influence in the house today. An FF analyst for 18 years. This is true. Not only the president of the fswa, but also a Hollywood screenwriter, Andy Barrons. Thanks for calling.
Gatorade
Of course, it's a, it's a pleasure. It's been too long, Liz.
Liz Loza
Oh, it has been too long. For those of you who don't know, Andy and I work together for seven years at Yahoo. But my man has been unleashed. I appreciate you coming over here. What are you working on, by the way?
Gatorade
That is. You know what? That's exactly the way they delivered in the news. They said, andy, we're, we're unleashing you.
Liz Loza
Go run free into the interwebs.
Gatorade
Yeah, yeah. No, no, I'm good. I'm good. Actually, you're, you're catching me at a moment when I don't know if I can fully say everything that I'm gonna be doing, but I'm pretty excited for, for content in 2025. Gonna be. Gonna be collaborating quite a bit with mutual friend Dalton Del Don. Gonna be collaborating quite a bit with mutual friend Chris Harris. So I'm pretty excited about the season ahead.
Liz Loza
There is so much mystery going on right now. Not that I would expect anything less. You know what else is mysterious draft strategies. People always have a bunch of them. They are always cloaked in secrecy. I want to know though, if you're willing to at least share what kind of draft strategy you employ. And you can't say value based drafting because that's boring and nobody likes to hear.
Gatorade
Is that cheating? Is that cheating? Yeah, that is kind of cheating. Yeah. I mean, I guess I will say, and this is a little bit hedgy, but it kind of, it kind of depends where I'm picking and what falls to me early in a draft. I, I also think like the most important sort of big picture thing to understand about any of The, I don't know, like the branded draft strategies, right? Whether it's 0 RB, it's heavy RB, it's hero RB, it's late round QB. It's all the things is that they're kind of designed to give you, to give you a distinct edge somewhere. Which is, which is really the thing that I try to achieve. Like, I want to come out of every draft thinking, here's, here's where I win, here's, here's where I'm better than the rest of this league. And you know, that's not always going to be at running back and that's not always going to be at receiver. That, that depends. Depends on how the first round breaks for you. That depends on what's there when you're picking. I do want to, you know, I'm going to, I'm going to draft right now a super flex league where obviously we can start two quarterbacks. And so quarterbacks are flying off the board early. And I had like, had like the fifth pick in that thing. And it's a question of, you know, do I want to have the fifth best quarterback in the league or do I want to clearly win at another position. So that's one where I, you know, I started with Jamar Chase, took another pretty early receiver took. I think I had, I think I had like four flexes before I had my first quarterback. And I'm not going to feel great about the quarterbacks, but I'm going to have a clear edge at other spots. And I think that's what you have to walk away from drafts with. And that's always been the truth. That's, that's like, that's not like a new thing. That's, that's the way you should have always felt. That's the way I felt when I got into this. And, and I was drafting teams a million years ago and it's the way I feel now.
Liz Loza
I am smiling because this is such a fair and balanced answer, which I know is the space that you always come from and why you're one of the most accurate rankers in the space. I mean, I appreciate that it is honest, but it is also. You also didn't say I like to zig when other people's zag, which is essentially what you're saying, but the most trite way to say it.
Gatorade
I never, never zag.
Liz Loza
Yeah, you, yeah, you give big zig energy. You're welcome. So while you are doing this and you mentioned the super flex league, are you at that fifth spot or you know, just a regular standard draft. Are you a calm drafter? Are you chaotic? Do you fret? Are you a ball of anxiety? I'm going to imagine given the big zig energy, you're pretty confident. But that's always what us front facing people would like the public to believe. I want to know how the real Andy is feeling as he's drafting.
Gatorade
Yeah, it depends on the league. Like I have, I have hometown, hometown leagues like college buddy leagues, old, old work colleague leagues that I, that I really want to win. And I'm, I'm a little edgier in those I think. Right. I'm going to be a little bit more smack talky. So. But if I'm, if I'm just doing an industry draft and that's what this one is, it's a fun league full of fun people. But I'm pretty calm in this one. And you're not gonna really like, I'm not gonna get rattled because somebody I really like just flew off the board. It's, that's not gonna get to me. But I don't wanna like, if I'm competing against people that I've known that have been in my life for like 25 years, I, I don't wanna lose to them with players that I'd intended to draft. So those are the leagues where I get really uptight. Those are the leagues where I get like legitimate, you know, a little bit, little bit of rage. If somebody has taken George Kittle for me, if somebody has taken my IO guys from me, I don't, I don't appreciate that.
Liz Loza
You know, you're from Chicago, I'm from Chicago. I think this is probably a good time to talk about the Bears because there's a lot of fantasy buzz around this team, particularly with Ben Johnson coming over from the Lions. Caleb Williams is climbing, DJ Moore is being forgotten about. I am fully behind the Romo Dun breakout. Where are you sitting on the team in general? Are you first of all buying the hope slash hype and then we can dig into the players?
Gatorade
Well, so the, the meathead Bears fan in me is, is buying the hype, right? And I am, I am really excited about Ben Johnson and we're, you know, we're in a moment where, where camp is just underway and, and first day of camp. Ben Johnson is pulling the, you know, the first string offense off the field and there's feels like there's a level of accountability and coaching going on that, that probably hasn't been present in a few years. So that's really exciting. Long term. But like the fantasy analyst in me is like, oh no, the Bears are, the Bears are suddenly this team that has all the new stuff and it's, you know, they're buzzy because, you know, it's three new offensive linemen and that was a, that was clearly an area of need. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got, we got a new members of the receiving core, like new head coach. They're running a new offense that it's going to look different and just usually over, over my entire career in this business. Teams like this don't necessarily hit the ground running right. Like it can be, it can be a little clunky and out of sync for the first, I don't know, month, two months of the season. No matter how good the coaching is, no matter how talented the players are, it's a, we, we commonly say that it's a continuity league. And the Bears, the Bears have a lot right now. They have a lot of really fun pieces, but they do not necessarily have year to year continuity. It's going to be tough. It's going to be, it's going to be a huge challenge for them. But I do like, I like all the talent in, in all the spots. I like the idea of Roma Dunes. I like the idea of Caleb Williams. It's just all of this has to come together in a pretty short period of time and we don't, like, we don't normally see that happen seamlessly in early September. So I don't, I don't think it's, I don't think it's unrealistic to say that the Bears are going to be better, but it might not hit until October.
Liz Loza
Which of these Bears players will wildly outkick their adp?
Gatorade
Yeah, I think Caleb really can, in part because, in part because he's got untapped rushing upside and he's not, he's not necessarily a proactive runner, but he's a, he's a smart and opportunistic runner. He was, he was so close on so many things last year. Right. So I think, I think he's the kind of guy who can deliver. I don't, you know, not a, not a top five season at the position, anything like that, but can he finish among the QB ones? I think he can because I think he's going to give you 450 rushing yards and he's probably going to have a little bit better luck finding the end zone on the ground. So if we get four touchdowns out of him on the ground and just a normal good passing season which I, I think is probably in store. It's a very talented receiving core. I think he think he out kicks the adp. I I, I would love to be with you on a Dunes A and I think I am. I I love the idea of Roma Dunze, but he was also a player, you know. And it's funny, you don't know if this was Caleb, you don't know if it was Rome, you don't know if it was a combination of both. But man, they had, they had like early career, you know, like Mahomes McColl Hardman Energy last year where, where Rome was just never in the spot that Caleb expected him to be. And is that, is that Rome? Is that Caleb them. It was probably a little bit of both, but it was, it was clumsy between those two and they need to clean that up.
Liz Loza
If I'm being completely honest, Andy, a lot of the reason that I am such a Rome believer is because of something you taught me at the previous place, which was talent is always the tiebreaker. That is an Andy Barron's quote. Talent is the tiebreaker. And I think Odunze has Alpha written all over him. And so it's hard for me not to believe that under the tutelage of Ben Johnson and assuming that, yes, the connection and the communication between the QB and the wide receiver, you know, gets ironed out, there's an ascendance here and he's still a fabulous wide receiver. 3. It's not like because the position is so deep, you aren't going to get two starters ahead of him, so why not draft him as a potential flex? This is assuming his ADP doesn't climb in the next month or so or, you know, have him as your first bench selection.
Gatorade
I, I do also think that Ben Johnson is coming into this without a, without a hierarchy necessarily. Right. Like it's, it's entirely in play for Roma Dunes A to be The Bears wide receiver. 1. I, I don't, I don't think he has any preconceived notions about target distribution this season. Almost. It probably, probably doesn't have any preconceived notions about overall usage because he's, he's learned, he's made it very clear that everything is going to be a competition and there's going to be competition in all spots. And I kind of take him at his word with that.
Liz Loza
Do you want to play a game now?
Gatorade
Hell yeah, I want to play a game.
Liz Loza
Okay, so we're going to play a game that you actually inspired. It's Called Beer Me because little story time back before I was working at Yahoo while I was just a widow baby. Andy was kind enough to have like an informational lunch with me in the city in Chicago. He picked me up, we went to a restaurant and I was so intent on impressing him that I didn't know what to order because it's like two o' clock in the afternoon. I'm like, do I go cocktail? Do I go beer? Do I go diet Coke with a wedge of lime? That's my standard order. And so Andy ordered first and he ordered something called a gumball head. It was a beer. I know nothing about beer. Still don't know much about beer. But I was like, I too will have a gumball head. And proceeded to get so drunk at this lunch and keep it together and be like, that's so great. Thank you for all this information. Why am I seeing. It was like pink elephants from Dumbo. I was out of my mind. But trying really hard to like keep it together. So now when I'm at breweries, which I found myself at a lot recently, I'm like, do you have a gumball head? Because this is the only beer outside of like Natty Light that I know.
Gatorade
Shout out to shout out to three Floyd's Fine Brewery. I'm not even like, I'm not even a beer snob. But yeah, it remains my go to all these years later.
Liz Loza
Look at that. You find what you love and you stick with it. So we're going to play a game called Beer Me. I'm going to listen four different types of beer, read their descriptions and you are going to comp them to a fantasy player and explain why. Yes.
Gatorade
Sure. Yeah.
Liz Loza
All right, first up, lager. This is the quote. Every man's beer. It's light, it's crisp, maybe a little bit boring if you have. But if you have enough of them, it'll get the job done.
Gatorade
Let's go. Let's go. Caleb Johnson. Let's go. Let's go. Iowa rookie Steelers rookie Caleb Johnson, not. Not a particularly flashy player. I mean, within the context of like Iowa's offense last year, is a very flashy player, but not a particularly flashy player. I don't know that Caleb Johnson could have succeeded necessarily everywhere in the NFL, but wow, is he exactly what Pittsburgh was probably looking for? They basically had a Caleb Johnson shaped hole in the offense and they just filled it with him. He's going to be a perfect system fit for Arthur Smith. He is. He is a classic. Get the job Done. Keep going back to it all night sort of player. That is. That is, I think, what we think of when we. When. When we're talking loggers.
Liz Loza
Excellent. I. I am so enjoying this because I'm learning about beer and fantasy football. Give me your best ipa. The beer that every hipster loves. Maybe the best beer on this list, if you're comping them to players full of flavor, stacked with different layers, resulting in a joyful experience.
Gatorade
Yeah. So this is an IPA I think of as like a beer snobs beer. Right. Like.
Liz Loza
Yeah. Because they taste like booty hole.
Gatorade
It's gross. Right, right, right.
Liz Loza
Yes.
Gatorade
Right, Right. Well, you've cut to the chase. But they ask a lot of questions about it, and they find a lot of little hidden notes in it that may or may not be there. Right. But it's. It is. It is also. It has to be something that is somewhat trendy. I'm gonna. I'm gonna. And I don't. I don't dislike them, and I don't dislike this player. I'm gonna go with Ricky Piersol here because, man, do people. I mean, we're all sort of searching for the right answer among the 49ers receiving corps. Right? Everybody is. It's Jennings for some, It's Kittle for others. It's. It's Pearsall for others. And I think I feel like Pearsall has kind of that mystery IPA appeal. He is obviously, start a camp on the. On the PUP list. Probably not going to be a huge deal. Man, I am pretty excited about what that guy could be with just a normal off season, unlike the one that he had last year, because I thought he. I thought he showed really well at the end of the season. But he's also a big mystery box, which is, I think, what people are looking for with IPAs.
Liz Loza
How about a stout? Not everyone's cup of tea. It takes maybe a more sophisticated or unique palette to really enjoy a stout packed with flavor. It's thick, it's smooth. Be careful here.
Gatorade
This. This for me, is going to be Dak Prescott. Huh? Yeah. And not that, you know, Dak is not for everyone. And I think that's what. I think. That's what got me. Right. I don't know why Dak isn't for everyone, but he's. But he's. He's another guy who, like Trevor Lawrence, just absolutely buried in. In ADP right now. People are running away from him. He was. We're a year removed from him being the. The mvp runner up. We're a year removed from him being like the QB3, QB4 overall, a year removed from him leading the league in touchdown passes. And not, not like nobody's into him. He's got George Pickens, yet nobody's into him. And I realize he's not the runner that he was early in his career, but this guy, this guy's still really good. He was recently very good, but he is clearly not everyone's flavor.
Liz Loza
Yeah, Recency bias has won high abv. If we're sticking with the theme. I actually like Dak a lot at his value as well. Let's end with my choice at every brewery, a cider for the person who wants to consume easily, who just wants to be social, who wants to have a good time.
Gatorade
Yeah, you know, like, I don't know, is it a dirty secret about me if I don't get a gumball head? I like a cider. I like a cider. I like a shandy. I feel like I'm not supposed to like those things, but, man, it's girl.
Liz Loza
If you can put an orange in it, I'll drink it.
Gatorade
Yeah, that is a. That is a perfect summer bed. A perfect summer beverage. Let's go. Let's, let's go. T.J. hawkinson here because he's, he's, he's actually pretty fun and I think that offense is going to be really fun. And I am a JJ McCarthy believer. Not a believer in the sense that, like, he's a QB one for fantasy and you got to draft him, but I really liked that guy coming out and he's got a, he's got plenty of arm and I think Hawkinson is going to be a nice little, nice little spicy security blanket for him. Also. I thought Hawk looked really good by the end of last season. Touchdown in the playoff game, I believe. I think the only touchdown they scored in the playoff game. Hawk had a pretty good proof of concept half season coming off the injury last year. That guy's fun and I think he's, I think he's, he's a better athlete than he is generally considered by fantasy analysts. I think he's a pretty clear top five fantasy tight end.
Liz Loza
I love that comp because ciders are sneaky and all of a sudden you have a couple sips and then again you're seeing the pink elephants. And I think TJ Hawkinson is sneaky because given his adp, he could finish as a top five producer at the position as he did start to regain form at the end of last year. So again, a perfect comp. Andy, thank you so much for joining us. Will you please tell everyone where they can follow you on Social and where they can stay abreast of all of the new changes that are coming your way.
Gatorade
Yeah, yeah, they can certainly find me on Blue Sky. They can also find me on X. I'm just at Andy Barron's. I don't have a spicy handle anything like that. But yeah, gonna have going to have some exciting content announcements coming soon.
Liz Loza
We will definitely stay tuned. Thanks so much and cheers friend. I can't wait to text with you over the season.
Gatorade
It's so great talking to you.
Liz Loza
And now we're going to talk about a guy who, yes, was limited to seven games and averaged just 8.1 fantasy points per contest last year. But you know what Daddy? I love him. Isaiah Pacheco was an undeniable bust last year. That is what happens when a player breaks his leg in the second game of the season and then comes back from that injury too quickly. Oh wait, what do you do you hear that? It's the sound of Stefan Yabel saying I told you so. But anyway, there is no denying that Pacheco struggled from weeks 13 to the end of the season. I mean he only cleared 50 rushing yards in one of those outings. Before the injury though, he was solid. He managed 16 fantasy points in back to back efforts, including the one he was hurt in and the year before as the full time starter he was the RB14 in fantasy points per game, averaging over 15. So we know that that is his floor and yet he is still available in the ninth round being drafted between Aaron Jones and Tony Pollard. No, I don't think that's necessarily unreasonable, but if I am targeting a player of those three and in that tier, I am very obviously targeting the one that is attached to Patrick Mahomes. And on that note, it is time for Last Call. Today we learned that I will never not love Chigo conquo that there is no shame in a shandy and that hope springs eternal. It is also directly proportional to potential because the players that you feel the most hopeful about likely possess the most upside and the highest ceiling. And ending your draft on that kind of high, that's never bad business. Big thanks to Andy Barrons for joining the show and as always to producer Dave Presley for expanding my beer palette. Be sure to check out my full length late round Flyers article available on the.com oh and please come join me and the rest of the Fantasy Focus crew live in Manhattan on August 7th and also in Philadelphia on August 14th. There's a link to get your tickets in the description until next time. May your facts be solid, your feelings be right, and your bus be someone else's problem. It.
Podcast Summary: Fantasy Focus Football – "Draft Day Steals, Strategy & the Bust You Should’ve Seen Coming"
Release Date: August 1, 2025
Hosts/Authors: ESPN Fantasy Football experts Field Yates, Daniel Dopp, Mike Clay, and Stephania Bell
Description: ESPN Fantasy Football experts provide daily strategy, previews, injury reports, and debates around news and notes of the day.
The episode kicks off with Liz Loza setting an optimistic tone.
Liz Loza [00:28]: "If you came here looking for Fantasy Focus, surprise you now get that show five days a week plus facts versus feelings. Welcome. I'm Liz Loza and today's feeling is hope. Because without it, we are all doomed."
Producer David Presley joins, adding enthusiasm about the show's evolution.
David Presley [00:55]: "Hey, Liz. I'm excited to be here. Episode two on video. Look at us making things happen."
Liz introduces the segment on late-round flyers, emphasizing the thrill of snagging hidden gems in the draft's final stages.
Liz discusses J.J. McCarthy’s potential impact.
Liz Loza [02:14]: "He completed over 74% of his passes in his final year at Michigan. He has a little bit of rushing upside too, but more importantly, he's surrounded by elite weapons like Justin Jefferson, which can elevate his production."
David expresses cautious optimism based on past experiences.
David Presley [01:15]: "I think I'm going to have to. I'm just so, so scarred from the past, especially last year."
Liz ranks McCarthy as her QB20, positioning him alongside other high-potential quarterbacks with some red flags.
Liz Loza [03:25]: "I know, that's the key to J.J. mcCarthy is that you don't want him to be your QB one. But I do like his potential and adding him late because why not?"
Marvin Mims is highlighted for his increased targets and rushing potential.
Liz Loza [04:06]: "Mims averaged around five targets per game from weeks 12 through the end of the season. His production is poised to pick up in 2025 where he left off at the end of 2024."
David weighs in on his skepticism but recognizes the upside.
David Presley [04:15]: "He didn't see the field that much last year, but his late-season targets indicate a promising trend."
Brenton Strange is chosen as a tight end flyer, offering high target volume due to changes in Jacksonville's receiving corps.
Liz Loza [05:37]: "Brenton Strange is not getting the kind of love or attention that he deserves. With over 110 looks vacated from Evan Ingram and Christian Kirk, Strange emerges as a valuable late-round pick."
Liz advises using Strange as a late pick to mitigate risks.
Liz Loza [07:15]: "Why not just add him as your last pick and release yourself of that stress?"
Andy Barrons, a seasoned FF analyst and Hollywood screenwriter, joins Liz to discuss draft strategies and team analysis.
Andy delves into his adaptable approach, emphasizing the importance of flexibility based on draft dynamics.
Andy Barrons [10:01]: "It kind of depends where I'm picking and what falls to me early in a draft. I want to draft with a distinct edge somewhere, whether it's at running back or receiver."
He highlights the tactical decision-making in super flex leagues, balancing quarterback value against other positions.
Andy Barrons [10:45]: "In a super flex league, it's a question of whether to have the fifth best quarterback or to win clearly at another position."
Liz appreciates Andy's balanced perspective, reinforcing the show's commitment to honest analysis.
Liz Loza [11:43]: "I am smiling because this is such a fair and balanced answer, which is the space that you always come from."
The conversation shifts to the Chicago Bears, focusing on new additions and their fantasy implications.
Liz Loza [14:12]: "There's a lot of fantasy buzz around the Bears, particularly with Ben Johnson coming over from the Lions. Caleb Williams is climbing, DJ Moore is being forgotten about, and I'm fully behind Odunze Dun's breakout."
Andy shares a dual perspective, balancing fan enthusiasm with analytical caution.
Andy Barrons [14:12]: "The Bears have a lot of really fun pieces, but they do not necessarily have year-to-year continuity. It's going to be tough, but I do like all the talent in all the spots."
Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze are identified as players who could outperform their ADP (Average Draft Position), offering significant upside.
Andy Barrons [16:02]: "Caleb can finish among the QB ones because he's going to give you 450 rushing yards and have a normal good passing season."
Liz echoes the sentiment, emphasizing talent as a key differentiator.
Liz Loza [17:21]: "Talent is always the tiebreaker. Odunze has Alpha written all over him."
Injecting some lightheartedness, Liz introduces a game called "Beer Me," where Andy compares different beer types to fantasy players.
A straightforward, reliable option.
Andy Barrons [20:23]: "Caleb Johnson is exactly what Pittsburgh was probably looking for. He's a classic, get-the-job-done type of player."
A trendy choice with hidden potential.
Andy Barrons [21:49]: "Ricky Piersol has that mystery IPA appeal. He's a big mystery box, which is what people are looking for with IPAs."
A rich, complex option not for everyone.
Andy Barrons [23:06]: "Dak Prescott is another guy who was a year ago QB3. He's still really good, but he's not everyone's flavor."
A sweet, approachable choice with hidden depth.
Andy Barrons [24:29]: "TJ Hawkinson is sneaky because given his ADP, he could finish as a top five producer. Perfect as a cider comp."
Liz enjoys the game, highlighting how it parallels fantasy football's unpredictability and allure.
Liz Loza [25:26]: "Beer Me is such a fun way to explore player potentials."
The episode shifts focus to potential busts, spotlighting Isaiah Pacheco due to his injury struggles and underwhelming performance post-injury.
Liz Loza [26:19]: "Isaiah Pacheco was an undeniable bust last year, especially after his leg injury in the second game of the season. He struggled significantly from weeks 13 to the end."
Despite his early season promise, injuries derailed his fantasy value, leading to his current low ADP. Liz advises cautious consideration when targeting him in drafts.
Liz wraps up the episode by emphasizing the importance of balancing hope with realistic assessments.
Liz Loza [26:15]: "May your facts be solid, your feelings be right, and your bus be someone else's problem."
Key takeaways include:
Liz also invites listeners to engage with the Fantasy Focus crew through live events in Manhattan and Philadelphia, encouraging community interaction and deeper insights.
Notable Quotes:
Upcoming Events:
Additional Resources:
Stay Connected: Follow Andy Barrons on Blue Sky and X at @AndyBarrons for updates on his latest content and collaborations.
End of Summary