← Fantasy Focus Football
Fantasy Focus Football
Overreaction Monday + Week 1 Studs & Duds | Fantasy Focus 🏈
01:04:01
Overreaction Monday + Week 1 Studs & Duds
Loading summary
Transcript378 lines
- [00:00]
A
Quick break. Tailgates are won before the food even hits the grill. That's why you need to go with Kingsford Original Charcoal. It lights fast, burns long, and brings that bold, smoky flavor every time. Since 1920, Kingsford's been the gold standard of grilling. If you're grilling for a crowd, it's guaranteed to get the W. Kingsford, the king of the tailgate. Get it today at the Home Depot. How doers get more done compared to nationally available conventional charcoal in the usa? What's good, friends? Welcome into Fantasy Focus.
- [00:45]
B
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
- [00:46]
A
Everything is good.
- [00:47]
C
Everything is good. What were you doing yesterday? I didn't.
- [00:50]
B
Why? I was watching fantasy football. They may hijack you, but. Yeah, you know.
- [00:54]
C
Were you watching.
- [00:54]
A
You're answering the question.
- [00:55]
B
I watched play football yesterday. Yeah, he said he was watching fantasy football.
- [01:00]
C
I think what he meant is he was watching actual football.
- [01:02]
B
Yes.
- [01:02]
C
Playing fantasy while enjoying the fantasy benefit.
- [01:05]
A
Well, sometimes enjoying fantasy, Sometimes maybe not enjoying. We got a little bit of everything here in week one.
- [01:10]
B
Yeah, that was for comedic effect, to be clear. I didn't mean to actually, you know, cut you off three seconds into the show.
- [01:16]
A
No, I'm very excited, guys. We were talking about this before the show started. We cannot be more pumped to be here to talk about everything that. Excuse me. Happened over this weekend.
- [01:25]
B
So emotional over this.
- [01:26]
C
You know what he's wearing. It's really sweet. You're the only one. Well, you're agnostic, but I'm not wearing my Niners gear.
- [01:34]
A
This is a comfort sweater, Stefania. It's a comfort sweater is what it is.
- [01:38]
B
Is that what it is?
- [01:39]
A
It was chilly this morning. I needed to throw something.
- [01:42]
B
Almost all here.
- [01:43]
A
Yeah, I listen, after this week, after week one for the Detroit Lions fan, I might need to be held. Same for anyone that rostered many of the Detroit Lions. We're going to dive into a bunch of performances here in week one. We're going to do our best to. I don't know if there's one week in which you can overreact in the NFL season. Week one is going to be it. I mean, we have as little information as we possibly could have. So let's have some fun with it. Why not?
- [02:07]
B
Of course, this is our opportunity to say things that may, in a few weeks, look very pragmatic and our patience pays off. Or maybe we are telling you to hold, hold, hold, and instead the ship will be sunk within the next three to four weeks. We've got a lot of questions. We've got studs and duds. We've got, well, just a lot of emotions, I'm sure, a lot of players. Yep. A Monday. Yeah, it was, unfortunately, a day with plenty of injuries as well. But I feel like this is. We are ripe for overreactions on a day like today. So should we dive into them?
- [02:37]
A
Yeah. I just want to say this. You don't win or lose your matchups in week one. It's a long season. However, for those that do want to get something for their championship, make sure you're going over to trophysmac.com, use the promo code Focus10. Whether it is a belt or a chain or a trophy or a ring or a toilet seat like the one that's sitting right behind me, just perfectly framed around my head right now. Don't worry about that.
- [02:59]
B
There were a couple of teams that made me feel like I wanted to literally take that toilet seat and put it over my head.
- [03:04]
A
You and me both.
- [03:05]
B
Yeah, it was some. Some teams started out slow, some teams a little more effective than others. But I think that the number one thing that comes to mind for me yesterday is I imagine there are a lot of people out there that had the number one pick in their fantasy drafts and are saying to themselves this morning, did I screw the pooch? That I make a mistake here by taking Jamar Chase over Bijon Robinson. Bijan, yesterday goes.
- [03:29]
A
That was good.
- [03:32]
B
So Bajan goes for about six times as many points, five times as many points as Jamar Chase. Bajan has six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Prior to Sunday Night Football, he was the only player in the entire League with 100 yards and a receiving receiving touchdown. 100 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. In the early slate of games. Plus Thursday and Friday night, he actually only rushed for 24 yards on 12 carries. But he's such a weapon in the passing game that he doesn't need tons of rushing efficiency to pay off. Meanwhile, Jamar chase goes for two catches and 26 yards on five targets, and the Bengals win. That was important. A Bengals win over the Browns. Here is the case. To be very, very, very, very, very patient and not regret a thing right now with Jamar Chase. Would you guys agree that 10 catches for 97 yards is a pretty good day for fantasy? That's 19.7 points. That would be good, right? You would take that. Okay. That's what Jamar had in the first two games combined last year. He had 97 receiving yards in weeks one and two last season. The Bengals, for whatever reason, maybe it reasons are as slow of a starting good team as there is in the NFL. I do believe they are good by the way, for whatever reason they have this bugaboo. It's weeks one and two. Yes, dirty, they barely got out of Dodge, but they did win. Jamar Chase will be much, much busier. And I'll say this too, the Browns still figuring out how good of a team they will be this year. They're good on defense, they're flat good on defense. If there's a way in which it's week one, you don't know all the things that are coming and that works both ways. Yes, the Browns don't know what to expect entirely from the Bengals offense, but hold the forward year on Jamar Chase. It stinks. You may have lost your Week 1 matchup in a nail biter and if you have Jamar Chase, that's probably the reason why. It won't surprise me if he gets way on track as early as next week. The only thing that I will say in terms of regret is that it's not regret yet, but it's a reminder of why every time we had a conversation about the first pick this year it was all things being equal. I take Jamar Chase, but this is not some open and shut case for him. Bajan belongs in the conversation. He reinforced it yesterday. So that to me was the first overreaction or first reaction could be an overreaction after Monday.
- [05:40]
A
I couldn't believe Sunday Dylan Sampson had more receptions than Jamar Chase as a rookie running back in that Cleveland Browns offense. He looked fantastic. I don't think that's going to continue for what it's worth, especially with Quinchon Judkins joining the team. So yeah, we'll dive into that in a little bit. Stefania, what about you? What was your first big takeaway or overreaction from week one?
- [05:59]
C
Well, I, I was overreaction. I, I have so many, I mean I was going with what I put down, which was that Bree was like my first. That's. I don't think that's an overreaction though. I think whatever it was my first reaction, like my gut reaction, first thing out of the gate was that Breeze hall on the ground was more than we thought he would be. And I don't know that the fantasy production numbers, they weren't superlative so you might not notice it. Like Mike Clay in his projections had him 14 carries for 56 yards on the ground. He went 19 for 107. And to me it was really, it was about the efficiency because it was more than a yard and a half per carry in terms of efficiency for Breece hall to improve upon what he was projected to do. Now he was projected for three catches. He had two. I think that kind of leveled itself out. But to me, we were all worried. I think when you saw Justin Fields moving, there was the concern that Justin Fields would steal enough on the ground that it would make Breece hall sort of where does he fit into this ground game? I loved what I saw. I loved the way he looked. I felt like for fantasy draft purposes, like you got him at a good value. If this is we're gonna. What we're gonna get from Breeze Hall. I think so. My. My initial reaction and I don't think it's an overreaction because I think this is here to stay with him. But I my first gut response when we got asked like what are your topics? Was Breeze hall on the ground is way more than we gave him credit for.
- [07:34]
A
Mine was right in line with that. Stefania. My biggest takeaway or not biggest, but one of my big take. We just didn't give the jets offense enough love in fantasy football. In fact, we probably hated too much. We with what and we'll see. It's an overreaction. Right? That's part of this is the overreaction.
- [07:47]
B
I agree. So I don't think we like. I think Breece hall is the one that has the chance to be the stickiest out of the three.
- [07:54]
A
I would agree with that.
- [07:55]
B
Fantasy stars of yesterday.
- [07:56]
A
He out snapped Braylon Allen basically 2 to 1. He out touched him 21 to 6. The one thing that sucked about this is that it was Justin Fields that got the touchdown touchdowns and then Braylon Allen vulture the goal line carry. So Breeze hall did everything other than that.
- [08:10]
B
Yeah. But the good news is you got Breeze hall at a pretty steady discount if he is going to play twice as many snaps as Braylon Howell. The jets were given off the mean. That's not fair. The jets slash the coverage slash. The analysis that we had almost made it feel like Breece hall was going to be capped at like 50% of the snaps. Right?
- [08:30]
C
Right.
- [08:30]
B
This was going to be maybe it was like 40, 40, 20. Isaiah Davis hardly factored into the game yesterday and Braylon Allen really did not factor into the game in the second half. On top of all the numbers that Stefania said the eye test was very favorable to Breece Hall. He is a mega talent that if he continues to play like this, he'll ball out in free agency next March. Or he'll get tagged by the jets and they'll play.
- [08:54]
C
I think that's why the Breeze hall thing was so meaningful to me, because there was so much chatter about Braylon Allen and how much the jets loved him that there was a lot of reaction to that. I think in terms of how we were projecting Breece hall for the future and just not knowing what the offense would look like entirely with Justin Fields. So to me, it was like, wow, I'm watching this and I'm seeing something different than what I was expecting to see.
- [09:16]
A
I was really pleased to see that even though we're not sure how it's going to continue on in the future. Gary Wilson was the only pass catcher with more than four targets in the entire offense. Like, he's clearly locked in as the number one. Even though that man, I wish he had completed that last catch. That was a huge hit by Jalen Ramsey, but it was. He looked nice.
- [09:33]
B
He did. He's going to need a gigantic target share because Justin Fields, in a game in which there were 66 points scored, had 22 passing attempts. Yes. He had 14 completions. So it was a great day for Garrett Wilson and we still drafted him as a top 20 wide receiver. It's just going to need to be as efficient going forward as it was Yesterday, which was seven catches on nine targets. So that's catching what, 80. No, 78% of your passes. That's very, very high for a touchdown and big yardage. So really encouraged by the start. I hope the jets remain that efficient passing the ball.
- [10:07]
A
But does Justin Fields need to remain efficient passing the ball or did he show us? Like, the reason why you drafted me is because of my legs, not because of my leg.
- [10:14]
B
I think it's because of legs. Yeah. He's going to get hot for a month. It could be the first month of the season. They play Buffalo this upcoming weekend. Turns out you can run the football against Buffalo. So surprise me if the jets try to do exactly that.
- [10:25]
C
I think if you did that, if you took Justin Fields on that hope for like. So he was my second quarterback in Scott Fishbowl and I think I have some ridiculous number of points because of him scoring the touchdown. So he thievery from Breeze Hall a little bit. But. But great value if you took him as a second QB field.
- [10:42]
A
What about you give me another overreaction or takeaway?
- [10:45]
B
Okay, so I want to throw this one out to Chad and anybody who's listening who wants to vote.
- [10:49]
C
Chad. But Chad.
- [10:51]
B
Chad is our researcher. We actually lock him in a closet during the show. We don't talk to him anymore. And I'm kidding, of course. Chad. You are in the mix here. Chad, are you more bullish or bearish on the two rookies that were drafted in the first round at running back? Ashton Gente and Omarion Hamilton. Let's walk through the good and the bad for each of these players. Ends up being Ashton Gente outscoring Amarian Hampton 12 to 8.1. Here's the good on Ashton Genty. He played 86% of the snaps. Yes. That is an astronomical figure. He had 19 carries.
- [11:25]
A
Yep.
- [11:26]
B
You like that? Love that he found the end zone.
- [11:28]
A
Love that.
- [11:28]
B
Like that. Right here is the bad for Ashton genty. He had 38 rushing yards. Yeah. He had 44 rushing yards after contact and 38 rushing yards on average. Okay, that's not true. So Ashton Genty was getting zilch from his offensive line in terms of blocking.
- [11:47]
C
I kind of thought that might be happening.
- [11:49]
B
Yeah. But we certainly were hopeful for like a little more than two yards per carry. Here's the only. And this is a little bit of grasping for straws, but it's a silver lining. The Raiders were up in this game, right. They were trying to kill the clock. When you're trying to kill the clock, what do you do? You run the football. What does the defense know you're going to do?
- [12:06]
A
Run the football.
- [12:07]
B
What does the defense do? Sell out to stop the run and stack the box. So if there were ever a time in which the, like early in the game, Genti was running well. The eye test was good to him. I'm holding. I'm. I'm holding stock here. Right. Like 86% of the snaps. That's good. I would have liked to see more involvement in the passing game. Two catches for two yards from Genty. I don't believe there was a screen pass for Genti that was completed yesterday. A little bit more of that action would be good. Amari and Hampton, 14 carries. Excuse me. Fifteen carries for 48 yards. He did have two catches for 13 yards, both late. The good news is Najee Harris hardly played in this game. He was a very small, which I.
- [12:45]
C
Thought was a surprise for a guy who hadn't practiced all season because of an eye issue. They threw up the ball and he caught it.
- [12:50]
B
So it was a big, big edge to Omari and Hampton over Najee Harris. The question mark there is like, Raheem Moser was a healthy scratch. Like, there's no Raider running back. Who right now you can Take away. Yeah. Well, that's, that's. You don't really expect anybody to take away snaps right now from Ashton Jensen.
- [13:06]
A
No.
- [13:07]
B
For the Chargers, I think it's logical that Najee Harris's role will grow. Not, Not a lot, but a little bit. So it's possible that Hampton won't be playing 80% of the snaps.
- [13:17]
C
He looked good though. You know, is tough defense and he, he was dragging people on a couple, you know, like there was definitely. He got some. I felt like he was. It wasn't the fantasy production that you want, but I felt like he looked good as a run and there's potential there.
- [13:38]
B
Yeah, I mean, both these guys have plenty of talent. I think I'm holding on Hampton as well. The hope was maybe you get like a top 10 running back performance from Hampton. He scores two touchdowns. He has 20 carries. We didn't get that. So I'm largely neutral on these two players after week one. But neither one of them, neither one of them came out of the gates humming in week one for fantasy.
- [14:00]
A
Immediate instant reaction from our YouTube chat. 60%, 66%. Excuse me. Say they are bullish still on both of those rookie run guys.
- [14:08]
B
So they're in. They're still in. They are. You know, our chat is the best. Smart, but be smart.
- [14:12]
A
Yeah, they know ball. I think that's where it's at. Quick break. Let's talk defense. Football's on your screen, but peace of mind starts at home. Blink outdoor for security cameras. Offers up to a 2 year battery life and sync module XR so you can cover more space without constant maintenance. No wires, no fumbles, just easy coverage that works in the background. You've got your team on the field now. Get your defense at home. Get Blink today at the Home Depot. How doers get more done. If you're running a business, you know that every time you miss a call, you're leaving money on the table. When every customer conversation matters, you need a phone system that keeps up and helps you stay connected 24 7. That's why you need OpenPhone. OpenPhone is the number one business phone system that streamlines and scales your customer communications. It works through an app on your phone or computer. So no more carrying two phones or having to use a landline. With OpenPhone, your team can share one number and collaborate on customer calls and texts like a shared inbox. That way any teammate can pick up right where the last person left off, keeping response times faster than ever. Plus say goodbye to voicemail. Their AI agent can help set up in minutes to handle calls after hours, answer questions and capture leads so you never miss a customer. So whether you're a one person operation drowning in calls and texts, or you have a large team that needs better collaboration tools, Openphone is a no brainer. See why over 60,000 businesses trust Openphone. Openphone is offering listeners 20% off your first six months at openphone.com fantasy. That's O P E N P-H-O-N-E.com fantasy. And if you have an existing number with another service, OpenPhone will port them over at no extra charge. OpenPhone. No missed calls, no missed customers. Nothing makes you feel more like a champ than a DIY home project done right. But if your playbook includes stuff like using a fake sign for your DIY home security, that's safe. Ish. Not safe. DIY with adt to actually help protect your home, it's easy to set up and gives you virtual assistance from ADT support team. You can still tell everyone you did it yourself. So don't settle for, say, fish DIY with ADT. Visit ADT.com or call 1-800-ADT ASAP. Don't settle for Safish. Get ADT. All right, Stefania, give us another one.
- [16:43]
C
Well, you knew I was coming here. Was the fear of Christian McCaffrey's demise over exaggerated?
- [16:49]
A
Did you take that directly from my sheet or did someone put that on your sheet?
- [16:52]
C
No, it's my. It listened because it was popular. Right.
- [16:55]
A
Years of CMC's demise were strongly exaggerated is what I have written down in mine.
- [16:59]
C
Yeah, exactly.
- [17:00]
B
All right. What a beast.
- [17:00]
C
I know. What, because here's the thing, it's understandable. And so I would say, to answer that question, in a word, yes, they were. But it's understandable because people have PTSD from last year and the experience of last year was, hey, hey, hey, he's doing great. But he was not practicing. He was rehabbing. And then healthy, healthy, he's gonna play. We all thought he was going to play Sunday. We think he's going to play Monday night. He's a healthy, not healthy. Excuse me. Monday night he's a scratch. And then we don't see him for eight games. So everybody is triggered when all of a sudden he's a DNP in the in practice and he comes in as questionable. And McCaffrey says, I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm going to play. And everyone's like, hey, we've seen this movie before. We don't like how it ended. The difference was and we talked about this on the Sunday show is that he was in warmups on Friday with a helmet and uniform on, doing hop, two legged and single legged hops and sort of his track workout warmup that he does, which you typically would not do if you had a calf injury. And once we heard he was good to go again. The pattern has always been when McCaffrey is active, he is playing. This is not a timeshare. This is not, you know, and I said yesterday, watch for him to signal himself out a couple times. He'll take himself out when he needs a break. And he did that. If you watch the game, he waved a couple times and in comes Brian Robinson Jr. He did get his feet wet. But McCaffrey's production was what you hoped it would be. He had 22 carries for 69 yards. But where he's most effective is in the passing game. Nine catches for 73 yards ends up with 23.2 fantasy points. I think what we would have loved is for him to have gotten in the end zone. We fantasy managers, San Francisco 49ers fans, you saw them trying when they got into the red zone to get him that touchdown that that he so desperately wanted, but it just wasn't working for them. But if there was any doubt about his role in the offense and his health in being able to sustain it, at least yesterday that question was answered. Now watch everything, make sure he didn't have his. We don't hear on Tuesday that all of a sudden he's having soreness post game. But you know, fingers crossed that we, we continue like this.
- [19:10]
A
You love to see early on, I mean he, the 31 touches that he had compared to Brian Robinson's 10 touches kind of showed us where the 49ers felt like they were at with Christian McCaffrey. Seems like they can trust him. And we said it all like all Sunday long on fantasy football. Now if CMC plays, you're playing him like you would end a story. And like unless I hear anything otherwise, I'm going to think that CMC is back and ready to go here for.
- [19:31]
B
This season on top of playing him. Is that until Christian McCaffrey or if Christian McCaffrey stays healthy all season, he'll be top three at worst, projected running back each week, even with poor rushing efficiency yesterday you are talking about a player who without scoring a Touchdown had over 23 fantasy points. Yeah, that's ridiculous. That's absurd. Nine catches for 73 yards would be a good receiving line for your second wide receiver in Fantasy, that's what you're starting running back. Got you. And that was what, about 40% or 35% of his touchdown.
- [20:02]
A
Chase fans would have loved to have nine cats.
- [20:06]
C
With the wide receiver room continuing to be thin. And also Joanne Jennings leaves with a shoulder injury yesterday by the way. Left the game in fourth quarter. The left shoulder injury. Getting an MRI today. We'll see what happens with him. But who did Chris McCaffrey go to? And they needed desperately to get a first down late in the game and it was this great play and Christian McCaffrey runs out to the left and catches the ball. He is one of his most reliable pass catchers of anyone on the team. So that value will continue to stand for.
- [20:35]
A
Well speaking of reliable pass catchers, my question to you guys is should we be in full blown panic mode if you have a Dolphins wide receiver on your fantasy squad? Yeah, that's how it feels to me too. I'm not even sure it's an overreaction.
- [20:48]
C
Is not even I don't know if anybody. If you didn't watch the game you should go back and get the replay and, and, and just I challenge you. This will be the demarcation of how much you love the game of football that entire game. But everything you see from the camera angles cutting to the receiver on the sideline who is displaying plenty of emotion to to quarterback looking at times just like lost in terms of what to do. I think those things that you're seeing matter as much as whatever you see in X's and O's because this team is not functional right now and it's.
- [21:27]
A
Really sad in case you didn't watch the game and don't want to go back and do it just really quickly. Tyreek Hill had eight fantasy points on six targets. Only six targets. Jaylen Waddle had seven fantasy points on five targets.
- [21:38]
B
He also left the game after taking a gigantic, gigantic, huge look like a should injury.
- [21:44]
A
Yep.
- [21:44]
B
And then your resident expert and he.
- [21:46]
A
Scored five and a half fantasy points. And this in a game in which they were getting dominated by the Colts and needed as much offense as they could get.
- [21:53]
B
By the way, Devon Hn got saved by the most garbage time touchdown of all time receiving touch. Like I'm nervous all the way around on this offense. I'll say this too. Like this is maybe the analogy that I think of when it comes to the Dolphins offense is sometimes like a baseball team calls up a pitching prospect and no one's seen his stuff and so he goes to the order the first time. And the entire lineup goes 0 for 1 and he's got like five strikeouts. And you're like, this guy might be the next whatever, like Babe Ruth or something. And then as the lineup sees him again, they catch up onto it, and they catch up onto it again. It feels like the Dolphins surprise no one offensively at all. That first year, two years, really, there's these wrinkles that you would see each week from Miami were catching defenses off guard and they had zero response for it. On top of the vibes being, I think, as low as any team in the NFL right now in terms of the interpersonal vibes, the Dolphins can downplay them as much as they want. If you had the over on Tyreek Hill throwing a tantrum two and a half quarters into the season, I'm sorry you lost your bet. Like, I mean, cbs, who was covering the game, must have literally had a cameraman that was just dedicated to number 10 in white, because it was only a matter of time. And I'm sure the Dolphins would come out and say, it's no big deal. Motions heat of the game. Like, it's bad right now. So, yes. This is when we did our show on players who are the biggest hit or miss players in all of fantasy football. Who was the poster shot of the show? It was three guys. It was Christian McCaffrey, Ashton Genty and Tyree Kill. And it was kind of like the guy who's great, Kirsch McCaffrey is the swing and a hit. Ashton Genty is the like, swing. And like, we got contact, but we still have to figure things out. And Tyreek Hill in week one was the swing and a mess.
- [23:42]
C
Like, especially because Tua spoke to this. All right. He talked to us about how there were issues with how it ended with Tyreek last year that he talked to him about how he needed to be more of a leader. I mean, they made it sound like this all was taken care of during camp and we were going to see this new, improved family dynamic and that there was understanding of how everyone needed to be if they wanted the team to have success. And I was like, well, that didn't work.
- [24:13]
B
Didn't work at all. The offensive line couldn't protect enough to give Tyree Kill opportunities to run down the field. I mean, Mike had a great old production.
- [24:20]
C
Yes.
- [24:20]
A
I was just going to bring this up.
- [24:21]
B
Like, you know, is Tyree Kill a Bronco by week four? Like, is he a chief by tomorrow?
- [24:26]
A
He couldn't change teams fast enough, in my opinion.
- [24:28]
B
It feels that way. Right now, and I get it, we're right. Hype for overreaction after just week one. But for a team that like, I gotta ask, confirms your priors, who would take him though? This is kind of like, I mean, they have nobody left.
- [24:39]
C
No. Well, me. It's like the Deontay Johnson thing though, right? You keep, you find a new place and then everybody's like, we got this. We're gonna, it's gonna work because they'll get here, they'll be happy, they'll begin, and then it doesn't work.
- [24:53]
B
Yeah, I mean, I, I, I, obviously, I think a trade is probably unlikely. It's less likely than more likely. With that being said, it just, it looked like for a disaster start that was overreacting.
- [25:04]
C
Let's just, yeah, let's just say where he's going.
- [25:08]
B
Overreaction or not. Yeah, my Kansas City. Overreaction or not, there is a player in Florida who is a league winner. Travis Etienne for the running back.
- [25:17]
C
How about Travis Etienne yesterday?
- [25:20]
B
He was like, I see your Breeze hall and I raise you 143 rushing yards on 16 carries, three catches for 13 yards. You know, there were some, there were like a few suggestions from Liam Cohen that like Travis ETN was going to end up being their guy. The problem was there's always the gamesmanship possibility from coaches. Like they could be saying something to say saying something to throw you off the scent. But instead, yesterday in a weird game with the rain delay and a lightning delay and all kinds of just, just crazy, actually this was an incredible line in the green room from Chris Berman. There's a lengthy, lengthy delay between the Jaguars and the Panthers and boom. Is like, Travis Hunter is going to become the first player to start a game on offense, to start a game on defense, to start a game in the 1pm window and to start a game in the 4pm window. So good. So it was a quirky game, but ETM went off 16 carries for 143 yards. We barely saw Bashel Tutin. We actually saw Laquint Allen a little bit yesterday.
- [26:23]
A
Seventh rounder, right.
- [26:24]
B
Seventh rounder, who's a great pass catcher out of Syracuse, out of the backfield. We saw him make a mark. But for now, for now. And again, these things can change. For now, it feels like Travis Etienne was the best short term, late round value. Yeah.
- [26:38]
A
It was interesting because in listening to the broadcast, they talked about how Liam Cohen saw Bashel Tutin during the draft process and thought to himself, this is my Bucky Irving.
- [26:48]
B
Yeah. And it's like that they get there in time.
- [26:50]
A
And it may. But after week one, it looked like Travis Etienne was very clearly like, this is still my job, guys. I don't want anyone to be confused about.
- [26:56]
C
I also think I can't wait. Sorry, but I can't wait for Mr. Code speak index to start acquiring enough info on Liam Cohen to have like an established database that's more than a small sample size. Because to me, he is rapidly elevating in the. If you pay attention to what he says, you're going to get good information from him. He talked about Travis Hunter, you've referenced it many times in the preseason about how he knew what he had and what they were planning to do with him. And then he gave us the playbook for the plan for him for the first week of the season. He talked about Travis Etienne and I just kind of let it go in one ear and out the other because we kept saying there's going to be this group of running backs and we don't know how it's going to play out. And they really stayed true to Travis Etion. And for what it's worth, he proved to them why they should stick with him.
- [27:48]
B
Yeah, the difference between other situations where it feels like a player is pronounced as the starting back, but there's somebody waiting in the wings, maybe to a degree. Bucky and Rashad White last year, I still believe, especially after yesterday, Ramondre Stevenson and Trevion Henderson is that like ETN has an established baseline of being a good player. Right. It's a first round pick, right?
- [28:11]
A
Like it was an RB4T shirt.
- [28:12]
B
Rashad White two years ago, like, just thrived off of volume. It was a very inefficient year. Ramondra Stevenson, I just think is a, it's just a bottom, I don't know, six or seven running back who starts in the NFL like it's a matter of time before Henderson takes over that job. In my opinion, in Jacksonville, it's like etn, like he's a solid back. Like him being good yesterday is not an error based off of the skill set he has. That was my thought on Jacksonville.
- [28:38]
A
I also can't believe, and I just want to be done with this. I think I said this before we got into the show, but like, too many weather delays. We had three games that were impacted by weather delays. And I don't play football. So like, I don't, I don't look like I play football. I don't look like I've ever played football.
- [28:50]
B
You look like you play tight end for the Minnesota Vikings.
- [28:52]
A
Thank you very much. I appreciate that.
- [28:53]
B
That.
- [28:53]
A
But I can only imagine how difficult it is to leave the game. Basically halfway through the second quarter, you're sitting in a locker room for 45 minutes to an hour.
- [29:00]
C
Dak Prescott, did you see the cameras on what he was doing? Because that is smart. That is what you do with your players.
- [29:06]
A
Staying busy.
- [29:06]
C
Yep, same busy.
- [29:07]
A
Got to keep even, then loose. You come back and then you got to go to halftime again afterwards. Like, I don't need a second break, guys. I just took a long break.
- [29:14]
B
That was the one joke was. It was like, can we just skip halftime, please?
- [29:17]
A
I would love that. By the way, we did get to see rookie on rookie crime. We got to see Tedro McMillan matched up against Travis Hunter on defense, which I was just really excited about.
- [29:26]
B
Looked good. He did really good. Who's next?
- [29:28]
A
We'll see a little bit more once we get into that one. But speaking of rookie wide receivers. Oh, sorry.
- [29:32]
C
No. Is it you?
- [29:33]
A
You're next?
- [29:33]
C
Am I?
- [29:34]
A
I believe so. We just did field, and now we're.
- [29:35]
B
Going to go to you.
- [29:36]
C
Well, I'll roll with it.
- [29:38]
A
All right.
- [29:38]
C
Okay. Is there a changing of the guard at running back in Seattle?
- [29:43]
B
Yeah.
- [29:43]
C
Yeah. And I think that I want to give a shout out to our colleague Brady Henderson, who covers the Seahawks for us in Seattle, because I had had a little private exchange with him asking about Kenneth Walker when we knew he had the foot injury in the preseason. Just trying to get some vibes on where he was with that and how he was practicing. And he was like, well, you know, that doesn't appear serious, but yet they really like Zach Charbonnet here. They really like Zach Charbonnet and this new regime is really excited about, you know, they're using him and you might see a shift. And then he ended up writing article. You should go find it on ESPN.com, but he wrote a column basically on why the coaching staff is so enthralled with Charbonnet and what he's been able to show. And if you watch the game last night, I think it started to manifest itself. So he was projected. Kenneth Walker was for 15 carries, 66 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Instead, he had 10 carries for 20 yards.
- [30:43]
A
Yeah, that was not great. Charbonnet out snapped him 29 to 20. Walker did have the touch edge, just by one. It was 13 touches to 12 touches, but it was a Charbonnet that got the goal line touch as well.
- [30:53]
B
So here is the question I have to each of you and I think I know the answer. But is the takeaway that like the changing of the guard means Zach Charbonnet should be started or the changing of the guard means neither should be.
- [31:03]
A
It's a. I think it's a committee and you're going to kind of be throwing a dart until you figure out which one of these running backs it could be.
- [31:08]
B
They just want to play both of them enough.
- [31:10]
A
Yep.
- [31:11]
C
Here's what I think. If you have Zach Shar. So Zach Charbonnet was cheaper for you in fantasy draft. I like I listened to my friend Brady Anderson and so I stocked up on Zach Charbonnet so I have the luxury of being able to play. You know, I have him down lower. I've got other running backs to me, I'm not starting him as RB1 or RB2 if I don't have to. But I think he's a solid flex play and I think that he is consistently going to be valuable enough to be a flex play in your lineup should you need that. You may have other better options. But I do think that he's a sub if you have a running back out, he's a flex play. I think what's going to happen is by the end of the year we talked about this with. I can't remember who it was last year, but oh, Jackson, Smith and Jigba, same team. We talked about him eventually being the number one in Seattle and clearly he wasn't. He sort of lived up to that last night. That's a different conversation. But I think that's what's going to happen is you're going to see the flip from Kenneth Walker to Zach Charbonnet being the heavier utilization in the backfield.
- [32:18]
B
I need more personally before he's a flex for me from like Charbonnet had zero involvement in the passing game whatsoever yesterday. So I'm going to like it's touchdown dependent to be a flex for me. But if this gravitates more towards the Charbonnet show, then certainly he would enter that conversation.
- [32:31]
A
Seems like he's just going to be on the field more than he was last year. That one feels like a pretty definitive thing. Yeah, it is. We call that 100%. All right. My question that I want to ask you guys is, did we anoint Matthew golden as the de facto wide receiver one in Green Bay? Two quick.
- [32:46]
C
Yes.
- [32:47]
B
It was like deja vu all over again yesterday.
- [32:49]
A
Yep.
- [32:49]
B
I mean it was like you get a catch and you get a catch and you get a catch.
- [32:52]
A
It was literally to everybody Matthew golden caught it. Everyone. Yeah. And this Green Bay. Maybe this is the problem. Right. That Green Bay offense was just firing on all cylinders. They looked fantastic. Everybody got involved.
- [33:03]
B
Superb.
- [33:04]
C
Why were we so surprised? I have a theory. My theory is because none of the wide receivers been healthy enough to really see them all working together and to have a say so in like, they've all been banged at Jaden Reed. I was in a walking boot not that long ago and I didn't think he was going to do anything.
- [33:20]
B
Yeah.
- [33:21]
C
And so I think the. The ability to have the. All those wide receivers and have them be effective, at least in terms of the Green Bay offense as a whole. But for fantasy purposes, golden it is.
- [33:33]
A
Matthew golden was outscored by Jordan, Jaden Reed, Tucker Kraft, Romeo Dobbs and Don Tavian Wicks. It was just. It was literally spreading around the resources.
- [33:42]
B
From Jordan Love spread around.
- [33:43]
C
Yeah.
- [33:43]
B
I mean, yeah, I was hoping that we'd get like nine targets in week one.
- [33:47]
A
Me too.
- [33:48]
B
And instead we got, you know, two catches.
- [33:49]
A
Two catches. I'm going to definitely readjust my expectations heading into week two on this one. Unfortunately, not quite there yet. Field.
- [33:57]
B
Did the Browns have a starting running back who's not named Roan Ford?
- [34:00]
A
Hey, maybe I didn't mean to steal your thunder earlier, but holy smokes, Dylan Sampson looked good as a pass catcher.
- [34:06]
B
He did. So Sampson had 12 carries for just 29 yards. That wasn't good, but the important was important part was eight catches for 64 yards. Now, the Browns passing game, I think, is going to continue to have a decent amount of volume because I'm not sure they're going to be able to run the football effectively. But Sampson just proved he's got that in the bag. Right. He's a very, very good pass catcher. I will sound like a broken record, but sometimes when you go look at a player's college production as a receiver from the running back position, you're like, that doesn't seem like much of a factor. Tennessee didn't really need Dylan Sampson to catch the football that much because he led the SEC in rushing touchdowns and they were scoring like 40 a game last year. So he has it in his bag more than he showed in college. There's something that's of course, hanging over all of this, which is that Quinn Shudden Judkins signed his contract on Saturday. He have his hard to get excited. He was embroiled in a legal situation this summer, and Adam Schefter reported that he could be on the field as soon as this weekend. Could Quinn. Shawn Judkins. So Sampson should be added. Go ahead.
- [35:10]
C
Is there going to be another disciplinary situation? So then that and the timing of that makes me wonder, like, how eager am I to really go out and get him.
- [35:20]
B
John Judkins, Yeah, I think it's one of those where he is the 34th overall pick. He's a very talented player. He was a third running back taken in this great draft class ahead of Travion Henderson, his teammate at Ohio State for their final year. I think Sampson's role in the passing game yesterday decreases the value for Judkins a little bit because Judkins, who is a very capable pass catcher himself, just less likely to see that work given what we saw yesterday. But I think that the Judkins return for now, the more straightforward part to evaluate because we don't know whether Judgins will get suspended, but I think there's a real chance he will, is that it would hurt Dylan Sampson's value a little bit if he's on the field next week.
- [35:58]
A
Agreed. Right now, for what it's worth, dunkins rostered in 55% of leagues, so there's still. He's still out there in a lot of leagues.
- [36:05]
B
The only thing that I wish I had been a little more passionate and ardent about during the preseason with the Jerome Ford discourse was that the Brown, he took a gigantic pay cut to stay with the Browns. And by the way, not from like, he wasn't making 10 million and he went down to 4. He went from 3 million bucks to basically minimum salary. Like the Browns told us, like, this is a replacement level running back at best.
- [36:25]
A
And we drafted two running backs to be the future of our backfield.
- [36:28]
B
So the Jerome Ford stuff, you know, people a little bit in over the skis on that one.
- [36:33]
C
By the way, Dylan Sampson, as it stands right now, running back eight in terms of fantasy points over Devon Hn.
- [36:41]
A
Of course, Bruce hall and Bree had a good game.
- [36:44]
C
And then Jameer Gibbs.
- [36:46]
A
Yeah, I don't even.
- [36:48]
B
All right. Any other questions or you want to do Suds and Dad?
- [36:51]
C
No, I. I got one more.
- [36:52]
A
Go ahead, Stefania.
- [36:53]
C
Mine is, how concerned are you about George Kittle and Brock Bowers? I'm about to tell you a couple.
- [37:01]
A
Injuries, by the way, really quickly, just to kind of piggyback before you do that. Did David and Joku get hurt yesterday or did Harold Fannin Jr just take over that tight end spot?
- [37:09]
B
He did not get hurt.
- [37:10]
A
I was like, why is Harold Fannin. Why am I hearing his name so much? And why Is there a big like.
- [37:15]
B
The Browns goose egg but this is something that we saw in a few places the Browns can't pass protect and they are have and Joe Flacco, is this just in not mobile?
- [37:26]
A
Yeah.
- [37:26]
B
Okay.
- [37:26]
A
Okay.
- [37:27]
B
Well he was not mobile when he was 25 as well. Yeah, not that mobile. So the ball is going to come out fast with Joe. That's the only way this team is going to be able to pass the football this year.
- [37:36]
A
All right, Well, I just heard Harold Fannin's name a lot at the tight end spot. Maybe someone in case you need a tight end Stefania that you could look at in waivers. But what can you tell us about both Brock Bowers and George Kittle?
- [37:44]
C
Yeah, starting with George Kittle. I'm concerned enough that I'd be looking for a replacement for next week. Now here's the thing. It's a hamstring injury expected to get an MRI today, Monday we're recording this at 10 in the morning. So we may have more information later today. We may get the information tomorrow. George Kittle, if you saw he left after he had, you know, touchdown, he did get you some fantasy points. But then he ended up in the blue medical tent, comes out wearing a baseball cap and cheers on his buddy Jake Tontis for the rest of the game. That's listen that this is my new favorite player and you can call me a homer if you want, but that kid sealed the game. And it wasn't just that. He also had the wherewithal when he caught a pass to do this little booty scoot because nobody had touched him to get them the first down. But I digress. So Jake Tonjas is probably going to be the pass catching tight end in position if George Kittle cannot play next week. Here's the history with George Kittle and this really pains me because we got into it yesterday, me and Fortenbot did when he was talking about being nervous about George Kittle because he's hurt all the time. And I was like that's perception. Because George Kittle has played in all but one or two games in the last three seasons and he has one year where he missed eight games and that was a foot fracture and an MCL sprain. But it is also true that he's dealt with these soft tissue injury tweaks. Now if you want to look at the good side, he's only missed one game or two games in those years where he's had a hamstring thing crop crop up or groin injury crop up and you have to remember the 49ers played in 20 games two of the last three seasons. So you're on the field more than somebody else otherwise would be. But until we know what the severity of the hamstring injury is, we can't really project how long he'll be out. But if you look at past experience, George Kittle hasn't missed that much time. But he has missed some. So I would prepare as if, even though we don't know for sure, prepare as if he might not be there next week.
- [39:41]
B
GNC knows that you're not always feeling it at the gym, but don't get down, get lit and get more out of every workout. Beyond Raw, lit is a clinically dosed pre workout that flips the switch and gives you more energy, focus, intensity and pumps the perfect combo for a killer workout. Plus, it's got incredible flavors and thousands of five star reviews, so you know it's good. Pick it up at gnc stores or gnc.com Abercrombie is an official fashion partner of the NFL and I'm Ceedee Lamb, wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys. You know I'm here for Abercrombie's Cowboys gear. That's not a question, but I need a whole wardrobe to go with it. No shade to the guys, but I'm used to having the best tunnel fits. This season, Abercrombie has me covered. Shop NFL by Abercrombie in the app, online and in store.
- [40:40]
C
When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with what's Happening app, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together. Use polls to settle dinner plans, send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom's 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end to end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp message privately with everyone. Learn more@WhatsApp.com when it comes to Brock Bowers Brock Bowers wants you to exhale on this. Said he took a hit to the knee and it's no big deal. And Pete Carroll said that Brock Bowers was lobbying to go back into the game yesterday, but the medical staff wouldn't let him. I still say monitor the reports, but that's something that you like to hear if everybody's sounding pretty confident coming out of the game.
- [41:26]
B
So good. He's so good it's ridiculous. Yeah.
- [41:28]
C
Oh, there is one more and that's Xavier Worthy because that didn't happen last night. But that happened before.
- [41:34]
A
That was because of a tight end so it kind of fits in here.
- [41:37]
C
And on tight end. On tight end crime there. He and Travis Kelce collided in that game. Xavier Worthy ends up going off the feel holding his right shoulder. Dislocated right shoulder yesterday reported by NFL Network. And here's the thing with Field. I'm gonna let the experience like I have experience in caring for these, but somebody else has experience in dealing with it. And as Field can perhaps elaborate on, the thing is you have other tissue damage when the shoulder goes out of joint traumatically like that. So the question becomes, what's the extent of the tissue damage? Is it something they feel they need to repair right away? Now, there are reports that he wants to try and play through it and play in a brace that's a harness which basically goes around your chest and your arm. So it keeps you from being able to get your arm into a position where it would subsequently dislocate. Again.
- [42:30]
A
I can't imagine with that trying to reach up over my head to catch up.
- [42:33]
C
There is the challenge. And it is harder to play the receiver position in a harm. But still getting evaluated and getting opinions. We shall see. But bottom line, Xavier Worthy will be out for an extended period of time.
- [42:46]
B
Talk about wind coming out of your sails. Because on top of the fact that he. I have a thought. You guys chat chime in as well. Not Chad, but Chad. Chad, stay in the closet. The research den. I believe that each player in each league should be allowed one time per season to take a player out of their lineup after that player's game has begun. If the player leaves with an injury and it happens like I think this is the perfect storm. No recorded stats and he leaves with an injury, you should be able to yank that player from your line.
- [43:23]
A
I like that feel.
- [43:24]
B
One time you get one excuse per year. That requires a little bit of commissioner luck. Yeah.
- [43:29]
C
Because Worthy happened on three snaps, three snaps.
- [43:31]
B
You got pulled like wind out of your sails on top of of that. And Kurt Warner, who I thought was excellent during the game, said on multiple occasions, like Andy Reid kept telling us about how the offense is going to run through Xavier Worthy, who replaced Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown.
- [43:46]
A
What do they do?
- [43:47]
B
10 catches, 10 catches on I think 12 targets.
- [43:50]
C
I love this is with the story I keep telling. Last year they had the one year deal with Hollywood Brown and it was supposed to be him and Worthy and Rice. Brown gets hurt in the preseason, doesn't make it back until lately because he has surgery late late in the year. Rasheed Rice gets hurt early end of season after Week four. So pretty much they're down to Worthy and that's how we discovered who Xavier Worthy was. So this year, another one year deal for Hollywood Brown. You've got Rasheed Rice back and then oh no, you don't have Rashee Rice because he's suspended. Worthy gets hurt and goes out for extended time. And so now again that trio, you're not going to get the benefit of those three receivers playing together until maybe late in the year.
- [44:34]
A
So many shares of Xavier Worthy this year that it is, it is so frustrating. And by the way, and I'll. I'm only going to say this quickly because I don't want to harp on it, but if you knew that Rasheed Rice and Xavier Worthy weren't going to play and Travis Kelsey was going to finish with four targets in the game, would you feel like, boy, is this just the week one where like they had a different game plan or did Travis Kelsey and Patrick Mahomes have enough of a history that they don't need a game plan?
- [44:55]
B
They'll find soon I would be more laugh battered in the former. Kelsey was, was. Bailed you out with a touchdown.
- [44:59]
A
With a touchdown. Yeah, you got very lucky that you got that. So we'll see how that one goes. My last one really quickly and then we'll dive into some studs and duds. Keenan Allen might be a problem for Ladd McConkey ceiling this year.
- [45:08]
B
Interesting. I don't. I just thought he was good. I would just like. No, I think both of them can eat.
- [45:13]
A
You don't think so?
- [45:14]
B
Because this offense was so pass heavy.
- [45:17]
A
It is very pass.
- [45:18]
B
Oh my God.
- [45:18]
C
Like Justin Herbert has converted them.
- [45:21]
B
I mean, I mean how Jim Harbaugh keeps talking about how like yeah, Jim Harbaugh made no mystery of the fact that he's like, this organization has failed Justin Herbert, not the other way around. And Justin Herbert needs to be the focal point of everything they do. Offensive line investments and first round running back investments be damned. You have an alien at quarterback, so. Yes. And I don't. I know this is a little bit of a nuanced stat that maybe not every football fan is familiar with, but we talk about pass neutral or like neutral rates. Yes, neutral spots, I should say, where it's like, you know, second and one. You would expect a team to run the football, right. Second and one opportunity to get the first down with just one yard. But in neutral situations, first and 10 will be a neutral situation. You might call third and three neutral. Right. You could run the ball. You could Throw the ball. The Chargers have come out of the gate. It's been extremely aggressive. We saw that trend in the back half of last year as well. So Justin Herbert, good things for his fantasy value and I think good things for Keenan Allen and Lad.
- [46:21]
C
I'll give you this one little nugget. When I was down at Chargers training camp, Keenan Allen had just come in for the visit the day before and there was all this buzz, but he hadn't been signed yet. And Cleo Mack was talking to reporters and they were like, so what do you think about Keenan Allen coming back? And he's like, oh, Mr. Third down himself. And yes, last night or whenever they played Friday night, I was like, yep, third down keynote. Because he's money in the bank. And he had that relationship with Herbert from before and I think it was so easy because the, the chemistry was already there and he knows his role and he's not going to try to be anything different. That's why I think lad McConkey can still excel too. Keenan Allen has a very specific, like, he's going to be that guy on third down conversions and he might get a touchdown here and there as well. But lad McConkey still, I felt, I.
- [47:10]
A
Guess the thing for me was the idea that it's not that lad McConkey can't still be really good in this, in this offense, but does that ceiling, does the top end of that ceiling come down a little bit when you.
- [47:19]
B
Add in nine targets? Pretty good for Lad, right? Like you extract that over the season.
- [47:23]
A
Maybe it was Quinton Johnson then who got two touchdowns and actually led the receivers in this for 153 targets.
- [47:30]
B
I know, I know.
- [47:31]
A
But I'll be, I'll be pleased If I get 153.
- [47:33]
B
I hear you. I was, I was more enthused by Keenan that I was more like, I wish I had just put more stock into Keenan than like taken away.
- [47:39]
A
Away from lad McConkey.
- [47:40]
B
By the way, Lad is so damn good.
- [47:42]
A
Holy cow. He is. He is. I wish.
- [47:44]
B
He is unbelievable.
- [47:45]
A
Maybe it's because both the other wide receivers got in the end zone. Lad was the only pass catcher to not get in the end zone. So maybe just felt a little bit not.
- [47:51]
C
You were feeling sad.
- [47:52]
A
Yeah. We got one question from our YouTube chat.
- [47:55]
C
Yeah.
- [47:55]
A
It's going to be a good one. Matty Randoms wants to know, do we always panic in the first of fantasy? Yes. This is how it works. Right.
- [48:02]
B
In the game. Yes.
- [48:04]
A
In the first week, first week of.
- [48:05]
C
Fantasy week was missing there. Yes.
- [48:07]
B
First Week. Yes, we always do.
- [48:08]
C
We always do. That's normal.
- [48:10]
A
Panic and overreact and we're trying to figure out what's real and what's not real.
- [48:14]
C
We don't only panic in week one. We just always panic in week one. There will be other opportunities to panic. Yes, indeed.
- [48:23]
A
Let's dive into some studs and duds. Stefania, I'm going to tee you up first to go with a stud. I am. And I'm going to let you go ahead and kick this one off for us.
- [48:32]
B
Yeah. This is kind of like paying homage to players that. That.
- [48:35]
C
Do I get to pick which one I want?
- [48:37]
A
That's a great question.
- [48:38]
C
First guy on my list.
- [48:40]
A
I was told to start with you, so we're starting with you.
- [48:42]
C
All right, well, I want to go with Mecca Buka.
- [48:45]
A
Okay, there you go.
- [48:46]
C
Because to me, he is. Yeah. I want to go back to. I'm sorry, I'm going to give myself a teeny bit of credit here. I want to go back to the draft where when we started, everybody was talking about what Tampa Bay was going to do in the first round. And I believe that they were going to go with the wide receiver because there was just some rumblings that maybe Chris Godwin was having a little challenge in coming back from that ankle injury. And boy, did they. I mean, he is such a talented receiver. Played a lot of the slot at Ohio State and they loved him in training camp. And I think the other thing that happened was he got a chance to practice lining up in different positions through camp. The confidence was there with Baker Makefield looking to him. I felt like listening. Listen, what did we see? Projected for seven targets, four catches, 60 yards. Boy, Mike Clay kind of knows what he's doing. Six targets.
- [49:38]
A
Don't say that too loud.
- [49:39]
C
Four receptions, 67 yards. But you know what? Mike didn't give him? Two touchdowns. Yeah. So listen, I just thought it was a nice, solid first outing for him that establishes him as a consistent part of the offense. And that to me, is the critical piece because I think he's got going to stay. I think whatever happens with Chris Godwin saw reports last night that he's targeting for week five. But again, let's keep that loose and also know that even aiming for week five, we don't know what the volume. If everything goes well and that happens, you don't know what the volume looks like. You don't what the role is. I think Emeka Igbuka is here to stay. And I think yesterday's performance sealed that.
- [50:19]
A
I'M with you. Field, why don't you go next?
- [50:21]
B
I'll give you a two for one. I was just going to say we.
- [50:22]
A
Got a twofer at the top of this.
- [50:23]
B
Let's do it. Let's do this. Yeah. So Josh Allen. You could probably just give the analysis of Josh Allen.
- [50:28]
A
Josh Allen, period.
- [50:29]
B
Unbelievable. Crazy. This was like the tale of two halves last night, right? Baltimore was just on cruise control in the first half and then Josh, just a monster second half. Really almost like a monster last quarter and a half. The Bills were of course trailing by 15 points in this game. They mount to miracle comeback. Josh Allen was money. How about this? 394 passing yards. Pretty good, right? Pretty good passing touchdowns. So if you just took Josh, that's nearly 20 fantasy points for Josh Allen as a thrower. Oh, and then he had 14 carries for 30 yards and two touchdowns. So Josh enters the week or exits the week, I should say as the highest scoring player pending Mendel Night Football 45.36 fantasy points. Bad, bad, bad man. Keon Coleman, his teammate blew up in the second half. Keon was like, I don't know, was. I barely saw him in the first half of the game.
- [51:16]
C
What was his.
- [51:17]
A
What was his final season? Give me his final stat line, I'll give you his fourth quarter.
- [51:20]
B
Eight catches, 112 yards and one touchdown on 11 targets.
- [51:24]
A
All right, so let me tell you that in the fourth quarter he had eight targets for seven catches for 95 yards and a touchdown. So he did basically all of this.
- [51:30]
B
One catch going into the fourth quarter, Right. So unbelievable. Far too soon to be victory lapping on. On anything related to really all things fantasy.
- [51:39]
A
Yeah.
- [51:39]
B
The only thing that I think that we talked about on the show that was like, I think last night was suggest not definitively declaring, but if there's one Bills receiver who has like crazy, who has a lot of talent that could break out, perhaps it's keen Keon Coleman. I will also note that Keon Coleman's touchdown was not intended for him. It ricocheted any thought.
- [51:59]
C
It's true.
- [52:00]
B
Nobody, but nobody cares how.
- [52:01]
A
That's right.
- [52:03]
B
Who you got, Daniel?
- [52:04]
A
I'm going to go with Debo Samuel.
- [52:06]
B
Oh, that's good to get your namesake.
- [52:08]
A
You know what I think that might have been may have been a little bit of a too much of a gap between Deebo Samuel and Terry McClure. And we kind of left Deebo Samuel as a guy that we weren't really drafting. Super high was wide receiver 45 in our draft process. And then this week, 10 targets, seven catches for 77 yards, plus he had a 19 yard carry that he took into the end zone for 22.6 points, which is pretty good if you ask me. The other side of that, when you look at Terry McLaurin. Terry McLaurin did not have a good football game in this one. I'm trying to pull up my things here. Terry McClaurin, four targets, two catches for 27 yards. Don't want to anoint Debo Samuel as like the second coming here in this commander's offense, but I wonder if there was a little bit too much of a gap, because if you did have to play Deebo, maybe in a 12 team or deeper league, he absolutely crushed it for you. I wonder if we'll see a little bit more rushing volume. They didn't really want to run the ball with him a lot. In fact, the only carry he got was that touchdown run. But when you know what he can do. Deebo looked fantastic. I'm interested to see how he's going to continue to. To add on to this performance in future weeks.
- [53:07]
B
Any last studs for you, Stefania?
- [53:10]
C
I don't know this guy named Derrick Henry, and I do. Yeah. Yeah. Have you. Here's the thing. My heart hurts for Derek Henry today because that was just. He owned the fumble. That cost them the game pretty much. That turnover allowed Buffalo to be able to come away and win the game.
- [53:27]
A
I think maybe their defense cost him the game rather than Derrick Henry. Let's see.
- [53:31]
C
But he set it up, right? I mean, there's. There's no way. You don't feel that if you're not Derek Henry and he's a. He's a good teammate. So that's what he did.
- [53:38]
A
He is a good teammate.
- [53:39]
B
Yeah, he is. He's a good football player.
- [53:40]
A
He's. He's really good at what he does.
- [53:41]
C
You think he's a good football player? He is such a unicorn. I freak out when I'm watching him because I'm like, this guy is not built to be a running back. Can you imagine him raising his hand in like, high school where we know he had over 2,000 yards just in his senior year?
- [53:56]
A
You know what he looked like? He looked like Billy Madison out there. Like he's. He's a man amongst children is what it would look like.
- [54:02]
C
I mean, I've stood next to him before and I'm like, I cannot believe you play the position of running back. I just want to compare Mike's projections to what he actually did. Because it's so stupid. Not Mike, but the ridiculousness of the Derrick Henry performance. Mike projected him for 18 carries, 84 yards and touchdown. Yep, 18 carries, carries, 169 yards.
- [54:28]
A
He looks so good.
- [54:28]
C
And two touchdowns. He also caught a pass, which, you know, that's fun for us. When Derek Henry catches a pass. He doesn't really need to to be fantasy productive. I think what's so unbelievable about him is just, I just want a tape of all highlight reel of Derek Henry because he just runs you over. I laugh every time I see guys going to tackle him. They're like, no. Why, why? Why is it me that has to try and get in the way of Derek Henry? He just trucks over people like flat out destroy. They can stack a box against him. It does not work. It does not matter. He's so good and he deliver. He is the most uniquely positioned running back to deliver you fantasy points without catching the ball.
- [55:09]
A
There are a couple of phrases that I can say that will make Rosie come running into the room if she's not in the same room as me. One of them is Derrick Henry. Stiff arm. And she immediately drops what she's doing. She's like, wait, I want to see. And that's like. It's just so much fun to watch him be able to just run over these guys. It is absolutely fantastic field. I just want to give you a quick little bit of credit. Daniel Jones, who was your start of the week at quarterback, you just crushed it. I mean, he absolutely smashed. He looked unbelievable.
- [55:34]
C
Because you called it right.
- [55:35]
A
33.5 fantasy points. Come on, dude.
- [55:39]
B
Well, so my question is. And Mike's not here, so I think we can just decide this now. Mike's not here. If he actually cared about work, he would show.
- [55:45]
A
He would have showed up.
- [55:46]
B
Starts of the week. Each week, week we have a new contest where the winner between Mike, Daniel, the loser between Mike, Daniel and I.
- [55:52]
A
Correct.
- [55:53]
B
Has to face some sort of punishment. It's not going to be me because of Daniel Jones. It's going to be you or Mike. Do we think one naked lap of ESPN is a reasonable punishment?
- [56:01]
A
I think one is fine. Yes.
- [56:03]
B
Okay.
- [56:04]
C
No one wants to see that. That's a punishment for all of us who work here. That's not a punishment.
- [56:09]
B
All right, well, we can discuss. All right, fine. Mike and a cold plunge Waffle House.
- [56:13]
A
There we go.
- [56:15]
C
We need to make that happen.
- [56:16]
A
Speaking of Mike Clay, let's talk about some duds.
- [56:17]
B
Yeah, let's.
- [56:20]
C
Okay, the segues.
- [56:22]
B
Who starts it off?
- [56:23]
A
Why don't you kick it off.
- [56:24]
B
So I'll start here with T. Higgins. Just go in order of how we listed on the sheet. T. Four catches. Excuse me. Four targets, three catches, 33 yards, 6.3 fantasy points. A lot of what we discussed with Jamar Chase applies to T. Higgins Slow, slow starting offense.
- [56:38]
A
Same thing happened with Chase Brown if he hadn't gotten in the end zone. Chase Brown will be a part of this segment, too.
- [56:43]
B
He was awesome early in that game.
- [56:44]
A
Early. He looked amazing early.
- [56:46]
B
Only thing I'll say about T. Higgins that's different from Jamar Chase is that we know with T. The volatility is baked in. Right. Like, that's why he's not being drafted as a top eight wide receiver. He's going more like wide receiver. 14, 15 or somewhere as high as like wide receiver. 11 or 12 in some drafts. So, Tee, he got to ride the wave a little bit. But not a great start for the Bengals offense. I fully expect them to get back on track. They play in week two against. I forget.
- [57:11]
C
And they don't necessarily cancel each other out. If you go back and look at last year's games, they both. Jamar Chase and T. Higgins can be productive in the same game. So it's not like it's one or the other. In this case, it was both.
- [57:23]
A
Yep.
- [57:24]
C
Terry McLaren. Yeah, I was sad. I have Terry McLaren in so many fantasy leagues. I got crushed. I might lose weeks because he. Look the projections. Seven targets, five receptions, 63 yards. He had two catches.
- [57:41]
B
Yeah.
- [57:41]
C
Not great on four targets.
- [57:42]
A
Not great.
- [57:43]
C
27 yards, 4.7 fantasy points. That's not going to win you a week, Stefania.
- [57:47]
A
No, it is not.
- [57:47]
B
I think we should do is like assign a quick level like I am.
- [57:51]
C
And how we're concerned.
- [57:53]
B
Yeah.
- [57:53]
C
Yeah. So going back to. Because you had the question about the DEBO Samuel, Terry McLaren Gap, I don't think it was an either or situation there either. Like, I don't think it's going to be like, Deebo looks fantastic and Terry McLaurin's out of it. I actually think they create opportunities for each other. I just think it was the game.
- [58:09]
A
Week one just happened to not play out there that way. Are you worried about Nico Collins? Because Nico Collins looked not great.
- [58:14]
B
Well, I thought he looked fine.
- [58:16]
C
Yeah.
- [58:16]
B
I thought the offense.
- [58:18]
A
Maybe that's what it is. I'm worried about his production offense. The offensive line gave no. No time to throw the football.
- [58:24]
B
I mean, that's a nasty Rams defensive front. The Texans got to get going in a hurry here. They Play next Monday night on doesn't get easier. I think it's easier than the Rams. Yeah.
- [58:34]
C
The Rams though surprised me. Were you expecting them to be. Be that awesome in terms of.
- [58:40]
B
That's a. That's a great. They were great last year. On defense they were great. So I thought they would give the Texans a ton of fits. But it's, you know, five targets is not nearly enough for Nico Collins. Like do it whatever it has to. Like if you have to give him five wide receiver screens at a game because you can't pass protect, do that. He is way too good. I would say like on 1 to 10 scale for Nico Collins, 2.5 after week one. I would agree with not nothing but not too much. Yeah, he could ball out this upcoming weekend.
- [59:05]
A
We just need to. He's got to have time.
- [59:06]
B
He couldn't pass protection.
- [59:07]
C
I asked which direction the scale was. Could you explain? 2.5 is low, right?
- [59:11]
B
10 would be like very concern. Yes.
- [59:14]
C
So like DEFCON 5, 4, 3, 2.
- [59:16]
B
Yeah.
- [59:17]
C
Borrow Booger McFarland from Saturday afternoon games.
- [59:20]
B
Term Malik Neighbors I would say is like a one and a half to a two at worst. Here's the reason why. So Malik neighbors had 12 targets yesterday.
- [59:28]
A
Yep.
- [59:29]
B
Five catches, 71 yards, 12.1 fantasy points.
- [59:32]
C
Who's the quarterback next week?
- [59:33]
B
I don't know. And that's part of the reason why my concern level is not that high. If it's Russell Wilson, like they got to get things going in a hurry. I thought Russ looks pretty bad yesterday. There's all the talk about how great Jackson Dart has been, both from what we saw on the field in preseason and also what the Giants are saying behind the scenes. So seems like Jackson Dart could be starting sooner rather than later. Maybe as soon as next weekend. That would increase my confidence in Malik Neighbors. I will rank him as a wide receiver one or close to it again next week.
- [60:00]
A
I would do the same thing.
- [60:01]
C
I was really surprised though. Like, like Russell Wilson's been practicing like this. We've had training camp.
- [60:05]
B
He just might be, you know.
- [60:07]
C
But like are we not like we've had some battles in training camp and this like there was no question that he was starting. And I thought yesterday certainly looked like there should have been a question.
- [60:20]
A
I assumed that if Malik Neighbors could get it done with Daniel Jones that it wasn't going to be a drop off to Russell Wilson and it was going to be lower than that. So that is something to mind. Excuse me. Stefania, another tight end. Unfortunately that was not fantastic. Mark Andrews one catch for five yards in a game in which they scored 81 combined points. I mean the offense was unbelievable across the board and Mark Andrews basically just nowhere to be found.
- [60:44]
C
I don't blame Mark Andrews here. I think, I think it was just a function of the way the game was being played. And you know, Lamar Jackson, that traditionally has looked to Mark Andrews as like safety valve in the red zone and that's where he's used. But I felt like Mark Andrews was a blocker.
- [61:02]
A
Safety valve to me looked like Rashad Bateman a little bit in there. We saw some.
- [61:07]
C
There were. But they were also making more middle to long distance plays than I think we typically have to become accustomed.
- [61:13]
A
Touchdown.
- [61:15]
C
I mean who is counting on that? Who is counting on the old dude to get a one hander that would take him into the, you know, down.
- [61:22]
A
To the over top of two defenders.
- [61:24]
C
Basically him and Isaac Tesla.
- [61:26]
B
Yeah.
- [61:27]
C
For the catch.
- [61:27]
A
Isaac Tesla catch was unbelievable.
- [61:30]
C
So on that Mark Andrews, I, I think given what happened last year, I'm a little more. Based on how we're using this scale, I'd put him at like a 4.5. Because Isaiah likely is not going to be back next week. I don't believe it's going to be Mark Andrews. And yes, there's a. I guess we. He scored a lot of touchdowns last year and that was the thing that we expected some regression from. But I still think there's an opportunity for him to perform better than there was this week.
- [62:01]
A
I don't think He's a top 10 tight end. I mean I didn't have him ranked as a top tight end. I haven't had him all off season.
- [62:05]
C
Ranked that way though.
- [62:07]
A
He was drafted at the back end.
- [62:09]
C
Of the back end. You know, I saw him going late, late in a lot of drafts.
- [62:12]
B
Well, all the tight ends went late this year. Right. Like everybody got pushed down past George Kittle. It was like round six or seven. Which is why we kept saying like hey, if you burn a pick on Travis Kelsey or Mark Andrews, like it's.
- [62:24]
C
That's true. They were sort of clustered together.
- [62:27]
A
We got a Monday football game. We got a preview real quick.
- [62:29]
B
Let's do it. Yeah, let's pick it too, for fun.
- [62:30]
A
Let's have a little bit of fun with it. All right. What's one thing I got to say this one thing that I'm watching is just Minnesota Vikings, J.J. mcCarthy, we know what they looked like last year and that unbelievable season with Sam Darnold on the center. Now it's going to be JJ McCarthy, former first round pick. Being able to figure things out, you know, don't have Jordan Addison here. It's going to have to be Justin Jefferson and T.J. hawkinson and Aaron Jones. So we'll see how that works out.
- [62:51]
C
Do you read my notes? This is my thing to watch. Was JJ McCarthy and his efficiency with his receivers.
- [62:56]
A
Excited to see that.
- [62:58]
C
I think the bonus that he got was that he took a lot of reps with the ones last year before getting hurt. So he came into camp in a little bit better position than you would expect. But he didn't have Justin Jefferson with him in camp because of the hamstring. He doesn't have Jordan Edison now. So how does it look now? It's real game, real big boy football and an arrangement of receivers that might not be his ideal grouping.
- [63:23]
A
Yeah.
- [63:23]
C
Is it a big night for your boy, your. Your brother T.J. hawkinson, another mother, T.J. hawkinson?
- [63:28]
A
Yeah, I think it might be. Could be.
- [63:29]
B
And also I know that Daniel has continually said Justin Jefferson is quarterback agnostic to night. Is the first test of that that you both reference there. I kept thinking maybe throughout training camp or even during the off season, the Bears might address the second running back spot a little bit more. And yet it sort of feels like with Kyle Manungai, who's been banged up recently, that it's like it just might be the DeAndre Swift show. Like, could this be. Could he be this year's Tony Pollard in the sense that like just a lot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We have hopefully a lot of shares of DeAndre Swift. We'll see. But it feels like he could be quite busy tomorrow. Tonight is busy like Ashton Genty, Christian McCaffrey in terms of snap or target or. Excuse me, or snap, snap or touch opportunities. Probably not. But he feels in line to be very, very busy tonight.
- [64:15]
C
I'm hoping for a good game.
- [64:16]
B
I got the Bears, Williams.
- [64:18]
C
I'd like to see the Vikings.
- [64:20]
B
Okay, then I'll be alone. I'll be.
- [64:23]
C
I've got the Vikings. But you know what I'd really like to see? I'd like to see another Sunday night game on Monday night. I don't think we're going to get it, but I mean I would love to see at least a football game that is really competitive back and forth, a lot of fantasy points.
- [64:36]
A
I need five points from. Five more points than DeAndre Swift because Matthew Barry has Aaron Jones going against me in the Dynasty League. I'm currently up by five, so I need to. Up by five. He's got Aaron Jones. I've got DeAndre Swift. So I need DeAndre Swift to @ least not get outscored by more than five.
- [64:53]
B
I'd rather be you than him.
- [64:54]
A
I think I would rather be me than him too. We're talking about in fantasy football for this team, right?
- [64:59]
C
Right.
- [64:59]
B
It's your words, not mine.
- [65:01]
C
I would rather it's whatever you want it to be. Yes. It's your wish.
- [65:04]
A
Well, hopefully fingers crossed I can take down Matthew Berry. That was this what I'm hoping for on week one here.
- [65:09]
B
All right, all right.
- [65:10]
A
That's going to do it for us. We got a fun Monday Night Football game to watch tonight. It's going to be a blast. We're going to be back tomorrow recapping Monday Night Football. We're going to dive into the waiver wire and dump out the bucket on the rest of the things from week one we didn't get a chance to talk about today.
- [65:22]
C
Some news update on injury updates. Drake London, we didn't get to him but he also got injured yesterday.
- [65:29]
A
We will certainly talk about that tomorrow for sure. All right, that's going to do it for us today. Forget to love each other, be kind to yourself and have fun watching Monday Night Football.
- [65:35]
B
Go Bears. See ya.
- [65:37]
A
Talk about stepping up. It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments. The electricity is palpable. Step up your game. With no annual contract required. It's the only ultimate fan experience. Level up. For more on the ESPN app or at stream espn.com Sign up now.