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Let's drive.
Daniel Dopp
You're in the Six Zero One Zero.
What's good friends? Welcome into Fantasy FOCUS Football, presented by Wingstop alongside my Clay and a Natalie Cladfield Jates. My name is Daniel Dot. Very excited here to be able to bring to you some fun Wednesday content.
Mike Clay
Daniel, why are you dressed up? Well, I'm here to manage your investment portfolio because I feel like between the tie and the shirt and also the slicked back hair today, it is my calling in life to tell you whether to buy, sell short or anything in between. More seriously, I had a mock draft that dropped.
Commercial Announcer
Yes, you did.
Mike Clay
On ESPN.com somehow the Lions and the Eagles both have picked 32 because they're both going to win the Super Bowl. It's actually using the current order based off of record. So neither team is picking 32.
Field Yates
The Lions better picks. Yeah, we thought we would.
Daniel Dopp
When I read through the mock draft, which I actually did, I was shocked to see. Yes, yes. I was shocked to see that the Kansas City Chiefs currently have the 14th pick of the first round.
Mike Clay
They sure do. And keep in mind they play the Chargers and the Broncos, plus games with the Titans and the Raiders over the final four weeks.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah, very exciting. You gave my defense or my Detroit Lions a player that I would very much be okay with. We got a couple of fantasy guys in the top five as well, a couple quarterbacks and a wide receiver. I don't want to give it all away. Make sure you go check it out on the interwebs. But a very good mock draft that came out.
Field Yates
Yeah, I got, I think actually field just like has more time to get dressed up because, like, he doesn't have to set lineups anymore, check papers anymore.
Daniel Dopp
Shot to the top, right?
Mike Clay
Boom. I can't sing because I think we get fine shout out Bon Jovi. Yeah, I actually am doing tv. I had TV early this morning, so my kids do wake up very, very, very early. That being said, I didn't want to disrupt the house too much by like waking up, grabbing a bunch of clothes. Like I just got up, I got dressed and I zipped out of the house as soon as possible for early TV this morning and that left me here for a while. So I've been sitting in the studio for like an hour and a half waiting for you.
Daniel Dopp
Oh my gosh, that's a long time. Well make sure you go check out field mock draft. Won't take you an hour and a half to read through it but there's a lot of good things in there. But very exciting to be able to have the first one drop. I was just going to say we're going to have to start learning these guys names for some of the fantasy people we'll need to know. So go check that out. Also really quickly Mike, you did kind of like spoil the lead here but you made the Fantasy Focus playoffs. I just want to give you the table here. First day on the show this week. How you feeling about making the playoffs?
Field Yates
I feel good about it. I made a big trade a couple weeks ago with Quentin and acquired Amon Ross, St. Brown and R.J. harvey in that deal and both of those have worked out. I traded away Bucky Irving who's had one good one down game. But yeah, that trade so far, although it looked like it was going to be bad initially cause the St. Brown immediately got hurt and got me a zero. But got past both of you guys.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah. Oh well, unfortunately, unfortunately.
Field Yates
But I feel like my team is in a good spot for the playoffs so the lineup's solid.
Daniel Dopp
So it is solid.
Field Yates
We will, we'll. We'll see if we can make a run at it. We have some quality teams.
Daniel Dopp
Heck yeah. I love that. Well, it's going to be very fun today. On today's show we're going to dive into players that we believe could define the the fantasy playoffs and we wanted to leave that fairly open ended defining the fantasy playoffs could be in a good way, could be in a bad way. We left it very open for us to be able to interpret it however we want. However, before we dive in, I want to give a couple of quick shout outs first to our friends over at Trophy Smack. Use the promo code FOCUS10 over@trouple smack.com for 10% off your order over at Trophy Smack and shout out to our buddy Eric Moody hanging out in the YouTube chat right now. Follow him on social media at Eric and Moody and ask him all of your playoff questions before we get started with our official news Guys, we had some news. News last night as Philip Rivers officially signed with the Indianapolis Colts. I talked about this with Field a little bit yesterday. Yes, Practice squad. Mike, as the projection guy, what are you expecting moving forward? Have you already started to think about within your model what these Colts would look like if Philip Rivers was potentially understood?
Field Yates
When I got to campus today, actually, I got here early, too. I didn't tell you.
Mike Clay
I'm Mike Clay and I make the fantasy Focus League playoffs and I get.
Field Yates
Well, I came in early because I had to go down to the archives to the basement of ESPN headquarters to find some old stats of Philip Rivers.
Daniel Dopp
That's right.
Field Yates
What he did. Because, I mean, I don't. He was deactivated in our fantasy database back when he was gone for so long.
Daniel Dopp
Back in the day.
Field Yates
Exactly.
Mike Clay
Yeah.
Field Yates
We had to get the newspapers to pull his stats each day. So, yeah, I actually, I did have to open like a bigger old file, but it doesn't really matter. Like, it's been so long. I mean, we know what we know about Philip Rivers. He's 44. He's not going to do much with his legs at this point. He's going to be a pocket passer. And honestly, from our perspective, if he does start this week, which is a possibility with the injuries to Riley Leonard and of course Daniel Jones out for the season.
What we want is like 11 targets for Michael Pittman, Joe Flock.
Daniel Dopp
That's what we want.
Field Yates
Exactly right. And I don't know if we're going to get that from a guy that hasn't played for this long. And how long, how long has it been since the guys had this level of absence?
Daniel Dopp
20. 20 is crazy.
Field Yates
Yeah, it's been a long time. So I am pessimistic that this is going to go well for, for this team, but I'm hopeful that he can at least pepper these guys with targets. Cause I'm really nervous about Pittman and, you know, flex options like Downs and Pierce and Tyler Warren as well. Are these guys going to be startable during the fantasy playoffs? I'll tell you what, I don't really have him ranked like that this week. I have Warren as a fringe starter. I have Pittman, Barry down near 40. Pearson Downs Way off the radar. Philip river or, excuse me, Jonathan Taylor downgraded from where we. We've had him earlier this season. The hope there is that they run it 25 times.
Daniel Dopp
Yes, yes.
Mike Clay
More to come on Jonathan throughout this year.
Field Yates
So we'll. We'll get to that. But anyway, I'm very Very nervous about the potential fantasy output for the Colts off.
Mike Clay
No doubt about it. I mean like I was doing NFL Live yesterday and we had Dan Orlopsky and Marcus Pierce and Mina Kimes on the show and Dan and Marcus of course played in the NFL, both guys who are relatively close to the age of Philip Rivers and they were dubious just like from their own like how they feel right now, right? They're like are you kidding me? Like is this the most desperate times call for desperate measures things ever? Mina and I have similar skeptically but the answer is yes. I mean it's like there are no other leaves to turn over right now because we're past the trade deadline. It's not like there are a bunch of good quarterbacks just hanging around in December because if there were good quarterbacks hanging around in December hanging around, they would have been signed a long time ago. So yeah, it's amazing. Amazing theater, dude. I keep saying it's unbelievable theater. Like I will watch this game very intently. My question is will Philip Rivers play any better in Seattle against this defense than Max Brosmer played a few weeks ago in his first career NFL start?
Field Yates
I don't know. But I hope that he does do a little bit of that Jamis, Joe Flacco, whatever. Just the YOLO ball.
Mike Clay
Yeah.
Field Yates
Like why not? I mean I don't know at his age if he's going to be picking apart defenses, right. He's supposed to learn this playbook and everything and be injected right into the NFL after missing so many years. But let's just hope he's not afraid to chuck it down field just play aggressive football because that's again I'm putting my, my fantasy football Michael Pittman is on my roster. Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Hat here your manager hat on. That's right.
Field Yates
I mean and that's honestly probably best for the Colts too because they have need something. They just need to get like remember Nick Foles taking the Eagles to a Super Bowl? Like that's kind of what he did. He just was so aggressive and it worked out great for them at the time. You just have to variance goes your way. Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
We got a couple of questions here from our chat already about this topic already we're diving in. This one comes from Riley Nagel wants to know do I dare say Philip Rivers has memories of Gates in Warren this weekend. Is there a chance that Antonio Gates could be like the idea? Yeah. Like he's thinking of like Antonio Tyler Warren being the Antonio Gates of this Philip Rivers led offense or.
Mike Clay
Or stick with stranger things And Duvall was the other side of that equation there. So if you have the option between Tyler Warren and Brenton Strange, would you. He kind of came back down to earth last week pretty harshly. Yeah, it's close.
Field Yates
I have Warren higher still. So do I. I think they will find ways to manufacture touches for him. He'll carry the ball well.
Daniel Dopp
He will touch the ball that way. You're right. Brenton Strange isn't going to potentially carry the ball or have snaps under playing.
Field Yates
The jets who've been okay against tight ends. This is a brutal matchup, but you know, wide receivers are going to have a hard enough time in this matchup. Warren could see five, you know, five, six, seven touches or opportunities in this game. I'm still, I look, I moved him down. We usually have him top five. I'm at 10, so he's a borderline starter. But I do have him quite a, quite a ways ahead of Brenton's dream.
Daniel Dopp
Well, one last thing just in case you were wondering where Philip Rivers ranks all time, he has been a pretty good quarterback as you'll be able to see by the full screen. We're going to throw up here because he has been unbelievable all time scoring leaders 1 through 7 here in fantasy football. And you look at this list, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Jerry Rice, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Ben Roethlisberger, all over 4,000 fantasy points. And then eight through 14, Stafford, Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Ryan. Philip Rivers comes in at number 11 right now with 3812 fantasy points just ahead of Russell Wilson, Emmett Smith and some guy named Dan Marino who was pretty good at quarterback.
Mike Clay
Quick math here means that we need just about 22.4 fantasy points for Philip Rivers to surpass Matt Ryan for 10th all time, which I would argue is a pretty illustrious career achievement to add to the many other career achievements for Philip Rivers. Does he get 22.5, let's call it 22.5 fantasy points the rest of the season.
Daniel Dopp
Rest of the season? Yes.
Mike Clay
Well, he just. Whether he plays one game or the rest of the season, he has that option. Right? So I think the answer is yes as well. He. It might take them three games.
Daniel Dopp
Do you think they. The Colts called Matt Ryan as well just to see if either one of them. They just called like everyone on that list just to.
Mike Clay
Hey Matt, I know you're probably busy with the production meeting right now cbs, but yeah, seriously, nobody is more content right now with their life than Andrew Lunk. I say that with seems pretty good absolute respect for what he has found his happiness. He has found out there is the Stanford gm.
Daniel Dopp
Heck yeah, man. That's what we're all searching for in life, guys. All right, let's talk about some players that will define the fantasy playoffs field. Like I said, we left this really open ended to be interpreted however we want. I'm going to start with you.
Mike Clay
Yeah. The idea was just like, okay, it's whatever way you want to take this. Who is going to define the fantasy playoffs? So I think we each have somewhere between four, five, six names and different categories. We didn't have to all pick from the same categories, but I kind of categorized my players based off of what motivated me to include them in the show. I think if you were to ask the potential playoff MVP, the most obvious answer is Christian McCaffrey.
Daniel Dopp
Yep.
Field Yates
Right.
Mike Clay
He has been the highest scoring player in fantasy this year. He has as much upside as any player in a given week. I'm going to go past Christian McCaffrey though, for a second option as the potential playoff MVP. Stefan HN for the Miami Dolphins, who sometimes on this show, just because we're trying to give you advice that's also actionable, we move a little bit past the guys that just meet expectations at the very top. What's there to say about Devon Achan in a week seven preview show? Hey, he's awesome. He's running back three. For me this week, that's it. But as we get to this inflection point of the season, the beginning of the playoffs worth highlighting the greatness of Devon Achan, who one time over the last six games was so bad he scored 16.6 fantasy points.
Daniel Dopp
Is that the worst?
Field Yates
He's on my FF now team. I was really disappointed that one time.
Mike Clay
That he scored 16.6 fantasy points. How about this? Last week he didn't even play that much in the second half and he had 17.5 fantasy points. As a matter of fact, he didn't play at all in the second half. He had a game, excuse me, over the past two weeks. This is the part that I think just illustrates how dominant he has been over the past two games, which is really one and a half games. Devon Achan has one catch and he still has 37 fantasy points. So for a player that we thought for a long time, hey, the superpower of Devon Achan, there's two of them. One is his speed, two is the receiving ability. He's proven that he doesn't even need five to eight catches a game, which he has in his bag to get you 20 fantasy points. So Demont Achan, I think is a strong contender to be the playoff MVP if things continue like they have of late. And if note Mike McDaniel says he does think that Devon Achan's going to be good to go on Monday night, I like it.
Field Yates
Agree Jaylen Wright looks like he's the number two there. So if he still has. And remember, they play Monday night, we're going to be talking about this a lot, I'm sure on Sunday on ff. Now they play Monday night. So look, guys have setbacks. He might not be as far along come Monday night and he can be ruled out and you could be really stuck in the first round of the playoffs. So if you have hn, I would scoop up Jalen Wright. He's out there in basically every ESPN league unless agreed last night. Keep him on your bench. Very, very important information this week also. I don't think you mentioned this, but their schedule too beneficial for him this week. Kind of tough against the Steelers, but the final two games they have the Bengals and the buccaneers both top 12 and fantasy points to running back. So like that one. And that leads me to my first point.
Daniel Dopp
Bring in my clay, which is to.
Field Yates
A tongue of Iola. What as an interesting name here.
Mike Clay
What?
Field Yates
Yeah, and actually I totally ruined my bit because I was going to do a little blind resume here and I.
Mike Clay
Forgot to do it. Gu.
We'll try it again and we'll see.
Field Yates
If we can pretend.
Daniel Dopp
Let's.
Field Yates
Let's rewind. Yeah. All right guys, 45 quarterbacks have 100 plus dropbacks this season. This quarterback ranks 38th in fantasy points. Bring him at 11.1. Any ideas? I'm going to go with more and more facts.
Mike Clay
If you don't, you're not Josh Allen. No, keep. Keep helping.
Field Yates
All right. This quarterback has been under 11 fantasy points in five straight and seven of his last eight games.
Mike Clay
Break me.
Daniel Dopp
Russell will.
Field Yates
No, that's all wrong too. Two weekly finishes better than 17th this entire season.
Daniel Dopp
Only two?
Field Yates
No, not him either.
Daniel Dopp
Probably Lamar Jackson.
Field Yates
This guy has appeared in all 13 games. He started every game for his team this year. I got it. But only Cam Ward has finished with has fewer fantasy points among quarterbacks.
Daniel Dopp
Geno Smith. That actually might be a good guess. Actually, Gino Smith might have been a good guess.
Field Yates
That's it. However, despite all those negatives, the next three games for this quarterback during the fantasy playoffs are against teams that are top seven in fantasy points to quarterbacks. The Steelers, the Bengals and the Bucks. You know the quarterback is.
Mike Clay
I'M going to go with Zach Wilson.
Field Yates
Nope.
Daniel Dopp
I would say Quinn Ewers.
Field Yates
No, it's not him either. Guys. It's to a Tonga Viola.
Daniel Dopp
Oh, man.
Mike Clay
No idea. Way off.
Daniel Dopp
That was a really good bit. If you had done it from the jump. There were a lot of good stats in there, Mike.
Field Yates
I'm really mad at myself for ruining it. I even wrote blind resume.
Mike Clay
What's your last name, by the way?
Field Yates
Tonga. Viola. Tonga.
Mike Clay
I actually have a funny story. Tonga. I have a very funny story. So I don't know, probably, like, be.
Daniel Dopp
The judge of that.
Mike Clay
Two or three years ago. Actually, that's a good point. You might not think this is that funny. Two or three years ago, I got a letter in the mail. It was addressed to me and Adam Schefter. Each one of us got this exact same letter. Somehow this person procured our address, which I guess with white pages you can do. And it was a letter. It was a scathing email about how we were mispronouncing Tua's last name.
Field Yates
Oh, yeah, I kind of heard that.
Mike Clay
He was absolutely infuriated was this person. And it's not. We were saying, Tua Tango Bailoa. Now you've got me all jacked up. Viola, you said.
Field Yates
Yeah, I said, yes, Viola Davis.
Mike Clay
Tua Tango Violoa. And this guy was so mad because if you look at the way his last name is spelled, it looks almost. If you were to pronounce it phonetically. Yes, Tagovailoa. Right?
Field Yates
Yeah, whatever.
Mike Clay
It's a tough name to pronounce no matter how you slice it. But this guy was like, it is tag. It is tag. It is tag. And he was like. While the two of you look at each other and acknowledge how dumb and pathetic you are, you might as well go tell that guy Mike Greenberg that he's mispronouncing it as well. Now, I would say this. For my money. There may not be a greater linguist at ESPN than Greeny. The man has the best pronunciation and enunciation skills maybe of anybody in the history of broadcasting. That guy is. I mean, like, he could probably, like, I don't know, like, decipher different languages better than I can decipher violin.
Daniel Dopp
Yes, he can at least say that.
Mike Clay
My point, he's excellent at pronouncing things, so I always think back to that. So good job by you for bringing back some. Some dark memories of mine.
Field Yates
Dark memories.
Daniel Dopp
I like that.
Field Yates
Now I really am confused how to say it because now you just said it.
Mike Clay
So.
Field Yates
Yeah. So anyway, guys, very easy schedule for Him. I don't think it's gonna be enough to start him. However, it does apply to the other positions. They have a light schedule for running backs. Yep. On HN receivers.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah.
Field Yates
Tight ends. Darren Waller perhaps. Although Greg Dulcich has been busy as well. Kicker and their defense as well. So very appealing schedule for Miami and they could end up being one of them teams that has a huge game or two. Yeah. And they're red hot by the way. I mean it hasn't been a lot of their offense doing the damage or certainly their passing game. But they could have a couple of big games over the next three weeks and push teams into their league championship. So keep an eye on on them.
Daniel Dopp
I like that like that call there. Mike Clay. I would not have TUA on my list of players that I thought was going to define the playoffs.
Mike Clay
I think this is the. The fun part of this topic.
Daniel Dopp
Agreed. We left it open ended for that anywhere.
Field Yates
It's a weekly game. This guy. Yes. I mean just think about last week when we were talking about Minnesota and we're like it's been so bad. There's no way. Right. There's no way. But maybe with this schedule they actually do something with. McCarthy had four touchdowns. Yes. Last week. I mean like it's weak. It's a weekly game really.
Mike Clay
Some of us, some of us not saying who specifically, but some of us did believe in JJ is a playoff stash.
Daniel Dopp
Some of us.
Mike Clay
The Internet laughed at me.
Daniel Dopp
They did.
Mike Clay
We'll see how it looks on Sunday night against the Cowboys.
Daniel Dopp
I was going to say one week. One week.
Field Yates
Hopefully we get two. Maybe an interesting, I want to say test for the Cowboys defense because like I don't can't make heads or tails of them. It feels like they should be better now, but they're not. They just keep getting run over. So I don't know. We'll see.
Daniel Dopp
I'm gonna talk about a player that finally returned. Fantasy managers had been waiting basically two months and now they get their young rookie running back in Omari and Hampton back for the final plan Fantasy playoff stretch as a reminder of what he did. Because it's been a minute since we saw Omarion Hampton. These were his last three games going into unfortunately the injury that happened.
Mike Clay
Okay.
Daniel Dopp
24.9 fantasy points, 27.5 fantasy points and 13 fantasy points against Washington. In those games he had six catches, five catches and six catches while also touting the ball in a major way. This dude. I know that we talked about it field coming out of the game on Monday. Night had some pass protection issues.
Mike Clay
Yeah, there's. There's some concerns here.
Daniel Dopp
I saw that when I watched this kid run though. It just feels like his body, everything that he does, he passes like all the eye tests. He's a big physical runner. He's fast, he's a good pass catcher utilized at the goal line. It feels like Omarion Hampton, if you waited, I know Kamani Vidal is still there.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Doesn't feel like he's going to go away at this point. It kind of seems like they're just going to keep utilizing both of them, especially because they want to keep Hampton healthy. But I see Omari and Hampton as a person that could define the playoffs because if you were a manager that basically waited two full months to get this kid back, you're going into the fantasy playoffs with what I believe is at least an RB2. Mind you, he's got two tough matchups. Two tough matchups in this playoffs, taking on the Chiefs and the Texans. That's weeks 15 and week 17. In week 16, he's get the Dallas Cowboys. I mean, he has a potential top 10 option there as a running back. So I believe that you are going to have a solid RB2 with potential RB1 upside, at least in that middle game. Which if you told me going into the fantasy playoffs, I was all of a sudden going to get a potential RB2 back for my squad. That is a guy that could absolutely help define whether or not you can make a farther push into the playoffs. So we haven't seen a lot of them. It's a little bit of a do I just trust it after one week here in a win or go home scenario. But I'm trusting Omarion Hampton.
Field Yates
Okay. I'm a little nervous after. Yeah, yeah, you go match up.
Daniel Dopp
I know it's matchup snapped by a.
Field Yates
Lot by Kamani Vidal. I mean, the opportunities were similar, but Vidal was ahead in targets and carries. I would expect that to just, you know, flip around like more Hampton, but the fact that it wasn't like 50, 50 in snaps, it was just dominated by Vidal, who played pretty well in that game. Obviously at the 60 yard catch makes me a little nervous in the sense of like this is not a lineup lock yet. He's a starting option I guess as a flex, but I moved him down. I have him actually with no teams on a buy of him 30th in my running back ranking 30th he was.
Mike Clay
It wasn't 31% of the snaps, so 31% of the snaps he played his first game back.
Daniel Dopp
Don't we expect that?
Field Yates
I expect more. How much?
Mike Clay
For sure, I think yeah. So I sort of. I wish I had been stronger on this when we're talking about it right after the game yesterday, but 31% of the snaps. I talked about some of the past protection concerns. Nakobe Dean was lighting him.
Daniel Dopp
Yes, he was.
Mike Clay
He was in that pass rush. So. And by the way, after the game, like Greg Roman or going into the game, excuse me, Greg Roman was kind of like we really like what Kamani is doing for us. So I think there's a chance that Kimani maintains a third down value at worst. At worst a third down value. Then it's hold on, hold on, hold on. But like if this becomes a 50, 50 split, which would be a big jump from 31% to 69%, there's some optimism here. He's a really talented player. They've got two of three tough matchups coming up as well, the Chiefs and also the Texans in week 17, so definitely. But this is why he could define it because he's so talented and if he starts playing 60% of the snaps, he could score 15 points a game, no problem.
Daniel Dopp
So I both agree with that because I think he has the boom game in him. Also, if that does happen, that will also define the playoffs for managers that were waiting for two full months to get what they thought was an RB2 back. And guess what? It wasn't him. It was the other guy.
Mike Clay
No, I think I. So it sounds like the alignment we have is that we think he's going to be.
Daniel Dopp
We're all over the place in his rankings.
Mike Clay
Yeah, all over the place he. I think that he is going to.
Field Yates
Drop him after find him.
Mike Clay
Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Field you've got him at. And I don't know if this is.
Mike Clay
I haven't touched him since Monday at.
Daniel Dopp
Like 9am so then I will leave Fields rankings out of it. I have him as running back 20 right now. Mike, you've got him as a running.
Field Yates
Back Round where I had him initially and then Monday night happened and I was like, okay, well I do expect him to play more next week. But also they play the Chiefs.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah.
Field Yates
Which is a fact.
Daniel Dopp
Tough matchup for sure.
Field Yates
And still Vidal is going to have a role. So yeah, for me he ends up at 30 and again every team's playing this week, 32 teams. So have him at the bottom of that. You know, that barrel of starting running backs. But he's in the committee and might be on the short end of the.
Daniel Dopp
Little bit of a trust tree right now going into week 15 with only one week that we've seen recently.
Mike Clay
All right, pick here. He got you here.
Daniel Dopp
Okay.
Mike Clay
Will he carry you past this round?
Field Yates
All right, here we go.
Mike Clay
Jonathan Taylor.
Field Yates
Yeah, yeah, that's.
Mike Clay
For his last five games, Jonathan Taylor has a 49.6 point effort. He also has games of 7.7, 8.6, 15.1 and 11 point. I think we would agree that 15.1 is a good enough number that if you got that every week going forward, Jonathan Taylor would not be the reason that you lost your matchup. He also wouldn't be the reason that you won your matchup.
Daniel Dopp
Yep.
Mike Clay
The other three games would be bad enough where it could lose you your matchup. We talked about the quarterback dynamic in play. How about the matchups coming up here for Jonathan Taylor? So we have this upcoming week, Seattle, we don't like that one at all. Out of it, San Francisco, it's a little bit better. Week 16, Monday Night Football. You do like that one. It's also at home where there's no concerns about any kind of weather. And then finally, week 17, the Jaguars, who, last check, are the best run defense in the NFL and just held Jonathan Taylor. No, no, they are number one in terms of rush defense like yards allowed per game. Yards allowed per game, number one. And it's. That's the bread and butter of Jonathan Taylor. He's not a high volume pass catcher. So Jonathan Taylor in Week 17 faces the team that just held him to 11.4 fantasy points. Is there dud potential here as soon as this week for Jonathan Taylor?
Daniel Dopp
Doesn't it feel like, and this may be an easily reductive statement, but if you're just an opposing defense, aren't you going to say let's stop Jonathan Taylor and let 44 year old Philip Rivers, who hasn't thrown a real NFL pass in five years, beat us?
Field Yates
Like, absolutely. And, and if you're like, no, he's just too good, what happened last year, that's not.
Daniel Dopp
Yes, we've seen it.
Field Yates
Anthony Richardson's been in there. He hasn't been that good and nearly as good in fantasy. So I'm definitely worried. He's been. We've talked about this. I mean, first of all, we predicted this may happen a month ago when we looked ahead at their schedule. And that was before Daniel Jones got hurt. I mean, they were averaging three, four touchdowns a game. Yeah, they might not score a touchdown this week. They're in Seattle against maybe the best.
Mike Clay
One of the best defenses 5 defense at worst.
Field Yates
Yeah. I mean they're one of the best we've seen in a long time. I mean, this defense is a problem.
Mike Clay
Houston, Philly and Seattle, the four defenses, the Rams, the five that like, I'm like, dang.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Mike Clay
And I'm forgetting somebody, please let me.
Daniel Dopp
Now Chiefs are good, but yeah, the.
Field Yates
And by the way, the Eagles defense, they've had. I was looking at this. They've had the hardest schedule so far. They've had to deal with. They've like the offenses they face. So they, I mean and they. It's a much lighter down the stretch here. But anyway.
Daniel Dopp
Can I just say I'm.
Field Yates
I'm, I'm nervous. For sure.
Daniel Dopp
We're all nervous, but we're all also definitely starting him. And there is no way. It doesn't feel like unless you roster CMC and Bijan and Jonathan Taylor, like, there's no way you're not putting Jonathan Taylor in your line.
Field Yates
But this might be again, 2024. Yes, you might have an RB2 going for because he might have 2024 touches, but the efficiency in scoring just might not be there.
Mike Clay
The only correction I'll make is that this might be 2024 JT prior to the playoffs because remember he went nuclear in the playoffs last year. Yeah. I think sort of the point in some of these conversations is not like, you know, we're not trying to, we're not trying to advise sitting these players. More like preparing people mentally for what could be on tap.
Daniel Dopp
Yep.
Mike Clay
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Field Yates
Next one for me is a guy that's very interesting and Jacoby Brissette Fellas has eight consecutive top 12 fantasy finish makes no sense this season. The next longest streak in the NFL is Trevor Lawrence, who has four okay.
In a row. However, the Texans defense has yet to allow a quarterback a weekly finish better than 14th this entire season. Yeah, I'm not this is the immovable object against the unstoppable force.
Daniel Dopp
Yes.
Field Yates
Who's going to win?
Mike Clay
I got the Texans defense and I'll give you a reason why. I think the Texans offense will be better this week than it has been for much of this season. I don't think this is going to be a game where you turn the TV on, it's the middle of the second quarter and Houston's up 24 nothing.
Daniel Dopp
So has happened game script Last couple of games for Cardinals have been that.
Field Yates
I think the Cardinals defense will be better.
Mike Clay
No, I'm saying that the Houston offense is not good enough.
Field Yates
Oh, got it.
Mike Clay
To put the Cardinals in such a gigantic hole that you're like last week or the Seattle game where Jacoby Brissette's down before he even blinks. 21 to nothing. Got it against Seattle, 35 to nothing at the beginning of the second quarter.
Field Yates
Yeah, yeah. But I mean it's tricky because Brissette again, this is two straight months he's had a really high floor. He's actually third in fantasy points per game during that stretch. Only Josh Allen and Jackson Dart are ahead of him. So he has been outstanding and it's all volume. I mean he's by far number one in pass attempts, pass completions, passing yards during that span. But to your point, I mean the Texans have shut down Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen recently. They have been. They've only got 12 touchdowns this season.
Daniel Dopp
But Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen haven't been a top 12 quarterback for the last eight weeks in a row. Like they're a bunch of scrubs.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Mike Clay
You kind of need Woody Marks, C.J. stroud, Nico Collins, Jaden Higgins, Smash to help Jacoby Brissette.
Field Yates
Yes. You really do.
Mike Clay
Because if this is. If this is a. Again, if this is what Houston has done oftentimes this year, like if it's halftime and it's 10:3, then maybe you're seeing a decent amount of Bam Knight in the first half. And not as much of Jacoby Brissette, who last week had 43 passing attempts because that's what he does.
Daniel Dopp
That's unbelievable.
Field Yates
But the Texans have had leads this year and still no one has finished top 14. So I just think it's like, I'm with you. I think it's very unlikely. But go ahead, finish your thoughts and I'll make a final point here.
Daniel Dopp
It's so hard for me because I. Earlier this year I danced with the devil and decided to play a quarterback against the Texans.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
And I feel like once I did that once and then I've seen other people do it, it's like I just don't.
Mike Clay
I don't be that guy. Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Want to be on the Jacoby Brissette bandwagon so badly because it's such a fun story and he's been great for this Cardinals offense. This is what we want to see. I just feel like I have to be out in week 15 because of the Texans.
Field Yates
However, the reason I included him here is because he could define the fantasy place for the next couple of weeks because we're not starting him this week. But then he has a terrific final Slater. He gets Atlanta at home next week and then they go to Cincinnati with fantasy championship. He'll be a streaming option both of those games. Yeah, you could literally, you could win. People will win championships this year with because of Jacoby Brissette as their quarterback. Or he'll, you know. Or he'll have a massive dud in Addie. I don't know. We'll see. The weather can be bad, I guess.
Daniel Dopp
I don't know.
Field Yates
Either way, he's going to define things as he'll be in lineups at the very minimum.
Daniel Dopp
I love that.
Field Yates
So, uh, don't drop him. Tough matchup this week, but don't drop him. Cause he'll be on the starting radar the next two weeks.
Daniel Dopp
You had a. You said this was a two parter?
Field Yates
No, no, just that.
Daniel Dopp
Oh.
Field Yates
Was good for Brissette. But this matchup's brutal. Love that. Okay, what do you got?
Mike Clay
We'll pick up the pace.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Bucky Irving has had two nice games in his return. I think it's set up really nicely for fantasy managers here that would want to utilize him after missing two months. Managers have gotten two games over 16 fantasy points as a part of those two games. He had 19 touches and 17 touches and a touchdown in both. But the most surprising thing to me was how little run he actually had as the lead back in both of those games. Under 55% of the snaps in both of those games. Actually under 50% of the snaps in week 14. Mind you, it's still freaking Bucky Irving and we've been waiting to get him back in our starting lineup. Really great matchups this time. Falcons, Panthers and the Dolphins. For the next three, Dolphins and Falcons both allowing over 130 rushing yards per game to the opposing team. That's bottom 10 for both of those defenses. If you waited again, just like you talked about, you had themes, my next one, you're going to notice it as well. If you had to wait and you had this running back on your squad and you're like, man, I barely squeaked into the fantasy playoffs. Bucky Irving in a spot even though he has not had a huge snapshare recently, I think still to be the guy for your squad. He said it and forget it. RB2, potential top 10 running back. But I have him as a high end RB2 at least this week for the fantasy.
Field Yates
Last week he had a little bit of I think like a minor injury, missed a snap or two and then he kind of didn't play a lot. The rest he saw a lot more Rashad White, Sean Tucker touchdown. I think that, I think that's kind of what happened there the week before he was obviously super productive and to your point, it seems like he's fine now. The schedule is very light. This was my pause in trading him actually in the focus league ended up doing. But the schedule is very appealing down the stretch.
Daniel Dopp
Yes, agreed with that. I'm going to try and pull up while field goes next just so I can see if Bucky Irving didn't have a bunch of snaps either in like the third or fourth quarter. In as far as getting.
Field Yates
I felt like he played a lot more in the first half and then we saw a lot of Rashad White in the second half.
Daniel Dopp
In the second half we have the first practice.
Mike Clay
No, no. We've had practice reports the past couple of days and there hasn't been anything for Bucky on there. No, no, I don't.
Field Yates
I think he's fine now. I'm just saying I think that somewhat explains why they sort of limited him in the second half there. It certainly felt like that.
Mike Clay
My next player is you got here probably in spite of him, but can he now carry you the rest of the way? That player is Saquon Barkley, who we again kind of forecasted this because of his schedule a month or so ago. Last Monday night he took off against the Chargers, which was the most difficult of his upcoming matchups. He had 18.2 fantasy points. He did not catch a pass for the second straight game. He's never had that happen in his entire NFL career prior to Weeks 13 and 14. But the next three games are tasty, tasty matchups. He has the Raiders, the Commanders and the Bills over the next three weeks. Those teams right now ranked 24th, 27th and 26th as far as fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. As in the closer to 32, the better for the running back that you have on hand. So while it's hard for me to fully buy into this Eagles offense for all the obvious reasons this year, if ever there was a time for Saquon to have some vintage moments, it would be over the next three games when A Philadelphia has a lot to play for and B the schedule sets up beautifully.
Field Yates
Yeah, I'm going to jump ahead here because one of my we overlap a little bit because I also have Saquon and the Eagles here. But it applies to the other positions as well because you'll look at receivers. They have the Raiders this week third most points to receivers in Washington's top 10. Bills are mid pack. They're going to have to throw against them more than they normally would. That's good. Quarterbacks this week they get the Raiders should be fine. That's in Philly. They're kind of mid pack against quarterbacks because teams don't have to throw against him. But fine matchup. Then they get Washington, outstanding matchup and then Bills are a tough one for Jalen hurts come week 17. That's going to be a tricky one. The Eagles are in Buffalo Week 17 and then tight ends. Raiders actually have been good against tight ends. But then Washington has led the fifth most fantasy points, the Bills the fewest. So for Dallas Goddard, tough slate the rest of the way. But running backs, receivers and quarterbacks for the most part are very good other than maybe, you know, hurts in week 17. We're have to have a conversation about that.
Daniel Dopp
Talk about that.
Field Yates
Yeah, yeah.
Daniel Dopp
I'm going to talk about another running back, guys. Another running back that you were waiting on. You drafted really high, potentially maybe in the fifth or sixth round and then in the middle of the season. Let me set the narrative here. Weeks 9, 10 and 11, the other running back got hurt. Ramandre Stevenson went down and it finally left us with Travion Henderson being able to have the lead role to himself. What did he give us? 2 weeks, 28 fantasy points and 32 fantasy points. We were rejoicing as fantasy managers. And then Ramon Dre Stevenson came back, had two games before the buy. Rondre Stevenson came back and they played the Cincinnati Bengals and the Giants off of those two huge games for Travion Henderson. And did he peel the bond that my friends, he did not. 11.1 and 11.6 fantasy points with Ramon Dre Stevenson after two awesome weeks, he was basically surrounded by a couple 11 point games there. But now coming out of the buy in week 14, we haven't heard about him a little bit. He's got a nice matchup. I mean, both of these running backs have a nice matchup down the stretch. Week 15 against the Bills, seventh most fantasy points to running backs this year. Week 16 against the Ravens, 11th most. And then championship week against the jets, third most points to the running backs this year. There's a part of me that feels like even though we have seen more Ramondre Stevenson last game and Week 4 13, Week 14 was a buy, that we're at a point where when this team needs to be able to get a dub, especially for fantasy managers, we're not starting Ramon Ray Stevenson. We're starting Trayvon Henderson. Patriots are starting Ramon Ray Stevenson. We're not. I've got Ramon. And part of that is because Ramon Ray Stevenson has more carries, more catches, more yard rushing yards, more scrimmage yards, more rushing touchdowns, more receiving touchdowns, and maybe most importantly, less fumbles than Ramon Ray Stevenson does. So this is one of those situations where like, I get it, Ramon Dre is the guy. They're going to keep doing that. But if I'm going to start one of these two Patriots running backs down the stretch, Ramond Ray is the guy that has that game breaking. Excuse me, Travion is the guy that has that game breaking ability.
Mike Clay
I, I would agree on that part. I don't know that I have a lot of optimism for a ton of ceiling here. Am I wrong? I don't know where.
Field Yates
No, I agree. And that's where I was going to go with this Is that first of all, we should point out that while Anderson has been the much more efficient rusher, Stevenson has been a substantially more effective pass catcher. He's been good in the receiving game. So I don't think that's going to go away. And the other thing is, if they play 10 games together right this season, in those games, Stevenson is averaging 8.8 fantasy points per game, has reached 11 three times. Henderson in those 10 games averaging seven and a half fantasy points per game. He has not reached 13 fantasy points in any of those 10 games.
Daniel Dopp
I agree with you. So I think you guys are missing the point here. The whole point is fantasy managers have been waiting all season to be able to say, I can utilize Trayvon Henderson. We got a glimpse of it for two weeks and now you get three sick matchups down the playoffs in which you may have had to start him even if you didn't want to. And I think he will define the playoffs because you may have to start them when you don't want to, or it may be one of those things where you don't start them against one of these teams. And he does have that boom game because by the way, Bills and Jets have combined to give up nine games of over 25 fantasy points. Five of those games have been over 30 fantasy points with a ceiling game against the bills of over 40 fantasy points in week 10. I don't think that Travion does that, but it just feels like in this situation, fantasy manager is going to have to make a choice. Do I want to trust Travion Henderson in a win or go home week? You've been waiting all season to have to decide is this guy worth it? I think he's going to define the playoffs from that perspective.
Mike Clay
I have a better option. Yeah, What?
Daniel Dopp
Do you have him this week? Do you know where you have him?
Field Yates
I have him 26, Stevenson 32.
Daniel Dopp
I have Ramon Ray. I have Trayvon as running back 19.
Field Yates
Yeah, I saw. I was at you. I saw someone at him in the top 20. I thought that was bold.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah.
Mike Clay
Last category for me is they may be healthy, but are they effective. And I'm talking about a pair of quarterbacks. We'll see whether Jaden Daniels is healthy enough to play on Sunday, But Dan Quinn kind of downplayed the severity of that elbow re aggravation this past Sunday. The other one is, of course, Lamar Jackson. Lamar, who has played for four straight games and finally got off the Schneide. But I want you guys to guess, just arbitrarily throw A number at the most passing yards that Jaden Daniels has in a game this season. He has played in seven games. He left one early. Yep.
Field Yates
Several.
Mike Clay
Excuse me.
Daniel Dopp
I would say 245, 700.
Field Yates
No, you guys do that to me. It's true. I know one time you do the.
Daniel Dopp
Bit that we do to you.
Mike Clay
Where I do it to you though, is when you're like, hey, this guy sucked all year. How many games do you think he's had over 20 fantasy points? And it's like, I don't know, 30?
Field Yates
Because he.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah, you both answered into the question.
Field Yates
The same way, but you're doing the same thing. You're suggesting it's a low number. Okay, yeah, so what? But how low is seven?
Daniel Dopp
He's the only member of the 700 Club. All right, keep going.
Mike Clay
233. So close. I talked about this yesterday. Like, Jaden Daniels hasn't been healthy. He also hasn't played that great. He has yet to reach 22 fantasy points in a game all season. Lamar finally broke through after that three game slump of 7.2. Two or fewer fantasy points in three straight. But Lamar this past week, even getting over 21 fantasy points didn't look like vintage Lamar by any stretch. So the question is, these guys may play on Sunday, but are we getting top 5 fantasy value from Lamar and Jaden in cushy matchups, Cincinnati and the giants for those two QBs.
Field Yates
Well, Jackson just played the Bengals and didn't look so hot.
Mike Clay
That's right.
Field Yates
It's a rare down game for an offense against the Bengals. And you mentioned Dan has the Giants. So if I have Jaden, I'm probably firing him up.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah, I gotta be honest, we tried this last week. Maybe we pay off a couple of board bets here real quickly because we all said, hey, guess what? There's no way Lamar Jackson's going to be outside the top 12. Right.
Field Yates
And we were, we were in fact.
Daniel Dopp
Wrong as he was quarterback 14 on the week.
Mike Clay
I wasn't.
Daniel Dopp
Am I, am I looking at the wrong note?
Mike Clay
We got that one quarterback eight in week 14.
Daniel Dopp
Oh, sorry. Okay. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I saw 14 on the, on the sheet. All right.
Field Yates
I was so I built you up for excitement. You were like, you were wrong, but we were right the whole time.
Daniel Dopp
All right, there we go. Quarterback.
Mike Clay
Hey. Hey.
Daniel Dopp
So we are trusting Lamar Jackson now, guys. Congratulations.
Mike Clay
Yeah, I mean, I have him back inside my top 12 once again this week. My point is that like, you know, when you.
Daniel Dopp
What a limb.
Mike Clay
I know. Top 12 guys, but we are. You want to pay off these three board bets real quick, you guys about the players or not?
Field Yates
Let's do it.
Daniel Dopp
Saquon Barkley. We said was he going to be inside or outside the top 17 of running backs? I said he would be inside. You said outside the top 17 and he finished inside. He finished his running back seven.
Field Yates
So win for Field and I.
Daniel Dopp
Field and Mike got a win there. Field also said Justin Jefferson was not going to be a top 18 wide receiver. Mike and I said he would be a top 18 wide receiver. It was wide receiver 77 on the.
Field Yates
We had 11 yards. That's inside 18.
Daniel Dopp
That's great.
Field Yates
Okay, that's good.
Daniel Dopp
That's not.
Field Yates
Good.
Daniel Dopp
All right. And then the Lamar Jackson one in which we all won, by the way.
Field Yates
If you told me McCarthy was going to throw four touchdowns.
Mike Clay
I know.
Field Yates
Did he throw four to throw two?
Daniel Dopp
He threw four.
Field Yates
That was four.
Daniel Dopp
He threw four. Touchdown. Or maybe he threw three. He threw two to Oliver and one to T.J. hawkins.
Field Yates
Maybe it was three. I don't know why I thought it was four. Maybe they scored. They scored four touchdowns. Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah. Was there a sword Mason rushing Touchdown. That's what it was.
Field Yates
My bad. Okay.
Daniel Dopp
No, that's great because we were definitely starting Jordan Mason. In that case.
Field Yates
You told me the Vikings would score four touchdowns. That would have been like. Of course Jefferson caught one and probably yards and. But nope, that was.
Daniel Dopp
That's the frustration.
Mike Clay
All right, man.
Daniel Dopp
Well, I'm gonna dive in. I got a few more players to define the season. Do you guys mind if I go with another one?
Mike Clay
Yeah, please. Let's rip.
Daniel Dopp
This is going to be a little bit outside the box. Hope this is the outside the box part of this segment, but okay, I have Drake London as a player that will define the fantasy playoffs one or. Why? Because he's either not going to play and you will have had a guy that was wide receiver 4 up until he got hurt. And then you're now playing the playoffs without the guy that got you there. That is certainly a defining moment.
Mike Clay
Or he's all but certainly out for tomorrow this week. Missed again on practice on DNP and.
Daniel Dopp
It is a Thursday night game, so we'll talk about that obviously. But if Drake London is going to be out, I think it is not just a Drake London. I mean, if he's back, he will define the playoffs because you'll get a guy that's potentially. This is the conversation.
Mike Clay
Are we sure about that?
Daniel Dopp
This is the conversation. Is he still the top five guy because he's going to have Kirk Cousins. He's a top 10.
Field Yates
He is a yes though.
Daniel Dopp
He is A yes.
Mike Clay
Top 10 guy. Top 5 guy I'm not so sure about.
Daniel Dopp
However, because of the fact that Drake London is hurt, I actually believe that one of the players that will define the fantasy playoffs is. I can't believe I'm doing this. Kyle Pitts at the tight end position. London was hurricane hurt in week 11. I want to give you the last three weeks. Week 12 Kyle Pitts had five targets that actually led the team. Okay. That was the week in which Darnell mooney had like three for 73 and a touchdown. That offense looked awful, but it was Kyle Pitts that led the team with 125 targets. Week 13, 7 for 82 on 8 targets, 15.2 fantasy points. Most importantly led all players in targets and led all pass catchers in fantasy points. And then week 14, 6 for 90 on 10 targets again another 15 point game. A third straight game in which he led the team in targets and led the team in fantasy points as a receiver. This is a situation just because of how bad the tight end position is. Even though we don't love Kirk Cousins being under center for us, I feel like Kyle Pitts is at leave a top 10 to 12 tight end option as long as Drake London isn't in there. Because literally nobody has else has stepped up as a receiver in this game from this team other than Bijan Robinson. It is just Kyle Pitts. So it feels a little dangerous starting Kyle Pitts there. But I think he is a player that if you needed him could define it. Mostly that's though because of Drake London because his absence opened up that opportunity.
Mike Clay
Kyle Pitts is going to make a ton of money this offseason.
Field Yates
Yeah. Yes, I think you're probably right. I would agree. He right now where I have him ranked assumes London plays but he'll go way up if London's out. So keep an eye on that. I'll change out later if London's out of practice again today, but I thought that was interesting. I don't know if you guys had some trouble with tight end ranking this week because after you get every week the top three is easy with Kittle, McBride and Bowers. But after that I mean it could have been anyone. I believe I only. I think I only have four tight ends as lineup blocks and one's Harold Fannin which in Cleveland that's actually my next point so I'll leave that there. But Hunter Henry Goddard, which he went way up after seeing all those targets on Monday, which helped. Yeah, Mark Andrews and Isaiah likely have good matchups with Travis Kelsey slumping Jake Ferguson. Sorry, joke. Farterson is struggling. Theo Johnson is in there coming off to buy Kincaid. Joanne Johnson. I mean, it's a mess.
Daniel Dopp
It is a mess.
Field Yates
It is a mess after the top three or four tight ends right now, Rhonda Gads, and he's plummeted.
Mike Clay
So it's a Loveland trending up.
Daniel Dopp
If Roman does that, wouldn't that be nice?
Field Yates
I don't think I've ever had this few lineup blocks in the in the tight end, tight end because it's wide open.
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Mike Clay
Who's next for you?
Field Yates
Next one for me is the Browns. Okay, we're talking about Shador Sanderson and Jerry Judy. Could that connection have some value during the fantasy playoffs? We talked about this a month ago. The Browns have a very appealing schedule down the stretch that continues over the next three weeks. 5th easiest rest of season schedule in fact, for quarterbacks and wide receiver. Shador looked good last Week he just continues to get better and better. 364 yards, three touchdowns, also ran for a touchdown. I'm a little pessimistic that he'll be a streaming option. They did play Tennessee. They beat up on them on home at home. Fine. But it is a light schedule and Jerry Judy now look he only has two games with 12 fantasy points this season. Both were somewhat predictable. It was at jets game the first game Sauce Gardner got traded or after Saska traded and then last week against the Titans last three games Bears this week then they have the Bills and then they have the Steelers who we've we've talked about it giving up a ton to receivers. So I don't again I'm not going to start Sanders but I think he might be good enough that guys like Harold Fannin and Jerry Judy could be better in fantasy. And one quick note on the Browns Jerome for to IR low key important in fantasy because he's he leads the team in targets out of the backfield and routes. Some of that's going to go to Quinn John Judkins, I'm going to go to Dylan Sampson. But Judkins I think has a little more involvement in the passing. He made that long catch last week. He did even two more targets a game huge for him because that's been kind of crushing his floor. So I moved Judkins up actually a couple spots there in Chicago this week. But but Sanders just playing competent ball could be enough for Judkins Judy Fannin to be starter starting caliber in fantasy down the stretch.
Daniel Dopp
It will be tough I feel like to start potentially Shador but like you're saying with the rest of those guys if he can give a nice enough floor to those guys down the stretch at least a flex option. Right. Or or for Harold Fannin given how bad tight end has been like if he can just give us you know what we've seen from Harold Fan and he's he's been a nice thing for.
Field Yates
His usage is I want to ask.
Daniel Dopp
You and this is not to give everything away but you've got the Browns going which direction in your mock draft.
Mike Clay
Not a quarterback. So they have the fourth and the not a quarterback pick right now. Okay. By the way that that Travis Hunter trade compensation feels a little bit different right now given how good the Jaguars have been even without Travis Hunter making much of an impact. But the interesting part about the quarterbacks in this year's draft class is that we a I don't know how many of these guys are going to declare And B, just not a great quarterback class. I have to say something though. The 2024 draft class has warped expectations so much for what a good quarterback draft class looks like. Like there's a chance like if I told you any of Drake May, Jaden Daniels or Caleb Williams becomes an all Pro one day, would you buy any or all of them becoming an all Pro one day?
Daniel Dopp
Yes.
Field Yates
Yes.
Mike Clay
I mean obviously it's easy to see with Jaden nearly was last year. Drake May might well be this year.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Mike Clay
And Caleb could get there too, right?
Field Yates
Oh, Nick's has been pretty good.
Mike Clay
I mean so like that, that class is so good that you're like, yeah, there's only two good quarterbacks in this year's draft class. That's like the norm. Anyways, let's move forward here. Dan, I've got.
Field Yates
That's funny you mentioned that because like Philip Rivers is one of those. Right. With Big Ben and who else is in that one?
Daniel Dopp
Eli.
Field Yates
Eli. Yeah. I mean the thousand. Once in a while they come along and we need those injections every. Sure we do.
Daniel Dopp
Draft class, you're up next, my friend.
Mike Clay
Up next.
Daniel Dopp
Yep.
Mike Clay
The injury question mark. It's Marvin Harrison Jr. And it's his health. Perhaps because of what it means for Marvin Harrison Jr. But also perhaps for what it means for Jerry Rice.
Field Yates
Michael Wilson, honest mistake.
Mike Clay
Yes. Happens to the best of us.
Field Yates
That's fair.
Mike Clay
I mean, it may not matter at all this week because they play the Texans who Mike has noted have allowed what two receivers to get to 13 fantasy points all year.
Field Yates
The only two to get to 18 were JSN and Nakua. So Wilson and Wilson could get that category when Harrison to.
Mike Clay
We have no idea on this Marvin Harrison Jr. Injury, but if Michael Wilson is in as wide receiver one and Marvin Harrison Jr. Is out with no Greg Dorch and no Zay Jones. I know those guys don't matter as much, but still they're playing. They still take targets. Yes. How many wideouts do you prefer to Michael Wilson in a not Texans matchup with no Marvin Harrison Jr.
Field Yates
I mean he'd be in the. He's certainly in the top 10. 12 for sure.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah. I was going to say maybe 10. Maybe 10.
Mike Clay
He's definitely a top 10 wide receiver. So this, this injury from Marvin looms very large and maybe not as much this week, but as we get to week 16 and 17 when they play the Falcons and the Bengals, you can't tell me that Michael Wilson Jr. If there's no Marv, wouldn't be inside.
Daniel Dopp
Your lineup this is such a defining situation because everyone that rosters Michael Wilson Jr. Is like please Marvin Harrison Jr. Do not play this week. It's and we're not rooting for an injury but like you just don't want him to play because Michael Wilson is not the same guy when Marvin Harrison Jr. Is in there. Seems like Marv can still be a fine low end flex play even with Michael Wilson. It's just not really the same on the other side of it. It's a massive situation for fantasy managers that have both of those wide receivers.
Field Yates
Going into week tomorrow in the Shadow Report.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah, love that. I've only got one other player so I'm going to allow you guys to go first and then I will close it out here.
Field Yates
So Mike, do you want to do another one too? I have two. I could be quick here. Dak Prescott, quarterback four this season. So he's been good overall. The problem is he's been on a roller coaster. He started off really slow, then he had 22 plus and four straight. Then he had two dud again and now he's at 18 plus in four straight games. But the schedule is kind of tough. Two weeks.
Mike Clay
Yeah.
Field Yates
They host the Vikings third fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks and they have the Chargers second fewest fantasy points.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah.
Field Yates
But then they play Washington in week 17 so it's kind of one of them things like you might want to stream like I have Dak 10th this week. You might not want to start him. So but if you can get past these next two weeks with guys from this offense you get to week 17, they have Washington. I'm in this spot actually in the FF now league where I have George Pickens and Jake Ferguson who's been slumping now for joke.
Daniel Dopp
Farterson.
Field Yates
Farterson. So it's been, it's, it's rough. So it's going to be a tough slate for this offense the next couple of weeks but if you can get to week 17, huge.
Mike Clay
On top of that I do think because of how many playmakers they have, how bad their defense is like Dak probably can get to like 14 each of these next two weeks even a more difficult match.
Daniel Dopp
What's the crushing game like?
Mike Clay
Do you have as Crushing Is is 10 or fewer?
Daniel Dopp
What's and what is 11 or fewer? Has he had any games like that?
Field Yates
He had like a 7 and a 15. I think recently though that was a two game slide and then he came back so back. So he's for the most part he's been okay. But what's tricky about this offense is you have Dak. Yes. But you also have Javante Williams. You have two receivers that you want to start and Jake Ferguson, like they're not all going to eat if he has 14 fantasy points.
Mike Clay
You have to specify which receivers because Ryan Flournoy is on this roster too. I know CD Lamb. Obviously his concussion does loom large for this week. This is the, the, this is my last time talking about this player. Player Justin Jefferson. Oh, like I don't really know if there's much to say but like if you get completely irrelevant, useless Justin Jefferson once again this week and next, then you're probably losing.
Daniel Dopp
Can I ask Mike, like we've, because we talked about this earlier this this week, how are you projecting Justin Jefferson here in Week 15 against the Cowboys?
Field Yates
Yeah, that's, that's part of why he still hangs 12th in my rankings because the target chair, I did, I did move the target chair down a little bit from where he's been this season. But they're playing the Cowboys and they've been what most still the most fantasy points allowed to receivers this season. 4th most over the last eight weeks. 3rd most over the last month. They're still just getting crushed by that position. So I think it's still Justin Jefferson. He's one of them guys though, especially after last week. I almost feel like he's going to push for double digit targets this week.
Mike Clay
They better.
Field Yates
They're going to try their best. Dallas could have Tron Diggs back this week, but I'm guessing he'll be limited in this one. So I think Jefferson, I don't want to go as far to say he'll be vintage Jefferson, but bounce back week startable in fantasy.
Mike Clay
Can I do my last one so you guys can make fun of me for misinterpreting the extra.
Daniel Dopp
Absolutely.
Mike Clay
Okay, good. The coach that pulls all the levers, John McVeigh, who is not a player. But I do want people to hear me out here for a second because how many offenses do you have trust in that are going to score a lot of points every week? More than Los Angeles, maybe very few. Right.
Field Yates
Like their floor is ridiculous because they also feed the same guys every week too.
Mike Clay
And but the question is which guys do they feed in a given week? Right. So if they get to the goal line, like think about how much influence Sean McVay has from the five yard line and in right. If he says all right, we're just going to run the football, hand it off to Kyron and or Blake Corum that, like, we've seen devonte Adams score a zillion touchdowns. When devonte Adams doesn't score, it ain't pretty. Right. Like, it's. He's like, I don't know.
Field Yates
That's because nakua between the 20s does.
Daniel Dopp
All of it everything right.
Mike Clay
So you need. You need Sean McVay to be like, all right, we're calling a Devonte play at the goal line for Devonte to cash in and be a top 20 wide receiver.
Daniel Dopp
Is it fair now to say that? Because I think we've said this like, three of the four superstars that we love on this team are basically touchdown dependent in devonte Williams, Devonte Adams, Kyron Williams, and Blake Corum. Like all three of those guys, you need to be able.
Field Yates
Yeah. I mean, we're not starting Corum though, right?
Daniel Dopp
I think he's closer than you.
Mike Clay
We were talking about this yesterday.
Field Yates
I gave him this year. It was last week.
Mike Clay
I was more towards Mike's side of like, you know, it's going to be hard. I think the value of Corum is more about what he takes away from Kyron than it is about the standalone value there. But he has Flash this year.
Daniel Dopp
I don't think that we get to know which one of the drives that they're on is the drive for Blake or the drive for. Like, that's the thing. Like the scoring drive could be a Blake Corum drive.
Mike Clay
Isn't that an F1 show drive to survive?
Field Yates
Sure is, yeah.
Daniel Dopp
Oh, nice. Look at that.
Mike Clay
Showing my.
Daniel Dopp
Look at you.
Field Yates
Field Gates racing.
Daniel Dopp
Really good.
Field Yates
President, racing fan.
Mike Clay
Yes, correct. But. So Sean McVay does have a lot of influence just because he decides who is getting the football. They're going to score touchdowns. And if they say we're going to run the ball, then it's good things for Kyron Williams, bad things for devonte. And if the inverse happens, then not so good if you're starting Kyren Williams.
Daniel Dopp
Stafford feels like he's a lineup block, though, for the fantasy playoffs.
Mike Clay
However, Seattle next week.
Field Yates
Yeah, that's going to be a huge.
Mike Clay
That's a massive, huge start to the semifinals.
Field Yates
But we like Detroit. They're going to throw a lot. And Detroit beat up in the secondary. They'll be good there in Atlanta with everything on the line. Week 17, good spot as well.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah.
Mike Clay
All right, Michael, what do you got.
Field Yates
For your last one? For me, fellas, is the Broncos. Tough schedule, especially for the running backs. Hardest remaining schedule for running backs. They have the packers at home this week. Then they go, then they also are at home against Jacksonville, which we just talked about earlier, maybe the toughest matchup in the league. And then they go to Kansas City. Week 17, a brutal schedule for RJ Harvey on Christmas Day, by the way. Christmas Day. 21 plus fantasy points in each of his last two games. The volume's been good and the schedule is pretty much neutral for the other positions. It's just the running backs position that's so hard. So we're gonna need Hart. They might lean a little bit toward the pass, but certainly we're gonna need Harvey to be busy in the passing game because I'm not sure he's gonna produce a lot of on the ground.
Mike Clay
I concur. One of my takeaways from the weekend was like, harvey looks good again, but the schedule might be going downhill.
Field Yates
Games are tough.
Mike Clay
What do you got, Danielle?
Daniel Dopp
On my last one, before I give you the last one, I'm just going to give you really quickly my favorite playoff matchup.
Mike Clay
Okay.
Field Yates
My favorite.
Daniel Dopp
Because I was looking through. We were a lot of. This is like trying to figure out who my favorite playoff matchup is. Who do I like this week? Who do I like Moving forward? Week 17, championship week. Trey McBride plays the Cincinnati Sad Cats. And just the best matchup of the season.
Field Yates
Yeah, I know. I took noted down a couple week 17 specific notes here, including Jacoby Brissette.
Daniel Dopp
Dude, like, it's just the idea that, like, Trey McBride, the number one tight end in fantasy, gets them in week 17 in a championship week means probably is going to score 4.3 points, but it's like, it's such a good matchup. I just wanted to say that. All right, my last player here is someone that absolutely could just dominate fantasy games for fantasy managers. Tyler Algier. Algier. Al.
Field Yates
Justin Allgaier.
Daniel Dopp
Oh, okay. Sorry.
Field Yates
Tyler Algier.
Daniel Dopp
It is Jameer Gibbs, guys.
Mike Clay
It is Jameer Gibbs That's a playoff MVP. Jameer Gibbs.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Daniel Dopp
In 2025, only four players have multiple games over 35 fantasy points. Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor, Christian McCaffrey and Jameer Gibbs. Allen, Jonathan Taylor and Christian McCaffrey have all done it twice since the start of the season. Jameer Gibbs has done it four times since week seven.
Mike Clay
No doubt.
Daniel Dopp
Week seven, 218 yards plus three catches for two touchdowns, 36.8 fantasy points. Week 10, 172 total yards, three catches, three touchdowns, 38.2 fantasy points. Week 12, 264 yards, 11 receptions for three touchdowns, 55.4 fantasy points. And last week in week 14, 120 total yards for another seven catches, three touchdowns and 37 fantasy points. It is not a cake playoff schedule. Like, they've got some really difficult matchups against the Rams, the Steelers, the Vikings. They are all top 12 defenses against running backs this year. However good.
Field Yates
I gotta finish with that.
Daniel Dopp
Nobody has just had the weak winning weeks that Jameer Gibbs has had. And the Detroit Lions have had to rely on him in a major way, especially as a pass catcher. 3, 4 games over 35 fantasy points since week 7. Heading into the fantasy playoffs feels like a good a guy that absolutely could define your fantasy matchups.
Field Yates
You just did your mock draft today over@espn.com check it out if you're doing a mock for the. Oh, yeah, I'll grab that a while you're doing a mock draft for fantasy drafts next year. Jameer Gibbs, first overall. Oh, I think he is a strong. He's one point per game behind Christian McCaffrey.
Daniel Dopp
He's definitely.
Mike Clay
He's definitely on the short list. I mean, it's hard to.
Field Yates
Yeah.
Mike Clay
And age would work in his favor. All that.
Field Yates
So I think I'd be hard pressed to go against him right now. I agree.
Mike Clay
Starts the week time or the punishment for the starts of the week time. Because last week I finished with a measly 43.76 fantasy.
Daniel Dopp
Oh, that's tough. Do you remember who you started field?
Mike Clay
We had Dalton Kincaid. I also had other players that.
Daniel Dopp
We had some other players. Maybe we have a. Do we have a full screen for it? We'll give it a check out.
Field Yates
We all had the same quarterback.
Mike Clay
All of them are.
Daniel Dopp
Here we go. So starts of the week. All right. Field, why don't you start?
Mike Clay
Lamar Jackson, Chris Rodriguez, A.D. mitchell and Dalton Kincaid. Good for 43.76 fantasy points. Obviously Daniel had Lamar as well with Bijon Jordan Addison and Brenton Strange. Bijan did not have a great game. But Daniel 36.36. Mike had a solid week last week, which was Lamar plus Chase Brown for 18.5, Chris Godwin and Brenton Strange.
Field Yates
So got a win. I needed it.
Mike Clay
Yep.
Daniel Dopp
All right. You check out the season records.
Field Yates
Wow.
Daniel Dopp
Field technically the biggest winner.
Mike Clay
I don't recall having four losses. I have three for sure. I had to run a marathon. I had to.
Daniel Dopp
Oh, you had a sour. You had run a marathon. You had a sour starts. We got to. We got to change your start. Yeah.
Field Yates
This is your fourth, right, Demi?
Daniel Dopp
And this is the fourth one. Yeah. There we go. All right. No big deal. All right.
Field Yates
Just challenge them or loser here we go.
Daniel Dopp
Spin of the wheel is the mini golf challenge.
Mike Clay
Oh, nice. I don't know what that is, but I like that.
Daniel Dopp
Means that you have got to. I believe. And please, producers, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the point is you have to mini golf until you get a hole in one, and you cannot stop until you get a hole in one.
Mike Clay
That sounds like a. Like a. Like a treat, not a punishment.
Field Yates
Sort of sounds great.
Daniel Dopp
I guess it depends on how good at putting you are.
Field Yates
Field, do we have mini golf?
Daniel Dopp
They're closed, but we can still do it. Yeah, it's just outdoors right now at the ESPN mini green. You'll just have to bundle up. Field.
Mike Clay
It's only 6 degrees.
Daniel Dopp
It's only 6 degrees outside. We'll have to find a place. There's got to be an indoor putting greens. Indoor putting place somewhere, right? We'll find something.
Mike Clay
I feel like Bryson DeChambeau, who did that challenge where he was able to shoot a tick a one wedge every day until he hit a hole in one over his house. Ridiculous.
Daniel Dopp
How many days did it take? Do you remember?
Mike Clay
It was definitely not that many. It wasn't like the first try. I think it was maybe like day 16 or something.
Field Yates
That's a lot.
Mike Clay
Absurd.
Field Yates
Did he put any holes through his house along the way?
Mike Clay
It's, like, disgusting how good these guys are at golf. I have broken many windows with golf balls, and these guys are sort of aiming for their house and still not hitting the windows.
Daniel Dopp
That's one thing that I don't do, is just aim for houses with golf balls. Why do you. Is that a thing?
Mike Clay
No, I don't. I'm saying that I just suck at golf.
Field Yates
Oh, got it.
Daniel Dopp
Okay, that makes more sense. That checks out. That one checks out. All right.
Mike Clay
All right.
Daniel Dopp
That's gonna do it for today's show. Can't wait to see what this putt putt challenge is gonna be. Field. We'll figure some things out.
Field Yates
We'll make up rules now.
Daniel Dopp
Yeah, Love that. And also, we're very excited to be able to have even more for you tomorrow and Friday. Reminder. As you guys know, playoffs are at our doorstep. It is going to be a huge, huge week 15. We will make sure that you are all set up with everything that we have both Thursday and Friday. All right, that's gonna do it for us. Today's show was presented by Wingstop. Don't forget to love each other and be kind to yourself, you guys. You deserve it. We'll see you guys tomorrow.
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Episode: Players Who Will DEFINE Your Fantasy Playoffs! | Fantasy Focus 🏈
Date: December 10, 2025
Hosts: Field Yates, Daniel Dopp, Mike Clay
(Transcript does not include Stephania Bell for this episode.)
This episode dives deep into the players (and even some coaches and storylines) that are poised to “define” the 2025 Fantasy Football Playoffs—whether for better or for worse. The hosts discuss approaches to identifying playoff MVPs, risky contributors, injury situations, and sleepers who could swing fantasy matchups. The episode balances actionable advice, nuanced player debates, and classic Fantasy Focus inside humor.
Philip Rivers signs with Colts’ practice squad at age 44 due to injuries to current QBs. Hosts debate the potential impact for fantasy playoff lineups.
Fantasy Impact: Field and Mike express concern for all Colts skill players, especially Michael Pittman, Jonathan Taylor, and Tyler Warren, given Rivers' long absence and anticipated rust.
Rivers’ Legacy: Fun fact—needs only 22.5 points to surpass Matt Ryan in all-time fantasy points (09:37).
Devon Achane (MIA) | [11:05–12:44]
Omari and Hampton (00:18:04–00:22:14)
Bucky Irving | [30:54–32:58]
Saquon Barkley (Eagles RBs) | [32:58–34:49]
Jonathan Taylor | [22:38–25:18]
R.J. Harvey (Broncos) | [57:00–57:50]
Travion Henderson vs. Rhamondre Stevenson | [34:51–38:23]
Marvin Harrison Jr. (Cardinals) & Michael Wilson | [50:19–51:54]
Drake London / Kyle Pitts (Falcons) | [42:08–44:27]
Justin Jefferson (Vikings) | [53:31–54:45]
Jerry Judy (Browns) & WR1s with Young QBs | [47:04–49:54]
Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) | [13:24–16:47]
Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals) | [27:26–30:45]
Jaden Daniels / Lamar Jackson | [38:27–40:51]
Dak Prescott (Cowboys) | [52:02–53:12]
The Sean McVay Factor (Rams) | [54:49–56:42]
Injury X-factors | The hosts highlight how situations like Marvin Harrison Jr., Drake London, Omari and Hampton, etc., are more decisive in the fantasy playoffs than ever.
Field Yates (on Jonathan Taylor):
“This might be, again, 2024. Yes, you might have an RB2 going ... because the efficiency in scoring just might not be there.” [25:08]
Mike Clay (on Bucky Irving):
“He’s still freaking Bucky Irving. ... Set it and forget it RB2, potential top-10 running back.” [31:11]
Daniel Dopp (on Jameer Gibbs):
“Nobody has just had the weak-winning weeks that Jameer Gibbs has had ... 4 games over 35 fantasy points since week 7.” [58:44]
Field (on Tua’s spectacularly soft schedule):
“Very appealing schedule for Miami and they could end up being one of them teams that has a huge game or two. Yeah. And they're red hot ...” [16:48]
The episode was packed with both statistical analysis and humor (heightened by bits like Field’s “blind resume” and the mini golf punishment). The open-ended prompt (“define the playoffs… in any way”) brought out a variety of player types: studs, returning injured players, risky committee backs, as well as defensive and situational spotlights. The hosts blend hot-take boldness with hedged realism, cautioning managers about unpredictable snaps, injury returns, and game scripts.
This summary captures the episode’s essence: who you start, who you bench, and how a single lineup call—or one injury—could define your fantasy playoff fate.