← Fantasy Focus Football
Loading summary
Transcript520 lines
- [00:00]
A
Quick break. Want to make a big play on your next paint project? Go with Behr Marquis interior paint and primer only at the Home Depot. With over a thousand colors, exceptional hide and advanced stain blocking, Behr Marquis is built to stand up to real life. No do overs, no wasted weekends. Just bold color and a finish that holds strong. One coat coverage. No overtime. Bare marquis only at the Home Depot. How doers get more done Ballad only when tinted to colors from bare marquis interior. One coat hide collection. Fantasy, you're in the 06010 what's good friends welcome on in to Fantasy focused football presented by Little Caesars alongside Phil Gates and Mike Clay. My name is Daniel Dopp. We are excited about a big Wednesday show. I haven't seen Mike all week long. Honestly, I usually don't. Mike, how you doing so far? It's been two days of work already.
- [01:01]
B
For field and I. Yeah, I'm pretty good. I still know pizza. I want my little Caesars.
- [01:06]
A
That's not my fault. You should have gone on Monday where I got you a second day of 15% off pizza.
- [01:12]
B
Oh, but I got Sam Darnold, right?
- [01:15]
A
I got Sam Darnold, right?
- [01:16]
B
That helps. Yeah, no, that's helpful. But I want pizza here while I.
- [01:20]
A
Well, okay, I understand what you're saying.
- [01:21]
C
We can work on that. Obviously, we've been very busy with the show and once again to address it, we've got kind of like bad news good news here. The show is not live on the stream as many of our 10am loyalists are typically used to. So that's the bad news. We are continuing to work on it. The good news is we have identified. The good news is that we have identified the root of the issue. Yeah, it's Mike's fault.
- [01:44]
A
It is.
- [01:46]
C
Mike hasn't fessed up to what exactly he did, but we do believe it is Mike's fault that the show is not streaming live as usual. More seriously, we are working very diligently to get this figured out because if it bothers you, just. Just know that it bothers us.
- [01:57]
B
Here's what happened. I was hangry cause I didn't have pizza, so I started pulling cords out. That's what it is. All over campus there's cords, cables everywhere.
- [02:04]
C
There are cords and cables. That is a very fitting thing cause I am currently solo dadding for the week and there are cords. I have a neighbor coming over to take my dog out during the middle of the day today. Cause I have to be here long hours today and I'm afraid of what his reaction is going to be when he sees the house.
- [02:19]
A
When he sees the house.
- [02:19]
C
You kids are totally owning me this week.
- [02:23]
A
It's kind of like how I owned you in the fantasy basketball draft last night. Feel Jace.
- [02:26]
C
Well, we'll find out, Daniel.
- [02:27]
A
Yes, we will. But shout out to everyone playing fantasy basketball. I just want to give a big shout out to that.
- [02:31]
C
Yeah, kind of like you. Well, we'll talk about this more on Sunday. But kind of like you owned Mike Clay in the FF now league.
- [02:37]
A
Oh, that's right. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Not happy you talk so much smack about it too.
- [02:42]
B
I will. And I will continue to do so because my team is ridiculous and you're.
- [02:45]
C
Playing me this weekend.
- [02:46]
B
Playing fields.
- [02:46]
C
Better be careful now.
- [02:47]
B
Little shorthanded. We're giving James Cook and Nakua a week off.
- [02:51]
A
My team's little shorthanded.
- [02:53]
C
Omari Hampton. No. Garrett Wilson. For me, the law of averages.
- [02:56]
B
No, I'm not. I'm not. That's my complaint. I'm giving them a week off.
- [02:59]
A
But the thing is, like Mike, when. If you guys don't watch fantasy football now, Mike's like, I end up benching half my team because I don't even have room for him in my starting lineup. And now he's like, oh, I got guys hurt. Apparently my bench all of a sudden isn't as good as I thought it was.
- [03:11]
B
I did not say that at all. I said I'm not worried about it at all. My team stacked.
- [03:14]
C
Also, if you don't watch FF now, what's wrong with you?
- [03:16]
A
Great question. At 10am to 1pm usually ESPN2 Sunday morning, come and hang out with us. Dual screen experience for those that enjoy watching international games early in the morning as well, which is always a ton of fun. Let's do it. All right. We're going to dive into a bunch of stuff today. First and foremost, though, shout out to our friends over at Trophy Smack. Head on over to Trophy Smack dot com. Use the promo code FOCUS10 for 10% off your order over at Trophy Smack dot com today on the show we're going to be talking about dramatic risers and fallers, guys that from where we started the season to where we are now have either risen or fallen in a dramatic fashion in our ranks. We're also going to do a segment called Mike Clay is confused, which I am excited about.
- [03:52]
B
Yeah, yeah. I'm often confused.
- [03:54]
C
I was going to say, like, what else is new? But it's just good that we made a segment out of it and we.
- [03:57]
A
Don'T Know what it is? Like they didn't tell us. It's just on my sheet it says Mike Clay confused with a bunch of blank afterwards. So Mike's going to bring a bunch of fun to the table.
- [04:04]
B
It has to do with just like little foreshadowing. It has to do with fantasy football. Oh, okay. Okay, got it.
- [04:09]
C
Don't give away too much. That's a nice way to draw the audience in. All right, let's get to players that have risen or fallen since before the season began. Right, Daniel? Yeah.
- [04:17]
A
Let's start it out field. Why don't you kick it off with the first one here? We each have a couple on each side.
- [04:20]
C
Let's do it. So we all had some optimism surrounding this player coming into the season, but he also was in this big cluster of wide receivers that all felt coming into the year sort of similarly ranked and regarded and with comparable upside. He has proven to be amongst the highest upside of these players. It is Roman Dunze, Roma Dunze for the Bears. Wide receiver who was probably ranked as high on the optimistic side as like 21, 22 coming into the season. Maybe more around like 30 or 31 on average because, hey, you've got DJ Moore there. He was still the guy last year. There were players who either no longer healthy now like Tyree Kill that were ranked ahead of him and then just guys who have fallen off, which I'm sure we'll cover in some way, shape or form. But Rome week six wasn't great. He had just a pair of catches very easily could have had a different night. There was the touchdown that we discussed on Tuesday that we all agreed that was a pretty suspect call on a Roman Dunes a touchdown. That being said, the points were not counted for fantasy purposes. It was his first game. Week six was now they had the week five bye. Under 15.2 fantasy points per game this season. Currently ranks 12th amongst all wide receivers and fantasy points per game. He's got a 25% target share. Very talented player. Caleb has taken a leap. Luther Burden isn't making a gigantic mark yet. So things have looked largely up for Roma. Dunze. Happy to see it for a very, very high pedigree player. Great dude. Roma Dunze back inside my top, I think 15 for wide receivers this week.
- [05:50]
B
He's been awesome. He has a very, very popular breakout candidate across the industry and he's followed through with it. He hasn't been one of those guys that we all hype up all offseason and doesn't pan out. And then we always Hear about those guys? Cause everyone's mad about it. But he's the guy that has gotten the job done and he's established himself as the number one in Chicago. I would like the target share to be a little higher so we can get consistent wide receiver one numbers. It's been down a little bit. It's actually gone down three straight games now. So we need to get that back up. And I'm. I'm really fascinated to see what happens behind him too. Cause that could affect his target share. What happens with DJ Moore, who has fewer targets in Alameda Zacchaeus this season, it's been. It's been a bit odd, but I'll get to that a little bit later.
- [06:31]
C
All righty.
- [06:32]
B
I just realized I'm going to talk about D.J. morrison.
- [06:33]
A
All right, well, let's save it, save.
- [06:34]
C
It, save it, save it. Who's your first riser, Mike? Or a first riser or faller for that matter?
- [06:39]
B
My first riser is a fella that I talked to you guys right before the season, or maybe it was like a week before the season. There was a list of guys I gave you at each position that I felt like I was too high on or excuse me, too low on throughout the offseason. I wish I drafted more of running back was Jalen Warren. Yep. We'll see how that works out. Wide receiver Tetaro and McMillan, he's been good. Tyler Warren at tight end. So they've been good. And like young guys, think of myself for not being a little further ahead of the. And quarterback was Drake May. So I want to talk about that.
- [07:07]
A
I remember that.
- [07:07]
B
Yeah, Drake May was the quarterback. And look, this guy might just be a top five dynasty and even season long quarterback going forward. He has been outstanding. He is sixth in points per game right now. A top eight score. Four of six weeks so far. At least two total touchdowns in four of his last five games. At least three and three of those games. So he has been red hot as of late. Fifth in passing yards. So he's doing it through the air. Also fifth in carries is 138 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. We. I'd like to see more yardage there, but the overall carry numbers have been good. This is a tougher matchup this week against the Titans, although they haven't really faced the standout quarterback yet, so I'm not really worried about that. Stroud Stafford, Daniel Jones, Kyler, Gino Nicks. Not like any superstars yet, so not too worried about that matchup. May's Been awesome. Right now. I feel like he's kind of just a set it and forget it quarterbacks. The only reason you wouldn't is if you kind of drafted him as your second quarterback, which sure, a lot of people did. You know, you take whatever Lamar or. Well, if you have Lamar, you were. You're starting him. But Josh Allen, you're starting him then too, right. I have no good examples.
- [08:11]
A
But if you grab a backup quarterback, you just now have a guy that's like an easy top seven for us.
- [08:17]
B
Like easy.
- [08:17]
C
He's the best. I think. I think I've described him recently as the best value of any quarterback in drafts so far.
- [08:21]
B
Agreed. He's been amazing. Probably. Yeah, yeah.
- [08:24]
C
But dimes has kind of pulled off of late. Even the one game recently where Drake May didn't have a monster fantasy night against the Bills two weeks ago, he was unbelievable. He threw for like 300 yards. It was like threw for 300, ran for 15. Only got you 13 and a half fantasy points because they had no touchdowns, which Drake May was responsible for. He's been amazing. I already have a quandary that I'm thinking about in this league. I play and it's a keeper league. And you. It's a keeper salary. And when you acquire a player in the draft, you have his contract for three years. You can extend that player for as many years as you would like after year two. Okay. But however many years that you extend that player for, that player's salary increases by $5 per extended year. So let's just say after this season, Drake May was extended for four years. His salary would escalate by 20 bucks starting right away. So I got Drake May for a dollar last year. So I currently have Drake May in the second year of this deal. That goes for three years for a buck. I could keep him through the end of this contract. He would go back into the player pool and I would have the best discount in the league. It's a $200 salary cap, 0.5%. On the other hand, there's a chance that Drake May is a stud for what, 10 more years. I could, I could extend Drake May for five seasons and have Drake May for 26 bucks in a six point passing touchdown league for the next six years after this. Because I would have that final contract year plus the five extended years. I'm already thinking about what do I do there.
- [09:59]
B
Yeah.
- [09:59]
A
With Drake May, especially if they got some pass catchers and he's been doing this without like. I know that's the thing that's so impressive right now. And it's not a shot at Stefan Diggs when he comes on and has been playing great, but like he, he has not had a plethora of people to distribute the football to. Imagine if he got some guys to be able to throw the ball to and had a little bit more here. Like. Feels like we're just seeing the beginning. Yeah.
- [10:18]
B
They have this spooky contract. Yeah.
- [10:20]
A
I love Drake May.
- [10:21]
B
I think maybe there'll be a team that makes a trade for a receiver. Hey, remember first place? First place Patriots right now I was.
- [10:29]
A
Going to say if I'm the Patriots.
- [10:31]
C
You called the Eagles.
- [10:32]
A
Oh, I was going to say I'm going to call my old friend in Tennessee and see if I can get a Calvin Ridley potentially to come over. You don't think so?
- [10:38]
B
Or DJ Moore?
- [10:39]
A
Yeah, DJ Moore is an option. Absolutely.
- [10:42]
C
I think you go bigger game hunting.
- [10:43]
A
I think bigger than Calvin.
- [10:45]
B
Really?
- [10:45]
C
That's the call you have to make.
- [10:47]
B
I would love to.
- [10:48]
A
I would love A.J. brown with Calvin Ridley. That'd be incredible.
- [10:51]
B
A.J.
- [10:51]
A
Brown, sorry. With Drake May. Drake May. Sorry.
- [10:53]
C
Who is his head coach? Mike Brable, who was famously disappointed in the trade of A.J. brown. Mike Brable. So anyways, I digress. That's a conversation for this off season. The Patriots would have plenty of cap space to do it. Who's your riser dude?
- [11:04]
A
You know who's not getting traded? Jonathan Taylor.
- [11:06]
B
No, he's.
- [11:07]
C
No.
- [11:07]
A
This dude has been unbelievable. I think we let the quarterback uncertainty kind of push him down the draft board a little bit for us when we were talking about how good he can be, because we know how good Jonathan Taylor can be when he plays football. First in rush attempts, first in rushing yards, first in rushing touchdowns, and in total touchdowns, he's only second in fantasy points because Christian McCaffrey illegally plays two positions, which is wide receiver and running back. What do you call him?
- [11:31]
B
A PPR scammer?
- [11:32]
A
Yeah, exactly. Like there's. There's something going on there that shouldn't be happening. But he's third in total yards behind Bajan. And. And the thing is, he costs less than both of those guys because if you drafted him, you drafted him in the second round. Jonathan Taylor wasn't a first round draft pick like a lot of these other guys were. Also, he has played 83% of the snaps. That's the second highest percentage of snaps amongst running backs in the NFL. There's no one else there in that backfield. So not only does he do all the things he Catches, passes. He's the goal line guy. We're not worried about the offense anymore like we were coming into the season. Now that's giving him a bump up. It's just like Jonathan Taylor, like if you told me he's top three for the rest of the season, I think that would be appropriate with where he should be. I have him as running back to this week against the Los Angeles Chargers.
- [12:12]
C
Shout out to Eric Moody who called us in the preseason. He said, I think that Jonathan Taylor could be this year's sake one he was Johnny. So our guy Moody, well done right there. I have a running back who's been one of my risers and don't know if it's a guarantee to stay, but I think it's more likely than not that it does say, okay, camp Scatterboo who came into the season, you're like, it's probably going to end up As a matter of fact, the tenor from Giants camp was like, it's probably Tyrone Tracy. With Cam Scatter who kind of mixed in as a change of pace back, the answer is no. Over the past four games, Cam Scatter Boost finishes have been running back 8, 17, 23 in this past week. Running back 2. More important than that was over the past three games, not the four, but three games, 75% of the snapshot, 69% of the snaps and last week 72% of the snaps. Now maybe Tyrone Tracy who was back for the first game after dislocating his shoulder. On top of that, it was a short week. So the Giants didn't have him on Sunday but did have Tyrone Tracy on Thursday. Maybe this was all very much by design, but we saw just as much Devin Singletary as we did Tyrone Tracy last Thursday night. Skadaboo is running extremely hard. On top of that, he's a factor in the passing game as well for the rest of the season. Is he a guy that or I'm going to stop short of rest of season for the short term future. He feels like a top 15 running back.
- [13:32]
B
Yeah, I think that's true. In general, this is a tough matchup against Denver this week. I'm a pinch lower but should still be in lineups. I've kind of. I don't know what he did last week. I kind of blocked that out of my mind. You know, I was just in the, you know, in the press box eating wings and sipping some wine, not watching whatever.
- [13:50]
A
Was not watching whatever.
- [13:51]
B
I just assume the Eagles won by like 40.
- [13:53]
C
Jake Elliott had 17 field goals.
- [13:55]
B
Got it.
- [13:55]
C
Okay.
- [13:55]
B
Good. So I don't know what was going on there, but Giants were playing football. At least the Giants were playing football. I don't know what the Eagles were doing, but yeah, I, I agree. In general, I think he will sustain at least the, I don't even want to say 1A. I think he's the lead back there. Tyrone Tracy will have a role. I wonder if Devin Singletary gets traded. I, I, I think how, I think it probably depends how the next two weeks go for them. Maybe if they can kind of hang in the wild card mix here or not.
- [14:20]
A
Aren't we watching the same thing like.
- [14:22]
B
Terry, we just worried about him. Anyway.
- [14:24]
A
We just watched Devin Singletary get replaced by Tyrone Tracy last year and now it feels like we're watching Tyrone Placey get replaced by Cam Scatter. And it's like this is the, the nature of like backup running backs in the NFL like while you're trying to find your guy.
- [14:35]
B
And I said this last week, like, you know, I talked about this last week, how we, the short shelf life even in our brains, like who we love at running back. We're. Last year everyone wanted Tracy, get Tracy on the field. We can't wait. We took a late round flyer. We want him to break out this year. It's like get him out of here. That guy's garbage. Like we don't want him on the field. We went all scatterboats. It's always this, this recycling of these running, these running backs. You're two year old.
- [14:57]
C
You know what's funny? Don't pay running backs.
- [14:59]
A
Don't pay them.
- [15:00]
C
Just like look at what's happened by the way. So after last year, everybody is, is like, see, this is why you pay running backs. Barkley, Derek Henry and who am I forgetting that famously got paid and then Josh Jacobs, Josh Jacobs and Jacobs been fine this year. But like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry. This is why you got to do it, right? You got to do it because these guys proof like how's that looking a year later?
- [15:21]
A
Not great.
- [15:22]
C
Again, I'm not, I'm not begrudging the Eagles for. They won the super bowl actually, right? But they doubled down on Saquon right away. Like they immediately made him a 12 and a half million dollar running back. They escalated them from a 12 and a half million to a 20 million dollars per year running back for five seasons. On top of that, Derek Henry got paid again this off season. Tyrone Tracy, you know, turn and burn. Even I was thinking about it like Rico Dowdle back to back games with 230.
- [15:49]
B
Yeah, look, Javante Williams in Dallas. They're doing it. Right.
- [15:53]
C
I think we all. I think we can all agree Ashton Genthy has settled in nicely for our purposes. Like, definitely like a top 12ish running back right now. Right. Somewhere in that range. But like, why was 6 overall when you could potentially have gotten someone in like the third?
- [16:05]
B
Yeah, you know, I agree. I think there's occasional exceptions. Like again, Philly has no regrets. I think. I think you're right that this past offseason was a little questionable considering his age and workload. But, you know, last year they were in a perfect position to pounce on Saquon Barkley. But in general, I agree with that assessment. And it's easy to say, well, look, those players are fine. That's a. That's a really good running back. Why not? But you're not paying someone else. Then you're missing out on a good corner or a left tackle or whatever it might be. So that's really the key when it comes to roster.
- [16:33]
C
Yeah, it's got to be. I think it's a. It's. I think we tend to go like too far in other direction, just generally speaking in a lot of debates that we have in life. But the running back thing swung a little bit too far. Like, this is evidence. You must pay running backs. No, there's like some nuance involved. Christian McCaffrey would be a good example of when a guy is healthy on the field, he's definitely worth it. So would Jonathan Taylor. But both of those guys have been a bit up and down in recent years, either because of health or performance. I digress. Mike, who is your next riser?
- [16:59]
B
My next riser is Jackson Smith Enjigma, who. Yeah, baby know. Hesitated on this one because he crushed me on.
- [17:08]
A
That's right.
- [17:09]
B
On this guy squad. The other day we were talking about Rico Dowdle just now. I tried to trade him to you before the show, too. You did that? Just. Just having him kept me competitive. Yeah, I like, honestly, Quentin Johnson sitting out last week saved me from. From a. Anyway, I digress.
- [17:25]
A
Do you know where Quinton. Do you know where Rico Doddle's at in rushing yards this season?
- [17:30]
B
You got to be up there now.
- [17:31]
A
He's fifth. Yes, he's fifth because the two games. It's unbelievable.
- [17:34]
B
Yeah, he's only. I wrote about this in the playbook. He's one of only a handful of running backs that have gone for 200 plus scrimmage or 230 plus scrimmage. Yards in back to back games.
- [17:43]
A
Like in the history of the NFL.
- [17:45]
B
It goes back to 1970. Shout out to stat head the pro football reference site. But that goes back to 1970. There's like seven guys have done it.
- [17:52]
C
Who was the last one to do it?
- [17:53]
B
Good question. I don't know. I'll tell you when I'm done talking. All right, Levy on Bell. We'll circle back to that one. Was it?
- [17:59]
C
Yep.
- [17:59]
B
Oh. Oh, you know it.
- [18:00]
A
Look at that.
- [18:01]
C
Le'Veon Bell.
- [18:02]
B
Yeah. Good call. All right, well, he's a stack guy. Why don't you.
- [18:06]
C
Yeah.
- [18:06]
A
What do you even need to be here for, Mike?
- [18:08]
C
All right, for the rest of the show, we'll take a two shot of Daniel and I to give you guys actual.
- [18:11]
B
I'll just sit over here. Yeah, yeah. I'll talk about food and pizza and so. All right, let's talk about JSN. He's been awesome. Second in fantasy.
- [18:18]
A
Mike Flay.
- [18:18]
B
That's right, Mike Flay. Yeah. Second in points per game this year. Only 10 points behind Puka Nukua for the most fantasy points scored by a wide receiver this season. He's been. Which actually like 10 points might seem like a lot, but if you're watching Puka this year, you know that that's actually impressive to be that close.
- [18:33]
C
Now, Puka did leave early last week, but still.
- [18:35]
B
He did. Still. He's still. Yeah. JSN, the number three scoring fantasy receiver two weeks in a row. He's been top 25 every week this season. He's been top 13 in all but one week so far. 90 plus scrimmage yards in every game. A massive 37% target share in this Seattle offense leads the NFL in yards and air yards. The only thing we're missing here is goal line work. He has one end zone target. He has three touchdowns. His expected touchdown total is 1.5. So that's, you know, maybe holds him back from getting over the top, but that could change any given week. Also, they have a very hard schedule going forward for wide receivers. I have it as the hardest schedule remaining for wide receivers. So starts. And it starts this Monday night. I was just going to say that we'll talk about this more tomorrow with the Shadow report. But the one of the best receiver cornerback showdowns of the season will be JSN up against Derek Stingley Jr. JSN is aligned on the perimeter more this season about three quarters of the time. That means he's going to see Stingley on those plays. It's going to be Awesome.
- [19:35]
A
I want to ask you field, why do you have JSN ranked number one overall this week?
- [19:41]
C
Why not?
- [19:42]
A
Well, I just noticed that you have him ranked ahead of Amon Ross St. Brown and everyone else has Amon Ross St. Brown as wide receiver one. This one.
- [19:47]
C
Mike's got him as wide receiver one too.
- [19:49]
A
Mike does not.
- [19:50]
B
I have a Monroe one.
- [19:51]
A
I have him as wide receiver one. I have JSN over but I was trying to put you to the your feet to the fire, not my feet to the fire.
- [19:58]
C
I was just curious wide receiver 3.
- [20:00]
A
Why do you hate Amon Ross St. Brownfield? That's what my real question is.
- [20:03]
C
I don't know. I, I, I, I'm confused by the question. I don't know because I went back.
- [20:06]
A
And forth trying to think about like this is it's a dumb question like which one would I rather have number one overall? I settled with JSN just because he has an easier path to targets in his offense. Whereas Amon Ra that spreads it around.
- [20:16]
B
Is almost Derek Stingley this week. So I wrote him I I plum all the way from all the way to 2.
- [20:22]
A
He's been unbelievable this year. Seriously. JSN is a great story.
- [20:25]
C
You ever show up late to the game and your friends already saved your seat, your drink, even a plate that's looking out, that's having your back. And that's exactly what AT&T does with the AT&T guarantee. They know staying connected matters. That's why AT&T has connectivity you depend on guaranteed. Or they'll proactively make it right. Just like that friend who takes care of things before you even ask. AT&T connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguarantee for details.
- [20:58]
A
Talk about stepping up.
- [20:59]
B
Bang bang.
- [21:01]
A
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 ultimate fan experience. Level up. For more on the ESPN app or at stream.espn.com sign up now. Eight years ago I blew my football career.
- [21:29]
C
He dropped it at the one yard line.
- [21:31]
A
Chad Powers has arrived on Hulu. If I can't play as Russ, I'll play as someone else. My name's Chad and last name Lijia.
- [21:38]
B
From executive producers Eli and Peyton Manning.
- [21:41]
A
Remember when wearing a prosthetic mask, this is acting and starring Glen Powell thinks.
- [21:46]
C
You'Re a rubber chew toy.
- [21:47]
A
Not rubber. I'm A Man Made of Flesh the Hulu Original Series Chad Powers is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney.
- [21:54]
C
Plus for bundled subscribers. Terms apply.
- [21:56]
A
New episodes Tuesdays.
- [21:57]
C
Anybody else climbing up the ranks for you?
- [21:59]
A
Another good story. Tyler Warren, yeah, did not take very long to emerge as a juggernaut at the tight end position. Third in targets, third in receptions, leads all tight ends in receiving yards. He also has a rushing touchdown and four rush attempts. He's got like a little bit of that Taysum Hill, which came over from college. I know that that was something they did with him. At least 11.9 fantasy points in five of his six games this year. If you can get 11.9 fantasy points from your tight end in five of six games, with the way this year has started, you are feeling like you are sipping champagne and eating caviar. At the tight end position, he's only one of five tight ends with a target share north of 20%, which is. I was shocked that it wasn't more than that. And by the way, it's just, he's fun to watch. He's got five plays over 20 yards, which is very cool. Second in the NFL, tied with Sam Laporta, only behind Dalton Kincaid, who has more, more plays of 20 or more yards. But Tyler Warren in this offense has been unbelievable. I've been wondering, and we were wondering coming in, it was like, man, we would love to have Tyler Warren. I feel like this is the same thing that we said last year with Brock Bowers. We thought that this guy was an unbelievable prospect, man. But he goes to a team that has a quarterback that I don't love and I didn't really fall in love with the situation. And now Brock Bowers is showing us. Excuse me. Now Tyler Warren is showing us that he can be one of these guys in spite of the quarterback play that.
- [23:14]
C
We were worried about.
- [23:14]
A
So Tyler Warren obviously dramatically rising my list based on the tight end position.
- [23:19]
C
He is right there in the top tier with the likes of Trey McBride, Brock Bowers when fully healthy. When healthy, yeah.
- [23:25]
B
Tight ends in a healthy spot at the top right now. Once you get out of the top six or seven, then you're like, oh boy.
- [23:30]
C
Maybe, maybe if you're within that, it might be like three or four tight ends.
- [23:33]
A
Especially if guys, yeah, we need Bowers back.
- [23:35]
B
So I mean once I'm saying the state of the position as a whole going forward, like next year, we're gonn be arguing over like some, some of these guys at the top like at the last three Number one scoring tight ends, which could include Warren this year if he's up there. And you know, it's, it's, it's just stacked with, with talent right now.
- [23:51]
A
Are you going to have Isaiah likely ranked as a top eight tight end when Mark Andrews is gone? Is that going to, are we going to have this as a thing next year?
- [23:57]
C
I don't know.
- [23:58]
B
Let's see what the rest of the season.
- [24:01]
A
All right.
- [24:01]
C
All right. Spinning on 2025. Let's go to Los Angeles where the Chargers. Quinton Johnston has really risen up the ranks so far this season. He's played in what, five games. He missed this past week because of injury. We'll see in terms of his availability for this upcoming Sunday. But for now, Quinton Johnston has four. He's been a top 25 scorer in 80% of his games. Four of five games he's been a top 25 wide receiver. On top of that, it's not like, hey, solid floor. There's a huge ceiling. Two top five finishes with Quinton Johnston, 8.2 targets per game. For a while, he was in the top five of targets in the entire NFL. He's even solved the riddle that is Patrick Certain the second. So he's been an amazing story. We'll see if he's back this weekend. And then on top of that, we'll see what it means for a guy that you could have had in the followers category, which is lad McConkey, who had his best by far game of the season with QJ on the sidelines. I don't think that like last week all of a sudden makes lad McConkey foolproof and back on track. But if Quinton Johnson is out again this weekend and I have zero information one way or the other about whether he will or will not be, then Ladd would certainly feel a lot stronger as a top 20ish wide receiver.
- [25:13]
B
Agreed?
- [25:14]
A
No doubt agreed.
- [25:15]
C
That's my last riser.
- [25:16]
A
Those are our risers through the first six weeks of the season. Let's talk about some fallers. I'm gonna go first if you guys don't mind. I think you and I both have two field. Mike, you have one. Is that correct?
- [25:24]
B
Well, I'm lazy, so no.
- [25:26]
A
You've got another set later on in the show.
- [25:28]
B
Yeah, we were told to send three names, but you guys, overachievers as usual.
- [25:31]
A
Sometimes I don't know. We also show up to work on Monday and Tuesday, all talk about some fallers. Here we got for me, I feel like there's only one place that I could start this conversation with. And it's Chase Brown. Yeah, no doubt Chase Brown and everyone else that's been attached to Joe Burrow outside the top 20 in rush attempts, also outside the top 20 in targets. So he's not getting rush attempts and not getting targets. 31st in scrimmage yards. He only has one touchdown, which happened all the way back in week one, if you remember. And it took opening drive, by the way. I know. Opening drive. And it took seven attempts for him.
- [26:00]
B
To get me feeling after that first drive, you're like, you're off and running. Here we go.
- [26:03]
C
Opportunity touchdown.
- [26:05]
A
Dude, it has just, like, evaporated. This offensive line is so bad that the only way that this team was able to be able to overcome the inefficiencies on the offensive line was with a superstar under center in Joe Burrow because he was just elevating everybody else around him. By the way, this week, Steelers have only allowed who they play. The Steelers only allowed two rushing touchdowns turn running backs this year. So when you're not getting carries, which he's really not, and you're not getting targets, you're kind of hoping you fall in the end zone. And when the team you're playing is only allowed two rushing touchdowns, it does not feel great. He is outside my top 25 of running backs here in week seven against the Steelers.
- [26:39]
C
That's how my top 30, 30, 31 for me is.
- [26:42]
A
Look at that.
- [26:43]
C
Yeah, I'm nervous for this game for sure.
- [26:44]
A
Doesn't feel good.
- [26:46]
C
The part that I would say is actually most dispiriting is that if Joe Burrow got hurt in the first drive and then the entire offense just crumbled like a house of cards, you'd say, hey, you know, like, it's hard to judge what this team, what this player, what this offense is without Joe. He had two games with Joe Burrow. Wasn't very good.
- [27:02]
A
Nope.
- [27:03]
C
Definitely on my list of followers as well.
- [27:04]
B
Yeah, my largest concern, I mean, of all of this together is concerning by playing time is dropping dramatically. They've moved to more of a 6040 split with Samaj P. Ryan and they might be in the business of looking for more running back help. I'm not sure you go completely to 5050 with Samaji P. Ryan at, you know, he's been a solid player, but he's been around a long time. He's not really moving the needle. They have some, some problems there. And, you know, I had some hope for Brown if he continued to play 75% of the snaps and that's just not the case right now. They're reducing his role.
- [27:35]
C
So don't love it.
- [27:36]
A
Huge follow for me. What about you, Field?
- [27:38]
C
I'll give you one to start. And I'm feeling a little bit better about this player than I was probably two, three weeks ago. But Brian Thomas Jr. At his first weekly finish, better than wide receiver 36 last week.
- [27:50]
B
Wow.
- [27:50]
C
So here's the good he's seen eight targets a game. That's 48 in six games. He had a touchdown last week. He actually had a second touchdown. That was called back. We talked about this yesterday, Mike. I'm, I'm big on getting rid of these ticky tack offensive offsides, illegal formations where the tackle is one inch too far back in his pass set. Not a big fan of how the NFL is currently legislating those plays. That being said, those are the rules. But Brian Thomas Jr. A guy who I have some growing optimism for going forward, but this is a player that I would have thought coming into the season we're ranking as wide receiver 7, 10, 11, 12, 15 at worst. That has not been the case for BTJ so far this year.
- [28:28]
B
Yes. And this is kind of going. I remember three weeks ago having this conversation roughly and saying, look, as long as is he might, he might not get back to that elite wide receiver one level he was in the second half last season. But he's going to be better as long as the usage doesn't change. And the reason was because his cat catch rate was 28 through week three. And that is just not gonna sustain itself. That's way too low. So the last three weeks field it's 74. So we're gonna meet. I wouldn't say meet in the middle. It'll probably be in the 60s somewhere going forward. But again, the targets haven't changed. The route, participation, the snaps, it's all been the same as the first two weeks. The only thing that's different is the connection with Lawrence and that was expected. So if we're kind of back where we thought we might be. And again, not wide receiver one, but if you get good wide receiver two numbers going forward, that's all I'm asking for.
- [29:17]
C
By the way, I would say that if you had told me coming into the season that BTJ was struggling through a third of the year and it settled into more like a wide receiver two, three, fringe player, I might say, okay, well Travis Hunter just took over. He's that guy.
- [29:30]
A
Correct.
- [29:31]
C
That's not been the case. So the fact that Hunter who did see his highest snap and route percentage in week six has not been a gigantic factor. Gives me some optimism that BTJ can get going in the future.
- [29:41]
A
I do think that field. I just want to say this, and then we move on to Mike. Something that you said just made me just think of an idea that I want to give out to the NFL. You were talking. You've got a couple of daughters, and one of the things that you have told us is that you use the red light, green light thing.
- [29:55]
C
Right?
- [29:56]
A
Where it's like, you know. Yeah. So when you're in your bedroom and you're not allowed to come out of your room yet because it's not time. Like, the red light is on. As soon as you're allowed, it turns to green lights. We should just have that in the NFL for people that line up. Like, when the entire offensive line lines up, there's a green light that everybody can see. Hey, you're good to go. Go ahead and snap the ball. When someone's not, then, like, have there be a red light. Oh, Travis Hunter's foot is like an inch of. Let people adjust. I want to see. I want a red light, green light situation in the NFL.
- [30:19]
C
I totally concur. Like, when these tackles are set a full step backwards from where they're legally allowed to be set because they're trying to gain an edge with Miles Garrett rushing on you. Like that, to me, is a problem.
- [30:30]
A
Yes.
- [30:30]
C
But when a wide receiver's toe is this far over the line.
- [30:34]
A
Correct.
- [30:35]
C
And the play goes 75 yards the other way, it has zero material impact on the play. And I said this yesterday. It's not the ref's fault. The refs are doing what they're gotta do.
- [30:45]
A
What they gotta do.
- [30:45]
C
I think the NFL should find a way to. Too many plays are being negated on totally inconsequence.
- [30:50]
B
Is this like, how everyone's freaking out about the tush push because, like, they're watching the film so closely and they see a guy's hand go like this.
- [30:56]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [30:56]
B
Oh, let's see. They're cheating. Can't have the tush push. That's cheating.
- [30:59]
C
He's a pruder. Film of it.
- [31:00]
B
Yes. It's ridiculous.
- [31:01]
C
You gotta follow her, Mike. I do think the tush push has gone out after this year, though.
- [31:04]
B
Yeah, I'm. It's trending that way. But again, if the Eagles aren't a dominant team going forward, I don't think it'll be as much of a topic. It'll be out. So we'll see. But I. I think you're. I think you're probably right. My guess, yes, unfortunately. Anyway, DJ Moore is my father and obviously some. We'll see. You know, he went to the hospital after the game. We'll see if he's healthy enough to play this week.
- [31:23]
C
And going forward, Ben Johnson gave some good news. He said, we got good news. Day to day is how they're calling DJ Tonight.
- [31:29]
B
God.
- [31:31]
A
I didn't look into this enough. Yeah, okay.
- [31:33]
B
That's a good starting point. All right.
- [31:36]
A
But he went to the hospital for a groin injury. And then Ben Johnson said, it's kind of a personal situation. I'm just gonna leave it at that. Like, what kind of a personal situation did DJ Morgue have a groin injury from? Was this not the football game or was this.
- [31:48]
C
No, no, no. He got hurt in the game.
- [31:50]
A
Then why. I wonder why he said it was a personal situation. Because to me that made it sound like he injured his groin outside of the football field.
- [31:56]
C
And I was just. I took that as maybe.
- [31:58]
A
It was like, like, okay, got it, got it, got it, got it. Understood. Understood. Mike, go ahead and move on.
- [32:02]
C
That was my interpretation of it.
- [32:04]
B
Why don't you talk more?
- [32:05]
A
I was trying to suss out the situation.
- [32:07]
B
Talk more about.
- [32:08]
A
About what?
- [32:08]
B
You're personal. Daniel, that's.
- [32:10]
A
Well, that's what he said.
- [32:12]
B
Yeah, he did. Anyway, it seems like he's okay.
- [32:14]
A
Seems like he's fine.
- [32:16]
B
That's not what I wanted to talk about. I want to talk about on field usage and performance so far, DJ Moore, who has been one of the premier target share, heavy target, consistent usage players.
- [32:27]
C
In the NFL catches in the past three years. Yes, three of the past fours.
- [32:30]
B
He has not cleared six targets in a game. He said four to six in every single game. They've given him a handful of carries, but it has not been enough to offset the dip in targets. A 15% target share is his lowest since he was a rookie. He's had been at least 24% six straight years before this. And here's the most concerning thing. Here's the target leaders for the Bears on the season through five games. Ramadoons ain't no surprise at 42nd on the list. Gotta be DJ Moore, right? It's not. It's a Lamedy. Zacchaeus with 28. He's four ahead of DJ Moore, who is 24. And DeAndre Swifts right there with 21. And even Cole Comet has 18. Yeah, so Cole Comet has six fewer targets than DJ Moore on a team that also Has Colson Loveland at tight end. It's shocking how little they're throwing him the football. He has one 10 point game. He hasn't gotten to 13 yet this season. This has just been a bizarre usage to the point that. But I don't know if they're going to like is there going to be.
- [33:21]
C
A long time season? It might be a problem.
- [33:25]
B
I don't think so. In a couple way. I mean they want to get Luther Burden on the field more obviously because he played what I think that's more. He played 15 snaps that have more targets than DJ Moore on Monday.
- [33:33]
C
I think it's a yes. I think Luther is going to need a full year to like understand all the nuances of being a full time NFL wide receiver. Meaning like full time snaps, full snapshot. So I think it's a conversation. After this year. I don't think the Bears are going to be in the business of selling prior to the trade deadline unless they go on like a four game losing streak right now, which I don't think they will. They're playing the Saints on Sunday. I think DJ Moore will stick around.
- [33:58]
B
Yeah, I think three and them being three and two is probably your best evidence that they won't do that. But I also wonder if he's upset and they want to make a deal. Like they like he's just like I went out and they do it. You know, I haven't heard it yet.
- [34:09]
A
It's going to be tough. And I think this is obviously the reason why you're saying but like he in at the end of the 2024 season he signed a four year 110 million DOL extension. There's just like a lot of money.
- [34:17]
B
I know. Disaster.
- [34:19]
A
If you want to find a way to make it happen, you can.
- [34:21]
C
They can find a way if, if they. If DJ Moore y agree on that one. Mike, do you want me to give one last quickly here.
- [34:27]
A
I got one more too.
- [34:28]
B
Go ahead.
- [34:28]
C
You go. You go.
- [34:31]
A
You said D.J. moore is seeing six targets a game.
- [34:34]
C
Four to.
- [34:34]
B
He's been between four and six every game. Yeah.
- [34:36]
A
Yeah. Marvin Harrison Jr. Wide receiver, 39 in targets this year. And it doesn't feel like Kyler invites him over to game night anymore because it doesn't just seem like they're friends like on the field. They doesn't look at them. They're not buddies. He's averaging five and a half targets per game. That's wide receiver 42 this year. I'm going to give you a couple names. Keon Coleman Ellik Iomannor Alama Days, Akias, Romeo Dobbs and Trey Tucker, they're all seeing more targets per game than Marvin Harrison Jr. You know what Coleman is? Yes.
- [35:06]
B
Wow.
- [35:07]
A
How ridiculous is that?
- [35:09]
C
That is pretty ridiculous.
- [35:10]
A
I don't understand. Marvin Anderson Jr. Is averaging four receptions per game. You use the number four overall pick in field. You've said this a million times. You could have turned that into a treasure trove of draft picks of just assets for your team and instead you kept it and you have this guy that you're not even giving the ball to more than five and a half times per game. What is happening right now with these Arizona Cardinals? I do not understand it. He's going to be outside my top 30 again in week seven. All the hope to and optimism that I was holding onto and I was telling myself it's just his sophomore season, he's still 23 years old, he's 6' 3, 220 and you can't teach that. He's got all these things that like you can't like walk away from and yet the team is just showing you guys we're just not gonna use him the way that you want us to.
- [35:54]
C
Number you said the number four pick who's averaging four catches per game, they have a four game losing streak as well. Brutal hitting fours out there in Arizona.
- [36:01]
B
Watcher, obviously he barely played this past week, left with a concussion. So we'll see if he's able to go here.
- [36:06]
C
Zay Jones, the next man up.
- [36:08]
B
Yeah. Longshot Michael Wilson, Zay Jones and Greg Dorch. That's right. It'll be a busy Trey McBride game.
- [36:14]
C
Last one for me. And it'll be fast because he hasn't done much. Travion Henderson for the Patriots. His best weekly finish is RB23. He has yet to play more than 48% of the snaps in any game this season. By the way, he has three games under 30% of the snaps. You would have thought last week, hey, no, Antonio Gibson, maybe we see even more of Treveon Henderson. The Patriots were an even split. 71% of this. Even in terms, I don't mean even, I mean two backs total. Two backs played. I combined 100% of the snaps. The problem was Ramondre Stevenson played 71% of the snaps. 29 for Trayvon Henderson. So for now, not a player that you can consider in your lineup.
- [36:54]
A
If I told you right before your draft that by week six, Antonio Gibson was going to be out for the year and Ramon Dre Stevenson was going to lead the league in fumbles. You'd say I'm so in.
- [37:07]
C
Yeah, I think you need like two more fumbles from Armandre for this to.
- [37:10]
A
Maybe to finally shift honorable mentions for me.
- [37:13]
C
By the way, Chris Olave moving up. George Pickens moving up. Of course, the. The CD Lamb injury impacted that and javato Willis moving up as well. So shout out to those three guys.
- [37:22]
A
You know, I. I should say this. I specifically. This was not dictated to me, but I specifically avoided talking about players that had their roles impacted by injuries.
- [37:30]
B
Oh, yeah, I did that. I did the same thing. I was waited. I have a couple, too. I had chase Brown down, J.K. dobbins up, up. You may have just said some of these. Cam Scabo up, Roma dun up. Abuka up, Hawkinson down. Tyler Warren, a little crossover there.
- [37:43]
C
I. I avoided the bua only because he's probably not going to play this week, but he might be the biggest riser of anybody in all the ranks. All right, Mike, you're confused.
- [37:50]
B
I'm confused.
- [37:51]
C
I love this. I'm so fired up.
- [37:52]
B
This is. I'm very confused about running backs.
- [37:57]
A
Okay.
- [37:57]
B
This going to be very running back themed and fully running back themed. Let's listen.
- [38:01]
C
All right.
- [38:02]
B
All right. First thing I'm confused about is what's with airline food? Like, I know, right? Right. Airline. No.
- [38:09]
A
This guy gets it.
- [38:10]
B
Yeah. Terrible.
- [38:11]
A
Terrible. Titans running.
- [38:13]
B
Titans running backs. I love you, Mike.
- [38:16]
C
At it again.
- [38:16]
B
Yeah. Do you want to talk about Titans running backs?
- [38:18]
A
Not really. I'd rather talk about airline food, I think, than talk about Titans running backs.
- [38:22]
C
What are you confused by?
- [38:23]
B
I'm confused by a bit of a change in their deployment. This past week we saw Kajay spears and his second game back from injury play. 35 snaps to 25 for Tony Pollard. Pollard still had a 10 to 5 edge in carries, but if you look at passing down, we're 22 routes to 12 in favor of Spears and five to two targets in favor of Spears. Pollard has had a lot of volume this season. He hasn't been very effective under 14 fantasy points in every game. And Spears played pretty well in this game. 50 yards on nine targets. Also, I scored more touchdowns than Tony Pollard did last season on a much smaller workload. Also, as if that's not enough confusion and figuring out where to go with this backfield, new coach with McCoy now.
- [39:04]
C
Never know what could change, right?
- [39:05]
B
Exactly right. He could say, look, I'm coming in. I'm a veteran coach. I'm going back to Tony Pollard. Or he could say, no, we're shaking things up and Spears is our lead back. I think, guys, that this is one where both guys should be on your bench for now until we see how it sorts out. And definitely not starting him this week. New England has been terrific against running backs. 3.2. Excuse me, 3.1 yards per carry this season is second lowest. Only one running back has even reached 14 fantasy points against them and that was Devon Hn earlier this season.
- [39:35]
A
Did you say you're not starting him or you're not starting them?
- [39:37]
B
I'm not starting either.
- [39:38]
A
Either one of them. I just want to make sure I heard that correct.
- [39:39]
B
I think the messaging here really is make sure Spears is on your bench because he could be a lead back soon and Tony Pollard should be benched right now. It's not a guy you trust starting right now.
- [39:47]
C
I want to shout out myself during the preseason. Rachel, thank you. In this case, no. In the preseason we were talking about how like Isaiah Pacheco has a little bit, at least to me, of the Tony Pollard vibe, where it was like he's going to be overlooked. He's going to be boring. He's just going to end up having a lot of work. So I have a team in which not only did I draft Brock Bowers in the second round, but I took Isaiah Pacheco and Tony Pollard. The booty cheekiest team I've ever drafted in my entire life.
- [40:13]
B
Yeah, bad field. That's what I meant to say.
- [40:15]
A
Yeah.
- [40:15]
C
Thank you. Shout out to me for a bad job.
- [40:17]
A
I've been. And shout out to me really quickly. I've been trying to talk out just while we're giving each other shout outs, we're giving ourselves shout outs.
- [40:22]
C
You can shout out whoever you want to waiver wire.
- [40:25]
A
Each of the last two weeks I've been telling people, go out there and add Taj Spears. I look right now. Waivers just ran. I told him again this week. Field, you were here for that Tuesday show.
- [40:33]
C
Yeah.
- [40:34]
A
He's still rostered in only 26% of league, so he is very available right now. Taj Spears is.
- [40:40]
C
That's too.
- [40:40]
B
Yeah, yeah. It's tricky because it's like also, what is the ceiling? Is this offense going to be good this year? So what's the ceiling?
- [40:46]
C
Anytime it's at least as good as.
- [40:48]
A
The wide receiver that you're not going to play at the end of your bench.
- [40:51]
B
That's my thought too. The bottom line is if this is a lead back in the NFL, you want to mind your team. Corre, I think Vidala could Be gonna.
- [40:57]
C
Say on your FF now team, are you considering, like, just hypothetically, are you like, all right, fine. I will drop Puka Nku on my end of bench wide receiver.
- [41:03]
B
I might have to cut him. I might have to cut him loose. It's, it's. I'm that stacked.
- [41:07]
A
Real talk. Real. If you had Keon Coleman at the end of your bench and Taj Spears was out there, would you drop Keon Coleman for Taj Spears?
- [41:12]
B
Yeah, probably.
- [41:13]
C
Yeah.
- [41:13]
B
Okay.
- [41:14]
A
Yeah, I think I would too. I just wanted to throw a name out there. All right, next one, Mike.
- [41:17]
B
All right, next one for me is the. And there's. There's five backfields we're gonna get through here. Next one's the Chargers. So this one's probably the most straightforward right now. But obviously week six, we saw Commandee Vidal take over as the lead back. 18 carries and four targets to six carries and one target for Hassan Haskins. 43 to 20 in snaps. And obviously Vidal played great. 139 yards in a touchdown in the game. Tougher matchup this week against the Colts. They've yet to allow a running back to clear 16 and a half fantasy points. I guess my question is this for you guys. I'm wondering where you fall on this. We're ranking Vidal around 20, right? So like a fringe starter, I think that's fine. But is this still a hot hand thing? Is this one. We get trapped by this all the time. We're like, he's the guy. He had the better game. He's the one. And then the next week, and we just saw this with Woody Marks. That's right. Which we'll get.
- [42:03]
A
Woody Marks, Michael Carter, Bam Knight.
- [42:05]
B
It's like, oh, Haskins scores a touchdown, has one good run, and suddenly he's the lead back. So that's my only concern here about Firing up vital.
- [42:12]
C
100% agree on that. I am going to treat this very much as a week.
- [42:17]
B
Yeah.
- [42:17]
C
So for this week, I'm treating it as this week. Vidal is a top 25ish running back. I think I missed 23. But Haskins could absolutely factor into this game.
- [42:26]
B
Yeah.
- [42:26]
C
Last week also, like, and I'm not trying to take away from the gigantic production you got from Vidal last week, but, man, is Quinton Juggins gonna run for 200 yards this weekend? The Dolphins are the worst run defense ever. Ever.
- [42:37]
A
For real. Ever.
- [42:38]
C
Yeah.
- [42:38]
A
I think right now with the Chargers, the way that I have to look at the situation is they showed me on the field one thing and that's all That I really have to take away from it. If they gaslight me here this next week, that's on them. Like that's not on me. They showed me who they want to use. They showed me with how much he's on the field, showed me with how much, how many times Kamani Vidal touched the football. Like if they decided to go to Hassan Haskins, they tricked all of us. That's not on us.
- [43:00]
B
Yeah, no doubt. And I will also say this, this is a, an offense that's struggling right now. I'm trying to find. Because I had the stat in front of me, it made Chargers fans really angry.
- [43:09]
A
Oh, I love when you are.
- [43:11]
B
Since week one they have, they have not cleared two touchdowns in a game, which is kind of wild.
- [43:17]
A
Really?
- [43:17]
B
Yeah. And they are one of just a few teams that have done that, which is what I'm trying to find. Right. Okay. Offenses that haven't scored more than two touchdowns in a game since Week 1. The Chargers, the Browns, jets and Titans.
- [43:30]
A
Browns, jets and Browns, jets and Titans are all like.
- [43:34]
B
You would not have guessed that.
- [43:35]
A
Yeah. The Chargers are not. The Chargers are not supposed to be.
- [43:37]
B
A part of right now. They are struggling to find the end zone. So something else to consider. Thinking about him in your flex this week. Next one guys, is the Arizona Cardinals. Obviously. We got reports from Adam Schefter Sunday morning that Bam Knight would be their lead back and for the most part he was. But it was really a committee. It was 34 snaps for night, 32 for Michael Carter. Knight had two more carries and scored a touchdown. Carter had two more targets than Knight did. Amari D. Got injured in that game, but he had played only three of 17 snaps anyway before getting hurt. So he wasn't much of a factor. This is a two headed attack and an offense that hasn't been great. They're probably a little better last week with Jacoby preset, I'm not sure that's sustainable anyway. But they're also playing the packers second fewest yards and only two touchdowns to running backs this season. So this is one that I would avoid. But I think we all scooped up a various combination of these guys and leagues and now it's like can I even start any of them?
- [44:31]
C
Which one do I play?
- [44:31]
B
Who do I start? So I do have Carter ahead slightly because of the passing game work and the kind of the carry split. But it's 35th and 38th.
- [44:40]
C
Right.
- [44:40]
B
So I, I don't think you could trust either.
- [44:42]
C
These are for our deeper league friends, to be clear.
- [44:44]
B
Yep.
- [44:45]
C
Deeper league friends only.
- [44:46]
A
I don't know.
- [44:46]
B
I think. Yeah.
- [44:47]
A
I mean, Cardinals running back in the.
- [44:48]
B
League, you're considering these guys three or four.
- [44:49]
C
That's deeper than 10 or eight. Yeah.
- [44:51]
B
All right, fair enough.
- [44:52]
C
All right.
- [44:53]
B
Yeah. Should I just stop talking? I don't. Is this okay.
- [44:58]
A
Doing a great job.
- [44:59]
B
Yeah. Rest of this.
- [45:00]
C
No, I mean the Cardinals specifically. Like, there is more juice, I think, in the first two backfields. No, sorry. In the second back, like the Chargers, I could see a world in which Vidal has. It may not be a guarantee, but I could see him have a good. Another good week this week. And then the following week, we're saying to ourselves, all right, we're kind of in on Vidal as a top, you know, low end rbt.
- [45:20]
B
Fair enough. I think a lot of people listening, though, have, you know, if you. If you're listening this pod regularly, you're on top of things. You probably scooped up Bam Knight or Michael.
- [45:27]
C
Fair enough.
- [45:27]
B
And you're probably thinking through how to.
- [45:29]
C
You said fair enough and I raised you a second. Fair enough.
- [45:31]
A
Okay.
- [45:31]
B
All right. Triple. Do you want to triple in?
- [45:34]
C
Not fair.
- [45:34]
B
You don't want triple. Okay.
- [45:37]
A
I would say that the thing that you're like, what you just mentioned with the Chargers is what I'm worried about because we just saw the Cardinals do it. Like, we thought it was going to be Amari Dumarcado and then Michael Carter and then all of a sudden it was just Michael Carter and then we thought it was going to be only Michael Carter. It was Michael Carter and Bam Knight. And so it's like, what's the good news?
- [45:53]
C
We just have to follow Adam Schefter's lead here because he's been right on it each of the past two weeks with who is going to be the lead back for the Cardinals. He has both Bam Knight and Michael Carter on his war room team roster. It's a 16 team league. He probably needs to play one of the other. So right now, I did see in his lineup he has Bam Knight in there and his flex.
- [46:11]
B
So that's why I'm here. I'm here to help Adam talk through this stuff. Yeah.
- [46:14]
C
Yes.
- [46:15]
B
All right. They are not field.
- [46:16]
C
Compliments of the shift.
- [46:18]
B
There it is. All right. Let's say in the division socks. Let's do it.
- [46:21]
A
I don't know.
- [46:22]
C
So unbothered by that stance.
- [46:23]
B
Yes. Seattle running back.
- [46:26]
A
I don't want to talk about them anymore.
- [46:27]
B
This has been. Remember, I think it was after week one, we were like, what's the most confusing backfield in the NFL and nothing has changed really, other than we can maybe just accept that we don't have any answers here. Zach Charbonnet has out snapped Ken Walker in four of their five games together. That includes this past week in that game, Ken Walker 10 carries and one target. Zach Charbonnet, who played 15 more snaps than Walker had 12 carries and one target. Exactly 11 touches and two straight for Ken Walker. Terrible. Hasn't cleared 12 fantasy points any game since week three. And Zach Charbonnet, he hasn't cleared 12.4 in a single game this season. So this has been a disaster. And it makes it even worse that they play Houston this week. They haven't allowed a running back to reach 12 points since Week 2. So again, another situation where you want to start Ken Walker, you don't really want to start Zach sharpening even as a lead back, he hasn't done anything. Walker has flash that he's shown like he's the better runner, the better playmaker, but not enough volume here to produce at an RB2 level right now. So if you have him, it's. It's tough to justify starting him.
- [47:27]
A
The only way I want to play Zach Charbonnet is if Ken Walker is missing the game and it's a probably plus matchup and vice versa.
- [47:35]
C
Right? Yeah, it's tough. I mean I remember early in the season when we were like man, this is. It's just hard to justify playing Ken Walker. And we had some people, some reply guys that were like this is just the Seahawks slow rolling him after being banged up during training games and he of course like that exact weekend he had a big game. And then since then it's kind of reverted back to for. Right. So it does feel like they are intent on being by committee. And say whatever you will about it. The team is 4 and 2. The offense has been excellent. Sam Donald is balling right now. So yes, this team is probably going to continue with the committee absent some sort of injury.
- [48:08]
B
Yeah, you guys know this but sometimes you'll just post like a fact on social media and people will lose their mind because they infer like that you were trying to suggest something with it and you're right, that was the reaction on the Seattle backfield was like why would you even post this? Obviously they're just ramping up Walker, he's going to take over. And that has not come close to being the case at all.
- [48:28]
C
Yeah and I just stated the fact that Mike as a courtesy should consider trading me Jamar, Chase, Puka, Nukua, And CD Lamb from his Dynasty team in exchange for George Kittle. It's just a fact.
- [48:40]
B
I get George Kittle. That's pretty good.
- [48:42]
A
I mean, he's a good tight end.
- [48:44]
B
We didn't listen until the Kittle part.
- [48:46]
C
But you're weak there, so. Yeah, just make the deal.
- [48:48]
B
Okay. Done. Sold. Last one. I mentioned them earlier. The Houston Texan Houston Texans backfield. They're coming off a bye week. Still no Joe Mixon. So it's Nick Chubb and it's Woody Marks. Marks, obviously the big game two weeks ago, we thought he was that guy. It was going to become an RB2 in fantasy. And obviously he was rolled back in their more previous game. Almost a 5050 split in snaps. Chubb at 11 carries to 7 for woody marks. And they both had one target. That was probably the most surprising development. There they are playing Seattle in this game. I will say this about Seattle against running backs. They have been crushed in the passing and running backs have dominated them through the air, but they're only. They have allowed 371 rushing yards and 3.1 yards per carry. Those are both lowest in the NFL. So they've shut down the run. That suggests a little bit of a lean toward Woody Marks, but again, probably avoiding. Probably just avoiding this situation because if Chubb gets a touchdown and they're still splitting, it could just be a disaster. So ideally, you avoid this situation every year.
- [49:44]
C
There's a handful of backfields that prove to be stayaways in an ideal situation. I think Mike has very appropriately laid out at least four of them, maybe five as well, with the Chargers. If Hassan Haskins gets hot.
- [49:54]
A
Agreed.
- [49:55]
C
And plays well this upcoming weekend. All right, that's it.
- [49:58]
A
Can I just say, I don't want that to happen. Not because I don't want a good day for Hassan Haskins. It'd be cool for him. His parents would be proud.
- [50:03]
C
Like.
- [50:03]
A
Right. Like, that'd be an awesome thing. But, like, let's just keep it Kamani Vidal.
- [50:06]
C
Sure.
- [50:07]
B
For everybody here.
- [50:08]
C
I was able to scoop. Yeah, I was able to scoop Vidal off of waivers and not Haskins. So I would take that.
- [50:13]
B
Nice. Love that.
- [50:14]
A
All right.
- [50:14]
C
Last week, not this week.
- [50:16]
A
Got a couple things here to close out the show. All right, we got a board bet.
- [50:19]
B
To pay off this.
- [50:20]
A
Last week we had a. Trust me, it's. We're going to do one positive thing, one negative thing here to end the show.
- [50:24]
B
All right, all right. All right.
- [50:26]
A
So we had a board bet last week. I was in on Dak Prescott, Prescott. I Said Dak Prescott was going to finish as a top seven quarterback taking on the Carolina Panthers.
- [50:35]
C
And how'd he do?
- [50:36]
A
He did pretty well. Finish as quarterback five, actually.
- [50:40]
B
Nice job, Mike.
- [50:41]
A
You said he was going to be outside the top nine. We gave field exactly quarterback eight to just have a little bit of fun with it.
- [50:45]
C
I wonder, does this, the fact that you lost this board bet invalidate all of your fantasy insight going forward? Probably.
- [50:51]
B
Honestly, I'm pretty embarrassed anytime I get something wrong. So that sting.
- [50:56]
A
Actually, it's the first board bet you've lost this year.
- [50:59]
B
Wow.
- [51:00]
A
Really? Wow.
- [51:01]
C
You were the.
- [51:02]
B
I don't know if that's impressive or I'm going the wrong direction. Yeah.
- [51:05]
C
Don't become the Buffalo Bills. You lose the first, you lose your last. Your first game is the last undefeated team and now you've lost two straight.
- [51:11]
A
Can I ask you guys just coming off the hit the heels of this board bet, Dak Prescott has been unbelievably good. His defense has been awful and he hasn't even had his best wide receiver on the field. When you look at Dakota for the rest of. I don't want to say rest of season, but for the rest of the month, you know, going forward. How are you feeling about Dak Prescott as a starting quarterback in fantasy football?
- [51:30]
C
He fits to me in the tier of like quarterback. 7 to 10 is where I put him.
- [51:34]
B
I think that's totally fair. We said in the off season, like, I wasn't buying because I felt like you have to have a plus passing production to sustain this number if you're not going to run the ball. But he's getting that so far. He's been awesome last couple weeks. The matchups have helped to an extent. And this, this week he is. If we're going to still. If we're going to still put him on the front end of the streaming conversation. This is the week. I mean, he's playing Washington. We have him, I believe all top five. I mean this correct. I. My projected score for that game is 32 to 30.
- [52:01]
A
Wow.
- [52:02]
B
Enormous and I'm sure points. I haven't looked at the line. I assume the line is similar. This should be. This should be a high scoring affair with Jaden against Dak with the bad defensive play.
- [52:11]
C
I mean, and you referenced this. He could have CD Lamback.
- [52:14]
A
Yep.
- [52:14]
C
Jaden Daniels could have Terry McClure back. As a matter of fact, it seems like both of those are pointing in that direction. Here are the guys that I think we agree we would take over Dak when Healthy. Josh Allen.
- [52:26]
B
Yep.
- [52:26]
C
Lamar Jackson.
- [52:27]
A
Yep.
- [52:27]
C
Jalen Hurts.
- [52:28]
A
Yep.
- [52:28]
C
Jaden Daniels.
- [52:29]
A
Yep.
- [52:29]
C
Patrick Mahomes.
- [52:30]
A
Yes.
- [52:30]
C
And then I think the conversation starts with Dak. Is the next tier, I believe, includes the likes of Drake May.
- [52:35]
A
Drake May.
- [52:36]
B
Baker Mayfield. Yep.
- [52:37]
C
Dak Prescott.
- [52:38]
A
Yep.
- [52:38]
B
Caleb Williams.
- [52:39]
C
Caleb Williams. Daniel Jones.
- [52:41]
B
Yeah.
- [52:42]
C
If healthy. Brock Purdy.
- [52:44]
B
Kyler's in there because of his running.
- [52:46]
A
I don't think Kyler is in that echelon anymore. He is running, but that team, I.
- [52:50]
C
Don'T know, whatever quarterback is playing against the Cowboys, I think.
- [52:53]
A
Yes, exactly.
- [52:54]
B
I mean, those guys can be moved by 2, 3 projected points based on the matchup. So that, I mean, I think we're.
- [52:58]
C
Kind of settling into those spots right there.
- [53:00]
A
I like it.
- [53:01]
B
I think that's fair.
- [53:02]
C
Who is the highest scoring quarterback in fantasy right now?
- [53:05]
A
Is it Patrick Mahomes?
- [53:07]
C
Yeah.
- [53:07]
B
And now he just gets his best.
- [53:09]
A
Receiver, she Rice, back.
- [53:10]
B
I mean, he might run a little bit less now, but he'll make up for it for.
- [53:13]
C
With throwing will more than make up for it, that is for sure.
- [53:16]
A
All right, let's really quickly close out the show with starts of the week. I did not win.
- [53:19]
C
This paid off. Yeah. Was paid off from last week.
- [53:21]
A
Oh, that's right. We got to pay off this last.
- [53:22]
C
Week of the week yet.
- [53:24]
A
That's right.
- [53:25]
C
I don't have mine. Do you?
- [53:26]
A
Well, starts of the week, you had to pay off a thing, correct?
- [53:29]
C
Yeah. So let me walk you guys through this. Actually, this was kind of fun. So the punishment I got last week was to run a mile.
- [53:36]
A
Correct.
- [53:37]
C
And rather than running a mile, I decided to over triple that as I ran at the Harford 5K charity marathon this past. Charity 5K, I should say this past weekend. On behalf of Achilles, which is really an incredible organization some neighbors of mine are involved with. Achilles does wonderful work benefiting people with some sort of physical disability. They're unable to run or unable to do most physical activities within normal parameters.
- [54:07]
B
So.
- [54:07]
C
So was very honored to be a tiny, tiny part of this Achilles team. And I probably embarrassed myself with my time. I ran 2723 for a 5K. I believe there was a time in my life where I was running sub 23. Those days are very, very, very far behind me because I am just generally slow and washed right now, but an absolute blast. It was freezing when I got up that morning very early to get to the race. By the time the race was over, I was sweating like a pig because it was hot. I had a blast, though. So thank you to Achilles. Jenna, Mark, my Neighbors for including me and great time. Great time was had.
- [54:41]
B
I thought we said run a mile though, not whatever that was. So I think you should have to do it again. Just do a mile instead.
- [54:45]
A
Yeah, just a mile.
- [54:46]
C
I decided to pay it off over three times. Yeah.
- [54:48]
B
Yeah. No, that's awesome. When did you do that? Saturday.
- [54:50]
C
Saturday morning.
- [54:50]
B
Yeah, that's awesome.
- [54:51]
C
It was cold. You guys remember Saturday morning?
- [54:52]
A
It was cold.
- [54:53]
B
It was chilly.
- [54:53]
A
It was chilly.
- [54:54]
B
I was in New York City sleeping.
- [54:55]
A
So you ran an average of an 8 minute 50 second mile while you were doing your 5k. Do you know what your like best mile time is?
- [55:03]
C
Oh, I mean when I was a kid, back when you were a K when you were crushing something.
- [55:07]
A
Seven something.
- [55:08]
C
I have no. I don't know.
- [55:09]
A
Do you know Mike, did you ever do. No.
- [55:11]
B
All right, this is. That is a reminder. I need to be better about cardio though, so thank you.
- [55:15]
C
Yeah, I do very little cardio.
- [55:17]
B
I don't love it.
- [55:19]
C
Very little in general.
- [55:20]
B
We're not. I'm not a family of running and I think the best evidence of that may be my daughter went viral for hating running. Literally blew up millions on the all over the place.
- [55:31]
C
Mike will never tick tock again.
- [55:33]
B
No. No one TikTok and you're the guy.
- [55:35]
C
That played golf for one hole, hit a hole in one and never.
- [55:38]
B
Exactly right. I can't beat that. I probably have the TikTok record for most likes and views per post. So I gotta keep that. I gotta keep that.
- [55:44]
C
Justin Bieber, you, Charlie d', Amelio, you are on the hot starts of the week.
- [55:48]
A
Last week it was bad field. Yeah, let's not talk about it. I'll just spin the wheel. Yeah, it was. It just wasn't good. I don't know if there's a full screen. Maybe they want to throw it up there. But my. My team was awful. I had Justin Fields as my quarterback.
- [55:59]
C
I was 6 and 2 going into last year.
- [56:02]
A
I had David Montgomery as my running back. He do well. Oh, there we go. I had Calvin Ridley, as we all did.
- [56:07]
C
Oh God, what a gross week it was though, everybody.
- [56:09]
A
Oh, it was so much closer than I thought it was.
- [56:12]
B
I'm just glad I won something.
- [56:13]
C
Oh my God.
- [56:14]
B
Last week.
- [56:14]
C
Look at that week. Calvin could. How do we all have Kelvin Ridley, by the way?
- [56:18]
A
Yeah, that was. That was not great because we thought it was going to be a decent situation. That's how the fact that three of us scored in the 20 fantasy point range.
- [56:26]
C
There was a weak. One of us put up like 68. Yes. Now we're at 20. Mike won, with which Mike won. But 38.86 is a low number to win with. That's gross.
- [56:34]
A
It's not every day that your leading scorer is Travis Kelsey at 13.8 fantasy.
- [56:40]
B
Points, and that's for me.
- [56:41]
C
And I hear 66.71. Oh, I'm sorry.
- [56:44]
A
76.1.
- [56:46]
B
All right, so in that week, that's all right.
- [56:47]
C
We're going to bounce back. It doesn't matter, though. But like, Mike, you don't have to be like. In this case, you just have to be faster than the slowest turtle, right?
- [56:53]
A
That's right.
- [56:54]
C
The punishment. I think I made that metaphor up right there.
- [56:56]
A
I like that.
- [56:57]
C
Anyways, we have agreed on two things, right? We have agreed that. Bye. Bye.
- [57:02]
A
This one's off. Y. 30 seconds to stand up is off. And then run a mile.
- [57:07]
B
We got to replace some of these.
- [57:08]
C
Yeah, if.
- [57:09]
B
If you do those, we'll spin again. Yeah. We had a new idea via text last week. We got to get that on here. It's on here. Oh, it's on there. Smelling salt.
- [57:14]
C
Smelling salts is on.
- [57:15]
B
All right, here we go.
- [57:16]
A
Three, two. All right. Spinning the wheel. Spinning the wheel. Coming to a close at mouthful of marshmallow.
- [57:26]
C
Next week. Next week. When he's doing it next week, he's going to say, you know, or tomorrow.
- [57:29]
B
Whenever you want to pay it off.
- [57:30]
C
I've got, you know, I got brush young.
- [57:33]
B
Oh, while you're doing your starts of the week.
- [57:34]
A
Yes. Shout out to insane Shane, who I believe does a bunch of marshmallow stuff like this on Instagram as well. He was out there for us with us at Baja Mar.
- [57:42]
B
This seems terrible because we can't understand what you're saying. Can we just. Instead, can we just throw marshmallows at you? I mean, you could do that too.
- [57:47]
A
Honestly, whatever I say is still going to be better than the crap that you put out here, Mike. So don't even worry about it. I'm sorry. I thought I got stand up again. I went back into stand up.
- [57:55]
B
You know what? You got that. You got there so fast. I'm not even mad.
- [57:58]
C
Let's continue to send ideas for punishments. Yes.
- [58:00]
A
We love the punishment idea.
- [58:02]
B
Please, some more. We got to replay, replace a few of those. Absolutely. Bring it.
- [58:05]
A
All right, that's going to do it for us today. Make sure. Do you have anything you need to do today? Nope. It's Wednesday. There's no waivers. You don't need to set a lineup.
- [58:11]
C
Just go look at some waivers.
- [58:13]
B
Come on. We all set our lineup. I set my lineups every day.
- [58:15]
A
I was going to say go through preemptively, look at things, check out some practice reports. We're going to dive into even more tomorrow. Don't forget to love each other. Be kind to yourself. And don't to forget. Forget. Today's show was presented by Little Little Caesars. We love you guys. We'll see you tomorrow.
- [58:28]
B
Pizza. Pizza.
- [58:29]
A
Pen.