← Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry
Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry
TE Tiers + Preseason Week 3 Takeaways
00:52:26
August 25: Matthew (@MatthewBerryTMR), Jay (@croucherJD), and Connor (@ConnorJRogers) dive into how Matthew is tiering tight ends for the upcoming season, beginning with the gap between Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, and George Kittle among the top options. The trio also highlight Evan Engram, Tyler Warren, Dalton Kincaid, and Jonnu Smith in other tiers before detailing trends with WRs on the Lions, Bears, and Broncos this preseason . They also discuss Terry McLaurin agreeing to a multi-year contract extension with the Commanders, backfield usage with the Browns and Texans, and wrap up the show with their favorite bets to win the AFC West.
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A
With next day delivery available straight to your job site.
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With the Home Depot. Plus with pricing benefits for pros and top quality brands, you only have to make one stop for the whole job the Home Depot.
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Seen on other job sites. Indeed sponsored Jobs help you stand out and hire fast. With Sponsored Jobs, your post jumps to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. According to Indeed data, Sponsored jobs posted directly on indeed have 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit. To get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com NBCSports just go to Indeed.com NBCSports right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com NBCSports Terms and Conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. Jen in makeup yesterday or a couple days ago told me I need to get a haircut as well. There's very few people in America who aren't telling me to remove hair from my in some way or another. Stones being thrown in glass houses. Because there are a lot of things that other shows might do better than us. But there's nothing that is done better in the fancy football industry than the ability to grow bad facial hair than this show 100%.
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C
I'll take the charge.
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B
Matthew's got absolutely nothing. Lawrence Jackson, unfortunately he does raise the bar a little bit, but yeah, and also as well in terms of whether I'm going to shave. I haven't shaved in 33 years. I've never shaved.
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C
This is just a look.
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B
33 years of work and I don't plan on shaving anytime soon.
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A
Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry.
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C
Welcome to the Fantasy Football Happy Hour. Connor Rodgers. Matthew Berry dressed very clean today.
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A
That's right. Thank you very much.
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B
Syria kicked off on the weekend in Italy and Matthew brought some Milano to stamp.
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C
Yeah.
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A
Really?
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C
The European cut.
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A
Yeah. We're going to stand on the sideline of the pitch. Yeah.
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C
There we go. You have a very football coach feeling. Soccer.
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A
I will not have either of you besmirch the good name of the NBC Sports wardrobe department who do an amazing. I like the look. They do an Amazing job. Given what little I've given them to work with, I've given them very little to work with.
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C
It's tough canvas, you understand.
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A
Exactly.
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C
Let's do, like, say, blank canvas.
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A
You're a tough canvas. No, it's a tough canvas. They're in there with a chisel and a hammer. I don't think they stand.
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B
I think they did a magnificent job making you look like Antonio Conte.
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C
I appreciate that you trying contrasted colors today instead of just being in a onesie.
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B
Yeah, well, I like the dark colors. A lot going on has a slimming effect, which is always.
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C
You know what's nice about this show? Like, you can't just show up and not expect to get absolutely destroyed. Of course, you walk into set and, like, things probably go really bad for you. And here's.
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A
Should Jay shave his mustache?
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C
The regulars are actually on the side of keeping it.
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B
Yeah, I agree.
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A
By the way, I vote with that oath King. I know. It's really like, you heard the clip at the beginning of the show where Jay's like, hey, hasn't shaved in 33 years. Like, I like. This is basically Jay's like, look, I finally hit puberty. Look at this. I like.
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B
You'll notice today, it looks exactly the same as a digital product. It doesn't really grow.
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A
No, it doesn't.
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C
Believe it or not. We're going to talk about some fantasy football today.
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A
We are.
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C
And some real football. We're going to talk about Terry McLaurin's extension. Don't you worry. Stick around. Yeah, we'll clap it up for that.
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A
I will go.
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C
We are going to talk about that. But final week of the preseason in the books. We'll break down some of the biggest things from that. But we're going to start our tiers right now, and we have to go with tight end. Yes, we're going to start with tight end. A lot of great tight ends this year, Matthew, but I think everybody starts looking at the top of. Do I got to get one in tier one? The feeling, the need of the Brock Bowers and George kittles and Trey McBride.
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A
Yeah, I feel like tight end is one of those positions of all of them in fantasy that before you even start talking about players, you really need to talk about how you approach the position. You know, you're always going to get your. Your running backs and your wide receivers. So I feel like quarterback and tight end are the two where you sort of sit there and go, like, all right, am I attacking this early? Can I wait? Is there some Value in the middle rounds. Where am I going? And I think this year specifically around tight end. I either want one of the elite ones. You've heard me say this before, but I think it's truer this year than ever before. I want one of the elite ones. I want to be one of the first guys in my league to draft a tight end or I want to be one of the last. So I really like Bowers, McBride, Kittle, at the top of the draft and we'll talk about them in a second. But if I don't get one of these three guys then I just, as I've been doing a ton, a ton of drafts, I've been waiting and waiting like I don't have a lot of the LaPorta, Hawkinson, Kelsey's of the world sort of those middle tier guys because I don't think there's once you get to tight end four, I don't think there's a massive difference between like tight end 4 and tight end 9 or 10. Right. I'm much, you know, we'll get into this but I'd much prefer like a Njoku, a Tyler Warren, even an Evan Ingram that you can get much later. I think there's not a significant difference between those guys. And then what like the Hawkinson, you know, laportas of the world are going.
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C
To do also as we showed up there and I'd like to see that again. Brock bowers with an ADP that's within the top 20. I mean Matthew, that's a treme. We love Brock Bowers. Brock Bowers is amazing but the way he is priced, it feels like he has to be extraordinary to match that cost of the position because they're passing up so many elite wide receivers and running backs.
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A
Correct. You're basically taking Bowers a round or two ahead of McBride or Kittle. And the argument for that is that you feel really confident that he finishes the year as the number one tight end and significantly better, at least a round or two of value better than McBride or Kittle. And I don't think that's true at all. I think there's a very real chance that either Trey McBride or George Kittle is the number one titan in fantasy this year. I find myself with a ton of Kittle this year. I have very little Bowers because. Because the value is so much better. Like I think there's a real scenario where and we'll get into this. But like Trey McBride was the number two titan in fantasy last year, scoring one touchdown like that's going to be impossible to, you know, like, positive touchdown regression is coming from McBride, I think in a massive way. We've talked about KITTLE, you know, 20 touchdowns in the 34 games that he's played with Brock Purdy. As we sit here today, it's Ricky Pierce hall and, like, I don't know, Sky Moore. Like, I mean, who's running routes for these guys? I mean, we, they. The 49ers have said they expect Juwan Jennings to be out there week one. We'll see if he actually is and what kind of shape he is in. He's missed a lot of camp. I. Kittle, to me, is going to be a massive part of this passing attack. Yeah.
- [06:46]
B
There's also talk about Jon Jennings maybe going on IR if this doesn't get resolved soon, which is just like, there's no huge cloudy. He could play week one. We might not see him until week five. I got no idea what's going on with Joan.
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A
Luckily, the 49ers are super transparent about their. Their injuries and player timelines for returning. I'm sure whatever they say we can. Whatever Kyle says we can take to.
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B
The bank on George Kittle. I'm with you. Where I find that in drafts, I go in thinking, like, you know, I like some of these guys later on, like Tucker Kraft and Don Kincaid. So I go in thinking that I'm not going to pay for any of these tight ends. And then it's like, pick 50 and it's like George Kittle or Chuba Hubbard. It's right, what, like, he's just sitting there because no one loves taking George Kittle. Everyone's had George Kittle on their team before. They're not enamored of him. And so I think there's a bit of an inefficiency there. Connor. On Brock Bowers, I think the concern is, is that these previous, like, superstar tight end ones, there's been a lot of certainty about their role. Where, you know, Travis Kelce for years, it's like, all right, well, Travis Kelsey's one of the greatest tight ends of all time. He's still playing with Patrick Mahomes. It's still Andy Reid know exactly what he's going to do with Brock Bowers. It's a new coach, it's a new offensive coordinator, it's a new quarterback of a new superstar running back. Like, there's just a lot of variance for a guy who's going number one.
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A
At the position and by the way, doesn't have a long track record of success. Now again, he was amazing in college. He had a great rookie year. Like I mean so we're not doubting his talent. Like I think barring injury he's going to finish the year as a top four fan fantasy tight end. But how confident are we that he definitely is better than McBride or Kittle? And the answer is I don't think we're super confident about that. Especially given the fact that you have to draft him, you know, in some cases two rounds ahead of George Kittle.
- [08:24]
C
The cost is too expensive. And yeah, you love that he's the number one wide receiver in his offense where he's getting an upgrade at quarterback and Geno Smith and the Raiders will be more competitive this year which probably improves his opportunity. But at pick Sam picking 19th or 20th and Brock Bowers is there where he's going. I could just draft a number one wide receiver on another offense as well or a number one running back. So that's love Brock Bowers think he's going to be awesome this year, but I just don't know if I'm ready to pay that kind of cost.
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A
Yeah, I mean the third most catches ever by a tight end in a single season as his rookie with like, you know, Garden Minshew.
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C
I want to find the next version of him.
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A
Yeah.
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C
Like I don't want to have to pay the price for what Brock Bowers did last year.
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A
Right.
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C
We're going to get into Tyler Warren and those kinds of players. I want to find the next version of maybe not brock Bowers but 75, 80% of him.
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A
Yeah.
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B
The other thing too is the DraftKings has his season props over under his median outcome as a thousand receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns. Like that's just the reality. Like last year he was just shy of 1200 receiving yards. He only had the five receiving touchdowns. There's scope for that to go up clearly. But I wouldn't go in expecting the Brock Bowers is going to take another leap as the median outcome would just be like 1300 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
- [09:33]
A
Yeah, I mean that's the, that's the thing. Like there's not much like the years in like where Travis Kelce was a first round pick like in the middle of the first round he was just so significantly better than everyone else. And like again as great as Bowers is in a Broward gets, if Bowers gets to 1300 yards and nine touchdowns certainly within the range of possibilities, then maybe he gets there depending on what else McBride and Kittle does. But you're looking about Trey McBride who had a 29% target share last year, you know, he was a top 10 tight end 12, 16 weeks and again doing that with scoring like basically two touchdowns all year. We expect that equity to come up. Kittle had no, no player had more games with 15 or more fantasy points last year than George Kittle. But I think the other thing that's important here is we just sort of talk about the tiers. Kittle is my tight end three, Laporta is my tight end four. I have them over 30 spots apart in my overall ranking. So just in terms of like whether it is Bowers, McBride or Kittle, I think that group is significantly better than the next group, which starts with Sam Laporta.
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C
Yeah, let's go to tier two then. It is headlined by Sam Laporta. But it's a big group. You have TJ Hawkinson who hopefully throughout a full season will get back to being his dynamic self. Travis Kelsey, but, you know, rookie quarterback.
- [10:44]
A
Well, we, I mean, you know, second year quarterback, right. Essentially, essentially a record quarterback. Right.
- [10:49]
C
Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews, who are, you know, on obviously the older side, but you're hoping for them to kind of stay afloat of what they've been.
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A
And significant target competition for both of them in the red zone. Obviously Mahomes always throws it to, you know, a zillion different guys. Andrews once likely comes back, but you've also got Bateman and Flowers and Derrick Henry's always a threat to run it.
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C
Right.
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A
Deandre Hopkins, which you figure that's what they're going to use Hopkins for, is.
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C
Literally just Lamar Jackson scores such chance. Like, it's just, it's so hard for.
- [11:18]
A
Mark Anderson, a lot of guys there as well. So to me, my favorite target of these guys are I really like Evan Ingram. So I think that offense takes a big step this year. Second year, Bo Nix, if you look at what they did over the second half of last year, once Bo Nick sort of found his way and started to get comfortable in Sean Payton's system, like, you know, really got comfortable. Bo Nix is legit. And so when you've got Sutton and Mims and some of these guys stretching the field, Evan Ingram is going to be the underneath guy and again he's just going to be once again just another PPR cheat code. David Njoku is somebody obviously that we like a lot, especially as long as Joe Flacco is the starter in Cleveland. When you think about like just how much production Njoku had in those five games in which he was the starter. But to me, Connor, we've talked about this kid a lot on this show but we are the tight end show. I have a lot of Tyler Warren and I wish I had more this year. I think a monster year is coming for Tyler Warren.
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C
If I don't get Kittle and I have gone into drafts like you guys where I either need in that third round range the elite quarterback or George Kittle. Honestly, that's what I'm going for. Then I go for Tyler Warren in almost every single draft. He's still not priced the right way in my opinion. I think he's going to be a PPR machine. He's really good after the catch. There is a world now that it's Daniel Jones, not Anthony Richardson under center. He could get some goal line tush push opportunities as well. I think Tyler Warren's going to be a monster this year. I would definitely expect him to be a top 10 top 8 tight end finish.
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B
How do you think his skill set meshes with Danny Dimes?
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C
And that's hard because Daniel Jones unfortunately just hasn't been consistently good at one single thing most of the time. I mean seriously, like that's.
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A
But yet still better than Anthony Richardson.
- [12:58]
C
Still better than Anthony Richardson. But we know he's not going to throw the ball down the field. That means Tyler Warren in the intermediate is going to be a go to kind of guy for him. So I actually think if you're looking for it to be bullish for a reason, it's actually a positive reason for him. We have a question here from Aloha Bricks. Is picking Tyler Warren in the eighth round too early?
- [13:15]
A
Absolutely not. Absolutely not.
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C
Checks the box of where you'd expect to try to get.
- [13:20]
A
Yeah, I mean I have him as a top 10 tight end. I think I have him off the top of my head. I think I'm a tight end nine this year and again, I still might be too low on him. I think he's going to have just a huge year. To your point, like they're going to use him in such a variety of different ways. You think about the last three tight ends that were drafted in the first round, which Tyler Warren was by the Colts. They all saw at least 90 or more targets as a rookie. He's averaging over three yards per route run this season this preseason, which is really, really good. You know, they're just using him a lot. I don't think he's coming off the field honor like this is like again the days of the Colts, you know, like oh, is it a mo Ali Cox play like, you know, like the days of The Colts using 8 billion tight ends are over. There's a reason why they used a top 15 overall pick on Tyler Warren. You think about Shane Steichen and some of the success he's had with tight ends in his career. Especially when you think about Philadelphia. Tyler Warren is that dude. I'm not saying he's Brock Bowers, but he's going to be a lot closer than I think people are drafting him.
- [14:19]
B
This year as, yeah, he's on 24 spots after Mark Andrews in drafts, which is crazy. I might just prefer Tyler Lawrence straight up over Mark Anderson.
- [14:26]
C
Yeah, his Fantasy Life consensus ADP for redraft is right around 107. So 8th round would just be you getting slightly ahead of where he is going to consistently go. But if you believe in him like we do, then you take him in the eighth round and make sure you get him correct.
- [14:40]
A
And he's a trendy guy like so, I mean, like we're not the only people talking about Tyler Warren, obviously. And so if there's at least one sharp player in your league other than you. Aloha bricks. Then I would say yes. 8th round makes a lot of sense. Don't be scared to reach and get your guys. Like, you don't want to get crazy here, but like 100%, if he's going basically in the 10th round, I have no problem taking him in the 8th or even the 7th.
- [15:05]
C
Honestly, you've been pretty bullish on Dalton Kincaid going into this year as we move kind of to tier three here and show some of these guys. I wanted to start with him though because he's somebody we were talking about as a top five tight end pick last year or top, you know, top seven. Ish. And now he's fallen all the way to tier three. Do you think this is one where the pendulum actually swung too far the other way?
- [15:25]
B
I spent a first round pick on him like two years ago like this. They invested serious capital in Dalton Kincaid. His rookie season. He showed flashes. And then last year as you broke on the show, Matthew, so it was like he's dealing with the knee injury and really seemed to hinder him. And I think Josh Allen as Dalton spoke about on this show and he also shared a story about getting beaten up by a kangaroo in Australia. He's the only tight end of the NFL to share that kind of story on this show.
- [15:49]
A
But he's like a young Jake.
- [15:50]
C
That's where it all began. You can tell there's a little bias here.
- [15:53]
B
Yeah, that's where it all began. But look, he spoke about how Josh Allen is a very unique type of quarterback. He's not just going to sit in the pocket and throw in structure all the time. You need to be on the same page with Josh Allen. You need those reps to develop that timing. And we saw the Bills final play of the season timing slightly off half beat. He couldn't make that catch against Kansas City in the playoffs. But I think that just through health, through just he's on the right side of the aging curve. He's just going to get better naturally. And then also like this Bill's offense, yeah, it's annoying that Dawson Knox plays so much for Donald Kincaid's purposes, but also if Kincaid plays better, he's going to earn more playing time. And there's no one on this Bills offense who is like peak Stephon Diggs who has to be the guy.
- [16:33]
A
Right.
- [16:34]
B
Like, there is a chance of Dalton Kincaid. There's a chance he's the most targeted player from Josh Allen.
- [16:38]
A
That's the point, right? I mean, you sit here and look like, all right, what's his target competition? And yes, Dawson Knox plays a lot of snaps, but that's when they're playing 12 personnel. Connor, they don't. They're not. They're so different.
- [16:48]
C
Right? It's really different positions.
- [16:49]
A
Right? Exactly. I mean, honestly, Kincaid is their slot receiver. Right? And so it's like you've got Khalil Shakir, you've got Josh Palmer and Keon Coleman and Curtis Samuel still there. Like to your point, there's no one there that's like, oh, Diggs that, like that's a guy that's got to get eight to ten targets a game. And so there's, there's a non zero chance that Kincaid is, if not Josh Allen's number one target, one of his top two or three guys as well. And so I'm just telling you, when I spoke to my source who's on the offensive coaching staff of the Bills, they were like, he was just hurt all last year. Like he's going to have a big year and so we'll see if that ends up playing out. But I do, like, if you're down here in this range, I think Dalton Kincaid is really interesting. I think Tucker Kraft is really interesting. Right. Third among tight ends last year and fantasy points for target last season, minimum 50 targets. And again, as we talk about sort of similar to the Bills, the Packers just, they have a lot of guys, but with the exception of maybe Matthew golden, the rookie.
- [17:47]
C
Right.
- [17:47]
A
But we haven't seen it yet. Like, exactly. He has first round draft capital and camp reports have been good, but like we haven't seen it yet. And I don't know that Golden's going to be a big red zone target regardless. Kraft, I think is their best red zone target of all the guys that are in the passing attack. And I know they like to run when they get in close and they use Jacobs. But you know, if we expect a better year, a positive regression year from Jordan Love, Jay, and I know you're high on love this year. I do think Tucker Kraft becomes really interesting, especially as a red zone target here.
- [18:14]
C
And the problem we have with this team so often is we don't know which wide receivers are going to be on the field the most. Tucker Kraft blocks so well that he's just always on the field. So you don't have to have that worry with him. This is from Kdog Cuisine. Can Tucker Kraft be your tight end one? Will he be the second option in Green Bay?
- [18:30]
A
Yes, by the way, Kdog. I don't think that's the proper spelling. I think it's only one G, but yeah, Kdog, yes. Tucker Kraft can be your tight end one obviously if you're waiting on the position and I do think there's a real scenario where he could be the second option in Green Bay, you're the first option.
- [18:46]
C
There is a world where he is.
- [18:47]
A
Right some weeks, I mean, again, they sort of spread it around. They were going to be more run heavy than not. But yes, again, what do we care about? When you're down in this range for tight ends, you're really just hoping, can I get a guy that's going to get a touchdown? If you don't have one of the elite guys, all these touchdowns, all these tight ends are sort of touchdown dependent tight ends where you're like, you know, when they score a touchdown, it's great. And so I just think Tucker Kraft has a better shot at scoring most weeks than most non elite tight ends in the NFL there as well. So yeah, I'm in on him. I think a couple of guys in.
- [19:20]
B
That you could argue quickly on Tucker Cross. Here's how I would look at him. So Jordan Love, his rookie season was basically 2023. It was his first full year as a starter. It was a bit of a rough first couple months, just kind of growing pains. Week nine to the end of the season. In 2023, he was second in the NFL in EPA per play among quarterbacks, only Brock Purdy was better last year. Does his MCL in week one and then does his groin. When he comes back he's banged up. The only stretch where I thought he was healthy was after the buy weeks 11 through 17, third in the NFL in EPA per play. When this guy has been healthy, he has been a top three quarterback in the NFL. And if you're looking at the packers offense through the scope of oh, we might have a guy who's like a top five guy, like an MVP level quarterback. Well, where's the production going to go to? Well, Tucker Craft led the team in touchdowns last year and I don't really see a reason why he couldn't do that again. His, his skill set is extremely sustainable because it's built on yak where he is just a monster after the catch. That is much more sustainable and replicable than relying on like 50 odd bombs. Like he's just going to produce when he gets the ball in his hands. So yeah, I think he could be an absolute monster this year.
- [20:24]
A
Yeah, really like him as well. He made the love list. But speaking of love, how about Colston Loveland final preseason game when he was playing with a starter, 71 route, 71% route participation. Connor, by the way, that's again, that's thanks to our friend Des Moines McFarland and FantasyLife.com he does a whole preseason utilization article. Highly recommended. I would go read that and check that out, but Loveland, who a lot of people were surprised was drafted over Tyler Warren. He was the first tight end drafted this year and he lands in a great spot with Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson.
- [20:55]
C
All right, Ben Johnson, who did an excellent job being a part of the process to take Sam laporta at the top of round two a couple of years ago and give him a mammoth rookie season. The skill set can be used the same way. So Loveland, it's more just there's a lot of mouths to feed in Chicago that it might be, you know, year two that he has that monster year. And here we go from jm. Does Loveland match laporta's production in Ben Johnson's offense? I think that's a lot to ask Year one, but he'll know how to utilize him, which is the most important thing. Cole Comet is still there and still.
- [21:21]
A
Like It's I think LaPorta's production in Ben Johnson's office his rookie year he was a top five fantasy tight end. I don't think we're saying Colston Loveland is going to be a top five fantasy tight end. And I will just say give me Tyler Warren over Colston Loveland if you're looking at a rookie tight end. Having said that, again, if you're in a deeper league, if you're looking for a second tight end with maybe some upside, especially second half of this year, or you just sort of punt the position and you're kind of down there looking through some of these guys, I do think Loveland is kind of interesting. And by the way, Jake Ferguson, you know, as we talk about this, like we are high on the Cowboys offense this year, going to be throwing a ton and Ferguson, who was hurt much of last year, but the year before was very productive, especially in the red zone. Dak Prescott throughout his career has always liked to target the tight end, especially in the red area. So I do think Jake Ferguson fully healthy as part of this Cowboys offense could be a nice thing this year.
- [22:13]
B
I think this Cowboys offense, it's now one of the most streamlined and easy to understand fantasy offenses in the NFL. Kind of in a similar way to the way the Eagles passing game has been where all right, it's just AJ Brown, devontae Smith and Dallas got it. That's kind of it with Dallas. It's just Pickens, Lamb and Ferguson. I don't think anyone else is really going to get into the mix. So it's a very known role and Dak is, I think outside of Joe Burrow, I think Dak is the most likely guy to lead the NFL in passing yards because this team's just going to have to throw a ton of.
- [22:39]
C
Yeah.Baskets on YouTube. Are we sleeping on Ferguson with a healthy Dak all season? That's definitely the reason to be glass half full. I think the half empty issue would be George Pickens should get more targets in this offense, being a new face there. But yeah, Jake Ferguson, I mean he's somebody that if you don't want to spend capital to get a tight end, he probably gives you a high enough floor at the position.
- [22:57]
A
Yeah, baskets. By the way, it's only one tee. Once again, misspellings all over the place.
- [23:00]
C
Not for stone smart. Yeah, speaking of tight ends, it's fair. Some people do prefer the second tee.
- [23:05]
A
But baskets, you're 100% right because it's not only a healthy Ferguson all year who he was banged up, but it's a healthy Dak as well. And so again, Ferguson last year at this time was going as a top 10 fantasy titan. He's being drafted like tight end eight or nine. And so we don't think the talent has gotten any worse. And so if he's healthier and Dak is healthier.
- [23:23]
B
Two years ago Dak Prescott finished second in MVP like it feels like a lifetime go. He literally finished second. And Jake Ferguson got over 100 targets from him that year.
- [23:31]
C
You let's take a look at tier four. This is a little bit of the bargain shopping version of tight end. If you plan on taking one of these guys or know you're going to be on the waiver wire a lot. This is one headline, Matthew, by Brenton Strange who maybe can outperform his projection in this offense.
- [23:46]
A
You think about Liam Cohen coaching the Buccaneers last year. Kate Otten was a top 10 tight end on a points per game basis. So Strange who middle of the field. We saw what Ingram did with Trevor Lawrence last year. We know that he's comfortable throwing the middle of the field. You've got BTJ and Travis Hunter stretching the field. So Brenton Strange underneath as well. Hunter Henry like team high 20% target share from Drake. May we know Josh McDaniels loves to use the tight end. I'm sorry you guys are on your own with Kyle Pitts there but Zach, er, someone else can talk up Kyle Pitts. I'm moving on, I'm moving on. Just to mention that with Chris Godwin out, Jaylen McMillan out, could, could Kate Otten once again raise his head? Kate Otten was a thing last year for a while.
- [24:29]
C
For a while he saved a lot of people's bacon off the waiver wire that didn't have a tight end.
- [24:33]
A
He really did. Zach Ertz again, we expect this Washington offense to be very, very good. We're going to get to Terry McLaurin in a second. But Ertz was such a safety blanket for Jaden Daniels and there was a reason why Washington brought him back. John Ooh, Smith, Connor, you and I were texting about this the other day and we're talking about this. But like, like I tell my daughters, I tell my, I have 13 year old daughters, they'll be 14 in October. And so they're, you know, they're starting to get interested in boys now for the first time. And I tell them, oh, it's awful. Don't get me started. Don't get me, don't get me started. You know, texting and tiktoking and snapchatting. It's awful. But what I will tell you here is that I tell my daughters, I say, listen, listen, I don't want you dating A boy unless he looks at you the way Arthur Smith looks at John. Who? Smith. Otherwise no dad says no. Arthur Smith. Arthur Smith. Whether it's in Tennessee or Atlanta, he has always used John Smith. Now he's in Pittsburgh. And Connor, we were talking about this. Jonah Smith is going to be used a lot more than any of us are comfortable with in Pittsburgh.
- [25:37]
C
I think he's their number two receiver. Yes. Like genuinely. We know DK Metcalf got millions and millions of dollars to be Aaron Rodgers number one. He'll throw to Jalen Warren and the running backs a little bit as well. I think it's John Smith after that. I really do. Aaron Rodgers doesn't want to hold the ball long. It's a lot of quick stuff to John Smith. If you play ppr, John Ou Smith is a value right now.
- [25:57]
B
Just quickly on Kyle Pitts I think he's gone a little bit under the radar.
- [25:59]
C
That swerved back to Kyle Pitts. I wasn't ready for that.
- [26:02]
B
Well, it's like Kyle Pitts adjacent but I think it's very fantasy relevant. Caleb McGarry has a significant knee injury and is going to be seemingly out long term. That is a massive deal for the Falcons offense. He's that right tackle Michael Bennett is left handed. That's his blindside tackle. And also their backup tackle Storm Norton is also at six to eight weeks. So now the Falcons have got a third string blindside tackle for a quarterback who's played three games in the NFL. The Donald Mooney said like I don't know like that makes me double take a lot of things about the Falcons.
- [26:30]
A
Luckily Kyle Pitts is a great blocker.
- [26:32]
C
So you can just park them next to their backup.
- [26:35]
A
But real talk that's a great point Jay. That is an amazing point that like, like again that's one of the issues with Kyle Pitts is he's basically is an inline wide receiver. Like he's not a blocker. Like he's. That was why he was losing time to Jo Smith before when Arthur Smith was there even though they used all this draft capital was because he couldn't block. And so the fact that there's already issues on the offensive line for to your point a left handed quarterback who's going to make his fourth NFL start in week one. Like yes Evil J. What are the betting odds in Kyle Pitts for comeback player of the year?
- [27:05]
B
Thank you for the question Clark Brady. Well the literal story here is that the the ap, the Associated Press who governs these awards was so disgusted with the Outcome of Joe Flacca winning comeback player of the year. They literally changed the rules so that you can't come back from sucking Carl Pippels in England last year. He just sucked. So he's ineligible to win the award because Joe Flacco literally ruined the award for everyone because he was so against the spirit. So we can't let this happen ever again. So he's banned so he can't win. Literally can't win.
- [27:32]
A
Yeah. So there's no odds. It's off the table. Clark Brady. But we appreciate.
- [27:35]
C
Yes, we appreciate.
- [27:37]
A
Question.
- [27:37]
B
I think Christian McCaffrey is the guy there. I think Christian McCaffrey wins that award.
- [27:40]
A
I think. I think you are very likely right there. Just real quickly back to just some of these tight ends though, about John Smith. Like not only is he going to be like, I think the number two target in that Steelers offense, they're going to use him in the run game annoyingly. So they'll line him up and people forget this guy was a top five fantasy tight end last year in Miami. And I get that like Aaron Rodgers and Arthur Smith is like, you know, molasses compared to the speed that the Dolphins played at last year. But like when given an opportunity, John ou Smith produces and he's going as like tight end 400. He's being left for dead. And I just like, no one will be excited when you draft johnhu Smith, but like in a bunch of deep leagues where you have to play, I'm in like a crazy deep league where I have to play two to three tight ends. It's a. Don't disagree. Have you started? It's awful, it's disgusting. But yeah, John Ou Smith is my number two tight end in that league and I'm very happy about it. In deeper leagues. I've been taking a lot of John who this year as well. Couple other very quick deep sleepers at tight end. Again, if you're in these disgusting deep leagues or dynasty leagues like I am, you know, you talk about the fact that John O. Smith might be the number two pass catcher on the Steelers. Theo Johnson might be the number two pass catcher on the Giants after Malik Nabors. I don't know that there's anyone that's going to be demanding targets from Russell Wilson or Jackson Darth. I mean you've got Darius Slayton there, you got Wandell Robinson and blah blah, blah. But like I know Connor that they really like the kid out of Penn State, Theo Johnson, second year player.
- [29:16]
C
Yeah, I mean gigantic human, great athleticism. Somebody that can kind of stretch the seam, run the seam a little bit. And red zone presence like his last year at Penn State. He was really good in the red zone as well. So listen, I think that's somebody that Russell Wilson can lean on in the beginning and eventually probably Jackson Darby very quietly.
- [29:33]
A
19% target share for Theo Johnson for the final four games of last year.
- [29:36]
C
Yeah.
- [29:37]
B
As a New York media member kind of sticking on the New York media topic. 100% sure Aaron Rodgers is done. You sure? Because I have still scarred in my brain for the rest of my life how bad Joe Flacco looked on the jets in 2022. Whereas this guy can't move, he's unpleasant, he's not an NFL player. And then he gets out of the Jets. Well, he's bad last curse.
- [29:55]
A
Yeah.
- [29:55]
B
And then 2023 he looked looks good for five games to defend you again.
- [30:00]
C
He had a five game like Linsanity run.
- [30:02]
B
Yes, he wasn't actually.
- [30:03]
C
But then he stunk last year Joe Flacco.
- [30:05]
A
So he still threw. He, he. He got very lucky. He threw a lot of interceptions. He threw a lot more of. A lot more balls that should have been interception and were dropped in that five game stretch.
- [30:14]
B
Like the way the jets played the final game against. Against basically like me and you out there playing corner. But do you like is Rogers. Is there any chance like Brett Favian.
- [30:25]
C
Situation that part of season was in Minnesota was nuts.
- [30:28]
B
Okay.
- [30:29]
C
Now is Rogers done? I don't know if he's done. The problem was when he got hit for a couple of weeks last year he played clearly banged up and he was done then. So can the Steelers protect him well enough that he's healthy in October, November and December? I don't know.
- [30:42]
A
I mean we've had a lot of fun with Arthur Smith on this show and I think deservedly so. But I will tell you this. I actually think Arthur Smith is actually probably the right coordinator for Aaron Rodgers at this stage of his career because it is going to be run heavy. It is going to get the ball out quickly.
- [30:57]
C
It is going to check out every play.
- [30:59]
A
Well exactly. I mean if he, if he lets Arthur Smith actually call the game but.
- [31:02]
C
He checks out of so many plays.
- [31:04]
A
In all seriousness, Arthur Smith did a great job last year with Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Given what they have and the issues of Wilson when Wilson started checking out of it and just like if he just plays controlled and just like doesn't try to do hero ball but like again conservative ball control, quick throws, run the ball like again it's not exciting or interesting or fun for fantasy but from the NFL. Like again like, you know, Arthur Smith drives us crazy but like he's not a bad coordinator. He's just, it's just one that's boring.
- [31:34]
C
And he does some fantasy.
- [31:35]
A
He does some very peculiar things. Yeah. Some head scratching things.
- [31:38]
C
JSTabs. Only thing that worries me with John new is Aaron hasn't typically supported top five tight ends in his career. I think Tanyan had the best finish at tight end five or six once in Aaron's 20 year career. Let me say this, that's, that's not the topic. Johnny Smith doesn't need to be a top five tight end. Johnny Smith is being drafted right now as tight end 15 to 18.
- [31:57]
A
Right.
- [31:57]
C
So if you're like, oh I forgot to take a tight end, I need somebody to be tight end 11 or 10. Johnny Smith might be able to do that for you.
- [32:04]
A
Yeah. And here's my other argument. J Stabs. I'm stabbing you now. J Stabs. What I would say to you here is that think about Aaron Rodgers career. Where for, for, you know, you know how many tight ends is like, you know, okay, find Jamarko Finley maybe. But like for, for so many years he had Jordy Nelson and Devonte Adams and Peak Randall Cobb like he had elite, elite weapons around him at all times where the tight end didn't need to be a focus. Now he's looking at DK Metcalf and like what Calvin Austin, like what are we doing here? Like my argument is is that John Smith I would argue is the second best pass catcher that Aaron Rodgers is going to have on the Steelers unlike all those packers teams where they were just loaded at wide receiver. You know again you think about how good Jordy Nelson was for all those years and Devonte Adams and Randall Cobb was awesome for years and years and years.
- [32:54]
B
Rogers had a peak season in 2014 with the leading receiver or the leading tight end on his team was Andrew Qualus.
- [33:00]
C
Right.
- [33:01]
B
Completely forgot that guy existed. But yeah, it wasn't. It wasn't.
- [33:04]
A
Yeah.
- [33:04]
B
It's not he was playing with Antonio Gates back in his prime or anything.
- [33:07]
A
Yeah, no, I mean like J. Michael Finley was a thing for a moment.
- [33:10]
C
Right. And then he had, I think he had a neck injury. Yeah, he was very good.
- [33:12]
A
Yeah.
- [33:13]
C
Quickly, by the way, our Johnnu conversation has sparked a whole new combo in the chat because of what John O did in Miami last year about Darren Waller coming out of retirement playing for Miami. I mean that's got to Just be watching. Maybe add on waivers when you're real desperate one day, right?
- [33:29]
A
Regulars talking up the rapper Darren Waller.
- [33:31]
C
Yes, yes. That's his first career. Now second career is.
- [33:35]
A
I love Darren. Listen, Darren Waller is literally one of my favorite players in the NFL. I've interviewed him multiple times. I've been on his podcast. His story is amazing. And like one of my all time greatest calls of my career was the year Darren Waller, you know, came out of nowhere for the Raiders. That, you know, he was like my big sleeper from the combine. I was just like, guys, I know they have Jared Cook like that, like the Raiders big guy was Jared Cook. And I'm like, I know they have Jared Cook, but I think they're getting rid of Jared Cook. They have a kid named Darren Waller that no one's ever heard of that. I'm telling you, it's going to be a thing. And then of course he was a top five fantasy tight end. So I love Darren Waller, one of my favorite players of all time. But Chad Grant asking do I think he's a deep league bench stash? I don't mind it. I just think there are better guys that would probably Stash, like, let's see, he's been out of football. We just don't know what this Dolphins offense is going to look like. It'd have to be a very deep league. I'll tell you a tight end that I actually like more as a deep league stash. As long as we're talking about New York, Connor, and that's Mason Taylor of your Fighting Jets.
- [34:33]
C
Speaking of, could be the number two pass catcher in the offense theory that. Welcome back to it with the Jets. I mean it's Garrett Wilson and then maybe Breece hall as I'm talking pass catcher and then Mason Taylor, who they love, he's going to start, he's going to play all the snaps right away. So there is a world where Mason Taylor has some value as well.
- [34:50]
B
Jared Cook, by the way, caught the greatest pass of Aaron Rodgers career in that playoff game against Dallas, remember?
- [34:54]
A
That's right.
- [34:55]
B
Yeah. Also, last fun fact on Aaron Rodgers tight ends 2019. Aaron Rodgers won the MVP with Malfleur. His tight end won that year. Jimmy Graham. I wish I could believe he got 33 year old Jimmy Graham.
- [35:07]
A
I completely forgot that Jimmy Graham played there.
- [35:10]
C
Who are Aaron Rodgers tight ends? Is an all time trivia question. I can just fill them all out.
- [35:14]
B
There's a lot of Robin, Tanya and Mercedes Lewis.
- [35:16]
C
Mercedes Lewis.
- [35:17]
A
Mercedes Lewis. Yes.
- [35:19]
C
Yep.
- [35:19]
A
Oh, man. All right. There we go. All right. In the chat regulars, I would like to hear your favorite Aaron Rodgers tight end as we, as we move on. But yeah, no Mason Taylor, the kid out of lsu they like a lot like again other than Breeze hall. Like it's, it's Josh Reynolds, it's Alan Lazard. Like those are after Garrett Wilson. That's who they're competing with. So I do think, I actually think both New York football, I think all the New York football tight ends, Kincaid, Mason Taylor, Theo Johnson, all are interesting sleepers this year.
- [35:48]
C
Big Ten Saturday Night is back live next Saturday on NBC. And Peacock, we're kicking this season off from The Big House, New Mexico number 14, Michigan. Here comes Saturday night. We're taking our first break. When we're back, we got reactions from all the preseason week three action and a little talk about Terry McLaurin's new deal with the commanders right after this.
- [36:36]
B
Firestone Complete Auto Care's epic savings event is the sign you need to stop putting off your car's maintenance and you can save up to $100 on tires and services. While you're at it, don't wait. Call Firestone Complete Auto Care for an appointment.
- [36:50]
A
Comcast business helps retailers become seamlessly restocking frictionless paying favorite shopping destinations. It's how nationwide restaurants become touchscreen ordering quick serving eateries and how hospitals become the patient scanning, data managing healthcare facilities that we all depend on. With leading networking and connectivity, advanced cybersecurity and expert partnership, Comcast business is powering the engine of modern business, powering possibilities. Restrictions apply. And now a next level moment from AT&T business. Say you've sent out a gigantic shipment of pillows and they need to be.
- [37:25]
C
There in time for International Sleep day.
- [37:27]
A
You've got AT and T5G so you're fully confident, but the vendor isn't responding. And International Sleep Day is tomorrow.
- [37:33]
C
Luckily, AT&T 5G lets you deal with.
- [37:35]
A
Any issues with ease.
- [37:36]
C
So the pillows will get delivered and everyone can sleep soundly, especially you.
- [37:40]
A
AT&T 5G requires a compatible plan and device. Coverage not available everywhere. Learn more@att.com 5G Network.
- [37:51]
B
Just to be able to build the trust from the.
- [37:53]
A
Coaching staff and the offense as a.
- [37:55]
B
Whole, the play callers and then ultimately my teammates I think is a super.
- [37:59]
C
Big thing for as a rookie.
- [38:00]
A
Had you practiced that worm before?
- [38:02]
C
You were pretty good at that.
- [38:03]
B
I've done it a few times.
- [38:04]
A
I've never done it in the end.
- [38:05]
B
Zone before, so that was the first time for that.
- [38:07]
A
But it was kind of just I didn't really know what to do and.
- [38:09]
C
I was on the ground like, screw.
- [38:10]
B
It, I'll do the worm.
- [38:13]
C
That was Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac Tesla scored for the third straight game and now is in position to jump Tim Patrick as the wide receiver. 3.
- [38:23]
A
It's a great story.
- [38:24]
B
Tim Patrick's a great story.
- [38:26]
A
Tim Patrick'S also an amazing story. But like Tesla's a great story.
- [38:29]
C
Unbelievable. This is someone at Arkansas never had a huge. They played him in the slot despite being a massive wide receiver. So he played in the slot. It was a weird passing offense then, you know, he was kind of not overlooked through the draft. He did go to the Senior bowl, but he wasn't projected as a top 100 pick. The Lions, who are better than this at anyone, said, screw it, we're just going to take the player. They took him in the top 75. He's been one of the stars of the summer so far and now is legitimately like one Lions injury away in their pass catching group from being a very, very notable piece of this.
- [39:00]
A
Yeah, a very real chance that he at some point this season. Suspicion is that Tim Patrick will still be the wide receiver. 3. You know, we're just a veteran, everything like that. But like, like he's impressed by all accounts beloved and in the locker room and you could see him jumping Tim Patrick at some point this season. And to your point, should anything happen to Monroe St. Brown or Jameson Williams, you could see us. I could see a waiver wire Tuesday talking, talking up Isaac Tesla quite a bit. Interesting guy for Dynasty for sure.
- [39:29]
B
So rich man's Josh Reynolds type of role from a couple of years ago.
- [39:32]
A
Yep.
- [39:33]
C
A pretty big year.
- [39:33]
B
Quite had all the fumbles in the NFC title game and was never heard from again.
- [39:39]
C
We got to hear from Dan Campbell, though, specifically on how they could use Isaac Tesla early in the season.
- [39:45]
A
I'm very pleased, we're very pleased with where he's at after six weeks of camp because that's really what it's been.
- [39:51]
C
We just finished six weeks. So I would say if you took.
- [39:54]
A
Most receivers, he'd be in the upper echelon of those. As far as development, you know, he's.
- [40:01]
C
It's pretty good, you know, because it's not easy to develop as a receiver in this league and be ready to go.
- [40:06]
A
And I think there's a. I think there's a place for him to help.
- [40:09]
C
Us early in this season. That's right. Isaac Tesla, he drinks for free today. Kids earned it Just three years ago he was at Hillsdale College.
- [40:21]
A
Look at that picture, by the way. That's a good head of lettuce on this kid. I'm very jealous of him.
- [40:26]
C
He's got like a Cobra Kai like action figure kind of look going on.
- [40:29]
B
Young Matthew Berry.
- [40:31]
C
Yes, that's what I thought as well.
- [40:33]
A
It's a little bit like exactly. Kind of a bad guy in Cobra Kai. Just like, you know, just good looking. A lot of could be an actor.
- [40:39]
C
If this doesn't work out, but his NFL career is looking really, really promising right now. So, yeah, he could be a waiver wire midweek ad candidate throughout the week. How about Roma Dunesay at 27% target share? He has seen the most targets from Caleb Williams this preseason. Not D.J. moore, not the tight ends. It's been Roma Dunze.
- [40:58]
B
Very strange player to kind of get your head around Roma Dunesday, right? As he's a top 10 pick last year and then had had rookie season. But how much do we separate that from everything that was going on around him? And now he comes into this Ben Johnson offense. Where is there a chance he could be the wide receiver one in the offense? Like he was a top 10 pick? There has to be that chance. Even though we think it's gonna be DJ Moore and he's heavy favored to do that. But yeah, there's just a lot of moving pieces on this Bears offense and there's a huge range of outcomes.
- [41:23]
A
Well, so much was made about Ben Johnson coming into Chicago. And your job, Ben, your job is fix Caleb Williams. Make that right. Which makes sense. Right? And that's the priority and that's what he's been doing.
- [41:33]
C
Right?
- [41:33]
A
But you could certainly say it's like, oh, by the way, you also have this guy that, you know, a year ago was one of the best wide receivers in college football and was widely considered a top 10 pick. And that's what you guys used him, so fix him too, right? As a part of this. And so I don't put that much into the 27% target share other than the fact that, listen, DJ Moore is a veteran and he played with Caleb Williams last year and they sort of know what they have there. But I could see Ben Johnson saying, like, as part of me getting Caleb Williams right, I want to get Roma Dunze, right? So let's call some plays, let's script some stuff to make sure we get the ball in his hands and try to establish that connection. And certainly when you think about where Adunze is going in drafts, like no one is taking him at all. I Haven't really talked. People haven't talked about him as a sleeper.
- [42:16]
C
85Th is his ADP. He's not taken in the first 30 wide receivers. For perspective, his range of players is Chris Olave, Jerry Judy and Jordan Addison, who won't play three games to start the season.
- [42:30]
B
Do you think that I take the.
- [42:31]
C
Dunes A bet on those four guys?
- [42:33]
B
Do you think it's gone a little bit too far in terms of how Malik Neighbors and Brian Thomas Jr are viewed relative to Marvin Harrison and Roman Dunesay? Because it's like 12 months ago and I understand like, yeah, we take neighbors overall, those guys take BTJ second as well. But like those guys have been, you know, relatively written off compared to where they were last year with the Dunes.
- [42:51]
C
A, it does feel like it's gone too far because this offense was a disaster. Yes. And look at Ben Johnson. Ben Johnson knows how to get, you know, the most out of wide receivers as well. So I'm higher on a Dunes A than his drafted range of being the 33rd receiver.
- [43:04]
A
You're just betting, you're betting on a, you're betting on Ben Johnson, you're betting on a better year out of Caleb Williams and you're just betting on talent there. Like he didn't forget how to play wide receiver. You know, Odunza, yes, he had a bad rookie season but again that, that offense was a mess last year. One last note on the Bears pass catchers here. Luther Burden, who you know, again was a high draft pick but remains behind Alamede Zacchaeus, former Washington commander, is great.
- [43:29]
C
Zacchaeus future ring of honor.
- [43:31]
A
Yeah, exactly. Future ring of honor. But Zacchaeus is a guy that, whether it was at the Falcons, the Commanders that sort of always makes plays and anyway he currently is ahead of Luther Burden for that wide receiver three role with Chicago. But I do think Burden is a guy that like again, if you have a deep bench. We've seen this so many times where a rookie wide receiver over the second half of the year, it sort of clicks in for them. Burden feels like he's one of those guys like we like Zacchaeus but like there's a reason why they drafted Burton.
- [43:58]
C
It took Burton in the second round for a reason. He's had some nice moments this summer where you can kind of see the talent of why he once upon a time was thought as a future top 10 pick, not a second round pick. But I think, you know, expectations should be weighed down a little bit to start the season.
- [44:11]
B
Jay? Yeah, very interesting receiver room in general. Stun now he's going to show. As we mentioned before, they got two tight ends too. I think one random little thing is that if a Dunes aid starts the season poorly, kind of bodes well for Michael Pennix given that Jalen Polk has done nothing so far. Dunesay was not good last year. Yeah. So it's like all right, well is Michael Pannix just like an absolute superstar?
- [44:34]
C
I was a long time believer of that to be honest. I think a Dunes he's separated himself from a lot of those guys.
- [44:39]
B
But like Bo Nix, like Bo Nix's receivers have really lived up to expectation either and he's vastly exceeding them.
- [44:45]
A
Yeah. By the way, good segue there when you mentioned Bo Nix's college receivers because Marvin Mims played full time with the starters again. Troy Franklin, college receiver. College receiver for Bo Nix was the wide receiver 3. Pat Bryant the wide receiver 4. So we're getting more clarity in Denver as well. So again but to your point about like Bo Nixon's college receivers like Troy Franklin, we're still waiting on you know, Troy Franklin to do something here. Again he's the wide receiver three. Bryant was the four. But it is once again it looks like it's going to be Sutton and Mims on the outside for the Broncos and Bo Nicks.
- [45:18]
C
Yeah, I like this wide receiver room. I just think there's nobody really like out in front of the pack after Sutton. That's the problem with it. Franklin's a great deep threat. Marvin Mims can stretch the field. Pat Brian's the opposite. He's the possession guy but he's probably got the best hands on the team in terms of those short areas.
- [45:32]
B
Probably bodes well for Bryant that they were okay with moving on from the Vaughn Bailey.
- [45:36]
C
That's a really good call.
- [45:38]
A
Yeah, it really is. I've. I've just, I've always been obsessed with Marvin Mims and I just don't know why he can't get a full time role. I, I love the player, love the talent. I will say this. Cortland Sutton is the most boring guy going in the middle rounds that is going to have just a monster year like you see. Like again if you're expecting Bo Nicks to take another step forward, which we are or I am at least. Right. And you. Oh, it's a Sean Payton offense which is always fantasy friendly. Cortland Sutton's getting like a north of 40% target share. Like he is going to be a wide receiver one for a very good offense. And I don't know if it's just because like, you know, he's just sort of bounced around a little bit and he plays out west and you know, every week he makes one crazy highlight catch. But I just, I think Cortland son is going to just have a huge year and massively outproduce ADP.
- [46:23]
C
Yeah, he's kind of like the DeAndre Swift of wide receivers. Nobody really is excited to take him. Then you look at the volume and where he finishes at the end of the year and you're like, wow, he's very productive to where I got him.
- [46:31]
B
This is, quarterbacks have been like he's Drew Locke. Stuff like this hasn't until Bo Nix came along, he doesn't really have that report and it didn't like Russell Wilson just didn't really kind of happen there either. So this is the breakout.
- [46:42]
A
I have a ton of Cortland Sutton this year. Really excited.
- [46:45]
C
Our last bit of wide receiver news. Congrats, Matthew. Terry McCloran back in the fold. Three year extension, $96 million up to $96 million. So Terry McLaurin we're going to do, we're going to have plenty of more wide receiver news tomorrow when we do our full positional preview. But you have to feel good not just for Terry McLaurin and the commanders, but for Jaden Daniels, that this is done.
- [47:04]
A
This is, this is great for the Washington offense, it's great for Jaden Daniels and it's great for Terry McLaurin. One of the, you know, when I tweeted this out or retweeted the news, you know, some of the questions like, yeah, but is he in shape? Yes. Terry McLaurin by all accounts has been working out very hard. He's been, he's been with a team and while he's sort of, it's been a little bit of a hold in, he's familiar with the offense. He's still in very good shape. There was no real, real injury. It was more contract related as well. And so I think he steps right into the role that he had last year. Now you do have Debo Samuel there as well. So there's increased target competition and he got, I don't know if he got lucky but like his touchdowns last year were at a career high, you know, much big. He's never been a huge touchdown scorer. Now I get it, the quarterbacks between Jaden Daniels and everyone else he's had is a wide gap there. But I think he's like, I think he's a top 30ish wide receiver. We'll break it down more, but I think he's basically right inside the top 30. I think he's a wide receiver. Three is what he is this year. But I think this is great for the commander's offense. I think it's going to open up more stuff for Deebo Samuel and obviously, you know, Jayden Daniels is my number three quarterback who has a real shot at being the number one QB in fantasy this year.
- [48:11]
C
Let's talk about some of the backfield rotations coming out of week three of the preseason here, guys. And there's a lot of talk about the ugly backfields in the NFL. We start with the Browns, Dylan Sampson and Jerome Ford. They split work evenly with Joe Flacco in the game. Matthew. So I mean this is one of those things where Quinshawn Judkins, it's gonna be a while. And now you have wait.
- [48:29]
A
Yeah, the Judkins thing is so weird because he still hasn't officially signed. Right. So he's been cleared of the criminal case against him has been dropped.
- [48:39]
C
But the NFL investigation is ongoing. Is ongoing.
- [48:42]
A
But we've seen other guys that have been, you know, where an NFL investigation's ongoing and they've been with a team and so I don't know. Point is, is that I don't mind Judkins as a late round stash, but if you're drafting a starting running back of the Browns, it's really a split between Sampson and Ford. I prefer Sampson just because I figure there's going to be more touchdown equity. But basically with Joe Flacco in the game, with the starters in the game, it was split evenly between Sampson and ford. Looks like D.J. giddens is going to be the number two Colts running back. He's won the backup to Jonathan Taylor job as well. And Kendra Miller the favorite to be the number two behind Alvin Kamara.
- [49:20]
C
Yeah, Kendra Miller, you know, somebody that the Saints have been waiting for him to get going for a while. We got to hear Kellen Moore on just how well he thinks Miller has played this summer. A player they've been waiting to break out.
- [49:31]
B
Kendry has just had a really steady entire offseason. I thought he's done a phenomenal job. Training camps, he's just been consistent week in and week out. These games. I thought he's been. He runs really, really hard. He's a physical player. We like what we've seen. He has tremendous work ethic. He's really focused on this opportunity. You can just feel it. I think his preparation that has gone into this thing.
- [49:51]
A
He's put a ton of time and effort into it. He, he handles a lot of volume.
- [49:55]
B
And I think that's really, really valuable. When you're behind Alvin, we're going to ask you to do a few different things and you have to be ready to hop in here and there. And so, you know, whatever's happened in the past, I don't really care about because what we've seen has been awesome.
- [50:08]
A
That's great.
- [50:08]
C
Yes.
- [50:09]
B
Love to hear it.
- [50:09]
C
Saints finally getting a good feel summer at Kendra Miller.
- [50:13]
A
It's taken a while. It's been taken a while. He's had an inconsistent career in New Orleans, but new coaching staff feels like, like getting Kendra up to speed and so we like the talent.
- [50:23]
C
How about some rookie running backs? Rashard Smith played as RB3 behind Pacheco and Hunt. This feels like someone Matthew, that could have maybe some past game work or some kind of role at some point.
- [50:32]
A
Yeah, especially second half of the season. I don't know that. You know, again, Pacheco is so fascinating because he was so good. Then he got injured and came back last year and looked like he was just running in mud. Kareem Hunt wasn't anything spectacular last year. He was just better than Pacheco. But it does feel like Smith, who has just, you know, some explosiveness there that Pacheco and Hunt don't have. It would be interesting to see could he have the Jerick McKinnon role in this offense a little bit to start out and they try to use him as a pass catcher a little bit and then at some point we'll see how that plays out. But you know, just an interesting guy for the second half of the year.
- [51:07]
C
Jakory Kroskey Merit the bill hype continues, fellas. It just feels like like Jay, he might be just be the commander starting running back before we know it. I mean didn't play held out with a lot of starters right now. Obviously Austin Eckler is there and they like Chris Rodriguez, but the JCM hype, it just feels like it's rolling and getting bigger every day.
- [51:26]
B
Yeah, it's a very good indicator, much as it was for Pat Bryant. With the Broncos moving on from Devon Vale. The fact that they were able to just like banish Brian Robinson just didn't seem they were already talking about Brian Robson like he wasn't on the team before they traded him because. And some of that has to be informed a little bit by confidence in jcm. So look, it's going to be a committee. He's not going to get 20 carries a game, but he's probably the running back that you feel best about in this backfield.
- [51:50]
A
Now, sometimes you get information in preseason games by who plays and how much they play, but sometimes you get information by who doesn't play. Again, you mentioned Jakory Crosky. Merritt did not play as they rested a bunch of starters. Washington did. It's worth noting that Nick Chubb Chubb rested for the Texans. He did not play. Damian Pierce started and played two drives and Blake Corum he also did not play with as the Rams rested their starters. Jarquez Hunter played three drives. So it feels like Chubb over Pierce in Houston behind Mixon. And again, we don't know Mixon's availability for week one. And then so the Chubbler. The original Chubbler.
- [52:26]
B
The original Chubbler of the oc. Yeah, the original Chubby.
- [52:29]
A
The original Chubby left behind there. And and for those who are looking for an insurance back to Kyron Williams looks like Corum over Hunter for right now.
- [52:38]
C
For all of our real sicko regulars out there, you can catch multiple draft season marathons of fantasy football happy hour over the next few weeks. That includes next Sunday at 9am and a mammoth 12 hour marathon on August 31st. That's all for free on the I'm.
- [52:54]
A
Just gonna tell you this. If anyone can prove that they watched all all this marathon like all on Sunday, August 31, which is Labor Day weekend. If you somehow prove that you watch that, we will put your name up. You will drop free here and we will put your name or a photo of you up somewhere here on the set. So that's a shout out to all the regulars. Can you prove that you watched one of our draft season marathons on the NBC Sports now channel?
- [53:17]
C
We're taking our last break. One more back we're looking at the odds for the AFC west potential winner. For years everyone thought Verizon had the best network because they did. But now the best mobile network in the US is T Mobile. T Mobile's network has the most advanced 5G with more towers and their signal reaches further than ever.
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B
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A
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C
DraftKings is the official daily fantasy partner of the NFL, and right now all Pick Six customers can play free for a share of DraftKings biggest bag ever. Hit all six picks for your cut of $1 million or more. Just download the Pick Six app and use promo code FFP HH when you sign up. Ride the upside with Pixit. It's time for last Call. Let's take a look at the AFC west odds, courtesy of our friends at DraftKings. Jay, anything bold here? Betting against Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid?
- [55:31]
B
No, I'm just going to bet on Patrick Mahomes and andy Reid at minus 115 to win the division. What I will say though, first 10 weeks, Chiefs have to play the following teams. Eagles, Ravens, Lions, Chargers, Washington, Buffalo, Denver. I'd wait until midseason season to back them.
- [55:44]
C
I like that. I like the -115 number. I don't think it's a crazy number though. I'm with you. I'm going to take the chalk. Take the Chiefs.
- [55:49]
A
Just to be contrarian here, the Broncos at plus 350. The defense is as good as there is in the NFL. If we think Bo Nix takes another step, as we do. And so you know, listen, at some point the Chiefs run has to end. They're still going to make the playoffs, but could they miss the division title? I think there's a chance. I think Denver's got a shot. They were like a missed field goal away from beating them last. You know, that's a blast. Stock field, go. It's closing time. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here for Jane Conner, I'm Matthew Berry. We will see tomorrow live at noon right here on the tube. Peace out.
- [56:27]
B
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C
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