Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry

Episode: Week 11 Love/Hate: Ashton Jeanty, DeVonta Smith, DK Metcalf, Justin Herbert
Release Date: November 13, 2025
Host: Matthew Berry (NBC Sports), with Jay Croucher & Lawrence Jackson

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into Matthew Berry’s “Love/Hate” analysis for Week 11, spotlighting key players for your fantasy football lineups. The crew banters about language blunders, reveals their favorite and least favorite positional matchups, and hands out actionable start/sit advice with their signature wit. Notable names include Ashton Jeanty, DeVonta Smith, DK Metcalf, and Justin Herbert, but the episode travels the entire landscape of fantasy-relevant players, with a focus on running backs and wide receivers. The show features plenty of playful moments, practical insight, and detailed discussion—in true “Happy Hour” spirit.

Banter & Language Fun

[00:01–03:30]

• The episode kicks off with a lighthearted discussion on Matthew Berry's notorious mispronunciations (“boyo’d” instead of “buoyed”), prompting playful ribbing from Jay and Lawrence.

• The team jokes about learning new words during the show, recapping past Berry gaffes and how live TV can lead to a “butchering” of the English language.

  “English is my second language. Everyone knows this.” – Matthew Berry (01:15)
  “I come here to learn words… it wasn’t until Fantasy Football Happy Hour that I learned the word eviscerated.” – Lawrence Jackson (02:23)

Running Backs: Love/Hate Analysis

Ashton Jeanty: Star of the Week

[03:49–05:42]

• Berry’s Take: Jeanty faces Dallas and averages 19 touches/game with a 15% target share.
• Dallas Defense Stat: RBs with at least 15 touches vs Dallas are averaging 130 scrimmage yards; Dallas has given up 30+ fantasy points to RBs in 4 of their last 6 games.
• Fantasy Advice:

  “Ergo, ipso facto… Ashton Jeanty makes the love list. He’s my running back 7.” – Matthew Berry (05:38)

Rico Dowdle: Reliable Workhorse

[06:56–07:50]

• Lawrence: Dowdle gets the Falcons, who surrendered 244 rushing yards to Jonathan Taylor. “Great matchup… he’s going to get north of 20 touches and you love that.”
• The Falcons' latest collapse and coaching future are critiqued—“too much talent… to be 3 and 7.”

Jalen Warren: The Bengal Buster

[09:34–10:58]

• Berry’s Stat Dump:

  “Bengals give up 185 scrimmage yards [and] 33.5 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields... When Jalen Warren played Cincinnati in Week 7, he had 158 scrimmage yards.” – Matthew Berry (09:43)

• Team Consensus: Start any RB facing the Bengals.

Other 'Love List' Backs

[11:13–13:18]

• Kymani Vidal gets a favorable Jags matchup after their run D collapse.
• Chase Brown: “Since Joe Flacco became starter…11th best RB in fantasy—with full workload expected.” (11:58)
• Woody Marks (playing the porous Titans run D).
• Sean Tucker (deep league option if desperate; limited upside vs Bills).

Hate List Running Backs

Kenneth Walker III

[13:39–14:55]

• Berry: “Since Week 5, he’s RB41 in fantasy points/game. He’s averaging 1.3 targets/game. The Rams allow the fewest points to RBs.”
• Advice: Sit Walker even in deep formats: “You still would not start Ken Walker.”

Commanders RBs

[15:13–16:12]

• Jay: “One of the strangest subplots... the Dolphins are suddenly an elite run defense. No interest in Commanders RBs.”

Jets’ Breece Hall

[16:27–17:42]

• Lawrence: “Pats allow the fourth fewest points to RBs—no RB has run for more than 53 yds vs them. Hall’s hope is through receiving work.”

Wide Receivers & Pass Catchers: Love/Hate

Devonta Smith versus A.J. Brown

[22:01–22:51, 33:29–36:05]

• Jay on Smith:

  “Devonta Smith has clearly surpassed [A.J. Brown] as the number one wide receiver in this offense.” (22:11)

• Berry: “Since week 7, 41% target share… He’s my WR13 and has outscored A.J. Brown in six of eight games together.”
• Lawrence: “If you took A.J. Brown in fantasy, you simply took the wrong Eagles receiver.”

DK Metcalf: Can the Bengals Cure Him?

[22:54–23:55]

• Jay: “If there’s anything that can cure DK Metcalf, it’s the Bengals defense… bad in every way.”
• Lawrence: “He’ll get 4-5 catches, 110-125 yards—they’re susceptible to that.”

Jalen Waddle

[17:42–18:33]

• Berry: “He’s averaging 16 fantasy points/game since Tyreek Hill went down. Commanders have given up 20+ to a WR four straight games.”

Other Notable Targets

[18:51–20:44, 26:03–27:30]

• Zay Flowers: Consistent yardage, and faces a Browns D more vulnerable to WRs than reputation suggests.
• Tee Higgins: With Joe Flacco, 8+ target games and four TDs in three games; Steelers allow most yards to perimeter WRs.
• Khalil Shakir, Greg Dortch, Kyle Pitts, Cade Otten: Each called out as startable in deeper or injury-plagued situations, with supporting target share stats.

Hate List Wide Receivers

[28:51–30:40, 33:29–36:05]

• Xavier Worthy: Target share and deep plays down since Rashee Rice returned. Denver allows the second lowest deep ball completion rate.
• Jameson Williams: “Eagles defense is a different animal to the Commanders.”
• A.J. Brown:

  “If you got me in fantasy, get rid of me.” – A.J. Brown (33:38, 34:01)
  Berry & Lawrence agree: “You just took the wrong Eagles receiver this year.”

Quarterbacks: Love/Hate

Love List

[41:25–47:41]

• Drake Maye: “He’s been nothing short of fantastic… He comes in as your QB3 ahead of Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.” (41:25)
• Berry: “When Patriots score at least 25, Maye gets at least 24 [fantasy points]. NE is tied for highest implied team total.”
• Tua Tagovailoa: “Commanders have allowed QBs 264+ yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs in four straight games. If Tua’s going to get back to big fantasy days, this is it.” (44:34)
• Justin Herbert: “No team has allowed more points to QBs since week 5 than the Jags. Four straight QBs with 26+ points.” (46:14)
• Marcus Mariota (Streamer): Dolphins allow the second most rushing TDs to QBs; viable in superflex.

Hate List

[48:28–50:44]

• Bo Nix: “Since week 6, he’s 30th in yards/pass attempt. Chiefs’ D is healthy, coming off a bye—no thank you.” (48:28)
• Trevor Lawrence: “Chargers allow third fewest points to QBs. Lawrence has two TDs and two INTs in last three.”
• Jared Goff: Avoid vs the reinvigorated Eagles D.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The Bengals, they bone you. Unless you have a running back going against them, in which case they anti-bone you.” – Matthew Berry (10:47)
• “If you got me in fantasy, get rid of me. Like, I couldn’t appreciate that more as a fantasy manager.” – Lawrence Jackson, citing A.J. Brown (33:38)
• “Jalen Waddle is my WR11… Once you see the Commanders pass defense live, it’s a comedy sketch.” – Matthew Berry (17:59)
• “I come here to learn words… it wasn’t until Fantasy Football Happy Hour I learned the word eviscerated.” – Lawrence Jackson (02:23)
• “If you took A.J. Brown in fantasy, you took the wrong Eagles receiver.” – Lawrence Jackson (35:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Banter & Language: 00:01–03:30
• RB Love/Hate (Jeanty, Dowdle, Warren): 03:49–10:58
• WR Love/Hate (Smith, Metcalf, Waddle): 17:42–23:55, 22:11–22:51
• QB Love/Hate (Maye, Herbert, Tua): 41:25–47:41
• Hate List (Walker, Commanders RBs, A.J. Brown): 13:39–17:42, 33:29–36:05
• Best Bets: 53:28–55:30

Best Bets & Final Thoughts

[53:28–55:51]

• Jay: Patriots -12.5; expects a blowout.
• Lawrence: Breece Hall over 3 receptions, citing inevitable negative game script and lack of other pass catchers.
• Matthew: Mack Hollins over 37.5 receiving yards; expects deep targets with Diggs/Douglas commanding attention.

Summary

This energetic, sharp-witted episode is packed with actionable fantasy football advice for Week 11—especially for those grappling with difficult start/sit decisions at RB and WR. Statistical deep dives, lively debate, and evergreen Berry-isms make it essential listening (or reading) for any fantasy manager hoping for a playoff push. The show’s intertwined humor and insight highlight Ashton Jeanty, Devonta Smith, DK Metcalf, and Justin Herbert as focal points, with a clear directive: lean into good matchups and avoid struggling stars where warranted, no matter the name value.

For a full list of rankings, check Matthew Berry’s written column at NBCSports.com as referenced in the show’s close.