Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry

Episode: Week 15 Start/Sit: Justin Herbert, Ashton Jeanty, Terry McLaurin + Colts sign Philip Rivers (December 10, 2025)

Overview

This episode dives deep into a chaotic and newsworthy week in fantasy football, blending humor, pop culture tangents, and in-depth analysis. Matthew Berry and his co-hosts focus on Week 15 start/sit conundrums—especially the shock signing of Philip Rivers by the Colts—alongside frank breakdowns of stars like Justin Herbert, Ashton Jeanty, Breece Hall, Tony Pollard, and Terry McLaurin. The episode blends practical fantasy advice with lively banter on everything from Disney movie story arcs to season-long league drama.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Philip Rivers Signs with the Colts—What Does It Mean for Fantasy?

• Announcement & Initial Reaction

  • Philip Rivers, age 44, joins the Colts’ practice squad and could start this week vs. Seattle.
  • Jay Croucher predicts Rivers will start, noting a switch to three full practices signals intent ([02:04]).
  • The crew jokes about the movie-like nature of the move and Rivers' motivation ("He’s clearly just trying to get out of the house and dealing with all the kids." – Connor, [08:31]).

• Fantasy Impact

  • Rivers' signing injects “maximum variance,” making the Colts' game against Seattle highly unpredictable.
  • Matthew: Concerned about Rivers' ability to withstand NFL hits, noting it's his physical resilience (not his arm) that’s in question ([09:29]).
  • Jay: "I think he'll be better than Riley Leonard would be my take going forward. I think it’s actually good news for the pass catchers on the Colts." ([09:20])
  • Pass-catcher take: Michael Pittman remains a startable WR3; Jonathan Taylor owners should temper expectations, but you’re still starting him ([12:03]).

• Comeback Player of the Year Odds

  • Rivers jumps to third favorite before even being named starter; Jay laments his bets on McCaffrey but sees why bookmakers are jumpy after the Joe Flacco award shocker ([06:01]).
  • “He hasn’t played a down in over four years…and they haven’t even named him the starter.” – Matthew ([07:01])

2. Start/Sit Panic: Key Fantasy Players

Justin Herbert

• Ranked QB18 for the week—clearly a “sit” given the state of the Chargers’ offensive line and lack of passing volume ([14:18]).
• "Justin Herbert is QB27 since week 10 in points per game. That is not good." – Matthew Berry ([14:22])
• “Offensive line is just completely untenable. It’s not competitive…He had 66 rushing yards and was still unplayable in fantasy.” – Jay Croucher ([15:39])

Ashton Jeanty

• Big disappointment relative to draft-day hype but “keeping it open” as a mid-tier RB2 due to lack of alternatives and continued passing-game work ([18:33]).
• “If there’s a positive here...they’ve started opening up that [passing] piece of his skill set and going against the Eagles…that’s helpful.” – Matthew ([18:33])

Breece Hall

• Sit/close it out this week (RB23 in ranks). Jags have allowed the fewest rush yards per game; Jets QB uncertainty kills upside ([21:16]).
• “For a team that’s constantly losing script…it doesn’t make sense that they don’t use him more as a receiver.” – Connor ([22:10])

Tony Pollard

• One-off RB2 finish in Week 14 deemed fluky; not a recommended start vs. the 49ers (RB29 this week).
• "Last week was the first time he’s had 15 points in a game this season…He broke the long one, but yeah, I’m closing it out." – Connor ([24:03])

Terry McLaurin

• “Keeping it open” due to favorable matchup vs. Giants, who have allowed a TD to a WR in seven straight ([28:13]).
• “McLaurin is the guy that gets the majority of the work…” – Connor ([28:26])

Devonta Smith

• Considered a high-floor WR3, low-end WR2 due to target share and Raiders matchup ([29:23]).
• "This is an offense that now needs to pass because they cannot run." – Jay ([30:29])

Khalil Shakir

• “Closing it out” – low volume and lacking big plays; WR40 for the week ([32:06]).

3. League & Locker Room Banter

• Inside jokes about the show’s staff fantasy league, playoff bracket drama, and producer beefs ([39:33]–[41:53]).
• Offers a window into the personalities behind the expert personas.

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Philip Rivers:
  "We prefer him on the road at Seattle than you, Riley Leonard, who’s been in camp since the beginning of the year." – Connor ([03:54])
• On Herbert’s struggles:
  “He had 66 rushing yards and was still unplayable in fantasy.” – Jay ([15:39])
• On Fantasy Hope vs. Reality:
  "I mean, if the Jets score six points in this game, no one would be surprised." – Matthew ([22:24])
• On Blind Date Segment Mishap:
  "This segment’s in the toilet. Totally in the toilet." – Matthew ([44:22])

Back to the Futures: Betting & Award Markets ([48:48]–[51:49])

• Coach of the Year:
  Jay is staked out on Kyle Shanahan (+1600), calling him his “white whale” ([48:54]).
• Rivers Comeback Player of the Year:
  Connor puts a fun flyer on Rivers (+1800): “If Joe Flacco won it for just being on his couch for two months, what about Phil Rivers…four years?”
• Raiders Under 2.5 Wins:
  Matthew bets the Raiders will not win another game, seeing them as favorites for the #1 overall pick.

Pop Culture & Off-Topic Highlights

• Finding Nemo Story Pitch:
  Matthew Berry shares his rejected alternate Finding Nemo sequel concept (Nemo has a secret brother), drawing both amusement and affectionate groans from fans and listeners ([24:44]–[28:06], revisited at [50:11]).
• Colts Season Compared to Disney Movie:
  “Hopefully instead of Nemo dying, it ends with the Colts winning the AFC South. Somehow.” – Jay ([02:13])
• Old QBs Club:
  Banter on NFL teams resurrecting veteran QBs and the fictional “driving at night” trope for Rivers ([12:06]).

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:37] – Show rundown, announcement that “Blind Date” segment returns
• [02:04]–[13:24] – Philip Rivers/Colts signing breakdown and fantasy fallout
• [14:18]–[24:03] – Start/Sit: Justin Herbert, Ashton Jeanty, Breece Hall, Tony Pollard
• [28:13]–[32:21] – Start/Sit: Terry McLaurin, Devonta Smith, Khalil Shakir
• [39:33]–[43:23] – Listener/League banter & producer jokes
• [43:24]–[47:12] – “Blind Date”: Mystery player comparisons
• [48:48]–[51:49] – Futures & prop bets: Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Raiders win total
• [24:44] & [50:11] – The infamous Finding Nemo sequel pitch

Summary Table: Week 15 Key Player Recommendations

| Player | Recommendation | Notable Justification/Quote | |------------------|---------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------| | Philip Rivers | High-variance start | “It’s good news for pass catchers…most interesting story in NFL” ([04:47]) | | Justin Herbert | Sit/Low QB2 | “QB27 since Week 10 in points/g…”; OL issues | | Ashton Jeanty | Flex | “Passing game usage…RB17 this week…keeping it open” ([18:33]) | | Breece Hall | Flex/Bench | “Low-end RB2 unless Tyrod starts. Closing it out.” ([22:30]) | | Tony Pollard | Bench | “First time all season with 15+ points last week—fluky.” ([24:03]) | | Terry McLaurin | WR2/Flex | “Keeping it open due to Giants matchup” ([28:26]) | | Devonta Smith | WR2/Flex | “High-end WR3, low-end WR2 depending on the league size.” | | Khalil Shakir | Bench | "Hard to start…not getting it done volume wise." ([32:10]) | | Theo Johnson | TE streamer | “Keeping it open as TE10—rapport with Dart, plus matchup.” |

Tone & Language

The episode’s tone is the signature Fantasy Football Happy Hour cocktail: deadpan sarcasm, rapid-fire wit, and self-deprecating humor. There’s a spirit of camaraderie, plus sidebars into pop culture and listener engagement threads that keep even non-fantasy diehards entertained.

Final Note

This Week 15 episode is a must-listen for fantasy footballers—especially those facing tough start/sit calls or those who simply enjoy the unpredictable, absurd, and communal nature of the fantasy football grind.