Fantasy Football Happy Hour with Matthew Berry

Episode: Week 15 Takeaways — TreVeyon Henderson, Trevor Lawrence + Patrick Mahomes tears ACL
Date: December 15, 2025
Hosts: Matthew Berry, Connor Rogers, Jay Croucher
Special Focus: Week 15 NFL and Fantasy Football Impact

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the huge Week 15 NFL slate, highlighted by Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending ACL tear, key injuries to star players, fantasy playoff implications, and breakout performances (notably TreVeyon Henderson and Trevor Lawrence). The trio combines game analysis, actionable fantasy advice, and their trademark playful banter, covering waiver wire moves, rest-of-season outlooks, and the shifting NFL landscape.

Key Discussion Points

1. Patrick Mahomes’ Season-Ending Injury

Segment Start: 02:27

• News: Mahomes suffers a torn ACL, ending his season and eliminating the Chiefs from playoff contention.

• Fantasy Fallout: Who to start in Mahomes’ absence? Gardner Minshew takes over, but isn't a plug-and-play. Questions surround the value of Chiefs' other skill players, notably Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice.

• NFL Impact: Universal sympathy for Mahomes, regarded as football’s "Roger Federer or Tiger Woods" (Jay Croucher, 03:44). Losing both Mahomes and Micah Parsons in one day is described as “brutal”.

  “It is brutal...I feel like Patrick Mahomes is one of those guys that has universal appeal, just universal approval rating. Who doesn’t like Patrick?” — Matthew Berry, 02:54

Fantasy Advice:
Tune in to their Waiver Wire show for replacements; Minshew is not an automatic start given Chiefs' overall struggles.

2. Playoff & Division Implications from Injuries

Segment Start: 05:33

• Micah Parsons’ injury shakes up NFC North and Packers’ playoff odds, especially with other injuries to Christian Watson.

• Rams & NFC West: Devante Adams’ hamstring jeopardizes the Rams for Thursday Night Football. Short turnaround likely means Adams will sit, boosting Puka Nacua’s value.

  “Puka Nakua. How many targets can one man get? We’re about to find out.” — Jay Croucher, 06:41

3. Officiating Woes and Inconsistencies

Segment Start: 07:27

• Discussion on confusing replays and inconsistencies in NFL officiating, particularly relating to pass interference and possession rules.

• The lack of universal standards leads to unpredictable outcomes.

  “I don’t pretend to understand how things are officiated...the biggest issue with officiating in America is that refs do it all differently.” — Matthew Berry, 07:28

4. Fantasy Studs & Breakout Performances

A. TreVeyon Henderson — Patriots

Segment Start: 08:30

• Trend: Henderson’s explosive, Saquon Barkley-esque runs continue, averaging 17 touches and a significant target share since Ramondre Stevenson returned.

• Award Race: Now considered a favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year due to high-profile, primetime performances.

• 2026 Draft Outlook: Projected RB12 by the hosts if drafting today.

  “It’s finally like ‘Free TreVeyon Henderson’…this is what happens when you free TreVeyon Henderson.” — Matthew Berry, 08:56

B. James Cook & Bills Running Game

• Both Cook and Henderson top 30 fantasy points in a comeback win over New England.

C. Trevor Lawrence’s Historic Day

Segment Start: 22:18

• Performance: First QB in NFL history with 5 passing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, and 50+ rushing yards in a game.
• ETN on Lawrence: “I don’t think I ever seen Trev like this...he’s on fire, man.” — Travis Etienne, 22:44
• Future Outlook: Despite the monster performance, caution is advised for his Week 16 road matchup at Denver.

D. Rams’ Offense Rolls, Adams’ Injury Cloud

Segment Start: 14:23

• Sean McVay's Pessimism: Devante Adams’ chances to play Thursday look slim.
• Fantasy Shifts: Puka Nacua and Colby Parkinson see bumps; Kyren Williams’ role slightly reduced by Blake Corum getting more snaps (still start-worthy but with tempered expectations).

E. Lions’ Passing Game — St. Brown and Jameson Williams

Segment Start: 19:42

• Amon-Ra St. Brown: Scores the most fantasy points by a WR in a game this season and two of the top three in 2025.
• Jameson Williams: Finally a fantasy WR1, now seeing consistent targets and producing since Dan Campbell took over play-calling.

5. Fantasy Disappointments & Surprises

Segment Start: 31:41

• Surprising quiet weeks for some stars (Jameer Gibbs, Derrick Henry, Jamar Chase), while lesser-knowns like Trey McBride (TE2 this week) and Michael Wilson for Arizona explode.

• CJ Stroud has solid week, but Texans offense "still very strange" with injury chaos in their backfield; mention of Jawhar Jordan improbably surfacing.

  “Jawar Jordan, welcome to the conversation as well. It is a weird offense.” — Matthew Berry, 34:31

Notable Quotes & Banter

• On Jay Croucher’s movie spoiler habit:

  “Jay’s plan is to slowly but surely ruin every single movie until only Magnolia is left...” — Matthew Berry, 01:49

• On drinks with McVay vs. Croucher:

  “I’m gonna say the romantic Italian dinner with Crouch was better...” — Matthew Berry, 18:22

Notable Timestamps & Segments

• 02:27 — Mahomes injury & Chiefs fallout
• 06:41 — Devante Adams injury; Puka Nakua target share
• 08:30 — Bills comeback, Henderson & Cook shine
• 14:50 — McVay on Adams’ hamstring; Rams fantasy impact
• 19:42 — Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams surge
• 22:18 — Trevor Lawrence’s record game & what’s next
• 31:41 — TE explosion: Trey McBride, Kyle Pitts, Dalton Schultz
• 36:07 — Cardinals quarterback & offseason plans debate

Actionable Fantasy Advice

Waiver Wire & Start/Sit

• Chiefs: Gardner Minshew takes over, but KC skill players are downgraded.
• Rams: Add Colby Parkinson if Higby remains out; Puka Nakua becomes target monster with Adams likely out.
• Texans: Watch Jawhar Jordan status if Woody Marks misses time.
• Patriots/Bills: TreVeyon Henderson and James Cook are top fantasy starters; avoid Pats pass-catchers except Drake May.

Rest-of-Season

• TreVeyon Henderson: RB1/2 rest of season, top-12 potential for 2026 drafts.
• Amon-Ra St. Brown/Jameson Williams: Set-and-forget WRs.
• Kyren Williams: Temper expectations with increased RB committee usage.
• Jameer Gibbs: Lower expectations due to O-Line and workload.
• Breece Hall: Bench if possible; usage plummeting.
• Trevor Lawrence: Strong but matchup-dependent QB1; "not a lock" against Denver.

Memorable Moments

• Berry & Croucher’s “forbidden love” bit:

  "A Brokeback fantasy of Jay and I...it is. It’s an unspoken love and one that continues to burn bright.” — Matthew Berry, 18:53

• Deep dive on NFL officiating and how all refs see things differently, likened to baseball’s strike zone nuances.

• Rapid-fire endorsement of the George Kittle (future) show, and lively debate about snacks, drinks, and podcast camaraderie.

• Discussion on how the Saints’ Chris Olave is quietly a PPR star due to Tyler Shuck’s emergence.

Closing Summary

This episode encapsulates the chaos and drama of a pivotal fantasy football playoff week: star quarterbacks and All-Pro defenders going down, unexpected backups shining, and classic fantasy heartbreaks delivered by underperforming studs. Listeners walk away with essential context on how injuries and emerging talents will shape lineups for the crucial fantasy semifinals, plus a generous portion of locker room banter and long-running inside jokes.

Next Up: Waiver wire pickups, deeper injury analysis, and playoff preview on tomorrow’s show.

For More In-depth Rankings and Lineup Decisions:
Catch the video version on Peacock and NFL on NBC’s YouTube.
Follow Matthew Berry, Connor Rogers, and Jay Croucher for real-time updates.