Are Najee Harris, Javonte Williams and Anthony Richardson All Winners? Free Agency Day Two Recap! (03/11 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Fantasy Football Today – "Are Najee Harris, Javonte Williams and Anthony Richardson All Winners? Free Agency Day Two Recap!" (03/11 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Release Date: March 11, 2025
Host/Authors: Adam Aizer, Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, Heath Cummings, and the CBS Sports Fantasy Football Team

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Fantasy Football Today, the CBS Sports fantasy football team delves into the second day of free agency, evaluating key player movements and their implications for fantasy leagues. The discussion is anchored by host Adam Aizer, alongside analysts Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, and Heath Cummings. Key topics include the signings of Najee Harris by the Los Angeles Chargers, Javonte Williams by the Dallas Cowboys, and the quarterback competition between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones for the Indianapolis Colts.

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Free Agency Day Two Recap

Najee Harris to the Los Angeles Chargers

Najee Harris has been acquired by the Los Angeles Chargers, positioning him as a reliable RB2 option for fantasy managers. Heath Cummings highlights Harris's consistency and safety:

Heath Cummings [18:36]: "He offers stability and safety... he's the only running back in the last four years to play all 68 games."

Despite concerns about his explosiveness and past performance metrics, Harris's role in a stable Chargers offense makes him a valuable pick.

Javonte Williams to the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys have secured Javonte Williams, a move that sparks mixed reactions. Dave Richard expresses skepticism about Williams's ability to return to his pre-injury form:

Dave Richard [31:16]: "I'm scared that he's just not ever going to be the guy who we saw at North Carolina... I don't know if it's ever really going to work."

While Williams possesses versatility as both a runner and pass catcher, his previous ACL injury raises questions about his long-term impact.

Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones Competition

The Colts face a quarterback showdown between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones. The panel debates Richardson's potential and Jones's resurgence:

Dave Richard [09:55]: "I would be very nervous to take him in a super flex league... if he can pull a Josh Allen or a Jalen Ertz... he's going to end up being fantastic."

While Richardson shows promise with his dual-threat capabilities, inconsistencies in his rookie season leave his fantasy value somewhat uncertain.

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Rankum Rankings and Player Evaluations

The team discusses current rankings in a super flex league, focusing on the viability of players like Richardson and comparing options such as JJ McCarthy:

Adam Aizer [04:16]: "In a super flex league would you rather have what? Upside... Anthony Richardson or JJ McCarthy?"

Heath and Dave weigh in, leaning towards McCarthy for his more stable role in super flex formats.

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In-depth Analysis of Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson is a focal point of the discussion, with the panel dissecting his rookie performance and future prospects:

Dave Richard [09:55]: "Can he make progress as a passer? That's really the story here."

Jamey Eisenberg and Heath Cummings evaluate Richardson's dual-threat potential versus his completion rates and decision-making skills. Adam Aizer summarizes Richardson's rookie challenges:

Adam Aizer [13:53]: "Anthony Richardson's 47.7% completion rate is the worst passer rating for a qualified quarterback since... I think that's the worst I found."

Despite rough patches, there are glimpses of improvement, especially in his later performances.

Fantasy Implications

Richardson's upside as a top-tier fantasy quarterback is debated:

Heath Cummings [11:35]: "As long as he's the starter, he's going to give you the chance for 20 plus points per game."

However, his volatility and injury risks make him a high-risk, high-reward option.

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In-depth Analysis of Najee Harris

Najee Harris's transition to the Chargers is scrutinized, focusing on his consistency and potential role:

Heath Cummings [18:36]: "He does not miss games... he's the only running back in the last four years to play all 68 games."

Jim Eisenberg and Dave Richard discuss Harris's expected performance metrics, projecting around 1,000 rushing yards and six touchdowns for the season.

Offensive Line Impact

The Chargers' offensive line improvements are seen as a positive factor for Harris:

Dave Richard [21:21]: "The offensive line is improving... Najee averaged no worse than 2.74 yards after contact per rush each of the last three years."

This enhancement could lead to more productive carries and increased yardage.

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In-depth Analysis of Javonte Williams

Javonte Williams's move to the Cowboys is met with caution due to his injury history:

Heath Cummings [29:12]: "If he can somehow find his pre-ACL form... but I just don't think that's going to happen."

The panel debates his role primarily on passing downs and his limited explosiveness post-injury.

Performance Metrics

Concerns are raised about Williams's speed and ability to break long runs:

Adam Aizer [30:40]: "Javante Williams' maximum speed with the ball last season was the slowest among all backs with at least 113 carries."

His longest run standing at 21 yards further highlights potential limitations.

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Player Comparison and Draft Strategy

The discussion extends to comparing Harris, Williams, and Richardson with other players like Aaron Jones and Jalen Warren:

Heath Cummings [05:54]: "Najee."

Dave Richard [05:58]: "Naji. But it's close."

The team emphasizes the importance of drafting based on team fit and offensive schemes, advising managers to consider Harris as a reliable RB2 and weigh Richardson's potential cautiously in super flex leagues.

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Future Projections and Closing Thoughts

As the episode concludes, the analysts share their hopes for upcoming moves and potential breakout players, mentioning the significance of rookies and the impact of coaching strategies on player performance. The team teases future discussions on offensive line changes and their implications for running backs like Najee Harris.

Adam Aizer [34:07]: "You don't want to do a breaking news show on Juwan Johnson."

Dave Richard [34:19]: "Just remember, 10 million in the NFL isn't what it used to be."

The episode wraps up with lighter banter and a preview of the next episode, promising deeper dives into player performances and strategic fantasy football advice.

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Key Takeaways

• Najee Harris remains a stable RB2 option with potential growth tied to the Chargers' offensive line improvements.
• Javonte Williams poses a high-risk fantasy option due to his injury history and limited explosiveness post-ACL tear.
• Anthony Richardson offers high upside as a dual-threat quarterback but comes with significant risks related to consistency and passing efficiency.
• Draft strategies should prioritize team fit, offensive schemes, and the balance between high-risk, high-reward players versus consistent performers.

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Notable Quotes:

• Dave Richard [09:55]: "I would be very nervous to take him in a super flex league... if he can pull a Josh Allen or a Jalen Ertz... he's going to end up being fantastic."
• Heath Cummings [18:36]: "He offers stability and safety... he's the only running back in the last four years to play all 68 games."
• Adam Aizer [13:53]: "Anthony Richardson's 47.7% completion rate is the worst passer rating for a qualified quarterback since... I think that's the worst I found."
• Dave Richard [21:21]: "The offensive line is improving... Najee averaged no worse than 2.74 yards after contact per rush each of the last three years."

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This episode provides comprehensive insights into key free agency moves, evaluating their impact on fantasy football strategies. Whether you're a seasoned manager or new to the game, the analysis offers valuable perspectives to help navigate the complexities of your fantasy league.

Transcript

[Adam Azer]

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[Jamie Eisenberg]

Is Fantasy Football Today from CBS Sports.

[Adam Azer]

Wanna play? Can you believe this?

[Jamie Eisenberg]

No, I can't it's time to dominate your fantasy league.

[Dave Richard]

Off to the races and he stays at his fe.

[Adam Azer]

This is gonna go the distance.

[Jamie Eisenberg]

Now here's some combination of Adam, Dave, Jamie and Heath.

[Adam Azer]

Well, hello everybody. Welcome to fantasy football today, Tuesday, March 11. Another free agency update here, guys. Before we get started, I think we should pour one out. They say pour one out to Remember Free Agency 2024. Long live Free Agency 2024. What a fun time that was. Remember all that, all that was happening. Remember how much fun we had last year?

[Dave Richard]

A lot of nonsense, a lot of bonkers.

[Heath Cummings]

I believe Shefter just tweeted about 13 minutes ago that at 2:42pm last year, a year ago today was when Saquon Barkley agreed to a deal with Eagles.

[Adam Azer]

That would be great. Can we get something like that? I wonder how much had happened at that point like was did Mixon. I don't remember the sequence of events but man, not a ton. But you know what, we're gonna make the most of it.

[Heath Cummings]

I don't think we got Darrington, Evans. Dude.

[Adam Azer]

To where I didn't even see that.

[Heath Cummings]

You have 32 guesses.

[Dave Richard]

I'm going to guess Buffalo.

[Heath Cummings]

You're a genius. Oh my God.

[Adam Azer]

Really? Nice. Let's go. He knew. He knew already, didn't he? All right, so today we'll talk about Najee Harris to the Chargers, Javante Williams to the Cowboys. Anthony Richardson getting competition in Daniel Jones and that's kind of it. We'll hopefully talk about Aaron Rodgers soon. I'm not sure if we'll have a show tomorrow but let's get started. We'll definitely have on Thursday. Let's get started with some rankums rank. In a super flex league. I'm not going to give you the out here. I'm not going to say oh so one quarterback league.

[Heath Cummings]

I'm gonna go with the upside.

[Adam Azer]

In a super flex league would you rather have what voice was that? Excuse maker? Anthony Richardson or JJ McCarthy?

[Heath Cummings]

McCarthy in a super flex league I would go McCarthy.

[Adam Azer]

What do you make of the Daniel Jones signing? You think it's good or bad for Richardson?

[Dave Richard]

It's definitely bad.

[Heath Cummings]

Why would he get competition anyway? So it's to me it's just a moot point. It's a cow's opinion.

[Adam Azer]

Oh, nice. So I think that I would argue that it's good because I'd rather if I have an Anthony Richardson interest or stock or whatever, I'd rather them get Daniel Jones than Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson.

[Dave Richard]

No, I'd rather they get Russell Wilson.

[Adam Azer]

Daniel Jones is worse than Russell Wilson. I promise you with everything I know in my body, in my brain.

[Dave Richard]

I'm not saying that it's a huge drop off or whatever, but I, I. Fine, you can say whatever you want. They're. They're not great quarterbacks. If you can't beat out Daniel Jones, then it's a real problem.

[Heath Cummings]

I think it's a smart sign. It's a smart signing by the Colts because this keeps their offense the same. So if this is the offense they want to run, then they found somebody who can do it as opposed to having to change things if they're going to bring in somebody else.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, well, Richardson, I want to talk about like the last. Well, you know, I don't know if we should. Let's, let's continue with Rank them. We'll get back to Richardson. Rank up Aaron Jones or Najee Harris.

[Heath Cummings]

Naji.

[Dave Richard]

Naji. But it's close.

[Adam Azer]

Jalen Warren or Naji Harris?

[Heath Cummings]

Today it's Jalen Warren. Once the Steelers draft somebody, it'll be Naji Harris.

[Dave Richard]

Well, the Chargers are probably going to draft somebody too.

[Heath Cummings]

I don't think the Chargers are drafting somebody before the Steelers draft somebody. I think the Steelers are going to bring in, hopefully their running back of the future, whereas the Chargers might just bring in another Kamani Vidal.

[Adam Azer]

Come on, we love. Come on. Tank Bigsby or Javante Williams. I had a very hard time coming up with a Javante Williams or so I'm going to go with Tank Bigsby or Javante Williams.

[Dave Richard]

Javante Williams.

[Heath Cummings]

Today it's Javante Williams. Once the Cowboys either bring back Rico Dowdle or drop somebody, it will be Tank.

[Adam Azer]

And then I'm going to promote FFT Dynasty. Jamie and I were on FFT Dynasty today talking with Heath. He asked a good question. I'm going to ask it here. I'm going to steal this one from Heath. Give me your top three destinations for a rookie running back.

[Heath Cummings]

Broncos. The red.

[Adam Azer]

No, no, no.

[Heath Cummings]

I'll do the same ones, I guess, which were the Bears, the Raiders and the Steelers.

[Dave Richard]

Why are we not saying Denver?

[Adam Azer]

I said because that was mine.

[Heath Cummings]

I had one of my skills.

[Adam Azer]

He stole it from me. I had Denver. I went Denver, Raiders, Cowboys.

[Dave Richard]

Chicago should be in the top three.

[Adam Azer]

Should they though? Because they have Swift. I mean, they have a good player there.

[Dave Richard]

Goodness. Okay, so they have Swift. So they'll bring somebody in who will ultimately put Swift into a smaller role. And behind an improved offensive line with a alleged genius play caller, they can be much more efficient. But I think Denver's a great spot too, because of Sean Payton. I put Denver first, I put Chicago second. Dallas scares me a little bit. So I guess by default Las Vegas would be third just because of opportunities.

[Adam Azer]

Okay. Yeah. So Denver's offensive line, I mentioned this on the Dynasty show. ESPN had them first in run block win rate and pass block win rate. And that's the second straight year that ESPN had them as first and pass block when rate they were top five and run block win rate two straight years. Pff. Had Denver's offensive line as the second best offensive line in the NFL. More so for pass blocking than run blocking. But that is a strong offensive line. They've been top five and running back targets two years in a row. So that's why I had Denver top the list. And I really just don't buy any of that competition there. And like, you could say what you want about DeAndre Swift, but he's not, you know, I think he's more of a threat than, say, than Jaleel McLaughlin audric estimate. I know you had Denver number one, but, but I think he's, I think he's more of a threat than javante Williams. Like, if a guy got drafted by Dallas, I think it's easier to beat out Javante than it is to beat out Swift.

[Heath Cummings]

I think it all depends on how Ben Johnson really views DeAndre Swift. Remember, he's, he's inheriting him. So we'll see. And by the way, the CBS offensive line rankings has Chicago ahead of Denver now. So that's. Yeah, sure, we'll see how, how things go for the rest of this off season. But yeah, I mean, look, DeAndre Swift is better than any of the backups that we've talked about, aside from probably Jalen Warren.

[Adam Azer]

Okay.

[Dave Richard]

And if Chicago spends a Day 3 pick on a running back, it's not like we're going to anoint that guy. We're not going to anoint Devin Neil ahead of DeAndre Swift if that's the route they go.

[Heath Cummings]

Right. Well, I mean, the question is relevant. What's the destination?

[Dave Richard]

Sure, sure. But I'm, I'm thinking more from the standpoint of. All right, where would I love to see Ashton Janti play or Amari and Hampton play? Those would be some of the teams. So I really like it.

[Adam Azer]

All right, we're going to do a segment called 3 minutes on each player. Let's spend 3 minutes on each player. Anthony Richardson we have. And we have three minutes on the clock now. Dave, give me your thoughts on Richardson going into 2025.

[Dave Richard]

I would be very nervous to take him in a super flex league. I'd be less nervous to throw the dart on him with a late pick in a 1 QB league. But I feel like I can find either another quarterback or a player to another position. I'd rather roll the dice on. No guarantee that he's going to be the starter Week 1 the The GM of the Colts, Chris Ballard said that he told and they Richardson like the heat's on. You've got to bring it and if you don't bring it, you're done. And Richardson understands what he has to do. Can he make progress as a passer? That's really the story here. If he can pull a Josh Allen or a Jalen Ertz or whichever quarterback you want to compare him to, if he can become a more accurate thrower, he's going to end up being fantastic. But we need to hear about it. I'd like to really see it before we really buy into it. And that's the story. And if he can't do it, then it's Daniel Jones. I'll let you guys guess. Who's got the better career winning percentage as a starter between Richardson and Jones.

[Heath Cummings]

Richardson.

[Adam Azer]

Richardson.

[Dave Richard]

Who's got the better completion rate?

[Adam Azer]

Career Daniel Jones. Without question. Daniel Jones.

[Dave Richard]

Yeah, I mean they're both very. If you've been paying even like a scintilla of attention to football, you would know that those are the answers to the question. Jones more accurate. But Jones, I think it's like 20 games below.500 with New York, whereas Richardson's actually a game above.500. We'll see what happens. But if Richardson makes progress, I'll probably eat my words about saying he's a late round pick and he'll end up being a pick that people will chase in around eight or nine if it's like clear that he's going to be the starter in Indy.

[Adam Azer]

All right, we're going to change this segment to five minutes for each player because I want to talk more about each player. So I knew three minutes was ambitious. Jamie, what are your thoughts on Richardson going into 2025?

[Heath Cummings]

I'd be surprised if he's not the Week 1 starter without falling on his face in training camp. So I, I think this is more of a mid season move. If it's going to happen barring injury. This is where fantasy and reality are different. He's got to improve as a passer, he's got to improve his decision making. He's got to improve all those things. But as Long as he's the starter, he's going to give you the chance for 20 plus points per game on a weekly basis because of his legs. And so that's the thing where you're looking at it like we were talking about with Justin Fields yesterday. Like Fields has not been a successful NFL quarterback, but he's gotten three years in a row of 20 plus 20 points plus per game as a starter because of what he does with his legs. And so Richardson can still be a very good fantasy quarterback. So for the times that he starts, you will probably be considering starting him in your fantasy leagues. But there's injury risk and now there's risk of him getting benched. And so I think the thing that you hope for as a Richardson fantasy manager is that Daniel Jones is still Daniel Jones because he's not been a successful quarterback either. And so it's not like he, I think is going to wow everyone if he still plays the way that he plays. The fear, if you're the Anthony Richardson in the Anthony Richardson camp is that Daniel Jones just went through the Kevin O'Connell Car Wash and now he's improved as a quarterback and improves his decision making and comes in with the second chance or third chance depending on how you view it, and is just completely dominating Anthony Richardson as a passer. So yeah, either one, either one of these guys offers upside as a fantasy quarterback. I mean Daniel Jones, pre knee injury was a 335073, 500 yard passer, 700 yard rusher and that's hard to find. And so you know, if he can do that, forget about what he does for the receivers, forget about what happens with the offense. If he could just do that as, as a fantasy quarterback, that's a borderline starter, which is why we were considering him going into the 2023 season. I'm not mistaken as a potential late round pick. So Richardson, if he hits, can be a top 10, if not top five quarterback. That's a big if. But there's still that upside there. So I hope he wins the job, I hope he improves as a passer, I hope he can be a successful NFL quarterback. But as a fantasy quarterback, he does things that a lot of other guys can't do.

[Adam Azer]

So the first season of Richardson's career he played four games. He only played two full games and actually really only played one full game. He got hurt the very, very end of week one, but we'll count it anyway. And he was, he was electric. You know, it looked like there was a reason why he was A top six pick in ADP in terms of quarterback rankings. Top six quarterback this second season for Anthony Richardson. Thomas, if you could maybe just go to his game log. You know, just started out with 30 points against Houston and then nothing but bad stuff. Two straight games with with multiple interceptions. Gets hurt in week four, comes back two duds against Miami and Houston with a fumble in each game. Then he gets benched and he comes back. And maybe Richardson at that point, you know, they had talked about him sort of growing up. More film study, just kind of approaching the game a little bit differently. Not that he was a problem or anything but just being a little bit more professional. And his last five games I think are very encouraging. In those last five games, let's see where he ranked. He was the number eight quarterback per game in four point, number 13 quarterback per game and six point per passing touchdown leagues. And that included a game against Detroit where he scored 13 points. I just went back and I watched that game and I think you guys will probably remember. Alec Ogletree drops a wide open touchdown like nobody near him. The play I forgot about Ashton Doolin, beautifully thrown, deep ball. Dulin just doesn't keep two feet in bounds. Wipes away like 40 yard gain. This could have been a good game. A plus, a 20 plus point game for Richardson and he had a bad game against Denver. But I think pretty encouraging when you look at those five games you got what, 30 points, 13 points. That was the Detroit game. I just mentioned 25 points, 15 points and 22 points and 6.4 passing touchdown league. So I hope he discovered something I wrote in my notes. Anthony Richardson's 47.7% completion rate is the worst for a. Worst passer rating for a qualified quarterback. Sorry. Anthony Richardson's 47.7 completion rate is the worst passer rating for a qualified quarterback. Since I don't even know when I went back 13 years that was the worst I found. I think it's also the highest A dot though, so maybe some shorter passes.

[Heath Cummings]

What do you think his completion percentage needs to be for him to be considered safe as the starter? Forget about turnover, forget about wins, losses just from a completion percentage.

[Adam Azer]

I think he could have the worst completion percentage in the league and be a safe starter at around what it was as a rookie. 58, 59. About that.

[Heath Cummings]

Oh, they would, they would dream for that.

[Adam Azer]

Well, it's horrible but it would be good enough for him. But listen, but that's what it is.

[Dave Richard]

That'S what it's going to be if he continues to attack deep downfield.

[Heath Cummings]

Exactly. That's part of it.

[Dave Richard]

And he throws shorter passes, that completion rate is going to go up, no question.

[Heath Cummings]

Exactly. So they didn't do him a lot of favors.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, but as a rookie, his, his ADOT was 8 yards, which is not high. Not it's high, but not super high. And he completed 59 of his passes. He makes a lot of terrible throws. Just keep the job like we all agree. Keep the job. Richardson's going to be worth starting in fantasy, right?

[Heath Cummings]

100%. Yeah.

[Adam Azer]

All right.

[Dave Richard]

Hope so.

[Adam Azer]

That was seven minutes on Anthony Richardson. We'll be right back after this with somewhere between three and seven minutes on Naji Harris and then again on Javante Williams. We'll be right back.

[Jamie Eisenberg]

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[Adam Azer]

Najee Harris to the chargers last year J.K. dobbins was RB18 per game. And that's, you know, that's pretty good for a guy who didn't even have the starting job really at first. So Jamie, I'll let you start your outlook for Najee Harris with the Chargers. Do you think he'll be better than RB18 per game?

[Heath Cummings]

I think he'll be in that range. You know, as we talked about on the Dynasty show, the the things that Najee Harris presents are stability and safety and take that for what it's worth. Fantasy versus reality. He does not miss games. He's the only running back in the last four years to play all 68 games. He's played 17 games a season his entire career. He doesn't fumble three fumbles in his career, but you can kind of just know what you're getting. Aside from the rookie season that he had when it was Ben Roethlisberger and it was a lot of dump off passes, he's going to be around 36 to 40 receptions per game. He's going to be right around a thousand yards per game. Excuse me, for the season. 36 receptions for the season, thousand yards rushing for the season and six touchdowns. He's done that in every year of his career. Three or four seasons with the 36 reception. So if they change how they use him and maybe throw him the ball a little bit more again, he has a 70 catch season on his resume. Could he be a 50 catch guy? I don't know. I think you look at the combination of J.K. dobbins and whatever, Gus Edwards, I think three catches, that's about 40 catch season. You know, with Dobbins missing the three games, four games. So 40 receptions maybe is, is probably a best case scenario. 45 receptions. He's going to be a number two running back. I mean, that's, that's just what it is. You know, it's, it's a, it like Devonte Adams going to the Rams. Like this is a great landing spot for Naji Harris because unless they bring in significant competition, day one, day two running back, it's his job for the year. And I think this regime kind of told you how they feel about their backfield last season, which was go out and get guys that they feel comfortable with. Certainly they went out and got guys that they were comfortable with. For Greg Roman in Edwards and Dobbins, who played with him in Baltimore, like Najee Harris is just kind of serviceable. So when I did the free agent preview of, on the site, you know, like the two places that I look to put him were the Chargers and the Raiders, mostly because of the head coaches there. Like just looking for a stable, safe running back that can, you know, not very explosive, which is obviously something that you want. But he's also gonna get you the, the tough yards. I think he still has that in his bag. So I think it's a, it's a, it's a great landing spot. I just don't think you want to overvalue him. So the question you asked to start, you know, about comparing Aaron Jones, that's a great range. You know, James Connor is a great range. You know, some of these guys that are a little bit iffy either because of age or situation. Like, you know, you get to that round five, six, seven range, which I think is where he should come into play. Great opportunity to again, zero RB, hero RB type of second running back or first running back. Naji's. Naji's fine for that.

[Adam Azer]

Okay, Dave, RB 18 per game. Was Dobbins your thoughts on Harris and can he beat that? Will he beat that?

[Dave Richard]

I'm not too far off of where Jamie's coming from. I actually think it's a great fit. It should be a good opportunity. It'll look even better if the Chargers don't dip into the running back pool on day one or day two of the draft. You know, Harbaugh could reunite with one of two, maybe even both of the running backs that he had at Michigan in this year's draft. And, and I don't think either of those running backs would come in and, and push Najee Harris too fast off the field. Some stats that caught my eye about Najee and this is just of the past three years, his yards before contact per rush, 1.07 yards or worse each of the last three years in Pittsburgh. And is it because he stutters his feet sometimes? Yeah. Is it because he can't hit the edge very fast? Maybe. But it's really because the offensive line struggled for much of those three years. And we know that the offensive line is, is improving with the Chargers. It wasn't as good as we thought it was going to be last year, but it should improve this year. Second year in the system. Joe Walt's a second year player. Rashawn Slater should be improved. The interior will get addressed and that will help any running back that goes to LA. Furthermore, Najee averaged no worse than 2.74 yards after contact per rush each of the last three years. So he can take a hit, keep his feet under him and gain a couple of extra yards. That will help pack on some yardage to his totals. It can make his rushing average a little bit better. And then the other thing I saw, like last year, his success rate inside the five was 25%. And when you see that initially you go, oh, that stinks. He's not that great from the goal line. Well, that's another byproduct potentially of where he's playing and the team that he's on. The year before that in Pittsburgh, he was at 42%. That's really good. You'll take a running back inside the five. So I'm, I'm kind of excited about Najee Harris, RB2s that you can get after all the popular RB2s go. I'm gonna have a tough time with him versus James Connor, versus Tony Pollard, potentially versus Caleb Johnson, who's a rookie. Quinch on Judkins, who's a rookie. We'll see where they go. But I don't have that much of a problem with him over Aaron Jones, Ramondre Stevenson, Tyrone Tracy, potentially Isaiah Pacheco. I would put Pacheco in that bucket of, well, RB2, maybe settle for him. But you gotta love the opportunity that's there for Najee in la.

[Adam Azer]

The Pittsburgh offensive line thing is interesting because the last, you know, if you just look at pff, they've had an average run blocking grade three straight seasons. In fact, last year was actually pretty good. They've been 16th, 11th and 9th. So it's two years in a row they've been pretty good. That's their run blocking grade from PFF, 16th, 11th and 9th last two years. ESPN had them 18th in run block win rate both years. So I guess I would have to look at that and think that it's actually been more like an average offensive line. By the way, Steelers have lost two offensive linemen in free agency. That's kind of stuff we're going to talk about on our next show. Houston's lost to San Francisco. I think has lost two. It's, you know, offensive lineman. Anyway, that's a topic for another show. The Chargers were 21st. What I say, I said yeah, I said Houston, yeah, yeah. They traded both of them. The Chargers were 21st in run blocking PFF. You know, I would say like about the same, just in terms of overall grades. But as Pittsburgh, Najee doesn't have a 40 yard run in his career. If you listen to FFT Dynasty, I'm sorry, I'm repeating everything. That blows my mind. He's never had a 40 yard run. He's the second most carries in football since he entered the league and not one of them for 40 yards. But I mentioned this with Jamie and Heath. In his career, he's averaged 75 rushing yards per game in wins, 46 and a half rushing yards per game in losses. He gets game scripted out. You look at the last five games of the season, including the playoffs, they lost all of them. They lost four of them by 14 or more points. Najee was bad. So I think the Chargers could be pretty good next year. I think that it's an upward trajectory and if they can stay ahead in the game and run the ball Effectively, yeah. I mean, I think that could be really good for Naji Harris. I just don't think he's that good. So when you talk about these rookies that are coming in that are going to be more dynamic, more explosive than him, I think they're going to have an edge on him. And then the question is like, does he play on third down? Because J.K. dobbins had what he had 32 catches in 13 games. Seven of them came on third down. That's kind of a big chunk. So if we're just talking about a first and second down player for Najee Harris, we could be talking about 30 catches, 35 catches or something like that. And that's not going to really, that's not going to really do it for me. Those are my thoughts.

[Heath Cummings]

Dobbins had what, nine touchdowns though in those 13 games?

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, he had nine. Yes, he had nine touchdowns.

[Heath Cummings]

So I mean, this could be a career high rushing touchdown season for him. Potentially too.

[Adam Azer]

It could. I'd like to know how many of those touchdowns were like 20 plus yards. Remember the first few games, Dobbins went crazy, had like huge gains. I'm not saying, I'm not saying that he can't do that, Najee, because I didn't really think Montgomery was capable of doing that. And then we saw a different player when he went to Detroit. But I just don't know how big of an upgrade we're talking in terms of offensive line. I'm not sure it is an upgrade actually from Pittsburgh to the Chargers. But yeah, like 10 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown in week one for Dobbins. 17 for 131 and a touchdown in week two. When is Najee Harris ever had 10 carries for 135 yards?

[Dave Richard]

Those stat lines are like 10 carries, 85 yards.

[Adam Azer]

Right, right.

[Heath Cummings]

By the way, I think the, the biggest thing is going to be who the competition is, you know, so if it's, if it, if it's somebody significant, then this is just a he'll be the first, second down guy and then they'll work somebody else and eventually replace him. Then it's, you know, again, is it another Vidal or bring in a Hassan Haskins type of player. It's great for Najee.

[Dave Richard]

I'm looking at the percentage of targets that go to running backs in 2024 by Team Steelers and Chargers. One of them threw to their running backs at the second highest rate and one of them threw to their running backs at the second to lowest rate. Which team is which?

[Adam Azer]

I'M going to say the Steelers second highest, Chargers second lowest.

[Dave Richard]

That is correct.

[Adam Azer]

That's wild.

[Dave Richard]

Chargers 12.2% of the targets went to running backs last year. That's not so great for anybody on that team, much less just Najee and his prospects of catching the football. But again, we're not, we're not rushing them up the rankings and calling him a top 15 or top 12 type of running back. Those days are long gone. Like I think he's going to be around 20th and you're not going to be excited to draft him, but he might get you off to a really good start and keep it going for the majority of the year. Might get you, might get you like 13 plus PPR points in nine of 17 games.

[Adam Azer]

You know, obviously it's not a great free agent class, but some players that really, you know, that maybe were not excited about them as players ended up in good spots like Devonte Adams couldn't have been much better. I think Naji Harris couldn't have been much better. And you could argue that Javante Williams has a chance. That's a 1.1 year, 3 million dollar deal. Right? That's nothing. But going to Dallas could be worse. We'll see what Dallas ends up doing. Still Rico Dowdle a free agent, but let's spend now 3 to 15 minutes on Javante Williams. Jamie, you want to kick it off? Your thoughts on Javante? If we were drafting tomorrow, where would you draft? What round do you think you'd draft?

[Heath Cummings]

Javante, if we're drafting tomorrow and he's the starter for the Cowboys Round seven.

[Dave Richard]

Dave, you if not around after that.

[Adam Azer]

Okay, Jamie, give me your best case and worst case for Trevonte, best case.

[Heath Cummings]

Scenario, he can somehow find his pre ACL form and get back to being a little bit more explosive as a runner and still keep what he showed us as a pass catcher this past season when he had 52 catches for the Broncos. So if he can, you know, be a thousand yard rusher and, and hopefully be a 50 catch guy, you know, and add another 300 yards receiving on top of it, plus be the goal line guy, I mean, you know, everything would fall into place for him. But I just don't think that's going to happen. I, I think you mentioned it. You know, Rico Dowdle could still return and come back as a starter and then this is just the Ezekiel Elliott replacement. They could draft a guy and, and that's the starter and the featured guy. And then Javante, as you said, you know, on the earlier show can just be somebody that plays on passing downs because he is a successful pass blocker. So I think Sean Payton did some good things with him in using him as a passer, pass catcher and you know, showed off that he can, you know, have those, those showed that he has those skills. But again, since his ACL tear, he just has not been the same type of runner. You know, losses, explosiveness and don't know if we'll ever regain that again. So this is, I think just assigning for depth more so than is signing to be the starter.

[Adam Azer]

This was the quote I was looking for from the ESPN article that I couldn't find during the Dynasty show Javante Williams maximum speed with the ball as he crossed the line of scrimmage last season. 15.34 mph was the slowest among all backs with at least 113 carries. I mean, it's a little selective with 113 carries, but you get the point the guy. I mean, I knock Najee Harris for not having any 40 yard runs last three seasons. Javante's longest run is 21 yards.

[Dave Richard]

You don't have what his miles per hour were or was rather when he didn't have the ACL, right?

[Adam Azer]

No, but that year, that first year, he had like three or four runs of 30 or more yards and he was a complimentary back.

[Dave Richard]

I'm scared that he's just not ever going to be the guy who we saw at North Carolina, who we saw as a rookie in Denver. And as much as Sean Payton tried to coax it out of him and motivate him and camp and all this stuff, I just, I don't, I don't know if it's ever really going to work. I think he's got the talent to play on passing downs. He's an okay pass blocker. I wouldn't say that. It's like his greatest strength. I'd say his greatest strength is what he can do in the passing game. He proved that. And so Dallas can at least pencil him in for that type of role. And if, if it just ends up that the Cowboys don't spend significant draft capital on a rookie, then yeah, he could, he could be useful. I don't think he'll be like Tony Pollard or anything like that. When Pollard was there. Again, somebody that you're probably drafting to be a number three fantasy running back almost no matter what happens. Except like if it's Janty, if it's Hampton, one of the stud rookie running backs goes to Dallas. Javante will fall a couple rounds after.

[Adam Azer]

What we're talking Juwan Johnson back to The Saints for three years. More than $30 million. About that. And you know, there's actually maybe the biggest name out there is Evan Ingram right now in terms of who could make a fantasy impact. Who could be, I don't know if there's a player out there that's a free agent, that could be someone that we're starting, you know.

[Heath Cummings]

Starting.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, like Rogers could be a streamer. Wilson could be a streamer.

[Dave Richard]

Ingram hasn't signed yet.

[Heath Cummings]

Yeah, I don't think anybody's starting Nick Chubb anymore.

[Adam Azer]

Evan Ingram the prize now. Evan Ingram the prize of the free.

[Heath Cummings]

Agency now for fantasy.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, right. Depending on where he goes, of course. Last question on this. Do you guys fear Javante Williams for the rookie running back that the Cowboys hypothetically draft? So sorry, I'll phrase that better. They draft a running back in rounds one, two or three. Do you, do you go. Well, he's got Javante Williams there. That's a problem.

[Dave Richard]

No, no, like we say that without sarcasm.

[Adam Azer]

I think it could be a problem on third down. I do think he could be. I think Javante could be the pass blocker.

[Dave Richard]

Well, that goes without. That's how it usually works for rookies. It's very hard for a rookie running back to come in and be a great pass blocker right away. So there should be some sort of adjustment period for any rookie that comes in. And that's what I think Javante can hang his hat on.

[Adam Azer]

All right, guys, thank you, thank you for your time. Jamie and I are going to record FFT Express and that's it for today. So I, maybe we'll do a breaking news show tomorrow on Wednesday.

[Dave Richard]

You don't want to do a breaking news show on Juwan Johnson.

[Adam Azer]

No, it's a lot of money. Tight ends, man, they get paid. They don't get paid a huge contracts, but they get paid. There was another tight end signing that was. What was it?

[Dave Richard]

Just remember, 10 million in the NFL isn't what it used to be.

[Heath Cummings]

Zachary signed Luke Farrell, signed.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, Luke Farrell. 49ers signed Luke Farrell to a three year deal worth $20 million with 11 million guaranteed. Mike Kosicki, three years, 25 and a half million tight ends. You're gonna get. You're gonna get your seven plus million dollars basically.

[Heath Cummings]

All right, so Adam, if you start, you know, taking some, you know, muscle. Muscle booster.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah.

[Heath Cummings]

A late rally in a career as a Titan. Yeah.

[Adam Azer]

Should I. Yeah, I've considered it. I don't really have the time right now. You know, tennis career. Tennis career. You know, I gotta pay my taxes in the next month. I just don't have time for it, but I'm gonna try.

[Heath Cummings]

You're in the oil industry today.

[Adam Azer]

Yes, the oil truck just came for.

[Dave Richard]

Another tycoon, Adam Azer.

[Adam Azer]

Yeah, you know me. All right, everybody, go watch Landman. We'll talk to you on probably Thursday, maybe Wednesday on Fantasy football.

[Heath Cummings]

Today.

[Jamie Eisenberg]

Paramount podcasts streaming on Paramount plus. Everyone who comes into this clinic is a mystery.

[Heath Cummings]

We don't know what we're looking for.

[Jamie Eisenberg]

Their bodies are the scene of the crime. No symptoms and history or clues.

[Heath Cummings]

You saved her life.

[Jamie Eisenberg]

We're doctors and we're detectives.

[Adam Azer]

I kind of love it, if I'm being honest.

[Jamie Eisenberg]

Solve the puzzle, save the patient. Morris Chestnut is Watson. Now streaming on Paramount plus and new episodes Sundays on cbs.