Ben Johnson, Top 12 TEs, Fantasy Cops! (01/22 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Summary

Podcast Summary: Fantasy Football Today - "Ben Johnson, Top 12 TEs, Fantasy Cops!"

Release Date: January 22, 2025
Host: Adam Aizer
Analysts: Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, Heath Cummings

---

Introduction

In the January 22, 2025 episode of Fantasy Football Today presented by CBS Sports, host Adam Aizer, alongside analysts Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, and Heath Cummings, dive deep into the latest developments shaping the fantasy football landscape. This episode, titled "Ben Johnson, Top 12 TEs, Fantasy Cops!", promises valuable insights for fantasy managers aiming to dominate their leagues.

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1. Coaching Changes and Ben Johnson’s Hire ([02:30] - [04:55])

The episode kicks off with significant NFL coaching updates. Most notably, Ben Johnson has been hired as the offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears.

• Dave Richard highlights Johnson's impressive track record from his tenure in Detroit:

  "Three seasons in Detroit, fifth in play success rate, first in yards per drive, first in points per drive. This is it. He needs to improve the offensive line, but at least now a play designer and a play caller with huge attention to detail will use a lot of play action. It’s going to be very good for Caleb Williams."
  ([03:17])

• Jamey Eisenberg expresses skepticism about becoming a Bears fan again despite Johnson’s hire:

  "Are you going to be a Bears fan again? You back?"
  ([02:47])

• Heath Cummings questions the Bears' offensive strategy under Johnson:

  "What does he want to do at running back? Which of the wide receivers becomes the guy who's going to see 10 targets per game?"
  ([04:55])

The analysts discuss the potential impact of Johnson’s play-action emphasis on key players like Caleb Williams and Cole Comet, debating whether this shift will bolster the Bears' offensive performance.

---

2. Player Performance Analysis ([02:30] - [10:57])

Caleb Williams: Anticipated to be a top 12 quarterback, Williams' performance is closely tied to the Bears' new offensive strategy.

DJ Moore:

• Dave Richard points out the inconsistency in Moore’s performance:

  "All right, DJ Moore had 966 yards on 140 targets. What a strange career he has had after finishing as a top 12 wide receiver per game."
  ([05:00])

• The discussion centers on Moore’s ability to rebound under the new coaching system and whether his target volume can translate into more yards and touchdowns.

Other Players Mentioned:

• Keenan Allen: The potential return of Allen could redefine target distribution and receiver dynamics.
• DeAndre Swift & Jamal Williams: The shift in running back roles under the new coach raises questions about Swift’s future with the Bears.

---

3. Top 12 Tight Ends for 2025 ([20:00] - [43:58])

A significant segment of the episode is devoted to ranking the top 12 tight ends (TEs) for the upcoming 2025 season. The consensus among the analysts highlights Brock Bowers and Trey McBride as the top picks.

• Jamey Eisenberg begins the rankings:

  "Bowers, McBride, Kittle, Andrew LaPorta, Andrews, Najoku, Kelsey, John Smith, Jake Ferguson, TJ Hawkinson."
  ([41:31])

• Dave Richard emphasizes the importance of David Najoku and Evan Ingram, positioning them as valuable assets for future drafts.

• Heath Cummings includes Mark Andrews and Sam LaPorta, debating their roles and efficiency:

  "Mark Andrews is still one of the best per target. He ranked sixth in yards per target among tight ends."
  ([25:58])

Key Points Discussed:

• Target Volume vs. Efficiency: Balancing high target receivers with those who convert opportunities into yards and touchdowns.
• Player Longevity and Peak Performance: Evaluating whether players like George Kittle and Travis Kelsey can maintain their elite status.
• Emerging Talents: Potential breakout candidates such as Tucker Kraft and Dalton Kincaid are highlighted for their impressive metrics and upside.

Notable Quotes:

• Jamey Eisenberg: "Brock Bowers being a second-round pick is justified based on his target volume and efficiency."
  ([21:18])

• Dave Richard: "Najoku averaged 16.2 PPR points per game last year. He's entering a contract year, which adds motivation for strong performance."
  ([29:47])

---

4. Fantasy Cops: Resolving League Disputes ([46:00] - [52:38])

In the Fantasy Cops segment, the panel addresses listener emails about league management issues.

Case 1: Refund Demand in a Dynasty League

• Listener: John Popinsky shares a frustrating experience where the league commissioner and several teams quit after unfair trades, leaving him to demand a full refund of entry fees.

• Adam Aizer responds:

  "I don't think you are wrong for wanting that, you're not going to get it."
  ([50:21])

• Dave Richard suggests that dynastic leagues should have secured future drafts or entry fees upfront to mitigate such risks.

Case 2: Draft Strategy Concerns

• Listener: Julio questions whether to prioritize top-tier tight ends and quarterbacks early in drafts after losing finals to teams with elite players at these positions.
• Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard recommend experimenting with draft strategies, suggesting flexibility and adaptation based on past performance outcomes.

Advice Given:

• Adam Aizer: Encourages managers to adapt and consider different strategies to overcome targeted opponent strengths.
• Jamey Eisenberg: Recommends trying new approaches in a portion of leagues to diversify success chances.

---

5. Injury Updates and Player News ([08:15] - [44:18])

The analysts provide critical updates on player injuries that could impact fantasy teams:

• DeAndre Swift: Discussed the reduced role under the new Bears' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
• Anthony Richardson: Working with a biometric coach to improve mechanics, potentially enhancing his fantasy value.
• Tucker Kraft: Highlighted as an emerging tight end with potential to rival established elites like George Kittle.

Notable Updates:

• Liam Cohen: Decided to stay with Jacksonville, declining interest from Tampa Bay.
• Dalton Kincaid: Mentioned as a promising tight end likely to increase in fantasy value.

---

6. Listener Engagement and Final Thoughts ([43:58] - [62:23])

As the episode progresses, the panel engages with more listener questions and shares personal anecdotes, strengthening the community aspect of the podcast.

• John Popinsky’s league dispute is dissected, with the panel offering practical advice on handling similar situations.
• Julio's query on draft strategies sparks a detailed discussion on balancing depth and star power in fantasy teams.

Closing Remarks:

"Have a great day, everybody. We'll talk to you tomorrow on Fantasy Football Today."
([62:23])

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Dave Richard ([03:17]):
  “He needs to improve the offensive line, but at least now a play designer and a play caller with huge attention to detail will use a lot of play action. It’s going to be very good for Caleb Williams.”

• Jamey Eisenberg ([25:58]):
  “Mark Andrews is still one of the best per target. He ranked sixth in yards per target among tight ends.”

• Adam Aizer ([50:21]):
  “I don't think you are wrong for wanting that, you're not going to get it.”

• Julio ([53:43]):
  “I usually have to stream tight ends and quarterbacks until I find a good option and I stick with them.”

---

Conclusion

This episode of Fantasy Football Today offers a comprehensive analysis of coaching changes, player performances, and strategic insights into tight end rankings, all crucial for fantasy managers aiming to gain a competitive edge. The Fantasy Cops segment provides practical solutions to common league disputes, reinforcing the podcast's role as an essential resource for the fantasy football community.

Whether you're adjusting your draft strategy or navigating league politics, Adam Aizer and his team deliver expert advice and thoughtful discussions to help you win your league and earn those coveted bragging rights.

Transcript

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[CBS Sports Host]

Fantasy Football Today from CBS Sports.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Wanna play? Can you believe this?

[CBS Sports Host]

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

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

This is gonna go the distance.

[CBS Sports Host]

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

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Happy Wednesday, everybody, and welcome to Fantasy football Today presented by BetMGM, the sportsbook born in Vegas. We got a lot to talk about today. We got new head coaches and offensive coordinators. We've got our top 12 tight ends for the 2025 season. We got the fantasy cops and we've got your emails at fantasy [e-mail] we love Fantasy Cops. So please send in any of your league disputes. Just put fantasy cops in the subject line. Fantasy Football cbsi.com Not a lot of league disputes in the off season. But for Dynasty, you know, there's always something cooking. Okay, guys, we we got Ben Johnson being hired for the Bears. We got Mike Josh McDaniels being hired as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. Jacksonville might sign or might hire Liam Cohen, the offensive coordinator for Tampa Bay. So we got a lot going on here. But who is super pumped, super excited for Caleb Williams in year two?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I mean, I have him as a top 12 quarterback anyway, anticipating that the Bears would do the right thing and pair them with a smart offensive coordinator. I did not think they would pay up for Ben Johnson, but they did and that is exciting. Are you interested in some Ben Johnson stats?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Are you, are you going to, are you going to be a Bears fan again? You back?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Hell no.

[CBS Sports Host]

He's always been a Bears. He's always been a Bears fan.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I, I'm, I swear to God, I am not ever going to be a Bears fan again.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I don't think, I don't think we've ever told the story, at least not in many years, about what Dave used to do Fridays before Bears game with two of our co workers.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

That was back when I was a Bears fan.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I don't know.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

This was he.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Did he get.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I'll save it for the end of the show.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Hopefully you don't remember. Three years as a play caller in Detroit, Ben Johnson, fifth in play success rate, third in place per game, third in yards per play, second in EPA per play, first and three and outrate. That's good. First in yards per drive, first in points per drive, first in points scored. This is it. He needs to improve the offensive line, but at least now a play designer and a play caller with huge attention to detail will use a lot of play action. It's going to be very good for Caleb Williams.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Slot receiver is going to be great for the Bears.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I hope so.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

So the play action thing. Yeah, I mean that's, that's a big deal. He was one of, he had one of the lowest play action rates in the NFL. Jared Goff had the highest play action rate in the NFL this year. I think he was something like 14th the first year under Ben Johnson, then 10th or ninth the next year and first this year. But it is interesting. I mean, one thing Ben Johnson's teams haven't done much is passing. They have been on the run. Heavy side. Their past rate. Out of 32 teams in three seasons in Detroit, 19th, 22nd and 26th. I don't think anyone has any doubts about the creativity of Ben Johnson. I mean, he ran a, he ran a play where he pretended. They pretended to fumble the football and ended up being a touchdown.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

And who was that against?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

It was against Chicago. And I think, I read, I read that he did that because he saw a Green Bay Chicago play where Green Bay I think actually did fumble the snap or something and it ended up being positive. So he faked it. Just crazy. He's very innovative, but it's not the same personnel. It's not the same type of team. So, Heath, are you as sold on Ben Johnson going to the Bears as Davis?

[CBS Sports Host]

I think there's a lot more mystery going in with the Bears because, like, what does he want to do at running back? Which. Which of the wide receivers becomes the guy who's going to see 10 targets per game? Cole Comet. We're talking about top 12 tight ends. Cole Comet was not one of my top 12 tight ends when we sent back our lists in on January 2nd. Should Cole Comet now be a top 12 tight end? But yeah, I didn't have Caleb Williams ranked as a top 12 quarterback for next year, and I had Justin Herbert at QB12. I. I'd put Caleb Williams in the top 12.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Now also, we got to see if Keenan Allen's coming back because he was a big piece of this puzzle. He's a free agent. I think he was on pace for 136 target targets and was actually a top 16 wide receiver in the second half of the year after they fired their offensive coordinator, Shane Waldron. I don't know if you want to talk just real quick about Dj Moore. Dj Moore. So we, we thought, you know, with Roma Dunes being added, with Keenan Allen being added in 2023, D.J. moore was a top 12 wide receiver. He was number six overall. He was number nine per game in PPR. He had 136 targets. You figure, all right, target's probably going to go down. Actually, the targets went up. He had 140 targets this year, even with the addition of those two receivers. He is now one of seven wide receivers over the last five years to get 130 or more targets and not get a thousand yards. D.J. moore had 966 yards on 140 targets. What a strange career he has had after finishing as a top 12 wide receiver per game. He was wide receiver 27 per game in full PPR. And there's just no predicting it with DJ Moore. Who, who's going to have him in the top 24 next season?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

He'll be close.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I mean, you know, again, seeing what happens with Keenan Allen's big. Seeing where, you know, Ben Johnson decides to line up. DJ Moore is big. You know, I mean, he. I was reading some stuff about their draft evaluation on Amara St Brown, and the fact that they decided to make him their slot receiver was a big part of what Amara St. Brown's success has been. And so does DJ Moore profile more as a slot receiver than, say, Romo Dunze does, who was, you know, used as a big slot times Last year obviously Keenan Allen spent some time in the slot last year. They sort of moved those guys around, you know. So if, if they keep, you know, DJ Moore in, in more of that role of the Monroe St. Brown role, I mean obviously everyone's gonna be so excited about him, you know. So I would be very surprised if he's not a top 24 receiver or again, very close, you know. So we spent some time on Monday show talking about you know like where Williams is going to be ranked. I forget what else we were looking at. I know we. All right. I think Adam, you and I did this on On Express. It was, it was Khalil Shakir, Jameson Williams and I forget that the third guy was that we were discussing. It was in coming off of the.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, Zay Flowers.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Oh Zay Flowers.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Right.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

You know, so I think he's better than all three of those guys, for example. And you know those guys were all I think we were saying right around at least for Williams and, and Flowers like right around wide receiver, you know, top 30. So it'd be very surprising if DJ Moore is not regarded in that range just based on this move and what his career has been. By the way, Liam Cohen has decided to stay in Jacksonville. I started stay in Tampa.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh wow.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

He's turned down the Jack he's taking. According to Schefter, he's taken himself out of consideration for the Jacksonville job. Wow.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Wow.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

He also got a big raise apparently from the Bucks.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Well, of course, yeah.

[CBS Sports Host]

I do think like the DeAndre Swift one is really interesting because you mentioned it, Adam. This has been a very, very run heavy offense and lots of rushing touchdowns. And Ben Johnson and DeAndre Swift overlapped in Detroit by what, one and a half years. And in that season Jamal Williams got 262 carries and scored 17 touchdowns. DeAndre Swift saw 99 rush attempts and scored five in 14 games. So I, I, I just wonder if there's a new running back coming into town.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

So you're not going to put DeAndre Swift in your top 24?

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, I mean it's, if we get to the draft and there's not like significant competition added, I think you have to.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yeah. But short of that, I think he's not going to be and I'd be a little surprised if he was the main running back again in Chicago.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Really?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yes.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Well, what's his contracts that, I mean I would be surprised if he's not.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He got a pretty big contract last year. I don't know.

[CBS Sports Host]

It's a coaching change and the Coach they just hired chose Jamal Williams over DeAndre Swift.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Exactly. Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I mean, it could be great for Roshan, you know, I mean, if that's the case, because he's still on his rookie deal. But are they going to. They don't have a lot of draft picks.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

That was. That was 2022.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yes, 2022. Swift was still in Detroit and Ben Johnson was officially the OC then.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

That was his third year. He was coming off a pretty good year. Average 5.5 yards per carry that year. Wow. Why didn't they give him more care? I'm sure I was freaking out about that. I remember. I hate. I hated that. Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yeah. Okay. He's gonna be a Bear. Unless they want to have almost $9 million count against them or 9 million in dead money. He's got two more years left on the contract after this year. He might be gone, but like Kareem.

[CBS Sports Host]

Hunt could do what Jamal Williams did that year. Like they could. They don't have to go spend a lot of money to add between the tackles runner and put DeAndre Swift back into the role he was in in Detroit when Ben Johnson was there.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right, let's move on. I just want to give one more stat here because I. I did a lot of digging on the Bears and I wish we could spend a whole show on it, but we have a whole off season. But DJ Moore, just last thing on him. He has now been on a team that's finished bottom five in gross passing yards per game. Four straight seasons and he's never been on. Oh, no, six straight seasons. Now he's played league seven years. Six straight seasons. His teams have thrown 20 or fewer touchdown passes.

[CBS Sports Host]

Has he ever had the same quarterback and the same offensive coordinator in back to back years?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

It's a great question. He's really had some bad situations.

[CBS Sports Host]

We had the Baker's worst year of his career. He had Darnold for a while.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Here's a. Here's a fun trivia question that's impossible to get. So I said DJ Moore is one of seven wide receivers over the last five years with 130 or more targets and fewer than a thousand yards. One guy did it twice. You name the wide receiver who twice in the last five years has had 130 or more targets and fewer than a thousand yards.

[CBS Sports Host]

Deontay Johnson.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Hey, very good. Very good. Also, I think Wandale Robinson may have just had the worst season in like, wide receiver history. He had 140 targets and like not even 700 yards. Someone's gonna have to look into that. All right, Jamie, what do you think about the patriots bringing Josh McDaniels back to back in town as their offensive coordinator?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I mean the, the success rate is pretty good when he's been in that role for that team. I don't think it can get worse for, for Drake May than it was last year. So I think this is an upgrade. He, correct me if I'm wrong, he was the coordinator there for Mac Jones's rookie year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Mac Jones had by far his best year with Josh McDaniels.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Right.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

And then was it, was it the Garoppolo year with Devonte Adams that was that his year in Las Vegas?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yes.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He's got a pretty good resume.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Well, not as a head coach, but yes, as a, as a play caller. You know, some guys are just better off being in the second chair as opposed to being in the first chair. And you know, that seems to be the career path for Josh McDaniels. So there's, there's a good track record of him with this team. I think a lot of some success.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I meant Derek Carr. That's why Derek Carr was a pretty good year in 2022 with Josh McDaniels, not Garoppolo. Sorry Jamie, go ahead.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

So you know, hopefully he gets the, the best out of Drake May. This certainly is a, is a plus for what this, this team needs, you know, so good leader at the top with Mike Rabel and now an offensive guy that had some success with, you know, quarterbacks and obviously with this franchise. So yeah, Drake May is going to be a top 15 quarterback for me too.

[CBS Sports Host]

I think we should rank Bo Nix, Caleb Williams and Drake May.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Now I would still go Nick's Williams.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Maybe I'll take Williams first.

[CBS Sports Host]

The Knicks over May still.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yeah, for now. For now I'm just happy all three of these guys have like solid to good play callers. Maybe great in the case of Bo Nicks working alongside them. And they all have a chance to be in offenses that will add talent to them.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Patriots have.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I don't think there's any reason to poo poo any one of them.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

The Patriots have by far the most cap space in the NFL. $120 million according to over the cap. The Bears have the fifth most at $66 million. The Patriots actually, I'm sorry, the. Who's the other team? The Broncos. They're not bad either. They're, they're like middle of the pack. 35 million. But the Patriots have almost 30 million more dollars in cap space available than any other team, so it's not a great free agent class. T. Higgins is the prize, but he could could be a Patriot they wanted.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

There was that rumor mid season that they were going to spend as whatever it takes to get T. Higgins.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, all right. And so the jets reportedly are likely.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

To hire Adams to the to the.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Patriots Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as their head coach, according to the Athletic. That's barring anything unforeseen, the Colts hired former Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Andarumo. One injury note or two injury notes on one team for this weekend's games. I will not pick the the Bills to beat the Chiefs if two of their starting defensive backs are out, so that's just me. But Taylor wrapped her safeties day to day and cornerback Christian Benford is in the concussion protocol. Denver not expected to resign Javante Williams, according to the Denver Gazette. And Anthony Richardson is going to work with a man named Chris Hess. He's a biometric coach and Schneier actually posted a video of Josh Allen talking about how much Chris Hess helped him become a much better quarterback just with his mechanics. So this could be very important. We won't know, but this could be very helpful for Anthony Richardson. If you haven't signed up yet for BetMGM, use that bonus code Fantasy and you're going to get up to a fifteen hundred dollar first bet offer on your first wager. With BetMGM, you download the Bet MGM app, you sign up and use the bonus code Fantasy. All you have to do is deposit at least ten dollars and place your first wager on any game and you'll receive up to fifteen hundred dollars in bonus bets. If your bet loses, just make sure that you use the bonus code Fantasy when you sign up. All right, let's take a break here and give our top 12 tight ends for 2025 after this.

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[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

If.

[CBS Sports Host]

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[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

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[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Coincidentally, those are the same three reasons you should come to Jack in the Box right now at Jack. Every bite's a big deal.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Welcome back. How you guys feeling today? How you guys doing? How we doing?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

How we living good and living color?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Dave, you're not doing so great.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I'm fine.

[CBS Sports Host]

What do you got a great day for Dave? It's Bears got Johnson.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

What are you guys watching these days? How you spend your off season? Any good new shows or movies?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Coaches film from college?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Oh, that works the show Coach.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

We're all, we're all super high on Cam Ward. I was listening to FFT Dynasty the other day. Heath had some guys on. Dude was like it's Cam Ward. Not even close. Yeah, and it is.

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, okay, but I think we should put this into context because the same guys said that he would be the fourth or fifth best quarterback in last year's class. Nobody thinks that Cam Ward would have been a top three quarterback in last year's class.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

No. 4.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, he's a. Yeah, he's a. He's a poverty number one QB overall in the class. It's. It's the worst quarterback class since the Kenny Picket year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He'll be the number one pick. He's awesome.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

And Picket was when Picket came out.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He's better than Nicks. He's better than Pennix. But I could definitely. He's. He's better than Drake May. He's just not as big as Drake May.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, I don't. I've not talked to anyone yet who thinks he like. I think a lot of people like him more than they liked Nicks a year ago at this time. I've not talked to anybody who likes him more than Nicks after we've seen Knicks be a good NFL quarterback.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Talk to more people.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, I'm talking to Adam Mazer. Who believes that? I'm sure Dan Schneider does.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I. I mean I'm Pretty. I mean, I guess I'm, you know, impressed with. With Nicks, but I don't know. I mean, Nick's. Gosh, he was so bad at points, but he really turned it around. I'm just wondering if it was like a Sean Payton thing, but Ward is more. Ward is more talented than Bonix, I would say. Dave, you've been watching some. Some Cam Ward film, right?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yeah. I mean, I watched him live all year, and there's very little to nitpick him on. So I think as long as he's got to have the same thing happen to him, what happened to Nicks, where he lands in an offense where the scheme is easy for him, tailored for him. If I were the Titans, I'd start working on that right now.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, well, Joe Lynn, he's better than.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Anything they have at quarterback.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

JoLynn in our chat says, Cam Ward will have his career ruined by my Titans, guaranteed. I don't really want him to go to the Titans. It doesn't sound fun, but. But you never know. All right, let's get into the tight ends here and listen to fft. Dynasty is a great time to learn about these prospects. Titans 1 and 2. In what order did you have those two guys? I know it's gonna be the same guys, but. Jamie, why don't you kick it off? Titans 1 and 2.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

It would be Brock Bowers, 1, Trey McBride, 2.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Any disagreements anyone have? McBride, 1. Nope.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Nope.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

So why was it an easy call for you guys?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Relatively?

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah. I think it gets more difficult depending on what the Raiders do at quarterback. I guess that's. It's possible that quarterback situation could be bad enough that it's like. And they're pretty close anyway, but it's. It's Bowers, then McBride and they. The dramatic. Much closer to each other than they are to anyone else.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yes.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

And it's consensus, by the way, of the six people who sent this, sent.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

The rankings, everybody had Bowers, one. McBride, too.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yes.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right. I. I won't necessarily. Unless you guys want to talk about. I guess I was going to follow up with what's. What's more convincing about Bowers than laporta. Laporta took a step back in his second year. Kyle Pitts took a step back in his second year. Why are we.

[CBS Sports Host]

La Porta was just touchdowns. He did not have an elite season based on anything other than touchdowns as a rookie.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

86 catches on 120. Like, he doesn't have as many targets. He had 120 targets in 17 games. Bowers had 153. But, you know, all right, I'm not going to dispute it, I guess. At what point in the draft are you taking Brock Bowers?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I'd be very surprised if he's not a second round pick at this point.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Toward the back of the second round is when I'd consider him. Right along that same line. Like if I've got an early, late round two, early round three. These are all the same fantasy managers drafting in the same spots. I might chance it that McBride makes it back to me in round three. And I might rather have McBride in round three than Bowers in round two. In fact, I certainly would rather have that. I just have to make sure I lock that in. And then what's my plan if I miss on both? If I pass on bowers, someone takes McBride before I get the chance to pick again in round three. That's a risk that you're going to have to take.

[CBS Sports Host]

I. I'd take them both in round two.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

How?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yeah, I would as well.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

How close do you think these guys are to peak Kelsey?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Not.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I think if they were close to Pete Kelsey, we'd be talking about where we were drafting Kelsey, which was like seventh overall.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Well, that's okay.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

It's over 20 ppr.

[CBS Sports Host]

A peak Kelsey season is within the range of possibilities, but it's not an expectation.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

All right. Yeah, I mean, for McBride, obviously it's touchdowns and for Bowers, it's just, you know, becoming a, a more complete player. And in his second year, you know, this is usually when you see a jump, it's hard to expect a big jump from him because he was so amazing in his rookie year. And you know, for what it's worth, obviously, you know, he's, he's seen a lot of NFL. Pete Prisco said that Bowers is already the best pass catching tight end in the NFL. This was like about week 10 last year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He's awesome. Okay. And by the way, can you guess which tight end led the NFL in green zone targets?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

It wasn't McBride.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

It was McBride.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

It was McBride and he had got him.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He had. He had the fourth most end zone targets. He had the third most red zone targets. He had the most green zone targets among tight ends. And yet he caught two touchdowns on.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I wonder how many of those came in the final like three weeks of the season when they were just trying to get in that touchdown.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, could be. All right, tight ends three and four. Dave, who do you got?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I still have Kittle third. I know he's going into. He'll turn 32 this coming season but I just, I feel like he can still be a touchdown scorer. Probably not the same type of target volume as we just saw this past year. But then again, Debo seems to be slowing down. We don't know what we're going to get with Brandon Iuk. That offensive line should be fixed. I, I'm, I'm good with Kittle and you're going to get him at a discount compared to the first two guys and then there's a big gap for me. I'm really going to try and wait a lot longer on tight end. I think about how David Najoku is done with quarterbacks not named to Sean Watson. I don't think desean Watson is going to be the quarterback for the Browns next year. I will take the chance on Najoku but I don't want to draft him in like round four, five, six somewhere in that range. I'm gonna wait and if I can get him past that point, happy to take him.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Kittle and the Joku. That's three and four for you.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Heath.

[CBS Sports Host]

So I, the first thing totally agree with Dave about like it's almost like there's a top two that's in a tier and then George Kittle at number three is in a tier and then we get to the blob after that. But I will go kittle3 and then I would, I'm still going to go Mark Andrews four for now.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Wow. Okay.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Jamie Kittle is three, Laporta is four.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I like the emphasis on the T there in Laporta. Did I have Laporta? I also had. Yeah, I had Kittle and then Laporta. I'm surprised that Dave and Heath do not have Laporta fourth.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

He's fat.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, I, I believe I, I think was more willing to believe in Mark Andrews as an elite tight end coming into this year. I didn't, I had Laporte. Like I didn't draft any Laporta and Andrews was better than Laporta this year. So I don't have any reason to believe that Laporte is going to be better than Andrews next year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Was it, was it close enough to maybe make you consider making the switch? Heath? Because like in full PPR on a per game basis it was 2/10 of a fantasy point difference.

[CBS Sports Host]

I think that you can make the argument for Andrews, Laporta, Hawkinson Kelsey if he returns or David Najoku at tight end four. I'm not saying that there's a clear difference between any of These guys. I just prefer Mark Andrews. And I think, like, it's worth wondering if Sam laporta's role in the offense changes at all there is. Or if the offense is just not as good. Like, I think there's me a lot of people predicting that the Lions are gonna miss the playoffs next year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Mark Andrews is still one of the best per target. You know, he. There were 31 tight ends who had 50 or more targets this year. He ranked sixth. Mark Andrews sixth in yards per outrun, third in yards per target behind George Kittle. George Kittle was number one in yards per target. Do you guys know who number two is now? My favorite sleeper tight end.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Number two in yards per target among.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Tight ends with 50.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Or was it Isaiah?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Likely it was Tucker Craft. Tucker Kraft averaged. This is insane. He averaged more than nine yards after the catch per reception. He's the only tight end I went back, I think, like, six years to. The last guy who came even close was Noah Fant. Averaged 8.3 yak per catch in 2019, I believe, but 9.9.1 yak per catch. Unbelievable. And he averaged 7.5 yak per catch last year with a super, super low A dot last year. Tucker Craft. But I'm looking forward to talking about Tucker Craft because Christian Watson, torn acl, probably not gonna be ready for the start of the season. But he's not. He's not top four. All right, so everybody's got the same top three. Bowers, McBride, George Kittle. Dave goes Najoku four, Heath goes Andrews. Jamie. And I have Sam Laporta. Tight ends, just for.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Just for reference, since they're not here. Dan has Laporta 3, and Jacob has Laporta 3.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay, and let's go to tight ends 5 and 6. Heath, you can start. I.

[CBS Sports Host]

And again, I think that these guys are all in a range. We could even extend it all the way to 8. But I have LaPorta 5, Hawkinson 6. Kelsey would be 5 if he announces that he's coming back.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay, I. I ranked Kelsey. I think I have him.

[CBS Sports Host]

I ranked him seventh because as of right now, we don't know.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay, so. So Heath has Sam LaPorta five, TJ, Hawkins in six.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Jamie, I have Andrew's five and Najoku six.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Dave, you guys are crazy. Kelsey should be first in fantasy postseason leagues. No, LaPorte is fifth for me, and then Kelsey is coming in at six.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Okay.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

And I have Travis Kelsey five and Mark Andrews six. Yeah, Kelsey, by the way, his first three games of the year, he had a combined 12 targets. And who was playing in those three games? Rashee Rice. So Kelsey? I don't know. I don't know what the year would have looked like if Rashi Rice had not gotten injured, but four targets per game in the first three games of the season? It was.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Would anybody be surprised if Kelsey retired and then changed his mind in November and came back to the Chiefs in November, ramped up, made the playoffs with Kansas City and then went ham again next year?

[CBS Sports Host]

No.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

No, I guess not. All right, who should we talk about here? So Hawkinson, Najoku, Kelsey, these are names in here obviously along with Sam Laporta and Mark Andrews. Heath, you had Hawkinson six.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, I'm. I'm mostly just like we've done with running backs in the past. Not really holding the inefficiency or lack of touchdowns. In his first year back from an ACL against TJ Hawkinson, he's still in the prime of his career, will be 28 years old. We've seen him produce a couple of 900 yard seasons. He's in an offense that I think is probably going to throw the ball a lot and score a bunch of points. So I like DJ Hawkins.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

We didn't talk about Najoku when Dave had him fourth. Jamie Adam sixth. Was it you had Andrews in the Joku. Actually I'll let Dave talk about Najoku here. Why, why you had him fourth in.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Eight games where Watson was a DNP or left injured. Najoku averaged 16.2 PPR points per game last year, five games with Joe Flacco, 18.2 PPR points per game. That's a wonderful track record. As long as we like the Browns quarterback next year. I, I think Najoku is going to be someone who's going to continue to get a lot of targets, score a bunch of touchdowns playing in a contract year. One of three tight ends that we've already talked about today that are entering a contract here next year. So they've got that added motivation. 29 years old, clearly a focal point of the offense. Question marks at running back. I am thrilled to get Najoku and I think I get him late in the draft.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Late Ish Nijoku and Hawkinson are pretty interesting because they're most likely both getting new quarterbacks. Like with the way Darnold finished, you assume that McCarthy's got a chance to be the guy there for the Vikings and who knows who the Browns get and how much does that impact those two guys in particular when they're going to Be young.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I hate tight end this upcoming year. God, it's horrible.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

You'll change your tune.

[CBS Sports Host]

Maybe it will actually be good then.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I will not.

[CBS Sports Host]

Because you loved it coming into last year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I did not love it coming into last year.

[CBS Sports Host]

Everybody loved it coming into last year. It was the year of the tight end.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I said, you're kidding me, right? I said that I could. Look, I was wrong, obviously, because Kate Otten and John who Smith finished in the top five. But I said I didn't see it. Like a single tight end who was going to be undrafted, that could, that could be great this year. You know, I, I was. I have to get a top eight tight end. I think I said that on every single show we did. I ended up taking a lot of Jake Ferguson because he was like the last guy that I could see being a reliable tight end. I hated tight end. I mean, I liked it more than this garbage, but I did not like that.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I don't know why this is garbage though.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, this is horrible.

[CBS Sports Host]

It's always. It always has been. It's the. It's the astronaut meme.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I don't know. The astronaut meme always was. Okay, let's go to tight. What are we on six and seven now? And I have Najoku here. I have John who smith. Sorry, not 6 and 7. 7 and 8. I have John who Smith 7 and David Ajoku 8. Jamie, who do you have? 7.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

8.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Kelsey at 7 and John New Smith at 8.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Dave.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I have Mark Andrews at 7. John who Smith at 8.

[CBS Sports Host]

Heath Kelsey at 7. Najoku at 8. Now again, I might move Najoku up a little bit because when we did these, we didn't know that John Watson probably wasn't going to play this year. And so it is a little bit better for him probably. We'll see who their quarterback is.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

What do we make of it?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Could be Kirk Cousins. I don't know if that's going to make you super excited for Najoku, but if the guy has arm issues and velocity issues and mobility issues, he's going to want to get the ball out quick and take those shorter throws. That's the role Najoku's had in this offense for multiple seasons. Now is the short area target guy.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Just going to look up real quick? I'm going to guess John who Smith was tight end two after Tua came back. Maybe tight end three. But. But what are we thinking about John who Smith, who obviously finished strong and he ended up as a tight end four per game.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I mean, clearly he was what this team was, was missing for that position. Since Mike McDaniel took the job, he clearly did what they needed him to do in the offensive scheme. Change of not wanting to have all these big plays and Tua getting the ball of his hands quick and he was fantastic in that regard. And then you have clearly the story that's, you know, worth keeping an eye on. Is Tyree Kill going to be back in Miami if Tyree Kill is gone? He may be a top five tight end, you know, just based on what he just did and depending on how they replace Tyreek. So there's a lot to love about his situation, but again, you know, is it just a one hit wonder type of deal? I do recall when they signed Mike McDaniel, he was so excited about Mike Kaseki because his, where he came from, you know, in San Francisco was, you know, he wanted to make whoever the tight end there was, George Kittle. And then they went and got Tyree Kill and clearly he changed things because why would you not feature Tyree Kill instead of Mike Kaseki? Duh. So we'll see how this, you know, plays itself out. But clearly John Smith had a great rapport with Tua and has an opportunity here to still be one of the, you know, premier pass catchers in an offense that will feature.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right, so those are our top eight tight ends. I'm wondering if we're about to get to John who Smith and Heath's rankings go to tight ends 9 and 10, Heath, Johnny Smith in here.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, I've got Dallas Goddard and John who Smith. And my, my only concern with John who Smith is that this was the first year that we've seen this from a Mike McDaniel offense and this was by far the worst a Mike McDaniel offense has been. I would think you'd probably want to change things up again. I wouldn't think they'd want to do the same thing they did last year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, I think more throws to Tyreek Hill and, and Jaitlin Waddle.

[CBS Sports Host]

Maybe, maybe we should bring back the big place.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Or just keep you healthy.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, I mean, I, I do think you, when you ever, you talk about that, I do think you kind of overlook the, the Skyler Thompson, whoever else they had.

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, I think after Tua came back, they were four points per game or five points per game worse than what they'd been the year before.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

They were, yeah, they were worse, no question. But, but they were like horrible as always without Tua. But. All right, Dallas Goddard, that's pretty interesting at tight end nine, Heath. Yeah.

[CBS Sports Host]

Again, I. I don't want to draft these guys. I probably will draft a top three tight end this year. But we've, like. Dallas Goddard's still very good. The Eagles offense is still very good. I think Dallas Goddard could absolutely have a season where he, like. I don't know what's shocking about Dallas Goddard as a top 10 tight end, actually.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

So would you like to know you're.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

The only one that has him ranked.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, he.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

He's averaged at least 9.7 PPR points per game each of his last four seasons.

[CBS Sports Host]

He was tied in 10 per game this year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

And obviously you'll feel much better starting him when one of the other receivers in Philadelphia is out. Yeah, but I. I think that's a safe floor for him. You just look at him and you go, okay, over the course of the year, he'll average 10 fantasy points per game and be someone that maybe scores five, six times over the course of the year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

His best two games were without A.J. brown.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I. I understand. Yes.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Right.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

This is briefly how it works.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah. But I mean, that's my thing is I just feel like there's no upside with Dallas Goddard. Gotta be getting. Well, I know there's. There's injury upside, and I think 31 next year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Tight end. You go to when you don't like any other tight end or the upside of any other tight end left on the board.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah. All right, so Goddard, nine. John New Smith, ten for Heath. Jamie, who'd you have at nine and ten?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Nine. I have Ferguson and ten. Hawkinson, but Hawkinson and Dave.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Evan Ingram's at nine. He might change teams this off season based on his contract. And then Tucker kraft is at 10. Wow.

[CBS Sports Host]

So, no, there's no. Nobody said Dalton can cage it.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Nope.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

No.

[CBS Sports Host]

I thought I was gonna be. That's where I was prepared to be the outlier, and I didn't need that preparation at all. Okay. Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right. We got an Evan Ingram in here. We got a Ferguson in here. We got a Tucker Craft in here. These are tight ends. 9 and 10. 9 and 10 for me are Evan Ingram and TJ Hawkinson. Is that what you had, Jamie?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

No, I. Ferguson and Hawkinson.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Ferguson. Okay. Right. Dave had Ingerman and Kraft. Yeah. Ingram. These. Is there any upside in this group?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I mean, Hawkinson. I think so, but he sort of laid that out for you where he hasn't ranked. So clearly there's. There's. There's a chance for him to be a top five guy.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

We've crossed the bridge to Goddard land. These are all guys that are going to be in that. Fingers crossed. 10 ppr point per game average, right?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I do like Ferguson getting Prescott back, depending on who the coach is there.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

What do you make of Ingram having such a worse season last year than he did the year before?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Trevor got hurt, Brian Thomas got there and he got hurt.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I think you have to throw out the part of 2023 when he was the number one target in the offense. And if you do that, he averaged 11.5 PPR points per game on 7.6 targets per game in 12 games with Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk. This is two seasons ago, so obviously things can change. But last year, just over the totality of the year, he averaged 9.9 in full PPR. He averaged 4.7 in non PPR. So that just tells you how important the target share has to be for him to make him even like a top 20 guy in, in fantasy football. But he's, he's hit anywhere from 9.9 to 11.5 each of his past three seasons. Win. He's had company at wide receiver. So I, I try and I do not expect anything close to the end of 2023 with him. But if you're somebody who might get seven targets per game, that, that might be enough for you to go back to Evan Ingram. And again that's in the case that he stays in Jacksonville. If they cut him to save some money against the cap, he's on a new team and then who the heck knows what his situation will be.

[CBS Sports Host]

It was just a pretty clear like 2023 was the clear outlier year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, he has. I don't know what he finished as this year. Actually I do know what he finished as this year. Evan Ingram. He was tight end. Where are you?

[CBS Sports Host]

37.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

14.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

14 per game in full PPR. I'm pretty sure he'd been a top tight end. Top 10 tight end per game in full PPR. Like all but one year. Maybe now all but two years of his career. It's not always pretty, but he usually ends up as a starting tight end. He did not this year. Tight end 14. All right. We're actually going to take one break and come back and give you 11 and 12 in our tight end rankings. We'll be right back on fantasy football today, exciting and new. Hello. Hannah Waddingham here. Have you seen the fabulous new Sun Princess? World class entertainment, exceptional dining and the greatest pizza ever.

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[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Fantasy Cops and your emails@Fantasy FootballBSI.com coming up before that, we'll finish off the top 12 tight ends. You guys have your list in front of you. If maybe you can just recap your top 10. Can we do that?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Sure.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right, go for it, Jamie.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

It is Bowers, McBride, Kittle, Andrew LaPorta, Andrews, Najoku Kelsey, John Smith, Jake Ferguson.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

TJ Hawkinson, and then you might as well just give me 11 and 12.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

11 is Dalton Kincaid.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yay.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

And 12 is Tucker Kraft. There will be one guy that I will probably change if the guy in front of him leaves as a free agent.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, oh, Baltimore.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

No, I might get Ben Said in my top 10.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay, Heath, give me your top 12.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah. Bowers, McBride and Kittle. Andrews, Laporta and Hawkinson. Kelsey and Joku Goddard. John. Ooh, Ingram. I have Kincaid, 12th currently, but I. I might have Cole Command ahead of him with Ben Johnson in Detroit.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay, so you have Ingram and Kincaid rounding out your top 12. Dave, who do you got?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I'm just gonna list my anomalies compared to the other guys. I've got Najoku at 4. I've got John who at 8. I've got Evan Ingram at 9, and then my last two are TJ Hawkinson and Jamie wouldn't let us rank rookies, but Tyler Warren's going to be a top 12 tight end by the time we get to August. So since we can't rank him, I put Dalton Kincaid as a placeholder.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay, I have Bowers, McBride, Kittle Laporta, Kelsey Andrews. That's my top six. John who? Smith. David Najoku. Najoku, by the way, has been a top eight tight end per game in full PPR three straight seasons. Evan Ingram, 9. Hawkinson 10. Craft, 11. Jake Ferguson, 12. Jake Ferguson did finish as the number 24 tight end in fantasy per game per game without a single touchdown this year. All right, anyway, that, that's. Those are our top twelves. Craft. Yeah, I got excited about him. I saw some of those metrics. Good after the catch two years in a row. Even when you compare him with guys with similar adots, I mean he's just crushing those guys. Second in yards per target, which among tight ends, whatever. I mean, obviously could be fluky, but I think there's a bump there. When Christian Watson doesn't play. Even in the playoff game, he got five or six targets, which isn't bad on a bad day for Jordan Love. So yeah, it was somebody that I came in a little bit more encouraged about.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

You want. You wonder if that offense changes a little bit after the season? Well, you know, when they, when they reevaluate it, not that it wasn't successful for them, but they, you know, didn't get to where they want to go. You also wonder like how much does Jordan, was Jordan love playing hurt through those games? And does he come back at 100, stay 100 and they throw the ball a little bit more?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

This is going to get you excited about tucker Kraft. Matt LaFleur was talking him up in his season ending wrap up press conference. He said, quote, I think that's on us to find him and feature him. When he gets the ball in his hands, you feel him. If there's an area we have to do a better job on, it's featuring the tight end. And when he was asked if, if Kraft had the potential to be George Kittle or Travis Kelsey, LaFleur said 100%. I think you would expect any coach to say that about his tight end, but the fact that he's already lamenting not doing more with his tight end after the season that they just had gets me a little bit more interested in expecting at least an uptick in production and maybe touchdowns for Tucker Craft.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I wonder if LaFleur is the new Sean Payton. Meaning, meaning hyping up his guys and then never doing it.

[CBS Sports Host]

I, at, at some point for me to get excited about, really excited about a Matt LaFleur pass catcher. Again, somebody in his offense is gonna have to get 100 targets. Like the guy just hates anybody getting more than five targets a game.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

That's what I'm talking about. Like in, I think it was two owners meetings ago and he was. Christian Watson's the next Devonte Adams. Jaden Reed is the next Devonte Adams. You know, he's, he's a little A little hyperbole.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

And, you know, just to be fair, the numbers are not good for. For Tucker Kraft without Christian Watson on the field. He actually was targeted more on a per route, but just targeted more with Watson on the field than off the field. But that's an interesting one because Watson's not a guy who plays 90 of the snaps or anything like that. I think you'd really have to just also look at the games that Watson missed, not just the snaps that he didn't play in in the games when he was healthy. All right, let's. Let's move on here. Again, we have your emails@fantasy footballbsi.com and we're getting a visit from. Where is it? There they are, the fantasy cops. All right, here we go. Fantasy cops from John. I went into my dynasty. What? What happened? Did it fall? What? Oh, I thought my.

[CBS Sports Host]

Oh, there's this. We have this feature.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, crap.

[CBS Sports Host]

Where we're allowed to like star comments that we want to make sure that we come back to later.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Fantasy cops will wait. We did have a good show. A good question. So we have a bad show. Now we have a good question from Mr. Popinsky. I think he wanted to know where we'd rank Isaiah Likely if Mark Andrews were not on the roster.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Hi, tight end six.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yeah, I could he like. I put Andrews, laporta Hawkins, and Kelsey Najoku all in the same tier and he would definitely be in that tier. He might be as high as four or five.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I don't want to give off Okonkwo vibes, but Adam, I sent you before the show where likely ranked in terms of efficiency last year and it's. It's very high. Clearly an athletic, ascending player who's not the typical tight end.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

And if I might like him, even if Andrew stays. Depends really on like what. What's the makeup of the entire Ravens receiving core if they do more with wide receivers? I'm not going to like Likely as much.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He's. He's great. That would be a big opportunity for him. We also had some comments about the two rookies. I mean, Jamie mentioned Ben Sinnett, but the names brought up in the chat were the Theo Johnson of the Giants, Tavian Sanders of the Panthers. We'll throw a center in there. Any other rookies that you guys think maybe could crack the top 12?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Eric all comes back healthy from the ACL. He could be on that list as well.

[CBS Sports Host]

I'm pretty excited about Sanders.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, it's actually pretty. Maybe promising class. I don't know how good those guys will end up being.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

But how many, how many rookies this year will overshadow last year's rookies? Because you've got Loveland from Michigan, you've got Warren from Penn State.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, I love Warren.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yeah, who doesn't?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, he'll probably, I mean I assume he'll be ranked higher than any of the year two guys.

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, not Rock, Bowers, probably any of.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

The ones we just talked about.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I, I, I'm, I'm excited about sending I like what Zach Ertz has done and he's free agent, you know. So this is another offense that's going to continue to get better and we'll see what they do to add it at, at, at their receiving core.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

What segment should we do next?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Well, you didn't even do Fantasy Cops.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Let's do Fantasy Cops. Here we go. This one is from John. So Jon was in a dynasty league. John says still in it. I went into my dynasty draft with a two, three year approach and after tons of trades I finished this past season with Drake, May, Bo, Nick picks, Bryce Young, Brian Thomas Jr. Lad McConkey, Brock Bowers, Roma Dunze, Rashi Rice, and Ken walker. I have four of the top six rookie picks for 2025. I have eight first round picks total for 2025, nine in 2026 and six in 2027. So he's set up for the future. A few teams who went all in on winning now ended up making some bad trades. Two teams might not even be able to fill even a starting lineup next year unless they make some lopsided trades and they traded away every one of their picks through 2027. Both owners ended up quitting the league last week and the commissioner just said that he wants to fold the league and start a new one. There's no way I'm joining any more of his leagues. But am I wrong for wanting a full refund including the first year's entry? I didn't sign up for a redraft league and the strategy that myself and another manager took to prioritize youth and future draft picks is a valid strategy. The year one winner was already paid out, but I believe that it's wrong to advertise a dynasty league and give minimal effort in keeping it alive just to fold the league after the first year. Am I wrong for demanding all entry fees be refunded? It was a fairly large buy in and I've paid through 2027 due to multiple first round picks being traded.

[CBS Sports Host]

Oof. I I don't think you are wrong for wanting that, you're not going to get it. And this is why I think a lot of people say when you start up a dynasty league, you should have people pay for the first two years of the startup draft. So if teams drop out, then you can give those teams to managers to, to try to rebuild for free. And it seems like if all those people had traded away their picks, they should have already paid those 26 and 27 entry fees. They shouldn't get those back if they're leaving the league.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

So would you refund him the 2024 entry fee that he paid?

[CBS Sports Host]

I would not, but I'd probably chop. I mean if we're, if you're going to disband the league, then you almost have to chop up the money from the guys who quit and already paid those early those entry fees and at least get some money back.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Anything.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

What if they didn't pay those fees?

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, he just said that if you traded your future picks, you had to pay those pay your future entry fees.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Right.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

So I assume if you traded them away.

[CBS Sports Host]

Right. And they, he said they traded away all their Future picks through 2026. So there got to be at least two years entry fees from a few teams.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

So it, it sounds like at least two, maybe three people want this league, one out of this league. Right, the two that said that leaving in the commissioner. Yeah, I mean you could always just. You take over being the commissioner and then find two other or three other people.

[CBS Sports Host]

Yep, that's a good one too.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, but who's going to take over these teams that are horrible?

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, if the entry fees are already paid for two years, then a lot.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Of people, you could do that. Could you also make it a 10 team league and you know, draft their.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Why would they pay and then want to leave? Like that doesn't make sense.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Are we sure they paid?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Right? That's the question.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Because they could just be like, nah, I want out. And then. But, but you owe us money for future years. And they say bite me.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Right. So yeah, I say, I like this. Get rid of the commissioner, you take over, find new teams they don't have to.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Or give the commissioner a chance to still be in the league if he wants to. He just didn't want to run it. Maybe.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah. Commissioner didn't really think this through, but I can't.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

It's almost like, you know, not telling people when the free agents are gonna.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Start gonna drown you out with music. Thanks for your entry, Josh. Any more fantasy cops issues, bring them on. Fantasy footballbsi.com. here's an email from Julio. I've been playing fantasy football for about four years, and each year my strategy has been always been to focus on wide receivers and running backs in the first eight to nine rounds and finish my drafts with tight ends and quarterbacks. I usually have good depth at wide receiver and running back, but I usually have to stream tight ends and quarterbacks until I find a good option and I stick with them. In the past years, it has usually led me to win and lose some leagues. But this year, in the 12 leagues that I played, I made the playoffs in 10, I made the finals in eight, but I lost all eight finals games. When I looked at all of my opponents, I noticed a trend. The majority of the teams had a top tier quarterback and a top tier tight end, which made me rethink my strategy. Do you think I should change my strategy where I draft the top tier tight ends and quarterbacks in the early rounds or just stick with my original strategy? What do you think?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

So he played how many leagues?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

He played in 12. He made eight finals. And his strategy, in case anybody missed it, first eight or nine rounds, he drafts running backs and wide receivers, and then after that he streams quarterbacks and tight ends. He's had a lot of success, I'd say, in the past, but he lost all of his eight finals to teams that had top tier tight ends and quarterbacks this year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

As, as someone who plays in a lot of leagues, I, I like to try different strategies for this reason, you know, so sometimes you're going to have the success, you're going to have the success rate of the, the league the way you typically do it. And sometimes, you know, you want to try different things to see what works. And so if you're going to play in 12 leagues again, okay, so go based on the, the numbers you just gave us eight of them, you had the, the, the same track record you have. Well, four leagues next year, try something different or two leagues, try something different. You know, just shake it up a little bit and then maybe you find a different path to getting to where you want to go. So that's the fun of this game is you don't have to necessarily do the same things. You know, people ask all the time, you play in so many leagues, don't you have the same players in some of these? Well, yeah, a lot. Because, you know, they're, they're guys that you like prior to the season. Then you tend to gravitate towards those players when waiver wire moves come up, you know, you Try to get those guys. I think it's always a good opportunity to try a little bit of a different approach, especially if you have so many stakes in the game, you know, where you can, you know, try some, some different strategies that may work for.

[CBS Sports Host]

I, I agree with the different strategy thought, but also what I really want to say is you had a spectacular year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yes.

[CBS Sports Host]

You had eight teams out of 12 make the finals. The bad thing about this game is that sometimes terrible, terrible luck strikes. And that's what happened. Like, you had a spectacular year. You should be really, really proud of how great your teams did. And you just had one bad week at the worst time. And just a slight word of caution, I had way too much James Cook and Mike Evans. So one of our last drafts that we did at the 2, 3 turn, I took Patrick Mahomes and Rishi Rice and was out of the league by week six. So, like, sometimes you should just stick with your guns.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I like the strategy with the obvious move to pick up good value on draft day. If someone slips a quarterback or tight end, there's absolutely nothing wrong with veering from the strategy to go and get one of those players. And then if you, let's just say you do end up going with lots of running backs and wide receivers, you're streaming tight end. Your streaming quarterback maybe work a little harder to try and swing a trade for one of the top quarterbacks. Just because you don't draft one doesn't mean you can't have one. You're just gonna have to make a deal at some point in the season. I am in a bunch of leagues with pals who overvalue quarterbacks. And so I'm always one of the last guys to get a quarterback. I think I started my year with Matt Matthew stafford as my QB1, but by the end of the year, Jalen Hurts was my quarterback. I made the playoffs. I was bounced from the playoffs because of Jalen Hurts and what happened to him in, in the game where he got concussed. But that, that's always my plan B is all right, so I don't get a guy on draft day. I'll either find a guy off the waiver wire, which is what this guy's been doing, or I'll make a trade for a quarterback along the way, consolidate my depth, keep the studs at the running back and receiver positions, and do the best I can in the playoffs. And Heath's right, man. You make the playoffs in 10 of 12 leagues, that's a successful season.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I wonder if the Quarterbacks and tight ends that he lost to and if, if any of those combinations were Jaden Daniels and Johnny Smith, you know, quarterback drafted late, tight end picked up off waivers. They finished as two of the best players their position, but they weren't drafted that way.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

John, who wasn't drafted at all.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right, one more question here. Let's just get Heath on this if we can because I want to save time for a Dave, Dave story from Jamie. Yes. Yes. So basically the question is from. It's from Aaron. It's a dynasty question says the rookie running back class is supposed to be stacked at the high end but also deep. I'm wondering which running backs from the 2023 and 2024 seasons would you consider holding on to for another year to see what happens? I have a few third round picks and just trying to debate whether I'm safer giving 2024 year two running backs another shot or drafting multiple third round running backs in this talented class. I would hate to miss out on a Kyron Pollard, Mostert Sprols or Aaron Jones situation who were day three picks but broke out in year two or three.

[CBS Sports Host]

So, so the first group of like must holds may not all, not many of them are probably day three picks but like you got to hold Trey Benson, you got to hold Jonathan Brooks even through the acl. You gotta hold Braylon Allen. I'm holding Taije Spears. I'm holding Jalen Wright. Holding Audrey Estimate. I'm holding Blake Coram. I'm holding Marshawn Lloyd.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Why don't you just tell us who you're not gonna hold?

[CBS Sports Host]

Well, there's, I mean there's. We're just now to the top 50 in my dynasty rankings at running back.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Which makes total sense.

[CBS Sports Host]

I, I think Roshan and Kendra Miller and Kamani Vital are three guys. That kind of is where you get into the blurry zone. But I'm probably holding those guys over third round picks, not second.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

By the way, I'm gonna write the story today. Kendra Miller was the number two most winningest player in CBSSports.com leagues.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Wow, that's funny. Who was number one?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Everybody picked him up at the end of the year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Brian Thomas Jr. Number one.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

No, the obvious was number one Mark Chase. Yeah.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

All right. Actually I was gonna guess T. I was. My second guess is going to be T. Higgins because he had that three touchdown game. All right, thank you.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

No, no, it's not, it's not playoffs. This is what they did to get you the playoffs. Regular season.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

They were on it they were on a roster that won the league, not the starting lineup.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, but if you, but if you had them, if they had big week 17s, then, then you won.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

No, it's win percentage for the season.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, win percentage for the season. Okay.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Yes.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I'm taking Kendrick Miller, round one next year.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

How the hell was Kendry Miller number two?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Because if you had a good team, you were playing late in the year, you were making waiver wire moves, you probably picked him up with the chance of Alvin Kamara not coming back, and he was on your roster on a winning team.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay. All right, Jamie. So what did Dave do before Bears games?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

So I don't know the year Dave can attest to this, when he stopped being a Bears fan.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

It's been at least 15 years.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

It was, it was definitely during the Rex Grossman super bowl run. It was definitely in. In when I started. So this was 2006 and probably went through. What'd you say, 2001.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I mean, I, I, I stopped rooting for the Bears when I started rooting for the packers in their super bowl over the Steelers. That was Super Bowl 45. And so, like, it's been, wow, 10, 12, 15, somewhere in there. But no, no question. I mean, I went to their super bowl against Indianapolis. That was Super Bowl 41. Die Hard Bears fan then.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

So it was Dave and two co workers, and every Friday, they would have a powwow at Dave's desk where they would discuss how they could win, what would happen, their fandom. And at the end, they went all hands in and say, bear down.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Oh, that's awesome. I'm getting images of Whoa, Bundy. Oh, that's great. You know what? I'm not gonna make fun of that, Dave. I love that.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Hysterical. It's so stupid. Now. Jamie loves one of those guys, by the way.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

I love all those guys.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

I don't even know who they are.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

I don't know if you should name them.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 3]

Tell you up there.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Okay. All right, everybody, bear down. We will talk to you tomorrow. We take a look at Adam.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Is it proper when you go to somebody's wedding to give them a gift?

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

It is.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

Oh, I agree. But somebody that we just talked about might not have done that to one of us at our wedding.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Yeah, I had a few people who didn't give me a gift. It's pretty messed up. All right, Cela. It's even, by the way, the right thing to do to get someone a wedding gift when you haven't been invited to their wedding, but you work with them.

[CBS Sports Host]

Great.

[Fantasy Football Analyst 1]

Have a great day, everybody. We'll talk to you tomorrow on Fantasy Football. Today.

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[Fantasy Football Analyst 2]

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