Fantasy Football Today – Mailbag, Fantasy Cops & Dad Jokes!

Date: November 15, 2025
Hosts: Adam Aizer, Jamie Eisenberg, Dan Schneier

Episode Overview

In this lively Friday mailbag, the FFT crew—Adam, Jamie, and Dan—tackles listener questions on trades, roster moves, and league disputes, while also delivering spirited debates about fantasy philosophy, dad jokes, and who’s best at fantasy football. This episode blends practical start/sit advice, "Fantasy Cops" league arbitration, and plenty of banter. It's a must-listen for fantasy managers looking for quick-hit takes and entertainment before the weekend’s kickoff.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mailbag Rapid-Fire: Start/Sit & Trade Advice

• The team answers a barrage of specific lineup and trade queries, often digging into player usage, matchups, and league context.

Notable Start/Sit Calls:

• Troy Franklin, Jameson Williams, Jordan Addison – Pick two:
  • Dan: “Jameson and Franklin.” (04:02)
  • Jamie: "I love what Dan Campbell did with Jameson Williams last week." (04:05)
• Aaron Rodgers or Caleb Williams vs. Jared Goff this week?
  • Dan: "Much rather start either Rodgers or Caleb Williams over Goff." (05:11)
  • Jamie: Recommends only dropping Sean Tucker if he’s unnecessary depth; prioritizes QB upgrade in superflex or shallow leagues.
• Michael Wilson vs. Keenan Allen (Full PPR):
  • Dan: “Wilson. I have that decision myself.” (10:13)
  • Jamie: “Wilson has a better chance at volume.”
• Gibbs for Rashee Rice & Rico Dowdle?
  • Dan/Adam: "Win for Rice & Dowdle"—both think the value is on the Rice/Dowdle side. (10:38 - 10:48)

Trade Grades & Strategy:

• Jamie walks through a tough Superflex trade, asking, “Would you rather give up Nico Collins or Davante Adams?”
  • Adam: “Absolutely keep Adams. He’s on the Rams now—unstoppable offense.” (09:06)
  • Jamie: “I did keep Adams. It’s tough, but Nico is just more frustrating.”
• Injury stashes and league setup (Superflex, half-point completion, 14 teams) are frequent context factors.

Memorable Quote:
"You can’t finish the league and win the playoffs without a quarterback in that flex spot the way it’s set up with the 0.5 completion." – Jamie (07:41)

2. Fantasy Cops: Commissioning and League Drama (44:51, 45:16, 48:09, 50:27)

Case 1 - Wild Card Playoff Week on a Bye:

• League created a wildcard playoff round without realizing it landed on an NFL bye week.
• Jamie: “It's the dumbest thing ever, but if it was agreed on pre-season, you’re kind of stuck with it.” (44:57)
• Dan/Adam: Sympathize but recommend sticking with the voted rules for fairness.

Case 2 - Absent Owner Not Setting Lineups:

• Commissioner refuses to monitor or adjust an absentee manager’s lineup, leading to lopsided matchups.
• Dan: Suggests commissioner reach out once as a courtesy but not act as a "babysitter" weekly. “If you’re a serious league, enforce it and warn, otherwise just let it ride.” (46:28)
• Jamie: “Decide: serious or for fun? If serious, communicate expectations, but for a recurring issue, consider not inviting back the owner.” (47:33)
• Adam: Adds that once he benefited from a "free win," he felt it was unfair to retroactively fix for later matchups.

Case 3 – Trade Veto After Injury News:

• A manager accepted a trade swapping Pollard & DJ Moore for Garrett Wilson seconds after news broke of Wilson’s injury, then asked for a veto.
• Adam: "If a player's status changes drastically before acceptance, it’s fair to veto, especially if news broke immediately before." (50:25)
• Jamie/All Agree: Serious leagues should prioritize fairness and friendship over exploiting technicalities.

Notable Quote:
"Why would you want this to be contentious for people you’re with for years?... Just work something out—no need for hard feelings." – Dan (51:23)

3. Player Usage & Injury Notes (12:25 – 13:10, 14:09, 22:19)

• Dalton Kincaid, Chris Godwin, Bucky Irving OUT.
• Jackson Dart (Ole Miss, CFB) out, but trending positive for next week.
• Denzel Ward likely OUT—potential boost for Ravens passing.
• Sam LaPorta might miss, so “look at Brock Wright in deep tight end premium leagues.” (14:13, Dan)
• Discussion of usage trends: e.g., Rashee Rice outscoring Gibbs by 2 PPG; tight usage splits for Falcons RBs in the red zone.

4. Dad Jokes Segment (35:12 – 40:51)

A highlight as the team reads listener-submitted dad jokes, debates delivery, and discusses what makes a proper “dad joke.”

• Dan: “They’re not supposed to be funny—the fun is how bad they are!” (37:27)
• Sample Dad Jokes (Listener-submitted):
  • "I once submitted 10 dad jokes to a joke competition... No pun intended." (38:09)
  • "Why does Waldo wear stripes? Because he doesn't want to be spotted." (38:17)
  • "What's brown and sticky? A stick." (38:17)
  • "Why did the Scarecrow win the award? Because he was outstanding in his field." (39:12)
• Jamie: “I guess when it’s not funny, that’s a dad joke.” (39:12)
• The crew's delivery and deadpan reactions are as funny as the jokes themselves.

5. Showdowns, Banter, and League Bragging (16:43 – 27:02; 23:03 – 26:28)

• Jamie and Dan spar over league standings, who’s better at Dynasty, and what really determines "fantasy skill": record, points scored, or playoff wins?

  • Adam: “You’re not really sure if that’s true.”
  • Jamie: “Fair point. I can see the wheels turning... throwing stuff at the wall.”

• The trio make light of each other’s successes and failures, referencing in-house leagues—guillotine, auction, dynasty, and superflex repeatedly.

6. Lightning Round: Listener Q&A on Lineups and Trades

Sample Value Calls and Debates:

• Jalen Waddle for Etienne & RJ Harvey? – “If you need RBs, yes.” (15:43)
• Bijan Robinson for JSN/Puka/CmC/Chase rest of season? – “Yes, I’d take any of them over Bijan in a vacuum.” (63:12)
• DK Metcalf vs. Michael Wilson vs. Brian Thomas Jr. — Bench one?
  • Mixed answers; Jamie: “Is it Metcalf? What does Metcalf do for us these days?” (62:03)
• Would you drive 12 min for a sandwich?
  • Fun tangent: Adam describes his favorite chicken cutlet/blue cheese deli sandwich; Dan: “I love eating alone. No one to bother me.” (43:01)

7. Closing Banter: Tennis, Food, and Inbox Maintenance

• Adam and Jamie plan a tennis doubles showdown—Azers vs. Schneiers.
• Peanut butter storage debate revisited; fridge vs. pantry.
• Complaints about Apple Podcasts UI and shout-outs from listeners (“Adam is so funny and smart and handsome”—Adam, reading a favorable Spotify comment out loud) (59:02)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Coffee ice cream over pumpkin pie. God, they are both horrible." – Adam (11:42)
• "I just want to see [Swift] one more week before I say this is his role." – Adam (31:32)
• "Would you trade Bijan for Puka? ….Yes." – (63:01)
• "The funniness is how bad they are." – Dan, on dad jokes (37:27)
• "Don't leave trades up..." – Jamie’s perennial fantasy trade advice (53:40)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Mailbag Rapid Fire – 04:00–16:00
• Big Trade Philosophy/League Contexts – 06:29–09:54
• Waiver Wire & News Updates – 12:25–14:13
• Dynasty/Auction Humblebrags – 16:43–27:02
• Lightning Q&A / Start-Sit Decisions – 27:04–34:08
• Dad Jokes Segment – 35:12–40:51
• Fantasy Cops (League Disputes) – 44:51–53:30
• Sandwich Tangent / Lunch Bummer – 42:13–43:45
• Endgame: More Q&A, Tennis Challenge, Wrap-up – 64:21–73:34

Final Thoughts

This episode is a microcosm of why fans love FFT: fiery debates, concise and actionable fantasy guidance, and the offbeat humor of a group that truly feels like old friends. The advice is sharp (start Williams, add LaPorta's backup, make smart trade drops), the “Fantasy Cops” wisdom is fair-minded, and the spirit is as much about camaraderie as winning matchups. As always, leave your start/sit questions on YouTube comments—the hosts really do read them.

For next episode:

• Check in Sunday mornings on YouTube for live Q&A, injury updates, and more start/sit wisdom.
• Leave your league disputes for the Fantasy Cops—just keep it concise!