Fantasy Football Today – Episode: Player Outlooks (AFC)! Fun Notes on Eight Key Players (06/02 Fantasy Football Podcast) Release Date: June 2, 2025
Host: Adam Aizer
Analysts: Dave Richard, Jamey Eisenberg, Heath Cummings, and others
Podcast Description: Dive deep into Fantasy Football strategies with expert analysis on player rankings, rookies, waiver wire pickups, and more to help you dominate your league.

Introduction

The episode kicks off with a brief acknowledgment of advertisements before transitioning into the main content. Host Adam Aizer welcomes listeners to the show, emphasizing the focus on player outlooks for the AFC division, with plans to cover the NFC in subsequent episodes.

Creating Player Outlooks

Adam shares his personal experience with drafting player outlooks, highlighting how writing them out—whether by hand or typing—helps organize thoughts and clarify strategies for upcoming drafts. Dave Richard echoes this sentiment, suggesting that drafting notes can be instrumental in making informed decisions during live drafts.

Notable Quote:

Adam (01:17): "Writing something out was actually helpful for me to put my thoughts out there, organize it a little bit and really know, hone in on how I feel about these players."

AFC Player Outlooks

David Najoku

Heath Cummings initiates the discussion with insights on David Najoku, highlighting Najoku's impressive performance when paired with quarterback Joe Flacco in 2023. Najoku averaged 18.6 PPR (Points Per Reception) fantasy points over five games, showcasing his potential as a top-tier tight end.

Notable Quote:

Heath (15:50): "Najoku could absolutely be a top three tight end."

Adam adds context by comparing Najoku's performance with historical data, underscoring his consistency when healthy and actively involved in the offense.

Statistics:

• David Najoku: 18.6 PPR points/game over five games with Flacco.
• Jono Smith: 18.6 PPR points/game over eight games.

Justin Fields

The conversation shifts to Justin Fields, where Heath expresses difficulty in consistently ranking Fields higher due to his fluctuating performance metrics. Fields has shown promise with a combination of passing and rushing abilities, but concerns remain regarding his passing efficiency and potential fluctuations based on quarterback support.

Notable Quote:

Heath (17:07): "Justin Fields has a top 10 floor."

Statistics:

• Justin Fields:
  • 2022: 1,300 rushing yards, 9 TDs
  • 2023: 866 rushing yards, 6 TDs
  • 2024: 655 rushing yards, 14 TDs
  • Career Yards Per Attempt: 7.0

Dave Richard provides additional analysis on Fields' passing game, comparing his completion rate and yards per attempt to peers like Aaron Rodgers, suggesting Fields remains a viable top-12 fantasy quarterback.

Brian Thomas Jr.

Jamie Eisenberg delves into Brian Thomas Jr.'s breakout potential. Thomas Jr. demonstrated significant promise in the past season with consistent performances, averaging 99.8 yards and nearly a touchdown per game over a six-game stretch.

Notable Quote:

Jamie (33:10): "There’s a lot to love about the upside of what Brian Thomas can be based on that six game stretch."

Adam supports this by referencing Thomas Jr.'s early-season performance metrics, positioning him as a potential early-round pick with strong upside.

Statistics:

• Brian Thomas Jr.: 99.8 yards/game, ~1 TD/game over six games.

Garrett Wilson

The discussion moves to Garrett Wilson, where concerns are raised about his Average Draft Position (ADP) being 32nd overall despite being ranked as high as wide receiver 14. This discrepancy suggests that his true value might be underappreciated in certain mock drafts.

Notable Quote:

Adam (27:25): "I’m surprised he’s ahead of Hill. I’m surprised he’s 32nd overall."

Jamie advises caution, noting that fan mock drafts may not fully capture Wilson's potential but recognizing his importance in various league formats.

Anthony Richardson

Jamie provides an outlook on Anthony Richardson, a quarterback with high potential but also significant risk due to his inconsistency and limited game experience. Richardson's dual-threat capabilities offer upside if he can stabilize his passing mechanics and capitalize on the Colts' offensive weapons.

Notable Quote:

Jamie (28:20): "If he takes advantage of it, he’s going to be a top 10 quarterback."

Statistics:

• Anthony Richardson: 19.3 fantasy points/game over two seasons in games with >90% snap share.

Jono Smith

Adam highlights Jono Smith's remarkable performance last season, where he averaged 18.6 PPR points per game over eight games. Smith's potential trade to the Steelers could impact his fantasy value, especially with the presence of offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.

Notable Quote:

Adam (28:35): "He's like a consensus ranking, something like tight end 10."

Statistics:

• Jono Smith: 18.6 PPR points/game over eight games.

Xavier Worthy

Dave Richard analyzes Xavier Worthy's performance against different defensive coverages. Worthy excelled against man coverage but saw reduced target shares against zone coverage, raising questions about his consistency and ADP as a reliable fantasy option.

Notable Quote:

Dave (42:35): "The Chiefs will see more zone coverage and he doesn't get, he hasn't gotten the same type of target share against zone coverage than he does against man coverage."

Statistics:

• Xavier Worthy:
  • Against Zone: 16% regular season, 21% playoffs
  • Against Man: 22% regular season, 37% playoffs

Khalil Shakir

Khalil Shakir is discussed as a dependable but not standout wide receiver option. While he showed solid production last season, the panel expresses skepticism about his ability to be a significant fantasy difference-maker without an increase in touchdowns.

Notable Quote:

Jamie (66:02): "He’s a good fourth receiver and a reliable safe target, but not a huge difference-maker."

Statistics:

• Khalil Shakir: 76 catches, 821 yards, 4 TDs over 15 games.

Greg Roman’s Track Record with Running Backs

Dave Richard critiques Greg Roman’s history as an offensive coordinator, particularly his ability to develop rookie running backs. Roman has only enabled two running backs to average 15 PPR points in their rookie seasons over a decade, raising concerns about drafting running backs in teams coached by him.

Notable Quote:

Dave (42:18): "He hasn’t had a rookie running back average 12 PPR points under Greg Roman."

Historical Performance:

• Mark Ingram: 15 PPR points (2016)
• LaShawn McCoy: 15 PPR points (2016)

Additional AFC East Outlooks: Jono Smith

The panel revisits Jono Smith, reaffirming his potential as a high-value tight end in fantasy leagues. Heath credits Smith with excellent finesse after the catch, making him a reliable option despite concerns over target fluctuation.

Notable Quote:

Heath (62:18): "He has been over 5 yards after the catch per reception every year of his career."

Concluding Remarks

As the episode wraps up, Adam Aizer teases the next episode focusing on the NFC, ensuring listeners have the latest insights to prepare for their drafts.

Key Takeaways:

• David Najoku and Jono Smith emerge as top tight end options with high fantasy point averages.
• Justin Fields remains a solid top-12 quarterback with balancing risks tied to his passing efficiency.
• Brian Thomas Jr. and Garrett Wilson offer significant upside as wide receivers, though ADP disparities warrant cautious optimism.
• Greg Roman’s history with rookie running backs suggests potential challenges in drafting RBs for teams he coaches.
• Anthony Richardson presents a high-risk, high-reward quarterback option contingent on his development and offensive support.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this summary is based on the podcast transcript and is intended for informational purposes only. Always perform your own research before making fantasy football decisions.