Start or Sit (AFC): TreVeyon Henderson, Jaylen Waddle, Joe Burrow, Jaguars WRs and More (12/18 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Fantasy Football Today – Start or Sit (AFC): Key Decisions, Injury Fallout, and Tough Calls

Date: December 18, 2025
Episode Theme: Week 16 Start or Sit Analysis — Deep dives on risky starts, sneaky sits, key injuries, and how to react to quarterback and running back changes across AFC contests.
Hosts: Adam Aizer, Jamey Eisenberg, Heath Cummings

Episode Overview

This episode delivers critical start/sit advice focused on challenging AFC decisions as the fantasy playoffs heat up. The hosts break down trending players (TreVeyon Henderson, Jaylen Waddle, Joe Burrow, Jaguars WRs, and more), clarify weather/injury impacts, and answer nuanced listener dilemmas. The panel’s blend of statistics, trends, and gut honesty equips fantasy managers with actionable insight for high-stakes choices.

Highlights & Key Insights

Opening Banter, Playoff Mindset, & Start/Sit Methodology

Timestamp 02:16-03:12
Introduction celebrates the playoff pressure, with jokes about Adam vs Heath in the FFT semifinals (“I think you’re like a 20-point favorite. Looks like you got this one in the bag. Congrats on advancing to the championship game.” – Heath [02:53]).
Main Theme: The “Start or Sit” process isn’t just about consensus — bold picks and personalized context matter more than ever.

Players the Hosts Love This Week

Jamey’s Picks:

Jacoby Brissette vs ATL: Start of the Week again due to consistent top-3 ranking among the hosts. [03:28–05:25]
- “He was the start of the week two weeks ago... Nine straight games over 20 fantasy points, it’s going to be ten.” — Jamie [03:36]
Kenneth Gainwell at DET: Strong PPR upside as Steelers likely chase points (“He’s been successful: 16 PPR points or more in 4 of his last 5 games.” – Jamie [03:58]).
Mike Evans at CAR: Insane history vs Panthers (36/606/7 line over last 5; “Let’s go, Mike Evans.” – Jamie [05:09])

Heath’s Picks:

Justin Herbert at DAL: Ignore the recent dud streak — Cowboys D “lets anyone throw on them” [06:10–07:45]
- “If you look at the Dallas Cowboys defense, [a lot of bad QBs] have all scored at least 20 fantasy points against this defense. Half of them scored 30.” – Heath [06:22]
Michael Carter vs ATL: Opportunity-based sleeper with attrition in Jets backfield.
Juwan Jennings at IND: High floor, with Pearsall likely out; Colts secondary vulnerable (“High floor, I think, for Juwan Jennings.” – Adam [08:03])

Players to Avoid, Big Name Sits

Heath’s Fades:

Sam Darnold vs LAR: “Stay away from Sam Darnold regardless of how the weather is, especially if it’s bad.” [09:13]
Justin Jefferson at NYG: Astounding cold streak: “Three straight games below 25 receiving yards. He almost went the entirety of 2023-2025 without this happening.” – Heath [09:36]
Dalton Kincaid at CLE: Likely game script won’t favor a spike week.

Jamey’s Sits:

Jackson Dart at MIN: “Brian Flores has put on a clinic... Only one TD allowed in the last six games to QBs.” – Jamie [11:36]
Ashton Genti at HOU: Bad form, rough matchup — “30 rushing yards or less in 3 straight games.”
Brian Thomas Jr. at DEN: “They allow the fewest TDs to opposing WRs; I would try to sit him.” [12:34]

Weather & Injuries: Week 16 X-Factors

Timestamp: 17:32–26:00

Seattle: Potentially rainy/windy; minor QB downgrade, but Stafford/Puka/Parkinson trusted due to “short area” game plan.
Miami: Quinn Ewers in, Tua benched. Automatic downgrades? Yes for Waller (“Most notably, Waller moves from a starter to a high-end TE2”) and (slight) for Waddle, HN.
RB News: RJ Harvey full practice (great news), Javonte limited, Nick Chubb trending in right direction. Rashee Rice in concussion protocol. Christian Watson expects to play.
Key WR Injuries: Marvin Harrison Jr. limited, Drake London may play, Jaden Reed missed for personal reasons, Rashid Shaheed as a deep fallback for Michael Wilson managers.

Memorable Quote
“If you have Rashid Shaheed and Michael Wilson, you probably need to drop Rashid Shaheed and find somebody that’s a backup plan for Michael Wilson.” — Heath, on navigating questionable Friday WRs [29:22]

Deep-Dive Segment: Comparative Start/Sit & Strategic “Flex” Questions

Jacksonville @ Denver: The Jaguars WR Conundrum

Sit Brian Thomas Jr. but Myers is a “low-end #2” (“Body of work matters. If certain shadows someone, it’s likely Thomas.” — Jamie [31:45])
Waddle or Myers? – Waddle one spot above Myers. [32:23]
Broncos WRs: “Sutton >>> any other DEN WR, but Franklin is worth a dart throw if desperate.” [43:03]

RB Tier Tough Calls

RJ Harvey vs Saquon Barkley? – Barkley by a lot. [43:03]
Gainwell vs Hampton, Judkins, Genti: Start Gainwell in PPR over all, per Jamie [52:32]
Gainwell, Swift, or Emmanuel Wilson if Jacobs sits? – Heath leans Wilson but “if Jacobs is out.” [53:00]
David Montgomery Fluidity: Strongly touchdown dependent — risky flex but far from RB2 territory.

DST Strategy:

“Denver DST still worth starting; Jacksonville is not this week but is a hold for next week.” [46:46]

Injury Fallout & Streaming Reminders

Michael Wilson/Marvin Harrison Jr.: Discussion on Friday injury games; have a pivot plan.
Saints RBs: Jamie prefers Estime over Seattle backs if Kamara out. Heath is wary: “Too much of a committee and too much of a disaster.” [28:49]
Kyle Pitts, Colby Parkinson: Only consider Parkinson over Pitts if London misses.

Notable Quotes & Perspectives

On the WR landscape:
“We’re probably going to have to leave Jalen Waddle in as a number two wide receiver despite Quinn Ewers at QB...that tells you about the state of the position.” — Heath [32:35]
On Tua’s benching:
“It seems more like a punishment for Tua playing so bad than something that’s actually trying to make the team perform better.” — Heath [20:16]
On RBs with rough matchups:
“With Harvey, if he has a bad game, you kind of have to live with it.” — Adam [42:55]

One Burning Question for Each Game [Key Timestamps, 30:57 – 38:50]

Jacksonville @ Denver: Can you trust either Brian Thomas Jr. or Jacoby Myers against DEN?
Answer: Thomas = boom/bust flex, Myers = safer start.
PIT at DET: Must start Gainwell in PPR, though terrifying floor. “Probably the guy that [managers] aren’t thinking about sitting him that I really am terrified.” — Heath [49:20]

Position By Position Deep Dives & Difficult Calls

Quarterback:

Brissette > Burrow, Goff, Prescott, May. All hosts rank Allen, Hurts, Brissette as top 3. [06:02]
**Burrow a “borderline QB1” with risk, but: “This is an ‘I’m coming to Miami to light up this defense’ spot.” — Jamie [67:30]
Herbert: Start, even with his recent struggles.

Running Back:

Henderson vs Henry: Heath: “In full PPR I’d start Henderson; not in half or non.” [61:19]
Genty/Judkins: Tough calls, both “low-end RB2s” due to bad matchups and usage questions.
Pollard: Flex, not RB2, “but he's been very good as a runner lately.” — Heath [82:38]
Harvey: Must-start volume back even in bad matchup.

Wide Receiver:

Evans, Myers, Jennings, Flowers: All startable.
Waddle: Hold nose and start unless you have a high-end alternative.
Brian Thomas Jr.: Only in deep leagues.
DK Metcalf: Still a top 18 WR in rankings; “just hope for the best.”

Tight End:

Fannin: “25 targets in two games, 30% target share can’t be ignored, even in a tough matchup.” – Heath [78:24]
Waller: Downgraded to TE2 range due to QB shift and scoring projections.
Kincaid: “Not considering Kincaid, Parkinson over Kincaid.” [74:32]
Schultz, Parkinson, Theo Johnson: Viable streamers.

Listener Mailbag: Quick Hits (Timestamps 45:10 – 47:09 and throughout)

Flowers or Judkins: Jamie: “Henderson [over Flowers] but close.” [33:26]
Harvey or Bucky Irving: Jamie: “I love Bucky against the Panthers.” Heath: “Harvey.” [46:13]
Judkins, Kareem Hunt, Michael Carter: All have “single-digit floor, top-12 upside.” [76:45]
Rasheed Rice, McMillan, Olave, Waddle (sit one): Sit Waddle if all healthy [84:14]

Closing Memorable Moments

Heath’s charity plug: “Two cars, two guys, two hours, bought $6,600 of toys for Toys for Tots. Thank you to everyone who supports Fantasy Cares.” [26:50]
Deep cut trivia: “MapQuest still exists!” (Adam, while giving trivia on the 49ers' road trip) [84:26]
Major disagreement: The panel frequently splits on RB2/WR3 ranks, showing how tough this week’s choices are.

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Start/Sits of the Week: 03:28–08:34
Players to Avoid Segment: 09:13–13:25
Weather/Injury Reports and Impact: 17:32–26:00
Tricky WR decision mini panel: 29:17–29:54
Start/Sit Rapid Fire (various positions): 41:43–47:02, 52:32–56:02
Joe Burrow/Brock Purdy/BONIX debate: 41:43–44:17, 67:30–68:00
Harold Fannin and TE landscape debate: 78:24–80:00

Tone & Language

As always, the FFT crew mixes deep stat dives with comedic banter, listener empathy, and real talk about facing lineup anxieties—a relatable, conversational tone ("I'm terrified," "You gotta live with it," "Just hope for the best with Metcalf").
The show is heavy on actionable advice, with no sugar-coating for starts like Waddle or tricky TE streamers.

Final Takeaways

Lean into volume and game script for fringe RBs/WRs: Trust touches (Harvey, Gainwell), be cautious of bad-QB offenses (Patriots, Dolphins, Jets).
Late-week injury developments and weather are crucial. Monitor Saints, Jaguars, and Cardinals WRs especially.
Flex spots will decide many fantasy playoff matchups this week. Prioritize usage over theoretical talent for fringe decisions.
Sometimes you have to start stars cold, but know your pivots.

“This is the only podcast you’ll need to win your league!” — FFT (and in Week 16, it’s never felt more true.)

Fantasy Football Today – Start or Sit (AFC): Key Decisions, Injury Fallout, and Tough Calls

Episode Overview

Highlights & Key Insights

Opening Banter, Playoff Mindset, & Start/Sit Methodology

Timestamp 02:16-03:12
Introduction celebrates the playoff pressure, with jokes about Adam vs Heath in the FFT semifinals (“I think you’re like a 20-point favorite. Looks like you got this one in the bag. Congrats on advancing to the championship game.” – Heath [02:53]).
Main Theme: The “Start or Sit” process isn’t just about consensus — bold picks and personalized context matter more than ever.

Players the Hosts Love This Week

Jamey’s Picks:

Jacoby Brissette vs ATL: Start of the Week again due to consistent top-3 ranking among the hosts. [03:28–05:25]
- “He was the start of the week two weeks ago... Nine straight games over 20 fantasy points, it’s going to be ten.” — Jamie [03:36]
Kenneth Gainwell at DET: Strong PPR upside as Steelers likely chase points (“He’s been successful: 16 PPR points or more in 4 of his last 5 games.” – Jamie [03:58]).
Mike Evans at CAR: Insane history vs Panthers (36/606/7 line over last 5; “Let’s go, Mike Evans.” – Jamie [05:09])

Heath’s Picks:

Justin Herbert at DAL: Ignore the recent dud streak — Cowboys D “lets anyone throw on them” [06:10–07:45]
- “If you look at the Dallas Cowboys defense, [a lot of bad QBs] have all scored at least 20 fantasy points against this defense. Half of them scored 30.” – Heath [06:22]
Michael Carter vs ATL: Opportunity-based sleeper with attrition in Jets backfield.
Juwan Jennings at IND: High floor, with Pearsall likely out; Colts secondary vulnerable (“High floor, I think, for Juwan Jennings.” – Adam [08:03])

Players to Avoid, Big Name Sits

Heath’s Fades:

Sam Darnold vs LAR: “Stay away from Sam Darnold regardless of how the weather is, especially if it’s bad.” [09:13]
Justin Jefferson at NYG: Astounding cold streak: “Three straight games below 25 receiving yards. He almost went the entirety of 2023-2025 without this happening.” – Heath [09:36]
Dalton Kincaid at CLE: Likely game script won’t favor a spike week.

Jamey’s Sits:

Jackson Dart at MIN: “Brian Flores has put on a clinic... Only one TD allowed in the last six games to QBs.” – Jamie [11:36]
Ashton Genti at HOU: Bad form, rough matchup — “30 rushing yards or less in 3 straight games.”
Brian Thomas Jr. at DEN: “They allow the fewest TDs to opposing WRs; I would try to sit him.” [12:34]

Weather & Injuries: Week 16 X-Factors

Timestamp: 17:32–26:00

Seattle: Potentially rainy/windy; minor QB downgrade, but Stafford/Puka/Parkinson trusted due to “short area” game plan.
Miami: Quinn Ewers in, Tua benched. Automatic downgrades? Yes for Waller (“Most notably, Waller moves from a starter to a high-end TE2”) and (slight) for Waddle, HN.
RB News: RJ Harvey full practice (great news), Javonte limited, Nick Chubb trending in right direction. Rashee Rice in concussion protocol. Christian Watson expects to play.
Key WR Injuries: Marvin Harrison Jr. limited, Drake London may play, Jaden Reed missed for personal reasons, Rashid Shaheed as a deep fallback for Michael Wilson managers.

Memorable Quote
“If you have Rashid Shaheed and Michael Wilson, you probably need to drop Rashid Shaheed and find somebody that’s a backup plan for Michael Wilson.” — Heath, on navigating questionable Friday WRs [29:22]

Deep-Dive Segment: Comparative Start/Sit & Strategic “Flex” Questions

Jacksonville @ Denver: The Jaguars WR Conundrum

Sit Brian Thomas Jr. but Myers is a “low-end #2” (“Body of work matters. If certain shadows someone, it’s likely Thomas.” — Jamie [31:45])
Waddle or Myers? – Waddle one spot above Myers. [32:23]
Broncos WRs: “Sutton >>> any other DEN WR, but Franklin is worth a dart throw if desperate.” [43:03]

RB Tier Tough Calls

RJ Harvey vs Saquon Barkley? – Barkley by a lot. [43:03]
Gainwell vs Hampton, Judkins, Genti: Start Gainwell in PPR over all, per Jamie [52:32]
Gainwell, Swift, or Emmanuel Wilson if Jacobs sits? – Heath leans Wilson but “if Jacobs is out.” [53:00]
David Montgomery Fluidity: Strongly touchdown dependent — risky flex but far from RB2 territory.

DST Strategy:

“Denver DST still worth starting; Jacksonville is not this week but is a hold for next week.” [46:46]

Injury Fallout & Streaming Reminders

Michael Wilson/Marvin Harrison Jr.: Discussion on Friday injury games; have a pivot plan.
Saints RBs: Jamie prefers Estime over Seattle backs if Kamara out. Heath is wary: “Too much of a committee and too much of a disaster.” [28:49]
Kyle Pitts, Colby Parkinson: Only consider Parkinson over Pitts if London misses.

Notable Quotes & Perspectives

On the WR landscape:
“We’re probably going to have to leave Jalen Waddle in as a number two wide receiver despite Quinn Ewers at QB...that tells you about the state of the position.” — Heath [32:35]
On Tua’s benching:
“It seems more like a punishment for Tua playing so bad than something that’s actually trying to make the team perform better.” — Heath [20:16]
On RBs with rough matchups:
“With Harvey, if he has a bad game, you kind of have to live with it.” — Adam [42:55]

One Burning Question for Each Game [Key Timestamps, 30:57 – 38:50]

Jacksonville @ Denver: Can you trust either Brian Thomas Jr. or Jacoby Myers against DEN?
Answer: Thomas = boom/bust flex, Myers = safer start.
PIT at DET: Must start Gainwell in PPR, though terrifying floor. “Probably the guy that [managers] aren’t thinking about sitting him that I really am terrified.” — Heath [49:20]

Position By Position Deep Dives & Difficult Calls

Quarterback:

Brissette > Burrow, Goff, Prescott, May. All hosts rank Allen, Hurts, Brissette as top 3. [06:02]
**Burrow a “borderline QB1” with risk, but: “This is an ‘I’m coming to Miami to light up this defense’ spot.” — Jamie [67:30]
Herbert: Start, even with his recent struggles.

Running Back:

Henderson vs Henry: Heath: “In full PPR I’d start Henderson; not in half or non.” [61:19]
Genty/Judkins: Tough calls, both “low-end RB2s” due to bad matchups and usage questions.
Pollard: Flex, not RB2, “but he's been very good as a runner lately.” — Heath [82:38]
Harvey: Must-start volume back even in bad matchup.

Wide Receiver:

Evans, Myers, Jennings, Flowers: All startable.
Waddle: Hold nose and start unless you have a high-end alternative.
Brian Thomas Jr.: Only in deep leagues.
DK Metcalf: Still a top 18 WR in rankings; “just hope for the best.”

Tight End:

Fannin: “25 targets in two games, 30% target share can’t be ignored, even in a tough matchup.” – Heath [78:24]
Waller: Downgraded to TE2 range due to QB shift and scoring projections.
Kincaid: “Not considering Kincaid, Parkinson over Kincaid.” [74:32]
Schultz, Parkinson, Theo Johnson: Viable streamers.

Listener Mailbag: Quick Hits (Timestamps 45:10 – 47:09 and throughout)

Flowers or Judkins: Jamie: “Henderson [over Flowers] but close.” [33:26]
Harvey or Bucky Irving: Jamie: “I love Bucky against the Panthers.” Heath: “Harvey.” [46:13]
Judkins, Kareem Hunt, Michael Carter: All have “single-digit floor, top-12 upside.” [76:45]
Rasheed Rice, McMillan, Olave, Waddle (sit one): Sit Waddle if all healthy [84:14]

Closing Memorable Moments

Heath’s charity plug: “Two cars, two guys, two hours, bought $6,600 of toys for Toys for Tots. Thank you to everyone who supports Fantasy Cares.” [26:50]
Deep cut trivia: “MapQuest still exists!” (Adam, while giving trivia on the 49ers' road trip) [84:26]
Major disagreement: The panel frequently splits on RB2/WR3 ranks, showing how tough this week’s choices are.

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Start/Sits of the Week: 03:28–08:34
Players to Avoid Segment: 09:13–13:25
Weather/Injury Reports and Impact: 17:32–26:00
Tricky WR decision mini panel: 29:17–29:54
Start/Sit Rapid Fire (various positions): 41:43–47:02, 52:32–56:02
Joe Burrow/Brock Purdy/BONIX debate: 41:43–44:17, 67:30–68:00
Harold Fannin and TE landscape debate: 78:24–80:00

Tone & Language

As always, the FFT crew mixes deep stat dives with comedic banter, listener empathy, and real talk about facing lineup anxieties—a relatable, conversational tone ("I'm terrified," "You gotta live with it," "Just hope for the best with Metcalf").
The show is heavy on actionable advice, with no sugar-coating for starts like Waddle or tricky TE streamers.

Final Takeaways

Lean into volume and game script for fringe RBs/WRs: Trust touches (Harvey, Gainwell), be cautious of bad-QB offenses (Patriots, Dolphins, Jets).
Late-week injury developments and weather are crucial. Monitor Saints, Jaguars, and Cardinals WRs especially.
Flex spots will decide many fantasy playoff matchups this week. Prioritize usage over theoretical talent for fringe decisions.
Sometimes you have to start stars cold, but know your pivots.

“This is the only podcast you’ll need to win your league!” — FFT (and in Week 16, it’s never felt more true.)

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Summary

Fantasy Football Today – Start or Sit (AFC): Key Decisions, Injury Fallout, and Tough Calls

Episode Overview

Highlights & Key Insights

Opening Banter, Playoff Mindset, & Start/Sit Methodology

Players the Hosts Love This Week

Jamey’s Picks:

Heath’s Picks:

Players to Avoid, Big Name Sits

Heath’s Fades:

Jamey’s Sits:

Weather & Injuries: Week 16 X-Factors

Deep-Dive Segment: Comparative Start/Sit & Strategic “Flex” Questions

Injury Fallout & Streaming Reminders

Notable Quotes & Perspectives

One Burning Question for Each Game [Key Timestamps, 30:57 – 38:50]

Position By Position Deep Dives & Difficult Calls

Quarterback:

Running Back:

Wide Receiver:

Tight End:

Listener Mailbag: Quick Hits (Timestamps 45:10 – 47:09 and throughout)

Closing Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Tone & Language

Final Takeaways

Summary

Fantasy Football Today – Start or Sit (AFC): Key Decisions, Injury Fallout, and Tough Calls

Episode Overview

Highlights & Key Insights

Opening Banter, Playoff Mindset, & Start/Sit Methodology

Players the Hosts Love This Week

Jamey’s Picks:

Heath’s Picks:

Players to Avoid, Big Name Sits

Heath’s Fades:

Jamey’s Sits:

Weather & Injuries: Week 16 X-Factors

Deep-Dive Segment: Comparative Start/Sit & Strategic “Flex” Questions

Injury Fallout & Streaming Reminders

Notable Quotes & Perspectives

One Burning Question for Each Game [Key Timestamps, 30:57 – 38:50]

Position By Position Deep Dives & Difficult Calls

Quarterback:

Running Back:

Wide Receiver:

Tight End:

Listener Mailbag: Quick Hits (Timestamps 45:10 – 47:09 and throughout)

Closing Memorable Moments

Key Timestamps for Important Segments

Tone & Language

Final Takeaways