10 Things to Remember from 2018 + FA Wishing Well

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast Episode Summary

Title: 10 Things to Remember from 2018 + FA Wishing Well
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright
Release Date: February 21, 2019

---

Introduction

In this engaging episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright delve into their annual retrospective, outlining the "10 Things to Remember from 2018." Additionally, they introduce the "FA Wishing Well," inviting listeners to share their most desired free agency moves. The conversation balances insightful fantasy football analysis with the trio's trademark humor and camaraderie.

---

1. Don’t Overreact Early in the Season (10:09)

Key Insight: Early-season performances can be misleading due to various factors like injuries or adjusting to new teams.

Discussion: Mike Wright emphasizes the importance of patience, stating, “Don’t overreact to the beginning of the season. Give yourself a couple of weeks before making significant roster changes” (19:04). The hosts reflect on players like DeSean Jackson and Kirk Cousins, who showed promise early on but didn't sustain their performances throughout the season. The takeaway is to avoid making hasty decisions based on the first couple of weeks' data.

Notable Quote: Jason Moore adds, “If you go out after week one, it ruins some fantasy people. I completely agree with that” (20:33).

---

2. Avoid Drafting Rookie Wide Receivers Early (30:40)

Key Insight: Rookie wide receivers often fail to produce significant fantasy value in their initial seasons.

Discussion: Jason Moore advises against investing early draft picks in rookie wide receivers, citing historical data where rookies like DJ Moore and Calvin Ridley underperformed compared to their draft positions. He notes, “In general, you don’t perform well as a rookie wide receiver out of the gate” (32:40). The hosts advocate for selecting seasoned receivers who have shown potential but may still be undervalued.

Notable Quote: Jason Moore states, “There’s so many rookie wide receivers drafted every single year, both in the NFL and in fantasy and in general, they don’t work out” (34:23).

---

3. Remember Players Who Outperformed Their Season Rankings (47:00)

Key Insight: Some players had strong performances in specific stretches that aren't fully reflected in their final rankings.

Discussion: Jason Moore highlights the importance of recognizing players who excelled during parts of the season despite lower end-of-year rankings. Examples include Jameis Winston and Josh Allen, who had periods of high performance that benefited their fantasy standings. He encourages listeners to consider these peak performances when preparing for the next draft.

Notable Quote: Jason Moore advises, “You can’t just look at where they finished last year. You need the nuance of how they got there” (47:00).

---

4. Shout Out to Dynasty Owners: Emphasize Depth at Running Back (41:43)

Key Insight: Building depth at the running back position is crucial, especially in dynasty leagues.

Discussion: The hosts commend dynasty league players for their strategic depth, particularly at running back. Mike Wright and Brooks discuss how having multiple running backs, including third-string options, proved beneficial when unexpected opportunities arose. This depth allows owners to pivot quickly and capitalize on emerging talents.

Notable Quote: Mike Wright notes, “If you could have had the Jeff Wilson Sr., certainly did” (42:18), emphasizing the value of depth.

---

5. Not All Coaches Make Rational Decisions (35:12)

Key Insight: Coaching decisions can significantly impact player performance and fantasy value.

Discussion: Brooks and Jason Moore discuss cases where NFL coaches made unconventional or questionable decisions that adversely affected fantasy outcomes. They cite examples like Rashad Penny’s questionable draft pick by the Seahawks and the Buccaneers' choice to sign Andre Ellington. The hosts underline the importance of considering coaching tendencies when evaluating player potential.

Notable Quote: Brooks remarks, “This year felt really strong” (34:53), referring to the impact of coaching decisions.

---

6. The Late Round Quarterback Strategy is Superior (48:07)

Key Insight: Drafting quarterbacks in the late rounds can yield better value compared to early picks.

Discussion: Brooks challenges the notion that early-round quarterbacks are a safe and necessary investment. He analyzes the poor returns of many top-10 drafted quarterbacks from the previous season, including Carson Wentz and Drew Brees, highlighting how late-round QBs often outperform their draft positions. The hosts advocate for waiting until the later stages of the draft to select quarterbacks, allowing early picks to focus on more consistent positions like running backs and wide receivers.

Notable Quote: Brooks states, “Only one quarterback of the top 10 guys off the draft board gave a positive return” (48:07).

---

7. Running Backs Still Carry Teams Despite Some Burns (27:34)

Key Insight: Running backs remain pivotal to fantasy success, even if some high-profile players underperformed.

Discussion: Mike Wright and Brooks discuss the overabundance of running back injuries in 2018 but reaffirm the position's importance. They emphasize that top-tier running backs like Christian McCaffrey and Ezekiel Elliott were integral to their fantasy success. Despite some disappointing performances from others, the overall value of strong running backs justifies prioritizing them in drafts.

Notable Quote: Mike Wright encourages, “Ride those running back horses like we always say, to get them early, they’re going to carry you to a title” (30:23).

---

8. Don’t Ignore Perceived Wide Receiver Threes (26:09)

Key Insight: Wide receivers listed as third options on their teams can breakout and provide significant fantasy value.

Discussion: Brooks discusses the potential of wide receivers who are perceived as WR3s but possess the talent to ascend to higher roles. He cites examples like Tyler Boyd and Chris Godwin, who were undervalued in drafts but became key contributors. The hosts advocate for selecting these high-upside receivers in the later rounds to maximize value.

Notable Quote: Brooks explains, “You need to see both sides of this story. They can become the two on their team” (26:09).

---

9. Don’t Buy the Injury Dip – Avoid Hamstring Issues (21:00)

Key Insight: Players with ongoing hamstring injuries pose significant risks for fantasy managers.

Discussion: Jason Moore warns against drafting or trading for players currently dealing with hamstring injuries, referencing a 2011 study where nearly half of hamstring injuries occurred during preseason. He emphasizes the high probability of re-injury and the consequent loss of fantasy value. By avoiding players with such injuries, managers can mitigate the risk of missed games and underperformance.

Notable Quote: Jason Moore states, “Hamstrings are 2019. I will not deal with hamstring problems” (22:00).

---

10. Fix Your League (51:19)

Key Insight: Ensuring your fantasy league operates fairly and efficiently is crucial for a positive experience.

Discussion: The final point urges fantasy managers to evaluate and improve their league settings and structures. Whether it’s adjusting waiver systems, transitioning to auction formats, or modifying keeper rules, optimizing league mechanics can enhance competitiveness and fairness. The hosts encourage proactive league management to prevent common issues and ensure all participants have an enjoyable and balanced experience.

Notable Quote: Jason Moore advises, “Remember to fix your league” (51:24).

---

FA Wishing Well: Listener Free Agency Wish List (04:56)

Key Insight: The hosts solicit listener input on desired free agency moves to discuss in future episodes.

Discussion: During the "FA Wishing Well" segment, listeners are invited to share their most intriguing or impactful free agency wishes. Brooks expresses a desire to see John Brown join the Philadelphia Eagles, believing Brown could thrive past his injury struggles. The segment fosters community engagement by allowing listeners to voice their preferences and predictions, enriching the show's interactive dynamic.

Notable Quotes: Brooks shares, “I want to see John Brown end up on the Philadelphia Eagles” (06:32).

---

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with the hosts reiterating the importance of reflecting on past performances to inform future fantasy strategies. They blend actionable advice with entertaining dialogue, ensuring listeners are equipped with valuable insights while enjoying the show's lively atmosphere.

Closing Quote: Jason Moore humorously concludes, “Remember to fix your league” (53:25), encapsulating the episode's focus on continual improvement and strategic planning.

---

This comprehensive summary captures the essence of the Fantasy Footballers' discussion, providing valuable takeaways for both seasoned and novice fantasy football enthusiasts. By highlighting key strategies and cautionary tales from the 2018 season, the hosts equip listeners with the knowledge to enhance their fantasy performance in the upcoming year.

Transcript

[Jason Moore]

Foreign.

[Andy Holloway]

To the Fantasy Footballers podcast coming to you from Pristine Auction.com Studios with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, it's cold outside. Welcome in the Fantasy Footballers back for Thursday, February 21st. It's cold in Arizona, Mike. You look very bundled up over there. You've got the beanies, the hoodie. You look like.

[Brooks]

Just a look, just a look. I'm actually scorching hot.

[Mike Wright]

You want to hear something funny? Is.

[Brooks]

Gotta do it for the fashion.

[Mike Wright]

We had a freeze warning last night in Arizona. It actually got below freezing.

[Brooks]

Did you towel up your bushes and your pipes?

[Mike Wright]

No, but my neighbor did.

[Brooks]

What an idiot.

[Mike Wright]

But here, here's what.

[Jason Moore]

All my plants died.

[Mike Wright]

All my plants are dead.

[Brooks]

I wouldn't be caught.

[Mike Wright]

I would never cover them, though. My son, we wake up this morning, it's like 32 degrees outside. They're all freaking out about it being cold, right? Arizona cold. And I kid you not, my 10 year old at 32 degrees without us knowing. He grabbed a glass of water, he. He opened the door and he ran outside and he threw a glass of water in the air. Cause he thought it might freeze.

[Jason Moore]

Wow.

[Brooks]

Did it splash all over him?

[Mike Wright]

Yes, it splashed all over the ground like a cup of water.

[Brooks]

When I'm saying it didn't just get.

[Mike Wright]

Him, he didn't throw it straight up in the air. So he had a proud moment for my son. No, it's not negative 50 here, Caleb. Goodness.

[Brooks]

Get bodied.

[Mike Wright]

Welcome in. We have one of my favorite favorite shows of the off season today. It is the 10 things to remember from 2018 show. This is an ensemble of things we want you to keep in mind that took place over the course of last year. Some of it is reflection on what happened. Some of it is remembering early parts of the season. And all the while, we're going to count them down. And Jason's in a suit with a fedora.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, you know, look, if you're watching.

[Mike Wright]

A second to remember again what just.

[Jason Moore]

Happened, if you're watching later in the off season, you're like, why, man? Why is he in a fedora suit? Well, for some stupid reason, I'm in a fedora. A stupid fedora with my stupid face. Because there was a, there was a, a petition signed by like 500 of you jerks that I have to wear this.

[Brooks]

There is at least.

[Jason Moore]

Look, if I'm gonna wear it, I gotta lean in. Bring the suit.

[Brooks]

Jason has at least five packs of flash paper hidden on his magician body.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, there are. If you pull out a deck of cards Right now.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I'm gonna do some.

[Mike Wright]

Can you do some magic? Can you tell me where Le'Veon Bell's going? Is that part of the.

[Jason Moore]

I'll tell you what will be magical. Our advice, because here's the thing. You said this.

[Mike Wright]

Andy, please get that sound clip for next year.

[Jason Moore]

Brooke, you look forward to the show. I've been looking forward to the show for a long time. We genuinely like. I have a black book that I keep these notes in through the year.

[Brooks]

With all of your impending magic tricks.

[Jason Moore]

Right, of course. But these are lessons that were learned.

[Brooks]

My french fries disappear.

[Jason Moore]

I am an excellent magician. Get bodied, you know, but it's one of those things where some of it happens through research, some of it happens through experience, some are years in the making. But I always feel like we get better as fantasy players with this show. Not only, you know, listening and doing the show, but actually researching for the show. I have become better, which is hard to believe.

[Brooks]

No, I agree. A few of these, it's not just wag the finger, like, oh, we tried to warn you about this. This is us reflecting on mistakes.

[Mike Wright]

Yes. Kidding ourselves. Yep. No doubt about it. All right, quick question of the day, by the way. Find us on Twitter @ the FF Ballers. We appreciate all of your Apple podcast reviews. You can find us ad free on Stitch or premium. You can find us on jointhefoot.com our community. The website's the fantasy footballers dot com. And obviously don't forget the gram man. Yeah, you got instagram.com fantasy footballers and on YouTube if you want to check out some sweet street magic.

[Jason Moore]

Jason, do you see this French fry?

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my goodness. All right. Hey.

[Jason Moore]

Not anymore.

[Mike Wright]

Our quick question today.

[Andy Holloway]

The wishing well.

[Mike Wright]

We're. We're tossing a coin. Very nice. We're tossing a coin into the wishing well. What do you most want to see happen in free agency? So you have carte blanche to basically say, what's the best thing? What's the most intriguing thing? What's the most exciting thing you'd like to see happen in free agency? Because we have a free agent preview and predictions show on Tuesday's episode.

[Brooks]

How do you not save the suit for that? Jay?

[Jason Moore]

Look, the suit goes with the hat, and the hat will be in a dumpster.

[Brooks]

Hat's back.

[Jason Moore]

No, the hat is gone.

[Mike Wright]

What's those hat? What are those hats? That is it. The dealers wear the green.

[Brooks]

What, like the accountant green visor.

[Mike Wright]

I was thinking that's for the free agent signings.

[Brooks]

That's when you're in the shady the shady business establishment playing poker. So there's just cigar smoke everywhere.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. Before you answer this question, we came up with the fact that we need hat bets as well.

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

So the fedora will not be going the garbage.

[Mike Wright]

We'll collect a few hats. So a top hat. Maybe one of the. What does Bruce Arians wear?

[Brooks]

What does that call the Kangal?

[Mike Wright]

The Kangal. Get a cowboy hat.

[Jason Moore]

Maybe a nice bowler.

[Mike Wright]

We get a bowler.

[Jason Moore]

Ooh.

[Mike Wright]

Get a real wide brim that's awkward to do the show in.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Like one of those. One of those big landscaping hats.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

Yeah, I've got one.

[Mike Wright]

So we'll make some bets. We'll make some hat bets and the other person can tell you what you have to wear because of course we will. All right. What do you want to see happen in free agency? Mike, yours is the best.

[Brooks]

Yours is by far the juiciest. Because if it happened, it would be the fantasy football world teasing. Mike would explode with a nuclear device. But I went with a lower key one.

[Mike Wright]

And that is John, something you actually want to see. Yes. That could happen.

[Brooks]

It's. I want to see John Brown end up on the Philadelphia Eagles. I want to see John Brown get a shot. I think he was able to prove that he is through his health issues. And that was the only problem. The only reason why John Brown is not an Arizona Cardinal right now is because he struggled for multiple seasons with his health problems and you couldn't commit money to him.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. Sickle cell.

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Dealing with the injuries that come of a. As a byproduct of that.

[Brooks]

Exactly. And then I thought he played himself into a fine contract and the Eagles need wide receiver help. I don't expect Mike Wallace back. Nelson Aguilar, if they want to keep him. He's $9.3 million and the Eagles are in a situation. They got to fix their cap. I don't know if they can give Nelson aguilar.

[Mike Wright]

It'd be 9.3 million.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Because they may have to make a decision to extend him and change the way the.

[Brooks]

Exactly. Or he's a zero dollar dead cap cut. It's like Devonte Parker where the Miami Dolphins are rumored to cut Parker. Parker and Aguilar both have the exact same fifth year option right now where you can cut him for no money. And John Brown would succeed with Carson Wentz. I think he would be a fantastic fit for that.

[Jason Moore]

John Brown is great. And really where he should go is obviously the Steelers to be the clear cut Antonio Brown replacement. Wow. My, my wishing well Is, of course. I mean, I got a round. I got us. Yeah, it's round. I got to stick with my spirit animal, my patronus CJ Anderson. And where's he going to go? That would make me happy. Well, we've got Andy and I have a bet about marking.

[Brooks]

This one's just selfish. Mine was. I think I'm trying to help Eagles. I'm trying to help fantasy players.

[Jason Moore]

This one's about number one. This guy right here, me, I've got a bet with Andy about Mark Ingram. I think Mark Ingram returns to the Saints. He thinks he leaves. It looks more and more like if someone will pay for Mark Ingram, he's, you know, it does not seem like the Saints are going to. So if I lose that bet, give me C.J. anderson, who's on my Dynasty team to the New Orleans Saints to replace Mark Ingram as that. I mean, C.J. anderson could catch the ball like Mark Ingram can. Can be a bruiser like Mark Ingram can. Is a little bit younger than Mark Ingram. Much heavier set than Mark Ingram.

[Brooks]

Anderson is younger than Ingram. That seems wild.

[Jason Moore]

That does seem wild. But it has to be a fact because I said it and it was just his birthday.

[Brooks]

Jason, how dare you not celebrate Anderson's birthday.

[Mike Wright]

I give you perspective. C.J. anderson is just 28 years old.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Also the same age as Eddie Lacy.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, Eddie.

[Brooks]

What could have been.

[Mike Wright]

So it's sometimes that running back and a wide receiver. Look at Demarys Thomas and some of these other guys. It's not just the age, it's the wear and tear. But yeah, I mean, CJ showed some juice last year. So you want him to replace Ingram. You'll feel like that's a win when you lose that bet.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. And my Dynasty team would be thrilled. My championship back to back Dynasty team would be thrilled.

[Mike Wright]

I'm taking the very high end fantasy glory impossible. But what if.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I love this.

[Mike Wright]

And this is Le'Veon Bell to the Kansas City Chiefs.

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Let it happen. Let it happen.

[Mike Wright]

They were just a. Weren't they just about one Lev Bell away from a Super bowl title last year, wouldn't you say, Brooks? Weren't they just a Lev Bell away?

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

I mean, they almost got there with Damian Williams.

[Jason Moore]

And I would dance a beautiful dance on the fantasy grave of Damian Williams. If Lev Bell were to go to.

[Mike Wright]

Kansas City now, Lev Bell at his current asking price would only cost the Chiefs about two to two and a half times more per yard than any other running back in football.

[Brooks]

They also need investment.

[Mike Wright]

They also need to find an extension for Tyreek Hill, they've got to find an extension for Chris Jones. This is a near impossibility. But what if. I mean, the question was, what do you most want to see happen? I want to see what Patrick Mahomes does with Sammy Watkins, Le'Veon Bell, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelsey.

[Brooks]

I think you saw it. It was what he did with Cream Hunt. Yeah, I mean, you're right with Damian Ways, but that is. That's full man from La Mancha. That is an impossible dream.

[Mike Wright]

Now, the reason why this even comes up is on the basis of whenever any team has a quarterback on a rookie contract, they have the opportunity to exploit the cap at other positions. But they do have talented players that need extensions. It's not likely to happen. Left Bell to can here.

[Brooks]

Mahomes is already going into year three.

[Mike Wright]

Let's take a step back and just say, how about Lev Bell to a good team? That's what I'd most like to see happen in free agency. Left Bell to Indianapolis. No, Lev Bell to Kansas City. Lev Bell to somebody that is above.500.

[Brooks]

I think the only. I think the only good team is. If you're talking last year, the only good team would be Houston.

[Mike Wright]

What about Baltimore?

[Brooks]

I don't think they'll.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, they won't.

[Brooks]

I don't think they'll pay him.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, but they. Wouldn't that be the biggest knife twist in the division.

[Jason Moore]

But the teams with the cap money that want to make the run and need the big name are probably teams like the jets and the Raiders, which.

[Brooks]

Yeah. Volume.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. Yeah. All right. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it.

[Andy Holloway]

News and notes from around the league presented by Sleeper.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my goodness. By the way, I failed to mention at the top of the show, there's about a week left to get the. You can get the ultimate draft kit all the way through the offseason pre order. But the pre order with the bonuses ends on March 1st bonus. And you get. If you pre order at ultimate draft kit.com not only do you get the world's greatest draft kit in existence, but you get a couple of bonuses before March 1st. You get a $10 gift card to shopballers.com free and clear. You get $10 to fantasychamps.com free and clear you get. Obviously you get early access once the rookie stuff comes out. But you.

[Jason Moore]

None of that is worth anything by comparison.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. I mean, you get a list, you'll be entered to win a listener league spot.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

And that'll be anybody that pre orders before March first you'll be entered to win a listener league spot. You'll also be entered to win a couple of fantasy football jerseys. So we're, we're pulling out all the stops before March 1st. Get in there. Pre Order Ultimate Draft Kit.com all right, news wise. Jason.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Big news, huge news. Charles Clay, former Bills superstar, tight end.

[Jason Moore]

Former is correct.

[Mike Wright]

1 year 3.25 million dollar contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

[Jason Moore]

He not necessary or very necessary, not necessary at all. Look, Charles Clay, a lot of people, they look back, I saw the report saying, hey, six of his last eight seasons he's been one of the top rated tight ends according to Pro Football Focus and that's a fact. But which six of the last eight? Because it, you know when you get to a certain age and you get to a certain number of injuries and then you look up, well, he wasn't great and highly rated this past year.

[Brooks]

He was hurt this year.

[Jason Moore]

Well, that's part of the problem. He has 82 year old knees. Now why I think they're bringing Charles Clay in. Where he did actually succeed and was highly rated was as a pass blocker. Not. But he can still pass block and the Arizona Cardinals need that. Maybe they can utilize him in the line as a pass blocking role to open up maybe Ricky Seals Jones.

[Mike Wright]

Why he is a capable pass catcher if the needs arise. The thing that is interesting about him is before last year, which was obviously injury marred, all the problems at quarterback, everything else the previous five years he had 69, 58, 51, 57, 49 receptions. The Cardinals have never had a tight end in, in their franchise history with more than 40 receptions.

[Brooks]

I think you're forgetting why he was Mr. Necessary.

[Mike Wright]

He's only 30 years old. That's what I want to bring up to.

[Brooks]

He was Mr. Necessary on the Buffalo Bills because they had no, no one to catch the ball.

[Mike Wright]

And the Cardinals, and the Cardinals, they're not much different.

[Brooks]

Look, I mean we got, yeah, Larry Fitzgerald of course in the, in the possible censure of Christian Kirk. But after that, Charles Clay. Okay, if you, if Charles Clay is the third best pass catching option as of right now. Are you shocked about that, Jason?

[Jason Moore]

Yes, I would be shocked because Christian Kirk, Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson are the three. My bad.

[Mike Wright]

This is way too much Charles Clay talk. All right, moving on. The Buccaneers have signed running back Andre Ellington.

[Jason Moore]

I remember him.

[Mike Wright]

He has familiarity with Bruce Arians from Arizona.

[Jason Moore]

It was interesting. I considered picking him up in our dynasty league. I still did not do it.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, you know, if you're in a deeper league. Look for him out there on the waivers. It might be worth it. He's no guarantee to make the roster.

[Mike Wright]

The Steelers will not use any of their tags. No transition tag on Lev Bell. Lev Bell is going to be a free agent. Free to sign a contract of his choosing.

[Brooks]

Yeah, he absolutely is. So we'll get to find out. Is Le'Veon Bell. Can he actually get the money that he thinks he's going to get?

[Mike Wright]

And then more Steelers news. Antonio Brown did meet with Steelers owner Art Rooney. This news came out a couple days ago. And he's going to be moving on. These teams are going to find. At least that's what's being put out. There is they've decided look at trades in the best interest of both the team and the player. The Antonio Brown sweepstakes begins. What new quotes come out on Twitter from Antonio Brown?

[Brooks]

Mr. Big Chest?

[Mike Wright]

Who will know? Yeah. Are we supposed to call him Big Chest?

[Jason Moore]

No.

[Brooks]

I will respect his wishes.

[Jason Moore]

I will not respect.

[Mike Wright]

How dare you.

[Jason Moore]

If Antonio Brown comes out and says, I want you to call me Mr. Big Chest, I do not have to do that.

[Mike Wright]

What if you don't? What if he said, I'll shave my blonde mustache if I do that?

[Jason Moore]

Mr. Big Chest is here.

[Brooks]

How do you. How do you not lean into Mr. Big Chest?

[Mike Wright]

Because there's certain insanity close to home.

[Jason Moore]

There's certain. Mr. Big Belly is what I'd like to be known as from now on.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, sports fans, as we close out the news and notes show, if you hate your fantasy app, I got a solution for you. Download the best free Fantasy app on iOS and Android. Get the sleeper app. Today, guys, it is time for the main event. You ready? Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Don't forget to remember these things.

[Jason Moore]

Right on point. Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Literal. Very literal. We've got 10 things for you to remember from 2018. It's as simple as that. We've done this for the past, what, two years, Brooks? This is our third year doing it. Yes, sir.

[Brooks]

Three thirty things to remember.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I mean, some of them are probably variations of things in the past, but look, we took a fresh look at 2018, and I'm gonna start here with number 10. Yeah, yeah, I remember the numbers.

[Jason Moore]

You know, you're doing.

[Mike Wright]

Remember the numbers. Hey, I'm going with the end is the beginning is the end. I actually don't really know what that means as it relates to my point, but I did remember the song from the original Batman. I believe it was Batman and Robin.

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

What's the Val Kilmer one.

[Brooks]

I think you've referenced this before.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, it's Smashing Pumpkin Song.

[Jason Moore]

Let's just explain yourself.

[Mike Wright]

All right, listen, here's what I'm talking about. Don't overreact to the beginning of the season. Through two weeks, DeSean Jackson, Kirk Cousins, Blake Bortles and Andy Dalton were all in the upper echelon. Blake Bortles was of fantasy football performances.

[Brooks]

I don't remember this.

[Mike Wright]

Here's who was Outside the top 200 in 2018 after two weeks, Kareem Hunt, Amari Cooper, Lamar Miller, David Johnson.

[Brooks]

Did you mean 100 or 200?

[Mike Wright]

100.

[Brooks]

Okay, yeah.

[Jason Moore]

You said 200.

[Mike Wright]

But I did.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, but it was two weeks.

[Mike Wright]

So, yeah, if you took 100 and then you added another week, that's 200. No, outside the top 100. Look, remember how Kareem Hunt started the season? David Johnson, who I know. Disappointed fantasy owners. Number three running back off the board, finished at number 10. Finished at number 10. Not outside the top 100. After two weeks, a constant reminder that we need to give fantasy owners is you've got to breathe. And what happens is you've got this long off season that begins even now. If you're listening to the show, you are primed. You're ready. You got your suit on, you got your fedora.

[Brooks]

Jason does tip low.

[Mike Wright]

You're ready to draft. You got your team, you're ready to rumble. And then something goes sideways and you freak out. So you can name this whatever you want. Maybe a better name would be, hey, don't go shopping after week one. Or maybe don't shop after week one. Look, there are some things that happen. Matchups, players figuring things out, rotations. Give yourself. Give yourself a couple of weeks. Kirk Cousins. It didn't really pan out over the course of the year, Mike. I mean, it didn't cost you through the whole season, but there were times that I'm sure you started. Kirk Cousins.

[Brooks]

Yes, we.

[Mike Wright]

Because of the first two weeks of the year. Yep. Later on where you said, hey, I'm going to get some more of that. Well, that wasn't the whole template for Kirk Cousins. So that's my reminder. Don't necessarily go shopping. Take a breath after week one. Week two.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Week one especially. That it ruins some fantasy people. I completely agree with that.

[Andy Holloway]

Number nine.

[Jason Moore]

Number nine. This is my number one personal thing to remember because this hits home for me. It was something. It was top of all my pages of. I cannot forget this. I'm buying in. I've kind of had this. I've had this logic for years that I have just simply never obeyed. I'm just, you know, you know, the diet. You know what's right. Exactly. My diet.

[Brooks]

I'm being mean to you.

[Jason Moore]

I'm sorry. You know, it's one of those things where, you know, not to do it or, you know, it could backfire, but you just don't obey because you think. You think you're gonna.

[Brooks]

It's juicy, it's tantalizing.

[Jason Moore]

You think you're gonna get it. And my. My tip here is stop buying the injury dip. And now what I'm talking about here is the best example. Last year, early in the season, I bought into the injury dip in the value of Doug Baldwin. He was missing some of camp. He was missing some of preseason. He was sliding down into the third round, and I scooped him up everywhere because I was getting a value on him because people were afraid because of the injury. And that was a mistake because, guess what? He was injured. He was hurt. He was struggling with this, and it showed up when he got in the games, and it kept him out of games. And I want to make like, you know, so it's. Don't buy the injury dip when a.

[Brooks]

Guy is injured, especially a hamstring.

[Jason Moore]

But that's where I wanted to go. This is the amendment, you know, part B, part DU to this is part duh. Watch out for hamstring injuries. I started doing a lot of research for this show. Looking back, there was a. It's a little older now, but a massive study done in 2011 on professional football players and hamstrings. It's incredible because something like almost half of the hamstring injuries that happen happen in the preseason training camp time, like, you know, early draft season, people are dealing with hamstring issues. And it's so common. And we saw it this year. We see it every year. But hamstrings are one that I will be avoiding. I will be completely avoiding next year. It's not that people who have hamstring problems can't come back and perform later on. I mean, Dalvin Cook, right at the end of the season, he was great. Maybe I'll look for him next year. Unless he's dealing with a hamstring issue, but when you grabbed a player who was currently dealing with the hamstring issue, first of all, you have more than a 16% chance at revolution injuring the hamstring. So if you grab a guy with a hamstring issue, or you want to trade for a guy, or you want to hold on To a guy that's dealing with hamstring, what's going to happen is you're going to miss time. So he's going to score nothing for you. Then he's going to come back. Finally, you've waited. So because you've waited, you're going to put him in your lineup and there's almost a 20% chance, a 1 to 5 chance that he's going to get a re injury. Now if that happens, first of all, it's not just he misses more games, it's you probably started him, he probably ruined the game that he was in your lineup for. He's taken up a roster spot that whole time. Hamstrings are 2019. I will not deal with hamstring problems. And if one of my player has an early season hamstring issue, I will probably look to move them. I mean I'm not going to get full value.

[Mike Wright]

You don't want to mess with the hamstrings anymore.

[Jason Moore]

You just don't want to mess with it.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay, there you go, number eight.

[Brooks]

Number eight for me is the perceived wide receiver three and by that I mean on a team, the perceived wide receiver 3. Ignoring the fact that players get better and they be they can become the two on their team because once look training camp happens the we're all putting our labels on what, what is this guy on the team? Where is he in the pecking order? Even if I really like this player's talent, like ah, there's roadblocks for this player. But this year in particular there were quite a few guys where I had little shares of them coming out of the draft. Even though I loved all of these players, I mean highlighted by the smooth one himself, Kenny Galladay. But he was the wide receiver three on his team coming into the season. Tyler Boyd was buried at least in fantasy football terms. He was buried behind AJ Green and first round pick John Ross. You had Tyler Boyd was the wide receiver 118 in drafts like Tyler Boyd was not being drafted. Chris Godwin, Mike Williams which and to be fair for Mike Williams, a lot of people had him as the two but to me he was still behind Tyrell Williams just on the depth chart, the guy who had already been there. And you just when you believe in the talent of these players who are at the end of drafts, I'm not going to be wasting my time taking the guy who, oh I think he's the two but he's on a crappy team. I'm going to be investing my draft capital in guys who Maybe they are threes, but I believe in that player. And they're on. And they can be on good teams as well. Last year, 12 wide receivers draft outside of the top 40 wide receivers had stretches of at least four games where they were a wide receiver. One you have to.

[Jason Moore]

It's.

[Brooks]

It's really hard because it feels counterintuitive to draft these players, especially a wide receiver who feels like it's just suffered such a tough task for them to rise up and become relevant, but they can't. It happens all the time. And so this is what I'm reminding myself of. I loved Galladay, but I just, I didn't draft him because I didn't see the path, anything that remotely resembled a clear path.

[Jason Moore]

So you're saying late later in your draft.

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Trust the talent, even if they look a little bit more bare.

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Well, it's interesting because that'll feed into mine a little bit. Number seven, which is basically the fact that you're absolutely right. Later in drafts, those wide receivers that do break through, like Tyler Boyd or even like Tyreek Hill a couple years ago, or even Tyreek Hill this past year, where he wasn't drafted to be an upper echelon guy. If you look at who was on playoff teams, okay, and this, this is what I want to bring up, and this is more talking about running backs. But if you look at the players that were on the highest percentage of playoff teams, six of the eight most common players were running backs. Okay? They were running backs. That's the power of McCaffrey and Gurley and Barkley and Philip Lindsey. The other two were players like Tyler Boyd and Tyreek Hill, which were value wide receivers. Hill was a value for where you drafted him.

[Brooks]

He was.

[Mike Wright]

And Tyler Boyd was a value for where you drafted him. But here's what I want to get into about the running backs and about basically breaking down the value of the running back and what's happened the past couple of years and how when a running back like you, Jason, with Devonta Freeman and with Dalvin Cook, running back pain, it burns. It burns deep. And it burned deeper in particular in 2018. I took a look over the last two years at the top 30 drafted running backs and top 30 drafted wide receivers. Okay, how many of those guys finished in their top 30 at the position? Simple thing. Two years ago it was 10 and 10 that finished outside of it. Okay, so you've got a 33% of both positions finished outside of the top 30. If you drafted him in the top 30, there wasn't any particular running backs hurt you, Wide receivers hurt you. Well, last year in 2018, only 30% of the receivers drafted in that range finished outside the top 30. Only nine of them. So out of the top 30 ADP, so very similar, 21 finished inside. So you got a lot of what you deem consistency from that position. And this includes injury variables at the running back position. 15 of the 30 finished outside the top 30. So half of the players that you drafted were burns to you as a running in drafting a running back. And then there were guys that didn't finish outside like David Johnson, who doesn't even qualify for that group. But felt like a burn, felt like somebody that hurt you. And you had major injuries, right? Derek McKinnon at the time left Bell. You know, it's crazy. Two years in a row, one of the top two running backs burnt somebody. People took Lev Bell this past year, he never showed up. David Johnson last year went number one on most drafts, injured in the first game of the year and burned you. So the way it feels right now is that running backs burned you more than wide receivers did. But the reality of the teams that made the playoffs and succeeded, six of the eight players that were most common on fantasy rosters were running backs. So yes, the risk was higher, but you saw two years ago it wasn't higher. So the overreaction risk right now is to go out and say, hey, I'm afraid of the running back. I got burned really deeply. We see that right now in your ADP with Dalvin Cook, with Devonta Freeman. These players that are going in the third and fourth round are late. You know, that is a reaction to the pain you felt. So what I'm saying is, look, ignore the deep running back burns. This was a one year outlier at the position for them to hurt you more than the wide receivers do. And ride those running back horses like we always say, to get them early, they're going to carry you to a title. So that's, that's my reminder for 2018.

[Andy Holloway]

Number six.

[Jason Moore]

You know who's not going to carry you to a title from your draft? Who's that? Rookie wide receivers. Oh, that's what I'm saying. That's what I believe. And that's what I believe. The data backs up.

[Mike Wright]

Talk to me, Jay.

[Jason Moore]

Break it down late. In drafts, you always want a tantalizing opportunity, the huge upside of the unknown in the star rookie. And you want finally Odell Beckham. You want Odell Beckham. Now, in the last 12 years, the number One rookie wide receiver was Odell Beckham. He did it in 12 games when you got that guy and granted he was injured the first four weeks. Odell Beckham was more of a waiver wire pickup that year in 2014, but he was awesome. And that year of 2014 skewed us so heavily. In fact, three of the top 10 rookie wide receiver performances in the last 12 years were all from 2014. And one of them was Kelvin Benjamin. Just a, you know, a good example of right place, right time, getting lucky. But in general, in general, you, you don't perform well as a rookie wide receiver out of the gate. And that's what you need in draft season. In the draft season, you, you need a guy that's going to come out week one, week two and be awesome. If you look at, look, DJ Moore, Dante Pettis, even James Washington, Michael Gallup, these guys were helping you at the end of the year. They stepped up, they looked good. I'm going to look to them this year. But if you drafted them, that did not help you in the slightest. It hurt you. You didn't perform well. The only guy that got off to a strong start was Calvin Ridley. And Calvin Ridley did not help anybody. He wasn't in the three touchdown game. And if you look at how he actually performed. So Calvin Ridley in the last 12 years, he was a top 10 fantasy rookie wide receiver. That's like fantastic. I got a top 10. Was anybody happy with Calvin Ridley this year? He was our consistency rating wide receiver 39. He was negative scores on his great rate, his good rate and his bust rate, like really negative on all three. He wasn't someone that actually helped people in fantasy football. And that was a top 10 performance.

[Mike Wright]

This is, this is, I mean, it's a great point and it's why I hate it when you get to the very end of your draft and you use your last pick on a rookie wide receiver like that.

[Brooks]

Yeah, I'm taking a three.

[Mike Wright]

That's the worst thing you can do because even if you do that like they're the sexy name, oh my gosh, I got DJ Moore with my last pick. Yeah, but the problem is, even if DJ Moore is great, it happens like after you've released him for five weeks, right?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

You hold him for two weeks and go, oh man. I mean, you didn't even put Trey, was it Traquan Smith right in your list here. He's another guy that was like, even if you, if you had him, you.

[Jason Moore]

Might have scantling or equanimous st Brown was actually drafted higher. I mean, you know these wide receivers don't happen and we have so much data, right? I mean there's so many rookie wide receivers drafted every single year, both in the NFL and in fantasy and in general, they don't work out. And here's the thing. If you look at, okay, so Calvin Ridley, he stunk and he was a top 10 stink four of four of the guys ahead of him. So four of those nine were top 12 NFL draft picks. Guys that AJ Green, Julio Jones, Odell Beckham, look, when they were taken in the NFL you knew there was something really truly special and different. That doesn't appear to be the case in 2019. There's not like a clear cut guy. I expect to be this top five, top six NFL draft pick in this year's draft. So I think I am avoiding all rookie wide receivers. You can have them. I'm going to go with the talented players I liked from a few years ago who haven't broken out yet, who are coming into their third or second year in the NFL and they might be looking like they're the wide receiver three on their team. Similar to Mike. I'm going to draft those guys over the rookies in, in this year's wide receiver.

[Mike Wright]

The stats just back it up and last year is a perfect case study for that. And that's, that's a good thing to remember from 2018.

[Andy Holloway]

Number five.

[Brooks]

Number five for me is a just a fact of life. That's not everyone thinks the same way that you do.

[Mike Wright]

I don't know if they should.

[Brooks]

I don't know if you've ever experienced this really, but this year in particular, this year felt really strong.

[Mike Wright]

Remember Mike's takes on lemon desserts, Jason?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, they're just the best.

[Brooks]

Thank you Mr. Suit. But I want to talk about rational coaching or just me believing what is the clear and right thing to do for these NFL head coaches.

[Mike Wright]

Mike has the hardest time of anybody I've ever known at dealing with curmudgeon coaches in the NFL.

[Brooks]

You are not incorrect. Case in point, Rashad Penny. Rashad Penny was a first round draft pick in the NFL draft. A first round pick is among the most valuable things in the NFL. We're talking like Antonio Brown, generational. Well, he might end up as a top five wide receiver of all time. I will be shocked if the Pittsburgh Steelers get a first round pick for Antonio Brown because teams guard them. It is their precious. The first round pick.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Brooks]

And Rashad Penny was the pick of the Seattle Seahawks for A team that had glaring holes everywhere and they went with a running back, a what some, a lot of people call a luxury pick. And you think, okay, this guy is set up for incredible success? No, not even in the slightest. Up in Detroit, they traded up for Kerryon Johnson, who's going to be great this year. But you trade up in the second round for a running back. Meanwhile, here comes LeGarrett blunt killing drives. I mean, this wasn't just he was a second round pick. This was the guy who was on the field was an inferior talent. We all see it, but somehow the coach does not see it. Tampa Bay spent a second round pick on Ronald Jones. The guy couldn't even get on the field. So it's. I still believe in the power of draft capital, but I am allowing for a little more leeway that some coaches do things that are highly irrational with their players.

[Mike Wright]

Is there going to be a component when we do our coaching changes overview where you can factor in some trust or lack of trust in the changes that have taken place based on that type of a thing?

[Brooks]

Absolutely. I'm just, I'm trying to be open that Pete Carroll is a butt face.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, no, here's the thing that got.

[Jason Moore]

A B face and B hole.

[Mike Wright]

Now let's. We love coaches. Here's the thing that's troubling. I like Pete Carroll and here's. Here's why I think you're going to not be able to, I don't know, avoid it. Avoid it. If Seattle was good, right? They were. He may be irrational for fantasy owners, but he was very rational. And Schottenheimer and Carroll, it ended up, yes, it ended up working for them. Now Detroit, Tampa, not so much, but Miami. But there are going to be teams that, you know, we are removed from two things. We are removed from a coach's history in the NFL. So the things that they've done through 20 years of their life that they think work and don't work. So their biases in that regard. And we're removed from the personal, interpersonal relationships that they have with players we see all the time. Look it, Bruce Arians just brought in Andre Ellington. Probably the only coach in football that would do that, might be the only coach that would give him reps in the NFL, all because of an interpersonal relationship. So I don't know what Matt Patricia and LeGarrett blunt, if they are, they love hanging out. Those are the things we're not privy to. And that's what you see.

[Brooks]

I'm very into the X Men movies.

[Mike Wright]

Yes. You see the irrationality behind that coaching, and I do, too. It's unfortunate. Makes you want to. Want to cry. And maybe it does need to be factored in to your actual.

[Brooks]

You have to allow space for that to happen.

[Jason Moore]

And I think the only time you can recognize that, you just have to get better at recognizing it early. Like, we figured out that, okay, Chris Carson was going to be the guy, but it was too late. We didn't believe it at the beginning. And when something seems like it should go the other way and a coach is saying, no, I'm going to go this way, you just got to believe the coach, even if you disagree with the call.

[Mike Wright]

To be clear, I mean, I did.

[Jason Moore]

That is true.

[Mike Wright]

So you could always just listen to me and just ignore my. That's another option. Oh, that'd be a 10 thing to remember.

[Jason Moore]

I think you would have put number four on the field too often.

[Mike Wright]

Number four. A little shout out to the Dynasty players out there. This one, this was a reflection of Brooks. I agree with it. And I'm bringing it in the top 10. Brooks is the master to remember. Yeah. Because this is his forte, right?

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

No, he's got a PhD.

[Jason Moore]

It is not just his forte. It is his birthday. Whoa.

[Mike Wright]

My goodness.

[Jason Moore]

That's why I'm wearing the suit for.

[Mike Wright]

Your birthday, Ahmadi, today. Let me take a little.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, let's look that up.

[Mike Wright]

Is he. Did you take a look?

[Brooks]

No, I'm just guessing.

[Mike Wright]

He didn't look 53 in Spider man with that face tattoo.

[Brooks]

This is something we have to share while you look. Wow, what a guess by me. I just threw out the.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's pretty good.

[Brooks]

I did not see the second Spider man with Andrew Garfield. It was the.

[Jason Moore]

The Amazing Spider Man 2. Sure.

[Brooks]

It's the one that has Jamie Foxx as Electro. I didn't see it. I didn't know anybody who saw it. And then Jason comes in. Just a look on his face like he has. He found a treasure map and he knows exactly where the lost city of Atlantis is. I mean, he is two days ago. He is excited and he says, guys, have you seen the second Spider Man? Of course we say no because no one has seen it for some reason.

[Jason Moore]

I don't know why. I watched this a couple days ago with my son.

[Mike Wright]

It was bad.

[Jason Moore]

But Paul Giamatti is in the beginning of that movie in a role that is insane and terrible.

[Mike Wright]

Skin, head, face tattoo. Yes.

[Brooks]

He is an absolute psychopath.

[Jason Moore]

And that's you, Brooks.

[Mike Wright]

And that's you, birthday boy.

[Brooks]

Well, it's a role going like what is esteemed actor Paul Giamatti doing in Spider Man 2 as this guy?

[Jason Moore]

Check it out. It's very fun.

[Mike Wright]

All right, number four on this list. Shout out to Dynasty owners. This is called the Dynasty depth chart. Deep dive at the running back position because this is what Brooks does. Well, he adds the third and fourth string running backs. If you have a dynasty league with monster sized benches because you have to think to yourself, hey, if this player gets hurt, who becomes the potential handcuff? And you might say to yourself, well, does that really work out? This makes no sense. Why add those guys? Well, here's the benefits that Brooks has received over the years. Here's just 2018 players that have emerged, Adam, at some time to deliver some value.

[Brooks]

Brooks is the best of this, but he didn't get the best guy. Sorry, Brooks.

[Mike Wright]

All right, Damian Williams.

[Brooks]

That's the one he didn't get.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, Damian Williams was an RB3. It was the RB3 from weeks 14 through 17. Justin Jackson started in week 15 on a high powered offense. Jalen Samuels came out of nowhere, started three games late in the season. Gus Edwards. Who was Gus Edwards? Well, he was no. 1 and then he was the RB16 for seven weeks. Josh Adams started five games. Jeff Wilson Jr. Jeff Wilson Jr. Nobody knew that name. But if you could have had the Jeff Wilson Sr.

[Brooks]

Certainly did.

[Mike Wright]

Certainly. Yeah, that he knew it well. And if you had the foresight to add them early on, then you were in great shape. So as a dynasty league owner, sometimes it doesn't look like those names are worth adding to the roster. Well, what is you're going to add them. Look what's come look what's happened over the last year.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean we talk about in redraft leagues and keeper leagues, normal, you know, smaller sized rosters, we talk about how difficult it is to handcuff because you think you've got the right guy. But then it turns out when the starter goes down, we were wrong. It wasn't Spencer Ware or it wasn't, you know, whoever you thought it was.

[Mike Wright]

Heckler in full time, it was C.J.

[Jason Moore]

Anderson. He steps up. You didn't think he was going to be the guy. But in Dynasty where you got such deep, you know, ability to go after those third string running backs when they hit, it changes everything because usually you've got deeper starting roster as work as well. You need two flexes, you need to go deeper. So I love that tip. I'll jump in real quick just to add on to that, it's kind of more of a tip. But if you're in a startup dynasty, grab other people's handcuffs late in the draft if they haven't. High powered handcuffs.

[Brooks]

Yeah, I like it.

[Jason Moore]

I grabbed James Conner in a startup dynasty last year. Really late.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, no, that's a good point. And I can tell you this. In a dynasty league, when someone else has your handcuffs, you are biting your nails, you are holding your breath and it stinks, it's the worst because in a dynasty league, you're building that team at a core position and if you lose that guy and someone else benefits to the degree that a Jalen Samuels owners benefited this year, that that sucks. And if you want to make it suck for your friends, that's what you can do.

[Andy Holloway]

Number three.

[Jason Moore]

Number three. This is one for me. I want to remember those who were I want to remember those who were better than their end of season rankings. And we're in this weird in between time right now where when I say some of these things, we'll remember them now. But I promise you, as you go through the offseason, you get closer to the draft, everyone starts looking and thinking and remembering full season stats, where did a guy finish, how did they do? And you, you can't remember the nuance of how they got there. So there's specific players that so clearly out produced what their end of season rankings say they were that I want to remember. I made this list of guys because I want to remember. And you can go back and listen to the truth episodes that'll help. You can bookmark this episode, put a little slack bot reminder or something to yourself saying, hey, I want to come back and remember all these tips later in the year when we're getting closer to draft season. That's a lot of times when these tips will help you the most. But I want to give you examples of what I'm talking about. So Jameis Winston, quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they are all in. Now it looked like he might not even be their starter. They're all in. Last year he finished as the quarterback 22, which is trash. It's garbage. It's worthless for fantasy. But from week six on, which is pretty much when he started because if you remember, he was suspended the first three games, then he wasn't going to be the starter, came in in relief. So he kind of got half of a game. So. And this isn't even including a game where he got benched halfway through. From week six on, he was the quarterback nine on A point per game basis. He was actually very good for fantasy. I want to remember that going into next year with Bruce Arians and not just look at, well, he finished 22nd. He wasn't that good. Josh Allen, right, finished 21st, but in the last five weeks of the season, once he got back from his stretch where he missed, you know, and this is his rookie season, he was the number one quarterback. Those are things where you cannot. When we go into next year, you can't forget the stretches. You can't just look at where they finished last year. Leonard Fournette finished 40th, but he was actually 14th on a PER game basis. Now that's still behind where he was drafted, but he's going to fall in drafts this year. He's better than where he finished. Carry on Johnson, same thing. Finished 33rd, but from weeks three through 10 before he got injured and after he finally got, you know, work and wasn't just relegated completely behind. LeGarrett blunt, you know, he was the 13th running back during that time. Dalvin Cook, weeks 12 through 17. Once he got over his hamstring injury, he was the RB7. You have Cooper cup, obviously he was injured with the ACL, but he was the, he was a wide receiver one.

[Brooks]

He was a beast.

[Jason Moore]

He was 12th in per game. You had Julian Edelman, right, because of the suspension, you don't realize that he was the 14 wide receiver 14 in a per game basis. All those are half PPR numbers. So I want to remember those players and make sure that next season I do not just go based on end of season. And it's not just end of season versus per game. Right. Because some of these, you need the nuanced context of suspensions or half games missed or things like that. I want to actually realize how good a player was and take them at that value versus taking them at just where they finished. If you look at 17 weeks.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I love it.

[Andy Holloway]

Number two.

[Brooks]

Number two, you know that this is a late round quarterback strategy show and it was very successful for those guys streaming the position. And instead of looking at it from that angle, I wanted to look at it from the other angle. The, the argument that early quarterback drafters use. Early quarterbacks are safe.

[Jason Moore]

They're super safe, Mike.

[Mike Wright]

They're.

[Brooks]

They're the same. I mean, they're the safest position in.

[Mike Wright]

Fantasy, I think feel like the voice of public opinion should have showed up for that, but whatever.

[Jason Moore]

But easy.

[Brooks]

I don't need to show up.

[Jason Moore]

Everyone knows the early quarterbacks are the safest and the coolest.

[Brooks]

Maybe they're the coolest.

[Jason Moore]

I don't.

[Mike Wright]

That's neither here nor there.

[Brooks]

I don't know if I can argue that point at all. Here is what happened last year. Only one quarterback of the top 10 guys off the draft board gave a positive return and that was Andrew Luck, who was the. He was drafted as QB 9 and 5. Only three quarterbacks drafted in the top 10 came close to returning value. And that's with Andrew Luck in there. And I'm exclaimed, including DeSean Watson, who was the second quarterback off the board and you had to grab him in the fourth round. He finished at QB4, Drew Brees, QB6, off the board, he finished at QB8. But everyone else gave you a massive negative return on your draft capital and these were guys that you stuck with and you paid the price. While everyone else was throwing Mahomes, throwing Big Ben, throwing these guys where you just.

[Mike Wright]

Josh, Allen, Jackson, Matt Ryan.

[Brooks]

Yes, yes, Matt Ryan. I mean, Matt Ryan, Big Ben and Mahomes, like the three faces of. You don't need to draft a quarterback early. But on top of that, just how unsafe the position.

[Mike Wright]

That's a bigger argument. That's the bigger point you're making.

[Brooks]

You need not just see both sides of this story. They aren't.

[Mike Wright]

It's not just saying that.

[Brooks]

Not 100% safe.

[Mike Wright]

Because the way that the argument has been made in the past is, look, don't take one early because it's only. It's a one, a one start position and even if they're guaranteed, it's not worth more than your running back. That's all true. Yes, but then you add in the lack of safety and here. Mike. We were filling this show, Doc. Yeah. And we were each picking three items that were really important to us. Well, I pulled up two things. I pulled up end of season rankings and I pulled up average draft position last year and I wanted to try to identify some things there. First thing I notice is I'm seeing Big Ben and Matt Ryan's name near the top of this list and I'm going, boy, there's a lot of names at quarterback that just don't seem to correlate with the draft. I start to write up something on it. I roll up here and you've already done the research.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Rogers first, finished sixth. Watson drafted second, finished fourth. Brady drafted third, finished 14th. The argument you just said only one gave you a plus return. I mean, even if you're neutral, it's not a good argument.

[Jason Moore]

Well, at least you gave up an early draft pick though, so, you know, at least you gave up one of your really good wide receivers or running backs that you could have drafted. So that's cool.

[Mike Wright]

No, I mean, look, it's. It's more ammo for the late round quarterback philosophy even when go with it. It's crazy. I mean, look, you drafted Carson Wentz. You spent that money. Finished, you know, 23rd banged up.

[Brooks]

Just let it, let it wash over you people.

[Mike Wright]

We'll try our best. Whether it's cold water, we'll see you. Will break you out of it.

[Andy Holloway]

Number one.

[Mike Wright]

All right, what's number one on the list of things to remember for 2018?

[Brooks]

You know what it is?

[Jason Moore]

Remember to fix your league.

[Brooks]

Look, there's two things you gotta, you gotta do. You gotta identify the problem. Step two, fix it.

[Jason Moore]

Fix it.

[Mike Wright]

Fix that problem.

[Brooks]

Look, do you have a Week 17 championship in your league? Lucky for you, this was an in particularly very strong one that you bring to your league and say, guys, gals, what the heck are we doing? Look at my team. Look at my super stud team that I did not get to play in week 17. You still like kickers?

[Jason Moore]

I mean, maybe you do and that's fine, but if you don't, this is. Don't forget and just keep rerolling.

[Brooks]

Like, did you just say if you do, that's fine?

[Jason Moore]

Look, I hate kickers.

[Brooks]

I put the ball on the tee.

[Jason Moore]

I know.

[Brooks]

And you came up and you.

[Jason Moore]

And I picked it up and I threw it really far because I hate kickers.

[Mike Wright]

Did you know Jason, when he goes out on the golf course, he does all his driving via right arm. Look, we let him do that and then everything else. He can hit an iron.

[Jason Moore]

What's crazy is I'm so much better with my arm. It like as many strokes are more accurate. As many strokes as I add because I can't get the distance. I'm still coming in under what I would have done with that golf club.

[Brooks]

You just look like an elephant that.

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Yeah. I mean, no, my point here is that I understand if people want kickers. I get the argument for I hate kickers. I want them out. But I was comparing that to like the week 17 where get out of here with that trash stuff. But now's the time to remember. What about your, your waiver wire? Is it just an open waiver wire? Where man, every year the guy who doesn't have a job and sits at home gets first pickings. Do you want to move to the fab system? You know, where every day you put bids in and everybody has an equal chance to get that. Now's the time to remember to fix your league.

[Mike Wright]

Move to a keeper league, change keeper rules for your league. This is the time to look into it.

[Brooks]

By the way, we do have an article about FAB on our website. We get asked a lot. How do I convince my league mates to move to fab? People are nervous. They don't get it. We've got a great article over on the site written up by Eric Ludwig. It's fantastic.

[Mike Wright]

Definitely check that out.

[Jason Moore]

Are you playing on the platform that you love? Do you love it there? Do you want to try a different platform? Try it out.

[Mike Wright]

Absolutely. And get rid of those bad people.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

If they wear a fedora, get them out.

[Jason Moore]

I was really wanting to gang up on Mike here, but now really, it's me. I'm out.

[Brooks]

You're wearing a fedora.

[Jason Moore]

And that's true. That's true. I'm. I'm gonna be.

[Mike Wright]

Here's what I did.

[Jason Moore]

Commentator at the draft, not a drafter.

[Mike Wright]

Mike. Mike. Mike has this habit around the office, and I really hate it. What? No, just. Just hang in with me, Mike. You get credit here, all right? Mike's got this habit of, quote, unquote, remembering things properly, and I have this habit of, quote, unquote, forgetting things.

[Brooks]

And I like to call it misremembering things.

[Mike Wright]

But, yeah, you know what?

[Jason Moore]

That's probably more accurate. That's more accurate.

[Mike Wright]

Because what I like to do is, I like to say, I'm pretty sure. I'm pretty sure this is. That is this. And normally Mike will roll up and he'll be like, yeah, but look right there. And then I'll be like, no, Mike, dang it. Because Mike's memory is impervious to anything because he protects it with that hoodie. He keeps his brain nice and warm for memories. I don't keep my brain warm enough, apparently. So he's got this habit of just always ending up right about those type of things. And today he rolls up and Jason's got his suit. That's a whole nother problem. He's got his suit in his fedora, and he says, you know, hey, Indiana Jones wears a fedora. And I'm like, you're a crazy person.

[Brooks]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

No, he does not. He is cool. Therefore, he does not. Indiana Jones is the coolest. You are wrong. That is my contention. Then I go and look up a picture of Indiana Jones, and I still insist that this is not a fedora. And I tell Mike, I go, no, look at this. This is not a fedora. I've got Google images up on my screen. He walks up and he points at the first picture. And the name of the picture is Indiana Jones Fedora. And they're all named that?

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

So apparently what Indiana. You are not as cool as Indiana Jones.

[Jason Moore]

Well, here's the thing. This is a stupid fedora that I'm wearing. It's got this stupid small little pinstripes, bro. And pinstripes. I need a real fedora.

[Brooks]

The problem with the fedora.

[Jason Moore]

Please do not order me one.

[Brooks]

Is the definition of fedora. It's far too wide. This hat. It got greedy of what hat shape and size it could actually be.

[Mike Wright]

And people started taking liberties.

[Brooks]

Yes, it's ridiculous.

[Mike Wright]

And now. Now where are we now?

[Jason Moore]

We're at a place where I'm wearing a stupid hat and trying to be in a ska band.

[Mike Wright]

So fedoras are just too wide and too many.

[Jason Moore]

Too diverse.

[Mike Wright]

What?

[Jason Moore]

Too diverse. They need to segment and rebrand.

[Mike Wright]

If you search, if you open up Google and you type in fedora hat. Right. And you let the auto complete, you've got a couple interesting. The first one is fedora hat how to wear. And maybe you should have looked that up.

[Jason Moore]

That's funny. Mine is fedora hat. Indiana Jones.

[Mike Wright]

Is it?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, and then there's fedora hat straw. And so maybe because you're not wearing.

[Jason Moore]

A straw fedora, that's the problem.

[Mike Wright]

I think we're done here, Brooks. You think we're done?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

Jason's got to go. Knock on wood.

[Mike Wright]

Let's go. Let's wrap it up. Pristine deal of the day. Look, it doesn't get better than pristine auction. We got Alvin Camara autographed jersey on the wall today. And guess what? The deal of the day. Jarvis Landry signed Cleveland Browns jersey yesterday. JSA witnessed autograph $67.57.

[Brooks]

That's what I'm talking about. Get in on it. Jarvis Landry about to go ham.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, look, there's hundreds of auctions. It's free to make an account, free to bid unless you win it. So just go and sign up. Check them out every single day. You will love what you see. And make sure when you sign up that you let them know that you found out about Pristine Oxford from the Fantasy Footballers podcast.

[Mike Wright]

All right, that is it for today. Hopefully you enjoyed the show. Thanks for supporting us. And we will be back next week with a free agent preview and no fedoras. That is our our plan. Unless Jason's wife says it looks good. Goodbye.

[Andy Holloway]

Thank you for listening to another episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter the FFBall.