Fantasy Football 2017 - Halloween Special, Week 9 Waivers, Trade News

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary
Episode: Fantasy Football 2017 - Halloween Special, Week 9 Waivers, Trade News
Release Date: October 31, 2017

The Halloween-themed special episode of Fantasy Footballers delivered a comprehensive analysis of Week 9 waivers, significant trade news, and strategic insights for fantasy football enthusiasts gearing up for the playoff push. Hosted by Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright, the trio navigated through a mix of serious football discussions intertwined with light-hearted Halloween banter.

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1. Recap of Last Night's Game: Chiefs vs. Broncos

The episode kicked off with a detailed breakdown of the Monday Night Football matchup between the Kansas Chiefs and the Denver Broncos. The Broncos' quarterback struggles were a focal point, sparking debate among the hosts.

• Trevor Siemian's Performance: Trevor Siemian, nicknamed "the Skids," faced harsh criticism for his underwhelming performance. Jason Moore highlighted, “The decision making of Trevor Siemian is just gone off the cliff in the first few games” (03:14).

• Quarterback Options for Broncos: The hosts deliberated over potential quarterback replacements, citing Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch as primary candidates. Mike Wright skeptically commented on Lynch’s preseason performance, stating, “He’s terrible” (03:54). The possibility of acquiring Brian Hoyer was also discussed, with Andy noting, “Brian Hoyer would be your best option in Denver, don't you think?” (04:13).

2. Running Back Analysis: C.J. Anderson and Jay Ajayi

A significant portion of the discussion revolved around the performance and future of running backs C.J. Anderson and Jay Ajayi.

• C.J. Anderson's Decline: The conversation focused on Anderson's inconsistent performances, particularly his dropping into single-digit fantasy points in recent weeks. Andy expressed frustration, saying, “He's been single digits two of our three of the last five weeks” (06:00), while Jason emphasized his start, “Anderson, running back 24 and a half point PPR. That's a very startable running back” (06:15).

• Jay Ajayi's Trade to Eagles: A pivotal highlight was the trade of Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a fourth-round pick. The hosts analyzed the implications of this move:

  • Improved Offensive Line: Andy pointed out, “You're going from one of the worst offensive lines in the league to one of the best” (09:22), indicating a promising environment for Ajayi's resurgence.

  • Future Outlook: The team anticipates Ajayi becoming a solid RB1, potentially ranking in the top 15, despite initial trade jitters. Mike noted, “As an Ajayi owner, you're thrilled” (07:56).

  • Waiver Strategies: Discussions included whether to invest in Ajayi’s back-up options, with Mike and Jason suggesting Darren McFadden as a viable performer (15:37).

3. Waiver Wire Recommendations

The hosts provided strategic insights into valuable waiver pickups, focusing on both wide receivers and running backs.

• Wide Receivers: Sterling Shepard vs. Juju Smith-Schuster

  • Sterling Shepard's Value: Sterling Shepard emerged as a top recommendation, with Andy affirming, “If this is not a large keeper league... I'm on Sterling Shepard” (22:57). Jason and Mike echoed the sentiment, highlighting Shepard's consistent target volume and favorable schedule.

  • Juju Smith-Schuster Considerations: While Juju showed promise, concerns about his consistency led to debates. Jason advocated for starting him despite occasional low target weeks, saying, “But you have to start him” (06:15), whereas Mike preferred Shepard for his reliability.

• Running Backs: Alex Collins, Alfred Morris, and Darren McFadden

  • Alex Collins' Upside: Alex Collins was lauded for his breakout potential with the Titans, earning Andy’s endorsement, “I love Alex” (31:46).

  • Alfred Morris vs. Darren McFadden: Both players were suggested as aggressive waiver targets due to their potential to surprise in upcoming matchups. Jason recommended, “I do want to be aggressive trying to get Alex Collins” (31:46), while Mike highlighted Morris’s opportunity, “Alf has the Jordan Howard going on” (15:58).

4. Trade News: Jay Ajayi to Eagles

Jay Ajayi's mid-season trade to the Eagles was dissected thoroughly:

• Impact on Dolphins: The Dolphins' running game dynamics shifted significantly, with Andy noting, “Jay Ajayi is going to be a rock solid, you know, RB1” (11:39).

• Eagles’ Enhancement: The acquisition was seen as a strategic move to bolster the Eagles' run game, moving them from a struggling offensive line to a more robust unit.

5. Trick or Treat Segment: Fantasy Playoff Predictions

In a Halloween-themed segment, the hosts evaluated players based on their potential performance during fantasy playoffs.

• Quarterbacks: Russell Wilson vs. Kirk Cousins

  • Russell Wilson as a Treat: Despite a tough playoff schedule facing the Jaguars, Russell Wilson was deemed a "treat" due to his scrambling ability and improved offensive line, with Andy stating, “Russell Wilson is one of them” (42:24).

  • Kirk Cousins as a Trick: Kirk Cousins received the opposite label, “a trick,” due to his challenging playoff matchups against strong defenses, as Mike explained, “I call that a trick” (45:26).

• Wide Receivers: DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen

  • DeAndre Hopkins as a Treat: Hopkins was considered reliable for the playoffs despite facing tough defenses, with Jason hinting, “You have to accept Keenan Allen as the new normal” (56:12).

  • Keenan Allen as a Trick: Keenan Allen’s inconsistent performances led to his categorization as a "trick," especially given his diminished role in the offense, reflected in Jason’s observation, “He’s been what, 46th is this? 30th” (55:29).

6. Quarterback Streaming Strategies

The trio discussed viable quarterbacks for streaming purposes, emphasizing flexibility and matchup-based decisions.

• Top Streaming Options: Tyrod Taylor and Drew Stanton were highlighted as effective streaming options due to their favorable matchups and potential upside. Andy shared, “He's going to do it against Russell” (38:28), while Mike endorsed Tyrod Taylor’s consistency, advising, “If you picked him up last week, just keep on your roster” (39:35).

• Assessing Market Movements: The hosts cautioned about the rapidly changing QB market, noting trades and injuries that could impact streaming decisions, with Mike mentioning, “There could be trades that have taken place by the time you’re listening to this” (16:26).

7. Additional News and Notes

• Ezekiel Elliott's Suspension: Ezekiel Elliott faced a suspension, prompting discussions on potential replacements like Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden. Jason clarified, “The judge dissolved Ezekiel Elliott's temporary restraining order” (14:35), encouraging owners to pivot to available RB options.

• Venture Davis and Other Trades: Mike updated listeners on ongoing trade rumors involving players like Hamlin and Davis, emphasizing the importance of staying informed about roster changes.

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Conclusion

The Fantasy Footballers Halloween Special provided invaluable insights into Week 9's waiver wire targets, critical trade developments, and strategic moves for the fantasy football playoffs. The hosts balanced in-depth analysis with engaging banter, ensuring listeners were well-equipped to make informed decisions as the fantasy season intensified.

Notable Quotes:

• Trevor Siemian's Decision Making:
  Jason Moore: “The decision making of Trevor Siemian is just gone off the cliff in the first few games.” (03:14)

• Jay Ajayi's Trade Impact:
  Andy Holloway: “You're going from one of the worst offensive lines in the league to one of the best.” (09:22)

• Russell Wilson as a Treat:
  Andy Holloway: “Russell Wilson is one of them [treat quarterbacks].” (42:24)

• Kirk Cousins as a Trick:
  Mike Wright: “I call that a trick.” (45:26)

• Keenan Allen's Inconsistency:
  Jason Moore: “He’s been what, 46th is this? 30th.” (55:29)

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For more insights and detailed analyses, join the fantasy football community at jointhefoot.com and follow @theffballers on Twitter.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, Foot Glenn, it's showtime. Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast coming to you from the Play Draft Studios with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my goodness.

[Jason Moore]

You want to get nuts?

[Mike Wright]

Let's get nuts. Foot clan.

[Jason Moore]

Hey, everybody.

[Mike Wright]

Welcome to the show.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, it's gonna be a Good show.

[Mike Wright]

Tuesday, October 31st. I can happy Halloween. Barely hear myself. You can barely hear due to this costume.

[Andy Holloway]

You can barely see.

[Mike Wright]

It's like an echo. I feel like I'm talking in a large atrium.

[Andy Holloway]

And you also have a nose whistle that I really hope is picked up on the show a few times.

[Mike Wright]

I'm also blind.

[Andy Holloway]

If you don't know what we're talking about. It's Halloween if you've never heard of it.

[Jason Moore]

Every October 31st, it's.

[Andy Holloway]

It's a new, new thing happening this year. But you got to go to the YouTubes, YouTube.com/the fantasy footballers and yeah, see the problems that we are all experiencing right now.

[Jason Moore]

And hey, I love your costume. Oh, Andy. Yeah, I love your costume.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, that makes you.

[Andy Holloway]

Your costumes one of us.

[Mike Wright]

We have such a jam packed that we cannot focus on the lore.

[Andy Holloway]

It's a great show today.

[Mike Wright]

Also, I am very fat. I've got a big Ben Roethlisberger helmet situation going on.

[Jason Moore]

You look like a burnt marshmallow. I am just oozing out.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, man. Squeeze out of that mess.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, it's terrible. I need to tuck the chins into back behind.

[Andy Holloway]

Welcome, everybody.

[Mike Wright]

The judge is here too, by the way. Judge Giamatti. We have waivers on the show today. We have Monday Night Football. We'll talk through what happened last night. We've got news and notes. We've got trade. We've got the madness that is the trade deadline and things that may be happening. All right, I got to take these gloves off. That may be happening on the actual show today. We have a trick or treat segment talking about some fantasy playoffs. Oh, and we have streaming quarterbacks.

[Jason Moore]

Two hours today.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my goodness.

[Andy Holloway]

Megalodon.

[Mike Wright]

All right, let's. Let's get into the quick, quick thoughts from last night's game. 29:19, the Chiefs take out the Broncos. Broncos are reeling at the quarterback position. Yes, there's talk of Brock or Paxton lynch, who just returned to practice, taking over for Simeon. Where are you guys with this entire offense and the upside? I mean, we've seen with Indianapolis, now with Green Bay, when the quarterback situation hits the skids, so to speak, which is actually the new nickname for Trevor Simeon, the Skids. It's not a good nickname. 19 for 36, 52 rating 197. Three touchdowns, no QBR, 43 interceptions, touchdowns.

[Andy Holloway]

That was in his dreams.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

The.

[Jason Moore]

The decision making of Trevor Simeon is just gone off the cliff in the first few games. He at least looks competent. He's done. He's going to make mistakes with Trevor Simeon, but I don't know how you move forward with him. If you're the Denver Broncos, if you want any kind of chance to compete, you're three and four, so you're not. You're not totally out of the wild card situation. Your division hopes are probably toast.

[Andy Holloway]

The next few games are really tough on them as far as NFL, but what are they? And the New England Patriots. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, do you. The last report I read was that it would most likely be Paxton Lynch. Do you. Honestly? I watched Paxton lynch playing the preseason.

[Mike Wright]

He's terrible.

[Jason Moore]

He couldn't handle preseason defense.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. That's called phoning in the season. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

If you put Paxton, if you put Brock in.

[Mike Wright]

Brian Hoyer was cut by the 49ers and we're going to get into tons of news. Brian Hoyer would be your best option in Denver, don't you think? Or do you just want the conservative run game?

[Jason Moore]

Batman, you got to talk into your microphone.

[Mike Wright]

Am I not.

[Jason Moore]

Well, you keep leaning back.

[Andy Holloway]

His costume. Oh, sorry.

[Mike Wright]

I'm leaning back because my nose is whistling. We're trying to offer a high quality Halloween product.

[Jason Moore]

Well, Brian Hoyer, I think we'll get into Hoyer, but he's. He's going to end up somewhere else.

[Andy Holloway]

Absolutely.

[Jason Moore]

But just running through the rest of this game, the receivers for Denver, I had. I hoped for Demarys Thomas, 5 for 66. Not the end of the world, but certainly not what you were hoping for against the Chiefs who brought Amari Cooper back to life. The running back situation for the Broncos is interesting.

[Andy Holloway]

It's so dumb to me because, you know, Andy and I, similar to how you and I might. We argue over Melvin Gordon. We were arguing last night as we watched this game over CJ Anderson because I'm still a CJ Anderson believer and he is not so much. And every time Andy would speak bad about C.J. anderson, he do something good, he'd give up another. Another 8, 9, 10 yard run. He looked great and he still got the bulk of the carries. He got 15 right carries. The next best, I believe, was seven. But he needs more because the other guys, in my opinion, weren't getting it done. I mean.

[Jason Moore]

Well, I mean, Booker was getting it done. And Booker got the. I believe Booker looks good and he scored.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, Booker looks good, but he needs to be, you know, in the role he's in.

[Jason Moore]

Right.

[Andy Holloway]

We saw when he took over.

[Mike Wright]

Fantasy owners cannot trust C.J. anderson or this offense. He's been single digits two of our three of the last five weeks. He may be the best runner, but he's the best runner on a bad offense right now that has three running backs that all flashed last night. And he's a running back, two, three, Cusp guy. That's what he is.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, that is what he is. He's. He's a guy that's not what you wanted. Gets 20 carries. It's certainly disappointing after the first two weeks where, you know, he was averaging nearly 100 yards and, you know, 22 and a half carries a game.

[Jason Moore]

But for a guy you can't trust.

[Andy Holloway]

C.J.

[Jason Moore]

Anderson, running back 24 and a half point PPR. That's a very startable running back. He outscored Kareem Hunt, which. No, I'm not worried about Hunt, but he outscored Forte. He outscored Doug Martin.

[Mike Wright]

That's what a 2, 3 means, Mike. He's running back 24, you said. But you can trust him because he's put up single digits three of the last five weeks.

[Jason Moore]

Right. You have to start him.

[Andy Holloway]

No, you don't have to need to start him. I am a believer, but I don't. I don't think you absolutely have to start him. A lot of that ranking comes from week two when he had over 30 fans.

[Jason Moore]

No, I'm talking about this week. This week, right.

[Andy Holloway]

This week he was okay, 15 for 78 on the ground. Caught another ball for seven yards.

[Mike Wright]

Right. In our format, he was 10. 10 and a half points. That was fine. That was. But that's. I mean, you're not excited.

[Jason Moore]

No, but you have to start him.

[Andy Holloway]

The other side.

[Mike Wright]

I'd rather start James White the other.

[Andy Holloway]

Side of the ball. You were super happy if you were a Travis Kelsey owner and if you were a Tyreek Hill or a Kareem.

[Mike Wright]

Hunt owner or an Alex Smith owner.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure, yeah. I mean, it was disappointing. Cream Hunt, very disappointing. And Tyree Kill, devastating. He did very little as a wide receiver and he threw an.

[Jason Moore]

He did even less as a quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

Kareem Hunt.

[Jason Moore]

Don't worry about it.

[Andy Holloway]

Don't. Not only. Don't worry about it. To me, after this week, I would say Kareem Hunt going up against one of the best run Ds in the league in Denver and Dak Prescott having that, you know, torrential downpour in Washington. Those are my two targets this week. If I can steal them from a team who is afraid that this is the new normal, I certainly will be trying.

[Mike Wright]

This is the first game of the entire year that Kareem Hunt did not have over 100 yards right. In all between receiving and running back. Well, I don't think anybody thinks he sucks. I think the majority of people are going to stick with him.

[Jason Moore]

Look, what the.

[Mike Wright]

But I would target him.

[Jason Moore]

The Broncos have shut down Zeke Shady Melvin Gordon. I mean, it was. The weird one was the Orleans darkwa had a big game against them, but that was, you know, whatever, one game. Fine. But those are superstar running Jay Ajayi. Next week you're predicting he will be shut down.

[Andy Holloway]

We'll talk about that later. News and notes from around the league.

[Mike Wright]

Much like Big Ben in a helmet, I am in a torture chamber right now. I cannot see.

[Jason Moore]

Do you need me to take over?

[Mike Wright]

No, you. What did I just do?

[Andy Holloway]

Welcome to this show. We've got a great show planned for you today.

[Mike Wright]

I am a blind man flying a ship here. Darkness.

[Jason Moore]

No, no, no. I'm okay.

[Mike Wright]

On Twitter. You can find us at the FF Ballers. There's my nose whistle. All right, let's move into the news and notes. Jay Ajayi. Monster news this morning you talk about going nuts. He's been traded to the Eagles for a fourth round pick. Guys, this is monster news. If you're a ji Owner. We had just hit the panic button. He struggled. Adam Gase apparently despises the man.

[Andy Holloway]

You're super happy if you're a.

[Jason Moore]

You have to be.

[Andy Holloway]

I was. I was saying off air yesterday. Count me as someone that would not be surprised if this week. This was before the trade, right. If JJ gets five carries max. Because I saw everything Adam Gates was saying as. Look, I'm done with you. I mean, he left a job, you know, he left him away from a game week one last year. Didn't even travel with the team. Adam Gase is the type that will send a message. And this is great news. You're going from one of the worst offensive lines in the league to one of the best.

[Jason Moore]

The worst offenses, period.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Not even just zero carries inside the five yard line this year for JJ In Miami, the number one team in the NFL in inside the five carries is the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Jason Moore]

But Will, what is. What are you guys expecting for the split of the carries? Because LeGarrett blunt is still there. He's been. Okay now, clearly I mean, if you're going to give up a fourth round pick, even though that doesn't sound like much to fantasy football players, NFL teams care about their fourth round pick. To give it up for a running back, I expect him. It's going to be messy. Or do you expect J.J. to come in and by next week kind of assert himself as the primary one?

[Andy Holloway]

Two, I believe he will absolutely assert himself as the primary back. He is a far better running back than LeGarrett Blunt. LeGarrett Blunt looked okay. He's gotten the job done. But clearly the Philadelphia Eagles are saying we better. And I don't think they're happy with what Wendell Smallwood has done behind him. They've had some injuries to other guys and they wanted to, you know, not make Carson Wentz have to throw 650 times this year. So this coming week it's going to be really hard. Week one, you go against that aforementioned Denver Broncos run defense that has looked outstanding this year, then you go from there to a bye week. So I don't think you're going to see a Jay Golden Philadelphia Eagle value until three weeks. But three weeks from now, I expect that Ajayi is a rock solid, you know, RB1, maybe, you know, top 15, if not running back, which was not going to happen with the Miami Dolphins. So as an Ajay owner, you're thrilled, you're.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I think you're just thrilled for a new opportunity because you had seen, you know, you've heard this song being played this year. I'm not, I'm not guarantee it. Guaranteeing a top 15 player there. I think you have more opportunity, less.

[Jason Moore]

Volume and I think that's what Ajay needs.

[Mike Wright]

Honestly, you could be right. But he's been trying to hit the home run all year long. Offensive lines much better.

[Andy Holloway]

Last year when. Sorry to interrupt. Last year when we, you know, we were like, is this breakout real with Ajay? I went and I rewatched every single one of his snaps. The one thing that I found from a Jai's running style is that every single time that he had a hole to run through, he, he picked up, you know, 7, 8, 9, 10 yards. He's a great head of steam runner, but if you could touch him in the backfield, he crumples as if he's, you know, got no muscle in his body. And this year when you watch the Miami Dolphins, he's just been hit, you know, two yards behind the line, left, right, center every play. And I think the Eagles will open up a hole on the majority of plays, and he'll take advantage of that.

[Mike Wright]

Obviously, this hurts Blunt's rest of season significantly. Wendell Smallwood, he's out the door basically, in terms of value. And like Jason said, the Denver game, then the bye week. We need. We have so much to talk about on the show. We need to transition to Miami. Your money is on Kenyan Drake or Damian Williams.

[Jason Moore]

Timeshare, Kenyon Drake.

[Mike Wright]

But timeshare is not an answer.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm taking Kenyan Drake. I loved him coming out of college. Have not been proven right on that by any means.

[Mike Wright]

Got a change in PPR versus standard league. Who would you take? I would take Drake in a standard league. I'm undecided on the other.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I feel like I would pick up Williams in both.

[Andy Holloway]

I would. I would pick up Drake in both. And that's not to say that I think he is for sure going to be the lead guy.

[Mike Wright]

Right.

[Andy Holloway]

He just. He's better. It's just if Damian Williams gets that job and he is all of a sudden a workhorse for the Dolphins, which is worthy of picking up. I'm not saying it's not. Even if you stink, which he does. You know, opportunity is king at the position. Pick him up. But with his lack of talent. Sorry, Damian Williams mother. And the lack of offensive production from Miami, I just don't. I think you want that home run option in Drake, that chance that maybe this guy is really electric, can make his own plays happen. I don't. I don't see much for. From Damian Williams.

[Mike Wright]

And for the record, Drake is second on the depth chart. Gase has already said he's second on the depth chart. He'll have a good opportunity, but it's not been good for Ajayi. So you're now splitting time, as Mike was alluding to.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, we'll.

[Mike Wright]

We'll talk more about that in the coming days. And projecting this week's stats on Wednesday. All right. United States District Judge Kathryn Fila has dissolved Ezekiel Elliott's temporary restraining order and denied his motion. Oh, my goodness. Do we know what is happening? Ezekiel Elliott now is suspended.

[Jason Moore]

Well, so Ezekiel Elliott. Once the ruling came out, he had 24 hours to appeal, which it would apparently appeal to. The second. Is that the second district? I don't know. I don't speak legalese. But there is an opportunity for him to appeal. But if that doesn't happen, or if that is shut down. And that's.

[Andy Holloway]

That's the.

[Jason Moore]

The court that shut down Tom Brady that basically said you're. Nope. You're suspended. So the suspension is coming regardless if he files the appeal or not. So the. Jerry Jones has already said that Alfred Morris will get the bulk of the carries. However, Rod Smith, Darren McFadden, they will still be involved. But. So you guys had trended towards Alf being the pickup for the impending Zeke suspension. It sounds like that is the right way to go. However, I think that. So you would rank the Morris McFadden. I don't. Are you guys picking up Rod Smith? Just.

[Mike Wright]

I'm not picking up Rod Smith. No.

[Andy Holloway]

No.

[Jason Moore]

But you're picking up McFadden.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. I think it's still worth a flyer.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. I mean Morris is the one that I think from a flashing on the screen mixed with what they. You know, these comments are, has the best chance to surprise and help your team. But McFadden could very well, you know, be heavily involved and he's got a good situation.

[Jason Moore]

He can. Yeah, it's. Morris is going to get the first crack, but McFadden could hot hand his way into being the starter. And he's also a much better pass catcher, no doubt than Alfred Morris.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, Alf has the.

[Jason Moore]

I'm a better pass catcher than Alfred Morris.

[Mike Wright]

He's got the Jordan Howard going on. NFL Network's Ian Rapaport reports Chris Hogan does not need surgery but will miss a few weeks. All right, Jimmy Garoppolo.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, fantasy football, for everything the NFL has done to kind of, you know, they like fantasy football, but they don't. They try to distance themselves. All of a sudden they're playing it. They're playing fantasy football with all these trades. Because I do not remember a situation like this ever happening. Like I remember it's still happening.

[Mike Wright]

By the way, there could be trades that have taken place by the time you're listening to this. So we don't even know about.

[Jason Moore]

Like I remember a few years ago, few a many years ago when Brandon Marshall was traded and you were like, holy crap, an NFL wide receiver actually got traded. A player of note. So this is madness. Jimmy Garoppolo is the future, or at least they're betting on him to be the future for the San Francisco 49ers. Brian Hoyer was released. It was. I heard the talks that Brian Hoyer was.

[Andy Holloway]

They.

[Jason Moore]

They were initially working him into the deal. But then because of the way that the compensatory. I say it right this time.

[Andy Holloway]

Yep. Proud of you.

[Jason Moore]

Thank you. Those picks, they had to take him out of it. And essentially the now the Patriots will sign Brian Hoyer to be the backup because once again, the Patriots are smarter than your team.

[Mike Wright]

Ty Hilton, Frank Gore, Dante Moncrief, all rumored to be traded or potentially traded by the Colts by the deadline. Vonte Davis as well, and so I don't blame them. I imagine one of those four at least will be traded before the deadline, which is today. At what time?

[Andy Holloway]

I want to say four Eastern. Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

So it's not far. Not far. Jarvis Landry's been told he won't be traded. He was another rumored name that could have gone somewhere. I was wondering if New England would snag him in light of the injuries they've had at the wide receiver position. Looks like he's staying put. Jordan Reed's going to be out in week nine. Devonta Freeman is limited with a shoulder injury. Greg Olson, Danny Woodhead could both come back to practice this week. We're not. We're hearing that Charles Clay is unlikely to play on Thursday for Buffalo. He'll be back with the team shortly though. And then Jeremy Curley was suspended. Not a lot of relevance. I want to go ahead and talk into the microphone. Take just a second to thank Pristine Auction for sponsoring today's ridiculous show.

[Jason Moore]

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[Mike Wright]

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[Jason Moore]

Congratulations.

[Mike Wright]

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[Jason Moore]

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[Mike Wright]

So we are going to do a special trick or treat segment and that's going to be. We're going to talk through some players and their playoff schedule and whether their performances now will relate to their performances later. We're going to get into the waivers first.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Mike Wright]

I want to cover the waivers first. Also, I apologize, Mike, for not talking to the microphone. I'm having some.

[Andy Holloway]

You look ridiculous.

[Mike Wright]

I'm having some memories. I know what this sounds like in my ears. This reminds me of the acoustics of the Batcave. Oh, you know what I mean? Like trying to jam out in the bat cave.

[Andy Holloway]

It's hard to do a podcast.

[Mike Wright]

It's just very echoey inside of that dark, dreary cave. By the way, that's where JJ was. He was with me.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, in the back.

[Mike Wright]

He was banished to the bat cave, which is very similar to the doghouse.

[Jason Moore]

Hey, you know what? If that's banishment, sign me up.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he got banished to a seven win team, so pretty nice.

[Andy Holloway]

Let me in, coach.

[Mike Wright]

And by the way, with this costume, the answer is trick, not a treat. It's trick. Teams on by this week. Chicago, Cleveland, the Chargers, Minnesota, New England, Pittsburgh. Now, Jason, you said that you forgot your change of clothes.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, that is correct. I, I grabbed a change of clothes, put it by my door, and it is still by my door at home. Which means today, are we going out.

[Jason Moore]

To lunch like this?

[Andy Holloway]

You know, I will.

[Mike Wright]

I will be ripping this off of my face the second this show ends, but I'm committed to you. Let's start at the wide receiver position on the waiver. On the waiver wire part of the show. Let's talk about some players that we think are worth picking up. I think the world wants to know. You know, basically, you know, what are we doing with juju Smith Schuster? Fab wise, how much are we spending on him? Are we blowing the waiver wire spot on Juju Smith Schuster there, you know, there are several players in that kind of probably owned category that are worth mentioning. Ted Ginn, Marvin Jones, Sterling Shepherd.

[Andy Holloway]

Shepherd, definitely. If he's.

[Mike Wright]

He's the kind of under the radar guy.

[Jason Moore]

Would you rather Have Shepard or juju.

[Andy Holloway]

Great question. If this is.

[Jason Moore]

That's all I ask.

[Andy Holloway]

If this is not a, you know, large keeper league, if I'm not keeping.

[Jason Moore]

It, we're talking a half point redraft league.

[Andy Holloway]

Half point redraft league. I am on Sterling shepherd and that's as a genuine juju believer.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I would agree especially with the, you know, next week bye week for juju. Whereas Shepard comes back, he's passed his by and he's the number one and number one wide receiver easily if you.

[Andy Holloway]

Look at easily, easily the number one wide receiver there. And if you look at his upcoming schedule, the Los Angeles Rams have been, they've been. Okay then San Francisco, Kansas City, Washington, Oakland, Dallas. I mean I think Sterling Shepard is going to be a wide receiver too from here on out and you just don't usually find any position to on.

[Jason Moore]

The waivers and with juju being on, like we said, he's on the bye week. I like the player but you're the.

[Mike Wright]

Most hesitant amongst us in terms of.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Because value fantasy wise.

[Jason Moore]

Well, I mean what are they going to do with Martavis Bryant? Are they going to keep him out? And to go from what I mentioned, three targets, three targets, 10 targets. I mean it just, it certainly feels like it's just one of those games where the Ben just looked to go to juju in that particular. Maybe the coverage on Antonio Brown was too tight. I don't know.

[Mike Wright]

This is one of those things, Mike, where a fantasy owner has to.

[Jason Moore]

I know you have to make a.

[Mike Wright]

Choice between outlier and new trend. And with a rookie I'm choosing trust in juju being established instead of the fear. Like I would take juju rest of the season, believe it or not, I would take him over Will Fuller rest of the season with those touchdowns because I think the consistency of targets and volume is going to be there for juju more than it is for Will Fuller.

[Jason Moore]

Will Fuller's touchdown track record is better than juju's target track record.

[Mike Wright]

I mean, but I still believe like every, every player in history has returned to the mean. Willfuler's not scoring.

[Jason Moore]

Right. And that's, and that's what I by.

[Mike Wright]

The way, I'm giving him an automatic two touchdowns this week by saying he's not scoring.

[Jason Moore]

That's what I fear for juju is that he'll just return to the mean of getting four or five targets.

[Mike Wright]

But that's not an established mean for him is my point. Oh, how is that an established mean for a rookie?

[Andy Holloway]

I don't Think it's what I see as the established mean to look for is whoever the wide receiver two is for Pittsburgh because right now I my belief is that JuJu has overtaken Martavis Bryant in the primary number two wide receiver outside role. Now, all that said, usually the number two wide receiver for Ben Roethlisberger is okay, not great. He does not usually have two top.

[Jason Moore]

24 receivers because the number two option is left Bell.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure. I mean, so this is one of those things where I think juju is going to be fine, have some good games, but he is still playing with, you know, on a team where Big Ben on the road isn't usually the most reliable and you're going to have those games where Antonio Brown soaks up 20 targets and he's, you know, the number one, two and three wide receiver.

[Mike Wright]

So you're Will Fuller far and away over.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I would rather have Will Fuller, but. So a question for you, Andy. You mentioned on the show you believe that Russell Wilson is likely he's your number one fantasy quarterback moving forward. So would you rather have a guy like juju who's the number two for Big Ben? That can be okay. Or you got Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett, who if, if you, if Russell Wilson is the number one quarterback, that means there's goodness going around to more than just Doug Baldwin. Would you rather have a guy like Paul Richardson or Lockett over juju?

[Mike Wright]

No, I would take juju, Smith, Schuster over both of those players.

[Jason Moore]

Really?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Because you're playing roulette with the Seattle wide receivers. One week it might be Lockett. One week it might be Richardson. One week it might be Baldwin. One week, Graham, one week Wilson and whatever it might be. So if I had to start one moving forward minus the bye week, I wish I would sit juju during the by this week.

[Jason Moore]

Bold.

[Mike Wright]

I don't like him that much, but yeah, I would take the shot on him. I look, I've been a very big fan of juju, Smith Schuster, I thought the pick was great for Pittsburgh. Mike Tomlin's already come out and said he's not guaranteeing any role for Martavis Bryant. We don't even know if he's going to be active.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. In the future, the two main guys we've talked about so far, juju, Smith Schuster and Sterling Shepard, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers and for the New York Giants. How much fab are you spending if they're out there? I know those guys are taken in about half of the leagues there. In about half the leagues. So how much FAB would you spend on those two guys, Shepard?

[Mike Wright]

I would probably. I mean, it's still relative to what you have left, but I'd be trying to spend. I'd be trying to spend 20 bucks on $100. Fab. On Sterling Shepherd, I probably spent 13, 14 on juju.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I think those are right about where my numbers line.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

All right. What's your favorite other wide receiver pickup this week from the rest of the crop? I mean, you had a big week from Jameson Crowder. You had, you know, you got Robert woods coming back and Cooper cup coming back from the bye week. Maybe they've been forgotten about. Maybe they're free on your waiver wire. Is there somebody that stands out to you that you're going, wow, this is more of a bargain than spending, you know, 20 bucks on juju.

[Andy Holloway]

Smith Schuster, I think the bargain, if you want a free or a 1, 2, $3 fab buy who could be very good this week, I would, I would lean on Kenny Stills. Kenny Stills is a good.

[Jason Moore]

Even with Parker coming back, I mean.

[Andy Holloway]

The rapport with Matt Moore has been established. This is a very hard matchup last week against Baltimore and he still was okay. Now you've got Oakland. I think Kenny Stills is one of those under the radar, not going to be popular, not going to be sought after. Who's going to be? All right, now, I'm not necessarily saying he's my favorite of the list. I think that there's, you know, I would just as likely play Paul Richardson this week in another great matchup, even though I agree with Andy that you just don't know who it's going to be each week. But in those weeks that look like there will be plenty to go around, then I think you can rely on a Paul Richardson. There's a lot of really playable startable options this week, especially whenever you're coming.

[Mike Wright]

Your favorite streaming is Richardson.

[Andy Holloway]

My favorite Stills. I mean, I think Stills would be the guy I would attempt to get for free.

[Jason Moore]

And my favorite off of this list would be, I mean, besides Shepherd. But my favorite kind of like free wild card would be Robbie Anderson, who's had three very good games, is still available in the vast majority of leagues. Buffalo is a tougher matchup, but then he gets Tampa Bay. So I think that he's. If you're in wide receiver purgatory, I think that he is absolutely worth the look. What do you guys think of.

[Mike Wright]

I'm in a mask comfort purgatory right now.

[Jason Moore]

What do you guys think of. Of the way to hell. Danny Amendola, who's if he's got the bye week and then after the bye week it's Denver, but then Oakland.

[Mike Wright]

But I actually think he's coming off.

[Jason Moore]

The heels of Chris Hogan is going to miss the three weeks.

[Mike Wright]

I think Amadola, if you've got, if you don't need a spot start right now, he's a great flyer pickup. I think Rex Burkhead, as we transition into running backs, is somebody that you could look at as a spot start with people missing time on the.

[Jason Moore]

In two weeks.

[Mike Wright]

In two weeks.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Let's talk about running backs. Look, Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden are available in a lot of leagues, but would you rather grab a guy like Alex Collins, who we saw emerge for 18 carries, 113 yards? Would you rather just go in on Collins than try to take the shot? Or do you do both? I mean, what is your perspective on, you know, trying to play the game in Dallas versus just going after a guy like Collins or Mack, Marlon Mack from Indianapolis, you.

[Jason Moore]

If for my teams, if those guys happen to be available, I will put a, you know, at least a small bid. I don't mind being really aggressive trying to get Morris or McFadden because you're talking about potential league winners. Also monitor the news for the Zeke situation. If the appeal goes through or not, and maybe he plays it on the week, who knows? Who knows what's going on with that situation? But I'm good being aggressive also putting, you know, just a medium bid on there because names like this, it's really strange. But sometimes it scares people off because they go, well, I don't have the budget to even, even compete to try and get one of these guys. And I see it frequently when you go back and you check the auction budget, you're like, wait a minute, how did somebody get Alfred Morris for $12? Because everyone just decided, well, I'm kind of out. I don't have the money to do it. And then the person who just put a regular bid in pulls that player in. But I do want to be aggressive trying to get Alex Collins gets the Titans. Jim Harbaugh said he already expects Alex Collins to get more and more opportunities.

[Andy Holloway]

I love Alex.

[Jason Moore]

It's still going to be the timeshare with Buck Allen. But Alex Collins, I mean, this past few weeks looks, looks sensational and they have to rely on the running game in Baltimore.

[Mike Wright]

What are some other running back pickups this week that you'd be taking a look at in terms of start worthy Players, you got to go.

[Jason Moore]

The guys from the Dolphins, Kenyon Drake. Yeah, Kenyon Drake and Damian Williams, they're both worth the pickup. We already kind of talked about that situation. Matt Forte is still out looming out there and I think that he is worth the pickup. I don't know. What are you guys doing with the Patriots running backs? You did and you mentioned Rex Burkhead. You think that he's a fine, you know, pickup, but they're on by and who knows? It's. It's legitimately a four player situation for running back situation timeshare.

[Andy Holloway]

I. If I can answer for Andy because I feel like I know his answer. James White is probably the only guy that you can rely on in a PPR league because of a certain role that's established A baseline is there. Deion Lewis has been getting more and more and more work. He's. He's looked great. He just hasn't been, you know, as efficient as James White has been.

[Jason Moore]

He's the runner, right.

[Andy Holloway]

And Rex Burkhead was very efficient with his receptions this last week. I mean, there's plenty of good things going on. The, the problem is you don't know who it's going to be. They all eat into each other. So if I'm in a non. If I'm in a standard, I don't pick any of them up.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

And if I'm in a ppr, I think James White is the guy that has at least a baseline you can somewhat rely on.

[Mike Wright]

Do you read anything into Matt Burrida's performance last week for Fantasy? I mean, it was pretty limited workload.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, not really. I mean, the same thing happened just a few weeks ago, but we are in with it. It's week nine. We're in handcuff territory now as you make the preparations for your team to get into the playoff form. So if you got. That's a good question for the Jaguars, would you rather have Chris Ivory or TG Yelden right now? Ivory still Ivory.

[Mike Wright]

Oh yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Even after the Yalden big game.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Mike Wright]

I got that locked up once.

[Andy Holloway]

Once Leonard Fournette is back, which he is back at practice. Of course, TJ Yelden will probably be inactive again.

[Jason Moore]

So James Conner for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jacquiz Rogers, if you want to go that route for Tampa Bay and I think Austin Eckler for the Chargers is a. Is kind of a must own handcuff at this point for Melvin Gordon.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I love it when the handcuff can catch the ball a little bit. Gives you at least some hope for them. If your main guy goes down, you're not a disaster. Jack Doyle, Vernon Davis, the big tight end watch list for me. Jack Doyle has been great.

[Jason Moore]

Baby hands are strong.

[Mike Wright]

How much would you spend on him? The way he's playing right now? I mean, he's, he is putting up week after week of high target, high volume. This past week was dominant. I mean, I would be trying to make a move for Jack Doyle.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

If I didn't have a tight end that I love.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

If you're just streaming the tight ends and Jack Doyle happy, would you rather.

[Mike Wright]

Have available Doyle or ASJ rest of season? ASJ has kind of come down a little bit, Jason.

[Andy Holloway]

That is tough. I think I lean Jack Doyle. ASJ has had. He's still the target leader or one of them in New York. But his, you know, his yards per.

[Jason Moore]

Reception, I don't understand what's going on.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, it's, you know, he had five receptions. Great. 28 yards. How do you do that?

[Jason Moore]

I mean, in Tampa Bay, he was a. He was a big play guy.

[Andy Holloway]

He can do that, but that's just not how they're using him. Whereas Jack Doyle, I think you have a long enough track record with this season and last season to say he can be involved and utilized. And even with Brissette, we've seen multiple games now that are. That are very good. So if he's healthy and Brissette's healthy, I take Jack Doyle there.

[Jason Moore]

But Vernon Davis is a must add. He's been falling out even when Jordan Reed's on the field. So.

[Andy Holloway]

And we know Jordan Reed's going to be gone this coming week, so he's Jay Gruden. I know he's going to be gone.

[Jason Moore]

Just, just. He's not ruled out.

[Andy Holloway]

He has not been ruled out. Yeah, he's not going to play.

[Mike Wright]

He's not going to play. Defenses, what defenses do you guys like to stream this week?

[Jason Moore]

So the Saints, they're. They're owned in the majority of leagues, but they get to take on The Bucks. The Cards 49ers game.

[Andy Holloway]

I love the Cardinals. D you.

[Jason Moore]

I think you can play either defense.

[Mike Wright]

By the way, CJ Beathard will start this game. It will not be Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo is not expected to debut in this game against the Cardinals. Just being traded over from the Patriots. Beathard has been bad. Yeah. He's, depending on your perspective, great for your defense.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure.

[Jason Moore]

So I thought, I love the Cardinals in this matchup. I think the 49ers are fine in this matchup against Drew Stanton and then the Raiders. I mean, maybe. Do you read anything at all into the the Chiefs kind of lower performance or was that simply.

[Mike Wright]

I wouldn't ever. Raiders.

[Jason Moore]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

No, I wouldn't either.

[Mike Wright]

Not in a million years. Against the Chiefs.

[Andy Holloway]

I don't think that they are anywhere near a good enough defense to rely on. I wouldn't touch the Raiders against anyone outside of maybe the Browns.

[Mike Wright]

The Eagles at home against the Broncos looks.

[Jason Moore]

But the Eagles are owned in like 90% of leagues.

[Mike Wright]

Sure. That's very fair. You guys want to talk some quarterbacks?

[Jason Moore]

Let's do it.

[Andy Holloway]

Full stream ahead. This is a Halloween special. Okay? This is costumes and scary names that will frighten you to play them in your lineup.

[Jason Moore]

Halloween disclaimers.

[Andy Holloway]

So I'm gonna get mine out. Get it out. Get it over.

[Mike Wright]

Spit it out. It's like a virus.

[Andy Holloway]

I have a really hard time.

[Jason Moore]

Jason.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to give you one last chance here. Please don't to reconsider before you spout this name out.

[Andy Holloway]

I need it.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

I don't trust myself. But you know what I do trust? I do trust playing a quarterback, any quarterback against The San Francisco 49ers whose defense just got significantly worse. Their strong safety is now out and that was one of their only decent players. I'm going to throw out Drew Stanton. Oh, no. Oh, he's terrible. Drew Stanton stinks. He's so bad. But we have seen him come in a few times in what are great matchups, not good matchups. He's not going to be good in a good matchup.

[Jason Moore]

Right.

[Andy Holloway]

Only great matchups. Can you maybe get something good out of Drew Stanton? But the reality is this might be one of those matchups in 2014 when he came in in his second week in relief of Carson Palmer, he played another really good matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Who's who. He's playing this week. He threw for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Look, that's great. If you can get that, that's a great streaming option. Now, that's not his normal, but San Francisco will do their best to make it to make it happen. And so I'm going to say if you are in a super deep league, everyone is hoarded and there's just no other options. You want a glory play that feels like a Halloween special. It's Drew Stanton, quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals.

[Mike Wright]

If you don't know who that is, very bad news. I mean, Drew Stanton came Out this week, he said, look, you just have to be yourself. And I was really hoping, he said, you just have to be Joe Montana. Yeah, that'd be just being himself. That's a problem. Last week, we had got to be yourself. Tyrod Taylor, Josh McCown and Andy Dalton. A good streaming week. I'm going to stay in the flames with Tyred Taylor and play him against the jets this week.

[Andy Holloway]

He's out there picking up.

[Mike Wright]

If you picked him up last week, just keep on your roster. You don't have to go back to the well and stream somebody else and fight the Fab Dollars. Just keep Tyrod and play him.

[Jason Moore]

And I'm going to throw out. He's coming off of the bye week. He's had his very surprising year. But Jared Goff, quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, taken on the Giants, who have, aside from that one matchup against the Denver Broncos, really phoned in the football season. So I like Tyrod a lot, but he's. He's a little bit more owned than Goff. So if Taylor is there, that's the route I would go.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Basically, look for Tyrod Taylor. If he's not there, maybe look for golf. If he's not there, maybe look for Stanton.

[Jason Moore]

Think about not playing a quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

Some drama means.

[Mike Wright]

What'S amazing to me, and maybe this is just perfect for Halloween is what if I told you guys before the season that, hey, Mike, Jason, week nine rolls around, you're gonna. Mike, you're gonna choose Jared Goff, and, Jason, you're gonna go with Drew Stanton for your streamers.

[Jason Moore]

Football.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. That's why. I mean, the quarterback position is very replaceable when you only play one. Obviously very different in two quarterback leagues, but any of those onesie positions, they're just. You can play them off the wire.

[Mike Wright]

All right, without further ado.

[Jason Moore]

I want.

[Andy Holloway]

To play the game Halloween.

[Mike Wright]

All right. More news. By the way, Jason, Locke and Forest as the Redskins are trying hard to land a wide receiver before the deadline, they still don't have one on the roster. Right. Is that correct?

[Jason Moore]

Hey, Crowder had a decent game.

[Mike Wright]

That's true. That's true. What is he, like, the wide receiver? 60 on the year.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. That's all they need. They need one more wide receiver to add to the mix to where we need to spread the ball so thin that you see nothing but bread. There's nothing on this bread.

[Mike Wright]

I don't understand any of that analogy, but I can't either. I can't hear it, so it's okay. I am stuffed inside Of a leather mask. Trick or treat. We're playing trick or treat. So will these players be a trick or a treat come fantasy playoff time? So which player?

[Andy Holloway]

So these are good players. These are great players you like right now and we're saying trick or treat.

[Mike Wright]

For fantasy playoff time. With the matchups, you know, are they going to have, you know, they've been great, but can you count on him when it counts? So Russell, Russell. Russell Wilson has been great. He's second in fantasy in terms of points per game and four point passing touchdown leagues. Looking at his schedule, what do you think about Russell Wilson?

[Andy Holloway]

Look, week 14, which is most leagues first playoff week. He runs up against the number one past defense in the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Jacksonville shut down just about everybody. Their defense is getting better. I am going to call Russell Wilson a treat, not a trick because there are some quarterbacks and Russell Wilson to me is one of them. That you are not going to overreact on the matchup. You're not going to say you can't play him in that week because they've been shutting people down. His ability to scramble, the fact that they just got a new left tackle that I don't think we brought that up in the, in the trade for Dwayne Brown from the Houston Texans. Great tackle. That should improve their offensive line. I believe that the offense is good enough and Russell Wilson is good enough to get it done. Now I'm not saying that in that week he's going to be awesome and spectacular, but he also gets to play Dallas in the championship week. He gets to play, you know, if you're, if your playoffs start earlier, it's not, I feel like Jacksonville is his only like oh no game and it is week one of the playoffs which stinks. But don't, don't overreact.

[Jason Moore]

If you have Russell Wilson as your quarterback for the rest of the way, I, you better be hoping you get that first round by. I disagree with Jason. You think that I think Russell Wilson in the first round of the playoffs against Jacksonville is a full on smell my feet trick. Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, tiebreaker.

[Mike Wright]

Andy, I don't think, you know, I just said he's my number one rest of the season. I think you, you're going to play him.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

That's the thing is when you have Russell Wilson, you are playing him.

[Mike Wright]

Look, look at the matchup that just took place in Seattle. How many people sat to Sean Watson. I think Russell Wilson's in the category of he's going to make something happen. They cannot run the Ball.

[Jason Moore]

It's all. I mean, it's. So it's in Jacksonville, right?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

So you're talking the west coast team flies over to the East.

[Mike Wright]

Do you make a move right now with Russell Wilson then?

[Jason Moore]

No, no, I'm riding him out. I'm going to get to the playoffs.

[Andy Holloway]

With him and I get that by week. If there's a trick or treat and you look at the Jaguars past defense, which all credit, all credit due, the personnel is great. They still have not played that many good quarterbacks. I mean, you're talking Jacoby Brissette, Jared Goff, Ben Roethlisberger, easily the best. Josh McCown.

[Jason Moore]

Josh McCown's been good this year.

[Andy Holloway]

Flacco, sure, he's been good. But I'm saying, you know, they're a great D. It's not like they're shutting down Tom Brady and True Brees and Russell Wilson, let's see him do it against Russell.

[Mike Wright]

Kurt Cousins, maybe with or without another passing option by day's end. Right now he's seventh in fantasy points per game in four point leagues. His playoff schedule is the Chargers, Cardinals and Denver in championship week. You cannot like that. If you have Kirk Cousins, I call that a trick. Yeah, I think he's a very matchup dependent quarterback despite his numbers and I don't really want to line them up against those guys.

[Jason Moore]

I can definitely agree that that's with the Chargers, with the sandwich of, I mean, you got it, you got some delicious meats in the middle of that sandwich against Arizona. But with the Chargers and the. And Denver being the bread. That's a tricky sandwich. Yeah, certainly a tricky sandwich.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm not calling Kirk Cousins a treat here. He's a trick. He's a trickster.

[Mike Wright]

Also has Seattle, Minnesota the next two weeks. So if there's a time to move him at that seventh, get rid of him. Right now would be the time to move and get somebody with a better playoff schedule.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, we're in agreement there.

[Mike Wright]

Very frightening character. Just walked on scene.

[Jason Moore]

The judge agreed.

[Mike Wright]

You see how I said that on scene? I'm in a movie right now.

[Andy Holloway]

And.

[Mike Wright]

I'm playing the part of a marshmallow stuffed inside of a leather jacket.

[Jason Moore]

Jerick McKinnon, running back, Minnesota Vikings. He's on by this week, but he's been sensational. A top five running back in half point three of the last four weeks. However, Carolina at Carolina, Cincinnati. But championship week he gets the Green Bay.

[Andy Holloway]

So the first two weeks of the playoffs are very difficult matchups. Carolina's fourth against the run right now. Cincinnati the 13th. But I think they're even better than that ranking right. Those are two tough defenses.

[Mike Wright]

Treat.

[Andy Holloway]

I am 100% going.

[Jason Moore]

Treat. Passing ability makes exact. Treat.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he's kind of matchup proof with the fact that he can come out. He may get 9, 10, 11 carries, may not be hyper efficient, but he's just putting up the receiving numbers right now and the offense is better with him.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean sometimes for those pass catching receivers, tough matchups against good teams are actually when they can be more valuable, when they're more necessary. And the team can't just run Latavius Murray up the middle over and over to steal, you know, points away from McKinnon. So don't, don't, don't get tricked with this treat.

[Mike Wright]

Great trade target. He's on a bye week. If there's, if you're sitting pretty and there's another team that needs a running back to play, go get Jerick McKinnon and give him somebody to play this week.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I can agree with that.

[Mike Wright]

You can go for it. Doug Martin, Detroit, Atlanta, Carolina during his playoff weeks. Trick or treat, Mike.

[Andy Holloway]

Mike, last year you traded for Doug Martin because of his juicy playoffs.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, because he was supposed to be.

[Andy Holloway]

A treat and he tricked.

[Jason Moore]

And the treat was sour. He tricked me, except I like sour treats.

[Mike Wright]

So the treat was rotten lemon. You don't like lemon treats, do you?

[Jason Moore]

I like lemon candy, just not lemon cookies.

[Mike Wright]

He's made by my wife.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it's fair. It doesn't matter who makes lemon cookies. They're garbage. You got it. I assume he's a treat, but looking at his, the consistency of Doug Martin is very interesting. As he came in, he went 8, 14, 24, 27.

[Mike Wright]

Finishes his Royce.

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Thank you.

[Andy Holloway]

Finishes the 8th running back, then the 14th running back, then the 24th.

[Jason Moore]

If these trends continue, he'll be in.

[Andy Holloway]

The 50s by then, I believe for running backs. Basically having all of your weeks as an RB2, I guess he was slightly outside of it. This week is absolutely fine. I'm going to call him a treat. I am not worried about his playoff schedule of Detroit, Atlanta and then Carolina in the championship game.

[Jason Moore]

It's unfortunate, but you got to write it out.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I'm going to say Doug Martin's a treat.

[Mike Wright]

Todd Gurley.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

First in the in points per game right now at the running back position. Is he a trick or treat though with Philly, Seattle, Tennessee to finish the year? That is tricky to determine.

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Yes. Mr. Todd Gurley. I Want to hear your opinion on this.

[Mike Wright]

Well, he's certainly a delicious candy, but I'm worried about opening that wrapper and finding something expired with Philadelphia, Seattle and Tennessee. However, I am going to say you don't trade away or freak out.

[Jason Moore]

We're not saying to trade him away.

[Mike Wright]

About the number one running back. I think he's going to be okay because he has the same past catching acumen, involvement, opportunity. But are you going to get a top five performance in those first two weeks? He's very unlikely.

[Jason Moore]

He, at home against Seattle, was the 49th running back on the week in that particular matchup.

[Mike Wright]

Now, we did not discuss the definition of a trick or treat, so I guess you could say trick if you're expecting top five.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, it's. It's relative to the player. Is he going to let you down for who he is? And I definitely think we, you know, I've, I've said this from the get go, that his schedule was great start the year, but, you know, it's. It's not going to be great towards the end. And you've got Houston coming up, Minnesota coming up, and then in the playoffs, Philly, Seattle. Those are two of the teams I'd like to run against the least. I am saying that he's going to be a trick and that this opening schedule where he was the sixth running back, the third running back, the first, the second is not. It's not going to last this entire season. Now, again, like Mike said, that's not. That doesn't mean you trade the guy. He is a workhorse back and those are rare. You hold on to him. He's still going to help your team. But you have got to make sure that you're not thinking he's winning you those weeks the way that he has been so far this year. It's not going to happen. He's a trick.

[Mike Wright]

All right, trick or treat. Real quick here at the wide receiver position. Before we close the show out, let's talk about DeAndre Hopkins. He is first in points per game right now. He plays a wonderful matchup against San Francisco in his first playoff week. But then Jacksonville and Pittsburgh.

[Jason Moore]

What is, what is going on with all these superstars in the crap fantasy playoff matchups?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, it's not good.

[Andy Holloway]

Get it together, Goodell.

[Jason Moore]

It's actually Hopkins is second in points.

[Andy Holloway]

Per game because Will Fuller is first.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, he has not played enough to qualify in my ranking. Swear to me.

[Jason Moore]

Only four games, but number one and two.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, man. Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Will Fuller could hop in. Nothing and Be first.

[Mike Wright]

What are you going to do in that situation with Jacksonville? Pittsburgh? I guess you do what you did against Seattle. You play him. Yeah, there's a treat.

[Jason Moore]

You grab a blanket, you sit on the couch, you hold the blanket up over your face so just your eyes can peek out like you're terrified watching a super scary movie.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I can do that with my cape.

[Andy Holloway]

Or you can do that without the cape. You already can barely see.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, at this point, I believe in Watson and I believe in the Houston Texans offense enough that I'm not going to freak out about these matchups, even though they're really bad.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I think we all agree there. There's just no way that you can say after what Watson and Hopkins and Fuller did in Seattle that you know that. There's just no way after that performance you could say, well, he's got Jacksonville coming up in the playoffs. You got to sit him.

[Mike Wright]

Here's a little tip. Here's a little tip for Andy Dalton. Go watch that game. Go watch Deshaun Watson. And what he does, what he does is he takes the ball and he puts it in his right arm and then he throws it towards his best players. It's one of the most incredible coaching tips I've ever heard and relied upon in my time as a professional flag football quarterback. Throw it at your best players.

[Jason Moore]

Is that why I never got targets?

[Mike Wright]

That is correct. The one time I threw it to you, Mike, you broke your thumb.

[Andy Holloway]

That's true.

[Jason Moore]

Hey, to be fair, that was in warmups.

[Mike Wright]

That. To be fair, that was in warm ups. Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper. Oh, trick or treat.

[Andy Holloway]

Delicious. Oh, you're.

[Mike Wright]

Is that the full size candy bar?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. You have struck gold. You rung the doorbell and they came.

[Mike Wright]

Out and they said, now why is that?

[Jason Moore]

Because he gets to play the Kansas.

[Andy Holloway]

City Chiefs 31st against the position.

[Jason Moore]

Which. And we. If you had the concern. Look, we've. We've talked about Derek Carr in division. However, Derek Carr was able to put on his big boy pants and dominate the Chiefs last time. Then he gets Dallas. Then he gets the Philadelphia Eagle secondary. I think this is. This is a. Looks very good. Yeah, you want both Crabtree and Cooper.

[Andy Holloway]

You want to bring the pillowcase out when you go trick or treating with.

[Jason Moore]

There's no time for the plastic jack o'lantern bucket. You need to fill it up.

[Andy Holloway]

You got to get a lot of candy in there. I agree. Michael Crabtree and Cooper going to be a treat this fantasy playoff season.

[Mike Wright]

Ed Werder is talking about the fact that DeMarco Murray has heard rumblings that he could be traded. Oh, Deek is suspended.

[Andy Holloway]

No, no, let's do it.

[Jason Moore]

Make it happen.

[Mike Wright]

That would be a Derek Henry situation to monitor right there. Did you guys get into the fact he plays Dallas in Philadelphia? Crabtree and Cooper? Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, we got. We got.

[Mike Wright]

Last one, guys. Keenan Allen, trick or treat. Right now he's outside the top 24 in points per game.

[Andy Holloway]

He's been tricking you lately?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, yeah, he has. He's been what, 46th is this? 30th.

[Andy Holloway]

Before we get into just the playoff schedule, is Keenan Allen doing what we talk about a lot of times, players that come out and stink week one and week two, that you just project that and you. You roll with that the rest of the season. No matter what they do or vice versa, they come out and they're on fire. Week one and two, and you just keep relying on them even though they really have disappointed. Week one, Keenan Allen was, you know, the 19th best wide receiver against Denver. Against Denver. Then week two, he was the 13th best wide receiver. Looked great. Since then, he's only had one top 24 performance. Weeks three through eight.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that's rough.

[Mike Wright]

So what is Keenan Allen, and he's a wide receiver. 3.

[Jason Moore]

It's hard to argue against that.

[Andy Holloway]

It is now his. His playoff schedule is, in my opinion, better than anybody we've talked about. Washington does not scare me. Kansas City has been great. New York Jets, I mean, and if you're one of those leagues where your playoffs start a week earlier, week 13, you can add Cleveland into that mix. He's got this juicy schedule.

[Mike Wright]

40Th against Oakland. When he played them, New England, he was 30th. He had his best games against Denver and Philadelphia. Maybe we're looking for hard matchups for Keenan Allen, not easy ones.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, because he's got some easy ones.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. I don't feel very. I mean, am I going to play him as a flex? Maybe, but I'm not super confident in him. The thing with Keenan Allen is you had to. You had to try to take his performances in the past and say he's going to be the exact same player in the exact same offense. This offense has changed. It leans heavier on the run as opposed to the kind of peppering of targets he used to receive. You have Mike Williams there. Now you have. You know, Travis Benjamin wasn't even there when. When he. Keenan Allen had his monster year. This is the new normal. You need to just accept Keenan Allen as the new normal and not project or hope for him to be what he was 2 1/2 years ago. That's my opinion on Keenan Allen. But what do I know? I'm. I live in a cave.

[Andy Holloway]

Do you agree, Mike?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it's hard to disagree with the usage. And I think that him as a, you know, that low end to three, that's, that's where he is right now, unfortunately. I mean, I don't, I don't completely agree with, like. Well, you got to bury him because he had, he's had three fantastic weeks. Now, for fantasy purposes, you want more than three at this point of the season, but I just, I don't. I'm not going to throw Keenan Allen away, but bye week, then. Jacksonville. Coming out of the buy on the road against Jacksonville next couple weeks, you don't really want Keenan Allen.

[Mike Wright]

All right, guys, I got to come up for air. You got anything else you want to talk about?

[Andy Holloway]

Can we talk about some candy to go eat?

[Jason Moore]

I was going to keep talking about how Andy looks in his suit.

[Mike Wright]

I don't want to talk about that.

[Andy Holloway]

He's a human. S'more.

[Mike Wright]

This is a moment of truth. Year of health begins now. I am a hamburger bun stuffed inside of a very, very small straw.

[Jason Moore]

Draft.comballers check it out.

[Mike Wright]

Goodbye, side of a straw.

[Andy Holloway]

That's how it feels. For listening to another episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast, join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter @the ffballers.