Fantasy Football 2017 - Starts of the Week, Week 10 Matchups, Bobbing for Apples

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary Episode: Fantasy Football 2017 - Starts of the Week, Week 10 Matchups, Bobbing for Apples
Release Date: November 9, 2017
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright

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1. Introduction and Upcoming Highlights

The episode kicks off with a brief mention of an upcoming special episode, the "Megalodon" episode scheduled for two weeks later, promising an extra special show filled with giveaways and extensive coverage.

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2. Weekly News and Updates

Player Releases and Injuries

• Martellis Bennett: The Packers released veteran tight end Martellis Bennett due to a "Failure to disclose a medical condition." Bennett, who was set to miss the upcoming week due to injury, is rumored to possibly rejoin the Patriots. Jason Moore comments, "[...] the Patriots are not going to pick. They haven't fought for waivers though. They're too smart." ([05:37]).

• Vonte Davis: The Colts released Vonte Davis, who opted for groin surgery over continuing to play. Andy Holloway remarks, "Well, I mean it's either play for the Colts or groin surgery." ([06:09]).

• Team Injury Updates: Deonta Freeman, C.J. Anderson, Emmanuel Sanders, and Danny Amendola were all limited in their recent games. Andy highlights Freeman's ongoing issues, suggesting fantasy managers should monitor his status closely for the upcoming weekend ([07:05]).

Start Sit Focus

The discussion transitions into start-sit considerations, emphasizing the importance of monitoring player statuses, especially during bye weeks and playoff pushes.

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3. Fantasy Forecast and Defensive Strategies

Targeting Defenses for Playoffs

Andy Holloway advises frequently rostering two defenses, focusing on matchups crucial for the fantasy playoffs. He highlights the Baltimore Ravens as a must-watch team due to their favorable playoff schedule against the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts. He emphasizes staying active in the waiver wire to capitalize on such opportunities: "Always drop it like it's hot. Check every single day." ([03:03]).

Triple B's Defense

Mike Wright outlines the strength of the Bears, Bills, and Bengals defenses, collectively referred to as the "Triple B's." Each team is praised for their defensive prowess throughout the season:

• Chicago Bears: Underrated defense with strong performances.
• Buffalo Bills: Improved under McDermott despite roster changes.
• Cincinnati Bengals: Consistently strong defense all year.

He notes their upcoming playoff matchups as advantageous for fantasy managers ([04:10]).

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4. In-Depth Player Analysis

Michael Thomas Evaluation

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Michael Thomas (New Orleans Saints), debating his current fantasy value versus preseason expectations:

• Andy Holloway counters skepticism, asserting Thomas remains a top receiver:

  "He's on pace for 100 and nearly 1100 yards. Yeah, 100." ([15:08]).

• Mike Wright defends Thomas, emphasizing his consistent reception numbers despite limited touchdowns:

  "Michael Thomas has been great. [...] he's a top 12 guy." ([15:54]).

• Jason Moore offers a nuanced view, suggesting while Thomas may not meet top-five expectations, he remains a reliable WR1 with potential touchdown increases:

  "He's a consistent wide receiver too. That's why he's at 17, right." ([16:14]).

Kelvin Benjamin Considerations

The hosts discuss Kelvin Benjamin (Buffalo Bills), debating whether to start him over other receivers. They consider his potential upside against a middling Bills defense, especially with the cold weather possibly limiting passing plays:

• Mike Wright recommends starting Benjamin, citing the Bills' balanced defense:

  "I think on the road Drew Brees gets a little bumped down. So, so Michael Thomas this week." ([10:25]).

Other Player Spotlights

• Drew Stanton vs. Justin Stan: A humorous take on unnecessary incomplete passes highlighting the Packers' quarterback struggles.

• Deon Sims (Chicago Bears): Explored as a streaming tight end option, though skepticism remains regarding Zach Miller's inconsistent volume.

• Duke Johnson (Cleveland Browns): Positioned as a solid RB option against Detroit, who struggles against the run:

  "He's a consistent necessary target there." ([48:10]).

• Sterling Shepherd (San Francisco 49ers): Recommended for a favorable matchup, emphasizing his role with Eli Manning at quarterback.

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5. Starts of the Week Recommendations

Running Backs

• Andy Holloway: Recommends Orleans Darkwa against San Francisco, praising his consistent performance and advantageous matchup:

  "He gets it done in the right matchup. He is the starting running back." ([48:19]).

• Mike Wright: Suggests Duke Johnson due to his involvement in the pass game and the Browns' defensive weaknesses:

  "He is a consistent necessary target." ([48:51]).

• Jason Moore: Opts for Bilal Powell over Matt Forte due to Forte's injury concerns:

  "So if it's Matt Forte, if it's Bilal Powell, it's looking more like it's going to be Bilal Powell." ([46:30]).

Wide Receivers

• Andy Holloway: Chooses Muhammad Sanu from Atlanta, highlighting his consistent receptions and touchdown potential:

  "Mohamed Sanu has been super solid for a guy that you got essentially free in the draft." ([50:20]).

• Jason Moore: Selects Sterling Shepherd against San Francisco for his role in the 49ers' passing game:

  "Sterling Shepherd is involved last week. He's their best wide receiver by far." ([49:03]).

• Mike Wright: Picks Robbie Anderson due to Tampa Bay's poor defense against wide receivers:

  "He's very fast. [...] he's been double digits. A touchdown in three consecutive weeks." ([50:21]).

Tight Ends

• Andy Holloway: Recommends Kyle Rudolph facing Washington, whose defense is weak against tight ends:

  "Kyle Rudolph, five or more receptions each of the last four games. He's getting involved." ([50:20]).

• Jason Moore: Suggests Cameron Bray against the Jets, especially with Deon Sims out:

  "Cameron Bray against the Jets, yes." ([50:20]).

Quarterbacks

• Andy Holloway: Endorses Josh McCown against Tampa Bay, citing Ryan Fitzpatrick as streamable:

  "If you stash Josh McCown for this week, I think you're going to be happy." ([44:28]).

• Mike Wright: Suggests King Godfrey (presumably Jared Goff) against Houston, noting Houston's defense struggles against QBs:

  "Godfrey will get it done." ([45:14]).

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6. Kicker of the Week

Jason Moore introduces the "Boom Boom Kicker of the Week" segment, shaming Mike Wright's current kicker pick, Chris Boswell of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They playfully joke about needing outro music to emphasize the importance of quick kicker decisions, ultimately naming Chris Boswell as the recommended kicker:

"Boom Boom kicker of the week... Chris Boswell of the Pittsburgh Steelers." ([54:25]).

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7. Humorous Interlude: "Bobbing for Apples in the Toilet"

The hosts engage in light-hearted banter about the episode's title and the phrase "bobbing for apples in the toilet," humorously referencing Mike Wright's fantasy performance struggles:

"I'm coming with those turds here. Duke Johnson. No turds, just apples here." ([46:50]).

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8. Closing Remarks and Sponsor Messages

The podcast concludes with the hosts promoting their sponsors, Omaha Steaks and Warby Parker, offering exclusive discounts for listeners. They encourage joining their fantasy football community and following them on social media for continued insights and updates ([21:02]).

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Notable Quotes

• Andy Holloway on Ravens Defense:

  "The Ravens are going to be a sensational play for the rest of the season." ([03:03])

• Jason Moore on Michael Thomas:

  "He's a reliable WR1 with potential touchdown increases." ([15:38])

• Mike Wright on Duke Johnson:

  "He's been double digits. A touchdown in three consecutive weeks." ([48:51])

• Jason Moore on Chris Boswell Kicker Pick:

  "Boom Boom kicker of the week... Chris Boswell of the Pittsburgh Steelers." ([54:25])

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Conclusions and Takeaways

• Monitor Defenses: Target strong defensive teams like the Triple B's for playoff advantages.

• Player Evaluations: Reassess players like Michael Thomas based on current performance rather than preseason hype.

• Start-Sit Strategies: Utilize recommended starts for RBs, WRs, TEs, and QBs to maximize weekly points.

• Kicker Selection: Secure reliable kickers like Chris Boswell to ensure consistent points.

• Stay Informed: Keep abreast of player news, injuries, and matchups to make informed lineup decisions.

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This episode provides comprehensive insights into Week 10 matchups, player evaluations, and strategic recommendations to enhance your fantasy football performance. The hosts balance expert analysis with entertaining banter, making complex decisions approachable and engaging for listeners at all levels.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

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[Jason Moore]

This is hall of Famer Marshall Faulk.

[Mike Wright]

And you're listening to the Fantasy Footballers. Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast coming to you from the Play Draft studios with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, come on now. Now, let's have some football.

[Mike Wright]

Let's have some football. I agree.

[Jason Moore]

Let's have it tonight.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, I will be there live reporting to myself.

[Jason Moore]

Live reporting.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I'm picturing you now as one of those personal recorders like the news reporters would have.

[Mike Wright]

You're darn right.

[Jason Moore]

Drew Stanton just threw another incomplete pass through Stan.

[Mike Wright]

I think it would be more along the lines of like, Justin. So bad.

[Jason Moore]

But you paid to watch him.

[Mike Wright]

That's true. That is true.

[Jason Moore]

You and your father are going to this?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, It's a little birthday present for me, Pops.

[Andy Holloway]

Nice.

[Jason Moore]

It is Thursday, November 9th. Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers podcast. Any Mike and Jason, as always, Judge Giamatti behind the behind the scenes over there.

[Mike Wright]

And we have a Wizard of Oz curtain he just stands behind now.

[Jason Moore]

We legitimately do have a curtain, so it's pretty close. And what's on the show today? We've got the forecast. Starts of the week. Boom, boom kicker. Got some news.

[Andy Holloway]

Yep.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. You guys should probably clear your throats. Oh, because two weeks.

[Andy Holloway]

Let me clear my throat.

[Jason Moore]

Two weeks from now, two weeks. We have the annual.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, my goodness.

[Jason Moore]

Megalodon episode.

[Andy Holloway]

It's coming.

[Jason Moore]

It's coming.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

[Mike Wright]

Prepare yourselves.

[Jason Moore]

Will be an extra special Megalodon episode of a Megalodon giveaway. We'll Megalodon the heck out of that show.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. It's gonna be so mega.

[Jason Moore]

Follow us on Twitter @ the FF Ballers. Guys, here's a question for you, by the way. If you did not listen to yesterday's episode. We had a playoff primer. We went through all the positions, told you which players had easy and difficult playoff matchups. Here's a question we didn't really jump into. What are some defenses to target for the fantasy football playoffs?

[Mike Wright]

Playoffs?

[Jason Moore]

Do you ever roster two during the playoffs?

[Andy Holloway]

Absolutely. We've talked about this. I frequently will roster two defenses at this point of the season. I'm not so much worried about having fantastic depth. This is where I'm getting my handcuffs. I'm getting those defensive matchups prepared for. For the playoffs. And the team that I want people to pay attention to because this is not just for the playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens. Now, they are owned in the majority of leagues right now, but they're on the bye week, so pay attention. Always drop it like it's hot. Check every single day to see what activity is happening in your league. See who's being dropped. Because the Ravens may be available, because coming out of the bye, they have two juicy, juicy matchups. And then in the playoffs, weeks 15 and 16, they get the Cleveland Browns and the Indianapolis Colts. The Ravens are going to be a sensational play for the rest of the season.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I mean, the Ravens have been fantastic this whole year. That's why they might be owned in your league is just because they've been. They've been a little bit too hot. The teams that stick out to me when I look at the playoff schedules for advice, where it's like, okay, they might be available. It's the Triple B's. That's. It's the Bears, the Bills and the Bengals. The Bears, the Bills and the Bengals.

[Andy Holloway]

Of course, the Triple B's.

[Mike Wright]

The Triple B's. I really like all three of those teams. Defense, first and foremost, I think Chicago has an underrated defense. The bills with McDermott have just been great despite getting rid of what we perceive to be all their talent. And the Bengals defense has been very good all year. And when I look at fantasy schedules, I focus more on the first and second week. Unless, you know, you're getting a bye week and then, you know, focus. Obviously not on the week you're not playing, but the first and second week are. You know, what you're going to need first, and then you'll find that through the playoffs, when you get deep into the playoffs, there's fewer people competing for anything because everyone's out. And you'll have a much easier time picking those things off the waivers. The Bears open up with Cincinnati and Andy Dalton, who stinks. The. The Bills have Indianapolis and Miami to open up, and the Bengals start with Chicago and Minnesota. I like all of those matchups.

[Jason Moore]

All right, let's get into the news.

[Mike Wright]

News and notes from around the league.

[Jason Moore]

The packers have released veteran tight end Martellis Bennett with a failure. The report was that it was because of a Failure to disclose a medical condition designation. From what I understand that old thing, he was already going to miss this week due to injury and they paid him $8 million and he's going to retire after the year. He's already said that. So from my understanding, the release allows the packers to possibly salvage some of that money if he's picked up on the waivers. So there's been rumors about the Patriots bringing him back.

[Andy Holloway]

Patriots are not going to pick. Hasn't fought for waivers though. They're too smart.

[Jason Moore]

It hasn't really worked out with Dwayne Allen there in terms of an ancillary tight end. But Martell's, Bennett, he's. He's off the Packers. You weren't starting him anyway due to Brett Hundley. The Colts, they released Vonte Davis. He was going to be a free agent. He also opted, I guess he opted for groin surgery. Like his apparently was a choice. It was like do you want groin surgery or do you not? And he chose groin surgery over playing for the Colts.

[Mike Wright]

That sounds good. I think I'll have that.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I mean it's either play for the Colts or groin surgery.

[Jason Moore]

When you put it that way, I'll.

[Andy Holloway]

Take the groin surgery. I mean me and Davis 2 for 1.

[Mike Wright]

They also lost another defensive lineman this week. So the Colts defense that was already putrid is even better for Chuck Pagano.

[Jason Moore]

The coach next year.

[Mike Wright]

No way. No, shouldn't have been this year.

[Jason Moore]

Devonta Freeman, C.J. anderson, Emmanuel Sanders and Danny Amendola were limited.

[Andy Holloway]

C.J.

[Jason Moore]

Anderson is interesting because that could explain some of the workload issue last week. He is touchdown dependent right now with.

[Andy Holloway]

The workload split the two weeks ago. You saw him. I thought it was two weeks ago.

[Mike Wright]

Maybe I'm confused.

[Andy Holloway]

You're right where he left the game with what looked like a pretty bad injury. If just watching it on film now he was able to rest and get back into that game. So this is I assume related to that for Freeman. That's also one that you need to watch it. It's Veterans Day off on Wednesday so it's not, you know, out of the usual but Freeman has clearly been dealing with with nicks and bumps and bruises and all those types of things. So pay attention for Freeman this weekend.

[Jason Moore]

Matt Forte still didn't practice on Wednesday. Marquis Lee didn't practice. He hasn't practiced much of the last two weeks. He still played Delaney Walker, Demarys Thomas, Dez Bryant with the injury.

[Andy Holloway]

Julio mentioned the DEs.

[Jason Moore]

These are all names to monitor. We're going to talk about Starts of the week later. Matt Forte was in the running for me before these injury concerns. So there is opportunity in New York this week at the running back position. Tomorrow's show on Friday, we do in and out. We talk about the latest possible news that we have on any of these injuries and whether we think those players are going to play. It's going to make a big difference this week. You got bye weeks, you've got your playoff push, so you got to pay attention to that. Anybody else you want to mention there in the news, guys, before we jump into the forecast?

[Andy Holloway]

Nah.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Mike Wright]

Fantasy forecast.

[Jason Moore]

All right. The Chiefs. Excuse me, sorry. If I was a professional, I would have done that off the mic. Sorry about that. The Chiefs, Eagles, Raiders and Ravens, they're on by. They're not playing. Don't start them. By the way, did you see this thing with Joe Flacco saying after the buy he wants the offense to really go after it?

[Mike Wright]

Well, they'll be able to because they will have Danny Woodhead.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I just don't know what to believe about Danny Woodhead. I, I know what to believe. I ping pong back and forth between.

[Andy Holloway]

What's that sound like?

[Mike Wright]

Listen to my ping pong.

[Jason Moore]

Buck Allen is strange because I know Mike, you've been talking about how much they hate him and they do, but he's leading the league in like yards after contact this year and been productive. And Alex Collins, Jason says hold on to Alex Collins and then you bring in a formerly injured Danny Woodhead. There are expectations out there from Beatriders that he's going to get a ton of work and he could be one of those guys you talk about as a playoff winner. So Jason's nodding profusely.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I mean I really do think when Danny Woodhead comes back he'll be plugged right into the role that brought him in to fill that. He looked incredible in for about a quarter before getting injured and yeah, I think he will be a playoff type of winner. Pick him up.

[Jason Moore]

Eddie Lacy is out for week 10, the game tonight, Thursday Night Football, Cardinals, Seahawks, CJ Pro Slice is not on the injury report. He should be active. Paul Richardson's questionable, expected to play. You got to pay attention to that. He was somebody that I had, you know, thought about streaming so if he was active, I'd think about it still.

[Andy Holloway]

And foot clan out there if you, if you were on that wild Eddie Lacy ride with me last week. Join me, join me on Thomas Rawls the Rolls Royce because another necessity play will be Thomas Rawls tonight. So if you want to join in on that fun, me and you feel like, let's do it together.

[Jason Moore]

Thomas Rawls has been through an entire career arc and he's only 24 years old. Right. Like everything has happened much faster for him. He went from nothing to superstar.

[Andy Holloway]

Top five running.

[Jason Moore]

Now he runs. He reminds me a lot of like Rashad Jennings.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. This game feels like he's, he is just coming back from retirement.

[Jason Moore]

He just got back. Did you see Trent Richardson's put up 127 and two up in Canada?

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, in the CFL.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, he's coming back.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, Bonjour, Trent.

[Jason Moore]

The Saints, they travel to Buffalo to take on the bills. Saints are six and two, bills are five and three. The bills are three point underdogs, 46 and a half point over under. I think this is a very interesting game for a lot of reasons. One, the Bills, if they had just taken care of business against the jets, you know, these would be two six and two teams. You'd be talking about the Bills for playoffs. But if they lose another one at home here, then you're wondering if you had a mirage there towards the beginning of the year. Alvin Camara, Mark Ingram, they've been absolutely dominant. In fact, the New Orleans Saints running backs have 71 receptions this year. That's most in the National Football League. This is what we've been saying since the beginning of the year. Sean Payton finds a way to get the ball into the hands of his running backs. You could definitely argue that outside of Michael Thomas, they're the best two pass catching weapons for Drew Brees. What are the start sit considerations here on the road? Drew Brees, we know on the road and thus far this year has not been a prolific fantasy quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

They don't need him to be.

[Jason Moore]

But do you need him to be this week as a fantasy owner and do you expect him to be?

[Andy Holloway]

I would not expect it against this Bill's defense. He's still a start. I'm not going to, you know, stream. My stream of the week is Eli Manning in a great matchup against the 49ers. I would still play Drew Brees over those types of guys and I wasn't sure if you guys are aware of this, but Alvin Camara, he's. It's only 52 carries. He's running for six yards a carry right now. I mean he has been absolutely sensational. It's incredible that a team can have two running backs be considered RB1s and but here we are and that is at some detriment to Michael Thomas. I just wanted to get a quick Michael Thomas temperature gauge from you guys because last night, seemingly more than more nights, I got a whole bunch of Michael Thomas questions. As in, should I trade for Michael? Like, people skeptical and hesitant to trade for Michael Thomas. As in, like, illustrated by this. Someone asked me, what's a standard league? Should I trade away juju Smith Schuster for Michael Thomas?

[Mike Wright]

Wow.

[Andy Holloway]

But that's where people are, is. They are. They feel like Michael Thomas has been a massive disappointment, but he has.

[Mike Wright]

Michael Thomas has been great. Now, listen, he's. No, no, no. He's disappointed you because. Exactly. He's disappointed you because of where. It's not just that, but listen, listen to the argument here, because people that own him are way too down on him. And their perspective because of disappointment is usually incorrect. If you get a wide receiver who's catching seven passes, if, if he, if any game you've got a guy and he caught seven balls, you're going, that's a really good, solid game right now. Despite the fact that he's only had two touchdowns on the year, he's still the number 17 wide receiver. He's a wide receiver, too. And if you listen to his last stretch of games, receptions wise, eight receptions, which is great. Seven, which is great. Seven, which is great. Then he had that down game in Detroit.

[Andy Holloway]

He had the one really bad game.

[Mike Wright]

Then eight receptions, seven. He is excited, incredibly involved in the game. The touchdowns just aren't there. And they will be. I mean, I don't think that Michael Thomas, who came out and looked great in the, in the red zone with Drew Brees is going to finish the year with three touchdowns. He's got two right now. I think he gets up five or six. So I love Michael Thomas as a trade target.

[Andy Holloway]

He's on pace for 100 and nearly 1100 yards. Yeah, 100.

[Mike Wright]

People feel like it's a big discount.

[Jason Moore]

Fundamentally, I think I disagree with the take there because you, you can list off all those reception totals and you have the 17th best wide receiver. When we came into this year, we were talking about him as a top five wide receiver. Like he finished the year last year. You're not talking about three games. You're talking about, we're through going into week 10 now. Never over 100 yards. That's what I'm saying. Like, it's not just the touchdowns.

[Mike Wright]

This.

[Jason Moore]

He's not had a hundred yard as the number one wide receiver for Drew Brees for the entirety of the year. I think you need to adjust now that trade for JuJu Smith Schuster is insane. No, but you have to adjust your expectations for Michael Thomas. He has not been a big play prolific wide receiver 1. He has been a hyper consistent wide receiver too. That's why he's at 17, right. I mean you are getting Jarvis Landry out of Michael Thomas this year. That is exactly what you're getting. You're getting high quantity of receptions, low touchdowns, low yardage. Possession receiver.

[Andy Holloway]

I wouldn't say low yardage. I mean he's been in. He hasn't hit 100. Yes, but he's been over 84 games. 77. He's. I just wanted to.

[Jason Moore]

1100 yard is 68 a game average. So you said he's on pace for so 68 yards a game is his average. I'm not talking bad about Michael Thomas. I'm not telling you trade him for juju Smith Schuster. But here's the fact that I, and this is an important conversation. When a player comes out and has a monster first year, just like a monster first couple games in a season, you start to build that player up in your mind and it's very hard to adjust that expectation for that player. I'm saying I think he might be a possession receiver that belongs in the running wide receiver two category.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure.

[Jason Moore]

As opposed to a top five player which is how he was being projected in the beginning of the year. And I think a 10 game sample size in his sophomore year might be enough for us to do that.

[Mike Wright]

See, the way that I look at Michael Thomas is he's a wide receiver one, he's a top 12 guy. He'll finish this season as a top 12 guy. He's, you know, he's 17th right now, but he's already had his bye week. Four guys ahead of him have not had their bye week. They're nine games in. There's players ahead of him like Golden Tate and Chris Hogan and Jarvis Landry that I don't expect to finish there. So yes, top five, sure. No, he's not been one of those true game changers. But he's going to finish this year unless he gets injured, I believe as a wide receiver one which is great. I mean that's the opposite of a bust. If you get a guy in the first round and he finishes as a wide receiver one plus he's consistent. I like him. This game, this matchup, let's talk about this actual matchup is not the best for him, but it's not the worst. The Buffalo Bills are pretty in the middle when it comes to points given up to wide receiver against versus, you know, what other people have done to the same wide receivers that they've faced. So I think on the road Drew Brees gets a little bumped down. So, so Michael Thomas this week. I think it's more in line with what your expectation is, Andy, in the sense that, you know, he might be the wide receiver 15 or 16 or 17, not a top 12 guy on the road in Buffalo.

[Jason Moore]

Let's talk about the Bills. I expect LaShawn McCoy to bounce back this week. I don't think anybody should be afraid of playing him. The Saints give up 20.3 fantasy points per game to the running back position.

[Andy Holloway]

He's at home too.

[Jason Moore]

And he's at home and he's just too important to that offense. They lost without giving him the ball last week. What do we expect from Kelvin Benjamin's debut for the Buffalo Bills? The Bills throw the ball to the wide receiver the third least amount of times per game in the league.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I.

[Jason Moore]

But they haven't had wide receivers. It's a chicken and egg situation.

[Andy Holloway]

Certainly I would not start him. He was coming up for that short week, you know, and so he wasn't able to play last last week. But I just, I can't start him. What do you think? So I guess the question for Kelvin Benjamin should just be what do you feel like the upside is for him the rest of the season as a.

[Jason Moore]

Buffalo Bill Touchdown Dependent 3 Wide Receiver 3.

[Andy Holloway]

Or would you.

[Jason Moore]

I think he has a chance to be a contributing number two. I mean they didn't bring him in here for no reason. He's a big target. They have banged up tight end situation. I think he. The question then is, you know, do you start him over Jordan Matthews or Zay Jones or Deontay Thompson who's had big weeks? To me, Benjamin is the. Is the play I want because I don't, you know, it's the. I don't know what I got. Maybe I get two touchdowns out of him. Sure.

[Andy Holloway]

Charles Clay is, he's been practicing. If he's in. Is he back in your lineup?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean if he's back in mine.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. If Charles Clay is starting, I think that you're going to want to start him unless you've got a stud because he's. He's been a very consistent necessary target there. I'm not fully convinced he's going to start this week though. I wouldn't. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Yesterday was his first practice and was limited.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised if they give him another week. One thing to note on this game before we move on, this is one of the cold. This is set to be the coldest game of the week, 33 degrees in Buffalo. So monitor that as it gets closer because, you know, when we're talking about this on a Thursday, you don't know exactly what the weather's going to be like on Sunday. But when it starts dipping below 30 and getting in the 20s, that's where, that's the threshold where you see a significant change from pass attempts to rush attempts. And so they will go to the ground more when it dips into the 20s. So just monitor that. It could be bad for Michael Thomas and for Kelvin Benjamin. Great news for LaShawn McCoy and Mark Ingram and Alvin Camara. Look out for our Sunday morning weather article.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, Eric Ludwig.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, my gosh. I can hear Brooks. Yeah. How you doing? Yeah, guys.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, hey.

[Jason Moore]

That's a little loud. Brooks. Traditionally you don't in the middle of talking, you don't move the microphone. But it sounds very good. I appreciate the fact that I can hear you. It's awesome. By the way, when it gets cold, you know what else that means? That means the holidays are coming. We want to take a quick second and thank today's sponsor Jason, brought him up a couple shows ago, Omaha Steaks. Look, we had them as a sponsor last year during the holiday season because they have this insane deal that tons of our listeners took advantage of. We had a chance to try all of the great food that they send you, the package you receive for the price that you pay. It's crazy, amazing. I think we debated and had a draft in the show on which stuff we liked the very most. Let me tell you about Omaha Steaks and how for $49.99 you can get the family gift pack when you go to omahasteaks.com and enter the code Fantasy in the search bar. So you go to Omaha steaks.com, there's a little search bar at the top. You just type Fantasy in. You get 75% off this deal and this is exclusive savings just for the listeners of this show. Listen to what you get for 50 bucks. Two filet mignons, two top sirloins, two boneless pork chops, two boneless chicken breasts, two kielbasa sausages, four burgers, four potatoes au gratin, four caramel apple tartlets. Jason's personal favorite.

[Mike Wright]

That is my favorite.

[Jason Moore]

One Omaha steak seasoning packet. And then they're giving you four additional kielbasa sausages for free. Go to Omaha steaks.com. enter the code fantasy in the search bar and get that 75% off savings. It's a gift guaranteed to be a hit. Delicious gift.

[Mike Wright]

A delicious gift indeed. And also foot clan. Listen up. We'd like to thank a new sponsor, Warby Parker. If you're unfamiliar with Warby Parker, they make truly fashionable contemporary eyeglasses. Look, I'm a man this got glasses. They're a part of your Persona, your fashion, like a bag or shoe or a necktie. You got to look good with your glasses and you want it to be affordable. Warby Parker is doing something new and awesome. It's a try on at home. I've personally done this with Warby Parker. It's very cool. Glasses start at 95 bucks including the prescription lenses. And for every pair you buy, a pair is distributed to someone in need. And their risk free try on at home program is awesome. You pick out five glasses you like, they ship them to you for free. You put your credit card in, you don't pay nothing. They ship them to you and then you try them on. You ship back the package for free and then you pick one out and you buy it online. So head to warbyparker.comfootballers to order your free home try on today. Choose the five frames you'd like try on, mail the frames back, choose your favorite pair, add your prescription and voila. Visit warbyparker.comfootballers to begin your free try on experience today. And don't forget to download their app from the Apple I store. The app Store. The app store.

[Andy Holloway]

You got it there?

[Mike Wright]

We got there. It's got this cool thing where it can stitch together you trying them on and kind of publish it out social media so you can ask your friends, family, nice. How am I looking in these?

[Andy Holloway]

How am I looking?

[Mike Wright]

Warreparker.com Footballers all right.

[Jason Moore]

The four and four packers travel to Chicago to take on the three and five ever fighting bears. 38 point over under. I think that's perfect. I think it'll be under. I really like the Bears in this game. They're five and a half point favorites. Their defense is legitimate. The packers offense is illegitimate. If that's, that's a descriptor that applies to Brett Hundley and company.

[Andy Holloway]

That's great.

[Jason Moore]

I had a tweet this morning, a listener basically saying, can I, can I bench Jordy Nelson? Can I bench him for, you know, a list of mediocre other options like juju, Smith Schuster or something else. And I was like, if you want. I mean, that didn't used to be. The answer for Jordy Nelson is if you want to bench and go ahead. It's a shame, but right now I think fantasy owners really want to know from a start, sit perspective. Is Aaron Jones an option? Ty Montgomery, is he an option? This is a running back by committee. Mike McCarthy came out and said, look, it's going to be Montgomery on third down. It's going to be Aaron Jones on first and second down. That's what the expectation is.

[Andy Holloway]

That's. I mean, that's pretty usual, right? Almost every NFL team. That's how it goes.

[Jason Moore]

But Aaron Jones, 4.6 yards before contact per carry, third best in the league.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he's been great, but I can't trust him. I'm not going to start a running back there until they figure out what's going on. Now there is the narrative that says he whiffed on a pass protection and so he was taken out of the rest of the game. I've never seen that before. I've never seen someone who is the starter who is important.

[Andy Holloway]

I've seen this happen.

[Mike Wright]

I've seen it on a fumble. But my point is this, is that what you got last week out of Aaron Jones was a landmine on your fantasy team. And if you put him in again this week without knowing is he the starter, Is he not out of the bias Ty Montgomery, who got the more work, is he the starter on a terrible offense against a good defense? I think the only player in this entire game that I'm willing to start with any kind of confidence is devonte Adams. He's been the only guy with kind of more of a connection with Hunley. Outside of that, I don't want a Packer.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm still okay playing Jones because I think we know what it is. McCarthy said he's the one to down back and Montgomery will come in for pass protection and third downs. The Bears defense are giving up over 20 points a game to the running back position. So I'm still okay.

[Jason Moore]

You concerned that Jamal Williams may be the goal line back?

[Andy Holloway]

No. He came in and he cleaned up at the very end of a game that was.

[Mike Wright]

It was garbage.

[Jason Moore]

Would you rather start Doug Martin this week against the jets over Aaron Jones?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

What about Derek Henry against Cincinnati?

[Andy Holloway]

I'd probably play Aaron Jones in that situation.

[Jason Moore]

On the Chicago side, I'm not starting anybody, but Jordan Howard gave me that. Jordan Howard and their defense. Oh. Outside of Pittsburgh this week, I think the Bears are my favorite defense option against the packers at home. They're A ferocious defense. They give up, you know, just 13.4 points per game to the quarterback, 8.5 to the tight end. They're. Other than giving up some. Some points to the running back.

[Andy Holloway]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

They've been great.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. And Jordan Howard, I expect him to just continue to be an absolute monster. I'm not worried about the packers run defense. They're giving up over 23 points a game to the running back position. Ranks near the very bottom. So I love Jordan Howard. However, the Chicago Bears wide receivers have caught two touchdown passes this season. Two.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. That's not good. The 08 Browns go to Detroit to take on the 4 and 4 Lions.

[Andy Holloway]

Just before we move on from the Bears, do you have any interest in Deon Sims as a potential streaming tight end candidate or a pickup and stash.

[Jason Moore]

With Zach Miller being out passing volume issues?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I was going to say the same thing. I don't have interest a watch for it. But it wasn't like Zach Miller was getting a ton of volume anyways.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure.

[Jason Moore]

The Browns take on the Lions in Detroit Lions are 12 point favorites. 43 1/2 point over under. I know you guys like Matthew Stafford and the Lions this week. You should Golden Tate. Marvin Jones. Kenny Golladay's actually been practicing. We may see. We may see him back on the field.

[Andy Holloway]

So that recovery is Kenny G. That.

[Jason Moore]

Recovery has not been smooth at all.

[Mike Wright]

Long note.

[Jason Moore]

Long note. TJ Jones rounds out the wide receiving core. Amir Abdullah. Look, I was hard on him. You were to begin this week.

[Mike Wright]

He was almost my start of the week.

[Jason Moore]

He's not mine. I mean, I think you're going to see work from other running backs if they get out by a big lead. I'm not sure Amir Abdullah is going to be able to. He's not a wear down type of guy where you wear the defense down and just grind it out. You can play him. Would you play Aaron Jones or Amir Abdullah? I think I'd play Abdullah in this situation.

[Andy Holloway]

I might play Jones.

[Jason Moore]

Wow. So you were. You hopped off the express onto your back and rode away.

[Mike Wright]

No.

[Andy Holloway]

The Cleveland Browns are dominant against running backs.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean they're seventh in the league. Only giving up 18.5 points per game to the position. Eric Ebron. Yeah. No thanks.

[Mike Wright]

Okay. We're going to talk about this a little bit later. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Oh my gosh. Are we really?

[Mike Wright]

We are. All right, so it's not pretty. But the truth is, Cleveland, how are we friends? I. Man, I'm. I don't know how I'm friends with myself. If I'm being honest and if you look in the show, doc, and see my titan start of the week, which spoiler is Eric Ebron.

[Andy Holloway]

It's a whisper.

[Mike Wright]

I had to. I had to minimize the font because I'm not proud of it.

[Jason Moore]

It's because The Browns are 31st in the league against the tight end position.

[Mike Wright]

They're 31st in the league. But that doesn't do an accurate job of just saying how bad they are because.

[Jason Moore]

Well, you would think you'll do that.

[Mike Wright]

You would think, yeah, I'll do that. Sure.

[Jason Moore]

Deshaun Kaiser, Isaiah Cruell. You're not playing anybody on Cleveland.

[Andy Holloway]

Probably not. Would you play?

[Mike Wright]

I would play Duke Johnson.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

And we'll talk about that in a little bit.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, my goodness.

[Mike Wright]

Yes, sir. Hey, last week I was out there with all the, oh, you know, guys that finished great, like Alvin Camara and Alex Smith, as my starts of the week was just like, oh, that's too easy. I'm going deep.

[Andy Holloway]

You are putting your face in the toilet and going, oh, yeah.

[Mike Wright]

And I'm coming up with an apple.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I'm coming up with an apple.

[Mike Wright]

I'm Bob for apples in the. I'm finding Eric Ebron and Duke Johnson. And I do mean Duke Johnson. No.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh.

[Mike Wright]

What? That's right. Deal with it. I wish these were sunglasses.

[Jason Moore]

For what? Now I know I were friends. I would describe your, your fantasy prowess as bobbing for apples in the toilet as well.

[Mike Wright]

I can find a championship anywhere.

[Jason Moore]

Good luck to you. The Steelers, they take on the Colts. Are you seeing a theme this week? Really good teams playing really bad teams.

[Andy Holloway]

Nice work by the scheduling department.

[Jason Moore]

The Colts, they're 10 point underdogs at home in this game. 44 and a half point over under Big Ben in the Steelers. I think this is a game where, look, I think Martavis Bryant, I think he catches a deep ball in this game.

[Andy Holloway]

Ooh.

[Jason Moore]

I think he has a surprise. A surprise top 15 performance this week.

[Mike Wright]

What? I don't, I don't, I don't blame you for that. Take. It's a sneaky snort. I mean, he's a huge downfield threat against a team that. That is like what they are best at is giving up downfield threats.

[Jason Moore]

They're best at being bad.

[Mike Wright]

Yes. That is their forte right now. So the question is just, is it going to be juju or is it going to be Martavis Bryant?

[Jason Moore]

But this is the morale boost opportunity for Martavis Bryant and I think you're going to see this game progress into one where like the Colts defense, we've talked about it. They're struggling. 29th against wide receivers, 24 running back, losing pieces, losing games. If this game gets out of hand, I don't think that you're going to see Martavis off the field. I think you're going to try to get him into this offense in this game. In fact, I think juju is a little bit of a trap in this game because of this. I mean, juju, Smith, Schuster, love the guy, love the talent. I think it's a little bit of a trap. If you need to start him, you can start him. But I think Martevis has the ability to surprise, certainly.

[Andy Holloway]

Do you have any interest in Jesse James?

[Mike Wright]

No, not really.

[Jason Moore]

No.

[Mike Wright]

I don't think they're going to need him against the Colts. You know, usually you see those tight end matchups necessary when, you know it's.

[Jason Moore]

Like he'll probably just run out about 5 yards and sit Indian style on the field.

[Mike Wright]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

And just wait.

[Mike Wright]

He'll catch two of those.

[Jason Moore]

You remember when we played flag football.

[Andy Holloway]

Why you got to bring this up?

[Jason Moore]

And we were playing in the wrong division.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Against very players. And it got to the point at the end of the game where one of their guys actually sat down.

[Mike Wright]

The safety was just sitting down on the field.

[Jason Moore]

That was very.

[Mike Wright]

That had to feel bad for the quarterback.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I was the quarterback.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. We shouldn't have been in that division.

[Jason Moore]

I didn't feel very good when I saw that I could not beat a sitting safety.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. That's a true story.

[Jason Moore]

That's humiliating even now, bringing it back up. Jacoby Brissette, the Colts. The Colts.

[Andy Holloway]

Speaking of humiliation, I'll play Ty Hilton up. Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Really?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I will. I will. He's Ty Hilton. Yeah. You.

[Mike Wright]

I'm not.

[Jason Moore]

I know, I know. The ping pong ball of great games, terrible games.

[Mike Wright]

But there's a. There's a trend I think that's important to realize with his ping pong. It's not. It's not just the, you know, the tyree kill where it's good game, bad game, good game, bad game. This is. Oh, you played a horrific team in the San Francisco 49ers and you went ham. You played Houston, which before last week was 27th against wide receivers, meaning 27th best, meaning bad. And he had a great game. But when he played Cincinnati and Jacksonville, he had 3.7 points and 2.3 points in fantasy. And now you're going up against Pittsburgh, who's as good as those two teams against the wide receiver I don't want to trust Ty Hill. Now, that being said, he is the type where if you don't have a good alternative, you could plug him in and hope that he just goes off for. You know, he's averaging over 20 yards a reception right now, so if he just gets one long bomb, you're going to be safe. I don't think that happens against the Steelers. Is more my.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I like the fact that Pagano said they need to get him the ball. They got him the ball. He had a 36 point fantasy week number one wide receiver on the week and he's Ty Helden with the track record. So I'm going to just bank on the fact that Jacoby Brissette has to throw from the first snap to the last snap. They're probably down in this game. Let's put that to test though. Jason, would you rather play Devin Funches against Miami this week or Ty Hilton funches. Jarvis Landry against Carolina or Ty Hilton Jarvis Landry. Robbie Anderson against Tampa?

[Mike Wright]

Robbie Anderson. We'll talk about him in a little bit too.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, gosh. Ted Ginn against Buffalo or Ty Hilton against Pittsburgh?

[Mike Wright]

That one is much, much closer. I think I would lean towards Ty Hilton.

[Jason Moore]

Mike, you want to weigh in on the Hilton situation?

[Andy Holloway]

I'm with you that I think with you who I'm with and sorry, I'm looking at Andy. I'm with Andy that I think he's fine to play him. But then going through those names, I agreed with Jason on each start. Sit decision.

[Jason Moore]

All right, let's move to the Chargers Jaguars real quick.

[Mike Wright]

Play, baby.

[Andy Holloway]

Hands. You always play, baby.

[Mike Wright]

I also think Frank Gore is okay here. Frank Cor's been surprisingly. I mean, the last two weeks he's been double digits of fantasy points and Pittsburgh is not. They're great against the pass and they're middle of the pack against the run. So you could do worse. I'm not saying you need to start Frank Gore, but you. He's one of those guys where you look for where you can. I think you can.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

The Chargers take on Jacksonville. This game's in. Jacksonville should have Leonard Fournette back, right?

[Mike Wright]

Little Red Fournette, maybe. Yeah, they should. And if they do, the Chargers are a great, great matchup for the Jaguars for Leonard Fournette. They have not been good against the run at all. So, I mean, Fournette could be the number one running back on the week, assuming that he finally plays, which is a tough assumption.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Okay. Blake Bortles, Marquis Lee, Alan Hearns the other options here against the Chargers defense, I'm a little. Well, I mean, The Jags are 3 1/2 point favorites, 41 point over. Under weather's not an issue in this game. I don't really. I don't think I want to start anybody but Fournette.

[Andy Holloway]

I agree. I expect Marquis Lee to be shadowed by Casey Hayward and Hearns. I just. Yeah, I'm not really interested in the.

[Jason Moore]

Letting the running game do the work here.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Andy Holloway]

In the right matchups, we know you know Leon Hearns, you can play him, but this is not the one.

[Mike Wright]

Nobody saying from the Jacksonville side.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, absolutely.

[Jason Moore]

And what about on the other side? It's hands off outside of Melvin Gordon. Because the Jaguars, they're not just the best against the pass. They're the best by a lot. They're number one.

[Andy Holloway]

They're the best in years.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean, they're number one against fantasy quarterbacks. They're number one against fantasy wide receivers. It doesn't matter who you are. If you play Jacksonville right now, the secondary has your number. They're in your head.

[Andy Holloway]

It's not just the secondary. I mean, the secondary is fantastic with Ramsey and Booyah, but they get, they get tremendous pressure. They get sacks. I mean, so it's Elias Campbell.

[Mike Wright]

They are an absolute beast.

[Jason Moore]

They are averaging 7.2 pass attempts.

[Andy Holloway]

That's ridiculous. That's devastating for an offense.

[Jason Moore]

Any sneaky snorts in this matchup? Hunter Henry because you want to avoid the wide receiver.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. I don't know that he's sneaky, but I would start Hunter Henry despite the gross matchup.

[Jason Moore]

All right, let's talk about stream of the week. Josh McCown and the jets traveling to Tampa to take on the reeling Buccaneers. They're 2 and 6 right now and the wheels are falling off. Jameis Winston sitting down in this game. You got Ryan Fitzpatrick.

[Mike Wright]

I think he got sick from that W he ate. Did you guys see that video?

[Jason Moore]

That's a bad video.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, man. You watch that and you go, I really, I really hope that's not my quarterback.

[Jason Moore]

Do you want to explain?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. So he's in the. In the pre game warm up, you know, the huddles all around and oh, a camera comes over and a camera's in that huddle. And for the camera, this is how I took it. I took it as like he's just trying to do something unbelievable. This pep talk is just crazy. And so he makes this W, you know, like west side throwing up the sign and he starts licking it and like biting it and eating it. He's like, who wants to eat a W? And going crazy. And you look at the teammates and they're like, what's happening? What is Jameis Winston doing? Then he proceeds to go get knocked out of the game and start a fight and get Mike Evans suspended.

[Jason Moore]

He did not eat the W. He.

[Mike Wright]

Did not eat the W. Now, is.

[Jason Moore]

That worse or better than Cam Newton's Titanic snafu? Where Cam Newton in a press conference says, you know, they asked him about Kelvin Benjamin leaving. He says, you know, look, he's a great player, but the Titanic must go on.

[Mike Wright]

It's like, wait, do you know how that movie ends? The historical event. The Titanic did not go on very.

[Jason Moore]

Long in his defense. I looked this up. He was eight years old when the Titanic came out. The movie.

[Andy Holloway]

It's not just the movie. It's a historical event.

[Mike Wright]

Yes, I was.

[Andy Holloway]

It was devastating.

[Mike Wright]

I was negative 16 years old when it happened. I heard about it before the movie.

[Jason Moore]

Can we send him the Blu Ray? Brooks, can. Can you put that in the mail for him?

[Mike Wright]

It's on its way, so just have.

[Andy Holloway]

James Cameron go talk to him.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, all right.

[Mike Wright]

Where were we? All right.

[Jason Moore]

We were talking jets and Buccaneers. Ryan Fitzpatrick takes the reins this week. Ryan Fitzpatrick is, you know, for lack of a better comparison, he's Josh McCown in the sense that, you know, you put him behind center, he has the opportunity to start, he's not going to lay down. He's not going to be afraid to throw the ball downfield. Mike Evans is suspended.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, that sucks.

[Jason Moore]

You have opportunity here with DeSean Jackson, I think with the tight end, Cameron Bray. You know, it's not like the jets defense is world beaters. They're bad. I mean, they're 25th, 24th and 26th giving up fantasy points to the quarterback, wide receiver and tight end. Ryan Fitzpatrick streamable here at home.

[Mike Wright]

I agree.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, he's streamable. But I also think that I'm interested in playing the jets against this team. I know Fitzpatrick is playing the jets.

[Jason Moore]

Offensive players or playing their D, playing their deep, playing their DST because of mistakes.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes. I think that the jets are a fine plan. I've seen them on many waiver wires.

[Jason Moore]

Really?

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I think this game could be. I mean, I know the jets are going to score right now. The Buccaneers defense seems to be in shambles, and outside of the tight end position, they're giving up tons of fantasy points, especially the wide receiver. And so this is why I think we have Robbie Anderson on the excitement radar. This Week. I think Jermaine Curse is going to do some work in this game. And I love Josh McCown in this game.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I mean, I think this is a week where you could fire up pretty much every jet that is relevant.

[Jason Moore]

Did you hear they're going to. They're thinking about bringing McCown back for next year.

[Mike Wright]

Really? Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, here we go.

[Mike Wright]

Let's do it till he's 40.

[Andy Holloway]

No, here we go again. It's another Fitzpatrick situation.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, it will be.

[Andy Holloway]

They're going to. Yeah, we want, what do you want to do, though?

[Jason Moore]

Okay, so let, let me, let's pretend here, outside of free agency, Bryce Petty's not the future of this team, is he?

[Mike Wright]

No.

[Jason Moore]

So then it's an opportunity to draft somebody and they could sit behind McCown, who they say, you know, outside of the performance on the field, huge locker room impact, could be a great leader for another quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

The thing about Josh and they could.

[Jason Moore]

If they win this game, they're five and five. They're in a wild card discussion.

[Mike Wright]

J, E, T, E, J.

[Andy Holloway]

Nice. People just think you can't spell and they don't really know that reference. But the question will be, if we're talking about this is they're like, yeah, we want to bring you back. We're going to give you $7 million. I mean, he's playing for six and a half this on a one year contract. The jets are going to try and lowball him again.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, he's going to be 39.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, right. He'll take it. Unlike Patrick.

[Jason Moore]

Okay, I agree. And I think he's, he's just a good quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

In the right situation.

[Jason Moore]

He can produce in the right situation. Yeah. And look, this defense, they haven't done them a lot of favors, but if they can come together, this team will.

[Mike Wright]

Be competing DeSean Jackson's great play. You mentioned Cameron Bray, a good play. Keep your eyes on Chris Godwin. You're not going to start him. He hasn't had more than one reception in the last like two months. But he's got the opportunity. Matt Harmon, you know, gave him a great.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, he loves Godwin.

[Mike Wright]

Overview from his reception perception. I'm not saying by any means start him, but watch.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, the problem is, is like, what do you do? I mean, like, let's say you watch him this week, then Evans comes back.

[Mike Wright]

No, I'm speaking much more for just dynasty and knowing what the asset is.

[Jason Moore]

All right, look, it's time, Jason. You get the opportunity now to dig deep. To dig deep. Go bobbin, go bobbing. For apples.

[Mike Wright]

Starts of the week.

[Jason Moore]

I don't know if I've had a more disgusting visual in my mind than.

[Mike Wright]

Bobbing for apples in the toilet.

[Jason Moore]

Than bobbing for apples in the toilet. And of course, I'm putting you in, like, you're like in a public restroom doing this.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, for sure. At a gas station.

[Andy Holloway]

No, this is a stadium. This is the.

[Jason Moore]

That makes sense, though.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. That's the hot dog and beer.

[Jason Moore]

Hey, starts of the week, I'm going Josh McCown against Tampa Bay. Yeah, he's my dude this week. I've got him in two of my three leagues. Filling in for, you know, if you got Carson Wentz, who's on by, or Derek Carr, if you stash Josh McCown for this week, I think you're going to be happy.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, absolutely. I'm going, sir. Mix a lot. Double up. Double up. Thanks for nothing, Jason.

[Mike Wright]

I was with you on the first.

[Andy Holloway]

But you got it. I said we're doubling it up.

[Mike Wright]

I apologize.

[Andy Holloway]

Thank you.

[Mike Wright]

Because last week, for nothing.

[Andy Holloway]

Last week, Matthew Stafford was my star of the week. I'm staying in those flames with Matthew Stafford because this. This is a shout out to you, Mr. Stafford. You're currently my number one quarterback on the week against the Cleveland Browns, and I don't think I've ever ranked Stafford at number one. So this is just a. This is that tip of the cap.

[Jason Moore]

You took your. Your cap, you threw it backwards and you're going in.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jason Moore]

High five. And Jay Cutler, you're under the bleachers with Cam Newton.

[Mike Wright]

I was. I was upset when I saw it because I wanted him to be my start of the week. He's also my number one quarterback, so I think that's good. I'm going to stay in some flames with a guy that we came into this season thinking was already a bust by we. I mean, pretty much everyone in existence, but that's King Godfrey. Jared Goff is going up against a really good defense in the Houston Texans, except they're not that they've got this mystique of like, oh, this is a tough matchup. Except not really. Not for fantasy, definitely not for quarterbacks and wide receivers. They're much better against the run, but they've given up a lot of big plays. They're the sixth worst team in the league right now at points, you know, given up to the quarterback. So King Godfrey, he's been playing great. The Rams, with McVeigh, they, you know, they've got new life in them. And because I think that the run Game can get a little bit more shut down from Houston and Todd Gurley, you know, I think Godfrey will get it done.

[Jason Moore]

Sure. All right, let's move on to the running back. Now. I had been very excited to say Mav Forte is my start of the week. However, he's all banged up. So this is a. Mike's done this many times before with running back situation. This is a Whoever's starting for the Jets.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, nice.

[Jason Moore]

Is my start of the week at the running back position. So if it's Matt Forte, if it's Bilal Powell, it's looking more like it's going to be Bilal Powell. So I think the start of the week, it's in that matchup. And so it's Forte or pal for me. Jason Bob away.

[Andy Holloway]

All right.

[Mike Wright]

I'm going deep in that toilet. I'm coming up with those turds. Duke Johnson. No turds, just apples here. Duke Johnson. Listen, what's surprising on the year, if you're in any kind of half point or full point PPR, he's the number 18 running back. He's a running back too, who's been somewhat consistent this entire season and completely taken over the pass catching back role. He hasn't had fewer than three receptions since week one. And you know, a lot of the times they're six receptors or nine receptions. This is a guy that is facing a matchup right now in Detroit. Detroit is favored by double digits, meaning Cleveland will be down. They need to pass the ball. That fits right into what Duke Johnson does. And if you look at Detroit, Detroit's very good at the run when it comes to total yards given up against the rushing attack on the ground in yards per carry and very bad at guarding the running back their bottom 10 and guarding the running back receptions. So everything to me feeds into Duke Johnson being. I'm not saying like, oh, he's going to be a top five guy. What I am saying is about three fourths of his weeks have been absolutely startable weeks and you never feel confident to start him. This is one of those startable weeks. You know, if you've got him in that flex, put him in.

[Andy Holloway]

My start of the week at the running back position is Orleans Darkwa. He gets to take on San Francisco.

[Mike Wright]

Heck yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Which is, I mean, that is, that's the creme de la creme of running back matchups for the week. But what's, what's interesting for, for dark was last week I had him ranked, you know, I think 20 to 22 and on the periscope I was recommending Darkwa a good amount. This is last week and people like why, why, why you like Dark one? He gets it done in the right matchup. He is the starting running back.

[Mike Wright]

Even in the wrong matchup, Orleans dark.

[Andy Holloway]

Was averaging 5.1 a carry.

[Mike Wright]

He's passed my eyeball test.

[Andy Holloway]

So you stay, you stay with Darkwa. And now he has just the absolute best matchup. He's a fantastic play this week.

[Jason Moore]

I'm gonna stay in that same game with my wide receiver. Start of the week, Sterling Shepherd.

[Andy Holloway]

Take that, San Francisco.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, San Francisco. It's a, it's a juicy matchup. I think you know Shepard, he was involved last week. He's their best wide receiver by far. It's the shepherd and Ingram show when it comes to the wide receivers. And as of now, we still have Eli Manning behind center. I think he has enough in the tank to take advantage of this matchup against San Francisco. I love Sterling shepherd this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Came back, got nine targets.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Right away.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, yeah, yeah, he's good. He's a really good player.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. My, I mentioned it earlier. My start of the week at wide receiver is Robbie Anderson. This is a game against him. I mean, look, Tampa bay is the 31st worst team in points given up against the wide receiver position. And if you look at who they've faced and how those opponents have done against other teams, they're the worst by a large margin. You want wide receivers against Tampa Bay regardless of who it is. Now look at Robbie Anderson specifically. And in the last several weeks, last three weeks, he's been double digits. A touchdown in three consecutive weeks, getting it done. He is able. He's very fast. He's surprisingly fast. And so I think he's going to be able to get behind Tampa Bay. There's not many people I wouldn't want to start in that jets game. I mean, you got curse, go right ahead.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure.

[Mike Wright]

But I'm taking Robbie Anderson.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm going a little deeper for my wide receiver this week. I'm going with Muhammad Sanu. Atlanta's matchup, it is the highest over under of the week. And did you know that Muhammad Sanu has. He has either five or more receptions or a touchdown in every game this year except for the game where he got hurt. Mohammed Sanu has been super solid for a guy that you got essentially free in the draft or off of your waiver wire. And I think that he is worth a play this week. Julio Jones, always doing what Julio Jones does and going in and out of the lineup. Missing practice. So I think that Mohsa new is a great play and I'll just follow it up real quick. My tight end is Kyle Rudolph, Wash or not. Washington, Minnesota Vikings. He's playing Washington. They give up the fourth most points to the tight end. And Kyle Rudolph, five or more receptions each of the last four games. He's getting involved. Maybe they're shorter passes, but always has touchdown upside as well.

[Mike Wright]

I did see really interesting split with Kyle Rudolph showing how involved he has been, which is really involved in the games that Stefan Diggs has missed.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

And how he has pretty much disappeared when Diggs has been there. Do you have any worries there? Because it. I mean, playing right.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I expect Diggs to play, but I still think that that short stuff.

[Mike Wright]

I mean, I have no room and no grounds to speak since my tight end start of the week is someone. I said I would never make my start of the week again.

[Andy Holloway]

He who shall not be named T.

[Mike Wright]

Who shall not be named Voldemort. Starting basically tight end for the Detroit.

[Andy Holloway]

Voldemort would dominate, though.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, man.

[Andy Holloway]

You put him in a tight end with all those magic powers.

[Mike Wright]

Cleveland, I mean, come on.

[Andy Holloway]

I think against any matchup.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, but Cleveland, look, Cleveland especially Cleveland's been terrible. And if you look at Eric Ebron, he has also been terrible. But he does have a skill set. You and I both have Matt Stafford as our number one quarterback this week.

[Jason Moore]

Please don't talk about his skill set.

[Mike Wright]

He is.

[Jason Moore]

His skill set is just. We're beyond. We're beyond the skill set argument for Eric. Who cares?

[Mike Wright]

He is large.

[Jason Moore]

Who cares?

[Mike Wright]

He could drop pass.

[Jason Moore]

Welcome to the NFL.

[Mike Wright]

And every now and then he could catch passes. You want to know his one good game this year?

[Jason Moore]

No.

[Andy Holloway]

Certainly.

[Jason Moore]

Is that a trick question?

[Mike Wright]

It's not. He had five receptions, 42 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. That was against the New York Giants. What do we know about the New York Giants?

[Andy Holloway]

You start your tight ends against the Giants.

[Mike Wright]

You start your tight ends against the. And there's only one other team where there's two teams right now that are just unfathomably bad against tight ends. One is the New York Giants. That would be George Kittle who's injured. So if you want to take a shot at Garrett Selleck. Garrett Selleck, do it maybe in some dfs. And the other is the Cleveland Browns. And Eric Ebron has been more involved. He's gotten the starting role back from Darren Fells. Look, I don't love it, but if you're struggling out There. He's probably on your waivers and you could stream him. I'm actually playing.

[Jason Moore]

I'll water bet you that he doesn't catch three passes.

[Mike Wright]

I will take that water.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh.

[Mike Wright]

Water bet. That's easy.

[Jason Moore]

Mostly because he. He's only done that twice this entire year.

[Mike Wright]

Once was last week.

[Jason Moore]

No, last week he caught two passes. Oh, I'm sorry. No, three last week. You're right. Two. One. One, two, two.

[Andy Holloway]

Wow.

[Mike Wright]

Look, he's been terrible.

[Jason Moore]

I'm not saying he hasn't.

[Mike Wright]

I'm not saying rest of season he's been terrible. He's my favorite guy. I'm saying this week, this maybe matchup, it lines up.

[Jason Moore]

It's fine. That's why we waterbed. It's fun. Cameron braid against the Jets.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I like it.

[Jason Moore]

Coming off a down week, maybe you're hesitating. Maybe you're not sure what to do. You know, you had Howard a couple weeks ago break out, and then Cameron Brady had a down week. You got no Evans. I think it's going to be Brayton D. Jacks. So, you know, if it's fit Patrick, he can get it done.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

All right. More importantly.

[Mike Wright]

Jason Moore's ironclad, locked and loaded. 100% guaranteed boom boom kicker of the week.

[Jason Moore]

So just to preface your exciting segment, Jason, last week you said, let's get nuts with Will Lutz. So who do you got this week?

[Mike Wright]

Well, the aliens might be in Roswell, but the field goals will be with Chris Boswell. We need that outro music, Mike.

[Jason Moore]

We really do need that.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, I'm on it.

[Jason Moore]

Because when he. When he drops it, we've got to be out. We got to be out quick, like. Like Eric Ebron's in my fantasy land.

[Mike Wright]

Out.

[Jason Moore]

Get it out the door.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. Kicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

[Jason Moore]

Chris Roswell or Chris Boswell. Dang it.

[Mike Wright]

I got you.

[Jason Moore]

All right, well, that's on that note, we will say goodbye. Let's play some draft together this weekend. Draft.comballers draft your team.

[Mike Wright]

Goodbye.

[Jason Moore]

We'll be back tomorrow. Goodbye.

[Mike Wright]

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