Fantasy Football 2017 - Week 1 Matchups, In-or-Out, Kareem the Dream

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast" Episode: "Fantasy Football 2017 - Week 1 Matchups, In-or-Out, Kareem the Dream"

Release Date: September 8, 2017

---

1. Introduction and Overview

The episode kicks off with the hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright, welcoming listeners to Week 1 of the 2017 fantasy football season. They set the stage for an engaging discussion on matchups, player performances, and strategic decisions to help listeners optimize their fantasy teams.

---

2. Review of Last Night’s Games

a. Tom Brady’s Thursday Night Football Performance

The hosts delve into Tom Brady's underwhelming performance in his Thursday Night Football debut. Tom Brady completed 16.44% of his 36 pass attempts, leading to frustration among fantasy owners.

• Jason Moore [03:00]: “Even Cam Newton thinks that's bad. I know a lot of fantasy owners cursing Tom Brady.”

Andy expresses concern about the reliance on Brady and the Patriots' offense:

• Andy Holloway [07:21]: “Tom Brady's holding the ball way too long. We cannot perform like this. We have to have an outlet.”

b. Alex Smith’s Surprising Debut

Contrasting Brady's performance, Alex Smith shines unexpectedly, completing 28 of 35 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns. This performance surprises many, including Jason, who capitalized on Smith's success by pivoting strategies.

• Jason Moore [05:33]: “Alex Smith lit it up. Two touchdowns of over 70 yards. What's your reaction to these quarterbacks in game one in New England in Foxborough?”

Mike notes Smith as a "streaming machine" due to his high-upside performances.

• Mike Wright [06:07]: “Alex Smith is the ultimate streaming machine, because he has these games every once in a while, and he's always on your waiver wire.”

---

3. Fantasy Implications and Player Recommendations

a. Mike Gillislee vs. Kareem Hunt

Jason recounts a high-risk pick involving Mike Gillislee, who was initially hyped but underperformed, leading to strategic reconsiderations.

• Jason Moore [02:18]: “Jason lives and dies for these picks trying to get your fantasy team right.”

In contrast, Kareem Hunt makes a stellar debut, outperforming expectations with versatility in both rushing and receiving.

• Jason Moore [10:09]: “Kareem Hunt... fumbles once in his entire collegiate career but lights it up with versatility in the game.”

Andy and Mike advocate for trading Gillislee in favor of the consistent Hunt.

• Andy Holloway [08:58]: “I'm trying to trade him in a package with someone else to get something like Devonta Freeman or a Melvin Gordon.”
• Mike Wright [12:23]: “Kareem Hunt will be very consistent. He’ll score fewer touchdowns than Gillislee but won’t tank your team when he’s off.”

b. James White as a Target for Patriots

James White emerges as a prime target due to the Patriots' offensive adjustments following Brady's slow start.

• Mike Wright [07:53]: “James White is an excellent target to go get on the cheap.”

c. Odell Beckham Jr. and Eli Manning’s Start/Sit Decisions

The episode discusses the uncertainty surrounding Odell Beckham Jr.'s availability and performance, influencing start/sit decisions for Eli Manning.

• Andy Holloway [20:52]: “I'm going in. I think the game is too important in a division rival.”
• Jason Moore [21:00]: “Yeah. You still play him. I probably play him over most other options.”

---

4. Trade Advice and Player Valuation

Jason emphasizes the importance of leveraging Kareem Hunt's breakout performance for potential trades, suggesting packages that include higher-risk players like Gillislee to acquire Hunt.

• Jason Moore [12:02]: “A package with Devonta Freeman plus Kelvin Benjamin is an easy yes.”

Andy urges listeners to capitalize on Hunt's high value while cautioning against overvaluing inconsistent players.

• Andy Holloway [12:56]: “Kareem Hunt, I think will be someone you could plug and play every week.”

---

5. Injury Updates and Their Impact on Fantasy

The hosts provide comprehensive updates on key injuries affecting fantasy decisions:

• Danny Amendola: Suffers a concussion, reducing his fantasy reliability.

  • Jason Moore [16:11]: “Danny Amendola left the field with a concussion.”

• Ezekiel Elliott: Awaiting a restraining order ruling, with expectations leaning towards his availability for the season.

  • Andy Holloway [17:56]: “The expectation seems to assume that he will get it.”

• Aaron Donald and Marcus Peters: Key defensive players from the Chiefs suffer significant injuries, potentially altering fantasy landscapes for their teams.

---

6. Live Draft Segment

The podcast features a live draft competition among the hosts, showcasing strategic choices and player preferences for Week 1:

• Mike Wright: Selects Le'Veon Bell and AJ Green, emphasizing high-value targets.
• Jason Moore: Chooses Julio Jones and David Johnson, focusing on big-play potential.
• Andy Holloway: Picks Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin, aiming for strong quarterback and receiver synergy.

Notable selections and strategies highlight the differing approaches to maximizing Week 1 points and setting the tone for the season.

• Jason Moore [55:21]: “I'm going to grab Julio and David Johnson.”
• Andy Holloway [55:37]: “I'm going to pair Doug Baldwin with Russell Wilson.”

---

7. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Wrapping up, the hosts reiterate the importance of staying informed through their platforms like jointhefoot.com and encourage listeners to follow their live updates and drafts to maintain a competitive edge throughout the fantasy season.

• Jason Moore [59:20]: “Thank you very much for tuning in to Eric Decker and Kelvin. I'm the Alex Smith. We all know it.”

They sign off with enthusiasm for the upcoming games and a reminder to join their community for ongoing support and insights.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jason Moore [03:00]: “Even Cam Newton thinks that's bad. I know a lot of fantasy owners cursing Tom Brady.”
• Mike Wright [06:07]: “Alex Smith is the ultimate streaming machine...”
• Andy Holloway [08:58]: “I'm trying to trade him in a package with someone else to get something like Devonta Freeman or a Melvin Gordon.”
• Jason Moore [12:02]: “A package with Devonta Freeman plus Kelvin Benjamin is an easy yes.”
• Jason Moore [16:11]: “Danny Amendola left the field with a concussion.”
• Jason Moore [55:21]: “I'm going to grab Julio and David Johnson.”
• Andy Holloway [55:37]: “I'm going to pair Doug Baldwin with Russell Wilson.”

---

Key Takeaways

• Risk vs. Reward in Starts: Starting players in Thursday Night Football can be high risk due to heightened scrutiny and potential for early-season variability.
• Trade Opportunities: Leveraging breakout performances, like Kareem Hunt's, can provide significant trade value, especially when paired with underperforming players like Mike Gillislee.
• Injury Impacts: Staying updated on injuries is crucial for making informed start/sit and trade decisions.
• Live Draft Strategies: Real-time drafting showcases the importance of strategic player selection based on matchups, performance potential, and team dynamics.

This episode encapsulates the essential strategies and insights needed for Week 1 success in fantasy football, blending analytical depth with entertaining banter to guide listeners through their fantasy journeys.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

Ah.

[Jason Moore]

Hey, foot clan. Before we start today's show, I've got to tell you about fantasychamps.com. do you need a trophy? Do you need a ring or a championship belt for your league? Look no further than Fantasy Champs. Here's what we're doing in our league of record. We're buying a big old crystal trophy, engraving all of the league champion names on the side, and then we're getting a ring and a ring case for every champion over the last 10 years.

[Andy Holloway]

It's going to be hot.

[Jason Moore]

That they can keep, that they can flaunt. This is what fantasy football is all about. So go to fantasy champs.com. use the promo code Ballers, Ballers to save 10%.

[Andy Holloway]

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]

Welcome in.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, man, was last night fun.

[Jason Moore]

Football, football, football.

[Andy Holloway]

I tell you what, I've got no energy left for the show today. My cartwheels, I need to.

[Jason Moore]

Right off the top, I want to tell a story. All right, Andy, Mike and Jason, back to Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Thanks for tuning in with us this fine Friday morning, September, September 8th. Not the 7th, the 8th. Here's the story I want to tell. Like, you listen to us and we've talked all offseason, we've done the draft and yesterday we had our starts of the week. And look, we recognize some things when a lot of people listen and they listen and they want us to get it right and we do our best to get it right. But there are low risk and high risk situations when we make our picks. One of the higher risk situations week to week is if one of our starts of the week ends up on a Thursday night football game. It's kind of putting them up on a pedestal, right? Like there aren't.

[Andy Holloway]

Everyone's watching.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Like during. If it's a Sunday game and we get seven out of 10 right, you know, the bad ones kind of wash out a little bit. I'm just giving you the insight, right? Like the trolls don't come out as much because we hit some and we miss some and. But on Thursday, you're just putting it out there. And then if you start the year with a start of the week on a Thursday, you're really risking our entire livelihoods. And that's what Jason did.

[Andy Holloway]

I was freaking out, man.

[Jason Moore]

And that's why I wanted to say this because you said your energy is gone and I'm going to tell the people why. Jason, his start of the week was Mike Gillislee. Now, when. When it was brought up before the show, I was like, dude, what are you doing? Like, I mean, Mike has Gillislee on multiple rosters. I think Mike thought like, well, be careful, be careful right here. So he goes with Gillislee and the game starts out and Burkhead comes in for the first play. And Jason.

[Mike Wright]

This is after Burkhead. Twitter has had been electric all day. One of the Patriots beat reporters was hyping them up to the point that a full sleeper bot hype alert came out and said, this guy's expecting a big game from Burkhead.

[Jason Moore]

He hyped Burkhead up. Burkhead was hyped up so much that I moved Eddie Lacy from my starting lineup to put Burkhead in last night. I did not recommend it on the show because, look, this was.

[Mike Wright]

It was a glory play.

[Jason Moore]

It was a hype train play. And Rawls had been playing and I was like, oh, Rawls and Lacy and who knows, Chris Carson. So it didn't work out for burkheadt. But Jason was living and dying on every snap in this game and he wasn't. He doesn't have Gillisley. He did it for you.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm playing against. Mike was playing me with Gillislee and Jason.

[Jason Moore]

When Gillisley ran in the first touchdown, Jason lost his mind. He was screaming, he was cheering, all because he made the start of the week pick for you guys.

[Mike Wright]

And then.

[Jason Moore]

And then the penalty flag came out and he froze like a man who had witnessed death. And then the touchdowns, they started to pour in. And we'll get into that when we talk about Thursday night football. But I will tell you right now, Jason lives and dies for these picks trying to get your fantasy team right.

[Andy Holloway]

And it sucks when we're wrong, man. And we will be wrong. Okay, we do not claim that we will get all these right, but it's good to be right.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that's a toot toot moment for sure. This is going to be a great show today. We have we got foot clan Friday. We're going to talk about the Thursday night football game that you all watched last night. We're going to get into the news and notes, talk about which players are not going to play due to injury or what we think about the injury situations. And then we're going to get into the fantasy forecast and walk through the rest of the games, which is going to take a little while. We have quite a few games left on the forecast and we're also going to do A live draft in play draft. Because each week we're taking on one another.

[Mike Wright]

The food bitch.

[Andy Holloway]

I'll tell you what, it is so great that we are doing another one of those because we have two for week one.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

One of which has already started. And it's over. I feel like we're going to lose because Mike has Kareem Hunt.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Yeah, he does. You can follow us on twitter @the ffballers. And let's go ahead and let's just start talking about last night's game. The Thursday night football game will take the place of the Quick question. So much happened when we got in the studio this morning. I quizzed both of these gentlemen and I said, look, Tom Brady threw the ball 36 times. How many completions did he have? And the answer is 16.44percent completion percentage.

[Mike Wright]

Cam Newton thinks that's bad.

[Jason Moore]

Even Cam Newton thinks that's bad. I know a lot of fantasy owners cursing Tom Brady. Whereas on the other side, Alex Smith was 28 for 35 for 368 yards and four touchdowns.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, Alex.

[Jason Moore]

Brad Evans, you dog, tweeted. You know this picture of a guy dancing? You know that one guy that started Alex Smith? I ended up being that one guy in our Dynasty league because I had Andrew Luck and my stop gap was Alex Smith, and I got lucky.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, you were forced into a corner.

[Jason Moore]

I was. But now I'm gonna pretend like I meant to be in that corner because Alex Smith lit it up. Two touchdowns of over 70 yards. What's your reaction to these quarterbacks in game one in New England in Foxborough? Is this just adjusting to. No. Julian Edelman that we're seeing?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. For Alex Smith, it's. Look, this is why he is the ultimate streaming machine, because he has these games every once in a while, and he's always on your waiver wire. Now, no one was calling for this against the Patriots, but so do not overreact. Alex Smith is not. Has not become a weekly starter. So don't freak out to that and don't freak out to Tom Brady. I mean, this is the offense for New England. They got to figure some things out because the. The team is so reliant, and Tom Brady is so reliant on that. Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, they need the man underneath who is just fearless. And on top of being fearless, invincible, because I guess Edelman's technically hurt. So he's not invincible. But Edelman would frequently go across the middle, fearless, get blown up, and just stand up like nothing happened. Amendola Tried to be that guy, but then his health meter depleted once again and he's. He got a concussion. He's out. But you saw he was. He was the go to target 6 for 100 yards. But. So it's now moving into next week. You don't even have Amendola likely, who.

[Jason Moore]

Was concussed in this game.

[Mike Wright]

They're going to be trying to figure some things out. So my. My hot, sneaky pickup, my trade for low, go get James White.

[Andy Holloway]

Completely agree.

[Mike Wright]

They are. I think that they will go back, they will watch the film and the Patriots will say, tom Brady's holding the ball way too long. We cannot perform like this. We have to have an outlet. And that outlet now just de facto will be James White. And I think that he is an excellent target to go get on the cheap.

[Jason Moore]

Jason, is Tom Brady a target to go get on the cheap?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean, he's certainly. Anytime a guy has an outlier performance.

[Jason Moore]

On Thursday night to start the fantasy.

[Andy Holloway]

Season to the extreme high or to the extreme low, they become either a guy that you look to possibly trade or a guy you look to target. Because there are the owners in certain leagues that now have written Tom Brady off. They have them and they go, oh, he's old. Oh, he needed Julian Edelman and they'll trade him for 10 cents on the dollar. So I would not be like trying actively to get him, but I'll go look at who has Tom Brady and I'll make a junk offer. And in, you know, three out of 10 leagues, you're going to get them.

[Jason Moore]

All right? And then look, we talked about Gillislee 15 for 45, three touchdowns on the ground from 2, 2 and 1 yards away. This was Legar Blunt reborn.

[Mike Wright]

Perfect storm for Mike Gillisle. So this is another. Don't overreact.

[Jason Moore]

I would not go try to trade for Gillisley.

[Andy Holloway]

I would actively. I would actively and I highly recommend trying to trade Gillisley right now.

[Mike Wright]

Okay, what are you trying to get for Gillisle?

[Andy Holloway]

I'm trying to get something really good. I'm trying to trade him in a package with someone else to get something like a Devonta Freeman or a Melvin Gordon or someone that is a reliable RB one. I mean, he looked good. His stat line will be great. And you'll have those owners that will buy in because Gillisle, you know, I made the argument for him to be the start of the week because he's the goal line back in a great situation. And he will have that, I mean, Legit Blunt had 18 touchdowns last year, but LeGarrett Blunt's 18 touchdowns in the games where he didn't hit pay dirt. He was really not good for your fantasy team and his consistency rating is not very good. And I expect you're going to see that from Gillislee this year.

[Jason Moore]

All right, it's time to talk about the other side. This is the headline story.

[Andy Holloway]

Kareem. Kareem. Kareem. Kareem.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, please don't trade him just because you can.

[Jason Moore]

Kareem Hunt, that's a debut, comes out, fumbles the football on the.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my gosh.

[Jason Moore]

And he had one fumble in his entire Toledo collegiate career.

[Mike Wright]

Folklon. My head almost blew off of my body with that fumble.

[Jason Moore]

But he comes out and instead goes 5 for 98 through the air for two touchdowns. 17 for 148 on the ground, which is a nice 8.7 clip. Absolutely lights it up. Shows the kind of versatility that you love in a premier back in fantasy. And this is why the second Spencer Ware was injured, we all put Kareem Hunt in our top 15 instantly for the season long because the opportunity said to do so.

[Andy Holloway]

Andy Reid's history said to do so because of what happened. Not only does he usually produce a good running back in the ground game, but he always, always, always, always utilizes that running back in the passing game in ways that take advantage of the skill set. And you saw that last night. However, once again, don't overreact. Don't think, don't.

[Mike Wright]

Carlos Hyde.

[Jason Moore]

This here's the true.

[Mike Wright]

Remember Carlos Hyde against the Vikings.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

A couple years ago.

[Jason Moore]

What are the odds that that was the greatest fantasy performance of Kareem Hunt's career?

[Andy Holloway]

I think they're high.

[Mike Wright]

Very high.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. So incredible.

[Mike Wright]

Just because of the amount of touchdowns, the yardage, I think he can. He can come close to replicating that again. But three scores is a lot.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. I mean, we have seen on Twitter all the different trade offers that are being made for him.

[Jason Moore]

Mike, put a tweet out there.

[Mike Wright]

People are. And so let's say this, let's say you have Kareem Hunt and what is your excitement level? Because I have seen people say I was offered Julio Jones for Kareem Hunt. Is that an auto accept for you?

[Andy Holloway]

It is for me. So long as. I mean, it's. It's always tough when it's a running back for a wide receiver. You got to look at team and other things. But in general, if this was a redraft starting, you know, over knowing what we know I would take Julio first.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. It breaks down to roster construction. Do you have running backs? It's a pretty close to an auto accept. What other offers were people getting for Kareem Hunt after last night's explosion?

[Mike Wright]

Well, the one offer that I wanted to pose because Jason saying package Gillisley in a piece. Would you take Gillisley and a piece and try and get Kareem Hunt? Is that enough of an upgrade for you?

[Andy Holloway]

I would. And so when I say that you need to take advantage of this and find a trade for Gillislee, Gillisle is going to be good. He'll have plenty of use in that important role and I like him, but his consistency won't be there. Kareem Hunt, on the other hand, I think will be very consistent. You know, he will score fewer touchdowns than Gillislee this season, but he'll be someone you could plug and play every week. And when he doesn't have a great game, he probably won't crap your team the same way that Gillislee will carry.

[Jason Moore]

That's what Char west got, and that was cream.

[Mike Wright]

Hunt was tired from. From a 50 yard run. So there's just a couple more of these offers. I mean, you're talking Jordy.

[Jason Moore]

Wow.

[Mike Wright]

In a ppr. Okay, so here's a. Here's a. Interesting one. It's a full ppr. So Robinson and Jarvis Landry for Kareem Hunt.

[Andy Holloway]

Allen Robinson.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

No, no, I wouldn't do that either.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

But I will say this.

[Jason Moore]

I have seen multiple Devonta Freeman plus Kelvin Benjamin.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. That to me is yes.

[Mike Wright]

That's an easy yes.

[Andy Holloway]

And I've also seen multiple people. Multiple, like different humans. Because you would think this would be.

[Jason Moore]

Is that what people are?

[Andy Holloway]

You would think this would only be one crazy guy on the planet that have been offered. Levy on Bell for Kareem Hunt straight up.

[Mike Wright]

Do that immediately.

[Andy Holloway]

Please do that immediately. Go. If you've got Kareem Hunt, go offer him for ridiculous lunacy.

[Jason Moore]

Look, at one point like last night in our league of record I was browsing through, there were seven Patriot offensive players starting and that's with Amendola on somebody's bench. That's the level of. That's the amount of Patriots that are being consistently started in the distribution of points we talked about last night and Mike brought up Edelman. The real problem, to me, yes, Edelman was part of it. A lack of rapport with Cooks was part of it. But Eric Barry shutting down Rob Gronkowski. Rob Gronkowski disappointed all fantasy owners last night. And I want you to know, do not worry about Rob Gronkowski at all. It was Eric Barry. He had done this before. Mike had brought this up. So there's a lot of players. I mean, Brandon Cooks only had three receptions, but he had 88 yards. He was okay for you. He was in the 10, 11 point range. And then we could talk about Tyreek hill. Tyreek Hill, fifth consecutive game with a touchdown of 65 plus yards was electric. What did you think of the usage of Hill? Because to me, he's. He's Edelman plus D Jacks built into one player right now.

[Andy Holloway]

It's incredible. I mean, when Jeremy Macklin was out, weeks nine through 13 last year, he averaged seven receptions a game. They used him just like they did yesterday. Last year, when the opportunity was there last night, he had seven receptions. He also was involved in the rushing game. They looked for him short. They looked for him deep. I mean, because he can outrun anyone in the NFL. Literally anyone. You. He is a must play. I mean, he's an absolute. There's no matchup if you're playing against the Denver Broncos, I'd play him because he can outrun anyone. And the only concern now is he limped off the field. I was worried it was going to be a hamstring. Looks like it came out that it was cramping, which I think is, you know, I mean, we don't want that, but it's better than a muscle.

[Jason Moore]

He'll be fine.

[Mike Wright]

But speaking of Eric Barry, this huge blow for the Chiefs, it sounds like an Achilles injury, and we're talking substantial time, if not the entire season, which, if this changes everything for the Chiefs defense.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. And Marcus Peters left with a calf injury. And Danny Amendola left with a concussion. Jason literally said with the amount of hits he was taking.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

That his health meter looked like it was at 20%, like he was in a video game. And no more than five minutes later, he left the field with a concussion.

[Mike Wright]

I do feel like I need to institute Rule 80 dash 11. Oh, and that is when Danny Amendola is on the field and Julian Edelman is not on the field. He's in my lineup.

[Jason Moore]

Rule 80 11. That makes sense. All right. Hey, look, I feel like we could talk about last night's game forever, but we don't have time for that. I do want to reintroduce a little segment. We're back for the regular season.

[Andy Holloway]

Foot Clan Friday.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, man. You dance like a white dude, Jason.

[Andy Holloway]

No, that was my Muppet dance. I was dancing like. Like you know how you make Muppets dance?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

That's how white dudes are. Go to Move Foot Clan Friday. Every single Friday. We want to say thanks to everybody supporting us [e-mail] and we randomly select one of our Foot Clan members to win a $40 shopballers.com gift card. Today's winner is Justin Alonzo.

[Mike Wright]

Justin.

[Jason Moore]

Justin Alonzo. Congrats.

[Andy Holloway]

You did it so good.

[Jason Moore]

You did it so good, Justin.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, thank you for the support, Justin.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, absolutely. So let's go ahead and get into the news.

[Andy Holloway]

News and notes from around the league.

[Jason Moore]

All right, Mike, what are you hearing about Ezekiel Elliot?

[Mike Wright]

Can we please stop talking about this? Nope. But the ruling on Elliott's restraining order is supposed to be due by 5pm Eastern today. And if that goes, if that passes, that means there is a hold and that Elliott is going to be playing a good amount this season while they try and figure things out once again.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I. I mean, we don't know this for sure, but the expectation I've seen from other people I trust seems to assume that he will get it.

[Mike Wright]

Really?

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, that. Again, this is not my own information. So I, you know, I'm hedging here. The worry, though, for me is if he gets this but he doesn't get the preliminary injunction, then what could happen is he plays for a while and then you miss him in the playoffs.

[Mike Wright]

All right, I got just one more nasty one. Would you trade Kareem Hunt for Zeke right now?

[Andy Holloway]

Wow, that one is.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, my gosh, no. No, I wouldn't.

[Mike Wright]

I don't think.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, if Zeke was his situation, you knew it, or if it was a dynasty league, I would. I would say yes. But right now, I wouldn't mess with it.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

I wouldn't risk it. It'd be. It'd be.

[Mike Wright]

That'd be a big.

[Jason Moore]

It'd be a big biscuit. Bengals coach, running backs coach said that they were going to use a hot hand approach at running back in the context of Cream Hunt. Is this the time to go grab Joe Mixon before you see one of these games from mixing? Because I know the hot hand. Mixing hands are warm.

[Andy Holloway]

Mixing his hands are hot.

[Mike Wright]

No, because I still think it's going to take a couple weeks for mixing to really establish himself.

[Andy Holloway]

I think he will be good from week one and he will be good the rest of the time, but I will never trust the entire season without injury. I don't trust that Joe Mixon would be given the keys to the kingdom and be given 20 touches a game at all. Like Marvin Jones doesn't do this. If it was Andy Reid, I would say he would see the talent, see the hot hand and really do it. I don't trust the situation here. So while I think Mixon is probably safer this week than a lot of people think his ceiling.

[Mike Wright]

Are you willing to play him?

[Andy Holloway]

I'm playing him in two different leagues.

[Jason Moore]

I am, too. I have no problem with the most bullish on mixing of this three.

[Andy Holloway]

I don't think he finishes, you know, as a top 15 running back. He can. My expectations are tempered there because I expect him to get, you know, 10 to 13 touches.

[Jason Moore]

All right. The bills added $2.5 million in incentives to Lashawn McCoy's contract. I believe his base salary was $6 million. Does this matter, Mike?

[Mike Wright]

It does from the fact that now they're saying shady. We need you to stay on the field.

[Jason Moore]

You might not be motivated by this team success. Let's be motivated by money.

[Mike Wright]

That's exactly what it says. Lashawn McCoy is. He's a top three running back.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, he is. Okay, you guys want to get into some of the injury stuff?

[Mike Wright]

Let's do it.

[Jason Moore]

Let's bring it back.

[Andy Holloway]

What's it gonna payment fly? Are you in or out?

[Jason Moore]

All right. In or out? Tyrod Taylor.

[Mike Wright]

I'm going in. In.

[Andy Holloway]

He's the start of the week, so I sure hope he plays.

[Jason Moore]

Enter out. Thomas Rawls, Danny Woodhead and Bilal Powell.

[Mike Wright]

They'Re all going to play.

[Andy Holloway]

I concur.

[Jason Moore]

In and out. Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm going in. I think the game is too important in a division rival.

[Jason Moore]

But how do you handle it if you don't think he's going to be 100%, you play him.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. You still play him. And I probably play him over most most other options.

[Jason Moore]

What if you had Brandon Marshall?

[Andy Holloway]

I would play Odell Beckham.

[Mike Wright]

I'd be go Beckham as well.

[Jason Moore]

Is demarius Thomas going to play this week?

[Mike Wright]

He is. I mean, he's dealing with the groin injury, so that's. That's always trouble when a player injures their groin early. I mean, this is something that can be nagging and last the whole season, so hopefully he's good to go, but I expect him to play Jordan Matthews.

[Jason Moore]

He going to be out there?

[Andy Holloway]

I think he'll be out there, but I worry just about what happens the first hit he takes.

[Mike Wright]

Right. It's a pain tolerance thing is what I'm understanding.

[Jason Moore]

Jameson Crowder added to the injury report yesterday with a hip injury. Wide receiver for the Washington Reds.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, this is. We need more information on this one. I don't.

[Jason Moore]

He got a limited session into on Thursday.

[Mike Wright]

Then he's going to play.

[Jason Moore]

Okay. And Josh Dockson, Brashad Perryman.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, they're both going to play. They both.

[Jason Moore]

Not a lot of questionable guys this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, Week one Rashad Perryman. If he can do anything, he can surprise us when we think he's going to play. That's got a history of it.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, before we jump into some of these matchups, want to thank today's sponsor, draft play. Draft.com/ballers. They're the studio sponsor. You know who they are. It's a weekly matchup. You go in, you draft your team. Up to 10 players can be in this and it's. It just enhances the week. You got your regular leagues. Well, a little side action here. Just a one week thing. And it's super easy because this is a DFS that is really accessible for people who have never done anything because it's a draft. You already know how to play. We're going to be doing a live draft on this show to show you just how quick every week how easy it is.

[Jason Moore]

And then I'm going to make you guys eat terrible things when you lose.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, well, not this week's. This Kareem Hunt. Yeah, but you got to go check it out. Like we said, it's playdraft.comballers or you can jump on their, their website there and use the promo code Ballers. It's just ballers all around. People when in doubt.

[Andy Holloway]

Ballers.

[Jason Moore]

Ballers.

[Mike Wright]

But really check it out. It is. It will make the weekend more fun. And you already know how you get.

[Jason Moore]

A free entry with that code, by the way.

[Mike Wright]

Absolutely. Go, go play for a little bit of quiche.

[Andy Holloway]

Quiche. All right. We also want to thank SeatGeek. We have used SeatGeek for a long time for all of our ticketing needs. Buying tickets to sporting events or, you know, any events can be a hassle through other platforms. Literally the easiest process you will ever experience to buy tickets is the SeatGeek game.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to the Diamondbacks game tonight, see if they can win 14 in a row. Seat Geek.

[Andy Holloway]

Yep, I'm going got my father for his birthday some tickets to the Cardinals Seahawks game. Seatgeek. And it is, here's the thing, it takes you like a minute and a half, I feel like, to complete the process. So download the app now and whenever you're out with buddies and you decide, hey, you want to go to this thing? Just you pull it out and then boom, bam, you got tickets.

[Jason Moore]

You could buy tickets on the toilet.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, you could do it. So definitely get the SeatGeek apple. They make it very easy and over 100 different sites, so the prices are great. You can get $20 off your first SeatGeek purchase. Just download the SeatGeek app and enter the promo code. Footballers not ballers. Footballers today. That's promo code footballers for $20 off your first seatgeek purchase. Fantasy forecast.

[Jason Moore]

All right, this just in. There are more football games this weekend.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm so excited.

[Jason Moore]

All right, let's start with the Raiders traveling to Tennessee to take on the Titans a masterful 50.5 over under in this game. That sounds like a fantasy feast.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

This is the game I'm the most worried about when it comes to overall fantasy production. Not from the standpoint of that I don't think it's going to happen, but usually every week there are some high Vegas over under game that I'm like all in on that doesn't pan out. And I'm all in on this game.

[Jason Moore]

Come on.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm just saying.

[Mike Wright]

Wet blanket. What are you doing over here?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, seriously, why are you poo pooing on this game?

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, we've got two different starts of the week in this game. We believe in it. I'm just hoping it doesn't happen that way.

[Jason Moore]

All right, Mariota in car. I've decided to start Mariota at home over Palmer on the road.

[Mike Wright]

Good for you.

[Jason Moore]

In place of Andrew Luck. I think Mariota is just the floor is going to be very high in this game with the over under the way it is with the passing weapons he has. That being said, the Raiders did hold Mariota to his lowest fantasy point total of the year last year.

[Andy Holloway]

Payback. This time it's personal.

[Jason Moore]

This time it's personal. Look, is this. Is this a fantasy feast for everybody?

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

And if it is, then how do you decide which Tennessee wide receivers to roll out there?

[Andy Holloway]

You don't decide on the Tennessee wide receivers. You probably don't have multiple on your roster.

[Mike Wright]

I sure hope you don't.

[Andy Holloway]

So, you know, if you've got Eric Decker, I think you can play him. That's about the only one I feel confident in because of his touchdown prowess. Maybe in a deeper league of Rashad Matthews, you could play the pass catcher I'm clearly most confident in is Delaney Walker. I think he fits the oak the Oakland Raiders defense. Really nice yes. He fits in there.

[Jason Moore]

In their giant tight end.

[Andy Holloway]

Like a goal. Yeah. In their giant tight end hole in their defense. And so.

[Mike Wright]

I'm not a part of this conversation.

[Andy Holloway]

What did you do, Andy?

[Jason Moore]

I thought if I qualified the hole in the defense.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

With the position, it would work out.

[Andy Holloway]

We're grown up.

[Jason Moore]

It didn't work out the way I know.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, well, moving along. So I do think Delaney Walker is a great play. He's my start of the week. And what else?

[Jason Moore]

Feeling a little red.

[Mike Wright]

I'll try and save us.

[Jason Moore]

Does lynch have a good game against this Titans defense that had a second ranked run defense?

[Mike Wright]

Well, I think that the second rank second ranked run defense of the Titans is just. It's an anomaly because the past defense was so atrocious last year that that's all you had to do. You didn't even have to worry about running on them. On the Fantasy Footballers DFS podcast where. Which is.

[Jason Moore]

Which, by the way, came out today and is out every single Friday. And if you're not subscribed, you're living a sad life. So go get it on itunes. Fantasy Footballers DFS podcast.

[Mike Wright]

If you've never played dfs, if you do play dfs, please check it out. My stack of the week. Because of price and value and upside, it's Mariota and Decker. Because Mariota is absolutely lethal inside the 10 throwing the ball. Eric Decker. My thoughts on Eric Decker are well documented on this show. He's just. He's a touchdown machine. I mean, I'm the only player I don't want to play in this matchup is Jared Cook.

[Jason Moore]

Well, that's kind of a life story for Jared Cook.

[Mike Wright]

I'm just saying he could be all.

[Andy Holloway]

Right, but he's a wait and see type of probably.

[Jason Moore]

Well, who's playing Jared Cook in week one? Yeah, exactly. Nobody. All right.

[Andy Holloway]

I just want to throw this out because of my Delaney Walker start of the week. I love Jonah Smith, but I will hate you, Jonu, if you step in in the way of Delaney Walker.

[Mike Wright]

He's not. It's not this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Good Eagles.

[Jason Moore]

The Eagles take on the Redskins. Two of my starts of the week are in this game. Terrell Pryor and Zach Ertz. I'm excited about this divisional matchup. The over under is 47 and a half points. The Redskins are one point underdogs despite being at home. And look, we want to see what the Redskins offense really is. They gave them. There's some bad vibes there, especially, you know, from Jason in regards to.

[Mike Wright]

It's not just Jason is watching them play football.

[Jason Moore]

Well, Jason's bold prediction, though, with the disaster that will be the offense in Washington. I'm excited to see what happens in this game. I'm excited about Pryor's matchup on the outside. I'm excited to see these new faces in new places. I mean, Jeffrey and Torrey Smith, they're brand new. You've got the running back situation that's a mess in Philadelphia where it's, you know, is it Blunt? Is it small win?

[Mike Wright]

Are you willing to play any of these running backs? I mean, it's a juicy matchup.

[Jason Moore]

You're going to be in a position where you have to. I mean, much like where I had to roll Rex Burkhead in because I didn't feel confident with Lacey or Rawls. You might have to roll in legarrett Blunt and be happy with five to 10 carries.

[Andy Holloway]

Man, I will stay away in any situation possible. I mean, if there. If you have where you start Rawls over Blunt, if Rawls.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, that's the situation people are.

[Andy Holloway]

Going to face if you're that low. I think I would start Rawls over Blunt so long as are they both the same time game. I don't remember the clock, but I want to make sure we don't say sure. I mean, because Rawls, we're sorry.

[Jason Moore]

Both games will be four quarters. They're going to go four quarters.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, the start time. So that. Because obviously you have to wait and see that Thomas Rawls is going to play. If he is, are you starting Lacey or Blunt that game? Definitely Lacey over Blunt for the Seahawks.

[Mike Wright]

Is the afternoon game and the Eagles, they are the morning game.

[Andy Holloway]

So yeah, that's the point. I would not. Then I would not start Rawls, just start Blunt safety. I would start Blunt. But if I've got Lacy, I would start Lacey over Blunt on the road with an over under that, you know, I would personally choose the under. It just doesn't seem like the right situation for the goal line back for Lacey. I mean, in any game can be. I mean, a goal line back. At least you have the opportunity for like what happened last night. A pass interference long bomb that puts legarrett Blunt down on the one. That's what you're hoping for. And if that happens, he's going to have a touchdown. Have a fine game.

[Jason Moore]

The Eagles defense was middle of the road last year, but the run defense tackled opponents for a loss 19.3% of the time. That was number one in the league. Robert Kelly, he Needs a head of steam. What do we think he does in this game at home against the Eagles? You confident starting him, Mike?

[Mike Wright]

Yes, I have confidence starting him as a 2. I think that he's fine. I believe in the Washington offense. Kirk Cousins last year essentially averaged about 240 and two against this defense last year. He's killed them in the past. So I'm just, I have faith that, that Washington gets it going this in this week and that includes Robert Kelly being a part of the action.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to hit pause real quick before we talk Colts and Rams because there were two players we didn't bring up because there's so many fantasy relevant players in the Kansas City New England game. I just really quickly touch on Travis Kelsey, touch on Chris Hogan because they had a lot of hype and I want to know what you think about their situation.

[Andy Holloway]

Are you talking about the running back for the New England Patriots, Chris Hogan?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I thought you meant the running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, Travis Kelsey.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Or the quarterback taking those direct snaps. Andy Reid brought everything up in that game.

[Jason Moore]

Called a great game.

[Mike Wright]

Travis Kelsey. This, this is what you, this is what I expect from Travis Kelsey is you're going to get games like this. You'll get those hundred yard games. It's just the Patriots eliminate the top weapon from, from a team. And there was talk before the game that the Patriots are going to scheme Travis Kelsey out, which I believe is why Andy Reid was trying to just force touches to Travis Kelsey. And so I'm not concerned about him moving forward. And Hogan is, he's, he's just, he's a boom bust guy that if you want to put some juice in the flex position, then Hogan can provide that. But he.

[Jason Moore]

You're paying Hogan playing fantasy roulette with that wide receiver core.

[Mike Wright]

Exactly.

[Andy Holloway]

I did see, you know, a bunch of people talking about the fact that Hogan had, you know, the highest percentage of snapshot yesterday and that, you know, it'll, it'll happen for him. But you need to remember last year I believe Chris Hogan had the highest percentage of snaps in that core. It's just not, they're not using him as, you know, a volume target.

[Jason Moore]

All right. The Indianapolis Colts head to Los Angeles to take on the Rams. Rams are three and a half point favorites against Scott Tolzine and the Scott Tolzine Experience. That's his band name, Goff Tolzine. Who's excited about this?

[Andy Holloway]

Giving away free tickets if you want to go see the show.

[Mike Wright]

I feel like this, this is, I Know that the Rams are on the road. So at least. I mean, you're favorite on the road but to only be favored. They're on the road. Right.

[Jason Moore]

I believe I have them down as home. So let's just verify.

[Andy Holloway]

No, it is the Rams at home.

[Mike Wright]

It's.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, okay.

[Mike Wright]

I apologize. I was remembering that wrong. But the Rams as only a three and a half point favorite at home against the Scott Tolzine led Colts who have a bad defense. I mean, that's just an indictment of who the Rams are, but I think.

[Jason Moore]

It'S an indictment on the total scoring expectations in this game. I think that's what it is.

[Mike Wright]

But I will, I will do this because sometimes you got to be a man about it. I don't like Todd Gurley for season long. I love Todd Gurley in this matchup. I'm trying. If you have him, plug him in as a one with full confidence. I don't expect the Colts to put up any kind of fight for Todd Gurley. I'm expecting a massive game.

[Jason Moore]

Offensive line improvements mixed with being at home. A Colts defense that ranked 25th against the run last year. One of the most frequent questions that I have received this entire week and you guys have seen them, we talked about them on the foot cast. They're all Ty Hilton related because without Andrew Luck and with this general cloud of Scott Tolzine hanging over the offense, people have fears. People want to know, do I start Ty Hilton or do I roll out some lower tier wide receiver in week one simply because there's no Andrew Luck? What are the range of outcomes for Hilton? How are you approaching that situation?

[Mike Wright]

I think the floor is not safe for Ty Hilton, but I'm still going to play him because you know that the ceiling is there. I don't think that the Rams are.

[Andy Holloway]

That's.

[Mike Wright]

I know they were 10th against the pass last year. So they're. I mean, they're an okay defense. But Aaron Donald will not be playing in this game. So can the pressure really get there? I mean, he's a huge part of the Rams defense. So I'm still going to take out.

[Andy Holloway]

Justin Houston last night. The game looks very.

[Mike Wright]

Exactly. So I'm still playing Hilton, but it's. My expectations are lowered.

[Jason Moore]

Let me give you a couple scenarios so you can decide.

[Mike Wright]

All right, Excellent.

[Jason Moore]

Let's use first one from this game. Do you play Hilton or do you play Sammy Watkins in this game?

[Mike Wright]

Hilton.

[Jason Moore]

Do you play Hilton or do you play Stefan Diggs?

[Andy Holloway]

I'm going. Diggs.

[Mike Wright]

Diggs.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I would Play Hilton still. What about Golden Tate or Tyler?

[Andy Holloway]

For the record, I'm going Watkins.

[Jason Moore]

Okay.

[Mike Wright]

Ooh.

[Jason Moore]

Would you go Golden Tate or would you go Ty Hilton?

[Andy Holloway]

I think there I would go Ty Hilton. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Larry Fitzgerald or Ty Hilton?

[Mike Wright]

Fitz.

[Andy Holloway]

Fitz for sure. Fitz is going to be.

[Jason Moore]

So you guys are sharing some of the doubt. I think I'm more bullish on. Look, you drafted to. I held him to start on your team. I'm not going to lose with my stud on the bench, and I probably stick with him.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. I've said this before, but with Tolzine, I am more confident in Dante Moncrief than I am in Ty Hilton.

[Jason Moore]

That seems ridiculous.

[Mike Wright]

Well, it's just the Moncrief as the possession receiver. I understand his logic.

[Jason Moore]

What kind of water bet can we do about that?

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I like that. Just straight up fantasy point.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Oh, no problem.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Waterbed Brooks, where do you.

[Jason Moore]

Weigh in on that? Hilton or Moncri? Hilton. Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Go Hilton side.

[Jason Moore]

All right, so you're in on the waterbed with me.

[Andy Holloway]

Stand alone.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, negative.

[Mike Wright]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Two for one.

[Mike Wright]

Too late.

[Andy Holloway]

I like it. It's too late. You said yes.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I'll just like.

[Andy Holloway]

I did not say yes.

[Jason Moore]

He did not say yes. All right, the Seahawks take on Frank Gore.

[Mike Wright]

Are you playing?

[Jason Moore]

We don't talk about him. We just play him.

[Mike Wright]

Okay. I mean, because he wasn't really drafted as a starter because you could get him later on.

[Jason Moore]

No, I mean, I don't love the situation he's in because you can stack the box against Holzing. Frank Gore is going to have some rotational, you know, he's going to take some time off. I don't love it. I'd rather start somebody else.

[Mike Wright]

They're just going to go 10 in the box.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

One safety.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, Gore.

[Jason Moore]

That's enough for Tolzine.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, perfect example. I started Dante Moncrief over Gore in my flex.

[Jason Moore]

Sounds like Moncrief might be your number one this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Nope. No. I mean, I'm not high on him. This is a deep flex. This is multiple flex positions there. But I'm just saying it's hard to expect a big game from Frank Gore. I said this in the preseason. He looked surprisingly good. Like he. I was like, wow, he's still Frank Gore. Go figure. At 34 years old. But, I mean, the scheme is going to be everyone up close to the line, and I believe, shockingly, that the Colts will be down. I think the Rams are going to be able to move the ball on this Defense and they might have to throw the ball.

[Jason Moore]

All right, the Seahawks take on the Green Bay Packers. Excited about this matchup. 51 point over, under. I expect points to be put up. We know that Aaron Rodgers can kind of persist through whatever defense he faces, even though the Seahawks were top 10 and run and pass defense last year. And then you have the packers, who could not defend the pass at all last year, and Russell Wilson, who looks very good so far this year and has in his entire career. In terms of fantasy, what are we. What are the storylines and narratives? There's a lot of potential starters in fantasy in this game. I'm very excited about Jimmy Graham in this game, for example. He's one of my highest rated tight ends on the week. What are you guys looking for? What are the decisions you're making and how do we need to talk about this matchup?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean, I want all the Seahawks I can muster. I'm throwing in Doug Baldwin, obviously. Russell Wilson, if he wasn't already a top ranked quarterback, easily would have been my start of the week.

[Mike Wright]

I think that's a bold take because. So are you saying you're playing like Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett?

[Andy Holloway]

No. Paul Richardson and Tyler Lockett. I'm not. I'm saying that. That when it comes to Doug Baldwin.

[Mike Wright]

So this just the studs from the team.

[Andy Holloway]

Russell Wilson and I'll throw Eddie Lacy in there. I would play Eddie Lacy this week. I think that the Green Bay packers rushing defense doesn't scare me. There will be opportunities at and near the goal line in this game according to what Vegas is projecting for team totals.

[Jason Moore]

Can I swap Burkett out and still play Lacy?

[Mike Wright]

Not on our site.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. All right, Montgomery, we're confident in Nelson. We're confident in.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I'm still confident in the. In the passing weapons. I mean, Aaron Rodgers, 246 and three last time when he played Seattle last year so he can get it done. And this was. Adams was my start of the week because I want. I have confidence in starting him. He was over 100 yards with a touchdown. I know Jordy had the other two, but I.

[Jason Moore]

If this game wasn't in Lambo, right, there'd be more concern for me on the overall.

[Andy Holloway]

Sure.

[Mike Wright]

And that's a fair point, but it is in Lambo, so I'm perfectly fine firing up your Green Bay weapons here.

[Andy Holloway]

What about time, Montgomery? Because, I mean, I feel like Seattle's defense is not getting enough credit right now. I know it's Lambeau. I know the Green Bay offense But their defense looks much better than it did to me last year.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean it's too early to say that though. I mean this is not the team from three years ago. They were seventh and eighth in the league last year like I said. So they're good, but they were not unstoppably good. They gave up 18 points a game in Montgomery's the guy. So I, by the way, I got, I had a big Jamal Williams fan from his alma mater send me about a 10 page note on why I am very dumb about loving time Montgomery and why Jamal Williams is the best player that has ever played football in the history.

[Andy Holloway]

There's no bias there.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. And so it was, it was all about pass protection and Jamal Williams and how great he is.

[Mike Wright]

Jamal Williams is solid. He's a solid player. But Ty Montgomery is the starter and he will continue to be the starter on a high powered offense. So you. I play Montgomery and for fantasy.

[Andy Holloway]

We talked about this with Kareem Hunt. When you are utilized in the passing game, which is the Green Bay packers game, there's just more value and Jamal Williams won't have that role.

[Jason Moore]

All right, the Panthers take on the 49ers to start the career of Christian McCaffrey 47 1/2 point over under. This game's in San Francisco. They are five and a half point underdogs at home. This is the Brian Hoyer era, the Kyle Shanahan era that begins. I'm a big Pierre Garcon fan. I'm not sure this is the greatest matchup to start the season. But the Panthers D obviously without Josh Norman last year struggled against the pass. I'm starting Garcon and I'm starting Carlos Hyde and that's probably where it ends on the San Francisco side of the ball.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I can agree. I mean you're not overly excited for George Kittle yet. We, you, you have to see proof of concept there. And Goodwin, Marquis Goodwin for San Francisco. I mean that's just, that's just a dart throw at this point. So I'm with Andy. There's. I'm not very excited for anybody but of course two quarterback league. I'm not afraid to start Brian Hoyer as my two. He's not, I'm not starting him as a one this week.

[Jason Moore]

Cam Newton, Christian McCaffrey, Kelvin Benjamin, Greg Olson, I'm rolling them all out there. Do you start Jonathan Stewart as well?

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, yes, absolutely. I mean this is a, this is a team that's going to be winning. They're not going to need to pass the ball. And they've. They. They're going up against the lousy rush defense. So I think Jonathan Stewart is a fine play.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to.

[Mike Wright]

Do not forget last year, the Saints rolled into town. Mark Ingram and Timmy Hightower went full ham sandwich on this defense. So it's not out of the realm of possibilities for both Stewart and McCaffrey to have a big game.

[Jason Moore]

Last year, the 49ers gave up 1.6 rushing touchdowns per game, which is worse than the league. 29.3 points per game. You compare that to what Seattle gave up, which is about 18 points a game.

[Andy Holloway]

And what's crazy is I think that, you know, when I, When I look at the Niners defense, as far as rush defense versus last year, they might be worse.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, I just don't.

[Andy Holloway]

I don't see them being all of a sudden a great.

[Jason Moore]

I think this game's a shootout. I think it's a close game. It's possible if I would take the 49ers in the points, if I were a betting man, which I'm not, but that's what I would do. I would take the 49ers in the points at home.

[Andy Holloway]

If it is, I'm doing it on the back of Carlos Hyde. I mean, I believe Carlos Hyde is one of those backs that plays so much better at home than on the road. You know, we saw him. You just brought up his Week 1 Minnesota game. That was a great defense. So Carlos Hyde, you said you'd start him. I completely agree. I'd start. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I think Hoyer actually has a pretty good game. All right. Sunday Night Football. The Giants take on the Cowboys. What a way to get Sunday Night Football kicked off. Cowboys four point favorites at home, 47 and a half point over under Eli Manning. A sneaky start this week? Oh, yes or no?

[Mike Wright]

Certainly. Absolutely. The Cowboys secondary, we've talked about it through the offseason. They've gotten worse.

[Jason Moore]

They're actually calling it their tertiary.

[Mike Wright]

Nice. But they, I mean, they were. They were bad last year and now they. They're even worse. So I think that Eli Manning is a sneaky start. It kind of hurts him that Odell beckham is not 100%. I still expect him to play, but clearly he's. He will not be the Odo Beckham. You're used to the sneakiest start of this game.

[Andy Holloway]

You're stealing my guy, aren't you?

[Jason Moore]

I will.

[Andy Holloway]

Then.

[Mike Wright]

I'll let you get in there.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I. Look, this is a glory play. There are too Many guys that I would play over him to actually do it. But if you want glory, you're playing that division rival where a win isn't good enough. You want to look him in the face and said, I beat you with a rookie tight end. Evan Ingram has a juicy, perfect matchup here. If Odell Beckham is, you know, even if he's on, especially if he's on the field, because he might be hobbled, but he'll take the defenses away. Last year, the Dallas Cowboys had the worst. You know, we think of the Cleveland Browns as the worst. Against the tight ends, the Cowboys were worse.

[Jason Moore]

Let me, let me give you a scenario because this is how this can play out. You just said the glory play. When you have a Sunday night or a Monday night game, you get options because you see how the games have played out earlier in the day. If you're a Kyle Rudolph or Kobe Fleener owner who play Monday night and you don't think the high end upside is there for them to get you back in your matchup, that's when you could play a guy like Evan Ingram who's a streaker down the field, big play type of potential, and say, hey, I'm just going to try to get back in this game. Because I think Kyle Rudolph's going to catch seven or eight passes, but maybe he doesn't have the big play potential or maybe I don't believe in Kobe Fleener or Antonio Gates. Right. On that Monday night game, I think that's when you could take the dart throw. Because Everton Ingram, who's got a higher chance, a higher percentage of having, you know, 100 yards. Is it Evan Ingram or is it Kyle Rudolph?

[Andy Holloway]

Probably Kyle Rudolph still.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I don't, I don't think so.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, yeah, I mean, that's just you and I, we all off season. You hate Kyle Rudolph.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. That's just based on his career.

[Andy Holloway]

Fair.

[Jason Moore]

All right. Paul Perkins, when I see him in lineups, I cringe. Are you cringing?

[Mike Wright]

Yep. I mean, the Cowboys, the run defense was solid last year and Paul Perkins is. He gets what's blocked for him. And the, the bad news about that is the Giants offensive line cannot run block. So it's, it's going to be rough. It's going to be rough for Paul Perkins.

[Jason Moore]

Would you sit him for Adrian Peterson?

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Would you sit him for Alvin Camara?

[Mike Wright]

No.

[Jason Moore]

You sit him for Jamal Charles?

[Andy Holloway]

No.

[Mike Wright]

No. Because Paul Bur. He has this going for him. He's a starting running back.

[Jason Moore]

Hey.

[Mike Wright]

And he has a cool nickname.

[Jason Moore]

Yep. It's called Bishop Sankey.

[Andy Holloway]

That's good.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. All right. Brandon Marshall confident starting him in this game.

[Mike Wright]

I am.

[Jason Moore]

Could have a nice game against that secondary. He's healthy. He's back on the field and Beckham could be hobbled.

[Andy Holloway]

This is. I'm the anti Brandon Marshall guy of the three of us. But this is a decent matchup. I mean, you've got a hurt secondary. You've got a hobbled Odell Beckham. I think he is worthy of starting this week. If he comes out and flops this week, I'm right.

[Mike Wright]

The biggest. No.

[Jason Moore]

Well, that's. He hasn't played with Eli Mann.

[Mike Wright]

The big question for me is DEZ Bryant is a stud. So you. You drafted him to be a stud and I'm playing him despite the Giants eliminating him.

[Jason Moore]

You're going to have to make that decision every week this year.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

You're basically going to have to say I'm starting Des against this elite cornerback because that's all he's going to face this year.

[Mike Wright]

But so I'm just saying I'm still confidently playing him. The question though is Dak Prescott, who I love this year. I think that he is a top 10 quarterback. But this is a. Is a rough matchup form. The Giants secondary is fantastic. Are you trying to pivot away from Dak?

[Andy Holloway]

It just depends on who my other options are.

[Mike Wright]

Carson Palmer is on the waiver wire.

[Andy Holloway]

No, I think I would go Dak over Palmer.

[Mike Wright]

All right.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, me too. All right. Monday Night Football. The Saints and Vikings. The Chargers and the Broncos. Let's start in the Vikings game. 48 point over under. The game is in Minnesota and so Drew Brees hits the road. I think this is going to be a pretty exciting game. The Vikings are favorite at home. You get to see Dalvin Cook for the first time. You get to see how this running back carousel breaks down for the Saints. And you get to see Ted Ginn in that wide receiver two spot. I'm a huge Adam Thielen fan. I would start him over Diggs in this matchup. I know that's a hot take, but I believe Thielen has a better season than Stefan Diggs despite Diggs talent who I believe he's a very talented guy just like Thielen a lot. What are some start sit decisions you see breaking down in this game? Are you more comfortable with Ingram over Peterson, for example?

[Mike Wright]

I think that's the big decision and I would play Ingram at this point.

[Andy Holloway]

He was.

[Mike Wright]

He's been the starter for years by all accounts, he should be starting again. He should receive the most touches of the running back core. That doesn't mean that he's going to get 25 touches. I mean, you're probably banking on what, 15 to 17.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, you're hoping for 15.

[Mike Wright]

But there's their high powered offense. Will Ingram retain that passing role or are they going to say, hey, rookie Camara, get in there and be the passing specialist. So I'm still, I still have confidence playing Mark Ingram. This.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, this isn't a good matchup for any of them. When you split the ball three ways and then you go up against a team that is good against, that's just, you know, I would order them personally, Ingram, AP Camara, but I'm not excited to play any. I have to play Ingram in a couple leagues and it could work out. Certainly he's a good enough back.

[Jason Moore]

The matchup isn't too bad.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, Vikings allowed nine rushing touchdowns last year.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that's rough. But they gave up some yards.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, they. But they also only allowed 18.7 points a game.

[Andy Holloway]

For the record. I, you know, I know maybe we could find a water bet around it. But I do think Diggs has a really good. I think he's prepared. I love Thielen too. I think this is a game that could be high scoring against. I mean, I mean, you guys are calling New Orleans your.

[Jason Moore]

Let's just keep betting these tandems. You want to go Thielen, Diggs?

[Andy Holloway]

No, because I really like Thielen's upside. But I know my, my thing is not an anti Thielen. Mine is Diggs.

[Mike Wright]

Get it on the board. Join me, Jason.

[Jason Moore]

I knew I couldn't get Jason to bet twice. He's too scared. Sam Bradford.

[Andy Holloway]

I brought up the idea of finding. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

And then we tried to do it and you wouldn't do it. The Saints 32nd against the pass last year, everything about, you know, the scream, the streaming quarterback philosophy says, look, you're at home. You've got a new weapon in Cook. You have the opportunity here to have a big game. Are you streaming Sam Bradford? I know Mike and I believe the defense is better for New Orleans, but you're going on the road in week one, right? It's hard to get there. Is Bradford a better play than someone like Palmer?

[Mike Wright]

No, he's like Hoyer. I'm confident in Bradford as a QB2, but he is not going to be a QB1 for me this week.

[Jason Moore]

All right, let's move on. The Chargers, the Broncos last game. We're going over. Before we do a live draft here on the show of this week's players. So Rivers, Simeon. The Broncos are favored 43 point over under. They're looking at it as a lower scoring game in Denver. I am not excited about starting any of the Chargers other than obviously you're rolling out Melvin Gordon. There's no qualms about that. The Broncos struggled against the run last year. So what do we think about this game?

[Mike Wright]

I'm still fine going Keenan Allen, I think that the volume will be there. I think he is an elite separator. I'm not expecting a monster game, but ppr, half ppr. I think that he will still deliver for the player that you drafted.

[Jason Moore]

Son. Son of bum is no longer there.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Wade Phillips is gone from that defense.

[Andy Holloway]

The Broncos defense is one that I worry about. The turnover. They've lost a little bit of pass rush. They've lost quite a few players, but they still have the elite cornerbacks. They lost their defensive coordinator. This is a game where if the Chargers come out and end up exposing the Broncos D, I will take note of that, but I'm not expecting that. And right now, you know, week one, you kind of have to go. The only thing you have to go on is just offense off season acquisitions and losses along with last season's production. That says to me I worry about starting every single charger, including Keenan Allen.

[Jason Moore]

Aqib Talib might miss the game, though.

[Mike Wright]

Whoo.

[Andy Holloway]

That would. That would.

[Jason Moore]

He has an.

[Andy Holloway]

That would change some things.

[Jason Moore]

He has an Achilles injury. Did not practice on Thursday. We don't know the details yet and I haven't been able to find anything new, but that would change some things for me.

[Andy Holloway]

That would very much change things because not only. I mean is a keep Talib, he's just great, but he also. He. They use him a lot of times against the tight ends. And if there's a team that, you know, utilize. I don't. When I think of what team utilizes the tight end the best, I think of Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers. So a keep to lead being out would be pretty. A pretty big deal here to me.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, we'll see.

[Andy Holloway]

Monitor the situation.

[Jason Moore]

Just look and see if he practices today. Otherwise, other storylines there. How about the tight ends? Anything just note there.

[Mike Wright]

Hunter Henry was drafted as a starter. I drafted him.

[Jason Moore]

You're rolling him in a few leagues.

[Mike Wright]

And I'm putting him out there. And Antonio Gates is. He is what he is where you're just. You're hoping for a touchdown to go his way. And the touchdowns will be there. This may not be the matchup, though, that you're excited to put Gates out there.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean, I. You got to wait and see on this one, but I'm just worried to start any of them, including Gates and Henry. I'm not. I would look elsewhere.

[Jason Moore]

All right. I'm excited about this week of football. Gonna be a lot of fun. Unless you're a J edge IE owner, in which case you gotta wait another week to have a good time. But it's coming. It's coming, so. All right, we're gonna move on. Time for the daily dose.

[Andy Holloway]

The daily dose brought to you by play draft.

[Jason Moore]

All right. The loser of this competition here live on the show, has to.

[Mike Wright]

Well, the loss. The punishment is not live on the show. We will be posting about it.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

On the YouTube channel.

[Jason Moore]

He didn't let me finish. Oh, I was going to say what the punishment was.

[Mike Wright]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

Getting the third pick.

[Jason Moore]

So the draft is starting right now. Mike's got the number one pick in a play draft DFS matchup this week. Mike versus Andy versus Jason. The loser is going to have to eat something that the winners pick out for them at lunch. We'll videotape it, we'll put it online. It is great. Unless you're eating it, in which case it's very bad. Mike, you went with Le'Veon Bell with.

[Mike Wright]

The number one pick. Le'Veon Bell versus the Browns. Child, please.

[Jason Moore]

I took Kareem Hunt. No, I went with David Johnson. I doubled down.

[Andy Holloway]

I wasn't paying that much attention. The second that you said anything other than David Johnson, I was like, oh, yes, I get him.

[Jason Moore]

Sorry, buddy.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm going to take Russell Wilson.

[Mike Wright]

Russell Wilson.

[Andy Holloway]

Wilson. And got to go with Shady. He's just going to put up getting.

[Mike Wright]

In on those incentives.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, those cash don't put up too much.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to go ahead and grab Julio against Chicago. Love the matchup. Love the opportunity for a big play. So I've got Julio and David Johnson.

[Mike Wright]

Man, I was hoping that Julio was going to drop to me. So here on the turn, I'm just going to grab some studs here. Going with AJ Green and then I'm going to look to fill out my running back situation. And I'm going to get Devonta Freeman against the Chicago Bears. The matchup is delightful.

[Andy Holloway]

And Freeman.

[Mike Wright]

Right. Freeman has proven himself.

[Jason Moore]

I am back on the clock. I'm going to double up my wide outs. I'm going to go Julio. I went Julio. Now I'm going to go Antonio Brown and pair him together.

[Mike Wright]

Not bad, not bad in a three person draft.

[Jason Moore]

The second time I've ended up in the non turn situation in these, these drafts and I'd like, I'd like to be on the turn.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I'm going to pair up as well. I'm going to go Doug Baldwin because the only way I win is if, you know, if Doug Baldwin's going to get some touchdowns here. I'll get that Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin combo for the stack and then same game. I'm going for a high scoring affair. I'm going to take Jordy Horty Nelson if those, I mean last time you said it, last time they played Seattle in Green Bay. Two touchdowns for Horty.

[Jason Moore]

Matchups not amazing, but I'm going to pair David Johnson with Ezekiel Elliott and so I took him, man.

[Mike Wright]

My decision here is do I go with a quarterback and a running back? Because I like Matt Ryan a lot and that's what I'm going to do because he's my number one quarterback for the week. So that means that all I need left to fill out my roster is either a wide receiver or a tight end. I'm going through here and I am going to take Michael Thomas.

[Jason Moore]

Michael Thomas.

[Mike Wright]

Michael Thomas.

[Jason Moore]

All right, you took Michael Thomas. I'm gonna, I'm gonna go with Aaron Rodgers at home. I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna get cute, I'm not gonna try to go grab Carson Palmer. I'm gonna just take Aaron Rodgers, round out my team.

[Andy Holloway]

And now I am deciding between Jordan Howard and Melvin Gordon. I like both backs. Obviously the better matchup is against Atlanta, but I think that you're going to need Melvin Gordon to succeed if you want to win against the Denver Broncos. So go on. Melvin Gordon to pair with Shady and Jordy Nelson. Doug Baldwin to pair with Russell Wilson.

[Jason Moore]

And then Mike's team is Matt Ryan, Lev Bell, DeVonta Freeman, AJ Green and Michael Thomas. And my team is Aaron Rodgers, David Johnson, Ezekiel Elliott, Julio Jones and Antonio Brown. So Studville usa look, that's the fun of this game is that even if you don't own these super stud players in your league of record or your season long, you get the opportunity to root for them or have them on your roster in play draft and I am, I'm in a healthy league, a lead in a footballers 10 team week one league because I had Mr. Corey.

[Mike Wright]

The thing about play draft, they have other modes too so which we may have to pivot to next week like we could have done a five quarterback.

[Jason Moore]

Just five quarterbacks.

[Mike Wright]

Just five.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, that'd be fun. Let's do that next week.

[Mike Wright]

All right.

[Jason Moore]

All right. That is it for today's episode. Thanks for tuning in. We will make sure you get all the injury updates. We post those over on jointhefoot.com every Sunday morning. Mike will be doing his first, his inaugural periscope on Sunday morning. People are huge fans of that periscope because they wake up and they get a chance to tune in and find out any of the last minute news.

[Mike Wright]

And because there's just no distractions. It's just my.

[Jason Moore]

Well, yeah, yeah, that's. I mean that's really the highlight.

[Andy Holloway]

That is the distraction.

[Jason Moore]

You are the Eric Decker of the group. We'll be honest with you.

[Mike Wright]

I'll take it.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. All right.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm the Galvin Benjamin.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, my goodness. Thank you very much for tuning in to Eric Decker and Kelvin. I'm the Alex Smith. We all know it.

[Andy Holloway]

Good.

[Mike Wright]

Congratulations.

[Jason Moore]

Chances.

[Mike Wright]

Foot Clan. Crush it this weekend. We'll see you on Monday. Goodbye.

[Jason Moore]

Goodbye.

[Andy Holloway]

To another episode of the fantasy football. Join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter @the ffballers.