Fantasy Football 2017 - Week 14 Studs & Duds, Rising Stars, Is Dak Back?

Summary

Podcast Summary: Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast Episode: Fantasy Football 2017 - Week 14 Studs & Duds, Rising Stars, Is Dak Back?
Release Date: December 11, 2017
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright

---

1. Introduction

In this high-energy Week 14 episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright delve into the tumultuous world of fantasy football. They dissect the latest injury updates, evaluate standout performers, highlight emerging talent, and discuss the potential return of Dak Prescott. The conversation is peppered with expert analysis, strong opinions, and actionable advice to help listeners navigate the critical playoff weeks of their fantasy leagues.

---

2. Carson Wentz Injury and Its Fantasy Impact

The episode kicks off with a deep dive into the shocking injury news surrounding Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz. Andy Holloway expresses his frustration:

Andy Holloway [01:28]: "I can't do this anymore. Yes, you can. I can't."

Wentz's potential ACL tear has significant repercussions for fantasy managers who have Wentz as their QB1 in multiple leagues. Jason Moore offers a silver lining:

Jason Moore [05:03]: "If it's not a complete tear and it's a little bit, you know, less of a recovery, that's going to be good news for keeper leagues and the longevity of going into 2018."

The hosts discuss the impact on the Eagles' offensive production without Wentz, contemplating whether their offensive cores like Alshon Jeffery and DeAndre Aguilar can sustain performance despite the setback.

---

3. Russell Wilson’s Stellar Performance

Russell Wilson emerges as a beacon of reliability amidst a week rife with injuries. Jason Moore lauds Wilson's consistency:

Jason Moore [09:54]: "He's been on fire. He's the best quarterback in fantasy football and he will continue to be for the rest of the playoffs. Hope you have him."

Andy Holloway emphasizes the importance of starting Wilson, especially given his matchup advantages:

Andy Holloway [14:29]: "Adam Thielen got it done against Carolina. All right, I think we're going to. Anything else you guys want to cover real quick?"

---

4. Weekly News and Injury Updates

The hosts provide updates on several players who are sidelined due to injuries:

• Josh McCown: Suffered a broken hand ([10:32]).
• Amari Cooper: Aggravated an ankle injury and exited the game early ([12:21]).
• Tom Savage: Reported with a concussion, raising safety concerns ([12:40]).

These updates underscore the pervasive injury woes plaguing fantasy managers and the critical need for strategic roster adjustments.

---

5. Stud Muffins: Top Performers Amidst Chaos

Despite the injury turmoil, certain players delivered impressive performances:

• Blake Bortles: Surging as a valuable streaming option ([07:01]).
• DeSean Jackson & DeVante Parker: Notable for their upside potential ([23:56]).

Jason Moore highlights Bortles as a viable quarterback option, especially against favorable defenses:

Jason Moore [20:30]: "They have great matchups."

---

6. Running Backs: Evaluating the Ground Game

The discussion shifts to the running back position, where several players showed promise:

• Dede Westbrook: Emerges as a rising star with consistent yardage and touchdowns ([35:28]).
• Jonathan Stewart: Mixed performances raise questions about reliability ([24:30]).
• Jamal Williams: Offered steady production, signaling potential as a week-to-week starter ([26:04]).

Andy Holloway advises fantasy owners to consider players like Westbrook who have demonstrated consistent improvement:

Andy Holloway [34:59]: "You need somebody to play. And Westbrook's looked better."

---

7. Wide Receivers: Navigating the Trenches

Wide receivers had varied performances this week:

• DeAndre Hopkins: Faced a tough matchup against aggressive defenses but remains essential ([30:08]).
• Josh Gordon: Delivered a touchdown despite limited targets ([32:22]).
• Theo Riddick: Highlighted as a reliable option when Amir Abdullah is out ([38:19]).

The hosts stress the importance of targeting high-upside receivers while navigating through tough defensive assignments.

---

8. Tight Ends: Evaluating Consistency and Upside

The tight end slot saw mixed results:

• Trey Burton: Recommended as a streaming option when Zach Ertz is inactive ([33:50]).
• Kendall Wright: Exhibited intermittent performance, making him a risky start ([33:35]).
• Jared Cook: Suggested tactical plays, such as late-game insertions to capitalize on unexpected production ([34:38]).

Andy Holloway underscores the necessity of vigilance when managing tight ends, especially in light of unpredictable performances.

---

9. Rising Stars: Spotlight on Emerging Talent

Highlighting potential breakout players, the hosts introduce:

• Dede Westbrook: Already discussed as a rising back.
• Theo Riddick: Gaining traction with increased opportunities due to teammate injuries ([35:28]).

Jason Moore commends Westbrook's steady improvement and Riddick's reliability when given the chance:

Jason Moore [35:18]: "This is what you need for dynasty leagues."

---

10. Fantasy Playoff Strategies: Managing Rosters Amidst Injuries

As fantasy playoffs approach, the hosts provide strategic advice to managers:

• Waiver Wire Utilization: Emphasize the importance of picking up streaming options like Blake Bortles and Trey Burton to navigate injury-laden weeks.
• Matchup Exploitation: Encourage exploiting favorable matchups, such as starting Russell Wilson against vulnerable defenses.
• Risk Management: Advise against overreacting to short-term performances and instead focus on long-term potential and consistent production.

Jason Moore humorously reminds listeners not to "whine" but to adapt:

Jason Moore [03:03]: "Stop whining, go to the waiver wire, get a good quarterback pickup and win next week and then do it again the next week."

---

11. Conclusion and Key Takeaways

The episode wraps up with a blend of strategic insights and light-hearted banter. Key takeaways include:

• Injury Vigilance: Constantly monitor player health and be prepared to make swift roster changes.
• Streaming Strategy: Leverage high-upside streaming options to navigate through injury-plagued weeks.
• Rising Star Utilization: Identify and capitalize on emerging talents who can provide consistent production during critical weeks.
• Matchup Awareness: Prioritize players facing favorable defenses to maximize weekly point totals.

The hosts encourage listeners to remain proactive and adaptable, ensuring they have the best chance to secure their fantasy championships despite the unpredictable nature of the NFL season.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Andy Holloway [01:19]: "But I mean, I won my matchup, but I lost."
• Jason Moore [05:03]: "If it's not a complete tear and it's a little bit, you know, less of a recovery, that's going to be good news for keeper leagues."
• Jason Moore [09:54]: "He's been on fire. He's the best quarterback in fantasy football."
• Andy Holloway [34:59]: "You need somebody to play. And Westbrook's looked better."
• Jason Moore [35:18]: "This is what you need for dynasty leagues."
• Jason Moore [03:03]: "Stop whining, go to the waiver wire, get a good quarterback pickup and win next week and then do it again the next week."

---

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the essence of the Fantasy Footballers Week 14 episode, providing both strategic guidance and engaging discussions to aid fantasy managers in navigating the final stretch of the 2017 NFL season.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, Foot clan. It's been a wild weekend, but before we get into the show and talk about all the pooped in their big boy pants, the stud muffins and everything else, I want to thank today's sponsor, fantasy Champs. Look, Christmas. It's right around the corner. And it's not too late to go to fantasychamps.com and get a customized fantasy football jersey for that friend, for that husband, that wife that you love.

[Jason Moore]

For that self.

[Andy Holloway]

For that self. They also have trophies, rings, championship belts, everything you need for your fantasy football paraphernalia, as they say. So check it [e-mail] Use the promo code. Ballers.

[Mike Wright]

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

[Andy Holloway]

Welcome in. Energy levels are two thirds of the way there.

[Brooks]

I'm ready to go America.

[Jason Moore]

I'm ready to go America.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm having a. I'm having one of those strange fantasy football evenings. Mornings combination.

[Jason Moore]

A fantasy hangover.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

But I mean, I won. Like, I won my matchup, but I lost.

[Jason Moore]

You are exactly like the Eagles.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes. So essentially, we're going to start off, we're going to talk about Carson Wentz. Obviously, we're going to get into all of the repercussions of the weekend, get you a reset. Hopefully you won. Hopefully you took care of business or you were on by. Hopefully you're not like me. And you have Carson Wentz as your quarterback in both of your major leagues, and now he's probably gone. And I won yesterday. I mean, he. He had the incredible game.

[Brooks]

He was the number one quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

Number one quarterback without playing another quarter. Right. And now you've got the Nick Foles situation. But it's just. Guys, I can't do this anymore. Yes, you can. I can't.

[Jason Moore]

Aaron.

[Andy Holloway]

I lost Aaron. In one league, I've lost Aaron Rodgers and Carson Wentz. Now David Johnson, Odell Beckham Jr. Major, Major, Major players going down. And I read this article on the ringer, so I'm gonna give it a shout out. Talking about the NFL just being a product of itself. You know, players are bigger, faster, stronger, and nothing you can do can stop this from happening. Nothing you can do can stop the. I mean, assault. You know, the amount of great players being knocked out, it just stinks. It stinks for Eagles fans.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Number one. Above everything else, it stinks for fantasy owners because we all. Mike, you said this on the show the other day. We all just want to see our players play. We want to see a fair shake. You know, like, my 12 and 1 team had a buy. Doesn't get Carson wins for the playoffs. Like, you don't even get a chance to see how that thing plays out. And woe is me, yada, yada. I know a bunch of you out there.

[Jason Moore]

Stop whining.

[Andy Holloway]

A bunch of out there are knocked out, and that could have been due to injury. That could have been due to Alvin Kamara going down in the first quarter. It just.

[Jason Moore]

It stinks. It's like you want to go. It's like playing in week 17. You don't want to play in week 17 because you build the best roster, and those best players usually don't play in week 17. So, yeah, I mean, I get it. It's got to be super frustrating. Thankfully, those people that did lose Carson Wentz, like yourself, you got a great game out of them. You probably won. And now, as Arnold Schwarzenegger would say, stop whining, go to the waiver wire, get a good quarterback pickup and win next week and then do it again the next week. Put that fantasy champs on you.

[Andy Holloway]

If you played a streamer like Deshaun Kaiser, they took care of business for you. So there are. There is hope. I'm not saying there's not hope. It just stings for a little while. And so we hope you hang with us. We'll get you ready for next.

[Jason Moore]

You'll be just fine.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

All of those factors are why when you actually win a championship, which is extremely difficult to do, it feels so, so very good. Feels so good.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Yeah. So look, if we get any more news on Carson Wentz. Right now, all it is is concern from the Eagles that he tore his ACL and. But we don't have an official MRI report.

[Brooks]

No, we do not have the official mri. He is going in today. But what we do have are doctors who have a very accurate ACL test. And I don't know of anything in recent memory where a player goes down and they report immediately. He's ruled out immediately. This wasn't a. Well, let's check out. No, it's okay. Carson Wentz is out, and they're very concerned about his acl. I haven't. I don't recall at time of the doctors being concerned about the ACL and going, oh, we were wrong.

[Jason Moore]

Their immediate tests, that they did concern them for an acl, an ACL tear, however, that it would be a partial tear, which is good news. I mean, look, this is bad news. Any kind of ACL tear, it's going to be bad, but for the recovery, because this is late in the season, it's December. If it's not a complete tear and it's a little bit, you know, less of a recovery, that's going to be good news for keeper leagues and the longevity of going into 2018.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. So how does losing Carson Wentz affect the offensive weapons on the Eagles for the remaining schedule? The Giants and Oakland are the next two weeks. Those looked like delicious. As good of a. As good of matchups as you could ever hope for for Alshon, Jeffrey and Aguilar and Ajayi and Wentz and Ertz. So how does he. I mean, are they still going to be productive?

[Jason Moore]

They will still be productive. I think this, what this does is it hurts your ceilings, but the floors should be okay for a lot of those players because there wasn't one overwhelming superstar here. You were living in polls.

[Brooks]

Sorry, we're living in vaulted sea. We were living in the mansion. Oh, those ceilings were vaulted.

[Jason Moore]

Those were 12 foot ceilings.

[Brooks]

And now you're down to the seven.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, you can, you can stand up even an eight.

[Andy Holloway]

Popcorn ceiling.

[Jason Moore]

No popcorn ceiling. Nick Foles.

[Brooks]

There's popcorn ceilings.

[Andy Holloway]

There's some asbestos.

[Jason Moore]

No, no, look, a little bit. Nick Foles is so far away from Carson Wentz that it's not funny. However, with this offensive line, with the amount of weapons and with an offensive scheme that seems very productive. You've got a running game.

[Andy Holloway]

Is it a potential boost for the running game?

[Jason Moore]

It is. Because you might need to rely on that and establish that a little bit more. And you've got two matchups that you're going to be able to do that. So I think that this offense is going to be okay. They're not going to completely implode. You know, sometimes when your starting quarterback goes down a la Aaron Rodgers, your Jordy Nelson is done.

[Andy Holloway]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

You're, you know, you, Randall Cobb, don't think about it, but when it comes to this team, I think you're going to be able to play Alshon and you're going to be okay. Good. He got, you know, he got enough receptions to not crap my team.

[Andy Holloway]

But you know what's terrible? What's terrible is if I just held on to Aaron Rodgers on my bench in league of record, I would have got him back next week to resume to take over.

[Brooks]

Possibly.

[Jason Moore]

Possibly.

[Brooks]

That's not coming.

[Andy Holloway]

Possible. You're right.

[Brooks]

Do you guys think it's JJE time?

[Andy Holloway]

Yes. Yeah. The game yesterday showed me. It's JJ.

[Brooks]

He was up near 50% of snaps.

[Andy Holloway]

They're going to need him even more.

[Brooks]

Fifteen carries. He was. So this is the first time as a Eagle he was over double digits.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

The double digit carries.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

I'm very excited. Very excited for J. Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

He might win some championships. We'll see. Water bet result. Jason, you took a. You didn't. I took a dumb bet. I went 4v1. Josh Gordon came out, delivered the goods. Three for 69 and a touchdown. But it wasn't better than Devonte Adams or DEZ Bryant. It would have been tough if Des Bryant was the only one to beat him with four more yards. The exact same line, 3 for 73 and a touchdown. But I have officially lost. Gordon did outperform Marvin Jones and Sterling Shepard, but not all four. I will try not to make dumb bets in the future.

[Jason Moore]

That was. I'll take the field.

[Andy Holloway]

You can try, but I will still. All right. On Twitter you can find us at the FF Ballers. That's where we'll post the water bet video.

[Jason Moore]

And Mike, how did we not have a water bet on Russell Wilson?

[Brooks]

Because that's not the Russell Wilson decision, which I'm sure that's going to come up right now.

[Jason Moore]

Right. Sure.

[Brooks]

We can do it right now. Russell Wilson came through in a very, very big way. For three and a half quarters. I was staring down Jason.

[Jason Moore]

Oh yeah, we literally.

[Andy Holloway]

Literally.

[Jason Moore]

Yep.

[Brooks]

And because here's the thing. Russell Wilson, I was thinking about this Russell Wilson. I'm getting stared down now the way I was for the final portion of the game. It appears that Russell Wilson plays football the way that my 6 year old son plays Madden because he goes through the routes, you know, in the plays and he sees someone who's running a 9 route. And it's every single play that my son goes like, well, I'm gonna, I'll be on the, I'll be on that nine route. I'll run the deep. He's like, you can't, you can't play football that way. I tried to explain, I'm like, son, you gotta, what do you got? We gotta get some slant routes, some in, some outs. We gotta, you gotta take advantage of it. No, no, I'm just gonna run straight down the field going deep. And it did not work for three and a half quarters in fairness. But then it worked really, really, really well.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean, you got to trust Russell. He's been on fire. He's the best quarterback in fantasy football and he will continue to be for the rest of the playoffs. Hope you have him.

[Andy Holloway]

Hope you started him all right, FootClan Vote.com. if you haven't voted, head over to FootClan. Vote.com takes about two seconds.

[Brooks]

There's, I think four days left.

[Andy Holloway]

Four days left on the voting for the FSTA award for best social media, which is literally who's got the best fans out there in the universe. And so if you go to footclan vote.com spoiler alert, it's you. You have the best. They have the best fans.

[Jason Moore]

You are the best fans.

[Andy Holloway]

I got you.

[Brooks]

Establish dominance.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's. Let's talk more news.

[Mike Wright]

Weekly rewind.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Josh McCown suffered a broken hand in his non. Throwing hand.

[Brooks]

Man.

[Jason Moore]

He.

[Andy Holloway]

He had a broken hand inside of his hand.

[Brooks]

I thought.

[Andy Holloway]

That's what I just said.

[Brooks]

I thought Josh McCown was going to make it.

[Jason Moore]

I.

[Andy Holloway]

The whole year.

[Brooks]

I thought he was going to make it the whole year. This was his best year by far as a professional. Obviously best year for fantasy football as well. But now the, it comes to an end.

[Andy Holloway]

Make the sound effect for Robbie Anderson's value.

[Brooks]

Oh, man.

[Andy Holloway]

Bryce Petty starting. Do you just.

[Jason Moore]

That feels like that tight balloon. That's what. Yeah, that's letting air out.

[Brooks]

But no, it was. Am I remembering this correct?

[Andy Holloway]

Not bad. Is that a ping pong ball?

[Jason Moore]

Very nice.

[Brooks]

This is off the top of my head. But. But last year when Robbie Anderson became.

[Andy Holloway]

A thing, it was Bryce Petty, wasn't it?

[Jason Moore]

Bryce Petty, yes, absolutely. No, that's a really good point.

[Brooks]

I take all my despair away. Yeah, we're back.

[Andy Holloway]

See, don't worry about him.

[Brooks]

Yeah, bump up the balloon.

[Jason Moore]

It's getting pumped up. No, that's a good point. Because I wanted to hold on to Robbie Anderson for the inevitable. Bryce Petty in the beginning of the year because he was hyper targeting Bryce Petty. They were basically like Matt Moore and Kenny Stills. So.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, matching tattoos.

[Jason Moore]

Matching tattoos, holding hands and, you know, passing notes in team meetings. Just saying, will you be my best friend? Circle yes or no. Just giant circle on. Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, they will see what happens. I mean, McCown, he almost made it. Amari Cooper did not make it. Aggravated the ankle injury, left the game game early. He was a dart throw at best this week anyway, hopefully you did not play him or have to play him. Kelvin Benjamin, once a week he goes out with a knee injury.

[Brooks]

Yeah, he'll be back.

[Jason Moore]

Tom Savage, you can't trust him. You can't play Kelvin Benjamin. He's going to. I mean, his knee reoccurring issues. He'll be back. Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

And don't start him Tom Savage left with a concussion. Very, very scary play. Inexcusable, embarrassing ridiculousness that he ever got back on the field.

[Jason Moore]

NFL is investigating that.

[Andy Holloway]

The referee was standing directly next to him and watched him. He basically had gone through the beginning parts of a seizure, came off the field, came back in, and then went off. And now TG8S is expected to start next week, which is appropriate. This was a week in which the matchups for the playoffs didn't impact players negatively. So we said real early, you know, don't overreact to them. You saw it this week. Todd Gurley going up against the number, you know, basically the best run defense in football, totally fine. Against Philadelphia, you had Russell Wilson going up Against Jacksonville, it didn't matter if all four quarters count. Yeah, unfortunately for those that bench Russell Wilson, and he had a monster game.

[Jason Moore]

And this is the second year in a row we've seen this.

[Andy Holloway]

You know, Big Ben against the Ravens, too.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

66 passes, guys. Did you see that?

[Jason Moore]

That was unbelievable.

[Andy Holloway]

That's a career high point.

[Brooks]

He was the. He's now the first player to have three straight.

[Jason Moore]

Three.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Not three straight, but three games of.

[Brooks]

Over 500 passing yards.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, he. He actually was the number one quarterback on the week, ahead of Carson Wentz, I believe.

[Brooks]

Oh, did he make it past him?

[Jason Moore]

He did. So congrats on. On Big Ben out there. But this is the second year in a row we've seen that during the playoff weeks, which, obviously, the playoff weeks for fantasy football, those are really important weeks in the NFL. You have playoff, you know, in or outs being decided in. In real life. And so this is the second year in a row where these difficult playoff matchups for fantasy did not cause problems. I mean, last year, people benched Aaron Rodgers, and he went off in some of the most difficult matchups possible. I think it's the time of year where you just. You have to step up, and if you're a great player, if you're a star, you're going to step up when it matters.

[Andy Holloway]

Adam Thielen got it done against Carolina. Right. You still had, you know, players step up, like Jason said. All right, I think we're going to. Anything else you guys want to cover real quick?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, oh, yes. We need a breaking news.

[Andy Holloway]

We do.

[Jason Moore]

We do.

[Mike Wright]

Breaking news.

[Jason Moore]

This just in.

[Andy Holloway]

What is happening that's Carson Wentz related.

[Jason Moore]

No, this is not Carson Wentz.

[Brooks]

Yeah, I don't think even Jason would not be.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I'm not happy about. My hope is that Carson Wentz is just fine. Somehow. No, this weekend I had to. I had to go to the Supreme Court because there was a judge ruling in this studio that has hurt my soul about one white fudge dipped Oreo and the judge came over to the Moore household and.

[Brooks]

No, Brooks tried one himself.

[Jason Moore]

And I need a ruling here. Judge, has the verdict changed on your ruling against white fudge dipped Oreos?

[Andy Holloway]

If the original verdict was on the.

[Jason Moore]

White fudge Oreos, not white chocolate. Just the Oreos.

[Andy Holloway]

Ruling reverse. Oh, they're good because it's an Oreo. But I still don't like white.

[Jason Moore]

And that's fine. That's fine. People out there of don't like white chocolate. Try these. They're delicious. Okay, that was it.

[Andy Holloway]

Here I was thinking Carson Wentz, ACL news is coming.

[Brooks]

Oh, I thought you had hit the button.

[Jason Moore]

Sorry.

[Brooks]

Well, there was. We have the list, you know, of players these guys did not play. And I just wanted to give a quick dynasty tip because people have asked me about it. Like, I'm out. What am I doing right now? And we don't often talk Dynasty.

[Andy Holloway]

Other than weeping.

[Brooks]

Yes, other than. Other than doing a good, healthy shower.

[Jason Moore]

Cry.

[Andy Holloway]

Legends of the 48 hour cry.

[Brooks]

You are looking for players with expiring contracts and their teammates that will change their situation. I was reminded of it because Dante Moncrief did not play this week. Chester Rogers has been stepping up as the wide receiver, too, for the. For the Indianapolis Colts. And Dante Moncrief is a free agent. I've seen Chester Rogers readily available in multiple dynasty leagues. So guys like that, that's what I'm looking for, is these running backs like Charles Sims, who's. He's on the last year of his contract. He's probably not coming back to Tampa Bay. Maybe he goes and gets a better opportunity. This is how players like Rex Burkhead ended up on my roster because no one wanted them. But this.

[Jason Moore]

At the end of last year, Rex Burkhead wasn't a. He was the.

[Brooks]

He was the running back. Three on the Cincinnati Bengals. So this is what you need to be looking for right now. And while you are, even if you're in it, this is what you need to be looking for for your dynasty league.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, absolutely. Talk studs.

[Mike Wright]

This week's fantasy stud muffins.

[Andy Holloway]

Start with Brooks. Brooks is a stud due to that reversal. They're too good, Mike.

[Jason Moore]

Look.

[Andy Holloway]

They're way too good.

[Jason Moore]

They really are.

[Brooks]

I would rather die.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, well, that might have to be a. Your dessert takes are pretty awful.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that's true.

[Andy Holloway]

Carson wentz dominated. We talked about him. Big Ben. How about Dak Prescott?

[Jason Moore]

He had, I believe, Yak Prescott, as one Twitter follower pointed out to us, 332 yards passing.

[Andy Holloway]

And I read only 184 or something were air yards.

[Brooks]

So that's Stafford.

[Andy Holloway]

The rest of it is complete yards after the catch. It don't matter. It still counts if you pass five yards to Rod Smith and he runs it in for a touchdown. So monstrous game for Dak Prescott. My almost upset did not come to fruition there unless you threw the fourth quarter out, which you're not allowed to do. Brett Hundley, hello.

[Brooks]

Very impressive.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I wouldn't chase those. Against Carolina next week.

[Jason Moore]

What do you do with Dak? Do you buy back into Dak? Because I know my answer, but I'm curious your guys take on.

[Andy Holloway]

I buy back with Dak against Oakland.

[Jason Moore]

Dak is back, and I agree. I think Dak is back. And just to point this out, you know, once back on track, Dak on track.

[Brooks]

Ooh, Dak. Street boys are back, huh?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

We're going dash.

[Jason Moore]

We're going Dak. To the future here.

[Andy Holloway]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

And if you look at his two horrific games back to back Philly and.

[Brooks]

The when Dak was bad back to back.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it was back.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, they're cracks in Dak, you know, if you look at the numbers.

[Jason Moore]

Right, right. So you had him facing.

[Brooks]

Give me a heart attack.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, a heart attack.

[Jason Moore]

All right. Anyways, we are buffoons. His two terrible games.

[Andy Holloway]

No, don't turn it off. Don't turn it off. We're going to stop.

[Jason Moore]

Were his two terrible games were against Philadelphia, who has shut down a lot of people. And the Los Angeles Chargers, who have also shot.

[Andy Holloway]

They've been playing great.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. So, you know, I'm just saying that maybe the matchups were more of a problem than they were given credit for.

[Andy Holloway]

Because the slack you're saying.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, you got to cut Dax some slack. If you cut him some deck, I think he'll be fine.

[Brooks]

Cut him some deck.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I got to give him a little bit of Dak here.

[Brooks]

Oh, okay. I'm lost.

[Andy Holloway]

Dr. Seuss, Russell Wilson, dominant performance. Phil Rivers was very good against Washington. We expected it. Case keenan was very good. 280 and 2. Did throw two picks just a little outside of his MO. Deshaun Kaiser. Yeah, lighting it up. And then Blake Bortles again. Another good game for Blake. Bortles has Houston next week to show Kaiser has Baltimore.

[Brooks]

It's not just a game, my friend. Blake Bortles has been turning it on. It really needs to pay attention. Look, this is going to. Please stop.

[Andy Holloway]

Westbrook helps a ton.

[Brooks]

Please stop operating your heavy machinery. Finish chewing. If you have lost Carson Wentz, you can pick up Blake Bortles and win and win a championship.

[Jason Moore]

Absolutely agree.

[Brooks]

Houston, San Francisco.

[Jason Moore]

Perfect matchups for quarterbacks. Dede Westbrook has been great for that offense, as has Keenan Cole.

[Brooks]

Cole, man, Cole's tearing it up.

[Jason Moore]

They've got it together, really. Philip Rivers, Case Keenum and Blake Bortles the rest of the way through all legitimate playoffs. They have great matchups.

[Andy Holloway]

Can I get 2 for 1 though? If I lost wins, do I get to pick two of those?

[Jason Moore]

You can pick up two if they're on your waivers. Pick up all three if you want. If they're there. Anyways, before we go on, we definitely want to thank today's sponsor, Sherry's Berries. They are absolutely delicious. We were just talking about chocolate dipped goodness and look for this is you're approaching foot, Glenn. You're approaching the time of year where you're going to run out of time and you're going to feel like, oh, no, I've got to do those last minute shopping things. I got to go to the mall at midnight on Christmas Eve. Don't do it. Don't do it. Just go to Sherry's Berries and get an unbelievable deal starting at just $19.99 plus shipping and handling. You can get just delicious milk, white and dark chocolatey goodness dipped berries. These are really juicy. They're great gifts for. Absolutely.

[Andy Holloway]

They're enormous.

[Jason Moore]

They're huge, huge, fresh, juicy berries topped with chocolate, which just makes them incredible. So there's a great deal. And there's only one way to get the amazing $19.99 deal this holiday. It's to visit berries.com, click on the microphone in the upper right hand corner and enter the code ballers at checkout. Remember, if you double the berries for just $10 more, your gift will include a free keepsake dessert platter. That's berries.com, b E R R I E S.com.

[Andy Holloway]

And then how do you spell berries again?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, let me spell berries again. B E R r I e s.com use the promo code ballers for that deal by clicking the microphone.

[Brooks]

I want to thank Omaha Steaks for sponsoring the show.

[Andy Holloway]

It goes great with berries.

[Brooks]

There's nothing that I enjoy more than getting my shipment of Omaha Steaks. And I yell, kids, it's cheeseburger time. Because Omaha Steaks hook it up and they're giving you a deal right now for only 49.99. You can grab the family gift pack when you go to Omaha steaks.com you enter the code fantasy into the search bar and you're gonna get 75% off. Listen to the offer. This is an exclusive savings offer for the foot clan. This is what you're gonna get in the giant box. Two filet mignons, two top sirloins, two boneless pork chops, four boneless chicken breasts, four kielbasa sausages, four burgers, four potatoes au gratin, four caramel tartlets, one Omaha steak seasoning packet. Plus get four additional kielbasa sausages for free. That's usually a two breath statement, but I went all in on one breath and we made it. And you can go on this deal. Go to Omaha steaks.com you enter the code fantasy in the search bar and you're going to get 75% savings. It's the gift. Guaranteed to be a hit.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. We're going to talk running back stud muffins. Look, you would have needed some berries to start Rod Smith. 6 for 47 and 15 for 113 and a touchdown through the air.

[Brooks]

I think there, there is a player on this list who you would need even more intestinal fortitude. Who's that? Jonathan Stewart against the Minnesota Vikings. J. Stu. All he did was 16 carries for 103 yards.

[Andy Holloway]

If you started doing Jonathan Stewart, tweet us.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

If you started him in that game, tweet us.

[Jason Moore]

Picture. It didn't happen.

[Andy Holloway]

Pictures or it didn't have. That's just an incredible. If you're going against the player that started Jonathan Stewart against Minnesota and you lost because of it, send us that, too.

[Brooks]

Can you imagine sitting in your fantasy playoffs going over the roster? You're looking at what's my opponent? They're playing Jonathan Stewart.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Andy brought up.

[Brooks]

That's when you start looking like I'm going to look at next week's matchups. Who's my opponent going to be?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, yeah. In his league of record matchup, he was so upset because he lost Joe Mixon and his opponent had Gio Bernard. So it was like the worst thing ever for him. But then it turned out that Gio Bernard went in the lineup to replace the terrible play of Jonathan Stewart who went full ham with three touchdowns.

[Brooks]

Unbelievable.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. And we'll talk about Jonathan Stewart in a little bit. Against my will. All right. Jordan Howard. Big game. Jamal Williams.

[Brooks]

What's that one?

[Andy Holloway]

L E G I t. I want.

[Brooks]

To see for Jordan Howard. I mean, it's an up and down. It's a very bumpy road with Jordan Howard, but he does get the Detroit Lions next week.

[Andy Holloway]

See, I don't know if I like that.

[Brooks]

You don't.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, here's the thing that I've noticed is that these matchups for Jordan Howard, they don't always come to fruition. You know, San Francisco and look at Cincinnati, they have given up. Right. Last. Last week they lost the close game to Pittsburgh. This week, huge let down against Chicago. Next week you've got Detroit fighting for a playoff spot in Detroit. I'm just. I'm not saying you don't start him. I'm just saying maybe not expect. What is this? 23 for 1, 47 and 2.

[Brooks]

I expect a big game. Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Gurley was great. Another example of the matchup not mattering.

[Jason Moore]

You mentioned Jamal Williams, but he's worth mentioning again because you got to stick with him.

[Andy Holloway]

It's the passing car.

[Jason Moore]

Aaron Jones was back. He was in this game. He was barely on some depth charts. He was listed as the starter.

[Brooks]

There was a scare that we didn't really give it credibility, but there was this weird thing where Aaron Jones was listed as the starter.

[Andy Holloway]

I think they never moved him. Maybe that's what happened.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. So, yeah, regardless, Jamal Williams has looked great. He was almost going to be my rising star today. I just feel like he's already risen.

[Brooks]

He's risen so many Times.

[Jason Moore]

He's at 12 noon right now. He's straight up in the air.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. You rise him anymore, he starts going down.

[Jason Moore]

Right. You got to just stay in the flames, you know, get your. Your suntan lotion on and bake just like us.

[Andy Holloway]

Just get that sweet Arizona tan that we got. Theo Riddick out. Snap tion green 48 to 13 was the guy in the backfield for.

[Brooks]

We're going to talk about theoretic Detroit.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, we will. Alex Collins.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, man. Alex Collins.

[Andy Holloway]

Shoot him out of a cannon.

[Jason Moore]

He's just really good.

[Brooks]

Yes. It's. When you are watching players like Alex Collins and this. He should have won that game yesterday. I mean. Well, first off, the Alex Collins people are so mad at Buck Allen right now for vulturing two touchdowns. But I'm watching Alex Collins play and it's so crazy how NFL teams miss this badly on players. The Seattle Seahawks drafted Alex Collins and they can't. They cut him. Yeah, they cut him so that they could roll out Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and undrafted Chris Carson and Now, Mike Davis, which Mike Davis wasn't, wasn't available for the Alex Collins, but the Seahawks right now have to be watching Alex Collins play, going, here's what I love about.

[Jason Moore]

Here's what I loved about Alex Collins in this game. He fumbled and. And was immediately the next snap back out on the field. Never was taken out.

[Brooks]

That's how you do it.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. It was concerning, though, because he's got an injury fumbling history from college and into this season. So it was nice to see him stick with him. He's just. He's proven himself too much.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, he's been great. Alex Collins, Jamal Williams, they could be on a lot of championship rosters with seasons ending, especially Collins having Cleveland, Indianapolis the next two weeks. How does that make you feel, Brooks, with that dynasty roster?

[Brooks]

Pretty good.

[Andy Holloway]

Here's the fun part of this adventure. I lost Carson Wentz and I get to face Brooks next week. Brooks is my only loss on the year, and he's going to knock me out. This is going to be the judge.

[Jason Moore]

Do it, Brooks.

[Andy Holloway]

The judge is going to. First he. He ruled against me, and now he's sentencing me to death. That's what the judge is doing.

[Jason Moore]

Sentencing's coming this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I've been in lockup and now I'm waiting to come out and get. Get my.

[Brooks]

You're hoping for a party?

[Andy Holloway]

I'm hoping to just get life in prison. I mean, at this point, the way what he's doing. All right. Lashawn McCoy, king of the snow. Yeah. Why? Snowpiercer. Lashawn McCoy. 32, 156 and a touchdown. Who is this guy?

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Yes.

[Brooks]

Oh, man. Oh, the Kareem Hunt return.

[Andy Holloway]

He was benched, I bet for a lot of people.

[Brooks]

He filled my heart with such joy. 25 for 116 with a touchdown.

[Andy Holloway]

Like giving him the ball.

[Brooks]

25 carries finally.

[Andy Holloway]

Chargers next week, then Miami start.

[Jason Moore]

Those are both good matchups at home.

[Andy Holloway]

At home. Fournette. Hello. 24 for 101 and a touchdown. And Buck Allen ended up scoring twice.

[Brooks]

Sneaks in on this list. Get him out.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, just think of the game Collins could have had if he had grabbed those touchdowns. Gio Bernard, not bad. 6 for 68, 11 for 62 on the ground.

[Jason Moore]

Just didn't get a lot of Jays do.

[Andy Holloway]

Didn't get a lot of work, you know. Jace do. Let's turn. Turn the page here. Let's look at some wide receivers. If you had DeAndre Hopkins on your team, you probably won. 16 targets. 11 for 149 and two touchdowns this week. He is Jacksonville. Does he really have a DeAndre Hopkins ceiling? The face Jason just made was.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it's. It's not. It's not good. Jalen Ramsey is. Is as legit a corner as there is in the NFL. TJ Yates has proven that he's going to go to Hopkins. I don't worry about the quarterback, you know, other than the fact that he's just not that great. He's still going to hyper target DeAndre Hopkins, but, man, it's. It's a bad matchup. You're going to start him. You have to start him. We just talked about. Don't overreact when you're talking about these elite guys, but I think it's going to be very difficult for him to put up what he's been doing, and he's been doing it on good corners. He's been beating Patrick Peterson, I think. Was he against Casey Hayward? He had a couple really tough matchups in a row. Cornerbacks. So we're going to find out a lot about Jalen Ramsey.

[Andy Holloway]

He wasn't Hayward.

[Brooks]

He played against Baltimore a couple weeks ago.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, okay.

[Andy Holloway]

He had Jimmy Smith in that game. Antonio Brown. Yeah.

[Brooks]

Ridiculous.

[Andy Holloway]

Really good.

[Jason Moore]

213.

[Andy Holloway]

Look, let's bring up some of the studs that maybe are questionable starts. Cooper cup ended up five for 118 and a touchdown. Seven targets.

[Jason Moore]

What?

[Andy Holloway]

Demarius Thomas, eight for 93 and a touchdown. Golden Tate, eight for 85 and a touchdown. Nice to see that come to fruition for Tate.

[Jason Moore]

Keep starting. Devonte Adams. I know he had a bad week last week, but if you look over the last, like, six, he is as solid as any wide receiver out there.

[Andy Holloway]

Really good after the catch, man. Just really, really good.

[Brooks]

Do you feel like you can trust Demarys Thomas? It's a matchup against the Colts?

[Andy Holloway]

I think so.

[Brooks]

But it's on the road.

[Andy Holloway]

I think so. Yeah, I think you can. And I. I mean, I'm sitting there, I'm looking at the waiver wire for quarterbacks, and I'm going, would I. Would I play Trevor Simeon on the.

[Brooks]

Road against the Colts? I would play Blake Bortles.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I would if I had. Yeah. But here's the option.

[Brooks]

Here's the thing. For Thomas, two weeks ago, when it was the absolute dud, it was 2 for 27. He still had 10 targets in that game. It's just every once in a while, there's these weird things happening where a guy only catches 20% of his targets.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Hey, Josh. Gordon, we talked about three for 69 and a touchdown. Only six targets in this game. They basically got out to a lead and then tried not to lose the lead.

[Brooks]

And then all that damage on the first drive.

[Andy Holloway]

Dede Westbrook, five for 81 and a touchdown. Obviously the wide receiver to own over Lee at this point.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I would say more upside.

[Andy Holloway]

Right. More unknown, I suppose.

[Brooks]

I still like Lee, though.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. And Cole is all right. Also, Corey Coleman, you know, Josh Gordon gets all the love because he's the new. Ironically, he's the new hotness.

[Andy Holloway]

He's the old hotness.

[Jason Moore]

He's the old hotness, which is a really rare combination. But five for 65 for 62 and a touchdown. Corey Coleman had the better game in Cleveland, so don't, don't forget about him either, because he's actually three out of the last four weeks been very relevant.

[Andy Holloway]

They threw the shades on. Both of them. Did. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

That was the deal with it.

[Brooks]

It was great.

[Andy Holloway]

Anything, any excitement for Kendall Wright? 10 for 107 on 11 targets.

[Jason Moore]

He does this too often from time to time and then disappears again. I mean, is not the first time we've seen Kendall Wright have a good fantasy game, you know, one out of six. So I have a really hard time buying. And especially with Trubisky there. He had a great game, was one of the better quarterbacks this week. I can't fathom that. You can bank on it.

[Brooks]

I'm with Jason.

[Andy Holloway]

Trey Burton. Oh, streaming hero of the night.

[Brooks]

Good grief.

[Jason Moore]

You didn't like that one?

[Brooks]

I didn't even know what was coming.

[Andy Holloway]

Out of my mouth.

[Jason Moore]

We've said this several, several times on.

[Andy Holloway]

The weekend, not the night.

[Jason Moore]

A couple weeks ago, you were, you know, he was your rising star. Trey Burton was absolutely. If Zach Ertz is your tight end and he is not playing, you play Trey Burton. He's literally the only tight end handcuff in the league. But if you have Zach Ertz, you need to be rostering. You should be rostering.

[Andy Holloway]

But don't you. I mean, at this point, Yeah, I guess. Trey Burton. You rode Trey Burton and then now I don't care.

[Jason Moore]

Right?

[Brooks]

Correct.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm not playing.

[Jason Moore]

I was forgetting for a minute the my misery, my misery news coming out.

[Andy Holloway]

Jesse James, big game. Jared Cook, obviously, once you sit him, he'll finally show up. Hunter Henry, 4 for 15, a touchdown.

[Jason Moore]

What you have to do with Jared Cook is you have to leave him out of your lineup until seconds before.

[Brooks]

Try and trick him.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. You got to know I'm not, I'M not playing him. You could pick up some garbage, tight and put him in.

[Andy Holloway]

He's still on my bench right now.

[Jason Moore]

Exactly. And then the last second, sneak him in there and he still thinks he's on the bench. Yeah, he'll come through for you.

[Andy Holloway]

That's the trick. Right? It's time to talk Rising Stars.

[Mike Wright]

Raising canes. Rising Stars of the Week.

[Brooks]

I think.

[Andy Holloway]

I think Cook just looks at that ownership, you know, the start percentage right before the game, and he's like, okay, where am I? Am I over 50%? I'm going to lay an egg.

[Jason Moore]

I'll kick off the Rising Stars with Eric Ebron.

[Brooks]

Oh, yes.

[Jason Moore]

No, no.

[Brooks]

How is Eric Ebron not listed in that?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, there he was. Eric Ebron had a monster game.

[Brooks]

Our host just glossed over him.

[Jason Moore]

Ten for nine, four. No. You know what? Thank you, Andy, because I have. I have spent too, too much of my life giving credit to Eric Ebron. That was.

[Brooks]

That was it, though. That's the breakout, man.

[Jason Moore]

That was it. All the credit in the past was for this one game that nobody played him in. Actually, we played him. So in our conjoined league, that was a good choice. Anyways, my rising star this week is dede Westbrook. This is. If you're unfamiliar with who dede Westbrook is, this was a Heisman Trophy candidate. You know, just a year ago, coming out of college was one of the, you know, the most exciting rookies. People wanted Matt Harmon of reception perception, liked him, but he was injured. He missed the whole first half of the season. Even more, probably the first 75% of the season, it was gone. He's come back the last. He's played now four games, including this last week, Each game more yards than the last. 35, 41, 78, 81. And this last game against Seattle, that's a. I realize they've lost some pieces, but it's still a good defense in general. And you're talking five receptions, six receptions the week before, six receptions week before that, 81 yards this week in a touchdown and coming up for their playoff schedule. If we're talking about how we like Blake Bortles, that's true. And clearly we like his receiving options. You've got Houston.

[Andy Holloway]

This is what you hope for with West Virgin. I mean, weeks ago, you pick him up because he's talented, he's a rookie, and there's the potential for those guys, much like Josh Gordon's return, to just have a big impact down the stretch. You need somebody to play. And Westbrook's looked Better. Bortles has looked better. I'm all aboard.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, you can play him the next two weeks in these playoffs and you know he'll help you win a fantasy championship.

[Andy Holloway]

Look, I did everything in my power not to pick Jonathan Stewart as my rising star because that seems like an antithetical combination of thoughts. Jonathan Stewart is a descending star. Right.

[Brooks]

He is already supernova. He's now a white dwarf.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, the juice is gone and yet it's not. But it's not a 60 plus yard touchdown. Three touchdowns in this game. And here's the thing. I don't chase points and I'm not chasing Jonathan Stewart's points. I'm looking at the bigger picture. Six touchdowns in six weeks. Three straight games with a touchdown. Double digit carries, double digit performances in four of those six games. I think I just have to step in, climb on his back and he's.

[Brooks]

Technically on fire by our rules. Right.

[Andy Holloway]

And so at this point, I'm saying you can start him. That's all I'm saying.

[Jason Moore]

Well, he's got great matchups. You got Green Bay and Tampa Bay. The Bays are open.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, the Bays are open.

[Brooks]

Open for plundering. Now, I think that I am by far the most that one got.

[Andy Holloway]

Andy, our show is ridiculous. Go on.

[Brooks]

I think I'm the most qualified to talk about this segment because a raising cane caniac was annihilated at my house last night.

[Jason Moore]

Hashtag jealous.

[Brooks]

Hashtag always extra soft.

[Andy Holloway]

Still full.

[Brooks]

Yeah. Delicious. I'm going with Theo Riddick since Amir Abdullah has been out 15 targets over the last two weeks. Three.

[Jason Moore]

What?

[Brooks]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Theo Riddick has had 15 targets in the last two weeks. Yeah, I was unaware.

[Brooks]

Three rushing touchdowns in that time period as well. And in the past two years, when Abdullah is out, Theo Riddick jumps up over seven points in a ppr. And why he is my rising star because similar to Trey Burton of last week, this is, it's got a. There's a clause here because we're, we're talking about Abdullah being out. All reports where he was healthy enough to play yesterday. Now maybe they were just saying, okay, let's be precautionary. We don't want him to re. Aggravate it or.

[Andy Holloway]

They wanted to see.

[Brooks]

They're sending a message to Amir Abdullah saying, you have not been good enough for our football team and he got benched. Now, if he does not play again next week, you similar to Jonathan Stewart. This is just. You have to be at the point now where Theo Riddick, if he's on your Bench. I have confidence to play him.

[Andy Holloway]

I want to give some. Some people more context for those decisions because these decisions could win you your fantasy championship. Right. Theo Riddick is the kind of player where, look, Jerick McKinnon, Demarco Murray, Derrick Henry, these split time backs. If Theo Riddick is alone in that backfield, because that's basically what he was. This right snap count wise, Teon Green barely got on the field. Theo Riddick was basically alone. I'm saying you put Theo Riddick in for Jerick McKinnon, you might win your week.

[Brooks]

And you have to go a couple years back. But Theoretic has been a dominant fan.

[Andy Holloway]

He led the league in receptions.

[Brooks]

At the running back position.

[Andy Holloway]

At the running back position. All right, those were the raising canes, rising stars of the week. Remember that? Game day tastes better. I guess game night too as well. Last night with raising canes, tailgates full of fresh 24 hour marinated hand battered chicken fingers and fresh brewed sweet tea. Visit raisingcanes.com to find your nearest location. So you. You went full Caniac? Mike, I split it with the wife. Okay. All right. I thought maybe I would not be here this morning.

[Mike Wright]

Pooped in his big boy pants.

[Andy Holloway]

Would that have been where you were?

[Brooks]

Exactly.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, well, I. This is the part of the show where we will mourn with those who mourn.

[Brooks]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Marcus Mariota, at this point, he doesn't have it.

[Brooks]

He has kid shorts.

[Andy Holloway]

He doesn't have it.

[Brooks]

He does not have big boy pants.

[Jason Moore]

Well, then after the game, they're like, Mariota was playing with a knee injury and.

[Brooks]

Oh, get out of here.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

After the game, someone ran up with scissors and just cut his pants into kid shorts.

[Jason Moore]

They didn't even go to his knee.

[Andy Holloway]

He's going to San Francisco next week. I do not have confidence replacing Carson Wentz with Marcus Mariota.

[Brooks]

I don't either.

[Andy Holloway]

Even with the Giants. Yeah. Or. Sorry. The 49ers have won two straight games. They're actually. They've been okay on defense over the last six weeks. And Mariota, he's just not getting it done.

[Jason Moore]

Blake Bortles greater sign. Marcus Mariota equals sad emoji.

[Andy Holloway]

There you go.

[Jason Moore]

But it is a true statement.

[Andy Holloway]

Matt Ryan. Oh, had a tough week. Andy Dalton looked horrendous. And Matt Ryan. What are they playing for in Cincinnati? I mean, Dalton came out in this game.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. It was one of those things that was weird. It was like he came out and he's been playing terrible. But it was also because the score was out of control. This is normally when you bench your starter so that they don't get hurt. I feel like this is when you might have wanted to leave Andy Dalton in there.

[Andy Holloway]

Alex Smith, he came off of his monster week and had a good matchup.

[Jason Moore]

And then if you were an Alex Smith owner, we need to mourn with you because it looked great. He had two touchdown throws to Travis Kelsey. One where it was reversed and taken away down at the half yard line and the second one reversed. I mean two like called touchdowns on the field. You're super happy and you have no touchdowns.

[Andy Holloway]

Next week against the Chargers in Arrowhead though.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it's not a good matchup. I would, I would look elsewhere.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. And then he has Miami at home after that. Derek Carr.

[Brooks]

What happened? I'm not, I mean I'm not a huge Derek Carr fan and that's been expressed on the show. But what happened?

[Jason Moore]

I thought he was better than he is.

[Brooks]

He forgot how to play.

[Andy Holloway]

This is an example where again, the matchup didn't, didn't pay off. Marcus Peters was pulled suspended by the team. This was already the defense giving up the most explosive plays in football. He hypothetically got Cooper and Crabtree back. Now it ended up only being Crabtree and he goes out and goes 24 for 41 for 211 and one and throws two picks.

[Jason Moore]

I'm with you, Footclan, if you started them. I, you know one of my playoff matchups where I did not have the buy. I started Derek Carr over Dak Prescott.

[Brooks]

Yep.

[Jason Moore]

I'm out. I would not have been so, I mean, watching the game though, you know, the analysis of Derek Carr is that right now he is not a good quarterback. He's. He's just there with marks. Mariota, you can't rely on these guys. They're not playing good football. You talk about overthrows under throws. I looked to Mike at one point and I said, I don't know who it is, the FBI or whatever, but someone that's in charge of this needs to investigate the like bank accounts of Derek Carr and see if he's betting on Kansas.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, that's a very.

[Jason Moore]

I'm just saying he was.

[Andy Holloway]

You don't want to make that accusation.

[Jason Moore]

He was. So it was a jest. It was, it was a joke. It wasn't kind of. It was in jest.

[Brooks]

Wink.

[Andy Holloway]

At this time last year, Derek Carr was the MVP candidate in the AFC before he broke his leg.

[Brooks]

But at this time last year, Derek Carr always laid eggs against his divisional opponent.

[Andy Holloway]

Why? And it's one of those. It's just sad because we didn't get to see Carr finish his great year right last year because he broke his leg, went out in the playoffs. Now we don't get to see Wentz finish his great year. Say nor Mariota or nor Mariota last year. See, this is. I, you know, I forbid it. No more injuries. Brooks. Brooks. Ruling. Can I please get an official. Can I get a ruling?

[Jason Moore]

What?

[Andy Holloway]

I think that might be out of my control.

[Brooks]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Wait, whatever. I don't ever.

[Andy Holloway]

Brooks.

[Jason Moore]

I don't want to say it, but I'm going to say it. Does this mean that Carson Wentz is going to be really disappointing next year?

[Andy Holloway]

No, don't say that. Oh, we don't need to go there.

[Brooks]

Give them. Give the man time.

[Andy Holloway]

Give the team and their fans some hope. Running back poopers. DeMarco Murray and Latavius Murray, are you guys.

[Brooks]

Now I had announced kind of weeks ago that I was done with DeMarco Murray. Have you guys joined me on that side of the field?

[Andy Holloway]

Can be done with him?

[Jason Moore]

Sure.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, I, I was a Joe Mixon owner. I had to play DeMarco Murray.

[Jason Moore]

Fair.

[Andy Holloway]

Mixon was out. So look, Murray, right now, he's not scoring the touchdowns. He's now this, this is a game where his counterpart, Derek Henry struggled immensely as well. He actually ran. He was worse. Yeah, he had 2.5 carry. You can't play him right now.

[Brooks]

I mean, and that's the problem is you can't play Murray. But because the team continues to play Murray, you can't play Henry. Henry's the type of running back he needs to.

[Jason Moore]

Well, if he gets you a fourth.

[Brooks]

Quarter 75 yard touchdown, you're feeling really good about it. But Derek Henry is the kind of running back that needs to gain momentum over the game and they're not going to give that to him, at least this year.

[Andy Holloway]

So Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon against Carolina didn't get much done. Jerick McKinnon was much better in this game, but neither of them were Fantasy contributors. Christian McCaffrey, man, he was not involved.

[Brooks]

Jonathan Stewart was dominating.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, but even in the passing game, only having four targets, you know, Greg Olson was back out there but didn't catch any passes. I just, just a disappointing playoff performance for McCaffrey.

[Brooks]

Certainly another disappointment. Not as disappointing as Lamar Miller.

[Jason Moore]

The two guys that disappointed me the most that you know, because, okay, some of these guys were mentioning, I didn't necessarily expect them to have big games, but two guys that I thought for sure were going to be great plays this week. Were Lamar Miller and Smaj P. Ryan.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

They were all alone. Each one of them in their backfields with good matchups. And neither one of them, I mean, they basically did the exact same thing. They got around 50 yards, which is not the worst ever. I mean, it's not. You know, it's not like they finished with 20, but that's enormously disappointing. They really did hurt you in fantasy playoffs. This is where you've got to score a lot because you're playing the best teams. And they. They let a lot of fancy owners down this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I expected a lot more from both of those guys. P. Ryan, 17 for 45. Has Arizona next week, you know, and.

[Jason Moore]

Jacksonville for Lamar Miller. So I don't think either one of these guys, they're not going to bounce back. No.

[Andy Holloway]

And then none of the running backs for the jets, the jets entire offense, you could have just. If you just wanted to usher them, you know, away off the field at the beginning of the game once McCown, you know, McCann, was struggling to begin with, then he gets injured, goes off the field. There was nothing there for the jets in Denver.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I would. I would say the jets as a whole, poop their big boy pants.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that's because they've been pretending to wear big boy pants lately. And. And then they. I think they just put them on so that they could fill them up.

[Andy Holloway]

They, like, walk out like the kid who puts his dad pants on and says, look at me.

[Jason Moore]

But I was. I was super disappointed. I mean, I really had bought into the running backs here in this matchup as well as McCown, and just huge disappointment. Shame on you.

[Andy Holloway]

Here's the next disappointment we saw coming. Maybe not to this degree, but Mike Evans, man, facing Darius Slay, 2 for 25. Mike, you asked the question on Sunday.

[Brooks]

Yeah, because we, we get the questions all the time. Where's my confidence level with Mike Evans? And I always say you got to play Mike Evans because on the, on the season, he's been fine. He hasn't been. He hasn't lived up to his draft stock. He's still a wide receiver, too.

[Andy Holloway]

Barely, but probably not anymore.

[Brooks]

Well, coming into this week, he was a wide receiver, too, which means it's fine. You should have played him every week. But now, in the past two weeks, what we have 58 yards total on four receptions. Very disappointing. But gets at the Atlanta Falcons next.

[Andy Holloway]

Deed Westbrook or Mike Evans.

[Brooks]

See, that's. That's where we are now. And it stinks. And I would still play Mike Evans.

[Andy Holloway]

I would, too. He's the Kareem Hunt of the wide receiver position. Right now. The name is humongous, but the production is a little bit scary.

[Brooks]

Right.

[Andy Holloway]

Atlanta, they can, you know, they can cover the wide receiver, but he's Atlanta's at home.

[Jason Moore]

Atlanta's been pretty solid against wide receivers.

[Andy Holloway]

See, this is one of those situations, though. Guys. Jason, you brought this up. Some players, look, Tampa and Cincinnati are in the same boat, guys. They both have a head coach that's probably going to get canned. They're both in a what are you playing for? Situation. Whereas Atlanta is fighting for the playoffs. Yeah.

[Brooks]

And it's still this particular matchup. If you're talking what is Tampa Bay playing for? They're. They're playing to screw their divisional opponent. So I don't. I'm not calling for Tampa Bay to pack it up in this matchup.

[Andy Holloway]

Robbie Anderson and Jermaine Curse were awful.

[Brooks]

Hey, more Jets.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Sterling Shepard played, I think.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Two for 16. Terrible.

[Brooks]

Horrific.

[Andy Holloway]

Emmanuel Sanders. Something's not right right now. I think we know that. And now the stats, they bear that out. One for 16. And then Ty Hilton, I don't blame him. He was in the.

[Brooks]

It was the snow game.

[Andy Holloway]

He was in the snowball.

[Jason Moore]

So everyone in the Buffalo game gets a pass.

[Andy Holloway]

Yep.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, that game, if you have not seen it.

[Andy Holloway]

Another way to put it would be everybody in the Buffalo game didn't get any passes. Right.

[Jason Moore]

If you have not seen pictures of it. Let's say you're not on Twitter. Just go watch a highlight film of that game. It is unbelievable.

[Andy Holloway]

It's really fun to watch.

[Jason Moore]

It was so fun because every player, when they were, you know, running, they looked like me, but like me running on AstroTurf. They were running through, you know, two feet of snow and they were just lumbering big guys. It was awesome.

[Andy Holloway]

Jordy Nelson, nothing.

[Jason Moore]

But not anymore. Maybe.

[Andy Holloway]

Could be sneaky. If he's on your waiver wire, you could grab him.

[Jason Moore]

I'll start him next week. If Aaron Rodgers is in.

[Andy Holloway]

And then Josh Dockson against Casey. Hayward struggled mightily. He could be a bounce back candidate against Arizona. We'll see. He might get Patrick Peterson.

[Brooks]

He will.

[Andy Holloway]

Jimmy Graham.

[Jason Moore]

Ooh.

[Andy Holloway]

Tyler Croft, Greg Olson, Benjamin Watson. All combined. If you got to start all four, if you were the Flying V. If I said. If I said, hey, you get to start all four of those tight ends. Three extras, you'd get zero points.

[Jason Moore]

Cameron Brait was 1 for 11. Disappointment. Bray outscored those four combined.

[Andy Holloway]

You know, I don't feel as bad about Steven Anderson anymore after reading these names. No, I feel really bad. I'm sorry, man. Tom Savage going out didn't help, but Stephen Anderson, also disappointing.

[Brooks]

He dropped his opportunity. There was a nice 20 yard.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, he did. He also had. I mean, Ricky Seals Jones did nothing. David and Joku did nothing. Charles Clay did nothing.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, most of the tight ends stunk this week.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, that is a. That is a bad run right there. Yep. All right, we do have a game tonight. Any updates on the Monday night Football game? Patriots, Dolphins?

[Brooks]

Nope.

[Andy Holloway]

Rex Burke had your start of the week. Still feeling good about that. Chris Hogan's going to play.

[Brooks]

Okay, there's for. That's the update is what to expect from Chris Hogan on the periscope yesterday. I would. I. I think about 30% of the questions were Chris Hogan related. And there's the upside. Obviously exists with Chris Hogan. He's shown it the entire year. Add that with Gronk out, could be a good game for Chris Hogan. But here's also the problem. He could come out and run three routes.

[Andy Holloway]

He could go Amari Cooper.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Brooks]

So I advise people away from Chris Hogan.

[Andy Holloway]

Hopefully, if possible. Hopefully you started somebody else. Would you play Kenny Stills over him?

[Brooks]

I would have.

[Andy Holloway]

Would you play devonte Parker over him tonight? I'm saying if you had that choice tonight, Stills or Hogan, I would go Hogan.

[Brooks]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

What about over Parker?

[Brooks]

I would. Stills. I would go. I'd play still.

[Andy Holloway]

So you'd play Stills and Landry, but not Parker over Hogan.

[Brooks]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

It's a big game. I mean, every, you know, so many people out there, they're waiting to see what the two guys that. I keep getting so many messages. This guy needs this many or this guy can't get this many. Obviously Brady and Drake, those two. So many people relying and waiting and seeing. So enjoy the game.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, guys, thank you very much for listening to the show. We always appreciate you tuning in, subscribing, leaving those reviews. And check out draft.comballers to play some DFS with us every week. Mike, did you take home the draft championship this week?

[Brooks]

I think I did.

[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 Twitter, the FFballers.