Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary
Episode: Fantasy Football 2018 - The 2017 Footies Winners! + NFL Playoff Picks
Release Date: January 4, 2018
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright

Introduction and Community Promotion

The episode begins with Andy Holloway promoting the Foot Clan, the Fantasy Footballers’ exclusive year-round community at JoinTheFoot.com. He highlights the benefits of joining, including community access, participation in Foot Clan leagues, premium resources, and giveaways. Despite the promotion being brief, it sets the stage for the collaborative and engaged nature of the Fantasy Footballers’ community.

NFL Playoff Challenge

[03:35] Andy Holloway:
"Here's what's going on with the NFL Playoff Challenge."

Mike Wright explains the mechanics of the NFL Playoff Challenge, a yearly event hosted on NFL.com where participants pick a lineup that earns fantasy points as players advance through the playoffs. Multipliers are applied based on how far the chosen teams advance, encouraging strategic selection of players likely to reach the Super Bowl.

Key Points:

• Participants join by searching for the "NFL Playoff Challenge" on Google or visiting JoinTheFoot.com.
• Selecting players from teams that progress further in the playoffs yields higher multipliers.
• If a chosen player's team is eliminated, participants can replace them, but multipliers reset.

Andy emphasizes the strategic advantage of choosing players from teams expected to reach the Super Bowl to maximize point multipliers.

NFL Playoff Picks

The hosts share their predictions for the NFL Playoffs, discussing which teams they believe will advance to the Super Bowl.

Mike Wright's Picks:

• AFC: Kansas City Chiefs defeating New England Patriots, facing Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl.
• NFC: New Orleans Saints overcoming Atlanta Falcons to meet New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, ultimately favoring Pittsburgh to win.

Andy Holloway's Picks:

• AFC: New England Patriots advance to the Super Bowl.
• NFC: New Orleans Saints defeat Rams and Minnesota Vikings, facing New England Patriots in the Super Bowl, with the Saints winning.

Jason Moore's Picks:

• AFC: Jacksonville Jaguars win the Super Bowl, a nod to his past bracket performance with the Giants.
• NFC: Minnesota Vikings defeat New Orleans Saints to secure a home-field Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

Notable Quote: Mike Wright [04:45]:
"If you choose Rob Gronkowski this week, you get no points two times next week."

2017 Footy Awards

The core of the episode revolves around the announcement and discussion of the 2017 Footy Awards, which recognize outstanding performances and notable occurrences in the fantasy football realm. Each award category includes nominees, a brief discussion, and the eventual winner, complete with votes and host reactions.

1. Performance of the Year

Nominees:

• Julio Jones (Week 12: 12 receptions, 253 yards, 2 TDs)
• Todd Gurley (Week 15)
• Kareem Hunt (Week 1)
• Amari Cooper

Winner:
Todd Gurley [16:00]:
"Week 15 it was close. I was surprised."
Todd Gurley won with impressive performances, particularly in pivotal moments, securing his spot as the top performer.

2. Reaper's Man of the Year

Nominees:

• David Johnson
• Andrew Luck
• Carson Wentz
• Aaron Rodgers
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Deshaun Watson
• Dalvin Cook

Winner:
David Johnson [17:29]:
"It was a bad year for David Johnson run away winner."
David Johnson was recognized for his significant injury impact on fantasy owners, receiving over 63% of the votes.

3. Poopiest Pants Award

Nominees:

• Amari Cooper
• DeMarco Murray
• Jordy Nelson
• J. Ajayi
• Terrell Pryor

Winner:
Terrell Pryor [18:57]:
"Terrell Pryor with 34% of the vote."
Pryor edged out Amari Cooper in this humorous category recognizing disappointing performances.

4. Waiver Wire Wonder Award

Nominees:

• Jamal Williams
• Robbie Anderson
• Alex Collins
• Chris Thompson
• Devin Funches
• Jerick McKinnon

Winner:
Robbie Anderson [20:22]:
"Robbie Anderson for a stretch of five weeks where he scored at least one touchdown and two in one multiple games over 100 yards."
Anderson was lauded for his unexpected and impactful performances after being picked up from waivers.

5. Fantasy Wide Receiver of the Year

Nominees:

• DeAndre Hopkins
• Antonio Brown
• Keenan Allen
• Tyreek Hill
• Larry Fitzgerald
• Adam Thielen

Winner:
DeAndre Hopkins [22:43]:
"DeAndre Hopkins received 46% of the vote, defeating Adam Thielen (20%), Antonio Brown, Keenan Allen, Larry Fitzgerald, and Tyreek Hill."
Hopkins’ consistent high-level performance and redemption story solidified his top position.

6. Fantasy Running Back of the Year

Nominees:

• Todd Gurley
• Le'Veon Bell
• Kareem Hunt
• Alvin Kamara
• Mark Ingram

Winner:
Todd Gurley [26:27]:
"Todd Gurley found a Horcrux and was reborn."
Gurley triumphed over close competition, particularly against Alvin Kamara, who was a strong contender.

7. Fantasy Tight End of the Year

Nominees:

• Rob Gronkowski
• Travis Kelce
• Zach Ertz
• Evan Ingram
• Jimmy Graham

Winner:
Zach Ertz [28:28]:
"Zach Ertz ran away with it, receiving 56% of the vote."
Ertz's exceptional season and value in both Redraft and Dynasty formats earned him the award.

8. Fantasy Quarterback of the Year

Nominees:

• Russell Wilson
• Alex Smith
• Cam Newton
• Carson Wentz
• Deshaun Watson

Winner:
Carson Wentz [30:37]:
"Carson Wentz took the first-place prize."
Wentz’s consistent performance and efficiency earned him recognition over peers like Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson.

9. Breakout Player of the Year

Nominees:

• Carson Wentz
• Adam Thielen
• Alvin Kamara
• Kareem Hunt
• Zach Ertz

Winner:
Alvin Kamara [32:13]:
"Alvin Kamara with 66% of the vote."
Kamara’s breakout season and significant impact on fantasy teams were decisive in securing the award.

10. Rookie of the Year

Nominees:

• Alvin Kamara
• Kareem Hunt
• Leonard Fournette
• Evan Ingram
• Deshaun Watson
• Amari Cooper

Winner:
Alvin Kamara [33:14]:
"Alvin Kamara with 69% of the vote."
Kamara dominated both breakout and rookie categories, underscoring his exceptional entry into the NFL.

11. Comeback Player of the Year

Nominees:

• Todd Gurley
• DeAndre Hopkins
• Cam Newton
• Keenan Allen
• Alex Smith

Winner:
Todd Gurley [34:03]:
"Todd Gurley won again, receiving four times as many votes as DeAndre Hopkins."
Gurley’s resurgence after a down year highlighted his resilience and importance to fantasy owners.

12. Steal of the Draft

Nominees:

• Alvin Kamara
• Marvin Jones Jr.
• Larry Fitzgerald
• Zach Ertz
• Evan Ingram
• Carson Wentz
• Adam Thielen

Winner:
Alvin Kamara [35:28]:
"Alvin Kamara once again took home the award with 41% of the vote."
Kamara’s draft position relative to his performance made him the clear-cut winner.

13. Nickname of the Year

Nominees:

• Devin "Scrumptious" Funches
• Smash Jackson
• Kenny G
• Tomb Raider
• Baby Hands
• Smooches
• Super Cam
• Krampus
• Marquis Greatwin
• King Godfrey
• Mr. Necessary
• Mr. Very Necessary

Winner:
Devin "Scrumptious" Funches [40:07]:
"Devin S. Scrumptious wins with a creative and humorous nickname, reflecting his standout presence in fantasy football."
The category highlighted the fun and camaraderie within the Fantasy Footballers’ community.

Notable Quote: Jason Moore [32:24]:
"You got to redo this with a little duck in it."

Mailbag Questions

The hosts address listener questions, offering insights and sharing personal experiences related to fantasy football strategies.

1. Reactions to MyGuys

Question from Austin, Armada, Michigan [43:46]:
"After the whole season wrapped up, what's your take on the guys you picked as your 'MyGuys'?"

Responses:

• Jason Moore:
  Highlights the challenges and benefits of picking 'MyGuys,' sharing his experience with Dak Prescott and how late-season performance affected his team.

• Mike Wright:
  Discusses his picks, including Martavis Bryant’s disappointment and positive performances from Michael Crabtree and Stefan Diggs.

• Andy Holloway:
  Details his successful picks like Todd Gurley, Cam Newton, and others, emphasizing the importance of strategic selections and their outcomes.

Notable Quote: Andy Holloway [44:42]:
"Ingram couldn’t have turned out better. Zach Ertz ended up tight in three."

2. Feature Back Next Year?

Question from Oliver, Houston [47:40]:
"With Tavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon playing well this season, will Dalvin Cook still be the feature back next year?"

Responses:

• Mike Wright and Jason Moore:
  Both agree that Dalvin Cook remains a superior choice despite Murray and McKinnon’s performances, citing Cook’s consistent dominance and potential future prospects with the Tennessee Titans.

Notable Quote: Andy Holloway [48:00]:
"I think both have that risk. So I take the better, more important position in the fourth."

3. Additional Listener Questions

Throughout the mailbag segment, the hosts address various other questions, such as draft strategies, player selections, and league management tips, maintaining an engaging and interactive dialogue with their audience.

Final Remarks and Promotions

The episode concludes with promotions for upcoming content and community engagement:

• Upcoming Video:
  Announcement of a new dad jokes video available on YouTube, encouraging listeners to subscribe and stay tuned.

• Fantasy Champs Promo:
  Promotion for fantasychamps.com, where listeners can purchase custom trophies, rings, and belts for their leagues, using the promo code "ballers" for discounts.

Notable Quote: Andy Holloway [52:08]:
"You need a trophy for your league and then you need another award for the individual winner so that they have something to boast about."

Conclusion

This episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast provided a comprehensive review of the 2017 season through the Footy Awards, offering listeners valuable insights into player performances and fantasy strategies. The hosts’ engaging discussions, combined with their humorous interactions and community-focused approach, reinforced the podcast’s reputation as a premier resource for fantasy football enthusiasts.

For those who missed the episode, the detailed breakdown of awards, playoff picks, and listener interactions offers a deep dive into the key moments and decisions that shaped the 2017 fantasy football landscape.

Connect with the Fantasy Footballers:

• Website: JoinTheFoot.com
• Twitter: @TheFFballers
• YouTube: Subscribe for exclusive content and updates.