Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Running Back Fallout from the NFL Draft, News, Questions

Summary

Detailed Summary of "Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Running Back Fallout from the NFL Draft, News, Questions"

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Introduction and NFL Draft Recap

The episode kicks off with hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright welcoming listeners to a post-draft edition of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast. They reflect on the NFL Draft weekend, sharing their favorite moments and initial reactions.

Andy opens the discussion by highlighting the excitement around the first pick and the anticipation surrounding who might trade up for the number two spot. Jason expresses a neutral sentiment towards the draft overall, describing it as "a super boring draft" due to the lack of significant trades or surprising moves ([00:44] Jason Moore). Mike echoes this sentiment, mentioning the heavy influx of text messages about draft picks and the unexpected selection of Marcus Mariota as the second overall pick ([01:53] Mike Wright).

Running Back Fallout: Key Picks and Analysis

The core of the episode delves into the implications of the NFL Draft on the running back (RB) landscape, dissecting how recent selections affect team rushing strategies and fantasy football prospects.

1. Todd Gurley and the St. Louis Rams

   The Rams' selection of Todd Gurley with the 10th overall pick is a focal point. Andy and Jason express surprise at Gurley's selection, noting St. Louis's consistent approach to drafting RBs—having previously selected Zach Stacy and Trey Mason. Mike raises concerns about Gurley's immediate impact, predicting he may start on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list due to an ACL injury ([12:05] Mike Wright).

   • Notable Quote:
     • Mike Wright: “...I see Gurley ending up on the PUP list, I think he's going to start there.” ([12:38] Mike Wright)

   The hosts agree that Gurley's workload will likely be managed carefully, making Trey Mason a valuable late-round pick due to the Rams' bolstered offensive line and commitment to the running game.

2. Amir Abdullah and Joy Bell in Detroit

   Discussion shifts to Detroit, where Amir Abdullah was drafted alongside Joy Bell. Andy believes Abdullah complements Bell by enhancing the receiving game without directly impacting Bell's role. In contrast, Mike is skeptical about Abdullah's immediate dominance but foresees his growth as the season progresses.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Andy Holloway: “...I think that this destroys Theo Riddick's value because Amir Abdullah is a pass-catching, complemented speed back.” ([23:30] Andy Holloway)

   Jason supports the long-term potential of Abdullah, suggesting he could become a significant fantasy asset as the Lions commit to the passing game.

3. Tevin Coleman vs. Devontae Freeman in the Falcons

   The Falcons selected Tevin Coleman in the third round, prompting a debate on his fit within Kyle Shanahan's system. Andy is cautious, citing Coleman's sprint-heavy style as a possible mismatch with Shanahan's patient block schemes. Mike is more optimistic, believing Coleman can adapt and become a valuable playmaker.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Jason Moore: “I absolutely draft Tevin Coleman over Devontae Freeman.” ([32:32] Jason Moore)

   Jason leans towards Devontae Freeman, questioning Coleman's ability to fit into the Falcons' offensive strategy and expressing concerns about Freeman's durability and workload.

4. Duke Johnson and the Browns Backfield

   The Browns drafted Duke Johnson, intensifying the complexity of their RB roster, which includes Tajik McDuffie, Terrence West, and Toby Gerhart. Andy expresses trepidation over the Browns' inconsistent backfield, while Jason acknowledges Johnson's role as a pass-catcher but remains uncertain about his role as a workhorse.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Andy Holloway: “I don't know, I think their offensive line is very important...” ([30:00] Andy Holloway)

   The hosts debate whether to prioritize Johnson or seek value elsewhere, ultimately agreeing that Duke Johnson provides a safe floor as a pass-catching RB, albeit with limited workhorse potential.

5. David Johnson in Arizona Cardinals

   David Johnson emerges as a standout prospect for the Arizona Cardinals, who have invested heavily in their offensive line. Andy and Mike highlight Johnson's talent and the favorable environment he enters, while Jason remains cautiously optimistic about his potential to finish as an RB1.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Andy Holloway: “...he has talent, supporting cast, opportunity—that’s why I like him.” ([42:06] Andy Holloway)

   The trio underscores Arizona's robust offensive line as a critical factor enabling Johnson's success, predicting he could be a sneaky late-round gem with significant upside.

Importance of Offensive Line in Fantasy Football

Listener Jonathan poses a question about the significance of an offensive line when selecting running backs. The hosts concur that while not always at the forefront, a strong offensive line can elevate a running back's performance, particularly in elite scenarios.

• Notable Quote:
  • Mike Wright: “...offensive lines are very important, especially the center position...” ([50:24] Mike Wright)

They emphasize that while mid-tier lines might not drastically impact a running back's value, the best and worst offensive lines can significantly influence production.

Listener Mailbag Highlights

Several listener questions are addressed, offering personalized advice:

1. Keeper League Strategy
   Grumpy Old Troll asks for advice on selecting keepers in a 12-team league. The hosts debate between keeping Adrian Peterson (AP) and Dez Bryant versus other options, ultimately advising a balanced approach to secure both RB and WR assets.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Mike Wright: “...I think Dez Bryant should hold that value.” ([53:30] Mike Wright)

2. Dynasty League Rookie Draft Picks
   AJ seeks guidance on targeting players in a 16-team dynasty rookie draft. Jason recommends targeting versatile running backs like Nelson Agholor, while Mike suggests considering Amir Abdullah for his long-term value.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Jason Moore: “...Nelson Agholor's a great position.” ([55:16] Jason Moore)

3. Drafting Strategy for Top Picks
   CZ writes in about choosing between Marius Thomas, Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray, and LeSean McCoy. The hosts debate the merits of each, with Jason leaning towards Dez and LeSean McCoy for their balanced contributions to RB and WR positions.

   • Notable Quote:
     • Andy Holloway: “...I would take DeMarco and Dez McCoy because I'm higher on McCoy than I am Murray.” ([56:34] Andy Holloway)

Promotions and Future Episodes

The episode includes a brief promotion for FanDuel, encouraging listeners to use the promo code "Ballers" for a deposit bonus. Additionally, the hosts announce upcoming episodes featuring guest Adam Azer from CBS, focusing on post-draft fallout and mock drafts.

Closing Remarks

The hosts share light-hearted banter about their personal experiences over the draft weekend, concluding the episode with humor and camaraderie. They encourage listeners to follow them on social media and participate in future mailbag segments.

Notable Quotes Summary

• Mike Wright: “...I see Gurley ending up on the PUP list, I think he's going to start there.” ([12:38] Mike Wright)
• Andy Holloway: “...I think that this destroys Theo Riddick's value because Amir Abdullah is a pass-catching, complemented speed back.” ([23:30] Andy Holloway)
• Jason Moore: “I absolutely draft Tevin Coleman over Devontae Freeman.” ([32:32] Jason Moore)
• Mike Wright: “...if you’re going for a running back...” ([55:08] Mike Wright)
• Andy Holloway: “...he has talent, supporting cast, opportunity—that’s why I like him.” ([42:06] Andy Holloway)

Conclusion

This episode of The Fantasy Footballers provides an in-depth analysis of the NFL Draft's impact on running back selections, offering valuable insights for fantasy football enthusiasts. Through expert commentary and lively discussion, Andy, Jason, and Mike equip listeners with the knowledge to navigate post-draft complexities and optimize their fantasy rosters effectively.

Transcript

[Mike Wright]

Foreign.

[Jason Moore]

To the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.

[Andy Holloway]

Welcome to another edition of the fantasy footballers podcast. It is Tuesday, May 5, and we are back again. Andy Holloway here with Mike the fantasy hitman. Right.

[Mike Wright]

May the. May the fifth be with you.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, nice try. Jason Moore, say hello.

[Jason Moore]

Hello, everybody. Welcome to the post draft footballers.

[Andy Holloway]

That's right. Exciting weekend, obviously. NFL draft. What was your favorite moment from the draft? What was your favorite moment, Jason?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, man. My favorite moment was getting together and watching the first pick go off the board and the excitement and anticipation for who was going to trade up to that number two spot. And that was the highest point of the draft. It was honestly a super boring draft to me because there were no trades, no big. No big action. No big, you know, fall from grace, you know, I don't know.

[Andy Holloway]

Fall from grace.

[Jason Moore]

Well, like Johnny Manziel falling, you know, fall from.

[Andy Holloway]

I see, I see.

[Jason Moore]

Maybe I'm biased because of my prediction.

[Andy Holloway]

Prediction of Mariota dropping out of the top.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, our bold predictions that were forcibly against the grain, not so good. But. But at the same time, all of our non forced bold predictions. I was listening to one of our last shows. We had some really good calls on some guys just pointing that out there.

[Andy Holloway]

How about you, Mike?

[Mike Wright]

That mine's. Sorry to be boring, but mine was the exact same of just the. Well, that the text messages were coming into my phone hot and heavy and just. Have you heard what the Eagles are offering? And every. All these offers are. I'm hearing about all these picks.

[Andy Holloway]

For me, I was just surprised because I thought Mariota was gonna go number two, but this guy Mariatu ended up going number two.

[Mike Wright]

I didn't even know he was eligible.

[Andy Holloway]

Did you see that? He called Goodell, called Mariota up and apologized.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, good.

[Jason Moore]

That's fine.

[Andy Holloway]

And Mariota had never actually heard it because they were all cheering too loud. But this article made a good point. They said, you know, this is such a huge event now. Why do you have the commissioner going out and reading these names? Why don't we have Morgan free or like Sam or Sam Elliott or somebody else going out there and reading these names? But yeah, the draft is over. Welcome to the show. We're going to talk today. Today we're going to talk running back implications. A lot of running backs going off the board. We're going to talk about six, seven, eight of them and what they mean in terms of those teams, rushing attacks, the fantasy football perspective on what happens to guys, you know, you guys know my weekend was not so good. I spent most of it in the fetal position trying not to throw up in my bathroom, which is exactly what Tre Mason spent his weekend doing.

[Mike Wright]

Just wait till you hear my hot take on Trey Mason.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm looking forward to it.

[Mike Wright]

You might have to run back to the bathroom.

[Jason Moore]

Mike's been warning us all day about his hot take. We don't know what it is, but we gotta.

[Mike Wright]

I might have to go to the bathroom after it comes out of my mouth.

[Andy Holloway]

We'll see if. I'm curious how we. If we have the same opinion or not, but I'm guessing not based on that. That prediction. But I'm feeling better now. I'm ready to go. You can follow us on Twitter @The FFballers. You can follow me at Andy Holloway, follow JasonFFL and follow Mike@FFhitman. You can visit us on the web TheFantasyFootballers.com youm can go there, see our latest shows. You can also send us questions for the mailbag segment of every show where we answer your questions. And we're gonna hit some news and notes today. Gonna talk fantasy implications. Mike, you got something to say before.

[Mike Wright]

We get into the meat of the show? I have. I have a beef with a. With a drafty. Okay. One of the guys who was drafted by Seattle under his Twitter bio, he claims to be Chipotle's number one customer.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I know, I know that that's wrong. I know that you are in fact the number.

[Mike Wright]

So I sent him a tweet. I. We got no response. But I'm putting it on here that.

[Andy Holloway]

If you're calling him out, it's on the right.

[Mike Wright]

Clearly, I am Chipotle. If you have followed my Twitter feed or my Facebook feed, you know, why.

[Andy Holloway]

Is your nickname not the fantasy burrito?

[Jason Moore]

Can we get some alliteration with Chipotle for a sponsorship on a segment?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, that one's tougher.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, the Chipotle chump Chip of Rilla.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I don't know.

[Mike Wright]

I'll work on it. I'll work on it.

[Andy Holloway]

The Trent Richardson fat burrito of the week. All right, we'll work on that one. Also, I wanted to take a second just to say thanks to everybody who's been writing in and wants to be involved in our Fantasy Footballers Official league. I want you all to know that we have received your emails. We're not ignoring those, but we're not going to be deciding on those last few people right away. So continue to attempt to impress us and we'll try to get you in the league. We'll also be doing some mock drafts and we'll reach out to you guys if we need some people for mock drafts for the show. So let's go ahead and read our review of the week.

[Jason Moore]

Review. Asaurus Rex. This one comes in from Dirty Sanchise. He says when everyone in the business decided to take a break, these guys kept it fresh every single week. I'm impressed anytime I come across anyone with the same unquenchable thirst for fantasy football and these guys fit the bill. If you only have time for one fantasy football podcast, this is the one you need to listen to. Oh, Dirty Sanchez, you're so correct.

[Andy Holloway]

Thank you for that. That's appreciated. We appreciate your reviews, Mr.

[Mike Wright]

Dirty.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, yeah. We love doing what we're doing. So when you can jump onto itunes, subscribe to the podcast, leave us a five star review. We really appreciate it.

[Jason Moore]

Quick question. Do you think that's mark Sanchez? No. 5050 bo.

[Mike Wright]

I would put it at a 30% probability.

[Andy Holloway]

Is Sanchez a better fantasy player than a real one?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

If he listens to the show. I guess he is.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, yes.

[Jason Moore]

News and notes from around the league.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, now that the draft is over, there's going to be less mediocre signings and more mediocre receiver releases. And James Jones has been cut out of the wide receiver. Beautiful situation that they have in Oakland as he is now released.

[Jason Moore]

You know what this reminds me of? It reminds me of when people go to heaven because he was. He was already on a deathbed and he's just been released from that life.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh.

[Jason Moore]

It'S a merciful moving on. Yeah, he was in hospice with the Raiders fantasy hospice and now he has moved on. I don't think he. Do you think he plays another game in the NFL? I mean someone probably will sign him.

[Andy Holloway]

But yeah, maybe I. He stinks.

[Mike Wright]

I bet, I bet he gets. He'll. Someone will pick him up, but he'll get cut before the season.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, he might have played his last snap.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean he is not good. He's not good. Amari Cooper is there now. So David Carr, your future as a dynamic, incredible quarterback that I believe you are begins in a few years. So James Jones is gone. Zach Stacy.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Remember that guy got traded to the.

[Mike Wright]

Jets to the worst possible situation for fantasy players.

[Andy Holloway]

What's going on? Yeah, I. Clearly he had no role in St. Louis with the Gurley draft pick. So. Zach Stacy to New York.

[Mike Wright]

The jets cannot get enough two down backs apparently.

[Andy Holloway]

I think this just. If it means anything to me it's that Ridley probably not staying. That's my guess.

[Mike Wright]

Ridley.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, my guess. If I had to, I would think Ivory and Stacy would stick around and Ridley be on the way out. But we'll see if Ridley.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, I'd like that because then maybe Ridley can go somewhere and have some value.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, maybe. You still like him?

[Mike Wright]

Still do.

[Andy Holloway]

Last bit of news here. Doug Martin's option was not picked up. Not exactly a surprise. Yeah, I think he averaged 3.3 a carry last year.

[Mike Wright]

I saw, I saw a interesting stat of since the fifth year option has become part of the mainstay, there has not been a single running back whose option was picked up.

[Andy Holloway]

Wow. Really? Wow. That just tells you what the running back situation is like in the NFL.

[Mike Wright]

Which is why I thought first round running backs wasn't going to happen.

[Andy Holloway]

Fair enough. Any other news you guys got?

[Mike Wright]

There was a draft of some sort.

[Andy Holloway]

NFL draft. Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

That's really the nice.

[Andy Holloway]

No big trades. We're going to go through a lot of those players. So I didn't, didn't know if there was anything we needed to highlight here.

[Mike Wright]

That's the game. Hi Lou.

[Andy Holloway]

Hi Lao.

[Mike Wright]

Where you have the scoop and you've been on.

[Andy Holloway]

Moving on, moving on. One last bit of news here. I wanted to let you guys know about our opportunity with FanDuel. It's pretty sweet. If you go on to FanDuel.com put in the promo code Ballers, you can get a two dollar for dollar bonus on your first deposit up to two hundred dollars. So we've been partnered with FanDuel for a few weeks now and great service, super fun. Obviously the NFL is not going on right now, but you can play some Stephen Curry, NBA playoff basketball mvp.

[Jason Moore]

That guy knows how to play basketball.

[Andy Holloway]

I love it too because he's so small. He just looks like a guy.

[Jason Moore]

I Love point guard MVPs. That's always been my favorite. Just because I'm a small man.

[Mike Wright]

What?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Well, because it's not just a size thing you're saying.

[Jason Moore]

So anyway, and also if you sign up on FanDuel and you're having fun, email us. I want to hear how it's going. I want to hear stories of how fun it is.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, a lot of people making money doing the 50 50s. Those are the most fun for me. I love doing the 50 50s on there. It's fun to track on your phone too. As the night goes on. Makes any game super exciting. So go to FanDuel.com, put in the promo code ballers if you've been on the fence about signing up, we can save you some money there, get you some extra cash. And let's go ahead and talk rookies.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, rookie. Welcome to the NFL.

[Mike Wright]

Finally.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, we're going to kick it off with Mr. Todd Gurley here because Todd Gurley went off the board at pick number 10. So close. I thought he would go number nine to the giants. He went number 10 to St. Louis. Was this a surprise, guys?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, huge surprise for me. I had them going like, I don't know, I think 30 different places and the.

[Mike Wright]

One of the two.

[Jason Moore]

And one of the two spots that I didn't have bagged was St. Louis. Now that's. That's a joke, but obviously it's a little bit surprising considering they have running backs. And that didn't seem to be a.

[Andy Holloway]

Straight year of drafting running back for St. Louis. Right? Zach Stacy, Trey Mason and now Todd Gurley. Just too good to pass up.

[Mike Wright]

When was Isaiah peed?

[Andy Holloway]

The year before that? Four straight years. Yeah, you're right.

[Mike Wright]

Second round pick.

[Andy Holloway]

Actually, Pete and Stacy might have been the same year.

[Mike Wright]

Was it so.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, but the point's still there. They've been drafting running backs every year and giving them temporary value. And now is that Trey Mason situation, because is this your hot take that I got to hear?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, let's hear this hot take.

[Andy Holloway]

I've got my thoughts on him, but I'd love to hear what you have to say.

[Mike Wright]

So the Todd Gurley pick and along with the rest of St. Louis's draft, because you have. What did they do after they selected Todd Gurley?

[Jason Moore]

Oh, line, offensive line.

[Mike Wright]

They went offensive line. The next two picks were both tackles. Then they took a quarterback, whatever the next pick, their fourth pick, another tackle. I mean they're. Jeff Fisher is making a complete push to revamp his offensive line, which they needed to do. And remember their first pick last year, offensive tackle. So the line, as long as everyone pans out, or at least a couple of these guys pan out, the line should be tremendously better. And they. I think the Rams understand what they have to do in their division and that's be able to run the ball.

[Andy Holloway]

And so what does this mean? What does this mean for Tre Mason? Because this is a. Just a nasty situation from a fantasy.

[Mike Wright]

Perspective to me, because. So they're beefing up the line. Everybody's going to be super excited for Todd Gurley. Trey, you're not.

[Andy Holloway]

No, I'm not. Well, I'm excited for ty Gurley. Circa 2016.

[Jason Moore]

The masses will be though.

[Mike Wright]

That's right.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, just from name recognition.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. People are going to be excited about him. And Trey Mason's value is going to plummet. I mean, this is a guy now that you're going to be able to draft, I would guess in the eighth or ninth round. And I see Gurley ending up on the PUP list, I think he's going to start there.

[Andy Holloway]

I do too.

[Mike Wright]

And so if, when you're talking about a rookie on the PUP list, he's not just going to come back, okay, I'm ready to go. And then Fisher's going to say, okay, 10th pick in the draft who has an ACL that he's repairing, go out there and take 30 carries a game. He's going to be worked in very slowly. This is, this is not the year for Gurley.

[Jason Moore]

I'm all aboard.

[Mike Wright]

That's what I was saying next year. But to me, that's, that's what makes Trey Mason such a. He's gonna be a value pick. The offensive line is better. Jeff Fisher is saying, we're going to run the ball. They have the, they have the granite statue, Nick Foles in the. It's going to be throwing the ball. I really, really see the St. Louis Rams going to the run game and I like Tre Mason for where I can get him now.

[Jason Moore]

So I say you, Andy, agreed to screw with the hot take.

[Andy Holloway]

Pretty, pretty similar opinion. My opinion was that, you know, Gurley doesn't, if he's not on the pup, he's still going to be eased in extremely slowly. He probably misses the first month of the season. And so Tre Mason is going to represent a huge value where he's drafted and then you're going to be in a timeshare situation. You know, you're looking dynasty keeper. You're not looking at Trey Mason like any, any type of value. They invested a first round pick in Gurley and he's their back of the future like you said. But in terms of value, Trey Mason is going to surprise people from the 7th, 8th, 9th round like you said. So I think you just have to, you know, pay attention at camp, pay attention to what Gurley looks like if he's out there, if he's not, what their situation is. But you don't invest that, like you said, you don't invest a pick like that and then Force 30 carries on a guy.

[Jason Moore]

Right.

[Andy Holloway]

This is where, you know, remember Mason and Stacy, their rookie years, even theirs, it was the end of the season where they came on as a fantasy relevant guy. Which could be Gurley's situation. It's why Gurley's not at the top of my list at all in terms of rookie running backs for this year. For this year. I would much rather find a redraft.

[Jason Moore]

Right now even for where you get him. I think the values you've got nowhere to go but up. You're going to be getting him super late. I think you can even get him later than what you were saying, Mike.

[Mike Wright]

That depends. If he's PUP listed then maybe he'll go up into the sixth or something, I don't know.

[Jason Moore]

And so hopefully he's not PUP listed but still misses a couple. But I would rather have him than D'Angelo Williams. Let's say you're the Le'Veon Bell owner and you need somebody for the beginning of the year. Trey Mason is a perfect candidate and Zack Stacy leaving town only helps. Zach Stacey going away says, hey, if it's not, if it's not girly, then Trey Mason's the man. And so I yeah, I like his value there. And not to mention he has an ACL tear. So it's not like it's out of the realm of possibility that he comes back and gets injured. You know, Tre Mesa could have long term upside for where you're grabbing and.

[Mike Wright]

Jeff Fisherman, he, Jeff Fisher will play two backs. I don't know if you recall a situation Benny Cunningham. Well in in Tennessee with White and Johnson. I mean that was like the OG Lightning Thunder.

[Andy Holloway]

There's no way that Gurley takes over a workhorse role completely in year one. Yeah Year two maybe when that offensive line comes around and his knee is. Is a year removed and he's healthy. But you know, of all the destinations for Gurley, this one we didn't see it coming. And it'll be interesting with that those offensive line picks what happens to Gurley long term. But yeah, my guy is the one we're going to talk about now. This is by oh you're going to. By far. Well, I say my guy not as though I predicted something right about him. I say my guy is in Melvin Gordon's the only rookie running back that I say is a surefire solid situation at the running back position where he's. He's the probably the only one I see with RB1 upside because he's coming into a situation there in San Diego. I'm buying into him. He's super talented. He's so much more talented than Brandon Oliver and Donald Brown. It is not going to be hard for him to Find the field. Woodhead might have that third down role, you know, Gordon can't pass, protect, whatever, but that first and second down role and his home run ability, his breakaway ability, his talent is just going to rise to the top.

[Jason Moore]

He's on a good high powered offense and he is the clear cut end zone, you know, goal line back. Every time that there's going to be a touchdown opportunity, it's going to go to the guy that they just traded up to in the first round, kind of Woodhead.

[Mike Wright]

Woodhead's going to be in there.

[Andy Holloway]

It's funny because I think Oliver would fit a goal line role.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to go ahead and say right now that he, you know, if you're in a touchdown only league, I think that he's a great pick. I think you're right, Andy. There's potential to be an RB one here and I think the floor on him is very high. You know, he's going to get the.

[Andy Holloway]

Work of all the rookies.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, of all the rookies, you know, he's going to get the work. He's in a good offense. You're not going to be stacking the box against him with Philip Rivers and I believe he's going to be the goal line back. I mean we'll see as the year goes on. But I think he really will get the goal line work and that gives him, you know, what's his baseline on touchdowns if he has the goal line back, you know, eight.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, maybe the, My, my one concern which was I was listening to Adam Mazer who's going to be on the show. He had a, an interesting point of. He went and he looked back at the competition. He was playing Melvin Gordon. When Melvin Gordon was playing any kind of reputable rushing defense in college, he was an average back, which we can have. We can ask Adam about this when we bring him on. So I thought that was an interesting piece of information. Not that I'm, I'm not completely sold out on Gordon. I think he's going to be good. But my, the you. You guys have kind of eloquented everything on him. But for me what really stands out is Woodhead. Where Woodhead is. His role I think is locked in now. He's going to be the third down guy and Woodhead thrives in that third down position. He's going to be a fantastic value.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Coming off an injury though. And I'll be curious to see. I mean the Chargers want to run the ball. I got a pretty interesting stat on them when they Had a running back. In the Rivers era, when they've had a running back go over 100 yards in a game, they're 35 and 4.

[Mike Wright]

Pretty good. That's pretty good.

[Andy Holloway]

That's not their record when Philip rivers goes over 300 yards, that's. That's the dependency on the running game. And they. They traded up to get Gordon. They knew they had to fill the hole that Ryan Matthews left. And I think the talent here is just so high that if I had to bet on any rookie running back making an impact, I bet on Gordon.

[Jason Moore]

Well, the nice thing about, you know, the inferior competition that he was playing in college as far as the defenses is he didn't go to a division that's just stacked with run Ds. You know, he didn't go to the NC West. So that's going to be helpful for him as well. And actually that leads. You were saying that, you know, Mike's hot take. And then your guy Gordon. The next guy on this list is my guy.

[Mike Wright]

No.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. No.

[Andy Holloway]

I couldn't be more different than TJ Yeldin. The fourth pick of the second round to the Jacksonville Jaguars. They had been rumored, I read today, to have wanted to move up and grab a Gordon or a Gurley. They end up with TJ Yelden, which is short for Trent Richardson. He's a difficult case because the knock on him is the exact same knock on a guy like Richardson where he came out of Alabama, he doesn't have breakaway speed, and so I'm worried about him. Yeah, I'll lay it out and let you come back, but I'm worried about him from a production standpoint. On a team like that, where they have a timeshare. They went through a bunch of guys last year, and, you know, Robinson's still gonna have a role because he can break away from guys. I don't think Yelden can do that. So for me, he's pro ready. I guess. You get the. He comes out of Alabama, he's pro ready, he can catch passes. But I'm scared of that is. It's a dirty whirlpool of running backs in Jacksonville. So Mike. Mike sitting back with his arms folded, a scowl upon his face, waiting to hear the TJ Yeldin love.

[Jason Moore]

All right, you ready? You ready for this?

[Andy Holloway]

I will silence myself.

[Jason Moore]

All right. T.J. yeldin is a good back. He is not great. He is not supremely talented, but he is actually a very. He is a good running back. And of all of the players and what I like about him is value. I don't like that he's going to finish stronger than Gordon, but you're going to have to get Gordon right now. I'll bet he's going in the third. Latest third or fourth? Yeah, latest fourth, but you're getting him early. T.J. yeldin, on the other hand, seems like he's coming into a situation where I believe he's going to get the predominant amount of carries and most of the other running backs that were taken. I mean, Duke Johnson at the Browns, you know, you're going into a place where there's just no role or you've already been established and the teams come out saying that the running back that was already there is the predominant back. And in his situation here, TJ Yelden is coming into a situation where I believe he's going to be the starter. And while I don't love Jacksonville and I don't love TJ Yeldin, where you're going to get him, the value you're going to be getting from a running back that you can put in your lineup and get points, I believe is going to be a really good value and a good late round pick. So that's where TJ Yelden would be my pick. Not from. Not from the highest ceiling, but definitely from the best value.

[Mike Wright]

Fool me once, shame on me.

[Jason Moore]

Toby Gerhardt is this.

[Mike Wright]

Fool me twice, it's not happening.

[Jason Moore]

I think he said that wrong.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, you won't. Won't get fooled again.

[Jason Moore]

You don't fool a fooler.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

If the volume is there, he's going to be a productive back. He'll be able to get. He'll be a fine low end.

[Andy Holloway]

He'll be Storm Johnson with a little better.

[Mike Wright]

No, no, no. He's much better than Storm Johnson.

[Jason Moore]

No, he's better than Robinson, who was very good.

[Andy Holloway]

He's not better than Denard Robinson. We don't know that.

[Mike Wright]

He's a completely different.

[Andy Holloway]

At least Denard Robinson offered fantasy value.

[Jason Moore]

Exactly. That's. You're speaking to my point because he was fast.

[Mike Wright]

That's why he. Because he would.

[Andy Holloway]

I think this debate is at a minimum the illustration of the Jacksonville backfield situation in fantasy. Toby Gearhart last year you have other guys that they. Who's the other guy I'm thinking of? Not Storm Johnson, but maybe that is who I was thinking is Denard Robinson.

[Jason Moore]

Storm Johnson and Toby Gerhardt.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Okay. So I'm just terrified of that. I'm just terrified.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I'm going to let somebody else do it the like.

[Andy Holloway]

But he is a solid professional running back.

[Mike Wright]

Exactly. He'll get points. But I just. Man.

[Jason Moore]

So I don't know, let's take a late flyer on this guy's mind.

[Mike Wright]

It's not going to be.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, there's probably a three or four round difference at least between Gordon and him right now. So I agree with that point that, you know, I'd rather have a young guy like that and take a shot on him than a Denard Robinson. I guess that's. Do you take Denard Robinson or do you take T.J. elbin?

[Mike Wright]

Oh, I take Yelden.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I agree with that. So Amir Abdullah running my guy silliness.

[Mike Wright]

My guy for real.

[Andy Holloway]

The first thing I have to say about Amir Abdullah is that. And maybe this is where we're going to differ, Mike. I don't think he affects Joy Bell at all. Almost nothing because I think they drafted perfect complement to Joy Bell. I think this destroys Theo Riddick's value because Amir Abdullah is a pass catching, compliments speedback, not between the tack. I think they love Joy Bell. I know you've been sour on Joy Cabell, but I from watching him owning him, I think they just love the heart he plays with and the between the tackles that he plays with. So to me, I think theoretic move him off my board completely. But for me, Abdullah, give him Reggie Bush's numbers. Call him an RB2 upside. That's it for me.

[Mike Wright]

I strongly believe. I got some hot takes here for you. This is Joyk Bell's last year on the Detroit Lions.

[Andy Holloway]

Abdullah, you talked to his mom. You called his mom again, didn't you?

[Jason Moore]

I leave his mom alone.

[Mike Wright]

My sources will remain anonymous. But this, this to me is the slow play. Abdullah will not be the main guy right away. I think he takes over as the pass catcher right away.

[Andy Holloway]

Right.

[Mike Wright]

And I think slowly, slowly you gotta, you gotta have the faith and you gotta ride it out. But by the end of the year, you're gonna have an amazingly productive fantasy running back. If you are, if you have the courage to hold on to him. I think he's gonna take the, the. He'll flip the timeshare into his favor. I think he will be like. If you remember when, when it was Bush, Bell, when Bush was the back.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Busch was the clearest, if you remember.

[Mike Wright]

Winner and he was dominant and he was a great fantasy producer. That's what I see, that Joy Bell is a 3.9 guy. That's what he rushes. For the last two years he had a 3.9 average. He just and they owe him. Why I think he's gone is because they gave. When you give a guy money, you can't come out and put 3.9 down. You're going to get cut. And they took a guy who they like in Abdullah, who's. Dude, I just. I'm telling you, Abdullah is the guy you want for the long.

[Andy Holloway]

So why do you like Abdullah more than Ellington or Geo? Because those situations seem very similar to me and he's the exact same size skill set of those guys.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. And as long as he can hold on to the football, I just. I see Abdullah as a better talent than Gio Bernard. And I think the Lions with. With snapback and just the way they are equipped and the way they play. I think Abdullah is primed to explode for the second half.

[Jason Moore]

I agree with Mike in all of his takes. I think he actually does though. Even early in the year, I think he does affect Joic Bell a little bit. I'm not pushed off of Joic Bell. I don't think he's bad. But I think that they've basically drafted Reggie Bush. And if you think about last year, even coming into last year, who did you draft first? You know, you drafted Reggie Bush ahead of Joy Bell because he was the starter, he was the running back one. Joy Bell went after him in the draft and for just cause, but it was an injury concern with an old aging running back. So I think Abdullah comes out. I think he is in a timeshare. I think he finishes the year strong. And so according to you, Mike, you'd say draft Trey Mason and Amir Abdullah so that you get a first half and second half together. You'll have a solid run.

[Mike Wright]

I guess that's what I'm saying. And also my man Zach Zenner is up there, the undrafted rookie Walnby. He will be.

[Andy Holloway]

I bet he's gone.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, you think he doesn't make the team?

[Andy Holloway]

I don't think he makes the team. I hope he didn't put him in my notes, but I hope he goes.

[Mike Wright]

Somewhere where he can play right away.

[Andy Holloway]

I think it's so tough when you're undrafted and you're coming into Theo Riddick, Abdullah and Joy Bell.

[Mike Wright]

I think there's no way to make the team. Theo Riddick.

[Jason Moore]

I don't know.

[Mike Wright]

I just. That's. That's another reason why I think that Joy Bell's gone next year.

[Andy Holloway]

It's funny actually, because I think drafting Reggie Bush, quote unquote, is an endorsement of their opinion on. I mean, Bell is limited, right? Yes, he has a role. He has a specific role. He gets in the end zone.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Abdul is not the goal line back there and they're going to score plenty of points and they, they are recommitting themselves to the running game. We know that from what they did last year and what he wants to do going forward this year. So I'm curious to see how it plays out. I still draft Bell well ahead of Amir Abdullah.

[Mike Wright]

I don't draft Bell and I wait and I get Abdullah late for a very important date.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, so some good takes there on the Detroit running back situation. Let's talk Tevin Coleman, running back for the Falcons. He's a guy that I mentioned before the draft is really liking and I've actually faded on him quite a bit.

[Jason Moore]

What I was waiting for your hot take. You loved him before the draft and he lands in a perfect position.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, he was the ninth pick of the third round by the Falcons. He's a burner. He's a 4, 3, 9 type of guy, north, south guy. But you know, listen to this quote from an NFC running back coach on Coleman. There are two kinds of backs who are successful in this league, Runners who break tackles and runners who can create for themselves. And he's not either one. And that's what I see in.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, you're going to find a negative comment for anybody.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I'm sharing this one because this is aligned with my conviction on him is that, you know, what, what does this mean for that backfield? So they have Stephen Jackson's gone to quiz, Rogers is gone. They have Anton Smith and they have Devontae Freeman. And so it's kind of a mess to me. I know that Quinn and Shanahan like devontae Freeman and so if I had to pick between those two guys, I think Freeman is more productive. And that's where I thought we might have a water bet this today because of that.

[Jason Moore]

I don't know how much Quinn really likes devontae Freeman. I mean when you come in as a brand new coach, you're going to talk up the players, you're trying to gain the players trust. You don't know who you're going to be drafting yet. You're going to come in and say that everybody on your team is great. I mean you're going to come in and if that's the only guy you got, you're going to come in and say I think he can be a three down back. I really like him. But then you watch what he does and he goes out and drafts Tevin Coleman. To me, that says that I think Tevin Coleman is going to be at the very least a time split. But I think Tevin Coleman has the path to the starting job here. I've never been a huge Devontae Freeman fan. He's too small. He's definitely not the Marshawn lynch type.

[Andy Holloway]

You know, Tevin Coleman isn't. Well, Kevin Coleman's teeny, tiny breaking news.

[Mike Wright]

Devonte Freeman is not Marshawn Lynch.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I didn't hit the button because I was.

[Mike Wright]

No, I didn't. I'm just giving you hot takes.

[Andy Holloway]

Here's the thing, too. Tevin Coleman is not. He doesn't fit the running scheme that Shanahan runs.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

So that's the big piece for me.

[Mike Wright]

The Tevin Coleman to me reminds me of, you know, when you have those toy cars and you wind it up on your hand, right. And you get the wheels going and then you put it down and it's immediately going 5,000 miles an hour. That's Tevin Coleman.

[Andy Holloway]

It is. It is.

[Mike Wright]

Because you give him the ball.

[Andy Holloway]

Everything's a sprint.

[Mike Wright]

Thousand miles an hour. So that can be a problem for Kyle Shanahan. K Shai runs his own block scheme where you have to have patience. I think he can learn that patience when he. With proper NFL coaching. The.

[Andy Holloway]

He's a talented guy. I'm not saying he's not talented. What our job here is not just to say what we think about the players. Right. It's to take a fantasy perspective of what is this backfield going to look like. What is the upside of Tevin Coleman and what is the impact on Devontae Freeman. And for me, I still draft Devontae Freeman. That's just my own gut feeling from what I think the backfield would look like. I mean, I don't know how much they're going to involve Smith. For some reason. They just don't want to hand the ball to Smith all the time because he. That's one of those tough situations. What do you average? 80.

[Jason Moore]

Perry last year, you know, I think he averaged 80.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

80 yards of carry.

[Mike Wright]

I just. I don't see how you can talk up Freeman. It's a three down back. We believe in him. It's the third round. We're going to take a running back right here. And the situation. I don't draft Freeman at all. And I wasn't going to draft him regardless of this. And I would take Cole. I'll take the shot on Coleman learning he's got a great Cut. So if he can just learn some patience, then he's good to go in that system. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, people say he's not a fit for the system. That's a really big worry if you're not a fit for the system you're going into. But his skills can translate to that system. He just hasn't been in it, so. And he's a bigger back. I mean, he's not one of those six two guys, but he's 5 11, you know, 200 pounds versus, you know, Devonta Freeman. What is Devonta Freeman?

[Mike Wright]

He's like, I think Freeman, he's 53150.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I thought Devonta Freeman.

[Andy Holloway]

No, he's not.

[Jason Moore]

Well, he's not 5 3.

[Andy Holloway]

He's 210.

[Mike Wright]

When he's standing on his tiptoes, he looks up to mug.

[Andy Holloway]

He's not 210ft tall. He's 5 foot 9, 210 pounds. Devonta Freeman's a thick guy.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he is. I just, I don't think Freeman.

[Andy Holloway]

I think you draft the running back because you, you lost Stephen Jackson and you lost.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I agree. They were going to add someone, but to me.

[Andy Holloway]

So I'm not simplify this because, you know, it's moot to just speculate. Do you draft Tevin Coleman or do you draft devonte Freeman?

[Jason Moore]

I absolutely draft Tevin Coleman over devonte Mike Coleman.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. And I go the other direction. I'm going to go Freeman. So let's talk about Duke Johnson or the man that I. He's better known as the guy who just muddies the already muddy water in Cleveland. Duking in the brown wire, third round pick. Yeah, that's. That is messy.

[Jason Moore]

Well done, Mike. He's duking in the water.

[Mike Wright]

You can count on me for the poop jokes, everybody.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, yes. They don't come Chipotle Joe for nothing.

[Mike Wright]

That's what I'm talking about. The number one. Get out of here with that Chipotle. That's my territory, my turf.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, Duke Johnson, he's Geo. He's Gio Bernard in a backfield that you don't even know who they like the most. Anyway, we've been kind of of the. Mike and I have been Terrence West. I think you've been cruel. I don't even know.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I'm more pro.

[Andy Holloway]

Is this just a wait and see with the. Because they're going to run the ball. They have a good old line. Mack will be back, Jack.

[Jason Moore]

That's good, right?

[Mike Wright]

See to me, Mac will not be a puddle this year.

[Jason Moore]

This is a such a weird, stupid signing.

[Andy Holloway]

Barely.

[Jason Moore]

Who's. Who's the better pass catcher?

[Mike Wright]

Duke Johnson.

[Jason Moore]

Well, of course, Duke Johnson. I'm asking between. Between Crowell and Terence West.

[Andy Holloway]

By far.

[Mike Wright]

Johnson.

[Jason Moore]

Exactly. So to me, I know this seems a little strange, but I think that this is really.

[Andy Holloway]

You say it could inflate Crowell proportionally.

[Jason Moore]

I think that you go Crowell as now the very clear cut first and second down back, and you get to do Johnson for the pass catching role. And, you know, there's some people that have said that they're kind of sour on Terrence west. And so maybe this is an indication that every other week. Yeah, every other week someone else in the Browns is dead. To the Browns and then gets out of the doghouse.

[Andy Holloway]

I love that take Dog Pound. I appreciate that take. Even though we've disagreed on everything else, I think that that makes it maybe a little easier to draft Coel.

[Mike Wright]

Now.

[Andy Holloway]

That doesn't mean I'm drafting a Browns running back super high, but that means maybe I can make my decision.

[Mike Wright]

Would you take Crowell in the fifth round?

[Andy Holloway]

Not right now.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, me either.

[Mike Wright]

I think I would because he'd be my RB3.

[Jason Moore]

I'd probably.

[Andy Holloway]

I take an RB3 unless I got on Crow. Yeah. Again, we want to see camp. We want to see what they're doing with these guys. But, you know, you do you bring in a pass catcher who is absolutely not a workhorse. I mean, Duke Johnson's not a workhorse back. So he.

[Mike Wright]

I don't know. I think he might be. I mean, he's. He's the leading rusher for my. In Miami history. Did you know that?

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, I did know that.

[Mike Wright]

I mean, that. That's an insane stat when you talk about all the running backs who have come out of there, and Duke Johnson is the guy who has the. He has the trophy.

[Andy Holloway]

So you're taking Crowell, then West or then Johnson or are you. Are you flipping? Are you staying on West?

[Mike Wright]

Man, it's hard to stay on west after this draft. But it's so weird how they. How are they. They take turns being mad at people. Like this week, Terrence West, I'm mad at you.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, you mix that in with Matt going out and not knowing what they really have in those guys because you have a deformed offensive line.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. So I'm going to take a shot on Crowell and Duke.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I'm going to avoid the Browns backfield probably for where they go, but I'm going to put a.

[Andy Holloway]

If a Guy's values, they're going to be good.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to put a value to them. And if Crowell drops where I feel like he's a good enough value, you know, to me, like in the sixth, I'll grab him there and have some high upside.

[Andy Holloway]

Let me read you a stat line when we talk about our next guy.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, please, dude, my heart.

[Andy Holloway]

201 carries for 660 yards and three touchdowns. Whose stat line is that?

[Mike Wright]

Wait, wait.

[Andy Holloway]

201 yards, 201 carries for 660 yards and three Touchdowns.

[Mike Wright]

That's not.

[Jason Moore]

That's not good.

[Andy Holloway]

So whose stat is that? Whose stat line that is? Andre Ellington. Andre Ellington, stat line. So we're talking David Johnson, the 22nd pick of the third round by the Arizona Cardinals.

[Mike Wright]

Be still my heart.

[Andy Holloway]

You're far too in love. I feel like I have to be the. Like I was.

[Jason Moore]

I was shouting some David Johnson love on here last week. He was my guy that we didn't talk about, but I brought him to the table as he was the guy I would talk about if we were going a little deeper, because, man, I love him as a juco guy. You want a guy that beats up on the competition, and if you want a fun time, go watch David Johnson's highlight reels beating up these juco guys because it's just a blast. And so maybe David Johnson. David Johnson and David Johnson. Yeah, his. His everything is off the charts. His. You know, didn't he lead, like, almost every single category in pretty close. So hold on.

[Mike Wright]

Let's get the tempered expectations before I start gushing.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, all right, fair enough.

[Andy Holloway]

You're queuing me.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's you, sourpuss.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm pretty high on Johnson, but I. Ellington's gonna have a huge role. I mean, one.

[Mike Wright]

It makes Ellington better.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, well, but they're very. They're similar because they're both pass catchers. Okay? They've both been pass catchers, and they have similar skill sets in that there's a lot of people that thought Arizona was going to go out and get a big old bruiser, you know, somebody much larger.

[Mike Wright]

David Johnson's a very large man, I think.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay, well, I'm talking somebody like Buck Allen that Baltimore drafted.

[Jason Moore]

He's talking about Refrigerator Perry, Mike.

[Andy Holloway]

But Duke Johnson comes in. Arians has already come out and said Ellington's role is going to be the exact same. We know Ellington is a guy that they love, clubhouse wise, that they believe a lot of his lack of production came from Injury and not necessarily skill set because we saw him have a much better year the year before. So these are, these are things to consider when you temper expectations. I think that they, I think the peak is a split there.

[Jason Moore]

Well, the peak, I mean obviously we, you know, you can't predict injury but Ellington's foot has been, you know, such a blight for so long this whole last year. He's still not healthy, fully healthy yet. So it's one of those things where, I don't know, it seems to me like Arians wants to draft a three down back and he just got one. And I agree that this is good for Ellington. It's good for his value because if anything it pushes his ADP lower. And I think that his depends.

[Mike Wright]

Depends on who you're talking to. There's some, I've read a lot of.

[Andy Holloway]

Stuff that says that it's like an endorsement for Ellington.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, they think it's great for him.

[Jason Moore]

Well, yeah, I mean I guess, you know, to each draft his own but you'll have to see where his value goes in your draft. But if he's pushing back later, I think he's going to. His yards per carry are going to go up because his usage is going to go down. I think his ADP should slide a little bit because you know, David Johnson to me has one of the highest upsides of the running backs but not a very likely, you know, it's not, it's not like Melvin Gordon where his upside is high and his probability is high. David Johnson's probability isn't necessarily that high. But I think the possibility of him finishing, you know, I look at most of these guys and think how many of these guys could finish as an RB one and not, not hardly any of them. But if David Johnson got that role, I think he could.

[Mike Wright]

Right. We, so we forget that when Ellington was really good. So his rookie year Rashad Mendenhall who was touting a 3.2 yards per carry average was fantasy relevant. Both of them were fantasy relevant. Now it's what you need to look at Arizona. We brought in Mike Upati, right, One of the best run blocking guards in the NFL. They added D.J. humphries as their first round pick. Who Daniel Jeremiah from NFL.com who the best now he works for them but he was a professional scout for multiple NFL teams including the Ravens. Called Humphreys the best tackle in the draft. They have gone. All of the Arizona offensive line is ready to go. They also added AQ Shipley who's huge.

[Jason Moore]

Upgrade for the center.

[Mike Wright]

He'll be the center position and he's an upgrade. I just think the entire Arizona offensive line is ready to go for. For a lot more running. And to me I just. David Johnson, his, his. His measurable things like how fast he's. How big he is. He just. I don't see how he can fail in Arizona the way that the way things are set up for him.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm not almost the way we talk about Dallas back.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

In Dallas is going to have success.

[Mike Wright]

People. People aren't going to talk about the Arizona line until they see it.

[Andy Holloway]

Right.

[Mike Wright]

But that we're trying not to be the homer but just seeing what. Because we. We see what they're doing every day.

[Jason Moore]

Because that's what we follow.

[Mike Wright]

The Arizona line is going to be amazing as long as Humphrey Humphrey pans out.

[Andy Holloway]

It's a great point. And really if you want to drop any rookie into a filter and decide how good they can be, you've got talent and you've got your supporting cast and you've got opportunity. That's why I like Gordon. Right. Because he's got all three guaranteed if that third piece comes in the right amount for David Johnson. Because the supporting cast. You just described it. The talent is there, the measurables are there. And so he could be a really sneaky pick. I think he's got RB2 upside at the peak.

[Jason Moore]

And keep in mind where he's going ADP wise. You know, you're probably going to have Amir Abdullah and Tevin Coleman, guys like that. TJ Yelden going. All of those guys going ahead of David Johnson.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. I'd say Johnson's going to go later. And a crazy thing when looking at I was trying to find a good player to combine compare with David Johnson. Le'Veon Bell, he's pretty good.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

And that some people had some very negative stuff to say about Le'Veon Bell. That worked out pretty well. I'm not saying David Johnson is going to be Le'Veon Bell, but David Johnson.

[Jason Moore]

Or TJ Elden, David Johnson depends on the position. I would rather have TJ Yelden if they were at the same exact spot. You know, if I got to draft a guy and there's only one round I'd draft Yelden because I think his. I think he's more guaranteed of the workload. If I knew that the workload was going to David Johnson, I would rather have David Johnson.

[Andy Holloway]

Mike, out of all the guys we've talked about so far, who do you take ahead of David Johnson?

[Mike Wright]

Everything is so Value dependent. But I mean, I really like Abdullah and I think Abdullah is going to be a seventh or eighth round guy maybe. It's really hard to judge where these guys are going to get going because the hype train is going to get boosted from camp. But I just, I really think David Johnson is set up to succeed.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, well, we have three more guys that I want to talk about, but let's do it kind of quickly because I want to make sure we get to the mailbag. Listener mailbag. We got about five questions we want to answer in there. So the first guy real quick, Buck Allen drafted by the Ravens in the fourth round. What. What are your takes on Buck Allen? Because I think I've made it pretty clear that my lack of confidence in Justin Forsett this year is. Is, you know, I just don't believe that Forsett's going to be the guy all year long.

[Mike Wright]

To me, it's complete trouble for Lorenzo. Lorenzo, regrettably.

[Andy Holloway]

Did we care about Lorenzo before?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I did.

[Jason Moore]

I didn't.

[Mike Wright]

I had you. You have to care about a backup for a Mark Tressman system. But here's the thing about Buck Allen. Here's his reception. Total 41 for 458. The guy can catch the ball. Mark Trisman wants a running back who can catch Justin. Justin for said is clearly that still the number one guy to me but now they have a backup to me too who will spell for set and can still catch. He can still do the playbook, essentially. I don't know that Talia Farrow can do that.

[Andy Holloway]

He's a one cut guy.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, yeah. No, I, I was really unhappy with this pick because I've been so on the Justin Forset train and he's this, this guy's perfect fit for Tressman system, which is great for the Ravens and the Ravens, historically, they pick well. They know, you know, they've got a good track record of rookie picks and so I think he's going to be a good player. I agree with you. I think it's the end of Taliaferro. I think he's going to be phased out as far as I think that Buck Johnson. Buck Allen is going to too many Johnson's. We got Duke Johnson, David Johnson. Anyways, I think that he is going to take that number two spot and be the spell.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I don't really have any problem with Telly Farrell myself, but I think that, you know, you got to have depth. I don't think they hate him.

[Mike Wright]

No, he'll still be on the team.

[Andy Holloway]

But you know, four sets older too. So despite the lack of carries. So David Cobb of the Titans, second pick of the fifth round.

[Mike Wright]

Trouble.

[Andy Holloway]

Bishop Sankey trouble was a disgusting experiment last year. I, if I had to spin something in the running back, Bishop Sankey potential direction here, I would say their offense got better, right? You got Mariota, you got Green, Beckham, and then you have.

[Mike Wright]

They also drafted a guard and a fullback, Julius Tom.

[Andy Holloway]

Right. And then the other piece would be that.

[Jason Moore]

No, no, no, brains off.

[Mike Wright]

Wake up.

[Andy Holloway]

David Cobb is more of a shown Green than he is a Bishop psyche. So he could be taking Green's role and not taking Sankey's role.

[Mike Wright]

And Wizen Hunt has a propensity to hate rookies.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, he does.

[Mike Wright]

For his entire career he's done that. But I don't know, I think it's real trouble for Sankey.

[Andy Holloway]

You don't like that 3.2 a carry or whatever he had last year.

[Mike Wright]

I hate 3.9 a carry, so 3.2 makes me vomit in my mouth.

[Andy Holloway]

Any other take on him, Jay? Okay, I have to talk about this last guy because he is the steal of the draft for me. I think J Ajayi going to Miami in the fifth round. I am not, I believe I'm in line, by the way with the coaching staff in Miami. I'm not a Lamar Miller workhorse back guy. I think that was necessity last year, not what they want to do. It's the reason they had no Shawn Moreno in there before. Jay Ajayi is a second round talent and all the knee discussions, I think that's going to speak to longevity of career. I don't think it's going to speak to these first couple years. And so you got a guy coming in to a really good off, you know, what do we say? Talent, supporting cast, opportunity, ding, ding, ding. For me, I think Ajayi has the chance. I take him ahead of Cobb, ahead of Allen, ahead of Duke, Johnson, ahead of Coleman, ahead of Abdullah. I think he has a chance to be a really, really good year one running back.

[Jason Moore]

I think the thing that's missing there for me is that third ding. I don't know that the opportunity is going to be there. As far as, you know, I don't think he's going to be ahead of Lamar Miller. They like Lamar Miller. I mean they, they waited to the fifth round to draft a running back. You know, he fell into his lap and they must have been, you know, he must have been the highest player left on the board. But you know, they passed the first few days on the running back position. So I don't think they saw it as a complete dire need. Otherwise they would have drafted one on those first two days. And so I, you know, we'll see. With his knee position I don't think they're going to make him a workhorse. So maybe this hurts Lamar Miller and also limits Ajayi. But yeah, I'm not super sold on a Jay.

[Mike Wright]

I mostly agree with Jason. I don't. I think they waited on a running back because they were. They liked what Lamar Miller can do but they found a guy who can be a fantastic third down back. Lamar Miller is not. That is not his strength. Lamar Miller to me is a two down back. And now they have Ajayi to come in and catch the dumps for my man Tanny and fifth best running team last year. What do you with Lamar Miller?

[Andy Holloway]

No, I know, I know that's what they like to do and their team is. They have a good offense.

[Jason Moore]

What does this do to Lamar Miller to you guys draft wise? Does this drop him a little? A lot?

[Andy Holloway]

For me it definitely does because I like it. I mean but I'm alone on this on thinking a job is a chance to be.

[Mike Wright]

I like it because I personally like Lamar Miller. I like, I want.

[Andy Holloway]

It's like how many carries Lamar Miller had last year?

[Mike Wright]

Oh, maybe just under 200.

[Jason Moore]

I was thinking two. What?

[Andy Holloway]

No, go ahead.

[Jason Moore]

I was gonna say 260. I thought, I thought he had some.

[Andy Holloway]

He's about. He's just over 200. 216. There's some more carries to be had in that Miami backfield.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, and he'll get carries. I just think that Miller is going to be the featured two down Beck and he's going to be a good player.

[Andy Holloway]

Definitely a place that. Yeah, we definitely need to go with that one Miller because he will be the starter to begin with but I think Ajayi will have an opportunity. We shall see. Camp's gonna say a lot to do with his knee and his situation there because I'll back off of him quickly if that knees can impact him Year.

[Mike Wright]

One Well as to drop where people were proclaiming him the third best running back in the draft and the guy drops all the way down to the fifth round. We don't have access to the medical that they do. Clearly there was a big issue. The reports came out that his knee is bone on bone and so he'll.

[Andy Holloway]

Give you a couple good years maybe games.

[Mike Wright]

How long is that thing going to hold up?

[Andy Holloway]

I think that Was just rumor, man.

[Jason Moore]

Scared off a lot of teams.

[Andy Holloway]

Rumor. All right, let's get into the mailbag.

[Jason Moore]

Mailbag, mailbag.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. This first email comes in from Jonathan. He says, how important is it to look at offensive line when deciding between running backs? And then he asked us to do a show where you focus on O lines and how that impacts their teams. Jonathan, we'll definitely be covering that in our team previews on future shows. But how important is that?

[Jason Moore]

I think it's pretty important. I mean, if you're a running back and you don't have any holes open up for you, you can't do much. But I think it's mostly on the extremes. You know, you look for lines that are really, really good. You know, like we were talking about Arizona or you're talking about Dallas. You look for lines that are really, really bad. And, and otherwise, if you're not in one of those two, I think you're just kind of average. I don't, I don't get scared away because you're a little bit better, a little bit worse on, you know, on that medium grade line. What do you think, Mike?

[Mike Wright]

I think an offensive line is very important if you. Especially when you want elite production. I just, I don't think that how. With how talented everyone is just to make it into the NFL and how fast you have to be a running back. Unless you're Adrian Peterson. That's like the only guy I can think of who can do it by himself. There's not. I can't think of another runner who is able to do it. But offensive lines are. It's very important, especially the center position, because the center is calling out coverages, he's calling out blocking schemes. And if you look at what I feel like, I say this all the time, but I'm gonna say it again. If you look at teams that are great running teams have great centers, which.

[Andy Holloway]

Is why you're concerned about Marshawn lynch and Matt Zunger leaving.

[Mike Wright]

I. Yes. Among other things.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. So I think it's a good, good place to split the difference on a guy that you have.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

In a similar.

[Mike Wright]

If you're looking at tiebreaker, then yeah, you take the better line.

[Andy Holloway]

CZ writes in, he says, hey, guys, love the show. I'm in a 12 team keeper league where we keep two players. The player. So he swaps the round that they were drafted in the previous season for. Okay, so he gets Jeremy hill for a 10th rounder. Oh, yeah, Just plain beautiful. But his option for the second keeper is either AP in the first round. And he picked, for what it's worth, he picks 12th in the first round. Dez in the first round or Mark Ingram in the ninth round or J. Stu in the ninth.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, man, this is the ultimate value test.

[Andy Holloway]

AP in the first, Ingram in the ninth. I think that's your decision, right?

[Mike Wright]

No, Des is actually very much in my consideration.

[Jason Moore]

Me too. To me, it's between DES and ap.

[Andy Holloway]

Why would you consider DES ahead of apart?

[Mike Wright]

I'm saying they're both in my conversation of.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, if Jeremy Hill's kept, why are you considering DES ahead of Adrian Peterson?

[Jason Moore]

Well, just because, you know, I mean, if you want to lock up one of each position and give yourself flexibility for the draft to where you can go running back or wide receiver. I see both of those guys as the ability to finish as, you know, the top running back and the top wide receiver. So it gives you that flexibility. But, you know, I say I'm between those guys. I would probably go AP and have the chance to just load up on, you know, stud Arby's.

[Mike Wright]

It's also a keeper league, so to have to have keeper rights on a stud running back who should be great for four years at least and then DEZ Bryant, who's going to be great for another seven years where Peterson only Peterson only has a couple years left.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, you're going to be swapping that round every single time too.

[Mike Wright]

And he'll. DEZ Bryant should hold that value.

[Andy Holloway]

So you're going dez.

[Mike Wright]

I think so. Which is.

[Andy Holloway]

You better be after that straight.

[Mike Wright]

Well, I'm saying I'm verifying in my head and I'm a running back, guys, but I like having a top talent at both positions. Fair point and guy. Des has lone longevity.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I go Hill AP myself. Jay, what do you do?

[Jason Moore]

I go hill AP as well. I want to win the championship this year, every year.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, so AJ Writes in. He says, yo, playboys, insert comment about how kick butt your show is here. Your player, player. I'm in a dynasty league and have my rookie draft coming up soon and would like your thoughts on who I should target. Sixteen teams, lineups a little different. Looks like only one running back starts two. Two wide receivers, tight end, flex. So he has the sixth pick in his rookie draft. So who would you target there based on a qbrb, wide receiver, wide receiver, tight end and flex?

[Mike Wright]

That's nearly impossible without knowing his roster. But oh, man, what about if you're.

[Andy Holloway]

Targeting a wider a running back at that position and Gordon and Gurley are gone. Which is the guy you're going from our list today at 6. At 6.

[Mike Wright]

Abdullah, maybe trying to temper my David Jones over here.

[Jason Moore]

That's a little too high.

[Mike Wright]

But yeah, I probably Abdullah for me. If you're going for a running back, right.

[Andy Holloway]

You know, who would you love to have at that position?

[Jason Moore]

I would like. So I would target Nelson Aguilar there, you know.

[Mike Wright]

Oh yeah. If you get Aguilar there, that'd be fantastic.

[Jason Moore]

I think that's a realistic spot for him to go and he's in a great position and he's a talented guy on a high powered offense and wide receivers are so valuable in rookie drafts. So that's who I would be looking for. Maybe is.

[Mike Wright]

And he'll just. He'll. You'll get two years before Chip Kelly tires and trades him.

[Andy Holloway]

I like that call though, Jay. Good call. Grumpy old troll writes in. He says, you have the top two picks in the. I guess he has the top two picks in the draft. Your keepers are Jonathan Stewart, Brandon Cooks and some scrub wide receiver. His top four choices. So pick two of these four that he could draft. Marius Thomas, Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray, Lashawn McCoy. Who do you take and why?

[Mike Wright]

You got. You want me to go?

[Jason Moore]

You got it, Mike.

[Andy Holloway]

So he basically has J. Stu Cooks and another scrub wide receiver.

[Mike Wright]

Right?

[Andy Holloway]

We could say like.

[Mike Wright]

So he has no running backs.

[Andy Holloway]

He has Jonathan Stewart.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. And I like Jonathan Stewart, but who's the. Oh, Lashawn McCoy with that, with that team makeup, I think I might take both backs.

[Andy Holloway]

DeMarco and McCoy.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. If I'm gonna split him, I'm gonna take DeMarco and Des and I would.

[Andy Holloway]

Go dez McCoy because I'm higher on McCoy than I am Murray.

[Jason Moore]

Well, I would.

[Andy Holloway]

So if we both.

[Jason Moore]

I say because, you know, we've all three got different guys, so. This is a good question there, grumpy old troll. I would take dt. I've got him finishing as the number one wide receiver on my board. So I. I'm never gonna pass that. So I take DT and then I'd take LeSean McCoy.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's go. This is our last question here before we move on here. Chris says via email, I play in a 10 team keeper. You get to keep four. So I guess these are the guys he has. Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Marshawn Lynch, Julio Jones, Jordy Nelson and Jimmy Graham.

[Jason Moore]

Pretty good guys. I guess that's 10 team lead.

[Andy Holloway]

I guess all the guys cost him a pick somewhere in the first through Four rounds. So he'll lose his first four rounds if he can, which he will. So he's not getting back the guys he drops. Who do you keep? He's leaning Lacey, Julio, lynch and Jordy. But with lynch getting older he's a little worried about that.

[Jason Moore]

Well, that's exactly who I draft. Yeah, I keep those four guys because.

[Andy Holloway]

Those are the four chances you'd go Rogers over Lynch. There's a chance of the keeper situation.

[Mike Wright]

But I know I might the I would consider going Rogers over Jordyn because I'm going to, I'm going to play to win this year and if it's a 10 team I'm very confident I can find a running back who they're not going to be Marshawn lynch, but I'm going to find a running back and so Julio, Lacey, lynch and Rogers. Oh yeah. Yeah. I think, I think that's where I'm going.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, what else we got?

[Jason Moore]

Well, we've got.

[Mike Wright]

I thought was another question. I was confused.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

The show notes doc in front of you.

[Mike Wright]

I actually do not.

[Andy Holloway]

It says fanduel read. Alright.

[Mike Wright]

So for those who are interested in daily fantasy, FanDuel is the worldwide leader and it's a, it's a blast. It's fantastic. You go. The action is quick and furious and the, the payoff is immediate. You want that instant gratification. FanDuel.com is the place for you. There is no season long commitment and right now, today, lucky for you, because you like the show, you, you want to support the show. You can enter the code ballers when you sign up and they will match dollar for dollar up to $200. They're going to give you 200 free.

[Jason Moore]

Casholas US American dollars. Also pro tip, pro tip. For the fantasy football players out there, sign up for free. If you, you know, get used to the system right now with the code Ballers. Yeah, still use the code ballers because that way when football season rolls around you can get some free money on there. But yeah, sign up for free and just play these games for free. It's a, it's a blast. No matter what.

[Mike Wright]

It helps you and it helps us out if you use our code.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. On our next show on Thursday we're going to have the pleasure of welcoming in Adam Azer, CBS host and analyst.

[Mike Wright]

For their get that Gordon details.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, their podcast. So we'll be breaking down some more post draft fantasy fallout and in future shows we're going to be doing some mock drafts and we'll do those team previews that we've been talking about. Send us your [e-mail] we'll be happy to answer them on the show each and every week. We try to do that with listener questions and make sure you support and follow us on the web at the fantasy footballers.com on Twitter the ffballers and on Facebook at facebook.com the fantasy footballers. Any parting thoughts, gentlemen?

[Mike Wright]

I went three by three again on Sunday night. For those who are tracking my and calorie intakes. Yeah, and it. It was. It was what?

[Andy Holloway]

I remember it so it's still just as good as the first time.

[Mike Wright]

It was incredible. Maybe even better this time.

[Jason Moore]

I won't lie to you, since you said that I went through the drive, got a three by three. I fully support this endorsement.

[Andy Holloway]

And me and Trey Mason were just on the ground throwing up all weekend. Dang it.

[Jason Moore]

You got to.

[Andy Holloway]

So maybe next week build your immune.

[Jason Moore]

System by eating three.

[Mike Wright]

Three by three.

[Andy Holloway]

Dude, you don't know what it was. I three old cold hot dogs out of the fridge while I was running out the door.

[Mike Wright]

What are you doing with the fridge?

[Andy Holloway]

That's weird. And I was in a hurry.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, well, you still don't need a cold hot dog.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, I paid the piper, okay? Yeah, I won't do that again. All right, on that note, we'll catch you later. This is the Fantasy Footballer.

[Mike Wright]

Goodbye.

[Jason Moore]

Thank you for listening to another edition of the Fantasy Footballers podcast.