Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Special Guest: Martavis Bryant, Busts, Players to Avoid

Summary

Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Special Guest: Martavis Bryant, Busts, Players to Avoid

Release Date: August 27, 2015
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright
Guest: Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver

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1. Introduction and Special Guest Announcement

The episode kicks off with an unexpected but exciting announcement as Martavis Bryant, also known as Marty McBride, joins the Fantasy Footballers team [00:00]. Hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright express their enthusiasm about having Bryant on the show, setting the tone for an engaging and informative episode [00:11-00:48].

2. Fun with Team Names and Draft Strategies

The hosts delve into the creative and humorous side of fantasy football by discussing memorable team names. Mike Wright shares his humorous team name, "Granny Panty Cakes," which garners laughter and camaraderie among the hosts [02:24-03:15]. Andy Holloway mentions another creative name, "Morning Woodhead," highlighting the playful spirit of the podcast [02:53-03:04].

Jason Moore introduces a Game of Thrones-inspired team name submitted by a listener, "Demerius Targaryen," praising the blend of pop culture with fantasy football [03:04-03:37]. The discussion then shifts to draft strategies, particularly the use of misdirection to manipulate draft opponents' perceptions. Andy Holloway reveals his tactic of undermining player values to secure key picks, exemplifying his strategic approach [04:02-05:35].

3. News and Updates

The hosts provide listeners with the latest fantasy football news, covering player performances and injuries:

• Nelson Agholor's Rise: The Philadelphia Inquirer highlights Nelson Agholor as a potential top receiver for his team, behind Jordan Matthews. Andy Holloway notes that Josh Huff remains a wild card, emphasizing the importance of staying updated on depth chart changes [06:11-07:21].

• Injury Updates: Key players like Calvin Johnson and Zach Ertz are reported to miss significant preseason time, impacting their draft stock and readiness for week one [07:22-08:35]. Michael Floyd's finger injury and potential return are also discussed, with Mike Wright observing his fluctuating draft positions [08:28-08:35].

4. Busts and Players to Avoid

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to identifying players who may disappoint in the upcoming season:

• Rashad Jennings: Andy Holloway warns about Jennings potentially being overshadowed by Andre Williams and Shane Vereen, citing Jennings' history of injuries and inconsistent performance [10:19-11:09].

• Darren McFadden: The hosts unanimously agree that McFadden is likely to underperform, given his declining performance metrics and lack of improvement after switching teams [11:53-12:43].

• Tom Brady: In a surprising twist, the hosts label Tom Brady as a "bust" for fantasy football. They argue that despite his legendary status, Brady's recent performance has been mediocre, and his frequent injuries make him an unreliable fantasy quarterback choice [22:00-25:13]. Andy Holloway emphasizes that real-life success doesn't always translate to fantasy points, stating, "If I'm a GM in the NFL, give me Tom Brady now. I think he's got years left. He's phenomenal. But fantasy, no way is that fun" [23:39-25:13].

5. Warning Signs: Emmanuel Sanders, Doug Martin, and More

Beyond outright busts, the hosts highlight players who come with cautionary flags:

• Emmanuel Sanders: Despite setting career highs last season, Sanders faces potential regression due to offensive shifts and injury concerns. Andy Holloway advises caution, suggesting that Sanders may not meet previous performance levels [12:43-14:35].

• Doug Martin vs. Jonathan Stewart: Mike Wright expresses skepticism about Doug Martin outperforming Jonathan Stewart, despite a strong preseason showing. Jason Moore concurs, stressing the unpredictability of Martin's performance based on his recent form [14:35-16:19].

• T.J. Yeldon: The rookie running back is flagged for potential overhype. Andy Holloway questions the expectation that Yeldon will secure significant carries, given the presence of other talented backs and an unproven offense [18:05-20:20].

6. Exclusive Interview with Martavis Bryant

Martavis Bryant shares insights from his perspective as an active NFL player:

• Preparation and Growth: Bryant highlights his improved preparation and confidence compared to his rookie year, attributing his development to better workouts, including MMA training, and route running [26:04-28:49].

• Offensive Dynamics: Discussing the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense, Bryant mentions enhanced chemistry with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and teammate T.J. Wheaton. He emphasizes the positive changes brought by offseason work and the team's focus on improving daily [26:15-28:37].

• Comparisons and Training: While not directly comparing himself to other players, Bryant cites Randy Moss as one of his favorite shooters, indicating his aspiration to emulate Moss's playmaking abilities [27:30-27:55].

7. Listener Mailbag

The hosts address listener questions, providing personalized advice:

• Eddie Lacy vs. C.J. Anderson: Tom from Ithaca seeks guidance on choosing between high-value running backs. Andy Holloway advocates for taking Eddie Lacy in the third round for his superstar potential, even if it means forgoing C.J. Anderson later [31:11-32:27]. Mike Wright agrees, prioritizing guaranteed production over potential upside [31:39-32:13].

• Drafting Doug Martin: Greg from Albuquerque inquires about adding Doug Martin to his roster. Andy Holloway and Jason Moore recommend prioritizing Martin due to his preseason performance, suggesting dropping less essential positions like kicker or tight end to accommodate him [32:44-33:20].

• Draft Position Strategies: Brad from Phoenix asks about different strategies for drafting in middle versus end positions. The hosts discuss the advantages of certain draft spots, with Andy Holloway favoring the 8th and 9th positions for their balance of pick order flexibility [33:52-35:16].

• Quarterback Streaming: Dion from New York City seeks advice on quarterback streaming strategies. Mike Wright elaborates on his approach, which involves targeting late-round QB options like Sam Bradford and Carson Palmer, while Andy Holloway emphasizes the importance of adaptability based on weekly matchups [35:21-36:45].

• Jordy Nelson Monitoring: Jason Moore advises Jason from Louisiana to prioritize wide receiver pickups, recommending players like Devin Fontes over Ronnie Hillman to bolster his team [37:24-38:28].

8. Additional Tips and Recommendations

Throughout the episode, the hosts share valuable tools and resources:

• FantasyDraftWizard.com: Jason Moore promotes this free tool for conducting mock drafts, essential for preparing and strategizing [09:23-09:56].

• SeatGeek App Promotion: The hosts endorse the SeatGeek app for securing affordable NFL game tickets, encouraging listeners to use promo codes for discounts [16:06-17:57].

9. Conclusion and Teasers for Future Episodes

Wrapping up, the hosts tease upcoming episodes featuring notable guests like Nick Mangold and John Paulson from 4for4. They also encourage listeners to engage via social media, YouTube, and their website for continuous updates and support [39:04-39:28].

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Notable Quotes:

• "Everything I've said all season long has been to drive down the values of players. Everything I've said on the show is the long con." — Andy Holloway [04:26]

• "Tom Brady is not translated. The real life Tom Brady is not translated." — Mike Wright [24:34]

• "If I'm a GM in the NFL, give me Tom Brady now. I think he's got years left. He's phenomenal. But fantasy, no way is that fun." — Andy Holloway [25:09]

• "Emmanuel Sanders is not going to be on your team." — Jason Moore [22:00]

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This episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast delivers a comprehensive blend of strategic advice, player evaluations, and insider insights, enriched by the unique perspectives of both the hosts and special guest Martavis Bryant. Whether you're a seasoned fantasy manager or a newcomer, the discussions on busts, warning signs, and optimal drafting strategies provide invaluable guidance to navigate the upcoming season successfully.

Transcript

[Martavis Bryant]

Hey, It's Martevis Bryant, aka Marty McBride, and you listen to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast.

[Andy Holloway]

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

[Jason Moore]

What? What was that?

[Mike Wright]

Do not adjust your speakers. You heard correct. Foot clan.

[Jason Moore]

Who was that?

[Mike Wright]

Mar Davis, Br. AKA Marty McBride.

[Andy Holloway]

There you have it.

[Jason Moore]

He is on today's show. We are talking to Martavis Bryant on today's show. How'd that happen? I do not know.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, we make things happen here at the Fantasy Footballers.

[Andy Holloway]

We got some great interviews coming up. We got Nick Mangold coming up, I think maybe next week or the week after. Starting center for the New York Jets.

[Mike Wright]

We're talking beards with Nick Mangold, some handsome fancy beards.

[Jason Moore]

Welcome to the show. We've got a good one for you today. This is the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. I'm Andy Holloway, joined by Jason Moore and Martavis Bryant. Martavis Bryant and Mike Wright.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, those intros were rough. What?

[Jason Moore]

Maybe because you were focused on this.

[Andy Holloway]

88 miles per hour.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. A little distracted by the Martavis. Marty McBride on the show today. Yeah. If you want to follow the show, you can do so on twitter@the ffballers. You can go to the fantasy footballers.com if you want to submit a. If you want to learn how to support the show, there's some information on there. We just posted a new article yesterday with some great week one defensive matchups. So that's the best way to draft defenses, people. Draft those defenses that look good in weeks one and two and three and then stream them. Right?

[Mike Wright]

Absolutely agree.

[Jason Moore]

So today we're talking to Martavis Bryant. We've got some busts, some players to avoid, some warning signs for certain guys. We're gonna hit the mailbag hard like.

[Mike Wright]

Like a slab of meat in Rocky.

[Jason Moore]

Yep. Boom. Right in the face.

[Mike Wright]

That's Rocky's punch. Boom.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, he lost a couple fights on Mike. I mean, he wasn't always on point.

[Mike Wright]

That's fair. What a loser. I got.

[Jason Moore]

I got two quick questions for today. A double. A double whammy.

[Mike Wright]

Double stuff.

[Jason Moore]

The first one is, do you have a Go to Fantasy football team name? Because I heard the best team name I've heard in a long time yesterday.

[Mike Wright]

Well, here's. Here's the deal. We better give our names first, so.

[Jason Moore]

Because they don't compare.

[Mike Wright]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

Do you have. What's yours?

[Mike Wright]

My favorite team name for this current year. It revolves around pancakes, but it's a double entendre of Granny Panty Cakes.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. You named your team that for the Listener League.

[Mike Wright]

Granny panty cakes.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that sounds like you. All right.

[Andy Holloway]

I would go with. Because he's one of my sleepers of choice. I go with Morning Woodhead.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, my goodness.

[Andy Holloway]

I know. Not the best.

[Jason Moore]

Well, the best is coming up.

[Mike Wright]

Right?

[Jason Moore]

I don't even have. This is what I answered when someone asked me that question, because I don't have, like, a go to for this year, but now I do. Yeah. Because the name was Demerius Targaryen.

[Andy Holloway]

That is fantastic.

[Jason Moore]

So Game of Thrones shout out there. That. That's spectacular. I love it when the pop culture things come out of the blue and then you have a whole new, like, suite of names.

[Mike Wright]

And who. Whoever coined that. A tip of. Tip of the cap.

[Jason Moore]

Tip of the cap. Yeah. It was somebody who had submitted a question to us, and so I looked at their team and I saw the name right above all their players.

[Andy Holloway]

So. Good.

[Jason Moore]

All right, so the other. The other part of the quick question is this, you know, draft season is happening right now. How much misdirection do you put into play when it comes to your draft? Like, you know, some people are really open with the draft strategies. Some people are really secretive. But then there is another category of people who. Jason's raising his hand who like to. Oh, yeah, misdirect a little bit onto who he's interested in.

[Andy Holloway]

You know, that. That's why I'm excited in auction leagues, because I feel like I can use the most of my manipulation, but I just love just terrorizing the value of players, especially in keeper leagues, and knocking them down if they're on a team.

[Jason Moore]

You're the worst.

[Andy Holloway]

I know.

[Jason Moore]

You destroy me. Yeah. After I won the title, you spent the next summer disparaging any player that I could want to trade in our keeper.

[Andy Holloway]

Correct. Because I don't want you to have any value to it. So I love that. That's part of the game for me. For me, I enjoy telling somebody how bad a player is and then being super excited when I draft them at the draft so that I can get them. In fact, all information I've given all season long has been to drive down the values of players. Everything I've said wait on the show.

[Jason Moore]

The show whole season, Mike, we didn't know this.

[Andy Holloway]

It's the long con.

[Mike Wright]

So I go with the. The stone face 5050 combo. So that way you have absolutely no idea what I'm doing.

[Jason Moore]

So you're either telling the truth or you're lying. But there's just no way to make a move off of it.

[Mike Wright]

Exactly. Because you make everything sound exactly the same in your inflection and your excitement or your disparaging of a player.

[Andy Holloway]

Give us an example here.

[Mike Wright]

Devontae Freeman is gonna have a fantastic year.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I like that. I really like that. I have no idea if you believe that or not.

[Jason Moore]

I know the answer to that.

[Mike Wright]

That's a bold face, Lion. If you listen to the podcast, you know, but these are the things that you need to say in your draft while you're walking in. Have. Have side conversations just loud enough so that. So that whoever's drafting in front of you can hear it.

[Andy Holloway]

So whoever's wearing the Falcons jersey.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, yeah, that looks really good. Yeah, I. I always laugh at the people who. You know, a lot of the times, guys from our leagues, they want to run like a mock. Like a mock draft to see what's going to happen and where we, you know, predict what the other player. I'm always like, how much do I mean? Is this really worth value to me? Because I can't even draft the guys I want to draft because I'm. Then again, now I have a show that everybody knows my rankings top to the bottom, so. All right, let's get into some news.

[Andy Holloway]

News and notes from around the league.

[Jason Moore]

Not a ton of news for today, obviously. We've been here every day this week, so you're getting every bit of news that comes across the wire, kind of some speculative news, but out of the Philadelphia Inquirer, they're talking up Nelson Aguilar, that he will be the second most productive receiver on the team. I think this is something we all kind of can see really easily. I mean, outside of Jordan Matthews, he has the most talent on that. On that team. Unless Josh Huff surprises us, which that was the only thing I don't expect.

[Andy Holloway]

The only thing I wanted to point out was that Josh Huff is a completely forgotten name. You know, we didn't even talk about him on sleepers. And I think when you look at.

[Jason Moore]

The value we did a few months ago.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, right. I'm just saying we just did a sleeper show yesterday, and we didn't mention him. But Aguilar is. Aguilar is exploding. And, you know, his draft position is. Well, he's going to be the guy there. But I think on the depth chart right now, he's behind Huff. So we just have to pay attention. Because Huff's undrafted.

[Jason Moore]

There are certain players right now that are also going to be sitting out the rest of the preseason. We heard Calvin Johnson's not playing the rest of the preseason. Good Good for you. Some other new, you know, Zach Ertz isn't going to play in the preseason and he might not play in week one. That is another report.

[Mike Wright]

So that's the news is. And I think these tied together the, the Aguilar news and Wood. Zach Ertz might not be ready for week one. Him missing training camp is devastating for his, his stock.

[Jason Moore]

Terrible. It's terrible because he's never established himself as an every down tight end and because of where he's being drafted he's kind of like shady as right now for me where I can just take somebody else. I don't have to take Zach Ertz, I don't have to take Lashawn McCoy with the guys around him. So I'm probably not. I mean these, it just kills their draft stock and maybe there'll be a value for somebody because of that, but it's not going to be me because I'm not going to take the chance with those, those positions when I can just draft Eifert or somebody else.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, even if you, even if you draft Ertz, there's a very good chance you're going to stream the midway through the year. So why start your year with a, with a problem?

[Jason Moore]

So last bit of news here is Michael Floyd. We know he had a finger issue. Dislocation reports are saying he might play week one. So just keep that in mind if you're drafting John Brown to start right away or if you're avoiding Michael Floyd completely, you might get him. The EVP shows that people are drafting him late.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, Michael Floyd's going very late.

[Jason Moore]

I'll look him up. And the truth is he was very good last year with Carson Palmer back of the 11th.

[Andy Holloway]

And if I learned anything from Madden 16 this week, Michael Floyd is amazing. He could catch anything. Man.

[Jason Moore]

Did you lose to him or window?

[Andy Holloway]

No, I was using him like crazy. I was like, I'm not throwing anybody but Michael Floyd. He goes up and grabs it all.

[Jason Moore]

Why don't we run the whole season through Madden and we'll know what's going to happen.

[Andy Holloway]

Madden season? Oh, that's, that's exclusive for David Johnson.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, you know there's a big Martavis Bryant part of the intro to that game. Popped it in. We popped it in when we got it on what Tuesday. And there's a lot of Martavis Bryant in there. And then I proceeded to. Because the, the intro game was the Cardinals versus the Steelers. When it got to crunch time, I took Big Ben and I ran him backwards 80 yards for a safety. So that my Cardinals could actually win the super bowl against them.

[Mike Wright]

Don't tell me what to do, Madden.

[Jason Moore]

It was great. And the game. Let me do it. And the Cardinals won the super bowl and I'm, I was a happy man. So hey, I want to remind everybody about fantasydraftwizard.com it's go time, people. This is the time to draft. And that means you need to run some mock drafts. Know what to expect. You can put in the players, you can put in the keepers, you can run mock drafts in like two minutes and see where guys are going. You draft against the expert consensus rankings.

[Andy Holloway]

It's a free tool that costs you nothing.

[Jason Moore]

And is that what a free tool is?

[Andy Holloway]

That's what it means.

[Jason Moore]

A free tool cost you nothing.

[Andy Holloway]

And it's super quick. And if you don't use fantasydraftwizard.com, you have no chance of winning your league.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, no doubt about it. So let's talk some, what I'm calling busts. Yesterday we did sleepers, we did flyers, late round steals. Today we're talking busts. Warning, sign players, players to avoid. Okay, so what guy jumps out at you right now? You know, don't everyone speak at once.

[Andy Holloway]

Right. One of the guys that I think is going to be a bust is Rashad Jennings. Rashad Jennings to me is a player that I am avoiding just because there is a potential here that Andre Williams takes over the role. There's a potential, of course with the history of him as not a very healthy player.

[Jason Moore]

That's putting it kindly. Yeah, I like that.

[Andy Holloway]

So I think where you get him, no matter what your best case scenario is that he is the lead in a three headed monster of a timeshare. So if he is out there on the field, I don't really love the value and so I'm avoiding him for that reason. But I think there's a bust potential here because you go out and you sign and pay money for Shane Vereen to come into the better pass catching back role and you have Andre Williams who's.

[Jason Moore]

That was one of his strengths.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, exactly. That was what that was really where he excelled last year. Rashad Jennings in the beginning of the year and then goal line you've got Andre Williams and there's comments that he could take over, you know, on the.

[Mike Wright]

Just first in line, just getting some, some overall carries and early down work. I completely agree with this. Rashad Jennings is, we wanted it, we wanted to see him perform in the preseason with, with all the confusion and.

[Jason Moore]

I, or just have A big commitment from the team in camp, which we didn't see. We saw so much unknown. And so now he's definitely on that bus list. He's the counterpoint to our Andre Williams sleeper talk yesterday. So, yeah, he's a good name. I'm gonna throw Darren McFadden out there as a bust.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

I know that somebody will gain yards behind that offensive line. I'm just going to go out and say it's not going to be Darren McFadden very often.

[Mike Wright]

It is a mess in Dallas right now for something that fantasy players considered a gold mine to get. To get the player. I mean, I don't believe in Darren McFadden. He's, over the past few years, has been. When you. When you look at metrics and statistics and things, he's been one of the worst running backs in the league and film.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, it's not just stats. You watch him and he's. He does not pass the eyeball test whatsoever. Name the last running back who's been aging, has stunk on a team for a couple years, switches teams and gets better and is better. Name. Name the last one. Do you know who it is?

[Mike Wright]

Herschel Walker.

[Andy Holloway]

No. He was still. He was still. Good trick questions. Never happened. Darren McFadden is not gonna be the guy.

[Jason Moore]

Question. Nice one. All right, so let's talk about a couple of warning guys. That's the word I'm using for them. You can use whatever word you want. But Emmanuel Sanders comes to mind, and I don't. I don't love bringing his name up on this show because I like Emmanuel Sanders a lot. But let me just set the table for him right now. Last year, he set career highs in basically every receiving category. So that should set off your alarm bells a little bit if you. If you're drafting.

[Mike Wright]

Expectation.

[Jason Moore]

Expectation. Drafting. Yeah. You don't necessarily want to do that. The other thing in the equation is he's been banged up. The offense seems to be more committed to the run. Cody Latimer is in his second year. These are things that come to mind. So what are your. What are your gut feelings? Because part of, you know, part of what we do is stats. Part of what we do is smarts, I would say, and part of it is guts.

[Andy Holloway]

Guts.

[Mike Wright]

So, dude, you have it. Oh, my goodness. Nickelodeon.

[Jason Moore]

Dude. I didn't have cable growing up.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, sorry, bro.

[Mike Wright]

Foot Clan.

[Jason Moore]

I knew what that was, though.

[Mike Wright]

Foot Clan. Guts was the greatest show when you were a child.

[Andy Holloway]

I never saw.

[Jason Moore]

It's true.

[Andy Holloway]

I, you know, I think that you Bring up a lot of the good points. They're going to go a little bit more run heavy and definitely Cody Latimer is going to be more involved. So injury aside, his numbers have to regress a tad. I think it's very. It's probable that his numbers are going to regress. Now. You factor in the hamstring injury, which is one of those soft tissue lingering things that happen, and there's a chance for Cody Latimer to make a big deal. So.

[Jason Moore]

And this is not a bust alert.

[Andy Holloway]

This is a warning. No, this is where you're grabbing him. There's guys right before, right after him that are equal to me in the potential of Emmanuel Sanders. So if I'm. If I'm choosing between some of those guys, I'm probably not going to grab Emmanuel Sanders.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, fair enough. I mean, that's probably the best way to put it.

[Andy Holloway]

I wonder if Hopkins is right next to him. I would take DeAndre Hopkins and obviously.

[Jason Moore]

League format matters a little bit in a ppr. I feel a little bit safer with Emmanuel Sanders than I do in a non PPR myself. But let's talk about another warning sign. I can't believe what I heard this morning when Mike looked this up.

[Mike Wright]

I am not surprised.

[Jason Moore]

Doug Martin is now being drafted ahead of Jonathan Stewart. Is that what you found?

[Mike Wright]

That is what we saw from fantasy football calculator.

[Jason Moore]

So warnings, warnings. That is a official.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, it's warning is called two years of sucking.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that is not.

[Mike Wright]

Well, man.

[Jason Moore]

I'm trying to think of Jonathan Stewart and how I described the last two years for him.

[Mike Wright]

How's his play been?

[Jason Moore]

How was his play last year on the actual field? Yeah, that's a great point.

[Mike Wright]

But what's great about fantasy football is our recency bias of two years, two full years of getting just scorched by Doug Martin. We watched two preseason games.

[Jason Moore]

We're like, yeah, that's what's amazing.

[Mike Wright]

I'm back in it, baby. We're back in it.

[Jason Moore]

I was totally shocked because it is an absolute reaction to one game. Mostly.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, mostly last game he had a big game.

[Mike Wright]

When you do it on the prime time, it moves the game.

[Jason Moore]

That was Monday night. Yes.

[Mike Wright]

We're not saying, look, Doug Martin does look different. He looks. He looks more like his rookie self.

[Jason Moore]

But give me Jon Stewart.

[Mike Wright]

But yeah, I'm taking Jonathan Stewart over Doug Martin. The offense is. The offense will struggle frequently throughout the year with Winston as he goes through his growing pains and just he's going.

[Jason Moore]

To take some goal line Stuff away there, too.

[Mike Wright]

And Charles Sims is still there for passing downs. If they're trailing, I imagine we'll see a lot of Sims. It's just two games is not going to erase two years for me.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Let's take a quick time out. I want to read something to you. I got off of Twitter. It says heffballers. I just used the SeatGeek app. It was great. And I was able to get great seats for not a lot of money to see my 49ers versus your cardinals. Thank you.

[Andy Holloway]

Whoa.

[Jason Moore]

I just got that this morning.

[Mike Wright]

My, hey, I hope the Cardinals shellack.

[Jason Moore]

You, but that's pretty, pretty cool. We talked about SeatGeek, the SeatGeek app, on the show on Tuesday, and it's awesome because it gets you discounted tickets to NFL games. It's as simple as that.

[Andy Holloway]

Really, truly is the easiest way to find them because their color coding thing that they do. I've been looking up certain tickets because I want to go to the Cardinals several times this year on good seats. And it's like, you don't have to spend as much time in it. You open it up and that color coding grid of the best price just means, like, oh, I'm focusing right here. And because this. They're grabbing tickets from every place from over 100 different sites, you already know that is literally the best price. And it takes two seconds in their app. You download the app and it takes two seconds to just go, I want this game. I want the best price. Oh, here it is.

[Mike Wright]

Get it. Let's be honest. Real life NFL action is tremendous. And we know that tickets with a full family can be hard to come by right now. That's why you want to save as much money as you possibly can, still get the family out to the event. You go to SeatGeek, here's what you got to do. You Download the free SeatGeek app today. You put in the promo code. Footballers, you know what they do. 20 bones. 20 bones off already. Cheap tickets.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Check out the SeatGeek app. It's awesome. And we like hearing from you. So if you use the app, tweet us. We'll read them on the show.

[Mike Wright]

Tweet us pictures of your sad face when the Cardinals wipe the floor with you.

[Jason Moore]

See, I normally left the family at home. That's the way that was the strategy to get cheap things.

[Andy Holloway]

Even cheaper.

[Jason Moore]

Even cheaper. No, check that out. We appreciate SeatGeek and we love the app, so. All right, let's talk a couple more guys in the warning category. One that's jumping off the page to me. I might have been caught up in the hype early on. And that's T.J. yeldin. Just the idea that, well, that that offense needs to run the ball and they drafted him so high and so they're just going to give him the carries from day one and it's going to be a rosy, magical ride. And I don't think that's the case anymore.

[Andy Holloway]

You've got. Look, Jackson upgraded their offensive line and there's a lot of things we like about the improvement, but it's still a subpar offense and a completely unproven rookie who has other talented backs there. You combine all those three things together and how can you jump and get crazy excited about TJ Yelden? You know that that just doesn't make sense. So it depends on value, right? If you're getting him late, if you're getting him eighth round, that seems like where a guy with those descriptions should go. That's why watch preseason game three. This is going to be huge for TJ Yelden.

[Mike Wright]

I feel the exact same way on Yelden as I did last year on Toby Gerhardt where it's. I think I'm getting a feature back. I'm not excited about the, the, the scoring potential, but I think I'm going to get tremendous volume and so hopefully I'm going to get a safe floor. That's, that's how I felt with Yelden. And now that the volume seems like it's not going to be 100% there from day one there, there are some warning signs. He could, he could emerge and take the job. But like we talked about Denard Robinson, he looks, he's looked good. Toby Gerhardt has looked great in short yardage. We know Toby was hurt all last year, so maybe Toby still has, has some stuff that they want to use and these aren't.

[Jason Moore]

Has been, so to speak. They paid for Gerhardt last year and they didn't get a lot of use due to injury. And Denard Robinson was a draft pick and produce for them, you know, not every game, but he had, he had three or four games where he was a five, six yards a carry kind.

[Mike Wright]

Of lightning bolt because he was offensive weapon to North Robinson.

[Jason Moore]

So we're throwing the warning out on TJ Yelden again. This is going to be one of those things where I probably just draft somebody else because of who's around him in the draft.

[Andy Holloway]

So right now, or hopefully we can be taking his value down right now enough to where your draft this weekend, you get him in the eighth.

[Mike Wright]

So we're in a PPR draft going, guys going around him. Arian Foster. That's. That's kind of crazy, but I guess the news on him has been positive. So. Aaron Foster, Todd Gurley, Chris Ivory, Gio Bernard.

[Andy Holloway]

Love Chris Ivory there.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Just saying. Those are guys that. Who are clumped in a similar draft.

[Jason Moore]

Most all of those over Yelpin.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

Including Aaron Foster.

[Andy Holloway]

Now, now, if preseason, you know, week three comes and he just looks like an absolute beast, you know, we stay water, you know, be water, my friend. But definitely don't just believe hype without seeing anything to back it up. Here's another player that I would avoid. Another player that I would avoid is Jimmy Graham. Jimmy Graham is completely based. It's completely based on just what you have to give up to get him. I actually have him as my number two tight end. I am not saying that Jimmy Graham is going to be a bad tight end, and if you have him on your team, he's an asset to your team. But here's the truth, is that especially now that Kelvin Benjamin has gone down, I feel like Greg Olson has moved to that tier that we've only included Travis Kelsey in. So now you've got four top options. But. But half of those options are going to cost you maybe a fifth or a sixth round. Whereas to get Jimmy Graham, you're looking back at the second or the third. I would much rather take a quality running back or wide receiver there and then get a guy that I think is going to finish just where Jimmy Graham is in Greg Olson in the sixth.

[Mike Wright]

Thank you. It's a defense risk.

[Jason Moore]

It's pretty hard to debate that perspective on Jimmy because it's not saying Jimmy Graham is going to be terrible. It's saying that Jimmy Graham is not going to be on your team.

[Andy Holloway]

Right, Exactly. He's a player that.

[Mike Wright]

And your team will be better because Jimmy Graham is not on it.

[Andy Holloway]

And then trade for him.

[Jason Moore]

That's exactly what the GM at New Orleans said right before they traded him. Our team will be better with.

[Mike Wright]

No.

[Andy Holloway]

They.

[Jason Moore]

Jimmy Graham.

[Mike Wright]

They had to. With money.

[Jason Moore]

No. And the Unger effect. Let's get him in there. Okay. One more bust. One more bust. I want to talk about before we get to our conversation with Marty McBride. Let's talk Tom Brady.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Let's talk. Tommy. Tommy. Touchdown.

[Mike Wright]

It's time to have a real conversation about Tom Brady.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, but not like one of those email ones where he says how much better he is than Peyton Manning. All Right. So let's talk Tom Brady because he is, he's going too high, my friends.

[Andy Holloway]

He's got a great name. He's. He's a good looking man. Everybody wants a piece of Tom Brady. The only problem is over the last several years he hasn't been that good a fantasy quarterback. He really hasn't. Not, not until you know, what was it four years ago when he put up his, you know, the Moss years. Yeah, the Moss. Well, Moss, that must have been more than four years ago, five years ago, I don't know. But yeah, the Moss here. After that he's really been an average run of the mill quarterback. He had a great stretch for a couple of games last year where he was a top end quarterback. And I'm not saying he's ever been like a quarterback 15 or 16. But you're not talking about a top three guy finishing the last few years. You're talking about a 7, 8, 9 guy and he's set right now to miss four games. Why would you draft a guy who is a back half quarterback, one who's going to miss four games and take up an extra roster spot? It just is, is nonsensical.

[Jason Moore]

But his name is so nice.

[Mike Wright]

The, the argument which I understand the legs of this argument. Last time the Patriots got in trouble, Spygate, Belichick and Tom Brady came out and decimated the earth. They did. They did not pull the gas ever. They wanted to beat you by 50 points because they were furious. They had tremendous aerial weapons during that time. Now you go that's what. And people think oh, he's suspended, he's mad at the NFL, he's going to come out, he's going to crush people. I just don't think that the weapons are around him. Dude. The offense is not set up to do that. Julian Edelman hurt, Brandon Lefell hurt, hurt.

[Andy Holloway]

They, Reggie Wayne.

[Mike Wright]

They signed Reggie Wayne because they were so desperate. But to go along with Jason of. Yeah, we remember that hot stretch in the middle that was coming off of four games where he averaged under 10 points.

[Jason Moore]

He lost weeks 2013. He finished the 14th best fantasy quarterback.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he just, he has not been, he has not been real life. The real life Tom Brady is not translated.

[Jason Moore]

In some ways you guys are saying the same thing about him that you've said about Stafford yesterday, which is the memories of grand years. Cause the name to kind of get elevated in drafts. So much like Jimmy, he's not going to be on your team. And then you mix the suspension in there and what we think Exists at value at quarterback position, then we're saying bust alert for Tom Brady.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. If I'm a GM in the NFL, give me Tom Brady now. I think he's got years left. He's phenomenal. But fantasy, no way is that fun.

[Jason Moore]

Ominal fun.

[Andy Holloway]

Nominal.

[Jason Moore]

He is super fun.

[Andy Holloway]

He is such a fun guy.

[Mike Wright]

Did you see him jump off that cliff? No, that was during the off season. Really?

[Andy Holloway]

I missed him. Here I come.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, he was cliff diving.

[Jason Moore]

They must have loved that.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, his agent had a heart attack.

[Jason Moore]

That's called getting your Gronk on. Is that what that is?

[Andy Holloway]

Gronk would be diving off of a cruise ship is what Gronk would have been doing.

[Mike Wright]

Into the Atlantic. I go.

[Jason Moore]

So we have the privilege of talking to one of our favorite guys, Martavis Bryant. So let's go ahead and do that right now.

[Andy Holloway]

You talking to me?

[Mike Wright]

The fantasy footballers are now joined by Marty McBride himself, Martavis Bryant of the Pittsburgh Steelers. What's going on, Martavis? How are you doing?

[Martavis Bryant]

I'm doing great. How you guys are?

[Mike Wright]

We're doing pretty well. So we want to talk about the offense in Pittsburgh. We're huge fans of yours.

[Andy Holloway]

Last year was.

[Mike Wright]

Was tremendous and tremendous for fantasy players as well. And so we're wondering what are. What are some things that you're really liking about the offense this year?

[Martavis Bryant]

Just how much work everybody put into the offseason and how better everybody got coming to camp.

[Jason Moore]

What are some things that have been different this year than your rookie year for you?

[Martavis Bryant]

I came in more prepared this year. Had better workouts and stuff, and just my confidence now.

[Jason Moore]

Do you play fantasy football?

[Martavis Bryant]

I actually don't.

[Jason Moore]

Okay. Some of the guys on your team pay attention to it or how much do people talk about it?

[Martavis Bryant]

Yeah, people talk about it.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

So speaking specifically to the offense, how often you got. Are you guys lining up three wide?

[Martavis Bryant]

It's pretty cool that we can have me lead ab on the same. On the field at the same time. Everything is just clicking. You know, we're putting in great work each day to get better, developing our chemistry with Ben.

[Andy Holloway]

Now, we know last year you. You tended to get on the field more late in the season. Obviously in the playoffs, you were amazing. Do you expect this year for you to be on the field more like you were in that playoff game and really have a high percentage of the snaps. Is that your expectation right now?

[Martavis Bryant]

Right now, my expectation is, you know, we still in camp, so I'm just still focusing on that. But besides my playing time stuff, you know, that's not really in my control, you know?

[Mike Wright]

Right. Yeah. Yeah. Feeling it out. So is there any players that you kind of feel like this is who I compare myself to? Not. Not in, like a. An egotistical way, but just your. How do you compare your game?

[Martavis Bryant]

I mean, I do different things, so I don't really know who to compare myself to, you know, but my favorite. One of my favorite shooters is Randy Moss.

[Mike Wright]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it makes sense. So let's. We talk a lot on the show about the impact of the offensive line in the center. What. What's been the impact of losing Marquise for a while right now?

[Martavis Bryant]

You know, we're trying not to really focus on that. You know, we got Cody, who is great as well, so we're just trying to stay focused.

[Jason Moore]

Is there anything else you're really looking forward to for this season?

[Martavis Bryant]

Just getting started and putting in great work and just seeing what it takes us at the end of the year.

[Mike Wright]

Who's the best DB that you played against last year?

[Martavis Bryant]

Last year, I would say number 21 from the coast of Utah.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

So that the height helps you now you put on some muscle this offseason, is that right?

[Martavis Bryant]

Correct.

[Andy Holloway]

What did you do this off season? You said that you're more prepared this year. What was it specifically you did this offseason that maybe you didn't know to do in your. In your first off season?

[Martavis Bryant]

I had better training. You know, I was doing MMA and I was running routes each day, and that really got my body right and my cardio up and just my hand movement.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I like. I like the mma. We do some jits here, and that's a pretty. Pretty good workout.

[Jason Moore]

So.

[Mike Wright]

So we know that you are an extremely busy man, so we want to thank you so much for joining us. We're keeping this one short and sweet for you, man. How's that?

[Martavis Bryant]

That's perfect.

[Jason Moore]

Thank you. Thanks, Martavius. We appreciate it. All right. That's just awesome. That is just awesome.

[Mike Wright]

Thank you, Martavis.

[Jason Moore]

Marty Martin, taking a few minutes to. Out of your busy day to talk.

[Mike Wright]

To us, and that guy's busting his butt right now.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

And he was kind enough to give us a few minutes of his time.

[Jason Moore]

I love that he said, you know, Moss was the guy, because a few shows ago, we said the same thing. Like, for me, it's a rarity to see a guy get behind the defense, bite so many. So many yards. I mean, he just. When he gets downfield, you know what Martavis Bryant's gonna do. He's going to go long. And yet he's just like Moss. He would get 10 yards behind you.

[Mike Wright]

And a reminder that for everyone who's buying into all the Wheaton hype of Wheaton's the number two guy. Wheaton was the number two guy last year who had the better fantasy production.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

And you give another year to Martavis, so. Yeah. But that offense, you know, that offense is going to be great. That is. That is for sure. And Wheaton will have value. We're not saying he doesn't. It's just a matter of the talent by Bryant's talent. And the touchdown value of Bryant is so high. So that was a thrill. That was awesome having him on the show. Let's go ahead and spend the rest of our time talking Mailbag.

[Andy Holloway]

Mailbag.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, wow. With Martavis Brighton, you should have thrown a great Scott in there. That would have been the right play. Great Scott. There you go. All right, so we're going into the mailbag now, answering some listener questions. If you have a voicemail question you want to leave us, it's 302464, TFFB. You can also send us a question on the website the Fantasy footballers dot com. So, first question here is from Tom in Ithaca, New York. He said, harris introduced me to you guys. You guys are amazing. His question is this. Does he keep Lacy in the third or CJ Anderson in the eighth? He's leaning towards cj but he needs a confidence boost and I'm actually afraid we're not going to give him one. But let's see what you guys say.

[Andy Holloway]

To me, the value is too good to pass up. I love Lacey in the third and that is awesome. But if I can have CJ and my third round pick, I would rather do that and then handcuff CJ with Hillman and spend the pick. So I would give him the confidence boost because you would say cj. Yeah. Right now I've got CJ as I think like a top five back. Eddie Lacy might be number one, but if I can get a top five back in the eighth, I'm going to take that.

[Jason Moore]

This will be interesting to hear from Mike because Eddie Lacy is now number one on his board.

[Mike Wright]

First off, is this Tom Green from Road Trip in Ithaca?

[Jason Moore]

It is Tom Green. Yeah. Because no one else is named Tom.

[Mike Wright]

Well, in Ithaca, you got another reference that is lost on you.

[Andy Holloway]

I love Tom Green.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

I am still disappointed in you.

[Mike Wright]

I'm taking the sure thing. I'm taking Lacy in the third. The value I.

[Jason Moore]

The value is good enough. To me.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, to me. To lock up my number one guy in the third. I want CJ in the eighth, but I'm not going to sweat it. I'm going to lock in the superstar, Eddie Lacey. There you go, Tom.

[Andy Holloway]

Exactly what you didn't want.

[Jason Moore]

No. 2 to 1, 2 to 1 on Lacey. It's just take all the question marks. Those two guys put it on the scale, and there's too many on the CJ side for me to, you know, if you weren't getting a value at all, if it was Lacy in the two in the second, it probably changed it for me.

[Andy Holloway]

I agree.

[Jason Moore]

All right, Greg in Albuquerque, he said Doug Martin looks really good in preseason with a rookie quarterback and an interesting receiving core. Should I pick him? Oh, should I pick up Doug Martin? He has Lynch, Hyde and Abdullah. Should I drop one of those guys? Oh, no, Doug Martin.

[Andy Holloway]

You should absolutely pick up Doug Martin and you should drop a guy to get him. And it should not be any of the running backs you just named. If you have a second quarterback, a second tight end.

[Jason Moore]

Is Abdullah going behind Martin based on that last ADP of Martin?

[Mike Wright]

Oh, man, that's a good question.

[Jason Moore]

I bet he is. But I still agree that I wouldn't do that because you have some solid guys here. And then I'd want the upside of Abdullah versus the kind of, oh, I hope he's back of Martin.

[Mike Wright]

Abdullah is going in the top of the fourth, so Abdul is going in front of him.

[Jason Moore]

Okay, so even more reasonable, I'll tell.

[Mike Wright]

You what I do. I drop my kicker and I pick up Doug Martin and I just hold him until the season starts and then I pick up a kicker or then I figure it out.

[Andy Holloway]

But if you have a second tight end or a dispensable wide receiver, get rid of them.

[Mike Wright]

Agreed.

[Jason Moore]

All right, Brad in Phoenix. Hey, Brad from out here. My question to you guys is do you have different strategies for drafting in the middle, like pick 5 or 6 versus on the ends, like 1 and 2 or 9 and 10? For me, I think the ends are easier to draft because you're a step ahead of the drafters around you. Well, what a good question because we just did our random draft order for the Listener, the Listener league, and that kind of bubbling vomit sound you heard was from Jason was me getting the 12th.

[Andy Holloway]

And I hate.

[Jason Moore]

You didn't want the 12th.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I hated Mike.

[Jason Moore]

Where are we? We're 8 and 9.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, we're the magic.

[Andy Holloway]

This is the the best spot. Now he's clearly in a 10 team league. Here with his question because he says the end is 9 or 10 and I like that a lot better because the truth is I see about seven or eight guys that I think are really, really great values this year. And in most drafts, not our listener league because our listeners are losing every week, but in most drafts there's going to be an extra guy or two that's taken early. You know, you got Aaron Rodgers who's going to go in the first or something like that, pushing back to that nine or ten spot where you get great value. I love it. But at the 12 spot I hate it. But more to his point, I actually don't prefer being on the turns. I like having a small gap like what you guys have at the 8, 9 because it allows you to plan ahead and see a couple picks into the future because you can just look at one or two teams and say here's what they've got, here's what I expect them to do and make your picks a little bit better.

[Mike Wright]

When I'm on the end, it does change my strategy because while I like to roll with the draft, usually when I'm on the end going to start with a running back and then on my next turn I'm talking 1, 2, sorry. If I'm in the 1, I'm going to start with the superstar running back and then I want to grab a running back and a wide receiver. So I kind of know what positions I'm targeting so. And where I'm in the middle. I'm free, man. I could fancy what I want. I dancing.

[Jason Moore]

All right, Dion from New York City dancing like Dion. We got another New York City.

[Andy Holloway]

New York City.

[Jason Moore]

There it is. I. You didn't grab it the first time. Is there a preferred. This is a good question. Get this all the time. Is there a preferred format for quarterback streaming? It isn't viable Obviously in a two quarterback league, but would you recommend streaming in a 14 team league, PPR standard? Would you recommend the. Would it shift? Would we recommend streaming? If you knew that the managers in your league like to stash quarterbacks and what I'll throw in here to his question is 4 point in 6 point leagues. What's the difference? Do you always recommend streaming?

[Andy Holloway]

No.

[Mike Wright]

So when we say the word streaming a lot, do not forget what we start that strategy with is a late quarterback who we are hoping sticks a guy like Sam Bradford, Carson Palmer, Eli Manning. Those are, those are my three guys that I, that I think I can get late and I think they're going to be great quarterback Ones when you're in a bigger league, like a 14 team league, depending on the size of your bench, I might, I lean more towards. I'll grab them both, you know, I will grab Palmer and I will grab Bradford and then I will stream just those two guys based on the matchup because I think the wire will be a little bit barren even though it still can work. Absolutely. And if you listen to the show, the footballers through the season, we are going to find deep options at the quarterback position and tell you who we are going to stream that week.

[Jason Moore]

That's true. And one of the things too to remember is, you know, somebody wrote me about this earlier yesterday and the idea that, you know, if your league stashes a lot of quarterbacks, that represents other value on the board. If they're drafting quarterbacks early, extra ones as backups, you know, if the Aaron Rodgers guy grabs, you know, Eli Manning, I mean, what is he. He's not going to start both every week in a one quarterback league. So there should be better running backs and wide receivers on the board because of that. So. But that's good perspective, guys. I appreciate that.

[Mike Wright]

You're welcome.

[Jason Moore]

Very, very often asked question. All right, Jason from Louisiana said good morning, loves the show. His wife actually introduced us.

[Mike Wright]

Wow. Yeah, that's what we're talking about.

[Andy Holloway]

Good wife right there.

[Jason Moore]

Did you get her some handsome fancy. Well, not for her.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, come on now.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, aren't you kind of getting it for the wife? Yes, yes, I see what you see, that's what I meant. Yeah, but honestly, if you got it for her sake.

[Andy Holloway]

But for his beard.

[Jason Moore]

There you go. For her sake, his beard.

[Mike Wright]

Let's keep digging this hole. Very important.

[Jason Moore]

Don't just like put it in a box and give it to her.

[Andy Holloway]

No, that'd be weird.

[Jason Moore]

That would be insinuating a problem. All right, Jason from Louisiana, I recently drafted Jordy Nelson in my 10 team half point PPR league. Devonte Adams went very late in the draft. Should I pick up in Nelson's roster spot these guys, Devin Fontes or Ronnie Hillman, he has C.J. anderson.

[Andy Holloway]

I would pick up funches because I think he represents a good value as a wide receiver. And you have lost a wide receiver. Bunches of value, bunches of funches.

[Mike Wright]

I'm rolling honey. Bunches of functions.

[Jason Moore]

Who originated. Is that Harris? Was that Harris?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, Harris.

[Jason Moore]

I think it was Harris.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, we, we started with bunches of funches and the man, Christopher Harris put the word honey on there.

[Jason Moore]

And so I have to agree. I mean, I'D like to have Hillman to handcuff Anderson, but you lost the wide receiver and Funches is going to get targeted or at least an opportunity to do something there. And there was a report this morning that he might get pretty heavily targeted from the coach. So. All right, that's it for the mailbag. Let's remind you fantasydraftwizard.com for all your two minute mock drafts. Get yourself ready for the draft. You know, we're going to come back next week and a lot of people have drafted, so we'll give you some, some week one insights and things like that. Tomorrow we have John Paulson from 4 for 4 on the show. That'll be exciting. And we'll have some preseason football taking place.

[Mike Wright]

Ooh. So that sounded, I'm actually excited. That sounded very insincere.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. This is week three. This is real preseason football.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. So Visit us on YouTube. You can watch all the shows on YouTube. You can also watch us on the Fantasy Sports Network and subscribe on itunes.

[Andy Holloway]

And support us on Join the Foot.

[Mike Wright]

Goodbye.

[Andy Holloway]

Thank you for listening to another edition of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Don't forget to visit us on the web at www.thefantasyfootballers.com and follow us on Twitter the FFballers.