Fantasy Football Podcast 2016 - Starts of the Week, Week 3 Matchups, Debate

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast – September 22, 2016: Starts of the Week, Week 3 Matchups, Debate

Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright
Episode Number: 270
Release Date: September 22, 2016

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1. Episode Overview

In episode 270 of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright delve into the intricacies of Week 3 in the NFL season. The episode is segmented into three main sections: Starts of the Week, Week 3 Matchups, and the Fandings.com Debate of the Week. Each segment offers expert analysis, strategic insights, and actionable advice to help listeners optimize their fantasy football rosters.

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2. Starts of the Week

The Starts of the Week section highlights players the hosts recommend as essential additions to fantasy lineups. Each host presents their top picks across various positions, providing reasoning and supporting statistics.

a. Quarterbacks

• Philip Rivers (Jason Moore)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: With key players like Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead injured, Rivers is poised for increased volume. Moore cites the matchup against a weakened Indianapolis Colts defense, offering Rivers a high-scoring opportunity.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Philip Rivers should be able to carve this game up. I think it's going to be a high scoring game." [47:04]

• Russell Wilson (Andy Holloway)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Despite being ranked 27th at QB, Holloway supports Wilson due to his matchup against the San Francisco 49ers and expects efficiency and touchdowns.
  • Notable Quote:
    "You're going to have some short field opportunities because that defense is going to create them. I think you see an efficiency. I think you see enough touchdowns to make you happy." [48:20]

• Eli Manning (Mike Wright)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Manning faces the Washington defense, allowing an average of 300 passing yards per game. Wright believes Manning can exploit this weakness.
  • Notable Quote:
    "I'm playing Eli Manning against that Washington defense. Odell Beckham is due for a big game." [51:00]

b. Running Backs

• C.J. Anderson (Jason Moore)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Consistently productive and faces a Bengals defense that struggles against the run.
  • Notable Quote:
    "C.J. Anderson is a locked and loaded running back. One until further notice." [37:53]

• Melvin Gordon (Jason Moore)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Benefiting from improved offensive line play and increased volume. Gordon is projected for a top 10 week.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Everything is lining up here for Melvin Gordon to have a top 10 week. I would start him in all of my lineups." [53:23]

• Charles Sims (Andy Holloway)

  • Recommendation: Flex
  • Reasoning: Versatile in both rushing and receiving, especially valuable against the Rams' defense.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Charles Sims is just going to be on the field too much to ignore... he's a flex-worthy start." [54:04]

c. Wide Receivers

• Devonte Parker (Andy Holloway)

  • Recommendation: Flex
  • Reasoning: High snap count and a favorable matchup against Miami Dolphins, making him a sneaky flex play.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Devonte Parker is going to be on the field too much to ignore. I think you can flex him this week." [55:07]

• Travis Benjamin (Mike Wright)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Proven performance in previous seasons and favorable matchup against the Chargers' defense.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Travis Benjamin proved last year with the Browns that he is a stud weapon... I'm buying into Travis Benjamin this week." [55:42]

• Willie Sneed (Jason Moore)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: High target volume and a favorable matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, who have a history of allowing multiple touchdowns.
  • Notable Quote:
    "If you've got Willie Sneed, you probably have other tough options. Don't bench Willie Sneed this week." [56:37]

d. Tight Ends

• Jason Whitten (Andy Holloway)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Leading the league in targets and a reliable option in his matchup.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Jason Whitten never hurt. Best friend to Dak Prescott at home against Chicago, leads the league in targets." [58:20]

• Dennis Pitta (Mike Wright)

  • Recommendation: Start
  • Reasoning: Despite recent injuries, Pitta remains a high-target option when healthy, especially in favorable matchups.
  • Notable Quote:
    "Dennis Pitta is now the two hip, not quitta because he has two functional hips... I love Pitta getting the targets." [58:15]

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3. Week 3 Matchups

The hosts analyze key NFL matchups affecting fantasy football outcomes, offering predictions and strategic advice.

a. Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots

• Overview:
  The Patriots' defense has not allowed a pass completion for 40+ yards this season, posing a significant challenge for Houston's receivers.

• Key Players:

  • Lamar Miller (Texans): Despite a low efficiency (3.6 yards/game), his volume makes him a steady start.
    "He is as safe as it gets and you still have the upside you haven't even seen yet." [19:58] – Jason Moore

  • DeAndre Hopkins & Will Fuller (Patriots): Hopkins remains a consistent starter, while Fuller is considered a flex option despite facing a tough Patriots secondary.
    "Hopkins A1, you start him every single week." [21:23] – Mike Wright

• Predictions:

  • Winner: Patriots
    "Patriots are going to find a way." [23:17] – Jason Moore
  • Betting Line: Patriots favored by points.
  • Over/Under: 47 points. Expected to break due to high passer efficiency and potential defense pitfalls.
    "Something's got to give." [22:38] – Jason Moore

b. Arizona Cardinals vs. Buffalo Bills

• Overview:
  The Bills struggle offensively, especially in the passing game, making Lamar Miller a valuable asset against their defense.

• Key Players:

  • Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals): Maintains high target volume and is a red-zone favorite.
    "He is the number one red zone read for this offense." [28:34] – Jason Moore

  • LaShawn McCoy (Bills): Involved in both ground and passing games, offering flexibility.
    "He likely won't get a touchdown, but he'll be an okay start." [27:16] – Jason Moore

• Predictions:

  • Winner: Cardinals
    "I give him another four receptions, Mike." [27:16] – Jason Moore
  • Over/Under: 50 points.
    "Low end running back 2." [27:16] – Jason Moore

c. Minnesota Vikings vs. Carolina Panthers

• Overview:
  The Panthers' underwhelming rushing defense and the Vikings' strong pass defense create a dynamic matchup.

• Key Players:

  • Stefan Diggs (Vikings): Despite a strong season, faces a tough Carolina secondary.
    "Stefan Diggs is first out of all the wide receivers. I did not project a great game for Diggs." [34:03] – Andy Holloway

  • Matt Asiata (Panthers): Best-performing running back in the matchup, suitable for start.
    "Asiata is at least has an A." [33:34] – Andy Holloway

• Predictions:

  • Winner: Carolina Panthers
    "Packers are good against the run... and Sam Bradford's offense." [33:04] – Mike Wright
  • Over/Under: 43 points.
    "I expect it to be a low scoring game." [30:29] – Mike Wright

d. Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals

• Overview:
  The Broncos' strong run defense against the Bengals' running game is a critical factor. C.J. Anderson remains a top RB option.

• Key Players:

  • C.J. Anderson (Broncos): Locked and loaded, continuous high performance.
    "C.J. Anderson is a locked and loaded running back. One until further notice." [37:53] – Jason Moore

  • AJ Green (Bengals): Essential due to his high target volume despite tough matchup.
    "He might be in wide receiver three area on my rankings, but I'm still going to start him." [37:53] – Jason Moore

• Predictions:

  • Winner: Bengals
    "Jaguars are one point dogs at home. Ho hum." [43:07] – Andy Holloway
  • Over/Under: 37 points.
    "C.J. Anderson is a locked and loaded running back." [37:53] – Jason Moore

e. Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions

• Overview:
  A divisional matchup with the Packers favored, featuring Aaron Rodgers against Matthew Stafford in a high-scoring prediction.

• Key Players:

  • Aaron Rodgers (Packers): Leading QB with multiple receiving options.
    "I'm really do. I don't see how he can blow up again against this defense." [34:03] – Andy Holloway

  • Stefan Diggs (Vikings): Faces a Packers defense continuously improving in pass coverage.
    "Stefan Diggs is first out of all the wide receivers." [34:03] – Andy Holloway

• Predictions:

  • Winner: Packers
    "If Green Bay is able to put points on the board... then Matthew Stafford is going to be able to throw the ball around." [35:00] – Jason Moore
  • Over/Under: 48 points.
    "It's going to be a high scoring game." [39:35] – Andy Holloway

f. Baltimore Ravens vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

• Overview:
  The Ravens' top-rated pass defense faces a Jaguars offense struggling with injuries and offensive line issues.

• Key Players:

  • Allen Robinson (Ravens): Expected bounce-back game, a top-tier wide receiver against a struggling Jaguars defense.
    "If Robinson doesn't perform this week, isn't there panic in the air?" [46:11] – Andy Holloway
    "Allen Robinson is my third ranked wide receiver this week." [46:22] – Jason Moore

  • Mike Wallace (Ravens): Increasingly reliable target with Joe Flacco's offensive adjustments.
    "Mike Wallace has taken that position of a primary target for Joe Flacco in a Mark Trustman offense." [44:24] – Mike Wright

• Predictions:

  • Winner: Ravens
    "I think it could be a high scoring game." [45:53] – Jason Moore
  • Over/Under: 47 points.
    "I'm taking the over." [43:06] – Andy Holloway

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4. Fandings.com Debate of the Week: Is It Wrong to Send Out Bad Trade Offers?

The hosts engage in a spirited debate about the ethics of sending out poor trade proposals in fantasy leagues. The discussion centers around whether it's deceitful or strategic to present bad trades in hopes of negotiations.

• Jason Moore's Stance:

  • Perspective: It's acceptable to send out bad trade offers occasionally as a starting point for negotiation.
  • Key Points:
    "It's not a bad thing to send out a trade offer that's, let's say, poor... because it gives you a place to start." [05:46] – Jason Moore
    "If you're sending out trade offer after trade offer... he is absolutely wrong." [07:01] – Jason Moore

• Andy Holloway's Stance:

  • Perspective: Generally agrees that sending occasional bad offers is permissible but cautions against excessive or hurtful tactics.
  • Key Points:
    "If I know for sure that it is a awful trade, I would think it's wrong." [07:01] – Andy Holloway
    "The etiquette of trades is quite a hilarious debate." [09:54] – Andy Holloway

• Mike Wright's Input:

  • Perspective: Emphasizes the importance of replying to trade offers respectfully and not sending "smelly dog turd" deals.
  • Key Points:
    "You need to reply in a timely manner." [09:02] – Mike Wright
    "The conversation will not be moving forward if you give me a smelly dog turd." [09:32] – Mike Wright

Conclusion: The hosts concur that while initiating negotiations with less favorable offers can be a strategic move, it’s crucial to maintain respectful and ethical interactions to preserve league harmony.

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5. News and Notes

The hosts provide updates on injuries and player statuses that could impact fantasy lineups:

• Corey Coleman (Cincinnati Bengals): Suffered a broken hand, out for 4-6 weeks.
  "He loses the most athletic up and coming player on your team for four to six weeks." [10:31] – Andy Holloway

• Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots): Game-time decision due to injury, expected to play if healthy.
  "He’s been telling teammates he plans to play." [12:10] – Andy Holloway

• Jamal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs): Likely out another week, but eager to return, making him a potential waiver wire target.
  "He may get on the field, but it's looking more like it'll be another week." [14:22] – Andy Holloway

• Hunter Henry (Atlanta Falcons): Antonio Gates questionable, Henry could step in as a tight end option.
  "Hunter Henry would take over and could be a shot in the dark, a sneaky start." [13:30] – Andy Holloway

• Dwayne Washington (Detroit Lions): Role expanding due to injury to Amir Abdullah, providing upside as a rookie.
  "Dwayne Washington's role will expand after the Amir Abdullah injury." [16:35] – Andy Holloway

• Sammy Watkins (Cleveland Browns): Dealing with a foot injury, likely to be shadowed by Patrick Peterson.
  "Sammy Watkins was not at the start of practice today on Thursday." [17:12] – Andy Holloway

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6. Special Promotions

While the hosts briefly mention advertisements, these sections are generally skipped as per the summary guidelines. However, notable promotions include:

• Jointhefoot.com: A fantasy football community offering exclusive rewards and premium projections.
  "You can jump in there and you get exclusive rewards with our show." [00:00] – Mike Wright

• PristineAuction.com: Recommended for verified sports memorabilia, including signed jerseys and helmets.
  "Everything on Pristine Auction is extremely verified. It's completely legit." [23:53] – Jason Moore

• Harry's: Offering a free trial set with the promo code "footballers," including a post-shave balm.
  "Go to Harry's.com right now, enter the code footballers at checkout..." [26:00] – Andy Holloway

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7. Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with the hosts reiterating their recommendations and encouraging listeners to engage with their fantasy football community online. They emphasize the importance of staying updated with player statuses and making informed decisions to maximize fantasy performance.

“Join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter @theffballers.” [61:35] – Jason Moore

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Key Takeaways

• Strategic Starts: Focus on players with favorable matchups and increasing roles due to injuries or team dynamics.

• Trade Ethics: Balance strategic negotiations with ethical behavior to maintain league integrity.

• Stay Informed: Regularly monitor player injuries and updates to adjust lineups effectively.

• Community Engagement: Utilize resources like Jointhefoot.com and PristineAuction.com for additional insights and memorabilia.

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the critical discussions and insights from episode 270 of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast, providing valuable guidance for fantasy football enthusiasts seeking to enhance their league performance.

Transcript

[Mike Wright]

Hey, Foot Clan. Before we start today's show, I want to remind you about jointhefoot.com our growing and thriving incredible fantasy football community. You can jump in there and you get exclusive rewards with our show. Imagine this. You get an extra show every single week with questions just from our Foot Clan members. You know what else you get? You get access to the community. You can interact with each other and just added, just. This is breaking news, breaking news, breaking news. We have added our Flex rankings. You get access to that. You get access to all of our premium projections as well as a bunch of other things that are possible [e-mail] so go check it out and get involved with the show.

[Jason Moore]

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

[Andy Holloway]

Hello, everybody. Welcome to the show. September 22, 2016, back again. Did you know week three. Did you know this is show number 270?

[Mike Wright]

What?

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my.

[Andy Holloway]

Now, I have been present for. For all 270 shows, but that streak is coming to a quick end, thank goodness.

[Mike Wright]

Today.

[Andy Holloway]

No. Are you leaving? Goodbye. Goodbye. A couple weeks. Family's gonna go out to San Diego for a couple of days and you two hooligans will have to hold down the fort.

[Mike Wright]

Hold down to your butts.

[Andy Holloway]

I am terrified to find out what's going to happen the last time. And this was. This was long, long ago when Mike and I started doing this podcast for our league of record. We did a podcast for the League of record. I remember missing a show and you brought in a guest that just made fun of me on the show.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

That was great. That's all that happened.

[Mike Wright]

I was actually gonna say there was a time where Jason missed some shows and the YouTube commenters noticed. I took his seat. I moved positions.

[Andy Holloway]

That's gonna happen again because otherwise it would be the most awkward. Just you two on one side. It's like the two on the side of the booth.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's. That's my thing is we just talked to each other. Is now you are leaving.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, I might never give up your seat.

[Mike Wright]

You might not have a seat or hosting responsibilities anymore.

[Andy Holloway]

You know, I used to sit on the other side of the booth with, like, together on the same side. Gus Bradley.

[Jason Moore]

No longer.

[Andy Holloway]

No longer. No. I make him. If he shows up at all, I make him sit across.

[Mike Wright]

Oh.

[Andy Holloway]

Welcome to the podcast. Great show. Today we have our starts of the week on the show. We also have matchups for week number three, Thursday night. Football taking place tonight. Also have our Fandings.com debate of the week. Jason and I will be debating a hot topic.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, sir.

[Andy Holloway]

A hot topic In.

[Mike Wright]

And not the store.

[Andy Holloway]

In leagues all over the. Thanks, Mike. In leagues all over the place. This is a good. It's a league question. It is a ethics.

[Jason Moore]

I guess it's kind of a. It's an ethics. It's a strategy.

[Andy Holloway]

No, it's like a. What's the word I'm looking for? Like the right way to do things. The wrong way to do things. Polite. I don't know what the word is for it.

[Jason Moore]

Someone will tell you.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Okay. So that's what we have going on.

[Mike Wright]

Proper.

[Andy Holloway]

Proper etiquette. I don't know.

[Mike Wright]

Etiquette. Yeah, yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Etiquette. There you go. That's the word we're looking for. We get there eventually withstanding words. Right. So that's what's going on in the show today. Very excited about that. You can follow us on twitter @the ff ballers. And stay tuned for this weekend where Mike, every single weekend on Twitter, on Periscope, he does a chat for about 20, 30 minutes on Sunday mornings.

[Mike Wright]

I was actually going to say, barring time this afternoon, you might do it again. I might jump on a scope tonight. Cause people have said I want one before the Thursday night game. Tell me, get ready for the game. Get ready for the weekend.

[Andy Holloway]

So do you have what it takes to get on there? And you got the energy.

[Mike Wright]

I got the face, I got the looks, I got the voice.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. That's why those are the times that I'm really glad. It's low resolution.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, me too.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's jump in.

[Jason Moore]

It's time for TheFandings.com debate of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, it's time for the Fandings.com debate of the week. Over at Fandings. They. They just debate stuff all the time. And we love debating on the show.

[Mike Wright]

Look, people we know on the Internet, people love nothing more than to argue with each other and see who was right. And fandings.com let's do that. Let's let.

[Jason Moore]

The Internet was made for.

[Andy Holloway]

So what is. Mike, you introduce it. Since Jason and I. I'll take over here. Debating it.

[Mike Wright]

Our debate of the week. Is it wrong to send out bad trade offers? You know they're bad. The other person knows that they're bad. But you're hoping. You're like a telemarketer. You're just cold throwing things out and you hope that you just get one that Sticks.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, so the question is, is it wrong so that we can unpack this. Look, we had a very vibrant debate that I dominated and won earlier. You did in the week. So, Jason, I don't know what side you're going to be on here. I think we're going to have some disagreements and some agreements here. I'm going to let you start.

[Jason Moore]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

And give your thought process.

[Jason Moore]

You know, the truth is with this, when it comes to sending out bad trade offers, it's obviously a little bit subjective, right? Because you might think something is bad that someone else doesn't, or vice versa. I'm going to say that it is only bad when it is regular. Okay? So I'm saying that it's not a bad thing to send out a trade offer that's, let's say, poor. Okay. A little less than maybe what you would take if you were the other guy, because it gives you a place to start, you know, I mean, you have to. You have to eventually come to a compromise in most trades. Most trades aren't. I offer it, they click accept and you're done. Those are great. And hey, if they click accept on a poor trade, all the better. But here's where it's really wrong. If you're sending out trade offer after trade offer. If you're really active in a league and you've got an active leading and you're just going, hey, here's an offer, here's an offer, here's an offer. And they're all like.

[Andy Holloway]

Like our friend Brandon.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, Bob. Blah, blah is his team name.

[Mike Wright]

Freaking ridiculous.

[Jason Moore]

I get 12 offers a day for.

[Andy Holloway]

The same crap player.

[Jason Moore]

They are the worst. It's just an.

[Andy Holloway]

So you would say he is wrong.

[Jason Moore]

He is absolutely wrong.

[Andy Holloway]

And he's hurting his own reputation.

[Jason Moore]

His own reputation. I don't even look at his trade offers. Hardly anyone. No.

[Andy Holloway]

I've started to leave them now in there unreplied to.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, that's a better question.

[Mike Wright]

That's where I'm going to now.

[Andy Holloway]

Are you gonna move there?

[Mike Wright]

I was the instant reject, but now I'm just gonna let him sit there.

[Andy Holloway]

So I think we are in agreement with that principle. I would also say that, you know, you have to. A lot of times you need trade starters. And there is a characteristic that I would say about one third, maybe a half of all fantasy football players have. Like if you flipped over their trading card, this would be written on the back, and that is they. That they want the last word no matter what. If the trade is perfectly fair, they Love it. They want the last word. And so it puts somebody like me, a frequent trade offerer, in a position of, look, I have to start in a terrible place just to work to a decent place. That's how it feels. Because I want to give them the chance to have the last word and it still be in my favor. However, if I know for sure that it is a awful trade, I would think it's wrong. If I can convince myself in my own mind that there is an angle, a narrative, something that will sell them on it, then I think it's fine.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Or it's also fine. If it's so egregious that it's for your own delight, I say make those offers all you want.

[Andy Holloway]

Now to flip the script. Is it wrong to not reply to a trade offer?

[Jason Moore]

You just nailed it on the head.

[Andy Holloway]

I said that I would do that to troll him. But is it wrong?

[Jason Moore]

It is. Well, when you said I was like, oh, man, that's the worst. And so if it's a situation where it's on purpose, right. You are doing it to send a message, then that's fine. If you're like, not sure, and you kind of forget about it or you don't like it, and because you don't like it, you're like, oh, I don't need to respond, dude, that's awful. That's the worst. Go in there and say you don't like it.

[Mike Wright]

And I will say this to kind of close out our debate.

[Andy Holloway]

You are playing in a fantasy league where trades are possible. So I like replying to things.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, you got to reply in a timely manner. And I will say this to the. The argument of, I want to start a conversation with you. If someone walks up to me says, hey, I got something for you. Oh, what do we got here? They hand me a dog turd. The conversation is done. The conversation will not be moving forward. Right. You need to need to at least pique my curiosity. I need to be Leonardo DiCaprio. Where you go. Or I'm like, oh, you had my curiosity, but now you have my interest. Don't give me a smelly dog turd.

[Jason Moore]

Someone tries to hand me a dog turd, they have my interest. I'm going, what is happening? That's. That's certainly. That's certainly going to spark a conversation.

[Andy Holloway]

The etiquette of trades is quite. It's a hilarious debate. It really is. And yeah. So I think that we can wrap it up there.

[Jason Moore]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

We can wrap it up there. Don't forget to Debate this and many other [e-mail] but listen to this. This week only, for the next seven days there is an exclusive giveaway that Fandings.com is doing a signed Eddie Lacy jersey, easy and free to enter. You only have to do this. Go to FootClangiveAway.com that's it. Go to FootClangiveaway.com youm'll see how you can enter. It is a signed Eddie Lacy jersey to the winner and that will go from now until next Thursday courtesy of Fandings.com so let's jump into the news.

[Jason Moore]

News and notes from around the league.

[Andy Holloway]

News. Yesterday Corey Coleman suffered a broken hand in practice four to six week loss, implications for fantasy owners. I mean, you already had a very difficult situation on offense there. Now you lose the most athletic up and coming player on your team for four to six weeks. So it is if we have Cody Kessler passing to Terrell Pryor as the.

[Jason Moore]

Offense, I have a problem in the sense that, you know, Gary Barnes came out and was awful. Week one had a complete goose egg. Then Josh McCown takes over and you go, oh, this is, this is good news for Gary Barnage. And then he goes out and lays almost an egg and now Corey Coleman's gone and you're thinking, you know, the rookie's coming in less weapons. This is good for Gary Barnage. You know, fool me once. So what do you guys think about the how do you expect this to affect Gary Barnage? Are you okay starting him?

[Andy Holloway]

You know, it helps him because I mean, you have to throw the ball to somebody inaccurately.

[Mike Wright]

Now I was going to say, do we have a New England situation here where Terrell Pryor is now the number one wide receiver on that team. I know they picked up Charlie Whitehurst because you have to have some depth at the quarterback position, but Bill Belichick didn't say that.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, where Prior could take over the backup quarterback. That's a really interesting question. I, you know, he should be.

[Jason Moore]

Is he the number one rider starting?

[Andy Holloway]

The problem is he's the number one wide receiver. Can he throw and pass to him?

[Mike Wright]

I'm not getting to. Yeah, he's going to throw to himself.

[Andy Holloway]

He's pretty fast.

[Mike Wright]

He is extremely fast.

[Andy Holloway]

Rob Gronkowski is a game time decision tonight. He's been telling teammates he plans to play. So that's good. Yeah, if he plays. Of course you play him, start him. Pete Carroll has said that Thomas Rawls is on track to play this week against San Francisco. I all of our rankings Are up on the website. The fancy footballers calm. We got them up last night. Our week three rankings, obviously we're always adjusting those, but you can go see them. I put. I have Christian Michael much higher than Thomas Rawls this week.

[Jason Moore]

I believe all three of us do.

[Andy Holloway]

I actually have Christian Michael having a pretty decent game. I think the game flow in San Francisco. The way I'm predicting that game is for Seattle to get ahead and then be able to run the ball.

[Mike Wright]

I think that Kristen Michael is an okay flex play as it is right now. If Thomas Rawls is marked out, Kristen Michael moves way up and becomes a guy that I'm. I'm really. I'm starting him.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, tight ends, we need to monitor a few injuries, including Antonio Gates, a hamstring injury now uncertain for week three. Austin Hooper would take over and could be a.

[Mike Wright]

No, no, no. Hunter Henry.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, yeah, I'm sorry. I went different team. I went to Atlanta's rookie. Yes. Hunter Henry would take over. Could be a shot in the dark, a sneaky start.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I agree with that.

[Andy Holloway]

Eric Ebron did not practice after playing 71 of 74 snaps last week. Might just be a rest day. Need to pay attention to the Thursday practice report on Ebron Delaney. Walker did not practice due to a hamstring injury, but he seemed to be fine. So again, just pay attention. These are the guys that if they suddenly didn't play, you might need to grab a Hunter Henry or a Pitta or a Barnage if he was dropped or something like that. All right. When asked about Jamal Charles, Andy Reid said he needs another week before he gets back. So I think he may. He may get on the field, but it's looking more like it'll be another week. It was also reported that he is desperate to get on the field. Chomping at the bit was the quote, to get back on the field. So I am buying Jamal Charles. Yeah, I am buying him.

[Mike Wright]

Interesting.

[Andy Holloway]

I made some trade offers this morning for him. I am willing to endure a few low weeks of Jamal Charles if that solidifies my running back 1, 2 situation down the line. Now, it might be something where a 2 and O team wants to do that more than an 0 and 2 team does. But just. Just my own personal opinion. Jonathan Stewart News. He could be out two weeks, three weeks, four weeks. The ever the curmudgeon that is Ron Rivera who cannot handle a single question from the media, I mean, anymore. He seems so grumpy. He answered in very broad terms.

[Mike Wright]

He went Count Dracula or who was.

[Andy Holloway]

No, no, I know what you're saying. One.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, the count from Sesame Street.

[Jason Moore]

Three.

[Mike Wright]

Three weeks.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes. So Caminardis pain is supposed to be the feature back against the Vikings. Not exciting this week. When you have Fozzie mixed with Artist Payne and Tolbert against the Vikings, it's.

[Jason Moore]

Not a good matchup. But I went back and looked at what happened last year when Jonathan Stewart went out because what is very similar to what's happening this time, right before when Jonathan Stewart was playing Cameron Artis Payne oftentimes wasn't even active. He wasn't even in, you know, on the startable roster for the games. But. And so when Jonathan Stewart went out, other guys obviously took over. But the following week when Cameron Artist Payne was active and in, he was the clear lead back both games. He was basically the starter. He had 14 carries in each game. Fozzie Whitaker in those games I believe averaged two carries. Tolbert was involved. Now because Fozzie had a great game this last week, he might be a little bit more involved. But I agree with this report. I think that Cameron Artis Payne is going to be the lead back there and then I would probably play Tolbert over Fozzie and I know Fozzie was a big. A lot of people spent. Spent money on him. So you know, it's not a good matchup against the Vikings. So for this week at least, I'm not sure you're really excited. But if Cameron Artist pain is possibly still out there or is purchasable on the cheap because of a bad matchup and you need someone for week two and three, then look for Cap Jim.

[Andy Holloway]

Caldwell said rookie running back Dwayne Washington's role will expand after the Amir Abdullah injury. This is something to monitor. I mean, he has upside because he's a rookie and he's. He's taking over possibly an early down role in Detroit.

[Jason Moore]

The beauty of the unknown.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean, yesterday I did decide between Osiatta and Dwayne Washington and I chose Osiatta. I felt like I chose Ozzy Otta at the end of the day. I mean, that's kind of how I ended up feeling like, well, I got this guy and the truth is he might be the more productive back. We don't know yet. But if Washington's out there and you have a spot on your bench to burn. Oh, yes, they're grabbing him.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, yes, yes.

[Mike Wright]

Pick him up.

[Andy Holloway]

Sammy Watkins will be shadowed by Tyrant or I'm sorry, by Patrick Peterson this week.

[Jason Moore]

In addition, in addition to. And his foot injury Shadowed by Patrick Peterson. Sammy Watkins was not at the start of practice today on Thursday. So that's not completely unexpected because he needs every second of rest he can get. But it's indicative of the fact that this is not a healthy man. And then he's going to have Patrick Peterson draped all over him. I believe I have Sammy Watkins like 40 or 50 in my wide receiver.

[Mike Wright]

So I say, can you play Watkins this week with any kind of confidence?

[Jason Moore]

No. No way.

[Andy Holloway]

No. And then Brandon Marshall dealing with a foot ailment along with the knee, not practicing on Thursday. You must monitor him. If you have a spot for Quincy and new on your bench, he could be a guy you just roll in if. If Marshall's out.

[Jason Moore]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

But he's banged up, too, so you might have a better option already like a Will Fuller or somebody like that. So let's go ahead and jump into the matchups.

[Jason Moore]

Fantasy forecast.

[Andy Holloway]

Let's start with the Thursday night game. The what? Jacoby brisket. Or not brisket.

[Jason Moore]

Brisket. He's delicious.

[Andy Holloway]

Brissette. Brissette. Well, look, so do we.

[Jason Moore]

Do we call him Jacoby Beef Brissett?

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I think. I think we call him one week starter. Jacoby.

[Mike Wright]

Maybe two. Maybe two.

[Andy Holloway]

Is it Brissette or Brissett isn't? And that's the exact question that gets asked the first time you talk about a player.

[Mike Wright]

That's what Bill Belichick is asking, too.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, the Texans take on the Patriots tonight. You have Brock Osweiler against the rookie. You have Lamar Miller, who we should talk about briefly because I brought this up yesterday. Jason's not disappointed in Lamar Miller. I understand that he's had plenty of carries, so I'm not really disappointed in him. But I'm also not excited about what I've seen yet. He's only ran for 3.6 a k on the season. And I know we can kind of veil that in the volume numbers, but that is exactly what we said in the beginning of this season, or at least I said about Lamar Miller, which was when the volume goes up, that magical efficiency is going to go down. He says he thinks he's close to breaking a big one, but what running back doesn't say that?

[Mike Wright]

I will say I know that on Pro Football Focus, the Texans are graded out as the worst run blocking line in the league right now. So it's not all just Lamar Miller, but you can throw certain blame.

[Andy Holloway]

Look, he's rated very highly for me this week. When you have volume like that, it's great. He hasn't scored yet.

[Jason Moore]

That's if you have a guy who hasn't scored a touchdown and is so far not running efficiently, who has in his career ran efficiently, who's still putting up, you know, double digit fantasy point weeks week after week and is going to continue getting that workload. That's why I say I love Lamar Miller. He's as safe as it gets and you still have the upside you haven't even seen yet.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I agree.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. And he's kind of, you know, when you look at that top tier of guys that was drafted, David Johnson's delivering on that so far for sure. And then obviously you had like, I think Zeke is. Gurley isn't.

[Jason Moore]

Zeke is delivering.

[Mike Wright]

He's been okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Zeke has been okay.

[Jason Moore]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. And Lamar Miller has been okay. But I would still put Lamar Miller in the category of like, aside from C.J. anderson and David Johnson, I don't know if there's anybody I want more than Lamar Miller.

[Jason Moore]

Exactly.

[Andy Holloway]

So DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller, what do you expect out of those two guys tonight going against the secondary in New England?

[Mike Wright]

I expect.

[Andy Holloway]

Are they both start worthy guys and if so, where.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I would start. I mean, Hopkins A1, you start him every single week. And I think Fuller is, man, I have Fuller as a 2, but I don't. That's, that's tough. I think he's more of a flex guy still. I believe he's a guy you want to have in your lineup. And we bypass. LeGarrett Blunt is a must start for me until Tom Brady gets back. They are feeding the beast well.

[Andy Holloway]

Garrett Blunt's carries have been through the.

[Mike Wright]

Roof and he's getting it done.

[Andy Holloway]

And let's see, last week he was what, 29 carries? Yeah, I'll take it. But the game, you know, I predicted him for a high carry game tonight with low efficiency. I. Houston, what are they going to do? They're going to stop LeGarrett Blunt. I mean, you have a rookie quarterback. They're going to bring pressure and they're. And they're going, you know, they have the defensive front to stop Blunt. I'm not excited about him tonight. I'm not.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, that's. That's exactly how I started him out. A lot of volume, very little efficiency. He ended up as the 22nd running back on my rankings, which is.

[Mike Wright]

That's a must start guy, though.

[Andy Holloway]

The Texans are the third best paste 12th best run D this year. They're a very, very good defense.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, this should be a low scoring game. Now last Thursday we had a game that should be a very low scoring game, and we saw it just blown out of the water as far as, you know, points being thrown up on the. On the clock.

[Andy Holloway]

Right. As you would say. Somebody, by the way, requested a snack count shirt after we got to the snack count. By the way, the shop is back up. Yeah, it was. It was down for a few days. We were finding a better shirt. Partner. Shot ballers is back up, and we actually have the stickers on there now in the mugs, so.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Very nice.

[Andy Holloway]

Pretty cool stat nugget from the game. The New England Patriots defense has not allowed a pass completion for 40 or more yards this season, which is first.

[Mike Wright]

In the league, I think that breaks well.

[Andy Holloway]

That's what I'm calling it. Something's got to give. With Will Fuller's potential to run by.

[Mike Wright]

People and Hopkins, I'm sure I'm calling this as a break.

[Jason Moore]

Okay, here's another game station. The last two times that the Patriots have played at home as the underdog, they have won an averaged a pretty good margin of victory.

[Mike Wright]

What's the line?

[Jason Moore]

The Texans are favored by point. Does that break? I just don't see how the.

[Mike Wright]

No, the pa. I'm not. No. Patriots are going to win. I'm taking.

[Andy Holloway]

You're taking them to win.

[Mike Wright]

I'm taking the Patriots.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

All right.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. It's hard to go against Uncle Billy. B.

[Mike Wright]

Finds a way to get it done.

[Jason Moore]

All right, before we get to the next game, we want to remind everybody about, you know, you've heard of Pristine Auction. If you are somebody that's already gone to Pristine Auction for sports memorabilia, then you already know. You're like, oh, yeah, talk about pristine, because they're lining my house, they're lining my office, they're lining, you know, my man cave or whatever. You've got your place for your sports memorabilia. You are already madly in love with Pristine Auction, as Mike is. As we are. Mike is truly on there every single.

[Mike Wright]

Day because they have daily auctions, man. They got new stuff going up every single day.

[Jason Moore]

It's awesome. Look, everything on Pristine Auction is extremely verified. It's completely legit. We've met these guys. We've walked in their warehouse. This is something you need to check out. If you have a gift for a father, a friend, a mother, someone, they have movie stuff as well. It's not just sports, but we're a football show, so I assume most people would want those sweet jerseys or those signed helmets. I mean, if you look at our studio, it's just decked out with incredible signed footballs, signed jerseys. It's really cool. And we get all of our stuff from pristine auction. So you should too. Go to P R I S T I n e auction.com, check out their daily auctions. It's free to sign up. It's so much more affordable than you think to actually win these things and let them know that you found them. From the footballers, we also want to.

[Andy Holloway]

Thank today's sponsor, longtime sponsor of the show, Harry's Harry's. I've been using Harry's for a very, very long time. My experience with Harry's and Harry's products has been absolutely great. They it's a better shave, a more smooth shave, more comfortable. Everything about Harry's is great. And you know, big razor companies have this annoying habit of putting out new models and then raising their already high prices over and over again. And Harry's does not buy into that mindset, does not believe in upcharging. And that's why they made the best razors and they keep the prices the exact same even when they improve the product. And you can get a Harry's, you know, they're five blade razors. They now include a softer flex hinge for a more comfortable glide. So if you haven't tried them before, now's a great time to try them. They're so confident in the quality of the blaze, they will send you their popular free trial set which comes with a razor, five blade cartridge and shaving drill. And free. Right now when you sign up for a shave plan, all you have to do is pay shipping. It's completely free to get that. So we have a special offer for our fans. You enter the code footballers at checkout you get a post shave balm added to the order for free.

[Mike Wright]

Oh.

[Andy Holloway]

Which will feel very good.

[Jason Moore]

Free.

[Andy Holloway]

So go to Harry's.com right now, enter the code footballers at checkout and claim your free trial set and post shave balm. That's Harry's.com code footballers. So let's move on from the Thursday night game. So you're taking the Patriots, by the way.

[Mike Wright]

I am.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm gonna take Houston.

[Jason Moore]

I'm gonna take a tie. I think it's gonna happen three to three. It's going all the way.

[Andy Holloway]

No, I mean, look, I would have.

[Jason Moore]

To take the Texans. I don't see how the Patriots are.

[Andy Holloway]

Defense has not been great this year. Now I realized they were in a position to defend pure passing game at the end of the Miami game, but they gave it up. So I think Hopkins and Fuller, they're going to be a problem.

[Mike Wright]

I think they're fine. I'm just taking the Patriots to find a way.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. The Cardinals take on the Bills travel to Buffalo. Look, the Bills are four point dogs at home.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

And I think it's going to go that way. I mean, I don't feel confident in anybody. McCoy has not been impressive because you kind of have the girly situation going on in Buffalo where, okay, the offensive line isn't blocking well enough and McCoy can't do everything. He hasn't been getting massive volume on the ground and they can't move it through the air.

[Jason Moore]

Well, the nice thing is that he is involved through the air. So there's no game script that's going to take him out of the game and make him irrelevant. He's still going to have opportunities as the game goes along. We've seen the Arizona Cardinals be beat in the screen game many times over the last few years. The last two, his first two games. LaShawn McCoy has four receptions in each game. I don't see any reason for that not to happen in this game. I give him another four receptions, Mike. And when you get four receptions, you're going to probably get, you know, I don't know, 25, 30 yards. Stack that on top of the 50 he rushes for and then, you know he's going to end up being an okay start and he probably won't get a touchdown in this game. So, you know, low end running back 2.

[Andy Holloway]

There's no real reason to discuss David Johnson. He's an every week start and auto start and he's been very, very efficient with his carries. They haven't had to lean on him for, you know, 20 carries a game or anything like that. Let's talk about Larry Fitzgerald. Larry Fitzgerald, this week at Buffalo is our consensus number eight wide receiver. I have him at seven, Mike has him at nine. Jason has him all the way down at 11, which is also known as a wide receiver. One across the board. He's been great. He's a, he's the number one red zone read for this offense.

[Jason Moore]

I want to, I want to platform for a second for Larry Fitzgerald. I'm so glad you're bringing this up because I, you know, we are so close to the Cardinals here in Arizona and you know, there's always the new young greatness that's coming, the Michael Floyd's and the John Browns and the old man is just not sexy. But the more that we look at Larry and what he's done. And whether or not he slowed down at the end of last year, here's a couple facts. Last year he tied in receptions with Brandon Marshall. He had 109 receptions. He was the sixth most, you know, receptions in the league. He also is obviously a first ballot hall of Fame type of player with great hands. He's the number one red zone option over the last two years for the Arizona Cardinals. Clearly he has been so far this year. I see no reason for him to slow down. And if you look Mike, tell, tell about that slowdown at the end of last year for Fitz.

[Mike Wright]

Oh sure. Yeah. We talked about, we were talking about this in the office of why were we. Why were some people looking away from Fitzgerald and just the like you looked at the end of the season you thought well maybe fell off. But then that's not factoring in Carson Palmer being benched in two games and not in a bad bench. A a bench because they didn't need him. The David Johnson explosion against Philadelphia, the Green Bay game where the defense scored twice. And so it looked the. You couldn't go box score hunting with Larry at the end of the season. So that's just where people and some.

[Jason Moore]

Of those things could happen again. But the point was it wasn't like Larry slowed down and got older and he's not that old.

[Andy Holloway]

The last part of this game that we need to talk about and the over under is 47 for it is tyred Taylor in the passing game. You know you have a new offensive coordinator in place now the reports this morning McCoy was saying how much simpler the offense is than it was under Greg Roman. Do we expect any volume changes for Taylor or is this just a stay away from the Bills game through and through?

[Mike Wright]

I can't, I cannot in good conscience recommend people play Taylor right now. It's already a bad matchup. Taylor is averaging 16 completions a game. That is brutal. That's, that's, that's near the very bottom of the league. So you, this is the game where. Let's have a look. Maybe Taylor starts to throw the ball a little bit more. Andy alluded to it of the simplification of the offense. Maybe that helps him out. Although the last time someone played a simplified offense against the Cardinals it was Colin Kaepernick. The game where he was destroyed and lost his job.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. The Vikings travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers. Panthers are seven point favorites over under a 43 in this game. This is, we'll call this the platoon of source Rex because the running backs are McKinnon and Asiata and Whitaker and Artist Payne because the starters are down. So I. To me the big debate here is, you know, what do you do with the running back position? Are you just flipping a coin between these two teams or are we going to pretend we're more intelligent and know how this game scripts going to go out? Because to be honest with you, I don't know. I can tell you what I ranked them, sure.

[Jason Moore]

But you know, this reminds me a little bit of the Panthers Denver game that kicked off the season. You had, you know, what appeared to be a low scoring highly, two good defenses going at it and what you saw in that game was obviously Kelvin Benjamin's going to get his. But with the running backs specifically you saw that there were going to be plenty of rushing attempts from both sides. But the guy you wanted is the guy that would catch passes and CJ Anderson to be involved in that way. Jonathan Stewart, whoever's playing that role of that first and second down back, I think he's going to be running into a lot of walls and I think it's going to happen on the other side as well. So who is the pass catching back in this situation? I feel like that could be Mike Tolbert for the Carolina Panthers and I feel like that could be Asiata personally. But I think that's where it's like is. Is the pass catching back Asiata or is it McKinnon? That's to be determined. People say that they're different guys.

[Andy Holloway]

Right now the highest ranked among all the running backs in this game that we have on our consensus rankings is Matt Aziata at 26. We have McKinnon 29. We have Fozzie and Artist Payne back to back at 36, 37. But those high double digit numbers should tell you how the running back situation here looks. It's one thing to predict these guys in a great running matchup. It doesn't look like one right now.

[Mike Wright]

Sure.

[Andy Holloway]

Now the Panthers have not been great against the run so far this season. They're 17th in the league, so they have not been in that upper echelon but they're seventh against the pass. You know, the 43 over under says it'll be a fairly low scoring game. I think if anybody makes hay here it's going to be the Carolina offense more than it will be the Minnesota offense playing at home. And so for me the only guy that I feel really great about starting is Diggs. And if you need a running back, Asiata to me at least has A.

[Jason Moore]

Baseline, you're saying from the Vikings?

[Andy Holloway]

From the Vikings.

[Mike Wright]

I think if you picked up McCain, you. You most likely picked him up because you are in a position of need. So you. You're starting him. I think he's an okay start. You're not very happy about it. Diggs is fine. Of course, you're playing Kelvin Benjamin. But the question for me now is Kyle Rudolph. How do we feel about him now that Sammy Biscuits is there? He throws it to the tight end. Rudolph got in the end zone with a great reception last week.

[Andy Holloway]

I feel like he's worth monitoring pretty darn closely.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Because of the change in the quarterback now, you know, like I said, the Panthers are good against the pass. We'll see what happens this week. Interesting. Kind of another something got to give moment of this game. Stefan Diggs is averaging 17.8 yards per reception this year. The Panthers are giving up just 10.4 yards per reception, one of the best in the league. And Diggs is right now first out of. Out of all the wide receivers. So I'm not. I did not project a great game for Diggs. I think this is a return to earth game for Diggs. I really do. I don't see how he can blow up again against this defense in Carolina. He is not. He's not in that right wide receiver, one or two range.

[Mike Wright]

The thing I would say for that, for the stat, is Carolina has not been tested by a competent quarterback yet. You had Trevor Simeon week one, and you had Blaine Gabbard week two.

[Andy Holloway]

How dare you?

[Jason Moore]

So. So.

[Andy Holloway]

No, but seriously, how does Sam Bradford not go out to dinner with those two guys? I mean, historically speaking, that's like the perfect friends for him to go to Peter Piper with.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Because he'd be the coolest.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

He'd be like, oh, it's.

[Andy Holloway]

Does the helmet always just look like it doesn't belong?

[Mike Wright]

What's his shoulder? Shoulder pads?

[Andy Holloway]

Is that what it is?

[Jason Moore]

The shoulders? I don't know. Does he put in two?

[Andy Holloway]

Does he not wear them? No, he's too big.

[Jason Moore]

They're so high.

[Mike Wright]

The funniest thing I've seen on Twitter is, you know those.

[Andy Holloway]

They're biscuits. He puts biscuits under them.

[Mike Wright]

What does. What does this person look like? And it's Sam Bradford looks like a child dressing up as Sam Bradford to play in an NFL game.

[Jason Moore]

That's exactly what he looks like.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

He kind of reminds me of Captain America before the procedure.

[Mike Wright]

Things just don't fit.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. I'm always amazed when guys like that have powerful arms but he doesn't look like a big guy.

[Mike Wright]

Sure.

[Jason Moore]

So, yeah, I'm not excited about anybody in this game. But I will say this. If I had a drop for it, I think this would be my almost upset of the week. Just because a seven point line is not giving Minnesota enough credit for their incredible defense so far this year. And so, you know, the Panthers will probably still win, but I would say it's close.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Well, there you go. We got a few more matchups to get through. We have a few more matchups to get through. And then our starts of the week. So the Broncos head to the Bengals territory.

[Mike Wright]

Bengals are favored.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, the Bengals are three point favorites.

[Jason Moore]

At home in a low scoring projection.

[Andy Holloway]

Low scoring projection. C.J. anderson is a must start. Let's talk about the wide receivers, though, on Denver because the confidence level has to be waning. Manual Sanders has had a tough start to the year. He was complaining yesterday or today about his role in the offense. Demarius seems to find a way because he's just a man child. I mean, he could. Yeah, he's a man child. I mean, he could just take a screen pass. 65 yards any. @ any time. I mean, last week we were worried about his health. He performed okay. Virgil Green, do we think he's back?

[Mike Wright]

I don't know. I have concerns that he's not going to play this week.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Yeah. And if he does, he's going up against a good defense. So I don't think it's the right matchup to plug him in for a start.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, he's going up against a good passing defense. Thus far, the Bengals have been surprisingly terrible against the run. As in dead last in the entire league, giving up 138 rushing yards per game.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

To C.J. anderson have more upside than what it looks like this week.

[Mike Wright]

C.J. anderson is a locked and loaded running back. One until further notice.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's talk. Would you start Sanders at all? I mean, is he a flex or would you just want to sit him down?

[Mike Wright]

I'd prefer to sit him down, but he's an okay flex.

[Andy Holloway]

Jason, what do we do with the running backs on the other side of the ball? On the Cincinnati side, What do you do with Dalton and the running backs?

[Jason Moore]

With the running backs and with Dalton, honestly, when it comes to the Denver defense, this is pretty much. If my team is playing against them, I'm looking to sit them. I would not want to start either guy. I think the Denver running game right now has been pretty darn good. They actually I mean, they did give up that touchdown to Frank Gore on the tiptoes. But other, other than that, I mean, you saw them pretty much stifle Carolina in Week one. I, you know, Jeremy Hill would be the guy that I would start if I started either of them because of the, the touchdown opportunity. It's very hard to throw passing touchdowns against the Broncos. I just don't like, I don't like anybody against the Broncos. I believe Andy Dalton is near the bottom of my list as far as quarterbacks, and I am an Andy Dalton apologist. So if I'm saying, sit Andy Dalton, there's always that chance, right, that you can get a bomb to AJ Green and salvage your day. But we have to go by expectations and look at what's happened week after week. And every team struggles against the Denver Broncos. So for me, in this entire game, I will say this. I would start AJ Green because it's very difficult to sit a guy like that. He might be in that kind of wide receiver three area on my rankings, but I'm still going to start him over. Some of the guys I have ranked ahead because his upside is always there. And then C.J. anderson, Demarius Thomas, and then forget it.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. I want to take you guys back, back in time to another year. Last year, November 15th in Green Bay.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, what's happening?

[Andy Holloway]

The Lions. I remember that game took on the packers and it takes place again this weekend. The packers are seven and a half point favorites at Lambeau in.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, I know Andy's almost upset of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

That's a pretty big dog. Seven and a half point dogs in Green Bay. Divisional game though. I think it's going to be closer. Not close enough to win, of course, but we're talking about an almost upset. I really love Rodgers this week. He's my number one quarterback, which you would say, hey, that flies in the face of what you just said. No, this is a 48 point over under. This is a game that I think is going to be a high scoring shootout. I think that, you know, you're going to see not the ball thrown. The ball is going to be thrown in this game. The packers have been great against the run this year. The Lions lost Abdullah. I'm not excited about going out and starting Washington. I mean, Riddick gets his in the passing game, so I'm fine with Riddick. I love Reddick, but to me, this is going to be a very high scoring game. I'm excited to see what happens in this game. Lambeau is, you know, the Weather is going to be nice in Lambeau this time of year. I think the ball is going to be in the air. What do you guys think about this game?

[Mike Wright]

I see that the over under is 48. I would actually take the under. I think that both of these teams. I think it's. I think this one will be sloppier and nastier than. Than you.

[Andy Holloway]

Do you want to. Do you want to put the over under into a waterbed form?

[Mike Wright]

You're going to take the over? Yeah. Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Let's do it. Water.

[Andy Holloway]

Bet we ever had a waterbed on an over under.

[Mike Wright]

We have not. We're breaking new.

[Andy Holloway]

I can't wait to have you spin that wheel again.

[Jason Moore]

If I had to. If I had to take a side.

[Andy Holloway]

You're not involved, Jason. No, I know, but I think it.

[Jason Moore]

Will be a high scoring game. And the reason is, you know, I assume Sam Shields is not going to play and he makes a huge difference for that Green Bay packers defense. If you look at what Jacksonville did week one, even with Allen Robinson and a great passing attack to the wide receivers, There was only 13 passes for 178 yards and no touchdowns. Week two to Minnesota, right? Who. Minnesota is not a great passing team. They're not a. Are they? Well, right. They haven't been a great passing team. They certainly don't throw a lot. There were only 15 receptions, but at a high percentage last week against green bay for 238 yards and one touchdown. We saw Stefan Diggs go off on them. And so this is a game where I agree with Andy that if Green Bay is able to put points on the board by either Eddie Lacy or. Because I think this is a good plus matchup, Freddie Lacy or by Aaron Rodgers, then Matthew Stafford is going to be able to throw the ball around. And I think that, you know, they don't have the DBs right now to cover Marvin Jones and Golden Tate. And I'm not off of Golden Tate yet. He had enough receptions last or enough target targets last week. I don't like that they're so close to the line of scrimmage. But last week I think was not the norm going forward. Everyone is just completely freaked out about Golden Tate. Like he's not. He's not even involved anymore and that was just a freak game.

[Andy Holloway]

I think the only thing I'm freaked out about Golden Tate is the expectations. I don't think he can be with Marvin Jones there with the way the offense seems to be running. I don't think he can be counted on as A, you know. No, he's a fringe type of one, two guy that we dreamed of from two years ago.

[Jason Moore]

I agree.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Ravens. Jaguars. Jaguars. Jaguars. Jaguars.

[Mike Wright]

Jaguars.

[Andy Holloway]

Ravens. Jags. The Jags are one point dogs at home. Ho hum. I look, I take the over in this game. 47 points. I think there's going to be a lot of points scored. The Jags, they've had problems this year on defense. They have all the players. They've had problems on none of the production. They've had huge problems on offense. Now the Ravens are the number one past defense in the league, but they're traveling on the road and I think things are going to get straightened out with the Robinson Hearns Bortles show. I'm not confident in the running game, that's for sure. You know, with Yelden struggles and Ivory coming back. How do you guys see this game breaking down?

[Mike Wright]

Ooh, I think that there will be some successful passing. I don't want to start any of the running backs in this game for set West Yelden, Ivory. I'm avoiding them at all costs. I was talking about this before the show that I I'm on team Wallace. I don't like him but Joe Flacco seems to really like him. They have the connection. Perhaps through all these years of stink for Mike Wallace, he's finally found the quarterback that he needs to be productive. And Joe Flacco, he got himself back.

[Andy Holloway]

In the AFC north where he used to be good.

[Mike Wright]

Right. And he was low targets last week. I mean you can't expect a bunch. He was very productive because he got the two touchdowns. But they were short touchdowns. Those weren't the normal what you expect. Mike Wallace burned it for a 60 yarder. It's back to the days of the Dolphins where Mike Wallace was an elite red zone weapon. And with Steve Smith still coming back, I think Smith is. He's becoming a more reliable guy to start every week. I still don't know if I would play him this week but Wallace is going to fill in with. I had personally I thought that Kamara Akin would still be the guy they have to lean to because I was not expecting Smith to be back this quickly. But Wallace has taken that position for me of the prior of a primary target for Joe Flacco in a Mark Trustman offense where they're going to score a lot of points passing the ball.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. As far as game flow, Joe Flacco is very different home in a way. He's one of those guys in the last three years when he's been on the road, he has averaged one and a half interceptions versus at home, he averages half of that. And so I think that that bodes well to being a higher scoring game because turnovers, turnovers mean points, right? I mean, so, so often a turnover is the reason that a team gets good field position, is able to punch in a touchdown. So this could be a high scoring game there. Isn't that lockdown DB for Allen Robinson? I expect a huge bounce back game for Allen Robinson this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Exactly. What I was going to ask you is if Robinson doesn't perform this week, isn't there panic in the air? I mean, if this week. Yeah, because Baltimore, I mean they allowed 16 receiving touchdowns in the red zone last year. They give up what Robinson. I mean, Robinson was a 15 touchdown guy last year. He hasn't scored this year. This has got to be his get right game right at home.

[Jason Moore]

I think it will be his get right game. I would start him over nearly all options. I mean, I'll look up where I have him.

[Andy Holloway]

Jerry Rice.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, over Jerry Rice. He's my third ranked wide receiver this week.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

So I don't have any. And he's actually Andy's third ranked wide receiver as well. Mike, you have him sixth. So we all are on Allen Robinson this week. I think we see reasons why week one and week two happened the way they did. And that's what I like with these guys is like if. If I don't understand why there was a bad week or there was low targets or the, you know, things, but this was like he had tough matchups and tough corners on him.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, guys, are you ready?

[Mike Wright]

I'm ready.

[Jason Moore]

Starts of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, it's time for our starts of the week. These are guys we think you need to have in your lineup and we'll give you the reasons why. Jason, kick it off. Quarterback, start of the week.

[Jason Moore]

Quarterback, start of the week is going to be Philip Rivers.

[Andy Holloway]

I love it.

[Jason Moore]

Look, Keenan Allen goes down and everybody is freaking out. You see Philip Rivers drop. Danny Woodhead goes down and so it's like, well, obviously Philip Rivers, he's no longer good. You find him on waivers, popping up and then. And then getting ad. Rightfully so, very quickly. But the San Diego Indianapolis game, okay, that game is in a dome, is one of the highest. It's the second highest projected Vegas score this week at 52 points. And you have the Indianapolis Colts with just a ravaged defense there now. Now their main db, Vante Davis. Vonte Davis is supposed to be back.

[Mike Wright]

This week he's practicing, but we don't know if he's going to play.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, it's not sure, but everybody else out there are seemingly just guys off the street. I mean, or injured or they're playing and they're not healthy. And so Philip Rivers should be able to carve this game up. I think it's going to be a high scoring game. I have no problem starting Philip Rivers.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, Jason, how do you feel about all the injuries to the Colts DBs? Because as we have found out through the week, I love it. You like, you like pain. You like, you wish pain upon you.

[Jason Moore]

Nobody has corrected you that apparently they're saying, I'm a sage.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, did I have it backwards?

[Jason Moore]

Yes. That I want pain on others, but I don't wish pain on others. I just wish you could see relevance on certain players I like, which requires injuries of a gruesome nature to everyone else.

[Andy Holloway]

It doesn't. It doesn't help. Wait, he's been encouraged because some Twitter people were like, jason, when you say that stuff, it's so funny. Don't pay attention to those other guys who respect human life. That's what, that's what they said. All right, look, every week when we do a start to the week, we put them into our show, Doc, and kind of its first come, first served. If you can get in there. I started typing Philip Rivers name. So I love that start. My guy this week, it's Russell Wilson. Now, look, the reason why is he's 27th at the quarterback position right now, which means maybe you're thinking about streaming another option. I'm coming out here and I am boldly pounding the desk and saying, look, you talk about a get right game. You're going to be at home against the San Francisco 49ers. He's got another week to recover from his ankle sprain. You're going to have some short field opportunities because that defense is going to create them. I think you see an efficiency. I think you see enough touchdowns to make you happy. I'm on board with Russell Wilson this week. I say start him.

[Jason Moore]

But.

[Andy Holloway]

But, oh, no.

[Jason Moore]

But Andy, last year, you guys, you guys said to sit Russell Wilson and he did great. He did really, really great. So if you're saying start him. Should. Should. Should I sit? Should I sit Russell Wilson? But. But this question's for Mike.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, look, we. We disagree here on Russell Wilson. I, I admire Andy being bold and going in on Wilson, but top 10. Ooh, let me, Let me check my projection.

[Jason Moore]

You have him 17 Mike, Andy. You have him three.

[Mike Wright]

Well, I have him 17 in my initial pass.

[Andy Holloway]

Top nine.

[Mike Wright]

He may. No, no, you got to move it down.

[Andy Holloway]

But I just helped him go from top 10 to top nine, and he acted like it was worse.

[Jason Moore]

It was worse.

[Andy Holloway]

How is it worse to be top nine then top.

[Jason Moore]

If he's saying he wouldn't be top.

[Andy Holloway]

Ten right then I'm giving him a top nine bet instead of a top ten.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, you're right. I'm an idiot. I really could. I could not understand how that was wrong. Why does my brain not work?

[Andy Holloway]

Well, lots of reasons.

[Mike Wright]

Top 10. Look, and I'm making this off of.

[Andy Holloway]

I said top nine.

[Mike Wright]

No, no, no. Top nine. Top nine. I've not. I've not swept over with the fine. No, it's. You have to do it.

[Andy Holloway]

We're doing it.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, double waterbeds.

[Mike Wright]

And this is where I go. And I'm like, oh, yeah, I got him too low. I got to put him at number six.

[Jason Moore]

I have my arm as my quarterback. 12. I think he is startable, but he's. I don't see him having a top week this week.

[Mike Wright]

All right, I'm going.

[Andy Holloway]

Nobody cares what you think. I'm going with King.

[Mike Wright]

Jason, can I. Can I talk, please?

[Andy Holloway]

Hey. Yeah. We need to get through these.

[Mike Wright]

I know what you're about to do.

[Andy Holloway]

Go now.

[Mike Wright]

I'm going with Eli Manning. Look, I know he was a disappointment. We all expected a lot of points on the board against the Saints, but he still had 368 yards.

[Andy Holloway]

And if Oda Beckham Jr. Doesn't drop that stink touchdown, then you're.

[Mike Wright]

Still happy with Eli. And look, this team has not been able to run the ball at all. They're going up against Washington. Washington is allowing 300 yards a game through the air. We. Odell Beckham. I don't want to go to the. He's due, but I'm going to do it anyway. Odell Beckham is due for a big game. I think that Eli is a great start this week. If you're looking for one of these guys, you're like, I'm not so sure. I'm playing Eli Manning against that Washington defense.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. All right. Why don't you kick it off with your running back? Sure.

[Mike Wright]

All right. I'm going with a double here because it's a timeshare, and I'm saying I am comfortable starting both of these guys. As a running back to both of the Atlanta running backs, devonte Freeman and Coleman, I'm okay with both of them. Look, The Saints have allowed week one, they allowed 153 on the ground to the Raiders. I think that what we have seen, we've seen improvement from Freeman. He looked a lot better last week, and Coleman is still getting in the end zone. So I think between the two of them, look, you can't expect running back one numbers from either of them because they just siphon away from each other. But if you have one of them and you're looking for that running back 2 type of a guy, I'm good going in with either of them.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay, Jason.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to stick in the same game with my buddy Philip Rivers because I expect that that game, all the charges you have, you have two bottom half defenses, although the passing defense for the Chargers is okay. And then you have two really good offenses. And so I love games like that. I'm going with Melvin Gordon. Melvin Gordon has been a beneficiary of everything happening this offseason. Obviously, the Chargers offensive line is much better than it was at the end of last year where they were just ravaged by injury. You have Danny Woodhead going down, which means a little bit more volume, a little bit more security. In Melvin Gordon, you have a defense. Would you say that C.J. anderson is good?

[Andy Holloway]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Part of that is because when Denver played the Colts, there were 30 rushing attempts for 127 yards and a touchdown. Would you say that the Lions have a great, prolific rushing game?

[Mike Wright]

No.

[Jason Moore]

Well, because they had 21 carries, what.

[Andy Holloway]

In the world just happened for 109.

[Jason Moore]

Yards and two touchdowns against the Colts. So I just think that everything is lining up here for Melvin Gordon to have a top 10 week. I would start him in all of my lineups. I think that if he doesn't get the touchdown, he's still going to have enough volume to be relevant. And I think there's a good odds that he gets a touchdown in this game. High scoring game.

[Mike Wright]

All right, 24 carries last week.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I think that's going to be down. I projected him for less this week.

[Jason Moore]

I had him at 18 carries.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I'm just saying that we know it's there and you know he can be involved in the passing game.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Charles Sims is my running back. Start of the week this week, Doug Martin is out. Charles Sims, you know, he wasn't great on the ground last week in his opportunities, but they've been limited. He catches the ball. I think that's what you can do against the Rams is be a versatile back that isn't just trying to run between the tackles. Sims is just going to be on the field too much to ignore. Look, this doesn't mean he's a one. He's not a one to me, but he's a flex worthy start, you know, an RB2 if you need him. Excuse me, the opportunities here, what is going on in this office?

[Mike Wright]

It's not good.

[Andy Holloway]

So I think Charles Sims is my running back start of the week. I'm going to move over to the run the wide receiver. This is kind of the most bold pick I've got. Guys shaking my head across to me. I'm going to go with you got.

[Mike Wright]

Guys shaking my head.

[Andy Holloway]

Shaking my head. Is that what I said? Whatever I'm coughing on, it's what influence.

[Mike Wright]

You have caught Jason.

[Andy Holloway]

I've cut.

[Mike Wright]

You've caught the Jason disease.

[Andy Holloway]

That's not good.

[Jason Moore]

You must be following Jason Morrison.

[Andy Holloway]

Devonte Parker.

[Jason Moore]

Oh man.

[Andy Holloway]

Played on 92% of snaps last week. Now don't get carried away but I think you can flex him this week. He plays Cleveland. The Miami Dolphins are 10 point favorites at home against Cleveland. They show they can move the ball with a three wide receiver set. Look, 92% of snaps he was on the field. He. This is the week he usurps, officially usurps Kenny Stills as. As the best option outside of Jarvis Landry. I think Devonte Parker is a sneaky flex play this week. So I'm going to go with Devonte Parker. Mike, who do you have as your wide receiver?

[Mike Wright]

I like it. It's interesting because the Dolphins with all those points, they have also proven that they can't really get it done on the ground. So if they're going to score points, I expect it to be through Ryan Tannehill's arm. My wide receiver. I'm going with Travis Benjamin. Look, we're starting all the Chargers this week apparently and I have my asterisk here that Fonte Davis is in practice. He's unknown. If Vonte Davis comes back, that's going to put a little bit of rain on this parade because he is an incredible lockdown corner. But I'm look, I'm chasing these points. He was 115 and two touchdowns last week and I am okay chasing these particular points. Rivers has to go to somebody. Travis Benjamin proved last year with the Browns that he is a, that he can be a stud weapon and that was a bad team and he was getting it done for almost 1000 total yards on the season. So I'm buying into Travis Benjamin this week.

[Jason Moore]

If Vonte Davis is back, do you Shift it to Tyrell Williams for the same logic.

[Mike Wright]

I don't shift it around. I would still stay with Travis Benjamin, but I would, I believe, lower my expectations.

[Jason Moore]

Tyrell Williams above my. I believe. I'll check my rankings. But first, my wide receiver starter this week. Look, you got to stay in the flames with this guy. He had a touchdown week one, a touchdown week two. And that's Willie Snead, your number three ranked wide receiver so far after two weeks.

[Mike Wright]

Really?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, in half point PPR scoring formats. The reason why is because he's going up against the Atlanta Falcons. The same Atlanta Falcons that gave up four touchdowns week one to Jameis, that gave up three touchdowns to Oakland and Derek Carr. So they are able to be thrown on. This is at home for Drew Brees. Drew Brees scores 10 points more at home than on the road. This will be a high scoring game. Willie Sneed's been involved. If you've got him, you probably have other tough options. Maybe you, maybe you grabbed other great wide receivers. Don't bench Willie Sneed this week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's jump into the tight ends. I'm going to start and I'm going to go with the target leader at the tight end position for the entirety of this year so far. And that's Jason Stinking Whitten. Stinking never hurt. Jason Whitten, best friend to Dak Prescott at home against Chicago, leads the league in targets. As I said, he's just a tried and true great guy to have. If you don't have one of those Jordan Reed, Rob Gronkowski, huge upside plays, you know what you don't want? You don't want a gooser at the tight end position. I've had decisions to make this week, like, hey, let's do I want to sign Gary Barnage off of waivers or play Jason Whitten? I said Jason Whitten. Do I want to play Dennis Pitta or Jason Whitten? I'm going with Jason Whitten.

[Mike Wright]

Ooh.

[Andy Holloway]

So that's, that's my start of the week. Jason Whitten at home. Feel confident. Roll him out there.

[Mike Wright]

And I, I have that counterpoint to what you just talked about. I got Dennis Pitta, who is now the two hip, not quitta because he has two functional hips. A a a listener wrote in last year we established Rule 86, which was Jordan Reed. If he is healthy, you play him because he is a stud. And now we are, in fact executing Rule 88, that if Dennis Pitta is healthy, I'm going to play him last week. Look, you go to the top 11 tight ends, there is a common thread between 10 of them. 10 of them had a touchdown. One guy in that top 11 did not. And that was Dennis Pitta because he had 12 targets, nine receptions for 102 yards. Talk about best friend.

[Andy Holloway]

Did just say he's going to have a high scoring game.

[Mike Wright]

Joe flacco, Dennis Pitta, BFFs, BFFs. Because it's forever.

[Jason Moore]

Forever.

[Mike Wright]

That's how much they are friends. And I love Pitta getting the targets.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's wrap up the starts of the week. Mike or Jason.

[Mike Wright]

All right, I'm going to jump.

[Jason Moore]

All right. I'm going back to.

[Andy Holloway]

I did catch something from him.

[Jason Moore]

My Great. Week one start of the week. Dwayne Allen. Last year, the team that I liked starting tight ends against the most, well, it was Oakland. The second team that I like starting tight ends against the most was the Chargers. And the reason why is because this is a team that has a bad defense and yet has two really good cornerbacks. Right. So they can take out the wide receivers, but yet they give up a lot through the passing game. And that usually comes to the tight end.

[Andy Holloway]

You had just because I have to clarify with you, taking out the wide receiver, you just mean covering them, right?

[Jason Moore]

Yes, yes.

[Andy Holloway]

You don't mean anything.

[Jason Moore]

No silence or dangerous, you know. Kansas City, week one to the tight end, eight receptions, 94 yards. Jacksonville last week had a good game to the tight end. Six for 88 and a touchdown. I think that Dwayne Allen. And again in this high scoring game, he's going to be a beneficiary. I like a touchdown to be scored for him in this game. Like you said, you look at the top tight ends, usually you have to have that touchdown. I think he's got better than 50, 50 odds to get a touchdown.

[Mike Wright]

You didn't even mention the worst part that I have. Mon grief.

[Jason Moore]

Mon grief.

[Mike Wright]

Because Moncrief is dead. Not actually dead, but he's out for quite some time. So. Dwayne Allen, I like it. I like him filling in.

[Andy Holloway]

Mon grief. This is a ridiculous show. We do. Okay, that are. That are. Jason, you messed me up. What in the world is going on?

[Jason Moore]

I love it.

[Andy Holloway]

Goodness sake. English this is what happens when the show goes over an hour. The grammar gets even worse. Those were our starts of the week robot. That's what they were. And we're going to. They'll be on the website. There's an article on the website as well. So if you want to run back through them, go to the fantasy footballers.com check out the article. It is a trepidatious journey for me to speak anymore on this show. We need a mercy somebody else just just close it.

[Mike Wright]

I'll close it out. Hey, check out fantasyjocks.com for all your fantasy football trophy needs with the promo code Footballers. And hey, go check out jointhefoot.com if you want to help support the show and get involved with the best community of all time.

[Jason Moore]

Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of that podcast. Join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter the FFballers.