
Fantasy football flows through the RB position. To prepare for your fantasy draft, you need to make sure you know where the free agent running backs like Adrian Peterson, Demarco Murray, Jamaal Charles, Eddie Lacy, and LeSean McCoy will be playing next ye
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Andy Holloway
Foreignasy Footballers Podcast.
Jason Moore
Hello again. Hello again.
Mike Wright
Oh my.
Jason Moore
It is. It is Tuesday, February 17th. Wow. I forget how long is that? As long as it normally goes.
Mike Wright
I was thinking it was pretty long.
Jason Moore
That was pretty long. Yeah. It is Tuesday, February 17th. This is the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. I'm Andy off season edition. I am Andy Holloway. I am joined by the two sultans of I got Nothing. I'm Jason Moore.
Andy Holloway
Hey, welcome.
Jason Moore
And Mike the fantasy Hitman Wright.
Mike Wright
Hey everybody.
Jason Moore
And today we are talking running back free agency roundtable. We're going to talk about some of the big key running back free agents. The hardest position in football to be a free agent for sure.
Mike Wright
Yeah. That's. That's a very first.
Jason Moore
Hardest position in football to make money.
Mike Wright
That's a very fair statement.
Jason Moore
And the easiest position in football to destroy your body.
Mike Wright
Yeah. Most important for fantasy, I mean you have absolutely. How long does. How a normal running back. How. What's the lifespan Got to be like four years maybe.
Jason Moore
Yeah. You have the. You have the Enigmas, the Emmett Smiths of the world and then you have, you know, everybody else. The Larry Johnson's Priest Holmes guys that, you know, even Charl Davis, I mean he had great years but you don't see guys go eight nights in years.
Mike Wright
The Seattle what's. Sean Alexander John. Thank you.
Jason Moore
Yeah, you don't even remember him anymore.
Mike Wright
That's my point. It was not because I forgot. It was. I was making a very strong statements.
Jason Moore
Yeah. Yeah. So again, you guys can follow us on itunes, subscribe to us there. You can also visit our website. We're going to be updating our website frequently this offseason and that's atthe fantasy footballers.com we're also going to be very frequently on Twitter. So you can follow us as a show at theffballers. You could follow Mike at ffhitman Jason or I'm sorry, jasonffl and you can follow me at Andy Holloway. I know, actually I like it because, you know, I want the focus on me. But the first name that we have here is a guy that I feel terrible for.
Mike Wright
I do too.
Jason Moore
It's demarco Murray. Because to me I thought this is the entire time this whole des Bryant or DeMarco who's coming back, who's getting paid situation has been out there which has been really the entire season. But what could DeMarco Murray do to get paid more than what he did?
Andy Holloway
Yeah, nothing more than he did.
Mike Wright
Yeah. That guy absolutely sacrificed his body this entire year. I mean that was a.
Jason Moore
Is that. Is That a problem?
Mike Wright
It's a problem for him.
Jason Moore
That's what I mean. Like, could not have done that.
Mike Wright
You have.
Jason Moore
It's great for fantasy.
Mike Wright
What are you going to do? What are you going to do? I mean, now I'd be like, no, coach, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna take this playoff. Don't run me here. I mean, you, you have to do it, especially if you feel like you're.
Jason Moore
You.
Mike Wright
Running the ball is a strong benefit for the team and on top of it's still a job.
Jason Moore
So did demarco Murray prove anything to us as fantasy football players this year?
Andy Holloway
I think he proved a little toughness. You know, he's had such an injury wrap and he even got injured. Right. Broke his finger and. Yeah, played through it. So I think he. I don't know if that's a contract thing, but I mean there, there really is no contract. Right. Coming. So I think he proved some toughness and durability. We always knew he was talented, but I think he completely got. He shred. The image of him as being, you know, a little soft to me.
Mike Wright
Well, I, I don't know if it was. It's fair to call him soft all of his. You can call him injury prone, but his injuries tended to be kind of.
Jason Moore
The more fluky running style issues is what a lot of people said. Upright runner still fumbles a lot. He'd rather hit you.
Mike Wright
Yeah, yeah, I think that's probably fair. He likes to run through guys, but to me what he showed is he can get through the. He can. He can make it through a season and it's. The workload is a. For him a tremendous problem. I believe as it goes into free agency. We, if you weren't aware, the Cowboys made him a laughable offer. I mean, the guy who was. No one was more responsible for that offense than DeMarco Murray and they offered him $4 million a year. I think it was a four year, $16 million contract, which is. If I'm DeMarco, what does AP get? He earns double digits.
Andy Holloway
Yeah. He's at 12 or something.
Jason Moore
Okay.
Mike Wright
But he's. I mean, he's one of the top earners in the. At the position. But if I'm DeMarco Murray and the Cowboys come to me after what I just did for them, it's. I'm insulted really. And.
Jason Moore
But is it more about the guaranteed money? I mean, obviously the year to year money for him is flexibility for them to sign DEZ or to. To do something else. I mean, as A running back. I'm just wondering if that guaranteed money is worth more than. I mean, you give him 10 million a year, you don't guarantee anything. I mean, I don't know. Yeah.
Mike Wright
I don't remember what the breakdown.
Jason Moore
I agree. It's an insulting number. 4 million a year is an insulting number. It's just I feel like running backs have no. Nowhere to go. It's like if you run too much and too well, you're going to break down and you run too little. You're unproven and you can't carry the load.
Andy Holloway
Yeah. You don't get a contract, he's going to have a hard time getting a nice hefty contract because he had so many miles on him this year. And that's so backwards. Because you did so good, teams are going to be afraid to sign you in part as far as the workload goes. And one thing that I think we know discussing free agents and specifically with DeMarco is that he has said he wants to play for a contender and he's willing to take less money. So he's not all about the money. You said, what is he playing for? And I think when you put up the year that he put up, you can kind of shift and start playing for Legacy and start playing for your name. And I think, I think he believes himself that way. So with him saying he wants to go to a contender, where, where does he end up?
Jason Moore
Yeah, Yeah. I mean, that's a great question. Let's look at his numbers last year just so we can remember 392 carries.
Mike Wright
Do you remember?
Jason Moore
Yeah, I think we remember him. That's just 1,845 yards and 30, 13 touchdowns. Not to mention catching 57 balls out of the backfield. I gotta call the hitman out on this. You were a skeptical Murray owner or a Murray observer because you just figured any minute now, any minute now he's going down. Which I don't blame you for because that's been his history. But he proved you wrong this year.
Mike Wright
Yeah.
Jason Moore
He's 27 years old.
Mike Wright
Yeah. Which he's a, the, the age of a running back when they really fall off, is that 28, 29 threshold, historically speaking. I agree. I was on the, on the, the side of the fence that said it's.
Jason Moore
It'S too good to be true.
Mike Wright
Yeah. The breakdown is coming. Something is going to happen. So he proved me wrong. And I mean the. I would still stand on that side.
Jason Moore
And this year, even now. Yeah.
Mike Wright
Just because of. Historically speaking, that's The. That's the higher probability.
Jason Moore
So fence to be on for you guys.
Mike Wright
Is he in your top five based on landing spot? Let's.
Jason Moore
Let's handicap that first percentage chance he's back in Dallas for you guys.
Mike Wright
45%.
Jason Moore
45%.
Andy Holloway
I'm in the minority. I think. I think he's definitely gonna be back. I put it 70% Dallas.
Jason Moore
Okay. Yeah. I think I'm probably at the 50. 50 point. I think he wants to be back.
Mike Wright
And I think way to. Way to put your foot in the sand and take A.
Jason Moore
Weren't you 45?
Mike Wright
That's one way, man.
Jason Moore
Okay, I'll change mine. I'm gonna say 55 that he's back.
Andy Holloway
All right.
Mike Wright
Okay.
Jason Moore
All right. Way to put your foot in the sand. 45, man. Yeah, I think he's back, and I think he's obviously got to be in your top five. If he's back in Dallas behind that line, would you agree 100%?
Mike Wright
I would agree.
Jason Moore
So where else could he end up if you have that qualifier of a contender? Let's. Let's project two or three landing spots and then what that would do to his fantasy position on the top spot.
Mike Wright
In my head, and which I honestly hate to do because I feel like the. The de facto of where's anybody going? It always turns into the New England Patriots, however, they have a need at rent. Well, if they're. They're losing guys, like. So we're going to talk about them later. But Shane Freed and Steven Ridley are both free agents. They do have LeGarrett Blunt signed up for this year, and they still have Jonas Gray and the one week wonder or the. The snooze alarm. Mr. Snooze alarm. Jonas Gray. So it. But. But if you have a chance to bring. If the Patriots had a chance to bring in DeMarco, let's say that the money is about the same. I mean, would you. Would you. If the Patriots are offering you 4 million or 4 or 5, and that's what the Cowboys are offering, where are you gonna go?
Andy Holloway
I would stay home.
Jason Moore
Maybe an ordinary person might move on, but I would stay home, too. I stand.
Andy Holloway
Alice, you've got a good. You know, the. You know, the offense. Your family lives there. I wouldn't take the same money to go there unless I. I mean, unless.
Jason Moore
Dallas wasn't a contender, which they are.
Andy Holloway
Yeah.
Mike Wright
Yeah.
Andy Holloway
How about.
Mike Wright
We didn't think they were going to be. No one thought they were going to be.
Jason Moore
No, but I think. I think the blueprint is there.
Andy Holloway
Jerry Jones Very much disagrees with you. He was calling it early. He's clearly a very good profit.
Jason Moore
So hypothetically then you, you put him in New England. I, I don't like the prospects there.
Mike Wright
I do.
Jason Moore
I hadn't even thought about New England to be honest with you.
Andy Holloway
Here's a, here's a place that. How about Indianapolis?
Jason Moore
Yeah, see that's the place that's popping in my head too. Which again is another de facto place for a lot of these big names, whether it's AP demarco Murray. I've heard different names. Ingram, those guys. Do they end up in Indianapolis because you see this prolific offense with backup running backs or whatever you want to call Trent Richardson, which is somewhere beneath that.
Mike Wright
I like, I like DeMarco Murray more if he's in Dallas or New England over Indianapolis just because they, well, at least if Indy keeps the same type of play calling, which is we're on the two yard line, we're still going to throw the ball. Now that benefited Bradshaw because he caught I think six touchdowns through the air. So they're going to be there. But I want my, my top five pick to be workhorse in that workhorse, workhorse, three down role. And it doesn't, it would not concern me if you went to the Patriots. They have before the latest round of the Belichick shenanigans. He, he wrote a guy.
Andy Holloway
It's been a while. It's been a while since then.
Mike Wright
He's been, he has a history.
Jason Moore
It's the money, it's the money that I think is, makes that improbable. But he does have a history of doing it here. I'm going to give you a couple more landing spots that I think make the question more difficult and you guys can choose which one you want to speak to. I'm going to give you two of them right now. One of them is Atlanta and the other one San Diego.
Andy Holloway
San Diego. I'll speak to that. San Diego will have zero parts to do with DeMarco Murray. There's no chance he goes to San Diego. Here's why. Because they have the poor man's DeMarco Murray already that they are letting go of in Ryan Matthews and they're letting. There's. I don't think there's any chance in looking up Ryan Matthews numbers and reading some of the blogs on him. Some of the people in San Diego, they are so down on Ryan Matthews because of the injury history specifically that they feel like he's, they, that even if he would come back cheap, they don't want him. And so I doubt that they're going to go out and have that mentality because they've already got two good backs there that they're going to go out and spend money on. On demarco.
Jason Moore
I think you're talking about Brandon Oliver.
Andy Holloway
No, Brandon Oliver, he was good for two games.
Jason Moore
They're going to get somebody.
Mike Wright
Yeah.
Jason Moore
So that's a, that's an interesting. I would agree. You know, when you called him the poor man's DeMarco Murray, I guess you meant with injury history. Yeah.
Andy Holloway
Coming into this year, I mean, you know we can, we can sign San Diego as, as a beast but coming into this year I saw those two players as very similar. Both super talented, so often injured, you know, on, on decent offenses. So now it looks crazy to say they're the same but the, you know, be coming into last year wasn't that.
Jason Moore
Here's the one thing about San Diego is they like to run the football. That's what predicates their offense. So if he landed there, let's hypothetically, you know, because you said he's probably not going to be there, which I tend to agree. But if he lands there, it's a good landing spot for him compared to a lot of other places you could have.
Mike Wright
Yeah.
Jason Moore
And you still in the realm of competition. So it's at least a possible spot.
Mike Wright
San Diego is a much preferable landing spot than Atlanta. Although Atlanta does have coaching changes, a lot of them happening. So it. I don't think Atlanta is terrible for him to go. And Rodgers Jock Wiz is a free agent. Antone Smith is a free agent. So they're left with really devontae Freeman and Steven Jackson is there but we're all expecting him to be a cap casualty. So they would have devontae Freeman and I don't think Freeman's like that guy.
Jason Moore
So that not alone.
Mike Wright
Yeah, Atlanta is not, not a bad spot.
Jason Moore
I mean DeMarco probably doesn't think they're going to compete though, does he? Maybe in that division.
Mike Wright
Yeah. You win five games, you win that division.
Jason Moore
True. So yeah, what is the fan? Okay, what is the fantasy player? And we'll put a bow on DeMarco. He deserves a big chunk of our time because he was at the top of the fantasy running back list. I'm a fantasy owner. Where do I want him? Do I just want him back in Dallas?
Mike Wright
Yeah.
Jason Moore
Okay. So if you're a keeper league, you got that guy. You're on pins and needles that he's going to go Someplace he's going to. He's going to share the load with or.
Mike Wright
Yeah, the best place is in Dallas where he's familiar with the system, the coaches are. Know what he can do. And they've. They. I mean, the Cowboys haven't been that good a very long time. And they weren't good because that's why.
Jason Moore
I think he's back. I have to believe he's gonna see that and say, we haven't been this good in a very long time. Maybe this guy had something to do with it. With his almost 2,000 yards. You know, the problem the ground is.
Mike Wright
Jerry Jones is not a good manager of salary.
Jason Moore
And they have, you know, he's the executive of the year this year.
Mike Wright
Did you know that he won the.
Jason Moore
Executive of the year? AP executive of the Year? I think I'll verify it, but I know he won through one organization. He won executive of the year.
Andy Holloway
I think you get the executive of the year just by passing on Johnny Manziel. That's. That's how you got executive of the best thing.
Mike Wright
He did.
Jason Moore
Yeah. He was named the NFL Executive of the Year by the PFWA.
Mike Wright
Congratulations on having to cut DeMarcus Ware because you don't.
Jason Moore
Football Writers of America decided he was.
Mike Wright
Get out of here. That's.
Jason Moore
I do remember on draft day when Johnny Menzel was turning him down, that I just thought there was no way he was passing on him. So props to Jerry. Now, what if Jerry World.
Andy Holloway
What if Marshawn lynch retires? Because that's in the. That's in the cards and you want.
Jason Moore
Another, you know, plus B here.
Andy Holloway
Yeah. You want another dominant guy. They obviously believe that the, the power running game, you know, is important. They offered him a ton of money.
Jason Moore
They have no money.
Andy Holloway
Yeah. No, you don't have no money, Seattle.
Jason Moore
Yeah, they don't money.
Mike Wright
They have some money.
Jason Moore
They don't got demarco money I would put there.
Mike Wright
But they're gonna. If they're going to pay.
Jason Moore
If we're handicapping that.
Mike Wright
But. But they're. They're talking about paying lynch like 10 million to $10 million a year. If, if you. If your level. Base level is 10 a year, you can get Demarco for 8.
Jason Moore
I don't see it on it. I put it at about a 1% if, if lynch retires. I just don't see any chance DeMarco goes there. They're not going to spend their money there. They got guys they got to extend. They got to extend their whole secondary. Chancellor and Thomas and a bunch of those guys. No, they are Thomas. They do, don't they?
Mike Wright
No, you're thinking of Browner.
Jason Moore
No, not Browner. Brown is in New England. Oh, you're talking about. They extended their corner, but they need to extend Thomas and they need to extend a couple of their D linemen.
Mike Wright
I could have sworn Earl got it.
Jason Moore
All of their. All of their smart drafting and smart acquisitions is starting to come to a head in Seattle where I. You know Lynch's contract, I bet you anything he's not going to be a $10 million a year cap hit.
Mike Wright
So maybe not for this year.
Jason Moore
Yeah. And this is February football, so we're. This is where you end up in February football. It's the what ifs. But DeMarco Murray, obviously a guy I think in the fantasy realm we want to see stand.
Mike Wright
Just real quick to Jason's point, if he's in Seattle, whatever that. Everything lines up. Oh, man, I'm. I want a piece of that for sure. Yeah, I'm buying it. Let's move on to the next guy.
Jason Moore
All right. So is the Next guy another 27.
Mike Wright
Year old here it is.
Jason Moore
Surprised he's this high on. On our list here. I'm also surprised he's 27 already. CJ Spiller.
Andy Holloway
Yeah, I thought he was a lot younger until.
Jason Moore
Wow. I'm gonna validate that. I don't think that's true. What are we doing here? Where's our fact checking team?
Mike Wright
27 years old, born August 5, 1987.
Jason Moore
Sheesh.
Mike Wright
So he'll be. He'll be 28.
Jason Moore
He's older than DeMarco Murray.
Mike Wright
I guess so.
Jason Moore
Oh, my goodness.
Andy Holloway
He's crazy news.
Mike Wright
He's not older than Fred Jackson. Breaking news.
Jason Moore
Nobody's older than Fred Jackson.
Andy Holloway
So Buffalo says. Buffalo says they want him back now with the. With the new team in place, they want him back. They want to run the ball a lot. What do you think chances are he just stays put.
Mike Wright
It's not. It's. I actually think they're higher than. Because of the Rex Ryan hiring. I think you get Rex Ryan in there with that where he's just a really likable guy. Rex Ryan can sell. I mean, he can do the. What does it sell? The chocolate bar to the lady in white gloves.
Jason Moore
Close enough. Ketchup Popsicle?
Andy Holloway
Yeah, I was gonna say ladies love chocolate, it seems.
Jason Moore
Hey, I love Tommy boy reference.
Mike Wright
Yeah, there you go. But with Rex Ryan, who comes in and says, great news, Josh McCown was released. We're gonna try. Which is great news for you, cj. Spiller, because that means we need someone who can run the ball and who wants to run the ball a lot. So because Rex Ryan is there, I think it's higher. However, I think. I think Spiller moves on.
Jason Moore
Yeah, I was gonna say I think Spiller's best chance to stay in Buffalo is directly tied to the market that he sees out there. Which I think he might go out there thinking there's more of a market than there is for him. Let's translate that over. Let's say he's back. Let's say he's splitting with Fred Jackson, we've got the prototypical Buffalo backfield. Only with Rex Ryan in the mix can he ever put up the numbers that he put up two seasons ago.
Andy Holloway
Not in Buffalo. You know, Rex Ryan loves to run the ball and that's great, but he doesn't love to run the ball the way that, you know, C.J. spiller is best running the ball. People were so frustrated last year that they were trying to run CJ Spiller up the middle or just around the side instead of getting him in space. And I think that that's, you know, shifting gears a little bit. I think that's probably why he ends up on the jets following, you know, the offensive coordinator there to get back to how he used to be used. Because I think he was really frustrated, not just with his role, but when he was asked to run, how he was asked to run, didn't utilize his talents well.
Jason Moore
It's tough, man. You look at these numbers two seasons ago when he had his, you know, I guess you call it his pop year, he put up. He only had six touchdowns on the ground. He had a six yard per carry average. Since then, he's 4.6. And then last year he was down at the 3.8. And you can blame system, you can blame injury, obviously he was hurt, but at the, at the end of the day, I mean, he didn't score a touchdown on the ground last year. Fantasy wise, he's fool's gold because you see the runaway touchdown and people are gonna stick around with him the way they would with, with CJ for two years beyond his relevance. That's my fear with CJ Spiller. And when I said cj, I meant Chris Johnson. I forget the same question mark.
Mike Wright
K. Yeah, I believe the Spiller on the jets would be a nice fit for me for fantasy sharing with Ivory. Yeah, even. Even the share. I mean, I'm not a timeshare. Does not completely scare me away because realistically, aside from five guys Everybody's in a timeshare, so you have to, at that point, you start, you have to start leaning on offensive scheme and talent where it's not so much the opportunity, but you. And you know, they're, you're not banking on C.J. spiller to be your, your number one gun every single week, but, you know, you plug him in as a running back, too, consistently throughout the year, you're still, you're going to get, you're going to get good numbers out of him. If he goes to the Jets, I think, and especially when we're talking about Chris Ivory, another glass man. I mean, Ivory has a historic injury history that. In historic history, what is that? But so I would absolutely take some shares of Spiller if he's behind Ivory.
Andy Holloway
I have a really hard time buying into Spiller. Fantasy owners have been burned by him so many times because of potential upside, and I feel like, I feel like if he goes to the jets, there's going to be the same exact feeling.
Jason Moore
That there's been years when Chris Johnson arrived there.
Andy Holloway
Yeah, yeah. Where it's like this, this is gonna be when he breaks out. And I'm, I am personally done putting, you know, stock in his ability and thinking that he will break out to be a legit.
Jason Moore
You know, Here's a question for both of you. I want to see what your answer is. He's in Buffalo. Fred Jackson or C.J. spiller next year, Mike?
Mike Wright
Oh, so both of those backs are there.
Jason Moore
They're both in Buffalo. CJ or Fred Jackson next year? In fantasy, it's still Fred Jackson. What do you say, Jay?
Andy Holloway
Especially for where you'll draft him? Fred Jackson.
Jason Moore
Okay. He's in New York. Chris Ivory or C.J. spiller? Jason C.J.
Andy Holloway
Spiller.
Jason Moore
That's Mike's grunting.
Mike Wright
Sorry.
Jason Moore
The Hitman. That's pondering.
Mike Wright
That's a value pick to me. If you're, if you're.
Jason Moore
Sound like a Geico Walking Dead edition. Walking Dead. That's Fred Jackson's dictate.
Andy Holloway
Chris Ivory. We've got them all together.
Mike Wright
If you're saying, okay, it's round five, you have to take either one of those guys. I still take Ivory because he's been there.
Jason Moore
And so that's good, I think, for our listeners to kind of get a. That tells you a little bit about CJ Spiller. We may hypothesize where he ends up, but where he ends up puts him in that running back three.
Mike Wright
Yeah, but he's.
Jason Moore
Hope he gives you a game consideration.
Mike Wright
He's absolutely A name to watch.
Jason Moore
Okay, sounds good. Let's move on here. Who do you guys want to talk about next? Well, I say that because I don't want to talk about the next guy in the list at all, but go for it.
Mike Wright
You're trying to skip over the original glass man. Ryan. Ryan Matthews.
Jason Moore
I never thought this guy was good, and yet he's, he's put up numbers when he's been given opportunity and been healthy. But he's another. I mean, I don't know. For me as a fantasy player, I want what Spiller promised me three years ago. I want upside. I want. I want to think about Devontae Freeman and what he could do with the Rock 250 times in a season. I want to think about, you know, like you said, we have to be reasonable and we have to recognize that most situations are timeshare, so you can't just throw guys out because of that. But I want that upside, man. I'm addicted to it. I'm addicted to the Jamal Charles breakout season.
Andy Holloway
Ryan Matthews. If I can go on a very long limb here.
Jason Moore
Oh, I thought you said Ryan Matthews. Tangent. In which case I would have just turned your mic off.
Andy Holloway
If I can go on a, on a, on a very long limb. I think he's got it. I think he's got the breakout upside potential you're looking for. He is uber talented when he is in there and running. He's very good. I, as I said earlier, I don't think he goes back to San Diego. I would really hope that he, he lands on one of those teams. You know, if DeMarco leaves, maybe, you know, he can fill in there or say Baltimore, you know, four set leaves. He's a good pass catcher as well. I think that if he can stay healthy, which is a huge if. You know, I never enjoyed drafting Darren McFadden and I wouldn't enjoy drafting Ryan Matthews. But if you're looking for upside, demarco Murray this last year was a good example of a guy who's super talented but injury prone, who, who plays 16 games, you know, plays the season, and all of a sudden he finishes number one. Ryan Matthews has that ability.
Jason Moore
I think he's back in San Diego. I think they, he could get franchise there. I mean, they could just stick him around, not pay him, give him one more year to see if he, he can do something. And I think it's a possibility. Then, then they get to see what they have in Brandon Oliver, too, for another season. I don't know. Yeah, not sexy. Do you have something? Yeah, Mike.
Mike Wright
Ryan Matthews is, I think Ryan Matthews is actually underrated. I think he, I agree with Jason. I think he's a super talented guy. I mean when you, when you look back at his history, 2011, he missed two games, but he had 222 carries for almost 1100 yards. So 4.9 average. And that was, that was the year where he really built the hype going into 2012 when he became, he became, he was the number four guy, if you remember, there was the big three, I think Rice, Shady Foster. And then number four for a lot of guys was Ryan Matthews because he had shown on the field. He can do it. His problem was getting hurt. That was the preseason. He broke his collarbone. Then he broke his other collarbone and had a really down year. Then you go to 2013, played an entire season, 1255 yards, six touchdowns. I mean that is really strong production. Especially if you're a guy you drafted to be a 2 or maybe even a 3 if you got a, if you stole him. But he, he has the ability to do it. And though the very, the mere thought of him in Baltimore is so amazing to me, for a guy who I think will be overlooked in the draft, maybe not by everyone, but I think a lot of Johnny Q's will overlook him and I would snatch him up because I do believe I am a Ry Matthews believer. A lot of people got down on him because he wasn't carrying that three down back title like we thought he was going to. But for a guy who was a first and second down guy, to me was one of the best two down backs in the league.
Jason Moore
That was the problem is we, we didn't know where in the doghouse he was sticking his head out of. Was he out of it? Was he in it with the coaching staff there over and over again it was like, is he going to get the carries? Is he not going to get the carries? Oh, why isn't he in on third down for an entire season?
Andy Holloway
That's right. See him go to a different team and I don't think, I don't think.
Jason Moore
His upside at least would exist to me.
Andy Holloway
Exactly. Listen to this from Kevin A.C. writing for the UT San Diego San Diego beat writer. This was during the season when Ryan Matthews was coming back. A couple games left. He said Ryan Matthews could run for 400 yards and six touchdowns over the next three games, carrying the Chargers into the postseason the way he did in 2013. It doesn't matter. That's what he's saying. As far as it doesn't matter. They'll bring him back.
Jason Moore
Yeah.
Mike Wright
Is he the Rock? It doesn't matter.
Andy Holloway
Yeah. Matthews doesn't have an injury history as much as a never ending injury present. So they're not, they're not very. I mean, that's what.
Jason Moore
Actually just got a text from him and he said, we can't talk about Ryan Matthews anymore because he, he might break down. Let's move on to another guy a little bit younger. He's interesting to me because I don't. Do you believe your eyes or do you believe the past? So Mark Ingram, unlikely to be back, in my opinion in New Orleans, probably looking at that money that, that DeMarco was actually offered about 4 million a year. He's younger. He proved this year that he could carry the load. Just about a thousand yards rushing. What is Mark Ingram? What is Mark Ingram?
Mike Wright
Man, Mark Ingram was a guy who I liked a lot.
Jason Moore
I mean, you covered the Saints.
Mike Wright
Yeah, I was doing some Saints coverage for fantasy Prose and so I watched a lot of Mark Ingram and I was, I was on top of that heaping pile of hatred for Mark Ingram that people carried. I never wanted him on my team ever. Then I started watching him this preseason and things just looked different. I mean, that eyeball test of.
Jason Moore
He's just quicker to the every hole.
Mike Wright
Quicker, shiftier. Like there's something here, especially when you're gonna be able to draft him late. And then he came out the first two weeks just exploded in fantasy production, even with limited carries. And then I, I think. What, he break his hand or.
Jason Moore
Yeah, he had what he had after the broken hand, though. He had like 4 out of 600 yard games, right?
Mike Wright
Yeah, he. Where they really gave him the carries. Yeah, it looked like he started to break down. My biggest concern is when guys do this in their contract year.
Andy Holloway
Yes.
Mike Wright
I don't, I don't blame them at all for having an extra pep in your step on your come when you're playing for millions of dollars.
Jason Moore
But you just wonder why it didn't happen before is what you're saying.
Mike Wright
It feels like it never works out for guys who. You get really excited about them because they had a huge year, it was their contract year. And then you, they move up the draft and you get really disappointed.
Andy Holloway
It's the same thought that I have as the contract year woes, because not just the history of other people doing it, but look at Mark Ingram in the NFL. Super talented. Everybody's about him. When he was drafted, everybody thought, oh, what a great position to be in. He's so good and then he comes out and disappoints. And then the next year, it's kind of one of those things. Year after year people are talking about how he's not playing up to his potential and then all of a sudden he's faster to the hole. He's quicker, he's shiftier. In his contract year. You put those two things together and I start to worry about maybe this really was an extra motivation thing and not just a oh, he figured out how to run faster thing.
Mike Wright
That the one positive Mark. You can say positive mark for Mark. As funny as that is, he was. He was criminally underutilized by the team that drafted him in the Saints. They moved up in the first round to draft Mark Ingram and then just didn't give him the worklord.
Jason Moore
The workload that. No, DeMarco Murray was the worklord.
Mike Wright
Does somebody want a new fantasy nickname?
Jason Moore
How Pass.
Andy Holloway
But I want to.
Mike Wright
They'll take it. But he showed that if he's given a heavy load, he can produce. I don't know if his body can stand up to it.
Jason Moore
Criminally underutilizing a guy with those yard per carry numbers those first few years might be overstating it for my, my taste, but he also. We're starting to get a bad taste in our mouth for these Alabama running back that are beat. That's why we have you here. Free musical talent. I mean, you might be right. He's around for a carry his first couple years, but he's a guy that I just, I don't know when's the last time we saw a mids or. I mean an offseason transition of one of these running backs really pan out. Can you guys think of any as.
Andy Holloway
Far as free agents going to a new team agent?
Jason Moore
Running backs in this middle tier that have gone, I mean, you had, you had situations where Michael Turner, right, he left San Diego, but he was in a backup role. He had his chance to come and break out and then you have Ben Tate in his backup role.
Mike Wright
He leaves.
Jason Moore
He underwhelms in Cleveland. When's the last time we had one of these middle tiers? Be a top tier guy? Because I'm not placing a lot of them right now.
Andy Holloway
Thomas Jones.
Jason Moore
Okay.
Andy Holloway
It's been a while.
Jason Moore
That's a long time. Yeah.
Mike Wright
If you're talking middle tier guys, I.
Jason Moore
Just don't know where I think the philosophy in football nowadays and this is something we have to watch in fantasy guys or teams. I'm sorry. They're content drafting These guys in the middle rounds and giving them a healthy amount of carries, you know, why pay a guy who's 20. Let's use Ryan Matthews as an example. Goodness. Frank gore going on 32. Even guys like Ridley, free agents Bradshaw, why pay them the veterans premium when you can bring in a guy in the middle rounds that can perform?
Mike Wright
To me, it's pass protection.
Jason Moore
Right.
Mike Wright
Legitimately, if you're the reason that you would take a proven guy over just a super cheap second round rookie who has a tremendous amount of upside is, you know, that somebody can pass block because that's so important in the, the way the NFL is run today.
Jason Moore
Fair, fair point. But that doesn't necessarily speak to fantasy relevance. Yeah, for those guys. But yeah, I mean, I totally agree. I mean you've got, you've got guys coming out this year in Gurley, in Gordon, a number of guys that will have a role, but maybe, yeah, getting up to speed in the NFL slows down that process for them a little bit. Some guys can come in and do it. Yeah, you're right. Most guys can't. So Mark Ingram, if he's back in New Orleans, is he. What is he? Where does he get drafted?
Mike Wright
He'll get overdrafted if he's still with the Saints. I don't see his role turning into that. Every down back like he was. That was because of Kyrie got hurt.
Jason Moore
What do you think, Jay, you agree?
Andy Holloway
I agree he's going to be overdrafted if he goes back, but I, I have a hard time talking about that because I don't think that there's a very good chance that he goes back. I think that they let Darren Sprouls go, they let Reg Bush go, they've got no problem letting him go. They've got guys behind them and they're not going to pay and they're in a terrible cap position. I just don't see a real. I think he might want to come back and I think they might want to have him back, but I don't think it's going to happen. So I think he'll go somewhere else and I think he'll be overdrafted there too. So regardless of where he is, I think he's going to be overdrafted because.
Jason Moore
Maybe steer clear or at least let the dust settle and reevaluate.
Andy Holloway
Yeah, try to get him at a good value. But don't buy too far into the few games of health in his contract year that he put up big numbers. As far as, you know, your fantasy draft next Year.
Jason Moore
I really want to talk about this next guy because this is the opposite of me wanting you to talk about Ryan Matthews. So I just have no interest in even. You know, all I see is broken collarbones with him. Justin Forsett is 29 years old. He is an example of a guy who was a perennial, irrelevant fantasy player. Went to a team in Baltimore, didn't look like he had a shot. I mean, when the season started, right, we had Ray Rice, we had Bernard Pierce. Oh, Bernard Pierce. We had a rookie drafted by them.
Mike Wright
Oh, man.
Jason Moore
Lorenzo.
Mike Wright
I was so close on that backfield with my last pick taking Lorenzo, I took Lorenzo. Instead of four set, I was almost the smartest man.
Jason Moore
And yet he came out and he put up career numbers across the board. Is it system, Is it four set? Because he in Seattle, in these other places, I mean, I believe he was a backup in Houston for a little while. He's been tossed around the league. How does a guy that size, that age come out and put up a. I mean, because for me it's. If you thought DeMarco is going to break down, man, did I think Justin Forsett was a flash in the pan and he just wasn't because they were committed to the run. Jason, you mentioned before the season you liked the trend of Baltimore's offensive line. You believed that whoever was back there was going to succeed. So props to you on that.
Andy Holloway
Thank you very much.
Jason Moore
But I'm going to make sure not to give you credit on the air ever again. But Justin Forsett had a huge year. Is he coming back? I don't think so. Because he wants his money now.
Andy Holloway
He wants years, which is really surprising for his age.
Jason Moore
He wants commitment. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Mike Wright
Which it doesn't for that kind of a guy who's been tossed around and he's.
Jason Moore
Oh, yeah, cash in. Right. 235 carries.
Mike Wright
Yeah, I would try and cash in. He started to. He was one other one of those guys who you've. Watching him. He did start to slow down a little bit towards the end of the year. But his problem is just he's always. I can't think of the list off the top of my head for everybody, but he's always been behind a superstar.
Andy Holloway
Mm.
Mike Wright
It's not just he's been second on the depth chart.
Jason Moore
It's.
Mike Wright
He's second because the guy in front of him is an all star running back. He just kept getting a short end of the stick for. For that part of his career. He's finally given a chance 5 year run.
Jason Moore
I don't think anybody saw this coming.
Mike Wright
Yeah, none of us did. And, and especially, I mean, that waiver, you, you, everyone, everyone is so excited for the first week of waivers when, when the, when the guy pops, is he the guy for the year? And man, I, I would.
Jason Moore
You are a lucky man if you spent your fab dollars on Justin Forsett and not Jonas Gray or those guys, you know. Yeah, he was consistent this year and he put up a five point, you were just telling me this before the show, a 5.4 yard per carry number.
Andy Holloway
And that is surprisingly not the first time he's done that in his career. His first year, which wasn't his rookie year that he missed, he did that. He still got over 100 carries that year. So we're not talking like you got 20 carries.
Jason Moore
No, no. But I mean, you see a lot of guys, whether you know, Spiller, Ellington or these guys that get, when they had the hundred, 150 carries, even Jamal Charles in his early years, it's easy to see those numbers, those yards per carry numbers go up because you're putting them in, you know, third down draw positions where they pick up 12 yards on a, on a, hey, we're going to punt situation. I'm impressed that he's been that he performed on that level that consistently. But I, to me, it still speaks more to Baltimore than it does to Justin Forset, and I apologize to him and his family.
Andy Holloway
You know what, it kind of reminds, it kind of reminds me of Fred Jackson, how he was older when he finally started getting utilized, but he had years of underutilization, he didn't have as many miles on his legs. And so he wasn't really 29 or 30 years old. And so I think that Justin Forsett, if he comes back, should be drafted with confidence even with Taliaferro behind them. I think that Justin Forsett is a great player and I really hope when I look at the landscape of all the different free agent running backs and Mr. Force said, I apologize, but I hope he doesn't sign there because I think they're going to go out and sign another running back if he does and then it's going to muddy the water. And I really want one of these guys that have that skill set, like a Shane Vereen or Orion Matthews to go and take that spot because I think they've got a great offensive line.
Jason Moore
Who commits to Forset though, Isn't it going to be a Jacksonville, a Cleveland, a low tier team? I mean, who's going to commit to a long term deal With Justin Forset because if he's only signing where he's guaranteed a commitment as a lead back. I mean I'm not saying he doesn't perform fantasy wise. I'm just. Is it Buffalo? They lose Spiller and Justin Forset comes in there and he's splitting time with Fred Jackson.
Mike Wright
It's to become like the graveyard duo.
Andy Holloway
That would be awesome.
Jason Moore
The geriatric pair.
Mike Wright
I think right now I lean towards him. He's coming back to Baltimore. But I disagree with Jason that I think he'll be overdrafted. I think the Lorenzo's role will grow because they saw that they. You can't completely rely on four.
Jason Moore
Said I love Lorenzo.
Mike Wright
They're just wearing down. I do too.
Andy Holloway
He's.
Mike Wright
He's moved up my. My internal head rankings because they're not paper.
Jason Moore
They will be February. Fancy footballers dot com. Check it out soon.
Mike Wright
But so I think he comes back and I still think he has a good year.
Jason Moore
Okay.
Mike Wright
Especially with Trisman.
Andy Holloway
Sorry to keep in addition to his great yards per carry. Just as talking about a football player. That's good. And I wonder if he could actually be good if he goes to another team. You know, I don't know some Jacksonville type team. But you had mentioned earlier, why would you pay a veteran more? As for pass blocking and according to Pro Football Focus, he was the second highest rated pass blocker in the. In the entire league. I mean, so he's well rounded in.
Jason Moore
Second highest. That's good. That's decent.
Andy Holloway
Yeah, that's. Yeah. Jacques Rogers trivia. He was number one.
Mike Wright
What?
Andy Holloway
Just pass blocking, not running.
Mike Wright
Oh, okay.
Jason Moore
Well, I mean, I guess if he's in on every third down, which is pretty much all he played. I wonder what. Wonder what those numbers look like. But yeah, Justin for the set surprised a lot of people. I think at a minimum we should remember that guys like this can stay consistent year long. You know, these flash in the pans. Frank Gore is moving on. I think we all agree with that.
Mike Wright
Agreed.
Jason Moore
He's done in San Francisco, which is kind of sad because honestly, that team's identity, its heart and its soul was Frank Gorford. Sheesh. How. I don't know how many seasons he's played. It's got to be about 8. Does he have anything left to offer the fantasy community? Because I've given up on him exactly four years in a row.
Mike Wright
And you've given up on him too early. Four years in a row. He wasn't spectacular this year, but I mean he still was over a thousand yards his Touchdowns were really low with four on the ground and he's all but disappeared from the. From the pass game.
Andy Holloway
Oh, it's a weekly occurrence here that. Andy's dumpster.
Jason Moore
I spilled my water again. Oh my goodness.
Mike Wright
For those who are following the footballers in this off season.
Jason Moore
You moved your iPad.
Mike Wright
Thank goodness we have water down again.
Jason Moore
Less water in there, Frank.
Mike Wright
And no ice this time. Unfortunately, Frank Gore has. He's disappeared from the pass game which was, as it's been happening is a little surprising because he had a couple years where he was a prolific pass catcher and was very dangerous. I think his old man hips maybe don't allow him to do it anymore, but I think he'll have an opportunity going somewhere. It can't be too great. He's. He is a lot of miles.
Jason Moore
Yeah, he does. But is he the Emmett Smith miles? Probably not.
Andy Holloway
No. I think he is. I think he is the Emmett Smith miles. The Emmett Smith body. He. You look at his numbers this last year and he played great but was taken out of the passing game. His numbers weren't that.
Jason Moore
He says he wants to be in a heavy role.
Andy Holloway
Over the, over the last, I think it was like seven years. His yards per carry were the second highest this year. I mean he didn't run poorly. He just wasn't utilized in the. In the same role. And the Niners clearly don't seem to want him back. And I don't blame him with Carlos Hyde behind them, but a regime change.
Jason Moore
Things are changing there.
Andy Holloway
But I think that Frank Gore, when he signs for another team, I think he's going to be more of a value because he's super old, he's got a ton of miles and. And most of the time these guys break down. I don't really have a scientific reason for saying Frank Gore is not going to break down, but I don't think it's happened yet.
Jason Moore
Years, years of not breaking down.
Andy Holloway
I think he's going to keep going.
Mike Wright
He had a mid season lull where his usage was way down. He had a four game stretch towards the end where he got 13 carries. 10, 12, 11. However, he shut it down at the end of the year which his final two games, second to last week against San Diego, 26 for 158, which is.
Jason Moore
A 6.1 to close the year.
Mike Wright
And then his final game of the year was against the Cardinals.
Jason Moore
He's probably rolling his eyes the whole dang time. Who.
Mike Wright
He got 25 carries against the Cardinals. 144 yards.
Jason Moore
Yeah.
Mike Wright
Which granted the Cardinal run defense had kind of evaporated at that point. But for. For him to close the year that strong, that actually gives me some hope.
Jason Moore
What about Arizona?
Mike Wright
For him to come to Arizona?
Jason Moore
Yeah. What if he. What if he came to Arizona? I mean, I feel like Arizona's got a lead back role they could offer. Unless you think Kerwin Williams is the future here. No.
Mike Wright
Kerwin Williams. Kerwin Williams will go back to Sherman Williams.
Jason Moore
Yeah.
Mike Wright
When he's.
Jason Moore
Wait, who's Sherman? Is that the paint company?
Mike Wright
That's right.
Jason Moore
Okay. That's why they call him the hitman.
Mike Wright
Frank Gore in Arizona. That, as crazy as that sounds, for the. To be sleeping with the enemy just.
Jason Moore
To stick it to San Francisco a little bit, it's.
Mike Wright
It's not the. It's not the craziest idea that we have. We. As an airplane, Arizona has a position of. We need a between the tackles runner. Frank Gore could provide that with Ellington turning into a secondary. Gio Bernard type. And he would be an angry man to come play in Arizona.
Jason Moore
Let me.
Mike Wright
I like.
Jason Moore
Let me ask you this question, guys. Put these four free agent running backs in order of who you think will make the most fantasy contributions next year. We've talked about them all. Justin Forsett, Mark Ingram, Frank Gore, and Ryan Matthews. What's the order you guys have?
Mike Wright
I'm gonna go Matthews for set. What are the last. It was Gorn. Who else?
Jason Moore
Gorn. Ingram.
Mike Wright
Oh, maybe in Ingram Gore. That's all. That's how I put them today.
Andy Holloway
I would go Matthews for set. Gore Ingram.
Mike Wright
Yeah. We stand united for our love.
Jason Moore
You said Ingram Gore. So if you're not, you know, he's saying Ryan Matthews. Oh, I got you. Yeah. You're both stupid.
Andy Holloway
That was close. I wanted to put four set first, but.
Jason Moore
Yeah.
Andy Holloway
Ryan Matthews and yourself.
Jason Moore
For me, I think I will put Ingram at the top of that list. Followed by four set, Matthews and Gore. Yeah. Here in February, of course.
Mike Wright
So what's our time check at?
Jason Moore
Yeah, I was gonna say we're gonna go ahead and wrap up this episode. We'll do a part two of the roundtable here for. For running backs because we got a lot more guys on the list. Let's tease them a little bit. Shane Vereen, Steven Ridley, Bradshaw.
Mike Wright
You said. The guy I'm most excited to talk about in this list.
Jason Moore
Who did I skip?
Mike Wright
Roy.
Andy Holloway
Hello.
Jason Moore
Okay.
Mike Wright
I like. I like me some Roy. I'm a Roy boy.
Jason Moore
Okay.
Mike Wright
Roy.
Jason Moore
Hello. Will be spoken of in our next podcast. Ben Tate, Ray Rice, Anton Smith, Daniel Thomas, Jacques Rogers. We still got to talk about guys like that could end up on the free agent market like Adrian Peterson, Shady McCoy and that fat salary Marshawn Lynch. Does he retire? What happens in Seattle? So I think we've got plenty to talk about and a little bit of time before the season begins. So we will do it again next time on the running back roundtable. Any final parting thoughts on the fantasy footballers?
Mike Wright
Here are we. Did we agree to go a half episode or a full episode on Trent Richardson?
Jason Moore
We're gonna. We really should dedicate a full episode.
Andy Holloway
Episode.
Jason Moore
Tweet that thing out. You telling me him and his.
Andy Holloway
We'll get him on. We'll get him on for that show.
Jason Moore
I'll get him on. The real truth from Trent Richardson. What happened at the end of the year? What didn't he do right in punk coverage to get put on the act of roster. You hear weight problems and everything. Oh, my goodness. What are they eating in Alabama? Those running backs, they come out. Mark Ingram, he looked faster this year. But those first three years, it's like they send you out with a meal plan and you end up looking like Eddie Lacy and he just overcomes it.
Mike Wright
But I will look, gladly look like Eddie Lacey if I could do what Eddie Lacey can do.
Jason Moore
So valid. That was so validating. I traded for Eddie Lacey in our dynasty league and got so much crap for Alex. Fatty was. And now it's just a badge of honor.
Mike Wright
Now granted that the crap was not given by anybody talking on this podcast. We were the. We were the three musketeers on that deal.
Jason Moore
Well, I'm happy how it turned out. That's for sure.
Mike Wright
I'm so not.
Andy Holloway
We do need to talk about our upcoming redraft Fantasy Footballers League.
Mike Wright
Nice.
Jason Moore
This is true. This is true. We are going to do in a fit an official. An official fantasy footballers redraft league.
Mike Wright
Is that a big.
Jason Moore
Oh, it's a big. Oh, yeah. So if you are interested, here's the. Here's the thing. We've got. We've got most of the league. Not most. We have some of the league filled up. We have some open spots. So if you are interested in showing your fantasy football chops, taking on the fantasy hitman and Jason and myself in this league, you should do what? What should they do? Should they tweet us? Should they Facebook us, email us?
Mike Wright
We should have probably got the official game plan, but I feel like you got to email in.
Jason Moore
I want to. I want some. Yeah, we got to make this interesting.
Andy Holloway
Here's the thing. We have a little bit of time so we are going to come up with our exact game plan for how you get.
Jason Moore
It's just a tease.
Andy Holloway
Yeah.
Mike Wright
This is just appetizing.
Jason Moore
This is happening.
Mike Wright
Yeah, but this is the mozzarella sticks before the steak. Cheeseburger. I'm a cheeseburger. I'm a cheeseburger man.
Jason Moore
Were you eating those together, Red Robin.
Mike Wright
I don't dine with Jason. Generally speaking, you have.
Andy Holloway
I'm very fancy.
Jason Moore
You said before the steak. All right, well, we'll let you know.
Mike Wright
Wait, wait, the Outback. We can eat at the Outback.
Jason Moore
Here's the reality. If you make yourself noticed, well, we'll consider you for the league.
Andy Holloway
Yep.
Jason Moore
Also, plenty of places to connect with us, including YouTube. Coming up.
Mike Wright
A very strong possibility to get yourself into the league. Do you work for or can you connect us to Peter Piper Pizza?
Andy Holloway
So important.
Mike Wright
I want to complete the sponsorship. I want to complete my dream of the Peter Piper Pizza PPR pick of the week. I want.
Jason Moore
This is a pure alliteration related advertisement.
Mike Wright
There's the alliteration part and there's the part where I eat free pepperoni pizza from the delicious Peter Piper.
Jason Moore
Wait, is the hower paid? Yeah. Sponsorship per the Peter Piper PPR pick of the week.
Mike Wright
Yeah.
Jason Moore
Do you have one for this week? Is it Justin Forset at his gym working out?
Andy Holloway
Yeah.
Jason Moore
And be sure to check out fantasyprose.com that's kind of our. Our go to site for a lot of consensus rankings, off season reports. You can see news, you can see information all in one place. So that's kind of our favorite resource. Mike does a lot of writing there, so you can check out his most recent article about tight ends because Mike likes himself some tight ends. And be sure to check us out on the Web, fancyfootballers.com as well as itunes. You hit the subscribe button and then we magically appear in your pocket. That's really the way it works.
Mike Wright
And stitcher, right? We're still on.
Jason Moore
Yeah, we're still on Stitcher. We're. We're everywhere, but you have to find us.
Mike Wright
We're here, we're there.
Jason Moore
So thanks for joining us. Oh, I thought that was okay. All right, thanks for joining us here on the Fantasy Footballers podcast. See you later.
Mike Wright
See you.
Andy Holloway
Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another edition of the Fantasy Footballers podcast.
Mike Wright
Best.
Fantasy Football Podcast Summary: Free Agent Running Backs and Draft News (February 17, 2015)
Host: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright
On February 17, 2015, The Fantasy Footballers hosted an engaging episode focusing on the free agency landscape for running backs, a notoriously challenging position both in terms of performance and contractual negotiations. The trio—Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright—delved deep into the prospects of key free agent running backs, analyzing their past performances, potential future with different teams, and the implications for fantasy football enthusiasts.
Performance and Contract Offers
DeMarco Murray, a standout running back, was a central topic of discussion. The hosts praised his dedication, highlighting his ability to withstand injuries and maintain high performance levels. Mike Wright remarked on Murray's sacrifices, stating, "That guy absolutely sacrificed his body this entire year" (02:52).
Despite his impressive stats—392 carries, 1,845 yards, and 13 touchdowns—Murray faced a lukewarm contract offer from the Dallas Cowboys: a four-year, $16 million deal, averaging $4 million per year. Jason Moore criticized the offer as "insulting" (04:55), emphasizing the mismatch between Murray's contributions and the monetary offer.
Potential Landing Spots
The discussion explored possible destinations for Murray beyond Dallas, including the New England Patriots, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and San Diego. Andy Holloway expressed strong confidence in Murray returning to Dallas, estimating a 70% likelihood (07:52). However, Jason Moore and Mike Wright considered factors such as team dynamics and financial flexibility, adjusting their estimates to 55% and 45%, respectively.
Fantasy Football Implications
For fantasy players, Murray's return to Dallas remained the most favorable scenario, given his familiarity with the team's system and his proven performance. The hosts unanimously agreed that securing Murray would significantly benefit fantasy rosters.
Moving on, the podcast addressed the uncertainty surrounding free agent running back C.J. Spiller. Crosby and Wright debated the likelihood of Spiller remaining in Buffalo versus moving to another team, considering the new coaching dynamics with Rex Ryan.
Jason Moore expressed skepticism about Spiller's potential breakout, noting his inconsistent performance and reduced touchdown output. Conversely, Mike Wright saw value in Spiller potentially joining the New York Jets, especially in tandem with Chris Ivory, to create a "timeshare" scenario that could yield consistent fantasy points (21:09).
Andy Holloway remained cautious, advising fantasy owners to view Spiller as a "fool's gold" due to his unreliable scoring and inconsistent usage.
Ryan Matthews emerged as a contentious figure among the hosts. While Mike Wright lauded Matthews' talent and past performance—highlighting his 1,255 yards and six touchdowns in 2013—Andy Holloway and Jason Moore expressed concerns about his injury history and role stability.
Andy Holloway emphasized Matthews' upside, especially if he could secure a stable role on a new team, drawing parallels to DeMarco Murray's situation. However, he cautioned against overvaluing Matthews due to his injury-prone nature.
Mark Ingram was another focal point, with the hosts debating his free agency prospects. Jason Moore highlighted Ingram's impressive running style and consistent performance even after injuries, while Mike Wright appreciated his shiftiness and potential for increased role if signed by a team needing a dynamic back.
However, both expressed doubts about Ingram's return to the New Orleans Saints due to their cap constraints and existing running back options. They speculated that Ingram might be overvalued if he remains with the Saints, urging fantasy owners to approach with caution.
The discussion took an interesting turn when addressing Justin Forsett, a 29-year-old running back who defied expectations by posting career-best numbers. Mike Wright shared his surprise, noting Forsett's transformation from an underutilized player to a reliable fantasy asset.
Jason Moore underscored Forsett's performance spike, attributing it to the Saints' offensive system under a strong offensive line. Despite Forsett's success, the hosts doubted his free agency prospects, suggesting that he would likely seek immediate financial rewards over long-term commitments.
Frank Gore, a seasoned veteran, was examined for his fantasy viability. Jason Moore lamented Gore's decreased involvement in the pass game, while Mike Wright maintained hope for Gore's continued productivity, citing his strong finish to the previous season.
The hosts debated potential team destinations for Gore, including Arizona, which could offer him a leading role in the backfield. Andy Holloway emphasized Gore's value as a pass-blocking specialist, making him an attractive option for teams needing a reliable, well-rounded running back.
In the closing segment, the hosts announced the formation of an official Fantasy Footballers Redraft League, inviting listeners to participate. They discussed the logistics and teased future episodes focusing on other free agent running backs like Shane Vereen, Steven Ridley, and Bradshaw.
Mike Wright on DeMarco Murray's Sacrifices:
"That guy absolutely sacrificed his body this entire year." (02:52)
Jason Moore on the Cowboys' Offer to Murray:
"A four-year, $16 million contract offer is absolutely insulting." (04:55)
Andy Holloway on Murray's Likelihood to Return:
"I think he's definitely gonna be back. I put it 70% Dallas." (07:52)
Jason Moore on C.J. Spiller's Potential:
"Fantasy-wise, he's fool's gold because you see the runaway touchdown and people are gonna stick around with him." (19:48)
Mike Wright on Justin Forsett's Transformation:
"Justin Forsett is absolutely a name to watch." (23:08)
Note: For brevity, only selected timestamps are highlighted.
Conclusion
The episode provided a comprehensive analysis of the free agent running back market, offering valuable insights for fantasy football players. The hosts emphasized the importance of assessing not just player performance but also contract situations and team fits to make informed decisions during drafts and free agency periods. As always, The Fantasy Footballers delivered expert opinions balanced with entertaining banter, making it a must-listen for any fantasy football enthusiast.