Podcast Summary: Fantasy Footballers - Episode "Fantasy Retirements + Week 5 Buy or Sell, Crazy Eights"

Release Date: October 7, 2020
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright
Episode Title: Fantasy Retirements + Week 5 Buy or Sell, Crazy Eights

Introduction

The episode kicks off with a warm welcome from the hosts, setting the stage for a jam-packed show filled with buy or sell recommendations, a fantasy retirement ceremony, news updates, and a preview of the upcoming Thursday Night Football game.

Fantasy Buy or Sell Decisions

Andy Holloway (00:45):
Andy introduces the segment, highlighting that they'll be discussing which players to buy or sell for Week 5. The hosts reflect on their previous week's performance, admitting mistakes and learning from them.

Players Discussed:

1. DeSean Watson vs. Deshaun Watson (04:45):

   • Jason Moore (04:45):
     "Deshaun Watson is not my start of the week. And I am selling."
   • Andy Holloway (05:16):
     Believes Watson deserves rejuvenation with a new coaching setup.

2. Kareem Hunt vs. Indianapolis Defense (05:32):

   • Andy Holloway (06:34):
     Buys Hunt, citing Indianapolis' stellar defense but trusting Hunt's offensive environment.
   • Jason Moore (06:34):
     Sells Hunt for Week 5 despite his potential over a six-week period.

3. Allen Robinson vs. Tampa Bay Defense (06:55):

   • Andy Holloway (07:11):
     Sells Robinson due to Tampa Bay's strong pass defense.
   • Jason Moore (07:30):
     Follows suit, emphasizing the effectiveness of Tampa Bay's secondary.

Notable Quotes:

• Andy Holloway (04:12):
  "Crazy Eights. More like crazy sales."
• Jason Moore (07:46):
  "If you've got to believe in him as a star player, it'll allow you to look at your roster a little bit."

Fantasy Retirement Ceremony

The hosts hold a "Fantasy Retirement Ceremony," humorously celebrating the retirement of various players from fantasy rosters due to underperformance or declining roles.

Players Retired:

1. Marvin Jones (18:09):
   "We will never forget the 2017 season."

2. A.J. Green (18:32):
   "Started your career with five straight top 24 seasons... Get off my fantasy roster."

3. Ty Hilton (19:10):
   Discussed his lackluster performance post-Andrew Luck.

4. Philip Rivers (19:20):
   "A steady stream from 2013 to 2018. Thank you for all of your fantasy."

5. Brandon Cooks, Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald, etc.:
   Each player is humorously or seriously acknowledged for their diminishing returns in fantasy contexts.

Notable Exchanges:

• Andy Holloway (21:05):
  "I will never have you on my roster again." (To Larry Fitzgerald)
• Jason Moore (21:05):
  "You've meant a lot to me, both for fantasy and real life."

News Updates

COVID-19 Impact (08:15):
Discussion on players testing positive, notably Stephan Gilmore and two Tennessee Titans players, raising concerns about upcoming games, especially the Titans vs. Buffalo Bills matchup.

• Mike Wright (09:38):
  "If the Titans have to miss two games in a row... This could mess some things up big time."

Cam Newton's Status (11:33):
Updates on Cam Newton's potential return, emphasizing it's unlikely but not impossible.

Quarterback Changes for Washington:

• Kyle Allen's Promotion (12:02):
  Kyle Allen to start over Dwayne Haskins, with Alex Smith as backup.
• Dwayne Haskins' Future (13:16):
  Speculation on Haskins' lack of team confidence leading to his replacement.

Notable Quotes:

• Andy Holloway (10:31):
  "There's no chance that they could literally take a game off the schedule for everybody."
• Jason Moore (14:13):
  "There's no chance. And to me what that means is no matter how bad Kyle Allen plays, he's going to stay the four quarter quarterback."

Thursday Night Football Preview

Matchup: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) vs Chicago Bears (3-1)
Odds: Buccaneers are 4.5-point favorites with a 44-point over/under.

Hosts' Insights:

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

  • Tom Brady's Performance:
    Last week, Brady threw five touchdowns, leading to high expectations.
  • Andy Holloway (22:18):
    "David Montgomery... hasn't been impressive against this Buccaneers defense."
  • Mike Wright (24:40):
    "Chicago Bears are number two against fantasy quarterbacks right now."

• Chicago Bears:

  • Concerns over their defense being strong against fantasy quarterbacks.
  • Jason Moore (23:24):
    "I think that the Buccaneers defense is good and I think the Chicago Bears defense is good. So that scares me from a fantasy perspective now."

Player Considerations:

• Mike Evans' Injury:
  Potential ankle issues could impact his performance against a strong Bears defense.
• Ronald Jones vs. Joshua Kelly:
  Mike Wright (27:47):
  "Ronald Jones is a must start. The volume is there."

Notable Strategies:

• Andy Holloway (28:24):
  Advises monitoring Mike Evans' status before deciding to start him.
• Jason Moore (32:09):
  Recommends considering Melvin Gordon over Jerick McKinnon for trade value.

Mailbag: Listener Questions and Expert Advice

Listener Questions Addressed:

1. Jerick McKinnon vs. Ronald Jones (31:36):

   • Jason Moore (32:09):
     "I believe that when Mostert comes back, McKinnon is going to be very valuable."
   • Mike Wright (33:17):
     Prefers McKinnon over Ronald Jones for flexibility and potential upside.

2. Johnny Smith vs. Zach Ertz vs. Dalton Schultz (35:12):

   • Discussion:
     Debates the reliability and potential of Johnny Smith compared to Zach Ertz and Dalton Schultz.
   • Andy Holloway (36:45):
     "I'm going to lean Johnny Smith. I'm going to make the bold call here."

3. Justin Herbert vs. Matt Ryan (37:43):

   • Mike Wright (38:10):
     "I would take Justin Herbert over Matt Ryan this week."
   • Andy Holloway (38:21):
     Prefers Matt Ryan based on recent performance.

4. Robbie Anderson vs. Julio Jones (40:10):

   • Jason Moore (40:33):
     "In a vacuum, all things are equal. I don't think that's enough for Julio."
   • Andy Holloway (41:39):
     Advocates for keeping Julio Jones despite potential risks.

5. Cam Akers vs. Brian Hill (42:19):

   • Jason Moore (42:43):
     "I believe Cam Akers has a higher fantasy opportunity than Brian Hill does."

6. Michael Gallup vs. Nico Collins vs. Jacob Martin vs. K.J. Hamler vs. Jalen Reagor vs. O.J. Howard vs. Mike Evans vs. Myles Gaskin vs. Diontae Johnson vs. Zach Ertz vs. Jake Reno vs. Dalton Schultz vs. O.J. Howard vs. Zach Ertz vs. Jason Moore vs. Ramsey vs Matt Ryan vs. Jason Moore vs. Jason Moore vs. Justin Herbert vs. Jason Moore vs. Jason Moore vs. etc.:

   (Note: The transcript includes multiple overlapping and sometimes humorous exchanges. For brevity, key points are captured above.)

Notable Advice:

• Jason Moore (43:44):
  "I would take Michael Gallup for both questions."
• Mike Wright (44:56):
  Emphasizes the importance of offense in evaluating players like Michael Gallup.

Advanced Metrics and Website Updates

Andy Holloway (30:38):
Introduces new advanced stats on their website, including a consistency metric that grades players based on the percentage of games they exceed a usable benchmark at their position.

• Jimmy Graham's Consistency:
  "Jimmy Graham's an F."

Closing Remarks

The hosts wrap up the episode by previewing upcoming segments, including a bonus episode, and encourage listeners to stay engaged through their website and social media platforms.

Andy Holloway (47:56):
"May the news be kind to us heading into tomorrow."

Mike Wright (48:01):
"Stay safe everybody. Goodbye."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Andy Holloway (09:48):
  "It's a busy week."

• Mike Wright (07:11):
  "Rob Gronkowski with no O.J. Howard."

• Jason Moore (37:25):
  "How do you believe about Gallup?"

• Andy Holloway (30:36):
  "All right, okay. I already mentioned it."

Conclusion

This episode of Fantasy Footballers provides listeners with insightful buy or sell recommendations, a humorous yet informative retirement ceremony for underperforming players, crucial news updates affecting fantasy lineups, and expert advice through their mailbag segment. The hosts blend expert analysis with entertaining banter, making it a valuable resource for both seasoned and novice fantasy football enthusiasts.