Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary
Episode: Players We’re Ashamed to Love, #FootClan Advice
Release Date: July 7, 2018

Hosted by Andy Holloway and Jason Moore

1. Introduction and Announcements [00:00 - 02:20]

The episode kicks off with Andy Holloway inviting listeners to the upcoming Ballers Live event in Dallas on July 13. He shares details about the National Fantasy Football Convention and encourages fans to grab tickets at BallersLive.com.

Jason Moore welcomes listeners, highlighting that this is a special Saturday episode without their usual co-host, Mike Wright, who is returning the following week. The hosts also promote their presence on YouTube and Twitter, urging fans to subscribe and follow for more content.

2. Players We’re Ashamed to Love [04:50 - 10:59]

Jason Moore delves into the segment “Players We’re Ashamed to Love,” expressing his conflicted feelings about drafting Juju Smith-Schuster and Ben Roethlisberger for the 2018 fantasy football season.

• Juju Smith-Schuster: Despite concerns about his draft position relative to teammates like Demarius Thomas and Golden Tate, Jason is confident in Juju's potential.

  “I’m ashamed to love him, but I really believe when I watched him play last season...” [05:42]

• Ben Roethlisberger: Jason feels conflicted because Big Ben has had inconsistent performances over the years but believes that with improved health and playing time, he can still be a valuable quarterback.

  “He finished about quarterback 15. If he played 16 games, he would not be.” [06:03]

Andy Holloway adds his perspective by expressing support for Jason's choices, emphasizing the importance of opportunity in these selections. He also introduces his own "ashamed to love" pick: Corey Davis. Despite last year's disappointing performance, Andy believes Davis has the skill set and opportunity to bounce back, particularly with his elite average depth of target.

“Your receptions don’t have to go up as far to achieve high yardage marks.” [07:08]

3. News Update: Julian Edelman Suspension [11:06 - 14:18]

The hosts discuss the confirmation of Julian Edelman serving a four-game suspension, following a PED-related violation. They reflect on the impact of his suspension on the New England Patriots’ offense, particularly regarding Rob Gronkowski's role.

• Jason Moore explains that Edelman's absence means relying more on Gronk, though Gronk's role remains largely unchanged.

  “Gronk is the number one tight end. Gronk is a value in that second round...” [12:25]

• Andy Holloway raises concerns about the depth of Patriots' receiving corps without Edelman, questioning whether Jordan Matthews or others can fill the gap effectively.

  “Whenever this conversation begins with 'Boy, Jordan Matthews is going to have a chance,' that should tell you something...” [12:21]

Jason updates on his quarterback rankings post-suspension, emphasizing Chris Hogan's potential rise in value due to increased targets.

“He has the ability and potential to be up near a wide receiver.” [13:07]

4. Mailbag Questions [18:22 - 35:38]

A. Six Points Per Passing Touchdown Leagues [18:22 - 20:53]

Tyler McPherson from San Antonio asks about valuing quarterbacks in leagues that award six points per passing touchdown.

• Jason Moore advises that despite the higher points, it doesn’t fundamentally change the strategy. Late-round quarterbacks and streaming options remain viable.

  “There's great research done by JJ Zachary... in six-point leagues, you can have waiver wire guys perform better...” [20:15]

• Andy Holloway concurs, noting that while scoring increases, the overall balance and rankings remain largely unaffected.

  “It doesn’t change the position. And that's the thing to remember.” [20:25]

B. Calvin Ridley [20:53 - 22:50]

Cdog inquires about drafting Calvin Ridley given concerns about his position in the Falcons' depth chart.

• Andy Holloway shares his reservations, suggesting that other receivers like Mohammed Sanu might offer more consistent opportunities.

  “I don't like Drafting Wide Receiver 2 sometimes because I want the big opportunity.” [21:15]

• Jason Moore acknowledges Ridley’s potential but remains cautious due to the crowded receiving corps.

  “He's gonna destroy opponents' zones.” [22:50]

C. Turok vs. Rex Burkhead [24:21 - 25:38]

Sean from Facebook asks whether to keep Turok the Dinosaur Hunter or Rex Burkhead for better fantasy value.

• Jason Moore and Andy Holloway unanimously recommend Rex Burkhead for his consistency and higher offensive potential.

  “From a consistency standpoint, I think Rex is going to be better.” [24:49]

D. Rashad Penny’s Ranking [25:32 - 27:49]

Stoney Duetto questions why Rashad Penny was ranked lower, suspecting it might be due to Chris Carson’s emergence.

• Andy Holloway explains his lowered confidence in Penny, citing team decisions favoring Carson.

  “I'm a little less confident in Penny than I had before.” [26:54]

• Jason Moore echoes the concern, emphasizing that while Penny has talent, team utilization and starter decisions impact his reliability.

  “You have to pay attention to those things.” [27:27]

E. Risky Rookies vs. Handcuffs [28:13 - 29:08]

Michael J. Grim Jr. asks whether to prioritize risky rookies or handcuffs in the late rounds.

• Jason Moore strongly favors risky rookies for their breakout potential and higher upside.

  “It is 100% risky rookies. Rookies at the end of the draft are usually an unbelievably great value...” [28:13]

• Andy Holloway agrees, highlighting the flexibility and evaluation opportunities that rookies provide early in the season.

  “Risky rookies I would lean towards those you'll get an opportunity to evaluate within the first three or four weeks.” [29:08]

F. Changing League Scoring to Half PPR and First Down Points [29:34 - 30:58]

Wayne from New Orleans considers switching his league's scoring format to half PPR and half points per first down, questioning its impact on rankings.

• Jason Moore believes it won’t cause major shifts but will balance flex positions better, making it easier to select versatile players.

  “It won’t cause any major swings in balance or rankings.” [29:43]

• Andy Holloway adds statistical insights, noting which teams excel in first downs, thereby informing strategic focus.

  “New England Patriots with 24.8 first downs per game.” [29:47]

G. Sony Michel vs. Mike Gillislee [30:58 - 32:18]

Dan Rolando asks about the likelihood of Sony Michel becoming the next Mike Gillislee in the fifth round.

• Jason Moore assesses the risk as low (20%) due to Sony’s history with fumbling and the Patriots' tendency to manage ball security issues carefully.

  “Sony Michel had a major fumbling problem in college...” [31:21]

• Andy Holloway concurs, emphasizing that teams often believe they can coach out a player's weaknesses, though it's risky.

H. Staying Competitive in Personal Leagues [33:00 - 34:49]

Paulie from Indiana inquires about maintaining competitiveness in personal leagues where others might have access to information.

• Andy Holloway and Jason Moore discuss transparency and the inevitability of winning despite the open information. They encourage focusing on improving rankings and projections rather than obsessing over opponents.

  “We've still won some championships since we've had all of our cards face up.” [33:22]

I. Virgil Green’s Ranking [35:05 - 35:38]

John from Plymouth, Minnesota questions why Virgil Green is ranked below other tight ends like Adam Shaheen and Jermaine Gresham.

• Andy Holloway explains that the ranking is contingent on Antonio Gates remaining in the team. If Gates is unavailable, Virgil Green’s value would adjust accordingly.

  “If Antonio Gates is not signed... Virgil Green will get an adjustment.” [35:05]

J. Coordinating a "Hunger Games" Style Draft [35:38 - 36:23]

Connor from Facebook humorously asks for tips on managing a league where he dislikes all his opponents and contemplates a "hunger games" scenario.

• Andy Holloway and Jason Moore joke about the impracticality of such a setup, suggesting instead to join a more compatible league via FootClanLeagues.com.

  “Find a new league if you don't like your league mates and just... take yourself gently out of the situation.” [36:23]

K. Starting Draft Choices: Zeke and Devonte Adams vs. Melvin Gordon and Julio [36:57 - 37:21]

Colin from Instagram asks whether to draft Zeke Elliott and Devonta Adams or Melvin Gordon and Julio Jones.

• Both hosts agree on selecting Melvin Gordon and Julio Jones due to better individual rankings and potential.

  “I will go Gordon and Julio.” [36:57]

5. Best Ball Bonanza Segment [37:28 - 43:53]

Jason Moore introduces the Best Ball Bonanza, a segment dedicated to providing tips and advice for playing best ball fantasy leagues.

• Best Ball Overview: Best ball emphasizes drafting a deep roster without the need for weekly lineup adjustments. Teams automatically set their best lineup each week based on the drafted roster.

  “It's a format of one starting quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, a flex and a tight end, and then you've got 18 total players.” [37:36]

• Key Tips:

  1. Bye Week Management:

     • Initially, prioritize drafting the best players regardless of bye weeks.
     • Later rounds should focus on balancing bye weeks to avoid multiple players being inactive simultaneously.

       “Don't worry about bye weeks for your first six or maybe seven picks. At that point... look at your players and ensure you have balanced bye weeks.” [40:22]

  2. Live Draft Pitfalls:

     • Avoid multitasking during live drafts, such as streaming or handling multiple tasks simultaneously, to maintain focus and roster quality.

       “Never be the live auctioneer at your own auction.” [43:53]

• Jason’s Personal Anecdotes: Shares lessons learned from his own live best ball draft, emphasizing the importance of late-round preparation and avoiding bye week conflicts.

  “...I had four week 11 bye weeks on that roster at running back.” [40:06]

6. Conclusion and Upcoming Events [43:53 - End]

The hosts wrap up the episode by reiterating their excitement for the upcoming Ballers Live events in Dallas and encouraging listeners to attend. They also tease future content, including their Dynasty League and upcoming episodes featuring additional expert insights.

“We'll have three more shows next week. Yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun.” [44:28]

Notable Quotes

• Jason Moore on Juju Smith-Schuster

  “I'm ashamed to love him, but I really believe when I watched him play last season...” [05:42]

• Andy Holloway on Corey Davis

  “Your receptions don’t have to go up as far to achieve high yardage marks.” [07:08]

• Jason Moore on Six-Point QBs

  “There's great research done by JJ Zachary... in six-point leagues, you can have waiver wire guys perform better...” [20:15]

• Jason Moore on Risky Rookies

  “It is 100% risky rookies. Rookies at the end of the draft are usually an unbelievably great value...” [28:13]

• Andy Holloway on Best Ball Bye Weeks

  “Don't worry about bye weeks for your first six or maybe seven picks...” [40:22]

Final Thoughts

This episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast offers a blend of strategic advice, player evaluations, and engaging discussions tailored for both casual and avid fantasy football enthusiasts. Through the "Players We’re Ashamed to Love" segment and comprehensive mailbag responses, hosts Andy and Jason provide valuable insights to help listeners navigate their fantasy seasons with confidence.

For more detailed analysis and continuous updates, be sure to follow the Fantasy Footballers on YouTube and Twitter.