Sleepers & Values, Scary Performances + Kyle Rudolph

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary

Episode: Sleepers & Values, Scary Performances + Kyle Rudolph
Release Date: August 28, 2018
Hosts: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright

---

I. Introduction and Preseason Highlights

The episode kicks off with a light-hearted exchange among the hosts, setting a casual and engaging tone for the discussion. Andy Holloway mentions their recent live show, highlighting its intense and exciting nature, which left listeners eager for more content.

Key Points:

• Preseason Week 3 Reactions: The hosts delve into their reactions to Week 3 of the preseason, analyzing team performances and player impacts. They focus on how Week 3 serves as a critical period for assessing player readiness and team dynamics before the regular season commences.

---

II. Scary Preseason Performances

The hosts share their concerns regarding specific team performances that could impact fantasy football rankings.

A. Buffalo Bills' Struggles

• Josh Allen's Performance: Mike Wright expresses deep concern about the Bills’ offensive line, stating, “The Buffalo Bills have me trembling” (04:28). He critiques Josh Allen’s early struggles, including five sacks in the first quarter of a preseason game.
• Offensive Line Decimation: The lack of stability and experience on the Bills’ offensive line is highlighted as a significant issue that could derail their fantasy potential.

B. Indianapolis Colts' Offensive Line Issues

• Andrew Luck's Challenges: Andy Holloway is particularly worried about the Colts’ offensive line, noting, “I was afraid for Andrew Luck” (06:01). He contrasts the Colts’ struggling line with that of the 49ers, emphasizing the potential negative impact on Luck’s performance and the overall offense.

C. Cincinnati Bengals' Offensive Line Concerns

• Joe Mixon's Outlook: Jason Moore discusses Joe Mixon's situation, expressing unease about his ability to perform without a solid offensive line. He mentions, “Mix cannot get it going on the ground” (07:53), questioning whether the Bengals can improve their out-of-sorts offensive line.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Wright: “The Buffalo Bills have me trembling” (04:28).
• Andy Holloway: “I was afraid for Andrew Luck” (06:01).

---

III. Sleepers and Value Picks

The main segment revolves around identifying potential sleeper and value picks for fantasy football drafts. Each host presents their unique selections, emphasizing players who may be undervalued or poised for breakout performances.

A. Sleepers

1. Ricky Seals Jones (Arizona Cardinals - TE)

   • Performance Potential: Andy praises Seals Jones for his route-running and high snap count in preseason, suggesting he could become a reliable target for Sam Bradford.
   • Supporting Facts: Seals Jones has been involved in 87% of the first-team snaps and faces defenses that are receptive to tight ends, making him an appealing sleeper pick.
   • Quote: “Ricky Seals Jones is going to be a favorite target for Sam Bradford” (25:07).

2. Keelan Cole (Jacksonville Jaguars - WR)

   • Undrafted Success: Jason Moore highlights Cole’s college dominance despite coming from a smaller school, Kentucky Wesleyan College, and his increased target rate in the latter half of the previous season.
   • Value Proposition: Cole is seen as a safe sleeper due to the Jaguars’ need for wide receiver production following Marquis Lee’s injury.

3. Alan Hearns (Buffalo Bills - WR)

   • Opportunity for Growth: Mike Wright points out Hearns’s potential to become the primary receiver for the Bills, especially with Dez Bryant and Jason Whitten no longer in the picture.
   • Competitive Landscape: Hearns stands to gain significant targets, with junior receivers facing tougher competition for opportunities.

B. Value Picks

1. Kelvin Benjamin (Buffalo Bills - WR)

   • Target Volume: Andy emphasizes Benjamin’s big-frame and red-zone potential, asserting that he remains the top option in Buffalo’s passing offense despite past criticisms.
   • Draft Strategy: Positioned as a ninth-round pick, Benjamin offers substantial value given his role as the primary receiver on the team.
   • Quote: “Kelvin Benjamin feels as close to [a safe sleeper] as possible right now” (35:29).

2. Kenny Stills (Miami Dolphins - WR)

   • Opportunity Amidst Injuries: Mike Wright advocates for Stills due to the absence of primary receivers like Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker, positioning Stills as the number one receiver for Miami.
   • Fantasy Usability: Stills demonstrated usability last season with consistent usage and a solid touchdown record.
   • Quote: “Kenny Stills is going to add” (19:45).

C. Contrasting Opinions on Value Picks

• Kelvin Benjamin vs. Alan Hearns: The hosts engage in a spirited debate over the merits of drafting Benjamin versus Hearns, with Andy advocating for Benjamin’s guaranteed target volume and Jason considering Hearns’s potential upside.
• Final Decision: Despite differing opinions, Kelvin Benjamin emerges as a favored value pick due to his secured role and consistent target share.

Notable Quotes:

• Jason Moore: “He was a fourth round selection until he got injured. He’s no longer injured. He’s an eighth rounder. That is the definition of a value” (38:57).
• Andy Holloway: “Kelvin Benjamin feels as close to a safe sleeper as possible right now” (35:29).

---

IV. Special Guest Interview: Kyle Rudolph

The episode features an insightful interview with Kyle Rudolph, a two-time Pro Bowl tight end for the Minnesota Vikings and an ambassador for the American Cancer Society’s Crucial Catch program.

A. Commitment to Crucial Catch

• Personal Motivation: Rudolph shares his personal connection to the cause, revealing that his younger brother survived neuroblastoma. This experience fuels his passion for supporting pediatric cancer awareness and broader cancer initiatives.
  • Quote: “My brother was born with neuroblastoma. I was about 15 months old at the time” (45:09).

B. Contributions and Community Engagement

• Supporting Survivors: Rudolph recounts surprising cancer survivors and their families with Vikings tickets during training camp, fostering community support and engagement.
  • Quote: “We had over 10 survivors and their families out to practice during training camp” (46:16).

C. Fantasy Football Insights

• Impact of Fantasy on Fandom: Rudolph discusses the symbiotic relationship between fantasy football and fan engagement, noting how fantasy leagues enhance overall interest in the sport.
  • Quote: “Fantasy football has really taken off and it's kind of what rules the roost nowadays” (47:29).

D. Player Performance and Team Dynamics

• Vikings' Offensive Strengths: He highlights Latavius Murray’s comeback from injury and the potential synergy with Dalvin Cook, predicting a strong year for the Vikings’ backfield.
  • Quote: “Latavius looks as good as I've ever seen him” (50:00).

Key Takeaways:

• Kyle Rudolph emphasizes the importance of community support in cancer awareness.
• He provides valuable insights into the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive strategy and key player performances.

Notable Quotes:

• Kyle Rudolph: “Fantasy football has really taken off...it’s what rules the roost nowadays” (47:29).
• Kyle Rudolph: “Latavius looks as good as I've ever seen him” (50:00).

---

V. Closing Remarks and Upcoming Content

The hosts conclude the episode by promoting upcoming shows and additional content for their audience.

A. Upcoming Episodes:

• Preseason Lessons: The next episode will cover preseason lessons and insights.
• Average Draft Position Analysis: They plan to discuss risers and fallers in average draft positions as drafts draw near.

B. Promotions and Community Engagement:

• FanDuel Survivor Contest: The hosts encourage listeners to participate in FanDuel’s Survivor Contest with a $250,000 prize pool, providing a unique opportunity for fantasy enthusiasts.
  • Quote: “To get into the free $250,000 Survivor contest, just go to FanDuel.com fantasy footballers” (52:05).

C. Additional Content:

• DFS Podcast Relaunch: Announcement of the relaunch of their Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) podcast, scheduled to release new episodes starting the following Friday.
  • Quote: “The Fantasy Footballers DFS podcast is relaunching this week” (54:00).

D. Final Thoughts:

• The hosts express excitement about future episodes and engage in humorous banter, maintaining a lively and relatable atmosphere for listeners.

---

Conclusion

This episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast offers a comprehensive analysis of preseason performances, highlights potential sleeper and value picks for the upcoming fantasy football season, and features an inspiring interview with Kyle Rudolph. The hosts provide actionable insights and foster an engaging community through their discussions and promotions, ensuring listeners are well-prepared and entertained as they navigate their fantasy football drafts.

---

Links and Resources:

• Ultimate Draft Kit: ultimatedraftkit.com
• FanDuel Contest: FanDuel.com Fantasy Footballers
• American Cancer Society Crucial Catch: cancer.org/crucialcatch
• Pristine Auction: pristineauction.com
• Fantasy Footballers YouTube: YouTube.com/thefantasyfootballers

---

Timestamps for Notable Quotes:

• 04:28: Mike Wright on Buffalo Bills' struggles.
• 06:01: Andy Holloway expresses concerns about Andrew Luck.
• 07:53: Jason Moore discusses Joe Mixon's situation.
• 19:45: Mike Wright declares Gronk as his MVP.
• 25:07: Andy Holloway on Ricky Seals Jones as a sleeper.
• 35:29: Andy Holloway advocates for Kelvin Benjamin as a value pick.
• 38:57: Jason Moore defines Kelvin Benjamin's value.
• 45:09: Kyle Rudolph shares his personal connection to cancer awareness.
• 47:29: Kyle Rudolph on fantasy football’s impact on fandom.
• 50:00: Kyle Rudolph highlights Latavius Murray’s potential.

---

This summary captures all critical discussions, insights, and interactions from the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't listened.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, Foot Clan. Before we start today's show, I just wanted to remind you about the Ultimate Draft Kit. If your draft is still coming up and you think you're not prepared, you can get prepared with the Ultimate Draft Kit. And did you know that fantasy football calculator.com an independent website that we use for average draft position, they ran a survey in 2017 and they wanted to figure out what draft tool most league winners have in common. You know what they came up with? The Ultimate Draft Kit. This is everything you need. And even if it's last minute, you can get in there, you can get our printable tiered cheat sheets and be ready to dominate your draft instantly. Go to ultimatedraftkit.com and get it today.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Hi, this is Kyle Rudolph and you're listening to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast.

[Jason Moore]

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

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, man.

[Jason Moore]

What was that?

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, man, I told you, start the show over. I don't have much left. I needed help. I wanted. I needed some Ricky Seals Jones in that intro.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, it would have been better, that's for sure.

[Mike Wright]

Run it back.

[Andy Holloway]

Right before the show started, I asked Brooks. I go, does my voice sound right? And you know what he told me? He told me a lie.

[Jason Moore]

He's Brooks.

[Andy Holloway]

He told me it sounded beautiful. Brooks, you lied to me.

[Mike Wright]

I would never.

[Andy Holloway]

Trying to trick me.

[Mike Wright]

I am a judge.

[Jason Moore]

In. In fairness, your voice sounds alright when you're speaking. It's when you do that other. What was that other?

[Mike Wright]

Oh, it was like you're at the dentist.

[Andy Holloway]

Open your mouth.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, the show is here. We're here. It's Tuesday, August 28th. The fantasy footballers back again, fresh off of why. This is why, Mike. We had a very intense, exciting, bold live show on Friday night. You heard it yesterday on the podcast.

[Mike Wright]

Hope you bought the 3 ply here.

[Andy Holloway]

In oh, because of the hot takes, Hot snakes reference. You made good start to the show.

[Mike Wright]

We have be kind to your rear.

[Andy Holloway]

An exciting podcast today. Sleepers values. We also had the opportunity to talk to star Pro bowl tight end Kyle Rudolph. We'll share that interview with you at the end of the show. We asked him specifically what player is kind of flying under the radar for fantasy owners on that Minneapolis offense.

[Mike Wright]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

So that will be. That'll be fun. And what else do we got going on? We're gonna. We're gonna get into some of the reaction to week three of the preseason. We'll do that a little bit today and we'll give you some preseason week three lessons tomorrow. Some conclusions we've made from watching games. Not just.

[Jason Moore]

Not just week three, but the preseason is over. No starters, unless it's punishment or otherwise or looking to get traded or something, play in week four.

[Andy Holloway]

You mean like Royce Freeman?

[Mike Wright]

There's one. There's one.

[Andy Holloway]

Freeman started playing week four.

[Mike Wright]

Week four.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Amir Abdul is going to get a ton of work, I hear, which is.

[Andy Holloway]

He'S going to get cut.

[Jason Moore]

The last work he gets as a.

[Andy Holloway]

Lion, I think he's going to be cut.

[Mike Wright]

He might, but we'll get into that on tomorrow's show.

[Andy Holloway]

Today's all about a sleeper and a value pick. Each of us will bring one to you. These are guys that maybe we don't perfectly agree on with one another. These are not the same as the consensus sleepers and value picks that we have in the ultimate draft kit. But we'll share our own sleepers and values on the show today. I'm excited about these, but let's start with a quick question. What week three performance left you scared? What left you scared? Because we spend the off season talking about players and then it's kind of like all is revealed in some respects in the preseason, you get to see the truth about certain situations, especially in preseason week three, when starters get the opportunity to play together for an extended period of time. So, Mike, what left you the most scared in week three?

[Mike Wright]

I got shook.

[Andy Holloway]

Did you now?

[Mike Wright]

I got shook by earthquake test. With my training. You could.

[Andy Holloway]

Or.

[Mike Wright]

What is it?

[Jason Moore]

Whatever.

[Mike Wright]

The Bills. The Bills shook me to the core. They are going to be so bad.

[Jason Moore]

Holy crap.

[Mike Wright]

The Buffalo Bills have me trembling. And this is mostly a call for Lashawn McCoy, who's dealing with a sore groin. That's not. Yeah, this is not what I want to hear about Shady McCoy at this point of the fantasy football season because all he has this year. Yes, he is slippery. He is the slippery fish. So he has that going. But all he has is volume. And if his body is not ready to hold up to volume, it's going to be a really long, disappointing fantasy football season from Shady McCoy.

[Andy Holloway]

No, I mean, Josh Allen had a bad start. He was running for his life. I mean, he's five sacks in the first quarter. As far as I know. The play calls were snap it to Josh Allen and then he runs a diagonal towards the back right corner of the field. I mean, he was running for his life.

[Mike Wright]

We've highlighted, and specifically Jason Moore has highlighted the Buffalo Bills offensive line decimation over the off season and you just, you're never really sure. Can they recover from losing all those starters? So far, the answer is a resounding no.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, it did not look good in week three, that's for sure. I'm not convinced that Josh Allen will start after Peterman's performance in that game versus Allen's, which. And Peterman may be the one that gets to be beat up first.

[Mike Wright]

And okay, let's say Peterman is the starter. I'm still shook. Yeah, because that's just turnovers that are going to happen and then they're going to have to throw the ball. It's going to be a garbage time fiesta.

[Andy Holloway]

So you got scared. I was ultimately scared by the Colts offensive line performance. Andrew Luck is good. Andrew Luck has the ability to kind of circumvent the problems up front to a degree. I mean, he ran the ball several times in this preseason matchup. But the difference between what I saw from the Colts offensive line and the 49ers offensive line in this game, it was night and day. Alfred Morris had gaping holes and Jimmy Garoppolo had endless amount of time. I was afraid for Andrew Luck. I was afraid for this Colts offense. I was afraid for. I wanted to watch this game and say, hey, who looks better, Jordan Wilkins or Kristen Michael? For a chance to say, you know, in week one, we're going to have to pick a starter at running back for the Indianapolis Colts. They're going to have to pick a starter. And I wanted to say, wow, the numbers didn't look good for Jordan Wilcoms. What did he look like on film? He didn't have a chance. He didn't have an opportunity. Christian Michael looked just as terrible because he was being met two feet in the backfield. This. That scared me. The offensive line in Indianapolis made me think without Andrew Luck, this is a bottom five team. After what I saw with Andrew Luck, it's probably not much better.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Let me ask you this. What was what was worse, their offensive line or their defensive line?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, it was a. It was a coin flip. It was kind of a hold my beer situation. Do they just play the same guys watch that.

[Mike Wright]

Are they trying this? Save some money, iron man.

[Jason Moore]

We go both ways here.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

No, look, we're way under cap for me. The one that scares me, that has shaken me is a guy that I really like. And that's why it scares me. Because I've been high on this player and all the problems that existed last year that I have been hoping change all but one. I should Say, don't appear to have changed. And that is Joseph Mixon. Joe Mixon. I mean, that offensive line, you know this. Look, all three of these teams could be bad, and all three are going to be based on that offensive line. Mixing cannot get it going on the ground. He's still a great player. He looks electric in the passing game.

[Andy Holloway]

It's very interesting that they're lining him up outside so often. That is a very. That is a very. I think that's a product of having not a lot of options outside of Green. It was nice to see John Ross pop, but behind center or, I'm sorry, behind the quarterback. Mixon hasn't looked good.

[Jason Moore]

No, no, he has not. And I think a lot of that has to do with the offensive line. Now there's great news. Week one, they play against the aforementioned Colts defensive line, so made Alfred Morris look pretty good. Might come out just fine Week one. But it worries me now. You know, I had predicted because of the, you know, they upgraded their left tackle, they switched around some of their offensive line, it should be much better than it was last season. We just haven't seen it yet. The only thing that still gives me hope in Mixon just being much better for fantasy this season than last season, other than his talent, is still the fact that last season, the amount of plays ran and specifically the amount of rushing attempts for the Bengals. 377 as a team, which was absurdly low so far below. I mean, we're talking like 50 carries below the next lowest total in the Marvin Lewis era. You know, it's just. It's going to rebound as far as play calls come.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, I encourage everybody out there who are fans of the Fantasy Footballers podcast. Check us out on YouTube. YouTube.com the fantasy footballers inching towards the 100,000 subscription level. Jason.

[Jason Moore]

Sprinting, my man, sprinting.

[Andy Holloway]

And here's the thing. We just did our league of record draft on Saturday night, and a lot of the times, listeners, whether you're on Twitter or email, you ask us to talk more about our League of Record draft. We had the opportunity to instill, you know, to bestow the punishment that we do each and every year on the last place person, which is if you finish last in our league of record, we spin the wheel. Each owner spins the wheel of water, and that is our tool of punishment for bets. And you hear us make water bets on the show all the time.

[Jason Moore]

It's a free app. You can get it.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, we just threw the wheel of water on an app and every owner spins It. And then the last place owner gets 11 cups of water poured on them in ridiculous ways. And then they sit and draft wet. And we recorded all of that and we're going to share it with you and it'll be shared on YouTube.

[Jason Moore]

Yes, sir.

[Andy Holloway]

So definitely check that out and subscribe over there. Twitter, you can follow us at theffballers. Mike is fhitman.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Still verified.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Jasonfflaway. Definitely check those out. Mike has a new article on the website.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, I certainly do.

[Andy Holloway]

It's called Mike's Ultimate Value hit squad for 2018. He identifies the best value in every round.

[Mike Wright]

Yes, exactly.

[Andy Holloway]

That's blazing.

[Mike Wright]

I point out those players that I love and check it out before ADP gets broken again. Because we're at that time of the year where people can shift in value overnight. They can jump or lose around.

[Jason Moore]

And I don't know if you two gentlemen know this or not, but my article is also coming out very soon. What? Yes, sir. I'm talking about those players that I'm standing on an island against. The ones that I am different than you two gentlemen. And I'm making my case. Go to the fancy footballers dot com.

[Andy Holloway]

What would be the one thing you want with you on a deserted island? Let's say you get one food. One food item.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Honestly, as a first.

[Mike Wright]

Dessert island.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I'm going to say banana cream pie.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

10.

[Mike Wright]

Banana cream pie.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, 10. 10 would be good news. And notes from around the.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Mike, you have to translate money into fantasy value here. The Giants have made Odell Beckham Jr. The highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. Get paid five year, $95 million contract, $65 million guaranteed.

[Mike Wright]

Love it. I love it so much. Congratulations, Odell Beckham.

[Andy Holloway]

I want to tear my ACL now.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that's why he got 65 miles. Congratulations to Odell Beckham. Congratulations to the New York Giants for not screwing this up.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean. And congratulations to every wide receiver signed to a contract after this date.

[Mike Wright]

Well, you. I mean, it's. That's just the name of the game. The cap goes up, the money goes up.

[Andy Holloway]

But I would be happier if I signed a contract next year than this previous year because this resets the market for the wide receiver. But the Jags are placing wide receiver Marquis Lee on injured reserve. This was a preseason Week three injury, devastating injury. Marquis Lee gone for the season. Doug Marone. I listened to the press conference. He said he's comfortable with the team's receiving options. They asked him about DEZ Bryant.

[Mike Wright]

I was going to say, is that a message to Des?

[Andy Holloway]

It is. They asked about.

[Mike Wright]

We're good, Des.

[Andy Holloway]

Right now they have. For those out there who are following along, trying to discern the value in Jacksonville at wide receiver. Keelan Cole. Dee Dee Westbrook. Dante Moncrief. DJ Shark.

[Mike Wright]

Shark.

[Jason Moore]

And Austin Safari and Jenkins as well. They have a lot of weapons there to catch the ball. They had. You know, you don't want to say you had room for injury, but, you know, they can do the next man up here, and I don't think the team is going to miss a beat. You know, Matt Harmon's reception perception was not very kind to Marquis Lee in the first place, and I did not ever really think he was a great wide receiver. So the opportunities will be there for others and.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, top three rank them. Right now, end of season, the top three wide receivers, fantasy points from Jacksonville. Your best guess right now, right here.

[Jason Moore]

Well, we're going to talk in depth about who. I've got number one. Keelan Cole.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

In a minute.

[Andy Holloway]

We can save it.

[Jason Moore]

I'm going. Keelan Cole. Dee Dee Westbrook. Dante Moncrief.

[Mike Wright]

Keelan Cole. Moncrief, Westbrook.

[Andy Holloway]

I'll go with what Mike said.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. The Browns, Tyrod Taylor or to Rod Taylor. Sorry, sorry. It's many years. Many years.

[Mike Wright]

We'll get there.

[Andy Holloway]

Dislocated Pinky. We talked about. I insinuated about this. We didn't get to talk about it as a news item on the live show. He's practicing. He should be fine. Josh Gordon has been activated.

[Mike Wright]

Activate.

[Andy Holloway]

He will not.

[Jason Moore]

The eagle has landed.

[Andy Holloway]

Start. He will not start week one. He will play. He does have a hamstring tweak as he's getting back. Josh Gordon. Does the not starting hurt your fantasy willingness to play him in week one?

[Mike Wright]

It definitely creates doubt, a cloud of doubt.

[Andy Holloway]

They're at home against the Steelers in week one.

[Mike Wright]

We do have evidence, though, that Josh Gordon can come from the sofa into an NFL game and torch one of the best DBs in all of football and Casey Hayward, which. This is what he did last year against the Los Angeles Chargers. So it's. It's a situation where I. I project this. Gordon will not start because he was not at training camp. Hugh Jackson's doing the. He's doing the good coach thing. He's sending a message to the rest of the team that says you got to be here. So maybe the first snap, maybe the first drive, but then you got to put your best players out on the field and that would be Josh Gordon.

[Andy Holloway]

Jai has been sidelined for now, eight days from Eagles practice with a, quote, lower body injury. I don't know if he's feeling jealous about. Jealous about the kind of ambiguity that exists for Alshon Jeffrey and Carson Wentz, and he wanted to get involved in that. But right now, this is. This is a concern because we don't know that situation. I mean, look, Corey Clement had missed time, too.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, lower body ambiguous injuries are not fun in the first place. But when you combine that with a player who has, you know, the degenerative knee problems, you go, okay, is this that. Because if it is, this could be serious.

[Andy Holloway]

I will say no signs that it is yet.

[Jason Moore]

I will say I've made some claims out there on some other running backs. If Corey Clement is available, you must. I mean, he shouldn't be available in the first place. He should have been drafted, but he's worth a pickup. On our MVP episode, we talked about Darren Sprols being able to be more involved, and obviously he'll be involved in the passing game. And even Wendell Smallwood. Look, if something happened to Jay Ajay. Wendell Smallwood, we've said for years, look, he's a Jag. He's just a guy, but he'd be just a guy behind a great offensive line and a great offense with opportunity. And so, you know, it's. You could do worse than having that kind of a hope.

[Andy Holloway]

That's fair. And he's looked okay in the preseason. Will Fuller tweaked his hamstring. They expect him to play in week one. But yet another little injury for Will Fuller. It's a problem. Andrew Lux, effort, A minor foot injury in the game. Nothing major would play if there was a game on Sunday. Something to monitor, but he should be okay. And then there were a number of tight end injuries. Evan Ingram, concussion. Luke Wilson, a knee injury. Hayden Hurst, a stress fracture in his foot. He's going to be out three to four weeks at least. Implications for these three injuries. I saw Evan Ingram dropping a lot of weekend drafts simply because of the concussion, which is silly, I think, because.

[Mike Wright]

All news has him progressing at the normal rate through the concussion protocol. He's on schedule to play week one, so. So if you were able to get in on that, Evan, anger value. Because I saw the same thing, Andy. I had a few drafts this weekend and it was round seven and Evan Ingram is on the board and people are just getting great, great deals for tight end value.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Mike, I.

[Mike Wright]

What is happening?

[Andy Holloway]

I know how close you were to this guy, but he's retired. Eric Decker, bdd. He retired in the way that players retire now. On a written statement on Instagram.

[Mike Wright]

Also in Patriots camp.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Most players, wide receivers go to Patriots camp to retire. Here's what's Reggie Wayne did it.

[Jason Moore]

I had not seen the Patriots Week 3 preseason game prior to the news that Decker was retiring. So I already knew then. I'm going back watching film and I'm watching this game knowing that this guy has already said, yeah, I'm going to retire from the NFL. And there's this deep pass where he catches it. He doesn't seem like he needs to go super far to bounds. He catches the ball like two yards out of bounds. Just looks dejected. And I'm going, this guy's about to retire. He's done. He's like, I don't want to do this anymore.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. So the wide receiver situation, Philip Dorset, I'm going to bring this up well, Philip Dorsett. Yeah, Philip Dorsett, Chris Hogan and then Cordero Patterson is going to be involved early in the season, even if he's not heavily involved. After Edelman, I mean, there's only so many guys, so.

[Mike Wright]

No, I completely agree. And this is why. This is part of why Gronk is my MVP this year.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, no doubt.

[Mike Wright]

I think he's just going to add.

[Jason Moore]

Would you say there's some bad vibes in Patriots?

[Mike Wright]

No, not for Gronk.

[Jason Moore]

He's just.

[Mike Wright]

He's going to tear people's faces off.

[Jason Moore]

Wow. The face there.

[Mike Wright]

Literally face off.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, man. Nick Cage action. Getting that face off. Hey, we're going to get into some. We're going to get into some awesome sleepers and some values guys that you can find on your waivers if your draft is over or, you know, if your draft is still going. People to target. But before we do that, you need to realize football is okay. The wait is over. That means it's time to hop on FanDuel and start making your plays for week one and for their awesome new Survivor contest that is going on. You have to check it out. It's completely free to enter. It is the largest. It's $250,000 in rewards for the Survivor Contest. It's the biggest free Survivor contest ever. Here's how it works. You pick a team to win each week, so you got to get your week one pick in right now. And you can't pick the same team twice. And that's it. You just last as long as you can pick the team that you think they're not losing this week. And if you last long enough, you're going to be in that money in that $250,000, completely free to enter. It's really exciting. FanDuel is a ton of fun. It makes the games more fun to watch. To get into the free $250,000 Survivor contest, just go to FanDuel.com fantasy footballers. That's FanDuel.com fantasy footballersenS. Plus new users are going to get a $20 bonus when you make your first deposit on FanDuel. So come play with us [e-mail] fantasy footballers.

[Mike Wright]

We want to thank Pristine Oxen for sponsoring today's show. The only place you need to go to get your autograph sports memorabilia. We got the money, man. We got the newly paid Odell Beckham. His signed jersey up on the wall. Luckily I was able to grab that for not a lot of money because that's what's happening at Pristine Auction. Every single day they have hundreds of new things up for grabs. You're getting deals, you're getting steals like a Lev Bell signed Steelers jersey. All these auctioned recently. 87 bucks. A Keenan Allen signed Chargers jersey. Just $78. The aforementioned Corey Clement grab his stuff before he breaks out. Signed Eagles logo football. Just $31. You never have to worry about the signatures from Pristine Auction. We know these guys. They are good people. They work with only the best autograph certifiers in the business. Check them out at Pristine Auction. That's P R I S T I n e auction.com. you make a completely free account. You let them know that the fantasy footballers sent you. All bids are free. You only pay for what you win.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's move on to sleepers.

[Jason Moore]

Sleepers.

[Andy Holloway]

That's nice. That's nice, Mike.

[Mike Wright]

It's a little zeppy.

[Andy Holloway]

So we've each got a sleeper. We want to talk to you. Speaking of sleepers, people keep messaging. They do the all off season. I get it. Because you're joining leagues and things like that. Where do you play? You play on Yahoo. Do you play on NFL? Do you play on, you know, mfl? Do you play on espn? I'm telling people they should check out Sleeper.

[Jason Moore]

Yum.

[Andy Holloway]

You gotta check because the sleeper app, years ago it was just breaking news and we, we talked about it then. I mean those guys over there, they got that startup mentality. So there's always updates and stuff on the sleep.

[Jason Moore]

Smart guys.

[Andy Holloway]

Very smart. But you have to check it out now for the leagues because I'm seeing stuff in There every single week. It's just better designed. Like I was importing draft results on ESPN this past weekend and I still can't believe I have to do that by hand. Like it's just a silly process. And sleeper. I logged in there this morning and I saw two scoring options that because a lot of times people want to do unique things in their league. One was, I know you hate kickers, Jason, but if you have kickers in your league, they now let you do 0.1 point per yard above 30 yards. So if you give three points for a kick, a kick and then you do 0.1.2 for every yard, I thought that was pretty innovative. The longer the field goal you get point one. And then they let you punish quarterbacks if they give up a pick six versus just a pick. So if you're getting into that pick six range, you can punish them. There's just something new and there's a lot of dynasty and a lot of trade related stuff that is more unique and better built in. Sleeper. So you got a sleeper section. You might as well mention the sleeper app. It just impresses me because you want to see people actually moving forward in that area. All right. My sleeper, Ricky Seals, Joe, tight end for the Arizona Cardinals.

[Mike Wright]

It felt a little less enthusiastic today, Jason.

[Andy Holloway]

So it's because it's my sleeper and not his.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

All right.

[Andy Holloway]

To me, when I see what's going on in Arizona, you have a lot of unknown behind Larry Fitzgerald in the past catching space. Larry Fitzgerald, David Johnson, you know they're going to get theirs. But Christian Kirk, Bryce Butler, Chad Williams, J.J. nelson. J.J. nelson. Oh my goodness.

[Jason Moore]

You.

[Andy Holloway]

You live to drop passes, J.J. i don't know why, but I don't see a lot of clarity behind Fitz and David Johnson. And what I do see is a very accurate Sam Bradford that is presently healthy in that offense and a Ricky Seals Jones that is running routes pretty much every time he's on the field. This was a guy who was a wide receiver throughout his entire collegiate career, a five star recruit, a pass catcher by nature. And I think he's going to end up a favorite target for Sam Bradford.

[Mike Wright]

Yes, he will.

[Andy Holloway]

In the beginning of the season and he's going basically undrafted. I was the last person to draft the tight end in our league of record draft and I ended up with Ricky Seals Jones and I'm cool with it. And then Graham Barfield, friend of the show, he went out and tweeted a couple of very interesting things about Ricky Seals Jones. One basically saying he deserves A lot more hype as the late round tight end because The Cardinals have 271 targets available in that offense. He's played on 87% of first team snaps in preseason and they open the season against Washington. The Redskins have given up the 4th most, 3rd most and 8th most yards per game to tight ends over the last three years. I think that he is a absolute sleeper. Teams can start him week one, you can go out there and get him and start him week one. I think Ricky Seals Jones is going to. And he flashed last year. I mean he had opportunities, he scored touchdowns, four games of over 18 yards of reception and the team just likes him and they need him. You know, it's not, it's not like a tight end that's got a bunch of talent, but you're stuck behind three or four, five, six pass catchers. You know ASJ like I like ASJ in Jacksonville. I just don't, I don't see a pathway to him being a week to week guy. At least I see the pathway with Ricky Seals Jones.

[Jason Moore]

Sure, I think that's fair. And while Mike McCoy has had, you know, Antonio Gates and great weapons, he has also utilized the tight end position over the course of his head coaching and offensive coordinating. So there are a lot of things pointing towards a quality breakout year for Ricky Seals Jones. I mean, look, you want to talk sleepers, usually a good way to target great sleepers are look for undrafted rookies who really showed you something that year. Because look, the NFL draft community, they put in all this time, they do all this work and I'm talking in the NFL, the scouts, but every year they get things wrong and they make it up by going out and signing these guys that went undrafted who break out. And that's another one of my sleepers. That's where I'm going. I'm going with an undrafted free agent wide receiver who broke out the second half of last year. Whether you realize it or not, Keelan Cole, we talked about him with the injury to Marcus Lee, I mean he is now has the opportunity to be the number one wide receiver for a team and he's going in the 14th round. Even after this, even after this injury, he'll get about a couple rounds.

[Mike Wright]

People, people are mad about Keelan Cole and they might say that he's rising.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, Paul Reiser reference. I like it. Here's a little bit that you might not know about Keelan Cole. Okay? First of all, he went to a powerhouse school. Ever heard of Kentucky Wesleyan College?

[Andy Holloway]

Sounds made up.

[Jason Moore]

This is why? He was undrafted. He went to a small school. Can you even trust it? Obviously the competition must have been, I don't know, inferior because you've got a guy who for three straight years, here's his yardage, 15, 16 yards, 1,345 yards and 1,400 yards. Here's his touchdowns, 21 touchdowns, 17 touchdowns and 15 touchdowns. He dominated in college. It was inferior competition, but you can't argue that he wasn't dominant in college. And then he gets brought into the NFL undrafted, works his way through the practice, through the, you know, between the Sundays weeks, gets on the field. And what does he do when he's on the field? You might not realize, but the second half of the year his target pace was over 100 and it was 114 targets. That was his pace the second half of the year. And if you just look at the last five games where they really started getting a connection going, I mean, this is a little ridiculous because he had some touchdowns. Skews the numbers. But over the last five games, from week 13 on, you want to take a guess where he was in the wide receiver range?

[Andy Holloway]

Weeks 13 on, I'm going to guess number 10. That's my guess. That's my guess.

[Jason Moore]

Hot guess.

[Mike Wright]

I'll go higher.

[Jason Moore]

What?

[Mike Wright]

Blake the Snake was the number two.

[Jason Moore]

Quarterback and he had the number three wide receiver. Keelan Cole was on fire. So the point is not that, oh, he's going to be a top five wide receiver.

[Andy Holloway]

He's done it.

[Jason Moore]

It's that he can do it. He now has the opportunity with Marquis Lee injured, and he's who I would take my shot on because he's shown it in college. He's now shown it for a small sample in the NFL and has the.

[Andy Holloway]

Opportunity, if there's something that exists that's called a safe sleeper. Keelan Cole feels as close to that as possible right now because of the circumstances surrounding Lee, the fact that they need to lean on some people. And he's, I mean, you know, Moncrief is new, right. Keelan Cole was there and has the report. I like it. I mean, I, I still think it's going to be a week to week thing where some weeks you're happier with a different guy, but still he's a.

[Mike Wright]

Super late round guy. You're not drafting him to immediately plug into your starting lineup.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. You don't have to draft Cole until at least the double digits.

[Mike Wright]

All right. The guy I want to talk about, he's also a wide receiver who's going currently in the 11th round on fantasy football calculator. That's Alan Hearns.

[Andy Holloway]

Dallas's situation so similar to Jacksonville's and I. Hearns went in the last round of our league of record draft which.

[Mike Wright]

You can think whatever. You can think whatever you want about Alan Hearns and I will.

[Jason Moore]

Good.

[Mike Wright]

I'm glad but it's. But he has the opportunity to be the number one wide receiver on this team. Dez Bryant and his 132 targets are gone. Jason Whitten and his 87 targets are gone. Bryce Butler only had 23 targets.

[Jason Moore]

But.

[Mike Wright]

But they're gone too. Alan Hearns could be the number one guy. And here are players who are going in front of Alan Hearns in the draft. Rookie D.J. moore, rookie Calvin Ridley, Sterling Shepard, Kelvin Benjamin. These are wide receivers who are in worse situations.

[Andy Holloway]

You would not. You would not take Alan Hearns over Kelvin. Benjamin over Kelvin? No way.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

No way.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

That's stupid.

[Mike Wright]

How is that stupid?

[Andy Holloway]

Because Kelvin's the guaranteed one and Hearns can go anywhere from one to three behind Gallup and Terrence Williams. It's stupid.

[Jason Moore]

But they guaranteed one for a worse offense.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

What happened to all the hate for Dak Prescott and the offense?

[Mike Wright]

Well, there's concern.

[Andy Holloway]

There's no guarantee that Dallas is passing offense is much worse than built Buffalo's.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, did Buffalo.

[Andy Holloway]

Do you want an Alan Hearns vs. Kelvin Benjamin Water bet on the board?

[Mike Wright]

Water bet that offense at Buffalo is going to be atrocious. Atrocious. And we've actually seen competent play from Dallas. They're not a pass first team but that doesn't matter when you are the number one and. And Dak is flash.

[Andy Holloway]

All those names you mentioned were totally fine. But throwing Calvin Benjamin in there is strange to me.

[Mike Wright]

It's strange to me that he is going. I think there's a round and a half in front of Alan Hurts. Sure, the situation is definitely similar but.

[Andy Holloway]

Who'S the one in Dallas right now?

[Mike Wright]

It's Alan Hurts on the depth chart. I don't know in the depth. I don't have the depth chart in front of me. I can look but to me it is Alan Hurts. There's just. There's such a tremendous opportunity there and he is. He's an actual good wide receiver. He's had a season of a thousand yards and ten touchdowns. I know Kelvin Benjamin has been a touchdown machine but that was a long time ago. So I just. I believe in Alan Hurts far more than I believe in Kelvin Benjamin. Kelvin Benjamin. I fully believe Will just be a clogger of your roster. Bench. And you'll just hold on to him.

[Andy Holloway]

Wow.

[Mike Wright]

And go, man. When the bye week comes, I'm going to be so happy that I have Kelvin Benjamin.

[Jason Moore]

Ah, crap.

[Mike Wright]

I still have him. And I missed out on waiver by pickup.

[Jason Moore]

I can see the arguments for both sides. I could see the argument to taking Allen Robinson, who could be the one for a better offense.

[Andy Holloway]

What about Alan Hearn? Yeah, I'll take Alan Robinson over both of those guys. There's no doubt.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

We're going to talk about.

[Jason Moore]

But I sided the Kelvin side. Oh, yeah. I definitely. If I was on that position. In fact, I have been in that position where I had to draft one of those two guys. I chose Kelvin.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, we're going to talk about Kelvin in a minute.

[Mike Wright]

People are. That's my point.

[Andy Holloway]

But Kelvin is. Kelvin's my value on today's show.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Andy Holloway]

Because he's a ninth round pick and he's the guaranteed number one on that team. We'll get into that. Okay. So I. Look, I have no problem. I lost. There is. I have no problem with Hearns. I think Hearns is a sleeper. I just don't know if Gallup emerges. I don't know if Williams emerges. I don't. Goodness gracious. They don't have a tight end situation that I like right now. They're going to miss Whitten. They're going to miss Whitten a lot. Blake Jarwin looks like he's competent at best. And then Rico Gather is probably going to get cut. That guy was playing in the fourth quarter of the last game.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

They don't.

[Andy Holloway]

Balls bouncing off his chest.

[Mike Wright]

They don't seem to like him.

[Andy Holloway]

His awareness of the football is the problem. He's enormous and he's a big guy and I think he could do stuff, but he's not aware he's still never.

[Jason Moore]

Caught a single pass in an NFL game. So that's that true. I believe that that is true. You believe or you're just.

[Mike Wright]

Wait, you're just throwing it out there now your backup is. Oh, I believe that's true.

[Jason Moore]

I declare it. It is. It is true. He's only done work in the preseason.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, he's a big boy, but you don't get fantasy points for being large.

[Mike Wright]

That's true.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, let's move on to values.

[Jason Moore]

Values, by the way.

[Andy Holloway]

I don't know why I do that sometimes. Just so excited. Yeah. You have your value Hit squad article that's released and you can go Read it and then get a value in every round. We each picked out a value. Might as well start with Kelvin Benjamin. Look, you said some of the things that are true about him, which is he's a red zone talent, right? He's enormous. He's looked pretty darn good in the preseason. And I don't care if it's Peterman, I don't care if it's Josh Allen. I don't even care if they only throw for 200 yards a game. I mean, he's the number one option. He'll be the most targeted option. The talent, I believe, of Josh Allen, his ability will, you know, he'll force the ball downfield. And he's got a wide catch radius. I mean, if you have a guy say what you will about Josh Allen, I know this was a bad start compared to the first two. You need a guy with a wide catch radius. He has the comp that Josh Allen is like Cam Newton, which a lot of people like to make. Cam Newton found a home in the arms of Kelvin Benjamin. And Kelvin Benjamin is going in the ninth round. I snagged him in our league of record draft. I was extremely happy about getting him where I got him. And there's no competition at all. Corey Coleman might not even make this roster. Charles clay has never surpassed 500,000 yards on this team. Calvin Benjamin is just locked and loaded. I mean, if you, we were going into last season and there were people hyping up about Quincy and Noonwa being the de facto number one on a bad jets offense, like you just gotta take the targets and receptions and know that it's better than having a third or fourth option on another team.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, if you want, if you want proof that we believe it, you just look at the fact that in our league of record you drafted him. And in the listener league draft I drafted him. It's not that we love Kelvin Benjamin or think he's talented, it's that the value he represents for where he's going in a draft, it is. People have been burned by Kelvin. People have made a lot of fun of Kelvin. You know, he's not the fastest, he's not the best router. He's just a big guy. And so you kind of look down on him. And because of those narratives, people don't want to draft him. They don't want to hear when they draft him, someone else in the draft room go, oh, have fun. Lumber down the field with that guy. But the reality is he's going to get targets. He's going to get targets around the end zone if the Bills can ever get near there. And you know, for where he's going. I agree, Andy. He has a value. My value is a really easy, obvious buy the dip guy. That should absolutely. I mean, you want to talk, here's. I don't even need to tell you anything else about this guy other than this. A couple weeks ago he was a fourth round selection. Going in the fourth round. People want him. Gets a little nicked up. He's banged up. He's going to miss preseason. Okay. He's back now at practice. So he's. He's ready to go. You're not worried about him missing and he's in the eighth round. He has. That is the definition of a value. He was a fourth rounder until he got injured. He's no longer injured. He's an eighth rounder. I'm talking about rookie running back who, you know, I just threw some shade on. Rookies for the Patriots who I just threw some shade on at the consigliere, my fitness consigliere. Sony, Michelle, you know that's, that's what fantasy football is about. It's about price.

[Andy Holloway]

You said it.

[Jason Moore]

Buying the dip value and buying the dip. And you know, regardless of my, you know, they're not mutually exclusive. Right. In the eighth round. Sony, Michelle, whether or not he's a top 15 back is a value. You've got a guy who is a first round NFL draft pick. That's some serious capital to spend for a team that has been historically great and needs him. You know, with some of the injuries and the suspensions that the team has had, they want him, they need him. You know that they have the coaching staff to utilize him. That's why he was in the fourth round. And so yeah, buy the dip. If you have not drafted yet, he's back in practice, he's healthy. Get him.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, his price is about to go up as well.

[Jason Moore]

You get him now or he's going to start. Yeah, I mean he'll be back in the fourth round. Well, he probably won't get back up there. Yeah, I doubt we see him probably.

[Mike Wright]

Get up to like the sixth round or so. My value that I want to talk about, who I think is one of the ultimate values at the wide receiver position and that is Kenny Stills, wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins. You have kind of the obvious things that are there. Jarvis and his 161 targets gone. Devonte Parker has the broken finger. He has still not been cleared to catch as of Yesterday. And my sources are reporting that is a very important part of the wide receiver position. And on top of that, Kenny Stills has actually been good. He's been usable for fantasy football. Last year he was a wide receiver 1 or 2 in 31% of his games. You may not realize this because the games aren't as big, but that's the same percentage of games, of usable games as Julio Jones and Ty Hilton last year. And Kenny Stills is now the number one guy on this team.

[Jason Moore]

And he's a good wide receiver. Yes, Mike and I have loved Kenny Stills forever. I mean, yes, I do believe that.

[Mike Wright]

He is a good wide receiver. In 2016, he had over 700 yards and nine touchdowns. Last year, almost 850 yards, six touchdowns. Those aren't. Those are not elite numbers. But this is a wide receiver going in the 10th round.

[Andy Holloway]

Kenny Stills or Calvin Benjamin?

[Mike Wright]

Kenny Stills, man, I don't get it.

[Andy Holloway]

You see this, right, Jason? I see a lot, the lack of logic behind this, but.

[Jason Moore]

But I also.

[Andy Holloway]

Why do you keep picking?

[Jason Moore]

Like, here's the thing, though, guys that.

[Andy Holloway]

Aren'T guaranteed to be the one. I mean, do you like the Miami offense?

[Mike Wright]

So let's.

[Jason Moore]

Okay.

[Mike Wright]

Was Kenny Stills the number one on his team last year?

[Andy Holloway]

No.

[Mike Wright]

And he had over 100 targets.

[Andy Holloway]

I know. I like Kenny Stills. I just don't understand. You make all these comments about the Bills. You disparage them overtly on the show today.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

They're going to be really bad.

[Andy Holloway]

And Miami. You don't like Miami, do you?

[Mike Wright]

More than the.

[Andy Holloway]

We've talked a lot about Miami's offense.

[Mike Wright]

More than Buffalo.

[Andy Holloway]

But Stills, Amendola, Wilson, Parker, Drake. Five options on a team that you don't like very much.

[Jason Moore]

Well, yes, but you're.

[Mike Wright]

You're then completely throwing out Shady McCoy, who will be the target leader for the Buffalo Bills. I mean, and they actually have a competent quarterback.

[Andy Holloway]

Shady McCoy will not be the target leader over Kelvin Benjamin. I don't think so.

[Jason Moore]

Here's the thing. I have Kelvin ahead of both Alan Hearns.

[Mike Wright]

I'm really.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm not. I just don't get it. I want to talk about it. This is what this show's all about is it's not about just going through the motion.

[Mike Wright]

Right?

[Andy Holloway]

About talking through these logic points and disagreeing. And that's all I'm doing is saying I like Kenny Stills as a pick here. He's the safest possible option there. When we were in our league of record draft, every single person passed on Miami wide receivers because nobody knew what to do it was kind of like when you had a choice of a Miami wide receiver or drafting someone else. People always chose someone else the whole draft. I think Stills went in the supplemental rounds of our draft, but that's not.

[Jason Moore]

Always the wise thing to do sometimes. Mike gave a tip early in the off season of get your hands dirty in these murky situation. Right. Because someone does come through. And that's what I was going to say is Alan Hearns, Kenny Stills and Kelvin Benjamin, they're all within six picks of each other in my ranking. So you just got to value. I think it's a, you know, it's one of those team things too where you go, do I need safe, Do I need upside? You know, do I, you know, those type of things come into which I would take Kelvin over both those guys, but not by much.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. I mentioned it earlier, by the way. I guess I should run those back real quick. Kelvin Benjamin, Sonny Michelle, Kenny Stills. And then our sleepers were Ricky Seals, Jones, Keelan Cole and Alan Hearns. You can see more of them, all of our consensus sleepers, breakouts, bus and values and the ultimate draft kit@ultimate draft kit.com I mentioned it earlier. We were, we were really excited this year to partner with the American Cancer Society and their Crucial Catch program, which is in association with the NFL, to donate a portion of every Ultimate Draft Kit sale to the Crucial Catch program to give back with the Ultimate Draft Kit product. And so a piece of that is we have the opportunity to talk to some of the ambassadors for that program, including Kyle Rudolph, and ask him some questions both about Crucial Catch and about fantasy football. I want to share that interview with you guys now. So let's go ahead and talk to Kyle.

[Jason Moore]

You talking to me?

[E]

All right. The fantasy footballers are excited to welcome in two time Pro bowl tight end of the Minnesota Vikings, Kyle Rudolph. Kyle is an American Cancer Society ambassador and supporter of their Crucial Catch partnership with the NFL. Welcome in, Kyle.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Thanks for having me.

[E]

Absolutely. So since partnering on this end with the American Cancer Society and Crucial Catch, we have been happy to learn that they are not only helping lead the charge on breast cancer awareness, but that they have expanded that initiative to other types of cancer as well. What inspired you to get involved with Crucial Catch and what should our fans know about it?

[Kyle Rudolph]

Well, a little bit about my background. You know, my younger brother was born with neuroblastoma. I was about 15 months old at the time. So my family had to change things very quickly around our house and adapt to having a newborn with cancer and so I've always been very passionate about pediatric cancer. You know, my. My brother is now 27 years old and a cancer survivor. My family was very fortunate. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. And through a lot of our work at University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, you know, we've gotten to know a lot of families that have been on the other end of that. So not just pediatric cancer, but cancer as a whole doesn't discriminate, and it affects people of all walks of life. So it's something that I'm very passionate about and try to do everything I can to support.

[E]

Yeah, we. We heard over here that at training camp recently, you surprised several different types of cancer survivors with Vikings tickets. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

[Kyle Rudolph]

Yeah, it was awesome. You know, on behalf of ACS and myself to have. I think we had over 10 survivors and their families out to practice during training camp, got them hooked up with field passes and got them nice and close to the action. Then afterwards, I was able to surprise them with tickets to our crucial catch game this coming October. So I'm looking forward to having those families, the patients, the survivors and their families, down to U.S. bank Stadium for our game.

[E]

That's awesome. You know, we're a fantasy football show, so our listeners wouldn't forgive us if we didn't ask you a couple of fantasy questions. So I'm curious, Kyle, do you play fantasy football, or what are your thoughts on fantasy as a whole? We've asked this of a number of players that have joined us on the show.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Well, it's amazing because, you know, you think back, you know, fantasy football has really taken off, say, the last 10 years or so, and the popularity of fantasy football, it's kind of drives fandom throughout our game. And no longer. Our kids growing up as fans of their team, where they live. They're fans of their fantasy team and players.

[E]

Right.

[Kyle Rudolph]

I've been around fantasy football my entire life. My dad started with his buddies from high school as seniors in 1978, a fantasy football league, and they still have it going to this date. So I've been around fantasy football my entire life. I know how much it affects our game and the fandom around our game. It's kind of what rules the roost nowadays.

[E]

It's true. And I imagine you went a few rounds higher in your dad's league than maybe some others.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Yeah, he actually didn't even draft me. It's a keeper league. Yeah, it's a keeper league. So, you know, my dad had Dan Marino his whole career. Peyton Manning his whole career. You know, a number of players his entire career. So obviously in a keeper league, you know, for the most part, your roster is pretty set and you're just picking guys here and there, rookies every year. Yeah. And one of my dad's best friends had to take me because my dad took someone else, so.

[E]

Oh, my God.

[Kyle Rudolph]

I think since then he's traded for me and I just hear about it when I don't score enough touchdowns because it's a scoring only league. It's old school. They don't do PPR and yards and catches and all that. It's a strictly touchdown.

[E]

Yeah, I guess when you got started back then, that's what people were doing and they they've kept it that way. What's, what's it been like working with the new quarterback with Kirk Cousins this year and, and what are some things you're excited about there?

[Kyle Rudolph]

Kirk's been a great addition. You know, he's a guy that's come in, obviously, he's had a ton of success throughout his career in Washington and, you know, he came in day one and, you know, really showed us his work ethic, his attention to detail. He's a natural leader. He doesn't have to try to be someone that he's not. When you're the franchise quarterback, you're going to be a leader of our offense and of our team, whether you like it or not. You know, a lot of times guys are kind of forced into that role and it's something that comes very naturally for him. He's an extremely hard worker and it's been fun. Nobody's a bigger competitor than he is. He truly tries to win every play and period that we have in practice. And we go against a pretty good defense every day.

[E]

Yeah, absolutely. I know that a lot of our listeners are, us included, are very excited to see how the Vikings season transpires. Let's get you out on this one. Is there, is there an offensive player on the roster that has impressed you in camp that maybe, maybe some people in the fantasy football community don't know about or hear about enough?

[Kyle Rudolph]

Well, I mean, there's. I'm biased, obviously. I'm around our guys each and every day, and I feel like we have just so many playmakers, you know, on the outside with digs and feeling, you know, then you go to the backs and everyone's talked about Dalvin coming back off the surface. He's worked extremely hard and got himself back to a level, you know, not many guys ever reach and, you know, he's a special talent. But I think one guy who kind of gets lost in the shuffle a lot is Latavius Murray. Latavius was coming off an ankle surgery last year and, you know, had a bit of slow start to the season. But Latavius looks, you know, as good as I've ever seen him, you know, versus competing against him, also, seeing him every day in practice. So, you know, obviously Dalvin deserves a lot of attention. He's done unbelievable things to get himself back to where he is. But I look forward to Latavius having a big year as well.

[E]

Yeah, that's a great tandem in the backfield. We really appreciate you joining us today. And for more info on how you can support Kyle and the American Cancer Society with crucial catch this season, go to cancer.org crucialcatch and get your own personalized prevention plan using the defender. Because when it comes to cancer, offense is the best defense. Thank you so much for joining us, Kyle.

[Kyle Rudolph]

Yeah, you bet. Thanks for having me.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, special thanks to Kyle Rudolph for joining us on the show again, sharing that story with us. An important cause and we're proud to support the American Cancer Society with the ultimate draft kit. Everybody who's purchased one a portion is going to that program. And again, it's interesting. I'm a big Latavius Murray fan because I just believe a lot in the confidence of a head coach and the confidence of a staff. Sometimes that supersedes anything else. You could say all you want for fantasy about Dalvin Cook and wanting to get every carry, but to me, he is an RB2 and that's the ceiling because I think Latavius Murray is going to be used and involved and he's going to protect Alvin Cook from himself, maybe in staying healthy and being involved in a really, really good offense.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I don't think we should lose sight of what Kyle's saying, though, of Dalvin was first. Dalvin was best. He was. You know, it's. He got. He's gotten back to a level that a lot of guys don't even get to. But yes, Latavius Murray is undervalued in fantasy drafts as well. Hey, everybody, do not forget, do not forget to enter the FanDuel Survivor League. You're running out of time to do it. If you're not a fantasy expert, then FanDuel is the place to play. It's a $250,000 Survivor contest. Look, I'm throwing out my pick. I made my week one pick of the Arizona Cardinals. They're playing Washington. They're at home. I think it's a good one because I'm not going to pick the Arizona Cardinals again later. And that's the thing. You pick one team each week. You can't reuse them. So get in that free $250,000 Survivor contest. Just go to FanDuel.com fantasy footballers. That's FanDuel.com fantasy footballersen. And if you're new to FanDuel, they're going to give you a $20 bonus when you make your first deposit. Come play with [e-mail] fantasy footballers.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, I think that does it for today's show. What else do we got going on this week? Tomorrow's episode, we'll have some preseason lessons. We'll probably get into some average draft position risers and fallers. A lot of drafts taking place between now and the beginning of the season, which is now just, what, 10 days away? Nine days away.

[Mike Wright]

Depends on when you're listening.

[Andy Holloway]

You're going to be watching football this year, Mike. Football? Yeah. Yeah, maybe.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

We've got some new TVs hooked up in the studio.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Make sure Mike doesn't miss anything. Hey, you get a little panicky when you miss something.

[Mike Wright]

I certainly do. And speaking of FanDuel, and if you're going to be playing some DFS, the fantasy footballers DFS podcast is relaunching this week. Go search for it in the Apple podcast. Make sure you are subscribed.

[Andy Holloway]

How much does it cost to listen to?

[Mike Wright]

It is free. The podcast, like this podcast, is completely free. Go get that subscription on. Get ready. The episode will drop this Friday.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Jason Moore]

Wow. The confidence is amazing. I can't wait for Friday to listen to the Fantasy Footballers DFS show.

[Andy Holloway]

Is he really unsure of when it's coming out?

[Jason Moore]

It's Friday now. Now that sometimes you got to say that.

[Andy Holloway]

Are you recording that tomorrow?

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

So that that stars you. The fancy hitman. The verified hitman. And then you've got Ben Cummins.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

And you've got Chris Meaney.

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

A DFS powerhouse. We're very excited to bring the show back.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

People who play on FanDuel DraftKings on draft enjoyed that pod last year. It's a nice opportunity to kind of get a download every week. Give yourself the best odds of having success and competing week to week. Yeah, That's a good reminder. A lot of good shows this week. We'll be into week one stuff next week. I'm excited, guys. I have to play Jason's powerhouse league of record team. Week one.

[Jason Moore]

Next week, man, I'm going to win a championship.

[Andy Holloway]

Jason got a lot of likes and retweets when he posted his roster. He didn't mention the fact he had four first round picks.

[Mike Wright]

Well, he kind of.

[Jason Moore]

I said I sold out last year to go all in this year and that's what I did and that's what I'm doing. And look, I say this, and this is true, if you're listening, you don't win the fantasy football championship at your draft. Stay with us. No, I'm just saying you don't. I do. I mean, I already did it. You guys could all leave.

[Andy Holloway]

He was full Scrooge mcducking it. He walked out of that draft, climbed the ladder and dove into his pile of gold. I mean, the only thing you have to decide is how you know what to do with all the points on your bench week to week.

[Jason Moore]

I'm just gonna, I'm gonna dive into them. I'm gonna, I'm gonna print them out in paper and dive in.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. I don't like the fact that you have a team that if you just randomly switched out your bench for your starters, you wouldn't lose any points anywhere. It's troublesome.

[Jason Moore]

I'm okay with it. I can have Sony Michelle and Amari Cooper on my bench.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, we'll see. We'll follow along with your league of record team of dominance and see, see what you have to do over the course.

[Jason Moore]

We play each other week one and I'm so afraid I'm going to lose.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, it would be so great. Joe Mixon against Indianapolis. I'll take you out. Draft.comballers if you are going to go play on the draft platform, use that code and then a reminder that you can go to draft.the fantasy footballers.com if you want a mock draft, get grades from us. We see those all over Twitter. We'll give you each individually a grade and you can check that out as well. All right, I think we're wrapping it up. We're wrapping Mike.

[Mike Wright]

Absolutely.

[E]

Foot Clan.

[Mike Wright]

I hope you crush those drafts. I hope you crush them in the future if you're still to draft. And we will see you tomorrow.

[Jason Moore]

Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast. Join our fantasy football community community on jointhefoot. Com and follow us on Twitter at theffballers.