Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary — “The TRUTH: Top 10 Fantasy QBs + Wheel of Shame” (2026-01-15)

Episode Overview

In this lively “Truth” installment, hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike “The Fantasy Hitman” Wright break down the reality behind the top 10 fantasy QBs from the 2025 season. The trio analyzes key performance metrics, discusses consistency vs. upside, exposes fantasy-relevant narratives, revisits bold preseason takes, and debates the value of next year’s QB pool. As always, the banter is strong, the analysis insightful, and the Fantasy Face Off and Wheel of Shame add a hilarious twist.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

Coaching Carousel Outrage & Impact (04:00–16:00)

• The guys roast Arthur Smith’s candidacy for offensive coordinator (04:18–06:20). Mike is adamant:
  “Arthur Smith sucks for fantasy football. He is a terror. Taking Bijan and Drake London and saying, hey guys, why don't you calm down, let's get more people involved that aren't as good as you. That’s… infuriating.” (05:42, Mike Wright)
• Debate on head coaching “retreads" vs. shooting for a new McVay-style savant:
  “For every Sean McVay that you hire, there are plenty of others that you try. You hope you hire… the next LaFleur. Maybe he’ll be great. Maybe you'll be like, 'oh, you’re the little brother for a reason.'” (08:43, Jason Moore)
• Jalen Hurts “real NFL draft” game: Where does he rank among QBs if you restart the league? Consensus: around 9th–12th overall.

Fantasy QB Scoring: The Macro Trends (31:19–34:30)

• Scoring was DOWN:
  “2025… we did not have one single quarterback average more than 23 fantasy points per game. In the last five years, we had one a year.” (32:28, Andy Holloway)
• Rush attempts from QBs are up; passing attempts/the overall play volume is down.
• Emphasis on “The Truth” series, which measures not just year-end points but week-to-week startability and consistency.

The Top 10 QBs: The Real Truth

1. Josh Allen (Buffalo) (35:52–38:21)

• Still the king of consistency, doing more with less at WR.
  • 3,600 passing yards/25 TDs may look modest, but the rushing TDs (14!) make all the difference.
• Quote: “If you just looked at his passing stats… you’re like, oh, man, it’s not great. 15 rushing touchdowns two years ago, 12 last year, 14 this year… you’re talking hyper super significant rushing touchdown totals.” (36:58, Andy)
• Fantasy take: Allen is always a safe pick, but the hosts plead for Buffalo to get him a new elite WR.

2. Drake May (Washington) (38:26–41:56)

• “Most interesting” fantasy QB for 2025, with a rocket finish (QB7, QB2 in fantasy playoffs).
• Pocket-passer with mobility (450 rushing yards) but “belief in Drake May is believing in a pocket passer to a much greater degree than believing in Jaden Daniels.” (41:33, Andy)
• Note: Will be a hotly contested early-round pick next season, but schedule will be much tougher.

3. Matthew Stafford (LV Raiders) (43:13–45:58)

• “Thorn in my side” for consistency scoring (43:28, Jason). He had many decent (15–18 point) games, pushing up his consistency rank, but wasn’t always winning weeks.
• Devante Adams transformed Stafford’s red zone/TD output.
• High likelihood of over-drafting Stafford next year, akin to what happened with Baker Mayfield post-breakout.

4. Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville) (46:55–51:02)

• Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde season: “Number one [in consistency] in the second half of the season, 21st in the first half.” (47:05, Jason)
• Liam Coen’s offense unlocked Lawrence and inflated rushing TDs (nine this year, only Allen matched that combination of passing/rushing success).
• Overdraft risk: Hosts are wary, but admit Lawrence was electric down the stretch.

5. Dak Prescott (Dallas) (51:55–56:33)

• Consistently a QB1 despite “historically bad” Dallas D and run-game resurgence.
• Ceiling not solely linked to WR George, per Jason, but weapons matter.
• Dak’s volatility is well-known:
  “His consistency has always been below where he finishes though.” (54:49, Andy)

6. Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) (56:34–63:42)

• The ultimate risk/reward for 2026 drafts.
  “You’re going to have to call your shot on Caleb… Top 5 QB drafted… I won’t be that guy pulling the trigger.” (58:09, Jason)
• 58% comp% (only Doer and McCarthy were worse among qualifiers).
• His weapons are elite (Burden, Loveland, Rome Oduzne), but he excelled most against bad defenses.
• The hosts recount their “Oh crap!” game watching him:
  “Whenever he took the snap, especially in shotgun, we’d basically just start screaming at the TV like, ‘Oh, crap.’” (62:54, Jason)

7. Bo Nix (Denver) (63:50–67:12)

• Disappointment relative to expectations: drafted ahead of Caleb/Lawrence/Dak/Stafford, but landed QB7.
• Sputtering accuracy, volatility, and a good defense meant less weekly need for shootouts.
• “I do not think that the way he played this season locks him in as their starter for the next five years.” (65:27, Andy)

8. Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia) (69:12–72:44)

• Prototype of “good, but didn’t return on high draft capital.”
  “Definitely didn’t deliver on a quarterback three draft spot in the third round.” (69:35, Andy)
• Big drop in designed runs. Lost his “league-winning upside”—lowest rate of great games in five years.
• Philly’s offensive shake-up throws next year into uncertainty.

9. Jared Goff (Detroit) (72:59–74:00)

• Finished strong, but high bust percentage (35%). One of those QBs you hated starting yet ended up in the Top 10.

10. Justin Herbert (New England) (74:01–75:07)

• “Her bros” got burned:
  “If you just are playing Justin Herbert or Jared Goff or these guys every single week, they're not going to help you win. You need to get multiple guys or stream off the waiver wire, get a Jacoby Brissett,… play the heaters.” (74:19, Jason)

Macro QB Strategy Lessons

• Top 6 or Bust: After QB6, the rest will help and hurt you about the same—draft Ray May? Great. Get Bo Nix? Stream.
• Streaming Remains King if you miss on an elite QB or get one of the “disappointments.”
• Offenses with Elite Playcallers (McVay, Cohen, Ben Johnson) inspire confidence, but don’t guarantee fantasy stardom if the player’s profile is shaky.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Arthur Smith Coaching Rumors (04:41):
  “If Arthur Smith is hired to the Arizona Cardinals in three years time, the Arizona Cardinals will be interviewing new head coaches.” — Mike Wright
• On Josh Allen’s Weekly Output (36:58):
  “Not just squeaking into the double digits, you’re talking about hyper super significant rushing touchdown totals that bring up his score.” — Andy Holloway
• On Caleb Williams-Risk (58:09):
  “There will be someone in every single league that will take Caleb so high, Top five quarterback drafted because… he’s gonna be the superstar special, really breakout to the next level player… I won’t be that guy.” — Jason Moore
• “Oh Crap” Caleb Game (62:53):
  “Whenever he took the snap… we’d basically just start screaming at the TV like, ‘Oh, crap.’” — Mike & Jason
• On Streaming, Top 10 QB Truth (74:19):
  “When you get past the top six, they hurt you almost as much as they helped you… either you get one of the studs or you stream.” — Jason Moore

Fantasy Face Off & Wheel of Shame Highlights (75:22–80:39)

• Jason spins the Wheel of Shame, dons a tightly fitting Mask prop, and gamely continues recording. Plenty of visual gags & laughs about “the mask,” superhero glasses, and green face.
• All three hosts (in different stats) pick Colston Loveland as their “more” at Tight End in the Prize Picks segment, crowning him as the pod’s triple unanimous play.
  “Triple Loveland!” (80:05, Andy Holloway)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:00 — Arthur Smith/Coaching Rants & NFC/AFC Head Coach Vacancies
• 16:00 — The “Where Does Jalen Hurts Rank?” Draft Scenario
• 31:19 — Powdered Wig Banter & 2025 QB Scoring Trends
• 34:58 — The Truth Series Explained
• 35:52 — Josh Allen Analysis (QB1)
• 38:26 — Drake May Analysis (QB2)
• 43:13 — Matthew Stafford Analysis (QB3)
• 46:55 — Trevor Lawrence Deep Dive (QB4)
• 51:55 — Dak Prescott Analysis (QB5)
• 56:34 — Caleb Williams Analysis (QB6)
• 63:50 — Bo Nix Reality Check (QB7)
• 69:12 — Jalen Hurts (QB8)
• 72:59 — Jared Goff (QB9)
• 74:01 — Justin Herbert (QB10) & Macro QB Drafting Lessons
• 75:22 — Fantasy Face Off / Wheel of Shame

Takeaways for Fantasy Managers

• Don’t fall for overall season finish—week-to-week consistency and upside matter most, especially for quarterbacks.
• Next year’s draft will see Drake May, Trevor Lawrence, Caleb Williams as major “belief” vs. “caution” pivot points. Know who you’re comfortable riding with.
• If you miss out on a true difference-maker, don’t cling to middling names—be ready to pivot, stream, and play the matchups.

Closing

The episode wraps with the standard antics and a strong reminder that fantasy QB selection is loaded with landmines outside the top tier. Listen to the numbers—but don’t ignore the game tape and coaching context! And, as always with the Fantasy Footballers, have some fun along the way.