Week 1 Matchups + Clyde Debuts, In-or-Out - Fantasy Football Podcast for 9/11

Summary

Fantasy Footballers Podcast Summary

Title: Week 1 Matchups + Clyde Debuts, In-or-Out
Host/Authors: Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, Mike "The Fantasy Hitman" Wright
Release Date: September 11, 2020
Duration Covered: 0:00 – 59:58

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Introduction and Episode Overview

The episode kicks off with a brief advertisement for NFL Game Pass by Andy Holloway (00:00), followed by the welcoming remarks from Mike Wright and Jason Moore (00:26–00:37). The hosts, Andy, Jason, and Mike, introduce themselves and set the stage for a Friday episode focusing on Week 1 NFL matchups, the debut of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and an "In-or-Out" segment analyzing player viability.

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Week 1 Reactions and Clyde Edwards-Helaire's Debut

The discussion begins with reactions to the first week of the NFL season. Mike Wright highlights Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s impressive debut for the Kansas City Chiefs, noting his performance despite the Chiefs’ conservative goal-line attempts.

• Mike Wright (03:16):
  "The big story of the night was Clyde Edwards-Helaire. He had 25 carries, 138 yards on the ground, and a touchdown. It was absolutely wild."

Despite his strong performance, Clyde Edwards-Helaire did not record any receptions during his debut. The trio debates whether Clyde is a suitable goal-line back, ultimately agreeing that he is not designed for that specific role but possesses significant fantasy upside.

• Andy Holloway (05:02):
  "I don't agree. I think Clyde is a goal-line back."

They also discuss Sammy Watkins’ underwhelming performance in Week 1 and debate whether to trade him if available in fantasy leagues.

• Jason Moore (06:27):
  "Trade him if you have. Nobody has him."

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Injury Updates and Their Impact on Fantasy Lineups

A substantial portion of the podcast is dedicated to injury updates affecting key players:

1. Kenny Golladay:

   • Limited practice and uncertain status for the upcoming game.
   • Andy Holloway (11:42):
     "Kenny Golladay did not practice on Thursday. Was very limited today."

2. Cortland Sutton:

   • Sprained AC joint reported but expected to play unless an injection is taken.
   • Mike Wright (13:37):
     "I do think he can play. It's a matter of whether he decides to get an injection."

3. Mike Evans:

   • Hamstring issues could impact his performance against the New Orleans Saints.
   • Mike Wright (14:34):
     "What did he have? He had a full-on goose. Yeah, he may have done that."

4. Others:

   • Updates on David Montgomery, Deontay Johnson, and Noah Fant are provided, emphasizing their availability and potential impact on fantasy lineups.

The hosts emphasize the challenges fantasy players face with early-season injuries and the importance of making informed start/sit decisions.

• Andy Holloway (15:16):
  "Not to play who you drafted. It's one of the biggest challenges that fantasy football players have."

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Detailed Matchup Breakdowns

The trio delves into an analysis of several Week 1 NFL matchups, providing insights into player performances and team strategies.

1. Seahawks vs. Falcons

   • Key Points:

     • Seahawks are two-point road favorites.
     • Debut of Jamal Adams on defense for Seattle.
     • Jason Moore (20:33):
       "This is a game that could very easily hit the over, could have a lot of points scored."

   • Notable Players:

     • Matt Ryan as a fantasy start.
     • Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are highlighted as strong fantasy options.
     • Discussion on tight ends Greg Olson vs. Will Disley.

2. Browns vs. Ravens

   • Key Points:

     • Ravens are 7.5-point home favorites with a 48-point over/under.
     • Emphasis on Ravens' strong running game and Browns' potential strategy to control possession.
     • Jason Moore (25:58):
       "This could end up being a game that ends quicker than most as there's so many, you know, rushing plays."

   • Notable Players:

     • Mark Andrews is recommended as a high-value tight end.
     • Concerns about running backs Odell Beckham and Marquis Hollywood Brown facing strong defenses.

3. Chargers vs. Bengals

   • Key Points:

     • Chargers are three-point road favorites with a 42-point over/under.
     • Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow’s debut against the Chargers’ formidable defense.
     • Jason Moore (31:44):
       "Have the ability to pivot on those guys."

   • Notable Players:

     • A.J. Green discussed as a potential sleeper.
     • Austin Ekeler’s workload is under scrutiny.

4. Buccaneers vs. Saints

   • Key Points:

     • Saints are 3.5-point favorites with a 48-point over/under.
     • Tom Brady's team is an underdog for the first time since 2005.
     • Mike Wright (35:05):
       "Tom Brady's team is an underdog in a regular season game for the first time since 2005."

   • Notable Players:

     • A.J. Brown and Alvin Kamara are highlighted, while Gronkowski is viewed skeptically.
     • Chris Godwin and Scotty Miller are recommended starts.

5. 49ers vs. Cardinals

   • Key Points:

     • 49ers are six-and-a-half-point favorites with a 48-point over/under.
     • Air quality in San Francisco under scrutiny.
     • Mike Wright (40:06):
       "It's really hard to install a rookie week of without practicing."

   • Notable Players:

     • George Kittle is a must-start tight end.
     • Kenan Allen and Jordan Reed are potential value picks.
     • Kendrick Bourne is suggested as a sneaky option.

6. Cowboys vs. Rams

   • Key Points:

     • Cowboys are three-point favorites at home against the Rams with a high 50.5-point over/under.
     • Challenges at the running back position due to Rams' strong defensive line.
     • Jason Moore (43:15):
       "I'm not going to play Cam or Malcolm Brown; Rams' defensive line is worrisome."

   • Notable Players:

     • Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, and Michael Gallup are confirmed starters.
     • Tyler Higby and Blake Jarwin discussed with mixed recommendations.

7. Steelers vs. Giants

   • Key Points:

     • Steelers are 5.5-point road favorites with a 46-point over/under.
     • Focus on James Conner and Eric Ebron as key starts.
     • Andy Holloway (46:19):
       "James Conner start of the week. Eric Ebron start of the week."

   • Notable Players:

     • Deontay Johnson’s availability is uncertain.
     • Evan Ingram and Sterling Shepard are under the spotlight.

8. Titans vs. Broncos

   • Key Points:

     • Titans are 2.5-point road favorites with a 41-point over/under.
     • Discussion on Ryan Tannehill, Derek Henry, and A.J. Brown’s potential.
     • Jason Moore (50:56):
       "Practice and a prayer. I like both of those players this week."

   • Notable Players:

     • Melvin Gordon vs. Philip Lindsay/David Montgomery debated for running back starts.

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Fantasy Forecast and Start/Sit Recommendations

The hosts provide actionable fantasy football advice based on the matchup analyses:

• Mark Andrews emerges as a top tight end pick due to his favorable matchup and potential for high target volume.
• Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are consistently recommended for their rapport with Russell Wilson and high ceiling.
• Will Fuller is viewed with caution but considered reliable if targeted appropriately.
• James Conner and Eric Ebron are highlighted as solid options for Steelers matchups, while Melvin Gordon is favored over Philip Lindsay and David Montgomery for the Titans vs. Broncos game.

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"Prop It Like It's Hot" Segment

A new segment in collaboration with Monkey Knife Fight, the hosts engage in prop betting based on player statistics:

• Mike Wright's Prop:
  "Austin Ekeler, more or less 19.5 fantasy points in PPR format. Taking the over." (58:26)

• Andy Holloway's Prop:
  "Jimmy Garoppolo passing yards: Over 268.5." (56:44)
  "Kyler Murray passing yards: Over 229.5." (57:53)

Notable Quotes:

• Mike Wright (56:44):
  "Last year Jimmy Garoppolo averaged 249 passing yards a game. He was only over that threshold six times."

• Jason Moore (57:53):
  "I'm taking the over for both Garoppolo and Kyler Murray."

• Andy Holloway (58:26):
  "Start Josh somewhat or develop in their roles. I'm taking the over on Austin Ekeler."

The hosts encourage listeners to participate in the prop betting via Monkey Knife Fight, emphasizing its alignment with fantasy football knowledge.

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Conclusion and Closing Remarks

The episode wraps up with a brief advertisement for Monkey Knife Fight and a reminder about supporting the podcast through jointhefoot.com for additional resources like injury updates and premium projections (56:44). The hosts tease upcoming live streams and future games, emphasizing ongoing analysis and support for fantasy football enthusiasts.

• Mike Wright (58:48):
  "If you want to support this independent podcast, visit jointhefoot.com for a whole bunch of goodies."

• Andy Holloway (59:41):
  "This afternoon. And Mike is Sunday. He's gonna be there for Sunday live once again this year."

The hosts sign off by thanking listeners and directing them to their website and social media channels for more content and updates.

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Key Takeaways

• Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a standout debut, signaling strong fantasy potential despite limited receptions.
• Injury Updates are critical in Week 1, impacting several key players' availability and performance.
• Matchup Analyses provide deep insights into player performances and strategic start/sit decisions.
• New Prop Betting Segment offers an engaging way to leverage fantasy football knowledge in different betting formats.
• Start/Sit Recommendations focus on high-value players with favorable matchups and reliable performances.

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Notable Quotes:

• Mike Wright (03:16):
  "Clyde Edwards-Helaire had 25 carries, 138 yards on the ground, and a touchdown. It was absolutely wild."

• Jason Moore (06:27):
  "Trade him if you have. Nobody has him."

• Andy Holloway (15:16):
  "Not to play who you drafted. It's one of the biggest challenges that fantasy football players have."

• Mike Wright (35:05):
  "Tom Brady's team is an underdog in a regular season game for the first time since 2005."

• Mike Wright (56:44):
  "Last year Jimmy Garoppolo averaged 249 passing yards a game. He was only over that threshold six times."

• Jason Moore (57:53):
  "I'm taking the over for both Garoppolo and Kyler Murray."

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Resources and Further Information:

• Website: www.thefantasyfootballers.com
• Twitter: @the_ffballers
• Support the Show: jointhefoot.com
• Monkey Knife Fight Promo: Use code BALLERS for a 100% deposit match up to $50.

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This summary encapsulates the key discussions and insights from the Fantasy Footballers' Week 1 podcast episode, providing valuable information for both seasoned fantasy players and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Andy Holloway]

Hey, Foot clan. This season, get football on your time with NFL Game Pass. You can catch every snap from every game with full game replays and you can see all the plays in just 45 minutes. With condensed games, you'll learn from the league's best players in over 40 film session episodes. And you get access to the entire NFL Films archive. Just go to NFL.comFootballers to start your free trial today. NFL Game Pass, where football never stops.

[Mike Wright]

Hey, this is David Johnson and you're listening to the fantasy Footballers podcast.

[Jason Moore]

Welcome to the fantasy footballers podcast with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.

[Andy Holloway]

Ah, welcome in. Welcome into the show. Friday, September 11, Annie, Mike and Jason, the fantasy footballers. Back with you. A Friday episode. Had a moment last night when that football was kicked off.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, oh, the. You talking like the. The release of three months of clenched butt cheeks.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Yep. Three months. I had a lot more than three months. I know. It was. It was incredible. It was so much fun. Enjoyed the game with the family. I know you guys did the same. And wow, we're here. We did it. We got to football and it was fun. It was a lot of fun. YouTube.com the fantasy footballer subscribe, click the bell. We're going to go live this afternoon. Answer some questions over on the YouTubes so you can join us. Twitter @the ffballers. The fantasy footballers.com is the website. We've got the DFS pass over there. We got DFS articles, tools. If you are playing DFS this year, you want to check that out for sure. It's Friday.

[Jason Moore]

It is.

[Andy Holloway]

That's a big deal.

[Jason Moore]

Put clan Friday.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Every Friday we give something away from Pristine auction and today's winner, Lewis Walker. Lewis, Lewis.

[Jason Moore]

You old dog.

[Andy Holloway]

You old dog. He won a signed Devonte Adams jersey. So congratulations. Thank you for supporting the show. [e-mail] you can use that code BALLERS and you get $10 [e-mail] congratulations.

[Mike Wright]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

Lewis Yold so and so. All right, Reactions to last night's game.

[Mike Wright]

It was awesome to watch football.

[Andy Holloway]

Fantasy reactions to last night.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, it's so many awesome to watch. Clyde Edwards a lair and David Johnson.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

The big story of the night was Clyde Edwards a lair. And it was just, just like everything else for 2020. It was like, here's what you're expecting, but here's what we're gonna give you. And we still got the massive fantasy game for the Rookie. You know, 25 carries, 138 yards on the ground and a touchdown. But that's, that's the wild part. I was expecting Clyde Edwards to layer, Maybe he gets 15 carries and then you're like, he covers it with, you know, a handful of receptions. Except he had two targets and no receptions. It was absolutely wild. But he looked, oh man, he looked so good on that touchdown run.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, the cutback.

[Mike Wright]

He just left two defenders absolutely broken on the ground. He looked electric. He is going to be incredible to me. But, but, oh, yes, voice of public opinion.

[Andy Holloway]

But Mike, he failed on all six of his goal line attempts.

[Mike Wright]

He certainly did.

[Andy Holloway]

Did you know Lev Bell only had six goal line attempts?

[Jason Moore]

All.

[Mike Wright]

He certainly failed. I, from my perspective watching the film, his offensive line failed him miserably. For the vast majority of those. When you have to spin out of the way because J.J. watt is in the backfield only to be clobbered by somebody else, that's not on you. But the big news was the opportunity was there and it kept happening.

[Jason Moore]

I don't, I mean, I said this a couple times last night. I don't think he's a goal line back. He's not, he's not made for that role. He's certainly not a big bodied guy. And when you get on the goal.

[Mike Wright]

Line, is Nick Chubb a go?

[Jason Moore]

Yes.

[Mike Wright]

And he failed over and over last year.

[Andy Holloway]

I don't agree. I think Clyde is a goal lineback.

[Jason Moore]

My point is when you got on the goal line, you had, you know, it was different because they were opening up holes through the twenties. It was. Once you get to that goal line package and the defense puts all their big guys in, I don't think Andy Reid's going to keep that strategy going forward. He's a great offensive mind. He's going to get down to the goal line and he's going to give it to Clyde Edwards a layer still, but not just to run it up through a jumbo package up the middle. Agreed. They're going to be more creative.

[Mike Wright]

And it felt like Kansas City just was toying with the Houston Texans the entire time. I don't think we saw anything unleashed from Kansas City. They're like, oh, wow, we can just give it to the rookie 25 times.

[Andy Holloway]

So, yeah, you would. Look at last night, we didn't know what to expect. Clyde Edwards alert, no receptions right in the game, no success on the goal line. Still a massive fantasy football week. He's going to have some huge games this year.

[Mike Wright]

This year he's going to be great.

[Andy Holloway]

He's not Saquon Barkley, but he is a huge step up for this team, low center of gravity breaks tackles. And I was impressed with the debut. Mahomes was Mahomes. He. When you talk about just kind of toying with the defense, it was a casual 211 passing yards. Didn't have to do much in the second half. Three touchdowns. The big story, I mean, it's week one, but Sammy Watkins. Seven for 82 and a touchdown, nine targets.

[Jason Moore]

Trade him if you have.

[Andy Holloway]

What do you mean, trade him? Nobody has him.

[Jason Moore]

If you have him, trade him. I mean, you. I know it's. It's one of those. Well, it's because it happened last year. We just expect it, but at the same time it happened last year. He's always had a lot of targets and I'm not going to hop on the. The put him into my starting lineup until he's done it three weeks in a row.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, I was, that was the question I was going to ask is I was going to bed last night laughing about Sammy Watkins doing his week one thing. And my son played him in our family league last night because he wanted somebody in the game. Genius. And I was asking myself, how many weeks does Sammy Watkins have to be fantasy relevant for me to believe? The answer in my head was five. Five, five weeks.

[Mike Wright]

The answer to me is two. If Sammy Watkins has another game of involvement, you know, eight targets or so, and gives me 40 to 50 yards.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

Then I will play him this fool. Certainly. Look, I totally get that. But this is now four straight good games for Sammy Watkins. They weren't fantasy relevant last year, but this. He had a monster run throughout the playoffs and maybe something was figured out, I don't know. But I'm not playing him next week. I'm not falling for it that quickly.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. On the other side, desean Watson, I mean, frankly, Deshaun Watson was able to put it together with the soft Chiefs defense over the second half.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, that rushing touchdown really saved some things.

[Andy Holloway]

You think he missed? You think he missed DeAndre Hopkins at all?

[Mike Wright]

They looked like a team that needed a number one wide receiver. It's just one week, so I'm not going to incite panic in the streets for Houston Texans fans. But that, that, that looked like, I guess the comp would be for me, I'm going to a different sport. But back when LeBron James was all alone on the Cleveland Cavaliers and the play call was LeBron figure it out. Like that's what was being. That's what was happening to Deshaun Watson. They were saying, oh, Watson figured out. And then Watson goes, oh, oh no. DeAndre Hopkins isn't here. I don't know what to do.

[Andy Holloway]

David Johnson, 11 carries, 77 yards on the ground, a touchdown, three catches, 32 yards. He looked pretty good for a game that was going completely sideways game script wise for David Johnson's involvement.

[Mike Wright]

My favorite part of the game for David Johnson was when he was, he got shook, something happened to his arm and he's on the sideline and then he went full on from the prestige where he was the guy who was injured on the sideline. And then all of a sudden he's back in the game and Duke Johnson is in fact the one who's leaving the field. It was in, it was insane.

[Jason Moore]

Can we replace this injury with the other D. Johnson?

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Jason has David Johnson on a league of record and was in full Jason Moore panic tilt mode the second he walked to the sideline.

[Jason Moore]

I've been known to tilt quickly mid game.

[Andy Holloway]

Will Fuller 8 for 112 was the only notable pass. Catcher Randall Cobb 2 for 23, Brandon Cooks 2 for 20, Kenny Stills, 0 catches. Fuller had one or two drops but he was by far the best receiver on the field. 10 targets.

[Jason Moore]

Hear me out. I think Will Fuller sucked and this was the result. I mean he had 31% of the target share.

[Mike Wright]

Yep.

[Jason Moore]

He ended up with over 100 yards and I don't think he had a particularly great game.

[Mike Wright]

He did not.

[Jason Moore]

And so the thing that has always really been bad about Willful are other than injuries is that even when he's been out there, he has disappeared. If you don't get the big blow up game, the floor is low. But maybe with this Will Fuller the floor is actually safe and you're still going to have the opportunity for big games. He showed me a lot. As far as it wasn't him, it was, he was the clear first read. Now we can't overreact because Brandon Cooks was barely in practice, missed some training camp, was limited. Might still have been limited as far as his speed on the field. But from the takeaway from week one is that you can really trust Will Fuller as of this moment.

[Andy Holloway]

You guys remember months ago when I said I thought the Texans would start oh and four this year and be a disaster.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, it's Baltimore next week.

[Andy Holloway]

Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Minnesota the next three weeks. After what you saw last night, they've got a chance.

[Mike Wright]

You know what?

[Andy Holloway]

Bill O'Brien. Bill O'Brien will find a way to just beat Baltimore next week and that will count as like a 16 game out of jail free. Card.

[Mike Wright]

I take the bet on the other.

[Jason Moore]

Side of that one. No, he won't.

[Andy Holloway]

He finds a way to win these games sometimes, but yeah, it doesn't. Didn't look great. Let's get into the news.

[Jason Moore]

News and notes from around the league.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Kenny Golladay did not practice on Thursday. Was very limited today. Plays on Sunday at 1 Eastern. So Matt Patricia came out, said he wants to be careful. In or out? What do you think?

[Mike Wright]

I think he'll play.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, I guess I think he'll play.

[Andy Holloway]

Are you playing him? Is the more important question for fantasy football players.

[Jason Moore]

If I have a good pivot, a desean Jackson level pivot, I would put in D jacks over Kenny Golladay just.

[Andy Holloway]

To be Kareem Hunter. Kenny Golladay in your flex.

[Mike Wright]

Why is that?

[Andy Holloway]

Why such a random, random choice of possible flex play?

[Jason Moore]

I'm going to be honest with you. The difference there to me is my matchup. If I am great elsewhere and I look like I'm the favored matchup, I would put in cream hunt just to make sure I don't end up with some zero. But if I need a big play and I'm playing a juggernaut in my league, I think you got to roll with Kenny Golladay. Hope for a deep touchdown.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, Cortland Sutton, big news. Yesterday he went down with a shoulder injury in practice. Broncos fans had just stopped gasping from the Von Miller injury. Turned out to be a better than expected report. Sprained right AC joint. However, Cortland Sutton is the Monday Night Football game. We talked to our injury expert, Matthew Betts, who is now hosting a special injury blitz podcast, an exclusive podcast for JoinTheFoot.com supporters after the Friday practice reports come out. Betts is putting out a 15 minute quick injury update podcast. So if you want to get that, go to jointhefoot.com he said, I do think he can play. It's a matter of whether he decides to get an injection. He's not expecting him to practice, though. How much confidence can you really have going into Monday night? If you don't have a pivot on Monday night, you can't play Corland.

[Mike Wright]

No, no, no, no. Because of the Monday night. You gotta look, you gotta bail out and maybe, maybe this changes things for Jerry Judy. So that's the bigger question to me. Jason is, I guess we should be talking about Sutton, but I want to talk about Jerry Judy because he's the new exciting rookie. Are you more, more likely to put Jerry Judy in a lineup as a Flex play. Now.

[Jason Moore]

I don't. I don't yet.

[Mike Wright]

Okay.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, I was already willing to put him into the lineup, so I am willing. But I don't look at this injury and say I'm now I. Now I have to start Jerry Judy. It's a tough matchup. They've got the Titans. And that's part of why I'm not going to trust Sutton. Week one, not knowing, you know, first of all, whether he'll be there and second, how it will impact his production in a tough matchup. You have to pivot Noah Fant a.

[Andy Holloway]

Better play because of potentially more target share.

[Mike Wright]

He's interesting. Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Mike Evans. What's the latest on the hamstring?

[Mike Wright]

So this one really sucks. He was back at practice on Friday, but the matchup, we've seen Mike Evans kind of be stinky stink against the New Orleans Saints and Marshawn Lattimore.

[Andy Holloway]

So what did he have? He had a. Yeah, he had a full on goose.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, he may have done that.

[Andy Holloway]

And then four for.

[Mike Wright]

Look, it was bad. It was bad.

[Jason Moore]

Let's.

[Andy Holloway]

Let's move on to the tough matchup. Hamstring injury.

[Mike Wright]

I don't like it. I'm probably still playing him.

[Jason Moore]

It sounded like you were not going to play him and then you ended with difficult. Probably going to play him.

[Andy Holloway]

It's difficult. Week one.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Not to play who you drafted. It's one of the biggest challenges that fantasy football players have is not going into this being able to pivot out of a higher draft pick for a lower one.

[Mike Wright]

Right.

[Andy Holloway]

To kick the year off.

[Jason Moore]

Well, let me ask you this, Mike. We share a team. We have Mike Evans on that team. Would you rather play Sammy Watkins? Whoops.

[Mike Wright]

Yes, I would like to do that. Can we go back in time?

[Jason Moore]

I'm the commission, so. Yeah. Let me make a note here.

[Andy Holloway]

Deontay Johnson has a recent foot injury. Missed practice on Thursday.

[Mike Wright]

He should be good to go, though.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. David Montgomery upgraded to full.

[Mike Wright]

This is bananas. The recovery that the groin of Montgomery has seen.

[Andy Holloway]

Powerful.

[Mike Wright]

Look, full practice. Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

No, no, no. The important thing here is if you need a start, he should be available. He should be out there. Yep. Yesterday we had my. You know, we talk about Miles Sanders. It's kind of like if Miles Sanders is on the field, you're going to play him this week. He was limited yesterday. Do you think he's in?

[Mike Wright]

I do. And I would like to say this is as excited as I am for football. This is the stupidest week one injury report that we have ever had.

[Jason Moore]

Ever.

[Andy Holloway]

We reject this injury report.

[Mike Wright]

Like Miles Sanders, second round pick, Kenny Golladay, second, third round pick, Mike Evans, second round pick. This is stupid. Injuries are not fair.

[Jason Moore]

Well, and these things, that's how you.

[Andy Holloway]

Know real football is back.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, these things should happen after, you know, they play football.

[Mike Wright]

Right.

[Jason Moore]

Like you draft. I mean, we drafted the day before the.

[Mike Wright]

And it was too soon.

[Jason Moore]

It was too soon. What happened?

[Andy Holloway]

Scrimmages. They're a dangerous game.

[Mike Wright]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

Any other injury news? I mean, do you think Jalen Rager's out there? You're not playing Jalen Rager, are you?

[Mike Wright]

I'm not playing him, but I think that he's going to show up and get some snaps.

[Andy Holloway]

We think Devonte Parker will be in there.

[Mike Wright]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, any other injury updates that you need after this podcast? Like I said, we have a new injury Blitz [e-mail] that you can check out. Very excited about that. Matthew Betts, a great injury expert and we lean on him for all of this injury news.

[Jason Moore]

All right, before we get into the fantasy forecast, want to thank a new sponsor, Shipt. Actually, they're not new for me. I've been using Shipt for about two years and it is excellent. Shipt is delivery done differently. They're expert shoppers. They'll pick up fresh groceries. They'll pick up tech gadgets or video games, even pet supplies from local stores around you that you love. And you can get everything delivered to your door in as soon as one hour. So you can save time for good stuff. You can save time.

[Andy Holloway]

I'm afraid of how much you must use this.

[Jason Moore]

It's one of those things. Well, I mean, put yourself in my shoes. You could either rewatch a show for the hundredth time or take the kids, load them up, go to the grocery store, put on the mask. No, I'm using Shipt. I'm having it come right here. They have really expert shoppers. They can get good quality produce. They can go to so many different local stores around you and get it to you really, really quick. You can try same day delivery for [e-mail] footballers today. That's Shipt S H ipt.com footballers and Foot Clan.

[Mike Wright]

Andy alluded to it a little bit. But just a quick reminder. Jointhefoot.com you can help support this independent podcast and you get a whole bunch of really cool stuff like the brand new injury podcast, premium projections, our flex rankings. The Start sit tool unlocks to four players. I mean, there's our new book. You get it? Look you get a free book. There's an unbelievable amount of goodies over there that you get, so. And look, an extra podcast every single week. If you want to check out that and more. It's jointhefoot.com.

[Jason Moore]

Fantasy forecast.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, we're back into the matchups. Week one, we've got eight games to talk about, so take a deep breath, gentlemen. It's time to go. Oh, let's see if you can do it. All right. On yesterday's show, we talked about the jets and the Bills, Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Miami, New England, Philly, Washington, the Raiders and the Panthers and the Colts and Jacksonville. So if you want those breakdowns, they're on yesterday's episode of the podcast and you can check those out. Let's start here. We have the Seahawks traveling to Atlanta to take on the Falcons. This game has a tight line. The Seahawks are actually two point road favorites. This was very close to my almost upset of the week, 49 point over under that has moved up in recent days. And we get to see the debut of Jamal Adams on the defensive side of the ball for Seattle, whether they can bring back that secondary of old. But what are the big storylines for you in this game? Jason, you have Matt Ryan. You talked about it yesterday. He's your start of the week. Yeah, well, expecting big things.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean, I expect this is a game that could very easily hit the over, could have a lot of points scored. You have two solid offenses, two good quarterbacks, and, you know, you lost Jadevian Clowney on the Seahawks side. Obviously they did add Jamal Adams, which will be very helpful. But I think that this is two offenses that for the most part are together. You know, there's no relearning for Julio and Matt Ryan or relearning for Russell Wilson and Tyler Lockett. Todd Gurley is really the only new offensive piece here between these. So I, Hayden Hurst, I do like the matchup. That's true. Hayden Hurst is out there as well. I like the matchup there. I think Todd Gurley is going to be what all eyes are on on the side. You want to see what we saw from David Johnson last night. You want to go, wow, there's some burst. He looks good. He's able to, you know, carry a full workload. And you also want to see what is that workload? Like, are they going to say, look, he's on a one year deal, we're just going to give him the rock and let him, you know, wear the tires out, or are they going to try to Limit him and save him.

[Andy Holloway]

That'll be a big storyline from week one.

[Jason Moore]

I can't imagine that they limit him. Right. This is a coach that has to win or get fired. They're not going to be. And they're no chewing for the playoffs. It's not like when he was a Ram and they're like, well, let's save him for later because we know we're a good team. They need to win week one.

[Andy Holloway]

It's just a matter of what you're saving for later and what you're not. I mean, they've been impressed with Brian Hill and if Todd Gurley is Todd Gurley of old, let's use him. If he's not you, you aren't increasing your chances to win by playing him. So that's. Does he have it? That's the question.

[Mike Wright]

The thing I'm looking for here is, is Hayden Hurst. We know that Seattle was very similar to the Arizona Cardinals. They were a very plus matchup for the tight end Matt Ryan.

[Andy Holloway]

NFC west coaches got together, they said, I want you all. They all got hypnotized into thinking the tight end on the opposing team doesn't exist.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. Now Jamal Adams is a pretty good band aid for that. So that's what I'm looking for. Like what is the usage of Hayden Hurst?

[Andy Holloway]

You're playing Hayden Hurst though.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, yeah. Look, if you drafted Hayden Hurst, yeah, you're not making a, a pivot at this point. You're playing him in what was a very plus matchup last year. But let's see, what, what type of target share does Hayden Hurst actually get with to does it match the praise that Matt Ryan has just been showering upon Hearst over the off season.

[Andy Holloway]

On the other side of the Gurley matchup, Chris Carson is going to be out there for Seattle. That's something that I am watching closely. One of the things that I was staring down in our recent draft was what do I believe about the workload for Chris Carson? They practice reports are good. Obviously Chris Carson is a great player. Struggled with the fumbling issues which caused some pivots for this offense. But Carlos Hyde is there, also had a good camp. And D.J. dallas, does he start taking some third down reps away from Chris Carson? These are some of the questions I want answered in week one. It's one of the reasons that I went for the ceiling of James Conner in our league of record draft over Chris Carson was because I am a little bit concerned. He had every bit of everything last year for Seattle and I wonder if you know, you combine a little bit more Russell Wilson focused offense with some more bodies in the backfield, whether that workload goes down. So we'll see it this week. Atlanta kind of middle of the pack against the running back position last year. Obviously you're starting Chris Carson in week one, but that's something I'm going to be watching. Jason, you love Tyler Lockett. He's your start of the week.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean, he's one of my guys. He's got the rapport with Russell Wilson and I think both Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are great starts. I don't, you know, it's not like, oh, this is a Tyler Lockett game, so it's not a DK Metcalf game. I believe that those two will both have good games. Every time the other one has a good game and Russ will. It's more a matter of are they passing the ball and I think that the Falcons could keep up here and.

[Andy Holloway]

Then at the tight end position. Are you?

[Mike Wright]

No. Look, we all want to go to Disneyland, but look, it's. It's Greg Olson for now.

[Andy Holloway]

If you were starting one. Yes, Greg Olson.

[Jason Moore]

I did hear Russell Wilson very recently heaping a lot of praise on Greg Olson. So it sounded like to Russ, he was there. He was one of their biggest, you know, offseason acquisitions in his mind. And, you know, I think you could do worse. I probably wouldn't start Greg Olson, but I. That makes me not consider Will Disley.

[Andy Holloway]

The Browns travel to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. Ravens are seven and a half point home favorites here. It's a 48 point over under. I would have actually expected this line to be larger for Baltimore at home, but it's a divisional game. You know, is this going to be another one of those defensive slug fests? Is this going to be more of the same Lamar Jackson we saw last year? It's going to be. This is the bounce back year that you want to see from Cleveland. It has to start in Baltimore, though. Jason?

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. If you are playing against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, what do you need to do as a team if you want any chance of winning? You have to control the time of possession. You have to keep the ball out of Lamar Jackson's hands. You've got to keep your defense. That means you have to run the ball left, right and center and your offensive line has to beat their defensive line and you control the clock. That's what I expect the Browns game plan to be. We already know the Ravens game plan is Going to be run the ball as much as anybody in, you know, league history and then throw it deep. My point is this could end up being a game that ends quicker than most as there's so many, you know, rushing plays, possibly meaning under on the score and a little bit of sadness for some of the pass catching options. I don't know how much that will affect Odell Beckham or Marquis Hollywood Brown, two of fantasy, you know, favorite wide receivers out there. But I don't view this as a great matchup for either one of those players.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, you might need to lean on the Deshaun Watson recipe of last night, which is if this game gets out of hand, if Baltimore gets out ahead at that point, the softer secondary could open things up for, you know, Landry and Beckham. But it does seem like it's going. I mean, I think you're, you're dead on. I think it's going to be a run centric game. It's going to be something, you know, Kevin Stefanski is going to be putting his offense into place in this game against Baltimore. So that 48 point over under Eileen on the underside, it sounds like you do as well. Nick Chubb, though, he's in your lineup. Mark Ingram, he's my start of the week at home against the Cleveland defense. I was 23rd against the running back last year. We'll see if they improve on that. But Ingram is a safe play. Would you. I don't know where you guys sit with Ingram. Do you play Ingram or let's say Love Bell this week?

[Mike Wright]

I would play Mark Ingram. Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

What about Raheem Mostert against Arizona?

[Mike Wright]

Ooh, that's. Man, that's a, that's a tougher call right now. I lean Mosterts, I have them.

[Jason Moore]

But back to back in my rankings, I've got Ingram one spot ahead. I guess that's where I'll lean.

[Andy Holloway]

Are you flexing Cream Hunt in this game? Are you waiting and seeing what this role is?

[Mike Wright]

I'm willing to flex them. This, this matchup is interesting. Like this is. It's far more interesting to me than the Seahawks Falcons. Like, there's going to be a lot of fantasy points in that game, but there are so many offseason storylines to unveil like reveal yourself to us week one because you have. How involved is J.K. dobbins in that workload where it's been talked up a lot right now. The Cleveland Browns offensive line, they spent, you know, big, big money, big draft capital trying to repair it. Odell Beckham the core injury that he had last year, is he truly.

[Jason Moore]

Was that the reason for his crappy season?

[Mike Wright]

Yes. Poor.

[Andy Holloway]

The reason for the season.

[Jason Moore]

I mean, the, you know, was it the injury or, you know, is he. Has he lost it?

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. And then. And then Nick Chubb, Cream Hunt, you know, is it.

[Jason Moore]

How.

[Mike Wright]

How much does that workload actually get split up? Does Cream Hunt get utilized as much as he did at the end of last year? So this is a fascinating game. I don't, I don't disagree, Andy, of your take of, you know, I mean, it's. We AFC north games. This is what they turn into. They turn into just brawls and fights and things like that of just grinding it out, you know, man football.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

But so many things to. So many storylines to be watching in this matchup.

[Andy Holloway]

And A plus matchup for your tight end mandrews.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, Andrews is going to be great. And I want it. I want the Foot Clan listening. You know, I love Hollywood. I want to go to Hollywood. I like. He's one of my guys. This week is a bad matchup for Hollywood Brown. That's how I see it. I mean, you know, Denzel Ward, what's Hollywood's real trait? Right. It's his speed. He's going up against a corner who is a real good corner in general. He's actually just one of the best out there. But who has 4, 3, 2 speed that. I mean, if anyone out there can guard Hollywood, it's going to be someone like Denzel Ward. That's not a matchup I'm in love with, but that makes me think Mark Andrews. Goodness. Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

Andrews is in line for a humongous year. I in leagues where, you know, keeper leagues where I had Kelsey or Kittle, I was looking for ways to cash in on those guys. And because I think Andrews will move into the upper echelon this year, I think he has every shot to do it. This team is. It's still Hollywood and Andrews.

[Jason Moore]

I can attest that behind the scenes you're trying to move your picks around, trade Kelsey away so that you could add a little bit of pick and then grab Mark Andrews, who you think could actually beat Kelsey this year.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, Yeah. I think the path is there. The volume can go up. Los Angeles, the Chargers, they take on the Bengals in Cincinnati. The Chargers are three point road favorites. It's a 42 point over. Under what the debut of Joe Burrow against Joey Bosa and company. I am optimistic about the fantasy options in Cincinnati, but I am less optimistic about the rookie debut of Joe Burrow against this Chargers defense, even though they don't have Derwin James, they are a formidable group and it just takes one or two. Joey Bosa plays to tilt a rookie in their debut. So the, you know, I love playing the Chargers defense in this matchup. We get to see Tyrod Taylor behind center.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. The storylines that I'm watching for in this game, I mean number one, it's, it's A.J. green. We have not seen him play football in quite some time. Allegedly had his first, you know, like 100% practice in quite some time as well. So how is that connection there right away for AJ Green and the rookie quarterback?

[Jason Moore]

Is he in your guys lineup? I know you guys were. You drafted him many, many places. So are you starting him full practice participant?

[Mike Wright]

I'm very, very willing to start him where I drafted him though. It was, you know, six, seventh round. So he was my third, sometimes even my fourth wide receiver. So I'm not forced to play.

[Andy Holloway]

But I'm playing desean Jackson over AJ Green this week because of the matchup. Probably that's the way I lean to.

[Jason Moore]

What about Hollywood Brown?

[Mike Wright]

I would, I would play Brown.

[Andy Holloway]

I'll play Hollywood and Jarvis, I'll play Green.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I'll play, I'll play AJ Green over, over him. And then on the other side, awesome Eckler. Talk about something.

[Andy Holloway]

Austin.

[Mike Wright]

Excellent. That spent. That was an exhaustive off season discussion. What is Austin Eckler? I mean, we know he's very good. Talent is never been the question for Austin eckler. You are 100% starting him. But it's. What is, what is the workload that we've been dreaming of.

[Andy Holloway]

We'll talk about him later too.

[Jason Moore]

I was going to say about.

[Mike Wright]

Oh yeah, let's go.

[Jason Moore]

It's not even about awesome. Excellent. He's, he's a starter for sure. But the question is Justin Jackson, Joshua Kelly? Yeah, like I want to know who's the next man up. Who's. How's that, you know, carry breakdown going.

[Andy Holloway]

At the end of every draft? I'm sitting there and I see Justin Jackson, I see Joshua Kelly. Now I ended up taking neither in this league of record draft, but I'm like, well, one of them is going to have a big workload. I mean there's probably 150 to 200 carries to be distributed beyond Austin Eckler and I don't know where they're going to go.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

And you know, you kind of buy into the rookie but then you see Justin Jackson had a lot of success towards the end of camp. Oh, my goodness. All right. Kenan Allen's the only wide receiver that you can start in Los Angeles. Hunter Henry start of the week at tight end. There will be targets to go around in this matchup, and we'll see if the Bengals defense improved upon, you know, last year they were 28th against the opposing quarterback, Tyrod Taylor.

[Jason Moore]

Taylor's a fine start to me.

[Andy Holloway]

I think so. Like I'd start Taylor over burrow in the same matchup for sure.

[Jason Moore]

I'm not personally, I'm not starting any receiving option for the Bengals in this matchup. I think Joe Mixon has a good. A good week. That's kind of how the Chargers offense or their defense is set up.

[Andy Holloway]

A bad week.

[Jason Moore]

Oh, he sure does go back to the beginning of last year. He knows how to really have.

[Andy Holloway]

That's something I'm eventually say, oh, great. Yeah, that's late. That's for later.

[Jason Moore]

That's good news. But I do think this is a fine matchup for him this week.

[Andy Holloway]

All right. Tampa Bay travels to New Orleans. What a matchup. This is unbelievable. The Saints, the Buccaneers, storylines aplenty. Saints are three and a half point favorites, 48 point over under I.

[Mike Wright]

So Kyle has plugged in some interesting information. Our editor, Kyle the Borgogan. Interesting information about this matchup. I had not seen this factoid.

[Andy Holloway]

It's amazing.

[Mike Wright]

Tom Brady's team is an underdog in a regular season game for the first time since 2005.

[Jason Moore]

15.

[Mike Wright]

Are you freaking kidding me? This is unbelievable. How does it feel, Tom? Take that.

[Andy Holloway]

Pretty great to be Tom, I think. By the way, New Orleans only gave up one 300 yard passer at home last year in those eight home games. So Brady's got a challenge to begin his day, you know, to begin his Buccaneer career.

[Mike Wright]

Yes, he does.

[Jason Moore]

Well, you know who's going to take him over the top? Leonard Fournette. Oh, yeah. I'm not starting Leonard Fournette. I'm not starting Ronald Jones. I'm not starting LaShawn McCoy or Keyshawn Vaughn. The running backs for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are not a game I want to play with in week one.

[Mike Wright]

You don't want to play Yahtzee?

[Jason Moore]

No.

[Andy Holloway]

I mean, last year, Last year, New Orleans was fourth against opposing running backs in terms of fantasy points given up. You mix that with all of the things Jason just said. Alvin Camaro, though, he's in your lineup.

[Mike Wright]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

Breeze and Brady, if you drafted them to be your quarterback, they're in your lineup.

[Jason Moore]

Yep.

[Andy Holloway]

Mike Evans, you know, you'd like to see him there for Brady to have the opportunity to have a great debut. But, you know, you could see, I mean, who benefits from Evans leaving in terms of target share?

[Jason Moore]

I would.

[Andy Holloway]

Do you actually look at Gronkowski this week?

[Mike Wright]

I would think it would be the tight end, but that's. That's another Yahtzee play. Like you've got all the dice in the can. You're shaking them up and you're hoping that your guy is the one that ends up getting the receptions or the touchdowns. It's Jay. How are you feeling about, you know, Gronk, O.J. howard, Cameron Braid. I have been completely hands off on Rob Gronkowski. Just. I'm willing to be wrong. I'm willing to be wrong on Gronkowski, but, you know, reports I'm hearing from trusted friends in the industry, you can't rely on it. He's coming off. He didn't play football last year. He didn't have any preseason to get acclimated. Are you going to wild out and start Rob Gronkowski in his first week?

[Jason Moore]

I won't. I mean, if you drafted him and you want to call your shot, then start him. This isn't, you know, the worst matchup in the world, especially if Mike Evans is out. I don't believe that it's Gronk. It will be some weeks. Gronk's going to finish the season with five touchdowns, you know, so he's going to get his. But I think O.J. howard has a better fantasy season than Rob Gronkowski this year.

[Andy Holloway]

Which is not to say you're starting him right?

[Jason Moore]

Yes. I'm not. Don't hear what I'm not saying.

[Andy Holloway]

Will you start any Buccaneers under any circumstance?

[Jason Moore]

Chris Godwin is locked in. I'll start Chris Godwin. I'll start Tom Brady. Obviously, Justin Watson is a superstar.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh, we're going back to last year.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

I think Scotty Miller is the, you know, has the opportunity here in this game to pick up targets.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. Scotty Miller, their last year's rookie pick, the first wide receiver taken by this regime of the Buccaneers, does appear to be the third wide receiver for this team. That speed guy on the outside that we saw Brashad Perryman in that role last year. But keep in mind, Rashad Perryman did not succeed for fantasy in that role. It was only when the two starters went down and he changed to a different role. So I'm not expecting enough targets outside of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to be confident elsewhere.

[Andy Holloway]

The Cardinals go to San Francisco to play in the post apocalyptic landscape.

[Mike Wright]

Oh my goodness.

[Andy Holloway]

You seen some of those videos.

[Mike Wright]

Stay safe, everybody.

[Andy Holloway]

Oh my goodness. They're actually monitoring air quality in San Francisco as to whether they can legally play this game.

[Mike Wright]

It sounds fair because if it gets.

[Andy Holloway]

Over a certain point, which is not really in a threat to do. They've been practicing outside there. If you listen to Mike Shanahan or his dad. Yeah, Kyle Shanahan.

[Jason Moore]

My son's team's practicing.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

He's the authority on all air quality matters. I don't know if you knew he's been put in charge of that, but Kyle Shanahan's been talking about the fact.

[Mike Wright]

That air quality control.

[Andy Holloway]

It looks. Looks worse than it is. But 49ers are six and a half point favorites now. It's a 48 point over under. That line has moved down twice. Arizona played San Francisco very close last year in Week 9. San Francisco won by field goal in Week 11. It was a close game. San Francisco out on top in that one as well. But that line has changed a couple of times. It's pretty high over under. I wanted to make this the almost upset. I was too afraid of the homer calls. Sure. But I do think it'll be a competitive football game in part because of San Francisco's issues at the wide receiver position going into week one. Brandon Iuk and Debo Samuel both dealing with injuries.

[Mike Wright]

It sounds like Ayuk is going to play though. Debo Samuel, I do not think that he plays. But.

[Andy Holloway]

But you have the compounding factor of a brand new rookie then.

[Jason Moore]

Sure. Both guys though were full DNPs, did not participate in Thursday or Wednesday practice practices. It's. It's really hard to install a rookie week of without practicing. So. Yeah, I mean, I see what you're saying. I do love that the line is high because I think that this is more of an offensive game than a lot of people are expecting. With The San Francisco 49ers. Fantastic defense.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah. So if you drafted Kyler Murray, I mean, you had to take him high. Maybe you're a little bit concerned about this matchup. Do remember two of Kyler's best fantasy games were against the San Francisco 49ers. He was a top 10 quarterback both times. Kenyan Drake. That was when the revelation happened where he got traded to the Cardinals. You had no idea if he was even going to be the starter. And then he came out and had a very fine game against the San Francisco 49ers. So I'm not looking at this matchup, if you draft a Cardinal, you don't.

[Andy Holloway]

Have an ability to pivot on those guys.

[Mike Wright]

If you drafted them. I'm saying I'm still playing them with, with full confidence. I'm not overly concerned about the matchup.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, George Kittle is a must start. I think the beneficiary, if Debo and Iuk miss you will probably see some Kendrick Bourne, but you're also going to see some Jordan Reed and the Cardinals were. We'll see what Isaiah Simmons does and what this secondary can do to protect against the kind of ridiculous numbers that they gave up to the tight end position last year, which they were dead last in the league. Gave up 16 fantasy points a game. But having Kittle and Jordan Reed available to them, I can see both of them getting a lot of utilization this week.

[Jason Moore]

Absolutely. You know, one thing that I'm just now thinking of, this is more of a draft season question, but the fact that Jamal Adams and Isaiah Simmons both were added to NFC west teams in part to really try to up the defense against tight end George Kittle. That's four of his games that might be a little bit more difficult than what he found last year.

[Mike Wright]

I'm more concerned about the Seahawk match. I've let the rookie prove himself but. And you're right, I was going to bring up Kendrick Bourne's name. Not necessarily. I'm not plugging him into a redraft season long. But like he is a sneaky snort because he should see Byron Murphy. Who? Byron Murphy, the cornerback for the Cardinals. He was put in a really tough situation last year as a rookie, but he got, I mean he allowed 10 touchdowns last year. They're moving him. Arizona is moving Byron into the slot. But I think Kendrick Bourne, it will not shock me to see him come down with 40 with a touchdown this.

[Andy Holloway]

Year or yeah, sneaky this week. Sneaky. All right. Dallas. The Cowboys traveled to Los Angeles. The Rams get to show off their brand new stadium with no fans inside of it. And believe it or not, at home the Cowboys are three point favorites which makes this.

[Jason Moore]

Andy's almost upset of the week.

[Andy Holloway]

I had to double check that line. I guess it surprised me. Mike, we were talking this morning. It surprised you as well.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

You know the Rams at home. I look, I love Dallas. I think they're going to have a great season. I am kind of surprised. The road favorites by a field goal. It's a high over under 501 1/2 points. Should be a good game for fantasy players. Although deciding what to do at the running back position for Los Angeles is the more difficult part. If I were picking fire, picking one, it would be Malcolm Brown.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, no, no, it's. It's as easy as Tampa Bay. I'm not going to play. I'm not going to play the game. I'm not starting Cam. I'm not starting Malcolm Brown. I agree that Malcolm Brown will be the first man up. I think it will go Malcolm Brown, Cam Acres, Darrell Henderson.

[Andy Holloway]

But I answers all start sick questions on Twitter.

[Jason Moore]

I won't start anybody.

[Andy Holloway]

He just says none of them. But I think you're right. I think you're right.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, the reality is where you.

[Mike Wright]

I've never been wrong.

[Jason Moore]

Where you nailed it, where you drafted Cam Acres. You have other options, and I don't want to start them here because, look, I don't think the Rams offensive line is good, especially in the middle. And I think that Dallas's defensive line might be one of the best in the league this year. They look great. So it's a worrisome matchup to me in the trenches when the Rams have.

[Andy Holloway]

A. Vegas agrees with you.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah, I mean, I, you know, you're almost upset of the week I picked the Cowboys to cover. So we'll. One of us will be wrong.

[Andy Holloway]

No question. No question. Dak, you're playing them. Zeke, you're playing them. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, both slammed into your lineup.

[Jason Moore]

Yep. Yes.

[Mike Wright]

Starting them both.

[Andy Holloway]

Okay. And then we get to see, you know, woods and Copper in your lineup. But Tyler Higby. That'll be interesting. How often are the Rams running 12 personnel? And what are we seeing out of this offense this year? Is Gerald Everett going to make Mike cry in week one?

[Mike Wright]

No. No, he will not. If you drafted Tyler Higby, I'm playing him. Jason, you were smirking. What was going on over here?

[Jason Moore]

Because I don't know any take that I felt so confident on for such a long time and have. And then have completely felt.

[Andy Holloway]

You're afraid now.

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Like I was not in on Higby. I think Everett is pretty much a 1B to Higby. All of Higby's damage came when Higby. When Everett wasn't getting snaps on the field. So I was anti Higby and now I'm. I'm starting to second guess it. So, yes, if you drafted him, you are playing him. It's not a bad matchup.

[Andy Holloway]

I think one of these two tight ends will have a huge. Yes, a huge week. I mean, Dallas struggled against the Tight end position as well last year. Mike, you have Blake Jarwin as your start of the week. I don't have the cajones to start Blake Jarwin in week one on the road.

[Mike Wright]

That's fine. Me and Falkor will be fine starting Blake Jarwin.

[Andy Holloway]

When you have Falkor, you don't need anybody else.

[Mike Wright]

That's true.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, what did we decide he was? He's a dragon.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, the dog dragon. Yeah, the dog face dragon.

[Andy Holloway]

People got very serious about Falkor by the way.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Andy Holloway]

When we were speculating about what a dogging. I don't know if he's a doggin.

[Jason Moore]

He's riding it on.

[Mike Wright]

It's people's childhood. When you start messing with people's childhood, they get upset.

[Andy Holloway]

Monday Night Football time the Steelers, they go to New York to take on the giants. Steelers are five and a half point road favorites. It's a 46 point over under. I like, I like the Steelers in this matchup. I, I, you know, I agree with Jason. James Conner start of the week. Eric Ebron start of the week. You picked two Steelers, Jason, and I'm with you. I get it. It's a great matchup. It's a great situation for both of those guys. You have some question marks at the wide receiver position in Pittsburgh. You know, if you drafted juju, you're going to play him. But beyond that, you know Ebron could be the second most valuable target this week.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I think Deontay Johnson is going to play. I mean at least and I'm basing that off of, you know, he put an IG post up that's like close to 100 or something like that. So he's going to play. I'm going to let the sleeper, you know, lay in the bed a little bit longer. I don't need to force Deontay Johnson into my lineup. Even though, even though this matchup against the Giants is pretty juicy, I think I'm going to pause, I'm going to press the pause on Deontay Johnson. I'm not going to force yet.

[Andy Holloway]

Did you see what the judge did? Not, not Giamatti but that was confusing. Joe Judge, what did he do? He was so upset with practice he made him do it again. Brand new practice. Joe was coming off the field and just read reroll it.

[Jason Moore]

Who does that sound like? First year to a new team recently. That is like just the players are starting to get upset with them. The media is talking about how he's just so hard nosed. Do you remember a couple years Ago. The first year for Matt Patricia, coming from that Bill Belichick tree is. Oh, he was.

[Andy Holloway]

Saquon loved it. He said he loved it. He loved that they ran it back. He thought it was great for the team, they needed it. But that's. Look, I don't want to put something out there that they didn't like it.

[Mike Wright]

I hope it succeeds. But that's a, that's a dangerous path that you are walking if you, if you run your team like that and you don't win.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, just remember, if you do something wrong, you want to do it wrong twice. Yes, but Daniel Jones, this is going to be tough. Pittsburgh is one of the best defenses in football, but we'll see. I mean, he's going to have his full assortment of weapons on the outside. You know, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Evan Ingram. These are, you know, having all of these weapons. He's going to have an opportunity if he can withstand the pass rush from Pittsburgh.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah.

[Mike Wright]

And Evan Ingram, I think he is in a great position here. I mean, Golden Tate, it sounds like he's going to play now, he was dealing with a soft tissue issue, but if, but if he's hampered at all, Golden Tate's absence or, you know, taking some snaps off, that's a big benefit to Ingram. Who then would, you know, slide him over to the slot, get a mismatch, have Angram hit a home run.

[Jason Moore]

Yeah. I mean, Pittsburgh's defense being so good against wide receivers, says they're going to need Evan Ingram in this matchup. I do think he is a as good a start as you can find outside of Saquon, but, man, I just don't like starting anybody against the Steelers right now. It's fair.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah. Tennessee, the Titans, they take on the Broncos. Titans are two and a half point road favorites. The Broncos, we've talked about, you know, they could be without Corland Sutton or with a limited Cortland Sutton, which is a problem. Bad luck. Broncos lately with Von Miller and with Cortland Sutton, and they have a new offensive coordinator, Pat Shermer, taking over this this year. I like the Titans to cover in this game, but we will get to see whether or not we get a continuation of the Ryan Tannehill, Derek Henry, A.J. brown, you know, fantasy gold mine that we had at the back half of last season as they made the run to the, to the title game. So, you know, it's going to be interesting.

[Jason Moore]

You know, a lot's been made of the fact that this year, more than any year ever, there were no Tackling drills. You had a couple of scrimmages that were full go and players have not really been able to practice tackling. And a lot of pundits are saying that's going to be an issue come week one for certain, for certain teams. And I just think two of the hardest people to tackle are Derek Henry and A.J. brown. And that was the second half of the season when there's plenty of practice. It's. They're just not. You need your practice to tackle those two guys.

[Andy Holloway]

So I love practice in a prayer.

[Jason Moore]

Yes. Practice and a prayer. I like both of those players this week, but obviously you drafted them to start them, so I don't think I'm saying anything crazy.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I mean, low passing volume matchup here. I mean, Denver last year averaged just 31 passing attempts per game. Whether they let Locke do more this year, we'll see. And then Tennessee, obviously they're built around Derek Henry, so you're going to have to take advantage of your shots. A 41 point over under, that's low. So start sit decision wise. I mean, at this point, Melvin Gordon or Philip Lindsay, you're probably going Gordon in the debut.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, I would. I probably would. But that was. Looking through this matchup in week one, you know, with limited information, my only question here is, do you start Melvin Gordon? People grab Philip Lindsay. He was a 0 RB target and by the sound of it, he, you know, is working his way back into a 50, 50 timeshare. That doesn't mean he'll get the valuable touches. Melvin Gordon still would project as the goal line guy. He would project more as the, the limited pass catching work that Drew Locke has shown for, for his running backs. But are you playing Melvin Gordon with any sort of confidence?

[Andy Holloway]

Melvin Gordon or David Montgomery? Because there's a confidence issue there.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, my goodness.

[Andy Holloway]

So that, that's a situation people could be facing.

[Jason Moore]

I would go, Melvin Gordon, you know, I think that it's possible for David Montgomery to be limited and Melvin Gordon, he was paid a lot of money to come in and be the starter. And I'm going to wait on all the camp reports to matter until after seeing, you know, I'm going to follow the money, follow the transactions and, you know, a lot. You know, Mike, you have talked about Melvin Gordon not being efficient or that great of a running back, but I think a little bit unfairly. Melvin Gordon is a good running back. He, you know, absolutely. He's. He doesn't have the efficiency metrics that we might love, but there's a reason he just got paid a ton of money and it's because he is a good running back. So I'm going to start Melvin Gordon in that situation.

[Andy Holloway]

Well, and he could, he could end up with being a huge beneficiary of a game that gets out of control too, where he is the pass catching back in Denver, he could have four, five, six receptions and that could be enough. Philip Lindsay or David Montgomery? Jason.

[Jason Moore]

David Montgomery.

[Andy Holloway]

I just wanted to make you pick David Montgomery.

[Jason Moore]

Now, real quick, before you move on, Noah Fant to me is like, I regret making Eric Ebron my start of the week because I love Noah Fant right now. So he's my co. Start of the week, if you will.

[Andy Holloway]

But did you feel that way before the Sutton injury because you have. No, no we have any regrets.

[Jason Moore]

Well, sure, it was, it was in part due to the Sutton injury. The matchup is pretty good. I think they're going to need Fant to play well and I think he will. But I wanted to ask you to this question because I have. This is. This question comes in from Jason Moore of the fantasy footballers.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I've heard of him.

[Jason Moore]

I can't figure out who to start between Hayden Hurst and Noah Fan.

[Andy Holloway]

Hayden Hurst.

[Mike Wright]

Hayden Hurst. You can't figure it out?

[Jason Moore]

I can't because I know I can't. This is why hate. This is why Noah Fan is apparently.

[Mike Wright]

Why you hating Hearst.

[Jason Moore]

No, it's not a hatred there. It's loving. Fantastic.

[Andy Holloway]

Listen, the important thing, and I stress, I stress this, Jason, at the end of the day, just don't make the wrong call.

[Jason Moore]

Then I'll put Noah Phantom. Got it.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, we have a brand new segment this year on Fridays. Here we go.

[Jason Moore]

Prop it like it's hot. Presented by Monkey Knife Fight.

[Mike Wright]

Yes. This year we are very excited to be partnered with Monkey Knife Fight. You can get some, some dfs. You know, it's a little bit of extra action going on on the weekends to pair perfectly with your, your season, your redraft, your dynasty leagues. What I love so much about Monkey Knife Fight is it's not just, you know, trying to set the lineup with the budgeted guys.

[Andy Holloway]

I have the salary that I sharks out there.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, like, that's tough stuff. But you know what we know how to do? We know how to play fantasy football. We know how to make a projection for a player and you could go on a monkey knife fight and you can play props and we're going to be giving you.

[Andy Holloway]

It's the amazing title of this.

[Mike Wright]

But we, and we're going to be giving you some finding a prop that we really like and you could go in there and play a game of more or less and it's. They give you a statistic for a player like so I'll start it off here with my example. You can go and play more or less and guess the prop on the passing yards for the quarterbacks in the matchup of San Francisco versus Arizona. And right now, when last I checked Jimmy Garoppolo, it was more or less than 268 and a half yards. That's what I mean. But this is simple. You play fantasy football. You know how to do this.

[Andy Holloway]

In other words, is he going to throw for more.

[Mike Wright]

Yes.

[Andy Holloway]

Than 268 and a half yards or less.

[Jason Moore]

Wait, wait, wait. I'm confused.

[Mike Wright]

So yeah, this sounds right, Jason, but look, last year Jimmy Garoppolo, Jimmy g, he averaged 249 passing yards a game. That's well under the 268. 268 and a half yards. He was only over that threshold six times. Two of those times were against the Arizona Cardinals and by a lot. So I am taking the over. Combine the fact with I give the edge to the offenses, especially offenses. You know, look, you got George Kittle, you have a, you have an elite guy that you can go to. Jimmy Garoppolo. 317 passing yards, 424 passing yards against the Cardinals last year. So it's not like he just squeaked by this threshold. He smashed it. So I like taking the over. I like the over for Jimmy Garoppolo.

[Jason Moore]

On the passing yards he was phenomenal. I think it was like seven touchdowns, seven passing touchdowns in those two games. I love that. And I think that that very well might happen against this minorly improved Arizona Cardinals defense. I'm actually going with the other quarterback in this game for my prop because if yours happens then mine will probably happen as well. I'm taking Kyler Murray. More or less than 229 and a half passing yards. I'm taking the more. Last season he averaged more than 229 passing yards a game. But obviously that wasn't against a great 49ers defense. However, in his first game ever against the 49ers, he passed for more than 229. He had 241 passing yards. That was without DeAndre Hopkins. This is an offense that I think is ready to explode. They don't have Jason Verrett or at least didn't practice. He didn't practice. So even if he's out there, limited, that's, you know, a hardship on the 49ers defense. So I like the over for both Garoppolo and Kyler Murray.

[Mike Wright]

I would just throw in the addition of you. When you said Kyler Murray had some success last year, that was without DeAndre Hopkins.

[Jason Moore]

I did throw that in.

[Mike Wright]

Oh, dang it.

[Jason Moore]

You got me now. You got slimed.

[Andy Holloway]

All right, my prop for the week. I'm going to go with this one. Austin Eckler, more or less nineteen and a half fantasy points. It is PPR format for the fantasy points over at monkey knife fight. 19 and a half. I'm taking the over. Last year, Austin Eckler averaged 97 yards from scrimmage per game. That was ninth best in all of football. The Bengals, oh, my. They gave up an average of 153.6 yards from scrimmage per game, fifth worst in the NFL. And you know what? When you have Keenan Allen and nobody else at the wide receiver position, yes, Hunter Henry benefits, but you know who else does a running back that can line up in the slot and be a wide receiver.

[Mike Wright]

Awesome. Excellent.

[Andy Holloway]

Awesome, Excellent. As you said. So I'm going to hit the over on the Austin Eckler more or less there. And like Mike said, here's the key. You want to play some props, which is a really, really. Al Borland has been on Monkey Knife Fight for the last two years raving about these props. We're so excited about a different way to kind of play the DFS game because this is like you said, Mike, you take the fantasy knowledge and you translate that and those projections into the. Into the season. So ballers picks.com that's your quick way to get in there. Ballers picks dot com. Use the code ballers and you get a 100% deposit. Match up to $50 on monkey knife Fight.

[Jason Moore]

Use that code ballers@ballers picks.com.

[Andy Holloway]

Yeah, I think we're done. I think the show's over. I think there's just nothing left between us and another football. Bunch of football games.

[Jason Moore]

That's not true. We're doing a live stream.

[Andy Holloway]

Yes, that's true. This afternoon. And Mike is Sunday. He's gonna be there for Sunday live once again this year.

[Mike Wright]

Yeah, it'll be very exciting to talk Kenny Golladay and Mike Evans injuries, but we gotta do it. See you on Sunday. Goodbye.

[Jason Moore]

Thank you for listening to another edition of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Don't forget to visit us on the web at www.thefantasyfootballers.com and follow us on Twitterffballers.