FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast
Episode: Biggest Fantasy Football Takeaways for EVERY AFC East Team (Ep. 1925)
Release Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Ryan Wormley
Guests: Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros), Jake Seeley (The Athletic)
Episode Overview
This episode kicks off a series summarizing the biggest fantasy football lessons for every AFC division, starting with the AFC East. Ryan, Andrew, and Jake run through the Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, and Jets, each offering insights drawn from the 2025 season and how those insights will shape 2026 draft strategies, player outlooks, and fantasy expectations. The tone is engaging and sometimes lighthearted, but the conversation is rich with analysis and forward-looking advice.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Fantasy Season Wrap-Up & Mindset in 2026
- Jake Seeley on his season: He landed in "a lot of second and third place finishes," attributing the lack of championships to overlapping player exposures and some poor timing (00:37).
- Andrew Erickson shares excitement for draft/prospect season but notes fantasy football is a "365 endeavor… we are all in, all the time" (01:44).
New England Patriots: Running Back Committee Warning
Main Takeaway:
Rhamondre Stevenson remains a permanent “thorn” for TreVeyon Henderson’s upside—even into 2026.
- Jake Seeley: Stevenson’s contract "is going to keep him there...and whatever we want to have happen… Mike Vrabel and this offense are going to use both running backs" (04:12).
- Comparison to Seahawks: Both RBs could be viable weekly RB2s, similar to Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet situations.
- Ryan Wormley raises concern about Henderson’s ADP, citing Pat Fitzmaurice’s early 2026 mock where Henderson went 3.02 (26th overall) (05:35).
- Jake Seeley cautions that this price is “a little bit early...you have to understand when you have an RB2, a fringe RB1, it's going to happen five, six, maybe even seven games” of disappointment due to split workloads (06:13).
- Andrew Erickson: “I think that with Henderson…there's always going to be someone else involved. I comped him to Tony Pollard coming out...always been his best when he's actually splitting time with another running back” (07:54). Suggests Henderson is not a “volume king” and prefers pure bell-cow profiles at that draft cost.
Notable Quote:
“Stevenson, when healthy, was always a part of this backfield to varying degrees...especially at the end of the season as we saw—more productive than Henderson, and not because Henderson wasn't good... It’s just that Stevenson was involved as at least a 50/50, if not more split.”
— Jake Seeley (04:12)
Buffalo Bills: Wide Receiver Uncertainty and Josh Allen Distribution
Main Takeaway:
The Bills need to upgrade their WR corps, but until they get a true “alpha,” all pass catchers are volatile under Josh Allen.
- Andrew Erickson: “Buffalo just needs to upgrade their wide receiver position... Khalil Shakir was the best receiver they had...wide receiver 38 on the season.” Validates reports that the Bills explored trading for a top WR at the deadline (09:44).
- Keon Coleman “experiment”: Major growing pains; waiver vets like Brandon Cooks outproduced him.
- Jake Seeley: “Don’t go chasing Bills wide receivers... Josh Allen spreads it around. He’s just not somebody who targets...the same guy every single week because he takes what’s available” (11:18).
- Even when a WR spikes, it’s unpredictable; the offense runs through Allen’s improvisation and significant 12 personnel sets.
Memorable Moment:
Jake tries a playful TLC reference—“Don’t go chasing [Bills wide receivers]”—emphasizing the futility in guessing which WR will pop each week (11:18, 15:27).
Notable Quotes:
“This team was ready to trade a future first round pick for Jaylen Waddle...so they decided... ‘we need to make a move...’”
— Andrew Erickson (10:21)
“Josh Allen is always going to spread it around...that’s the big thing; they run a lot of 12 personnel as well.”
— Jake Seeley (11:49)
Miami Dolphins: Sky-High Uncertainty for 2026
Devon Achane’s Outlook:
Potential “first-round bust”—not due to talent, but because of possible massive turnover on the roster and risk of a bottom-tier offense.
- Jake Seeley: “I think Devon Achane could be in trouble...this team could be one of the worst in the NFL next year...it’s very rare to have a top-10 running back on a bottom-5 offense” (16:57).
- Pat Fitzmaurice’s mock still has Achane at 1.08, but Jake says, “I feel like he might be the one I skipped past in the first round as of today” (18:25).
- Andrew Erickson: Hasn’t ranked yet—says “There’s so much shake up...we don’t know who the quarterback is going to be...” but would likely prefer a high-volume RB in an ascending offense over Achane if Miami trends downward, especially at Achane’s price (18:40, 19:24).
Mike McDaniel’s Impact:
Erickson is more optimistic about McDaniel than Tua—a potential mulligan for the Dolphins' offense if they can upgrade at QB.
- Andrew Erickson: “He was kind of handcuffed with Tua as his quarterback...we got to get the ball out quick because Tua can’t hold onto the football...relationship had timed out...reminds me a little bit of Goff and McVay at the end” (20:07).
- Leaves the “light on just a little bit” for a bounceback if Miami upgrades under center.
- Jake Seeley agrees McDaniel isn’t the core problem, but with “so much unknown” the offense is hard to project (22:36).
Notable Quotes:
“I think Devon Achane could be in trouble. And I mean trouble as in what we expect. Like the fact that he’s a top-five running back... this offense and this team might be too bad to prevent him from still being a top-five first round talent.”
— Jake Seeley (16:57)
“I think that he [McDaniel] was kind of handcuffed with Tua as his quarterback...I’m not, I guess, as so completely out on the Dolphins in 2026 if Mike McDaniel is the head coach...”
— Andrew Erickson (20:07)
New York Jets: Time for Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson to Escape?
Breece Hall:
Prime RB1 if he escapes New York—Jets have stifled his upside.
- Andrew Erickson: “Breece Hall is going to be a fantasy RB1 on another team and it’s going to be fantastic. The fact that Breece Hall got to a thousand rushing yards on this dumpster fire team...get this man on the Chiefs, please” (23:37).
- Hall sitting out late in the year signals readiness to move on; Erickson dreams of a Chiefs (or other high-powered) offense for him.
Landing Spots:
Jake’s answer to the “ideal landing spot”: “The other 31 teams...as long as he's getting the volume of touches...on a better offense” (24:52). Cautions on landing somewhere with a bad O-line.
Garrett Wilson:
A buy-low candidate—still a top-15 WR talent if QB and secondary WR options improve.
- Jake Seeley: Sees Wilson as a “great buy low if—and there's a lot of ifs” like improved QB play and slot deployment. “He can succeed on the outside, but he’s better when he’s kicked in [to the slot]...he needs somebody alongside him” (25:31).
- Points to similar advances by other WRs when their teams added secondary threats.
- Andrew Erickson: Reminds listeners that betting on talent pays off more often than you'd think, echoing Dynasty managers’ frustration and hope: “Look, it’s just buying the talent of Garrett Wilson and hoping they can figure out something. When you make bets like this time and time again, you usually come out on top more often than not” (28:40).
Notable Quotes:
“The Jets ruined Breece Hall the last two years...He will no longer be ruined because he’s going to leave.”
— Andrew Erickson (23:37)
“Garrett Wilson is a very talented wide receiver...but he’s better when he’s kicked in [the slot]...I will buy back in on Garrett Wilson as a top 15 wide receiver next year.”
— Jake Seeley (25:55)
“When you make bets like this time and time again, you usually come out on top more often than not.”
— Andrew Erickson (28:40)
Timestamps for Notable Segments
- 00:37 — Jake reviews his fantasy season finishes
- 03:28 — Patriots RB committee: Stevenson and Henderson debate
- 05:35 — TreVeyon Henderson’s ADP in early mocks
- 09:44 — Buffalo Bills WR room: No clarity, no alpha
- 11:18 — Jake’s “Don’t go chasing Bills WRs” TLC moment
- 16:57 — Dolphins’ downfall risk: Achane as a potential bust
- 20:07 — McDaniel vs Tua: Who’s really at fault in Miami?
- 23:37 — Breece Hall’s big move: “Get this man on the Chiefs”
- 25:31 — Garrett Wilson’s slot success and buy-low case
- 28:40 — Dynasty lessons on betting for talent
Closing Thoughts
This episode sets up the offseason fantasy football debate for the AFC East:
- Beware of RB committees even in “elite” offenses (New England).
- Wait for clarity before investing in ambiguous WR rooms (Buffalo).
- Adjust expectations when offenses or coaching situations are in flux (Miami).
- Talent wins...if given opportunity and support (Jets).
Erickson’s lasting advice: Betting on talent and patience with players like Garrett Wilson will pay off—eventually!
For further takeaways, stay tuned for more division breakdowns in the days ahead, and the NFC next week.