FantasyPros Fantasy Football Podcast Summary

Episode: Start Dylan Sampson or Jacory Croskey-Merritt? | Week 1 Lineup Advice: Starts, Sleepers, Sits, Player Debates, and TD Calls! (Ep. 1689)

Release Date: September 5, 2025
Host: Ryan Wormley
Analysts: Pat Fitzmaurice, Jake Seeley

Episode Overview

The hosts celebrate the return of fantasy football season with a comprehensive Week 1 preview. They guide listeners through critical start/sit decisions, hot rookie debates, “plant your flag” calls, and bold touchdown predictions for the 2025 opener. The show is split into deep player analysis, rapid-fire head-to-head choices, and closes with TD calls that bring plenty of personality. The tone remains light, conversational, and actionable, balancing data-driven reasoning with entertaining banter.

Key Segments & Insights

1. Week 1 Kickoff & New Season, New Structure

Timestamps: 00:38 – 04:20

• Excitement about the season’s start, with some talk about preseason vibes and Twitter’s role on opening night.
• Introduction to the show’s in-season Thursday format:
  • “Plant your flag” picks: Conviction starts of the week, regardless of position.
  • Player debates: Start/sit decisions centered on players close together in expert rankings.
  • TD Calls Contest: Each host picks one player at RB, WR, or TE to score a TD.

“Embrace the fact that we don’t know anything. You don’t know anything. We’re just here to have fun, watch some football, make the best guesses we can and try to win some fantasy matchups.” — Ryan Wormley [02:11]

2. Plant Your Flag: Week 1 Lock-in Starts

Timestamps: 04:20 – 08:31

Pat Fitzmaurice: David Njoku (TE, Browns)

• Positioned as the top TE outside the “big three.”
• Outstanding chemistry with Joe Flacco (“Najoku and Flacco have already cooked together”), citing last year’s late-season run: 30 rec, 390 yds, 4 TD in 5 Flacco starts.
• Terrific matchup vs. Bengals (worst defense vs. TEs last year).

Jake Seeley: Joe Flacco (QB, Browns)

• One spot behind Jared Goff for Jake this week.
• “Joe Flacco is going to throw. The Cleveland Browns are going to throw. The Cincinnati Bengals are going to force the Cleveland Browns to throw.” [05:26]
• Flacco’s last 17 starts: 4,400+ yards.
• “If you drafted Caleb Williams and really don’t want to start him, let’s go Joe Flacco.” [06:29] — Jake Seeley

On Browns RBs (Jerome Ford/Dylan Sampson)

• Jake leans upside with Dylan Sampson, not Ford.
• Fitz: Best to avoid starting either unless desperate; better reserves for bye/injury weeks.

3. Deep Player Debates: Start/Sit Dilemmas for Week 1

Pacheco (RB, Chiefs) vs. TreVeyon Henderson (RB, Patriots)

Timestamps: 10:57 – 13:29

• Jake: Leans Pacheco for his burst and TD equity. “If Pacheco never played last season, would we be ranking him higher?” [11:00]
• Fitz: Slight preference for Henderson—more explosive, better matchup vs. Raiders, likely more big plays.

On the 2025 Rookie Class

Timestamps: 14:16 – 15:27

• Fitz: Only a handful are startable now due to immediate volume concerns.
• Jake: “Don’t overrate rookies…we love to do it every year.” Recalls 2024’s disappointment with Dylan Laube.

RJ Harvey (RB, Broncos) vs. J.K. Dobbins (RB, Broncos)

Timestamps: 15:27 – 19:28

• Fitz: Likes Harvey season-long, but starts Dobbins Week 1 due to lead-back status, veteran trust, and likely goal-line work. “Run-friendly game script.”
• Jake: Almost back-to-back—leans Harvey slightly for reception upside if the game stays close.

Both analysts ultimately recommend these RBs as flex/RB3 types in Week 1, not primary starters.

Tedro McMillan (WR, Panthers) vs. Courtland Sutton (WR, Broncos)

Timestamps: 20:36 – 24:38

• Jake: Slight edge to Sutton for veteran trust and QB reliability. Calls it a “coin flip.”
• Fitz: Boldly ranks McMillan WR16, higher than Sutton (WR22). McMillan’s target share projected to be massive: “I feel like McMillan has a really good chance at 10+ targets this week.” [24:05]
• Both agree it’s plausible to start McMillan over big names like Garrett Wilson or DJ Moore, especially in PPR formats.

4. Rookie Receiver Showdown

Timestamps: 24:38 – 29:08

Emeka Egbuka (WR, Buccaneers) vs. Matthew Golden (WR, Packers)

• Fitz: Strong Egbuka lean. “He was the better prospect with the far better college resume…and now a full-time guy with Godwin out in a weak Falcons secondary.” [25:14]
• Jake: Goes Golden for Week 1, projecting him as the Packers’ WR1 due to Jaden Reed’s injury. Acknowledges Egbuka’s superior prospect profile but calls Golden “the number one” in Green Bay’s otherwise fluid WR rotation.
• Both note these two receivers are close in their rankings.

5. Rapid Fire Round – Close Calls & Coin Flips

Timestamps: 32:50 – 47:55
A series of quick, actionable start/sit debates that reflect real-world roster dilemmas. Notable moments:

Dylan Sampson (RB, Browns) vs. Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB, Commanders)

• Fitz: Leans Croskey-Merritt, expecting about 12-14 carries but warns he may be a “trap back” with low-value touches.
• Jake: Firmly Sampson (“he is Austin Ekeler” in the Browns backfield), citing reports that Washington will be ultra-cautious with Croskey-Merritt early in the season.

Rome Odunze (WR, Bears) vs. Calvin Ridley (WR, Titans)

• Jake: Odunze by “very very slight edge” due to a more trustworthy offense; expects Ridley to have a tough time vs. the Vikings’ defense.
• Fitz: Ridley slightly preferred for projected target volume and proven WR1 status.

Flex Battles

• Aaron Jones vs. Jaylen Waddle: Fitz picks Waddle for upside; Jake says Jones is the play for safety, Waddle for ceiling.
• DK Metcalf vs. Travis Etienne: Jake has strong conviction for Metcalf ("give me 8 targets to DK and he’s top 20").
• Tank Bigsby vs. Jauan Jennings: Fitz goes Bigsby; Jake prefers Jennings for upside.

Key Quote

“If you want points, Mason. If you want ceiling, you go Mims.” — Jake Seeley, on Marvin Mims vs. Jordan Mason [43:43]

6. Quarterback & Tight End Toss-ups

Timestamps: 44:41 – 47:55

QB: Trevor Lawrence vs. Kyler Murray

• Fitz: Lawrence for a great Carolina matchup (“league-high 35 TDs allowed last year”).
• Jake: Sliver edge to Kyler for rushing upside, but calls it a coin flip.

TE: Tyler Warren vs. Tucker Kraft

• Jake: Changes mind mid-show, shifting from Kraft to Warren after reading reports on Daniel Jones’ affinity for the short/intermediate game and Warren’s Gronkowski-like upside.
• Fitz: Agrees—Warren the clear start, especially given Detroit’s TE resistance.

7. Touchdown Calls Contest: Week 1 Picks

Timestamps: 48:26 – 51:10

• Jake (RB): James Conner (“James Conner while he’s healthy is RB1, and he’s a good bet to score every single week.”)
• Fitz (WR): Marvin Harrison Jr. (“I think there’s a mandate…to get Marvin Harrison Jr going this season.”)
• Ryan (TE): Mark Andrews (“I think the Ravens want to get Andrews a redemption TD…Lamar loves Andrews, and they trust him more than anyone in the red zone.” [50:38])

Notable Quotes

• “Embrace the fact that we don’t know anything. You don’t know anything. We’re just here to have fun, watch some football, make the best guesses we can and try to win some fantasy matchups.” — Ryan Wormley [02:11]

• “Joe Flacco is going to throw. The Cleveland Browns are going to throw. The Cincinnati Bengals are going to force the Cleveland Browns to throw.” — Jake Seeley [05:26]

• “Najoku and Flacco have already cooked together...” — Pat Fitzmaurice [04:20]

• “Don’t overrate rookies…we love to do it every single year.” — Jake Seeley [15:27]

• “If Pacheco never played last season, would we be ranking him higher?” — Jake Seeley [11:00]

• “I feel like McMillan has a really good chance at 10+ targets this week.” — Pat Fitzmaurice [24:05]

• "Trap backs…just call them Forte backs." — Pat Fitzmaurice on low-value committee RBs [36:00]

Additional Highlights

• Rookie WR Upside: Both analysts believe McMillan can step directly into a WR1/2 role, and Fitz is especially bullish.
• Backfields to Avoid: Both suggest waiting a week before trusting ambiguous RBBCs like the Browns or Commanders.
• Strong Views vs. Coin Flips: The Metcalf-over-Etienne debate is where Jake departs from his “coin flip Ceeley” persona for a forceful conviction.

Who Would the Hosts Most Want to Hang Out With?

Timestamps: 54:09 – 55:25

• Ryan: Mark Andrews (“He’d be up there on the list for sure.”), but ponders Marlon Humphrey as fun for his wild takes.
• Jake: David Montgomery for shared fandom (superheroes, anime), Jamal Williams as well.
• Fitz: Dare Ogunbowale, same alma maters.

Final Thoughts & Sign-Off

• Use FantasyPros Start/Sit Assistant for quick decisions.
• Listener contest: Name the TD call you think will flop!
• Podcast airs every Thursday with Jake and Fitz joining Ryan.

Useful Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------|------------| | Opening/Format Overview | 00:38–04:20| | Plant Your Flag Picks | 04:20–08:31| | Pacheco vs. Henderson | 10:57–12:23| | Rookie Class Overview | 14:16–15:27| | Dobbins vs. Harvey | 15:27–19:28| | McMillan vs. Sutton | 20:36–24:38| | Egbuka vs. Golden | 24:38–29:08| | Rapid Fire Debates | 32:50–47:55| | Touchdown Calls | 48:26–51:10| | Fun wrap-up: “Who would you hang with?” | 54:09–55:25|

Bottom Line

This episode is a must-listen for managers seeking actionable advice and strong takes for their Week 1 lineups. The panel's data-driven, high-energy debates are especially valuable in high-variance rookie situations and committee backfields. For those handling tough decisions or seeking bold early-season upside, the humor and conviction in this show are top-notch.