FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast

Episode: Week 1 Fantasy Football Takeaways: Fact or Fiction + Waiver Wire & Trade Advice | Out of Bounds (Ep. 1697)

Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: Joey P (Joe Pisapia), Scott Bogman, Welsh (Chris Welsh)

Episode Overview

The FantasyPros crew returns after a wild week one of the NFL season to unpack the biggest fantasy football storylines, overreactions, and under-the-radar developments. The trio offers their signature banter alongside in-depth analysis, playing “Fact or Fiction” with early-season narratives. Listeners get waiver wire and trade advice before a bold predictions segment. The team also breaks down memorable moments and answers urgent listener questions, helping fantasy managers gear up for week two and beyond.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. 49ers Recap & Christian McCaffrey’s Role

• Welsh: Relief and pride after a 49ers win, noting the irony of only McCaffrey making it out healthy.
  • “Christian McCaffrey did some voodoo stuff. His calf should be studied.” (02:21, Welsh/Bogman)
• Rest of the offense banged up (Kittle, Juwan Jennings).
• CMC had 31 touches but didn’t look “super great”; others sacrificed on the injury front for CMC’s sake.

2. Steelers/Jets & Aaron Rodgers Takeaways

• Bogman: Skeptical about overreacting to a Steelers win, foresees the usual 9-8 outcome:
  • “I’ve seen this movie before. This is the 18th sequel or whatever it is under Mike Tomlin, right?” (03:13, Bogman)
• Steelers offense benefited from “lucky bounces,” and Aaron Rodgers took a beating. Concerns for his durability.

3. Colts Dominate Dolphins: Are the Colts Legit? Are the Dolphins Cooked?

• Bogman: Dolphins looked “dysfunctional.” Tyreek Hill “wants out.” Tua was lost, O-Line terrible.
• Welsh: “Tua looks so lost. The offensive line is crap…that team is done.” (07:39, Welsh)
• Positive outlook for the Colts; Daniel Jones thriving in a game manager role; Tyler Warren a top-five fantasy TE candidate.

4. Seattle Backfield Shakeup

• Split touches between Zach Charbonnet (12 carries, TD) and Ken Walker (10 carries, 3 receptions).
• Welsh: Predicts a week-to-week committee approach:
  • “I just think it's gonna change based on scheme, based on usage.” (31:20, Welsh)
• Bogman: Leans Charbonnet as lead for now but cautions, "fact with a question mark." (32:21, Bogman)

5. Waiver Wire Debates

• Quentin Johnston vs. Hollywood Brown:
  • Welsh: Prefers Quentin Johnston for rest of season due to target share and Herbert’s trust. (15:12, Welsh)
  • Bogman: Short term, Marquise Brown if you need immediate replacement; long term, Quentin Johnston. (17:22, Bogman)

6. Giants QB Rumors & Potential Jackson Dart Debut

• Giants may swap Russell Wilson for rookie Jackson Dart if offensive struggles persist.
• Both hosts: Anticipate seeing Dart by week 5 if losing continues. (18:14, Welsh; 18:52, Bogman)

7. Big Week 1 Takeaways

• Joey P: Loss of Lions’ coordinators is a real problem; expects bounce-back but concerned long-term. (23:22, Joey P)
• Welsh: People wrote off Breece Hall too early—he dominated touches/efficiency:
  • “All you were dropping him outside the top-24 because he was cooked and you were wrong.” (24:30, Welsh)
• Bogman: Travis Etienne clearly lead back in Jacksonville, Tank Bigsby and others mere afterthoughts (24:33, Bogman).
• ETN usage could make him a trade candidate if Jaguars fade.

8. Favorite Moments of the Week

• Joey P: Nate Landman’s punch-out fumble—highlighting defensive intensity (27:07, Joey P)
• Bogman: 60-yd Boswell field goal, Tomlin’s “serial killer” quote, and calling Keon Coleman’s big game
  • “Mike Tomlin calling him a serial killer…his pulse is low.” (27:51, Bogman)
• Welsh: Jake Tonjes’ first career catch is a TD (“mossing” Seattle) and rookies shining (29:23, Welsh)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Christian McCaffrey did some voodoo stuff. His calf should be studied.” (02:21, Welsh/Bogman)
• “I’ve seen this movie before. This is the 18th sequel or whatever it is under Mike Tomlin, right?” (03:13, Bogman)
• “Tua looks so lost. The offensive line is crap…that team is done.” (07:39, Welsh)
• “All you were dropping [Breece Hall] outside the top-24 because he was cooked and you were wrong.” (24:30, Welsh)
• “Mike Tomlin calling [Boswell] a serial killer in the press conference…” (27:51, Bogman)
• “I think Marquise [Brown] is going to be the guy here for the next four or five weeks…and he’s going to put up huge numbers.” (17:20, Bogman)
• “If you can’t catch the ball, none of the rest matters. But if you can, and you’re getting open like [Johnston] did…and scoring two touchdowns, it has to be [him].” (16:09, Bogman)

Fact or Fiction – Hot Button Narratives

| Topic | Verdict & Reasoning | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|-----------------| | Charbonnet new lead in Seattle? | Split/Committee: Both hosts agree, expect fluctuating usage (31:20, 32:21) | | Daniel Jones = This year’s Sam Darnold? | Yes: System supports him as efficient game manager (33:40, 35:08) | | JSN should have been ranked higher (draft)? | Absolute Fact: Elite usage, air yards, targets (35:46, 36:04) | | Travis Etienne top 10 RB in PPR? | False: Won’t face Panthers every week; workload could decrease (37:41, 37:54) |

31-1 Segment: Week 2 Bold Predictions

• Joey P:

  • Passer: Jared Goff (Lions, vs. Bears)
  • Rusher: Saquon Barkley (vs. Chiefs)
  • Receiver: Amon-Ra St. Brown (vs. Bears) (39:14)

• Welsh:

  • Passer: Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars, vs. Bengals)
  • Rusher: Christian McCaffrey (49ers, vs. Saints)
  • Receiver: Ladd McConkey (Chargers, vs. Raiders) (39:21)

• Bogman:

  • Passer: Michael Penix (Falcons, vs. Vikings)
  • Rusher: James Conner (vs. Panthers)
  • Receiver: DK Metcalf (vs. Seahawks—revenge game) (42:07, 44:02)

Waiver Wire & Listener Q&A Highlights

• Tight End Targets: Fanning (over Juwan Johnson), Jonnu Smith as a deep option (46:19–46:57).
• Stevenson vs. Caleb Johnson: If you need immediate RB, keep Stevenson; if just for upside/bench, stash Caleb Johnson (47:01, Bogman).
• Any worries about Achane? Not really—offense remains bad, but workload and talent still there (47:19–47:34).

Important Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------|--------------| | 49ers/McCaffrey Recap | 02:01–02:39 | | Steelers/Jets Narrative | 03:13–04:56 | | Colts vs. Dolphins Takeaways | 05:51–08:55 | | Seattle RB Battle | 31:20–33:11 | | Quentin Johnston vs. Hollywood Brown | 15:12–17:22 | | Jackson Dart as Giants QB? | 18:14–18:55 | | Key Takeaways/Favorite Moments | 23:22–30:25 | | Fact or Fiction Segment | 31:20–38:13 | | 31-1 (Bold Week 2 Picks) | 38:13–44:50 | | Waiver/Tight End/Quick Q&A | 46:19–48:41 |

Episode Tone & Style

• Language: Conversational and humorous, with periodic playful jabs at fans, teams, and co-hosts.
• Energy: Lively, candid, sometimes sarcastic but always focused on actionable fantasy advice.
• Highlights: Hosts’ willingness to admit prior mistakes, debate hot takes, and provide relatable context for each narrative.

Summary Takeaway

Week 1 leaves plenty to chew on for fantasy managers: The Seattle backfield is officially a headache, Breece Hall’s fantasy value is alive and well, and Daniel Jones may provide sneaky streaming value in offense-friendly schemes. The hosts urge listeners to avoid rash drop decisions, especially on talented players like Caleb Johnson and JSN, and to watch for line movement and usage trends. Waiver wire aggression and tempered overreaction are key, with tight end options and trade windows opening as the dust settles. Expect volatility, but above all, stay sharp and don’t be afraid to zag while the rest of the league zigs.

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