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FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast
Week 11 Lineup Advice: Starts, Sits, Player Debates, and TD Calls (Ep. 1840)
00:59:40
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- [00:00]
Fitz
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:04]
Ryan Wormley
Want to know the secret to success around the holidays? Two words Duracell Batteries. Because giving someone a gift that needs batteries without giving them the batteries too, that's not a gift anymore. Plus, Duracell batteries are the only battery brand with power Boost ingredients, which are a unique blend of nickel and lithium that can only be found in Duracell batteries. So make sure those gifts have the power they need on Christmas morning and stock up on the only battery brand with Power Boost ingredients, Duracell. Hello everybody. Welcome in the Fantasy Pros Football podcast. I'm Ryan Wormley, joined as I am every Thursday by Jake Seeley from the Athletic and by Pat Fitz Morris. We're talking must starts, must sits waiver ads. Are we starting or sitting them? And of course, doing our touchdown calls at the end of the show. As always, reminder for everybody, all of our 2025 consensus rankings and tiers can be found at fantasypros.com rankings. Those Week 11 rankings are are up with the games starting tonight, though hopefully you're not starting too many players in tonight's game. If you're watching this before that game kicks off, we're going to start as we always do, guys, with the popular waiver ads. But first we have to address the lovely hat that Jake has shown up to this show with.
- [01:17]
Fitz
Yeah, I tried it three different ways.
- [01:21]
Jake Seeley
I wrote it and it went too high up here where it didn't even show. And then it was just above the brim and because of the brim I realized it wasn't going to show well on camera. So not only can you see a little bit better that it says Vidal Rule, Jules Jake Jewels, but also having to wear it like this makes it even worse. So I mean, let's just roll with it is because Vidal was not an RB3 by any stretch there. He was. I will say that he was an RB3 until that touchdown at the end of the game. Actually, I think he was a borderline RB2. But he got there. He got there by the volume. That fit set. Like the big difference. Fitz admit like we were talking about before the show. Fitz admit it was volume. It was volume. It was like he was one of the worst EPA running backs last week. But Fitz's argument was the volume was going to get there there. I was concerned that he wasn't good enough to get the volume again. Fitz wins that one. Yeah, Vidal was an RB one.
- [02:07]
Fitz
He rules. I drool.
- [02:10]
Ryan Wormley
We we a lot of that coverage, by the way, for just in case anybody missed it Last week there was a very heated, just emphatic back and forth between Jake and Fitz.
- [02:21]
Jake Seeley
We both ended up right.
- [02:22]
Fitz
Each other.
- [02:23]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [02:24]
Ryan Wormley
I was gonna say. So is Vidal versus Breece hall. And they were both good. Hall technically did get was a little better by like, I think Fitz, he said is like what, 1.7 points or something like that?
- [02:34]
Fitz
I believe so.
- [02:35]
Ryan Wormley
But.
- [02:36]
Fitz
But both guys spiritually, I think Fitz was right. Yeah. No, no, no, no, no. I mean mea culpa. Like I argued the case that Vidal was a better start than Breeze hall and you know, they both hit. They both got over 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. But I think Breece hall did have 1.7 more.
- [02:55]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, it was 1 point fantasy points.
- [02:58]
Fitz
So I mean, to the hundreds of viewers and listeners out there who were trying to decide between Breesol and Kamani Vidal, listen to my well reasoned arguments and started Vidal over Brees hall and lost by less than 2 points.
- [03:14]
Ryan Wormley
Of people. Yeah.
- [03:16]
Fitz
So it should be me issuing the mea culpa. Not so. I mean, I cost hundreds of people wins. In fantasy football.
- [03:25]
Ryan Wormley
You maybe cost dozens.
- [03:28]
Jake Seeley
Dozens. I was gonna say single digits. By the way, the reason I had this green hat is because my costume from last year for Halloween was that breakdancer from the Olympics. So I actually had the green hat already.
- [03:40]
Fitz
So that actually French woman.
- [03:41]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, yeah, I had a hat to get rid of basically. But I don't know how long this is gonna last. It is itchy as hell in this direction, so I don't think I'm gonna make it. I'll leave it on, but I might have to turn it forward.
- [03:51]
Ryan Wormley
So Jake, for as. As strong as you were arguing about Jarrett Patterson last week, where is he ranked for you this week?
- [03:58]
Jake Seeley
I wasn't arguing for Jarrett Patterson.
- [04:00]
Ryan Wormley
I just arguing just that he was eating.
- [04:03]
Jake Seeley
I wonder where it like we're going to talk about Vidal later, but Jared Patterson, I'm scrolling scrolling scrolling scrolling he's way out. He's outside the top 40. So there you go.
- [04:14]
Ryan Wormley
I. I did have to include a vital 56 later in the show. We had to run it back. Okay. Lt yeah. All right, let's get into those waiver ads here and decide if we're starting or sitting. These folks, not a ton of like very obvious big names on the waiver wire. In fact, I cut out some of the names that were higher up on the priority list because we just talked about them last week. One of them actually is Alec Pierce, even though he's on by this week. So of course we're not starting him this week. I didn't include him either. So I tried to throw in, you know, a few newer names that were still high on the list of our waiver priorities consensus rankings this week, but maybe not quite as high. I'll start with Malik Washington with the Dolphins obviously has gotten more of an opportunity ever since Tyree Kill went down. This is a good player like Fitz, you and I thought this was a good player coming out of college. We really liked him at Virginia when we were doing the Dynasty show. It's kind of like a, you know, rookie dart dart throw and he's now kind of moving up these. It's slowly but surely, I think, you know, going into this week of waiver ads, he was still under 20% rostered but slowly but Shirley getting a little bit higher with some more opportunity here.
- [05:23]
Fitz
I think we have to say he's been kind of a disappointment since the Tyreek Hill injury. So I don't know, maybe you could start him in a full point PPR league. I understand the instinct to take advantage of the matchup and target the Commander's past defense with a wide receiver this week, but Malik Washington is just such an unconventional wide receiver. Since Tyreek Hill went down, Washington is averaging 3.7 catches and 24.2 receiving yards. His highest single game yardage total of the season is 48 yards, second highest 36 yards. He's had a touchdown in two of his last three games, but those are his only two touchdowns of the season. He does add a little bit of rushing value, 13 carries for 78 yards on the season, but that's not really something to hang your hat on. Again, I want to love the matchup with the Commanders, but with Malik Washington averaging 6.4 yards per catch this season and having an average depth of target of 4.4 yards, I'm just not sure he's the guy who can capitalize on a bad secondary, Jake.
- [06:24]
Ryan Wormley
I mean bad secondary might be putting it kindly for the Commanders the way they've been playing the last couple of weeks. Does. Does the matchup make you want to consider starting Washington at all?
- [06:35]
Jake Seeley
Nothing. I could agree with everything Fitz said. I was going to say he's floor if that. I mean he brought up all the numbers. So you want to talk about areas per target to four point per target. That's since Tyreek Hill left to what Fis was talking about. If on the full season I can't imagine it's much better man even be worse than that. And yeah the Touchdown helped a little bit, but if it was, he was getting nine targets a game. Sure. But as we just saw last week, if you want to. Super. I don't want to spoil it. I don't think you have him on the list. Let me just double check now if you. Super deep sleeper Greg Dolcet at tight tight end. I mean, they're going to fill in the Darren Waller role apparently. And that's the point here is what Fitz said is we wanted more for Washington. We thought there would be more. He is a dynamic player, but they're just not using him any way that differently than he should be or differently. And they should be to make that clear is what I was trying to say.
- [07:24]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah, let's, let's go to a running back, Tyler Algier, and this is somebody that has been discussed before. Obviously there's significant upside if Bijan were to ever go down. But even with Bijan healthy, Algier has continued to score lots of fantasy points, largely on the back of touchdowns. I have, I have him in a few different leagues and have never once gotten it right. Predicting the week he gets in the end zone and the weeks he doesn't. So that's been a frustration. Jake, I'll start with you on Algier. Is he somebody that, like, if you're in a pinch at running back, I mean, he's already 35 in the consensus rankings, which is kind of in that borderline area of, you know, if you're in a really deep league or need a flex, is he somebody that you're interested in starting potentially?
- [08:05]
Jake Seeley
I mean, I have him in RB30 and I know the last time they faced the Panthers, this is. Everybody was like, oh, they're going to wax the Panthers. This is why we want them, is because they'll probably get 10 touches. And then that went as sideways as it could. This just. Sports are Sports. They lost 30 to nothing and then we barely. I think he had one touch in that game. The interesting thing about Algier is not even so much Algier in his own right. Bijan Robinson, including snaps out wide, not just in the slot out wide, is now running the second most routes in front of Darnell Mooney over the last three weeks. Like they're using him as a wide receiver. And I bring that up to say is like, I'm not concerned about Bijan Robinson, but this is like Tyler Algier can now come into the conversation of a David Montgomery and you say, like, you don't always get the weeks right. Well, that's kind of the David Montgomery game that we have to play. That's why you put them in your flex and you just kind of take the lumps because you know there's weekly RB1 upside. Probably most weeks you're going to get RB2 value because they'll have enough touches to produce like back end RB2. But the lumps will come. Well, there'll be weeks where it's three touches, five touches. There was nothing there. So I think that's the comparison I would make is going forward I put Algier in like the quorum, you David Montgomery, those kind of running backs where they're your flex option and you're going to get volatility but you can play them there.
- [09:19]
Ryan Wormley
Fitz, do you feel like so when you look at his season stats from previous years, this is the most touchdowns of Tyler Algier's career in half the carries that he's had in any other full season. So do you feel like there's a concentrated effort by the Falcons to use him more there or do you just feel like this has always kind of been he's like eaten a little bit into Bijan's role and they're just getting more of these opportunities in previous years.
- [09:47]
Fitz
Because it's a pretty big jump up concentrated effort. I think carries inside the 10 yard line. This year it's Algier 13 and Bijan Robinson 5. So they do prefer, I don't know, I just something where I think the Falcons prefer to get Bijan Robinson in space and this sort of goes to what Jake is talking about with Bijan and his route running. Like they feel great about Bijan until they get close to the goal line and then I think they feel like they just want to kind of bang it in with Tyler Algier. So on, on one hand I don't want to chase touchdowns and Algier scored twice last week. Giving him six touchdowns on the year makes him more appealing this week, of course. But on the other hand, like there is a usage baseline here. Algier has gotten 10 or more carries in three of the four Falcons home games and the only home game where he didn't get double digit carries. Oddly enough, Jake was talking about that spot where we thought Algier might crush against the Panthers. The Falcons unexpectedly got their doors blown off at home by the Dolphins a few weeks ago and that was the one time Algier didn't get double digit carries in a home game. So if you're a Jonathan Taylor investor trying to figure out what to do in JT's bye week. You could definitely do worse than Tyler Algier.
- [11:01]
Ryan Wormley
So you think Fitz, that they're going to do better than losing 30 to nothing against the Panthers this time around?
- [11:07]
Fitz
You would, you would hope so. So, yeah, I mean like I don't, I don't think he's quite on the David Montgomery tier. I would put Tyler Algier a tier below that, but I think he's certainly there with the Titans two running backs, Pollard and Spears. I think he's, you know, I think he's a better play than Jordan Mason this week.
- [11:26]
Ryan Wormley
One more player here in the waiver wire section. Tez Johnson, who is a wide receiver 35 so in a very similar range on the wide receiver side as Algier is on the running back side. Fitzgerald, is Johnson somebody against the Bills that you're interested in potentially starting?
- [11:42]
Fitz
I'm on board with Tez. He is wide receiver 18 in fantasy points per game over his last four games. I do think we need to be wary of touchdown dependent production and Tez has scored four touchdowns in his last four games. But Tez has averaged 47 yards over that stretch. That's pretty respectable. At least 42 yards in all four of those games. So there is a reasonably sturdy floor here and Tez is tied to a good quarterback with Baker Mayfield. Buccaneers Bills has some shootout potential. Yeah, I think Tez is very startable this week.
- [12:14]
Ryan Wormley
Jake, you clearly think Ted is very startable and this is why I did him last is because he is in your plant. Your flag player this week.
- [12:22]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, that's two weeks in a row you did that for me. I appreciate that. So what Fitz was just saying since he's been the starter the last four games, it's Tez Johnson's usage. Like I know the first game was that one big catch in the touchdown, but I'm also looking at the last three games, especially the last two is that the rapport with Baker Mayfield is starting to develop. And that's what we like to see is kind of like I drew the comparison when this first started to Troy Franklin. Everybody's still talking about, oh, Troy Franklin is like 50, 50 catching those balls from Bo Nix downfield. Like they can't get that chemistry going downfield, which is crazy to think about. But Tez and Baker are. And the bigger thing is I agree with. It's always risky to rely on touchdowns. And we were talking about Tez Johnson hasn't hit 100 yards yet in his four games as the starter, but he is seeing A good. Jerry's seen over 12 yards per target. And the biggest thing to go back to the touchdowns, he has four end zone targets in those four games. Like, the fact is, Baker is looking for him, and that's what makes it advantageous as the number two is that he has that rapport that's developed with Baker. And then I pulled this stat. It was in my column this week. I thought it was crazy to think about. Baker Mayfield actually averages more first downs and touchdowns per attempt when under pressure than when not. And the Bills have the second highest pressure rate on quarterbacks this year. So that's another good thing. Is Baker Mayfield, in this opportunity, even see a better game than we normally see him? Because he's like, as somebody said in the Discord chat, pressure cooker Mayfield. And our way to say, yeah, pressure Cooker Mayfield. I think I'll go with that one. I liked it.
- [13:50]
Ryan Wormley
I like that, too. Sorry, did you say Jake? Where do you have Tez ranks?
- [13:53]
Jake Seeley
I didn't say, but I have him at 28.
- [13:56]
Ryan Wormley
28.
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Jake Seeley
Okay, so seven over consensus.
- [14:00]
Fitz
Yeah, I might be. Oh, you said 28, I thought.
- [14:04]
Jake Seeley
Or 29. 29.
- [14:05]
Fitz
I was off by one ECR. Is wide receiver 35, correct?
- [14:09]
Jake Seeley
No, I do have a 28.
- [14:10]
Fitz
Yeah.
- [14:10]
Jake Seeley
Because he's seven ahead. Yeah.
- [14:12]
Fitz
All right. I'm also above consensus. Wide receiver, 33.
- [14:15]
Jake Seeley
No. You hate him, though.
- [14:17]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah. This is. This is the new fight next week. Fitz will be wearing the hat that says Tez rules.
- [14:22]
Jake Seeley
Fitz rules. It's harder to write on a hat than you think. I'm just saying.
- [14:27]
Ryan Wormley
I. I believe it. I believe it. All right, so that was Jake's plant your flag player for the week that he really has conviction on fits. Let's go to your Plant your flag player.
- [14:35]
Fitz
It's. It's T. Higgins, and I'm not going out on a huge limb here, but in four games with Joe Flacco, T. Higgins has scored four touchdowns and averaged 80.8 receiving yards. He's had five or more catches in all but one of those games. And one of the four games T. Higgins has played with Joe Flacco was against the Steelers, which is who the Bengals are playing this week. Higgins had six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. And by the way, the Steelers have been getting barbecued by outside receivers pretty much on a weekly basis. Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman combined for 230 yards against them a couple weeks ago. Chase and Higgins, 257 yards and two touchdowns combined against Pittsburgh. Christian Watson, more than 80 yards unlimited snaps. I I think T. Higgins is going off this week. I'm not sure why he's ranked as like a mid range wide receiver. 2. I think he's a wide receiver. 1.
- [15:27]
Jake Seeley
Where do you have him?
- [15:28]
Fitz
Jake 12.
- [15:30]
Jake Seeley
I have him at 12. 2. So we're on the same page.
- [15:33]
Ryan Wormley
Okay. He's 15th in ECR.
- [15:35]
Jake Seeley
So part to go back to this Vidal thing too. Part of the reason I was also off on him last week is because the Steelers had just been destroyed in the passing game and the Chargers are one of the higher passover expectancy and neutral game scripts and all that type of stuff. So I was expecting more passing but they were just. That was the other part about it. I will give the Chargers credit on that offensive line. I don't know what they figured out during that game and of course they lost another piece but. But they were opening lanes against that Steelers defensive front and maybe that was the Steelers game plan is they knew that about the Chargers and they decided to play back more which if you watch the game they did. I didn't expect it to be that bad. But that's the thing is I like attacking. The same thing Fitz is is the passing defense which is almost non existent for the Steelers. And Joe Flacco has been on fire. I have Higgins at spoiler. We're talking about him later. But I do have Higgins in front of Justin Jefferson, George Pickens, A.J. brown and others at 12. So there you go.
- [16:27]
Ryan Wormley
The game against the Steelers, he was wide receiver 12. It's only the one of only two games this season that he's been inside the top 25. The other one was of course against Chicago when he was wide receiver too. That's in half PPR score.
- [16:39]
Fitz
Oh, he wasn't clicking with Jake Browning at quarterback.
- [16:42]
Ryan Wormley
Who'd have thought?
- [16:43]
Fitz
Figure.
- [16:45]
Ryan Wormley
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- [17:36]
Jake Seeley
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Ryan Wormley
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- [17:39]
Fitz
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- [17:44]
Jake Seeley
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Fitz
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Jake Seeley
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Ryan Wormley
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Jake Seeley
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- [18:05]
Ryan Wormley
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- [18:10]
Jake Seeley
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Ryan Wormley
An anthology of modern day horror stories inspired by the legends.
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Jake Seeley
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Ryan Wormley
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Jake Seeley
You should probably keep your lights on for Nocturnal Tales from the Shadows.
- [18:46]
Ryan Wormley
Listen to Nocturnal Tales from the Shadows.
- [18:50]
Jake Seeley
As part of my Cultura Podcast network.
- [18:53]
Ryan Wormley
Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast.
- [18:58]
Jake Seeley
Or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, what's up everybody? Daniel Jeremiah here and I'm Bucky Brooks. If you love breaking down football from every angle, you're in the right place. Every week on Move the Six, Bucky Brooks and I dive deep into the game, from the X's O's to the front office moves shaping the league. We kick things off with Brian Balinger.
- [19:19]
Fitz
Breaking down what really went down on Sunday.
- [19:21]
Jake Seeley
It is as good a timing, rhythm, offense as there is in the league right now. Then Rhett Lewis joins us for our Rookie draft and Coordinator of the Week where we highlight the rising stars and the masterminds calling the shots. DJ talked me into a Ronde Gadsden Jr.
- [19:36]
Fitz
He had a monster game.
- [19:37]
Jake Seeley
Monster.
- [19:37]
Fitz
A monster game. And you hear from the voices who.
- [19:40]
Jake Seeley
Actually build the game, GMs, coaches and.
- [19:43]
Fitz
Players who give you insight you won't get anywhere else.
- [19:46]
Jake Seeley
High standards and high care. That's the right combination. So whether you're studying tape or just love great football Talk. Subscribe to Move the Sticks on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey y', all, it's me, your man, M.G. marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio. And I'm Laquan Jones. If you're looking to win your fantasy.
- [20:07]
Fitz
Football league, you need to tune in.
- [20:09]
Jake Seeley
To the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast.
- [20:11]
Fitz
It's right there in the name. Every week, Florio, LQ and I bring.
- [20:15]
Jake Seeley
You the latest news from around the league. We break down every matchup, give you our analysis and advice so you know who to start, sit, drop and trade to bring that championship trophy home. I just want to remind everyone how good Rasheed Rice was last season. In these three healthy games he was the wide receiver. Two in Fantasy I think Rasheed Rice just goes off this week.
- [20:34]
Fitz
The Chiefs come on a flip pass.
- [20:36]
Jake Seeley
To Rice near side. Touchdown. Ramandre Stevens is my sleeper this week. This is a matchup where I think I can sliding Stevenson in my flex position and he could deliver double digit points this week.
- [20:47]
Fitz
Drake takes the snap, hands it off.
- [20:49]
Jake Seeley
For Madre, running it right and running.
- [20:51]
Fitz
Into the end zone.
- [20:52]
Jake Seeley
Touchdown. It's never too late to turn your fantasy season around. Subscribe to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [21:02]
Ryan Wormley
All right guys, let's get into the player debates here. Starting off at running back, I'll start with you, Fitz, DeAndre Swift or Aaron Jones. Couple of running backs facing each other in a divisional matchup. DeAndre Swift or Aaron Jones, who do you like better?
- [21:17]
Fitz
Yeah, this was a good one. Worm. Got to give you credit for coming up with sort of guys with parallel usage. Maybe both of these guys are kind of sort of sharing work with other backs. Swift shares with Kyle Manangai, Jones shares with Jordan Mason, and both Swift and Jones sort of asserted their alpha status in their respective backfields last week. With big snap and touch majorities, these guys face each other. Jones does have the slightly easier matchup. He's at home and the Bears are giving up about two more fantasy points per game than the Vikings are. But Swift has a far better offensive line in front of him. The Bears offensive line ranks third in adjusted line yards and they're graded fifth best in run blocking by PFF. I think the Vikings are 10th in adjusted line yards, 19th in PFF grade for run blocking. I just, I think the Bears have a better overall offense than the Vikings and I certainly think the Bears have a better quarterback than the Vikings. So give me the running Back with a better ecosystem. And in that case, this case, I think it's DeAndre Swift.
- [22:19]
Ryan Wormley
Jake, what do you think?
- [22:20]
Jake Seeley
I have them back to back and everything Fitz said, I mean I can't disagree with but I'll disagree on one thing. I'm just going to attack the defense and I think that if one thing is the Bears defense is more vulnerable than the Vikings. So I go Aaron Jones legitimately one spot in front of DeAndre Swift. If you want to argue the other direction, I have no problem. I think the biggest takeaway here is that let's not get too hung up in the running back versus running back. And I'm not coming for you by having this toss up worm. But what Fitz said is like what was going to be my point if I went first is that, you know, we had Aaron Jones get hurt in the previous game and then get 70% of the workload which was his biggest of the year and that he is clearly lead. DeAndre Swift is clearly the lead menon guy saved his day with a touchdown but got essentially kicked back to his old role. And that's the biggest takeaway is both of these guys are the lead options, no questions asked. So if you want to go either direction, hopefully you're able to start both of them, especially with a lot of questions at running back this week, including no Benson. Still.
- [23:15]
Ryan Wormley
I was, I was going to ask you that, Jake. So like they are back to back in ECR as well. It's RB19 and RB20. Does that feel. So obviously you agree with them being back to back. Does that feel like the right range for them to be. Would you bump the two of them together up or down at all or is 19 and 20 sound right?
- [23:30]
Jake Seeley
Actually it's right because I have them the opposite direction at 19 and I would list off the names that they're in front of, but we're pretty much talking about three to the next four names I have them in front of. I'll give you the one that we're not talking about. I have Kareem Hunt at 23 with no Pacheco. But like I'd even start both of them in front of Hunt.
- [23:48]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah. Do you agree with that? Fits both of them in front of him. And also that 1920 is kind of the right range there.
- [23:53]
Fitz
Yeah, I mean I've got Swift 18 and Jones 24.
- [23:57]
Jake Seeley
Oh yeah. That's a pretty decent gap. Yeah.
- [24:00]
Fitz
I'm not, I'm not 100% convinced that the big split we saw last week between Jones and Jordan Mason is is sticky. We'll see. It could be like. It wouldn't shock me if they just decided Jones is better, you know, all along in preseason rankings. I know a lot of people love Mason. I still thought Jones was the better player and had him ranked higher pre draft, but I don't know. We'll see. I. It wouldn't surprise me if it worked out more like 55, 45, 60, 40 than the, you know, seven.
- [24:32]
Jake Seeley
So you're going to tell me I need another hat because I'm actually about to disagree because the first game they bring back Jones is. He had the first two touches in that game before that game went completely sideways. That was the one where they barely touched the ball at all because it got decimated. But then the week that he got hurt two weeks ago, he was the lead. Like, he actually before he got hurt in that game was at 80% ish. So I actually, I think Fitz, they're telling us clearly that he is. And again, maybe I'm prepared to be wrong, but I think they, at least from the last three games that Jones has been on the field, they have clearly, in my opinion, told us that he is the lead.
- [25:09]
Fitz
Yeah, no, you could be right. It's just earlier in the season, remember, you're right.
- [25:13]
Jake Seeley
Earlier in the season, it was a fit.
- [25:14]
Fitz
It was sort of shifting towards. And it felt like things were kind of shifting toward Mason a little bit at one point. So it's been a really hard backfield to read, quite honestly.
- [25:24]
Ryan Wormley
I. I want to ask you guys just quickly, we're going to talk about Common on Guy more later in our rapid fire segment, but I just want to quickly ask, like, because you're talking about the split on the Minnesota side. I got so many questions last week from people asking, like what? Like, should I start Common on Guy this week? And, you know, I was like, well, I mean, I'm not sure why he's going to completely overtake Swift. You know, obviously he was amazing, but that was with Swift out and it was against a terrible defense and we had DeAndre Swift getting 13 carries, Common on guy getting seven. Mangai, of course, is the one who got the touchdown. You know, Swift also had eight targets in this game and Unguy just one. Do you think that that is the type of ratio we're going to see most weeks going forward between Swift and manang guy Something like 13 carries to 7 with Swift getting more targets fits or. Or do you think that that will even out or that gap will widen?
- [26:09]
Fitz
I think Ben Johnson is much More comfortable with DeAndre Swift's pass blocking these with Kaminagai. Swift is a good pass blocker. Manangai tries but I don't think he's a very good pass blocker and I think that kind of matters to Ben Johnson. And I know fantasy managers don't want to hear about running backs pass blocking but it does affect how much you're on the field.
- [26:31]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah, Jake, we'll get more to Menungai later so just quickly do you guys see it similarly?
- [26:35]
Jake Seeley
I do. I think that if we averaged out the numbers because there'll be volatility depending on game scripts. But I would say both backfields in my opinion, I think are going to be pretty much 65, 35 the rest of the way with that being Jones and Swift.
- [26:48]
Ryan Wormley
Let's go to a couple rookies here, Jake, Woody Marks or RJ Harvey. Obviously JK Dobbins getting hurt in the last game. You know Marks has, has been a little up and down at times this season. Obviously you know that offense is playing with the backup quarterback at the moment. So when you look at these two, they're both ranked in the 20s in ECR. It is currently RB23 and RB25. Who do you like better between those two?
- [27:12]
Jake Seeley
I'm going to make my X Files reference. You don't get again but I want to believe but here's the thing. Woody Marks RB touch percentage went down by seven or more points is 71%. Anything else any other time in the game is 36%. The Texans were down by 10 before a running back touched the ball in that game. So I'm not saying like, hey, Woody Marks, he got the start. You know, they put that out there. But I don't trust this team, especially when they're talking about like, oh, that wasn't the workload we expected. I'm confused. Like, do you not expect what you call like you are the person in charge? Like how do we not know what you plan to do in the game? So I want to believe in Marks because I believe in Marks the talent. I believe that he's the better talent than Nick Chubb at this point of their careers. But I don't believe in that Nick Chubb is going to get the workload that he did last week and not potentially lead again, especially the goal line opportunities. I don't believe in the Texans as a whole. That being said, I also don't believe in Sean Payton, but his hand is kind of forced here. And I do think when you look at RJ Harvey versus bidet versus Jahil McLaughlin who's been inactive for most of the season. I do think Harvey will be the lead. That all being said is I do have Harvey with a decent gap over Marks, but I don't have Harvey as a top 15 running back because I think he still might settle only in that 13 to 15 touch range, which I trust more than Marks. And given both getting 13 to 15 touches, I'm going to trust the Broncos offense more than I trust the Texans offense.
- [28:37]
Ryan Wormley
It's funny Fitz, I was messaging Erickson earlier and I was asking him just as a quick opinion on a start sit decision that I was trying to make and as a part of that conversation, one of the names that I threw out there was RJ Harvey and Erickson was like worm, come on it it's a Sean Payton offense. Don't trust it. Like, like why are you even asking me this question? So he was definitely fading Harvey, despite the the Dobbins injury. Do you see it that way too?
- [29:02]
Fitz
I do see it that way too and I mean listening to Jake talk about this, I think Jake and I kind of see this the same way. I think we might just be weighing the inputs a little differently. So I've, I've marks ranked either one or two spots higher. Both of these guys are low end running back twos for me. Here's the thing about RJ Harvey. In the absence of J.K. dobbins, who has a foot injury that's going to put him on the shelf for a while, Sean Payton is never going to be a monogamous running back user like he is going to play all of his running backs. He's never giving one guy all the snaps and touches. That's just not how Sean Payton rolls. Asking New Orleans Saints fans about that. Peyton has been doing the backfield by committee thing for years and it's not like Sean Payton has been super eager to give RJ Harvey a lot of responsibility this season. There's only been one game this year where Harvey has played more than one third of the Broncos offensive snaps. So it's not just going to be the RJ Harvey show this week. Tyler Bidet is going to get some work. Jaleel McLaughlin is going to get some work. It's just I worry that anyone expecting 15 to 20 touches for RJ Harvey is going to be disappointed and also he's going against the Chiefs. The Chiefs run defense not quite as nasty this year as it's been in recent years, but it's still pretty good. Marks gets a far better matchup against the Titans, who've allowed the second most fantasy points to running backs. I know Mark's usage last week was largely driven by game scrap. The Texans fell into this big hole and had to play, play catch up in the second half. And that that sort of game script just favors Marks because he's a better pass catcher than Nick Chubb. But still, I, I do think the shift away from Chubb and toward Marks could stick to some degree just because, you know, it wouldn't be the first time we've seen a team ramp up the usage of its rookie running back in the second half of a season. So I think Marks is a slightly better play than Harvey this week, even though I will say the disparity between the offensive lines here, I mean, Broncos one of the best in the league. Texans one of the worst. That's what kind of brings things closer for me. But mostly because of the defensive matchup, I'm going with Marks there.
- [31:15]
Jake Seeley
I will say one counterpoint to the game script is the last time. So Marks had. Hold on. It was 20, 21 touches against the Titans. Like, that's if you. So to your point, Fitz, if you wanted to argue for that. But the very next week when, sorry, Worm, but they destroyed the Ravens inexplicably. He had seven because they went to Nick Chubb.
- [31:37]
Ryan Wormley
It was explicable. Raven's entire defense was on ir.
- [31:40]
Jake Seeley
So, like, that's my concern is like. And that's where I come down to predictability. Like, I want, like, I actually, this is where, like, say, like, I hope I'm wrong because I want Marks to be a thing and I want Marks to be an RBT the rest of the way. It's just if they go back to crushing a team and being in the lead and it's the Titans, like, and again, this could go sideways. We talked about the Panthers and Falcons already, but if they're out and they're at the goal line and they're, you know, controlling this game by two, three scores, like, they're just going to see stupid Nick Chubb. And I, sorry, love Nick Chubb at the Primus career, but at this point, go away, dude.
- [32:12]
Ryan Wormley
No, I, I was going to mention. Actually, Jake, that's what I was going to say is that, you know, we've seen the Texans face the Titans before and get out to a big lead before. And, you know, Woody Marks did have 17 carries, 69 yards and a touchdown, and he had four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. So everybody would have thought that the.
- [32:28]
Jake Seeley
Next week would be exactly the same against the Ravens and then nothing.
- [32:32]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah, yeah, let's go to some wide receivers here. Speaking of the Ravens, how about Zay Flowers or DK Metcalf? Fitz? Two players that I I largely have not liked in a lot of these debates. Whenever they've come up this year I've typically been going on the other side so I wanted to put them against each other. They're ranked close together in ecr. Flowers or Metcalf, who do you like better?
- [32:52]
Fitz
Yeah, I've got flowers ranked wide receiver 18, Metcalf wide receiver 20 and Worm, I know you are probably incredul about how Flowers keeps getting ranked so highly. Whether it's pre draft rankings or in season rankings, Flowers ranking always seems to outpace his actual value. Maybe it's the name. Zay Flowers is a pretty cool name. I don't know. But I do know Flowers not having a very impactful season so far. He's wide receiver 29 and a half point PPR fantasy points per game. Hasn't really had a big day since week one, but Metcalf hasn't been all that impactful lately either. He's had less than seven half point PPR fantasy points in three of his last four games. Hasn't had more than 55 yards in any game during that four game stretch. But I got a I mean Worm, let me ask you whose offense do you like more, the Ravens or the Steelers? Do you prefer prime age Lamar Jackson or decrepit Aaron Rodgers? Do you prefer Todd Monken as a play caller or Arthur Smith?
- [33:52]
Ryan Wormley
I mean Ravens, Yes. I don't know if this is a rhetorical question he actually wants me to answer, but yes, clearly they're right.
- [34:00]
Fitz
All of these seem to fav Zay Flowers over DK Metcalf.
- [34:03]
Ryan Wormley
I would think it outside of week one where he was wide receiver one on the week that big game against the Bills. Outside of that, Zay Flowers best Finish in half PPR scoring this season is wide receiver 26. He has not even been a wide receiver two in any other week since week one. And again, I mean I'm not even going to waste our time, you know, giving this whole minute long spiel again. I've said it every week. I feel like he doesn't catch touchdowns. They do not use him in a way that is conducive to catching touchdowns. Maybe he breaks a long one and you're happy, but if not, you like are solely relying on yardage and catches and he hasn't had 80 yards in a game since week one. So if you're relying on yardage and catches, you're not even getting that love the player in real life again. I've been screaming from the mountaintops all year, like, I just, I don't understand how he keeps getting ranked as high as he is.
- [34:47]
Fitz
I hear you, but we're not getting like deep shot, high value target DK Metcalf anymore. He's like the wide receiver screen guy now.
- [34:55]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah. And that's why I put these two together because I thought it was kind of a fitting conversation. Jake, what do you think Flowers are? Metcalf.
- [35:01]
Jake Seeley
Yeah. Let's talk about a preseason that you and I brought up constantly with Zay Flowers. Last year with 41 touchdowns from Lamar, he wasn't even a top 30 wide receiver in points per game. Guess what? He's done it this year. He's wide receiver 30 in fantasy points per game. Even with. And I know Lamar hasn't been out there the entire time, but as you mentioned, Zay Flowers, one touchdown week one. He was the number one wide receiver in week one. Since then, zero fat touchdowns. You brought it up. 31, 88, 26, 32, 47, 28, 30, 33.
- [35:30]
Fitz
He's.
- [35:30]
Jake Seeley
Why was he with 30? So I'm going to say all this. I have DK Metcalf one spot in front of him. This really comes down to something I talk about a lot. Do you want the ceiling or do you want the floor? Zay Flowers is going to give you at leave fringe wide receiver 2 value right around those 25 to 30 range and then maybe he scores a touchdown for the first time since week one and hits that. But like he's more of the floor play because he has the volume. Look, I mean look at the, the targets. Every single game he has one without five. The difference is Fitz said everything is 100% right about DK Metcalf. It's boomer bust and all of his booms come with touchdowns because the yards haven't been there. Well, the boom against the Cincinnati defense. That's what I'm going to say. Cincinnati defense at home versus RA or Ravens going on the road against the Browns. I'm just going to take that matchup for the ceiling if you want the floor. Absolutely agree with Flowers. That's why they're back to back for me.
- [36:18]
Fitz
D D.J. turner is a pretty tough individual matchup though. And he covered. He, he was on DK Metcalf like 80% of DK snaps in the first Bengals Steelers game. And I think DK had two catches for 45 yards in that game.
- [36:33]
Jake Seeley
Three for 50.
- [36:33]
Fitz
So like three for 50.
- [36:36]
Jake Seeley
They're very close.
- [36:37]
Fitz
So. Yeah, I mean, it's just like you see Bengals and you think it's a great matchup, but it might not be as great a matchup as it looks like on paper.
- [36:46]
Jake Seeley
Sure.
- [36:46]
Ryan Wormley
So I, I want. Originally, when I was putting the show sheet together, I actually had it as Zay Flowers versus Stefan Diggs. And I remember Diggs is playing Thursday night. We try to avoid those players from when this show comes out. Diggs is actually ranked in ECR between Zay and dk. Oh, I have Diggs over both, then Diggs, then dk. Okay, I was going to ask. So you have digs over both of them?
- [37:04]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, yeah. I'm checking the weather, by the way, while we're talking about. This is why I'm looking down. I'm looking at the weather for both these games because that could be the determining factor as well. Cleveland is clear, 44 and clear. So you got. There's one. And then what's Pittsburgh? Because that could be the. They're both. They're both mid-40s clear. So there you go. Forget the weather. Doesn't matter.
- [37:24]
Ryan Wormley
Fitz, what do you think about Diggs compared to these two?
- [37:25]
Fitz
Quickly, I've actually got digs just below both of them. I mean, I just. Diggs is playing like below 60 of the snaps every game. And maybe that shouldn't be bother me as much as it does, but it bothers me.
- [37:38]
Ryan Wormley
Okay, one more wide receiver debate here before we get to the rapid fire section. How about Jameson Williams or Juwan Jennings? Obviously Williams coming off of a very good game here. Jay, take and you know, this big difference. Well, a, they're facing the Commander's defense, which as we've mentioned is, you know, absolutely heinous. But also Dan Campbell calling plays. And we know Dan Campbell has been a huge fan. He has talked up Jameson Williams over and over again. He gets a chance to call plays. Jameson Williams has this big day. Are you putting stock in that in terms of going forward? Or are you saying maybe that was more of just this great matchup against the Commanders? How do you like him against Juwan Jennings?
- [38:14]
Jake Seeley
This. So I want to start both of them. Let me make that clear. And sorry if I'm repeating myself because do so many podcasts and shows, even my own. I don't remember if I said this on here, but the Morton effect wasn't affecting the offense too much. Except for one specific person. It was Jameson Williams. He kept sending them on go routes and posts and outs and everything was just downfield. He turned Jameson Williams back into 2023 Jameson Williams, which is very frustrating and we weren't getting the breakout and Dan Campbell took over. What did he immediately do? Oh, let's use him over the middle field. Let's get some yards after the catch. Let's get him into space. Just because you can't do anything when Jameson Williams gets into space, that being the defense. So I want to start both. I actually put Jameson Williams as a buy even coming off a big game on my podcast looking for buys and sells for the rest of the season. All that being said, I do have Juwan Jennings slightly in front of him with the assumption that Ricky Pearsall is not returning. If Ricky Pearsall comes back, I would actually jump Jameson Williams just because it adds another aspect to that offense that, that Mac Jones, maybe Brock Purdy goes to. I do think Brock Purdy would use Jennings still quite a bit as the lead option with Pearsall's first game back, but it just adds a little bit of risk. So they're close enough now that as of today that assuming we don't know the quarterback, put the quarterback aside. But no Ricky Pearsall. I have Jennings. If Pearsall plays, I would put Jameson in front of him.
- [39:33]
Ryan Wormley
Do you see it similarly, Fitz, or do you. Would your decision be made irrespective of Pearsall?
- [39:38]
Fitz
I think I'm going JMO no matter what. It would be closer for sure. It does sound like Pierce Saw is coming back. I don't want to just paraphrasing Kyle Shanahan. He said something like, oh, I'm told he's completely healthy now. We'll see in practice this week. But it sounds like he's ready to go. So I am getting the impression that.
- [39:58]
Jake Seeley
Ricky Pierce, he also said his intent is to get IUK back on the field this year. So yeah, I never trust him.
- [40:05]
Fitz
Kyle is Kyle Shanahan. Take everything with, you know, a grain of salt and a lemon wedge like it's. It's definitely not all honesty all the time from him. Jake said everything you need to say about Jameson Williams, the usage with Dan Campbell better and really just the usage in the two games since the buy JMO's 10 catches for 185 yards, two touchdowns. So yeah, I think we're feeling good about his trajectory. I do not know what to make of Juan. Like, I think Joanne Jennings is the hardest player to assess really of anyone in fantasy right now. Like, I've got him ranked wide receiver 25 this week, and that's three spots below ECR. But I, I think I still might be too high on him like the pierce. All factors one thing. Jennings is averaging 1.31 yards per route run and 6.5 yards per target this season. Those are, those are bad numbers. And I, I know Jennings has been banged up. It's admirable that he's been playing Hertz. But you know, before Jennings started to play a much bigger role in the offense last season, his yards per route run numbers for his career were pretty similar to the 1.31 number he's put up this year. And then last year at age 27, all of a sudden he pops off and has this big year. And I'm. I'm starting to Wonder if the 2024 season was an outlier for Joanne Jennings, who'd basically been a special teamer before 2024. Well, I just, I don't know if he's good is what it comes down to.
- [41:34]
Jake Seeley
So I was going to say I don't think those things are necessarily mutually exclusive and I can agree with you that like last year was a factor of no Debo, no IUK or and like so. But the thing that I go to is that where I agree with everything you said, you look at the yards per route run, look at Jenny as the player. Whatever the reason is is once Debo and IUK are gone until and they haven't found anybody since we all thought it might be Pierce or is he's the number one, he's just. He's treated as the number one. So I will say like the biggest concern is why I bring in peircel of why I would drop him down fits is because if he's not getting seven, eight, nine targets because he's not huge in yards per route young and yards per catch and everything like that, it's the volume that he's trusted as the number one. And I say trusted very strongly that if it was only four targets, then I would have him as a wide receiver. 4. Like the volume definitively helped. Put it this way, how much different is he than Wandell Robinson? He's essentially Wandell Robinson on the 49ers.
- [42:31]
Fitz
Yeah, I mean Wandell I think is the more consistent target earner. I think they're different types of receivers.
- [42:37]
Jake Seeley
Oh no, absolutely. I meant from a usage standpoint like they're both, you know, in that 5, 6, 7, 8 target range over the.
- [42:43]
Ryan Wormley
Last couple of games when and Fitz am I misremembering. Haven't you talked about feeling like Jennings had a better chemistry with Brock Purdy? And just like once Purdy is back thinking that there would be a step.
- [42:54]
Fitz
Up for him, I'm optimistic that's going to be the case because, you know, we had that stretch where Kendrick Bourne turned into a superstar with Mac Jones and Jennings kind of fell by the wayside. But that was also probably at the. The height of Jennings being banged up with the 13 broken ribs. Yeah, whatever it is he was.
- [43:13]
Jake Seeley
That got healed in one week.
- [43:15]
Fitz
So. Yeah, two. Two sprained ankles, I believe it was.
- [43:19]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah. Like a high end. A low ankle sprain. Yeah.
- [43:22]
Fitz
Yeah. But so I don't know. Like, I just, I feel like there's still a lot of unanswered questions about Juwan Jennings. And you know, here the guy's like 28 and we still don't know what we have with the guy.
- [43:33]
Ryan Wormley
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- [45:22]
Fitz
I had Crosby Merritt ranked higher when I thought Chris Rodriguez might not play due to a shoulder injury. But Rodriguez practice on Wednesday looks like he's playing. So I'll. I'll take Charbonnet here. Like, give me the committee back in a good offense versus the committee back in a not so good offense.
- [45:37]
Jake Seeley
Jake, same thing. Charbonnet has five top 30 performances in three outside, and one of them was like 35, six or somewhere around there. It's frustrating and annoying as this backfield is the split. One thing that always continues to be the case with the split is that Charbonnet, when they get to the goal line, it's his job. So, you know, I know that's some touchdown variance there, but, I mean, that's why he's a fringe RB23. But yeah, I'm with you. I have a huge gap over this, which probably just means for everybody out there, it's going to be a Bill week. Just like week one against the Giants. Like, what? This is what we're going to say all of a sudden and everybody's going to go nuts and we're going to have to talk about them for seven more weeks.
- [46:13]
Ryan Wormley
Unless he does have a bill week, I'm instituting a moratorium. We're not going to mention him next week. At least let's go to a wider.
- [46:20]
Jake Seeley
He'll leave the show next week.
- [46:22]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You guys could force my hand, actually, if you make them at your flag plant or something next week. All right, wide receiver, a couple of teammates. Troy Franklin versus Cortland Sutton. Obviously, Sutton has been ranked higher for most of the year. Franklin has been playing really well lately, has the connection with Bo Nicks. So, Jake, I'll start with you here. Franklin or Sutton this week?
- [46:40]
Jake Seeley
I'm going with Troy Franklin, and I know Sutton's going to come around and I will buy low on Sutton. I actually don't love the Broncos schedule as a whole. I've had that entire team as a Seller looking forward for this. But if you look at TROY FRANKLIN Past three games, almost 31% of the team target share Cortland Sutton's 18, almost 50% of the team's air yards to 26 for Cortland Sutton. And I know the pushback is going to be, well, it catches only about half of those receptions. Well, even so, he still has almost twice as many receptions and three touchdowns to one for Sutton. So it's not like I have a huge gap. They're actually both in the same tier. But at this point, with how many opportunities Franklin is at least getting downfield and they continue to Bo Nix continues to throw to him. I'm going to give Franklin the slightest of edges over Sutton again. That's with saying I want to buy low on Sutton.
- [47:28]
Ryan Wormley
Sutton is wide receiver 31. Troy Franklin wide receiver 34 in ECR fits. Who do you like better this week?
- [47:35]
Fitz
The better player? Cortland Sutton like and I'm not the short term usage thing. Like, I'm not going for that. I know Sutton's had or if Franklin is on this little touchdown heater with four touchdowns in his last four games. Like if anyone wants to chase touchdowns, fine. I'm just going to stick with the better player. Like Troy Franklin is starting to build a body of work. Cortland Sutton already has an impressive body of work in his career. Like Cortland Sutton passes the eye test with flying colors. Troy Franklin has not yet completed the eye test. Sutton has 165 more yards this year than Troy Franklin. Sutton is averaging 8.9 yards per target. Franklin I think 5.6 yards per target or 5.8 like Sutton's.
- [48:22]
Jake Seeley
So the serious question, because I'm not trying to come like I'm not. But serious question like at what point does the eye test stop? He has one top 30 performance in the last five games, including one touchdown. So like at what point do we say like maybe it's just not happening for Sutton now that they have other options that are starting to click?
- [48:40]
Fitz
Yeah, I mean it's going to take more than five games, Jake. Like it's going to take closer to more than half a season for me before. But like Sutton is the best receiver on the Broncos.
- [48:50]
Jake Seeley
I don't disagree with that. I just again sometimes goes to the chemistry building in my opinion. Like I said, I like both. I want to buy low and Sutton. I just think at this point the opportunity is for Franklin. So I got to wear two hats next week. What is it? Courtland Sutton and somebody else. I Got two.
- [49:05]
Ryan Wormley
Well. Speaker two. Speaking of, they didn't.
- [49:07]
Jake Seeley
Next.
- [49:07]
Ryan Wormley
Next debate I have here is Kymani Vidal Videl versus Devonte Smith. And I specifically, like, I wasn't sure what the right name was, but I was like, I have to include one with Videl again this week. They're two spots apart in ecr. They're both ranked in an area where you would want to be starting them. But, you know, Vidal's the type of guy that you picked up later, so you might not really have the room. You might have to actually make a tough decision. Him versus a good receiver in your flex spot. So Videl or Smith? I'll start with you on this one, Fitz. Who do you like better?
- [49:36]
Fitz
Yeah, if you're trying to get me to champion Kamani Vidal again, Worm, it's. It's not going to work in this case. I'm going with Devonte. Yeah. Since. Since week five, Devonte Smith is tied with T. Higgins for wide receiver six and half point ppr fantasy points per game. Like the. The Slim Reaper is just a fantastic player. Like, Smith is one of the best route runners in the league. And I basically agreed with Jake last week that Breeze hall is a much better player than Kamani Vidal. But. But fantasy value at running back is as much about opportunity as it is about talent. Videl certainly has opportunity with a Marion Hampton still out, but I'm taking devonte Smith over Kymani Vidal.
- [50:14]
Ryan Wormley
Jake.
- [50:15]
Jake Seeley
So funny thing, in my flex rankings, I have Idell at 40 with Smith at 42. So coin flip there for you. So probably means Vidal is going to do what I thought he was going to do last week and have like 10 carries for 30 yards. And so I just can be. I could be wrong two weeks in a row on Vidal, which would just be awesome.
- [50:31]
Fitz
Jake, just ship me your hat so I can wear it next year or next week on the show.
- [50:36]
Ryan Wormley
I will tell you it has been an alternating. He's. He's gone RB8, RB33, RB7, RB44, RB8. It has. So like he's on pace for another bad.
- [50:45]
Jake Seeley
It is like if he's fallen, like, this is basically the San Francisco Giants World Series runs when they were doing it every other year. This is what we're going for here. I will say this. It really, all jokes aside, it comes down to I said it earlier in the show and I'll preach it again if you want to. If you're looking at your team and you're looking at your opponent, you're like, man, I just need some Guaranteed points. I'm in a good spot. I don't need to, you know, be bonkers with my lineup. Then it's Vidal if I need the higher ceiling. There's no questions with DeVontae Smith in the way it's been going, but I do think there's still some more risk with devonte Smith because it's the Eagles and it's about this time every single year that they start to figure things out. And yes, that could include devonte Smith, but we've got squeaky wheel playing Madden games talking about how don't even start me in fantasy. Would it be any shock to anybody that A.J. brown goes goes out, puts a 150 and two on the board and they don't even need Devonte Smith this week.
- [51:34]
Fitz
And it is true to Jake's point that like before this year it was sort of if A.J. brown and Dallas Goddard were healthy. Devonte Smith was like a low end wide receiver two, high end wide receiver three. And, and this year has been kind of the exception.
- [51:51]
Ryan Wormley
Wanda Robinson or David Montgomery? Jake, who do you like better?
- [51:55]
Jake Seeley
I know I did it. So he can talk about eating W's. Ah yeah. Let's get Jamis. Like here's though Jameis is going to chuck it downfield too. So throw Darius Slayton to this group. You know what? I think Wandell Robinson has a good chance to vastly outscore David Montgomery. But this is kind of like the safer play too. But that's where we go back to the earlier conversation again. Another one. David Montgomery hasn't exactly been safe this year. It's been up and down because of the inconsistency has been even worse than it was last year. He only had a few single digit performances last year. Now this year it's been more 50 50. So I'm going to go Wandell Robinson with Jameis because we know even if he throws three interceptions, he's still going to be throwing for 350 yards and 45 pass attempts even with the Giants and Mike Kafka. So I think that I'm taking one little Robinson even though it's close.
- [52:41]
Ryan Wormley
Yeah, I was curious Fitz. Like obviously Robinson has been getting, you know, lots of targets through the last four games. He has at least 11 targets. I wonder what you think about the fit with him with a guy like Jameis Winston who does like to go deep like Jake alluded to. So where do you have at least.
- [52:53]
Jake Seeley
Used Wandell that way earlier this season? Sorry to jump back in like right.
- [52:56]
Fitz
Yes. No, I was just gonna Say, like he was the lid lifter when it was Russell Wilson in the season they were using him as a vertical receiver. Maybe we see a little bit more of that. But regardless of how Wandell is used like the number one receiver on a team that's going to be starting Jameis at quarterback, I want that. And nothing against Monty. He's a good player and I think it might actually help Monty that Dan Campbell has taken over the play calling. I just think Campbell really wants closer to that 50, 50 workload split between Gibbs and Montgomery. But you know, at Philadelphia, not an easy matchup for David Montgomery. So I'm, I'm taking Wandell here.
- [53:33]
Ryan Wormley
I'm counting on Wanda to help get me into the Scott Fishbowl playoffs this week. So we'll need a big game out of him. Hopefully Jamis pulls through with him. How about Tyler Algier who we talked about a little bit in the waiver segment? Or Xavier Worthy fits?
- [53:50]
Fitz
Oh, man, this was one I struggled with. I feel like Algier is the, the. It's hard to say. A backup running back is like the safer call. It feels like he's safer and I know Worthy is having a quiet season. I'm, I'm still taking Xavier Worthy in the tough matchup against Denver over Algier.
- [54:10]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, I'm going with Algier again from the earlier conversation. Like, this is another one. Not to be like, oh, I want to believe joke again, but the truth is like we're going to talk about during the buy, they're like going to focus on getting Xavier Worthy involved more downfield and like, okay, that's cool. I mean, we've been talking about that the entire year. Xavier Worthy has been hovering in the 40s for wide receiver before and after Rice's return. Like, I want it to happen. I have a lot of shares of Xavier Worthy as my fourth and third wide receiver in some leagues. So I'm hoping it clicks. But at this point, this is one of those ones where like, I need to see it first. Hopefully it's this week and that would suck for it to be on my bench. But I think Algiers in a great spot. I do think this is not going to be like the first game that we saw for the Panthers. I think this is going to be one where Algier potentially gets in the end zone, which is. That's the one thing that Xavier Worthy is not doing. Anyone, either.
- [54:55]
Ryan Wormley
Keenan Allen, Jake or Kyle.
- [54:57]
Jake Seeley
Menong guy, it's Manangai because I tweeted this and this is what the assumption because Gadsden was practicing on Wednesday, which Wednesday practices we've talked about on this show don't mean a lot for people missing practices. This means kind of it does when people are practicing, especially with injury relations like Brian Thomas Gadson, those are positive signs. So I'm saying that to say is like Gadson was already practicing on Wednesday, sounds like he's going to be okay and good to go. Because Gadson, for all our talk about like which it has affected Quentin Johnson's touchdown department, it has destroyed Keenan Allen. Keenan Allen 50% route run the last three games with Gatson being a thing. Before Gadsden's breakout it was 80%. So if Gadson were out, Keenan Allen bump them way up. But with Gadsden out there, Keenan Allen is the one that has been just destroyed by the breakout.
- [55:49]
Fitz
Jake nails it on Keenan Allen like the Gadsden breakout is really kind of just kneecaps. Keenan Allen, he, his production is really tapered off. But man, like the Jaguars past defense has been really bad, like Washington commanders level bad lately. And I just, I don't know how many touches we can count on from Manangai. You know I mentioned before I think Ben Johnson just wants to play DeAndre Swift because he's a better pass block flocker. And, and yeah, I'm playing Keenan Allen here in the good matchup, even with the 50% route participation, I think 50% can work against the Jaguars.
- [56:29]
Ryan Wormley
At quarterback we have Joe Flacco or Matthew Stafford, a couple of older quarterbacks here and Fitz, I'll start with you, Flacco. Stafford's been on a real heater. Obviously. Flacco's been playing great too. Who do you like better this week?
- [56:42]
Fitz
Yes, Stafford has been awesome. 25 touchdowns, only two interceptions. Currently the second best MVP behind only Drake May. But Seattle's a tough matchup. Like the Seahawks can crank up the heat with a pass rush and they've got a really good group of COVID guys on the back end. Flacco is quarterback one in fantasy points per game since taking over for Joe Burrow and excuse me, for Jake Browning. And when Flacco played the Steelers a few weeks ago, 342 passing yards, three touchdowns. He's averaging 43.3 pass attempts per game with the Bengals. He's. He's had 45 or more pass attempts in three of those four starts. Steelers are giving up three more fantasy points per game to quarterbacks than Seattle is and I'm kind of surprised the gap isn't wider than that. I'm, I'm going with Flacco here.
- [57:33]
Ryan Wormley
I kind of like a bet on Stafford for MVP because I think if they win this game because so many people are talking about Seattle as like maybe the best team in football, this game's at home. Like the Rams are have a good chance to win. They're really good too. If they win. I think he's going to be the MVP favorite regardless of what Drake may does against the team Jets. So I, I like Stafford as as that MVP bet. But as far as fantasy, Jake, who do you like better, Stafford or Flacco?
- [57:55]
Jake Seeley
I'm rolling with the quarterback and the offense I trust more and that's just Joe. Not Joe Flacco, it's Matthew Stafford. And I know what Fitz is saying about the Seahawks defense and you know they are tough, they are tougher between these two matchups. I lost last week's game and I know a lot of it was catch up but they impressed me a lot with Jacoby Brissette. I don't expect Jacoby Brissette to be able to throw 250 yards and two touchdowns with no picks against that. I actually expected better. Like I expected him to basically rough up reset that entire game. And again I know some of it was a lot of like the catch up situation when they were out to what a 35 nothing lead before we even blinked but I would still give them more credit to that the fact that like let's not let it happen. So again worrisome defense. I don't think they're Denver with certain level that's might be where the little bit of disagreement comes in but the way that Stafford's playing I just, I just trust Stafford and I always will really. But the only difference would be if Devonte Adams isn't that would be this. It's so close for me that if Devonte Adams is limited practice all the way through Friday and a questionable tag but playing through it that would be enough for me to change it and just flip them. I have them back to back right.
- [58:59]
Ryan Wormley
Now at tight end. Last one here Jake. Kate Otten or Travis Kelsey this week?
- [59:06]
Jake Seeley
Kate Otten the volume as long as Chris Godwin is not on the field it's Kate on the volume is enviable for what we want to see at tight end and I know Travis Kelce saw a little bit of a resurgence kind of in the middle of the season and maybe with a little bit with Rasheed Rice back but against Denver on the road and I know they have two weeks to prepare and Andy Reid after a buy and blah blah blah blah. But I'm just going to trust the volume that Otten's been getting and what we hope to be one of the biggest shootouts of the week.
- [59:33]
Fitz
Fitz I mean, since Week 5, Kelsey has averaged 5.2 catches and 71.6 yards a game. He's tight end five and fantasy points per game over that stretch. And we know how good the Denver cornerbacks are, so maybe the path of least resistance for Patrick Mahomes is just to throw to his tight end, you know, and Otten has been more heavily involved lately. But the Bills have a really tough matchup for tight ends. Or, excuse me, the Bills are a really tough matchup for tight ends. They've allowed the fewest receptions, fewest receiving yards, fewest fantasy points to the tight end position. So I like Kelsey. Weird to think that Denver might actually be the easier matchup, but I think that might be the case here.
- [60:15]
Ryan Wormley
Say goodbye to Start Sit Dilemmas with Fantasy Pro Start Sit Assistant within seconds, you'll know exactly who to play for optimal results each and every every week. Leveraging insights from numerous experts, the Start Sit Assistant aligns your lineup decisions with the top minds in fantasy football, giving you a competitive edge. Maximize your lineup's potential with just a few clicks. Head to fantasypros.com myplaybook or download the Fantasy Pros app and make winning decisions in no time. We're about to get to our touchdown calls for the week, but first join our free touchdown calls contest in the Fantasy Pros discord. Each week. Pick four players you think will score with the bonus Flex worth Double Weekly winners get a 25 Fantasy Pros gift card and the season champ takes home a side Bijan Robinson jersey Play now by going to fantasyprose.com chat and heading to the touchdown calls channel, I am on running back this week I will take Javante Williams has scored a bunch of touchdowns this year gets the Raiders coming off a buy. I like Javante. Jake, you are on wide receiver.
- [61:06]
Jake Seeley
Yeah, I'm going to go with my favorite buy low right now the last four weeks of the season. It doesn't get any better for the Vikings wide receivers and I did in depth dive in the waiver column talking about the worry level for Justin Jefferson and it's not that high because because all the numbers across the board are essentially the same with Wentz and J.J. mcCarthy. The biggest difference being he's only catching 50% of the passes from McCarthy versus almost 70% with Carson Wentz because McCarthy's off target a lot, but that rapport is going to build, at least I believe, and that's coming from somebody that wasn't a huge McCarthy guy for the season. I do think Kevin O' Connell will continue to coach him up. How much time have they had to play together? So I'm going to take Jefferson against the Bears defense just gives up passing touchdowns to wide receivers and tight ends and everybody every single week. So Justin Jefferson to get into the end zone.
- [61:51]
Ryan Wormley
Fitz, who do you like at tight end or who are you tolerating at tight end?
- [61:55]
Fitz
I'm tolerating Theo Johnson and I think I hit on my last tight end call. So 2 for 2. Theo Johnson has five touchdowns in his last seven games and now he gets the ultimate rainmaker at quarterback, Jameis Winston.
- [62:07]
Ryan Wormley
Javante Williams at running back, Justin Jefferson at receiver, Theo Johnson at tight end. You can dominate your fantasy football league with Fantasy Pros Premium. Premium now available free for six months when you deposit and place your first wager on one of our partner sportsbooks, this is the easiest way to get full access to our top fantasy tools all season long. Go to fantasypros.com premium to get started. Best of luck to everybody here in week 11 for Jake and Fitz, I'm Ryan Wormley. Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next time. Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football Podcast. If you love the show, the best free way to support us is by leaving a positive review on apple podcasts@fantasypros.com review or on Spotify. Follow us on X Instagram and TikTok @FantasyProse and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube.com fantasypros here with one last reminder to keep you off the naughty list this holiday season. Stuff your stockings, your pantry, your gift closet, anywhere you can with Duracell batteries. Because there's nothing worse than opening a gift on Christmas morning and realizing you don't have batteries for it. Duracell batteries are the only battery brand with power boosting GRE ingredients, which are a unique blend of nickel and lithium designed for long lasting power. So stock up on your double A's and your AAA's so you'll be a okay for the holidays. Choose the only battery brand with power boost ingredients. Choose Duracell.
- [63:47]
Jake Seeley
Hey everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here and I'm Bucky Brooks on Move the six. We take you inside the game. From breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching.
- [63:58]
Fitz
Trends and how front offices construct winning.
- [64:01]
Jake Seeley
Rosters, we study the tape, talk to decision makers and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the.
- [64:10]
Fitz
Why behind what happens on Sundays. Don't miss it.
- [64:13]
Jake Seeley
Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [64:21]
Ryan Wormley
Greatness doesn't just show up, it's built One shot, one choice, one moment at a time.
- [64:26]
Fitz
From NBA champion Stephen Curry comes Shot Ready, a powerful, never before seen look.
- [64:31]
Ryan Wormley
At the mindset that changed the game. I fell in love with the grind.
- [64:36]
Jake Seeley
You have to find joy in the work you do when no one else is around. Success is not an accident. I'm passing the ball to you. Let's go.
- [64:45]
Fitz
Steph Curry redefined basketball. Now he's rewriting what it means to succeed. Shot Ready isn't just a memory memoir, it's a playbook for anyone chasing their potential. Discover stories, strategies and over 100 never before seen photos. Order shot ready now at stephencurrybook.com don't miss Stephen Curry's New York Times bestseller Shot Ready available now. This is an iHeart podcast.