Week 3 Fantasy Football Reactions & Injuries + Early Week 4 Waiver Wire (Ep. 1723)

Summary

FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Podcast

Episode: Week 3 Fantasy Football Reactions & Injuries + Early Week 4 Waiver Wire (Ep. 1723)

Date: September 22, 2025
Hosts: Scott Bogman, Tara Roberts
Guest: Deepak Chona (Injury Analyst)

---

Episode Overview

This episode recaps the major storylines from NFL Week 3, focusing on key fantasy football performances, injury updates, and actionable insights for the waiver wire heading into Week 4. Hosts Scott Bogman and Tara Roberts are joined by injury expert Dr. Deepak Chona, who provides detailed medical takes on recent injuries to big-name players. The conversation is energetic, informative, and designed for fantasy enthusiasts looking to gain an edge in their leagues.

---

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Week 3 Immediate Takeaways

Timestamps: 01:01 – 01:16

• Tara Roberts opens with optimism, highlighting bounce-backs from struggling stars like A.J. Brown and Nico Collins.

  • "The injuries were painful, but the bounce-backs of some of those big name players who had been flailing, that was my positive takeaway." (01:01)

• Scott Bogman frames Week 3 as the first "ugly injury week" of the season—"Sunday, Bloody Sunday".

---

2. Major Injury Rundown with Dr. Deepak Chona

Timestamps: 01:44 – 09:12

a. CeeDee Lamb (Ankle)

• Tried to return, injury on lower end of severity.
• Deepak: "The average for a wide receiver still takes about two weeks and most Players would miss at least one." (02:08)
• Impact: Jake Ferguson gets a significant bump; Turpin has upside.

b. James Conner (Ankle)

• Carted off, likely severe, high risk for fracture.
• Deepak: "I'm not expecting James Conner back soon." (03:46)
• Opportunity: Trey Benson is the clear benefactor, with a tough but manageable upcoming schedule.

c. Mike Evans (Hamstring) & Terry McLaurin (Quad)

• McLaurin: Mild optimism for a quick return—watch practice reports.
• Evans: Older, bad history; likely more severe, expect 2–3 weeks minimum.
  • Deepak: "Wouldn't be surprised if Evans ends up on the IR." (04:41)

d. Other Injury Notes

• Najee Harris: Possible Achilles; likely out for season.
• Juwan Jennings, Danny Brown: Shoulder injuries, possible short absences.
• Chris Godwin: Slow ramp-up from ankle; don't expect an immediate large workload.
• Brock Purdy: Possible return next week.
  • Deepak: "Najee was very likely in Achilles as you said, so probably out." (07:51)

e. Immediate Waiver Impacts

• Sterling Shepard (Tampa) becomes a viable spot-start.
• Amarian Hampton rises as a trusted option after Najee’s injury.
  • Tara: "He's going to shoot up in these rankings and have a much higher trust level..." (08:06)

---

3. Game-by-Game Fantasy Reactions

Each matchup is broken down with key performances, surprises, and actionable recommendations.

---

Carolina Panthers 30, Atlanta Falcons 0

(11:34 – 14:40)

• Main story: Falcons bench QB Michael Penix for Kirk Cousins—generally disastrous on offense.
• Panthers’ secondary emerges as a "no-go" for opposing WR1s.
• Drake London has volume but disappoints due to matchup.

---

Pittsburgh Steelers 21, New England Patriots 14

(14:40 – 18:42)

• Jaylen Warren performs, but touches split due to fumbles.
• Tara: On RB split: “It's just kind of a hodgepodge. So until I see it, I'm still remaining reserved there from Henderson.” (16:10)
• Patriots WRs, including Stefon Diggs, are unreliable due to snap issues and spread offense.
  • "You just can't trust anyone. Even Hunter Henry on a week to week basis." (17:09)

---

Indianapolis Colts 41, Tennessee Titans 20

(18:42 – 22:04)

• Daniel Jones looks revitalized under Shane Steichen—Tara buying the Colts’ offensive resurgence.
  • "It's amazing what you can do when you put somebody behind a good offensive line and you have a wide variety of weapons." (20:07)
• Jonathan Taylor dominates; Michael Pittman cements WR1 status.
• Rookie Amanra continues to rise; Calvin Ridley's usage is concerning (7 targets, 1 catch).

---

Cleveland Browns 13, Green Bay Packers 10

(22:04 – 25:08)

• Judkins shines as RB2; could supplant Ford full-time.
• Packers rookie WR Matthew Golden gets early looks; more hopeful signs than Jerry Jeudy.

---

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29, New York Jets 27

(25:08 – 27:15)

• Massive volume for Rachaad White due to Evans injury.
• Garrett Wilson: Must-start, no longer in start/sit discussions.
  • “No more questions about Garrett Wilson. He is a must start at all times.” (26:47)

---

Washington Commanders 41, Las Vegas Raiders 24

(27:15 – 32:23)

• Washington RBs are mired in a committee; hard to trust anyone as a weekly starter.
  • "It's a committee and I don't know if they are going to change it at this point." (29:41)
• Raiders’ Gentry faces O-line woes but is the clear lead, just not getting enough receiving work.
• Trey Tucker surges as WR for the Raiders; 3rd straight promising week.

---

Minnesota Vikings 48, Cincinnati Bengals 10

(32:23 – 35:36)

• Bengals offense implodes; Chase Brown struggles behind a poor O-line.
• Jake Browning is matchup-dependent for WR productivity.
  • Tara: "My concern for Chase Brown only grows though..." (33:59)

---

Jacksonville Jaguars 17, Houston Texans 10

(35:36 – 41:00)

• Brian Thomas Jr. in fantasy trouble with targets dwindling, Parker Washington emerges.
• Woody Marks is a top handcuff and rising priority on the waiver wire.

---

Philadelphia Eagles 33, Los Angeles Rams 26

(41:00 – 43:10)

• A.J. Brown returns to form—relief for fantasy managers.
• Devonta Smith, Goddard, and Puka Nacua all have strong days.
  • Tara: "We learned that you can in fact bully Philadelphia into throwing the ball. You got to remember Jalen hurts can throw."* (42:22)

---

Denver Broncos 20, Los Angeles Chargers 23

(43:10 – 46:12)

• Quinton Johnston's breakout continues, Keenan Allen remains steady, Lad McConkey's role shrinking.
• For Denver, J.K. Dobbins leads, but R.J. Harvey’s value is fading, though he’s still a stash.

---

Seattle Seahawks 44, New Orleans Saints 13

(46:12 – 48:26)

• Seahawks dominate with efficiency—Walker and JSN shine.
• Saints passing game is all PPR volume for Olave and Johnson, but little upside.

---

San Francisco 49ers 16, Arizona Cardinals 15

(48:26 – 50:50)

• Marquee concern: Marvin Harrison Jr.’s hands and fantasy consistency; Trey McBride top target.
• CMC’s workload is unsustainably heavy.
  • Tara: "It's tough to believe. It feels aggressive...But hey, that's their process there...If the wheels come off, they come off I guess."* (50:24)

---

Chicago Bears 31, Dallas Cowboys 14

(50:50 – 53:16)

• Caleb Williams breakout: 4 touchdowns, spread the ball efficiently.
• CeeDee Lamb likely misses two weeks (injury update from earlier).
• Roschon Johnson's role fading; Kyle Manangai is now Swift’s direct handcuff.
  • Tara: "We've got a clear handcuff running back situation there with Kyle Manangai for DJ or for DeAndre Swift?"* (53:16)

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Deepak Chona on CeeDee Lamb's injury:
  “He did try to return and...all of that together suggests on the lower side, milder type severity. The average for a wide receiver still takes about two weeks.” (02:08)

• Tara Roberts on Garrett Wilson:
  "No more questions about Garrett Wilson. He is a must start at all times." (26:47)

• Scott Bogman on the Raiders backfield:
  "This is more the old line, which is not something, you know, you can really make an adjustment for. I just hope that the blocking gets better..." (30:32)

• Tara Roberts on Calvin Ridley:
  "The problem here is that this target share for Iowa Manor, that's real. He's a rookie coming in and commanding that right off the bat...I can't do it, unfortunately. I'm not buying Calvin Ridley..." (21:18)

---

Waiver Wire & Strategy Insights

Throughout episode, especially at: 03:05, 04:09, 05:47, 40:14

• Jake Ferguson (TE, Dallas): Top target with Lamb out.
• Trey Benson (RB, Arizona): Immediate priority if available with Conner out.
• Sterling Shepard (WR, Tampa): Viable low-end flex in Evans/Godwin absences.
• Woody Marks (RB, Houston): Direct handcuff and change of pace, possible flex.
• Trey Tucker (WR, Raiders): Three straight weeks of rising usage.
• Quinton Johnston (WR, Chargers): Trending up.
• Amarian Hampton (RB, Denver): Trust level increases with Najee out.

---

Fantasy Impact Summary

• Many major injuries shake up the RB and WR landscape, creating opportunities for savvy waiver moves.
• Bounce-backs from stars like A.J. Brown and Nico Collins bring much-needed relief.
• Some rookies (Amanra, Golden, JSN) and next men up (Ferguson, Shepard, Tucker) look poised to seize bigger roles.
• Several backfields remain unfriendly committees—monitor usage and let the weeks play out before over-investing.
• As always, track the Thursday and Friday injury reports for late-week updates.

---

Episode Mood & Takeaways

The tone is upbeat, slightly exasperated at the injury carnage but focused on finding fantasy advantages moving forward. The hosts balance actionable advice with humor and realism about the chaotic NFL landscape.

---

Listen for These Segments

• CeeDee Lamb/Mike Evans injury breakdowns: 01:44–05:40
• Trey Benson, Amarian Hampton rise: 04:09–08:53
• Garrett Wilson ‘no more questions’ rant: 26:47
• Waiver wire priorities and strategy: Sprinkled throughout, especially 03:05, 40:14, 41:00, 43:10

---

For full, real-time fantasy takes and injury updates, subscribe to the FantasyPros Podcast wherever you get your pods.

Transcript

[Tara Roberts]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Walmart Express Delivery Announcer]

Ever go to McNachos on game day and realize the cheese is missing or the chips or both? It happens all the time. But check it. Walmart Express delivery gets what's needed in as fast as one hour. One hour, people. And it's not just food. It's phone chargers, pet supplies, toilet paper. Try it now and get free delivery on a first order with promo code Express. Walmart Express delivery in as fast as 1 hour. Promotion valid for First Express delivery order $50 min. Subject to availability restrictions apply.

[Scott Bogman]

Welcome in everybody is the fantasy pros recap for week three. I'm your host, Scott Bogman. I'm joined by Tara Roberts and Deepak Chona to break it all down for you guys. And week three is in the books. Deepak, you're going to be here for an extended period of time. We got a lot to talk about. Tara, what was your immediate thoughts on week three? Was it the injuries?

[Tara Roberts]

No, it was. Well, and the injuries were painful, but the bounce backs of some of those big name players who had been flailing, that was my positive takeaway. Looking at the good bounce backs for A.J. brown and Nico Collins and we'll just, you know, we'll make this injury stuff work.

[Scott Bogman]

Thank you for bringing positivity, Tara. We appreciate that. Deepak, you're here to bring us down, man. Hopefully it's not too bad for all of these guys. I haven't seen exactly what you said about it quite yet, but I mean, it was a brutal week. It's Sunday, Bloody Sunday. It's the first ugly one of the year. I feel like.

[Deepak Chona]

Yeah, it all started these afternoon the second half of the games and it just didn't stop. So we'll get through it.

[Scott Bogman]

You know, we will get through it. So let's dive into it then. CD Lamb, let's start there. The ankle injury. You know, we had James Conner leave with an ankle as well. T. Mac with a quad, Evans with a hammy. Juwan Jennings didn't play with a shoulder. A lot more on the back end too. So let's just start at CD and that's our highest pick on this list. Tell me he's going to be okay, please.

[Deepak Chona]

Yeah. So there is a silver lining here in that he did try to return and the video, if you watch it, his foot didn't get caught in the ground as it was being as ankle is being bent. So all of that together suggests on the lower side, milder type severity. The average for a wide receiver still takes about two weeks and most Players would miss at least one. Now, you saw on a route he was trying to basically cut and rotation is where you really feel this as a wide receiver. So that high ankle is super important in stabilizing when you're making those cuts on routes. And that's where I think you'll see the limitation in the first couple of weeks back as well.

[Scott Bogman]

How long do we think average would be?

[Deepak Chona]

About two weeks.

[Scott Bogman]

Two weeks. Okay. In the meantime, Tara, first of all, thank you. Thank you, Deepak, for giving us positive news here. But in the meantime, is it. I mean, Ferguson had a big day. Is it Ferguson? Do you like Turpin? What are your thoughts in Dallas?

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, you know, I do waiver wire stuff, and I was looking for a justification for adding one of these guys on waivers for Dallas. I don't know that we have it there, truly, because none of them really stood out. You can take a stab at one. Turpin is obviously the shifty, high upside one there that could be. But ultimately, I think it just makes us lean in more aggressively to the guys that we already have. You feel super secure in George Pickens and Jake Ferguson now is shooting all the way up to a weekly solid as long as CD Lamb is out top five.

[Scott Bogman]

All right, let's go to James Conner with this ankle injury. He was carted off. You know, the prayer circle was around him. I. Is there any positive news here? Because that one looked pretty nasty.

[Deepak Chona]

Yeah, we haven't gotten an official word here, but it doesn't look overly optimistic. The knee. The foot was planted, the knee twisted, and then the ankle twisted as well. There's a high risk of fracture when you have that type of severe energy to it, so we'll just have to see. But I'm not expecting James Connor back soon.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, Tara, I mean, this looks like it's just wheels up for Benson, right?

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah. And unfortunately, it's not one of those things that we can go to waivers and add there. We did see Amari Dmercardo step out there and get a couple of targets. He failed and made a drop, so I don't think that's going to be a threat in any way, shape or form. Yeah, trade Benson to the moon here. Upcoming schedule is tough, but still workable. He's looked solid. He had a good day. Yards per carry hasn't been an issue, and maybe we can get these touchdowns going for him, too.

[Scott Bogman]

Fingers crossed. Let's go. How about Mike Evans with The hammy, Terry McLaurin with the quad? Do we have good news on These guys. Deepak.

[Deepak Chona]

Yeah. So Terry McLaurin, it's hard to read into the severity of his injury. They were already up and it was towards the end of the game when he came out. There wasn't any obvious mechanism that we could tell at least from the initial review of the game tape. So with all that in mind, the average quad is a spectrum based on severity. So again, we just have to watch his return to practice some optimism that he may be able to come back even this week with Mike Evans, a little less optimism. Now he's age 32, he has a hamstring and soft tissue history that's pretty extensive. And so you also watch his reaction. He threw his helmet, he was limping. It points to a higher severity type injury. Wouldn't be surprised if Evans ends up on the iron. The all comers average for hamstrings is about two to three weeks. But being over age 30, having the history and then of course the reaction all suggests he's going to be on the higher side of that. So not as much optimism on him.

[Scott Bogman]

But cautious optimism on McLaurin and Tara, what are your go tos with Terry McLaurin and Mike Evans here?

[Tara Roberts]

The main one, you know, Terry McLaurin, that situation and turning to anyone else is very dependent on Jaden Daniels returning next week. But Tampa Bay is definitely different there because Baker Mayfield is the dog. He's amazing and he just makes multiple wide receivers relevant there. And we know for a fact that Sterling Shepard would in fact be the next man up there. Now we've got the caveat of whether or not Chris Godwin comes back. He was expected in October, so maybe they don't push it because they have depth there at receiver. Sterling shepherd is a guy we can go to waivers. He's seen solid targets even as the third option thus far this season. We know his history there with the Giants there and the upside that he offers. So I feel good about putting in a claim and using Sterling Shepard as a potential low end flex spot start if we need it this week.

[Scott Bogman]

Oh man, we got a lot to burn through here as well on top. So Najee, possible Achilles here. Deepak, Danny Brown with a shoulder. Jennings didn't play with a shoulder. There's other injuries. Any more of note besides those three?

[Deepak Chona]

Yeah, so I mean just to touch on those very quickly. Jennings, he was doubtful to or he was ruled out towards the end but listed as questionable prior. So it suggests maybe there's some optimism he comes back next week. Diamond Brown, he did get kind of piled into that shoulder and then was pulled out. So most AC sprains, if that's what he ends up having, would allow return within one to two weeks. So pretty quick, you know, the other injuries kind of to to note on the radar. Chris Godwin and Tristan Worst both potentially returning this coming week for the Bucks. One note on Chris Godwin with that ankle history you would very likely see a slow ramp up usually four to six weeks. So wouldn't be banking on him taking huge targets away from other Bucks immediately and then kind of looking at Brock Purdy as well. He was trending towards maybe return this week, but the data was pretty heavily against it. But playing next week looks like a very realistic target.

[Scott Bogman]

What was Najee, did you see any of that yet?

[Deepak Chona]

Najee was very likely in Achilles as you said, so probably out.

[Scott Bogman]

Tara, I mean did I miss any here? I feel like I might have missed a couple. And any, any immediate reactions to these injuries?

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, it's interesting. We got a, you know, quite a few low level ones that maybe don't affect anyone that we're starting but maybe up those fantasy points for someone else. And then you talk about Amari and Hampton there. The injury to Najee. We have been in kind of this no man's land with Amarian Hampton, especially after the final drive. It's interesting because early in this game it looked like if there was an even, pretty pretty even snap count between the two if maybe not tilted a little bit towards Naji. But after the injury Hampton taking over is clear lead back there. The volume that he got very successful with it and really the uptick in pass volume as well. It's a dramatic change for us and the level of trust that we can have moving forward with him. So he's going to shoot up in these rankings and have a much higher trust level when we were split in the backfield there.

[Scott Bogman]

All right Deepak, mainly good news you gave us so we'll let you leave on that. Follow Deepak@SportsMD Analysis. That's the same everywhere.

[Deepak Chona]

Yeah, that's on Twitter and if you search either my name or SportsMed analytics on the other platforms you'll find us and then hear every week.

[Scott Bogman]

Thank you so much for joining us and giving us some good news on some of these injuries. CD Lam two weeks. Fingers crossed. Let's go. We will be right back. Tara and I to break down the games right after this.

[WashablesOfAs.com Announcer]

Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? WashablesOfAs.com has your back. Featuring the Annabe Collection, the only designer sofa that's machine washable inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slipcovers made with performance fabrics. Experience cloud like comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Check out washablesofas.com and get up to 60% off your Anna Bay sofa backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Tara Roberts]

You can make a difference in someone's life, including your own with a job in home care. These jobs offer flexible schedules, healthcare, retirement options and free training. They also provide paid time off and opportunities for overtime. Visit oregonhomecarejobs.com to learn more and apply. That's oregonhomecarejobs.com.

[Deepak Chona]

Hey, what's up?

[Mario Lopez]

It's Mario Lopez. Back to school is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach or neighbor. Check in, ask questions, stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to [e-mail] blue campaign.

[Scott Bogman]

The Welsh is always here in our hearts to help us in this show. And look we had some, we had a big, you know, someone cheered 5,000 bits here. Sparrow. Thank you so much Sparrow. Appreciate that. That was awes. Thank you everyone for joining us here. We appreciate you guys and to show our appreciation, this week we partnered with Scene Auction to give away a DJ Moore signed Bears mini helmet. Whether you're a Bears fan or you just love collecting signed NFL gear, this is a must have addition to your shelf. To enter you just leave a comment on any of our Twitch streams this week at Twitch TV fantasypros. And as always, Twitch subscribers get one and a half times odds boost of winning. Just as a thank you for your support, we'll announce the winners on Tuesday, September 30th. All right Tara, let's get into it here. Atlanta Falcons 0 points Carolina Panthers 30 Raise your hand if you had the Carolina Panthers defense starting anywhere and put it down because we don't believe a single person out there in this game. We did see Price young throw for 121 yards but he ran in a touchdown. Pennix got benched. Kirk cousins came in 172 yards, two picks. Hubbard was okay, didn't score. Dowdle vultured him. Bijan didn't score but he had over 100 all purpose yards. We saw McMillan 3 for 48, London 5 for 55. You know, a lopsided game. Didn't have a lot of fantasy greatness here but the big thing was panics getting benched. What are your thoughts on this Falcons Panthers game?

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, this was a, this was a disaster. I will say that maybe this, the benching was just a maybe they're trying to throw Kirk Cousins out there for the trade value since they are seeking this unreasonably hefty offering that no one is going to buy. But maybe if they stick him out there and he looks good, they can convince somebody. I don't think it's working. Yeah, this was, this was a bad situation. I will defend the Falcons a little bit because scoring zero points, there's no defense for that. But defending Pinnocks and Drake London just like a tiny bit there. At this point we have to accept that Carolina might just be a straight up no go through the air. We saw last week with Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. Week one. I think they were very strong or strong as well at this point. Their secondary is just their strength. Everything else is kind of a bit of a hodgepodge disaster in development there. Right. They're trying but the secondary is what had been solid for them year after year game after game here. So unfortunately I do believe, believe when your wide receiver one is facing that Panther secondary and JC Horn, you might want to mail it in and have some lowered expectations there. Good news is is that Drake London still has, you know, he's the target later volume is there. It's not tilting other direction. We just need this Atlanta offense to feel something. Pinnock looks like he's just a little bit lost out there right now.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, yeah. Young man, no need to panic quite yet. But yeah, I'm with you. Like Caroline, this is a perfect game plan for Carolina. What they want to do after having that historically bad rush defense is to score points, get up on you and make you pass into that secondary that they spent a lot of money on. So just not a good game for the falcons in this one how about my Pittsburgh Steelers with a 21 to 14 win, even though they were plus 4 in the turnover margin, it was a win, so I'll take it. Aaron Rodgers, my new guy. 139 yards, two touchdowns and a pick here. Drake May 268, two touchdowns, seven rushes for 45. He did lose a fumble and throw a pick. Jaylen Warren looked pretty good here. 18 for 47, five catches for 34. Although he got vultured by Gainwell on that touchdown because of all the fumbles. Stevenson had two, Gibson had one, May had one. Henderson was your lead back, 11 for 28, three for 19. So not a lot of yards but a lot of snaps here. He led them with 32 of 74, Stevenson 27, Gibson 19. DK caught a touchdown, didn't do a lot outside of that. So did Calvin Austin, Hunter Henry with two scores. He was awesome. John who and Friarmouth continue to split here. So Tara, when you look at the Steelers and the Patriots here, I guess my big question here is are we getting the big week from Henderson and what's going on with Stefon Diggs?

[Tara Roberts]

So starting off with the running backs, I don't know if I still trust it. Them fumbling the ball you would think would put them into a doghouse. But when I think about Josh McDaniels, I think about someone who I just can't trust to have a natural reaction to anything or make any kind of decision that makes sense for us as fantasy managers. Henderson should be the one that is the lead back there. That's clear. But Ramondre Stevenson is a back that they do like. That's somebody that they see as a three down capable back. It's not split that would necessarily tilt towards Henderson early down or Travion Henderson, the Stevenson early down, Treon Henderson, receiving work there. It's just kind of a hodgepodge. So until I see it, I'm still remaining reserved there from Henderson. We theoretically should see the flip, but it's tough to trust it. So you can move them up a little bit now. Perhaps they will be a little bit generous and tell us that, hey, we're getting more snaps to Henderson. That would be wonderful if they tilted us in that way.

[Scott Bogman]

You'd think the frustration would do it. You would think, right?

[Tara Roberts]

You would think. You would think. But I just don't trust Josh McDaniels here now, Stefan Diggs, this is what I kind of expect from him. Unfortunately, it's been a snap issue. I don't know if it's a ramp up issue or if he's just not someone that they want to give that bulk of the workload to because K Shan Booty has consistently been the guy that is out there vast majority of snaps running a ton of routes there. So theoretically if you're trying to look into someone it should be him. But I think we're waiting on Stefon Diggs to emerge here and I kind of wonder if they're just keeping him a little bit reserved in trying to do a ramp up or if ultimately this is just not the guy that's the wide receiver one for him. There is no way, shape or form you can trust him or really any of these Patriots pass catchers because despite Drake may doing excellent the ball is being spread around so perfectly evenly. You just can't trust anyone. Even Hunter Henry on a week to week basis. We'll have them up there for sure in terms of rankings but just be aware you could get that ugly little zero where Hooper comes around and vultures.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah yeah this no clear stars in the receiving game has made it kind of ugly. Let me just ask you one more on this game. Caleb Johnson inactive. How deep does a league have to be for you to hold on to Caleb Johnson at all?

[Tara Roberts]

It's dynasty and that's about it. Yeah, I had somebody ask me 14 team what are we doing? I was like, I'm sorry. Like I feel like when you get into Mike Tomlin's doghouse, that's somebody who I feel like I can predict. I can predict and trust what he is.

[Scott Bogman]

You lose his football, you sit there behind on the bench. Very much so. So yeah, I'm with you on that. Like yeah, sure, maybe it turns into a Chase Brown situation but Gainwell and Warren have looked good. So I think you'd take an injury at this point with the huge mistake last week for Caleb Johnson. Let's go to the Colts 41 at the Tennessee Titans 20 and this one, Daniel Jones 228 yards and touchdown. He ran for 27 yards as well. Cam Ord 219, a touchdown and a pick ran for 12. JT got in the end zone three times, 17 for 102 and three scores. He also had three catches for 16 yards. Pollard did have a score, kind of bailed out his day because only 45 yards on the ground, 14 through the air. Pittman scored six targets, six catches, 73 yards and a touchdown. Amanda 38 and a touchdown. Ridley seven targets but only one catch for 27 yards. Tyler Warren three for 38. Okonkwo had a ton of targets as well here. So let's start with are we buying the Colts offense or is this Daniel Jones? Like, he does this. He teases us every once in a while where he gives us a couple good games and then he turns into a pumpkin. Is that Daniel Jones now or is this, hey, look, we're in a new system. We're surrounded by talent. We have a better coach. Is that the Daniel Jones? Which one do you see, Tara?

[Tara Roberts]

It's the latter for me. I'm buying into it. It's amazing what you can do when you put somebody behind a good offensive line and you have a wide variety of weapons to work for them. And I think it's also a testament to Shane Steichen. Maybe it was just the quarterback situation that was holding him back. We remember the brilliance that he had there in Philadelphia and now we're seeing him be able to actually have confidence in his quarterback and be able to implement the system that he wants. So I'm buying into it. I love the ST that he's bringing to the offense. We're still. He's active on the ground, but not completely vulturing. Jonathan Taylor. We got a clear wide receiver one and Michael Pittman. Tyler Warren's getting some action. This is a very likable offense here.

[Scott Bogman]

Ridley's getting frustrating with Cam Ward. I am. Minor has worked out fine. He's probably going to be near the top of waivers again this week. He's having a great season so far. Kind of another touchdown here, but really, seven targets, one catch. It was nice for 27 yards, but are you. Are you buying low on Ridley right now or is this a guy where you're like, look after a good week next week or in the next couple, I'm going to try to get out.

[Tara Roberts]

I'm not buying low. I can buy low on a Drake London. I can't buy low on a Calvin Ridley because the problem here is that this, this target share for Iowa Manor, that's real. He's a rookie coming in and commanding that right off the bat. We were believing in Ridley coming into the season and understanding that we were going to have to give it some time for Ward to get comfortable and to get through those initial bad matchups there. But we were looking at him under the impression that he was going to be the clear wide receiver, one with no competition. That is not the case here. So how long can we wait for Cam Ward to really amp up that volume? We get a 300 yard game and then we can finally see Ridley. But at what point do we get to that? I can't do it, unfortunately. I'm not buying Calvin Ridley. It is what it is. It's just too messy of a receiving core right now.

[Scott Bogman]

It ain't working. If it ain't working, it ain't working. Let's go to an unfortunate one for you, Terry. Your Packers 10 at the Cleveland Browns 13. This was snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory here. This was very strange. Flacco 21, 36, 142 yards and a pick. Jordan Love 183 yards, a touchdown and a really ill time pick. We did see Judkins have 18 rushes for 94 yards in a score here and he really was the guy. 36 snaps for him, only 24 for Ford and only five for Sampson. Jacobs had, you know, a normal day, just didn't get in the end zone. The Cleveland wide receiver situation is getting ugly with Judy and Tillman. Golden had some touches but didn't get enough yards and Joku was fine. Phantom was pretty good here, 5 for 43 for 25. And then craft was less than 100%. But in this game, I think the big thing we got to talk about is Judkins.

[Tara Roberts]

Tara. Yeah, yeah. I mean the big thing there is he looked. He looked good. That packers defense was clamping down and looked like the run defense had improved and Jug Kins came out there and it wasn't just picking away at this defense. He had break off big runs there. He looked fantastic. We, you know, hope that he would get a little bit more receiving work there. Maybe he is able to phase Jerome Ford out at some point. That's a, that's a trustworthy RB2 volume that we got there. We got the touchdown. How many weeks I would come from Cleveland, you don't know. But overall feel positive about it, feel really good about it.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah. I mean, if he did this against Green Bay, yeah, that's really good. I think I'm really excited to see what Judkins can do. Is Jerry Judy or Golden more frustrating right here? Anything actionable with these guys right now?

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, Jerry Judy is more frustrating. It's. It's a clear 1A, 1B. And when there's really no delineation in an offense where the passing game is struggling immensely and realistically, we don't have something that we can in theory turn to and say, hey man, it'll get 10 times better if Dylan Gabriel comes. We don't really feel that way confidently. So, no, it's frustrating and it Feels like that's a lot of what we're going to continue to see on the other end with Matthew Golden. I actually walk away a little bit more positively towards that. It's weird because all of that, all those very minuscule targets, they came at the beginning of the game like they were actively trying to get him involved because he had been on the field. This was not a situation of a rookie having to earn his spot. He'd been there. It just been limited target share and a little bit of bad luck in terms of bad balls from Jordan Love. So to see him targeted early, very intentionally here, it looked like Matt Lafor made the decision like we're just going to move forward and trying to push him forward now. Maybe that concept got abandoned as they realized that this was going to be a dog fight that they were going to have to try and push through. But I'm encouraged by the early usage.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, three rushes too. Like I just get him involved. Yeah. So I'm excited for him as well. I'm a big Texas fan, so let's get our guy going here. Let's go to the one that made me sweat the most this week because I had Tampa Bay in my survivor pool at home against the jets with a backup quarterback. Should have been a no sweat here, but they have to win at the end. 29 to 27 at home. Bucks over the Jets. We had the Mike Evans injury. Mecca is obviously going to go through the roof here, but Baker 20,233 and a touchdown, four for 44. Tyrod Taylor was miserable for three quarters but really turned it on in the fourth. 197 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. Did run for 48. We saw Bucky have 25 carries in this game for 66 yards and also four catches. So just a shade under 30 touches for Bucky in this one. Rashad White added six. Breeze hall was in here and Davis was kind of cut out this time as Breeze Hall 9 for 21. He also had four catches for 31. So 52 total yards. Braylon Allen, they're just not throwing the ball to 6 for 30. And Isaiah Davis was down at nine snaps. It was 38 for Hall. Egbuca with the a decent game. 8 for 6, 8 targets, 6 catches, 65 yards. That beautiful one hander as well. Huge game for Garrett Wilson. 13 targets, 10 catches, 84 yards in his score. But in this game, Tara, I mean the big thing to pull away here is Mike Evans injury. A Mecca Igbuka, you know, being Agmeka Buka he looks amazing to start the year and then the jets offense looks like it's down to three players when Justin Fields plays.

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, it is. I wish we got a little bit more clarity in terms of that backfield. I still don't feel like Reece is the lead back. But you still don't feel very positively in terms of moving him up in the rankings. I will say, because I got a lot of start sit questions on a wide variety of fantasy bros starts. It shows this morning and we cannot put Garrett Wilson in the questions anymore. No, no more questions about Garrett Wilson. He is a must start at all times. You put him up there next to Puka and you call it a day.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, 13 targets. I mean there's nobody else on this team catch the football so it's him and Breeze and that's it. So yeah, I'm absolutely with you in that thought process. That look, it's just, it's the three guys for the Jets. Maybe Mason Taylor gets going at some point. I'd love to see it. Maybe there's, you know, maybe Braylon Allen gets more. We cut Isaiah Davis out and Braylon Allen is more viable. But until that happens, it's the three guys. So I'm absolutely with you on that. Before we move on here, let me tell you guys, it seems like Eleki Miner might be a great ad. Don't miss out on stagging potential difference makers. If you like him, use Waiver wire [e-mail] MyPlaybook or on the Fantasy Pros app to instantly view suggestions on who you should add or drop. And I think the waiver wire is going to be hopping this week with all of these injuries. Tara, it's going to be. It's going to be a big fab week. Unfortunately, I had to blow most of my fab on Jake Browning to have a quarterback because I had Burrow and Fields in one league. So I went with Browning and Tyrod and I am going to lose. What a shock. And let's talk about the Raiders and the commanders. Commanders 41, Raiders 24 we got our first look at the backfield for Washington without Austin Eckler. It was Bill. He scored the touchdown, but he only had nine touches for 31 yards. McNichols had one big run and he scored a touchdown. But Sea Rod had the Most carries at 11 the snaps. Also not great. Tara is 23 for Bill. It's 22 for C Rod and 15 for McNichols. Now in this game we also had Mario to run for A touchdown, which was nice. He threw for 270 yards. Geno threw three touchdowns, all to Trey Tucker. But of course we had the McLaurin injury. Debo got a little more involved in the run game. He had two catches for 11 yards and three rushes. McCaffrey had the big score at the end, Lane had the punt return. But this was, I guess, the things to pull away here. There's a lot from this game. First of all, let's just start with the running backs for Washington. What is your thought process here? Is it going to be ugly for a big chunk of the season or is this just, hey, this is Bill working his way up and that's the guy you want.

[Tara Roberts]

It's a committee. It was a committee last year with Eckler and Brian Robinson. Brian Robinson, we think of him as the lead back last year for Washington. He didn't have a significant amount of carries like comparatively around the league to other lead backs. It's a, it's a committee and I don't know if they are going to change it at this point. And it wasn't a particularly good showing for Crosby. Merritt, the goal line touchdown was good because that at least is an indication that, hey, maybe we can at least say these goal line touches will go to him. But how many times can you count on Terry McLaren going down at the 1? Especially when you have Jane Daniels come back here, right? I, I struggle to trust any of these guys. I do not think that I will. Bill. Bill will be the highest ring for sure, but not to the level of where he's reaching an RB2. It'll be in that kind of muddy area.

[Scott Bogman]

We can use this game. And as, as an example, there were three rushing touchdowns from three different players for Washington here. So not a surprise. Okay, I know people are worried about Genty. He did have 17 for 63. They didn't throw the ball to him at all. I know people are worried about Bowers as well with the snaps being lowered. I'm in the camp of I don't care about Bowers snaps being lowered. He's too good. This was a weird game. Of course you're playing from behind for a big chunk of it. And Tucker got the big game here. But I'm not too worried about Bowers. I'm indifferent on Genty. I think this is more the old line, which is not something, you know, you can really make an adjustment for. I just hope that the blocking gets better because I believe, you know, it's like, like the yards before contact. Genti starts in the negative right here, he's always getting hit behind the line. So I guess. What are your thoughts on a couple of these Raiders pieces that have been disappointing us so far?

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, Genti's a bad or he's behind a bad offensive line, but he's a lead back. This is no question. No one has taken his job. There's not going to be any level of committee. So you can take that away. Positively. The bad news is, is that we. We draft somebody like that because we say three down back on the ground and receiving work and the receiving work is not coming through that can make up for a bad offensive line. That was Chase Brown last year. The volume can help out there, but we're not getting that, so that does make it difficult for us. At the end of the day, you've still got an RB one there, so we're holding faith there and we're staying positive. I'm with you on Bowers. This is not a panic for me. It's kind of like a. Well, hey, maybe the. Maybe the knee is still a little bit of an issue there. The receiving core is something that is very interesting to me. Trey Tucker popping up in there for two weeks in a row now and. Well, really three weeks he's looked solid.

[Scott Bogman]

He's on the field always. He's like a 90% snap guy. So I love that call out that. That's a really good. And three touchdowns today. He's definitely going to be on everybody's radar on the waiver wire, especially with all these stupid wide receivers getting hurt. Come on, stay healthy, guys. Let's go to the Bengals 10 at the Vikings 48. This was the battle of the backup quarterbacks here. Tara, Obviously, Carson Wentz 14 to 20, 173 yards and two touchdowns, but it was a disgusting day from Jake Browning. 19 of 27 14, 140 yards, touchdown and two picks. Mason, huge game for him with Aaron Jones going to the IR 16 for 116 and 2 scores. Even Xavier Scott 8 for 30 and a catch for 20. Cam Acres, who just came over this week, even had five carries. Chase Brown, complete disappearing act. 10 rushes for 3 yards, 4 catches for 17p. Ryan left with a thumb injury. Tosh Brooks had carries in here. We saw a decent game from Jefferson. Chase had a fumble on six targets and five catches. Higgins only had one catch. Hawkinson had a nice day coming back off an injury. 49 yards and a touchdown. But we had Fant get hurt and lose a fumble. This seems like one of those games where, look it's Jake Browning. His first artists on the road against the blitz. Heaviest team in the NFL. Minnesota. Is this a game for the Bengals offense? There's a lot of complaints about Chase Brown as there should be. But is this a game where you just take this information and chuck it right in the trash? Because the, the Bengals are never going to play this bad again the rest of the year.

[Tara Roberts]

I think you take the information and you take the information with last week and you say when you're in a good matchup we don't need to forget the fact that Jake Browning was able to supply Jamar Chase with a fantastic. Really T. Higgins too with a fantastic week last week in a good matchup. Once you get to those defenses that can throw fits, confuse you and make it a major issue here, Minnesota's defense is absolutely that you are going to have to pump the brakes a little bit. I will say my concern for Chase Brown only grows though. I can forgive the wide receivers as they head into better matchups down the road. But the problem with Chase Brown here, and I hate this because I love Chase Brown with all my heart. This is such a bad offensive line and he cannot run through this. It's not physically possible. I don't know what to do here with him. We need the pass.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, you gotta, you gotta throw the ball to him short, get him in space and let him work that way. So we'll see. We'll see if that works. But you're right. Okay. Are you more worried about Chase Brown now or Ashton Genty?

[Tara Roberts]

Chase Brown, Yeah. Because at least I can fathom that the Raiders offense can pull itself together. I don't know if this Cincinnati offense is going to be able to pull itself together in a more consistent way that'll produce the opportunities on the ground, the goal line touches. We are exclusively dependent on Jake Browning who was not a massive check down person to hey, you gotta, you gotta throw check down and look at Chase Brown because that's the only production that he is going to have.

[Scott Bogman]

And the Vikings this week too with Carson Wentz who's been there for what like a little over a month. They're going to Ireland for that. 8:30 or 9:30am Eastern time kickoff. 8:30. For me it's just fun. I'm a night person and a Steelers fan. Don't like these games. Let's go to the Texans 10 losing to the Jaguars 17 here. Trevor Lawrence, another just not great game. 20 of 40222 yards and a pick. Good defense in Houston here but rough game for him. Stroud 204 yards, touchdown and two picks, 22 yards rushing. ETN got a touchdown, but 16 for 56, didn't catch a pass. Tootin 6 for 21, vultured a touchdown. Laquin Allen actually had more snapshots than Tootin here, which was a little bit surprising. Chubb, 38 rushing yards, two receiving yards, not much at all for him. Marks was involved seven or. Yeah, seven touches for him and I believe it was 12 for Chubbs, so he's eating in a little bit. Bad day for Brian Thomas Jr. Only two catches for 55. Parker Washington had 11 targets. Obviously Diamond Brown went down in this game, but Travis Hunter, only one catch for 21 yards. Nico had a nice day. 104 yards in a score. Christian Kirk's debut with the Texans, he had eight targets but only caught three for 25 yards. But he was on the field a lot, so in strange. Had a big day. Seven targets, six catches, 61 yards. So when you look at this weird defensive matchup, which a lot of these low scoring games, these games, it felt like a hangover Sunday, like all these teams were hungover to start the game here. But when you look at this, I mean, I think the biggest thing that people want to hear about is Brian Thomas Jr. Are you frustrated? Is this another guy that we're worried about legitimately or is this like a, hey, look, he's btj. Once they figure this out with this new offensive system, they'll get him going.

[Tara Roberts]

I'm concerned at this point. I feel like we should have seen better performance from Trevor, from Trevor Lawrence. And while I was, I was, I was saying I was holding out hope for Brian Thomas Jr. Because the targets had been there, that was not a concern. He just was unfortunately not connecting with Trevor. He had a lot of drops. And so we said, okay, if we can fix those problems, not an issue if the targets are there. That's what we're concerned about. The usage here, the reduction in targets this week, that is a problem. And I'm not sure that it will stick that way because at the end of the day that is the most talented wide receiver on your team. But until he can figure out how to be productive within that offense and actually catch the majority of his passes. Yeah, we're, we're concerned there. Seeing that shift in 11 targets to Parker Washington, it's random and it's weird. And then on top of that, you talked about the run game, which wasn't, you know, it wasn't highly productive, but overall it's Competent, so they don't have to be aggressive through the air. They've got depth there. They've got three backs that they trust so they can sit there and say, we're going to really lean on these running backs that we have and we don't have to push aggressive pass volume.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, excellent point there. Yeah, that's absolutely right. And Trevor Lawrence just kind of looks like a bust at this point. I mean, we got to give him this year, right? He didn't have a fair shake. He had the clown show of Urban Meyer to start. And I think Peterson is kind of weird higher. So I think he hasn't had a real fair shake. So I don't want to dump him after three weeks of, you know, having a decent coach in Liam Cohen here. But geez, this does not look good. Which are you more concerned about, Lawrence or Stroud?

[Tara Roberts]

I'm more concerned about Stroud because Lawrence. Yeah, if Lawrence can figure it out. Okay, the pieces are all there. Shroud's offensive line is not going to change. That is the major problem there. It was good to see that they were able to figure out how to hyper target Nico because my concern with the line being so bad was that they just didn't have the time to actually get it to Nico in advantageous situations. But we did see them be able to do that in workarounds. But Stroud is in a rough spot here, unfortunately, and I don't know that it turns around for him because I don't see where this offensive line can turn things around dramatically.

[Scott Bogman]

I think Jaden Higgins is a dump with Christian Kirk coming back. Right. Like that's. Yeah, that's pretty obvious. Okay, Woody Marks. Let's talk about Woody Marks. Is he a sneaky AD and Stash and hope that he takes over for Chubb or at least works his way in there. Kind of like, you know, Trey Benson. And then now look what's going on with the Cardinals. Right? So is. Is he going to be one of your higher priority waiver guys this week?

[Tara Roberts]

He is. I was telling people last week, you got to stash him because that game that we saw last week where that first one where they had Damian Pierce as the healthy inactive, that was the indication there. We've got a direct handcuff situation. There is no confusion here. Daria Goombawley is just the guy that is there. Woody Marks has earned that this spot as the direct handcuff. And apparently he has earned the ability to work in as well as a nice change of pace back there. And he showcased Fairly well opposite of Chub here. So he could I. He could eat in a little bit. I don't see Chubb disappearing completely as long as he is on the field. But Marks is definitely a priority AD here just because we've got a very defined handcuff that could potentially offer standalone value as we proceed over the next couple years of weeks.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, yeah, the Texans are going to be interesting. Hopefully they get that online fixed and we get back to normal. Stroud. But we will see. Let's go to the Rams 26 at the Eagles 33. This one had a lot of survivor people maybe sweating as well, but I mean, crazy game here. A.J. brown looks good, but Hertz 21 to 32, 226 and three touchdowns. He also ran for one. Stafford 196, 2 and 1. Saquon didn't get in the end zone and only 55 yards. That's a little annoying. Kyron 20 for 94 but caught a touchdown. We like that. Corum 8 for 53. Dude just back A.J. brown 10 for 6 for 109 in his score. Devonte with a score as well. Puka, 15 targets, as you mentioned before, 11 catches for 112. Devonte had a score on three catches for 56 on eight targets. Goddard got in the end zone on his one catch as well. So pretty good back and forth offensive offensive game here between these two with two strong defenses, I think we got the big thing that we wanted out of this game, which is just a good game from AJ Brown if you're rostering him. Everything else is pretty standard here. I mean, Saquon, you know, didn't get in the end zone, but he still had his 22 touches. Just played a good defense here. So I don't have a lot to pull away from this one. Outside of A.J. brown. Looking good.

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, it was good. We learned that you can in fact bully Philadelphia into throwing the ball. You got to remember Jalen hurts can throw. I know that's funny and the people like to make jokes about it, but we've seen it. He can throw. They simply choose not to. But if you do in fact stop Saquon on ground, you can force them into changing and voila. It's. It's almost as if A.J. brown and Devonte Smith are like elite or something. So yeah, it worked out perfectly here. So, yeah. So all claps around for this whole team.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, that one, the. That. The worrying about A.J. brown's like, okay, well, you didn't get anything week one. Well, yeah, he was like, probably less than even 50%. I think he was a decoy in that game.

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah.

[Scott Bogman]

Probably wasn't fully healthy in week two either. Right, so. And they won both those games, so who cares? He doesn't care. I mean, he probably does. He's a little bit of a crybaby, but he's still amazing. So.

[Tara Roberts]

Read his book on the sideline.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, I. Hey, Look, I got A.J. brown everywhere. I don't care. Read all the books you want. Just score points for my team. Before we go to the late slate, let me tell you guys about the Fantasy Pros Discord and it is just too easy to join our Fantasy Pros Discord community. You can chat with other friends and get access to exclusive AMAs that wind up on our podcast feed. Here is the schedule. Right now it's Worm in fits at 5 Eastern on the first Tuesday of every month. Myself in fits at 5 Eastern on the third Tuesday of every month. Welsh and Erickson, Thursdays at 2 Eastern. Come and get your questions answered and be on the [e-mail] chat all right, Tara, let's go to the late slate. Denver Broncos 20 at the Chargers 23. Najee injury was the big thing in here, but we saw Hampton have 19 carries for 70 in a score and also seven targets, six catches for 59. Looks like he is going to be a full time elite back there. Still Dobbins over, way over. RJ Harvey 11 for 83 and a score for Dobbins. Two carries for 2 yards and three catches for 14 for Harvey. Sutton back on the board with a big game. 6 for 118 and a score. We saw Quinton Johnson do it again. 10 targets, six catches for 89. Keenan 11 for 765 and one and oh, lad McConkey down to seven for four and 41 here. So your classic AFC west battle between the Broncos and the Chargers. But now that Quentin Johnson can catch and they signed Keenan Allen, lads getting left a little bit behind. So wherever you want to start on this one, this one was a weird game.

[Tara Roberts]

It was. Yeah. Quentin Johnson has turned into Calvin Johnson. No, it's. It's fantastic. The problem for lad McConkey is that he's still the same Lad, but unfortunately everybody else is just 10 times better than last year. We got the addition of Keenan Allen. This clear development in Quentin Johnson year over year over year here and we have to feel good about it. The targets are going to be spread around and this was crazy because I really thought that this was a game where we were going to have to tilt away from Quentin Johnston because of the, the you know, perceived and tougher coverage there of Patrick Surtan on him. But he still pulled through there so this was wildly impressive there. We also got idea, I do want to mention this. We got our, our first appearance of Orande Gadson so yay on that one. So maybe we can finally have a semi usable tight end here. So yeah, all positive stuff except for Lad Bikonki unfortunately getting a decreased target share there For Denver we got J.K. dobbins as the lead back. We may not like it, but we have to accept that he is the lead back and that I don't believe that is changing. We can look at the positive of that. Tyler Bidet was at least reduced so maybe we can get a little bit more in terms of pass value to RJ Harvey. But unfortunately he's just not reliable at this point.

[Scott Bogman]

So I'm more positive on RJ Harvey than I am like obviously Caleb Johnson. So I want to still hold RJ Harvey. But I'll say every week he doesn't do anything like this week it becomes more and more frustrating and more and more likely I drop him. But the deeper we get in the season, the more and more likely he is to gain touches. So it's a frustrating combination right now. Just not getting what we wanted from RJ Harvey. Let's talk about Seattle 44 versus New Orleans 13. And this was just a stomping from the start. 14 of 18 for Darnold. 218 yards and two touchdowns. Ken Walker scored his two touchdowns and disappeared in the second half because why would we even run him, he's so injury prone. JSN had an illness but stepped up and had six targets, five catches, 96 yards and a score. Torrey Horton returned a kick and scored a touchdown through the air, 3 for 32 and a score. On the Saint side, I mean we got another 39 passes from Spencer Rattler. This is, you know, unlike the Bengals, this is probably what it's going to look like most weeks for the Saints.

[Tara Roberts]

Yes.

[Scott Bogman]

So it's going to be a lot of garbage time every week. We had 14 targets for Olave at 10 catches for 57 yards. So nice for PPR. Juwan Johnson, another eight target game, six catches for 51. Shahid four for 42. Camara 18 for 42, but only one catch for 14 yards. You know this was a stomping. This was I believe the Saints first road game. What are your thoughts here on this Seahawks and Saints matchup?

[Tara Roberts]

Tara it was, it was the weirdest shellacking that I've ever seen. It's not as if Darnold threw for 300 and we had a hundred yard game from Walker. It was just high level efficiency and just stomping the Port Saints into the ground here. But I'm. Yeah, I'm with you. The volume is going to be there. We know Kellen Moore, they're going to continue to chuck that ball and they're going to to have to. So at least you can look at those Saints pass catchers. For the most part that Camara thing was on unappealing but for the most part, as guys that are going to be consistently getting targets, how much will come of them? The touchdown opportunities, that's another story. But at least volume will continue to be there.

[Scott Bogman]

Let's go to the Niners and the card. 16:15 on the last second field goal. The Niners end up winning this game. Mack Jones 27 of 41, 284 yards, a touchdown and a pick. We had McCaffrey 17 for 52 on the ground, 15 targets. So he tied with Puka for the most 10 catches for 88 yards. Brian Robinson 2 for 22, did not catch a ball. Pierce saw 11 targets, eight catches for one 17. Kendrick Bourne stepped up with Jennings down six targets, four catches, 38 yards. And then on the Cardinal side, only 159 yards and a touchdown for Kyler. Trey Benson 10 for 42 and three catches for nine yards. Obviously we had the James Conner injury. He only had nine for 22. Marvin Harrison had six targets, three catches for 44 yards. Just ugly business. Trey McBride, eight, five, 43 and one. Tara. I'm really frustrated with Harrison and I think I'm all the way out now. Like even in this game, six targets is nice. He has had three for 44, but one of those catches was for 32 yards and it was kind of a over the top, accidental, weird broken coverage thing. So Kyler and Marvin just aren't working out. Obviously James Connor's hurt so there's a lot to talk about here.

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, I feel bad for Kyler because every time I looked up I it was just somebody dropping a pass for him. He had a fine game. Marvin Harrison Jr. I tried to make excuses but you're right when you're sitting there jumping up, you're wide open, a ball in the air and you're just dropping it right between your hands. You start to look and question like what is, what is going on with you? That's not Wide receiver. One quality good news is, is that again, like it's just, it's Trey McBride and him from a pass catching perspective. So you would think at some point it's got to click for him, but this is just incredibly discouraging. And what should have been a better performance from him.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, I mean, is Christian McCaffrey gonna stay healthy the whole year taking this many touches?

[Tara Roberts]

It's tough to believe. It feels aggressive. You would think they would try to reduce it. It's kind of crazy. Especially when he doesn't look particularly efficient with it. You would think that you would be wanting to, but I. But hey, that's, that's their process there. They have been consistent with that and the fact that in the past they're just, they're not limiting workload on him. They are pushing forward as if if the wheels come off, they come off. I guess.

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, I think that's what it is. That's just what it's always been and that's what I feared with CMC coming into this year. So Niners over the Cardinals barely the last game that we have to talk about. Speaking of barely, The Bears win 31 to 14 over the Cowboys. Here a big, big game for Caleb Williams. 19 of 28, 298 yards and and four touchdowns for him. Luther Burton led the way with 101 receiving yards and a touchdown on three targets. Roma Dunze had a touchdown as well. Seven targets, three catches, 62 and a score. D.J. moore did have a touchdown, five targets, four catches, 21 yards and a score. Also had three rushes for seven yards. Manon Guy got in here six for 16. But Swift led the way again, 13 for 33 and three catches for 45. On the Cowboy side, obviously Lamb going down hurt this whole thing. 31 of 40 for Dak, so I mean Dak made it rain, but he also threw two picks, 251 yards, touchdown and two picks. Ferguson, 14 targets, 12 catches, 82 yards. Pickens nine for five for 68 and a score. Javante, 10 for 76 and five catches for 16. So I mean, look the positives, obviously, I don't want to focus all on the negative in CD Lamb, but Deepak told us likely two weeks so we can live with that. That's fine. We can all take a big deep breath. But Caleb looked great. That's what I want to pull away from this. Obviously the Cowboys secondary is less than spectacular right now, but everybody looked good here for the Bears on offense. And let's see more of this. Let's see what this is the Caleb we've been wanting to.

[Tara Roberts]

Yeah, I feel like Ben Johnson was really in his bag. We saw intentional designed plays for Luther Burden so that's good. They're trying to make an effort to really get him involved in a very again intentional way. Roma Dunze still the wide receiver one there still the guy that I trust the most. D.J. moore. Again, it's a safe floor. It's a safe floor. Unfortunately, the upside is just going to be limited there. That's very clear at this point. But overall you do gotta feel good about it. And I will say this about this, the run game here. This is two weeks in a row now that Roshan has been healthy and he has not been touching the ball. So we've got a clear handcuff running back situation there with Kyle Manangai for DJ or for DeAndre Swift?

[Scott Bogman]

Yeah, yeah. And I man this was a team that I was like maybe they trade for Breeze hall at some point. I would love to see that. If the jets keep losing games, see Free Breeze, get him in Chicago with all those weapons. That would be awesome. That's all the games that we have to talk about before we take off here. Let me remind you guys about our Twitch livestream schedule. Out of Bounds with Joe the Welsh and myself returns Mondays two Eastern. The Welsh and myself two hours. We our first answer. Our first hour. Excuse me. We answer your questions on Twitch on Tuesdays at 12 Eastern and then we play a game of Madden. I smoked Welsh in the last one.

[Tara Roberts]

There we go.

[Scott Bogman]

You guys should come and hang out and watch that. Seth and Debro will be with you on Thursdays at 1 Eastern and Fridays at 2 Eastern. We've also got a fantasy football Q and A for you every Sunday at noon Eastern and last we recap the Sunday game right here at 7:30 Eastern every single week. Give us a follow Ask questions and live right here on Twitch. We thank you for hanging out with us tonight. If you want to support the channel watch us ad free and get boosted Ads get boosted Odds winning our giveaways please hit the subscribe button. If you have Amazon prime you can subscribe to our channel on Twitch absolutely free. FR ee with Prime Gaming it's the easiest way to support us without having to spend anything extra and every sub helps us bring more content to you for the rest of the year. So thank you everybody for hanging out with us on Twitch. That it's Terra time, right? Right at its Terra time.

[Tara Roberts]

Yep.

[Scott Bogman]

Follow Tara on Twitter. Follow me at Bogman Sports and We will see you guys next week. Take it easy everybody. 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 [e-mail] review or on Spotify. Follow us on X Instagram and tick tock at fantasypros and subscribe to our YouTube channel channel at YouTube.com fantasypros there's.

[WashablesOfAs.com Announcer]

Nothing like sinking into luxury. At washablesofas.com you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change. Change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Chase Sapphire Lounge Announcer]

The day begins at the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club At Boston Logan Airport you get the clam chowder. In San Diego, it's Tostadas New York Espresso Martini. It's 10:00am why not? It's the quiet before your next flight. The shower that resets your day. The menu that lets you know where you are. This is access to over 1300 airport lounges and every Sapphire Lounge by the Club and one card that gets you in Chase Sapphire Reserve Reserve, the most rewarding card.

[Deepak Chona]

Learn [e-mail] Sapphire Reserve cards issued by JP Morgan, Chase bank and a member FDIC subject to credit approval.

[Tara Roberts]

Ah come on. Why is this taking so long? This thing is ancient.

[Lenovo ThinkPad Announcer]

Still, using yesterday's tech Upgrade to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ultra Light Ultra powerful and built for serious productivity. With Intel Core Ultra processors, blazing speed and AI powered performance, it keeps up with your business, not the other way around.

[WashablesOfAs.com Announcer]

What?

[Tara Roberts]

Whoa. This thing moves.

[Lenovo ThinkPad Announcer]

Stop hitting snooze on new tech. Win the tech [e-mail] Unlock AI experiences with the ThinkPad X1 carbon powered by Intel Core Ultra processors so you can work create and boost productivity all on one device.

[Tara Roberts]

This is an iHeart podcast.