Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode: Players To Trade For Based On Your Team's Record || Fantasy Football 2025
Hosts: Alfredo Brown & Dave Kluge
Date: November 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This lively and deeply informative episode of the Footballguys Fantasy Football Show zeroes in on strategic trade targets based on your fantasy football team's current record. Whether you're clawing for a playoff berth or fine-tuning your locked-in roster for a championship run, Alfredo and Dave offer nuanced player recommendations, tackle buy-low/buy-high realities, and leverage advanced Footballguys tools for the best possible decision-making. Expect an engaging mix of actionable advice, memorable moments, and their signature blend of humor and insight.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Stage: Why Team Record Matters in Trade Strategy

Timestamps: 04:42–07:10

• Theme: Not all trade advice fits every team. Teams still fighting for playoff spots (3–6 wins) must prioritize immediate production; clinched teams (7+ wins) should focus on playoff matchups and ceiling.
• Alfredo: “If you already have clinched a playoff berth, you should be looking at weeks 15, 16, and 17—guys that'll help push you through to a championship… If you're scratching and clawing, you need guys giving you immediate production.” (06:09)
• Dave: Pokes fun at unlucky 0–2 win managers: “Fantasy managers that you got two wins, you’re probably really funny.” (07:01)

2. Trade Targets for Playoff Contenders (3–6 Wins)

Timestamps: 07:10–20:27

a. Quinshon Judkins (RB, Cleveland Browns)

Dave:

• Not a buy-low; "need a big splashy move" to reach playoffs (07:45)
• Workhorse with a juicy upcoming schedule (Baltimore, Las Vegas, Tennessee, Chicago, Buffalo).
• Has “a strong stranglehold over this backfield…plus matchups…one of the best guys you can go and get right now.” (08:49)

b. Tee Higgins (WR, Cincinnati Bengals)

Alfredo:

• Opportunity with Joe Burrow’s return; faces weakened secondaries (Pittsburgh, New England, Baltimore, Buffalo).
• “Tee Higgins is going to do that… It’s a good player, we’ve got the return of Joe Burrow, really good opponents coming up here.” (10:12)

c. Jalen Warren (RB, Pittsburgh Steelers)

Dave:

• Favorite trade target for this segment; huge workload and hyper-favorable schedule: Cincinnati, Chicago, Buffalo, Baltimore, Miami, Detroit.
• “He is double-digit carries and two-plus targets in every single game…very safe floor…will help get you to championship week.” (13:30)
• “Jalen Warren is on that Tony Pollard trajectory. Like, he looks really, really good as the lead back this year.” (16:16)

d. David Montgomery (RB, Detroit Lions)

Dave:

• Usage spike after Dan Campbell took over play-calling; retains high-value goal-line and red zone carries.
• “He’s still leading Detroit’s backfield, especially when they get down into the goal line and early down work.” (17:30)
• “Schedule coming up is the fourth easiest: Philly, Giants, Green Bay, Dallas.” (17:30)

3. Trade Targets for Playoff Locks (7–10 Wins)

Timestamps: 20:27–36:08

a. Omarion Hampton (RB, Los Angeles Chargers)

Alfredo:

• Perfect trade for teams that can afford short-term absence (injury and bye weeks coming up).
• “When Omarion Hampton was out there after the Najee Harris injury, we saw him…turning in RB1 production. We were talking about this guy as a top five rest of season running back.” (21:48)
• “He has some nice matchups remaining…When you start looking at playoff matchups, like Week 16 against Dallas, Omarion Hampton is going to be in the running to be the top scoring running back that week.” (23:04)

b. Tyler Warren (TE, Indianapolis Colts)

Dave:

• High-upside tight end who just had a career game (8/99 on 10 targets).
• “This might be the only time…you can maybe go out and trade for Tyler Warren because that manager is thinking ‘okay, I’ve already grabbed another tight end’ … Easiest strength of schedule for tight ends in the playoffs: Weeks 15 through 17—Seattle, San Francisco, Jacksonville.” (24:53)

c. Ricky Pearsall (WR, San Francisco 49ers)

Alfredo:

• Coming off injury; has elite per-route and per-game numbers (“2.29 yards per route run is elite for wide receivers.”) (28:22)
• Soft playoff schedule: “Weeks 15, 16, 17: Tennessee, Indianapolis, Chicago—all plus matchups.” (29:13)
• “He’s a guy that I would love to go out and get right now if I’ve already clinched the spot.” (29:56)

d. Zay Flowers (WR, Baltimore Ravens)

Dave:

• Arguably riskiest call: heavy volume, top 10 in target share, needs TD regression to hit.
• “He’s got all the great peripherals…yard per target, per route run, after catch…One of the big stats…6% team touchdown rate. It’s the touchdowns, man.” (34:11)
• Playoff schedule: Cincinnati (Week 15), New England, Green Bay.
• “There is absolutely a path for Zay Flowers here to be a league winning type player. We just need that touchdown regression to the mean.” (34:55)

4. Strategic Trade Mindset and Closing Thoughts

Timestamps: 36:08–end

• The need for “buying high” at this point in the year (“crunch time”).
• Using advanced Footballguys tools—strength of schedule, fantasy points allowed, etc.—for every deal.
  • “Everyone has access to a strength of schedule tool. Everyone can look at these things. Footballguys.com, head on over there.” (09:16)
  • “Go to footballguys.com, click…strength of schedule. This might be my favorite tool to use over the second half of the season.” (11:40)
• Flexibility and risk: Playoff locks can take substantive risks on injured or ramping-up players; bubble teams cannot.
• Notable Humor: Many jokes throughout about mustaches, team futility, and “putting on a Titans jersey makes you instantly washed.” (16:19)
• Reflection on lessons for future seasons—be wary of injury optimism in drafts, per Dave and Alfredo (31:08).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alfredo on trade urgency:
  “It’s crunch time; I don’t have patience, especially if I’ve got a losing record right now. I need to buy productive players who are giving me points right now.” (11:40)

• Dave on “buy low” fallacy:
  “We’re not really in buy-low scenario with a lot of these players. And honestly, I just don't think that that type of thing exists anymore at this point in the season.” (09:16)

• Alfredo, on Dan Campbell’s boldness:
  “Dan Campbell still said, like, we need to make a change…He took play-calling away from an offensive coordinator that had led them to 5–3.” (18:41)

• Dave, summarizing strategy:
  “All of you three-win fantasy teams right now. This is how you win. This is how you do it. This is your moment. Go out and get some Lions today.” (20:27)

Quick Reference: Players Mentioned & Rationale

| Player | Context/Reason to Target | Best for… | Key Quote/Take | |--------------------|----------------------------------------------|-------------------|---------------| | Quinshon Judkins | Workhorse; great schedule; RB1 upside | Playoff chasers | “Clear workhorse...plus matchups every single week.” (08:49) | | Tee Higgins | High target share; good upcoming games | Playoff chasers | “We’ve got really good opponents coming up…great for fantasy football.” (10:12) | | Jalen Warren | Massive role increase; explosive usage | Playoff chasers | “He is just as efficient as ever…a very safe floor.” (13:30) | | David Montgomery | Resurgent usage; redzone king, soft sked | Playoff chasers | “He still has that 2 or 3 TD game potential any week.” (17:30) | | Omarion Hampton | RB1 ceiling once healthy; great playoff games| Playoff locks | “This guy has all of the markings of being a potential league winner.” (21:48) | | Tyler Warren | Elite young TE; best playoff SOS | Playoff locks | “He’s got the easiest strength of schedule for tight ends in the playoffs.” (24:53) | | Ricky Pearsall | Elite usage metrics; returning from injury | Playoff locks | “2.29 yards per route run is elite…three straight plus matchups.” (29:13) | | Zay Flowers | Top-tier volume, needs TD boost | Playoff locks | “All the peripherals spreadsheet guys love…just the touchdowns, man.” (34:11) |

Tools & Advanced Strategy

• Strength of Schedule & Fantasy Points Allowed: Footballguys.com’s tools are repeatedly emphasized as critical, especially “once we start getting these trends” (11:40).
• Alfredo’s process tip: Use strength of schedule mainly in the second half of the fantasy season.

Tone, Chemistry, & Humor

• The show balances high-level analysis with laughs:
  • Extended jokes about fantasy futility and personality: “If your fantasy team has 2 wins, you probably really funny.” (07:01)
  • Banter about the “washed” effect of wearing a Titans jersey (16:27)
  • Several inside nods to community contributors (“Shout out Joey Wright!” 13:04)
• Self-deprecating (admitting pre-season bias, failed predictions)
• Authentic camaraderie, keeping even advanced strategy highly accessible

Conclusion

This episode is a must-listen for fantasy managers serious about maximizing value and making tailored roster moves based on their postseason outlook. Alfredo and Dave break the mold of vague “trade target” lists by rooting advice in real-world context: surviving now vs. swinging for playoff upside. The hosts’ insights, data usage, and humor make this content-rich and memorable.

Next episode tease:
Tomorrow’s show will cover starts and sleepers for Week 11—including all RB/WR/Flex ranking debates for lineup decisions as fantasy playoffs loom.