Postseason Fantasy Football Strategy with Tom Kessenich and Sigmund Bloom

Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode: Postseason Fantasy Football Strategy
Date: January 6, 2026
Host(s): Dave Kluge & Alfredo Brown
Guests: Tom Kessenich (NFFC), Sigmund Bloom (Footballguys)

Episode Overview

This episode is a playoff masterclass for fantasy football fans, focusing on the NFFC Postseason Hold’em Contest. Dave Kluge is joined by Tom Kessenich (NFFC) and Sigmund Bloom (Footballguys) to break down postseason fantasy strategy, key contest decisions, pitfalls for new and advanced players, and how to maximize your edge on playoff football’s biggest stage. Lively, rich, and detailed, the discussion covers everything from high-stakes drafting philosophy to specific and actionable lineup-building for the Postseason Hold’em format.

Key Topics & Insights

1. High-Stakes Drafting Philosophy and Mistakes

Guest: Tom Kessenich ([01:53] – [09:00])

ADP is a Guide, Not a Rule:
- Tom emphasizes that while ADP is essential, it shouldn’t box you in. High-stakes players must “go and get your guys” even if it means reaching a round or two ahead.
- Quote:
  
  “Learn the ADP, but don’t become glued to the ADP. Go and get your guys. Don’t be afraid... That’s what high-stakes players do, and they win with that strategy.”
  — Tom Kessenich [03:12]
Self-Reliance & Table Anxiety:
- Ignore the resume of who you’re drafting against—focus solely on building your team, not micromanaging opponents.
- Quote:
  
  “Don’t worry about who you’re drafting against. Draft your team. That’s your number one focus.”
  — Tom Kessenich [05:54]
Scouting Over Projections:
- High-stakes leagues value experience, game-watching, and gut feel over rigid adherence to advanced projections.

2. Intro to NFFC Postseason Hold'em

Host/Guests: Dave Kluge & Tom Kessenich ([08:54] – [18:28])

Contest Structure:
- $200 entry, $125,000 top prize, multipliers for playoff survivors, add-to-roster capabilities after each round.
- Must select 12 players from 14 playoff teams—fade (exclude) two teams.
Multipliers & Strategy Tension:
- Surviving players double, triple, quadruple points each week.
- Both chalk (highly-owned favorites) and surprise breakouts can win.
Fading Teams:
- One of the episode’s biggest decisions—pick two teams (often Panthers + a shaky NFC seed) to leave out.
- Quote:
  
  “In the first round you have to start 12 players from 14 teams—which means you’re fading two teams... That’s going to be very interesting.”
  — Tom Kessenich [11:02]
Contest Flexibility:
- Multiple formats—high rollers and $50 mini, plus discounts for multi-team entries.

3. Postseason Hold’em: Team-Building & Strategy

Host/Guests: Dave Kluge & Sigmund Bloom ([19:11] – [59:41])

A. Contest Recap & Platform Overview ([19:11] – [22:43])

No Draft; All About Lineup Crafting:
- Pick any 12 players; no salary cap or positional requirements.
- Multipliers for each round a player's team survives.

B. Starting Points: Bracket Mapping or “Eliminate the Suck” ([22:43] – [25:02])

Two Approaches:
1. Start with Super Bowl predictions—anchor your highest-multiplier players.
2. Begin by identifying the two teams you’re excluding (“the suck”).

C. Fading Teams in Practice ([25:02] – [30:17])

Most common fades: Panthers, Bears, Steelers, Chargers, Packers.
Typical logic: Trust Vegas odds, but account for wild-card surprises— hedging with player selections from both teams in coin-flip games.
Quote:

“The lowest confidence teams to make the Super Bowl are probably [your] kicker, defense.”
— Sigmund Bloom [27:15]

D. Roster Construction & Player Pool ([30:17] – [41:19])

“Free Squares:”
- WRs who are must-plays due to talent/role + likely deep playoff run (e.g., Puka Nakua, Jackson Smith-Njigba), and Christian McCaffrey at RB.
- “Even if you take a zero [for a bye], having a 2x or 3x from a superstar is worth it.”
AFC Decision-Point:
- Bloom: Trevor Lawrence (Jags), Kluge: Josh Allen (Bills).
- The Buffalo/Jacksonville axis is the episode’s biggest inflection point—a wrong pick can cost the contest.
NFC QB Logic:
- Jalen Hurts a default second QB; argument possible for Brock Purdy.

E. Balancing Chalk & Differentiators ([41:19] – [54:06])

“Set yourself up to be right even when you’re wrong” (Adam Harstad mantra)—cover coin-flip games with reps from both sides.
Justify players from less-confident teams via high-variance slot picks: defense, kicker, deep-run flex.
Final Lineups Revealed:
- Both hosts’ rosters are recapped in detail. Both converge on similar chalk—Puka, JSN, McCaffrey—but diverge on the big AFC pick and ancillary options (see below).

F. Ownership, Pivots, and Contest Entries ([54:06] – [59:41])

Owning multiple entries to hedge critical 50/50 bracket decisions is smart—buying “switches flipped the opposite way”.
$50 mini contest is a good way to get reps and test strategy.

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On High-Stakes Attitude:

“Go and get your guys. That’s what high-stakes players do, and they win with that strategy. They're not afraid to take a guy a round or two earlier.”
— Tom Kessenich [03:12]
On Unique Year for the Contest:

“There’s no dominant team in either conference... This year more so than any year, it’s wide, wide open.”
— Tom Kessenich [09:20]
On the Biggest Decision of the NFFC Format:

“Fading those two correct teams [in round one]... I think it’s the most important thing.”
— Tom Kessenich [13:05]
Playoff Fantasy Football Mindset:

“The cardinal sin… is trying to hedge and play both sides of things. All that does is lower your ceiling.”
— Sigmund Bloom [24:30]
Ownership, Chalk & Differentiation:

“By stepping through this process we can absolutely have a chance to understand… where the pivot points are… you’re taking a stand on one or two things to happen in the playoffs.”
— Sigmund Bloom [29:19]
On Multiple Entries:

“You can hedge—but you hedge with different lineups.”
— Sigmund Bloom [59:41]

Major Lineup Decisions & Timestamps

| Segment | Topic | Speaker | Timestamp | |------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------|-----------| | High-stakes Mistakes | Beating ADP bias, player confidence | Kessenich | 01:53–04:05| | Picking Fade Teams | Panthers, Bears as common fades | Kessenich | 11:02–13:05| | Building for Multipliers | Super Bowl anchors & survivors | Both | 21:00–25:00| | AFC Super Bowl QB Debate | Allen vs Lawrence decision | Both | 33:09–36:57| | NFC QB/Likely Chalk | Jalen Hurts or Purdy | Both | 36:57–41:19| | Free Squares | Nakua/JSN/McCaffrey chalk | Both | 41:19–44:15| | Flex/Secondary Pivots | Stevenson/Henderson, Harvey/Sutton | Both | 51:22–54:06| | Final Lineups | Dave & Sig reveal/builds | Both | 54:06–59:41| | Advice & Community | Entry strategies, contest fun | Both | 59:41–61:17|

Sample Playoff Hold’em Lineups

Sigmund Bloom’s Build:

QBs: Trevor Lawrence, Jalen Hurts
RBs: Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, Rhamondre Stevenson
WRs: Puka Nakua, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Nico Collins, Christian Watson
FLEX: RJ Harvey
K: Cameron Dicker
DEF: Steelers

Dave Kluge’s Build:

QBs: Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts
RBs: TreVeyon Henderson, Christian McCaffrey, Omarion Hampton
WRs: Puka Nakua, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Courtland Sutton, Colston Loveland
FLEX: Josh Jacobs
K: Cam Little
DEF: Texans

Practical Advice & Parting Wisdom

Don’t glue yourself to ADP or consensus—plant your flag.
Start with your projected Super Bowl teams and build around those multipliers.
Carefully choose which two teams you fade; it’s almost always the biggest lever in Hold’em.
Never hedge by splitting decisions within a lineup—hedge by making multiple, differentiated entries.
Look for value and uniqueness deep in your lineup: defense, kicker, coin-flip game reps, and lesser-owned skill players.
If you’re new to high-stakes or NFFC, start small—there are $25 and $50 contests to get comfortable, plus group discounts for multi-entry.

Closing Note

This episode is for the fiercely-competitive playoff fantasy football player—but it radiates the camaraderie and joy of a football-obsessed community. The actionable strategy, contest walk-through, and the willingness to show their own process (even their lineup pivots and doubts!) make it a gold mine for postseason fantasy success.

[Listen for the full breakdown of each critical decision, high stakes mindset, and fun playoff banter—timestamps above for your strategy deep-dive.]

Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode: Postseason Fantasy Football Strategy
Date: January 6, 2026
Host(s): Dave Kluge & Alfredo Brown
Guests: Tom Kessenich (NFFC), Sigmund Bloom (Footballguys)

Episode Overview

Key Topics & Insights

1. High-Stakes Drafting Philosophy and Mistakes

Guest: Tom Kessenich ([01:53] – [09:00])

ADP is a Guide, Not a Rule:
- Tom emphasizes that while ADP is essential, it shouldn’t box you in. High-stakes players must “go and get your guys” even if it means reaching a round or two ahead.
- Quote:
  
  “Learn the ADP, but don’t become glued to the ADP. Go and get your guys. Don’t be afraid... That’s what high-stakes players do, and they win with that strategy.”
  — Tom Kessenich [03:12]
Self-Reliance & Table Anxiety:
- Ignore the resume of who you’re drafting against—focus solely on building your team, not micromanaging opponents.
- Quote:
  
  “Don’t worry about who you’re drafting against. Draft your team. That’s your number one focus.”
  — Tom Kessenich [05:54]
Scouting Over Projections:
- High-stakes leagues value experience, game-watching, and gut feel over rigid adherence to advanced projections.

2. Intro to NFFC Postseason Hold'em

Host/Guests: Dave Kluge & Tom Kessenich ([08:54] – [18:28])

Contest Structure:
- $200 entry, $125,000 top prize, multipliers for playoff survivors, add-to-roster capabilities after each round.
- Must select 12 players from 14 playoff teams—fade (exclude) two teams.
Multipliers & Strategy Tension:
- Surviving players double, triple, quadruple points each week.
- Both chalk (highly-owned favorites) and surprise breakouts can win.
Fading Teams:
- One of the episode’s biggest decisions—pick two teams (often Panthers + a shaky NFC seed) to leave out.
- Quote:
  
  “In the first round you have to start 12 players from 14 teams—which means you’re fading two teams... That’s going to be very interesting.”
  — Tom Kessenich [11:02]
Contest Flexibility:
- Multiple formats—high rollers and $50 mini, plus discounts for multi-team entries.

3. Postseason Hold’em: Team-Building & Strategy

Host/Guests: Dave Kluge & Sigmund Bloom ([19:11] – [59:41])

A. Contest Recap & Platform Overview ([19:11] – [22:43])

No Draft; All About Lineup Crafting:
- Pick any 12 players; no salary cap or positional requirements.
- Multipliers for each round a player's team survives.

B. Starting Points: Bracket Mapping or “Eliminate the Suck” ([22:43] – [25:02])

Two Approaches:
1. Start with Super Bowl predictions—anchor your highest-multiplier players.
2. Begin by identifying the two teams you’re excluding (“the suck”).

C. Fading Teams in Practice ([25:02] – [30:17])

Most common fades: Panthers, Bears, Steelers, Chargers, Packers.
Typical logic: Trust Vegas odds, but account for wild-card surprises— hedging with player selections from both teams in coin-flip games.
Quote:

“The lowest confidence teams to make the Super Bowl are probably [your] kicker, defense.”
— Sigmund Bloom [27:15]

D. Roster Construction & Player Pool ([30:17] – [41:19])

“Free Squares:”
- WRs who are must-plays due to talent/role + likely deep playoff run (e.g., Puka Nakua, Jackson Smith-Njigba), and Christian McCaffrey at RB.
- “Even if you take a zero [for a bye], having a 2x or 3x from a superstar is worth it.”
AFC Decision-Point:
- Bloom: Trevor Lawrence (Jags), Kluge: Josh Allen (Bills).
- The Buffalo/Jacksonville axis is the episode’s biggest inflection point—a wrong pick can cost the contest.
NFC QB Logic:
- Jalen Hurts a default second QB; argument possible for Brock Purdy.

E. Balancing Chalk & Differentiators ([41:19] – [54:06])

“Set yourself up to be right even when you’re wrong” (Adam Harstad mantra)—cover coin-flip games with reps from both sides.
Justify players from less-confident teams via high-variance slot picks: defense, kicker, deep-run flex.
Final Lineups Revealed:
- Both hosts’ rosters are recapped in detail. Both converge on similar chalk—Puka, JSN, McCaffrey—but diverge on the big AFC pick and ancillary options (see below).

F. Ownership, Pivots, and Contest Entries ([54:06] – [59:41])

Owning multiple entries to hedge critical 50/50 bracket decisions is smart—buying “switches flipped the opposite way”.
$50 mini contest is a good way to get reps and test strategy.

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On High-Stakes Attitude:

“Go and get your guys. That’s what high-stakes players do, and they win with that strategy. They're not afraid to take a guy a round or two earlier.”
— Tom Kessenich [03:12]
On Unique Year for the Contest:

“There’s no dominant team in either conference... This year more so than any year, it’s wide, wide open.”
— Tom Kessenich [09:20]
On the Biggest Decision of the NFFC Format:

“Fading those two correct teams [in round one]... I think it’s the most important thing.”
— Tom Kessenich [13:05]
Playoff Fantasy Football Mindset:

“The cardinal sin… is trying to hedge and play both sides of things. All that does is lower your ceiling.”
— Sigmund Bloom [24:30]
Ownership, Chalk & Differentiation:

“By stepping through this process we can absolutely have a chance to understand… where the pivot points are… you’re taking a stand on one or two things to happen in the playoffs.”
— Sigmund Bloom [29:19]
On Multiple Entries:

“You can hedge—but you hedge with different lineups.”
— Sigmund Bloom [59:41]

Major Lineup Decisions & Timestamps

Sample Playoff Hold’em Lineups

Sigmund Bloom’s Build:

QBs: Trevor Lawrence, Jalen Hurts
RBs: Christian McCaffrey, James Cook, Rhamondre Stevenson
WRs: Puka Nakua, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Nico Collins, Christian Watson
FLEX: RJ Harvey
K: Cameron Dicker
DEF: Steelers

Dave Kluge’s Build:

QBs: Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts
RBs: TreVeyon Henderson, Christian McCaffrey, Omarion Hampton
WRs: Puka Nakua, Jackson Smith-Njigba, Courtland Sutton, Colston Loveland
FLEX: Josh Jacobs
K: Cam Little
DEF: Texans

Practical Advice & Parting Wisdom

Don’t glue yourself to ADP or consensus—plant your flag.
Start with your projected Super Bowl teams and build around those multipliers.
Carefully choose which two teams you fade; it’s almost always the biggest lever in Hold’em.
Never hedge by splitting decisions within a lineup—hedge by making multiple, differentiated entries.
Look for value and uniqueness deep in your lineup: defense, kicker, coin-flip game reps, and lesser-owned skill players.
If you’re new to high-stakes or NFFC, start small—there are $25 and $50 contests to get comfortable, plus group discounts for multi-entry.

Closing Note

[Listen for the full breakdown of each critical decision, high stakes mindset, and fun playoff banter—timestamps above for your strategy deep-dive.]

wavePod

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode Overview

Key Topics & Insights

1. High-Stakes Drafting Philosophy and Mistakes

2. Intro to NFFC Postseason Hold'em

3. Postseason Hold’em: Team-Building & Strategy

A. Contest Recap & Platform Overview ([19:11] – [22:43])

B. Starting Points: Bracket Mapping or “Eliminate the Suck” ([22:43] – [25:02])

C. Fading Teams in Practice ([25:02] – [30:17])

D. Roster Construction & Player Pool ([30:17] – [41:19])

E. Balancing Chalk & Differentiators ([41:19] – [54:06])

F. Ownership, Pivots, and Contest Entries ([54:06] – [59:41])

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Major Lineup Decisions & Timestamps

Sample Playoff Hold’em Lineups

Practical Advice & Parting Wisdom

Closing Note

Summary

Footballguys Fantasy Football Show

Episode Overview

Key Topics & Insights

1. High-Stakes Drafting Philosophy and Mistakes

2. Intro to NFFC Postseason Hold'em

3. Postseason Hold’em: Team-Building & Strategy

A. Contest Recap & Platform Overview ([19:11] – [22:43])

B. Starting Points: Bracket Mapping or “Eliminate the Suck” ([22:43] – [25:02])

C. Fading Teams in Practice ([25:02] – [30:17])

D. Roster Construction & Player Pool ([30:17] – [41:19])

E. Balancing Chalk & Differentiators ([41:19] – [54:06])

F. Ownership, Pivots, and Contest Entries ([54:06] – [59:41])

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Major Lineup Decisions & Timestamps

Sample Playoff Hold’em Lineups

Practical Advice & Parting Wisdom

Closing Note