FantasyPros - Fantasy Football Awards Show + Reacting to Our Preseason HOT TAKES! (Ep. 1930)

Summary

The Herd with Colin Cowherd x FantasyPros: Fantasy Football Awards Show + Reacting to Our Preseason HOT TAKES! (Ep. 1930)

Date: January 11, 2026
Host: Joey P. (Joe Pisapia), with The Welsh, Andrew Erickson, and Scott Bogman
Podcast Context: The FantasyPros crew gathers for their fantasy football awards, breaking down the 2025 NFL season’s biggest winners, busts, breakout stars, and their own hottest (and not-so-hot) preseason takes.

Episode Overview

This episode marks FantasyPros’ annual “Fantasy Football Awards Show,” where the team celebrates standout fantasy performances, judges their preseason hot takes (involving both predictions and literal hot wings), and has some fun with creative, tongue-in-cheek awards. The tone is lively and banter-heavy, perfect for fantasy football diehards looking for recaps, accountability, and some laughs.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Participation Trophies and the Award Show Kick-Off (01:20–03:43)

• Joey P. welcome listeners to “award season,” introducing his co-hosts as his “three favorite participation trophies.”
• Light banter about participation trophies both in youth sports and fantasy football, setting a self-aware, playful tone.

2. Major Fantasy Football Awards

Fantasy MVP (03:43–08:12)

• Nominees: Christian McCaffrey (CMC), Jackson Smith-Njigba (JSN), Puka Nacua.
• Bogman: Strongly in favor of CMC, citing his consistency, durability, and league-leading points.

  “He scored, I think, 65 more points than JSN over the course of the season in half PPR.” (04:43, D)

• Welsh: Votes for JSN, citing value and per-game output, especially weeks 1–15.

  “I thought JSN just came out of absolutely nowhere… if you go week 1 through 15, he did score the most points per game in half PPR: 18.4.” (06:00, B)

• Erickson: Spreadsheet-inclined, sides with CMC for overall dominance.

  “CMC scored more points per game than everyone that played football this year not named Josh Allen. So if that doesn’t get you MVP, I don’t know what does.” (07:09, C)

• Consensus: Slight edge to CMC, but debate lingers over JSN’s value pick status.

Playoff MVP (08:14–10:25)

• Nominees: Puka Nacua, Derrick Henry, Bijan Robinson.
• All three hosts: Bijan Robinson is the unanimous choice.

  “Bijan scored 25 or more points in each of those three [playoff] games… Bijan owned the playoffs.” (08:49, B) “It’s Bijan Robinson for me.” (09:39, C, agreeing)

• Quick discussion on Bijan’s playoff dominance and his #1 pick potential in 2026—mixed enthusiasm.

Breakout Player of the Year (11:02–13:47)

• Nominees: Tucker Kraft, Drake Maye, George Pickens.
• Unanimous pick: Drake Maye by all hosts.

  “Drake Maye is the Drake Maye of all Drake Mayes. It has to be Drake Maye… it was clearly Drake Maye.” (12:19, D)

• Discussion: Maye’s immediate, league-winning impact and how next year the award should be named after him.

Rookie of the Year (14:08–17:46)

• Nominees: Tetairoa McMillan (T-Mac), Travion Henderson, RJ Harvey.
• Welsh & Erickson: T-Mac for full-season consistency, production, and positional scarcity at WR.

  “He was the only one of these rookies that was actually productive for the entire year.” (16:02, C)

• Bogman: Sides with Henderson for highest points per game, but is outvoted.
• All note the weirdness of the rookie RB class (no 1,000-yard rushers) and the value of a solid WR2.

Waiver Wire Hero (17:46–22:24)

• Nominees: Michael Wilson, Rico Dowdle, Matthew Stafford.
• Bogman & Erickson: Michael Wilson in a “landslide”—WR2 value for free mid-year.

  “For me, it’s Michael Wilson, he was the wide receiver 4 in points per game, wide receiver 3 overall from week 10 onward.” (21:12, C)

• Welsh: Hesitates, admitting Stafford technically fits after injury, but agrees Wilson was the game-changer.

Sleeper of the Year (22:24–26:03)

• Nominees: Wondale Robinson, Kyle Pitts, Kai’Manangai.
• Erickson: Kyle Pitts, at last fulfilling his post-hype sleeper status.

  “…tight end 2 overall in fantasy and that week 15 game… a 40-point performance, a historic tight end game…” (23:07, C)

• Bogman & Welsh: Wondale, for being ignored in drafts but finishing as a top-13 WR.

  “I feel like I was the only positive one on Wandale going into the season… and he was free in every league.” (23:40, D)

Bust of the Year (27:01–29:15)

• Nominees: Justin Jefferson, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey.
• Welsh & Bogman (consensus): Brian Thomas Jr.

  “Brian Thomas was a disappointment at every step of the season with that high cost. I don’t even think it’s close. It is Brian Thomas.” (27:01, B)

• Erickson: Argues Jefferson cost more lineup agony, but agrees BTJ was cuttable.

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3. Custom/Fun Awards and Notable Side Conversations (32:05–41:58)

I Told You So Award

• Joey P.: Saquon Barkley, for confirming the “400 carries curse.”

  “I said… guys with 400 carries in a season, the next year, they don’t finish as RB1s. And guess what? He finished as RB14.” (32:31, A)

The “Running Backs Are Dead” Sarcasm Award

• Welsh: Points out that all top RBs returned value, making “RB Dead” narratives silly.

  “All seven of those names are almost the order of running backs that you were taking… they all came back through.” (35:56, B)

Roster Clogger of the Year Award

• Erickson: Awards to Trey Benson, Jayden Daniels, Garrett Wilson—players kept on rosters for weeks, hoping for relevance that never came.

  “All they did was waste a roster spot on your fantasy football team.” (39:03, C)

Other Silly/Fun Awards

• Bogman:
  • “Most Likely to be the Juggernaut” — Cam Skattebo (injury cut his season short)
  • “Should’ve Had More Touches” — Travion Henderson (slow start, huge down the stretch)
  • “No One Believed in Me” — Javonte Williams (out-produced expectations in Dallas)

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4. The Preseason HOT TAKES Review: “Fantasy Football Hot Wing Challenge” (42:05–59:55)

The crew plays back their predictions from a pre-season "hot takes" show, where they made wild claims while eating hot wings. Hilarity and accountability ensue.

Scott Bogman’s Takes

• Mild: Cam Skattebo leads Giants in touches.
  • Reality: Looked accurate until injury derailed things. (43:30, D)
• Medium: Ricky Pearsall leads 49ers in receiving yards.
  • Reality: Injury + lack of breakout = miss, but had decent yards/game when healthy. (49:56, D)
• Nuclear: Anthony Richardson finishes as QB6.
  • Reality: Wrong QB on the Colts (Daniel Jones = QB12), but the process was sound. (57:42, D)

Andrew Erickson’s Takes

• Mild: Drake London finishes as WR1.
  • Reality: Was top-7 in points per game before missing time, but not at JSN/Pickens level. (44:13, C)
• Medium: Tucker Kraft as a top-4 TE.
  • Reality: Delivered while healthy (TE2 in ppg), but injuries derailed a bigger finish. (47:12, C)
• Nuclear: Elijah Moore (as a Bill) finishes as WR1.
  • Reality: Huge bust; 9 catches all year, WR137. “That take was hotter than the sauce.” (54:55, D)

Memorable Hot Sauce/Hot Take Moments

• The crew’s escalating discomfort with the sauce matches the outrageousness of their predictions.

• “Why did we do this? Oh, is my question.” (57:22, D)

• “Not only did we give terrible takes, we also ate the awful hot sauce.” (59:47, D)

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Welsh (on CMC’s German therapy and comeback):

  “He went and got the secret sauce in Germany or whatever it was, and he looked incredible.” (04:43, D)

• Joey P. (on Justin Jefferson’s letdown):

  “Drafting him felt like the end of days too.” (27:42, B)

• Erickson (on Kyle Pitts’ playoff outburst):

  “That week 15 game… a 40 point performance, a historic tight end game on prime time on Thursday Night Football. You know, everyone’s going to always remember where they were when Kyle Pitts had that game.” (23:07, C)

• Bogman (retro-hot wings):

  “Process over results. Should’ve just stopped there.” (58:51, D)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Main Show Start & Participation Trophies: 00:20 – 03:43
• Fantasy MVP: 03:43 – 08:12
• Playoff MVP: 08:14 – 10:25
• Breakout Player: 11:02 – 13:47
• Rookie of the Year: 14:08 – 17:46
• Waiver Wire Hero: 17:46 – 22:24
• Sleeper of the Year: 22:24 – 26:03
• Bust of the Year: 27:01 – 29:15
• Fun/Special Awards: 32:05 – 41:58
• Preseason Hot Takes Review: 42:05 – 59:55

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Episode Tone and Style

• Self-deprecating, full of inside jokes, and soaked in fantasy football culture.
• A blend of hearty football knowledge and playful, competitive debate.
• Banter over “I told you so!” moments and humility for bold predictions that went bust.

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Takeaways

The FantasyPros team, true to form, brings deep analysis with a heavy dose of fun—offering listeners both a recap of the 2025 fantasy season and a healthy reminder that even the “pros” swing and miss (sometimes spectacularly). The awards and hot takes serve up lessons for next year as well as humility, accountability, and camaraderie for all fantasy fans.

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For discussion, awards breakdowns, and the infamous hot takes/wing challenge, this episode is a must for reflection, laughs, and learning ahead of the 2026 fantasy season.

Transcript

[A]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[B]

Guaranteed Human new year, same extra value meals at McDonald's. So now get two snack wraps plus fries and a medium soft drink for just $8 for a limited time only.

[A]

Prices and participation may vary.

[B]

Prices may be higher in Hawaii, Alaska and California. And for delivery.

[A]

Welcome in everybody to fantasy Pros. This is the Fantasy football podcast. It's me, Joey P. Joe P. Zephia. And if you don't know, now you know. It's award season, baby. That's right. We're giving out hardware for fantasy and we're gonna take a look back at some predictions that might have gone well, maybe not so well. We'll figure all that out. And speaking of awards, my three favorite participation trophies are here. The Welsh, the Andrew Erickson, and the Scott Bogman all here hanging out with us. We are on our Twitch Live right now. Twitch TV fantasy pros. That is the place to be. So subscribe there. Get rid of those nasty commercials. Use your little Amazon prime account. Five bucks. Boom. You get rid of all that nonsense and we're on our YouTube channel.

[C]

And.

[A]

And speaking of YouTube and Twitch and live stuff, this Saturday, guess what? You can hang out with myself and the one and only Scott Bogman watching NFC football in the playoffs. That's right, Rams, Panthers Bogman Pizza Pia live on The Betting Pros YouTube channel and on our Twitch right here. So again, subscribe, hang with us. We're going to be in game live betting for the first half of that game. Hang out with us. If you got no one to watch the games with or you. You prefer to watch the games with us, even better, hang out with us live again, go subscribe to the YouTube channel on betting pros and of course, subscribe to our Twitch Twitch TV fantasy pros as well. Participation trophies. Welsh, you've got young kids. I know they haven't done as many sports stuff, more of the entertainment business. But when it comes to all the dance stuff, do you get a lot of the participation trophies in the dance world?

[B]

Oh, yeah, that's what it's built around every. There's trophies and there's medals and there's seventh place and stuff like that. I feel like we're about. But all of that aside, I feel like we're about to get a whole soapbox about participation trophies and this generation and in my. Are you about to do that to us, old man? Are you about to tell us about how participation trophies and fantasy owners aren't real fantasy owners? That's how you sound.

[A]

That is exactly.

[B]

Try not to get canceled as I start explaining what you should be like.

[A]

But, hey, Andrew Erickson, what's the greatest trophy you ever won in your life?

[B]

Probably getting here on time five minutes before the show.

[C]

Yeah, getting here on time five minutes before the show. I won a couple awards for bodybuilding. You know, 10.

[A]

Oh, that's right.

[C]

So those.

[B]

Give us, give us one. Just give us a.

[C]

Some, some.

[A]

Yeah, same, same.

[C]

Yeah, those were really hard to get. Bodybuilding is a very, very difficult sport, as I'm sure you can all imagine. So winning those types of awards and trophies because people will. It's very clear who put the work in and who didn't. It's very, very obvious to everybody watching.

[A]

So did you make that transition on purpose as we get to Scott Bogman about putting.

[D]

Yeah, some of us put in the work, some of us don't. That's true.

[A]

And you can tell Scott Bogman face, trophy wise, what matters more to you? An individual trophy or another Steelers super bowl trophy?

[D]

I mean, I don't have any individual trophies, so I'll take the, the Steelers trophy. That, that's good with me. I mean, I mean, I, I had a bunch of little league trophies. I was the worst player on the best team. So that, that's the kind of trophy I got, the glom on trophy, the coattail trophy. So, you know, I, I just. Look, my trophy comes with the best line of every show that I do. That's my trophy. That's one.

[A]

That's a good way of looking at it. All right, let's get to some hardware. Let's start with the big one here, the fantasy mvp. I'm gonna give three nominees for every award. The guys are gonna quickly discuss. Do a little vote or a little around the round table here, and we'll see if we can get a consensus winner. Let's start here with the fantasy MVP. And we've got Christian McCaffrey. Obviously, a great season. So many, so many touches, my goodness. We'll see how that ranking works out next year. A breakout, incredible season for Jackson, Smith and Jigba. I gotta hand it again to our good pal Jake Seeley. He talked about him more than anybody else that I recall in the preseason. I. Some people liked him, but he loved him and he was 100% right. And of course, Puka Nakua, who had a tremendous season and showed up when it mattered most in the playoffs with some big games, one of which beat me in a final. Scott Bogman pounded me into submission there. So Boggs, I don't know if that's going to skew you. But who's your vote for fantasy football MVP for 2025?

[D]

CMC for me. And this was me eating crow a little bit as well. Like, I've always loved cmc. I was the biggest person on him coming out of college, I feel like. But the injuries adding up, you know, obviously a bunch of deep playoff runs, as the Welsh knows for his team. And then he only played four games in 2024. I thought maybe this is the back nine. He's had a lot of touches. He went and got the secret sauce in Germany or whatever it was, and he looked incredible. He scored, I think, 65 more points than JSN over the course of the season and have PPR as well. So for me, it's got to go to cmc.

[A]

All right, The Welsh CMC is your boy. So are you also team CMC for mvp? I think he's the.

[B]

I've got an award for him later. This is not just the fantasy participation trophy. Yeah, no, it's not a participation trophy. It's very important trophy. It's very good, actually. Joe just kind of teased what the award name is, but we've got these actual awards and then we've got some of our created awards coming up in a little bit. And I'm also glad we're going to be looking, I think, at takes because I had a lot of positive takes on Christian McAffrey.

[D]

I'm sure those are the ones they. They clip.

[B]

I hope they did shutting people like Bogman up. But here's what I will tell you.

[A]

Not a single one.

[B]

That is not my pick. That's not going to be my pick. I think he's the consistency award. I think what he did was phenomenal, specifically in the receiving game. I think it's Jackson, Smith and Jigba and I. And I do know from like a points per game perspective, he did score less than Pukinakua. But I thought JSN just came out of absolutely nowhere, especially if you're looking at like the fantasy football mvp. You got to pair JSN with one of these guys. Like, you had to take Puka, you had to take CMC in the first round. You got to pair him with being, you know, I mean, for like the first half of the season, like the number one fantasy wide receiver in the land. And he kind of tailed off a little bit towards the back end of the season. But, um, I would say JSN is my pick. If you pare down the playoffs and if you go just week one through 15, he did score the most points per game in half. PPR 18.4 versus Puka Nuku is 18.1. This is on fantasy pros. You can actually check the fantasy points per week. So going through week 15, when we get the playoffs, he was the number one guy. So I'm going to say JSN, JSN is the fantasy football MVP.

[A]

One vote JSN, one vote CMC. Andrew Erickson, where are you putting your vote?

[C]

I am slave to the spreadsheets, to the numbers. And CMC scored more points per game than everyone that played football this year. Not named Josh Allen. So if that doesn't get you an MVP, I don't know what does. So give me Christian McCaffrey as the fantasy football MVP.

[A]

All right, so there you go. So I think Welsh kind of was like, who's your pick, though? Passive aggressive on us, getting us to, you know, it's like, you know, I love you so great, but I'm not gonna vote for. I'm gonna vote for somebody.

[D]

JSM might have been the best deal.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, maybe. And maybe that's. I'm looking at it a little bit.

[A]

Like, like this was the best deal. But I think when you, when you're looking at. In terms of consistency, I would have picked JSN2 because the amount of 100 yard games he had, the amount of, you know, 10 touchdowns there. And you know, in the 17 games, to me, like, that's what I want, consistency, 1700 receiving yards. And most people play PPR now too. And I know like CMC had some really great games and, and was very consistent as well, but JSN was high level consistent almost every single week. So that's where I would go on that one.

[B]

All right, you're with me.

[A]

Okay, I, I am with you, actually. So we could split it. Let's put it to the people.

[D]

YouTube with you against the Niner.

[A]

Yeah, I mean, weird. What, what is happening here? Just wanna, let's do a different kind of mvp. The MVP for the playoffs. Now Puka finds himself in this list as well, as does Derrick Henry, who crushed me and my hopes and dreams in my most important finals. So that was great. And that same team also had Bijan Robinson on it as well. So Welsh, I'll let you go first in this one. I know we all played in a lot of playoff games and a bunch of finals between the four of us, but not all of them turned out the way we wanted them to turn out. Who do you think really Carried people to that championship. Welsh. Well, I'll start with you on this one.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I'll use Erickson's line here. If you're going to be a product of the sheets and the stats, it's Bijan Robinson. If you're looking at week 15 through 17 and half PPR, the number one non quarterback score and the number one, the number three overall player, all quarterbacks included, was Bijan Robinson. Bijan scored 25 or more points in each of those three games. Like Puka Nakua had maybe one of the loudest. He had that like crazy loud, ridiculous game that probably just vaulted people. But Bijan owned the playoffs. 15, 16, 15, 25.5, 16, 26.3, 17, 37.4, half PPR. I think Bijan Robinson is going to take that mantle for me.

[A]

Erickson, agree with all the points that.

[C]

Welsh made about Bijan being the Highest score weeks 15, 16, 17 and the fact that Bijan Robinson did it in the last game of Week 17 Monday night, he brought teams back from the dead that were facing massive holes, that were facing pooping. Oh, no, I'm gonna lose my matchup. You look up, Bijan puts up a 30, 35 point burger on the Rams. With the Falcons being massive underdogs. It's Bijan Robinson for me.

[A]

All right, Boggs, clean sweep here.

[D]

Hook them. RB4, RB5, RB2. By the way, I want to say Puka, because that is what beat you for me in the championship, Joey. But it's got to be Bichon. Bijan, give me the mustard man here. And by the way, shout out to Mr. Travolta. I keep forgetting to mention him. Won the out of bounds championship against. Yeah, Mr. Travolta, congratulations on your championship. I just haven't mentioned him. For whatever reason, I forgot the one out of bounds.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[D]

Oh, my God.

[C]

So cool.

[A]

I got to play with the league with Scott Bachman. It was unbelievable. Bijan Robinson, real quick. Yes or no? Number one overall pick next year. Boggs. Yes or no?

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Erickson, sure. Well, less enthusiastic. Check.

[C]

Check.

[B]

Yeah, I don't know.

[A]

Yeah, I said yes or no and I only got one yes. And I got two other verifications that.

[D]

Were not yes, sure, and check.

[B]

Well, that's right. You need a two factor there, Joe. Yes.

[A]

Two factor authentication. I gotta make sure you're a human for another text message. I gotta fingerprint. I got a whole thing. All right, let's go to breakout players of 2025. Your nominees are. Oh, this one hurts a little. Bit. I know for Andrew Erickson, Tucker Kraft is on this list. He was so good before things went so bad with injury. Drake May certainly another one of our favorites around here, especially in super flex leagues. And George Pickens, who had a fantastic season. It's gonna get that bank somewhere. We'll see where it is. So Andrew Erickson, who was the breakout of 2025, Drake May.

[C]

No debate. I will hear no other argument for any other player Besides Drake may. 3rd highest scoring player in fantasy football behind only Josh Allen and Christian McCaffrey in half PPR scoring. He was a player that anybody could have drafted, could have had. Drake, man, every single one of your fantasy football teams where he was being drafted, he is the no doubt breakout player for me.

[A]

Yeah. Almost a thousand yards more passing as well for Drake May over Josh Allen this year. 31 touchdowns to 25. Fantastic year. Of course Josh Allen's going to have more rushing yards, but Drake May at 450 to Josh Allen's 579. Look at him here. It's the 14 rushing touchdowns makes Josh Allen such a separator in fantasy, obviously. Scott Bog, let's go to you, breakout player of these three dudes.

[D]

Drake May is the Drake May of all Drake Mays. It has to be Drake May. And I also feel like you have shifted this. I feel like this award wasn't necessary here because it was clearly Drake maybe. And you just put it on here so we would have to talk about.

[B]

You're like, hey, this guy that was out half the season, we could throw him in here. Like you might. You might have definitely like waited, got.

[D]

The biggest man child in the NFL, the guy who missed half the season.

[A]

Or Drake or the. Who do you want to take here for breakout player?

[B]

Yeah, it's Drake of May. He's the clear cut. I will say just if you want.

[A]

To write in somebody right now, you can, but you're going to piss off the graphics department department.

[B]

I do not.

[D]

Tell me the five best quarterbacks of all time.

[B]

Yeah. Drake May. Drake me. Drake.

[C]

Hey, you guys want to hear. You guys want to hear a fun fact about Drake May? Yeah, sure. I love Drake May.

[B]

That's a great fact. That is a great fact. That's a. That's a really good fact. I'll just. I just want to point out though, George Pickens did bra. Thank you. Still don't know what I was so upset about. If that we were talking about anybody, but Drake matters.

[A]

I don't think it matters.

[B]

No, it doesn't. I want to Pickens, George Pickens. Weeks 1 through 17 was the third in points per game. As far as wide receiver. Very, very impressive season. Obviously he's vaulted himself into like a wide receiver one. This is Drake May by landslide.

[A]

There weren't a lot of breakouts. I feel like this year, I mean, it was, it was a very strange fantasy season, I think let's just call.

[B]

This the Drake May Award.

[A]

Well, next year we will, but we had to give it to him first. And then we'll. The inaugural Drake May Breakout Player of the Year. That's what we're going to call it next year. All right, let's talk about Rookie of the year nominees. Tetaro McMillan for the Carolina Panthers, Travion Henderson for the New England Patriots and R J Harvey for the Denver Broncos. Welsh, let's kick this off. Who is your pick for rookie of the year?

[B]

So this is hilarious just because this kind of comes back to something I heart maybe annoyingly on is that like Travion and RJ Harvey, they did do the thing that I always complain about where people are like, oh, this is the second round player. You should be super valuable. And they're not valuable for like seven or eight weeks. And then they're amazing and everybody's like.

[A]

I told you so.

[B]

And it's like, well, you practically cut the guys. The guy that doesn't fall along that list is Tedro McMillan. Trayvon Henderson, immense talent and we saw it full bore. RJ Harvey definitely had his moments, but to me, this is Teterowa McMillan again looking weeks one through seventeen, we don't care about eighteen tea in a total points. Was thirteenth overall in wide receivers. So that is number one wide receiver. Two of the game. I thought he was consistent. I thought he lived up to his value. He, Trayvon and R.J. harvey did not do that on a week in and week out basis. So I think McMillan is the clear rookie of the year for fantasy full bore.

[A]

I just want to say this. The shot here of RJ Harvey in the orange Crush uniform with the blue helmet. God, it's such a good look. He might be, but the throwback Denver Bronco, blue helmet there with the big D, the orange Crush, it's pretty elite.

[B]

That is pretty elite.

[A]

That's an elite throwback uniform. Scott Bogman, rookie of the year is who I'll be.

[D]

Different, I'll say Travion Henderson and it's not his fault he didn't get the ball for half the year. He still averaged more points per game than all these guys. So I think it's got to be Trayvon. You know, he was, he was factoring special teams before this as well. We're talking about fantasy. It's a little closer as well. But you could pick any of these guys. They are all very good. The numbers are all very similar in terms of points per game, but Travon Henderson did it on fewer touches than the other guys. So give me Trey Erickson.

[A]

You want to break the tie here?

[C]

Yes. I am not biased in any way because I did bet on Tetravi Millen to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in the off season. One of my only futures bets that actually might have a chance of hitting as we start to see. But he's the favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in the real life NFL and somewhat connected to how they do as fantasy producers. To Welsh's point, he was the only one of these rookies that was actually productive for the entire year. From week one. He stepped in as the alpha in a Carolina panthers passing attack. 17 or 18 weeks of Bryce Young as his quarterback and he managed his way to get to over a thousand receiving yards in this amazing running back class. We had zero guys hit a thousand rushing yards, but we had one receiver hit a thousand receiving yards and his name was Tetharoa McMillan.

[A]

So yeah, I like on here, I wanted to. And I was like, ah, you know, I just don't know Gent. I mean Genti was kind of lackluster. He had the yardage totals. I mean, I wouldn't have voted for him over these guys. Would you?

[C]

I think too, it's not even about like the rookies versus some of the rookies and I would agree. I, I don't think that Genti, anyone that drafted him, again, you look at the counting stats, Genti finished ahead of most of these guys. But it doesn't matter because of where you drafted.

[D]

20 more touches, right?

[A]

Exactly right.

[C]

Tough. I would say too, relative to the position. TMAC wide receiver two for fantasy was really bad this year. So if you actually had McMillan as your wide receiver too, that was an edge that you had every single week because he was significantly better than a lot of the other wide receiver twos and threes that were really bad. But at running back, so many of the veterans were excellent this year. So you didn't really have an edge with either Harvey or Henderson, especially in the beginning of the year where I mean, look, people were cutting Travion Henderson. Can the MVP really get cut or rookie of the year really get cut again? Obviously both had second Half surges with high end spike weeks. But the full body work, we're counting all 17 weeks. I would give it to TMac.

[A]

All right. He only had two touchdowns, by the way, for the first 10 weeks of the season. They both came in one game against the Cowboys. Then after week 11, he had a bunch more. He had five more down the stretch. So I'll go along with Tearoa McMillan as well. Waiver wire hero nominees again. I think this one's a slam dunk, but we'll see what the guys have to say. Michael Wilson, oh, boy. When Marvin Harrison Jr. Was out, Michael Wilson played, he balled out. Rico Dowdle, not too shabby guy, almost a thousand yards rushing there off the waiver wire. And then Matthew Stafford, potential league mvp. For those of you who lost Joe Burrow early on or, you know, we're just looking and trying to find some quarterback help. Well, Matthew Stafford certainly was that Scott Bogman who was the waiver wire hero in your mind in 2020.

[D]

I mean, this one is absolutely not close. It is Michael Wilson in a landslide. The only reason Matthew Stafford was a waiver wire guy is because he had the back thing going into the season. I think if he hadn't had that, I think people would have been way more high on him. Rico had a great year, you know, taking that job away from Chuba. Definitely worthy of being a nominee here. But it's Michael Wilson in a landslide here for me. Guy had over a thousand yards. Dude never stayed healthy at Stanford. So to see him stay healthy with the Cardinals and be as productive on a week to week basis, specifically when you have Trey McBride, you have Marvin Harrison there as well. You have other big targets for him. To be one of the better targets on that team, one of the better players on that team was very impressive. So Michael Wilson for me, yeah, the.

[A]

First seven weeks of the season, he had basically 150 yards receiving. Just keep that in mind. Welsh is in. Michael Wilson, the landslide for you as well?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I guess that like there's a little part of me that wants to like start picking nits a little bit on this because like Matthew Stafford was like the third highest scoring quarterback. Like if, if we truly viewed him as like the waiver wire, like, I don't know, man, like he carried your team. I, I think what Michael Wilson did is incredible. But like, I'm falling into the, like, I kind of don't consider Matthew Stafford like the waiver wire. Like he's in the quarterback Streamy type of world. And I think he got picked up and was held at the beginning of the year. So like the truest sense of the world like Michael Wilson was that that was halfway through the year. This guy did it in the entire second half. He hit a thousand yards. Absolutely was able to be like a wide receiver too in carrying teams. So I, I'm going to say Michael Wilson is the guy. But there's kind of like me wanting to pick apart the idea of the waivers because like we can't dismiss Stafford, the number three scoring quarterback.

[A]

I don't think you can either as like 46 touchdowns, 4700 yards passing. I do not think it can dismiss.

[B]

But you said, but like Bog said, this isn't even close. And, and you are inferring that this isn't close. And I don't know if you mean because it's.

[D]

I don't, I don't think that Stafford would have been a waiver wire guy had he not had the back issue going into the season.

[A]

But he was, he went from do not draft. Oh my God. This guy can't move to possibly league mvp.

[B]

So you know what actually happened before. I'm gonna have to say Stafford. I'm sorry, I'm have to say Stafford. If we are holding true to this because I want to be like, no, this isn't a true waiver. But if, if we are truly counting him. He was the third highest scoring quarterback. He carried you the season. He was ridiculous. It is. It's Stafford.

[A]

It's Safford Erickson. Stafford, Dowdle Wilson. Who is it?

[C]

It's not Rico Dowdle. It's not.

[A]

You have to have three guys for the graphic. I did my best here, okay? No, no.

[C]

Hey, credit to you, Joe.

[D]

He's worthy.

[C]

I guess for me it's a pretty.

[A]

Good year for Rico.

[C]

Just saying, like he fell off.

[B]

It was a good month.

[C]

He was not, he was not helping people out in the playoff week. So for me it's, it's Michael Wilson. I kind of feel similar to Welsh, where Matthew Stafford, yes, technically he qualifies as a waiver wire player. I don't know, it just doesn't feel like he was, at least on one of my leagues I played in where he was available. So I mean, I'm discrediting again, according to the numbers, he was a waiver wire guy. So I do think that he does make sense here to be up for this award. But when it comes to again, wide receiver two was one of the worst positions in fantasy this year. Who rose above that? His name was Michael Wilson. And the thing with Michael Wilson, there was no hesitation on, oh, do I start this guy or not? Is Marvin Harrison Jr. Playing or not? If he wasn't playing Michael Wilson, his production was the same as Puka Nukua who we've already talked about in two separate awards already on this show. So 19.5 points per game. Michael Wilson, he was the wide receiver 4 in points per game, wide receiver 3 overall from week 10 onward. So when you needed a boost the most in your fantasy lineup to make a run, it wasn't a rookie running back. It wasn't one of these rookie receivers that was fueling your lineup to a championship. It was Mr. Michael Wilson doing that. So he is my waiver wire hero.

[A]

All right, so there you have it. Michael Wilson gets the award. Let's go to the sleeper of the year nominees. I looked on the fantasy pro sleeper list and I got to tell you, it was ugly. Okay. I went back and looked at the rankings. If I read you some of the names on those sleeper rankings. Ooh, depressing.

[C]

How is Bill not on here?

[A]

Well, I, I. Because I think he got, he got hyped to the point where he wasn't asleep anymore.

[C]

That was lame.

[A]

He actually got the draft season. So it's true. He was all right. So common on guy, my guy, your guy, everyone's guy. Wondale Robinson, Kyle Pitts, senior, Erickson. I don't think anybody was bigger on pits on the rebound and then Fitzy. Credit to our boy Pat Fitzmore. Absolutely. Who is the sleeper of the year from these three guys.

[C]

Yeah, it's cop. It's for me, he is the quintessential post, post, post, post, post hype sleeper. But he ended up finally hitting here. He was the tight end too overall in fantasy and that week 15 game to kick off the fantasy football playoffs with a 40 point performance, a historic tight end game on prime time on Thursday night football. You know, everyone's going to always remember where they were when Kyle Pitts had that game. I was here at my house watching it on my tv. It was fantastic. Kyle Pitt sleeper of the year.

[A]

All right, bogman, who's the sleeper of the year for you?

[D]

I mean, for me it has to be wandale. I feel like I was the only positive one on one Dale going into the season, specifically in PPR leagues. And we, we argued on, on a show here with Jake Seeley. He's like one Dale needed 150 targets to get 96 catches. I'm like, what is going to be the difference this Year still gonna get those same catches. And he did. And he was free in every league. So Kyle Pitts was still a tight end. One almost rankings. Kyle Menon guy was drafted in most leagues as at least a handcuff. Wandale was kind of free. He was either drafted very late or undrafted in a lot of leagues. So it's got to be Wandale for me.

[A]

Yeah. And see, JCM was a guy that by the time we got to that like big draft weekend, he was not a free guy, not even close to it anymore.

[D]

So I at the end as well.

[A]

So he did fit well. But. But look, he still had a very good season. But look at his names. Jaden Higgins, Marvin Mims, Cedric Tillman, Demario Douglas, Trey Harris, Rashad Bateman. Those were guys that were ahead on wide receivers. J.K. dobbins, Braylon Allen, Beijing Tootin, Ollie Gordon, Jaden Blue. It was a tough year. Yeah, it was a tough year for the sleepers. This was the RB and wide receiver rankings going into the year. Welsh, do you have a choice here?

[B]

Yeah, I'm gonna go with Wandell as well. Like I will say that a lot of this list is just like Manangai feels like the only traditional type of sleeper like Kyle Pitts is kind of a squirrel finds a nut type of thing where it's like every year everyone's like, he's gonna do it, he's gonna do it. And it's like, okay, odd say he's gonna do it at some point. And it took, you know what, five years for him to finally do it. But I mean, I guess in that sense, like, you know where he finished. He was awesome. But I think Wondale was like our friends weren't just like, okay, that's fun. Bogman. Our friends were mean to Bogman.

[D]

I don't even remember this by the way. Welsh has reminded me.

[B]

Oh yeah.

[A]

Sealy was well remembers everyone that slighted him or anyone.

[B]

I've always. Slights are the thing I remember the most. Fitzy is the nicest person on the planet. You've never seen Fitzy so dismissive of of anything in any discussion than Wandell Robinson. Like everybody hated Wandell Robinson. So credit to Bachmann on that. But yeah, I mean he ended up finishing again using the week 1 through 17, not 18. Finished 13th in total points. Like he was consistent. That was a huge value. So I'm going to go with Wanda Robinson on this, but I think Kyle Pitts is a good option as well.

[D]

Let me ask you guys this because Metal James made a good Point. If we throw Alec Pierce in this group, does he shoot up to the top?

[A]

I think too little too late.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I mean, because he was fun.

[B]

He's better than Marvin Harrison Boggs.

[D]

He's going to make a lot of money. I know.

[A]

Well, somebody's gonna pay him. But you know what's funny about Fitzy, when he goes after you, not you're not prepared for it because he's so nice. But then when he cuts you, man, it's like getting shaved in the yard, you know, because he's so G Wave.

[B]

Oh, the rap.

[D]

Not just the pain, it's also your feelings are hurt. Oh, you didn't see it coming.

[A]

Vicious. You should see him on the golf course too. It's even worse. All right, bust of the year. There we go. Some big time names and some first and second round talent that just didn't quite hit Justin Jefferson. Certainly depressing. He was a top five overall guy. Then Brian Thomas Jr going the first round of many drafts and lad McConkey going somewhere in the early second. These were three of the biggest busts potentially of 2025. So Welsh, why don't you start off with us? Who is the biggest disappointment from last year?

[B]

Oh, I think like what was the award? The Drake May I think we can name this award The Brian Thomas Jr. Award. The inaugural Brian Thomas Jr. I think Brian Thomas is hands down the biggest bust. I think Justin Jefferson feels it because it was so high, but I don't think that was also because of him. Lad McConkey was a dis. Brian Thomas was a disappointment at every step of the season with that high cost. I don't even think it's close. It is Brian Thomas, they all stunk unfortunately. But this is the Brian Thomas award. Moving forward.

[A]

He ended up at wide receiver 43 at the end of days. So it's pretty far down there.

[B]

Drafting him felt like the end of days too.

[A]

Well, I can understand that. All right, Andrew ERICKSON, you were Mr. Brian Thomas Jr. Last year and you could have been more right. But you were kind of, you were practicing a little bit of caution with him this year. So I don't know how many shares that you had of Brian Thomas going into the season. He ended up with 707 receiving yards, just two touchdowns. Was he more of a disappointment than J.J. who was a top five guy?

[C]

Yeah, this one is is close for me between Brian Thomas Jr. And Justin Jefferson. And to your point about, you know, how many shares of Brian Thomas Jr. I in my most important league, he was my keeper. From last year because I drafted him so late, was super hyped about him. He wasn't on my roster to end the year. I cut him from my team. So. So that's why I'm actually going with Jefferson as the biggest bus. Because there was a point in the year where Ryan Thomas Jr. Was cuttable. You weren't cutting Justin Jefferson. You kept playing Justin Jefferson every single week because you're like, he's going to turn it around. He's got a great matchup and he kept killing you in your lineups.

[A]

But Andrew, he did have 84 receptions for a thousand 48 yards.

[C]

How many, how many weeks did he win you your week?

[B]

Well, I'll tell you this. How about this? Through through Week 9, at least he was wide receiver. 14, he was still wide receiver. I mean, like, that's usable. He was a starting startable wide receiver in the first half of the. There's not a point where you could put two or three weeks together where Brian Thomas was ever startable the entire season. I get the argument of Jefferson, but just to point out he was at least a top 15 wide receiver through the first half of the season.

[A]

I agree with the guy who gets cut. I think btj. That's right. I'm leaning towards btj. Settle it for us. Boggs, who's the biggest bust?

[D]

Okay, so it's definitely Brian Thomas Jr. Right? Like, no question in my mind. It was Brian's top Brian Thomas Jr. Because he came in with not a lot of competition either. It's like Travis Hunter, the rookie was his competition. So they're throwing a Parker Washington. They're throwing to Brenton Strange. They traded for Jacoby Myers and extended him and Travis Hunter even went down And Brian Thomas Jr. Couldn't come out of this tailspin. So it's definitely Brian Thomas Jr. In my opinion. But I'll say, I'll say this. Like Brian Thomas Jr. Ended up missing a couple games. So maybe he was dragging around the injury for a little bit longer than we thought and eventually missed those games. But when he came back, he wasn't that good either. Justin Jefferson had issues at quarterback, obviously. McCarthy went down early. They had Carson Wentz, they had Max Brosmer. Ladd McConkey had no excuses to be this bad and he still was this bad. So I'll make the point for Ladd McConkey, right? Like you had Justin Herbert the whole year and Quentin Johnston got a lot of receptions. They were throwing to a Ronda Gadsden, they were throwing to Keenan Allen even Trey Harris got in here and got involved a little bit and Ladd kind of just, you know, for no reason. I think we can point the reasons out for the other two. For Ladd, it was surprising because he didn't really have the excuses that the other guys had. So it's definitely Brian Thomas Jr. But I want to throw a little shade at Ladd too, even though I had 0 shares. If you're an H Vac technician and a call comes in, Grainger knows that you need a partner that helps you find the right product fast and hassle free. And you know that when the first problem of the day is a clanking blower motor, there's no need to break a sweat. With Grainger's easy to use website and product details, you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done.

[A]

High interest debt is one of the toughest opponents you'll face unless you power up with a SOFI personal loan. A SoFi personal loan could repackage your bad debt into one low Fi fixed rate monthly payment. It's even got super speed since you could get the funds as soon as the same day you sign. Visit sofi.compower to learn more. That's s o f I.com p o w e r loans originated by Sofi Bank NA member FDIC terms and conditions apply. NMLS 696891 I'm glad somebody throws some at that because we were just talking about Jefferson Brian Thomas and he deserves some hate too. So own it lad. McConkey be better, be better in 2026 so those were our official fantasy awards for 2025 and of course if you want to keep the conversation going, you can always go check out some of our amazing tools there. You always go to the Betting Pros Premium tools. You can download them right now, especially if you're going to watch the stream with us. Use the tools. You can use the promo code to FP free to get access to the same game parlay tool, the Prop IT Analyzer, the Prize picks, Prop bet Cheat sheet. All that is there one month free premium. The regular tools are great. The Premium tools are unbelievable. So let's get into it right now. Available on iOS and Android. Download the Betting Pros app. Use all the tools. Don't be a tool and let us help you bet smarter, not harder with Betting Pros. All right, let's get to some awards of our own and I have an award, too. It's the I told you so award. And this year it goes to one Saquon Barkley. I told you so. I said, guys with 400 carries in a season, the next year, they don't finish as RB1s. And guess what? He finished as RB14. So once again, the historical data was out there. There was so much data that we made a funny video about it on Fantasy Pros. You can go to the YouTube channel and you can watch the short right now. Thank shout out to Tyler, who helped me make it there where we did the incredibles, where all the capes and the things. The guys who would die because of the capes and superheroes. We did all the running backs over the last 20 years who had 400 carries in the next year bottomed out and they were hall of fame guy Curtis Martin. Incredible talents Edger and James. It doesn't matter how great you are. They all come falling down. Jamal Lewis did it twice. Saquon Barkley. Not the year everybody was expecting. My.

[D]

My favorite part of this Joe is that Saquon Barkley is almost as tall as you sitting on his side. I mean, what is Joe?

[A]

Where are your legs, dude?

[D]

Yeah.

[A]

Why am I representing the lollipop Guild? I was standing behind him, like, standing over him.

[B]

And then I thought you were on your knees. I thought you were on your knees.

[A]

No, I thought I was just standing over him and there was a perspective until I saw the sneaker.

[B]

Oh, my God. I. You can see the moment. You can see the moment that I realized that your feet were at where kneecaps should be. That is. I want that on a shirt. We have to have that on a shirt. I also would like to say ever.

[A]

Always screws me over that stupid picture that you made of me baseball season, where you look really funny and adorable and I look like a monster from the lagoon.

[B]

Joe goes. I told you sewing. I. I got to tell you things. I also want an award for the If I could have predicted what Joe piece of p Is award title was going to be. This is the most. The I told you so is the most Joe piece of thing of all.

[A]

That's a burden.

[D]

He's burdened with glorious gift sky.

[A]

But it's a burden, too, to have to bear this. And then after people tell you over and over again, no, you're wrong. You're wrong. You're wrong. Okay, I'm not wrong. I did the homework. I did the math. It's all there for you. I laid it out. Even did a Funny video, in case you don't like reading. What are you going to do? Put in the black book. Special note. In the black book, people still ignored me. Welsh, why don't you give out an award? Because I know you got one you want to get. I have two.

[B]

I actually have two awards. I want that.

[A]

Well, you can only get a graphic for one.

[B]

Oh, do I only have a graphic for one count?

[A]

I get a graphic for.

[B]

All right, this is the rbs are dead award. The running backs are dead award, and as you can see, oh, we got quite a few names. There's actually supposed to be six or seven. Here are your RB finishes in half PPR this year. McCaffrey, Jonathan, Taylor, Bijan, Robinson, Gibbs, Achan, Cook, and Henry. All seven of those names are almost the order of running backs that you were taken. We have had so many years, so many years of. It's like, okay, it's like running backs or wide receivers are the only safe thing to do, and they don't return the value. Well, you want to talk about return value? Every single one of these running backs, it was about the order that you got. Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy. This is the running backs. They're not so dead. And this is the sarcasm award of it. And then I guess if we don't have the other award, I would just like to point out the other award was the award it's just called. And that award goes to Christian McCaffrey. The award. Isn't it interesting, by the way, that's.

[D]

Welsh's version of I told you so is. Thank you, Scott.

[A]

Bottle. Same thing. Like, you just did what I did, except you didn't call it I told you so. It's about two.

[D]

I'm about to do it too, so don't worry about it, guys.

[B]

Yeah, I just made it better. I just made it better. I didn't make it so obvious. But no, it's the.

[A]

I am obvious because I'm transparent, whereas you like to kind of. You're that passive aggressive. I told yourself, me, I'm just gonna come out there and tell you I'm right or I'm wrong and I'll own it when I'm wrong. Whereas Welsh is going to be like, boy, if only somebody was smart enough to have said this at the beginning of the year.

[D]

It's you.

[A]

You're the person that.

[D]

We're just the nice guys here.

[B]

Yeah, but we're just nice guys. Just point out the running back dead award goes to all the people that fade the running backs. They all Came back through with the side award of the to Christian McCaffrey. And I'd also like to point out why does the sideline. Is that like the 420 line right there?

[D]

Look at that 420 line. That's the 00 line. Of course, everybody knows that. Yeah, I would just like to know why you look like a frost giant from mom.

[B]

Well, that is a frost.

[A]

That is actually more accurate in terms of accurate.

[B]

I wonder how small my legs are in this.

[A]

Comes out at night with a full moon. That's what he does. You know, look, there's no score of.

[D]

The earth on the scoreboard.

[A]

In the AI picture. There's no score, there's no time. There's just zero.

[B]

Yeah, that's wrong. Everybody's dead. All the points scored for fading all of the running backs. Running backs dead award. Not so dead.

[A]

All right, Erickson, pull us out of this tailspin, please.

[C]

Speaking of pulling things out, the freaking roster clogger of the year award. Trey Benson, Jane Daniels, Garrett Wilson. These players that every single week I get questions about on discord on social media, hey, do I drop this guy? Do I hold on to this guy? Because we got conflicting injury reports. All these players all year long where we didn't know you could just outright cut them because, oh well, no, it seems like they're going to come back at some point and then another week goes by, two weeks go by, four weeks go by, and then week 16 comes and oh yeah, we're gonna put this guy in IR and he's never gonna play again this season. So I'm giving these players the award of roster cloggers. As you couldn't move them off of your team, you had to keep them on your roster because they were going to get picked up by somebody else. But in the end, all they did was waste a roster spot on your fantasy football team. So I think that the number one for me is probably Trey Benson because he had the perfect run out, right? The process behind Trey Benson was James Connor's going to get hurt. Trey Benson is going to step in as that RB one. He had one game where he stepped in. It was a brutal match against the Seahawks. He immediately gets injured, it's underreported, and then the backfield turns into a three man committee between Donovan Knight, who actually could have been a waiver wire guy considering how good or how serviceable he was, and he was totally free. Michael Carter, Amari D. Mercado, just total nonsense in the Cardinals backfield. So Trey Benson, Jane Daniels, I experience with as a guy that I didn't know what to do with. And then if you held on to him and started him the last couple weeks of the season, he was terrible. And then he got re injured again and then Garrett Wilson. Aaron Glenn just lied to us straight up saying, oh yeah, Garrett Wilson will come back at the end of the season. Never come.

[A]

But we knew that was never gonna happen. We knew they were gonna shut him.

[B]

I love by the way how Benson and Janet Jaden Daniels are in their college uniforms and Garrett Wilson is still a jet in this art. That makes sense, by the way. Good.

[A]

Garrett Wilson led the jets receiving yards, by the way and he didn't have a catch.

[D]

After week six.

[A]

After week six.

[B]

That's amazing.

[A]

Just for the record, Andrew Erickson here in this shot looks like the picture that comes with the frame. I look like a dwarf and Welsh looks like a frost giant.

[D]

I've never seen a person happier to be holding a plunger than.

[B]

And you don't know Erickson that well. You haven't parted.

[A]

Yeah. All right, let's go to Scott Bogman. Your award. You got a bunch of awards. I don't know how you get three.

[D]

Yeah, I thought I had multiple because I'm the best. So most likely to be the juggernaut award goes to Cam Scaboo. For sure. I mean, this is by the way, this is my version of I told you so or award right here.

[A]

Spell juggernaut. I'm gonna say no.

[D]

Who cares? He can run him over. I know that. So you know, obviously injured, but great year leading into that.

[B]

I like how his robot legs because he didn't play the whole season. You gave an award.

[A]

That's how he comes back next year.

[D]

Again, this is my I told you so award. Should have had more touches award goes to Travion Henderson. For sure. I mean, dude should have been getting these touches from week one. For whatever reason, Mike Rabel is going to be a hard o on rookies. So we just know that moving forward. That sucks. But hopefully Anderson has way more touches in his future. And the no one believed in me award because I don't remember a single human being hyping up Javante Williams at all, including any of us. And he had an excellent year for the Dallas Cowboys. So the so my awards are most likely to be the juggernaut goes to Cam Scatterboo. Should have had more touches award goes to Treveon Henderson. And no one believed in me award is Javante Williams.

[A]

You know, the one person that I Heard even really trying to talk themselves into it. I remember being on a draft show at the end of the year with Fitzy, and Fitzy was like, you know what? I'm going to start taking Javante Williams just because I don't like. And he hated Jaden Blue.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

Fitzy hated Jaden Blue. And he was the way I hate Aaron Rodgers. I feel like he hates Jaden Blue. He was the only one that I feel like was saying, you know what, what's the worst that could happen? I end up cutting him, whatever. But the upside is he's a good back who starts every week on a really good offense.

[B]

I think I actually, I had him in my. My draft guide on fantasy pros of like the players you're drafting on the rounds because I had quite a few shares. But I definitely wouldn't. I wouldn't try. Yeah, I wouldn't try to hype it up that I was like, you have to have Javonte Williams. I drafted him.

[A]

I think everywhere, like Erickson holding a plunger, hype.

[B]

No, no, no. But I did, like, say I'm drafting Javante Williams because everybody was like, jaden Blue, Jaden Blue, Jaden Blue. It was all about him. And it was just like, no Javante Williams. But, you know, you know, he's flying with horns and stuff.

[C]

He's.

[D]

I am so happy that this did not draw me. The AI did not draw me.

[A]

Well, that's only because we didn't have standing photos of you.

[C]

So we'll.

[A]

We'll fix that.

[D]

Thank God.

[B]

Yeah, those are from our photo shoot. If people don't know that photo shoot in Vegas they were able to take.

[A]

Yeah, mine was right from the land of Oz. That's where mine was. All right, let's get to the last part of our show today, which is going to be a fun time because these three yokels decided to eat a bunch of hotels hot wings and give a bunch of hot takes before the season started. And we're going to talk about how good some of those predictions were. So to begin here, let's start with Scott Bogman's take and see how it ended up in 2025.

[B]

Let's start the hot takes off with Mr. Scott Bogman. We have got an Amarillo sauce which is a 30 to 50,000 Scoville. This take, like this sauce is mild, but will it be sweet? I kind of thought this was a little bit of a sweet sauce. There was no burn, no hurt there.

[D]

No burn at all.

[B]

So does your good about this does your hot take represent this sauce in our first mild hot take?

[D]

My first hot take is that Cam Scatterboo leads the New York Giants in touches this season. Kind of, you know, as instructed, this is kind of a mild take, and that's kind of where we're at with this one. Last season, Tyrone Tracy and Devin singletary combined for 364 combined touches. Little hot on the back end, by the way. I got a little bit of it.

[B]

Oh, you got it.

[D]

But just a touch.

[C]

Not.

[D]

Not anything bad at all.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, Your skin's not turning red at all. Keep going.

[D]

So I do think Cam Scaboo leads the New York Giants in touches in 2024 as a rookie.

[A]

All right, well, certainly things looked like it was going in that direction until injury struck. So Boggs, in retrospect, how do you feel about that take?

[D]

Not terrible, but obviously he didn't make it to the finish line here, so couldn't have done it. But not a bad take. I don't like that we're using them from that show because I know well, I know my other ones well.

[A]

Let's. Let's continue on and see where they end up. I know, Eric, these other ones too. Well, Boggin, why don't you follow little Joe down the yellow brick road? Come on, let's see what happens here. Next up is Andrew Erickson's mile take. Let's see what Andrew was on in 2025 back in August, I believe.

[B]

All right, can your take be hotter than this sauce or Scott Bogman?

[C]

Yes, I'm coming out the gates much hotter than this sauce. So I'm going with Drake London initiatives as the wide receiver. 1 Overall, that is my mild take.

[B]

So that's your mild take for the show. Let's go.

[C]

I'm set stage for a lot of hot takes. Just starting out the gates with. I think it's a banger. Drake London.

[B]

Second dab is it's milling around a little bit. Just letting you know you get two in there. Like that was a very good saw. It's milling around in there. This take is not milling around. This is a hot take. Erickson has absolutely set the stage box well.

[A]

Drake London finished at overall not quite there, but in terms of points per game, Drake London was seventh overall. Now, he did miss a significant portion of the season. We all know that. Weeks 12 through 15, he was MIA. So again, kind of like that first one that that Bogman had. The process was good. Just the results got derailed by injury. I think that's Fair to say, right, Andrew?

[C]

I think so. But I. I don't think that even before his injury, he was pacing to have that again. Because when I hyped up London, I'm thinking he's going to have the JSN season or the George Pickens level season. So those were the guys that if you were again, like, Jake was the highest on jsn, like, they should be rewarded. So I wasn't right here. Jake London was a fine pick, but where you had to draft him, you were drafting him ahead. I took him ahead of jsn. So that was the wrong call. So I don't like this one.

[A]

Welsh as host of that show. Looking back on it now, whose take was better, Andrews or Boggs?

[B]

Of those two? Yeah, Drake.

[D]

London was still seventh in points per game.

[A]

I would say London.

[B]

Well, I would actually say that, like, Scatter Boo was on pace to do exactly what Bogman said, and then his ankle went in the wrong direction. So, like, you know, had that injury not occurred, I think Scatter Boo, that, like, take would have been big. But also, like, I was so thrown off because Erickson came out the gates were like, hey, what's your mild take? And he's like, this guy will be the number one overall.

[C]

I know.

[B]

You're like, oh, my God.

[A]

Well, let's see what Andrew decided to hype up to the medium takes. And so Andrew hasn't got no fear. Let's take a look.

[B]

Andrew Erickson, I would like you to please lift your street wings and your sauce is. And I want you to really dab. I'm gonna go in for a second one. I feel very confident where we are heading here.

[D]

I already did two of this one. I'm good on two.

[B]

I actually do believe that Erickson has. It might be the toughest going from this to what we're going next. So I want you to give a really strong dab. I'm gonna dab it again on the rest of my teddy bear if it'll come out. It doesn't want to come out for me. So you dive into it. Apparently, this one doesn't want me to go. Is it a sign from the heavens? Yes, I think it is. Oh, here we go. Oh, God.

[D]

Okay, well, see, that's what happens.

[B]

Yeah, I shouldn't have done that. We are in our third range here. This is the bold take. We went from mild to spicy to bold. Let's see if it hits you while you're going and what is spicy or what you just ate or what you're about to drop. And I think I know the answer.

[C]

Tucker Craft is going to finish as a top four fantasy tight end in 2020. The Green Bay packers know they have to get in the ball. If Jordan Love is throwing more like he did in 2023 when he threw for over 4,200 yards, 32 passing touchdowns, I think Tucker Kraft's going to have a monster season.

[B]

How are you holding up? Pretty good.

[C]

Pretty good.

[B]

This is nothing. I mean, you got some hot takes here, but you seem to be holding the best here.

[A]

All right, well, he ended up as tight end 2 in fantasy points per game. So, Andrew Erickson, that feels like a W for you.

[C]

I mean, it was looking like an absolute home run. Grand slams until week nine happened when Tucker Kraft went down with the injury. So look, I think that similar to the Boggs Cam Scatterbo selection and prediction, it was gonna happen. But this guy went down with an injury so well.

[A]

But who knows if he had stayed, you know, Jordan Love got hurt. Things happen in the offense. Maybe there was a fade where that 12.7 fantasy points per game gets pulled down because of some of the injuries and some of the issues that happened that could happen.

[C]

So you're saying I cashed out at the top.

[A]

Take the win. I'm saying take the W. We did this last year. It was not pretty.

[D]

Take Eric the win. You remember how bad this is going to get?

[A]

Debro Fitz had to eat a lot of L's last year. That's a bold prediction. Take the W. All right, let's get to Scott Bogman's next take here on the medium side.

[B]

We are moving up the hot meter, my friends, with what? Is this a scotch? You say bonet?

[C]

Is it a scotch?

[B]

Bonet sauce. It is described as kind of like used for jerk chicken. I would say there's also not really any information. So it's a Caribbean type of sauce. So we're going to go into this a little bit unknown. And Bogman, we are going to jump right back to you. So that's part of the trick of this game. So what I would do is ask you to. I will load up my teddy bear, you load up your.

[D]

Your.

[B]

Dude. You know what I'm also saying? I say we should go higher. Let's. Let's go more than you would normally put. So really dab that sucker on. Okay, let's. Let's really push the limits. Are you ready to push the limits?

[C]

Push it.

[D]

Let's go.

[B]

Here we go.

[D]

Pretty sweet at the front.

[B]

It's biting in the back. That one got. That one got. You know what? They had me at the beginning. They got me on the back end. That one is a tackle on the five yard line. That one hit me on the box. No, no.

[D]

Okay, let me do. Let me do one more.

[B]

Yeah, we'll do one more.

[C]

No, no, that's not.

[B]

You've got the third down of the sauces. How does your taste and your taste. How does your take. There it goes. Yeah, now it goes. I'm starting to struggle now.

[D]

I'm feeling it.

[B]

Yeah. Does your take measure up to this sauce?

[D]

This one's for you, Welshy.

[C]

Okay.

[D]

Ricky Piersol leaves the 49ers in receiving yards.

[B]

Okay. Love it. Yeah, I'm struggling a little bit. Focusing and might be getting a little bit red right now.

[C]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

Starting to feel a little sweaty, but a little bit. I'm. A little milk.

[B]

In the middle of the day. Just one sip there.

[A]

Well, you need a lot more sips of milk there for the. Ricky Pierce.

[D]

He needs some milk. Get him some milk. Yeah.

[A]

Here's the question.

[D]

Terrible call.

[A]

It was. But again, process. I think it was good. Process wise. It was good. The targets would have been there. The health was not. So go off.

[D]

We hit the.

[C]

We.

[D]

We hit the ground going too, too fast here.

[C]

So.

[A]

So I want to ask you this because obviously the first year was kind of a wash for him with that shooting injury that this year he was hurt most of the season. Are you gonna be in or out on Pierce hall in 2026?

[D]

I think his cost is going to be low, so I'm going to be in. It just depends on how much he climbs up boards because I. I think he just played most of this year not at 100%. So if he can get back next year, the skill is still there, but obviously not a good year for Ricky Pierceall at all. Hurt in the beginning. He just never became that guy.

[C]

I want to add something, though, with this call because bogman Ricky Piersol had more receiving yards per game than Juwan Jennings did. So on a per game basis, Piersol was very productive.

[D]

So, yeah, and he did.

[B]

He did three games.

[D]

I think the. The end of the season, he was better as well. The last three games, I think he was pretty good.

[A]

So, Welsh, you're Mr. 49er. You in on potentially as a buy low? Are you waiting to see what the 49ers do this offseason first?

[B]

No, I think it is an offseason. He's a great buy low because it's going to be super, super low. But, you know, the 49ers also showed, like they're going to spread the ball around a bit more. Juwan Jennings. I mean, I think there's going to be some big movement in the wide receiver camps. Like, I wouldn't be surprised if Jennings is gone. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised. Obviously, IUK is going to be gone. Like, it's a great time to buy in on Purasol. This take just. We can't even do the, like, scatter. Boo. Like, how does ankle not turn? Like, like, this just wasn't right. But, like, there were the little inner working pieces that, like, Ricky Piersoll can be good and hopefully, you know, he's going to be able to materialize that next year.

[D]

This is not my worst take of this show either.

[A]

Well, let's get to some more of the takes here. We got Ericsson's nuclear take up first. Let's take a look at it.

[B]

We are putting both together. This is Ghost Pepper and the Trinidad Scorpion for what I am gonna guess is the hottest take of the show from Andrew Erickson. So Erickson. Oh, my God. You really dipped that thing. Let's go.

[C]

Oh, boy.

[B]

This was a bad idea.

[D]

Why did you do that twice, Welsh?

[C]

Oh, God.

[B]

Because I did every single one twice. I couldn't end at the last one.

[D]

You see.

[B]

Oh, it's good to me. What's the hot. What is the take?

[C]

I'm getting to the take. So a Buffalo Bills wide receiver is going to finish as a wide receiver one this season, but it's not going to be Khalil Shakir. It's not going to be Keon Coleman. It's not going to be Joshua Palmer. It's going to be Elijah Moore. Elijah Moore is going to finish 2025 as a fantasy wide receiver one. That is my what? Hottest, spiciest take. Yes. I came to the table with a hot take that is worthy of being in the Trinidad Scorpion. It is of hot takes.

[D]

And I think your take is hotter than the sauce. And I hate this sauce is stupid guts.

[C]

That is my hottest take. And do you guys agree? Is it hotter than the sauce or not?

[D]

Yes, I think it's hotter than the sauce. And this sauce sucks, by the way. The salt work better than anything else.

[B]

I wish I would have done that. You know, the great thing about this episode is too, it has such great rewatch ability because I don't know anything you just said outside of life. I heard Elijah Moore. So Bachman, I hope you heard some stuff. I feel sick. I'M sweating like I would be if I was depending on Elijah Moore as one of my top wide receivers. But we have all officially completed our hot takes. Erickson, you seem to be struggling a little bit. What do you think? From the sauces to the hit on.

[C]

The. Hit on the back nine. My lips are on fire, right?

[D]

Dude, it's the lips. It's the worst. That's why I kept grunting.

[C]

I was. I was doing okay. I. I thought, man, I'm handling this, the scorpion sauce, pretty well. And then it just. All of a sudden, my lips let us know. You're.

[D]

You're the man doing two dabs on all of those incredible.

[B]

I. I'm struggling a lot, and I did feel like I was gonna throw up about five minutes ago, but luckily, I think I'm gonna be able to save that for about five minutes from now to get out of here.

[A]

Well, there you have it. Well, Andrew, you were right. It wasn't Joshua Palmer. It wasn't Keon Coleman.

[B]

You were.

[A]

You're on. You're on. Pace there for a little while, but.

[C]

You should have stopped there. Should have just stopped there.

[A]

Elijah Moore. Well, I mean, the bill stopped there because they let him go.

[C]

What team is he even on? He's on.

[B]

How many catches did he have this year?

[A]

He ended up with nine receptions and 17 targets, finishing his wide receiver 137 this year.

[C]

That.

[D]

That take was hotter than the sauce.

[A]

That was hotter than the sauce. And by the way, what are you eating there, Welsh teddy bears? What, like little nuggets?

[B]

They're just nugs. They're just nugs. Yeah.

[C]

These guys.

[B]

Yeah, that's what I had. I had Dino nuggies out there. We didn't. I didn't have doordashed wings sent to me.

[C]

I had. I had frozen wings, which were not good. But, no, I didn't bring it on.

[B]

The best part about that episode, too, if you want to talk about takes, was me warning everybody to not touch your face after you eat it and then almost immediately shoving my fingers into my eyes because I was screaming and crying, but that was weird to look back.

[A]

All right, well, we got one more take. I don't know if it could be possibly worse than that one. So, Bogman, let's take a look at your nuclear take from the preseason.

[B]

How is the hold up here before.

[D]

We get from Purgatory to the River Sticks, what we did here?

[B]

Well, Boggs, unfortunately, you're gonna have it tough because you're gonna be the. You're gonna go right into the next one. But how are you holding up?

[D]

Currently not great. My lips are burning, tongue is burning, mouth is burning.

[B]

We are going into the final two takes, the nuclear heat, as it's called the Trinidad Scorpion. This is the again. We're gonna find out here in just a second. This is 2 million scoville, but the heat rating is under the other. But this is seen as the hottest one. So we are gonna double the Scoville. If that truly means we're doubling the heat, I don't know how I'm gonna do it. I don't know if your takes are gonna be able to match up. So take a deep breath. The hottest of hot takes with the hottest of hot sauces. My final teddy bear in tow. Bogman, raise your wing. Raise your Trinity Scorpion and give her a nice dab. A good.

[D]

Why does this look black?

[B]

Oh, it is like black. All right. That is a lot. I think. I think you guys can all see.

[A]

I don't have that much.

[B]

I know the smell. Erickson just smelt it. All right, Bogman, quick, before you do it, I put more on mine. Yeah, before. Before we do it. Will this be hotter than the take.

[C]

You'Re about to give?

[D]

Yes, 100%.

[B]

Let's go to the mouth. Get your milk away.

[A]

All right, here we go.

[D]

It's disgusting.

[C]

Oh, oh. Oh, it's awful.

[B]

It's hot and awful.

[C]

Oh, it just tastes bad.

[D]

Why did we do this? Oh, is my question.

[C]

Should I just do more of the ghost pepper that next?

[B]

Oh, no, you got to try this one. You want to mix it? You can be a champ. All right, Boggs, that one is not good. It's also bad hot. Is your take gonna be hitting me all late?

[D]

This sucks.

[B]

Yeah. All right, well, let's hear your final hot take of the Hot Takes episode.

[D]

Anthony Richardson finishes QB6. We don't even know if he's gonna start right now. He may not start any games and I'm gonna say he finishes as QB number six. We wanted a crazy one, right? Nah. Obviously the rushing total. I'm saying this take like I'm mad at it.

[B]

Yeah, it's the nose starts to run this one.

[D]

And what were we talking about? Anthony Richardson.

[B]

Yep.

[D]

Right. This offense is tailor made to make a big time quarterback for fantasy. It is a perfect offense to build around a good quarterback. Why did I get it on my lips? Ah. So Anthony Richardson, QB6. I. If he finishes. If he starts all 17 games, he's a QB1 no matter what. All I'm asking is a Little bit more than that. So good God.

[A]

Oh, Boggs, you were on track there. Daniel Jones, QB12 and fantasy points per game. You were right about the offense. Just the wrong quarterback.

[D]

My point was that this offense is tailor made for a a quarterback to succeed. So I think this is process over results.

[C]

Should have just stopped there.

[D]

It should have just stopped there's going to be good. Of course it ended up. How could I have known Philip Rivers was going to get starts here, right? He'd been retired.

[C]

What a hot take that would have been. Philip Rivers.

[A]

I wish we could go back in time and tell people. Like tell tell August 2025 us. Hey, you know Philip Ber is going to come back and play football for the Colts this year. Like what? Like all the crazy things that would happen. But double Covid and I mean what is happening?

[D]

How do we get Philip like go.

[B]

Eat some ghost pepper sauce. You're a liar.

[A]

Yeah. I will say this though. They asked me to do that show and I said hard. No, I'm not doing that. And that was the best decision fun.

[B]

Fact made in 2025. Most people babied out on that show. I was the only one that was willing to go the limit in the early on stages and we had all these people continuously back out on that one. So yeah, that's what you got all the crime. Yeah.

[A]

Yep. Nope.

[B]

These boys and these boys, they did it.

[D]

Hey, not only did we give terrible takes, we also ate the awful hot sauce. So there you go.

[B]

And cried on camera.

[C]

Do you guys still have the hot sauce?

[D]

My cousin actually watched this show right here.

[B]

I did not. Right now, I promise. Now I promise you, I had no idea we were going to do that show. I literally have it right here.

[D]

I'm going to go to Venmo. You tell me how much.

[C]

On your desk.

[B]

I swear to God. It has been on my desk since we did that show. This is the one. This is the worst one too. I. I actually grabbed it.

[A]

Try this once. You eat a full pickle with the scorpion sauce. But I think the trick is you also have to do it sensually. I think that's also part of.

[D]

I got to tell you, the, the, the last sauce wasn't as bad as the second to last sauce because I feel like the second to last sauce has already burned this off.

[B]

This was the one that was the problem. This is the evil one.

[D]

The scorpion one was just disgusting.

[A]

I also like that you said Scotch bonnet as scotch bonet.

[D]

Which is scotch bonet.

[B]

I did say. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I did that I corrected it.

[A]

I said it was very funny. So anyway, some fun predictions, some fun awards, a good time. Who are your favorite award winners for 2025? Drop them in the YouTube comments below. Subscribe to our Twitch channel and remember, on Twitch and on betting pros YouTube we are going to be live Scott Bogdani 4:15 Eastern Standard Time for Saturday playoff football. So join Boggs and I on betting pros, YouTube and here on our Twitch Twitch TV fantasy pros. That's the place to be. All right, that'll do it for us, but the story of the game goes on. For Welsh, Erickson and Bogman, I'm Joey P. We'll see you next time. Kids.

[D]

Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pro's 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 TikTok Antasypros and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube.com fantasypros.

[A]

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