The Herd with Colin Cowherd: FantasyPros – The Extra Point

Episode 1691 | Date: September 7, 2025

Episode Overview

This week's special live episode of FantasyPros: The Extra Point, hosted by Chris Welsh and Andrew Erickson, dives into Week 1 fantasy football lineups, strategy, and big news—including the surprise (re-)retirement of Amari Cooper. Featuring a live studio audience on Discord, the show is highly interactive, answering real-time questions on start/sit decisions, survivor picks, dynasty trades, and more. The tone is energetic, banter-heavy, and full of sharp, practice-oriented fantasy football advice ready for the NFL season kickoff.

Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Amari Cooper (Re-)Retirement: Fallout and Fantasy Spin [02:07–04:09]

• Breaking News: Amari Cooper has retired (again). Last time Welsh joked about falling for a fake Adam Schefter tweet; this time, Cooper's short camp stint is officially over.
  • Andrew Erickson [03:03]: “He took one look at Dante [Deontay] Thornton and was like, yeah, I'm good.”
• Impact on WR Room:
  • Deontay Thornton becomes more interesting as a fantasy pickup, now solidified as a starter.
  • Patriots may not have Christian Gonzalez Week 1, further bolstering Thornton’s appeal.

2. Week 1 Start/Sit & Lineup Strategy [05:10–24:09]

a. RB2 Decisions: Mason vs. Scatterbo [05:47–07:33]

• Unanimous Pick: Jordan Mason over Scatterbo for higher touchdown and red zone upside.
• Andrew Erickson [06:39]: “I think Mason is the easy bet here. Better offense, better projection for just overall red zone opportunities.”
• Discussion of Aaron Jones vs. Mason: Both are ranked closely; usage could flip week to week.

b. Dynasty Moves: Quinshon Judkins & Garrett Wilson Trades [08:26–11:30]

• Strong approval for acquiring Quinshon Judkins at a low cost.
• Chris Welsh [10:02]: “If you can get Tetaroa [McMillan] for Garrett Wilson, I’m slamming that.”
• Andrew Erickson [10:50]: Advocates selling Garrett Wilson before Week 1 due to tough matchups and negative sentiment risk.

c. 8-Team League Stash/Drops [12:03–14:34]

• Tight End Depth: Loveland is the first to cut if you have Mark Andrews.
• Naji Ali seen as the least valuable among big-upside RB backups.

d. Start/Sit: Bateman, Leggett, Bill Crosby Merritt [15:35–16:55]

• Andrew Erickson [16:03]: “Just play the receivers.”
• Bills secondary injuries make Bateman and Leggett safer starts over uncertain Commanders RBs.

e. Flex and RB Depth Analysis [19:56–23:03]

• Erickson [20:54]: “In half PPR, I’m just trying to find the guy who has the highest odds of scoring a touchdown.”
• Jordan Mason and Olave highlighted for safe flex starts; Travis Hunter has “big swing” upside.

f. Trade Evaluations [23:07–24:14]

• Strong approval for trading Terry McLaurin/Jaden Blue for Tet McMillan/Cooper Kupp (even suggesting to just cut Kupp if not wanted).

3. Rapid-Fire Start/Sit, Waivers, and Trade Advice [28:03–58:08]

a. RB/WR Fringe Starts: [multiple timestamps]

• R.J. Harvey over Ricky Pearsall (Harvey offers more immediate RB production).
• Caution urged on Packers WRs; Matthew Golden as low-end flex only if Jayden Reed sits.

b. Tight End Streamer Showdown: Tucker Kraft vs. Tyler Warren [39:09–41:11]

• Erickson [40:00]: “Craft over Warren. The quarterback decides it for me.”

c. Survivor Pool Picks [42:54–47:04]

• Broncos over Titans are endorsed as the safest Week 1 survivor pick.
• Avoid divisional matchups in Survivor: “That’s where weird things always happen.” – Andrew Erickson [44:48]

d. Roster Management (Dropping for Kickers/DEF) [48:14–49:28]

• General tip: In 10- and 8-teamers, drop backup tight ends, prioritize RB depth, and hold upside bench stashes.

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Amari Cooper’s brief return:
  • Chris Welsh [03:48]: “So all your Amari Cooper shares—down the drain. Poop down the drain. Very sorry.”
• On Survivor pools:
  • Andrew Erickson [43:39]: “Sean Payton… when they faced bad teams, he destroyed them. No team had a higher winning margin by average than the Denver Broncos.”
• On Week 1 overreaction:
  • Chris Welsh [10:02]: “If McMillan has a breakout game in Week 1, that opportunity to buy him with Garrett Wilson is going to be slammed shut.”
• On streaming defenses:
  • Andrew Erickson [29:04]: “You don’t need to hold defenses… I just stream them, you play matchups.”
• On the emotional rollercoaster of survivor pools:
  • Chris Welsh [45:20]: “Imagine how smart you must have felt last year. Let’s say you faded the Bengals and then you went to them in week 2, and they lost again…”
• Podcast’s playful, interactive style:
  • Frequent banter about Discord avatars (“Hollow Knight,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “Kung Fu Panda”), running jokes about being “sentelled” by fake Twitter insiders, and fantasy football in-jokes about “poop down the drain” when players bust.

5. Community Q&A Highlights & Timestamps

• [05:10] Listener Chinzer: RB2 decision, Mason vs. Scatterbo.
• [08:21] Caller Red Beard: Dynasty moves, Judkins, and Garrett Wilson trade scenarios.
• [12:03] Wolf of Call Street: Deep league cut advice (TE depth, RB handcuffs).
• [15:35] Brandon: Start two—Bateman, Leggett, Bill Crosby Merritt.
• [19:56] Ronan: Flex decision—Olave, Etienne, Travis Hunter, Mason.
• [23:03] Konoso: Trade McLaurin/Blue for Kupp/McMillan.
• [38:46] Bucks Man: TE streamer question (Warren vs. Craft).
• [41:31] Lando: QB stashing, Drake May vs. Jordan Love/Dak.
• [42:54] Father Man: Survivor pool pick—Broncos vs. Titans.
• [48:14] Nick Lowry: Bench drop for kicker help (Keon Coleman vs. Ollie Gordon).

Tips, Trends, and Final Takeaways

• Week 1 Takeaway: Injury news, fake social accounts (“NFL sentelled”), and shifting depth charts are at fever pitch before opening weekend—get your info from trusted sources!
• Survivor: Go safe—non-divisional and big home favorite; Broncos are the Week 1 consensus.
• Waivers: RB and WR upside over handcuff moves or backup TEs, especially in shallow leagues.
• Quick hit: Garrett Wilson is a hold/sell, not a Week 1 must-keep, especially if a solid upside WR like Tet McMillan becomes available.
• Trade Philosophy: Don’t get hung up on “extras” in a deal; focus on the principal assets.
• Interactive style: The show thrives on audience questions. Listeners help drive the discussion through live Q&A—join on Discord for even faster access to advice.

Essential Segments & Timestamps

• [02:07] Amari Cooper Retirement Breaking News
• [05:47] RB2 Start/Sit: Mason vs. Scatterbo
• [08:26] Dynasty Trade Talk (Judkins, Garrett Wilson)
• [15:35] Receiver vs. Commanders RBs
• [23:07] McLaurin-Blue for Kupp-McMillan Trade
• [28:03] Flex Play: Harvey vs. Pearsall
• [42:54] Survivor Pool Deep Dive
• [48:14] Roster Drop Decisions for Week 1

Conclusion

This episode brings the true “for the people, by the people” spirit: banter, sharp rapid-fire fantasy advice, and real Week 1 actionable strategy, all built on a foundation of live listener engagement. Whether you’re weighing a tricky flex call, evaluating survivor pool picks, or sifting through the latest surprising retirements, The Extra Point sets you up with practical guidance and plenty of laughs for NFL opening weekend.

Quotes remain in the hosts’ original playful, colloquial style throughout this summary, and timestamps allow quick access to the most important or entertaining moments.