The Ringer Fantasy Football Show – September 24, 2025

Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck
Main Theme: Power Ranking the Best Fantasy Buy-Low Trade Targets – Plus: Giants’ Jackson Dart Era, Fantasy Court, and Farm Time

Episode Overview

The Ringer trio dedicates this week’s “Power Hour” to ranking the best fantasy football "buy-low" candidates—a crucial list three weeks into the 2025 NFL season for managers trying to revamp struggling rosters. They open with a lively debate about the New York Giants’ decision to start rookie Jackson Dart at quarterback, analyze archetypes of “buy-low” trades and why timing matters, discuss fantasy court conundrums, and close with “Farm Time with Craig,” who shares his recent hands-on farm experiences.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Giants Start Jackson Dart: NFL & Fantasy Fallout

[00:51–14:43]

The Move and Context

• The Giants will start rookie QB Jackson Dart in Week 4 vs. the Chargers, benching Russell Wilson after a disastrous red-zone effort on SNF.
• Heifetz: “You know, DK, do you want the cold, dark truth about whether starting your rookie quarterback to save your season... or do you want to watch Jackson Dart hit some dingers?” [01:47]
• Kelly & Craig: Both opt for "dingers," i.e., exciting plays—even amid skepticism.

Fantasy & Franchise Implications

• Dart brings mobility; offers hope to fans and (potentially) Head Coach Brian Dable.
• Giants possess foundational talent (Burns, Dexter Lawrence, Andrew Thomas, Malik Nabers), so if Dart succeeds, franchise outlook brightens.
• Schedule is brutal: After Chargers and Saints, they face multiple top defenses.

Philosophy of Starting Rookies

• Mixed feelings: Is Dart playing a panicked, “dumb team” move or just the inevitable development for a first-round rookie?
• Craig: “If he’s going to be good, he’s going to be good, whether you play him in week 4, week 7, or week 11… Giants fans needed this.” [03:44]
• Danny: Warns that tough early matchups could hurt a rookie’s confidence.

Fantasy Outlook

• Dart might have superflex appeal due to rushing upside.
  • Heifetz: “If he manages to get to the goal line, when sh*t hits the fan, they run. So I think Dart… could be weirdly great in fantasy.” [12:47]
• Memorable anecdote: Dart was almost named “Diesel”—his brother got the name instead. [13:58]

2. Power Ranking the Best Fantasy Buy-Low Trade Targets

[15:24–56:14]

General Buy-Low Strategies

• Contact winless owners: “Full vulture mode.” [15:45]
• Don’t send low-ball, 3-for-1 garbage offers.
• “Buy-low” means acquiring players whose owners regret drafting them—look for disgust, not just underperformance.
• Example: Saquon Barkley may be underperforming, but he’s not discounted. Ashton Jeanty, who’s outside the top 30, is attainable.

The Stages of Grief for Disappointing Picks

• Denial, anger, bargaining (now time to trade!), depression, acceptance.

Buy-Low Candidates, Ranking & Deep Dives

1. Ladd McConkey (Chargers WR) [19:32–23:19]

   • Why buy now?: McConkey’s usage is strong but hasn’t converted; he leads in routes, strong first-read targets.
   • Owners fear he’s WR3 behind Allen and Quentin Johnston, but DK projects normalization: “He will end up being the highest targeted player on this team.” [21:40]

2. RJ Harvey (Broncos RB) [23:26–26:07]

   • Underwhelmed so far as a rookie; split time, but looks good on tape.
   • Craig: “JK Dobbins starts hot, fades. Rookie RBs rise late. If Harvey’s going to hit, it’s right as others fade.” [24:40]

3. Chase Brown (Bengals RB) [26:07–29:54]

   • Super cheap after horrible start: #31 RB, averaging less than 2 YPC.
   • Heifetz: “If the blurb is negative, it’s 10 times easier to trade for a guy.”
   • But, high usage. Schedule eases after rough start. “You just need to find someone panicking.”

4. Brian Thomas Jr. (Jaguars WR) [30:13–35:55]

   • Hot preseason, now dropped balls, bad vibes. Still WR1 in first-read targets (23%).
   • DK: “These are leaps of faith… betting on talent and regression.”
   • Comparison trades debated: Would you swap him for Javonte Williams or Quentin Johnston? Emotions run high.

5. Travis Hunter (Jags WR) [37:36–38:41]

   • “He can be had for nothing.” Role should expand; classic rookie slow start.

6. Breece Hall (Jets RB) [41:32–44:28]

   • Looked “like a different player” in Week 1. Jets’ run game still has upside.
   • Five upcoming matchups vs. bad run defenses. Name value at historic low, making him gettable.

7. Ashton Jeanty (Raiders RB) [45:04–46:44]

   • Still a talented rookie, but immediate post-hype drop. If you can get him cheap, the schedule softens.

8. Calvin Ridley (Titans WR) [47:20–51:20]

   • Jekyll/Hyde start, back-to-back tough matchups, but remains target dominant.
   • “He was this bad for a month last year… then finished as top-20 in YPG.” [47:37]

9. Matthew Golden (Packers WR) [51:20–54:19]

   • Rookie missed his breakout, but role and routes are rising with more injuries in GB.

10. Travion Henderson (Patriots RB) [54:26–56:39]

    • Disappointing due to 3-way committee, but has 0 fumbles (in college/on season), and saw near-elite usage when teammates fumbled last week. One or two more weeks could tip the backfield in his favor.

Other Buy-Lows/Techniques

• Rashee Rice (returning soon from suspension, still attainable for another few weeks), Chris Olave (has elite usage, but Saints offense drags down pts), the “buy-medium” Falcons’ Drake London, Mooney, and Pitts (if you believe in the offense), and even Jaylen Warren (Steelers RB)—though he’s more a “buy-high” after decent early production.

Memorable Quotes:

• Heifetz: “Buy lows—put the ‘ew’ in value. If the owner isn’t at least a little disgusted, it’s not a real buy-low.” [17:16]
• Kelly: “Don’t send three pieces of sh*t for someone’s good player… people stop taking you seriously.” [16:24]
• Craig: “Trade opposite positions. If you try to swap WR for WR—you’ll just get analysis paralysis.” [51:20]
• Heifetz: “Text people. Don’t just send a blind trade; have a dialogue or you’ll get nowhere.” [37:18], [53:48]

3. Fantasy Court: Does Landing Exactly 69 Points Always Win the Matchup?

[64:09–68:30]

• Long-running league joke: “If you score exactly 69, you win.” It finally happened!
• Debate: Is this a real rule if never formally written into league settings?
• Consensus: “Give him the win. Don’t kill the vibes of your league. No one will regret it on their deathbed. Don’t go halfway—never go halfway on a 69.” [66:05], [69:10]

4. Mailbag: Nickname Lore, LeBron in the Javelin, and Stonehenge DIY

[69:21–81:58]

Best Submitted Nickname

• “Corey Maggette’s NBA nickname was ‘Bad Porn’—because it’s a lot of penetration and scoring, but are you really enjoying what you’re watching?” [69:36]

LeBron James: Olympic Javelinist?

• A listener shares a tale of a high school discus prodigy as proof LeBron would excel in any athletic event. Danny Kelly is unconvinced: “That’s not a real sample. The Olympics are a different world!”

Could a group of friends build Stonehenge in 50 years, no modern tech?

• Reader submits evidence: Wally Wallington, a retired construction worker, built a 1/3rd scale Stonehenge replica alone by using only levers, gravity, and ingenuity.
• Heifetz: “I’m not gonna lie, I thought you guys would be more impressed that he built Stonehenge by himself… His name is Wally. Wall. Ington.” [79:23]

5. Farm Time with Craig

[82:14–87:28]

• Craig shares tales from his farm retreat: gentle animals, peacocks (females are "peahens"), the surprising small difference between 2% and whole milk (just 2% fat), and the tough reality of bull castration (it’s a "rubber band" method, not crushing with a stone).
• “I get why people throw it all away to live on a farm. It's peaceful.” [82:20]

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• [17:16] Heifetz: "Buy lows—put the ‘ew’ in value."
• [21:40] Kelly: "Ladd is still a big focal point of the offense. … I think he will end up being highest-targeted player on this team."
• [24:40] Craig: “JK Dobbins starts hot and fades… this is where rookie RBs rise.”
• [33:59] Craig: “Trading works by name value. If you offer someone Javonte Williams for Brian Thomas, it feels like you’re capitulating.”
• [41:34] Craig: “Breece [Hall] hasn’t really moved the needle for anybody in over a year — so no attachment.”
• [69:10] Dan Heifetz: “Don’t go halfway on a 69.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start | End | |---------------------------------------------|---------|---------| | Giants start Jackson Dart | 00:51 | 14:43 | | General Buy-low advice | 15:24 | 19:32 | | Ladd McConkey (Buy Low #1) | 19:32 | 23:19 | | RJ Harvey (Buy Low #2) | 23:26 | 26:07 | | Chase Brown/Bengals RBs (Buy Low #3) | 26:07 | 29:54 | | Brian Thomas Jr. (Buy Low #4) | 30:13 | 35:55 | | Travis Hunter, Trade Dynamics | 37:36 | 39:10 | | Breece Hall (Buy Low) | 41:32 | 44:28 | | Ashton Jeanty, Buy-Low Recap | 45:04 | 46:44 | | Calvin Ridley (Buy Low) | 47:20 | 51:20 | | Matthew Golden (Buy Low) | 51:20 | 54:19 | | Travion Henderson (Buy Low) | 54:26 | 56:39 | | Other names/Wrap-up | 56:56 | 61:15 | | Fantasy Court | 64:09 | 68:22 | | Mailbag: Nicknames, LeBron, Stonehenge | 69:21 | 81:58 | | Farm Time with Craig | 82:14 | 87:28 |

Tone, Style, and Community

• The show is characteristically banter-heavy, self-deprecating, and insightful, with a dynamic blend of analysis, trash talk, and audience engagement.
• Constant callbacks to long-running Ringer bits (Fantasy Court, “farm time”) and playful meta-humor anchor the friendship at the heart of the show.

Summary Takeaways

• Now is the time to buy low on hyped rookies and veterans lost in the shuffle; target those whose owners are truly fed up, especially on winless teams.
• Don’t be a “lowball guy,” and remember: fantasy trading success is about human psychology as much as player projections.
• The Giants' decision to start Jackson Dart isn’t just a football story, but a narrative test for fantasy managers seeking a superflex sleeper.
• Sometimes, league rules (“69 points is a win!”) are best honored in the spirit of fun.
• And, yes—someone literally built Stonehenge in their backyard.

Closing Thoughts

A must-listen episode if you’re looking to rescue a flailing fantasy football team—or just want to be reminded that even the pros get stuck trading Chuba Hubbard for Brian Thomas Jr. Stay plugged in for tactics, player targets, and wild detours into livestock and engineering.