Episode Overview

Podcast: The Ringer Fantasy Football Show
Episode: Off-Brand Sleepers, Daniel Jones Is Starting, and the Players Who Will Screw Us, Live From New York
Date: August 20, 2025
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck
Theme:
A live episode from New York featuring candid insights, crowd banter, and deep-dive fantasy analysis on "off-brand" sleepers and the Jets/Giants players most likely to break your heart in 2025 fantasy drafts. The crew dishes on who to draft, who to avoid, and which players and coaches will cause you maximum pain—plus memorable tangents on pop culture, life in New York, and listener conspiracy theories.

Live from New York: Setting the Scene

• DK’s First Impressions of NYC ([02:23]):

  • Danny Kelly visits NY for the first time, recounting his anxieties and observations.
  • He feels a “parasocial relationship” with the city through TV/film but admits, "I've kinda been here, but not really."
  • Banter over Heifetz never visiting major city landmarks despite growing up nearby:

    "You ever been to Coney Island? No." – DK & Heifetz ([03:28])

• Culture & Traditions

  • Jaywalking as a “New York thing”:

    "It's called walking." – Heifetz ([08:47])

  • Heifetz’s dad appears briefly (“We never wanted to take him anywhere. It’s a tradition!”) ([04:27])
  • SNL Announcer Impression: Craig’s highly accurate Don Pardo impression delights the crowd ([07:14])

New York Football Misery & Fantasy Pain Draft

Setting up the Sadness

• Heifetz reflects on rooting for the Giants during an era where NY football has been "dead last" in almost every metric ([13:08]):

  "They have together, over the last eight seasons, been losing for a combined five full days. A literal work week." ([13:23])

The “Who Will Screw Us the Most?” Draft

(A two-round snake draft: most likely Jets/Giants to disappoint fantasy GMs)

1. Breece Hall (Jets RB) ([17:29])

• Reasoning:
  • Last year’s red zone futility, coaching changes, likely three-man rotation, and Justin Fields limiting targets.
  • "[Breece] just got no juice. He’s juiceless." – Craig ([18:39])
• Memorable Moment: The crowd’s mix of groans and claps as Heifetz takes the super-talented but risky Hall.

2. Garrett Wilson (Jets WR) ([19:23])

• Concerns:
  • Top 5 in targets but poor fantasy returns due to bad QB play and a run-heavy offense.
  • "Now there's not a lot of passes, and they're all bad." – DK ([20:23])
  • "He’s going next to Mike Evans, who's never not had as many yards as Garrett Wilson has." – Heifetz ([20:12])

3. Justin Fields (Jets QB) ([22:10])

• Doubts:
  • Excitement for rushing, but passing limitations, risk of injury, poor preseason reports.
  • “The rushing is really cool. When it’s the appetizer. It’s not as fun when it’s the main course…” – Craig ([22:50])

4. Malik Nabers (Giants WR) ([23:44])

• Worry:
  • Rookie hype huge, but battles chronic injuries (toe, back, shoulder) and faces QB turnover risk.
  • "I’m the most worried about him getting hurt... you never used to have a bad back." – DK ([24:13])

5. Tyrone Tracy (Giants RB) ([28:56])

• Lukewarm:
  • “Solid player, but not sure he’ll be the guy who wins you your league.” – Craig ([29:38])
  • Debate erupts whether Tracy or rookie Kimani Scatteboo is the real future value.

Off-Brand Sleepers: “Name Brand/Off Brand” Segment ([34:03], [41:01], [51:10])

QB/WR Combos

• Name Brand: Joe Burrow & Tee Higgins (Bengals)
• Off Brand: Dak Prescott & George Pickens (Cowboys)
  • Argument: Cowboys could be 2024’s Bengals, but much cheaper in drafts.
  • "It’s lane envy... the Cowboys are the cheap Bengals right now." – Craig ([34:46])

RBs

• Name Brand: Jameer Gibbs (Lions)
• Off Brand: TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots)
  • "We’ve only seen the trailer—trailer rips. But he’s the Deep Impact to Gibbs’ Armageddon." – DK ([38:48])
  • “Is he the most popular sleeper in fantasy right now?” – Heifetz ([42:14])

TEs

• Name Brand: George Kittle (49ers)
• Off Brand: Tyler Warren (Colts)
  • Warren as the Jeremy Renner of tight ends:
  • "[Tyler Warren is] just a receiver. Long hair, Shockey, Kittle, people think he can block—he can't." – Heifetz ([45:10])
  • Could be this year’s late-round breakout.

RB Volume Value

• Name Brand: Chase Brown (Bengals)
• Off Brand: Chuba Hubbard (Panthers)
  • Compares peak era Facebook (Brown) vs. MySpace (Hubbard):

    “Chuba basically just comes in a little bit behind Chase Brown in everything except for touchdowns… and he’s much cheaper.” – DK ([53:44])

Off-Brand, Off-Brand: The Daniel Jones–Anthony Richardson Conundrum ([45:54], [48:09])

• Shane Steichen choosing Daniel Jones to start over Anthony Richardson (Colts):
  • "Retiring your motorcycle to drive a ‘79 Ford Pinto." – DK ([46:27])
  • Riffing on the pointlessness of choosing “floor” with Jones (“15 passing TDs for $160 million.” – [48:40])
  • Steichen’s logic: “If they’re not choosing Richardson, he must really suck.” – Heifetz ([50:39])

Crowd Interaction & Running Jokes

• Emails & Conspiracy Theories ([56:36])
  • Listener says her Belgian coworker wears the same blue shirt every day – is it one shirt or six identical? ([57:20])
  • "As people who are on video now all the time...I hope no one is making fun of my clothes..." – DK ([58:45])
• Listener Breakfasts: Raw-dogging breakfast, peanut butter on eggs, and other menu oddities ([62:08])
• Best/Worst Memories: Ben Solak didn’t know the Beatles; Craig’s suspect volleyball scholarship ([59:25], [64:44])
• Mogging: The running bit that Craig "mogs" his co-hosts in every group photo ([74:49])

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On NY Football Misery:

  "A literal work week of time trailing." – Heifetz ([13:23])

• On Breece Hall:

  "He's juiceless. What are we gonna do?" – Craig ([18:39])

• On Garrett Wilson:

  "There was a lot of passes and they were all bad. Now, there’s not a lot of passes and they’re all bad." – DK ([20:23])

• On Justin Fields as Main Course

  "It's like ice cream for dinner every night. It was fun once, and now I don't know..." – Craig ([22:50])

• On Name Brand/Off Brand

  "The Cowboys are the cheap Bengals right now." – Craig ([34:46])

• On Daniel Jones’ Contract

  “He got paid $10 million a game to go 3-13.” – Heifetz ([49:39])

• On Tyler Warren as Jeremy Renner

  "They tried with Renner. They threw him Marvel, Mission Impossible, Bourne...none of them worked." – Craig ([42:56])

• On Chuba Hubbard

  "After Chase Brown became the starter, Chuba Hubbard had the whole backfield for the Panthers last year." – DK ([53:44])

Listener Interactions: Q&A Highlights

• Jackson Dart Streaming Value:

  • Still waiver-wire material in most leagues; might play late if the Giants struggle ([32:44])

• Taylor Swift Halftime Show Song:

  • Likely "Love Story" or "You Belong With Me" ([66:31])

• Should a Giants Fan Let His Kid Root for Cowboys?

  • “You buy her merch! You don’t choose who you’re a fan of…” ([70:21])

New York Wrap-Up

• Heifetz on NYC identity:

  "In a weird way, I felt more like a New Yorker this week because I hadn’t done the touristy shit..." ([80:41])

• DK’s Verdict:

  “I love New York. Tremendous buildings. Skyscrapers.” – DK ([80:14])

End Notes

Live show energy, constant crowd laughter, and meta-commentary on fantasy football trauma, New York identity, and the joys and complaints of adulthood. Finished with thanks to crew, family, and fans—and a surprise from Mr. Heifetz, revealing how he “discovered” Joe Burrow ([76:12]):

“I love the way he looked, the way he played. He’s fabulous. I love Joe Burrow.” – Mr. Heifetz

Key Timestamps

• 02:23 – DK’s first NYC impressions
• 13:10 – NY Football misery stats
• 14:04 – Giants/Jets “Who Will Screw Us” draft begins
• 18:39 – “He’s juiceless” (on Breece Hall)
• 20:23 – Garrett Wilson “all bad” passes
• 22:50 – Justin Fields as fantasy risk
• 34:03 – Name Brand/Off Brand kicks off
• 45:54 – Daniel Jones v. Anthony Richardson segment
• 53:44 – Chuba Hubbard value discussion
• 56:36 – Listener emails (shirts, breakfast scandals)
• 74:49 – “Mogging” email/bit
• 76:12 – Mr. Heifetz on discovering Joe Burrow
• 80:14 – NY wrap-up: “Tremendous buildings. Skyscrapers.”

Tone: Irreverent, rapid-fire, self-deprecating, empathetic to the agony of fantasy football and the quirks of sports fandom. The perfect primer for anyone heading into their draft or seeking catharsis from years of Giants/Jets disappointment—and anyone who loves sharp, hilarious football talk.