The Ringer Fantasy Football Show: Power Ranking the Best/Worst Trades of 2025, Craig vs. Sean Toilet Bowl, Fantasy Court, and Michael Bublé

Release Date: December 17, 2025
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly (DK), Craig Horlbeck
Special Guest: Michael Bublé

Overview

This episode’s central theme is a high-energy, wide-ranging review of the most impactful NFL trades of the 2025 season and how they shaped both real and fantasy football. The hosts analyze the logic and aftermath of these trades, power rank them, and provide a playful but sincerely analytical look at what worked and what flopped—covering everything from blockbuster deals to understated, high-value pick-ups. The show also detours into fantasy league controversy (Fantasy Court), a Toilet Bowl showdown update, and a delightfully in-depth hang with superstar and fantasy football sicko Michael Bublé.

Key Segments and Timestamps

1. Power Rankings: The Trades That Changed 2025 (04:06 - 51:16)

   • Micah Parsons to the Packers
   • Quinnen Williams to Cowboys
   • George Pickens to Cowboys
   • DK Metcalf to Steelers
   • Seahawks offseason overhaul and Darnold trade
   • Geno Smith to Raiders
   • Vikings' offseason QB decisions
   • Colts: Daniel Jones and Sauce Gardner
   • Travis Hunter to Jaguars & Jacoby Meyers trade
   • Bears’ O-line upgrades
   • Joe Flacco to Bengals

2. Letterboxd-style Trade Grades (28:24 - 35:40)

   • Hosts assign “movie review” star ratings to the most impactful trades

3. Fantasy Court: The Golf Bet Scandal (52:30 - 59:18)

   • Commissioner dilemma: Should a wager—draft picks lost in a golf match—be honored?

4. Ringer League Toilet Bowl & Playoff Update (59:29 - 63:59)

5. Full-Scale Michael Bublé Hang (64:17 - End)

   • Bublé’s fantasy addiction, favorite pick regrets & triumphs, musical legacy, and more

Power Ranking the 2025 Trades <a id="trades"></a>

1. Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers

(04:06 - 08:19)

• The Trade: Packers get Micah Parsons; Cowboys get 2026 and 2027 firsts, DT Kenny Clark.
• Parsons’ Impact: 13 sacks, 83 pressures in 14 games. Then tore his ACL in Week 15.
• Hosts React:
  • Craig: “This is a fucking steal. This was a highway robbery by Jerry, now, isn’t it?” (04:31)
  • Heifetz: “I think like everything else with Jerry Jones his entire life, he did it. He tried to shoot himself in the foot. He missed. The bullet hit the ground and oil shot out."
• Debate: Is trading premium for Parsons a bust after injury? Is Green Bay’s defense cooked?
• DK: "It’s a significant loss and I think it significantly lowers their ability to win the Super Bowl." (06:06)
• Consensus: It's a downgrade for Green Bay but “people will be surprised how much the Packers are still going to be able to stop the run.” (06:29, Heifetz)

2. Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys

(08:19 - 11:59)

• The Trade: Cowboys get Williams, send 2026 2nd and “best” 2027 1st (their own or GB’s) to Jets.
• Aftermath: Cowboys D surged, then fizzled. Emotional fallout tied to Parsons situation.
• Heifetz: “It ended up raising the dollar value...there was an emotional fallout with him and Micah Parsons’ agent...”
• DK: “I don’t think you build your defense around defensive tackles. Not as impactful.” (09:41)
• Heifetz Pushes Back: Argues the market has historically undervalued elite DTs, and recent Champions (Rams/Chiefs) had elite DTs, too.

3. Cowboys Get George Pickens; Steelers Move On

(12:23 - 15:14)

• The Trade: Cowboys get Pickens for a 2026 3rd.
• Immediate Impact: Pickens is third in NFL in receiving yards; top-10 fantasy WR.
• Craig: “This is like a breakup where both sides are better off. Like Gosling and Emma Stone at the end of La La Land.”
• DK: “This was incredible value...diva WRs succeed plenty.”
• Caution: “They’re going to have to pay George Pickens next year...where they're going to have to pay George Pickens a ton of money?” - Craig (14:29)

4. DK Metcalf to the Steelers

(16:10 - 20:47)

• The Trade: Steelers get Metcalf for a 2nd, sign to “$150 million” paper deal.
• Analysis (Craig): “Was this worth it? Probably not. Paying him $30M/yr for career lows? No.” (16:51)
• Big Picture: Meh value for Steelers, great (in hindsight) for Seahawks, who get a 2nd and younger WRs step up.

5. Seahawks' Overhaul: Geno Out, Darnold In

(21:01 - 23:24)

• Moves: Traded Geno to Raiders (for 3rd), signed Darnold, flipped Metcalf, drafted Jalen Milroe with the returned pick.
• DK’s Review: 4/5 stars: “I was skeptical, but it was clearly the right move. Darnold’s got flaws but is better than Geno.”
• Heifetz Zing: “Better summary of the Sam Darnold experience than...the Seahawks already have more wins this season than you did all of last season...” (23:00)

6. Geno Smith to the Raiders

(31:25 - 32:26)

• Raiders send 3rd for Geno, pay significant cash, remain “horrific.”
• Hosts’ Letterboxd grade: 1 star. Should’ve just gone with Aidan O’Connell or Kenny Pickett.

7. Vikings’ QB Confusion: Letting Darnold & Daniel Jones Walk

(34:14 - 37:56)

• Vikings bet on J.J. McCarthy, let veteran QBs go.
• Hosts’ Critique: In hindsight, could/should have just stuck with Darnold or Jones. “I think two is [the grade]. Can you go to zero?” (34:53)
• DK: “Would have been easier to sell than we said at the time—could have just stuck with either guy.” (35:42)

8. Colts’ Gamble: Daniel Jones and Sauce Gardner

(37:56 - 41:57)

• Colts sign Jones, start 7-1, then trade two 1sts for Sauce Gardner, soon after sign Philip Rivers off the street.
• Heifetz: “No team has ever gone all in then to the ATM for chips faster than the Colts.”
• Craig: “You can only go for it if you know your QB is a Super Bowl QB...Daniel Jones is not that guy.” (39:06)
• DK: “Trading multiple firsts for a corner, he’s not a foundation piece.” (39:31)

9. Travis Hunter Trade Fallout

(41:57 - 44:27)

• Jaguars trade up for two-way phenom Hunter; he misses most of year and underwhelms at both WR and CB.
• DK: “Instead of becoming elite at two positions, he’s just okay at both...which was always the risk.” (42:13)
• Craig: “In a vacuum it’s a one star. Jaguars happen to be winning, but still, oof.”

10. Jacoby Meyers: Underrated Home Run

(44:27 - 45:58)

• Jags acquire Meyers from Raiders for 4th and 6th; offense explodes.
• DK: “This is like an indie film that gets nominated for an Oscar…wow, it worked out. That was cheap.” (44:53)
• Heifetz: “Trevor Lawrence is #1 in EPA per dropback with Meyers on the field, 38th without. Couldn’t be more dramatic.”

11. Chicago Bears’ O-Line Rebuild

(46:45 - 48:42)

• Traded minor picks for two veteran guards. Now have the NFL’s best rushing attack.
• Heifetz: “This is a five. They achieved all their offensive goals for a fourth and a sixth.” (48:12)
• DK: “They’re literally number one in the NFL in yards before contact…you can’t do that without real players.” (48:12)

12. Joe Flacco to Bengals

(49:10 - 51:16)

• Fifth and sixth for Flacco from Browns. Bengals go 1-5 but have some wild scoring explosions.
• “It’s like getting some old guy for the 10th Taylor Sheridan show…’Oh, it’s got Stallone. I’ll watch it.’” - Craig (49:22)
• Heifetz: “The guy who ran the Browns…is running the Rockies a month later…maybe not unrelated.” (50:41)

Trade Grades: “Letterboxd” Style <a id="grades"></a>

(28:24 - 35:40)

• Parsons to GB: 5/5 turned 4/5 due to the ACL.
• Quinnen Williams to DAL: 2.5-3/5. “A lot to give up for Quinnen.” (29:17)
• Pickens to DAL: 4/5.
• Metcalf to PIT: 2.5 to 3/5. “Paying Metcalf a ton, didn’t move the needle.”
• Geno Smith to LV: 1/5.
• Jaguars for Jacoby Meyers: 4.5-5/5. Immediate payoff.
• Bears O-Line: 5/5. Hugely impactful, cheap, and underrated.

Fantasy Court: The Golf Bet Dilemma <a id="fantasy-court"></a>

(52:30 - 59:18)

• Scenario: In an 18-year dynasty league, two owners wager 1st & 2nd-round rookie picks on a golf match. One loses and the commissioner (email: Dan) must decide if the picks should be transferred.
• Debate:
  • Craig: “This is business. Every deal gets made on the golf course.”
  • Heifetz: On the fence—“If someone’s dumb enough to bet their picks, maybe that’s punishment enough.”
  • DK: Cautious about tilting league balance but leans towards honoring the bet.
  • Resolution: Leaning toward letting the league vote ("If you allow this, set it as policy. If not, undo it.") with a warning to all commissioners: “Make a rule about this.”

Ringer League Playoffs and Toilet Bowl <a id="toilet-bowl"></a>

(59:29 - 63:59)

• Updates:
  • Mallory and Chris Ryan advance; DK and Heifetz have playoff byes. Craig and Sean face off in the “Toilet Bowl” (last place).
  • Punishment: Last-place finisher must wear a basketball-style sweatband (not a women’s hairband!) while recording another Ringer show.
  • Craig: “It's me and Sean in a two week bake off to have the worst fucking team…” (61:56)
  • Heifetz: Assures Craig he missed out on sending Bill Simmons to the Toilet Bowl—a near-miss travesty for the show’s comedy.

Special Guest: Michael Bublé in the Fantasy Football Spotlight <a id="buble"></a>

(64:17 - End)

Intro and Fantasy Credentials

• Bublé is a legit fantasy football diehard: “It’s not eight leagues. I say that, but it was actually nine...” (65:20)
• Has offered to trade his Grammys for a fantasy title.

Regrets and Sleeper Hits

• “I don’t want to ever get angry, because they’re people. They have families.” (65:32)
• Most proud of drafting Emeka Egbuka, who surged for him when it counted.

His Draft-Prep and Obsession

• “I love watching college ball, I love watching you guys, seeing who’s coming…” (66:44)
• On offseason: “Nine months? No, like how—I can’t.”

League Rules and Punishments

• Bublé’s home league has “pancake punishments” (like famous Waffle House challenge).
  • “...for almost a whole year, I don’t think I’ve had many conversations with Colin without calling him a pancake eating motherfucker.” (69:54)
• Amazed and delighted by the Ringer league’s “punishment draft” for last place.

Homerism and Bandwagon Discussion

• Lifelong Seahawks fan with Chiefs “side allegiance” via friends. “If the Seahawks play the Chiefs in the Super Bowl...it would be impossible not to say the Seahawks.” (72:59)
• “Don’t love when people say you should have one team and hate everyone else…deep in my heart, I’ve been a Seahawks fan my whole life.” (71:59)

Fantasy’s Emotional Pull

• “...sometimes you get down. You care. Like, you care. You care all year, you care, you know?”
• Live score-watching—even during major performances! “...as nervous as I am about [the Voice finale]...I am up 110 to 109, he has Waddle and I have Pittsburgh’s kicker...” (83:06)
• “I picked up and dropped Brian Robinson 62 times this last week.” (83:17)

On Being “Mr. Christmas”

• “I love it. The world can suck—be a very cynical place…for me and my family…for my kids, my faith…I always dug it.” (78:29)
• Looks up to Elvis, Sinatra, Bing Crosby as role models—part of legacy to have the Christmas album.

Highlight Moment – The Pope

• Bublé describes singing at the Vatican for the Pope: “Most meaningful thing I’ve ever done in my life…” (84:13)
• “If I could go back, would I have asked him to pray for my fantasy team?” (joking, 85:29)

Notable Quotes

• On Fantasy Pain: “It’s actually crazy how angry—it's like road rage, fantasy football. When you lose a close game, there’s really nothing worse.” (82:23, Craig)
• On Being Blamed: “We’re like, yeah, that’s the whole point. That’s why we exist, so people don’t have to blame themselves.” (86:08, Craig)
• Closing Wisdom: “All of us have this beautiful light inside us…there’s way more reason to be good and kind and not be scared.” (85:06, Bublé)

Memorable Moments

• DK’s dog barking during grading spurred a tangent on dog training and “great Pyrenees lifestyle guardian” behavior. (26:27 - 28:18)
• The hosts’ poll of “Letterboxd” (film review) star ratings for NFL trades—mixing in movie-geek and fantasy-geek cred.
• League punishment tangent (“headband” clarification: “It needs to be a sweatband!”) between Craig and Sean.

Episode Flow and Listening Experience

The episode is classic Ringer: passionate, referential, pop culture-obsessed, with honest admissions about what it’s like to be both a fantasy nut and a fan. The hosts’ chemistry allows for rapid-fire debate, deep-dive analysis, and pop culture tangents (Letterboxd trades, La La Land, Taylor Sheridan shows, and even Ohtani/Bublé walk-up song tales). The interview with Michael Bublé closes the episode on an earnest, joyfully offbeat note.

Recommended Listening Points

• Micah Parsons trade debate: 04:06 – 08:19
• Cowboys/Steelers WR swap: 12:23 – 18:47
• Seahawks & Darnold transformation: 21:01 – 23:24
• Fantasy Court (golf bet): 52:30 – 59:18
• Michael Bublé interview: 64:17 – end

In the Words of the Hosts

• Heifetz: "Sometimes edge rushers come and go…I’m just saying, edge rusher’s probably overrated..."
• Craig: “It’s like getting some old, some old guy to come…He’s like the 10th Taylor Sheridan show…”
• DK (on trading multiple firsts): “He’s not really a foundation piece…”
• Michael Bublé: “You care. Like, you care. You care all year, you care, you know?”

For fantasy football fans, NFL trade nerds, or anyone who loves spirited banter on football logic (and illogic), this episode is an elite blend of content. The Michael Bublé interview rewards those who stick around, with heartfelt and relatable football talk few pop stars could match.