The Ringer Fantasy Football Show – Week 12 Recap

Episode Title: Gibbs Goes Nuts, a Jameis Gem, Pickens-palooza, Fart or Shart Lamar, and Is DJing Easy?
Air Date: November 24, 2025
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly (DK), Craig Horlbeck
Episode Description: Week 12 NFL action, fantasy winners and losers, jaw-dropping player performances, the rise and fall of stars, and debates on everything from "old guys" to DJ life.

Episode Overview

The Week 12 Sunday Recap episode covers the full slate of NFL games (with the Rams-Bucs game wrapping up as they recorded), delivering fantasy football insights, big-picture NFL takeaways, humor, and memorable tangents. Host trio Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck dissect breakouts and letdowns, reflect on star trajectories, and riff on topics like DJ careers and coach postgame speeches.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sunday Night Football Disaster: Rams vs. Bucs (00:41–09:56)

• Baker Mayfield Injured: Left at halftime, Rams quickly took a 21-0 lead.
• Teddy Bridgewater's Role: The guys riff on Bridgewater's bizarre NFL journey—former high school coach still somehow a backup.
• Rams’ Dominance: DK calls them the best, most balanced team in the NFL, with Stafford a “legit MVP front-runner.”
  • Quote: “They are very good...Matt Stafford has solidified his case for the MVP pretty strongly over the last month, month plus.” – DK (03:09)
• Rams’ Roster Construction: Praised for unearthing talent, especially late picks or “randoms” that fit and execute.

2. Rams vs. Eagles: NFC Juggernauts? (04:05–04:57)

• Heifetz predicts the NFC Championship will be a Rams vs. Eagles rematch ("winner will win the Super Bowl").
• Rams D compared to Eagles: both have D-lines loaded with young stars, but Rams secondary remains “just dudes.”

3. Veteran Excellence: Davante Adams & Matt Stafford (06:41–09:47)

• Adams’ physical craft and footwork stand out despite age.
  • Craig: “Good footwork doesn't go away… it's why guys like Keenan Allen lasted so long.”
• Stafford lauded as the most deserving non-MVP left in the league.
• Legacy talk: Stafford has a John Elway-esque late-career bloom; could win a second Super Bowl in his mid-30s.

4. Chiefs Top Colts in OT: Defensive Mastery (10:47–19:39)

• Chiefs come from down 20-9 to win 23-20 in OT; first double-digit Chiefs comeback since their SB win over the Niners.
• Chiefs’ D stifles Colts offense (Jonathan Taylor stuffed; Daniel Jones can’t get vertical).
  • DK: “Chiefs forced the Colts into three-and-outs on their last four possessions… Colts basically couldn’t do anything.” (12:07)
• Rashid Rice breaks out despite cramping—142 yards mostly on crossing routes. The hosts marvel at his open-field success.

5. George Pickens-palooza: Cowboys Comeback (20:27–26:25)

• Pickens electrifies: 9 catches on 9 targets, 146 yards, 1 TD.
  • DK: “Among receivers where the ball’s in the air and in a crowd, I trust Pickens more than anyone to come down with it.”
• Dallas erases a 21-0 Eagles lead, winning 24-21, putting clamps on Philly’s run game.
• Pickens likened to an athletic "cat," now positioned as a top-5 WR with Dak.
• Fun tangent: missed buses, "the restaurant" in Vegas, and Randy Moss’s Pickens comp (23:02).

6. Dallas: For Real? (26:25–31:12)

• Debate: Are the Cowboys true contenders? (Tough upcoming schedule, but vastly improved D, vibes on the rise.)
  • Heifetz: “Dallas quietly always competitive, always drafts well.”
• Coaching banter: Brian Schottenheimer hire now looks brilliant, furthering the “no one knows anything” theme.

7. Vikings, J.J. McCarthy, and QB Catastrophes (32:13–41:14)

• Minnesota sinks to 4-7 behind J.J. McCarthy’s historically awful performance—“second worst of the last 25 years (EPA), behind only JaMarcus Russell.”
  • Heifetz: “Every stat, he’s next to the biggest busts—Russell, Akili Smith…”
• McCarthy failing mechanical fixes, possible early "yips." Vikings QB room mismanagement dissected.

8. Giants-Lions/Lions’ Historic Offensive Outburst (46:17–55:31)

• Lions edge Giants 34-27 OT in a wild, 1,000+ yard game.
• Jahmyr Gibbs Explodes: 264 total yards, 3 TDs, most fantasy points by any player this year.
  • DK: “He’s on pace to set records… every stat puts him alongside Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Ladanian Tomlinson.”
  • Craig: “He’s the only guy, him and Josh Allen, where opponents know they’re just unstoppable that day.”
• Jameis Winston, now Giants QB, makes game fun again—“the perfect bad team QB.”

9. Jackson Smith-Njigba’s Breakout (55:54–60:42)

• JSN shatters Seahawks’ single-season receiving record in Week 12, on pace for 2,000 yards with elite efficiency.
  • DK: “No one knows what they’re talking about… he’s up there now with the NFL elite.”

10. “It’s So Over” for… (60:50–74:16)

• Chip Kelly (Raiders): Fired after loss to Browns, Shadour Sanders tepid in debut despite win.
• Trevor Lawrence (Jags): 82 turnovers in 71 games, uninspiring performance leaves DK out.
  • DK: “He’s just not good. Liam Coen was supposed to fix this.”
  • Craig: “He’s a blockhead.”
• Steelers: Craig's weeks-ago prediction came true—the team fizzled, and their gameplanning is ridiculed.
• TJ Watt’s sack count surpassing his brother’s “fakest stat”—context matters!

11. Fart or Shart: Lamar Jackson’s Funk (80:21–85:17)

• Lamar’s been fantasy-killing since injury (“fifth-lowest passing yards per game”).
  • DK: “Until he’s healthy, shart.” (81:51)
  • Heifetz: “He just doesn’t look right. If he gets through this Bengals game, maybe he turns it around.”

12. Other Intrusive Thoughts & NFL Musings (85:18–97:06)

• Kyler Murray: Now “too expensive,” unlikely to start for Cardinals ever again; where’s he heading?
• Aaron Donald: Still working out, could instantly return and dominate if he wanted (DK: “He was born to rush the passer.”)
• Fastest player in the NFL? Craig says it’s Kavontae Turpin, not Xavier Worthy or De’Von Achane.
• Gripe: Players tempting fate with poor ball security and celebratory runs.

13. Fantasy Burn Book & Lowlights (106:56–111:44)

• Week 12 Burn Book inductee: Rome Odunze (Craig: “Over double digit points twice in seven weeks… just not happening.”)
• Discussion: Should Justin Jefferson be considered "burned" given how bad J.J. McCarthy is? (“Every catch feels like a miracle now.”)
• Kyle Pitts and others get dishonorable mentions for their season-long letdowns.

14. Memorable Quotes & Running Jokes

• On Pickens’ circus catches: “[He’s] like a startled cat—just spring-loaded legs.” – Craig (24:22)
• “The Cowboys are kind of like the Vikings—quietly, always competitive.” – Danny H (31:34)
• “No one knows anything. That's the tattoo for fantasy football and NFL coaching.” – Danny H (60:07)
• “If you can't beat him, join him...” – Craig on drafting Gibbs next year (55:44)
• “I’m not against it.” – Danny H, when discussing burning Rome Odunze (107:55)

Notable Timestamps by Segment

• Sunday Night Football/Rams dominate: 00:41–09:56
• Stafford’s MVP Case / Rams construction: 03:09–09:23
• Chiefs come back vs Colts / Rashid Rice discussion: 10:47–19:39
• George Pickens/Cowboys-Eagles / Dallas for real?: 20:27–31:12
• Vikings/McCarthy Woes: 32:13–41:14
• Gibbs/Lions offensive explosion: 46:17–55:31
• Burn Book & Lowlights: 106:56–111:44
• DJing: Is It Easy?/End-of-episode riff: 112:44–end

End-of-Episode Tangents: Is DJing Easy? (112:44–end)

• After fantasy talk wraps, the hosts riff on the anonymity, appeal, and seeming ease of being a world-class DJ vs. being in a band.
• Memorable moment: Avicii’s “plug and play” college gig story (114:05).
• Consensus: DJing = great life, easier than it looks, but also “it’s probably a lot harder than we make it out to be.”

Conclusion

This Week 12 recap is dense with actionable takes (Gibbs is a must-draft RB1 next year, Pickens is a superstar), warning signs (McCarthy is an all-time bust, Trevor Lawrence’s window closing), and classic RingerFFS banter (“No one knows anything”). Woven throughout are pop culture and football history references, signature irreverence, and a reliable “don’t take football or fantasy—and certainly not yourself—too seriously” attitude.

For more, check out:

• [Ringer Fantasy Football Show – Power Hour/Waivers/Episodes 4x per week]
• [@RingerFantasy on Twitter/X]