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Dan Heifetz
Foreign welcome to the Ringer Fantasy Football Show. My name is Dan Heifer. Today I'm joined by Danny Kale and Craig Rolbeck and we are going over all the games from Week 9 to the NFL season second half of the year coming up. Our rankings are fantasy football.the ringer.com if you start sick questions go there. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok. Bring your fantasy football. Honestly, we get to the games game of the year, but maybe actually the game of the year for the fifth straight season, Kansas City Chiefs are at the Buffalo Bills.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, I feel like we, we, we needed a game like this. I feel like it's been a couple weeks since we had like a really.
Craig Rolbeck
Good match after last week. Yes.
Danny Kelly
Doesn't it feel that way? It feels like the last two weeks have been kind of duds. This is fascinating. Just because the Bills always win the regular season and the Chiefs always win in the playoffs. The Bills have won four consecutive games against the Chiefs in the regular season and the Bills have lost four consecutive games to the Chiefs in the postse.
Dan Heifetz
Hard to think of a more definitive 5050 split between any two actual rivals ever.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, this is like the ultimate. Even if the Bills win, it doesn't matter because you won the battle but.
Dan Heifetz
Not the war that is this. It's so funny. It's so true. I want to look at this game and be like there's stakes it the kid. Tell me if you think I'm being traumatic. It doesn't matter at all if the Bills win this game. Beyond just adding one to the wins column narratively, emotionally, it means nothing for anybody if the Bill.
Danny Kelly
It only matters so they can compete against the Patri to be the worst seed in their in the afc.
Craig Rolbeck
Yes, yes, seating does matter for sure. But. But yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right. This is just. Even if they win, it's going to be like, well, we still need to prove it when it actually matters. So I don't know. They still can definitely. I think the one maybe moral victory in addition to an actual victory here is that the Chiefs are really kind of on fire right now. It feels like in terms of their offense is coming together, they're. You know, Patrick Mahomes has been more decisive and explosive with the football over the last few weeks than we've seen in a long time. It feels like. So they are starting to turn into this death star that they were a couple of years ago and maybe there's something there where if they win, they actually have that confidence. But yeah, Overall, obviously the history here is pretty brutal for the, for the Bills.
Dan Heifetz
I, I think the Chiefs are going to win this game. The Chiefs are favored by a point and a half to win even though they're in Buffalo. And I, there's a lot of ways to it. But honestly, dk, to your point, the Chiefs are just healthier. And like that's the. I'm going to keep coming back to this until the Chiefs don't play like it. But the Chiefs are the healthiest good team. I don't think it's particularly close right now. Like, they basically have three injuries that even matter a little. Like Josh Simmons, the left tackle is kind of on a personal leave of absence, I guess you would say. But honestly, I mean, Jalen Morris stepped in and probably been just as good as Josh Simmons was. Trey Smith, the right guard, he's banged up, but he might even play. And then Isaiah Pacheco's hurt probably for a few weeks, but frankly, Kareem Hunt's been playing better than Isaiah Pacheco anyway. The Chiefs don't really have any true injuries of significance on defense. There's not many teams that can really say that at the current moment. And then the Bills, they were really banged up, really banged up a couple months ago. They're getting healthier, but they're still playing hurt like they have. Jordan Phillips and Daquan Jones are in defensive tackle Matt Milano and Terrell Bernard are banged up at linebacker like Demar Hamlin's on injured reserve. So it's like Cole Bishop and Jordan Poirier at safety cornerback. They're healthy, but they're not good. Like trophy is just two notches above washed. And then like Maxwell Harrison, the rookie came back, but he just debuted. He hadn't practiced since July, so they're around. But I just to your point, like I think the Chiefs, it's not a great rushing attack, but they were able to have an up the middle through the tackles. True like under center rushing game that's serviceable enough to get everything else moving. And I don't know, I kind of think the Chiefs are, I think that this is, I think the Chiefs are going to win this game.
Craig Rolbeck
Do you think this is a sort of a canary in the coal mine type of game for the Bills? Like if they are competitive and, and you know, win this game, certainly then you think that they're a real contender. But if they get kind of worked, maybe they feel like a little bit fraudulent.
Danny Kelly
A Monday morning. Is Doug McDermott really Sean McDermott not.
Dan Heifetz
The crazy Sean McBuckets.
Danny Kelly
Yeah. Is, is, is Sean McDermott. Has he actually kind of failed with this, Bill's roster over the last four years? Has he underachieved with what he's had with Josh Allen? You can see that coming.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah. Or maybe the Bills will lose and like, all right, now we can beat them in the playoffs.
Craig Rolbeck
Maybe. Actually that's a good, yeah, that's, yeah, we should get ahead of that.
Danny Kelly
They should lose.
Dan Heifetz
They should throw the game. Really.
Danny Kelly
Yeah. This game is so positioned very nicely in the afternoon slate, the late slate, because there's just two other games against it. Saints, Rams and Jags, Raiders. And then even the night, even the night game is like Seattle versus Washington, which is fine. The Monday night game is the Cardinals with the versus the Cowboys, which is fine. This is by far the best game of the week.
Dan Heifetz
This is how the NFL is at its best on Sundays, which is they have a prime 10 game and they have a Monday football, but they really have, this is the true primetime is. They have this marquee like 4 Eastern, one Pacific game that just gets everyone like, I can't miss that. And then you bleed into Sunday football like that. You watch your team early, then Bill's Chiefs, then Sunday football.
Danny Kelly
I'm assuming it's also CBS with Romo and Nance, I would guess. And there's no World Series because game seven, if that happens, is on Saturday. So then they'll just own Sunday.
Craig Rolbeck
Boom, boom.
Danny Kelly
Look at us scheduling. I agree with you. Ivan said, I think the Chiefs are going to win. The thing that just makes me nervous about these games is I never, I never want to bet on like, it's like it's Josh Allen versus Patrick Mahomes and I'm like, I don't even if you have a lean, we're basically, it's like these are just two Titans facing off against one another. I, I, would you be surprised if Josh Allen has five touchdowns in the Chiefs and the Bills went by seven? No. So I, I, these are always stay aways to me because I'm just like, I don't want to be influenced. I want to just watch.
Dan Heifetz
I agree, I, I feel like I, I, I totally agree. It's like sometimes you want to put money in these things and sometimes you're like, yeah, this, I actually could just watch this and have a great time.
Craig Rolbeck
Well, they're, they're two superhero quarterbacks, so they could have a superhero game and totally, you know, shift what we think is going to happen.
Danny Kelly
So the only fantasy relevant stuff I would say for this game is that Pacheco. Isaiah Pacheco for the Chiefs is week to week with an MCL sprain. Probably not going to play.
Dan Heifetz
He's not playing.
Danny Kelly
So you have Kareem Hunt and then you have Brashard Smith, the rookie seventh rounder who's actually looked okay. I mean, I think Kareem Hunt, you're playing. He's played eight games without Pacheco. Last season he averaged 21 touches at 90 yards per game, five touchdowns. They actually did play the Bills last year and Hunt wasn't that great. But I feel like, you know, the state of running back and fantasy, it can get thin quick. It's four teams on by. I do think you probably play Kareem Hunt. Do you guys think you could play Brashard Smith?
Craig Rolbeck
I think he's a desperation play. Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
If you're really desperate, I think you could add Bershard Smith because he probably has more juice. Like if Pacheco comes back even. I think Rashad Smith could have a larger role into November or maybe December.
Craig Rolbeck
But there's a lot of people that were comparing Burchard Smith to a Jerick McKinnon type of player for the Chiefs where you're utilizing him in the passing game primarily. He's not a between the tackles guy. He's kind of move him around the formation, utilize his speed. He's a little undersized, but he's explosive, good in space. So they're starting to ramp him up more too, which is exciting. So I definitely would stash him. I probably would not play him this week.
Danny Kelly
They do a good job of getting in the ball. Like they actually design a few plays a game frame because last year when Pacheco was out and Hunt played, they had some Ajay P. Ryan, he was kind of that third down scat back receiving guy. Obviously he's gone now. So it is kind of Rashad Smith, but there's always. It's like this guy's a rookie seventh rounder. I don't know how much you can really.
Dan Heifetz
The problem with Rashard smith's archetype is DK said the Jerick McKinnon role is that the whole way to have value. Jerick McKinnon, Darren Sprolls, whatever the hell you want to call it. I know obviously those guys are different sizes, but you have to just be very decisive and nowhere to be. And it's just hard as a seventh round running back to as a rookie get enough reps to know where to be and like it's a veterans kind of role of when to block, how to block correctly and, and then just when to dip out. And like if, if you are wrong, then Patrick Mahomes is going to get like rocked. And so that's the probably frankly for sure Smith will be more valuable next year.
Danny Kelly
Dk, I have a question for you. So obviously like saying Brashard Smith is the seventh round rookie is a demerit, right? It's like, oh, he's a seventh round rookie. It's going to take a while to get started. But as Hyvins was just outlining, a lot of it's mental, right. A lot of it is like you got to know where you're supposed to be. And is it, is it possible that a lot of these guys who go later in drafts, the reason why they go later in drafts is not because they're not mentally capable, it's because they're actually less physically capable and they don't have the spark score, the combine, the explosiveness, all that stuff like the raw size. But in reality it's like, is Burchard Smith as likely to pick up on the offense as a first rounder would be? It's just a physical side that he lacks.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, I think usually when you have someone that goes that late, there's some glaring issue with, with it. I think with Rashard Smith, it's probably his size. He's definitely undersized and he went to SMU, so not a big time program necessarily. He's 194 pounds. But yeah, I mean, I think it's. He is kind of just a tweener. He's like half receiver, half running back. These types of guys tend to fall when they don't have a very clear cut role in the NFL. But he I think landed in the perfect spot. Like Andy Reid. You couldn't have found a better like coach for his archetype of running back. So. And also like this was one of the craziest running back classes in a really long time. So all the running backs, all the good running backs kind of fell a little bit further than you thought they would just because there were so many of them supply in any other year, like these guys probably would have gone a full round ahead of where they went.
Danny Kelly
Yeah. Also Isaiah Pacheco.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah.
Danny Kelly
Seventh rounder.
Craig Rolbeck
So generally speaking, I, I would say the fact that he's a seventh rounder doesn't probably have anything to do with like his mental acuity. It's more just like he's small and you know, he's not like a Physical between the tackles type banger. He's, he's a, he's a more niche type player.
Dan Heifetz
So rest of the slate here. The, I think the best game in the early window. Craig, I hate to say it, but the culture playing the Steelers.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, I'm nervous, I'm nervous about this one, Jim. I, I, I think, I think you should probably bet like an alternate spread that the Colts win by like 14 and a half.
Dan Heifetz
Really? I feel like this is a classic. The Steelers actually pull this one out because this is like the classic. Everyone's seen the Steelers kind of look like on Sunday Night Football. And just as when you're ready to write off the Steelers, then they go and beat the 71 Colts. I just feel like I've seen this in a different version of Tomlin 10 for like 15 years.
Danny Kelly
I just, yeah, I guess I just think the defense is the worst it's been in a really long time. It's not this, it's like the silk curtain. Now I want to do, I have like, I want to do these, these back and forth stats. I want to give you a Colt stat and a Steelers stat back and forth just to show you the disparity in what the Colts are doing on offense versus what the Steelers are doing on defense. These are all from Rich Rebar at Sharp Football. Who's, who's great. I love Rich Rebar stuff. The Colts 3.46 points per driver, the second most by a team through eight weeks of a season, only trailing the 2007 Patriots. Oh my God. And the Colts lead the NFL in success rate per play on offense. The Steelers are 29th in success rate on defense. The Colts average a league high 41 yards per drive. The Steelers are allowing A league high 38 yards per possession on defense. The Colts lead the NFL in plays of 15 yards or more. Pittsburgh has allowed over 450 yards of offense in back to back games for the second time in Pittsburgh Steelers history. Oh, the Steelers have allowed top 10 weeks to Justin Fields, Drake May, Carson Wentz, Joe Flacco and Jordan Love. So while I do agree with you that the Steelers are a classic play up and down to your opponent team. I, I think the Colts are going to score 30 points so I was.
Craig Rolbeck
Going to have the same analysis here.
Danny Kelly
How many points can Aaron Rogers score?
Craig Rolbeck
I do not see how, you know, obviously anything can happen in the NFL. I don't see how the Steelers keep up with the Colts in this game. With the way that the Steelers defense is playing and the way that the Colts Offense is playing right now.
Dan Heifetz
Literally has to be T.J. watts, strip sack. And Jalen Ramsey forces a fumble. Yeah.
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
Like, weird stuff.
Danny Kelly
They need to get two turnovers, right? Probably minimum.
Craig Rolbeck
And what makes that difficult is the Colts haven't really been turning the ball over, and Daniel Jones has not really been taking very many sacks. So that's why they've been such a wagon, is like, they just take care of the football. They create explosive plays. They have playmakers all across the field. And Daniel Jones has been really efficient. He hasn't been, you know, super exciting necessarily, but he's just taking care of the football and giving it to his stars and letting them do the work.
Dan Heifetz
I mean, this line's three points. And after hearing everything Craig said also, I wonder when I'm going to get over the Colts points per drive stat, being second to the Patriots in this.
Craig Rolbeck
Century, like, even narratively, like, narratively, this makes no sense.
Dan Heifetz
We've been saying it every week for five weeks, and he just said it. And I. Every time he says it, I'm like, wow, I. I wonder how long we're gonna go until they get over it.
Craig Rolbeck
Are they gonna write books about this Colts team? Is this Colts team gonna be like, the stuff of legends? Like, because the 2007 Patriots were just, you know, you put them in, like, the Mount Rushmore of teams that have the most written about them.
Dan Heifetz
Right. We ranked all the team. The best football teams of the 21st century, and I literally wrote the. I put them first, and they were the first, and they are. They're the best football team I've ever seen. I think the 07 Patriots are the best team arguably, in the history of American team sports and the culture. I can't. The cult. What the fuck? Like, I don't get it. Like, I don't understand. Like. But to your point, we should probably. Craig, just for the Ringer 107, the contest we have with the other shows of the rear, let's just lock them in. Just Colts giving three.
Craig Rolbeck
I had the.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, don't think about it. But just. If we lose, we lose.
Danny Kelly
Cole. This is the same spread, I believe, for the packers game last week. I think it was Steelers plus three. And look, I. The Steelers are a 9 and 8 team, and the Colts are better than that. And I just think that's how it is.
Dan Heifetz
I still think you should play everyone in this game for fantasy. Like, certainly the Colts. Like, I think. I mean, all the Colts receivers. If you're by Weeks, I think you.
Danny Kelly
Should play Josh Downs, who has Quietly been the wide receiver 20 over the last three weeks. I think you could even.
Dan Heifetz
Is he gonna play this week?
Craig Rolbeck
He's been banged up.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, he's banged. I mean, certainly if he doesn't play, Alec Pierce is probably a really good option. But you can play all these guys because the Steelers cornerbacks in pass coverage are kind of ass. And the Steelers can't really get past. So I think all the, all the Colts players work. Obviously. You know, Metcalf, Jalen, Warren. I think, I think this is a live game. But yeah, I think Colts.
Danny Kelly
You're right though. Hypertensive, that like, it's very. Mike Tomlin Steelers to win this game, like 22, 21.
Dan Heifetz
They always, the Steelers always win games when everyone's like, I can't really find a reason they'd win and they win those games.
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
But that's also not a reason to pick the Steelers.
Craig Rolbeck
We. We've said for the last like six, seven weeks, we're just, we're riding this. Colts blindly betting the wheels fall off.
Dan Heifetz
We're going to continue blindly betting the Colts. So here another, another game I just think is really interesting. So the Minnesota Vikings. This is also the early window. The Vikings are at the Detroit Lions this week. Lions are favored to win by eight and a half. Obviously this is a big game for the Vikings because three and four Lions are five and two. Big game for the division. But this is J.J. mcCarthy going to start this week for Minnesota. Carson Wentz is out for the season. And I really, when I was looking at this game, it really reminds me of. Do you guys remember when Sonic the Hedgehog, the movie came out and that first trailer came out. Do you remember? This was so.
Danny Kelly
I know the movie, but. Oh, you know, I don't remember the trailer.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, my God.
Craig Rolbeck
Aware of the film, I figured Craig.
Dan Heifetz
Wood and DK would. So when the Sonic the Hedgehog trailer came out like five or six years.
Danny Kelly
Ago, when they, like, they got bullied into changing the animation, everyone hated the Sonic.
Dan Heifetz
Everyone was like, this. Does it look like a weasel? It's so ugly. And they actually, hey, everyone was so mad about this online and thought Sonic was so ugly in the trailer. They got the studio to change the movie. They actually were like, all right. They pushed the movie back and they totally changed how Sonic looked. They actually, like, just put out a new trailer three months later and they changed the movie.
Craig Rolbeck
Bullying works.
Dan Heifetz
And I honest to God, that was the first thing I thought thinking about this game. Because it's like, I know this isn't JJ McCarthy's debut, but it kind of is because they kind of released JJ McCarthy for two weeks. I know he won, but like one of the games against the Bears, but McCarthy was like, horrific. Like, truly outside of. He had one great quarter against Chicago and he was disgusting. And then they kind of just sunsetted him for a couple months and now they're bringing him back and like, they really, like this really matters. Like, if J.J. mcCarthy comes back and looks horrible again, like, this is going to get really awkward, but if it comes back and plays great, that's awesome.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, that's awesome.
Danny Kelly
I agree that McCarthy has been bad. And I, I, if I had to bet, I would say he's probably not a starting caliber, starting caliber quarterback in the NFL. If I had to bet.
Craig Rolbeck
Getting that out of the way, it's like binary, right?
Danny Kelly
Have we, I mean, the guys played like one and a half games in the NFL and we're like, he's been terrible.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, it's like, all right, he's won 14 game. The Vikings won 14 games last year. They don't have. They're not the, they're not the Saints, they're not the Browns, they're not the jets, they're not the Titans. They're not the Giants. Like, go on. They're 10. 10 teams in the NFL would be like, the season's a success. The Falcons, even purely if the quarterback looks like he will be good later. Like the Giants if j. Even with Scatter for the season and Malik Neighbors out for the season and Brian Dab, they're staying, getting fired. If Jackson Dart looks good, the whole season's a success. The Vikings aren't like that at all. The Vikings are trying to compete for the Super Bowl.
Danny Kelly
We don't really know that yet. He's played a game and a half.
Dan Heifetz
But my point is the timelines are misaligned.
Danny Kelly
Of course. Yeah, 100% they are.
Dan Heifetz
I'm just saying. A team that won 14 games, again losing to the Lions, who again, they were fighting for the number one seed. The, the Lions are the team that sent Sam Darnold packing because Darnold looked bad and then he looked bad again against the Rams. And so I'm just saying that. I'm not saying we have to write off JJ McCarthy's career if he doesn't play well this week. I'm saying the Vikings, internally, if you think the locker room isn't going to be frustrated that Sam Darnold looks awesome on Seattle and McCarthy just, oh, yeah, we'll wait. The Vikings can't wait like this.
Craig Rolbeck
I kind of feel like I understand exactly what you're saying, but this is like an off season discussion. We're in the season now. Like, it's over. Like, Sam Darnold is on the Seahawks. Like, what's. I don't know, what is the locker room going to do? Like, have a shrine for Sam Darnold and feel. No, I'm sad about it. Like, what are they going to do now? I'm saying they made their bed, now they just got to sleep in it. And I think. I don't know. I'm. I just. I don't really understand what you're saying. I guess. What's, what's the bottom line here?
Danny Kelly
I'm saying, yeah, they have Darnold. Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
I'm saying sucks this season.
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
If McCarthy sucks this season, I don't know that they can just keep him for next year there. This team is ready to win a Super Bowl. It's awkward. I think the trade deadline is this week.
Craig Rolbeck
Kind of like. I don't know about that, but yeah.
Danny Kelly
They need to settle down with somebody. They're like a 50 year old rich guy dating a 25 year old. It's like, hey, we can't be doing this. Like, we need to find a life partner here.
Dan Heifetz
I am surprised that you guys don't think there's like real stakes to this week. I. I know that it's early as career, but my point being, I don't know.
Craig Rolbeck
What is this game? What. What does this game.
Danny Kelly
There are stakes in the slightly longer term. It's like the rest of the season. How McCarthy looks is very important. This game specifically.
Craig Rolbeck
I don't think it's like the Lions. Okay. I wrote this one down because I think I'm shocked. Another one. We should bet the Lions have won six other last seven against Minnesota. They're fucking good at home.
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
They are absolute wagon at home. And J.J. mcCarthy, you know, we can't expect much from him, so I think that's my point.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, but like, I don't think if he's bad in this game and the Lions win 35 to 14, this is going to be like, it's over. Panic, burn everything down. What a disaster. It's. If he's horrible for the next nine games, then I think you have that conversation again. This will be. He'll have played like 11 quarters and.
Craig Rolbeck
He'S coming off an injury, which is the reason they kept him off, because they didn't want him to have to like, you know, keep these discussions from Happening while he's playing hurt. I don't know. I just don't really understand, like, why you're circling. This game is like the do or die for J.J. mcCarthy. Like, obviously it's important he plays well and it's going to be good for the franchise. Because the Vikings, if he doesn't probably does play well.
Dan Heifetz
They probably won't win the division if they lose this game.
Danny Kelly
They're not going to win. I mean, they're anyway.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
If they win this game, they're one game behind the Lions with half the season left.
Danny Kelly
What about the.
Dan Heifetz
If they lose their three games, okay, but they'd be four and four.
Danny Kelly
Packers have one loss. I'm just. They're not going to win the division. Like, that's over. Like, you're just trying to get J.J. mcCarthy to show signs. Like you said. That's the point. It's. It's like dart. It's like the point is to get to the end of the season. You're like, McCarthy is good enough and we'll. And we'll circle back next year.
Dan Heifetz
I'm sure.
Danny Kelly
I'm.
Dan Heifetz
I get that. But that's not how teams think. They won 14 games last year.
Danny Kelly
I know.
Dan Heifetz
You don't think the locker room's gonna just like. Like kind of unravel a little bit if this team misses the. Like is in danger of missing the playoffs?
Danny Kelly
I mean, I don't know. I don't know. Do you think they unraveled last year when Darnold collapsed after winning 14 games?
Dan Heifetz
Well, they missed the play when they lost in the playoffs. They like, you lose, you leave, you go home. I don't know. All right, maybe we just disagree.
Danny Kelly
You realize that the Vikings don't really.
Craig Rolbeck
Understand what your point is.
Danny Kelly
Last in the division, they're incredibly difficult spot.
Craig Rolbeck
I guess their defense hasn't been very good either, by the way.
Dan Heifetz
Maybe I'm not making my point. Well, I guess all I'm saying is there is a tremendous pressure on JJ McCarthy to play well very quickly. And the whole thing of, well, he's a rookie that isn't good enough. He has to, like, if he doesn't play well this next two months, he just might not get a shot next year to be the unquestioned starter. He will probably be competition at best. But, like, I mean, I think.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, that. I think that's kind of clear. Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
I don't disagree with that.
Dan Heifetz
But he's got Lions this weekend, Ravens next week. It's like, good luck.
Craig Rolbeck
This game is like, do or die for J.J. mcConnell if they fall to.
Dan Heifetz
3 and 5 with the Ravens next week, to 3 and 6. Like, you don't think it's like that. That's big stakes.
Danny Kelly
They're. They're nine point underdogs on the road against the Lions.
Dan Heifetz
Like, I know, but I'm.
Danny Kelly
Win this game.
Dan Heifetz
No, I'm saying the flip side. I'm saying it's. I, I guess I'm just shocked. I thought this was like, pretty mainstream. If he comes and wins and beats the Lions, that's also incredible. I think this is a huge game for him.
Craig Rolbeck
But like Craig said, they're eight and a half dogs. Wait, are they.
Dan Heifetz
We've been joking about them making up an injury to hide him. And then if he comes out and sucks after he gets two months to heal, I guess I'm just like, that will be a giant story if he sucks.
Danny Kelly
I, I, yeah, I don't know. I don't really feel that way, to be honest.
Dan Heifetz
All right.
Craig Rolbeck
I don't think expectations are very high right now is I guess why I'm, I'm just like, confused, like, why you're so circling this game on the calendar as like, if JJ McCarthy plays poorly in this game, he's. Because we already kind of established that he's not ready to be a good starter. If he plays great in this game. That's awesome.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, it's incredible.
Craig Rolbeck
He plays poorly. People are like, yeah, that's also what we've seen.
Danny Kelly
I don't know this guy. This guy is one in one as a starter. I, I will admit everything, but one quarter has been terrible. He had that awesome fourth quarter against the Bears, week one. They won that game. Then he gets hurt the next game. I also kind of think, and I don't know why, but the whole, like, joke about the man, are they faking his injury? High ankle sprain. He missed five games with a high ankle sprain. A lot of people missed five. High angle sprains are hard to come back from.
Dan Heifetz
I'm not actually saying. I don't think that it probably made sense for Carson Wentz to come and play. I'm just, I don't know. I guess I'm just surprised. I guess I'm saying if he looks as bad as he did in the first two weeks, that's, it's going to be a big deal. And if he comes in and looks great, that will also be a huge deal. And I guess I just didn't. I don't know. All right, well, we can, we'll see what Happens, I guess.
Craig Rolbeck
I guess I'm just like, this is like true for every game. I don't know. I don't understand why this game in particular is like. But it doesn't matter. It's. I think we can move on probably. All right, well, I like the Lions in this game.
Dan Heifetz
Also want to know Aiden Hutchinson signed a very large contract extension defense. So Lions have just paid all the good players they drafted the next game here. Speaking of quarterbacks in the NFC north that are easy to argue about from the 2024 class, the Chicago Bears who play in the Cincinnati Bengals this week.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, this is kind of a fun game, I suppose. Caleb versus Joe Flacco. Flacco.
Dan Heifetz
Is Flacco playing?
Danny Kelly
Flacco has an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder. They've kind of described him as day to day, but I don't love the idea he didn't practice on Wednesday. I don't love the idea of a 40 year old with shoulder pain in his throwing arm. Quarterback in your team, Zach Taylor called him 5050 to play. Um, I would be very worried if I were if I had Jamar Chase or T. Higgins. To be honest. The, the, the Jake Browning stats with both those guys. He's been worse for T. Higgins. T.E. higgins is like borderline unplayable with Jake Browning and Chase and Jamar Chase has been like kind of boomer bust. He had two games of over 25 and then two games of under seven fantasy points. So I mean the Bears is like wheels up. You're playing everybody who plays. The only problem with the Bears is they're all banged up like every pass. Catcher D.J. moore's got a groin, Roma Dunze has a heel, Zakiya's knee. Luther Burton has a concussion. Comet is limited with a back injury. I we talked about Loveland on the Monday episode. Colson Loveland, the rookie tight end. I don't know. I would say if you wanted to take a shot this week playing Loveland with depending kind of like on how beat up this wide receiver room ends up being by Sunday. Tight ends have a league high 31% of the targets against the Bengals this year. So if you're kind of like got a couple guys who are beat up. Tight ends are on by. I do think Loveland's playable. Do you guys agree or worth a shot?
Craig Rolbeck
I think if, if Kemet doesn't play he's. He's definitely worth a shot.
Dan Heifetz
I agree.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, I think if, if Kemet plays and they're probably going to go back to this like frustrating, you know, combination where they're both playing and Comet is kind of the number one. I know. I keep waiting for, for leveling to break out. I still think he has a chance to do that this year, but. But it kind of feels like a lost cause a little bit at this point.
Dan Heifetz
If Kemet plays though, you're right, it's a gamble. But if Kemet misses the game, it's totally reasonable. I would add him even if you don't want to play him, in case Coastal Loveland has some awesome game.
Danny Kelly
All four of those wide receivers that I mentioned, more dunes, Zakia's burden. None of them practice on Wednesday.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, so.
Dan Heifetz
So yeah, we'll see what happens.
Craig Rolbeck
You, Craig, you were talking about how, you know, playing Bengals players this week is going to be really tough. If it's Browning, do you think there's a chance that maybe he, you know the meme with Drake where they're look, there's two guys are looking at computer and like Drake is explaining something. The other guy goes, oh, like, do you think he was like watching Joe Flacco? I was like, oh, maybe I should just throw it to Jamar Chase every time.
Danny Kelly
Jamar Chase is good.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, God, that's. That's a really smart strategy. Maybe they should do that.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, it's Drake is Flacco and then I think Jake Browning is Lil Yachty's like, got it right. Okay. Okay.
Craig Rolbeck
There's a chance that happens, but probably not.
Danny Kelly
Hi Vids. Do you think if Caleb Williams doesn't play well, there will be outrage in this game akin to if J.J. mcCarthy doesn't beat the Lions?
Dan Heifetz
You know, it's funny, ironically. Well, no, because those pass catches hurt. But honestly, if Caleb should play better against the Bengals, Mr. Like leads the league in a false starts again. They should play better. I still, maybe I'm crazy. I don't know. I just like, I, I, I. There were huge expectations for McCarthy and then he just has bare. He still barely played in the NFL. He misses like, we're a year and a half into his career. They tried to play him like the whole time and he's played two games and now he's in the middle of his second season and he's going to suck ass.
Danny Kelly
Like, okay, got hurt. And again, usually this stuff doesn't work out. Usually when the guys take forever to even get started. I, I don't believe it will work out. However, you're being like, they've been trying to play him for a year and a half. I'm like, well, he tore his minutes, I guess. What do you. I don't know.
Dan Heifetz
I guess the difference is, like, they're a Super bowl contender. What are the other super bowl contenders trying to play?
Craig Rolbeck
Rookie team. I think that's the difference between, like, where we are is like, I just don't see them that way.
Dan Heifetz
I know you don't, but that's because Carson Wentz and J.J. mcCarthy, quarterback in the team. They were super bowl contender last year. They were playing in week 17 to be the 1 seed of the NFC.
Danny Kelly
I agreed, though.
Craig Rolbeck
Like, it's week nine. This is like, that decision is long in the freaking rear view. What do.
Dan Heifetz
Like, I don't. Why are we talking about it now? Hence, why if JJ McCarthy sucks, they're like, wow, this isn't gonna work. Like, if they miss the playoffs.
Craig Rolbeck
Which again, I think it's just like, to me, it's like, oh, it's very clear this didn't work. This was a bad decision. Like, it's already extremely clear.
Dan Heifetz
Well, maybe from your distance as a podcaster, it's like, he's. To the Vikings, when you're staring down this Lions game and the Ravens, you can go like, the next two weeks is the difference between three games. Under.500 or over.500. It's a massive stretch. They're totally can make the playoffs if they win these next two games. They probably won't if they go, oh, and two.
Craig Rolbeck
Okay.
Danny Kelly
I. To be honest, I think High Fitz, I think DK and I are just like, our heads are in a different place with Minnesota, where we're like, we understand now that because of this JJ McCarthy decision, they are now in a new phase. Like they are. They have a different trajectory now, and they should be thinking about that in a different way.
Dan Heifetz
Well, that sucks for them because their entire defense is over 30 except for, like, three players.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, it does.
Craig Rolbeck
I think.
Dan Heifetz
I think we're.
Craig Rolbeck
I don't actually think we're, like, disagreeing on the facts. I think it's more just like, High Fitz is really worked up about this and Craig and I are like, yeah, I mean, they're just not as good as they were.
Danny Kelly
They made the wrong call.
Craig Rolbeck
Like, they should have obviously kept Arnold totally. Or fucking Daniel Jones.
Danny Kelly
Super hard decision. They. They took JJ McCarthy in the first round. Had no idea Sam Darnold was going to be open. Awesome.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm not saying Daniel Jones was on their fucking practice squad.
Dan Heifetz
I'm not saying he's gonna suck. If Jake McCarthy looks good, that matters too. I just think it's A. I don't know. I just think him coming back after five weeks in the Nova's rookie season, like, if he looks great, that's a huge deal. If he does, like, the Lions are weirdly great. Really high in defensive dvw.
Danny Kelly
I. I'm just shockingly high. I'm like, let's see how he is over the next two months. I'm not like this Lions game means everything.
Dan Heifetz
Right?
Craig Rolbeck
Like, to me the expectation is they're gonna get worked. If they play well, that's great. And maybe then I'll change my opinion of what this team can be. That to me is sort of like the turning point here.
Dan Heifetz
All right. Well, speaking well, I don't. We're not really done with quarterbacks that are Rorschach test here because the Broncos are also at Houston this week. Texans are favor to win the game by one and a half points. I mean this is obviously CG Stroud, Bo Nicks both. I mean Stroud and Knicks both awesome rookie years. And then Stroud had a sophomore year dip. Bo Nicks was kind of having one fantasy wise. Unbelievable. Like obviously 33 points in the fourth quarter against. What team was that? I don't remember.
Danny Kelly
I think it was like the Saints or something.
Dan Heifetz
The Jets, Eagles. I don't know.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, but some dog franchise probably.
Dan Heifetz
That was crazy. The 33 points in the fourth quarter. And then last week, obviously Broncos shredded Dallas, but they're going from the worst defense in the NFL in Dallas to now they're playing Houston, which is the. I mean, Houston's allowed the fewest points per game. Houston's allowing the fewest points per drive. Like they just. Again, not many teams are good at all three levels of defense. The Houston's kind of great at all three levels of defense. And the Broncos are also top five defense. You know the Broncos. But we'll see. Cause Patan the. I mean literally defensive player of the year is out for probably like a month. So I'm very curious to see that. I also not really convinced the Texans are capable of taking advantage of that necessarily. But we'll see how the Broncos do with man coverage without Pat Sartan and everything. So I don't really love any players in this game for fantasy purposes. Like, I don't look at the Texans against the Broncos and be. I'm not excited to play Nick Chubb. Not excited to play Woody Marks. Nico Collins, you're playing. Not thrilled to play Stroud. Not thrilled to play really any receiver. The Nico. The Broncos, the flip side, it's like if you added Troy Franklin off waivers or you've had them all for like, a couple months, I don't look at Troy Franklin crushing Dallas and be like, oh, yeah, give me Troy Franklin against Houston. Like, I don't really love anything.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm with you. This is probably going to be a bit of a slog. Like, low scoring, a lot of good defense. Yeah. Do you even feel good starting Nico at this point? Like, I don't even feel good starting Nico. Starting him. Because his name is Nico Collins.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
But everything else we know about him this year, I'm like, ah, the odds.
Dan Heifetz
You have someone that you will feel okay about playing over Nico Collins is very low. But beyond him, I'm like, you'll probably still play Cortland Sutton, which is fine, but, like, that's a little scary. But then even J.K. dobbins, it's like, you'll probably play him, but you don't feel great about it. And that's kind of it. Like, you shouldn't play R.G. harvey after three touchdowns.
Craig Rolbeck
I think I would rather play Woody Marks in this game than Nick Chubb, just because it feels like the Texans will probably be playing from behind a little bit. The Broncos, I don't know. I think the Texans are a better team than we've been giving them credit for, just because on offense, they are hard to watch, but their defense is. Is elite. And then the Broncos, too. I think they're another team where I don't really know what to make of them. Obviously, their defense is really, really good. And maybe the. The fourth quarter comeback against the Giants was the turning point for them, but.
Dan Heifetz
To me, oh, that was the team.
Craig Rolbeck
The Giants just don't really know what the Broncos. I think they're really good, but I. I don't know.
Danny Kelly
What do.
Craig Rolbeck
What do you do? What do you make of the Broncos, Craig? Do you think they're good? Do you think they're, like, in a. Like a. A real contender, or are they just kind of feasting on their defense?
Danny Kelly
I think you're g. You're banking on, like, Bo Nick kind of putting it back together. I think Bo KN has been really erratic this year. Yeah, I think, like, the deep ball stuff, he has, like, moments of. He. He's like, nah, actually, I won't make that comp. People get really upset, but.
Dan Heifetz
Say it. Say it.
Danny Kelly
He's basically like the. The. The best version of what Tim Tebow was right now where it's. He's, like, all over the place. But in the fourth quarter, he can put Things together and pull out of his ass.
Craig Rolbeck
Crazy. I would never even say that.
Dan Heifetz
Wild.
Danny Kelly
The only reason I said that is because there have been some like fourth quarter heroics out of Denver this year that has kind of like eked them into a few wins that they probably didn't deserve. But obviously both.
Craig Rolbeck
Craig. Craig has a poor, poor memory of. Of the Tebow experience.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, he just remembers the Steelers game.
Danny Kelly
In style of like it looks bad for three quarters and then they pull out the win. Obviously Bonix is 100 times better than fucking Tim Tebow. I think Bon.
Dan Heifetz
I thought I was the most negative Bonex person, but that's, that's like your.
Danny Kelly
Take purges that he was going to be better than Drew Brees.
Dan Heifetz
That was supposed to stay in the purge.
Danny Kelly
You're right. It's actually on me.
Dan Heifetz
I can't pull that out.
Craig Rolbeck
It's like I don't actually remember that.
Danny Kelly
I'm just saying I think the Bo Knicks thing, I think everybody was so high on Bonick coming into this year, including myself, and I think we've all just kind of avoided talking about it for eight weeks because he's kind of been pretty mediocre.
Dan Heifetz
Well, he's had eight touchdowns overall to one turnover in his last five quarters.
Craig Rolbeck
Right. So that's been amazing.
Dan Heifetz
He's been absolutely eight touchdowns in his.
Craig Rolbeck
Last stoppable in the last five quarters.
Dan Heifetz
I think this is also. He's. What is he like the number one or number two quarterback last two weeks? I. This is the hardest thing. He's like, hey, that guy who scored 75 fantasy points in the last two five quarters. Like, yeah, Benjamin, because Texas.
Danny Kelly
But they played the Giants and the Cowboys.
Dan Heifetz
Like, I know and I, I just. It's hard because he can run to be like, bench him. Like, I don't want to tell people to bench Bo Nicks.
Danny Kelly
No, you're not benching Bo Nicks. Not. But it's like, dude, you look at what he did against the jets. Against the Eagles. They had, they had a terrible game against the Chargers. The, I mean, week one they were awful against the Titans. It's. There have been a lot of duds. I feel like offensively for Denver. Am I wrong in thinking that this team has like struggled to kind of put things together consistently?
Craig Rolbeck
Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I think especially relative to expectation and especially if you take out this last five quarters, just take out that the.
Dan Heifetz
One Giants quarter, like just, just get rid of that.
Craig Rolbeck
He's been pretty disappointed.
Danny Kelly
The Cowboys, who are the Rainbow strip. It's been pretty Mediocre.
Craig Rolbeck
Well, and that's what I was saying coming into the season. Everybody kind of looked at me like I was a hater. But like, this is what happens when an off season happens. Coaches have a lot of extra time to go and look at what these quarterbacks do well, what they have as sort of their fastball. What is it that they feel most comfortable doing. And then you go away and you go and you take that away from them or make it harder for them. And then all of a sudden you have to see these, these quarterbacks evolve and show that they can, you know, change and get better at different things. And that's like why we have sophomore slumps all the time. That's why it's a fucking expression. Sophomore slump. Like it happens all the time. And so I think people were kind of looking at me like I was a hater because I was thinking. And also I think they're, you know, playing a little bit harder schedule and all that stuff. So. But I mean, overall, like, you cannot say anything right now because he's been. He's looked incredible the last game and a half or game and a quarter. So we'll see kind of like where this, where he goes from here. Like if he looks really horrible in this game again, like, then I think people start talking.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, it's a huge guy. If he looks horrible in this game, it's a huge. I mean, really, the Broncos are Super bowl contender and, you know, if he looks horrible in this game, it's just.
Craig Rolbeck
It'S so funny because you're not wrong. Like the NFL is very much a week to week game and people overreact every single week. So you're not totally wrong. But I just think it's, it's so funny to be fixated on that.
Dan Heifetz
But the Dolphins like the trade deadlines in two days, like after Broncos are.
Danny Kelly
First in their division, you know, I.
Dan Heifetz
Know it's a huge game, you know.
Danny Kelly
For bonus versus the last of their division.
Dan Heifetz
I do think, yeah, that's the last of the division matters because they're supposed to be good. That's the thing. The Titans suck. We knew the Titans would suck. The Vikings are supposed to be good.
Danny Kelly
Well, I, I don't. I don't know if we knew that. We didn't know J.J. mcCarthy.
Dan Heifetz
I know. That's the problem. You're right to gay. We're not disagreeing. We're just. I know. That's the thing. Like you can still do something about it.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm confused.
Danny Kelly
I think this game, I think The Denver Houston game is like one of these. I'm, I'm waiting for CJ Stroud to beat a good team. And you know, they beat the Niners last week. I, I, honestly, if you look at the Texans, I don't think they've beaten a good team since week five last year. Like, this year, they beat Mac Jones and the Niners. They beat the Ravens without Lamar Jackson. They beat Cam Ward. Those are their three wins this year. You go back to last year, literally, week 17, they beat the Titans. Their last win. Before that, they beat the Dolphins. Then they beat the Jags. They beat the Cowboys. They beat the Colts last year, who were not good. They beat the Patriots in week six. Their last week five against the Bills was like the last time they kind of won a good game.
Dan Heifetz
That's really true. I mean, you're right, too. But the Texas beat the Niners. Like, I know they had the, the ball forever in that game. It's, I know maybe Texans fans will listen to this. Like, we're just discounting everything they do. And to be clear, I love C.J. stroud, and I, I think Stroud gets criticized, like, way too much. He's working, he's doing great. But overall, I agree. Craig. I, I, I was going to talk about Giants Niners later, but we might as well tell that Niners win last week for the Texans. Now, the amount of players the Niners have lost is, like, incomprehensible. Like, the amount of players that are hurt on that team and that that Texans win. I agree. It doesn't mean a ton to me. Like, I, in a way, honestly, maybe the Broncos are a good bet because the Broncos are, I, I mean, similar. I, I, I probably, honestly, you're right, Craig. I think the Broncos are probably gonna win this game. Now that I really think, although the Texans defense is always going to keep them in it.
Danny Kelly
It is. I just would love to know when's the last time the Texans won a game as an underdog outright?
Dan Heifetz
Man, it's a good point.
Craig Rolbeck
This is so, this is kind of getting back to just this whole discussion we've had today. But it's so hard. The NFL is so hard because narratively, it goes so, it's so swings so strongly week to week, and for these teams, opponent matters so much. Like, Craig, you're talking about, they haven't been a good opponent in a long time. Like, I was kind of excited about seeing the Texans actually play well on offense last year or last week, but ultimately, like, I don't know how Much it matters because, you know, the 49ers don't have any of their.
Danny Kelly
I mean, look at the way we're talking about bonus. You guys are like, we're all so high on Bo Nicks because they play the Giants in the, in the Cowboys. And so it's a.
Craig Rolbeck
Well, first thing, we get so hard not to overreact week in and week out. I'm just saying. I'm just saying a big picture thing that it is very hard to stay. Stay even keeled as the season goes along because every week it's like either a disaster. I mean the context or unbeatable.
Dan Heifetz
The context of who teams play is the most important thing. And that note, can I just read the Niners injury report because the Niners are playing the Giants this week. But it is. I think it's connected to this because to your point, because again, it's like you don't want to take anything away from Houston because they still have professional football players out of San Francisco.
Danny Kelly
And sometimes like getting in rhythm helps and you build momentum and you carry it to the next game.
Dan Heifetz
And we have said that Houston can't block, they can't run. And Houston had the most time of possession a team's had in the first half in 15 years. Having said that, can I go through the fucking injuries the Niners have because they're playing the Giants this week and it's like it's the same thing. But the last week with whether Houston win, that means anything versus the Niners versus the Giants this week. I, I'm telling you in advance, I don't want to bet on niners Giants for Ringer 107. I don't want to do it because this is one of the longer injury reports I've seen. Even longer than the Bucks. The Niners are destroyed and even just as much as the previous two times they've been destroyed last eight years. Like Brock Purdy obviously has this turf toe thing. I don't, I don't think Brock Purdy plays this week the turf toe. I just really doubt it. But Mac Jones, the backup quarterback, is playing through a PCL knee injury that you can really see. He's in pain throughout the game. Like you could just see it. And then the right. He's a PCL injury dome. I never always get his name right. Dom Puni. The right guard. Yeah, puny. Well, puny.
Craig Rolbeck
Just as funny puny. Like he's like tiny.
Dan Heifetz
I call him. Yeah, puny. There's no way he goes with puny.
Craig Rolbeck
It's Maybe it's puny, I actually don't know.
Dan Heifetz
But he also has a PCL injury. He's also been playing through since August. Him and Mac Jones both hurt their PCL in August. He's playing through it. The center, Jake Brendel has a hamstring injury. Trent Williams, clearly not healthy. At left tackle, Juwan Jennings, the receiver playing through the multiple broken ribs and multiple ankle sprains. Ricky Parasol, knee injury, still not back. Brandon Ayuk, not even practicing yet. Halfway through the season, George Kittle just got off into reserve. And the offense, all those guys are just listed way healthier than the defense. Like those. That's the better side of the ball. The defensive line, obviously, people know the Niners lost Nick Bosa. There were the. There are six other defensive linemen that are hurt after Nick Bosa, like the edge, like Bryce Hoff, your two gross motos like Alfred Collins, Jordan Elliott, defensive ends, defensive tackles, they've been obliterated. The only guy that's left that's healthy on the Niners line is Mikel Williams, the 11th overall pick who's kind of sucked and been super underwhelming.
Craig Rolbeck
He's just being. I mean, his role is like stopping the run, which, yeah, you can quibble, that's maybe not worth as high of a pick as he is, but yeah.
Dan Heifetz
Well, the Texans ran all over them and so it. Look, it's not an easy position for him to be like, hey, you're the only healthy guy left, that there's no position to succeed. But the Niners might. They traded for Keon White from the Patriots this week and they signed for.
Craig Rolbeck
Them, by the way.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, that was smart. Ken White was a South Florida right for 28th pick or something for the Patriots or I forget what round. The second round. But then they also signed Cleveland Farrell, who was like the most overdrafted player of the last 10 years. But those guys might play like. That's my point. Cleveland Pharrell, who just signed with them three days ago, might play in this game. So overall, one don't want to bet on the Giants. But also, that is what Houston ran on last week against. You know what I mean? The Niners, like, they're down seven defensive linemen and Fred Warner, the linebacker, Keon.
Craig Rolbeck
White went to Old Dominion and Georgia Tech for the record.
Danny Kelly
Come on.
Craig Rolbeck
Knew that sounded wrong. The other thing is I, I looked it up and this is great because on some team websites, they actually have the guys just say their name and they record it and then they put it on the website, it's Dominic Puni.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, you're right. He did go to Georgia Tech.
Danny Kelly
Cleveland Farrell kind of forgot that he was the fourth overall pick.
Craig Rolbeck
I know.
Dan Heifetz
That's the worst pick for the Raiders. Quietly. You know what's so funny? That's why teams take crazy athletes high. Because when you take a crazy athlete and doesn't work, they're like, yeah, it must have been his fault. When you take a guy that's not athletic at all and sucks, you're like, what the Were you thinking?
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah. Craig, who was the guy that the Steelers took back in the day? Jarvis Jones. Was it Jarvis Jones?
Danny Kelly
Yes.
Craig Rolbeck
And he was, like, famous because he was one of the Least Athletic top 10 picks we've ever seen in the world.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, 17th in 2013.
Craig Rolbeck
Turns out it didn't. Didn't. That. That did matter.
Dan Heifetz
So anyway.
Craig Rolbeck
That.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah.
Danny Kelly
Also, the Steelers, like, Bud Dupree, didn't really work out.
Craig Rolbeck
I know There's. There's a long litany of a freaking. Just early round busts at defensive end. It's like, I think that's got to be one of the harder positions you take.
Danny Kelly
Are the Steelers the most incompetent, competent franchise or the most competent, incompetent franchise?
Dan Heifetz
That's a great question.
Craig Rolbeck
Incompetent, competent.
Dan Heifetz
It's a great question. They are the most incompetent, competent because.
Craig Rolbeck
They win nine games every year.
Dan Heifetz
Of all the competent franchises, they're the most. Steelers are the most incompetent. That's true.
Craig Rolbeck
That's right. It's all. It'll. It is funny because, Craig, we always.
Danny Kelly
What a stupid team.
Craig Rolbeck
Praise the Steelers for their continuity and always sticking with guys through thick and thin. Is that a good thing to do? I. Maybe it's not actually a good thing to do. Not that I'm saying they should fire Tom in particular. I'm just saying, like, we always talk about how they've had three coaches since the Nixon administration or whatever, and it's just like, maybe that's actually not the best way to do it. I don't know. Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
So anyway, I don't know if you guys have anything left on Broncos, Houston, but Niners, Giants, like, that is also just my Niners. We can't bet on this game. I don't know what to say.
Danny Kelly
Like, do you think Dart is, like, a great play in this game?
Dan Heifetz
I. I mean, probably. It's unbelievable. I mean, I'm not out here gonna go and defend the Giants offensive line, but the point is all these guys are hurt and they're playing through injury. Whether they play or not, they're still hurt. Like in football that's hurt and there's injured. These dudes are injured, man, like, and they're playing through injury. They're not supply. Everyone plays hurt. These guys are playing through injury. Juwan Jennings is playing through injury. And like they're just hurt like and also can't stress enough. The Niners 2020 season, they were the Ravens, they were like the crazy super bowl favorite. And the whole Niner season that year ended at MetLife because the Niners had two back to back games. Giants, jets on an east coast state and the two weeks at MetLife everyone got hurt. Jimmy Garoppolo, Nick Bosa and they lost like eight players from the super bowl team like in September in these back to back weeks. I don't think Ricky Per Shanahan is not sending Ricky parasol on a MetLife turf. He's not sending Brock pardon. On the MetLife turf. They don't, they are going to unfortunately probably be a little conservative with these guys with the, the knee injuries on the turf. They just are. So I, I, I don't want to bet on the Giants, but I. For fantasy dart, Tyrone Tracy, absolutely. I think you could play Juan, I think Wandale, like I think those are all really strong options. Niners, obviously It's Kittle and McCaff. I mean you don't need help with McCaffrey, but I'm like Kittle McCaffrey. But I, I don't know, man. Like I, if the Texans can run all over the Niners, I don't know, the Giants might be able to too, which is really weird to think about.
Craig Rolbeck
I feel like and not. This isn't like at you, Craig, because I, I've had this question, I think every week since Jackson, Dart has become the starters. Like do I start him? Do I start, you know, maybe a higher floor guy like Sam Darnold or whatever. I've been quibbling about it each week. I'm just like, I'm starting Dart now until he fails because he has a rushing touchdown in four of the last five weeks. And basically since he's been a starter, the lowest he's ever scored is 15 and a half points.
Danny Kelly
Why did you say this isn't a dig at you? Have I been criticizing Dart?
Craig Rolbeck
No, because didn't you, you were just like, do you start dart in this game? Did you say that or maybe.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, that was more of just like a, like an earnest question. Like, oh, how good?
Dan Heifetz
Stupid question. Greg.
Craig Rolbeck
No, no, no. What I'm saying is.
Dan Heifetz
How dare you.
Craig Rolbeck
What I'm saying is, if you start.
Danny Kelly
In the ringer league, I'll have you know. And I've been playing him for the last five weeks again.
Craig Rolbeck
I said, this is not pointed at you because I've been asking the same question every week also. And pointed at you finally. Point. I. I'm to the point now where.
Danny Kelly
I'm yelling at me.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm starting dart. I don't care who. Like, I don't care who he's playing. I'm starting dart. He went. He scored almost 30 points against the Broncos, literally.
Danny Kelly
You're hurting my ears. Stop yelling.
Craig Rolbeck
All right.
Dan Heifetz
All the yelling. We've taken up the.
Danny Kelly
I'm playing you in the ringer league, and I have. I'm starting dart and Tracy this week.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, that's gotta hurt.
Dan Heifetz
Can't even enjoy anything anymore. Whatever. I'm sure they'll find a way to beat me but also lose the game.
Craig Rolbeck
The.
Dan Heifetz
There's also a whole controversy with Dexter Lawrence right now and Carl Banks. We probably don't have time to get into it, but I hope Dexter Lawrence plays great. I think Carl Banks is playing my games with Dexter Lawrence, and I hope it works. We could get into that. Dexter Lawrence sucks again, if anyone cares. My thoughts, for the record, are Carl Banks is right that Dexter Lawrence is worse. And also, saying he doesn't get respect is crazy, but Dexter Lawrence is, in fact, not playing as well. So that's just true. Okay. This is always funny to say out loud.
Danny Kelly
Okay.
Dan Heifetz
The Atlanta Falcons are at the New England Patriots.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
When will that stop being funny?
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah. Why? What happened?
Dan Heifetz
I just.
Craig Rolbeck
Something happened between these two games. These teams.
Dan Heifetz
How many years will have to pass until I could just say that? And people don't think about it.
Craig Rolbeck
I just. Again, I. I've said this before, but I'm so grateful to the Falcons for losing that super bowl because to that point, the Seahawks were going to go down as the biggest idiots in Super Bow history for. And then it only happened. I think it was like, the next year they did that. So it was like, oh, cool.
Dan Heifetz
Those two games also completely changed the trajectory of the Brady Belichick thing, because if the Patriots lost those games, Belichick would just be known for not calling a timeout at the end of the Seahawks super bowl to not give Brady, like, an extra almost a minute to go down and win the game. Belichick just wouldn't have given Brady time. Also, Belichick traded Jamie Collins, who was like, one of Their best linebackers in the middle of the Patriots Falcons super bowl season. And then guess who needed Jamie Collins. When you fell down 28 to 3 because of Kyle Shanahan, like fucking like Belichick. Like if they had just lost that game, people literally would have been like, why did you not play Jamie? Why did you trade Jamie Collins? And it's just so funny to think that he fucking got away with both.
Craig Rolbeck
Anyway, the winners write history.
Danny Kelly
I honestly think the Falcons have to beat the Patriots in the super bowl for us to not think about this ever again.
Craig Rolbeck
Right.
Dan Heifetz
I also Patriots are favored by five and a half. And part of me does think this game's in New England. Part of me is like, I just want to take it. Like we've also kind of been riding New England with just every week they have the coaching advantage and this quarterback advantage, it's not really being priced in. If it's not Kirk Cousins, which the line would go up, then it's injured Michael Penix, who among many stats Rich Rebar had this week, Atlanta blitzes at the second highest rate. And Drake May leads the NFL in completion percentage against the blitz. And Rich Rebar also had the stat. The Falcons play the most cover three in the NFL and Drake May averages nine yards per attempt against cover three. And I'm like, can we just take the Patriots in this? Like, I think Drake May another week with all the receivers. I know the Falcons have a solid secondary. Jesse Bates a little banged up, but I, I kind of just think the Falcon, the Patriots gonna keep rolling. And it's all in the Falcons player's head. The Falcons players are all young enough that they grew up knowing the lore and they all know that this happened.
Craig Rolbeck
Happened.
Danny Kelly
Go ahead.
Craig Rolbeck
By the way, I was just going to say Falcons right Now hold the 12th overall pick, but they actually gave that to the Rams. So there's something to remember here as we get into the second half of the season is how many games are the Falcons going to win? Are they good? I don't think they're very good. Really. And I. And ironically, like, I think their defense probably is a little bit fraudulent or a lot bit fraudulent after having that whole argument with Heifetz earlier in the year. But yeah, keep in mind the Falcons gave up their first round pick to move up and get that pass.
Dan Heifetz
Well, they took James Pierce.
Craig Rolbeck
My brain. Yes.
Dan Heifetz
Who's having a great rookie year.
Craig Rolbeck
Right.
Dan Heifetz
Just kidding. He has no sacks.
Craig Rolbeck
Right.
Dan Heifetz
I know sacks aren't everything, but like they're not even playing the rookies that much.
Craig Rolbeck
So yeah, that's just another thing to keep in mind. 12th overall pick right now. And if they keep losing, obviously it's going to start to look a lot worse.
Danny Kelly
Also add in high fits to this game. Like, Michael Penix is banged up. Drake London didn't play last week with a hip injury. He's questionable to play. Kyle Pitts, I think he's fine, but he sat out with an ankle thing like, Mooney's not healthy. This offense isn't healthy at all. And God, we were talking earlier about the NFL is like a week by week league narrative wise. Dude, the Falcons have been all over the place. They started the season kind of like, I don't know. Then they lose 30 to 0 to the fucking Panthers and everyone's like, this team's cooked. Then they go win too straight and they beat the Bills and everyone's like, the Falcons actually are awesome. Yeah. And then they go lose to the Niners and get shit on by the Dolphins. Everyone's like, actually the Falcons suck again.
Craig Rolbeck
The last of the Dolphins is the most like, what the fuck are you guys? What are you. What what what what? What's your deal?
Danny Kelly
It completely put the Kirk Cousins thing to rest. At least like we know now that he's not.
Craig Rolbeck
Kirk wants to go somewhere and be a starter.
Dan Heifetz
Craig, I think to your point though, Craig, if like when I look at the Falcons injury report and again it's, you never know the injuries. But when I read these names, the people you listed are all like their highest drafted or best players like Drake London and Kyle Pitts and Michael Pennix. Like losing Caleb McGarry at right tackle which because Pennix is a lefty is left tackle, blindside Jesse Bates. Like those are their best players that are. That are banged up. Other than Bijan, the best players are hurt. The T and even Jake Matthews coming back at left tackle. Like, he's back. But I don't think he's 100% either. So it's not smart.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm gonna. This is he. This is not high stakes, but it's starting to annoy me. The Darnell Mooney stuff. Until Darnell Mooney into the year, I was like, he's a good sleeper. I'm excited to have. I drafted him a couple teams. Obviously I know he's been hurt.
Danny Kelly
He's clearly not healthy.
Craig Rolbeck
Right. But it's starting to piss me off a little bit. Like, let's see something. Maybe this is the week week when.
Dan Heifetz
Guys have two different injuries and haven't done anything. Like I just can't I just give up?
Craig Rolbeck
No, I know it's, it's injury related but still it's just, it's been, it's been frustrating experience.
Dan Heifetz
Oh no, no. I'm mad at him too.
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
Blame him if you want. Other, the other games here are not as interesting, even a little. I think the early one is actually really interesting. Like the four box here is clearly Colts, Steelers, Vikings, Lions, Bears, you know, Broncos, Texans and then, you know, whatever the other teams you want to watch are. But then, but the, I mean, Panthers, packers, packers are favored by 13 and a half. I don't think there's much to say here. Like I the packers should fucking rock them and if they don't, it's a little embarrassing.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, this is not much of a a real life game probably in terms of like who we think is going to win. It's more of a fantasy thing, I think. Here's the question. Rico Dowdle versus Chuba Hubbard. It's going to be very interesting to see how this shakes out the rest of the season. If you don't remember or if you haven't been paying attention. Rico Daddle had two straight 30 plus point games in fantasy and then Chuba Hubbard came back from that injury that he had and sort of assumed the starting job again. It was like one of those things where I think the team was just veteran deference. You're going to come back in, you're not going to lose your job to an injury, whatever. But over the last two games, Dowdle has been far, far better than Chuba Hubbard and I think we're going to see that kind of shift back to Rico after this. Dave Canal is, he didn't say it outright, but he strongly hinted that Rico Dowdle is going to be the starter going forward. He said all this stuff about like how much Tube has meant to the organization. They really respect him. They wanted him to get, they wanted to give him a chance to get back in there and prove he's still starter caliber or whatever. But I think in terms of fantasy, the interesting storyline here is going to be how much does Rico Dowdle play versus Chuba Hubbard? I think he's going to play a lot more. So obviously it's a, it's a tough matchup against Green Bay and you probably shouldn't judge anything too much this week about what happens there. But going forward, Rico Doddle I think has a lot more value. The other thing I wanted to bring up about this game was that Jordan Love, he's quietly been having like a superstar season, but he never feels like a star to me. You know what I mean? Like people don't talk about him like he's a superstar or he maybe isn't viewed like a superstar. Do you guys think, do you agree with that statement?
Danny Kelly
I think Jordan Love hasn't really had like that moment yet in playoffs.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah. Because if you look at the stats, if you hadn't been paying attention to the stats or whatever, I feel like you would have expected that Love was having sort of an up and down season. He's, he's been awesome. He has 13 touchdowns, two picks, 113 pass rating, which is fourth best. He's second only to Daniel Jones and EPA for drop back third adjusted yards per attempt. I could go on the fourth in success rate and right now he's fifth in odds for MVP. But I just wanted to give him a little bit of credit because I feel like we haven't really talked about him that much this year and he's been really nails for, for almost the entire season.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, I think he's a little bit of. I remember when they almost beat the packers in that playoff game and I. And Love was good in that game and I remember, I mean, sorry. They almost beat the Niners in that playoff game in 2024 January. And I remember thinking like if, if he does this, Jordan Love is now at the next level and I honestly just think they need to string together like a couple good wins in the playoffs for people to believe that he's in the new tier.
Craig Rolbeck
Right.
Danny Kelly
Because they haven't really done that. They haven't really been good in the playoffs with him.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, I totally agree with that. He's also just a little bit quiet and reserved. He doesn't have, it doesn't feel like he has big on field personality and maybe that's hurting him a little bit too. Just he's kind of even keel, which is probably really good for being a quarterback. But I can't remember him like freaking out on anybody like talk, you know what I mean? Like, you just haven't really seen that that side of him.
Dan Heifetz
Brian Dable freaks out of people and you guys don't want like him.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm not saying that he should start doing that. I'm just saying like that's maybe why people don't talk about him as much.
Dan Heifetz
The Chargers are at Tennessee this week. I, I mean honestly, I saw this. Chargers are favorite to win by nine and a half and my honest first thought was like that's not enough.
Danny Kelly
I just. More in general, the favors The Favorites have been kicking the, out of, out of the underdogs for the last two weeks. And there's a lot of spreads this week that you're looking at all the, the favorites. And you're like, they're gonna win again, aren't they?
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, I, the, the Titans are. I actually, it's always dangerous to say this about teams because they win immediately after you say stuff like this. And every team, no matter how bad, always wins a game or two more than you think. But when I watch the Titans, I honestly am like, I don't think they'll win another game this season. I, I really. And I know they always, it always happens, tanking.
Craig Rolbeck
They're trading, they're trading away some of their players that are going to be free agents, all that stuff.
Dan Heifetz
The jets beat the Rams when they were like 20 point underdogs to get out of getting Trevor Lawrence at quarterback. Like it always happens no matter how bad the team is. However, every single Charger is live to me and I know that, you know, the charges might run. Kymani Vidal, obviously at running back. Great week last week versus Minnesota. I just. He's going to get the ball a lot. All the. Literally. I think you can play Herbert Keenan Allen, lad, Quentin Johnson and Aranda Gadsden. Gadsden's been amazing and I know that's a lot of passing for a game that won't be close. I don't care because I think the Stars are going to score 30 points in this game, maybe 40.
Danny Kelly
Yeah. This is week two of Joel being back. 10 days rest.
Craig Rolbeck
I will point out that over the last month the Chargers passing game has kind of leveled out to where we thought it would be at the beginning of the year. Lad McConkey in the last four games. So since week five is the wide receiver eight in points per game, he has a 27 target rate. So that has worked out exactly like I thought it would. I just want to point that out. I love lad. Don't, don't keep, keep your Lad's name out of your mouth.
Dan Heifetz
That was not directed at you, Craig.
Craig Rolbeck
Keenan Allen, calm down, is second on that. He's got a 24 target rate in that in the last four games. Quentin Johnson has fallen to wide receiver 73 in the last four games.
Danny Kelly
Wide receiver 8 over the last four weeks.
Craig Rolbeck
Unless I entered it incorrectly. Maybe you should check my math on that. But yeah, he's averaged 15 points per game in the last four weeks. And I think the problem for Quentin Johnson is not necessarily lad. It's a Ronde Gadsden who has come in and absolutely frickin taken over. He's been incredible over the last two weeks. He has a 30% target rate like Rhonda Gadson is an actual revelation. I think, you know, in the dynasty streets he's moved up to the top 10 in dynasty among tight ends, maybe even higher. It's like top seven or something. So obviously the Aronda Gadsden emergence has hurt. There's just, you know, there's only so many targets to go around and the way that it's kind of shaken out over the last month, he's just kind of. Quinn Johnson's kind of been the forgotten.
Dan Heifetz
Man ranked as a top eight tight end this week.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, you're right about lad.
Craig Rolbeck
So we'll see how this goes going forward obviously. But it. I would say I'd be a little worried to start Quentin Johnson just based on what he's done in the last.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, no, he's also not five points from. He's not healthy.
Craig Rolbeck
But yeah, Gadsden, I feel like we haven't talked about him. He's pretty incredible. He's like a former receiver, went and played tight end at Syracuse, you know, he's undersized but good route runner shown good hands, ability to get open over the middle of field.
Danny Kelly
Unless you're completely desperate. Do you play anybody on the Titans?
Dan Heifetz
No.
Danny Kelly
No, right?
Craig Rolbeck
Probably not. I mean you could make an argument that one of the running backs, if.
Dan Heifetz
You'Re desperate, you play them if you have to. But if you have to, that's bad, right?
Craig Rolbeck
Sure.
Dan Heifetz
Speaking of which, Jaguars are at the Raiders this week. This is another one where I think. I'm probably believe a little guys are banged up. But I mean the Raiders suck. So you would want to, if you have to be able to play Travis Hunter. I mean, I don't think you have to sit Brian Thomas. We'll see what I mean. He's questionable or whatever. Well, I think he's probably gonna end up playing. I think you play Brian Thomas. Travis Hunter is entirely up to you. I think ETn you play the Raiders, man, I think you're in between. You play Genty. Brock Bowers is back. That's the big one. I think you can play Brock Bowers. I would hold off on all the receivers, man. I think. I don't think Jacoby Myers on the team this time next week. I think Trey Tucker will be a bigger deal. I think Trey Tucker will be the number one receiver or I guess really Bowers will be number one and Tucker will be the number two guy in this team if Myers gets traded. But until then I would literally just play Genti and Bowers and I would play like ETN and Brian Thomas. I think Trevor Lawrence is a perfectly serviceable streamer quarterback this week because I think a lot of quarterbacks are. I mean there's a lot of bad quarterbacks playing this week between buys and a lot of injured quarterbacks are playing. A lot of healthy quarterbacks are on by but yeah, I don't want to watch this game.
Craig Rolbeck
I just want the Raiders to look like an NFL team.
Dan Heifetz
It was so cool for the three.
Craig Rolbeck
Months lowered the bar to just looking like an NFL team.
Danny Kelly
I also like I think I need the Jags to win by 20 to believe in the jack. I'm like I don't really get what like they beat the Chiefs and now they're three point favorite favorites against the Raiders. I'm like what the like what what happened here? I need the Jags to prove something like I don't care that you're in, like you're on the road. Like they need to go in and win this game handedly because the Raiders suck. Suck even if Bowers is back.
Dan Heifetz
I agree. Another game, another game is just not going to be competitive probably. The Saints are at the rams. Saints are one and seven. The same win by 14 and a half points. Yeah. Suspense. The Rattler's been benched. The Saints and coach Kellen Morris said Tyler Shuck will start rest of the season at quarterback. Happy 33rd birthday to rookie Tyler Shuck or whatever. However oldies so and then on the other side of the ring, Matt Stafford, fresh off throwing five touchdowns in London without Pukinakua, will now be getting Pukinakua back. And also Rob Havenstein, the right tackle is going to be back. I just, you know, this is similarly the I would be concerned if the Rams couldn't win this game by Is.
Craig Rolbeck
There any world in which the Rams play down to the Saints here or should we just bet this?
Dan Heifetz
No, I mean 14 and a half's a lot because you can beat the out of a team and they beat them by 14.
Craig Rolbeck
Backdoor cover.
Dan Heifetz
But yeah, yeah, like you could be up by 28 and then it's like bench everyone and the Saints get, you know, touched down at the end.
Danny Kelly
Also, the Saints are another pretty dire like fantasy environment. I Olave's been all right the last few games, but it's like Chimera is banged up. The Shaheed is like, like pretty hard to predict.
Dan Heifetz
He's hurt I, I would not play anyone. I think Chimera. Maybe we'll just get more passes from Shuck than Rattler. But honestly, man, we always say, I think some of the best advice we've ever given on the show is just a blanket policy of avoid situations where completing a pass feels like a goddamn miracle.
Danny Kelly
But it's hard, right, because you've probably been starting Camara all season or you're relying on him as your RB2. And it's like we always, we always say it's like good players and good. Or players on good teams. You want to start players on good teams. But it's like, okay, if you have Chimera or, I don't know, Prashard Smith is sitting on your bench just because he's on the Chiefs, it's like, well.
Dan Heifetz
No, but he's not. He's a rookie seventh round running back who was third string. That's probably not.
Danny Kelly
Or whatever. It's like, you know, you're looking at Aaron Jones or something and you're like.
Dan Heifetz
Well, yeah, Camaro, you probably don't have a better option. And Olavi's been getting a ton of targets, but new quarterback, you don't know. It's going to go like, I, I, yeah, it's not exciting. And honestly, I wouldn't play even Juwan Johnson. I'm like, I'm not excited to play Juwan Johnson. Maybe he does well, but I'm like, I just. This game's going to be horrific. Like, there's a chance the Saints get like six points in this entire game.
Craig Rolbeck
We're, we're recording this on Thursday morning. I think Shahid might get moved. There's so many. There's so much smoke around Shaheed being traded that it would be highly disappointing if he does not. Hopefully he goes somewhere good because I actually think he's a really talented player.
Dan Heifetz
But I mean, the Saints offense. Richard Ebar also had this stat when the Saints are on offense. Seven out of eight plays they've ran on offense this year has been while the Saints were losing.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
Which is just incredible when games start.00. That's just really like amazing Sunday football this week.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, yeah, by the way, my bad. They are as bad as everyone said. That's my bad. I got that wrong.
Danny Kelly
Oh yeah, your team. I forgot.
Craig Rolbeck
Your team.
Dan Heifetz
Not pointing at you, dk.
Craig Rolbeck
I was just trying to push back against the narrative. But you know what the narrative was, right?
Dan Heifetz
Sunday football. Your Seahawks, DK are here in Washington D.C. late over Maryland. Washington Commanders.
Craig Rolbeck
Close enough. Looks not Really, I don't actually know the job. Yeah, Jane Daniels will be back. It's looking like he's practicing in full. Terry McLaurin, however, will not be. He re injured his quad and was already declared out. I think he was declared out on Monday. So that doesn't look good for him. What do you, what, what do you guys make of Jaden Daniels this season? I think it's been. He has. He's actually been good. If you look at the numbers, he's been pretty Good. He has eight touchdowns, one pick, 97 passer rating. But this is kind of, I think a similar situation and he was hurt. So obviously that's a huge caveat or he's been hurt two times now. So that's a huge caveat. But as a guy that we came into the season thinking he was one of the most electric players in the NFL, he's been very quiet. I would just say that from like excitement point of view, he's been pretty quiet. So I'm excited. Hopefully, you know, from a non fan based thing, I want to see him start lighting it up again. Obviously wouldn't love it if against my Seahawks, but kind of want to see Jaden Daniels turn back into the Jane Daniels from last year.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, I mean I think it's like a com. I think it's three things. I think it's. I think he's played two games with Terry McLaurin this year. The offense has been banged up. I think he's hurt and has had two separate injuries in eight games. And you know, there's probably the natural baked in like second year things maybe take a slight step back and I think all those three things combined, I still think he's fantastic and will have a great career. I honestly just think the team is really banged up. The roster's. I mean everybody was kind of on this to be honest. It was like we were worried about his health. We talked about how thin he was and we were nervous about his ability to hold up in the season. We were worried about the roster and all of that is kind of like coming back to roost a little bit. And last year was a crazy outlier season for, for a variety of reasons.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, they went 12 and 5 last year. I kind of for you, you don't forget it because they were so fun to watch. But they are three and five now. I mean they've already lost the same amount of games as last year. They do rank 11th in defense in DVOA overall. So I still think this is a solid team. Fantasy wise. There's a couple of big questions here. We've mentioned this, but Bill Krusky, Merritt, I don't think you can start him. He, he's obviously a fun story. It's been a great nickname, but High.
Dan Heifetz
Fitz, not against Seattle. The Seattle defense, you can't run. The Seattle defense is underrated. I still don't understand why these six super bods are so low. I think the Seahawks are like the best team in the NFL that nobody really took seriously. Like people like, oh, they're good, but no one really talks about the Seoks.
Danny Kelly
It's because of San Diego. It's because we saw it last year with the Vikings. They're just the Vikings right now.
Dan Heifetz
The Seahawks defensive line is so much better than like every offensive line they play. And you see it every week where you're like just, just watch the line move. Like they just shut. Every individual player on the Seahawks defensive line is so good at. Just keep like, just moving people like. And I just. They have such an advantage. It's funny too because Mike McDonald's with the Seahawks. Like, you know, maybe there's a lot going on here because was he gonna go and work for Washington then? Also Dan Quinn, who's the coach of Washington, came from Seattle. And then you got Bobby Wagner, who's the middle linebacker for Washington. He's like a Seahawks inner circle ringer of honor guy, you know what I mean? Like Bobby Wagner, like borderline hall of Fame player, like just for the entire league, but probably frankly going to be super targeted in the passing game in this. That's why I like Edgy Barnard this week. In fantasy, if you're really desperate of like the odds that AJ Barna's good game are pretty solid for a guy that doesn't get the ball a ton just because Washington's so bad. But yeah, the defensive line, it's like Washington has the oldest roster in the NFL and they're hurt and it's like, yeah, defensive lines not impressive.
Craig Rolbeck
They just like, yeah, they're an interesting team for the Seahawks. We again, tough, tough committee running back situation here with Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker. Kent Walker hasn't really done much in the last couple of weeks or the season general because Charbonnet has 92% of the runs inside the five yard line. Sorry, 92% of the snaps inside the five yard line. He's not like doing anything really on the ground, but he gets all the touchdowns and that's kind of what matters for Charbonnet. So Walker, I mean, if you look at the numbers. He's way more explosive. He's averaging way more yards per carry. But at the end of the day, the Seahawks trust Charbonnet in the deep red zone. And that's probably not going to change. I mean, based on the numbers, that's not going to change. So you can start both these guys. I'm more honest, like, weirdly more confident starting Charbonne just because he's getting the goal line stuff, even though he hasn't really done anything outside the goal line stuff.
Danny Kelly
I feel like the NFL kind of overshot their wad with commander's primetime games. There's been a lot already. Like, they had a Thursday night game against the Packers. They had the Monday night game against Kansas City. They had the Monday night game against the Bears. They're playing Sunday night this week.
Dan Heifetz
Week.
Danny Kelly
They really thought, well, this is why.
Craig Rolbeck
All the rules they created this is.
Dan Heifetz
Why they created all the rules about protecting quarterbacks. Is that because they just retired of Marcus Mario and like, you'll never eliminate injuries, but this is why every now and then you watch the game and you're like, you can't land with your body weight on a quarterback.
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
God, this sport is what the. And then you. And then you watch Marcus Mario to play Monday Night Football versus Mahomes instead of Jen Daniels, and you're like, you know what? I see why they don't want body weight on quarterbacks. Like, this sucks.
Danny Kelly
I'm borderline ready to have them. Like, you have to pull the flag of the quarterback just so they can play.
Craig Rolbeck
Truly, we're truly not very far from that. Like, what. What we have now is like, not that it is.
Dan Heifetz
We don't give defenders credit for learning to just not land on the quarterback in like a year. Like, they just. It's so funny to watch them like, hit the quarterback now where it's like, hey, you need to be so violently aggressive that you could get around a left tackle with sheer physical force. And a 6, 7, 3, 30 guy, you're gonna bull rush to his ass and then tackle the quarterback. And then in the millisecond when you actually get your arms and he's knocking over at that point, turn your brain.
Craig Rolbeck
Off and get the off softly.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, yeah. Tackle him in a pillow. It's unbelievable. So I get it, though. God.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, it is. It is one of those things. I completely agree with you if it's because half of me is like, this is absolutely ridiculous. But then when you watched backup quarterbacks play, you're like, okay, you know What?
Dan Heifetz
Jake Browning's.
Danny Kelly
Maybe we shouldn't be able to tackle quarterbacks.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, it's also funny. You can't tackle them high, you can't tackle them low. You.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, my God.
Craig Rolbeck
Do both.
Dan Heifetz
They should land on them.
Craig Rolbeck
You can't hit them in the face.
Dan Heifetz
Those weird Steelers jerseys that are like yellow block with the black and yellow. It's kind of like that's almost like the strike zone. It's like there's just literally just nipple to belly buttons. The only place you can actually hit a quarterback and everywhere else is basically like a flag.
Danny Kelly
We didn't talk about. Speaking of those. We didn't talk about the packers jerseys this week.
Dan Heifetz
I know. Yes, that was an oversight. We should talk about the helmets.
Craig Rolbeck
Jerseys aren't the problem. Right. It's the helmets.
Danny Kelly
Well, the helmets are a painted on leather helmet.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah. It doesn't look good.
Danny Kelly
No.
Dan Heifetz
So Illinois started this. I think Illinois had this a couple years ago. Just definitely a college. And then. But yeah, it's. The packers are now going to wear. It's basically just a leather design on a helmet. I can't decide if this is really cool or really cringe.
Danny Kelly
No, I think it's. I think it's lame. I think it looks bad.
Craig Rolbeck
I agree. I agree.
Danny Kelly
I don't know what we're doing. Why are we picking all of the worst throwbacks?
Craig Rolbeck
I don't know what we're doing.
Dan Heifetz
I will say they're terrible at deciding the throwbacks.
Danny Kelly
The Steelers throwbacks were awful.
Dan Heifetz
Last week was good, though, because the Eagles wearing the Kelly green is great. The Bucks wearing the throwbacks is great.
Danny Kelly
The Seattle, sometimes they work.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah. But it's also not hard. Just do what everyone did in the 80s. Like, just only the 80s. You need, like, everyone, like Jersey 80s rocked.
Danny Kelly
I would like to nominate myself where every team should just send me a list of every jersey they've ever worn and I'll. I'll tell you which ones are the good ones to wear. And I'm. I'll be 100% right.
Craig Rolbeck
Every part. By the way, the Broncos. Speaking of this, the Broncos tweeted out a picture of all everybody getting excited about their throwback uniforms last week. And one of my tweets made that list, which was like, very weird.
Dan Heifetz
What are you talking about?
Craig Rolbeck
There's Broncos tweeted out something like, oh, we. Everyone loves the uniforms or something. And there was like tweets from like five or six different people.
Danny Kelly
The orange Crush uniforms. I like those. Those are cool.
Dan Heifetz
And you were one of them. Oh, my God. So you're doing Sean Payton propaganda.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm basically famous is what I'm saying. Yeah.
Danny Kelly
Did you guys see that the Broncos signed Mercedes Lewis to their practice squad?
Craig Rolbeck
He's 41.
Danny Kelly
Why, why'd they do that?
Dan Heifetz
He's like a locker. He's just a coach. Well, it's because Nate Atkins toys acl, so.
Danny Kelly
I know that. But it's like he's, he's not gonna play. I like, I guess it's just he's cool to have in the, in the room.
Craig Rolbeck
He probably will play.
Danny Kelly
You think he's gonna play?
Craig Rolbeck
Well, I don't think they would sign a 41 year old guy to be on the practice squad. This is kind of just how it happens now with like the practice squad rules is when you're, you're ramping a guy up, you sign up to the practice squad and then you elevate him. Him eventually. But you're right. If he, if he's just on the practice squad, that makes no sense.
Dan Heifetz
I, Yeah, I don't know. I think it's culture. And then also they just like they did lose a tight end this week, but I don't know, it's kind of.
Craig Rolbeck
Funny, just funny to think about said an insane career.
Dan Heifetz
The he's 41 to play in the NFL. Let's watch him just like be the number one tight end of fantasy this week. Monday Night Football this week is the Arizona Cardinals are at the Dallas Cowboys. It's Monday Night Football, so they don't need to put curtains up for the sun.
Danny Kelly
That's good. That's. Goodness, this game, actually this game might be more fun than it looks like it should be.
Dan Heifetz
I mean, God, if Kyler Murray can't move the ball on Dallas out of this, I mean, you know, Arizona really think about it kind of like super bowl contenders. Really. And so if Kyler can't, you know, there's probably going to be a lot of questions. If Kyler can't play well this week.
Craig Rolbeck
I feel more strongly about your take on this game than I do about the fight. Like, he's juggler sucks.
Danny Kelly
He's making fun of the JJ McCarthy thing.
Craig Rolbeck
No, I know. That's what I'm saying. I'm saying I actually believe Heifers has taken this game.
Danny Kelly
I don't think he has that take. I think he's just Jake joking and making fun of the J.J. mcCarthy thing. Right.
Craig Rolbeck
He's, he's self deprecating.
Danny Kelly
Do you think this is. I, I think he's joking completely. You don't think this is actually a narrative game for Kyler Murray.
Craig Rolbeck
No, that's what I'm saying. I do think it is.
Dan Heifetz
It will be. I don't actually think the Cardinals are super joking.
Craig Rolbeck
Ironically, I think this game does matter for Kyler Murray.
Dan Heifetz
It does in the fact that Cardinals don't get prime time a lot. And like prime time, for better or for worse, does just. It's kind of like a catch up for everyone. It's just like. It's just kind of like when you see your friends and you catch up on stuff, it's like everyone's like, oh, yeah, wait, Kyler, what's up with this guy? And the Dallas defense sucks. And if the Dallas defense plays well against Kyler, it'd be a huge ick.
Danny Kelly
This is, this is just. If Kyler plays well and this is a close gamer, they win. It's just delaying the inevitable.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, that's. It's one of those. If Kyler plays well, it does mean nothing to me. It's like it's a Cowboys defense. It's, you know, it's just her job, you know.
Danny Kelly
You know, for all the we've been given Brian Thomas Jr. This year for being one of the biggest busts of the season, somebody who we actually have really not discussed who is scoring the exact same amount of points per game as Brian Thomas is Marvin Harrison.
Dan Heifetz
Brian Thomas got more because Marvin went like two rounds later. But Marvin Harrison just has not even remotely lived up to being the top receiver. Taken in a class that's going to be one of the best receiver classes, like, ever.
Danny Kelly
Nine points a game. In Fantasies, the wide receiver, 41.
Craig Rolbeck
I am starting to get a little worried.
Danny Kelly
You're starting to get worried?
Dan Heifetz
Yeah. I think the joke we made the entire time is true in that just. His name is Marvin Harrison Jr. And if it was just Fred Harrison, son of Marvin Malik.
Craig Rolbeck
Fred Harris.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, Fred Harrison. Whose dad is Marvin. I. I did actually talk to someone about this. I do have information to who Secret source. The theory is that basically Marvin was just so technically skilled his whole life, he's never actually taken contact until he got to the NFL because his entire youth career, he just never actually was hit. No one could touch him in pee Wee. In middle school and high school football, no one could hit him. And then he got to Iowa State. No one really touched him at Ohio State either. And this is the first actual physical contact he's ever had. It was in the NFL last year.
Danny Kelly
Interesting.
Dan Heifetz
And then that's why he had to.
Danny Kelly
Put on all that Muscle.
Dan Heifetz
And I think yes. And I think that's the underlying thing. And what they were. The Cardinals were kind of trying to explain through. Through the media and the offseason saying, you know, it takes like non speed based guys to physicalize time to adjust to the league. I think what they were trying to say is Marvin hasn't had to play through guys who can keep up with him enough to fucking hit him.
Danny Kelly
Okay.
Dan Heifetz
And I know a lot of guys have that problem, but I'm just saying.
Danny Kelly
Like, isn't every fucking awesome NFL player have this exact same problem in high school and college?
Dan Heifetz
That's kind of what I said to these people. But it's a theory of someone that I respect.
Danny Kelly
Okay.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm just looking at his college stats because now I'm like, did I just miss this and think he was good just based on his name? Because I. I know we joke about that a lot, but I really don't think that was the case. He's. He had 2500 yards and 28 touchdowns in his last two seasons at Ohio State on a team with that was absolutely stacked at receiver. I'm like, he was good. He was good. He's just.
Dan Heifetz
I don't know.
Craig Rolbeck
He's definitely not been what we expected, clearly.
Danny Kelly
DK, do you think he'll ever be a top 10 wide receiver in fantasy in his career?
Craig Rolbeck
No. Now I'm like, definitely leaning. No. I think it clearly matters who the quarterback is. I think Kyler is a terrible fit.
Danny Kelly
For what he does for fantasy in this game. It's like Cowboys, you know, you're starting, you're starting everybody. Arizona, I guess you got to start Marvin because you probably don't have anybody else starting. Trey McBride has quite been good this year.
Craig Rolbeck
Yep.
Danny Kelly
Maybe Bam Knight, I guess against Dallas, you could.
Dan Heifetz
Of all the desperation options we were discussing.
Danny Kelly
Alvin Camara. Like, you could probably start Bam Night over Alvin.
Dan Heifetz
You could totally get away with it. Like. Like it seems.
Craig Rolbeck
Assuming they don't activate Benson, which I don't think is happening.
Dan Heifetz
No, I don't think he's eligible this week. Trey Benson. So I. It's one of those, like, that's the craziest thing you could do when you just say it out loud. That I'd be like, that's fine. Don't worry about it. Like, if you're gonna play, I'm gonna play Bam Night over Alvin Camara. Obviously that could go wrong, but that's like the weirdest sounding sentence that I wouldn't. That I would support you, because I get it. Because the Cardinals are probably going to score two to four more touchdowns than the Saints this week. All right. Anything else? Yeah, Kyler. It will be interest. It will just be nice to see Kyler. Like, frankly, Kylo had a month of us being like, jacoby Brissette looks better this offense. I'd like to see Kyler come out, be angry. Yeah, like, what's the. What's the. Oh, there's a pusha t line from the Pusha t Drake beef where he's like, I want to see what happens when you're angry. And I kind of want to see that with Kyler for once. Like, can we be. I want to see him angry. Yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
Anyway, he. That's the thing, though. He's like. He's the bad body language guy. Patrick Peterson, former teammate for Kyler, has come out in the media this week talking about how terrible his body language is and how bad of a leader he is.
Danny Kelly
What team is he on next year?
Dan Heifetz
That's really bad. What do you think? I don't think they can get out of it next year, but honestly, it'd be funny. He's perfect for, like, Miami vibes wise.
Danny Kelly
So you think he's starting week one next year for the Cardinals?
Dan Heifetz
Let me pull up his contract. I. That's a hard one to get out.
Craig Rolbeck
Of because also it's hard to trade, too.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah.
Danny Kelly
He would have to go.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, I don't know. So next year. Oh, my God. 50 million next year, 50 million. It might. Might be more.
Craig Rolbeck
What's Kurt Cousin.
Dan Heifetz
Actually, it's more doable than I thought.
Craig Rolbeck
This year because we. There is now a precedent of teams just eating the money.
Dan Heifetz
I think Kyler's more tradable than I thought, actually. I don't realize this.
Danny Kelly
I mean, like, I'm trying to think, could he be on the.
Dan Heifetz
He's movable. Christ, what's the point?
Danny Kelly
Could he be on the Raiders? He feels like a Raider.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, Pete. Pete Carroll getting another quarterback aging into immobility. Well, they already.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, they already owe Gino a bunch of money.
Danny Kelly
Could he be on the.
Dan Heifetz
No, The Geno thing is not that.
Craig Rolbeck
They can get out of that, though.
Danny Kelly
Did he be on the Steelers? Oh, I'd hate that.
Dan Heifetz
He would. No, he's not.
Craig Rolbeck
I want that for you, Mike.
Dan Heifetz
Donald believes in big.
Danny Kelly
Where's he gonna go?
Dan Heifetz
That's a. So. Well, I think Arizona keeps them. What's their best option? If you. If you. I was gonna say if you told me he's on. If you're coming back from the past Past. And you're like, he's on a different quarter team next year.
Craig Rolbeck
Jets.
Dan Heifetz
I was just gonna say, I don't know. Aaron Glenn seems like another I believe in big people thing. No, it's body language culture. Kyler's everything. The Lions, that Aaron Glenn. Lions people are against.
Danny Kelly
Saints. Saints.
Craig Rolbeck
What about the Saints?
Danny Kelly
He is a saint.
Craig Rolbeck
Wow.
Dan Heifetz
Tyler on the Saints.
Danny Kelly
That feels right, that I feel like Kellen Moore is like, I can fix him.
Dan Heifetz
Tyler's gonna watch. Yeah. He's gonna watch Tyler shuck and be like, we need Kyle can work with this.
Danny Kelly
That's pretty good.
Craig Rolbeck
I don't know if they have enough money, but Vikings.
Dan Heifetz
When JJ McCarthy loses the Lions this week, Kyler's on. What about Kyler's on the Vikings next week after J.J. mcCarthy loses the lines.
Danny Kelly
It's just. It's. They just swap quarterbacks. You swap. Who says no?
Dan Heifetz
If that happens, who says no?
Craig Rolbeck
Who says no? They just stare, Craig. They just stare at each other.
Danny Kelly
I mean, don't you. You think both fan bases would be like, yes.
Craig Rolbeck
Viking.
Dan Heifetz
You know, it's funny. If Kyler plays.
Craig Rolbeck
I don't think they've turned. I don't think they've turned on JJ Yet.
Danny Kelly
Well, hiit says, yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
Well, yeah.
Danny Kelly
Hypit.
Craig Rolbeck
Would you.
Danny Kelly
Would you take Kyler Murray right now over J.J. mcCarthy? Good question, dude.
Dan Heifetz
I think I really don't believe in Kyler. Part of me is like, if Kevin OConnell could fix Kyler's like, the. The same way Ben Johnson's working on the Caleb stuff with. Because, again, the first thing Ben Johnson talked to Caleb about wasn't really football. It was. No. The first thing Ben Johnson said. Caleb, no. Palms up. Yeah. Like, it's weakness. Like, don't look like you don't know what you're doing to your teammates. As if you're looking at your teammates like, why don't we know we're on the same page? He's like, what a horrible message to send. Take responsibility. If Kevin o' Connell could drill those kinds of things into Kyler and get through to him in a way that, like, part of me's like, maybe I would do it. But it's funny because there's gonna be a window if JJ McCarthy sucks ass on Sunday and you asked me before Monday Night Football, I'd be like, yeah, maybe.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah. So anyway, this is a do or die game for Kyler. Big implications.
Dan Heifetz
Also, Kyler, having never lost in this building, is going to be the new Clayton Kershaw played.
Danny Kelly
I think that stat is so dumb.
Craig Rolbeck
Is that true?
Danny Kelly
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
Well, just because he played a lot there in high school. Well, it really is.
Danny Kelly
Every player won every. All these guys won every game in high school. High school.
Dan Heifetz
Well, no, no, no, no. It's. Kyler Murray's the best. Kyler Murray's the best football player in the history of high school. Texas high school football.
Danny Kelly
I know.
Craig Rolbeck
It's just funny to imagine an NFL quarterback having, like, an O&12 team in high school.
Danny Kelly
Right. Really? Is Trevor Lawrence losing in heist? None of these guys lose. They're number one overall.
Dan Heifetz
No, but Kyler Murray went 400 and for, like, in the highest. Like, I think what is right, though.
Craig Rolbeck
He, like, didn't really lose until I got to the NFL.
Danny Kelly
No, I know, I know. That's, like, the thing with Kyler, but.
Dan Heifetz
I'm like, well, going ninth in baseball.
Danny Kelly
Ball, all the other guys lost, like, once or twice, and he lost zero times. And that's the big difference.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, well, it's the highest.
Craig Rolbeck
All these five stars have, like, lore.
Dan Heifetz
I think that the more interesting part is that the culture of high school Texas football is even crazier than you think. And this thing I always think about with Kyler is that when he played at that StubHub center, the Chargers were in that. Remember the Chargers between stadiums, San Diego and LA, they had to play this the first year in 2019, they played in a soccer stadium.
Danny Kelly
They were in Carson.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, in Carson, California. And I remember the capacity was like. I went there and it was like, 19,000 people. And Kyler Murray's high school at Allen, Texas, had, like, their. Kyler had played multiple high school games in front of larger crowds than when the Arizona Cardinals played against the Chargers. And I was so blown away by the fact that Kyler Murray walks into an NFL stadium this Chargers game, and he was like. He played in front of a larger crowd when he was 14 years old, which I just think is hilarious. So that, to me, is the thing. It's like he was playing in the stadium when he's 14. Like, that's the fucking. As the quarterback. And he won anyway.
Craig Rolbeck
Was he the same size back then?
Danny Kelly
Even smaller, if you can believe that.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, my God.
Craig Rolbeck
I can't.
Dan Heifetz
Ringer107. Today's Ringer107 is brought to you by fandom. We're doing this ringer contest where we're competing against all the other pods. Gotta plug that. We're first in this contest right now, because I don't know what's gonna happen again.
Craig Rolbeck
Let's yeah.
Danny Kelly
So while we're here, I should. I'm definitely gonna text the group and ask to change a pick again.
Dan Heifetz
That's funny. Just do that every week. Just do that every week. That'd be great. Yeah. We asked to change the Ravens pick last week when Lamar got hurt. And then we was out and then.
Craig Rolbeck
And then we lambasted.
Danny Kelly
So again, you guys co signed.
Craig Rolbeck
I didn't say anything. Right.
Danny Kelly
You did.
Craig Rolbeck
I. I wrote and then deleted a text because I figured if you wanted to do it, go for it. But I was like, I was gonna write, like, there's absolutely no way that they're going to change.
Danny Kelly
That would have been nice for you to say. And then hyperth is like, yeah, I regret.
Dan Heifetz
I. That was also my first thought and I wish I was.
Craig Rolbeck
That I was busy at the time. And then I. And by the time I looked again at my phone, it already happened.
Dan Heifetz
I was also busy and I responded in the middle of doing something else. And I. I wish I just had.
Craig Rolbeck
Just too busy. I carried on my life.
Danny Kelly
We were also busy. We don't ever text very often. Yeah, I get it. That's totally fine.
Craig Rolbeck
This week I think we should definitely text again.
Dan Heifetz
Things I want to.
Danny Kelly
Every week.
Dan Heifetz
Things I want. Yeah, we should do the game. Things I want. I want to take Colts favor to win by three of the Steelers. Just continue our principle of just betting on the Colts no matter what. Also kind of want to bet against the chart. The Titans, no matter what, charges give you nine and a half. And I'm like, I just kind of want to see the Charges beat the Titans by 10. That feels super doable.
Danny Kelly
I think I agree with both of these lines.
Dan Heifetz
What about eight and a half? Just be or.
Craig Rolbeck
Yes.
Dan Heifetz
Since we all so agree. JJ McCarthy sucks. Obviously.
Danny Kelly
I kind of agree with that. This is terrifying. These are huge favorites. But I agree. I think. I think New England. New England.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, I wouldn't do that too. New England. Yeah. New England.
Danny Kelly
New England is minus five and a half against the Falcons. Dk, how many passing touchdowns do you think the Falcons have this year?
Craig Rolbeck
Who? Four?
Danny Kelly
They have five. So that we're headed into week nine. The Falcons, Michael Penix and Drake London, they have five passing touchdowns, which is dead last in the league, tied with the Titans.
Dan Heifetz
There's also great.
Craig Rolbeck
Brutal.
Dan Heifetz
I know I should say his name all the time, but Richard Rebar has amazing previews of these games. Highly recommend his work. And another one that just blew my mind was that in situations of third and five or more, which is the quick and Dirty way to tell you everything you need to know about a quarterback. Michael Penix is the lowest completion percentage in the NFL. It's under 50. It's an Anthony Richardson esque completion percentage of 35 or longer. And he's hurt against the Mike Vrabel defense that I, I just. Yeah, let's bet against that.
Craig Rolbeck
I got an interesting one. We could take the Bears minus three and then when Joe Flacco ends up starting, Craig can text the group and say, hey, can we have this one back? Because if it's Browning, this is a great line for us.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, yeah.
Craig Rolbeck
But if it's Flacco, it's not. So there's that.
Dan Heifetz
That's really funny.
Craig Rolbeck
If you really want to commit to the bit and I still want to.
Dan Heifetz
Do shoot, we could do that. That would be really funny.
Danny Kelly
God.
Dan Heifetz
Do we go for the bit or do we go for the win?
Craig Rolbeck
I don't know. I feel like first we should maybe just actually try and win.
Dan Heifetz
Rams -14 and a half is so many points. But I'm like, that's one of the. That's. The Rams could win the super bowl and the Saints could get the first pick. And part of me is like, just take Sean McVay against the Saints and Chiefs giving one and a half. I agree. I almost don't want to do chief spills. Like, I don't want to do it either. I, yeah, I don't want to be Niners, Giants.
Danny Kelly
Do we think the Bears can.
Craig Rolbeck
Do we think the Bears could beat Flacco? Is such a question.
Danny Kelly
Can the Bears be Flacco by 4? Seriously though, can they?
Craig Rolbeck
I don't know.
Dan Heifetz
I mean, Caleb by three.
Danny Kelly
We need to win by three.
Dan Heifetz
If the Bears can't put up 28 on the Bengals, it's a concern turn. It'd be funny to get her every time there's an injury update from this game. Roman Dunes is going to play with the seal entry. Like, can we change back?
Danny Kelly
I just keep asking.
Dan Heifetz
They let us change. We go back and forth.
Danny Kelly
I don't know. I could be talked into the Rams. I guess I could be. I could be talked and I got Rams or Bears.
Dan Heifetz
I guess it's kind of funny to just keep laying favorites until we lose and everyone's gonna try to be like, this is the week for the underdogs and like eventually we'll go 05. Like eventually we will go on 5. Just laying giant spreads. But it'd be funny to just kind of ride it the whole year.
Danny Kelly
All right, do we want to do The Bears thing because of the bit.
Dan Heifetz
Bears thing for. The bit's funny.
Danny Kelly
Or the rams winning by 15 or more.
Dan Heifetz
You know what's funny about the Bears thing with the bit? I kind of want to do it because Trey Hendrickson, I feel like it's not going to play for the Bengals this week. The Bear. The Bengals defense is horrific. I think the Bears, like.
Craig Rolbeck
I think Browning plays. I love this.
Danny Kelly
I don't know about. Yeah, true. I mean, we probably should just in.
Craig Rolbeck
Case Brown also, He has a shoulder injury with his. It's his. It's his throwing shoulder. Is that right?
Danny Kelly
Yes.
Dan Heifetz
If. If the legend of Flacco continues where he has a throwing shoulder injury and still racks up wins.
Craig Rolbeck
If you. If you lose to Flacco, then you just have to be like, you know what? Respect. I accept it.
Danny Kelly
We lost to the goat.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah. Oh.
Danny Kelly
Actually, so. I'm sorry. The. So Bill sent us the lines. The line has moved. So the Bears are now favored by only two and a half. But they. They were favored by three. So we have to take three.
Dan Heifetz
What do you mean?
Craig Rolbeck
Right.
Danny Kelly
Because Bill sends the screenshots of the lines. We have to take it based off what Bill sent. So the Bears are favored by three according to Bill, even though the line has now moved to two and a half. So we. We have to take three, which means they need to win by four now.
Dan Heifetz
So we just can't have a situation where the Bears need to kick a game winning field goal. We win by more than gaming field.
Danny Kelly
Which, I mean, that's the biggest swing in gambling is probably the two and a half to three. Does that change anything?
Dan Heifetz
The bit's still pretty funny. I call it.
Danny Kelly
Okay.
Craig Rolbeck
Sure. I like, basically just want Craig to do that text.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, me too. It's so funny.
Dan Heifetz
Fuck it.
Danny Kelly
I'm gonna do it every week, I think.
Dan Heifetz
Do it.
Danny Kelly
Okay.
Craig Rolbeck
All right. Locked in.
Danny Kelly
I'm gonna earnestly ask it too. I'm gonna say, hey, I know I did this last week, but I'm like, but I guess it doesn't make sense if we're taking the Bears. Why would Flacco being benched? That doesn't make any sense. Sense.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, no. We need to take the Bengals to.
Danny Kelly
Do it, which I don't want to do.
Dan Heifetz
No.
Danny Kelly
I can just still find something to send.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, you can say you basically you can say, we liked the Bears when they were starting, when the Bengals were starting Browning. Now that Flacco is starting, we don't like them as much.
Danny Kelly
I guess we could do that if Flacco is named the starter. I could do that.
Craig Rolbeck
Yes. That's what I'm saying.
Dan Heifetz
Okay, that's pretty funny. Oh, fuck it. Let's just do it.
Danny Kelly
All right. Pat's lines. Colts, Chargers, Bears.
Craig Rolbeck
All.
Danny Kelly
All favorites.
Dan Heifetz
It's incredible.
Danny Kelly
Great.
Craig Rolbeck
What could go wrong? All right.
Dan Heifetz
Last thing I want to say in this episode before we get out of here. An email. Well, first, I'm sorry today that today's Ringer 107 was brought to you by FanDuel. Odd subject to change.
Craig Rolbeck
And we're going.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah. Pat's lines culture.
Danny Kelly
As we saw the odds. The odds changed.
Dan Heifetz
The odds changed.
Craig Rolbeck
There we go.
Dan Heifetz
Wrote it. So I just needed to talk to you guys about. We have had a lot of fun this year with workplace platforms. Two workplace platforms in a lie.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, Jam was. Joe Flacco was at practice today.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, yeah.
Danny Kelly
He's gonna play.
Craig Rolbeck
Damn it.
Dan Heifetz
Well, let's not lock. Let's just change it.
Danny Kelly
Then we can.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, we can still change it.
Danny Kelly
Do we? Okay.
Craig Rolbeck
Sorry, dude. I didn't mean to ruin the. The flow there.
Danny Kelly
So we're.
Craig Rolbeck
How afraid are we participating when we're watching these games?
Dan Heifetz
Aren't we gonna be like, I wish we just laid Sean McVeigh in to do better than two touchdowns against Tyler Shuck?
Craig Rolbeck
Probably.
Dan Heifetz
Let's just do it. Stafford threw five goddamn touchdowns last week.
Danny Kelly
Two weeks ago without Puka.
Dan Heifetz
Puka's back. Just take the Rams. Take the money.
Craig Rolbeck
Wow.
Danny Kelly
Jesus.
Dan Heifetz
If this goes. I know that the way I just yelled at all confidently is definitely how we're gonna. Like the Saints are gonna beat the Rams or whatever, but I kind of just think the. I just think the Rams are gonna kick the. Out of the Saints.
Craig Rolbeck
Wow. Okay. Let's do it.
Danny Kelly
Sure. Who cares?
Dan Heifetz
Tyler Shuck beat me. All right. Screw it. But yeah. So jamf. We. Jamf was, I think, probably the best.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, no, that's not a person. Okay.
Dan Heifetz
Probably our jamf. Jamf of the workplace platforms. And so shout out to Mike, who emailed us or posted M Bone. Mike sent us a story from Reuters that sources. Francisco Partners is in talks to acquire jamf, which provides remote device management tools. Taking it private. JAMF has a market cap of one and a half billion dollars.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah, I was gonna say. Are they just, like, billionaires now?
Dan Heifetz
Good God, yes.
Craig Rolbeck
I can't believe that. Why don't we start platform.
Dan Heifetz
I can't believe we don't. We.
Danny Kelly
We can already come up with the name.
Craig Rolbeck
Easiest thing that we could do.
Danny Kelly
Yeah. Ready? Here we go. Fleem.
Craig Rolbeck
Done.
Dan Heifetz
I would like $1 billion. Please work.
Danny Kelly
Bork. Done.
Dan Heifetz
Bork. God, dude, I can't believe we missed out on this fucking.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, I gotta log into Bork. I gotta log into my pay stubs.
Danny Kelly
We help with software. Software efficiency maximizing company. Done. We will help you organize your documents.
Dan Heifetz
We have to. Someone sent in a good. A good one of like AI, like AI platforms in a lie and like all the descriptions of what companies are saying that their AI companies do. It's pretty great.
Danny Kelly
Do you guys think if like one day one of us has to miss a show, we should just have like a straight up AI bot just replace us and see how that goes? Just for the day.
Dan Heifetz
We could.
Craig Rolbeck
Austin's just like entering prompts in the background.
Dan Heifetz
We did that once with you, Craig. Your. Your video cut out and we couldn't fix it for 20 minutes. So we actually just. I don't think you do this till I told you this like three weeks ago. But Jesse and I had to fix it at the end of a show and I was like, yeah, I was like, I've always back pocket wanted to just, you know, A.J. hawk on the McAfee show just sits there, smokes a cigar, doesn't say anything for hours at a time. And we just took a 20 minute video looping of AJ Hawk sitting there smoking a cigar and put that over your video. For the end of a video.
Danny Kelly
There's a really good Onion article that says AJ Hawk dead. Dead for three days before anyone notices on the Path McAfee show. And it's just, it's like, it's like decaying body on air.
Dan Heifetz
Dude, that guy just smokes a cigar, just like goes on at a Zoom meeting, doesn't say anything. It just. I don't want to know how much.
Danny Kelly
Money you think we could start smoking cigars on the show and anybody would.
Dan Heifetz
Say anything to us, like people work here or.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, would like Bill or somebody be like, hey, what are you doing?
Craig Rolbeck
What's with the cigar?
Danny Kelly
I do think that's good.
Dan Heifetz
Try. Should we superimpose one of you with AJ Hawk right now?
Danny Kelly
I think honestly, Bill probably would have less of an issue with it than Liz, who'd be like, hey, you're stinking up the joint.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, right.
Danny Kelly
We did that one time in college, Chris and I, we were roommates, sophomore and junior year. And we for some reason one year in our room, we shared a room, we were like, we're going to sit down and do the over unders for the NFL season. We're going to pick who's Basically, what Bill and Sal do, we're like, we're going to do that. We closed the door, we set up a little table, and we smoked cigars. I don't smoke cigars. I don't think I had ever smoked. We smoked an entire cigar each and literally for the next six months. Our room smelled. Reeked of cigar. All of our clothes. It was a disaster.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, that's good.
Danny Kelly
Which just goes to show that being 20 is the funniest age ever, because you just do the dumbest shit.
Dan Heifetz
That's incredible.
Craig Rolbeck
Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
I'll take cigar stories. Emails for your fantasy football at Gmail. You got good cigar stories. Shout out Jackson Bevins or Cigar Thoughts, if you will.
Craig Rolbeck
Jackson. Jackson. I was sucking a shield. He went on Shield show the ringer.
Danny Kelly
He's. He's kind of the A.J. hawk of our. Of the people, but he talks.
Dan Heifetz
He does speak. I. I went on his show and I did a show called Cigar Thoughts to talk about the Giants, and I don't have any cigars, so just, like, lit up a cigarette and I just smoked a cigarette. He's like, you want to know about the Giants, So shout out Jackson.
Craig Rolbeck
One of my favorite. I have it saved on my desktop.
Dan Heifetz
Oh, you. We have a picture of you. We got to throw that. Can we throw that picture on the Instagram? Dk, we. An incredible photo of you with an earring.
Craig Rolbeck
Speaking of the age of 20 being.
Dan Heifetz
The funniest, you might have to throw that picture up.
Danny Kelly
DK told us that he had an earring in his early 20s, and he. He f. He dug up a photo and sent it to us.
Dan Heifetz
We'll put both these on the Instagram.
Danny Kelly
He looks like the most chill surfer, bro. Dude who wants to just, like, rip bong hits and ride the waves.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah, you said.
Craig Rolbeck
Just loves crushing PBRs. It's pretty accurate.
Dan Heifetz
DK, can we put this on the Instagram?
Craig Rolbeck
Sure.
Dan Heifetz
Okay. We're looking on the Instagram. Go to the Instagram and look up this photo of dk.
Craig Rolbeck
Father Time has a way with us all. Craig.
Danny Kelly
Dk. What? What would you. You still look good, dk.
Craig Rolbeck
Well, thank you. Thank you.
Danny Kelly
That. That age, that Danny Kelly, what was he doing on a Saturday?
Craig Rolbeck
Wakeboarding. Yeah.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah. That's sick.
Craig Rolbeck
Where crushing PBRs. Lake Wacom.
Dan Heifetz
Yeah.
Danny Kelly
That's awesome.
Dan Heifetz
The gorge in St. George Washington.
Craig Rolbeck
At the gorge.
Dan Heifetz
Thank you, DK. Thank you. I know. I got it. Thank you. Thank you, Ron. Thank you, Carlos. Thank you, Kai. Thank you, Austin. Thank you for listening.
Danny Kelly
St. George is DK's dog.
Dan Heifetz
Thank you, Lord.
Craig Rolbeck
Lord. Oh, God, thank you.
Danny Kelly
I love when he's not prepped, Lord. Oh, we've done.
Craig Rolbeck
We've done that a lot.
Danny Kelly
Lord is on tour. My friend just saw her in San Francisco, said she was awesome.
Craig Rolbeck
Nice. Did you guys. This is a hard change. Do you want to know the. The results for the poll on the Craig and Heifetz battle?
Dan Heifetz
Oh, yeah, sure.
Danny Kelly
I gotta say, one of the most confusing polls we've ever put up. This was the poll. It said. It said unnecessary or unhinged question mark. And you just had to vote Craig.
Craig Rolbeck
Or was this unnecessary or unhinged? Vote for Craig.
Danny Kelly
Or hyphens.
Craig Rolbeck
But.
Dan Heifetz
But ultimately, I think people.
Craig Rolbeck
Obviously, the poll ended up there's. Right now, there's almost 1900 responses, which is a good.
Danny Kelly
Pretty good.
Craig Rolbeck
Craig is in the lead 60 to 40. 40% of people are in high fit, which I think is shocking.
Danny Kelly
I. I'm happy I won. I wasn't surprised. But I do think that. But without context, you. You lean. I can see why haven't got 40% of the vote. If you listen to the episode, it might be different.
Craig Rolbeck
We don't need to start this conversation. I just wanted to give you the results and then let it lie.
Danny Kelly
I. I was confident I was going to get the dub. I'll just.
Dan Heifetz
I'm just perfectly. If you feel like 6040 is definitive.
Craig Rolbeck
I'm perfectly. We. This was like. We have 150 comments on this.
Danny Kelly
I got 60. 40. That's a. That's a win.
Craig Rolbeck
All right. Does it. He doesn't want to. He doesn't want to let this lie. No, he just.
Dan Heifetz
I'm not the one who brought it up.
Craig Rolbeck
Look at him. He's. I didn't bring it up to say something. I. I brought it up. The people wanted to know.
Danny Kelly
Yeah, look, I felt good about going in. Got the win.
Craig Rolbeck
All right. Anyway, that's all. That's all I had to say about that. I like being impartial. 3rd observer.
Danny Kelly
I know DK's happy when he's not in the back.
Craig Rolbeck
Oh, my God, I want to live this life forever. I don't ever want to get in an argument with heifers again.
Danny Kelly
I know it sucks. It's why I loved doing, like, being the one second song challenge host because, like, you guys got in an argument about the idea of even doing it together. And I was like, so this is great. Like, being the host sounds beautiful.
Craig Rolbeck
If you watch the video, Craig is just having the time of.
Danny Kelly
I'm just rolling around in the mud. I'm having a blast.
Craig Rolbeck
If it hasn't said anything for 90 seconds, I'm getting a little nervous. But we can. Yeah, we can. We can keep doing the one second song challenge. That was really fun. Hyphens and I actually didn't get in a huge fight, which was nice.
Danny Kelly
I think it's probably because you won big.
Craig Rolbeck
Well, correct. Well, you could argue I didn't win.
Danny Kelly
Big, but yeah, he did come back. Kind of a 6040 win, which I guess is not a win.
Craig Rolbeck
I still hasn't said anything.
Dan Heifetz
I do have one thing to say.
Danny Kelly
Oh God, what?
Dan Heifetz
Goodbye, everyone. Must be 21 + in present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 + in present in D.C. kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem, call 1-800-Gambler or visit rg-help.com, call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org chat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8-HOPE NY or text Hopeny in New York.
October 31, 2025
Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck
In this Week 9 preview, the hosts break down key matchups across the NFL, focusing on the ongoing narratives and fantasy football implications surrounding marquee games and players. Among the highlights: the endlessly dramatic Chiefs-Bills rivalry, the precarious status of J.J. McCarthy and the Vikings, the Broncos-Texans “Prove-It Bowl” between C.J. Stroud and Bo Nix, and must-know fantasy advice for the upcoming slate. The show is packed with sharp analysis, witty banter, debate, and memorable takes on which teams— and players— really matter as fantasy season enters its second half.
Timestamps: 00:00–08:47
Memorable Quote
“Hard to think of a more definitive 50-50 split between any two actual rivals ever.”
— Dan Heifetz (01:00)
10:01–13:42
Memorable Moment
“Are they gonna write books about this Colts team? The 2007 Patriots were just… you put them on the Mount Rushmore of teams. The Colts… what the f***? I don’t get it.”
— Dan Heifetz (12:52)
14:54–23:52
Notable Exchange
“There is a tremendous pressure on JJ McCarthy to play well very quickly. If he doesn’t play well… he just might not get a shot next year to be the unquestioned starter.”
— Dan Heifetz (21:36)
24:05–27:27
30:31–36:52
Memorable Quote
“I'm waiting for CJ Stroud to beat a good team.”
— Danny Kelly (37:42)
40:11–46:52
54:19–56:54
57:15–60:49
61:01–62:42
62:42–65:09
65:41–70:13
48:36–53:52
On the Chiefs-Bills “regular season curse”:
“Even if they win, it’s gonna be like, ‘Well, we still need to prove it when it actually matters.’”
— Craig (01:33)
On fantasy lineup advice for the week:
“Startable: Kittle, McCaffrey; for the Giants: Dart, Tracy, Wan’Dale. Don’t think too hard.”
— Heifetz (45:29–45:35)
On the Chargers’ pass-catcher logjam:
“Quentin Johnston’s kind of been the forgotten man.”
— Craig (60:10)
87:43–94:49
72:24–99:02
| GAME | NOTABLE FANTASY PLAYS | SITS/AVOID | |------------------------|-------------------------------|------------------------------| | Chiefs @ Bills | Kareem Hunt, Chiefs WRs | Brashard Smith (stash only) | | Steelers @ Colts | Play all Colts WRs & RBs | Steelers WRs, D/ST | | Vikings @ Lions | Lions studs; play Addison | Fade Vikings WRs (risk) | | Bears @ Bengals | Bears WRs if healthy; Loveland | Higgins; Bengals pass-catch. | | Broncos @ Texans | Sutton, Nico Collins (barely) | Many WR3/flex types | | Chargers @ Titans | Herbert, Allen, Gadsden | All Titans | | Saints @ Rams | Stafford, Puka, Kupp, Nacua | Saints RB/WRs (except Kamara)| | Seahawks @ Commanders | Charbonnet | WSH RBs, pass-catchers (McLaurin out) |