32 Teams. 32 Fantasy Football Facts To SMASH Week 6

Welcome to Stats Versus Film, and welcome to week six. This is where we take everything that we watched from the previous weekend's games, go through all of the tape, and combine that with the stats, the spreadsheets, the underlying metrics, in the hope to help you win your fantasy matchup this weekend.

Hayden, I think the people at home are feeling this fantasy season more than ever. Our buddy Rich Reebar posted this: 14 of the top 48 picks have been placed on injured reserve or have missed a game so far due to injury. Uh, and it sucks if you drafted all four of those in rounds one through four.

Definitely impossible. I asked for some teams, and you guys have been dealing with plenty of injuries. Turns out when a bunch of 250 lb men are running at 20 mph at each other, that there's going to be some guys pulling up.

Yes, it sucks. But here we are to highlight some positives, some negatives, and again, keep this hobby of yours fun moving forward. As you know, we go through every single game, every single team, and basically every single fantasy relevant player. And we kick things off with the teams we did not get to discuss on the Instant Reaction Show on Sunday night. And that brings us to Monday Night Football. Let's kick things off with the Jacksonville Jaguars. My goodness, a number of things to discuss here.

Uh, our buddy Jetpack Galileo put it perfectly. I felt that Trevor Lawrence is God's chosen Will Levis. Uh, a perfect, I think, summation of how Trevor Lawrence leads a game-winning drive against, you know, the peak of the AFC, but does it in perfect Trevor Lawrence fashion. Yeah, he's super fun and frustrating. And and but really, like Jacksonville, despite all of their issues that we can talk about, they still move the football. Like that's what's so crazy. Like they'll line up incorrectly. They're like really bad in game management situations right now. Like the players like straight up don't know the plays. They're taking delay of games. Uh, Trevor Lawrence will miss a couple throws. He'll fall down, and then he'll also use his legs, which is kind of refreshing this year. And then three or four throws per game, he can throw it on the money down the field. So this seems super frustrating. They're clearly talented. The coaching staff is clearly good. It's just going to take some time for this team to figure things out, which is pretty encouraging because they're four and one. So, yes, uh, that I think we can go player by player here, but just it's a well-coached team that's throwing a lot at their players, and their players definitely have some flaws, but it's still there's still enough talent and the coaching staff's good enough that the results are still strong despite this being, uh, very much a work in progress.

Yeah, the beautiful listeners and viewers of this program know that I am a Trevor Lawrence believer. Uh, it was a roller coaster Monday night to watch that. Uh, I mean, the third and seven after two early scrambles on the game-winning drive, uh, were questionable, uh, in those moments, and then just immediately throws a dart to Brian Thomas Jr. on the right sideline. Just a pinpoint window, perfectly accurately made throw. And then after that, like you said, delay of game, underthrown pass interference that you get, a stumble, rushing touchdown when you have no timeouts remaining, just beautifully, and I mean beautifully drawn up.

Okay, let's go player by player, as you said. The first one I think we have to talk about, even if we said we weren't going to, is Travis Hunter, but we are going to talk about it because this game has been his highest in terms of fantasy usage and the highest fantasy outcome of the season. If you just talk about fantasy scoring and half-point PPR, he was the wide receiver 46 on the week, but that was, you know, three receptions, 64 yards, including just a magnificent 44-yarder of climbing the ladder and another one after the catch, making two defenders miss.

So, he's still not in two wide receiver sets. So, so we have to start there. But they used a lot of three wide receiver sets, and he was out there for all of them. So, he ended up playing 77% of the routes. He still saw some of his like signature choice routes, a little shallow crossing routes where he actually was making some guys miss and got to the first down marker. Looked very athletic, obviously, there, and that's how one way he he was used in college. Then the other thing that we were talking about is he's also one of the best wide receivers at the catch point. Like the guy literally floats in the air, and that's why we're like, we can't just have him be this slot Cole Beasley choice route guy. We need him running down the field. And that was exactly what happened there. That big cross post route, uh, for Travis Hunter, where he was like literally floating. So that was encouraging. It does not sound like they're going to ever graduate him into two wide receiver sets, but if we at least get some downfield shots, there will be some weeks for for Travis Hunter to to to get there. Um, he still played some corner, had a nice route or nice route coverage against Travis Kelce, but otherwise was kind of like scripted out on the defensive side of things. Like, to me, it just comes back to like, if I'm in control of the situation, I can throw the ball to Travis Hunter, and he's so good at the catch point, I would like to use him more down the field. And we're starting to see some glimpses of that. And there was actually a report even before the game that they were going to start doing that. That's where I'm a little bit hopeful. But for fantasy, it's still hard to trust just because he's he's only a three wide receiver set player for now.

Again, the entire caveat of this Jaguars and Travis Hunter conversation is that this team is 4-1. Like that allows for, you know, maybe some questionable pre-snap penalties or pre-snap confusion, as you said, to be glossed over and be like, "Hey, everything is okay." I do want to dive into the Travis Hunter thing again this week because I'm not saying it's frustrating. In fact, Hayden, I think that this week five performance is the closest thing to what they have promised so far in terms of the post-draft stuff where in the broadcast, Joe Buck mentioned that Liam Cohen said they wanted to get him 40 snaps on offense and 40 snaps on defense. That actually turned into 39 snaps on offense and 25 snaps on defense. I think my confusion in this entire thing is, yeah, he started the game on defense and really played the first two series, like you said, that pass breakup on third down, that was fantastic. He's stuck in the hip pocket of Xavier Worthy. But the real impact that he's made over the last two weeks, like the Jaguars are not 4-1 without the 28-yarder that, you know, Trevor Lawrence threw from his goal line on third and 15 that Travis Hunter goes up and climbs the ladder for, incontested grab. They don't win this game without the 44-yard down the that he comes up and gets. Um, whereas on defense, in the most pivotal situation and the most important drive on defense, when you need to stop the Chiefs from getting a touchdown, >> Travis Hunter wasn't on the field. So, like, just zooming out, it doesn't necessarily make sense to me that you think you have to play him and have to have him on defense if in that situation and in that scenario, you don't call on him to play defense. So, I don't know if they just don't feel like Travis Hunter can, you know, acclimate himself to play in two wide receiver sets this season because, you know, we talked to Albert Breer at the NFL Combine. It even came up with Eli Manning on the Manning Cast last night that, hey, Liam Cohen said that at Colorado, uh, he got hand signals and was told the routes to run on the field, and he just like doesn't know how to play wide receiver at this point. Maybe that is the overarching feeling of this entire thing, and getting him in just in to slot work right now, which limits him to about 68% of offensive snaps, 66% of offensive snaps.

>> And then maybe next year he plays in two wide receiver sets.

>> But man, just the impact he made on offense and what he can do, drive in and drive out, and be one of, like, to me, a premier wide receiver in this league. We're just getting that capped because, you know, he's spending time on both sides of the ball at this point, and that's just frustrating, even though, again, I think he's an amazing player and the team is four and one right now.

>> Yeah. No, for sure. And I think there's play in the long game where they want to get him reps on both sides, but it is kind of frustrating that if you, like, add up his snaps on both sides of the ball, it's equal to what he would have been if he just played wide receiver. And to me, I just think the impact is going to be bigger at wide receiver than at corner, and then also on defense, he was only playing on one side of the ball. So they're not like giving him the entire playbook on defense either. So.

>> Yeah, it's there's no right answer. They're obviously, like, this is the first time we've ever seen this before. So they don't know exactly what they're doing. They're probably just experimenting. But, uh, it's so evident to me that he's going to be a very good wide receiver in the NFL. Like his ball skills and his fluidity are way too good. Um, once again, like, still doesn't know the playbook on offense. Like, there's multiple times where he just didn't know where to get lined up. You see a bunch, you see a bunch of hands on, like, this on defense, too. So it's not just the offensive stuff, too. Um, so, yeah, they're they're struggling with him, but he's also flashing enough, making some plays on both sides of the ball. I just think that they can have a huge upside tandem at one, two punch at wide receiver because Brian Thomas looks a little bit better, and Trevor Lawrence, his best throws are not the underneath stuff. Like his best throws are these drive throws down the field.

>> They need to push the ball downfield more, too. You know, it's not just in the fourth quarter and the third quarter. They need to do it in the first and second quarter on top of this.

>> I know. And then he's like a cheat code on like some of the screen stuff that they can get him going with, too. So, yeah, it's it's obviously the limitation is just the practice reps. Um, but the signs are there. Like, long-term, three, four, five years from now, he's going to be one of the best wide receivers in the league. I feel pretty good about that.

>> Yeah. And again, this was the closest to what we were promised prior to the season. I just kind of wish the plan was for him to play in two wide receiver sets and not just be stuck in three wide receiver sets because he can play two wide receiver sets. He can play outside. He did that at Colorado last year. So maybe we just don't know everything going on behind the scenes, but I do know with my eyeballs that Travis Hunter is a freaking awesome, awesome wide receiver and has a really nice ceiling there that I can't wait to see unlocked, and maybe next year is when he plays in two wide receiver sets.

Okay, before we move on from the Jaguars, anything you want to say about either the Brittain Strange injury? We don't know any updates on that. He left in the third quarter, or I think in the second quarter with his hip injury, and then obviously the running back position.

So, we just is telling us that Strange is headed to injured reserve, and that's kind of a big deal because he was kind of the like safety net in this offense. Like he was like the kind of guy that when they throw the ball to him, he was probably going to catch it, which is saying something. Um, and he also knows where to line up.

I do think that Brian Thomas turned a corner last night. He had two defensive pass interferences where he was just cooking the guy, uh, off the line of scrimmage. One of them was in the red area. He obviously had that huge go ball win against man coverage on that Trevor Lawrence throw it down the sideline. Uh, I thought he had a great route whereas versus outside leverage, he has to run an out route. Starts inside, then crosses face, makes a sliding catch. His athleticism, like, once again, it's just too hard to ignore. So I think looking back at Brian Thomas's career, three, four, five years from now, we're going to look back and like remember that weird September that he had where he couldn't catch anything, and that's going to be the outlier. And this was all signs, and the usage was up. He had 80 yards, a lot more air yards than that, uh, and he really should have had a touchdown or two in this one, uh, with a little bit better luck. So, I'm buying the dip on Brian Thomas. He's a very good wide receiver. Really weird month. He's not going to be the best zone coverage guy working over the middle, I'll grant you that. But the dude flies on tape, and he's going to have some long touchdowns eventually.

I mean, his expected points is at wide receiver 15. I remember the opening three weeks of the season, that was up at what, wide receiver 9 or wide receiver 12, very close to it. If he just had better hands in the opening month of the season, then he would have had more points. It really is that simple. It again was not a Shane Wald thing. Like that conversation just drove me up the freaking wall. It was, hey, he maybe has a wrist injury, or he's just not concentrating, and these drops carried over from the preseason. But that can change like this. You know, he tried to drop that one that, you know, Trevor threw on a line on the sideline, but he got it. It doesn't matter. And and you know, the season is so freaking long that in week 12, we don't remember what happened in week two. And to me, Brian Thomas Jr. is too talented for the first three, four weeks of the season to be stretched to week 13 or week 14 of this season.

And and still no screens, but there was like a third and 15 situation where it was basically a screen down the, uh, downfield screen. So they're they're getting him the ball in manufactured touches, so they're not completely ignoring him. So bigger days are coming. Uh, other note I wanted to make, uh, just watching the Travis ETN just like behind the the line of scrimmage view, he's just making cuts instantaneously and he looks really healthy. So, I know it wasn't like a huge box score game from him, but if you watch his best runs from last night, his cutback vision is excellent. So, like, to me, I've liked what I've seen from Basel Tutin in glimpses, but he's also had some mental mistakes. He like ran right into a defender on that little swing pass, which was unfortunate. I think Travis ETN is too good for Basel Tutin to take his job. I I think that's where I'm at for this season. He's one of the best handcuffs, but I do think that Travis ETN has like really not made many mistakes at all, and his vision is back, and he's healthy. So, I just think that this is what's going to happen for the rest of the season, and uh, ETN's just been playing very good football.

Okay, let's talk about the Kansas City Chiefs on the opposite side. Uh, Patrick Mahomes, 29 of 41, 318, one touchdown, the goal line interception that Devin Lloyd takes 97 yards back in the opposite direction. He's also the team's leading rusher for six carries, 60 yards, and one score. That rushing ability this year has been just taken up to another level in Mahomes' game. I do want to continue to talk about the backfield, Hayden, because it continues to be a three-person backfield with Kareem Hunt going seven carries, 49 yards, and two scores. Kareem Hunt now has four carries inside the 5-yard line compared to Isiah Pacheco zero. Meanwhile, I feel like even only on seven carries for 36 yards and three catches for 20 yards, this is probably to me the best Isiah Pacheco has looked this season. But it kind of doesn't matter if you're not getting the goal line stuff and you're not getting, you know, 12, 13 carries in the way that Isiah Pacheco plays the game.

Yeah, he just gets subbed in at the goal line. Like all all these goal line carries, he was not playing the entire drive. He just gets subbed in at the 5-yard line. So last week we did get Pacheco at 63% snaps, which is more than it has been previously, and I agree with you that he does look, uh, a little bit better. Bashard Smith, they got him on a couple third down opportunities. Uh, but his usage in general wasn't up. So really, we just need to consolidate this thing. But until that happens, Pacheco, like, could look all right on early downs, but if he's not going to be playing at the 5-yard line, it doesn't, it really doesn't matter.

Anything you want to say about these pass catchers? Uh, once again, even with Xavier Worthy back, Taekwon Thornton pops up here as the team's leading pass catcher with three for 90. Travis Kelce goes 7 for 61 and a score. And then, yeah, Xavier Worthy does get his nine targets. We know he entered this game with a bit of an ankle. It popped up about halfway through, uh, and he finishes with six catches for 42 on nine targets.

Yeah, they're in a rotation behind Xavier Worthy. So Taekwon Thornton and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster are all rotating, and that's before Rashee Rice gets back. So, like, it's going to be a rotation, uh, between all them, and hopefully not like Rashid Rice is part of that rotation. I don't think that's going to be the case, but you never know. Uh, Xavier Worthy at 12.1 and 14.0 expected half PPR points in the last two games. Like that's equivalent to wide receiver one stuff. They're taking more downfield shots, uh, this year than they are. Like that's been the case in every single one of these weeks. Eventually, that's going to lead to a long touchdown for Xavier Worthy down the field. So, right now, Taekwon Thornton's been battling, but I still feel pretty good about where we are with Xavier Worthy. One more game without Rashi Rice, and, uh, also Travis Kelce, season-high 11.6 expected half PPR points. I think he's moving fine. He's like, concentration seems worse than before. Maybe he's distracted with other things, but he's he seems to be moving, um, all right. So he'll be, uh, one of the better tight ends for at least another week.

This is the last week you are going to be able to trade for Rashee Rice because once we play six games, then the team that drafted him will know now he's back in my lineup. So again, if you're in a league with one of these people that had, I don't know, two of the top, you know, 48 picks that were injured so far this season, and they're really scrambling, and they're, I don't know, one and four. Uh, try to package multiple quality players for Rashi Rice because watching that game last night, it is so indicative to me that Rashi Rice is just instantly going to be the focal point of this passing game once he returns. We've gotten some murmurs and rumblings on top of that, uh, that once Tyreek Hill was injured, it came out that they had no intention of trading for Tyreek Hill because they believe Rashi Rice is going to be their wide receiver one. So, to me, he can be maybe the difference in fantasy football from week seven until week 17 and help you win championships.

And I know they lost, but the Chiefs offense just feels way different right now than it did weeks before most part of last year. Like this, this team is going to be very good on offense.

Yeah, I was going to ask you because they're two and three right now, and then this week it's Sunday night football against the Detroit Lions. So, like, they're going to be favored this week, but theoretically, they could be >> two and four.

Yeah. Just your thoughts overall in the Chiefs right now. I mean, that was a very positive statement for a team that has a losing record right now.

Yeah, just offense just feels different. They're putting up more points, and they're moving the football more. They're taking downfield shots. Mahomes is like moving the ball with his legs, which we he typically only reserves for the playoffs. Like, to me, like the offense is really good. I don't think the defense is as good as it was, like, in the beginning of the Chiefs dynasty, and obviously they need Rashee Rice to to get back out there. But I think like upgrades at the wide receiver depth, uh, now versus like the Justin Watson era, I do think makes an impact, and hopefully Josh Simmons at left tackle, uh, continues to get better throughout the year. So, uh, records aside, I think this team's going to be one of the teams battling in the conference championship and all that stuff. I think that they're going to figure this thing out definitely, uh, once Bryce is back. Yeah, the offense is so much more enjoyable to watch now. And to be honest, adding Taekwon Thornton as that vertical threat really has helped to open things up. Uh, and it's only going to get better when you have Worthy and Rashi Rice on the field at the same time along with Travis Kelce.

Okay, going back to Sunday Night Football, let's talk about first the New England Patriots. This has been a three-person backfield even in this game. Just looking at the carries, Trevon Henderson gets six carries for 24. Antonio Gibson gets six carries for 21. Rhamondre Stevenson gets seven carries, 14 yards, and yes, the two short-yardage touchdowns. Now, Antonio Gibson on injured reserve after a kick return, knee injury, ACL. So, how should people be viewing Trevian Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson or Roandre Stevenson and Trevian Henderson for the next few weeks?

Yeah. So, this is a really complicated one. To start the game, it was Rhamondre Stevenson and a bunch of Antonio Gibson and no Tayvon. And after the injury, obviously, it goes to more of a split backfield where Rhamondre Stevenson subs in at the goal line after Trayvon was on the field for the previous plays. There's a big chunk play to get down to the goal line area, and that's where Roandre Stevenson got in there. So, uh, it's going to be a committee backfield. I think that Rhamondre is going to be the goal line back, and in order for that to flip, I think that Trayvon has to play a little bit better. Uh, I posted like one chart to see where we are with like running back efficiency, uh, just in general. And, uh, down here next to like DeAndre Swift, Kareem Hunt, Woody Marks, Chuba Hubbard, Alvin Kamara, is where Trayvon is. He's just like not creating as many explosives. He's not breaking like any tackles out there. And Vrabel's comments, uh, on the mic are not like suggesting that like he's like about to go crazy. He's just like looking for some ways to sprinkle him in. And, uh, he has not played well enough, uh, to completely overtake this backfield. Now, no Antonio Gibson, that definitely increases the odds that he's going to get going here at any point. But I do think that Trayvon Henderson's tape, uh, has been kind of so-so. He looks fast, but he doesn't look like overly shifty. Uh, and he's a lighter back, so he's not going to be someone that's going to be like running through tackles either. So, um, not ruling him out yet, but it has been a tough first five weeks for Trayvon Henderson, even with the offense playing better as a whole than most people would have expected.

Yeah, I do think like the running game hasn't fared well for just about anyone.

Definitely. Definitely.

So, you know, compacting it from a three-person backfield to a two-person backfield is going to naturally help, you know, get Trevan Henderson opportunities. Uh, the other part of this though is, you know, Mike Vrabel and rookies, and Josh Potato was in rookies, like they, it's just oil and water a little bit, and sometimes you have to have injuries in order to get opportunities for for that. So, we will see. Um, the passing game stuff, just like we called on this show last week, and Stefon Diggs, certainly was a fantastic, >> fantastic prediction in his 12 targets, 10 receptions, and 146 yards. Again, the prior week he played about 61% of snaps because he didn't need to play the entire fourth quarter, and then plus a revenge spot. Uh, again, very easy to paint the picture that Stefon Diggs, coming off a knee injury, was going to be slow played into the season in the opening three games. Uh, even if we thought because he practiced, you know, the first snap of training camp, that he was going to be a full-time player, now he is a full-time player, and he looks freaking awesome. So, I'm excited that Drake May has a legit go-to player in Stefon Diggs, and especially someone who can win versus zone coverage for him, too.

Yeah, they've had nobody to throw the ball to at wide receiver the entire season. So, now that he's a full-time player, it they're going to go crazy and use him like a true wide receiver. Once, if you only look at the last two weeks where he's been a full-time player, he's averaging nine or 13.5 expected points. That's top 12 in usage. So, I mean, this thing is trending all the way up. I think he looks pretty good, uh, on tape. He was well ahead of schedule, um, dating back to the Memorial Day boat party situation, and I thought he looked pretty good on tape last year in a role where he's not asked to like win downfield as much, but you can do all, like, the yards after the catch stuff, uh, within 20 yards, and they're going to take some chances down the field. Drake May has fully arrived. He looks extremely confident. This is a well-designed offense, um, very balanced, uh, everywhere, and the offensive line's holding up, uh, for the most part. So, like, just a credit to Josh McDaniels, and obviously Drake May, uh, taking probably the biggest leap out of any quarterback from last year to this year. And Stefon Diggs is going to be the biggest beneficiary of that. So, um, I would buy high on Stefon Diggs. Like, I think this is extremely real. He might be a top 20 fantasy wide receiver the rest of the way.

Yeah, hopefully he stays healthy. I mean, the Patriots' schedule to open the season, and it's why we were in on, you know, drafting Drake May and others, was super light. Uh, I mean, they faced the Raiders, who they lost to week one. They beat the Dolphins, then they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers and their defense, and they demolished the Carolina Panthers. And then here in their first, like, big test, it's the Buffalo Bills, but it still stays pretty light. I mean, it's the New Orleans Saints and the Tennessee Titans over the next two weeks. Now, those games are on the road, and they can get funky, but, uh, those are two games that they should continue to put up really nice points. So, I'm happy with this. I mean, Stefon Diggs, even with the slow start to the season when he was playing about 50% of the snaps, is still the overall wide receiver 24 on the season. And in the last two weeks, that has equaled standings of wide receiver 21 and then wide receiver five so far. So, you know, it's very difficult to trade for fantasy assets after their top game, but, you know, Stefon Diggs could be someone's, you know, wide receiver five or wide receiver four on their roster, and I would feel fantastic about him as at least a flex right now.

Yeah, I feel I feel even better than that.

Right? At least a flex. You know, there's that's like, >> at least a wide receiver 24.

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Let's talk about the opposite team in the Buffalo Bills, uh, because really nothing went right in this game for them. James Cook had been sensational all season long, and he was stuffed to 49 yards on the ground on just 15 carries. Anything you want to talk through this team? I mean, it's quite straightforward when we get Josh Allen throwing for two touchdowns, but those touchdowns going to, you know, Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman, who I believe was punished for being late for a meeting or something. And then Dalton Kincaid is still playing about 55% of the snaps, and yet Dalton Kincaid once again goes 64 108.

So offenses are allowed to have kind of funky games. That's just what happens, especially, uh, in division. So, like, not like pretending this is a trend. I will say that the Buffalo Bills defense is just not very good. I I do believe that's just been the case the entire year, and I thought that the Patriots, uh, took advantage of that. But on offense, my notes: Dalton Kincaid is the tight end one overall in fantasy points per route. Now, he needs to be because he's not a full-time player, but he is very much a focal point, and like he's being pretty involved about, like, at the 10-yard line, 25-yard line. That's where a lot of the magic has been happening with him. So, uh, I think we keep on trucking along there. James Cook's season-low production in expected points last week. That's just because the offense wasn't moving as normal. And then Khalil Shakir was at a season-high in his usage, up at 14.7. But even with that, still the wide receiver 59 expected points this month. So, you know, we're just hoping for a big play from any Buffalo Bill wide receiver. And then I think that Dalton Kincaid is a top 12 tight end for the rest of the way, and James Cook's an RB1. But this offense is, it's not that interesting for fantasy right now, just because they're always going to be good to great, and we've seen this offense for like the last two years, and nothing's changed.

I will say Khalil Shakir has been somewhat solid as like your second flex in that he's been very consistent at around 10 fantasy points to 11 to 12 fantasy points. He has four weeks this season of eight or more. That's 8, 9.4, 4, 12.5, and then 15.4. And the 15.4 was obviously like the 40-yard scamper that he won after the catch, and that's the only way for him to really get there and overextend, uh, your expectations. Uh, meanwhile, Keon Coleman's around the wide receiver 33 on the season, despite that 21-point first week. It's been four, three and a half, six, and 8.3 the the rest of the way. Um, yeah, this Bills team, you know, after five weeks, I kind of went back and just did some nerd stuff and looking at what teams look like this year versus last year. This only is going to interest me. But last season, when you watch the Bills, they used six offensive linemen by far and away more than anyone else across the NFL, and 15% of their snaps. This year, that's dropped down to just 2%. Uh, and to me, that's, you know, the fifth-round blocking tight end that they brought in with Dalton Kincaid, because he can do a bit of everything, has even caught a touchdown on top of it. So again, only a note that interests me, but it is cool when we see everyone back on board, basically everyone returning, and yet one little dynamic of offense has changed.

Yep. And also just the Bills lose a game, the Eagles will lose a game, you know, right? Packers will lose a game. All the good teams, you can panic about the one-game sample where they look bad, but it's just always going to be these teams. Nobody goes undefeated in the NFL. So teams are allowed to have an off night.

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Let's talk about the Cincinnati Bengals because boy oh boy, we have a big trade for a fifth, sixth pick swap. The Cincinnati Bengals have a new quarterback. And Hayden, this is inside the same division as the Cleveland Browns. Send Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals. There are a number of ways to discuss this one, but I think it's very clear that Jake Browning was probably the worst starting quarterback in the NFL, at least in week five, and maybe beyond that. And so, it doesn't take much to see an improvement at the quarterback position, even with how bad Joe Flacco has been with the Indianapolis Colts last year and the Cleveland Browns this year.

Joe Flacco is not going to save the Bengals season, but it is going to save the watchability factor and the fantasy points. And that's all we should really care about here. So with Joe Flacco, he's not going to take as many sacks as Jake Browning was doing. And then also, he's just going to throw the ball into tight windows. And Jake Browning was just like not willing to do that. So that's what Joe Flacco's done for the last couple seasons when he has not been winning any football games, but he's been putting up numbers for the wide receiver ones on his team. So the last, uh, month of the season, the Bengals right now are the highest neutral pass rate team in the NFL. They cannot run the ball. They will not be able to run the ball because of their running back and offensive line. Joe Flacco was brought in to be pretty much like a human shield and throw the ball to Jamar Chase. He's going to take huge hits here, but I do think they're going to throw the ball downfield more, uh, than we have seen previously. And I think it's going to be great news for Jamar Chase, obviously, but even T. Higgins, I think, gets a big bump here because Flacco is actually willing to throw like the ball 20 yards down the field where Jake Browning was not able to do that, and that's just going to help out T. Higgins. So, I think both these guys, I would start them this week. It's not an easy matchup at all. Um, but I at least have like some moderate optimism, uh, for the Bengals in fantasy.

Yeah, I think you're going to see a bunch of speed outs at around like the seven to 10-yard range, and Flacco hitting his back foot and immediately getting rid of the football.

Yeah.

He's just so immobile right now. And while Jake Browning, you know, wasn't throwing into tight windows and had a noodle arm on top of this, at least he was mobile and could move behind this Cincinnati Bengals offensive line, which has been not only terrible run blocking, but also quite poor passing. So, like you said, Joe Flacco is going to take a number of big hits. The fascinating wrinkle for this is that they face the Green Bay Packers in week six, uh, who are off a bye, so they are well-rested. This is in Lambeau Field, and in fact, Joe Flacco and a passing offense of the Cleveland Browns has already faced and won against this Packers defense. Now, in that game, Joe Flacco dropped back 38 times and had 142 passing yards, averaging 3.9 yards per attempt, and one interception. So, we'll have this during the wide receiver rankings and even running back rankings and all that type of stuff. But just your thoughts on Jamar Chase and T. Higgins, early thoughts against not just a difficult pass rush, but also what we already have in the bank in terms of a box score Joe Flacco against this defense.

I think all of the numbers that Flacco has had the last couple years, the notes are he was also playing behind bad offensive lines. Like the Browns offensive line right now is really bad. He has not had the wide receivers yards after the catch wise, not the catch point. So, I think his numbers are going to look better than they have in other offenses just because he now has these two superstar wide receivers. So, for fantasy purposes, I will view Jamar Chase as a top eight wide receiver for the rest of the season. And I would have T. Higgins back inside the top 30. Uh, and then we'll see where this thing goes. I do think that Joe Flacco is like at risk of like taking too many big hits and like not surviving the season. Um, but I do think that this is upgrades for them in the short term. And the Packers defense is very good, but there's going to be dropping back so many times here. I think they're like there's going to be so many weeks where Joe Flacco 35, 45 dropbacks in a game, and they're not using their tight ends as much as they were with Joe Burrow. So, it's just going to all get consolidated to Jamar Chase and into T. Higgins. And for Chase Brown, I still think Chase Brown's like completely cooked, you know, like he's probably going to catch maybe a couple more passes with Joe Flacco, and maybe he can save his day, but you just can't overcome the offensive line issues. And Joe Flacco like can like pretty much like not even get under center and do play action stuff anymore. He's like that immobile. So, it's just going to be like drop back, like you said, quick outs, some post routes, Jamar Chase screens, like that's going to be the focal point of the offense. So maybe he gets a slight bump up, but I think that Chase Brown would still be like a sell cannon be like, "Hey, the offense is fixed. They got Joe Flacco." Like try to make that type of trade offer. I just don't see how the offensive line, the rushing success is like ever going to turn it around.

The other part of this too is the AFC North is not what we all expected it to be.

The Steelers are like easily, if you put a pin in week five, like the best-looking team at this point.

And it's not like the Steelers have looked great so far this season. Yeah. So, the Bengals have not ruled out Joe Burrow for like maybe the final week of the season or like once they reach the playoffs. And so, if there's a sliver of hope for them to make the playoffs and get Joe Burrow back, >> and Joe Flacco gives you a half step in that direction or just a little bit of a bigger chance, then you make this move. Now, the other part is I understand like doing a favor to Joe Flacco, but the Browns are probably pretty certain that Joe Flacco is totally cooked if they are willing to deal him to a division rival, uh, to be their starting quarterback. Like, that just never happens in the league.

Yeah. Yeah. It's it's not a good sign for sure. But the, like you said, the bar that we're talking about with what this offense has looked like the last couple weeks is so low that even with that, it's it's still worth an offer. I I do think that note, though, the hope of Joe Burrow returning, the hope that they can sneak into the wild card, the hope that they can go catch up with the Steelers, even that alone is good for Jamar Chase and T. Higgins and these guys, because if this team was like, you know, three and 14 or three and 12, like in going to the fantasy playoffs, who knows what would have happened in those situations. I think this team's at least going to be like at least on the screen of in the hunt when we get to week 15 for the playoff schedule. And hopefully that's enough to keep these guys interested. I'll push a little bit back on the Flacco stuff where you were talking about it with the Browns that that was a terrible offensive line, and because to me, this defense is so much worse than the Browns' was, and so, like, even this game against the Packers that they played earlier this year, they were doing absolutely nothing on offense. The only way that they scored a touchdown was because they got the ball on the four-yard line because of an interception. And you're just not going to be in those situations with the Bengals now. Like, this Bengals defense is atrocious. So, you go from >> a new situation with better wide receivers and better skilled players to one that, hey, now every drive like has to mean something early in games because you're not going to be in games in second halves if you're not scoring points early on.

They will have so much garbage time production though, like even even with.

>> One final thing. This isn't going to surprise you. I'm going to slightly push back on just like the overall optimism for Jamar Chase as a top eight wide receiver this week against the Packers, but overall moving forward for the Bengals, especially when you look at the schedule beyond week six, that's the Steelers defense, the Jets defense, the Bears, the Steelers again, like it really opens up after this one. So, I might not share the immediate optimism against a well-rested Packers defense in Lambeau Field, but beyond in week seven and after that, um, this is and should be an upgrade. And if it's not, like this is the lever that they pulled and.

Yeah. Yikes.

Yeah. Yeah. At least they tried.

Final question. I know you talked about Chase Brown, but a lot of people also saw Joe Flacco make Dylan Samson fantasy relevant in week one with like a whole bunch of checkdowns and tosses out to the running back. You don't think Chase Brown can do that at all?

No, I think he can do that. That's why I think the situation's better than what it was. But if people knew that Joe Flacco was going to make Chase Brown like a top, you know, 15-ish running back, like I would I would move him off of that. So, he's going to be better in full PPR. He has a chance to catch a bunch of passes in garbage time. Like, that's like I think the offense will be more functional in garbage time than it has been previously. And hopefully they stay in more neutral game scripts than they did before. So, I agree with you, like the the team environment. I don't I do not want to overrate Joe Flacco at this stage of his career. I just think for fantasy purposes, it is an upgrade because I do think in garbage time, we're going to get a couple more first downs than we otherwise would have, and at least have a chance to hit some downfield shots, uh, because Flacco has been.

willing to to let it rip. >> Okay, let's talk about the Philadelphia Eagles because they're 4-1 and it doesn't feel like it and it's not just, you know, us saying that. It's whenever one of these players get on the microphone or or ask questions in the locker room. Uh it does not have the aura of a 4-in-1 team. Uh when you went back and watched this game, I know that I did. Uh the play that stands out is the stutter and go from Jaylen Herz to AJ Brown. AJ Brown was asked about it after the game. He called it a miss. He clarified and said, "I looked up. I didn't see the ball being thrown. I didn't see the ball, so I slowed down and then I looked again and then the ball was in the air and then I wasn't going to get to the ball." Paraphrase, but that's basically what he said. Um, again, I ask you because as someone since about week two haven't been thrilled with what I've seen about this Eagles offense, how should we be handling this right now for a 4-in-1 team?

>> I mean, can we give some blame on AJ Brown? Like, just because he's a diva does not mean that we should just be like, "Oh, he's a diva. He's allowed to do or he's a wide receiver. They could just be divas." Like he's hurting the football team. Like I looked at it. I don't think that he's getting open quite as much and we've seen some of the stop routes and the slant routes. Like he's been clamped down. Like obviously he's been facing some difficult corners. He's not been the same player. And then the effort on some of these I think has been pretty bad. I thought he just gave up on that play and Jaylen Herz hitched up an extra hitch uh because he got rerouted and threw the ball down the field and it would have been a touchdown if he wanted to put some more effort. Like I'm kind of over this like AJ Brown like oh it's whatever. He's just being AJ Brown. It's like well that's a big part of I think the issue is like AJ Brown's not an all-all pro-caliber wide receiver and he was carrying this Eagles team. Same thing with Saquon Barkley who has not has as much room to run. So they're trying to pass the ball more to him and they're giving him some opportunities. He's just not been the same player. So his like open score percentage uh according to ESPN was in the 91st percentile last year. He's in the 46th percentile this year. So that's just one metric. They're more penalized than before. And that was like what really stalled out those drives in the second half just like illegal formation where he wasn't lined up. Uh we had a holding penalty to force it into first and 20s and stuff. So there's more penalized rushing yards before contact is down and then also the pass game efficiency down the field is way down. Jaylen Herz is missing some throws down the field that he was hitting last year and AJ Brown's not as good as he was this last year. And like to me it's it's kind of an effort thing. Like I think this diva stuff is like actually impacting the Eagles uh offense pretty negatively right now.

>> So I feel like everyone's trying to just blame one person when to me it's multiple issues on multiple levels. Okay. And for one and it's what I called out on the instant reaction show. I'm kind of challenging Kevin Plutullo here like he is not Kell Moore and what Kell Moore brought to this offense last year and what Kell Moore is doing as a head coach right now.

>> Like Deontay Lee brought this up on the Ringer NFL show. They are showing us just NFL viewers at large of what they want this offense to be. Like they do not want to throw on first down. They're one of the lowest rate teams in the NFL. They don't like play action on first and second down. Jaylen Herz is holding on to the football too long. And when they are throwing quick passes, it hasn't been good and it hasn't been great. And they are second lowest in terms of the rate of throws beyond the sticks in the NFL. So that is a play calling thing where it just doesn't look right for four quarters right now. We've gotten halves of it and that has saved games in the past or it's also lost games as of week five. Then on top of that, I'm totally with you on AJ Brown. He is not moving >> well. It aesthetically looks janky. It looks slow. It looks different. He's just posting up and boxing out >> uh like a power forward as a wide receiver right now versus, you know, kind of winning as a power player like we've seen him in man coverage in the past. And that's different than, you know, Dvonte Smith, who also had choice words for this offense prior to this week. And Devonte Smith was a freaking baller in week five. And then the other part of this too, I mean, again, I'll go back to Jaylen Herz. Like, if Jaylen Herz isn't going to have two alphas on the outside and a great running game and a couple offensive linemen go down here or there, then his play is diminished too on top of it. So, like, you can't have a perfect situation all the time at quarterback. And then at the end of all of it is they aren't getting long runs that mask some shortcomings of this offense in the opening five games of last year. A slow start in offense the opening five games of last year from Saquon Barkley. And so if you're not getting these 30 plus yard touchdown runs then you better be excellent in other areas and there just aren't excellent in other areas right now.

>> Yeah, I think that credit to Devonte Smith. He's the one guy that I just keep Dallas Goddard too. Those two guys are just always on the money, very professional. Jaylen Herz, also a professional. His he's just not as accurate down the field this year. Um, which has been a big bummer because when Jaylen Herz like historically has been one of the best downfield passers and this year it's just not been the case. You mentioned some of the balls that went out out of bounds. Last year those were just 60-yard touchdowns. Uh, what I have noticed every single week the Eagles in neutral situations have decided to pass the ball more and more and more. And I think that's just a function of they don't trust this offensive line as much in the run blocking department and the yards before contact like you mentioned with the Saquon Barkley numbers. Um I do think that does matter. Uh they've had some right tackle issues in and out of the lineup. Landon Dickerson their left guard is now going to be out weeks with an ankle knee injury and his backup has not been as good run blocking. So Jordan Milada their left tackles mentioned that there's not a good run blocking team right now and I and I felt that too. So, I think the the worse that looks, the more pressure is on Jaylen Herz, and like you said, Jaylen Herz is kind of in this like same structured offense, but it's a stagnant offense, too. They're always in shotgun. They're running the same exact plays over and over and over again. And when AJ Brown's not AJ Brown by choice right now, then the offense is just going to feel bad. So, hopefully they figure this thing out.

And >> aren't those like the Jaylen Herz plays? Like, >> no, they are. Yeah, >> he needs to hit the downfield stuff, you know? And the other thing is I would use Jaylen Herz in the quarterback designed game a whole lot. I'm not talking about tush pushes. Like use Jaylen Herz. Like he's a very very good rusher. You just don't see that very often. Like I would use a bunch more draw and the the power plays that we saw. Zone read them. Like get more creative in that aspect at least to like push this offense and maybe create some more lanes uh for Saquon Barkley.

>> Yeah. And the scrambling stuff was awesome in week one and basically won them that game. Yep. in week one, but like ever since, you know, Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence have been better scramblers than Jaylen Herz ever since then. Uh, the other part of this too is the defense still has this tremendous identity and when they are creating pressure up front, then they blitz Zack Bone or they blitz a nickel or they blitz a safety and like Vic Fangio is coaching his butt off right now, you know, and whereas the offense just says, "Oh, we're going to figure it out. We'll let it come to us as the game goes along." And then when they I just brought up all those numbers. When they go against them and only run Saquon Barkley six times in one game because, you know, maybe they're feeling pressure, then the wheels fall apart and the passing game falls apart. Just something interesting that I found like the Eagles right now lead the NFL with a 92% red zone touchdown success rate. By far and away the best in the NFL, but they are currently 25th in drives that reach the red zone per game at just 2.6. Last year, this offense was getting into the red zone four times per game, four drives per game, which is third in the NFL. And on top of that, they also were getting the Saquon Barkley reeling off 30 plus yard touchdowns. And they're not even getting those this year. So, if they were getting those, that would mask so much of this. But because he hasn't gotten the room before contact and they're not getting these, you know, 40, 50 yard runs, then all of the difficulties are being highlighted and yet they are still 4-1 and there is time for them to figure it out. It just feels like so 2023ish to me right now where they also were winning games and it kind of stagnated when they reached the playoffs.

>> Yeah, I still think this team is better than than that team. Um, I think Jaylen Hurst is still a little bit better than he was back then. But the the deep ball stuff has to, you know, get back like deep accuracy fourth last year, 21st this year. So once that changes, then they're going to put up some uh downfield numbers. This offense has always been like successful on the ground, but very hit and miss through the air. And then this year, they're just missing more on the downfield shot. So once we start seeing some explosive plays, um, and I mean Damonte Smith had a great one this one like AJ Brown had a defensive pass interference against Certan down the field. So, they're going to take their shots down the field, but um yeah, and then also like some of the spacing has been weird and stuff. So, I do think like >> the the offensive coordinator change has definitely >> he he's he's been a weakness. The offensive line run blocking has been not as good. Even the pass blocking is still good, but it's not like by far the best in the NFL like it was the last couple seasons. So, yeah. So, hopefully AJ Brown, like he's the one like you get AJ Brown going again, which is to me just more of just like a mental want thing, then the offense is going to start feeling better. But if AJ Browns doesn't want to be an allp pro level player this year, then I don't know. Tough.

>> Okay, that was all more NFL focused than uh fantasy focused. I don't know if like AJ Brown is a buy right now. I understand he's expected to score 17, you know, and he's wide receiver 38. But Dvonte Smith looks like the better player right now. Maybe they just funnel more things in Dvonte Smith's direction. And I highly doubt anyone who drafted Saquon Barkley as the running back one or running back two is willing to sell at this point. Yeah. And he's dealing with that knee injury. Short week. They get the Giants this week. So, correctly. Again, this is the time to get it right. Two of the next three games are against the freaking New York Giants defense.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Come on, AJ Brown. Let's Let's get Let's get back. Let's I like to see you, you know, slant route and he's off to the races.

>> Let's talk about the Los Angeles Chargers. There's a couple more teams until we do alphabetical order here. Uh Amar Hampton placed on injured reserve. Kind of got tripped up with a bit of an ankle injury. I don't know if we have any details about it, but just reading some of the Twitter doctors, they're nervous that there might be a bit of a fracture if it's four games versus just holding him out for a week or two. So, this team already dealing with so many injuries. We know about Raan Slater and then Joe Alt even in games they lose Trey Pipkins and Mai Beckton and these types and are rotating so much. What had been working for them is Omar and Hampton, especially in the receiving game where he was on pace for about 60 receptions as a rookie on top of about a thousand rushing yards. Uh now he's going to miss at least four and without Nachi Harris who was out for the season, they now go to the Hassan Haskins Kamani Vidal trio. So we always like to gravitate towards opportunity. But Hayden, even with that opportunity, it's not going to look nearly as good as it has been so far this season.

>> Last week, uh, we were definitely on Rashad White. We were definitely on Michael Carter. We felt really good about Rico Dao. Like, we shared a lot of confidence in this situation. I'm just not going to show that much confidence. I I just don't know what they're going to do with Kamani Vidal and Hassan Haskins. I don't think either one of them are good. Remember in the offseason, one of the first moves they made was to sign Naji Harris and the first round pick they used on Omarian Hampton. What does that say about these two guys? I can see them sign a Gus Bus off the street, something like that. All I know is this last week, Kassan Haskins was playing before Omarian Hampton's uh injury and then once they pulled the starter, Hassan Haskins was pulled with them and Kamani Vidal was playing in the fourth quarter with Tre Lance. They they totally are different players. Like Kami Vidal is probably better in the past game. Hassan Haskins, a bigger guy, went to Michigan. He might handle some of the goal line work, but I don't express a lot of confidence in knowing what's going to happen between the two. Um, and I just think what what's gonna happen is they're just gonna put a lot of pressure on Justin Herbert who's still taking a bunch of hits, like 40% pressure rate on him, and they're probably just gonna have to pass the ball even more than that. So, yeah, I mean, last year without a legit starting running back, there was an era where it was just like we weren't playing any Charger running back in fantasy. And I can see that just being the case for the next couple weeks.

>> Amaran Hampton, amazing athlete, fantastic straight line speed. when he got a couple of those alleys, that's when he reeled off those big plays. Again, so comfortable in the receiving game, uh, and was able to break these tackles because he has this weird twisting turning style to him. But again, it's not like the blocking was great up front. Like we've talked about all these injuries. Bradley Boseman has also been pitiful as a center on top of this. And so now you just get far lesser talents with less space to work and less individual ability. And that is just not a formula that I am trying to chase and deciding between a former draft pick and a guy that went to Michigan.

>> Yeah. I mean, there's like really no one should have any confidence in this situation. I I feel like last week on the waiver wire it was good to have confidence. I had we had good reads on the situation. This one feels uh a little bit different.

>> Okay. What about at wide receiver? So this was a down week for everyone for basically the first time uh other than Lan Bakunki. I mean, we know Keenan went 5 for 58. QJ four for 40 in the fumble over the middle of the field and then Lad five for 39 and one. Uh, could they would they lean even more into the passing game here?

>> Yes. But what if they do and it's like at 24 points per game versus like the the 30 that they were flashing. So they're still second in neutral pass rate. I don't think anything's going to change. It's just now they're not going to have as many much downfield success because of their offensive line uh issues. So, I guess it's good for Keenan Allen and Lad Manki who've been used underneath a little bit more. So, uh last week, uh Quinton Johnson, it was a season low in usage for him. Um Lad McConi found that spot in the end zone, but there weren't like manufacturing touches to one player versus the other. It's going to be the standard dropback game and just whoever sits there in zone coverage the best and cleanest is who's going to get the ball. So, I do think for the next week, I will be ranking Lad McConny the highest. Um just because I do think that the offensive line issues and lack of run game. I do wonder if that's just going to funnel more little hitches, shallow crossing route, quick out routes, slant routes to uh the player who's best at that. And I think that is Lad McConi. So all of them will be ranked in they're all starters. So it really just comes down to pick a lobby DFS stuff. But um I do think that Lad McConny's probably going to be my top receiver this next week.

We'll talk about one of the split backfields now that change it up in week five because we've got three more games of the Arizona Cardinals backfield between Michael Carter, Bam Knight, and Imari D. Marcato. Michael Carter played 57% of snaps including the opening 15 overall and started eight drives in this game. Bam Knight 16% snaps, started the fourth drive and two more after that. And then Immar Di Marcato basically kept the same role that he had previously just like we suspected. 28% snaps all hurry up, started one drive and had that one fumble and uh got contacted by his head coach on the sideline who later apologized to him in person and in a press conference the next day. So, anything you want to add to that Cardinals backfield right now?

>> Yeah, this is pretty clear-cut. Michael Carter leaprogged everybody and I don't think that's going to change. I will say for the Cardinals, they uh put Tip Ryman on into reserve going to miss the entire season. That's >> kind of like a six offensive lineman and >> tight ends like are have a big role in the in the ground game. So, this is already a bad offensive line and now they're like pristine run blocker is now going to be out for the year. So, I think they're going to pass the ball more. Kyler's going to look better in fantasy. Trey McBride and Marvin Harrison are going to look better in fantasy. And then Michael Carter whenever they do get to the red area, uh he's going to be the guy. So, uh this last week it was a good week for for Michael Carter. Um, in terms of usage, I don't think it's going to go anywhere. I am worried about the efficiency. So, 15.4 expected half PPR points last week for Michael Carter. Um, he will be a top 25ish uh, running back for me this next week.

>> This might be stupid football brain or maybe galaxy football brain. I do think the Tip Ryman injury is a a big deal because >> I agree. this Arizona Cardinals team over the last two years since they drafted him, maybe that was just last year, really leaned into 13 personnel was one of their best sets just overall success. And then in their 12 personnel stuff, you know, he's the blocker, he's the inline guy. And that also frees up Trey McBride to be the primary pass catcher for this team. And then their third string tight end in Elijah Higgins is a former, I think, college wide receiver turned tight end and is more of a pass catcher on top of this. So there's no one toone fill in here for Tip Ryman that kind of allowed them to do some cool again tied in stuff from the Kevin Safansky tree to now Drew Petting. Um and then yeah on paper and it overall was a really solid productive day for Marvin Harrison Jr. with 98 yards on what four or three receptions. Um but then I went back and watched all those and Hayden 79 of those 98 yards were in the first 10 minutes of the game. So, three quarters plus five minutes, they only got Marvin Harrison Jr. one more catch. So, they are still struggling to find ways to get him the football in all four quarters or in both halves. And when you are like seeing the scoreboard change, when you can tell on offense that you are struggling and we just got to put one drive together to seal this game. I know some other things happen on top of that, but like as an OC, as a play caller, it should be, hey, we got to get our guys the football. And again, they are still struggling to make Marvin Harrison Jr. one of their guys on an every quarter basis. Right now, >> he's the wide receiver 33 on wide receiver 36 usage this month. I mean, that's just kind of where he feels like he belongs. like he's a decent outside wide receiver with some limitations and they don't get him involved in the manufactured touch department. Uh do want to note just because if we're talking crap on the run game as we should. The defense is lost a lot of pieces and they're they're fine to bad. Uh this team I think is just going to have to pass the ball a little bit more. Kyler Mur's got that foot injury so we'll see if he scrambles more if they're going to actually just sit there like in the normal dropback game. So, I do think that Marvin Harrison and Trey McBride are actually good by Lowe's. Um, but I'm I'm just kind of over like pretending that Marvin Harrison is gonna like turn into some like rockstar freak freakazoid wide receiver. Like he this just the same limitations for two straight seasons. So, he's obviously massive and I like him on some crossing routes. So, he's going to have some big moments as he should. Um, but he's not like this superstar talent. I just think he's kind of limited and I think that the lack of targets and how like in and out of the lineup he is. He he's more like kind of like George Pickiny, you know, than like some established go-to set it and forget it wide receiver one on a real team.

>> I'll end on a positive. Uh the contested grab that he had down the field was great and he wasn't making that as often last year. And then I've seen at least two timing back shoulder sideline catches this year and those were again a miss every single time they tried it last year. So some things are improving but it's still not there after a season plus five games that you'd want from Drew Ping. I know a bunch of Cardinals fans are just over it with this coaching staff right now. Just over it >> for sure. Yeah. I think it's fantasy pointwise for Marvin and Trey McBride. It's gonna get better out of necessity. They they have to use these guys.

>> The Washington Commanders, he has turned into my guy in Bill Crosky where like last week on the trade show. Uh >> yeah, >> I felt like the pendulum swung too far where he was a somewhat of a meme to open the season and then some poor high variance usage that you couldn't rely on that I felt it was a perfect time to trade for him. And then on 28 snaps, he has a gain of 28, 27, 15, 15, 12, 11, and 10 yards. He finished with 150 yards and two touchdowns. His movement, his cuts, his base, they're all so much fun to watch. And so while I don't think any of these backs just because of how they want to rotate and are going to command a 70% usage here for this team or do I think like the commanders are going to rank highly in terms of running back usage across the NFL. What I do think is that this offense is going to score points and Bill Crosky Merritt is easily the best running back on this team and he's not just a big body back. He also has some slipperiness and explosiveness and gets to the edge quite well. So, this is a combo that I really want to attack.

>> I think Bill is a top 25 running back rest of the season. This was a real performance. He started the game and then dominated touches, got a goal line carry, and then Chris Rodriguez when the game was completely out of line when Trey Lance was on the other side of the field, that was when Chris Rodriguez got in there. So, usage way up. And then if you look at the just efficiency chart, um he's right next to Travis ETN, Kenneth Walker, uh some of these guys that have been like ripping off some big plays. So he he's clearly good. That's a very complicated rushing scheme. Uh Cliff Kingsbury kind of ate uh Jesse Mentor's lunch uh down the red area uh manipulating um some wide openen uh touchdowns for for Bill. But well coached team with explosiveness and coming off a season high 11.3 uh fantasy points. So, I think that he should be running back 20 25ish rest of the season. They're a little bit limited just because they have a little bit of a rotation and we never seen on passing downs and dbo's going to get in there and Jaden's going to get in there, but the signs are there. Like the Bill stuff's going to get serious for the rest of the year.

>> Let me ask you this question. Would you rather have Bill or Cam Scatteraboo rest of season?

>> Probably Cam just because that that boy just catches so many passes.

>> I'm Bill. Point differential I think is going to be massive for them moving forward. Like >> just this week for example against the Chicago Bears >> commanders are projected for 27 and a quarter in comparison to the Giants 16 and a half.

>> No, it's it's a fair question. I put both of them be pretty close. They just get there in totally different ways. If you're in like a full PPR league, I think that split the difference, but yeah, I mean Bill there there's been a couple like Dobbins last year where they're on the ground, they're so efficient on the ground and the team's good enough that like they end up being the RB18. Even though they're not catching a bunch of passes. I think that's kind of the profile I'm looking at with him. If I'm looking just at points per game, uh, Bill is running back 22. The reason I asked this is because Cam Scatter is running back 21 right now, but ahead of them, you know, like Chuba Hubard is right there and that's going to be a split as we know and he's dealing with his injury. Jaylen Warren is ahead. Omarin Hampton obviously on injured reserve. Uh, and then, you know, you get into the Ashen Genty, JK Dobbins, Travis ETN, Quinn Sean Judkins. So, like those guys are kind of the separate tier. So, >> yep. >> We could see both, like you said, Cam Scataboo, Bill, and I'll be, you know, like Bree Hall is behind them and he should vault up. Jordan Mason's behind them, but I even think like Bill versus Jordan Mason the rest of the way is a good conversation.

>> Yeah. >> Yeah, I think I'll probably have Bill, but it's Yeah, that that's that tier where they're going to be around RB20 depending on matchup and we'll go up and down. And there's a scenario where Bill starts catching passes. Now, like I think the odds of that are fairly low, but it's it's possible, you know, that he just starts inheriting some of that work as well. So, he just looked really damn good. He's he's so efficient in his He's fast, but he just makes good decisions.

>> It's so fascinating just like the fantasy narrative where, you know, when they make the move and trade away Brian Robinson, then he just like shoots up boards and then as soon as he doesn't immediately become the real starter for this team, then people like lose faith in the first three, but then when you watch, he's clearly the best. And it just felt like to me he was so clearly looking the best runner that it was going to happen at some point. And like again when we talk about the entire season, the first four or five games, you don't remember those in week 11, 12, 13. And what you remember is, hey, I need to win my fantasy championship. And having someone on one of the best offenses in the league is going to help you win your fantasy championship. Let's close with another injury fallout team that is the Miami Dolphins. So when someone like a figurehead of a passing offense like Tyreek Hill exits, then we have a lot of pieces to pick up and navigate for the rest of the season. And now Hayden, is it as simple as this offense is going to flow through? Jaylen Wadd, Devon Achan, and Darren Waller.

>> Yeah. So Waddle was excellent. So first of all, 20% targets per route uh without Tyreek Killed this year. And I mean, he's just flying. Like he was he was so good. He was collecting ankles. It's not just like downfield routes. He stop, out route, in route, you name it. He He looked really good. So, I think Jaylen Wall will be a top 12 fantasy wide receiver the rest of the way. He had season high numbers this last week. The defense is bad. He has a huge target share. Um, and I think this is just going to be the year where we're reminded, oh yeah, the the 26-year-old that's paid what, the 10th most at the position or fifth most at the position, whatever it is, he actually is really good. And it was just that there's too many mouths to feed. So really encouraged with that. Um and then I think the other big ones obviously with Darren Waller. So you mentioned it, you heard on the broadcast they limited him to 30 snaps. That was the expectation. He played 32 snaps and he baldled the f out, man. Like he is a complete outlier when we're looking at the tight end usage charts. It's Turd Ferguson all the way to the top right and then Darren Waller right there. So I'm going to treat this extremely seriously for as long as he's healthy. I can't promise how long his hamstring's going to stay healthy, but every single week you will see him extremely high in my rankings. And if we get up to 45 snaps, 50 snaps per game, he has a chance to like truly be an elite tight end. They desperately need him. And he looks good out there.

>> It's amazing that he only played 32 snaps and what, 15, 16 the week before and he's already made this big of an impact.

>> Yeah, I mean, in my brain, I don't think I said this ever in a show, and thankfully I did, but again, just the quotes that were coming out when he didn't practice all in training camp and then wasn't active for the first three weeks, it's like, "Oh, we're going to make a decision on this really soon." To me, that was going in the opposite direction.

>> Of course. Yeah. How could it not? Yeah.

>> And then now it's he's a pivotal player on this offense and looks great. Looks happy is bringing, you know, massive massive boost to this passing game and especially in like the red zone. So, if this team is going to continue to struggle versus certain organizations uh running the football like they did against the Panthers this week, they're going to have to pass even more and DeFi is going to get there in the passing game because he can run legit, you know, routes out there and obviously the escort screens and those to the outside. But Darren Waller in the red zone is a real freaking deal as you saw in his first game back and even this game as well. So, what happens when he plays 50 snaps, 55 snaps, 58 snaps? So there's like an ever evolving wide or tight end five through 12 at this point and he definitely belongs in that tight end 5 through 12 conversation moving forward.

>> I mean I would rank Jake Ferguson and Trey McBride ahead of him next week and he'll be my third. I think

>> time to go alphabetical order the rest of the way. And yes, for the first time this season we have the Atlanta Falcons who are coming out of a by-week. Hayden, what do you want to see from them? I'll start. 11 slot targets for Drake London on the season. Six were in week four prior to the buy because >> our buddy Zack Robinson watches the show, watches the program. More of that equals more fancy goodness and more for you who drafted him in round two and it'll become a good value based on that.

>> That's my entire notes for the team right there. It's Drake London in the slot and let's see if Darnell Mooney is going to be ready coming off of the injury after the bye-week. will learn more in the practice reps, but Drake London is so damn good. I would throw the ball to him as much as I can if I was an offensive coordinator. And he's so good on like the dig routes and crossing routes and stuff like that. Uh, and then also just fade routes. He's he's an excellent player. So, I would move him around the formation, get him to the positive matchups. Like that would be my entire offense and then be Robinson. I think that's how good London is. The other part of this, Atlanta this season after running 11 personnel 85% of the time last year, number one in the league are third in 12 personnel usage at 44% of their offensive snaps. And so we talk about all of these tight ends and you know me, when everyone wanted to overdraft Cal Pitts over the last couple years, I laughed at it. Uh I'm not laughing at it this year to be honest. I think he is quite involved and it's to me going to be sticky moving forward because of the Darno Mooney injuries that continue to pile up. Right now in points per game, he's still only the tight end 11. So I don't want him to, you know, over get over my skis here, but I still think as one of those fringe top 12 guys, he's definitely worthy of the conversation. Whereas in previous years, you wanted nothing to do with him in fantasy football. Yeah, there's like maybe 10 guys that deserve to be the tight end 10 in rankings right now. Like your Mason Taylor, we'll see about Coloulson Lovelin coming up. Hunter Henry, there's a bunch. Jawan Johnson. So, he he fits right in that mix. There's there's a bunch of guys who are going to be about 35 uh receiving yards in the picking lobby, including Kyle Pitt. So, it really just comes down to for this team. It's Darnell Mooney. Does he play or not?

>> Next, Baltimore Ravens. It's gross. It's disgusting. Defense really can't function on a field right now. And yet they are still favorites in the betting markets to win the AFC North right now.

>> Wow.

>> Wow.

>> Still favorites. I think like minus 120 the AFC North. I haven't seen it after the Joe Flacco trade. I just hate in the air. Haven't seen updated odds >> after that. Uh anything you want to say about this Ravens team? Again, as long as the Mar Jackson is out, as long as this team is in losing negative situations, that impacts Derrick Henry more than anyone else. And on top of that, hey, when I went back and watched, I actually thought Z Flowers put an awesome downfield move on Derek Stingley uh for that big-time catch. But other than that, like this offense, you just have to knock down a few tiers.

>> Yeah, we'll see if they stick with Cooper Rush uh for this next week, but it's this game then the by-week. So, I think that Mark Andrews, Rashad Baitman, you can drop these guys for better options. You have a couple weeks before you'd even play these guys. the onoff splits I have them listed on the screen and over on underdog network if you guys look at the usage model but every single one of these players it's just worse you know without Lamar Jackson because the team's way worse so I would knock down everybody uh a peg or two Isaiah likely has been back in the lineup um mixing into like target share and route participation for for Mark Andrews too so yeah this this team just needs to get healthier on defense Ronnie Stanley's also got to play and that's on top of you know having an MVP candidate on the sideline. So, I think their plan is, hey, this division is not that great. We'll come out of the buy and then we have a 50-50 chance of, you know, winning the division. Um, for fantasy this week, it's it's not going to look pretty.

>> So they face the Rams this week and they're at home. How many points do you think the Ravens are projected to score by Vegas right now?

>> Um, 18 and a quarter.

>> Yep. 18 and a half right now.

>> Wow. Nailed it. Uh the bad teams have really separated themselves at this point.

>> So the Bengals, your Bengals with Joe Flacco are projected to score 15 and a quarter points this week on the road against the Green Bay Packers.

>> And I think that's up versus where it was with Browning, by the way.

>> Joe Flacco's former team and the Browns 16 and a quarter points.

>> Yeah.

>> Your New York Giants are also projected to score 16 and a half points on Thursday night. And then yeah, we have some 18 teams with like the Titans, the Jets, and the Baltimore Ravens on top of that.

>> Yeah.

>> I mean, this happens every year, but it's when it hits you on October 7th, it hits different.

>> It's been brutal stuff. Meanwhile, a team that's projected to score 23 points this weekend, that is the Carolina Panthers. Uh, I think the big conversation after, you know, a dude puts 200 rushing yards on NFL field, which is rare in today's league, uh, when you talk about Rico Dattle because, you know, this news really didn't break until while we were doing our running back ranking show on Wednesday. Uh, he is clearly the most talented healthy running back on this team. And I believe based on what he just showed, they're going to give Chuba Hubard another rest week. So, we'll get Rico Data in a revenge spot against the Dallas Cowboys as again the lead back against a bad defense.

>> And I'll call this like an actual revenge spot. I mean, they just straight up replaced uh him with Javvante Williams, which is, you know, turned out good for the Cowboys there. But uh in the media, they're like, "Yeah, we just thought Javante was better." So, I'm sure Rico D's feeling that he had 19.3 expected points. Basically didn't come off the field. ETN is like not part of the offense. It would be Rico D. one's like extremely straightforward and the Cowboys have not been able to stop anybody terrible linebacker play. So even with the Panthers struggling uh to block up front um they're just going to make this a focal point.

>> Yeah, No, this week was this week was different. Um also opponent based uh to some degree, but um yeah, you know, what else could you say? He was amazing. You know, we talk about the Panthers backups and you know, when Chandler Zavala or some other guy like Mike Walton, something like this name, was filling in at right guard for Robert Hunt, it was quite bad. But, you know, whenever we do our free agency shows, and I'll do it again this year, I bring up that Brady Christensen as a utility offensive lineman should get a starting job somewhere. Because of other injuries, this Panthers coaching staff was forced to play Brady Christensen at right guard, meaning he started a game at every single offensive line spot so far in his NFL career. And he was awesome. He's an NFL starting caliber player. And then Kade Maze is making great plays at center, too, in terms of moving defensive linemen off the off the line. So, they're doing these traps, these whams, these pulls, these tosses, these cracks to the outside. It's like a really diverse running game right now. And uh yeah, do that against the Cowboys once again. And maybe we get like over 100 yards for Rico Data. Not 200. Not being greedy, just over 100. That'd be nice. He's a must start, top 12 play this week, I think.

>> Yeah, he's he'll probably be in like 90ish yards in the pick and lobby. So curious about that. Um, wanted to ask you about just Tedo McMillan. Anything new from this last week? He's bigger days are going to come for him. He's like he's been holding the line like 60 yards all the time, but we're waiting for that 80 yards on the touchdown game. It's going to happen soon.

>> Yeah, he hasn't scored a touchdown yet. I know some Panthers fans are upset that uh he's not like the primary player inside of the red zone. I will say this team is like 10th I believe in red zone touchdown success rate at this time. Uh and yeah, I mean T-Mac on the season is wide receiver 27 and he's cleared that you know 10 point mark twice and then has been six, eight and nine otherwise. Uh yeah, we talked about on Sunday night, but can't have the first two turnovers, but then after that, like four or five just tremendous throws from Bryce Young. So, if you get rid of those bad mistakes at the top, which he's had multiple times this season, then uh this could be one of the I think most fun highscoring games of the week between these two offenses.

>> Yeah, Yeah, I can I can definitely see that. I can definitely see that. Yeah, Bryce is so good when he's like facing adverse uh just like he made a mental mistake and it's just time to pick up some yards. He's he's very good in that situation.

>> Final point, Jaylen Coker's coming off injury reserve. He says that he's healthy. So, everyone's favorite football player should be back in the fold. Uh, and you know, it's quite easy to like not have Bryson Tummaine or heck, I'll even throw Hunter Renfro because I think he's been horrible so far. He's so slow. Uh, and just get Jaylen Coker back in the fold immediately.

>> Yeah, we'll see if he actually suits up this week, but he's it's on pace to be by Halloween for sure. So, he'll be useful.

>> Chicago Bears are next. They're also coming out of a by-week. We always talk about post by rookie bumps, maybe none more so than how many the Chicago Bears loaded up on in this draft class. So you have Coulson Lovelin, Luther Burton, Ivan throwing Kongai as a seventh rounder.

>> Yeah.

>> What do you want to see from these three guys moving forward?

>> So I'm most optimistic about Coloulston Lovelin because Cole KT's performance has just not been very good as like a run blocker on top of it. So, I think if he's ready to go coming off of by-week, I know that he had that injury. I'm expecting Coulson Level to be a focal point of the offense for the rest of the season. So, he I know he's a better receiver than Cole KD is. And Cole KD has not been good enough as a blocker to prevent Coulson Level from getting out there. So, I hope that's one of the things that they're going to get going. I I'm not going to rank Coulson Level that aggressively yet, but I do think bigger days are coming. And I would rather like get ahead of this one because I do think that his upside is really really really high. um if he can, you know, kind of cement uh Cole KT to to backup duties.

>> If Cole KT stays out there, this team is fourth or fifth in terms of 12 personnel usage at about 40% of snaps.

>> The other part of this is again just looking at everything through five weeks of the NFL season, four offenses are forcing defenses into base personnel. So just four defensive backs on the field at over a 40% rate in comparison to 2024. At the end of that season, only one team did that and that was at 41%. Right now, the Bears are forcing opposing defenses into base on

51% of snaps. 51. That is a crazy high number.

Uh, and so if you're doing that and you're doing it mainly with multiple tight end sets and tight end looks, then that should be extremely advantageous for someone like Coulson Lovelin who would be match up literally against a linebacker in that set. So that gives him a platform to succeed. And again, you would like to think the theory behind the post by rookie bump is, hey, they have a week to see what has worked so far this season to for just the NFL game to slow down for these rookies and just incorporate them more and more and more after a little bit of time off. And uh yeah, a top 15 overall selection in Coulson Love. That would be very nice.

It's wild. I didn't know that base um defense stat that you're talking about. The Bears are passing the ball at borderline top 10 metrics. Like those two things combined to each other like could be very powerful for for Coloulston Lovelin. So excited about that. Uh the other rookies though, like we said, there's a chance Luther Burden goes and takes me Zakius's job in the slot. There's a chance that he rotates in at the expense of DJ Moore. We'll see about that. I think that that's another step away from it really impacting things for fantasy.

Um I think that Kyle Manungai is actually more interesting than either Luther Burden. They're not doing anything with DeAndre Swift. In fact, you talked about uh 12 personnel. The the the Bears are also doing this thing where they have three wide receivers and two tight ends uh and no running back. And then they use DJ Moore either in full spread or they'll put him at running back. So, these are all signs to me that they're not loving what they're getting from the run game. If anyone has been paying attention, nobody feels great about it. So, I do wonder if Kyle Manunga is going to mix in their uh day three pick. But even on the broadcast, uh the the the reporters are just talking about, hey, like talk to the coaching staff. They're interested about this Kyle Manungai kid. So hopefully in post by rookie bump, uh he can be one of these guys.

He had one true pass pro rep in week four and absolutely nailed it. And that was a major issue of his in the opening parts of the season. Yeah. It's not for a lack of effort to not get DeAndre Swift going. It just hasn't gotten going because he's running into a wall and then doesn't win on contact. If he gets blown on, he falls down. Just to ask you to go up to what Roma Dunce has done so far this season. I mean, among all wide receivers, if we're looking at points per game, Roma Dun is the wide receiver for if we've reddrafted at this moment, Hayden, would you select Roma Dun as a top 12 fantasy asset?

He would be right there. I think that he's like this very similar profile to the second rounders that we were drafting, like the lad mcconi type of tier. I think that

Drake London.

Yeah. Yeah. I think those guys I think are a little bit more proven than Roma Dunay. Um but Roma Dunay is these big dig routes, some post routes, some comeback routes, some just back shoulder fades. That's the kind of ex wide receiver profile that we're looking at. He's not involved in the screen game because they have other guys to do that. But he's the focal point in the standard dropback game. Like I if you remove the screens from it, he's got like a 30% target share. Um, and shout out to Caleb Williams who's, you know, now like actually pulling the trigger and making plays where last year was a little bit more hesitant on that. So, as Caleb Williams sees the field better, Roman Dunes is going to get even more involved because he's actually the first to retarget on a lot of these things. Um, so yeah, he catches the ball a little bit more cleaner and then he's just going to be off to the races. But I do think that like top 12 rest of the season, I do think he's absolutely in that conversation. the feel just watching it around Robo Dun is so different when like throwing the football to DJ Moore or throwing the football to Alamade Zakius or everyone else. So yeah, it's it it's such a big difference. And yeah, I mean Caleb is just much more accurate on these downfield passes this season, too.

So

uh yeah, he would be in the gamble of those round two type wide receivers if we were to reset everything right now, which is a huge boost versus where you drafted him as.

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Next, the Cleveland Browns. Joe Flaces. Now, I'll be interested to see if maybe one of the injured quarterbacks that they have comes into the fold back and reintegrated. That would be ridiculous. Uh, let's start with a positive here. Okay, Quinn Jodkins is an absolute load of a human at the running back position. So,

talk about hidden yards all the time. He falls forward. He never goes backwards on contact. Picks up an extra one, two, or three when going down to the ground. Uh and then yeah, he has just enough speed to kind of sustain the space that he has on these explosive plays. So it's very clear that he really is the identity of this team for the rest of the season. He is the metronome. He is uh the best part about it. But then you know Dylan Gabriel in his first start Hayden to even Jerry Judy and Isaiah Bond and these tight ends. What' you pick up from that?

Just completely agreeing with you on Quintro Junkkins. He's been the best rookie running back. It's not even been close this year, just like on tape. So, it's only through five weeks, but he's he's been that good. He's one of the best running backs in the league already. So, uh his usage has gone up in three straight weeks. It topped out at 18.9 this past week as well. So, sensational player. Um Dylan Gabriel did a bunch of Dylan Gabriel things. I thought that he played like fine enough ball. He's not going to wow you with with a whole lot. David and Jooku got going underneath. David and Jojoku was like hurdling guys. He looked he looked amazing this last week. That was an incredible performance from uh Njoku. They got Fan in in uh for a touchdown as well in the red area. Uh so yeah, Dylan Gabriel, he took off and and tried to scramble and just like instantly got caught. So I think the li the physical limitations are evident, but I do think that he's like trusted in the offense. I do think that Stfansky can kind of do like what Shanahan does with the M. Jones and all the backups and Kevin Oonnell backups. think that's what we're going to get with Stfansky, who's a good coach, with Dylan Gabriel, who I I think is in that kind of high-end backup category, and you can kind of play uh Madden controller with him. So, they seem to just trust him, which I think is good news for kind of everybody.

Yeah, Dylan Gabriel is going to maximize what he can be. He has to stop missing high.

I just felt like he overthrew like by two body lengths.

Yeah, he had some bad misses. Yeah, but

you can't do that when you're kind of limited physically like he is. Okay, let's talk Dallas Cowboys. So, heading into week five, Ryan Florenoi had a 14 catches, 137 yards in his NFL career. Then in week five, he caught six passes on nine targets.

Yeah.

For 114 yards, including a 46-y gain, a 40 yard gain, a 39 yard or third and nine conversion, I should say. So, you know, these names pop up, Hayden, but when attached to really good offenses that are searching for a secondary pass catcher, I should say tertiary opposite George Pickkins and Jake Ferguson, uh, I think we can allow ourselves to get a little bit excited, but is this also just kind of the third name rotation and none of these guys are going to stick until CD Lamb comes back? If we had a prediction market for which Cowboy you would have brought up first on stats versus film, Ryan Floreno would have been a big-time dog. So, um, yeah, he had a season high 12.1 expected points this last week. They're, I think, fifth in wide receiver usage this month. They're trying to figure it out without CD Lamb. The the ground game was fantastic. I do think he was a product of Sgarter was like actually traveling with George Pickkins like into the slot everywhere in his hip pocket with safety help for a lot of that game. So, the opportunity was there for uh Ryan Flor. I also think that Jayen Tolbert could have done something. So, um, yeah, I guess like DFS punt play, really deep league, you got a bunch of injuries. Um, he might make it into my top 50 this week.

I mean, just, you know, the reason I'm asking is seven of his 12 targets so far this season have been out of slot. And then if we just look against the Jets, you know, his 40 yard and then the third nine conversion were both out of the slot in this game. And so if he's going to be like more of the primary slot player where CD Lamb saw CD does most of his damage there. I'm not saying he's CD Lamb, but just like filling in for that because Jayen Tolbert's not going to fill in that area, you know? And like if Kavonte Turban's not going to play the slot all the time, then

maybe he was out with Yeah. That's probably why that's I'm trying to answer the question of why did he pop up for this much production. It's because Turpin was out.

Yes. So we'll we'll track that and I'll have a better idea with with rankings. So, thought that was exceptional. Um,

okay. Now, now to the main events. You can talk about the guys.

Okay. Uh, Jake Ferguson's just, you know, he's breaking my graphs. You have to zoom these graphs out. I literally have to change the X and Y axis to fit him in there. Um, so yeah, his onoff splits with CD Lamb have been crazy. So, to put some numbers on that, 13.6 expected points without CD Lamb that was at 10.9 with him. So, and he's been like even getting the ball more than that and actually being efficient with it. So yeah, it's not a fluke. Like he's he's a very trusted player in this offense. Dak Prescott's playing out of his mind. Javvante Williams is playing out of his mind. It's like no longer just like an interesting story. Like he actually looks good. Like he's breaking off big runs now, too. So uh and then George Pickkins, um that was a very difficult matchup. I'm sure if you went back and watched the the tape of that, but that was an impressive game from S Gardner. So the fact that he was still able to beat him over the top was was very good. And I'm hoping that um I don't know who they're played this next week, but um I'm guessing it's just not going to be as difficult of a match up for George Pickkins. And he's right now the wide receiver four and wide receiver six usage this month. So he's already paid off his ADP, I think.

Facing the Panthers. We already discussed this on the road.

Oh, that's right.

In Carolina. That's right.

Some fun quarterback matchups in that one, too, because JC Horn

uh JC Horn doesn't necessarily travel. So whenever he lands up against Mike Jackson, that should be really really nice matchup here for Next up is the Denver Broncos. Uh, I'm going to lead off with another random player here a little bit. So, I go through and look at all these pass catchers and also rushers in the critical areas where, you know, 75 plus% of touchdowns are scored inside the red zone. Troy Franklin has the second highest percent of red zone target share, team target share in the NFL. Now, that is seven total targets, whereas I think number one has 10 so far this year. But, you know, that kind of is a standout to me where we are searching for not necessarily someone to depend on on a weekly basis, but Troy Franklin, ever since I don't know, week two has popped up as the other wide receiver other than Courtland Sutton. Now, that can be a roller coaster based on what Shawn Peyton calls, if we're getting design stuff to Marvin Mims, if Bo Nicks is playing well, all this type of stuff. But, you know, versus where we were with Troy Franklin last year, it certainly feels like Shawn Peyton has put a whole bunch of trust in him and that should make him on some level with all the by-weeks and injuries a fantasy asset moving forward.

Yeah, the wide receiver for T territory is a roller coaster ride and he deserves to be right right in there. Um, so he's the wide receiver 35 and wide receiver 24 usage over the last month. That includes that game where he got all those screens and then the red zone usage and stuff. So, yeah, he he's definitely involved in the offense. he is the secondary target uh behind Corland Sutton like when they're doing the standard drop back game like half half the the all these half field reads it's usually just the Corland Sutton who who was dominating on the back shoulder and then the dig out um this last game yeah Troy Franklin's he's actually ahead of Corland Sun this month in in usage so he's got some like easy looks the high value looks so he's he's definitely in the mix

that's not to say that Courtland S isn't balling the f out because

that was insane

this game against Quinon Mitchell was freaking fantastic. 10 targets, eight receptions, 99 yards. Not saying every single one of those was against 27.

A lot of them were.

A whole shitload of them were

uh this this was a grown man's game here for quot anything you want to say about him or this offense in general that posted 21 points here.

I always feel it's like Courtland Sutton, but he's this now like let's just get rid of the butts. He's a very good football player. Like let's he's the wide receiver 18 this month. He's he's dominant. That was a difficult matchup and got it done. Um, the other thing I wanted to mention is just JK Dobbins just if you look at any of the advanced metrics, not just the guy test, he's he's popping. I think it is wild how good he is after all of those injuries. Like, who has had more injuries in the NFL at this position while still being as efficient as as he is? It's it's crazy. Like, what would he have been if he did not have all these major lower leg injuries? like the fact that he's still this explosive and breaking this many tackles, it make it truly makes no sense that he's able to do this. But he has

putting JK Dobbins after all that in the speed demons category is uh it's fascinating. Yeah, I mean he was awesome last year in the opening three four games of the season then picked up like that knee twist or something on top of it and came back and you know was more of a volume player but uh yeah

he's been very very good. Uh they are projected for 25 and a half points on the road against the Jets this week. Yeah, which should be

I'm gonna rank them highly.

A fun one. Okay, Detroit Lions are up next. Uh these two wide receivers could not be going in more opposite directions. So we talked last week about Jameson Williams really trying to get him involved and had some drops, some mis timings against can't remember who they played, but with Jared Goff I should say. And then this week in what we perceive to be just a fantastic fantastic matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, he runs 24 routes and has two touches both in the first quarter and then does not get another look after that. So the Jame Williams hype train was fantastic heading into last year and it paid off in a big way. And then this year they doubled down, major coach speak, and he's been an absolute zero basically so far this year outside of one game. In four of the five games he's under 7.5 expected points. Um yeah, he just needs to catch some more of these downfield looks and he's very capable of doing that and it will happen. And the frustrating part about this is like if you play this on the averages, he's going to be fine uh as like the wide receiver 38 this year, but it'll be like wide receiver 60 60 64 60 60 64 and then hopefully you played him as the wide receiver four in those four games.

God, sounds like Jamar Chase so far this season.

Well, there's a little bit of a difference.

Just that was just a joke.

There's a little bit.

It was just a joke, but it's kind of been Jamar Chase so far this season.

It has been. It has been. That's for sure.

I did see Oh, I need to find the tweet. Somebody uh was comparing J Mo and Rasheed Shahed numbers and that's the exact No, but somebody I know that you I was bringing that up because I know you mentioned that, but the stats

are exactly the same for like for multiple years. It's the same exact thing. To me, what made Jameson Williams a consistent fantasy asset last season was Sam Laaporta being banged up and we got Ben Johnson utilizing him on these underneath crossing routes, created space, allowing him to get the football in his hands and just went after the catch, go against the grain, and we're not getting that this year. And in fact, in this game, Sam Laaporta was awesome. He's totally healthy. He's doing barrel rolls into the end zone. He caught like six for 93 and a touchdown. And so so far through threeish seasons and I know both players have missed time and it's off and on splits and all this type of stuff, but when Sam La the Pora has been healthy, Jameson Williams has not been able to get it going in a lot of those games and long stretches of games. And I feel like that's kind of what we're destined to do because if Sim Port is healthy, then he is easier to match up against these linebackers, these edge rushers, these flat defenders, all that type of stuff. and they can run 12 personnel out of that too and you know effectively run the ball on top of it. So, and then J Mo is stuck like you said to these downfield patterns and those are high variance.

Yeah, they're also uh 31st and neutral pass rate. They're number one in running back usage collectively as they were this past season. Also wanted to mention narratives matter. David Montgomery, we get that uh touchdown through the air. He actually plays a lot more than Jir Gibbs in general with his sister in town. So, uh, love when a good narrative comes to play, but yeah, season high, uh, usage this last week for him.

Meanwhile, Alman Rossin Brown has an 89% catch rate and 11 yards per target right now.

We don't even discuss him on the show because like what is there to say? He just up here in the top right of every chart and keep

and a great podcaster.

Yeah, I know.

Yeah, USC Trojans, they know what they do.

Well, again, USC Trojans in media right now. Not Not sure if that's a great talking point. We're not talking about that.

Green Bay Packers are next. They're also coming off a buy, like we said, playing the Cincinnati Bengals this week. What do you want to see?

The wide receiver rotation is going to get tricky moving forward. Christian Watson, I don't think he's going to play in this one, but he's close to returning. Um, and that's just going to complicate things. Hopefully, we get the post by rookie bump going for Matthew Golden. So,

what what does a post buy by rookie bump for Matthew Golden look like? Well, I think maybe probably a couple more manufacturer touches and getting him out of the 70%, you know, routes up to the 90% route. I think getting him inside and outside. Um, so like almost all of his usage has been these huge go route post routes. Um, which he's going to come down with eventually, but hopefully more of the cheap motion stuff that Jaden Reed was getting and then also the explosives down the field. He's he's going to be very hit and miss. Uh, don't love Matthew Golden. Um, and I drafted him a bunch. So, he's going to have some big games, so I don't want to rule him out. I'm excited to see what he's going to look like, but right now, he's the wide receiver, 57 in usage the last four games, and two of those games were uh without Jaden Reed.

They're projected for 29 and a quarter points.

He's going to tempt me in the rankings. I already know it.

Or that can just be three Josh Jacobs rushing scores.

Yeah. By the way, Josh Jacobs, you're looking at this uh this last month. And obviously, they had the the one bye. Josh Jacobs is the RB2 in expected points and just continues to get it done.

Nice matchup this week. Houston Texans are up next. They are headed into a buy, but reviewing the week five performance which was easily their best and keep in mind this was against the Baltimore Ravens. Hayden, dare I say that this offense looked Bobby Slowicky.

The first play, man, like it was either the first or second play they got under center. They had I think it was Chris uh Christian Kirk stay in block. It looked like that fortress that you've talked about. And then here comes big boy Nico Collins dime. Strad was amazing in that one. We also got the Christian Kirk uh fake it to be a corner route back over for the big post. Huge explosive. Strad was playing well. They're blocking it up well. But yeah, the bones of it were a little bit more slowy. And and guess what? I'm here for it. If that's what we have to do, then let's do it. once the man that they wanted to crush, they wish they could bring him back maybe just in spirit and they did in week five. Again, this Ravens defense was just totally abysmal.

They were,

but they brought back so many of these condensed splits, some pass protection help with, you know, extra tight ends. They really utilized Daltton Schultz a lot in this game. Yes. But then in these condensed splits, what it does is it gives you extra room to attack on the outside. And they just kept doing that over and over and then they hit like you said the inbreakers the overs to uh Nico Collins at least on top of it. Now it doesn't help when Xavier Hutchinson catches two touchdowns and Nico Collins does not. But

yeah, that's what happens.

Well, the Hudson stuff's like back shoulder fades like he's getting involved down there too. So it's it's a rotation. Even Christian Kirk, he had that huge explosive play. He's not a full-time player. So they're getting Nol in there. They have five wide receivers. So it's Nico Collins 100% snaps. The other four wide receivers are kind of spinning in circles. So, it's not going to be easy to predict what's going to happen the rest of the season. And apparently, same thing with the the running back rotation. I'm not sure if you have a feel for what happened there.

I do, but let me just ask finally on Nico Collins because right now he's wide receiver 21 in points per game. Do you think we get to a point where he pays off as the 10th overall selection fantasy drafts this year?

Um, if we were reddrafting today, he would not be the 10th overall pick, but you don't have to be the 10th overall pick. um after you draft him that high, like there's been some way worse selections. Like if you just look at the last four games, he's like the wide receiver 11 on wide receiver 11 usage and the first week everybody was panicking and since then things have gotten a little bit better and remember they were hosting like tryyouts basically on the offensive line and also first year play caller and stuff. So I think that the Texans December is going to look better than their September and I feel pretty good about Nico Collins. I mean, yeah, by default, but I think it's like there's actually reasons to believe that, not just like randomness. Like this is gonna get better.

We we kind of led this episode, you know, when talking about the Bills and the the Eagles that when you lose a game, we react to that.

We're kind of doing that right now with the Texans offense in the opposite direction about positivity. I mean, the last two weeks

they played Tennessee and Baltimore

for sure,

you know, for sure.

And then prior to that, they scored nine, 19, and 10 points on offense. And then right

these next few weeks they face the Seahawks, the 49ers and the Denver Broncos and the Jaguars over the next four games. So we get back to difficult opponents here.

I I just did see the same thing that you're talking about where the offense looked a little bit different and that's what we were used to when CJ Strad was throwing all those passes on the money. Um, and I think even when the Texans go up and down on offense, Nico Collins has like 152 touchdown game like every month and that's going to mask any like, oh, he only had 8.2 fantasy points today, but the next week he could have a 26 point game. Uh, so he's just like one of these guys where he's like got to let the season play out. He's he's going to get home. Okay, let's talk about the running back room because, you know, this time last week, we saw Woody Marks own the second half of a backfield and look fantastic. Got Coach Speak saying, "We're going to basically unleash him." And then we look at the running back snaps and the production and it didn't necessarily go in that way. Now, there's a few layers to this, okay? So, first Nick Chub played around 35% of snaps with Woody Marks at 40%. But Nick Chub started six drives in comparison to Woody Marks starting just one drive. I do believe Woody Marks would have gotten there in this game. And some of the blame goes to Baltimore for just being so freaking terrible because the entire fourth quarter basically while CJ Strat was still in there and outside of one series. Uh Damen Pierce played all running back snaps and so we didn't get full four quarters of Woody Mark's action here.

Yep. Have the same notes. Nick Chub did get both of the goal line uh opportunities in this one and Nick Chub actually had a pretty good game on the ground. So um yeah,

but I I do think I I looked at this though. I think Woody Marks got two carries like one from the seven yard line or the nine yard line and one from the five yard line on top of it. So, and he was also in there for was it the Jaylen Null or Christian Kirk touchdown where they like faked it in his direction then threw the opposite way.

So, it's not like as soon as they get inside the 10, he's just out of the lineup. You know, it just kind of happened that Nick Chub was in there, I feel. But I could be wrong in all that. It's just I I get people's frustration when you pick up someone especially when Rashad White goes off and Nico Rico do goes off and whoever else goes off that we thought this was going to be Woody Marks and it's just not and Nick Chub is doing like just enough to keep him on a at least split backfield stuff right now.

Yeah, I mean, I had Rico Dael and Rashad White just like a tier above Woody Marks this last week because there's just more uncertainty with the situation. Like he's a rookie who's not done it before. But yeah, super frustrating. Like last last week 6.1 expected points. The week before that 14.2, you know, and they put up 44 points. So yeah, it's going to be a frustrating one-two punch. And I think they will both coming out of the by-week be around running back 30ish or so. I would much rather have Woody Marks the rest of the season over Nick Chub for the next game. You don't feel good about either one of them.

That's the point. Again, frustration on a weekly basis is going to happen, but we're still playing the entire long season here. And so with that in mind, you would much rather be in the position of having Woody Marks on your fantasy roster for rest of season than Nick Chug on your fantasy roster. And just keep in mind a large portion of NFL backfields are split whether they be 6040 or 55 45 or those types of things. And that just kind of seems like what we're trending in this direction. Yes. But I think at some point this year

whether by injury or just by him looking better than what he marks is going to be the higher end of that outcome.

Yep. Completely agree there. Uh also good note on they're using Dalton Schultzmore. They've had like their tight end two, three, and four be placed on injured reserve. So like Dalton Schultz is like actual like important piece. Is that going to matter for fantasy? We'll see. But he's kind of in this, you know, tight end 15 conversation. There's a bunch of names like that, but he has graduated into that tier.

I would put him after all the tight end names that we've talked about so far.

I agree. Just just one of those.

He looks slow and does not win on contact at all.

Yeah. And the blocking's been

it's been it's been there, I guess.

Okay, let's talk about the Indianapolis Colts. Uh, right now I talked about how many drives teams are averaging in the red zone on a game-to-ame basis. The Colts are averaging five drives per game that reach the red zone. That is tied with the Detroit Lions for the most in the NFL. And that's higher than last season where Detroit and Washington led the NFL with 4.3 red zone drives per game. So, we've seen difficult opponents. We've seen easy opponents. And right now, this offense just looks like it is consistent on a gametoame basis. And, you know, after one, two, or three games, it's fine to have some skepticism, but after five games, uh, that gets less and less viable here.

Yeah. And then early in the game, they're passing the ball a ton. So, they're third highest in neutral pass rate. So, obviously, Jonathan Taylor's been going, I mean, beyond crazy. You put Jonathan Taylor on a chart and you have to start zooming out. He's just establishing himself as the clear RB1 right now. Uh but I mean Daniel Jones, this has been extremely real and Shane Sty's been balling out. So yeah, these two guys should be uh winning awards.

On Jonathan Taylor, he already has four runs according to our buddy Ben Finel hitting 20 miles per hour so far this season. He had four runs in all of 2024 that hit 20 miles per hour.

He's like 225 pounds. It should be illegal to run that fast,

right? And that's not just a Jonathan Taylor individual thing. That's also the blocking up front that gives him,

you know, the space to

Yep.

hit that number. Uh I mean, there's nothing else to say for me on this team. I mean, Tyler Warren is a top four tight end the rest of the way, like we said after week one. And even like, you know, I ranked him ahead of all these other Colts pass catchers. We did talk about Josh DS, how he was most productive in this game versus the others, yet he was still stuck in three wide receiver sets. And if there was ever a time for him to graduate to two wide receiver sets, it would have been this game. And so you can basically just never count on that ever happening.

Yeah, Which is sad because he was phenomenal. Those couple spin moves yards out of the catchwise was was really good. So he did have uh 10 expected points last week. That's enough to get him into the starter uh mix during by-weeks and injuries and stuff, but he's not a bankable asset right now at all. Uh Michael Pitman played uh the last couple games has been playing steady yeti. So, um, he it's Tyler, it's Jonathan Taylor, Daniel Jones, Tyler Warren, Michael Pitman. Those are the the four guys we should actually care about.

This is an obvious statement unless you disagree, but if we were reddrafting today, the 101 102 would be some combination of Pukanuka and Jonathan Taylor. Fair.

Yeah, I don't even know who would be next.

We'll talk about when we get to San Francisco.

It's probably him. Jake Tones. Okay, Las Vegas Raiders are up next. We go from great team with new quarterback to a team looking so miserable here with the Raiders that uh I don't know where necessarily they go at one and four. I mean, they just cut Germaine Pratt who was brought in to be like a veteran linebacker presence here. Uh maybe chirping a little bit behind the scenes.

Not maybe. My thing here is even the players that we think are dependable on a weekly basis, like Jacobe Meyers should be the epitome of that. Albert O outscores Jacobe Meyers in week five with five catches for 36 versus four for 32.

Um, my only positive note here is that at least Ashen Genty can get seven targets and five receptions and 42 yards because it's not like the run blocking was good in this game. Again, it was quite miserable with Cody Myers missing a block on the first carry that took him for a negative two yard loss.

But versus, you know, the first three games of the season when they weren't throwing the football at all, now at least he's getting some design work and at least some checkdowns on top of it.

Yeah, this is one of those games where uh at halftime was already a blowout. So, he didn't play in the second half as usual, but before that, 27 of 31 snaps. So, that's like rare usage. So, that's that's great news for Ashen Genty. gonna hopefully bail you guys out that drafted him early that this is just the rest of the season they're going to ride him till till they can't. Not having Brock Bower is obviously a huge deal as well. Um and we did get news on the Brock Bowers front that he's it's a bone bruise and that makes him weak to weak. It just one of these injuries where it's a risk tolerance issue and why would you risk the long-term potential of Brock Bowers on a one and four team? But it's also like classic Raiders how they're like, "Let's have him fight through it." Um, and then you have a setback and now he's going to be out long term instead of just resetting and getting healthy. Just how like the Raiders are trying to reset with the veteran quarterback, veteran coach, uh, instead of, you know, just like finally going the younger route on any of those things. So, it's just like classic Raiders situation. I'm guessing Michael Mayer is going to be back this week and I think the Raiders have a buy like around week 910 area. I wouldn't be that surprised if Brock Bowers is out till around then. Um, so pay attention to Michael Mayer and then hopefully like you said, Jacobe does something here because that was he was in the perfect spot and just stone cold busted last week which he never does. So bummer.

Well, it could be a y'all must have forgot game against the Tennessee Titans this week. Just saying Hayden just when people get frustrated with oh, we got to start vanilla soft serge Myers and it doesn't work out over the last two weeks. Maybe it does. I mean, the Bears and you know who they had this past week, these are prime matchups, but so is the Tennessee Titans. Third times of Toronto.

Yeah, people

dare you do it.

People do not realize how volatile these wide receivers are on a week- toeek basis. It is like it's always shocking to me to go through the offseason. I study it and you watch the charts go up and down, up and down, up and down. And then when the season gets here, I was like, "Well, he sucked last week." And then like, "How are you ranking Glad Makoni uh next to Quinn Johnson?" And Quinn Johnson has a bad game. Ladi does better. and vice versa. And then we're like, you know, it's wide receivers aren't in control of their situation. So, they're going to have some bad games, they're going to have some good games.

Let's talk LA Rams. They played all the way back on Thursday Night Football. I think the only conversation here is the running back room. I mean, Kairen totally dominated this backfield in terms of touches with 22 when he scored two receiving touchdowns along with eight catches and 66 yards. Uh, I don't know how much both fumbling overshadows like a very productive game here just for Kairen Williams and not for Blake Cororm who effectively got benched after his muff and that was

that's incredibly important conclusion based on you know Kairen eating up 65% and Blake Cororm 35% prior to that. So so we'll see how this unfolds here after you know a couple days more for Shawn McVey to think about it. Well, it's just ironic. You know, you bench the one guy for for fumbling um and then the other guy fumbles and the other guy fumbles a lot. So, it's like I don't know what they're going to do. So, yeah, we'll maybe get some information out of Sean McVey, but yeah, for right now, stock up for Kron Williams even though he cost them the game because Alfred Collins ate up that double team and punched the ball out. So, we'll see. I did did want to mention this over the last month, wide receiver one in expected points, Puka. Number two, Devonte Adams. I mean that is that is that's good stuff. They're passing the ball top four neutral situations and the ball only goes to the wide receiver. I mean they're a complete outlier in terms of wide receiver usage this year and Matthew Stafford and these guys are super efficient too. So it's it Devonte Adams for as long as Matthew Stafford could stay healthy and he looks healthy right now. He's going to be a top 10 wide receiver in my rankings. No no no doubt about it. And Puknu will always be the wide receiver one overall in my rankings. So just that back hold on tight. We've made it all the way all the way through five games. Hopefully we can make it through the entire season.

And dare I say the reason that they're three and two with those two losses is because they are 24th in red zone touchdown success rate right now at 52%. Uh the fumble obviously against the 49ers and then the block kicks and just going four kicks against the Philadelphia Eagles in their other loss. But those are two good teams to lose to. Both those teams are four- one and then like we just talked about with the Ravens beat.

Yeah, that's who they're playing this week is this Ravens defense. So, it's a dice them up territory here.

Yes, completely agree.

Next up is the Minnesota Vikings.

We know that they just played two games overseas. They are heading into a buy. JJ McCarthy will apparently practice and return to the field, but will he return to the field as a starter? We don't have to go there because we've talked about that a lot, but anything you want to add just in the realm of Vikings skilled players right now.

Just Kevin Oonnell said they're going to evaluate both quarterbacks this next week. Uh Carson Wentz got drilled on his non-throwing shoulder as well, so that's something to monitor. I'm not sure what they're going to do, but they did not say JJ McCarthy is for sure the starter. There's excited to see him play and hopefully that his fundamentals are better. That's like something that Kevin Oonnor was saying and hopefully that he's learned from Carson Blunt. So, we'll see there. Um, there's onoff splits with Justin Jefferson, with Carson Wentz and JJ McCarthy. Uh, I think Carson Wentz just played better football than J.J. McCarthy. We'll see about that. Um, I mentioned TJ Hawinson is a drop candidate. He's down at 16% targets, only 6.3 expected points since Jordan Aton's been out there. Just like not a focal point of the offense right now. It's the offense I think is just going to be what it has been. It's more of an average offense than the great offense that we saw with Sam Darnold last year. And I think that's just kind of the expectation we should have now that the Vikings uh offensive line is probably below average due to injuries.

Look, I'm not comparing Carson Wentz to Sam Darnold, but I do think that maybe Kevin Oonnell will lean into the high variance nature that they did last year with Sam in terms of big shots down the field and explosive plays. Um, obviously the defense kind of lives and dies by explosive plays a bit too and they haven't created as many of those this season.

Uh, because JJ McCarthy with explosive that's not really his calling card. It's more maintaining and we're going to lead into the running game and get in third and five plus situations and boom, JJ can convert those. At least when he's at his best, that's typically what you would expect. So, we'll see. Uh again, if they go with Carson Wentz, to me that is ending JJ McCarthy season.

Yeah, I think that would be fair. Confirm the potential benching. I'm very curious to see about this one. Kevin McConnell did mention that JJ McCarthy like needs to like see it and throw it on time, which we felt we watching the game and Carson Wentz will do that.

Now, at the same time, I don't want to sound like that is ending J.J. McCarthy's career. Uh, as we have seen across the league, sometimes quarterbacks just need to have some patience and some time behind them and to like make mistakes at one place or earlier on their career and go through some growing pains and then they figure it out. I mean, he is easily, I think, the youngest starting quarterback in the league, right? He's 22 years of age right now. Uh, and has started what, two NFL games?

Yeah.

Three NFL games and that's it.

Three. Yeah. Yeah. Three and a half pretty much. Yeah, it's uh

so again, I understand like by EPA and all these things, he's the worst quarterback in the NFL at this point, but at the same time, I I do want us to like have some not sympathy, but just some like patience of

Yeah, Hey, it it is I think accentuated by how well this team performed last year and the decision that they made to funnel that money in different directions where it comes to interior defensive line and interior offensive line and go with the guy they drafted, you know, top 15, top 20 overall, but uh he's super young and has only played three NFL games so far.

Yeah, the more I study the NFL, the more I just value experience at quarterback. Like it

just takes forever. It's so complicated. They're asked to do so much.

Like all the quarterbacks, they look so much better. How are you going to get experience, right? Yeah, I know. But like that's just why buying the dip on Sam Darnold and these projects. It's like I get it and like that's why I kind of understand Kevin Oonnell like liking Carson Wentz and Daniel Jones and stuff like hey I'll be the reclamation project because they've seen five years of NFL defenses and they they know the playbook and stuff and that matters and just it takes a very long time and that's the hard part of the situation is because the rest of the roster wants to win the Super Bowl this year and they have the talent and the coaching staff to do it and so that's the decision that they have to make is like is the roster too good that we can't do the an experienced quarterback or Could they just say Carson Wentz is not good enough in general to win the Super Bowl? And I I would get that too. So that's that's the tough part about this.

But then the other part is how else is J.J. McCarthy going to get experience other than play? I I that's the reason why I wanted them just to sign Sam Darnold. It seemed to be working. Well, but then same thing is then you just spend a first round pick on a quarterback prior to that. Maybe they maybe we would have seen signs that Jim McCarthy's like that dude. So we'll see.

New Orleans Saints are up next. Uh, this is our favorite team this year. Let's just be honest. All right, they're one and four, but man, they're fun. Uh, anything you want to add here? We talked about Rasheed Shahid. While he, you know, in the prior two weeks, I think ran fewer routes or fewer snaps than Brandon Cooks, our guy pops up here for four catches, including an 87 yard out and up where he just absolutely torches, and I mean torches, the Giant secondary, and you can literally see vroom going behind him as he scoots along the sideline. There were some other plays I thought were even like better than that. He I mean there was a a corner that straight up just fell over on an out route um from him. He's so fast. Um he's an exceptional route runner, too. I think he's I think he's very very good football player.

So all season long we've been able to hang our hat on Chris Ave to a degree, Rashid Shahed, and then Jawan Johnson. I do wonder about the Jawan Johnson stuff moving forward. Okay. Uh, I'm not calling him a Well, I guess everyone's a PPR scam of this group for the most part, mostly. But for him, what we really liked was they were doing like three by one sets and he was even like an isolated pass catcher. But even a new set of eyeballs gets Taesm Hill in there on freaking like six manufactured snaps. Yeah. And Fossa Maro is back at the same time. Yeah. And so, no doubt in my mind, Jawan Johnson's gonna pop up here, especially in the red zone, and make some plays. But there are very few target getters on a weekly basis that we could have said, "Hey, this tight end is going to get seven, eight targets on any given week." And Jawan Johnson was one of those who the first four weeks.

I don't think we can put him in that category anymore. Agree. Yeah, I think that there's some other tight ends like Mason Taylor I'd rather have straight up rest of the season. Uh that's where we're at with Jawan Johnson. He last week he still ran 83% of the routes. Um the problem is you can see that in the neutral pass rate. The Saints are now 29th in neutral pass rate and when Taesm Hill's coming in, he's coming in as like a Wildcat quarterback where there's just like not going to be a pass attempt on all this. Like every single time Taesm Hill's on the field right now, it's coming at the expense of all of the um pass catchers. Uh and then also they're trying to get Kendra Miller going a little bit as well. Um so yeah, I think that Jawan Johnson deserves to be a top 15 tight end. He's no longer the top five guy. Um, and he's going to be kind of fluctuating in that category. So, I would try to sell him if you can. And I even think a drop him for Mason Taylor situ situation is something that I would be uh encouraging and that's what be I'm going to be doing on my teams.

Okay, let's talk more tight ends. New York Giants. Theo Johnson is fourth in terms of all pass catchers across the league on targets inside the 20 yard line and fifth on targets inside the 10 yard line. So if Brian Dball and Jackson Dart and Cam Scatteraboo who they're not running the football inside the red zone, then they've kind of been targeting Theo Johnson now that Malik Neighbors is gone. And so they're not going to score as many points as some of these other teams, but that is the type of usage that we we care about. So like Theo Johnson versus Jawan Johnson rest of season, I think is an interesting conversation.

I think it's totally fair. I put him right in that category as well. So season high 14.3 expected points this last week because of all the end zone usage. Um, the reason why he gets targeted in the end zone, he's about what? 6'5 270. And then every He's competing with He's not that big. He's not He looks that big. He's not 6'5, 270. What is he 6'4 260? He's 6'4 255. He's massive. He's massive. He's like 6'4 240. Oh, he's bigger than 240. Give me a break. He's way bigger than Wandell Robinson and Jaylen Hyatt. Well, yeah, maybe he looks big next to those guys. That's Theo's a big Theo's massive. No, Theo's massive. I I stand by this. I don't care what the Combine numbers even say. I stand by this. He's massive. And he's going to I mean, the combine he I mean, big guy. Big guy at the combine. So, he did maybe he did add, you know, 15 pounds since the combine. What is he? 6 What is he? 65 250. 66 245. I mean, yeah, he's 66. No, sorry, 255. My bad. and and Weeves uh in our comments saying the Giants are listing about 66264, so get out of he is massive. No, maybe he put on 15 pounds since he definitely looked like it. He definitely 66 270 is not something you see in an NFL field very often.

Well, we're this close and I'll round up to make a point. Um I don't know how much they're going to get down to the red area, you know. Yeah. Um but I'm intrigued. He also doesn't have to be a red area guy. this team could use, you know, some PPR scamming and I think that it's a dire situation. Daryl Sllayton's not gonna play this week on a short short week. Um they get the freaking eagle, so it's not going to be pretty this week, but um yeah, I think all the little RPO stuff eventually could go to um this 270 pound monster.

By the way, look at you becoming a Theo Johnson guy. Just too damn good at my job this off seasonason. Talking you into it. We'll get to AJ Barner a bit later on as well. like the these are the late round targets you all should be doing at the tight end position and Dr. Franking signing that position versus you know spending necessarily early round picks on it's been a late round clinic this year is I mean but but then the late round guys become early round guys and then we just recycle them with new late round guys each and every year uh a couple weeks ago you termed Cam Scataboo the biggest boy in the backfield. I don't know if you saw the video of Demario Davis calling Cam Scataboo the bad little kid in the back. Yeah, it's the same thing, man. It's the same thing. Oh, I love Scataboo. Um, yeah, he had a fumble, but they stuck with him. Uh, I think Tyron Tracy's going to return here, but it's so evident. It's It's not even about the onfield stuff. That's secondary. Cam Scatabo, Brian Dable, and Jackson Dart are It's It's literally It's not even about the onfield stuff. The wins and losses don't matter. They don't matter anymore. Period. Dart Scatterabo and Brian Dball love triangle.

Well, Brian Dable is not going to not going to be here if the wins and losses don't matter. And that's my problem for another day. All I know is Cam Scato is not going anywhere. Even if Tyrone Tracy's on the field, it is it is it is beyond the field, the social post. It's it's a whole thing. Did you see my Do you see my nickname for Scatoau? Well, yeah. The biggest boy in the back. No, new one. 44 Loco. Four loco runner. uh coming up. They might need to get energized for the Eagles, the Broncos, the Eagles, the 49ers, the Bears, the Packers, and the Lions over the next few weeks. But win losses don't matter. No, not for Cam Scot. It doesn't matter.

Okay. Anything you want to say about this Jackson Dart performance when you went back and watched it versus the first one? It was more pro style E. Yes. Than the first one, which is like a nice step in the right direction. Yeah. Uh he threw some out routes I thought with some anticipation on top of it. Uh but still quite nervous about them moving forward. Yeah. No, I mean they're just they're just missing so much talent. Like this team would have been so much different with Malik Neighbors like obviously, but I I thought he actually played fairly well. The the interceptions were kind of wild. He he definitely turned down some throws that he he should have. So like the one where he got out of the pocket, he could have just hit the check down or the the crossing route over the middle. Uh but the other one like the wide the back the what the fourth string wide receiver just like stopped his route. Um and then all the Darius Sllayton fumbled Cam Scatteraboo fumble. So there was definitely some misses where he just like did not see him. And the one that even dropped there was a huge dig route coming across the middle that he he needs to hit that. So that was the concerning part. But I thought that for the rest of the game he was actually pretty good and it was just like wonkiness ensued. Um, but I mean Wandell on the slot and it's going to be freaking like Bo Collins and Jaylen Hyatt as your outside wide receivers against Quinnon Mitchell. I I mean what what are they going to do? They have no chance.

Let's go to another team where hopefully the wins and losses don't matter. That is the New York Jets who are 0 and5. Uh positive. The big positive is Mason Taylor. Over the last two games, uh, they've seen a lot of work go in his direction. And this is notable because the coaches said they wanted to get more work in his direction. In this game, 12 targets, nine receptions, 67 yards. Now, when you go back and watch them, it really paid off to play the Dallas Cowboys and their soft ass zone coverage that we talked about when they faced the Giants, right? a lot of slot work, over the middle of the field stuff because on if he got 12 targets, let's say nine of them, nine of them were, hey, we're going to check off the line of scrimmage. We're going to run, jog, we're going to sit in the soft zone, we're going to catch it and turn up field for a yard or two, and there's a seven yard gain on top of it. Now, there were some other things like on a third down, they got him across the formation on emotion and got him into the flat as a manufactured stuff. There was another one in the red zone that was manufactured too, but overall this was very much a catch and release type game here for the tight end and it really paid off again to play this style of a defense.

Saw the exact same thing and that's just what happens at the tight end position and like some tight ends like just do not have the, you know, the I guess the awareness feel for zone coverage and he he can run after the catch a little bit too. So he's he's definitely in the Jake Ferguson mold like that's where we're going and hopefully he can become a PPR scam. I think he's got a good chance of beating the PPR scam. The Jets defense is worse than the offense. I mean, it's insane. And they're going to be in negative game scripts in the fourth quarter. And all these little things that you're talking about, you just rinse, repeat. That's what you just do and kind of uh metriculate up the field. So, Mason Taylor, season high 15.2 expected half points each week in usage up up up. So, he's their number two target and I think he's a reliable guy and he's I think he has some like a little bit of yards after the catch juice. So this is the first game without Brillan Allen in the fold. So what we saw was 61% of the snaps went to Bree Hall, 42% of the snaps went to Isaiah Davis. Obviously this one was an extreme negative game script in the second half and they scored 16 of their 22 points in the fourth quarter. But Bree Hall still got 113 yards on 14 carries. Anything else you want to add to this running back room? Yeah, the Cowboys defense was just pathetic trying to defend Breeze Hall. I mean, he got hit like six yards down the field like the entire game. So, um season high 15.2 points for Bree Hall. So, he'll be a top 20 uh guy, no problem. Um, for I mean probably top 15 guy rest of the season just because uh Brilen Allen's out long term. So, feel good about him. Um, it's not going to always look pretty. is going to be a little bit inconsistent, but we're starting to see some of the explosiveness back in terms of just like the numbers. He still doesn't like he's not opening up full speed like how he was as a freshman or as a rookie.

Started every single drive except for one, which again is notable when you're constantly working from behind. Now, it's not like this team probably even knows what a four-minute drill is, uh, based on how they want to play football or a two-minute drill. Um, but you know, Isaiah Davis only played 34% of early downs and Bruce Hall played 13 of the first 15 snaps. So, I don't think we have a clear picture in a normal game what it's like once they get inside the 10 yard line, but I would be stunned if Bree gets taken off the field in that. He has gotten the piece of the pie from Brayley Mountain that we were hoping for.

Pittsburgh Steelers next. Uh, they are also coming off of a by-week. What do you want to see? And I'll lead this by saying, Hayden, that while Jaylen Warren was one of the surprise feature backs for basically the first three games, four games of the season, uh I would be very surprised if that he is going to continue to own the same backfield share after what Kenny Gainwell did in his absence because I just think that's how Arthur Smith rolls. Yeah. I mean, Kenny Gainwell had a hell of a game. Um, so I don't know what the split's going to be. You have like in theory post by rookie bump Caleb Johnson, but he hasn't even seen the field. Um, so we'll see. I mean, it's just that's playing 15% of snaps. Um, I mean, that would matter. Uh, yeah, I don't know what they're going to do with the running backs, so I'll be reading as much news as I can to get a good feel for it. I'm guessing Jaylen Warren's going to get the first crack at it. It's going to be a committee. Jaylen Warren has not been that efficient on the ground. Um,

I guess my other note here is just the DK Mechaf stuff. It's been wild. So this month, last four four weeks, he's the wide receiver 11, but on wide receiver 55 usage. Now, back in week four when he had that that crossing route where he just was faster than Harrison Smith and outran everybody, you're going to get that for DK Mechaf. Now, is that sustainably like what you're going to get? No. But he can definitely run fast. The more interesting part was in that game the like RPO bubble just checking into like a little quick slant just because of numbers and Aaron Aaron Rogers picking things out. That was actually going to DK Mechaf. So, that was more like the Devonte Adams kind of connection. Uh, which I wasn't sure we're going to get, but uh, he's like a negative regression candidate, but I did think that was like a nice little wrinkle for the Steelers. Yeah, I mean, his average targets like like seven yards in comparison to the downfield DK Mech stuff that we've seen in the past. And Aaron, you know, wants to get the football out of his hands quickly. And so unless you have either a red zone touchdown, which he does have a post up of the season or the 80 yard that he had, then you're going to be living in the short range game over and over and over again. And to me, like that's why I was concerned prior to week one, while I've been concerned ever since. And you know, while makes me look like a fool when he has an 80 yard touchdown, but uh he, you know, he and Aaron Rogers game just don't fit in terms of Devonte Adams, but one of them has to like conform to the other one. And DK Metaf is conforming to who Aaron Rogers is as a passer right now. He is. Um, so I don't know how it's going to go. All I know is that the Steelers are dead last in wide receiver usage as a team and it's not even close. Like it's it is total outlier situation. So, um, that's cuz they're winning right now. But it's just interesting offense kind of as expected.

I don't know what your leagues are like. Again, every single week we get some crazy trade discussions on the Thursday show with Faras and other people are like, wouldn't happen in my league. But right now, DK Metaf is wide receiver 15 in points per game on the season. I would flip him for a Brian Thomas Jr. or a bunch of the other names that we've talked about so far that are underperformers.

San Francisco 49ers and the third best fantasy asset in the entire game right now. That is Chris McAffrey. A running back three on paper, but a wide receiver one in our hearts. Uh unfortunately, while they're four in one, you know, it's Kendrick Bourne having a massive day because Jawan Jennings and Ricky Pierce all miss and then it sounds like George KD will not be healthy enough for this game and it will have to take another week before getting back into the vault. So, I think it's going to be no Brock Pery, no George KD. I think Jawan Jennings going to play. I think Ricky Pierall is more on the questionable side of things. So, hopefully the two receivers are back for this one with M. Jones and Mac. Jones like fully capable in this offense. Like he's not as good as Brock Perie, but he is very comfortable. Um, and it's exciting. So, it just really comes down to to the health of of the team. So, it's kind of a hard team to kind of picture what's going to happen this next week until we get confirmation of which wide receivers is going to be out there.

They're only projected for 22 and a quarter points on the road. So, they are underdogs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by three points this week. That should be a very, very fun one. Um, yes. Now, I'm not holding you to this because I'm asking you this question on the fly, but let's say at some point this season while they are injured right now and are carrying injuries probably for a while, but when Brock Party's on the field with Christian McAffrey, with Ricky Pieraw, Jawan Jennings, and George KD, at some point they should be on all on the field at the same time. Yes. What does that do for each of those fantasy assets right now? like will Chris McAffrey lose all this receiving work that is making him this tremendous player because he's not an efficient runner. He's not an explosive runner. He's not getting really that many short yardage opportunities to convert into touchdowns right now. Again, it's just like the vast majority of it is receiving work. Does that get taken away from him a little bit?

What happens? I think so. I mean, I would guess the best part of the Christian McCaffrey season has is happening right now. And then How dare you? But guess what? He's got a lot of room to, you know, he can lose three targets per game and still be, you know, in the wide receiver or the running back one conversation. So, yeah, I think this will be the peak of it. Um, and the running back's part of the equation there is the offensive line just like terrible, you know? It's just it's a really bad offensive line. So, um, I think that's been kind of the the drawback because if you watch Christian McCaffrey out in the route, I mean, he's just routing everybody up and he still looks explosive there. So, you can't tell me that it's Christian McCaffy's fault on the ground. Like, he looks very athletic as a receiver. So, it's to me it's just the run blocking. You see like on the fourth and ones and stuff, they're just getting blown back and Trent Williams isn't playing up to up to snuff either. So, to me, like I think Christian McCaffy will take a little bit of back seat. I would much rather have George KD than the other wide receivers. And um I think that's just the what's going to kind of play out. And I think that Brock Pretty is going to be eventually um a quality asset, but we'll see about this toe. They're kind of, you know, they're being a little bit weird with the the the comments about the towel.

And there are some ceiling games in the future for multiple players in this offense just based on opponents that they're playing. Like they get the Falcons in a couple of weeks, the Giants a couple weeks after that, the Panthers have been up and down. They have them on November 24th. Um Tennessee around the final week of the regular season, first round the fantasy playoffs. And then fantasy championships, they face the Chicago Bears defense. So there's like multiple games here still where we can get at least one or two or three of these guys if all healthy by that point. And that's a big F for this team to have massive massive performances. And that's why we drafted them, you know. Y we drafted them.

Okay. Seattle Seahawks are next. Uh, this was a laser show in the passing department between Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield, which left a lot to be desired for the rushing department. So, like we can have our weekly conversation about Ken Walker and Zack Sharpet if we want to. Again, what we know is that it is a split backfield. What we also know is that Ken Walker perfectly fits this rushing scheme and that played out with 10 carries for 86 yards. Uh, I'll also add Hayden, I think people just assume every time they get inside the 10 yard line, Zack Charmin pops in. That was not the case in this game. Ken Walker did have a carry at the 5 yardd line. He did have a carry at the seven yard line. Now, if Elijah Royo gets one block on the edge, then boom, Ken Walker gets in the end zone on that outside run. But, uh, it's not like they're just removing him in those instances. He just, you know, did get replaced in one and then got replaced in two the previous week.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I mean the one we got got got him down to the five yard line. Then while he was catching his breath, Zack Charbet scores a touchdown. So just bad luck. Uh Kenneth Walker looks good on tape to me. Uh in the four Sharbon games, he's averaging just 9.6 expected points. So he has to be really efficient to be an RB2. Good news is he will be very efficient. So he's an RB2. He's just does not have the workload to be an RB1 going into weeks. He can finish as one if he rips off an explosive, but that's just the reality of the situation. I was going to kick it over to you. I watched this game live for a recap show. I'm assuming you went back and watched uh the all 22 of this. What are you seeing from I mean the Sam Darnold stuff? It's it's insane. Like he's he's one of the better quarterbacks. Like one of like among the healthy quarterbacks that we got going in the NFL, he's one of the best.

Yeah. And again, I I think this is a big part of having an offensive identity and like a really good environment for a lot of people to succeed. Like we've talked about the Russian game. Obviously JSN is going nuclear. Like on these 20 plus yard targets, he and Sam Darnold have been unbelievable. JSN according to our buddy Ian Hardit, seven targets, 20 plus yards on the field, six receptions, 246 yards. And yeah, I mean what what I talked about of keeping the opposition in base personnel. They are one of the teams doing that. And look, the Saints did that last year with Clint Kubak and now the Seahawks are doing that this year. They're second by facing base on 49.3%. So yeah, I mean they are basically being the hammer like they are being the initiator of on what they want to impose on the opposition and a lot of these other teams with new quarterbacks or new OC's and they have both uh aren't able to do that. So it's it's incredibly impressive here. That's for sure. Yeah. Yeah. They get him to the base and they throw it right over the top of him. Yeah. The JSN nugget is wild because he's just he's a downfield threat as a outside wide receiver. like for him to develop into that that took like a couple years to get there, but we've seen steady improvements and that's in insane because like he was came in the league as a slot guy and he's just a downfield outside wide receiver in this offense and he's been excellent at that. And then also just want to say Sam Darnold is like getting out of structure and like making some some plays. So like you you might think of him as like some statue play action merchant some of these explosives just because he's actually buying time, breaking some tackles and still throwing the ball on the run. other part, and this might be a weird analogy with JSN, you know, the gauntlet drill at the combine where you're just running across in a straight line and catching balls this way. You see other people kind of like slow down and take their time to make sure they're catching these passes. JSN is full speed and running on a direct line. Yep. And he also knows like to weave through this trash on these crossers like, okay, I can do this at full speed while still keeping this line and not, you know, getting off track too much. And it's a skill. Just a really, really talented player right now. I also want to bring up another talented player, Hayden. AJ Barner. Four tight end touchdowns in five games right now. Just overall, bye-weeks included. For others, he's the uh tight end at this point. Uh he caught two red zone scores here. Uh it's as simple as he's a quality blocker at this position and an offense that uses multiple tight ends, but he is the figurehead at that spot. And so if you're going to be on the field, this is why we always talk about if you're going to be on the field so often on a team that is outperforming many people's expectations, you're going to have more opportunities to put up points and have more opportunities to catch passes. And that's exactly what he's doing. He's like just good enough to be a threat as a pass catcher. Yeah, I think that he's going to be rock solid on limited opportunities and he's a very good run blocker. He's also massive. I put him in that category of he looks he looks every bit of 66. I mean that dude he he's obviously not Jimmy Graham. His body type and how like in shape he is and for how tall he is is reminds me of what Jimmy Graham like looks like. Just like how he you know how he looks. 66251. Oh yeah. But again, this to me along with Theo Johnson, and I always talk about this during the draft process, you take big bodies that have athleticism and then Burton Strange was this too. Y that who can block and then hope they grow into receiving and awareness and comfort in that game. Mhm. Versus, oh, let's take the mismatch option immediately and expect him then to learn the opposite. that can kind of been more difficult, you know. Oh, wait. These are big Bambies like just trying to learn their body eventually and hopefully when they turn 25, they have full control of themselves and it's go time. So, I think it's now I've gotten a ton of questions already because these were my guys where rest of season, who would you want? Like, if they can only pick up one this week. Yeah. Theo Johnson or AJ Barter? Theo's just like been more involved in the past week for Yeah. Like this could easily be the best part of AJ Barner. That's why I'm taking the victory lap on it already. Oh yeah. I I highly doubt it already paid off. Really I mean it really has. Oh yeah, it really has. Uh in the next five games he catches another four touchdowns. But uh he's a really like valuable piece of an NFL offense.

I did want to say one quick thing about the JSN point. You talked about the gauntlet drill stuff. One thing that Jeremiah talks about for scouting wide receivers is cleats on the ground. If you see a prospect jumping up at the catch point and stuff, that just means that he's not trusting himself, you get cleats in the ground and catching the ball with your hands, like that's somebody that you can like really bank on and can maximize their athleticism because they're just getting up field immediately. I think that JSN's one of the very best at that in the league.

Speaking of, perfect segue into our next team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Emecha Agbuka. I don't think there was a single episode this summer where we didn't bring up Ebuka's name and just how late he was going. Now, we did that a lot with Matthew Golden. We ranked them both quite highly. But again, I bua if you drafted both. Yeah. In our episodes, we said, "Hey, get one in this round, get one in the next round, and move on. It pays off." And it could also pay off for Matthew Golden the rest, but not quite to the start that I has as the wide receiver, three overall this season and just posted a 27point game. And a lot of it was downfield routes. And then the timing that he has in like these small windows with Baker Mayfield, like it was kind of like a skinny post where clearing the linebacker, getting ahead of the safety and then just as he's turning the window is hit by Baker and uh, it's just it's really really beautiful.

Yeah, he's been phenomenal. I also just want like Baker Mayfield deserves like a big part of the credit for the Mecca stuff too like just allowing him to make these big post routes uh and go balls. So, yeah, he's just he looks like a total veteran out there and the coaching staff absolutely loves him and he's he's completely made Chris Godwin a backseat guy and when Mike Evans returns, guess what? You're on the back seat, too. This is a mecca. No question about it. He would be, I think, probably second round pick in fantasy if you were drafting right now. Um, and I would be drafting him there. He's he's going to be one of the best receivers in the league for a long time. Let's talk about the backfield because when Bucky Irving went down uh in stepped both Rashad White and Shawn Tucker, there was debate on both sides. Uh and it was a no contest. Rashad White saw 80% of the snaps, Shawn Tucker 22% of the snaps. Rashad White started six drives, Shawn Tucker started three drives, and actually Rashad White was the one that got all of the short yardage work despite Shawn Tucker being the bigger body type. I mean, just like the last, you know, since the NFL has started with these guys, that's what it's been. So, 16.9 expected half PBR points. Rashad White's also a good player, you know, like we can nitpick him. He's gotten better and he's very trusted and that's a big part of this offense because they ask this offense to do a bunch of things. So, he's a upside RB2 and we'll see how long this Bucky Irving injury is. It's kind of mysterious. The second one popped up. Yeah, it's just mysterious. Okay, now the shoulder's bigger than the foot. I was like, well, the footed was already scaring me.

Okay, Tennessee Titans are next. Um, big comeback win for them in weirdo fashion. Not just the foam by Mari de Makado, but the interception that was tipped from Cam Ward and then dropped by the Arizona Cardinals. A pick six the other way that then they don't just fumble right there. They kick it into their own end zone and then Tyler Lockett recovers it. Uh I will say on that final drive was the best of Calvin Ridley so far this season. And even on that big play along the right sideline, I mean Cam Ward loves to like dip down and throw these passes just like he did at Miami. I mean he like really no one else throws the football like him. Like we kind of compared him to Jordan Love in terms of being an ambitious passer, but Jordan Love's mechanics are just so much better than Kim Ward. Now, I'm not here to say that Kim Ward's are a negative necessarily. He just the ball control that he has is is wildly different. And uh yeah, just sometimes when he's really feeling it and these whole shots, it's just drop, throw it over the top.

Yeah, his arm talents, it's insane. So hopefully hopefully it continues. I say the same thing. It feels like his base gets really elongated and he looks like he's like throwing like a javelin or something. He's it's wild. But then other times like the ball's out instantly and just from the sidearm. He's he's uber talented. So I I really hope that the Titans can kind of figure figure it out long term and it was good to see Calvin really pop up. Season high 13.9 points playing through an injury. Actually came down with a couple clutch plays down there. And uh the the rookie wide receivers, I just think in general they're they're just struggling. you know, they they've come down with a couple big plays uh out of structure, but just down to down, it's just been a struggle city for them. So, um other note I had was they're going to be ramping up Tai Spears who returned for the first time. Uh and Tony Per had his best game, ironically, with Spears in there, but like they're expecting Tai Spears to get more involved. So, we'll see.

Should the Chargers or Bears call about Tony Potter? Oo yeah, I'm down with that. Either one of them just because the Titans are going absolutely nowhere. Now that is kind of waving the white flag because Taj Spears probably should. Totally. But you know, sometimes these teams don't necessarily do that. It's a first time GM being in his role for the first year, too. So, but he's the type of piece that you should move at this point. For sure. Yeah. I'll put Calvin Ridley in that conversation. Now, maybe Calvin really is too important for the development of Camboard where you wouldn't do that where Spear Spears could hold the line versus the Tony Per production, but yeah, this is a team that hopefully will start trading some pieces. No, I think that's all totally fair. Uh, one last piece of news, Chargers are signing Naimm Hines to the practice squad and they expect him to actually play. Wasn't he with them in He's with them. Yeah, he was with them. So that would be a sign to me more competition for Kamani Vidal where Hassan Haskins is like operates different than those two guys. It's going to be a committee. It's going to be disgusting. It's going to be really disgusting.

Thank you all for tuning in. Once again, feature film stats versus film. I don't know how we used to do these under two hours. Maybe at some point we'll get there this season. Uh appreciate Weaves, Mosho, Hayden, and all of you for supporting Underdog by playing on the platform and hitting that subscribe button here on the YouTube channel. We'll talk to you'all soon. See you.