Starts of the Week + Week 5 Breakdown, Squeaky Wheels - Fantasy Football Podcast for 10/5

And only Adam Thielen could run that play. Like it was a play just for him. And then he didn't realize Adam Thielen wasn't out there. They had a call the time. Like they are designing plays for Thielen. Mingo should be back. Not that it really matters. And if you don't, you shouldn't need me to say it. But Sam Lipporta is a must start at the tight end position. How are we looking at Miles Sanders? He split time with Chuba. He, it was the groin injury, I believe. It was. Show us how you're looking at him, Jason. Give me the face. When you look at him, what does your face do? Oh, no. Oh, no. Please no. No, this is a bad matchup for running backs. He's dealing with a groin injury. Splitting time with Chuba. I'm not starting Chuba. I'm not starting Miles Sanders. Yeah, the lions. You don't really start running backs against the lions. They're number one. Gus Edwards against Pittsburgh or Miles.

The Baltimore, starting a Baltimore running back right now is like. I believe Gus was really the primary guy. It's the last thing I want to do. So you would rather start Miles Sanders? I think you're going to see four players touch the football in Baltimore. Gus had 18 opportunities last week. 15 carries, three targets. I mean, he's, he is the one of the several. Well, you're getting Keaton Mitchell back and you have Justice Hill more healthy and Melvin Gordon touches the football. I guess I'd go Gus because of the 18 opportunities, but I'm not going to go Gus with like a smile. Oh, Mike. Yeah, it was right there. I like it. Would you go the hot waiver pick, Joliel McLaughlin or Miles Sanders? Assuming that Giovante is out, I want the hotness of McLaughlin.

Titans are two and two, Colts are two and two. Draft King Sportsbook Line Titans minus one and a half. The overrunners 43. Anthony Richardson, he's been very good for fantasy. Yes, he has. Maybe kind of below the radar with his missed game. But, I mean, number two, fantasy quarterback last week, number four in week one. And what is well on his way in week two before the injuries. Yeah, he's been amazing. It's funny because he completed 44% of passes last week on his way to a QB2 finish. And you watch the highlights, like you see, like sometimes you have rookies that you just never see it. You see it five times a game with Anthony Richardson. And I mean with, yeah, both sides, but you see it with the arm. I'm not even talking about the rushing ability. I'm talking about crazy, you know, off-balance sidearm, cross-body, on the run, throws that are like, almost no one can make them. And so.

You know, he's going to have some monstrous games this year. You know, they're at home. Like Anthony Richardson this week is he, like where does he start? Well, can let me put that to the test because I have, I have them in a bunch of leagues. Are you playing them over, over Tua? That is probably the most difficult one. I've got them back to back in my rankings. And I'm, I'm going to adjust. I'm going to put Anthony Richardson above. Very hot and very cold. Tua is playing the Giants. Tua has, uh, gone number one overall, number 26, number two overall, number 18. I'm going to put Anthony Richardson in my lineup above two. See, now I think you're just trying to trick me into playing this. No. Last week, you cost me the week. Yes, I did, baby. I, okay, so I did not cost you the week. I would have won you the week if you had listened to me Sunday morning. I, they're both such good options this week. I think that Richardson is the,

the safer floor, but like, Tua can be number one. Again, Tua can be a top three quarterback this week where Richardson will definitely finish in the top 10. And Tua has a chance that A-chan takes things away from him. So where are you at, Mike, not in my division guy? I would probably play, I'd play Tua. Okay. Wow. I thought after you just described it. It depends on the matchup. But, dude, I. No risk and no biscuit, man. I want those points. I feel like they have just about the same ceiling. I feel like either one of these guys could go out and put up 35 fantasy points. But the floor, and maybe we haven't seen it with Jonathan Taylor. Maybe Jonathan Taylor, A chance, you know, Anthony Richardson. But that is the worry with how good the Dolphins running game is. If the touchdowns go in on the ground, you know, when the touchdowns go in on the ground for the Colts, it's Anthony Richardson on the ground. Right. Or Jonathan Taylor.

Maybe that's what I'm saying. Maybe this is a new Colts we have to see with Jonathan Taylor active. We'll see if he plays. I will say this. It very much seems like he's going to play. All the quotes of what he's talking about. He talks about, I'm here to support my teammates. I'm here to help the city. I'm 100% healthy. That part is the weirdest part to me. Which part? That's the part that stood out is like, is that a message for your team? Or is that a message for someone else? That's a message to the ownership. He was asked if he wants to be a cult. And he said, it doesn't matter. I'm 100% healthy part. Oh. I feel like that coming out and publicly pronouncing that is interesting. That's all. Yeah, I mean, if he is 100% healthy, I don't see. And with the quotes from Shane Stike and talking about how he looks good, he looks like he's in great shape, can't imagine when he's active. They're like, yeah, we're, I mean, we're not going to play him this week. I don't know why you wouldn't. So.

I'm of the mindset now that Jonathan Taylor plays this week, and I'd start him. I mean, it's not a great matchup against Tennessee, but he's Jonathan Taylor. You had a really good first week for Michael Pittman, and it's been three mediocre fantasy finishes, but, you know, he's been good except for this past week in reality. Yeah. Only one catch this past week for 15 yards, no touchdown. It was a hugely disappointing week. He got a two-point conversion, though. Yeah, I did. Thank goodness. That was half his points. So, you know, on paper, this looks like a great matchup. The Titans defense gives it up to the wide receiver. Yeah, we'll talk about him a little bit later, but I would certainly be starting Michael Pittman in this matchup. If Josh, if Jonathan Taylor is out of Zach Moss a start, it's a really brutal Titans defense that never gives up yards. I think if Taylor's in, you can't play Moss. No, obviously if Taylor's in, you can't play Moss? I'm talking about Taylor's out. Oh. Can you play Zach Moss in this?

matchup against Tennessee. It would be a hesitant start. It would just dirty volume though. I'm hoping that the passing game gets me down to the goal line and Richardson is benevolent and gives Zach Moss a touchdown. DeAndre Hopkins is averaging four and a half receptions and 54 yards a game. Colts defense is giving up 35 fantasy points a game to opposing fantasy wide receivers. Titans' offense looks like it was remedied a little bit last week against Cincinnati, and Cincinnati had looked really good on defense the week before. So how much confidence do you have in Hopkins in this game? I've got a fair amount of confidence in Hopkins. Would you say like four for 50? Well, he straight up dropped a big touchdown this last week. So if you look back at this game, I think you would have had a completely different view of Hopkins.

this week if he just clasps that ball. And usually he does. You know, he's not one to. That's a little mean. I don't think it was a drop. That's fair. It was a little out of his reach. It was a miss. It was one where I was surprised he didn't catch up to the ball and get it. Because he's older. It wasn't just a straight drop. But my point is like if that had been six inches closer or whatever, it was so close to having a really good fantasy day where I think our viewpoint changes just based on like. A little bit. And what we've seen from Hopkins on the field, it hasn't been good for fantasy, but it's been good like, he hasn't looked bad, right? I think he's looked, I think he's looked underwhelming. Really? Yeah. Every time I. He doesn't look himself. He doesn't look like old Hopkins at all. I'm going to have to go. He looks like old Hopkins. Oh, okay. I'm going to have to go rewatch Hopkins. He looks like he's my, he's doing the, he's installed the program to transition into late career AJ Green Hopkins.

Wow, I've got to go watch this because when I've been watching, I've been impressed with him. I mean, that play. I've been really disappointed with Tana Hill. That play is in part one of the plays. I mean, the old Hopkins gets that football. He wasn't quick enough to get to it. Okay. Yeah, I've been, I've been under one. So would you be starting Hopkins or? Yeah, he's a flex play. I mean, the real question is Pittman or Hopkins. I would go Pittman. Mike? Pittman. All right. The Giants are one and three. They take on the three and one Miami Dolphins. We just talked about the two Anthony Richardson situation. The Drive King Sportsbook line here. Dolphins minus 11 at home. That was also one of the reasons why I am on the Tua over Richardson side. Miami at home. They have not played. They've played one home game in their four weeks. So they get to play at home against the Giants. They have an implied point total in this game, guys.

of 30 points. Very nice. The overrunners, 48 and a half, like I said, but they are heavy, heavy favorites. Tua is number one in passing yards. It does seem like at least the odds are in his favor to continue the ping-ponging between elite performances and disappointing performances because he has Tyree Kill and Jalen Wattle, healthy, A. Chen and Mostert. I see I see Brooks has the question of his Rahima scary start. He's not a scary start to me. Not in a game you're heavily favored where, you know, he had a heck of a catch in last week's game, but they were shut down. That catch was outstanding. If you haven't seen, I mean, that was a catch that a lot of wide receivers don't make. Down the field, sandwiched between two guys, high point in the ball, catching it like his arms over another defender. And he's.

A 31-year-old running back. It was awesome. Yeah, I mean, last week, if he doesn't fumble two times, he still puts up eight fantasy points, and this was in a whooping. He had five targets. He had seven the week before, so he's getting the ball thrown his way. I'm fine with most of it. Based on the question being like, is it a scary start? I might go try to trade for Moster. If people are worried off a down performance. I will throw out. Savon Ahmed practiced in full on Wednesday. He played last week. Did he? Yeah, I'm pretty sure he was active in that game. Then I missed that. I will verify here. Let's see. He played 6% of the snaps. But the point being like, he's healthier. That's, I mean, A. Chan is a start. Two is a start. Mostert's a start. He'll start. I'm not saying that's saying I'm moving off of A. Chan or Moster, but.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him back up in the 15% of snaps. It is really fair, and I think we should make a note to actively check on what his snaps are this next week, because we saw this with A-Champ. When he came back from his injury and he was active for a week, he played 10% of the snaps, got one carry, was completely uninvolved. That was his first time back. So maybe this last week with Ahmed active, you know, they just were. you know, gently easing him back in. So we'll pay attention to it this week. But it could be a situation where it's like, yeah, you're just, you're just an emergency thing in case one of our running backs gets injured. Yeah, last week would have been a hard one to read that because if he was still dealing with injury, they were, the game was over halfway through the third. So you weren't going to use up an injured player on the back half of the game. The giant side, if Saquan doesn't play. Yes, you can play Barita if Saquan doesn't play.

Okay. They're 24th against fantasy running backs. You know, I know they're heavy, heavy favorites, but the Giants implied total is still 19 points. I'd be trying not to. Breda had 19 opportunities last week, which is awesome. Yeah, I guess you put him in it. And he only scored 10 favorites. This is not an exciting type of a thing, but it's tough in the streets. All that being said, I think we assume Sequin's playing, right? I believe he is, yeah. He was limited on Wednesdays, listed as questionable right now. So I believe he's going to use. I don't know, man. If it really was a high ankle sprain, then he's not going to play in this game. That's what I would imagine. I know he's been practicing, but it was a, I thought we'd go down to the wire last week. We didn't go down to the wire. They ruled him out. He's probably going to be out there, but just be ready if he's not. And, you know, the last two weeks, it's been real bad for Darren Waller. Three for 20, three for 21. Yep.

The targets were down at three total targets this past week. I know the pass rush was terrible. I'm very nervous about it. I think it's a bounce back week. I think if you bench Darren Waller this week, you're making a mistake. I really do. I think he's going to be a squeaky wheel. This matchup against the dolphins, the last year and a half, has been one to target specifically. And I totally understand how bad. he was and how hard it would be to put him in your lineup again. You feel like you're swallowing. Squeaky walrus. Yeah. Yeah. Go-go-go-go-go-go. My concern with him is not really related to, like if it was a neutral, you know, 100% healthy Darren Waller coming into the year and he's just had a couple down games, that'd be one thing. I don't think he looks himself. That's fair. So that's a part of the problem. You know, the separation and dealing with the hamstring, I'm a little concerned there, but.

Look, it's a tight-in position. The matchup is good. You're probably playing it. And you're, I mean, in a full desperation, I think you, in a PPR, you can start Wondale, but this is more of, let's see if Wondale, if the snaps jump up yet again. If he jumps up into the 80% of snaps this week, I think that you can have confidence in him as a flex type of play. Full PPR is fine. I would focus more on like Draft Kings. I think he's only 3K. in draft kings for a full PPR. 3K? I think. Don't, don't. Adjusting my lineup. Yeah. Don't quote me on that as guarantee, but I believe so. Oh, Andy says yes. Andy's got him in his lineup. He's nodding. He's aware. Sorry to tell the foot clean of a good play, Andy. He was so disappointed. I would have found it today. But what if you didn't? Yeah. What if I didn't? The New Orleans Saints are two and two. They take on the one in three. New England Patriots?

Draft King Sportsbook line has the Patriots minus one. The overrunner is 40. This game is, I know it's not an official segment. If anybody works for a company that wants to sponsor the fart fest of the week, that's what this is. I mean, I don't know if I want to cast my eyes in the direction of this ball game. Brought to you by Bino. Yeah, yeah. I mean, this is the gross. Is that still around? Bino? Yeah. That's just beans, right? No. No, it was, no, it was. Oh, this was, this was a right family staple. This was like anti-gas pills. That's right. Oh, that is an anti-gas medicine. That's correct. I see, I thought it was, I thought, well, Andy thought, no, I would have gone Bush baked beans. Yeah, well, I mean, they should be the sponsor. This could be so many parts here. I don't know if, if Bush likes to lean into the fact that beans give you the farts. Okay, that's fair. Big beans tries to downplay that.

All right, but if you watch this game. Okay, so just GasX. Gas X is leading the charge right now. Listen, these are two teams that are currently 15. This is 15 points a game is what the Saints are averaging. 13 points a game is what the Patriots are averaging. Yeah, they're being really kind with these lines. Their offenses are terrible to begin with, right? Then you have great defenses. How is this line at 40? I don't know. I'm on it. Give me a minute, guys. Got to go do some real quick. Yeah. I mean, it is, it's gross. And, you know, Ramandre was limited with the thigh injury on Wednesday. First time he's been on the practice report, he's been awful. And he's not a great play this week. I mean, we've talked about playing guys like Tyler Algier. You're obviously going to start Ramandre over Algier. You don't go down to that level. But you're not happy about it. And if you can replace him, I would. I've still.

I'm still sticking to my guns of after this down week. I want to go trade for Ramandre on the cheap to take advantage of the next month of matchups. I think he's a good player. And I hope that this offense can heal some things after a tough stretch of defenses. The Saints are really good against tight ends. Hunter Henry's been in play for most teams most weeks. It's down to 39 now, fellas. Okay. Yeah. You know, Hunter Henry and if you're desperate, Romandre, if you have to. And then the Patriots, the rest of them, you can go ahead and look the other way. And on the other side, what's frustrating here is that Derek Carr looked... He looked like an injured quarterback. He looked terrible last week. That is being very kind. He didn't look downfield. I mean...

Chris Olava had one catch, and it was a screen play. I watched the game. I wanted Olave to get some receptions. It was a screen play. You know what? That's what you hope for this week. You hope that the offense says, hey, we need to run more screens for Olave. They need to get him the ball in space, and Derrick Carr can't look or throw down the field. So, like, that needs to be the shift this week. Yeah, just a reminder. That's depressing. Camara had 33 receiving yards, and he caught the ball 13 times. Yeah, he's a great play. Oh, yeah. Alvin Camaro is a great play. And Olave, you're just throwing back out there because of his skill, his ability, his talent, but this is not a good matchup. He's Garrett Wilson right now. He's like a super talented wide receiver that you're going to play because of his talent, but he's got a quarterback problem. I think he's worse than Garrett Wilson right now. This week, yes. Because of the targets. But yeah, hopefully they get back up there. I did love that James Winston came in for one single snap, basically said, F it, and chuck the ball. Yeah.

as far as he could into triple coverage to OLAVey down the sideline. Bring back James Winston. James was trying to win the game. Make Olave great again. At the point of the game when James came in, it was, we need a miracle. And you don't get a miracle by putting the backup in there and going, oh, just check it down again. No, go make something happen. It wasn't a good outcome. Go punt that ball. Carr is the check and Winston's the chuck. And I like the Winston. But. Camara, Olave, are you messing around with anybody else? I do think Michael Thomas has been a good possession receiver in full PPR leagues. You know, if you're in full PPR, you pretty much are guaranteed 10 points, which is fine. I mean, so far this year, 11 points, 12 points, 11 points, 9.3 points, and that was in this last Eric Carr game.

The pass rush of the New England Patriots is going to be there. So this is going to be Checkdown City again. It's going to be Camaro. It's going to be Michael Thomas. How can those numbers that you said? So he's been 11, 12, 11, and 9. Those are full point PPR. No, I know. But how can those in full point PPR do not place them in the top 36 wide receivers in any given week? That's what I was bringing up. I was like, he has not been a wide receiver three one time this year in a PPR league. Yeah, he's not. That just shocks me with those numbers. Yeah, yeah. I mean, PPR numbers are definitely inflated, but he just, he is, you have a, you have a, you have a floor. I think you have a safe floor with Thomas, but I don't think you have any ceiling. Yeah, I think if you, unless you are a heavy favorite, I'd be trying to play somebody with a ceiling. Sure. Baltimore's three and one, they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers who are two and two. Andy's almost upset of the week.

I love it. The Draft King Sportsbook line has the Ravens' four-point favorites. I normally say that part before I hit the button, but I forgot. Ravens heavy favorites. Over under 38 points. This is called what Tomlin does. Tomlin, after a pathetic performance by the Pittsburgh Steelers, all of the noise around Matt Canada, which is well-deserved. Well-deserved. They find a way. in Baltimore divisional matchup at home Pittsburgh I think they find a way now that doesn't mean that you don't play your Ravens because Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews are going to be in there I originally was going to make Zay Flowers the start of the week the fact that you pulled it back yeah I did I pulled it back I still think he's a fine start yes I'm not he's just a great start he's a start just took the of the week away

Rashah Bateman and Beckham are both going to be back out on the field. Mark Andrews has returned, and Zay Flowers is a good player, but you're talking about a guy that's been outside the top 40 at the wide receiver position for three weeks, and they're on the road. Steelers have been terrible against wide receivers. Terrible. Almost 40 points a week. That does not guarantee production for Zay Flowers. Yeah, I can agree with that. But he's, I know that Beckham. and Bateman should be back this week, but even when they're healthy, I think that Zay Flowers is the number one wide receiver read for this team. No, I disagree. Jason, where do you stay? I do agree with Mike on that. I think Zay Flowers is the number one wide receiver read in this offense. I think that's who they're going to focus on getting the ball to and see as their playmaker against the Steelers defense. We'll find out.

This is a very low over under. It's 38 points, the lowest of the week, I believe. And that is not the kind of game I want a bunch of pieces within. That's fair. Wide receivers in Pittsburgh, it's kind of pickings and no one else. Naji Harris, Jalen Warren, they're tough starts right now. Naji has been a little bit better than he has, then he started the year. He's playing about half of the time in terms of snap counts. You know, Naji's probably going to be in your lineup, but the production last week was better from Jalen Warren because he got involved in the passing game. He said six targets in three of four games. In fact, Jalen Warren right now is on pace for 76 receptions on 93 targets over four weeks. So it feels like a little bit of a safer bet. Like the floor is real low for Naji. He's not getting the targets. Like that used to be. That was his one secret.

weapon in his rookie season. Yeah, his rookie season. He had 94 targets, 74 receptions. He's a very capable pass catching running back, especially for his size. There is hope that with Trubisky coming as the starter, or maybe as the starter, we don't know for sure yet, but if Trubisky is the starter, you could say, well, the first four weeks last season, you had Trubiske as a starter. You had three targets and six targets in a couple of games, so maybe he targets Naji more, but this just isn't a good offense. They're playing against a good defense. That makes me like Warren more. Because he's become the formal pass catcher in the offense. He's in on those downs. So if Trubisky targets the running back at all, that encourages me for Warren. Like where do you go between Najee and Warren? I'd play Warren. Oh, man. That is such a crazy thing to say that you could play Warren over Najee. And I think that, I mean, Warren has scored more fantasy points on the season. I was going to say.

They're 29 and 36 at running back position so far. Man, that is so tough. It's not a good matchup. It's not a good matchup, not a huge over under. In some matchups, I would be leaning towards the touchdown opportunity from Najee, but this doesn't project to be one of those. So I think I've, I think I've got to go Jalen Warren over him, hope for a big explosive play. Mike, what do you do with the running backs in Baltimore? We talked about it earlier a little bit. It's going to be a committee. As of now, it's still Gus, and the matchup is not the worst. You know, 27th against fantasy running backs. That's what the Steelers' defense is. I know Justice Hill was just returning back, and there's, you know, there's buzz from the underground for Keaton Mitchell. But he's also like, let's see if he actually is active this Sunday. And to me, it's Gus Edwards until the team gives me a true reason to believe that he's not.

the primary runner anymore. Okay. Am I alone in the Pittsburgh upset? No. I don't think so. When I was making my picks for this game, I had the exact same thought process as you. This is a team that every time you say they just stink. They're out of it. They're out of it. They're not a Yes, we are. Yeah, we are. No, we're men, and we're going to play like men, and we're going to go out there and just, you know, hard work, blue collar our way to an ugly victory. So I don't blame the call. I'll take the Ravens. There you go. Welcome to starts of the week, presented by Purina Pro Plan. Well, we're into the starts of the week, and I'll be honest with you. This first one that I have at the quarterback position.

It's out there on an island because it's Thursday night football. You haven't seen what I have put in the document. No, I now I have. And oh, good God. Oh, man. I mean, somebody find the Pepto for my. Get prepared for Mike. I feel great about mine now. Sam Howell taking on the Chicago Bears defense. It's written in with a question mark at the end of it. Look, this matchup is as good as it gets for Sam Howe. You're coming off a great performance against Philadelphia. You have the weapons. Chicago's 31st against opposing fantasy-wide quarterbacks. He runs. I think it's going to be a pretty competitive game. I think it's going to impress people with its competitiveness. Sam Howe, start of the week. Okay. I'm going to go with Jordan Love as my start of the week. He's been good on the season, a month into the season. Love's averaging over 20 fantasy points per game.

A month into the season, the Raiders are giving up over 20 fantasy points per game to the quarterback. And that is a love story of connection. So I like Jordan Love this week. He's running the ball quite a lot too. All of his receivers are healthy. There's different ways for him to put up points. I think you stay in the flames with them. I know that the touchdown regression has to come back. The Raiders just aren't the team to say, you know, oh, we. We'll shut them down. So I think you can stay in the flames with Jordan Look. It also has come back. The last two weeks, two percent touchdown rate and a couple of three turnovers. Yeah, still getting it done though for fantasy. Yep. So I had to take a trip to the old blacksmith fellas because I needed an upgrade. Premium underpants. Oh, yeah. We cannot put on steel underpants for this. Ladies and gentlemen, we must upgrade and protect ourselves. The underpants are stacking.