Week 15 Matchups + Wheel of Shame, Kelce Goes Bananas - Fantasy Football Podcast for 12/17

You know, Atlanta is just a bad defense. If you look at what they've been doing against fantasy wide receivers, they're giving up about 30 points a game, more than that on the season. And, yeah, I would say that IUC, who has now become their wide receiver one, now that Debo is a, you know, a hybrid running back, the utilization has worked. He's been good, and the matchup is good. So, yeah, I would be happy to start Brennan Ayuk.

George Kittle has been on fire. Two humongous games over the last two weeks. Probably knocking out pace Kelsey this week. Probably not. But he may keep you closer. Yeah. I mean, he watched that game. And I'll bet he said challenge accepted. Amazingly, Atlanta is number one against tight ends over the last six weeks. Challenge accepted. I don't know. I don't have all their opponents in front of me. But George Kittle wasn't one of them.

Cordarral Patterson. He's in your lineup every week. He's one of the, he's the only player that really moves the offense at all. What do you make of that report of the like limiting his touches? I read the article after seeing the headline about managing his touches. And I was less concerned about it. I mean, last week they had the game put away. And so he didn't play. But I don't think they'll have this one put away.

So I'm optimistic that they'll involve him in the passing game a little bit more than they did last week. Mike, you like Russell Gage in this matchup. Yeah, I just, I think of. Game script. Yeah, game script and the 49ers have been beatable over the last handful of games. And he just, what about IUC? Would you play Iyuk or Russell Gage? I would, I'd play Iyuk. Both of their opportunities are solid this week. But I think that Brandon Ayuk is a better player. So I'll go with the talent.

Kyle Pitts. Oh, gosh. Oh, man. This is where the decision, this is real of, it was cute and fun, you know, making the decision throughout the season. And if you got it wrong, maybe it cost you, maybe it didn't. If it costs you this week, that is the ultimate penalty for Kyle Pitts doing nothing. Andy, are, is there a chance you are pivoting away from Kyle Pitts this week?

Like Dawson Knox, Dallas Goddard. That's not a pivot. Dawson would be in over it. Okay. Yeah. Dawson's not a pivot would be Zach Hertz. Michael Gerald Everett. Maybe Mike Gisicki. Okay. So Gisicki with, let's say Waddle is really out because that's not a confirmed. Waddle's just on the COVID list. I think the right decision for other people, not, not me is Mike is Mike Gisicki. But I am going down with the ship. Okay.

And maybe that's overstating it. I mean, he's been, you know, five for 61 last week. The problem is touchdowns. He's got one on the year. Yeah. You got the violin out. You're saying it's been an honor to play with you, gentlemen. If you are in the playoffs, and I've said this, and I think Gisicki fits the mold, so I'm fine playing him over that. Okay. You play. Like, I'm in the playoffs and I'm looking at these matchups, and I'm saying, I need all of my players to have the ability to do something special.

and make up for a bust from another player. If I put in a Gerald Everett, I'm not getting that upset. I'm not getting Week 7 Kyle Pitts, 7 for 163. There's no chance of that with those players. So it's just philosophical. If you need, wasn't there some player you were like, if you need four points. Yeah, Nick Venet. From a tight end. Like it's just not how I play fantasy. I play fantasy to win and I need the potential.

to counterpunch a big game from somebody else. And there are only a handful of tight-ins that can do that. So I am going to play one that has put up 163 or 119 yards. And that was a long time ago. I know. I would agree with what you're saying philosophically. And the thing about Kyle Pitts is there's kind of a clear cutoff. For me, it's after Zacherts and Mike Gassicki. Like, I would.

Without question, start those guys. You would start Zachertz over Kyle Pitt. Oh, without a doubt against Detroit with no Hopkins, Zacherts, we've already seen. He has big play potential. This is a tough matchup for tight ends in general, and Pitts hasn't shown us anything special in a long, long time. So, yeah, I mean, I would put Zacherts, Mike Gassicki ahead of him. But that's basically where then Kyle Pitts slots in there because the guy's behind that.

you know, your Hunter Henry's and Ricky Seals Jones and Gerald Everett's. They don't have a high ceiling. They just have somewhat, you know, of a raised floor. It's tough. It's tough. It really is. I mean, you've had games without Hopkins where Zach Ertz was invisible. But again, those without Hopkins games were the same games without Kyler Murray. Like they missed the same three pack. That doesn't mean Zach Ertz is going to deliver.

It doesn't mean that he's going to deliver, but I don't think it's fair to use those three games when he had a backup quarterback as the benchmark for what he does with Kyler. Because the offense is just better. Right. Yeah, the offense is better. It's a good matchup with Detroit. But if both players play and both players don't score a touchdown, Kyle Pitts will have a better game. I will take that bad.

Waterbeds. We are exclusively a tight-in betting. So I just want to understand this bet. Yes. So for this bet to go off, both tight-ins cannot score a touchdown. That is correct. That's correct. Because if just one of those. No, they can match. Okay. As long as the touchdown total is the same. Yes. Okay.

But if someone scores two touchdowns and one, it doesn't get the bets off. Okay. It can be double zeros, double ones, double twos. What about this? We just take touchdowns out and we say receptions and yardage. That's it. That would be a way easier way to do this, Jason. I don't like that. Okay. They have to be even on touchdowns. Of course. I was going to agree with that, but let's just make it the stupid way. All right. All right. I think we've covered this game. Matt Ryan's not an option for you. Correct.

All right. Mike Davis, desperation? Yes, desperation. They've been running the ball better. That's all. All right, Seattle, 5 and 8, the Rams, 9 and 4. Games in Los Angeles, the Rams are 5.5 point favorites. The overrunners 45 points. That's another line. I'm a little surprised at. I think that's giving a little bit of credit to Seattle and what they did last week and maybe Ross getting back to form. I would have expected a 9 and 4 Rams team that just came off a pretty...

important Monday night victory to have a bigger line. I'm going to guess that a lot of that line is due to the COVID-I-R. The Rams are one of the three teams that are really struggling with a COVID outbreak, if you will. They're going to be testing a lot going forward, and they are a scary team for waking up and having your player pop positive. Like Matthew Stafford.

Yeah, Stafford, Cup, Michelle, there are great fantasy options in this game. And, you know, it's just one of those that, like the Cleveland game is another one. And the Washington football team is another one. But there's no players there that you're really relying on from those two. So this is the, yeah, I mean, sure. But this one, you're excited about these options. You're banking on them. They got you here. So I'm holding my breath with the Rams this week.

Stafford has been the quarterback four, five, and seven over the last three weeks. Sonny Michelle is my start of the week. I think he is going to continue to do what he's done, which is be a very efficient runner. They've established it. The Seahawks are 28th against the run in the last six weeks, 31st on the year. Cooper Cup is an auto start in Van Jefferson. You know, he's probably a play regardless of the status of O'Dell Beckham. He's stronger without him. Higbee becomes interesting without Beckham.

because you haven't had a game like that this year where you've had no Robert Woods and no O'Dell Beckham and Higby just missed last week for a false positive COVID test and the Seahawks struggle against tight-in. So I think he may be ignored this week, but he might be a strong play. Yeah, he's right on that fringe of all the, because he can, I guess it's kind of what we were just talking about. Higby couldn't give you a really strong game. You've seen it in the past. We haven't seen it this year.

But over the course of his career, you've seen him dominate a handful of games. Or he could give you a point this week. I'd play him over ever if Beckham is not there. I do think there's a chance Beckham plays in this game. He's not been ruled out officially, and his test was very early in the week. So I think that there is a chance that he is a double negative and gets back in, but it might end up just like Keenan Allen last week. Do you play Van Jefferson either way?

If Odo Beckham is there or not. Yep. Rashad Penny is going to be the guy behind Russell Wilson. So do you play him over Devonta Freeman? No. I would. I'm going to take the matchup. What if Lamar is out? I mean. You'd still go with Freeman? You saw the Tavius get the goal line. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Go rewind. This was Devanta Freeman, not.

Deonta Foreman? That is what I said. Oh, no, definitely Penny. Okay. I thought it was Foreman. What about, uh, Foreman? I would take Foreman. Okay. When you said Lamar, I'm like, what does he have to do with anything? Just through the morale. Why would I care about another game? You know, oops. Uh, we do have some breaking news at least coming out on Twitter that Michael Carter coming off IR will have, quote, a significant role on Sunday.

That's straight from the head coach's mouth. We'll see. Robert Sela. Tevin Coleman is also returning, though. So. Yeah, but Michael Carter is. Go, Jets, go. Is much better than Kevin Coleman. Dolphins D's been very good. Yep. And Zach Wilson been very bad. Also true. We've begged him to throw the ball to Michael Carter, have we not? Yeah. Russell Wilson, what do you do?

25, 20 fuss, 20 plus fantasy points in three straight games. But no Tyler Lockett. If he doesn't have Lockett, I'm not, I'm not playing him. It's been real back-end one numbers. Yeah. I'm not going dumpster diving on the wire for a streamer if I have Russell Wilson, but just saying if I have another strong option available, I'd prefer them.

Yeah, I agree. The 20 plus metric, like one of those weeks is 20.7. It's like, yes, it's true, but that's not a game you were happy with. And he hasn't looked great with D.K. Metcalfe. Well, I expect D.K. to have a good game. I agree. With Lockett out, I'm not playing Russ. Miles Gaskin is officially off the COVID list. And he's in. And Salvat Ahmed. And they're both playing. Okay. Okay.

Went 5 for 98 and 2 against the Rams in week 5, including a touchdown against Ramsey. He will be the focus of the defense, the secondary, if Lockett is not there. So, you know, it's a, it's risky, but this game, the way the game script set up, he should have his targets. He should have his opportunities if he's out there. Yeah, that's, I will go down with that ship. I'm not benching Metcalf. The Green Bay Packers at 10 and 3 take on the 8 and 5 Baltimore Ravens.

The Ravens are struggling on offense. Yes. That's an understatement. Lamar, if he's active, can you trust him? That's the question. I feel like you have to. I mean, sure, the Taysam Hill is always the one to go to because he was picked up off of waivers a couple weeks ago, but I doubt that the team that had Lamar was the one that picked him up. Probably just a hypothetical because I can't imagine you have both these guys, but Lamar or Russell Wilson?

I would definitely go Lamar. I'm going to stay away from Lamar. I mean, you guys brought up the lack of confidence, or at least Mike did with Jalen Hertz's ankle. Yeah. And Baltimore, what? What's the streak of points scored for this team? They did put up with Lamar behind center. They hit 22 last week, but Lamar missed essentially that entire game. 19, 16, 16, 10. So they are, they're going up.

I think this is a courage play for me. I think you have to have the courage to not play Lamar. You probably won't have Hollywood out there. Yeah, and if you do, you've got a... And Green Bay is a great defense. A Hollywood that's probably getting IVs on the sideline. I think I'm going to recommend a Lamar bench on my side of things. And maybe that'll be stupid. That's tough. You know... Packers are such a machine. Yeah, I think you're right. I'm looking at this. Lamar's had three...

basically bad games in a row. Now he's got a hurt ankle, tough matchup, Marquis Brown ill. Yeah, I mean, I'm thinking about guys like Jimmy Garoppel. I mean, that's an option where someone would have to look at that. A Ben Rothlisberger, they've got a good matchup. Would you be willing to put either one of those two guys in over an active Lamar Jackson in your fantasy playoffs? That is a courage test.