NFC South Breakdown, Stack Attack, RoJo

You know, Sunu was valuable last year. And keep in mind, it's not like Calvin Ridley is taking over for Sunu. He's taking over for Taylor Gabriel, who left the team. He was an upgrade there. But Sunu was, you know, he had plenty of weeks where he was relevant last year. Buccaneers. Are we going to move on and talk about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? What about Austin Hooper? We're saving Austin Hooper for your other podcast, Mike. Oh, for the top 10 tight-in show? Yeah.

I think you meant to say the top 30 tight-in show. Yeah, we're coming out with a bottom-ton tight-in show. All right. It's looking rough for the Buccaneers, by my estimation. Now, that doesn't mean that they can't come out in surprise. They have a lot of weapons on offense, but you're missing James Winston starting quarterback for three games. And I think fantasy owners were very disappointed in Mike Evans last year relative to his draft position.

So I think we have that question of whether he returns to elite form and whether he can do that temporarily with Ryan Fitzpatrick until James Winston gets back into the fold. It's a tough start to the season for the Buccaneers. They have jettisoned. That'll be the word of the day. They've jettisoned Doug Martin. He's gone. They've drafted Ronald Jones II, who I am a fan of, the talent of. Jason is not.

In fact, Jason has put on the hate blockers and declared him a bust on multiple occasions, much to my chagrin. But let's talk about this offense. Let's talk about the fantasy pieces. People want to know which tight end they should roster between Cameron Brayton O.J. Howard. People want to know, can they rely on Ronald Jones? What is the depth chart going to be between Peyton Barber, Ronald Jones, and then Charles Sims involved on third down? What are our expectations here and how much are they hurt by the...

likelihood that this is not a winning ball club in 2018. So here's what's interesting. I think it's rough sledding for the Buccaneers right now because this division, the Falcons, the Saints, and the Panthers are three contending teams. If any one of them ended up in the Super Bowl, you're not going to be surprised. But.

All three have great offenses. And so for fantasy purposes, while I expect the Bucks to have a bad record at the end of the year, I think there will be value here. They're going to have to try to keep up. They're going to have to try to score with Cam and score with the falcons. Happened at the end of last year. Exactly. I think Chris Godwin, moving to the outside, getting involved, helps the offense. James Winston, prior to the suspension, was one of those guys that I thought this is a...

potential year to break out. So when he gets back after a rough opening schedule, I think James Winston's second half of the year and really the last three quarters, you know, most of the year that he's going to play, I think is going to be really valuable. He's got the best weapons that he's ever had. A year to O.J. Howard, a year two, Chris Godwin, Mike Evans, you know, Cameron Bray, I really do think there will be fantasy points to be had here.

Now, we, we, after the suspension, James was a breakout in our ultimate draft kit. He's not in there right now due to some of the, those factors that you mentioned. But the upside is still there. It's just a matter of at that time you were drafting him. Right now, Mike, you've been prescribing a hands-off approach to James Winston and await and grab them off the waiver wire later. Yeah, and that's why. You don't have to.

It's not a Mark Ingram situation. It's not Julian Edelman where if you want them on your team, you're going to have to grab and stash. James Winston, I would be shocked. If you're in a single quarterback league and someone is drafting James Winston, they are wasting a bench spot. They're doing it wrong. Because a quarterback clogging up your roster for three weeks that you can't even use is just such.

Bad decision. It's a bad decision. It's a waste of an asset. But James Winston was a yardage machine. When he came back from his shoulder injury, those final five weeks of the season, he hit 300 yards two times, 299. So essentially through 300 yards in three of those five games, his few as yardage total was 270 yards. That's a pace of over 5K.

The elusive 5,000 yard mark. James Winston puts up big yards. We need to get those touchdown numbers up. But if you are, let's say, you go with Andy's method of Tyrod Taley. You grab him early. You play him those first three weeks. Then when Baker takes over in week four, you just grab James Winston. Off of the waivers. It's just really important because usually we don't even, I mean, I don't hardly ever even.

draft two quarterbacks. So to draft a second quarterback that isn't going to play for three weeks feels really bad. All right. Let's talk about Ronald Jones. For me, the Ronald Jones situation is simple. He's the best running back by a wide margin on this team. I believe he's a much better running back than Peyton Barber, who had value by necessity last season. Charles Sims hasn't been able to stay healthy or involved or relevant for fantasy.

and Dirk Cutter really likes Ronald Jones. This was an investment in the running back position. Dirk Cutters come out. He says, I have faith in Ronald Jones. I see how he works. I see the explosiveness. I have faith in him, and the preseason is going to be a part of how big of a role he's going to have. But they like everything about Ronald Jones, and I like everything that he did at USC. He scares the tar off of me. Because I've put him on blast so much, and he has an absolute path.

to fantasy relevance. You know, I worry that he's not going to catch the ball and that he's not going to be a true workhorse if Peyton Barber and Charles Sims are involved and it's not going to be a great team. They're not going to be in winning situations. But like I just said, there's going to be fantasy points to be had for the Bucks. And if he does take over that role and surprises in the past catching game, then he's a great pick in the fifth round. You kind of understand why they picked him because last year the Bucks were 27th in the league in rushing yards, 27th in yards per carry, which doesn't speak well of

whomever was in there. 25th and rushing touchdowns. This was not a team that could move the ball on the ground consistently. So I think that they want to usher in a new situation there. Mike, I don't feel like you've really weighed in very much on the Ronald Jones. You've left it for me and Jason to sling the mud at each other. Yeah, that's a really good point, Andy. Do you even know what he thinks? I don't have a clue. I mean. No, I do.

I lean more with Jason. He will be a bust for his draft. You lean more. You lean more. Oh, man. Pooh, pooh, pooh. Thank you. But here's my problem with Ronald Jones. Charles Sims is the third down back. He's, that's who, that's what he's working as in training camp. That's what he can specialize at. Ronald Jones does not have pass catching in his college production profile. That doesn't mean he can't do it. But you already have.

a guy who's been great in that role for that team for a few years. They've talked about Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones for the first, at least the first few weeks, are going to be splitting time. When you're investing a pick in a guy that is only going to get that first and second now work, and then he's going to have to share that work with Peyton Barber. Ronald Jones is probably a better running back than Payton Barber, but Barber is...

a serviceable running back who's been in the league and proven it in the NFL. 15 touches through the first, you know, on average for Ronald Jones for the first four weeks. Under. I'll take the under. 15 touches? Yeah. So here's my advice for Ronald Jones. If you are a believer in Ronald Jones, trade for him after he's disappointing in the first two weeks because he's sharing touches. I think you're right that he may have a monstrous preseason game and that may jack his ADP.

Yeah, he is won Amir Abdullah play away from jumping into the fourth back of the third round. Oh, I can't wait for preseason. I just realized that. Tomorrow, I cannot wait. You are speaking the truth. Yes, it starts. In reality, it starts tomorrow. But Ronald Jones, I really think in those first few games, is going to be sharing carries with Peyton Barber. By the end of the year, by maybe the halfway mark, Ronald Jones could.

push barber to the side. Yeah, but that happens a lot with rookies. Yes, but you're going to have to put a big investment into Ronald Jones. I'm going to jump into the interview we had with Ronald Jones, a brief one, but not without asking the question of O.J. Howard and Cameron Brates, so you can give fantasy owners.

a moment of insight to the tight-end situation. Look, I still take Cameron Bray, and it used to be a lock, solid, easy call, but it's really not. O.J. Howard is the clear, better prospect. He's, you know, a freak athlete, more explosive, but he's also a better athlete to his detriment in the fact that he is used in the...

running game a lot. And I think that what's going to happen, even in year two with OJ Howard, is that he will, because he's such a good blocker, he's going to have more of those plays where he gets wide open down the sideline. Because, you know, that's not the guy that the defense is targeting on. He's not the normal.

route running tight in. That's going to be Cameron Brayt, which means for fantasy purposes, if that plays out, that you're not going to always know when to be able to start O.J. Howard. And at the end of the year, he might have a really nice line because he had a couple big touchdowns, but you weren't able to necessarily predict that, whereas Cameron Brayt is more of the between the 20s. And he's also still used in the red zone. So I would go Brate as of right now. The ceiling is higher with O.J. Howard. If they just opened him up and said, hey,

We're going to use you in the passing game. Then he would be a beast. I agree that that's what could happen for Howard. And that's where Eileen, I took a look at the Cameron Brate contract because he got an extension, much to the surprise of everyone. And this thing is a six-year near $41 million deal. Agent did work. That's like a hockey contract. But if you actually look at the deal, it's an early out. It's $7 million guaranteed.

He counts against, he's $7 million against the cap this season. After that, there is no dead money for the camera break contract. So somehow, he signed a six-year deal that is, in fact, a one-year contract if they wanted to be that. Interesting. That's crazy. All right, let's wrap this show up with a conversation with second round running back from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yeah, Rojo. Ronald Jones the second. You talking to me?

Hey, Andy Holloway here with Ronald Jones II. Yes, sir. Talk about the arrival to the NFL. What was it like being drafted and then going to Tampa Bay? What were your expectations? Yeah, it was crazy, man. You know, I got there sometime right after the draft, yeah. And then OTA's rookie minicamp, that stuff, you know, that heat hit me the first couple of days. You know, being in Cali, I was full, but I got back to my Texas route, so I'm good. Not humidity? Yeah. So, look, the NFL, they drill you down, and you got to run the 40. You got to do these drills.

You're never going to do them again in your whole life. And they tell you what you can do and what you can't do. So tell me what you do. Tell me what you think you can do. What do you expect from yourself in both the run game and the passing game? You know, I expect a lot. You know, I've got to hold myself to, you know, high expectations because obviously, you know, what they took me and, you know, they believe in me. So, yeah, just trying to be the best I can be the best I can. You know, it's going to, it's a process, you know, except I haven't played a game yet. Yeah, so I just go from there, break down the tape as much as I can and just become a student of the game. Yeah, we had Dirk Cutter out in Air.

Arizona as the ASU coach for quite a while. And obviously you got the opportunity to work with him and James and some veterans over there. Year one, you said you follow fantasy a little bit. Do you have expectations for how you perform? I know the team line. You want to do everything you can do. But what are your own expectations for yourself? Personally, you know, I just want to come and make an impact. You know, my name is called. My number's called. I just want to make plays. You know, whatever I'm asked to do, step up and block, you know, run routes return, you know, whatever it may be. Do you pride your...

yourself on being able to move into that past catching role. They didn't ask a lot of you at USA in that role. But from what I saw in film, it feels like you have the ability to excel there. Most definitely. That's something that, you know, I'm looking forward to showing people. You know, that's your fantasy football players as well. Yeah. Because I know the PPRs and all that stuff. So, yeah, I'm looking forward to all that stuff. Do you embrace fantasy football? Do you like it when the fans come up and they look at that type of thing from you? Or do you prefer to stay away from that? Yeah, I mean, I don't like it too much when they come up, you know, and say, hey, you

got me won some points but uh you know i know it's you know it's a game for them and you know they got to get their money so uh okay and jamis and uh evans and all them have you been uh had an opportunity to spend time with them and have they welcomed you under the team yeah most definitely you know they uh you know they tell me from day one you know i got to come in here and work you know to get on their level so they just trying to make me better and uh i spend some one-on-ones with james you know just looking at the playbook trying to read defense this thing like that all right thanks a lot appreciate it