Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Week 16 Review, Studs and Duds, MNF Preview, Playoff News

If I was streaming a guy and I didn't have Brady on my roster, I might end up in better shape during my championship years. Yeah, Brady didn't win anybody a championship. He might have helped them get there, but you had to overcome Brady on your roster this week to win that championship. Yeah, so I don't, you know, it's not probably, maybe it's worth talking about these guys for next week a little bit. Sure. You know, Big Ben has alternated these monstrous games where you're saying to yourself, boy, if this team got in the playoffs, they're going to win a Super Bowl. And then...

You know, he's got the Browns next week. That's a bonus. And they have to win, right? Because they need to win in order to get into the playoffs. Right now they're on the outside. And if the Jets take care of their business. Yeah, if the Jets beat the bills next week, then the Jets are in. It's over. Yeah, it's over. And I wish I could remember who was. Isn't that ironic, though, because Rex Ryan now has to go up against his old team and can keep them from the playoffs or the win? Wow.

That's good TV. I had heard people talking about they wish that game was the Flex game instead of the NFC North. But I wish I could remember who was tweeting this out because I would give them the credit. But they were talking about Ben Rothlisberger on the road is not the same fantasy quarterback that he is at home. It has been quite some time since he has thrown more than two touchdowns on the road.

I'm trying to recall how long it's been. I know for sure this year he didn't do it, but it's an interesting stat when you look at Big Ben on the road, not putting up those monster. You get used to these monster games from Rothsburger, like four touchdowns, five touchdowns, not when he's on the road. So that may be a trend that we need to take into account next year when you think about Rothersberg as a high draft pick. Yeah, yeah, and it is, again, it's a divisional matchup.

And we've seen, you know, Cleveland, they didn't beat Kansas City, but they stayed competitive in that game. Mind you, Kansas City shelled up and ran like nine plays in the second half or something ridiculous. So looking at that, I mean, when you actually pull up his season game log, it is astounding because at Baltimore, zero touchdowns, home against Denver, three touchdowns. On the road against Cincinnati, zero.

Home against Indy 4. On the road, Seattle 1, at home 3. I mean, it goes pretty much all year. But now, this next week, he's on the road, but he's not against Denver and Cincinnati and Seattle. He's against Cleveland. What do you... I'd be rolling them out there. So I'm looking back to last year, and he did... Towards the end of the year, at the Bengals, he had three touchdowns. So it's more a stat of this year. But I would still have...

confidence starting him against the Browns because the Browns defense has just been so bad. They're like Ravens. They're like the Ravens Dee. When we bring up the Ben Rother's Burger story, we have made a horrible mistake by not, well, hold on, let me see here. What? Oh, we're getting to it. I've never made horrible mistakes. All right, he's in there. Never mind. Never mind. Okay. We'll move on. I thought we forgot somebody, but he's in there. Big Ben, bad game. Aaron Rogers next week.

A division on the line and an offensive line that is a sieve right now and wide receivers. Let me just say this. I know it's not been said before. Devante Adams stinks. Yeah. He stinks. I mean. Oh, Adams. I'm sorry to have to say it in that way and just reverberate what Jason has been saying since before everyone knew it. But man, the guy doesn't make place. He doesn't make place.

and there's no separation for those wide receivers. It's kind of a weird thing because they're sitting here about to win the division, go to the playoffs, and I don't even know what the team is. I really don't. I don't know who they are. All right, so who else do we need to talk about here? Brady next week, still relevant to him. Who are they playing? The Patriots take on the dolphins next week in Miami. Yeah, that's a division game. Yeah, and certainly you have to take into account, but.

Tom Brady, and we could have an Edelman siding. We could have an Amadola siding. Things should be better for Tom Brady next week. Yeah. This was a very important game for the Jets. The Jets took care of business in this one, and they have a very, very good defense. This is not the Miami Dolphins. Yeah, if you're a Brady owner playing in Week 17, you're very happy with that coin toss going the wrong way in overtime. Well, there was also some conspiracy theorists on the Twitter.

As they are, they tend to be there. What that the ref just said you're kicking? No. That Bill Belichick wants the Steelers not in the playoffs. Oh my goodness. Oh, that is. I mean, I can't. That's delightful. You're like, you're like, no, no way. But it's Bill Belichick. This guy is very, very smart. Wow. Well.

They're around. I'm not buying a little bit. All right. That's funny, though. It's a funny storyline. Are running backs that did not perform for you this week? Well, that would be everybody from Seattle, including Christine Michael, Bryce Brown, and nothing from them. Six for six for Michael, seven for nine for Brown. James Starks didn't do a thing against Arizona. That's not true. He fumbled. I'm sorry. Antonio Andrews. Also fumbled. Fumbled.

And Shane Vereen didn't do anything. Nothing to speak of really there. I mean, do we see long-term value in any of these guys? I know I don't. No. Yeah, but if you're, yeah. So, like, let's say you're in the week 17, you're scrambling for the running backs, and you're looking at the Seattle, the backfield. You can't trust them. They're with the offensive line, woes, re-showing.

Once again, they have to go on the road against Arizona. That's, I'm avoiding it. A game more relevant to Arizona probably than Seattle. I am avoiding it. You know, a guy that I think also, you know, this type of week is where the pooped in the big boys' pants aren't just the guys that put up nothing, but the guys that didn't do it in championship week. You know, a Doug Martin who looked like he was going to have such a great juicy matchup, you know, got 49 yards, and he got a touchdown, but fumbled twice.

didn't perform the way that you needed him to. Matt Forte, 50 yards, no touchdowns. Yep, exactly. I mean, those are guys where we got a lot of listeners that I'm sure are angry, angry at their running backs who underperformed and stunk it up in the time that they needed at the most. Chris Ivory didn't do anything. Not that we didn't say that on the show, but, you know, another bad game for Ivory. Yeah, not championship performances from those guys. Yeah.

That's the way to say it. So wide receiver to me, the biggest name by far, bar none, biggest disappointment of the week. Good friend of the show. Martavis Bryant. Absolutely terrible. You look on paper, Baltimore against Martavis Bryant. I'll be the first to admit it. I had Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant at the very top of my wide receiver list this week. Those were guys that I thought you could count on without question. You know, Big Ben.

I think, you know, a bunch of listeners mentioned the same thing on Twitter. This is a team that dominated Denver in the passing game. So now you're going to face a team in Baltimore. Your season's on the line, and Martavis Bryant gets one catch. Well. After 10 catches against Denver's... I didn't know how to explain this one. I don't. There was zero signs of a bad game coming for Bryant.

In fact, all signs would point to him having a monster game. Double digits in five of six. And then you're going up against the Ravens secondary. The NFL, where crazy things happen. Every week. And Ryan Mallets outperforms Big Ben.

Crazy things. Crazy things. Ted Ginn Jr. is another guy who, he was my start of the week because he got 14 targets last week, has been on fire with Cam, going up against Atlanta, who they just blew out a couple of weeks ago. Shut out, right? It was like 38 to nothing. Yep. And then Carolina. I think, you know, who pooped in their big boy pants? The Carolina Panthers. Yeah, Olson owners weren't happy. Newton owners weren't happy. Ginn owners, cap owners. Yeah.

Carolina Panthers fans. Their defense? Defense? Yeah, I had their defense. I had Olson and I had Cam. I lived the, I hate Carolina this week. The trifecta. Yeah, that's true. And then, you know, sit of the week, Amari Cooper. Terrible, terrible performance. Oh, running on in one leg, maybe? Yeah, he clearly looked hobbled. And Randall Cobb. And hopefully Emmanuel Sanders. I'm just going to.

Give a little pre-pooped. So Randall Cobb, let's talk Randall Cobb longer term. Happy to do so. Is there a concern or is this? No, okay. That's more of a joke. Is this a matter of Jordy Nelson comes back and hopefully he returns to form? He's, Nelson's a bit of an older receiver coming off of an ACL surgery, which we know guys can come back from that now.

But if Nelson can come back and into form, is everything a okay up in Green Bay? It's going to go a long way to helping that situation. That was a triple rhyme. I just want you to know. Is it going to be okay in Green Bay? It's going to go a long way? Yes. You are correct. Dr. Seuss level of rhymes. My mind is exploding. Well, right now I wouldn't start Randolph on a boat. I wouldn't start him in a moat. He looks like he's playing in a moat. Three for 15. I mean...

I've said it before. He doesn't look the same to me. And you mix that with nobody over the top that gives you any danger, no running game that's been consistent all year long. When I saw Randall Comp pile up numbers is when you see Aaron Rogers pile up numbers in terms of first down, first down. You know, that was the biggest number that jumped out to me. I don't remember the exact number. But last year, their efficiency on third down conversion was league best.

And this year they're not doing it. You know, Aaron Rogers, the first four games of the season was something like 73% accuracy-wise. Since then, it's in the 50s. Oof. You know, this is a different offense. They can change play callers all they want. But if he's on his back, or if his receivers can't get any separation, you can't throw it to Randall Cobb. I'd be covering Randall Cobb.

That's what I'd be doing. I'd be covering him and let Devante Adams and Aberderas and all those guys drop the ball. Yeah, the hope is that Jordy Nelson makes it better for Randall Cobb. But when we're talking about keeper leagues and you've got to choose, do I keep this guy versus others? You don't keep Randall Cobb because what you're doing when you hold him is you're saying there's a chance that something could fall his way and then he could be good again. Right.

I mean, that's like you've got like this triangle of hope for a decent player. You know, similar situation. Cobb is obviously younger but not super young. If you had to keep Larry Fitzgerald or Randall Cobb. That's a great question. Who would you keep? Because both have a Pro Bowl quarterback. It's supposed to be a prolific offense. Yeah, but one of them is younger and one is coming into their golden years. Well, in addition. Both slot receivers.

But in addition to that, you have two young guys for the Cardinals, and John Brown and Michael Floyd, who have shared their injuries this year. And presuming health for next year, that puts Larry into where he's been lately versus where he was at the beginning of the year. For that reason, I think I would keep Cobb, but I would much, you know, hopefully, you know. That's an interesting question. I'd go Mike Evans. That's my answer. Do you guys remember how long?

uh, Heinz Ward played by chance. Oh, like 25 years. Well, I want to see because Bruce Ariens was Heinz Ward's offensive coordinator. Heinz Ward was a very valuable slot receiver for many, many years in the NFL could block the way Larry can block now. Larry's 32. I'm just curious to see, you know, what his career arc looks like. Heinz played a long time. But yes, Larry's last half of the year has been.

just paled in comparison to his first half of the year because of the health of Michael Floyd and John Brown and that offense. And David Johnson now. So, all right, where are we? Tight ends. Tight ends? Fantasy face off? Yes. You were absolutely correct with Richard Rogers, one catch for two yards. Something I did not account for was nine sacks from Aaron Rogers. That was what I did not see coming. Third straight week with one catch. Yep.

Yeah, I think I judged the fantasy face off well. I gave it to Andy and Richard Rogers stunk. Yeah, stunk by associates. When the entire team is that bad, then Richard Rogers is not going to be good. Ben Watson let people down because it was a shootout and the guy had one catch. So they're going to replay the game, give him another shot at performing for your... No? No, I'm getting word that they're not going to do that. All right, Jason Whitten.