Fantasy Football Podcast 2016 - MEGALODON Episode - Week 12 Matchups, Trade Tips, Starts, + Much More!

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Now, a reminder to all the listeners out there, as we walk through all of these games in our matchup preview, this is a day earlier than we normally do our matchups. And so all of our point-by-point rankings aren't completed and on the website until later today. And so you can go in there. We update those. You see them individually. You see the consensus rankings on these players. So as we give some of these options, you know, we've looked at all these matchups, but the point projections aren't on the site until later today. So if you want to do that kind of...

This guy versus that guy. You can do it on the website, the fancy footballers.com. All right. Cardinals, Falcons in Atlanta. The Falcons are four-point favorites. It's a 50-and-a-half point over under. I like both quarterbacks in this game. I like the running backs. But do you feel confident in Coleman's return this week? And how will that impact? And Devonta Freeman, does it hurt Freeman more than it helps Coleman owners this week?

A little bit, of course. I mean, whenever the volume goes down, you would love to see Devante Freeman in this high-scoring game all by himself, even though the Cardinals' defense is pretty solid. But I think Coleman can help Freeman. I think part of what Freeman, when he's elite, is when he has got a full tank of gas. And last year, you saw this. When the fantasy production fell off, it's because no one was there for Devante Freeman.

And I know he's had a little bit of help the last couple weeks, but not like Kevin Coleman production. So I think that it's an overall boost to the Falcons, overall boost to all fantasy people on that team, including Freeman. As crazy as that sounds. Dang it. Did I get a quarterback? You got a quarterback. You got your boy. I got my, I got Tyraud Taylor. No, I kept Tyrod Taylor. I got Tyraud Taylor. I got Palmer. You got.

Colin Kaepernick. All right. You're playing Colin Kaepernick against me and, you know, I like ironic chances to defeat you. That's fun. Yeah. Sorry, getting back to the people here. Oh, yeah. What, waivers just went through then, huh? Yep. So what, you have three quarterbacks on your roster? I do what it takes. I need the W. So who'd you drop that I need to go pick up now? James White, if you want them, you just pump the brakes, so go get them.

I won't do that. All right. Back to the matchup. Here's something interesting. The Falcons defense has allowed 28.4 receptions per game, which is basically the, it is the most in the league. The Cardinals wide receivers are targeted, the second most in the league. So I think what this means, plus the over-under and Palmer and the defensive rank, you know, the Falcons of 31st against the past, we know the Cardinals' wide receivers will catch the ball. Do we know who's going to catch the ball other than Larry Fitzgerald?

We don't know who it's going to be, but I think the real point of factor here is that Carson Palmer will be the one throwing the ball to those guys. He was almost my start of the week, and I would be happy to start Carson Palmer. He hasn't looked as good all year, but you've got a guy who last week, in his down week, he...

The three weeks prior to that, he had thrown over 300 yards week after week after week. And then last week he played the Minnesota Vikings defense and was hit a season high for all players on 63% of dropbacks.

That's because of the Minnesota pass rush that Atlanta does not quite have. Now, I will find it ironic when Dwight Freeney comes and sacks Carson Palmer once or twice. However, Carson Palmer, I think, will be a great play in this game. It's going to be high scoring. You just gave the numbers on wide receiver receptions. I don't know if it's going to be John Brown, Michael Floyd, J.J. Nelson, Jermaine Gresham? Oh, big Gresh. But I do know that Carson Palmer is going to be slinging it around. Happy to start him.

Okay. Mike, any thoughts on the other wide receivers on the other side? We know Julio, you start him. Taylor Gabriel, we talked about him. I've got a question, actually. But Gabriel is so risky. Would you rather start Taylor Gabriel or Muhammad Sanu?

Who is the better second wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons coming into this matchup against the Arizona Cardinals where Patrick Peterson will be on Julio. And there's some, you know, weak spots elsewhere, especially with Tyron Matthew out. Yeah, I probably start Sanu. I probably would. Despite Gabriel having three nice weeks, it's quantity, right? I mean, Taylor Gabriel had one catch on one of those weeks. That was great. So I guess if I was having to start one of those guys, Sunu, I know is going to get targets and catches.

Yeah, I would say part of it's going to depend on if Tyra Matthew plays. I think that changes things a lot for the Arizona defense saying if he is out, then... Make them worse or better? The Cardinals? Yeah. Worse. Worse. If Tyard... If Matthew's back? No, no, if Matthew's out. I'm saying if Matthew is out... This hasn't been himself. Then Gabriel's...

I mean, you have a decent chance of one of those big plays. Right. The big play chances is better without him. I agree. Muhammad Sanoo is probably the better player, especially considering he's been banged up, and now they finally got their by week. So he had an extra week of rest, coming back, being a little bit healthier. I mean, we saw right to start the year before he was banged up, he started the year with a five for 80 and a touchdown. So if he can come out a little bit more fresh, Muhammad Sanoo is probably a sneaky snart that you could do worse.

All right, let's talk about the Bengals and the Ravens, the divisional matchup here. This game has a 40 point over under. I don't expect a lot of scoring. I mean, the Bengals just lost AJ Green and Gio Bernard, 45% of Dalton's targets. I think everybody's afraid of Dalton this week and for good reason. The Ravens' defense is good. I mean, they're good against the run. I don't think Jeremy Hill has a monster game. I think he's a volume play. I'd rather start Robert Kelly than Jeremy Hill.

Oh, yeah, I would as well. One of the biggest problems that I see is that the Ravens are one of the best teams against the tight end, which is now essentially the Bengals' best weapon with AJ Green out. You want to say, okay, Tyler Eifford gets the bump, and he will as the season goes on. But this is a bad matchup for week one post-A.J. Green.

I'm worried. I mean, I kind of find myself steering clear of all Bengals until after we see what happens this week. But a lot of people can't. A lot of people don't have the choice. I would still start Hill just because of necessary volume with Geo out. Certainly tempered expectations, because this is not going to be a high scoring game with the new AJ-less Bengals and the Ravens.

Steve Smith Sr. has done it week in and week out at this point. To me, he's a must start guy since getting back from the injury. All he's done is 4 for 47, 5 for 60, and 8 for 99, touchdowns in the last two games, and just continues to be incredible. It's almost like he's been really good for his whole career and always a great fantasy football player. There was a big article about moving on from him.

when Carolina moved on from him to make, you know, Cam Newton, the official, quote-unquote, leader of the team. And you just have to imagine. I mean, look at how. Steve Smith. Look how he's playing now. I mean, I was at the game, the first Cam Newton game that he ever played with Steve Smith. And it was just like, or did he, they didn't move on from him before Cam, did they? No, he was there for one season. Yeah, that's what I meant. He had that monster week. Yeah, he had a monster year. Yeah. And I agree.

Just keeps going. Moving on. Are you start, who would you start running backwise here? It's all the West, Terrence West. Oh, I recall what I was going to say. I am looking at the Steve Smith's and your decision. I have him and I'm going to play him over who? Over Brandon Marshall. Oh, I would do that too. Just saying like it's, I'm putting it out there in the, for the footclan. It's, I'm officially sitting down Brandon Marshall. If our trade deadline was not over.

I would happily say you can have Brandon Marshall for Steve Smith. I would rather have Steve Smith right now. Far more trustworthy. Would you rather start Brandon Cooks against the L.A. Rams or would you rather start Steve Smith, Signor. I have more confidence in the floor. I think Cooks still has as high as ceiling.

um as he ever does because you know he can bust that long one but he could end up with uh three catches for 30 cooks are so funny because he has i think the third most fantasy points since week five but you don't think of him that way because when he blows up it's like he had a 40 point week or something um crab tree or steve smith senior i think you have to go steve smith senor crabtree has had a couple bad weeks however we need to uh kind of

pumped the brakes on the negative thoughts on Crabtree. This last game was really weird. He dropped uncharacteristically. He dropped a couple passes. He had a touchdown where he caught the ball, dragged the foot, and then just dropped it on the way to the ground. Well, he had two hands on it, and he thought, no, this is. That was too easy. That's just too easy. I'm going to one hand this. Oh, no, I dropped. That's like you don't want to land on your shoulder or something. He was slipping around the field. It was a really weird game for Crabtree, but he was still involved target-wise. He just.

Had a personal bad game. The Jacksonville Jaguars. Jaguars. Travel to Buffalo to take on the bills who are seven and a half point favorites in this game. It's going to be a cold one up in Buffalo. Tyrod Taylor, he's my stream of the week. I would like to see Watkins get back in there, but McCoy should play. We are waiting for confirmation on that. You're probably waiting up till...

Game time. That's classic Leshaun McCoy. But let's talk about this game. You know, Tyra Taylor does not throw for a ton of yardage. In fact, he's the 32nd rank. But he produces because he gets into the end zone with his legs and he does enough. And I think he can do enough in this game. What are the big storylines here for you guys? I know McCoy, the weight on McCoy.

Are you fine, Mike? Do you own Gillisley in any of your McCoy leagues? Yes. Are you just going to play the Down to the Wire McCoy or Gillisley game? If McCoy's active, start him. Yes. If he's not, it's Gillisley. This isn't like the hamstring week. This is, if McCoy is active, he's in for me, 100%. And I think he will be with the thumb entry. This is not his legs. We need a, we haven't gotten a, in a TJ Yeldon update yet because Chris Ivory becomes interesting. If he is.

Alone in that backfield, you have the bills who are 20th against the run. The bills have a pretty good run defense. Yes, but there's volume here. Yes. For when you're just, you're desperate for a running back and Ivory is possibly available. Chris Ivory last week had 17 carries and six receptions. And he did most of his, most of his damage.

through the passing game, which interests me a little bit against the Bills. The Bills' defense, if you look at them and you just see their rank, it's a little misleading because they were eaten alive by Jay Ajay. So you have that 235-yard week or whatever it was. Everything else kind of has been good the rest of the season. They just fell apart that game. But I do agree. Chris Ivory is interesting if Yeldon is out because it's rare to get a guy who's going to touch the ball 20 times, and Chris Ivory.

almost certainly will. With the fact that Yeldin had the ankle injury and didn't return to the game, I expect him to be, if he's active, I expect him to be limited anyways. So I think you could do worse than Ivory in this game, but this is a game where I overall like the Bill's defense, right? I like the Bill's opportunity here as a streaming defense. I know Mike just spent a bunch of fab dollars to pick up the Buffalo defense this week. I did. Because you have everything you want. You're at home with a okay to good actual defense against a very turnover prone.

Blake Bortles. The regression continues for Blake Bortals. And I will also say just to piggyback real quick on the Bills, spoiler alert, they play the Browns of the Dolphins in weeks 15, 16 at home. So this is. That's why you spent that money. I didn't just spend for this week. I spent because I plan to be playing in week 15 and 16. It's a great point. Alan Robinson's had some bounce back weeks. He's a start to me. I mean, I don't think you have any reason to sit him.