Top 10 Fantasy MVP Picks for 2021 - Fantasy Football Podcast for 9/1

just needs to stay healthy. Yeah, this MVP list is, it's tough. I mean, these are, you know, some heavy hitters. There's a lot of second round picks in this list. So you're going to have to hear the arguments and take your MVP. All right. Let's turn to the good friend of the show, a good friend of the show, NFL analyst for CBS Sports. Jamie Eisenberg. Jamie Eisenberg here from CBS Sports.

The fantasy MVP for the 2021 campaign will be Dolphins running back Miles Gaskin. Remember the joke Brian Flores played on us in the first preseason game when he made Malcolm Brown the starter and everybody panicked? Well, the joke's on you because it drove down the price of maybe the best running back in fantasy. Last year, if you take the 10 games that Miles Gaskin appeared in, take those numbers over 16 games because we all love the extrapolation game. But if you do that, Gaskin would have had over 800 rushing yards, over 600 receiving yards, and would have been in the same category as only one running back to do that.

which is Alvin Kamara. I don't know about you, but I hear a running back being associated in the same stratosphere as Alvin Kamala. I'm going to buy in. I don't think Malcolm Brown or Savano Ahmed are going to take Miles Gaskin off the field to the extent that's going to ruin him. I actually think he's going to have a tremendous season behind a very good offensive line with what could be a better quarterback situation if Tuotung of Iloa takes the next step. We know Gaston's going to catch the ball at the back field. He's going to be successful running the ball. He's going to be the best running back in fantasy. So buy in the fourth round. You'd be thrilled if you get him in the fifth round. But I love Miles Gaskin this season.

He is my fantasy MVP. Well, those were bold words. That's spicy. Well, multiple times he said the best. Yes. So this wasn't equivocating. This wasn't maybe sneaks into the top 10. This was the ceiling is number one for Mr. Jamie Eisenberg. I don't think that's what he's insinuating. He said he's the best running back in fantasy. What do you take from best? I heard them.

I'm not okay multiple times I think it was a little hyperbolic there I mean obviously we I love Jamie we disagree on Gaskin if you've listened to this show and when I say we I mean myself and Jamie I know I'm I'm more down on Gaskin than you two gentlemen are um Gaskin was absolutely fantastic in the games played last year different offensive coordinator uh not so sure about the offensive line I think that they did bring Malcolm Brown in um

to get some work. What did you think about what Jamie was talking about, the preseason usage? Because he's right. Like, I freaked out after that first preseason game because all it, it wasn't that Malcolm Brown was just the guy. It was, no, Miles Gaskin was still there and being worked in, but Malcolm Brown was getting the majority of the work. And then that completely got brushed to the side. And then it was the Miles Gaskin show. Yeah, I mean, I think, I think the pendulum swing.

too far the other way in that next preseason game because it wasn't really entirely the Miles Gaskin show. It was a three player rotation. I certainly always have believed that Gaskin is going to be the leader of the rotation. But I don't think it'll be the same level of market share this year. I'm in on Miles at this point. I don't know if he can be the number one or number two guy, but is top 10 possible?

Yes, oh, without question. Yeah, yeah, he just does too much for this team. He's involved in too many plays, seems to have a nose for the end zone. Jamie brought up some of those into your stats, and you look at this. Malcolm Brown lives to kind of torture you from a perspective of like, okay, they use them here, they use them there. But in the end, the gap of talent between Miles Gaskin and Malcolm Brown is immense. And the team is smart enough to use Gaskin.

the majority of the time. And he can score from 10, 15 yards out. He can score in the screen game. He can put up reception totals that should be top 10 in the league. I think if they use him as an every down guy, he's 200 pounds. There's nobody in the NFL that can actually do that. That's the issue. Austin Echler can do that. Austin Echler is the example. Yeah, he's like 205, right? That's exactly how I see the two of them is he's their Austin Echler. And the way they used him.

I have actively, I have a tradeoff route just now that got turned down for Miles Gaskin from this morning. And I will say I have mostly been in on Miles Gaskin, but after our League of Record draft forced my hand into a zero running back approach and I had to take Malcolm Brown at the end of the draft. I'm out. I'm all in on Malcolm Brown, baby. For personal reasons. All right. Let's turn to our friend, an analyst on NFL Network's NFL Fantasy Live, Marcus Gray.

What's up everybody? It's your man, M.G. Marcus Grant from NFL media. And when it comes to the fantasy MVP in 2021, I know a lot of people are going to say somebody like Patrick Mahomes or a running back like Christian McCaffrey or Dalvin Cook, but I'm going to go a little bit outside the box. And I'm going to give you Antonio Gibson in part.

Because it's going to be the production he gives you on top of where you get him in draft. You're talking about a guy who's coming off the board somewhere in the second round who has the potential to easily be a top 10, maybe even a top eight running back. You combine that production with the fantasy value you're going to get. He's going to help a lot of people get into the playoffs, maybe even win championships. And at the end of the year, you're going to be talking about Antonio Gibson as your fantasy MVP. You certainly could be. You definitely could be. Gibson is the kind of player that I think.

is you can be right about him having a limited workload or not a limited workload. Limited production for like Nick Chubb would do for like two or three quarters. And then all of a sudden it's two plays. It's a screen pass. It's one breakaway run. Like you love explosive ability in a player. And Gibson possesses that in a way that a lot of other guys don't in a way that I don't think Clyde does. So do you buy into the potential Gibson season? Oh, you know that.

You know that I do. Last year he was incredible. And last year he was a two-down running back. I mean, there are guys that, like Nick Chubb, they can slip into the top 10. I know we, you know, yes, I want my running backs to be past catchers. And Gibson was that the volume wasn't what you had hoped for Antonio Gibson in the passing game. But you've seen the proof of concept that even if the workload.

doesn't all of a sudden shift to Antonio Gibson is in on third down all the time. He can still pay off at his ADP. But worked into that, or worked into Antonio Gibson is, what if he does start taking the third down roll by the halfway point of the season, then, though, like nothing will stop Antonio Gibson at that point for fantasy. Yeah, I think he's the kind of player who can have, you know.

not even the top 10 in the league type of targets, but still do a lot with the targets. So it's invaluable. Yeah, I mean, he's one of those players where you have to decide the projection, whether you're confident that his workload is going to go up and his involvement is going to go up or you're not. I'm very confident in Antonio Gibson. I don't have any worries about drafting him where he's being drafted at all. All right. It's time. It's time to turn to Adam Lefco.

Congrats, Adam, by the way, on the NBA on TNT Tuesdays this past year. Let's hear from Adam. Fellas, loved ones, audiences of all ages, Adam Lefco is in the building. Please give me your deferential treatment and bow. Thank you. All hop aboard the Gus.

But granted, I'm recording this after J.K. Dobbins injury, and I hope he feels better. But in the meantime, I have been on the Gus bus for years.

Every time he touches the ball, he goes eight or nine yards. The offensive line, solid, love that they added Zeitler and Villanueva on the right side. The fact that Joanne James could be coming back at the end of the year, this offensive line with Lamar Jackson could be dynamic. I'm all aboard the Gus Bus as the fantasy footballers MVP. Oh. Delicious.

I forgot he had the delicious in there. The wheels on the Gus go round around, Mike. You are into the Gus. I am very into Gus Edwards, especially at his ADP. He is such an incredible sensational player that he has had to earn his way up from the ground. Maybe that's part of what I like about Gus is the story of, you know, the undrafted.

manages to get on the Ravens. It is so good that they have to keep figuring out ways to get them on the field, even when they go out and they have high-price free agents like Mark Ingram, or they have high draft capital picks like J.K. Dobbins. Gus Edwards is still getting on the field. And now he is the guy. I believe Gus Edwards will be the main running back for this team.

I don't see anyone out there in free agency who can compete. The backup is a fellow undrafted free agent. Just remember, a couple years ago, the Ravens rushing attack was record shattering. And yes, a lot of that is Lamar Jackson, but a lot of that is also the running backs. His upside for rushing touchdowns is so immense, and you're getting him in that.

fourth or fifth round right now. I think that's what I hear the objection regarding Gus the most is, oh, the touchdowns are all going to get siphoned by Lamar. Not all of them. They score so many touchdowns. Yes. He had six on the ground last year splitting in a committee on 144 carries. So I want to bring that up because I do think he's an eight to ten touchdown potential player. I made a gamble move. I'm going for a repeat in our dynasty league. I prefer Gus.

slightly to James Robinson. So I made the move. I traded James Robinson to get him. Jason, where do you fit in the MVP pick of Gus Edwards?

I do think Gus Edwards could easily be an MVP pick. He's not someone that I like necessarily more than James Robinson. It depends on where he's going. And ADP is kind of out the window with Gus Edwards. In some of your leagues that are drafting right now, he's going to fall. I mean, this was a guy I was targeting prior to the JK Dobbins injury because he was already involved. They gave him a two year, $10 million deal. So they paid him before the JK Dobbins injury. I really like Gus Edwards. I just wish.

that he caught passes and that's it's not going to happen. But Ravens running backs don't really do that. Last year, two rushing touchdowns for Mark Ingram, nine for J.K. Dobbins. Those are up for grabs. Those are all rushing touchdowns that Lamar did not score. I do like the coach's comments recently, just basically saying, look, this is going to be, he's our guy. This is our, our dude. He fits the system. It's unfortunate what happened to JK. It seems very similar to Damien Harris to me, a guy who's going to.

have a lot of potential to score a lot of touchdowns, have a ton of yards, be a quality back, but not catch the ball. And it's just a matter of where. Much better rushing attack. Yes, for sure. Higher touchdown odds. All right. Adam Rank. What's up, everybody? It's me. Adam Rank. You might know me from such shows as Good Morning Football Weekend, NFL now. NFL's Total Axis. And of course, NFL Fantasy Live. And my MVP pick for this season is going to be Tray Lance.

Two reasons, Houston Texans. We don't know when Trey Lance is going to be the starting quarterback for the 49ers, but I do know this Texans defense is going to be one of the worst in the NFL. That is who the 49ers play in the championship weekend. So whatever you do, make sure you are leaving your draft with Trey Lance. He will be the MVP. Oh, brother. He's calling the championship week.

preseason. Not only did he hit us with one of the biggest two toots of all of his accolades at the beginning, but my goodness, calling your MVP because of a championship week matchup? We know you're in. And the season hasn't started. He's one of your my guys. Oh, he's 100% right. Andy, have you changed any opinions based on what happened with the last preseason game, the rotation finger, any of that has?

tempered expectations, are you still hot and bothered for Trey Lance? I think it's all about, you know, I would probably pull that lineup from the championship week. I mean, that's a nice cherry on top for Trey Lance, but the back half of the year is what I'm looking for with him. Like our draft analyzer really doesn't account for a Trey Lance situation, if I'm honest. You shouldn't really have a couple of quarterbacks on your roster, but Trey Lance is one of the players that you should make sure that, you know,