Fantasy Football - NFC South Breakdown + Skat Talks to Jason & Mike - Podcast for 7/21

rookies >> to make me feel like they can make an impact in year one cuz >> I don't know. We'll see. Uh we'll take a break. We'll get into the NFC South. All right, FClan. Whether you are on the go or at home, T-Mobile, well, they're built to keep you connected wherever you're scouting your fantasy team. And that on the-go part, that is important. And with America's Best Network, you'll be connected to the latest news and player projections. So when you're on the clock, you can draft a winning team. I can think of so many situations where that element of being connected while

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test intelligence data second half of 2025. >> [music] >> Let's get divisional. [music] >> Well, I look, I don't want it all of the uh divisional predictions to just sit at the back of the show. So, let me get the one out of the way that I missed. All right. All right. So, that was the NFC North. The NFC North. So, we got Green Bay, >> we got the Lions, we got the Vikings, >> and the Bears. >> And the Bears, man. So, this is I have no clue what you guys did cuz I God forbid I'd listen to the show while I'm

gone. >> Uh, >> not on vacation. >> Not on not on vacation. I wouldn't I wouldn't have remembered any. >> For the record, Mike and I had the exact same order. >> Oo. [laughter] >> Okay. I hope you don't match us now. >> I have this like >> Now, if you match us, [laughter] what an idiot. >> First of all, I have this like newfound bitterness when you guys agree on anything cuz I feel like it's been happening too much. >> Me and Jason. Yes. Yes. >> Really? >> Yeah. You guys You guys interesting. >> Sometimes I'm the contrarian and you

know I have my own opinions and you guys just have like a kepsis type of thing. [laughter] >> Oh, okay. >> All right. Give us your picks. >> It's so good. Oh, man. I had my pick. >> Um, if I nail this, this is this is big trouble if I get do exactly what you did. >> Uh, I'm going Lions one, Bears two, Packers three, Vikings four. >> Okay. We we did not match. one and four matched, but the >> I mean that those other three teams though, I don't have strong conviction cuz I'm going to offend somebody, but >> um

>> we went Detroit, Green Bay, Chicago. >> You guys all had Vikings last? Yeah. That's almost the most guaranteed way to get them to finish first. >> Oh, for sure. Yeah, >> it was I know we've talked about it, but like when we did our divisional predictions last year, I mean, >> nailing divisional winners in the NFL, >> man, it seems like it should be easier than it is. Part of that is just injuries. Like there will be significant injuries on, you know, a good amount of teams that are it's pretty devastating, right? Like you even talked about like Tampa Bay, which who we're talking about

right now. Baker was an MVP candidate. >> Mhm. >> To start the year. >> I mean, >> it looked like they'd run away. >> Seven weeks in or something, the the the crowd is chanting MVP. MVP. Because it seemed like they were >> and TZ was like, "Yeah, it's me." They they seem like they were a genuine Super Bowl contender and then injuries to the offensive line to Baker. They started six and two and then went two and seven. >> Yeah. Gross. >> So yeah, it I mean it just wasn't easy to nail the divisional winners last year even when you think you you can. So

>> did anyone win the division in the South? Uh let's say the Panthers did. eight and n Panthers beat the 8-9 Buccaneers who beat the 8-9 Falcons who beat the 6 and 11 Saints. And what was even crazier about the end of the season was the fact that I don't know if you had all of these teams match up against each other for three games each, I feel like the Saints would have been our favorite at the time because the Saints had been playing the best football but weren't in contention for that final week tiebreaking situation. To make matters even more difficult,

every team in the division went three and three in the division. >> Nice. >> That's only happened like twice in the last decade. So yeah, I think it's fair to say when a division, you're like, "Oh, that's not fair that you said they're a bad division." If every team has a negative point differential, you're a bad division. Yeah. >> Doesn't mean somebody didn't win the bad thing. >> The Panthers lost three of their final four games >> to win the division to close, >> dude. strong. >> If you win the division with a sub 500 record and your matchup is against a

wild card team that has a plus 500, I'm get get this crap out of here. You don't get the home field. >> To the Panthers credit, they did play the Rams fairly well in the playoffs. >> Here's why here's the wild stat about Carolina, who we'll start with as the divisional winner. They went into the season last year with a six and a half uh win total projection from Vegas. They ended up eight and nine. They were seven and three in one-score games, which means they had one victory. >> That wasn't a one-sore game, guys. >> Wow. >> That's what that means.

>> So, when they when they won, they they snuck by, you know, 23-20, something like that. Um, you mentioned it. They lost to the Saints, Seattle, and Tampa in three of their last four weeks, but their victory in week 16 against Tampa Bay basically secured them in the division. Um, this year's projected win total, six and a half for the division winner. >> They have the third hardest strength to schedule. And I think that's where things get like when you go seven and three and one score games to squeak by to a sub 500 divisional victory and you have to now play a first place schedule.

>> It is funny that you've got an eight and N team who has a first place schedule that that is that is not what you want. Like the Panthers probably didn't want to win the division. >> I was about to say like >> it would have been better to to have been the the Falcons where it's like hey we had the same record. We're, you know, we're we're doing okay. >> You want the playoff game. >> I mean, of course you want the playoff game, but >> but for the long term, like Yeah, it's it's a weird thing. >> So, their their first place schedule

includes them such matchups as the Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos, and the Philadelphia Eagles. >> Yeah, you said that right. Um, >> did you already say that? >> No. Gosh, no, not like that. Um, there's some grammatical challenges in there. Uh, Warren Sharp's third hardest hardest. >> Oh, [laughter] man. There are SOME GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. ANYWAYS, THE THIRD HARDEST uh schedule. >> Interesting. >> Oh man. >> Interesting. >> Someone is still in Hawaii. >> I have I have noticed that um I try to insult other people's putting after I've putted because if I do it before I've putted, I'm not making that putt.

Oh gosh. Yeah, the schedule's tough. 27th in points per game last year. And we've had lots of discussions here about T McMillan, Bryce Young, total yardage e expectations for Bryce Young. Do you think he can take a step forward? Because if he doesn't, our projections around the other talent in the Carolina backfield, in the wide receiver room, tight end, it's all going to be beholden to what Bryce Young's capable of doing, is it not? >> Yeah. I mean that this is when it when you're talking fantasy football, not just the the outlook for uh the Panthers, you know, schedule. It's like

it all comes down to to Bryce Young whether or not you're going to have, you know, I know Jonathan Brooks is, you know, the hot sleeper of, you know, the the running back position and and Tedo and McMillan is someone that we all love the talent of. If Bryce Young doesn't take a step forward, it will be pretty irrelevant. I I think that um I'm I'm struggling because I'm very bullish on Teroa McMillan, what he did as a rookie and and being able to just take a a small step forward. That should be the expectation and the normal path for

these young wide receivers. >> But it is difficult to imagine him doing much more if Bryce Young doesn't get better. And >> I do think he can though. >> It is difficult to imagine Bryce Young getting much better. >> No, see that I can envision Bryce Young getting better. I I think he has progressed every season. >> He's going into year four. He's only he's about to turn 25. Still young. >> His completion percentage has improved each year. 60 to 61 to 64. His touchdown passes from 11 to 15 to 23. His rushing attempts have gone up. He he looks I

mean we watch every game. There was a point when Bryce Young looked like a bonafide, guaranteed, incompetent bust of a quarterback. >> He doesn't He did not look that way last year. [clears throat] He had clutch throws, big plays, drives that looked like not every drive was great, but he had sustained drives where he made big plays and big throws. I think he's getting outside the pocket more, more comfortable in the offense. And you know, you you won like when you win seven close games, that's a testament to your quarterback being able to handle things at the end of >> you had the the Rico games where what

was it two games in a row where he had, you know, a bazillion rushing yards. Right now, the the the the wise guys lines that I'm seeing on Bryce Young are setting him at 20 and a half passing touchdowns >> and just in 3,000 yards. So, it's like you >> how many,000? >> He was on pace last year for about 3100. >> I'm saying you can look and they get those things wrong. You know, that's why it's you can go on either side of the opportunity, but if Bryce Young is hitting 22 passing yards and I mean like he did

last year, >> he goes for 3100 yards, it is hopeless for the pass catchers >> and he has never thrown for 3100 yards. >> Yeah. I'm just saying your Vegas lines wherever they have him. Like it it the the thing is is it's not been a it's not been a clean path to here. It's not like you had a guy that was, you know, starting every single game for three consecutive seasons and this is just where he's capped out. I just think there's more room. I mean, if you if you came into last year, he had thrown for 2400 yards the year before and limited

starts. I mean, there there is a range of outcomes for Bryce Young in a a wide open division that I think is better than a 3,000 passing yard season. Now, I'm curious where you guys projected him. >> I I have him over that 3100 mark. I've got him around 3,400 passing yards. So, that's where I got him. 3450. >> A step forward, I think, is reasonable. >> 3150. >> The schedule's obviously very difficult. So, um you know, when you're playing against these teams like Denver, Seattle, and and and the Eagles, it's not going to be easier for Bryce. So, he's going to need to step up. Year two

in the system, I think, will be very helpful. Uh you know, Teroa taking another step forward is helpful, but um I he's not going to be it. He's not like Bryce Young is not going to unlock anything for fantasy. >> When you look at the top 15 wide receivers, there are other wide receivers with vulnerabilities due to passing yardage. Not a lot. Like Ted is my wide receiver nine. >> Oh man. >> Which is way above ADP. So I I love Ted. I You guys talked about him. But Jefferson, we don't know what kind of yardage. We we've had a lot of reports

with the Vikings, so I don't know how much you talked about it on the last show, >> but just regarding the running game and wanting to be focused on the running game, >> that's in question. Garrett Wilson, what are you getting out of I mean, you should be able to get more than 3,000 yards out of Gino Smith, >> but that's not a guarantee. Nico Collins, that offense, what we've seen in recent years, also a little bit subject to some question marks. So, I mean, Gino Smith has thrown for 4,200 yards twice. >> He's he's more capable to to pile on the

stats than than Bryce. The question for McMillan >> to me is, so last year we ended at a 25% target share. Can that get to 30? Can you get to the the true elite of the elite fantasy wide receiver numbers? If you get to 30, then you're going to be fine. But if you I think if you're stuck at the 25 to 26% target share, it's going to be it'll be up and down and just a a really sketchy pick. >> Yeah. I mean, it is a bet on >> It sucks cuz McMillan is a incredibly talented wide receiver. >> I was just looking at the 13 years that

Gino Smith has played quarterback in the NFL, Jason. >> Yeah. >> So, he did it twice. That's cool. >> He's done it twice in the last uh three years, I think. >> Um >> Yeah. What's the recent history? >> No, recent history. 3600, 4,300,00 3,000 >> and the year before. Dude, if Bryce Young gave me 3600, I'd be pumped. I >> I mean, [clears throat] look, I said he should be able to, but your love for Gino Smith is [laughter] knows no bounds. >> It's unbel I don't think you heard anything else I said after I mentioned Gino Smith cuz you were there looking up

his stats. This is so such a weird funny thing where this become reality because it is. >> Look, when you give your take and you stand by your take. >> I mean, >> and you love Gino Smith, then whatever, man. >> I mean, he's your dude. >> Burn down with the Jets. >> Yeah. I mean, >> the Jets are a great bet. >> When people are going to be, >> you know, picking my guys, trying to take shots now, they only need to come up with two. You know, >> I think that if statistically the trajectory for Bryce Young is up, not

down. >> And last year, T McMillan as a rookie was wide receiver 17. So somewhere between 17 and N seems like a reasonable spot to put him. >> Uh because I think he's progressing and I think that it is a hu the Carolina bet is a bet on Bryce Young being capable of of producing. You know, he had he had one game last year that was like a I think it was an Atlanta game. You remember that one where he threw for like 450 yards or something silly. I don't want to know what his average would be without that game.

>> But that also showed that there was, you know, there was the capability there. >> Well, let's let's talk the backfield here because Tuba Hubard has been a guy over the last several seasons that we have been a little bit higher than, you know, average draft price. It's it's worked out well. Two years ago, he was one of the better picks in fantasy. Um, not a highly respected, highly desired asset. And this year, it's funny because you you lose the guy that made it difficult on him. And >> the guy that took your job. >> Yeah. The guy that took the job, Rico

Dow, is no longer on the team. But it you're still you still like Chuba even less this year than you did going into last year. And now it's all because of Jonathan Brooks. Jonathan Brooks, the guy who has not yet really played in the NFL basically, uh, a second round draft pick, very talented guy who tore his ACL back to back and now is basically going to be a kind of a rookie in year three. >> Yeah. I mean, Chuba Chuba fits the mold of one of those running backs that is solid, not spectacular, and when given enough volume will produce fantasy

value. Mike won't like the comp, but I look at it like Jordan Mason. Like the the player, he's capable of doing it with enough volume. >> Zero runs of 15 yards for Chuba last year. Jordan Mason can rip off a big one. That's why I don't like the comp. >> I mean, how many did did Jordan Mason have? Honest honest question. I mean, I don't know. >> I watched enough Jordan Mason. I didn't get to weigh in on that. Like, I I think Jordan Mason's fine. You know who else was fine with a lot of volume? Devin Singleary. Like if you just gave Devin