Starts of the Week + Week 17 Breakdown, Title Time! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 12/29

Because you're thinking rationally, man. Careful. Well, I'm trying to find a chance for a nasty boy to win me a week. And I agree with you that if I know for sure that Dorch, they'll be running the three wide and Dorch will be in the slot, then I'm interested as a desperation play. Oh, now you're interested. Yes. But I don't know that at this point of the recording, I don't feel like I have the guarantee that. that's what the rotation will be. That's fine. I just want to highlight the possibilities for that player. Quick break back with another matchup. The losers of eight straight, Chicago Bears, 3 and 12, taking on the 7 and 8 Detroit lines. Losing with style, though. In Detroit. Drafking Sportsbook line, Detroit minus 6, over under is 52. No team has accomplished a more exciting 3 and 12 season than the Bears because there's great opportunity ahead for them.

Yeah, because Justin Fields. Yeah, baby. He's awesome. He has been unlocked as a mobile rushing quarterback. See Josh Allen talking about him? I did not. It was just, it was a very, very flattering quote from him of just saying like, this kid is the real deal and I'm excited to watch his career. If in this off season, they could go out and get their Stefan Diggs because they've got money, they've got draft capital, they've got a lot of chase. Claypool. Second round draft pick they gave up. But regardless of that, if they can go get a legit number one wide receiver for him via trade or otherwise, I think sky's the limit. But for this week, I mean, I want pieces in this game. Jared Goff in a dome and at home has been unbelievably good. He's been a phenomenal quarterback. The amount of points that the Detroit Lions are putting up are great.

Everyone could do whatever you want against the Bears since they, you know, kind of traded away most of their defensive pieces, Rokohan Smith, they got rid of. And then the bears, because no one can stop Justin Field's legs, are keeping up, losing, but keeping up with everyone. I just love the fantasy options here, 52 point over under, and, you know, I assume it goes over. I'm a little nervous. about Justin Fields in this matchup. He only had 11 rushing yards last week, and he is consistently limping off the field with ailments. When I've seen some, like, if you're choosing between golf and Justin Fields in this game, I'm playing Jared Goff. Like, I have my concerns about Justin Fields' health. There have been injuries. You know, Chase Claypool is not out there. Darnel Mooney is gone. Like, these are players that were small parts in Justin Fields passing success.

Previously in the year, Mooney a bigger part, Claypool, a small part, but it was supposed to be a big part. I have my concerns about Fields and what this team will do if he gets banged up in this game because why would you risk him? Why put him on the line when your best situation is losing? I totally understand the risks. And for me, personally, I'm willing to accept those risks to get what Justin Fields can give me for fantasy football. The decision with Jared Goff, I think that one is. That one's tough because Jared Gough feels much, much safer and has the huge ceiling this week, so I don't mind that pivot. But I think for... The rushing last week didn't concern you? Seven for 11. It's definitely something that you need to at least look at, but still play, you know, the majority of the game, the way that the team has talked about, no, Justin Fields. He's good to go. He's...

going to play. They've given no implications that they are considering shutting him down. Maybe that's just coach speak. But, you know, tougher matchup against Buffalo. I think that fields would be, yeah, and it was like they had, it was freezing, right? Yeah, it was in the rain and freezing. And, you know, he had seven rushing attempts. You know, a couple weeks before he had six rushing attempts ended up with 71 yards. Just does he break that big play? There's no guarantee. And obviously, uh, against Buffalo more difficult to do it. I love both of these quarterbacks. If I had to play one of them, I do think I go golf, but that's not a knock on fields to me. Okay. They are banged up at wide receiver. Like they're even, even their secondary options, Dante Pettis has an ankle injury. Equanimity of St. Brown isn't practicing. Claypool doesn't practice. Right now it's Justin Fields and the running backs and Colcomette. Mm-hmm.

So take it fast and then you get there fast and then you take it slow. On the on the lion's side, Jared Gough, we've talked about a lot this week. Yep. Jamal Williams is not on the injury report. Is Jamal Williams a sneaky potential fantasy winner? Yeah, I think we're back to the point of like if you're going to bet on the Jamal Williams touchdown, I think this is a good week to do it. He's not been someone I've wanted to play the last couple of weeks, but. I think this matchup with the over-under suggests that you'll have an opportunity or two. DJ Chark, top 24-3 of the last four weeks at home, high over-under, DJ-chark or someone like Jahan Dotson against Cleveland. Ooh. This is not anti-J-Han Dotson. He's been great, but I really do like DJ-chark this week. The matchup, the over-under, the environment at home in this dome, I mean, DJ Chark has been.

Really, really good. You look at his last four games, 108 yards, 94 yards, 98 yards, and three of those four. He can obviously dud because he's kind of a big play guy, but if you want to take a game where you expect some big play opportunity to happen, this matchup and team implied total, it hits the mark for me. I like DJ Chark. He's one of my favorite kind of waiver wire. level in some areas or bench player that can start in championship games. Denver's 4 and 11. They take on the 12 and 3 Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs are 12 and a half point favorites on the draft King Sportsbook. The overrunners 45. This, it's not going to be Russell Wilson. Patrick Mahomes battling it out for a division. No. It's not. Wow. Russ was the most number of preseason bets from the public for MVP and he is the worst quarterback in football.

Oh, man. Kansas City beat him 34 to 28 in week 14. This was the best game Russ had, but I don't think that I think that's just coincidence at this point. Yeah, I'm not chasing. Yeah, not at all. We cannot recommend that you play someone who's been as putrid as Russell Wilson. I can see the output where he has a good game. You know, he was the quarterback three against Kansas City. It was his only real good game, the second good game of the season. for him and so that could happen again you fired your head coach maybe some of that does improve the situation but regardless of all the avenues that you can see don't play him don't yeah i mean you his fantasy finish other than that one he hasn't been in the top 20 yeah no it's if you know the future and you know he does it then you can't but we can't recommend can you play any broncos this week because jerry judy with being banged up that's enough for me to be concerned

where, like, you have options that are on the Judy level, most likely. DJ Chark, I'd play over Jerry Judy. John Dotson, I'd play over Jerry Judy. Yeah, there's, he's not a must bench, but there are certain players who are, I view as like a similar tier, like the guys you laid out, Andy, that I would probably for safety's sake because of the injury. You can wait on more news. Maybe he gets full practice in today and tomorrow, and like, oh, Judy's good to go. But. It should be part of your process this weekend. Yeah, assuming he is full practice, which is considering he came back to the practice where he left for a minute, I am not worried or off of Jerry Judy. I do think that even with a bad Russ, he can get the job done. You look at what he's done. I mean, the last three weeks, 117 yards, 76 yards, 73 yards. Sutton was back this last week. I'm fine playing Jerry Judy. I think the matchup is fine here. And he, to me, is not someone that I'm.

looking to bench. I mean, I'm playing Mike Evans. I would much rather have Jared Judy. Isaiah Pacheco, the last two weeks had opportunities didn't really deliver in a big way. He was fine. 36 at the running back position. Then 26 last week. Broncos struggle against running backs. McKinnon and Pacheco in your lineup? Yep. Which one do you prefer? I assume it's McKinnon. Right now it's got to be McKinnon. The pass catching role that they're using him in and setting him up where he can just run is really worked out. The touchdowns have gone his way. But both are both are good options. I mean, you look at Pacheco 14, 15, 13, 13, 14, 22, 15, 16. Those are the carries he's getting in his game log going back. You love to have that kind of opportunity. Are we benching Juju? No. No, you can. I would bench him. Really? Yeah, for sure.

Why is that? That's a tough matchup for one. Yeah, he's struggled. He's had little weeks here and there, but Denver is a top five team against wide receivers. But like nine for 74 and a touchdown on 11 targets, the last time they played this team? Yeah, or three for 27 is going to sink your championship week last week against Seattle, which is a great matchup. Yeah, for me, I don't see him as a must bench. He's a flex level option. But ironically, across the field, Jerry Judy versus Juju, I think there's, You know, that's a question. That's like the same similar level players in this matchup. And I would rather go with Jerry Judy simply because there's just so many, you know, it's pick your poison for Kansas City. This game, the reason Judy and Juju had huge weeks, last time they played was it was 34 to 28. That's not prescriptive for this game. I mean, Vegas has it at 29 to 16. So.

You don't have a running game right now in Denver, right? It's worse than it was three weeks ago. And so I would be concerned that the first couple scores happen, and if you're not involving juju there, he could be risky. You know, that's just my take. Yeah. The running game, speaking of the running game for the Denver Broncos, I think this could be an important one for fantasy. You saw Latavius Murray have a stretch of games where there was so much opportunity. you know, 21, 14, 21, 13, 25. A lot of opportunity given his direction where he sucks. The offense sucks. But he was okay for fantasy. You know, if you need to go out there and, you know, get around 10 points, he was pretty consistent. Then he got banged up. Yeah. And now you're worried. If for some reason they shelve him and, you know, if he doesn't play this week. So if he plays, I'm not really excited. I don't want to play Latavius Murray. But if he doesn't play.

No. Yeah. I do think that the amount of opportunities for Chase Edmonds. I'm not getting nasty with Denver. I'm not going to play. I want nasty players with opportunities on a team that can score. Well, then they're usually not nasty. Usually those are good options. But I'm, I'm wanting the, the fact that Kansas City plays fast. You know, usually there's, there's enough of your, you know, your talented skill position players to. have decent fantasy games against Kansas City just because of game script. So, I mean, I assume Latavis Murray's going to play at this point in time. He didn't practice on Wednesday. I don't have an update from there. But if he's out, I think you've got a, it's not Marlon Mack. It's Chase Edmonds. He came in and ran ahead of Marlon Mack. That's the takeaway here. Travis Kelsey playing. Yep. Please do monstrous things, Kelsey. 40 fantasy points. That's what I'm looking for. Why is that?

because Mike and I have him against Kyle. We haven't really brought up our championship match is against the Borgogan over there, the enemy, the deuce. And he's a heavy favorite. Yeah, he is. Miami's eight and seven. They take on the New England Patriots at seven and eight. The draft king sports book line, New England minus three. The overrunners 41. I expect New England to handle their business in this one. Miami's starting Teddy Bridgewater. They're on a downward spiral right now. It's not to say they couldn't steal this game, but it's obviously a crucial one. It will even up the records if New England wins it. And, you know, New England's the last AFC team out right now. Miami's the last AFC team in games in Foxborough. Both teams are struggling. Do you believe that, you know, what are you adjusting expectations for Miami without Tua?

So I am not adjusting my Tyreek Hill expectations at all. I think he's going to have a phenomenal game. If you look at the two, Teddy Bridgewater's had two games where he played about 60% of the snaps. In those games, those were Tyreek Hill target monstrous games. He just looks Tyreek Hill's way. because he knows he is the number one option. He's the best. And or because Teddy Bridgewater is the quarterback, they are scheming it quick and easy to Tyree Kill. And Tyree Kill has a pretty good history against New England. I know they're a great defense and they try to take away your number one option. But in games, he's played against New England, 94 yards, 64 and a touchdown, 62, 142 and 3, 133 and 1. He's...

He's just beat the crap out of him. So the fact that we've seen two games of Teddy hyper-targeting Tyreek, Tyreek beating them, I'm not adjusting expectations there. I do adjust Jalen Waddle down a little bit, but he's still someone that has so much talent. You're not benching Jalen Waddle. You just have to say I'm seeing him more like, you know, hoping for 12 fantasy points. What are you doing with the running backs of Mostert? Two weeks ago with no Jeff Wilson was fantastic against the bills. Jeff Wilson comes back. The snaps immediately flipped back to Jeff Wilson as the one at least who's on the field more. It's pretty close. Most are lost to fumble last week, too. So you feel like he got punished? I just don't. You just, what seems to be happening is every time somebody has a good game, the next week people like that player. Yeah, sure. And that just seems like not the way to go here. I think I look at them identically.

in terms of start opportunities. I'm out. Boster can get a bigger play. You're out on both. I'm out on both. Like, for instance, and this will sound super gross. But if I had these two guys and I had Hassan Haskins, I'm not saying that the number one scoring running back will probably be one of these Miami Dolphins players. But you could get just absolute nothing for, if you choose the roulette wheel wrong against the New England Patriots who are not a great. you know, defense to run against anyways. I want the more sure volume kind of get points from, if you've got this level of running back, I want to try to get 10 fantasy points, get that position out, focus elsewhere. To me, you're just, you're gambling too much with trying to predict who could get a large workload against a tough matchup, but they might not. Yeah, I mean, Jeff Wilson last week, yeah, he scored, but he was nine for 37. I mean, that's nothing to be. And Teddy's in. So you're, you know, you're at a backup.

quarterback situation. Probably not bad advice there. Ramandre, what's the confidence level on Ramandre? You, my confidence is high. Yeah, I'm saying that I'm playing him regardless of if you got through with Ramadre last week, that was a feat in itself. Yeah, I didn't either. So I don't, I can't answer this question what I'm doing with my team because my team is. not playing for first place, but if I were through, I would do my best to kiss and make up and forgive him and say, you're still the guy last week was very bizarre, especially trailing and not getting Stevenson the dump off work that he had been receiving for the entirety of the season. Well, he got five targets in the game. Yeah, but it's still, like with the game script going the way it was, this seemed like,

This is a game that Remandre Stevenson is going to get eight plus targets. Yeah, he sucked. I mean, it was as bad a game as you could possibly get from a player playing 91% of snaps at running back. You can't imagine that someone who's been as good as he has been, plays 91% of snaps and finishes the game with 2.3 fantasy points. That's awful. He fumbled twice in this game. It was a catastrophe. He's just been too doggone good, too involved the opportunity. I'm not moving on from a player because he has one bad game. The passing game work is very concerning. Agreed. Because it wasn't just last week. Two for two, two for negative four, two for three. That is frustrating. And that's where you've had bottoms that you hadn't seen from Ramandre in a while. And, you know, you don't know how much the ankle is a concern because the Raiders, you don't need your ankles to run on the Raiders. So they're both limited Ramandre and Damien Harris.

I would expect the same situation, Remandre and Harris out. But what if Harris is active? Does that change your equation? Doesn't change it for me at all? No, even with the trust problems? I mean, the lateral and the fumbles and something to be worried about with. The running backs coach came out and obviously he's not necessarily the one that makes the call here. If Belichick wanted to sit him down, then that's his choice. But he came out after the game, shared full confidence in him. If he comes out and fumbles again, obviously, that's a risk. But I just cannot imagine, you know, you brought up, oh, two catches for negative four yards the week prior. He was the running back four that week. He was awesome. Like, the passing work hasn't been there. But, I mean, his fantasy finishes, he hasn't not been a top 24 running back since week two if you take out the game he got injured and played 20% of the game. So I'm in on Ramon. And last week, right? Well, yes, obviously. Before last week.

Before this really bad game. Yes, that's what I was saying. Colts are 410 and 1. The Giants are 86 and 1. The drafting sports book line is New York minus 6. The overrunners 38. Can you play an Indianapolis Colt? Yeah. I mean, like Pittman gets a target share. What was his actual line from this past week? Let me pull that up. It was seven targets, so four for 39. Oh, man. I mean, the matchup at least is not scary, but against the Giants who have totally fallen apart. But Nick Falls is so bad. He should not be the quarterback of this team. I'm concerned. So I know, you know, I'm anti Zach Moss, but I also recognize that the opportunities are going to go his way and that the matchup is okay.

You know, if you had someone like Hassan Haskins versus, I think we brought this up earlier in the week, I know how I would answer this, but would you guys rather play Zach Moss or Hassan Haskins? I think that's the kind of category that Moss is in. Do you see him in that tier of opportunity? I'd play Haskins. I would too. Michael Pittman. I'm trying not to play any Colts if I can. Sequin Barclay. I would love to play Sequin Barlow. Yeah, that's much better than the colds. Delicious. Darius Slate and Isaiah Hodgins, put them in order. Darius Slate and Isaiah Hodgins. Yeah, I stink. I still think I go that way. I stink. I would like to bench these guys this week. You know, they're an NFL team that is projected to win. Some wide receiver is going to have a decent game here. But the over under is only 38 points. I expect them to finish with a W.

sub, you know, like around 20 points. This isn't a game where they're going to. Juju. Juju. Jerry Judy, both of those guys over. Dorch or Hodgins? That's interesting. I think I would, I think I go Dorch simply because the chance of either of these games turning into a shootout, an unexpected higher scoring game, I just can't see that with Nick Foles here. I'm very comfortable with Hodgins in this game. Would you take him ahead of Slayton? Yes. Yeah, if I was in a standard league, I'd go Slayton, but otherwise I would go Hodgins, half and full. Just I feel like he's pretty safe. They're implied point totals 26 points in there. I think he'll be involved in that. That's still fine. Daniel Jones? Daniel Jones, to me, is, he's better than the sum of his weapons because he runs the ball. So if you're looking for... But you'd play Minshu over him.

I would play Minchu over him, but I do think Daniel Jones is a fine option. If he's your option out there, I mean, three of his last four games, he's been a quarterback won because he runs the ball. Giants defense or Jacksonville's defense? Giants. Oh, I love the Giants defense. The New Orleans Saints, six and nine, taking on the 13 and two, Philadelphia Eagles. Drafkeen Sportsbook line is Philadelphia minus five and a half. The overrunners 43 and a half. A couple of elite past defenses. I mean, if you look on the year, the Saints defense has been really, really good, stopping wide receivers and tight ends. They've been generous to the running back position, but right now, Miles Sanders' confidence is at an all-time low. So how do you see this game breaking down on the Philadelphia side of the football? I think A.J. Brown was he limited yesterday again? I will check. I saw him move to questionable. Take a peek. But Devante Smith, A.J. Brown.

Too good to sit, right? Absolutely. Miles Sanders. Didn't practice on Wednesday? Oh, my gosh. You know, we talked about the fact you can run on the Saints, but can you run on the Saints with Miles Sanders? Miles Sanders, the last two weeks, it's been bad. At least the game against Dallas was 22 opportunities. Not seeing targets, though, you know, really since the buy week, he's not involved in the passing game very much. Three targets is his high. He hit that. Twice. I mean, I think you can do worse than Miles Sanders because his upside is a multi-touchdown week winning performance. So I'm not going, like Hassan Haskin seems to be our line of like the nasty running backs that you would play over certain players. I would play Sanders easily over Haskins. Dallas Goddard, 94% of snaps last week, three for 67, right back in your lineup. Yep. Yeah. There's very few Titans.

I would go Goddard. Goddard has the athleticism to have impactful downfield opportunities. Tasum Hill top 12 tight-in for the last five weeks outside of Goddard. Where do you put Hill this week against Philly? Their eighth against tight-ins on the year. Jason? Yeah. Tassum Hill, to me, I've got him actually one spot behind Dallas Goddard at Titan 9 right now. Andy Dalton plays quarterback for the Saints. He does. He has no one to throw it to. Is Rashid Shaheed a nasty boy you would consider? That's. He'll play probably 100% of snaps or close to it. The last I saw Chris Olavi was back at practice. He was limited on Wednesday. If Oliva plays, I am not excited about starting Rashid Shahid. I think he's a talented enough player.

to look his way, maybe throw him in a draft king's lineup. But we've mentioned some other wide receivers I would play ahead of Shahid. Alvin Camara didn't practice on Wednesday. Nick Underhill, very trusted beat rider out of New Orleans, doesn't worry about his availability. Are you worried about him in general? Like, is this going to be the capstone of a disappointing season for Alvin Camara going up against the Philly defense? Uh, probably, but the opportunities at least have been there last two weeks, 23 and 24. So Algeria. Calum is still there. Oh, man. Oh, man. Oh, that's so stupid. How dare you, Andy? Algear or Camara? Oh, well, Mike, the question was to you. Oh, my gosh.

They're pretty close. Right now. Right now Tyler Alger is running back 22 for me. Camara is running back 17. Yeah, I think it's Camara. I don't know. It takes, it takes gumption here to like. I feel like, yeah, this is, we've recently been talking about, you know, the name equity that these players have. I think the process truly says it's Tyler Algier. I. That's a big emotional hurdle to cover and step over in your championship week. I think it's the right play to go with Alger over Camara. At the end of the week, at the end of this week, one of these two players will have more fantasy points than the other. I would still lean the Camara side. It was the running back eight last week, 23 opportunities, 24 opportunities the last two games. In Philly, they started the year super strong against the run, but they're okay.

They're not a lockdown defense, so I would still lean. Since week seven, Arizona is the best matchup for running back. I'm playing Alger. Yeah, there, yeah, there we go. Carolina, six and nine, Tampa Bay seven and eight. For the division. Yeah, you don't talk about nasty boys. Talk about a nasty game. I mean, it's just a nasty game. Scrapping and clawing. Draft King Sportsbook line, Tampa minus three, overrunners 40. Divisional game. Everything on the line. Must win for Carolina. Must win for Tampa Bay. Must win for everybody involved. It's a really important game. I talked about with the Atlanta Falcons matchup, no teams want to run the ball more than the Panthers and the Falcons. The Falcons, I mean, last week against Detroit's running defense that has been shutting people down, Foreman and Hubbard combined for 33 carries.

basically 300 yards in a touchdown. So we know what they want to do. Will they be able to do that against Tampa Bay? And are you happy to start a Deont-Forman or a Chuba Hubbard? It's brutal. It's a brutal call. That's what they want to do. They want to run the football. They've been able to inflict their or impose their will on opposing defenses throughout the year. This game is, I'll take the under. I mean, I think this is just going to be a drag-out fight. We know the Tampa Bay is running a Werther's original offense. I mean, it's gross. Checkdowns. Checkdowns. Can you bet on punt attempts? Can I take the over on total punts in this game? I mean, this is, I didn't even know. I'd love to say that Tampa Bay is going to take care of their business here. I have no confidence in that whatsoever. They're 28th and points scored.