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

You know, they have one game with more than 23 points. Their implied total here is 21.8. Sure. But I like the players on Tampa Bay this week. I'm not playing Tom Brady compared to. Why do you like them? Why this week versus all the other weeks? Because the Carolina Panthers are allowing points to those positions. On the season, they are 27th in schedule adjusted against wide receivers, 22 in the past six weeks. 26th against quarterback. Mike Evans, I believe, let me try and find it. The last time that they played was week seven when Mike Evans actually had fantasy value. It was 15 targets, nine for 96 in that week. Oh, let's do it, please, buddy. I'm very, and Chris Godwin, he's seeing just so much volume averaging 10 targets a game that.

He has a very safe PPR floor. And I think that this is the weekend that we finally get the Mike Evans upside. And I'm sitting here trying to decide if I hit the button. Yeah, I saw the hand go over. Oh, I don't mind that. I have great concern about the pass rush getting to Tom Brady and we get the exact same thing we've been getting. It's just really broken right now. Sure. Leonard Fournet is so necessary to the offense. The utilization is back up. It looks like a truck. And so Fournet. I like Rashad White. He'll have his opportunities, but the area where the Panthers are pretty good and have been better of late is stopping the run. This game's tough, man. This game's really, really tough. And if, you know, if you believe Tampa's going to do enough, then you start looking at DJ Moore and you know that he's going to be the go-to receiver and you start saying, you know, DJ Moore, DJ Chark, which DJ you're going with? Yeah, I mean, that's a very fair question. He's playing the beat that you want. The Carolina Panthers.

have boom bust options. And so if you need to play with a little bit of fire this week in your fantasy championship, I think DJ Moore and Deonta Foreman are players you could put in. Deonta Foreman versus Haskins, I would lean the Deonta Foreman side simply because we've seen it for all. We've seen it several times. We've seen it several times. And he can bust. He can fall flat on his face. Tampa could shut him down because that's happened. But we also know he can go out there and be a top five running back on the week. You can go out there and get.

150 rushing or so he had 165 last week as the running back three his upside exists so if you want to play with fire oh yes and he's almost upset of the week this one's brutal but here's the what i genuinely believe i think the carolina panthers are a better coach team and when you talk about a game with everything on the line for both sides it's it's more on the line for carolina like they have to win to have a chance Tampa. And hit their over. Tampa can still lose this game and win the division. I think they're the better coach team. I think Caroline is playing with more grit, more determination. I think they are, I'm going to take them. I like it. I like it. And it's going to be a very weird thing if we see Tom Brady shrink off the field without a playoff appearance. Yep. And what does he do next year? Yeah. What does he do next? He's a free agent, right? Mm-hmm.

I bet he plays football. Didn't get divorced for nothing. Oh, man. I hope he doesn't play football. I mean, look, why wouldn't he? Because he's lost it. Maybe. But I don't think he thinks he's lost it. I think there's enough coaches out there that say, well, with an offensive line, Tom Brady be the same guy. Does Tom Brady still like Josh McDaniels? I doubt it. I mean, that's a fair question. It is a fair question. I don't think Tom Brady, I'm doubting, wants to go to the division with Herbert and Mahomes. The goat? You think the goat doesn't want to go? I think the goat wants the easiest path possible because he's smart. There's a reason he took less money than every other quarterback in the league over to the last like.

decade so that he could build a team around him. He wants to win Super Bowls. Yvante Adams is pretty attractive over there in Los Angeles. He's the goat because he knows how to avoid challenge. Sure. That's part of it. Darren Waller. Get your Grancowski back. I mean, you've had rumors, you know, of like going to the Saints. It's a chance. And, you know, that makes sense to me because he's in this division. He's like, this division sucks, man. I don't want to. I want to leave my team, but I don't want to leave this division. It's pretty easy. We suck and we're still playoff bound. I haven't seen them happy all year. I guess that's not true. The very end of a bunch of games. Yes. They end up winning in disgusting fashion. Like the final five minutes of the fourth quarter, they're very good. All right. The rankings, the starts at tool and the rest of the matchups on tomorrow's show. The rankings and the tool are on the website, the fantasy footballers.com. Let's jump into our starts. Starts of the week. Go ahead, Mike.

All right, I'm kicking it off. It's Justin Fields. I chalk up last week's bad game, weather, Buffalo's defense. He went absolutely bananas against the Lions in week 10. The quarterback won four total touchdowns, 13 carries for 147 rushing yards. And it's the matchup with Detroit that also gives me the confidence. The Detroit home games, they're hitting the over in every game except for one. And that game was 53 points. So there is a lot going on up there in Detroit. A lot of offensive output. And this is, it's not like people are looking at Justin Fields going, I'm not playing him. But it's, I think some people need a confidence bump after this past week. I've received a million questions with Fields or Josh Allen. Fields or Jared Goff. Those decisions are out there. Josh Allen, I would play over Justin Fields.

But the questions are out there. But yeah, and I get it. And he's, to me, is still a top five option on the week. You want me to go? Sure. I figured you had the quarterback on the other side of the field, but I'll go Trevor Lawrence. I'm going to give you a confidence boost. I know. Confidence boost here because there is worry with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They're in a similar situation with the Tennessee Titans that. This game doesn't really matter. But listening to their head coach talk about it, he said that this game, he was adamant that this game matters, that he's playing his guys. And Trevor Lawrence has just been awesome. I know that the Houston matchup is one we have not really pushed a lot of because, you know, you're up easy. But Houston's been coming to play. Sure. There's been simulations to have them winning this game that are, you know, considered the best versions. Lawrence has been on a role. He's been a top 12 quarterback 10 times this year.

That's behind only Mahomes, Alan Hertz and Burrow. That's wild. Since week 12, he's the quarterback three. Something is switched in the Jacksonville offense after their week 11. His name is Schmevin. Schmegrim's been on fire. Their top 10 in total yards, expected points per pass attempts and points since that points. Jacksonville has a 24 point team implied total. There's a lot of points. Points points. Points, points. If you want to play, play Preverplorrence. That's my start of the week. Boston. Jared Goff against the aforementioned big time, Justin Field. Look, I've never rooted for Justin Field. I don't have them in any leagues, but I've rooted for them a ton this year whenever my quarterback's playing against Chicago because I love it. I love it when they get up early. I love it when they stay competitive because you need it to fuel the other side of the football. Jared Goff, these Lions home games, they've been delicious. I think golf's going to win some leagues this year, and it's just perfect.

for championship week. All right, my running back start of the week is Brian Robinson of the Washington Manders. He is playing the Cleveland Browns, one of the true run funnel defenses in the NFL, 28th and expected points for rush attempt, 29th in defensive adjusted line yards. Like all the super nerd stats, Cleveland is at the absolute bottom, but at the top. running backs against the Cleveland Browns. And Washington wins this year. He's averaging almost 11 fantasy points per game. You have the Antonio Gibson injury. If Gibson is out, that's just even more opportunity for Brian Robinson. He won't get everything, but he will absolutely get a bump. And that's the way that Washington beats this team is through Brian Robinson. And I am going with running back Tyler Algier rookie for the Atlanta Falcons playing at home against Arizona.

Since coming off their week 14 by, he was the running back 7 on 18 opportunities, 139 rushing yards, and a score. Last week was the running back 12, 23 opportunities, 117 total yards, including five targets. He's heating up, and right now, I mean, Arizona's defense, it's one you want to play against. Since week 7, they are dead last in schedule adjusted fantasy points allowed to running backs. Falcons are three and a half point home favorites, and he is the guy. When I'm getting all these questions of the middling unsure players that I keep tie-breaking with, so I give my confidence towards Tyler Algier. I want to go Leonard Fournett. He's back, baby. When push comes to shove, Brady needs Leonard Fornett on the field. And these must-win games, it's revealing the dependency on Fournett. Somehow he's the RB 13 on the year. He had 30 opportunities against the Cardinals.

Can the Tampa Bay Buccaneers run the football? No, they can't. Will they keep trying with Leonard Fournette? Yep. And is he safe because of the targets? Six a game? Yes, he is. So I think Fournette is a, you know, you look at a player like Haskins versus Fournette. You've got to go with the PPR upside of Leonard Fornett in a must-win type of game. My wide receiver started the week. I'm doing it. This is silly. It's Mike Evans, baby. Taking on the Carolina Panthers. Now was the time. Third times a charm? Yeah, this is. You do realize this, right? Oh, I know. And it was. I did it. Yeah, it didn't work well. Mike did it or Jason did it? Didn't work well. And then he pivoted from him in his own roster. Great move. I feel like of, I'm, uh, look, Mike Evans when we started our dynasty league was my first round pick. Like, I think you have the authority to change things. I'm in tune with Mike Evans.

And I had to make a move. I had to trade him away in the middle of the season. And I mean, I apologized to everyone. I think that that's what really happened. I didn't trade back for him. But I am feeling this matchup. Look at the variance has just bounced the absolute wrong way for Mike Evans because his targets are where they need to be. His receptions, his yards, like everything is where it needs to be except for the touchdowns. He has nine end zone targets on the year. Only three have turned into touchdowns. Look at 2021. 13 end zone targets. Ends the year with 14 total touchdowns. 16 end zone targets in 2020, 13 touchdowns. So it's not in the end zone targets are there. They just have not converted. But since week three, Carolina ranks 31st in schedule adjusted fantasy points to the wide receiver position. I think Mike Evans comes through. So I'm doing it. Touchdown guarantee, baby. Mike Evans can hurt me one more time.

That's the best news of the week. Or he can get me to buy a signed jersey and frame it and put it up on the wall if he gets me a championship this week. Come on, Big Mike. It's tough. It's super tough. I have really wanted to bench him. I benched him last week. It was a great move. I mean, it's been bad for a long, long time. And if you watch the games, I know those metrics are there. But watch the football game. Every pass is off. There's no, almost every pass to Mike Evans. There's no chance of the completion. There's no continuity. Even though Mike Evans doesn't look bad. Like Mike Evans has space. No, I put it on Tom Brady. He's beating his guy. I put it on the offensive line. Whatever it's on. We agree that it's not Mike Evans. Not really, no. No, I do. I mean, Evans always has his drops every year. He certainly would have broken that streak if he caught the football.

I mean, that's been a couple. He had two chances deep where he just didn't catch it. But, man, I mean, it takes stones or a lot of injuries on your roster. Like me, I don't have the stones. I just have to. I have to roll Mike Evans. So come on, baby. Who's your wide receiver? My wide receiver is. Do you forget how the show goes? Yes. I pulled what we call Brooks. Yes. So my wide receiver. Is Garrett Wilson? Simple. He's back. The matchup is not great against Seattle. I don't care. Is Mike White the quarterback? Then we're good to go with Garrett Wilson. In three Mike White starts, he's averaging 10 targets, 112 receiving yards, and 18 fantasy points per game. He's a solid wide receiver 2 for fantasy and a must win game for the Jets. They're going to throw it his way and he's too talented to be on the bench. Okay. Makes sense.

Alan Lazard is my pick. The Lazard King against Minnesota running the most routes on this team by a lot. You have a banged up Christian Watson at best. You have an absent Christian Watson at worst. The Vikings are giving up the most passing yards per game. And this has been, you know, three weeks in a row where we've recommended a wide receiver against Minnesota. And it's always kind of panned out. I mean, Darius Slayton last week wasn't as good as Hodgins. Both of them had an okay week. Hodgins was a really good week. And the week before, what was it, Pittman, who had a pretty big week, PPR-wise. So this is a matchup that is a must win for Green Bay. Lazard is getting a ton of targets down the field. And, you know, Christian Watson, this injury, it's been a couple weeks since we've seen it. I think Lazard is going to take advantage of this opportunity.

in a big time way. I think Dobbs is a good play as well if Watson is out. Yeah, I agree with that. My tight end start slash stream of the week. It's Colquemette to pair with Justin Fields against the Detroit Lions. Last time these two teams faced off, week 10, Colquette, four for 74 and two. More important to me, though, is the seven targets. Andy, you were saying your concern with Fields is a little bit around the weapons aren't available. Colquette is a good player. He's been getting more involved lately compared to the beginning of the season. And I think that he is a very necessary weapon this week. Since week nine, a 26% target share. That's not a slice of a huge pie from Justice Fields, but it is enough. And the touchdown upside is there. We've talked about the over-under in Detroit, allowing the highest target success rate to the tight end in the NFL. I'm going with David Najoku at Washington against the Manders.

In three games with Deshawn Watson, he has seen 22% of the targets. It's a very good number for tight ends, and it's a bigger pie than the Chicago passing game. Among tight ends with 40 plus receptions, he ranked 6th in yards per route run. And last week, we saw the manders. They were demolished by George Kittle. They could have trouble with another athletic tight in this week. If you look at the... Defense of the Manders. I'm going to read you their position over the last six weeks. They are number six against quarterbacks, number four against running backs, number six against wide receivers. Where have they been beat?

At tight end, they are 21st. And on the season, when you adjust for schedule, they're fourth against quarterbacks, third against running backs, fifth against wide receivers, and 19th against tight end, that's kind of where they give up stuff based on their scheme. And I think with the target volume and the athleticism of David Najoku, if you're looking for the back end tight end to play, he's an option. Does that mean you're putting him in over Fryer Muth after our discussion yesterday? Yes, it does mean I'm putting him in over Fryer Muth based on that discussion. Dawson Knox is my start of the week against Cincinnati championship time Monday night football high over under the last three weeks. He's been a top 10 tight end. 22% of the team's targets in that span. He is taking the place of the Stefan Diggs. But sure, but I was going to go with like, you know, this team used to run a lot of offense through the Beasley-McKinsey universe. I think they're willing to put more trust into Dawson Knox now that he's healthy. Second highest total of the week.

Give me some Dawson Knox to finish the year with Josh Allen. I want that connection versus the connection with Deshawn Watson. That's the second highest total of the week? What's the highest? Is it the Lions game? Lions and Bears. Yeah, 52. Oh, my. Wow. Yeah, I mean, I guess I just, man, I, obviously there's two good defenses there with Buffalo and Cincinnati, but I'm just expecting these quarterbacks to flat out win. It'll be interesting. Yeah. They both have much better defenses than the lions and the bears. That's fair. That's fair. Jason Moore's Ironclad. Locked and loaded. 100% guaranteed boom boom kicker of the week. Last week on boom boom kicker, we had a trifecta power bomb of shart. A boom boom, boom trio emerged. Some say destiny converged to heights like the great Sean Bradley.

I began this journey alone, but now it's full of testosterone, much like the Lions Michael Badgley. I mean, Sean Bradley reference? Yeah, maybe. That's tremendous. That's the actor from the movie Space Jam, right? Yes, yes. That's right. That's right. As seen on from the movies. Also, I didn't know Badgeley was a high-tee guy. Oh, yeah. I mean, as, well, he's as much high-tee as the three of us put together. No, no, no. This makes sense. Kneecap team. Oh, yeah. Break the knee cats. Also, genuinely good kicker start for what it's worth. I mean, Jason, highest over under in a dome? He does the research. Come on, baby. Let's get those titles. It's not just rhyme. Sean Bradley is fit into Badgley. It's not the other way around. Exactly right. I didn't sit there and go, I've got to have Sean Bradley here. No, no. I mean, there's other 90s NBA players that you could have.

pivoted to if need be one week left on the boom boom story oh boy if that look if there's a reason to tune in next week even if your league is done you got like how can you have this epic tale and not know how it concludes we'll be here all next week please come hang out with us celebrate with us cry with us whatever you want to do monday will be a you know we'll be reflecting on the weekend but it won't be over i mean we'll have the monday night football game we'll be hyping it up Jason will probably be, you know, needing some sort of mediocre performance from Joe Burrow at that point. Or a great one. Or a great one. Yeah, it's really tough. Dino Jr. I've got Joe Burrow, a league of record I'm playing against Joe Burrow. So as of right now, I'm against Joe Burrow. Burrow v. Burrow. Yeah. So that'll do it for today's episode of the show. Make sure you head over to YouTube. YouTube.com slash the fantasy footballer. Subscribe. Click the bell.

Follow along. We're here all offseason, two shows a week, an extra show on Jointhefoot.com, and check out fancychamps.com. Use the code free ring with your trophy purchase to get a free championship ring. You can wear it around. You can, you know, show it to your significant other and brag. Your parents. And your parents. Make them proud. Good luck tonight, everybody. Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast. Join our fantasy football community on join thefoot.com and follow us on Twitter at the FFBallers.