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

Foot Clan, the time is now. It's trophy time. It's title time. You got championship week starting tonight. We're breaking down all the matchups. We've got starts of the week and the boom, boom kicker, and news that you do want to hear and you don't want to hear, and all sorts of stuff that you need to get ready to win. Take a deep breath. Settle in. Enjoy the episode. The Fantasy Footballer Studio is brought to you by Samsung Galaxy. Visit Samsung.com to learn more. To the Fantasy Footballers podcast. With your host, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Oh, welcome in. It's title time. Jason pumps his fists like a man who might win a title. With his eyes clinched. Thursday, December 29th, welcome in. It is go time. Week 17 begins. I really wanted to go with its championship time.

I think you did the right thing. Yeah, a lot of syllables. I know. That's why it would have been funny. It's time. Week 17. It begins tonight. Tennessee, one of the AAA franchises of the NFL, going to be running out some players. And Dallas will also be running out some players. Take care of things, I expect. But it begins. I mean, Jason is mainlining information. Mm-hmm. Yeah, he has logged in. He has plugged himself into. He's a lawnmower man. I mean, there is, I mean, nobody knows. I'm doing Sunday live this week. I don't know why. Jason is the one that knows more information. I guess the camera would turn on and Jason would just be sweating and just frozen. Yeah, I'd still be like just.

Taking in more information. I would not be able to respond to give answers. Just sounds. I want a, I wish we, we won't do this because it takes, uh, it takes resources. But if we had the way to, a way to stream his blood pressure. Oh, to the internet. Jim, oh, do you remember the, big shimmy.com, uh, MTV had a show back of the day. I think it was called beer. and they would get, it was like a reality show, but they would get the group of people and they would put him in a haunted place or a haunted house. But they all wore the camera rig so that the camera was just right in front of their face the entire time. It would be. So you can see the fear. It would be amazing. And the BP, I mean, there will be unhealthy levels this weekend. I will definitely get the alert that says your heart rate is elevated while you are doing nothing.

Seems you completed an activity. Please see a doctor. So it's going to be very interesting. I was looking at your matchup this morning, Jason, and good luck. You know, your projections were terrible compared to your opponent, but I did see you still had a Derek Henry in your lineup. He is in there right now. He's only projected for point eight points. Why are you doing that to yourself? Because I have two people in my IRA. I can't move out. This is all strategy, Mike. I'm. Next level on this. I was going to say he's many levels ahead of us. I'm playing chess. He's playing against himself. I know that. Never not working news and notes. Fantasy forecast starts of the week, the boom boom kicker. I will say one thing at the top. I think it's important, especially this week. Like it's Thursday. We're breaking games down. Don't take every word as a final conclusion on today's show. I've seen, look, the tilt is real.

I've had more tags and questions about certain starts-it decisions than any week this year. I've had texts from people I haven't talked to all year. Remember me? We went to high school. They're like, I'm desperate. Please help. And they want the answer, right? You want to know right here right now, do I play this player? Devante Adams versus X. Oh, my gosh. There is a good chance you'll have more information about the opportunities for certain players later in the week, and we can't know the future yet. So we will do our best with the information we have now to say what we do. But that doesn't mean your job stops. You want to win a title that means you pay attention. Follow us on Twitter at the FF Ballers. Pay attention on Sunday Live.

We'll have the most up-to-date information then. And so there is going to be a process, right? You can formulate that lineup, but keep it a little bit loose with certain players because we are learning. Austin Echler, is he banged up? No, don't do that. I mean, it's a real situation. Jason has to stay connected to the Matrix all week. Yeah. Look at last week the progression of your confidence or I was our confidence on the on the show of Zay Jones. Monday it was you're coming off of holy crap Zay Jones. Number one overall. We just won you a week. Tuesday. Oh, there's going to be some weather on Thursday. The targets should be safe. Wednesday. You're like, okay, the weather's holding.

I think I'm still playing Zay Jones. Thursday morning, you get the full information about what the weather is, and it was nope. Pivot? We had fully bailed out. All of us pulled them out of our lineup, talked about it, tweeted it. Yep. Exactly. So just be mindful of changing situations, and we're going to keep you as up today as we can. One quick reminder before we jump in, Fantasychamps.com. Yeah, baby. It's title time. It's trophy time. Fantasychamps.com, use the code free ring. You'll get a free $59 championship ring. This is exclusive to us. We've, you know, pulled some strings for the Foot Clan. Want to get you swagged out. Yeah, so if you buy a trophy or a belt, you can get a free $59 ring. I recommend the stunner ring. And put that, that's the one I like. Put it in the cart with the trophy. Put in the code. Yep. It will be free. Fantasy champs.

never not working presented by head and shoulders scalp shield technology available at walmart another year of never not working another year of deep diving some fantasy football information trying to inform illuminate uh it's it's been a really fun year it's been interesting going through some of these advanced metrics today we're going to just take a look at uh Kind of take a look back at the first and second half of the season and see, look at wide receivers, look at target share, target percentage in the first half versus second half and see who some of the movers and shakers are. In the first half of the year, let's go through the improvements, I should say. In the first half of the year, you had Christian Watson that went from, he had an 8.4% target share through the first eight weeks of the season. Basically an irrelevant fantasy football player constantly hurt. When he was out there, he was irrelevant.

In the second half of the year, he is the biggest mover, 12.8% growth up to 21.2% of the targets from week, weeks 9 through 16. Christian Watson, far and away the biggest gainer in target share. But the other top four, Devante Adams, from 27% up to 35.5%. From 27, that's not a number you usually go up from. And, you know, you can attribute some of that to the Renfro and Waller situation. Sure. This was a big one, and it's worth, this one's actually actionable, I think. Actually actionable. Yeah, that's right. Terry McLaren, 21.9% weeks, 1 through 8% up to 30% weeks, 9 through 16. The quarterback change is happening again, but he's gone up 8.1%. And the question now, healthy Johan Dotson, change to Carson wins. Are we going to be back towards the 20%?

number. Yes, I believe we, I believe we are. I mean, when, when Carson Wince was the quarterback, it was, there was such a clear change when Hanaki took over that he was hyper targeting Terry McLaren and I think going backwards with Dotson back out there. I don't see why Carson Wins would not do what he was doing, why he would like change coming back. Yeah, I mean, and the fantasy finishes. They were corollary to those numbers where the first six weeks, he had one finish in the top 24, week seven through 16. He's the wide receiver 11. So this was like very, very good for your lineup or very bad. Amon-Ross St. Brown from 24.8% up to 32.2%. That's 7.4% increase in Zay Jones from 20 to 25. They had to find something to do with those DeAndre Swift targets.

Yeah, they did. They don't want to give them. No. He doesn't need them. So I deserve. Those were the big movers in a positive direction. The target share fallers in the second half. I mean, all of these really. Busted. Yeah. I would say most of these you felt in a big way in fantasy. Curtis Samuel from 19% down to 12%. You definitely noticed that because in the beginning of the year, there was. chatter about every week's start category for Curtis Samuel, which is interesting. Are we back on Curtis Samuel now that Carson Wentz is the starting quarterback for the Manders? Only as a nasty boy. Yeah, it feels like it, but it's like, I don't know, one pits clean. Like, it's not the nastiest of the nasty. There is a process for getting you to believe that Curtis Samuel should be.

usable. I mean, you've got to have a process for any of the nasty boys to say that they're usable. But I think I think he qualifies as a nasty boy. Delusion usually fits in there. I think he qualifies. I will say this. If Antonio Gibson is gone, they're going to give him more carries and probably some more manufactured kind of running through screens. Is it a coincidence that Curtis Samuel this past week against San Francisco was a top 20 wide receiver and Carson Wentz? played what, half that game or so? We'll find out. Mike Williams from 19.3% down to just 13.2% over the back half of the year. That's a 6% decrease. It hasn't been, we haven't seen the Mike Williams of the first half again. And we've seen Keenan Allen just soaking up everything. I think he's had 14 targets in like three of his last five games. I'll look that up. But Keenan Allen's been redonk.

Adam Thielen, you felt this for sure 20% down to 15%. Not just KJ Osborne, it's more T.J. Hawkinson. Jacobi Myers from 23% to 18%. He has, it's been a really, really disappointing downfall for Jacobi. Now, this one does not really matter, but C.D. Lamb has actually seen a 3.9% decrease, but they've been more valuable. The quality of DAC throwing you the football. He was getting all the targets in the Cooper Rush zone, but 26.4% is where he's at over the back half. That's amazing. And the weapons have returned. He's averaging 1.98 fancy points per target. That is better than Jefferson and Tyreek. So when Cid Lam is getting targeted right now and he's getting targeted 26.4% of the time. Cool.

It's great. Cool, cool, cool. You're playing against Mr. City Land. Yes, I am. And I did verify three of the last four games for Keenan Allen. He has had 14 targets. His last three games, he would be on a 175 reception pace. Making up for lost time. Yeah. All right. So that is it for never not working. You can get up to 100% dand of protection. That is never not working with head and shoulders, scalp shield technology. Available at walmart.com. Use it every time you shampoo and see the difference. News and notes from Around the League. Presented by USAA Insurance. I ranted on Josh McDaniels yesterday on Spotify Live, our final party room of the year. The Raiders have decided to bench Derek Carr for the final two games. They're starting Jarrett Stidham. Carr is now this morning said he will be away from the team as to not be a distraction. The betting line in the beginning of the week was San Francisco minus five and a half. Now it's San Francisco minus 10.

What's the opposite of dysfunction? Function. Yeah, this is not function. This is a broken team. Yeah, I think that was it. Just take the prefix off. No, it's not that. But I'm going to just say it. Look, I don't like Josh McDaniels. I think he's a bad coach. I think the Devante Adams storyline, not just for the remainder of this year, which is super important, but also in Dynasty is something to monitor. They're going to try and either cut or trade Derek Carr. most likely, I'd say very likely. Part of this equation has been to guarantee he doesn't get injured and guarantee $40 million. Yeah, they're moving on. I believe he will be traded. And so, you know, Devante Adams came out and said the only reason he came to the Raiders is for Derek Carr. So there's a chance he demands out and we've seen it as early as last year. Yeah, the Devante Adams human part of this story is.

worth following of you force your way out of Green Bay to go play with your college quarterback clearly someone that is still a good friend of yours I mean I maybe wanted to get out of the winter get down to some some sun playing doors but Derek Carr being such a huge piece of that puzzle and then signing the new contract is like how did management had to know that something was going to come up with Devante Adams and whether they feel like they can control the situation or they have a plan in store for trying to recuperate some of the draft picks that they sent away to get them will be fascinating for the offseason. Right now it seems like Devante Adams is going to play. Right. We don't have indications other than one comment from Josh McDaniels about giving some veterans some time off.

He seems like he's going to make the best of it, but this is one situation to monitor. If they are truly, if McDaniels has any amount of truth in the statement of, we're going to evaluate some youth. To evaluate Jared Stidham, you need to have weapons on the field. You can't just say, well, we're going to evaluate all the youth at the exact same time, or it's going to be a complete disaster. I feel like Adams needs to be on the field, and I don't have any inside information. This is just my current hunch of the situation. I think that Adams plays most of the game. And if anyone snaps our scale back, it will be Josh Jacobs to take a look at, because he's not going back to the team next year. His contract is done. I guess you could technically franchise him, but you drafted Zemir White, I believe in the fourth round. You want to see, does he have any juice to be your lead running back this next year? So again, I don't have nothing on Twitter is telling me that. That's just kind of my.

overall take of the situation. Jason, why don't you break down Austin Eckler's situation here? He missed. He missed practice? It wasn't a real practice, but his official, you know, what do they call it, the designation? Yeah, the mock. If we would have practiced, he would have been a limited participant listed with a knee injury on the practice report. Now, that's not something like, you know, a lot of guys. They just miss every Wednesday and you don't worry about it. It's a day of rest. And usually those are running backs. So no worries. Except Austin Echler has not missed Wednesday practices. He hasn't been on the injury report for anything since week nine dealing with an abdominal issue. Now you go back and I tweeted this out. There's his last play of the game where he clearly gets up a little wonky and is hobbled. And so the.

You know, the correlation from seeing him looking injured and then being listed for the first time with a knee injury is frightening for managers who have Austin Echler, you know, one of the best assets and fantasy and one of the best running backs in the NFL. That's a terrifying proposition. I think you should pick up Joshua Kelly to make sure you have the insurance. But I believe Austin Echler is playing. You know, he is a fantasy. lover. He, and a fantasy giver. He has a fantasy podcast. He's been on our show several times. He knows what Week 17 is. Obviously, he's a human being. He does. He's a human being. If his knee is, it can't go. The playoffs matter a lot more to him. He can't go. Sure. I know they do. And he wants a Super Bowl. And Austin, I hope you get a Super Bowl. But I think he's out. But I want a Super Bowl. But I want one first. Let's both get one. He.

I believe he is out on, he will be on the field in week 17. And, um, his attitude and what he's been talking about would be very surprising to me if he is significantly injured to the point of not being able to go. Ken Walker was listed as DMP. They're managing reps. He should be out there. Tyler Lockett did not practice caught. passes with no pain. His head coach assumed he'd be listed as practice. Yeah. Yeah. But he was listed as D&P. The reason this is news is because Pete Carroll told us that Tyler Lockett practiced in full. And then the website, the official statement from the team was he did not. It seems like he will play. Yes. It does seem that way. It's just really just more peach cobbler up to his nonsense. Yeah. Aaron Jones Limited with the knee and ankle. Christian Watson did not practice Wednesday due to the hip.

So we'll talk about those in the matchups. Jerry Judy briefly left practice due to an ankle injury. He came back. J.K. Dobbins said his right leg is, quote, still super fast. But his left leg is lagging behind. And this is funny in and of itself. But when you watch him play. Yeah. It looks like his left leg is dragging behind him. It's so funny. So somehow he's running with one leg. But handy, that leg he's running with is super fast. The leg itself. That is one fast leg. If I'm watching film, I'm like, dude, look at that right leg. That's super fast. It's an amazing quote. Derek Henry listed as doubtful for tonight. He won't play. And reports right now are that Hassan Haskins is in line for a big role.

in the Thursday night game. Let's get nasty. Against the Cowboys. Are you playing him? Dino Jr. We don't have a choice. We are playing the nasty man. Haskins is in our lineup, not in League of Records. So, but yeah, I will be ready. It's a dynasty. It's a dynasty squad, everybody. And our options are. Husson Haskins or just don't play another player. Every, every year, it's the same story. Tony Pollard, very much in doubt for Thursday night's game. If it's close, Pollard will not be out there. That's what the quote was. It's still going to come down to warm-ups is from what I'm reading. And by warm-ups, they mean when they're out there warming up, they're going to look and see if there's any tightens on the other side of the field. And they're going to be like, oh, yeah, we can beat those guys with that. You go ahead and sit this one out, Pollard. If Pollard's active, you're playing Pollard.

So I am of the opinion that if Pollard is active, you need to take a look at your options because I would be willing, you know, he's not, even though he's been the running back seven, he's been absolutely phenomenal. If I have another good option, you know, if Leonard Fournett or Najee Harris, you know, Algier, if those guys are out there, I will start those players over Pollard. But I don't think he, if he's active, he's not just like, well, I'm so afraid. that I will bench him no matter what. It's really a matter of your options. Any other news breaking this morning, Brooksie? Nothing yet. All right. That was today's news and notes brought to you by USAA Insurance. Learn more at USAA.com slash insurance. Fantasy forecast. The Arizona Cardinals are 4 and 11. They take on the 5 and 10 Atlanta Falcons. The drafting sports book line here, Atlanta minus 3. The over under is 42. Let's go Falcons. Battle of the dirty birds.

Arizona, currently fourth, Atlanta, sixth in the draft order. Arizona's lost five straight. Atlanta, games have hit the under, six of seven. Colt McCoy, Desmond Ritter. Now, you just said something that's really important for fantasy. Colt McCoy is going to be the quarterback, not Trace McSortley. And I can collectively hear all DeAndre Hopkins managers go, yeah. Yay. Yeah, and it's actually a little bit. Stupid. Yeah, it is. Keep Trace McSorley out there. Go get that pit. I mean, we know who Cole McCoy already is. So evaluating talent like Trace McSorley for the future makes more sense for Arizona, but obviously... He's been evaluated. Yeah. We saw it. So Cole McCoy does breathe some life into DeAndre Hopkins. The Falcons defense against the wide receiver position has been really good in the last handful of weeks. But...

Are you back in on Hopkins after the McSorley experience? Yes, 100% was pretty scared last week. All systems go. James Connor has been absolutely incredible. He did not practice on Wednesday due to an illness. It shouldn't affect his weekend status. Since week nine, he's the running back four. He's averaging five targets a game. And Colt McCoy being able to actually move the offense is, I mean, that's touchdown upside for James Connor. So he is a must play. Desmond Ritter. and company, what do they do against Arizona? Tyler Algier has been getting tons of opportunities with Ritter. Yeah, Tyler Algear has been great. I mean, there are two teams in this league that all they want to do is run the ball, the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. They are going to run as much as they are allowed to run by law. And the Cardinals have a lot of legalese saying you can run all day on them. So I think Tyler Algear is a great play.

I would start him over a lot of other players. He is not a full, like, must start, get great players out of your lineup. But he is, of all the questionable guys, I keep tie-breaking his direction when I look at like, when I start this guy or that guy, this guy or that guy, I want Alger in the lineups. Tony Pollard is declared active tonight. Do you play him or Tyler Alger? I would go Alger. Okay. I think his opportunity and. His talent, like he's not. Yeah, he's good. He is not a bad running back. You know, a lot of times we'll start bad running backs who just have great opportunities. He's not, you know, Sequin Barclay by any means, but he's a talented running back with all the opportunity in a great match. Over Swift against Chicago? Yes. Over Pacheco against Denver? Yes. Okay. Drake London, the last three weeks, 12 targets, 11 targets, nine targets, seems to be the go-to receiver as he should be for Desmond Ritter, win Ritter.

finally gets the opportunity to throw the football. Drake London in your lineups. Yep. Okay. Patterson, are we seeing the end of Cordell Patterson? Yep. I mean, this was a one-year deal, right? And so I don't believe he's under contract for another season. Correct. So, and he's getting up there in age. To me, he is a, you know, he's basically a nasty boy where. You can see an option here. He has a nose for the end zone. They get down around the five. He could absolutely fall in there, save his day via a touchdown. I mean, that is a realistic output, but he is clearly supplanted as far as backfield touches by Alger. You expect Cordero to get about 10 opportunities to touch the ball in this game. And that's not enough for me to be confident putting him in.

But, you know, a break glass situation where you're looking at what player can get a touchdown. He's up there. And to be clear, Kyle's a liar. Boston. What's the truth, Kyle? He actually's under contract next year, but they'll cut him because he's old. Okay. Well, yeah, they can get out of the contract pretty easily. Just one year to Kyle. I don't know that we've seen the end of Patterson's career, but the career of him being the primary running back. I think that's gone. Greg Dorch, you messing around with Greg Dorch? Personally, 10 for 98 last week? I am not. I think that was a product of Trace McSorily. And then that leads to a different conversation of what do you do with Hollywood Brown where we got, it's just weird reporting out of Arizona last week that he was banged up. That's why his snaps were down. I mean, you know, since back from the injury, 97, 96, 89% of the snaps drops all the way down to 66. So that kind of checks out. But then there was this story that.

He was being punished by head coach Cliff Kingsbury because he had happened to be late for a meeting, which that happens in the NFL. When guys get disciplined, they lose some playing time. But it's all weird of, like, I think that my confidence for Hollywood would be back this week playing as, you know, a wide receiver three-ish against the Falcons. And I would, I wouldn't chase Dorch. I think the Dorch is a good play. Do you? Really. Yeah, I mean, the last time we saw him out on the field with any significant time was with Cole McCoy. He was the wide receiver 12. He had nine catches, 103 yards, and then he got hurt. But he played with McCoy. And I think McCoy, because he gets the ball out of his hands so quickly, is going, you know, you don't have Zach Hertz in this offense anymore. Obviously, Hopkins will get his targets, but I think the Dorch, I mean, you're talking about the last two times we've seen him. He's a top 12 wide receiver.

You don't have Rondale Moore. AJ Green also got knocked out of the game. Yeah, I think he was at 26%. AJ Green does not concern me. You're talking about the Rondale Moore, Greg Dorch rule. AJ Green, to me, is the concern because the previous two weeks, Dorch was active. Dorch just played like 9% of snaps while AJ Green was playing 60% of snaps. So they made the change. I don't know if it was injury or if they, because I haven't heard of an actual injury for AJ Green. I think they just played Dorch. over him, which they should be doing. He's a better player than this version of AJ Green. But that's my concern with playing Dorches. I don't know that we're guaranteed the snaps on the field. If I knew for sure he's out there 80% of snaps, I'd be like, yeah, play him. That's my concern, too. I think we'll see the Dorch out on the field for 80% of snaps. I don't understand why this team would put the corpse of AJ Green out there at this point in the season.