Week 3 Matchups + Packers in Peril, Wheel of Shame! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 9/25

good hands, does everything you want, but he's not the kind of like neighbors-esque explosive athlete that's going to take over in fantasy, have these incredible deep touchdowns, you know, left, right and center. He, to me, is like the perfect NFL wide receiver, too. And he seemed like he was to start last year when they had Mike Evans and all of that. He hasn't scored 10 fantasy points since week 10 last year. I mean, that is a lot of games in a row where I think you might just have to adjust your expectations and say he's...

Not a fantasy star. You said since week 10? Of last year. Yeah, they're two and nine in those games. Do you going back to week 10 of last year? Which is 10 games in a row. They have been a terrible football team. Where do we want, do you feel like the blame is Baker Mayfield or Abuca? I think it's been a, it's pretty much what it's been since week 10, which is Baker was hurt.

Apuku was hurt back last year. This year, Baker is a nightmare so far. He cannot connect down the field. He's 30th and EPA per play among quarterback. Every downfield ball, he's overthrowing people. I mean, you talked about Ted Hurst's target share. Where's the big place? There aren't any big plays. It's not hers's fault. He's been around the ball. To me, this is you've got to start giving Bucky Irving even more work. You need to.

pick your spots and give some easier completions to Baker Mayfield, which should be a Bucca. They're like Bucky's been on a, we got him on a snap count right now. Bull crap. 15 opportunities, 21 opportunities. What are they going to do? What's going to happen? They're just counting as snaps. No, I love it. I mean, obviously, Bucky has been a good pick so far, very involved. And I think that the worries of.

this is going to be a 50-50 time share with Kenny Gainwell that they brought in is that's already been an answer. That's not the case. But against this Minnesota Vikings defense, I'm not excited for anybody. I'm certainly not excited for Bucky either. Am I starting him? Yeah, he's going to get the opportunities. You're hoping for a touchdown somewhere. Probably a bad game. I'm not starting Baker. Honestly, I think Abuka is a player that if you have other good options, I would. Abuka or Downs. Downs is now the measuring stick for the week.

All right, let me actually look at that one. By the way, Abuka is one spot ahead of Abuka for me. Outside the last three games, the last year, he's 24% target share as a rookie. He had games at 30, 35% target share. The fact he's at 17%. He did that one time in his first 14 games, and now he's done it through two games. It is problematic. They seem like a team that may be the, I don't know who the leading candidate for a midseason firing is. To me, it's Todd Bulls.

Yeah, he's got to be up there. I think I would still play Ibuka over Downs, just because Downs has an equally bad matchup against Houston. He'll be fine. Hopefully, I hope so. But there's plenty of players, you know, the Jalen Coker tier, Jameson Williams, who's been bad, those type of players I would be playing over Abuka. Let's go to Rio. Baltimore, Dallas, we're in Brazil. Bonjour. Baltimore minus three and a half, over under 53 and a half.

Both teams are one and one, right? Both teams, I believe, are one-on-one. This is, Zay Flowers is traveling with the team, but he has not practiced yet. So him traveling, I thought it was very strange. Like, how do you, if he's not, he hasn't practiced yet, on track to not play, went down to Brazil. Then I saw a video of one of the Ravens player posted it, and they're in this, like, fancy hotel pool.

That might be why he went. I was like, oh. Oh, okay. I'm not missing out on my trip to Brazil. I got this passport for a reason. Okay, I guess they're human beings. And maybe he just was like, I'm going to Brazil. So we have some news. Ronnie Stanley did not practice Wednesday or Thursday, offensive tackle for the Ravens. Something to keep in mind. Dallas. I mean, you're playing, you're playing both quarterbacks, obviously. Dak and Lamar gets starts here in Rio. This game, I.

Could be awesome. We got a 53.5 point over under here. We don't know what the field condition will be if it's anything like the other Brazil game. Are you surprised is Baltimore minus three and a half when you might not have Zayflowers on the field after what their offense looked like last week against the Saints? To me, I'm a little surprised. Yeah, I get that it's, well, I guess, I mean, it's like a neutral site. Yeah, it's because you're not in. If you gave Dallas the home field advantage.

And I think I'd be more surprised about it, but in a completely neutral head-to-head. It's like, I would take the Ravens. You playing Abuka or Rashad Bateman in this game in this game in this game against Dallas? If Zay Flowers doesn't go, I would rather play Bateman. He will fly up my rankings when we get confirmation that Zay Flowers is out. And alternatively, if Zay Flowers plays, obviously you've got issues with...

possible reaggravation, but there's no world where I, he would be out of my lineup. I mean, against Dallas in a 53.5 point over under, you want the exciting pieces. Lamar Jackson, Derek Henry, and then wide receiver one, whoever that is, which is either's eight flowers or Rashad Berman. And I know you released him and he doesn't have a lot of upside, but I think you could do worse than Mark Andrews this week as a spot started tight in. The targets have still been there six and seven. If Flowers is not there.

seven targets to the tight-in position with the chance of a touchdown. Is in play. We've talked a lot about Javante Williams this week. You're obviously playing Lamb and Pickens. Javante is a kind of must play still. Yes. Don't let our discussions about Javante dissuade you from starting him. We're concerned long-term. But as of right now, he is the workhorse, and he's going to get all of the opportunity.

Dallas is going to score a bunch of points. Did we ask the Chuba versus Giovante rest of season question? I don't think we did. These ones are just popping into my head today. And that's another one where I'm like, I think I'd rather have the Chuba side. That one. I'm going to take the offense of the Cowboys, but they're in the exact same tier. I would take the Javante's side. I don't think anyone is coming to take Javante's job. And while Brooks is injured for six weeks and it'll be a long stretch, could see towards the fantasy playoffs.

that becoming more of the I'm sure. Wait, look, you got to let Jonathan Brooks go. It's done, it's done. It's done. It's not happening. Your, your fears now would lie with A.J. Dylan. Okay. So you don't think Brooks is coming back at the end of the year? Zero. Oh, he might come back to the team. I mean, he was healthy, by the way, to start this year, and they don't use them. He just, yeah. I don't see it. Yeah. Not this year anyways. Austin Echler.

On the way, maybe. We'll see. Las Vegas 2 and O Saints 1 and 1. Vegas line is New Orleans minus 3. See, that one, that one's confusing because they say the Vegas line, but then it's like the Vegas. Oh, I see. Okay. So they set their own lines there in Vegas. New Orleans minus. We're favorite again, guys. They're giving themselves bullets and board material here. Over under is 43 and a half. And I already got one this week, but why not do another? Oh.

Mr. Raiders over here. Andy's almost upset of the week. Andy tries to walk around the office like he's not a Raiders guy. I mean.

He's like, I'm sorry. I sort of a Raiders. Everyone knows you freaking love the Raiders. What's funny is when he was saying that. This is me VU this week. This is our auxiliary teams. Yeah, when he was saying that earlier outside of the studio, he was wearing a Raiders helmet. He's like, I don't understand. People don't know. Has it come through that I might believe a little bit in the Raiders? And I will say this. And Max Crosby and that rookie corner and I love. I love what Kubiak is doing. I think that the team looks good.

They are, honestly, it's not surprising. What do they look like? Stable. Yeah, it's not, I mean, you're not just going to Kubiak a good coach. You're going from a broken version of Pete Carroll and Sons last year that was totally inept. And so I do think the Raiders are a good team. I don't think that they are a bad team. However, I think the Saints are a very good team. This is their home opener. And that,

I mean, that stadium is going to be wild. They are so excited for the Saints. So this is going to be a tough sledding for the Raiders. And if the Raiders go in there and win, they will make a statement. Here's what's impressive to me about the Raiders. They have shown me something on the defensive side of the football and they've won two games without their best offensive player and one of the best players in the game. Brock Bowers. Who should be returning this week. So adding Brock Bowers to the equation. Adding Bowers to the equation. Look, I'm not going to feel as confident about that upset of Bowers sits it down.

But I've talked about the fact Calvin Banks is out for this offensive line. You're going to see Tyler Shuck deal with pressure the whole game. He may deal well with it at home. But, you know, I don't know what in the world's going on in the running game for the Saints, but I don't know if they have one right now. H.N. Jr. limited on Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring. I think it's hands off. I think the Raiders win this game. Oh, you said it. I think the Raiders win the game.

It's going to be interesting. The only thing that you just need to keep in mind because I know that they have looked really competent, really solid. Max Crosby's amazing is that they played against the Chargers who now we are questioning if they're good and the dolphins who we don't have to question. We know. So we haven't seen them really pushed yet. Will the Saints push them? I mean, it's a 43.5 point over under. We're not expecting big scores in this game. That's a low over under.

It's lower. It's 23 to 20 in that line. It's a lower one. I think that the plan for the Raiders is play good defense, run the football 30 times. That's the one area of the Saints have been beat through two weeks. It's 26.2 fancy points given up through two weeks for the Saints. They have the workhorse and Gentie to do that. And you've got Trey Tucker and hopefully Brock Bowers back in the equation. Fantasy-wise, play Gentie. Play Bowers if he's active. Play Tucker if you're desperate. Olave?

Of course. Velae would be. I think Vailay is a if course has a flex. Yeah, he's viable. Nine targets, seven targets. The volume will be there. And then the running backs, I don't know if you can play one. It's really, really tough. The only way that I think you could play one is if it turns out that one guy is active alone. Like if I feel like it's a trap. It feels like a trap. Kendrae Miller did not practice, but it was illness.

And so he was inactive last week. I presume that that was because Alvin Camara was active. So this is like kind of a roulette table where I'm like, the ball is bouncing around. And it could be Travis H.A. Jr. is active or inactive. Kendrae Miller's active or inactive. And Alvin Camarra is irrelevant. He is not a good enough player at this stage of the career to put him in. I mean.

He could literally touch the ball 20 times and be a bad play. I was going to give you the numbers. This is why it's a trap to me. If H.N. Jr. is out and you're like, maybe Camara. Alvin Camara had 15 opportunities last week. Incredible. How many targets? That includes six targets. Wow. More valuable than carries. 15 opportunities. And he put up 4.7 fantasy points. You're not going to convince me that Kendrae Miller gets more work than Camara. That's for sure. And, and.

No, but my point is. But Kendra Miller's like the only one of this group who could do anything. If Kendra Miller got eight opportunities and Alvin Kamara got 14, I would assume more fantasy points to Kendra Miller side. But I agree. I think your hands off in the running back room right now. And we've talked extensively about Tyler Shuck. You can use the start tool on the website, the fantasy footballers.com to throw in all these other quarterback conunders. Of course. Jwanson is fine. He's fine. He's fine. I mean, I'd play. It's not a plus matchup.

I would just be chasing the higher over-unders with the Johnson tier of tight ends. Sure. So you're going Mark Andrews over Joanson? I'm okay doing that. Yeah, I like the targets there. I mean, it's been a couple of big plays for Joanson so far. I mean, he's only had three catches and four catches, and he had a huge run down the sideline and a touchdown in week one. I'm not taking anything away from the player. I just don't know if the targets are going to be where you want him to be.

We'll take a break. We'll talk Sunday night, Monday night football, and we'll get into the fantasy faceoff. There's something satisfying about being prepared before everybody else catches on. A fantasy lineup set early. The waiver claim submitted. And this year, having the holiday shopping handled before the last minute scramble begins. Amazon's prime big deal days is coming. It's October 6th through the 7th, two days jam-packed with deals worth making moves on.

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