Fantasy Football - Wildcard Players! Breakout or Bust? - Podcast for 5/26

Do you know what I mean? You put your buttons with golf gloves on right now. I mean, Kurt Warner could pull off the two gloves. Teddy Bridgewater could pull it off. Yeah. I'm not sure Al could pull off the two gloves. Has anyone in the NFL ever done... Three gloves? No. No, but like biker gloves. Like they cut off at the knuckles. Interesting. So you're... You want those fingertips. But I mean, that's what I'm saying. You're like, this is completely aesthetic. This is not helping me. It's just helping me be an absolute legend. I mean, that would let you put like stick them on the hand part, but then you'd still have the feel of the fingers.

And... You'd look cool. That way on the sideline, way easier to use your phone. You know what I mean? Thumbs out. Yeah. Cool, man. Because that's what... That's what they... Our wide outs are just scrolling in between. If they were allowed, they would 100% just be sideline tweeted. And it would be all the wide receivers. Who had the hot dog on the sideline? Was that Lamar? Oh, I don't remember. One of them made a hot dog. That would have been easier without gloves, right? Or do you wear hot dog gloves? Do you guys wear hot dog gloves? No, no. I had a hot dog.

I mean, you know, the 9-10 turn. When you got that golf glove off... I saw the hot dog you had in your car. Is that where it came from? The golf course? You had a car dog? I'm not taking questions at this time, but I can tell you that... I do see Mark Sanchez eating a hot dog. Eating a hot dog with a glove on is a problem. Let me tell you this, Jason. First of all, I saw the dog. Second of all, what were you thinking? You could have thrown away the evidence. Instead, you left like a 16th of the hot dog in the container.

And you didn't eat it. You didn't finish the dog. Look, I've got self-control, you know? I said enough's enough here. That sounds more like a guy who can't finish the job. To each their own. You can't finish the dog? You think that was my first dog, Mike? Oh, okay. All right. Okay. Come on. He ate one and 15 sixteenths of a dog. I apologize. Kyler Murray. Kyler Murray is our first wild card player. We'll talk about him. We'll declare a little breakout bust situation. Right now, his sleeper ADP is the quarterback. 21 off the board. On underdog basketball leagues, QB 17.

He turns 29 this offseason. He's coming in to revitalize Justin Jefferson in the offense. He'll compete. Wink. With J.J. McCarthy. And how is McCarthy so bad, guys? And how do we all know it so convincingly? Because of last year when we watched him play. But I'm saying it just died. It didn't make sense. He did not make sense. Honestly, there is a world here. I mean, the wild card range of Kyler. If we want to talk about the floor, the bad, the worst case, there is a legitimate chance that J.J. McCarthy steps up. You know, goes into his sophomore year.

Is better. Beats Kyler in camp. I mean, that is the... Sounds like you're selling a joke. It feels like it right now. But the opportunity is there for an honest competition. So if we're talking about the wild card of Kyler Murray, it starts with the fact that he is not guaranteed this job. Now, I think all three of us and the majority of the world believe Kyler will win the job because Kyler is better. We've seen him play quality football. He was the number one overall pick. He brought the Cardinals to the playoffs. He was an MVP candidate at one point.

I mean, he's had success. Got injured. Was disappointing. Got kicked out of town because we were sick of him being... A coward in the pocket. The biggest coward in the pocket. I mean, that is... That was all of his problems was... It is? He was... He folded like a tent made out of toilet paper, man. I mean... They can't just fold easily? I feel like that's more of a disintegration. That's a moister disintegration. Yeah, exactly right. Okay. Listen, Kyler's not the same player. That's the declaration that I'm going to make. Kyler's not the same player he was when he came into the league.

Kyler's athleticism and pre-injury abilities are not the same as post-injury to me. He's become disconnected from the team in Arizona at multiple times. He has lost his ability to step into the pocket and be patient. We can say, hey, you know what? Kevin O'Connell's going to fix everything. Except for Kevin O'Connell did not fix J.J. McCarthy. He did not turn J.J. McCarthy into a player. So, you know, there's at least that reality in play. And to me, you look at the last 12 starts that Kyler Murray played for fantasy purposes. Two of the 12 you're happy with. The other 10 disasters.

These are healthy Kyler Murray on the field across two years. He doesn't do what he used to do. And unfortunately, like when we say breakout or bust, to me that puts him in a bust category for fantasy. But he could still be a successful quarterback for Minnesota relative to what they had. And for Justin Jefferson, I just don't have as high of expectations as maybe you guys do. Yeah. I mean, I see the bull case that exists. You know, you definitively saying that Kyler is just not the same. He doesn't have the athleticism. You know, that is definitely what we saw with the final stint of his career in Arizona.

But also, I don't know how hard he's playing for that team, for this city. You know, a lot of the issues was he wasn't going to stand there in the pocket and take a hit. Right now, he's playing for a career, for a job, for a new organization to make sure. You know, I think there is motivation. Some of what he did poorly was really the mental, you know, part of the game. And I think that that is something that Kevin O'Connell can actually work on and fix. And when you say he didn't fix J.J. McCarthy, we don't know that McCarthy was fixable.

It wasn't like... Might just be a turd. Right. Unpolishable. This was, you know, a situation where Carson Wentz was not too bad in his brief stint there. Kyler, I believe, will have success for fantasy this year. I think he will be the starter. I think he will run the ball. And with the weapons he has, which is, you know, better than he had in Arizona with Justin Jefferson, I think this is probably a value in fantasy to me. I don't see him being a top six quarterback, most likely. But if you told me at the end of the year that he finished at quarterback five because

he actually threw 26 touchdowns and also ran for 700 yards on this offense, I can see that in the range of outcomes. I thought maybe you had something to contribute there, Mike. The... I mean, I'm... He is truly a wild card of... I can see both situations equally playing out. The fact that he's pretty dirt cheap in terms of ADP, he feels like a player that if you're drafting a second quarterback in a single quarterback league, that he's a great target for that because you might find out very quickly that it's actually going to work for him. But, like, I was just thinking through the...

We're like, the weapons. Okay, the weapons of Arizona versus Minnesota. And it's a harder discussion. We're going to be talking about Michael Wilson. How does a player who's capable of what Michael Wilson did in the second half of the year be completely unused by Kyler Murray? Marv. Because Michael Wilson was almost completely unused by Jacoby Brissett when Marv was on the field. Like, it wasn't just that. Like, I mean, we'll get there with Michael Wilson. That's a pretty big overstatement. He was used significantly... Unused. Significantly less than the games where he didn't have Marv. Well, I think that that is still TBD.

You know, just move it to Michael Wilson. He's right next, but we should talk about him anyways. The reason I say TBD on Michael Wilson is because... There was a clear and defined breakout of Michael Wilson that took place. And I think everything from that point forward is solid evidence. But before they integrated him into the offense in that fashion, and I understand that it was as a result of Harrison missing time, like once the cat was out of the bag, so to speak, from that point on, even when Marv came back and had opportunities... It's every game that Marv...

So in the second half, from the bye week out, Michael Wilson has three red games. Those are the only three that Marv played? Marv... Marv played... Marv didn't play from week 14 through 18? So Marv... He didn't play 14, 15, and then he came back and played less than half the snaps in the final two weeks. I would say week 16, because he didn't play a full game in week 17, but in week 16, Marv was there for... Marv played 51% of the snaps. Yeah, still the majority of that game. But that was where Michael Wilson was two for 52.

Now, Michael Wilson was a part of this team before Marvin Harrison was on it, right? Correct. One year prior. So, I mean, when you go out and you put up a 1600 plus yard pace in a stretch, I feel like that is... I think that's amazing evidence over that long period of time of what you're capable of doing. Kyler never used him in that regard. That's what it's... It's so... But I think he earned a very solid role on this offense. I don't have either of these guys projected super high, for what it's worth. Talking Marv and... Yeah, like for me, I have them, like, both as wide receiver threes.

I have Marv significantly ahead of Michael Wilson, but that's the whole reason why Michael Wilson's on the wild card. The second half of the year, he helped people win fantasy championships. He was, you know, a top 10 fantasy wide receiver. So, we have evidence that he can get it done. The issue, I think, if we're not talking about Marv versus Michael Wilson alone, just Michael Wilson's outlook and outcome. Last year, we got to this place where we abandoned running the ball. We really couldn't run the ball. So, we dropped back... He's speaking as a we for Arizona. For Arizona, yeah.

That was impressive, Jason, because you don't normally do that. No, I don't because... I thought we were out. You're a big fan. I thought... You're a big fan. Your language does not say you're out. No, it doesn't. Habits are hard to break. You know, do you know how long I said San Diego Chargers? Okay, this... You know, they weren't the San Diego Chargers anymore. But, you know, our Arizona Cardinals... That's your evidence? Yeah, because I'm used to saying, you know, we or my team or whatever. This whole Travis H ending is going to be tough for Jason is what I'm saying.

Yeah, it has been. But think about how, you know, you really... James Conner got injured. All the running backs got injured. They just dropped back and threw the ball every single snap. I mean, they threw... A lot of teams do that and no player produces like this. League-leading pace of passing. But then you spend the number three pick on Jeremiah Love. You go out and get Tyler Algier. I think the evidence is not that we want to drop back and lead the league in passing attempts. Obviously, if you're a bad team, end of the game, you're going to be passing.

But I think the upside case for Michael Wilson is nothing like what we saw at the end of last year. He was the... Only Pukinoko had more fancy points from week 11 through 18 last year. Second half of the season. So what do you think Andy is like best... Like, he is that dude because he looked it on film. This current team, Marv active, whatever. What is his most bullish best fantasy finish? In terms of like wide receiver number? Yeah. Probably 15. Yeah. That'd be a good return. If the season went that way. I mean, you're talking probably about 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns, something like that.

I mean, I'm not trying to make a case to go draft Michael Wilson and reach for him. But I'm saying that I want to reward... Rather than just sit here and say... I'm seeing an ADP of 35. Wide receiver 35. Yeah. I mean... So it's like this is... This is a free player. You're not... You are not over-investing. And you're in... Michael Wilson is in the territory with Sutton, Metcalf. I mean, he's... Where's Marv? He's number 34 from what I'm seeing. So right next to Wilson. Don't you feel like... I mean, it's much... Marv has much more to prove than Michael Wilson does.

Well, he's got much higher expectations as well. Yeah. Both of them. I'm just saying like there is a... I think that there are a couple of outcomes. Like, wouldn't you agree that we can mix Marv into it as well? But wouldn't you agree Marv is a wild card? Marv was going late in drafts. And Marv has like a make-or-break feeling to this season in Arizona. His dad's been vocal about the culture and opportunities for his son in Arizona. The likelihood that the Cardinals are drafting Dante Moore or Arch Manning or one of these young quarterbacks going into next year, resetting the development of Marvin Harrison is pretty high.

I just want to give Michael Wilson credit for being able to accomplish what lots of other teams that try to go out there and throw the football all the time. Their receivers don't go up and put the second best numbers up in the entire NFL behind Puka Nakua. And it wasn't just like luck of the draw. There were contested catches, touchdowns, all those big plays. There were short passes, middle of the field. It was a very impressive showing by him. I think the worst thing that could happen for him, though, is Marvin Harrison taking targets. Because we know the number one on this team is Trey McBride.

Like, he will lead the team in targets. That's why both of these guys are being drafted in the 30s. Right. So it has down, as you seem to be on Wilson, at that ADP. Like, are you still under that? Oh, I'm way under that, yeah. Oh, man. Mike, where are you? I have him a few spots ahead of ADP. I think I'm six spots ahead of ADP. 33. Which is like nothing. Yeah. You want to take Wandale in Tennessee or take a shot at Michael Wilson? Those are going to be your decisions. Right. So I can't call him a bust for fantasy if that's his ADP.

Well, I mean, I don't think you're taking him where you're taking Wandale. I mean, like Mike said, DK Metcalf, Makai Lemon. I see him next to Brian Thomas Jr. Wandale is much lower. That's what I mean. Oh, okay. So you are drafting Michael Wilson where there are important players that I, like, I would rather take a shot on them. So range of outcomes, I mean, if we're saying, like, kind of on this episode, breakout or bust of these players and just kind of call a shot, we can all see both sides. I would be more on the bust side. But he played very well last year and looked the part on film.

The problem is I need justice in the world. And the justice is this dude was awesome for your team. Marv's. Marv was not. I don't care where Marv was drafted or what he was drafted to be. Yeah, let's be the 49ers here and play the best players. Marv would love to put up a season like Michael Wilson just had last year. Yeah, you got it. So that's what I mean. I'm conflicted of what is right and just for the world. And I have great news for that justice. Okay. Michael Wilson is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this year.

He's going to hit the free agent market and go be a legitimate wide receiver, too, for a team and be really good and play well. And I think he'll be better in 2027 than he is in 2026. So, so far, we've talked about Jacoby Reset in the news. And then we've had to talk about Kyler Murray, the former Cardinal, and then Michael Wilson, the actual Cardinal. Gross. Can we not do this anymore? Are they exciting? Are they really fun, great players? Booty scooting, Bayshaal tooting coming up. The wild card himself. Bayshaal tooting of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Right now, his underdog ADP is RB26.

His sleeper ADP is RB23 in the fifth round. He's 24 years old, a fourth-round draft pick. Played behind Travis H.N. Jr. last year among 55 qualified running backs. 55! Fifth in rush success rate, fifth in percentage of yards after contact, tied with Breeshoff for 11th in forced missed tackle rate. That's right. But he was very limited in those opportunities. So you do tend to see efficiency numbers jump off the page, but you've got to give him credit for them. What's his – he had 15 attempts in week 11. That was the most, like, single – it was the only double-digit carry count of the season.

So we just haven't seen a ton of Bayshaal tooting? We haven't. And the usage of Tootin – H.N.'s – thank you. H.N.'s – like, he got rewarded. He got the bag and turned into Rumbelaya. But it's like – I don't know if you guys remember it as I do, but the Jags in the playoffs, there was this stretch where Tootin had three carries in a row, I believe, and there were, like, these huge 15-yard carries, and then you're like, and that's enough Tootin. Like, the way they used him was very bizarre for the amount of success that he was having.

I know they brought Crod in, but I'm very much on the Bayshaal Tootin side as a breakout. It comes with risk, but that's baked into the ADP, and I just – I don't see a world where Tootin on this Jags offense that – the Liam Cohen offense, we're multiple years into the experience now. Just let the fantasy points – let them wash over you. Like, I mean, that would have been – that's Bucky's year, right? Because two years ago was Bucky on Tampa Bay, and that would have been Cohen, right? Yeah. So it's like he will – he'll give a guy a ton and ton of the work,