Week 18 Matchups + Jason's Hairy Shimmy Shame! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 1/3

Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Welcome in! This is the end. Stay strong! My only friend. The end. Friday, January 3rd, the Fantasy Footballers, Mike Wright, Jason Moore, Andy Holloway, back with you, our final episode of the regular season.

Week 18, here we are. Good luck. Yes. And soon, goodbye. Week 18, nasty. Saw somebody on Twitter asking about, you know, two-week championship games. Because maybe that's a solution to making week 18 not as detrimental. Until you have Josh Allen. Yeah, I was going to say, there are just too many significant players sitting. That's the fundamental problem. Yes. It would be equivalent to say, you know, championship game is going to be a week where there's eight buys. You know what I mean? Ten buy weeks. I mean, it just makes... The reason we don't like it, it's not like we don't like more fantasy football.

Yeah, we love fantasy football. And obviously, 10% of you are in those games. And look, if you have to choose between a week 18 only championship game... And not playing? Or a... No, I was going to say, or a 17-18 combo. That's... The 17-18 combo is better because you're removing half of the value. Half is bad. Yeah. But it would be a lot nicer if you weren't playing this week just because it's... We're good, man. Yeah, no. No, we're here. We're here. Let them eat their cake. Yeah. Well, you got 10% of people. We got to get titles today. So we've got more matchups to talk through.

We got some news to talk through. We got reminders. If you're a champ, go to shotballers.com. Grab that Foot Clan title swag. Wear it proudly. If you need a trophy, that's fantasychamps.com. Put a trophy and a ring in your cart. Use the code FREERING and you'll get a free $59 championship ring along with your trophy purchase. You can check that out as well. And it is Friday. Put Clan Friday. All right. Today's winner of a $100 gift card to fantasychamps.com. Hopefully you need the swag over there. Can you give me a Drake? That is the username over on jointhefoot.com. Congratulations.

We give away a $100 gift card each and every week to somebody supporting the podcast. And huge shout out to the entire Foot Clan, by the way. The 40,000 strong at jointhefoot.com, supporting the podcast, getting access to premium content, including an extra episode every week, which will be very valuable when you get to next week when we drop to two main shows. And they become very fun in the offseason. It's not just start-sick questions. We get deeper on both strategy and nonsense. So thank you, everybody, supporting the show. And congrats to Can You Give Me a Drake? The winner. Give me a Drake.

The winner. That's where you went? Okay. Where else would I go? Where were you going to go? Well, you're going to Drake me off a piece. Okay. It's not bad. All right. Let's talk news. News and notes from around the league. Presented by USAA Insurance. If you're going to do a Week 18 title game, you should have a redraft of the teams between the two champions. Oh, that would be- And they only get to pick Lions or Vikings. Well, they only would choose that of their own volition. But that's actually a good idea. Whoever gets to the championship, if you're in Week 18, those two rosters-

Just take your team and throw it in the garbage. No, you take those two teams, all the roster, and you have to draft. Those two players draft. Oh, I get golf. And no one's taking Barkley. No. No, they're not, because he's not going to play. Saquon will be forgotten in history now. No one will ever remember his name. What a loser. Justice Hill is out with a concussion. The Browns, they've decided to go with- Zap, zap, zap. Bailey, zap, zap. Not Dorian Thompson-Robinson, because they wanted to see how bad the line would get. It got to 20. It's at Baltimore minus 20.

Yeah, I think I saw the Browns projected for 10 points at one point in time, which is insane. Generous. Chase Brown, T. Higgins, questionable for the Bengals' start this week. Yeah, Chase Brown didn't practice all week, and they elevated Kendall Milton. Milton. Not Minton. Milton. So, that's usually a sign that they're getting ready to be without their starting running back. Roma Dunes, a DMP with an illness. Players rarely miss with illness, so he should be out there. Christian Watson, DMP on Thursday with a knee. He probably will miss. Josh Jacobs, limited. Tony Pollard, limited. Tony Pollard hasn't practiced in six months.

No, but he is still close enough to a couple of really important incentives. I know he's going to push to play. We'll see. That's the perfect incentive situation. Yeah. That game. A couple teams. Need to lose. Nothing going on. Just get guys their monies. We'll say the Josh Jacobs was asked about playing, and he said, yeah, I'm probably seeing less work this week. Interesting. Oh, I didn't hear that. Tajay Spears was a DMP dealing with the concussion, so snip snap with that running back room. Anthony Richardson, a DMP again on Thursday. Yeah, he's not going to play. I mean, it would take a lot, and all the first team reps are going to Flacco, so I think the

expectation there, obviously, with their implosion last week, they're out of the playoff running. There's no reason to bring a hurt Anthony Richardson into this game. That was today's news and notes presented by USAA Insurance. Learn more at usaa.com slash insurance. We'll talk about some more news in specific matchups on today's show, but let's jump right in. It's time for Fantasy Forecast, presented by DraftKings Sportsbook. Yesterday, we talked about the Browns, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, the two Saturday games, and then we got into the Panthers, Falcons, Commanders, Cowboys, Bears, Packers, Texans, Titans, Jags, Colts, Bills, Patriots games, the Sunday games. We'll resume our fantasy forecast with the New York football Giants, the 3-13 Giants,

taking on the 13-3 Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are still three-point favorites, despite the fact that they will be resting some players this week and probably starting a third-string quarterback. The over-under is just 37-and-a-half. This is not an easy game, too. Tanner McKee was slinging. Tanner McKee? Yeah. Yeah, he had two touchdowns, right? On his four throws. This is true. Bitch. I know we know the math, but to actually see it in someone's game log, his touchdown percent was 50. So I'm seeing this picture of Tanner McKee, and my first thought was he is kind of challenging Davis Mills for the...

The neck? The neck. Yeah. Okay. And then I see the note from Kyle, and he says, challenging Davis Mills and Mike Glennon for longest neck. All right. Tell you what. Which is one of the features of a backup quarterback. We need to slap one of those on Kyler. Yeah. Let him see over that line. Oh, my gosh. Kyler, if he was that... Yeah, that would be... I know that the... You know, you can extend your shins. Yeah, can you extend your neck? That's what I'm... Like, the shins is like, it's long, it's painful. Right? I'd extend it all. I don't think so, man.

I think he has... Shins and neck? As fast as he runs, that thing would just be left behind. What about a... What about a super long arm? What? Like a space jam arm. I don't think that helps him to see over the line. He won't see, but he won't get the passes batted down. Fair. None of this really seems possible. Tyrone Tracy, Malik Neighbors. That attitude. Neighbors reception lines at six and a half. Mike? Yeah, I like it. You're in on that. Tyrone Tracy rushing yard line at 50 and a half. Those two guys deserve the opportunity to just put it on display in this game.

Yes. And they'll be facing some backups or, you know, rotational players in Philly. This is why week 18 is tough, though. I mean, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Devontae Smith. Why would those guys be out there? They're dealing with problems anyways. You've got to get Barkley, Brown, Smith, and Hurts healthy. So, the question becomes, I think, you know. It's Jahan Dotson time is what I'm saying. Oh, baby. The question is, this is a bad Giants rush defense, right? Both over the last six weeks, the whole season. They're second worst. They give up the most fantasy points. So, I know it's not a star-studded cast, but can a Kenneth Gainwell or Will Shipley?

Like, people are going to have to play some of the backups on these teams. I know, Andy, you brought up so far Blake Corum, Ray Davis as two rookies who are going to inherit a workload this week, presumably. Does Kenny Gainwell? To me, it's more of the Shipley shot. You think so? You think they'll rest Gainwell? Because I think Gainwell is, you know, he'll be used. But, also, part of that starting rotation that they do utilize. I don't know. I'd give Shipley a shot. That's the problem. I'd love to play one of them. But you don't agree. I have no idea.

I mean, like, Gainwell is the vet. He's the true backup. Will Shipley is. He's barely played at all. Yeah, he has not done much. This is true. That's why it's more difficult. I think it would be Kenneth Gainwell. I can't. You can't rest. I mean, you were talking about this off-air, Andy, about some of the great coaches that were saying, when you rest your team, it's not like you can't play the game. And, you know, you have to have starters play. Yeah, Dan Campbell, Jim Harbaugh, or John Harbaugh, and Bill Belichick just talked about the fact you can only, you know, you've got to dress a certain amount of players,

which means you have to choose who you actually make inactive. And the other guys, you know, you need to give them a fair shake at being out there with players that can help them around them. So, yeah, Gainwell would probably be the better bet. New Orleans 5-11 taking on the 9-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's the Buccaneers have the second highest total of the week, implied point total, at almost 29. They're 14-point favorites, which, look, if it wasn't for that one Baltimore game, this would be the storyline and how big of favorites the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are. And, you know, New Orleans, it's over.

Like, you know, we talked about, you know, Alvin Kamara, Kendra Miller, both didn't practice. Spencer Rattler, a defense is so excited when he sees that on the other side. Chris Olave looks like was a full participant, but he's still in protocol, so I don't, I mean, I can't imagine they bring him back to a half-less team. It would be malpractice. It would. It feels like that should be illegal. At the running back position, though. Right to jail. Yeah. I mean, you got, Jamal Williams is there, but so is nine opportunities last week. Clyde Edwards-Alaire. Might as well see what you have in Clyde.

Five for 20 on the ground. He caught two passes for 10 yards. Yep. Not against the Bucs. The Bucs' rush defense at the beginning of the year looked a little bad. They missed Vita Viva for a couple games, but they've been fantastic. Yeah, the matchup stinks. The matchup is terrible for a running back of that caliber. Here's how I think this game will play out on the other side. I think, one, the defense will be outstanding. I think they're the best defense of the week, and they'll be dominant. Baker, your start of the week, Jason, and Mike Evans. They will get it done.

Evans will get to 1,000 yards. His DK receiving line is 99 and a half. He needs 85 to get there and five receptions. That will happen. Baker, Evans. He needs five receptions, 85 yards for $3 million. Right, right. He's going to get it. Well, I'm guessing the 85 is what he needs to get there. That is to get to the 1,000, yes. And so that will happen. It is a must-win game for them. Baker talked about the record. He came out in a press conference and was saying, this is really important to us. But he said, winning is most important, but they go hand in hand.

If Mike Evans has a great game, we're going to win. So this is get Mike Evans the ball. Yeah, and this is also a situation where you are just heavy favorites. I think the second or maybe the last third of the game, these guys are not going to be on the field. They'll probably do enough damage in those first two, three quarters that you're going to start seeing Sean Tucker salting the game away. We're not going to have Kate Auten. I think Jalen McMillan. Jalen McMillan is putting his best Jahan Dotson rookie season together. It is. Yeah. The kind of disproportionate touchdown success.

So, you know. I want to see Mike Evans get like a 70-yard touchdown right away. And then they just do real cheapy. It's like it is fully intentional. We're just padding his receptions. It is nice. They have to win. You know what I mean? It's nice that they got to get out ahead of it. But this is a. It should be a Tampa Bay weapon in a playoff spot. Yeah. Kansas City's 5-1. They take on the 9-7 Broncos. The DraftKings Sportsbook line now. Denver minus 10.5. The over-under is 40. Carson Wentz. He's going to start. 14.8 implied points for the Chiefs.

So, there's not a lot of value to like there. I know, Andy, you like Noah Gray because if they're resting their starters, obviously the elder statesman centerpiece of Travis Kelsey is not going to get run. So, Noah Gray has been good in relief. But it is still Carson Wentz. And that's if it's Carson Wentz for the whole game. Which I think it will be. I think with Carson Wentz, he did this last year and needed to play for a contract. I think it will be Wentz. I also think that this is a scary one for Denver. But they should be able to put it together.

They should be able to beat them. But it's divisional. It's Carson Wentz who, you know, like I said, he'll be motivated. You have enough hodgepodge of wide receivers. They're all not sitting, right? I mean, I wondered that. I was like, who could you sit? Juju should be out there. I would think Hollywood. They'd want more snaps for Hollywood in the regular season. Xavier Worthy is a rookie. So, it's like you're not really resting rookies. No, maybe limited snaps for Worthy and Hopkins. But, yeah, it's kind of a weird game. On the other side, Bo Nix at home, heavily favored. You can play him.

Yeah. What do you do at running back for Denver? Same thing you've done at running back for Denver for weeks is avoid it. Yeah. There's no – I mean, it's still a good defense. They shouldn't have Chris Jones this week, which is bad for their rushing defense. But, you know, I don't expect the Broncos to go out there and put up, you know, 35 points against a divisional opponent, even though they're resting some of their starters. Cortland Sutton, he has a receiving line of 72 and a half. He needs 82 more receiving yards to get another half a mil. And Marvin Mims.

Do we have to talk about Marvin Mims? You know, I don't think that he is – I mean, I guess in a week like this where you might need to start someone, he has been on the field a little bit more, involved more, and, you know, like he had an end zone target that wasn't just a big breakaway, you know, touchdown that used his speed. It was like actually just an NFL play, which was very uplifting for Marvin Mims believers. I think he's more of a DFS dart throw than someone you'd be putting in. He's running really hot. Like he's hitting the big plays.

The eight targets last week was – He has 34. Like that's good to see. 34 catches on the season and eight of them were last week. Yeah. The Chargers are 10-6 and they take on the 4-12 Las Vegas Raiders. Chargers 4.5 point road favorites. The over-under is 41.5. The Chargers can improve to the 5-seed if they win and the Steelers lose against Cincinnati. That seems very – It's possible. Very possible. And important because presumably right now the 5-seed would be playing against the Houston Texans. The 6-seed would be playing against the Baltimore Ravens. That is massive. Yeah. I mean, that's one of those like you feel like you're, you know, getting half a bye.

I think everybody wants to go to Houston. If you have to choose a division winner to play, Houston is by far the – what is the – what was the picture we kept using with you? With the two dragons? Oh, yeah. I don't remember the name of the – King Ghidorah? Yeah. Yeah, something like that. Yeah, they are the goofy face of the division winners. The Chargers – in that case, it's a little surprising they're only 4.5 point favorites. Yeah, they're on the road. Yeah, the Raiders are still – oh, the – Is the Steelers game – The picture's up.

Is the Steelers game before the Chargers game? Because maybe that's part of the line. I believe so. If it's – Kyle, can you confirm that, the timing of those games? Because – I thought the Steelers – yeah, Steelers are Saturday. Okay, so that makes so much more sense because there's a chance Steelers just win and this game is non-consequential for the Chargers. So there's a hedge there in the line. You know, so the Chargers – Herbert, you know, Dobbins is Jason's start of the week. Lad McConkie, yeah. Still limited. Been dealing with injury all year. He's going to play. Will Disley, Mike?

You like him this week. I do. It's a good matchup. The Raiders across the season are dead last against tight ends. There is question marks on the other side. Amir Abdullah had a big game last week but is not practicing. Yeah, so we were worried at the very end of that game. He got injured. We didn't hear anything about it right after the game. I didn't see anything on Twitter. But the fact that he has not practiced at all on Wednesday or Thursday says, you know, I don't think you can go right back to the well with him. And then do you really want to roll out Alexander Madison?