Fantasy Football - What Went Wrong? + MORE Free Agent Frenzy! - Podcast for 3/13

This isn't worst case scenario. I will say that. I was holding out hope that Rico could get more of a timeshare job where he, or I mean to start, if he goes back to the Cowboys, yeah, they're going to get a rookie in there, but it's like Dada will have some starts, I would think. But going to the Panthers, Chuba just got paid. This is Chuba's backfield. However, in terms of high. level insurance running backs, to me, Rico Dowto will be way up there because if Chuba goes down with the run scheme, with the offensive line, and with Rico Dowdell is just the way that he runs, I think this is a sensational signing for the Carolina Panthers. Like Dowdle would do work if he were given the job. He is going to get paid a similar base salary as Giovante Williams, which the Cowboys.

paid $3 million, but the incentives are double. So I want people to understand. Yeah. Like everyone's like, oh, why would you not resign Dowdell versus Giovante? There's so many variables. Doubtle might not have been as content to be. Yeah, we don't know the behind the scene stuff. Yeah, if they've said, hey, we're probably drafting a rookie and you're not going to be in contention for a starting. I mean, you don't know. And it's double the incentive money. And so, yeah, Rico Delto leaves town. And I don't know, probably just a depth piece. If you have, talking Dynasty, if you have Chuba, what are you willing to send over to try and get RICO? Not a lot. Not much at all. I don't, I think if Chuba goes down, RICO is not a star here for the Panthers. Unless the offense, you know, if Bryce Young.

you know, takes another step forward and becomes a great quarterback, then it would be far more exciting. But I don't view the Panthers. I'd be more excited. And Chuba was great. I would have been. But I think Chuba is great. Yes, exactly. That's the difference. Rico, I would have preferred to stay in Dallas because then if the rookie doesn't work out, Rico's pathway to those top 10 finishes is there. I feel less confident with that in Carolina because they're not as good of an office. But Carolina, 9th in EPA per rush. And yes. Chuba's part of that, but seventh in pro football focus run blocking grades. This is an offensive line. Rico last year was ninth in success rate for rushing. He was one of five running backs to gain five or more yards on over 40% of his rushing attempts. I don't get the Rico slander. He was not, he was not an elite. He's not Bijan, but not, but there's like four teams who have a Bijan type running back. I would say that he,

His one-year contract with $2.75 million tells you what we think about Rico Dow. Yeah. It's not slander. It's the market. If teams wanted Rico, he would have gotten a deal. I mean, do you think he's better than Najee Harris? Because he didn't get nearly the money that Najee got. Do you think he's better than Giovante? Yes. They didn't bring him back. I think he's for sure better than Javent. So they, we're not trying to be intentionally anti-RICO. We're being. We're just telling you what he got paid and where he's going. It's a one-year deal to be a backup. I also think you bring up a good point if you're in a dynasty league and you've got Chuba. Draft season, rookie draft season is coming up. And during that time, third rounders, oh, they will be so valuable because people will want whatever name is dropping in a draft. They're not actually valuable. Your third round rookie picks. So that's something I would trade.

for Rico to get my... That's what I meant. Yeah. Of like, I'm going to be on the side of if you're ensuring, in Dynasty, ensuring Chuba is a smart thing to do and it will be cheap. And if Rico, if Chuba goes down, Rico will be a top 24 weekly type of a starter. Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen will return in 2025. Yes. I was waiting for it. I'm back. Yeah, he is. And he's 34, right? I don't know. Aaron Rogers officially released so he can go somewhere else after $49 million in dead money. $49 million in dead money. I love that I saw someone posting just the reality that a couple years ago you had a quarterback play so bad that a team was willing to cut him and take on, what was it, 60 million dead cap for Russell Wilson. Right. And then the Steelers are like, give me that.

And now the Jets are paying $49 million in Dead Cap to get rid of Aaron Rogers and the Steelers are like, give it that. Because they have Mason Rudolph. Yeah, the Steelers, they're scrambling. They're dealing with the, remember the Colts, Winst, Matt Ryan, Philip Rivers era. The Ravens signed DeAndre Hopkins to a one-year deal. It's me. DeAndre. Yeah, I don't care at all. DeAndre Hopkins didn't matter in Kansas City. And he's not going to matter a year older in Baltimore at all. Like this is a headline maker. This is cool. You got a veteran. I mean, who was, was it Des Bryant that went and played in Baltimore a little while ago? Baltimore is, Baltimore soaks up all the. Julio. Didn't he play in Baltimore? Was he there? I think he was. For a brief hope. I mean, OBJ was there.

Maybe it was OBJ I was thinking about. Yeah, maybe that's what I was thinking about. Yeah, this is good. It makes sense for all parties. DeAndre Hopkins, I don't think will be relevant for fantasy, but this is good for the actual Ravens. So Julio did not play for Baltimore, but I did come across a 22 article in the off season that was like Ravens top landing spot for Julio Jones and T. Yilton. So at this stage of the career, when you're in the T. Yelton leaving Indianapolis, part of your career. Baltimore's the home. Oh, were you thinking of, so, yeah, Des was there, Beckham was there. Steve Smith was there for a couple of years. D. Jax was there. And, uh, and, and, uh, and Kwan. Yep. And, and Kwan spent some of his 30s in Baltimore. If you're 32, you should call Baltimore. And, um, yeah. So if you're 40 and a quarterback, you should call Pittsburgh. If you're 30 plus and a wide receiver called Baltimore in this division.

But yeah, Hopkins, he'll probably have a couple games that he catches some touchdowns and gets some first downs. And there you go. DeMarcus Robinson, 49ers picked up to Marcus Robinson on a two year deal from the Rams. I mean, look, probably starting wide receiver to Marcus Robinson. It's possible. Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, who else? No Debo, no Iyuk. Yeah, Pierceall and Jennings will be. Yeah, but while Iyuk is recovering, Robinson is going to be a starter. as a wide receiver three? Yeah. Mac Jones, two-year deal with the 49ers as they complete the full circle of, ooh, we're moving up to take Mac Jones, just kidding, as Trey Lance, just kidding, we're going to get Mac Jones two later. They don't want, like, the Steelers. I don't know, I don't think Mac Jones is an answer for anything, but if you're just scrambling to get a starting quarterback who might be able to win a couple games for you,

Why do you look at Mac Jones? Why pay Mason Rudolph 8 million? Yeah. You could pay Mac Jones seven. Well, I mean, they're both backup quarterback contracts that, you know, and bringing back Mason Rudolph, obviously this is a player they're familiar with. They know how he is in the locker room and they obviously liked it because they chose to bring him back. You're right. I'm shaking my head because I, they were backed into a corner. I just, Mason Rudolph. But Mac Jones, being with the 49ers is, is. It's so funny to me because there were all the rumors about like Shanahan wanted Mack Jones. That was who, you know, they actually moved up for and then changed and pivoted to Trey Lance. And now the fact that the 49ers signed to Mac Jones makes it go, maybe they, maybe they had regrets. Well, they still have to, I mean, all these players leaving, they've got to pay a quarterback now. Yeah, they're burning it down right now.

pay Brock Purdy or they have to, I mean, they don't technically have to pay him this year, right? Correct. He's under contract. And he's going to want. That would be brutal. Yeah. I mean, it says a lot to your team and future free agents and things like that. The problem is the justification for paying Brock Purdy is the deals that Tua Lawrence have gotten, which are outrageous. Yeah. And so then you pay, let me just play. You pay him $55 million a year. Oh, my goodness. You pay Brock Purdy that money. You come out and you're retooling because you've lost eight to ten players that are fundamental to your offense and you go seven and ten. You think you're coming in, you think next off season we're all feeling like Brock Party is worth the $55 million? I think that just that will depend on how he plays. If they win fewer games, but Brock is playing well.

I think we'll give him some grace. They are still the highest Super Bowl odds for the division. The 49ers post dropping all of their players. They're just taking suckers money. Not the Rams? Yeah. God go on the Rams. That's actually genuinely shocking. You're saying not NFC, but just out of the West. Well, I wouldn't have put Seattle in there and I wouldn't have put Arizona in there. So I guess it would have been between someone's got to win. I would have put the Rams in there. All right. We'll take a quick break. We got some more signings to talk about things to debate. The Steelers signed Kenny Gainwell. The Colt signed Khalil Herbert. The Eagles signed AJ Dillon and the bills re-signed Ty Johnson, who kept showing up in fantasy football towards the end of the year that run heavy offense. Any comments on those backup buddies?

I just, nope. These are other than, I mean, Ty Johnson's a guy that every once in a while, if you're really desperate, you could throw in there. But there's other guys will be probably insurance. I guess the Kenny Gainwell one is what is that, what is the Steelers running back room going to actually look like? Are they willing to turn over, go back to the old Tomlin system of one back with Jalen Warren? I don't, I don't know that that's the case. So maybe Kenny Gainwell. Yeah, I also. Did you sign. AJ Dillon and Dynasty. Did I get him? Did you sign him, Mike? You can't quit these guys. Dude, you got to. You chilling? Uh-uh. There is no chill. This is always grinding the wire, boys. You know, of all those backup jobs, I would say Khalil Herbert for fantasy would be the one that I would be most interested in because like the Ty Johnson, he's going to be involved. But that's a three-headed time share. And, you know, whereas.

I feel like in Indianapolis, you've got Jonathan Taylor who has, you know, a rich injury history. Yeah, it's very wealthy. And so if he, you know, if he misses time, that's that's a good spot for an insurance back. Kyle, use check also meeting with the Steelers. Let's go, Juice. So you know, Juice with another opportunity potentially. We had some other signings. Mike Williams. We're back, baby. One year deal with the Chargers. He's only 30. Feels like 40. Oh, my gosh. He feels like he retired four years ago. It's a place, you know, a quarterback he's familiar with, right? We could get Mike Williams back there. He could do something. Yeah. If they don't add, Mike Williams will be relevant. Post his ACL as well, so that's good. MVS, one-year deal with the Seahawks, Cardinals, Resign Zey Jones, Dolphins, Nick Westbrookickeke.

where you can go score a touchdown one pass a game uh van jefferson one year deal with the titans kj osborne to the commanders back to the commanders mariotta back to the commanders this is this is what you were talking about i know i did i just felt like i was loose like people were turning off the podcast as i read those names this is not a frenzy you know a frenzy this is the this is the light breeze but also it smells like sewer breeze you know what i mean this isn't like an ocean breeze where you're oh i love that smell this is you're going to the blockbuster movie and they just keep playing the trailers yeah you're looking up and you're like who am i downwind of right now like looking at who's left yeah let's talk about them because speculating on them is more interesting there's still interesting names i mean especially cooper cop yeah keenan allen amari cooper which the problem with this list is

They're interesting names because they once upon a time were top tier NFL players and now are they anywhere close. But like J.K. Dobbins, I think his signing is still, it would be interesting when it comes through. Yeah, Nick Chubb is very interesting to me. Man, Nick Chubb. Can he ever make it back? Probably not. That's where that's probably not. And these are. Some of the reasons why these signings haven't happened is that we're entering the tier of free agents where you might want to see what happens in the draft. Or you might want to build a game playing around. Yeah. You know, what are you going to do? Like Keenan Allen probably doesn't want to go to camp. Yeah, that's a fair point. He might just chill and wait for someone to need him in the summer. Is he in bulking season right now? Is he back?

Didn't we have that last year? Yeah, last year. He was bulking up, man. We had fat Keenan Allen. Never one was so worried. If you, if you like logged into a fantasy league that had shut down back in like 2019 and you logged back in to see what your roster was, it would say Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, Cooper Cup, Amari Cooper, Keenan Allen, Russell Wilson at quarterback. These are the free agents left. It's the 2019 fantasy. extravaganza. So, you know, I'm very, I'm the most interested at seeing where Cooper Cup goes, a wide receiver, of these, of these names. But that's, I mean, I'm not excited about, I mean, maybe J.K. Dobbins, if it was a completely, like if J.K. Dobbins goes to the Giants. Okay. Do you care? Is that a place you care? The Raiders.

The Raiders, I do. The Raiders. Or do you not care about either until the draft happens? Because he just doesn't profile as toting the rock. The fact that we are this far away from the opening of free agency and the opening of the league year is concerning for all those running backs of starting jobs seem. There's very few available. And I think these guys is going to be a while. Yeah. Yeah, I agree. So that is the remaining lowercase frenzy. Thank goodness. For the Foot Clan. I flew back for this. I told you. You're dumb. Yeah. I mean, next year, next week we have trending or ending. We've got liar, liar. We got a mailbag. And you'll get a bonus episode, a bonus mailbag show at Jointhefoot.com if you want to check that out. Otherwise, that is going to do it. That is going to do it. Cooper Cup. Let me know where you're headed.

Aaron Rogers make a decision. Talk to you next time. 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 theFF ballers.