Fantasy Football - Sleeper Picks + Late Round Steals - Podcast for 8/18

Now, he's in front of him right now in the depth chart, but at the same time, this is a player in Ferguson that is very different than the others. And what's happened to this offseason and in preseason shows that a utilization of Ferguson as a much more full-time player, the way that McVeigh has been talking about him as completely understanding every part of the system now. He's on the field, you know, in preseason for the starters, he was on the field.

in all formations. In camp, he's been making play after play after play, and they really need a third option. And, you know, as Devante Adams is, you know, your number two option behind Devante, you have no idea of any kind of solid piece that can really step up. And then obviously at that age, if Devante Adams falls off, drops off, deals with an injury and can't get back, there's an opportunity for someone to be a really talented pass catcher.

He was, he dealt with injuries his rookie year. He didn't get on the field that much. Towards the end of the season, he started to finally get on the field. He was like up to 70% snaps. Then he got injured. In the playoffs, he was back up to some higher snap percentages. So we really haven't seen him. But on the limited snaps he had, he was over 20 yards of reception. This is a really like good pass catching weapon. So I think the argument for Ferguson is should he actually get?

80% of the snaps, which I think is reasonable because of how many tight ends they use, he has the opportunity to do something for fantasy that's special. That's my argument for him. Yeah, 11 receptions last year, like you said, 231 yards on those receptions. You know, you didn't get to see a lot. What you saw was explosive. And like, you know, we were kind of saying they must believe in Devante Adams because they didn't add more pass catchers. Maybe they do have more confidence in the tight-in room.

Marshawn Lloyd is the last name here in performance climbers. And he's appropriately gone up a round and a half in draft in ADP because we can actually talk about him this time of year because he's actually healthy right now. I mean, Marshaun Lloyd is a very talented player. The nice thing in preseason was that he was very clearly the backup to Josh Jacobs. There was a news report today that Jacobs is returning to practice. He was dealing with an act. Yeah, they all are. Butterfly, my friends. Butterfly.

But, yeah, I mean, Marshawn Lloyd is very similar to Jonathan Brooks. Very, yes. He's very talented, explosive running back who was young and, like, could be something special. And just, we haven't seen them. They've been injured their entire short young careers. It feels like one more injury in Marshall Lloyd is the Kindry Miller route of like. Yes. See you later. We're never going to see you again. Kendrae Miller is the ultimate comp for Marshaun Lloyd. Talented back that, you know, it's like you.

When they're on the practice field usually, it's like, whoa, explosive play. You hear some news and then too explosive exploded some part of his leg. I think there's more forgiveness for Jonathan Brooks because Jonathan Brooks tours ACL twice.

You know, and it's like, okay, it's a big injury. Marshaun Lloyd's just like stubbed his toe. Everything. He's now on his thumb with it. Remember when he hit his thumb with the nail? Oh, that was just bad aim. It was bad aim. You got to use a wooden mallet if you're Marshaun Lloyd. This is a player who's on a 72nd injury, so you don't expect him to actually be out there. But if he is, there's a world where Lloyd and LG are just week one starters.

Because Josh Jacobs, either he could re-injure the groin, he has missed some time, or he could be suspended. We do not have conclusive, like, Jacobs-Nakua suspension news yet. So it's like there is a world where like the draft pick, if you're drafted in this week and you get March on Lloyd with your last pick, which you can. Like that, Ferguson and Lloyd are last pick or free agency. And if you get Lloyd, there's a chance he's literally starting for the Green Bay Packers in week one.

Yeah, that's not impossible. And when you look around the league at the players who are really, really good insurance options, until Marshawn Lloyd is injured, he is a great insurance. Like Blake Corum, Marshawn Lloyd, Tank Bigsby, these are the players to me that are the best of the best. And I don't really include Jonathan Brooks in that because I think he will actually be playing, not just an insurance back.

All right, that was Performance Climers, brought to you by GMC. We are professional grade. We'll take a break and come back with some news. No matter what triumphs are in store this season, legendary game days start with a Miller Light. Miller Light is a true American Pilsner and the original light beer brewed since 1975, made with simple ingredients including malted barley for rich.

balanced toffee notes and its iconic golden color it delivers the dependable taste beer lovers have trusted for 50 years and with just 96 calories and 3.2 grams of carbs per 12 ounce serving miller time is always a good time game days are upon us fantasy football season is upon us when i'm hooting and hollering

I build up a mighty thirst and nothing satisfies that thirst like a Miller light on a Sunday. It goes down smooth. It's refreshing. It never lets me down. Make game day legendary.

Go to millerlight.com slash footballers to find delivery options near you, or you can pick up some Miller Light pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Game time is Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. What's up, Foot Clan? You are confident and disciplined and focused on details, just like everyone here at the fancy footballers, right? Those are words you used to describe us. In other words...

You were made to drive the 2026. Sierra 1500 Denali, a full-size pickup combining capability with elevated design and advanced technology. You can seek out the exceptional with the Denali. Their standard 5.3-liter V8 engine and 10-speed automatic transmission. It's got a bold design. We like bold designs. They got the signature Denali grill, Papa Josh. You know the signature grill, the Chrome header.

patterned aluminum trim. Inside you've got all that comfort. You know, Jason's a comfort guy. We like the comfort. Comfort rains with leather seating surfaces and 12-way power front seats with power lumbar. You can learn more right now at GMC.com slash Sierra 1500. All right. Let's do it. News and notes from around the league. All right.

Jason broke the news to us last night. The Colts signed wide receiver Keenan Allen to a one year 8.32 million dollar contract. Oh boy. Keenan is 32 years young. Entering year 14 played seven seasons with Shane Steichen, by the way. That was seven seasons with him in Los Angeles. You remember, Steichen brought back Philip Rivers last year. The wildest thing to me is that Keenan Allen was the leading.

He had the most receptions for the Chargers last year. Yeah, nobody will remember. Nobody remembers that. You say that and you're like, that's not true. That's true. Yeah, it's also, Kyle has, like, Kyle is the ultimate Keenan Allen truther, which, I mean, to have a player of his caliber and me, a truth of him, that works out. Right now, Keenan Allen has the 10th most receptions of all time.

Kyle, are we 100% sure? Because that is... Come on, Mike. Come on. Hey, I am just protecting myself from giving an incorrect stat. But so he's currently at 10th. Well, if he has 48 catches. Yeah. We'll take him into the third most receptions of all time. He would pass T.O. and Tim Brown and Chris Carter and Martin Harrison. How is that possible? Volume machine, man. So it's really an interesting signing.

Um, goodness. Seems like a pretty necessary signing for the Colts. We literally made an Ashton dueling joke yesterday about. And they heard us. And they're like, yeah, okay. I don't like the sound of that. We'll, we'll bring him on board. The interesting question to me is how is he going to be utilized? I will say this. There was a part of me that wanted to pivot from Josh Downs on my sleeper pick today to Keenan Allen today. Because obviously in drafts, he's going to go, his ADP will never catch up. He's going to be super duper late.

And he's so old he's getting to the long sleep. Yeah, yeah. So he's way past REM. He's like the real deep. Way past rim. Yeah, he's way past REM. But he's getting towards Rip. It's been a long time. He's getting towards Rip sleep. And this is this is a guy who's going to come out. If you remember last year, the first four weeks of the season, he was like the best wide receiver in fantasy. He was so good the first four weeks. It was like, oh, man.

He's eating Ladd McConkey's lunch. And to start the year, you've got Alec Pierce working back from an ankle injury if he's even ready for week one. The question has been about Josh Downs, whether he could play outside. He's always been their slot guy. And now this year, with the absence of Michael Pittman, it was like, he's going to get the opportunity to play outside. He's had that in camp. That's part of why I was really excited to bring him in because the opportunities for him are. The Colts were too. Enormous. And then.

You know, it's like now with Keenan there, I don't know who plays where, but Keenan is not signing this deal to be on the bench and they need him. He will be involved. So I think, you know, if you're drafting a guy, maybe like a Malik neighbors who, you know, maybe there's a chance he still does. You know, he's not there week one or something. You just need a late round guy. You can start for the first month. I think.

Keenan gets off to a road. He was at his career, he's at his career lowest yards per catch last year in Los Angeles. So that's something worth noting. It was at 9.6. Inside, outside, you know where he'll be on the field, which is inside that first 15 yards. Oh, Kyle snuck in a all-time among wide receivers. Among wide receivers. For the total reception? Yes. Okay. I'll tell you what. I'll tell you who's catching 50 passes minimum this year is Keenan Allen.

Yeah, he, so. You're going to have to drag him off the field. So Michael Pittman is not there. Alec Pierce, the recovery is, I think it's fair to say it's slower than the team expected. He's been out on the practice field, walking around, stretching, blah, blah, blah. Pierce will come back and make an impact. What's the difference between Michael Pittman and this version of Keenan Allen? Probably nothing. Like this version of Keenan Allen and last year's version of Michael Pittman, they're pretty, pretty close. Yeah, they're probably not that different in terms of what this team needs.

You know, is it different for Keenan in Los Angeles last year where, like, maybe not. Maybe, you know, Loud was a, is a slot receiver. And Tyler Warren is going to be in the intermediate short area targets to compete with Keenan. But it's a pretty significant signing in terms of like the volume and poison, especially for Josh Downs. I think Josh Downs, they paid all the money to Alec Pierce. Tyler Warren's getting all the targets.

And when you fade back to pass, you're going to throw it to Keenan over downs. Do you have more interest in Keenan Allen or Stefan Diggs? Diggs. Yeah, I think Diggs has more long-term value for the season. So there you go. A new lay of the land are updated rankings for Keenan Allen and the Colts are in the UDK at Ultimate DraftKit.com. But he keeps going and he will help them and he knows the system. So Jordan Tyson. All right.

Here, I'm going to try to give you some good news with the bad. The bad news. He's going to miss two months. That's pretty bad. Yeah. The good news. I've been told it was the other hamstring. Really? Than the one that was injured. That's what I was told. That was a different hamstring. He's not good. I mean, it's just systematically weakening his entire body. What I thought I said that that is the case as well. Okay. All right. Well, I mean, yeah, I guess. I guess it's better. Maybe it's better.

He just shows his capacity to injure both. This does mean that he's not there at the beginning of the season. He makes him a brutal pick. A two-month timeline says, I would not be surprised if they just put him on the pup, guaranteeing that he misses the first four weeks of the season. It's probably the smart thing to do. You've got to protect himself from himself. I think on pup, though, he actually, if you're going to get that news.

That's probably the best case scenario. If you're talking for your draft, if you have an IR spot, like people are going to be itching. You know, Kyle, what's his ADP, like sixth round or so? So he'll probably... That's mid to late October return. It's around like, probably around the eighth or the ninth round. I'm going to guess people will start getting a little sweaty and be like, hmm, Jordan Tyson just put him on my IR and I get him when he comes back. So it's...