Fantasy Football Podcast 2016 - Willie Snead, NFC South, Foster News

is always the guy who finished first last year. So be careful. All right. Number two in the league in rushing last year, 142 yards game. Really impressive is Cam's fantasy season, despite being only 24th in the league in total yards per game. This was a team that blew people out that could run the ball in the second half. You know, after...

the exclamation points were added through the air. I'm curious about their passing game and the running game. I think Jonathan Stewart is slightly undervalued. I think the passing game is interesting to me because he performed so well last year, so many touchdowns with Greg Olson and Ginn and Corey Brown. Now you really have Devin Funches, who barely made an appearance at times last year, even snap count-wise. And then you got Calvin Benjamin returning. Is this a more difficult passing game to project, or do you guys see some...

some things that you feel like you know about. Ironically, after throwing shade on cam, I expect them to pass the ball a little bit more this year as far as attempts go than they did last year. You've got obviously the loss of their superstar, you know, cornerback, Josh Norman on defense. They led, they were their game script last year. The amount of time that they were behind was so.

So little. I mean, it was late in the season before they, like, didn't have a lead in a game. It was unbelievable how much they were ahead. And so that says they're able to keep running the ball. I still think they're a good team. Their defense is still good, and they're going to be able to run. But they're not going to be able to have the same split that they had last year on running versus passing. So that bodes well, I think, for Kelvin Benjamin, people considering, you know, who is Kelvin Benjamin? You know, you've got a rookie who puts up.

A lot of touchdowns at 1,000 yards. That's incredible. Then he's gone last year, comes back. That possible outcomes for Kelvin Benjamin are very wide to me. And the Kelvin Benjamin production, that was the opposite game script. The Panthers were not a strong team. They were frequently trailing. Kelvin Benjamin that season was among the leaders of scoring fantasy points in the fourth quarter. If you thought Jordan Matthews was the trash man last year,

Try and jog that memory to what Kelvin Benjamin was two years ago. I think that this discussion about the Panthers really illustrates what we try to do on this show, which is bring the information to light so that you can make a decision based on that information. Because all of these are really good points. I don't think that it's important to make a definite conclusion today about Calvin Benjamin, unless you're drafting today. And then you have to do that basically. Good look. You have to do on the information that you have. But, I mean, I...

I don't feel confident about Calvin Benjamin. I don't want to react too far the other way. I think that Cam Newton likes to throw to who's open. And I think a lot of players seem to get open on that team because of the fact that Cam Newton causes the linebackers to pinch up and causes the mismatches. One of the reasons why some of the analysts like him more than anybody else over the next 10 years. Any other things you want to mention on...

The Panthers before we move on to Walters-Need. I wanted to talk Jonathan Stewart just real quick. Get some thoughts on Jonathan Stewart. Our boy, T.J. Hernandez tweeted out this. Look, I've talked about Hernandez is tweeting out these awesome stats, but here's one about Jonathan Stewart. Since 2010, Jonathan Stewart has scored on one of his 82 Red Zone rushes from outside the five. That's 1.2%. If you want context for that,

That's worst among active backs. So if Jonathan Stewart is in the red zone, but not inside the five, he's not scoring. And a lot of that has to do with Cam Newton, vulturing his touchdowns. And that ceiling that we talk about for Jonathan Stewart, you know, where he always feels capped because of that touchdown production, there's the number for you. What? How do you not think that's... I don't think that number is very important. I think that number...

What it says to me is that he's getting an absurd amount of opportunities. He has not yet been capitalizing on them. But if you look last year in the games that he played, I think in a 10-game stretch where he played, he scored six touchdowns. That's great. I want that from all of my running back. I want that from my first-round running backs. That's high-level production. And if he was doing that while missing out on 81 of 82 attempts, you know, between the 5 and 20, great. Maybe some of those go in.

So I think the argument can be made either way. I just don't think it's a player defining stat. I mean, you have a guy who he did score on the ground last year. He had, what was it, eight consecutive weeks of 20 plus carries. Yes, the carries are there. And I agree with that. He's capped because he's not going to do, he's not going to make a lot of breakaways. You know, he had, I think, a 44-yard run last year. But he isn't a breakaway guy. He's a very tried and true workhorse type of guy, but he's on a good offense.

that is willing to give it to him at the goal line. And so I think he's undervalued at the moment. So we're going to jump into the New Orleans Saints and discuss Drew Brees and his receiving mate there, Willie Sneed. We're going to invite him in on the show right now. You talking to me? The fantasy footballers are extremely excited to bring in our next guest, a breakout wide receiver from last year. We are talking to the...

Willie Sneed from the New Orleans Saints. How are you doing today, my friend? I'm doing great, man. Thanks for having me on. We loved you last year. For fantasy football, you were a waiver-wire star because the breakout was real. You were a big fan favorite around the show, especially with your name. I'm sure you've heard the need for Sneed before.

Yeah, definitely. A couple few times. Yeah, because it's awesome. Yeah, Mike had the need for Sneed all year long. I certainly did. So how's the off-season been going, man? What have you been up to? Well, off-season is going pretty good for me. I went back and finished my school and finished up my degree. And then I've just been training mostly and just trying to, you know, get ready for the upcoming season. Oh, congratulations on the degree. That is spectacular. What did you major in? I measured in a...

sports management went back to ball state to finish up oh that's that's fantastic so it has there been anything in particular for in your workouts you're you're working on you know like you think oh i want to get faster more agile what what is it that you want to evolve i think i just want to become a more explosive player you know i was uh i think i was a good possession receiver last year and you know i made all the right reads and made the plays when i need they came to me but

I think this year, once I get the ball in my hand, I wouldn't be more explosive and just, you know, see a change of speed in my game. Oh, right on. So those yards after the catch, and those are huge. Those are huge. So you have a fascinating career arc to me. You had a few just dominant years at Ball State, the college you were talking about. I mean, in a season, your final season, over 100 receptions, over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns.

staggering numbers. Unfortunately, you went up undrafted. What was that experience like? I mean, you know, it was just a tough time for me and my family. You know, I thought I was going to get good enough to get drafted. And, you know, I just had to dig my way out of a hole. You know, I just had to, you know, fight. I had to prove myself. You know, it didn't work for me at the Browns, but, you know, I just had to keep, stay faithful and, you know, make sure that I...

count my blessings and take advantage of the opportunities that came out with. Sure. So you spend a little time with the Browns and the Panthers before the Saints picked you up for the practice squad. That time in between when you're trying to stay, get the fitness up, the training up, when you're just waiting for the phone call and you finally get it from the Saints for the Practice Squad, what does that phone call look like? Man, it's just...

It's just like I said, another opportunity, and I was really excited because my agent gave me, you know, some hopeful news, and all that had to do is go in there and give a good workout. And, you know, when I got there, you know, I just felt good. I gave my best, and, you know, they ended up taking me. So, you know, it was just an amazing feeling. And just to be back in the building somewhere working, you know, it's just an amazing feeling getting off the couch like that. Sure. And then you got some even better news shortly thereafter. When you ended up, you have a very solid camp.

A great preseason. You end up on the 53-man roster. What do you remember about that day? Did you get the news in person? Did you get a phone call? That was kind of like your draft day, I imagine. It was. You know, I was just quiet the whole day. You know, 3 o'clock was coming. And, you know, I got a phone call from, you know, Coach Payne. He told me that, you know, I made the 53-man roster. I had a heck of a cam. And, you know, he just wanted me to see me take my game to a whole other level. And, you know, he was just going to tell on me that year.

And he just gave me the opportunity that I always won it, man. And I just ran with it. You know, whenever the ball came out of way, I just made the plays. And, you know, I was just very thankful at that time. Yeah, I think the Saints saw something in you because truly it's there. And good for them. Have they expressed anything about you long term? Have you been talking about? Because I believe, you know, you've got one year left this year. Have they talked about plans for you?

I mean, I really haven't been to Coach Payton or anything else cares about it. You know, I'm just coming in every day, you know, with the game plan to get better and just help this team get to where we want to be, which is ultimately the Super Bowl. So, you know, right now that's what my focus is on. And, you know, whenever that time comes to where they want to talk about contracts and all like this stuff, then I'll be ready. But until then, you know, I'm just take it day by day, you know, business life. Sure, sure. And we get it. We love the team-first mentality, and you came in with a very strong

first season, 984 yards. And like I said, we get the team mentality. But you got to tell me the truth here, Willie. 16 yards short of 1,000 yards. I mean, that's got to eat you up. It does, man. That's the motivation. You know, I just took that into the off season. I was like, man, I thought about it. It's like 16 yards. It's like a slant. You know, that's anything. But, you know, I just had to use that as motivation to juice. And, you know, I just want to get $1,000 this year a lot sooner. You know, just keep making those goals and keep pushing myself to the limit.

So what are your goals then? Your personal goals for this year, what would you say they are? You know, I just want to get 1,000 yards this year. You know, as possible. I think this year I think I can, you know, I will get more than 1,000. I definitely want to get my touchdowns up. I just want to, you know, help our wins. You know, I want to get those wins up, you know, be a team player, and just be more effective than I was last year.

Have you been working with Drew Breeze at all in the offseason? Has anybody been working out with Drew Breeze to kind of build that rapport? Yeah, you know, all of us have. We're a young group of receivers, and we actually just got back from San Diego, you know, working out there for a weekend. We got a lot of good work in, and I feel like this unit is a lot closer, and I think the time together is really going to pay off for us. Who all went there to San Diego? I mean, pretty much the whole receiving group.

You know, CJ's filler, you know, Brandon Cooks, Brandon Coleman, Michael Thomas, you know, a lot of guys, you know, that are dedicated. You know, they were there with Drew, and we have some other guys from different teams coming out and working out with us as well. Very cool, very cool. How's Michael Thomas looking so far? He's looking good, man. He's looking good. He's taking day by day. He likes to learn. You know, he wants to learn how to do it the right way. And, you know, we're just, we're really impressed with how much he's grown as a player. So, you know, we're just expecting him to.

get better each and every week. Was Kobe Fleener there? Have you been able to work out with Kobe Fleener yet? Yeah, he was there. Yeah, he was there. He was actually working out. And Kobe looks good, man. You know, I'm really happy for him. And I'm excited to see what he does this year. Yeah, us, us too. I think your team as a whole, really the fantasy footballers, we are really looking forward to seeing what you guys do this year. Now this coming year, you lose.

Marquis Colston. I mean, that was, you know, the Saints' all-time leading receiver. How is that going to hit you guys losing such an integral part of that offense? I mean, like you said, Colston was a big impact of our offense. And, you know, after 10 years, giving his greatness, you know, we just got to try to fill the gap as much as we can. You know, he was one of the Saints greats. And, you know, as a unit, we just have to come together and we have to work just as hard because, you know, without him being there, that's going to get defenses more, you know, time.

studying on cooks and me and all those years. So we all have to be good and we all have to pick up the slack. Yeah, who do you think will assume that type of role that he's leaving the hole on? Who's going to fill that slot? I think, you know, Michael Thomas, like we said, you know, he's going to have to set a role. He's going to have to play soon. And Brandon Coleman has been doing really good for us, too. You know, he's a big body, 6'6. And, you know, he can make plays. So, you know, he's going to get a lot more opportunities this year.

And he's going to show what he can do as well. So last year, there was an emergence for Mark Ingram that, honestly, I don't know that anyone saw coming. You guys had the big signing of C.J. Spiller, an absolutely dynamic pass catcher. It didn't work out last season. And Mark Ingram actually took over that role as the pass catching running back. Did you guys have any idea that he had that kind of juice or that that was going to happen?