Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Week 17 Fantasy Forecast, Sits of the Week, Playoff News

and the New York Giants offense in general. There's now even more of a unsettled situation on a defense that was terrible anyway. The only counter argument I'll give to that is the hurrah of the coach firing. We saw it happen with Miami this year where a team that had been horrific. They fire their coach. For two games, Miami came out like full gangbusters.

This is such a different situation. This is week 17. I completely agree. This season's over. And the players were, I mean, there were a lot of... Games in New York. A lot of reports talking about the players being very upset and pissed and angry at this firing. So it's not the same. I say, I'm reading about players who they don't like Chip Kelly. So you're reading about Demar. There's nothing to Hurrah for anymore. This season's over. Yeah. And it's been said that Chip Kelly wanted to retain personnel control and that Lori balked at that.

essentially two egos knocked together in a room and Kelly got fired. Is it the right move? Is it the wrong move? I don't know. He certainly made personnel decisions that were very questionable and did not come to fruition this year in a positive way. So did they give them enough time? Who knows? That could be debated forever. The truth of the matter is, is all of the...

kind of, I don't even know the right word for it, but all of the polish that comes with being in a Chip Kelly offense is now gone from those players heading into next year because Chip Kelly's not going to be there. It's not going to be this we get off 20 more plays than everybody else per game situation. So, you know, we'll find out. We'll know a lot more when they hire somebody and when they set an offense in place and whether Bradford comes back. And like I said before the show, I think DeMarco Murray is there. I think he's there and he's going to get the rock next year. The quick take for me is that Sam Bradford

I say the quick gut reaction. Sam Bradford will not be there. He will leave. And DeMarco Murray will still be there in Philadelphia where it was looking more and more like he would be shipped out. I think he will be there and they will find a play caller who suits what DeMarco can do more. All right. I'm going to shoot through the rest of this news. You guys jump in where you think a comment is relevant. All right. Jonathan Stewart.

is not practicing on Wednesday. It's not a good sign for the weekend. Alshan Jeffrey, everybody's favorite groin injury, hamstring pull. He's on IR now. That's not good for Alshan Jeffrey's fantasy production this week. Probably not going to do well this week. So I like Zach Miller a lot to pick up the slack. Once again, a great tight-in start. Bill's plays tight-in Charles Klan, IR as well. Very disappointing season for a guy that's getting paid as a tight-in one.

like a lot of money. It's very scientific. Yeah, I mean, he's being paid like a one. Yeah. He has more guaranteed money than almost any tight-in. Yeah, I believe I had read he's, of any tight-end who's not on a rookie contract, he is making the most per game or so. They need to use him better. He's not a bad player. They just did not use him correctly. All right. The Colts have signed Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley. Everybody's...

Playoff darling from like, oh wait, no, that was bad. I'm looking into the future. Looking into the future. Injuries that are going to happen this week. Who do you think are some possible players that might get injured this week? I think that Josh Freeman is staring at an injury. What about Ryan Lindley? And Ryan Lindley is also. He's somebody. He's about a week away from a concussion. Whoever gets to play for the Colts is going to get hurt.

Because of the tissue paper offensive line? Because they can't protect the quarterback. And what this says clearly is that Andrew Luck will not be ready. So if you grabbed him off of waivers, like I said yesterday, it's probably safe to drop him. So who do you want, who would you rather watch this week? Would you rather it be Josh Freeman or Ryan Lindley? Matt Hasselback. No, no, no, no, don't do it. Don't. Come on. He has a wife and children. This is purely from.

the perspective of it's going to be a total disaster. I'd like to see Josh Freeman back in the NFL. And I would also just re-emphasize that the Titans are a wonderful defensive play this week. Like we mentioned yesterday, this thing is going to be a problem. Do you remember when Josh Freeman, he got cut in Tampa Bay, he got picked up by Minnesota?

and Minnesota was having their quarterback shuffle, and they threw him out there where he had no time to enter the playbook. Yet they still called about 40 pass plays when they had Adrian Peterson. Clearly, I'm still salty about that game. But it was... One game. It was 2453, which is 37% passing with one interception and a total of 190 yards and no touchdown. I am...

pretty confident that was a primetime game. He is my sit of the week. And it was, it was so bad. It was tough. All right, the Jags have confirmed that Gus Bradley will return for a fourth season in 2016. Gus Gus. Gus Bradley, water bet eight and eight or better next year, Jason. Would you like to take that? I would not like to take that bet. Wow. Way too early to talk. The Jags are on the way up.

They are on the way up. I do think they're on the way. Okay, so that's good. How many games did they win last year? Was it five or less? I don't remember. Because then technically they are on the way up. Yeah, exactly. I like Gus Bradley. It's been a joke, kind of a joking conversation around the studio here about my like for Gus Bradley, despite the kind of slow ascension of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

You know, we've seen an offense that's been great. They need... They're the tortoise. Slow and steady wins the race. You remember who they get back next year? Their number... Their number one pick? Yeah. They'll get him back on defense. And then... Fowler? Yeah. Dex... Oh, that's right. I completely forgot that he... Dante Fowler, Jr., blew his knee out the first player. Oh, that was... Training cramp. Yeah, I mean... He's training cramp. He did have the cramps. No, Dante Fowler, Jr. comes back, and it was what?

Four days after he, he inked the deal after. Yes. They gave him a four-year max deal after the ACL tear. He'll be back. He's had plenty of time. That's like picking up a brand new, you know, we've seen the impact of defensive linemen. And then, you know, I don't know. I like Jacksonville. I do too. They're my Cinderella story. They are a fun team to watch. And I will say this. Blake Bortles.

For a second year quarterback, I believe that he will actually trend and be a very good quarterback. That's what I think. All right. So the Bengals, the Bengals are hearing AJ McCarran his day-to-day. They did an x-ray on the wrist and it's a sprain. He is likely to play this week and then he is likely to start the first playoff game if they don't have a buy because they're saying Dalton could not play in the divisional round. So that's just throwing that out there. It's also good to know for AJ Green.

whether they have a third string or behind center. Drew Brees doesn't see a scenario in which he and Peyton don't return next season. For dynasty circumstances, Brandon Cooks, those type of players. Willie Sneed even. Willie Sneed. Good to know that, you know, or at least good to think about the fact that if Breeze is back and Peyton's back, that often stays, I think, relevant to fantasy football. And then what's the latest with Marshawn Lynch? We didn't mention it yesterday. We should have. Marshaun Lynch.

There's talk that he could be back this weekend. My gut tells me he will not. However... Bad situation if he comes back this weekend, right? It's a really bad situation. I mean, I know the guy's beast mode, and he does just supernatural human things that the mere mortal man cannot do. However, Marshall and Lynch has... He's been out of football for...

For weeks, he is not in football shape, and he would be coming to play on the road against the Arizona Cardinals who have a top running defense of the league. I just, it's not a situation where I'm in my championship week. I get Lynch back. Yes, my stud is back. I'm throwing him out. I just, I don't see a scenario where he succeeds. What if you're somebody that's been starting Christine Michael the past week and a half? Find someone else. Find Rashad Jennings. Okay.

All right, let's move on to the forecast. Fantasy forecast. All right, the first matchup I want to look at here is the Jaguars traveling to Houston to take on the Texans. The Texans are all but assured of that division title unless 17 ping pong balls bounce the right way for the Indianapolis Colts and Josh Freeman. So we've got a matchup that we'll see our fantasy darling Blake Bortles in. We'll see Alan Robinson and Alan Hearns who had...

Big weeks last week. We got Julius Thomas. What are we taking away from this game? We don't have any concerns about guys sitting here. So, you know, is there anybody that's in debate?

I guess the running back position in Jacksonville would be the most up in the air situation and circumstance we need to pay attention. Yeah, I don't think that they're going to necessarily sit him. You know, obviously they're not going to sit Yeldon or Robinson because of playoff implications. But as a fantasy owner, and we'll get this a little bit, I would sit them because the Houston Texans run defense has just been fantastic. Now, the one question here is whether or not Houston.

would sit anybody. I think because it's an early game, they won't be able to. So I'm confident in being unconfident in Denard Robinson. I don't like that play. Really? Okay. All right. Yeah, against Houston, I would not like to play Denard Robinson this week. We do expect him to be the starting running back of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It just, it hasn't panned out yet for Robinson since he's gotten the opportunity. And this is a bad matchup.

So I like Jason's take there. Certainly. As far as the guys, I mean, Bortles, Alan Robinson, Alan Hurons, these are pretty close to must-play guys, but you better lower your expectations. Bortles has a tendency to struggle when it's a tough matchup. I'm still playing him, and I'm still absolutely playing Alan Robinson. But all the Jaguars are...

Guys, I play every week. Now, including Julius Thomas. Because Julius Thomas only had two catches last week in that kind of great game where it looked like he would be, you know, he's facing a defense that can't guard the tight end and he was two for 12. It's one of those situations, though, where you have to start these guys because of what they can do. But between Alan Hearns and Julius Thomas, probably only one of those guys will get it done. And so you're hoping it's your guy.

But I'm still going to start both of them. And I'm fine with Julius Thomas as well. Julius Thomas last week, you know, one of the things that happened is there were long touchdowns. You know, Alan Robbins and Alan Hearns. Not red zone situation. Exactly. And so when you get those long touchdowns, you're not really using your tight end yet. You know, that's not the type, you know.

He had a 90-yard touchdown Alan Robinson did, and so that takes an entire drive away and game flow away from Julius Thomas. All right, another morning game that I'm really excited about. The Jets go to Buffalo to take on the bills. This is an exciting game. The Jets have the playoffs on the line. They need to win. Fantasy-wise, I think the story here still needs to be the Bilal-Pal-Pal-Cris-Ivery discussion because Powell now, last week...

On the ground, seven carries for 56 yards, okay? We know what he can do through the air. Last four weeks, eight catches, five catches, seven catches, five catches. He is the kind of release valve. Fitzpatrick's in trouble.

The pass rush is closing in. We're going to dump it to Bilal Pal, and he's looked spry. He's at double digits in five of the last six games, and he's outperformed Chris Ivory, certainly in PPR League. So is he the guy that you have both on your team? You're just starting Bilal Pal now over Chris Ivory. Chris Ivory now in four straight games has been disappointing. He had one decent game three ago, and that's his only double-digit fantasy game in the last four games.

So coming in here, it's hard for me. If I had both of those guys, I would want to go with the guy who seems to be more involved regardless of game flow. If the game is up, he's still involved. If the game is down, he has to be involved in Belal Powell. So Powell's the guy that I would rather play if I had both. Yeah, the one thing that you really can't expect or hope from from Powell is a multi-touchdown type of performance that you've seen a couple times from Ivory.