Week 16 Matchups + Mike's Back, Wheel of Shame! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 12/20

What's going on, FootCloud? I want to remind you, FantasyChamps.com, head there right now. If you need a trophy, need a belt, need some celebratory swag for your fantasy championship for your league, FantasyChamps.com has all of that. And right now, if you enter the code FREERING, when you buy a trophy, you will get a $59 championship ring for free. Head over there, check out the selection at FantasyChamps.com. The Fantasy Footballer Studio is brought to you by Amazon Prime. Welcome to the Fantasy Footballer's Podcast with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Welcome in!

Bye-bye, Bear. Hello, Hitman. Hey, everybody. The fever dream has come to... Bro. Has come to an end. Well, we had been very... What was that all about? Did you listen to any of the podcasts? I assume not. I did nothing. This was... Trying to exist. Yeah, like, you know how sometimes you're like, sick day, I'm going to watch shows. Yeah, you're going to watch Netflix. None of that bullcrap. It was just live and try to fast forward in time warp until this is over. We had been...

Dude, I am 75% Theraflu right now. Are you? Okay. Yeah, we had spent some time on the show saying how... Talking about how little we had heard from you, which told us everything we needed to know. Right. Where it was like... There was no update. There was no real communication. It was like... And then I see the tweet from yesterday where it was the Jumanji... Yeah, you never tweeted during the whole time either. That tweet, which was, what year is it? Yeah. Because that was the first time I had woken up all week where I'm like, wait, wait. I'm in reality.

Yeah. I'm no longer half here, half in the phantom zone. Well, we're happy to have you back. Yes. Jay Grizz once again disappointed in your absence. He didn't do much. He does. I mean, he looks good. Yeah. I see. He hasn't aged a day. Makes Jason look small. That's true. But you're back in time for the Wheel of Shame today. Congratulations. Yeah, perfect. You guys... I would not put it past you to pick on a sick guy. Yeah. Well, you know. We'll see what happens. YouTube.com slash TheFantasyFootballers. I did want to take a second. We're coming to the end of the season.

We got semifinal week. We're previewing games today. We've got the fantasy face-off at the end of the show. Next week is championship week. Mm-hmm. Although, it's funny. I talked to somebody yesterday whose championship week is this week. Really? Yeah. I was like... They never moved it when the NFL added a game or something? No, and so that meant that their first week of the playoffs was the week when, like, the Ravens and everyone was on bye. Oh, my goodness. I was like, what are you doing, man? Fix your lead. I was like, what are you doing? But... If only... If only they knew what the schedule was.

Yeah. You know, sometimes people just leave it alone. I guess. And so, that's always one of our reminders is get that fixed in the offseason. If you have some feedback for us, this show is for you. This show is to help your team get better, to entertain you, to help you prepare each and every week. We're here all throughout the offseason as well. But if you have feedback for us, we'd love to hear from you. Things that you love about the show, anything that you don't love, you can send that into questions at fantasyfootballers.com. We'll get those. We'll read them.

We'll check them out. We always want to make the show better each and every year. And I thought I'd get that out there. Before, we talked about the 34-27 Thursday night football game. What a game. Yeah. It was pretty exciting. This game, the Broncos started hot. They looked unstoppable. Just machine-like to begin the game? Much to my chagrin, as I did message you guys, how annoyed. And look, this is the me problem. This is a 100. Maybe other people had the problem too. But them rotating their running back. Literally every snap felt not – to me, it didn't feel fully strategic.

It felt like Sean Payton's like, yeah, I can do it. I can do this because I'm Sean Payton. And it worked for a bit there. And then a running back never caught momentum. Yeah, the running backs got tired from all the running on and off the field. It's funny. It's like – They were sprinting off. That is a distance to cover. You're doing wind sprints. It's literally more than they run when they get the ball on the vast majority of occasions. So you talk about fresh legs. It's like, man, fourth quarter, all of my guys are winded. Why are you so tired?

Coach, you got me running 50-yard wind sprints every other snap. This was a game where I think just the greatness of Justin Herbert was on display. Oh, my gosh. He was so good. I think it was the Darius Davis touchdown that was – it didn't make sense the way his arm angle was. He was like running to the left and had no ability to put his shoulder into it and just laser beams a ball. It was awesome. And McConkie had a good game. Dude, that Gus run. The Gus bus. That was a vintage Gus Edwards run. Yeah, he was 14 for 68-2.

Superstar Marvin Mims, Jason, led the way for Denver's passing game, 3 for 62. Just further separating from that chump, Troy Franklin. He had two catches of his own. Yeah. But you know what? I'm gaining. I'm gaining on you. But Cortland Sutton, 5 for 50. Everything was pedestrian in this one. If you started Sutton, which I think tons of people did. We had three or four in our office that did that. This was not – this was not the worst thing that could have ever happened. I believe in our league he showed up about a point and a half under where they had him projected.

Yeah, Mike and I are playing against Cortland Sutton in the Dino Junior League together. And I'm disappointed that he got seven and a half points. Yeah, I like the – Because he didn't feel that way. No, it felt like he should be – he should have ended the game around five. And seven and a half, too much. So, all that being said, we don't have a Thursday night goose of Cortland Sutton to add to the cup and the read. Like, he – it wasn't a league-winning performance. It's probably not going to define your week either direction. But that was kind of the summary of the game.

The real only disappointing player who was an outright bust if you chose to play him, and we talked about it on the waivers, that we would play McMillan over him is Quinton Johnston. Quinton Johnston did absolutely nothing, even though Herbert was awesome. No, he cuged again. Yeah, well, cuged going to cuged, especially on primetime. Those lights are – maybe the lights are too bright. You can't see when it's primetime. But, yeah, hopefully you didn't start him. So, yeah, there you go. It's Friday. Put Clan Friday. All right. Every Friday we give $100 away to FantasyChamps.com. We give a Fantasy Footballers t-shirt away to a supporter.

And this week, username Groot. The? I am? Just Groot. Groot. Congratulations. I am Groot. Oh, okay. So it's not the original. No, Mike is making the point that his – His name is simply Groot. His name is Groot. He just says, I am Groot. Right. But that's all he says. Yeah, but what – No. He doesn't just say Groot. If real Groot had an account on our site, he would not write it as I am Groot. I don't know how he could write just Groot. He doesn't know how. He can only write and say I am Groot. No, that is all we hear.

No, he is speaking his language. Oh, that's true. It's like Pokemon. I forgot about that. I apologize. Don't fight Mike on these issues. I apologize. You nerd. I wasn't nerd enough. Congratulations. Thanks for supporting the show over there at jointhefoot.com. Let's talk news. News and notes from around the league. Presented by USAA Insurance. All righty. We have Saturday games this week. You get that trickle of fantasy points coming in throughout the weekend. Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Patrick Mahomes off the injury report will play because, of course, this was good news, really good news, and I've seen all the practice videos as well.

Joe Mixon off the injury report and will play in the game. Still a tough matchup. Still really, really want him in your lineup if you have Joe Mixon and you've been leaning on him to get to the semifinals. Yeah, all the video, the practicing in full, it really does seem like the injury is not an issue here. The matchup is still an issue, but it's given me a lot of confidence to kind of bump him up a little bit more. All right. We have George Pickens ruled out once again. George. And Rashad Bateman is questionable, was seen in a walking boot.

Probably a customized walking boot that's already been pre-made for him with an engraving, and it's like his walking boot that he can use every week if he wants to. Has he considered getting a running boot? Oh, and just leave it on. Yeah. Like, why is it always a walking boot? Man, if he went out there and started running routes in one of those boots. Yeah, dude. With cleats. A boot with cleats? I mean, he would. Oh, that would be a weapon. And he'd be safe. I feel like he would always be just tilting one direction. Yeah. He's got to start in the slot.

Otherwise, he's going out of bounds. He's a little, yeah, he's uneven. Yeah. RB one leg. Yeah. Tyrone Tracy, limited on Thursday with an ankle injury. He's still a, you know, anytime you've got an offense looking as inept as the Giants, he's still going to be a little bit of a nervous start on a week-to-week basis. Cedric Tillman's still limited. You're not playing him without Winston, and so we move on. And there are also, like, sometimes you are trying to push someone through a concussion protocol even more, and they are. This is a team, I don't think they're in need to force him back for DTR.

David Njoku did not practice, dealing with the hamstring. Sames. Braylon Allen, Isaiah Davis, both limited. You know, Jason made Breesaw his start of the week. What? Yeah. This is- Oh, you know what's going to happen, Mike. You get fresh reaction from Mike. You know what's going to happen. You made Breesaw your start of the week? I told him I'm not there with him. This is just- This is only a man crying out in pain. Breesaw has a good matchup. His two counterparts are currently not practicing in full- Okay. Are injured. And he is going to have a good week now that he can't help people.

Like I said, this is just a man who's angry. There's a little bit of something there. Zach Ertz returned to a limited practice. Could be back out there with the concussion. This is what I was talking about. Like, remember we talked about player incentives? And maybe Zach Ertz will come back a little quicker through his protocol because he's got some checks to cash. He's got some quiche coming in. Yeah. So, that's- Motivation somehow can affect concussions, it seems. Yeah. And we are still- K-Dotten still didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday with a knee injury. Monitoring that. Tony Pollard did not practice.

DMP, DMP limited last week, so he could still play. Geno Smith practiced in full, and here's a big one. Kenneth Walker- The bone zone. Practiced in full. Are we back? Well, see, the bone- We might be back to Kenneth Walker playing, but the- I know. He's- But the bone zone- It's a- It's Minnesota. So, that is- As bad as it gets. And then Charbonnet, he was limited with the oblique, but- Honestly, Andy and I are squaring off. And the semis in the dynasty are Dino senior. Underdog. Andy is the underdog. And my final decision comes down to a spot, like, where it's-

I have Jerome Ford. Right. And it was, oh, you know, I don't like that DTR is the quarterback, but, hey, he should be getting all the work. He's got juice. It's the Bengals. Yeah, and it's the Bengals. I love my running backs against the Bengals. I just want pieces of that. And I didn't want- I'm sorry. You didn't want this decision. I didn't want Ken Walker to make the decision hard for me because I think he is- Even starting him is so difficult. A healthy Ken Walker against Minnesota is like, oh, are we going to get one of those real crappy

where he's like two yards per carry, maybe he catches three passes and it's just nothing? It's a- Do you remember when- Staring it down is really, really hard to start him. Do you remember when Kenneth Walker played against the Detroit Lions in that tough run D before they lost their defense? And he was the running back two with three touchdowns. Yeah, no, he can. But what was his line aside from the touchdowns? He was 12 for 80. 6.7 yards a carry. I didn't recall. Four receptions for 36. That's where it's hard. That's really tough. Because Ken Walker can do that.

Ken Walker can also be 40 yards on 15 attempts and nothing else. There are several situations this week, Jerome Ford, Kendra Miller. Yeah. Oh, man. Where you have an opportunity that just screams, start me, because of the amount of work that they have the potential to receive, but offenses that say, kill me, because they're going to be so inept. Are you going to be happy with Kendra Miller if he catches one pass and runs between the 20s a few times and they punt? Like, this is what submarine Dalvin Cook, we shared stories on the footcast of your worst championship bad beats.

And I was like, I had Dalvin Cook when he was a top five running back and he played in the fantasy championship and I needed nine points to win a title. And guess what? It wasn't Kirk Cousins. He was out with COVID. I don't remember the name of that chump that played quarterback that week, but they were so inept that it was three and out, three and out, three and out. You don't get to run the football if your first down is a sack. Okay. And now it's second and 15 and you got an incompletion and it's third down. You're off the field.

Like that does happen. And those decisions are hard. I know Kendra Miller will get more into it on this show. He is like the number one name littering the start sit tool on the website because, you know, people don't know what to expect. And whether you go with a lower probability, bad matchup, Kenneth Walker or everything for Kendra Miller on Monday night where you've not seen enough of him. It's a really tough choice. Jalen Waddle did not practice. Uh, we can probably stop updating about Jalen Waddle. He's, uh, he's not going to be in your lineup. Isaac Garindo. We got news.

Unlikely to play. This is unbelievable. This is, um, they're, they're going to go to fifth string at the running back position, which will probably be if you had, you know, some Keyshawn Vaughn, Patrick Taylor combination that is not attractive. Like I'm not actively fighting for one of those guys right now. I don't know if you guys have a different opinion. Uh, I think Patrick Taylor is probably a good play this week. I expect, I mean, they always use one guy that, you know, the idea that they're going to platoon it and use a committee maybe at some point now that they're onto the 16th string

running back. Maybe they do. It just, it's never been done. Like Kyle Shanahan has had enough injuries and they just grab whoever's next and say, well, you're on the field for every snap. It's just kind of how we play ball. So I think it's going to be Patrick Taylor. He, he is someone that I would be willing to start. I picked them up in a league that I'm in the playoffs for at the very least to just block if, um, if I don't start him. All right. Alvin Kamara, not expected to play on Monday season might be over for Alvin Kamara.

So you're, you're probably not getting them back next week. If you make it through, it is certainly disappointing. Um, he's been a key cog in championship runs. Just devastating. I mean, he's one of those players. That's just in almost every single playoff right now. Mike, uh, we are facing each other this week. I was already an underdog and now you will not be getting Alvin Kamara against you. I'm sorry for your loss. Yeah. But guess what I got instead. What do we got? Ramond Ray Stevenson. Oh, this, that will be the ultimate come on it for me. Yes. Which one of you guys, I believe you or Al are playing against in the league of record.

The Alvin Kamara. That would be a, yeah, that would be Al. Al is. I think he got a concession speech from the other manager already. Dude. Yeah. But then how I'll try to be like, well, of course. Sutton. Is that Al's voice? Yeah. It is when, when, when one player's like, I don't have my superstar running back. He's like, yeah, but Corlin's son got eight points. Mike is back, baby. Bring the heat. Uh, we did get news this morning as well. Just one last bit here. We talked about James Connor, got the great matchup. Um, Trey Benson's already out for Sunday's game and Amari DiMarcato's on IR.

So they are now down to two running backs on the roster. Connor and DJ Dallas. Uh, we may have a return here. Yeah. You could get Tony, Tony Brooks, James. Oh my gosh. Michael Carter. Tony, Tony, James Jones, Brooks, Jr. Coming back. That's a name I never thought I would hear again. Or remember. Um, yeah. Um, also though, Paris Johnson, the, the left tackle is also not going to play this week. So, you know, some good from a depth chart standpoint for Connor and some bad from an offensive line standpoint. That was today's news and notes presented as always by USAA insurance.