Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Cuts, Trades, Week 1 Questions & Mailbag

World Championship draft live in Vegas. It'll be my first time in about a week. This is a 12-man PPR with three wide receivers and two flexes. So I know wide receivers will go fast. I've got the number two overall pick. So my question is this. I'm inclined to go with the running back, either Lev Bell or AP. But looking at the draft boards in this league,

Antonio Brown is actually going number one overall. So I'm wondering, if Antonio Brown falls to me, should I pick them or should I stick with my guns with the running back? Let me hear your thoughts. Thanks. Bye. That is a very good question, and that sounds like a very fun league, so good luck on that draft. That sounds exciting. If it's me, and I'm in that boat at number two, in this league format with three-wide receiver two flex, I am drafting Antonio Brown.

Me too. It's, I completely see the argument to take Antonio Brown, so I don't hate it. And if you're, actually, here's what changes my opinion. It's high stakes, right? So if you're, if you're going all in, you want the least amount of bust potential possible. Now, I don't, don't at all think Peterson's going to bust. I think he's going to be fantastic.

but the chance of him failing versus Antonio Brown is greater. So I would take Antonio Brown with the second pick. All right, Blake in New Jersey. He has this question, and it is a difficult one. Who emerges in the Patriots backfield this year? Will everyone be a bust? He has Tom Brady in two of his leagues, and he's a Jets fan. Oh, Blake. We've got a guy in our league.

I'll just Nick. Nick from our league is the biggest dolphins fan and under no circumstance ever with the greatest trade you could ever produce for him, will he accept Tom Brady onto his roster? That's true. I sometimes want to send him those trades just for fun. Like I will send you Tom Brady for, you know, like literally no one and just see if he accepts the deal and I know he will not. But he wanted our opinion on the Patriots backfield. One of the guys that went for a dollar last night that I thought was one of the

The smartest buys. I think Jason bought him. It was me. It was. Was the unnamed to this point by the fantasy community for some reason. Jonas Gray's gone. James White has not looked good. Legerrett Blunt is suspended week one.

And Dionne Lewis is sitting there. And Dionne Lewis was a flyer up-and-coming player in Cleveland. We talked about him a couple of years ago. He's had major injury problems. But if he has the same talent he had then, I feel like Belichick can use that. And so we need to keep him in mind. Obviously, Brandon Bolden is involved there. So for me, week one, if I'm starting any running back, it's Brandon Bolden. For me. For you? Yes.

Yeah, I would have a hard time starting week one Dionne Lewis, but that's the guy that I chose. I kind of had my pick of all the guys on the roster at that spot other than Blunt. And so that was put my money where my mouth is. I think it's going to be Dionne Lewis. He looks really good in the preseason. If I'm going to fly on anybody, it will be Dionne Lewis. That's what I'm hearing. But if you're starting somebody week one. Oh.

Don't make me doing it. Biddy in Cunningham. I mean, Pittsburgh's not exactly a good defense. Yeah, if I'm starting a Patriots back, it would have to be boldened, but I have no confidence. You'll grimace while you do it. I have no confidence in that. I think if I was starting someone in week one, I would start Dionne Lewis. All right. Neil P. from Seattle, love this show, never miss a podcast. I just wanted to ask about the first week already. I've got Ryan Tannenhill.

and Sam Bradford on my bench. Who do you think I should start? Thanks all. Let's keep up the good work. Well, that is a fun problem to have because those two guys, I think, both have great week-one matchups. However... The Dolphins play the Redskins, which is my favorite matchup of the week in terms of offensive and defense. Like, if I'm Miami's defense, I'm starting them. If I have an offensive player on Miami, I'm starting them. Yeah, the problem is that Miami could be winning that game.

pretty well, and that could be Lamar Miller time versus, you know, I don't think Redskins are going to be able to hang with them and keep the points going up. So I would go Sam Bradford in the matchup. I think Vegas has, I think Vegas has that matchup as the highest point spread. It's Atlanta, right? They play Atlanta. Yes. I mean, that Atlanta Philly game, I think Bradford's going to put up huge points. So I would go Sam Bradford, week one. That'd be my vote. Yeah, I believe Washington and Atlanta were two of the worst.

defenses as far as wide receiver or quarterback's putting up fantasy points. Which two? Washington and Atlanta. Yeah. Yeah. So I would go with Bradford just because I think that the Hawks, the Falcons can keep up with Eagles on scoring. So there's going to be a lot of points in that game. I feel like if you're in this situation and you don't start Bradford, you're really setting yourself up to be sad. Because I think

There's the chance that Bradford has a monster game, and you wish you had started him. I don't know if Tanyhill is going to have a monster game against Washington. I think I'll have a good game against Washington. But, yeah, I've been facing this decision. I mean, let me ask you guys my question. Tom Brady on Thursday night, Sam Bradford against Atlanta. I mean, Pittsburgh was 27th against the past last year. Philly was 31st against the past last year, and Atlanta was 32nd, I think. So, I mean, you're talking about passing defenses that don't.

I mean, it's going to change, right? They try to improve those teams. Those things change, and that's why it's hard to make a start based on last year's numbers. I don't like doing that, but they're both good matchups. They're both great matchups. They are the top two Vegas spreads, and you can either play a guy and get to watch, invested, that opening game in Tom Brady, or hold off and play a guy and wait and watch Monday night football to come from behind. Exciting either way. I would go Bradford.

I like watching my players play so much that it always kills me when I have the decision about like a Thursday night guy versus a Sunday guy. I've made the wrong decision before simply because I'm like, I want to just sit down and watch this one. I really want to watch DiAngelo Williams on Thursday night. Start him, Andy. I would start Bradford, but I am. That is what I'm doing. I'm starting Bradford. This is why I have. You heard it here. I have one quarterback.

And you have one quarterback in that league and his name's Teddy Bridgewater. Oh, and guess who I'm starting week one? You don't have to decide between him and didn't you just sign another quarterback in that league? Possible? Yeah, you did, didn't you? Who was it? Cam Newton! So I have one quarterback, he says, but he has two quarterbacks. I forgot I signed it, but I'm not starting Cam Newton.

All right. That's a flyer, my friend. Oh, my goodness. Point invalid. Yep. All right. Corey in Buffalo, he has both the Bills and the Browns defenses. Would it be worth dropping the Browns and picking up Carson Palmer, even though I have luck already, or would it be better to add someone like Reggie Bush, Roy? Hello. Hello. Stevie Johnson, Brian Quick, or Tyler Lockett.

Thanks a bunch. Well, I don't think you need two defenses. I'll tell you that. I would much rather have chips in the wide receiver and running back, so drop the Browns. I would sign Stevie Johnson out of that entire group because I don't think I need a backup for Andrew Luck, so I would not sign Carson Palmer. And out of those other guys, I would take the flyer on Stevie. If I needed running back depth, Reggie Bush is playing, so.

That would be my only other consideration. Well, this next question plays right into what we were talking about with matchups. Jordan in Arkansas. Well done, sir. Andrew Luck at Buffalo or Cam Newton at Jacksonville. And his argument for Andrew Luck at Buffalo is it's Andrew Luck. And the argument for Cam Newton in Jacksonville is it's Jacksonville. And so this is exactly what I was talking about. We don't know.

We really don't know how good these defenses will be. We have a range where we kind of think they are. I think Buffalo is a really good defense. I don't think Jacksonville is a very great defense. But I'm starting Andrew Luck. I'm not playing the matchup game between players of these, you know, this big of a gap between two players. Do you guys agree? I completely agree. If you took Andrew Luck with a first or second pick, you play him. Yep. Yeah, that would just be very, very painful to be rolling Cam Newton out there hoping.

He failed against Jacksonville. Honestly, I have, if you're in, like, a Fandual League, and you can sign up on Fandual, use our code ballers. If you need a coupon code, get the $200 bonus. In our Fandual League, I would play Jacksonville's D. Like, I think Jacksonville has a chance to surprise on the cheap week one myself. Because they're against Cam? Yeah, against Cam. Because that offense. He's got no weapons right now, and Funches isn't back yet, so.

I mean, yeah, I just think it's not going to be a high-scoring game. I think that game will be a lower-scoring game. The Carolina D is a great week one as well, obviously, better than Jacksonville would be. But on the cheap, I like Jacksonville's D if you need a magical flyer. All right. All right. Isaac in Harlington or Harlingen. Harlingen.

Someone help me. Harlingen is what's written. All right. Would you start Jarvis Landry over Sammy Watkins? It seems like Watkins is the better talent, but Landry actually has a quarterback to throw to him, so he is torn. Who would you start week one? Landry. Yeah, week one, we were talking about the Redskins Dolphins matchup, and Landry is much more...

You know, like the type of running back like wide receiver where you're going to get a lot of those quick short passes. So even if you're up, you're going to be running those type of plays. So I like Landry. This is a risk mitigation type of start to me. Sammy Watkins, I think more often than not, most weeks I'm going to be starting Sammy Watkins in the situation. However, not this game.

Not with Tyrod Taylor's first game in the league and not knowing what that offense is going to look like. I think Landry is very safe. He's much like Antonio Brown Light in the sense that he gets five or six catches a week. Kyle, in Omaha, I've got Zach Ertz as a tight end, and I'm really looking to upgrade. Yeah, that makes sense? Because he's not playing? Yeah, should I, well, he could play. He could play week one. Fair?

But, I mean, I'd like to have someone I know is playing maybe. Yep, I agree. At a position you have one player at. Should I offer a fellow Vikings fan, Bridgewater, and Ertz for Greg Olson? Yes, but I doubt he takes it. Or is my Bradford to Ertz connection too valuable? No, it is not valuable at all when Ertz is not in the field. Yeah, Bridgewater and Erts for Olson would be stealing. So if you can take advantage of the Vikings fan, I would do it.

I agree. All right. Nick in Chicago said, hey, guys, the show is great. It always aids my questions. Aides my questions. Who do you think it would be a better wide receiver three to pick up? Cody Latimer in Denver or Philip Dorset in Indy, and I will add a caveat. I want you to answer this season and Dynasty. Oh, all right. This is a really good question because...

A while ago is Cody Latimer. Now there's reports coming out. He's losing his grip on that third job. I'm going to go. Dynasty is clearly Philip Dorset for me. I don't think Andre Johnson is going to be long for the Colts. And so I love the future with Andrew Luck. This season, I think I'm going to go Philip Dorset. Philip Dorset is my answer to both questions. I agree. All right. Six agreements. I have fallen out of hope for Latimer. You're out of the hope boat.

Hey, if you do not have the trust of Peyton Manning, you do not catch the ball from Peyton Manning. And I am worried about Latimer stepping into that role. He's been talked up so much by the coach as having the ability to have a big year that I'm worried. All right. Drew in Columbia, he says, with boom heron being waived, is Josh Robinson worth having as Frank Gore's handcuff? Yes. Yeah. Yep. Josh Robinson's the guy to own. He also offers.

that beautiful thing called upside if Gore went down as opposed to Boom Heron, who you kind of saw on the field who would have been fine as a starter. If Gore was down, Robinson offers the unknown upside. Chris in Los Angeles, who should I start week one? Keenan Allen or Alan Robinson. Now we know Robinson is going up against the Carolina Panthers defense. So what say you? So Keenan Allen and the Chargers are taking on the Detroit Lions.