Starts of the Week + Week 8 Breakdown, “Little Bit Rain” - Fantasy Football Podcast for 10/29

We've talked about the ups and downs of having to watch this Phillip Rivers offense. But what I'm most intrigued about in this game is whether the premonitions of Mike, the hopes of Mike about Jonathan Taylor, you know, you come through the byweek. The numbers, they just overwhelm you when it comes to the effectiveness of Jonathan Taylor compared to Jordan Wilkins and Naim Hines. More than two yards per carry better.

and you come through the buy week, and is this the opportunity for Jonathan Taylor to kind of take the reins facing the dead last worst run defense in football, giving up 30 fantasy points per game to the running back position? Is this the game that Jonathan Taylor takes off for your team, i.e., do you buy low before this week? I think you should. You're not going to be able to trade for him after this week. The fantasy managers that have Jonathan Taylor,

They're just waiting with Bated Breath for the one big game to finally happen. And this is the game. I think Taylor's going to take it to 500 this week. That would be more than 100.

So that'd be nice. That's why I went to five. That's why he didn't select him as just taking it to 100 because he's like, oh, he's going to go way past that. Yeah. Waiting for the other segment. That's right. Yeah. But DeAndre Swift, ironically, on the other side is another rookie where the head coach, I'm reading this because the quote last week was, he was not to be trusted. The quote was DeAndre Swift is going to have an expanded role. It made logical sense with the way the season is progressing.

progressing, but that was from Matt Lyre Patricia. That's what Kyle the Borgogan, our editor, wrote in here. He wrote Matt Lyre Patricia, Patricia said D'Andre Swift is going to have an expanded role. He ended up having fewer carries than Adrian Peterson. Neither guy could run well last week. They did not get it going. At least they play the Colts this week.

Yeah, there is that question of is the Indianapolis defense slightly overrated? They faced these quarterbacks this year. Minshu, Cousins, Darnold, Foles, Baker, Burrow. I don't think that, I mean, they're going to be inflated, but I don't think overrated. This is still a very good defense. It's exactly what we saw from the Patriots last year. Their opening schedule for the first eight, nine, ten weeks was delightful and they were outrageously good. But, I mean, when a great defense is playing.

Bad quarterbacks. They are very good. That doesn't mean that they are a bad defense. And I expect Indy to hold the lions here in check. Now, the Colts three point favorites on the road, it is a 50 point over under. Stafford, I don't think he's going to be awful in this game. He has Kenny Galladay. Are you still trying to play Stafford with a new level of confidence? No, no, I'm not.

I feel like I'm out on Stafford, even streaming-wise, until we see signs of life. 100%. This is coming into last season, we had the fear of the head coach offensive coordinator tendencies to want to run the ball. And then last year, they opened it up. They couldn't run the ball. They tricked us. Well, all their running backs were injured. And so they just let it fly. They still can't run the ball.

Well, they can. I mean, in their eyes, in their eyes, I think that Adrian Peterson and D'Andre Swift are doing a good job. You know, whether they should have or should not have, they won the game last week. They're trading for players right now. They are in win now mode, and they believe that this current scheme is the way that they're going to win. So I agree. You can't trust Matthew Stafford right now. He does not look bad to me.

I don't think that he is going to be allowed to be fantasy, you know, relevant in most matchups. Yeah, and it's hard too because you have like Kenny Gallaudet, who, of course you're playing. You have T.J. Hawkinson, who's been a great tight end to who you're playing. And you also have DeAndre Swift, who is much more of a theoretic type of, you know, benefit to Matthew Stafford. So if that expanded role comes to fruition, it gives Stafford one more.

inflator of fantasy value, but this is not the game that you double down or bet on Matthew Stafford. You don't do it against the Colts who are literally number one against opposing fantasy quarterbacks, even if it is a laundry list of mediocre names. What do you do with Ty Why Hilton in this game? Because the Lions defense, it's not, you know, they give up 33 points to the opposing fantasy wideouts, but we sing this song every week with Ty Hilton, and you're just left disappointed. He's the Devin Singletary of the Whiteout. Oh, that's a good way to put it.

You feel like you should be able to play him every single week, and then every once in a while you're happy about it, but most of the time you're not. He is a, he's a nope for me. The Colts, are they overrated on defense? I'm with Jason. I don't think that they are, and I think that the Colts can be in control of this game. It was a shock to see what happened to them last time they played, where Burrow was able to take the Bengals and get a big lead, so we had to see Philip Rivers.

Bring the team back, higher offensive output for the pass catchers. But no thank you. But Jason. Start or sit, Trey Burton. That's where I was going to go. Jason has this strange infatuation with Trey Burton. Are you playing him this week? So.

This is a really poor matchup for him. The lions have been very good against tight ends. And when you drill down further to see what tight ends they've played and how their opponents have fared against those tight ends, it's for real. The lions are a very good matchup. You know, as they are.

very bad for playing your tight end against them. So I don't think this is the week I look at Trey Burton, but I do like Trey Burton. I think he's going to take the lead now that he's healthy in this, you know, triad of tight ends in a tight end heavy offense. Can you start him? Sure. I mean, he'll get a couple targets, a couple receptions, but this isn't the game where I think he's going to have, you know, a touchdown and there's other better pivot options. Do you think Trey Burton has like a picture of Kobe Fleener up in his locker?

Oh, man. Yeah. Kobe Flaner. The name I haven't heard. In a little while, right? The Minnesota Vikings are one in five taking on the Green Bay Packers at five and one. Packers, six and a half point favorites. It's a 51.5 point over under. I've got to plug your ears if you're a Vikings fan with this hot stat I want to bring to your attention. Since Mike Zimmer came to Minnesota, the Vikings are 1, 18, and 1.

outdoors against the team with a winning record. And they win 5% of the time. Yep, they do. Going to Green Bay, that smells. That does not, I just don't think that this is going to be a very competitive game. Aaron Rogers, the Packers, they're getting it going. There's a reason why they are probably feeling comfortable sitting Aaron Jones this week if they need to.

Minnesota's defense is just not going to be able to slow down Aaron Rogers the way he's been playing this year. And I don't think their offense is going to do a whole lot in Green Bay against these Packers. So am I missing something about this equation here? I mean, Jamal Williams, Aaron Rogers, Devante Adams, in your lineup. You're playing Jamal? I am absolutely. If Aaron Jones is in, you're going to play Jamal? No. No, yeah, you're saying if.

Yeah, I'm implying that Aaron Jones, the news from yesterday about the likelihood of him missing being high that Jamal would be the play. Yeah, so there are three massive concern games at this point for whether this is one of them. But like I said, the fantasy implications of a Derek Carr, Baker Mayfield are much wider. Aaron Rogers.

I trust a little bit more to play well in, you know, windy conditions. I'm not going to necessarily bench him for weather or definitely not going to bench Devante Adams for weather. So this is a more clear-cut game. Maybe you lower your expectations. On the other side of the ball, I do worry a little bit about Kirk Cousins, his ability to get it done in Lambo in poor conditions. And, you know, honestly, the Packers have been pretty good against opposing wide receivers, but you're not going to bench.

Adam Thielen, I think the question is, to me, Justin Jefferson, is he a must start in this game, or is he just an option to start? Because I see him more as an option, but I'm curious what you two think. Too much upside to sit. I think he's a must start in my book. Robert Woods or Justin Jefferson? Robert Woods against Miami. I would go Robert Woods. Yeah, I'll play Jefferson. But that's philosophical about what you want to do at wide receiver. I'm assuming neither of those guys is your wide receiver won.

Right. So in that situation, the way Jefferson has been targeted, the points per game, I think he's four in football right now. That's just too tough for me to let go of. Touchdown potential is so much higher with him. That being said, what's the recipe for Minnesota to compete in this game? It's Dalvin Cook returning. It's continuing their 30th ranked pace of play where they slow the ball down and give it to a competent running back in Dalvin Cook.

and hopefully stay close. I mean, it was a high-scoring affair in week one, but this is a different Minnesota team right now. This is a different Packer team at home than when they were playing this Dome game. So, you know, Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson. You know, Mike, do you look at Jefferson as a must start or is a, you know, kind of? He's a, you're probably starting him. He's not in the must start category for, for me, just.

No, no, I'm playing Justin Jefferson. I take it back. Think of the options you probably have. You're going to play Justin Jefferson. And keep your eye. I'm not saying to play him, but storylines, things, it's always, you know, fun to have things to follow when you're watching a game. Watch, do we get the continual, or the continuation of the breakout for Big Irv Smith, the tight end from Minnesota?

Two straight games heading into the buy week. He had four receptions and over 50 yards. His snaps continue to go up. It looks like they're transitioning to him as a pass-catching weapon over Kyle Rudolph. So don't play him yet, but tight-in 13, tight-in 11. Matchup is not necessarily great against Green Bay, which is why I don't want to stream him. I'm streaming guys like Richard Rogers or Harrison Bryant over him. But we might have another option. Kirk Cousins or Matthew Stafford.

Oh, goodness gracious. Deeper leagues. Kurt Cousins. Desperate situations. I'm not playing Stafford. Yeah, that's how I feel too. But if the wind is what it's supposed to be, I just don't think Kirk Cousins gets it done. I would pivot to Stafford in that situation. Okay. Should we get to starts of the week, Brooks? Let's do it. Starts of the week. All right, week eight starts of the week. And why don't we let?

A little bit rain, kick it out. Oh, little bit rain. Here we go. My quarterback, I'm giving you another streamer. We've kind of alluded to it all week, but Jimmy Garoppolo taking in Seattle. They give up the second most points to the quarterback position. I have confidence in Brandon Ayuk. I have confidence that Jimmy Garapolo with George Kiddle will get it done and be a fine streaming option off of the wire. Man, that is a you could be 100% right. That is a tough one for me because that is a pure,

matchup only decision, right? Because Jimmy G's not looked great, losing some weapons, and yet Seattle has looked so just benevolent in their secondary that you think Jimmy will find targets and put up a game. I do. And it's so just like for some practicality of names. Matthew Stafford, I would stream Jimmy Garoppolo over Matthew Stafford. You have Cam Newton, you were.

You played him last week. You're like, ah, crap, you didn't get your top choices off the wire and you're still looking at Cam Newton, him and in Han. Nope, I would pivot to Jimmy Garoppolo. Okay, yeah. All right, Jason. I'm going with Ryan Tannahill. We talked about him earlier against Cincinnati. The Bengals have just given up.

big games to Philip Rivers and Baker Mayfield. They combined for 72%. That's embarrassing. 668 yards, an 8 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio. Ryan Tannahill can get it done. I think with the home game for Burrow, he's going to be able to keep up enough to where they'll need Ryan Tannahill. And this might be, oh, fears of a Derek Henry game because they'll just run. They won't need Ryan Tannahill. But the Bengals, the last three weeks have played three good rushing teams, Baltimore indie.