Week 15 Matchups + Big Baker, Mushroom Stew - Fantasy Football Podcast for 12/18

I've seen magical things happen too many times when they escape the dark, dark place that is out of case. All right. What about Jared Goff? I think he's a very polarizing fantasy start each and every week because you just don't know what this offense is going to look like. The Jets, though, they give up the most points to fantasy quarterbacks in football. They give up the most points to fantasy running or wide receivers in football. Goff.

can do a lot in a half here. Yeah, I know that the Rams want to run the ball. They're going to be up big, so they're going to run the ball. They've been succeeding with that. I get that whole narrative, and that will happen. But the Jets are better against the run than they are against the pass. And the way this game is going to start is with some easy jaunts down the field in the passing game and some scores. I mean, you look back in Seattle, top 10 quarterback week, Las Vegas, top 10 quarterback week, Miami.

top 10 quarterback week. The Chargers top 10 quarterback week. The Patriots top 10 quarterback week. The Chiefs obviously number one quarterback week. That's a stretch in a row. That's not through the course of season chair picking games. That's all their previous games. And all these teams won. So they were up. They were able to run the ball. I think I'm starting Jared Gough this week.

Cam Acres is Mike start of the week. 79% of snaps last week. You can play Cam Acres and you can do it confidently. Robert Woods, he was limited in practice on Thursday with the thigh. He'll be out there. I heard they were just literally, I think McVeigh said they're just managing his workload and his rest. I don't believe this is an injured situation. I think this is a, you play football, you're banged up. We want to give you rest. Cooper Cup.

Robert Woods, you play them. Tyler Higby, I think, is a sneaky start at the tight end position. Dets are worse than football against the tight end. And you could be in touchdown territory with Higby. Yes. Jason agrees. I do. All right. Eagles, 4-8-1, Cardinals 7 and 6. Cardinals are six-point favorites. Ooh, I don't know if they win straight up. 49 point over under.

It was an impressive defensive performance by Arizona last week, and this is week number two for Jalen Hertz, some film out there to take a look at. My hunch is that Jalen Hertz will be a tad more mobile than Daniel Jones was last week. That's a fair hunch. It's a fair hunch to the point of you making him your start of the week. 13 designed runs. That's what you want to see for that guaranteed baseline at the quarterback position. Hertz could have...

a bad game and be fine for fantasy. And that's something that should comfort you with the Cardinals being favored and the Eagles being kind of up and down. Quarterback design runs are far more effective than a normal running back rushing attempt. And we just talked about how Gus Edwards is getting seven, eight, maybe nine, ten touches a game. You've got a 13 design run baseline.

100 rushing yards. Jalen Hertz is going to run all over the Cardinals. Now, whether he can get it done and in the red zone, throw the touchdowns, rush the touchdowns in. We don't have enough evidence, but I like the talent, and I'm with you, Mike. I would start Jalen Hertz because he's got a floor and I think the upside is there too. Kyle Murray's rushing attempts jumped up last week as well. Kyla Murray, you're going to play him. Kenyon Drake could end up in a situation where he is getting every rep. Oh, baby. Chase Edmonds. Look,

Kenyon Drake started the year, not great. He could in the year winning you a fantasy title with his... We called that the Kenyon Drake. Yeah, that's what he did last year. That's fair. That's what he does. That's a good name for it. Every time Kenyon Drake, every time he convinces people to fall in love with him, it's because of this. It's because of the end of the season. Magic happens. Things align and he shows up in a big way. He's been good. He's been good, yes. I mean, he's the running back eight since week four. And that's with missing a game.

Right. Miles Sanders last week, did he, you know, is this one of those situations where he completely redeemed himself? It is. It is. You're starting him with joy and confidence. The snaps went back. I mean, one game sample size, so what else are you going to go on? But just the, it feels like the team has said yes. Okay, the best way for Jalen Hertz to have success is for us to pair him with Miles Sanders. Don't start any Eagles wide receivers.

Start DeAndre Hopkins and don't start any other Cardinals wide receivers. And then Dan Arnold, are you in on the postman? I mean, it's been. He's been delivering. He has scored in. And that's what you get. He's scored in three of the last four weeks. Now his snap percentage is minuscule. He doesn't block. He comes in and he tries to catch a big pass.

Yeah, it's really hard for me to rely on him. You know, you're looking at two targets, three targets, three targets, four targets. And he has found the touchdown recently, but I don't want to rely on if I don't get a touchdown, then I'm getting a goose or a nine-yard game. I think that there are better touchdown. You know, Colquemette and Big Irv, you're relying on a touchdown with those guys. You're not going to be happy without a touchdown. But if they don't get it,

They're going to be four for 45. Yeah, I'd rather play with the Dalton Schultz in a terrible matchup. What about the other side of the ball, though, with the two Philadelphia tight-ins? I'm still up. I'll start Dallas Goddert as a low-end tight-in one. Are you out on Earths? Yes, I'm out. Okay. Kansas City, 12 and 1, taking on Drew Brees and the Norland Saints at 10 and 3. Kansas City.

Three-point favorites, 51.5 point over under. Very excited about this game with Breeze returning. Right now, the Vegas odds for the Super Bowl chiefs, then the Packers, Saints, Rams, and Bills rounding out the top five there. So a battle between two of the top five in that department. It's just a matter of can the Saints score enough to keep up with the inevitable? And that should be the nickname for Patrick Mahomes and Company, the inevitable, because you're going to have to score 30 plus points. I am inevitable. It feels that way.

And even when they look terrible. I mean, Miami, what did they do? They made Patrick Mahomes turn him into a turnover machine. I think he had, what, one on the year and they had three? Uh-huh. Yeah, he still did away with them. So Drew Breeze or Jalen hurts your start of the week, Mike? Oh, man. I would play. I can confidently say Hertz in that one. Yeah, I lean hurts. Okay.

Patrick Mahomes, 60, 20 plus yard pass plays this year. Field's made up. 16? 60. 60. 60. 60. 60. 20 yard? Yeah. That's ridiculous. Yes. With weeks to play. I mean, that's just, that's not fair. Alvin Camara, of course, you play him.

And he gets a massive bump up now. Yeah, he does. That's one of the most delightful things about to switch back to Drew Breeze. We don't know the health of Michael Thomas. Yes, Super Camario. He had mushroom stew last night. Yes, he is big. Big Alvin. Michael Thomas has not scored this year, but we have not got to see Michael Thomas and Drew Breeze together since the return. And maybe we do.

Right now, you have to pay attention to practice reports today. You have to follow. We don't have any more information other than the fact he didn't practice Wednesday, Thursday. That's bad. Right now, if I had to, like, base it off of that, I don't think he's out there. Yeah, and you almost hope that if it's a serious injury, he is ruled out because this could be another Keenan Allen situation. But.

You can't just look at a one game sample size and extrapolate that. We've seen both sides of this. Players come back from injuries and Dominate. Players come back from injuries and they're limited or they don't even get on the field like Clyde Edwards Allaire. I, you know, the whole trickeration and hiding their cards and being all wily. It feels maximum this year. Yeah, but with Peyton, that leads me to believe.

Maybe Michael Thomas is better than they're letting on because he's actually been dealing with this same injury for weeks. So it's kind of surprising to me that it's that is, you know, now all of a sudden he's not going to play when he's been playing through it. Clyde Edwards-A-Layer against an outstanding Saints defense. I don't think he has the big playability that Miles brings to the table. He is not shown that this year. And it does give me concern this week against the Saints.

Like I'm trying to find somebody else. Would you play him or Bruce Wayne Galman against the Cleveland Browns? I guess I'll go Clyde. Okay. Let's go Melvin Gordon against Buffalo or Clyde. I think I'll go Melvin. I would as well. All right. Jared Cook, Jason started the week over the last month, Kansas City allowing almost 25 fantasy points per game to the tight-in position. And that is a lot. That's the second most in football.

So you can go and he gets an upgrade too. I was going to say he was my start of the week with Taysam, man. This is great news. It is. And Tyreeks in your lineup, Kelsey's in your lineup. It's not rocket science. The Cleveland Browns at 9 and 4 take on the 5 and 8 New York Giants and Bruce Wayne Galman. The Browns are six point road favorites. It's a 44.5 point over under. And again, it comes down to can the Giants really score points in this matchup? Daniel Jones, obviously hurting, not bringing to the table his best attribute.

which is his legs. And then Colt McCoy, if he's in there, you know, we've been saying it. It's not really possible to start a pass catcher on this team. Yeah. And they have lost their O.C. Jason Garrett is on the COVID-19 list, which is now set up a revenge game, Freddie Kitchens. Oh, yeah. We'll be calling plays against the Cleveland Browns. I'll tell you who couldn't revenge game slash.

Kyle Perico heist plan, prepare, and execute. It's Freddie Kitchens. I tend to agree. That guy makes his plan for the heist 10 minutes before. There's no doubt. Let's go kick and the doors be strong, guys. Now, is this a revenge, like a double revenge game where Freddie Kitchens thinks he's getting the wrench, but it's actually going to be Baker Mayfield who says, you made me look like a bum last year. Well, yeah, I mean.

You probably have somebody better to play with a better guaranteed situation than Baker. The Giants have been really, really good against opposing fantasy quarterbacks. They have not given up big weeks. And it's kind of a something's got to give because Baker's been on fire. He's been the quarterback 12, 3, and 2 the last three weeks. The Giants only give up 13.3 fantasy points per game.

over the last six weeks and 16 on the year. So this has been a consistent theme for them, but no James Bradbury. Yeah, that's what I was going to bring up. James Bradbury being gone makes a big difference. That's like, you know, they're. But does it though? Because he only is an outside guy and it doesn't impact Landry at all. I guess the way that I see it is you look at, you know, we're obviously intimately familiar with the Cardinals. If they lost Patrick Peterson, everything has to change for their defense. And Bradbury has been.

phenomenal. When you lose your number one shutdown corner, it does change things. Now, does it change it enough for me to put Baker in the lineup? Probably not. Does it change them enough for me to have a Baker DFS play? Sure. Take the shot that he has a big game. But the reality is the Giants are beatable on the ground. That's what the Browns wants to do. I think they'll have success there. And I don't think that the Giants will score enough to make Baker have to throw the ball. All right. Kareem Hunt.

Or Wayne Gallman? Cream hunt. Cream hunt. Okay. They're back to back in our rankings. And then beyond that, you're obviously playing Nick Chubb. He has been unbelievable, averaging almost 20 touches a game. And then that's probably the end of the story here. Yeah, I mean, you, yeah, hopefully. Yes, it is to me, Evan Enger. The Pittsburgh Steelers at 11 and 2 on a two-game losing streak against the Cincinnati Bengals, 2, 10, and 1.

This is a nice salve for a losing streak. The Steelers are 12.5 point favorites on the road, 40 and a half point over under. It only gives the Bengals 14 points in this game, and I'd be excited to play my Steelers defense, despite them being beat up against Brandon Allen or Ryan Finley. Probably Ryan Finley. Yeah. Brandon Allen has not been able to practice. So we're going third string depth here. Well, he was second string.

Well, yeah, and then he was demoted. He got demoted by a dude off the street, basically. So we're, it feels fourth string. You're right. Was second feels fourth. There is, is there a bangle that you would be willing to play? I personally moved Boyd Higgins and AJ Green down. Ryan Finley against the Steelers. I'm like, no, thank you. No, I don't want to play any bangle. We've done it again.