Fantasy Football - Week 16 Matchups + Wheel of Shame, THE PUKA SHOW - Podcast for 12/19

to the fantasy footballers podcast with your host, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Oh, welcome in. Huh. Well, Thursdays are packing a punch right now. Last Thursday, Kyle Pitts, Master of the Universe. All right. Last night, what was the over-under before the game? Between the two of the best defensive teams in football. I would have guessed like, yeah, Kyle, look it up. I would remind me. Guess 43 and a half or something. We did that on Wednesday. They doubled that, Jay, almost. I mean, the game was 38, 37. It was two different games. Even this game, way too boring for Al Michaels. 43 and a half. It's terrible. I don't know. Terrible. I don't know.

There wasn't just that call. It wasn't just the puka call that he barely realized was going to be like a huge touchdown. He's just, his voice is always awesome. It's iconic and wonderful. I'm not saying it's not awesome, but oh my gosh, Kevin Harlan, Ian Eagle. That's the difference now. Get those guys in there. Is we have something different. Like, what was it? Sayjack with Madden. First down. Like, this is what announcing used to be. Yeah, but he's, but it's. You can't have your inflection not change when a score happens. That's all I'm saying. You have to be able to tell when... Scream a little bit. Pat Sajek is the host of... Yeah, that's Wheel of Fortune. That's why I just let that one go. Summerall? How about this? Help me out, guys. Well, I couldn't remember Summerall. I didn't know where you were searching. Get off my back. I'm saying... If you want to get on my back, talk about Colby Parkinson's failure. This, well, we could talk about the entirety of the game. It's like, anything I saw happening in that game,

went the complete opposite. You didn't see Xavier Smith and Mumfield? No. I didn't see my hero, my guy, Ken Bone Walker, on my benches everywhere. It's the freaking Rams, dude. Yeah. And it's just, it's been terrible. And then the game was so weird. You have the first half. Seattle's offense. Fully inept. Jason had zero. Goose, full goose. Jason was at zero points at halftime. The only reason the Seattle Seahawks had any glimmer of hope in that opening half was because of Ken Walker. It wasn't because of Sam Darnold in the first day. No, it was, I mean, they were not letting him throw. It was, you know, too big Ken Walker plays. And then it really was the meme. I was like, oh, Ken Walker. Oh, get them out of there. We got to get charms in.

I mean, who then scores and succeeds. Yes. Rashid Shaheed had zero catches in the game. It might have been the most important player in the game. Oh, he turned the whole thing around. He turned the whole game around. It was an instantaneous momentum shift. The two point conversion off of the, you know, the lateral. The failed two point conversion that was called dead because we all watched it and it wasn't. And then afterwards they're like, nah, they did score. Yeah. That was crazy. Yeah. Puka was pretty mad. I mean, Pooka, 12 for 225 and 2. We have Al Borland. Kyle Pitts. We have Al Borland in the office who in the dynasty league, which his thirst for success there is proportionate to his run of ineptitude there. That was a compliment and an insult. Do you like that? It felt a lot more like an insult. He has Pooka Nukua and Jackson Smith and Jigba on his dynasty team. And kind of both.

The odds of both scoring in the extra period are astronomical. The odds of two touchdowns in an overtime is very rare. Two in general to anybody. To both players on your team to get two touchdowns in overtime, crazy. It's wild. And look, we said that Matthew Stafford was not a great play. Yeah. Guilty is stupid. Everything on that game went upside down. the game i'm watching x 30 mile an hour wins the wins were the talk of the town it's going to be a nightmare obviously two of the best defenses in the league this is going to be just a divisional slug fest which it kind of was for a half and then the you know the field caught fire wind died down and everyone it was a nuclear yeah colby parkinson i was i was in on this week

If you then told me ahead of the week that you'd have 457 passing yards and three touchdowns from Matthew Stafford, I would have doubled down on it. Yep. He had two for 21. He dropped two easy catches. Terrence Ferguson was three for 33. Davis Allen, two for 34. This is a real Kincaid Hawes and Knox situation. And, you know, it was the Pooka show. 12. Nobody had more than three catches other than Pooka Nakuahua. Seattle. There's one guy. They were trying, man. They bracket him. They put two guys on him. They brought the safety down. He's not just one guy, Mike. He's one dude. You can't. He was every time that he catches the ball, he gets so many more yards than the amount of defenders there are nearby. Like a two yard catch is an eight yard catch for Puka. It's unbelievable. He is a manimal out there. And unfortunately, like our dino junior league.

We took our advice. We benched Matthew Stafford. Right. We played against Pooka Nakua. Oh, we did? Yeah, so we're toast. Oh, okay. Oh, you're done. That's, well, yeah, we played against Puga. We played against Puga. Josh, I believe your Dynasty League, you have. No, he's a league of record. Oh, league of record? Oh, that's way worse. Yep. That's where you've got Puka and your opponent benched Stafford. Yeah. Okay. Well, one of the stories. There was so much Blake Corum out there. Corum was somebody I felt good starting, and I think I said something like I'd start him over Ken Walker or Charbonnet. So one of those was correct. One of those was correct. One was wrong. Corum, 14 carries. Kyron 23 carries. Kyron did not get into the end zone. But Corum still seems really viable right now on a week-to-week basis. 39 rushing attempts for the Rams. Has anyone ever gone eight for 96 and 1 after goosing in the first half? Like, that's got to be.

To do nothing in the first half and then end up with a monster game. Through that first half. And then even the second half, St. Darnel's just throwing disgusting interceptions. You're like, holy crap. This is like four weeks in a row now of that happening. Minnesota, the executives over there are just like, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, we told you. He obviously redeemed himself. But this is what I'm talking about for any player, not just Darnold. One half of football in prime time when it mattered when it was high pressure. There's not even playoffs, right? This isn't lose and go home. One half was enough to get a groundswell of all that helmet's starting to look green again like a Jets helmet. This is the same old Sam Darnold. One half was enough to be like, oh, he's not the guy. He can't get you there. Well, it was a one half compounded with the previous three weeks.

Well, look, they're on the cusp of a buy. I didn't know what I can't understand what Seattle is. I'm telling you, that's setting you up even worse. If you have a buy and you have a home game and you win zero playoff games, I'm telling you, I'm telling you it's high risk for Sam to Arnold no matter what. It is. And the, what, it was, I don't know how to explain Seattle. That was an awful team. And then somehow a great team that won. A lot of three and outs in the second half for the Rams when the momentum shifted. And I know they won. I get it. You can still criticize the team when they win. The use of Ken Walker and Charbonny blows my mind. Absolutely blows my mind. A singular player kept you in the game. And then you're like, we should 50-50 these carries. It's so weird to me. So weird. Yeah, Walker is, I mean, Walker is Walker.

He is always, always capable of explosive amazing plays, and he's always, always capable of running laterally all the way across the field and out the side. I mean, he was awesome. He made two tremendously huge plays. You also had Charbonnet into the end zone. You had A.G. Barner with a great touchdown. You had a game full of fantasy value, but if you bench Stafford, you're not feeling great. And you're not alone. And if you played Parkinson, I get it. I mean, I thought he'd be good. He wasn't. Weird. There you go. It's Friday. Put Clan Friday. Every week we give $100 away to fantasy champs.com. It's a nice time of year to be getting that with all the trophies and belts. Well, we give the money to supporters of the podcast. We don't give the, we don't give it away to fantasy. Is that what I implied? Yeah. No, we don't give $100 to an organization, like to a profitable entity. I mean, every week we give $100 to Amazon. I hope that I'm going to be giving them.

Thank you, Mike. So much money after I win. A weekly supporter to one of our weekly giveaway to one of our supporters of joining the Foot.com. Danica, Danica, the winner this week of $100 towards fantasychamps.com. Congratulations. Let's talk news. News and notes from around the league. Presented by progressive insurance. Jamar Chase better have watched that game. Why is that? To be inspired by Pooka Nakua? Hmm. Hmm. That's what he needs. He really needs to be inspired to play well. Well, we need something. We, I just, I need. Didn't you have like 7,000 yards last week? Yes, like 130. I'm just saying, I need, we need the true number one wide receiver to see that. Be like, no, we got to calm down on this book crap. I'm Jemar Chase, baby. Uh, Jacobi Myers. Three year 60 million dollar extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The implications here are significant, I think, for the long term.

fantasy perspective of Jacksonville. They obviously love him. He's been great. He's turned their season around in a lot of ways. Sometimes having a player that is just consistent, always open, catches the football. Jacoby is good. Like, he's not a prototypical, he's not T.O. But this is a guy like, you know, like what Michael Wilson has been doing lately, where you're just reliable. Catch the football. Brian Thomas Jr., that was the problem all during the year. Travis Hunter? Down with injury. Now you're going to have all, right now you're going to have all three of those guys. It makes you wonder if Brian Thomas is long for that team, but he still has, what, up to three years? Because he was the rookie contract. He's the first one picked. Certainly, but you can trade him. And it's an attractive trade. He was a trade rumor target around the deadline. And all I'm saying is is Duval brought in Jacoby Myers and extended him and drafted Travis Hunter. It's a.

wild investment in the wide receiver position. My big fear here is that ETN's going to be a free agent after this year. And the fact that they just invested $60 million into their wide receiver three is like, you might not have enough money for ETN. I don't think the world gets better for ETN anywhere else. I think his best fantasy value is returning to Jackson. Josh Jacobs, Christian Watson, both listed as questionable. Jacobs went, did not practice, did not practice, did not practice. We'll dominate. You forgot the last one. Did not practice, did not practice, did not practice, will dominate. If, if, this is my only caveat, if he makes the flight, did he get on the plane? Like, you mean maybe he misses his alarm? Right. No, I'm just saying, like, you know, he's got to travel with the team. Yeah, he, that's one of your. That's one of my prerequisites must be in the city where the game is. Should we add that to our player profiles? Like travel on plane? Current location. Josh Jacobs.

Can 100% not practice the entire week go out and be great for fantasy? It's a Saturday game. Make sure you are aware of what is happening. Watson was limited, limited, limited. He'll play. Watson's going to give it a go. I don't know how confident you want to be with that play, but I think he probably have a big deep shot or two. He's scary because I can very easily see Watson. leaving the, you know, as soon as he gets a pass and gets tackled onto the shoulder, the chest collarbone area, which the way that he usually is downfield when you're getting tackled. It's the like, you know, the fall down, get crunched type of moves. And I could see him exiting the game after even a good play. So he's a scarier start to me. And yet in the shadows two weeks ago against the same team, number six overall wide receiver with two touchdowns and 89 yards. Yeah.

So it's really about the options that you have. Our rankings always being updated. Sometimes people write in and they're like, well, you said something on the show that's slightly different than your rankings. This show is a snapshot of an hour. And so sometimes the show informs and we change rankings after the show. Sometimes, you know, we're changing rankings throughout the week. So our job is to inform you and give you all the information that you need to make a good decision. The rankings are part of that. The start sit tool that gives you all that information about the weather and the over-unders. That's part of that. And what we say on the show and share the opinions, it changes our opinion sometimes. Yeah, we're working on rankings, right? Basically up until kickoff. So check them late. Luther Burden and Roman Dunez, officially ruled out. That was an interesting sound. I'm just bummed for burden missing the game. DeAndre Swift, questionable. This is, it's DJ Marr. It's Colston.

Mr. Loveland himself. I am excited for Mr. Loveland. Devin Neal's on IR for the Saints. Alvin Camara didn't practice. So it's going to be Audric Estime, most likely starting at running back. The quote is, Nick Underhill Beat Reporter says, Adric Estimate will, quote, probably start at running back. I don't really care if he starts or not either. I just know that he'll be the one that I'd rather play between him and my chips. My chips are on Estimate. If I'm going in on that because I need. I need a nasty start. Estimates who I'm going with over Evan Hole. Please have a good game, estimate. Rashi Rice, Tyquan Thornton didn't practice. Both are in concussion protocol. Rashi Rice is really up in the air for this week. T. Higgins limited again on Thursday. See, if you're the Chiefs, the fact you got eliminated is so significant. And that there's no Patrick Mahomes right now to the decision, not the decision on Rice, but onto the protocol you might take with a player that's a part of your future.

like putting Rashi Rice out there had they won last week and they are still underdogs to make the playoffs but they're still in the fight he's got to be out there you know assuming he passes protocol in this situation you can give him another week there is it's been a while since they have not been picking 31 or 32 you know this is a team that is not used to having a decent pick in the NFL draft now that they're out they're not like the average you know like the dolphins who are like they're kind of used to Well, we got to get a winning mentality. We can't just try to tank. We can't just worry about draft picks. We've got to create a culture of winning. The Chiefs got that on lockdown. The Chiefs are like, dude, we should go get this pick. That's why maybe part of why you made the almost upset for the Titans. I mean, they're playing literally. It could be no Mahomes, no rice, at home against an eliminated Chiefs. It's just. Yeah, right now they're picking 12th.

They've got the 12th pick. That's wild. It's funny to even think about that. They could end up with a top 10 pick. And for T. Higgins, he was, I think the early reports were that he was not at practice on Thursday. And then that got corrected that he was, in fact, limited. So for T. Higgins. Like, it's not, I still am on the side of, I don't think he plays, but he might. All right, we got bad news, good news. Dalton Kincaid did not practice again on Thursday with the knee. He has been. really struggling to manage that and then to be productive in the games he's playing in right now where they're using other tight ends. I thought the good news, bad news was about Marvin Harrison. No, the good news is Ted McMillan returned to a full practice on Thursday. That's exciting. Marvin Harrison limited on Thursday. He was running behind Michael Wilson, but it seems like he'll be back. Just on like a sprint? Like they were, he's just lagging, lagging a little bit behind.

I liked it. That one was for myself. You'll have to explain it to me after the show. I will. Drake London. Drake London Limited. Well, Kyle Pitts was added to the injury report. That's not surprising to me, though, because he was there last week. This was part of why there was some doubt going into Thursday about Kyle Pitts. It was the knee, and he was on the injury report, and you got a little bit skittish, and then he went for 40. Yep. So I'm not afraid, I guess. Where I am afraid, Woody Mark's not practicing again for the Texans. Mike's start of the week is the Houston running back. It's a real murky situation because we don't know yet about Nick Chubb. If Nick Chub is active along with George Jordan, who was their little breakout pick last week, it becomes where I'm not sure who to start. I'm really not sure whether you want to, as a team, see what you have in this guy who went 15 for over 100 last week.

and now you're you're just figuring out your pieces or look chub has obviously been the starter he's he's gotten work he's just been injured and you're a team that is you know wanting to win this should be an easy win um i don't know who to play now obviously if chubb and woody marks are gone then i'm completely an undwar jordan having a great game but if chub is active are you wanting your start of the week is this team so are you starting both are you starting chub like where how do you Short that out. I can see the thought exercise you're going through. But this is a Texan team that's, they want to establish the highest playoff seat that they can get. This isn't a team trying to figure out what's next year. They need to win right now. And yeah, it should be an easy win. But the NFL is crazy sometimes. So I would think that if Chubb is active, he will be the guy who's getting the bulk of the touches. I mean, he's.

And for a reminder, Jordan is, he's a smaller guy. He's a 510, 186. So maybe he gets worked in a little bit as the relief running back, but I still think that Chub will get the high value touches. That was News and Node, sponsored by Progressive Insurance Quote today at progressive.com, progressive casualty insurance company affiliates and third-party insurers. Not available in all states or situations. Coverage subject to policy terms, limits and conditions. We'll take a break. We'll jump right into the matchups. Fantasy Forecast, presented by prize picks. Well, we took care of the Saturday games yesterday in terms of the matchup previews, the Eagles, commanders, Packers, Bears. Those will be fun. Bill's Browns, Chargers, Cowboys, Chiefs, Titans, Bengals, Dolphins, Jets, and Saints. Also covered on yesterday's episode. If you want to hear our breakdown of those games, you can click on yesterday's show and it'll just play. We set it up like that. Yeah, automatic. One click. Yeah, you don't have to do anything else. Eight more matchups today, Minnesota, at New York.

Minnesota 6 and 8, the Giants 2 and 12, Vegas line Minnesota minus 2.5 over under 43 and a half. The Giants have lost eight straight games. I believe Jackson Darts record as a starter is now 2 and 7. They have lost four straight since Dable was fired. They were 1 and 6 and 1 score games. There was a point in this season when I was kind of like, and it was probably when Dable was the head coach, to be honest, when I felt like their fight proportional to. talent like they were out kicking their coverage, so to speak. You know, they've had, they've suffered the scataboo injury and the neighbor's injury and it's been tough. But they currently have the number one pick even over the Raiders. Yeah, yeah. So right now they don't feel like they're as fun of a bet to produce something in fantasy for even, even Jackson Dart makes me nervous right now. It's a tough matchup. Yeah, it's a tough matchup. I don't last week he got he got to go on late.

sort of and was fine. I mean, top 10, he scored 22 points. He was top 10? Yeah. He had a Brissette? Yeah. I mean, 22 points. Even if you're like, hey, I'm the QB 10, but at 22 points, that's, you'll take that. It did scare me though, not producing and then now having this matchup. Yeah, five top 10 finishes in his seven starts. I do think you could start Jackson Dart and I realize that the matchup is tough with the Vikings. They obviously did not give up a lot to, you know, Dak Prescott last week. But again, they gave up 300 yards. And the touchdown just came on the ground. I'm okay starting. I'm going to give you some start sits with this because they're in the dock here. Dart versus Caleb. Caleb's going to start of the week against Green Bay. I have Caleb ahead. Let me go just confirm where everybody is. I have Dart ahead. Herbert against Dallas or Jackson Dart. I got to go Herbert. I've got Herbert.

And then this one's is still in the show doc here. And Kyle's like, oh, crap, this was in yesterday's show. What about Stafford? Oh, I'll definitely go Stafford. Yeah, I would go Stafford. Would you go Stafford, Mike? Yeah, what do you think now? If I get all of Stafford's points from yesterday, I would go that direction. Now that's not to say Dart couldn't outscore him still. Now that we've gone firmly on the Stafford side, Dart's going to go nuclear. We should start doing our Thursday night previews on Friday morning and then cut them back into the show on Wednesday. You know what I mean?

Go back and listen. Yeah, Parkinson. Huge dud. I don't know, guys. I feel like the first half's going to be terrible. And then there's going to be about 70 points scored the second half. I think Stafford against this defense on the road, he's set for about 450 yards. J.J. McCarthy has been a top 10 quarterback of his own in his own right the last two weeks, completed 66% of his past, five touchdowns. And he's proven he can, he can do it all without utilizing the best wide receiver in football. Just imagine. Just to show what he's capable. Imagine once McCarthy chooses to throw the ball to Jefferson. Yeah, to be fair, it was really Jefferson's fault last week. JJ McCarthy, hopefully you don't have to do it, but he's startable against the Giants. Aaron Jones, 15 opportunities averaged over the last six weeks. Is he better than a start of Tracy on the other side? I think he is. If you're getting the opportunities, you're getting him, Tracy.

Well, the matchup against the Giants, you expect, I mean, right now the Vikings are favored. So if you're just saying touchdown opportunities, probably lean towards him. But it's very close. I think both players are decent starts. I just like what I've seen from Aaron Jones. It was really surprising. I thought when he hurt his shoulder again, he was just going to be shelled for the year. And instead, they're like giving him more work than ever. And the matchup, I mean, 31st against running backs on the course of the season. are the Giants. So I would like to play against them. Yeah, I agree. I think the Vikings are, the running back room is interesting. I would play Tracy over Aaron Jones. But like Jordan Mason coming through with a couple touchdown game wouldn't be the weirdest thing here either. I was just asking Kyle of Aaron Jones has any contract incentives because he's, he fits the mold of the contract incentive type of player that I would pay attention to, which is.

Playoff eliminated team, veteran leader where you're kind of catering towards helping that guy accomplish a goal. I'd be curious about that type of a dude. Well, that type of the situation is still true for Justin Jefferson, who, you know, we've brought this up and they brought this up on the broadcast that the head coaches come out and said that they are their goal is they have to get Justin Jefferson 1,000 yards this year. Like that is one of the most important things to him. He is far enough away. Where to get 1,000 yards means he's got to have a couple big games. You don't think the 4 yards, 11 yards, and 22 yards were really helping? I don't think that was helping, and I don't think that's going to stick. He's on. Justin Jefferson over the last three games, on pace for 209 receiving yards. 34 catches on 102 targets. Yeah. I don't think that's going to. That catch rate, brother. Oh, man. Anybody else on the Giants that you want to talk about? 28% targets here for Wondale Robinson.

Darius Slayton can just eat a butt because this dude, this dude is like always on the cusp of mattering. And then he just drops passes. He shouldn't drop or runs or outs. He shouldn't run. Is that a little too strong? I for, look at this. We have cared about Darius Slayton in some capacity since about week eight. And we have been happy, like really, really happy, never. I mean, one catch, two catch, four catches. I think you're being too rough on him. I mean, for what you're, what I consider to be, I'm happy in Darius Slayton, 10.9, 13.1 for playing Darius Slayton. I'm pretty happy with that. Yeah, and three, eight, two, and seven the other games. Yeah, no, three are, three are rough. You heard me. Oh, I did. You heard me. We all heard it. Eat? Yeah, no, Vuk. Yeah, we got it. We got it. All right. I'll just. I wouldn't play.

Slayton either this week. And the matchup is it's rougher for Theo Johnson, but six top 12 finishes in his last 10 games. Him and Dart just, they got something going on. So I'm not afraid to play Theo. Are you afraid to play Addison? He hasn't been in the top 24 since week seven. Even with the matchup being what it is, I would be afraid. Tampa Bay 7 and 7. The Panthers seven and seven. Oh, so many sevens. Tampa Bay minus three on the road. No respect. Super important game. Over under 45 and a half. Tampa Bay still three point favorites with Carolina and the driver's seat, but they play twice in the next three weeks and this is the playoffs. I mean, this is who's going and who's not. So we have, I think, some questions in this game. Baker is really not a startable quarterback right now.

Yeah, I mean, you have the hope narrative that now that he's got Mike Evans back and the whole core is together, that he can get it together and look like he looked to open the season, look like he looked all of last year. But you pretty much have to wait and see it before you put him in a lineup. And I don't know that we have time. So I agree. You're not starting Baker right now. He's definitely not a top 12 play if you're in a single quarterback league. You're starting Mike Evans, right? Yes. 38% targets here in the first game back. We went right back to it. We thought maybe they'd temper the snaps. They didn't. No, they temper them for Emeka and Buka. You know, what's funny is they did temper his snaps. But what happened was, and I think they should just continue to temper his snaps. So they gave him 55% of the snaps, whereas he's usually, you know, an 80, 90% snap player. But it was basically, it felt like every time Baker would get in the huddle or break the huddle,