Fantasy Football Podcast 2015 - Fearless Predictions, Injury Updates, News, Mailbag

And that was because he was breaking huge runs on passing downs when he was not the feature back and the focal point of the offense. I don't think he has the ability to carry it. We heard yesterday that I am still a Kristen Michael truther, and I believe that week, let's say week six or so. When's there by week? Week six, week six, week seven. I think that Michael has the talent to overtake Dallas and I think. The whole city? Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, he's like Godzilla, and he will come and destroy buildings. But I just, people are overpaying for Randall, and Darren McFadden is a walking injury, so I'm going with Michael as the Dallas back. All right, Jason, who is your biggest disappointment of the season? My biggest disappointment this year is going to be LaShawn McCoy. You drafted this guy. And subsequently traded him. I know.

Well, it was just a value of where he went because his name value and then I traded him for someone else and got upgraded draft picks next year. I think that was pretty good moving. But I do. I think LaShawn McCoy is going to be this year's biggest disappointment because you still do have to take him in the first round. If you don't get rid of him, then you've got him on your team. Here's a guy who has been...

He was drafted number one or number two last year overall. It was a big disappointment because he was hampered by nagging injuries. He's had more workload than any other back by a wide margin over the last three years. He's a smaller guy. He's getting a little bit older. He's not old yet, but he is definitely for that. As far as, you know, we talk about the difference between age.

and between, you know, usage age. And LaShawn McCoy has had some crazy usage, and he's showed that his body is starting to be hampered by injury. Now, now in the preseason, he's been injured. He's been hampered by, he hasn't been able to get on the field. Why in the world would we think, you know what?

He's just going to get over this in game one, and he's going to play and get the Rock 100 times and keep playing and never be hampered again the rest of the season, not get injured. I think he's going to be slowed down. I think he's going to miss some games, and I think he's going to be a big bust that you've got to take in the first or second round. So LaShawn McCoy is my... That's a hot take. Hot take. I'll tell you this. Any running back who's going to get 100 carries in one game, I want that guy on my team. Yeah. That's a fair point. You can average a yard to carry, don't I don't. He will overtake Buffalo. All of Buffalo. He's no Michael.

No. All right. So my biggest disappointment is Alfred Morris. Not for a lack of love for Alfred Morris the man, but for a lack of love on that offensive system. I just think that team is going to struggle. It is going to be a Cousins Colt McCoy, maybe even RG3 carousel of doom on that offense. And it will hurt Alfred Morris in...

uh in consistency and it will hurt alfred morris because i think matt jones will get involved in third down which uh i know hulu was involved as well but i just think that morris has had kind of a career arc that has been very stable to declining in terms of production and so i just am not excited about alfred morris and so i think he'll disappoint people who are slotting him as an rb two for the whole season so all right this next one is the top five player that we did not see coming

Another way to say that would be a guy that ends up in the top five that we had no idea whatsoever. He would end up there, except for right now when we make a fearless prediction about it. Jason. Me! I'm going to go... Me! You're a top five player? I'm a top five player this year. I didn't... Wait, I didn't see that coming. What team? The Indianapolis... No, the Kansas City Colts. Oh, inside jolts. Yes, yes. All right, so...

I am going with Lamar Miller. Ironically, Lamar. The man you traded LaShawn McCoy for. I traded LaShawn McCoy for. I think that Lamar Miller is coming into his own. At the end of last year, he was fantastic. This year in the off season.

Good things have been said about him. The coach is saying that they're willing to ride him as a workhorse. They didn't draft a running back in the first four rounds. People were worried like they had to pick someone up there. And, you know, they were going to, are they going to get Todd Gurley? They were one of those destinations that were hot for running back. And yes, they got Jay Ajay, but you got to remember, they bypassed him to the fifth round. And now he's on the pup. I think it's going to be the Lamar Miller Show.

in Miami, and I think that offense is going to be better. He's going to be catching a lot of balls, and I just think there's the opportunity for him to finish the years of top five. He finished top 12 last year, so why can't he go a little higher as some of these guys from last year dropped down? So he's outside the top five, and I think could finish top five, and you won't see it coming. So I won't linger on mine. It's Frank Gore from earlier. I gave all the reasons why I think Frank Gore could end up as a top five back.

and you didn't expect it, but just with the offense. So, Mike, who is your top five player that you did not see coming? I'm going with Brandon Cooks, and especially did not see this coming because I was not. Especially with your own thoughts. You didn't see yourself predicting this. I've been slow to jump on the Cook's train, and I really think that he's going to soak up a bunch of targets. They're moving him back to the role. They had him in early last season, getting him the bubble screens, doing what they can to get the ball in his hands.

I don't necessarily think he is an elite-level wide receiver, but in that system with Drew Brees throwing him the ball, and Sean Payton is an offensive mind really, really getting him involved, I think Brandon Cooks can put up the numbers that will make him a top five. This quarterback had more completions last year than anybody in the NFL. Drew Brees. Drew Brees, yeah.

So that is a good pick. I like that. He has a ton of upside and a ton of talent. All right, the fantasy rookie of the year. Everybody wants to know which rookie is going to be the next Odell Beckham Jr. or any of the 12 other guys that contributed on offense last year as a rookie. So it looks like we all chose. Oh, no, we didn't. I thought we all chose wide receivers. It's back, baby.

Choo-choo! Abdullah Express is fully ready to go. I took some time off because I thought you guys were getting a little too tired of the Express, but we are back and we are fully on board for Amir Abdullah this year. Joyc Bell is a has been. He is done. And Abdullah will be running away with that job in a few weeks. Can you please update your Amir Abdullah-Chu-Train meme?

that you have on Twitter. To a Detroit helmet? Yeah, because it was the Nebraska helmet. Yeah. And that's a little dated. So if you're really on this thing, you're going to need to spend eight to ten hours of updating that meme. I'm going to put a request out to my man, our Photoshop, man. And let's get Abdullah. Yeah, put the public request out there. That's way smarter. All right, I'm going to go with Amari Cooper. I think Derek Carr is a gunslinger in an ascending talent in the league, not an elite talent. But I think...

He knows who to throw the ball to. And Amari Cooper is the guy. He is incredible in and out of breaks. He will be a PPR upside type of play. And for me, he is the fantasy rookie of the year. I think he's just...

completely solid and probably going to push 90 to 100 catches this season if he stays healthy. So Jason, you have a wide receiver on your list as well because you only pick guys from one team. Yeah. And actually it's just like Mike said in all his rationale for Jordan Matthews, I'm going to go with Nelson Aguilar. Nelson Aguilar is in a system and in a situation where he could finish.

as a wide receiver won, you know, and if that happens, he's going to be the rookie of the year. So I feel like his opportunity is there. His talent is there. He's very talented. We've seen that in the preseason already. So I'm going Aguilar. Yeah, I believe in Nelson's upside in that offense. I've said they're a system wide receiver type of, you know, one week.

They don't necessarily pick a guy and see I'm going to target Jordan Matthews. They pick a play and a play set and a plan. So Aguilar could make huge. And not only has Chip Kelly given us spectacular wide receiver one talent. He's given us a two as well. Guys remember this. Riley Cooper, huge. Was fantasy relevant for a year. And last year it was Jordan Matthews. I believe he finished as a two. So to me, there's no reason why Aguilar can't also finish as a wide receiver two. That is a good point.

The last one I have here in our fearless predictions is the handcuff that will win you your league. So this is the running back handcuff. I guess it could be a wide receiver handcuff, but the running back handcuff that will win you your league this year. Mike, it is obviously going to be Duke Johnson. Amir Abdullah is not a handcuff to me, my friend. No. Amir Abdullah is a starting running back soon enough. But I'm going with Duke Johnson. We forget that last year.

When Alex Mack, the secret life of Alex Mack was running the censored position in Cleveland, Ben Tate was a spectacular fantasy opt. Andy is grimacing. I'm grimacing because I got watered last year basically because Mac went out. Andy went all in on Ben Tate, and there was no reason not to if you watched the production that was happening. Ben Tate, Crowell, Terrence West, all three had huge games last year because of the offensive line. Now,

Terrence West is gone. It cleared up the situation a little bit. And so I think that if Duke Johnson, he, not I think if. I believe he has the talent to become a huge part of that offense. If he can stay healthy is the bigger question for me. But he'll be involved in the passing game. Cleveland is likely to be losing a lot of games. So Duke Johnson is going to have to carry some of that load. Don't you see parallels between Crowell, Duke Johnson, and Joach and Abdullah?

Yes, I do. In terms of maybe the percentage of time on the field and the way they'll be involved in the offense? Yeah, and I think it's, I believe it's possible for Duke to overtake Crowell for a majority of steps. Yeah, I could see that. All right, for me, it is David Johnson. David Johnson. Oh, that was beautiful in unison. And I can't say his name without thinking that in my head. So David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals. And this is going to come from...

the perspective that Ellington has broken down many times. And so if Ellington either isn't as productive as he should be, I think David Johnson's value is going to come from use and a lot of it in the passing game and at the goal line. And so those two things combined with Ellington's propensity to get injured. And I just think David Johnson is a huge upside play. That offense is going to be...

vastly improved with Carson Palmer at the helm. And I still think they're, I mean, you know, you want guys from winning teams. And the Cardinals, 10 wins two years ago, 11 wins last year. Carson Palmer is back. This is a 10-win team to me, a 10-11 win team in a division that will be okay. So I like David Johnson as a potential handcuff to win your league. And here's why I like David Johnson. People are knocking him. Oh, he's not a great between the tackles runner, but he's a great pass catcher.

How was Ellington so valuable as a pass catcher? If Ellington breaks down at all, David Johnson will be involved, and he's going to get goal line carries, just like Andy said. Uh-oh. Uh-oh. Oh, no. That is an official disqualification of your selection, Jason. No, I already have. The handcuff that will win you, your league, has been disqualified. I already have. Ryan Matthews was the answer I have on here. Yes. And you've changed it.

I have changed it. I wrote down a different one. Now, you understand why I disqualified you. Yeah, because he's clear. Because you said he had value week to week. He's a starting value. Yep. And so he will win you your, he will. I have no choice. Well, the reason I put him as the handcuff is because should DeMarco Murray go down, he's a top five back. That's a guy that wins your league. And that would be a handcuff role. However, same, same exact, you know, logic goes into Josh Robinson.

Josh Robinson, your guy, Frank Gore. Take that, Frank Gore. Yeah, your guy, Frank Gore, for all of the reasons of his ability and the offense. And he smells. The fact that Boom Heron did well there and yet was cut. So you've got Josh Robinson really as the guy where if Frank Gore goes down, he's got the talent and the opportunity to put together a very winning season. So he is.