Starts of the Week + It’s Football Time! | Fantasy Football 2024 - Ep. 1627

Intro Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Welcome in! It's football time! Hey! Hey! It's time to play the game! The answers are about to be here. It's time to play the game! Spectacular! Oh, we ride boys. Thank you everybody. We ride it, dawn. I hope everybody in their vehicles. Oh, they were all doing it too. With their eyes closed. Well, not a scream. Eyes open, drivers. You can do it for a second. Talking to you behind the wheel of the Prius. It was electric. Open your eyes. It was electric. It is football time. Welcome into the show. I have a different hat on today than I normally do. You're looking good. You look so stupid. Where does one find? A foam trophy hat. It goes out of the main frame. And it's spectacular. And my co-manager has a matching one that he'll be wearing today. Beautiful. We have our League of Record draft happening right after the show. Moments from now. Then we have Thursday Night Football. And we have tons of matchups. We've got Super Bowl predictions. This is a big, big show. We got starts of the week. Yeah. Oh my gosh. It's football time. And so let's jump right in. Head over to the website if you want the week one rankings and the start sit tool. That's fantasyfootballers.com. The fantasyfootballers.com. And you guys want to start off just giving your Super Bowl predictions. Super Bowl Predictions Because I already tweeted mine. Yeah. I mean this is the time of year where we call our shots. I did not. I had not seen your tweet. I know you had said earlier. You said like a month ago. You had the Lions winning the Super Bowl. Yeah. I mean I don't have it. It is the facts. It's what's going on. I'm just revealing the future. You're revealing that the Lions are going to win. Like one of those orbs that you look into and you see it. And the Lions will beat the Chiefs in this upcoming Super Bowl. And so I think we were just look. We were looking at the same orb. But from opposite sides. I think you read it backwards because I have the Chiefs over the Lions in the Super Bowl. So we got the same picks. Yes. So you go Chiefs. I'm going Lions. I'm having them do the. Remember everybody wanted the Patriots to finish the perfect season. Not everybody. But a lot of people history. And this would be the you know three in a row. Oh yeah. And this will be ruined by Dan Campbell. Nice. So you guys are looking at an orb. You forgot that the anchor being for our multi versus already gone. So you're looking at something that doesn't exist. It is the. Nerd alert. The Baltimore Ravens beating the Green Bay Packers. The Baltimore Ravens over the Packers. I'm curious if the doosers back there. You don't have to give me the whole Super Bowl but just a winner of the Super Bowl. Kyle is in the house today. Look at this guy. He's in town. And Kyle do you have a Super Bowl winner you want to reveal. I'm going to say the 49ers finally get it done. Okay. All right. And Papa John. I have to agree. 49ers. Okay. Boring. And we'll see. We already know the answer here. Yeah. Who's the Super Bowl winner there. Al. It's the Green Bay Packers. Yeah. Yeah. How's them first smelling back there. Dropping bombs. Smelling like three consecutive franchise quarterbacks. I saw a great tweet. It was really fun. That basically charted the Super Bowl odds for teams versus compared to it was Sam Hoppin who tweeted out and it was compared it and grafted to their fans optimism of their chances of winning the Super Bowl. And the two funniest ones to me were the Bears and the Cowboys because the Cowboys have have decent ish odds of winning the Super Bowl. Their fans are like no no absolutely none. And the Bears have really no no odds of winning Super Bowl and they're like right in line with the Chiefs and the Lions. It's like the Bears. The Bears think like this is happening this year. Good for you Bears fans. No no no no no no. I love that they have the excitement but that's still I mean. This is like if you have been without food for so long and then you call a really mediocre meal the greatest one ever made like they are let them have their hope. I don't it's just ill advice like the Bears don't get me wrong. I think the Bears are going to be great. They have set the foundation for a long run of competing for the division but the amount of people that have found it very posh to just go out and say the Bears are going to be the Super Bowl winners or they're going to be the NFC representatives with a rookie quarterback. I just find that to be really hard to believe and it sets your quarterback up to where you're not allowed to have a pretty good OK year without being a failure. And I I'm worried about that for Caleb Williams sake. I think you go out there and the pop the popularity of making the Bears the Super Bowl winner this year is just shocking to me. Yeah and probably because you're getting you're getting a good payout if they win. You think that's why and it's just in the hope. I'm all for hope. I just want it to be somewhere in the realm of possibility. I love that they can have that excitement but you don't want it to become delusion. I do know several Cowboys fans and you could have you could put the best players of every team on the Cowboys roster and they will be like we it's going to be a failure of a year because it's been. That's what happens when twenty five years. However long it's been. It has made the playoffs and they everything always sets up good for the Cowboys. Now they've made the playoffs more recent. I believe you said it's been twenty five years since they've made the playoffs. Oh correct. I think it's been one a play out. I meant one a playoff game. Being a playoff game Dallas is plus nineteen hundred Chicago plus thirty five hundred to win the Super Bowl. So there you go. There's our predictions. Lions over chiefs chiefs over Lions Ravens over Packers. That would make Alboran very sad. Oh that's too bad. We have football on Sunday as well as tonight Sunday live returns is that I am not speaking out of turn there right. No you are not. We will be back our faces will be tilted off and we'll have a good time. So what time is Sunday live thirty or an hour before kickoff. OK. That is the proper amount of time to tilt. Oh yeah. No the show doesn't run an hour. No for those at home who've never attended the event that is Sunday live but it's an hour before kickoff. If you want to make sure you're aware of when Mike is going live on Sunday morning head over to our YouTube channel YouTube dot com slash the fantasy footballers subscribe click the bell and then you'll be alerted when Mike is going live. He normally handles the latest news that is going on that morning including injuries. All of the most popular start sit questions on the website. Am I missing anything. It'll take questions from the people that are in the live stream. So you might if you've got your specific start sit you might get that answered. And then all you know all the all the actives are based you go live right after all of the actives and enactives have been you know officially reported. All right let's jump into the news before we get into our starts of the week in the NFL News matchups. News and notes from around the league presented by USA insurance. OK. Jamar Chase participated in Wednesday's practice. There were quotes from there were quotes from Burrow. Yeah. It really made it seem like that he's back that he's playing like you you know I don't have it in front of you. But it was he was Chase's quote ready to go. It's great to have him back. We need him to be at our best. That doesn't mean he's going to be there. But it I don't know the ready to go is a vote of confidence to me. That's just the kind of thing to get him to sit out another practice. Watch what you say Joe. You're not wrong. For me it's we're on practice watch for today if Jamar practices today he's going to play maybe. No I that's my official stance. OK. The Rams wide receiver Pukinakua practice in full. OK. Justin Herbert off the injury report. He's going to be there for week one against the Raiders. Brock Bowers ready to go for week one against the Chargers would you play Bowers or Schultz. Oh asking for a friend. Think I'd go with Schultz Bowers been nursing a foot injury the past week or so I believe but he will be playing it. But again it's a rookie tight end playing his first ever game. Jordan Addison. Kevin O'Connell said that he feels pretty good about him playing in week one. He had a high ankle sprain on August 14th. I don't know where you guys are at with Addison right now temperature. Yeah I mean I would not be starting Addison in week one coming off of the injury. I mean Addison is a borderline player right now anyways like I think a borderline flex borderline flex he's a flex decision every week. I want to see it. I want to see him at full strength before I am automatically putting him into lineups. All right that was today's news and notes presented by USA insurance. One more USA.com slash insurance and a little bit of a pivot to our Thursday episode we are moving like it we're moving the starts of the week up to ahead we're going to reveal them ahead of the matchups for the first time. We don't have to be coy during the matchup. Correct. Instead of us being like we'll talk more about him later hint hint wink wink we will just share our starts of the week right out of the gate. Let's get to it starts of the week. Starts of the Week All right I'm going to hand the baton off to one of you guys to kick it off at the quarterback position let's go with Jason. I'll start I'm going with to a to a tongue of Viola is awesome. Quarterbacks Starts of the Week That's how I think I said I don't I nailed it don't worry about it moving on. Jason has always said it properly but for some reason today Kyle chose to write to his name in the show doc as to a tongue of Viola. Yeah and that was me that wrote it in there that I didn't want to I mean spelling is the whole mother first step of saying it correct but go on. Look this is a game I think that we are all very very excited for the Miami Dolphins against the Jacksonville Jaguars. I think both defenses are mid and both offenses have the the ability and the talent to be very very good. Last year the third most passing yards ever for an all time opener was to a against the Chargers and so this is a team I think at the beginning of the year we've seen it two years in a row where they start really hot. It's hard to prepare for this offense. You know their quick strike offense now you've got Waddle you've got Hill you know they're saying they're healthy they're ready to go. I really think I mean if you drafted to a maybe you drafted to a and Daniels or whatever I to a would be very hard to keep out of my lineup this week. Yeah that should be we'll start with this it's week one start your studs these are just a couple of I have some lower tiered guys that maybe I'm trying to give you a confidence boost here. Should you be in a larger league or something went something went wrong during your draft but my quarterback it's Jared Goff look top five bold prediction apparently the Super Bowl winning. Yes team as you also made him in the MVP of the National Football League in your bold prediction I certainly did that he's at home he's in the dome he's playing against the Rams who the Dominator. Okay. Just letting you know I know I'm letting that sink in I like it. The Dominator I mean this year he and every year. Yes. So the game it has the highest over under of the week the Lions have the highest implied team total right now. It's a revenge game yet again and the Rams allowed the seventh most points to the quarterback position last year. So this is a golf is someone you could have drafted later and maybe he slides right into being a starter. I was the last one to get my names into our starts of the week and golf was at the tippy top obviously. Kyler Murray I'm going to go Kyler on the road against Buffalo high over under on the week full off season a year recovered from the ACL nothing but positive vibes second year in the offense and over the last three years Kyler was already a top 12 quarterback 61% of the time that is the fifth highest rate among all quarterbacks when he plays and he's healthy. He is a very very good fantasy option for your football team we're going to see Trey McBride out there again after the fantastic finish to 2023 the debut of Marvin Harrison Michael Wilson begins the sophomore season Greg Dorch is out there and James Connor of course the Buffalo defense is not what it used to be. They gave up a lot of you know a lot of plays you didn't expect them to give up last year and they've lost personnel. So I think Kyler gets off to a really really good start and Buffalo is fairly heavily favored at home so I think Arizona with that defense they're going to be in a position where the way they win this game is a shootout. Yeah I mean their defense is trash and I think we're all really excited for the Cardinals offense because of how bad that defense is which sets up my start of the week really well at running back. Running Back Starts of the Week It's James Cook. I mean we saw last year with the change to the the Office of Coordinator change to Brady how good Cook was down the stretch how much they were running the ball Buffalo average 37 rushing plays under Brady that's number one in the NFL with an NFL high 208 of those in that span coming with the game tied or Buffalo leading they will be leading in this game. James Cook should eat opponents last year they ran the ball 521 times. Oh yeah he is opponents. They play as a cook. Yes right. It's doing doing the cooking by the book. Cannibalism but they ran the ball 521 times versus Arizona last year. That is the seventh highest of any team over the last decade six point home. It's amazing how punctuation is important even in sentences like when you say I'm out loud. James the cannibal cook. All right. I've got you eat them James. I've got your want a Williams against the Seattle Seahawks. So my JP Ryan is gone. His boatload of targets and receptions are gone. Yes. Jaleel McLaughlin is going to fill in here but I think that you want a has a chance to come out and establish himself early as a true workhorse running back for Sean Payton there. There are a handful of running backs like Javante's Mir White Zach Moss. Yes in that in that lower tier drafted that one week could change your entire outlook. Like if you got the benefit of one week of numbers they would probably get moved significantly in the drafts. Yes. Tears. Javante fits into that category. I think people need to hear this from you. So last year second among all running backs in targets per route run because that this is the Peyton offense. I expect rookie bow Nix to be checking it down a ton and this is the matchup Seattle last year 30 second and first downs allowed 28th and points per game 30th and total yards per game 31st and rushing yards allowed. This was a really really bad defense. Maybe they have figured some things out but it's still week one and that's the day that we have to go on. It's a good matchup. All right I'm going to go with one easy start one hard start at the same position for the same team. It's the backfield of the Miami Dolphins against Jacksonville. Jason mentioned it one of the highest overrunters of the week. I think if you draft it to Von Achan you are of course going to start him. It should be very good. Jacksonville allowed the most running back receptions in the NFL last year and Achan involved as a receiver. Very positive right now they don't really have like you guys have brought up Malik Washington. That is a rookie in week one. They don't have back home. They have Braxton burials but you're talking about the top two targets outside and then probably the backfield. So Achan is a must start but I want to bring up most third because this was the running back to last year. He's older but the beginning of seasons very good for the older legs right you. You are not tired yet in this game it should be very very very positive. Game script wise for Raheem Moser in this offense you've heard the head coach of the Dolphins come out and talk about you know this is going to be a feel the hot hand feel who's getting you yardage type of backfield. And I think both Miami running backs will be very very good in week one which means if you drafted most are late. He's going to you know be an opportunity for you either slip him into your lineup or trade him maybe on the you know after a good match. Yeah I would certainly be trying to get him in the lineup. The matchup is really really good. Moser should have a great game at wide receiver my start of the week. Wide Receiver Starts of the Week Oh it's the rookie baby it's Malik neighbors. This is against Minnesota who last year gave up the fifth most receiving yards the sixth most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. I saw a quote from Saquon talking about Brian Debal and his play calling sheet about how on the back of it he has certain plays designed for certain specific players and Debal took over the play calling duty so that when someone gets hot they can really start focusing. I think this is he's going to get the world is going to know after week one that Malik neighbors is a stud is awesome. He's going to have 25 plus percent of the targets just be peppered with them and you know you drafted him where you drafted him to start him. I think he proves that he is worthy of that pick right off the bat. I love to hear that Jason. I bet you do. I'm going with Christian Watson on the road a big road far away from home but they're against the Philadelphia Eagles as of right now he is healthy is the hamstring actually fixed that's TBD but right now he's going to be going and the matchup the Eagles were the team to attack last year the matchup most fantasy points allowed most fantasy points to outside wide receivers gives you some upside where Christian Watson is going in the drafts right now. This is a player that maybe you're looking at you're worried about needing some real upside in a matchup. I think Christian Watson is the guy for that and it's just my faith of Watson being the actual number one wide receiver for the Packers. All right I've got a an interesting name to break out as my start of the week at wide receivers Stefan Diggs of the Houston against the Colts we've we're obviously nervous about the past catchers Nico seems like he's the one but Diggs I've been rising on Diggs over the last several I've been rising on my fear. Yeah I think I think it's very very it's very possible that Diggs obviously Jacobs situations changed for him to make us more in his corner. I don't know if it will continue for Diggs each and every week but I think this week in particular against the Colts his debut as a Texan the fact that he is going to be the guy roaming the middle of the field and that Stroud is really looked to his receivers there 26% of his targets go to the middle of the field number one in the NFL and the Colts play a lot of cover three the middle of the field is open and I think you just with a player of the pedigree of Stefan Diggs who has been named a team captain it's very very important for that locker room to get him going early I think establishing him in this offense is going to be a priority for the head coach and for CJ Stroud to begin to open up the outside for Nico Collins and Tankdale. Yeah I think that I think that is the plan to get Diggs involved early the problem is going to be every time that Tankdale houses it. Okay Diggs can't do any more work so that that's just just letting you know that it doesn't work is your players. Del housing it you could have been on the side with the actual number one wide receiver for the Texas just with me every time housing it. I yeah I brought it up I don't know if I brought it up on the show very much but just like the likelihood that all three of those players are making you happy is very low which means that there's a a decent possibility that you're unhappy with some of them quite often. You will be whether whether it's Nico whether it's Dell whether it's Diggs you're going to have disappointing outings but it's it's important to remind players we talk about this in the truth series wide receivers accept the best of the best except like Amunran in CD lamp they're all inconsistent so what you want to go for is the ones that can have big performances all three of these guys can at tight end I'm going with a I mean I think Tight End Starts of the Week this matchup is just perfect I'm going with Evan Ingram a guy who I haven't been the most gigantic supporter of during the draft season you have you have really like a hater really like your wide receiver and tight intakes today Jason this is good thank you. What is my picks we talk about the the dolphins we want that offense I want this game in the Jacksonville Jaguars they're going to have to try to keep up he's going to be very very involved in this game last year the dolphins gave up the fifth most fantasy points per game to the tight end position the reason why is they run very heavy on cover six twenty five percent of their defensive looks were cover six that's the highest rate in the NFL for context nine point seven percent is the average so it's way above average over double and cover six is generally weak against the flats that's where Evan Ingram lives those little that's why I kind of don't like Evan Ingram is because it's it's just you know value lists targets but here I draw sticks no flats yes exactly and he's going to have if you're in a PPR I mean he's just going to have so many targets and receptions this week. I love it Mike. All right like I said Mike is going to go last and I might OK because I I'm jumping in so I'm going to is disgusting Dalton King K. to get there is on is my pick while we wait to figure out which Buffalo wide receiver emerges by the way I was very close to taking a deep selection of Khalil Shakir and week one so just throwing that in the ether for your wide receiver of like DFS dart throw yes but can K great bet to lead the team in targets Arizona has no pass pass rush but don't worry they also have no secondary so they have one player on defense that you can trust Buddha Baker in the middle of the field oh he'll tackle concave several times yes after the catch so don't can Kate is my start of the week pick in Arizona gave up the second most touchdowns to the tight end last year all right start your studs at the position by the way did you notice this trophy I did in the top yeah go to Andy's camera let's look at this trophy perfect very nice really as there as Mike said before the show hold on sit up he called he said hey comrade if you're looking on YouTube oh man it looks like a very different hat on your camera I love it so start your studs and this maybe this is more than start your backups and maybe this is more of a DFS and start some of the guys on the way to this this is all about the process sorry grandma it's week one let's have some fun boys titanium underpants we're not even starting at steel we gotta go right to take a game all right underpants for that helps it's Zach Erts yeah I know I know oh I just threw up I I should have warned people if they were eating food to put it down you know who led the tight end position in targets in week one last year Zach freaking Erts the matchup is people are saying who does he play for right he plays for the Washington commanders he plays against the Bucks who they allowed the second most receiving yards at second most fantasy points to the tight end position last year Zach Erts let's go Cliff Kingsbury to Zach Erts is Dennis Allen to Taysum Hill this guy can't get enough of Zach Erts he somehow Zach Erts was keeping Trey McBride off the field because in part because of Cliff Kingsbury and look if the preseason usage is anything for the Washington commanders and Jane Daniels they was get the ball out immediately and who do you think that ball is if it's going out immediately that thing's going out to Zach Erts this isn't an upside play this is I think Zach Erts is good for like five for forty or something like that in the start of the week look I would not be surprised if Zach Erts has a good game I would be surprised if anybody started him in any situation so do you but the thing is is you have to drop a player to pick Zach Erts up because obviously he's not he's not rostered right now what tight ends what later tight ends are you willing to drop to like I'm in a league where I've got Taysum Hill I got him I played very late I would as well this look I'm talking bigger leagues not just twelve like a fourteen thirty two look when Zach Erts out scores Pat Fryer Muth and week one don't grind to me all right all right well you put on the tight end that's the name because that's usually my like last round tight end so are you name look name value had if you had Fryer this is already too much time on her no but I'm genuinely curious because if this is your start of the week if you had Fryer Muth would you drop him for Erts and play Erts you don't say yes I would play Zach Erts over Pat Fryer yes we're taking a break we're jumping into the forecast all right week one of the NFL season boys it is time to jump in it's time for fantasy forecast presented by DraftKings sportsbook Fantasy Forecast all right Mike I got to get back to the Zach Erts thing oh man I know it's been too much time but I am in a league okay it's deep very very deep I think I got my my tight end in round sixteen okay because I went I went Hawkins in a little earlier I went with Luke Musgrave okay he you know going into year two he showed a lot of flashes as a rookie for the Packers last season I know your answer is you would you would start Erts over Musgrave the question is would you drop Musgrave because I will I'm gonna make that move right now and play Erts in that league if you tell me I drop Musgrave to pick up Erts and play Andy are you you're a yes over there I think that it's the drop is the hard part because I think over the course of the season Musgrave is probably the guy you're gonna want to have but just saying week one I think that Erts is gonna been Senate for what it's worth tied in three on the depth oh yeah it'll start the year it'll take him time Zach Erts is going to be the dirtiest most disgusting yes accumulator of catches I would drop him if I was I need to hear from Mike that I should drop Musgrave for Zach Erts and I will make that transaction all right make it happen all right make it happen sound effects you're not even touching the keyboard are you are you actually doing it thank you no I am I am really doing okay let's right our first matchup we're gonna talk about we already previewed the Thursday night game that happens tonight we did that yesterday so if you want to hear that preview go back click on yesterday's episode but we're starting out with Friday Packers at Eagles night in Brazil oh but sure the Green Bay Packers take on the Philadelphia Eagles apparently we chose teams that are green to try to match the flag in Brazil which I think is very courteous of the NFL next level thinking they don't have to get like new gear down there they do not just wear the flag can wear their own colors and root for both teams the Drafting Sportsbook line here Eagles minus to the over under is 49 points in Brazil we've got two playoff teams we've got two teams with a lot of fantasy options we got one team with Mike Sardar the week Christian Watson Jordan Love he got paid this offseason his DK line right now is you know 250 plus passing yards is minus 145 for Jordan Love in this game secondary for the the Eagles last year was ranked 30th in fantasy points allowed are we going to get what we want in Brazil yes Jordan Love is a great play like you can look at his his little DK line right now it's already 250 plus passing yards I think that he can make that and on top of that just real quick Jordan Love plays the Eagles the Colts the Titans the Minnesota Vikings the Rams the Arizona Cardinals that is the opening schedule for Jordan Love I think that he is going to be real he's going to start or start super hot Josh Jacobs is the last and only running back remaining for Green Bay we're very excited about him in this one yeah I mean it has been a tough defensive front to run against we know he's going to get everything yeah and you believe in the floor you believe in the system to get him the ball where he needs it you know the Packers offense is one that I think we're all really really excited to watch to kind of see if there's any clarity which I don't believe there will be in this in this receiving core I think similar to what you were talking about with the Texans it's going to be a you kind of got to get lucky you've got to have the right week for whether it's Jane Reed or Christian Watson so that means you really should be starting them because you know if you want to get the big matchups you you have to start them through the Duds as well but then if that passing game is working I think that the we've always seen value from Aaron Jones and Josh Jacobs will catch the ball more than he did as a raider so yeah I mean obviously you're starting Josh Jacobs but I think it will work out this week. The only thing to really look out for Romeo Dobbs popped up on the the practice report limited with a hand injury so like if Dobbs was one of your later double flex options you may have to pivot. What in the wide receiver room for Green Bay happens this week that would disappoint you what what what would disappoint you what would disappoint you from you know is it Jane Reed underperforming Watson underperforming is it Dobbs being the leader of the room in week one is it Wicks not getting any play. Yeah it's it's the most disappointing thing just to be contrarian is Don Tavion Wicks not getting the snaps that we hope because of his production that he had on a on a per route basis last year like real elite numbers not saying Wicks is an elite player but he is we oh okay yeah I'm saying I guess Jason's willing to say it but if he doesn't get on the field very much that would be disappointing on the other side it's pretty easy from a fantasy perspective hurts Saquon AJ Brown and Devante Smith every week every week and we'll get to see Johan Dotson on the field hopefully maybe yeah he should he should be their wide receiver three which I think and I hope that role is irrelevant if Johan Dotson is good this year that will really not be good for I think fantasy managers I want to see what the running back breakdown is Philadelphia wise like you use how much do they use Barkley how much are they trying to manage his workload you know what what is Philadelphia look like after a really tough into the season where they lost I think five of six or six of seven games got blown out in the playoffs they have a whole new offense they have a whole new defensive coordinator this game is going to be very interesting from that perspective now Goddard's going to be back out there a lot had been made of his injury and the fact that whenever he's missing time Devante Smith eats his opponents as Jason would say got him up so Goddard though he should be playing are we ignoring Goddard for fantasy because we're tired of it yeah I think I personally am I mean Dallas Goddard has not been good in a long time he's just you know he had a big name and we were hoping for him to break out behind Zach Hertz a long time ago and showed a lot of flashes but you look at last season he missed three games and then he had four decent fantasy games the rest were all unusable awful consistency score of a D so even though the match up here is fine Dallas Goddard coming off of an injury even though he's healthy he's going to be playing I I'm not going to roll those dice all right let's turn the page to the Sunday games Pittsburgh at Atlanta the over under Steelers at Falcons here is just 42 points Atlanta at three and a half point home favorites and the revenge of Arthur Smith begins immediately the fact that he can instantaneously use Cordero Patterson against the very team that he used oh man him on last year is incredible and so you know we haven't seen any of Atlanta in the preseason the offense has been you know none of the starters played any snaps right I don't I don't think anybody was out there at all so Kirk Cousins the recovery from the Achilles switching teams well you know B John London there's a lot of anticipation Kyle Pitts came out this morning for what it's worth it wasn't in the news but he came out and mocked everybody making a big deal about his hamstring he said he said he missed two reps on the rack or something like that and that meant that everyone freaked out he said see you Sunday so I don't know who reported what and what mattered but Pitts is going to be out there and so I'm going to ask you the same question what happens on Sunday at home in Atlanta that would disappoint you right out of the gate oh I mean there's so many things I mean the Falcons are an offense that I'm very excited to see I wish they had a good matchup for week one the Steelers they always find a way to have a good defense even when they lose players and they're bad for a couple weeks and they figure it out I think this is a really tough matchup so the thing that would disappoint me the most would be B John splitting time more with Algier than we think I that shouldn't be what happens I mean Algier will be involved and I think there's been a lot about Algier at the goal line right now the DK line for an anytime touchdown for B John Robinson is a minus 105 I mean that was like Christian McCaffrey last year remember when you were trying to get a touchdown and you know and make that bet it was like minus 200 it's like crazy that is the expectation is that you get a touchdown that is awesome for fantasy so that'll be the most disappointing thing if if Algier comes in around the goal line I will be so so upset all right on the other side of the ball Mike Tomlin came out talked about the running back rotation he says in terms of how we divide the labor up that's going to be week to week we have some capable guys you throw Cordero Patterson into the mix as well he's talking of course about Najee Harris and Jalen Warren both guys will be out there against Atlanta Atlanta was pretty good against the run last year but if Patterson is getting worked in are you taking is it a is Najee a must start situation is Warren a must start situation or do you want to feel it out I'd prefer to feel it out with with Warren for sure like it limited on Wednesday he's been dealing with a hamstring all for some weeks now in training camp so for Warren I want to see it Najee I'm okay putting him out there just as a pure volume play it doesn't feel like it's upside at all so it's the the Steelers are I would kind of rather see what's going to happen here with the with with the new quarterback with the new offensive coordinator Pickens is fine he's he'll be in my lineup but everybody else if I can avoid it I probably would you mentioned Pat Friar and youth yeah if he was the guy you took at the end of your draft you're obviously going to throw him out there but this matchup low over under a lot of unknown on both sides to brand new quarterbacks and we don't know a lot of what that's going to look like and the low over under makes you less excited about the matchup yeah and the the way that that the youth is just the usage is I have my concerns of how it's going to work out more because of Smith yeah yeah I agree Arizona at Buffalo the D K sportsbook line here bills minus six and Cardinals at Bills a half the over under 48 we like that total Mike's my guy Kyla Murray was my start of the week and I'm a big fan of this game script and the way it should play out there's a lot of question marks around Josh Allen figuring out who his weapons are going to be how the offense is going to function there's a really good chance they look pretty good in week one against Arizona defense and maybe quell the fears and then you know maybe don't buy into everything that you see on the field in week one because Arizona's defense is it is the perfect setup for Allen Allen when he's not pressured number one in fancy points per game on non pressured drop backs second and fancy points per drop back and third in completion rate he completes 75% of his passes when he's not being pressured and the Cardinals cannot pressure they can't bring pressure they don't have the personnel to make it happen and they're already dealing with defensive line injuries so when you talk about getting a feel for the new offense in Buffalo you could see you know my biggest problem is trying to identify what guy had rolled the dice on like I have this decision in a couple leagues I could go hurt a Samuel who's recovering from turf toe that is not an injury that I really want to mess around with in week one I don't he could have two rounds and we've seen Curtis Samuel leave the field for me it's Khalil Shakir I mentioned I earlier that's kind of what I settled on but Keon Coleman how much run does he get with the starters on the outside if you take the shot what's the name for you for me it's Shakir at the wide receiver at the wide receiver position I'll go Curtis Samuel from I get that he's coming back from the toe injury I don't I mean if that's if I have to pick my my pick is actually none of these despite the bad defense this could be a game where you are also up and you're running the ball a lot that's why James Cook as you start of the week yeah this could be a Ray Davis game the rookie backup running back could end up with two touchdowns in this game because cleaning up you look at what happened last year and the nice thing is the Cardinals offense might be able to keep pace here and make it to where it is more of a shootout but if the Cardinals offense you know stumbles at all their defense is not good enough to stop the bills offense which means last year what you saw is despite how bad the defense was wide receivers didn't really do well against the Cardinals the running backs did because you just get to a game script point where you're not throwing the ball much so I love Don't concede I love James Cook Josh Allen will eat in the past the game I wonder if he'll have any rushing yards he'll just stand back there for like 12 seconds find the guy he wants to throw it to and if if it's a Ray Davis game as you called it that will send panic through the streets I think more just of a of a they're up and James Cook has gotten his work done the it would be a both and yeah the concern is that Cook gets his work done and that doesn't involve a touchdown James Connors over under right now and DK is 51 and a half rushing yards it's my it's one of my favorite of the week yeah James Conner is the workhorse back when your offensive coordinator has the willingness to call you the bell cow that doesn't happen a lot in the NFL level you normally equivocate and say well we're gonna feel it out we're gonna play different guys we're gonna see what what happens we've got a lot of guys in the backfield now this is like James Conner just it's his yes it's all his yeah that has been what it is felt like all all off season over the summer coming out of Arizona a Trey Benson is a very interesting bench stash insurance running back but until James Conner misses time it I think he is he he feels like in your draft you know which we talked about like the cheapest real bell cow for a good offense that is available in the draft and Matt Milano is not part of you know he's not gonna be there right their defense won't be as good as it's been in the past yeah and it started to struggle at times last year Marvin Harrison makes his debut if you drafted him you're starting him same with Trey McBride and I think I'm gonna get this out of the way Andy's almost upset of the week I wondered before the show even began it's like I kind of wanted to say it but I don't have I don't have the magic powers if there's a feeling out period on the offensive side of the football for even a while for Buffalo with a high over under I and the defense is both like on both sides of the ball I don't like the defenses right so and I like the quarterbacks I know more of what Arizona is gonna bring to the table but both teams are figuring it out so I think it'll be a very competitive game I think it'll be close and I think it'll think they'll almost upset the I think Arizona will miss a game winning field goal on the last play of the game alright we'll take a break and we'll jump into another matchup. Kyle wants me to explain the almost upset to new listeners I thought that I thought the drop did a pretty good job but it's like you're gonna almost upset the team but you're not gonna go all the way I get credit when they do upset and if they get close and cover the line right that's how I've worked that out and you get credit despite wearing that stupid hat right now you get a credit record from genuinely you're almost upset historically have been they hit do you have some data Kyle do you have that pulled up I can pull it up but you are scary good at it like I hate it it's all very good at it I find though the ones that like this one you know I it's hard I know the listeners are going is this just a homer things this just a cardinals thing I will say that it might be most of the time when you drop this on one that shocks me and I think like when I when my jaw drops when you always a good sign that's always a good sign yeah I think you hit on a hundred percent of those yeah last year was very good yeah can we get Jason jaw drop into the data into the database yeah do you have some numbers Kyle last year you covered the spread eighty percent oh that's all baby that is all and then it was an outright win on sixty seven percent you were that's all you're flying too close to the sun wow there's no chance that happening again or will it's all right Tennessee at Chicago very excited about this Titans at Bears game a fun game that's it's going to be a lot of fun both teams they're kind of like new look franchises right now you've got Caleb Williams will levis some a lot of players that are relevant for fantasy that have been drafted you got the trifecta of wide outs in Chicago and this game you know right now the draft king sports book line bears minus three and a half they're the home team the over under is forty four and a half two young quarterbacks two new offenses a lot of excitement but also a lot of nerves as to whoa you know like can these guys get it done I would expect Chicago to win with that defense at home against Tennessee but they should but very excited to see the Titans as they have been just drained of all testosterone as they made the move away from the last regime of what we do is we grind out games with Derek Henry and this regime said we're gonna have running backs but we're gonna bring in Tony Pollard to go with Tajie Spears to you know not gigantic bruising running backs guys who are excellent at catching the ball and seeing what the turnaround for this team is to be more of a past team is it'll be fun to watch it feels like both running backs Jason have been tossed to kind of this middle ground maybe the dead zone maybe players that nobody has actively been targeting they settle on Pollard and Swift are we in for a surprise here or is there the potential that we get in here I mean Tony Pollard is rushing yard mark on DK is only forty three and a half yeah I mean that's not great because I genuinely believe that Pollard and Tajie will be an almost fifty fifty split I mean someone has to start so it'll be you know fifty three forty seven but those guys are going to both be on the field in the exact same situations be used the exact same as running backs and that might work for the Tennessee Titans but that does not work well for fantasy football also the Bears have a pretty solid defense I'm not sure that I love either of the running backs on the Tennessee side Swift on the other hand he projects like he could get a you know a lion share of the workload there with Herbert and Rochon Johnson just basically being backups who spell him from time to time so if I had to pick between Pollard and Swift it would be a pretty easy swift for me is that in your your situation to Mike DeAndre Swift is just as a devil I'm sorry I should never ask you to choose him in the situation please don't do that on the other side I'm on the Tony Pollard side for what it's worth that's not a utmost confidence but I I think he's the better player I believe he will I mentioned it last year he will do what Swift did in Philly I think we started the year with Gainwell as a starter and Swift is the backup this is a co starter situation I think Pollard will outplay Spears to the degree that it becomes a 1A 1B or a 1 and 2 overtime on the Bears side is something to pay attention to Keenan Allen did pop up with a heel injury I'm not gonna make any comments about he's got a lot more to carry around I'll do it I'll do it you know I mean that's that's a lot of weight on those eloquent about like gravitation are your heels feeling better in the last few months they are yeah you know the and so your load Keenan's really absorbed some of that for me and you know the interesting thing here you look pretty good this year Mr. Deadringer got his Liga record jersey on he's wearing a hat of course yes my dead ringer hat thank you Kyle I couldn't find it Kyle found it anyways the one interesting thing here Snead came over from the Chiefs and he was an absolute monstrosity yes posing wide receiver ones last season like he became he got to the point where you'd you'd be staring down a superstar and be like can I play him against the Chiefs now that took a whole defensive scheme and all of that we don't know that he can do that here but he is here now so it's like if DJ Moore is locked down that's who I would assume if you're gonna shadow you'd kind of put Snead on DJ Moore and Keenan has a heel problem it's like does Odunze is he a sneaky okay play week one you know I've got neighbors as my start of the week I like Roma doon say okay I like him I've been I like him in this game I've been down on Roma doon say I still don't like him on a season long basis for where he was drafted but if you drafted him I think let's put it you could throw him in your line let's put it to the test Odunze or Brian Thomas who was named a starter by the way right now just so you know the starting wide receivers in Jacksonville on the outside it's Gabe Davis on one side and Brian Thomas on the other Christian Kirk is only playing in three wide right now so that is very significant to me Odunze or Brian Thomas in week one Brian Thomas has the great Miami game I'm gonna take Brian Thomas I go Brian Thomas Rashid Shahid against Carolina or Roma doon say Odunze Rome Dobbs against Philly Odunze I need more injury information I would probably play at doon say for the sake of the big game yeah hey which Mike will take his disrespect to Romeo Dobbs yeah I will he's a touchdown machine Calvin Ridley yep playing I am I'm kind of I'm kind of excited about Calvin Ridley and we should have the under Hopkins back to help take some pressure Hopkins or Roma doon say I'd play Roma doon say I think I would as well coming coming off of the injury yeah I lean that way it's more fun to less fun New England is playing football this week against Cincinnati the Patriots at Bengals guys this one's a bummer the Draft King sportsbook line Bengals minus eight why do we got to start the Bengals against the Pats the over under is 41 which means the implied point total for Cincinnati is 24 and a half okay that's totally good that's fine New England is 16 and a half that's not I don't know how New England moves the football on a regular basis in this game with Jacobi Brissette throwing the football to mad libs I mean I yes you know Kobe beef brisk if you punted your DST to the end of the draft as you should but maybe you were at the end of the line and you don't you don't like what your current matchup looks like the Bengals week one is gonna work it's tough it's gonna work I don't think it will work from a DST standpoint simply because offensive line is horse do they are horse do do and I will I will certainly stream against them a lot but I'm not sure that the Bengals defense isn't horse do do too so it's it's that doesn't that doesn't bother me a huge lead against the team they're at home super favorites yeah the other team has a bad offensive line they're gonna have to start chucking the ball in the second half okay that's turnover city have you been I've been convinced I think they will commit to Ramond Ray early and often in this game he is the most reliable offensive piece that they have so I think you're gonna see a lot of Ramond Ray what he what can he do with the touches I mean that's the question is DK line right now is forty nine and a half yardage wise can he catch the football that's everything in this game that's what you're hoping for Ramond Ray it like storylines that you're looking for for the past number one I mean I'm Jalen Polk watch is he a is he a starter like is he earning targets right away I think that's interesting to watch and then this team that they're going to be in negative game scripts which is part of why I haven't loved Ramond Ray in the the draft process but it's when they are down and they're trying to come back I know Ramond Ray got the money but is it him or is it Antonio Gibson who they brought in pretty early in the process and and his specialty is catching the ball that will be the number one thing to watch in this game is who is the past catching back and how involved is Gibson I am on the side where I believe it will be Ramond Ray I think he will catch a ton of passes and be absolutely fine in PPR leagues on the other side of the football Joe burrow will he have Jamar Chase we are still waiting to find out T Higgins will have and you know you got to remember that New England has lost their defensive coordinator so people expect them to be the same kind of defense they've been in the past yeah I think they'll be I think they'll be pretty good TBD TBD with the departure of Bill Belichick that's one area he had kept it on lockdown Zach Moss Chase Brown seeing that distribution of work will be very very interesting important I mean that that's this is one of the biggest debates of draft season is which guy is it or is it neither is it neither guy what about neither guy is it neither or neither it could it's either one it's either either or either neither or neither can be either or either are you kidding me right now oh yeah swoosh yes it can be both of those things I it's I'm on the Zach Moss are you starting them in this game I would start a game script I would start Zach Moss is New England was a very good defense against the run last year yeah but Zach Moss like it depends on how you draft it of course like if you went you know more of a hero or zero running back type of an approach at the beginning Zach Moss was one of the targets that I've been trying to get on those teams so he's probably playing at least as an RB two I think if I yeah I mean obviously if you went zero RB you're going to be having to start Zach Moss but where he was drafted I think most of the time he is going to be in flex consideration I would love to hold off in week one it's a it's a tough deep it's a tough defense against running backs and then you have the wrinkle of what if is a 50-50 most order most or most easy most either a little harder Moss or Gus Edwards I think I would go the Gus bus okay yeah I probably lean that way one more matchup for today and we'll we'll we'll wrap it up we'll do the rest of them tomorrow Houston Texans at Colts at Indianapolis fund divisional game to start the season the Drafting Sportsbook line Texans minus three the over under is 48 and a half Colts at home we'll see what Anthony Richardson has in store we'll see if the yeah beefed up Houston Texans personnel on defense can bring a better performance than they did at times last year I mean what Mike you had a kind of a guttural reaction right there is it is it about Richardson and what he's going to be capable of in this game it's going to be I mean it's Anthony Richardson is one of the biggest fantasy storylines of the season really polarizing of people being all the way in or just watching him play in the preseason and going nope I'm all the way out it's not going to work it's just how how healthy is he and how much does he run you can be a bad quarterback and put a big number yes you can that is in the realm of possibility CJ Stroud against Indianapolis last year 384 and 2264 and 2 beautiful yeah play play that Nico Collins guy I mean you're you should genuinely play all three I know I was just but it was Nico last year against the Colts week two twenty four point one points he was the wide receiver four and then in week 18 he was the wide receiver one against the Colts he's at least last year he had their number we're going to see Joe mixing with a new uniform and a big work look so that'll be a very interesting one that the Colts last year were one of the worst teams in the league against the run so I think mixing is a obviously a must start he'll be cruising that for what three point nine in this matchup don't care that's fine three point three point nine because of a couple of goal line carries but I hate it guys I hate it it's it's it's going to be very very good yes start and probably the whole year yeah I mean really I don't love the personnel on the Colts defensive side of the ball so there's no Texan that I am unwilling to start even even going down to Dalton Schultz obviously all of these guys are not going to work out but there will be points here to have and and I think you could I think you can start all of them and hope that it goes to your guy on the other side though it this will be very interesting the Texans made a lot of investment on the defensive side last year they had a terrible defense last year and they went out and they said hey I think we got a Super Bowl window they went out spent big money and so I'm interested to see if the Texans defense is good are you willing to play Adnan Mitchell no I don't think so I Josh down still he did not practice on Wednesday with the high ankle sprain it seems like he is unlikely to play I think the only wide receiver for the Colts I'm starting as Pittman okay yeah it will be you know that's a dark and dark throw situation Taylor isn't Mitchell and Pierce I think we'll both get play both dark throws John Taylor he good you're obviously playing him and we'll see what the we haven't got to see him and Richardson together what it was very much what is your actual Michael Pittman confidence his DK line right now it's five and a half receptions and I am I got the he be jeep I would go I I mean I think he ends up with five so I'd go under yeah I'm probably on that side too so is he is even a wide receiver to free this week or I think he's a wide receiver I'm outside the city oh no I don't he's a wide receiver to I just wide receiver to man please Richardson don't forget you have the start set tool on the website the fantasy footballers dot com we're going to cover all the rest of the matchups tomorrow that was fantasy forecast presented by draft king sportsbook download the draft king sportsbook app and use the code ballers that's the code ballers you bet 500 and get 250 the crowd five that five and get 250 that's it way better do you said 500 yeah you don't have to five dollars no you said 500 you 100 percent I didn't catch it bet five dollars you go get 250 the crown that's a good deal that's a great deal yours more matchups on tomorrow's episode check out the community in the new ultimate dashboard at join the foot dot com and good luck tonight for clan it is it's football time good bye gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler help is available for problem gambling called 8887897777 or visit ccpg.org in Connecticut must be 18 and over age and eligibility restrictions vary by jurisdiction pick six not available everywhere including New York and Ontario void were prohibited see terms at pick six dot draft kings dot com slash promos one per new customer reward issued as fifty dollars in non-withdrawable pick six credits that expire in six months nfl plus premium offer available only to 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