One MANS Opinion: Episode 313 – Meet Duke Silver

[MUSIC] Welcome to One Man's Opinion, brought to you by the Elite Fantasy, Fantasy Guru, and EliteSportsBetting.com. And now, here's your host, Jeff Mans. [MUSIC] >> All right, come in everybody. Episode 313 for some of you. >> This is the one you've been waiting for. It's a lot to get to on this week's episode. Thank you for being here. Thank you for tuning in. This is One Man's Opinion. This is an uncensored and unfiltered podcast about fantasy sports and quite frankly, whatever the heck else that I want to talk about. That's what we're doing today is the big, big episode of the Secret Code Word Player. I don't know what we call them. Our All-in Player of the Year, our Code Word Player of the Year. You're going to introduce you to a good friend of mine here in just a few moments. But first of all, thank you for being here. And thank you for downloading Liking, favoriting, subscribing, commenting on this episode. And all the previous episodes of this podcast appreciate you, each very, very much. My name is Jeff Mans. You can hear me weekday afternoons on Series X and Fantasy Sports Radio channel 87. I host a show called Elite Sports from 3 to 6 pm Eastern on that network. I three to five on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But you can hear me every single day of the week. I'm also the host of Series X and Fantasy. Football pregame during the NFL season, September through January with Bob Harris. 11 a.m. the 1 p.m. Eastern on that very network. I'm also part owner and the Chief Content Officer over at fantasy guru.com. Now that's the place to be everybody. That's where you get all this information. You get all my content. You get all my teams, content, everything from auction draft guides that are up right now. Auction tiers and rankings and projections and there's not. I don't even want to go through all the content. There's so much that I always leave something out. IDP previews, auction draft books, wide receivers versus coverage scheme breakdowns, coaching breakdowns, offensive line breakdowns. We have an entire dynasty fantasy football guide. We have an entire best ball fantasy football guide. We have an entire IDP fantasy football guide running backs, handcuffed grids. We have the personnel tendencies explained and broken down for you. Every draft strategy that exists in the universe, we do it. Get over to fantasy guru.com. Come see why we are the largest active community and fantasy sports. And today's episode if this isn't a clear indication of how we feel about our people, I mean, I risk a lot by code wording a player. And what I'm going to do on today's show, you don't realize probably how much stuff, shit that I get, I said it's uncensored. So I already warned you, I get a lot of shit about this. There are fucking tons of people that complain every year. He's, I don't know who this guy is. I don't know why you're using these days. I don't know who that is. I looked at him. I don't know why you have to do it. And I fought to the death. I don't fight over a lot of things. I really don't with the bosses and the execs. But one thing I'll fight to the death of, I protect our people. If you trust me with your, to deliver your fantasy content, I am going to obey that trust. I'm going to insulate and ensure that trust. I will not disobey your trust with that. And that spirit, why we code word a player, is we want to protect that player. We don't want that player. We've identified a player as I have this year again, that is way better than their cost and fantasy football drafts right now. Way better. Okay. So in that spirit, we want to protect ourselves. And again, you're trusting me. I don't want everybody else to know. What happens a lot of times? I mean, do you think I don't see these motherfuckers that put Aston Gentie on their draft guide? Oh my God. Fucking obvious fucking. I mean, just straight up thevery that people do. It's fucking crazy. I hear the content and things that I research. Again, I do original research. I don't AI. I don't Google. That's not what I do. And when I know I dig something up. And then a week or two later, I hear it on other shows. Podcast live streams or see it in tweets. It I fucking know damn well. Those people are still for me. And that's fine to a degree. Some of it you got to be flattered by and it's okay. It's fine. But I am not going to let the Johnny and Janie come lately's get in and our players. I protect that shit. That's what we do at fantasy guru.com. That's why you get over there and you could draft with me. And we could talk things out. I'll help you through your drafts. My old team, Armando Marcel Tyler Beaker, Russell Clay, Ray Flowers, Ted Schuster, Scott Bonder, Chris Rose, Rich Meledos, amazing speaking of our great staff over a fillbacker by the way, our IDP specialist at fantasy guru.com. Shout out to my producer Sean Engel who also does all the great content. He does our NASCAR stuff as well. Over there. Yeah, fantasy guru.com. We're not just football. We have the baseball season going. We do NBA. We do NHL. We do. By the way, all of our football package also includes college football. Everything seasonal college football. You want to play college football fantasy football on Yahoo. They offer it this year. We got you covered. You want to play DFS? College? We got you. You want to bet on college football? We got you. You want to play DFS on Canadian football league? We got you. You want to bet on Canadian football? We got you. You want to bet, play in leagues or do DFS on United Football League? We got you. All football. We do. No extra costs, no extra fees, no nothing. You get whatever. If you get a seasonal package with us, you get seasonal for all four different versions of football. And when they invent new ones, we'll cover that shit too. That's what we do. [email protected]. If you're looking for bundles or upgrades, membership levels, discounts. There's tons of discounts available to you as well, especially for first time subscribers. Love to get new people into the mix as well. So again, email [email protected] if you've been kinkin' the tires and think, you know what? I personally believe this is our year. I feel that this is a different year. It's going to be a better year too. I just do. We've had success varying degrees of success every single year. There's always things that we're proud of. There's always things we can get better at. And this year won't be any different that way, but I feel good. Like, I feel like things are clear to me this year. And hopefully that comes across in today's episode. So get over there and check that out. Follow me on social media @chef_manz on Twitter. The Jeff Manz Facebook Instagram Snapchat TikTok Threads. That Jeff Manz all one word on Blue Sky. All right. So, code word player. All right. Why did we start this? Started it back in 2022. It was just a gimmick. It was just a kind of a, I won't say a joke. It was just kind of like a fun bit to do. Right? So, like, the bit is we want to protect a player. There's in 2022, there was a player I identified. And we got to like late September or Augusta. And I was like, I can't believe this player. Nobody is seeing this. I was very surprised by all that. It was Alan Lazard, okay. Green Bay. Devonte Adams had just left. Aaron Rodgers was still in Green Bay. And I was sitting there like, I can't believe this guy is going in the nightthrown. Like, I looked around and said, this is just crazy. I'm like, you know what? I'm so in on Lazard that I don't want anybody else trapped in them. Now, I'm like, I'm just going to make a code name. I'm just going to, you know, this is going to be a code name. I'm not going to tell everybody who I'm talking about. And yeah, that's one of the lot of cards and letters and bitching and complaining happened. We call them my concho. And my concho is just the first name that came up when you thought about like a pseudonym or a fake name. My concho, I spread my bookcheek supporters. My concho, Playgirl Magazine. If you don't know that quote, that's from Telodega Knights, Ricky Bobby, Cal Notten Jr., Cal Notten Jr., Johnson Riley delivers the line. My concho. Really, it's a funny bit. Whatever Lazard was a good play there. He was going off the board of Y. receiver 44, 109.2 ADP 9th round. And he finished his Y. receiver 33. He's actually Y. receiver 31 and points per game. Not a big season. If you recall, he got hurt right at the end of training camp. Right after we announced it like three weeks and he gets hurt. Mrs. The first week or two came back. He played 14 games, but 100 targets, 60 reception, 788 yards, six touchdowns. So he wound up being better. He was 63 overall in fantasy points. That's beats the 109 ADP. Is what does he were 33 that beat the Y. receiver 44 ADP? It was a win. Moderate win. And I'll go through these results here. One thing that I want to remind everybody it's so important. All right, it's so important that you understand and by the way, so that's what launched this whole thing. And then the following year, we had fun with it and the following year, everybody's like, "Oh, what about this year? Let's do another one. Let's run it back." And I did and that one really kind of smacked me in the face 'cause it was not nearly as successful and all that. But I'm going back to basics this year. Our code word player, our player this year that we're going all in now is not a big upside player. This is not a win your league simply by drafting player. Okay, win your league, sure, but he's gonna play a role that I believe is the most important role in fantasy football. And that's what the 2022 Micahnt Show, Alan Lizarre thing was all about. It was about filling that last spot in your weekly lineup. Right, plugging the hole. I've done, I've been in this business for over 20 years. My accolades are what they are, right? Not here to go over my resume. The bottom line is I've done this for so long that I've seen every possible scenario. And the thing that is tried and true time and time and time again is nobody ever knows who that final starter is going to be. Who's my flex? Who's my wide receivers to? Who's my wide receiver three? Who's my running back to? Those are the biggest decisions weekend and week out. So when I look at it from an analyst standpoint and I want to help everybody the most I can, what's the most useful thing? Let's take out that the one question everybody's going to have. Let's plug the hole with a successful, a guarantee if you will, to out produce his cost, out produce the expectations and be able to make sure that no matter what the rest of our team and lineup does, we're getting production out of the worst spot on our lineup. The lowest wrong on the starter sheet, if you will, right? This player that I'll talk about today is not going to be the number one in his position. Not going to happen, right? Are there paths to top 12 or five? Yeah, sure. You know, we got a little upside now to explain why, but that's not what we're going for. I want everybody to understand what I, this whole thing is about we are plugging that last spot. If you're in a three wide receiver league, that wide receiver three spot, if you're in a two running back league, that running back two spot, if you're in a league that's two running backs, two wide receiver or three, you have a flex, that flex spot every week is solved. I'm solving that problem for you. The thing you can't do, please don't go and create other fucking problems on the team. I'm trying to solve the problem. So don't say, well, I got that one, but now I need my wide receiver two or my running back one. Don't fucking do that. Now we're fucking everything up. Don't do it. So my conscious was the success, run it back, Jeff. They said, sure, Ted Lasso shows coming back. By the way, cannot wait to see that. 2023 we went Roy Kent. Roy Kent. Roy Kent. He's here. He's there. He's there every fucking where Roy Kent. Roy Kent. And that was my guide, Javante Williams, who's coming back from an injury. I thought he was tremendously undervalued, going off the board and running back 29, 82.6 overall. Right now, technically, when I recorded the podcast, that episode, Roy Kent, he was running back 35. He wound up at running back 29. Now I could tell you after the successes of my con show, even though there's plenty of people that shit on my con show, plenty, but it was such a good bit and successful bit that people copied more people jumped in on Roy Kent. And it, 2023, code word player jumped. It's he skyrocketed and value like a winner. He went soaring up six spots on the running back scale. Now what did he finish? He finished this running back 29, exactly where we drafted him. 774 yards, Russian only three touchdowns. It catch 40 seven passes for 228, too. He split a lot of time. He was 72nd overall. Okay. Now by all measurements, Roy Kent, AK Javante Williams in 20 or three, was the success. Right. He ended up being the running back exactly where the highest he went, which is RB 29. He outproduced where we drafted him, drafted him at about 82 overall. 72nd was his spot. So he outperformed what we wanted. Right. That's not what people wanted in 2023. Truth be told. And I think maybe I didn't sell it right or maybe I didn't punctuate it right. Folks were not happy with Roy Kent. Most people say that's a failure. And quite honest, I got so tired of arguing and fighting about it that I don't give a fuck. It's you can call it a failure if you want whatever. It definitely didn't hit at the level I wanted it to hit. No question about that nor would I thought that being said it was the worst thing in the world. No, it absolutely was not. I that was fucking Sean Peyton, the beginning of Sean Peyton, dicking around with running backs. Viewer call, that's a year that Samaj P rank caught 50 passes and Julio McLaughlin caught 30 passes. And I mean, all these guys, all the running backs, bring up all this production. And I felt we got really fucked on Javante, a K Roy Kent, that year. But nevertheless, 2024 almost was the end of it. I didn't want to do it after that year. I thought, why am I doing this shit coming back? I ran it back only due to popular demand. The only one just because you guys wanted it, I ran it back. And we did Tommy Callahan, Tommy Likie, Tommy Wengie, it's from Tommy Boy, Tommy Callahan, Callahan out of parts. And that was Khalil Shikir, wide receiver, Buffalo Bills. Another perfect guy, wide receiver 51 at the time, 111.8 ADP. That's where we were at. He was becoming Josh Allen's number one receiver. He just got a big contract, yada, yada, yada. And so we liked it. And he was in a good spot. Funny, he got, like the numbers are almost identical to what Lazard had got a couple years before. 100 targets on the nose, 76 receptions, 821 yards, four touchdowns. So he was wide receiver, 36. So he was exactly what we want. Now Shikir was wide receiver, 32 and fantasy points per game. And he got hurt that year. Yeah, hurting that game. I desperately need him against the Ravens early on as a Sunday night game. I had like $50,000 right now that in DFS. He got one big catch. I'll never forget that game as long as I can live. But anyway, it's a win. Did he smash and grab? No. Did he lead the bills and catches targets? Yard, yeah, yeah, yeah. Did everything we expected him to do? Did everything we wanted him to do? One more touchdown here there would have been perfect. Get him up into the top 32. Sure. But we had an every week starter for a player despite an injury still return that to us. It's successful. I hope you guys understand because that is what I'm going for. There are upside plays and I'll take you through some players that almost made the, the, almost was our code name player this year and didn't make it. So I'll take it through them. One of which that was it was really between two guys this year and one had been a lot more upside and I'm purposely not going that direction. So if you want to go that direction, it's fine. But it is what it is last year. Last year was a home run. It was pretty obvious to me early. I was stunned that Deandre Swift, a K Julius Pepperwood last year wasn't more sought after. When we recorded the Meet Julius Pepperwood podcast last year, Swift was going out to board wide receiver. I'm sorry, running back 27 60. I'm sorry, yeah, 69.2 overall in ADP. He was morn up, being running back 15. Us 4,000 yards 9 touchdowns caught 34 passes 299 another touchdown. He was 38th overall player in fantasy football last year. Fantastic. It was a home run. That is best case scenario for this year to. That's an anything beyond that is great. Now we all know if Dionys Swift plays in that game against Cincinnati and he gets just 90% of the production that Menongai got Dionys Swift would have been running back nine in fantasy football last year. That's how tight, tightly bunched it was. Home run play and just it was great. Pepperwood to the fucking moon and it was great. So that's been the four years. In my mind, I'm very comfortable. I know that I'm not going to be 100% and who knows? This may be a year maybe a guy tears as a kill is something. Who the fuck knows, right? God forbid, we don't want any of that to happen, but it is what it is. And I'm very looking back through the years. Nothing's perfect. I'm not perfect. I'm never going to be perfect. But these were good calls, especially with where I was and where we were at these times. Did I want more from Lazarda? He doesn't get hurt earlier. Yes. Javante, I should have never gone. I that's a decision that I regret because I've now realized trusting Sean Peyton, even though we thought coming back to Denver was going to be great. It wasn't. You know, I just went by what he did with the Saints and the production is there. Denver scores a lot of points in the backfield except there's three or four guys over here. That's the problem. She's here. No problem with that. Pepperwood, amazing. And by the way, so as we get into that, we are the players that let me start with the name. The name we're going to use. You guys already know it because you've seen the title of this episode. I only had two real names. I left it up to the Elite Mafia. I left it up to people. I asked around. I asked my people Ray Flowers had used to fill back her Sandra Onello Rob Brink and Armando and Tyler and Russell. I asked around around around. So every names and everything. And it real. There was two names that were front center of my list. One has been in the running each of the last four years. It's a great name. It's pretty funny and all that. The other one is just kind of cool character name. And I'll tell you the one we didn't use. Robert McCall was the first runner up. Robert McCall, if you don't know, is Denzel Washington's name in the equalizer movies. These movies are fucking great. I'm not even an action movie guy. I'm not. This is a great fucking movies. There's three of them out. They're all fantastic. And I love the idea of our guy being the equalizer. Maybe next year. Maybe that's what they'll be. So we didn't go that direction this year, but McCall was up there. The name we went to-- [GRUNTS] You guys are probably wondering who the fuck is this guy? I would like to introduce you all to my good friend, Mr. Duke. Silva. [SCREAMING] Duke Silver is the character name. It's funny because it likes Pepperwood. And I'm kind of hoping he has the same return that Pepperwood got us. Duke Silver is the alter ego of another character in a television show. The television show is Parks and Rec, Amy Poler, and a great ensemble cast. But there's a character named Ron Swanson's played by Nick Offerman, who's fantastic. If you've seen Margot's Got Money Troubles on Apple TV, he's the dad, the wrestler. He's fucking like buff now, but he was a big, doughy, mustasio dude in Parks and Rec. Ron Swanson was great. He had an alter ego named Duke Silver that was a saxophonist and got all the old ladies panties all soaked and wet. That was Duke Silver. And I just love the name. I love this fucking name so much. And I just think it's perfect. So Duke Silver-- plus we get to say Duke Silver-- all season long, it's going to be great. So welcome, Duke Silver, to the fold. That was the only names that I can say. Now, who was Duke Silver going to be? That part was rather easy. The character named the person. The player, I really was tempted this year to go with other positions. We've done running back twice, and we've done by receiver twice. Quarterback, what it made a lot of sense. Problem that the quarterback that I considered that I really do like, and I've talked about him a lot, is Jared Goff. And it-- no, it is not Jared Goff. I think Jared Goff-- the only problem is I don't want. Number one, most traps, or a lot of traps, people wait so long on quarterbacks that a value quarterback doesn't really exist. If you get him in the last round, it's the value, Tyler Shock, or Malik Will Smith doesn't do anything. It really doesn't. But Goff would have been a quarterback, but I need mobility. I want Caleb Williams, or May, or Hertz, or obviously I want Josh Allen, or the March Jackson. But I don't want a pocket pass in quarterback. I didn't go off. Goff-- if I made a bull prediction, Jared Goff will I'll produce Joe Burrow this year. And I'm talking about without injuries. I just think the Lions got to throw for their lives. So it's not him. I also considered-- and if I was a sellout, I would have chose a tight end. Because a tight end is the easiest position in the world this year. The value of a tight end is fucking amazing. Sam LaPorta, I kicked the tires on. I love LaPorta. ADP 98. Travis Kelsey, ADP 123. Travis Kelsey, as Duke Silver, would have been fucking amazing. It would have been great. 'Cause he's the latest guy. We plug it in. The thing is, how does the one position thing help you? And the fact that there is Kyle Pitt, Sam LaPorta, Jake Ferguson, George Kiddell, Kelsey, Concade, likely, that's a lot of late round tight ends that are viable. So how do we stand at-- do I have all the confidence in the world on Kelsey being, you know, top six tight end? Absolutely, I do. Absolutely. But is it going to be that much different than LaPorta? Is it going to be different than Kiddell? Where is our advantage as a community, right? I didn't-- just like quarterback, I didn't see it. So I did go back to the running back quite receiver well this year. And the player, when I started this journey, I thought for sure I really, really wanted it to be Devonta Smith. Lot of receiver, Philadelphia Eagles. That's-- he won the World Cup of Water Seevers, you know, the problem is just like I thought, everybody's in on Smith. He's got ADP in the third round, almost third round, fourth round, 37 right now, which, again, one thing I have recognized this whole time is that everybody that we endorse, our code word player gets about a two round jump in ADP. And what happens then? Devonta Smith is going to be what a second round pick. Well, then all the values gone. It's not fun in that. Right? There's just no fun in that. So that what he was out, he loved him, buddies out. The guy that I 100% was going to go to. And I'm telling you, I strongly probably my strongest belief of this offseason, a preseason, is Roma Dunes 8, Wild receiver Chicago Bears. Now, Dunes 8 has been moving up in ADP. He was Wild receiver 31, two weeks ago, with an ADP past 72. He is now Wild receiver 28, ADP of 59.99, so 60, end of the fifth round. I love him at that spot. He's a tremendous value. I've got him in the top 14 over at fantasy guru.com. I love it. But what would happen if I chose another Chicago bear? Homer can't do you fucking Homer, you just like, not my fault that everybody hates the bears. For some reason, they don't like Chicago. Don't like Ben Johnson. I don't think it's Ben Johnson. Everyone's scared of death of Ben Johnson. I think they don't like Caleb Williams, maybe. I don't know. Either way, I couldn't do it. And that was one of the worst feelings is that I simply can't be called a Homer, because I'm not a Homer. I don't give a shit with teams these guys are on. It just so happens that more people hate against Chicago and don't realize that Oduenzay is the number one in Chicago, not Luther Burton. So it's all flip-flopped. So Dunesay was very much in contention, but he is not Duke Silver. I thought about DJ Moore. He's now he's rising a little bit. I like DJ Moore. He was close. He was. close. ADP have in the 60s, ultimately with DJ Moore. I think that Odin's I couldn't do. It was going to be DJ Moore because I'm sure he's going to perform his ADP too. He's got a lot more upside, but the problem is an ADP of 62. It's the beginning of the sixth round. So now we're going to take that. It's going to move into the fourth round. So what happens now all of a sudden we've got to take DJ Moore to four. Now DJ Moore to fourth, I still am okay with it. Take him 40th overall. I'm okay with that. But most of our league it's we lose. We're cutting into our equity and we're cutting into our equity too much with that one. And that's where I really made the decision. I said, all right, we're going to go deep on this bitch. We're going to go deep and we're going to look at we're going to try to uncover a later guy that isn't going to plug up a top six or top eight round selection. So yeah, we dove in and got a lot deeper. By the DJ Moore, I have a 35 overall. I have a third round grade on DJ Moore. So I would I'd have no problem with him in the fourth. But alas, it's not DJ Moore. The runner up, the guy that I really love and I think I've got him in just about every league that I'm in right now is Kenneth Gainwell Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I really love Gainwell here. ADP that is super late. He's got ADP just under the hundred mark at 96.5. He's running back 34. He's going to I'll produce that. It's a split backfield with Buckeer ring. The problem is I've learned some lessons with split backfields. You guys, my listeners and people that you guys freak the fuck out. It's a mental warfare game where you don't want to share anything act like it's your wife or girlfriend or something. And it's like, no, man, it's a fucking backfield. Everybody's sharing the backfield. Coyote only playcorms on the field. Oh my god. What do I do? You don't do anything. You just take the production you nod and move along. Gainwell fits the wide zone scheme for Zach Robinson incredibly well. The Tampa offense line is so much better than it was last year. It was all banged up. They were hurt last year. So you've got that element. You've got an aging quarterback, Baker Mayfield. He's not quite at the check-down Charlie stage. You've got a frequently injured guy that is sharing with and Buckeer ring. And you have a non-threatening guy and Sean Tecker. The only thing Tucker could do is take goal line carries. And maybe he ends up with that role or something. In worst case, he just doesn't have the other dimension. Gainwell is going to catch the ball time. Zach Robinson spent the last two years in Atlanta. Remember B. John Robinson, who you all love and all those catches? Yeah. That's the offense that Zach Robinson has been running. So there's and that comes from Sean McVeigh. That comes from that off that offensive blueprint. So when you're seeing backfields of 110 targets like Atlanta last couple years, we're going to get that and Tampa Bay this year. So I am not that I'm in an Bucke. I'm not really kind of like Ted Hurs super late, but I'm not going to go in on God win or McMillan or any those guys. I think Gainwell is going to catch the ball 60 plus times. I think he's going to run about close to 200 times, probably 180 times. And he's going to want over that. I think you could start Kenny Gainwell in a full-point PPR format every week. And as a running back to or flex and you will do very, very well. I've drafted him everywhere. I have. There's I don't think there's a league I've done yet where I don't have Kenny Gainwell. And he's just is great. He's a great fit for this offense in so many ways. But alas, even Kenny Gainwell is not Duke Silver. Maybe he would have been Robert McCall. Who knows? Ladies and gentlemen, I'm very pleased to reveal to you. Secret code word player for the year Mr. Duke Silver. This year, 2026, the player we're going all in on. It's going to surprise you. And I'll tell you next week. See everybody. No, I'm just kidding. Dale Robinson, wide receiver Tennessee Titans. Welcome, one day, a K. A. Duke Silver forever. Let it be known. Let it be said. Yes. A player that I have been against since his inception. Since he got into the league is my all in player for 2026. How the fuck did that happen? Let's go through it. That's the thing about Wondale. I know when I said that half the audience may be more puke. Do you guys do not want Wondale? It is that emotion. It is exactly that feeling. I know what you're feeling. I know that a lot of you are going to say and do you're going to draft Gainwell because I mentioned Gainwell instead of Wondale. I already know that. Ladies and gentlemen, do you that is exactly why Wondale wins this job? He wins because others won't take others won't. It's not sexy enough for people. But hopefully, let me explain why and how Wondale is sexier than he's been in the past. Why this year is a much better year for him than in the past. Well, I don't even know if it has to be better. Don't we kind of want the same out of Wondale? AK Duke silver. Don't we want that? By the way, after today's show, it will be Duke silver. I will not hear the name Wondale Robinson again. Okay. So that is where we are at with this. Let's take you through Wondale a little bit and it took a lot. This is the level. Hopefully you guys understand the level of analysis that I do when trying to when I go all in a player, I need to know everything about the player and there's things that I uncovered about Wondale. I didn't know. And maybe I was wrong about maybe I could have been better in the past. All right. Number one, where's the name come from? He was born and raised in Frankfurt, Connecticut or Kentucky, Connecticut. Kentucky boy through and through, right? The name Wondale comes from his mom and dad, duh. His mom name Wanda dad's name Dale, Juan Dale. Hmm. Pretty as dad had a scholarship to play at Western Kentucky. He is that it is a fascinating story. That family because as dad has scholarship at Western Kentucky and he was recruited there by the young Jim Harbaugh who recruited Dale Robinson to go to play for Jim Harbaugh's dad, Jack. Jack Harbaugh was coach at Western Kentucky at the time. And so Dale Robinson goes there. He was the backup quarterback to Willie Taggart. I may remember it was a great college year. Willie Taggart, ironically, not ironic, but he's the running back coach right now for the New York Giants. He's been around the league for years. So again, Harbaugh brother John Harbaugh, Willie Taggart, Jack Harbaugh was one of his players. So you see how this all comes around. But one of the most interesting things about Dale Robinson, Wondale's dad, he quit the team as a sophomore because Jack Harbaugh was one of the first coaches in the country to mandate weekly urine tests for drugs and alcohol. Dale Robinson was a monster drug user. So he walked away from the team, walked off the team, went back home to Frankfurt, Kentucky and built a multi-million dollar drug empire which he was arrested twice for spent 12 years in jail. So when Wondale, his son, Wondale was going in high school, Dale, his dad had only been out of prison for 19 total months. Spent 12 years in the fucking joint. Wondale's uncle Ronnie is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in Kentucky history holds basketball and football records in the state of Kentucky. Ronnie rushed for 3000 plus yards for Kentucky state when he was 28 years old. Why is he 28 playing college? Because he spent nine years in jail. Yes, the family quite fucked up. Now, now I'm pleased to report. Families out of jail. Dale Robinson, he is a fucking bodybuilder. Want to know the name? He runs a gym in Frankfurt, Kentucky. Want to know the name of the gym? The Dale Robinson runs guru. No shit. No fucking shit. Kind of fit. This was meant to be evidently. But let's get back. So that's the back story. And by the way, you see Dale Robinson. This dude looks like Charles Atlas. He is ripped. Now he's small. Whole family. These guys are small, but they're amazing athletes. The bloodline is as good as it gets. In high school, Wondale played multiple positions with quarterback. First two years, he settled in to play running back though. And Wondale Robinson is not a wide receiver by trade. He is a converted wide receiver. He's a running back. He massed 85 82 total yards and 118 touchdowns in his high school career. He averaged 11.2 yards per carry. He was one of the five finalists for the 2019 All-American Bowl player of the year award given to the best player in high school football. He was a top five player in all of high school. Didn't win it, but because he was small and they weren't sure about his durability, he was only a four star recruit. Even though he was the nation's number two all-purpose running back and the number one player in Kentucky, four star recruit. So he didn't have, he had offers to go many different places, including SEC. He, University of Kentucky wanted him bad. He originally committed there than flipped to Nebraska. At Nebraska, they played him as a running back and as a wide receiver. It's a true freshman. He racked up 793 total yards. That is, I think it still is the record for most total yardage ever by a true freshman at the University of Nebraska. He had 701 yards in 2020. That was COVID year. They played just eight games, but he was split time between running back and wide receiver. So after COVID and not that whole thing hit, he decided to go back home to Kentucky where they wanted him originally transferred back there and he did that knowing that he was going to play wide receiver only. And that was the thing. Wide receiver versus running back. And again, Nebraska two years of college football played running back. Mostly running back, then he played some receiver, right? He was sort of a dual threat guy. So at Kentucky, he goes and plays from Mark Stoops. And in 2021, that season, guess who the offense coordinators? It's Liam Cohen. Now had coach Jacksville Jaguars, right? His tee is quarterback Will Levis. Will Levis is now his teammate in Tennessee. I'm buying for that quarterback to job. We'll see how that goes while Chris Rodriguez was rackin up 1,300 yards on the ground as the running back for Kentucky. So Rodriguez became the running back. Wondale becomes the wide receiver and oh, by the way, Wondale popped the fuck off. 104 catches 1334 yards, seven touchdowns set a record all time most receiving yards in a season by Kentucky wide receiver. He also ran the ball seven times for 111 yards. So that is still the record for Kentucky 1334. So after 2021, he's got a lot of judo, a lot of stock. Wondale enters the draft and he measures 5,8. He was listed as 5,11 at Kentucky 5,8, 180 pounds, 27 arms, 9 nch, runs a 4,4,4,4,1,5,9,10, there it split. Meh. Not really. He went from the production and 5,11 people were 2022 class. That was their valuing that. And he was set to be, he was in that quasi first, but definitely second round sphere. Then he gets the measurable small. Then everybody expects them to go in the fourth round. What happens? The Giants select him in the second round 43rd overall. And if you recall, I didn't like it at all. Did not like it whatsoever. Who was his head coach? It was the first year in the first draft run by Brian DeBal. Brian DeBal, who is now the offensive coordinator where in Tennessee, what team is Duke silver AK one day, where I would say, on he is on the Tennessee Titans. So you see how this whole thing comes full circle, right? It does. And so in that regard, it was at 43rd overall way overboard. Why did he go there? Well, it's the first year that DeBal is in New York. He drafts 7 Niels offense lineman and his second pick and the entire draft was Wondail Roberts. Why was it Wondail Robertson? The most important person on the field in Brian DeBal system is the quick twitch AK that the slot wide receiver, if you will. Okay. That is the most important person that's on the field for Brian DeBal. Don't believe me. Well, let's look at that. Love this. Where is Brian DeBal Ben his entire life? Well, he was, he's been around using Kansas City for a year. That year was dog shit, one of the worst years ever in 2012, right? And after that, he comes back and goes to to Kansas City, he goes to New England. That's and he hooks up in 2013 with Bill Belichick and company. And what happens there? And by the way, he was with Belichick back in the early 2000s. He became quarterback coach and offense quarter of the Browns back in eight, oh nine ish somewhere around there. And so he's kicked around before he learned essentially stole what Josh McDaniels does. Let's be honest. That's what Brian DeBal wound up doing. Nevertheless, he's in New England for a couple years. And what happens? Well, he learns a lot from McDaniels, Josh McDaniels. And he utilizes guys like Julian Edelman, pure slot wide receivers. So in that regard, he reinvents himself, reinvents the offense in a lot of ways, right? So he goes after, he goes out there and builds his own unique system, right? Spends a couple years and can't in New England with that goes to Alabama and Xayvon becomes their offensive coordinator as well. And you know, there he's got who? Well, Calvin Ridley as a receiver. We're teams covering really on Tennessee Titans. So he's got him there. He's also got Jalen Hertz there. And you look at that Alabama team that was, you know, I don't even remember what they didn't that you I think they won national championship. I just say they won national championship. Who the fuck knows because they always win national championship. They did win national championship that year. So and reinvents himself there starts using 11 personnel really implemented that offense in that season. And right after that, Brian DeBull goes back and he gets the Buffalo bills gets hired by the bills to redo the mechanics of the quarterback there. Josh Allen. And that's where we get a taste of this new offense. And obviously the bills take off. We know that Josh Allen's career takes off and he gets the mechanics down. So all this is good news for Camor. Who's going to be very important for Duke silver this year. But here is the numbers of the Buffalo bills are all Brian DeBull slot wide receivers. Three years of Jalen Edelman outstanding. Muhammad Massacry back in Cleveland outstanding by the way. So like everywhere he's been it's been great things for that offense or for the slot receiver I should say right. So when he goes out there good things wind up happening for the slot receiver in 2019 Cole Beasley was the what? Remember Cole Beasley having that run. 106 target 67 reception 778 yards six touchdowns. 184.8 fantasy points. Cole Beasley wide receiver 34 that year following year still Cole Beasley 107 targets 82 receptions 967 yards and four touchdowns 207.5 he was wide receiver 23 that year 2021 Beasley again although only plays 15 games 112 targets 82 receptions again on the nose 693 but just one touchdown 159.3 points wide receiver 39. Then he goes Brian DeBull goes and gets a head coach and job in New York. Drafts Wondell Robinson Wondell Robinson goes there he wins the starting job in 2022 as the slot wide receiver second play of the game of the season catches a nice five yard pass and he actually got one pass right away bruised his knee on that play sat out the next four games Wondell comes back catches the first touchdown of the game against the Baltimore Ravens and then four games later he became starter again playing when he came back only played 20% and then 30% each week he ramped up four games later he was back to starting racked up 13 targets nine catches 100 yards and no touchdowns against lions but on the very first play of the fourth quarter tore his ACL missed the rest of the season so 2022 is a wash but Brian DeBalls slot receivers, they combined. Remember Richie fucking James? I love looking back at this stuff. Cause Wondale was the starter, and then Wondale gets hurt. And Wondale comes back. Richie James, Wondale, and Sterling Shepherd for two games. Combined for 125 targets, 93 receptions, 960 yards, six touchdowns. 225 fantasy points, which would have been a wide receiver 18 that year, if occupied by one player. The following year, it was Wondale again. Wondale comes back in 2023. Didn't participate in training camp. Didn't make, he made it back. He didn't go in the Publis. He fought his way back. Real important there with help from his dad at the Guru Academy, the gyms, he fights his way back. Doesn't go on pup gets plays in week three of 2023 season. They ease him in once again in 2023. To that, but Wondale that season became a full time starter by week 11. Mounted up with 78 targets, 60 receptions, 525, only one touchdown, 133 fantasy points, wide receiver 53 in the season. But if you really look in on that, his pace, if the starter, 102 receptions 75 or 102 targets, 75 receptions, 780 and 4 touchdowns, 177 fantasy points, wide receiver 35. That's the numbers as a starter in 2023. The giants combined wide receiver, Paris Campbell and Wondale was out, they combined for 80 catches 629 and just one touchdown. One, I'm sorry, two touchdowns, 160.9 wide receiver 40 on the year in 2023. Okay. So that's a 2024 first full season starting healthy. Winds to starting slot job. And what do you know? Malik neighbors. rookie Malik neighbors plays outline. Well, we all know Malik neighbors went fucking ape shit and post 170 targets, 109 receptions, 1217 touchdowns. Malik was wide receiver six. Wondale though, he was pretty good. 140 targets, 93 receptions, 699 yards and three touchdowns. Now, this is where I kicked myself quite a bit. My belief and my, what I know is I looked at Wondale, and 93 catches for 699 yards and I said, oh, fuck no. That is the devil's gravy right there. It's the worst that is so fucking terrible. And such a bad like, Omen, if you will, for a player that you're like, yeah, I don't care about how many cheap receptions he got. That's just the giants being dog shit. That's just the giants being bad. And it's a lot of underneath stuff that amounts to nothing. We don't want to be invested in that kind of shit. And, you know, I think there's a lot, there is a lot of truth in that. Thing is, for whatever reason, and I don't really understand why he averaged with seven and a half yards per reception that year. That is impossible to do while also generating 140 fucking targets. That's just crazy. That shit does not happen. So I don't, I didn't get it and I did not like Wondale at all coming in to last year. Like, I just absolutely didn't like it. And I'll stand by that because, you know, that seven and a half yards, the thing I should have realized is there's no way that that's going to hold seven and a half yards per reception. Right? Absolutely fucking that. So that's one of those situations where I wish I would have dug a little deeper onto this player. And just I would have been, I would never have been in. Right? But I wouldn't have been so out and dismissive of those 90 catches either. So then go into 2025. And nobody cares. Malik neighbors, tears was AC. By the way, first game of season Wondale racked up 100 plus yards right out of the gate. Start out strong that year. Neighbors tears is ACL week four, Brian DeBog, it's fired after 10 games of Wondale racked up another huge season. The exact same number, 140 targets on the nose. 92 receptions, one less than the year before, but a thousand 14 yards. And an extra touchdown for touchdowns only 217 fancy points. Do you realize he was widows even 14 last year? Is anybody realize that? I don't think anybody realized that. And again, I don't hate on it because I've not been in Wondale either. But we need to, he all he did was make a very simple transition from 7.5 to 11.0 yards per reception. That's it. That is very, very doable and very normal. 11 yards of reception. Fine. Have some more, have some less. But that amount with that kind of volume is is is good. It's solid. And again, it resulted in a high productive season in which he was the, you know, a wide receiver, 14 in all the fantasy. But what borderline wide receiver one for fuck's sake. So then he's a free agent. NFL free agency opens and the Tennessee Titans swooping immediately. Sign him to a four year contract $70 million, $38 guaranteed. He's the 22nd highest paid wide receiver in the NFL. And he's the 16th highest paid next year's. It'll change with that because more people will get more money, but overall. So that's the Wondale Robinson history lesson, if you will. And if further dive into it, 14th and yards after the catch last year amongst all wide receivers, 25th the year before. He was 7th and targets of 20 25 11th and 20 24 7th and receptions last year 10th the year before. He was 23rd yards for out run last year. Now he was 81st two years ago. He ran a shit ton of routes, but remember 699 yards. Fucking impossible. That's. So that's a number contested catches last year was bad 80 80 if that 162. Qualified wide receivers. You don't expect the 5 8 guy to be a contested catch, but the year before he's 28th in the league. Catching 60% of his contested targets. Here's another thing though. Seventh and Miss tackles forced last year, sixth and Miss tackles forced the year before for the Giants. Also two years ago, he played almost exclusively 78.1% out of the slot. Like 21.1% out wide only last year due to Malik neighbors. I'm sure 67% in the slot 31% out wide. What that number that change is likely and it was mostly facilitated by Malik neighbors injury, but playing him on outside without a production drop is significant. I think that's why Tennessee was OK given him 38 million guaranteed 70 million over four years. Is he is much more lad Mcconkey at this point. Wanda el Robinson is a way more polished lad Mcconkey like a lot. He is smaller than lad Mcconkey. End of shortcomings. He is faster, better hands, better after the catch, better route runner, better everything than lad Mcconkey. Why and why we're going in on Wanda this year. It's because they the world and the NFL is telling us Brian DeBall. Went over slot to identify this player. He loved this player at college. He got him to the Giants. He used them right away. He tears his ACL a lot of times. Followed by the wayside. He went right back to him. Kid fought hard, played hard, plays all the team was sucking shit. He didn't miss fucking games. He didn't take time off. He fucking went to work this guy. All right. He did that. I didn't side outside caught the ball consistent as hell numbers two years in a row. And the guy who then gets fired goes to Tennessee takes over the offense has full autonomy and control the offense and who's the first player they signed Wanda el Robinson. They know exactly what he's doing. what they're going to do in Tennessee. And, you see a guy who, when you're, you know, a lot of, you I'm sure, our board, it's a boring slot receiver. Why not? The yards after the catch, the mistackles forced shows you that this is a different animal. Tennessee drafts carnal tape. They have Calvin Ridley. They have a leka human, you know, and they have Chimari DK. What do all those guys? What are all those guys? Not all four of those guys are vying for the exact same spot. Be that alpha x receiver. Wandel doesn't have any concern. His contract and his relationship with the coach affirms his spot on the field. We don't have to worry about Tennessee not playing 11 personnel. We don't have to worry about that shit. Right. They don't have a tie that they got rid of Chico Conquo. They've Gunnar Helm and Daniel Belinger, who they hadn't in Minnesota or New York. They don't, they're not fucking around. Brian DeBall is running. What did Robert Salas say when he hired DeBall? He wanted a non-shanhand McVeigh guy. And he got it. And we're going to get a wide open office. We're going to get the same offense. Offense was in the problem in New York. Right? So his spot is as secure as anybody. And when you look at Wondale's ADP right now today, ADP is number 105 overall. 102.96 wide receiver 45. I just went through all the numbers with you guys. Where is how is Wondale Robinson? Not going to return wide receiver 45 numbers. How is that possible? This is the most guaranteed interest that you're going to get on any investment in fantasy football this year. Any wide receiver 45 last year. Know who that was? There's Jordan Addison. 135 fantasy points. 135. Wondale does that in his fucking sleep. He did that. He was on pace for that in 2022. He exceeded it in 2023. He killed it in 2024. He mastered it in 2025. He is an I urge you guys because I know and I could feel you pulling away from me too. I know you wanted a sexier flashier play. But I'm telling you there is wide receiver 14. It's not out of the question where he was last year. It isn't. And the reason it's not is because the catch and run ability that he has. It's the hunger that he has stemming from his childhood. What he's been through with his old man and his family. He's the only lifeblood in that family. This money means something to him. He also, why did he go to Tennessee? Tennessee was a team he grew up when they moved to Tennessee. Well, they moved before his dad started like Tennessee Titans when they were in Kentucky. Tennessee Titan fans. So you got that tie in to this mix as well. Former coach, the whole enchilada. And then there's this other thing. And the other thing is I know nobody wants to dive into the Tennessee Titans. But I'm telling you and I've talked about a lot. And if you go watch the quarterback series on Netflix, Cam Ward comes off very, very well. Cam Ward second year quarterbacks. What do we always want? We always want that second year quarterback. Why do we want to, that's the year they grow. That's the year they take a jump up. And when I look at Cam Ward and what he went through last year and how he finished the year, he started one way, finished a different way. It became obvious that this kid is serious about his work. His dedication was craft. His dedication to his team. That's what he is serious about. And so we're going to get, as of now, the number one paid, at least wide receiver on a team with the number one overall pick from a year ago, taking that second year plunge. Think of Drake May. Caleb Williams. We are buying in on that floor that we just saw the second year quarterbacks that ascend. And what has Brian DeBaldon, he reinvented Tom Brady. He reinvented Josh Allen. He reinvented Daniel Jones. Right. He did, he has that track record. So you put him with Cam Ward as a hard worker. And there's a reason also the ball chose to go here. He could have had other jobs. He had ties to Cleveland. Cleveland would have gifted him the head coach job. He didn't want that. He was a coordinator. And Cleveland didn't want the job. He wanted a worker Cam Ward. So getting in on the ground floor of that second year springboard is also very good. And oh, by the way, where are my college football fans on that? Do you all, where are, how many of you listened to the show last year? This time last year was talking, I talk about Cam Ward. There was a player that I was kicking the tires on super late. I said it all year long. I said, wait for this guy because the Tennessee Titans brought him in. Just does anybody remember Cam Ward when he was fourth and he's all American and you brought the Miami hurricanes into the college football playoff. You remember who his number one receiver was Xavier Restrepo. Yeah. 69 catches 1127 yards. 11 touchdowns. Restrepo was not drafted. He would be can he went to Tennessee followed Cam Ward on Cam Ward's recognition. Follows him there because Cam Ward wanted him there spent most of season on the practice squad and then got in later on in the season because Cam Ward wanted him there. Restrepo played what position at Kentucky. I'm sorry, Miami. He was the slot wide receiver. Restrepo, why didn't he get drafted after 11 touchdowns? He was the one who got drafted after 1128 yards all the after all that number one receiver on Miami. Why didn't he get drafted because he's five nine barely over five nine. That's why. Meanwhile, Restrepo gets into the games late. Got in some playing time and still kicking around there as well. And which by the way, I'm telling you that. His presence in Tennessee pretty much ends. Restrepo could he will go on the practice squad again, but mother fucker listen to me. The minute if something were to happen to Wandaile. This is how the 3d chest that I'm fucking playing. If something happens to Wandaile. I know fucking full well. Who steps immediately in and that's Restrepo. He steps right into that role. The way Richie James did the way Julian Edelman did the way Muhammad Massacite did for these Brian to ball off fences and away we go. Nobody will see it coming. We are protected. We Duke silver is a player. We don't have to select until round 10. And fantasy football right now. We put a couple rounds. Let's say we end up having to go somewhere in round eight picks 85 through 96 on them. No problem. No problem. Plug him in as wide as three. Plug him in as wide as two if you needed to. Your flex option every week. And that decision is made. You're not going to have a problem with it. Because he is going to be a consistent contributor here in Tennessee. They're going to be a lot better. Lost their top defenders this season. They keep Jeff Reese. They get some past Russian. Germain Johnson. Frank Lamire. Keldrick fall. I like. But who's not going to be outstanding defensive. They'll be better. But they're going to throw a lot. And they're going to be better with. And it's such a secure and padded position that it's. It's fantastic. I feel so good about this one this year. I know that it doesn't have the pure upside play. But guys, you want to win fantasy football leagues. You don't rotate your final spot. You generate 200 fantasy points. If that's your worst roster spot, that's your worst performer. You're golden, pony boy. You are absolutely golden. And best ball leagues. Wondale's going off the board at 114. Why do you see for 50 right now? Even better. He maybe. Maybe doesn't he doesn't have the touchdown numbers. These targets, receptions and I think the yards are going to be fine. They're going to be 900 to 1100 yards in that range for sure. We get a couple touchdowns, extra TDs here and there. And it's going to be a fucking explosion. It will that will have upside that will. Be a dramatic increase right there. And I the targets. If you're last receiver, your Y2C3 is getting 810457712 for 11119148106 and 14 targets of fucking game. You are ecstatic. Every single one of us is going to be happy. So there you go, ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you Duke Silver, AKA Wondale Robinson. That is our code named player of the year. What do you think? What do you hit me up? Like it? Don't like it. Atch F underscore, man, it's on Twitter. Hit me up at the Manscafe Discord room at fantasy guru.com as well. We want to know, I feel like this is a good one. I've said it this entire offseason. I feel better. This year feels right. Things are clicking into place. I think gain was a great option. Wondale, AKA Duke Silver is a better one all in with him. We're going to ride and win with Duke Silver this year. Get your saxophone out because it's hot sax time. Maybe I'll do some sax on the show on the radio. Should I do that? Fly some Duke Silver sax, sax action. That's what we're doing. Fuck it. We'll do it out the show as well. There you guys guys go. I hope I made the case. I've thought this one through the only reservation I have is I know you're not going to love it the way you some of these other guys are. I know it. I know you're not going to love it the way because it's boring because if it wasn't boring the rest of the fucking world wouldn't pick him at 105. Nobody I can't believe we live in a day and age where wide receiver 14. I always tell people okay, don't overdraft last year's randoms. Okay, great. So wide receiver 14 by the way, you know who wide receiver 14 this year is. Teterola, McMillan right now. Devon dismiss after that. What we think of Devon dismiss everyone like Sam Zayf Flowers Garrett Wilson, Ebuca, Higgins, Maconkey. These got Luther Bern. These guys are all behind where Duke Silver finished last year. Right. And yet I don't I'm all about it. Okay, I don't think and I don't have him ranked as number 14. I absolutely not. But at the same time, 45 to position 45. What the fudge are we doing there folks? Like really what are we even doing? That to me is just it's way too low and it tells me that the marketplace and thus I know it's most of us. We're just too low on Duke silver this year. And guess what? Let's just take let's take the free square. Let's win everywhere else and let's march on to fantasy football championships. All right folks, that's enough episode 313 in the books. Maybe meet my friend Duke silver. Hopefully you guys got it. We're back to basics. Great value. That's our player. We're all in by the way. Yes, I'm already working on T shirts. Yes, we're going to have the Duke silver mafia going strong over at fantasy guru.com. We're going to have some real good times with this one this year. This season belongs to us and only us. It's time to dominate everybody else in this community or in fantasy football in this industry. I should say has let us down. They are all got fat and lazy and just sitting on their laurels and not putting in the work. That's not how we roll. We do nothing but win shout out to my producer Sean Angle who always does a tremendous job. Sean's one of the best in the business ladies and gentlemen. That will do it for episode 313. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think. Jeff underscore man's on Twitter. These Jeff man's Facebook Instagram Snapchat TikTok threads. Jeff man's all one word on blue sky shout out to Sean Angle for producing. Thank you guys for listening. We'll see you again next week. You may agree or you may disagree with every single thing that you heard on today's show. Ladies and gentlemen, that's perfectly okay because this was just one man's opinion. See you next week. Everybody. [Music]