Trade Deadline Reactions + Fantasy Impact - Fantasy Football Podcast for 11/11

Hey, this is Jonathan Taylor, running back for the Indianapolis Colts, and you're listening to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Welcome in. The Fantasy Footballers Podcast, Wednesday, November 11th. What an intro from Jonathan Taylor, member of the Indianapolis Colts. Yep, yep, yep. Oh, man. Jeremy, are you dropping Seth McGowan anytime soon? No, I'll hang on to him for a bit. Was it Josina Anderson, or somebody tweeted that, like, disconnected from reality was the quote. Oh. You didn't see this? No. Oh, I'm shocked. Is she talking about her Shadur tweets? No, those. Those are disconnected. But also, yeah. No, no, no. Yesterday, when we were looking at all the news, let me see if I can find it. Maybe Kyle can find it. But we, you know, we didn't have a. Oh, we had lots of trades. Yeah, yeah. No, we had a big one. Oh, here we. It was Josina Anderson. Yeah. Last second reaction. I think she's a good reporter. Last second reaction text on the Colts, holding on to Jonathan Taylor, quote, they were not interested in reality. Yep. Well, you want to have a 28-year-old running back to build your bad team around. It's really going to help your franchise do nothing. Well, we're. We're reacting to it right here, right now, viscerally. We had ambitions. Didn't they have a 33-year-old. Yeah, that's what I was going to say. If those who are like. Three-agent defensive player that they were offered a fourth for? I would say that the overwhelming majority, anecdotally, on whenever I've tweeted or anything about the Taylor stuff, most people are like, yeah, this is dumb. You have a couple people who are like, oh, you fantasy nerds just want. You're like, this has nothing to do with fantasy football. This has. Everything to do with NFL team building. And look no further than they got an offer for Grover Stewart. 33-year-old on an expiring contract. Someone. This was reported. I think it was a Schultz report that they were offered a four and then a later pick swap for a 33-year-old expiring contract. And they hemmed and hawed it long enough that the other team was just like, no, we're not doing that. Well, there was a report that. That's a free fourth. Round pick. That's a free fourth round pick. You're not trying to win this year, obviously, at this point. No, they don't know what they're doing. He's not going to give you a compensatory pick in the future because he's going to be 34, not going to sign. Yeah, he's not going to sign a big contract. Unbelievable. Well, let me first say happy Veterans Day to everybody out there. Yeah, we're working. Those of you in the Foot Clan and beyond, thank you for your service to this country. We appreciate you. And we want to say happy Veterans Day. Getting back to the two things on the Jonathan Taylor. One, Josh Downs was traded. Um, however, the, the offer for Downs earlier in the week, I think was better and they waited and they didn't quite get what they wanted when they played him on Sunday and the Chiefs were like, oh, well, lower that offer. The other thing about Jonathan Taylor, I just will say this. If there is a defense, I have seen it. And it is that he is fully tradable in the off season. This is a delay for fantasy. It sucks. But for the team, if they trade him now or they trade him in the off season, where they believe there is more demand than now, then they could end up with a net. They'll be fine. Yes, but they won't. There could be. I don't believe that. Also, now for the remainder of the season, what do you do? Well, you'd be better off if McGowan got more work. Right. But then why would you, why would you not have traded? Every snap now that Jonathan Taylor takes for the Indianapolis Colts is a gigantic risk. For the compensation. For the compensation that we're going to get better, we'll get a better offer in the off season. I mean, if they did, then it works. Also, maybe Jonathan Taylor goes out and breaks his ankle. Right. And you will get nothing. The argument for keeping Jonathan Taylor, because I had this argument a couple weeks ago, is you were a great offense last year when Daniel Jones looked good. And you had Jonathan Taylor running well. And you had Alec Pierce. Daniel Jones is a stop clock. Right, sure. I get that. But he's also coming back off of a very serious injury. And maybe that is hampering him. Going into next year, Daniel Jones could not be good without Jonathan Taylor on this. Like, if you got rid of him, it's impossible. It is possible. And Alec Pierce has not been here. Right. And Alec Pierce has not been there. It is possible that next year, if Daniel Jones is fully healthy and that's okay with Jonathan Taylor, that the offense could be okay. Now, I still think okay is not what you're going after. In the NFL, you're not going to win a Super Bowl with this version of this team. No, I can see your logic. I can see the team making the argument that, well, you know, look where we were. Right. We just need to get back to that. Right. But then they traded a bunch of pieces. Yeah, all of them. So it's like you're, maybe you are better next year. Maybe Daniel Jones, because we saw Kirk Cousins initially with Atlanta. It wasn't good. And it took some time. And now, Kirk Cousins. Sorry. We'll get to that. We'll get into that. Kirk Cousins looks like a great starting quarterback right now. It's just, that's a full bet on Daniel Jones returning and being able to carry this team. We've seen him be good for approximately a season and a half of his entire career. I guess we'll just get right into it. Yep. News and notes from around the league. I imagine that Jonathan Taylor, much like Christian McCaffrey with that transaction, like I think, I think you've got at least two full seasons of Jonathan Taylor being elite level performance, maybe more. I think more. Yeah. I think it's Jonathan Taylor to 31, 32 years old. Correct. He is one of the outlier human beings. I think he's one of those guys that will be a good NFL player at 32. All this being said, Seth McGowan, waiver wire pickup immediately. I mean, when the news broke, we changed him in our rankings. Like that was the bet on a starter rest of season and the bet lost because Alex, you know, I'll trade it for him first and ruin it for you. Al Borland, everybody. I ruined it for myself. Yeah, you did. Well, the, uh, the big news yesterday, I think we pretty much called this. You did. Even the compensation. Kirk Cousins for a three. The Raiders get a three. The Vikings get Kirk Cousins and Clint Kubiak is making the rounds for his mopey face during the press conference. Yeah. Uh, but you know, it is what it is. Brother. You, this was their, their chances of winning a game is much better with Kirk Cousins than totally, totally agree, but you aren't playing to win a Superbowl this year. I mean, maybe, I don't know what the situation is. I, maybe they could sneak into the playoffs. I highly doubt it. Uh, but this was, this was perfection all around. Yeah. Like the Raiders signed Kirk Cousins for nothing. 650 grand. And he came in, you got a, you got a full. Off season. You got, uh, all it was. I'm, I'm super wrong about that. Oh, I was like blown. It was a $650,000 cap hit. That's great for it was $11 million contract, but it was only 650 on the cap for, I mean, a starting quarterback playing like Kirk did for the Raiders. $11 million is an absolute steal, but they, you got cousins whole off season, you know, close to half of the NFL season to Tudor Mendoza. Let him get those mental reps. Like get into being a pro, get, learn what that looks like. And then you got a third round pick for him while your franchise guys getting ready for all man. You were genuinely, I still think two weeks from now, I think that's when their buy is after a couple of hard matchups. That's when we were going to see Mendoza anyway. Right. This is incredible. If you're a Raiders fan, you have to just be doing cartwheels down the street. It was excellent. And if you, if you are a Vikings fan, this is amazing. Yeah. And I said for the Vikings, they just, they ate it. Yes. Smart, brilliant. Jonathan Taylor would not have gotten you to the playoffs. Kirk Cousins is going to get you to playoffs yesterday. I was saying, oh, the Vikings aren't going to make the playoffs. I genuinely believe that because they didn't have a quarterback. There is no now. I think they're fine. There is a decent chance that Kirk Cousins is the NFL leader in touchdowns when the season ends because he's there right now. He's three behind. He will not have a bi-week. Do you realize this? Oh, he had no bi-week with the Raiders and Minnesota's passed their by. Yeah. I mean, this is life, life to Justin Jefferson, um, huge for him, for Addison, for the offense, for the running game, you know, Mason Jones having any viability. I don't think it's going to be an instantaneous, like, I don't think this week people need to have a long-term view. I think this week in green Bay for your first game back on Minnesota is a tough, tough draw, but it's great. It's big news for the Vikings future. I think Mendoza lowered. The Bowers. where Bowers was you can't you can't say the guy leading the league or near the top of the league in touchdowns departing for a rookie it's just funny because this is the week where simultaneously we knew it was coming we didn't know it'd come in week nine or ten Carson Beck a rookie Fernando Mendoza right oh yeah the tight end now going to throw to McBride and Bowers yeah and I'd much rather be on the Bower side of that equation now Bowers probably drops down to like the tight end one uh not the one plus plus he's been averaging 17.7 fantasy points a game I don't know if any tight ends ever averaged that is insane he's still gonna be great both those guys are gonna be great I have a hot take for fantasy football around this trade that I think is accurate and I don't think you're gonna like but hear me out I believe right now like today this week before this week's games I would be trading Justin Jefferson away oh here's why when these trades happen the hype the hotness Justin Jefferson's back right Justin Jefferson is now a Jamar Chase a JSN he is now back to being you know he was the number one wide receiver maybe the number two wide receiver that's what he was especially with Kirk Cousins we've seen this I don't believe he's going to get back to that level the old Vikings used to have to score 35 points a game they used to be a high-flying offense first system the old Kirk Cousins was better than the current Kirk Cousins this is this is an upgrade for Justin Jefferson but I don't think it puts Justin Jefferson back to that tier of elite elite elite maybe he's a low-end wide receiver one I think that's a really I think you are right but if you can get it I would completely disagree and that's why I don't think it's you in order to make these trades that sometimes work out great if I could go take Jefferson and a little piece and get Amon Ra Jefferson and a little piece and acquire you know a guy that I thought was on it I mean why is why is Jamar Chase and Higgins where they're at the the Bengals can't play defense you know Amon Ra and the the Lions can't play defense they I mean the best the best wide receivers in the game right now I mean outside of I guess JSN being the example JSN is the the story right Seattle's defense is great JSN is why Minnesota that's the argument for Jefferson the defense doesn't scare me in the slightest uh KOC is a pass happy coach we saw it with Carson Wentz this Carson Wentz couldn't do anything and they're still dialing up pass plays so then tell me I'm gonna make you say it at the same time you two okay well Jefferson rest of season okay well hold on hold on okay what do you mean hold on I haven't said the rest of what I want you to do yet he doesn't want you to say yeah he's don't even say that I'm trying to get rid of you ready okay go ahead you don't need I mean all you got to do is think about where you think Jefferson will be rest of season the wide receiver blank I want you to both say it at the same time okay well that's uh I knew you were gonna ask that so I wanted to think about it oh my gosh oh my gosh all right um I might have to take Mike's spot for a second no are you ready now Mike are you prepared uh yes okay rest of season from this junk from this point on the Cousins trade on Jefferson is the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the wide receiver 11 wow and that's the gap so I'm not three is I am absolutely because of hookah's departure so then you've got who do you have ahead Jason and Chase yep so you have Jefferson ahead of Amon Ross St. Brown correct who has beat him the last few years but you just think the upgrade is so big Brock Bowers was averaging seven receptions yeah 94 yards and a touchdown yeah yeah Brock Bowers is awesome Justin Jefferson is a better offensive wide receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best receiver in the world I'm going to say it's the best. If you get the value for that and it turns out he's the wide receiver 11 I will say this I mean week 15 is a tough matchup you got Denver okay first week of the playoffs but you're you're week 1617 are for Minnesota what we got Tennessee Arizona nice nice yeah I just I'm all in okay I mean there you go differences of opinion I haven't even thought about my own opinion in this matter and you didn't get it right. Give yourself time to think. I lean more on Jason side I think we are if there are people out there that believe he's the wide receiver three like giving him that putting them above on Monroe is a bold take and there will be plenty plenty of every single league will have a few people that believe that so your league right now will believe that and maybe you're the one that believes that go trade for him I mean we don't know the future we're just kind of trying to outlay the. Probabilities of what could happen my my only point is like we were talking on the dynasty show that came out today about some of the former greats they were all time it's hard to remember when you know guys like Michael Thomas and you know are just dominating they're the one of the best wide receiver for four years in a row and then when it starts going away you're like well. They'll be back it's it was the injury it was the quarterback it was whatever it's like and then and then they don't just get back to that I don't know man I'm just wow that now that's a whole nother well that's that's a whole nother discussion my point is is just that I won't stand I don't think he gets back to being a top three ever yeah oh now that yeah that's a humongously different discussion we are I don't look at Jefferson and we're two years removed from it yeah twenty twenty four yes fifteen hundred yards and ten touchdowns with Sam Donald I don't I that that one. I'm on the opposite side of I I Jefferson I think Jefferson is back realize how long two years is in the NFL we we talk about like David Johnson was so great forever it's like he had like three good years that's a running back Justin Jefferson's a twenty seven year old wide receiver so he is still he's one of the greatest of his career I will I'm I'm going to rank him as a top three guy okay and this will be a fun one to watch and room for like I'm going three if Justin Jefferson from here till the end of the season. is the wide receiver one yeah yeah I that I will put that at a higher odds than him finishing like barely as a wide receiver one is how I would rank it I just feel like with that take you could go you could go get him and a lot more with the assets you have yeah yeah well I'm not yeah I'm not trading Jamar for him because I know but would you trade Jamar for him and something huge I mean plus I feel like you could easily trade Jamar. in our league for Jeff I mean I don't like this idea I don't like putting it out there but you could trade him for Jefferson plus a huge asset I would have to look at it there's there is also like when you're talking about that now that's just a level of risk that I don't know if people that I'm willing to take on or I'm willing advise right people to go do you can call me a chicken. I'm not saying anything. Oh my God. The people who are competing for the League of Record title are talking Jason let the grownups let the grownups have this conversation no I think that Jefferson is you're you're you're you're you got my brain spinning both of you guys do it's it's going to be such a fun important thing to watch it's oh here's here okay here's here's a good example this is this is one of you guys Jefferson and Chase Brown what I trade would you trade because that's all in our league. No because I'm because I'm not convinced that Chase Brown is really like Chase Brown is just fine he has Chase Brown yeah I can't make that trade no that would be dumb oh because then I would trade Jamar Chase and Chase Brown but would you would you trade Jamar Chase for Jefferson and and Jalen Warren no okay no but like I have you really like if for that level of risk I got it I have to know. No. Like I'm not talking about trading JSN or Jamar to go get Jefferson I'm talking about like an almond raw Kyle says he might I think okay this is going to be so I hate this all right well like these we got something to pay attention to these moments and being good is better for the NFL yes these moments in your fantasy football season like this is on this is where you win or unfortunately lose right is it like these to me. Like these are the the injection these are the cannon events that take place in a season that if you are it if you have the intestinal. fortitude to go out and make a move like that like it take it can take you over the top all right um we'll take a break we got trades and things to talk about here's a fun one well um in a science experiment of sorts the 49ers have traded for the aged keenan allen and we'll be exposing him to the substation they uh the colts got a six round pick for keenan i mean that's that's cool for them i mean keenan is old and a rental and they got a six rounder for him so you know that the 49ers keep scoring a million points with jordan watkins and fill-ins and now you add keenan allen a veteran the idea of keenan and evans ever playing together at the same time seems impossible he's gonna be great you for this team very much great for fantasy though because i don't know i don't think no i don't think he's great for fantasy is it better than what was going on yeah for sure i mean going keenan allen was a very flexible player so there there's gonna be toes there's going to be times like right now genuinely week one off the street i think he's probably an okay flex play because you're not gonna have mike evans out there but when the the wide receiver core that is so banged up in san francisco gets healthy which should all jokes aside should happen should then keenan is not going to be someone that you're going to be starting when he's one of three receiving options but if he's the only guy out there i think he'll he'll have a good enough ppr day and he's catching passes from brock purdy instead of a banged up daniel jones the chiefs traded a fourth and fifth for josh downs in a seventh i this one don't care a lot this one is weird i don't care a lot because i care a little josh downs is like a slightly more refined wide like better version of rice yeah i don't even know if he is i mean i think he's a more refined wide receiver yes but his separation is great but he's undersized you know rice is a goal line threat josh downs really isn't um ppr wise i think you're in an okay category here of five or six catches but i don't know maybe i maybe i'm a little burnt from being from it's the i've been around the i've been around the block with chiefs acquisitions oh it's not just chiefs it's downs and chiefs i feel like downs has been a hopeful prospect over and over post hype yeah and then the chiefs is like oh this is the guy that's gonna they had to do something i mean that my homes is this is not fixed this at all it actually accelerates it but my homes is the fewest air yards per attempt in the national football league with the second lowest downfield throw rate that's the offense i mean that downs is not going to be downs the field it this has kind of been what the chiefs have their offense has been since tyree yeah so i mean i mean this is who they are if you can trade i'd be on the side of if you have downs and you can trade them on the hype of going to the chiefs i would do that i'm fine with that malik willis was placed on ir with a core muscle injury kyle mccord former philadelphia eagle is going to start the colts dolphins this week it just that that sucks so much for like caleb douglas yeah cable douglas was having a very solid rookie year yep was usable for fantasy football was an exciting young player and i don't mean does mccorn have it i don't know i doubt it i i hope so he doesn't he doesn't but your defense is against the dolphins cowboys are signing kendre miller they recently released kendre miller yeah because uh tyler goodson so kendre will join the backfield to not take carries from giovante cardinals plays gardner minchu on ir officially and oh boy the expectation right now with puka nakua and this is a long ways from now is a week 14 or 15 return so you potentially there for your playoff for the playoffs and when he comes back i hope he's he's probably himself yeah he's probably himself i don't i want to tell myself it won't be the case because my mortal enemy has him i don't think that if he's on the field i think he's just gonna but it's not a guarantee but it's it's not a guarantee and it's certainly certainly not a guarantee that he's there week 14 or 15 so if he comes back let's say he comes back week 16 just right around the same time as the current expectation you are probably going to be out of the playoffs yeah and in the last pcl strain he had was six weeks so you're going into week 10 six weeks is you know week 15 16 let's put it this way if you can man that's tough there was sam in new york wrote in and said i'm in first place and projecting to make the playoffs the puka manager is on the bubble should i try to trade for him oh man no absolutely i would would you trade i'm trying to trade for puka in our league of record because i'm playing for 2027 right oh gosh don't do it i would not i would not bank my season on oh maybe this currently injured guy gets back before my season would you trade puka away for zay flowers right now who's gonna play for this year who's gonna play every game the rest of the season for this year i would i can't imagine you don't like redraft redraft no consideration of the future yeah absolutely yeah and that's not to say zay is gonna be great no but he's gonna be better than jefferson i thought that was like a misspeaking and i meant to say puka but you didn't oh man i love that this is i love that in the books jason is on the anti-jefferson side i'm not i think this is great for jefferson he's gonna be finally relevant again wide receiver 11 get out here that's not like saying he's bad who's the wide receiver 11 right now like chris olave who we love some someone like that look i'm not i i think i'm dying inside because i want jefferson to be amazing but i jason is not wrong here kirk cousins in minnesota for more there's multiple variables in place you know what they're doing with this offense what the what they need from this offense the wide receiver 11 right now jason is zay flowers amazing amazing um i don't know man you think it's just smooth sailing for kirk rest of the way for minnesota i think that he kirk cousins is playing very good football he goes to a place that he is like he's not learning minnesota like these are human things that you go to a brand new place so beloved there you go to a brand new place you don't have your bearings like things are weird for human beings going to new spot he's not he's in he's gonna go in day one day two probably being set aside for him it'll be a little funky but it's like it will be back it'll be it'll feel like you he never left yeah and then and he knows the offense like he doesn't have to spend an extensive amount of time learning it he just has to re-acclimate remember what how koc called things change your verbiage i yeah i mean of all the transitions this is going to be the easiest one um let's talk thursday night thursday night breakdown the washington commanders at two five and one take on the new york football giants who are five two and one washington and new york have played in three of the 13 tie games kyle what are you looking at what are you what on earth are you trying to get me to say this is the 13th time that a tie rematch has happened why do i care if the tie of those 13 times three of them what are these two teams incredible kyle take a lap take a lap that's too many layers andy too many layers deep brother i gotta read i gotta read that there's been 13 tie rematches i does anybody let's take a poll of the room anybody care how many tie rematches there have been deuces yeah we really care oh yeah go to kyle's defense we love it we stick together uh new york minus two and a half over unders 41 and a half if this was a bigger line for new york i would have taken the almost upset here um 41 and a half that's low divisional game 27 27 in week five i mean is jj mccarthy i mean the the quarterback battle gets won by jayden daniels i mean jayden's the better quarterback of mccarthy or winston yeah especially with mccarthy with his hip problem still thinking about the tie rematches uh rashad white cam scataboo scataboo will be their only back of relevance probably in this one uh devin singletary was awful for some reason i mean there was a conversation this how upset was john harbaugh very when when he has to use cam and he's like yes okay scataboo is forced out devin singletary take the job no oh crap they called scataboo on bijan yeah the giants called on bijan they were they were heavy hitters they were they were trying to find yeah they want this is not a like complimentary back they want nothing more than to replace They just want to ruin themselves. Here's what-- I just want people to understand what happened. happened this year the Giants wanted to replace Cam Scadaboo so bad they've called on everybody they were praying praying for Jeremiah Love to fall to them at five and the Cardinals who should have taken Arval Reese instead accidentally took the running back leaving the definite defensive rookie of the year to the Giants and now the Giants are winning ball games it's just pure luck we'll do that trade right now yes yes I'll throw in a second is that available love for Reese yeah please yeah but uh Cam Scadaboo should be back uh he's expected to play do you fully trust him off of the hamstring I I do trust him the last six weeks the the reports were that he was he was actually close to playing last week yeah and I think with a Thursday night football game that was kind of the the extra layer to say hey let's give him a few minutes of time and then we'll see what happens but I think Cam Scadaboo should be back in a few more days um it's not that anyone coming off of a hamstring can't re-aggravate it but I can't imagine that you're not going to start a running back who is kind of now all alone I mean what what what happened last week with Devin Singletary 23 touches he didn't score five fantasy points that's the lowest of any running back with that many touches over the last decade he was abysmal and he had a 12-yard run what a great stat um so I I think I think Scadaboo is a dangerous but good start okay um Malik Neighbors it's been funny watching the CD Lamb Malik Neighbors trade that we made in the beginning of the season and go back and forth to a degree it's been definitely more lamb but a little disappointing like last week so so he catches the touchdown that he dropped in the end zone we'd be thrilled I mean obviously super disappointed five for 43 bad game yeah he had had four consecutive 100-yard games I'm not that worried about that but I think he's going to be a good start I think he's going to be a good start I mean it's just well I'm more worried about the quarterback the quarterback is is the entirety of the concern where yeah let's see so Jameis when he came in Jameis played about a quarter of the game uh completed six passes for 71 yards and a touchdown so it's but oh man Jameis is good for Isaiah Likely when J.J. McCarthy J.J. McCarthy will get the start it's just how effective can he be with that hurt hip which he will fight to play through yeah I and look the overrunners not high in this one so from a fantasy perspective there's risk with Skadaboo there's risk with the quarterbacks supplying neighbors what he needs Isaiah Likely I think if you've been starting him the landscape at tight end is weird man it really is like outside of Bowers and McBride who do you feel great about right now at the tight end position I mean I don't feel great about Likely no I don't feel Likely has not been that great with McCarthy there's been some utilization there but um he's been worse with McCarthy like if you were targeting a trade out there I think like I think the next man up is Kittle but Kittle's not outrageous Fannin I mean no Kraft Fannin Warren all those guys are nothing I mean they're nothing and something on a given week right I'm just saying like targeting a trade if I said go trade for somebody that's not Bowers and McBride is there anybody you would actually go try to trade for that you feel that you feel like I'm locked I'm locking them in I think it would be Loveland yeah I mean which yes is it it is for me yeah because at least you have the hopeful upside what we've seen hopeful upside in Kraft you got hopeful upside in Fannin you got hopeful upside in in Likely yeah I mean I mean Loveland's not been good he's not been bad he's not been good every single game since Caleb's been back he's had 12 targets nine targets seven targets six targets you can say the same exact thing about Kraft and Fannin and like those targets I mean yes you can okay not for Kraft no yeah and the but Kraft has had better numbers in the last four weeks I mean he had tied in five twelve I'm just saying like Kraft's numbers tied in four tied in three that's Loveland no five twelve six and six for Kraft in four of his last six weeks okay I'm just saying my point isn't that one guy couldn't be better than the other my point is that Kraft's numbers are better than the other I'm just saying my point isn't that one guy is that you couldn't point at one and then like be positive that that's the guy sure for Warren Warren should get six million targets the rest of the PPR scam coming up for Tyler Warren for sure that for Isaiah Likely I don't feel confident making a declaration of look the sample with McCarthy we don't we don't really have one yet because you had the fourth quarter where he came in and threw for two hundred something yards and he saved Isaiah Likely and he threw for two hundred something yards and he threw for two hundred something yards and he threw for two hundred that that particular week the next full game of McCarthy was it was a bad one for for Likely and then this weird interrupted game so I mean the sample is basically sort of a game the last five weeks in fantasy points per game at the tight end position Bowers McBride Likely Loveland Kittle then fantasy points per game at the tight end position Bowers McBride Likely Loveland Kittle then fantasy dalton kincaid craft is at 12 this is where darren waller's at 18 yeah it's loveland for me i haven't said warren's name where's warren oh ah 31st yeah yeah dog this is with keenan gone like that has and downs yes that it the targets who are you Warren missed two weeks who are you going to points per game Kyle this has got this has got to be like if you're in a full PPR league he has to get eight targets I was going to say eight it has to be eight and I don't know that that's 40 yards but they're a stupid team so that's interesting and Tyler Warren has just not looked good like on film I don't understand to start his career last year the first like half of the season he led the nfl in yards after catch he was a monster just ran people over yeah but did you see some of the clips this year i've yep no i mean it's it's it's tj hawkins speaking of tj hawkinson is is it an upgrade for hawkinson to get yes cousins yeah being anywhere near the painted area is an upgrade for tj hawkins okay i thought about this too because kyler had the connection with him total completed passes per game they're going up way up so i i think hawkinson the truth is hawkinson's look better than warren has athletically has which hawkinson is 11 right now on the season oh damon is our manager i mean i was trying to compel myself to think that warren was a trade for. I think he can be still in the PPR. Because I think you're just going to have 10 targets a week. He'll probably score two to three more touchdowns on the season, but he has to get eight targets a game. So you said Loveland. You mentioned Fannin. What's the view on Kraft coming back from this injury? The targets have not been there. The biggest problem for Tucker Kraft you know if you're if you're going to go back to the preseason uh projections and predictions is even the most adamant and strongest stand for matthew golden did not see him what was what was his pace uh 175 targets yeah that was not in the projections that was not in any of the algorithms or in the math that wide receiver matthew golden was going to soak up 170 plus targets i'm going tell you this as somebody who traded a lot for tucker craft and two weeks ago traded some stuff to to pick up a little bit of backup insurance and fan and i'm very happy i did that sure because i don't have the i don't have a confidence it may happen but i don't have a confidence the craft's gonna be some top five tight end at the end of the season things have been weird at tight end is my point yes yeah because you can shoot your shot on any of them but i don't i don't think I'm going unless I'm going up against McBride or Bowers I don't feel like I'm at some monstrous disadvantage sure I feel like my guy might outscore their guy their guy might outscore points per game at the tight end position Bowers McBride Likely Loveland Kittle then fantasy points per game at the tight end position Bowers McBride Likely Loveland Kittle then fantasy to the. Oh! There we go. Oh, Conquo. You know, when the injuries happened and we knew chig was going to be a primary beneficiary of extra targets it lined up with really really bad like worst in the league tight end matchups and you had to hold out but from here on out i think chig is going to be a real thing stefan digs antonio williams what's the view on this game digs was super disappointing until a very late target last week and even then he's only three for 51 his target share has been so bizarre you're getting van jefferson targets like as in we've When Terry McLaurin left, it seemed like, well, he'll get a bump. We know that Stephon Diggs, that can't be the offense. You can't run it through a 33-year-old slot-wide receiver. No, more targets for Van Jefferson last week than Diggs. But, so it's been, you can start him. I like the environment of this matchup. Like, the Giants defense, you know, on the season, they're kind of holding fantasy points down. But this one, to me, feels like it could get out of control with scoring. And we get, like, three touchdowns apiece. Really? You think this one could go high? I expect this to be a lower-scoring game. Just because the Giants defense has been really good. And they've been getting better and better as the season's gone along. And then the wide receiver injuries. It's just like, I don't, you can start Diggs, that's fine. I don't think I want to start anyone else. I mean, Diggs was at the bottom of that list. Diggs was at the bottom. If Diggs was at the bottom for you, then just don't start any of them. Because Antonio Williams, he's been on the field 74% of snaps in the last five games. He's averaging 36 yards. Traylon Burks has been better, who I believe should be back for this game. Van Jefferson, it's just like. I mean, Diggs is averaging 40 yards. Okay. I'm just saying they're all. Significantly more than Antonio Williams. No, I'm saying they're all doing nothing. I wasn't arguing here, Antonio. I was just saying, like, Diggs, Williams, Van. Like, I'd flex a Conquo over the wideouts. Sure. Which is a weird move to me. We have some popular. Here's news. Oh, what do you got? Bill Krosky merit. They expect him to return against the Bengals in week 11. Okay. All right. Popular start set questions that we are getting on the website right now. Antonio Williams or Jeremy Bernard? Jeremy. Antonio Williams or Jordan Tyson? I'd honestly probably play Tyson. Antonio Williams or Caleb Douglas? I'll play Williams because. Because of McCord. Although that might be wrong. Let me ask you this. Say it at the same time, Micah. Take your hour or whatever you need. Okay. Jaden Daniels. Yeah. Rest of the season as the quarterback. Oh. I'm ready. You're really? Yeah. Give your answer and I'll tell you if it matches mine. Okay. I think he's the quarterback five. I was going to say six. I don't think he's anywhere near there. No? No. He's. It's been tough sledding with. It's been tough sledding with the touchdowns lately. Yeah. His rushing upside is obviously there. Getting back from the injury. He's had a couple big games, but. So if you had to lock Jared Goff, who's been awesome, minus last week. Oh, Goffers. That's interesting. If you had to lock Goff into your lineup or Jaden Daniels with knowing that Terry McLaurin is not coming back. I'd put Goff in. Yeah, I don't. So maybe the six is too aggressive. I mean, you'd put Goff in. You'd put Love in, right? Jordan Love? Yes. Okay. You'd put Allen and Burrow, right? Yeah. Correct. Would you put Purdy in? Yes. Okay. That's five. Would you put in Stroud? I don't think I would put Purdy in, and I wouldn't put Stroud in. I would put May in. Yeah. You'd put May. So now I'm at six. Caleb Williams, Trevor Lawrence? Yeah, both of them. I mean. Caleb, yes. That makes sense. Trevor Lawrence, for sure. Yeah. Lawrence, for sure, for me. He has the best quarterback schedule remaining. They just don't need to throw much. I mean, he's. Right now. Right now, he's the quarterback today. He's playing awesome. It's just like. So you'd lock in Jaden over Stroud? I would lock in Jaden over Stroud. Okay. All right. And over Lawrence, who is. Tyler Suck? I mean, there's a lot of names now. Yeah. I don't. He's in the tier with all these players that we're talking about. Yeah. Basically, what you're saying. Yeah, I get it. I get it. I get it. What we're saying is that there's like four kind of star quarterbacks left. Points per game, if you care, Jaden is sitting at seven in points per game, basically tied with Cousins. Cousins and Dak. Stroud and May are above him. Love Purdy, Burrow, and Allen. Points per game, Purdy is three. Yeah. That's why I'm shocked, Jaden, that you're out on Purdy. There's really just two dudes at the tippy top of. Purdy is just. I love Purdy. You know I love Purdy. Yeah, but I'm saying for fantasy, he's been awesome, and he's been awesome without his weapons. You still have Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle, so then you just figure it out with the rest. Who's leading the league in yards? Passing yards? Yeah. It's. It's not Burrow? No. It's a Stroud. No. I don't know. Bryce Young. It's by 300. It's by 300 yards. What? Yeah. You'll know. You'll know. He's got two top five wide receivers. I just. I'm. Oh, Jordan Love. Yeah, Jordan Love. Oh, Jordan Love. Jeremy's back there just vibrating. Yeah. It's crazy. I don't know. I was just looking at that. Who's leading the league? The league in interceptions. Oh, that's a fun one. Yeah. Interceptions? Yeah. Herbert? Ooh, that's a good guess. He is tied for number one. Okay. So then you got it. We're done here. Our work is completed. Who's the other one at the top? Drake May. Oh. He got off to a real bad start. Darnold and Daniel Jones and Stafford are the next three. Stafford? Wow. Yeah. Yep. Didn't Stafford have like five picks last year? Yeah. Most past attempts in the NFL right now, Matthew Stafford. Stafford last year had? In the MVP season. Eight. So he has already surpassed last year and 2024. It's been tough. Who leads the league in completion percentage? Oh, well, we talked. It's Burrow. Yeah. It's 74%. Yeah. And then the shocking one is that Caleb Williams is right there. Caleb Williams is at 64%. 69%. He's basically tied for a second or a third. What a man. The data I'm looking at has Anthony Richardson at number one. Yeah, I did the math. I was going to bring it up, and then I changed my minimum games played. Is he completing all of his passes? Yeah, 100%. He's 100%. Dang. Both passes complete. Let's take a break and answer some questions. Okey-dokey. Man. Who's leading the running backs in touchdowns? Rushing touchdowns. Is this a Ken Bone, Jameer Gibbs? No. No. No. Good luck. Oh, this is a good luck? Sort of. No, Henry's up there. Henry is seventh. Chuba? Chuba's not to be found. I'm just trying to think of surprising. It's the only double-digit touchdowns on the ground. It's a running back. What? This is so fun for me. Yeah, just hold on. It's not as fun for you. I have to actually have the teams in front of me. So Gibbs is tied. So three guys are tied for second. Gibbs, McCaffrey, and Javante. Okay, hold on, hold on, hold on. And someone has 10 rushing touchdowns. Yeah, hold on. Jalen Warren doesn't have that many. Bucky doesn't have that many. No? Is it? No. Hold on. Anybody? Deucers can jump in. Yeah. This is nice dead air. One of the Deucers has him on his team. They should be answering this question. It's DeAndre Swift. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. DeAndre Swift has 10 touchdowns. Yeah, because he had the three two weeks ago. Yep. That'll juice you up. I feel like I could have had several more guesses. I know. I would have gone Jonathan Taylor and James Cook. It's someone who has Taylor on their team the past couple weeks. I tell you, it's not him. What's really funny at tight end, and we'll move on, to questions, but what's funny at tight end. Yeah, Kyron. If you look at total receptions at the tight end position, Trey McBride has 73. Yeah. The next highest is 48. Goodness. And so, Bowers likely, do you know who is behind Bowers and likely in receptions at the tight end position? Michael freaking Mayer. Mayer has more than Kittle, Warren, Fannin, Loveland, Laporta, Hawkinson, anybody. Michael Mayer with 39 catches. All right. What's the per game? What's the per game between Brock Bowers and Trey McBride? In points per game? Brock Bowers in receptions. You were talking, because the 48 that's behind Trey McBride is Bowers, but Bowers has only played seven games. Yeah. If you look at Bowers' seven games in a per game, it's 6.9 catches per game. Nice. No commentary. Just got the answer. So, 6.9 per game versus 8.1 for McBride. Wow. So, his catches are not quite there, but the touchdowns are. And the big plays. It's much easier to catch a ball. It's much easier to catch a ball five yards away. Yes. Yes. For Trey McBride. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Bowers has big time yardage. Mailbag time. Mailbag. Mailbag. If you have a question for the show, we're here to help. You can go to the website, thefantasyfootballers.com. Click that submit a question button or dial our voicemail hotline, 302464-TFFB. We'll start with a voicemail. What's up, followers? This is Brian in Kansas City. Where's all the hot takes, boys? We're nine weeks into the season, and if my math is correct, we've only busted out the steel underpants. Let's get some titanium, at least. Love the show. All right. I'm on it. I mean, we've had- I'm on it. We've had a few mics on the one that really straps them on. Start of the week, Brevin Spanford. Let's go. You want them titaniums? Yeah, the- Bro, if George is out- Yeah. I tried a hot take. I'll do it. I tried the hottest of all takes last week. I'll do it again. to say the Chargers would win a football game. Yeah, see, that's the thing is you want your hot takes to like. I guess I wasn't wearing the underpants. No. So that is exposed. Yeah, you're looking like a Ken doll now. It's gone. You got to protect yourself, man. No, you're right. No, no, no. I am a eunuch. All right, moving on. What up, Ballers? This is Austin from Oregon. I'm calling you because I can't look at A.J. Brown in my lineup anymore. Who is somebody that you think you could trade A.J. Brown for and you wouldn't feel like you completely lost draft capital? Love the show. Thanks. So what a question. Is A.J. Brown? His value is dukeshine. Hopefully you haven't been looking at him in your lineup very often. Yeah, I hope so. Because he hasn't been there. But this is a good question because he did get traded in our League of Record yesterday. Like he's being moved. He's being moved like in our Keeper League like he is a keeper asset, not like an active player. Yeah. So that is definitely what's been happening. Can you trade him for one of the young, like Jordan Tyson? Do you think you could? No. No, I think you could do that for sure. Yeah, I think you could do that. If you're in a redraft league where it's like, when is A.J. Brown coming back? Never. That's why I'm saying like. No, he's traveling with the team this week. Is he okay? Yeah, he's traveling with the team. I think that. Ladd McConkie? I think if you have Tyson and you can trade, if you can trade him for A.J. Brown, you should do that. I don't think you, I don't think, I think your odds of winning a championship with a surprisingly great run are much higher with A.J. Brown and Drake May than they are with, you know, Tyson fitting into the, you know, second fiddle, everything working out for the Saints situation. I don't, I don't, that's just my opinion. I'd rather have A.J. Brown. But I mean, if you, if you're looking at actual names where you're like, I would go trade A.J. Brown and feel, like, hey, that's enough. I mean, go, go make the trade for Zay Flowers and bet on Brissette. Go do that. Go make, that's a great one. Go make the trade for Tett McMillan that he could go on a run. If you want to do that. Drake London. Man. You're not going to get those two probably. I mean, if you go down a tier, Garrett Wilson, you want Garrett Wilson rest of the season or do you want A.J. Brown? Oh, Garrett Wilson. Garrett Wilson. Okay. That one might, you might be able to, that he's been on the shelf. People might be persuaded. You'd rather have A.J. Brown or Jamison Williams? Jamison Williams. Yeah, Jamo. I mean, you could probably do that trade too. I think. I mean, the tantalizing upside potential of Brown still exists in the minds of some. Well, it still exists in reality. Like you said, a higher chance that him and May go on a run. George Pickens or A.J. Brown. There's also a chance that he just is done forever. Completely. Brown. That's, man, George is. I'd probably still take George there. Yeah, I mean, I guess you'd have. This is not fun. You'd have to take the guy that's. If I have. Man, if I had A.J. Brown, I'd probably just ride it out. Yeah. Like, it's going to be really difficult to trade him. Instagram question from Steph. Any advice on leagues with short benches? I thought that was the. Just any advice on leagues. That's kind of what we do. That's all we do here. Listen to the show. Short benches. Short benches. What do you think? Don't draft injured, guys. Yeah. That's a great. That's a great one. What an amazing strategy. I mean, you're going to be. We all did, though. Oh, we don't have short benches. Oh, by the way, Bucky Irving's number one running back in football since Jason traded him to me. Yeah. Good. That was a great trade. Was that relevant to the question with the short benches? I don't think it was. I wish we had. I wish we had vetoes when that trade went through. Because we would have. We all would have vetoed it. Where am I? Oh, Andy. I don't. Why did Andy get muted? Oh, because he's mad about the Bucky. The Bucky trade. You're mad at the wrong person, Jeremy. I did mute Jason as well. He's not speaking. Mike has been properly redirecting anger in trades lately. Like, understand. Andy sent an offer, and Jason had to accept it. False. Oh, did he send the offer? Yeah, that's correct. Okay. Even worse. Like, if you're walking down the street, and someone. A gentleman walks up to you, and he's like, here's a bag of money. Yeah, I knew where you're going. And you're like, I will take that bag of money. And you're like, wait. You're just going to give me the bag of money. I'm just going to give you the bag of money. And you're like, well, don't you want anything? Yes, I want chewed gum. That's all I want. You're like, but that's not going to help you. You're not going to be able to do anything with that. I know. The flavor's gone. It's fine. Here's your bag of money. Who are you upset with? Because you wanted the money. Don't be mad at me. Don't mute me. I'm not upset at anybody. I don't have the chewed gum anymore. That sounds like a wonderful thought. Oh, you're upset with yourself. Yes. You don't ever hate somebody for getting a better deal than you got? Oh, okay. No. Oh, I don't. No. I hate anybody that's won the lottery. Oh. Oh, you're just a hater. I hate you. That's right. Oh, I think that might be called a jealousy. Yeah, that's just hating. It's envy, greed, and jealousy. Hate, hate, hate. Green monster. But anyways. I just thought everyone would want to know that he's the number one. I'm happy for people. You happy for me? Good for you, Mike. No, then win the lottery. Oh, okay. I won the lottery in a way. Mike's happy for you. Wait, we need strategies for short benches. I mean, the truth is, is you don't have the ability with short benches to very often pick up a player that you project to maybe become relevant later. That is a lower. Correct. You just have lower opportunities to do that. You can't wait around. You can't really store defenses. Nope. Like we try to do. You're going to be dropping players that. Like if they were on a waiver wire in a, in a, in a full 12 team with a big bench, you'd be like, Oh, goodness gracious. Did you see who's on the wire? A lot of the short bench strategy is, is more in the draft season, right? Like it's nicer. If you can have one of your two onesies be a locked in guy. If you've got a Josh Allen or a Trey McBride or a Brock Bowers, because then you don't have to try to stream. You don't have to worry about using your bench. You could just kind of lock one of your starting rosters in and leave it. And then, and then you take the other and you stream off the waiver wire, drop your starter. Um, what do you do with, uh, handcuffs in, uh, that situation? I'm not putting any level, uh, well, like as you get, as you make your push towards the, the playoffs, then I'm going to probably try and try and start insuring people. Yeah. Yeah. When you know that you don't need to fill in bi-weeks and stuff, but it's tough because yeah, that's tough. I mean, there are. There might be like Emmett Johnson. Um, is there anyone else where it's like, this is not a real story, right? What Kyle? Wait, what story? Share the story. No, I don't know if I, you have, I think he's DMing you. Oh, this is a current event. At first I thought, at first I thought this was, what is something bad happening? No. Oh gosh. What is going on? Rex Ryan arrested for hitting two pedestrians and running over their feet. Oh, come on now. And this is why I thought it was made up, but Kyle's breaking this specify. I know, I know. Um, uh, that's not great. Not great. Hmm. Hmm. Now Ashton Gentry should go crazy on him. Carson in Louisiana. Could I start both? He should go crazy on him by being a good football player. That's true. That would be cool. Could I start? McCaffrey and Kalen black against Dallas this week together. It's a competitive lead. There's not much on waivers. I'm going to add to it. Okay. Can you start Kalen black and McCaffrey? And could you start Ken Walker and Emmett Johnson? Emmett Johnson has been double digit fantasy points, two straight weeks. The matchup this week. It's all about matchup. The matchup this week for them is Atlanta. For the, which is that the chief for the chiefs. Okay. Um, I don't think you can play. You can't play Emmett. I realized he, you know, you could say he had double digit, uh, points. He had six carries. You just got a touchdown. Uh, you can't bank on someone who's touching the ball six times and that's what he's had the last two games. Well, yeah. With bi-weeks and stuff. I was just asking if you could, would you start Caleb Douglas over like Emmett in that? If you had. Yes, I would. Yeah. Okay. I do. To answer the original question, I think you can start black and McCaffrey. The, the matchup should be okay. Kalen black is getting double digit touches, has an opportunity to score fewer double digit games than Emma Johnson. Um, how does that feel? That feels, did you know Bucky's the number one running back since week four? Yeah. No, no, you can't reach nothing. Cause that probably, that probably means you're the number one team in the league, right? Uh, points per game scored per week. Yeah. You have the bi-week. Listen, I mean, I would have averaging 10 more points per week than the next closest team. I can't control the randomness of schedule. Hmm. I control what I can control. Well, you could control making your team better. I don't, I literally can't, I literally can't make my team better. You can, you can be number one. Yeah. Jason's team beat you. It's a weird, it's a weird brag. I wish we had time to go into that more. Goodbye. Bye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the fantasy footballers podcast. Join our fantasy football community on join the foot.com and follow us on Twitter at the FF ballers. you