Transcript of Fantasy Time Machine + Jacobs in Jeopardy? - Fantasy Football Podcast for 8/28

Great Scott! If my calculations are correct, you are listening to this before your fantasy football drafts have taken place. I've been to the future, and those that followed the advice from the Fantasy Footballers Ultimate Draft Kit had a spectacular season and withstood many victories. It's almost as if Biff had given each of them a copy of Gray's Sports Almanac. I'd highly recommend heading over to www.ultimatedraftkit.com without any further delay.

Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright.

Welcome in. It's a Friday show. Jason Moore, Mike Wright, Andy Holloway, the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Did you notice we're inching towards show 2,000 here?

Are we really?

It's pretty darn close.

Yeah.

According to, if my calculations are correct, it's episode 1,960.

Yeah, we're heading into hippie zone.

Wow.

That's right. We're getting into the '60s.

Yeah. Groovy, man. Groovy, baby. Kyle says October. It must be mapped out.

Kyle is—

Kyle's one of us.

Are we going to—

I don't have the button. They took it away from me.

Go to the deucer key then.

You get one day with me.

Because there's some special—

Matthew Betts, get in there, Betts.

Matthew Betts, Kyle the Borgogan.

The East Coasters, the least coasters, I should say.

In the building today.

That made Kyle sad.

And why are they here?

Watch your mouth. Oh, he's got a microphone.

They're here because while this is a Friday show, this is not our only Friday show. We have a live show at the Van Buren tonight. Bold predictions, which will be released tomorrow.

Shouldn't we have been saving our voices this morning?

Yeah.

Like for the big show?

Let's wrap this up.

Maybe we should talk like this. Actually, this is harder on your voice.

I know. Yeah. So we, if you want, there's a few tickets left. It will sell out before the show tonight. You can please come if you're available. The Megalobowl Show tonight presented by SiriusXM, sponsored by GMC and PetSmart. It's a bowl predictions episode. It's going to be awesome. Lots of fun things planned and in store. We're really looking forward to it. But that's why Borg and Betz are here. That's why the—

Everybody's here.

Everybody.

The whole world is here.

Biggest Loser.

It's going to be fun. And then the Megalobowl, we shot an email out this morning that's getting filled up. Draft spots available completely free for Foot Clan members. megalobowl.com. Pick a draft spot between September 4th and the 8th. There are a ton of opportunities to jump into a league and be part of the biggest fantasy football league out there and have a chance to be in the listener league next year. Get an ultimate for life. I'm going to bring something else next week that I want to give away from my personal sports card collection. That I'm going to give to the winner of the Megalobowl this year. And a lot of that, I mean, it's just going to be so fun.

I'm bringing dirty socks.

Are you contributing autographed or not?

Well, with my scent.

Oh, autographed with your scent. All right. Quick question of the day. What part of fantasy football strategy? I mean, today is a fantasy time machine show. So there's a theme here. What part of fantasy strategy has changed the most Since the day the podcast started, which somebody out there had looked up, they found an old episode and we had to do that. We had it. Well, don't. Yeah, definitely don't do that. Back in the bedroom. And we were like, it was like, if you could take anybody today for the next 10 years, for the next 10 years in fantasy. And it's, it's been 10 years since that show. Wow.

I got a spoiler. We didn't get the answers.

Well, I, you and I were pretty much agreed that it should be Russell Wilson at the time.

Wow.

Remember when he was great?

I believe Jason was—

I want to say I was OBJ.

You were Odell Beckham Jr.

Young. It would be like right now being like, I want to, you know, JSN. Right.

I mean, 10 years is a long time. What would the right answer have been at the time? Derrick Henry?

Derrick Henry.

I don't know if Henry was in the league.

Davante Adams.

He was—

yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah. That would have probably been— I mean, Matthew Stafford. I mean, there's a—

I don't know. I mean, the truth is there is no— there's not really a good answer to have for 10 years.

Remember how Adams dunked back then?

Oh yeah. You can't, you can't play a 10-year game. I mean, you've got to play a 3-year game in dynasty terms.

Yeah.

Stupid question. I reject the question on principle.

Fantasy strategy though that has changed the most in your opinion since fantasy started.

The getting later players, as in like, you know, sleepers. I guess you could— it's more of like a— what has changed is the level of informed fantasy football players. You know, there's still, there's still definitely the haves and the have-nots. There's the real casuals who I'll have conversations with and you, you know, pretty quick, you're like, oh, we're, we're, we're not going deep on this conversation. We're going to keep it pretty shallow. And because they're like, who's a sleeper? You're like, how about you feel about that? Like Tootin'? You're like, that's not a sleeper. But so I think that's really where it gets hard is finding the edge in those players that can break out because you have, you know, we did it on our, our sleeper show. I brought up Pat Bryant, which is like, that's really long odds. But to truly find a sleeper in today's fantasy football with, with the informed crew, You got to go to a player where you're like, this is right now. It seems impossible.

Yeah. You know, one of the biggest things that has changed over the last decade is grammar. Grammar never has been the same. People have just gotten so much smarter and ADP over time is just so much more accurate year after year after year. We have learned from our mistakes. We've, we see how like, you know, we're, we're paying more attention to team makeup, to offensive line, to quarterbacks, wide receivers, all the nerd stuff where ADP gets more and more accurate where then the strategy is like, okay, if ADP is pretty darn good from front to back, you've got to find the edges. You've got to find the strategy where it's like, like, and it changes year to year. For instance, this year, that middle round running back, the middle round tight end, I feel like your opportunity cost is probably too great in that. For me, I think that's just, you've got it. The strategy changes every couple of years. It's not like one thing that it used to be this way and now it's a totally different way. Late quarterback can be something where a long time ago, that was the only way to play.

Yeah.

Then it became so in, Fuego, you know, that was the only way to play where it's like, actually now that they're going so late, like grab the best guy in the middle rounds. So you just have to be basically paying attention to what the current trends are.

The speed at which information is disseminated, news, injuries is so fast. We've accommodated like most leagues. I would say nearly 100% of leagues back then were not fab. These were like waiver priority and it was open waivers and it was open free agency. And if news broke, you could be the first one to get there.

If you had a job on a computer.

Now you almost need to accommodate the Twittersphere. You need to accommodate like the fact that news gets out there so instantaneously that, you know, having daily waivers run, things that equalize a little bit.

Oh man, I remember. Look, statute of limitations. I remember like driving on the freeway and you'd be like, you'd get your like sleeper alert. And it was like, so-and-so is out for the year and you're like going 75.

You're like, well, I got a job to do.

I got to put, put my life on the line because I got to go pick up this backup running back.

That's funny. All right. Let's talk news.

News and notes from around the league.

shows so far, I think the people out there know one thing about us and it is that we are, we just love talking legal implications of player decisions.

It's what I studied to be.

Yeah. A fantasy legal expert. Josh Jacobs was formally charged with 2 misdemeanors related to the May arrest. Tom Pelissero reporting. The charges are formally misdemeanor battery and criminal damage to property. He is scheduled for a court appearance on November 17th. That, why is that important? Because the league oftentimes allows the legal process to take place before suspensions take place. Under the NFL CBA, the minimum suspension for domestic abuse is 6 games. That is the minimum. If you listen, by the way, shout out to Drew Davenport, the absolute authority on giving well-rounded, rational, actual legal advice. But I will say this, the minimum suspension for domestic abuse is 6 games in a felony circumstance. It doesn't mean the league can't do that, but he is not being charged with felonies. The suspension is going to be subject to when the legal process happens, when the NFL's review happens, and whether or not— I mean, ultimately this happens in the public eye.

Yep.

If a video, which the reason he was charged is a video was a component of the charges. It was surveillance video of the garage. If that video TMZs its way to the internet, the NFL could be in a position where the commissioner's list becomes immediately relevant.

The exempt list, yes.

But Jason, I know you also read through the entirety of what Davenport and the charges, the paperwork there. So in your estimation, where are you with this situation? Because drafts this weekend, drafts next weekend. And really, my eyes have rolled all the way into the back of my head.

For sure.

Extremely risky pick. You know that what could happen at any time for Josh Jacobs is a video is leaked, his hand is pushed, the suspension is immediate. It could be in the middle of the season. That reality exists. Drew Davenport, you got to follow him on X, unfortunately. I mean, I wish we didn't have to follow the legal expert for But you just have to.

Yeah.

And he really is good. You know, the November date, he was bringing up the fact that that does not mean that that's when the NFL will do its thing. The November date is, you know, he'll enter a not guilty plea, waive a speedy trial, ask for, you know, something in January or February. So if the video doesn't come out, more likely, and what the NFL has always done, he won't be suspended for anything this year. So it's really, it's a risky pick. It's one of those things where you could end up getting an insane value on Jacobs because he's going to drop in the draft a couple of rounds and you could get him for 17 games and he doesn't miss anything at all. But at any point in time, you could, you could have him and you, he gets you to the fantasy playoffs and boom. Yeah, he's, he's gone.

One of the comments I thought was very insightful from Davenport was the fact that in most respects, this was a good— this is sort of a good thing for Jacobs, which you would think, no, it's not. But because the felony thing is not hanging over the circumstance, because, because if they had enough evidence to prove that they would have charged him with it, like there are some answered questions here for Jacobs in his future in the NFL because of the nature of the charges.

Yeah.

Not that it is a good thing that what transpired, obviously. It's just clarity goes a long way in terms of like, if I had to bet right now, honestly, my bet would be that Jacobs plays, I think, the full season.

I think so too. I think he probably misses 4 games next year. The charges were moved from felonies to misdemeanors. They were also not classified as domestic violence, you know, as property damage. Obviously, I don't know what happened.

And I mean, but that's another decision fantasy managers can always make, which is, yeah, hey, who do you want on your team?

Like Jacobs, he's off my board.

Exactly.

I was, I was already fading where, but it was like, I see a point where if everybody in the league is fading, like there's Josh Jacobs can end up with 10+ rushing touchdowns again. But at this point, I'm just like, I'm not dealing with it. I was already kind of nervous about his efficiency. And so it was just like, someone else can—

Now the insurance back in Green Bay, the insurance back is Marshawn.

Oh my.

Marshawn Lloyd. And then in dynasty leagues, please make sure Chris Brooks is on a roster.

He's the real insurance back. He's the insurance back for Marshawn Lloyd.

Right. And that is in fact the starter. Yeah. Marshawn Lloyd is—

if we think Marshawn Lloyd is going to be able to play a game and exit healthy, Probably wrong.

I would, I would say pretty much everybody around Jacobs in ADP, I would take over him. Achane Jr., Skyy, Javonte, Breece Hall. No, but I mean, let's, let's move it down the list a little bit. Even if you go further down, I mean, like, yeah, J'Darian Price or Josh Jacobs. What are you doing on draft day?

Oh, that's a great one. I would— oh man.

Or Tootin or Bucky Irving.

That's the area where I agree.

I think, you know, decisions in, you know, the moral side, the ethics side notwithstanding, that's about where I would probably take Jacobs over those guys.

Yeah. When I looked at my rankings, it was basically the split between, I believe I put him behind Price and ahead of like Jaylen Warren. So it was like the tier break where he's, he's at the end of the goods.

Okay.

Oh, let's move on. Boston Globe, Travion Henderson should be good to go for week 1. I thought we reported on that yesterday, actually. Well, but if we didn't, then there you go.

Bears repeating.

Isaiah Pacheco's knee injury, not a concern according to Dan Campbell.

That's awesome.

I think we reported on that yesterday too.

But now he's dealing with a back injury.

I think all of this news we reported on yesterday.

That one like popped in.

We talked about it. It wasn't official. Well, and Jarquez Hunter as well.

Did we?

We did.

Wow.

Because I had mentioned the fact that the day before I had made the joke that at least Tutu Atwell's not there and then they traded for him.

Yeah. I will say that there were rumors of the Puka issue and whether this was imminent of some suspension coming in. McVay specifically said this was not anything related to that.

All right.

We can also lie.

We have. Yes, they can. We have a fantasy time machine to get to. Let's take a break and jump in. Marty, you've gotta come back with me!

Where?

Back to the future! Well, that's a, that's a drop I'd like to be 3 minutes long.

That's my favorite one.

Yeah.

Did people like the—

Was that a new graphic for this year?

Or is that—

No, that was last year.

Okay. All right. Papa Josh. Papa Josh in the producer seat this morning, like the lead dog. Oh, which is why this little stream deck over here on the right is not working.

I was just trying to protect Kyle and Betz.

From the, uh, were you actually, were you actually trying to take away my ability to go to the Deucer cam?

No.

Go to the Deucer cam. Hey, you know what, guys, as a, just a person who cares about production, I don't like the proportions.

Yeah. Why is there such a gap between—

It feels like 4 people, it should be equal. And they're just like, is Josh gassy this morning?

I was going to say one of us is gassy.

Okay. We're all trying to find the guy. There it is.

Good old casket face. All right, back on the main camera. All right, the premise of this segment, it's a fun one every year. We are attempting to travel forward in time, figure out who this year's version is of certain players that broke out last year and did special things. So we want to look at the factors that made them valuable and, you know, these players valuable last year, apply those same filters to this year and try to predict who might be this year's, you know, for example, JSN and things like that. So we'll start with finding the 2026 version of Javonte Williams.

Okay.

This was a player. Let me just remind you, he was drafted as the RB 39 last year, finished as the RB 11. So we're looking for a running back drafted outside the top 24. that is attached to a good offense that could end up as an RB1, not the RB1, but a, you know, someone in that top 12.

Yeah. I think, Andy, you should probably go first. In my opinion, it's—

You followed more rules.

Well, there was one guy that jumped out as who I wanted and you already had him.

Okay. He does all the things that Javonte represented last year, which is is David Montgomery of the Houston Texans.

Which is like, he's kind of been in the league for a while.

Yeah. He's, and he's kind of maybe viewed as a little bit boring and the offense is kind of viewed that way. But here you are on a, a team that should really be a threat to make a deep run in the playoffs. So they're, they're a good team. They're going to win a lot of games. We want that in fantasy for running backs. Houston themselves sought out a goal line back committed to David Montgomery. He is drafted outside that top range. I mean, last year the Texans converted a league-worst 17% of their attempts inside the 5-yard line. Say what you want about the amount of utility that Woody Marks may have between the 20s. Is anybody doubting who's in the game when they're around the goal line?

No.

I mean, David Montgomery is that dude. They're favored in 6 of their first 7 games or 7, yeah, 6 of the first 7 games before the bye. To me, Montgomery is this year's Javonte Williams.

Yeah, no, I agree. He fits the bill entirely. My guy—

Like the— doesn't necessarily look real fast.

Exactly.

A little clunky.

That needs like to earn the respect over a bunch of weeks. Like you might not believe one week.

It'll be week 12. You're like, that is true.

Yeah. Javonte at the beginning of last year is like, oh, that was good. He got all the work.

So he's taking more time to get respect than Javonte last year.

Like we got to the every week. you know, at some point we do kind of a, like a, let's redo the first 2 rounds. And it was like, should we? I don't remember if Javonte went those first 2 rounds.

I mean, do you even feel that about him now?

Javonte?

Do you feel like he has the respect now that he deserves?

No, he does not.

No, probably not. I, whenever I look at his ADP, I still don't want to draft him. And yet I go, I should. He should be higher. Yes. He's a bell cow back for the The Cowboys offense.

Yeah.

Everything that made him an RB1 last year. So my guy, he is not old busted. He's not a veteran that, you know, has traveled around, but he fits everything else in the sense that he's on a good offense. It looks like he's going to get all the work and he's drafted outside the top 24 backs. And that's Jardiance, Jadarion Price, rookie running back for the Seattle Seahawks. I mean, he's a later round drafted guy who seems like he's going to get everything. We worried about the passing volume because he had no passing work in his college career. Early camp reports and videos and comments from coaches are that he is involved in that. And, you know, I know you got the Halani bros out there that George Halani is going to be involved.

All 3 of them.

But that's, I mean, there were—

Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?

No, but last year, think about the Cowboys last year. No, no, no. There are Halani Bros.

There really are. I know. But my response to them is, are you kidding me?

The only appropriate response. Last year there were, you know, the Mafia Bros, Bill Mafia and Phil Mafia and Jaden Blue. And Jaden Blue is like, oh, he's the explosive one.

The Blue Bros.

There's just bros everywhere.

You know, I don't, I think it's like 25 touches in Halani's career. This is not a guy who's going to push their first round pick off the field. So good offense drafted late. They could absolutely finish as an RB1. And sure, he is one of the players that I feel like next year you could look back and go like, well, like, duh.

Like, yeah.

Oh yeah.

Of course.

Why in the world was he not automatically—

Well, I'm not even— I mean, you talk about it every year. Like, Rookie running backs. They are relevant. They are traditionally like multiples in the top 24. Like it is something that happens. And then you're like, oh wait, it's the Super Bowl champs. If you go watch Hard Knocks on the first episode, like they have some clips from their general manager, John Schneider, talking with somebody in the draft, you know, with their draft board up and the draft board's blurred. I mean, their first conversation is like, this is our biggest need. So like for the Halani bros out there, like This is our biggest need. Ken Walker's gone. This is our biggest need. Like they didn't want him to leave. They just are moving on. Mike, you've never said anything about this guy.

No, I've never said anything other than just drafting him yesterday.

These are all in the very similar range, by the way, in drafts, which is crazy. What's crazy is Monty is the lowest of these 3 right now. ADP for Price is 511. Your guy is 601 and mine is 600.

Per the rules, we were looking for a running back drafted outside the top 24, which Jason and I did.

We kept to the rules.

We did.

25 and 26.

We just might have a toenail hanging over where the line is with Jason's running back 25 and my running back 26. Beshal Tooten of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I, you know, it's, it's not a sure thing that he's going to be the guy, but this is a situation that I 100% want to take a chance on. The Jaguars last year at least were a very high-powered offense. Liam Cohen, you know, returning and the, you know, the new opportunity now with Travis Achane Jr. out of the way for a player last year who converted 5 of his 7 carries inside the 5 for a touchdown among— oh baby. Thank you, Kyle. Among 55 qualifying running backs, 5th in rush success rate, which reminder again, rush success rate is, are you getting what you need yardage-wise on that down? So it's not, it's a better way of looking at yards per carry. Are you getting what you need? And he was 5th, 5th in percent of yards after contact because he is a truly explosive athlete. And he was tied with Breece Hall for 11th in forced missed tackle rate. This is a team that I want to I want to bet on who will the guy be.

Crod is there, Chris Rodriguez. And that's the goal line variable. Yes. And LaQuint Allen is the receiving back variable. I think when it comes to it, that it will end up being Bae Shiltoon being like the, the guy there where last year it was the start, the initial depth chart was listed, H.A.N.

Jr.

Or Tank Bigsby is the starter. And they were so locked into that that they said, we're— we don't need you anymore, Tank. We're just going to have H.N. Jr. be our full-time guy. I think that isn't in the range of outcomes for Tooten, who's not being drafted as a top 24 guy where a top 12 player is in his ceiling.

Ironically though, last year, I think you were more on the Tank side.

I was.

You know, that he was better than ETN. So maybe they'll be like, see you later, Tooten.

Hey, things could happen.

Yeah.

No, right.

Yeah.

Well, I still think Tank's better.

All right. So we found some candidates.

I do too.

Oh, wow.

Yes, Jason.

I want Tank to— it's just such a shame. I feel like—

You talking about my guy last year?

Yes. That's who we're talking about.

Just one year early.

This whole gag you're doing, you know what really sucks about it? It's not— On the show, it's funny.

Yeah.

The problem is, is now the comments. It's like he's— Trevo's now my guy. Even in a bunch of comments. I think some people are not sure if it's a truth or a lie.

It's true.

Okay.

The thing, but here's the thing for your perspective, Andy, is you have 4 shots at my guys.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Really.

Like if Henderson—

if Tank Bigsby does something great this year or Henderson does something great, you're not going to claim that? Hey, I would.

Gosh. I guess that's better than giving Jason credit. All right. Finding the 2026 Trevor Lawrence. So what made him great last year? Looking at Horse Boy. Insane second half run made him an every week start. His ADP last year was QB21, ended up as the quarterback 4. We're looking for a quarterback drafted outside the top 12. So that's prerequisite number one. Either upgraded options in terms of weapons or a change in offensive coordinator. Liam Cohen making the big impact there. And maybe runs enough to be a fantasy difference maker, at least fill in some of the gap, right? You want somebody that can, that doesn't have to Peyton Manning, right? You can fill in some of the gap with the legs. Am I going first again?

No, I'll hop in.

Okay.

Because I didn't like mine filling in last time. Get it out of the way. But I like mine this time.

Oh, you do?

Yeah, I do. Because of the tumult of the offseason and—

Can I step out for this one? Do I have to be a part of it?

You can at least take your ears out so you don't have to hear it. Kyler Murray, the new quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings, is, I think, a much better fantasy pick. He's currently being drafted as the quarterback 17. He is mobile. He rushes well. 55, 55, 55%. Of all of his 82 career starts have been top 12. quarterback performances. Now you've got a change of scenery. Now you've got an upgraded offensive mind. I mean, when he had Cliff Kingsbury, he was really, really good for fantasy. Things got worse and worse as his career went on, as he got injured. He is now a year removed from the ACL injury. He has Justin Jefferson and a great receiving corps. He has a really good offensive mind. And I don't think he's done. He's certainly not like an age where you're like, well, he can't play anymore.

So I think he's dumb.

Nice. I said D-U-N, Andy.

Oh yes.

Done.

Done.

So where he's being drafted right now in the 13th round is the quarterback 17. It feels he can easily— when I look at the late round quarterbacks who could pop into the, you know, be a top 6 option, he is one of a few that just easily stand out to me as I could totally see how that happens.

Yeah, I totally agree. It's difficult though of— it's been—

I don't want to agree.

Been a long time since Tyler Murray has done it. And yes, he has, you know, I, you can say, okay, the skill position players at Minnesota are better than what he had in Arizona because Jefferson is that great. He at least, I mean, he had Trey McBride and he had Jerry Rice on the team. He just didn't throw him the ball. And last year, you know, in his 5 healthy games, he was averaging 35 rushing yards a game and yet never finished as a top 15 quarterback. I was curious. Like he was giving you, he gave you a baseline of rushing and the other stuff was just so not there statistically that he wasn't anything more than a QB2.

I mean, he fits all the, he fits all the like characteristics of somebody who, if he just plays competently, he's pretty good for fantasy. But when you said that like 55% of his games he was above this mark, I was like, and what were 92% of those his first half of his career? It's just, what is the true Kyler Murray now? Obviously they made the decision early. Like this is going to be the dude.

Yeah.

I think Jefferson said this is going to be the dude.

I remember us watching film. It's, it's so hard to remember like going week by week last, last year when Kyler was playing a couple of weeks into the season, a month, 5 weeks into the season. We kept watching this Arizona Cardinals scheme and seeing them basically try to get the ball to Marvin Harrison, except they just ran him down the field so long where he didn't turn around. You remember watching this, Andy? And it was like, What are we doing? Like, you're not scheming anyone open. You're, you're, you didn't have someone to pass to.

You're more of a, like a Petzing blaming of Kyler Murray. You do think that Kevin O'Connell fixes it?

I do. I do. I really do. I honestly, I think we have so much history of Arizona Cardinals players who are good, who flame out here, go to someone else that, you know, to another team and they're like, oh wow, they're, they're really, really good. The Cardinals organization is not a serious organization.

Agreed.

I thought you thought it was.

I have never thought that. How dare you?

We think they're unserious. All right. I'm jumping in. Unfortunately, a Jordan Tyson injury has made me have to at least pull back a bit of my love for Tyler Shuck. But I think that he's the answer to this question. If you, you know, Especially if you're like, hey, second half. If Jordan Tyson is back by the second half, then oh my gosh, I'm going to be very interested in Tyler Shuck, who is being drafted as the quarterback 22 despite last year, weeks 14 through 18. And like, and remember Tyler Shuck didn't start playing until, you know, like halfway through the year, weeks 14 through 18. So we're talking a 5-game span to end the season, completing 70% of his passes, giving you 27 rushing yards per game. That's not an elite level, but that's, that's perfectly fine. Give you a nice little boost to the floor. And he was averaging 20 fantasy points per game, which all that stuff I talked about Kyler Murray, he never hit 20 in, in that time period of last year for the Arizona Cardinals. Among 28 rookie quarterbacks over the past 5 years, who qualify. So they have had 100 or more pass attempts, 2nd in completion rate, 4th in passing yards per game, 6th in yards per attempt.

And he's got Kellen Moore who kicks the pace up. We get extra plays. He did all of this stuff without Jordan Tyson. He still has Olave. He still has Juwanson at the beginning of the season to be what I would assume is the number 2 weapon. And then if Jordan Tyson can get back, I think that Tyler Shuck becomes that a waiver, a quarterback waiver wire pickup that someone picks up week 6 or so for a streaming option. And you're like, oh, that was pretty good. Oh, that was pretty good. And then we just ride it till the end of the season. I believe so much in the prospect of Tyler Schuck becoming a true franchise quarterback.

Well, it would be fun. I mean, we need some new icons at the quarterback position for the next And I'd love to see that team and Kellen Moore and those receivers have that talent. You know, the schedule looks all right. And I'll be curious.

They are such a fun offense. I really hope it works out because just like you're saying, Andy, it's like, be so good for the NFL to look at the Saints as like, oh, I want a piece of that.

I am going with Baker Mayfield as my pick here for the 2026 version of Trevor Lawrence, who in my opinion, Trevor Lawrence might have been—

He was reverse Trevor Lawrence last year.

I was going to say Trevor Lawrence might have been the 2025 version of Baker Mayfield. That's what's funny about it. Baker was the quarterback 3 in 2024. He also ran for 378 yards and we were—

You also had Liam Cohen.

Remember all last offseason you're like, he's not running for that amount of yards again.

Yeah.

Yeah, he did. I mean, he did. He ran for more. He ran for 382 yards. I think you can look at Baker and understand that This guy is going to take off. He is shiftier than he looks and finds his way down the field. I mean, he literally ran for more yards per attempt.

Good. Because he kind of looks like a potato.

I know. A slippery potato though.

Yeah.

I mean, it's been peeling. The slippery potato, Baker Mayfield. But look, he has that capability. Baker was the quarterback 4 last year through the first 6 weeks. Oh, so he was right back on. He was the MVP candidate. Then you get Evans injury, Ibuka injury, Baker injury, line injuries, and it fell apart. And you know, you've got Baker playing. I mean, who wears their emotions and their grudges on their shoulder more than Baker Mayfield?

Yeah.

Well, he's great.

He's presently disrespected and undervalued and not under contract for next season.

And week 1 matchup at Cincinnati, 51.5 over-under.

I think these guys are going to, I mean, maybe he just takes it back. You know, if he was, if Lawrence was the 2024 Baker, then Baker might be the 2026 Lawrence. That is my pick for the fantasy time machine. So I like it. We will take one more break here and then we're going to try to find the 2026 version of Jerry Rice.

All right.

All right, we're back.

And the 2026 Jerry Rice was Davante Adams according to—

To me?

To your post.

I might, after acquiring Davante Adams in one of our leagues, pointed out the statistical numbers for a 33-year-old Jerry Rice. Yeah.

You still feeling good about that?

I am feeling good about Adams. Not those numbers, but I'm feeling good about Adams because I just, if he's healthy, I don't know how he doesn't score a bunch. whether he's great elsewhere. But no, the 2026 Jerry Rice, Mike, I don't know if you remember. It's this guy named Michael Wilson.

I do remember.

Of the Arizona Cardinals. So, you know, you're looking at a non-rookie wide receiver that was buried on a depth chart for years. Could break out in 2026.

Jason.

You can't know.

Oh, last.

You can't do this to my heart. I don't even know who Jason picked.

Good. Don't look.

I'll get mine out of the way.

Okay.

Don't, don't, because I feel like mine fits the mold for, for—

yours is the best.

I would not even put in your name. I'm not going to scroll down because I don't want to know who Jason's is.

Yeah.

This is non-rookie wide receiver buried in the depth chart, could break out if given opportunity, but has never really done it. Last year, Michael Wilson was undrafted, finished as the wide receiver 11. The name I'm going to bring up, you like mine, Jason?

I do. I literally went in the doc to put in this name. So Monty and Jalen. Yeah.

That's good. It's Jalen Coker, wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, basically undrafted. If not, if he's drafted, it's 13th, 14th round. Did you know that he had 4 top 24 finishes in his final 7 games, Jalen Coker? He's a very, very good player and he's back and he's healthy and he was rewarded with a 3-year contract extension. A lot of you are like, who is that? Because our producer may have said his name wrong at one point in time.

Oh yeah.

Jalen Coker is just, he's just one of those guys you watch play and you're like—

Change the vowel sound.

Yeah. Vowels. I've learned vowels are very— Yeah.

They're pretty important.

Vowels are effective when it comes to what impact they have on speech. I think that Jalen Coker is going to be an every-down player all year long. He's always shown the talent. He's dealt with injuries. He's completely undrafted. And if the— I know Bryce Young is there. But look, nobody expected what happened last year with Michael Wilson. That's the point, right? You don't expect the math to math.

Of course.

But I think Jalen Coker has a chance to be that super— this is what you're talking about at the top about what kind of sleepers you have to find now.

Yes.

You need to find a guy who, you know, 100, like almost 100% probability is that he fails.

Right.

But, but I think Coker is a really talented player and I think the team bought in and they realized what he represents to the depth chart. And we'll see what happens with McMillan moving around in the slot. Coker is competitive, like at the point of attack, at the catch. Like he's a big dude. I love him.

Yeah.

If, if, by the way, 12 targets, 9 for 134 and 1 in the playoff game, they almost won against the Rams.

If Bryce were to step up and continue progressing through his young career, I believe Coker would be very good.

Yeah. When you're looking at late round shots, Like it helps when you, you feel like the player's good.

Yes. That's, I think that's the most important part.

Because there's late round guys. You're like, that guy stinks.

That's a huge part of my argument. So you're up, Mike.

I don't know if you think your guy is good or stinks, but I'm going to go with, hey, look, another guy I drafted at the end, the very, very end of last yesterday's mock draft, Dontavian Wicks. who is going even later than Jalen Coker in drafts. I see an ADP of a wide receiver 73. Wicks has had some issues, you know, catching the ball when he was over there on the Green Bay Packers. He was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles where it looks like he is locked in as a starter. The beat reporters, he has locked down the number 2 spot opposite DeVonta Smith.

Saquon Barkley.

Wicks is a steal. I don't know how we got him. And then Nick Sirianni, the way they are off the line of scrimmage, the way they are at the top of the route, the way they are with the ball with the hands, it reminds me of, oh, Keenan Allen. This is, and they're all talking about Dontavion Wicks, who when he's been on the field, yes, the catching has been a little bit of a bugaboo, which is not great for a wide receiver. But the targets have been there because the guy just gets open. Targets per route run.

We've had plenty of hyped waiver wire weeks where Wicks was the pickup. Didn't deliver as much as we hoped, but there was a reason for it. Yeah, because the talent.

Because targets per route run, 23% in '23, 30% in '24, 21% in 2025. For context, over the last 3 years, he's been targeted on a per route basis more frequently than Zay Flowers, Christian Watson and George Pickens. Like, this guy has gotten the targets. He was not ready for, for his opportunity. I think what, what if he is? What if he's ready for the opportunity now with AJ Brown out of town and being the true number 2 where Mekhi Lemon is? That's the sexy player. That's the first round pick. He slithers around.

Stowers and Lemon, like we talk about hype trains and Stowers is If a hype train could go backwards, the Lemon-Stowers combination of replacements for AJ Brown, like—

It's just derailment.

Like, yes. What they've done this offseason is make me like Dontayvion Wicks and Dallas Goedert. That's what those 2 guys have done.

Yeah. Which, there's still hope for Lemon for sure. But when you miss so much of camp, it's like, those are really, really important reps for a player that's never played in the NFL. I think Lemon, it will take more time. In that period of time, Wicks could emerge and be a true threat for this team. So I like him at the end of your draft.

All right.

My turn.

I saw it.

Oh, you did? I looked.

You ruined it.

You loser.

I know. Come on.

If we would have—

That way I can keep my stomach contents.

If we would have said last year, Michael Wilson will have a breakout, it would have been like, what are you talking about?

Yeah, that's fair.

This guy has done nothing.

Good start to this one.

He's done nothing.

You would have been like, he's crazy for saying that.

I went team by team and looked at every single depth chart to try to figure out this, but I hate it to try to figure out who could, you know, truly emerge as a team's wide receiver 1 that is unexpected. That is not. And the truth is most teams have such a stud at wide receiver or at least such a solidified guy. That, you know, the Cardinals last year, we had hope. Oh, Marvin Harrison is— maybe he will be it.

Mike, Mike, if he can get through this without ever saying the name, he's, he's in good shape.

Well, he's got to set it up.

He's in good shape. I got to set this up.

I know, but maybe never say it and just a little closer to the mic.

So I went, I went team by team to try to see which situation could have someone surprising emerge. And the team that stood out to me Was the Raiders.

Makes total sense.

I mean, you got your Trey McBride and Brock Bowers.

And you were like Jalen Naylor for sure.

I was. I put Jalen Naylor in. Oh, did you really? I really did. I was like, the team makes sense. And then I was like, dude, he's just not good enough. He's just— we have seen enough of him to know he's not that dude. Trey Tucker, then I was like, let me look at him. I was like, this— he's, you know, he's got his flashes. But he's a bitty baby boy. He's not going to actually emerge. But you know who I think is a good wide receiver?

Yeah.

Who?

Jack Bash, baby.

What did he say? What did he say?

Jack Bash. You would—

I mean, I mean, it's good to hear somebody giggling in the back.

Yeah.

I recognize this is insane.

Brother, there's insane and then there's what you're doing right now.

You didn't have to do this.

I'm doing it. I really do think that if the opportunity is given to Jack Besh.

Oh, okay.

But that's what Michael Wilson needed, right?

No, I know.

I know.

I know.

I know. Michael Wilson had—

But it won't be.

Didn't have the opportunity when, when Marvin Harrison got injured. He was forced into that opportunity. If Jack Besh is given the opportunity and plays snaps, I mean, he's, he's a great— he's basically solidified his role as the—

Kyle can't stop laughing. This would be amazing if we ended the show on a slow fade, like down to no volume right now. Jason just keeps talking about Jack Besh till we fade out.

He's a much better fit in Kubiak's system. Beat reporters saying he has won the starting slot role. JSN was doing work from the slot last year. And I think the truth is, I think—

Let's buy in, Mike.

I think Besh is a good player.

I mean, I was never out.

Mike and I love Jack Besh as a collegiate player.

But hey.

You know, we'll, we'll, we'll see if he can get on the field. It's obviously a very deep—

You don't like Malik Benson over there?

No, I, I can see it. I think Jack Besh could come out of nowhere.

I mean, what a great chance to victory lap this someday.

Yeah.

On the show, on the exact show where—

This year's JSN. Where we—

where was that? This is CNN joke.

No.

Oh, okay. Where the exact show where we were kind of poking fun at the George Halani Bros.

Yes. We got the best bros.

The best.

Well, I mean, you and Kyle.

We in fact are.

No, I'm—

Betz is in there too. But yeah, he is like, we are the entirety. We are the best bros. It's just the 4 of us.

It's just the 4 of us.

It's just the best decision you've made.

It's just us in this building. We will keep believing in Until he is out of the league. Give him the opportunity. Which is probably next year.

Cubes, more career. Okay. I'm gonna put you on the spot for a real tough question, Mike.

Oh, gersh.

We were talking about, we did a show 10 years ago, right? So 10 years from now, we look back from today and we say to ourselves, who has more career receptions, Ben Sennett or Jack Besh?

Oh, to this point?

No, from here on out.

Oh, from here. I don't mean give me the numbers of what's actually happened. It's a prediction.

Yeah, he's like, Let me look. Well, no, no, I was, I wasn't going to look, but it was like off the top of my head.

End of their careers.

Who will finish with more receptions?

Which player has more total receptions?

Easy peasy.

It's Besh.

Of course it's Besh.

It's Jeff Besh.

He's the best a man can get.

Oh, I thought you were going to give me the 10-year question. I was like, oh, that's easy. Drake Maye.

Oh.

The current head-to-head numbers, I have them.

Jack Besh. I don't even know.

Jack Besh with 20 total career receptions.

Oh, that's more than Ben.

And Ben Sennett with 16 total receptions.

I am the center.

You're not counting that. Didn't he have a catch?

I think there's a term limit on that senator. I don't think it's going to happen. We have a live show tonight. So Bold Predictions episode tomorrow, ballerslive.com. Upcoming shows.

Get ready for Ben Sennett projections.

Final preseason takeaways, roster cut news, players We're afraid to be wrong about. A final mock draft next week. An MVP. That's right. A fantasy MVP episode with tons of special guests sharing their fantasy football MVPs. That's coming next week as well. So much going on right now. Make sure you're prepped up for your draft with the Ultimate Draft Kit at ultimatedraftkit.com. Has mock draft tools this year. And we'd love to see you in the Megalobowl at megalobowl.com. Otherwise, we're going to, we're going to say goodbye and save the voices because we've got a live show to do tonight. It is time for the Megala Show this evening and we'll catch you on Monday. Goodbye.

Thank you for listening to another episode of the Fantasy Footballers Podcast. Join our fantasy football community on jointhefoot.com and follow us on Twitter @theFFballers.