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0:25Well, first of all, we got to talk about a quarterback because this position, despite how much we talked about its depth
0:32heading into the season, is really frustrating. Hey, I'm Liz Loza.
0:35This is Facts vs. Feelings. And today's fact is that things can always and often do change.
0:40Hello, Daniel Dopp. Welcome to Week 5. How are you feeling about it?
0:44Feeling pretty good. I honestly can't believe that we are over a month into the season at this point, but we still
0:51got a lot of football left, girls. So we're going to dive in.
0:55We got a bunch of players I'm going to bring to the table.
1:00Enough of a sample size that we can start to really react to what some guys have looked like.
1:06And I want to start with one of the best running backs in the game, Christian McCaffrey.
1:11You and I had some thoughts coming into the season now that we got four games under our belt.
1:17How are you feeling about this guy? Well, I am feeling like his role has shifted in the 49ers offense.
1:23Now, let me be very clear. I am not telling anyone to sit Christian McCaffrey.
1:28I am, however, asking you to open your mind to a potentially new perspective because as it stands, McCaffrey's receiving work, that
1:35which he was most known for, has dried up.
1:38If you look at last year, four weeks into 2025, he was the RB1 in routes run, the RB1 in catches, and the RB1 in receiving yards.
1:46One month into the 2026 season that we are presently in, he is the RB10 in routes run, the RB6 in catches, and the RB6 in receiving yards.
1:55In fact, he's become a bit of a goal line gremlin, and he's averaging 4.4 yards per carry, and this coming off
2:02of a career low 3.9 yards per carry last season.
2:05Yeah, the four touchdowns he has this year, Liz Loza, one-yard rushing touchdown, a one-yard rushing touchdown, a one-yard rushing touchdown, and another one-yard rushing touchdown.
2:13So it has been nothing but goal line work for Christian McCaffrey, and even in that receiving game work you talk about,
2:20he has not had a game with more than 45 yards receiving yet.
2:24That's just not the guy that we thought Christian McCaffrey was going to be.
2:29Now, from a rushing perspective, I am not anticipating a bounce back given the matchup against the Seahawks.
2:34Seattle's defense is allowing the sixth fewest yards per carry right now, but maybe this is a silver lining.
2:40Maybe we'll see an adjustment. The Seahawks have been fairly generous to opposing running backs through the air, allowing the fourth most receptions to the position.
2:49Also worth mentioning, Kyle Ustryk is out. He is often involved in the passing game, the receiving game, if you will.
2:55So his absence might boost McCaffrey in that regard a little bit.
2:59Regardless, I am not ranking McCaffrey inside my top five at the position for week five.
3:04He is inside my top 10, though. I was going to say not inside my top five, but not outside of my top 10 either.
3:12Still an RB1 given the kind of volume he's getting.
3:15All right. Speaking of volume, did you know that the Detroit Lions defense just gives up nothing?
3:20But volumes of fantasy points to quarterbacks, Liz. Jacoby Brissett draws him this week.
3:25I don't even want to be here for this conversation, but you should tell the people why it's a good idea to start him here.
3:33Well, first of all, we got to talk about a quarterback because this position, despite how much we talked about its depth
3:40heading into the season, is really frustrating. Right. We've got Patrick Mahomes and Bryce Young both on a bye.
3:46Those two quarterbacks, by the way, top 10 fantasy producers at the position, which is a different kind of tilt.
3:52Also, Caleb Williams out. Jackson Dart out. Lamar Jackson out.
3:55We do have Jaden Daniels returning. We have question marks around Drake May.
3:59Not so many around Justin Herbert anymore. And so now people might be scrambling for a stream.
4:04And I think Brissett can be serviceable in that regard.
4:08He has been the QB5 in red zone attempts and the QB5 in designed runs.
4:12So we're seeing some rushing upside. He also leads the league in games with 40 plus pass attempts since the start of 2025.
4:20So the Cardinals defense also keeps helping Brissett in terms of passing volume and that sort of volume against the sieve that has been the Lions defense.
4:28I'm sorry. It's just true. They're bottom five in completion percentage, passing yards and passing touchdowns.
4:33They've allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks at an average of nearly 28 per game.
4:38Tell me I'm wrong. Find the lie, babe. No, no, no, no.
4:42I actually I went into a supermarket the other day and they didn't have sieves anymore.
4:47When you picked it up, it's labeled Lions defense is what it says.
4:51So like it's tough right now. If you are a Detroit Lions fan, the one thing you can hang your hat on
4:58is start all of the guys that are playing against your team in fantasy football.
5:03I'm with you on Jacoby Brissett being a top 10 option this week.
5:07But let's talk about your squad. OK, you came after my team a little bit.
5:12How about your team? The Chicago Bears. We got Luther Burden.
5:15A little bit of up and down in his game.
5:18First month of the season. How are you feeling about him?
5:22You know, she is a certain level of stubborn.
5:25And so while I will admit that Burden and the rest of the big three, if you will, have not performed at the level we were hoping.
5:33Burden at least has been emerging in a particular way.
5:36He leads the Bears in overall targets. He's tied with Colston Loveland in both red zone and end zone targets at the top of the list.
5:45So we do like that in terms of volume.
5:47He's also the only wide receiver with 60 receiving yards and a rushing attempt in back-to-back games.
5:53I like the way that sets up in this matchup against the Packers because Green Bay's defense is incredibly banged up.
5:59Micah Parsons not playing. They just lost Edron Cooper.
6:02Green Bay has already given up over 16.5 PPR fantasy points to a wide receiver.
6:07Won this season three separate times. Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson, and Drake London all manage those numbers.
6:12And the Packers specifically have struggled to contain players in space.
6:16We know that Luther Burden excels after the catch.
6:19So I think this is one of those moments we're going to see him rip off one of his trademark after-the-catch yak moments.
6:26And it's only going to help fantasy managers. I think you can start him as a wide receiver, too.
6:32I like that as well. I have him in that same range, in that 20-ish range so far here in week five.
6:39And I know with Tyson Bajan being there. Tyson Bajan looked good enough last week that I'm not worried about him being the guy under center.
6:47That's not going to downgrade the wide receivers because of that for me.
6:51So feeling good about him. All right, Liz Loza, before we...
6:55Oh, hold on. Do you hear that? Bonus player.
6:57This is a bonus player. Bonus player. Bonus player, Liz!
7:01We got so many problems at the quarterback position.
7:03You listed everyone that's going to be out. You listed, unfortunately, all the injuries.
7:08What you didn't list is Jalen Hurts, who I don't want to start a quarterback anymore because he's been bad for the entire season, basically.
7:16So give me one more guy that maybe I could think about starting this week over Jalen Hurts.
7:21How about Matt Stafford? I know that the rushing upside is basically zero, right?
7:26He recorded one rushing yard in all of 2025's regular season.
7:29But his arm, girl, it's only week five. I think it's going to be real sore at the end of the season
7:36because right now he is the QB2 in pass attempts, the QB4 in passing yards, the QB1 in air yards, which is
7:43a stat even if Fieldgates doesn't like it. I certainly do.
7:47And I really, really like the fact that Matt Stafford, with all of that passing volume, is facing a Buffalo Bills defense
7:53that's allowing the fourth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, including over 1,000 passing yards and 10 passing scores to the position.
8:00Right now, Matthew Stafford, by the way, started in under 50% of ESPN Fantasy Leagues.
8:05I would absolutely consider him this week with Puka back, having Devontae there and going up against this squad like you're talking about.
8:12Matthew Stafford locked in as a top 10 quarterback for me as well this week.
8:17All right, guys, don't forget to like and subscribe to the video.
8:21It helps other people be able to find it.
8:24It means the world to Liz and I. Thank you so much for doing that.
8:28And make sure you leave us a voicemail. 323-391-4855.
8:31Regardless of what your question is, Liz and I are basically experts at everything in life.
8:36So we have got you handled. And make sure you leave your IG handle when you leave your question.
8:42Oh, baby, a triple! Oh, yeah! All right, Liz, we're a month into the season.
8:47Starting the guys that we know is easy part.
8:50Everyone wants to know, hey, should I flex this person or flex this person?
8:54It's always the biggest questions we get every single week.
8:57So we decided to bring four players to the table.
9:01We each have two guys. And we're going to start with you.
9:04Who do you want to talk about as far as options here in week five?
9:09I am flexing yes on Carnell Tate. This was a player that I talked up throughout the summer because I made a talent bet on him.
9:17We have to remember that evolution takes time, but that is starting to come to fruition.
9:22He has recorded a target share of 32.5% over the last three weeks.
9:26That ranks for context well ahead of Amon Ross St.
9:30Brown and Tett McMillan, two obvious lineup locks. His three deep catches of over 15 yards last week are evidence of his
9:36evolution because he managed just one such catch over the first three weeks of the season.
9:42And we definitely like the momentum that is happening right now as he faces a regressed Texans defense.
9:47The Houston defense has allowed over 18 fantasy points to a wide receiver in every game this season.
9:53They are DJ Moore, Jamar Chase, Keenan Allen, and CeeDee Lamb.
9:56I think you can confidently flex Tate and probably, frankly, get wide receiver two production out of him in week five.
10:03I like that one, Liz. I am on the tiptoes of excitement going to flex Emmanuel Wilson in my lineup this week.
10:1021 carries, 81 yards for a touchdown, plus three catches for another 39 yards and receiving game touchdown last week.
10:1627 fantasy points. This was the role that we had kind of talked about we thought would eventually materialize for a Seahawks running back.
10:24I, silly me, thought it was going to be Jadarian Price.
10:27He's now on IR. Emmanuel Wilson is in a spot this week and maybe only for this week and next week to
10:34continue to be the guy until someone else comes back into that backfield.
10:38But they're taking on the San Francisco 49ers. Three of the four running backs to play them have scored at least 15 and a half fantasy points.
10:47All of the starting running backs that have played them have scored at least 12 and a half fantasy points.
10:53I've got him as a low-end RB2 option for myself.
10:56Flex yes on Emmanuel Wilson, Liz. I absolutely dig it.
10:59I picked him up in a lot of leagues off of waivers.
11:03And, you know, I don't know if the Seahawks want to roll with him forever as evidenced by the fact that they did bring Joe Mixon in.
11:12Now, Mixon did not pass his physical, so it's not going to be a bit of a problem.
11:17But there is a window here. And we know in fantasy that windows close pretty quickly, so you've got to hammer it while it's available.
11:25I am definitely with you on this one. Love that.
11:28All right, let's talk about another player here. Who's another one that you're thinking about flexing or not flexing in week five?
11:35Well, I want to flex no on Quentin Johnson because, interestingly, while Ladd McConkie has been banged up, it's Trey Harris who
11:42has, in fact, been receiving most of the subsequent volume.
11:45It's really fascinating to me because Trey Harris is not Mike McDaniel's type, right?
11:50Harris is more of a possession X receiver. He's not particularly fast or flashy, but he is being utilized both outside and in the slot.
11:58So that versatility is affording him more opportunities. And we know, obviously, that Ladd is still week to week.
12:04He hasn't been performing anyway. So I think that it is Harris who could.
12:08Now, this is definitely a flex for deeper leagues, more of a sleeper play.
12:12Maybe you're playing him in DFS. But I don't mind the matchup so much, given that Pat Sertan is out for the Broncos.
12:20And knowing that Quentin Johnson has drawn at least five looks in back-to-back games while also registering 60 or more receiving yards in consecutive efforts.
12:28Yeah, former third-round pick. Hopefully he can be somebody that will do something in this offense, Liz.
12:33I'm going to pivot and say flex no on a guy named Ollie Gordon because I think fantasy managers might get caught here.
12:40Back-to-back weeks with a touchdown. Back-to-back weeks with at least 14.5 fantasy points.
12:44Back-to-back weeks where he still plays in the Miami Dolphins who are the worst team in the NFL.
12:50I understand how many fantasy points he had. I understand that he was able to break a big one.
12:56Nine carries for 100 yards and a touchdown. Against the Vikings, by the way, that's one big play happening to be able to get us to that point.
13:05I want consistency. I want volume. I want dependability.
13:08I haven't seen that from this backfield, even though I've seen some pockets of fantasy points at all this season.
13:14And given how much they're going to be down, how much they're going to be trailing.
13:19No, just get the flex out of here with this question.
13:22Flex no. I am absolutely not starting him. Ollie Gordon can go flex himself for all I care.
13:28Wow, I think we should just get the flex out of this segment.
13:32This is a safe place. It's a place where we can feel free sharing our feelings.
13:37Daniel, a lot of people have told me that they feel like they went from drafting an A-plus squad at the top
13:44of September to managing an urgent care in the middle of October.
13:48So I'm sure we have plenty of fantasy therapy submissions.
13:51Yes. Let's get to it. Yeah, I'm going to start puffing on my Monodragon in order to help get through this first voicemail.
13:58Hey, Liz. Hey, Dopp. This is Andrew Mondragon from Portland, Oregon.
14:02Crazy, Dopp. Do I trade? I'm going to pay attention.
14:05Chase Brown? My other running backs are Jonathan Taylor and Derek Henry.
14:09Let me know what you guys think. Have a great day.
14:12My Instagram handle, MichaelMondragon123. Okay. Interesting. I love that we are shaking things up.
14:17And I also love that this guy was like, I am going to hammer the running back position while I am drafting.
14:23And look how it's worked out for him. I don't know about you, Daniel, but like, I think I would prefer to
14:30sell high on Jonathan Taylor or Derek Henry over Chase Brown.
14:34Even though Brown is not the best fantasy performer of them, we know he is consistent.
14:39He's right now, what, the RB14 in fantasy points per game.
14:42But Taylor and Henry are both coming off of 2025 campaigns in which they cleared 300 carries apiece.
14:48And there is a long season ahead of us.
14:51We saw the way after Daniel Jones got injured at the end of last season, Taylor's production came down.
14:57When I am looking at the Colts offense, I am not enlivened by any sort of amount of upside or hope, right?
15:04So to me, sell high on Jonathan Taylor and know that you have a solid stable with Henry and Chase behind you.
15:11I just want to be really transparent. I don't want to trade any of these guys.
15:16Unless I need somebody else, I want to keep all three of these running backs because of the problems that running backs deal with that injury.
15:24However, we're trading this player for a reason. If I had to pick one, Liz, you kind of basically said it for me.
15:31I just like the offense for Chase Brown and the Bengals even more.
15:35I like the offense for Derrick Henry and the Ravens.
15:38I think there's a higher upside for both of them.
15:42I am out and would move Jonathan Taylor if I had to pick someone.
15:46I also think you could maybe get the most for him out of anybody in this list as well.
15:52Awesome question. All right. I like it when you call me big.
15:56Papa Isaiah has a question here, Liz. Okay. I have both Tyler Shuck, who's taken on Minnesota, and Jaden Daniels, who's taken on the Giants at quarterback.
16:04Who should I start this week? Yeah. Yeah. So I totally understand the reticence because Daniels is coming off of an injury.
16:11There's rust. He's injury prone. All of those narratives.
16:14But his matchup against the Giants is a thousand times better than Tyler Shucks versus this Brian Flores led Vikings defense.
16:21I don't want any part of it like kudos to Shuck for continuing to produce, whether it's through the ground or in garbage time or in overtime.
16:29Like he's getting it done. But, oh, that is just I don't want a piece of that matchup.
16:35So give me Jaden Daniels in week five, even if he's rusty.
16:39One million hundred percent. I would rather have Jaden Daniels.
16:42I do not want anything to do with the Brian Flores defense.
16:46All right. This next one, Liz Loza, is a bit of a flex question, which we love.
16:51Name said out of Boston. I've got a question for you on wide receivers.
16:55I'm carrying Pickens, Egg Bucca, Malik neighbors, and Malik Washington.
16:58And which is the right trio in a PPR league to start in my wide receiver and my flex spot for this coming week?
17:06Thanks. Bye. Girl, before anything. All right. So he's got to sit one of these guys.
17:11Yeah. Here's the problem. Jet came into the season thinking, I've got George Pickens, Emeka, Abuka, and Malik neighbors.
17:17I don't have to make any flex decisions this season.
17:20Those guys are locked up the rest of the year.
17:23Is there a chance that you would sit one of them, though, really?
17:27Yeah, I'm going to sit Emeka Abuka. Like, to me, it's between either Malik Washington or Emeka Abuka because of the quarterback concerns, frankly.
17:35But Malik Washington has managed five catches in at least 55 receiving yards, as well as two rushing attempts in back-to-back games.
17:42So I am going to lean in that direction.
17:45And this is wild. But yeah, sit Abuka in week five.
17:48Yeah. Once I found out that Jalon Daniels was going to be the starting quarterback again, I decided to go with pretty much any other wide receiver, unfortunately.
17:57So I am out on Emeka Abuka. Next question here comes from Andrew.
18:01Andrew wants to know this. Would you trade away Liz Loza, Brock Bowers?
18:05Liz Loza? Would you trade away? No, we would never trade away Liz Loza.
18:10No way. My gosh. To where? Would you trade away?
18:13Okay. Brock Bowers for Puka Nakua. I already have Jameer Gibbs and Lamar Jackson and Nico Collins.
18:18I traded Ken Walker III earlier this season in order to get both Lamar and Nico.
18:23So would you now move Brock Bowers for Puka Nakua?
18:26Andrew's trade game is on point. Strong. I love the early season hustle.
18:30See, Andrew is doing it right. You got to get in there.
18:34You can't be completely married to the squad you drafted.
18:37You have to shake things up. Surprise everyone. Maybe yourself too.
18:41And the short answer though is no. I am not trading Brock Bowers for Puka Nakua.
18:46I totally understand how tempting it is. But I do not want to deal with the stress of the tight end position.
18:53I'd rather lock it up and know that Bowers was going to produce at a top three level on a week-to-week basis.
19:00I'm with you on that. I just think the tight end upside with it being an island position is bigger for me than Puka Nakua.
19:08I am totally with Liz. We got another voicemail.
19:10This one coming from an unnamed friend. But I think you are going to like it, Liz.
19:16Oh, okay. Hey, Liz. I'm a big fan of the show.
19:19I'm in the lead where a guy offered me Mike Washington and Ashing Denti for my Queen-Con, Dredkins, and Moore Jackson.
19:26Should I accept the trade? We're a client. Thank you.
19:29Oh, thank you. I really appreciate you listening. You're amazing.
19:32Okay. Also, I love that you don't have an Instagram handle.
19:36That is great parenting. Great. Anyway, great parenting. Well done, parents of unnamed child who's calling into our fantasy therapy line.
19:42So basically the trade is, would you like to trade the Raiders' backfield for Quinchon Judkins and Lamar Jackson?
19:48And when I first looked at this, I was like, oh, man, I think he might be getting fleeced.
19:54But ultimately, I think I like it. I mean, Lamar Jackson is already banged up.
19:59He's going to miss some time. We already talked about at the top of the episode how you can stream at the position.
20:06Just play whoever's facing the Lions, although I do think they have a buy in week six.
20:12Anyway, and yeah, I think that Ashing Denti is going to be more productive on a regular basis than Quinchon Judkins.
20:18You've got an insurance policy behind him with this trade.
20:21Go ahead and make it. Let us know how it works out.
20:25Daniel, do you agree before I just seal it up?
20:28I do think that I agree. The one thing I would want to make sure of is that there is at least
20:35someone, a quarterback on the waiver wire that is worth being able to add.
20:40And it's not just like, you know, a heap of garbage.
20:43But assuming like we have been talking about, given the depth of the quarterback position, I think I'm with you.
20:49I would rather have Ashton Denti and a replacement level quarterback starting for me than Lamar Jackson and Quinchon Judkins for the rest of the season.
20:58Yeah, that's a great question, unnamed kid. All right.
21:00Next one. This one comes from Nick Wright 99.
21:03Bit of a long one. Okay. Buckle up here.
21:06Hello. Have a big question. I would like some advice regarding my lineup I asked about a few weeks ago.
21:12I've got Drake May and CJ Stroud at quarterback.
21:15B. John Robinson and Jeremiah Love at running back.
21:18Drake London, Christian Watson, Garrett Wilson at wide receiver.
21:21What's the problem? And George Kittle and Travis Kelsey.
21:24Oh my gosh. And I'm about to be one and three.
21:27But I'm second in points scored. Yeah. Is there any trade targets y'all would recommend or would you hold tight and hope
21:34that the record eventually evens out with the points scored?
21:37Thanks, y'all. And go Saints. Liz, Lowe is a second in points scored, but one in three.
21:43What are you doing here? I mean, this is sometimes the fantasy gods just need to be appeased.
21:48Number one, I would drop CJ Stroud. I don't think you need to waste a spot on your roster carrying him.
21:55Just get rid of him. And then it seems like the only problem here is quarterback.
22:00So if you did want to package a trade, I wouldn't mind packaging a Christian Watson and Travis Kelsey trade.
22:06Christian Watson, we imagine at some point will probably break down.
22:10And so while he's healthy and hot, frankly, maybe now is the time to sell high on him.
22:15So I think if you did want to make a trade, he would be my target.
22:20And then if you felt like packaging Kelsey based on what it is you would like to receive in return, those would be the two players.
22:29And as a part of that trade negotiation, I would kind of highlight the fact that Travis Kelsey at the tight end
22:36spot, having his buy happen this week means that if you trade him to a manager who has a tight end that
22:42will hit buy at some point, you don't have to worry about that with Travis Kelsey.
22:47I think I would do the same thing as you, Christian Watson and Travis Kelsey and try and pivot that into a
22:54potentially better quarterback spot because the rest of that lineup, Liz, Bijan and Jeremiah Love, Drake London, Garrett Wilson, George Kittle.
23:01Like that's a that's a really good squad, Nick.
23:04So I would I would hold tight there. All right.
23:07That's going to wrap the voicemail question. Colin, with your cash outs, crash outs, life advice, all of it.
23:13If you have roster questions, make sure you ask us about week six.
23:17The voicemail line three, two, three, three, nine, one, four, eight, five, five.
23:21Today we learned that CMC has apparently morphed into a goal line gremlin, that Daniel Dopp will take any opportunity to reference Big Papa.
23:29And that things can always get better. It just means you rolling up your sleeves and shaking things up.
23:35Now go out there and shock your league, maybe yourself as well.
23:39Be sure to check out my week five edition of the Facts Versus Feelings column, which is currently live on the dot com.
23:46And leave us a voicemail. The number to call is three, two, three, three, nine, one, four, eight, five, five.
23:52Until next time, may your facts be solid, your feelings be right, and your bus be someone else's problem.
23:58Yo. Lock in.
