0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. Valvoline Instant Oil Change presents Wisdom from the Road.
0:05Summer means wide open spaces and a whole lot of extra miles.
0:08The last place you want your engine to give out is halfway to nowhere.
0:12Out here, low oil or a weak battery is just an ambush waiting to happen.
0:17That's why every oil change at Valvoline Instant Oil Change includes an 18-point maintenance check.
0:21These techs are trained to help spot issues early and keep you riding easy.
0:25Change wisely. Aaron Donald Works Out, but we already knew that.
0:28Aaron Donald Working Out at the Rams facility? That's news.
0:31We break that down coming up on the show.
0:34And your Insiders Fantasy Draft Primer continues with the folks that the Insiders get their fantasy advice from.
0:39Cynthia Freeland and Michael F. Florio join today's shows.
0:42And Mark Ross has done it. He has assembled a collection of thoughts so spirited they might just stay with you forever.
0:48Leaving a mark on today's Insiders. Let's get started.
0:51Hey everybody, welcome to the Insiders. Patrick Claiborne here with Mike Garofalo on the week, Mike, where we actually get training camp start.
0:57The Seahawks will see their rookies report later on this week.
1:01We're all excited about that because there's more news in Seattle.
1:04The estate of Paul G. Allen announcing today. Yes, the sale has been official.
1:08This has been in the works for some time as we say hello to our own Steve Weiss joining us now in the newsroom.
1:15We've had a few talks this off season about changes for the Super Bowl champions.
1:19This is as big of a change as you can get.
1:23It starts at the top. Yeah, it is big of a change.
1:26We knew the ownership change was going to come down.
1:29Now we see that Vinad and Neeru Kasla, part owners in the 49ers, have been selected to become the lead owners for the Seattle Seahawks.
1:36They've got to get approved by the majority of the NFL ownership.
1:40We know that meeting is supposed to take place sometime before the start of the season, probably in late August.
1:46And usually once we get to this point, those ownership groups, once they've been vetted by all the other owners, it's a
1:52mere formality when it comes down to that date.
1:55Well, let's talk about how this in the meantime, how this goes about operationally for the Seahawks.
2:00Typically, when this happens, they're still able to get deals done, right?
2:03They want to get the Devin Weatherspoon contract done.
2:06That's something they could still get done. We know head coach Mike McDonald, John Snyder.
2:10They both have signed contract extensions. Well, Mike McDonald, when he signed, signed a six-year contract two years ago.
2:16John Snyder signed a five-year extension a couple of years ago that takes him through 2031.
2:20They're still going to be around. In fact, Mike, I know that they were part of the process in interviewing, so to
2:27speak, some of the ownership groups when they came through the Seahawks facility in the minicamp era of the summer.
2:33So they were feeling out the ownership groups. The ownership groups are feeling out them.
2:37But the leadership of the Seahawks is very well in place.
2:40And that includes some of the player transactions that we're expecting.
2:43Back in 2022, the Broncos were purchased for $4.65 billion.
2:46What a bargain! Look, I do think that this number was elevated by the Lakers' purchase, which was $10 billion.
2:52And it was like, whoa, wait a minute. Where did that number come from?
2:56Because at the time, NFL teams had been, what, $4 billion to $6 billion?
3:00I mean, even the commanders now looks like a great bargain as well.
3:04Pretty incredible. You know, you and I should have been in on some of these purchases.
3:09We could have scratched a couple of nickels together here.
3:12But you did talk about, you said a couple things.
3:15One, selected. Two, that the Kozla family went through the facility, talked to the principals involved, was in communication with the league.
3:21In fact, the memo that we, the insiders, obtained the other day during the sale process, during the announcement of the sale
3:27process, said the estate of Paul Allen agreed to sell the Seahawks to the Kozla family and several limited partners.
3:33They reported very robust interest in the club throughout the process, with the Kozla group emerging as the club's preferred buyer among multiple qualified bidders.
3:41So, as much as I'm talking about the money here, it's about more than just the money.
3:46And I've heard this said repeatedly. Owning an NFL team is like joining a country club.
3:50You can have the money, but do you get approved?
3:53And are you selected to be part of this whole crew here?
3:57And I think the big reason here, or the big point I should make here, is that this is a team that has a certain culture.
4:04And the belief is that this new ownership group, based on the estate of Paul Allen, believes that this group is going
4:11to match that culture that they have in Seattle is going to be excellent with regard to communicating and, you know, being
4:17a part of this family, being a part of this area, I should say.
4:21And, Mike, about that culture, I mean, it's pretty much a hands-off ownership culture that the Allen family has had.
4:27They let the football people run the football news and the business people run the business people.
4:32And the ownership just kind of stands by. And that's probably what they were looking for when you talk about maintaining a similar type of culture.
4:39Yeah, it's already made. It's like a rotisserie oven in the 90s.
4:43They can set it and forget it. We can go from the Seahawks to a player who has really bothered that franchise over the course of his career.
4:51Aaron Donald seen working out at the Rams facility.
4:54Remember, he retired in 2023. There were chants after the Super Bowl.
4:57One more year, and Donald comes back. But now they're leaning into this.
5:01Devontae Adams on the Instagram just says, my brother, you know, we know Aaron Donald works out, but working out at the
5:07facility really turns this fever up a little bit more, Steve.
5:11Well, and he wasn't just lifting weights, right? He was out there doing drills, some with pads on, checking out the conditioning,
5:17seeing how his body felt, things like that is different than just lifting weights.
5:21Aaron Donald's been lifting weights since he's 10 years old.
5:24He's probably going to lift until he's 110 years old because that's just how he's built.
5:29But the fact that now he's kind of doing some football-related drills shows you some of the thought process that he might be going through.
5:36Again, that's different than showing up at the facility and working out.
5:40Now we know all this conversation started when the Rams acquired Miles Garrett to add Aaron Donald to that defensive line that's
5:46already got Braden Fisk and Kobe Turner, a lot of other good players right there.
5:50So he could be rotational. And speaking with somebody with the Rams earlier this summer, the one thing that would be intriguing
5:57because they would love to have him back. They'd have to work out a contract that's friendly enough for them to get
6:03Puka Nakua done and things like that is Aaron Donald's weight.
6:06Remember, he plays defensive tackle and if he's around 260 to 265, he might have to put on a few more pounds.
6:13But they're not worried about that too because Aaron Donald might be more of a rotational player than someone who's out there for 80% of the snaps.
6:21The heck of a rotational player. You know, I've had some people who like poo-pooed it at first and were like, well, no, he's always doing something.
6:29And he's like, uh-uh, nope, you ain't talking me off of this one.
6:32From the time that this Miles Garrett trade was done to Donald telling Pat McAfee that, hmm, you know, that got me thinking.
6:39This guy's coming back. It's just a matter of when.
6:42And is he coming back for training camp? He didn't need training camp when he was playing.
6:47Remember, he had some contract situation one year. Nowhere to be seen.
6:50I was at training camp talking to their people.
6:53I was like, are you nervous that Aaron Donald's not here?
6:56And they're like, are you kidding me? Really? No, not at all.
7:00Even at this point, having been out of the game for a couple of years, we know what he's done to stay engaged.
7:07We know what he's done to remain the way that he is physically.
7:10That's going to make things a lot easier than some of the average NFL players that don't usually stay engaged.
7:16I mean, I remember last year when Brandon Graham, he was working out and it was like only a matter of time
7:23before he was going to come back. And all of a sudden he came back like wasn't even that big of a surprise.
7:29I think we're gonna have a similar deal here with Aaron Donald.
7:33Yeah. Considering, as you guys said, he's always in shape, doesn't necessarily need training camp.
7:37We might be waiting for a while for some kind of firm announcement.
7:41We did get a firm announcement in Indianapolis on Daniel Jones.
7:44He was cleared after surgery on this torn Achilles tendon that came from an injury in December.
7:49The source on that, none other than Daniel Jones.
7:52I hit a lot of those milestones kind of pre mini camp and you know, I'm doing everything here to do everything.
7:58I think it's just about at this point, you know, sharpening that getting, you know, more explosive, getting stronger, kind of improving what you what you can do.
8:06But you know, I can do everything and feel really good doing it.
8:10Do you still kind of think about the Achilles at all?
8:13Or is it still a work in progress to get to a point where you just don't think about it?
8:19I think I'm still yeah, you're still thinking about it.
8:22I think, you know, probably will until you get, you know, playing and into games and stuff.
8:27And I think that's just, you know, you're putting a lot of time into it.
8:31It's kind of the central part of my all my training and all my time this offseason.
8:36So, you know, still thinking about it, but really happy with where I am.
8:40It was the news we were waiting on. It didn't know how long it would take, but we get the news 15
8:47days before the veterans report for Indianapolis. Yeah, he said he's medically cleared to go through everything.
8:52And Mike, you know this though, when we go to these training camp drills and things like that, it's probably going to
8:58be a lot of seven on seven, probably not a ton of 11 on 11 drills, at least initially, especially when they have the pads on.
9:06But they try and keep players coming back, especially from lower extremity injuries from being in front of a lot of junk, a lot of potential traffic.
9:14So, again, I'd expect to be very measured on how they bring them back.
9:18It would be, you know, a lot of Anthony Richardson probably playing in the games in preseason, you know, along with Riley
9:24Cooper, who's going to be battling for that backup spot.
9:27But this is good news for the Colts. They invested a two year, $88 million extension in him.
9:32So for him to be back on the field, even in some way, shape or form to get in the physical condition
9:39he needs to play is a good sign. Yeah, sorry, I stepped on you there, Weiss.
9:43But when they did that deal, the understanding was or the belief was that he'd be back week one.
9:49They didn't want to put it on him back then.
9:52But in talking to folks about that one, they said, no, no, he's he's progressing well in his rehab at that point.
9:58The added time, the expectation that he would be ready to go come week one, well before week one.
10:04And that is the timeline that we appear to be on a lot of times you come back from an Achilles.
10:10And then it's like, well, can you hurt the other one?
10:13Can it lead to other injuries? You want to be careful in that regard.
10:17Trust me, I know what the work that Daniel Jones puts in in every aspect of the game and how much work
10:24he put in in his first rehab. He was after his ACL.
10:27He was sitting on a chair on the field before he was cleared to really stand up and do some work.
10:33He was sitting in a chair and throwing a football there just because he wanted to throw a football and just get
10:40back into throwing it at that point, which I believe was in January at the time.
10:44So not surprised that he's done everything he needed to do to get cleared for the Achilles rehab.
10:50Yeah. And that Achilles injury was preceded by a broken fibula where he played three games and he had a total of
10:5621 rushing yards over those final three games. We'll be back here on The Insiders and linking up running backs on the
11:03same team as a safe and effective fantasy strategy, but only if you choose the right one Cynthia Freeland and Michael F
11:09for you, we'll pick them out for you coming up on The Insiders and a couple dry guys drafted in 2024.
11:15Both coming back from injury, Bo Nix and Jaden Daniels, we examined the run up to their respective training camps with Cam Wolf coming up on NFL Network.
11:23Valvoline instant oil change presents wisdom from the road.
11:26Summer means wide open spaces and a whole lot of extra miles.
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11:33Out here, low oil or a weak battery is just an ambush waiting to happen.
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11:47Back on the insider Sundays on our mind, the tweet from the Broncos that they got 69 days before their home opener,
11:54nine days before rookies report for training camp. As we welcome in our Cam Wolf 15 days before the veterans report, including
12:00the one folks they'd wish they'd seen camp in the AFC championship game in Bo Nix.
12:05He gets more work with some of their top additions, which is one of those training camp storylines you're looking out for.
12:11Yeah, Patrick, I can't wait to see if Jalen Waddle can help this Broncos team go from good enough offensively to able
12:18to really swing and be dangerous with the AFC contenders.
12:21Look, their defense was good enough to win the title last year.
12:24They lack that explosiveness and Bo Nix said that element of explosiveness is something we've lacked for a couple of years.
12:30And now enter Jalen Waddle and I've covered Waddle his whole career in Miami.
12:34This is a guy who is really miffed at the idea that he can't be a number one.
12:40He's just been stuck on a roster with Tyra kill.
12:43He gets that opportunity in Denver. And if Nick Bo Nix is healthy, which he said that he'll be a full going
12:49camp, we can quickly see how much that chemistry helps the Broncos offense.
12:53Look, Jalen Waddle is excellent in intermediate routes. He's excellent at stopping and going.
12:57He adds another element to that offense and he's going to help Cortland sudden.
13:01He's going to help the run game that really struggled, particularly in the playoffs open up a little bit.
13:07And look, I'm a fancy football fan. He's going into fourth and fifth rounds in a lot of drafts.
13:12I would love a lot of Jalen Waddle stock because this is a guy that can make plays.
13:17His speed is just different speed, speed, speed. And that's something the Broncos have lacked.
13:22One thing I can't wait to watch in camp and many people may not know this.
13:26Jalen Waddle and Pat Sertan are close friends, both best of friends.
13:30Some would say they get to go at each other every day in practice.
13:34Good against good. See how each other can get better.
13:37And if Bo Nixon, this Broncos offense can really get going, then maybe they can take that next step and try to
13:43represent the AFC and the Super Bowl. This is an addition that we have not talked about enough.
13:49We talk about A.J. Brown to the Patriots, but I would not be surprised at the end of the year if Waddle
13:55to the Denver Broncos is the most impactful trade that we saw this past offseason.
13:59Yeah, a big addition for a young offense and a young quarterback who was a part of that quarterback class in 2024
14:06that's had a lot of success that also includes Jaden Daniels in D.C.
14:10What are we looking out for them training camp story-wise?
14:12Yeah, Patrick. It's an opportunity for Jaden Daniels to remind people who he truly is.
14:17Look, rookie season, Jaden Daniels, we thought he was going to be one of the next great quarterbacks.
14:22Then he had a really injury-plagued year two, and ESPN's Jeremy Fowler put out the top 10 quarterbacks as voted on by coaches, executive scouts.
14:29Jaden Daniels wasn't in that top 10, and it's not because of his talent, it's because they can't trust him right now to be on the field.
14:37It was a question mark coming out of the draft.
14:40So enter his new offensive coordinator, David Blau. His main mission is to keep Jaden Daniels on the field.
14:46What I understand, they're going to play more shotgun, they're going to have more bootlegs, use play action, try to keep him
14:52inside the pocket, keep him healthy, use his legs in a way that can keep him out of harm's way.
14:58Of course, he was really hurt last year, only played seven games, and that really cost the commanders.
15:03Not only Jaden Daniels, but a lot of players were really injured, and now we enter an offseason where the commanders feel
15:10like a little bit of an afterthought. There's actually more questions about, can this unit stay together than can they be an NFC championship team?
15:17So who are they truly is going to be the big thing.
15:20One thing I've heard talking to people in Washington is they want more urgency from Jaden Daniels.
15:25That's been a constant frame throughout his career. Can he move things quicker in pre-snap and post-snap progressions?
15:31That's something that he does really well. And no huddle, can he do it within the scheme?
15:36A new offensive coordinator and their chemistry is something I'm watching in training camp to see if that gets going.
15:41And then the other big question, does there another weapon that he can have outside of Terry McLaurin?
15:47That's been his number one, but there's not really a number two on this team.
15:51There was a lot of flirtation with Brandon Ayuk.
15:54From what I understand, there's nothing going on right now.
15:57Ayuk's got a lot of things going on. But I would be intrigued of maybe a Stefan Diggs, a guy who's local
16:03in the area, would make sense as we get closer to camp.
16:07We're going to see if that makes a move that makes sense.
16:10But for me personally, I think that's a great fit for Jaden Daniels, who needs that second guy that can maybe help him along Terry McLaurin.
16:18Like I said, to remind people who he truly is, like he showed in his rookie year.
16:23And the news cycle moves so quick, it's wild that he would have to remind people, considering that rookie year was not
16:29that long ago and how it was a historic season in our nation's capital there.
16:33You mentioned Stefan Diggs. Stefan Diggs had a hot take that we'll have coming up later on in this show.
16:39In fact, let's get some more hot takes as we go over to Mike Garofalo.
16:44That's right. Time for leaving a mark. The hottest takes ahead of training camp with Mark Ross here.
16:49So let's get right to it. Your first hot take that's going to leave a mark.
16:54It's going to leave a mark. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike, the first time in 22 seasons will have a losing record.
17:00And of course, last season they got the 10 wins on the strength.
17:03A lot of injuries and luck there with Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson getting hurt.
17:08But you know, a lot of those games were ugly with Aaron Rodgers only throwing for 207 yards per game.
17:14Now he's 42 years old, you know, made a couple of big moves and free agency.
17:18But Mike really, when you look at the schedule, you know, I'm assuming Lamar and Joe Burrow come back.
17:24That's four games against Baltimore and Cincinnati. Then you've got the Packers, the Bills, the Eagles, the Patriots, the Broncos, the Texans,
17:30the Jaguars, and the Buccaneers in the non-conference schedule.
17:33So it'll be hard press in 12 of those games to say if Pittsburgh will be the favorite or not.
17:39So new regime there with Mike Tomlin going and Mike McCarthy in the mix.
17:43But I'd be hard pressed to see them continuing that 23 season streak of winning, winning football, Mike.
17:48So hot, the graphics are on fire. Um, we kept saying with Mike Tomlin, like this is the year, this is the year.
17:55And he just kept getting them over 500. Now it's Mike McCarthy charged to keep that streak going if he can.
18:01How about this year's first round rookie running backs?
18:04What's the hot take there? Hot take here is former Notre Dame Irish teammates, Jadarian Price and Jeremiah Love.
18:09Price will have more rushing yards this year than Love.
18:12And it's not about the talent. We know Jeremiah Love got taken with the fourth pick in the draft for a reason, but it's about the situation.
18:20And Arizona is coming off being 31st in the league and rushing last season and a running back.
18:25You just don't insert them in an office and say, go make us better.
18:29Uh, you know, the offensive line is not remarkably better.
18:32Of course they'll have either Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew or rookie Carson Beck at quarterback.
18:37So I just find it really hard for Jeremiah Love to be able to produce at a level that Jadarian Price will
18:43in the defending Super Bowl champion with Sam Darnold, who played at the MVP level with one of the nastiest defenses in the league.
18:50You'll be having leads, of course, Jackson Smith and Jigba out there as well.
18:54So, so many other options for the Seahawks offense that they can't focus on Jadarian Price, who will produce more yards than Jeremiah Love.
19:01Marcus Freeman was on our air a few times this spring saying if Jadarian Price was a number one at another college
19:08and he had the backfield all to himself, they probably would have been more highly regarded.
19:12Uh, in this case, he knew that he was capable of being a starter, the Seahawks as well.
19:18Opportunity plus scheme. I like the, the hot take on this one.
19:21I think I agree with you there as well.
19:24All right. MVP, the hottest of takes. Well, we talked about the streak with the Steelers.
19:28Another streak will be broken this year. Miles Garrett will be the first defensive player since Lawrence Taylor in 1986 to be the NFL MVP.
19:36And look, Miles Garrett was a one man show for the Browns for years, set the NFL record in sacks with 23 last season.
19:43Now imagine what he'll do with the Rams and all that talent where he's actually playing with a lead and he can
19:49just go hunt sacks now where as opposed to being with the Browns where he's behind all the time to get double and triple team and still producing.
19:57So now this season, he might get the 30 sacks with the way the Rams will be winning games and he'll get,
20:04he can just go there in the fourth quarter and go close games out.
20:08So Miles Garrett, he's going to end that streak.
20:10It's been a quarterback friendly, uh, basically a quarterback award at this point, but miles is going to leave no doubt doubt
20:17to say I am the best player. I'm the MVP in the league and get the 30, 30 sacks.
20:22A doubly hot take, not only a non quarterback, a non offensive player, uh, in miles Garrett.
20:27Uh, you just wonder if, if some of the other guys are not a defensive line are going to get there before he does.
20:34Sometimes it may be not going to cut into the sack.
20:38So who knows? And what do you have to do to be an MVP?
20:42Just set the sack record. I mean, how much higher does he got to go to become an MVP?
20:47We shall see. Uh, but a doubly hot take to end it.
20:51That definitely did leave a mark. Time to continue your 2026 fantasy football primer.
20:55And I had a treat for you today. It is Cynthia Vreeland and Michael F Florio, two people who I also work
21:01with on a great program called NFL fantasy live.
21:04We'll get to do it. A little version of that year, guys.
21:07Mini fantasy live. I love it. That's it. And we'll start, uh, because a lot of people who are familiar with fantasy
21:14know about handcuffing, uh, running backs, which is when you take two running backs on the same team.
21:19So you're covered in a situation where things go wrong.
21:22What tandem should we target something? Well, I'm looking at the guy who's probably your number one running back drafted in Jameer Gibbs yet again.
21:29I think now paired with Isaiah Pacheco, both running backs are also something you want to consider just like last year.
21:35Obviously it was a different other running back and David Montgomery, but Isaiah Pacheco, they're stepping right in.
21:41You know, this team wants to run the football.
21:43So of course, just stick with that. Then I'm looking at the Seahawks.
21:47I know it's Zach Charbonnet. We get it. Kenneth Walker's gone.
21:50I'm sorry, but Jadarian price should step up there.
21:53So they're going to try to use that one, two punch again.
21:56It would figure given that they have the same quarterback.
21:59I don't know what Brian Flurry's strategy is their new offensive coordinator, but I do imagine that a lot of the same tricks will be employed.
22:07And then last but not least, I'm looking at the Browns.
22:10Do I have confidence in another position? Not really.
22:13Do I understand exactly what's going on with it?
22:15No, but their O line got better. And Quinn Sean Judkins last year was on an epic pace already.
22:21So you're going to want to look at him and then you're going to want to add Raheem Sanders to the mix
22:27to consider because they also want to run the football.
22:30Todd Munkin does. We know it. Yeah, I like all of those.
22:34And you know when teams are using two running backs, you preferably want teams that are going to be in good game
22:40script and run the ball a whole bunch, which is why I'm picking like the Texans who I think their defense is going to be fantastic.
22:48And they're just going to run wild. Although I will say this.
22:51I'm not sure it's going to be a tandem.
22:54I think David Montgomery is going to dominate volume, although a lot of people think Woody Marks is going to be involved there.
23:01I think Monty could give you so much value that he could finish as an RB one and you're paying like a
23:07borderline RB two price to get them. And then the Rams and bears are just really good offenses with explosive runners like and they run a lot.
23:15The Rams were top 10 and run percentage last year.
23:18The bears got more and more run heavy as the year went on again, both of their runners are very explosive.
23:24And if either one of them was to go down, the other one is an immediate RB one for fantasy purposes.
23:30So those are the kind of tandems that I like to go after.
23:34And I just want to remind people, maybe there are some tandems where you're not necessarily getting the value versus the investment there.
23:40A couple of them I picked out would be the Steelers running back group.
23:45We just heard Mark Ross kind of put the kibosh on the team's hopes and Joe said they're not going to have a winning record.
23:52Yeah, it's going to be the first time in a long time.
23:55That was that was not Mark. I would also echo those sentiments as well because looking back at Frank Reich's tenure, even
24:02the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, which he called the plays.
24:05It was Jay Ajayi and LeGarrette Blunt like splitting cares.
24:08Not a lot of fantasy success there. So the hope for Braylon Allen, as well as the rest of that group, you
24:14know, Canadian Wano is in there as well as Reese Hall, the starter.
24:18Just some concerns there. So I would consider perhaps avoiding, but there's a whole bunch of things that we like to avoid, but some things we cannot help.
24:26And that is a player that's in a red flag situation, but we are still all in.
24:31Who was that player for? Look, you guys did the show all year with me last year.
24:36You know, I spoke up Travion Henderson, any chance I got, and I'm not quitting on him yet.
24:41Look, I get all, oh, he wasn't great. We're seeing all these tweets like, oh, he had bad vision and stuff like that.
24:48I do not care. I am still drafting him.
24:51Look, last season, he averaged over 20 fantasy points per game when he had 15 or more touches in a game.
24:57He averaged more yards per carry in general on outside and inside runs, was faster.
25:01He was stuffed less than Ramondre Stevenson was last year.
25:04And if you're talking about back splitting work, I usually want to go with the more explosive one there.
25:10And I will fully admit Stevenson was much better in the passing game, but that is an area as a pass blocker
25:16and receiver where Travion thrived in college. And he was very vocal at the Super Bowl that it was a much bigger learning curve at the NFL level.
25:24So please keep calling him a bust on Twitter and everywhere because his price is just going to go down and I'm
25:31going to get to draft him for cheaper. Not against us, you won't.
25:35Anyways, well, I'm the price. Exactly. Listen, I have two for you.
25:38The first Christian McCaffrey. I know some people every year when I draft him, he doesn't seem to finish the season.
25:44But when you're looking at the opportunity for him this year, even with everyone coming back healthy, even with Mike Evans being
25:51there, even though they've expanded this offense. I don't care.
25:54I can't quit you, Christian. You're always going to be my pick.
25:57I don't even like just slot me in. If I get one of our high draft picks in our fantasy lively, you
26:03just know where I'm going because I cannot pick against him.
26:07And then a lot of price inflation has happened for Kenneth Walker.
26:10I think people are concerned about Patrick Mahomes being able to come back from that injury and play it 100%.
26:16Of course, they drafted a lineman. They really did address some needs, right?
26:20So ultimately, people have perhaps overvalued him in. I don't care.
26:23I don't care what his ADP is. I think Kenneth Walker's in a really good position to succeed.
26:28And with Andy Reid drawing up the place for him, a guy who can figure out like a zig when everyone else
26:35zags and keeping Patrick Mahomes upright, you're going to want to.
26:38I actually think it's worth it. So I can't quit him either.
26:41Yeah, the Kenneth Walker ADP not as stabilized as that video was where it was locked on to his helmet.
26:47The player that I'm drafting anyway, despite repeated frustrations, is going to be Marvin Harrison Jr.
26:52It's just considering the place that the ADP is right now.
26:55He's one spot ahead of Makai Lemon. Like people are taking a rookie in a situation where we don't necessarily know where the output is.
27:02And we saw those flashes for Marvin Harrison Jr.
27:05in just last season at that 94 yard touchdown game against the Dallas Cowboys.
27:09I know everybody went off against the Cowboys. He had solid participations throughout the season that wasn't necessarily sustained.
27:15So I'm still going to take Marvin Harrison Jr., regardless of what the circumstances may say.
27:19So as we go through and we're looking at what we think is going to happen, what would we not be surprised
27:26by when we eventually look back on the 2026 season?
27:29Well, I know I wasn't in the hot take segment, but I think people are sleeping on the 49ers in general.
27:35So I wouldn't be surprised if probably Dijon Stribling, but maybe one of the other wide receivers.
27:40They have like these free agents that they picked up.
27:43Who cares? It's it's Kyle Shanahan. He could make anyone a star.
27:46It doesn't even matter. But I wouldn't be surprised if a wookiee, a wookiee, a rookie wide receiver from the 49ers becomes
27:53a highly coveted trade asset or a potential pickup.
27:55A free agent. I know Mike Evans is there.
27:58I'm aware. Christian Kirk, also aware. Ricky Pierce saw.
28:00I got you. But I still think there's something about Kyle Shanahan that makes a little bit of like poof magic.
28:07And one of them just takes off. Chewbacca would be an amazing red zone threat, by the way.
28:12You got a lot of wins. So why not?
28:14I'm saying don't be surprised if Bayshall Tootin is a league winner this year, because you know who won people fantasy leagues last year?
28:21Travis HN. And the year before that, it was Bucky Irving.
28:25And before that was Kyron Williams. What did they all have in common when they finished top 13 at the position?
28:31They were in Liam Cohen ran offenses. And I think that is one of the big reasons why I'm so firmly in on Bayshall Tootin.
28:38I think he was drafted last year to kind of take over in year two for Liam Cohen.
28:43And look, he was amazing last year in the limited sample sizes.
28:47He got he forced missed tackles at the second highest rate in football in the playoffs.
28:51He averaged 13 yards per carry. He had one game with over 10 touches last year.
28:56He turned it to 74 yards and a touchdown.
28:59And as a Bills fan in that playoff game, every time he didn't touch the ball, it was a huge win.
29:05So yeah, they're going to feed him a lot.
29:08And he is so explosive. I think he runs wild this year.
29:11Yeah, folks. It's always about projection for running backs.
29:14And I would say don't be surprised if Derek Henry has 18 touchdowns again, just like he did a couple of years ago.
29:20And I know folks are charting. Well, Derek Henry had a down season.
29:24You know, he had 16 touchdowns last year. Derek Henry is still a productive football player until there's this massive touchdown and scoring regression.
29:31I, you know, he called me a homer. I'd still think you ride with the king in this circumstance.
29:37But you know, we would like to avoid fumbling the ball.
29:40What are the fantasy draft mistakes like that we just need to avoid here in 2026?
29:45I wouldn't push it too far going zero RB.
29:47It's become a very popular strategy in recent years.
29:50And the staple of that right is running backs get hurt at a higher rate.
29:54So you'll be able to find replacement options on the waiver wire, except for in recent years teams have been playing more too high.
30:01Their linebackers are getting smaller and faster, and we're getting a whole lot more two and three tight end sets, which means
30:08there's a lot less unblocked hits on running backs.
30:10It's all leading to running back staying healthier the last couple of years.
30:14And shout out to Jim Coventry, who's the first I really heard discussing that.
30:18Oh, but look like I've already spoke up on this segment, like Monty to in Henderson.
30:23I like those guys a lot more as my RB to not my RB one.
30:27And if you push it and you take those guys as your RB one, then you're looking at your RB two being
30:34a player that isn't even a top running back on their own team.
30:37Your end those early weeks are such a grind that as you try to scour the waiver wire and play the injury game.
30:44So I have no problem going hero running back and taking an early one and then waiting.
30:49But zero RB is, I think, pushing it too far for my liking.
30:53I'm going to kind of say the same thing about tight ends.
30:56Don't wait too long to get an at least above average tight end because the drop up is precipitous.
31:02There's not a lot of guys who can get you.
31:05So you would think about refilling some of those points in maybe a better wide receiver or running back to or whoever your flex position is.
31:12But you're really not going to get that kind of production anywhere else.
31:16I mean, look at these guys on the screen.
31:19Brock Bowers could realistically set even more records again this year.
31:22You already saw Trey McBride. There's just so many for so many different teams now that if you don't have that, you're
31:28not going to be able to substitute those points with another position.
31:32Wide receivers. There are a lot of them. There's a glut of wide receivers.
31:36So you can maybe potentially sacrifice one of those like wide receiver two or three spots to get at least an above average tight end.
31:43Yeah. Speaking of the volume of wide receivers, my advice would be don't galaxy brain your sleepers like in the middle round of the draft.
31:51Like, for example, I love Ted Hurst. Shout out to the Sunbelt Conference.
31:54Shout out to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for getting Ted Hurst in the third round.
31:59But if you're in a situation where you're in your fourth round of the fantasy football draft, I know you believe in the sleeper.
32:06You can get him significantly later than that. If your sleeper makes it to the spot where your five picks around their ADP, go ahead and move them.
32:14And I just, I get it. You like the player.
32:17Don't wholly invest in the same way that we invest in Cynthia Freeland and Michael F.
32:22Florio. On this program, we've got another program we hope to be able to announce.
32:26We'll be coming back at some point. But thanks to Cynthia Freeland and Michael F.
32:30Florio for spending time with us here on the inside.
32:33When we come back, Steve Weish and Mark Ross make the case for this season's breakout player.
32:38Making the case when we return on the inside.
32:41Oil change. If your service lights on, trust the techs with the training.
32:45That's us. 270 hours with zero complaining. They train under the hood.
32:48They train down in the pit. Down here. 270 hours means their training's legit.
32:52It's the smart choice for smart folk who care for their steed.
32:56So trust the instant oil change that starts with Valvoline.
32:59Valvoline Instant Oil Change. Change wisely. He's pressured. He's got a ton of room.
33:03There goes Josh Allen. Locks one end zone. It's a touchdown.
33:06Loss the middle. Going for Watson. Got it. Touchdown.
33:09Going deep. Catch. Made. The Iceman cometh. The Iceman taketh.
33:11Jackson got away and throws to Flowers downfield. He's got it.
33:15Drop it back. Throwing it to the end zone.
33:17And it is hauled in. Burrow throws it deep.
33:20One hand catch with the right hand. He holds the ball in his hand.
33:24Gets it downfield. Blocked. Ten. Five. Looking forward to those big matchups in the 2026 season.
33:29Training camp for that season gets set here. And so it's time for us to make the case with Mark Ross and Steve Weiss here.
33:36Training camp edition. Mark, you start us off here.
33:39Make the case for this season's breakout player. Well, this is going to be Cam Ward.
33:43Last season's first pick in the draft and all off season.
33:46I've been comparing the Titans. So how the Patriots were at this part last year, we're getting a new head coach who
33:53was a former head coach on the defensive side of the ball, a new offensive coordinator who was a former head coach there and Brian Dayball.
34:00And now the huge, the biggest improvement was Drake May taking the leap from the struggles of year one to be being an MVP candidate in year two.
34:09So now you have Cam Ward with a lot more talent around him.
34:12Carnell Tate, the fourth pick of the draft, Wanda Robinson and Daniel Bellinger on the offensive side, free agent signings.
34:18And even on the defensive side, they are much, much improved with Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin Myers and Elante Taylor.
34:24So there's just so much more talent around Cam Ward this year where he doesn't have to be a one man show.
34:31And for him, he got better throughout the season.
34:33Steven Patrick, where early on, you know, the struggles, the vision wasn't there.
34:37The accuracy was off the last five games. He really showed the consistency you're looking for.
34:42Of course, the playmaking was there all year long.
34:45All every game. He showed that playmaking reset. Yep.
34:47That's why he was the first pick in the draft, Steve.
34:50And now he'll put that together with a lot more talent, better coaching, and he'll improve his game himself.
34:56And I love that if the Titans cut back on the penalties, because every time they made a play, it seemed like
35:02it was called back because yellow flag was on the ground.
35:06Cam Ward could be that guy. I was going to go with the obvious pick and Travis Hunter, but I'm going to
35:12make a little twist on this and I'm going with Chargers running back Omarion Hampton.
35:16We know he is an explosive player. He missed eight games last year because of an ankle injury and still in 156 touches.
35:23That's including more than a hundred receiving yards. He had a 737 yards and five touchdowns.
35:28This is someone now that Mike McDaniels is coming over to run this offense at outside zone running scheme.
35:33It's going to set up some explosive plays because now you're going to have Justin Herbert more in a moving pocket.
35:39You got to play him for the bootleg and Hampton is going to have some lanes to run through.
35:45So I think this is something where Omarion Hampton, we're going to be talking about him as a potential Pro Bowl running
35:51back with what could happen with the Chargers and their offense in that run game.
35:56Yeah, for both of y'all's picks here, the consummate team sport, everything improves around these guys and they get another year of
36:02experience and opportunity for them to break out. But now Mark, it's time to make the case for the team most likely to go from worst to first.
36:10Well, this is the easy for me Detroit Lions.
36:13And that's because they weren't your typical last place team last year.
36:16You're playing in the best division in football. They had nine wins.
36:20The Bears had 11. The Green Bay had nine and made it in.
36:24And Minnesota had nine as well. It really came down to those last couple of weeks where Detroit could have won a division or made the playoffs.
36:32And really, when you look at last season, the offense was still there.
36:35Fourth in the league and points per game. Jared Goff still playing at a high level.
36:40Jameer Gibbs, Amon Ross St. Brown, Jamison Williams, Sam Laporta aren't going anywhere.
36:44And to me, the offensive line will be even better with Panay Sewell going to left tackle and then first round pick Blake Miller at right tackle.
36:52So the offense of side will maybe get to number one.
36:55You know, they were four. They may get the number one with that offensive line.
36:59And if their defense just gets above average with Aiden Hutchinson there, they'll definitely have a chance.
37:04And then when you look at the division, you know, the Bears last season, you know, there was a lot of magical
37:11winning games that they had in that streak there or defense and turnovers are winning them games.
37:16Minnesota, of course, the flux at quarterback who will end up there in a green Bay.
37:20Jordan Love has to show he can stay healthy.
37:23So a lot of questions with the other teams, which opens up the Lions, Steve, to jump right in there to win the division this year.
37:31Love that. Love that pick again too, Mark. That offensive line gets better.
37:34That team is going to be better. That's where a lot of their issues came with last year.
37:40But I'm going down. You talk about the, the, the, how the lines don't have a lot of ground to make up.
37:46What about those New Orleans Saints and the NFC South where nobody had a winning record?
37:51They don't have far to go. And we know Tyler Shuck coming back in the second year, the way he finished last season, completing 68% of his passes.
37:59They go out and get him Jordan Tyson to go at Chris Alave in the first round.
38:04They've got several receiving tight ends. That offensive line is pretty good.
38:07And we know that Brandon Staley led defense was in the top 10 in most metrics.
38:12So this is a team. They don't have a tough hill to climb in the NFC South, but overall the roster is better.
38:19Kellen Moore in this offense. They should be better.
38:21Now that Shuck is going to be the starter going into training camp.
38:25They've got the potential to have a very, very strong season and maybe make some hay overall in the NFC.
38:31Opportunity for all of these teams and opportunity for us to experience making the case here on the inside.
38:36Yes. You guys bring it. Flag football is the fastest growing sport in the world.
38:41And the third annual NFL flag football championships will be on ABC ESPN NFL Network and ESPN two.
38:46We call that the Disney family of networks, July 24th through the 26th ESPN deportes and the Disney networks.
38:52We'll have additional coverage each day with all the games on the ESPN app.
38:56For more information, go to NFL flag.com. Stefan Diggs says, I am still playing full tackle football in my mind and on the field soon.
39:03And if you like to have good receivers, come on and sign me because in his opinion, quote, I can compete with anybody.
39:10But take those top wide receivers as your number ones, right?
39:13You can't name a number two better than me.
39:16Diggs said in a video on his YouTube channel last week, Steve Weish.
39:19Can you name a number two wide receiver in the NFL that's better than Stefan Diggs?
39:24First off Stefan, he ain't lying. He still is a very good player.
39:28I mean, look last year, 85 catches for more than a thousand thousand yards.
39:32I mean, he continues to do it seven times in his career for more than a thousand yards.
39:37Oh, wait a second. This is T Higgins calling me on line one.
39:41Yes. T Higgins for the Cincinnati Bengals who has to go up there with Jamar Chase.
39:46I think he's a pretty good number two. 59 catches, 846 yards, 11 TDs last year.
39:50Oh, wait a second. On the other line, I got Devontae Adams also calling in.
39:55Now Devontae, he plays alongside Puka Nakua, but here's a guy, 60 catches, 789 yards, missed three games last year and still had 14 touchdowns.
40:02Oh, wow. Wait a second. A new location. Denver area code Jalen Waddell.
40:06Oh, he's calling into, he wants to get into a part of this conversation.
40:1064 catches, 910 yards last year, but this is an interesting nugget our research department came up with.
40:15He is now going to play with Bo Nix, who has, who leads the NFL in more than 20 plus yard throws since 2024.
40:22Remember Waddell played in mainly a timing catch and run offense.
40:25Now he's got the opportunity alongside Courtland Sutton to go deep on some stretch plays.
40:30This is where that speed that Jalen Waddell has, and he will be the number two wide receiver.
40:35Mike, come on. Stefan Diggs can still go out there and really make a team like Washington that much better, but there
40:41are some other very good supposed number two wide receivers in the league.
40:45Yeah. I mean, he's in the conversation. Oh yeah.
40:48Depending on where he winds up and what kind of scheme.
40:51I mean, he did all that last year coming off an ACL.
40:54I was at Patriots camp last year and we said to ourselves, is Stefan Diggs going to be ready for week one of the season?
41:02Boy, was he ready. Uh, and he looked great at the time.
41:05And I, I, I just with my eyes, I was like, how is this even a question?
41:10Which tells you by the way, uh, what he was able to do when not at a hundred percent.
41:16And also the work that he put in to get to that point and to be ready for week one and also
41:22to produce at the level that he did. You have to do that.
41:26If you want to continue to be the kind of player that Diggs has been at this point in your career, once
41:32you're on the other side of 30. So, you know, he's still doing that.
41:36And in his mind, if I did that last year, you know, I'm doing better than that this upcoming season.
41:42Look, there were some off the field things, but, uh, he was cleared legally.
41:46He was also cleared with the NFL. There won't be any punishment in that regard for him.
41:51Uh, so any of those questions were answered with Stefan Diggs just in the last couple of months here.
41:57Uh, I'm, I'm actually surprised that he's not on a roster at this point.
42:01And for him to be an addition for a team right on the verge of training camp, uh, why if he's not
42:07the best wide receiver two in the league, he's one of the best.
42:11And to me, I think he'd be a great addition.
42:14The question is like, what would you do at this point?
42:17Would you wait it out into training camp? Maybe closer to week one to see if there's an injury or something like that.
42:24I don't know how you would handle it. No, I mean, I I'd go ahead and get in there, especially.
42:30I want to kind of pick the best situation for me.
42:33That's why I keep on saying Washington, he could go there and be a one a type of guy next to Terry McLaurin.
42:40He's from the DC area. We know they're looking for a number two wide receiver.
42:44And if you get to play with Jaden Daniels with some of the offensive things they can do, I think Stefan Diggs will elevate everybody on that offense.
42:52I think he'd be a perfect fit there. Yeah.
42:55One of the loose ends that needs to be tied up as we get into the start of training camp and eventually
43:01the start of the season, we'll see Stefan Diggs with a team.
43:05Eventually. We are back on The Insiders. Make sure you tune into the S fees live at 8 PM.
43:10Eastern on ABC Wednesday hosted by Marcelo Hernandez. This year's award show returns to New York City will air live from the David H.
43:17Koch theater at Lincoln center streaming also available on ESPN app as well as ESPN plus.
43:22Congratulations. Went out to Lamar Jackson on the Baltimore Ravens social media website, twitter.com post highlighting his number 69 inclusion in the top 100 players of 2026.
43:30Prompting reaction from a lot of folks. Here's where the quarterbacks have been thus far.
43:34You got Lamar at 69. Jordan love at 72 Baker at 77.
43:38Mike, is this just a down year for quarterbacks in the top 100?
43:42What's what's going on with this top 100 voting at the moment?
43:45I mean, it's, it's always hard because you think of the top players in the NFL and you, you, you skew towards
43:52where MVP voting goes and you think about the quarterbacks and it's tough to rank them alongside.
43:56I don't know, offensive guards 69 is too low.
43:59Like what are we doing here? I mean, he's still a special player.
44:03Um, and frankly, he's excited by this Declan Doyle offense and what he's going to be able to do in there and
44:09maybe teach the old dog a few new tricks here and maybe boost that up to, I don't know, six or nine, but not six and nine together.
44:17Way too low. Yeah. I think it's probably an example of the difficulty of doing something like this and undertaking where you
44:24would essentially have to get ranked choice voting for players to lock them in a room and say rank 100 players in
44:30the National Football League seemingly at random in one sitting.
44:33Yeah. You know, we're, we're not six years removed from Lamar, Lamar being voted the number one, uh, overall player.
44:39We have a wide receiver one joining us tomorrow.
44:42I'm on Ross St. Brown on the show for Steve and Mike.
44:45I'm Patrick. See you tomorrow. This is an I heart podcast guaranteed human.
