NFL Fantasy Football Podcast: Week 3 Starts & Sits + Hot Takes
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
32 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 23, 2026
Published
Wed, September 23, 2026
22
Player insights
21
Players mentioned
Topics
Dalton SchultzBrock BowersChristian McCaffreyChuba HubbardColston LovelandDaniel JonesDeVonta SmithGarrett WilsonIsaiah LikelyJalin HyattJameson WilliamsJonathan TaylorJosh AllenJosh Downs
Player analysis
Player insights
Brock Bowers
NegativeInjury26:26
Bowers has been banged up this season, which has been a buzzkill for those who drafted him highly. The source notes this as a disappointment, though the Raiders are sitting at 2-0 despite his injury issues.
Insight pageChristian McCaffrey
PositiveMatchup10:47
The source identifies Christian McCaffrey as the top running back start for Week 3 based on matchup advantage against Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals rank 11th in yards per game allowed and have the second-worst quarterback pressure rating in the NFL at 27%, which the source believes will allow the 49ers offense to stay on schedule. The source projects this as "a big volume week for Christian McCaffrey" and expects him to be the player who keeps San Francisco's offense moving.
Insight pageChuba Hubbard
PositiveRole7:06
Chuba Hubbard was already liked by the source before Jonathan Brooks' IR designation. He was the go-to guy for red zone snaps, and now gets the lion's share of carries. With Carolina's potent offense and Bryce Young dealing well against zone coverage, teams focusing on slowing the passing attack will open the door for Hubbard to continue producing. The source likes him especially over the next three to four weeks.
Insight pageColston Loveland
PositiveBust27:01
Loveland is fantasy's biggest bust through two games with an 8% target rate and has combined with Rome Odunze for fewer than 16 total fantasy points through two weeks. The source would play Pat Freiermuth or A.J. Barner over Loveland this week against the Eagles, whose defense has been tough against tight ends.
Insight pageDalton Schultz
NegativeProjection9:44
Dalton Schultz is mentioned as one of the highest-scoring tight ends in Week 2, establishing him as a relevant performer early in the season.
Insight pagePositiveProjection25:23
Schultz is a flex play or even a start at tight end this week with 14 targets last week; the source recommends playing two tight ends if you have a better primary tight end option. The Colts linebackers have not been great this season, making this a favorable matchup, especially with the Texans' wide receiver position banged up and Nico Collins up and down.
Insight pageDaniel Jones
NegativeRole4:30
Daniel Jones is stepping in as the starting quarterback following Jackson Dart's injury, but the source expresses concern about his performance and confidence level. In his appearance against the Rams, Jones 'didn't look right' and 'didn't look confident,' appearing to be 'in his head too much.' The source emphasizes that for any Giants pass-catchers (Malik Neighbors, Isaiah Likely, or others) to produce fantasy value, Jones must play significantly better and establish confidence as the starter. His poor performance directly impacts the fantasy viability of all Giants offensive skill players.
Insight pageDeVonta Smith
PositiveRole6:41
DeVonta Smith has taken over as the true wide receiver one in the Eagles offense with A.J. Brown out. When Tennessee went to man coverage—the coverage A.J. Brown excelled against—DeVonta Smith was right there, especially on the Eagles' final drive which was built around him. The source expects the Eagles to run their passing attack through him moving forward.
Insight pageGarrett Wilson
PositiveProjection28:01
Wilson is a top-five fantasy wide receiver this week against the Lions; the Lions have given up the second-most passing yards per game through two weeks and are dealing with injuries on the back end of their defense. The Lions play a lot of man coverage, and Wilson has the skill set to exploit this. The game has shootout potential, and Wilson should get the lion's share of passing yards for the Jets.
Insight pageIsaiah Likely
NegativeRole4:30
Isaiah Likely is among the Giants pass-catchers whose fantasy production is dependent on Daniel Jones' performance and confidence as the starting quarterback. The source indicates that until Jones stabilizes and plays better, Likely cannot be reliably considered a high-impact fantasy option.
Insight pageJalin Hyatt
PositiveProjection11:36
The source locks in JSN (Jalin Hyatt) as the top wide receiver start for Week 3. Hyatt is facing a Commanders team that has allowed a 50% open target percentage through two weeks. The source notes that while the Commanders have limited yards after the catch, Hyatt represents a different caliber of receiver and is the preferred start over other options in the JSN-Puka-CMC tier.
Insight pageJameson Williams
PositiveProjection22:50
Williams is a sit this week against the Jets despite being a threat for a big play; he's posted consecutive single-digit fantasy performances and the matchup is poor. Against receivers aligned out wide, the Jets have allowed just 5.7 yards per target and a league-low 4% explosive catch rate. Only Seattle has allowed fewer downfield receptions, making this unfavorable for Williams' big-play upside.
Insight pageJonathan Taylor
PositiveProjection9:28
Jonathan Taylor was the highest-scoring running back in Week 2, described as an absolute monster. The source notes his performance has prompted reflection on various positions and their fantasy impact.
Insight pageJosh Allen
PositiveProjection10:03
The source expresses extreme confidence in starting Josh Allen in Week 3 regardless of opponent difficulty, stating "I don't care if he's playing the 85 Bears...I don't care if he's playing the 2,000 Ravens...I don't care if he's playing the Legion of Boom." Allen has been "unbelievable" through two weeks, and the source believes "Josh Allen seems like the only player to slow down Josh Allen at this point," arguing that matchup concerns should be completely disregarded and he "has to be in your lineup."
Insight pageJosh Downs
PositiveRole8:44
Josh Downs' role is taking a massive step forward with Alec Pierce's injury. He ran the most routes of any Colts player last week with 28 and had the most targets with nine. The source views him as the Colts' go-to guy in the passing game, perfectly suited to Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones' air-focused offensive scheme. He is expected to be a huge volume player moving forward.
Insight pageJustin Herbert
PositiveProjection28:58
Herbert is projected to finish as QB1 this week despite being 0-2 with the second-worst QBR in the NFL and interception issues. The source argues there are 'a lot of haters' and that Herbert, who has one of the biggest arms in the NFL, is 'due in such a meaningful way.' The Chargers face a favorable matchup this week, and the source is bullish on his breakout potential.
Insight pageLadd McConkey
PositiveProjection22:22
McConkey is a borderline top-10 receiver this week despite LA's troubles and his rib injury; he's been very good when on the field with 3 yards per route run and a 26% target rate. Only Jackson Smith-Njigba has a higher EPA per route on at least 35 routes. The Bills have been wrecked by wide receiver ones (Nico Collins, Amon Ra), making this a favorable matchup.
Insight pagePuka Nacua
NegativeProjection11:36
Puka Nacua is mentioned as part of the tier of elite pass catchers (JSN-Puka-CMC) being considered for Week 3 starts, though the source ultimately selects JSN over Nacua for the wide receiver spot.
Insight pageRome Odunze
PositiveProjection27:01
Odunze is a sit this week; he and Colston Loveland have combined for fewer than 16 total fantasy points through two weeks. Odunze has a 12% target rate and has been heavily outproduced by Khalif Raymond. The Bears might be down to third-string quarterback Case Keenum, and the Eagles defense has been tough against outside receivers. The source would legitimately bench Odunze for tons of flex options.
Insight pageSaquon Barkley
PositiveRole5:09
Saquon Barkley is expected to maintain his fantasy value despite the Giants' quarterback uncertainty. The source projects that rushing opportunities will remain available for Barkley, particularly in red zone situations where the Giants will continue to utilize him. Additionally, Barkley will be involved in the passing game. However, his overall production ceiling is still affected by the quarterback's ability to execute the offense effectively.
Insight pageTucker Kraft
PositiveProjection12:05
The source selects Tucker Kraft as the top tight end start for Week 3, citing his high route participation and the Packers' struggling offensive line as the primary driver. The source reasons that while the weak pass protection could theoretically force Kraft into more blocking, it will instead elevate his role as a safety valve target. The source specifically highlights PPR league appeal, projecting Kraft could "have a really big week" given his high field time and the Packers' pass protection issues. The source notes Kraft "got paid just before the season started" and has been "waiting for that breakout game."
Insight pageZay Flowers
PositiveRole23:37
Flowers is a start if healthy this week; he's been dealing with a hamstring injury but is the Ravens' passing offense. When Flowers was on the field in week one, the Ravens had 173 yards after the catch versus only 86 in week two when he was out. The source recommends putting him in the flex spot to wait for Saturday/Sunday injury updates, then starting him if he's healthy.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
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2:08All right, we are staring down week number three of the NFL season by Cam Trevor Sikkema.
2:14Welcome to NFL fantasy football. I'd like to start with smiles and I'm going to go there because my fantasy team's 2-0.
2:21So I like that. But you, by the way, got a win, Trevor.
2:25So that's a win sitting at one and one.
2:28I feel like there's some frowns, though, across the NFL.
2:31Injuries continue to mount. My team, the New York Giants, obviously dealing with Jackson Dart.
2:36We're not the only team, though, that's got to deal with some quarterback news.
2:40We'll get to Dart specifically here in just a moment.
2:43But, Trevor, I feel like I do all these different interviews and everyone's talking to me about injuries.
2:49I got to imagine from a fantasy perspective, like people are going crazy right now trying to work this waiver wire.
2:56Absolutely. And if you go back to our NFL pro show that Brett Coleman and I do a couple times a week,
3:03we talked about this very thing after week one as it relates to how teams emphasize in the preseason.
3:09The missed tackle rate was super high in week one.
3:12Guys just didn't look ready. There were some injuries there.
3:15So I wonder if that's a product of maybe how teams are approaching preseason.
3:19And maybe that gets remedied a little bit next year.
3:23But it's something to follow, no doubt about it, with all of the chaos that it feels like there is in Fantasyland two weeks in.
3:31No question. I'm also wondering, too, how this is going to affect starts and sits.
3:35Matt Akata is going to be joining us in just a bit.
3:39We'll get his take because I feel like if you wanted to maybe sit a guy, you might not have the option
3:46depending on the depth of your league and what's available on that waiver wire.
3:51So we'll hit that up in just a bit here.
3:54But let's get to the latest headlines. In fact, we will start with Jackson Dart and the fact, Trevor, that he is
4:01done for the seasons being reported by Ian Rapoport, Mike Garofalo, Adam Schefter undergoing season ending surgery on that knee.
4:07The foot's not even planted as he's taken the big hit.
4:10He was seen on a night football walking around a lot of tentacles here.
4:15There's the James angle. There's the neighbors angle. There's the scatterboot angle.
4:19Just break this down. Let's start with Jackson Dart.
4:22What does this mean for his fantasy owners? Where do you go?
4:25Yeah. So obviously, I think that the conversation has to start with James, who's going to be stepping in as the quarterback
4:32as he did against the Rams in that game.
4:35And unfortunately, it doesn't really matter whether it's Malik neighbors or Isaiah likely or anybody down the depth chart.
4:41James just didn't look right. He didn't look confident in that game.
4:45And in order for you to get any fantasy production out of any of those players, James has to be confident.
4:52And it just felt like he was in his head too much in that game.
4:56He's got to be able to sit down and say, hey, I am the starter now.
5:02So it's got to look different. There was a shot of him on the bench saying like, man, I got to get right.
5:09And that's true for Scadaboo. I think that things will be relatively fine for him.
5:14I think that the rushing opportunities are certainly going to be there, especially those paid opportunities when they get into the red
5:21zone and they'll utilize him in the passing game as well.
5:24But ultimately, it all falls on the quarterback as it always does.
5:28And James has to play a whole lot better than he did against the Rams moving forward.
5:33If we're going to talk about any of these guys, even Malik neighbors very seriously as high impact players weekend and week out.
5:41Yeah. By the way, because you play in a dynasty league and I know you can go deep here and I know
5:48quarterbacks come at a premium, not just in the NFL, but for fantasy owners.
5:52How much are you monitoring potential trades that could happen that add even more depth just in case the Giants have to
5:59make a decision and move away from James? Yeah, look, I it's something to think about.
6:04Right. I mean, I think that this situation is wide open on every angle, you know, whether it's the stars that you
6:11thought were going to be there, no matter what some of the young guys that are producing early on in the season
6:18or even like you mentioned, maybe some new quarterback options that could change things.
6:22It's all really early to tell. But yeah, I mean, with the uncertainty at the production at the quarterback position, everything has
6:29to be on the table about how you were evaluating any New York Giants player that is currently running.
6:35Well, you do have an opportunity to maybe hit that waiver wire or hopefully you drafted really well.
6:41And you've been watching this show or listening to the podcast to get an opportunity to know who you should have been
6:48targeting, an opportunity for you to tell me about some of those guys that you like in flex positions.
6:54Say less, although I do kind of want you to say a little bit more because Devontae Smith, boy, there's a lot
7:01of ways that we could describe his game. He's looked very good from an Eagles perspective.
7:06Yeah, so obviously Devontae Smith taking over as the true no question about it wide receiver one in that offense with no A.J.
7:13Brown. And specifically when the Tennessee Titans actually went to man coverage, the coverage that A.J.
7:19Brown was great at taking advantage of over the last couple of years.
7:23It was Devontae Smith that was right there, especially that last drive that the Eagles had.
7:28It was built around Devontae Smith. And there are some nice, exciting rookies and new names that are in Philadelphia.
7:34But man, they are going to run the passing attack through this guy.
7:38So loving Devontae Smith and going to continue to love him moving forward on that schedule.
7:43Yeah. I think in the running back spot, Mr.
7:46Hubbard has had some success really here in a pretty potent offense.
7:50Yeah, and honestly, I had this in the notes before the Jonathan Brooks injury and that he was going to go on IR.
7:57So I already liked what I had seen from Chuba Hubbard, who was their go-to guy when it came to the red zone.
8:04The red zone snaps were all up for him.
8:07And now he gets the lion's share of the carries.
8:11Now it is absolutely him. For a Carolina offense that has already put up a ton of points over the first couple
8:17of weeks, Bryce Young is dealing against defense, especially in zone coverage.
8:21And so as teams really focus in on slowing down Bryce Young and that passing offense, well, guess what that opens the door for?
8:29Chuba Hubbard to continue to play well moving forward.
8:32So I like him a lot, especially over the next three, four weeks.
8:36Josh Downs, welcome to the party. Yeah, obviously Josh Downs, his role is going to really take a massive step forward with Alec Pierce and his injury.
8:44He ran the most routes of any player on the team last week with 28.
8:49He had the most targets with nine. I just think that he has to be their go-to guy.
8:55And the Colts have been able to run the ball well as they did last year.
9:00But Josh Downs is the player who they're going to have to go to often in that passing game.
9:06And I think that it's set up in the way that Shane Steichen and Daniel Jones want to move the football through the air.
9:14It's perfectly through a player that Josh Downs' skill set has for us.
9:18So I think that he is going to be a huge volume type of player moving forward for this team.
9:24By the way, Jonathan Taylor, his teammate, has been an absolute monster.
9:28And it's got me thinking about the various positions and what it has meant from your fantasy team.
9:34In fact, Jonathan Taylor, the highest scoring running back in week number two.
9:38Josh Allen led the way for quarterbacks. JSM was a machine once again leading the way for the wide receivers.
9:44Dalton Schultz, Brandon Aubrey in terms of the kickers, and the Panthers.
9:48I don't know how often we've been able to say this, but generating plenty of turnovers, the leading defense and special teams unit.
9:55So, Trevor, I just name-checked by position the highest scores in week number two.
10:00Who's going to lead week number three? Let's start with your pick.
10:03Top scoring quarterback and running back. Who do you got?
10:07Look, for the quarterback position, I don't care if he's playing the 85 Bears.
10:11I don't care if he's playing the 2,000 Ravens.
10:14I don't care if he's playing the Legion of Boom.
10:17So, start Josh Allen. Have so much confidence in starting Josh Allen.
10:21He's been unbelievable. Wherever you drafted Josh Allen in your fantasy drafts, you have to love what you have seen two weeks into the season.
10:29He's been unbelievable. I think that is going to be the case moving forward.
10:33And Josh Allen seems like the only player to slow down Josh Allen at this point.
10:38So, there is no, oh, he's playing a tough defense this week.
10:42Maybe I should sit him. Enough of that. No, do not say that at all whatsoever.
10:47This guy has to be in your lineup. And then Christian McCaffrey is my guy for the running back position.
10:53Now, there are a couple of other running backs that just in a vacuum, you would maybe want to start over Christian McCaffrey.
11:01But I like the matchup this week for him.
11:04Facing the Arizona Cardinals, the Cardinals are 11th in yards per game allowed in the bad way.
11:09They also aren't really able to get after the quarterback.
11:12Quarterback pressure rating of just 27%. That's second worst in the NFL.
11:16So, I think that Christian McCaffrey could be that player to really keep the San Francisco 49ers offense on schedule this entire week.
11:23I think it's a big volume week for Christian McCaffrey.
11:26So, I think those are the two that could have the best weeks from those positions.
11:32Good matchup for CMC in our league. I had the sixth overall pick.
11:36And it was a JSN-Puka-CMC conversation in my mind.
11:39I went with JSN. And for you, in terms of the pass catchers, you're locking them in.
11:44Yeah, look, it seems like an obvious answer. But you look at the last two weeks, and even you look at last season as well.
11:52I have to talk about JSN for the wide receiver spot.
11:55Now, he's playing a commander's team that's allowed a 50% open target percentage so far this season.
12:01Although they have limited yards after the catch over the first two weeks, it's JSN-Puka-CMC.
12:05But this is a different beast here. And then for the tight end position, I'm actually going to go with Tucker Craft here.
12:13Now, tight end is up and down a lot.
12:16But here's why I'm going to go with Tucker Craft.
12:19He already is on the field and running a ton of routes already.
12:23But that offensive line for the Green Bay Packers has really struggled.
12:27Now, it can kind of go one of two ways.
12:30It could mean that Tucker Craft's going to have less routes because they need him to block a little bit more.
12:37But I actually think that it's just going to be his presence on the team and on the offensive line that is
12:44going to help mitigate sort of that lack of pass protection ability.
12:47And he's going to become the safety valve player, not just the stay on the line of scrimmage and block type of
12:54player, but also that quick safety valve type of guy.
12:57And I think if you're in a PPR league specifically, Tucker Craft could have a really big week, given how bad the
13:04offensive line has been for the Packers. He's going to be on the field a lot.
13:10Been waiting for that breakout game for him. Got paid just before the season.
13:14It started. Tucker Craft obviously coming off of an injury.
13:17Maybe this is the week, according to Trevor, that he could potentially break out.
13:22Trevor, more from you in just a minute. I want to welcome back into the show, it's Matt Akata, who, of course, you can check out his work.
13:30Start sits, NFL.com slash start sits. Give me some quarterbacks here, Matt, because for me, guys that need to be in the
13:37lineup, I was going over our notes before we got out here, and there is one QB that I think you and
13:44I are on the same page about, and maybe not the popular choice.
13:49No, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. But things have been very ugly for Justin Herbert and for the Chargers at large.
13:55But, but there is good news in week three.
13:58He faces the Bills, whose two games this season have resulted in 139 combined real NFL points.
14:04That is a lot. And CJ Stroud and Jared Goff, the two quarterbacks they've faced, have totaled 601 passing yards and six touchdowns in those games.
14:12And I think Herbert is at least in their tier as a quarterback.
14:16The Chargers, listen, the coaching might be a little off right now, but they are too talented to score 14 points every game.
14:23I think we see a bounce back. You drafted Herbert to be your starter.
14:28Give him one more chance. Then I've got a guy you did not draft to be your starter.
14:34Drew Locke leading the Seahawks into Washington, the other Washington.
14:37Locke has been a top five quarterback in several metrics, including passer rating, yards per attempt, completion rate over expected.
14:43He's been good. And now he gets a commander's defense that's allowed a league high seven touchdown passes and the second most fantasy points to quarterbacks in total.
14:52Both Dak Prescott and Jalen Hurts top 24 fantasy points against his defense.
14:56I think Locke does the same in week three.
14:59I love it because I don't think we would have been talking about Drew Locke before the season as a must start for you.
15:07Who are you parking on the bench at the quarterback spot?
15:10As a Patriots fan, it pains me to say Drake May has not looked good to start this season.
15:16His four interceptions are tied for the league lead with Cooper Rush, who doesn't have a job anymore.
15:22And all four of those picks came on downfield passes where May has zero touchdowns and a 53.5 passer rating in 2026.
15:29That is where he made most of his hay last season.
15:32Downfield with 156 fantasy points. That was second to MVP Matthew Stafford.
15:36I think the injury to A.J. Brown has kind of derailed this Patriots offense a bit.
15:41And I would look to sit May until they get it back on track.
15:46And then I'm also sitting Jordan Love. He is quietly dead last among quarterbacks in completion rate.
15:51Trevor talked about the offensive line. That hasn't helped.
15:54And it's been propped up by a couple big plays for Love.
15:58Literally 20% of his fantasy points this season came on that 182-yard touchdown by Christian Watson.
16:03And even propped up how only has Love at QB 15 in fantasy points through two games.
16:08As for the matchup, the Falcons have been pretty middling.
16:11But I think Love finishes closer to Aaron Rodgers' 12 points against this defense than Bryce Young's 24.
16:17So there are better streaming options. I do not love Love this week.
16:21All right. You don't love Love. Okay. We'll just clip that at some point and use it later on you.
16:27Running backs, who are you starting? Look, David Montgomery, not the best of starts last week.
16:32I confess. It was a bit of a miss.
16:35The Texans completely abandoned the run game. And on the six carries he did get, he averaged just 1.7 yards per carry.
16:42But I am back on the train against Indy.
16:45The Colts' run D is bottom three this season in success rate, explosive runs, rush yards over expected per carry, and yards before contact per carry.
16:53With 3.5, which is absurdly high. They've also allowed nine red zone trips in two games.
16:58Montgomery will be a high-end RB, too. And then, buckle up, Yammer.
17:02I am starting Quinn Sean Judkins. I know it's been incredibly ugly for the Browns.
17:07Yes. But, as with Montgomery, this is a matchup play.
17:10Since the start of last season, only the Giants have allowed more rushing yards to running backs than Carolina.
17:16And no team has allowed more rushing touchdowns to the position.
17:20And get this. They have allowed 4.9 yards after contact per carry, which is more than 26 teams have allowed in total per carry.
17:27I think it's basically now or never for Judkins.
17:30And you can bet on now in fantasy. Last five games for him, only one time he's been in double figures in terms of fantasy points.
17:38So, bold claim from Matt Akata. Who do you put on the bench?
17:42I think we're sitting Travis H.N. against the Raiders.
17:45Look, it's kind of a three-headed problem for the Saints running back right now.
17:50One, he had a promising receiving role in week one, but he lost that role to Alvin Kamara on his return last week.
17:57Two, H.N. is 41st among running backs in fantasy points, specifically on rushes.
18:01So, when the receiving role disappeared, so did his fantasy value.
18:05And three, instead of being the clear lead back, like he was paid to be, H.N.'s muddled in this committee with Kamara and undrafted rookie C.J.
18:13Donaldson? This whole backfield makes no sense until it does keep H.N.
18:17on the bench. And speaking of messy backfields, I don't think we can start Ramondre Stevenson after he basically fumbled away his job in week two.
18:25His 18 career fumbles, Yam, are the most by any non-quarterback since he was drafted back in 2021.
18:31It is a serious problem. And while he served his penance last Sunday, Travion Henderson looked great, broke off an explosive 39-yard
18:38touchdown run that Stevenson could only dream of making.
18:41This might be a classic New England backfield for a while.
18:44Annoying, hard to predict. And at least until we see that Stevenson's out of the doghouse, I think you should leave him on your bench.
18:52All right, good advice. Prerequisite for the running back spot.
18:55Got to hold on to the football. And Stevenson right now not able to do that.
19:00Meanwhile, was there anything better than Jamar Chase's first touchdown grab on Sunday?
19:04Body control was there. Off-bounds, spinning around, falling out of bounds, and still able to hold on.
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19:33Now more than ever, football teams are embracing advanced analytics.
19:37Nothing's more popular right now than coming up with a fancy new stat that helps teams get an edge on game day.
19:44And this season, Bet365 is embracing a fancy concept of its own.
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21:32One of the sickest grabs that you will see.
21:35By the way, if you like the theme of sick, Trevor Sycamore's sick flex is still to come.
21:41I'm telling you, man. Like, I should be a rapper at some point.
21:45No, I shouldn't. Anyway, Matt Akata back with us.
21:48We'll get his start and sit at the wide receiver spot.
21:51Take me through this, man. Pass catcher. Who do we like to start?
21:56I'd buy your album, Yammer. Listen, you heard me highlight Justin Herbert as a start earlier in the show.
22:02That goes hand-in-hand with Ladd McConkie at wide receiver.
22:04Despite LA's troubles and McConkie's rib injury, he's actually been very good when on the field this year.
22:10Three yards per route run, a 26% target rate.
22:13The only receiver to have a higher EPA per route on at least 35 routes is Jackson Smith and Jigba.
22:19Best of all, the bills have been wrecked by wide receiver ones.
22:23Nico Collins and Amon Ra. McConkie's a borderline top 10 receiver this week.
22:27And then, I gotta sit. Yeah, what do we got?
22:30Yeah, give it to me. Look, very often with Jamison Williams, he's a dud in your lineup and a star on your bench.
22:38It's very frustrating, but we are still sitting him this week against the Jets.
22:42He has posted consecutive single-digit fantasy performances, but I also hate the matchup.
22:46Against receivers aligned out wide, the Jets have allowed just 5.7 yards per target and a league-low 4% explosive catch rate.
22:53Only Seattle has allowed fewer downfield receptions. This is not a good matchup for Jamo in particular.
22:58He's always a threat for a big play, but he is not reliable this Sunday, I'd mention.
23:04Yeah, and there's some familiarity here. Aaron Glenn, obviously, we know what he used to do, and that's orchestrate the defense for the Detroit Lions.
23:12An interesting call from Matt, which, by the way, you can go to NFL.com slash start sick.
23:17Get an opportunity to take a look at his tight ends, not to mention the defense and special teams that you need
23:24to make sure are in your lineup or sitting on the bench.
23:28Matt, more from you in just a moment. I want one of your hot takes, but Trevor, an opportunity for you, man, to double down on sick flexes.
23:37Zay Flowers, this is a guy that was a little—who was a monster in the first half of week number one.
23:43He's been dealing with that hamstring injury. What do I do?
23:47So, I'm only shouting this one out, really, because I think you should take advantage of the strategy of having somebody in your flex.
23:54Normally, if Zay Flowers is fully healthy, you're starting him.
23:58There's no real question about it. When you look at the Ravens, 173 yards after the catch, when Zay Flowers was out
24:05there, only 86 in week two when he was not out there.
24:08It is night and day. He is their passing offense.
24:12But I'm just telling people, put him in the flex spot so that, you know, when we get to Saturday, Sunday, we get more information with the injury.
24:20You have the ability to flex him out of that spot if you want.
24:25But if he's healthy and he's a go in Rio, you're starting him this week.
24:30I'm keeping my fingers crossed for my fantasy team that Zay Flowers is out there, and I think Ravens fans in real life are hoping the same.
24:38Vele, by the way, just been a machine, man.
24:41Ultra productive. No, Vele has been fantastic. Nine targets in week one, seven targets in week two, 35 routes run last week.
24:48I like the matchup going against a younger Raiders secondary as well.
24:52This has been a good secondary for the Raiders over the last couple of weeks, but these guys are still rookies.
24:58And so sometimes that can show up in the worst way.
25:02And I think Devon Vele and how they're pushing the ball down the field in that Saints offense could take advantage of
25:09a younger secondary for the Las Vegas Raiders. By the way, the Saints all of a sudden, man, like they might be
25:16the favorite inside that division playing some good football.
25:19Almost came out with the win in week number one against the Lions.
25:23I'm starting to buy some of this stock. Dalton Schultz, what do I need to know?
25:2814 targets last week. I mean, look, I think that that sort of speaks for itself as long as they're banged up
25:35at that wide receiver position, which and Nico Collins up and down kind of thing.
25:40But Dalton Schultz, to me, he's got to be a flex play.
25:43If he's not your tight end play outright, the reason why I'm shouting him out here is because I'd play two tight ends this week.
25:51If you already have a tight end that is better than him, you know, if you have somebody that you drafted extremely
25:58high at the tight end position and you just have Dalton Schultz sort of as a backup or a flex type of
26:05player, this is one of those weeks. I like him here in this matchup, especially because the Colts linebackers have not been great this season.
26:13So it was a great week two for him.
26:16I think he could also be a great week three.
26:19I'd start two tight ends if he's on your team and he'd be one of those flex players.
26:25Just curious, because you own Brock Bowers. Is Schultz on your squad too?
26:29I don't think Schultz is specifically on that team, but I know I have him on other teams because, you know, you
26:36got to diversify the leagues that you're in when you've got a lot of different strategies that you want to implement here.
26:43Yeah, I know it's been a little bit of a buzzkill for you.
26:47Obviously, you thought very highly. I think most of us did a Brock Bowers and he's been banged up.
26:53But don't look now. The Raiders sitting at 2-0.
26:56All right. Time to look inside that crystal ball and give me a hot take.
27:01Matt, which way we lean in here? Go bold.
27:04We're going bold. We're going the wrong way, unfortunately.
27:07Rome Odunze and Colston Loveland combine for single-digit fantasy points again on Monday night.
27:11These two guys have combined for fewer than 16 total fantasy points through two weeks.
27:16Odunze, 12% target rate. He's been heavily outproduced by Khalif Raymond.
27:19Loveland has seen an 8% target rate and been arguably fantasy's biggest bust through two games.
27:24Both of these guys should turn it around at some point, Yammer, but it's not this week.
27:30The Bears might be down to third-string quarterback Case Keenum.
27:33And the Eagles defense has been really tough against outside receivers and against tight ends.
27:38I'd legitimately bench Odunze for tons of flex options.
27:40And I might play Pat Friermuth, A.J. Barner over Colston Loveland.
27:44It's bad. Wow. Going deep here, Trevor. It seems like you want to pump the brakes on it, but I'll give you
27:51an opportunity to give me your bold take. No, that's hot.
27:54That's real hot. It's not rooted in, you know, fallacies, but it is hot.
27:59My hot take this week, I'm going to go with Garrett Wilson, New York Jets, as a top five fantasy wide receiver this week.
28:06And the reason why is because they're playing the Detroit Lions.
28:10The Lions have given up the second most passing yards per game two weeks into the season.
28:15Specifically, they're still dealing with injuries, especially on the back end of that defense.
28:20And this is a team that tries to play a lot of man coverage.
28:24The Lions, that is. Garrett Wilson, I mean, if you're not on your P's and Q's and you do not have that
28:31man coverage type of skill set locked down, he is going to cook you.
28:36And I think that this game has shootout potential.
28:39And if it really lives up to that billing, Garrett Wilson is going to get the lion's share of those passing yards for the New York Jets.
28:47So I'm going to say that he gets that.
28:50And he's a top five fantasy wide receiver this week.
28:53Yeah, I've been loving that combination with Wilson and Geno Smith.
28:57If you would have told me heading into this show that we would not just say Justin Herbert is a start, not
29:04just double down on it because Ladd McConkie. But I'm going to say Justin Herbert is going to finish his QB one for the week.
29:11And hear me out. I get it. They're one of the more disappointing teams in the NFL sitting at 0-2.
29:18He's got the second worst QBR right now in the NFL.
29:21The interceptions have been there. But there's a lot of haters.
29:25There's a lot of haters about one of the guys has got the biggest arm or at least one of the biggest arms in the NFL.
29:33They are due in such a meaningful way. I like Herbert.
29:37People have been talking about him getting engaged and, you know, talking about the pictures of him, you know, with the picnic
29:44and the whole thing and just hating on this dude.
29:47If they don't, if he doesn't break out in this game, by the way, I'm going to pretend like I didn't actually
29:54say it and I'll be done with it. But I'm telling you for this week, he's got a great opportunity to rack up some points after that.
30:02I'd be concerned. Appreciate you guys watching and good luck in your fantasy leagues.
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