The Lineup Show - 5 Fantasy Football Players Guaranteed To Outperform Their ADP
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
26 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 24, 2026
Published
Mon, August 24, 2026
17
Player insights
16
Players mentioned
Topics
Isaiah LikelyBaker MayfieldBijan RobinsonBrian Thomas Jr.Cam WardCarnell TateChris GodwinDerrick HenryEmeka EgbukaKeenan AllenKyler MurrayLadd McConkeyParker WashingtonQuentin Johnston
Player analysis
Player insights
Baker Mayfield
PositiveProjection5:15
Baker Mayfield is reported to be fully healthy after playing through a sprained PCL and MCL last season. Mello notes Mayfield's history as an MVP candidate through six weeks in 2026 and his 4,500-yard, 41-touchdown season in 2024, suggesting he will continue to pepper Chris Godwin with targets.
Insight pageBijan Robinson
NegativeMatchup40:49
Despite the presence of talented skill players like Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London, the hosts are terrified of the Falcons' offense due to concerns regarding their quarterback situation.
Insight pageBrian Thomas Jr.
NegativeDepth Chart16:42
Mello reports that Brian Thomas Jr. has been coming off the field in 12 personnel and three-receiver sets, with Parker Washington and Jacoby Myers taking the primary reps in two-receiver sets.
Insight pageCam Ward
NegativeUsage10:50
Cam Ward had a 26th-lowest ADOT last season, with 36% of his passing yards coming from short-to-intermediate passes. Anderson notes that Ward's tendency to target short areas benefits Wandale Robinson's PPR floor.
Insight pageCarnell Tate
NegativeProjection10:09
Mitch Anderson likes Carnell Tate's long-term potential but notes that if quarterback Cam Ward struggles, it could negatively impact Tate's immediate fantasy output compared to the more consistent, short-area target earner Wandale Robinson.
Insight pageChris Godwin
PositiveValue3:24
Justin Mello identifies Chris Godwin as a 'My Guy' and a smash value at his WR40 ADP. Godwin is fully healthy for the first time since his 2026 ankle injury, and with Mike Evans gone, he is expected to return to the explosive form that saw him as the overall WR1 through six weeks in 2026. Mello notes Godwin out-snapped Emeka Egbuka in the final four games of last season and maintains strong chemistry with Baker Mayfield.
Insight pageDerrick Henry
PositiveValue3:19
Justin Mello identifies Derrick Henry as a high-conviction player to target in 2026 drafts, staking his reputation on the running back's potential to outperform expectations.
Insight pageEmeka Egbuka
NegativeInjury5:30
While Mello views Emeka Egbuka as the true WR1 for the Buccaneers, he notes Egbuka is currently dealing with a toe injury throughout camp that could linger. Mello emphasizes that Godwin out-snapped Egbuka in the final four games of last season.
Insight pageIsaiah Likely
PositiveBreakout26:52
Justin Mello identifies Isaiah Likely (TE12 ADP) as a breakout candidate. Likely has been Jackson Dart's number one target in camp and is being used as a utility weapon. In nine career games without Mark Andrews, Likely averaged 3.4 receptions, 50.4 yards, and 0.7 touchdowns, which would have ranked him as the TE3 last season. The Giants' $40M contract suggests they intend to feature him despite concerns about his blocking.
Insight pagePositiveRole31:44
The Giants paid Isaiah Likely $40 million, signaling they intend to feature him in the passing game despite concerns about his blocking ability. He is expected to be used similarly to how Travis Kelce or Darren Waller were utilized as receivers throughout their primes.
Insight pageKeenan Allen
NegativeDepth Chart35:03
Keenan Allen's departure from the Chargers is a major positive for the team's remaining receivers, as his 122 targets from the previous season are now vacated.
Insight pageKyler Murray
PositiveValue3:19
Justin Mello highlights Kyler Murray as a high-conviction quarterback target for the 2026 season.
Insight pageLadd McConkey
PositiveBreakout33:53
Ladd McConkey is a primary target for the hosts, who argue he will outperform his WR19 ADP. He is the clear WR1 in the Chargers' offense, benefits from Justin Herbert's elite quarterback play, and is coached by Mike McDaniel. As a rookie in 2024, he finished as the WR12 and led the NFL in separation win rate from the slot.
Insight pageParker Washington
PositiveDepth Chart15:24
Mello notes that Parker Washington is expected to be on the field in two-receiver sets alongside Jacoby Myers, which consolidates targets for both players in the Jaguars' offense.
Insight pageQuentin Johnston
NegativeRole37:39
Quentin Johnston is beginning to revive his career, but he remains clearly behind Ladd McConkey in the Chargers' wide receiver pecking order.
Insight pageTheo Johnson
NegativeDepth Chart27:33
Mello dismisses Theo Johnson's role, noting that while Johnson received 64 targets last season, Likely's superior efficiency and the team's financial investment in Likely indicate he will be the primary tight end option.
Insight pageWan'Dale Robinson
PositiveValue9:54
Mitch Anderson identifies Wandale Robinson (WR39 ADP) as a 'My Guy' and a volume machine. Robinson recorded 140 targets, 92 catches, and 1,000 yards in 16 games last year. Anderson projects a floor of a top-24 WR finish, citing his role as a safety blanket for Cam Ward and the lack of other serious target earners in the Titans' offense.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome.
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0:23Football is back baby, and whether you've been betting for years or you're just looking to put a little action on the
0:30games, my bookie needs to be added to your list of places to go line shopping.
0:34We've been talking about the teams we like and don't like for months.
0:38We're in on this Jets offense more than almost anybody, and we're terrified of this Falcons offense.
0:43Even though you got Bijan, you got Kyle Pitts, you got Drake London, but you got two bad left-handed quarterbacks.
0:49And you certainly don't need to be tailing some fake betting expert on social media.
0:53Go to my bookie and find the plays you already know you like and take a shot.
0:58That's what's cool about my bookie. You can find the action you want and bet it wherever you are when the game kicks off.
1:05And if you're new to the club, the bet back bonus gives you protection on your first play.
1:10Sign up with promo code player to opt into the bet back bonus and take your first shot with a safety net.
1:16If your wager loses, you get it right back.
1:19No questions asked. Football is finally here. Get in now and cash in on the season with my bookie with promo code
1:25player to get that bet back bonus. Bet on anything.
1:28Anytime. Anywhere. You're welcome. Let's talk about the five players in fantasy football this year that we have the most conviction on.
1:34Including one league winner we refuse to leave our drafts without.
1:37Let's go. Welcome into the Live Fantasy Football Show.
1:40I'm Mitch Anderson. I'm Justin Mello. And Mello, it is the most wonderful time of the year.
1:45For anybody who missed the first My Guys episode we did with Austin Eckler, we will link it in the card above.
1:51But let's jump right into this. We're not wasting anybody's time.
1:54Tell me about your first My Guy that you're staking your reputation on here in 2026.
1:59In that episode with Eckler, I brought up a running back in Derrick Henry, a quarterback in Kyler Murray.
2:04And now I got a receiver in Chris Godwin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
2:08I knew it. Going off the board as the wide receiver 40.
2:11Mitch saw this one coming. If you listened to the show, you might have seen it coming as well.
2:17And honestly, I struggled with it a little bit because I felt gross and almost guilty putting a 30-year-old receiver coming off
2:23back-to-back seasons with serious injuries as a My Guy.
2:26But the heart wants what the heart wants, Mitch.
2:28I couldn't resist. And I think part of the icky feelings I had originally were just from my gut reaction to say that his ceiling is severely limited.
2:36But the truth of the matter is, that's just not factual.
2:39That's just not valid. We saw the ceiling less than two full years ago when he was the wide receiver one overall
2:46in PPR formats through six weeks of 2026 before the season-ending ankle injury.
2:49And I remember that too vividly. I had him in the league, Mitch, that we are both in.
2:55I remember it was a primetime game. Happened super late.
2:57Devastating. My wife asked me why I was crying in bed that night.
3:01It was traumatic. But our guy's back. Our guy is back and healthy.
3:05And by all indications, he is 100% healthy. And he is looking good in the camp.
3:09But he is going to be part of this offense.
3:12Really healthy for the first time since that traumatic night.
3:15And you know who is also back healthy finally?
3:18Is Baker Mayfield. The quarterback who was the MVP favorite through about a month last season.
3:22Threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns the season before that back in 2024.
3:26He also was super banged up last year. But all the reports are positive.
3:30All the reports are he's in good health. But Mello, what about Emeka Ibuka?
3:34I hear you. I myself absolutely love Emeka Egbuka a ton.
3:37But Mike Evans is gone. And he was on the field alongside Godwin in 2024.
3:42And didn't prevent my guy from going absolutely nuclear the first month and a half of that season.
3:47And on top of that, Chris Godwin actually out-snapped Emeka Ibuka in each and every one of the Buccaneers' final four games last season.
3:54When Godwin was finally back and healthy. Yeah. And Ibuka has also been dealing with this toe injury throughout camp.
3:59We don't know what's going on there. It could linger into the regular season.
4:03Don't hear what I'm not saying. I still view Emeka Ibuka as the true wide receiver one on this team.
4:09But my point is Godwin still has the trust of this organization as he should.
4:13And this often should bounce back to the explosive version we saw prior to the injuries that destroyed their season last year.
4:20He could even be the wide receiver one until Emeka Ibuka is healthy.
4:23And when you look at that combination of ceiling and floor, he's just such a smash at his current ADP in my eyes.
4:30This one's like super, super obvious to me. I couldn't agree more.
4:33And you mentioned that in the last four weeks of the season.
4:37I'm just looking at weeks 13 through 17, which is when Chris Godwin got back healthy through the end of the fantasy football playoffs.
4:44He was the wide receiver 24 in points per game.
4:47We're drafting him as the wide receiver 40 with Mike Evans not even in the building anymore.
4:51And to me, it's crazy because you mentioned it.
4:54It's like we've already seen all the things on quarterback about Baker Mayfield, the sprained PCL MCL last year from week two on.
5:01And the guy was an MVP candidate into week six.
5:03And we saw him the year before. He's a gunslinger.
5:06He gets everyone involved, but he absolutely loves to pepper Chris Godwin.
5:10We know that he was the wide receiver one overall before his injury.
5:13And so Chris Godwin to me is a slam dunk.
5:16You mentioned I love Emeka Abuka, but we are already seeing some injuries and injuries are what derailed the rookie season for Emeka Abuka.
5:23And if Chris Godwin can stay healthy or honestly just play the majority of the games this season, I think he's absolutely going to crush his ADP.
5:31Yeah, Abuka is really the only guy right now that isn't healthy, which we don't like to hear, but it's good for Godwin.
5:37And everyone else is healthy like Godwin and Baker.
5:40So the things are really coming together for, I think, Godwin to just be kind of this name fatigued guy that ends up hitting on ADP.
5:47Let's move on to my guy. We did not plan this, but Mello, thankfully, I get to pick before you and grab
5:54the wide receiver 39 off the board. And that's Wandale Robinson.
5:57And you talked about your short king, Kyler Murray, last episode.
6:00Now I would like the floor for mine. Wandale Robinson was the wide receiver 11 last year.
6:05And it's like nobody even cares. And we're drafting him as the wide receiver 39.
6:09I want to break down why, as somebody who clearly loves Carnell Tate on this show and thinks he's going to be
6:15fantastic, that this is just a ludicrous price for Wandale Robinson.
6:19This is a guy who was such a safety blanket for a young quarterback last season in Jackson Dart, who peppered him
6:25with 140 targets for 92 catches and 1,000 yards in just 16 games.
6:29Now you come to Tennessee, where there's already familiarity with the offensive coordinator in Brian Dayball.
6:33And then outside of Carnell Tate, there are really no serious target earners.
6:37You've got Ileke Aminor. You've got Shemeri Dike. You've got Calvin Ridley if he's still got a pulse.
6:42And honestly, I don't see a world where Wandale Robinson doesn't get 100 plus targets.
6:46He's already been the most targeted player in training camp for the Titans.
6:50And we look at Cam Ward last season, 36% of his passing yards came from short to intermediate passes of 1 to 10 yards.
6:57He had the 26th lowest ADOT of any quarterback who played 250 or more plays last year.
7:02And obviously, I expect to see him take more shots down the field with Carnell Tate.
7:06But he clearly has a comfortability with taking the easy yards and chipping away and targeting a guy like Wandale Robinson, who
7:13is going to get you PPR fantasy points just without all the flashiness.
7:16And so I'm not telling you to draft Wandale because you're going to get some elite wide receiver one.
7:22I'm telling you to draft him because there is no shot he's not a top 36 wide receiver.
7:27And I am planting my flag that his absolute floor is the top 24 for wide receivers this year.
7:32That's bold, but I don't hate it. I don't hate it for your short king.
7:37He's a volume machine. He is. And it's interesting because we're projecting Cam Ward to take a step forward.
7:42And if he does, obviously, that's really good news for Wandale Robinson.
7:45But in a weird way, I actually feel better about Wandale after seeing Cam Ward not play that well in the preseason game.
7:52And that's because, I mean, I too like a guy like Carnell Tate a lot.
7:56I think he's going to have a great career.
7:59If Cam Ward isn't playing well, that might make me drop Carnell Tate a little bit.
8:03But Cam Ward doesn't have to play that well for Wandale to eat.
8:07Like you said, like short to intermediate routes. That's where Cam Ward's throwing the ball.
8:11Like he doesn't have to be consistently accurate or consistently be making the best throws for Wandale to just consistently take in
8:18a ton of targets, be a PPR demon. And the Titans probably are going to have to throw the ball quite a bit.
8:24They're still not a very complete team. The defense still has a ton of holes.
8:29Their schedule isn't the easiest in the NFL. So we very well could see Wandale just be targeted and targeted and targeted
8:35and do what he did last year, which is just fly under the radar until he hits a thousand yards.
8:41Yeah. And I know he's not that exciting, but I imagine a world where you draft somebody like Luther Burden early on.
8:47It's like to me, Luther Burden is like taking a shot of tequila and Wandale Robinson's your chaser.
8:52Like, you know, you've got to do it. The Luther Burden part's fun, but you got to do something after to make
8:58sure you're in a good place afterwards. A hundred percent.
9:01I couldn't live without a chaser after a shot of tequila.
9:04That's kind of how I feel about drafting Wandale to mix in some Luther Burden.
9:09Mitch, we're on a receiver run here in the same range because my next mag guy going a little bit later than
9:15those two receivers, but in a very similar range as the wide receiver 47.
9:19That is Jacoby Myers. He's ready to throw hands.
9:21Yeah. No, you better not throw hands with me.
9:24I know I'm picking a different Jags receiver than Parker Washington, who is your guy.
9:28I, too, am super excited about Parker Washington. I think he's a potential great value, but all of that excitement around Parker
9:35Washington is pushing Jacoby Myers further and further down in ADP.
9:38And oh my goodness, is he a bargain now?
9:40He is such a good bargain now. From week 11 on last year, obviously, Jacoby Myers was with the Jags over that stretch.
9:47He was no longer with the Raiders. Do you know what position rank Jacoby Myers was over that stretch, Mitch?
9:53I'll say like wide receiver 24. Even better, 14.
9:55He was the wide receiver 14 overall from week 11 on.
9:58And he did that with both Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr.
10:02on the field and healthy. And not only that, over that same stretch, he led the team in routes run, targets, and receptions.
10:08So now let's zoom out beyond just last year when he was on the Jags.
10:13Let's look at his whole career of his seven years in the league, Mitch.
10:17Any guesses how many of those seven years he's outperformed his ADP?
10:20I'm going to go with seven. It's six. Very close.
10:23Damn it. I almost went with six. Six of seven years.
10:26And the only time he didn't was his rookie year, meaning he has hit on his ADP six years in a row.
10:32And he's pretty substantially outperformed the wide receiver 47 each of the last five years.
10:37Yet that's where he's being drafted is the wide receiver 47.
10:40He's kind of like target brand Amin Ross St.
10:42Brown at this point. He just keeps getting disrespected and he just keeps outperforming those expectations.
10:47Now, I know there are a lot of mounds to feed in Jacksonville.
10:51Could he be the odd man out? To put it simply, no.
10:54That's just not very likely. I felt confident this whole offseason that he will stay on the field in two receiver sets.
11:00And it seems like we are seeing that come to fruition here in camp.
11:04ESPN Jags reporter Michael DeRocco has reported that it's been Washington and Myers getting the majority of reps in two receiver sets.
11:11It's been Brian Thomas Jr. who is coming off the field in 12 personnel.
11:15And additionally, when Travis Hunter has been substituting in in three receiver sets, it's also predominantly been Brian Thomas Jr.
11:20Wait, Travis Hunter, the defensive back? Travis Hunter, the defensive back has been occasionally subbing on offense and is Brian Thomas who's leaving the field in those situations.
11:28All of this isn't meant to be like anti-Brian Thomas Jr., although it admittedly is very anti-Brian Thomas Jr.
11:34What I'm really trying to do, though, is be pro-Jacoby Myers and explain that he will almost always be on the field,
11:40which is especially meaningful when you look at this Jaguars team has been pretty vocal this offseason, that they're going to deploy
11:46more two tight end sets, which means more two receiver sets.
11:49And when you have two receiver sets, you see a consolidation of targets to those receivers on the field, which means it's
11:56a beautiful fantasy situation if you're actually on the field in those situations, like Jacoby Myers is and Parker Washington.
12:01So both of our Jags receivers can eat here, Mitch.
12:04We don't need to throw hands. I know Parker Washington's your guy, but it's not stopping me from making Jacoby Myers my guy.
12:11Okay, fine. I'll put down the gloves now you put that last sentence in.
12:15This is making me feel like we should just name this episode like the five players that are guaranteed to outperform their ADP.
12:21Because I kind of think that was our exact approach when we picked these my guys.
12:26And I entirely agree with you. I mean, you said it yourself.
12:29Six straight years outperforming his ADP. I feel like we have this conversation about Jacoby Myers every single summer.
12:35And it's just I feel like we've been bored about this guy forever.
12:39Even when he was back in New England, we were bored of Jacoby Myers.
12:43And I don't really have a reason why that is.
12:45But maybe it was that at the beginning of his career, he would go 300 straight games without a touchdown.
12:51But he has been absolutely phenomenal. We saw in the last stretch of last season.
12:55And to me, this is an absolute steal at wide receiver 47.
12:59I know there are people who are like, well, I like Brian Thomas Jr.
13:03And I like Parker Washington. You're paying a wide receiver 47 price tag.
13:06He is the end of the wide receiver four range.
13:09You are not paying a lot to get Jacoby Myers.
13:12And like if Luther Burden is a shot of tequila and Wondell Robinson is a chaser, I feel like Jacoby Myers is
13:18the banana the next day you needed because you were hungover.
13:22I do love a good banana the next day after being hungover.
13:25Yeah, I don't know what it is either with Jacoby.
13:28Like you mentioned not scoring touchdowns. Maybe it's the fact that we've lateraled it to Chandler Jones.
13:33I thought that too. I didn't want to say it.
13:36Gave people to ick. Yeah, that one hurt as a Patriots fan.
13:39Or it just might be like his age. Like we get this eight like name fatigue with older players.
13:44And I feel like sure. Yeah, I'm kind of capitalizing that on that this year.
13:49Like you look at Chris Godwin, who I talked about Derek Henry, who I talked about with Austin Eckler around the show.
13:55Like a lot of my guys are older who I think people are just getting sick of.
14:00But it's like their values because of that take the value.
14:03And it's what allows you to go out and take some more exciting picks when you have this foundation built that you can rely on.
14:10Definitely. Yeah, you still want to mix in those like younger prospect guys who could be explosive, have top five, top ten finishes.
14:17But get some stability in there too with these guys.
14:20All right, Melo. That's enough talking about guys who have done it before.
14:23Let's talk about a guy who hasn't done it yet.
14:26But before we do, make sure to hit that subscribe button if you haven't.
14:30We have got fantasy football content coming out three days a week for the rest of the summer.
14:35And then three days a week all through the NFL season.
14:38This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome.
14:41You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome?
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15:00Compatibility and availability varies 18+. Football is back, baby.
15:03And whether you've been betting for years or you're just looking to put a little action on the games, my bookie needs
15:09to be added to your list of places to go line shopping.
15:13We've been talking about the teams we like and don't like for months.
15:16We're in on this Jets offense more than almost anybody.
15:19And we're terrified of this Falcons offense. Even though you got Bijan, you got Kyle Pitts, you got Drake London.
15:25But you got two bad left-handed quarterbacks. And you certainly don't need to be telling some fake betting expert on social media.
15:31Go to my bookie and find the plays you already know you like and take a shot.
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16:07You're welcome. But the guy who hasn't done it yet that is going to do it is Isaiah Likely.
16:12We're going from a former Giant on my list to a new one who has been getting so much steam and yet not nearly enough.
16:19He's currently the tight end 12 off the board.
16:22Jordan Renan recently reported that Giants tight end Isaiah Likely has been Jackson Dart's number one target during training camp.
16:28And that's weeks after Connor Hughes reported that the Giants appear intent on featuring him as that number two option behind Malik
16:34Neighbors, that he's being moved throughout the formation and there's clear chemistry with Jackson Dart and that they view him more as
16:40a utility weapon than a traditional tight end. And so we're valuing this guy as the tight end 12 when there's so
16:46many glaring green flags heading into this year. I've talked about this before, but last season from week four to week 17,
16:53when Jackson Dart was actually starting, Theo Johnson, a fourth round second year tight end gets 64 targets.
16:58In comparison, you're wondering, oh, well, we haven't seen it from Isaiah Likely.
17:02Likely only gets 34 from Lamar Jackson. Meanwhile, you see a guy like Mark Andrews getting 57 because he was the starter.
17:08Now you fast forward, the Giants pay Likely three years, 40 million with incentives up to 47 and a half.
17:14And the point I want to make here of why I have so much conviction that Isaiah Likely is going to break
17:20out in the nine games in his career as a starting tight end without Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely averaged 3.4 receptions for
17:2650.4 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game, which extrapolated into a fancy football season would have made him the tight end three last year.
17:33And so now not only does he lack true tight end competition on the depth chart, which sorry to the Theo Johnson
17:39truthers, but he lacks the overall target competition behind Malik Neighbors where it's just Darius Slayton.
17:44They already cut Juju Smith-Schuster, Odell Beckham senior junior, the third, and God knows what he's doing.
17:49I have so much confidence that Isaiah Likely is going to crush this tight end 12 price.
17:54I'm right there with you. I'm super excited for those reasons you mentioned.
17:57And I think like the one knock I've heard on Likely is like, oh, well, he's not like a true tight end.
18:04He can't play in line. He can't block. They're going to pull him off the field in certain situations, which I will
18:10say there's like totally true to that. And I think sometimes us in the fantasy community get tied up with, you know,
18:16liking tight end for wide receiver reasons and the fantasy brain of it all.
18:20And it is separate from real life football. But at the same time, if we are focusing on fantasy and who's going
18:26to score fantasy points, I still like Isaiah Likely because, A, I mean, we've just seen so many tight ends who can't block for shit.
18:34Like do incredible in fantasy as just route runners that are basically deployed as receivers.
18:38Isaiah Likely fits that mold. And they probably have to use in that capacity for the very reason you said, like there
18:44aren't a lot of bodies in that receiver room.
18:47You're going to have a ton of confidence in.
18:49They have a lot of names. Like this is probably if there's a receiver room in the NFL that has more famous names than actual talent.
18:57It's the New York Giants. Yeah, this team would cook in 2018.
19:00Oh, 2018. This team's going undefeated. Can I counter what you said, though?
19:04Because I've heard the same thing about people saying he's not a blocking tight end.
19:08He's going to take it off the field. The Giants knew that.
19:12But they knew that. And they paid him $40 million.
19:14And you don't do that to a guy who can't block if you don't plan on featuring him in the passing game.
19:21Right. I 100% agree with you. And yeah, sure, they might take him off the field in certain situations where he's not
19:27going to be used as a blocker. But we've still like not everyone needs to be Robert Kowski, George Kittle, Tucker Craft.
19:33Look at the Darren Wallers. Hell, even Travis Kelsey has never really been a good blocker.
19:38They use it. They use him as a wide receiver throughout his prime.
19:42That's how they're going to use Isaiah Likely. Not that he's got to be Travis Kelsey, but he doesn't need to be a loop walker.
19:49I heard it here first. You heard it here first.
19:52Isaiah Likely. Next Travis Kelsey. What's going on, guys?
19:54We are officially partnered with Underdog here in August for fantasy football draft season.
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20:28But guys, let's get back to the video. Alright Mello, should we jump into our guy, the final player?
20:33I'm so excited about this one, Mitch. Let's talk about our guy here at the lineup, Lad McConkie.
20:38Wide receiver 19 off the board. I kicked off the summer by writing an article called The Bold Case for Lad McConkie
20:44as the 2026 Fantasy Wide Receiver 1. And I know a lot of people were up in arms by that.
20:50But if you can't wrap your head around that possibility, then may I present you with the extremely reasonable case for why Lad McConkie will outperform his ADP.
20:58Love it. Lad has been absolutely tearing up training camp, clearly meshing with the new Mike McDaniel offense.
21:03Keenan Allen finally is officially not coming back, and so his 122 targets from last year are vacated.
21:08And of course, as I mentioned last episode, in the words of Jim Arbaugh, Justin Herber is, quote, locked, cocked, and ready to rock.
21:15Whoa. I certainly hope he's not that. I think Madison Beer hopes he's certainly not that.
21:20I had to double take when I heard that Harbaugh said that, but it still was jarring hearing you say that.
21:26I lost my trip thought. But anyway, last season, before the extensive offensive line injuries, poor play calling, Keenan Allen cannibalizing targets,
21:32it is very easy to forget why we were drafting Lad so high in 2025.
21:36And that's because in 2024, as a rookie, he was the wide receiver 12.
21:40He led the entire NFL in separation win rate out of the slot, a mark that he almost broke when lined up out wide at an impressive 20.2%.
21:48He's also a machine against man coverage. He ranked second only to Zay Flowers, an average separation score against man at .289.
21:55But last year, he wasn't even bad either. The situation was.
21:58Lad himself finished fourth among all receivers with 3.26 yards of separation.
22:01He was the number one overall wide receiver in separation score against cover two.
22:05And the coaching staff is screaming at us that a breakout's coming.
22:09And I'm screaming at you too, just a little bit quieter because I don't think my microphone can handle it.
22:14Thank you for not making my ears bleed. I'm glad you brought up Keenan Allen not standing there too.
22:20I feel like that was the last thing we were waiting on.
22:23That was the big argument. Yeah. And then he signed with Indy.
22:27I felt like the end of Shawshank Redemption, like walking down the beach.
22:30Like we finally made it out. The guy breaking the shackles meme.
22:34No, that's what it felt like. Lad McConkie is obviously our guy.
22:37He's our biggest my guy collectively. But I also think like personally, he's probably just my biggest my guy too.
22:43Like I have such strong convictions just like you do, Mitch.
22:46And you've already made so many valid points, some of the same points I'd make.
22:50So I'll keep my rant short and just simply list what I want in a fantasy receiver.
22:55I want the number one in their offense, which check we have it there.
22:59I know Quentin Johnson starting to revive his career a little bit, but lad's no doubt the number one.
23:05I want a great quarterback. Check. We have Justin Herbert.
23:08Unquestionably top 10 guy has supported elite fantasy production out of his receivers in the past.
23:12I want an elite play caller. Check. We have Mike McDaniel.
23:15One of the best offensive minds in the game has led many players to superb fantasy finishes, both in San Francisco as well as Miami.
23:22And lastly, I want someone who's done it before.
23:25He was the wide receiver 12 overall as a rookie.
23:28And that doesn't even account when he erupted for nine receptions, 197 yards and a touchdown against an elite Texans defense in the playoffs.
23:35So yeah, that's the check. He's done it before.
23:37Clean sweep. All checks. I cannot stop drafting lad McConkie.
23:40Shout out Wendy's. That was a real four for four right there.
23:44Absolutely. Those were the final five. My guys, including our one hour guy that we expect to be winning leagues in lad McConkie.
23:50Thank you so much for tuning in. If you have any players that you can't stop drafting, let us know in the comments and let us know why.
23:58And we'll make sure to respond to every single one down below.
24:02But Mello, before we get out of here, do we miss anything?
24:05Nothing for me. All right. We will catch you guys next episode.
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