Future 1st Podcast - Ep 58 - 2026 Hot Takes!
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
1 hr 7 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 1, 2026
Published
Tue, September 1, 2026
19
Player insights
17
Players mentioned
Topics
Cedric TillmanOmarion HamptonBreece HallBrock BowersCeeDee LambChase BrownGarrett WilsonGeno SmithGeorge PickensJonnu SmithJosh JacobsKirk CousinsLuther BurdenMarShawn Lloyd
Player analysis
Player insights
Breece Hall
PositiveProjection31:12
The source projects Breece Hall to be a top-12 fantasy asset this season, citing his talent and the expectation that he will serve as a bell-cow back in the Jets' offense. Despite a disappointing previous season attributed to poor offensive system and quarterback play, the source remains bullish on his potential to finish as a top-12 running back.
Insight pageBrock Bowers
PositiveBreakout54:14
The source projects Brock Bowers to have the greatest fantasy tight end season ever, potentially winning the triple crown. With no established wide receiver competition in the Raiders' offense and Clint Kubiak calling plays, the source believes Bowers could see 165-175 targets, leading to 1,400-1,500 yards and 10-12 touchdowns.
Insight pageCedric Tillman
PositiveSleeper21:53
Cedric Tillman was released by the Browns, but the source views him as a potential sleeper candidate. Despite poor quarterback play in Cleveland, he showed flashes of talent in limited opportunities, and a fresh start with a new team could provide him with a meaningful chance to produce.
Insight pagePositiveSleeper21:53
The source suggests targeting Cedric Tillman in dynasty leagues, anticipating he may be moved to a new team where he could secure a larger role. Despite poor quarterback play, Tillman showed promise in limited opportunities, and the source notes potential interest if he lands in spots like Miami, Washington, or San Francisco.
Insight pageCeeDee Lamb
NegativeBust24:44
The source expresses skepticism regarding CeeDee Lamb's current WR5 ADP, suggesting he may be outperformed by teammate George Pickens. The source notes that while Lamb is a star, his high draft cost makes him a fade compared to the value offered by Pickens, and suggests the possibility that Dallas could eventually move on from Lamb due to his massive contract.
Insight pageChase Brown
PositiveBreakout36:45
The source predicts Chase Brown will finish as a top-three running back, highlighting his massive volume potential, receiving ability (69 receptions last year), and his role in a high-powered Bengals offense led by Joe Burrow. The source argues that Brown is currently undervalued at his RB11 ADP and could see 300+ touches.
Insight pageGarrett Wilson
PositiveProjection31:12
The source projects Garrett Wilson to finish as a top-12 fantasy wide receiver, noting his high-end production in the early weeks of the previous season before his injury. The source believes he will be a target-heavy focal point of the Jets' offense and has the talent to overcome the team's overall offensive volatility.
Insight pageGeno Smith
NegativeProjection31:21
The source presents a hot take that Geno Smith could potentially finish as a top-12 quarterback, though the co-host expresses significant doubt, suggesting Smith might not even finish the season as the starter if the team decides to evaluate younger options like Klubnik.
Insight pageGeorge Pickens
PositiveProjection24:44
The source argues George Pickens is undervalued at his WR10-11 ADP and projects him to outscore CeeDee Lamb and finish as a top-five wide receiver. Reasoning includes Pickens' superior big-play ability, his role as a primary target who avoids elite shadow coverage, and his strong statistical performance last year where he led the team in targets, yards, and red-zone opportunities.
Insight pageJonnu Smith
NegativeDepth Chart21:19
Jonnu Smith signed a one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers. He is viewed as a depth addition to provide support behind Tucker Kraft following injuries to the team's backup tight ends.
Insight pageJosh Jacobs
NegativeUsage4:02
Josh Jacobs faces potential suspension following charges of two misdemeanors. The source suggests a likely 4-6 game suspension, noting that the NFL may act quickly without waiting for a trial. Managers should prepare to be without him for the early part of the season, though he could be fully healthy for the playoff push.
Insight pageKirk Cousins
NegativeUsage61:03
The source notes that Kirk Cousins' ability to maintain the starting job for the full season is contingent on the Raiders' performance. While the team may want to transition to Fernando Mendoza, a strong start or 'lightning in a bottle' performance from Cousins could keep him under center for the duration of the year.
Insight pageLuther Burden
NegativeInjury9:30
Luther Burden is on track to play Week 1 following a groin strain. While his return is positive news for the Bears' offense, the source notes potential re-injury risk associated with soft tissue injuries and uncertainty regarding his specific deployment in Ben Johnson's scheme.
Insight pageMarShawn Lloyd
NegativeValue5:30
Marshawn Lloyd is a priority add for Josh Jacobs managers in both redraft and dynasty leagues. The source views him as a high-upside hold rather than a sell, noting he is a cheaper alternative to Jonathan Brooks and remains an unproven talent with significant potential.
Insight pageMarvin Harrison Jr.
PositiveBreakout12:07
Recent reports suggest Marvin Harrison Jr. is looking like a different, improved receiver in camp compared to the start. Despite earlier skepticism, the source notes a wave of positive media coverage and video evidence of him making difficult sideline catches, indicating he is adjusting well to the offense.
Insight pageOmarion Hampton
PositiveProjection45:05
The source is extremely bullish on Omarion Hampton, projecting him as a potential top-three fantasy running back finish. Despite concerns about target competition from Keith Mitchell and Kimani Vidal, the source expects Hampton to secure 40-50 receptions and leverage a favorable Chargers schedule and Mike McDaniel's offensive scheme to reach 1,200-1,500 rushing yards and 15-16 touchdowns.
Insight pagePositiveValue45:24
The source considers Omarion Hampton an absolute smash at his current ADP, which is around the 1-2 turn in redraft leagues. The source ranks him as the RB5 overall, placing him behind only James Cook and Jonathan Taylor, and explicitly prefers him over Ashton Gentry.
Insight pageTerrance Ferguson
PositiveRole17:52
The Rams' late-offseason trade for a wide receiver casts doubt on the expected breakout for Terrence Ferguson. The source believes the Rams' tight end room will be a frustrating, inconsistent rotation that limits the fantasy viability of any single player in lineup leagues, though Ferguson remains the preferred target in dynasty best ball.
Insight pageTutu Atwell
PositiveValue16:20
Tutu Atwell is a viable addition in deep dynasty best ball leagues. While not a high-volume starter, he has shown the ability to pop into lineups for occasional production, making him a useful depth piece for rosters with injured players.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00Future's now open! I'm good man, too hot to handle.
0:03Gotta get those other myths, I love that. That's a good one.
0:07Shout out to you Jose, it is your birthday this weekend, what is it two days from now?
0:13Is that right? Yeah, that's right. Happy birthday man, happy early birthday.
0:17I appreciate that, yeah we're gonna go out to, you know if it wasn't hot enough here in California, we're gonna go
0:24out to Arizona where I think the projected weather is somewhere in like the hundred and teens.
0:30So you know that should be fun, but yeah we're the whole families going out there.
0:35I'm gonna visit a nephew I haven't seen for a while, you know hit up the ballers show that they're doing out
0:42there and just celebrate with family for a few days.
0:45Bro, hot takes, hot days, got your wife too, hot babes, is that okay to say?
0:50Yeah, perfectly fine. Let's get into it here, roster review services.
0:54Send your roster review request to futurefirstpod at gmail.com if you're interested and we will send you more information on how to get plugged into that.
1:02If you're watching this on YouTube, make sure to touch down on that like button, go for two and subscribe.
1:09Be sure to drop a comment while you're there.
1:12And if you're catching this on the Player Profiler Network, be sure to follow us directly on our own channels so you
1:19can get all of our content that we are dropping.
1:22We got another Process First podcast that just came out for you guys on Saturday.
1:27And we also have some shorts coming out. Shout out to Fox who's been helping us with those shorts.
1:33We got one that's going to be dropping here soon.
1:36Should be out by the time this is out about Egbuka on the Ride or Die episode.
1:42So check that out if you're into that kind of stuff.
1:45Fox absolutely killed it on that video. Hopefully we'll have more of those coming out.
1:50She was looking to get one about Jose's Ride or Dies.
1:54And you guys can catch those on our YouTube channel.
1:57So make sure you're following us there. You can also follow Fox on X at BFoxworth07.
2:02All right, man, let's do it. We got some hot takes to get to today.
2:07This is going to be a fiery episode. We have no idea what each other's hot takes is.
2:13So this is this will be fun being a little surprise going back and forth, man.
2:18What do you think? Yeah, yeah. We wanted to kind of keep it, you know, without each other knowing.
2:24So we kind of surprise and have an on air reaction to each other's hot takes.
2:30So yeah, it should be a fun time. It's fun indeed.
2:33But before we get to that, as always, man, a quick hit.
2:37You ready? Let's do it. All right, let's just talk about some more news.
2:42There's been a ton of it coming out with all of the preseason, the training camps, and honestly, just lots of stuff happening within the NFL.
2:50The first one we have conclusion to the Josh Jacobs saga, or I guess not entirely concluded, but the legal court rulings
2:57is that he will be charged with two misdemeanors.
3:00Before that, prior to us getting that news, we had the head coach come out saying that they are preparing for games
3:07without him, which was kind of ominous. Like I think we all think that we all knew that that's what they were
3:14going to be doing, preparing the games without them.
3:17But for them to come out and say it to the media just felt like something was pending and impending.
3:24And lo and behold, the next day, Josh Jacobs, two misdemeanors.
3:27How do you think that's going to affect him going into this season?
3:32I don't know if there's any precedence or if you've looked at this at all for what misdemeanors will do and meaning of suspension for games.
3:40What are your takes on this? Yeah, I mean, I think it's usually probably going to fall in the four to six category.
3:48I think that's what most of these kind of cases seem to fall in line with.
3:53You don't want to ever minimize, obviously, any of these situations and compare them and say that, you know, I mean, what
4:00he did does not sound like a great person or a wonderful husband or partner.
4:05You know, there was definitely some stuff that went on there and he got charged.
4:10I mean, we've seen guys like seek back in the day.
4:13I think he got six games and that was without even being charged.
4:17He was just you know, there was just an investigation.
4:21So we've definitely seen those things happen. I think it would be pretty the league will come down, I think, pretty quickly.
4:28Like I wouldn't be surprised if he is suspended from the start of the season.
4:33Like I don't think this is something that drags on.
4:36It's such sense of the court has already ruled and it seems like it's you know, he's already getting slapped with those.
4:43I mean, maybe there's a court date and then if I wants to wait.
4:48But I think from what everything I've been reading from people talking about it, legally analyzing it, it seems like, you know,
4:55the NFL now has in hand what he did and what he's being charged with and accused with.
5:01So they can, you know, not even have to wait for a trial to happen and just come down with a suspension.
5:08So I don't think this is one of those like the Rasheed Rice or some of these other ones where we were
5:15waiting and waiting and it was like, oh, well, this might be a 2027 situation.
5:20I think if you're going into the season, you already drafted your redraft team and he was either your RB1 or RB2.
5:27You should be ready. Emmanuel Wilson should definitely right.
5:30That's who it is. Man. No, it's Marshawn Lloyd.
5:33Marshawn Lloyd. That's right. I mean, it was a went to Seattle.
5:37So Marshawn Lloyd, if you're in a redraft league and you, you know, he hasn't been scooped up on waivers and you
5:44are the Jacobs manager, definitely time to do that.
5:47If you're not the Jacobs manager, still time to do that right now in a dynasty league.
5:52You know, hopefully you are prepared as a contender to be without Jacobs for a while.
5:57I think the only positive if you want to look at anything out of this situation in a positive light is he
6:04seemed to have been banged up last year, this year.
6:08You know, for the at least what it's predicting, like either at the beginning or the early part of the season, I
6:15don't think it's going to hit late. You're going to be without Jacobs and he can be fully healthy for the back end and the playoff push.
6:24I think the Packers are going to heavily rely on him again anyways.
6:28So that's, I think, the only positive news to kind of spin out of this.
6:33But otherwise, yeah, I mean, I would be, you know, prepared to be without Jacobs for that that amount of time.
6:40At least that's what I would be guessing. Yeah.
6:42As you were talking there, I went and I headed over to Drew Davenport's X case or X feed here, who is
6:50he's the guy that is like the Twitter lawyer for all the fantasy football stuff.
6:54He does really great breakdowns on all this. And I hadn't looked at this until just now, so I'm kind of skimming it going over it.
7:03And from what I'm reading, he thinks that this is actually a good thing for Josh Jacobs.
7:08It's talking about how it's not a felony. It's a misdemeanor.
7:12So in a vacuum that actually improves things for him.
7:15And then there's something about how there's a court date for him in November, which is the initial appearance.
7:21And that's not a pretrial. So it sounds like there may not even be a suspension for him.
7:27Maybe this year, it depends on, you know, what comes down and out of those things.
7:32So I guess just stay tuned. It could he's saying also to it could spell a lengthy suspension suspension if it if
7:40it goes the wrong direction for him, which would be a minimum of six games if it is a felony.
7:46Yeah. Yeah. I don't know, man. Like you said, just if you have Josh Jacobs, just prepare yourself, go get Marshawn Lloyd.
7:53If you have Marshawn Lloyd and you're contending, probably just hold on to him.
7:58Or, you know, like if you feel like you can flip them for something decent to the Josh Jacobs owner.
8:04Like I wouldn't be opposed to that. But. Josh Jacobs is on the older side.
8:09What is he? 28 going on 29. 29 like Marshawn Lloyd is on, you know, the the precipice of his career here.
8:16So I think probably holding Marshawn Lloyd is is a decent move in this case.
8:21If you have him. I don't think I'd be selling for something like a second because likely that's probably what you bought
8:28in on him for like back in 2024. It's hard to remember what what all of them were going for back then,
8:35but I'm pretty sure it was Jonathan Brooks, Trey Benson and Marshawn Lloyd.
8:40Those were like the top three running backs that you wanted.
8:43And you probably ended up spending maybe like a late second on a Marshawn Lloyd, maybe an early third.
8:49So you might be able to capitalize on that and getting a 20, 27 second in a strong class.
8:56You might feel OK about that. To me. I'm just going to like hold on to that and see what we have
9:03like we haven't even seen him play football really yet.
9:06You know, he is as a. We had a wolf on and he was saying how Jonathan Brooks is just expensive Marshawn Lloyd's.
9:13It's kind of like the same bet, right? It's just he's a little bit cheaper here.
9:19So to me, I'm just kind of holding on Marshawn Lloyd here, I think, and waiting to see what I have in
9:26terms of talent level and skill level here. Yeah, I think that makes sense.
9:30All right. The next piece of news that we have here is Luther Burden on track to play week one, which is great news.
9:38He's been out with a groin strain, I believe is what it is.
9:42Yeah, I believe so. Yeah, let me let me confirm that real quick.
9:46But him coming back looking like he'll play for week one is great news for everyone.
9:52Unless you're a Rome, a dunze enthusiast as we are ourselves connoisseurs, as I would say.
9:57Yeah, I mean, it'll be interesting how much work.
10:00I mean, with those sorts of soft tissue injuries, it's always potential for, you know, re-injury.
10:05So there's some risk there. You know, we saw the Luther Burden kind of shine when Rome was gone.
10:11We'll see how that works out in the reverse.
10:14How much playing time Luther Burden's playing time was kind of already the big question.
10:19How many reps is he going to get? How, you know, how much is he going to be used?
10:25You know, and it's hard. It's it will see exactly how Ben Johnson really does deploy these weapons and how trustworthy is he.
10:33They know one week it's Colson Loveland. It's the greatest tight end in the history of the NFL.
10:38The next is Rome. The next is Luther Burden.
10:41I mean, obviously, he's talking up all his guys.
10:44So we'll see if really Caleb Williams can deliver.
10:47I think that's the biggest question. I don't doubt that all three of those guys are elite at their positions.
10:54And if they were on other teams, they would be, you know, much higher.
10:58I think dynasty play players besides Loveland, who's I think already like in the top five.
11:03So it's good news. I mean, it's always good to have the good players.
11:08I think it helps the Bears offense in general.
11:11And then, you know, you're kind of back to seeing exactly who's going to be the guy in that offense.
11:17Yeah, it'll kind of choose your fighter type of thing with him.
11:21Honestly, like it. It's probably Colson Loveland, either that or or what happens is.
11:26Ben Johnson really wants to break all of the scoring records for the NFL and all of them end up being good.
11:33Like that's a reality here. Yeah, I mean, that would be pretty wild.
11:37But, you know, I mean, he was very aggressive, put up a lot of points when he was with the Detroit.
11:44Lions. So, you know, that is part of his his mindset.
11:48So it will be very interesting. I think that's going to be definitely one of the biggest offseason things to kind of look back on between the burden.
11:57Roman Colson Loveland. How did all that, you know, love triangle end up out there?
12:02Yeah, for sure. All right. The next piece of news that we have here is Marvin Harrison Jr.
12:07reportedly looking like a different wide receiver from the start of camp, which is especially noteworthy for our show.
12:14As I just called out Marvin Harrison Jr. as a fade on last week's show.
12:18And I'm actually writing up him as a faller over the camp in an article that's going to be coming out on player profiler.
12:26So now I don't know what to think about Marvin Harrison Jr.
12:30Is he him? Is he not? Is he dropping balls?
12:33Is he catching them? I don't know, man. What are you making of this?
12:38Yeah, I mean, for the last week, I just hopped on Twitter and I do something that's probably pretty dumb, which is
12:45scroll the for you page on Twitter instead of like your following because some shit gets on there.
12:51But yeah, no, I literally saw it seemed like a propaganda machine.
12:55Like, you know, I'm a big soccer fan and in soccer, you have like news outlets that pretty much are favorable to teams.
13:02And sometimes like the players or the coaches or whoever starts leaking.
13:06And there's like this kind of wave of support or anti against the player or a coach or whatever that kind of hits.
13:14And you see all the accounts and all the all reporters kind of doing the same thing.
13:19And it's seemed like that for Marvin Harrison Jr.
13:22over the last week. Like it just seemed like everybody had nothing but good things to say.
13:28And there was, you know, positive clips attached to those hype pieces.
13:31So I guess, you know, there is reason to be like hopeful, right?
13:36That the guy, the elite wide receiver that everybody thought was, you know, theirs is there.
13:41So let's see. Maybe he's fully healthy. Maybe he's feeling figuring out the offense and Jacoby Brissett, you know, that whole thing.
13:48I think for the NFL, it would only be a positive to have Marvin Harrison Jr.
13:53be good. I know a lot of people in dynasty teams are really hopeful for that year three breakout for, you know,
14:00a JSN sort of resurgence into, you know, positive value that he's completely lost over the last two years.
14:06Do you think Marvin Harrison Sr. is paying off beat reporters to say good things about him?
14:12Yeah, I mean, that definitely could be. I mean, or, you know, the Cardinals are interested in trading him away or something, you know, it is.
14:20Those are the type of things that do happen in soccer media, which is kind of funny.
14:26But yeah, it kind of felt that way. Or, you know, in politics, I guess that also happens.
14:32We can not touch that one too, you know, with a 10 football, but I mean, it does happen like the propaganda you see in it.
14:40It felt like Marvin Harrison Jr. probably. And they kind of felt like what team was it?
14:46Oh, it was the Jacksonville Jaguars where it was like this, this week is Bayshall toon week.
14:51Okay, now it's Brian Thomas Jr. week, then it's Jacoby Myers week, then it's Parker.
14:56Like, that's kind of what it felt like, like, okay, it's Marvin Harrison Jr.
15:01time. We got to gas him up. Jeremiah Love is hurt.
15:04You know, this is all we you know, I haven't heard much about Trey McBride.
15:09Hopefully, he's, you know, still there and doing his thing.
15:12But yeah, I think it's just he was so good last year.
15:16People, people are like, okay, he's still he's still good.
15:20You know, like, it's just one of those things when when the good players are out there.
15:25If you don't hear any news about them, that's like better than hearing news about them, right?
15:31It's like, you don't hear news of Oh, Puka Nakua going off in camp, because that's just expected.
15:36Right? I mean, like, that's just what he hasn't, right?
15:40He's been hurt, and he's maybe getting suspended too.
15:43So, but I get the sentiment and everything. Yeah, it makes sense.
15:46It holds true. You haven't heard much about JSN, right?
15:50This camp or just. There you go. That's a better example there.
15:54Yeah. I don't know, man. Like, I guess there's at least videos of him catching the ball and toe touching.
16:00That's that's all I've seen is pretty much like sideline catches where he's, you know, bringing in a touchdown and toe tapping for for.
16:08I don't know. He's catching the ball, which is an improvement from where he started in camp.
16:13So the beat goes on. All right. The next piece of news, not necessarily extremely significant here, but to to out.
16:20Well, is going, going back, back to Cali Cali.
16:23He got traded from the Dolphins to the Rams in exchange for Jarquez Hunter going to Miami, which is a little puzzling to me.
16:31Don't they already have like six running backs on their team?
16:34Yeah. I mean, they they're like, why do we need wide receivers?
16:38We have elite. We have elite wide receiver room.
16:41We should just trade away one of the other guys that's, you know, been a solid NFL wide receiver for like three
16:48years with the Rams previously or wherever he was also before that.
16:52Yeah, we need another running back. So, yeah, I mean, just puzzling.
16:56I mean, you know, for you listeners out there, I had to hear that joke twice so you can feel twice as
17:03bad for me from Jay Mack there. But yeah, I mean, cool.
17:07I mean, I think Tutu Alba has had like especially in the Rams offense, you know, some viable games.
17:13So I definitely don't think he's a nothing burger.
17:16He's definitely somebody, you know, if you have an extra roster spot or you want to turn a deep dynasty best ball league spot.
17:24I mean, he's popped into lineups, I think, three times over the last couple of years, like each year.
17:30So, you know, that's three starts that you can get into a flex.
17:35It's not nothing. So if you have a, you know, one of these injured running backs or somebody, you know, you're not very fond of.
17:43I don't hate the addition of Tutu Alba in like a deep dynasty best ball league.
17:48Here's the thing that I'm taking from this small signals, small signals.
17:52But number one, the Rams did nothing to address their wide receiver three position all year, which was a boon or an argument for Terrence Ferguson breakout.
18:00So the fact that they traded so late in the offseason to go get a wide receiver that they've had experience with
18:08kind of gives me bad vibes on the Terrence Ferguson front.
18:11Like, I don't I don't necessarily think that maybe there's a breakout like we all thought was going to happen this season.
18:18I think maybe he's just going to be more involved and they don't necessarily feel uncomfortable with him growing into that role
18:25of being the wide receiver three for the Rams.
18:28So that's kind of number one with my take here.
18:32Number two is does Miami not feel comfortable with either Jalen Wright or.
18:36Blinking on thinking on his name. I have to say, Oli Gordon, Oli Gordon, Oli, Oli.
18:41Yeah. Like, are they not comfortable with him with either of them as the RB two?
18:46And they felt like they needed to make a move to go get another running back to maybe push the envelope on
18:53those two to either grow or put Jarquez Hunter in there.
18:57I don't know. I don't want to, you know, burst your bubble, but I think you're you got the crazy meme guy
19:04with all the arrows and the thing on the wall.
19:07And like, yeah, you can't see it. Honestly, this feels like one of those like you trade your board trading and you're
19:14just like, hey, trade me Jarquez Hunter for two to elbow.
19:18And you're like, ah, sure. Like, I don't know, man.
19:21Like, it's just also I lied to do. I was definitely not worth a pickup.
19:26I just went back real quick to check, look through his games because I think I got him confused with somebody else.
19:33I don't know. Oh, you know, actually what I was thinking about was Devante Adams.
19:38Like somebody mentioned that, like when McVay is done with a vet and he tries to replace him, he's like he feels like they're cooked.
19:46So I don't know what that means for Devante Adams.
19:50I'm not here saying Jordan Tutu Alba is going to eat into his workload, but they did try to trade for A.J.
19:57Brown or supposedly they did. So I find that a little bit interesting.
20:01Honestly, with the tight ends, I've kind of come to the conclusion that they're just going to be a huge thorn in
20:08the side for Devante Adams, Puka and Kyron Williams.
20:11Like you're going to get down there by the goal line or 12 yards away.
20:16And Terrence Fergins is going to catch the touchdown.
20:19And then next play next, you know, next time they're near the red zone, it's going to be one of the other dudes.
20:26I don't know, Tyler Higbee or whoever. And like Matthew Stafford will do three touchdowns and like Puka will catch one of them.
20:34The other ones will be the tight ends. Like you're just going to be like blue balled by the tight ends and
20:41not really being able to start one because you'll think, oh, Terrence Ferguson popped off two weeks in a row.
20:47And then if it's a line of lead, you'll start Terrence Ferguson and he'll give you three points.
20:53So it's just going to be an exasperating, I think, sort of thing, like a head scratcher where you're probably just best
21:00off like not trying to play Russian roulette. If you want to add one of them in a dynasty best ball league,
21:07Terrence Ferguson is definitely the guy I think you want because I think he's the best player in that room.
21:14But he's definitely not anyone that I wanted rostered in a lineup league.
21:18Yeah, no, I think you can add it on the head.
21:22And that's really interesting about the Devante Adams slight, I guess, is what you would might call that.
21:28Yeah, that's something to pay attention to and seeing here how we go forward.
21:32All right, the last two bits of information we have is Jonu Smith signing in Green Bay on a one-year deal.
21:39Just a depth add, right? I think with their backup tight end who went on IR or the PUP, they needed somebody
21:46to come in and play behind Kraft. And then the last bit of information, Cedric Tillman getting released by the Browns, which
21:53was funny because I had shower thoughts the other day of how I want to try and pick up Cedric Tillman in
22:00more leagues because I feel like he's going to get moved on from and maybe a team picks him up.
22:07And he gets a chance somewhere because he was good in the limited options or limited opportunities we saw from him, even
22:14though it was with bad quarterback play. Yeah, I mean, if you guys don't think we're at least smart or have popular
22:21takes, at least you can know you're in very qualified, degenerate hands when one of the hosts is having shower thoughts about Cedric Tillman.
22:29So, yeah, man, I don't know. I haven't thought about Cedric Tillman maybe ever in my life.
22:34So there you go. You're better at this than I am, I guess.
22:39No, but it would be interesting depending on where he lands, right?
22:43Like, let's say he goes to Miami, like Cedric Tillman all of a sudden could be the most talented wide receiver there.
22:50Like, I wouldn't hate, like, thinking about Cedric Tillman then.
22:53But, I mean, it all depends where he might end up.
22:57Yeah, I mean, I was on the repeat of washing my hair for the second time.
23:02And I was just like, what? I wonder what Cedric Tillman is doing right now.
23:07I'm just kidding. Yeah. It does. It does, yeah.
23:09We'll see where he lands. If it's somewhere where there's maybe a need for someone like him, maybe he goes over to
23:17Miami now that they just got rid of Tutu Atwell.
23:20That could be interesting. Yeah, there's places he could go where I would be interested in.
23:25The commanders, maybe as a wide receiver three for the commanders, I could see that being interesting.
23:31Shoot, man. Come over to the 49ers, bro. Are you familiar with substations?
23:35Yeah, come collect that workers comp. You know, they got good health insurance plans out there.
23:40Cedric Tillman's only had concussion concerns, and I don't think the substations work with those.
23:45So I think we're good. I think we're good.
23:48All right. And then you can browse around your leagues for who has needs, and then you can use our trade finder
23:55to see what kinds of trades are happening in leagues that are similar to the one I want to do.
24:01Then you can analyze trades using our trade analyzer, which balances the lifetime value, which includes pick values out to like 2028.
24:09All of that plus the rookie guide $25 value is included.
24:12So if you're just in one Dynasty League, Dynasty Deluxe is well worth it.
24:17And use your host's promo code, and you can bump up to all in and get $25 off.
24:23All right. Let's get into the 2026 hot takes.
24:25Do you want to lead off or do you want me to lead off, man?
24:30I can lead off. Let's do it. I got a good one for you.
24:35I got a good one for you here. Okay.
24:38I'm prepared. All right. Close your eyes. All right.
24:41Imagine this. I want you to picture this. Okay.
24:44Okay. I'm picturing it. George Pickens outscores CeeDee Lamb and finishes as a top five wide receiver.
24:49Nope. This is my nightmare. I hate it. So I know this one will get some pushback from you, but my take
24:56is that CeeDee Lamb is being drafted as the wide receiver five.
25:00George Pickens is around wide receiver 10 or 11.
25:03We talked about him on the last episode. I'm just taking the discount because Pickens, I think, is going to lead Dallas in the fantasy points again.
25:12Like, I think he just has the bigger playability.
25:15He's just not going to draw the double coverages or the elite coverage that CeeDee Lamb will take away.
25:21So if they're playing together, I think that actually helps Pickens' game.
25:25And if you look at what actually happened last year in terms of targets, in terms of receptions, in terms of yards,
25:32touchdowns, and red zone targets, Pickens led and understand Lamb was hurt.
25:36But I don't necessarily think that that just changes just because Pickens, Lamb's going to be healthy, right?
25:42You also have roughly a 16-pick discount between Pickens and CeeDee Lamb.
25:46So if you think they're going to finish somewhere close or they're both finishing as wide receiver ones, I think there's definitely a good discount to take there.
25:55Pickens finished in the entire NFL third in receiving yards, fourth among wide receivers in fantasy points and in second team all pro honors.
26:02And this wasn't like simply touchdown luck. He averaged 15.4 yards per reception compared with Lamb's like 14.4.
26:08He got more targets, more red zone opportunities that we're talking about.
26:12So I think you're just basically getting an elite wide receiver for a cheaper price at ADP currently.
26:18So to me, it's like you at some point have to stop calling George Pickens like the wide receiver two or the Robin.
26:26I think, you know, realistically Dallas has two Batmans.
26:28I don't know if that's what, you know, Dallas needs, but that's what they have.
26:33And I think that's more likely that Pickens, just because of his big playability and his not drawing the number wide receiver,
26:40the cornerback one, maybe just due to name or whatever have you, we'll finish higher in the top five.
26:47I'm really glad this was one of your hot takes because we were just discussing this in one of the leagues today from our fades episode.
26:55Dewey does dynasty who came on process first did not like my George Pickens fade.
27:00He posted his portfolio share of 20% George Pickens and said, J-Mac, you're crazy.
27:04George Pickens is a top 10 wide receiver. You're getting them at that price.
27:09He's going to deliver on it. Dewey being the math guy, he is proceeded to break down all of the attempts and
27:16target shares and yards and touchdowns and catches. And I said, Dewey, it feels like you're projecting last year's numbers and taking that, projecting it forward.
27:25All I'm saying is, I don't think that's what's happening here.
27:28Okay. Like CD lamb is going to come back.
27:31He's going to be the guy that he's always been.
27:34And him and George Pickens are just going to flip flop in the stats and you're going to be paying your wide
27:41receiver 10 prices to get the wide receiver 18 and below.
27:45So I don't know, man. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
27:49Like why does everybody like George Pickens? I don't get it.
27:53I think it's just a personal vendetta you have against him.
27:56That's what it seems like. No, I mean the splits when CD came back were not so negative for Pickens.
28:03It was definitely less inconsistent and I definitely think it's going to be a little bit up and down, but that's any wide receiver.
28:10I just think that Pickens has that talent. I think there was three years of him in Pittsburgh and it kind of
28:18just gave a really bad stink to him in terms of like on field, what people thought about him, yada, yada, yada.
28:25So I just think he's a very, very talented wide receiver.
28:28And as CD lamb ages and his contract, like I would not be surprised if there's a move coming for the, you
28:35know, Cowboys, if they're able to resign or long-term extension Pickens where they move on from lamb and make him the star.
28:42But, you know, that's a whole different, you know, NFL talk.
28:46I just see that in terms of NFL coverages, it's like you feel like you have to double or show shadow CD more.
28:54And if you try to go one-on-one with either, then you just have to hope that Dak makes the right read and throws the ball well.
29:02And either of them are going to feast, you know, you have a good round ground game.
29:07Like the Cowboys offense, Dak staying healthy is going to be a top offense in the league, I think, in terms of
29:15scoring, in terms of everything that they're going to be doing.
29:18And I obviously coming from the Cowboys fan, that's, you know, delusional.
29:22It's, you know, I'm not going to say the dreaded three letter, three word sentence because we never speak that in my household.
29:30But, you know, for fantasy, I think it's going to be fantasy goodness if Dak stays healthy.
29:35It's like that movie where he goes into the guitar store and it's up on the wall and it says, no stairway to heaven.
29:43Like that's what you guys have on your wall.
29:46No, it's our year. Yeah. No, he can't. Nope.
29:49I'm not even. I don't even know what you just said.
29:52I went there for a second. But what's your first hot take, Jay McElhinney?
29:57You got more on my boy Pickens. Of course I got more on Pickens.
30:01We can't just move on like that. I think it's crazy.
30:05That's the darkest timeline. If CeeDee Lamb gets moved and George Pickens stays in Dallas, maybe it happens.
30:11Maybe it does. But CeeDee Lamb has a huge contract.
30:14Like, do you think that's easily tradable rather than George Pickens, who's going to be able to be traded and then signed
30:21for whatever the team wants them for? That just not.
30:24That doesn't make sense to me. I like it's way more likely that George Pickens gets moved on from next year than CeeDee Lamb.
30:32And honestly, because of that, I think it makes a ton of sense for the ownership to put pressure on coaching to throttle George Pickens' production.
30:41Because they don't want to have to pay him going into next year what they think he thinks he should be worth coming off of a career year.
30:50Which last year was George Pickens' career year. Man, that should have been my hot take.
30:55That would have been funny if it was. Okay.
30:58Okay. I'll get off my soapbox here. All right.
31:01You ready for my first one? Let's do it.
31:04Okay. You're definitely not going to like this one.
31:07The New York Jets have two top 12 assets at the end of this year for fantasy purposes.
31:12And I don't know who those two top 12 assets are going to be.
31:17It could be Geno Smith being a QB1, making a resurgence of his career.
31:22Most likely one of them is going to be Brees Hall.
31:25Definitely. Definitely one of them will be Garrett Wilson.
31:28We have a lot of smoke for that offense that Garrett Wilson and Brees Hall are going to be the bell cows and targeted like crazy.
31:36We saw the potential of what Garrett Wilson could be in weeks one through seven, I believe it was, before he got injured.
31:44He was, you know, a top five wide receiver on a per game basis going, going into his injury before he was, you know, left the year.
31:53Brees Hall was definitely a disappointment, but that was, had more to do with the offensive system than it did have to
32:00do with Brees Hall's talent or a decline of talent or whatever you want to call it.
32:05They were also playing with a ghost of a quarterback, Justin Fields, whatever you, whatever that means to you.
32:12And then beyond that, I don't even remember who they pieced it together with after they moved on from just Tyrod Taylor, I think was, was in there.
32:21There, there might've even been another quarterback in there.
32:24If Geno Smith can stay healthy, we've seen how good Geno Smith can be when he has a functional offensive line, which the Jets have.
32:32I feel like a delusional Jets fan, just making this argument for these two top 12 assets, but I do believe it.
32:39I think that they are in a weaker division.
32:42When you're saying top 12 assets, you mean like top 12 finishes?
32:46Cause when I hear assets, you're saying, okay, gotcha.
32:49Yeah. Top 12 finishes. So not assets like going into the dynasty year.
32:53And that's why I was like, why are we even talking Gino?
32:57If you're talking about, that's what I got thrown off, but I get, you say that they're going to have a quarterback running back or a wide receiver.
33:06One, two of those. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, good on you, man.
33:10I don't, I, you know, Ray should buy you a lunch or something.
33:14Ray's a friend of ours. Who's a mod in the, the ballers discord.
33:19He also takes care of the megalobo. He's the biggest, most delusional Jets fan.
33:23Um, he tried to tell me last year that, you know, Justin Fields was going to be good and all these things
33:30where, you know, um, I honestly, I think that would be bad for what the Jets organization want.
33:36I think they want Gino to not look like a dumpster fire, but also ultimately lose enough games so that they can
33:43have a high end pick to get one of these quarterbacks and hopefully finally turn their franchise around.
33:49Um, I just, it's hard to believe like the Jets and the Raiders from last year, is there that big of a difference?
33:57Like if you say the offensive line is better, I'll, I'll believe in you, but like the, the game play that Gino had was so bad.
34:05Like, you know, at some point these guys just lose it and, you know, seeing it from quarterbacks where it's just like, they don't have it.
34:14I wouldn't be surprised if Gino doesn't finish the year.
34:17I mean, they have a, a young quarterback, right?
34:20Who's it? What's the guy? Um, not Carson Beck.
34:23Yeah. Oh, Carson Beck. No, no, no. It's club Nick.
34:26It's club Nick. Okay. I wouldn't be surprised if they throw him out for five games and see what happens.
34:32I just think there's so much volatility and so much like stink about how bad that offense might be that it's just
34:40hard to see Garrett Wilson or Brees Hall get there on this.
34:43You know, they, one of them gets into the double digit touchdowns, which, Hey, I mean, they also drafted Sadiq.
34:50They drafted, uh, Omar Cooper Jr. Right. Right. So like those guys are going to have to get involved.
34:56Like if, um, Garrett Wilson has like the 35% plus target share and Brees Hall just like has every single touch, but she's already hurt.
35:04So, you know, that's something to account for. I find it hard to believe.
35:09I definitely think the craziest one would be if Gino is a top 12 quarterback.
35:14Like, uh, you know, I think that is the most, you know, crazy thing, but I mean, we've seen crazier things happen
35:21in the NFL, but, um, I could see Garrett Wilson and running and Brees Hall, like sneaking in there both as like
35:28the wide receiver 11 and the running back like 10 or 12 or something.
35:32Like, I don't think that's so far fetched. Those guys are very good at football.
35:37Um, you know, you just, when you don't have a ton of opportunity to score touchdowns, it's, it's difficult, but I mean, I don't hate it.
35:46I don't think it's like, it's definitely a hot take.
35:49It's not a delusional take, I guess is what I would say.
35:53What's the difference. Right. I mean, when we're talking about these things, you haven't even heard delusional yet.
35:59I am going to get real spicy on you guys coming up.
36:03That, that was my easy one. That was my easy.
36:06Just wait, wait. Wait, wait, just wait. Okay. Are you ready for your next one?
36:11Or do we have more to say about the jets here?
36:14No, I think, I think this is the most attention we've given the jets on this entire podcast.
36:20I think so. Yeah. So, um, I think I'm going to save my, my biggest, like, uh, kind of, you know, deepest
36:27three type of shot, um, for my last one.
36:30And I'll throw one out that kind of goes with a player I was talking about, um, last week, as I was thinking about it more and more.
36:39Um, I think Jay, Jay, uh, Chase Brown is going to finish the top three running back.
36:45Like in fantasy. Um, I just, the more and more I looked at the stats, the more and more I looked at it.
36:52I think, although he's not as talented as Bijan, he's not a talent as Gibbs.
36:57His opportunity is right up there with those guys, right?
37:00Like he, there's nobody to compete with him. He's on one of the better offenses tied to one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.
37:08Something that Bijan is not, um, for one, um, like they don't even know who the quarterback is.
37:14I mean, you know, not to get too tangential here, but, um, to us so bad that he made it impossible for
37:21them to not start penics is I think how Schefter put it, which is wild statement.
37:27Like that's crazy. Um, but I mean, so my take here is that we're drafting Chase Brown around running back 10 and 11.
37:34And I think there's a legitimate chance. We're looking back in January and he's the RB one overall.
37:40Brown is currently like pick 16 running back 11.
37:43So simply saying he'll outperform ADP. I'm saying he can jump into the Gibbs Bijan.
37:48And if CMC plays a full year, that sort of tier.
37:51Um, I think the statistical case there is that Brown quietly produced almost 1500 scrimmage yards last season, a thousand rush yards, 437 receiving yards.
37:59Um, and especially in PPR leagues, he caught 69.
38:02Nice. Out of 88 targets, uh, setting a bangle season, single season record for receptions by a running back.
38:09He was only five NFL players with a thousand rushing yards and 400 receiving yards last season.
38:14Um, and his season was basically split in two.
38:17The moment that Joe Burrow goes hurt and that other guy, whatever his name was starting.
38:22And then when Joe Flacco came, I remember there was panic in the streets, you know, Jake Browning, I think was his name.
38:30Like trade chase Brown for a ham sandwich. That's been sitting out in the sun for two weeks.
38:35Like that was the panic. Same with chase. Like, and we talked about it on the show, right?
38:41It's like, what can you do? And then, you know, uh, Joe Flacco old man came riding into town and it completely changed, right?
38:49Like, um, if he, if you extrapolated his season with, um, with Joe Burrow or with Joe Flacco, he had a 17 game pace of 19 touchdowns.
38:58Obviously touchdowns are the least stickiest stat, but that just tells you how much they were using him, especially in the receiving
39:05game towards the end of the season. Um, Cincinnati didn't add any meaningful backfield competition.
39:10I think Brown could approach 300 touches easily. And if he just maintains his receiving role that we were seeing him grow
39:17into last year, um, and he gets a full healthy season from Burrow.
39:21There's just all three things that will line up to have that RB one kind of special or top three.
39:28I think RB one's a little, you know, with Gibbs and CMC, if he was healthy, I think it's a little bit,
39:35um, too spicy, but I think a top three running back finish, uh, with the volume receptions and just TD environment.
39:42Um, so if I told you there was a 1400 rear running back who caught 69 passes and plays with Joe Burrow
39:49and he has no backfield competition, I think would he still be, be drafted as the RB 11?
39:55I think it's kind of the same as what we were talking about on our previous show.
40:00It just seems like chase Brown is not a sexy name.
40:04He was not a sexy player coming out. Um, you know, he's just not the name.
40:09He's not a Gibbs. He's not a B-Jean. He's not a CMC.
40:13He's not even an Omar in Hampton. Um, and he could easily, you know, be in the tier with those other guys and very easily outperform a Hampton.
40:22So, um, that's my take. And what do you think, J-Mac?
40:26I mean, it's true. He doesn't have a sexy name, right?
40:29I mean, it's not B-Jean or, you know, Jameer or, or Devon, right?
40:33Let's just chase like, like, come on, bro. Get a new name, dude.
40:38And there's another chase on his team, right? Like he's not even the best chase on his team.
40:43Like it's crazy, right? Like, you know, man, like I'm so back and forth on chase Brown.
40:49Like one day I'm like, yeah, chase Brown, he could, he could, he could be really good this year.
40:55And then the next day I'm like, I don't know.
40:58Like, could he be that good? Like I read these reports of preseason with Samajay Pirine mixing in for, for these snaps for 30% of the snaps.
41:07Like, does that equate to chase Brown being as good as we think he's going to be?
41:13Like, but then again, the next day I'm like, wow, the Bengals have the second best strength of schedule.
41:19They're going to be really good. What pieces do I want on that offense?
41:23Chase Brown's looking pretty good, especially at the one, two turn in your redraft leagues.
41:28I don't know what to think of chase Brown, man.
41:31Like, I, I think, I think he has this, a high range of outcomes that could happen for him this season.
41:38I definitely do see a top three running back finish in the range of outcomes for him to finish.
41:44So I don't think that I'm like completely off of this take.
41:48Like, I think it's delusional by any means, if that's the word that we're going to put to these things, but at
41:55the same time, like I'm just, I don't know, keeping my expectations under wraps for, for this whole chase Brown breakout, which seems to be gaining steam here.
42:05Like so many analysts, JJ Zachariasen is one of them.
42:08Who's just on the chase Brown train here and has been hyping up him and one of his most owned players and in the best ball streets.
42:17So he's pretty good and a smart listen. I, I tend, I tend to kind of lean that way.
42:23Yeah. I mean, like in terms of some Andre Piron, I mean, I think he was hurt for a little bit last
42:30season, but he was active for like 16 out of 18 games and he didn't really, there was one game where he
42:37had 14 and another game where he had 14 rush attempts.
42:41Like, I just don't see some Andre Piron at what, what is he like 30 something years old, really being the thorn in the side.
42:49Um, it's not even like a David Montgomery Gibbs sort of thing.
42:53It's like, you know, if you're taking chase Brown out of the game to put some Andre Piron in, like you're actively hurting your team, I would say.
43:02So, um, yeah, I mean, I think you added a few things that I mentioned in terms of like the strength of schedule and all those things.
43:10I just really liked chase Brown and I liked the value that you get.
43:15Like if you're drafting a, even top five, but if definitely these top three, when as the running back 10 or 11,
43:22like you're, you're winning your league a lot of times.
43:25You're that spike in, in points and value is, is huge.
43:29So, um, I just, you know, I, I think it's a easy click at, like you said, at that two, uh, one, two turn.
43:37Yeah, that's fair. And in terms of dynasty too, I feel like he's a very acquirable asset.
43:42He like, he's, he's not crazily expensive. And on top of that too, if he does have a huge season this year,
43:49he's going to be up for a contract next year.
43:53So if you pair those two things together, huge previous season with a contract, his value is going to spike.
43:59He's probably worth a little more than a first right now, but if that happens next year, he's going to be worth probably two firsts.
44:07Plus he'll be entering, you know, the fourth, fifth running back off the board and dynasty formats, I imagine in startups next year.
44:15So just something to kind of add on there as a little cherry on top for, for the dynasty formats here.
44:21All right. A hundred percent. Let's take a quick break here and then we'll catch you guys on the other side of
44:29the words from our sponsors to go over our last three hot takes for the 2026 season.
44:34All right. Welcome back. I am up now with my hot take number two of the season.
44:40And it's going to feel a little bit disingenuous here after you just laid out the argument for Chase Brown as a
44:47top three running back in fantasy, because I say he's going to finish as a, no, I'm just kidding.
44:53How funny would that have been, right? That would have been great.
44:57No, but I do have another running back that I think could be a top three fantasy asset at the end of this year.
45:05Sorry, not asset fantasy finish. But if he did, he would be a top three fantasy asset, I believe.
45:11And that is Omarion Hampton of the Los Angeles Chargers.
45:14I am very bullish on Omarion Hampton. I am all in on the profile, on the situation.
45:20I don't see how this type of situation can miss for this year.
45:24Just like Chase Brown, he's going around that one, two turn and redraft leagues.
45:28He feels like an absolute smasher at that price.
45:31We were talking about the other day, how I'm taking him over Ashton Gentty.
45:36Omarion Hampton is legitimately probably the RB5 off the board for me after the big two, James Cook and Jonathan Taylor.
45:43I think I'm taking Omarion Hampton there. What more do we need?
45:47Yes, Tyler Biotos went down, but the rest of the offensive line is still healthy.
45:51We have Mike McDaniel running the offense there now, who has done wonders for Devon HN, having legitimate top end running back finishes for HN.
45:59Omarion Hampton was one of my favorite prospects coming out of the draft last year.
46:04I was legitimately considering putting him in front of Ashton Gentty, but I did it for the sake of keeping the image.
46:12Right. No one would do that. No one would put Omarion Hampton above Gentty, which maybe that's crazy.
46:17But here I am now putting Omarion Hampton above Gentty and it doesn't seem all that crazy.
46:23I just think what he put on tape last year, we didn't see crazy breakaway runs.
46:28We didn't see him, you know, with these explosive taking the ball to the house.
46:33But what we did see is a guy who can break tackles and get extra yardage, who's big enough and fast enough
46:40to get around the corner and make defenders miss.
46:43He averaged, I don't remember his average of the yards per carry, but it was high enough up there where it was impressive.
46:50This is something that I just fell in love with when I watched his film was him just breaking tackles, continuing to get upfield and push the chains.
47:00I think that is an underrated aspect here. When you pair that up with Mike McDaniels and this offense that he's got
47:07here, I think Omarion Hampton can fly so high.
47:10Top three running back finish is in the cards here for Omarion Hampton this season.
47:14The Chargers also have a favorable strength of schedule.
47:17I think they're like top 14 or something like that in terms of how their schedule goes.
47:23On top of that too, like Justin Herbert is legitimately good.
47:26I think with him heading the offense, using the weapons like Ladd and Quentin Johnston and Omarion Hampton, I think they're going to lean on each other.
47:35And Omarion Hampton is going to have a breakout season here.
47:39Leading the way, the charge for this offense will be Omarion Hampton with Justin Herbert and crew backing them up.
47:45I think they have a legitimate good season here for the Chargers.
47:49If everything can kind of come together and stay healthy for them, Omarion Hampton running back three finish on the year.
47:56Yeah, I mean, I think that the case for Omarion Hampton makes a lot of sense.
48:01I mean, McDaniel has done what he's done. I think McDaniel has also been a little bit of an interesting case when
48:08he's had one of these elite players and how he split.
48:12I mean, we had the Raheem Mostert year with Achan where Mostert scored like 20 touchdowns.
48:17I mean, he had a ton. That split was pretty even the next year.
48:22Mostert still got quite a bit of run, except he wasn't able to stay healthy, which he hadn't been able to do most of his career.
48:30So I think it's interesting because he has talked a lot about Keith Mitchell.
48:35Kimani Vidal is still there. And my biggest thing for Hampton hitting that level is, do you think he's going to have enough receptions?
48:42Because I don't think he's a guy that's going to hit 2K rushing yards, right?
48:47Or like 15 touchdowns, 20 touchdowns. I find it hard to see that.
48:52So it has to come from the passing game.
48:54And with all the other options, I mean, we love the tight ends there.
48:59People love the tight ends. Apparently Gadsden has fallen off the edge of the planet.
49:04But he was at least there. We love the two wide receivers and QJ Ladd.
49:09So do you think he's going to get enough receptions to push him there?
49:13I mean, obviously you do. But do you think it's realistic for him to have a pretty big role in the passing
49:20game that isn't eaten in by Keane Mitchell or Vidal?
49:24I don't think it's crazy. We're not reaching what Gentee or Chase Brown got last year in the 60s and 70s.
49:30But I do think it'll be in the 40s or 50s enough to keep him afloat.
49:36But I do think that he can just make that up in touchdowns.
49:40I don't think it's crazy that he has a James Cook level touchdowns where he gets the ball.
49:46And probably more so, right? Because you don't have Josh Allen stealing goal line touchdowns with Justin Herbert.
49:52It's really going to go to Omari and Hampton.
49:54So I could definitely see him getting 15, 16 touchdowns in a season where he accomplishes 40 to 50 catches.
50:01I think that would pretty much do it to get him there, even if it's only 1,200, 1,300 yards on the ground.
50:08Yeah, I mean, I was going to say that James Cook year where he had the 16, he only finished as the running back eight.
50:16And he had 38 targets, 32 receptions. So I think you're just going to need more.
50:21You're either going to need him to rush for like 20 touchdowns or something or more yards, like getting closer to the
50:291,500, 1,600 yards if he's not going to do.
50:31I guess if he has closer to 50 receptions, like you're saying, and another couple more touchdowns, like 20 touchdowns total, because
50:39that year James Cook only had 18, and he finished as a running back eight.
50:43That's my biggest concern. I think there's nothing wrong with drafting Hampton where he's going.
50:48I think you're kind of drafting him at a safe spot where he's not going to kill you.
50:54I don't see a world where if he doesn't get hurt, he's not a very solid running back one.
51:00I just think his upside to get into that tier with Bijan and Gibbs is difficult.
51:06I definitely think he could outscore Gentry. That's for sure.
51:09Like when you're saying you're going to draft him over Gentry, I don't hate that in redraft.
51:14And I think he just has to have a good season to be a top five dynasty running back.
51:20Like Gibbs and Bijan are set at the top as one, two.
51:24Jeremiah Love might start slow because of that injury.
51:27Gentry is also dealing with an injury. So between those five guys, you're talking about – damn, my eyes are killing me right now.
51:35Sorry. You're talking about that Hampton has a pretty solid space there.
51:39I think he's definitely – in a redraft, if he's your running back one, you feel very secure.
51:45In dynasty, like in a best ball or whatever, if he's your number one, do you feel just as safe?
51:51Like you feel as confident? Okay. Yeah, absolutely. I think that's where I defer a little bit.
51:57I mean, that year too that we're talking about with James Cook, he only had 1,000 yards on the ground, right?
52:04And he had receiving-wise, he added another 258 on those 38 catches.
52:08So like I said, like the 1,300 yards, that's an extra 30 points.
52:12And then if he has an extra 10 catches on top of that, that gets you another 40 points.
52:18Like it's there. It's definitely there. And I think that's probably – I think that's probably a median outcome.
52:24Like I don't think going above 1,300 rushing yards is crazy.
52:28Like when we're talking about a Mike McDaniel-led offense with the talent that I think Omari and Hampton has, I think the sky's the limit.
52:36I think he could legitimately rush for 1,500 yards.
52:39That feels like a more ceiling outcome to me.
52:42But if you put that on wax with 16 touchdowns on top of that, top three is definitely in the cards, I feel like.
52:49Yeah, I mean, that's what it takes to be a top three.
52:53You need all of it, right? Like A-Chan in his best year last year had 1,300 yards and had 67 receptions for another almost 500 yards.
53:02But he only had 12 touchdowns. So he finished as the running back five in half PPR format.
53:08So, yeah, I mean, it takes everything. You need double-digit rushing touchdowns.
53:11You need a handful plus more of receiving touchdowns.
53:14And you need those 1,200, 1,300 yards receiving. Sorry, not receiving.
53:18We're not talking about CMC here. We're talking about Hampton rushing and then the 500 or so receiving yards.
53:24So the receiving game is where I think it's the hardest for me to get to that top ceiling.
53:30But I love Hampton, and I have him in a few leagues.
53:34So that would be awesome. I almost made the charges.
53:37One of my hot takes is they're just going to be overall disappointing because the hype is so high for everybody that
53:45it's hard for me to see it happen. Everybody's putting so much on McDaniel, and I don't disagree that he's a great
53:52offensive coordinator, better than a head coach. I just – I guess I'm not there on that full hype train.
53:58But I don't hate it. Okay. That's fair. That's fair.
54:01All right, man. I'm excited to hear this last one, which is your spiciest of them all.
54:07Yeah. So I'm thinking if Clark Cousins or Mendoza – like in the time when Mendoza takes over, he's decent enough.
54:14I think that Brock Bowers breaks the all-time fantasy tight end scoring record.
54:18So I think he's going to put up the most tight end points that anybody has in fantasy ever.
54:24I don't really know exactly where that one – who that is.
54:28I'm guessing it's probably – It's Trey McBride, right?
54:31Trey McBride last year, was it? Yeah. Breaks the all-time fantasy scoring record for tight ends.
54:36Yes. So we pretty much just have it happen back to back.
54:40I think Brock Bowers is just as good, if not better of an elite talent.
54:45So I don't think Brock Bowers is just going to be finished as a tight end one.
54:50I think he's going to give us the greatest season by a tight end we've ever seen.
54:56That's, I think, significantly hotter than just projecting him as the tight end one because I think it's either him, McBride, or
55:03maybe like one other guy that you would put there.
55:06But I think he's being drafted as the second – right there with McBride as the 17th overall pick.
55:13So he's squarely in the second and a half, like right there, round.
55:17So I think people have already forgotten how ridiculous Bowers' rookie season was, right?
55:21He had 153 targets, 112 receptions, 1,200 yards almost, and five touchdowns.
55:25He was scoring 15.5 PPR points per game. And those 112 catchers were an NFL rookie record regardless of position, right?
55:32Him and neighbors were kind of like battling back and forth with most rookie receptions that year.
55:38And he broke that. Now he had his knee injury, right?
55:41It kind of curtailed that. Geno Smith did not play well.
55:45I think Kirk Cousins, we saw what he did kind of with Kyle Pitts last year and what he did for him.
55:52So I don't think there's any reason that he can't.
55:55The biggest thing will be the touchdowns if the offense can be good enough to get into an area.
56:01But the 2025 game, his numbers fell off. But he had an injured PCL, which he kind of tried to play through.
56:08I think it would have been better if the Raiders kind of just shut him down.
56:14But even playing compromise, he was averaging 14.7 PPR points per game, which was third among tight ends.
56:19So even with a hurt knee, he was still able to be one of the top tight ends.
56:25And so now you have to look at what's changed, right?
56:29They hired Clint Kubiak, who we loved in Seattle, what he did there with JSN.
56:34Like, he has no JSN. I wouldn't be surprised if, you know, Bowers is that sort of just best player, best receiver.
56:41And no established wide receiver competition, right? So Bowers is going to have to be the guy just because there is nobody else.
56:48They drafted Fernando Mendoza, who for fantasy we don't love.
56:52But I think he can be a decent NFL quarterback.
56:55Like, if you tell me in five years that Fernando Mendoza is like Jared Goff, I wouldn't be super surprised.
57:01Like, he does have the qualities and the ability to play quarterback at the NFL to some extent.
57:07So I think if Clint Kubiak feeds him 165 to 175 targets, right?
57:11Like, that would be crazy. But that would be what would happen in a situation where you're clearly the best receiving option
57:18and you have nobody else to, right? He could get to like 125, 130 targets, 1,400, 1,500 yards, 10 to 12 touchdowns.
57:26It's outrageous for a tight end, but the target environment makes it conceivable.
57:30Like, if you get to the end of the season and that happens, I don't think anybody would be like, oh, my God, how could this have happened?
57:39Like, I can't believe you've done this type of sort of situation.
57:43Like, I think it's very possible. And I think the benchmark is Trey McBride just produced 126 receptions with 1,200 yards, 11
57:50touchdowns last year and finished as the fourth highest scoring pass catcher.
57:54Right. So that's if you Trey McBride was a wide receiver, he would be the wide receiver for overall.
58:00Right. So I think it's definitely within Bowers ability if the quarterback play can stay consistent enough.
58:06So I would stop comparing Brock Bowers to tight ends.
58:09I'm comparing him to wide receivers. If this dude gets 165 targets in Klink Kubiak's offense, we're talking about a tight end
58:16putting up wide receiver one overall numbers. And I don't think we're and I think we're about to see the greatest tight end season ever for fantasy.
58:25I am so in on this. So in on this.
58:28In fact. In fact, I don't even think that's a hot take, Jose.
58:32Oh, damn. Because when I was working on my third hot take, I was like, what?
58:37What do I really believe in this year? I really believe in Brock Bowers.
58:42I was like, Brock Bowers, tight end one on the year.
58:45That's not that's not spicy. Come on, bro. Like you could do better than that.
58:50And I was like, OK, OK, OK, fine. Brock Bowers.
58:54Breaks the tight end record for receptions. No, that's not spicy.
58:57Trey McBride just did that. Like he's still going as a tight end one.
59:02Like that's not good enough, J-Mac. What are you going to do here?
59:06Fine. I got it. Brock Bowers, the first tight end ever to win the triple crown.
59:11Jose just laid out the argument. I got goosebumps as he was doing it.
59:16We're not looking at Brock Bowers like a tight end.
59:19We're looking at him like a wide receiver. Like he said in the Clint Kubiak offense, what we saw him do his
59:26rookie year, what we forgot that he could do his sophomore year until he came back from the ACL injury and then
59:33dominated, making one hand catches in the end zone.
59:36Brock Bowers is a legitimate weapon. He is the next Gronk, the next Travis Kelsey, whatever you want to say.
59:43He might even be better than all of them.
59:46I legitimately think he is going to pace 160 targets in his offense because who the hell are they going to throw
59:53the ball to other than Brock Bowers? If Ashton Gentry doesn't have an ankle to stand on and we have Trey Tucker
60:00and Jalen Naylor lining up with Brock Bowers, do you really think Kirk Cousins is going to be looking at either one
60:07of those guys or he's going to be like, I'm just going to throw it to that big guy that runs fast and catches the ball?
60:15Give me Brock Bowers with 140 receptions. Give me 1,500, 1,600 yards.
60:19Give me 18 touchdowns. Like Jose said, this is going to be the greatest tight end season we've ever seen.
60:26And if you need any motivation, go watch Kyle Pitts' three touchdown game last year.
60:31Who was throwing the rock to Kyle Pitts? Kirk mother to chains.
60:35Okay, let's go, Kirk O'Chains. Let's get Brock Bowers to the first tight end ever to win the triple crown.
60:41Boom. That's a hot take, Jose. That's how you do it.
60:45I mean, that's funny. That's kind of one of the things I guess that can happen when we don't share these with
60:52each other, but it's lockstep in there. But I think it makes a lot of sense.
60:57And my biggest concern about making that my hot take was just like what happens when Mendoza takes over?
61:03Because I think even if Kirk Cousins is playing well, I think he's getting benched.
61:08Like I think they want to see Mendoza like Drake May, like after five, six.
61:13It just depends how many games and how good is Mendoza when he comes in.
61:18And if he comes in there and looks like a deer in headlights and is complete garbage, then I think no matter
61:25how good Brock Bowers is, he can have 80% target share.
61:28Like it's just not going to matter if Mendoza goes in there and is absolute stinking garbage or just not a middle
61:36to top end quarterback, which obviously I don't think that's what people are expecting.
61:40But if he can just go in there and be decent enough, I think it could still happen.
61:46That was my biggest reservation with this hot take, which is like what happens when the quarterback change happens.
61:52But, you know, I'm going to put my, you know, my faith in Mr.
61:57Mendoza there that he can get it done and just know, hey, like that ball dude running down the middle of the
62:04field that seems to just be open every single play.
62:07Let me just throw him the ball every time.
62:10Like just throw him like Jamar Chase, 15 targets, 20 targets.
62:14Like why not? Like that dude's always open. Like just give him the ball and, you know, things will work out for you.
62:21I think, I think you're right, man. I think, I don't know.
62:25Like is if Brock Bowers does have this kind of season and the radars are actually like somewhat decent, like, is it
62:32crazy to think Kirk Cousins just plays the whole season?
62:35We already know that they want Fernando Mendoza to sit.
62:39At least that's what's coming from Tom Brady at the top who is, you know, management, right?
62:44Like I think that it, it's possible if he plays this well, that he could just be the quarterback all season for them.
62:52Yeah, I think it would have to be like a heater.
62:55Like it'd have to be like a very, like if they have any sort of 500 record, I think they're making the
63:02switch because then they're also thinking, hey, if we get a top five pick, maybe we're in the Jeremiah Smith conversation sweepstakes
63:09or what's that guy Coleman or what's the other wide receivers getting a lot?
63:14Yeah. So maybe they're thinking, hey, like if we're anywhere near 500, we still want to be bad enough to be in
63:21the top five so we can, you know, top seven to select one of these guys.
63:26And then we can play Mendoza with his wide receiver and Browers of the future.
63:31Right. Like I think that's where the Raiders mind would be.
63:35But yeah, I mean, if, if it's something like seven and oh, right, you're leading the division, like you can't make a
63:42change that like you, this could be a lightning in a bottle sort of situation.
63:47It's hard to see that with their old line, their defense and, you know, the no wide receivers, but you never know
63:54where the things have happened in the NFL. So I definitely think that cousins would have to have one of those kind
64:01of, you know, incredible runs to not get pulled because I think the moment that it's a little bit shaky and, you know, maybe two, three losses happen.
64:10They're definitely gonna be like, all right, let's, let's find out what we got in Mendoza to make sure that he's, you
64:17know, ready and going to be ready for next season.
64:20Yeah. Yeah. That's fair. Well, even if Mendoza comes in, let's, like you said, hope that he can return on the promise
64:28that he was at the one Oh one of the 2026 NFL draft.
64:32All right, man, we did it. We did it.
64:35Some hot takes. All of our, all of our takes were the exactly the same.
64:40Our first ones were very pointed at each other.
64:43Our second ones were a top three wide receiver and our third ones were even closer together.
64:48Brock Bowers just being a dog. Yeah. I mean, we, I don't know why, why was your jets one pointed at me?
64:55That, that wasn't. I don't know. Cause you hate the jets.
64:59I don't hate the jets. I don't even think about the jets.
65:03The jets think about me more than I think about the jets.
65:07Exactly. I mean, I have, I have, I have a ton of love for the city of New York and that stadium.
65:14I mean, Spain just won a world cup there.
65:17So I love New York. Give me, give me their shitty Astro turf that kills their players all day, whatever it needs to be.
65:24But yeah, man, I, it was a lot of fun.
65:28It was funny, you know, glad we kind of synced up on that last one.
65:32That makes it a, you know, Hey, we got the same mind, you know, brain wave here.
65:38Let's go. Let's go. I guess that's why we're co-hosts, huh?
65:42I think so. All right, man. Let's hit the outro here.
65:45That was too fun. Well, I hope you have a good birthday.
65:49I hope you enjoy the ballers live show. Say what's up to the ballers for me.
65:54I'm sure I'm going to hear you on the, the, the pod, the mail drop asking questions, the mailbag.
66:00That's what it's called. Nailed it. Yeah, man, it should be a lot of fun.
66:05Those shows are always great. So, you know, it's their hometown.
66:09So they got a lot of cool stuff planned.
66:12They said, so it's always a great time. Yeah.
66:15Hopefully just stay somewhat cool with that crazy desert weather, but we always appreciate to hear a future first.
66:21You guys keeping it hot with us, you know, like that videos touchdown on that subscribe button.
66:26If you're finding us on player profiler, please come find us on our own YouTube and wherever you get podcasts from.
66:33Yeah. And we've been future first. We appreciate you roster reviews, all that good stuff.
66:38And we'll see you next time.
