Future 1st Podcast - Ep 61 - Stats & Vibes
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 29, 2026
Published
Tue, September 29, 2026
27
Player insights
24
Players mentioned
Topics
Justin HerbertLadd McConkeyPuka NacuaAlvin KamaraBaker MayfieldBrock BowersCeeDee LambDe'Von AchaneDeshaun WatsonGeorge PickensJahmyr GibbsJameis WinstonJavonte WilliamsJayden Daniels
Player analysis
Player insights
Alvin Kamara
NegativeUsage31:34
The source expresses concern over Alvin Kamara's efficiency, noting that despite high touch volume, his yardage production has been underwhelming.
Insight pageBaker Mayfield
NegativeInjury28:25
Baker Mayfield left the game with a thumb dislocation, which the source notes could be a significant issue if surgery is required, potentially impacting his performance and that of his receivers.
Insight pageBrock Bowers
PositiveBreakout95:23
Brock Bowers dominated in his latest game with 10 receptions, 116 yards, 13 targets, and a touchdown. The source notes he showed no limitations from his meniscus trim and looks like the primary target in the Raiders' offense.
Insight pageCeeDee Lamb
NegativeUsage106:55
The source notes that the Cowboys' offense spread the ball around significantly, with 38 targets distributed among nine different players, which may be impacting the ceiling for top options like CeeDee Lamb.
Insight pageDe'Von Achane
NegativeInjury0:53
De'Von Achane suffered a knee injury that the source describes as ominous and potentially season-ending, noting that coach comments regarding a lack of progress are concerning.
Insight pageDeshaun Watson
PositiveUsage39:16
Deshaun Watson has shown improved efficiency over the last two weeks, with an 80% completion rate and 0.31 EPA in week two, though his ADOT decreased as he shifted to a 'dink and dunk' style. Despite a 73% catchable target rate (19th in the league), he has regained a rushing floor, making him a viable back-end QB1 in Superflex and deep dynasty leagues.
Insight pageGeorge Pickens
NegativeBust100:03
The source is concerned about George Pickens, citing laziness, drops, and a lack of deep-threat production. Despite 11 targets in his latest game, he failed to score and had a bad drop. The source suggests that the 'ugly side' of Pickens is appearing, which negatively impacts his fantasy upside.
Insight pageJahmyr Gibbs
NegativeUsage50:21
Jahmyr Gibbs is operating as a true workhorse, recording 20 touches for 99 yards and two touchdowns in week three, following a massive 45-touch start over the first two games. He is forcing missed tackles at a high rate and remains electric, though there is long-term concern regarding his heavy workload and potential for a 'hangover' effect in future seasons.
Insight pageJameis Winston
NegativeRole18:18
Jameis Winston is expected to take over as the starter, with the source anticipating a high-variance 'shotgun' approach that will lead to both big plays and interceptions.
Insight pageJavonte Williams
PositiveUsage103:54
Javante Williams had a bounce-back game, which the source notes was good to see after recent panic regarding his usage. He was effective when the team established the run early.
Insight pageJayden Daniels
NegativeInjury22:08
Jayden Daniels is dealing with a dislocated elbow; surgery is not currently on the table, and he is expected to return in a few weeks, though the recurring nature of the injury is a concern.
Insight pageJaylen Wright
PositiveSleeper2:04
Jalen Wright is a recommended stash and high-priority waiver target following the injury to De'Von Achane, assuming he returns from his own injury status.
Insight pageJustin Herbert
NegativeUsage62:34
Justin Herbert is struggling due to extreme pressure, facing a 45.5% pressure rate—the second-highest in the league—which has led to six fumbles and poor efficiency metrics, including a 59% completion rate and -0.04 EPA over the first two weeks. The offense lacks cohesion and is failing to capitalize on opportunities despite Herbert's talent.
Insight pageNegativeUsage72:31
Justin Herbert is facing significant pressure, with 44.7% of his snaps under pressure in the latest game, including 17 of 38 snaps. The source notes that the offensive line is struggling due to injuries, specifically mentioning the loss of center and other linemen, which forces Herbert to run around constantly and necessitates tempering expectations for the offense.
Insight pageJustin Jefferson
NegativeInjury28:17
Justin Jefferson exited the game with an ankle injury; while he potentially could have returned, he did not.
Insight pageKeaton Mitchell
NegativeUsage67:33
Keaton Mitchell saw increased involvement in the Chargers' backfield in week three, splitting attempts and targets with other depth pieces, but he has not emerged as a dominant fantasy option or a 'world beater' in terms of target volume.
Insight pageKendre Miller
NegativeDepth Chart31:47
Kendre Miller is mentioned as a potential beneficiary of backfield opportunities, though the source notes his history of injury concerns.
Insight pageLadd McConkey
PositiveRole68:25
Ladd McConkey is the linchpin of the Chargers' offense; the team's EPA per play is -0.41 when he is off the field (second-worst in the league) compared to 0.12 when he is on the field (seventh-best). Despite playing through a rib injury, he is the primary engine for the passing attack.
Insight pageNegativeBust77:05
The source expresses full panic regarding Lad McConkey, noting that he has not lived up to expectations outside of the first half of the first game before his injury. The source admits they were never in on him and suggests that if he was a key piece for a championship push, it is a worrying situation.
Insight pageMalik Nabers
PositiveUsage17:28
Despite poor recent performance, the source remains optimistic about Malik Nabers, expecting the Jameis Winston experience to provide high-upside opportunities in the passing game.
Insight pageMarcus Mariota
PositiveRole25:15
Marcus Mariota looked capable in relief of Jayden Daniels, and the source suggests fantasy managers can feel safe starting Commanders' weapons while he is under center.
Insight pageMatthew Golden
NegativeProjection91:54
The source has turned a page on Matthew Golden as an NFL talent but remains skeptical of his ceiling. While he will see high volume due to the Packers' lack of a run game and offensive line, the source projects him as a middle WR2 (WR16-18) at best, and likely a WR3, noting that the market is already ahead of his actual value.
Insight pageOllie Gordon
PositiveBreakout0:59
Ollie Gordon is identified as a top waiver wire priority following De'Von Achane's injury; he recorded 20 touches for 55 yards and a touchdown against a tough Kansas City defense.
Insight pageOmarion Hampton
NegativeUsage67:19
O'Marrion Hampton has been a disappointment for fantasy managers, failing to secure a consistent role in the passing game with only three targets through three games. Despite decent rushing efficiency, his lack of involvement in the air and two lost fumbles make him a frustrating asset in the current Chargers offense.
Insight pagePuka Nacua
NegativeInjury10:14
Puka Nacua is dealing with a vague injury, potentially a sports hernia, with reports suggesting he is struggling with explosiveness and may be hesitant to play through it due to contract value concerns.
Insight pageNegativeInjury89:04
Puka Nacua has been dealing with an injury, which the source cites as a reason for the Rams' early-season struggles and their loss to the 49ers.
Insight pageTerry McLaurin
PositiveProjection25:25
Terry McLaurin performed well despite a tough matchup, and the source indicates he remains a safe play with Marcus Mariota at quarterback.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
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0:53Yo, Ashton went down today. Who you got to lead the dolphins the rest of the way?
0:59It's Ollie Gordon season, baby. Let's go. League winner.
1:02Future's now. Old man. What a do. Good vibes only, dude.
1:05This is Future First Podcast, where we help you win today with a future-first mindset.
1:10I'm your co-host, J-Mac, here with my co-host, Jose.
1:13What's going on, dude? What's up, J-Mac? Yeah, we're recording here Sunday night as the Sunday night football games come into an end.
1:20It's a close one. Hopefully, your weeks have been fruitful.
1:24Hopefully, you know, you have your stashes of Ollie Gordon's or Jalen Wright's because that might be the hottest pickup of the wire through three weeks.
1:32But besides that, J-Mac, I'm good. How are you?
1:35Man, I've been a lot better if the Commanders could have finished off the Seahawks today.
1:40Like, the Broncos are about to finish off the Rams here now.
1:44But nonetheless, man, I mean, we move on. The 49ers looking good.
1:48I'm feeling good, man. Good vibes right now. Good vibes.
1:52Yeah, and imagine if they actually had, you know, full roster to play with instead of, like, literally people off the street
1:59that they're finding to play for them. And by the way, the Commanders did finish off the Seahawks.
2:05Wait, that happened? That happened. So I was wondering if you were, what were you?
2:10Yeah, they won. They, Darnold, I think, threw another pick or fumbled or something right at the end.
2:15So you're telling me the 49ers are going to be the leaders in the NFC West after four minutes and 32 seconds?
2:23Yes. Well, let's see what happens with the Rams.
2:26But yes, with, you know, George Kittle and CMC and pretty much nobody else.
2:30I feel like Jon Hamm. Right? I mean, imagine if the 49ers hadn't traded away a bunch of firsts for Trey Lance
2:37and also if they had players that were healthy.
2:40I mean, they'd have won like six Super Bowls in a row at this point.
2:45It's kind of crazy. All right, moving on. Let's get into our quick hit of the week.
2:51Let's do it. All right, man, we're going to talk about the week three injuries.
2:56Let's lead off here with what we teased at the top.
2:59A-chan going down with what we can only assume is a knee ligament injury.
3:04It sounds ominous, likely season ending. At least those are the vibes that we're getting.
3:09Check your news sources as you're listening to this.
3:12I'm sure that more news will come out in the coming days.
3:16But yeah, man, Oli Gordon looked good in relief.
3:19Did he not? Yeah, I mean, I've personally been a Jalen Wright guy and it sucks that he was somebody I was stashing in a couple leagues.
3:27It sucks that he was hurt and inactive for this week because I feel like that might have finally been his moment.
3:35But yeah, Ollie Gordon got 20 touches, looked decent.
3:38Malik Willis kind of finally looked a bit serviceable to move the ball down the field.
3:43So maybe it sucks for A-chan. That's a highly drafted pick, a one-two turn guy.
3:48I know there's a lot of teams that have A-chan and Hampton out there who are probably really struggling right now just
3:55because Hampton, I don't know what's going on. I mean, he's not in the news, but Keaton Mitchell, I mean, this is what I was worried about.
4:04This man, what's his name that you guys all love?
4:07The Vapor. Gosh, I'm like blanking on his name.
4:10The OC for the Chargers. Yeah, Mike McDaniel. Mike McDaniel just loves his other running back.
4:15But anyways, that's not the point. Yeah, I mean, we don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves, but from what
4:22the reports of what they were saying, a knee injury and then the coach says it's not looking optimistic.
4:29That usually doesn't mean a few weeks. It's usually tied to something pretty severe.
4:33So, you know, we hope that that's not the case.
4:36And we still have A-chan because he's just an amazing fantasy football player, even if he hasn't been as good this year just because they've been so bad.
4:46But yeah, man, it's brutal. So, you know, if Ollie Gordon or Jalen Wright isn't stashed, if he's not on your team,
4:53that's definitely the hottest waiver wire pickup. I think we haven't really had one like that so far this year.
4:59And, you know, it's a very important pickup, I think, because whoever it is, it seems like they're going to get all the work with whoever they decide.
5:09I don't know if Jalen Wright will be back, but if it's Ollie Gordon, he seemed like the guy that just immediately stepped up.
5:16Yeah, no, he did. He had a total of, you know, 20 touches, three receptions in all, combining for, what, 55 yards and a touchdown.
5:25So nothing crazy, but he was the go-to guy.
5:27And this is Kansas City we're talking about too.
5:30So, I mean, there are no chumps when it comes to the defense there.
5:35So you got to feel good about him. And yeah, I was reading he did exit the game, but he came back
5:42in and he was dealing with cramps. He hasn't been in game shape, man.
5:47You know, he's got to get in game shape here.
5:50Yeah, but as you were talking to, the Rams scored.
5:53So now it's 26-23. I mean, Konata or Humfield, whatever.
5:57I'm not sure how it said his name. Konata Humfield.
6:00Humfield. There you go. It was just an absolute menace in that drive.
6:04I think he caught five balls all the way down the field.
6:08But yeah, man, I mean, moving on to one of the bigger injuries that's kind of been looming.
6:14We didn't necessarily talk about it since we, you know, you guys didn't hear from us from week two to week three here.
6:21But Puka Nakua now. I'm hearing two different camps.
6:24It's this is a contract injury. And that's why it's kind of so vague about what's going on.
6:30Where where does it hurt? It's his explosiveness. He's just he could play supposedly, but he just doesn't feel like he could be himself.
6:38Like that's one camp. The other camp that I'm hearing about is that this is, you know, there's the doctors on the
6:45Twitter and whatever are saying this sounds like a sports hernia, which could be when they say that they make it sound ominous.
6:53I don't exactly know what that means in terms of how long he would be out.
6:58Like, is that a season? Is that six weeks?
7:01Is that 10 weeks? Like, I don't know exactly what that means.
7:05But it seems like if it is a sports hernia, that'd be quite a much bigger deal.
7:11So I don't know based on you, if you've heard these things or if you have your own kind of thought about
7:18exactly what you think the injury like in our how concerned are you for Puka?
7:23I don't know, man. Like, I don't know what to make of this.
7:27I heard Sean McVay go on a podcast and say that he's not progressing.
7:31So that that's not a good sign no matter what it is, whether that's his contract not progressing or his hernia or
7:39groin or maybe his balls just are super angry at him.
7:42I don't know, man, but it's not good. I don't feel good about it, especially if this is someone you're depending on
7:49in your roster, you know, to give you 20 plus points any given week.
7:54And you've now gone two weeks without him. And even week one, you didn't get like that solid of a performance.
8:01So it's just it feels bad. It feels real bad, man.
8:05And it feels like you're wasting precious time with him.
8:08But this is also just kind of the Puka Nakua experience, man.
8:12Like if you've had him for a while, you know that he's not there all the time.
8:17But when he is there, he burns bright. So you just got to kind of wait for those those moments, those games to come.
8:25Hopefully he's back next week, week five, you know, somewhere around there as soon as possible, because you definitely need them in your lineup.
8:33Yeah, I mean, so the all this kind of stuff is coming from like Shepta that I was speaking earlier in the
8:40on like the, you know, the the rounds before the games.
8:44It was something along the lines of, you know, he can't play with that explosiveness.
8:49So he might not want to diminish his contract value by playing hurt and, you know, looking worse.
8:55And then from there, it's like the Rams do not think that surgery will be needed, but it's not entirely off the table.
9:02Those are direct quotes from Schefter. So I don't know what that means.
9:06Like, it seems very, very vague. It's definitely not good.
9:10So especially with the offseason that Puka has had and the concerns there.
9:14So, you know, I mean, he's making like five million while JSN is making 42 million or something crazy like that.
9:21So I could understand from his point, you know, he doesn't want to go out there and play, you know, 15 games
9:28at a subpar level and then lose tens of billions of dollars as a fifth round player who, you know, maybe in
9:35his mind, he was never going to make tens of millions of dollars.
9:39So I can kind of understand it, right? Like these people are still humans.
9:44This might be the only big contract Puka gets.
9:47It's the, you know, the one and only big, huge bag.
9:51So him not wanting to, you know, and it's also like the Rams aren't looking horrible without him.
9:56So that's for sure. But who else did we have?
10:00I mean, we didn't talk about it happened last week.
10:03Jackson Dart with that. I mean, you saw I think neighbors did play today, but it was pretty, pretty abysmal.
10:10I think the Giants kick like four field goals and then ended up losing to Carolina.
10:15So darts out for the season. So, you know, less about dart unless, you know, from a dynasty lens, like maybe you can go buy dart.
10:23From somebody, if you have a, you know, an equal or, you know, quarterback that you want to swap.
10:29If, you know, you want to get those points and look for the future.
10:34But from there, in terms of neighbors, we were already concerned about the injury.
10:39He didn't look great with when he was with dart.
10:42Like, how are you feeling about neighbors more? Neighbors more so when it comes to with like the dart injury.
10:48I'm not super worried about it, to be honest.
10:51I'm actually a little more excited about it, if anything, because we're going to get the Jameis Winston experience here.
10:58And I'm not really worried about today's performance. They got a Nor'easter, which were Nor'westers over here.
11:03Well, I'm a Nor'wester. You're a So'wester. So, I don't know how bad a Nor'easter is, but it looked pretty bad over there.
11:11You know what I mean? Yeah. Were you up on this?
11:15I didn't know this was a thing. The Nor'easter?
11:18Yeah, I've heard about it a few times. I mean, it sounds like from our weather for the rest of the year,
11:25we're waiting for this El Nino Malo to take over.
11:28And, you know, give us some quite a bit bad of weather here for the next few months to end the year.
11:35But apart from that, I don't know if you have actually watched it.
11:39Maybe you should go back. Did you watch the Jameis experience last week and this week?
11:45Obviously this week. Okay. I feel like he didn't look the same.
11:49Like when he was just chucking the ball deep, it didn't look the same.
11:53Obviously this week with the weather and all the rain and stuff, he gave a pass.
11:58But maybe last year he just was cold. I mean, he spent all offseason partying and being on, you know, FIFA World
12:06Cup podcasts and shows and doing all types of things that doesn't look like somebody who's, you know, a serious NFL player.
12:13So maybe he just needed to get back into NFL ready shape.
12:17But when he was just chucking the ball, it didn't seem like it had the same zip, the same, you know, ability.
12:24It's kind of funny. But comparing him to like Mariota, who like Mariota looks like a very capable backup.
12:30So I don't know if we're going to get that same Jameis Winston experience.
12:35It feels like it might be a lot more of the INTs, like 10 touchdowns to 30 interceptions instead of the 30 for 30.
12:43But for neighbors at least and for Scadaboo, you hope that it is the old school Jameis Winston experience.
12:49Yeah. He's more of a shotgun approach. You know, you just kind of spray and pray.
12:54Some are going to miss, but some are going to hit.
12:58And that's all we care about. We just want the ones to hit.
13:02He did throw that long one out to Malik Neighbors when Jackson Dart went out, you know, in week two.
13:08And, you know, it was a one good defended play away from, you know, being a big play for Malik Neighbors.
13:15So I think it's there. I think it'll happen.
13:18I'm not really all that concerned about it, even if it is 80% of what we normally get from Jameis.
13:25But let's move on to the next one here.
13:28Let's talk about Jaden Daniels and his dislocated elbow.
13:31He was out this week. And he's, you know, obviously we saw Mariota come back.
13:36They're consulting a variety of experts. Their surgery is not on the table.
13:40It's not in the discussions for them. But they are trying to figure out what the path forward is for him.
13:47It sounds like it's probably going to be what happened like last year where and probably not even as bad.
13:53Right. It sounds like he might be back in just a few weeks and then brace it up and play with it.
14:00Maybe, hopefully he deals with this in the offseason.
14:03Yeah, I mean, I don't know exactly what that would look like.
14:07It's one of those things that both injuries are kind of just like the freak things.
14:13It's like, is it like a strength, like muscle?
14:16Like what exactly could help? If not, if anything, like these are just kind of been two kind of freak injuries.
14:22Maybe he needs to stop learning, like to try to brace himself the way he puts his hand down.
14:29I don't know exactly what he could do. And if hopefully he doesn't come back, because last year it definitely seemed like
14:36he came back before maybe he was ready and then got kind of re-injured.
14:40And, you know, even if it's not the same injury, when you're when you go out there and you don't have full
14:48confidence in your body to perform, you start, you know, playing not necessarily scared, but you prevent, you know, to not get injured.
14:55And then you oftentimes just get more injured. So for a guy that's been just injured so much, injured so much since
15:02like his rookie year, you hope, you know, for the commander's sake that it's not the case.
15:08I mean, you know, at least this and that I don't feel nearly, like I said, as bad as like the dart
15:15injury, obviously, because it's not for the whole season, but also because Mariota came in today and looked, you know, looked good.
15:22One of the best defenses. Well, I think, you know, most people I sat Terry McLaurin in a league because I was scared of this matchup.
15:31And he, you know, he actually went off and played very well on the opposite side.
15:36Like Diggs did not, you know, didn't seem to really be Mariota's weapon.
15:40But, you know, I think for the foreseeable future, at least with your commander's weapons, you feel pretty safe in Mariota's hands, at least for now.
15:49Yeah, no, I feel similarly. And the way I understand it with Jaden Daniels and his elbow is that it happened again because he didn't get it repaired.
15:58Like he didn't do the surgery last year. And I guess the surgery would go back in and put in some sort
16:05of artificial ligament into his elbow, which would help stiffen it up and keep it, you know, in place like it's supposed to.
16:13But, yeah, I'm hoping that he addresses it in the offseason because it doesn't sound like he's going to address it now.
16:20And I think the reason is he wants to play this season.
16:24So, but yeah, Mariota can definitely keep the team afloat and you should feel good about the weapons there.
16:30Maybe even better, right? Mariota looked really good today.
16:33It's hard to imagine that team not doing well when they, you know, gave it to the Seahawks as bad as they did.
16:40Yeah, 100%. All right. Let's talk about the next guy on the, or I guess let's just go through the, I guess
16:48the, the bunch of injuries that happened today that weren't as serious, but ones that you need to know.
16:54Whereas, you know, Travis A. Chan had a hamstring injury.
16:57Justin Jefferson came off the field with an ankle injury.
17:00Sounds like he could have came back and wanted to come back, but didn't.
17:05So Mayfield left with a thumb dislocation. Coker left with a quad strain.
17:09Brees left with a thigh injury. Don't really know what that means.
17:13I mean, there were a bunch of injuries today, but those are some of the main headliner ones.
17:19Are any of those sticking out to you that you want to talk about or cover more on?
17:25Yeah. I mean, Mayfield is, he seemed like he was in a lot of pain if it's only at this location, but
17:32if he needs any sort of surgery, we've already seen with who was it.
17:37And what can I think of the running back that had a thumb problem as well?
17:42And that had to go on like IR because of it.
17:46It was like, anyway, so I mean, he couldn't land him in IR.
17:50So, I mean, Baker already himself has not looked great.
17:53I don't know if there was somebody behind him that's hurt, but it was a undrafted free agent that came into play.
18:00So, I don't know if that's who is the backup or if their backup was hurt.
18:06If that's the case, then, you know, you're pretty worried.
18:09Like, Buka has already not looked so great with Mayfield as well as, you know, Godwin and the rest of them.
18:16I mean, Ted Hurts caught the touchdown, I think, today.
18:19But otherwise, it's like it's been pretty bad. And then I think for Brees, the thing that worried me was him talking
18:26about it after he said something along like he felt something while he was running and then he got tackled and felt
18:33something else that like felt worse or something along those lines.
18:37So, I don't know exactly what he might be dealing with.
18:41But, you know, hamstrings can be, depending on the grade, could be, you know, several weeks to IR dependent on what exactly happens.
18:48Yeah. Who's the guy to own behind Travis H and who went down with a hamstring injury, right?
18:54Is it Alvin Kamara? Like, I don't want to put a ton of stock in Alvin Kamara.
19:00Like, who's the next guy up there? I mean, it looked like they were giving some touches and opportunities to Kendrick Miller.
19:07I don't know what is up with Alvin Kamara.
19:10It feels like he could touch the ball 35 times.
19:13I mean, he might get 22 yards somehow. Like, I just his efficiency, even with catching the ball these days, it's just
19:20I don't know what's going on because Shuck is slinging the ball all over and they're scoring like 30 plus points.
19:27I think they even lost today to the Raiders, but still scored like 37 points.
19:32So it's weird. I don't know if Kendrick Miller, who's another guy who's never been able to stay healthy is the right
19:39answer, but it kind of feels like that might be the player.
19:43Okay. Yeah, that's my beat on it too, but I wanted to get your take on it and see if we lined up there.
19:51All right, man. Yeah, I mean, hey guys, stay safe out there.
19:55The injuries are plentiful. Hopefully you guys made it through the week and your roster is not all headed to the IR.
20:02But let's dive into the rest of the episode here.
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21:07Let's take a quick break here to hear from the Podfather and we'll catch you all on the other side.
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23:00Compatibility and availability varies 18+. All right. Welcome back.
23:03Jose, something dawned on me while we were on break.
23:07The Niners already beat the Rams, so they are already in first place in the NFC West.
23:12Wonderful. And I mean, I think as we've been talking here, the Broncos have gotten bailed out by like three flags near
23:19the goal line, and the Broncos just scored. So it's looking like...
23:23Oh, did they? I haven't seen that yet. That's coming up then right here.
23:28Yeah. Bo Nix just ran it in. So it looks like the Rams are going to lose anyway.
23:34So the... I love to see it. It's one of my favorite teams to watch lose.
23:39All right. Yeah. Let's jump into the main segment here.
23:42Stats and vibes. We're bringing it back, man. We haven't done this one in a while, but this has always been a
23:49really fun one, and I'm happy to dive into it.
23:53Are you ready here, man? Yeah, let's get it.
23:56Let's get it indeed. Let's start off with Deshaun Watson, man.
23:59He has started off... He started off really bad, but over the last couple weeks, he's definitely looked a lot better.
24:06His week one, he had a 73% completion rate and a minus 2.1...
24:10I'm sorry, minus 0.21 EPA and a 97.7 passer rating.
24:14At that time, too, he had an ADOT about 9.5.
24:17And then in the next week, week two, he had an 80% completion rate.
24:21So that came up with a 0.31 EPA. That came up and a 121.9 passer rating also coming up.
24:28But what went down was his ADOT. And so what that tells me is it was just dink and dunk, man.
24:35And he was just letting his playmakers do what they do best.
24:38And that's what showed up on film when I went back and watched it.
24:43But despite the low ADOT, he still only has a 73% catchable target rate, which is 19th in the league.
24:50And that game, too, where he won in week two, that was a really close game to win.
24:55And I don't even necessarily think he won it.
24:58I think more so the Bucs lost it. However, in today's game, he looked a lot better.
25:04I don't have those stats yet. Those haven't really come out yet.
25:08But when they do come out, I'll be sure to update this and refresh that.
25:13But what are the vibes like here on Deshaun Watson, man?
25:16Like, you got anything for us here? Yeah, I mean, just a quick review, right?
25:21Like, he had, like, 50% completion, another two touchdowns.
25:24I think a little bit, just to talk about it before the vibes, is the rushing floor that we saw with Watson previously, like, before all the Achilles.
25:33It's there now. So, you know, I mean, he played Tampa Bay, played Carolina, who don't seem like world beaters.
25:40But, you know, he's gotten the wins, you know, as despicable as a person he might be.
25:46You do have to, you know, pay attention to him.
25:49And just like in Game of Thrones, you had to pay attention to, you know, King Joffrey when he was, you know, king.
25:56That's kind of what Deshaun Watson is. Like, right now we're in the arc where Joffrey's kind of like, you know, he's on the rise.
26:05He's playing well. And it's just, you know, how long is it going to take, right?
26:10Nobody likes him, not even in his own kingdom, in his own reign, maybe even in his own family.
26:16And Shadir is kind of like little boy Tommen awaiting his chance at the throne.
26:21But no one is taking him seriously. And, you know, I think for the Browns is one of those situations where if
26:28they have to ride with this, you know, this, you know, horrendous leader at their helm, they are paying him a lot of money.
26:36It just might be what they need to do, right?
26:39If he keeps winning games, like what can they do?
26:42I mean, I think it would be one of the most Browns and, you know, based on how the House of Lannister
26:50turned out in Game of Thrones for them to win enough games with Deshaun Watson in a pretty good quarterback class to
26:57then put themselves out of contention to for drafting a quarterback to replace Deshaun Watson with.
27:02I think it would just, you know, if there was something that you told me was the Browns, that that would be it.
27:10Maybe that's, you know, the Browns and just like the Lannisters, they always repay their debts.
27:15Maybe that's their contribution to like repay their debts to the National Football League for what they did with that trade and
27:22that contract they gave to Deshaun Watson. But yeah, man, I, you know, I don't know what the moment is for Watson here.
27:30Maybe it doesn't happen and the bad guy doesn't get his comeuppance.
27:33But right now he's he's playing well. And, you know, if you're in a Superflags League and a deep dynasty league, he's
27:41one of those guys that maybe even just because people hate him, you might be even get cheaper.
27:47And, you know, at the end of the day, like you roster all sorts of people that have all sorts of, you know, horrendous backgrounds.
27:55So, you know, I guess if you want to take a moral high ground, then, you know, that's completely up to you.
28:02But he is scoring points. I think he's like a back end quarterback one right now without, you know, the guys that are playing yet to play.
28:11So he's definitely somebody that's interesting, you know, in terms of in Superflags and deep dynasty leagues.
28:16Yeah. That's the weird part, right? It's like he is interesting for now.
28:21But it feels hard to like want to buy in on this type of asset because.
28:26Unless he plays lights out, there's there's no future with him, like especially with the strong quarterback class coming up that and
28:33that doesn't even necessarily mean that the Browns aren't going to take him.
28:37But that means if the Browns end up cutting him, there's going to be less spots for him to go to because,
28:44you know, those quarterback spots are going to be filled with these draft picks more likely than not.
28:50So it just feels like. It feels it feels like a lot of like how I feel about Kyler Murray right now,
28:58like unless he plays lights out, like the career is probably coming to an end sometime soon.
29:03It just feels a lot less ominous with Kyler Murray.
29:06Tashaun Watson feels like we're living on borrowed time right now.
29:10And like you said, like the Cleveland Browns are repaying their debts right now.
29:15Well, I actually it's more like Watson is repaying his debts, you know, because he pretty much robbed them for, you know,
29:22200 and something million dollars when he got that contract from them and then just got hurt and didn't play for the next.
29:29How long has it been three years now? Uh, it definitely was two full years.
29:34It was 25 and most of 24. No, I mean, I think he he hasn't played fully since like Houston days.
29:41Like he played 2022, right? 2020, 21. He was fully.
29:44He was suspended for a whole year. Then he goes to Cleveland, played six games, six games, seven games and nothing in 25.
29:52So he's definitely, definitely repaying his debts. But unfortunately, like you said, that that may just be hurting the Browns in the long run more so than anything.
30:01It's unfortunate, man. But yeah, I love I love the Game of Thrones reference here and him being King Joffrey, because is
30:08there a more unlikable person in the Game of Thrones or in all of the NFL right now?
30:14It just feels so spot on. Yeah, 100 percent.
30:17Yeah. All right, man. Let's jump on to the next guy here.
30:21And it's Jameer Gibbs, man. Jameer Gibbs is pretty good, isn't he?
30:25It's amazing. I mean, like I think they brought it up in the broadcast and you never want to compare like a young NFL player.
30:33I guess he's you know, this is his fourth year.
30:36He's not that young, but to like a Hall of Fame and one of the greats.
30:42But you really do get it's funny. It's in Detroit, right?
30:45The flash of Barry Sanders, the contact balance, the the he seems like he's completely stuck and he finds a way to,
30:52you know, come out and just still get yards.
30:55The ball, the way he catches the ball and runs, it's electric, man.
31:00It's incredible to watch. And I mean, you know, it was always I feel like going to go this way for Gibbs if he stayed healthy.
31:08He has so far. And I think in redraft, there's a reason he was the one on one.
31:14And he's pretty much proving it every time. I mean, what was it?
31:18You know, back to back like he had three touchdowns today.
31:22I think he had what two last week and then two.
31:25So, you know, he's he's just a workhorse, man.
31:28It's incredible. Yeah, it really is. Let's dive into kind of the stats behind it all here.
31:34Right. The through the first two games, he had 45 touches, attempts for 208 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
31:40Then he also had 11 receptions on 12 targets for 91 yards and one receiving touchdown, which was on pace for 380
31:47plus touches, 1700 plus yards and 17 touchdowns. Also 90 receptions, 760 yards and eight receiving touchdowns.
31:53Well, week three happened where he ends up having another 20 touches for 99 yards and two touchdowns.
31:59And then on top of that, he had eight targets for seven receptions, 65 yards and a touchdown.
32:05So the usage is through the roof, man. Like the usage today only furthered what we saw through these first two games.
32:12Just absolute beast mode, man. Like if you have Jameer Gibbs on your team, you could not be any happier with these these first three games.
32:20He's probably won you weeks all of the weeks, actually, for that matter.
32:25And if he didn't, you have some serious shortcomings on the roster.
32:29Nearly two thirds of his yards have come after contact.
32:32In week two, he had 47 of 52 yards come after contact, which means he's being hit early and often.
32:38He's also forced nine missed tackles already, which is like not surprising.
32:42Like what you said, you know, it's very Barry Sanders-esque of what's going on.
32:47But man, you got to at some point start being worried about this usage, right?
32:52Like this can't keep up, can it? I mean, we've seen these elite guys do it, right?
32:57Like we saw the Saquon. I mean, when you get worried is the next year, right?
33:03Like if he goes over the 400 touches or whatever, and then next year is when you start worrying, right?
33:09It's kind of like, you know, you go on a boys bachelor trip or something, you know, you go out with your boys.
33:17It's going to be a long weekend. So, you know, you start drinking early and another round keeps showing up.
33:23And, you know, you're having a great time. No cares in the world.
33:27You're mixing your carries, the beers with the receptions shots.
33:31And, you know, all of a sudden you finish the year and it's 400 touches, a dozen plus drinks in.
33:37And, you know, it's been a super long weekend.
33:40You're on the flight Monday. You kind of barely make it to the airport.
33:45You're staggering. You're good. But, you know, there's going to be some questions to be answered.
33:50There's going to be some, you know, questionable pictures of you there.
33:54You know, so you don't really remember the last time you drank a glass of water, that sort of thing.
34:01So it's borderline, you know, banging right on the edge of a disaster, right?
34:05You're hoping that, you know, you don't throw up, that everybody makes it home all right.
34:10And that next season, the hangover, which, you know, it's the entire work week is not going to be a doozy, which,
34:18you know, I mean, we've seen it. It may be, if anything, like next year, if this continues and he stays healthy
34:25this full year with this ginormous workload, it's more of a situation where you need to temper your expectations, kind of like Saquon.
34:32You hope that Gibbs isn't too good, that Madden wants to put him on the cover because then you get the, you
34:39know, the double effect and he's actually just cooked.
34:42But, you know, it's like while you're there at the Patrick, you just got to, you just got to enjoy it, man.
34:50You can't live about worrying about, you know, as our friend Banana Split Decisions would tell you, you can't worry about things that haven't happened.
34:58Worry about the things that may happen negatively in the coming days or future.
35:02You just got to enjoy it while it lasts and while it's happening now.
35:07And, man, is it fun. Like I was telling you pre, you know, pre-recording that I played against Bijan in a couple
35:14of weeks, but it just happened to be that those leagues I had Gibbs and I didn't feel bad.
35:20Like I was like, damn, Gibbs is giving it.
35:23You know, he's up there. He's like touchdown, touchdown reception.
35:27But I never felt bad. I was like, if there's another guy that it can maybe even outscore, which in one of
35:34the formats he actually did outscore Bijan is Gibbs.
35:37So he pretty much negated the giant Bijan game.
35:40And it's one of those things that the only thing to worry with Gibbs that's happened, and it's hard to say it's
35:47predictive, is his letdowns in the playoffs, in the fantasy playoffs.
35:50I think twice now in the championship games he's put up like less than 10 points.
35:56And he did it to me last year and two years before that, I think.
36:01So that's kind of the biggest thing. But now there's nobody else, man.
36:05There's no Monty to steal anything. It's just him.
36:08So maybe that's a concern to not really worry about.
36:11Yeah, man. I don't know if it's just me being 38 and every time I do have one of these binge drinking
36:18episodes, like I'm paying the whole next week for it, man.
36:22It's not the next day. Like I can't not help but think about the next week.
36:27I'm like, I'm having so much fun right now, but this is going to suck.
36:32Yeah, that might be a little, you know, it's not foreshadowing because that already happened.
36:37But part of the reason now, maybe we didn't get an episode last week.
36:42Brother, man. That and the stomach blew. I went camping, man.
36:45And I was keeping up with the boys and they were making margaritas and then we were having beers, bro.
36:52Like I was Jameer Gibbs with three touchdowns last weekend.
36:55For sure. For sure. This episode is brought to you by Michelob Ultra.
36:59Good times mean competitions between you and your friends, like seeing who can throw some pigskin the farthest or rush the field the fastest.
37:07Winner gets an Ultra. Because it's not just a superior-like beer.
37:11It's also giving fans superior access to their favorite sporting events.
37:14Superior is worth playing for. Visit MichelobUltra.com slash superioraccess to enter.
37:18Enjoy responsibly. Copyright 2026. Anheuser-Busch InBev Michelob Ultra Beer St.
37:21Louis, Missouri. This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome.
37:25You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome?
37:28That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web.
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37:44There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required.
37:47Compatibility and availability varies 18+. So from a positive stats and vibes, why don't we hit the last one here, which is
37:54not nearly as positive, not nearly as fun as a weekend bender with the boys.
37:59Brother, what is going on with Justin Herbert and the Chargers, man?
38:03We've seen it now for pretty much three weeks.
38:06Like even today where, you know, they gave the Bills a run for their money.
38:11How many? There was like five turnovers from the Bills, I want to say.
38:15And dude, they just couldn't help but give that game away.
38:19Yeah, I mean, it kind of felt like it was the thing that everybody kind of thought, which is like, oh, the
38:26Chargers lost to the Arizona and the Raiders. Of course, against Buffalo, who's kind of looked like a buzzsaw the first two weeks.
38:34They're going to beat them. And it did. I think it was like 10 or 13 to 0.
38:40Josh Allen had multiple picks, fumbles. It was looking like, you know, we talked about on the process first.
38:46The Josh Allen horror game was coming and then they just, you know, it was like the second half.
38:52It was 10-3 and then the, you know, the Chargers just couldn't do anything.
38:57It was just like, where is this high-powered offense?
39:00I get it. Like a lot of plays, if you're watching, you know, if you're just box score watching, you're like, oh,
39:07you know, Herbert's trash, the if man. But like every play, man, he's literally looking somewhat like he's running around for his life out back there.
39:15So, you know, not so much. But it's just like, what happened to this offense?
39:20Like, it feels like nothing is working. Brother, I don't think it's Justin Herbert's fault, to be honest, man.
39:26It's through the two weeks, you know, prior, we had 401 passing yards, 208 rushing yards, four touchdowns, nine turnovers, six fumbles, and three interceptions.
39:35Herbert was responsible for six of those fumbles. But again, like I don't think that this is necessarily like a Herbert stat.
39:42Like the amount of pressure that he's under is wild.
39:45And did he have any fumbles today? Do you know?
39:48I don't remember seeing. I know he had some picks, but I don't remember.
39:53He had an interception. Yeah, he had one interception go through.
39:56I'm not sure if he had a fumble or not.
40:00But the turnovers just keep happening. And it's not great, right?
40:03Not great, Bob. Not great, Bob. A 59% completion rate over those first two weeks with a minus 0.04 EPA and a 71.6 passer rating.
40:12Woof. Woof. Like looking at Buzz's girlfriend, like woof, bro.
40:15Like what is going on, man? To his credit, though, like I said, he's had the second most pressured quarterback thus far with a 45.5% pressure rate.
40:24Like nearly half of all of his dropbacks. He's seeing pressure.
40:27And it's not getting better. They're losing offensive linemen left and right.
40:31This feels a lot like last year. But the fact that Mike McDaniel is not being able to like generating anything, it's just weird, man.
40:39Like Omari and Hampton got going those first couple weeks.
40:43He looked okay. He had a couple fumbles, which was not great.
40:47But then this week, they didn't really go to him.
40:50And it was a lot of Keaton Mitchell getting involved.
40:53And to me, the usage we saw the backfield today was just Mike McDaniel going in his bag of tricks, trying to
41:00show that he can put this offense together. And he did it for a half.
41:05But he didn't close it out, man. Lad McConkie is a real linchpin for this offense, I feel like.
41:11J.J. Zachariasen put out on his Week 2 data dump, On all the plays with Lad McConkie off the field this season,
41:19the Chargers have an EPA per play rate of minus 0.41.
41:22That's second worst in the league, only ahead of the Falcons.
41:26And that number is 0.12 when McConkie's on the field, which ranks seventh best.
41:30So McConkie is kind of the piece that makes this whole offense work, it feels like.
41:36And obviously, he's dealing with that rib injury. He's been playing through it.
41:40But it doesn't feel like a cohesive offense if we're kind of banking on one guy being there, making it happen.
41:47Especially when we were so excited for this offense here.
41:50It just feels like a huge letdown. Yeah, 100%.
41:53And with Lad, it's like he's not that elite.
41:56So he's a smaller receiver, but he's not like a JSN where the entire offense can run through him.
42:02The fact that it is running through Lad, I don't think that's a great sign.
42:07I mean, obviously, if you have Lad, it's positive.
42:10But even today, he got out-targeted by Quentin Johnson.
42:13And it just doesn't look like a good offense.
42:16It doesn't look like one that has all these pieces that we were all so excited about.
42:21I think today was the Keaton Mitchell special. He had half the attempts that Omar in Hampton had.
42:27Omar in Hampton, I remember when we were talking about him and you were making the case for him being top five.
42:35Through three games, he has three targets. That's like even if he was being effective on the ground, which he has a
42:423.58 yard precarity, a 4.9 today, 3.73 with only two touchdowns and two fumbles, both of which he lost.
42:48Like he's just not getting any of those receptions, which was kind of my worry with Keaton Mitchell.
42:54It's not like Keaton Mitchell has also been like a world beater in terms of targets.
42:59But Vidal also had three targets this game along with Mitchell's three targets.
43:03So it's just like I don't know if he's just McDaniels.
43:07Like you said, he's like desperate to find something, make something work.
43:11Alec Ingold, the fullback, had four targets. Yes. I mean, all those like so that to me is kind of what you said.
43:18Like McDaniels is like, what can I do? How can we do something?
43:23And in terms of like for that, for fantasy, that's not, you know, that's not going to be something that gets it done for you.
43:31You know, if we're talking about the vibes here, I mean, this is the classic like the influencers that got paid to
43:38go to a restaurant and talk about how amazing it was.
43:42You know, Mike McDaniel was paying all you guys on Twitter, on the podcast to talk about Omar and Hampton.
43:48Talk about did you see what he did with Tua?
43:51Now he has Justin Herbert. Look how hot Justin Herbert is.
43:55That's, you know, those are the dishes. The beer is also really good there.
44:00If you know, you know. But also, you know, like then you as a regular person go and you wait in line
44:07for an hour and a half and you get your food and it's trash.
44:11It's just not good. And you're like, well, what happened?
44:15Like everybody made it sound so good. All these people, all these accounts.
44:19I got bombarded on Instagram and Twitter and the videos.
44:22And I was told it was going to be so good.
44:26It was going to be one of the best experiences of my life.
44:30And then, you know, you see Mike McDaniel hanging out over there and you're like, what happened, man?
44:36Like, why does my food taste so bad? Like, this is this is mediocre.
44:40I could have gone, you know, I could have gone in to like the old reliable, like, you know, my homes and that offense and gone with them.
44:50You know, the old reliable dish or in place that I know that I like the food there instead.
44:56In and out. In and out. There you go.
44:59Then. And I'm trying to think of I didn't have this thought out.
45:03Like who would be the in and out of like the NFL?
45:07Like just super consistent. I just went with my homes because they were in division.
45:12But besides that, man, it's just, you know, it's three games.
45:15I don't think it's too crazy to be overreacting, especially when like they continue to lose linemen.
45:21Right. I think the lineman they lost before the season, their center is for the season.
45:26I didn't see. I saw one guy get carted off, but I didn't see exactly what the injuries are.
45:32But if Herbert's having to play under this, the rest and the line can't block, you're in a situation where, you know,
45:40you really have to start tempering expectations. If Hampton or Lad were key pieces of, you know, your push for a championship,
45:47especially in Dynasty, you never want to sell low.
45:50But if there's a rebuilder that has some usable pieces that you feel much more comfortable and you can still get like,
45:57you know, the Hampton top five, six, seven Dynasty running back value.
46:01I think it's going to be hard, but, you know, you can always sell somebody the boat of like, you know, next
46:08year when everybody's healthy, if everybody's healthy, like it's going to be great.
46:12Sort of ship. But it's definitely very worrying, you know, like it's not anywhere to the level.
46:18It's not even as if you're like, oh, well, you know, Hampton's good, but everybody else has just been kind of it's
46:25like nobody has lived up to the expectations except for like Lad McConkie for the first half of the first game before he got hurt.
46:33Yeah, man. The beer is like really hot, you know, and I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be hot.
46:40Like you're supposed to drink cold beer, right? But the beer is like really, really hot.
46:45So it's probably not good, right? Like at that restaurant.
46:48But no, going back to the pressure thing, like you're saying, even in today's game, he was pressured 44.7% of his snaps.
46:5617 of the 38 snaps were under pressure. And it's just, and he was only blitzed 29% of the time today.
47:02Like that's. Yeah. I mean, these are not like world beater defenses either, right?
47:07It was Arizona, Las Vegas, and Buffalo. And then next they have to play Seattle and Denver.
47:13Like how much worse can it be? Like it's, it's hard to imagine, but I think it can get worse.
47:19And it just might, if they lost more linemen this week, I would be, I would be hitting the big red button.
47:26I would be full alarm on. I mean, I was never in on Lad.
47:31I was tempered expectations on Hampton. I have him as a core piece in a, in a dynasty championship team.
47:37And I'm full panic right now. Cause I, I don't know what I'm going to do.
47:43Cause I don't just see how this gets better.
47:46It feels somewhat like Gentie last year where it's like, if the old line really is this bad and Herbert's running around
47:53like a chicken with his head cut off every single play that doesn't just magically get fixed.
47:58Like McDaniel can't just magically make it better. Yeah, no.
48:02And it's not getting easier either. Right. I mean the next.
48:05What? Five games ahead of them. Call it six games.
48:09Even is this Seahawks at Seahawks. Right. And then the Broncos at the chiefs at the Rams.
48:14They have a host, the Texans, and then they play in Baltimore.
48:18And even the jets, the next game after that, and the jets are no slouch this year, man.
48:24And their defense is looking really, really good. And same with the Patriots, bro.
48:29Like they may not have a win, a win until December.
48:32Like that's a reasonable thing that could happen here.
48:35Can you imagine if the Chargers getting on the Jeremiah Smith sweepstakes?
48:39Oh, brother. That would be new. Like you guys have fangirl over the Chargers and McDaniel are going to lose your minds
48:46if somehow they have like a top five pick next year and have a chance of getting Jeremiah Smith.
48:52Or what's the guy Coleman, right? The other guy that's been really good.
48:57Cam Coleman. I mean, dude, it's possible. It's possible.
49:00I mean, if the NFL goes how it's supposed to.
49:03Yeah. You don't see them having even a shot at a win until maybe week 11.
49:08Like I don't think they, I think they somehow find the way to win.
49:13I mean, we saw what Denver looked like at the beginning of this game versus the Rams.
49:18They ended up being able to win it. And so same thing with the Rams.
49:23I mean, the Rams lost to the 49ers and today Denver.
49:27So they're not like super world beaters, but maybe by then Miles Garrett is back.
49:32So, you know, I feel like they'll find a way to win the NFL.
49:36That always happens. So I don't think they get to the Jets 0 and 10.
49:41But, you know, 2 and 8, 1 and 9.
49:44I don't, you know, it's far from what we expected.
49:47And so we always say you want, you know, especially running backs on good teams.
49:52It just doesn't seem like that's going to be the Chargers this year.
49:57Yeah. I looked it up to the guard that was injured.
50:00Their offensive lineman, Kejota Awosika, was sidelined with a fibula injury.
50:04Expected to be out multiple weeks. So. Yeah. So it just gets worse, basically.
50:08Pretty much. Pretty much. Yeah. They already lost their other offensive tackle, Trey Pipkins.
50:13Yeah. Yeah, man. The Chargers, the story of the if, right?
50:16It's like the crazy thing is, is last year we had the Chargers look really, really good out the gate before all the injuries happened.
50:25This year it's the opposite. So it just like, it feels so much worse.
50:29And yeah, I don't know. Mike McDaniel is definitely losing his Miami sheen here, right?
50:34It's like the sunscreen is just kind of like smells bad.
50:38Like you've been out in the sun now and it's like, it's no longer like a tan.
50:43It's just a burn. Right. It's like Mike McDaniel.
50:46Yeah. I mean, like the, the being a quirky, you know, hit the vape guy has kind of like that has worn off.
50:54It obviously wore off in, what do you, what do you call it in, in Miami?
50:59Right. So towards the end there, but you know, I, I think at the end here, like when do the Chargers and
51:06this is more like an NFL take having less to do with the, the fantasy football side, but like when, when do conversations start being had about Harbaugh?
51:15I mean, he got there in 24, so it's only been a few years, but like, do you, do you think Harbaugh
51:23would, would survive a, like a, you know, nine, 10, 10 losses by, you know, the 12th week of the season?
51:29Or, you know, you think he's pretty secure in his job there?
51:33I think he's pretty secure, man. I don't, I feel like if, if anyone is going to be Mike McDaniel is going
51:41to be getting the can like that, that feels more likely than, than Harbaugh losing his job, but I don't know.
51:47So maybe, maybe that's on the table here. Yeah.
51:50I mean, I guess he's won 11 games the last two seasons.
51:54That seems way less likely this year. So yeah.
51:57What's the common denominator, right? Like, like I said, like the, the Chargers came out and looked good last year before these
52:04injuries happened and what's changed other than the offensive coordinator and they came out looking flat.
52:10You know what I mean? It's like, yeah. Yeah.
52:13It feels like Mike McDaniel will be more likely the, the scapegoat for the season.
52:18If it does come to that and you know, they are like, Oh, and 11 at the end of November, like that,
52:25that could, that could very well be what, what we see here, man.
52:29All right. Well, we don't, we don't have a ton left here for, for the stats and vibes, but is there anything
52:36on your, your brain, man, your dynasty brain that you wanted to kind of talk about anything going on or even just NFL wise, man?
52:44Like what, what's the storyline that's, that's happening out there that you want to talk about?
52:50Yeah. I mean, like with, um, I guess we could, you know, talk about what just happened.
52:55Like, how do you feel? I guess the Rams are producing, right?
52:59Like you, you said you were happy to see them lose obviously, but, um, I think they're one and two right now.
53:06Cause they lost versus, uh, the 49ers. They were kind of pegged as one of the, the super bowl favorites.
53:13Do you think it's just a matter of them like getting healthy?
53:17They're missing Puka. They're missing, um, Miles Garrett, who they traded for.
53:21Do you think is, that's just kind of it.
53:24And they're going to kind of click and figure it out.
53:27Or, um, you know, do you think NFL wise there, there may be slipping in that, um, like super bowl contending, uh, slot.
53:35Yeah. I mean, them losing to the Broncos tonight was a little bit of a surprise.
53:40I can excuse the 49ers one. I mean, they were in Australia.
53:44They didn't, they didn't have everything worked out. Clearly Puka was injured at that point or playing through an injury or, or whatever it is.
53:52I can excuse that loss today was a little bit more disheartening, but it's not like they got blown out.
53:59Like they were in it till the end. They didn't have Puka.
54:03They, you know, they still don't have Miles Garrett.
54:05So I think better days are coming for the Rams.
54:09I think they also have like a really tough schedule too.
54:12So I think that they're just going to be one of these teams that you want pieces in because the games are
54:20going to end up being blowouts a lot or not blowouts, but barn burners, right?
54:24Where, where there's a ton of points coming in them unless their defense like legitimately turns on and they start shutting people down, which is very possible.
54:33The minute Miles Garrett comes back, he's that kind of guy that, you know, that difference maker that you need on the line to make it happen.
54:42Then you want pieces in this offense for, for fantasy.
54:45And I do think that they, they bounce back.
54:48I think it's just not going to be this blowout that people were expecting where, you know, they go, you know, 17
54:56and oh, and then march on to the, to the playoffs and make it happen.
55:00And I think it's going to be a little bit bumpier than people expected.
55:05Yeah. I mean, it's like kind of already started there.
55:08I guess another one would be, there's someone, one I've been thinking about like Matthew Golden.
55:14I feel like he was pretty disrespected. Like people were very low on him, but I mean, he's, he's shown to be a pretty good player.
55:22Like, do you feel like that is part of like Reed also getting injured or do you, do you really think that
55:29him, and especially with like the ability of Christian Watson to potentially not stay healthy or you, are you kind of buying
55:36the, the mouthy golden rise hype right now that, you know, especially after that game, or are you still kind of like out on his ability?
55:45No, I've, I've definitely turned a page on him being an NFL talent.
55:49I don't know that he's going to meet people's expectations of like a first round wide receiver necessarily.
55:55I think he'll be a valid contributor. And I think over this season, he's going to be pretty good for fantasy, right?
56:02With, without a run game, without an offensive line and with Jordan, I love needing to chuck the ball all over the field.
56:10Matthew Golden is going to see a ton of targets, a ton of yards, but I don't, I don't believe that's who the Packers want to be.
56:19I think that they're kind of embodying this personnel and this, you know, this scheme of offense out of necessity right now.
56:26And we'll kind of maybe see what that looks like as soon as Josh Jacobs comes back, whenever that is.
56:32Hopefully we get news on when that is so we can kind of start planning our rosters around it.
56:39But I think Golden does have a good season, but I'm just, I think like his ceiling is probably like a middle wide receiver too.
56:47Like, you know, like wide receivers 16, 18, that feels like his ceiling, but he's more likely like a wide receiver, you know, three in most years.
56:56That would be my like expectation of him and what he will be.
57:00But I just, I think the market is going to be ahead of what that expectation is.
57:05So I still won't have much of him because of that.
57:09Like the time to buy was this off season.
57:12Right. But I just wasn't in on him and that was a miss.
57:16Yeah. I mean, maybe one more before us, we kind of, I think we're getting close to the hour mark here.
57:23I mean, kind of buried the lead didn't talk about this guy, the whole episode after week three, but Brock Bowers, man,
57:30I think our crazy hot take that we both shared, he came out and completely dominated today.
57:3610 receptions, 116 yards, he had 13 targets and a touchdown.
57:39Like he looked like the guy. It was very, you know, happy to see that he didn't look like any sort of
57:47limitations with that knee with the meniscus trim or anything like that.
57:51So, you know, I don't have a ton of Brock Bowers, but just in terms of watching him play and watching what,
57:58you know, Kirko Cousins is doing out there and in, um, in with the, with the Raiders, um, it was a lot of fun to see.
58:06You know, he had a good game, but it's not enough Jose.
58:10If we're going to have him get the triple crown, buddy, he's, he's going to need to make like three touchdowns a game for the next five games.
58:19So just to make up for some lost time.
58:22Yeah. I mean, I had, uh, Jason was talking, or no, sorry, somebody else from in the league that was telling me about, you know, our bold prediction.
58:31I'm like, I think after missing two games that, you know, he'd have to go on even more of a, um, you
58:39know, hall of fame sort of level, uh, season for it's still possible.
58:43I mean, there's literally nobody else there that, that should be getting the ball besides him and gente.
58:49Um, but there hasn't been like a receiver that's really like, just came out of the, the gate, like firing on all cylinders here.
58:57Like there's, there's been some misses too. So it's like, I feel like the field is kind of depressed where he, he might be able to catch up.
59:06Um, yeah, I mean, I think hard to, hard to catch Jason.
59:10I think he might, you know, repeat there, but, um, he definitely has the, uh, at least the, the target share and
59:17the opportunity to, and I kind of think on the other side of that game, um, Tyler Shuck is pretty, you know,
59:24I don't know, definitively three games is still a little bit too much to crown a, uh, you know, an NFL franchise
59:31quarterback, but at least he seems like, uh, like the truth, at least with, um, how the game started, they kind of
59:39got away from him there and he threw a couple, you know, ugly picks, but at least for the majority of the
59:46game, he seemed to really be, um, playing well.
59:49Yeah, man. Tyler Shuck was another miss really. I mean, he's, he's, he's been playing lights out, which is, it's great to see.
59:56We, we love it for, for fantasy. I mean, one person I wanted to bring up is George Pickens, man.
60:03Where, where are we at with George Pickens here?
60:06Yeah. I mean, today, I think today was the first game where he actually looked, um, a bit better, but yeah, I
60:13mean, it's still like, it feels like a lot of, um, what people said about him that we didn't see a ton
60:20of, um, last year with the Cowboys that has cropped up this year.
60:24I don't know really if it's the franchise tag thing, not having a contract, what, what exactly is, but just like taking
60:32plays off the, the laziness, the, the drops, which is really weird.
60:35I mean, today he had 11 targets, which was more than CD only had 82 yards, didn't catch any touchdowns, hasn't caught any touchdowns.
60:43We haven't really seen that like deep threat, um, ability.
60:47Um, and he had another pretty bad drop when the Cowboys were trying to drive.
60:52So, um, I think you're seeing that, um, the ugly head of in like the ugly side of George Pickens rear, it's head that you hadn't seen.
61:00And you had thought maybe, you know, in different culture around different, um, people in the locker room in Dallas.
61:07So he got away from what he was, um, you know, experiencing there in, um, in with the Steelers, but I, I,
61:14maybe that just doesn't seem like that's the case.
61:17And if that's, um, you know, that's how it's going to be, then it's definitely a big hit to his upside and
61:24how, um, I was kind of seeing him going into the season.
61:28Yeah. It's going to happen. Like, I mean, the targets are there, the usage is there.
61:33So it's only a matter of time before we get this huge blowup game.
61:38And it's not like he's killing you. I mean, you know, seven for 82 is definitely his best game today.
61:45I mean, that's good for 15 points in a PPR league.
61:48And I think in the other weeks it hasn't been necessarily that good, but he's not goosing in you.
61:54Right. And like just disappearing completely that the usage is there.
61:58It's just been really a case of some bad drops.
62:01I think is, I feel like I've, I've seen four or five, if I can remember correctly from, from him and he's
62:08also done his own thing where he's been drawing pass interference.
62:12Like that's still very much there. So yeah, it's just kind of where it's at.
62:17I think, I think it does come together. Three weeks of this usage is enough to say I was wrong about the
62:24target share and you know, where he can get to, but it's definitely not the efficiency in the production is, is not
62:31where you guys thought that he would be either.
62:34Although I would, I do want to say Javante Williams had a bounce back game today.
62:39And that was really good to see because there was a lot of people kind of freaking out about him.
62:46Yeah. Panic in the streets. Yeah. I mean, they established a run early and then second, third quarter, they seem to kind of go back away from it.
62:55And then Javante came back in and was doing well.
62:58I don't know what kind of random things that happened in NFL game, like things are working and you try to, you know, not do that.
63:07You know, the end of that game for the Cowboys was a disaster on every front possible.
63:13But yeah, I mean, with Pickens, one of the things is like, you kind of fail to see the deep plays with
63:20Dak that he had such a good connection with Dak last year, where like, it seemed like he'd always at least once
63:27a game, find them for like a deep bomb where there was a touchdown or just, you know, over 30, 40 yard pass.
63:34I don't know if that's, you know, the routes he's running or how he's running the routes or, you know, just Dak
63:42isn't seeing it the same this year, but that's been something I've been a miss.
63:47It's just like a Cowboys fan just watching that necessarily just for fantasy, because I think it helped a lot with Javante
63:54and like CD and it just kind of opened up the whole offense.
63:58If you had to be worried about Pickens streaking down the field, you know, burning you for a 40, 50 yard pass or touchdown.
64:06So, you know, hopefully that comes around, you know, but the Cowboys are going to cowboy, man.
64:11Like it was what it was today. Yeah. Yeah, it was.
64:15I mean, the ball got spread around a ton today, which is something to consider 30, 38 targets between nine different players.
64:22Ryan Flournoy had seven targets. Jake Ferguson had five.
64:25Tyler Goodson. I didn't even know he was on the team, dude.
64:29Yeah. I mean, it's one of those situations where like, I get it.
64:33You got to throw, but it's like, I don't know.
64:37I, maybe I'm just too simple minded. I'm like, you have Pickens and you have Lamb.
64:42Like, yeah. Why are you going anywhere else? Or no, like he's not, you know, he's decent, like as a wide receiver
64:49three, but it's not like he was also so open, but you know, it's, it's maybe too, too simple minded of me
64:56to think to like throw to the best players.
64:59I don't think so, man. I think that's, that's a winning recipe right there.
65:04But, but Hey, that's not for us to decide.
65:07We are just the ones who enjoy watching the sport.
65:10All right, man. That was a pretty good episode here.
65:13What do you say we hit the outro here?
65:16Anything we want to call out before we hit the outro?
65:20No, man. I think it was, yeah, it was fun.
65:23It was, I'm glad we got to do this and stats and vibes is always a really fun episode that we put out.
65:31It is. And I have, uh, an article for stats and vibes on player profiler coming out.
65:36So there'll be more fuel for the fire here.
65:39Maybe we'll mix them in with the quick hits and have some fun with them and keep it plugged in.
65:46But yeah, man, we'll see you guys next week.
65:49Yeah. Thank you as always future first gang for writing with us.
65:52If you've been following, uh, please like subscribe wherever you get your podcast from, you know, you can also find this on
66:00YouTube, uh, watch the video version on our own, um, future first, uh, YouTube channel.
66:05Um, we still do it raw service. If that's of interest to you, um, check out process first, we drops out Saturday mornings.
66:12Um, yeah, man. Shout out to Fox shout out to J Mac as always for all the work he does.
66:19Um, and we're future first. We're out of here.
66:22See you next week. Every game day. You show up for your team.
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