PodcastFrom Fantasy Footballers
The Fantasy MVP Episode! - Fantasy Football Podcast for 9/4
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
1 hr 4 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 4, 2026
Published
Fri, September 4, 2026
22
Player insights
20
Players mentioned
Topics
Caleb DouglasChris BellA.J. BrownAlec PierceBlake CorumChristian McCaffreyColston LovelandD'Andre SwiftGeorge KittleIsaiah LikelyJadarian PriceJameson WilliamsKeaton MitchellLuther Burden
Player analysis
Player insights
A.J. Brown
PositiveValue48:13
Jason Moore names AJ Brown his fantasy MVP, arguing that he is being undervalued in the second round. Despite age concerns, Brown dominated training camp targets and is moving to a high-volume passing offense with a superior quarterback in Drake Maye. Historical comparisons to elite receivers like Randy Moss and Davante Adams at age 29-30 suggest Brown has a range of outcomes that includes finishing as the WR1.
Insight pageAlec Pierce
PositiveSleeper53:00
Andy Holloway highlights Alec Pierce as a major sleeper being drafted in the 8th or 9th round. Pierce is described as the Colts' clear WR1 following Michael Pittman's departure. Statistically, he is the cheapest 1,000-yard receiver in recent history, and his efficiency metrics—including exceeding 10.5 fantasy points in 53% of games last year—suggest he is poised for a breakout season.
Insight pageBlake Corum
PositiveBreakout10:11
The source uses Blake Corum as a hypothetical example of a player who could score three times in Week 1, advising managers that if such a breakout occurs, they should feel confident in their draft pick.
Insight pageCaleb Douglas
PositiveUsage35:46
The source is targeting Caleb Douglas in drafts, projecting him to play over 75% of snaps in the first month of the season. He is viewed as a rookie who has performed well in camp and is positioned to step up as a key part of the offense.
Insight pagePositiveRole35:46
The source prefers Caleb Douglas over Chris Bell for early-season production, projecting Douglas to play over 75% of snaps in the first month while Bell is worked in slowly following his injury.
Insight pageChris Bell
PositiveSleeper27:05
Ian Harditz names Chris Bell his fantasy MVP, comparing him to AJ Brown and noting his path to triple-digit targets in a Dolphins offense lacking other receiving options. The source notes Bell is recovered from a knee injury and ready for Week 1.
Insight pageNegativeUsage35:23
The source expects Chris Bell to be worked in slowly due to missing training camp, likely playing around 50% of snaps early on. While he could surprise with big plays, he is viewed as a sleeper pick for those willing to wait for his role to expand.
Insight pageChristian McCaffrey
NegativeProjection47:24
Austin Eckler names Christian McCaffrey his fantasy MVP, emphasizing his unmatched volume and consistent top-three RB finishes when healthy. While acknowledging the injury risk, the source maintains that McCaffrey remains the go-to choice for potential point output.
Insight pageColston Loveland
PositiveBreakout23:54
Rich Rebar identifies Colston Loveland as his fantasy MVP, citing his late-season 2023 usage (15%+ target share in final nine games) and efficiency (2.34 yards per route run in final five games). Rebar expects him to be a featured target and potentially the highest-scoring tight end.
Insight pageD'Andre Swift
PositiveInjury18:57
Deandre Swift left practice early on Thursday with what was identified as a cramp in his midsection. The source views this as positive news, suggesting he should be fine for Week 1.
Insight pageGeorge Kittle
NegativeInjury13:28
Matt Barrows reports that George Kittle is unlikely to play his usual 95% of offensive snaps in Week 1 due to an Achilles issue. The source suggests he is a risky start, though he might still be viable if he is utilized in the red zone.
Insight pageIsaiah Likely
PositiveUsage10:30
The source highlights Isaiah Likely's 2024 emergence as a prime example of a mid-season shift in team hierarchy, noting how he supplanted Mark Andrews in the Ravens' offense.
Insight pageJadarian Price
PositiveSleeper60:59
Kyle Borg identifies rookie Jadarian Price as a fantasy MVP candidate, noting his elite receiving ability and contact balance. Despite being behind other options, the source argues that Price's draft capital and talent make him a must-draft, even if his ADP is rising toward the middle rounds.
Insight pageJameson Williams
PositiveValue55:03
Matthew Betts highlights Jamison Williams as a middle-round target (WR25) in a high-scoring Lions offense. Williams showed significant growth in the second half of last season, and the source notes his consistent efficiency (2+ yards per route run, 11+ yards per target) as evidence of his upward trajectory.
Insight pageKeaton Mitchell
NegativeUsage45:45
The source expresses concern regarding Keaton Mitchell's health and availability heading into the season, noting that he is not currently a player they plan to start in dynasty leagues, which further bolsters the case for drafting Omarion Hampton.
Insight pageLuther Burden
PositiveBreakout40:32
JJ identifies Luther Burden as a fantasy MVP candidate, citing his fit in Ben Johnson's scheme and elite college efficiency metrics (98th percentile avoided tackles, 84th percentile YAC). Burden showed high-end production late last season, and his recent groin injury has suppressed his ADP to a more attractive range (WR26).
Insight pageMalik Washington
PositiveRole37:38
The source prefers Malik Washington over the rookies as a safer, serviceable PPR option who will be a starter while the rookies work their way into the offense, projecting him for five or six catches per week.
Insight pageMalik Willis
PositiveProjection28:54
Ian Harditz argues that Malik Willis is undervalued, citing his draft capital and the potential for development in a new system. The source suggests Willis could be a competent quarterback, which would elevate the entire Dolphins offense.
Insight pageOmarion Hampton
PositiveBreakout43:55
Meena Kimes identifies Omarion Hampton as a top fantasy target, citing his impressive 5.5 yards per carry outside the tackles last year and a tie for first in NFL EPA per carry outside the tackle. Despite injury, his skill set is viewed as a perfect match for Mike McDaniel's outside-zone scheme, and he is considered an underrated pass catcher with workhorse potential.
Insight pageRome Odunze
PositiveInjury18:57
Rome Odunze left practice early on Thursday, but reports indicate the injury is minor and he is expected to be fine for Week 1.
Insight pageSammy Watkins
NegativeBust8:21
The source recalls Sammy Watkins' 2019 Week 1 performance of 42 points as a classic example of a player who explodes in the opening week but is difficult to rely on for sustained production, warning fantasy managers not to overreact to such outliers.
Insight pageZay Flowers
PositiveInjury15:28
Zay Flowers returned to practice on Thursday, which the source notes is positive news after concerns regarding an undisclosed injury.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00Once, I lost so badly in my Fantasy Football League that I had to eat an entire can of dog food covered in wasabi.
0:08It was unpleasant, but now I've found the Fantasy Footballers' ultimate draft kit.
0:12The days of dog food are gone as I dig into their breakouts, values, tiered rankings and much more.
0:18If you want to join me in the winner's circle where you don't have to paint your butt cheeks like an elephant's
0:25face, head over to www.ultimatedraftkit.com and prepare for your fantasy draft.
0:29To the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright.
0:34Woo hoo hoo hoo! I realized I had to do a different intro because...
0:38Welcome into the Fantasy Footballers. I'm the backup host for today, but Andy is here.
0:43I'm just here so I don't get fined. So I couldn't do...
0:47Right. ...the normal intro. It's not a nasty boy show.
0:50So I kind of panicked and I just said the word yo a lot.
0:55Now I know at least one person out there thinks that you're hosting because you want more airtime.
1:00Mike, we saw one of those comments. We did see that in the YouTube.
1:05So we did a mock draft yesterday. YouTube was elite yesterday.
1:08We did a mock draft yesterday and it was very clear from the first, I don't know, five seconds of Andy talking that the voice is struggling.
1:17The sickness is going around our building. I'm doing my best.
1:21And so Andy's like, someone help me. I'm like, I'm the hero.
1:25I can do this. And then YouTube was like, well, why did Mike take over?
1:29He must be upset that he doesn't get to talk enough on the podcast.
1:34The comment was spectacular. It was like, you know, the vibe is off today.
1:38Mike must have complained behind the scenes that he doesn't get enough talking time.
1:43There were quite a few wild comments on yesterday's show.
1:46But if you have been around me, do we have the it's just weird that it goes from Andy to Mike leading the mock feels like Mike complained.
1:55He doesn't get to talk as much as the other guys say.
1:59If you know anything about me, I know that's what's so great.
2:03You know that I complain that I don't get to talk enough.
2:07So my favorite thing. Yeah. You are a talker, especially like elevators, public spaces.
2:11But for the time being, I will be here as the like I said, I will be the backup host.
2:18Welcome in. It's September 4th. It is Friday. It is MVP day.
2:22A very special episode. We go out to the industry.
2:25We get some of our buddies out there because, look, we're kind of isolated.
2:29We're our own thing. We were not out there.
2:32You know, it's not a disrespect to what other people's work.
2:36We just we we want to have our opinions, our projections.
2:39And that's what they also do as well. Yeah.
2:42I always enjoy hearing them or when we get them in because we don't know who they're going to pick.
2:49And I I'm always like, is it going to be someone I like or someone I hate?
2:54Because, you know, it's a different perspective. It's nice to get other people's fantasy MVP.
2:59Obviously, our fantasy MVP is on the show as well.
3:02That is probably the most important. There is so much going.
3:06Now, Andy wouldn't miss this show because it's like this is a big show.
3:10It's a big day. The Megalobull drafts start today.
3:13Oh, baby. Drafting today this whole weekend all the way through the very beginning of next week.
3:19We have Megalobull drafts. If you want to get in on it, go to Megalobull.com.
3:24It's free if you're a FootClan member. Just go and pick a five days worth of drafts.
3:29Five days worth of drafts. Get in. It's a fun format, a fun league.
3:34And if you win, which is difficult, you get in the listener league for next year and you get a free FootClan for life.
3:41Ultimate membership. And the bragging rights of winning the largest fantasy football tournament that I plan to have.
3:47That I know of at least. Uh, also if you are, if you just have your regular fantasy football drafts as well, and you're like, oh crap.
3:56I jumped in late. We have you covered ultimate draft kit.com.
3:59That is our premium resource to get you ready for the draft.
4:03Our tiered rankings. Like if you're just, you're trying to binge and get ready as I've, I've talked to plenty of people.
4:10There's casuals. They realized, oh, we got to get in there.
4:14Uh, so ultimate draft kit.com. It is still available.
4:17It still will be updated, uh, throughout the weekend.
4:20If there is breaking news. I just realized this is the last show.
4:24Yes. We are recording before our league of record draft.
4:27We won't be on air again before until we have finished our draft.
4:31How exciting. I've got a funny feeling. My drafts can end up.
4:35Okay. Like my final roster. Well, you already drafted.
4:38Yeah, you, you're already drafted. You already got all the guys.
4:42Yeah. So that's cool. I'm pretty excited. Yeah. I'm very excited for you quick.
4:46Do you like my deep voice? You sound like Adam Lefkoe.
4:50Lefkoe. Quick question of the day of the day from J key in Phoenix.
4:54Hey ballers. Do you guys have any tips that I don't overreact after week one's performance trying to avoid another Sammy Watkins?
5:01Oh man. The lizard king. 42 points in week one, Sammy Watkins in 2019.
5:06It was, it was a delightful. And I can tell you Sammy Watkins in 2019 was on my roster.
5:12Oh baby. Shout out to the lizard king. Was he in your lineup?
5:16No. Or that week one matchup? Uh, I don't think so.
5:20That's four weeks. That part. I don't remember. Uh, did I trade him?
5:24No, because I had done it guys. I had, I had Patrick Mahomes wide receiver one.
5:29Wow. I did it. I didn't even remember which team that was for.
5:33Right. That was the chiefs. Am I remembering this right?
5:36It was absolutely. Okay. He did it twice. He did it two different years.
5:41Yeah. So I don't know which one that was.
5:44Yeah. Maybe I'm thinking of the wrong year. Here's my answer.
5:47Oh yeah. Chiefs versus the Jaguars in week one.
5:50Im possible. Yeah. Oh yeah. That's what I actually, I actually think the answer to this question, what are tips so you don't overreact?
5:58Don't be a human being. Yeah. Otherwise impossible. If you can convert to robot, you may be able to handle it and
6:05take your emotions out because it, especially if you thought something about the player, it's confirming your prior.
6:11Oh my gosh. If Blake Corum scores three times in week one, just take your lap, take your lap.
6:17You, you are the champion. And you know what?
6:20I don't think, I mean, the truth is bringing up a question like this is enough of just making sure.
6:26And after week one, we'll talk about it again and again.
6:30Oh, the 20, 24 Isaiah likely Jason. Oh yeah.
6:33Oh yes. And the Mark Andrews was dead and gone and it had shifted to likely.
6:38Yeah. There's all sorts of examples like that last year, you know, I was high on Justin Herbert and Justin Herbert comes
6:45out in week one and scores like a pajillion points.
6:48It was like, yes. The only one that you can control is if it is a player that has done nothing ever
6:56and they have a crazy week one, like a Greg Ogletree.
6:59Oh man. Then you might, I mean, he's still going to be the top waiver pickup.
7:04Yes. But you might be able to say to yourself, let me have another week before I start them.
7:10Yeah. I mean another week before you start them, but you, but you also have to move on week one.
7:17The data on week one is, it is not like guaranteed that that's going to continue happening, but the players that do
7:24break out kind of out of the blue, like a Puka Nakua, they, they usually don't get started in week five.
7:31Um, you know, we talked about that in the waiver wire analytics is like the, the hits in week one are valuable.
7:38So pretty much just don't overreact. Don't make moves in trade based on that with waiver wire.
7:43You have to make transactions. Um, so go after those guys, but, um, yeah, we'll try to keep you grounded.
7:50Yeah. Just tune in. We will go over it.
7:53The guys who explode in week one, we'll give you at least our opinions on it.
7:58And it's hard, man. It's really, really difficult to sift through that of what is going to end up being true and
8:05what is not news and notes from around the league.
8:08The athletics, Matt Barrows. I think it's borrows. Oh, I don't know.
8:12Why are we talking about borrows at a time like this pizza time?
8:16Uh, said he is sure 49ers tight end George Kittle quote, won't be on the field for his usual 95% of the offensive snaps in week one.
8:25So this is, thank you for that, Matt. It's, it's, it's obvious that he's not going to be out there for every snap.
8:32You don't come back off of the Achilles barely gets a week one.
8:36And then just because it's a game say, okay, do what you can't do.
8:41The question is really, if you draft George Kittle, he made the flight.
8:45So as of now, I presume he's going to be active.
8:49Yes. I don't know if you can start him.
8:52The, what the report that I want is, I, Mr.
8:55Mr. Barrows or borrows say, I'm hearing George Kittle.
8:58As soon as they're in the red zone, George Kittle will be on the field.
9:03Yeah. Cause if that's the case, then you can still play George Kittle.
9:07Like a George Kittle week one line of three for 17 with two touchdowns.
9:11If he's playing in the red zone, that's not impossible for George.
9:15There's just a chance for a little Kittle. Yes.
9:18There's a chance for an itty bitty little Kittle.
9:21There is, there is some major risk. Uh, so hopefully we'll get more information.
9:26This is what I'm bringing to the show today.
9:28Yeah. Some good work over there. Ravens wide receivers, Zay Flowers returned to practice Thursday.
9:33That's good news. Oh, for you. Yeah. That was starting to get a little sweaty with the undisclosed injury.
9:39Patriots running back Travion Henderson with his ankle injury, not spotted at Thursday's practice.
9:44He has not practiced since August 24th. This has been a long time sitting out.
9:49Obviously they are game planning for week one. He's not practicing.
9:52So this is a player that honestly, if, if he is active week one, I don't know if you put them out here.
10:00I love this news cause it bails me out of everything.
10:03You know what I mean? Like genuinely there's not from the teams you already drafted him, bro.
10:09Well, no, I know. I still do think, I mean, I, I do believe that by the second half of the year,
10:16Travion Henderson is going to be the primary running back and great for fantasy.
10:20That's the shot I'm trying to call. Obviously anyone who is on that side thinking it's going to happen from week one is wrong.
10:28I mean this, before the injury, everything was Ramondre is the lead guy.
10:32Ramondre is doing everything better. Travion still hurting with, with past protection.
10:36I mean, add in the injury there, you know, I, I, if I drafted Travion Henderson, obviously depends on my roster, but
10:43I would be looking for someone else to start.
10:46And there are other, there are other options that, um, you know, some of these backups, I mean, I don't know if you go to like Roshon Johnson.
10:55Oh, but I mean, let's talk about the bears news, but it's just a reminder.
11:00The Patriots Seahawks is Wednesday. So there's not even right.
11:03Like the extra, Oh, Thursday, or maybe even the weekend.
11:07And you're playing the Superbowl champs. I, uh, even if he's back, Henderson is going to be, he'll be low in our rank.
11:14He'll be a terrifying week one start opening day when he's struggling with past protection and you're against Seattle.
11:20There's no need to do it. Yeah. I, I'm probably finding a different option.
11:25Uh, and then late yesterday, this one popped through.
11:27We do need really good for my fantasy MVP.
11:30Yeah. For my bold prediction. We, we don't have a ton of updates, but here's what happened last night.
11:37Bears wide receiver, Roma Dunze and running back Deandre Swift left practice early on Thursday.
11:41We did. I saw a report that Rome was expected to be fine.
11:46Yes. I think we did get updates that were both very positive.
11:49I didn't see the Swift one. I didn't. It was a cramp.
11:53Yeah. I didn't see that. Okay. I had looked when, when out a little while after the news broke, it was basically
12:00the first, uh, update we got was that the Rome thing was minor and it wasn't, and they weren't saying anything about it.
12:08It wasn't a concern, but that the Swift one, when he went down and practice was a lot of pain and it looked bad.
12:16And, um, but it was always, but if it's a cramp section, yeah, that was the encouraging thing about the Swift news.
12:23It was not his leg. It was like, he's grabbing his midsection, which.
12:27Well, that's, that's, that's great. I mean, I, obviously that means we should be fine for week one.
12:33I, my Roshan, uh, I hadn't seen that it was a cramp yet and I hadn't gotten the update, but, uh, brother,
12:40you got to start hydrating the day before. I'm pretty sure they stay.
12:44I think Swift is hydrating all the time. Well then you need the, uh, the pickle juice.
12:49There it is. That's the solution. Butterfly stretch and pickle juice.
12:53I don't know why this is so hard. I seriously, why not that difficult.
12:57Why are NFL teams? How many times have we been, you know, they're not coming to us.
13:03I mean, we have the answers. We know you're listening.
13:06We know that if you just go to us, butterfly stretch.com, you will understand.
13:11Oh my gosh. I forgot. We did that. I got to go check it out.
13:16Currently active groin index.com. Oh, it's beautiful. We're back.
13:18We're back. Oh, groin index lives. Well, that is, which is very, you might notice similarities between groin index.com and butterfly stretch.com.
13:26You might, but that is, that's the best news that I have heard all day.
13:30Novelty domains are our, our expertise. Also, how does nobody own butterfly stretch.com?
13:35Well, you can't make offers. I am willing to sell.
13:38Before we jump into the fantasy MVP, we're going to take our first quick break.
13:43Who's your fantasy MVP? Andy has the buttons, but I am the host.
13:47That was incredible teamwork. Yeah. I, um, I heard it and then, you know, then you thought about it and you were like, that's it.
13:55Oh yeah. That's me. A reminder. So fantasy MVP, we reached out to, uh, our friends around the industry and we said
14:02basically like, you know, this is, this is up to you.
14:06Is it your favorite value pick of the draft?
14:08Is it your, just your favorite pick? Is it your, uh, you're calling your shot on a breakout?
14:14So we kind of leave it open to the, the, the fantasy expert and they're just their insight, how they want to handle it.
14:22So we're going to start off here. Great friend of the show, rich rebar at Lord reebs from over at sharp football analysis.
14:29Absolutely legendary mind in the space. Let's hear what he has to say.
14:34All right, footballers this year. My fantasy MVP is Colston Loveland.
14:37He ended the season with at least 15% of the team's targets in each of the final nine games was targeted on
14:4424.7% of his routes for just under two yards per out run over that span.
14:49And over the final five games, he played an 81% of the team drop backs, receiving a target on 31% of his
14:56routes with 2.34 yards per out run. Even in a split season of work as a rookie, he showcased his weekly upside.
15:03He had four top three scoring weeks at the position.
15:07Only Trey McBride matched that and had more. And as Loveland came on to close the season, we saw Ben Johnson adopt more of that 12, 13 personnel.
15:16They were sixth in 12 personnel, second in 13 personnel over that span.
15:20Chicago is elevating Luther burden into DJ Moore's role.
15:23This allows Loveland to remain a featured target in the offense and commit.
15:27Cole Komet's presence lets Loveland move around the formation and arguably the de facto slot receiver.
15:32But as a rookie, he played everywhere. 57% snaps in line, 22% from the slot, 17% out wide, and he can win everywhere.
15:39Ben Johnson wants to score the most points in NFL history and Colson Loveland's going to score the most points for any tight end this season.
15:48Whoa. That ended with a fire take. I love it.
15:51Lord Reeves, Lord of the nerds. Reeves and his dad, I mean, he always brings incredible information.
15:57Obviously you agree with this, Mike, since that is...
15:59Yeah, no notes. That's one of your my guys.
16:02So there is a lot of unanimous opinion on Loveland here.
16:06We are kind of all in on Loveland. Yeah, that one I have no notes.
16:11All right. Ian Harditz of Roto-Wire. Absolute domination on Twitter at iHearditz.
16:15You can find him and he... I mean, he's always cracking me up over there, giving you good insights and good jokes.
16:22Let's see who his fantasy MVP is. What's up, fantasy footballers?
16:25Ian Harditz here from Team Roto-Wire with my 2026 fantasy football MVP.
16:29Give me Dolphins wide receiver Chris Bell. Whoa. Yeah, yeah.
16:32Get your laughing hat. No, no, no. No laughing.
16:35Or a Chase Brown like these other alleged fantasy football experts.
16:39Man, the people's got to give the people a true sleeper they can get in the last round of your home league draft.
16:46And that is Mr. Chris Bell. I dare you watch that game against Miami last season and tell me this dude doesn't
16:53look like the second coming of Mr. AJ Brown.
16:56Without the knee injury, we were looking at a legit round one talent who's now recovered.
17:01We got out there in the preseason. We're off the pop list.
17:05We are ready to go for week one in an offense with nobody else to throw the football to.
17:11Look at this depth chart. Malik Washington, Caleb Douglas, Dajon Love, Jalen Tolbert.
17:16They told me Chris Bell is not going to rise to the top of that immediately.
17:21And oh Ian, it's the Dolphins. They're going to run the ball.
17:25Are they going to run the ball? That's a great thing to say in August.
17:29Not when you're down 28 at halftime in every single game like we're expecting.
17:34What about Malik Willis? Could he be good or okay?
17:37You look at him over the last two years, small sample be damned.
17:41He ranks first in all of them, everything we can possibly measure about a quarterback.
17:46Chris Bell is a young baller with a path to breeze past triple digit targets with a quarterback who might not suck.
17:53That's my pitch. Love you guys. He snuck Dajon Love on the deck chart.
17:58Yeah, he did. He's a jokester. Andy is applauding.
18:01Andy loves this. Andy is like all. Do you have any bets on Dolphins to win the Super Bowl?
18:07Not yet. No, because you're going to get some great numbers on that.
18:11This would have been a perfect time to go to Deucer's Alley for a dolphin, but the dolphin's not there so we'll have to go.
18:19Yeah. Papa Josh, your best dolphin? Oh, no, your best dolphin.
18:23No. That's not bad for a guy who literally used to be a dolphin trainer.
18:28That's a dolphin being killed. Yeah. I think someone...
18:30With a machine gun. We had a Deucer who was like, oh, Monday's Labor Day?
18:35I know. What did he call it? You think we don't know what you're...
18:40I called it vacation maxing. Yeah, he knows he's got Monday off for Labor Day.
18:45So he's wrapping up. Yeah. I mean, it's not a busy time of year.
18:49I think the... It's just the biggest draft weekend.
18:52I think the calendar is going to include some extras, extra no-no days.
18:56Oh my gosh. You ruined it for everyone, Matt.
18:59Hope you're happy. One half decent dolphin impersonation and he can get out of town.
19:04He chucks up the deuces. I'm out of here.
19:07So Chris Bell, we know Andy's in on it.
19:10I'm concerned about the early season here of missing so much training camp and really being able to go.
19:16But that's... Is my voice good enough to make a small compelling argument here?
19:20Yeah, sure. You're going to have to do it for your MVP anyways.
19:25I know. So let's see. Yeah, do you want to save it or do you want to just ruin it on Chris Bell?
19:32No. The point... The funny thing is to me, and I'm just...
19:36I'm going to try not to be dogmatic about this because it's certainly not a guarantee the dolphins are any good whatsoever.
19:43The thing that I think is so funny is it's like they were a terrible football team with Mike McDaniel and Tua Tunga-Mailoa.
19:50Okay? I know you can go back two years and say their offense was humming and functioning.
19:56They were not last year. And... Well, I would just remind you, they were seven and ten last year.
20:02So they've like... To call... To say they're an awful team is...
20:06Let me put it in the category of whatever gets you fired.
20:10Yes. Okay? That's fine. Sub 500 and the offense struggled.
20:13Mike McDaniel's fired. We bring in not Mike McDaniel and we bring in not Tua Tunga-Mailoa and the default place for all fantasy analysts is worse and worse.
20:22I just want the... I want the possibility here.
20:25When you have a head coaching change, when you have a regime change, when you have a quarterback change, it can get worse.
20:32It can get better. Some teams we have high expectations for and they don't show up and they're not the guy that we think they're going to be.
20:41It's like the Chargers every year. Or, sometimes we're surprised and maybe bringing in a bunch of new coaches and a bunch
20:48of new training staff and a bunch of new systems and the numbers that Hartett said about Malik Willis.
20:55Maybe Malik Willis isn't the best at every single thing because of the small sample size, but what if he's pretty darn
21:02good because he was drafted with draft capital that was...
21:05I mean, we've done this now 10 times with the Sam Darnolds, right?
21:09With the Geno Smiths, Baker Mayfields. Development is underappreciated at the level and we discount and throw players away.
21:15Malik Willis was not a good quarterback in Tennessee.
21:18That was a long time ago. I love Matt LaFleur and Green Bay and their system.
21:23I just want to leave the door cracked open for a middle-tier offense and that will change the landscape for Bell, for Willis, for Achan and the team.
21:32I think it's in reverse. I think it's they need Bell or Douglas, their two rookies, to step up to become a middle-tier offense.
21:40So it's one and the same. If they are a middle-tier, then one of those two guys really hit.
21:46For me in the draft, draft day this weekend, I'm taking my shot on Caleb Douglas, the rookie they drafted ahead of him, who's been great at camp.
21:55Because my assumption is week one, week two, the first month of the season, I think Caleb Douglas is going to be playing more than 75% of snaps.
22:04And I think Chris Bell is going to be worked in slowly.
22:08So the first opportunity to hit, if I'm, I don't want to hold on to Chris Bell for a month, if he's
22:15playing 50% snaps while he's still working back from the injury.
22:19I would be shocked if week one, he's out there for 75% of the snaps after missing all of training camp.
22:26I know he got into a preseason game. I think you're right about the snaps.
22:30But I think that there's a chance that after week one, you have a couple of massive plays.
22:36It's not all going to be snap count. It's going to be who makes the plays.
22:41And I think Chris Bell could surprise people. But I mean, I'm obviously with heart.
22:46I like the pick because it is. This is a sleeper that, even in really intense leagues, you can get Chris Bell late.
22:54And he was projected to be a first round pick before the injury.
22:58And funny enough, Jason, your case that you laid out, that's why I prefer Malik Washington.
23:03Sure. I want the vet who will be a starter.
23:06And while the rookies are working their way in, I think that Malik could be a serviceable PPR guy catching five or six passes a week.
23:15You know what this sounds like? It sounds like three different names that we're going with.
23:20Yeah. Malik gets to throw to all of these superstars.
23:23All of these superstars. That's what I heard. Take your shots.
23:27All right. Next on the list, he's here every single year because he is truly one of our favorite people.
23:33One of our just a good man, good human and a spectacular fantasy analyst.
23:38What? This isn't. I thought this is JJ. Wait, who is it?
23:41Me. Yeah. I'm talking about me. Oh, yeah. You are a great man.
23:46A spectacular analyst. Thank you. No, it's JJ. But you said nice things.
23:50I know. What's that all about? Guys, I'm thrown off here.
23:53I'm hosting a three person show. I don't know what I'm supposed to do with my hands.
23:59I mean, I don't think. You just love to talk.
24:02Look, JJ is a good guy. Sure. And a good analyst.
24:06Okay. I've seen his pick, but it's great. His hair.
24:09Oh, yeah. I don't know if you can really listen to a guy like this.
24:14We'll leave that up to the YouTube. YouTube.com slash the fantasy footballers.
24:18All right, JJ. Take it away. When I think about a fantasy football MVP, I think about outliers.
24:23I think about a player who just ends up being special and doing something special.
24:28And sometimes you have to take a chance on those players.
24:32And one guy I'm willing to take a chance on this year is Luther Burden.
24:37There's a real chance that Roma Dunze is just a better traditional wide receiver than Burden.
24:42But I'm a believer that Burden fits exactly what Ben Johnson wants to do.
24:46Scheme his guys open, give them a lot of space to work with, and let them do their thing with the ball in their hands.
24:54Burden excels at that. Back in college, among all wide receivers and my wide receiver zap model, Burden had a 98th percentile
25:01avoided tackles per reception rate and an 84th percentile yak per reception.
25:05And when he got his opportunity last year, he thrived.
25:09He finished with the third best rookie season yards per hour run of any wide out since 2011 with 100 or more routes.
25:16And he ran a route on more than half of Chicago's dropbacks in each game from week 11 through the end of the fantasy season last year.
25:25In those contests, he was 10th in targets per outrun, second in yards per outrun, and fifth in PPR points per outrun.
25:32I actually think Burden's floor is actually okay given the environment in Chicago, but the ceiling case is definitely there.
25:38That's why I'm making him my fantasy MVP this year.
25:41And by the way, even though I know you guys are going to use that picture of me with a bowl cut
25:49in your video for this, I still love you.
25:51We changed the picture. Yeah, we didn't use the picture you thought we were going to use.
25:57The boy grew up to be a man. Yeah, that was the haircut he had as a boy placed on him as a man.
26:05I assume that's what he still has. We might have given him some work on the teeth.
26:10No notes. I love Luther Burden. Man, what if the Bears disappoint?
26:14So you know how I do on the bold prediction show.
26:18I always pick some hot new hot offense that I think is going to disappoint.
26:22They were like on the shortlist. I couldn't do it.
26:26Of course you can't. I couldn't do it because I literally think Ben Johnson.
26:30Yeah, I think Ben Johnson's going to get it done.
26:33But everyone is in. You know, obviously we've got a Caleb, my guy.
26:38We've got a Loveland, my guy. We have a Bears big bold prediction.
26:42Now we've got a Burden and Loveland MVP. Come on.
26:45Don't let us down, Caleb. Historically Bears bets are bad bets.
26:49Yes. This is really genuinely what's funny is like we're betting on all these people.
26:53We're betting on the talent. We're betting on Ben Johnson and Burden and Loveland.
26:58None of it comes true if Caleb doesn't level up.
27:01So good thing he's my guy. Yeah, no, I know.
27:04Come on, Caleb. So the thing, so Luther Burden, if you hadn't heard, he is back at practice.
27:10His, the groin injury is kind of like a.
27:13He's not on groinindex.com. It's a bit of a blessing because Luther Burden's ADP had reached a point where it was just, what are we doing?
27:21What are we doing here? I love Luther Burden.
27:24I love the potential, the upside, but we're, we're drafting him around wide receivers where I'm confident in who they are as players where Luther is.
27:33We, we still don't know, but now I'm seeing a sleeper ADP of wide receiver 26 going in at the six Oh one.
27:40That is great. That's so fine. That's so amazing.
27:43I mean, I got to draft him in our, our mock draft for like the first time of this off season.
27:50He was being drafted in inside the top 20 in the fourth round.
27:54Um, just like a month ago. So yeah, I think the groin actually did make him a viable option this year.
28:01All right. Groin makes me a viable option as well.
28:04This is my contribution to the show. I love it.
28:07Going to keep this train moving. Good friend of the show.
28:11Uh, former NFL running back, former NFL fantasy superstar.
28:14I think he wants to, I mean, I think former is presumptive.
28:18I think there, there's a chance he's trying to, he could become current.
28:22So it'd be, I was, I was a little hesitant, but I went with injuries happen.
28:27I think you see this guy on a roster.
28:30It is Austin Eckler champion of workouts. A, like I said, an absolute fantasy superstar for a while.
28:36The fantasy community loves and adores Eckler and he's just, he's in it.
28:40He's been on this. He's a few times. He is a fantasy guy.
28:44So let's see who his MVP is. Austin Eckler here in my fantasy MVP this year is Christian McCaffrey.
28:50No one gets the volume that Christian McCaffrey does.
28:53No one is dependent on a running back like the 49ers are the upside for Christian to have another massive year.
29:00Like he did last year is right there in his hands.
29:03Yes. He has to stay healthy 100%. But guess what?
29:07In the years that he stayed somewhat healthy in the last four years, three out of those years, he's been a top three back.
29:14Come on. Uh, yes, there's some other great options out there, but I think for the most potential point output, Christian McCaffrey is the go to.
29:23Also, I am running a free to play contest this year.
29:26It's a fantasy league. If you want to join my fantasy league this year, check it out at fantasy rail sports.
29:33If you think, I don't know what I'm talking about with my pick, come try and beat me.
29:39I'll see you over there. Appreciate you guys. Have a good one.
29:43Austin Eckler doing his. Oh, no, he's going again.
29:46I was like, whoa, he really psyched me out.
29:49You know, it was tough because I was in the chat and I was telling Al, I go, really nice presentation on
29:56this one, you know, throwing it on the back wall, the picture, and then and then, you know, the loop, the loop
30:03was in there and kept him humble. So Eckler, but really nice doing his best fantasy hitman impression going all in on Christian McCaffrey.
30:10There's we don't really need to say much about McCaffrey.
30:14If he's healthy, he's healthy is good. If he's healthy, he will be a league winning running back.
30:20You know, what's really tough is what. OK, so there are guys like Ken Walker, Mike, you like Ken Walker.
30:26Yeah. Omar in Hampton, Jason. OK, if you had those guys Walker and Hampton, you'd rather have CMC.
30:32Is that the answer? Yes. Because yeah, I in your voice is exactly what I'm getting at, because we I don't know
30:39what the compensation should be in a trade for that situation.
30:42Like if you have those guys, there's part of me that's like, I definitely want CMC more.
30:48Of course, he could be number one. And then there's part of me that goes, but I really give up that much
30:55more than Hampton or than Walker or than, you know, name another James Cook.
31:00I mean, I find myself in a weird place with CMC where it's like I know how good it can be.
31:06But I don't like the San Francisco vibes and I just I think part of it is in the back of my head.
31:14I think that CMC lost the like the volumes been there and that it's going to get him through and he'll probably be there again.
31:22But he did lose some of the explosiveness. I don't know.
31:25Yeah, it's tough. I mean, you can take him anywhere from the third pick to the, you know, you could pass on
31:32him to the to the end of the first round.
31:36And I think that that's all reasonable. Obviously, Austin Eckler, he's saying I'm I'm buying in.
31:41I'm not afraid of the injury. And, you know, as a former slash current potentially NFL running back, he should know a thing or two.
31:49Which I did forget about this. We got a blurb in Eckler blurb the other day of him talking potential.
31:55I mean, he lives in Vegas now and he's he's putting the bat signal up.
32:00I was like, hey, Raiders. Well, he's he's wants some Eccles.
32:04That was probably during the prayer circle injury. Oh, for Jente.
32:07Yeah, he's talked on his socials quite a bit about like waiting for the right situation and also at this stage of
32:14his career, just being a great third down back.
32:17Yeah. I bet he could still be great at that one.
32:21Oh, for sure. Yeah. All right. We're going to take our second quick break and come back with the rest of our fantasy MVPs.
32:29Next on the list, it's our guy Matthew Betts at the fantasy PT.
32:33He is our injury expert, a certified PT. He helps host on the dynasty pod and our fantasy footballers, DFS embedding show.
32:40One of our head writers. Let's see who Betts he's got is his MVP.
32:44All right, Foot Clan. It is time for my fantasy MVP.
32:48And like most people out there, I love the Lions offense this year.
32:52Unfortunately, if you don't have the first pick, you're not getting Jameer Gibbs.
32:56If you don't have a pick somewhere in the middle part of the first round, you're probably not getting Amon-Ra St.
33:03Brown. So if that's you and you can't get those guys, I think Jamison Williams is an awesome, awesome pick in the
33:10middle rounds of your draft, getting him as your wide receiver two or wide receiver three.
33:15I just want pieces of this offense on paper.
33:18They project to be one of the best in football.
33:21They are third and average implied team total favored in 14 of 17 games.
33:26And that's all with the Lions defense, specifically the secondary projected to struggle this year, especially early on as they deal with so many injuries in the secondary.
33:35They could be one of these shootout teams similar to the Cowboys to the Bengals over the last couple of years.
33:42And if that happens, I think all pieces of the offense are going to eat this year.
33:47So give me Jamison Williams who transformed into a completely different player in the back half of the year last year when
33:54Dan Campbell took over basically with John Morton. He was just a deep ball type guy, high variance, low usage type of receiver.
34:02Guns Mahoney said, no, no, no, we need Jamison Williams for this offense to work.
34:07I think that this self-scouting from Dan Campbell and the staff, they just know how important he is.
34:12To the offense. So I am buying a player who, in my opinion, is still on the ascension as far as a talent in the NFL.
34:21Look, you know, Jamo has been a guy we've kind of heard about off and on for various reasons early in his career.
34:28Usually not the best reasons. It's been radio silent out of Detroit for Jamison Williams, which is actually, in my opinion, a good thing.
34:36Like he's learning to become a pro, learning how to be an NFL wide receiver.
34:41And the area was still pointing up for a guy that is average two plus yards per outrun in back-to-back seasons over
34:4811 yards per target, two years in a row.
34:51So give me Jamison Williams in the middle round of your draft.
34:55Take him as your wide receiver two or your wide receiver three.
34:59And let's go win some foot clan titles. I had no idea this was his pick.
35:04I didn't either. I'm a little sad it wasn't Christian Watson.
35:07Well, I mean, look, I can't go back to the well and my guy Jamo another year.
35:13I would never. But you want to. I would never double up on a lion back-to-back.
35:18Right. The lessons learned. But I mean, I think we all acknowledge the drumbeat around Jamison, the end of the season, the
35:25comments from golf, Dan Campbell being, you know, somebody that switched to the play calling.
35:30I don't know, like Jamo, Amon Ra, both top 10, not impossible.
35:34Yep. I mean, Jamo was, was Jamo top 10 last year?
35:37Yes. He was close, right? Yeah. I thought 10 or 11.
35:41Let me look that up. Yeah. I mean, it wasn't consistent, but is that, that's the big question.
35:47I think it was probably 10, right? The question is, will we get consistent?
35:51Can I get an eight? Will we get consistent Jamison Williams this year for the Detroit Lions going in the middle rounds?
35:58He's 58th pick off the board. I mean, he's the wide receiver 25 on the lions after finishing as the wide receiver nine.
36:06No one wants, I love this pick. I've completely turned around like early off season.
36:11I don't like the style of player, but when you can have a real high variance player, that's that, I mean, this
36:18is the fifth round back of the fifth. This is like your wide receiver.
36:22Let me make some notes here. Where's he going?
36:25That's how you win a league. Wide receiver 25 at the back of the fifth on sleeper.
36:31Okay. Back of fifth. All right. Jamison Williams. Okay.
36:33What are you doing? In the back of the fifth.
36:37Just making some notes for later. Okay. Go on.
36:40Well, we go from wide receiver 25 to currently the running back 25.
36:44We switch over to K Borg, Kyle Borg and only host of the dynasty pod, the DFS embedding show.
36:50He is on there as well. And he is the king of unnecessary statistics.
36:54Let's see what he has to say. Foot clan for 2026 fantasy MVP.
36:59I'm going with Jadarian price, rookie running back for the Seattle Seahawks.
37:02I looked at every single first round running back taken over the last decade.
37:07And the only ones who went later than prices, 69th overall draft price.
37:11Nice. We're Sony, Michelle and Rashad Penny in redraft.
37:14He is being discarded and disrespected in drafts based on simply being behind Jeremiah Love in college and a lack of true pass catching opportunities.
37:22But much like Ken Bone Walker coming out of college, the issue is not, can he be a difference maker in the
37:29receiving game, but his opportunities head coach, Mike McDonald raved this off season about the fact that no one on his championship
37:36winning defense has been able to cover him yet in practice and beats have consistently talked about his receiving abilities and wheel routes out of camp.
37:45I felt like I was on an island on the dynasty podcast, but I came away super impressed from his film, the
37:52contact balance, his initial burst and his vision in the open field, especially as a kick returner.
37:57The George Halani hive though a small, but mighty bunch can kindly shut the hell up.
38:02No, Kyle. Zach Charbon is on IR and he will be slow played when he returns.
38:08Are we really going to overthink a talented first round rookie running back on a top tier offense going in the late sixth round on ESPN?
38:16Give me that value in a player who can be a fantasy MVP in 2026.
38:21Oh man. Kyle. Kyle's, he does not stand for those Halani bros.
38:25You are a feisty man. Those Halani bros can shove it.
38:28Sorry to the audience. I guess. Why is horse boy on the screen?
38:32There's a red alarm and a horse. That's on me.
38:36That's on me. That's on me. I don't. We have a process here in the show where if something goes wrong, the
38:43horse boy comes up on the screen as sort of, it's like the blue screen of death for our studio.
38:49That's on me. Give me a horse boy. Okay.
38:52Now let's come back. I also want to apologize to our listening audience.
38:56I set a precedent, an effective one a few weeks ago.
39:00And apparently it just opened the floodgates for Kyle's lips.
39:03Now I will say, I love everything he said.
39:06It is always nice to get, uh, when, when you're alone on a player to get, um, another validating opinion.
39:12I love price. I love the opportunity. The, I, I, I still am not a hundred percent sure how they are going to handle price.
39:21Look, the, they should rational coaching says, Jerry, Jerry, Jerry and price should come in immediately as a first round pick and
39:28be a bell cow running back to, in my opinion, to spend that draft capital and not use that player like that
39:35immediately is just, it's malpractice and you should be removed from all decision-making ability.
39:39I don't know what exactly they're going to do.
39:42Uh, and look right now, right now the competition is Holani.
39:46It seems like he should, that should be an easy, no problem.
39:50Charbonnet will be back at some point. And I think that you will have an interesting, it, there could be an interesting change.
39:57And like at that point has price been so good that they, they hold off and they're, their love for Charbonnet.
40:04They have to, you know, they have to just eat it and legendary and price keep out there cooking.
40:10I think there's, there's a lot of, of things that could go wrong for generation price, but the, the ADP price point
40:17is at a point where like he's in the dead zone, but he's the type of dead zone running back that is
40:24still worth a bet with your, with your draft pick.
40:27I will say this, his current average draft position.
40:30I am very, very in on Jadarian price there.
40:33That is not where he is. Like you can't look at his ADP and think I'm getting him later in every league.
40:40Now that real drafts are happening, he is going much higher.
40:44Our, when we did our mock draft yesterday, he went in the middle of the fourth round.
40:49His ADP is like almost sixth round. Our mock draft was crazy running back heavy.
40:54Yeah. And I, I, I think that's going to have it.
40:58Cause when I look at the, when I look at the ADP and I see where price is, it's just delightful.
41:04I mean, he's behind Travo. He's behind, you know, guys that just, you know, Judkins and Bucky and David Montgomery.
41:11And I think, I think he's going to be going ahead of a lot of them.
41:16I certainly was the one that took him yesterday that high.
41:20So you guys know how I feel about him.
41:22I think in a lot of leagues, he'll still sneak further.
41:26If you're drafting on a platform with the ADP printed, he's going to sneak through.
41:31If you're in a sharper league where people are looking for a starter running backs go soon.
41:36You want to guarantee, I mean, you want to take Ramondre or you want to take Jadarian Price?
41:42Ramondre is a tough one. Cause I think that Ramondre is going to have just disgusting, but really great production.
41:49Those other guys though, it's like Judkins, Bucky. I don't mind taking the bet.
41:53David Montgomery. Oh, Montgomery for sure. Come on. And you're, you're saying your price over those guys.
41:59Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Absolutely. All right. One more of our friends before we get into our own, the three of us are fantasy MVPs.
42:07Friend of the show, Mina Kimes. We were lucky enough to jump on her show and she was kind enough to reciprocate
42:14that with her fantasy MVP, Mina Kimes from ESPN.
42:17All right. The MVP show marches on as we welcome in an award-winning journalist and NFL analyst and the host of the Mina Kimes show appropriately.
42:25It is Mina Kimes joining us today. And, uh, Mina, we are excited to have you with us and fantasy managers out
42:32there are trying to find the diamond in the rough, trying to find the player that's going to take them over the top.
42:40And, uh, who better to ask than, uh, the one, the only Mina Kimes, who do you have as your fantasy football MVP for 2026?
42:48Yeah. So the way I interpreted this and I just want to make sure I understand it's kind of, obviously it's not B.
42:55John Robinson or Jameer Gibbs. That is correct. Okay.
42:58You got it. Yeah. I was thinking back to my first year.
43:02ESPN has this thing called the war room league where it's like all the ESPN talent are in it.
43:08And my very first year that I got the invitation, which was quite an honor.
43:13I won because I had Amon Ross St. Brown and it was, I believe the 2022 season where in the second half, he just went crazy.
43:21The rookie year when he became the playoff King.
43:24Right. Before he was Amon Ross St. Brown. And I think I got him in like the third round or something.
43:31I really liked him, but so, and I also, but I don't want to be like too hipster and pick like a crazy sleeper.
43:39So try to thread the needle here of like a guy that, okay, good.
43:43I understand it. That I think is going to be on a lot of winning teams, a guy that I desperately want on my own teams.
43:52Hopefully no one in ESPN war room leagues listening to this.
43:55I want every piece of a Marian Hampton. Yes.
43:58Okay. You and Jason both. That is one of my three, my guys this year.
44:03So we are in sync. Tell me your reasons why.
44:06Oh man. First of all, the fantasy name Hampton in.
44:09I want it for a few weeks. Hampton in.
44:12You get it when he scores. Hampton in. Aside from that lovely free breakfast hotel chain.
44:17I, there's a lot I like about him. So first of all, I think he's really good.
44:23I just purely from a film watching tape head went last year, horrible circumstances, hit by line of scrimmage constantly.
44:29But when he was healthy, it was not only like kind of shockingly productive.
44:34I think it was really good in a way that's going to really translate in the Mike McDaniel offense.
44:40So we know from Miami, Mike McDaniel can basically gin up a run game out of nothing, right?
44:46The golfers were extremely good at, despite the fact that nobody respected the passing game at the end.
44:52That run game is all about running outside the tackles.
44:55McDaniel uses all kinds of big bodies, some of which he brought with him.
44:59I call Alec Ingold his emotional support fullback to Los Angeles.
45:03But we know that he wants to get his backs outside the tackles in space, uses a lot of creative shenanigans to create those opportunities.
45:11Morion Hampton, even though last year he wasn't, you know, he was obviously injured, but it was in terrible circumstance when he ran outside the tackles.
45:19I just pulled this up 5.5 yards per carry.
45:22He actually tied Deandre Swift first in the NFL league wide EPA per carry outside the tackle.
45:28So I just feel it's like a dream match between the running back and the play caller.
45:33And like, I, even if he's not Devon Achan, I still think he's going to be amazing.
45:39Yeah. I mean, big fan of Hampton over here and Jason, we all have him pretty high in our ranks.
45:45And the other thing standing out right now is like, how healthy is Keaton Mitchell going into the season where you're going
45:52to see the pass catching downs and things like that.
45:55Right. Yeah. You won't get any argument from me on that.
45:59I mean, it was basically the exact same argument, the matchup of the offensive coordinator and then the offensive line getting better
46:06at I'm all in on the chargers. But that always feels like a, well, fool me again this year.
46:12Yeah. The chargers are the ultimate. Oh, what was your excuse this year?
46:16Like they just keep, there's no excuses this year.
46:19It's going to work. I mean, they've, well, they already lost, they already lost alignment for, for the, yeah, we say that everywhere.
46:27Like this is it. Justin Herbert, no more Mr.
46:30If. And then they lose the center. And then like the guard is some guy you've never heard of.
46:36And Trey Pipkins is suddenly back in the conversation.
46:39Um, yeah, I, I think Daniel's really good at covering up for that though.
46:43Um, and the other thing that you mentioned Keaton Mitchell, I have him in dynasty.
46:48God rest my soul. Um, which was amazing. His, I felt really smart, like brilliant.
46:53Honestly, his rookie season. I know people are a little bit freaked out about that, but I'm sure you guys have talked about this in depth.
47:01Mike, Mike Dean was kind of a liar, right?
47:04Like I know. Yes, he is. Okay. Okay. So we are on the same page here.
47:09He got to run the hell out of Hampton.
47:12Like Devon H. He had 238 carries last year.
47:15Right? Like, so I just don't think. Also Hampton himself is a very underrated pass catcher.
47:20I feel like that's another thing where he could produce a lot, but yeah, I'm not too scared.
47:26I'm not planning on starting Keaton Mitchell in my dynasty league.
47:30Right. And I think that is influencing my Hampton love.
47:33Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. The, uh, the lying Mike McDaniel, we've seen the, he'll get between zero and 30 carries or whatever comment
47:40he had last year for some of his players.
47:43Um, you heard it here first. Yep. Fantasy football MVP for Meena Kimes is Omarion Hampton and Jason's a happy man.
47:50There you have it. Meena Kimes is going with what a voice that, uh, the host had on that little clip.
47:56Yeah. That third voice. I don't even, I barely even recognize it.
48:00Jason. Do you have any notes? No notes. Uh, great job.
48:04I am in on Hampton and I love the pairing with McDaniel.
48:08All right. It's time for our three. Jason, we are going to start with you.
48:13Who is your fantasy MVP? My fantasy MVP this year is a J Brown.
48:17I, uh, I am, you know, I, I truly believe the difference between, you know, a my guy and, and a fancy MVP to me.
48:25And I think it might be different to all of us is someone that is a true, just absolutely winner.
48:32Just could be smart. I I'd think in the range of outcomes, AJ Brown could be the number one wide receiver and
48:39in fantasy football, but also where he's going. I find, I just, I love it because in the beginning of drafts, when
48:46you get, if you are near the end of the first round, that is where usually over the course of this off
48:53season, you're drafting either Justin Jefferson or Drake London, uh, if you go wide receiver, but I really like the running backs that are available there.
49:01Personally, I've got AJ Brown ahead of those two wide receivers and I can get him in the second round.
49:08So I feel like it's this really nice combination of where he's going is totally acceptable.
49:13And here's the case for why I think he's actually like a good player this year.
49:18The whole, the whole thing against AJ Brown is just, did, does he, did he lose it?
49:23You know, if it's gone, it's gone. He's an older player.
49:27Um, you know, his numbers weren't quite as great last year.
49:31So maybe we saw the beginning of the end and if so, then he's going to be a terrible pick.
49:37But I don't think that that's the case at all.
49:40We saw through camp, he dominated, he dominated the total targets through training camp in, in targets and receptions.
49:46There were certain matchups when they were playing against, uh, uh, uh, the, the Seahawks in practices, those inter-team practices where the,
49:53the beat reporters were just saying he, he just dominated like he's, they've never seen someone dominate, especially around the red zone.
50:01He was the wide receiver 10 last year and he missed two games.
50:05And also, um, he was on a team that threw for 3,400 yards.
50:09Now he goes to a team that last year threw for 4,400 yards at another thousand yards in there.
50:15You, you also get a much better passing quarterback.
50:18I love Jalen Hurts. I think he's a good quarterback.
50:21He is not the same passing quarterback that Drake may is Drake may and Brown is an elite stack may through 10
50:28plus yards down the field at the fifth highest rate.
50:32And on those throws, he led the quarterbacks in completion rate, success rate and pass rating.
50:37You lose Stefan digs, AJ Brown comes in, he's going to get all the targets for a great quarterback.
50:43And, and if you go, okay, well, he's old and he's switching teams.
50:47And so I'm, I'm out. There are a tier of wide receivers, a real special, like these guys, aren't just a good wide receiver.
50:55These guys are one of the best in the league, which AJ Brown over the last, you know, seven years has been
51:02one of the best wide receivers in the league.
51:05You've got enough examples like Randy Moss. When he went to the Patriots, obviously he's first battle hall.
51:11Yeah, that worked out. But I mean, he set the NFL touchdown record with 23 touchdowns, 1500 yards.
51:16Devante Adams, when he went to the Raiders at 29, 1500 yards and 14 touchdowns.
51:21Brandon Marshall at age 31, 1500 yards and 14 touchdowns.
51:24Terrell Owens at 30, 1200 and 14 and only 14 games.
51:28Did you mention that Moss was 30 as well?
51:31I don't know if I gave his age. He was 30 when he went to New England.
51:36Exactly. AJ Brown is 29. You know, he's going to a perfect environment with a quarterback that fits him so well.
51:43This was like the argument for, for George Pickens and Dak Prescott last year.
51:48What Drake may does great. AJ Brown does great.
51:51They need him. They've got vacated targets. He's going to be loud.
51:54It all lines up to me where it's either he's lost it and he's not good anymore and he's a terrible pick.
52:02Or if he's still AJ freaking Brown, he's going to go out there and have 1400 yards and 14 touchdowns.
52:08That's very much in his range of outcomes. So he's my fantasy MVP.
52:12I'm in on him. I am. I am bullish on him not having lost it.
52:17I mean, I like AJ Brown. Yeah, I'm all in.
52:20I get it. I've been there. I know that there is.
52:24I think the offense altogether has some regression coming potentially efficiency wise, but you know, the biggest argument of that extra thousand yards passing offense.
52:32It's hard to. I think it just does come down to is he the same guy.
52:37That's it. And I, you want me to go next Mike?
52:41Sure. So we talked about Jameson Williams earlier, who I think is a discount in drafts wide receiver 25 in the back of the fifth round.
52:49And the way I view the fantasy MVP pick is somebody that you can always draft.
52:54That is going to be a complete game changer for your team over the back half of the year.
53:00This guy is the highest paid free agent receiver in the history of the National Football League.
53:06When he signed, he is going in the eighth and ninth round.
53:10Both of them? Yeah. Eight. Wow. I mean, yes.
53:13The answer is yes. Based on the league. Sleeper and ESPN.
53:16It is Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts. Um, I have been in the Alec Pierce camp.
53:22I don't really, I have a hard time understanding why people are not on board with Alec Pierce.
53:27This is a team that like he went out last year, his games with basically had a concussion in the beginning of
53:34the year when he came back from the concussion.
53:37This was like 1,250 yard pace. Despite the fact he lost Daniel Jones for part of the year.
53:43Then the team lets Michael Pittman depart. Then the team pays him $114 million.
53:48This is not a nine. Even though he's led the league in yards per reception, you go look at his routes last year, 55% of them.
53:56I mean, I watched so much Alec Pierce last year during the season.
54:00He was on my teams. He ran 55% digs, inns, crossings, go routes.
54:04I mean, he does more than people understand that he can do.
54:08And then you get rid of the intermediate guy and you say, well, Josh Downs is just going to step in and fix that.
54:16Keenan Allen's going to step in and fix that.
54:19No, their number one wide receiver is Alec Pierce.
54:22If you look at Detroit, Detroit has Amon Ross St.
54:25Brown, Jameer Gibbs in the passing game and Sam Laporta to go compete with Jameson Williams for those targets.
54:31That's why you get more variability there. I think Alec Pierce is going to wake people up to the type of player he is in a fantasy environment.
54:40We looked at every 1,000 yard receiver and where they went the next year in drafts historically.
54:46Over the last five years, the only 1,000 yard receiver drafted later than Pierce.
54:50We saw a 34 year old Adam Thielen and a 32 year old DeAndre Hopkins.
54:55What? Oh, Adam! I've been gone for so long!
54:58And then we saw a 33 year old Stefan Diggs.
55:01Thank you for remembering me. And a traded Wondell Robinson because Wondell had 1,000 last year and he's not going high this year.
55:09Otherwise, Pierce is literally, statistically, the cheapest 1,000 yard receiver.
55:12And he's not 33, 32, 34 years old. He's going into the prime of his career.
55:17And so I don't think... I mean, this is the wide receiver 23 being drafted in the ninth round right now.
55:24Who is practicing and going to play in week one?
55:27Does he have a fast start? I don't know.
55:30Is Daniel Jones an MVP? He was for the first seven weeks last year and then he was injured.
55:36So there are questions, but there's margin for all error for this pick to still be a home run for your fantasy team.
55:44I think Alec Pierce belongs in the Jamison Williams category area of drafts, but he's being drafted in the eighth or ninth round.
55:51And let me give you a little spoiler alert.
55:54That's where he'll go this weekend. Guaranteed. Yeah. He's not going anywhere else.
55:58No. I've been wanting... The injury slowed up my ability to really get behind him because we just didn't know how available he'd be.
56:06To me, this is just crazy. Last year with Michael Pittman, he was a B in consistency.
56:11So this whole talk of like, he only does one thing.
56:15No, he wasn't doing one thing. He exceeded 10 and a half fantasy points 53% of the time.
56:21That beat Devontae Smith. That beat Jefferson. That beat Jalen Waddle last year.
56:25There's a reason they paid him $114 million. And if the Colts didn't do it, he was getting it somewhere else.
56:32He was going to be the best free agent on the market.
56:35So to me, this was a commitment to him.
56:38And I look at that depth chart and I say, well, who else is catching the ball in high value, important plays?
56:45I mean, he's proven he can score touchdowns. Last year, he's paced 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns with Michael Pittman.
56:52I don't know. I'm all in. I think the cost is wonderful.
56:56The ankle injury that's kept him off. I mean, this is buying the injury dip, which I don't usually like.
57:02But statistically, when we talk about that, we're talking about the higher drafted players that drop a round or two.
57:09When you're this low and you're in the eighth or ninth round, I'm looking at ADP and some of the guys who's going around.
57:16Cortland Sutton? No, thank you. What is the upside case?
57:20Right? Because when you're drafting this late, that's the only thing you need to worry about.
57:25If it doesn't work out for Cortland Sutton or Alec Pierce or anyone in that range, it doesn't matter.
57:31It didn't cost you that much. You're just drafting like, what if it does work out?
57:36And obviously the best case scenario for Alec Pierce would be that he really does become the possession guy, the number one for a good offense.
57:44And that's in his range of outcomes. So I was not having a lot of love for Alec Pierce most of the offseason.
57:52I assumed he would be back healthier earlier, be higher in ADP.
57:56Andy, you're right, Andy, this weekend he's going to stay right where he's at behind tons of other players.
58:02This episode isn't going to move him quick enough.
58:05And yeah, he's definitely worth taking a shot there.
58:08Looking at mine and Andy's fantasy MVP, I think what we did was we took my guys that we just were like,
58:15ah, yeah, there's just, there's just a little bit too much going on for me to go full my guy with this
58:22player, but I love them because we think they are difference makers.
58:26I'm going with the running back from Jacksonville, Bay Shaw Tootin going as the running back 26.
58:31And I've been the, I've been the, the bull case for Bay Shaw Tootin on the show.
58:37And yet, even if you guys, you aren't where I am, we're still above market with where we are with Bay Shaw Tootin.
58:44I'm seeing a running back 26 ADP on sleeper.
58:47Our consensus has him as the running back 21.
58:50I love Liam Cohen. I love the Jaguars offense.
58:53I took them in there are our top 12 offenses draft.
58:56I think they're going to be extremely high powered.
58:59I will start it with the, I am accepting the risk when I'm, when you draft Tootin, you, it's, it's an ambiguous backfield for, for a reason.
59:08You don't a hundred percent know how things are going to shake out.
59:12What I do know is that we have, you know, essentially two, two strong years of Liam Cohen data when he was
59:19the OC for Tampa Bay, where Bucky Irving had over 200 carries and 52 targets.
59:24And I can say, you know what else happened on that team?
59:28Rashad White had 144 carries and 57 targets. Now the Jags are not, it's a different offense than the Bucks.
59:34The Jags are, are just dripping with, with wide receiver depth.
59:38But my point is there's a lot to go around in a Liam Cohen offense.
59:43Like while Bucky, we looked at him, he was the clear leader.
59:47Rashad White was still getting plenty of opportunity. And I'm bringing that up of the, the Bay Shaw Tootin versus Crott.
59:54Who is going to be the guy? I don't know a hundred percent, but I'm putting my bet on Tootin, the guy who was there.
60:02You're betting on the talent of the player. Absolutely.
60:04And the guy who was last there last year.
60:07And I bring that up. Cause like Bucky Irving that, you know, two years ago, that's workhorse numbers.
60:13Travis HN jr. Was a true workhorse for, uh, for, for Jacksonville last year.
60:18So if Tootin can get that, he's going to be incredible.
60:21Like the, the early down roll. I think that's easy.
60:24That's for Tootin. It comes down to the goal line and the pass catching opportunities, which we have LaQuint Allen reportedly going
60:32to work in on some third downs, but he has been banged up in Bay Shaw Tootin's profile and Virginia tech, 12% of Virginia techs receptions.
60:40And the threshold we want from our RB ones from college to pro is 11%.
60:45We saw that from Tootin is athletic measuring is, is truly off the charts.
60:49And if he gets goal line, which you're like, that makes sense to think, okay, well, it's going to be crowd.
60:56But Bay Shaw Tootin was awesome at it last, last year, 25% of Tootin tootin's carries were short yardage where you needed
61:03three or fewer yards for a first down, or you're trying to get a touchdown that led to destroying his yards per carry down at 3.7.
61:12But I've brought this up before he was fifth in among all running backs in rush success rate, meaning whatever the yards
61:19that they need on that down, he was coming through.
61:22He was getting them, even if it's not, you know, over four or carry, he's getting exactly what the team needs.
61:29Last year, seven five zone carries turned into five zone touchdowns, five of them.
61:33Like he was extremely good at it. Him and Crott were both good at it, weren't they?
61:39Yes. Where HN junior last year was, he was not good at the, at the goal line.
61:44Tootin was high powered offense. It's ambiguous. I don't, I really don't mind people taking shots at Crott.
61:50I took him in the mock draft yesterday of just, sometimes you got a hedge, but I really, really do think that
61:57it's going to end up being Bayshall Tootin as the main guy.
62:01And, uh, and the speed that I mentioned, like this is a player who can, you can rip off 60 yard touchdowns when you are Bayshall Tootin fast.
62:10So I love him. I love Jacksonville. I love this offense.
62:14And I want to, I want to take some gambles on ending up with their starting running back.
62:19So what are we doing for the rest of the show guys?
62:23Are we, uh, we're wrapping things up. All right.
62:26That is going to do it. That was, that was a very open discussion about the progress of the show there.
62:33Well, I, well, I looked, we had, we had another segment.
62:36I was hoping Jason, cause I sound like this.
62:39I was hoping Jason was going to jump in for a second and talk about Bayshall Tootin.
62:45As was I. But then he just left you.
62:48Well, look, my bold prediction is that the Jaguar picks are going to.
62:52That's true. So you didn't want to poop on it.
62:55Yeah. I don't look, I get the upside case, everything you laid out.
62:59Right. It's there. If he hits, he could be in that league winner type of category.
63:05Lot of mouths to feed in Jacksonville. So hopefully, um, Liam Cohen can consolidate and may make it just Parker Washington and Tootin do that for us.
63:13So that's going to do it for today's episode.
63:16Hey, if you're in the comments, go ahead, leave your fantasy MVP, try and claim some glory for yourself.
63:22No show on Monday. It is labor day, but then next week, ladies and gentlemen, it's go time.
63:28We will see you then. Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the fantasy footballers podcast.
63:34Join our fantasy football community on join the foot.com and follow us on Twitter at the F F ballers.
