Film Room Heroes & Diggs To Commanders
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
1 hr 9 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 6, 2026
Published
Thu, August 6, 2026
18
Player insights
15
Players mentioned
Topics
Bucky IrvingDe'Von AchaneNico CollinsAlec PierceAntonio WilliamsBrenton StrangeChase BrownJayden DanielsJaylen WarrenJosh DownsKhalil ShakirLuke McCaffreyMike EvansQuentin Johnston
Player analysis
Player insights
Alec Pierce
PositiveBreakout23:34
The source identifies Alec Pierce as the player who changed their opinion most in 2025, citing improved stop routes and body control. Despite concerns regarding his recent ankle surgery and inconsistent hands, the source believes he could absorb some of Michael Pittman's vacated work due to his size and speed.
Insight pageAntonio Williams
NegativeDepth Chart3:43
The third-round rookie receiver Antonio Williams has received decent reviews early in training camp, though his role remains to be seen.
Insight pageBrenton Strange
PositiveSleeper32:12
The source ranks Brenton Strange as the TE8, comparing his film to Trey McBride's pre-breakout profile. While noting he is more of a slot receiver than a traditional blocker, the source praises his hands and body control, suggesting he is a strong breakout candidate despite being an afterthought in most drafts.
Insight pageBucky Irving
PositiveUsage38:10
The source praises Bucky Irving's lateral agility and contact balance, comparing his running style to James Cook. Despite concerns about his size, injury history, and lack of goal-line usage, the source ranks him RB20 and believes he is a very good player who has been underutilized as a receiver.
Insight pageNegativeProjection42:45
The source ranks Bucky Irving 20th among running backs, noting that while he is a talented player, there are concerns regarding his role in high-leverage situations like pass-catching and goal-line work. The evaluation is described as situation-based, and the source is slightly below the consensus ADP.
Insight pageChase Brown
PositiveValue34:59
The source remains high on Chase Brown, describing him as a decisive runner and a natural, smooth receiver. While acknowledging he is not a transcendent talent capable of overcoming poor team situations alone, the source believes his slow start last year was due to Joe Burrow's injury rather than a lack of ability.
Insight pageDe'Von Achane
NegativeProjection57:48
The source views Devon Achane as a high-upside player due to his elite speed and quickness, though he acknowledges concerns about the Dolphins' offense and potential health risks. JJ expresses more skepticism, citing the poor wide receiver room and the departure of Mike McDaniel as factors that could lead to volatility.
Insight pageNegativeProjection64:20
The source clarifies that Devon Achane is not a 'do not draft' player, emphasizing that he is a clearly talented player who should be drafted despite any concerns about his situation.
Insight pageJayden Daniels
PositiveProjection8:34
Harris suggests that the addition of Stephon Diggs should benefit Jayden Daniels and the overall efficiency of the Commanders' offense, potentially leading to more touchdowns and sustained drives.
Insight pageJaylen Warren
PositiveValue53:50
JJ considers Jalen Warren one of the most underrated running backs in the NFL, citing his contact balance, pass-catching ability, and pass-protection skills. Despite frustration with the Steelers' coaching staff limiting his workload, JJ plans to draft him as a flex option, ranking him RB27 in PPR.
Insight pageJosh Downs
PositiveRole28:41
The source highlights Josh Downs as a highly efficient route runner with elite short-area quickness. There is intrigue regarding reports of him playing more outside, though the source notes his small stature and injury history (concussions) may limit his usage. The potential addition of Keenan Allen could drive his ADP down, though it might also cap his ceiling.
Insight pageKhalil Shakir
PositiveBreakout44:40
JJ describes Khalil Shakir as an underrated, smart player who is more than just a low-aDOT slot receiver. He highlights Shakir's ability to make defenders miss and his reliability as a target for Josh Allen, suggesting he could see more down-field usage this season.
Insight pageLuke McCaffrey
NegativeUsage3:31
Harris highlights that Luke McCaffrey was part of a rotation of Commanders pass catchers that made it difficult to rely on any single player outside of Terry McLaurin last season.
Insight pageMike Evans
NegativeUsage33:30
Zacharyson compares Nico Collins to Mike Evans, noting that while Evans is a great player, he sometimes lacks the same level of effort after the catch that Collins displays.
Insight pageNico Collins
PositiveProjection21:06
The source ranks Nico Collins as the WR9, noting his hands, speed, and route running have all improved. While acknowledging concerns about the crowded Texans receiving corps and quarterback play, the source maintains he is a highly talented player who earned his recent contract extension.
Insight pagePositiveBreakout30:40
JJ Zacharyson identifies Nico Collins as a complete wide receiver who has shown significant growth throughout his career. He highlights Collins' ability to win both before and after the catch, noting he is more than just a big-bodied X receiver and is often undervalued in elite WR rankings.
Insight pageQuentin Johnston
NegativeUsage35:43
Zacharyson contrasts Nico Collins with Quentin Johnston, describing Johnston as a 'sacrificial X' receiver who does not display the same level of playmaking or route efficiency.
Insight pageTerry McLaurin
PositiveRole3:27
Harris does not view the addition of Stephon Diggs as a negative for Terry McLaurin. McLaurin remains the team's best receiver and is in his prime, with the overall offensive environment potentially improving with the new additions.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00It's the Harris Football Podcast with your host, Christopher Harris.
0:03Hey everybody, welcome in. My name is Chris and this is a show about keeping your glasses clean.
0:09What is going on? How the heck are you?
0:12Thank you so much for listening to the little podcast that could today.
0:16Of course, you know you can keep it tuned right here for your wall-to-wall Hall of Fame game coverage.
0:22Can't wait to dive into every single snap of Panthers Cardinals.
0:25Oh, and I am touching my fictional earpiece and being told I will not be watching the Hall of Fame game.
0:32Sorry about that. You'll have to tune in to social media and Reddit to get the freakouts and one-game decisions in a
0:39game where Jeremiah Love apparently is not even going to play.
0:43I will most certainly not be partaking of that game, but of course I am partaking with many of you.
0:49The daily stories that come out of training camp as we try and assemble our strategies for our fantasy football drafts, which
0:56are, I think, mostly for all of us, like a few weeks away.
1:00The closer to Labor Day we can push our drafts, I think the happier we'll be, no question.
1:06Most of the stories in training camp aren't really stories, but certainly it's a story when this guy signs with a team.
1:13I like the way you work, kid. I like the way you work, kid.
1:17I like the way you work, kid. Not a trash bag at all.
1:22Oh, he ain't out of the league just yet.
1:24Stephon Diggs is a commander. He spent a year with the Texans, tore an ACL.
1:29Spent a year with the Patriots. Finished as the wide receiver 24 in standard, 17 in PPR.
1:35Topped 1,000 yards, which used to be kind of a modest achievement, but you gotta realize only 19 wideouts last year got to 1,000 yards receiving.
1:43Another symptom of how spread out receptions are getting around the league.
1:47And so Diggs goes to Washington, certainly making less money than he was slated to make with the Patriots before they released him.
1:54The contract in DC is worth quote unquote up to $12 million, which means it's not $12 million.
2:00Just yesterday on the Yacht Club podcast, as an honorable mention for the topic of players who could lose their jobs by
2:07week one, I mentioned every commander's pass catcher not named Terry McLaurin.
2:11And then Andy and I talked a little bit about how, you know, last year Jalen Lane kind of would pop one week and I'd be interested.
2:19But then the commanders would decide, oh, now it's a Luke McCaffrey week.
2:23You have Antonio Williams, the third round rookie receiver early in camp seems to have gotten like okay reviews.
2:29But Diggs just arrives with an entirely different kind of portfolio.
2:33And so, you know, I actually recorded a mock draft with Jake Seeley last night, which will appear on the Harris Football
2:40YouTube channel later today, Thursday, by the time you're hearing this maybe.
2:44And Jake took Stefan Diggs in a later round and then asked me whether Diggs signing with the commanders changed my rank.
2:51And I had to admit it didn't because yes, indeed, Diggs was the only player in my ranks who didn't have a team listed with him.
2:59But when I was trying to figure out where I was going to rank him without a team, I kind of was
3:06pretty much picturing what I would do with him as a commander.
3:10Because this move had made so much sense for so long and had been long rumored.
3:15So I didn't move Diggs. I have him ranked 45 among receivers standard 43 PPR, very clearly draftable with some legitimate upside.
3:22If the situation is good. I don't know that he's the driver of an offense being amazing.
3:27But if he's in a great offense, then he could be very useful for fantasy.
3:32And, you know, what matters most is how did he play with the Patriots last year?
3:37He was an important part of that magic carpet ride to the Super Bowl.
3:42An obvious vocal leader on the team was very, very good against zone.
3:46He was reliable. He still had really good hands bordering on kitten mittens for sure.
3:51He was half time out of the slot, but he did make some plays out wide as well.
3:56Tailed off a little bit toward the end of the year.
4:00He got a lot quieter in the playoffs and I rewatched some of those snaps back.
4:05It seemed pretty clear that the good defenses the Patriots faced in the playoffs, Chargers, Texans, Broncos, Seahawks.
4:11They understood the assignment. There really wasn't anyone else in that New England receiving core who was going to beat man coverage,
4:18who was going to beat double teams. So they really focused on mauling Diggs closer to the line a lot more.
4:24And he just isn't going to punish that. He just doesn't have those kind of quicks anymore that can make a defense
4:31pay for press coverage for, you know, getting up in his face.
4:35So he was just easier to erase than earlier in his career.
4:39He's not the same player as earlier in his career, and he shouldn't be your NFL team's best receiver.
4:45And as long as McLaurin is healthy in D.C., he won't be.
4:49It's a needed fit. It's a good fit. I don't view it as a negative for Terry McLaurin.
4:55He's in his prime. He's still fast. There are simply always going to be other receivers on every NFL team.
5:01You know, Diggs is going to have five or six targets a game because someone else was always going to have five or six targets a game.
5:10Probably this is good for the potential of the offense just being a better environment.
5:14I think Jaden Daniels, it clearly would benefit and everyone associated with the offense.
5:19If it's a better offense, there are more touchdowns.
5:22There are more yards. You keep the ball longer.
5:25It's just good overall. So Diggs, more passenger from a fantasy perspective.
5:28Him having a ceiling is related to the commanders going back to two years ago and being a very good offense, which they weren't last year.
5:37And you could argue largely that was a Marcus Mariota problem, not anything else.
5:41But yeah, I don't view this as any reason to downgrade Terry McLaurin.
5:45So we are truly in full swing here. We've got five podcast episodes per week rolling.
5:50That has been a fun adjustment. We've got a couple of YouTube shows posting each week throughout August into and up to Labor Day.
5:58They'll usually be Tuesday and Thursday, including one mock draft per week leading up to the season.
6:04This week's draft I mentioned is with Jake Seeley.
6:06Next week, it'll be your pal and mine, Jake Trowbridge, mock drafting with me.
6:11The 2026 Harris Football Player Profile Almanac came out on Monday.
6:14Thank you so much for the kind words that you've sent about how much fun you're having reading it.
6:20That makes me joyful because every day from the beginning of May, probably till about mid-July, I was writing five profiles a
6:27day and chuckling and trying to imagine the fun that everybody would have reading it.
6:32Also, very much for the kind words about the artwork.
6:35Also incredibly fun. Action figures was the theme this year.
6:39So like some of your favorite nicknames on the show now have like cartoon visualizations of what it looks like in action figure form.
6:46So you can still get the almanac if you wish.
6:49And by golly, if you haven't heard, I started a publishing empire.
6:53It's a hard word for Harris to say. Cumulative Press with a whopping inventory of one book that we're publishing.
7:00It happens to be my book. It's the first time I'm trying this.
7:04I'm terrified, of course. Rather than having someone else publish one of my novels, Pound Foolish is published by Cumulative Press, which is me.
7:11And of course I named the publishing company after the word it took me years to learn how to say properly.
7:18Also, something I have not shared on the show is that the dedication in the front of Pound Foolish explicitly says thank
7:25you to every single yacht possum, which I genuinely mean.
7:28Which brings me to I am bribing you to preorder Pound Foolish, not at Amazon, but other places, bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble and Books a Million.
7:37Actually, if you just go to harrisfootball.com, there is now a Pound Foolish page that links off to the places where you
7:44can buy this thing and in a place where I would prefer you do it.
7:48If we can get enough preorders in August, those will all count, except for Amazon ones do not count, in a rolling
7:55total toward the launch on September 1st. So like any purchase we get in August counts towards that one week there on the week of launch.
8:04And I would just like to have Cumulative Press hit the bestseller list.
8:08I don't know if it's realistic. I don't know the scope of how many copies you need to sell, but we're giving
8:15it a try because, frankly, it's hilarious and a thumb in the eye of a very broken book publishing industry.
8:21And so to incentivize you to do this, I am bribing you.
8:25Everyone who preorders the book, not at Amazon, but anywhere else, take a screen capture, send it to heyharris at harrisfootball.com.
8:32You will be entered for fun drawings on the show that begin tomorrow, Friday, August 6th.
8:37Right now we have like 130 entries. That is amazing.
8:40I'm so thankful. It's also not a very big number yet.
8:43We've got a lot more people than that listen to the show.
8:47And, you know, we're going to get more as the month goes on because people come back to the show.
8:54So you'll never have a better time to get your name picked at random than tomorrow.
8:59Tomorrow we're giving away two prizes. One is a Zoom session with me, like right away.
9:04We'll probably do it this weekend if we can.
9:07We'll talk about your league, your keepers, your draft strategy, or not football stuff, whatever you want.
9:12And the other is Andy Behrens. We'll record a video with your league's draft order in which he will randomly make fun of everyone in your league.
9:21These will be given away tomorrow, Friday, with more to come every day.
9:25We're going to do a drawing every day throughout August.
9:28I'm going to give away hats and t-shirts, more Zoom sessions.
9:32The grand prize, one lucky possum will get to be on the show briefly with me.
9:37We'll record something toward the end of the month and put you on the podcast.
9:41And to that end, I wanted to say thank you because Matt Kathman has volunteered to purchase a book for a dozen
9:48folks who might not otherwise currently have the means, which of course I understand.
9:53We talk a lot about, hey, could you buy that?
9:56Could you buy? You know, I recognize not everybody has the discretionary income and I'm so happy to have you listening.
10:03So the first 12 people who are in that boat, please write me.
10:07There's absolutely no shame in it. Completely understand. Love you dearly.
10:10Write me. Hey, Harris at HarrisFootball.com. Right away do it if you're interested.
10:15And the first 12 people will get a pre-ordered book from Matt, which is so generous.
10:20Thank you so much, Matt. You also get entered into the bribery drawings.
10:24And then, of course, you'll get Pound Foolish when it comes out on September 1st.
10:29Again, Matt Kathman, you're great. Thank you so much for that.
10:32And to everybody, get bribed. Today's kickoff. Okay, on today's show, it's a heroic day on the podcast.
10:38It's a really fun conversation about film room heroes, players we just enjoy on film and think are good at football.
10:45And sometimes their current situations don't necessarily lead to fantasy brilliance.
10:48But also sometimes situations change and we get them wrong in the preseason.
10:52And then, you know, like in the long sweep of history, identifying good players is kind of good.
10:58So we'll do it today. And my guest will be JJ Zacharyson of Lateround.com.
11:02It'll be really fun. I thank you again so much for listening today.
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12:05Visit wildgrain.com slash Harris to get $30 off your first box and free croissants in every box.
12:10Wild Grain.com slash Harris. Today's guest. So tell Harris.
12:13I wish you knew what it was like in my league.
12:17Here's my Gmail for an invite to your league.
12:19Not in his league. It's JJ Zacharyson. You can find him all over the place on social media.
12:25Just look up JJ's name or look up Late Round Quarterback.
12:29You can go to lateroound.com for all things JJ.
12:32The Late Round Podcast. Right now, about four episodes per week.
12:35Once the season starts, it's like six episodes per week.
12:38But they're manageably sized and very insightful. And I listen.
12:41Hello, JJ. Not in my league. Yeah, hi. Unfortunately, you say I'm found everywhere.
12:46That name is very Google-able, which is good and bad.
12:49It's good for people finding things, but bad if I ever do something criminally bad.
12:54So I just played you the various walk-up songs that you've had made for you on this show over the many, many
13:01years that you've been coming on this show. And one of them from last year highlighted the fact that we've been in fistfights five times.
13:09In the last year, we've not been in a fistfight, though.
13:12That's true. Yeah, we've calmed down in the fistfighting.
13:15I've not been arrested with a post-fistfight. Well, it's such a pleasure to get you on.
13:20This time of year is when you get to make your cameo.
13:24I mean, it was much to my benefit that in earlier days I could get you on during the season.
13:31That was always one of my favorite things that I could – when I started out, you were a real regular.
13:37And now you're an entrepreneur that makes you busier.
13:40But honestly, we both know what really makes you busier.
13:43It's the dad thing. You've got a lot of dad duties.
13:47You're a really good dad. Thank you. And you're not as available as much during the year.
13:52We miss you around here. You're a blast to have on.
13:56But I really appreciate you coming for this time.
13:59Of course. I've got to say, we had a long road trip.
14:02Not really. It was six and a half hours.
14:05My COO, David Kitchen, and I going up to the Fantasy Football Expo.
14:09And we fired up the Harris Football Podcast. And we listened to you and Barron's wax poetic on it.
14:15Come on. Look at that. Come on, me and Andy.
14:19All right. Well, this is going to be fun.
14:22I've never had you on to do this particular show.
14:25And I should have. I should have previously. I said this on the Yacht Club yesterday with Andy.
14:30I would say, I don't think of you as a data guy.
14:34I know your work really well. I think of you as somebody where your opinions are spurred by data.
14:40That'll be the flicker of an idea, the flame that sends you on your way.
14:45But then you watch the games. Like, I've known you long enough to know that you watch a ton of football and know the game.
14:53And you're not just spreadsheet diving for spreadsheet diving's sake.
14:56Which makes it really fun to have you on to do this show.
15:00Because you can use as much data as you want.
15:04But it's Film Room Heroes. Which just means players that you think are fun to run across your eyeballs on film.
15:10Yeah. I'm really excited about it. We were texting a little bit about it before.
15:15Or, you know, over the last however long, whenever we started planning this.
15:19And yeah, I mean, like, I'm definitely data oriented in the way that, you know, people would listen to the show.
15:26Or like, think about me with a say, oh, yeah, that's a data oriented analyst.
15:31But I do think that, like, what I try to do is provide context and nuance, you know.
15:36And that, unfortunately, in the data side of this business and being an analyst and all that in the analysis.
15:43There's a lot of, like, you know, threshold related analysis that's done.
15:47And very, like, black and white thinking. And I just don't think that's the way we should be playing this.
15:53So, yeah, I mean, like, I watch every game every week.
15:56Not as closely as you probably are, admittedly. But I'm watching everything.
16:00And even the guys we're going to talk about today, like, I hadn't watched them in a minute.
16:06And it was fun to go back and just sit there and watch and make sure that my, you know, my notes
16:13made sense after, you know, thinking about some of the players I wanted to talk about today.
16:18Yeah. And the premise really is this can be a fantasy conversation.
16:22It also can be a discussion of why the fantasy results might not line up with our like for watching the guy on film.
16:30It really isn't a matter of us saying, this is a must draft.
16:34You have to have this guy. Like, maybe. We'll see what the price winds up being.
16:39It's possible. Or else, maybe they're just football players that will never pop as fantasy players.
16:44And that's okay, too. I think the value of running these names through the listeners ears, all of you folks out there
16:51listening, is to just, you know, here are the nuances of what we're saying about these guys.
16:57Their situations might change. We think they're in some way, shape, or form good at football.
17:02And maybe eventually that could crop up in a way that is valuable.
17:06That isn't valuable right now. Was there anything else that, like, kind of criteria-wise that you set to yourself?
17:12I didn't really set any parameters. You can really talk about anybody you want.
17:16Did you set up any parameters for yourself? I really just went with, like, I think that my natural instinct was to
17:23go with players who maybe the consensus thinks are one way, but there's a little bit more to their game or differentiating
17:30points to their game that isn't talked about or thought about enough.
17:34I think I just kind of gravitated that direction.
17:37But I don't, like, if I were to have a theme, that would be it.
17:42But overall, I just kind of went with five guys that I like talking about that I think are interesting players.
17:49Yeah, I pretty much did, too, with the limitation that I'm trying not to say the same guys over and over and over.
17:56And so, I mean, I do, especially at the end of the season, we do so many lists that are look-ahead lists
18:03because we're, you know, we're kind of out of 2025 topics.
18:06So then we start thinking, well, what would 2026 like?
18:10Who might turn out to be undervalued or whatever?
18:13And so a couple of my guys were on a couple of those late-season lists.
18:17I'm trying not to overwhelm with the same names.
18:20Let's do it. It's an absolutely pointless countdown. It absolutely, the order does not matter in the slightest, except for it matters so much.
18:28Who's your number five film room hero? I will go with probably one of the better players on my list.
18:34And then we'll get more nitty-gritty later on. I'm going to go with Nico Collins as my first one.
18:40Yeah, he's great. And the reason for this is that I think people view him as just like a standard big alpha
18:47X who gets down the field and he can catch the ball in these contested catch situations, which is true.
18:54Like, he can do all those things. But I think the one thing that I see with Nico, and he's gotten better with this, too.
19:02I mean, I think that there are some players, they enter the league, especially day one, day two picks, where they enter
19:09the league and you can immediately see like, oh, this is who this player is.
19:13And there might not be that much improvement upon that just based on, you know, maybe it's just how hard they work,
19:20but also just like who they are as players and the kind of the roles they play.
19:26But with Nico, I think he's just gotten like better throughout his NFL career.
19:30You know, you can make the art like he's just he's just like not completely different wide receiver than when he started
19:37in the league, but he's definitely not as raw as he was when he started out in the NFL.
19:43He's not as stiff as like most wide receivers who are like six, four.
19:48You know, he's 222 pounds. I think he's listed that he gets off the line really efficiently.
19:53He gets separation almost immediately. And then that separation continues because he's so fast and he can, you know, get through that
20:00route with with that separation from start to finish.
20:03He fights after the catch, obviously, as that big frame.
20:06And sometimes you see perimeter guys kind of go down and not fight.
20:10You know, Mike Evans kind of has that to him.
20:14But like Nico Collins is a fighter, man. Like he will do stuff after the catch and he will continue, you know, with that that yak.
20:22So so I think he's just one of those players that, you know, I don't want to just throw into this archetype
20:29of just being this like big bodied ex who or as Harmon would say, or sometimes sacrificial.
20:34I think that he's one who wins before and after the catch.
20:38And it's it's a rare combination. I just think he's a really good player and he's often kind of like not thrown
20:45in the elite tier enough of wide receivers in the league.
20:49He's usually like kind of next on that list or even after that.
20:53But I think he's just a really complete wide receiver at this at this time.
20:58And I give him a lot of props for, in my opinion, just getting a lot better as he's as he's gone through the NFL.
21:06So I agree. I think he's great. He's not a sure thing for fantasy, even though I'm ranking him real high because
21:13I I hope that he delivers kind of the the real season that would be that would people go, oh, my God, you know, he did 1600 yards.
21:21But like for film grades, I think his hands got better.
21:25Yeah, his speed is tremendous already. I think I think his routes got better, like he got a little more elusive.
21:32He's you know, he's never going to be like Devante Smith.
21:35He's never going to be like the incredibly quick guy, but he's gotten quicker and certainly does not run the rail on the outside.
21:43Certainly does not do the Quentin Johnston sacrificial X thing.
21:46You know, certainly is like a major part of everything they do.
21:50And the Texans definitely paid him like that. You know, they paid him.
21:54They just say they said, OK, like he deserves everything that the top top guys at that position get.
22:00Can we quibble with the situation? Can we worry about the quarterback?
22:04Can we say there's an awful lot of other receivers who are interesting there?
22:08Sure. All that stuff matters. And if someone wants to slag him and say, man, I'm not as sure.
22:14So instead of where Harris has him at five, I have him at 11.
22:19I can't get mad. I don't I can't see.
22:22I don't know. I can't see the future. I like Jaden Higgins a lot.
22:26I thought about Jaden Higgins for this list, to be honest.
22:30Where do you where do you have Collins? I think in like the eight range.
22:34Like he's right after Drake London for me. Sure.
22:37So I can pull my rankings. Yeah. I mean, they belong in the same conversation.
22:42They're very similar, I think. Yeah. I have met I have met wide receiver nine and it's it's largely I have A.J.
22:49Brown one spot ahead. And that's a very high.
22:52That's a more highly volatile situation. Obviously, it's just the yeah that then I'm leaning into what that could be.
22:58But yeah, I think Nico's he's just he's just good.
23:01Right. But I I, too. I like the other pieces there, which is why, you know, that that ranking looks the way.
23:09Like I, too, like Jaden Higgins. I thought that he, you know, showed a lot last year.
23:14I even think there's intrigue with like Jalen Knoll and being a down the field slot threat.
23:19But then obviously Tank Dell, you know, cross your fingers with him and if he's healthy.
23:24But I just think overall Nico's just a really talented and good player.
23:29I agree. I agree. My number five in this utterly does not matter a pointless countdown.
23:34I picked Alec Pierce, someone who I made quite a lot of fun of for a couple of years on the show.
23:41So I would say if there's I said in the almanac, if I could pick out one player at any skill position
23:48who changed my opinion of him most in 2025, I think it would be Alec Pierce.
23:53And then I said, I wish it was all the way actionable because there are certainly problems here, not least of which
24:00is his health and not knowing whether, you know, he'll ever he'll ever run.
24:04So what ankle surgery? I think he had. Is that right?
24:08Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like four to six month ankle surgery.
24:11Cool. In the summer. Cool. So, yeah, like there's reasons to be worried in the immediate term.
24:16And I'm not trying to sell you Alec Pierce as as good as Nico Collins because he's not.
24:22He's not that level of player. He is that size.
24:25And he probably is that. I mean, he's probably faster, to be honest.
24:29He's really, really fast. He's kind of was the situational deep threat during the time when people were trying to turn him into a thing for fantasy.
24:38He was one of those four weeks on, 12 weeks off.
24:42But the total numbers look good because the four weeks on are insane.
24:46You know, I think he had never really shown he could run a stop route.
24:50He'd never really shown he could run crossers. He just pretty much had just run straight down the field.
24:57Right. It's not like the Colts threw him screens.
24:59They, you know, it wasn't, it wasn't super creative.
25:02But if he wasn't hurt and, you know, Michael Pittman left, I would say some of that Pittman work makes sense going
25:09to Pierce because he's a bigger body than Josh Downs.
25:12And I would like to see him with the ball in his hands.
25:17And for the first time ever, like I saw him making, especially stop routes.
25:21I mean, he was like stop on dime type player.
25:24And because he's so fast, he had defensive backs just leaping out of their skin.
25:29And that's what I'm always looking for, sort of the defensive reaction.
25:33Now, I talked about Nico's hands getting better. Next guy.
25:36Alec Pierce's hands, not always great. And so that's, that's a worry right there.
25:40But yeah, if I'm going to say that a dude like probably changed, I slagged him a lot for a couple of years.
25:48And I, and I like partway through the season started going, okay, he's pretty good.
25:53He's not too bad. Like that's a, for me, that's, I'm stubborn.
25:56That's a pretty big change. Yeah, I would agree.
25:59I think last year when I was watching him, I remember seeing that he was, he was smarter against zone.
26:06He was finding those, those soft spots. I, you know, he's still a player that's not, and it's funny because, well, I'll,
26:13I'll, I'll say in a second about the segue to my next player.
26:17But, you know, he's a, he's very light. He's like a linear, you know, he's like a guy who is not going
26:24to be as like twitchy just given his build and what he does.
26:28And him being such a good down the field threat, but he's so, I mean, his body controls crazy.
26:34Like he's, he's, he's really, really good down the field.
26:37Unbelievable in contested catch situations. Arguably what, like, I think he's one of the best in contested catch situations across the league, given what, what he's done.
26:46And he's another one of those players like Nico, Chris, where like, he's gotten so much better as, as his career has gone on.
26:53Like coming out, he was really raw and I, like, I didn't, you know, I, I have my prospect model and stuff
27:00and I know this is not a data oriented thing, but the, there were a lot of concerns for him coming out
27:07and he has just gotten better and better and better.
27:11And we just see that sometimes with these players and I give him a lot of credit and it, it got him paid too.
27:18So good for him. A quick break to thank Lisa for sponsoring.
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28:30Use that code Harris. We are back with JJ.
28:33We are talking about our film room heroes for 2026.
28:36JJ, who's number four? Yeah, I'm going to, I'm going to change things up.
28:41He was going to be my third guy that I was going to mention, but it's a great segue because I have Josh Downs on my list.
28:49Chris, after you, after you talked about, about Alec Pierce, I think he's interesting and interesting player to talk about this year
28:56because, you know, there's, there's such a, a horrible death chart at the moment in Indianapolis, you know, with Alec Pierce banged up and not practicing.
29:05And then it's literally like, no, it's like what Nick Westbrook, Akine, like it's, it's just nothing else going on there.
29:11And so there's naturally a lot of reports going on right now about Josh Downs, like playing the outside a little bit more.
29:19And when I watched Downs, you know, I loved him as a prospect, obviously a slot oriented player.
29:24And I do, I am sort of a sucker for these slot guys.
29:29I will admit the guys who are great route runners who can create separation.
29:33He creates such separation. He's very twitchy, but also incredibly fast.
29:37And, you know, his movements are really efficient, you know, with that speed, but he's got that really good short area quickness, change of direction.
29:45One of the, one of the best parts of his game, in my opinion, you know, and so I like, he can create separation short and deep.
29:53He can get down the field mostly out of the slot.
29:57And so it's going to be very interesting to see what happens if, and when they do force him more to the outside, because he's not big.
30:05I mean, he's not a big player. I think he plays bigger than his size often, but he's certainly not a, a
30:12big, you know, a wide out that you would expect to went off the line consistently on the outside.
30:18But we'll see, you know, he's, because he's just been a slot only guy so far in his career.
30:24But I do think that he's been incredibly good in that role.
30:28So I'm very intrigued to see if he does get more of that work on the outside, what that all looks like.
30:35Yeah, he's fun. And I, we, he came up and we had pretty long conversation about him on the yacht club yesterday,
30:42which some of the folks listening didn't hear. So I'll recapitulate a little bit of that, which is, you know, that, that
30:49even that deep stuff out of the slot, every time the Colts do it, I'm always like, why don't they do that more?
30:57Yeah, exactly. Right. And they don't. And it's weird.
30:59Like I, you know, it's that whole thing about assuming rational coaching.
31:03Maybe there's a reason. Maybe he's just too little and he, he has gotten concussions.
31:08Like I think he had two a couple of years ago.
31:12Right. I like, maybe that's just, they've decided we're not going to use them that way.
31:17I don't know. It does feel like he's capable of more of a very, you know, he's a 99th percentile slot guy.
31:24He's a ninth percentile air yards of the target guy.
31:27Hey, I want data. And he's, he's the role hasn't been very exciting, but there is potential for more.
31:33There's also a little birdie whispering to me that says they suspect that Keenan Allen might be headed there.
31:39Yeah. Yeah. And if that happens, that may change that dynamic, but it shouldn't change it too much because Keenan Allen himself probably is not have that much.
31:48He has to be a supplemental player. And I, you know, if anything, it probably drives Downs' ADP way too low.
31:55Right. But it could also interfere with the idea of a big ceiling.
31:59So I guess we'll wait and see on that one.
32:02My number four. So Pierce had wound up on that, on that undervalued list back in December before I knew anything about the ankle.
32:10Obviously this guy did too. I actually put a tight end on this list despite my stance on tight end being a useless position.
32:17I have Brenton Strange on the list. I, you know, I hate doing it because it's not really the same usage, but
32:24when I watch him on film, I get Trey McBride vibes a little bit.
32:29He's, his hands are awesome. His jumping and body control is awesome.
32:32And McBride, when he was, before he was breaking out, he was doing the things he was doing more down the field.
32:39They don't throw the ball too far down the field at Brenton Strange.
32:44And so like, I, you know, I got to calm down.
32:47Obviously this is a good, good advice for me.
32:50Generally, I think the McBride last year on targets of 15 plus yards in the air had 27 targets and 15 catches.
32:57Strange had eight and six. So, you know, shut up Harris.
33:00But, um, I had him, I, he was an absolute revelation to me during the year last year.
33:06I had him tight end number 29 going into last season.
33:10And it's not like he went crazy or anything, although he missed some time with injury, finishes 23rd among tight ends.
33:16But the film I thought was really good. It's definitely, of course, subject to interpretation.
33:21But, uh, you know, I think he's really, he's obviously not really even a tight end.
33:26He's a wide receiver who plays in the slot, you know, not going to block anybody.
33:31But, like, yeah, I think his hands are great.
33:34I think he's fast. Um, I wouldn't be shocked if he's a breakout guy.
33:39Yeah. I like the call a lot, especially because it's a situation where gamers are not going to be as, you know,
33:46ready to jump because there's just a lot of bodies there.
33:49Right. And they're good players in Jacksonville. And he's one of them.
33:53Um, I couldn't agree more. Um, he's a, I think an underrated athlete, he's not like explosive the way that like a Brock Bowers could be explosive.
34:02He's not powerful the way that like, I don't know, George Kittle would be or something like that.
34:07But I do think that he's a very balanced, like natural catcher.
34:11Um, he's just a solid tight end. So I think it's a, it's a really good call out for someone who generally,
34:18when you look at what the masses believe and think, and, uh, you know, the way people are going to be drafting,
34:25he's, he's an afterthought for the most part. But, uh, he, he, you know, was a, was a pretty important piece to them, uh, throughout last season.
34:34I have him eight among tight ends. So you can't argue.
34:37I'm not. Wow. Look at that. That's, that's bullish.
34:40That's awesome. I love it. I'm trying. I'm trying, you know, it comes, it comes a point where basically I'm just waiting at tight end.
34:48And so, yeah, of course, whoever's there at the 14th round is who I'm taking, but very often they'll turn out to be Brenton strange.
34:56Who's number three on your film room hero list?
34:59I'm going to go with chase Brown. Um, I love him.
35:03He was on this list for me last year.
35:05Yeah. I just, I think that, that, you know, again, going with like that theme of like what the consensus might be
35:12thinking about these players based on whatever reasoning. And then me thinking that that player is generally better than what the masses might think.
35:20And I think with chase Brown, there's this idea that, you know, he was a, a day three pick and there's no
35:27way that this guy could be any good. But, um, I think he is, I think he's been really, really strong.
35:34He's a pretty decisive runner. Um, sometimes being too decisive, I would argue.
35:38He finishes runs too. Um, maybe not the, the best tackle breaker in the world, but, um, you know, I, I think
35:45that he's, and maybe he's a little bit like faster than he is elusive, but the explosiveness is there.
35:51Like I said, he generally is just going to take what's, what's blocked form plus a little bit more.
35:57And then the other side of this, he's a really natural receiver, like a really good receiver, uh, super smooth.
36:03Um, you know, it doesn't look like a chore when he's catching passes.
36:08So, you know, I, I just think that he's like the unsung hero of this, of this offense with studs, you know,
36:15T Higgins and Jamar chase being as good as they are, obviously Joe Burrow under center.
36:20Um, I just love chase Brown. I've loved them since he entered the league.
36:24And I, I think that there's been nothing really to, to show me that, that he's not a really good player.
36:31And, you know, last year there's definitely some like anchoring bias going on because he started off so slow, but you know,
36:38I, it just, it was not his fault. Uh, you know, I just, I didn't see it being a chase Brown problem.
36:45And obviously he started to come through a lot more as things opened up more for him.
36:50Yeah. There's a real obvious reason what happened. It was the dude.
36:54Where's nine on that team. Exactly. It was Joe Burrow being hurt.
36:58And then even, even, even the dude who wore number 16, if we're, if we're being honest, you know, the, when, when, when Flacco came.
37:06Yeah. And Flacco, Flacco made it better. He got better when Flacco came in, like the whole offense did.
37:12Um, but like not, you're right. Not what it needs to be with when Burrow is around and, and like, you know,
37:19no, everybody knows he's been a flag player on the show.
37:22Everybody knows everybody's tired of me on the chase Brown.
37:26Um, glad, glad you like him. Cause I really do too.
37:29Yeah. Is he, you know, is he a transcendent player?
37:32Probably not. Is he someone you'd say, wow, one of the five best running backs in the league is Chase Brown.
37:39No, I would, I would probably say no. And that's almost like illuminated by virtue of what you said, that when everything
37:46was falling apart around him, the transcendent players are supposed to Derek Henry their way out of it and still be really good.
37:53And like Chase Brown couldn't do that. So, okay, fine.
37:56That's why he's not going to be taken in the first round, but second round all day.
38:02Maybe. Maybe. Uh, my number three, he's not going in the second round anymore, but I might take him later, but I'm not talking about fantasy.
38:10It's the sprinter soldier, Bucky Irving. Get what I did there?
38:14Sprinter soldier. Yeah. Cause he's Bucky. Um, he was actually on the acid reflux all-star list last year.
38:19This time, actually a list that Josh and I are doing, uh, tomorrow on the show.
38:25Um, I know cousin Josh, my cousin who comes on every Friday, he's, he's going to call him bust.
38:31He does not like Bucky Irving. I think mostly he has the complaint that a lot of people have, which is all about injury.
38:38Just too small, tiny bones, as we say. And he doesn't run on the perimeter.
38:43He tries to run where the plays are supposed to go.
38:46And that winds up, you know, supposedly getting him more punished than other players.
38:51Maybe, maybe that's right. And, you know, whatever, I guess I can't, I can't really prove a negative.
38:57Um, I did not find last year's disappointment discouraging in terms of his ability.
39:01And I'll, I'll guess, I'm not, you know, I kind of don't really believe what ADP says right now because nobody's actually drafting.
39:08It's all just based on expert ranks. And eventually we'll get, you know, kind of whatever better data on the rate rank.
39:15Like I'm going to guess that the market's going to be down on him because it was frustrating.
39:21Played 10 games, you know, like whatever he had 800 yards from scrimmage, 700, whatever it was.
39:27Like it was, it was, it was pretty frustrating and like week by week you'd get the Rashad White game or you get the Sean Tucker game.
39:35Turner game. I, I am still in, uh, he's, he's probably not a burner.
39:40Like I don't really find him North South. Like he's going to blow you away, but my God, laterally.
39:46Yeah. And that's why I, you know, you, you, I have another guy that's going to fit that description.
39:52It's coming up on this list in a minute.
39:55And that's why if those little guys, the sub 200 guys can do it between the tackles.
40:00That's why they have to have that thing that helps them get out of trouble and, and not bounce everything outside.
40:07You know, I honestly like he is, Buck Irving's not a smaller than James Cook.
40:12Is he? He's the same size. Yeah. Maybe a little bit, but it wouldn't be by a ton.
40:17Yeah. Yeah. Are they about the same size? And you know, James Cook comes into the league and for a year and
40:24a half is trying to bounce everything outside and they're benching him for Damian Harris.
40:29And then someone gets ahold of him and says, you have to run where the play is supposed to go.
40:35And he starts doing it and now he's wins a rushing title.
40:39And like, I, I feel like Irving came into the league knowing how to do that.
40:44Go where it's supposed to be blocked. I recognize it hurts more.
40:48You get hit more. And he got hurt. He got hurt as a result.
40:53Like me, like what hurt? That's a great question.
40:56I still don't really have, you know, it was the foot that became a shoulder as far as I remember.
41:02Yeah. And now they're telling us more in training camp.
41:05It's been more about shoulder. So, so there are all sorts of caveats about this year's situations, but just watching him run is an absolute blast.
41:13I agree with you in terms of like, he's one of the hardest players for me because situationally I'm scared.
41:20Right. Because, you know, they use shot. They use Sean Tucker at the goal line last year.
41:25Like Bucky Irving didn't have a single goal line rush last year.
41:29Not to be, you know, I'm trying to stay away from data, but.
41:33But they didn't use him at the goal, you know, they didn't use him at the goal line.
41:39And then they add Kenneth Gainwell, who, you know, could play a pass catching role if nothing else.
41:45But I agree that this is where it's so difficult because Bucky is so good.
41:49I mean, crazy feet. I mean, he's like a, you know, like you don't think he can escape where he is.
41:56You know, you think he's about to get gobbled up and then he just doesn't because he's very, he's just so like elusive and quick.
42:04Like the long speed's not really there for him, but the contact balance certainly is.
42:09And he's, they haven't used them as much as I thought that they would, a team would use him at the NFL level as a receiver too.
42:17He was a really good natural receiver in college and he's been a good natural receiver in the NFL.
42:23It's just, he hasn't seen that volume the way that I think he should.
42:28And obviously Rashad White's been kind of in the way because it's the only thing that Rashad White can really do.
42:35And then again, now it's like, what are we doing with, with Kenneth Gainwell's presence there, which is a little bit scary.
42:42But as a player, which is what we're focused on here.
42:45Yeah. I'm a big Bucky Irving fan. I think he's a very good player.
42:50Yeah. And I'm not going, going crazy with his rank.
42:53You know, last year, I think I could be wrong, but I think he might've been a second round pick last year if I'm not mistaken.
43:01And I wasn't, I wasn't buying it at that price.
43:04I have him 20 among running backs. Is that too high?
43:08I think it's around ADP. It's around where he, I'm a, I'm a little like, my problem is that like, again, I, I worry about what the role.
43:17Cause like, obviously the high leverage stuff in fantasy is pass catching and goal line work, right?
43:22Like we want that for our running backs. And I, I'm a little bit worried about that.
43:28So I'm a few spots below, but I'm not going to fault anyone if they want to go.
43:33Cause I think Bucky Irving's good. And so I, you know, it's, it's a situation based evaluation more than anything else.
43:40Let me say thanks to fantasy cares. If you've ever thought about adding a charitable element to your fantasy league, fantasy cares.org
43:47is a wonderful place to do it. Even just like one entry fee out of your leagues.
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43:59adds up and you and your league mates can feel good because fantasy cares is a name.
44:05We all trust. That's our friend Scott fishes organization.
44:08You of course hear Scott on the show all season long fantasy cares runs the Scott fish bowl and many other events.
44:15Heck you can go to fantasy cares.org right now.
44:18Enter their pick them pool. They've got a survivor pool.
44:21Everything you see at fantasy cares.org is in support of dozens of charities that do amazing work, including toys for tots, which
44:28come holiday time will benefit so much from all of our generosity.
44:32So give it a look. Fantasy cares.org. We're back with JJ.
44:35We've got four more names to talk about. Who is your number two film room hero?
44:40So I told you that I have a thing for slot guys and my, my, my next one is a Khalil Shakir.
44:47Uh, I just think he's an underrated player. And part of that is the stupid role that he played last year in
44:54the way that people might be viewing him. Cause they just, you know, it was like a four yard a dot or whatever it was.
45:02Um, but he's like, he's, he's very different than Josh downs, you know, as a slot guy where downs can win with that separation and speed.
45:10And Khalil Shakir is a little bit bulkier than, than a lot of slot guys.
45:15I mean, not necessarily like, you know, huge, but I just mean, you know, thicker than what you'll see with like a Josh downs.
45:23But I'm always impressed with him. Once the ball is in his hands, it feels like he should go down.
45:29And then he just consistently is making guys miss.
45:32Um, the downside again, he's, he's not as, as flashy, not as explosive as a player like downs might be.
45:38Um, but he makes up for it by, by making those guys miss.
45:43And honestly, when I watch, you know, when I'm, when I'm watching the bills, he always seems to be making plays at the right time for that team.
45:52It's always, he's like Josh Allen's go-to now. Maybe that changes this year with DJ Moore there.
45:57Um, but he is a, a reliable target, if nothing else.
46:00He's just a reliable player overall. Um, and when I, you know, there's some players that you watch and I've started to
46:07feel this way about like Alec Pierce. So we talked about earlier where you're like, I think this guy is actually pretty
46:14smart and he knows what he's doing out there.
46:17As opposed to just kind of going through the motions.
46:21Khalil Shakir to me is a smart player. Like he knows how to find, uh, you know, the soft spots and against zone.
46:28Um, and I, I think that he can handle more than that stupid low a dot role that he had last year.
46:35Um, and, and hopefully having another player in that offense, we'll hope what will open him up a little bit to, to doing more within that offense.
46:43Now, not necessarily from a volume perspective, but, um, you know, maybe just an efficiency and more down the field stuff.
46:50But I think Khalil Shakir, I've, I liked him a lot.
46:54This is one of those cases where, you know, I, I liked him a lot coming out, you know, as a day three pick.
47:01And he really hasn't shown anything for me to feel otherwise.
47:05I think he's a really good player. Can I quote myself from the Almanac about Khalil Shakir?
47:10Yeah, of course. Let's hear it. Does Shakir sometimes do more than that?
47:14Meaning run three yards and fall down, you know, turn around.
47:18He's a dang baller. You know, he does. He's an absolute baller.
47:22He's the, he's absolutely a, probably a better football player than he is a stat guy.
47:27Yeah. It may always be. But like week 15 against the Patriots, it's burned in my brain.
47:32Fourth quarter, fourth and three, New England up three.
47:35Bills are out of field goal range. So they go, uh, Josh Palmer is the, is the lead, uh, primary target on a crosser.
47:43Absolutely does not get open. Shocker. And, uh, Marcus Jones is on Khalil Shakir.
47:47Like that's, you're supposed to win that if you're the new England, new England.
47:52Shakir's not supposed to beat Marcus Jones and the ball is a little underthrown and Shakir comes back and, and it's actually
47:59interference and it doesn't matter because Shakir just catches it around Marcus Jones's body.
48:03He's just that kind of guy. He's the kind of guy.
48:07Honestly, it feels like the bills who have in my way of thinking been not awesome personnel wise for a little while
48:14are trying to assemble that kind of guy. Cause I think DJ Moore is also that kind of guy.
48:20Yeah. Just the guy who, you know, the, the, the run through the brick wall, the do whatever I don't, I don't care.
48:27Just like I need to win. We need to make a play here.
48:31Uh, I love this call. I looked at his name and I was like, it's, it's, it's so hard to distinguish him
48:38from the other quickie, funny, you know, Jaden Reedy.
48:41Like, but there is a little something special about Khalil Shakir to my way of thinking.
48:46I agree. Like I said, like he, he's just, if you're watching a, a, a, a bills playoff game or like a,
48:53a big game for Buffalo and it's like late in the game and like, you know, that he's going to be a target.
49:00Like, you know, that he's going to be there.
49:03Um, and it's, it's fun. Like it's, it's been a, a pretty fun career for him so far.
49:09All things considered too. I mean, he's a, a, a day three pick, not someone that like people were like overly high on.
49:16Um, I, you know, I'm just, I'm proud of him, Chris.
49:20I'm very proud of Khalil Shakir. You should be, you should be.
49:24He's one of your fellas. My number two on the other, I actually mentioned him earlier.
49:29I came out of the side of my mouth.
49:32Devante Smith. I decided to put on here. Um, Devante Smith has a history of being on kind of undervalued lists from a few years ago.
49:40And then two years ago, 2023, he had the first half from hell.
49:44He was the mid season fantasy LVP because people had drafted him real high along with AJ Brown.
49:50And yeah, hadn't worked very well, but then actually the second half of 2023 scored a bunch of touchdowns and didn't wind up burning you too bad.
49:58Um, I, the reason to have the conversation about Devante Smith for me is that obviously no AJ Brown, obviously a new offense.
50:06It's got to, they're changing. This is not a matter of like, well, we need to figure out who's going to get the AJ Brown work.
50:14No, there's, it's going to be all a newest.
50:17There's no AJ Brown there. So there's going to be a new way of thinking about offense.
50:22And do people think Devante Smith is only one kind of thing or another?
50:27Cause I like, yes, he's 120 pounds and his knee hurts.
50:30No question. He's tiny. He's very skinny, but I love Devante Smith on like doing Jameson Williams things.
50:36And I love Devante Smith on a, uh, like a zero yard screen, which they do a lot.
50:42Right. And like, I'll say from having kind of re osmosis to these, these Eagles games, as I was watching film this
50:49summer, something else I put in the Almanac that just a thought as like a meta about watching how defenses took care
50:56of the Eagles, like which receiver were they paying attention to between Smith and Brown?
51:01It was Smith all day long. There's, I mean, obviously that's kind of what defenses do now because everybody's playing back and
51:08you're trying to limit the big play. And Devante Smith is no matter how fast AJ Brown still is or isn't, he's not as fast as Devante Smith.
51:17So I get that, but roll coverage rolled Smith's way way more than it rolled Brown's way.
51:22I think defenses are telling you who they consider to be more dangerous.
51:26I get that there's a question of like sturdiness and will he ever hold up to like getting smacked around the way
51:33an alpha receiver needs to get smacked around? I don't know.
51:37That's a good question for fantasy. This is going to be a high variance player.
51:41No question. But I think he's, you know, he's there's reason why he's been his reason.
51:46He's good. Like, I just think he, people think he's a situational deep threat and he's not.
51:52Could not agree more. I've had a problem and basically he's basically like a target in my draft guide every year, Devante Smith.
51:59And it's, you know, it's, it hasn't been like a huge thing that's, that's burned me, but obviously, you know, there, there've
52:06been instances where it hasn't been as favorable, but I just think he's one of the best route runners in the game.
52:13Super efficient. He can change speeds. Well, you know, he, he's, he's good ball tracker too.
52:18And, and, and, you know, sometimes with these like smaller wide receivers there, you can see them like tense up as they
52:25go toward, you know, through the middle of the field.
52:29And you don't see that with Devante Smith very frequently.
52:32I just think he's a baller from that perspective.
52:35Obviously not the kind of like, he doesn't get yak in the traditional way of like breaking tackles and such, but, but
52:42he can create that separation and create yak just through big plays and he can generate those big plays.
52:48So I have him as a, I mean, he's a top 12 wide receiver for me this year.
52:53I'm very into him. I have him 10. Yeah.
52:56Well, that's yeah. There you go. Yeah. So we're both, we're going to be on the high side with Smith.
53:03I thought, you know, there's some, who knows receiver.
53:05I've said it a million times there. There's a, it's hard to fit a sliver of paper among the fricking top 30 receivers.
53:13You know, there's all great athletes. And if they've luck into the right situation, they can George Pickens their way to eternity.
53:20So I can't, I'm not, can't promise anything, but you know, I think Smith is the kind of dude who, if it
53:27goes wrong, it won't be because of the space between his ears or like a lack of talent.
53:33Right. Right. All right. We're at your number one film room hero.
53:36I'm sure knowing that this is going to be a pointless countdown.
53:40I'm sure you put so much thought into who'd be number one.
53:44Who is it? Yeah. I, uh, I went with a, with a Homer pick me, me growing up in Pittsburgh, um, and,
53:51and being, uh, I mean, I'm, I'm not really a Steelers fan anymore.
53:55Just given, given our jobs, I still root for them though.
53:59And one of the players that I think is one of the most underrated running backs in football is Jalen Warren.
54:05Uh, you're getting a virtual hug from me. I mean, like, like, like I, I genuinely think that he's like a fringe,
54:12like top 10 running back in the game, like, like just so good.
54:17Uh, real unbelievable contact balance. Like he bounces off defenders, like a freaking pinball.
54:21Um, and then he's able to stay upright. And you just say, you know, you're sitting there, you're like, how is this even possible?
54:29And then he keeps moving downfield. Um, you know, I, I do think that he invites that contact sometimes too much, especially it's kind of weird.
54:37Cause he's not like the largest human being, you know, playing football.
54:41And so, you know, that could maybe get him into trouble at times, but I, you know, he plays bigger than he is.
54:48Like I just said, he's, he's, he's, uh, not the, the biggest running back that you'll find, but he definitely plays that way.
54:55He initially, he initiates that contact, which makes it really fun to watch.
55:00Um, but I think he's also a pretty patient runner overall.
55:03And then going back to sort of what I said with like a chase Brown, um, he's just a really natural pass
55:10catcher, you know, especially once, once he gets going into space, uh, like he's, he's just one of the better running backs in the game.
55:18Uh, when, when you can get on the ball and give him that space.
55:22Uh, and he's, he's great in pass pro too.
55:25So I don't know, man, I get so tilted that every Steelers coaching staff refuses to give him, you know, a more meaningful workload.
55:33And I know that we're going to be frustrated again this year, but I'm going to draft Jalen Warren again this year,
55:40because I just think he's very good. He is very good.
55:44And you know, the market isn't going to go crazy on him.
55:47I really don't think it is. I think you're, we're still, you know, we're going to, we're going to still be ahead
55:54of the, of the average person who just feels like, Oh, people have been telling me about Jalen Warren and he never really works out.
56:02And why is Kenneth Gainwell, blah, blah, blah, blah.
56:05You know? So I don't think we're going to have to take him as an RB too.
56:11Are we? He's a flex. Yeah. I mean, I'm, I'm, I'm hoping, you know, I, I do my, uh, my targets and
56:18like, I haven't met RB 27 right now in, in my rankings.
56:21So I'm 27 PPR. I have 29 standard. Yeah, there you go.
56:25Yes. We're in the same area. Um, I do think that the, I do know that the market likes Warren more like
56:32from an ADP perspective, likes Warren more than Dowdle.
56:35And I'm, I'm kind of just hoping that like the, the Mike McCarthy coach Rico Dowdle narrative, like really starts to take
56:42off over the next, like as the preseason starts and stuff like that.
56:46And Dowdle's fine. I just think Jalen Warren's a better player and he can do more as a pass catcher and he's
56:53good in pass pro and I, I want him to see that bigger workload.
56:58You know, it was starting to kind of come to fruition a little bit last year.
57:03And then they're like, no, we want to use Kenneth gain well, and we want to make him a thing.
57:09Um, and obviously Najee Harris was there blocking him for years before, uh, because Mike Tomlin, it was, you know, Najee Harris
57:16is the equivalent of Mike Tomlin's son. Um, but yeah, I mean, I, I really, really hope that they use more Warren this year.
57:24Cause I, I think he's just an incredibly good player.
57:27I do too. Really, really good fun. He was a super deep sleeper and then he was a flag player.
57:33He's, we have a long history of him here.
57:36That's hence the hug. People, people are like, Oh, this is a setup.
57:40JJ pick players. He, no, it's not a setup.
57:43We talked to zero. Yeah. We talked zero about this.
57:46Yeah. All right. At number one, I put a player whose virtues I have not extolled often on the show, but not
57:53because I think he's not, I never was telling people he was bad.
57:58Everybody knows what he does. He does incredibly. I've just been suspicious of the size.
58:02And this year I've just decided to not worry so much about it because it's Devon Achan, um, as a blast, like,
58:09you know, wow, Harris, you're really going out on a limb, a dude who just got a huge contract and is the
58:16only good player on an NFL team. You're saying is a film room hero.
58:21You really are stretching the incredible, uh, brain power that you usually manifest.
58:25Um, but it's a change for me because I mean, 2024, I called him a bust wrong, incorrect, bad call.
58:31It wasn't because I didn't think he was fast.
58:34It was because I didn't think he'd last. I thought he'd be on the Bucky Irving trail of hurting something, having somebody
58:41fall weird on his leg or whatever. Um, but we weren't calling him a 20, a bust, uh, at, in 2025 before the season.
58:49He obviously wasn't a bust last year at all.
58:52I had him on a couple of teams and then at the end of last season, last December, one of the lists
58:59that we do is, you know, what are your predictions for what your top picks will be by the time next August rolls around?
59:06And both cousin Josh and I had Devon Achan in our top seven overall picks because it was just so overpowering how
59:13fast he was and how quick he was. And yeah, he doesn't invite a lot of contact and yes, he does sort
59:20of violate the rule of the bounce outside guy, but he gets away with it because he's an A plus in speed and an A plus in quickness.
59:29Like he is ludicrous and it's incredibly obviously fun to watch these highlights.
59:34He's quite a player. He certainly can annoy you with negative gains, but give him any space at all.
59:40And it's absolutely a problem. And I guess I wanted to bring him up by way of saying here, here we are.
59:47I'm calling him a hero. I admit it. Like I'm, you know, I'm, I can change my opinions when reality hits me in the face.
59:55And then also here we were sitting at the, in December at the end of last year, deciding Devon Achan is a top seven overall player.
60:03And because Tua Tungvaloa and Jalen Warren are gone, that means Devon Achan is no longer a first round pick.
60:09I think that's wrong. And I think we're wrong all the time in our ability to predict which teams are going to
60:16be truly awful, like completely unable to support fantasy weapons.
60:19This dude, he needs to stay healthy and I'm, you know, just cause he stayed healthy so far every season is a small sample size.
60:27You don't know for sure. But like, I think I'm taking this dude at like 10 overall and feeling okay about it.
60:34The, the, the thing with Achan is like the thing with like the way I feel about Luther Burden right now where
60:41I don't think anyone's right or wrong. Where like, I, I see the, the, the upside and downside case.
60:47Like I've been a big Devon Achan guy since he was drafted.
60:51I thought that, that, you know, his skillset and his speed just naturally fit really well with Mike McDaniel and that Chanahan, you know, type system.
61:00Um, um, and, and obviously, you know, we saw that come to fruition.
61:04I'm not saying that to pat myself on the back.
61:07I'm saying that because I'm actually in the opposite side of you of like being genuinely worried about the situation this year.
61:14Agreed that we don't know for sure. And it could bite me, you know, like, I think that's where the nuance needs
61:21to, to enter the discussion and not, you know, go on social media and start screaming about how stupid people are for drafting Devon Achan.
61:29You know what I mean? Um, it's, it's more so like, you know, Mike McDaniel's gone too.
61:34Uh, and I, I do think that that scheme fit was very good for Achan.
61:39Now he's obviously overcome and just shown that he's good in general, but we do have a sample of, you know, when
61:46Tua was going through the concussion stuff where that offense looked tremendously horrific and Achan wasn't, you know, as effective and as
61:53strong of a fantasy asset during that time. Um, and then I just, I, I, like, I, I agree with the philosophy
62:00and the general notion of like predicting situation, you know, that I, you know, certainly, um, and not someone who thinks that
62:07like, we're going to be able to understand which defense is really good, et cetera, et cetera.
62:13Um, but I look at the, the dolphins right now and have you seen a worse wide receiver room in all of your years of doing this?
62:21Like genuinely, like it's, it's bad, right? It's like, it's, it's very, and, and Malik Willis is obviously a huge question mark.
62:28I think at the very least, you know, uh, a mobile, um, you know, quarterback like that should be able to open up holes for a runner.
62:37If they operate that offense in a smart way and run a decent amount of like RPOs and stuff like that.
62:43But, um, I do have some fear about the situation overall.
62:47I think there's a chance that there's like a lot of play action stuff that happens that, you know, doesn't force a
62:54chin the ball as much as a receiver or, you know, there's just more volatility involved with that situation versus like a
63:01chase Brown, let's say, you know, in that, in that, that you could go after or grab it, you know, be gravitated
63:08towards, you know, in that like one, two turn area.
63:11Um, but if this being a show about, you know, guys that we're looking at from a film perspective, yeah, I mean,
63:18you're preaching to the choir about Devon H and I love the dude.
63:22I think he's awesome. Yeah. Yeah. And I knew you would and everybody would, and that's why bringing them up.
63:29I really wanted to have that conversation. I was interested in your opinion and I appreciate that you're saying you're disagreeing, but
63:36you're saying like, I understand that the quality of the player can absolutely overcome the situation.
63:41You're just, you're just worried that this might be, the deck might be just too stacked, which of course coming from the other end, I absolutely understand.
63:49Yeah. Yeah. You know, there's, there's, there's some talk about like, you know, if you look at like Miami's, you know, people
63:56were saying like, well, Miami's offense was not very good last year.
64:00And so therefore, but like, I, I don't know, man, part of me is like, this, this could be bad this year.
64:07Like it could, it could, it could end up going South and that would, that would definitely scare me.
64:13But I don't, you know, if I, if I were to call him a fade, I'd call him a soft fade as
64:20opposed to like, yeah, don't, don't draft Devon H and no matter what, because the, the don't draft them no matter what
64:27type players are the players that I actually don't like that I don't think are very good as well as being in
64:34like what I predict to be a certain, you know, a bad situation or something.
64:39I think this is at least a player that is clearly, clearly very good.
64:44Right. All right. Well, I put these names in today's show notes so you can review and remember who we picked as guys that we liked.
64:52You can follow JJ all over socials, look up late round QB and you'll find him there.
64:57Of course, go to late round.com for all your late round needs and subscribe to the late round podcast, which is basically a daily affair.
65:05Sometimes during the season, even more than a daily affair.
65:08And a lot of, a lot of great nuggets will come out of those shows.
65:13A lot of actionable items that will help your teams.
65:16You know, I miss this. We were, you're, if in this show's history, you were part of the very first generation of
65:23guests and you know, you would come on like every couple of weeks and I just, I love having you on.
65:30And I know it's not as possible anymore and it's because of the small humans in your house, which who I love.
65:37So I'm not mad at those humans. But I appreciate you very much.
65:41Thanks for doing it. Yeah, man. I appreciate you.
65:44It's always good to chop it up. And I also appreciate the platform to just kind of talk about what I'm seeing
65:51instead of what I'm seeing in the spreadsheets. You know, it's, it's nice to, to change things up a little bit.
65:58I appreciate that. And we appreciate it too. And I appreciate all of you.
66:02Let's thank the sponsors that made today's show possible.
66:05We had Wild Grain, Lisa, and Fantasy Cares. These are three folks that you hear about a lot on the show over the years.
66:13And that means many of your fellow listeners have supported them in one way or another.
66:18And I appreciate that so much. If you were interested in what I had to say, you can find details in the show notes.
66:26And of course, at harrisfootball.com. I appreciate how much ownership you do take.
66:30Of course, not everybody can support every sponsor. If you don't currently have a need for today's sponsors or the means to
66:37indulge in them, I'm so happy to have you listening.
66:40It's amazing to have you here. It's a, it's a great audience.
66:44I can't believe the audience. It's so wonderful. Thank you so much for everything.
66:48The support, this entire thing is all because of you.
66:51That's going to do it for this Thursday episode.
66:54It is Thursday, right? It's been kind of a long week.
66:58A lot of things launching. A lot of stuff putting out in the world.
67:02I didn't mention the book tour. And I'm not sure how many people are sticking around here at the end.
67:09But I should keep mentioning the book tour because it starts two weeks from Sunday up in Tacoma, Washington.
67:15And then on back-to-back days, I'm in Tacoma and then Portland and then Las Vegas and then Scottsdale, Arizona.
67:21Four straight days. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Each event starts at 7.
67:24You can find details if you go to the Pound Foolish page at harrisfootball.com.
67:29There's a graphic at the bottom that says exactly which bars.
67:32They're all at bars. And the way it's going to go is it'll be a reading of a microphone and I'll do
67:39a reading of the book for a little bit, 20 minutes, something like that.
67:44After that, it's just a meetup. It's just a listener meetup where we all get to introduce each other and shake hands
67:51and have fun and talk about stupid football stuff and stupid show stuff.
67:55And I've done so many meetups over the years with many, many possums and enjoy it so much.
68:01You'll have a fun time. I guarantee you'll have a fun time.
68:05And so love it if you're in those areas, if you can show up.
68:09Remember to get bribed for tomorrow because we're doing our very first drawing of many tomorrow.
68:14And also, if you can't afford a preorder, the first dozen people who send me an email because of Matt's generosity will get you a preorder.
68:22And then I'm burying the lead. The most important thing of all is Friday's podcast.
68:27Yeah, sure, there's drawings. That matters. But you know what matters.
68:31The Prince of Darkness is returning from his long hiatus.
68:34We'll find out what he's been doing. Cousin Josh is joining the show.
68:38He and I are going to do an annual list.
68:41Our acid reflux teams, the players. We might draft them, but we know they're going to make us sick to our stomach.
68:48That will be fun as well. Until then, thanks again so much for listening.
68:53Your hat is awesome. You're awesome for wearing it.
68:56I will talk to you tomorrow. The Harris Football Podcast's opening theme is Under the Gun by Apex Manor.
69:02The closing theme is Say Yes by The Wellspring.
69:04Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode.
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