Harris Fantasy Football PodcastSource
Harris Fantasy Football Podcast artwork
PodcastFrom Harris Fantasy Football Podcast

49ers Crush Rams & What's Freaking Us Out For Week 1

STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.

59 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 11, 2026
Published
Fri, September 11, 2026
36
Player insights
31
Players mentioned
Topics
Jonathon BrooksBryce YoungChuba HubbardJalen HurtsBlake CorumBreece HallBrenton StrangeBrian Thomas Jr.Brock BowersBucky IrvingChris RodriguezChristian McCaffreyDe'Von AchaneDeebo Samuel
Player analysis

Player insights

36

Blake Corum

NegativeUsage9:03

Blake Corum was used in a platoon with Kyron Williams, notably receiving four straight carries in one series, which the source notes is unusual for a platoon backfield.

Insight page

Breece Hall

NegativeInjury31:29

Breece Hall is dealing with a multi-week groin injury but has been practicing fully; the source advises starting him despite the injury concern.

Insight page

Brenton Strange

NegativeValue27:23

Jim McCormick drafted Brenton Strange, but characterizes the pick as a low-stakes experiment to see if his evaluation of the player is correct rather than a reliance on him as a starter.

Insight page

Brian Thomas Jr.

NegativeValue26:43

Jim McCormick notes he only has one share of Brian Thomas Jr. in a superflex league where other drafters seemingly forgot skill players existed, indicating he has very little exposure to the Jaguars' offense.

Insight page

Brock Bowers

NegativeInjury35:00

Brock Bowers is out for Week 1 due to a knee scope; the source clarifies this is not a one-week injury and expects him to miss multiple games.

Insight page

Bryce Young

NegativeProjection43:44

The source expresses concern that Bryce Young may have already reached his ceiling as a player, questioning if he can be a functional starting quarterback in the NFL by 2027. Despite the team investing in skill players and giving him opportunities, there is a fear that the offense will not progress as expected.

Insight page
NegativeProjection44:05

The source is concerned that Bryce Young may have already reached his ceiling as an NFL quarterback, which the source believes is not good enough for fantasy success.

Insight page

Bucky Irving

NegativeValue54:46

The source is invested in Bucky Irving due to his favorable ADP, but expresses worry that he might not 'put it all together' this year, partly because another the source labeled him a bust. The source hopes for his success to avoid being proven wrong.

Insight page

Chris Rodriguez

NegativeValue26:58

Jim McCormick intended to draft Chris Rodriguez Jr. as a target but failed to acquire him because other drafters in his leagues were also targeting him, causing him to go earlier than expected.

Insight page

Christian McCaffrey

NegativeUsage23:55

Christian McCaffrey split snaps with Kalon Black (20 to 16 in the first half) and dealt with cramps; the source believes this is a manageable platoon and not a death blow to his fantasy value.

Insight page

Chuba Hubbard

NegativeUsage44:14

The source notes they are using Chuba Hubbard in one league, specifically in a deeper format that features multiple flex positions.

Insight page
NegativeUsage44:18

The source is starting Chuba Hubbard in one deeper league that features multiple flex spots, indicating he is a viable depth option in specific formats.

Insight page

De'Von Achane

NegativeValue27:48

The source lowered his projection for De'Von Achane after hearing unanimous negative reports from Dolphins joint practices, though he remains conflicted about whether he should have stuck to his original high-round valuation.

Insight page

Deebo Samuel

PositiveBreakout27:08

Deebo Samuel looked trimmer and was utilized with 6 touches, including a touchdown; with Dajon Stribling likely out, Samuel is a strong bench stash or waiver target in shallower leagues.

Insight page

Drake London

NegativeProjection30:09

With potential quarterback uncertainty involving Cooper Rush, the source suggests a minor downgrade for Drake London but maintains he should still be started.

Insight page

George Kittle

NegativeUsage28:28

George Kittle played only 30 of 64 snaps and recorded just 2 catches for 12 yards; the source notes his recovery from an Achilles injury is a work in progress.

Insight page

Jalen Hurts

NegativeProjection29:54

The source notes reports of Jalen Hurts throwing more interceptions in camp, but clarifies this does not trigger a panic or a referendum on his fantasy value.

Insight page
NegativeProjection53:33

The source expresses concern about a potential cold start for Jalen Hurts in Week 1, noting that the middle of the field has not been a consistent part of his game. The source worries about the offense's ability to score over 24 points against the Commanders.

Insight page

Jayden Daniels

NegativeProjection36:48

Jim McCormick worries about the sustainability of Jayden Daniels' playing style, fearing that his reliance on mobility and the team's inability to protect him could lead to a career trajectory similar to Robert Griffin III.

Insight page

Jonathan Taylor

NegativeValue48:30

The source believes Jonathan Taylor earns his pedigree as a top-tier running back, with the primary concern being his ability to stay healthy. The source regrets not actively acquiring shares of him during drafts.

Insight page

Jonathon Brooks

NegativeInjury31:40

Jonathan Brooks has been limited with a groin injury, but the source assumes he will play for ranking purposes.

Insight page
NegativeUsage44:14

The source mentions that people are considering using Jonathan Brooks, though no specific recommendation or projection is provided beyond his inclusion in the team's backfield plans.

Insight page
NegativeUsage44:18

The source mentions having Jonathan Brooks on a team, noting that fantasy managers are currently considering when to use him.

Insight page

Jordan Addison

PositiveValue31:16

Jim McCormick drafted Jordan Addison frequently as a late-round value, noting he was consistently available in the 10th or 11th round of his drafts.

Insight page

Josh Downs

NegativeValue48:19

The source mentions having one share of Josh Downs, which was acquired as a low-cost 'prize' rather than an active draft target.

Insight page

Justin Jefferson

PositiveValue31:12

Jim McCormick ended up with many shares of Justin Jefferson because he was consistently available in spots that felt like good value, despite McCormick's reservations about the Vikings' offense.

Insight page

Kaelon Black

PositiveValue23:16

Kalon Black saw significant usage alongside Christian McCaffrey, including 7 carries to McCaffrey's 2 in the late second quarter; the source advises fantasy managers to add him.

Insight page

Kenneth Gainwell

NegativeDepth Chart55:28

The source jokingly speculates about Kenneth Gainwell's role in the Buccaneers' backfield, questioning if he has a better rapport with the quarterback than Bucky Irving.

Insight page

Kyler Murray

NegativeProjection31:08

Jim McCormick expresses skepticism about Kyler Murray, comparing the uncertainty of his performance to a B-movie scenario where he is the only thing preventing the team from falling to backup-level play.

Insight page

Kyren Williams

NegativeUsage8:30

Kyron Williams and Blake Corum alternated drives and found big running lanes against the 49ers; Williams scored a touchdown on a goal-line carry, but the usage remained a platoon throughout the game.

Insight page

Mike Evans

PositiveBreakout20:20

Mike Evans was heavily involved as a possession receiver and red-zone threat, catching a touchdown; the source notes his market price was a discount and he is a strong stock moving forward.

Insight page

Parker Washington

NegativeValue27:19

Jim McCormick confirms he has Parker Washington on at least one team, though he does not have significant exposure to the Jaguars' roster overall.

Insight page

Patrick Mahomes

PositiveProjection32:58

The source acknowledges that despite concerns about the Chiefs' roster and offensive line, Patrick Mahomes remains the one player capable of single-handedly elevating his team from the abyss.

Insight page

Puka Nacua

NegativeUsage10:41

Puka Nacua finished with 5 catches for 74 yards; while he made big plays, the source notes this was not a massive performance and he missed a potential touchdown route on the goal line.

Insight page

Rashee Rice

NegativeProjection34:28

The source describes Rashee Rice as 'a particular kind of okay,' expressing doubt about the overall quality of the Chiefs' receiving corps.

Insight page

Zay Flowers

NegativeProjection49:36

The source is worried about Zay Flowers' touchdown upside, noting his small stature and the presence of other strong runners on the Ravens. While the source remains invested in him, they question if he can be a true number one receiver or if he is better suited as a number two.

Insight page
Full transcript

Episode Transcript

677
0:00It's the Harris Fantasy Football Podcast with your host, Christopher Harris.
0:04Hey everybody, welcome in. My name is Chris and this is a show about leafy green vegetables.
0:09Hello there, you yacht possums. Thank you so much for being here today.
0:14I want to remind you, as if you needed reminding, that Sunday is the first full day of the NFL season.
0:21And I will be live streaming for an hour before kickoff, noon Eastern, 9am Pacific.
0:26I believe Andy Behrens will also live stream earlier in the morning.
0:30So we hope to see you there. The way to get in those live streams and hang out and ask questions is
0:37to subscribe to the Yacht Club to get that podcast on Wednesdays.
0:41You can find the details at HarrisFootball.com. We will start, of course, today with the Thursday night game, the Australia game, Rams 49ers.
0:48And one team was obviously superior top to bottom than the other.
0:52And since we already know how the season is going to go, we already know which teams are good and which teams are bad.
1:00So I'll just take a big old sip of coffee here and tell you that, in fact, the Rams are not going to go undefeated.
1:09Our mind palaces took about two games to shatter them for week one.
1:13At least it was very clear that the 49ers were significantly better than the Rams and they blew them directly out.
1:20We will talk about those Niners soon because they are better, at least as of right now.
1:26But the headline for fantasy has to be what happened to the Rams.
1:30And I will say I did not actually think the Rams offense was that terrible.
1:35Like it wasn't great. It wasn't seven points terrible.
1:38But we've spent two months trying to count on one hand the number of offenses we believed would be inevitable.
1:44These are the offenses that are truly the blue blood stocks from year to year.
1:49You can definitely trust them. And while, again, I will maintain the actual play from the LA offense wasn't terrible.
1:56We're going to see much worse this week from somebody.
1:59It also didn't explode. We can say that much.
2:02It didn't march up and down the field like last year.
2:06All caveats apply. They had a few sleepy offensive gains in September last year, too.
2:11This isn't over. It's nothing close to over. But we can only work with what we've seen and what we just saw
2:18Thursday night or I guess Friday morning, Australia time.
2:21It was an okay offense. It made some good plays.
2:25I thought blew open some huge running lanes and made a couple of splash plays that way.
2:30But also that offense choked in some big spots.
2:33But the real alarming thing, if you're a Rams fan, is that the defense is supposed to be great.
2:40It's supposed to be world historic. Miles Garrett plays there now.
2:43Trent McDuffie plays there now. Jalen Watson plays there now.
2:47Aaron Donald will eventually return. And the Niners absolutely dog walked that defense up and down the field.
2:52That was alarming. Why is Miles Garrett coming off the game so much?
2:57Coming off the field. Why is the TV crew talking about how gassed he looks?
3:02Why can't they get the Niners off the field?
3:05Even when the Rams were winning that game into the second quarter, the time of possession was just way off.
3:11If you were watching it, I think you might have been thinking like I was thinking, huh?
3:17Well, I guess the Niners fed the ball for a long time in the first half, but they haven't made that much of it.
3:25So I've seen games like this before. The Rams defense will click in here at some point.
3:31And they absolutely never clicked in. That was a thorough steamroll job.
3:35Netflix had a highlight package showing Garrett rushing Trent Williams.
3:38And he did not get close. It was no match at all.
3:42Garrett did nothing. And the Niners started that game chipping Garrett and accounting for him on every play.
3:48And by the second half, it did not seem like they were even bothering with that anymore.
3:54But okay, even if we grant the fact that the Rams defense was the biggest disappointment in this game, and in the
4:01second half, things got pretty out of control on the scoreboard, don't you hear other fantasy shows and have them tell you, oh, oh, no, no.
4:09I love that pass offense. Like the Cardinals? Are you kidding me?
4:13I love it. They're going to be playing from behind all the time.
4:18Get ready for some garbage fantasy points. I mean, first of all, ridiculous.
4:22If all it took was being terrible on defense, you know, let's weed that out of the discourse.
4:28Sometimes the Bengals being bad on defense helps the offense.
4:31But how about the Jets and the Titans last year?
4:35It's not a guarantee. That's for sure. But I will also grant that if the Rams offense is world historic like they're
4:42supposed to be, they should be able to take care of a little buss or a time and save us there and give us some comeback points.
4:51And they basically, in the second half, did mount one big drive that should have led to points.
4:57I'll get to that drive in just a moment.
5:00It was 17-7 Niners by late in the third quarter.
5:03How had we gotten there? You know, to that point, it hadn't felt that alarming to me for LA's offense.
5:10They were legitimately blowing the middle of the San Francisco defense back.
5:14Kyron Williams and Blake Corum were alternating and finding big space that I think kind of any NFL quality running back could gain yards through.
5:22Things were kind of on schedule. Their third drive, Puka Nakua makes a big play on a deep out to get them inside the 10.
5:30It's Williams in the game. He gets two carries inside the 10, scores a touchdown on the second.
5:36It's 7-3 Rams early second quarter. Sleepy, but things seem okay.
5:40Okay. Brock Purdy throws a pick the next series.
5:43Blake Corum comes in, gets four straight carries. In a platoon, you often do not see, you know, the one dude, either
5:50one, get four straight carries, which speaks to the quality of Corum's cardiopulmonary apparatus, I guess.
5:56But then Stafford throws his worst ball of the night, a third and long arm punt, trying to throw a deep over to Puka.
6:04Puka intercepted right back. And then that time of possession really started to make a difference.
6:09Niners kept it for like five or six more minutes.
6:12They drive down, score, take the lead. And I'll admit, cracks started to show in Matt Stafford.
6:18Late second quarter drive, Stafford blew a very makeable throw on third down to Devontae Adams, where needed to put a little
6:25touch on it there, Stat Padford, rather than drill it.
6:28And he sailed it way over Adams' head. So by the time the Rams got the ball back, it's the third quarter.
6:36They're down 17-7, like I said. They have this very good drive in the third quarter.
6:41Nakua, another big catch. Stafford really was looking for Nakua down the field in this game.
6:46Five for 74. That's not great for Puka, but kind of the only semi-decent number in that pass game.
6:53Then Adams finally got his first catch, third quarter, inside the 10.
6:57Down inside the deep red zone again. We take note.
7:00It was, in fact, Kyron Williams in there again, and he got a carry.
7:05Colby Parkinson gets a catch inside the five, which can we stop with that again this year?
7:10Jeez. And then another Kyron Williams carry. He gets stuffed.
7:14It's third down. Puka catches it on the goal line.
7:17I'm pretty sure he's supposed to run that route into the end zone, but doesn't.
7:22It was correctly ruled down at the one-inch line, I would say.
7:26It's fourth down, and for sure. This is Stat Padford.
7:29You know what's coming on fourth and inches at the goal line, right?
7:33It was a jerk face. Touchdown. Made me MVP.
7:36It was a jerk face. Touchdown. Made me MVP.
7:39Wrong. Stafford doesn't throw the jerk face one-inch. Touchdown.
7:42Sean McVay calls a sneak, and I think he might have got in.
7:47I don't know. There wasn't a convincing camera angle to overturn it.
7:51My guess is that he might have been in, but he was ruled out, and what are you going to do?
7:58It's a turnover on downs, and Stafford still gets two more drives in the fourth quarter to rack up some basura, and he did not.
8:06And in fact, another concerning touch throw to Adams that sailed way over his head.
8:11So where does that leave us with the Rams?
8:14I don't think we lose our minds with worry, but if your mind palace didn't shatter a little, you are tougher than I.
8:22The defense was a problem, and not the good kind of problem.
8:26But if anything, a weak defense is supposed to lend that air of needing to play catch-up on the scoreboard.
8:32But here was one more instance where it did not do that.
8:36And generally speaking, I think it's terrible logic and very easy crutch argument logic to say, I want my defense to be bad.
8:44No, that often just means the team is bad.
8:47Stafford made a few good throws. He made one awful one.
8:50I would say two that he just has to get more comfortable with and power down and figure out.
8:57And then maybe if those easier throws that he didn't make to Adams are completed, maybe there are more yards out there for everyone.
9:05For one game, my bluster about how the MVP deserves more respect in fantasy circles was wrong, but not really for the reason his doubter said.
9:13And it is one game. And I'm quite sure that Stafford and Sean McVay are humiliated, embarrassed.
9:19So they get 11 days to stew in it before they play the Giants a week from Monday night.
9:25And if they have 290 total yards in that one, it will truly be cause for alarm.
9:31Today's kickoff. Okay, on today's show, we will continue our look at what happened with the 49er side of the equation from the Thursday night game.
9:40We will take a quick spin around the injury news that we'll be tracking going into Friday practices and the weekend.
9:46And then my guest will be Jim McCormick. And Jim and I to get us ready for the real games that will continue to shatter our mind palaces.
9:56We're going to cop to the stuff that is simply freaking us out in advance of the rest of week one.
10:03I think you'll have fun listening. I thank you again so much for being here today.
10:08If you're looking to begin or keep up with a fitness habit here at the start of the football season, try FitBod.
10:15Long time sponsor. I use the FitBod app. It's really great.
10:19Whether you're looking to get started or you've maybe hit a plateau in your training or you're just bored with your training, I really think you'll like FitBod.
10:28You set your goal. There are several modes in the app like general fitness, bodybuilding, strength training, muscle tone, powerlifting, Olympic lifting.
10:36Pick what aligns with your goals. Change at any time.
10:39Tell FitBod what equipment you have, if any. And it develops a plan for you.
10:44And the plan adapts as you improve. You're always mixing up stuff.
10:48You won't get bored. And FitBod tracks your muscle recovery as well.
10:52And if you ever have a question about form, there's like a thousand form videos you can check out.
10:58The best part, you can try it free. And also one year of FitBod costs less than one session with a personal trainer.
11:06FitBod builds the plan. You build the strength. Try the app free for seven days and then get 25% off your subscription by going to FitBod.me slash Harris.
11:15F-I-T-B-O-D dot M-E slash Harris. FitBod.me slash Harris. I took you with my first pick.
11:20CMC, my best friend. As I build a team of tiny men.
11:24The tiny man was okay on Thursday night. The Niner side of Thursday night doesn't deserve second billing to anyone.
11:31They were clearly the better team. Their much maligned defense got its stars back from major injuries.
11:36And held their own with the supposedly super powered Rams offense.
11:40And then going the other way, it looked like a pure mismatch.
11:44The Niners mostly did whatever they wanted against Miles Garrett and the LA defense.
11:49What did it look like? I mean, it looked like some interesting changes.
11:53Some new guys. One former guy. We can talk about that backfield first.
11:57In the first half, we have to admit, that was a lot of throwing.
12:02The Niners came out chucking it. I believe 17 of their first 20 plays were passes.
12:07But almost everything short. The sort of typical Shanny Jr.
12:10West Coast stuff. Little screens. Little stops. Little slants.
12:13And it didn't lead to a lot. A lot of clock domination.
12:17But not a lot of points. If you're a Mike Evans believer, the good news that amid this dink and dunk attack
12:25early in the game, he was really involved in it.
12:28Evans had three catches on the first three series.
12:31All third down catches that were short, but gained first downs.
12:35Not just the wind sprint guy that he sometimes became toward the end in Tampa.
12:40On the first drive, more than seven minutes. Ball control.
12:43Evans with an important catch. They get down to the two yard line.
12:47On third down, with McCaffrey in the game, Brock Purdy, the posterior horseshoe, ran around and tried for Demarcus Robinson in the end zone.
12:55It was no good. They kicked the field goal there.
12:59I kind of found a bit cowardly by today's NFL standards.
13:02But in retrospect, it was 3-0. It didn't matter at all.
13:06The Niners went 3-and-out on the next series. Then the series after that, Purdy took his first downfield shot.
13:12And he should not have taken that shot. The posterior horseshoe fell out on that play.
13:17George Kittle, not open. And it was picked. In the second quarter, I still personally didn't think this game was going to go the way it went.
13:26You had the non-contact injury from Dajon Stribling. It looked like an Achilles to me, but the Niners so far are saying it's not.
13:34But either way, he was carted off. And I don't think we're going to see him play for a while.
13:41You had McCaffrey and Debo Samuel with drops on screens.
13:44You had CMC getting absolutely crushed on a hospital ball.
13:48It was sort of looking dink and dunk. And okay, we can control the clock.
13:53But we're not really going to score a lot of points.
13:56Not really a well-oiled machine. And then, in fact, late second quarter, Kalon Black had seven carries and McCaffrey had two.
14:03And Shani Jr., after the game, would tell the press CMC was dealing with cramps, which it was not a hot day.
14:11So the idea that that's nothing, after a month's worth of complaining about tightness, I don't know.
14:16I think we're whistling past the graveyard a little bit, but we got who we got.
14:21McCaffrey did get some yards late in the first half on some screen passes.
14:26And then the lightning strike. It was Purdy to none other than Demarcus Robinson for a long touchdown to take the lead that they would never give up.
14:35The snap count in the first half for the San Fran running backs was 20 for McCaffrey, 16 for Black.
14:42And whatever the coach said, it stayed pretty close in the second half, too.
14:47I like it. I don't think it's any kind of death blow for CMC.
14:51How many times do I have to say everything is some form of platoon?
14:56But the Niners know where their bread is buttered.
14:59They know who the great playmaker is. I think, if anything, it's good to keep McCaffrey fresher.
15:05But yeah, I don't know why you're cramping up in week one on a cool day.
15:10You know, that is its own thing. But Kalon Black, you have McCaffrey.
15:14You got to do what you could do to get to Kalon Black on your roster for sure.
15:20On the first drive of the third quarter, now it was the Niners getting a great push up the gut the way I described the Rams doing.
15:29Kind of an embarrassing performance for a defense. Everyone was already nominating as great.
15:34They were not great, at least in week one.
15:37The Niners got down in close. McCaffrey did get a carry near the goal line, but couldn't convert.
15:43And then Mike Evans did what he does. Not really open, but he just made Jalen Watson look like a little kid,
15:50plucking it out of the sky for his first San Francisco touchdown.
15:54Really good day for him and for his stocks.
15:57Like, we had clearly, as had the market, become higher on him after the Ricky Pearsall injury.
16:03I have him on a team. His price, I thought, was fair.
16:07After last night, I would tell you that price looked like a discount.
16:11Didn't really do anything down the field, but Mike Evans as a volume possession receiver and red zone threat?
16:17I mean, if that's what it turns out to be, that's kind of interesting.
16:22And then this guy in Stribbling's absence. If you like coconut debonies, and this shit out lots of pain.
16:28The coconut debony, Debo Samuel, clearly looked, shall we say, trimmer.
16:32By which I mean someone convinced him to lose a lot of weight because he no longer looked, I guess I would
16:39say roly-poly a little bit out there. No offense intended.
16:42One carry for him, but six touches. And the death blow touchdown.
16:46Touchdown, good, really good. Hard to know how much of that was in the plan because Stribbling gets hurt.
16:53But like I said, I think Stribbling's hurt and going to be absent.
16:57So Debo is going to look like a nice bench draft pick, at least for now.
17:02In shallower leagues, he's probably available. He's going to be a waiver guy in shallower leagues.
17:08And as for Kittle, two catches, 12 yards. Jake Tonjes actually gets hurt in this game.
17:13And they're out there throwing it to Luke Farrell.
17:16Luke Farrell played way more snaps than Kittle. Kittle played 30 out of a possible 64 snaps.
17:22That one downfield shot to him did not work at all.
17:25So the return from that Achilles will be a work in progress.
17:29Injury news. As always, I do this segment on Friday, not because I'm an injury expert, because there's no such thing as an injury expert.
17:38We all find out how bad an injury is at the same time.
17:42But whereas you might not have time to scour the internet for such reports, it's my job.
17:47So this can be a clearinghouse for the injury-related stuff we'll have to track over the weekend, at least the stuff we know about right now.
17:56Tua Tunga Vailoa may have had a recurrence of a back injury during Thursday's practice, sounding a little bit like Cooper Rush
18:03might be starting for the Falcons this weekend. We already know Michael Penix is not playing.
18:09If it's Cooper Rush, do we downgrade Drake London?
18:12I don't know. If you wanted to lower him three spots in the receiver ranks, okay.
18:17But I don't know how you're not starting him.
18:20You're just hoping it turns out okay. Jeremiah Love, not listed as the starter for the Cardinals, but at this point expected
18:27to play against the Chargers, been listed as limited.
18:30Tyler Algier will also play. Hey, this just in, that's not a disqualifier.
18:35Most of these teams are going to play two running backs.
18:38Ashton Gentry is going to play. He's been practicing.
18:41You're starting these guys who you drafted to be starters, even if they're a little lower in the ranks for week one.
18:49Brees Hall and his multi-week groin injury. I don't know how you can sit him, even if he's not fully inside the
18:56circle of trust until we see him make it through a game.
19:00But he's been listed as practicing fully. Jonathan Brooks has been limited with a groin injury.
19:05We don't know much about his availability yet, though in the ranks to this point, I've assumed he'll play.
19:11Ja'Cory Kroski merit and his groin injury was limited on Wednesday and Thursday.
19:16Presuming he gets back to practice by Friday. It's a split with Rashad White, who is apparently practicing in full.
19:22Alvin Kamara. Sounds like he has a chance to play in week one against the Lions.
19:28Cool. I'm not using him in a fantasy lineup.
19:31I would imagine maybe it could get annoying for Travis Etienne owners, but you're using Etienne.
19:36Keaton Mitchell talked about him in flexual healing so far.
19:39Has been limited in practice with a hamstring Wednesday and Thursday, even if he's active, not knowing his role, not exactly looking
19:47for a reason to use him in week one.
19:50Malik Neighbors. We talked about him on Wednesday. If he's active, I'm sure you're using him.
19:55He's at this point expected to be able to suit up against the Cowboys on Sunday night, but they're talking about how it's up to him.
20:03So I guess we'll probably get clarification on that beforehand.
20:07Zay Flowers was listed as limited on Wednesday and practiced fully on Thursday.
20:11I don't think he's really any close at all to risk of missing time.
20:16I think you're using him if he's active no matter what.
20:19Emeka Abuka has had the toe injury for a month.
20:23We talked about him on Wednesday too. Hard to bring him all the way into the circle of trust.
20:29Sight unseen. But he's listed as practicing in full, which is good.
20:33Probably if you have him in most leagues, you'd just be using him anyway.
20:38If he's suiting up, then we'll regroup and see what week one looks like.
20:42Romu Dunze talked about him yesterday. So far limited in practice with a calf injury.
20:47Seems like he'll play, but for ranks purposes, we will stay tuned.
20:51Alec Pierce listed as limited Wednesday and Thursday. Said it during flexural healing.
20:56Very fine with looking for a reason not to use Pierce right away.
21:00Brock Bowers. We know he's out for week one.
21:03And the propaganda that was getting spread around yesterday.
21:06Oh, you know, no, this is fine. It's like a one week absence.
21:10Yeah, that's starting to fall away. Being revealed as so much bluster and blather.
21:15It's a knee scope. That is not a one week injury.
21:18We can expect that the Raiders will be without Brock Bowers for multiple games.
21:23We are sponsored by Hungry Root. I talked about it on Tuesday when Greg was asking me questions on the show.
21:30This time of year, I'm real busy. It could be tempting to slack on eating healthier.
21:35Hungry Root is grocery delivery and also recipes, which I love.
21:39They screen out over 200 additives in food like high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and preservatives.
21:45If you eat meat, there's no hormones or antibiotics in it.
21:48And I just don't really have time to think about grocery shopping right about now.
21:53I get the Hungry Root delivery because I pick the recipes and the groceries.
21:58And the recipes mostly are not elaborate. Combine a few things.
22:02Takes less than 15 minutes. So I get to eat healthier and get on with my day.
22:07Healthier snacks for the kids as well. If your world gets crazy around this time of year like mine does, I really
22:15think Hungry Root will keep everything on track and nutrition won't slack.
22:18I think you'll love it as much as I do.
22:22For a limited time, get 40% off your first order plus a free item in every box for life.
22:28Hungryroot.com slash Harris and use the code Harris. 40% off your first box and a free item for life.
22:34Try it out. Hungryroot.com slash Harris. Today's guest. He owns the underscore.
22:38Up there another keyboard scene. He'll get a penny more.
22:42Don't forget to use it when you scream. On the Harris football queue.
22:46And that's right. That's his original Walk Up song.
22:49It is Jim McCormick covering for Cousin Josh. He's taller.
22:52Is he smarter? We're all going to have to figure it out together.
22:57You can find him. He's on social media. You can find him.
23:01He doesn't post that much anymore. He's educating America's youth.
23:04And it is Jim McCormick. Hello. Hello. Yeah, you'll just get some LeBron tweets from me now.
23:10I'll just say it in the Modelo accent. Yay, LeBron.
23:13Very excited. Very, very excited, obviously. We're doing a topic today that, let's face it, is tailor-made for the King of Panic himself, Cousin Josh.
23:21He's not with us. He's with us, thankfully. But he's not with us in the country.
23:27He's going to miss this show. He's missing next week.
23:30I think he flies back on next Friday. So we're going to let him sleep.
23:35But he's in Italy. And he's the freakout king, obviously.
23:38And so this is the... Well, I guess what I'm getting at is, you know, you spend all day talking with third graders at this point.
23:47Yep. And I'm sure they have freakouts, much like Cousin Josh's.
23:50Yeah. Mostly probably about the same things, like New York sports.
23:54Well, he hates New York sports, but... I know.
23:57That's what they're freaking out about. So this is...
24:00So I guess this is... It's good. You know, you're in practice.
24:04But you have to now inhabit Cousin Josh's mind or the mind of a third grader.
24:09Very, very similar. You have to become the freakout, not the freaky.
24:13I get it. I'm there for it. All right.
24:16So the mission here is just, okay, we've drafted our teams.
24:20We are committed to what we're committed to. And now we realize, oh my God, these games are all going to happen at the same time.
24:29And I'm going to have to watch them and figure stuff out.
24:33And things could go horribly wrong. So we're going to each count down five things that are freaking us out.
24:39Five things that are freaking out Jim McCormick. And five things that are freaking out me.
24:44Do you have anything to add to this assignment?
24:47I'm just ready to freak out, really. And let's just say I'm not trying to spoil things, but I am.
24:54Gary might get rolled into this somehow. I mean, one can only hope that such a thing could happen.
25:00For the folks of the Dearly Departed YouTube show that we did for years, where we made all the picks against the
25:08spread for DraftKings, Gary Gare Bear was involved. There was a stuffed Eagles bear.
25:12I don't want to say it too loud, but he's like Chucky.
25:16He's like, he'll get you. Like if the Eagles make the playoffs, he's really dangerous.
25:21Or if they don't. If they don't. He really is a bear of extremes.
25:26Bear of extremes. It is Gary. All right. So we're going to count them down.
25:31The order doesn't matter, but it matters very much.
25:34What's the number five thing you're freaking out about in advance of Sunday, of week one?
25:39All right. So unfortunately, I think I can pronounce this now as Jaguars.
25:44Oh, that is unfortunate. I know. You know, it's my school's mascot now, so I just can't say Jaguars.
25:50So like, it's just impossible. I have to actually like have some fidelity with my pronunciation.
25:55So yeah, the Jaguars, not the Jaguars, unfortunately, but they'll always be the wires for me.
26:00I really don't have any piece of them, really.
26:03I have like one strange Brian Thomas spot on a team where he just like slipped in one of those weird super
26:11flex leagues where people forgot that skill players exist.
26:14But yeah, I have no partner with Washington or no, like, I guess you can't draft Liam Cohen.
26:20I don't have the superstar Saluki anywhere. And I just feel like there's a potential for this.
26:25Like they finished so strong. And I guess I don't know why I didn't draft them.
26:31The backfield was somewhat tough to read. I just that's not the point.
26:35I didn't invest anywhere or don't have any stake in this.
26:39And I think that might really hurt me. That golden teal or whatever it is might just be shiny this year.
26:46And I could just be watching like an ice cream truck, like being driven by a man with beautiful blonde hair.
26:52And he won't stop for me. It's funny because Chris Rodriguez was a flag player of mine.
26:58And then it turned out I didn't really draft him.
27:01It was an accident. Like I think that the key of perpetrator in that case is just that I was drafting with
27:09other people who listened to the show. And they had him on their list too.
27:14And he just wasn't lasting as long. I do have Parker Washington on a team.
27:19But I don't have that many. I don't have any Bushel Tootin.
27:23Oh, I have Brenton Strange. Okay. So I do have Brenton Strange.
27:27But that's much more of a I never had to draft to be a starter.
27:32So that's much more of a let's see if I'm smart kind of thing.
27:36Which, you know, I think maybe not. It's possible.
27:39That would be something that would be freaking me out.
27:43I'll do my number five. You know, Cousin Josh scared the hell out of me about Devon Achan.
27:49And I did. I had him, as it turned out, unbeknownst to me, because I'm not really looking at ADP yet, that
27:56I was like kind of aggressively going to get Devon Achan in every end of the first round if I had left him there.
28:04And I... The thing that's freaking me out is kind of like double-sided.
28:08Like, on the one hand, it's freaking me out that I might still have had him too high.
28:14And the Dolphins... You know, the reason I lowered him is because I got scared straight by those joint practices that apparently
28:21the Dolphins just looked historically bad during. And I think I wound up getting him down to roughly where ADP is.
28:28So, it freaks me out just the idea that, like, I don't know if I got him.
28:34I have him on one team. I think I'm in the Fish Bowl.
28:38But that was like a weird tight end. Premium League, Superflex, like, you know, it's kind of not the same thing.
28:45I don't really have any of them as an early second round pick.
28:50But it's like that freaks me out that Miami's just bad enough.
28:54But I got to say, the reason it made the list is because what also keeps me up more is that if
29:01he's awesome, and my original take was you should be taking him at the whatever, eight pick, nine pick or something, and
29:08then it turned out I cowered it out, that would really stink.
29:12I'd be like, oh, it was a good take that got sullied.
29:16I think you should, one should be willing to change one's take based on very unanimous input.
29:22And it did seem to be first-handed observers did seem to be pretty unanimous in being very scared.
29:28But yeah, I guess I'm freaked out both ways with Devon Hinn.
29:32Well, I suppose it's one of those moments where we've done the show before where we discuss what are the potential things
29:39in the preseason that can actually have some sort of, like, residence into the season or what could matter.
29:45Yeah. That would be one of them, right? Like, when you hear something.
29:50I know, like you said, you hear various reports about any team, right?
29:54You hear, like, for example, Jalen Hurts, like, you know, has been throwing a lot more interceptions in this offense.
30:01But that's not going to make you panic, I don't think.
30:04You're not really, there's no referendum there. But with this, there kind of is, right?
30:09So I think it's just one of those cases where, yeah, like, meaning not a referendum.
30:15We just knowingly know they're awful. I guess there was a new referendum on how awful they are.
30:20Like so. Yeah, yeah. Like, nobody expects them to be a winning team, but can they be a five-win team?
30:27Right. Are they a two-win team? Are they this, like, great?
30:31If they're a five-win team, A-Chance's got a potential to be great.
30:35You know, got a potential. He's a really good player.
30:38Like, he does. So anyway, that freaks me out a little bit.
30:42You don't have him in large, right? I, so I drive down the street sometimes and think about that.
30:48Like, I thought about it. I didn't, like, there was, I didn't really think about my build either.
30:54I was like, oh, first round. I don't have a first round pick.
30:59I should probably keep him. So yeah. Don't think about that.
31:02Yeah, you do not have him. You used to have him.
31:06He was very good to you in large for a while.
31:10He was my friend for a while. Yeah. What's your number four freakout factor?
31:14This would be just the Kyle or Mary. I can go into the calamari experience.
31:19Just like a little spicy marinara with the hot peppers.
31:23It's just, it's a little intimidating to invest. Like, I have just a lot of, I just, I, Justin Jefferson just ended up on my team a lot.
31:32We just, his advertisements got to me. I don't know what it was.
31:36And Addison as well. He just felt like free, not free in drafts, but like he was just in a spot where
31:43he ended up on many of my rosters. I like the player.
31:47I don't know if I like this offense particularly.
31:50So it's just like, Kyler Mary's like if Josh Jones had like creatine in an Xbox account.
31:56Like he's just tiny. And, and it's like, I'm just convinced that like, it's like some like B movie where he's the
32:03line holding us back from Carson Wentz and JJ Michigan or whatever.
32:07So like, it's just scary. It's a scary world to live in and I'm invested in it.
32:13And sometimes he looks like an NBA jam character.
32:16And so. His feet go really fast. They just don't take big steps.
32:20Yeah. He's like chasing the roadrunner. He is the roadrunner.
32:24Yeah. So you wound up with Jefferson in the second round a fair amount.
32:28Yes. I have a, it's okay. I have a good, like I'm invested.
32:33Yeah. Like for sure. And Addison as well. Addison might be on like almost like, it might be my most like common player.
32:40Well, I, you know, that's as a backup. So I'm not that.
32:44Yeah. No, no. Like to wait. Like he just ended up being 11th or 10th or something.
32:50Right. Well, I'm looking at your large roster and you fortunately don't have either one.
32:55So you should be safe when Jalen hurts. Is throwing the ball to, I'm, I'm looking right now, I guess Jalen Waddle, Emeka Abuka.
33:03Yeah. This is, you went for it last year.
33:06Yeah. This is going to be a rough team for you this year.
33:10Yes. I actually don't think I have Jefferson except for in La Liga where I've had him his entire career.
33:17I don't have any like intentionally drafted Jefferson. Maybe for exactly that reason.
33:21But I didn't find his draft capital required to be like offensive, but I can totally understand why that is, would be freaking you out.
33:29Absolutely. My number four, it's just this little voice in the back of my head that says, what if the Chiefs are just suddenly and instantly back?
33:38I've just kind of taken it as an article of faith that we're going to get to what they play on Monday night.
33:46And they're just not, you know, they're favored in that game.
33:49And I'm like, wow, that's just, that doesn't seem right.
33:53I guess, are they a very public team? Maybe.
33:56But I would think that line would move if it was only about being public.
34:01People maybe believe in them a lot more than I do.
34:04They changed so much. I guess I don't need to give that speech again.
34:09If you listen to any show I made in August, there was some oblique reference to the idea that I don't really
34:16even think that roster is all that good. Is the offensive line any good?
34:21I can't really tell anymore. Is the receiving core good?
34:24I mean, Rasheed Rice is okay. He's a particular kind of okay.
34:28Kenneth Walker's good. They give away the entire secondary.
34:31It just seems to me that usually teams don't come back from the abyss like this.
34:37But it's Patrick Mahomes. And if anyone in the league is capable of just grabbing one team by the scruff of the
34:44neck and bringing them back from the abyss, it's Patrick Mahomes currently.
34:48So I might just be wrong. And they're good again.
34:51And I will have completely missed everything. Yeah. I mean, this is an entirely different experience.
34:56I suppose. It is an entirely different experience than the Andy Reid Philadelphia experience.
35:01But there are some feelings of late stage, not capitalism, but Reidism.
35:05It becomes this Russian doll of the things he likes until you're just like, this is so small.
35:11He gets his stuff. He gets his things. And I do suppose, not that this is endgame at all, but it does
35:18feel like kind of a pivot point for the franchise.
35:22Like, whether... Because this is like the whatever iteration of it, of this version, except they don't have the shiny toys that they always would have.
35:30Like, they've tried, but they just don't have them.
35:33Yeah. And I might be making the mistake of saying, just because I don't know that cornerback's name, he's not good.
35:40Right. Exactly. You know, like, they spent some draft capital on the best corner in the draft, we're told.
35:47You know, like, that guy could be awesome. And immediately, all my concerns that the defense is a sieve, like, go away.
35:54And suddenly, oh, cool. They're going to win 14 games again.
35:58That's certainly freaking me out from a... I mean, it'd be fun.
36:01I like it when the Chiefs are good, because it's fun, because Mahomes is awesome.
36:06And seeing him play, like, whether he's hero or villain to people, he matters.
36:11And that makes it fun. And then, you know, Chiefs fans kind of are what they are.
36:17And when they're in the mix, it's, you know, it's fun.
36:20Believe me, I'm not allowed to talk about Chiefs fans, because I'm a Patriots fan.
36:25And we were Chiefs fans before Chiefs fans were Chiefs fans.
36:29Like, the entitlement, like, you know, we invented the game of football.
36:33The Patriots were that for the 21st century. And then, you know, that got taken over by Chiefs fans.
36:39But, yeah, I will have missed entirely. How about your number three?
36:43My number three? I continue to be a little bit worried about Jaden Daniels.
36:48Not that anybody else knew that. So I don't know what I'm continuing.
36:52But yet, like, I just... I have a number of...
36:56I have him on a number of my teams.
36:59But I just don't know how sustainable his style is in terms of...
37:03The concern isn't that he can't run. It's just whether that it's going to keep, like, continuing to stay on the field.
37:10The way, I don't know, the volume. He's not Lamar.
37:13He's not Hertz. Obviously, he's Jaden Daniels. But it just feels like his ultimate fantasy ceiling is something that is not ideal for maybe his actual NFL career.
37:23And that may be true with several players. But it just seems like that's the dream or the ideal with Jaden Daniels as a fantasy player.
37:31And it might not line up. Like, he's probably a good enough passer that it's not always has to be that much exposure.
37:39And I wonder, as the team gets further into his career and also continue to not support him somehow with skill players,
37:46that it just becomes, I don't know, not RG3, of course, but just, like, kind of a bad version of this story.
37:54I mean, I'm making notes as you say these for the show notes so that people can see, you know, a summary of what we said.
38:02And as you were describing the topic, I wrote, as your number three, what if Jaden Daniels is Robert Griffin III?
38:09So, I mean, that kind of is the... Well, so like RG4.
38:13It'd be awful. RG4, yeah. I mean, it is kind of the...
38:17That's kind of the worry that he's very slight and mobility has to be a part of his game.
38:23And he's so good at it. He's fast. He's, you know, agile, all that stuff.
38:28Should be a good enough thrower in general. But if they can't protect him, which, you know, it's feeling like there's consents.
38:36I actually thought about the other way around. I don't have any Jaden Daniels.
38:40And I almost put on the list. What if the freak out over the offensive line that everybody's decided they're positive it can't work?
38:48A lot of times when people decide the positive something can't work, it actually winds up working, yeah?
38:54Yeah, well, especially it's one of those things that you mentioned about the cornerback thing.
38:59Like, I'm just not brushed up on, like, the levels of...
39:03Not that I don't know, like, offensive linemen, but I also don't know when you introduce new ones what that means and what it means to the line.
39:12Like, those things seem pretty volatile. Not that you can't predict a quality offensive line, but I also can't tell that it's,
39:20like, middle of the league would be fine for that team, too.
39:24It just seems like not exactly a pivot point, but it just feels like, who is this guy exactly?
39:30I know he's a really good quarterback. I know that.
39:33I'm kind of more trying to figure out his fantasy identity.
39:37We're sponsored by BetterHelp. You hear me say it sometimes.
39:40Not everyone hearing the sound of my voice this very instant needs psychotherapy.
39:44But I do think there comes a time in everybody's life when having someone to talk to can help us feel better.
39:52And better, that's really a feeling that's defined by you.
39:55And for BetterHelp, it's a BetterHelp therapist who really gets you.
39:59It's a focus on global emotional well-being with thousands of therapists and millions of members in over 100 countries.
40:05It's progress, however you define it. Sometimes we've got something specific that's difficult to get around in our lives if we can't talk about it with somebody.
40:14Sometimes it's just kind of general unhappiness that's in the way.
40:18I do therapy online. It really helps me. And it's great to know that it's there when I need it.
40:24If you could use somebody to talk to now, you can try it right now.
40:29Take a brief quiz, get matched with a therapist, and you can change therapists at any time.
40:35Sign up now. You'll get 10% off at BetterHelp.com slash Harris.
40:38That's BetterHelp.com slash Harris. BetterHelp.com slash Harris. We are back with Jim.
40:42And Jim, you get to stand in the shoes of a tiny giant right now because Cousin Josh usually comes back from
40:50break and gives us a selection that he likes for the upcoming week.
40:54And on DraftKings, of course. We're eternally indebted to DraftKings for how well they've supported us for the years.
41:00And so I will put it out to you.
41:03You have your pick of the weekend games. Is there a spread out there that you are particularly into?
41:10Yeah, I'm going to break every convention of logic and take a road division dog.
41:15I mean, favorite, which is actually worse. Meaning like home division dogs are usually really a good play.
41:21I'm going to go the opposite way and take the Cowboys giving points in northern New Jersey.
41:26What's that line right now? It's the Cowboys giving three points.
41:30Three. So I get it. But I just get like these games do often come down to that.
41:36And Brandon Aubrey can kick from like 94 yards.
41:39But at the same time, I feel like this is just a much better team.
41:44I continue to doubt. Like Harbaugh is just like he's like the guy who just like says the same thing as Brian
41:51Dable, but like just in a suit. So like not that he is.
41:55I'm just saying I don't think the roster is significantly different.
41:59He could be a better coach. I don't think there's enough time for this to be different.
42:05And so with that said, I just think Jackson Dart's going to throw it to the wrong team.
42:11Well, there you go. That is road favorite in division.
42:14A no-no, but it's also week one and we don't really know what these teams are.
42:19And so your feeling is roster wise, it's a big gap.
42:23And I get it. I'll just mention that the DraftKings sports app is now live in all 50 states from Texas to California to Florida.
42:31Every fan can get in on the excitement. And this September, DraftKings gives customers the opportunity to get boosted every football game day.
42:39All month long, DraftKings customers can get a football profit boost.
42:43And so like some places you can do some games and some you can do others.
42:48I'm just psyched that I can do some in California now.
42:52And so take what Jim has said. And sometimes it'll be a point spread, sometimes not.
42:57But check it out. One app, every sport, all 50 states.
43:00Remember to sign up using the code Harris. Let me play the disclaimer.
43:05Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 1-800-MIER-RESET. Connecticut, call 888-789-7777. Or visit ccpg.org.
43:08On behalf of Boothill Casino in Kansas, bet tax pass-through may apply in Illinois.
43:1321 and over. Void in Canada. Bet with DraftKings Sportsbook to get bonus bets that expire in seven days.
43:19Or trade with DraftKings Predictions to get predictions dollars that expire in one year.
43:24Event contract trading involves risk of loss. Predictions offer void in New York.
43:28Non-withdrawable rewards issued as $50 click the claims every seven days for 21 days.
43:33One single use boost per customer per day. Expires at the end of the final select game when offered.
43:39Valid for select football transactions on the platform for which it's been issued.
43:44Terms at dkng.co slash offer. Limited time offer. Nationwide based on sportsbook predictions and free-to-play sports contest availability.
43:50Fairies by state. Limited time offer. Okay, we're back and we're counting down five things that are freaking us out before the
43:57full slate of games actually shatters our mind palaces.
44:00My number three, Jim, is what if Bryce Young is simply as good as he'll ever be?
44:05And it's just not good enough. Like, I think I have Ted McMillan on a team.
44:11One team. He went high, but I got him one time.
44:14And then I definitely have Chuba Hubbard and Jonathan Brooks.
44:18People are, you know, thinking about using. I'm using Chuba in one league because it's a deeper league where you have multiple flexes.
44:25And all of this does presuppose that there is maybe not like infinite progress out of Bryce Young, but it is like
44:33assuming that the good stuff from last year is real and it can be a functional offense.
44:38And oh, hey, they were in the playoffs and played the Rams pretty tough.
44:43And what if that was all just fake? And Bryce Young is not a starting quarterback as of 2027.
44:49Like, that's definitely out there as a possibility. And then all my plans for Panthers would be doomed.
44:55Yeah, I mean, this is true in like your fantasy context and also obviously the real franchise.
45:01Like, it's almost like this is the demand. Tepper came out like he does this often, but like led the press conference
45:08by basically saying like, you know, this is this is going up.
45:12Like that this is obviously the expectation would be that you make the playoffs.
45:17It just seems so contextual. Like, like I remember watching I watched the quarterback show this year.
45:22That's why it was pretty tied into like, I don't know, Jaden Daniel season.
45:27I kind of had sympathy for him somehow as an Eagles fan.
45:31But, you know, the the point being, I'm so sorry.
45:34I lost my thought. David Tepper and Bryce Young.
45:37David Tepper and Bryce Young. Yeah. So either way, there's this progression coming you would expect with with the with this team
45:45that very possibly might not be there. Like you've mentioned, they're giving him all the opportunities, though, which is interesting.
45:51Whereas, like, maybe you'd say Jaden Daniels haven't hasn't been furnished with like, you know, them investing in skill players and like,
45:59I don't know, continuing to seemingly try. So I give them credit for that.
46:03But I do have the same worry that that, you know, just going that high in this much investment in it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work.
46:13I do respect that they've given him the opportunity, though.
46:16Yeah, I guess. I mean, you mean the McMillan, basically, that draft pick.
46:20I mean, McMillan. And I suppose the idea that, like, this is an offensive minded coach, like they didn't like, we'll see how good job it is.
46:29But the idea is they kind of gave him some of the building blocks you would want.
46:35Like, not to say this is the ideal setup, but it seems like the ingredients are there to see what you have, I suppose.
46:43Yeah, that makes sense. Compared to Dan Quinn as your head coach, that I understand the distinction that you're making.
46:49Exactly. Yeah. And then just, and like from Bron, like, whatever, the whole, Rivera was before that, but the whole concept of
46:57that franchise continued to be in its own way.
47:00Right. I mean, I think they did pick up Bryce Young's fifth year option, and so it's a big chunk of cash.
47:07It is. It's a big year. But still, like, he's essentially, I guess next year technically he would be a lame duck,
47:14but starting quarterbacks who are good don't. This is when he would get, if they believed in him, he would already have a contract.
47:22So they're basically viewing this as a fulcrum point, no question about it.
47:27How about your number two freak out factor? All right.
47:30This would be somewhat Eagles related in the sense that, like, Shane Steichen was, I believe, a really great coach in Philadelphia
47:37and then has continued to be fairly excellent outside of the Anthony Richard experience.
47:42Like, he just doesn't include those years. He's like a gap on his resume.
47:46Steichen. He was, like, just – he was busy doing things.
47:50But he is somewhat of a QB whisperer. I mean, they had, like, a top 12 offense with Gardner Minshew.
47:57So it's just – not that the – like, I just think this – look, this team – was it a mirage last year completely?
48:05Probably, like, it's not sustainable to be a top – the number one offense in the league.
48:11But I just have no shares of this offense other than, like, maybe, like, one Josh Downs that, like, came free, like, as just, like, a prize.
48:20Maybe I'm overthinking it. But there's a real possibility I just completely overlooked an offense that could be really useful for fantasy.
48:27Like, no, Tyler Warren. Jonathan – Jonathan – Taylor.
48:30Taylor, you have to be in the position to get him.
48:34I didn't. The point is I didn't, like, actively go out and get any of this roster.
48:39And I think that could hurt me. Basically, the entire AFC South.
48:43You were like, I'm out, and now I'm worried that I'm out.
48:47Pretty much. Yeah. I probably, like, overdrafted, like, yeah, like, the wrong division.
48:51I mean, maybe not, but you're allowed to freak out about it until we see.
48:56Yeah. Yeah, that's a big one because I think Taylor, you know, kind of earns his pedigree.
49:02It's about him staying healthy. But, you know, nobody else got drafted at any kind of premium given that they were, like
49:09you said, for a couple months there, best offense in the league.
49:13And so, like, somebody who was going to beat the drum for the Colts to be real would have picked up a
49:21bunch of shares of various players because they wouldn't have even had to pay starter prices for all of them except Taylor.
49:28And the decision not to do so absolutely can keep you up at night.
49:33So I know where you're coming from. My number two.
49:36It's about the number one flag player who I talked earlier in the week about having a lot of, ownership of on my teams.
49:44What if Zay Flowers is never going to score touchdowns?
49:47What if Zay Flowers is a good player but not a great player?
49:51What if we look back and Zay Flowers was a number two type receiver thrust into a number one role that he wasn't good enough for?
50:00Essentially, like, I'm so in. So everybody listening should not think this is me, like, regretting buying on Zay Flowers.
50:07I'm super happy I have him everywhere. But we have to admit that he's very short.
50:12And he plays on a team with two very tall, very good runners.
50:16And it could just be not in the cards for him to be, like, an extremely good fantasy receiver, even though I think he's an extremely good player.
50:26But it could absolutely turn out that whatever he's 5'9", and the only good 5'9", or shorter receiver in the past however many years was Steve Smith.
50:35And I keep hanging my hat on that. But if you're not Steve Smith, that's no crime because that was a really good player.
50:43So, yeah, I'm worried. I'm hanging with it, but I am worried.
50:47Yeah, I can understand the worry there. Like, I guess the terrible pun would be, like, well, there's Flower Bloom.
50:53But it's awful. Just scrub that. Cut that. Yeah, just move on.
50:57But, no, I've had the same concern. I do a salary draft with my friends, and we had it this – it's like our 25th year.
51:06And my one friend was having that same conundrum with Zay Flowers, wondering, like, he's got this really bankable kind of, like, role, right?
51:14He's 116 targets, 118 targets, very similar yardage. And then you look at the TD column, like, ooh, what's going on there?
51:21Is there a force field? Or, like you said, they've been a really top offense before without requiring him to, you know,
51:28to complete those plays without him serving that role.
51:31But then again, like, it doesn't seem so intentional, right?
51:35Like, they're not, like, saying no. I mean, we famously remember the fumble right by the end zone.
51:41It's not like he's a pun of shit then.
51:44Like, there's not a collar where he's, like, you know, or like a GPS thing that freezes him.
51:50It's just a matter of – it's a matter, I think, of volatility.
51:54Like, I would trust, actually, because of the team he's on.
51:58And I don't know, like, Lamar is still such a brilliant passer as well that, yeah.
52:03I think this is actually something that, like, very likely could just change within, obviously, a single year and the narrative changes.
52:10I mean, like, for some players it's true. I just don't know with the player what would really make it so true.
52:17Like, like you said, the only player who maybe put up big touchdowns or was so – but that's also not how he plays either.
52:26He doesn't play like Steve Smith, obviously. He doesn't go – like, he's not, like, a jump ball guy like that.
52:33But I don't think that's necessary. I think kind of, like, he can score.
52:375'9 running back score. I mean, I know it's a different position, but you can put him in positions, like screens and stuff.
52:45Blah, blah, blah. I think he's due. Agree. I agree with the statements.
52:49I do have a little bit of a freakout over it.
52:53All right. I have a feeling number one is going to involve the home team.
52:58Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So, we're going to be in Gary University and he's like, yeah, you know what I'm saying, dude?
53:06Like, yeah, we've been listening to sports radio at the highest legal volume in Delaware County, just binging on the worst takes in the world.
53:14But it's true. We've been blaring our eardrums. Like, I have a ringing in my ear, as you know.
53:20And it's from sports radio. And all this Mannion offense stuff, that sounds fun.
53:25It really does. Speaking of, like, training camp-like speak, like whispers, that the offense seems really fun for everybody, except when you watch Jalen Hurts play.
53:33And I think, like, I'm not, like, anti-Jalen Hurts.
53:36Obviously, he's been the most successful quarterback of my lifetime, which is also contextual.
53:41I'm an Eagles fan. But a cold start wouldn't be ideal.
53:45I know there are real sticky points, like, in terms of, like, if your team doesn't score, you know, over 24 points
53:52in week one, there's not a very good chance for them.
53:56Like, not chance. I'm saying, like, outcome-wise, you know, like, only 30% of those teams become a top-10 offense.
54:02So you kind of do have to show up.
54:05I'm a little bit worried that even against this commander team, that it's just difficult for them to get going.
54:12I think it's not the same Kyler Murray fear, but it's the fear that the middle of the field just doesn't, hasn't
54:19existed yet for Jalen Hurts, and we're in, like, year eight or whatever.
54:23So I just feel like that middle third of the field could matter in football, and I'm worried about that.
54:30It's a great one. It's a double worry because you're worried about it for fantasy, and you're also obviously worried about it for the home team.
54:38I will also say my number one has a double meaning, and the folks will understand why when I say it's Bucky Irving.
54:46And the double meaning is, sure, he was a flag player, and I think I have him on one team, did I say?
54:54I didn't get him that much, but I do have him, and I'm definitely invested because, you know, I made the call
55:01that I felt like I liked his ADP when I made the flag list anyway.
55:06Of course, the other reason that I care is that Cousin Josh is on the other side of it and called him
55:13one of his five busts of the year. And so my worry is, what if Bucky Irving just never quite puts it all together this year?
55:22What if he's too tiny-boned and something else on him breaks?
55:26Basically, the worry is, what if Cousin Josh wins?
55:28Like, what if Kenneth Gainwell gets everybody, like, Android phones and doesn't give one to him?
55:34And he's not even on the text chain? I mean, it's possible.
55:38I can see Kenneth Gainwell just, like, just knowing exactly, like, how Baker likes things.
55:43No, but I'm on the other end. I'm not on, like, the he's completely bad end, like Josh.
55:49I don't think he's... I'm not really sure. I don't have much of him anymore.
55:54Or I did have him enlarge for a few years and enjoyed his...
55:58His highs are awesome. I'm scared of, actually, I don't really have any of the Buccaneers' offense other than that one, Abuka, like, enlarge.
56:06So... I'm kind of afraid, actually, because I think it's kind of more real, the Bucs' offense, than I'm willing to give.
56:13Well, I hope you're right insofar as it relates to Bucky Irving, because we need to not give Cousin Josh too many wins.
56:21You know, he kind of does walk around thinking that various parts of his anatomy don't stink, so...
56:27We need to... He's out there in the birthplace of Vinny Testa Verde just enjoying life.
56:32He definitely is. There's no question about that. And so all of you out there listening, you all can agree with me
56:39that we need to root for Bucky Irving for multiple reasons.
56:43Jim, this was fun. A great way to get ready.
56:46Of course, I hope the entire point of this segment comes through, which is that we really don't know anything, and it's
56:54all just kind of supposition, and that's what gambling on sports is.
56:58That's what, you know, rooting for sports is. It's all guessing until they go play, and of course, we will have lots
57:05of action to talk about as of Sunday and Monday, and I'll be back on Monday to start doing film review.
57:12In the meantime, Jim will be educating the third graders of the Jaguars, and we're all so pleased that you came along.
57:19I'm glad you could be here. Thank you so much for doing it.
57:24Thank you. And thank you so much for listening.
57:27Let me thank the three sponsors that made today's show possible.
57:30Fitbod, Hungry Root, and BetterHelp. If you were interested in anything I had to say about today's sponsors, you can find their details in today's show notes.
57:39If you use the codes, if you use the URLs, it helps the show so much.
57:45It's not that I'm making a commission, it's that they track how many people use the codes, and if you do, that
57:52makes them more likely they come back, and over the years, you've taken such incredible ownership of the show, being receptive when
57:59you have a need, of course, and you have the means.
58:03If you don't currently have the means, I'm very lucky to have you listening.
58:07Thank you so much. All the current sponsors are listed at harrisfootball.com.
58:11That is going to do it for the preseason on this show.
58:15I mean, we've two games that we've already talked about, but I think the real magic of this show begins next week
58:23because I will watch every single game that happens on Sunday, and we will talk about them on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
58:31I'm very excited to get going. Remember, if you'd like to come live stream with me at noon Eastern, 9 a.m.
58:38Pacific on Sunday, join the Yacht Club, and you're going to get a link in your email and also in the Discord
58:45where you can hang out with me leading up to the kickoff, and then we'll all meet back here on Monday and
58:52we will review some film and try to learn some lessons and figure out what the NFL is this year.
58:59I'm looking forward to it. Sam Gold is going to join us to talk about a few of the week one games
59:06and then I'll talk about the rest of them.
59:09Until then, thanks again so much for listening. Your hat is awesome.
59:13You're awesome for wearing it. I will talk to you on Monday.
59:17The Harris Football Podcast's opening theme is Under the Gun by Apex Manor.
59:21The closing theme is Say Yes by The Wellspring.
59:24Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode.

More episodes from Harris Fantasy Football Podcast

6