0:00Good morning, world. It's exhibition football. It's almost like the real thing. And Matt Walman are and I are here to feel her bucket. Uh and that's
0:08what you're here for, too. Let's let's face it. If we weren't doing that, you wouldn't show up. Matt, uh how are you
0:14this fine morning? We're a full week into the uh to the exhibition season.
0:19How goes it?
0:20>> I mean, I think pretty good thus far. I mean, it's we haven't had major injuries, I think, that that are um you
0:28know, shutting people down for the year.
0:30I mean, we've had some. I mean, obviously Ricky Pierol is one of them.
0:33And I'm sure we can mention a few others, but none that have been like devastating to the top of our ranks. And
0:41I'd say, you know, knock on wood, it'll stay that way. Um, you know, >> some that some some that some some that
0:49are that that are are creating opportunities, some that will limit opportunities. Guy we talked about, Jonathan Brooks, Tuba Hubard, has a
0:56hamstring injury that'll keep him out the rest of preseason. We'll get a better look at Jonathan Brooks. Uh, Reese Hall just before we recorded this,
1:02came up with a little bit of a groin issue. We don't know how serious it is, but that could open the door for some
1:07other players to get some turns in camp and also to keep Reese Hall from getting hurt further. That would be great. New
1:13York Jets. Uh Christian McCaffrey also not practicing. A lot of discussion about that based on the history, Matt.
1:20You know, the 2024 season where it started out with, oh, just some tightness and ended up missing 13 games.
1:26I think we all carry that fear with us.
1:28Also, it was pointed out this morning by Pro Football Talk that that the tightness came shortly after Bon and Gibbs got paid. So, there may be there
1:39may be multiple layers to this one. Uh uh we'll figure that out.
1:44>> Or maybe guys like you said, Bree Hall, Luther Burton, Christian McCaffrey, the team goes, "Okay, pull up a little lane,
1:53jump off the field, and this will be our opportunity for you to just be rested up and ready because we're flowing our
1:59offense through your ass."
2:01Well, it's funny because, you know, the the discussion earlier this year that as we hear every year, Kyle Shanahan discusses his desire to use less
2:09Christian McCaffrey before using more than ever every single year that he's able to. But McAffrey said, "Hey, yeah, use me less in practice. Sundays, you
2:19know, he's he's there for the games.
2:21He's doesn't want to miss a snap." So, uh so maybe this is just all part of this. Or also maybe he just wants some
2:26damn money. Pay the man 49ers. You make him work by a damn substation. Who knows what's going on there? Might affect his
2:33future generations.
2:34>> The best the best Twitter handle ever is Drew Drew Davenport's 40, you know, electrical substation.
2:40>> Yes. Yes.
2:43It's It's causing trouble, people. All right. Uh before we dive into it, we'll have some related thoughts on this. Uh you'll find all Matt's work and my work
2:50at Football Guys. Uh well, find all my work. Half of Matt's work at Football Guys. You'll find much more at the
2:56rookie scouting portfolio. tell them what they'll find now, Matt.
2:59>> Yeah, I mean, look, we have the Dynasty rankings and projection service that's available, and I provide updates in terms of the
3:10projections and um rankings for shortterm builds and long-term builds.
3:15So, if you're trying to win now or if you're contending three to four years from now, I have rankings for each.
3:20They're tiered. Um, they give you a little bit of symbols of like what you should think about with these players, whether they're underrated, have injury
3:28issues, off-field issues, whether they're guys I think that have upside or they are just specific fits for what their systems about. I give you a whole
3:36kind of shorthand list with that along with some commentary with those players.
3:40Um, the last update was on the 13th um, of this month and the next update will be on the 23rd. Um, so I'm trying to
3:49give you some adjustments based on injuries and occasional camp stuff, too.
3:55Um, and again, this is rankings for all players who I think are going to make an impact in fantasy for your dynasty
4:01leagues. Um, and then of course there's the RSP pre-draft postdraft guide, which is my favorite. Um, and it's available for 21.95 and you get,00 plus pages of
4:12content. you're getting um indepth rookie profiles based on looking at their film. And then my postdraft, well, I put that out in May. Um I tend to
4:23draft off that still even right now. I mean, I may give adjustments for the Dynasty crowds, but I tend to still
4:30draft off of that because I tend to believe in what I saw in the film more than the buzz of um what's going on in
4:37camp and what's going on with um you know, in the preseason to to the biggest extent. We're going to get into that a
4:44little bit more, I think, but um you know, that's available for 21.95. you can get both and then it kind of gives
4:52you a really nice overall view of how I look at the fantasy football scape as a whole. And um what else I was going to
5:01tell you with that? And I do updates with the pre-draft postdraft where I kind of rank the past three classes of
5:08rookies um and give you kind of an update of that. And my first update will be in August for that for those who just
5:14subscribe to the 2195 service. And I just wrapped up a three-part series of football guys looking at uh about 10 different drafts and studying,
5:25you know, which ones I felt if I followed the rule book of ADP um did I like those, which ones I hated and and
5:33why I think there's certain draft strategies or different mistakes that people can make following ADP that that can hurt their teams. and then making a
5:44more of a draft based loosely on ADP more as a guide and and taking chances in certain spots and building teams that
5:53I feel really good about that may be a little more under the radar >> that will be beaten by my teams
5:58obviously. Um we might play in a dynasty league together. Um so you hinted at something and and by the way everyone go check out
6:08mattwin.com get all the latest there.
6:10Check out football guys. Also, my videos and audio content will be there as well.
6:15>> News and analysis out Tuesday. Yes, tons tons going on. Uh the fantasy notebook goes back. It's been going we've been
6:22doing it in installments in the slower part of the year. Uh one piece a week and then I do a reassembled version on
6:27Sunday for those who like to be the do the big long read. We're going into regular season mode starting this week.
6:33So there will be a single notebook every Thursday now through the end of the season. And uh so working on that as
6:40well. I'll be talking this week about players who aren't getting talked about much but maybe deserve it, some that maybe don't. All right. Well, rookies in
6:48general, Matt, the the uh you know the kind of like we're in the season, right?
6:52The fire hose is turned on full blast.
6:54We're all getting just battered by tons of information. Uh great cut in practice. Good performance in an exhibition game. It tends to be
7:05hyperbolic. the reporting. We get guys get great run. Um, how does how do you factor in exhibition play, preseason training camp reports? Uh, are you
7:15re-evaluating your rookies as you go along? How much are you putting putting stock into those uh those that report?
7:22>> No, I listen to what's being going on and I'm looking for information and I look for video and I take a look at
7:29those things. Um, but very rarely am I significantly moving a player long-term up my board who I didn't have high. Um,
7:40you know, there may be one or two players a a season where they move significantly up um for reasons other than that they are going to get a role
7:50where it doesn't ask them to do much more than what they already do and they're they're surrounded by talent.
7:56So, let's start with like certain positions with quarterback.
8:00I they aren't facing in camp or in the preseason games significantly different defensive concepts than what they
8:10watched what they saw in college. And the the the level of play is probably not as good as a really strong college
8:21team because there's so many players drifting in and out of the lineup and there's not a lot of continuity and they're playing relatively, you know,
8:31they're not they're not game planning for each other. There's a lot of things going on. Really what they want is to
8:39see if these guys understand the playbook, who the ones that they're going to add to the roster, and then if they see something about um quarterback
8:48who may show some potential that they can look at here. But quarterbacking quarterbacks having great preseason stats, I don't care. um wait let's wait
8:58till the regular season and I need to see at least 12 to 15 games before I'm even like okay let's let's move this guy
9:06up or down a little bit. We still have to see how defenses adjust. Um you know wide receivers is kind of a wide range
9:15of things that you have to look for. Um, so like Bob, if you're looking at give a good example is like you think of like
9:23the the long tall fast receivers who can go up and win the ball. We're going to talk about some of those guys, but you
9:29think of like Chase Clayool and Kenny Goliday as examples of that where they hit early and then they just disappeared when they were asked to be the main guy
9:38or when defenses decided, well, they may not be the main guy in this offense, but we're going to treat them that way and
9:45we're going to see whether these guys can do the job and they tended and they disappeared. And that's because they were put in a position where they're
9:53able to be aligned inside, run outside.
9:56They get mismatches. They're not being covered um immediately by the zone where they're flowing over and really sticking to them tight as they do to some of the
10:06more the primary guys that they originally game planned against. And sometimes they're not even giving getting covered that tightly in certain
10:13areas where the team, you know, the opponents are going, "Okay, we got to really pay close attention because if I don't if I let this guy have any little
10:22bit of breathing room, he's going to eat me alive." That's kind of what defensive backs saw with Clayool. Um, so we're
10:29gonna see, you know, when you see receivers who are winning, who are tall, long, fast guys who can win jump balls,
10:36that gets that becomes hyperbole in terms of the analysis that's being treated with them. Um because none of that shows you whether they can read a
10:45defense, whether they can see the adjustments late, pre- snap, early postnap that the quarterback sees and then they they're on the same page with
10:54where the route needs to break, where they need to cut it off, how they need to uncover um during a play. Those are
11:00things that when you start hearing about that and you hear a quarterback giving you that kind of detail about a rookie,
11:07you the hairs on the back of your neck should stand up. you should pay attention and you should start really considering that this guy has some
11:14value. But if you're just like this guy's making a great catch and ooh he looks like Odell Beckham, you know, on
11:21that one play >> you're you're slandering young Caleb Douglas or >> Well, we I may be, but uh but I mean I
11:29think those are things where you you go are does that help them make a roster?
11:33Yes. Does that help them get into the starting lineup or be highly productive in a starting lineup? Ask Romeo Dubs, okay? Just just, you know, or just look
11:43at Romeo Dub's um stuff over at Football Guys, like his his history, and see how many times he's been a fantasy option um
11:51since his great rookie camp. Um so, I mean, he's a good football player, but there's there's a difference when we get
11:58to running backs, you know. So, so with wide receivers, if they're playing inside, if they're playing against loose zones, I I would not get excited about
12:08that. If they're beating press man and they're running a timing route like a curl, a dig route, a comeback, a an out,
12:17um those are routes that if you see them winning against tight man-to-man coverage at the line with that, that would that should get your attention. Um
12:27uh and those are the guys that like Carnell Tate, you know, you watch him, he's playing the Z right now. They put
12:34him at the Z. So that means he's running more of these timing routes and they have already said he can run every route
12:41and he's doing it very well.
12:44>> He's that's a big attention getter. But um Denzel Denzel Washington Denzel Boston, you know, tearing up camp. Are
12:55we seeing him win tight man-to-man? Are we seeing him uh you know, you're going to want to evaluate that you want to
13:01evaluate if the quarterback situation is going to be good enough to get in the ball and you want to evaluate if the
13:06offense is flowing through the outside receivers or through the inside receivers. So, those are things that you want to consider. And the last one I'll
13:14just say, and and with tight ends, I mean, I would just say learning how to block. If they're not blocking specialists, learning how to block
13:22becomes a fairly big deal. hours attack.
13:25>> Yeah. Yeah. So, you're going to want to you you know, you got to understand that you you're probably going to see them in
13:34in ancillary roles as opposed to being the main guy. And if they are the main guy, they're being used as the third
13:41receiver or the second receiver in that offense and their blocking's minimized.
13:46And that's what you're going to want to look for for either of those. with running back. I don't care what I see in
13:54practice because every, you know, Kyle Shanahan said it best. We really don't know what we have in a running back until we get them in
14:03game situations, preeason and more often regular season, because you get some big holes in the preseason that you don't normally get or the holes are so covered
14:15up that a lot of people don't evaluate running back very well. A good example is um I'm trying to remember the Giants
14:22retired safety who I saw talking about Nick Jub and after watching >> no it was um >> Oh, I'm going back too far.
14:30>> Probably too far. But um he he's on Twitter, but uh I remember him saying Nick Chub didn't have it after watching
14:37like one half against the Giants in the preseason. And if you actually watch running back tape and study it, you knew
14:44that that guy actually he he just didn't understand the position and didn't understand the nuances of how a guy um conceives a play and sets up things. And
14:56so I I think that, you know, I I think that and on the other hand, you see players who run wild
15:03in the preseason, but the blocking or the the um angles of pursuit that you see, you realize aren't realistic for what they're going to actually encounter
15:13in a real NFL game. And so with running back play, I'd rather look at what happens in the preseason. Um, and but I
15:21tend to lean on my college tape running um, stuff with the running backs because it's far more complete. There's much more continuity. Um, the defenses are
15:31trying to stop these guys and actually have a game plan against them. Um, it's a far more accurate look than me looking
15:38at three reps from Deont Clayborn um, in the first preseason game. Um, >> you said Deon Claybourne trying to get me excited. It's working.
15:46>> Yeah, I see it. I'm I'm with you. So, so that's kind of my look with with these guys is that it's it's valuable, but
15:54it's but we're going to look at some of these individual guys and we'll give you an idea of how that value really stands,
16:01is it? It's not as um it's not as let's move them up from 254th on the board to 92nd. You know, it's very rarely is that
16:10going to be the case. Let's start then with uh the aforementioned we invoked his name. Uh Caleb Douglas making the Odell Beckham like catch. It appears
16:19like he's a little different than some of the players. A lot of the rookies in that he seems to have secured a starting
16:24job already. It looks like he and Malik Washington will be the starters. They worked on 100% of the snaps according to
16:30Pro Football Focus with the starters in the exhibition opener. Um and he makes that fantastic catch. Is is he legit feeling or [ __ ] it? I'm I'm still going
16:40to say [ __ ] it, but I think that there's a chance to say feel it. I think that we have to understand that maybe he's
16:45nailed down the second job already, and that's impressive. Um, but we also have to look at the coaching staff, the quarterback situation, and how that
16:53offense is going to run. And I think the way this offense is going to run, the reason that he's probably already
16:59available is that he can run after the catch. And they're gonna they're going to run a lot of routes where he's just
17:04working crossers and over routes and then some deep routes over the middle and they can put him inside and have them break outside against zone. And so
17:13there's a lot of a lot of like mismatch routes that don't require a high degree of conceptual skill as a route runner or
17:21technical skill that's embedded in this offense. But that's good that he's going to get a chance to start and he's going
17:28to get some production. But is he really going to be where is he really going to be in this offense? Is he going to be
17:34the number one option? I doubt it.
17:36Already is the wide receiver too. Kind of implies that Malik Washington will be the main guy um on the outside getting a
17:43heavy amount of volume. Um the second thing is is what about Greg Doulich, you know, as the tight end? He's probably in
17:52an offense that's going to run a lot of play action um and that's going to um rely on on Malik Willis rolling out to
18:00one side of the field or the other and probably making no more than two reads before he runs. Um that kind of lowers
18:07the number of opportunities that Caleb Douglas might legitimately get. So, I think he'll have some good games. I think that he'll, but I I think that
18:16we're looking at a guy who's not going to deliver um weekly fantasy value. And I wouldn't be surprised if at best he's
18:23a wide receiver four in a fantasy lineup or in the rankings.
18:28>> Maybe a guy who could help you avoid a zero on a on a by-week. Um and and Dolich is playing. I was just double checking the
18:37numbers here. It uh seems like he's been fairing reasonably well. Been quiet.
18:41Again, I'm going to be writing about players that we aren't hearing a lot of talk about. He is not one of them, so I
18:45went and looked and it sounds like he's fairing quite well. Um, on the other side of the ball in that game for the
18:50Commanders, uh, Robert Henry looked pretty good. The rookie running back, uh, John Kim reported like this, showed Juice on his own, scored from 22 yards
19:02out. Uh, Katron Allen, he wrote, he noted, doesn't have Henry's burst, but still managed 85 yards on 23 carries and a one-yard touchdown. So, both those
19:10guys got significant time. But are are we uh is it possible we're we're that Robert Henry is the best running back on
19:17the Commander roster, feel it or [ __ ] it?
19:19>> I say [ __ ] it. But I think he's definitely the best rookie running back um out of the two. And I think that Kron
19:26Allen can be serviceable as um if what you need in Washington is you want a short yardage back who can potentially
19:35become a good blocker and hold up in that aspect of the game. um then they might roll with Katron Allen over a
19:42Robert Henry. But if you're looking at pure runner skills, the ability to create in space, the ability to understand how to set up blocking and um
19:52get good yardage, someone who can withstand being inside even though they're smaller than the average back, more of an Aaron Jones um James Cook
20:02type, and someone who can break big runs and really create in the open field and catch the ball at a high level
20:08downfield, Robert Henry's the clear choice. Um, and you know, I know that Bloom and I were talking postdraft and laughing cuz I think Bloom said this and
20:18and I couldn't agree more was they're going to take one look at Robert Henry and see his burst and it's going to be
20:24over for Kron Allen by the end of the preseason in terms of like who's who's the higher guy on the depth chart. We'll
20:30see if that happens because certainly Kron Allen didn't play badly. um and he's that high volume back and you look at what Washington's doing right now and
20:41they probably want to have a grinded out volume player um with you know in their situation but if they think they have
20:50enough with Rashad White in that in that realm and they feel like that um Jakori Kroski Merritt can still offer a fair
20:58bit of that they might go for the bigger play guy in Robert Henry. I don't think we've seen the last of Robert Henry in
21:04the NFL when it comes to what we see in the preseason.
21:07>> I going back to the uh litany of uh amazing catches in the exhibition openers against Seattle. Uh Camden Brown made a huge contested catch uh for a
21:19score. Looked pretty good for the Cowboys. They have a pretty set rotation. Uh so don't think he'll be breaking into that. But you think Camden
21:26Brown could make the Cowboys roster feel it or bucket?
21:28>> I'm feeling that he could. Uh mainly because he's he's one of those strong tall dudes who can run. Played at Auburn
21:35for a little bit before Georgia he went to Georgia Southern. He's a bit of a clap attacker. So what happens there is
21:41that he'll make amazing catches where he tracks it well. And then sometimes his tracking's good, but his ability to get his hands in position where he needs to
21:49leads to drops. But I've seen, you know, I've seen plenty of great catches on his tape and he caught my eye. And I know
21:55that Dallas's coaching staff said, "Yeah, he's been doing what he did in the preseason game is what he's been doing every day in practice. We just
22:02need him to, you know, stay humble and keep doing what he's doing and working."
22:07And I think that this year is going to be an acclamation period for him where he'll be they're going to hope that
22:13maybe he can grow the way Ryan Florenoi did and he could be a contributor on the field where they need to and maybe even
22:21start if there's an um you know there's an injury but I think he's a year away.
22:26>> Uh so in Cleveland I have recently sold myself and you and I will be talking about it this week on the hot seat. So
22:32check that out on the Audible channel people. Um, Kushon Judkins is a player I kind of have had a bit of a blind spot
22:37for. Um, but man, the reports out of training camp have been hard to ignore.
22:41He's been dominant. Looks like he's going to get a dominant share of the run. So, does that mean we should keep
22:46an eye on Devon Booth in Cleveland maybe as a potential handcuff?
22:51>> I'm going to say yes. mainly because again from his college tape and then the fact that he did enough that they cut TJ
23:00Harden um and that they're that he's he got some car enough carries in the preseason game that he wasn't an afterthought. Um and I think that what
23:11that means is they wanted to get a closer look at what he can do so he can get a roster spot. He's shifty. He's
23:18quick. He can catch the ball. He doesn't run with great power, but he does have um legit um what I would say competent
23:25contact balance for a contributor on the field. Um he's one of those players that I think could grow into a committee role
23:33for a for an offense if called upon and if they need him to be an injury substitute, he'll be a fantasy commodity
23:43for the time that he's on the field.
23:45Yeah, I think that's a fair assessment.
23:47Um, Emma Johnson maybe drawing a little more attention in Kansas City. Had a nice exhibition uh debut there. Ran through and around many tackles as he
23:56led the Chiefs with 59 rushing yards. He also found the end zone, but it was nullified with a four-yard touchdown nullified by a holding penalty. Uh, this
24:05according to Nate Taylor over at ESPN.
24:07So, um, Emma Johnston is worth watching in his battle with the Amari de Marcato.
24:12Feel it or [ __ ] it? totally feel it because I think by mid-season if Johnson continues on the trajectory that we've
24:18seen and and his tape from college shows up as it's showing up right now in the NFL and continues to as the situations
24:27get a little more complex in the league for you know what he's going to be facing. He'll eventually overtake Amari De Marcado. I think that that's where
24:36what we're looking for is who's going to back up Ken Walker. Um, Ken Walker who might injure himself throwing a ball at
24:42a player. Um, you know, hey, I like I love Ken Walker and I don't care that he threw a ball at a player. I think the
24:50report was stupid. I mean, like literally, you don't think people people playing an aggressive sport get pissed off at each other in in a practice. I
24:59>> made a great point a great point of this like I think teams like this. I think the the big story or not a big story but
25:04story last week uh of Kirk Cousins tearing into Max Crosby and shoving him and getting in his face and you know I
25:13mean I think those are the kind of things that are kind of team bonding things that that happen every minute of
25:18the day and that we only talk about certain ones.
25:21>> Yes. No, I would I would say just to pick on Kirk Cousins because that's it's a fun target for me. Is is I I don't
25:28mind my running back doing that because my run because my running back's taking hits and like running through people, but my quarterback going after a my
25:38quarterback going after a defensive end in theory and somebody else has got to block that guy. I I would say my if I
25:45were a tackle, I would be I would be um putting some pass rushing moves on Kirk Cousins in the locker room going, "You
25:51like that? You like that?"
25:53>> My buddy Vinn Vinnie Bon Seenor reported on this and he kind of suggested that that maybe this maybe nobody was happier
26:00to see this than Max Crosby who's probably felt like he's the the only guy willing to fight for anything on that
26:06roster and maybe this kind of set to set a tone and set a message.
26:09>> That's a good point perhaps. Uh right.
26:11Yeah, it was like it was two hits.
26:13Crosby came in, hit Cousins once on the arm. Uh, and apparently Crosby practices exactly like he plays.
26:20>> Okay.
26:20>> Uh, so and then and so there was something said the first time. The second time he did it, Cousins jumped
26:25up, gave him a big shove, and started they both started drawing at each other.
26:28So, >> okay.
26:29>> So, there was a little little >> I mean, I like I mean, I like feistiness, so I'm all good with that. I
26:35just know that like with grandpa cousins.
26:37>> I just don't like grandpa cousins and and I just and I think he's kind of phony, but that's just me.
26:42>> He might be a little bit phony. So, we're talking about EMTT Johnson there for a moment. If Evan Johnson's worthwhile hater, why is Ty Simpson's
26:49debut not? because of what we discussed earlier, which is that like is that, you know, it's more you're it's actually maybe even harder in the preseason for a
27:00running back to get production um than it is for a quarterback just from the standpoint that there's so much lack of
27:08continuity even along your offensive line and defensive front that nobody knows what's going on up there in terms of who to key on, what's going, you
27:15know, and there's more mistakes. And so watching a running back, you may not be looking for production with a running back. You're just looking for how do
27:24they handle chaos and that and that helps you a lot to see that they actually have a good game management and
27:31processing skill set. Whereas with um Tai Simpson, he's facing defenses where you're not really getting tested on the level you're about to get tested with
27:40game management and processing. So I'm glad he had a nice game. Um, but it's kind of like um it's kind of like a
27:50first date with somebody who just like talks a slick game, but you know, yeah, who just talks a slick game and they,
27:57you know, but they they don't back you don't know whether they back it up or not. So, I'd say that that's uh I would
28:04say Tai Simpson's just in the in the first date stage of being a quarterback.
28:09>> You're such a hater. Um, okay.
28:13My one Dynasty share. So, famously, for a little context here, I was on uh with Allan Syslowski uh on Sirius that does
28:21did a dynasty show over the course of the offseason and I think it was right after the draft. We were talking and and
28:26you know, the the discussion was when would you take Tai Simpson in a Superflex rookie draft and I said eight.
28:32And it so happened in a rookie draft, Superflex Dynasty, I had the eighth pick and that's exactly who I picked. So I
28:41might have a rooting interest in this one a little more.
28:44>> No, I mean in Dynasty, you definitely want to take him there. I have him rated highly in Dynasty as a quarterback. He's
28:50the second quarterback on my board and certainly, you know, in my top 15. Um, but I'm just saying just because he had
28:58a really strong game in the preseason, we've seen Huntley have of the Packers have a strong game in the preseason.
29:05>> Not like Tai Simpson. Matt Wman, you leave him alone.
29:07>> Bruce Grekowski and Huntley led in quarterback rating in in their rookie season. So, it may not be like Tai Simpson. It might be better than what
29:17Tai Simpson did.
29:18>> All right. In Cleveland, I've been talking to beat riders uh multiple beat riders over the last couple weeks. Do they all have PTSD in Cleveland? I just
29:25want >> No, they all have a lot of fun in Cleveland. I think there's no shortage of brisk for the mill in Cleveland and
29:31that's that's all a me writer wants is something to be able.
29:37>> Um, yeah. Well, I'm sure you do. You and Gary Davenport. I feel like every time the Browns are mentioned, there's going
29:42to be cringing and ducking.
29:44>> Niagara Falls. That's basically where I feel how I feel.
29:47>> Casey Conpsion has been very good.
29:50Looked good. Um, but the reporting on Denzel Boston has been glowing. I mean, I've heard two different people uh independently say the same thing. The
30:00MVP of the offseason, uh, Denzel Boston.
30:03So, is Casey Conpsion still the better Browns rookie to have or over Boston this year? Feel it or [ __ ] it?
30:09>> I'm going to say feel it. But Boston's definitely gaining ground. I just want to see again how he's used in the
30:17offense compared to how Conpsion is used. because based on what we saw with Todd Monkin's offenses as far back as Georgia, the inside slot receiver is
30:27tends to be the most targeted guy. Um, and also those are the kind of the I don't know if I want to say easier,
30:37but there tends to be a range of easier targets that you can get out to that slot receiver. Um, at least from an
30:45accuracy standpoint. Um though conceptually it can be a little bit harder than what's going on on the outside. Um so I'm still leaning
30:52concepts. Um but I like what I'm hearing with Boston. And when you looked at his tape, you could see very easily that he
31:00had a lot of good skills together. I talked about how there I think in his tape that he's one of those players that
31:08really could have easily been in my top five on my board and it was just some things that either I just didn't see
31:15because his tape didn't um allow us to see it or it was just some minor difference that could easily be um
31:23addressed or refined in his game that could put him really high. Um, so I'm totally liking what I'm hearing about um, Denzel Boston. I'm just thinking
31:34that still at this stage with the quarterback situation still shaky and the offense being run through the slot most likely I'm I'd still stick with
31:43Conpsion.
31:44>> I think still think reraft Judkins and Harold Fannon Jr. are the two players you're going to be talking about. the
31:50other guys. Maybe you draft at the tail end or or late in drafts or maybe they stay on the waiverwire. Boston probably
31:56fits the latter bill there. Uh but it's worth watching if they get decent quarterback play. Who knows? Todd Monkin will maybe work some magic or maybe not.
32:03If not, go Quinn Sean Judkins. Um Jeremiah Love, I I wrote about this last week in my blind spots versus smart
32:10drafting. Jeremiah Love at 13 is a blind spot and smart drafting. I just don't see him there. Uh I don't I don't feel
32:17comfortable drafting him there. Um, is it possible his B and right now he's going to miss at least a week with
32:24what's potentially a high ankle sprain?
32:26Tyler Algier still is still still there.
32:28Um, should his value drop four to five rounds?
32:33>> Yeah, I think so. It's not going to I'm just pulling something up on my board that people are going to see real quick,
32:40but that's okay. Um, but I, you know, I think about where he's going and you think about the players that you could
32:50get. You know, if you're in the early turn, >> do you really want him over Devont Smith or George Pickkins? Or even Chris?
32:59>> I don't think so. There's Oh, AJ Brown and Derrick Henry and I do not you could probably get also later and and you're
33:07going with that. So, yeah, I don't think that. And then there's Oh, I don't know.
33:11Um, even if you're in the late area, I mean, I Yeah, there's two. There's Saquon Barkley even like you him over
33:20Saquon Barkley. Come on. I know that the Eagles may may not be as good as people think, but let's not go there. And I
33:28think that we have to understand, too, there's a reason Tyler Alier is listed as the starter heading into camp. and said they're leaning on him as a pass
33:36protector, as a receiver out of the back field, someone who understands the offense and can make quick adjustments.
33:42They don't know if they have that in Jeremiah Love yet, and they want to give him a runway to get there. And if injury
33:49is going to impede that runway, if l if a defense that isn't very good is going to impede that runway, then you may see
33:58that his touches aren't going to be as voluminous to warrant 13th overall. I mean, like to me, when I look at I'm
34:08just looking at a list of players that I drafted for a team and would I rather have them over um Jeremiah Love, Cidi
34:16Lamb, yes, Derek Henry, Lad McConi, Coloulston Lovelin, and yes, Carnell Tate. I'd rather have And if I don't want Carninal Tate, I know I want Parker
34:27Washington as much as I want Jeremiah Love for sure, >> you know, or even Michael Wilson in the eighth round. I want more than that. But
34:35I mean, I would be willing to start drafting him in the sixth or seventh round.
34:40>> I think that the point is, and this is true of me, too. I mean, it's just there's a like I have a way I draft and
34:47the the way I draft is every player at the right price, right? So, and that means I'm not going to get a lot of
34:53players. Like, I'm not going to get a lot of Jeremiah Love because I don't think he's priced right. And other people, if other people do, I'm just not
34:59going to get him. And there are many players that are like that. And, uh, he's going to remain like that. Look, he
35:03can separate as a pass catcher, I'm guessing, and maybe they'll need him to do that more. He looked really good in
35:08the exhibition. I thought I thought he looked, you know, he definitely looked apart, right? Um but but I think you're right. I think people are overpaying for
35:16him. Whether I feel like he should fall that far, I don't think he I don't think there's any chance he will like you. Um
35:22but but either way, it doesn't matter.
35:24It's it's immaterial to me because I'm just not going to draft him where he's going. and and we all know, you know,
35:29ADP, people can jump ahead of it, people can back off it, but in general, if he's going that same range with the with the
35:35players you mentioned, all all those players are going to be much more prevalent on my rosters than one Jeremiah Love. Hope the Cardinals get
35:43better. Um, we'll see about that. Malik Benson, big fish in a shallow pool. Uh, is he becoming a story we can't ignore
35:52for the Las Vegas Raiders, feel it or it?
35:54>> For Dynasty GMs, absolutely. I think that's the case for reddraft. Yeah, you can continue to ignore it a little bit.
36:00Um, but I would say he it might be that story might be tapping you on the shoulder by um by early September if
36:07your your roster's gotten laid waste to with injuries. Um Benson's, you know, got the speed. He certainly has skills after the catch and his the drum beat's
36:18been steady. I mean, his teammates have said in the spring, "This guy prepares and works like a young pro, like a pro,
36:28like a veteran, and he has kind of a veteran feel, and we think that he's going to have a really good career." And
36:34then we're seeing him in a three-way competition with Jack Bes and um Dante Thornton for a role, and it was like
36:42kind of a dead heat. But if it's a dead heat and nobody's really standing out, then let's read into this a minute. Jack
36:50Bes and Dante Thornton have been there for now on their second year and neither of them are standing out, but the other
36:56guy is not standing out as a rookie. Um, that tells me I should probably lean towards the rookie than the other two.
37:03Um, also then we heard this past week um from his coaching staff, he's making good progress. He's doing some good things, but we want him to stay humble
37:12and continually working. Um, which what that tells me is he's still making mistakes. He's not, he doesn't understand the things that he needs to
37:21understand to really become a high-end contributor just yet, but they see the talent. They see the physical skills.
37:28They like what they're seeing in in moments with his game. So, I I think that Malik Benson as an as a late round
37:37roster ad or a guy that you add um on expanded rosters that you might keep on your practice squad when you have cut
37:45downs. That is definitely where you want Benson. Um in reddraft, you're you're not drafting this guy unless multiple starters get hurt.
37:54>> Yeah, that makes that makes a lot of sense. All right. Uh we'll move on then.
37:57Miles Montgomery, a Matt Waldman favorite. uh not so favored by the Patriots. Uh maybe he is. He got injured, was waved uh this past week,
38:08got the most guaranteed money I think of any uh undrafted free agent this year, $270 plus thousands, but he went on IR.
38:15Uh barring, you know, the the chances he reaches an injury settlement with the Patriots, he won't play in the NFL this year. Um will
38:24he be a star in an alternate league, feel it or [ __ ] it? I would say I'd say he can be feel it if that h if it comes
38:30to that. But I was looking for the news of whether or not he wound up on IR and the fact that he did wind up on IR is a
38:36good sign. Um because that does mean that they value they valued the investment that they were making in him initially and they want to keep him and
38:45see what goes on. So um I'd say he still has a chance by year two to be the number three running back on that team
38:53and maybe grow from there. I mean, George Helani is starting to get a little bit of buzz in Seattle, and he
39:01was a guy that didn't make the cut with Kenny Macintosh here. One, and Macintosh is now looking for jobs.
39:08>> Yeah, that makes perfect sense. All right. Um, Jordan Tyson, very disappointing to hear the hamstring issue he has. Sounds like it's could be
39:15could keep him out into the regular season. He's a landmine this year.
39:19Feeler puck. And I feel like that is a totally uh totally uh uh open question here. Uh go ahead.
39:28>> Yes.
39:28>> I think he's already exploded.
39:30>> I think he already has too. I'm trying to dodge the shrapnel as we speak.
39:34That's why I'm hunched over like this.
39:36Um, but yeah, I mean it's it's how he moves is so dynamic, but the but the dynamic movement is rooted in what I
39:48would say movement skills that seem very erratic. They're not unbelievably uniform. He's putting himself in positions where he's putting more stress
39:57on his body in ways that may not be um con conducive to repetitive movements
40:06like this. And then on top of that, he uses a lot of these movements embedded in technique execution that needs to be
40:16more uniform. And the move may be sweet, but then how it sets him up for the next series of tasks that he has to do can
40:26cause him some, you know, can lead to mistakes because he's not he doesn't have a process down.
40:34When you watch the best receivers, they sort in the open field, they do some of these creative moves, and that's fantastic. But a lot of the moves that
40:42you see the top receivers make, they're really about they're grounded in in legitimate technique. And so they may be
40:53done in a really sweet and creative fashion, but the way the body move, the legs move away from the shoulders or how
41:00far they move away from the shoulders or, you know, it's not about the violence of the move as much as it is
41:06about where's the distance of the movement away from certain points of the body and then the violence that comes with that. And if you're not balanced
41:16enough with the movement and the technique and where the technique should what the range of motion with the technique should be, then if you get
41:23violent with it, that leads to injuries or it leads to you not being balanced to go to that next phase of whatever the
41:31task is on the macro level. And I think that's the problem with Jordan Tyson is that he can catch, he can run, he makes
41:40some sweet [ __ ] moves. um and he looks like the best receiver from moment to moment that you'll get in this draft
41:48class. And at other times you're like, well, when's the hamstring going to rip off the bone? When's he going to sprain
41:53an ankle? When does when's he going to catch the ball on a simpler move that he could have made, but he screwed up this
41:59route timing because of the move that he did? Or now he's not in position to make some of the more um mundane plays that
42:07he should have made. And you you saw that repeatedly on his tape. And that's the problem. But people love that movement because it's it really is
42:17impressive and cool, but it's not um sustainable. And he's going to have to work on that.
42:23>> All right. We haven't irritated any fan bases yet, I don't think. Well, maybe.
42:27Probably. I What am I talking about? Of course you've irritated fan bases. Let's go out of our Right. Let's go out Well,
42:34let's go out of our way to do it again in Pittsburgh. At some point this year, the Steelers will have to consider
42:38starting Drew Allar. Feel your bucket.
42:41>> Um, [ __ ] it. And, you know, I'm >> Damn it, that's not going to irritate anyone.
42:46>> No, he's he's he, you know, I mean, first of all, the Steelers are immune to Brown trying to irritate them.
42:53>> So, I mean, >> my bad.
42:55>> Now, maybe a Ravens fan, maybe a different story at this point. But, um, but I would say with Aller again, he
43:03threw the ball where it needed to be. He had some receivers make some big plays.
43:07It's not like that he was facing defenses that he hasn't seen at Penn State. Um or defenders for a long period
43:15of time who were setting him up to basically put the hammer down on him. So I'm not again the the idea that we
43:23should be pushing to consider starting him. I think that's probably coming from overexcited young analysts um who have nice haircuts that need to make a mark
43:33on social media. That's basically where I would put it. Um guys, you know, guys who may do really good job at looking at
43:40at um X's and O's, but they have shortcomings when it comes to actually looking at player talent and understanding the X's and O's are just
43:50part of the equation. All right, I want I want to go back to the Patriots here.
43:54Uh, and circle around with Montgomery Nagon, Lan Larrison, and Jam Miller. Are they one play away from relevancy? Feel it or [ __ ] it?
44:01>> Yeah, I feel it because they I mean certainly if um if Raandre Stevenson gets hurt, they need a second player who in like say Lan
44:12Larrison who can give you a little bit more explosion, who can also do good on outside runs and make some plays in the
44:19passing game. I mean, that's something that Larrison is very good at. Um, and then if you know, Trevon Henderson gets hurt or um, yeah, that's what I'm
44:31saying. If Trevon Henderson gets hurt, then Len Harrison is probably the the guy on that end of the spectrum. If Remandre Stevenson get hurts, then Jim
44:38Miller is more of a grinded out guy um, who I think has limitations. I would expect Lan Larrison to win this job if
44:48they're looking over at overall total talent. But if they're looking at giving him giving a guy who can just pound it
44:54into the line and get you two to four yards on a carry and not lose too many, Miller is probably that guy.
45:01>> All right, fair enough. So there we have it. We have felt and [ __ ] many things.
45:05Uh if you want to continue listening to our joyous work or reading it, go to mattwalman.com, home of the rookie scouting portfolio. Go to
45:13>> guys. I'd go to Bob Harris and find the joyous work. I don't know if I'm all that joyous right now.
45:19>> Uh you can also hear me uh five nights a week right now on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio 8 to 10 with Mike Dempsey
45:25on Football Dieards. Uh I will be in Vegas for the Draft Nation event. Uh Thursday through Saturday. If you're there, come up and say hi. Tell me how
45:33you're feeling. I don't want to know who you're [ __ ] Um and uh >> you might they might bring them along.
45:39So >> they might bring them along. So, uh, anyhow, stop in and say hi if if you're so predisposed. And, uh, and I guess
45:46that's it for now. We'll be back next Monday to Feel and [ __ ] More Things.
45:48What do you say, Matt?
45:50>> Feeling it.
45:52>> Bye.
45:52>> Bye.