0:00Guess what, Matt Waldman? There are some There are some players reporting to training camp already. We had some on Friday, we had some on Saturday, just
0:07rookies. They'll keep trickling in in the coming days and like a week from now everyone will be working in fully in all
0:15the training camps and we'll start having >> Are they Chad Johnsoning this thing and like staying on the couch in the
0:20facility? Is that what's going on?
0:21>> Antonio Browning that I I thought that was. I didn't think it Well, everyone else stays in the little dormitories and
0:27he gets the Airbnb on the hill.
0:28>> Oh, well, >> I don't know. I'm Bob Harris, he's Matt Waldman. We are talking nonsensical things as training camp is beginning.
0:35Uh just like the thrill of the start of football season, if you uh see it as that.
0:42Uh we could call it that. Some wouldn't, players I'm guessing. Uh this is the Feel Her [ __ ] Podcast. Um
0:48and we're going to do some of that today, but first we're going to see what we're up to right now. Matt Waldman,
0:52tell us what's going on at mattwaldman.com.
0:54>> Yeah, I mean, you know, we're just getting, you know, updating projections in the background here for um the first projection update in August, which will
1:02probably come around the 10th. Um and then we'll have another one probably 10 to 12 10 to 15 days later from that. Um
1:10you know, working on the 2027 class.
1:13I've watched more than a dozen of the running backs. We'll probably have a dozen more watched by the end of the
1:19probably by the end of the month. Um and uh it's it's been a fun class on that end. And then, you know, at
1:26footballguys.com, I put out a piece on the Seattle Seahawks backfield. It's headlining with George Holani um and what you should know about him
1:35and what the possibilities are with him.
1:37But, it's really more about should we even trust the Seattle backfield for fantasy football at this stage of the game and what should be the strategic
1:47way of approaching it. Um so, we've got that, rankings, you know, rankings updates, um commentary updates on occasion as well. You know, I've
1:57probably done about four or 500 of those that are you know, at Footballguys rankings available [clears throat] there. So, that's all with me, but you
2:05know, we got a magazine that is coming out.
2:09>> It it is it has begun shipping. Let's just say.
2:13Calling it a magazine is a bit of a fills the entire screen. Of course, it does. It's a big very large collectors
2:19type edition coffee table book style with all the stuff though you want in a magazine including great articles including one by Matt Waldman, articles
2:29by myself, Sigmund Bloom, Jeff Bell, Dave Kluge, Dan Hindery, the entire range, Adam Hutchinson, all the Footballguys staffers, Drew Davenport of
2:38course covering docs. And so, we've got everything you wanted there. Everything is based around Jason Wood's projections and his analysis of the projections that
2:47you find on the site. So, just a ton of good content in there. We've got some great stuff by Joe Bryant as well. Some
2:52great stuff on community from Joey Wright. So, so check it out. Order it now at go to footballguys.com.
2:58We've got better tracking and shipping this year. So, don't hesitate. Dive right in. It's it's it's always fun to do these things
3:06especially when they turn out halfway decent.
3:10>> Yeah, and it's it's Bob's being a little bit modest when he says halfway decent, you know, so we can we maybe three-quarters of the way
3:19decent. What do you think? Did you settle on that?
3:21>> I'll just say this. The FSWA awarded it as print publication of the year last year for football. So, that's probably indicative of of the level that
3:31we're we're aiming for.
3:33>> More than three-quarters of the way decent. Yeah, we're we'll we'll say twice as decent. How about that?
3:37>> We're looking for that again. Anyway, tons of other stuff going on at Footballguys as well. My weekly notebook serialized in the full installment on
3:45Sundays. My rankings are up. If you go to the news page, you'll find many of Matt Waldman's comments repurposed into news blurbs as things happen throughout
3:54the season as I sit here and try to find new things to say about players I've said many things about all year long. Uh
4:01so check that out. The newsfeed is great. Me, Bloom, Cecil Lammy all sit there. Kloogie jumps in on occasion and we all crank out the news that makes its
4:10way to your daily email update. If you haven't signed up for that, it's free and it comes out every day and gives you
4:15everything you need to know including many times the features of Matt Waldman, the gut check often a primary asset in that in the daily email.
4:23>> If I use the magazine to hit Cecil upside the head with it >> It will leave a mark.
4:28>> him? Would it not concuss >> Oh, for sure.
4:30>> Okay, then I won't do that. Okay.
4:32>> This is more of a two-handed boom and then I roll it up.
4:35>> Okay.
4:36>> [laughter] >> This would be a knock someone out of a chair kind of thing.
4:39>> Yeah, this is this yeah. And I've tried it and it works really well. All right, enough of our nonsense. Let's start
4:45feeling and [ __ ] things.
4:47Uh you brought it up so let's get into it. Seattle's ground game is a good fantasy bet this year. Feel or [ __ ] it?
4:52>> I'm going to say [ __ ] it unless you're buying the lowest ranked option that has a viable shot at playing time. And I
5:01think that's really the gist of this is that Javian Price there's lots of talk about Javian Price starting the season as the lead back in the backfield, but
5:10there was also talk earlier. You know, it I'll look at it this way. The beat writers or what I would put as the
5:19the um the water cooler end of the of the journalist spectrum.
5:25The ones that that take other articles and then say and then say um it's Who we kidding? We know this guy's
5:35probably going to start, you know, because you know, somebody at ESPN speculates this so I'm going to go ahead and write a whole 500 750 word piece
5:47based on that one on one sentence that says why this guy should start and then that gets incorporated into news saying,
5:54well, the Seahawks will likely go with this guy as the starter and that's the headline. I would say we don't know yet. Okay, Judarian Price
6:04has to prove that he can pass protect.
6:07He has to prove that he can actually pass catch. Pass catch, that he can actually make good decisions between the tackles when the game time is for real
6:17and the and the game is for real.
6:19All of that. So, is it likely that he will develop into that? I think very likely. But >> Let me jump in because I think, you
6:27know, like what are teams telling us with the draft capital they invest?
6:30They're telling us they're revealing what their desired outcome is.
6:34>> Right.
6:34>> Sometimes that's all we get to know until we know more. That's all we know about Price now is what the Seahawks
6:39would like him to be. Well, I can remember last year when they would have liked They told us. There was no illusion. There was no smoke screens.
6:47It was Clint Kubiak telling me, we want the ball in Kenneth Walker's hands every every play. They told us what they
6:54wanted the plan to be. Then what happened? The plan went awry cuz Kenneth Walker didn't stay on the practice field and they realized maybe he's not cut out
7:00for this in Oh, look, it opened the door for Zach Charbonnet and circumstances ended up with a 50/50 nearly split. So,
7:07those are the things that can happen.
7:09But on the good good end of the range of outcomes is Judarian Price is the lead back.
7:14They get what they paid for or what they what they believe they're going to get.
7:17But nothing is certain.
7:18>> Especially when the team is also giving George Holani running back one touches in practice and he's the most um
7:29he he's the most acclimated to this offense and has been there going now in his third year. Um so, you have to
7:37understand that there is potential here.
7:39It's just kind of like when Oh, I don't know, Liam Coen this time last year was talking up Dyami Brown and talking and
7:46basically kind of trying to bury the questions on Parker Washington and talking about a vertical passing game. And that once they got on the
7:55field they saw that none of that work.
7:56Now this year Parker Washington's being considered the future of wide receiver in that offense. Um so you you look at a
8:04guy you look at the situation and it's like is Zach Charbonnet really going to come back and be healthy? I doubt it.
8:11This is his last year of his contract.
8:12Are they they he might just decide to save himself and just say whatever you guys can have me on the bench, you'll get rid of me
8:20anyway, and I'll be ready for I'll be ready for 2027. Or he gets to play a little bit, it shows that he's not
8:27completely there yet and then they have to roll with Holani or Emmanuel Wilson. Um and if Price is not fully capable of handling the workload,
8:39not capable of doing the variety of things that you look for from a running back, you know, that then you can see where
8:46that switch is coming and I think the problem is is that you know, Price might not start off as the starter or he
8:53starts and fades and then other guys come in and then they go, "Well, let's let's give Charbonnet a look." And then
8:59Charbonnet fades and now you you picked Jadarian Price as what? Like a a running as like the in the as a
9:07low-end running back three or I mean a high-end running back three, low-end running back two. That's probably a miss if you picked him in that range. If you
9:17picked Emmanuel Wilson, um you probably you know, he's probably going over George Holani at this point, but that may change by training camp. If
9:27you picked Charbonnet, he's not far behind Price. So to me that it might be as good as Sea- Seattle looks as a
9:35offense and as a and with an offensive line, maybe the fact if there's not a true indication that this won't be a running
9:45back carousel a carousel, then I would go with the later picks instead of the earlier ones.
9:52>> Ooh, but for the record, Wilson's going as running back 66, Hall and I is running back 67. I feel like, you know,
9:57this is an easy conversation to, you know, compare with what we do, right?
10:02Like as fantasy players, we're drafting player based on a set of expectations that we've been part created, right?
10:08We've told ourselves happy stories about players. Guess what happened at the scouting room of the Seattle Seahawks heading into the draft. They looked at
10:15film, they have evidence, and they think they're getting something, so they and they paid for what they think they're getting for. Maybe they think they are
10:22ending up getting great deal. Maybe they know more about it than we do. Maybe they Maybe they're just flying by the
10:27seat of their pants. Whatever the case, the outcomes are going to depend on what happens on the field. We know what We
10:33know the part that's done, so drafting players based on, you know, what a team's desired outcome is when they've told us that, whether it's through draft
10:40capital or cash spent in case of Kenneth Walker or Travis Etienne Jr. I mean, you know, I don't know if Travis Etienne Jr.
10:48is going to have a full-time job, but but the Saints are paying him $13 million a year. They think he is, right?
10:53So, so, you know, we've got to factor that into all the equations, and I think that's the case with Bryce. I do think
10:58that Zach Charbonnet, there was some buzz on him, uh you know, started by Mike McDonald that basically all he was out there doing
11:06drills. Let us remember, he did not have surgery until February. I want to say the third week of February.
11:12Um so, >> Yeah.
11:14>> I dialed back the optimism about a week one return that kind of some people hinted out when they heard he was back
11:20on the field. And look, some of it was local beat writers, so maybe I don't know what the hell I'm talking about and
11:24he's like the exception to the rule. Uh so, we'll have to watch that.
11:27>> John Schneider with his drafting, he's a reformed um big lot shopper for offensive lineman. So, we'll see. We'll see how all this goes.
11:35>> The price is running back 26. I think you know, you're paying for that running back three, you know, price for a guy that that
11:43could end up playing a prominent role. I don't know. It depends on how you're building your roster whether you think that's a good idea or not. You can say
11:49the same about Machel Tuton going one pick ahead of him. I prefer De'Andre Swift going two picks ahead of both of
11:55them. Even though I know he's going to share with Kalen Ballage. I think that >> I agree.
11:59>> Ben Johnson talking just yesterday said, "Man, we want more from him." Well, you know how they got more from him in
12:04Detroit when Ben Johnson was there? They threw him like 78 balls last year he was there which they didn't do in Chicago last year. And that's the
12:12way they could they would they threw him around. But anyhow, that's I think we've got that pretty much dialed in. I want
12:17to talk to you about another Seattle situation here. Rashid Shaheed, could he pass Cooper Kupp in the passing game pecking order? Feel it or [ __ ] it.
12:25>> Totally feeling that. Um mainly because if we saw they didn't I don't think they just traded for him to be a deep threat and a
12:34special teams guy.
12:36I think that they saw what he did on film with the Saints when he when he had some rapport with some of their
12:43quarterbacks and they saw future. Yeah, I think they saw a wide receiver two in training there. And I think that that's
12:50what he's going to show in that offense and I could see Cooper Kupp being kind of a a distant third in
12:56that offense this year. Yeah, sat on bone. Exactly, you know, Cooper Kupp, you know, >> I remember I'm old enough to remember
13:06>> [laughter] >> But I think but I think Rashid I think Rashid Shaheed is is the guy that's the best kind. I know people will talk about
13:13Tory Horton and that's a possibility too, but I think Horton's more likely to pass over Cooper Kupp than leapfrog Shaheed.
13:21>> Yeah, he had that a little bit of run got us all excited and coming off a shin injury looks like he'll be
13:26participating. All right, I kind of agree with you on this. I think, you know, I think that's the direction. They paid for Sheed Heed, too. They did not
13:33have to do that, I don't think, or the way they did. So, uh, yeah, I think I I'm I'm I think that's my expectation,
13:40as well. Clayton Tune Nick is on the Davis Mills career track with the New York Jets, feel it or [ __ ] it.
13:46>> I'm feeling that. I think say that's the the the cautious note, is that it's a strong 2027 class, while we're
13:56the highest expectation most people will have is that they become like a seven and nine, eight and eight club, or we
14:03can't be that anymore, but let's say a, uh, you know, an eight and nine, you know, eight and nine club, somewhere
14:11around there, seven and 10, that they will probably have to roll with Club Nick for a part of the year, because they
14:20feel like can he be something, and then we don't have to pick a quarterback next year?
14:26>> Right.
14:26>> And I think that's really what the what [clears throat] the plan is going to be. And the hope is that Smith looks
14:33great, and then they they get into the playoffs, and Club Nick is something that they that they can evaluate another year, or they pick somebody else and
14:42have a three-way competition. Who knows what the Jets are thinking, but I think but I would speculate that he's going to
14:49get a shot, he's going to have moments where he looks pretty good, and then he's going to wind up being the bridge
14:56for, um, for the for the 2027 draft pick.
15:01>> I think that's the the take of local observers, as well. It's like they want to get a look at him and see what he's
15:05about, if they need to. Like I think this is the same situation as we're going to have in Arizona, where Jacoby
15:11Brissett was great for our purposes last year. He was 1 and 11 for the Cardinals purposes. He's not going to get to go 1
15:16and 11 this year, right? You know, Carson Beck's going to be on the field, you know, or they want to get a look at,
15:21you know, so I think the same thing in that 2027 draft class probably is going to put some pressure to get a look at
15:26these guys you drafted as potential backups to see if maybe they can be more. So, I'm with you there. I totally
15:32agree. Other than I expect it to be 70% Geno on the field. Uh the guy that completes all his passes because I'm
15:40drafting him like that as my third quarterback in many leagues, but also mostly because I'm drafting Garrett Wilson uh as if he's going to be a very
15:48productive player this year. So, we'll see how that all plays out.
15:52>> yd season, probably.
15:53>> I'm with that. Now, not everyone's guys come to fruition.
15:57Tariq Woolen Brooks is droppable in most leagues. Feel it or [ __ ] it.
16:02>> Oh, [ __ ] yeah, feel that. I feel that. I think that he's Unless you're in Unless you're in a league that has like four to
16:09six practice squad spots and you're over 40 roster spots, you Why? You can watch him from afar. He's probably going to play on special teams. That's
16:19probably what they're going to label him to be.
16:21Um and that's kind of fitting for where he was picked, you know? If he didn't make the If he didn't make the um
16:31quick first impression early on, then that's generally what happens if you can make a team is that it's based on special teams. So, he may get another
16:41shot one day and they may say, "We didn't really know what he what we had in him." And that may happen. They've
16:47done that before. Um and you know, and we'll see where it goes, but yeah, I think for most purposes, you don't want to hang on him
16:54too long and clog up your roster.
16:56>> Yeah, I think that's probably true. He He could make 11 and 8 for somebody else, though, Matt.
17:00>> He very well could. And I think he could do it for them if there was an injury.
17:04You just have to This is just one of those type of players that you monitor and you don't have to hold on to like
17:10it's a winning lottery ticket that you know is that you know, that everyone knows that it's a winning number, cuz everyone doesn't.
17:19>> Uh Jackson Dart we're holding on to or at least we're drafting him as if he might be some kind of lottery ticket.
17:24Look, man, um actually I did my Scott Fishbowl. I thought he went uh a little early uh yesterday. My Scott Fishbowl
17:30live was great draft. Um I got Trevor Lawrence uh way after well after Jackson Dart, so I was pretty happy about that. Anyway, um there's
17:39talk he'll still be used in design runs.
17:41Does this mean the Giants lack faith in his passing feel or pocket?
17:45>> Um I'm going to say secretly feel it, but they're going to tell you to [ __ ] that, cuz I I have no faith in that. Um
17:53but I mean they're they're using the Lamar Jackson, well, I coached Lamar Jackson, and if you ask Lamar Jackson that about this, he'd look at you like
18:03he had three heads. Well, the reason is is Lamar Jackson didn't take crazy hits.
18:08He ran out of bounds. He wasn't someone that you could touch. His speed was way better. His movement was way better than
18:16Jackson Dart. Oh, and oh, yeah, he's like 10 times the pocket quarterback that Jackson Dart is. Um so, we can you
18:23can talk about that all you want, but the problem is is that Jackson Dart, you know, has has hung out with Cam Scatabo
18:30a little bit too much and thinks that he's a battering ram, you know? And so, I mean I think that that's part of the
18:37problem is that he's not a complete passer even relative to a young Lamar Jackson the way Jackson was.
18:44He doesn't understand how to read the field and stay in the pocket as well as he needs to. He doesn't move well in the
18:51pocket, so they need him to run, but they'd like him to improve some as well. And when he runs, he's not dynamic
19:01enough to avoid the contact that Lamar Jackson routinely avoided. So, do I think that this is a one-to-one comparison to Lamar
19:11Jackson? It's utter [ __ ] You know, I mean, I like I like John Harbaugh, but he's he's totally fooling himself and
19:19trying to fool the media as he says this.
19:22>> the latter more than the former. I'm guessing.
19:24>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he this Yeah, exactly. I mean, this is I mean, come on. It's ridiculous. So, yes, he'll run.
19:31He'll have some effective moments as a runner. He may even get good yardage as a runner, but if he has another year uh
19:37with the yardage that he has as a runner, I doubt very seriously they're going to be entertaining him long-term as a passer um because they need him to
19:46be a passer first. He's not a he's not at the level of the the top-end running quarterbacks even if the the
19:55production last year made you think so.
19:58And part of that is is that the top-level running quarterbacks also tend to throw the ball well, and that's part of the problem with him.
20:05>> Yeah, I think the the the concern here is the concussions. He had one that kept him out of two games and he had
20:10concussion checks in what?
20:12Four others? Three or three in a handful of other games.
20:16>> saying in like in dog years then that in NFL parlance, he's probably had six concussions last year.
20:24>> Probably so.
20:25>> Yeah.
20:25>> Yes. Um so, yes.
20:27Look Look, it's an issue. Like I do want him running though cuz I don't really care about the Giants or his future. I
20:34care about my fantasy fortune. So, if I drafted >> you're At least you're you make it plain, you know.
20:40>> Well, I mean, I believe I I believe the Giants feel the same as I. Uh >> [laughter] >> But based on based on many years of
20:49evidence of all football teams, I'm going to come to that conclusion. Uh Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, are those your three starters in
20:56New York for for uh Jackson Dart all season long?
20:59>> That's That's what they're hoping and praying and clutching their pearls to, but no. Malik Nabers isn't going to be ready. He's not going to be ready for
21:07half the year, I bet.
21:08Um so, I hope I'm wrong very much, but you know, you all know I loved Malik Nabers' game at LSU. Um but, I don't
21:16think that he's going to be that.
21:17Darnell Mooney's going to have to prove that he's been bet that he's better than what he was for the past couple of
21:22years. And if he can, he'll stick around. If he doesn't, they've got Calvin Austin nipping at his heels. If Zay Flowers isn't quite fully ready, um
21:32you know, or doesn't play, keeps dropping the ball, Malachi Fields may get a shot. I think this is a turn style
21:38of a wide receiver um core, and we could see even Odell Beckham in as an occasional slot receiver um if Nabers isn't ready yet
21:48early on in the year. So, this is a or Juju Smith-Schuster and paired with Odell Beckham, so you get the speed for five plays, and you get
21:59the the the physicality for five plays, then you get them out of breath for five plays while Cam Skattebo runs it down
22:07their throat, hopefully, or Jackson Dart runs around a little bit. Maybe Odell can play quarterback a little bit after Jackson Dart um you know, drops his pads
22:18into somebody.
22:19>> I remember John Harbaugh telling me that Odell Beckham's arrival had nothing to do with Malik Nabers. I'd I'll say this
22:24about Nabers. Like, we're going to find out something here in the next 10 days about him that that, you know, everything we're saying is based on some
22:34data points of evidence, but not a broader range. It's a We know he had the ACL. We know he had the cleanup surgery.
22:41We know we saw a video of him not moving with great fluidity on a softball field.
22:47>> My hair on my head is is no indication that I didn't go that I didn't like style my hair this morning.
22:54>> Right. So, we like like he like what if he shows up at training camp and doing the old Willy Wonka, like limping out,
23:00then does the somersault, "Hey, I'm all better. Yeah.
23:03>> [laughter] >> That would be That would probably be projecting a little bit too optimistic of a front, but >> Jerry Jeudy Allen White would be a good
23:11Willie Wonka? He kind of looks like Willie Wonka a little bit.
23:14>> Yeah, a little bit. So, we don't Like, I'm I'm keeping over my Malik Nabers is, you know, price has dropped to the point
23:19where, you know, I'm still not in on it.
23:22Like, I don't know how much time he's going to miss. I'm playing a little more cautious. There's plenty guys I like,
23:25but once he gets back on the field, expecting him to be Malik Nabers seems like a reasonable expectation. I'm Malik Willis. He will
23:34not be Malik Willis. He will be Malik >> If if 15th round is is where he could drop to, I I I might take him. I might
23:44take him in the 15th round.
23:45>> Current price for Malik Nabers would be Is it what? Oh, yeah. It's a wide receiver 14 going in the third
23:52round.
23:54>> Oh, wow.
23:55Are you kidding me?
23:56>> I'm not kidding you, Matt.
23:57>> Yeah. Well, all right. Well, >> I believe he went later in my Scott Fishbowl. Uh, which is, you know, people
24:03were are kind of hoarding receivers in that. So, maybe that's a little better indication of uh, than latest ADP.
24:09>> He's probably going to go round eight, round nine in savvy drafts by August when they say he's not completely ready.
24:15And even then, that's going to be >> It was round four, the end of round four in my Scott Fish draft.
24:19>> crazy. That's crazy. Well, they're hopeful. I mean, they think I think they think he's like This is like their version of thinking
24:27that he's like Jerry Rice without the years and proof. You know, when Jerry Rice >> Maybe someone told them he was going to
24:33do a Willie Wonka thing and come out and do a somersault.
24:36>> Maybe that's what it was.
24:37>> know who did that.
24:38>> know.
24:39>> [laughter] >> Kirk Cousins is the quarterback the Raiders hope starts all season, feel or pocket.
24:44>> Feel it. Of course, they hope that.
24:46>> again. You're projecting.
24:48>> Of course, this is what they hope. Of course, they do. They want They want to be competitive in the AFC West. So, they
24:58That means that Cousins going to play well enough when they start him that there's no need to to play, you know, Mendoza at any
25:07point in the year. Now, do we believe that the Raiders are going to be good enough to compete in the AFC West with
25:12what they've got going on out there?
25:15Not unless Jerry Glanville is driving the team planes for all those other three teams that are in the, you know, an emergency lands and dumps them all in
25:24a lake or something. I don't know. Um yeah, Kirk Cousins is probably going to be quarterback for half to three-quarters of the year. And then
25:32once they they are out of contention, we're going to see um Fernando Mendoza.
25:37>> I think that is also the reasonable expectation. I will say my hope is Kirk Cousins stays on as long as he can. It's
25:43going to benefit Brock Bowers if you think he's still a tight end. Uh Kirk Cousins favors his tight ends. I don't
25:49know if he's a true tight end or a or a wide receiver one, but the combo of that uh Kirk Cousins has had a career-long
25:56affinity for throwing the tight ends uh and has driven them to great success.
25:59So, I'm hoping he's on field a bit. I think that Fernando Mendoza can't find Brock Bowers and all that goodness. I
26:06thought Matt, this was just going to be >> But if you have a guy like Noa Nah Kowski, he turned into a He made him
26:10something. That's a glorified fullback.
26:13>> There you have it. So, I My case has been made. All right then. Uh so, it'll probably be Cousins until it's not. I
26:19agree with that. I think that's fair. I think we may see all, you know, more of these rookies than we expect. Mendoza we
26:24would expect, but maybe some of the other ones as well. Um let's see.
26:29The Ravens claim they still believe in Rashod Bateman, or at least Eric DeCosta, the GM does. Uh should they still believe in Rashod Bateman? Feel it
26:37or [ __ ] it.
26:38>> They don't really have anybody else to believe in, honestly. I know they're going to There's going to be people Well, what about Elijah Sorat? Well,
26:44he's kind of more of a Joshua Palmer type.
26:47Uh and and maybe a current Joshua Palmer type.
26:50>> What about Jacoby Lane?
26:52>> Um Jacobi Lane.
26:54Well, he's got to learn how to run routes that don't terminate too early and and get thrown and ball thrown in the middle of
27:01the field. He's got to learn a number of things. Um he can really make acrobatic catches. So, I would say that he's
27:13neither them neither of them are probably even going to beat Devonte Walker. Maybe Elijah Sarratt for a different type of role.
27:20But I think Bateman's their only hope this year.
27:24And Bateman is good enough.
27:26He just hasn't been consistent or consistently healthy enough. And so, at the stage we can get Rashod Bateman like 20th round
27:35um I'm I believe in Rashod Bateman for the price. Why not? I'll take a shot cuz I know you know, I know what kind of
27:43ability he has even though we haven't gotten there. And I know that I can let go of him pretty quickly.
27:49>> 2024 he had the career high 756 yards, nine touchdowns. If they could get him back to that level, it would uh
27:56be good great for everyone involved. And And by the way, Rashod Bateman is like I I checked the ADP. It was something
28:01ridiculously low.
28:03>> Yeah.
28:03>> As if not even Yeah, wide receiver 92 going with the 269th pick overall. Uh feel free to use him as a free square
28:11play in your best ball drafts with the hopes that he gets back to where the Ravens drafted him to be a first round
28:17pick of that team. So >> Maybe I'll take him Maybe I'll take him ahead of Malik Nabers.
28:24>> [laughter] >> Alvin Kamara's new deal in New Orleans >> [laughter] >> is a sign the Saints backfield is a fantasy landmine. Feel it or [ __ ] it?
28:36>> Um I'm going to say I'm still going to say feel it a little bit just because I think Travis Etienne has gotten better
28:43as a running back, but as in In of vision, I still don't think he's on the level of Kamara. Um Kamara maybe maybe
28:50he's slowed down slowed down a little bit. We'll see.
28:54Um the the Saints have to be better as a run blocking unit. Um and I think that Etienne's going to We're going to see
29:03him struggle a little bit with that. I think this could wind up being a committee cuz what did Kamara get? What
29:09a 6 or 8 million dollar deal and it's probably >> 6 worth up to 8 and 1/2.
29:14>> And it's a one >> year deal, isn't it?
29:16>> year. One year 6.
29:17>> And you said Etienne's deal was what?
29:19>> Uh 52 million, so about 13 million a year, 4 years.
29:22>> Yeah. So basically you could say in the pecking order that Etienne will be the lead back. Kamara will be the second
29:29back.
29:30>> you know Etienne, we'll say his name right. I'm sorry for that.
29:34I didn't mean to be a dick. Um so he has a pair of top 10 fantasy finishes in the last 3 years, but he's a
29:39career 4.2 yards per carry back. Never been the dual threat that we expected him to be or at least the level we
29:45expected him to be. You mentioned the blocking. The Saints ranked 23rd in run block win rate, 30th in yards before contact last season. So it's fair to
29:53wonder if they have the offensive >> Sometimes it happens. So it's fair to wonder if he they have they have the offensive line to to help them
30:02out. But anyway, I think the ADP reflects kind of the little bit of uncertainty there. I mean, you know, for all the money he's making the you know,
30:09his running back Etienne ADP it seems a little little low, right? Like forget Well, it's not as high as Kenneth Walker's.
30:15Let's put it that way. Kenneth Walker's being drafted at the tail end. The other guy who made some money at the tail end of the running back ones
30:22Etienne is not.
30:23>> Etienne seems like a guy who will start the season as the RB1 and by midseason the fear is is that he's now in a
30:31full-blown committee with the hot hand.
30:34And I think that that's why he is at RB18 cuz if he were with a better team with a better offensive line and more
30:42proven quarterback, he'd probably be in Walker's range.
30:46>> Yeah, Kamara coming off a injury-marred campaign. Let's see what he could do. Skyler Bell, up there in Buffalo. Worth the redraft selection?
30:54Feel free to [ __ ] it.
30:55>> Maybe if you don't want Bateman or Neighbors, um then you know, no. I think he's possibly worth one you want to monitor
31:03that and see. Mainly because we know that he's a big play option. We know that he can probably play multiple positions. And if he has a strong camp
31:13and squeezes out, you know, Palmer and Keon Coleman for the wide receiver three role, or there's an injury to Khalil Shakir, he could
31:22suddenly be thrust into the wide receiver two role. Um so, there's high upside for him, but it's a boom-bust pick um even at the the tail end of
31:3320-round drafts.
31:34>> What about Coleman? Is he worth the pick?
31:36>> He is. And I think it's for the same reason. You're you know, you're basically taking a dart throw at either
31:42one of these guys. Coleman's worked with Stevie Johnson. Stevie Johnson we've talked about here said commented that he felt that um Coleman is unlike what
31:51people have portrayed him to be like in the media. Um Coleman is a very smart player from what I remember watching on
31:57film. He's very physical. He's a great at the catch point. It's just can he be the route runner and an explosive at a
32:04certain level for what you want from an outside receiver? And does that fit within what Buffalo wants as for him as
32:11a receiver in their system? And those are the big questions, um especially when it seems like that there was a little bit of disagreement among the
32:19personnel people um in in that organization that led to an ousting. So, we're going to find out whether there's, you know, whether Bell
32:29Coleman isn't subject can play well enough that he's not subject to the politics of one person winning out over another.
32:36>> Yeah, Coleman's going well ahead of Skylar Bell who's like wide receiver 106 I think right now. Coleman going is not
32:44great shakes. A wide receiver 88.
32:47Let's talk about some guys that are going maybe also in a later round. Jalen Tolbert in Miami, a lot of positive buzz
32:52about him during OTAs. He and Greg Dulcich seem to be the guys that that Malik Willis is dialed in on or
33:00having the most success with.
33:02He is going as wide receiver 99 with pick 302 overall. Does he merit more?
33:09>> Does he merit more? I don't think he merits more. I mean I know that there's some people that liked him in Dallas for
33:16some of the things that he did, but I think there's a I I think that Dallas's receiving core >> [ __ ] that question. [ __ ] that question.
33:25Is he worth a flyer in the last round of a draft?
33:28>> Sure. Absolutely feeling that. You know, I don't I think he's overrated otherwise.
33:33Um you're just mainly looking at I mean when you look at Dallas it's I don't think they're without much stronger of a of a of a receiving core
33:42that he would have been a receive wide receiver two, wide receiver three anywhere else. I think he went from a good receiving core
33:51where it was clear that he that he had an opportunity before Pickens ever came along and couldn't get it, couldn't make it happen. Um
34:00so he went to the worst possible receiving core.
34:03Um and now he's being talked up, but if he were even if he were in Cleveland, I don't think he'd beat out the two I
34:11don't know if he'd beat out the two rookies for any length of time.
34:14>> That's fair enough. Mike McCarthy likes what he's seen from Roman Wilson.
34:18Said said he that he you know, asked if he liked how Wilson approached the season. McCarthy said he's been here from day one. He was one of the first
34:26men to reach out and clearly ask what the expectation was of him, how I view him, and how I see him fitting into the
34:31various roles, is this just lip service, feel or [ __ ] >> Yeah, it's just an attaboy saying that Roman Wilson's a good worker and that
34:38we're appreciative of what he's doing and keep up the good work and if you can compete and play well and do your job
34:45and do it better than the other guys that are in that room, then I'm enthused and I'm rooting for you, kid, but yeah,
34:54I don't believe that [ __ ] at all other than it's just >> Had nobody asked him about Roman Wilson's approach, we would never would
35:00have heard Roman Wilson's name.
35:02>> That's right.
35:04It's great he's been here from day one, isn't that the expectation for most of the guys? I [laughter] mean, he, you
35:11know, it's like asking for, you know, I'd like your I'd like the recommendation for Bob Harris. Well, he shows up on time, he completes the task
35:19that we ask him to do um and you know, and we don't have any problems out of him. Is Bob Harris going
35:26to be a superstar for He shows up on time.
35:30He does the work that we ask him to do and he doesn't give us any lip service about doing any of it.
35:36>> Hardly ever.
35:37>> Uh actually, that's that's more the explana- I think that's more the explanation of me probably than than anybody else. It's not really, you know,
35:46so >> Stefon Diggs will be draftable by mid-August, feel or [ __ ] Let me jump in. [ __ ] that, I'm drafting him right
35:52now.
35:53>> That's right. How How much higher will he be draftable in mid-August?
35:58>> the question.
35:58>> Yeah, I agree. Is it Where What's his ADP now? It's probably like what? Around 10 to 12?
36:05>> Yeah, it's it's it's been rising. Let me see what the latest version is.
36:09>> Yeah, but like, you know, when you look at where he's likely going to go, it's going to be with a good quarterback.
36:15He's going to have a a significant role.
36:17It's not going to be a DeAndre Hopkins thing for last year when John Harbaugh proved why he's now a New York Giants
36:25coach.
36:25>> Going around 11, I'm seeing him go higher. know he went I've seen him go higher in the last two or three best
36:30balls I played in. I think most people are starting to either wish cast him or at least have some hope that he ends up
36:36with the Commanders as the wide receiver two there. That seems like a possible destination for him.
36:42We [clears throat] talked about it what last week? They don't actually have a wide receiver two in Washington. So and and now, you know,
36:50we we hear that they don't have that and we see Stefon Diggs framing himself as better than any other wide receiver two
36:56in the league. So I think he I think he knows where he's likely to win in the wild wild >> All right. Well, look, we you don't have
37:02to wish cast to get your Football Guys magazine/book.
37:07You can go to footballguys.com and get yourself one. You can go to mountwalmanrsp.com and get yourself either the projections ranking service or you can get the
37:17RSP pre-draft post-draft guide.
37:20They're each available at their separate prices.
37:23And at mountwalman.com and you can find all our our work at footballguys.com and find Bob Harris tonight with what?
37:32Mike Dempsey tonight?
37:33>> With Mike Dempsey and a special guest Matt >> And a special guest. Yeah. Yeah.
37:36>> Five nights a week right now at 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Eastern time.
37:39>> Special bus guest.
37:40>> We will be all about that.
37:43And then then soon the season will be here and there will be a Harris on Sirius every single day of the week.
37:50>> Cavalcade of guests. We'll have a cavalcade Maybe we can have a Maybe we can have a battle royale of with the
37:58guests, you know.
38:00>> [laughter] >> All right, that's it for us today. We'll come back next week, do it again.
38:06We'll have a little information from some of these training camps as the teams start filtering in and and like maybe some actual actionable
38:13intelligence. Haven't heard any of that for a while. All right, that's it. Love you, Matt. Bye.
38:18>> Love you, Bob. Malik Nabers backflips.
38:20That's what we're looking for.
