10 Players That Will WIN Fantasy Football Drafts (Evan Silva)
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this video and kept the full transcript here for context.
52 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Aug 16, 2026
Published
Sun, August 16, 2026
49
Player insights
49
Players mentioned
Topics
A.J. BrownAlvin KamaraAmon-Ra St. BrownAudric EstimeBo MeltonBrevyn Spann-FordCeeDee LambChase BrownChigoziem OkonkwoChris OlaveChristian WatsonDak PrescottDallas GoedertDerrick Henry
Player analysis
Player insights
A.J. Brown
PositiveBust30:16
Evan Silva is fading A.J. Brown, citing his age (29), declining efficiency metrics (yards per target/reception), recurring hamstring injuries, and concerns regarding a potential degenerative knee condition.
Insight pageAlvin Kamara
PositiveRole17:00
Evan Silva expects Alvin Kamara to maintain a significant role in the Saints' offense, specifically in scoring position and the passing game, which directly threatens the fantasy ceiling of Travis Etienne.
Insight pageAmon-Ra St. Brown
PositiveProjection9:27
Evan Silva ranks Amon-Ra St. Brown as his WR2 overall. Silva believes St. Brown has a massive ceiling in the Detroit offense and could potentially finish as the overall WR1, citing the team's game flow, defensive issues, and the expectation that the Lions will throw the ball a significant amount under Drew Petzing.
Insight pageAudric Estime
NegativeRole40:02
Evan Silva characterizes Audric Estimé as a niche back within the Denver Broncos running back rotation.
Insight pageBo Melton
NegativeDepth Chart37:59
Evan Silva identifies Bo Melton as a potential next man up in the Green Bay wide receiver rotation, though he characterizes him as a 'Swiss Army knife' rather than a significant target earner.
Insight pageBrevyn Spann-Ford
NegativeValue40:28
Evan Silva notes that Brevyn Spann-Ford is a late-round draft option, though he acknowledges there is currently some indecision regarding his specific role.
Insight pageCeeDee Lamb
NegativeProjection20:46
Evan Silva notes that CeeDee Lamb has one of the most fantasy-friendly roles in the NFL and is the favorite to lead the Cowboys in receiving, though he acknowledges the possibility of George Pickens outscoring him.
Insight pageChase Brown
PositiveValue27:01
Evan Silva recommends targeting Chase Brown early in the second round as a key piece of the consolidated Bengals offense, noting he is the clear primary running back with no secondary back on the roster expected to command significant touches.
Insight pageChigoziem Okonkwo
NegativeUsage42:12
Evan Silva downgraded Chigoziem Okonkwo following the Laremy Tunsil injury, fearing the team will need to use more blocking tight ends to compensate, which has historically hindered Okonkwo's ability to be a full-time player and limited his field time.
Insight pageChris Olave
PositiveValue15:35
Evan Silva is ahead of ADP on Chris Olave, identifying him as a potential league winner and a viable third-round target. Silva highlights Olave's 150+ target volume, health, and the Saints' optimal offensive environment under Kellen Moore as reasons for his bullish stance.
Insight pageChristian Watson
PositiveValue37:45
Evan Silva identifies Christian Watson as a preferred target among Green Bay wide receivers, noting that Watson has been a personal favorite for several months.
Insight pageDak Prescott
PositiveUsage23:25
Evan Silva is fully on board with targeting Dak Prescott in drafts, specifically for building team stacks, and confirms he has drafted him in high-stakes formats like the FFPC Pros vs. Joes. He advocates for stacking Prescott with George Pickens due to the high-scoring potential of the Dallas offense.
Insight pageDallas Goedert
PositiveValue43:09
Evan Silva views Dallas Goedert as a structurally appealing tight end who remains locked in as a TE15. With Olamide Zaccheaus banged up and Irv Smith Jr. not a threat, Goedert is positioned to maintain his 20% target share.
Insight pageDerrick Henry
NegativeProjection4:21
Drafting Derrick Henry at 32 years old requires betting against historical age-related decline, as only Ricky Williams (2009) and Priest Holmes have provided relevant fantasy seasons at that age. Despite these concerns, Evan Silva views him as a perennial freak and a favorite to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns, making him difficult to fade. He fits well in roster constructions alongside elite options like Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs.
Insight pageDeVonta Smith
PositiveValue30:48
Evan Silva identifies DeVonta Smith as a clear value based on ADP, citing a significant coaching upgrade with Shawn Mannion and the departure of A.J. Brown to New England. Silva believes these factors, combined with Smith's proven ability to flash as a true number one receiver, position him for a breakout role.
Insight pageDontayvion Wicks
PositiveValue37:52
Evan Silva drafted Dontayvion Wicks in the 10th round of an FFPC Main Event, citing the significant contingent upside present within the Green Bay wide receiver group.
Insight pageEmari Demercado
NegativeDepth Chart2:17
Evan Silva identifies Emari Demercado as a backup to Kenneth Walker, noting he was signed to a veteran minimum contract.
Insight pageErick All
NegativeDepth Chart28:16
Evan Silva notes recent buzz surrounding Eric All, which he believes creates uncertainty regarding Mike Gesicki's role in the Bengals' offense.
Insight pageGeorge Pickens
PositiveValue20:13
Evan Silva is ahead of ADP on George Pickens, viewing him as a better value than CeeDee Lamb. He highlights Pickens' effectiveness, his growth in year two with Dak Prescott, and his potential to reach a fantastic ceiling.
Insight pageJ.K. Dobbins
PositiveValue38:42
Evan Silva advocates for JK Dobbins as an easy pick in the 6th-8th rounds, citing his career 5.2 yards per carry and his role as the lead back in a high-scoring Denver offense with a top-tier offensive line.
Insight pageJa'Marr Chase
PositiveProjection9:27
Evan Silva ranks Ja'Marr Chase as his WR1 overall, placing him in the top tier of wide receivers. Silva notes that the Bengals' offense is highly consolidated around Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown, making them an easy team to draft.
Insight pageJalen Tolbert
NegativeInjury24:26
Evan Silva is maintaining his current stance on Jalen Tolbert despite reports of a month-long groin injury, implying the team is managing the situation with caution.
Insight pageJavonte Williams
PositiveProjection18:24
Evan Silva is significantly higher on Javonte Williams than consensus, citing the Cowboys' lack of backfield additions, a strong offensive line, and the expectation that Williams will be a workhorse with potential to lead the NFL in rushing touchdowns. Silva also notes Williams is a frequent component of his Dak Prescott team stacks.
Insight pageJaxon Smith-Njigba
NegativeProjection9:33
Evan Silva ranks Jaxon Smith-Njigba as his WR3 and a first-tier wide receiver, calling him a 'total freak' with massive target share potential. While Silva expresses slight concern regarding the loss of coordinator Clint Kubiak and the unknown impact of Brian Flores, he remains high on JSN's talent and previous performance.
Insight pageJayden Reed
PositiveValue35:56
Evan Silva is drafting a high volume of Jayden Reed, praising the Packers' decision to streamline their wide receiver group into a primary three-man rotation. This shift is expected to increase the fantasy floor and upside for Reed, and Silva remains open-minded to his role in the offense.
Insight pageJaydon Blue
PositiveSleeper19:08
Evan Silva acknowledges the hype surrounding Jayden Blue and confirms he is a player he intends to draft in the late rounds.
Insight pageJoe Burrow
PositiveValue26:48
Evan Silva identifies Joe Burrow as a strong target in the seventh round, noting he is on a mission this year and benefits from a consolidated, narrow target distribution in the Bengals' offense. Silva believes there is potential for another level beyond his 43-touchdown 2024 season.
Insight pageJordan Love
PositiveProjection37:30
Evan Silva notes that Jordan Love was a top-five fantasy quarterback in a season with nearly 600 pass attempts and believes his current ADP does not account for the potential of the Packers becoming even more pass-happy. Silva also recommends Love as a late-round target for managers seeking a QB2.
Insight pageJordyn Tyson
PositiveBreakout15:40
Jordan Tyson is generating significant buzz and could potentially emerge as the best player on the Saints by mid-season, according to Nick Underhill. His ADP is rising from the seventh round into the sixth round, and Evan Silva recommends being open-minded about drafting him.
Insight pageJosh Jacobs
NegativeBust37:10
Evan Silva expresses concern regarding Josh Jacobs, stating he is on the 'back nine' of his career. Silva cites declining efficiency, training camp injuries, and off-field issues as reasons to expect the Packers to shift toward a more pass-heavy offensive approach.
Insight pageKeaton Mitchell
NegativeRole19:47
Evan Silva suggests that in certain scenarios, Javonte Williams could be utilized in a role similar to Keeton Mitchell, focusing on manufactured touches.
Insight pageKenneth Walker III
PositiveProjection0:09
Evan Silva ranks Kenneth Walker as his RB5 and number nine overall player, making him a locked-in first-round pick. Silva expects the Chiefs to build their offense around him, citing Patrick Mahomes' recovery from ACL and LCL surgery as a reason the team will limit Mahomes' running and rely more on dump-offs, which boosts Walker's reception outlook. His ceiling includes 50 receptions and 2,000 yards from scrimmage. Backups include Emari Demercado (veteran minimum) and fifth-round rookie Emitt Johnson.
Insight pageKyle Pitts
PositiveValue41:26
Evan Silva is actively drafting Kyle Pitts because the market is avoiding him, making him a significant value. Silva argues he is being drafted too late, highlighting his 88-catch, 118-target season, his health, a significant contract, and limited target competition behind Drake London and Bijan Robinson.
Insight pageLuke Musgrave
NegativeInjury38:17
Evan Silva notes that Luke Musgrave is currently injured, which leaves the Green Bay tight end depth chart thin.
Insight pageLuther Burden
NegativeInjury25:26
Evan Silva dismisses concerns regarding Luther Burden's groin injury, stating he is not worried about the situation and expects the team to manage his return carefully, potentially by week one.
Insight pageMatthew Golden
PositiveValue36:07
Evan Silva includes Matthew Golden as part of the Packers' primary three-receiver set and has been drafting him around the 10th round. Silva highlights the significant contingent upside available in the Green Bay passing attack for Golden and his fellow receivers.
Insight pageMike Evans
PositiveProjection33:12
Evan Silva is highly confident in Mike Evans producing in a major way in San Francisco, highlighting his monster upside and potential for a touchdown-heavy role similar to Davante Adams' previous season. Despite being 33 and carrying 'fragile' injury concerns, Silva views him as a target for smart drafters in the fifth round due to his fit in a hyper-efficient Kyle Shanahan offense.
Insight pageMike Gesicki
NegativeRole28:02
Evan Silva views Mike Gesicki's role as tenuous due to recent buzz surrounding Eric All, relegating him to a late-round tight end option.
Insight pagePatrick Mahomes
NegativeInjury0:54
Patrick Mahomes is recovering from surgery to his ACL and LCL. Evan Silva notes that the Chiefs intend to limit his running to protect his knees, which will likely force him to stay in the pocket and increase his dump-off frequency, benefiting the reception outlook for running back Kenneth Walker.
Insight pagePuka Nacua
NegativeProjection9:04
Evan Silva ranks Puka Nacua as his WR4, though he personally holds him at WR2 in a very close tier. Silva has recently lowered his ranking due to potential touchdown regression for the Rams and reports from Adam Schefter suggesting a possible suspension to start the season, advising a cautious approach.
Insight pageRashee Rice
NegativeUsage1:51
Evan Silva expresses concern regarding Rashee Rice, noting that he does not look good in training camp while continuing to rehab from knee surgery.
Insight pageRyan Flournoy
PositiveSleeper24:08
Evan Silva identifies Ryan Flournoy as a late-round wide receiver target to include in team stacks.
Insight pageSam LaPorta
Savion Williams
NegativeDepth Chart38:06
Evan Silva identifies Savion Williams as the 'next man in' for the Green Bay wide receiver group, describing him as a Swiss Army knife type player who is not expected to be a significant target earner.
Insight pageTee Higgins
PositiveValue26:14
Evan Silva is higher on Tee Higgins than consensus, highlighting his high floor as a top-20 receiver in four of the last five seasons and his role in a consolidated Bengals passing attack. Silva notes Higgins has massive upside to compete for the league lead in fantasy points if Ja'Marr Chase were to miss time.
Insight pageTerrance Ferguson
NegativeSleeper43:46
Evan Silva acknowledges a logical case for drafting Terrance Ferguson, noting he could potentially serve as the Rams' third receiver, especially given Puka Nacua's suspension risk and the decline of Davante Adams.
Insight pageTravis Etienne
NegativeUsage15:59
Evan Silva views Travis Etienne as a structural pick whose ceiling is limited by the presence of Alvin Kamara, who is expected to siphon backfield targets and goal-line work in the Saints' offense.
Insight pageTrey Benson
NegativeValue40:27
Evan Silva mentions Trey Benson as a player who may have some role-based indecision, making him a candidate to pair with or pivot from when drafting running backs.
Insight pageTucker Kraft
PositiveInjury38:14
Evan Silva notes that Tucker Kraft is currently healthy and serves as a viable tight end option for Green Bay, particularly with Luke Musgrave currently sidelined by injury.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00Talking flag plant players for the 2026 fantasy football season as well as some rankings risers and fallers with Evan Silva of establish the run. Evan, we
0:09podcasted a couple months ago and we talked about Kenneth Walker. You were in then and you seem to be all the way in
0:17right now. How excited are you about his first year in Kansas City and just how high of a ceiling does he have for
0:23fantasy football?
0:25>> Yeah, all the way in on Kenneth Walker this year to the extent that I have he's my favorite offensive player of the year
0:30bet at 40 to 1.
0:33Um, he's my my RB5 overall, my number nine overall player. I I'm surprised every time that I'm in a draft. Although
0:39I I feel like his ADP has started to move a little bit up. But I'm surprised every time that he lasts until like pick
0:4614, pick 15 because I think he's a locked-in fantasy first-round pick this year. It makes all the sense in the world for the Chiefs to build their
0:54offense around Kenneth Walker with Patrick Mahomes coming off of surgery to his ACL and his LCL.
1:01Uh, the Chiefs made Kenneth Walker one of the highest-paid running backs in the league. If you look at their pass-catcher core right now, Travis
1:07Kelce turns 37 a month into the season.
1:11Rashee Rice does not look good in training camp after having to rehab from knee surgery in literal jail.
1:18Uh, the Chiefs So, we have Brandon Thorn do our offensive line rankings at establishtherun.com.
1:24And Brandon Thorn has the Chiefs with the number eight overall offensive line in the league. I I I just I think
1:30especially with Mahomes coming off of the double knee ligament tear, I think that you can just make a really good case that at this point Kenneth Walker
1:37is the Chiefs' best skill position player. Um, his backups are Emari Demercado, who was basically in Kansas City on a veteran minimum contract, and
1:47Emitt Johnson, who is a rookie who fell to the fifth round of a really poor running back class. So, very little
1:57in-house competition for work. We know that Kenneth Walker is super super explosive. Defenses love to play against Patrick Mahomes in a cover two, soft
2:07defense soft defensive fronts. I just I I think Kenneth Walker's going to go ballistic this season.
2:13>> We've seen the the pass-catching ceiling in 2024 where he played 12 games, had 46 catches. The Chiefs have talked about
2:22using him in the screen game, using him in the heavily in the passing game. Are you also really buying in on Like,
2:30what's a ceiling outcome look like for Walker for you in terms of like raw numbers for catches?
2:37>> Raw numbers for catches. I think he could get near 50.
2:41Um and I I think he'd go for I mean, if we're talking about an absolute ceiling like 2,000 yards from scrimmage. I mean,
2:46I think that's in play for Kenneth Walker if he stays healthy and everything goes right. Obviously, everything's got to go right. You know,
2:52but if we're talking just strictly in terms of ceiling, 50 or so catches, 2,000 yards from scrimmage, you know, a bunch of
2:59touchdowns.
3:01He's just That's, you know, coming out of Michigan State, that was the big knock on Kenneth Walker was that he had so little
3:07experience in the passing game. But, he has gained that in the NFL. And I I think that with Patrick Mahomes I mean,
3:13he's just come out and said that he's not going to run this year. I think the Chiefs don't want him to run either
3:18coming off of the the knee surgery. That means he's going to be in the pocket dumping off a lot more. That's going to
3:24be really good news for the reception outlook of his running back of course of course Kenneth Walker.
3:30>> Yeah, I mean, I I've you're you're not the only guest I've had recently that's been all the way in on Walker. You've
3:35certainly been there for a long time, and he's moved up my ranks a little bit.
3:38You can find those over at rotowire.com.
3:41And I know Evan, your top top 150 ranking, he's also very very high up there. So, make sure you go check out
3:48both sets of rankings. Talk about Derrick Henry a little bit because he's sort of the forgotten man. Was the fantasy football league winner last year
3:55in the playoffs. We know for the the Underdog Best Ball Main Mania Championship, uh Sam Sherman won that one and he had Derrick Henry on that
4:04team. We've seen multiple FFPC NFFC very high finishers had Derrick Henry on their teams. He's sort of in his little own pocket at the tail end of the second
4:15round. You're slightly ahead of ADP on him. How confident are you with Declan Doyle's offense that Derrick Henry continues to deliver in a major way?
4:26>> I mean, I think that the extent of the analysis that we can do on Derrick Henry at this stage of his career is just
4:32is he going to defy father father time for another year? You know, and he's been doing this year after year after
4:38year. The dude is a total freak. I mean, he's like a Marvel superhero. Um so is he going to be able to I'm not
4:45really worried about Declan Doyle. I don't even know what kind of an offense Declan Doyle is really going to run. I
4:50mean, I I understand that, you know, he has some history with Sean Payton. He has some history with Ben Johnson, but
4:55he's what 30 years old and this is his first ever opportunity to call plays in the NFL. So I I don't think there's
5:01there's any really any analysis to be done there. It's just when you draft Derrick Henry, you are hopeful that he will be able to defy
5:08logic and father time again.
5:11And yeah, I mean, at this point in my rankings I have him in a spot where I expect him to. He's just he's every
5:17single year, you know, one of the favorites to lead the NFL in rushing TDs.
5:21>> Yeah, it's so interesting because when you start researching 32-year-old running backs, there's literally like no sample size. You've got Ricky Williams
5:29in 2009 who played 16 games, averaged 15 and a half points per game. Then you've got Priest Holmes who played only seven,
5:38but he averaged like 18 and a half points per game. That's it. That's the list. That's the only big fantasy relevant seasons for a 32-year-old
5:46running back. But I think if he stays healthy, Derrick Henry could just fall in the end zone a bunch of times and
5:51structurally, you're able to have him in a two running back start with guys like potentially even a Bijan Robinson, a Jamir Gibbs, a Jamar Chase. So, I yeah,
6:01I think it's for me it's I'm kind of neutral on Derrick Henry. I'm not reaching for him, but it's a hard player
6:07to fade and if the age apex applied for Derrick Henry, I mean, the guy just keeps blowing it out the doors. Next
6:12year we're probably going to talk about like where do we have 33-year-old Derrick Henry? There's no sample size whatsoever of a 33-year-old crushing.
6:20Really an interesting player for sure.
6:23Let me tell you how RotoWire fantasy football leveled up for 2026. I'm Theo Gramminger, lead fantasy analyst right here at RotoWire. For 25 years, RotoWire
6:31has been your one-stop shop for fantasy football. Now in 2026, I've joined the team alongside Ian Hartitz bringing you the same championship-level rankings
6:40that I'm going to use this year in all of my high-stakes drafts against some of the best players in the entire world. At
6:46RotoWire, you're still going to get access to our top-rated mock draft simulator, an amazing tool to get you ready for draft day. Plus, during the
6:54draft, you're going to get access to draft assistant. And you're going to get our award-winning app to carry you from draft day all the way through the end of
7:02your season on championship week. Plus, our breaking news and injury alerts, so you're never caught off guard. And you're going to get that breaking news
7:10before the rest of your league. New for 2026, something very exciting. NFL All-Access, direct Discord access to me as well as Ian Hartitz, Jim Coventry,
7:21Jagger May, and the rest of our award-winning staff. And this is for players who want an additional edge with your strategy, with your tough lineup
7:29decisions right here at RotoWire. Sign up today and use the code Theo20 and it's going to get you 20% off of any
7:36RotoWire subscription. You're going to get access to all of my rankings, all of my articles, and every amazing tool we have on the site. Let's go crush some
7:45leagues.
7:47Talk about the very top of drafts cuz ADP's pretty locked in and rankings are pretty locked in. Uh most of us have
7:56some sort of set of Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, then it was Ja'Marr Chase or Puka Nacua for many.
8:04Puka Nacua now dealing with a couple of things. How are you treating Puka Nacua right now in your own rankings? Uh how
8:12open-minded are you to taking him if you're OTC at the 1.04 right now?
8:17>> Well, I think that from a team level, if you look at the Rams, I I I think that they are due for some potentially severe
8:25touchdown regression this year.
8:28Um first of all, their defense is so freaking loaded. It It's going to take off some of the take some of the
8:32pressure off of their offense. Matthew Stafford had a 7.7% touchdown rate last year, by far the best of his career.
8:41It was almost like Sean McVay was trying to get him the MVP. You know, trying to force-feed all these touchdowns to
8:47Davante Adams at the goal line. Kyren scored a bunch of TDs. You know, I I just I don't think the Rams are going to
8:54score nearly as as many touchdowns as they did last year. So, I think that that is a place to start with Puka
8:59Nacua.
9:00Why I lowered him recently in my rankings was just because of because Schefter is hinting at the possibility that Puka Nacua could face a little
9:09suspension to begin the year. So, I have him in the same tier. I think everybody's got this same tier with uh
9:17Ja'Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
9:22And so, I I kept him in that tier, but I put him at the bottom of that tier.
9:27Right now, I have Ja'Marr Chase as my wide receiver one, Amon-Ra St. Brown as my wide receiver two, JSN wide receiver
9:33three, Puka Nacua wide receiver four.
9:35>> Yeah, I think it's the it's definitely the the cautious approach with with Puka Nacua. I still have him at wide receiver
9:40two, but it's super close for those guys. I'd say the one guy in that tier of wide receivers that you're seeing
9:47some people not fading, but a little bit cautious with is JSN. Obviously, you have the coordinator change. Last year, JSN was
9:56just absolutely fantastic and the usage was unbelievable. You have him you continue to have him locked in as like a very strong middle of the first round
10:05pick. Maybe elaborate on that one a little bit. Any sort of concerns with Clint Kubiak now in Vegas or is JSN kind
10:11of too big to fail?
10:14>> I think that J that JSN losing Clint Kubiak is probably the primary reason why I have JSN
10:23uh behind Chase and and Amon-Ra St.
10:26Brown.
10:27Um So, I mean, I still have him as a first-tier wide receiver. Obviously, he's going to be massive in terms of
10:35target share. He's a total freak. I mean, he's like an acrobat kind of wide receiver.
10:40Um but no, I mean, I'm not really worried about, you know, anybody eating into his his targets. Just will the offense be as
10:47efficient as it was last year under Clint Kubiak? Clint Kubiak's like a true difference-maker.
10:53Um and we don't really know a whole lot about Brian Flores. So, I you know, that that's that's the extent of it to me. I mean, I I I love picking
11:01JSN. I just I would rather have Ja'Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown this season.
11:06>> Yeah, I think I think that makes sense.
11:08Amon-Ra St. Brown, I mean, it feels like the ceiling outcome with that Detroit offense is unbelievable. And kind of if we're looking at a historical trend, we
11:18haven't seen a uh a recent like back-to-back or near back-to-back wide receiver one overall finisher. It feels like it could be
11:26Amon-Ra St. Brown's wide receiver one overall year if things sort of fall his way after after sort of the usage last
11:31year and some of the problems we're seeing in the Detroit secondary and just how that game flow could go for those
11:36Lions. Um I'll continue the conversation a little bit further down into guys who would be second round picks according to your rankings. One player who you are
11:47ahead of ADP on is Chris Olave and the first show that I ever dropped when I came over here to Rotowire was five dark
11:55horse league winners. This was beginning of July and Chris Olave was was one of them for me. Last year we saw 150 plus
12:03targets, we saw 100 plus receptions, Olave stayed completely healthy and now the Saints offense looks like it's going to take a big step forward in year two.
12:12The recent buzz has all been about Jordan Tyson who I we talked about months ago. We were both in on Jordan
12:18Tyson, but talk about the value that Chris Olave presents as just a mega target earner in a good offense.
12:26>> Yeah, I mean there are specific offenses this year that I just want to hammer in drafts and make sure that I'm above ADP
12:33on players from within those offenses.
12:36The Chargers are one.
12:38The Saints as we're talking about here, the Bears, uh the Lions. Those are teams that really stand out to me that can be
12:46shootout teams this year and um Chris Olave, I mean you know, it's it's really not that hard I don't think to really get behind Chris
12:57Olave because we know that he's awesome.
13:00We know that he plays in an in an optimal offensive environment. The Saints have a bad defense they're going to have to compensate for. They play
13:06indoors.
13:08Kellen Moore wants to lead the NFL in offensive plays every single season. Um I think that Tyler Shuck is an ascending
13:16player. He has not had the greatest training camp so far. Then talking to Nick Underhill actually spent it sounds like Spencer Rattler has outplayed him.
13:23Not that there is a threat of Rattler overtaking him. You could actually treat that as a positive that maybe the Saints
13:30have an alternate if you know that that's the one thing that scares me about being high on the Saints is that
13:35you know, we have this fairly limited sample size on Tyler Shuck. You know, so that's how this could go wrong. If Tyler
13:42Shuck is not as good as he played last season, but they also do have a fairly decent alternative that sort of raises
13:48the floor for the offense in Spencer Rattler.
13:51Um but I mean Alave is the the you know, he's he's the best player on the team.
13:54Although talking to Underhill like he thinks that Jordan Tyson could emerge as the best player on the team, you know, by around
14:01mid-season.
14:03>> Yeah, I saw that quote and I heard you and and Adam Levitan talk about that as well. I mean that's just a scary
14:09proposition for NFL secondaries to have both of those guys out on the field the same time.
14:15Do you love survivor pools? Well, how about stepping your game up and entering the survivor pool with Circa Sports.
14:22Circa Million 8 and Circa Survivor are going big for the 2026 football season with 30 million in guaranteed prizes.
14:29Cash in this football season in Las Vegas with three Circa Sports contest.
14:35Entry starting at a thousand dollars with no rake. You've got Circa Million, which is 18 weeks of point spread action. A 128 ways to win. The winner
14:45takes home 1 million dollars. You've got Circa Survivor picking one winner each week. Last one standing wins 20 million guaranteed to the winners. Then you've
14:55got Circa Grandissimo, a massive contest with a hundred thousand dollar entry.
15:01You enter in Nevada and you play from anywhere. 30 million guaranteed. Visit circasports.com/contest for details.
15:12>> And Tyson >> The comparison that I've made for for those guys is Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt. I and I think that they kind of
15:20play similarly to them, too. They're not like big physical imposing tackle breaking wide receivers. You know, they they do play indoors, but they are
15:29they're separation specialists. And I that's how Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce were.
15:35>> Yeah, it's I mean that's an unbelievable comparison. I think you could look at it as Chris Olave in in round three. Jordan
15:41Tyson consistently was going inside of the seventh round in leagues like FFPC and and sometimes in NFFC. Now we're going to see Tyson sort of living in in
15:51round six. I think you should be open-minded to drafting both of those players. Does your enthusiasm level for the Saints extend to Travis Etienne
16:00who's become sort of a a little bit of a polarizing player. I've said that he's a little more of a structural pick right
16:05now Evan because of the presence of Kamara at least siphoning a number of those backfield targets sort of limiting the ceiling outcome for for Etienne. But
16:16are you a little bit higher than I am on on Etienne?
16:20>> I like him okay. I I like him when he falls a little bit past his ADP. You bring up the the Kamara thing. I think
16:27that that's like a legitimate concern because Alvin Kamara, what has he always been really really good at? You know, obviously he's lost some juice. He's
16:33older now. He's not going to be a full-time back. But what has he always been good at? Scoring touchdowns in scoring position and playing in the
16:41passing game. And that's what we need.
16:43Those are the you know, the characteristics that we want in our running back. And if he cuts in at all to Travis Etienne near in scoring
16:51position and in the passing game, that's going to hurt. Um and that's what I'm worried about because they're you know, the Saints are bringing back Alvin
16:59Kamara. He is a legacy on the team. I think that they do kind of need to carve out a role for him and it makes all the
17:06sense in the world for that for that role to involve getting the ball in scoring position and getting the ball in
17:11the passing game.
17:13And and if you look at last year like you know, Travis Etienne has I guess are we are we calling him Etienne? We should
17:19call him Etienne, I guess.
17:21Travis Etienne >> What do you call him whatever you want to call him?
17:24>> Call call him whatever. I'm curious is is Trevor Trevor Etienne going by Trevor Etienne? I think that's the ultimate, you know, if Trevor if Trevor starts
17:32going by it as well, then I think we got to do it.
17:35>> Okay, Travis Etienne last year had, you know, the goal line role ripped away from him in favor of Breashad Perriman in Jacksonville. I
17:42mean, Travis Etienne his the way that he runs he's a little little straight line-ish. He's not you know, he he's not a a great short
17:50yardage goal line back. You know, and NFL teams have told us that before.
17:54So, again you know, reading the tea leaves here, you know, trying to put the puzzle pieces together, it seems like Alvin
18:00Kamara would make sense as the Saints goal line back.
18:04>> Talking about one other running back that's in a similar range, you are way ahead of consensus on Javonte Williams.
18:13He's at running back 16-ish, running back 17 in some formats. Uh talk about your enthusiasm level for him and how effective he could be this year for the
18:23Cowboys.
18:27>> Well the Cowboys, you know, they're the Cowboys first move of the entire off-season was to release a linebacker.
18:36I I can't I think his name was I think Logan Wilson. The The Cowboys second move of the off-season was to lock up
18:43Javonte Williams.
18:45Um and then over the course of all they do not draft a single running back and they did not add a single running back in
18:52free agency. The Cowboys love Javonte Williams. The Cowboys are going to score a lot of points this year. Uh Brandon Thorn has the Cowboys with the number
19:00nine offensive line in the NFL this season. Um I just Javonte Williams is not going to come off the field. Uh and
19:08I know that there's been some hype on Jayden Blue and I I I will draft Jayden Blue late. But, Jayden for the Cowboys
19:15if his head is on straight and he's totally bought in and he's not wearing his Louis
19:29Vuitton cleats, you know, so he's getting blisters all over his feet. But, um I'm not really worried about Javonte Williams as it as it pertains to Javonte
19:37Williams. Javonte Williams He He has a chance to lead the NFL in rushing TDs this year.
19:42I think there's also a chance I think that if Javonte Williams if everything sort of runs out perfectly for him, he
19:47might be a little bit more like a like a Keeton Mitchell type for them that they just get some manufactured touches for.
19:53But, Javonte Williams last year was very effective as both a runner and a receiver. And then like you said, the offensive line in Dallas, we've got
20:02in our rankings by Dan Fornic, I think we've got Dallas even even higher up in the offensive line overall ranking. So,
20:08we're both in in in lockstep that that's going to be a really good line, a really effective offense, and the scoring
20:13opportunities are going to be there for Javonte Williams. For me, I just think there's some drafters that are uncomfortable paying this new price tag
20:20for him after multiple disappointing years with the injury run out. And then last year being able to get him in like
20:27the close to double-digit rounds, it's like the kind of profile you want to fade in like the historical dead zone.
20:33But, the offensive situation couldn't be any better. Sticking with Dallas, you've got George Pickens about where I do.
20:40We're We're a little ahead of ADP with him. You've got Both of us kind of have We're about in line with CeeDee Lamb.
20:47Not quite sure what CeeDee Lamb's ADP is as of today, but it's a right around the 1-2 turn in in most formats.
20:53What's the percent chance that George Pickens just straight up outscores him again this year? I I talked about this with a number of people where if I'm
21:01trying to find the best value between the two, I I tend to lean towards Pickens. And then you've got a whole
21:06'nother group of people saying, you know, the last time we saw CeeDee Lamb play a full-on season, wide receiver one overall year, Lamb is just going to
21:15dominate targets, and it's going to sort of be like it was for many previous years. But, I can't get away for what
21:19with how effective Pickens was last year. The drumbeats feel sound really good right now. They're moving him around a little bit more, and it's year
21:27two for him with Dak, year two for him in this offense. I think the ceiling outcome for for Pickens is fantastic.
21:33Where you at on this one?
21:36>> Um that's an interesting case that you sort of present there. I mean, CeeDee Lamb runs super high-percentage routes in a very, you know, fantasy-friendly He
21:45just has one of the fantasy-friendliest roles in the NFL among wide receivers.
21:50So, I I think that what Pickens would need to do would be just, you know, lap him in touchdowns. I mean, Pickens is a
21:57freak, too, though. I mean, he's He is an He's one of the most exciting players to watch in the league. He He
22:03truly is.
22:04Um but the role in within the Cowboys offense is a lot friendlier for CeeDee Lamb, and that's what makes him the
22:12favorite to lead the Cowboys in receiving.
22:15Um but, I mean, it's it's not out of the question. I mean, what what would you put in terms of percentage? Like, 55-45?
22:21>> Yeah, I think that's about it. Um and I think the market might have it a little bit higher than that. I think they're
22:26just so used to seeing Lamb outscore him, but what if Pickens has a higher ceiling than we saw last year? I know a
22:33couple of those spike weeks were with Lamb, and then when Lamb came back, he was playing a little bit banged up. But,
22:39I think there's also a chance Pickens just takes it to another level.
22:43Third-round George Pickens uh shares feel extremely dangerous right now, and with Lamb, I'm not getting any sort of discount. I'm having to use that again
22:53turn pick for him, which is really where he was going in 2023 when he finished as the wide receiver one overall. Uh so, I
23:00don't know. It's a It's a really interesting interesting uh way to play it. I think you can be open-minded to drafting both, but if the Dallas Cowboys
23:08are going to print this year, I know you mentioned in the four teams you were you were targeting, Dallas could easily be
23:13right up there with them in terms of overall scoring, and I think they will.
23:16>> Absolutely. I should I should have included the Cowboys among those teams, the shootout teams.
23:20>> Yeah, so that it's a really an interesting way to play it, and I think getting Pickens is just a great way to
23:25attack that Dallas team, and I think if you want to build correlation, those Pickens stack Prescott stacks could be really really good. You're Is Dak a
23:35player that you're targeting? We're going to We're going to briefly talk about quarterbacks later, but are you also trying to get exposure to Dak with
23:42these players? I know certainly in best ball you probably are, but how about for from a redraft lens?
23:47>> Yeah, a ton.
23:49A ton. Um Yeah, I've done like maybe like 50 or 60 drafts at this point. Um vast majority best ball, but I like to build team
23:59stacks in those. And yeah, one of my most common team stacks will involve like Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams, um
24:08one of the two wide outs, uh Flournoy late, Ryan Flournoy.
24:13Um so, yeah, I I'm definitely on board with Dak Prescott, no question. I drafted him in the FFPC Pros vs. Joes. I
24:19did a Cowboys stack in the FFPC Pros vs.
24:22Joes.
24:23Um so, yeah, totally on board with that.
24:26>> Are you changing anything with your approach to with Jalen Tolbert after we find out it's going to be a month out
24:32with the groin injury?
24:33>> No.
24:34>> No, just leaving it alone.
24:36>> Yeah, I think that what happens here is that uh the the Bears almost milked this to kind of keep Jalen Tolbert out of harm's
24:46way.
24:47Um because I mean he's he's going he's going ballistic. Did you see Mike Clay said that he's like the most overvalued
24:53player in fantasy?
24:55>> ESPN uh >> This This is going to be really interesting, man. Mike Clay is awesome, okay? Mike Clay is really, really good
25:00at what he does.
25:02But that is That's a hell of a take, and I I I think I vehemently disagree.
25:07>> Yeah, there's the I I will say I I love Mike Clay as well. I think Mike Clay might be might be coming on this show.
25:13So, not a not a not a not a criticism of of Mike Clay, but criticism of the the ESPN default rankings this year feel
25:20really, really exploitable. Uh so, I'm sure I'll get a chance to to pick uh Mike Clay's brain on that one about the
25:26Luther Burden thing. I also disagree with him, and I think Ben Johnson disagrees with him, which is really the most important thing there.
25:33>> Yeah, I'm going to In in this particular instance, and look, Mike Clay is usually right, okay? In this particular intent
25:39instance, Mike Clay, I'm going to side with Ben Johnson over you.
25:42>> Yeah.
25:43>> Um but uh I'm teasing. Uh Mike Clay is like a good buddy. Um but what what I was saying is that I think that the Bears
25:51are going to end up milking this with Luther Burden. They might even take it up to week one, put him on the injury
25:56report as like limited, limited, questionable, just to mess with their week one opponent. Um or or I could also see him return it just returning to
26:04practice the week of week one. He practices fully, he's not even on the injury report. Like, I'm not worried about this groin injury whatsoever with
26:12Luther Burden.
26:14>> A wide receiver going close to Luther Burden that you have high, very high up in your rankings. You're definitely ahead of consensus on Tee Higgins, who's
26:23just had some awesome fantasy seasons, especially when he's playing with Joe Burrow. Uh you're you're well ahead on ADP with with Higgins. Talk about that a
26:32little bit.
26:34>> Yeah, it's really nice for these Bengals players. This is another fairly easy team to stack. Um with, you know, say
26:41you get Chase Brown early in the second, even, you know, at the one-two turn. You can get Higgins in the third. You get
26:48Burrow in the seventh. Um Juszczyk really, really late, if you know, he's like a tight end three. But I mean, this
26:54is another very stackable team. Tee Higgins has been a top 20 fantasy receiver in four of the last five seasons. So, that
27:02that gives you a floor. What also helps his floor is that the ball distribution in Cincinnati is so narrow. They have
27:09not, you know, the Bengals have really resisted adding a third receiver that matters. And they also really don't And I just brought up Gesicki. But they they
27:19don't really have a tight end that matters, either. Um, so that makes a very narrow ball distribution. Tee Higgins is a touchdown scorer. Joe
27:28Burrow is awesome. I think he's on a mission this year, as well. Um, so to me Tee Higgins is a high floor, super high
27:36uh ceiling wide receiver. You know, obviously if something were to happen to Ja'Marr Chase, I mean, Tee Higgins could compete for the league lead in in
27:44fantasy points among receivers.
27:46>> Yeah, I mean, we saw the Joe Burrow 43 touchdown season in 2024. It feels like there's a potential another level there.
27:54And I love the Bengals this year because it's so consolidated touch-wise between uh and really usage-wise between Chase, Higgins, and Chase Brown. There's been
28:02also some recent buzz with Eric All. I think all that says is that Gesicki's kind of role is is a little bit tenuous
28:09and there's no second running back to Chase Brown that's going to command touches. So, they're really easy team to draft. And if you like those guys, Joe
28:17Burrow quarterback five, kind of the way that uh quarterbacks are going in some of these leagues, that could still mean seventh round Joe Burrow. So, you're not
28:26having to pay that crazy premium. So, really, really a fun team to attack. One take that you had recently on your
28:32podcast with with Adam Levitan. And congrats to you guys for getting to show 1,000 there. That's uh that's really cool stuff right there. Adam joined me
28:41earlier this off-season here on Rotowire, as well. Um, one take that you've had recently, and I think people are not really talking
28:48about this, but it's Devonta Smith over A.J. Brown for you. It's not like a huge gap between the two of them in your
28:55rankings, but when you put ADP into play, Devonta Smith becomes the clear value to you in terms of where they're going on the board.
29:06>> Yeah, I think this is more of a a sort of anti-A.J. Brown stance here. Um who I don't know. I just feel like people
29:16are making a lot of assumptions about A.J. Brown.
29:20I I mean I have him as a top-30 overall player in fantasy, the wide receiver 14.
29:24I think that that's pretty rich for a receiver who's 29 years old, wide receiver changing teams. He had career lows in yards per target, yards per
29:33reception, and success rate last year.
29:37Um he's missed time with hamstring injuries in each of the last two seasons.
29:41The Rams looked into trading for A.J.
29:43Brown, but they backed out because they were worried that he has a degenerative knee.
29:49Um if you read Matt Harmon's Reception Perception write-up on A.J. Brown, Matt Harmon thinks that he's a player in the descent phase of his career. So, to
29:58me like I think I'm aggressive on on A.J. Brown, yet the entire industry seems to think that he's like a second-round fantasy
30:08pick. I I'm just not getting any A.J.
30:10Brown in drafts because of it.
30:13>> Fantasy football season is right around the corner, and DraftKings is bringing you their biggest best ball contest ever. We're talking a massive $20
30:22million in total prizes, making this the largest best ball tournament in DraftKings history. And this year, not just one, but three players are going to
30:31walk away as millionaires. And right now, our partners at DraftKings are giving all customers a can't miss offer.
30:38Draft one, get one. Enter a lineup in the $20 million Bestball contest for just $25 and you'll receive a bonus
30:46Bestball ticket to play again free for a share of 20 million, giving you a second shot to be crowned a millionaire. It's
30:55simple. Just draft your team once, no weekly management, let your top scores automatically start each week. Every breakout star, every clutch play, and
31:04every touchdown counts towards your shot at a share of $20 million. Download the DraftKings daily fantasy app and enter a lineup for the $20 million Bestball
31:13contest for just $25 and get a bonus ticket to play free for another shot to win big. That's two shots without ever
31:20setting your lineups again in DraftKings biggest Bestball contest ever. Draft one, get one only on DraftKings. The crown is yours. In partnership with
31:29DraftKings. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. New York, call 877- HopeNY or text HopeNY. Connecticut, call
31:38888- 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org.
31:4518 plus in most states, restrictions apply, one per customer. Enter the Bestball $20 million headliner contest to get one bonus entry. $25 entry fee
31:55required. Reward expires at contest lock September 9th, 2026. See terms at draftkings.com/promotions.
32:04Sponsored by DraftKings.
32:08Yeah, he's he's definitely steamed way, way up. I was in an NFFC draft last night where he went at the 202. We've
32:15seen him go inside the first round in a couple of those NFFC leagues. Smith just sort of living inside of round three.
32:23And if he takes on similar usage to what we've seen with A.J. Brown and now we have a Shawn Mannion at OC, he could be
32:33a really, really fun pick.
32:37>> Yeah, I think that you can say that the entire Eagles offense this year gets a coaching bump just like addition
32:46by subtraction moving Kevin Petula out of there inserting Shawn Mannion.
32:52Devonte Smith obviously gets the big bump from A.J. Brown going to New England, but he also gets the coaching bump. So,
33:01yeah, I mean a lot of things here are coming together for Devonte Smith who I think has shown or at least flashed the
33:08ability to be a true number one receiver. I think he's going to excel in that role.
33:12>> Yeah, and Smith has missed a little bit of time at training camp, but it sounds like he's working out on the field
33:17today. So, no real reservations on him missing significant time.
33:22Definitely an interesting value. Another player that you are high on not really like above consensus, but you're very confident in Mike Evans this year
33:32producing in a major way in San Francisco. One interesting thing that I was reading is Brock Purdy's going to end up being the
33:39the longest tenured starting quarterback in in a Shanahan offense which I thought was a really interesting way to look at it. The elite play caller, but he's had
33:49so much turnover at the position. Now he's got sort of a signal caller that's been there for multiple years and really
33:56seems incredibly comfortable in the role. Just how confident are you in Mike Evans as his number one target especially with the Ricky Pearsall
34:03injury.
34:05>> Yeah, Pearsall is out for the year.
34:08George Kittle is 30 he turns 33 in October. He's coming off a torn Achilles.
34:13Christian McCaffrey's 30 years old coming off a career high in touches.
34:17Um Jauan Jennings is gone.
34:20So, I mean it's just it's a really really fragile uh skill position group in San Francisco. I I think that you can lump
34:28Mike Evans into that because he is 33 years old. He had hamstring stuff last year. He He is a fragile pick, but
34:36that's the reason that we can get him in the fifth round. Um he's got monster upside. I mean, you know, that
34:43Brock Purdy's a stud.
34:45And there's just so much usage available in a consistently um hyper-efficient offensive environment under Kyle Shanahan.
34:55I I think it's a great year to draft Mike Evans. Let's hope that he stays healthy. I mean, I have a ton on Mike
35:00Evans. I need Mike Evans to stay healthy. Give me 14 15 games, I think he'll smash.
35:05>> Yeah, I mean, the rollout could be kind of similar to what we saw with Davante Adams last year. He could just score a
35:10bunch of touchdowns and and deliver in that regard. Uh I had Scott Barrett on recently uh and that's one of his Exodia
35:17guys this year flag planting Mike Evans in a huge way. So, yeah, definitely some smart guys on on Mike Evans. I'm usually
35:23trying to fade these old guys at wide receiver, but I think Davante Adams was like a big lesson for a lot of people
35:29last year that these guys don't age the same way. And also, we have the truly elite play caller uh in Kyle Shanahan
35:37with Mike Evans. So, it's the vibes could not be better. All the beat reporters are in on this one. De'Shawn Scrubbling getting a lot of positive
35:43buzz as well, but in terms of that being the main target competition at wide receiver, I think Evans has a chance to
35:50do some really fun things this year. Uh one more wide receiver that you are higher on in consensus and is going in
35:57the eighth round is Jayden Reed. Is this the way that you're playing the Green Bay wide receiver room? Uh right now you've got Reed sort of right
36:07around round eight. You got Matthew Golden around call it round 10.
36:12Christian Watson right around that five six turn. So, there's some enthusiasm for all three of them. Is Reed like your guy among the three?
36:21>> I would actually say that Watson is my guy.
36:23Um but I also have been drafting a ton of Jayden Reed. I love that the Packers are streamlining their wide receiver
36:29group now and they're not going to be Matt LaFleur's talked about this multiple times at this point that they're not going to be using those four
36:37and five receiver rotations that they had in previous years. They're going to roll with Watson, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden as their primary three
36:46receiver set. Obviously Tucker Kraft at tight end. We talked about the shootout teams earlier. I I don't know that I would confidently put uh the Packers in
36:56that group, but I think that they have a chance to end up in that group as a shootout team. Their defense is is
37:01really, really declined and Micah Parsons not even going to be available until about week six. Um I think we're going to see them throw
37:10the ball more. I mean, I I I I think that Josh Josh Jacobs is on the back nine of his career. He's already been
37:15hurt at training camp. His efficiency fell off a cliff last year. You know, he's got the off-field stuff. Um I think
37:24that we're going to see the Packers throw the ball a lot more. A couple years ago, it was in 2020 three.
37:30Um Jordan Love had almost 600 pass attempts and he was a top five fantasy quarterback that year.
37:38Packers are another team I like to stack and and and they're affordable to stack.
37:42They're easy to stack because they're affordable in drafts.
37:45>> I think it's really interesting when you when you look at the Green Bay wide receivers and and Watson's been sort of
37:50my guy for multiple months here.
37:52Open-minded to Reed and then I drafted Matthew Golden in an FFPC Main Event I think in the 10th round. There's so much
37:59contingent upside with those three guys too because there's not like that fourth annoying wide receiver. It's probably Savion Williams who's more of like a
38:07Swiss Army knife would be like the next man in. Not a big target earner in Williams. So if one of those guys missed
38:14any time, I think the other two would thrive. Then you've got Tucker Kraft who's healthy now, but if there's re-aggravation there, Luke Musgrave is
38:23is injured, so there's not like a second tight end. So, I'm with you. I think Green Bay's a fun team to attack,
38:29especially with sort of the the the unknown with Josh Jacobs right now. Um Jordan Love also pretty interesting interesting player. If they do go more
38:37pass-happy, I don't think ADP's baking that in. Uh we know he's got talent.
38:42Let's talk about one more running back, JK Dobbins, who you are ahead of consensus. I think some people are avoiding this Denver Broncos backfield
38:51entirely, but they're going to be a really good offense, number one all rated offensive line by pretty much everybody ranking offensive lines right
39:00now. Uh we have a lot of confidence in in this offense scoring points this year, and Dobbins is a player that you
39:06have ahead of of ADP.
39:09>> Yeah, so the Broncos are going to have I mean, they're set up to have awesome field position all year long. Cuz
39:14they've got a top three or top five defense, and as you mentioned, the best offensive line in football. So, let's not like overthink this. I understand
39:23that there are flaws in JK Dobbins' profile, okay? He's He gets hurt every year, you know, he he doesn't catch a
39:30ton of passes. I get it, but like he's the lead back in a really really good environment, and JK Dobbins himself is
39:38really freaking good. 5.2 yards per carry in his career, 5.1 last year. He's got one of the best yards per carry
39:45averages like in league history, actually, uh over an extended period of time. So, I understand the injury history. I get it, and that's why we can get him in the
39:55sixth, seventh, eighth round. He He's an easy pick to me in the sixth round. RJ Harvey is a niche back.
40:03Um I think Jona Coleman is actually a really interesting late round pick, too, cuz he can play in the passing game and
40:08run between the tackles, and he's behind JK Dobbins, who has that injury history we discussed. So, Jona Coleman is another guy that I like drafting late.
40:16But yeah, to me, easy pick in the sixth and seventh round, J.K. Dobbins.
40:20>> Dobbins is a really fun structural pick.
40:22I I I think I'll I I like that seventh round value there if you're trying to play catch up at running back, or maybe
40:27you draft a guy like a Trayvon Henderson or a Brevyn Spann-Ford, and there's a little bit of indecision with their role. You can sort of play catch up with
40:34with J.K. Dobbins, and you could get a really strong run out. We know the injury history for him has been really
40:39unfortunate, but last year he started out the year red hot. Could be a similar run out. He could be a 14-15 point per
40:46game guy for the first five six weeks of the season, and maybe, just maybe, Evan, we get like a a season where he actually
40:53stays healthy. So, I'm very open-minded to him as well. Is this the year of the tight end in fantasy football? It feels
41:00like a year where Bro- Brock Bowers, I'm all in on. Love Colston Loveland. Tyler Warren, I'm excited on. How are you approaching the
41:08position, and does it feel like a year that fantasy managers really need to have an edge pick at tight end?
41:18>> Um I think that there's a number of different ways that you can play it.
41:21Um but you know, for me anytime that I'm in the second round, and like all the dudes that I'm, you know, that I love are gone, like I'm I'm
41:32taking Brock Bowers. And I have Brock Bowers in his own tier among tight ends.
41:38Um and then you drop down, I have Loveland as my tight end two.
41:42Trey McBride is my tight end three, and Tyler Warren is my tight end four.
41:46Um I I think that Kyle Pitts goes too late uh in drafts. He had 88 catches in 118 targets last year. He is not even 26
41:57years old yet. He's finally fully healthy. The Falcons gave a contract.
42:00They made They gave him the most uh guaranteed money of any tight end in NFL history. Uh and he has like so little
42:07target competition behind Drake London and Bijan Robinson. I think Kyle Pitts is Kyle Pitts is a guy like I've been drafting cuz no one wants to draft him
42:16and I'm I'm okay with that.
42:18Um, but then I think after those guys like I'm willing to drop down and Dalton Kincaid I think is really really
42:26interesting as a breakout candidate this year. Um, Tucker Kraft is all right. I think that Isaiah Likely is at least somewhat interesting. I liked Chigo
42:35Conkwo, but the Laremy Tunsil injury I dropped him down after that. Um, it's just it's a blow to the offense. Is, you know, are
42:46they going to need to use more of their blocking tight ends to sub in for Chigo Conkwo? That's been an issue for Chigo
42:51Conkwo historically.
42:53Just getting on the getting on the field to be a full-time player. When he has been a full-time player, he's been
42:58really good in fantasy. You know, Chig has 50-plus catches in in three straight seasons. I really like that signing by the Commanders, but the Tunsil injury
43:07sort of took a little bit of air out of that balloon.
43:09>> Yeah, I you named a bunch of players that I'm definitely open-minded drafting. I'll I'll I'll add Dallas Goedert who's been sort of my
43:16not break glass in case of emergency, but structurally very appealing tight end. Tight end 15 and he just sort of stays locked in at tight end 15, but
43:25with Olamide Zaccheaus sort of slow out the gate and banged up, we know that Goedert had like a 20% target share and
43:32I think all of the things you said about the Shane Steichen offense sort of apply to Dallas Goedert as well. He's sort of
43:38locked in in his role. It also Irv Smith Jr.
43:41slow out the gate doesn't feel like a real threat at all. So, Goedert and but I like a lot of those names you
43:46mentioned at tight end. Are you part of the Terrance Ferguson hive as well? Are you joining us, Evan? Can we have you
43:52like pull up a seat at the table and start drafting some T Ferg or you already there?
43:56>> A little bit, yeah.
43:57Um, another guy that I worry about how much playing time is he going to be able to earn? I mean, the the Rams still have
44:02a million tight ends that they can use.
44:05But yeah, I mean, I think makes sense logically to be like um hey, you know, Terrance Ferguson could maybe be the Rams third receiver.
44:14And then you got Puka with some maybe some suspension risk. You got the arrow probably pointing down on Davante Adams' career.
44:23Um Yeah, I mean you you can build a solid case for Terrance Ferguson.
44:28>> How about quarterback targets for you?
44:30You mentioned you've done a bunch of drafts and then you've got a bunch of redraft leagues sort of playing out.
44:35Mike Leone back in the redraft streets with you guys next couple weeks. Always enjoy watching those live drafts with you and Leone.
44:43Um who are some quarterbacks that you're targeting and sort of your general approach to the position this year?
44:52>> Yes. Uh Leone and I and Adam Levitan recorded our you know, we do the show called Man vs. Machine.
44:59Um and I I think it went well. I feel like it wasn't as funny as it has been in years past, but I I think it was I
45:07think it was a pretty good show. I hope that people really like it. I I'd actually we're recording this on Thurs-
45:12Thursday morning.
45:14Um I think it will be out later today.
45:16>> Who won? Who won, Evan? Who won?
45:18>> Oh, I mean that doesn't matter.
45:21>> Okay.
45:22All right, there we go.
45:23>> No, Levitan gave Leone the win, but I mean it was ridiculous. Like his reasoning is just I mean he's a
45:30I love Adam Levitan, okay, but he's a terrible judge.
45:34We actually we had a guy um hit us up who's like an actual like federal US judge and he wants to judge
45:42the Man vs. Machine going forward.
45:44Wouldn't that be freaking amazing?
45:45>> That'd be awesome. I don't know if Adam Levitan would like What What would Adam's role be? Like a juror or
45:50something at that point?
45:50>> he Dude, Levitan needs to seed the responsibilities. We We need to get somebody better, you know, to to be the
45:57judge.
45:58>> That would be a fun one though, for sure.
45:59>> But um quarterbacks. All right, quarterbacks. We've got to stay locked in here.
46:03Um, yeah, I mean, we talked about I mean, Dak Prescott, you know, Joe Burrow.
46:08Those are guys I've been taking a lot of Jordan Love. I mean, you can get Jordan Love as your QB2 pretty late whenever
46:16you want.
46:17Um, I really like Jared Goff this year.
46:19I I you know, we talked about the shootout teams again.
46:22Jared Goff is very, very affordable. And I mean, this is this is an opportunity for him to like lead the league in in
46:29touchdown passes. I mean, because the Lions have a their secondary is a really, really big problem.
46:36After losing Terrion Arnold, they're all kinds of banged up at safety. Um, we have optimism that the Cade Mays injury was was a little bit
46:45discouraging, but um, we you know, the offensive line for the Lions was an issue last year, but we have optimism that that's going to bounce back. Um,
46:56yeah, I think it's going to be a thing So, um, Drew Petzing, who is the Lions new offensive coordinator, he was
47:03willing to drop back Jacoby Brissett like 50 times a game last year. The Cardinals led the NFL in pass attempts and
47:13uh, allowed the fifth most sacks.
47:15So, Drew Petzing is not afraid to wing it. And now he has like and he did that with Jacoby Brissett. Now he has like
47:23the picturesque uh, prototypical, you know, pocket passer here in Jared Goff. I mean, they're they're going to throw the ball a ton. That's one of the
47:32reasons I have Amon-Ra as my wide receiver two overall. Love LaPorta.
47:38Um, you know, obviously this is all going to help Gibbs. He's awesome in the passing game.
47:42Um, you know, Jameson Williams, I'm above ADP on Jameson Williams.
47:47>> I love that take. I actually did a this year's JSN show where we did kind of looking at historical comps. I did that
47:53with Dave Kluge a couple days ago and Jared Goff is the 2026 version of 2025 Matthew Stafford was sort of my big
48:00takeaway there. That we've seen three straight years of 30 plus touchdown passes. I think the career high was like 37. I think this year it could be
48:09something wild. It could be 42, 45 touchdown passes. I'm with you. I'm all in on these Lions. Really, really a fun
48:16team there. What's your favorite way to start drafts, Evan? Like we're hearing a lot of people sort of advocating for the
48:23hero running back. I've heard some people talking about robust RB where you go running back, running back. Do you are you open-minded as a drafter this
48:32year or is there a start that you find yourself gravitating towards?
48:36>> I think it depends on the format. When I start drafting my FFPC Main Event high stakes leagues where it's full PPR, um
48:47you know, and I I think that I what I what I will do is I will go anchor running back.
48:54Um obviously, Jahmyr Gibbs would be optimal.
48:58Uh but Bijan Robinson, you know, Chase Brown, Jonathan Taylor, and then just hammer wide receivers and tight ends for the next like six or seven rounds.
49:08Um but it like in in Best Ball, I I I got to get two big-time RBs. I got to get two workhorse
49:14RBs. Hope that they stay healthy.
49:17Um but I because you know, if you try to go anchor running back in Best Ball, it's just you end up with like six
49:24running backs and five of them are, you know, part-timers or you know, situational players.
49:30And your team's just don't look as good, I think, in Best Ball. But FFPC Main Event, anchor running back.
49:38>> Yeah, I'm with you. It feels It feels like an anchor hero RB here because I think a lot of people are telling you
49:44running back, running back. Um and I think you can also open up with a hero RB start inside of round two, when you
49:53look at guys like a Kenneth Walker, a Chase Brown, those sort of values there.
49:58You could you could basically take a wide receiver in round one, follow up with one of those guys, and then sort of
50:02get it together when you get into the fourth, fifth round with your RB2, or even later. So, really interesting stuff. Evan, I've asked every single
50:11guest of mine this question recently, and we're going to end the show on this.
50:15If you could know the final stats of any player in fantasy football this year, who would it be?
50:21>> Oh my god.
50:24Oh, man.
50:26I think that Quentin Johnston would be a guy that I'd be intrigued intrigued to know because I I think that there is a a
50:34case for him to have a monster ceiling in the the new offense if he can lock down a full-time role in the two
50:40receiver sets, um which I think that he's I mean, Daniel Popper who covers the Chargers is saying that Quentin Johnston should keep
50:48that. I also think that there's a scenario where like Quentin Johnston is terrible, loses his role to Trey Harris.
50:55You know, so if I if I were to pick a player to for, you know, there to be a reveal and
51:00me to know their final season stats, it would be somebody like that who I think that their range of outcomes is like
51:06extremely wide.
51:08>> Really interesting interesting answer there. Yeah, and QJ's definitely moved way, way up in ADP. It would also tell us a lot about the Justin Herbert season
51:16as well, and maybe the Mike McDaniel offense overall. Evan, this was awesome.
51:21Let everybody know sort of what you have coming up for out throughout the rest of August over at ETR.
51:27>> Yeah, I'm always updating my top 150 rankings at establishtherun.com.
51:32I would do a change log where I sort of explain why I make changes as training camp progresses, and then the the big
51:41article that I will have out next is my shy away list, which will name, I don't know, somewhere between like 25 and 40
51:49players that I'm drafting around uh this year.
51:53>> That's always a really good article every single year. Sort of your fades list. Um and it's extensive, too. So, make sure you check out everything
52:01Evan's putting out. Make sure you stick with us here at RotoWire. We're going to be dropping shows like this every single
52:07day in the month of August. We're going to help you crush your fantasy leagues this season.
