Fantasy Football Daily - 2022 Hansen's Hints: Interview with Adam Schefter

Episode Date: August 15, 2022

John Hansen (@Fantasy_Guru) invites Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) on the latest podcast to talk NFL and training camp storylines. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fantasy-points-podcast/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time to the Fantasy Points podcast brought to you by FantasyPoint.com. Top-level fantasy football and NFL betting analysis from every perspective and angle. From numbers to the film room with a single goal to help you score more fantasy points. What is up? Welcome to a very special live stream broadcast, podcast, whatever you want to call it. Here at FantasyPoints.com, I'm John Hanson. It is August 11th, and we are bringing in a podcast, podcast, whatever you want to call it. the best information man on the planet.

Friend of mine for about 20 years, the great Adam Schaefter. What's up, Adam? Hello there, John. Thank you, the comments. Appreciate it. And it's fancy football season, which is one of the best seasons.

We know how much you and I both love fantasy. Yeah. So before we get into it, a very quick background story for those who don't know. 20 years ago, I started, I kind of invented the old beat writer thing, like getting in touch with them. I did an article for the magazine 20 years ago.

32 beat writers. answer 32 questions. Of course, you were my guy in Denver. And, you know, Adam, I do like to brag, but I saw greatness in you right away. There was one name that I mentioned of the 32 beatwriters in the little intro. It was yours. So I feel like I'm patting myself in the back because I knew you were going to be great 20 years ago. I'm honored. I appreciate that John. I knew you were going to bring it. You were always great. One of the godfathers of this industry. Thank you very much. Well, without all that stuff passed us here, Adam. I didn't know exactly how to attack this, but I know you like to talk fantasy.

All you do is talk, you know, news and stuff like that. So let's just quickly go around the league here. And AFC East, we'll start there and see what's going on. Any thoughts on what you're seeing in Miami? I think the vibes are very, very good. I think Tua, Adam, is going to work this year. I don't disagree with you, John. I think that there's so much talent around him.

And there's a new offensive scheme to, To me, the dolphins are one of those teams, a little bit like the Bengals last year, I think. Yeah. That you buy low on. Right. That they turn out to be better investments than the spots that they're going. Now, Tariq, he's what, probably his ADPs, I'm going to guess about 15 right now, 16, 17? I'd say about 20.

Really? Yeah. Okay. Yeah, he sees a little bit down the board there in a lot. Waddle ADP 35, 38? I tell you what, Adam. I have been tracking ADP for so long that I got infuriated. I have automated it all and we're getting it from the greatest sources.

So it's the freshest data from high stakes players. Okay. And it's really good. And Tarek is, let me find him. I think he's about, I'm a guess 18, 19, but but but 22, actually. And this is only over the last like couple of days. What about Waddle? Waddle is 36.

I had it, right? I said 35, 38. So to me, like, Waddle was really good last year. Oh, yeah. Hell yeah. He was really good. Yeah. So, you know, I like Jalen Waddle.

I'm a Waddle fan. And Tariq is Tariq. And 22 seems a little low to me. Like, he's a better player than that. And I think not to be overly simplistic, but sometimes I think we get a little too sophisticated. They're looking to make the Tua from Alabama, right? I mean, that's it.

Like surround him with as much talent, play action, work off that, all the accuracy. What about Josh Allen? Because, you know, I've loved him the last few years. You know what? I think it's the year to pass on Josh Allen, whose ADP is higher than ever. And no Brian Dayball, I think, is a big question, Adam. What's interesting about that, John, is that, look, we're not questioning Josh Allen's talents and abilities. He is, to me, he's going to help Buffalo, I think, win the Super Bowl one day.

We're talking about him as a fantasy quarterback this year. And in terms of being a fancy court, his ADP, what is his ADP? I'm going to guess about 25. Yeah, about 30. Yeah. He's never been more costly. He is very pricey for where you have to pick Josh Allen this year. And so you can just sit back and wait and later on go get Jalen Hertz or Dak Prescott or Russell Wilson or one of these other quarterbacks, Matthew Stafford, much later, much later.

Yeah. And you can go pick Jalen Waddle over Josh Allen. So by the way, would you rather have Jalen Waddle and Dack Prescott or would you rather have Josh Allen and Alan Lazzard? And Alan Lazzard. There you go. There you go. So far so good. We're on the same page. And you and I compare notes like off the record stuff and we're always on the same page. Now, New England, we all know that the offense is evolving. It's changing. Your colleague, our friend Mike Reese is. been all over it. So that's a little scary. Still love Mac Jones, but I think the guy to look at here is Ramondre Stevenson. We saw this coming. Adam, your thoughts on Stevenson. He might remove the passing down back basically from the equation. It'll be like two back system with Damien Harrison, Ramondret. Well, James White has retired, obviously. And so they need somebody to do that sort of thing. And Remandre Stevenson is, to me, that guy's a stud. Stud.

When he got called on last year, wow, was he impressive? Damn good. Right? It's, it's, it's,

it's incredible how productive he can be. And I think he's in a different role. And yes, there have been questions about the Patriots. I love Mack Jones as a quarterback. Love him too. I'm happy to take a late flyer on him. And I understand that they're struggling.

Like, last summer, wasn't Chamar Chase struggling too? Exactly. Terrible camp. And if you're going to not react to any team struggling early, it's the Patriots because they don't care. They're feeling their way through everything right now, obviously, you know?

They're doing what they got to do to be ready on September 11th, their first game. They don't care what, you know, what you're saying about their fancy team. No, no, they do not. Well, moving on to the Jets. Yeah. Are you with me on Bree Saul? as I say every year. I did your podcast.

Let me say this. I know people love Bruce. So I haven't seen him enough to say, boy, I'm in on Bruce Hall. But here's what I would say. I've done some best ball drafts. And I've gotten a lot of Michael Carter because he's just, he's available late. Yeah. He was really good.

He is good. Last year. He was like he was a second round pick too. Yeah. So I don't understand. Like you got to take Breece Hall. And I'm going to guess his ADP is about 40, 45 right now. About 40.

Yeah, nailed it. And so now, why do I know people's ADPs, John? That's kind of sick, okay? Yeah. But anyway. I mean, like, I don't know the contract stuff like you do. I digress that I would know ADPs. But anyway, so you got to get Reese Hall on the 40s.

Yeah. And Michael Carter's probably, I'm going to guess his ADPs in the 120s. Yeah, exactly. True, true. So I'd rather have Michael Carter in the 120s than Breece Hall on the 4th. Now, Breece Hall may be a league winner and maybe I'm going to lose. But the value on Carter is greater than the value on Hall. For a back I've never seen to me.

For sure. For sure. You got to take a little bit of a leap of faith. But I believe I did your podcast two years ago. And I was saying basically the exact same thing I'm saying now about Jonathan Taylor. I mean, sometimes I just, for me, if I'm sold on a player, I'm like, that's it. I'm doing it because next year this guy is going to be a second round pick. Yeah.

I said this about Javante last year, who was a fifth rounder. Yeah. I wasn't that far off. I said he's going to be a first rounder. He's about six picks away from being a first rounder. So, you know. What's his ADP? About 18?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And you know Denver well. It's a new staff, by the way. Not to go off on a tangent, but I do not care about Melvin Gordon. He's got the foot issue. It's a long season.

Javenthe's a stud. I'm not overthinking it. I'm taking him in the second round at him. I got no problems taking Javante Williams in round two. No problems with that. And, you know, look, here's the deal, John. You watch these guys in the preseason. You watch them last year.

And there are certain guys that you just see. They just passed the eye test. That's it. Exactly. They're better. Devante Williams passed the eye test. Big time. That's it.

And so he's a guy that if he's available at 18, 19, 20, yeah, you're probably taking him there, of course. By the way, while we're in the AFC West, let's go to Kansas City. Do you have any thoughts on their receiving core? I do. And I am a major ageist these days, Adam. And, you know, I've been doing this almost 30 years. I remember Jerry Rice balling out at 40, yet guys are falling off cliffs now at 28.

You know, so I worry about older players. I love Sky Moore. One of the greatest interviews I've ever done, Adam, pre-draft. This kid is awesome, and I think he's a great fit, and I think he's going to be in play as a sleeper of the year at wide receiver. You know what's great about this is a lot of these guys, I don't study their tape. I just don't. I talk to people. Yeah.

And the sense I've gotten talking to people about him, never having seen him play, sounds like a Debo Samuel kind of guy to me. Exactly. Exactly. Okay. And I've never seen him, John. So, by the way, so you think that. That's right. Again, like, it sounds like I've never seen him play.

Yep. Thick legs, like running back legs. Yeah. Not a burner, but he can win outside. And here's the thing. Here's the thing, Adam. One thing about him. I talk with him about this.

Biggest hands in the class. Meat hooks. This dude has got huge claws and he catches kind of everything. Well, listen, there's a lot of production to make up for. When I look at Kansas City, Valdez Scanling's kind of like a boom bus guy. Yeah. McColl Harbans their gadget guy. Right.

Like there's a lot of different things. So honestly, I like Skymore and I like Juju. I like them both. Now, but haven't the 32 NFL teams or at least 31 told us a lot about Juju the last two years, these minimal contracts? I mean, that's got to be seen. Hold on.

Hold on. What have they told us? Because Baltimore also tried to sign Juju and other teams inquired. Yeah. And so, you know, he hasn't gotten the contract that other big wide receivers have. And listen, I'm a big proponent. I base a lot of my fancy drafting off of following the money. So when a team gives a guy money, usually I'm happy to follow along, right?

Like, okay, Christian Kirk got a lot of money. I got no problem picking Christian Kirk at the right spot if he's available. Yeah. And so, I don't know. I like to follow the money and see where that goes sometimes. I like young guys. I mean, it's a young man sport and all that. Yep.

And sky. And look, the league has evolved to the point where this learning curve is not the same. And, oh, by the way, he's got a great 10-yard split. Okay. So I talk with him about this. So he's got a very fast 10-yard split, huge meat hooks. Do you think Andy Reed and Patrick Baum's going to take a van? advantage of that. I mean, he's not Tyreek.

Yeah. No, no, no. But, but again, and this was told to me, Patrick is throwing to a different crew of wider series with a different set of talents. And so it's just all a little bit different right now. Yeah. And somebody's got to make up for

all those targets. How many targets? Tyreeks had over 100 targets every year he gets. Oh, yeah. Somebody's getting those targets. Absolutely. So if you just divvying them up amongst, and by the way, Demarcus Robinson left, Byron Pringle left, Harry Killet. Like those other guys, they're not starting receivers necessarily, but they got the

ball thrown to them plenty too. Do you have anything to say about Clyde Edwards-Elair? Because I think I'm in because his ADP is 80. And in my time, whenever I've been like wrong on a running back, eventually that guy does something. And I'm even talking Kevin Jones, circa 20, 2005, one of the worst calls of all time that I definitely. He actually had a good year the next year. Any hope for CEH in your mind? At that spot, I would take him. Absolutely, right? Because Ronald Jones may not make the team.

I forget about that. Like, I just believe in, like, I've seen the guy. Right. Like, he's a little jitterbug out there. Yeah. And he's a talented guy and he has not been able to stay healthy. for whatever reason, it is just not worked out. And so, yeah, again, am I rushing to take Clyde Edwards O'Lear? No. If he was sitting there and I had a running back knee and he was sitting there and I felt good about my wide receivers and tight ends and whatnot, I got no issue taking him.

Where are you out with Baltimore and their running backs? Dobbins off the PUP here, what, August 11th and Gus. I'm not feeling it. I think Lamar may throw fewer. I am. I'm feeling awesome. Because Lamar will throw fewer times and they're reverting to previous form, you know, tight end centric offense?

I think last year, Dobbins was poised to have a huge year. I agree with that. He was hurt over a year ago. So he's had a year to recover. J.K. Dobbins is a great running back. And they are a great running team. And on a running team where the running back is going to be back on opening day, and the value that he presents, I'm in.

Now, if I had to take J.K. Dobbins in round two, and I'm not doing that. Right. But what is his ADP right now? 40. He's dropping. I think it's about 60 now. Let me call that up. Yeah.

It's not bad. 57. Okay. And that's probably come up some since the reports that he's on track to be ready for. So do you say Clyde Edwards was about 60? 80. 80. Okay.

Well, again, in the range. that Dobbins is at 57-58, I love that. I love that there. Now, the question is how high you'd have to go to get them. And that's where fancy football is where seasons are made and not, it's a value-based game. It's a value-based. Where are you getting value? At 57-58, J.K. Dobbins, to me, is a value. Moving on here with our guy, Adam Schaefter, a special edition of the Fantasy Points live stream here, a little preseason talk with the greatest information man out there here. So we're live right now, John? We're live?

No, we're not live. No, we're not. We are recording this. Okay. No, we are not live. We can edit out on any F-ups here. Not a problem. But anything going on in your mind, what's your latest on as we move over to running backs in the NFC?

Like, Camara, Delvin, anything going on right now? have you heard anything going on i have not i mean it seems to be we're trending in a positive direction but we have a lot of amateur attorneys out there speculating i guess we're trending in a direction i you know again camara is a case where the attorneys keep putting it off they put it up for 60 more days it it certainly seems like and i say seems like because uh you never know how these situations unfold entirely but it seems like this is a case that is going to be pushed down the road and the attorneys are in delayed enough so that it doesn't influence this season. Now, could that change? Sure, it could. But I would say today, if and when I'm picking Alvin

Camara, I'm picking him with the idea that he would be available for the majority, if not all, of this season. I know a lot of our numbers guys at FantasyPoint.com are like, if they suspend them six games, I'll still take them, basically. So 20 overall for Camara right now, you're you're okay with that value yeah a little bit value a little bit uh by the way if that if that case here let's just have a hypothetically here john if that case we're not hanging over and what would be his adp eight nine great question uh getting up there he'd have to be yeah it'd probably be about 10 okay yeah so it should be over derrick henry by the way are you are you have any interest in derrick henry this year i derrick henry is going to go to the hall of fame

Derek Henry is an unbelievable running back. I've never taken Derek Henry. Me either. Well, actually once, but yeah, I've been a hater. In a standard league, in a standard league, Derek Henry would be one of my top guys, but I'm in two PPR leagues. Yeah.

And I just have never looked to him in a PPR. And by the way, one of my bosses had him on his team and a year he won the championship. So I haven't made the right calls on Derek Henry, but in a PPR league, he's not somebody I'm targeting. Adam, I want to go to my controversial take real quick, a little bouncing all over place. But my two quarterback avoids, the main two, are Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford.

And I have said this all offseason. I mean, I'm going back to March. And, you know, I love Stafford last year. And I was very high in Brady. I actually took his over in my prop article over 37.5 touchdown passes. This year I'm completely out. Any thoughts here? You talk about vibes.

They're a little scary here for both veterans. Well, Brady is away from the team. It is a personal situation. It is not a vacation. Oh, sure, sure. Okay. So the optics of line, that's a problem. But do you know how much talent he's got it? Wide receiver? I know. I don't know that he's, I don't know that he's ever had more past catching talent than he does this season, John. you're you're assuming Julio Jones is close to Julio Jones I don't even need to be okay I need to be 75% of Julio Jones

yeah no I know it look it's a scary take that I'm rolling with here I it's frightening I now I'm even more scared Adam but I you know listen the issue is again Tom Brady are picking him ahead of some of these other guys that I mentioned yeah that bring you a running element and I think you're talking

in fantasy. Yeah. You'd like to have a running element if you can in your quarterback. Yeah. Stafford, you're probably saying bad vibes because of the elbow. Yeah. And I would say also loaded in that backfield. And he's played with elbow pain before.

He's had this. This is not new. And just the other day, I was on the phone with someone from the Rams. I'm like, how's Stafford? He's like, had the best practice I've ever seen him had today. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm not overly concerned about that elbow right now.

I'm not, that doesn't mean that I'm going to rush to draft Matthew Stafford. Right. But if you like Stafford, I got no issues taking him. Cooper Cup, though, man, that's a big ask. Because you got Alan Robinson. He's doing well, pretty good fit right after the catch. But this Van Jefferson injury, I actually kind of like Tyler Higbee this year, believe or not.

But I'm a little worried here. It seems as if they are asking Cooper Cup, sir, we need you to do that again, you know? And by the way, as great as Cooper, someone from the same guy told me, Cooper Cup looks better than he did last season. Now, he may look better than he did last season, but what are the chances that he's going to duplicate what he did last season?

Nothing. It's never happening. No, zero. That can't happen, can it? No, it can't. You know, I've had Jefferson and wide receiver one all year. To me, that's the biggest slam dunk ever. Like Justin Jefferson is 23 years old. What else can he, does he have to prove?

Great play. Well, here's the thing. people talk about Jefferson, a pie, cup, a pie, Taylor McCaffrey, and they talk about Jamar Chase, right? I like Chase a lot too. Yeah.

He was a better, he was a better wide receiver than Jefferson at LSU. Yeah, oh, he was. No, he was. For sure. So to me, you can't go wrong with any of those guys. Sequin Barclay, all off-season. Oh, this would be so against to what I'm what I typically do and I probably um I'm a boy I it just that is he does not fit the

profile of a player that I have picked in the past a guy who has been banged up every year unproductive enormously talented yeah right that that's the kind of guy that sucks you in in fantasy now he may pay dividends this year because they do have great offensive coaching he is entering that contract year. There is a lot of incentive. And so the fact that I'm even tempted on him is a compliment to him. The fact that I would even mull it and think about it is a testament to his talents. I agree completely.

But he's up to like 18 now, like mid second round. Yeah, that he doesn't fit the profile of the kind of player that I've targeted in the past in my drafts. Yeah. And I'll see whether I go ahead and pick him, but it's tempting, John. But the fact that it's tempting, I think, is a huge complimenting because I would never take somebody like that before. Yeah, no doubt. A couple of other things before we run out of time. Karim Haunt, I felt all along that he may not be a lock to make the team.

I guess we'll see. You probably don't have any thoughts on that. You know, they drafted a running back in the fourth round. They like the Ernest Johnson. Nick Chub is there. They're going to run the football. Like, I don't love the vibes in Cleveland with everything going on, period. Right, right.

And Cream Hunt is what, his talents, he's a great running back, but he's not happy with the situation. They got a lot of backs. You know, I'm not rushing to pick Cream Hunt. Rapid fire here. Back to the Raiders. Are you in on a big year? I think Josh McDaniels will fully unlock Derek Carr, thanks to hopefully the three receivers stay healthy. I am in on Derek Carr.

I am in on the Raiders. I think they have a big year. Like, Darren Waller is as talented as any tight end in the league. Hunter Renfro might be as difficult as any receiver to cover out of the slot. And Devante Adams and Derek Carr have built in chemistry. Like, he's got three guys to throw to. And you know that Josh McDaniels is going to run the football too. Darren Waller, by the way, has a practice yet in August.

So I'm starting a little word. Hold on. Holden. Contractual, I would think. That's my guess. Yeah. I mean, well, it's Josh McDaniel, so, you know, they're not exactly telling us exactly what's going on here. Baker Mayfield in Carolina, how do you think that's going to work out? He's got a lot to prove. He's got a lot on the line this year, and it would be great to see him do well. He's got a lot riding on it. Look, the Panthers made a minimal investment in him. So if he works out, it's great for that. And if he doesn't, they move on to the next guy.

Tray Lance and Sam Fran. I keep hearing, you know, the ball location's a problem. I mean, this is going to be a challenge. That's always been the case to them. The accuracy is an issue. What has made him appealing is the intangibles, the intelligence, the leadership.

His teammates are drawn to the guy. They love him. But yeah, the accuracy is something he's going to have to work on. But he also is really good with the deep ball, too, John. Yeah. And that in that offense is going to be dangerous. So the way they, They mix it up with running the football and the deep ball.

Kyle Shanahan is going to figure out of way to play to that and make it productive, I believe. You know Kyle as well as anyone. He'll scheme people open and Brandon Ayuk is having a beautiful camp. So it's a good momentum there. Adam, well. Good vibes. Good vibes. Yeah, that's my big term here.

Well, I tell you what, we got a lot of information in here in this quick little live stream, if you will. And really appreciate your time, Adam. I know you're very busy. I could talk fantasy for 24 hours a day. I could do the show with you in the mornings. Every single day. Well, the issue is time. That's always the issue.

Like, I love fantasy. You do a great job. It's fun to talk fantasy with you. I could talk it for hours on an end. It's the best fantasy time of the year. Everybody's drafting. Everybody thinks they're going to win their championship. So it's a lot of fun and wish everybody out there luck in their fantasy drafts.

And Adam, final word, I've been in contact with the Swedes. about their cloning. If I get word that, you know, I can get cloned, I will let you know because that is the biggest problem. My wife is really hoping that I don't get cloned. She's got enough of one of me. Yeah, I think mine would agree with that as well about me, not about you, of course. Adam, great stuff.

And we'll be talking offline. Let's get it all right this year. John, yeah, we will be talking. We'll be swapping some notes that note exchange will be coming up here shortly, right? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. All right. We'll be on the same page.

With the great Adam Schaefter, Adam will talk with you down the road. We'll talk with you every day here at FantasyPoints.com. John, thank you, my friend. Appreciate having me. You got it. Thank you, sir. Great stuff.

Thanks for tuning in to this edition of the Fantasy Points podcast. Remember to subscribe, wait, and review on your favorite platform. And come join the roster at FantasyPoint.com.