Fantasy Football Today - 01/10: Coaching Hires and More Mock Draft Review

Episode Date: January 10, 2019

New NFL Coaches; PPR Mock Draft; DFS TalkHeath Cummings is back from vacation to join Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard in breaking down the six new coaching hires in the NFL. We also finish recapping our first PPR mock draft for 2019 and give DFS plays for the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. ... Is Matt LaFleur good for Aaron Rodgers (8:00) in Green Bay? Will Kliff Kingsbury help David Johnson (12:00) in Arizona? We all agree Jameis Winston will improve under Bruce Arians (15:00) in Tampa Bay, and Phillip Lindsay benefits the most with the addition of Gary Kubiak as the new offensive coordinator in Denver (19:15). Baker Mayfield and Nick Chubb should be fine with Freddie Kitchens staying in Cleveland (25:15), and we hope Adam Gase will be good for Robby Anderson with the Jets (30:00). We also talk about Dirk Koetter in Atlanta and Kevin Stefanski in Minnesota as new offensive coordinators (35:00). ... For our mock draft review, we talk about the right time to consider Kareem Hunt (45:15), can Rashaad Penny eventually overtake Chris Carson in Seattle (50:00) and look at quarterback value with Matt Ryan, Jared Goff and Russell Wilson (54:50). ... We close the show by talking about DFS plays for the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. ... Email us at [e-mail].  To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is Fantasy Football Today from CBS Sports. Here we go! Email us at fantasyfootballatcbsi.com. Here we go! It's time to dominate your fantasy league. Let's go! Now, here's some combination of Adam, Dave, Jamie, and Heath. He's back.

Welcome back, Heath Cummings, to our Fantasy Football Podcast, to Fort Lauderdale, to CBS Sports. How was your little vacation, your holidays? Happy to be back? It was all fantastic, yeah. Well, except for the part where I hurt my back and was in bed for three days because I remember

I was old. Besides that, Kansas City was awesome. Beer was great. Barbecue was great. Good time off. How'd you hurt? I missed a step. Beer was great. Barbecue was great. Good time off. How'd you hurt? I missed a step. Oh, wow. I was going down the stairs. I missed the step, and my foot went down to the next step. And still, one of my legs is a little bit longer than the other one.

Wow. That is not being old. That's called being clumsy, my friend. Both. Well, but having your back go out from missing a step is definitely old. That's very true. And my worst back going out story is I once had my back go out doing back exercises to keep my back from going out,

and my back went out. That sounds awful. All right, this is a great start to our Fantasy Football Today podcast. It is Thursday, January 10th. Again, no Adam Azer. I'm Jamie Eisenberg, Dave Richard. You heard Heath Cummings, so happy to be talking about some football today. We will get into all of the coaching hires.

There have been six since our last show on Monday. Matt LaFleur to the Packers. Cliff Kingsbury to the Cardinals. Bruce Arians to the Bucs. Vic Fangio to the Broncos. Freddie Kitchens to the Browns. Adam Gase to the Jets. And a couple of offensive coordinator situations which we'll get into.

We'll finish wrapping up our PPR mock draft. I'm curious to get Heath's take on some of our picks, because he was not part of the draft. He'll be part of the next draft that we are doing, which is actually going to be taking part today. I'm excited about that as well. We will get into the divisional round of the playoffs, give you some DFS lineups to use for this week,

and go over some emails as well. Heath, your take on the wild card round since you weren't here? It was underwhelming. I'm much more excited about this week of football. There was way too much defense. There was a lot of defense. Obviously, the offensive teams were sitting this one out. They will be playing this weekend, the Chiefs, the Saints, the Rams,

most notably, getting involved in this weekend's game. So it should be fun. Some news and notes to get to. We're going to get into a lot of the draft stuff probably once Adam gets back in February. I'm sure I'll have some stuff when I come back from the Combine as well. And obviously Dave and Heath will dive into the draft. Heath probably mostly baseball. Dave a little bit more of the NFL draft.

But we will talk a lot about the prospects. But in any event, Oklahoma Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray will enter the NFL draft. That's according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He is also a first-round pick of the Oakland A's. Heath, what sport do you see him playing? Hopefully both. I want somebody to play both again, and I don't think the NFL wants anybody to play both again,

but I'd love to see him try to take a crack at that. I get a little bit worried. We made way too much out of height for quarterbacks for a long, long time, and some shorter quarterbacks have exposed that, but he's really, really short. It's like 5'9", right? Yeah, well, he's listed at 5'9". Almost nobody that's listed at 5'9 is actually 5'9",

so I get a little worried about that part of it, but I'd love to see him try to play both. Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State quarterback, also is entering the NFL draft. Dave, which one do you think will end up being better? I'm not convinced that Murray is going to even stick to football. I know he's looking to get into the draft, but don't you make more money playing baseball than you do football?

Aren't the contracts guaranteed in baseball? As a quarterback, though, if he is just mid-level, based on the contracts we've seen, Matthew Stafford. That's $20 million a year. Joe Flacco. I mean, those type of guys, you're going to make significant money. though if he is just mid-level based on the contracts we've seen matthew stafford that's 20 million a year joe flacco i mean those type of guys you're gonna make what kind of baseball players make 20 million a year uh only the best okay but only the best like the thing is it'll be interesting it's all about where he's going to be drafted yeah i don't think it's worth it for him to give up on baseball if he's going to be a fourth round pick no but if he goes through the

draft right sure and ends up being selected... And Kingsbury was talking him up, apparently, earlier this year. In October, yes. Long before. He said, if I had the first pick in the NFL draft, I would take Kyler Murray. Now, I do believe Adam Schefter tweeted that the Cardinals may be open to trading Josh Rosen

if, in fact, that's something that they believe they can make happen. Interesting stuff. My guess is it's going to be Rosen. I haven't seen enough of the two quarterbacks to make a call on Haskins versus Murray, who I like better. I think Haskins looks like he could be a star, and he's very excited about potentially being a New York Giant,

which will be fun to see if that comes to pass. Iowa State running back David Montgomery is entering the NFL draft. He may end up being the best running back prospect. We'll see how that goes. Again, we'll get more into the draft process over the next few weeks. I know a lot of you are excited about your dynasty leagues keeper leagues things of that

nature once we start to get a little bit more into that we will break those down uh the panthers are moving on from linebacker thomas davis he said on twitter that he is not going to return to the team after 14 years the jaguars have signed thomas rawls now heath dave has been very adamant that the jags are going to move on from lennnette, if I'm correct in saying that. They have removed his guarantees. I don't know at what point you were gone when this started to unfold. They may move on from Carlos Hyde as well. TJ Yeldon's a free agent.

They could be revamping their entire backfield. Assuming Thomas Rawls maybe is the last man standing, is he somebody you're going to be interested in going into next season? Oh, yeah. I mean, yeah, if he was clearly the number one back, I don't think that's very likely. But, yeah, anybody that has an opportunity to get 15 touches a game, and that's what they should do until they have a quarterback. Yes, they do need to address the quarterback position as well.

Tyler Eifert coming back from that broken ankle, back to running. Dave, he's somebody that has been on our draft boards, off our draft boards. We've been excited about him at times. He's been my huckleberry before. I've been a huge fan of his. Are you done? You have to be. If you're taking him, it's with one of your last picks because the Bengals have a nice matchup in week one.

He's a streaming tight end. Okay. Well, hopefully he's healthy. That would be nice to see. And we'll see if he's better than C.J. Uzama, who took his job at the end of the season after Tyler Croft was also injured. Some news and notes for the divisional round. We'll talk about these guys as we get into previewing some of those games.

Rams running back Todd Gurley limited practice, but he did say everything went pretty good today. So just super excited about that. Honestly, he missed the final two games of the season with that knee injury. The Saints are hoping to get left tackle Teron Armstead back dealing with that shoulder injury. He missed six of the last seven games. The Patriots look like they're going to get Cordero Patterson back. He's practicing in full, dealing with that knee injury. The Chargers

are going to hopefully see the debut of Hunter Henry for the 2018 season. We know that he missed the entire regular season because of that torn ACL that he suffered last May, but he is practicing in full. He was activated off injured reserve. Hopefully we see him go out and play well and maybe get back into the good graces of fantasy owners as a top five tight end for next season. Sammy Watkins has missed the last five games with a foot injury. He is limited in practice. Hopefully he'll be back out there as well. That's the report that he is going to play.

So some news to keep an eye on going into the divisional round. And now we get to the coaches. So here we go. Six new hires. We're still waiting for the Bengals and the Dolphins to make their official hires. I would just like to say that I once talked to Sean McVay. I interviewed him a couple times. I should be up for candidacy for the job just because.

Did he say anything nice about you? He was amazing. Did he say great questions? He said hello. He said thank you. He was very pleasant. Wouldn't it be kind of funny if they lose this week? Never won a playoff game?

Never won a playoff game and we're hiring people off of his coaching tree? Yeah, it's certainly something that people are rushing to. And the two names that I think everybody's associating with him would obviously be Matt LaFleur and Cliff Kingsbury. The Cardinals set out a very interesting press release when he was hired saying he was friends with Sean McVay. They since have amended that, but they are taking a lot of slack for that situation. In any event, so the new hires, again, Matt LaFleur, Cliff Kingsbury, Bruce Arians, Vic Fangio, Freddie Kitchens, and Adam Gase. Fangio obviously is a defense coordinator coming from Chicago. So Gary Kubiak is the one we're going to focus on for the Broncos. Their former head coach is now their

offensive coordinator. And then again, the other offense coordinators that I mentioned, the Bucs rehired Dirk Cutter. He was their offense coordinator from 2012 to 2014. And Kevin Stefanski gets the official job. He was the interim offensive coordinator for the Vikings. So let's get into this. We'll start with the Packers. I think I did this in chronological order when the hires happened, so we'll kind of go that route. But in any event, you have the offense coordinator for the Titans. That was his previous job.

He previously was the Falcons quarterback coach from 2015 to 2016 when Matt Ryan was the MVP that season, and he was the Rams offense coordinator in 2017. They were number one points per game that year, so a good track record. Now, obviously, he was not the play caller of those teams, but he did work with some high-profile offenses. So, Dave, what does the little floor hire clearly mean for the three main guys for the Packers, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, Devontae Adams?

Well, it's going to be a continuation of the West Coast offense, which is a very good thing. You obviously don't want to have Aaron Rodgers learn a completely new playbook. Just in general, you want him to be as comfortable as possible since he's the leader of the offense. And I would imagine that LeFleur will lean heavily on Rodgers' instincts and intuition when it comes to coming up with game plans from week to week. I don't know how much you can judge LeFleur from what he did in Tennessee.

Mariota got hurt. He had to lean on Blaine Gabbert. He eventually came around on how to use Derrick Henry the right way. I think it showed, if anything, it showed that LeFleur was versatile, and he's willing to change up the way that he comes up with game plans based on which parts of his personnel are working out for him. I do believe that he'll stick with one running back more so than two, but if he's versatile, that means he could be open to using two,

and he'll move Devontae Adams all over the field. They're going to be looking for another number two receiver. There will be a camp competition, whether it ends up being MVS or Equinemius St. Brown, somebody else who knows. Oh, Geronimo Allison. Oh, could be Geronimo Allison as well. There's going to be a lot of consistency with how the Packers operate, and I think that's the best news of all.

So that makes me like the hire. Heath, I know we spoke about your quarterback rankings for 2019 before you went on vacation because we did that on CBS Sports HQ. You had said that the right coach may move Aaron Rodgers to number two behind Patrick Mahomes at the time. Is this higher, that move, or are you still sticking with Andrew Luck right now at number two? And I've said this ad nauseum. We went through a lot of our rankings, uh whether here on or on cbs sports hq that this is not this is all subject to change so you're not being held to anything that you're saying right now yeah i'm gonna leave him at number three i don't i don't dislike there's

some of the hires i really dislike there's not very many that i actually like the only thing i really care about with this one is i assume aaron rogers is on board with it and he's happy about it and it sounds like he wants someone that's going to challenge him a little bit with play calling. And LeFleur apparently is going to do that. So I think it's good for him. It's not a negative, but it's not something that's going to make me want to move him ahead of him. Yeah, the thing that I do like is it's something that will be hopefully innovative. We've seen Mike McCarthy's offense get very stagnant over the last several years.

And so I think a healthy Geronimo Allison improvement from the young receivers, another year with Devante Adams getting better and hopefully the run game also, plus, you know, some improvements on the offensive line. I think Aaron Rogers to me is going to bounce back to a certain extent, you know,

whether he gets back to being the number one guy, I don't know if that's possible, but I still have him at number two. I will stick with him there. I'm also excited about Aaron Jones, you know, just hopefully staying healthy. So we'll see how that goes. All so the cardinals hire cliff kingsbury he

was a texas tech coach from 2013 to 2018 he had a stellar 35 and 40 record over that span and one and two in bowl games so i mean that just screams you have to hire him based on what his track record was but as we know he coached patrick mahomes so uh coaching patrick mahomes and being friends with sean mcveigh that should get you the job in the NFL. Their offense is clearly a work in progress, to say the least. So you look at what Kingsbury comes into, as we sort of alluded to, Josh Rosen should be the quarterback there. David Johnson will be the running back. The receiving core, though, could be dramatically different,

especially if Larry Fitzgerald decides to retire. So, Heath, you kind of alluded to this, not a lot of these hires make you excited. This is one that's certainly going to be in question, given what Kingsbury's track record is and the fact that he was expected to be the offensive coordinator for USC, and all of a sudden he gets the job

with the Cardinals. Well, the thing I like about this is the Cardinals aren't just taking a retread and just settling on where they are. They're trying something new. I don't have a lot of confidence it's going to work. I think this is maybe one of those hires that has a decent chance that year one the nfl says what in the world is this guy doing and he actually does put together a pretty good offense long term i'm not sure that it'll work but it's like a young chip kelly yeah it's like a young chip kelly and

he has not had a lot of success but he took over a school that wasn't having a ton of success the thing about the mahomes thing that's weird to me is like it's not like he was so awesome with mahomes that mahomes was a clear-cut number one overall pick. He wasn't even the number one quarterback taken in that draft. Andy Reid turned Patrick Mahomes into this. So that doesn't get me too excited. And I don't think Josh Rosen's Patrick Mahomes. No.

So I'm not going to be overly excited. I am more intrigued by this move, though, just to see what different things he can do and hopefully show. I think the biggest winner for the Cardinals is probably David Johnson. I expect he's going to be creative in getting David Johnson involved. They did a lot of stuff running their running backs out as a wide receiver, and Johnson was very good when he was doing that a few years ago. He didn't do enough of that last year, so I think it's good for David Johnson. I think it comes down to which angle you're looking at it from. If you're looking at it from pure NFL, is he going to be a good coach for the Cardinals? Is he going to turn the Cardinals into a perennial playoff team?

The answer is no. We don't know that. I don't think he will. Probably, but you can't say that definitively. But as a play caller and someone who could put up a lot of yards and a lot of points and help a lot of fantasy owners, I think it's great. I think it's funny that you brought up Chip Kelly's name. I think this is the most,

I don't know if I want to say innovative play caller to come into the NFL from college since Chip Kelly, but he's, he's kind of a genius when it comes to putting together this air raid passing game. And I would imagine that he's going to stick to that a lot. He was a 60, 40 pass run ratio play caller.

He barely used tight ends. Didn't lean on the running backs, just like Heath said, so I think that's good for David Johnson. But he's got to be able to make sure that the fundamentals of that offense are good, and that means the offensive line has to be rebuilt. He's got to find – it seems he prefers small, fast receivers rather than big receivers. He did have big receivers his last year at Texas Tech. But I think he's very creative.

I think he will come up with all kinds of ways to stymie the defenses around him. And it makes me excited for David Johnson. I think he's going to be a hell of a second-round pick now. And I don't know if it's going to be Josh Rosen under center or if it's going to be Kyler Murray. But whoever it is, they're going to have a lot of 300- and 400-yard games. Could have some interceptions along the way, and hopefully he's protected well, too.

Oh, and Christian Kirk is obviously, like that's the one guy that you know in that passing game. Yes. He's going to be involved, and he's a great fit for what they do. Yep. And, again, we'll see if Larry Fitzgerald does decide to return. Maybe this hire excites him because of what the throwing will be there in Arizona now.

And so we'll see how that goes. David Johnson in our mock draft went in the second round with the 15th overall pick. The Bucs hire Bruce Arians, one of the retreads that you were talking about, Heath. His last stint was with the Cardinals when he was their head coach from 2013 to 2017. After that, he was a colleague of ours to a certain extent on CBS Sports, calling games on the network. I just went and looked at what he did, his most recent numbers. I threw out 2017 because of all the injuries, so basically just the 2016 season.

So the Cardinals were number nine in total yards that year, number six in total points. In 2015, he was number one in total yards, number two in total points, so we know about his offense. Just some guys that he's worked with recently, mostly with the Cardinals, Carson Palmer in 2016, passed for 4,233 yards, 26 touchdowns, 14 interceptions. David Johnson, that was his big season, 1,239 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and obviously a big factor in the passing game with 80 catches for 879 yards

and four touchdowns. Larry Fitzgerald had over 100 catches, 1,000 yards and six touchdowns. That was when you had your man crush on him, Heath, for that three-year period. Their second receiver that year was J.J. Nelson. So 2015, similar success with the passing game, 35 touchdowns, 11 receptions. For Palmer, the run game was kind of a mixed bag with Chris Johnson and David Johnson, and Fitzgerald was once again great. So you look at what he's inheriting.

Jameis Winston, who was part of one of the best passing attacks last season in tandem with Ryan Fitzpatrick. And then Mike Evans coming off a solid, kind of under the radar year for what Mike Evans put up, franchise record in receiving receptions and receiving yards. And then Deshaun Jackson expected to move on.

We'll see if Adam Humphries comes back as a free agent and Chris Godwin will be stepping into his third year. So what do we think about the passing game here for the Bucs now that Bruce Arians is the coach? This is the one hire that I definitively like, and it is a retread, but it's somebody that we know can put together a good offense. I think it's great for Jameis Winston.

It's great for Mike Evans. The thing that's really interesting to me with this one is he take a look at Ronald Jones and decide let's go try to offer with this one is he take a look at Ronald Jones and decide let's go try to offer Le'Veon Bell some money. Because Le'Veon Bell would be perfect in a Bruiserians offense. That's the one question mark I have is running back. I don't think Peyton Barber sticks around. Because I don't think Peyton Barber does the things Bruiserians wants a running back to do.

I don't like the hire. I love the hire. This is absolutely perfect. And I like the coaches that are coming along with them bulls to run the defense they're gonna have to change it to a three four that'll take some maneuvering um but i'm interested to see how byron left which does now that he's with his his mentor in bruce arians and left which is going to call the plates like you said i think that's great um there's so much talent on this team you mesh it with this new coaching staff

it should mean good things for Tampa Bay. The one concern, we'll talk about this when we get into the mock draft, would be Ronald Jones. Is he the guy? And then O.J. Howard, because the track record for Bruce Arians has not been to lean on tight ends. And he has one of the best, and as we saw last year was headed to our breakout season.

So he makes me a little bit nervous now with Arians calling plays there. But Jameis, as we know, Dave's pointed this out for years, likes to lean on his tight end. So hopefully that's a good thing still for OJ Howard. Maybe Cameron Brait, they probably regret that contract now knowing what this Well, they can still get out of it and get $7 million back on the cap this year

if they do let him go. He's a goner. Did either of you move up Jameis in your rankings? Since we are not doing rankings, I did not move him up at all yet. I okay he will he will i've got i've got a rough draft going and he moved up yeah top 12 but he moved up he'll be a top 12 quarterback for me because it again i just think you look at what bruce arian's track record has been with older quarterbacks most likely you know most notably uh palmer but he was great with andrew luck when he had him as the interim head coach there uh in indianapolis he did pretty well with Roethlisberger once upon a time.

Yeah, but I mean, just, you know, again, his most recent stop being with Palmer at the end of his career, that wasn't exactly the best situation in terms of what maybe Arians could do and hopefully what the best of Jameis is yet to come. So again, the Broncos, they make the only defensive hire. They buck the trend and go with Vic Fangio, the former Bears defensive coordinator. But the more significant thing for our purposes is they bring back Gary Kubiak as the offensive coordinator. We know Kubiak was the head coach in Denver from 2015 to 2016 before health problems became an issue for him.

Just some numbers for the Broncos when he was the head coach there. They were 16th in total yards and 19th in points per game in 2015. In 2016, they were 27th in total yards, in 2015 in 2016 they were 27th total yards 22nd in total points the 2016 season was the trevor simeon um paxton lynch year the 2015 season was the end of peyton manning but we know they won a super bowl that season so it was a good situation there for them uh his running backs that year were ronnie hillman and cj anderson he ended up with Devontae Booker, C.J. Anderson in the last year. And both receivers, Demarius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, had consecutive 1,000-yard seasons under Kubiak.

So that could be good for the young receivers there. So I think this is a situation where we have to see who the quarterback is because I don't expect Case Keenum to necessarily be guaranteed the job. He may be the de facto starter, the bridge quarterback, however you want to phrase it, but he's not guaranteed to be the guy there. I think it's great for Phillip Lindsey. Just given what Kubiak's track record has been with running games and then the Broncos receiving course.

How do you guys see this hire going for Denver? I like it. I don't have a problem with it. I think it's actually smart to give Fangio the job. Let Kubiak focus on the offense, Fangio focus on the defense. That defense could be real wild next year. They could be very, very good.

And like you said, Jamie, I don't know what's going to happen at quarterback, but however they go about it, the better that they replace Keenum, be it with a rookie or maybe they make a trade. Maybe they're a team that calls up Arizona and says, so what what are you going to do you're going to keep josh rosen are you going to use that pick on another quarterback and we'll take whichever one you don't want i don't know if you have to move up to one though to get a great quarterback yeah because i mean again if they stick there are a lot of teams at the top that don't need a quarter no i think the first one is either the giants the jaguars i forget how it's slaughterotted right now. You're right. So whatever Denver decides to do, I think they're going to try and go in a fresh direction at quarterback.

I think it'll be a young direction at quarterback. And I think Kubiak will probably just play it a little more conservatively, and that definitely does help Lindsey, Freeman, Booker if he's still there. That trio of running backs should get a decent amount of work. Yeah, I think Lindsey's – if I'm trying to be positive, Lindsey is a big winner. The Denver defense is a big winner. They'll be a good defense. They'll have a good running game. I'm terrified

of Cortland Sutton because I don't think they're probably getting a good rookie quarterback this year. I'm not sure there is a great rookie quarterback this year, and I don't think there's going to be an option available in free agency for them. So I think this is John Elway's last hire. I think he's probably gone in a couple of years,

and I don't know how long Fangio lasts either. But for the short period, it'll make Phillip Lindsey good. It'll make the defense good. Yeah, I think, and if it is Keenum, I mean, you know, Deshaun Hamilton will benefit because he's leaned on his slot receiver, whether it was, you know, the two guys in Minnesota as they alternated, you know, often between Stephon Diggs and Adam Thielen, and then what we saw with Sanders at the start of the year, and what we saw with Hamilton at the end of the season. That's just kind of what Case Keenum

does. So if there is one you want to target, I think Hamilton's mostly in PPR will be the biggest benefactor there. But we'll see. I don't love this hire. It just feels like they're reaching. Fangio is 60 years old. No head coaching experience prior to this in the NFL. The defense, again, should be fine. just feels like they're reaching. Fangio is 60 years old.

No head coaching experience prior to this in the NFL. The defense, again, should be fine. Is Kubiak's system going to work with the talent that he has? It's a different thing when you're handed Peyton Manning. However his limitations may be as a passer, his mind is certainly, as we saw, was capable of winning a Super Bowl. But there's no talent at the receiver position that jumps off the page and running the ball as your primary option isn't exactly going to fly when you're facing Patrick Mahomes and Phillip Rivers

and those offenses that they're going to be facing in the AFC. So you'd say that they're probably relying on defense and run game to get them 8, 9, 10 wins, hopefully make the playoffs, then see what happens. They don't have that quarterback. Not yet. I mean, that's going to be the biggest thing in how this offense looks. It is an old-school approach.

It's a full 180 from hiring Cliff Kingsbury. But it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a terrible approach. You just have to wait and see what moves they make. No, it's by far not a terrible approach. I don't see how they compete for the division title next year. That's a 6-10 team. Or maybe the next several years. I mean, it just depends.

Well, and then if it's the next several years, then it's kind of like, what are you doing? The problem is, do they solve the quarterback position? Because if it's Keenum, you know he's going to try and do that. Well, every team's trying to do that. But he's failed over and over. I know, which is why this is the last shot to do it. It's why I think that they will make up.

He's already drafted a first-round guy that failed in Paxton Lynch. Right. So I think this is – He's brought in a free agent guy that's failed, at least so far, in Case Keenum. And Keenum stepped into a situation where two very good veteran receivers, now he's got to make this receiving core better. I just don't see it working out for these particular guys in terms of Elway, Fangio, and Kubiak. It just feels as if it's destined to fail,

unless, of course, they solve that quarterback spot and they find the young guy that they could say, okay, we're giving this a three-year run, and if by the end of those three years they're competitive. But at that point, the defense is probably going to need an overhaul as well, which they're in the process of doing. So we'll see. I don't really love the setup, and it's not necessarily by what they're doing.

It's just, I I think the nature of where this franchise is. And Elway, in my opinion from an outside view, still feels like they are in win-now mode, which I don't think is the case based on how the Broncos personnel is. They should be in win-2020 mode, though. Or tank in 2020 mode and try and get either Tua or

Lawrence the following season. Well, that's to get them in 2020. Right. So we'll see. 2019 is not where they're trying to win. No, but it still feels like that's what they're trying to do at least the way i approach it but in any event i i don't love the setup for the broncos next season the browns i i kind of like the move to keep freddie kitchens at least on a short-term situation because we saw some progress he went five and three once he took over as the or helped the browns go five and three once he took over as the offense coordinator under greg will Under Greg Williams, Williams has since been let go by the Browns when he was their interim head coach and defense coordinator.

So for the final eight games of the season, we saw Baker Mayfield go from completing 58.3% of his passes, eight touchdowns, six interceptions, and 20 sacks. He finished under Kitchens, completing 68.4% of his passes, 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and only five sacks. He had five games with at least 21 fantasy points in those eight games. So Mayfield played well. Nick Chubb under Kitchens, 150 carries, 678 yards and five touchdowns,

and 18 catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns. He had at least 13 PPR points in six of those eight games. Landry, he kind of was what he was he if you kind of harped on this a lot that didn't exactly help him tremendously uh 32 catches 448 yards and two touchdowns on 54 targets he had four games with at least 11 PPR points and David Njoku 25 catches 342 yards and two touchdowns on 37 targets he had two games with more than nine PPR points over that span so we'll see what the receiving core looks like. But in terms of the quarterback, in terms of the running back, everything was great when he threw the kitchen sink at us or however.

A lot of puns with his name. Love this for Mayfield. Love it for Chubb. Like it for Najoku. It's fine. Hate this for Jarvis Landry. And Graham Barfield had tweeted this out yesterday. With Todd Haley as the offensive coordinator, Jarvis Landry in eight weeks

saw 11.8 targets per game and double-digit targets in seven of eight games. With Freddie Kitchens in the last eight weeks of the season, he averaged 6.8 targets per game. With Jarvis Landry's career and efficiency, and it didn't get better last year really, especially in the second half, 6.8 targets per game makes him a number four wide receiver. You're just hoping he has a couple of weeks where he's a number two. I am going to be way down on Jarvis Landry.

The one thing that I would like to see them do, and it's not going to be easy because there's not a lot of big names on the market, but sign an outside guy. Move Landry back inside. He's not an outside receiver. Yeah. Or draft one. But, again, I think that's going to take some time to develop.

There's not exactly a standout premier wide receiver that's walking in and I think all of a sudden commanding double teams or commanding attention. I just think that Landry's better suited in this slot. Not that he had a commanding outside guy with the Dolphins, but they were just a little bit better in using him in that regard. So, yes, his fantasy value is a little bit concerning. Njoku, I think just by nature of what his talent is and the role that he plays in this offense will be drafted as a number one tight end.

But, yeah, Nick Chubb, Heath, you'll see. I know I asked you to look at the results, but he fell to the third round somehow in this draft. That's amazing. Which was kind of one of the biggest overlooks. And I'll say this again. We did the draft. I'll go through this. I'll wait until we get there, but how he went about doing the draft.

But in any event, yeah, Chubb fell to the third round. Mayfield, change your mind on him. Or you guys have him ranked? I have him as number one. I think I was the highest one on him. I've got him 12th. Yeah, he's ninth for me. I think you had him outside your top 12.

I had him like 15 or 16. He might move up just a little bit because of the continuity, but I don't think he'll get into my top 12. I still think I'd rather have Jameis Winston. It's a good decision by the Browns, though. They're keeping their continuity together. It's going to work out. Yeah, at least for their offense.

I had this conversation. I don't know about the whole team. I had this conversation with Pete Prisco Drink several times once this was unfolding that if they couldn't get one of the big names that they were after, give this a short-term situation, see how it goes. I thought it would actually be Greg Williams, just keep everything in place. But I like the idea of giving Freddie Kitchens the opportunity just to see if he can get this thing moving in the way that it was moving

toward the end of the year again, 5-3 over their last eight games. The Jets stay in the division. They hire Adam Gase, the former Dolphins coach. We know what this Dolphins offense has been. The numbers are pretty putrid. When you look over the last few seasons for Miami, they're coming off a year where they were 31st in total yards and 26th in total points last season. They've never been above 24th in total yards.

They were 17th in points per game in 2016, his first season, but that's when Ryan Tannehill was healthy for the majority of the season. Tannehill in 24 games with Adam Gase, he hit 20 fantasy points 10 times. That math is terrible. He's had some success with his running backs. Jay Ajayi was great in 2016 after finally getting the opportunity, had 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns. kenyan drake the final five games last year we know he was was very good to close the season uh in those final five games 91 carries 444 yards and two touchdowns and 150

receiving yards and then last year the running game was good as a whole but we know he had a hard time committing to one guy uh the duo of frank Gore and Drake combined for 276 carries, 1,257 yards, and four touchdowns, 65 catches, 601 yards, and six touchdowns. So over 1,800 total yards and 10 touchdowns from the running backs. But it would have been nice if it was one guy. And then we know his best receiver was Jarvis Landry the first two years at least. Landry did not play with him last year. Had over 90 catches each of the two seasons, over 900 yards each of the two seasons, and 13 total touchdowns over those two years.

So you look at Sam Darnold, who he's inheriting and played very well to close the season. We don't really know what the running backs are going to look like. This is a potential Le'Veon Belt landing spot. And then Robbie Anderson and Quincy Inunua, they just signed Quincy Inunua to a contract extension. Robbie Anderson will be there as well, along with Chris Herndon. So how do we view this offense now that Adam Gase is the coach? Yeah, I couldn't even do that sound right because that's how much I dislike it. My favorite Jet from fantasy perspective is Robbie Anderson, and I think this is terrible for him.

I expect a lot more short area. I think it's better for Quincy Anunua probably. You're going to see more short area targets. I just hope that Darnold made a connection in the second half with Anderson, and maybe he'll still look his way more often. I wonder who the first very talented player that's going to upset Gase and get traded for a third-round pick is. I don't think this is going to work at all. The Jets weren't that exciting in the first place.

I think it's probably bad for Darnold because it's a change in systems in his second year, and I would expect a change in systems in his fourth or fifth year. No love for Chris Herndon? Now that Adam Gase, the tight end fanatic? I think it's still, for me, it's still kind of status quo. I'm curious why you're down on Anderson because T tannahill when he started to play well in 2016 was he was connecting with with stills and you know he's had some moments with parker obviously it hasn't been consistent but right i mean it's not like he's had a lot to work with the only reliable fantasy wide receiver they've had though is

landry like stills had good games he had a good three or four week stretch parker had a good two or three week stretch but the only guy they've ever had that was reliable was the underneath guy. Sure, but that also speaks to Tannehill too. I mean, it's not necessarily just an indication of Gase who, when he had Cutler healthy, still playing in Chicago

the one season. Was Cutler good though that year? It was Cutler's best season. Play that out as you will. I'm totally with you. It's not like Cutler was great.. I mean, you know, play that out as you will. I'm totally with you. It's not like Cutler was great, but, you know, he got the most out of Jay Cutler. He got a lot out of Peyton Manning. Obviously, you know, you could say that was Manning,

which is clearly a fair argument, but we'll see. I mean, it's not like, you know, Jeremy Bates was the end-all, be-all play callers, and Sam Donald finally started to play well and started to connect with Robbie Anderson. So I think to your point, you know, did the rapport that they established at the end of the season, will that carry over no matter what Gase tries to do to suppress it?

I wish it had been Todd Monken. Oh, for sure. Robbie Anderson would have been an absolute stud. Absolutely, yeah. Let's see how Gase does, but I'm with you. I don't think this is going to be something that's long-term. I don't see Gase meshing well with the New York media based on what he was down here in Miami. You seem to be a little more encouraged by it. I don't see Gase meshing well with the New York media based on what he was down here in Miami. You seem to be a little more encouraged by it.

I don't hate it. I like the idea of Gase working with Darnold. I think that this is like a far more promising quarterback that Gase gets compared to Tannehill, who he inherited and then stuck with in Miami. And then just he had to get by these last couple of years with Tannehill beat up. Shouldn't he have made Tannehill better, though? Well, Tannehill was hurt and couldn't do anything two seasons ago. He was starting to make progress in 2016,

and then he started to make progress in 2018 before the shoulder injury, and then he closed the year being what it was. I think a lot of things that kind of stand out for Gase in negative is he thought he can bring Jay Cutler off the street and make him viable, and that didn't happen. Now, he did get some. I don't think he had much of a choice. I think there were playoff expectations.

He could have stuck with Matt Moore. He could have easily gone that route, who got them into the playoffs at the end of the 2016 season. He did get some good moments out of Brock Osweiler. They somehow beat the Bears this year. Yeah. So that was something. It's pretty ridiculous.

And, you know, again, is Ryan Tannehill really a legit NFL starter? Whereas Darnold has at least, you know, they're both first-round picks, but Darnold being a top-three overall pick, the pedigree is clearly a little bit there for a guy that wasn't a converted wide receiver. So we'll see. I mean, look, this is a lot on Gase. It's a lot on the Jets, you know, expecting him to come in and continue to be what he was prior to Miami as a quarterback guru.

All these guys that are being hired, this was Gase prior to the Miami job. You know, he was the next young hot offensive line, and so we'll see. But again, I think this is going to be a situation where do they spend the money on Le'Veon Bell? It's one of the rumored destinations prior to the Gase hiring. Will that work out well based on his relationship with Jay Ajayi? Who knows? So we'll see. It's one, I think, that you take a wait-and-see approach.

If they don't get Bell, Elijah McGuire and Isaiah Crowell will most likely be the running back tandem, buy into that if you will. And Robbie Anderson, hopefully, like you said, Heath, what he showed us last year at the end of the season, along with Quincy Nuno being the slot guy, Anderson, I think, is still going to be a mid-round pick, Nuno a good late-round pick, and Herndon will be at the back end of the number one tight end. So the offense coordinator scenarios that we saw, Dirk Cutter was the offense coordinator in Atlanta from 2012 to 2014, now back in that job after being let go by Tampa Bay. Matt Ryan in the three years with Dirk Cutter, 4,642.7 yards per game, 28.7 touchdowns per

game, and 15 interceptions over those three years. Julio Jones, just looking at the two guys that have played with him, 91.5 catches, 1,395 yards, and eight touchdowns in the two full seasons he played with Cutter. He only played five games in 2013 because of that first initial foot injury. But Cutter is the only offensive coordinator to get a double-digit touchdown season out of Julio Jones, and that was in 2012.

I don't think it's fair to judge his run game with atlanta because he had the end of michael turner and then two years of stephen jackson and we know how that kind of was too old plotting running backs but he did get 10 touchdowns out of michael turner in 2012 so we talk a lot about matt ryan and the continuity with him with offense coordinators does this apply having someone that he's worked with previously i don't think it hurts at all i don't think dirt cutter comes comes in and Matt Ryan forgets about him or what his demands are and where he goes with the football. I think Ryan will actually like it, and I think it will work out for fantasy.

So it absolutely keeps Matt Ryan in the top ten quarterback conversation. Yeah, I think this is a positive for Ryan. It's a positive for Julio. I'm not too worried about the run game. I expect the Falcons' offense to be just about as good as they've been the last three or four years. Yeah. And hopefully, you know, for the run game, Devante Freeman is healthy, can get over the concussions and the knee injuries that have plagued him the last couple of seasons. We'll see if they do bring back Tevin Coleman. I would like to see Coleman go someplace else based on our conversation on Monday about where I drafted him

in the sixth round. And Ido Smith is somebody we'll talk about when we get to our mock draft review for this for the Vikings. So we know that they moved on from John DiFilippo, John DiFilippo after week 14 when they lost to Seattle. So for the final three games of the regular season, we got to see what Kevin Stefanski's offense looked like on an interim basis. Now he's the full time guy. So we'll see what he does, you know does implement over the course of an offseason.

But it wasn't so good for two players in particular, Kirk Cousins and Adam Thielen. They struggled under Stefanski. Cousins averaged 19 fantasy points in those three games, but only one game over 20 fantasy points. He had 28 points against Detroit in Week 16. For Dalvin Cook, it was great. He averaged 16.7 PPR points in the three games with the coordinator change,

two of them over 13 PPR points. We know about the monster game against Miami in week 15. And then Thielen, three points, 13 points, six points. So it comes out to 7.3 PPR points. It was ugly for him. He did have five catches for 80 yards against the Lions in week 16. And then Stefan Diggs scored in each of the three games for Stefanski. He averaged 13.7 PPR points with the Monster game against Chicago in Week 17. So do we like this for Kirk Cousins? Do we like this for the passing game? Obviously, it's great for Dalvin Cook. It's obviously great for Dalvin Cook,

and I'm sure that's the message that will be renewed several times during the offseason, that Kevin Stefanski did a good job of getting the run game going, and he's going to keep it going and try and bring a balanced approach to this offense. It crushed Thielen. He had 12 targets in those last three games. No touchdowns. 80 yards was the highest he got.

80 yards was the high, yes. On five catches. Are we done with him as a number one receiver? I don't think you should draft him as a number one receiver. But still a number two. Sure, but not in a Diggs is going to go ahead of him. I don't know about the Diggs going ahead of him part yet. I think Thielen was banged up at the end of the year.

I think it hurts Cousins, it hurts Thielen, and it hurts Diggs because there just won't be as many pass attempts. The best thing that Stefanski did at the end of the year was do what Mike Zimmer wanted him to. They want to be an old-school team, play good defense, and run the football. And so it's going to be less targets for both those receivers. I still expect on a week-to-week basis it's going to be hard to predict which one's better.

But at the end of the year, they're both going to be somewhere between 14 and 20. Okay, so I guess the big question about Thielen would be the monster season that he started off with having and how he tailed off. Is he just in between there? Is he closer to the guy at the beginning of the season? I would say he's in between. I mean, I don't think he's going to be as bad as he was to close the season. No, no.

But we do know that there was some chemistry issues with Kirk Cousins. They did not get along well in that week 17 performance against the Bears, arguing on the sidelines. There were some reports that Phelan was actually arguing to or fighting for DiFilippo to keep the job. Maybe he's not happy with the way the system is going there for him. So, yeah, it's something that I think you have to monitor. And I'm going to guess, I'll speak for myself,

Kirk Cousins is not even going to be top 15 quarterback for me. Is he in the top 15 for either of you? No, he won't be now. Okay, so. I mean, he was getting over 40 attempts per game pretty regularly with DiFilippo calling the shots. And the defense was – He maxed out at 33 in those last three games.

The defense, for what it's worth, one guy in particular, when Everson Griffin was there, when he wasn't there, their defense was not dramatically different, but different. And that's when he was – they were sometimes chasing points and sometimes not exactly playing the way that you said, like Mike Zimmer wanted to play. So this is one team I think we'll look at going into the offseason, but it does help Dalvin Cook tremendously.

I think it keeps him well within the number one running back conversation and another guy who, for whatever reason, slipped in this draft and fell to the third round. We'll get to that in just a minute. But if you want to see any of these new coaches in 2019, or maybe you want to see a basketball or a baseball game before that, well, let me tell you about SeatGeek. We love SeatGeek. I just used SeatGeek a few weeks ago and it was so easy and it saved me money. By the way, if you want to take $10 off your first SeatGeek purchase, just download the app and use the code FFT. That's code FFT for $10 off your first purchase. Like I told you, I saw Hamilton using SeatGeek a few weeks ago.

I took my kids to see a Gator basketball game a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed the experience with SeatGeek, so I appreciate them helping me and helping me save money. SeatGeek searches multiple ticket sites, grades every ticket based on value, saves you time, and saves you money. And every purchase is fully guaranteed. Remember, you can save $10. Just download the SeatGeek app and enter the promo code FFT. That's promo code FFT for $10 off your first SeatGeek purchase. SeatGeek, life's an event. We have the tickets. So Keith, you missed out on this mock draft. I was sad about that because I always love when you're in our mock drafts, and you'll be in the one that we're doing today.

This one that we're going to finish reviewing was a PPR mock draft. We'll be doing the non-PPR version this afternoon, so we'll talk about that at some point maybe over the next couple weeks. Just to review, I'm going to go through this quickly, the first six rounds, so you have that if you missed our Monday show. It started with round one, Todd Gurley, Saquon Barkley, Ezekiel Elliott, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, DeAndre Hopkins, Devante Adams, Melvin Gordon, Le'Veon Bell, Michael Thomas, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones.

I mentioned this a few times, Heath, so I'll stop for a second. You are very much in the camp of juju over Antonio Brown. I know not by much. I am. Given what's happening with Brown over the last few weeks, I think I've teased this that I'll give you the chance to sort of defend this. I've taken your stance a little bit on both sides of it, but why Juju over Antonio?

I was in the Juju over Antonio Brown before the drama started, but I just think they're going two different directions. Antonio Brown had a great phenomenal year last year. It was largely because he scored so many touchdowns. Juju was better in terms of on a per-target, per-catch basis, and he actually caught more passes and had more yards. So I would just rather have Juju Smith-Schuster, the young, ascending wide receiver, than Antonio Brown, especially if Brown's going to end up on a different team.

Right. I mean, that'll change dramatically. Dave has Brown number one, and he said this ad nauseum, that he'll change Brown if, in fact, he does go to a different team, depending on where he goes. Yeah, I'm still torn on this whole thing with Antonio Brown. I want to see how it does shake out, but I'm starting to lean a little bit in your direction. Round two, James Conner, Patrick Mahomes, David Johnson, Odell Beckham,

Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelsey, Adam Thielen, Amari Cooper, Jujus Mischuster, Mike Evans, Zach Ertz, T.Y. Hilton, Patrick Mahomes in round two. Agree? Disagree? If Patrick Mahomes does what he did this year, he's a first-round pick. But I don't think it's very likely he repeats this year. I'm not taking him until the start

of round three. What percentage regression do you give him? Assuming 16 days. 10%, 20%, 30%? I think he probably loses right around 20% of his touchdowns. Which puts him at 40, which is still pretty good. Maybe 25% of his touchdowns. And he's going to lose a little bit of yardage.

I think he's probably... You just look at the ratios, and they're so out of whack with what anyone does over a full season. He had like a 9% touchdown rate. And so he could seriously lose 40% of his touchdowns and it not be that big of a surprise. Yep. And we'll see how that goes.

Hopefully he finishes, I'm sure from your perspective, finishes the playoffs strong as well. Round three, Joe Mixon, Keenan Allen, Stephon Diggs, Nick Chubb, Derek Henry, Dalvin Cook, Phillip Lindsey, George Kittle, AJ Green, Brandon Cooks, Chris Carson, Kerryon Johnson. Round four, Aaron Jones, Sonny Michelle, Tariq Cohen, Kenny Galladay, Robert Woods, Julian Edelman, Tyler Boyd, Leonard

Fournette, Jarvis Landry, Marlon Mack, Cortland Sutton, and Jarek McKinnon. Round five, Robbie Anderson, Eric Ebron, James White, Doug Baldwin, Aaron Rodgers, Gus Edwards, Darius Geis, Kenyon Drake, Mark Ingram, Lamar Miller, Jordan Howard, and Andrew Luck. In round six, Cooper Cupp, Tyler Lockett, Calvin Ridley, Damian Williams, Chris Godwin, Tevin Coleman, DJ Moore, Mike Williams, Devante Freeman,

Evan Ingram, Dante Pettis, and Hunter Henry. And that's where we left off. If you want to get a full breakdown of those first six rounds, go listen to our previous podcast from January 7th. We went through very much in detail the first six rounds and all of those picks and a lot of different discussions. It was, I think, very good. I know Dave agrees on how we broke down those first six rounds. So let's get into round seven. And the first pick of round seven was definitely very interesting. This is a PPR draft. And I just,

this is what I wanted to repeat. I think some people may misconstrue what I said. We did this draft in a, basically an open draft room from 20, the start of the 2018 season. So it was kind of all over the place, no rankings whatsoever and not my rankings. No one's looking off of any particular ranking list,

not Dave's ranking, not Heath rankings. There was no rankings whatsoever. So people were just kind of picking, looking at old stats from last year, kind of their thoughts. It was very much a, I think, draft by memory, almost, essentially. So that's kind of why some of the picks fell where they did with Dalvin Cook and Nick Chubb falling around three. Some people just did not remember those particular players. I wish I had more picks in the first two rounds because I'm sure Dave does as well. We probably would have tried to snap up those guys. That's why auctions tend to be a little bit more fun. But in any event, that's

kind of why some of the picks fell where they did. So let's get into round seven. So Kareem Hunt was the first pick in round seven, followed by LaShawn McCoy, Marvin Jones, Deshaun Watson, Will Fuller, Rob Gronkowski, Corey Davis, Alan Robinson, Ronald Jones, Matt Breida, OJ Howard, and Alshon Jeffrey. So Hunt kicks off the first pick in round seven. How do we feel about that? Is that too soon given the circumstances? Maybe he fell a little bit in this draft. Heath, what's your thoughts on where Kareem Hunt may or may not be playing next season?

That was the worst pick of the offseason. Not just this draft, the entire offseason, we will not have another pick worse than that. I don't think there's a very good chance that he's worth anything at all next year. If he was on a team right now and we were just waiting to see whether he was suspended for six or eight or longer, then maybe you'd consider taking him

at the end of the 10th round. But as it is right now, there's no chance I'd draft him. He was on my radar, but not in round seven or eight or nine. He's a late pick, just so we know more about his situation. LaShawn McCoy goes with the next pick. He's going to be 31 next season. Reports are he's going to return to Buffalo.

If that's the case, is this the right spot for him? I assume that somebody saw Kareem Hunt go and think, well, it's time for LaShawn McCoy. Let me follow up a bad pick with a worse one. I don't think it's a worse one. I know. But, yeah, I wouldn't take him that early. Back-to-back bad picks.

Yeah, again, you know, he did not play well with the changes in Buffalo that happened. New quarterback, new offensive line, getting older. Everything that we kind of said about him last preseason kind of came to fruition. So felt a little bit too soon for McCoy here. But Daveyy noted this with the last draft that running back kind of dried up quickly and we'll see where mccoy ends up going maybe if he even stays in buffalo that's still a potential they can maybe move on from him from their end of things he would like to return to buffalo at

least according to the report so the wide receivers that came off in this round you had will fuller who's coming off the acl injury go with the fifth pick in this round. And then Corey Davis went ahead of, and I took Corey Davis, went ahead of Allen Robinson and Alshon Jeffrey. Now Robinson's coming off his second best game of the season, a dominant playoff performance against Philadelphia. And Alshon Jeffrey has played much better

with Nick Foles of late than he did with Carson Wentz earlier this season. So your thoughts on the wide receivers here, Fuller, Davis, Robinson, Jeffrey? I think there's going to be potential for Davis, Jeffrey, and Fuller to be in this round, if not slightly higher, by the time we get to drafting for real. Not Robinson.

Seven months from now. I think Allen Robinson's going to be stuck right in this space, round seven-ish. I think there was too much inconsistency. I think concerns about Trubisky will keep him limited. But I'm sorry, I just want to stop you just based on what you said there. Too much inconsistency, but why not the same for Davis, who didn't even play as well as Robinson did.

And on top of that, we don't know who his offensive coordinator is going to be. I think people will still buy into Davis as a top five overall draft pick and his potential to be a dominator. I think he won't be higher than round six, but I think in a PPR league, it could be about where he goes. Yeah, I could see him in round six. I'm a little bit worried about Fuller just because it's not like this. ACL was his first injury.

He's had injuries every year, and he's going to be the number two behind DeAndre Hopkins, and he's not going to keep up the touchdown rate that he's had injuries every year, and he's going to be the number two behind Andre Hopkins, and he's not going to keep up the touchdown rate that he's had over the past couple of years in limited sample size. So I'm a little worried about Fuller over Robinson and Jeffrey. But he's a great flex to have when he is out there. Because he can win you. There are going to be weeks where he's a top five fantasy receiver.

As we saw last year when he came back, I think from a shoulder injury, he was playing very well, and then he suffered the torn acl rob gronkowski goes in this round foster round seven just amazing to see it probably going to be the case uh the sixth tight end off the board behind travis kelsey zach gertz george kittle eric ebron and evan ingram and i say that could should be the case or will be the case that's assuming he plays next year so is this the right spot for gronk I don't think this is a bad pick now. I would be surprised. I don't necessarily think Gronk's going to play next year.

But if he does, this is where he'll be, maybe a smidge higher? I don't think so. Because you'll get the sound bite of him saying, I would have taken him over Evan Ingram if I was reaching for a tight end, and Ingram went in round six. So that's why I'll have it ranked. I don't really love Evan Ingram, but I think he's definitely behind Kelsey, Ertz, Kittle, and Ebron.

And you can make a case for O.J. Howard, who went after him. Again, we'll see how Howard sort of incorporates into this Bruce Arians offense. Ronald Jones also went in this round. These are two guys that can sort of fluctuate. That's a pick I don't get. The Ronald Jones pick? Yeah, I think it was too soon. At the time, but now it may be great.

Or it could be too soon. Of course. But, again, if he's the guy for Bruce Arians, as we've seen with Bruce Arians running backs. Yeah, that's the worst part about doing this. It's just hard to remember. Of course. December and January.

Because if he's the guy, then this is way too late. Right. Let's move on now to round eight. And Dave was the one that took Alshon Jeffrey. He starts off round eight with Anthony Miller, followed by Mike Davis, Sterling Shepard, David Njoku, Austin Eckler. I took Rashad Penny, Peyton Barber, Christian Kirk, Jay Ajayi, Sammy Watkins. And we close the round with Zay Jones and Robert Foster, back-to-back picks.

So, Dave, we sort of talked about this, and Alan Robinson, are you still of the belief that Anthony Miller can be the best Bears receiver next season? Yep. I still think he can be that guy. Now, there's going to be inconsistency issues with him, too, but I'm getting him a half round later when there aren't a lot of other receivers. I'll tell you what, if I was making this pick again right now, this would be Christian Kirk and not Anthony Miller.

Sure, and Kirk's value will rise with the the coaching change with kingsbury coming on board uh heath i took penny uh with the sixth pick in this round do you see a situation next year where chris carson holds on to the job for 16 games assuming he stays healthy because he was fantastic to close the season but we know the investment that they made in penny i kind of took him with the idea of okay let's just see what happens. I think he's the fourth running back that I drafted. Yeah, I think there is a chance that Penny takes that job, but I would not bet on it. I would bet

on Carson keeping it as long as he's healthy. More of a shared scenario this year than we saw last year? Probably. Because we saw when Penny suffered that injury toward the end of the season, he was starting to pick up some momentum. Right. Oh, I think so, yeah. Carson was phenomenal in the season, he was starting to pick up some momentum. Right. Oh, I think so, yeah. Carson was phenomenal in the playoffs, and Carson still runs a lot more aggressively than Rashad Penny does.

Yeah, but Penny does some things I think that Carson will never be able to do. They're both going to get a decent amount of work, but Carson for now is going to be the main back. Sure. I wouldn't be surprised if we get to the middle of the season next year and there's a switcheroo. A switcheroo, yeah. All the more reason why Penny is going to be one of those great—we're taking him in round eight in a PPR draft. Yes.

Let's see where he goes in a non-PPR. We'll find out today. I think he's going to be right in that—right around 75th overall, maybe a little bit earlier than that. The two Bills guys, again, they close the round. I would like to see them add another receiver to the mix, but let's just say that they don't, and it's Jones and Foster as the top two guys. Is this a good spot for these two receivers? Absolutely.

I'd probably wait a little longer. Not me. I would take a chance on getting one of these guys and having them to be quality bench receivers, maybe wide receiver threes on my team. I think Buffalo's offense takes a step forward. Yeah, I think that's probably the difference.

I just don't necessarily think they're going to take a step forward. You know, they played well toward the end of the season. Jones scored two touchdowns in each of the two games against Miami, which came after Week 13. Foster, we saw, have some good moments throughout the course of the final eight games of the year. Foster is a little bit more of a boom or bust type of receiver. Jones, when he's played in the slot, has been very good.

We'll see what they do there. They used Isaiah McKenzie in the slot as well. So we'll see what Buffalo does. I'm okay with these guys in this spot in PPR just based on what the receivers that were available. But, you know, you're kind of hoping with these two guys. I don't know if any of them are going to be starting fantasy caliber receivers. They're more what we said about Will Fuller.

There will be times where you can use them, times where you want to avoid them. Round nine starts with TJ Yeldon, who is expected to be a free agent, Elijah McGuire, Deion Lewis, Emmanuel Sanders, Deontay Foreman, Drew Brees, Royce Freeman to me, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Duke Johnson, Chris Herndon, Jalen Samuels, and Dave closes the round with Ido Smith. I took Freeman as a handcuff to Phillip Lindsay, so just locking up that backfield. You took a chance on Ido Smith,

who could end up being maybe the starter in Atlanta, depending on the health of Freeman, but most likely the number two guy. When you look at the running backs in this round, Smith being one of them, TJ Yeldon, who's going to be a free agent. McGuire could be the starter for the Jets as he closed the season. And then Deontay Foreman,

who finally came back from the Achilles injury but didn't make much of an impact to close the year. Which of these guys excites you the most? I think I'd go with Ido Smith and Elijah McGuire. I'm concerned that Deontay Foreman is just not ever going to be what he was two years ago. And I still expect, like, if Yeldon gets a feature job, then that would be a huge difference maker.

I kind of feel like he's going to go into a third down roll somewhere. I think that's exactly what he'll be pegged for now that he's going to hit free agency. I don't see him being a featured guy. You know, I'll have a chance. We know that there should be some addition by subtraction in that backfield in Atlanta, whether they re-sign Tevin and cut Freeman or keep Freeman and let Coleman walk. So he'll move up the depth chart a little bit. whether they re-sign Tevin and cut Freeman or keep Freeman and let Coleman walk. So he'll move up the depth chart a little bit.

I think he's an excellent round nine pick. Yeah, for sure. He's got upside. I wonder what they'll do with Brian Hill, too. They've got a chance to at least see a little bit toward the end of the season. They can just keep him as third guy. Sure. I don't see a scenario where Tevin Coleman returns.

I think it's Freeman, Smith, Hill. The only way that Tevin comes back is if they let Freeman go. Yep. Round 10, we finally get to a lot of the quarterbacks here, and we're going to stop the wrap-up at round 10. I'll read through the last two rounds after that, but I want to get to some of your emails and talk about the divisional round with some DFS plays. But round 10 starts.

Dave takes Kenneth Dixon, Golden Tateate matt ryan jamal williams jared goff i took adam humphries trey burton michael gallup josh adams russell wilson and jimmy garoppolo so the quarterbacks that come off the board here are ryan goff wilson and garoppolo these are quarterbacks six seven eight and nine behind the first five who are patrick mahomes aaron rogers andrew luck deshaun watson Brees. Is this the spot you guys think you're going to start looking at quarterbacks? Too soon? Maybe too late? It's not too soon.

And this is one of the reasons, though, I'm not taking Patrick Mahomes in the first or second round, because you can get top five quarterbacks in the 10th round. I'm not going to commit to that. I still might take Patrick Mahomes in late round two. And I did take Andrew Luck. I believe it was round five when I got Andrew Luck, and he's my number two quarterback. I like that value.

But you also said at the time when you were going through it. I did have a little bit of buyer's remorse because you see Ryan and Goff and Russell Wilson. I'm not going to be big on Garoppolo, but those three going in round 10, amazing value. Hard to say that it's not. I think you have to really love your quarterback choice to take him where you take him in those first five, six, even seven runs. You've got to be in love with the guy.

Sure. And I am with Andrew Luck. We're a team. And, again, it also comes down to there's still three owners that did not draft a quarterback, myself being one. So we'll see 10, 11, and 12. I'm just going to read through rounds 11 and round 12 before we start getting into a lot of the defenses and kickers. But round 11 was Mohamed Sanu, Isaiah Crowell, Jeronimo Allison. If something stands out to you, you know, stop me.

But Jeronimo Allison, Kiki QT, Jack Doyle, D.D. Westbrook, Adrian Peterson, Naheem Hines, Marquise Lee, Antonio Callaway, Ian Thomas, and Delaney Walker. I like the Ian Thomas pick a lot. We don't know about Greg Olson, but I like him a lot. I was hoping to get him or Jack Doyle. And then round 12, the Bears DST, C.J. Anderson, Ben Roethlisberger, Chargers DST, Marquise Goodwin, James Washington, Ravens DST, Jordan Wilkins, Jared Cook, Baker Mayfield, Jameis Winston, and Phillip Rivers.

At this point through round 12, for my team, I did not have a quarterback yet. I took Cam Newton. I believe it was in round 13. He was my last top 12 guy that I took, and hopefully his shoulder is okay. So we'll see how that goes. So I just want to get Heath's take on any teams that you looked at, that you saw, that you liked before I go over Dave's and in mind yeah i liked uh i thought rj had a good team uh there was he made one pick i think everybody had one pick where i was like oof uh the only one i didn't

like on rj's team was jarvis landry i think you took him in the fourth round and even on a ppr that you get with six targets per week that's not not gonna be good in ppr and then i like my own steam a lot quite a bit as well all right so let mePR. And then I like Maroon's team a lot, quite a bit as well. All right, so let me read RJ's team and Maroon's team. So RJ, like you said, he had, I don't know the rounds that he took, and we can assume, but he started with his first three picks were amazing. Christian McCaffrey, round one. Juju Smith-Schuster, round two.

Nick Chubb, round three. So, I mean, home run, home run, home run. You can build the rest of your team in free against. Yeah. Deshaun Watson's his quarterback. Chubby McCaffrey, his running backs. Landry and Smith-Schuster, his receivers. Jared Cook, his tight end. Doug Baldwin is his flex option. His bench players are Josh Adams, Jay Ajayi, Kalen Balazs, Devante Freeman, Kiki QT, and Emmanuel Sanders.

So, yeah, strong starters. We'll see about the bench, but a lot to like there. Marone's team is Marone Berkson is one of our producers, RJ White's one of our NFL editors. Marone has Russell Wilson at quarterback, Zeke and Marlon Mack at running backs, Stephon Diggs and Mike Evans at receiver, Evan Ingram at tight end, James White at the flex, the Broncos DST, and Steven Gostkowski. He's got Baker Mayfield, Deion Lewis, Geronimo Allison, Marvin Jones,

Sammy Watkins, and Albert Wilson. So not a lot of running back depth there, but clearly a great starting lineup. Dave, why don't you tell us your team from quarterback now? I got Andrew Luck, a quarterback. My running backs are James Conner, Kerryon Johnson, and Aaron Jones. Jones will also work in my flex. My receivers are Julio Jones and Cooper Cup, Delaney Walker, tight end, Bears defense. And then my bench has Alshon Jeffrey Anthony Miller

Those are my receivers on the bench Running backs on the bench Edo, Kenneth Dixon, I got Chase Edmonds late And I have Josh Allen as one of my last picks I went with Cam Newton at quarterback Phillip Lindsey and Darius Geis at running back Devontae Adams and Julian Edelman at receiver Travis Kelsey at the tight end spot

Tevin Coleman is my flex for now The Texans defense and Jake Elliott And then my bench is Royce Freeman, Rashad Penny, Adrian Peterson, Corey Davis, Adam Humphreys, and James Washington. Yes, I did actually draft Adrian Peterson. I think it's the first time in like seven or eight years. James Washington will obviously be a big sleeper if Antonio Brown does leave. All right, so that wraps up our mock draft. Again, we'll do another draft today, non-PPR, which we will probably review at some point in the near future and give you those results.

So thank you, everybody, for participating. Hopefully you enjoyed that breakdown. The divisional round kicks off this weekend. In the AFC, you have the Colts and the Chiefs. The Colts beat the Texans 21-7 to advance in the wildcard round. The Colts have won 10 of their last 11 games. The Chiefs have lost two of their last three coming in, but they are the number one seed in the AFC.

The Chargers are at the Patriots. The Chargers beat the Ravens 23-17 in the wildcard round. Phillip Rivers is a whopping 0-7 in his career against Tom Brady. He's due. He is due. The Chargers are actually 9-0 outside of Los Angeles this season because their road loss was against the Rams, and one of their home games was against the Titans in London.

In the NFC, you have the Eagles at the Saints. The Eagles beat the Bears 16-15 in the wildcard round to advance. And the Saints beat the Eagles 48-7 at home in Week 11. That was with Carson Wentz. But Nick Foles is 4-0 since taking over for Wentz prior to Week 15, 4-0 in the postseason going back to last year. And you have the Cowboys at the Rams. The Cowboys beat the Seahawks 24-22 to advance.

The Rams are 7-1 at home this season. And the Cowboys are 8-1 in their last nine games. Quickly, how do you see these games going? I would say I think that the Cowboys give the Rams a little bit of trouble, but they eke it out. The Saints destroy the Eagles. And I've been terrible at

picking playoff games, so I'll take the Colts over the Chiefs and the Patriots over the Chargers. I'm going to say the Chiefs beat the Colts high-scoring game, but only by a couple of points. I think the Chargers beat the Patriots. I think their defense is going to be up to the task, and their offense puts up just enough points to get that job done.

Saints blow out the Eagles, and the Rams blow out the Cowboys. I think the Colts give the Chiefs a game, but the Chiefs win at home. I think the Patriots beat the Chargers easily. I think the Saints beat the the Chiefs a game, but the Chiefs win at home. I think the Patriots beat the Chargers easily. I think the Saints beat the Eagles in a close game, and the Rams beat the Cowboys in a close game. A couple of emails for those of you that are in playoff challenges or postseason fantasy leagues. Nick wants to know, he says,

Hello, Gabe, Trott, JD, and Mookie. Those would be? Red Sox. That's right. Nick is in a playoff challenge that rewards you for starting a player for multiple weeks in a row. The second week, you get double points. Third week, triple points, etc. This includes starting bi-week players in the

wildcard round. He started Melvin Gordon last week, so if he starts him this week, his points double, but he's concerned that the Chargers get eliminated this week, so he's wondering if it would be more valuable to replace Gordon with a running back like Gurley, who, as we said earlier, is expected to play. He's also getting double points as of now from T.Y. Hilton, Michael Thomas, Kelsey,

and the Chargers kicker Mike Badgley. Would you keep Gordon in your lineup, or would you swap him out for Gurley? If you think the Chargers are going to lose and you think the Rams are going to win, then make the switch. I'm going to go with Melvin Gordon this week. I can make the switch next week, and I won't get the triple points in the Super Bowl, but other than that, it'll work out. But then you get the – don I can make the switch next week and I won't get the triple points in the Super Bowl, but other than that, it'll work out. But then you get the...

Don't you get double points next week? You get double points next week and then triple points in the Super Bowl if the Rams advance them. But you're getting double points from Gordon this week. I think Gordon double points this week. I don't know that I love Gurley this week. I don't know if Gordon double points this week is going to be as good as Gurley single points this week. Gordon has been under 50 yards receiving each of his last three

games, but he hasn't scored a touchdown each of the last two. He did go for over 100, I think 132 yards or 123 yards against the Patriots last year when they met in the regular season. But I think I'd stick with Gordon as well. Also, there are some formats. Our format for our game that we used to have used to be if you took out a player, you'd lose a transaction. So I don't know if that applies as well.

So I'd just say stick with Gordon as well. Dwayne wants to know, he's in a head-to-head match this weekend and needs to redraft a team consisting of only players in this weekend's playoffs. He has the odd picks and his opponent has the even picks. So he needs one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, tight end kicker, and a flex. It could either be a running back or a receiver. It's half PPR.

So let's draft a team for Dwayne. And is this just for this week or is it for the rest of the playoffs? Just for this weekend's playoff. So just the four teams, the four games in the divisional round. So, all right, so Dave, you will be the opponent. You have the even picks. Heath, you will be Dwayne. You have the odd picks.

Go ahead. I'll go with Zeke. Okay, so Zeke goes one. Quickly, Dave. Yeah, you know, you're putting me on the spot here i'm going to i will take todd girley girley goes to i'll take my homes i didn't know when you were going to take my homes okay uh i will go with travis kelsey okay Travis Kelsey. I'll take T.Y. Hilton. Tyreek. No, see, now I've got Mahomes. It's great.

I will take Marlon Mack. I will go with... Hey, who's playing again this weekend? No, Michael Thomas. Okay. I don't know. I have two running backs and a quarterback. You have a quarterback, two running backs, and one receiver. You still need another receiver, a tight end.

We're not going to do kicker and defense. I'll go Ebron. You'll go Ebron. Okay. And I still need a running back? You have one running back, one receiver, tight end. I still need a quarterback, too, but I can wait on quarterback now because he's our –

I just want video of Adam Azer listening to this part of the podcast. I guarantee you he's sitting with his forehead on his hand and his eyes are closed or rolled in the back of his head and he's shaking. Okay, anyway, there you go, Dwayne. We'll stop here. Dwayne, if he takes the quarterback first, you can wait forever to take your quarterback, and I would take Breeze with my last pick, literally my last pick

because he can't do anything with it. Or just do what Heath did and hope that Mahomes goes third. Plain and simple. I'll take Mahomes first. All right. Jake wants to know, he's got the first pick in a championship three-round draft, four teams, one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, his half PPR.

Who are you taking and who do you hope falls to pick 2.04? Who are you taking first? Ze you hope falls to pick 2.04? Who are you taking first? Zeke? Zeke or Gurley? Who are you taking to my homes? There's four teams. Four teams, and I get the first pick, and I don't get to pick again until eight? Right.

We have no idea. This is not something you get to re-pick. It's just you're picking four. I'm taking my homes. Yeah, I get that. I might take Mahomes too. I'm going to take Camara, who you guys left off. There you go.

I think the Saints make it desirable, so I'm going to take him if I have to take it for the rest of the way. All right, so I want to do some DFS goodbyes and badbyes for people that are playing on respective DFS sites this week. So we'll try and get through this quickly and then wrap this up. Heath, why don't you go first? Give me some good buys and bad buys on Fandle. I like Marlon Mack a lot at 7,300.

I like Josh Reynolds a lot at 5,600. I think the guy that people are totally going to just miss is Ted Ginn. 100%. 4,500. He played one game before they let him rest for Week 17. He had eight targets, five catches. And I'll give you one bonus one. I think Hunter Henry at 4,900 is a nice flex

if you want to really go with a lot of studs. I don't know how many people are going to miss him. The number one name on my good buys list on DraftKings is Ted Ginn at 4,400. Sure, but I mean the people that aren't listening to us are going to, I think, overlook. And Fando, he's really cheap for whatever reason. Yeah, 4,500 is pretty cheap for a receiver like that.

And he's well behind Traquan Smith as well. Your bad buys? I don't like Todd Gurley this week at $9,000. I'd much rather play Zeke. I don't like Zach Ertz at 74 against a team that dominates tight ends, and I don't like Tom Brady at 8,200. All right, Dave, on drafting? Good buys for me is Ginn.

James White at 4,900. I think he's going to be a factor for the Patriots. I think the Patriots, whether the Chargers go with their younger linebackers, remember they've got backup linebackers now because they're missing some guys, or they do this seven defensive back look that they gave the Ravens. One or the other, I think it doesn't matter. I think the Patriots try

and take advantage with a lot of James White. I think Brandon Cooks at 5,600 is great. He's cheaper than Robert Woods, and I like his matchup against Dallas. The second year, he'll go up against Byron Jones, and Jones hasn't been playing that well lately. Again, we talked about the bad buys. I also have Ertz on my list at $5,700 because of the matchup.

Melvin Gordon at $6,200. He hasn't returned value in three straight weeks, and he's not at 100%. And I've got Josh Reynolds at $4,500. I think people are going to go to him and start him instead of Ginn when they should start Ginn, who's 100 less. Give me a fan to line up. I've got Mahomes, Zeke, Mack, Josh Reynolds, Ted Ginn, T.Y. Hilton, Travis Kelsey, and Hunter Henry.

And I went with the Chiefs defense. Just hope they score a touchdown. I hate all the defenses. Give me a DraftKings lineup. Rams, Mega Stack, Jared Goff, a quarterback with Woods and Cooks at wide receivers. Zeke, Damian Williams are my running backs. My third receiver is T.Y. Hilton. Ebron at tight end, Ted Ginn in the flex Chargers defense 2400 I'm gonna go on DraftKings with a

chief stack of Mahomes Hill Kelsey and Damian Williams with Marlon Mack Julian Edelman Ted Ginn James White and Eagles defense and on FanDuel since I already have this on the site I might as well just read it uh I'm going Nick Foles, Zeke, Sonny Michel. I think Michel's going to have a dominant game against that linebacking core for the Chargers. Michael Thomas, Robert Woods, Ted Ginn, Eric Ebron, Damian Williams, and Cowboys defense. I'm punting on defense. I don't think any of the defenses are going to really play great this week. So don't spend money on the defense if you don't have to.

All right, that was fun. Hopefully you guys enjoyed our breakdown of the coaches, the breakdown of the rest of our mock draft. I apologize for not getting to more emails. We will do that on our next show on Monday as I get yelled at by Adam Azer for once again going over the hour time limit. Gentlemen, enjoy the games. Hopefully you guys have fun. And gotta go. Bye.

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