Fantasy Football Today - Mailbag! And Is Chase Edmonds the Starter? (07/09 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Episode Date: July 9, 2021

We've got an interesting round of notes (2:30) about the Cardinals backfield, Jonathan Taylor's workload and Mecole Hardman's role ... We get into your questions! First from Apple Podcast (10:40), we give our thoughts on A.J. Dillon, our favorite draft slots, Calvin Ridley and more. Plus find out which band Adam was unusually obsessed with in high school and college (23:45) ... We finish with your emails (27:30) about who to pick late in Round 1, Joe Mixon vs. Austin Ekeler and a really interesting idea for the Fantasy playoffs ... Your emails at [e-mail] 'Fantasy Football Today' is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Castbox, and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Follow our FFT team on Twitter: @FFToday, @AdamAizer, @JameyEisenberg, @daverichard, @heathcummingssr, @ctowerscbs, @BenSchragg Watch FFT on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/fantasyfootballtoday Join our Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/FantasyFootballToday/ Sign up for the FFT newsletter https://www.cbssports.com/newsletter You can listen to Fantasy Football Today on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Football Today podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Football Today podcast." To hear more from the CBS Sports Podcast Network, visit https://www.cbssports.com/podcasts/ 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

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BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. This is touchdown. Oh, he's done it again. Now here's some combination of Adam, Dave, Jamie, Heath, and Beck. Welcome to this Friday Mailbag, everybody. This is Fantasy Football Today. We are getting ready for the weekend here by answering your fantasy football questions at fantasyfootballatcbsi.com and via Apple Podcast. Three-man show today, Adam Azer with Heath Cummings and Dan Schneier. All right, who's got fun weekend plans anybody want to share anything fun well for me at least this weekend's going to be

real slow because last weekend i went up to visit my buddy and his girlfriend in new hampshire and we went camping and let me just tell you i think we it might have meant went 30 minutes without raining so in the middle of the night on the second night of camping, we had already abandoned the first day completely. We wake up in the middle of night, 1.45 a.m., and my friend's girlfriend says, oh, my God, the tent collapsed. And you see the tent on her face. We had to evacuate camp. Two balls snapped in the tent. We're in the pouring rain, packing everything up into the car.

It takes us about an hour. We have an hour and a half drive back to my buddy's apartment. It was quite a disaster, so I'm happy to just chill this weekend. Inside with a roof. Yeah, I never have been camping, and now I don't want to go. Thank you. It was my first time ever, and they're like, now it's scarred. You'll never want to go again.

Yeah, I agree. They've scarred me. Heath, how about you? Doing fun stuff? I go camping about three to five times a year, and there's been a couple of times it's rained, but I've never had my tent collapse on me. There was one time where I didn't actually get the tent set up

and I slept on top of it, but that wasn't actually a camping trip. I was younger and some things got in my way. Right, right. No, I don't think I have anything fun planned at all this weekend okay great and neither do i i do have some fantasy football to get to here and we will also find out the band that i had the shirt and the cell phone ring of from two episodes ago we had some fun guesses uh i'll if you missed that i'll tell you the quick story and we'll figure that out later on in the

show i'm sure everybody cannot wait. Uh, here's a fun report from Adam Beasley of pro football network. Quote, a source tells us that the Cardinals training camp battle at running back might be a battle in name only. Rather chase Edmonds is the favorite to be the teams featured back after splitting time with Kenyon Drake in 2020.

Heath, what do you make of that? It's interesting. It's one of those things that makes me, I think it's still a little bit up in the air, but I was treating it pretty close to a coin flip between Edmonds and Connor, and that makes me nudge Edmonds up just a little bit,

Connor down just a little bit. They're both still number three running backs for me. Edmonds is now a high-end number three in full PPR, maybe almost a borderline number two. Connor's more of a borderline number three in the other direction. It's going to be a battle, and it will be interesting to

see if Edmonds could handle a month straight of 18 touches a game. It's not what I'm projecting at this point. Could there be a scenario where you would move Chase Edmonds ahead of Mike Davis or miles Gaskin? Probably not for me. Um,

right now I've got them right in full PPR. That's really the only place you have a chance. I just moved him ahead of Raheem Mostert and Melvin Gordon. I've got them right behind ETN and hunt. Um, I could see him getting ahead of those guys for sure, but I don't think he's going to crack the top 22.

Dan, you got a thought on this? I think what this says more of is what they think of Conor right now. They signed him to basically a minimum contract after there was almost no interest for him on the market. He's recovering from off-season surgery, so maybe that means he comes along slower later in the season. He carves out a bigger role.

I'm not so sure. Even in PPR leagues, though, I'm not going to bump up Edmonds too high because he still has Murray as a quarterback. And Murray, as we've seen with running quarterbacks, they don't really typically tend to target their running backs too much in the passing game. They'll take off and they'll run and they'll take the free yards instead. So I'm not super high on Edmonds even after this,

but it definitely makes me bump down connor is uh is he an exception though to that rule because edmunds let me just how many catches did edmunds have last year um anybody know that he had 53 so that's a lot especially for like a part-time back well drake probably had 30 didn't he right drake probably had at least 25 so yeah i can exception to that rule but at the same time, there was also a time period where Drake was out, and so he had kind of more of a full-time role. I feel like that.

And it could be the case with Conor, again, given Conor's injury. So, yeah, it's definitely something to consider. In that offense, they do typically target the running backs more than you would see from most often running quarterbacks. They probably throw more than you would expect from most running quarter quarterbacks uh okay so that's news item number one number two amari cooper he's got an ankle injury but he might actually be ready for the start of training camp that's up in the air that does mean you know we can be more optimistic about him being ready for week one miko hardman expected to be the number two wide receiver for the chiefs well heath what did you

make of the recent report about Meikle Hartman? He's going to line up as the starter, basically. It's more positive buzz. As we've talked about, there's room if he just combines what he did last year with what Sammy Watkins did last year for him to be a boom or bust number three wide receiver who could boom into a number two range. The key is consolidating those targets because he's not clearly separated himself from Byron Pringle, from Demarcus Robinson.

And if those three guys are sharing the leftovers of Zee, H, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelsey, then none of them are worth anything. But if one of them can separate, and right now it sounds like Hardman has the best chance to separate, then that guy certainly has a chance. Would you take Mikko Hardman or Jarvis Landry? I would rather have Mikko Hardman has the best chance to separate, then that guy certainly has a chance. Would you take Mikko Hardman or Jarvis Landry?

I would rather have Mikko Hardman. Oh, interesting. Dan, how about you? Landry or Mikko Hardman? I'm going with Hardman for sure there. I just feel like you're in a more high-volume offense. You want to take him there. Their ADPs are pretty far apart.

Yeah. Maybe it's getting a little bit closer. I think I actually have Landry projected well ahead of Hardman, but just the question, do you prefer Jarvis Landry or Meikle Hardman, makes me think, I don't think I've ever drafted Jarvis Landry so far this offseason. I've drafted Hardman a lot.

You get to round 11 or round 12, and I guess maybe Landry goes in round 10 or something, but that's not the type of wide receiver that you've shown us that beats his ADP out of a late round wide receiver. Oh, wait. But what if I told you Odell Beckham were out for the season?

Then when would you take Jarvis Landry? Didn't Odell Beckham miss most of the season? Yeah, and then Landry finished pretty strong. I would have Landry higher. I would have Landry higher. I would have Landry higher. How high would you have him? He would be in T.Y. Hilton range. Because he would probably, I mean,

he would certainly lead the team in targets. He would be like a Brandon Cooks type pick, though. I mean, especially in a run-first offense like they have. Yeah. Except they're going to be good, and they're going to be able to run the ball, unlike the Texans. Why isn't Brandon Cooks higher?

Because of the uncertainty at quarterback, I think. Yeah, but it's Tyrod Taylor, right? Or they go with a rookie, whatever. But this guy is going to dominate targets on a team that's going to be terrible. He's wide receiver 42, Brandon Cooks. I'm not even thinking of the possibility of Deshaun Watson being his quarterback right now. Okay, let's just take that out. I find myself gravitating toward him.

I want to know what you guys think about that. Brandon Cooks going. It's Curtis Samuel, Marquise Brown, LaVisca Chennault, Brandon Cooks, Michael Pittman, Jarvis Landry. He's at pick 100, basically. I like him better than all those guys. Yeah, I think it's fair because you have to try. It's all about volume. But why you're seeing him go this late still is because nobody gets excited about these types of players.

The players with this uncertain quarterback situation. I mean, if Davis Mills has to come in, that's going to be a disaster, I think, for the entire passing game. Tyrod can at least hold it steady. But it's hard to get excited about these kinds of players, I think. I think it's just a general consensus and fantasy. Yeah, right. I could get that. And then we got this report with speculation that Jonathan Taylor might get 60% of the carries. This didn't come from the coaching staff, but it might get 60% of the carries. I don't do it based on the running back carries, but the team's rush attempts.

And I have Jonathan Taylor projected for exactly 60% of the Colts' rush attempts. I only have five running backs predicted well ahead of a 60% share of the team's rush attempts. So I don't think 60% is low. So how many total carries do you have him getting? For the team or for Taylor? For Taylor. And maybe this is part of the reason that I don't have Taylor as a top five pick in PPR.

I have him at 280 carries. Okay. All right. But that number 60% is not low, you're saying? at 280 carries. Okay. All right. Well, so 60, so, but that number 60% is not low. You're saying it's not like, it's not quite top five range, but it's, it's very good.

Like it's well ahead of a lot of guys that we draft in the first round. Yeah. All right. Good. Good to know. Thank you for putting that in perspective. We're going to be live on the fantasy football today, YouTube channel.

And we'll be winning again, Tuesday night, 7 p.m. Eastern. We're answering your fantasy questions and playing some poker. I'm just going to be shocking the world, playing dumb. Oh, what's an ante? And then I'm just going to win. And that's going to be courtesy of Faded Spades. So join us Tuesday night, 7 p.m. Eastern, youtube.com slash fantasyfootball today.

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Tuesday night at 7 p.m. Eastern. You can also listen to our show on your smart speakers. Either say, Alexa, play the latest episode of the fantasy football today podcast, or Hey Google, play the latest episode of the fantasy football today podcast.

Very easy stuff. Apple podcast questions. Here we go. From Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan. Cool. Hey, Manny, Moe, and Jack. Those are the Pep Boys, right? Are they the Pep Boys?

I think they are. That's the last time I met you. Yeah, it's the car thing. I'll they are. That's the last time I'm in. Yeah, it's the car thing. I'll double check. 10-team league, PPR, three wide receivers. It's a keeper league. I have Mahomes, Akers, Kamara, A.J. Brown, and Devontae Adams. I need to drop one, and it won't be Mahomes.

Should it, though? I've had him since his second year. I love him like my fourth child. I'm leaning Adams if Rogers walks. So he's not going to drop Mahomes. He has to drop Akers, Camara, AJ Brown, or Devante Adams. Yikes.

I mean, incredible problem to have. Yeah. I'm probably dropping Akers. I would drop Mahomes, but I also understand. I've got Mahomes on, I think, 70% of my dynasty leagues, and I'm not ever entertaining any trades for him. So I get it.

But I would drop Mahomes. If you're not going to do that, I would drop Akers. Yeah, for me, it's between Akers and Brown, obviously, if if you're not considering my homes because you don't want to get a call from dyfus he's your fourth child i get it but other than that you go for either acres i think for me i would actually cut acres i'm with heath on this one i just value receiver over running back in dynasty to the extent where that would be the call for me but it's a tough call i mean this is incredible team i don't know if it's a dynasty though oh just keeper, but it's a tough call. This is an incredible team. I don't know if it's a dynasty though. Oh, just keeper league, correct? It's a keeper, but there's a decent amount. It's

kind of a quasi. It's a pretty big keeper league. He's keeping four players. That's not huge, but it's not nothing. Four keepers, not dynasty though. All right. By the way, you really don't know the Pep Boys? You ever seen

the Pep Boys commercial? I ever seen the Pep Boys commercial? I've seen the Pep Boys commercial. I just wanted to make myself feel younger than you right now. All right. From Dre Dub Sucka. Danny Mac 25 is my brother, and I recommended this pod to him, so you are welcome for the confirmation that the quesadilla burger at Applebee's is fire. Yeah.

All right. Thank you. I would really like to try it. Thoughts on AJ Dillon this year? That's is fire. Yeah. All right. Thank you. I'm going to, I would really like to try it. Thoughts on AJ Dillon this year. That's the question. But what are your thoughts on AJ Dillon this year, guys? For me,

he's one of my favorite late round running backs, especially if you're using a modified zero running back strategy, or even just the typical zero running back strategy. I don't know why there's not as much fanfare around him. I guess it's because of the uncertainty with Aaron Rodgers. Obviously, that offense is going to take a big step back if Jordan Love has to start. But I don't really think Rodgers has all that much leverage here,

and I think he will be starting week one for the Packers. So in that case, I mean, you lose Jamal Williams from the mix. A.J. Dillon was obviously a very talented player, somebody who people believe can potentially break out this year, and he's going to potentially have like 40% of those carries. We know that offense doesn't typically lean on one back. Yeah. I think the,

the thing for me, I would like to like AJ Dillon more than I currently do. And it's really just a question about the passing game, because if he gets Jamal Williams role, or even 10% more than Jamal Williams role in the running game, but doesn't get that work in the passing game, then he's not particularly useful without an Aaron Jones injury. I don't have great faith in Dylan as a pass catcher.

They're talking about throwing it to him more. They're saying that he can do it. We've just never seen it. He didn't hit like 13 catches in college. So that's my reservation, at least in full PPR, but I do agree. The question is, is he in the tony pollard alexander madison group of needs an injury but if there's an injury he's a top five running back or could he somehow work his way into that kareem hunt type group where he's a flex with

jones and a league winner if jones goes down right now, I've got him ahead of Madison and Paul, but more in that range than in the guys that can help you without an injury. This is, and that's fair. Oh yeah. I was just going to say that's fair because he would need either one of the money touches, either the bigger role in the passing game,

but you said, or a red zone role, but Aaron Jones has been so effective in the red zone. It's tough to see him carving out that role either. From T Mike Mac, my 12 team league has always had a see him carving out that role either. From T. Mike Mack, my 12-team league has always had a three-week playoff that ends in week 16 like most leagues. This year, that would mean the playoffs

are weeks 14 through 16. With four teams on a bye in week 14, what should we do? Well, you see, we've added an extra week. So you can just play your championship in week 17 and not worry about everybody resting their starters because they're going to do that in week 18. So just have your playoffs run

15, 16, 17, 14 will be a normal regular season week with a team on by. There you go. From Tom in Long Island. 10 team, 2 quarterback league, 6 point in Long Island. 10-team, two-quarterback league, six-point-per-passing touchdown.

Who should I keep? Lamar Jackson in the fifth round or Ryan Tannehill in the 11th? Tannehill, right? I'm on Tannehill here for sure in the 11th round. In the six-point-passing league, no heath. But it's such a two qb league yeah like lamar should be a first round pick in that style yeah and tannahill should probably be a third

i would say late second maybe mid i mean in the qqb league we did a couple weeks ago the draft we did with some industry guys didn't tano go like go mid-second? He did in one of them. It's probably Tannehill, but I love both values. I'm pretty sure in my Scott Fishbowl league, which is super flex, Tannehill went one pick ahead of when I took Tom Brady. That would have been mid-round two.

I took Brady. He went third in mine. I'm saying Tannehill. Schneier's saying Tannehill. Heath, Tannehill? Yep, Tannehill. From Sandy. 10-team PPR snake draft.

Three running backs, three wide receivers, and a flex. How early would you guys get your first and second quarterback with this type of... Oh, wow, it's two quarterbacks. All right. A lot of players starting here. I like this. I'll start over. It's 10 teams.

It's PPR. It's two QBs, three running backs, three wide receivers, and a flex. So basically, when would you get your first and second quarterback with this type of roster where you have to start two quarterbacks, three running backs, and three wide receivers? I mean, the three running back wrinkle adds something because it makes, you're going to have so many teams that you get through the year and there's going to be guys that can't really feel any running backs that score more than five to six points in a week. Don't get touches.

So I think you got to put a little more present on getting running backs early, but it all depends on your league. There's been some super flex leagues I'm in where it just goes quarterback runs in the first two, three rounds. And there's others that people wait on them. Typically for me, I like to get one of the elite guys and then wait to get two of the guys in that 15 to 18 range guys with rushing upside at the end cam newton daniel jones some players like that even the rookie quarterbacks i think have value as well tasem hill but it depends on your league if there's a huge run of quarterbacks going you can't really wait too long Heath? Nothing?

Yeah, I think it was well said. Okay, that's fine. Probably round two or round three is when I'm taking my first one. All right, so I'm looking at a super flex league. Are you going to take one in the first round, Heath? In a two QB? If a three running back start, I'm probably taking a running back in the first round. That's fair.

All right, I'm looking at a super flex league where we start two running backs and three wide receivers and a flex as opposed to three running backs, three wide receivers and a flex. Round five, David Montgomery, Chris Carson, Mike Davis were all drafted in round five.

Josh Jacobs was in round six. Travis Etienne, Myles Gaskin, round six. I think that because it is super flex, if you wanted maybe to be weak at wide receiver, you could go with an elite quarterback in the first round or maybe the second round if it falls to you, and then still have pretty good running backs if you took three running backs with your next four or five picks.

But then you're probably looking at Ben Roethlisberger or worse as your qb2 but you could you could do that because in a super flex league the running back value is just nuts um ronald jones around nine here james connor well i don't know if that's gonna be the three qb thing would change that or the three running back thing. Right. It would, but I'm moving all these running backs up a round. So let's say Josh Jacobs and ETN were available in round five instead of round six. That's my guess. So you can go quarterback, running back, wide receiver,

running back, running back, or something like that. And I think you could be in good shape. But all those leagues are different. It's so different. Like Dan just said, every super flex league flex league seems there's not much of a pattern okay this is from jeremy i had to choose if you had to choose your preferred draft position in a 10 team ppr league what would your top three slots to pick from, B? First, second, and tenth. What's the rationale behind tenth?

I'm curious on that one. I understand the first two. I don't really know three through ten. No, but you can't get Kelsey at ten. I think you can't get Kelsey at ten, so maybe it should be one, two, and the latest you think you could get Kelsey.

Maybe seven, eight. Yeah. That might not be bad. I mean, for me, I'm typically in all of these snake drafts. I don't do too many. I try not to do too many snake drafts these days, but I like the middle always because I feel like you can avoid the runs there.

You can be in a better position to not have to reach. I just always think there's more value in drafting in the middle of these names. Okay, we got a few more here from The Steerage. I drafted Kamara when he was a rookie in the 12th round. I've been riding that keeper train since. Each season a player has kept you half the round from the year before.

Unless it's an odd round, then you round up. I can keep Kamara this year for a round two pick or A.J. Brown for a fourth pick or Jonathan Taylor for a fifth pick,, then you round up. I can keep Kamara this year for a round two pick, or A.J. Brown for a fourth pick, or Jonathan Taylor for a fifth pick, for a fifth round pick. Ding, ding, ding. Yep, Taylor. Taylor. Yeah, I mean, we don't know if this is full PPR or not, but I think either way for me, I'm giving the edge to Taylor,

even if it's standard half or full. Walker in a town outside Detroit. Why don't you take a stab at that, Dan? I'm just thinking Texas Walker Ranger when I hear Walker, so it's probably wrong. Okay, so Austin. Okay.

Dear A, B, C, and D. Adam. 80s Celtics? No. Am I crazy? Am I Keeper League? I'm keeping Diggs and Taylor. Then with everyone else being kept from the other teams, the best options at the end of round one would be McLaurin, Ridley, Thomas, Edwards-Elair, Najee Harris, and Swift.

McLaurin, Ridley, Thomas, Clyde, Harris, and Swift. So he's got two picks. He's got 112 and 201. He's already keeping Diggs and Jonathan Taylor. Who would you take out of those six? Which two? He doesn't tell us if it's PPR or how many wide receivers he needs to start.

Right? Correct. Yeah, he just starts with one wide receiver, one running back. That's all we really know. Well, I'd probably want Ridley and Harris. Or no, McCin and Ridley. I don't mind receiver-receiver there. I mean, I'm going Clyde Edwards-Alaire

because I have a good feeling about him this year, but I'd probably go Edwards-Alaire and Ridley, but I can see Ridley and McLaurin. If you have Ridley, McLaurin, and Diggs to start this with Jonathan Taylor, it's a pretty solid start, and you have a lot of volume there between those four. It's a great start in PPR,

but if it's non-PPR, i don't think you should do that because by the time it gets back to you there's not going to be any running backs on the board in a keeper league when it gets back to you with your third round pick and then if it's half ppr how do you feel about taylor digs ridley mclaurin as opposed to taylor digs ridley your favorite running back there we just say that two running backs is the way to go if you have not if you. We just say that two running backs is the way to go if you're a non-PPR. Two receivers is the way to go if you're full PPR and split the difference in half PPR.

Okay. That could work. No, because then you're taking McLaurin or Michael Thomas over Najee Harris or Clyde Edwards-Ziller. I don't think that's terrible either. I don't think any of these guys stand out to me as clear-cut values. Do do they to you adam no um ridley ridley to me is the best of the bunch i've got in full ppr i've got ridley then thomas then mclaurin um all before Najee Harris. Okay. Okay, guys.

So, Dan, you're a little bit younger than I am, but one day in college, I was walking to class. I got a phone call. My cell phone ring came on. It was the band that I also had. I was wearing their T-shirt at the time, and I realized I'm too obsessed with this band, and I have to stop with it.

I said, who do you all think that band was? Then at the end it. Uh, I, I said, who do you, who do you all think that band was? Then at the end of the episode, I said they had, this was 2003, I think, um, maybe 2002. Then, uh, I said at the end of the show, this band had the theme song for a popular TV show at the time. So that was the hint. That is, that is an awful hint what do you mean it's a great hint that's a good hint like how many popular tv shows were going on at the time uh i mean i guess but yeah all right at least give me a network give me a type of tv show is it a teen drama like what are we talking about here i never saw the show i've never heard of this band i never saw the show i i guarantee you've heard the song though uh snow patrol was dave in flint's guess uh one

guy said um was adam's ringtone the rembrandts then you said you were ashamed of it so i thought maybe it was limp biscuit um you know first he thought it was Korn, then 311, then he thought Limp Bizkit, but he's going with the Rembrandts who sang the Friends theme song. It was not that. John Box thought it was the Killers. Trevor Bassett said it was the Fray,

wasn't it? That would be embarrassing. No, that's too... Yeah, that's Limp Bizkit. The ears are wrong for the Fray. Grant said, was it Primus? Coach Papo thought it was hansen counting crows no and then luther uh luther got it right he guessed it was phantom planet and that is the

band i was obsessed with as a senior in high school phantom planet they sang a song california which was the oc oh the oc theme song yeah man know it. It's a great song, right? I thought that was their only song. Dude, I swear, their whole album, the album is called The Guest. The album? Great album. If you like the song California, you will love I do like California.

Start to finish, just bangers, okay? Terrific pop rock, The Guest. I never heard of this band and I I never watched The O.C., and I don't know what song you're talking about. California, here we come. You know that song? Great song.

Great show, actually, if we're going to be honest. Was it? I never saw that episode. Oh, yeah. As an angsty teen, great show. All right, Heath, please give that song a shot after the show or during the commercial break. We'll be right back with your emails at fantasyfootballatcbsi.com.

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Chase from the Scarecrow's home state. I don't know. Illinois. That feels Midwestern-y to me. Yeah. I just drew the ninth pick in my 12-man full PPR redraft league. I've been doing a lot of mock drafts. It seems as though Hill or Adams is always there when my pick comes up in PPR ninth overall.

Should I take one of the top wide receivers, or should I go with a running back like Eckler Chubb Taylor or possibly Zeke I here's the thing I like I am generally the at the back end of the first round you start with wide receivers this year there's a running back that I'm just higher on than everybody else and so Aaron Jones is always there at the end of the first round and I always take Aaron Jones but as soon if you don't feel the same way that i do about aaron jones i prefer kelsey tyreek and davante adams to any of those running backs that you mentioned i i think kelsey would be the clear cut if he's there i don't know if he's assuming kelsey will be there and he's overlooking him we're all on the same page with kelsey i feel like but i would also definitely take zeke and taylor over any of the

receivers but as far as eckler and chub go, I definitely think you can go to the receivers. And I, again, I'm with you, Heath. I'm higher on Jones. I'm higher on Adams, higher on Rogers than everybody else. I just, I don't really see too many scenarios where Rogers is getting moved this off season. I know it seems like he has all this leverage, but really I can't really figure it out how he, how the trade is going to go down, especially this late into the off season. Well, you have to really, I guess, ask yourself if you think he might sit out a few games or

or retire and that i just don't see he's too competitive and he wants to get another super ball on his resume so he's and he's too too old now to do that i think well he's young for a host i guess but yeah okay um that, though, that you both would take Tyreek and Adams over Austin Eckler in full PPR. And Jonathan Taylor for Heath. I don't know about for Dan. I'd go Taylor and Zeke

for sure. Zeke, if you can get Zeke here, that to me is the move. You have Zeke behind Adams and Hill? I do. But what about Eckler? I mean, Eckler could have 100 catches. He could, but I feel pretty confident Devontae Adams and Tyree Hill are going to score me 20 fantasy

points per game. I don't have near that confidence in any of these running backs. Okay. From Cameron, 12-team half PPR Keeper League, currently in its reset year. That means everybody is available for the first time in five seasons. I

have these picks. These are his first five picks. Doesn't have a first round pick, but he has 201. Then he has 212, 407, 410, and 501. Interesting. A lot of trades there. 201 and 212.

No third round pick. 407. That's a long way to wait between 212 and 407. Then 410, then 501. Did you win the league six years in a row and they decided you were too much better than everybody else? How did you end up without a first or a third round pick?

Yeah, I guess he must have traded some picks. Barely a second round pick. 212. He must have traded some picks. Barely a second round pick, 212. I mean, he must have been trading for the wins the past few seasons, and hopefully he got those championships in. You would think in the reset year he'd get his normal draft picks. Yeah, I don't know how this works. He wants to know who to take, Eckler or Mixon at 201 and half PPR.

I'm on the Eckler train here, especially in any kind of PPR half or full. Where are you at on this one, Heath? Yeah, I love Eckler, but in half, I think I have Mixon just ahead of him. I've got Eckler in full PPR and Mixon in non, and they're back-to-back, but Mixon just barely over Eckler. It'd be really interesting if he can play a full 17-game season and get the type of workload they say they're going to give him i think mixing could be a top five running back but i understand there's lots of people that don't ever want to draft him again yeah we feel like we've been saying that about mixing for so long right now and that offensive line still scares me a little bit

and he also really wants to draft terry mclaurin at 2, but he's hesitant because one of Ridley, Metcalf, or Jefferson is typically available there. So can he justify taking McLaurin over Ridley, Metcalf, or Jefferson if that decision presents itself? Definitely not Ridley, I don't think. Definitely not Jefferson either, right? I've got them really close. I think you can make the case for McLaurin over Jefferson

for sure. You've got to take Ridley if he's there. Yeah. Next up from Rico. Most of your advice is for PPR, but I have a non-PPR question. I'm taking McCaffrey number one. For the

24th and 25th picks, would you take Waller and Jefferson, Ridley and Jefferson, or Waller and Dobbins in a non-PPR league? I would like to submit Ridley and Dobbins would be my pick,

but he didn't give that option. It looks like Waller, Jefferson, Ridley and Dobbins are the four that he hears he's considering what combination of two would you guys go with waller ridley for me i'm on ridley dobbins here i'm with you on this one adam and i think he mentions it too he's gonna as he says if he doesn't get dobbins here the running back's really gonna dry up for him i mean if he rolls back to the next come around another what 20 22 picks or 24 picks, whatever it may be. 23 picks, actually.

I think that he's just going to be looking at the Gaskin types as his RB2. And I'm just not so sure I'd feel confident with that. Kyle in Columbus. With the recent report about Jonathan Taylor's workload to be about 60% of the team's carries, should we consider drafting Cam Akers, Joe Mixon, or Najee Harris over him with them getting potentially 80% of the team's carries. Should we consider drafting cam acres, Joe Mixon or Najee Harris over him with them getting potentially 80% of the carries. I do not believe that any of them will get 80% of the carries. I don't think we have any reason to expect cam acres to get a bigger

percentage of the carries than Jonathan Taylor. Um, so no, I would not. You don't think in or Harris could, though, could get, could be that true 80% of the carry kind of workhorse?

That really almost doesn't exist. And I think it's better not to expect anyone to do that who hasn't done it. Who doesn't? McCaffrey? Well, Barkley did it in his season before he was hurt. The Giants almost exclusively used him. McCaffrey was another example of that. And even after McCaffrey got hurt,

they did the same thing with Davis. But you can't find... I think, would you say Cook is probably that when he's healthy? Dalvin Cook is also... And Derrick Henry. And Henry. Henry for sure. And it's possible that Najee or Mixon could make the jump. But I think even if they make the jump, you're probably looking at a 70%.

80% is really, really rare. And even if you get 70% there, do you really want to bank on both of those teams with crippling offensive lines versus the best offensive line in football with the Colts? In my mind, Jonathan Taylor, a much more talented prospect than both of those players.

I'll bank on that over just a 10% increase in touches. This is from John from a city in Florida that's pronounced Mel-ben. Is that how you pronounce Melbourne, Heath? Melbourne? increase in touches. All right. This is from John from a city in Florida. That's pronounced Melbourne. Is that how you pronounce Melbourne? Heath Melbourne. That's how you pronounce Melbourne. Yeah.

No, it's not in, in Australia. Yeah. But he says it's in Florida. I don't know, but it could be the same thing. I think it's the same way.

Sure. So they had a tournament. You decided. Hey, Ben, Patty, Deli, and Jingles. I have no idea. No clue. All right. Yeah, this guy's Australian.

I forgot. So he said, I said it like with such disdain. I have no issue with that. I'm very pro-Australia. Now that there has been another week added to football, I'm fiercely advocating for an alternative playoff system that no one has discussed yet, but one I believe is more inclusive,

featuring eight teams and still has all the perks of a six-team playoff, if not more. It's the Australian Rules football playoff system. Aussie rules. Oh, terrible. Wow. I used to be so good at accents. What happened?

The playoffs are played over four weeks. Your quarterfinals, your semifinals, your preliminary finals, and your championship. In the quarterfinals, week one, team one plays team four. Two plays three. Five plays eight, and six plays seven. The loser of five versus eight and six versus seven,

they're out. The winner of one versus four and two versus three gets a bye week, and the loser gets another chance by playing the winners of the five, six, seven, eight matchups. That happens in the semifinals. The winner of those games plays the two teams that were on the buy. And then the championship is played in week 17.

This is somewhat similar to what the NBA did this year. Yes. I was going to say it's similar to what LeBron James was crying about earlier this year, but I do think that I gotta be honest. I read this earlier. I kind of love it. I kind of love this idea.

I love any of these playoff formats, like the two week championship, anything that gets rid of a little bit of the variance of love it. I kind of love this idea. I love any of these playoff formats, like the two-week championship, anything that gets rid of a little bit of the variance of the playoffs, and this seems to try to accomplish that. I'm for it because there's so much variance in the playoffs, and I feel like the best teams often get screwed sometimes, or at least sometimes in the playoffs. I kind of love it too.

I think I want to do it. Oh, yeah. I was thinking about texting my league about trying to implement it, but I can barely get them to get rid of kickers. But the problem is you've got four NFL teams on a bye in week 14. So isn't that a problem with this? It's still just a three-week playoff, right? Because the second week is the semis.

No, it's a four-week playoff. The one and four get the bye. You got the quarter. They don't get the bye if they win, yeah. It's a four-week playoff. The one and four get the bye. You got the quarter. It's a four-week playoff. I think you have to really play into week 18 if you want to do this. I'd rather play this week with four teams on a bye than week 18.

Yeah, I agree with Heath. Without a doubt, rule out week 18. Don't let that be a part of any of your leagues. I cannot have a playoff matchup. I can't have it. No, I cannot have a playoff matchup. I cannot have a playoff game with four NFL teams on a bye. You're in the Scott Fishbowl, aren't you?

Yeah, but he does it in like a cool way. That makes it better. Okay, this is I have no name on this. Oh, no, this is from yeah, no name, but from a town on lake superior melbourne hey dante dante christian brett and donovan i'm gonna be honest with you i read this before i do not remember donovan mcnabb on the vikings no recollection of that

yeah yeah i i was a big donovan mcnabb fan fan in Philadelphia, and I've tried to just wipe all of everything that happened after he left Philadelphia out of my memory. I believe he was also on the Washington football team. That one I know. He was on Washington. He got traded to Washington. That was a crazy deal within the division. I don't remember this Vikings year either.

Okay, good. It was his last year. He played like five games. Like the Mandela effect. Okay. Donovan McNabb. Let's see. He played one year for Washington,

five games for Minnesota through four touchdowns. Yeah. Good job. Okay. Here's the question from the Vikings fan. I have the third pick in my dynasty startup league. I'm not really feeling Taylor or Camara or Saquon Barkley. Can you talk me into one of them or should I trade out? It is a three receiver league with two flexes.

I mean, if somebody loves any of these backs, I would trade out. I typically, for me in dynasty, I do really stand by feeling that these running backs are a bit overrated in general. I mean, even last year, I remember I did a startup dynasty, a salary cap league. And the person who spent so much money on Ezekiel Elliott was trying to trade a mid season and not getting, and didn't end up getting much back in return and just shows you like how the values fall so fast at the running back position.

So for me, if you could trade out, I would do that. And I would even target somebody like my homes late in the round or in the first round or second round. I love even in, even in one Q and i would even target somebody like my homes late in the round or in the first round or second round i love even in that even in one qb i love taking somebody like my homes there yeah okay great last question nope sorry we have two more second to last question from luke in toronto grade the trade 12 team PPR dynasty league gave up Russell Wilson and JD McKissick got one 11 to 11 and Carson Wentz. He turned that into Rashad Bateman, Deami Brown and Carson Wentz for Russell Wilson and JD McKissick. Dan, you talk while I calculate. Okay. He is the dynasty king here, so I'm going to wait for his response here. But for me, I do tend to feel like rookie draft picks are a bit overrated

in dynasty when it comes to trades and how people value them. For me, this trade is not too far of a fall off because I do have some hope with Carson Wentz that he'll be able to revive his career a bit with Frank Reich over there and an amazing offensive line. So I like that you got him back in return, and I don't think he's just a throw in. He kind of saves the trade for me because just the one 11 and two 11 for Russell to me is not,

it's not a great deal. Yeah. And I like, I don't know if Dan even mentioned the name JD McKissick, but it's fine. We can just probably cross out. And that's the problem is like, when you tell me a first and a second for Russell Wilson and a one

quarterback league, I'm pretty okay with that. When you tell me it's Rashad Bateman and De'Ami Brown for Russell Wilson, I'm not as excited about that. And that kind of just goes to Dan's point that it's more exciting when they're picks. I would give this a C-. You did give up the best player in the deal, and it's hard to win when that happens. Okay.

And the last question is a stupid one because it says, hey, McClane, Buddy the Elf, and Rudolph, which are Christmas movie icons, according to our emailer here, whose name I don't have and don't really care about now. I'm having a hard time determining which player...

What? What? That's just a little... Okay, we'll go on. I'm having a hard time determining which player what what what that's just a little okay we'll go on okay uh i'm having a hard time determining which player is the best value at their keeper cost standard scoring camara in the first round ridley in the third round aj brown in the third round or antonio gibson in the 10th round? Standard. Interesting. I'm leaning Gibson here, but I feel like that just might be a value-based decision.

Is that off where you're at here, Heath? I would have to go Gibson. Okay, good. Yeah, I replied to this joker, and I said Gibson. So, Gibson for everyone. Hey, all right. Have a boring weekend, guys. Dan, hope your tent stays upright. Oh, my God. I can't believe I just said that.

That might need to be edited out. It will not be edited out. It stays in. They didn't need anything to do that either. Good luck to you in that department. You know? All right. Well, I'm going to go. I'm going to sign off now. We'll talk to you all on Monday on Fantasy Football Monday. See ya.