Fantasy Football Today - Rumor Mill: Austin Ekeler, Broncos WRs on the move? - FFT in 5 (03/17 Fantasy Football podcast)

Episode Date: March 17, 2023

With the free agency cycle slowing down just a bit, Chris Towers and Adam Aizer catch up on some trade rumors. Is there anywhere Austin Ekeler could land that would be as good as the Chargers? Which wide receiver would we rather see the Broncos hang on to? And is there any interest left in Odell Beckham's comeback attempt? You can also follow the full-length Fantasy Football Today podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-football-today-podcast/id261735167 Get 20% off Fantasy Football Today merch: https://store.cbssports.com/collections/fantasy-football-today%20?utm_source=podcast-apple-com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=buy-our-merch&utm_content=fantasy-football-collection Follow our FFT team on Twitter: @FFToday, @AdamAizer, @JameyEisenberg, @daverichard, @heathcummingssr, @ctowerscbs. You can listen to Fantasy Football Today in 5 on your smart speakers! Simply say "Alexa, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Football Today in 5 podcast" or "Hey Google, play the latest episode of the Fantasy Football Today in 5 podcast." 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 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

What does possible sound like for your business? It's having the spend to power your scale with no preset spending limit. Redefine possible with Business Platinum. That's the powerful backing of American Express. Terms and conditions apply. Visit amex.ca slash business platinum. There are plenty of trade rumors flying around the NFL. Let's catch them next on Fantasy Football Today in five. Welcome to FFT in five. I'm Chris Towers. I'm here with Adam Azer. And look, we've had a lot of signings so far, a lot of news around the NFL world that we've talked about on Fantasy Football Today in five and full episodes of Fantasy Football Today. But there are still some lingering

questions around some pretty big names and specifically potential trades. We haven't seen the big shocking trade yet in free agency, but we could be having a couple coming up. The Chargers have given Austin Eckler to speak with other teams about a trade after extension talks fell apart. I guess the first question is, is there any landing spot for Austin Eckler that might be as good as the Chargers have been for him the last few years? I don't think so. I want to see, typically I want to see running backs who are successful stay with their teams, but I don't think there's a better place than the Chargers because the Chargers throw the ball a ton. And I

would expect that to continue with Kellen Moore. Eckler's just a huge part of their offense. He's their goal linebacker. Look, I'm not saying he can't be really good in other places. Cincinnati, if they get rid of Mixon, would be awesome. Denver might be awesome, but I don't think there's any place that's as good as the Chargers. So he's the number one or number two pick if he's on the Chargers, at least at running back. And if he's on a different team, I think probably still a first-round pick, maybe something like RB5. But no, I just love what he's got going for him. He's never had more than 206 carries, Chris, so he needs to be on a team that's going to throw the ball a ton

and be committed to throwing to the running back. Yeah, I think the way I would put it is it's possible he could land somewhere else that would use him in a similar way and an elite offense and he would still have plenty of value. But uncertainty is really bad for fantasy. Uncertainty doesn't mean that Austin Eckler would definitely go somewhere worse, but we pretty much know what to expect from him in Los Angeles. We know how much they like him. We know how much they want to rely on him. Like you said, in the passing game, man, near the goal line. You know, Buffalo is one of those teams that I think gets brought up a lot

when people talk about big names. I think that would be bad. Yeah. I agree. I'm with you on that. Yeah. Such a different offense. Yeah.

I'm with you, man. The one landing spot that I could see kansas city you know we don't want necessarily to to see uh you know their incumbent back isaiah pacheco get derailed but like that's one situation you know patrick holmes doesn't throw the ball downfield as much as he did when he was younger. They do get a lot of scoring opportunities. That's one I could see him still having a lot of value and potentially being maximized. But yeah, I would prefer not to see Austin Eckler move. So hopefully that trade doesn't come to fruition. One trade that does sound like it could happen,

actually potentially multiple trades for the Denver Broncos, there have been reports that they are making Jerry Judy and Cortland Sutton available in trade. And it's not like an either or situation, which I thought was interesting. One of the reports I saw said they're potentially both available. The Broncos, you know, with the amount of money Russell Wilson's making, this is a team that has some cap issues. So one, who would you rather see the Broncos hang on to between Jerry Judy and Cortland Sutton? I'm higher on Jerry Judy. So I think I think I'd love for Jerry Judy to be on a team on the Broncos without Cortland Sutton.

I think in that case, honestly, he could be a number one. He could be a top 12 wide receiver if that were the case. Is this a good time to try to trade for Tim Patrick in your dynasty leagues? I don't think. Yes, I think the answer is yes. is this a good time to try to trade for Tim Patrick in your dynasty leagues? Um, I, I don't think, yes, I think the answer is yes, but I am always concerned about guy coming off an ACL.

It was preseason injury. So he's had a lot more time to heal up, but yeah, I think so. It's just surprising to me. You bring in Sean Payton, you're aggressive in free agency. You signed two tasks,

two offensive linemen. Uh, you got Russell Wilson. Well, I think you think about the Sean Payton era in New Orleans it's not a team that invested a ton at the wide receiver position obviously they had some good players Marquise Colston and Michael Thomas in particular

but Colston was a sixth round pick Michael Thomas was I think a day two pick but it wasn't a team that necessarily invested as much as the Broncos certainly have at wide receiver. So it'll be interesting to see what they do. And it might be a situation where Sean Payton thinks he doesn't need the kind of across the field talent that the Broncos currently do. And one last guy that has not signed yet, but they're starting to be some interest.

Odell Beckham. I mean, we did this last season. He didn't end up signing with the Cowboys, but the Cowboys are interested reportedly. Also the chiefs have been mentioned as a possibility. Is there a specific landing spot for Odell Beckham that you think would make him particularly interesting for fantasy? Yeah. I mean, look, I think going to the Cowboys or the chiefs would be good. I think he could have a number three fantasy wide receiver type of season. A little bit like what he was on the Rams, but I don't really have huge expectations for him, and I think he needs to go on a team that's going to put up big numbers.

He's not the kind of player. Well, look, I don't know. I wasn't at his workout, Chris. I got to be honest with you. I don't know what he is. Did you get the invite? Yeah, I did, but I just had some stuff going on. I had to do the dishes.

At this point, I can't imagine he's a dynamic game changer, right? So he's got to be on a really good pass offense. If he didn't go to the Rams, and they were arguably the best offense in football that year, if he didn't go to the Rams, I don't think he would have done much. All he did was catch touchdowns. So Cowboys and Chiefs would be just fine, but I am not rushing to trade for Odell Beckham or anything like that in a dynasty league.

That makes sense. And that's going to do it for FFT and five. We'll be back on Monday to recap some of the free agency winners from the first week and any other moves that happened in the intervening days. So we'll see you then.