Fantasy Football Today - Week 17 Tough Calls, Christmas Day Start or Sit (12/24 Fantasy Football Podcast)

Episode Date: December 24, 2025

News and notes and then we get into the tough calls for Week 17. At quarterback (8:00), we're debating Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff. Are either of these guys starters this week? The matchups are quite different! At running back (17:40), do we trust Tyrone Tracy Jr, D'Andre Swift, Bucky Irving or Tony Pollard? ... Tough calls at wide receiver (27:15) include Michael Wilson, Tetairoa McMillan, Zay Flowers and Christian Watson ... Start or Sit for Cowboys-Commanders (38:40), Lions-Vikings (51:40) and Broncos-Chiefs (1:05:00) ... Email us at [e-mail] Fantasy Football Today is available for free on the Audacy app as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever else you listen to podcasts Watch FFT on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.youtube.com/fantasyfootballtoday⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Shop our store: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shop.cbssports.com/fantasy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  SUBSCRIBE to FFT Dynasty on Apple: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-football-today-dynasty/id1696679179⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW FFT Dynasty on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2aHlmMJw1m8FareKybdNfG?si=8487e2f9611b4438&nd=1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SUBSCRIBE to FFT DFS on Apple: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-football-today-dfs/id1579415837⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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

You know, some trips are just better when you can really unplug. Spend time with family, see friends, or hit the course with the guys on our yearly golf trip. This year, me and the boys stayed in a home on Airbnb, which happened to be a guest favorite, and it was right on the course. We could walk straight to tee off every morning, and it was just a short stroll to the local shops, bars, and restaurants. Staying in a place on Airbnb gives you plenty of room to spread out, cozy living areas to hang out in, and all the privacy you need. Staying somewhere like that makes everything feel more like a home than a hotel, and you get a real feel for the neighborhood. I'm already planning on how to go bigger and better next year. Luckily, there's so many options to choose from on Airbnb, so whether it's family, friends, or golf getaway,

my biggest tip is to check out Airbnb, check out their guest favorites, which are the most loved homes on Airbnb, and you'll be amazed at what you find. Ready to level up, Chumba Casino is your playbook to find. It's free to play with no purchase necessary. Enjoy hundreds of online social games like blackjack, slots, and solitaire, anytime, anywhere, with fresh releases every week. Whether you're at home or on the go, let Chumba Casino bring the excitement to you. Plus, get free daily login bonuses and a free welcome bonus. Join now for your chance to redeem some serious prizes.

Play Chumba Casino today. No purchase necessary VGW Group void war prohibited by law 21 plus TNCs apply. This is Fantasy Football Today from CBS. sports. What a play! Can you believe this? No, I can't. It's time to dominate your fantasy league.

This is going to go the distance. Now here's some combination of Adam, Dave, Jamie, and Heath. Welcome to the show. It's Fantasy Football today, presented by BetMGM, Make It Legendary. It's Christmas Eve. It's Wednesday, December 24th. It's Hump Day. We have so many reasons to be happy, so many reasons to be excited.

But Heath, the NFL slate on Thursday, not necessarily one of those reasons. I think you said it was the best Thanksgiving slate ever. And we're getting a little bit of payback with Christmas. You know, I'm just glad that I didn't say anything I shouldn't have during the hot mic moment. I would hate to say something you're not supposed to say on air. No, it's, it's, I don't remember anything like it. I think we have three games and we have three third string quarterbacks. Which is super.

interesting for championship weekend of fantasy football but you know what how can you not be just happy and full of joy today it's great it's great time it is happy times very excited

and Dave Jamie and I will be on tomorrow Heath will not be we'll have our regular Thursday show with start or sit for the AFC home are we doing that guys normal time tomorrow I haven't asked I'd prefer later if we can let let's let everybody sleep in a little on Christmas morning

I need it to be at the same time. I'm sorry. Ooh, that's tough, Dave. That is a tough break right there. We'll see at 8.30 tomorrow. I might be a little late. We'll see. All right, that's fine.

Can I just, like, log in from bed? I'll just have my laptop on my nightstand. You just have to be wearing, we just have to do matching pajamas if that's what we're going to do. I don't wear pajamas. Oh, okay. All right. So I have a thought. Have you guys ever had this idea if you're decided?

between a Thursday guy or even maybe a Saturday guy and a Sunday or a Monday player, do you play, I never do this, but play the guy going earlier in the week so you know maybe how to set your lineup later in the week? Do I need up based on his results, right? Do I need upside? Do I need safety? No, no. Yeah, stupid. Okay. Well, then we'll move on. We have tough calls today. Well, no, I'm just saying as a tiebreaker. I'm not saying you go through. three spots in your rankings lower to get a Thursday guy. Are we going to start Baker Mayfield?

Are we going to start Jared Gough? Are we going to start D'Andre Swift, who's been pretty bad, I think, in four of his last six games because he doesn't score touchdowns? He's not good. Are we going to start Tyrone Tracy at the Raiders? We've got some tough calls for week 17, and we've got previews of the three Christmas games. Quick shout out to Frank Stamphill. He is the only CBS representative still alive in the Scott Fish Bowl.

He is in 24th place right now And 50 people will be competing To win the Scott Fish Bowl So our fantasy baseball today hosts Frank Stamphill Go get him, buddy I feel like Frank needs to share his roster So I've got somebody to cheer for In the Scott Fish Bowl this week

Like I was really sad Last week not having anybody to cheer for And I'd like to cheer for Frank's team He's probably listening right I'll probably jump in the chat And just give us his roster It'd be great If you look it up right

Isn't there still a way to do that? I'm sure that there are people who could do that. I am not one of those people. I can tell you. I can tell you who he drafted because he sent me a screenshot when he drafted it. I'm sure his team, if it's anything like my team, it looks just exactly like who he drafted.

Well, it's Scott Fishbowl, so it's like, you know, there's not a ton of free agency. The rosters are so deep. He has Drake May, Matthew Stafford and Jordan Love. He'll start two of them.

There is Chase Brown, Kenneth Gainwell, DeAndre Swift. He'll start them. He also has Dillard. and Sam, there he had Dylan Samson. He has Jamar Chase, Pooka Nakua, and Devante Smith,

and he has George Kittle and Pat Fryermuth. That was what we drafted. This sounds really unfair. Did Frank have eight teams in his in his league? That's pretty good. How do you get all his good players? Good job, Frank. All right. So, we've got our regular schedule. You guys are on the network

tomorrow, right? CBS Sports Network. Oh, no. No. No, no, Christmas. All Christmas. Okay, well, we'll see on Sunday morning for our regular programming as well. News and notes. Lamar Jackson was listed as it did not practice. They're at Green Bay on Saturday.

We'll hold out hope for Lamar Jackson. Josh Allen says he's going to play. He has a foot injury. He's a little lower in the rankings than he usually is against Philadelphia. Philip Rivers is starting for the Colts. And Jacksonville have been a little vulnerable. Not so much lately, but passing defense hasn't been great. J.J. McCarthy is out for the game tomorrow.

And Jordan Love, limited, but still in the concussion protocol, it was at least good that he was limited yesterday, Jordan Love. Malik Willis thinks he'll be ready to play through his shoulder injury if it comes to that. At running back, Jordan Mason is unlikely to play tomorrow. Aaron Jones looks like he'll play. Josh Jacobs has this knee issue. We'll see if he plays against Baltimore on Saturday. Woody Marks practiced in full.

So that is it for the Jawar Jordan, at least considering starting him. Baltimore running back Keaton Mitchell was limited. Kamani Vidal missed practice and they did activate someone off their practice squad. So not necessarily a great sign. Yeah, that's right. And he's played before. So, Vidal, with the injury,

he mispracticed. They play Saturday, and Trevion Henderson's a concussion protocol. I'm on Ross St. Brown. We go to the wide receiver news. St. Brown has a knee issue. Feel like he's going to play. We'll preview that game later.

D.K. Meckaff suspension was upheld. Also, Calvin Austin has a hamstring injury for Pittsburgh. Ryan Flanoi missed practice. They play tomorrow. Kishon Booty's in the concussion protocol. Pat Bryant missed practice. They play tomorrow. And Rishi Rice,

mispractice. We're not expecting him. They play tomorrow. Tight ends. T.J. Hawkinson mispractice. They play tomorrow. George Kittle has a sprained ankle, and we'll see. I mean, I can't imagine he's going to practice today, but we'll see what happens.

Dalton Schultz was limited. And on the offensive line, Houston's left tackle is out. Minnesota Center is out. And Tampa Bay's left tackle, Tristan Worf's, he could be out. All right, that's the main stuff. Let's go to the tough calls. All right. These were submitted by Jamie.

and got some from the audience as well. Let's talk about Baker Mayfield and Jared Gough. Baker Mayfield scored 14.7 fantasy points. Last week, he has mostly been pretty bad for the past month and a half, but he did score 23.2 fantasy points two weeks ago against Atlanta, and he faces Miami. He's been really bad for about the last six quarters, coinciding with the loss of safety, McAfin's Patrick.

Jamie, you said Baker Mayfield and Jared Gough for tough calls. Who do you like better? Mayfield. I don't want any part of Derek Goff against the Vikings. He has not been good in Minnesota. The Vikings have been amazing since week 10. They are on a historical run right now. And I don't think Jared Goff is going to have a great game. Mayfield has been tough to trust. But his matchup is much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much. Heath and Dave, Dave first, Mayfield or golf? Mayfield at Miami, golf at Minnesota. I'd prefer to start neither of them, but golf I have ranked ahead of Mayfield. Heath. Oh, Heath is muted.

Heath, you're, oh, buddy. Yeah, I probably, my, I prefer to start. Your microphone just FOE, yeah. Yeah, never, never again. I've got golf one spot higher I agree completely they are tough calls they are 11 and 12 for me it seems like there's maybe 10 quarterbacks

that we really want to start this week because I don't really love those guys I don't really love Justin Herbert against the Texans I don't really love Jackson Dart like I have a lot of hard time finding guys to rank ahead of them I think you also submitted Caleb Williams

as a tough call right He's one spot ahead of those guys. Yes. Agreed. So we're looking at- I like Caleb Williams much better than both. Much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much, much better. Much, much, much, much, much better than Jergoff.

I mean, this might seem like, no, I mean, this is a good question. This is a great, one of my better questions. He's one spot, Caleb Williams is one spot ahead of Baker Mayfield. You're saying you like him much better than Baker Mayfield? Is that just the end of a tier? basically i think he was just doing wordplay yeah i don't know it felt like he really meant it when he said he liked caleb much better like i i think he said it best there's 10 quarterbacks that i like as well caleb is 10 uh after 10 it gets a lot of question marks i wish baker was

playing better because the matchup i think is great i don't i the dolphins are definitely in checkout mode and you know the bucks have a hell of a lot to play for and i think baker is going to perform much better because i don't think the dolphins pass rush is going to be as bad as what he's seen the last couple of weeks, and I don't think their secondary is playing very well. Like you said, makeup Fitzpatrick being out is a big factor here. So I'm confident in Baker,

much more so than I am in Jared Gough, who has all of his weapons available to him, but he's facing, again, a defense on a historical run right now in a place where he has struggled mightily going back to his days with the Rams. Okay, so Jared Gough is super interesting because he's on fire right now.

He has finished top 10, at the position six times in his last eight games. He has scored, let's see, 30 or more fantasy points, two straight games, at the Rams and home against Pittsburgh. He threw 41 times at the Rams. He threw 54 times against Pittsburgh. Has he done in tough matchups?

Not that well, the last time. But most recent tough matchup was against Green Bay, and he scored 24.6 fantasy points on, and that was without Amman Ross St. Brown, wasn't it? was the Thanksgiving game. And he's through 26 passes and he scored 24.6 fantasy points. So he's playing great. Oddly enough, his worst game in this stretch was against Dallas.

But also last year he was playing great. Last year he was absolutely on fire and then he won you your fantasy leagues. And then he faced Minnesota in week 18 and it made a, it was a total dud. I don't forget what he scored, 12 points or something like that. He played well, but Jemir Gibbs scored three touchdowns and ran really, really well. And then I think if we're, it's Brozmer playing. And that's, that's what really. That's killed me on my golf enthusiasm.

Mine too, although I still think golf can have an okay game. So Jamie's point about the Vikings defense, I mean, he said it's six straight games without allowing a single passing touchdown. It's ridiculous. But to me, the issue that's almost as big of a deal is Max Brozmer at quarterback from Minnesota isn't going to put up a lot of points for Minnesota. And if that's the case, we could be looking at another game where Jemir Gibbs goes off, David Montgomery and such.

I think in the two games they played last year, or no, it's not last year. The two games that Jared Gough has stunk in his last five against Minnesota, six rushing touchdowns for the running backs in Detroit, three from Gibbs last year, two from Gibbs, one from Montgomery, the other time when it happened. The other three games, he's been not bad. And I think that's what you're hoping for is for him to be not bad. And so I've got them ranked to be a not bad quarterback this week. Okay.

I know Jamie's got Shuck over golf. Do you guys have Shuck over golf? I do not. I don't either, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were within two and a half fantasy points of each other. Okay. All right. And Mayfield's a little bit ahead of golf for Jamie. And let's see.

Just check the rankings. For Heath, Mayfield is 12. Where do you have golf? Oh, 11. Sorry. And Dave, Dave, you're not feeling Mayfield.

You have him 16th. Not at all. No, and it's because of how he's played, how this offense has been a little disjointed. Last week, they came off the bus running. I wonder if they try and do that again.

I don't like that Tristan Worf's hurt. They've got to get their act together, and they need a get right spot. This is a get right spot, but I don't know if that means that Baker Mayfield has 275 and 3. This is another game where I'm not sure if Tampa's opponent is going to push the scoreboard and give the opportunity for Baker Mayfield to go out there and fire the ball off 32 plus times.

You know who I'm kind of concerned about in that regard and we're going to talk about him soon is Dak Prescott. Because you guys have him what, top three, I think. I thought you were going to say Bo Nix. Oh, yeah, I don't want to start Bo Nix. He's absolutely in that spot, Heath. I don't want to start Bo Nix either. But, Dak, I do want to start.

Right. But if you have, like, Joe Burrow or Trevor Lawrence, because Dak Prescott at Washington, on paper is just you drool over this. But I am concerned that the commanders are so inept in this game, even against Dallas, that that DAC has a rare, bad game in a good matchup, great matchup. Anyone feeling that or no? It's plausible.

No. All right, I got some numbers on that to crunch. Like, how does he do when opponents don't score a lot of points? and, you know, that kind of stuff. We'll talk about that in a little bit. It's time for football at BetMGM. Register with BetMGM to get instant access to the best variety of parley selection features,

no sweat and boost tokens, live betting options, and much more. New players can receive up to $1,500 back in bonus bets with the bonus code fantasy if they don't win their first bet. You don't want to miss out on any of the hard-hitting action at BetMGM. Place your money line, parlay bets, and more today.

BetMGM make it legendary. All right, quick break, and we'll talk tough calls it running back. Tyrone Tracy, Bucky Irving, and more when we come back. Okay, submissions from Jamie and the Twitter audience. Tyrone Tracy at the Raiders, he's not getting a lot of catches. And that's kind of only two games this year with more than three catches. And let's see, we got Bucky Irving at Miami. Bucky Irving is averaging 3.5 yards per carry.

That is almost two yards per carry less. than last year. He has one run all season longer than 16 yards. So Tyrone Tracy, Bucky, Irving. DeAndre Swift at San Francisco, which has a pretty good run defense. And he's struggled. He's got four disappointing games in his last six, DeAndre Swift. And the last one was Tony Pollard. Three straight 100-yard games for Tony Pollard. But he has two catches for 11 yards in his last four games combined. And he is facing New Orleans I want to hear

what crazy is that? New Orleans since week four they're fourth best in yards per play defensively because I was looking

at Houston and the Chargers and it's like man New Orleans keep showing up on this list New Orleans is seventh best

for the season but fourth best in yards per play the Saints defensively okay so Heath I've got

Tyrone Tracy at the Raiders I got Buckie Irving at Miami I got DeAndre Swift at San Francisco and I got

Tony Pollard against New Orleans or any of these guys easy calls for you. Like, oh, I'm definitely starting them. I don't know that I would say any of them are easy calls. I have Swift significantly at the top of this group, and I have Pollard pretty clearly at the bottom of this group. Tracy and Bucky, I think, may be 24 and 25 for me, so they are definitely

the toughest calls for me. I think everybody would like to start Bucky, because we think he's really good, and it should be a game where they're playing with a lead, and they get to run the ball a lot. He's just morphed into the ultimate trapback, like a guy that's not used very much on passing downs and not used at all inside. I mean, he was on the field for a pass attempt from the one yard line last week, but still does not have a carry that officially counts inside the five yard line. But I'm just, I'm probably just going to stick with Swift this week, and I'm probably not going to start Pollard this week. Okay. So it's Swift, then a little bit of a gap, and you've got Tracy and Buck, Bucky, and then a gap, and then Pollard.

Dave, how do you see those four running backs? Pretty much the exact same way. Swift at the top of the list, a very good number two fantasy running back. 49ers have allowed at least 15 PPR points to 10 of 15 running backs this year, including three straight games. And I still think Swift is like the 1A in Chicago. Okay. Jamie, how do you see those four running backs?

same order I think in the case of Pollard the matchup is not easy but the last two weeks haven't exactly been easy for him either and he's done better than I think anybody expected. Probably the Chiefs game was one that the numbers don't match up to the way the performance was in the case of how both running backs performed against the Chiefs

because they just didn't care. The Chiefs didn't care? The Chiefs didn't care? Well, I mean, you know, first game out of playoff contention, and they just... Yeah, by the end of the game, I have a different take on that, honestly. I, if you, I guess watching Tony Pollard, I don't think there was like a lack of effort. I watched Cam Ward, too. They just were on the field for 38 minutes.

Three of Tony Pollard's four long... I mean, it's not a lack of effort, but... Yeah, I mean, the offense let them down, right? So I think the defense got warded down. Three of his longest, three of Tony Pollard's four longest runs were in the fourth quarter. He had a big fourth quarter. So did Todd's. They saw 70 plays and were on the field for 38 minutes.

So I think the offense completely let them down, which is something you should think about for R.J Harvey as well. But, yeah. Okay, right. So, no, Tony Powell. I mean, what's the different? Why is D'Andre Swift so much farther ahead of Tony Pollard? I mean, Swift's catches are very unpredictable.

Pollard, you could argue he's going to get more carries. I don't know. I think he has probably a slightly easier matchup, but maybe you could, maybe you could say they're even. So, you know, Jamie, what's your take on that? Well, it's a fair argument, you know, especially again in the last three weeks, what we've seen from these guys. And, you know, like he said about Bucky Irving, you know, D'Andres will have loses touchdown opportunities to Kyle Monongai. And, you know, like you said, Adam, the passing game work has been not exactly something you could say

is guaranteed in certain situations. I think the hope would be is that the offense for the Bears is certainly centered around their run game. And, Andres Swift is still the leading running back for this team in a game that should be a high-scoring game between the 49ers and Bears. At least that's the hope. So I feel more comfortable with Swift also, but it's hard to overlook what Pollard has done the last three games and can he finish out this season playing like this? You know, you listen to the Titans players and certainly Mike McCoy and, you know, they feel much more comfortable with how their offensive line is performing. And that's obvious starting with the Browns game. So can they, they're also not. turn the ball over, you know. So you've talked about this quite a bit, you know, Cam Ward three

straight games with one interception, or three, one interception is the last three games. One interception is last eight games. Oh, sorry, last eight games. So, you know, doing a much better job of holding onto the ball. So they're getting more opportunities. I, I just think that the Saints defense is surprisingly tough, you know, just compared to what you think of them. And Tai-J Spears is still enough of a factor to make me still concerned about Pollard, especially in the passing game. So he also feels a little bit like a trapback, too. I think the biggest difference is one team has an implied total of 24 this week.

One team has an implied total of 17. Yeah, you know, it's funny. You mentioned that number 24. The Titans have scored 24 more points in four of their last five games. And they did not do that a single time in their first 10 games. So obviously, Vegas is not buying the Titans offensive resurgence, and I get it. By the way, I was wrong. It's one interception for Campbell.

in his last seven games, just to clarify that, but still impressive. And three straight games with two touchdown passes, but we're not seeing a lot of yards. We're not seeing a lot of pass attempts either. No, it's a fair point. You want to buy into the Bears' offense more so than the Titans' offense.

I get that. Would you guys start Remandre Stevenson over all four of these guys, Swift, Pollard, Bucky, Tracy? Yes. If Henderson's out 100%. I've got him over everyone except for Swift. Okay. And you should know by the time

the Saturday games roll around if Trayvion Henderson is playing. Would you start Michael Carter over any of these guys? No. Pollard. No. No.

No? Okay. Okay. That's about it. Blake Corm or Tony Pollard? Pollard. Pollard. Pollard, but they're almost back to back.

Okay. It almost seems like Pollard and Bucky Irving and even Swift, They're very, I don't know, maybe all these guys are similar. But we just trust the Titans offense the least, I think, is what I'm, what I'm hearing here. That is a way to sum it up? Yes.

Yeah. And, I mean, we didn't really talk at all about Tracy. Dave, you want to give your quick thoughts on Tracy at the Raiders who are not pretty good against the run, but they give up fantasy points to running backs. I'm kind of out on all Giants players just because of what we saw last week. and then knowing that the offensive line potentially could be down to starters. We've seen what this offenses look like in the past without a healthy offensive line. And it's brutal.

I don't care how much Jackson Dart runs. It's just not something that I really want to have a piece of. I'm ready to start Pollard over Tracy. Giants are averaging, oh, that's interesting. Giants are averaging four yards per carry with Andrew Thomas and 3.3 without him this year. Last year, the splits were pretty even. And the year before that, they were even more dramatic. Four yards per carry with Thomas and 3.1 with him off the field.

That's Giants running backs. And I suppose we should just make sure that those guys are out before we really lean into it. You would know better than I at this point. Well, I think they were labeled as day to day or something like that, but no one expects Andrew Thomas to play. I'd obviously feel better about pieces of the Giants offense if the linemen are playing, especially Thomas. I think a lot of times when guys are questionable at this point in the week, we kind of lean towards questionable. They've got a chance to play.

When it's the Giants or even the Chiefs at this point, like, I mean, this is the tank off of all tankoffs between the Giants and the Raiders. If anybody has a boo-boo, they need to sit out. We want to lose this game more, though. They both. I would think the Raiders. The Raiders. The Raiders is 100%.

Pete Carol, but I can't. I can't imagine Pete Carroll's ever thought that way a second of his life. But I think, like, Raiders fans probably do more because they need Mendoza. Well, yeah, the Raiders want to guarantee the quarterback. The Giants don't need that. Yeah, exactly. This might be Pete Carroll's second in the last game as a head coach ever. I guarantee you he's going to try and win.

Yeah, same thing with Mike Kafka, though. Yeah, the Giants have been good at losing all year long. Yeah, they're going to. I think they're underdogs now. Did the line change? They are. It should be. I think the Raiders won.

It's shifted. Okay, let's go to our wide receivers. We got Michael Wilson at Cincinnati. Remember Marvin Harrison Jr.'s playing hurt, and he only played, he only ran 60% of the routes last week. Michael Wilson also saw a big jump in his slot rate last week, but it was not good for basically anybody other than Elijah Higgins on that offense. Teterola McMillan against Seattle, as we wait to see their injury report.

Zay Flowers at Green Bay. Christian Watson against Baltimore. So we got Michael Wilson, Teterole McMillan, Zay Flowers, and Christian Watson. Jamie, how do you see that group? We have tough calls in here for you? Yeah, mostly with Watson and Flowers because of the potential of backup quarterbacks. I think if you get the starting quarterbacks, you feel a lot much, I feel a lot better about Flowers for sure. Watson, I think, you know, this is just kind of another season of, okay, he's flashed some great potential.

But still, is he going to get the targets? Is he going to get the opportunities? is he going to produce when he gets those opportunities because we still have another very crowded receiving court here. So if it's Tyler Huntley, I'm going to be very nervous about Zayflowers. If it's Malique Willis, I'll feel okay about Watson but not as good. Teddaro and McMillan, I'm hoping, not necessarily for the injuries, that will help his ceiling, but I'm hoping that the game flow is Seahawks playing

with the lead, Panthers forced to throw. You illustrated this on Sunday. Whenever the targets are there for Tedd-Role McMillan, he has produced. Well, whenever he's had 10 or more targets. Well, I'm just, I'm not going to go in thinking he's going to get 10, but if he has the opportunity to get north of seven, I will start him without hesitation. I'll have some questions if you tell me right now he's going to be six and a half.

Like if that's the over-under, then I'm going to go, oh, crap. It could be a rough day for him. And Wilson, obviously, you know, it's, I think we all went into it with, okay, you heard the report, Marvin Harrison's going to be playing at less than 100%. They opened the game, Michael Wilson is not on the field. That's how the first play started for them. It's like, oh, crap, here we go again. It's going to be some sort of screwiness with what's been their best receiver.

And we got so lucky that he bibles, falls into, ball lands on his chest, gets a touchdown. I'm going to go back to him because it's the Bengals, and I know that their secondary has played much better against wide receivers than I think anybody expected, and certainly based on what quarterbacks have done against them. Clearly, tight ends dominate this team and they have Trey McBride, but I still think you got to treat Michael Wilson as a number two receiver based on what his upside can still

be, and I think it's still there. Do you like McMillan or Michael Wilson? Wilson. Wilson. McMillan. McMillan, when he's had eight or nine targets, he's typically not done that well, but at least it hasn't been, you know, it's usually like 11 points or

something. It's not one of those where you go, oh, I lost because of McMillan. You just didn't win because of McMillan. And usually he does get, you know, he gets a decent amount of targets. It's just been a little unpredictable lately with two, four, and ten targets in his last three games. But you see a lot of eight target games in there. Obviously, we need Seattle to hold up there under the bargain and score. Heath, Michael Wilson, Zay Flowers, Christian Watson, Teddowell-McMillan, your thoughts on this group? I would rank them. Wilson Flowers Tederoa. Who else? Watson. Tetaroa Watson.

And I would say they're all between, I think, 15 and 26 for me. So Watson's the one that is more of a borderline number two. And some of it's Malik Willis versus Jordan Love. A lot of it is just the Packers. Like in any given game, any wideout could see three or four targets. If Jordan Love plays, and he was limited yesterday, are we going to, I personally will be excited to start Christian Watson. I'll probably have Watson ahead of Teteroa, but probably still behind the other two. Okay. Dave, you have McMillan, what, first in this group? Yes. Okay, now remember, Seattle has been a really tough matchup for anyone basically not named like Pooka Nakuwa, essentially.

So, but you're, but obviously they have injuries in their secondary. So your thoughts on McMillan in this matchup. Accounting on volume for McMillan, I don't think Carolina will be able to run the ball effectively. Bryce has to get the ball out quickly. Macmillan is one of the guys that he looks to, no matter what the situation, but certainly in that situation specifically.

So it's taking a chance over Wilson, but I think I'm willing to do it. It's close. I think in Arizona, it could be a high-scoring game. They're close. And so if you want to go Wilson over McMillan, I get it. He seems like maybe the safer of the two. But I think Marvin Harrison probably takes a step forward this week after his first game back.

I don't think Tray McBride is going to have a bad game either. And so will there be enough there for, I'm not going to say all three of the past catchers in Arizona to have a good game, but like for Marvin to have a modest game, for McBride to have a monster game, and Wilson to have a monster game. Maybe there could be. It is Cincinnati, but to me, it's just really close between those two. The other three not as close. Say Flowers with Tyler Huntley. That makes me skittish. We're not sure if Jordan Love's going to play.

We're not sure if Malik Willis is going to play. If both of those quarterbacks are out, they're both on the injury reporter. They're both out. There's no way that I can feel good about Christian Watson. Right. I think LaFlor kind of expects the optimism yesterday that Willis will be out there. And in the case of Wilson, I agree with you, Dave, but I do think that one thing we see is another 40-plus. plus pass attempt game for Brissette because of who they're facing.

So that should help all three of those guys. Just since we did it with the running backs, the implied total for these four teams of these wide receivers we're talking about, 23 for Arizona, 22 for Green Bay, 19 and a half for the Ravens and 17 for the Panthers. Wow. Wow. That's got to be Huntley.

Let me tell you with Huntley, Zayflowers has six, 15 targets this year with Huntley, but Huntley, Zayflowers has a 33.3% target share with Tyler Huntley so far this year. He played one game with him against the Bears, had seven catches for 63 yards on nine targets,

nine targets on 22 pass attempts. Huntley had 10 pass attempts last week. Three of them went to Zay Flowers. So it's not going to be, the quality is not going to be as good, obviously. And Tyler Huntley doesn't throw touchdowns ever. 33% is not a huge increase. He has a 29% target share for the season.

Okay. Yeah. He's on fire right now. Three straight games with 15.8 or more PPR fantasy points for Zayflowers. Okay. I think we'll call it a day here with the tough calls. But looking at these guys, Michael Wilson at Cincinnati, Zayflowers at Green Bay, Christian Watson against the Ravens, and Teteroa McMillan against Seattle.

Would you start any of them over Jamison Williams against Minnesota, at Minnesota. Nope. I would not. Wilson, Flowers, and McMillan. Just give me Wilson and McMillan. Okay. Would you start these guys over

Bucky Irving? In PPR, absolutely. All about Watson right now. Yeah, full PPR. I have all of them ahead. Okay. DeAndre Swift or Michael Wilson?

Pretty close and non-PPR too. Full PPR. or D'Andre Swift or Michael Wilson, Zay Flowers, Christian Watson, Teddaro-McMillan. I'd probably take Swift there at the top of the list. I have Wilson ahead of Swift. That's it. Wilson ahead of Swift,

Flowers and McMillan ahead of Swift, if Lamar play. All right, folks. So listen, you know, one thing I always kind of feel bad about is we do these shows on Thursday and Friday. We give this advice to tell you who to start and sit, and then something happens on Sunday, there's an inactive, there's an injury, there's bad weather, and it changes our opinions.

So just either tune into Sunday shows, 11 a.m. Eastern until 1 p.m. on YouTube.com slash fantasy football today, or just stay on top of it and check the weather and check the injuries and all that. But sometimes things change and what we say becomes outdated pretty quickly. And that's unfortunately, could be the case with what we just talked about with all of those wide receivers, except Michael Wilson. I think we know his situation pretty well. But we don't know the status of Seattle's secondary against McMillan, and we don't know the status of the quarterbacks in the Green Bay Baltimore game. So, again, I just encourage everybody to stay on top of it.

I don't know if we have any weather concerns yet this week. Two that we need to watch, I think. There may be more, but two that we definitely need to watch, Pittsburgh at Cleveland. You just always have to watch the weather in Cleveland. It's going to be cold. It's going to be a little bit windy, hopefully not a lot windy. what's the other place you always have to watch the weather in December it's Buffalo

Pittsburgh at or Philadelphia at Buffalo has some wind and precipitation and cold concerns okay so you're not seeing that with the Jets game as it now according to our good friend Kevin Roth at Roto Grinders you should check out his weather work right now it looks like heavy rain holds off until after the game oh interesting all right. Forecast in Charlotte looks good too. Okay. All right. Well, let's take a break.

Come back and we've got three Christmas games to preview. Knicks and Cavs when we come back. What's up? It's Draymond Green. I'm back for my 14th NBA season and my podcast The Draymond Green Show is back too. This season, I'm breaking down games, reacting to the biggest NBA stories

and sitting down with teammates, rivals, and culture shapers. And trust me, I'm not holding back on the court or on the mic. Two new episodes every week. New segments, big conversations, real basketball, talk for the real hoop heads. Listen to and follow the Draymond Green Show wherever you get your podcast. We're back. We're better. Let's get it. It is time for Thursday afternoon football. Nah, nah, nah, nah, no, no, no. Ho, ho, ho, ho. Okay. Dallas is at Washington. It's out of the game. Four quarterbacks have scored 26.4 or more fantasy points against

the commanders with 30 or fewer pass attempts, including Dak Prescott. So I don't know if you guys have any DAC leagues. I'm just going to have to decide between DAC and Lawrence. Ordinarily, I'd say DAC, but, you know, I'm a little worried about the commander scoring five points in this game. Did you get Lawrence back in the leagues you dropped them? Well, in one of them, yeah. And then in FFT, I don't think I dropped him, but the waivers haven't run yet.

But we'll, you know, all right, Dax's like, what's up? This is hilarious. So I was thinking, I think you said you were going to do this. Like, I need to do some research on how many passes Dack throws when the other team doesn't score very many points. That has not happened. There just are not games where the other team doesn't score very many points. I show one game all season where the Cowboys opponent has scored few.

fewer than 21 points. Yeah, what game was that? That was against the Raiders. Right. And Dak threw four touchdown passes. Right. I've got five games where they allowed no more than 24 points,

which is great for them. That's their good defense games when they've given up 20, less than 24. I know, and he's been awesome. I mean, amazing, 29.3 or more in 4-05 games. So there's no reason to not like Dak Prescott. So I'm just, right? I mean, we just start them.

Start, I'm third for me. Okay. Top three, I think, for everybody. How about Javante Williams? Jamie, start or sit? As long as he's healthy, I'm going to start him. I mean, this commander's defense is terrible, and hopefully he's able to play a full game.

But, I mean, I don't know. This feels like all systems go for the Cowboys. Okay, honestly, yeah. So then let's just talk about Jake Ferguson because Pickens and Lamb are going to be starts. And Ferguson, Dave, start or sit, Jake Ferguson. I'd try and get away from him,

and it doesn't really have a lot to do with the match. The matchups favorable, but if you're Doc Prescott and you've got time to throw, are you really going to check down to Jake Ferguson, or you're going to throw to Lamb, who's due for a bounceback game, or Pickens, who continues to make huge plays for Dallas. So it feels like a low upside game for Jake Ferguson. For now, I've got him outside of my top 12 at tight end. Ferguson or Travis Kelsey?

I've got Kelsey a little bit of head. I think there's nine tight ends I want to start this week and there's like 17 tight ends who I think might score between six and eight points or six and nine points there's a it's still deep but there's not a lot of guys that I'm actually excited to I mean there's ten that all kind of excited to start okay Washington is a good matchup they allow the fifth most fantasy points of tight ends he'll score a touchdown, but he won't have much more. How about Dallas Goddard in the toughest matchup for tight ends, Buffalo, or Jake Ferguson? They're both touchdown dependent. Ferguson for me. I'm out on Goddard. I would go Ferguson, too. I'll take the chance on Goddard.

I think he's been a reason why Philadelphia's offense has gotten back on track, why their passing offense has gotten back on track. And last week, Harold Fanon showed us that you can score points against Buffalo. Yeah, I mean, if you're one of the best tight ends in the world. I mean, Mike Gisicki did it in week 14, too. He's one of the worst side ends in the world. All right. Washington on the other side of the ball here, is there any commander's player? First of all, you guys are approaching this as if

Josh Johnson's going to start. You're thinking Mario does not, as of now, not going to play, right? Correct. Yeah, it's not entirely reflected in my rankings as of Wednesday morning, but it will be by Wednesday evening. Same. I love this. Josh Johnson, nine career starts. His career, touchdown rate is 3.5%. Keith, you can let everybody know just how bad that is. His interception rate is 5.1%. Heath, you can let everybody know how bad that is.

56% completion rate. He's a third stringer for a reason. His touchdown rate is, it's 2.3%. That's overall. I'm talking about it. Oh, no, no, no. No. I'm sorry. His, what did you say, 3.2%? 3.5.

Okay, that would make Tyler Huntley blush because Tyler Huntley's is 2.3%, which is unbelievable. Just to put that in context, Daniel Jones' career touchdown rate is 3.4%. Oh, wow. All right. So, yeah, if Marietta plays,

he'd be an option because Dallas is horrible against quarterbacks, but Josh Johnson, be nervous, right? I think he's an option still. It's just Dallas is that bad. Like two quarterbacks all season have failed to reach 22 fantasy points,

or at least two team quarterbacks. There may have been one where they've given him at least 22 fantasy points, two quarterbacks in 13 of 15 games. The one team that did not have a quarterback do it, but collectively it was Washington. It was the combination of Jane Daniels and Mariotto combined for 23 fantasy points. I think you're just hoping that Johnson can get you somewhere around 20.

Like, he's not going to have a huge game because it's Josh Johnson. The last two times that he's played a full game, didn't start one, started the other. It was in 2021. And for two different teams, by the way, for the Jets against the Colts that year, he had 26 points, I think it was, so 23 points, something like that. Both over 20 points. I'm going to get the numbers wrong.

But it was the Jets against the Colts and the Ravens against the Bengals, and that was in week 16. Both games, he was a good fantasy quarterback. And 23.1 against Cincinnati. And I think it's worth saying, Like the last two quarterbacks who have faced the Cowboys have been J.J. McCarthy, who's just been dreadful most of the season, he scored 27 fantasy points on 24 pass attempts. And then Justin Herbert, who hasn't been a top 12 quarterback, like, but maybe once or twice since Joe Alt went down. And he scored 34 fantasy points on 29 pass attempts.

They have given up 27 or more to four of the last five quarterbacks they've faced. It's unbelievable. So what does this mean for Debo, Samuel, and Terry McLauran, Heath? I think you have to like Terry more. The interesting thing with both these guys is that if you look at the raw target numbers, they've been really low lately. It's because Washington has just done everything they can to commit to the run, and they haven't thrown the ball very much.

I don't think they'll have that option in this game. I think you have to favor McLaren because the thing that, I think we said this on the Sunday stream, and I hope somebody started him in a deep flex. Dallas has been awful on deep balls and that's we said that about Quentin Johnston on Sunday that's Terry McLoran on this team

everything Debo does is around the line of scrimmage so McClorin's a low end number two for me Debo is kind of a desperation number three Anyone disagree agree So is Terry McLaren ahead of the Michael Wilson Zay Flowers Christian Watson Tedroa McMillan group He's in that mix

I'd still start Wilson over him, but he's right behind those guys. Right. I've got to say ahead of him too, but yeah, I've got him ahead of Tedro and ahead of Watson. Okay. And Debo, like Debo or Wondale Robinson? Wondale. I said Debo was a desperation number three. Why are you asking about Wondale?

Because he sucks. I don't know how. One bad game. Wondale is going to be like a low end number two receiver. Okay. It's all send up in PPR, non-PPR. McLaren or Wondale? Who?

Oh, McLaren over Wondell for me. I think of. They're very close. McLaurin has a higher ceiling. Yeah, for sure. I've got Wondale higher. Okay. Would you start both McLaren in a half PPR league?

Would you start both McLaren and Debo Samuel over Chris Rodriguez? Yeah, I mean, is Quinn and Williams playing? Right. We're still not sure. He was estimated as limited. we don't know so they're saying it's a neck they've they've discarded the concussion label from the injury report is that the answer is that we start rodriguez if williams plays or we consider rodriguez if williams if williams sorry if if williams doesn't play we consider rodriguez if he does play

we don't consider him i don't think it should be don't play rodriguez it's just the numbers are awful for running backs against dallas with quinn and williams and so this is a touchdown or a bus guy. I mean, he's not going to be involved in the passing game. He is not going to go for a hundred plus yards

unless Williams is out and they just, you know, feed him over and over again. But with Williams, flex at best, without Williams, borderline number two running back.

Like, that's the difference. And I'm half PPR right now. I've got Rodriguez ahead of Debo. Okay. I don't know if I could pull the trigger on that. It's just Rodriguez. If he doesn't score,

it's really bad. And we can say the same thing about Debo, but at least Debo will get some catches. Johnson could keep his passes short. He's not known as a downfield gunslinger to begin with. But, like, I would take Coram easily over Rodriguez. I would take... Same guy.

Yeah, but I'd rather have the one taking on... Well, I'd rather have the one playing on a winning team that could have a lead against Atlanta than I would be, in case Washington just gets the doors blown off. And Kroski Merritt's going to get some run, too. That'll take some work away from Rodriguez. I can't get excited about Rodriguez, no matter what. whether or not Quinn and Williams plays.

If Mariotta were out, would anybody want to start the Cowboys DST? I mean, they're so bad. They're so bad. I can't do it. Yeah, they're horrible. You mean, just mentioned the interception rate for Johnson. So there'll be some, I mean, look, this is still a guy that's 39 years old and hasn't played in forever. So.

I know. That's why I'm a little nervous about McLaurin as a number two. I mean, there are never that many trustworthy wide receivers. but like this if johnson starts i'll start the cowboys and like it you just said the key wide receiver has been awful this year wide receiver is awful this week yeah i was like looking at nico collins for example nico collins is wide receiver 11 per game this year last year with his point total he would have been i think wide receiver 17 per game it's just such a bad year for receivers okay questions from the chat press god or stafford stafford

Stafford's my QB1 I think I have Prescott one spot higher but I think I need to switch that Prescott or Lawrence Prescott DAC I have DAC as of now

don't hold me to it Jalen Warren or no Tyler Warren Ferguson or Hunter Henry Henry I'm going Warren Time to play the game Double H

And Ferguson or Fanon We're going Fanon Come on Debo Mac Collins or Brenton Strange PPR. Debo. I kind of like Matt Collins this week.

I kind of do too. He might have the most upside of these three. All right. It sounds like we're leaning Debo. Purdy or Dak, we're going, Dak. Only have booties out, though. You can't go Holland's at Booty Place.

We're going Dak over Purdy, right? I have a rank that way right now. How about Burrow or Dak? Burrow. Burrow is my QB one. Okay. Ferguson or Tassum Hill. Ferguson both close

Ferguson I'm very hopeful that the Taysam Hill thing was just to get him that whatever I guess you could call it a record um yeah sure

McLorin Ramandre or Hampton Remandre by a mile if there's no Trevion I'd go Hampton over both if Trevian plays I'd go Hampton if Vidal Vidal is out if Vidal is out

out, Trevion is out, then it's Hampton. If Vidal is in and Trevionn is out, then I'd go Romandre. Hampton, McClorn. All right. And then last one. McLorin. Stefan Diggs, James and Joanne Jennings, Jennings, Jinnings, and McLaren for me. Jennings and JMO for me. Me too. Okay. That is it for that game. Let's go on to time for Thursday, mid-afternoon. No, no, no, no, na, na, na, na, no. Loop. Okay, so Detroit at Minnesota, a couple things to look back at here. Before Minnesota went on this crazy run of allowing one touchdown pass in their last

seven games, they faced Jared Goff, and he scored 23.4 fantasy points in week nine, he scored, he threw 37 passes. The two weeks before that, they were terrible. So, golf was the last quarterback who did well against Minnesota. The other thing I branched in this earlier, these two teams met in Detroit in week 18 last year. Jared Gough had scored 28 or more fantasy points in four straight games, 14 touchdowns to one interception in those games.

He was the hottest quarterback in the NFL. In that game against Minnesota, he threw two picks, one touchdown, scored 11.2 fantasy points in a 319 win. And the nine is obviously the big concern here because of Brosmer. It was last year, remember, Darnold had a horrible game. And Minnesota was second best against quarterbacks last year. And it's a lot of parallels, a lot of similarities between that game and going into it and this game. All right, we talked enough about golf.

Just go rewind the podcast if you want to hear it. But he's, you know, like a borderline starter for Dave and Jamie, or no, for Dave and Heath and a sit for Jamie. All right. We can't even think about David Montgomery, I assume. He just gets hardly any work. We're going to start Jamir Gibbs, but there's actually a lot working against him. He wouldn't be a shock if he had, no, forget it, forget it.

He might only score 18 fantasy points. It's a real risk. I do not have him as a top three running back. He scored 5.8 fantasy points against them in their first matchup. And they've been actually not that great against the run, but the Vikings allow the fewest receiving yards per game to running backs. Whatever. You're going to start Gibbs and sit.

Montgomery. Okay, Jamie, let's talk about these wide receivers. The scenarios with and without, because you are by far the lowest on JMO, with and without Amon-Ros, St. Brown. You're still starting him. And I think you're still starting J-mo. It's just, you know, the high-end production from a touchdown perspective is not there. If they're not giving a passing touchdowns, obviously it tells you what the receivers are doing against them. So in the case of St. Brown, look, he should have had a much better game last week, as we're all aware, based on how the end of the game was. Pass interference. all's, you know, whatever, you know, ruining his, his finish.

But he's too good to sit and still has so much upside. Golf's going to throw a touchdown. The streak is going to end. He's going to get one. Will he get two? That's the question here. So I look at the game before the streak started. Lamar Jackson, 18 fantasy points.

That's the number I'm counting on for golf to be in that range. And so who's going to lose out here? I think it's Jamo because I don't think he finds the end zone. Could he still get you 80 plus yards? Sure. So still a number two receiver. I mean, you know, the guys that you're asking are just happen to be players

that I still like in the same range. You know, so McMillan and Flowers and Wilson and those guys, they're all ranked in a similar range. I just don't think this is a great game for Jameson Williams because of who he's facing. Question from the chat.

Diggs or Jameson Williams? I would go Diggs if the other guys are out for New England. He's chasing another half a million dollars. This is a guy that definitely plays for his money at this point what is what does he need to do to get it he needs four more catches and i don't know the yards but four more catches to get 80 may he needs it in the next two games and well no then he gets there's another there's another escalator to 90 catches so uh he needed he needs 14 going into last week's game to get to 70 ends up with 76 like he's he's chasing dollars right now all right

so heath you have jamo eighth i think he's down to 12th now but i just i can't sit him he's been so good since Dan Campbell took overplay calling, they've really just turned this offense into Gibbs, St. Brown, JMO, which makes sense. Those are your best players. He has, I think he has nine or more targets

in four straight games. Every wide receiver that has had eight or more targets against Minnesota has scored 15.7 or more PPR fantasy points. But the problem is there's only been five of them. And teams just don't really throw on Minnesota. and, you know, they don't see a lot of,

they see the second few was past times per game. But here's James and tough matchups. First of all, he scored 16.6 fantasy points against the Vikings. He is one of only two wide receivers in the last eight games against the Eagles to score more than 11.5 p.p.r fantasy points.

He scored 19.7 against the Eagles. He scored 26.9 fantasy points against Green Bay, even though Green, that was without Amman Rossi and Brown. He had 70 yards against Pittsburgh. In their previous five games, the Steelers were great against the Bengals receivers, the Bears receivers, the Bills receivers,

the Dolphins, none of those guys had 70 yards. So Jamos has been outperforming the matchups lately. I just feel like Vikings are going to score 10 points. They scored 27 points with McCarthy last time, but I'm really concerned about them. What's there? McCarthy's been, this guy is so much worse. He is.

He is. Yeah, what is there implied to him? Although we did have one great throw to Jeff. for like 21 yards last week on that was more of a great catch wasn't it on the sideline a little bit of both yeah but yeah his off target rate is pretty high he do do have the implied total for the viking sea i i do i've got it for uh for everyone the vikings 18 the lions 25 and a half it really underscores the point that there's a chance that the lions won't have to throw a ton yeah and that that that that's a reason the kind of lower expectations a little bit more on top of the matchup. I will say in past, in past seasons, 18 would be a lot worse relative to everyone else than it maybe is this year, just because we've had. I mean, the chiefs implied total is 12.

The Panthers 17. Browns is 15. I think it's 18 for the Steelers. Like, there's just a lot of teams in that range now. The Chiefs are lower than the Browns. Well, I mean, the Chiefs have a third string quarterback. I guess the Browns do too. Yeah, but their third stringers better than the Chief's third stringer.

But wow, it's still facing Denver. I mean, the Chief's future Hall of Famer tight end is old enough to be the Brown's future Hall of Fame tight end's dad. Oh, man. I don't think Njoku is going to the Hall of Fame, Heath. So, yeah, let's, let's, if I'm on Rosset Brown, we're at, Out, by the way, I'm sure Jima would get a boost for everyone. So let's keep that in mind. We're not going to start the Lions tight ends.

Now, on the other side, we're certainly not going to start Brosmer. Are we going to start Aaron Jones? Jamie, any interest in Aaron Jones, assuming Jordan Mason is out? Yeah, I mean, look, the Detroit run defense was completely awful last week, and Jones is going to get the majority of the touches if Mason's not there. I don't think Xavier Scott factors in in a big way. Right. So you don't love that he's not 100%. You don't love the quarterback situation.

And obviously, Detroit, whatever slim playoff hopes they're clinging to, they need to win this game. So this could be a bloodbath for the entire Minnesota offense because of who's under center. But I think you've got to look at Jones as a number two running back. Hopefully he's going to get some catches. Hopefully Kevin O'Connell's creative with their rushing attack here. But it's not like the guys we talked about from Tough Call's perspective. Like he's in that range of Bucky Irving and Tony Pollard and those guys. and you can make cases for and against all of them versus Jones.

I just think you're hoping for the workload here to sort of carry through for Jones and to be mostly a run-heavy attack for Minnesota because that's the only way they have a chance to win this game. I just like, and I think he's 18th in the projections for me. So that's pretty good. That's a start. But when you start thinking about floor and upside, I think it really hurts Aaron Jones,

just because it seems like even when he plays games, there's a section of the game where he has to leave banged up and we know he's not healthy and he's older and he's not been healthy for a long time. So the floor's really,

really low for Jones. Yeah, and the ceiling's probably not that high. Obviously, we'd always be wrong about that. He could score three touchdowns, but that would be more than they're implied total. So, right,

you've got to think about that. The Rams, the Lions run defense has been kind of leaky. I'd say three of the last four games. It was with the Rams ran all over them. Josh Jacobs had a pretty solid game. So it's in a better matchup lately. The back end of their defense is atrocious.

Like you know about all the injuries that they have at safety and cornerback and you think, oh, they're going to be terrible against the pass. And they have been. But those guys are out of position all the time against the run, at least last week. And the Steelers blocked them up really well. But it's a problem. That's the difference between a bunch of like four and five yard runs. and a bunch of 45-yard runs like Jalen Warren had last week.

So there's a chance for Aaron Jones for sure. But there's also a chance for Justin Jefferson then or Jordan Addison, because this is a brilliant matchup as the Lions allow the second most fantasy points to wide receivers. Does anybody want to start a Vikings wide receiver? One to no. Imagine saying that sentence at the start of the season. Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I mean, you know, we have Justin Jefferson in a 14-team league going against Dave.

We have to start, you know, like, I hate it, but it's good. You know what you really don't want is an interception rate that is higher than your yards per attempt. And it's a very low number of passes, but Max Brosmer has thrown 47 passes. He has an 8.5% interception rate with four interceptions on those 47 passes. he is averaging 4.7 yards per pass attempt. Oh, my gosh. Like, the worst quarterbacks are much better than this. So is the best case scenario a 10-target, 8-catch, 70-yard game for Justin Jefferson?

No, I think the best-case scenario is Justin Jefferson catches a hitch, and the lion's secondary, whoever's covering him, falls down, and Justin Jefferson runs for a touchdown. Takes off. Like, the idea that he might catch 8 of 10. 10 passes. Right. Yeah, but remember, Brosmer, I mean,

going to Seattle, one of the hardest places to play in your first ever start will be more challenging than facing the lions at home, but he's, yeah, we're not,

we have no answer. I mean, he averaged 5.8 attempts against three yards per attempt against the Giants. There you go. Boo-ya. Jefferson or Troy Franklin,

half PPR. I think I have him back to back right now. Right now Jefferson's head. I have Jeffers. sir and i are all right these chat questions by the way montgomery or dylan samson uh we won't probably know the answer to that so you got to go how about this if sampson is practicing wednesday in full you can feel pretty good about his chances to play i don't think he'll be a like

the every down back for cleveland i think sanders will mix in and i'd be a little worried about sanders who's a bigger back working at the goal line but i think i think I think if we see Sampson practicing in full by Wednesday and maybe a word about it on Thursday before the Lions play, Samson's the pick. I'll say right now I have Trayvion Williams one spot behind Dave Montgomery right now. I was just going to say in full PPR, I would start both Sanders and Trayvion over Montgomery if Samson was out, but we won't know that either. Yeah. Okay. Hertz or Jared Goff?

Hertz. rank these three DSTs Lions, Texans, Rams Texans, Rams, lions I have it, Texans, Rams, lions, all of them top 12th. I forgot to mention the Lions DST, I can add them.

Justin Jefferson or Parker Washington. Still Jefferson. Yeah. Michael Wilson, Jameson Williams, Jalen Waddle, Stefan Diggs, pick two. The first. first two for me.

Yep. Wilson and Diggs for me. You guys are going with them over Jalen Waddle. Okay. Just cool. Just making sure. And Woody Marks or Aaron Jones? Jones.

Okay. All right. It is time now for Thursday night football. Nah, nah, nah, nah. Denver's at Kansas City. Keith, how are you feeling about the stadium thing? I was just I was trying to really have a positive show Jamie

I was trying to bring positive energy I think it's an absolute disaster I don't care about the Missouri Kansas state line thing I grew up close to the state line and I cheered for the Kansas Jayhawk so it obviously didn't bother me but I just think going to a smaller dome stadium and pissing off a bunch of your fans and probably charging 30% more for seats and having a bunch of corporate boxes, I think you've got five years left of Kansas City having a significant home field advantage,

and then they probably won't. Homefield advantage is the most overrated thing in sports. It is in a lot of places, and this could be wrong. Maybe I just think that the type, there's still three or four games a year in Kansas City where you can get in for under $50 because it's outside and the weather sucks. And I think the people who are excited about those kinds of deals

are going to provide a much different environment than the people that are excited to go watch a game in a box and a dome. Yeah, it's very possible. I think a lot of teams, like the giants, you could say they have this, right, they went from a kind of a smaller, not small, but smaller stadium to this huge stadium that's cavernous. And people think they don't have this home field of it. They've sucked every year, basically, they've been in MetLife.

So no one really knows. Well, yeah. I mean, I think the whole idea, like, they must have thought when they built that stadium that you could turn the turf monster on and off. And it just turns out it takes out their players, too. Exactly. Oh, that turf. All right, Denver's at Kansas City.

Start or sit bonics, Dave Richard. Low end starter. I still think the chiefs are going to try on defense. They certainly did last week with their pass rush at bare minimum. And that's kind of been the Achilles heel for Bo Nex when he's under pressure, his efficiency goes down. And it feels like it's an RJ Harvey game anyway. So it's a real tough call for me between Goff and Knicks, but I'd lean Goff.

Golf and next. Okay. Nicks, last I checked was 13th for everybody in the rankings. I will double check. Is that right? Yep. Yeah, it's peri is for me. 13th, right in between Mayfield and Herbert for Heath.

right in between Herbert and Shuck for Dave, right in between Shuck and Gough for Jamie. So Nix is okay. R.J. Harvey, like or love this week? Love love. Like a milkshake. Yeah. Top 10.

Is anybody concerned that he only had seven carries last week? I mean, they were behind, which is rare against, at home at least. They're not going to be chasing points here. this should be a potentially huge RJ Harvey game. So, no, I'm not worried about what last week was. And the Jaguars run defense is good. Yeah, but we heard Sean Payton say, I want to get Jaliel McLaughlin more involved.

And Harvey had seven carries, McLaughlin had five. I mean, he was coming back from a rib injury that we were even concerned if he was going to play. Okay. So there you go. Cortland Sutton is a must start. Troy Franklin is apparently.

right there with Justin Jefferson. He's in the mix. Would you start Troy Franklin or Bucky Irving? Bucky. Bucky. Bucky, but it's close. All right. I'm going to look for some chat questions, which I'll read in a little bit. Would you start Troy Franklin or

Jalen Waddle? Waddle for sure. Yeah, you should like Park. He's just behind for me, Parker, Washington. So that kind of gives you the range he is that desperation wide receiver three there you go okay should he shouldn't be higher than that with pat brian out he is for me where is he for you like 28 it's Troy franklin we're talking about here and the chiefs yeah uh I think they've been kind of an okay matchup actually recently they're now 14th against wide receivers three of the last five quarterbacks against them over 20

fantasy ones you just can't look I don't think at most of the chiefs like a season I don't know who's going to play in this game yeah McDuffie's probably out he hasn't been practicing anybody with a boo-boo I mean for what for what it's worth the Broncos essentially had this game already against Kansas City in week 18 last year and Bo Nex went for 40 fantasy points it wasn't quite that they said all their starters in that game it's it's not far off it's no it's it's basically the same thing are you starting any thing then we're grossly undervaluing I think the one thing in the case of Franklin and Sutton is Bo Nix has not been a great fantasy quarterback lately because he hasn't scored touchdowns. But four of his last five games, he's been 295 passing yards

or more. And so his receivers are getting plenty of yards. And so depending on your format, that should be good for, in the case of Sutton, he's just been solid. I think it was the game before the buy and then since the buy. For Franklin, it's been recently when no Pat Bryant or limited Pat Bryant. And I don't think we're going to get Pat Bryant, unfortunately, because of what happened. So wouldn't shock me of Nick's has a huge game here if he gets the touchdowns.

And Cam Moore just kind of gave you a blueprint for how a mediocre quarterback can play against his chief defense. I got some good chat questions here. But before we get to that, are there any chiefs players that you want to start? Kelsey is the only one in consideration. I don't want to start him, but I don't know that I can find a better option.

I think it's one of the most different, Difficult things like narrative versus the probable reality is I think this is most likely Kelsey's last game at Everhood. I think they probably would love to force feed him. They tried to force feed him at the start of last week and Gardner Minch who couldn't get the ball to his hand. He kept throwing it to his feet. So I don't know against the best defense in the NFL if a third string quarterback can get the ball to him. I think they'll try to. Well, if Rashid plays.

And his best game of the year came against his defense. Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty much taking a no-Chief's policy here, even though Pacheco, it's worth mentioning. Pacheco was like dominating snaps. He had six catches, I believe. Yeah, six catches for 41 yards, eight carries for 34 yards. He had 13 catches in his first 11 games, Pacheco, and then six last week. And obviously, with Oledokin at quarterback, he might be checking down a lot. I was supposed to say his name.

What's that? It's the Chief's Thirstren quarterback. Oh, okay. Well, I didn't say his full name. and Rishi Rice, if he plays. I will point out that he has not been good in tough matchups this year, really, even with Patrick Mahomes, including... Just rewind to what we said about Justin Jefferson and apply it to Rashi Rice. Like, there's, you can't trust him.

This will probably make me look stupid in like six hours, but I just don't see any possibility that Rishi Rice plays. He's in the concussion protocol still. Yeah. He has not had a limited practice yet. You have to have a limited practice day and a full practice. practice day. I don't know in what universe he could play. Okay, fair enough. Then let's read

some let's read some chat questions here. Start two, R.J. Harvey, Woody Marks, Amari and Hampton, Michael Wilson, half PPR. Harvey and Hampton. I'm with you. Harvey and Hampton.

What if Vidal plays? You could pivot to Wilson, I guess. That's probably the right thing to do from Hampton. Okay. Pick three. I'd probably still be Harvey in Hampton. Corlin Sutton,

Mike Evans, C.D. Lamb, Drake London, Teddural McMillan. Pick three. First thing. Okay. It's probably the right answer.

Yep. London and Evans are really close for me. Oh, well, this is even weirder. Let's start two. Sutton, Evans, London. I guess, I don't know. Let's be easier.

So, Sutton and Evans. London is obviously not, they even acknowledge he's not 100% healthy. So Troy Franklin or Michael Wilson. Wilson. Wilson.

I don't know why I clicked on this one, but Olave, Pickens, or Abuka? Oliva. No, Pickens. Not a preclose. I would love to know who you're sitting to not be able to play Olave and Pickens. It's got to be like Pooker or something like that. Those could be a stop. Oh, yeah, that's true.

Yeah, you got to have a stun there. Yeah. There's always JSN, right? JSN's on a lot of the team. I mean, well, there's not a, were any of these guys picked? from the first four rounds? No. Alabe and Pickens were probably like round six-ish.

Right. So he could have three other great receivers. How about Knicks or Baker Mayfield? I'd go Mayfield, but this close. Dave says Beau. Jamie says Mayfield. Heath, break the tie. Check my rankings tomorrow morning, but currently I have Mayfield.

That one's, that section of the quarterback rankings will be really, what I'm spending my Christmas morning on. Franklin or Pittman? Franklin. Yeah. Franklin's the right answer. Okay. And last one. Knicks or Brissette?

Jacoby. Going right back to Jacoby. What are we eating for Christmas here? What's on the menu? Chinese. So our tradition in the morning is we have cinnamon rolls and bacon and blueberry muffins every every Christmas morning and then

tomorrow night doing something less traditional I'm smoking wings okay I like that yeah I so we're doing Christmas Eve tonight and I don't know what the final vote I think everybody is sorry we're celebrating we're sorry we're celebrating Christmas tonight we're doing we're not celebrating we're not we're seeing the family tonight not tomorrow and we're either There's definitely going to be a roast, and there's either going to be a ham or a turkey. And I voted ham. But I don't know what it's going to. What would you have voted for?

It was either roast and ham or roast in turkey. I mean, he told you Thanksgiving what he does. He only eats turkey on Thanksgiving. Yeah. Christmas is a ham holiday. It is, but I think I would have got ham and turkey. I feel like roast and ham are, I don't know. I feel like you need one.

Is it a beef roast or a pork roast? Probably. I think it's going to be a beef roast. So then I think the ham's fine. I think you go one white meat, one red meat. I voted ham. So let's just red meat it up and rock and roll. I hope everybody has an amazing holiday.

Dan would be very proud of you. Who? Dan would be very proud of you. Yeah. Well, Heath, no, pork is red meat. It's not white meat. No, but he was advocating for more red meat. No, no.

Heath has a look on his face like he's about to correct me. And pork is red meat. Don't let the advertising fool you. It's the other white meat. It's clearly not. It's advertising boy. All right. So anyway,

having a great holiday. Merry Christmas. Happy holidays to everybody. And we'll talk to you tomorrow at 8.30 a.m. Dave will be in his pajamas. I hope Thursday goes well for you all. And yeah, we'll see.

Yes, pork is red meat. Give me a break. Are you kidding? Google it. Pork is what is, is pork white meat or red meat? It's red meat. The USDA says it's red.

Goodbye, everybody. Merry Christmas.