Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast - NFC North Breakdown + Poking the Bears - Fantasy Football Podcast for 7/17

Episode Date: July 17, 2025

Fantasy Football show for July 17, 2025. Lions, Vikings, Packers, Bears! Exciting division for fantasy football with lots of upside players. Which offenses will change the most? Full NFC North breakdown for the 2025 fantasy football season! Manage your redraft, keeper, and dynasty fantasy football teams with the #1 fantasy football podcast.2025 ULTIMATE DRAFT KIT is available now at UltimateDraftKit.com(00:00) Introduction(02:45) NFL News(14:25) NFC North Breakdown(16:55) Detroit Lions(29:10) Minnesota Vikings(42:16) Green Bay Packers(52:28) Chicago BearsConnect with the show:Subscribe on YouTubeVisit us on the WebSupport the ShowFollow on XFollow on InstagramJoin our Discord

Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers podcast with your hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright. Welcome in. Thursday July 17th, Jason Moore, Mike Wright, Andy Holloway, The Fantasy Footballers Podcast back with you. Excited to be here diving back into divisional breakdown episodes and some news to talk about discuss with you fine gentlemen. I'm glad we talk fantasy football. I really am for a living. Well, sure. Yeah, but I guess I just feel like like prior to hitting the record

button. It was like we were the fantasy lawyers trying to figure, you know, there's so many things going on, unfortunately, every year. We certainly aren't lawyer lawyers. We're the fantasy lawyers. Yes, yes. Not legal advice, but. Every once in a while we have to put on the amateur,

lean on all my years of watching television, lawyer TV. You know, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, I mean, the Quinchon Judkin situation again, which we'll get into briefly in the news and figure out where we're at with that information. But today is mostly about the NFC North, which is a really exciting division to talk about. Also has legal troubles of its own. Yeah, you are right. Yeah. Oh my God.

We'll get there, we'll get there. Okay, yeah, it took me a second, but you're right. Welcome to. What an incredible, this is an a second, but you're right. Welcome to. What an incredible, this is an uplifting show, guys. I'm so excited. Let's just talk about legal problems. We are forced to. It's not what I wanna talk about,

but we have NFC North Breakdown, NFL News to talk about, the Ultimate Draft Kit is available right now at ultimated kid comm you can go check that out Dominate your draft this upcoming August or every year whenever you're drafting some of you doing if you're doing dynasty drafts and that sort of thing We've got dynasty information in there as well Everything there at ultimate draft kid comm We'll jump right in because I want to talk. Yeah

We'll jump right in because I want to talk laws. News and notes from around the league. So there have been a couple of reports around Quinch on Judkin's situation. One of them from Mike Florio talking about the fact he could be placed on paid leave after he signs his rookie contract. Which that that's what I would expect to happen of a the commissioners exempt list would be the first step. Which... But he's not signed. He's not signed which most of the second round picks are not. That was kind of the story we talked about on the last episode like Jaden Higgins got signed fully guaranteed. Most of them are not signed. I think at that point two of them had been signed. Two total. Do you know who the second one that got signed is? The Cleveland Browns first second round pick. Oh really? Yeah. Well so the one thing that I think is worth bringing up is that we were

literally here last year with the Browns. Michael Jr. was suspended five games. He was their second round pick. He went to Ohio State. For domestic violence. Yeah. He pick he went to Ohio State for domestic violence and he didn't go to Ohio State for no you were the one that made it sound awful no he was he pled no contest to a reduced charge. He ended up pleading down to disorderly conduct from a domestic violence altercation last summer. So the Browns literally went through this. He ended up on their commissioners exemplist. He ended up missing five games unpaid and then came back in week six. So. But the difference is Judkins is not signed. Judkins is not an NFL employee

right now. Which means he can't be put on the commission exempt list, but he also can't practice and participate. I think regardless, either he doesn't sign, because there's all sorts of contractual issues now that the Browns are going to have to figure out, like, okay, we've got problems with this player. So then he misses camp because he's not signed, doesn't have a contract, or they sign him, figure it out, and then he misses camp because he's put on the exempt list.

At this point, it seems, and this is speculative, but it's an educated guess that you're gonna have Quintchon Judkins missing training camp all of the lead up to probably about week six or seven. And the other report was from Mary Kay Cabot out of Cleveland saying the Browns are in no rush to sign him or get him into camp on time because of what you said, the inevitability of him getting him into camp on time.

They don't control that. They control the contract. And the player coming in probably facing a six game suspension right away, like I am protecting the team. Everyone's not signing right now because they want a fully guaranteed contract for the second round picks. That's what they're trying to do. I'm not giving Judkins a fully guaranteed contract.

No, and you also don't know how everything's going to play out, so why not wait? I mean, the team has, quote, stressed to Judkins and his agent that Judkins must make his domestic incident the high priority over football. So they're gonna let it play out. It's not like they can get him into camp quicker, because the legal have to act. And so Judkins, I mean, if this is not played down,

or more information comes out, this is not just gonna be a suspension, this is gonna be a catastrophic impact to his first contract and potential to play. For sure, and I think when we talked about the fantasy implications, how many games you miss, we really talked about Jerome Ford and his ability to come forward.

We didn't bring up enough about Dillon Sampson. They spent, what was that, four rounder on another running back, another rookie. You know, he's not as productive, he's not as big as Judkins, that's why, you know, the excitement was there for Quinch on Judkins, but given the situation where it's Pierre Strong, Jerome Ford, and now Dillon Sampson to start the year,

to start training camp and all of that, Dillon Sampson becomes far more interesting. I would, I mean, is there a chance the Browns just skip the year? It seems like they're trying. Can they opt out? And we've updated our stats for the ultimate draft kit. I feel like Dillon Sampson, he would be more of a takeaway Pierre Strong's role.

If like they. I don't know, he can catch the football. I mean, Jerome Ford, if we're projecting Jerome Ford receptions and it's Sampson instead of Ford. Ford being a two down back on one of the worst teams in football does not excite me. Well no Ford catches passes. No I'm saying he can but Samson's can do that. Oh sure yes. That's how the roles break out where all of a sudden Ford is the first and

second down back on a team that scores four touchdown this year. I mean Browns fans hate me right now because we talked about how bad that opening schedule was and all that stuff and look, I feel for you Browns fans. Yeah, this stinks. I mean, this is like, you've already been, the cloud of Voldemort has been upon your franchise for so long. And it was like, hey, we're getting out of it.

Like the Voldemort cloud is clearing up. Right. But it doesn't feel like it. No, it doesn't. But another storm is coming through. So that's the update there. And then the NFC North legal situation is just the update that Jordan Addison is due in court,

pretrial hearing before a jury trial on his DUI. And some people think that there'll be a plea deal formalized at the hearing. It does make sense. If he was convicted, he would face a baseline three-game suspension. So Jordan Addison would miss at least three games per the NFL's policy, according to Adam Schefter. Yeah. I mean, obviously you're not going to move Justin Jefferson up any higher based on that.

But if you're looking at a strong start to the season for a TJ Hawkinson, you know, that's where the bump goes. And we're talking about that team today, so we'll go through and we'll evaluate, you know, what that means to JJ McCarthy to start the season. A couple other pieces of news, this one, look, if the lawyers, they handle the contracts too, so let's just include that in our new legal segment. But Terry McLaurin, still disappointed with contracts too, so let's just include that in our new legal segment. But Terry McLaurin, still disappointed with contract talks, his most recent quote is,

uh oh. He said, without any progressive discussions, it's hard to see me stepping on the field. Camp is supposed to open next Tuesday. I. And he says he's pretty frustrated, not gonna lie. What has transpired has been pretty disappointing. I am fully on Terry McLaurin's side of this one. This guy has been- He's paid his dues.

Yes, he has been the face of your team through many years of grade A baloney. So, and he deserves to, he's underpaid right now. Jason, you're making a weird, distinct face. I'm not completely on his side, depending on what they're squabbling about. If it's years of guaranteed money, then I'm on the team side. I'm not giving Terry McLaurin three guaranteed years of extension. Pay him a lot right now. He deserves to make money. You've got a rookie quarterback under contract. Give him a monster two-year deal. I mean, guaranteed money is everything, like Terry McLaurin in the wide receiver

department position for what he puts on the field, he is severely underpaid. Think about this, if you wanna know his value to the team. If you take Terry McLaurin off that roster, that doesn't seem. What do you think about that quarterback now? What do you think about the team's chances? I think we would change. Their playoff chances go down.

We would change Jaden Daniels in the UDK immediately if he didn't have, if we were like, oh, he's reliant on a Debo Samuel resurgence season. I mean, that's not where you wanna be. Yeah, I mean, it's a fun exercise where you go, okay, what would the Vegas line for wins, would it change if Terry McLaurin towards ACL today, it might.

Whereas someone like Judkins going down at running back is like, eh, whatever. But anyways, it's hard to see me stepping on the field. Players missing a good amount of training camp freaks me out, man. You know who is gonna step on the field though? Garrett Wilson. Yeah. Yeah That way they have that one kind of came through late of last show kind of live reacted, but Garrett Wilson

Yeah, you got a four-year extension. He is absolutely paid by the Jets. We didn't really react Gardner as well Yeah sauce gardener. We didn't do a ton of reaction. I tweeted out like my dynasty team. I'm pumped about this. I like my player having an extension like this, the amount of money. And of course, people are responding with, well, now he's on the Jets for ever. And you're like, I totally get that. But like the way I'm looking at the jet situation this year is either it works with Justin Fields, and you have, you get like maybe a DJ Moore or a DJ Moore light year, and then we're all happy, or he's terrible, and now next year the Jets are taking a really high profile quarterback. Yeah, but that's also, that might be one of the reasons why people are uncomfortable.

Yeah. Because we all see that playing out. The odds are. The devil you know, the devil you don't know. No, it's fine, I mean, it's good that he got paid. Yeah. He's there, Alpha, for the foreseeable future. It's just that we can see, you know,

Fields probably doesn't work as a playoff contending Jets quarterback, and that's what it would take. And then you're onto to Rookie Town. And Rookie Town is, it's a scary place to be sometimes. So, like if I told you you get one year of Justin Fields, and you get one year of Caleb Williams rookie season, you're kinda like crap, you know?

You'd love to have Garrett Wilson have more. But look, I'm with you in concept here. Very productive last year with Aaron Rodgers. Things changed when Adams got there. Always been a target monster. It's just, I do not believe that Garrett Wilson, it's gonna be very easy for him without a prolific passer to enter Jefferson range or chase range.

I don't think he can do that. That part of it's a bummer because I think maybe from a skill standpoint, he's close. Yeah, I can agree with that. I don't think we can do that, which that part of it's a bummer because I think maybe from a skill standpoint, he's close. Yeah, I can agree with that. I don't think we're gonna ever get there. That would take quite a shifting of quarterbacks, which that stuff does happen every once in a while as well. Colston Loveland said he is 100% entering training camp.

Oh man, I love that. Declined to say whether or not he'd be on the field when camp began. I do not love that. I don't play unless I'm 110%. You know what I mean? 100%? You want me to play football? Have you ever tried to go from 100 to 110%? It's very difficult. Yeah, so we'll see when training camp starts. I wonder if that's a deference to more the team making a decision on his pace of returning. That's how it feels to me.

But look, Colston Loveland hasn't gotten a lot of discussion this off season. Cause he's been hurt. Exactly, but it's one of those things that maybe, that could prove a mistake to not really bring him up enough with the draft capital and the quarterback going into year two and an offensive coordinator we like. I mean, Colston Loveland was drafted with a purpose. You don't take a guy in the top 12 into year two and an offensive coordinator we like. I mean, Colson Levin was drafted with a purpose.

You don't take a guy in the top 12 picks. Correct. Where was he? Was he 11? He was number 10. 10, so I mean, you know, it would be a foolish thing to ignore that draft capital. Mm-hmm.

And just because we don't get to see him out there right now, he could prove extremely important to this offense and was drafted to be, you to be their laporta of sorts. So I think that's all the news. Any more legal information coming in, Al? I don't know if you are, are you on the fax machine getting anything through from the clerk or the? Nothing's come through yet, but I'll keep you posted.

Goodness. If we never have to talk about legal stuff again, it'll be too soon. Let's jump right in. It's the NFC North. Let's get divisional. Well this is a very fun one. The NFC North was outrageous last year. A reminder for those that have just tuned into the show

again this year, we're in the middle of the divisional breakdowns. We just did the entire AFC, four episodes, or I guess we had the mock draft episode and the previous four was the AFC breakdowns. But we're kinda looking at all the off season changes, head coaches, players, rookies coming in, an overview of the team, how we think they can function.

We'll end up making a prediction on how we think this division will go, which I'm looking forward to that because I think... Yeah, there's a number of ways it could go. Yeah, there are a number of different options. This was a division where last year, Detroit, 15 and two, Minnesota, 14 and three, Green Bay, 11 and six. You know, this was the highest.

And me, the Bears. Yeah, this was the highest. 5 and 12. 4 and 0! Right? Did they? I think they started 4 and 0. Was that what happened? I don't know about that. It sounds impossible. I don't think it's a reality I lived in. They won 4 and 2. They were 4 and 2. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. 4 and 2. Right? 1, two. They were four and two. That's true. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Four and two. Right? One, two, three, four and two.

All right, going into the bye week. That was what I was gonna say. We did it. They had a 662 winning percentage as a division. That's the highest in the history of the league. They also had the highest scoring differential as a division in league history. They were that good.

The point differentials are wild. So, I mean, yeah, the, the, the alliance everyone's over a hundred points plus two 22 Minnesota plus a hundred green Bay plus one 22. They, they were great. And you'll notice like, I'll give you a spoiler.

Okay. We talk about four teams today. All four teams have a, an extremely hard schedule because they play each other. That's part of the factor, right? I cracked the code, right? They're all like a top 10 hardest schedule

because they gotta play, like the Lions gotta play Green Bay in Minnesota and Chicago. So that's a really big part of it. And I'm really curious your guys' thoughts as we go through these teams, because they're very exciting when you watch them. part of it. And I'm really curious your guys' thoughts as we go through these teams because they're, they're very exciting when you watch them. They're very exciting for fantasy in terms of fantasy football options,

high wind total projections. It's, it's, it's awesome. So we'll start with the lions. I mean, what a year, 15 and two, they have beat their Vegas total and wins three straight years. And it was just a magical season for them. Their projected win total last year was 10 and a half. You know what it is this year?

It's 10 and a half. Wow. So. After winning 15, you would expect it to be, obviously, difficult schedule. I don't know if you heard about their schedule. Yeah, difficult schedule, but 10 and a half feels almost insulting after a 15 win.

I would have expected, like if this situation had happened with the Chiefs, it would be 11 and a half. So I would have expected it to be a game. There's big questions about Ben Johnson for what this team is. There are changes, and obviously it was a special year, number one in points per game, number two in yards per game. They were seven in two and one score games, right? So if that evens up a little bit,

but you know, it's a tougher schedule. Third hardest in the league. They have to go play in Philadelphia this year, play in Washington, play in Baltimore, play in Cincinnati, play in Los Angeles against the Rams, and play in Kansas City. So when you talk about a team that went 15 and two, all of those games I just read,

which was about seven of them, all those seem like they'll be really challenging games on the road. So their schedule's tough. Yeah, and the first three weeks on the road in Green Bay, then two weeks later on the road in Baltimore, it's gonna be tough sledding, but that's how Guns Mahoney wants it.

Well, wasn't it last year that they started against Kansas City and got the win? Wasn't that the debut game last year? So it's a question for fantasy managers now of Ben Johnson's departure, the very very high expectations for this team, and what the production is going to look like for Jared Goff and the offense. That was two years ago. Two years ago. I remember that game but yes last year was not the Kansas City game. What game was it? Last year they started, I think, the Rams, yes.

Thank you. So what are our expectations for the offense in light of the transition of offensive coordinator? For me, I don't, I think they have so much established structure, right? So much trellis for the vine so much consistency and personnel that I Don't I don't personally over emphasize the departure of Ben Johnson if this was a one-year wonder team if this was a change in the

Lot of a lot of the players. Yeah That's what I'm okay. Yeah. Yeah, I didn't know if you're mocking. No, no, that's what I meant. Okay, yeah, yeah. I didn't know if you were mocking me. No, no, no. I'm not gonna repeat myself or not. I'm completely agreeing with you that most of the players are the same. And so, and we've seen this,

Dave Canales was the number one, you know, higher in the offseason two years ago, leaves Tampa Bay, goes to Carolina, everybody has this discussion about the Tampa Bay offense and Baker Mayfield and it was better than it was the year before. So I don't want to just, I don't just wanna concede that this team is going to be

much worse on offense. I think they will be very close. Whether that ends up number one or number three or number five, that's gonna be very close. So I do think that they're going to move down to be like 10, which is not a bad offense. They're gonna be a good offense, but. There are very large fantasy implications though

of if the Detroit Lions are the 10th ranked offense. For sure. Of where the ADP of these guys are going. When you think of their offensive line, it's not just the Ben Johnson situation. That does exist. See, he doesn't play those offensive lines. What he did is he was like sprinkles on top. Because you remember the play that Ben Johnson

came up with where it's like he was watching film of the player that stumbled and so they actually came up with the touchdown pass where they fell to the ground. Oh man. Yeah, I totally forgot that. What a play. I mean, that kind of stuff is gone because that was truly Ben Johnson's doing. But it's the offensive line that scares me a little bit more. So you combine both of those things together with how prolific they've been.

I think there'll be a good offense, but I expect them to take a step back in total touchdowns. So just to give you perspective, because I didn't know the answer to this. I was just looking it up. They scored 33.2 points per game last year. That was number one. In 2023, they were at 27.1 points per game, which was number five.

So they do have multi-year consistency. That's a six point per game difference. I mean, it's going to move around, but I would expect them to be in that range. And with how hot they ran last year, over the last decade, what they put up of averaging 3.8 or more total touchdowns per game, they were one of seven teams to do that. Some of the teams that we have actual next year data on, those teams regressed by at least 10 total touchdowns in that time period.

I think you can even make the argument that it happens because their defense is better than it was as well. Because they suffered tremendous injuries defensively. They were 20th in yards allowed, 30th in passing yards allowed. It put their offense in a position where they needed 33 points a game to win a lot of ball games.

So. The second half of the year, I remember the beginning of the year was like don't play guys against the Lions and then when they lost their entire defense yeah and I mean especially it was great losing Hutchinson is oh that's massive is incalculable yeah so you can't even calculate it no so they that that's the lay of the land I mean there aren't major personnel changes or you know overhaul on offense. Jason mentioned their offensive

line situation. To give you an example, we always think of them as like one of, if not the best, like the Eagles are the best offensive line, then it's the Lions. They were ranked fourth last year. Their start of 2025 ranking within PFF is 13th. So like that has been the strength of that team has been their offensive line. And we know Jared Goff, when pressure gets to him, has not always been as good. So that is the personal change I'm worried about. Goff has been one of three quarterbacks to finish inside the top 10 each of the last three years.

He's the only player in NFL history with a 72% completion percentage and 4,500 passing yards in one season. And I do think that Jared Goff stands as one of the. Handful of potential MVPs anytime you're a heavy favorite, you're still in that category, but the discussion around fantasy revolves more around your first round pick. Jamir Gibbs,

who's going to go in the top five in most drafts. His running mate, David Montgomery in the backfield, who you know, does he maintain his role and more so does he maintain success in that role? I don't think so. I don't think either of those is going to prove true. I don't think he's gonna be the exact same breakdown because you're entering the real peak of Jameer Gibbs career and Montgomery is, I just don't think it's going to be a smooth sailing on the offensive line. So I think you will see a slightly bigger lean towards Gibbs, but that's not a certainty. Well, you're gonna need that. You're gonna

absolutely, I believe if you're taking Gibbs as like the number three running back off the board, the fifth pick, like you're going to need him to get more of the lion's share work over David Montgomery. Oh, yeah, double. Double meaning. He's a strange player because he feels fragile and risky, but he also then has the like.

You're talking about Gibbs? Yeah, I'm talking about David Montgomery. OK. But if Gibbs misses time, David Montgomery is incredible, and which, you cannot say that for every single backup in football, that if they get the lead spot, that it's gonna be awesome. Yeah, they'll be improved,

but David Montgomery would be awesome if everything belonged to him, and yet he still feels like not a pick I wanna make in the fifth round. When Montgomery went down, to illustrate it in the reverse, when Montgomery went down the last four weeks of the season, Gibbs averaged 29.3 fantasy points per game. That was, I mean, that's outrageously high.

It is half PPR. It was kind of a, it was a perfect scenario because you had limited season left, so you could just give Gibbs a ton of work. The problem that I have with Montgomery and looking at him, like we can't have all these discussions about the offensive line changing and him getting a year older and not acknowledge

the fact that this is a 15 and two team and 70% of his carries came when Detroit was leading or tied, which that number came up when we talked about Derrick Henry, like 80% or something of Derrick Henry's carries came when they were leading or tied. You saw that schedule. When push comes to shove, if these games are close, it's tough to have Montgomery on the field in a comeback. It's just, it's difficult. Yeah.

The versatility that Gibbs, I mean one of the, we didn't mention it in the news, but one of the recent stories is Gibbs is lining up on the outside more. Yeah. Than he ever has. And those are fun. And so it is Gibbs' time in this offense, but Montgomery, when you draft him in the fifth round, you're going to make the decision to take Montgomery, who is technically a two on this offense, over other potential starters, right? Where does Deandre Swift go right now?

Is that fourth round? No, I think Swift is later than Montgomery. So that's what I'm saying is you're going to have to, yeah, okay, he's eight running backs later. So who's going next to Montgomery and how would you make those decisions? Because there's gotta be starters in that vicinity and Montgomery's not.

Yeah, you are correct. So there's Isaiah Pacheco, Aaron Jones, R.J. Harvey are the next three running backs. James Connor is one spot ahead of him. Yeah, you are correct. So there's Isaiah Pacheco, Aaron Jones, RJ Harvey are the next three running backs. James Connor is one spot ahead of him. But yeah, I mean, that's how I feel about Gibbs too. And I realize Gibbs is so electric that he's a league winning type,

but you're taking Gibbs over Derrick Henry in a lot of situations. You're taking him over Christian McCaffrey, over Ash and Gentian. I feel like- It's easy for people to think that, like I want to like go, hey, come on, obviously. But when you really think about what it looked like last year,

this was a 15 and two team that scored 33.7 points per game. Gibbs didn't finish inside the top 10 at the position on any week until week seven. He only did it four times when Montgomery was healthy. Four times. Well, I was gonna bring that up. So he was 29.3 fantasy points per times when Montgomery was healthy. Four times. Well, I was going to bring that up. So he was 29.3 fantasy points per game when Montgomery went down.

But when Montgomery was there, it was 16.9 fantasy points per game to Montgomery's 15.2 fantasy points per game. So it was like they weren't that different when Monty was healthy. It's just managing the reality in Detroit. Now Gibbs, could Gibbs finish number one overall at the position? Yes. Yeah, absolutely. Every time he touches a football, I start to tingle.

But I don't think he could finish number one without a Montgomery injury. I do think that that could happen, but your odds are not very high. Yeah, I think with the efficiency it's possible, but you'd have to have a philosophical change in what you're doing around the goal line a little bit. And you know, it's possible with a Ben Johnson change that that happens.

But Amon Ross St. Brown continues to be a machine in this offense. I feel like there's not a ton to talk about with him. No, it doesn't seem that way. He just belongs in the first round and the late part of the first round. He's really safe. Can okay, I guess here's a question. Can he finish as the wide receiver one? No, no, no Jameson Williams though in the sixth round. I love that value if you didn't know I like that value and as long as he stays that far away from the front of the draft, I will continue to like that value. Sam Laporta finished a lot stronger than he started last year.

Don't want him to be ignored. No, I'm slowly moving more and more in on the idea of drafting Laporta. It was a really, really strong finish. And so again, if you can't run the way you want to run, you got to utilize some of that passing game. That's also the case for golf having more success potentially, or at least putting up the big yardage numbers.

Success wise, who knows if he throws more picks or things like that. But Green Bay on the road, tough one to start. Then at home against Chicago, then in Baltimore, and then at home against Cleveland. So that'll be fun to see what this team can do to start the year. We're gonna take a break and come back with,

well, a lot more question marks. All right, boys. It's time to talk about the Minnesota Vikings who went 14 and three last year. They were not supposed to be good. Yeah, and that line, that narrative, that thought process around Minnesota is so perfectly applicable to how we view this year

and projecting them. This idea of what is supposed to happen when you have a young quarterback or an unproven quarterback or a quarterback we perceived as bad. Yeah, he was proven. Sam Darnold was a proven quarterback. And yet, 14 and three with Sam Darnold.

I mean, this was, like the idea of Sam Darnold having this kind of success was, it was almost out of the question. Yes, it was wild. And so, they had the largest discrepancy in their Vegas line to what they did of any team in the last 10 years. So that was their season.

They were projected to win six and a half games, they won 14 games, they went nine and one and one score games. And. This year is disrespectful. And this year it's at eight and a half. I, and I get it, I really do. It's a brutal division, they have the fifth hardest strength of schedule, and they've got a essentially,

for all intents and purposes, a rookie quarterback. A rookie, a quarterback that is not played yet. Yeah, in order to. In J.J. McCarthy. In order to project the Vikings with accuracy, you have to first be correct on whether McCarthy is it or not. Or how fast he can step into being

an NFL franchise quarterback right now, year one. Or, or you have a different discussion. Honest face. That discussion is that maybe being it doesn't even matter to Kevin O'Connell, maybe just playing quarterback matters to Kevin O'Connell, because when you look at, you know, Sam Darnall was the quarterback eight with Kevin O'Connell. When Nick Mullens was the quarterback,

he was a top 12 quarterback in three of four starts. When Josh Dobbs was his quarterback, he was a top 12 quarterback in two of his five games. When Kirk Cousins was the quarterback, he was the quarterback four and quarterback seven. Maybe Kevin O'Connell is just that good. And in addition to Kevin O'Connell setting whoever the quarterback is up for success,

I believe J.J. McCarthy is it. I do too. I think he is really, really good. I think he's better than Sam Darnold. I did laugh at the throwing the ball a few times to T.J. Hockinson against no defense with no pads on clip that was surfacing. Oh, I didn't get to see it. It must have been fire.

Let me explain it to you, hold on. He, it's gonna be hard for you to believe. JJ McCarthy, right? They draft him to play. Quarterback. Quarterback, right? Get this. He throws the football. Okay, I'm listening.

His receiver. Oh. Down the field. Is it Hawkinson? He caught it. Hawkinson? Oh, Hawkinson caught it. Hawkinson caught it. Two handed? No drops? No, Hawkinson caught it. Hawkinson caught it. Two handed? No drops? No, no, I didn't see any drops.

There were like three or four times. I'm all in. Three or four times in a row where he threw it. Three or four times in a row? Where he threw it to the guy that looks like a Viking. That's edited. It might be CGI. It might be CGI.

No, I love the off season, it's great. But look, this is my dynasty quarterback. I is JJ McCarthy. I don't know if I like that. All three of us are so, Oh yeah. Because I am, I am very in, I think he is going to be a great starting quarterback. And I, and that video out, man, you're really going to believe it. And Kevin O'Connell has, he just gives us, is Nick Mullins good? No.

Yeah, if you need me to answer, no. If you need me to answer, the answer is no. No, he's not, and that's why I said maybe being it, yeah, how about you just be okay. Okay for Kevin O'Connell is good for this offense, and good enough for this offense. This is a defense that's gonna be very good. The head coach is gonna put him into the position

of being in those close games. And look, McCarthy's gonna have to go out and do it and execute the offense. I would say if you give him somebody like Justin Jefferson is going to help that process out. And he's got, you know, they got a running game that I think you can trust, and Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason.

They have Jordan Addison that will be returning and is an explosive playmaker. Hawkinson, healthy, right? Going into this season. So there's a lot to like. Their defense is very good. I think this is a very well-built team. And for fantasy purposes,

it's TBD on whether you really want the fantasy games of McCarthy. Yes. Very similar to Donald. He finished as the quarterback eight, but it wasn't always easy week in, week out starts that you wanted. And McCarthy, we're not sure how much he's going to run. He had a season in college where I think he had four in a rushing yard. So he's got some legs that he can use, but I doubt that that's what they want to do

So it's kind of TBD, but I I don't worry about him when it comes to the pass catchers I don't look at Hawkinson and Addison and obviously not Justin Jefferson and say I've got a I've got to demote these guys lower them in my ranking. They were 14 and 3 with the ninth With an you know, there are 19 points per game So it wasn't like they were like Darnal was winning ballgames 14 and 3 with the ninth with a you know there are 19 points per game so it wasn't like they were like Darnold was winning ball games but it wasn't like they were a top five offense or something like that so they can win execution wise. Well and while McCarthy may he may not be like give us enough of

the mobility that we want for fantasy football through three seasons Kevin O'Connell's team ranks and pass rate over expectation sixth sixth and third and in that list please go back to the quarterback list they still the game plan didn't change they didn't say you know like oh let's manage Darnold yeah like in the Green Bay Packers last year they lost love and it's Willis in there and they're like we're not throwing the ball ever. Like the Vikings changed nothing about their game plan.

And if you want to talk about the offensive line, like Jason did with Detroit, they were the 18th ranked offensive line to end the 2024 season. They're going into the 2025 season ranked seventh. They added an offensive lineman in the first round in Donovan Jackson. They added guards. They added a- They got the first round in Donovan Jackson, they added guards, they added a...

They got the Indy, the Indy guards. Ryan Kelly, also center in Indianapolis. It's looking like all the structure is there for McCarthy to succeed. He's gotta go out and do it, and obviously, winning 14 games, that's a tall task, but eight and a half is where they have them right now, and it's a tough division.

Like I said, every team in this division has a brutal strength of schedule, in part because they play one another. So let's talk about two other pieces of the Vikings real quick, the backfield, and how you think the split will go with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason and the upside there, and then let's talk about TJ Hopkinson being drafted in the fifth round you know what

kind of value or upside does he represent and start let's start with the running back still because Mike you've been vocal about Jordan Mason and his potential I think Aaron Jones in the late sixth is still a good pick both those guys on the table that we we mentioned it briefly in the the mock draft episode from Tuesday. Aaron Jones is a he is a difficult evaluation for me because I generally speaking he's the running back 23 on a high-powered offense. Yes I that's an archetype that I would want but he's 30 and a half years old he's coming off of a year where he had the most opportunities

in his entire career, and that includes 255 carries and 51 receptions. Like, he got used a lot. So you're like, okay, I should be really interested in Aaron Jones. And then like they did, they worked out his money a little bit more, but they were also then very aggressive in going after Jordan Mason right in the free agency period.

They trade for him from the San Francisco 49ers. They immediately give him money. And Mason was one of the most successful runners in last year in football. I was gonna say, let's just give people a quick reminder of what happened when CMC went out last year in football. I was gonna say, let's just give people a quick reminder of what happened when CMC went out last year. Jordan Mason was the RB three in week one on 28 attempts at 5.2 a carry.

He was the RB seven in week two, another 100 yard game. And then week four, another 100 yard game. I mean, those four games, 4.9 a carry and averaged, like he would have put up 1,900 rushing yards that year. And remember how the season started for the Vikings with Ty Chandler. They wanted, they're like Ty Chandler's gonna get involved. They wanted a split backfield. They gave them 11 opportunities, 10 opportunities,

16 opportunities, then their bye week comes and then it's he's playing 4% 0% They were saying they wanted a committee with Jones They wanted that but well, then they brought in Chandler didn't have it. And so now Jordan Mason has it right? I think it was acres, right? Yeah, they got it. Yeah, so they then right in week 7 They bring acres back to the team. They trade trade for him, and Ty Chandler is gone. So where it's difficult for Jordan Mason is you want the high value touch of the reception. He's not gonna do very much of that.

Aaron Jones will have that role. But the coaching staff has talked about Jordan Mason in, like they brought up the short area, the short yardage and goal line. So if Jordan Mason, while he's not gonna be electric, super electric I should say for fantasy because if he's not getting those receptions, but if you're drafting a guy in the 13th round

who's gonna get the goal line opportunities for the Minnesota Vikings, there is excitement there. And would be a prolific back if an injury to Aaron Johns happens. So that's worth considering for sure. Mason's basically free. He's a 13th round pick, RB 46. So keep an eye on him at the end of drafts. I know we just took him. I think Jason might have got him at the end of the last mock. Yeah I think he's a great pick. I don't think it would be wild if they try and Detroit Lions

this. Like if Jordan is is the hammer and Then Aaron Jones is though is the pass catcher and the more of the lightning guy Hawkinson Are we feeling good with the fifth round price? Or is that about as high as I don't personally feel good with a fifth round price He is not a true difference maker at the position. If you're in a league... That's a... Okay. If you're in a league...

This was a tight end four, tight end two, tight end four, three seasons before. So I feel like that's a profound statement to say he's not a difference maker. My point is the tight end four, if he finishes as the tight end four, I don't think he's a difference maker. The way that... When you're spending the draft capital on a Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, even George Kittle, I have T.J. Hawkinson as my tight end four.

He is currently ranked there. But whether I'm giving up a fifth round running back or wide receiver to draft a guy like Hawkinson, if I'm in a league I don't care that much about and I don't wanna scour the waivers and I just wanna lock in a tight end, I'll probably take Hawk, because I'll be like that's easy I know I could just leave him there every week. You got him in the seventh in our mock. I

love that. If he falls in your draft, grab him. It's just opportunity cost. You took him in the mock right before Sam Laporta, so you're a Hawkinson over Laporta? I've got Hawkinson four, Laporta five in my ranking. I would go Laporta. Andy what would you do with those two guys? I should double check where I have them ranked. I have Hawkinson one spot ahead, and I'm gonna evaluate my stats. I have Hawkinson. Maybe evaluate your heart.

I have Hawkinson ahead. Yeah, maybe that too. One of the two. Heart or stats? That could be the thing. I go on the stats and I say, oh no, my heart got it right. Okay. I have Hawkinson projected for 115 targets in the offense. He was at. He's a P He was at 127 and 129. He's gonna be so helpful for, I think, JJ McCarthy,

and I think he's gonna be so helpful for fantasy, especially when Addison's not on the field. So capitalizing early season. I don't really wanna spend the fifth, and if Laporte's on the board, or Najoki's on the board, I probably just wait for the last of that group. So they start the season against Chicago, Atlanta, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. So the Bears

in week one for, I mean that's fun, it's in Chicago, Monday Night Football, JJ McCarthy's first start as a pro is going to be on the road in Chicago on Monday Night Football. Honestly, Chicago, Atlanta, Cincinnati is a pretty strong start to the season. Ironically, those would be the three games currently projected for Jordan Addison to miss.

It's funny, because I definitely imagine that they'll be underdogs in week one. No way that they're going to be favored going into Chicago. Seems fair. But not by a lot, probably. All right, let's go ahead. Right now it's one and a half. Okay.

Chicago? Wait, they're favored or? Chicago is favored. Okay, yeah, that makes sense. All right, you guys ready to turn the page here? Yes sir. I'm really excited to talk about this team. The Green Bay Packers.

The Green Bay Packers were 11 and six last year. The Green Bay Packers as a reality for the, as an NFL franchise versus your fantasy story, there's a pretty big separation between those two. And I think that that's what makes them very interesting is they have just been such a good team under Matt LaFleur. They've outpaced their Vegas win total in five of six years under McClure.

But the story for fantasy was like disappointment and Jordan love, uh, struggling to find any consistency from any sort of wide receiver. The surprise of Tucker Kraft in the middle of the year, um, the dependency on Josh Jacobs, he ended up being a value. It was just a little bit weird. The predictiveness of the team was not there for fantasy players, but the success of the team was still there and they had the higher win or the higher point differential than Minnesota did, but Minnesota had that amazing one score

game record and Green Bay was five and five in one store games. They have the 10th hardest schedule, which I think is the best of the division. So I'm really excited best of the division. So I'm really excited to talk about them. I think they're going to be right in the mix all year long, eighth in points per game, seventh in yards per game. Had a good defense in terms of those metrics. But how in the world do we find the fantasy value?

Yeah, I'll tell you how you find it, luck. I mean, genuinely like, there will be fantasy value here. Hey, just get lucky. I mean, that feels like what it's going to have to be because let's say there's no injuries here. All right, Matthew Golden and Jaden Reid and Romeo Dobbs and Dontavian Wicks, they're all healthy. They're all playing. Tucker Kraft is healthy. He's playing. They're going to spread the ball around to great success on the NFL field and to much chagrin for fantasy football. So how you find the success is getting the healthy ones while not everyone stays healthy. That's what it feels like for me and that is assuming that Jacobs does not continue

to score a touchdown every single week on the ground. Well I think, I think, so let's start with the easy answers, which is Josh Jacobs, great pick, great player, should be very productive. Are we agreed? I am there, yes. Okay. So we are in agreement, but I, let's see, where is he going? Like the running back? Josh Jacobs? Nine? Is... He's the running back nine back of the second. So I'm fine with that, man. That's the bigger question for me of, I need to pull up some names there and see what's going on. He finished last year as the RB5,

gets drafted this year as the RB9. He led the NFL with 14 rushing touchdowns inside the 10. We know they turned him and we know he gets it done there. 58% of his yards were after contact. He just was really, really good last year. Yes, and they figured out how to use him near the goal line to incredible success.

So we'll see if the offensive line can hold up, but that seems like one of the easier answers. Well, I don't think it's completely easy from the perspective. Mike's ruined my whole flow. Hey, hey. I wanted an easy win. But I think that this is the-

No easy wins on this show. No easy wins on this show. I want to hear it. This is the important thing to talk about. Just go on. Of the passing versus the rushing, where last year, you're like, yeah, whoa, Josh Jacobs at the end of the year was, it was a touchdown every single week. Jacobs at the end of the year was it was a touchdown every single week.

And so back in 2023, 76% of their touchdowns were passing touchdowns. And then that completely swung the other direction. Like 76 is too high, but like Matt LaFleur with Jordan Love, this has been a successful passing offense. Uh, and then looking at what happened with Jordan Love, Jordan Love week one hurts his ankle, uh, at Love, week one, hurts his ankle at the very end of that Brazil game, misses a few weeks, comes back, still good. He goes, like he's right back to the QB2, a QB16, not as great, but QB4, QB11.

Then he hurts his groin. And you're like, you can't really box score check for this because he kept playing. He got taken out of that game against Jacksonville, but from then on out, he was passing the ball 10 fewer times per game. So they were still saying, we want Jordan Love out there, he's our better option to win,

but they completely shifted to a more run heavy approach and my concern for Josh Jacobs at that back of the second is that the pendulum swings back to what Lafleur and Jordan Love have historically been doing. Let's try to find a compromise here, Mike. Okay. Here's the compromise, I love Jordan Love. I think that you're right.

I think everything you said is right. I think they would have loved to have used his skills and abilities more last year, but he's limited by injury, and you saw the pendulum swing. But I think when you get inside the 20, Josh Jacobs is an above average weapon and wins in that area. So.

So. So that means that we can swing the pendulum back a little bit in total volume, and that pass percentage, they were 30th in pass percentage, that's insane for that kind of an offense. But we don't really have to take a lot of value away from Josh Jacobs because I think the dude's going to get into the end zone.

I think you can have more balance. I think you can find a middle ground, but I think Jacobs doesn't necessarily need, you know, they don't need to run at the third highest clip in the league for Jacobs to be valuable. Where he's going is just, it's so interesting for, for how you're building the team. Cause like back in the second, my, my rankings with Josh Jacobs, I'm a couple spots lower than where he's going in ADP, but that not a huge difference where I'm like upset about where he's going.

But how are you building your team? Cause after him, you know, do after him, do you want Josh Jacobs or do you want to get Lamar on your team? Or do you want to wait for Kyron or Chase Brown, who are later in the third round, and take a wide receiver in the second? That's where he is an interesting discussion. The truth of the matter is,

is if you're taking Josh Jacobs, you're probably Chase, Jefferson, Amon Ra. I mean, you're one of the top tier white outs. If you took them in the first and you swing all the way back around to the back of the second, you're probably, Jacob's, at least you can get a running back one in that boat. But if it swings a little bit, can Jordan Love be an elite fantasy quarterback? Maybe we don't talk about trying to figure out which wide receiver is going to get it done every week. Maybe we talk more about do they just have enough guys with talent to make Jordan Love more viable? We know Jordan Love can be valuable. He was the quarterback five, two years ago.

I think the odds are stacked against him to truly be really valuable with a good running game and a good defense. If they do well this year, like they did last year, like they're projected to do this coming year, I don't think they're going to throw the ball as much. Two years ago, Jordan Love threw the ball 579 times. This last year, because it wasn't his touchdown, like I know Josh Jacobs, we felt like was vulturing all the touchdowns, but Jordan Love's touchdown rate went up last year. He went up last year even though he finishes quarterback 17. Do you know what his attempt pace was before the groin injury? I know what his

attempt pace was on the entire season. His touchdown pace was 51 at that point. And his his attempts would have been over 600 on the season. So you're saying because of the groin injury, saying that the groin narrative. Yeah, you can't find this one on groinindex.com, I don't think. We don't, yeah, there's not articles over there, just injuries to the groin.

However, there is a very clear line drawn in the box score when the attempts plummeted. Those week eight, was that against Jacksonville? Yes. a very clear line drawn in the box score when the attempts plummeted. Was that against Jacksonville? Yes. Look, I'll weigh in. I think Jordan Love can be a top five quarterback. OK, nice.

I love Tucker Kraft. I love Jaden Reed. And I think they made a priority. Love or hate Matthew Golden. He will help Jordan Love. He will help Jordan Love. Yes, of course. Let's not try to make Matthew Golden something he's not.

But Christian Watson will play for this team. Dontavian Wick still plays. Romeo Dobbs plays for this team. The nice thing for the wide receivers, he's like, how are you gonna approach them? Risk is baked into every single Green Bay Packer wide receiver. No one wants-

Into the draft price? Yeah, like ADP-wise, Jayden Reed, who is the, on field is their best wide receiver. He doesn't always be on the field, but on field he is. And he's the wide receiver, 44. This is, these are-

It's also baked into Jordan Love. These are nothing. It's baked into Love's price. Last year he was going too high. We were all nervous. He's a quarterback 12 off the board Last year he was going too high, we were all nervous. He's a quarterback 12 off the board. I mean, if you wanna take a shot, I don't mind it. Now, I also understand liking other players,

like Drake May, or if you wanna roll the Jared Goff, or Bo Nicks, or Brock Purdy. I think that's fine. There's so many quarterbacks going behind Jordan Love that I prefer over Jordan Love. And obviously, this is, I mean, we'll find out what happens. Maybe it was the groin, but also they had a new player

in Josh Jacobs that just, they figured out how to use him more and more and more and he did well. So I don't know, but here's what I do know. I know that Jordan Love does not run the ball. He is not gonna be a mobile, rushing quarterback. And I know that if you draft those guys in fantasy and you want a season where he's going to finish top five, which he's done before, you're gonna need to throw for,

you know, near 4,500 yards and near 35 touchdowns. You know what I just realized? So it's just gotta go perfect. I just realized that I am not excited to have to predict the order of this division in a little while. Yeah. That's what I just realized.

I've got mine written down. I've been already. I've been ruminating. You're smart, cause I can argue so many directions. All right, we gotta take another break. I know one team that you won't put at one. Oh yeah, we gotta take a break. We're gonna talk about them next.

And we're gonna talk about them in a minute. I'm just trying to rile up the Bears crew to attack you. minute. Just trying to rile up the Bears group. Oh it's not hard to do. The Bears are the final team we get. We don't hate the Bears everybody. No, not at all. Yes I do. Oh that's fine. Packers fan hates the Bears. Al Borland. We'll allow it. Wait do you even, are they good enough to hate? I mean the rivalry still exists. Okay just making sure. They were five and 12 last year. They had a win total of eight and a half.

They did not deliver on that. By the way, no one will want to hear this, but over the last 10 years, they have surpassed their Vegas win total before the season one time. So 10 years worth of, and we're not talking about big win totals here, boys.

We're talking six and a half, seven and a half, five and a half, seven and a half, nine, eight, seven and a half, five and a half, seven and a half, and eight and a half. Oh, gross. So I guess. Bet the under. I guess that's rough, man.

After their week six win last year, when you mentioned they were four and two, they lost 10 straight games. They have the seventh hardest schedule this year, according to Warren Sharp. Their win total is projected at eight and a half. So nowhere to go but up. Points per game 28, yards per game 32.

Caleb Williams rookie season, not a fantasy goldmine. Nope. Ben Johnson's your new head coach. Matt Eberflus, Eber flew the coop. Got him. I guess he was forced out. Yeah, he flew the coop like one of those mama birds that's like, you're not gonna make it. Yeah, yeah, the coop like one of those mama birds that's like,

you're not going to make it. Yeah. Yeet. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So this is a Ben Johnson story. Can you get Caleb Williams playing the way he needs to play? Offensive line has massively changed. That is honestly the best part.

The best part of the offseason was they've done so many things right. From 24th to 4th in PFF rankings. It's beautiful. Joe Tooney, welcome to town. They invest in Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, and they've got, you know, they have a lot of potential in the wide receiver room. And Roma Dunze. It's so hype. I know. I want them to be good, so bad. If Caleb Williams comes out this year and is who they drafted him to be, that is so good for the NFL, that's so much fun for fantasy.

Yeah, there are so many players on this team that it could be, that will be just fantasy gold. So let's do this experiment, all right? I think I have a good game to play with Chicago. Their win total's eight and a half. I'm gonna give them 10 wins. If they win 10 games, okay? If they win 10 games, I'm gonna read their players

and their draft position and you tell me if you'll be happy. If they win 10 games, absolutely. Deandre Swift, late seventh round pick. If they win 10 games, is that a steal? Yes. Okay, they win 10 games. DJ that a steal? Yes. Okay. They win 10 games, DJ Moore, wide receiver 20 off the board at 406, is that a good pick?

Yes. Yeah. Okay, Roman Dunes, a seventh round pick, middle of the seventh, wide receiver 36, is that a good pick? Yeah. Maybe. Okay, Colson Loveland, 11th round,

tight end 16 off the board, is that a good pick? If they win 10 games. Probably, yes. And then last one, Caleb Williams, late ninth, QB 16 off the board, is that a good pick if they win 10 games? Probably yes. And then last one Caleb Williams late ninth, QB 14 off the board, they win 10 games, does he outperform that? Yeah I think so. Yeah. Now do they win 10 games? Can you do me a favor and read that thing you said about their win total? Let's do it if they win 14 games guys. No I don't think they win 10 games. Okay. I came into this off season. I've shared this story once earlier in the off season. By the way, winning 10 is just one and a half

over their Vegas line, just for the record. Al back there going, this is silly, they got no chance. We know how you feel about the Bears. What's your win total for the Bears? Seven. Oh, okay, all right. Generous. What's your win total for the Lions? Seven. Oh, okay. All right. Generous. Yeah.

What's your win total for the Lions? Seven. Twelve. Okay. Sorry. We can't talk to Owl about this division. When I finished my first run through of the UDK statting, very bullish on Caleb Williams, very bullish on DJ Moore, the upgraded offensive line and Loveland.

Loveland was super high. And I went back and I watched every single throw of Caleb Williams last year. And I watched them. Oh, I would recommend not doing that. Yeah, and I, look. Some of them, some of them were nice. Oh, he definitely had the flashes of brilliance.

The flashes where you go, wow, that arm, that angle, that, you know, that, you know. Caleb Williams is. Every piece of heart. Well, a good summary of what Caleb Williams was capable of doing last year was three or four plays in a row to come down the field, to go for a game winning field goal,

and then make a mistake before you get quite close enough. That's kinda how it felt. Yeah, but when he threw from a clean pocket to a normal wide receiver, just breaking on a slant and Was inaccurate. Yeah, so much. I was just like Obviously he could fix that right he there are Pocket where you're getting sacked all the time. Absolutely. And and that is the hope that is my rooting interest I'm still in the mock draft we just did, I took DJ Moore, because the path is so clear

for it to be really good for the Bears. I'm personally, if I have to make a bet, if I've got to put a chip on, is Caleb Williams really good? I'm doing the same thing with JJ McCarthy. I don't think so. I think Caleb Williams goes more the route of Trevor Lawrence, where he is capable

He'll get another big money contract But I don't think he's going to develop into you know What when you had Trevor Lawrence drafted he was supposed to be the next greatest since Andrew Luck Andrew Luck was supposed to be the next Greatest has paid me Andrew Luck was he was that yeah, he was great Trevor Lawrence wasn't well The Caleb Williams is one of those like Generational he's supposed to be that good. I don't think he's gonna be eight sacks last year 41 throwaways Which was number one in the league 44th out of 47 and catchable target rate for Caleb Williams it really will their season will go with Caleb this year with the fact that they built they've built some of that structure

I talked about around McCarthy they built some of that structure here in Chicago. Finally, they're not just leaning on Caleb's I think it started as Caleb come save the franchise, right? We're not gonna do anything right around you now. It's Caleb we realized we're gonna ruin you Ben Johnson come and save Caleb Yeah, it's save Caleb and and the only the only really big debate look I think we all think D.J. Moore is a good player so if things are going well for them he'll be good. Roma Dunze I think we still believe in Roma Dunze to be a good player no more Keenan Allen targets

available. Deandre Swift is the bigger question where like he looks like he could be a value in the seventh round but I don't know if any of us necessarily believe he's the greatest running back in football so if you look at potential sleeper value on this team, you have to look at someone like Rochon Johnson back behind Deandre Swift where it's like, hey, I can see a world where Deandre Swift, I call him, I think he's a dumb runner. I think he's a dumb runner.

I think he has benefited from the Philadelphia offensive line, but I don't think he has a great feel for the defense on a play-to-play basis. And now he could benefit from this offensive line, but at the same time, if Ben Johnson comes in and sets up, this is how you run the offense, this is how you do a run play,

and this guy is not running where he's supposed to run, I don't think he's gonna hesitate to putting other players in there. So to me, there is a risk factor with Swift in that I think Roshan is okay. I think he's a pretty good player. The question for Swift will be how many receptions does he get, because like the last time we had Swift

with Ben Johnson, the rushing attempts were down, but the fancy points were still good, because for all of his inefficiencies, Swift is still a top tier athlete. And the running back room is tough, because you have Roshan who, Roshan is still a projection of, you have to say, well I think Roshan's good.

We should know at this point, if Roshan Johnson's a good player, but we don't. And then they took Kyle Menon guy in the seventh round. And look, there are people on draft order that are excited for for him But he was a seventh round pick. I know he back-to-back 1200 rushing yards at Rutgers. Look, that's The production profile is there seventh round Rutgers running back Yeah

Reminding me of Kimani Vidal Sassoon well or Pacheco but that's what the It's reminding me of Kamani Vidal Sassoon. Well, or Pacheco. But that's the... Oh, the outlier is not the... Yeah, that's not the real one. I'm saying that, yeah, generally speaking, betting against the seventh rounder for Roshan, who even though...

Who was the Tampa Bay guy that everyone got all hyped in draft Twitter? Which, at which point? Sean Tucker? No, no, no, no, no, no. Keyshawn Vaughn? Keyshawn Vaughn, baby! But he was a second round pick, wasn't he? Third. Keyshawn Vaughn? Keeshawn Vaughn! Oh yeah, baby! But he was a second round pick, wasn't he?

Third. Keeshawn Vaughn? Yeah, Vaughn was. No! Let me get that. Third. Oh, he was? He was a third round pick? Yeah, so there was draft cap.

He was, oh, yeah. Oh gosh. Well, he played like a seventh round pick. Um. Well. That he did. So, so, look. But point being is.

Oh my gosh, I gotta figure out this division. Is, I think at the end of a draft, it's worth taking one of those, one of the other running backs for Chicago. Just, does Ben Johnson try his best to duplicate Detroit? Or does he have something completely brand new? Overall, I will say for the Chicago Bears, is there's, not everyone's gonna land,

not everyone will hit for this team, and there's so many exciting names, but the reality is not all of them can hit. Guys, this is not fair. I don't even know, it's not. This division is not fair, not because, because it will be an insult to somebody to put them in the bottom two spots.

That's the problem with- Absolutely, you're gonna insult somebody. And it could go to anybody. Here, real quick to get back to Caleb Williams, what I was seeing from a clean pocket, he was 33rd in clean pocket completion percentage. Out of like 600 though, right? No, out of 36.

Oh, out of 36. So, that's what I was seeing that makes me judge. That's why Alhousen with negative four wins this year. Yeah, and all of those negative four go to the Packers somehow. They're added to that total. Oh my gosh. All right, I've got my division.

I mean, this is brutal. This is brutal. It is. I do not, oh my gosh, I don't like it. You want me to go first? Yeah, I have it written down, but man, I don't wanna say it out loud. I know, I know, this one is,

I hope we have three completely different answers here. Go ahead. I'm going Vikings winning the division. Followed by the Lions and the Packers and the Bears. All right, I don't have that. I don't either. I got Green Bay winning the division. So do I.

I'm gonna take Green Bay. Wow, none of us have the Lions winning. I'm gonna take Detroit in second place. That's where I'm going. I'm gonna take... Oh, you put in the Bears? I'm gonna take Minnesota third. I'm gonna take Minnesota third and Chicago fourth.

I want to give hope to Chicago fans, and I do think you have hope, but that hope, what is it when hope takes a while? It floats. It floats, hope prolonged. Hopium. Is it a hope prolonged? Like we, whatever makes the love stronger in future success,

that's the kind of hope you have. Pessimistic hope. Ah, ah, ah. All right, yeah. But also. So Mike and I have the same. We do. Hope deferred makes the heart sick. So Mike and I have the same- We do. Hope deferred makes the heart sick.

No, that's not the one. That works. That might have been what I was thinking of, but that's not gonna help the Bears fans. It was so wild last year that you had three playoff teams from this division. It could happen again. It certainly-

I'm putting the Vikings in third, but I think the Vikings are a 10 plus win team. I think they are they're the one team that I'm like because of their one score game record in the quarterback change it's like okay maybe something goes side and look injuries happen and all of a sudden divisions don't finish the way you think they will. Any of these guys lose the quarterback yeah you're in big trouble but man I'm sorry to whoever I offended in that order. I'm not.

But at least Mike and I can be insulted together. So you went Minnesota, Jason? I did. So none of us gave Detroit the division. Look at us trying to be, this is all your fault, because you wanted us to now be chalky chalk boys. No, I think the Lions, I have Green Bay winning the division so

they're in I think the Lions are in the playoffs. Also Al is now he's in love with me and you. I mean Al has got to be thrilled back there. I am shocked and very happy. I love I honestly I love Green Bay I love Detroit and I love Minnesota. Agreed. And they can't alt- can they alt- high? And if I if I could if I could have a magic wand and make one team out there great this year, I would choose the Bears. I want, I mean, I think that would be.

If Chicago's in the NFC South, where do they finish? That'll be a question. Yeah. Saints, they're better than the Saints. They're better than the Saints. Right? Better than the Panthers. Better than the Panthers.

And then you've got Atlanta, Tampa Bay and that's a debate. But at least... I'll put Bears at least in second. I know. Sorry, sorry Chicago. Yeah. Take that, AFC South. Tampa, Chicago, Atlanta.

AFC South, yeah, yeah. AFC South just got bodied. All right, that'll do it. Back with another episode Saturday. Don't miss it. Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the Fantasy Footballers podcast. Join our Fantasy Football community on JoinTheFoot.com and follow us on Twitter at The FF Ballers.