Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast - Playoff Primer + Trade Targets & League Winners - Fantasy Football Podcast for 11/13

Episode Date: November 13, 2024

Fantasy football trade deadlines approaching! On today’s podcast, the best and worst team schedules for the fantasy playoffs! Find out who is worth trading for or trading away! Plus, “Hungry For More” players and a preview of Thursday Night Football. Manage your redraft, keeper, and dynasty fantasy football teams with the #1 fantasy football podcast. -- Fantasy Football Podcast for November 13th, 2024. (00:00) - Intro (05:55) - Hungry For More (06:25) - T.J. Hockenson (09:15) - Quentin Johnston (13:05) - Kyler Murray (15:50) - NFL News (30:35) - Thursday Night Breakdown: Commanders at Eagles (35:35) - Playoff Primer (37:45) - Quarterbacks (44:55) - Running Backs (51:05) - Wide Receivers (01:01:20) - Tight Ends (01:05:40) - Defenses Connect with the show: Subscribe on YouTube Visit us on the Web Support the Show Follow on X Follow on Instagram Join our Discord Check out today's sponsors: Hungry For More presented by Uber Eats News & Notes presented by USAA. Visit https://USAA.com/Insurance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers Podcast with your hosts Andy Holloway, Jason Moore and Mike Wright. Welcome in! Wednesday November 13th. The Fantasy Footballers Jason Moore, Mike Wright, Andy Holloway. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for subscribing to the podcast. Thank you for listening. Thank you for being part of the Foot Clan. We appreciate you all. Welcome to week 11 as we venture into the near playoff territory. It's a big week. It's a big show. Because the Playoff Primer, we are talking about. It's a big week. It's a big week.

Yeah, I mean, I think every year this is a show that helps take people from playing fantasy football, heading towards the playoffs, and turns them into championship winners. I think one of the most difficult things for fantasy players, and I mean, this is just the competitive nature, is you can have really, really good performances year after year

in the regular season, feel like you've dominated, feel like you made all the right moves, and you can fall short in the playoffs. I mean, it is a head-to-head matchup. We've all had the weeks where our players don't perform, You can fall short in the playoffs. It is a head-to-head matchup. We've all had the weeks where our players don't perform and we get surprised. A lot of the time, I think why people take a break from fantasy football is the kind of irrationality that you don't win it on paper.

You can put the best team together and then just lose. I mean, you could just lose. Our League of Record, we have fixed things through the governing association of our league of record. And the rules and the bylaws. It's a very large association, over a thousand members. Prestigious. But several years ago I think we got to a place

because it's a keeper league where you ended up every year with these like super teams. Like people who would sell out early the year prior, accumulate all the first round picks, get just this crazy team that you just feel like can't lose. On paper. And we had that for- Just give them the trophy. We had that for a long time, you know, eight, nine years.

And I think only one time did the clear and utter super team actually win. Because one bad week in the playoffs, you're out. The main thing right now is you've got to make the playoffs. Yeah, I mean, if you catch Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, Lamar Jackson on the other side in week one of the playoffs, it really, you could have a beautiful team on the other side and you probably aren't going to win.

So I don't say all this to make you feel hopeless. I say this because people write us and say, man, I can't get over the hump. I finished second three times. The best thing that you can do, the only thing that you can do is give yourself the best odds to have success in the playoffs, which means doing more than just building that on paper team halfway through the year or at the trade deadline, right? At the trade deadline is the time you can go and get those assets that look great on paper, but maybe you're not setting yourself up for success in the playoff schedule. And last year, it was Dak, it was Njoku. These were

not, Dak was a waiver wire guy. Njoku was a- I'm sure through the beginning of the year, he was a waiver wire guy as well. He was not good the first half of last year. Last year it was Joe Flacco over those playoff weeks. A couple years ago it was rookie who had done nothing for the Detroit Lions, Amon Ra St. Brown. I mean, you find guys who are peaking at the right time, guys who have a perfect aligned schedule, or as perfect as you can get, like that does it improves your probability. So

that means what you got to do right now focus on making the playoffs because you just got to get the I promise you can't win the championship if you don't get into the playoffs that's one of our. We've had nobody in our league do that. It's never happened once and then once you're there I'd focus on rabbit's feet. Oh. Four leaf clovers. Okay. Voodoo dolls, if you wanna go the other direction. You know, it's just gonna take some magic in the playoffs.

That's a little dark, but for the Mark of the Beast guy, I'm not surprised. Are you voodoo dolling the manager? Yeah, the opponent, the manager. Not the players. Okay. No, just making sure. You're pro player.

I'm pro player. Yeah, I mean- On my team. Inversely to the good schedule, it is also just knowing that if you have a superstar that has a really rough playoff schedule, you might be peaked, right? You're probably going to keep riding them, but maybe you can swap them at the trade deadline for a player with a better schedule. We can talk about that. That is what today is all about, the playoff primer.

You can go to the website, thefantasyfootballers.com. That's where all the weekly rankings, the Start Sit tool. If you want any premium content from the jointhefoot.com community, which includes the Ultimate Dashboard, the Custom Waiver Wire, the Spot Starts, the Strength of Schedule tool, the Stream Finder, all of the resources, many of which we use

to prepare today's show, available to you as a member at JoinTheFoot.com. A reminder, there's a new Dynasty podcast out today. Betts, Borg, and Mike did the Dynasty Situation Room. We did. We broke down. We sent the call out and let people say, here's where I am like I am a contending team

Like should I go after this player or I'm gonna rebuild, you know, what am I doing? Just a lot of you know advice for all sorts of teams out there. Yep. So let's jump into hungry for more Welcome to hungry for more More, presented by Uber Eats. All right, Jason, why don't you kick us off for this week's Hungry for More. Sure. Look, I mean, if you've been holding on to them or if you picked them up late, for the most part, all season we've been hungry for even just a little TJ Hawkinson. Finally got back, got healthy, is on the field, is active, and is immediately the number two target that the Minnesota Vikings

so desperately have needed. The first week back, limited snaps, still a pretty decent involvement in the passing game. But now this last week, nine targets, eight for 72, still on just 46% of the snaps. I mean, this is a need for this team. Behind Justin Jefferson, they have needed someone to step up. He was targeted on 32% of his routes this last week. Only Travis Kelsey had more first read targets in week 10 at the tight end position. And so I'm hungry for more of TJ Hawkinson because I don't think that people remember how good he was last year as a Viking and how important he was, how impactful. And I'm going to leave it for the end of the show, but the playoff primer edition, you wanna talk about a guy who's got a

dynamite schedule in the playoffs, is TJ Hawkinson. So I'm hungry for more of him this week and the rest of the season, but especially, I think he's gonna be one of those players that can help take people to championships. Yeah, I mean, Hawkinson looked great this past week. He looked great. He looked right back into the flow of what made him great. And he did look at towards the end of the game, darn tired. I felt bad. He's still like, dude, you got to give this guy

a break. He was, he was, I mean, on his ninth target or eighth target or wherever it was, I saw him lay on the ground for at least a half second before getting up, not because of injury, it was just like, oh man, this game is brutal. Mike, who do you have? And by the way, you did point out, Jason, might be trying to run up the value on Hawkinson for the trade deadline in our League of Record. What?

Dude, I have Hawkinson in the League of Record? Well, that is true, and he is incredibly valuable for the trade deadline this week, and he is, I wanna remind you, he was the tight end two and the tight end four the last two years, and now is going to be probably the tight end two or three rest of the way. Wow. Never.

But that's happenstance. You didn't even know that he was on your team. That's coincidence. Okay. I mean, genuinely though, I don't want the footclan out there to think that this is a bit. I'm totally in on this. It's both. I love to throw a bit on top.

But this is true. Hockenson should be a really important difference maker down the stretch. Much more different than the Jake Ferguson's and the Hunter Henry's. Even Evan Ingram, who's now potentially lost You know the Jake Ferguson's and the hunter Henry's and that you know even even Evan Ingram who's now potentially lost his quarterback I think Hawkinson is the only guy that's in that has not been a top-tier guy

Who can now become a top-tier guy rest of the way and and join Trey McBride and join some of these High high in you know kiddle. I Genuinely believe that's where Hawkinson lives. I was very happy to see the nine targets. Like the, the hope and everything for, for, for Hawkinson was. We know when he will be back, but will he go back into a, a prominent role? Like that was a, it was a devastating knee injury. So to have him be back I mean, he's only playing about half the snaps right now, so I'm in on that

the one I want to say I'm hungry for more for because this this player has really only received nothing but Slander not from just this show, but how I did did speak for yourself Well, we've even you've enjoyed a slanderous mother to have it's been very fun who hasn't gotten in on taking a cheap shot of low blow at Quinton Johnston wide receiver of the line in dropston yeah no in the past that's been fun the rookie year was as close to a surefire bust first round wide receiver that we have seen in a

very long time and yet things have actually gotten better for him he's like he's scored in two straight games in points per game he is actually right there with Lad McConkie Quinton's at 10.6 McConkie is at 10.5 and this team has really turned things around in weeks one through four they're averaging about 145 passing yards per game week six through ten we're up to 262 yards per game and the upcoming schedule for for the charges for wide receivers it's actually it's the third highs or the third easiest for wide receivers and they have high totals over the the next five weeks week 14 is the only bad matchup here

for the Chargers-Pasquatchers. They take on the Chiefs in that time, but Bengals, Baltimore, Falcons, Tampa Bay, these are great matches for him, and the team is surging at the right time. I think that he is a really interesting guy who could just, like, maybe he's a flex play for the rest of the season. How do you see?

I've always loved him. Yeah. That is sarcasm. But it's nice to see, like we've reached the point where we're not wondering if the ball's gonna be caught, really. I mean, it is a... Man, the training camp videos of just him dropping passes

combined with last year was like, this is hilarious. We didn't see enough of him last year. And it's amazing. We saw enough. Yeah, I was gonna say he was on the field so much. We saw enough and it was bad. That part is true, but if you remember before the season, if you went back and watched the film, there were a lot of plays that looked promising

from an after the catch standpoint, from the way he was running routes, it was just, his drops were so egregious and headline making. You just wonder what the confidence building ability of Harbaugh has been because he is a very good point. He is such a players coach but he's detail oriented too. If you haven't seen the video that the Chargers put out on X, Jim Harbaugh building up Herbert and talking to her, it is a fun time. I'm telling you, put that on your to-do list. Just look up that video. I couldn't watch

his video without smiling. He's talking to Herbert. They're playing games with the opponent. He's apparently wanting to call him Beast. I'm calling him Beast now. I'm calling Harbaugh Beast. I'm calling Herbert. Oh yeah, he's apparently wanting to call him Beast. You know, he's, oh, I'm calling him Beast now. I'm calling Harbaugh Beast, or I'm calling Herbert. Oh yeah, he's a beast. You haven't seen this video, Mike? No, I didn't watch. Dude, you will love it. It's wonderful. I'm falling in love with Jim Harbaugh right now.

It's great. And- Ah, the cycle continues. Yeah. We'll talk to you in about three years? Two to three years. I will be brief here. This guy's the worst, I'm out of here I am hungry for more consistency from Kyler

Murray he has been okay his great has been great QB 1 QB 4 QB 6 QB 7 on the week his bad it's been bad QB 30 QB 24 QB 25, QB 24, QB 25. And so the fantasy schizophrenia has been destructive to your weeks at times. I have been somebody that has him rostered in multiple leagues. One week I'm winning because of him, the next week I'm losing because of him. He has a good playoff schedule. Kyler has, like the Cardinals in general have a good schedule rest of season. And you have to look at the details here. One of the bad, the awfully bad games that I named, no Harrison.

One of the awfully bad games, no McBride. He needs, I think we've seen this as Cardinal fans analyzing this team, is that he needs every piece that's in that offense to succeed. Every core piece. You don't, if you don't have Harrison, all of a sudden you are, your wide receivers are Michael Wilson and Greg George. It disappears. It's terrible.

If you don't have McBride, suddenly it's, we double team Harrison and it's over. So he needs every piece or it falls apart, but the schedule is lining up very well for him. He runs. That is a fundamental baseline for quarterbacks, two touchdowns on the ground in the last week. But again, this is hungry for more. This is not saying Kyler's a guaranteed league winner. This is saying, I am hungry for more of this consistency and this offense to do what it's been doing over the last three weeks in moving the football. His schedule has to be in today's show. Right?

It is, it is. Cause it's not just, I won't go over the playoff weeks, but yeah, he's on the bye week this week. The Cardinals are taking the old rest, but then Seattle, Minnesota, Seattle, Patriots, or I ran into the playoffs, sorry. Oh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. Sorry.

Don't tell anybody who they play. It's a wild run coming up here for Kyler and the Cardinals. No, I had traded with you, Mike, for Jordan Love in our League of Record. Yep. Because I had been so frustrated with the down weeks from Kyler, and I just kind of realized, like, I can't let Kyler go.

I need to play these guys off the good and bad weeks back and forth in terms of the matchups like you mentioned Seattle out of the by like I'm sitting Jordan Love that week and I'm playing Kyler Murray that week. Gotcha. Because the matchups are just some of these are too juicy. All right. That was Hungry for More presented by Uber Eats where you can get the best deals on game day food all season long. Uber Eats, the official on demand delivery partner of the NFL. Let's jump into the news. News and notes from around the league presented by USAA Insurance.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said George Kittle left Sunday's game with quote hamstring irritation that will be monitored through the week. Not exciting to hear that. Not unless you got Christian McCaffrey. Well, or Pierce Hall or J.J. Hawkinson. You know, there's so many ways. What is happening out here? Look, I'm just saying this is a worry, you know? Yeah. If your opponent is going down.

Yeah, that's a big worry. Build yourself up to go up. You know what I mean? I mean, it sounds to me like you are heading to a title if you have Hawkinson. Why would you ever move that guy? I could be. Aaron Wilson said the expectation is for

Nico Collins to practice all week and make his return Monday night against the Cowboys. Which brings us to disclosing the trade that happened in League of Record because everybody right now on on X or contacting Jason. What? Yeah, Mediocre Signing of the Week. You know what, I think maybe my pinky hit something. You think? I think that's in the corner there. Let's go to our Mediocre Signing of the Week here. The Mediocre Signing of the Week is that the Raiders

are expected to make the change to Desmond Ritter at quarterback. No, no they're not. No they're not. That's real? That is, according to the athletics of Big Dipper. That's not a gag? No, I mean that's-

This isn't April 1st? That's the mediocre signing of the week. A brilliant stroke of button pushing, Andy. Yeah, well I was just setting you up for the news I didn't know about. That is- I will not- How can we do this? I will not tolerate any talks at Group Think against Desmond Ritter in this podcast.

Okay, so can we make, okay, so Miami's defense, Denver's defense, Kansas City's defense, Tampa Bay's defense, Atlanta's defense, Jacksonville, New Orleans, and the Chargers. You would like those for the next seven weeks. I mean, Ritter's not going to make it seven weeks. But yeah, for the next couple. If you're Desmond Ritter and you've been cut from multiple teams and you end up following

Bass-Ackwards into this starting opportunity. That's your moment, man. Seize it. All right, let's go back to Nico. Right now, any Nico-related news, Jason is getting tagged and it's important that the world knows That tag needs to move to Andy. So our our situation in the League of Record We're on our trade deadline if you haven't figured that out yet We talked a lot about CD Lamma whether you make a move. I've been tagged a lot. Are you sticking with it?

Are you riding it out and with all answers? Maybe, all of my injuries, I am on the outside. It would be a struggle to get over the top against some of the better teams in the League of Records, so I'm having to choose to trade or sell now. And so I traded Nico Collins for a pick swap in my favor and CD Lam to play, it's a hedge bet. CD can be okay this year, but more, it's a play for next year where I, you know, Niko could easily be ahead of CDLAM in startup drafts next year. If I had to put a dollar on it right now, I think CD will be ahead of Niko coming into next year. They obviously have a

brand new contract for CD, brand new contract for DAC. So I think next year CD will be ahead, but it's a risk. Niko was the number one wide receiver before he got into it. Also a brand new contract for him. The move for me just so I can help the fantasy community with this is I was not going to force it with CD Lam but I was looking. Here's what I wasn't going to do. I wasn't going to go neutral because CD Lam I think you know, if you're in a keeper league, obviously, you want to hang on to him. I turned down Pukka Nakua for CD Lamb. Maybe that's a bad move, but Pukka Nakua has the single worst wide receiver schedule rest of season

in terms of schedule adjusted fancy points against. That was too neutral for me. It could be the right move, but it was too neutral. I turned down Jayden Reed in a pick, right? Like that was, I don't need to trade maybe some inconsistency with CD Land with definitely some inconsistency with Jayden Reed. I was looking at Malik Nabors, but you're messing with quarterback problems in the same exact vein, right?

Drew Lock does not inspire me any more than the Cooper Rush Trey Lance situation. So I wasn't going to go neutral. Nico to me was an opportunity to potentially upgrade CDLAM without a quarterback, without Dak. So that was the move and everyone's got to make that choice. And it also depends on how crucial CDLAM's high-end output was to your fantasy team. Do you have other players that are giving you high-end fantasy production? Cause CDLAM is going to be good for 10 points on most weeks, I believe.

Now Mike, you like the move for me because you feel like you said 99% chance in your mind that Nico Al perform CD rest of season. Yeah and I was just you know being courteous to Jason's absolutely ridiculous trade that he made. I 100% agree. I mean CD Lamb should not be as good as Nico rest of season. No chance. This was a move for next year for me. And yeah Al, you offered me some combo of Devontae Adams and Sutton and Mooney and I said no thank you. Nico Collins guys has not been in a football game since week five where he played 13% of the snaps. So he basically has not been in a football game since week five, where he played 13% of the snaps.

So he basically has not played since week four. He is currently the wide receiver 17. Yeah, like I said, he was the wide receiver one when he went down the injury. He was better than everyone. And now, here's the real news, is that now that he's not on Jason's team, those of you with Nico can relax. Yeah, seriously. Because moments after he traded him to me, we got the news that he's not on Jason's team those of you with Nico can

Relax. Yeah, there's moments after he traded him to me We got the news that he's gonna practice all week and he's gonna play on Monday and we've got him out of your clutches Yeah, I'd be afraid if you got seedy that shoulder injury about to put him down All right, Trevor Lawrence ruled out already but might come back after the bye He needs to come back if you have Brian Thomas. That is the number one reason I want Trevor Lawrence active in the NFL right now is to give Brian Thomas Jr. a chance because if he's not back, Brian Thomas Jr. went from up and coming star to terror to start him to me. So he's out this week then the bye week then comes. Oh my gosh. So he's out this week, then the bye week, then comes... Oh my gosh!

Breaking news! No! No way! Well, there's a lot of quarterback moves being made out there in the NFL. What is happening? The Colts are making another quarterback move. They are promoting second string quarterback Anthony Richardson back to being the starter did they did they look at Bryce Young ago I kind of work hey Bryce Young yeah wow it's the path he just said no flakka was the starter until I know he said otherwise he said otherwise he is

in a awful position where he can't say anything else. And they were in the playoff hunt. Richardson was not getting it done. Joe Flacco has officially pumpkined. The Father Time seems to have caught Joe Flacco finally. They said for the rest of the season. Wow. I don't know why you'd say that

Yeah, stop talking I Like I want to be on record here. I think Shane Steichen is a very good office of mind I really do think that he runs a good system and with the right player personnel can get the most out of them This isn't someone that I think was built on the laurels of Peyton Manning like an Adam Gaze. But with his current head coaching prowess of the leadership structure of I'm brave enough to make a move, no I'm not, Undo, no both were forever.

Arthur Blank. Yeah I mean. Oh, Arthur Smith. Oh yeah, it's, I don't know, Arthur Smith. Oh, yeah. It's, you know, I don't know, maybe Stiken will be a great office of coordinator. He seems a little in over his head right now. Hmm. I mean, this is comical. I made, I coughed the wrong name at first, but Arthur Smith with the Ritter and the rotation at court. It reminds me of that last year. Like, here's the truth.

And maybe this lets you forgive Shane Steichen for his somewhat strange behavior. Neither quarterback's good enough to get you to the playoffs. I agree. That's the truth. The truth is you don't have him. You had to find out with Flacco, like the run that he went on last year,

you have to see if, did he have that magic left? At least right now, that magic. He does not not know them the magic is gone Richardson is back and No, good luck with your Colts wire receivers, do you guys realize what this means for my dynasty team I Have Kyler and Baker on by and I had flacko is my last quarterback Didn't you also trade for Josh Downs? Yeah, he certainly did. Goodbye. Yeah, I wish I had traded him yesterday.

Can I ask you a question for a friend? Sure. Cooper Rush or Mack Jones? Ooh. Mack Jones. In a vacuum, I don't remember their schedules off top my head. And Cooper Rush is Monday night. I'll tell much against the Houston Tech Cooper Rush against Houston or Mac Joe against menace against Detroit. I'd stick with Mac Jones

Stick with the poison you already got Wow, what a what a new segment we we got to take a break and because we got more news to talk about Did you want to add something Mike? I was just we have more quarterback news. Oh boy back in a minute All right on the other side of the break I do want to ask you do you think this is the right move with Richardson At this point. Yes, I kind of feel that base based on what we saw from Flacco, like when Flacco came in and looked like he moved this offense it was great. I understand making the move to Flacco. What we've seen since he was announced as the full-time starter and given the opportunity

to truly lead this team, I mean he was abysmal. It was weird too. It was like he wasn't letting go of the ball when he always has. He just was holding on to it, getting sacked. Yeah, I think at this point, if you're not gonna make the playoffs, let the young guy in. The crazy thing is that,

I mean he still threw for 272 yards last week. Adonai Mitchell, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs all had okay games. All of a sudden that's off the table now, it seems with Anthony Richardson. Not that you can't start Downs, it's just like Adonai Mitchell, like I'm going to go delete my waiver claim for him. Okay.

Yeah, I mean, Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce, I think those are still the types of players you can throw in a lineup and hope for a 50, 60 yard bomb from Anthony Richardson. They're boom bust, but you don't expect a lot of passing yards. Anthony Richardson is never going to throw for 300 yards this season. And they're playing the Jets this week, is that right? Correct. Mike, what's the other news we got? We got Desmond Ritter starting, we got Richardson starting, what else we got?

So appearing on a radio segment, Adam Schefter said, quote, I would guess that we don't see Daniel Jones play another down for the Giants. Schefter didn't bother to source the fantasy footballers. I understand that we were talking about it yesterday. Because it is the clear and obvious decision that the Giants have to make. You can't risk Daniel Jones getting hurt and then owing him a bunch of money

if he can't clear a physical. Yeah, and if, I mean, Daniel Jones shaved his beard. So at that point, you are Drew Locke. Drew Locke is Daniel Jones without a beard, so there's no difference here. Is Drew Locke growing a beard? He should! He really, really should, but I don't know if he can yet.

So I- You ever Googled Drew Locke face before? I have- Oh, he's got some really good face pictures. Yeah, he needs a beard. I'm looking at this guy. You put a beard on that man, he could look better. He needs a beard.

Yeah. But yeah, so I don't think this makes a huge impact. I mean, you could play Daniel Jones for the rushing upside, you can't play Drew Locke. I presume that this will be pretty neutral for Malik Washington. Malik neighbors. Malik neighbors. I don't think this is a upgrade. Definitely neutral for Malik Washington. This move does not impact Malik Washington.

Who was the player that always came? How does this affect? Marlon Mack. Marlon Mack, yeah. Also neutral. Yeah, so I don't know if people are gonna freak out and feel like Neighbors is dead. Neighbors hasn't been doing anything

the last few weeks with Daniel Jones anyways. I think if anything, you're like, oh. Maybe. Maybe there's some hope now. Yeah, it's a maybe. And that's where I say it's neutral because I doubt it gets much worse and I doubt it gets any better.

The Giants are in trouble. For what it's worth in the two games that the Duloc started last year, completion percentage, 71% and 67% threw for 269 yards, 208 yards, three touchdowns, two picks, took six sacks. It's not Daniel Jones. Adam Thielen coming back off of Injured Reserve. Off of Injured Reserve. He found his way off, Mike.

They are on by. No. But we will need to make a note to read. Not again. Why did you wake me? From my slumber. The next week, waiver wire episode, if you're needing a start, Adam Thielen

with Deontay Johnson out and having enough time to recover, he's a sneaky guy that you could pick up off of waivers and play. I agree. Out as in traded away, not just hurt. Correct. Yeah. Naji Harris could be limited in practice due to an ankle injury. Expected to play on Sunday.

Isaiah likely not seen practicing. Missed last Thursday's game. I believe Andrews has four or five weeks in double digits right now. Mark Andrews is, he is producing. Five touchdowns in five weeks. So he's been on a heater That was today's news and notes presented by us a insurance learn more at us a.com slash insurance We'll preview the Thursday night game and get into that very important playoff primer Thursday night breakdown Well, okay Okay, okay. Okay, okay. Washington, seven and three.

Philly, seven and two. I'm concerned. The DK Sportsbook line, Philly minus three and a half. The O'Rounders, 48 and a half. This is a divisional battle. And you're concerned, Mike, I am guessing, is that Philly will smash them. No. Okay. I'm guessing that you're concerned that Philly will smash them. No. Okay? Okay.

I'm guessing that your concern is that Philly's defense isn't about both defenses. For fantasy. Yes. Yeah, I mean, last year this was a barn burner. These two games with Sam Howell were awesome. They were, oh, RIP. But this Eagles defense, we've been saying it for a couple weeks now and I think everyone's caught up.

They're great. They're really, really tough to play against. Right now, you adjust for schedule. They are literally top five. They're the only defense in the league that is top five against all positions of fantasy points given up. To quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end. Last year, we were targeting the Eagles second.

Yeah, it was great. I mean, they were not good. So, Cooper DeGene has made a big difference for this team. I believe that the actual defensive coordinator upgrade is massive. And then the commander's defense has gotten a little bit better every week. The commanders are eighth against quarterbacks

over the last six weeks, fourth against white outs. And this week they add Marsha and Latimore to the equation. So, yeah, you might not get the 34-31, the 38-31 games you got from last year, both up over 60 points. The overrunners at 48 and a half, I mean, you do have. Nice, there's hope and optimism. You've got talent on both sides,

but you're saying that the range of outcomes in this game go from, hey, we have the explosive game with the big performances, but it could also be, Thursday night, it's tough for teams to turn around and play on Thursday night, especially if you're recovering from injuries or you get banged up. Execution seems to hit a lull sometimes

on Thursday night football, and you've got two teams, divisional battles in and of themselves can turn that direction. They can always go crazy, as in like, just nothing happens. It's not affecting who I'm starting. Jaden, he's in, Jalen Hertz is in, of course Saquon. I mean, everybody on the Philadelphia side is in, except for,

you know, Dallas Goddard, was he played? I think he caught it. He scored. Yeah, he scored, but he was also limited. It was 63% of the snaps. There was only three targets for him. And then he was limited for Tuesday's practice. He concerns me.

That's the only spot that over the past six weeks, the commanders have been a plus matchup for a position. So again, I'm just starting to think. I'm certainly not playing Dallas Goddard. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dallas Goddard, that might be where you can kind of attack the defense, but it would, you know, his breakout games were when Devontae Smith

got injured, AJ Brown was out, and it was like, okay, it was clear how this was gonna work out. I don't think Goddard has a lot of big fantasy games What about when the wide receivers are there? So what about Brian Robinson who has been missing time due to injury injury? Situation is very frustrating for fantasy players because it's in out in out snip snap And that Claire performs when he's not there the the hamstring injury has kept him out the past two weeks. Being on a short week, a limited participant in Tuesday's practice, I'm not playing him. I worry about re-aggravation.

I worry about bad performance against the number three run defense against running backs so with the injury he's out if he's in then I'm not gonna play Austin Eckler either so this is one of those situations where if you want a running back to play you're hoping Bryan Robinson is out and then you can have Austin Eckler in kind of that flex caliber player but of course don't put there's a night football players in your flex give yourself that flexibility for later in the week other I mean Terry McLaurin you're just gonna start a plate because he's been so good you have to I mean

you're gonna start all these guys and really it's one of those things where when I see primetime games usually I view primetime games as great quarterbacks come through and I think you've got two great quarterbacks here so hopefully they can overcome these tough defenses but yeah the range could be I mean I don't think we're getting the Lamar burrow week I mean those two defenses their secondaries are not good and the quarterbacks took advantage right now I expect you know if I had to put a dollar on the over-under I'd probably put it on the under. Who do you have to win the game? I've got the Eagles Mike. Yeah, I'll take the Eagles

Yeah, it seems like the the right bet. All right, let's jump in Playoff primer Well just to remind you some more names from last year that got you two title games that won you your league. Joe Flacco was one of those names. You could start him down the stretch. Maybe it'll be Drew Locke. Kyron Williams, James Connor and the way he, Connor is so weird this year because, well,

we'll talk about him. Yeah, Connor every year. But he normally finishes year strong and this year has just been. Well, it's tough because. It's all the's tough because in order for him to finish this year strong he has to finish this year. He has to play the whole year. And that's never happened so something- But he also broke his rushing record last year. Like he is the Fred Jackson of this generation right now. Yeah, no I agree. I mean he has for two years in a row been a championship league winner. You remember when Marty Cooper last year gave me 46 points

against the guy in the middle, the bald guy in the middle of the Deucer's Alley? That was fun for you. Did you feel every one of the 46 points, Papa Josh? Dude, that was the worst. Hoo hoo hoo! He pooped on you. George Pickens also won people some titles last year.

Gonna do it again. And David Najoku we mentioned it. So we are looking at the best and worst schedules for every position let's start at quarterback. We are just for a point of clarification we are using schedule adjusted metrics that doesn't mean you know if it's not the team that has given up the most points to the quarterback position or whatever position it's that we take a look at their opponents and what their opponents average and how much they have given up the most points to the quarterback position or whatever position, it's that we take a look at their opponents and what their opponents average and how much they have given up compared to their average

and then rank those. We think it's a much more accurate schedule and we're looking at the fantasy playoffs from week 15 through 17. If you're in a big larger league that starts early in week 14, a lager. Sorry, there's bi-weeks in 14. That's what I heard.

Or if you go all the way to the final season, the final week of the season, which is dumb changer league, uh, that'll be 18. But all of the metrics we're bringing up on today's episode are 15 through 17. You want to join a big logger league with me, Mike? Yeah, we're in. Uh, here, here's the quarterback schedules that I think are really interesting. One is Baker Mayfield because he has been very, very good

and will be getting Mike Evans back. And that is really, really a big deal with what they've found from Kate Otten. Like, yes, you've missed Godwin, but you have discovered something with Kate Otten, I think. And this team gets Evans back. They play the Chargers, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Carolina Panthers for your three playoff weeks. All three of those are plus matchups for the quarterback position. You also have him on by right now where he gets to heal up his little toe ski that's been bothering him. So him getting a little healthier, getting Mike Evans back, I do think the stretch run,

if you can acquire him for cheap, he will be a valuable option if you don't have one of the studs. And it's important that we make sure to not tell people, when we say Baker's got a great schedule, I think he is worthy of winning a championship for sure. But that doesn't mean that someone who's got, you know, we're going to talk about the bad schedules too, Josh Allen has a bad schedule for the playoffs. I'm not going to trade Josh Allen for Baker Mayfield. I'm going to roll with the absolute studs. But, you know,

we're going to, we're going to get into a big context here and just use your brain. Yeah. Yeah. And the, they're on the Buccaneers are on the bye week. Correct. So I mean, if your quarterback situation is kind of in flux, drop it like it's hot, man. Look at that, like, coming off of the bad week last week, I think that there's a chance that Baker hits some waivers. So, oh, I'm sorry, laser.

Bo Nix, Kyler Murray, Jordan Love are the three other names to highlight from our schedule adjusted strength of schedule for those playoff weeks. Bo Nix has been, what I love about him is he has freedom in this Peyton offense to move around and find guys down field. And it's, you know, in today's NFL, it's getting a little irritating to find guys that throw the ball down the field. I mean, we literally are having this discussion about Patrick Mahomes or to a tongue of Iloa in recent weeks, whereas Bo Nix has been given freedom to escape the pocket. He looks a lot

like it's wild to say this. He looks a little bit like Stroud did last year. Stroud would escape the pocket with his eyes downfield and chuck it. And you want that. Except Bo Nix actually takes off and runs sometimes. And when he does, he gets chunk yardage. Yeah, and Stroud probably completed more of the downfield passes. But Bo Nix, just pay attention. It's not that...

That would be terrifying to me to go into the playoffs with Bo Nix as your starter for three weeks. It doesn't mean you can't win. You have some weeks here to get that actual confidence. Kyler Murray plays at home against New England. He's been awesome at home. He had one dud, but they dominated the game and beat the Bears at home.

The Cardinals. Oh, the rushing touchdowns. Yeah, the Cardinals as a team have been playing excellent at home, which if you aren't familiar over the last several years, they have sucked at home. So this is a nice change. And then at Carolina, one of the worst teams against quarterbacks, then at Los Angeles,

controlled environment, you should pay attention to the weather at this time of year. But the Rams, you know, there's the potential for that to be a back and forth affair. And it's there a plus matchup. so Kyler and then Jordan Love at Seattle. This is the guy that I think is gonna win the most championships based on schedule and health of team and all that at Seattle which should be a very good back and forth affair. New Orleans in a controlled environment, Minnesota in a controlled environment. I really do think Jordan loves, I mean over those three

weeks, I mean you could see him throw 10 touchdowns easy. Mike, talk to us about some of the worst quarterback schedules that people need to be aware of if you're planning on kind of riding one quarterback. So Jason mentioned it but Josh Allen, it's pretty tough but he is of the guys we're gonna talk about he it's fine I'll just play Josh Allen but Jared Goff has not performed as we we hoped he would for fantasy nowhere close to what he he was giving us last year he's got three brutal matchups, Buffalo, Chicago, and San Francisco. Not winning titles this year.

The one that I think needs to be talked about and examined of just where we are, because Joe Burrow is playing unbelievable. Joe Burrow is playing MVP caliber football right now. He's just crushing for fantasy football. One of the playoffs for him is on the road at Tennessee. It's an OK matchup, but the Titans defense does show up. Yeah, they're very good.

From time to time. But then Cleveland and Denver. The Denver Broncos, it is at home, but it's the Denver Broncos in Championship Week. That is going to be a very, I think a very tough decision for people that, I mean, if you've been rolling with the Bengals, you don't like to see that the team that just held the surging Kansas City Chiefs. It looked like Mahomes was back.

He was not back in that game against the Denver Broncos. Jason, other names that are worth surfacing there? I certainly echo Burrow. My fears of him are large. That week two against Cleveland, last year against Cleveland, 181 and two, the year prior, 82 yards and no touchdowns, it scares me.

And he's playing so good where he's one of those guys where maybe if you've got someone else, maybe you could trade him for Kyler Plus or just something like that. I would entertain it. But Sam Darnold is the name to me that people have done well with Darnold so far this season. Not recently. Yeah. well with Darnold so far this season. Not recently. Yeah, I mean recently it's gotten a little bit worse, but Chicago in the first week of the playoffs, I don't think you get to the second week of the playoffs if you're playing Sam Darnold.

So that's my issue. Some of these guys I look more towards the first and maybe second week of the playoffs to just be like, again, just like you gotta make the playoffs to get there. It doesn't matter how great your championship matchup is. If you don't get there, worry more about week 15. You did mention you're not gonna bench Josh Allen to go play Baker Mayfield or go trade for Baker Mayfield. Are you willing to move Allen

with the knowledge of these matchups for the guy that you know Jordan Love if it means you're going to add to your team? I would yes I would only do that only do that in the situation where I'm adding a lot to my team if it's Jordan Love plus a really impactful you know high-end running back okay now I'm willing to take that honor or Kyler plus a really impactful asset. Okay, but I'm not, I would not move from Josh Allen to Kyler or Jordan Love. And then you've got guys like Goff, Geno Smith, and Patrick Mahomes who bad playoff schedules don't play them. But yeah, yeah, it makes sense. If you look at running backs now, the juiciest schedules are some of these guys that have already

gotten you to this point, which is kind of nice, right? Gibbs Montgomery, they faced the 31st, 22nd, and 18th best running defenses, all plus matchups. Kyron, all plus matchups. And then you talk about focusing on the first two weeks, it doesn't get better than James Connors. New England at home, where Connors been great, Caroline on the road, dead last against the run. The only team that I think might compete with that is Bijon Robinson and the Falcons. The first two weeks you've got against the Las Vegas Raiders who are 28th, I mean that's.

They're starting Desmond Ritter. That's a great matchup for Bijon and then the next week is the New York Giants and while the Giants defense, they've got a great front, right now they're still 25th at schedule adjusted against running backs but I do expect they might towards the end of the season start letting some of their players get healthy. You know what I mean? Start letting little tiny tweaks in the hamstring be like, do you feel that? No, I'm fine. You felt that. You are going, sit it down.

We got a draft pick to achieve. So I love Bijan's and James Connor's schedules and the Lions, man. Those are great. You need to pick up Benson and Algier if you have Bijan and Connor because you are promising yourself that schedule. That's what's beautiful about this juncture of the season

in trading for an insurance bet. Yeah, we've talked about it for, I mentioned it a couple weeks ago, the stretch run for the Jets run game. Breeze Hall, I don't trust him, but he's got a great schedule for the matchups. He's got Jacksonville and Buffalo in those three playoff weeks.

If he is any, I mean, I'm just so scarred by Breeze Hall. I'm gonna say, you're talking with a different cadence. Yeah, you, I mean, he's. There's less air in your lungs when you speak of him right now. Last year in our dynasty league, I believe I had a playoff week where Breeze Hall and Bijon combined.

Oh, yes, yeah. Four fantasy points. And when it happens at the. Did you end up winning? I did not end up winning that week. But thankfully they did bounce back to an awesome game the next week when it didn't matter and I wasn't in. So I don't know, I'm sick of Breeze Hall.

Gun shy? Yeah. It's just personal. Pretty nice schedule for Saquon, Aaron Jones, Josh Jacobs, who I feel like Jacobs is just sailing through the season. Kind of like not making headlines, not a bust alert, but just cruising through the year. That's because he hasn't had touchdowns. I mean he has had three touchdowns on the course of the season. Four if you

include the receiving game. So running backs that have terrible schedules for the playoffs, they're actually names that are not in the auto start category, at least several of them. So like Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren have a terrible run. Deandre Swift, terrible first two games, maybe the worst, Minnesota to Detroit, and not a lot of confidence in Swift being a special player able to overcome that. And then people expecting and excited for Isaiah Pacheco's return has to face Cleveland and Houston.

Cleveland on the road, Houston then at home, that seems concerning where all three of those guys are in the... Yeah, I mean, Kareem Hunt's done and Isaiah Pacheco's not someone you're going to want to start. Kareem Hunt is going to continue to get you towards the playoffs But you have to have a backup plan and that backup plan is not gonna be Isaiah Pacheco Because I do not believe for one second like I was kind of pounding the table that when Christian McCaffrey comes back He's just gonna get it all because that's Kyle Shanahan system when Isaiah Pacheco comes back. He is not getting it at all

This is a player coming back off of a broken leg that they want for the playoffs. Kareem Hunt has been more than serviceable. They're going to bring Isaiah Pacheco back, have it be a rotation. I don't doubt that Isaiah Pacheco takes over in the playoffs, but not your fantasy playoffs. So I do think if you're riding hot with Kareem Hunt, make plans. Find other, even if it's those insurance backs that we were just mentioning, you know, Grabcam makers, Tyler Algier, Trey Benson, Braylon Allen, and hope that by the time the playoffs come, one of those guys is a starter.

Mike, talk to me about the Dolphins situation, because, you know, Mostert suddenly doesn't get a carry. The schedule's tough, Houston, San Francisco, Cleveland. A-chan's the guy, but Jalen Wright's being worked in, and the offense doesn't look normal. Is this, is their schedule, their playoff schedule enough to get you attempting to pivot A-chan at all?

I'm not gonna move off of A-chan. Past catching running backs. That's it, yeah. I'm not as concerned. And while it was only 15 yards this past week for A-chan, it was, he caught all five targets five targets, and they have some time here over the next couple weeks to figure it out before I would have any kind of concern for him.

Where are you at with Joe Mixon, though? Week one is Miami. That's fine, but you're fine? I'm fine. He's going to road against Kansas City in the semis. I mean, that is the literal worst matchup you can have and I do not expect Joe Mixon to win you your week I do fully expect Joe Mixon to be near 10 fantasy points and be fine I mean, he's not someone I'm moving off of it all he's just so integral to that team

And we just saw him in a tough matchup where he got 25 carries did nothing with it He didn't get 50 yards if my memory serves. I mean, if that's the case and they're still giving him that 25th carry, I'm not worried about that against Kansas City. Yeah, he's still on the top 10 week. Tyrone Tracy, okay, that's someone that I would be scared of. Bad schedule coming up. Not a lot of investment. Team's going to be phoning it in you know hard you know Baltimore Atlanta two tough matchups to start but no Joe Mixon no I'm not scared right well let's take a break we'll get into wide receivers and tight end schedules the tight ends

in particular big role last year and winning new titles be right back Well there are some really juicy wide receiver schedules when you talk about the playoff weeks. It's hard not to look at Calvin Ridley right now and say, well is this, did it just take a few weeks, a trade of Hopkins? It makes sense that it would. Just joining this team didn't, Levis has been hurt. But Calvin Ridley's schedule is amazing. Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Jacksonville. Outside of Baltimore, maybe Minnesota, I can't think of three matchups that I would, and they're all three.

I mean, Cincinnati is gonna score points on you, and they don't have a good secondary. Jacksonville and Indianapolis, their defenses are so bad. Calvin Ridley, I know he got off to a really hard start, but he should have a great stretch run. He's been good every single week without Hopkins. I would be buying in.

I would be buying in for the stretch run. Since the buy week, he is receiving a 32% target share, and that includes a 39% target share this first week of Will Lavis back. Of course, you should have a little bit of concern when Mason Rudolph is unlocking Calvin Ridley. And then, so. The schedule for Leves is equally great. Just till you know. It's not just the wide receivers, obviously.

Those are correlated. But Leves should be able to get some things done in this stretch. Yeah, for Calvin Ridley. For Calvin Ridley. Yes, to be clear. I just want it to be, you know, it's not something that he has to overcome,

great quarterback defenses is what I'm saying. Malik neighbors, that one's tough because you're probably just gonna keep playing Malik neighbors the rest of the season. It's Baltimore, Atlanta, Indianapolis, just what quarterback does he have? I think you're just happy about it. You're just happy that, you know, I just brought up-

It's not actionable, you're just happy. Tyrone Tracy has tough matchups. When running backs have tough matchups and last year for DAC and CD, the reason we loved it wasn't just because they had good matchups, yay, but they had the specific matchups where you can't run against them. There are pass funnel defenses where you are forced to throw the ball on purpose, schematically, or based on the personnel across the field. Those are the best targets. That's why I love Baltimore. You're not running on Baltimore. Minnesota, you're not running on Minnesota very easily,

either one of those. But you can pass the ball on them. So Malik, neighbors are going to start no matter what. So this is just good news. This is just like a cherry on top Congratulations, you might have him back to you know, he might have the best bread of a sandwich season of all time You know what I mean? Get soft a hot start the first three weeks real brioche bring it brings you You know an inside out Oreo you just fingers are gonna be sticky But it's a lot of a lot of delicious cream. Have they done that? Yeah, you do You're not you'd already nailed the analogy and you jumped it on a new one Necessary he blame it on him and now we got to talk to Nabisco Inside out Oreo. I can't believe that hasn't happened

I think there's a or the big map have they done the big Mac the big Mac double stuff Oreo Oh, there's an extra cooking in the yeah, I mean, I just I'm sure they've done I feel like a big man cuz that's like a quattro stuff, right? Well, if it's a double stuff Oreo. Oh, where there's an extra cooking in the middle? Yeah, I mean, I just don't. Oh, I'm sure they've done that. I feel like a Big Mac, cause that's like a Quattro stuff, right? Well, if it's a double stuff, it's a Quattro stuff. Cause you got two stuff. Yes, yes. That little cookie be checking in about 650 calories.

That little guy. Okay, so we- How do they pack it all in there? Talked about neighbors, talked about Ridley. The Packers. Yep. Obviously we talked about, yeah, Perry. Have they really not made a Big Mac style Oreo? I mean Oreos made like a every style of magic. Sweetest fish. Have they like patented anything made in the same form?

No one puts an extra cookie layer in between. Jden Reed and then by extension, I would say if someone gets hurt in that wide receiver core, then you can move to the Dobbs, Wicks, Watson stuff. Yeah, I'm fine with Dobbs. There will be players on waivers right now that win championships, and that could be Christian Watson. You know, he's stunk this year, but he is, I think, a talented athlete

in a great offense with great matchups. Those types of players are worth picking up and stashing in hopes that they catch fire. Not every player can catch fire, but we know we've seen Christian Watson catch fire for a month. Words are hard. Oh man, you got me. You got me good. I was just taking a quick look at the waiver wire and Audra Estime went for a sweet $36 of fab. That's a lot of cheddar. That's a lot of cheese.

I also knew that yesterday if I mentioned that I had a bid in on Tampa Bay I would be sacrificing Tampa Bay I knew it instantly and I knew for a fact that Al Borland would go at that moment and Place a bid and I am guessing that's what happened. That is exactly Yeah, so for those of you out there that think I get them No, no, you didn't you didn't but you you outbid me by a lot and I knew that you would and I knew that by saying It on the show. I would be sacrificing Tampa Bay. And I did it for you, Fookland.

What a hero. What a hero. Cortland Sutton has a great schedule, pairing with the Bo'Nicks schedule. Sutton could be a league winner. That is the name that sticks out as every year there's a few, really? And that one, Sutton's been playing so well.

The last, you know, five weeks, he has had four really good performances. He's on pace for almost 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns, 85 catches, 122 targets in that stretch. It's been really good for Cortland Sutton. Cortland Sutton's having a number seven overall week without a touchdown. That didn't happen before. And that happened two weeks ago. So Garrett Wilson, Devonte Adams, great first two weeks if you want to look at those. The Chiefs with Hopkins and eventually Juju because Xavier Worthy's not involved.

And then Tyree Kell, if he can get it going. Yeah, that's a big question. There's a nice, there's a three week stretch, it's okay. Yeah, they got the sandwich. Andy. Yeah. Did you add Marquez Valdez scantling in the League of Record on waivers?

Apparently. I just want that public record. I want that known, and I want that shame to be felt. We can move on now. I spent no fab. Yeah, it makes sense. I ironically, I had Adonai Mitchell ahead of him, but flip-flopped him with the Richardson news.

So. Don't worry, you got both. Oh, I did? Yeah. Congrats. I've gotta drop one though, because I gotta move Nico Collins, okay. Let's talk about bad schedules for wide receivers

and whether you'd move those players now. Panic in the streets for Josh Downs, Pittman, Adonai Mitchell, and confidence. Yeah, I mean, the schedule was irrelevant. I was already panicking when the quarterback move got made so no. I mean you're not going to start those guys. Brian Thomas Jr. seems like... Huge panic in the streets for me. I mean he already was panicking the schedules awful.

Yeah, I don't think... I mean Trevor Lawrence, to his absolute credit, will 100% play through hardcore injuries. This guy will be on the, he is not one of those players that wants to take plays off, take games off. That being said, they're not winning ball games and they're not going to win ball games with Mac Jones and rushing him back from a, you know, it's unwise. He probably shouldn't come back. If he doesn't, Brian Thomas Jr.'s toast,

but even if he comes back, the Jets. It's really tough. You know, that's your first entry into the playoffs. I don't like that. Metcalfe, tough schedule, not the end of the world. No, I'm okay with. We talked about Burrow, so obviously Jamar Chase, it's not lining up for Chase and Higgins

as well as it could be, but you don't bench those guys. No, you're just sad. I mean, the question is, do you look to move any of those guys, do you look to take someone like Jamar Chase and try to get Nico plus something or, you know? Yeah, I mean, that's a good point. You could make that pivot, but I wouldn't with Chase.

No. Kapp and Nakua, I said, they have the worst schedule. I don't just have a bad playoff schedule, which it is bad, at San Francisco, at New York, like two road games. Stafford traveling to play outdoors somewhere else at that time of year against top tier pass defenses is concerning. And then he goes to Arizona.

But those first two weeks, it does concern me. It seems like I had two trains of thought when I thought about the Cooper cup or the Pukka Nakua trade for CDLM that led me out of it. One was just, they'll be fine no matter what. Like these guys just, they're gonna be fine because they're the only options. They can have good games when Stafford sucks. But knowing that it's the worst schedule,

not just in the playoffs, but here on out. Like it's gonna be, they've gotta put it together in consecutive weeks here on out. That gave me hesitation. Do you care at all, Mike, about those matchups? Personally, I don't. Just the way that Puka is being targeted right now is absolutely outrageous.

I mean, maybe it concerns me a little bit for Cooper Cup. He doesn't look like Cooper Cup, at least to me. Fantasy-wise, it's been fine. Wide receiver nine, wide receiver 20. But he just, he, despite playing the whole game, I don't know, he looks a little slow to me. So he needs to recover. But Puka, I'm not worried about it all. Tied ends. Jason, you talked about Hawkinson. But here's some comfort. McBride, an incredible schedule to end the year get this man some touchdowns they keep trying Mike every week they keep trying

and something goes wrong they tried again every week they've gone to him I think this might be the most open secret on the sideline of the Cardinals like they know that he doesn't have one. Did you know that but has to come naturally. Trey McBride is the tight end three And and is the tight end three in points per game He is the tight end three in points per game and has zero receiving touchdowns That's crazy. He does have two touchdowns on the season one a fumble recovery one a rushing attempt, but

He's been great the schedule is great I brought up TJ Hawkinson, but all three are incredibly good plus matchups for the tight end position specifically I love like Chicago. I hate playing wide receivers against them They're gonna they're going to need Hawkinson as a perfect matchup in the sense that you've got your guys focused on Justin Jefferson, they're vulnerable at the tight end position, then Seattle and Green Bay who are worse than 25th against tight end. But pairing with Jordan Love, and tight end, when you look at schedules and you're saying

who's got a good one, who's got a bad one? When it comes to running backs and wide receivers, I don't overdo it. I don't, if you've got a great option, I don't care. You know, it's like right now you might look at Cleveland and say, oh, they've got a bad secondary. They give up a lot of points to wide receivers. No, they don't. They give up a ton to Jamar Chase.

Before that game, you know, that's kind of screwing up a bunch of the metrics. Jamar Chase can be good against anyone. But with tight ends, there are literal schemes that that's where you beat the team. And when you find those- Because the defenses are willing to accept it. They're either willing to accept it or they just don't happen to have the linebacker personnel to cover a tight end. And so if you're a good offensive mind, go oh I'm gonna exploit the matchup play and

it happens over and over and over that's where Tucker Kraft I think is is interesting for a playoff run same with Dave David a joku those two guys have really good entries into the the fantasy playoffs other names I mean the only other name is Brock Bowers who... Yeah, you should probably play him. Yeah, you should. Yeah, you're gonna play anyways, but it's like Neighbors, you're just happy that you've got a good schedule. Kelsey, Andrews, not picture perfect.

The Kelsey one, that's fine, I'll let that ride. The Targets will be there. The Ravens and the Bills one, that's a little sketchier. So Kincaid and Andrews? Yeah, like the Bills one for sure. I think we're kind of, we're kind of as a show out on is Dalton Kincaid gonna be a difference maker? He's fine if you need a couple points at the tight end position, but what you were hoping for,

I really don't think that's gonna be there. And then Mark Andrews is, does the usage continue? Because if Mark Andrews is actually allowed to run his full allotment of routes, which had been trending up, and then with Isaiah Likely out, it was, oh, holy crap, it's all Mark Andrews all the time will like does that go back down because if Mark Andrews is playing his his allotment of snaps and routes then I do not care about this guy. No and he I don't believe he will I think when Isaiah

likely comes back you're gonna see a player go back to you know he was he was but I'm saying but he was already on the rise so it's like what is what is the truth about how many routes Mark Andrews will running? I don't think we'll have that information for a while the touchdowns. I don't have been prolific right now Like you know he's averaging one again And you don't need to benchmark Andrews because even if Isaiah likely is back and you get a 50% Snap rate you can still get a touchdown with Andrews. That's that's fine, but I'm just saying I don't think you're going to see these good volume games that he's also been adding with likely missing so I you know Mark Andrews is just a fine play don't kick it is I will not play I defensive schedules we've mentioned mentioned

Cincinnati they play Tennessee Cleveland Denver to end the year specifically let's look at those first two. Uh, those are kind of the best of the best. The Colts play Denver, Tennessee. I don't love them on the road at Denver and I don't love the Colts defense. The Packers, there you go. Seattle, New Orleans and the Packers. They, they're a good defense.

Uh, Tampa Bay plays the Chargers in LA. I don't think that's a great matchup, honestly, but then they play Dallas, Carolina, the Falcons. They're a good defense. Tampa Bay plays the Chargers in LA. I don't think that's a great matchup, honestly. But then they play Dallas, Carolina. I think the Falcons. The Falcons are the team you need to pick up. You'll need someone else for Championship Week, because in Championship Week they play against the commanders

and Jayden Daniels, and that might not be good. But right now, their opening to the playoffs are the Las Vegas Raiders with who knows who at quarterback right Ritter who cares They're all good. See you by then and then the New York Giants with who knows, you know, but Drew is drew locked quarterback Those are great entries into the I like it. I like the Cardinals. I like the Cardinals at home against New England Cardinals right now are middle of the pack to just above in points against and in defensive

performance and then Carolina. I mean maybe you pivot on the road against LA, but they could be, LA depending on their juncture of the season, you know, maybe not as much on the line. I like Arizona. I like Arizona as well. I just don't think that they have as many playmakers. They're doing a very good job of team defense, but if I had to choose between the Cardinals and the Falcons, I'm

going to take Matthew Judon and the chance of just real big defensive plays. And then just combo, like combo with the Buccaneers. At this point, I'm not carrying two DSTs, but as you get closer to the playoffs, it's pretty common for my teams. I've got my insurance running backs, I've got the couple death pieces I need, and then I'll roster the two DSTs. If you can go through with, you pair the Falcons, and then Championship Week, you throw the Bucs in

against the Panthers at home, that seems like a good strat right now. The Saints and Dolphins defenses specifically for Championship Week should be considered Las Vegas and Cleveland. So those are pairing defenses with maybe the Cardinals, maybe the Falcons. The Dolphins. The Saints play.

The Dolphins for sure. Dolphins I'd be open to. Well, the Saints play Las Vegas. I know. And they're at home. You want to know the grossest thing. So I'm looking at just championship week, the schedule adjusted, who are the matchups to target,

and then you look over and you go, well okay, so who am I picking up? And you were hoping it's a good defense. The Dolphins, great, they are literally playing against the number one team to play against. But if you look down the list, the rest of them is the Saints, bad defense, Jaguars, bad defense, Colts, bad defense, soars bad defense Colts bad defense so

it's like dang gum it what the Chargers you could you could pick up the Chargers they're gonna get the New England Patriots for Championship Week and then we're getting towards the end here and I want to remind everybody that there'll be an article that highlights all of the player primer information and you'll see the charts on it and go to the website the fantasy footballers calm to see it but here are the teams I want to highlight really quickly on the bad side and you'll see the charts on it. Go to the website, thefantasyfootballers.com to see it. But here are the teams I wanna highlight really quickly on the bad side of the defense is because

you're probably riding these teams all the way to the playoffs. But you probably don't wanna play the Lions or the Bills against the Lions and Bills, right? Like they're playing each other in week one of the playoffs. That's risky. The Eagles have to face Pittsburgh and Washington. You might just ride that, but it's also slightly risky. We'll learn a

lot tomorrow. So keep those are the three, the Bills, Lyons, and Eagles, that I think people will ride all the way into the playoffs, but then maybe needs to make sure they have a plan. And the Steelers might be in that category too because they got to play Philadelphia in Philadelphia and week one of the playoffs That's concerning to me So that's the teams that I care about on the bad side of it because you're not you're not trying to play a bad defense But you might accidentally play a good defense in a really bad matchup. Mm-hmm. So that's one to pay attention to So there you go, they'll be the will be up on the website.

If you want to look at the Strength of Schedule tool, we let you break it down by playoff weeks. We let you break it down by last five, whatever sample size you want. That's part of the tools at JoinTheFoot.com. It's updated weekly. You get schedule adjusted or fantasy points against. We focused on schedule adjusted, but if you want to go look at the best performers and just sheer points against numbers, you can do that.

And again, that's not only on the website at jointhefoot.com, but it's in our app, the Fantasy Footballers In Season app, which you can find on iOS and Android. That'll do it for today's episode of the show. Starts the week, matchups tomorrow, matchups on Friday, Wheel of Shame, and a whole lot more. We'll figure out what

strange coaching decisions people make tomorrow morning on the show. It's always a good time. That'll be fun. Goodbye, everybody. 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 theffballers.