Fantasy Footballers - Fantasy Football Podcast - Stat Surprises + Sneaky Trades, Rice Reactions - Fantasy Football Podcast for 5/21

Episode Date: May 21, 2026

Fantasy Football show for May 21, 2026. Stat surprises for the 2026 fantasy football season! Draft values and draft busts based on stat projections for the Ultimate Draft Kit! Plus, Rashee Rice news, Kyren Williams outlook, and more! Manage your redraft, keeper, and dynasty fantasy football teams with the #1 fantasy football podcast. Get the lowest price on the 2026 UDK at UltimateDraftKit.com - Instant access to the Dynasty Pass with the UDK+ (00:00) Intro (04:20) Stat Surprises (04:35) Mike Evans, Derrick Henry, Luther Burden (07:45) Bo Nix, Jameson Williams, Patrick Mahomes (10:25) Treveyon Henderson, D’Andre Swift (12:55) NFL News (19:30) Mailbag (20:20) Fake news (21:45) Sneaky trades (26:50) Kyren Williams concerns (31:15) Bucky Irving or Kyren Williams in dynasty? (33:00) James Cook or CeeDee Lamb as a PPR keeper? (34:40) Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle (36:00) 3-WR leagues (37:25) Ted Hurst (39:06) Keep Cam Skattebo or Emeka Egbuka? (40:41) Luther Burden (44:05) Omarion Hampton or Chase Brown (44:50) Which 3rd round WR as your WR1? (46:45) Best budget TEs Connect with the show: Subscribe on YouTube Visit us on the Web Support the Show Follow on X Follow on Instagram Join our Discord Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the Fantasy Footballers podcast with your host, Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright. Welcome in. Thanks, boys. Back again, the fantasy footballers. Jason Moore is here. Yes, I am. Mike Wright, present, accounted for the fantasy hitman himself. Yes.

Far less tired than Jason because he didn't play golf this morning. that is also correct I'm Andy Holloway welcome in it's every morning now it has been it's been you really did like Mike is on the outside looking in he can give the best commentary on

what's happened I mean in the golf obsession you did say it was your total and complete identity it's just who I am I mean normal people on the outside would call it a psychotic transformation from

never like occasionally we'll mention golf and we'll talk about it for a little bit to playing every day all it is literally every single day and if you don't play then all of a sudden we get a message stop the trains on my way home and you're like okay he's like it's 8 p.m. I'm at I'm at the simulator place guys you're like what are where is your family? I'm taking my son to lessons on Saturday. What are you talking about. I'm bringing them along. My daughter went golfing this morning. That's the way you do it. This is insane. That's what we did with fantasy football. I was like, Jason went golfing. I got to find a way to make money on this. Listen to me. It's just too good. Jason went golfing on Mother's Day with his wife. Yeah. I don't know how I got that one to work,

but I did. Psychotic might be the right word. Listen, the best advice we can give the foot plan is if you are. If you have something you like, find away to make it something you have to do your living, something your family is required to participate. I don't think you're quite ready to make a living on golf. I'm close, man. You know what? You're making

the living of others. Yeah, I am supporting the manufacturers. The entire industry, especially the putting industry. And when you get into golf, all of a sudden your reels and the ads you get served. Oh my gosh. It's a big market. My algorithm knows who I am.

Yeah, your identity. To my core. We have a great show for you today. We are jumping into, well, a good quick question. We're looking at stat surprises from our individual projections for the 2026 fantasy season. We've all gone through and made our first draft heading into the, you know, soon to be released UDK here in less than two weeks. And so we're going to mention a few of the names that popped out in terms of, hey, I didn't realize, you know, we go out and we project every player individually. their line for this season.

The game's played every bit of their projection. And then we go look at the rankings and sometimes we're really surprised. In both good ways and bad ways. Like sometimes it's like, oh, wow, I didn't realize I was so bullish here. I know there's one. I'm going to bring up here in a second. Sometimes you go, uh-oh. I go, yeah, I don't like this.

This is not good. So, yeah, we have some of those names we're going to bring up. Real quick, we're going to give away the signed James Cook Jersey, a winner. has been selected. His name is Brad Davis. Brad Davis. Oh, Bradley Davis. Congratulations. I think the team has already emailed you or will momentarily. And you've won

a signed James Cook jersey. James Cook. Congratulations. The NFL's Rush. Yeah. The rushing leader. I forgot about that drop. Yeah. That was a little frightening. But yeah, the UDK is just a couple weeks away. Less than that. You can check

it out. UltimateDraftKit.com. Pre-order pricing will end when it's no longer or pre-order, you know? Well, good, then it's just order price. It's just ordering. Yeah. So, quick question of the day, though. Let's start with Jason. Stats surprises in the UDK. You went through, you looked at all the names and numbers. So three names that stood out to me basically different than I think what consensus is for better or worse. Mike Evans, Derek Henry, and Luther Burdened the third. Mike Evans was high. He was my

Luther Byrne the 30th wide receiver, Jason. I know, man. This is the one. This is the one where I see it. I feel bad. I do. So here's the truth. I am terrified of it.

I just literally yesterday watched more Luther Buren film. The way he moves is incredible. I love the guy. And then I go and I look at the Chicago Bears and I stat them out. Rome is going to be involved. And I don't think, I don't think this is a world where you've got Caleb Williams. throwing for 4,600 yards. I just don't, I don't think that's the identity of the team.

I don't think that that is the bear's normal method. I don't know if that's in Caleb Williams, you know, cup of tricks this year. The cup of tricks. Well, it's not a bag. He's got this cup right now. Or a bowl. Those are for kids.

I have them over 100 targets, you know, six and a half touchdowns. And, you know, it's not a bad line, but it's certainly, if, the bears turn out the way that I view the bears turning out, it's going to be very difficult for him to capitalize on where you're drafting him way ahead of that. So your three numbers, I don't think you said them all. So Mike Evans, I've got it 21. That's above where people are drafting him where most consensus rankings are. I believe he pairs perfect with Brock Purdy.

ADP I'm seeing 24 right now. So you're above ADP. Brock Purdy throws a good deep ball and throws. touchdowns and Mike Evans can do those two things as good as anyone he took the money doesn't throw him okay I mean I just want to be fact on your own your own fire Mike um and you know I think it's a perfect pairing they really need him especially with George Kittle Juan Jennings being gone like that there is huge opportunity there yes and he turned down a contract to go take it so I believe in Mike Evans this year and then the other one was I

believe it's a perfect pairing between their their injury staff and Mike Evans yeah he's like no If I go over there, no one's going to be mad if I miss four games. Yeah. That'll be the least amount missed by the team. And then the other one, we talked about this on the mock draft, but I've got Derek Henry at six, which is not outrageous at all, where he is being currently drafted, you know, dropping into the third round in a lot of leagues. I get it. He's old. But it's a very light depth chart there.

Whoa. Whoa. Not a death chart. Yes. And they're going to be a team that wins a lot of games. We've been here before when you have made weird things with your throat. And then David Johnson was never the same. So those were three guys that stood out to me as like,

okay, I guess I'm really high on Evans and Henry. And I'm scared about Lutherberg. Yeah, I mean, the stats are the stats, even if that means you hate somebody now. A couple names that jumped out. I have Bo Nix at 8, which is six spots ahead of ADP. Believe in the bounceback. I just think the amount.

Waddle helps. Yeah, Waddle helps a lot. Last year was weird. I get it. I feel like it's make or break to some degree for Bo Nix to take a step forward. Just the way I started it out. He ended up at 8. I was a little shocked.

I'm not like the biggest Bo Nix fan, but just. It's so crazy. He finished last year as the quarterback 6. Yeah. And it just feels like, no, he didn't. Because it was all so, yeah. Yeah, I mean, he's being drafted way. I mean, there were a lot of injuries last year at the quarterback position, too, players that were.

Jane Daniels never was out there. These guys that, like, Joe Burrow didn't play a full season. So I think he wouldn't have finished at six, right? With the points per game. On the same team, I've got RJ Harvey, 14 spots behind ADP. Yeah, take that. RJ Harvey, really low. We just recorded.

So we're in the middle of recording the 100 player profile videos for the ultimate a draft kit, which those are exhausting but worth it. If you have the UDK, make sure you watch through these. They are very educational for all the relevant players. And visually upgraded with. And visually amazing. Magic Mike's wall back here.

We were not kind to R.J. Harvey. No. No, I mean, the team. Oh, gosh. I knew if I said it. Yeah. Those listening at home the neon sign. We need one. We need one. Just one I can say you could throw

up real quick. RJ Harvey had so much opportunity to secure the leading role last year. And then we came into the offseason and I understand the numbers. Enough volume equals numbers, no matter who you are.

But the efficiency, the advanced metrics, bad for RJ Harvey. They spend the offseason flirting with every free agent running back. They draft Jonah Coleman. They signed J.K. Dobbins. The patience of Sean Payton is, it's not long. So I think that was a surprise

to see how low I had him. I've got my home's at 20. That feels weird. I'm not sure exactly where his ADP is. I think it's 12. So well below ADP there. And then Jameson Williams. I have met 11.

No one is surprised about that. I know you're not surprised. That's way above. Look, from I think week 7 on, 81 for 1,4008 was the pace. I know Leporto wasn't there. Jamo's a special player. He did a lot with a little. The volume increase that happened once they changed

offensive coordinator play calling from Morton to Campbell. Campbell has such a heavy hand in this offense. We'll see what happens. But I like it. I like the opportunity for James and Williams. I think he's still going to be a value. I think people are too down on him. And the rankings I'm about to talk about,

this is how you know when we go in our, we do our projections of how we see a team shaking out, that we aren't just saying, hey, I like that guy. And then I'm going to move him up or I don't like that guy. move him down because I currently live in the upside down where I have, look, I've projected

Trayvion Henderson, player I love. I've projected DeAndre Swift. Player I have not said very kind things about. And Swift is so much higher than Trayvion Henderson. I have him as a mid RB2. I don't see any way it

doesn't happen. Meanwhile, Henderson's this graphic is great. It makes you miserable. I hate that they're there. And I went, like, I've double, I've triple checked. I've gone into Henderson. And you're like, how, who can I, is there anything that where I'm like, the account with the, yes. I'm like, well, I'll double check the math. Half a target share here, half a rush percent here.

It, it doesn't change that I have Swift projected for a much stronger fantasy football play than Henderson. Henderson is like Luther Burden, things could go so right for that player. And then they're just going to be top tier options. But the way I see the Patriots shaking out and the Chicago Bears, the Bears' offense is going to be even, they're going to be even better this year. Imagine that offense and Caleb Williams completes, I don't know, 63% of his passes. What is that? You're asking a little too much. But how good is that team then?

That team would be good. It is ironic because I think the team, the Bears, if people are hearing me down on Luther Burden, I think the Bears' offense is going to be outstanding. Luther Burton, a big part of that, but there's so many talented players there. And Swift will be a huge beneficiary. Yeah, Mike is, he's really in it with this whole situation. I hate it, but this is what it is, man. So, yeah, you're high on Swift, lower on Travion than you'd like to be. Yes.

And, you know, that's another one of the, we did Travion's video for the UDK. You know, there's 100 plus player profile videos. We did Travions and it was like, we have to acknowledge the real situation for each of these players. how many people are they sharing the backfield with? What's the true upside based on their offensive line? The chance these teams are around the goal line. I mean, there are a lot of discussions. We did Quinchon Judkins as well, who, you know, we had some video come out.

He's looking pretty good in his recovery right now, but talking through the Browns in that offense. So definitely check them out in the UDK. Let's talk news. News and notes from around the league. Guess who's back? Rashi. Yeah, good, yeah.

Rashi Rice violated his probation by testing positive for marijuana. He has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail, which he was already going to have to serve. That is a point of clarification that we can share for people that we have. That wasn't new. Basically what happened was he had been ordered through his last legal trouble situation. The freeway incident. The freeway incident. He was ordered to serve 30 days in jail, but he had the, he had optionality as to when he would serve those 30 days.

by violating his probation because his probation stipulated no illegal substances. And in Texas. It's an illegal substance. So he had to follow one rule. He couldn't do it. And so the judge basically said, well, guess what? Right to jail.

You go serve your 30 days right now. We also found out he is recovering from a cleanup surgery on his right knee that he just had. So he'll be recovering in jail. He'll be rehabbing in jail and missing all the practice time with the team. Does he get like conjugal from doctors?

What? He's got to be rehabbing. I wouldn't. That's not what they'd call them, Mike. And I don't know if you know what that means. I sure hope not. I hope you don't know what that means. Oh.

And no. It's going to be a good show. Maybe he's close with some PTs. That's too close. Matthew Betts, our injury expert, talked about the fact we knew that in In 2024, he had the season ending knee injury, the LCL hamstring and PCL, right? And this surgery, I guess, is to remove loose debris.

It's a concern for, according to Betz, a cartilage injury, which can be common with the previous when he suffered. So legal, medical, and really. And mental. And decision making. Yeah. It's just he is, he's not someone that you want to rely on. Also, contract.

Now, for this season, we'll find out if a suspension comes from this. The NFL already looked in, said they weren't. aren't going to previously suspend him, but now there is new information, violating the parole. He could end up missing games. We'll find out as we come along. However, I think that he will still be good for fantasy this year. I have him on our main dynasty league. And I can't wait. Is that why you think that? No, no, no, no, no. I cannot wait until he is scoring a lot of fantasy points in week five or week six. And I am going to do everything in my power to move on. I don't want Because you want the next shoe to drop?

Exactly. You know, it's not like he can't get out of jail and make another decision that is worse, you know, and then they go. And then he has a longer stint. He is so fragile, has no contract for next year. His team dependent, I think if he goes and signs somewhere else and isn't with the Andy Reed, Patrick Mahomes thing, I don't know that his skill set just applies to every team. So from a dynasty perspective, I'm terrified. From a redraft perspective, this is not good, but I still think he'll be very valuable. Because the Shield, they just, they don't like when players show up in the news like this.

Even though it was not an additional punishment for Rice, this is now like just flaring it up again. What is this four different incidents? I mean, even though he didn't get punished for the last one, they got like dropped or whatever, he's still in the news for something off the field and it's disappointing and frustrating and yeah I mean I was like he was ranked very high I took a couple games off just as a kind of

of a hedge against the risk of the next decision and the fact he could get a suspension for a game he could get it for two games he could be dealing with this medical injury you know where it slows him down I had been trying to trade for him in redraft in our league of record and thank goodness these two gentlemen to the left of me weren't willing to take a tradeoff or even send a counter

because they could have been out of Rishi Rice for big money that I would never pay now. But yeah, there's your Rashi Rice update of the day. And I hope we don't have to keep giving them. Yeah, I mean, just like touchdowns only would be great. Cam Scataboo! Yeah! He'll be ready to play in week one, according to Cam Scatapoo.

I mean, he's funny. I mean, Jackson Dar did come out and make a comment about the offense being run first. That's one of the things we talk about in the UDK about Jackson Dart when we were debating the merits of him as a breakout candidate. That's how I saw this offense. That's why with Harbaugh taking over versus Daible,

that's my one little cautionary worry about this Jackson Dart. How do you protect Jackson Dart from himself? A little bit? Like you do run the football. And the ball off to Scataboo. His quote was, we're going to keep giving it to Scataboo until they can stop it, which last year people couldn't stop it.

So it's just interesting to see what that offense is going to look like in New York because they're probably not starting the year with a healthy Malik neighbors. They lost Wondale. They brought in Isaiah likely. And then Cam Scataboo seems like he's on the way back. Well, I mean, he said he was going to get 2,000 rushing yards this year. He did. But he did something.

He did like fantasy football math on that. He's like, I got 400 yards on a 100. Did he do a 17 game projection? He did. Yeah. Cam, all right. I mean, we got a call into the show. That's great.

Give us some analysis. Well, you may have a chance to chat with him soon. Tua, Tunga Viloa, and Michael Pinnick, splitting first team reps, just like you want your quarterback position to do. Hmm. All right. Who wins? Call it now. Week one.

Tua. Mike? Week one, Tua. Penix. Cool. All right. Let's move on. I don't want to answer that question.

That's brutal. I could have said two and you wouldn't have to, but I said panic, so you have to answer it now. Then I will say, I think Tua wins. I think he's the better quarterback. All right, we'll take a break and come back with some mailbag. Man, yeah. Haves and have-nots in the quarterback area, right, the story of the NFL. Back in a moment.

Mailbag. Mailbag. Yeah. All right. We are in. into the mailbag answering your questions. Looks like we got a voicemail question to start us off. If you want to send your question into the show,

you can go to the website, the Fantasy Footballers.com, click the submit a question button. Or you can dial our voicemail hotline [phone]-TFFB. Let's kick it off. What's up, Ballers? I was wondering if it has ever come up for you guys or what your opinion is on creating AI fake news posts about players and posting them in league chats

to tank people's perceptions and values on the player in order to trade for them. Not saying I do this, but it has come up. I'd love to hear what you got to think. Thanks. A whole new. The first half is that whole new because we've had Photoshop. We've had, there's ways that you can, you know,

like just on your screen, edit a website and their headlines. is that that has been done several times to great joy by us but it is it's always so far out of the realm of possibility that you don't it's it's not like so and so so and so sprain's ankle out four to six weeks you're like you can't no that's that's full book that yeah it's on the same that's on the same level of like a player tears his ACL and then the next day you're like trying to trade him and make sure the other person doesn't know it happened like it's funny. This would be worse than that.

You are making up the lies. So have fun with your AI and your fake stuff. You're like, oh, abducted by aliens. Let it be fun because that can be enjoyable. I mean, over the years we have joked that we should make an alternate podcast that gives the opposite advice that you could give to your friends. Yeah. But no, fake news, as funny as that might be, I don't think we're in on that.

As long as it's funny. It has to be satire Not just Not just sort of Might be real Entertainment purposes only Yes We got an Instagram question

What is the sneakiest trade That you have done Or influenced To benefit yourself Well I know mine I got two trades One awesome one terrible The ridiculous one I didn't make

With you Andy For Sequin And two first But sneaky But sneaky I traded a guy for a fifth round pick in our league of record. Oh my gosh.

You know the one. It was, there was some news. Just lay out some news. There was some news coming out about maybe this player. This was over a decade ago, right? It was a while ago. But Aaron Hernandez.

Oh my gosh. Might or might not have killed someone. We don't know. The news was looking bad. He might get arrested. I'm like, and everybody saw him. all this news. This wasn't me like

pulling something over the wool on someone's eyes, but I was like, I'm out, I'll take anything. And I traded him for a fifth. And I think it was like the next day he was just arrested and never got out of jail again. Yeah. That's sneaky. You do, there are rip-cord

moments. I did it last year with Joe Mixon in the off-season. Yes, you did. That's a great example. That's a great example. Oh, that one was the worst. I got a sixth. And if felt back because he was a keeper. But when the bread trail starts and you are, I saw where it was going.

Those were full slices of bread. You know, which Hansel and Gretel are about to get cooked. I still feel bad. That was my like former co-manager that just took over a new team. Oh, man. And now I tried to trade with him. Teaching lessons. Tried to trade with him this off season. He's like,

mm-mm. No, he's like no. He's like, no. He's like, no, not after what you did to me with mixing. I'm like, I didn't know. You did that to yourself. I didn't know. I didn't get a first. I got a sixth. But it was better than what Mixon put up. Which was nothing.

I mean, they're trading guys who after you trade them, never do another thing. It feels pretty good. And bad. Good and bad. Look, the sneakiest thing that ever happened was in this office.

Oh, yeah. I mean. Between these two gentlemen. Yeah, I mean, you've got an already Alborland's pointing at Papa Josh as though he's not involved.

But I mean those of you that have been around for a while, you'll remember, those that are new, let me introduce you to the story. I came up with a three-way trade for Jamar Chase in the middle of the season. And I went through and I dotted my eyes and crossed my teas and like I got it to where it was just perfect for all three parties. And I introduced it to these guys and we're all talking about it. And somewhere along the way, after I came up with the complicated framework of a three-team trade, which is very hard to do, one of these guys whispers to the other, let's just cut Andy out of the whole deal. And they did. And I saw that trade go through.

Wouldn't that make your part of the trade truly indispensable or dispensable? It was like you weren't needed. What do you remember? That's what they decided. Bingo. That's what they even remember. like what the trade originally was? No, Mike.

All I remember is how mad I was. When the trade went through and I thought the trade went through. I got the alert in Sleeper. And I was certain it was the trade that was in Sleeper that we were all like two of us. You were excited to see your trade. Because on a three way trade you have to each

all three parties have to. And two of us had already hit the button on yes. I imagine. So you see the alert and I'm like, I see the names. I see Chase. And I'm like, I got him. Yeah. That's based off of your other Jemar Chase trade, it would have been you get Jemar Chase and you trade away nothing.

And then... No, no, don't poison the well of this trade with my other exploits, okay? My other exploits were ridiculous. Speaking of other exploits, I thought what you were going to say is the sneakiest is way back in the day when you shared news

with Mike. Yeah, when I undercut him. That you were getting, was it Calvin Johnson or someone? Bro, bro. And then Mike goes... That was Mike's worst. And then he trades for him. He's like, oh, he's available. I tell Mike I have a trade for Calvin Johnson on like, I was like, I don't want to tell you this, but I'm going to tell you it.

And we were at a flag football game. And I was not interested at Calvin Johnson. No. And I'm just sharing with my buddy the trade I'm about to make. And I go home and Calvin's traded to Mike. Many, many hours later where. Same night. I'm just saying you had your chance to close the deal.

And then I'm like, oh, hogwash. And I was like, this. this would be pretty funny and it was not funny it was not funny it also ruined my season so yeah that's for the best and theirs and their season too

I won the title that year so eat it I'm still mad about it Kiron Williams question from C James let's up ballers am I a fool for being scared about Kyron this year he has been the consistency king we have actually talked through this

amongst ourselves recently you're not a fool for I don't think you're a fool for feeling scared having to be scared of kairn I don't think you need to be that far but to nervous to have some concern about what really happened in terms of the percent of running back attempts for kairn at the beginning of the year there was a clear shift where his was going down and korum was going up and korum was playing well it wasn't like they're trying out their third round pick and he's out there failing he was he was producing for the Rams so I don't I'm not completely scared away from drafting Kyron but it is the timeshare is more real and there is a chance that it becomes even

closer this year and I I see the fact that Blake Korum was good was more involved in the second half of last year however Kyron is their primary starter he is going to play the majority of snaps. I do not believe this will be 50-50. And if you look back at the last, the end of last year, where the timeshare was more shared, just the last 10 games, after that by week, Kyron Williams' pace was 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns plus the passing work. Like, Corum doing well didn't mean that did not equal Kyron not doing well. Kyron's a really good player that they have paid a lot of money to be their starter. I would just say that, I mean, it is a math equation, though.

Like if you do have lower opportunity, you have to have more efficiency. That's what we saw during that stretch. I mean, Mike the other day pointed out the change in opportunities or in terms of like, what was it? Snap percentage. Yeah, it was the running back at Thames. Running back at Thames. It changed quite a bit. But Kyron became more efficient in that span.

He was actually low efficiency before the changeover happened. it does require that to maintain itself or touchdowns to go way up because Adams is not getting as many or you know there's a number of ways more involvement in the passing game there are ways you can turn the dials to where okay I don't get as many rushing attempts

but I'm still successful for fantasy but it is something to watch I mean I like I'd rather I'll say this I'd rather have an offseason where there aren't rumors that my starting running back could be in a 50-50 timeshare right you don't have to believe the rumors

I like situations where they're impossible to be made that's not one of them. Counter argument, I really like when I get value when dumb rumors say that there's going to be a time share and he drops to the third round and then it's like, oh, man. I've just got a guy that's the top 10 running back again,

double digit touchdowns again on the best or one of the best offenses in the league. The first two years of Kyron, it was a 37% and a 38% workhorse as in so the percent of teams, you know, targets and running back attempts.

That dropped to 30% in this past year. So an 8% drop. 30 is still fantastic. Snap percentage from 87 to 68. I care more about the work is 30%. If he stayed there, then Kyron will be, he'll crush at where his ADP is. But if that dips down into the mid-20s, all of a sudden it's not looking so great.

Kyrin right now is the RB 15 in terms of ADP. So the risk is there. All right. Or isn't, it's like it's baked into the 80. Yeah, I mean, but to answer the question, I don't think you're a fool for feeling nervous about how it's going to shake out. But scared is an overplay. They'll be scared.

Right. Having, you know, pay attention to it. It's tough because you don't really want to, you don't really recommend in those situations go out and get Blake Corum. Because what happens is, is the worst case scenario here isn't really, you know, like you're going to have to pay more for quorum than you would a normal hand handcuff type of background. Right. Right.

So. Yeah, Corum might be just playable this year. But. So to that point, you can't really go out and have both because then you could get in a situation where you just don't know which one to start or you never start both on the same week. It's a little weird. I remember Seattle had running back rooms with Carson and Penny and those guys that it was in that boat where it was tough. So just something to be aware of.

Ben writes in, dynasty follow-up question. Would you prefer Buck Irving or Kyron Williams in a dynasty? Dynasty? I mean, Bucky is what, 22 or something? So, Kyrin will be turning 26 this year. He's 23. And Bucky will turn 24. So the age is not terribly different.

You know, the running back kind of cliff that we talk about of when they're 27, this is kind of the peak value you'll be able to get. They may have a couple more years of production, but if you're going to get out, that's kind of when you've got to do it. I think I'm going to take Kyron there. I think I am as well. I know I'm the Kyron apologist, but he's got three years left on his contract.

They could technically get out after two, but that's enough time where you're going to have a real valuable piece. I'm just looking, Kyron sitting at, I've got Bucky quite a bit higher. In Dynasty? Yeah. Our consensus startups have Bucky higher.

Yeah, but I'm moving that right now because having just thought about it, I'd take Kyron. Yeah, it's window versus, you know, potential. I think you could definitely end up in a situation where when this season's over, I think it'll be a very clear decision. Let me put it that way. Right now it seems murky. And I'm not saying I know which answer it will be,

but I think when this season ends, it will be obvious. Because either Kyron's going to continue doing what he's been doing and you're going have four years of it or Bucky's going to step up into the role or Bucky's going to fade away. Right. And I think that's the general fear because you asked this question at the beginning of last year. It's Bucky easy for everybody. So that's an interesting one. So a good question there, Ben.

Instagram question from Maddie Wills. Full PPR question. Is James Cook or C.D. Lamb a better keeper in a full PPR? So 33 receptions for Cook this past year. 32 the year before so I mean with Brady at the offense that's probably

right on target you know mid 30s I think the PPR would PPR I'm going to take CD I mean being a keeper I think a keeper league not a dynasty I view this as basically

which player would you draft first if you're on the clock in a mock draft are you taking James Cook or CD Lamb first right that's the only thing that matters I I don't want people to get too caught up with age or position in a keeper league. Oh, I'm just thinking of this year. Yeah. So this year, which one are you taking first?

In the PPR, I think I would stick with CD. I do lean that way as well. I mean, I always love having a stalwart number one running back. I mean, if you ask this question, throw some other names in there for Cook. Where does the line get drawn? Because Cook's probably around six in our rankings. Like, if it's gentier CD this year, who do you take? CED.

CED. If it's Jonathan Taylor. Taylor or C.D. This year? Jonathan. Jonathan. CMC? Yeah.

I'll take McCaffrey. That one's tough because I view McCaffrey and James Cook very similarly. I think C. Don't need. I'll go. I'd take A. Chan there. I'd take A. Chan there. Cook is my line.

He's my running back six and I'd take the five other running backs before him. Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. That's an interesting one. YouTube question from Brandt. Why wouldn't Bowen Nicks and Jalen Waddle be a top five stack? Why wouldn't? Well, if Jalen Waddle finishes as, say, the wide receiver 24, which is in his range of outcomes,

not a bad year, but not great, then you're not a top five stack. To be one of the best stacks, you need the wide receiver to be top 12. Yeah. I mean, that's the only reason. Best stacks in football right now, Burrow and Chase. For sure. Stafford Puka. Mm-hmm.

J.S. Drake May and maybe eventually AJ Brown. That will be one of the best. Hertz and Devonte Smith. Golf and Almon, Ron. DAC and CD or DAC and Pickens. Yeah, DAC and either. But what you're naming there is...

I think DACC CD, Jamar, Burrow are my two-fair. The wide receivers are absolute alphas. And so for... Yeah, do you believe that about Waddle? I don't. I think he'll be the number one wide receiver for his team. It's just wild because, like, what he can do. Yeah, I mean, he's been the wide receiver seven.

But that was... I know as a long time ago. a long time ago. I don't look at him through that lens of primary alpha either. I do have Bonex hired than I expected because of Jay and Lotto, but not as a like I'm targeting that stack.

Sam wants to know our thoughts on three wide receiver leagues. It's great. I think more depth. Whenever there's more players that you have to play it becomes I think more fun. Obviously there's a limit to that where you're

playing scraps and garbage, but a three wide receiver league is great. I think that if you're in a super flex league, you have to have have three wide receivers. That really helps balance it out. It makes more decision making. And it can't, you know, the quarterbacks in a super flex league are usually a little bit overpowered. And so having more depth required to start at wide receiver means if you didn't go the quarterback route, you have more optionality. But I love three wide. Yeah, I would say that when we did our mock draft episode on Tuesday, what jumped out is the running back cliff and then how many totally fine wide receivers were sitting there that I, when I looked back at the draft,

I was like, man, I wish I had taken a running back there because I would have been totally fine with this guy here. Which, I will say, that was the only thought that crossed my mind, because I took CD over James Cook in that question a moment ago, but it did cross my mind where it's like, there is more depth of wide receiver later in the draft. So if you, want to, you know, if you're more comfortable grabbing late wide receivers versus late running backs, grabbing the running back. And the first is the way you get there. Blaze writes in from New York.

Blaze. When you guys talk about Ted Hurst, I immediately think of Fred Durst. Yeah. Could that be a good nickname on this show? It's 1999. I'm sure we can get a drop figure out. Here's what's important to me is I'm looking at this picture. I'm looking at this picture.

You tell me, I got it. going to do like Fred Dirst impressions? This is what I'm getting at. Yeah, I'm looking at this picture of Fred Durst and I'm already seeing Halloween from one of you guys. Oh, man. From one of you guys, the bread hat. If Mike makes that sound effect, when we say Ted, when we bring up Ted Hurst. I wish it didn't sound like an insult to nickname him Limp Biscuit.

But I'm going to be honest. It does. I, you know, because we're going to run into like, okay. comes limp. Right. There's a warning. Many ways I can go wrong. We'll talk like Fred Dersh will never be wrong.

We'll take it under consideration, Blaze. He almost got a spit dick from Jason. The water was not in my mouth yet. I don't know how we don't have Fred Ders on the back wall yet. I'm really disappointed. We'll take a break and see if we can remedy that. More questions after this. Welcome back to the fantasy footballers podcast.

We're in the. mailbag. More questions. Maybe more nickname recommendations. We'll see. YouTube question from Dresden. Keeper League. We keep one rookie every year. Would you keep Scataboo? Or a mecca Igbibbu.

I'd keep a buca. I'd keep a Bucca. I've got both of them around 15 in their position. But one of them is not coming off of a bad injury. So I'll go at Bucca as well. Ted Hurst himself.

Ted Hurst has appeared on the back wall for those listening at home. He does bury striking resemblance to Fred Durst. To Fred Durst. I'll keep workshop in this one, guys. I just, you know, I, when you think of Fred Durst, what is like the first? Futsdown! Yeah! What does the first like actual memory you have?

of Fred? Yeah. Because I cannot, like, there was some school dance I went to where I remember walking in the... Get them off the screen. It's too much. Come on. It's too much. I remember walking into the school dance.

And that was, and he and Limbiscuit was playing on the speakers. My first one, first was Faith from $6 bill, y'all. Okay. This is as the key. Ted Hurst is screwed. Oh, my goodness. Who, Jason, you, you love Ted Hurst. Yeah.

I'm a fan. Yeah. Don't worry. I'll fire that record up tonight. I'll have some more for you later. Nathan writes in, where would you rank Luther Burden if he was in this year's rookie draft? Great question. It's going to be the first round. It's going to be very high. Burden or Lemon at five?

I would go Lemon. And maybe you wouldn't. Concepcion is the one where I, feel like I would take burden above lemon you would yeah that would be my line right there yeah so 104 I take tait and Tyson ahead of him and I would take I take him before I think I would but again I don't have I'm ranked at 30 so I would I would as of right now yeah I would take him at the 104 but I do see a world where you're like well I should have taken I should have traded the 102 for Luther burden. I am

very hot and bothered by Mr. Luther. You are. You are. Yeah. And I, it'll be very interesting. I mean, there are a lot of weapons, but we don't have a problem with that in Detroit. We don't have a problem with that on the Rams. So

if you believe what you said about their offense being as good as it could be, no more DJ more. There's room. I think there's room. I'm sure the the Venn diagrams of Rome truthers and Luther

Douders is a perfect circle because you're just holding on to your Rome of Dunes. If you have burden at 30 and I'm not

picking on that or that's fine. Your ranking is fine. Rome better be lower. He hasn't done. Well, no, I was going to say

Rome better be super high or Loveland has to be super high. You have to have a couple of these. If you think their office is going to be great, that would be like,

you know, going to Cincinnati and saying I got Higgins and Chase Lowe. Like you can't have a good offense without a huge fantasy production. I have I have Mr.

Loveland very high and I've got I've got Rome ahead of burden that's just how the chips fell for me when I was looking at the games played I realized later into the season when they were they were a little bit closer together but I mean if anyone says they know for sure

who's going to have more targets between Rome and Burden you're lying you don't know the future and it could go either way but I would say to just push back a little bit on I do think the bear's office going to be very good, but you compared them to the lions. Like, we don't have a problem with that with the lions. Well, it was a step forward comments.

I mean, they're only step forward for them. They were the six best offense last year. But I'm just saying Jared Goff has thrown 4,400 yards, 4,500 yards, 4,500 yards, 4,500 yards. If Caleb can take that leap up to 4,500 yards, oh my gosh, Luther Bird is going to be amazing. 63%. Yes. So, I mean.

We'll add a few hundred yards. That is part of the issue for me is just how big a step forward can Caleb Williams take. If you only look at the games where he threw for a million yards, can you project them over the year? He throws for a billion yards. That's a, man, that's some good analysis. What did he, what did Caleb Williams throw last year? It was like 99-94 or something like that.

He just wanted to. It was the, it was the, you remember when Devante Adams had never had a thousand yards? Yes. And you're like, he'd be eating, you're like, Because he had 990 something. Oh, I loved it when he hadn't, too. I'd rub that in every week. Braden, Chase Brown or Hampton?

He's back to back in our, they're back to back in our consensus rankings. You're on the clock. You've got to pull the trigger, Jason. Hampton, Chase Brown. Why did you say Jason? I don't know. I mean, here's... I'll tell you this.

Only one of us has Chase Brown higher and it isn't near you. Yeah, this is an easy question for me. I'll take Chase Brown. I love both these guys, but I would go Hampton. I think they also went back to back in our mock draft. They are two of my favorite targets where they're going. Like Hampton could have like a Chase Brown season if we're lucky. Yeah.

Can Chase Brown have another Chase Brown season? He's said two or one and a half if you want to call it that. Yeah. Safest wide receiver that you would take in around three to be your wide receiver one. So these are always fun questions, I think. This one's from Azerb. Azerb. Was that the name?

Aeserbable word. Azerb. All right. Some sleeper. ADP wide receivers going in that range. Pickens. Olave. Rice, Brown.

Higgins, Tett. Higgins, Tett are like right on the verge. I think, I think the bigger question there, like, I don't, I don't have a problem with Tett as my one. I don't have a problem with Pickens as my one. I think I get nervous about Alave. You really do. So you're going to go McMillan over O'Ave? I would.

But I have a McMitton. Millen pretty high. I mean, I do, I don't know, like, I think OLAV was pretty, the touchdown numbers were getting a little wild, weren't they last year for Olave? Let me remember. Yeah, he had a stretch of, he finished the season with nine. He had a good amount of him towards the end. Yeah, well, he scored in one, two, three, four, five of his last seven games before the injury. You bring in Tyson, you bring in A. Chan Jr. He was a one-stop shop there. I feel a little more nervous about. Alave. You mix injury with it, too.

AJ Brown is the easy answer. But the question is, if he's traded to New England, does he stay in the third round? I mean, I would have said Rice as well before this news, which I maybe should still say. I think he'll be good. But the question was safest. And I would say there is nothing safe with Rice. I feel the safest with Tet. His youth and position is pretty secure.

Everybody else there competes. with somebody. Yeah, I mean They all, that's number one. It's funny. The ADP I'm looking at actually has Garrett Wilson later in the fourth. It doesn't apply. Fine with that too. I feel fine with Garrett Wilson is my one. Yeah.

YouTube question from Sinji, best budget tight end for 2026 in Dynasty. Obviously, you have the top guys in McBridebauer's Loveland Warren Phanna, but they're expensive, hard to acquire. Who's your surprise?

Top 10 tight in this year. Last year, Joanne, Ferguson, Goddard, Henry all snuck into the top 10. Chig. Yeah. If you're going with the budget tight end. Oh, nice. Oconquo could be someone who... Oconquo. Yes. I think that's the... I think that's the bit. I have Henry at nine. Henry feels... And I hate it. So the Henry feels safe. And Schultz at 10. They, right, but they feel like real safe. They're going to be nine or they're going to be right around there. if Oconquo hits is better than those guys. I think that the ceiling is much higher.

I mean, Ferguson could be an answer to that. He needs George or CD to not play. I mean, I still think, yeah, maybe. Oh, dude, the numbers when they're both on the field. I know, but he got banged up, didn't he? I thought Ferguson got banged up. I don't recall. He played all 17, if that's what you mean by banged up.

Definitely what I mean. I mean So I mean he had a He had a tight end 7, 9, 12 He is very very capable But just the word budget came to mind

When I think about Henry Schultz Ferguson They're out there on a lot of snaps Britten Strange could be in that category Brent Strange will have Spike Weeks But he just doesn't seem like someone

Who's gonna He won't overtake all the other guys Do you have any other names Jason? I don't know Maybe with the Iraq rival of Najoku, Gadsden could be budget. In a dynasty league, I'm certainly still

very in on Arande, Ariana Gadsden. Nice. And then don't forget about Greg Dulcich. This is super budget. They were in the super budget area here. I mean, that's like waivers on dynasty. Right, but he is at

Miami. He finished you know, these aren't like sensational numbers, but 41 yards, 46, 46, 58. If you're doing that all year long, that's a thousand yard wide receiver. And no one's drafting him. They don't have anybody. What if Malik Willis is truly good?

And then who's the number one option there besides A-Cham? The Malik Willis discussion is just, that one's like totally funny to me because all the evidence we have is that Malik Willis can play quarterback. Well, that's the evidence we have. We just don't have much of it. On Green Bay. On Green Bay, yeah. But I mean, there you go. I mean, the only thing that we have.

we can point to possibly for Malik Willis is what he did on the field. He doesn't, he didn't get to choose how often he played. But he played the only team he played for. Yeah. Okay. In recent history, I mean, now those are some qualifiers. You want to go back to rookie year Malik? He didn't get signed off of that, right? He got signed off of what he did in Green Bay. I just think it's funny. This is exactly my point. Thank you for making it for me. You can't talk about him doing well. Nobody's allowing it. Oh, he played really good. Oh, he's only three games. Oh, he played really about, well, but what about before he played well? Like way back in the past, like four years ago,

as a rookie on a different team. I just think it's funny. Nobody can acknowledge that Malik Willis can throw the football. I can acknowledge it, even though teams fought for him in free agency. I can acknowledge that he can run the football very well. Did he play well in his Green Bay starts? Did he throw the ball well?

Yes, he did. Yes, but not, I mean, for fantasy purposes. No, just for real life. No, I mean, the whole point of this conversation was supporting the tight end of Greg Dulcich. I don't think he's going to throw prolifically for a bunch of yards. That's my point. Based on.

You're basing that on. The evidence of Green Bay. I mean, he wasn't putting up huge yardage numbers, was he? He got to start one game last year. He threw for 288 yards. Is that good enough? What about his other two starts? He didn't have any more last year.

The year before is 122 and 202. And that was the beginning of the previous year. I don't know. I mean, the door is not. allowed to be cracked open for Malik Willis to throw for 300 yards. That's what I think is hilarious. I'm not as bullish as you are. I'm not saying he will.

I'm not out. Hold on. I'm not bullish. I'm not saying he's going to do it. I'm saying I'm open to the idea. As am I. Okay. No, as I think he's due to the evidence of him doing it.

He is a great. I'm open to him doing it. He is a great late round pick. Do you think he will do it? I'll tell you what I haven't projected for. How about that? Wouldn't that be the best evidence? That is the best evidence.

The best evidence. I hope I haven't projected for more. 3,951 yards passing. 3,900. Okay, so you definitely do it. Yeah, you think it's going to happen. Okay. Is that what I said? Is that what that means? Yeah. You have them throwing for, that's more than Caleb Williams through last year, right? No. That's right around there.

I think it's about five yards more. I think it was 30-9. 59.51 divided by 17 is 232 a week. Whoopty-do. Well, I mean, you heard it here from Andy Holloway. Malig Willis, greater science. Caleb Williams. Yeah. More prolific passers.

Just as a passer. Chicago makes it feel like you can't, like that's a big number. Chicago makes you feel like $4,000 is impossible. You have hundreds of players do this all the time. I will say, let's see. Last year was, last year there was only six of them. Oh, shut up, Mike. There were injuries.

Like Burrow definitely would have been a 4,000 yard guy. Uh-huh. Lamar maybe. Cool. I wanted to try to find the, so there were six last year over $4,000? Correct. It's probably a tall task. It's funny because $4,000 doesn't sound like a lot.

It's $2.30 a week. I mean, that's what it is. It's $2.30 a week. I don't disagree with the math. We always joke about like 202 is a good streaming quarterback number. Yeah. It's just the. not nerfing numbers as we speak.

Al, Al sees me over here. He thinks I'm tweaking my numbers down. Malik Willis, for the record, is my quarterback 15 and 6 point leagues. Don't ask me about four points. I love that you preempted what you knew was coming. He's number six. If he throws for 4,000 yards, he's going to be. 3951.

That is for sure. How dare you? I'll tell you what. if he throws for 3,700, he will be a top six quarterback. Such a good pick. Do it. Remember this. Do it, Willis.

Remember this under one circumstance. That he doesn't. All right. We're done. Oh, now, get that off of me. The spotlight is on. All I was doing is trying to defend the honor of this man who got a big contract. You defended it super.

Only for playing well. And nobody acknowledges the chance for 230 yards. You're crazy. He's going to be on my team. apparently. And that is it for today's episode. Fantasy wildcards on our next I saw Max Hall beat the New Orleans Saints. He didn't get paid

$500 bazillion dollars in the off season. Fantasy wildcards on Tuesday. The Ultimate Draft Kit is 11 days away. Pre-order it at Ultimate DraftKit.com. You do not want to lose at your draft. That is the foundation you get to set for your entire year. Tons of

tools. We've been building out the UDK for over 10 years now, adding more and more resources. making it easier and easier to use the apps, the online experience, all of our sleepers breakouts, busting values that we all agree on, are inside of that tool. We've got so many new things coming. You do not want to miss out on it, and it's pre-order price.

So ultimatedraft kid.com. I'm going to go figure out this whole Malik Willis situation, maybe buy a jersey, apparently. I don't know, but we're saying goodbye. So thank you for joining us for the fantasy footballers. Farewell. Goodbye. Thank you for listening to another episode of the future.

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