The Herd with Colin Cowherd - FantasyPros - 2026 Fantasy Football Quarterback and Tight End Rankings & Tiers (Ep. 1968)

Episode Date: February 22, 2026

Join Joe Pisapia, Andrew Erickson, and Jake Ciely as they break down the Top 24 QBs and TEs in early consensus rankings and highlight players they are higher or lower on than the field! Timestamps: (May be off due to ads) Intro - 0:00:00 QBs 1-12 - 0:04:43 QBs 13-24 - 0:08:21 TEs 1-12 - 0:23:22 TEs 13-24 - 0:30:16 Outro - 0:33:25 Helpful Links: Hard Rock Bet - All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for Hard Rock Bet and make a $5 bet and you'll get $150 in bonus bets if you win. Head over to Hard Rock Bet, sign up and make your first deposit today. Payable in bonus bet(s). Not a cash offer. Offered by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in FL. Offered by Seminole Hard Rock Digital, LLC, in all other states. Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, FL, IL, IN, MI, NJ, OH, TN or VA to play. Terms and conditions apply. Concerned about gambling? In FL, call 1-888-ADMIT-IT. In IN, if you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-9-WITH-IT. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER (AZ, CO, IL, MI, NJ, OH, TN, VA).  Follow us on Twitch - The team here at FantasyPros is taking questions all week, every week on Twitch. Follow us on Twitch at twitch.tv/fantasypros and never miss a stream! Discord – Join our FantasyPros Discord Community! Chat with other fans and get access to exclusive AMAs that wind up on our podcast feed. Come get your questions answered and BE ON THE SHOW at fantasypros.com/chat Leave a Review – If you enjoy our show and find our insight to be valuable, we’d love to hear from you! Your reviews fuel our passion and help us tailor content specifically for YOU. Head to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts and leave an honest review. Let’s make this show the ultimate destination for fantasy football enthusiasts like us. Thank you for watching and for showing your support – https://fantasypros.com/review/ BettingPros Podcast – For advice on the best picks and props across both the NFL and college football each and every week, check out the BettingPros Podcast at bettingpros.com/podcast, our BettingPros YouTube channel at youtube.com/bettingpros, or wherever you listen to podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called, Hey Jonas.

We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you.

you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Welcome in, everybody, to Fantasy Pros. This is the Fantasy Football Podcast. And it's be Joey P, Joe Piz, Apea. And today we're continuing our early ranks debate series this time, talking quarterbacks, talking tight ends.

We're talking with Andrew Erickson and Jake Sealy from the Athletic. The boys are going to talk about the expert consensus rankings on Fantasy Pro so you can check out right now at Fantasyprose.com slash rankings. Isn't that easy to remember? And we're going to have some debates. Who's too high? Who's too low? and talk about where we're going to move these pieces around as we start contemplating 2026.

And don't forget, make sure you subscribe to the channel here on Fantasy Pros for the NFL stuff. And, of course, our new Dynasty channels out as well. So subscribe to that feed also when you get a chance. Gentlemen, let's jump into the ranks here at number one. No surprise at quarterback. It is Josh Allen. Number two, Drake May, number three, Lamar Jackson. Personally, I think I'd still flip those.

I'll still put a healthy Lamar Jackson at number two. but that's just me. Joe Burrow comes in at four in Tier 2. Jaden Daniels, Jalen Hertz at 6, and number 7 is Jackson Dart. Interesting because you have Dart, Daniels, Burrow, all kind of injury risk there in that same tier. And then Tier 3, you have Justin Herbert at 8, Trevor Lawrence at 9, Caleb Williams at 10, Brock Purdy at 11, and Dak Prescott at 12. So Andrew Erickson, let's start with you.

Let's talk a little bit about Jalen Hertz because he is ranked at 6. And that tier, I mentioned all the guys that have injury issues. Well, Jalen Hertz, it's pretty much out there every single game. You know, say two years ago, he did miss a little bit of time there for Kenny Pickett. But you've got him at QB9. So why the difference of opinion? I am concerned about the upside case with Jalen Hertz as he's now going in closer to this middle tier. Because we haven't really seen him be the elite guy that he was in the earlier parts of his fantasy career.

He's been QB8 and back-to-back season. So that's not a bad ranking. But when you're looking for how do I get the maximum return on my fantasy quarterback, it's you have to draft the Josh Allen type of season. So you take him as one of the first quarterbacks out the board and he scores the most points. Or you take a player like a Drake May, who has a monster leap and finishes the top five quarterback as a late round option. So last year he was QB7 and points per game, 19.1, but he was under 20 fantasy points per game. When I'm looking for drafting an elite quarterback, I need to be hitting at least 20 fantasy points per game to feel like I'm actually getting some type of advantage. with the Eagles.

This infrastructure concerns me greatly. We have another new offensive coordinator coming in, Sean Mannion, after a long search because nobody wanted to be the office coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. And I think that the way that Jalen Hertz plays quarterback plays a big role in that. What is the status of this offensive line? Lane Johnson, is he going to come back? Landon Dickerson is Mueller in retirement. Jeff Stoutland, the office of line coach, he's gone.

Cam Jurgens is getting stem cell treatment. I am very concerned about what the blocking is going to look like. for Jalen Hertz. A.J. Brown, is he coming back? I don't think losing him necessarily helps Jalen Hertz fantasy production because of how efficient A.J. Brown is. Dallas Garts, a free agent. So just a lot of question marks for a player that if he does the exact same thing,

yeah, maybe he can finish in this type of range. But where you have to take him relative to the other positions, I think it's much better to go with a late-round quarterback approach. That's why I have a guy like Caleb Williams ranked ahead of Jalen Hertz. Because I think Caleb Williams has really strong upside case at a fraction of the cost, taking another step in Ben Johnson's offense. So that's why I have Jalen Hertz ranked as QB-9. Now, Jake, you've got a difference of opinion, too.

You've got Joe Burrow, who's ranked at four, ranked at six. Again, it's not a huge jump here. But in terms of the big quarterbacks, everything does matter and everything does count here. So why a little bit more concerned Joe Burroughs? Is it just the amount of missed time the last few years? No, it's just I'm going for runners. I mean, I have Alan, Lamar, May, Daniels, as much. my top four, a healthy Daniels with a new offensive system where we don't run the same thing

back. And once the NFL figures you out, you're like, well, that was my game plan. I have nothing else now. Thanks. So hopefully we see more from Kingsbury being able to sit under a system and learn that you need more than just quick tempo every single play. So those are all runners. And then we might as well loop it into the conversation.

I'm completely on the other side as Erickson because 21 fancy points per game just the previous season, which was top five, 21 the previous season. top five was actually top three that year. It's every single year except for last year. So if you do, which maybe Andrew's right. Maybe they just repeat last year because one of the big things that I will agree on the concern is the offensive line because that's also partly why the tush push wasn't as successful.

It wasn't just the fact that they were giving Goddard snaps and tricking people, which kudos to them. It was the fact that the offensive line had legit questions. You know, no Kelsey after a second year of him being gone. And now the Lane Johnson injuries and the concerns like that. So I agree the offensive line is warranted. but I would still go Jalen Hertz, who has been a much better passer over the past two of his full healthy seasons. And his two full healthy seasons, again, 21 fantasy points per game.

So if he just runs a little bit more, gets some of those touchdowns. He doesn't need 14 and 16. He just needs to get back to 11 or 12. But if you don't want to play that risk, I understand it. But that's why, because Joe Borough needs to do 99% of it passing for him to get 21 fantasy points per game. Jalen Hertz just needs this much of a bounce. back to get 21 fancy points per game. So that's why. Burrow, I love Burrow.

I actually took him in one of the Stack League, which all those big names for charity, and killed me. And I was so ticked off because I was like, you know what? Joe Burr, it's an industry league. Screw you guys. I'm taking Joe Burrow because he's still there in the sixth round. And that went to crap. So he's at six. It just has to do with the names in front of them. Nothing against Joe Burrow.

No, that's fair. All right. Let's talk about Justin Herbert because there's a difference of opinion here. Because the ECR has him at eight. And Andrew, you've got him at six. Obviously, new offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel, comes in the town here. Martin Hampton, a healthy season would go a long way too,

and some healthy tackles would be nice. So if you get all those pieces right, I mean, Justin Herbert at six, I don't think it's a tough argument, Andrew. 24 fantasy points for a game and five games played with Joe Alt in 2025. I think that getting a infrastructure around Justin Herbert, where he has an offensive line that's actually going to keep him upright, I think that makes all the difference.

And I don't necessarily expect him to repeat. peak career highs in terms of rushing yards and carries, but it's still part of his skill set, right? He has mobility. He can use his leg as a weapon. Mike McDaniel has not seen that from a quarterback in Miami. So I just like the pairing with McDaniel going to Los Angeles with Justin Herbert, with these weapons, with the healthy offensive line.

I think that he has a really high ceiling. So that's why I have him as QB6. All right. Now you don't have him at QB6, Jake. And you don't have him where the ECR has him at eight either. You've got him at 10. So here we go again. Why do you hate Justin Herbert?

Because people already put him in the Hall of Fame after two years in the NFL. After those two ridiculous years where he's throwing 600 and almost 700 times. And that's where my argument pushback is. It's nothing to do with what Andrews said because it's right. But he just came off the best year since those two years at 17.8 fantasy points per game, QB10 and fantasy points per game, which is right where I have him. I think he's going to be fine. but I think for every potential increase in efficiency,

even with a healthy offensive line with Mike McDaniel, you go back to the show that you and I just did with LaQuan Joe, and my concern with Mike McDaniel is you're not getting plays. The problem, like it's all the running, it's the grinding out the clocks, some of the slowest pace, added to what already went from the chargers before Harbaugh were a top 12 pace offense, and they dropped to 25th, 26th.

And that's a huge drop. and now you're adding Mike McDaniel, who bleeds the clock, bleeds the clock, runs the ball, doesn't have a lot of quick plays. And now, would you be surprised

if this is like the 31st play per team league? Like that's, or plays per game. So that's just my biggest concern is that I don't think he's going to improve on the 500,

500, five hundred, 10 pass attempts that we saw from the past two years. Maybe the efficiency gets up, but for somebody that needs to get 30, 35 touchdowns to get to where

Andrew has them, I just, I also want the fourth out thousand plus yards. I just don't think this is what they need him to do. All right. Let's go ahead and talk about guys outside of the top 12. Patrick Mahomes at 13, by the way. It's amazing, but obviously, even with that injury that he's at 13, I wouldn't have him there because I don't think he's going to be ready for quite some time. We'll see. Everyone's always so optimistic. And why would you, why would you stash a quarterback like that? Unless you have an IR spot. Well, look, I mean, this is

super flex rankings too. And that super flex rankings, I would not take him as a 13th overall quarterback coming off an injury. I'm not waiting. I'd actually rather take him a single and stash and then Superflex. Yes, I agree with that. 100%. A hundred percent. Because you're not talking about need. You're talking about just bonus time. If it comes back and then eventually maybe by the end of November it looks good again, you got it for the playoff run. That's a totally different. Superflex, the 13th quarterback, you're taking in the third round anyway. So on top of that. Yeah. Well, forget that. All right. Let's talk about Matthew Stafford at number 14 in tier four. Bo Nicks at 15. Again, no matter how many points, Bo Nix scores,

because he doesn't do it for four quarters. Everybody just hates bow necks. That's fine. It's fair. Jordan Love at 16. Jared Gough at 17. Then Baker Mayfield, 18. Tyler Shuck at 19.

C.J. Stroud at 20. Malik Willis at 21. And then you've got Sam Darnold, Kyler Murray, and Cam Ward. We'll see where Kyle Murray ends up playing his football in 2026. So let's start here with Baker Mayfield, Andrew. He is ECR of 18, but you've got him at 14.

Obviously, injuries had a big part to do with some of the second half decline of Baker Mayfield. But for the first six weeks, this guy was looking like an MVP, and maybe some people forgot that. Yeah, that's kind of what I'm looking at with Mayfield, weeks one through 11, so even expanding it a little bit more. He was QB 10, 18.5 points per game. Now, I didn't draft Bigger-Mefill at all last year, and that's because I was fading his

outlier passing touchdown rate, and I felt like an idiot through the first month of the season because he was on fire, and I'm like, okay, he's going to do it all over again. And that was with, you know, Mike Evans was playing through injuries. But again, after week 12, that's when he got. hurt. I think that was with the shoulder injury where it basically it looked like he wasn't going to play the next week. He ends up suiting up anyway. 14.2 points per game in the last seven weeks. The Buccaneers, as we all saw, just completely fell apart. They were favored every single game, every single week they lost. They blew the chance at winning the division.

So I just think that with better injury luck, I think that he's a logical bounce back candidate. Obviously, like Mike Evans to return, I think that would ding him a little bit if Mike Evans does not come back to the Tampa Buccaneers. He's going to explore free agent. But I don't know. I still think Mike Evans is a lifer in truth or to Tampa Bay. And I mean, who wants to pay that income tax elsewhere? Florida, baby. It's nice and sun.

Do you really want to go for, you really want to go to Buffalo and freeze outside? Like, trust me, has someone that lives into England where it's cold in winter. I would much rather be in Florida. So I think Baker Mayfield, again, adds a little bit as a rusher that he's seen the last couple of years. I don't like that to new officer to coordinator again.

But Zach Robinson, I think, did some nice things in his time with Atlanta. So Mayfield for me, I think is, that's why I'm a little bit higher. All right. So Jake, C.J. Stroud is at ECR of 20, but you've got him at 25. So not even in that second tier. So you're really crushing C.J. Stroud. Now, he did have some bad offensive line play around him, obviously again this year.

I don't know if he's ever had good offensive line says he's been in the league. So if they address that a little bit, will that help your fears of C.J. Stroud? Or do you see something that you're really just off of him altogether? Because you've got him as a third quarterback, basically, in Superflex. No, because he's been nothing but. His rookie season was fine at 18.2, but that was a QB2. And the past two seasons, 13 and 14.9 fancy points per game.

His bounce back season was 14.9 fancy points per game. And anybody out there listening can do the same thing I've done and make apologies for him. And like I'm not coming for you. I said, but the offensive one is why receiver's not staying healthy. The offensive game play. I'm attacked. No, no, no. It's just like I've done the same thing.

There's been various reasons where you could say, you know what, have we seen the best of C.J. Stroud. And I think that's a fair question. So I'll give the different answer in this way and say, he reminds me of slightly more athletic Matt Ryan. So Matt Ryan needed a freaking offense firing on all cylinders to be a top 10 quarterback. And it happened a few times. But that's what you need with this type of quarterback. And that's why he's down here is because even the best case scenario so far for his career.

And that was three rushing touchdowns his rookie season. It was 18 fancy points per game. That's still not even cracking QB1. So is he going to throw for 4,000 plus yards and 30 plus touchdowns? The touchdowns haven't been there yet. The working season, again, still was the career high at 23. Maybe, you know, two or 300 is on the ground. That's why I say a slightly more athletic Matt Ryan, but he's basically mostly a pure pocket

passer like him. And I think that's my biggest thing is I don't want these quarterbacks down here in fantasy. Hey, it's us, the Jonas brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, name? Huge news. We created our own podcast called.

Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. Pretty, yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts throughout there. But this one's extra special. So how do we actually come up with a name Hey Jonas, guys?

I honestly don't remember. I think it was on a call about what we should call it. Well, we were thinking I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band. Before Jonas Brothers was... This is how you guys remember it going down. Yes. I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing, a bit for the podcast, where people could call in and say, Hey, Jonas.

And then I wrote down on my little notepad, Hey Jonas, and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that, guys. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite.

Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, fair enough, fair enough. Some good points there from Jake. Let's go to Jordan Love, QB. 16 in the ECR. Andrew, you're a little bit higher. You've got him at QB 13. So what has to happen for Jordan Love this offseason in terms of weapons in terms of

offseason for the Packers to make you feel better about this ranking just outside the top 12? They just need to let him throw the ball more. Really? I think it's really that sip. And that's the thing that's hard with ranking Jordan Love because when I watch him play football and I look at some of the advanced metrics, he's really good. He's a really efficient quarterback. Second in the NFL, an EPA per dropback.

I think that he plays the quarterback position at one of the highest levels. But they don't necessarily. The coaching staff has not really unleashed him in the way that I think that they potentially could and should. Now, we can talk about shoulda, woulda, coulda, until the cows come home. But I like just trying to be open to buying into quarterbacks, I think, are really, really good. So last year, the Packers were fourth highest in rush rate. So that's what obviously hurt his fantasy appeal. he obviously lost his number one playmaker in Tucker Kraft,

which hurt his overall fantasy numbers, 17.8 points per game is QB14. So I just think that there is a chance that, okay, we have Jordan Love. He's a superstar quarterback. If he doesn't have to deal with like another weird injury, that seems always happened to him mid-season whenever he starts to build momentum and it kind of derails him.

They're like, all right, let's just feed Josh Jacobs 25 carries. I mean, did that really work this past season? I mean, Jacobs kind of hit a wall a little bit, wasn't as efficient as he's been in past seasons. I don't know. That's kind of how I feel with Jordan Love. It's not a super bullish take where, oh, he's going to take over fantasy,

but I just want to invest, especially now into quarterbacks I think are really good. And you have a player like Tucker Kraft coming back. You have Matthew Gold entering year two. You have Jayden Reed who will be fully held. Again, he doesn't, he hasn't had his full array of weapons. It seems like someone's always hurt at some different point. So that's why I'm just a little bit higher,

QB 13. All right. Let's talk about, let's see, let's see. Let's go to Jordan Love's take here for you, Jay, because you have some feelings about Jordan Love also. All right. So after that entire diatribe by Andrew Erickson, I'll tell you this,

Jordan Love is just two-faced CJ Stroud. Because if everybody remembers Seinfeld and the two-face from Seinfeld, in the right light, Jordan Love is sexy as can be. You'll actually explain this reference to Andrew, I think. I am. I am. In the right light, he's as sexy as can be. In the wrong light, what the heck just happened, I can't believe I'm tying myself to that person.

So if anybody's never seen the Seinfeld episode, a very good one. But the truth is, is Jordan Love, one week is four touchdowns and 300 yards, and then next week 180 and interception and no touchdowns. Because so I'll, like, it's not that I disagree that much with Erickson. It's just that he's very much like C.J. Stroud as a passer, better. I'll give you that. But the part that I'd rather actually tie myself to C.J. Stroud is because if he improves, I'll get some consistency.

Every stinking week in Jordan Love, like I do not want to tie to myself to him in fantasy because I know one week he's going to win it for me and the next week he's going to lose it for me. And I'm not playing that game quarterback. All right, fair enough, fair enough. We're going to continue to debate some of these guys here. Let's take a little debate about Sam Darnold

because I know you guys have different feelings. He is ECR 21. Andrew, you have him at 23. Jake, you have him at 26. So both of you are a little bit lower on the guy who just took his team to the Super Bowl. and I think that might surprise some people, right? So let's talk about the reasons why both of you were fading him a little bit more than the experts are currently on fantasy pros.com.

So let's talk about Andrew, your feeling first about Sam Darnold, why he shouldn't be ranked quite so high. Well, he was QB 23 in points per game last year. And I don't think anything is going to work in a saver where he should be looked at to improve in his second season with Seattle. He just lost Clint Kubiak, who has shown that he makes a significant impact where he goes. look at the two teams he's been the offensive play caller for the last two seasons the saints and the seahawks both those teams entered those years with really bad offensive line projections and the way that kubiak has schemed up offensive lines the last two seasons has helped his quarter i mean derrick car looked like he was hosting MVP level numbers before his injury in 2004 because kubak was calling

the shots so i think that's a big loss darnald also doesn't offer that much as a rushing threat again congrats to sam darned the seahawks beating my patriots it's a terrible bad betting on the Patriots money line, of course. But Sam Donald is a better real-life quarterback than fantasy quarterback. So in the fact that Seattle, the way they play, elite defense doesn't necessarily create game environments where, oh, we're going to get Sam Donald in a shootout. And this is one of the most run-heavy offenses in the NFL last season. So I, yeah, I can't get ahead of Sam Donald as a top 20 fantasy quarterback.

Understandably. So look, I think the best argument Andrew laid out there, Jake, is that he had a great year this year and he was still all the way down there. So if anything, you know, typically to repeat or get better, it would take a lot. And you're losing your offensive coordinator, Clint Kubiak, to the Raiders as a head coach now. So I'm assuming all of those things got into your psyche as well for your lower ranking than these he are. Yeah, I mean, honestly, it comes down to we just talked about C.J. Stroud, who averaged over a point and a half points per game more than Sam Darnold. Think about that for a second.

If you included all the non-qualifiers, the people that played like five games, including Carson Wentz, Sam Darnold is actually QB's 27 in points per game. By the way, who averaged more fancy points per game than Sam Darnold? Not just Justin Fields. How about somebody that used to play for that team? Aaron Rogers averaged more fancy points per game than Sam Darnold. And that's really the end of the argument because, yeah, the year before with the Vikings, again, different team, different offense, different style, different attempts.

And that's what, you know, pocket passers, I will say in super flex, Joe, completely different conversation because these are the guys. like the Sam Donalds of the world and even like a healthy Kirk Cousins with the right team. Kirk Cousins getting back into the top 15. He went to the Vikings. Would that really shock anybody? But the problem is these quarterbacks have to do it all with their arm and all with high touchdown rates. And we just saw how bad it can be when they just aren't needed to be that kind of guy. All right. Let's talk about two more guys here. Let's talk about Kyler Murray. ECR's 22. Andrew, you've got him at 19. So what are you seeing that I'm not when it comes to Kyler

in his future. He's going to be a starting quarterback. Where? I don't know, but it's going to be somewhere. Jets? I just think that he as QB22, I think that's too low. I broke Joe. No, I'm just trying to think of that first press conference after a loss for Kyla Murray in New York.

They can't make that happen. No. It's such a bad luck for both sides. It would be a disaster. So that's probably where I would definitely move him down significantly if he's starting for the New York Jets. But I would say when you just look at Kyle Murray's body of work, he's been a top 20 quarterback every year of his career, except

for last year, which obviously things got derailed and he only played a handful of games. But he has four top 10 finishes, five in terms of points per game finishes when he came back from an injury in 2023. So you're going to give me a guy that has basically a top 10, top 20 resume outside the top 20

quarterbacks. I just think that's good value. And I think the only reason he's ranked this lowly is because we're not sure where he's going to start, but I'm confident he's going to start somewhere. I mean, there's a lot of teams that need quarterbacks and Tyler Murray looks pretty good compared to the alternative options just based on his age that he, again, he's not necessarily like a bridge guy where if he has a

good season, like he could be a quarterback for the next three or four years for a team versus, oh, you want Rogers? Okay, well, he might retire next year. So, so that's why I think that he's a good alternative, especially if he ends up like somewhere like Minnesota, the Vikings. Like, that's a good system where you think that's success. Yeah. Yeah.

That one all of a sudden you got me. Everyone's so nice in Minnesota. If he lost, it'd be like, oh, don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. Oh, sure. Everything's going to be okay. Don't worry. You'll get them next time.

Unless you're JJ McCarthy. They're not nice. They're taking JJ McCarthy to Woodchipper from Fargo. You kidding me? Yeah, I was going to say it's more Fargo than Minnesota. All right, Daniel Jones, maybe he'll end up in Minnesota. I don't know. Jake, you haven't at 17, but ECR is him at 28.

I feels like a ECR placeholder right now. Daniel Jones did play well. And he also has rushing equity, which I feel like always gets overlooked when it comes to Daniel Jones every single time. So let's talk about him. Obviously, Murray and Daniel Jones are two guys where landing spot is going to matter a whole lot in terms of their ranking. And both of these ranks right now in the expert consensus does feel a little placeholder like. I don't honestly understand even placeholder how you could have them this low because unless

Daniel Jones ends up a backup somewhere, what are we doing? Well, the injury too. I mean, he's coming off a torn ACL. I mean, that's a lot. He's got out of the Achilles. Tort Achilles, pardon me. Tortquilis. Because he was playing with a broken leg.

Okay. Fair. But I guess maybe people are tentatively like saying maybe not week one. Like all the reports have been positive about that so far. So there, you know, obviously take that out. You know, if he's not going to be available to the end of September, you're throwing this ranking out the window. No matter what, you're probably not even drafting him.

Because if you're not drafting Patrick Mahomes, there's no way on earth you're waiting on Daniel Jones. But Daniel Jones just putting in a top 12 per game performance. with the Colts. He was unlocked, essentially, with the Colts, similar to basically his best season with the Giants, which still wasn't even that good. But he was a top 10 quarterback that year. Because why? Because he ran for 707. I don't think he's necessarily going to do that with the Colts or wherever he ends up. But the thing here is that if Daniel Jones is 100%, and whoever signs him, I'm sure going to make sure of that, that they think that he'll be ready

for week one. If it's back with the Colts, if it's the Vikings, can you imagine how excited people would be putting Daniel Jones on the Vikings. And by the way, who possibly was the one that taught him how to play better ball, Kevin O'Connell brings him back and puts him with Justin Jefferson, Addison, Hockison, and all the rest. I just think that Daniel Jones, as much as we love to joke on him, as this is, it's the inverse of Sam Darnold. He is a terrible football player. But for fantasy, we're yay.

Daniel Jones. Yeah. Okay. Fair enough. Let's transition now to the tight ends here. And let's talk about number one, Trey McBride in Tier 1, then Brock Bowers in Tier 2,

close in level at 3 in Tier 1. Then Tier 2, you got Tucker Craft at 4, Houta Fanon at 5, Tyler Warren at 6, Sam Laporte at 7, Kyle Pitts at 8, Dalton Kincaid at 9, Arande Gadsden at 10, Jake Ferguson and Joanne Johnson. So Tier 2 is Kraft through Pitts at 8,

and then Tier 3, you've got Kincaid at 9, Gatson, Ferguson, and Joanne Johnson. Let's start with Andrew Erickson, Arrondi Gatson, is tight end 10. in the ECR, but you've got them all the way at 13. So you're not loving Mike McDaniel with the tight end? Is that what you're telling me? No, I mean, he's still in the same.

I mean, he's in that same tier with those other guys. I guess I just feel more confident about those roles being a little bit more stable. Where you have Juan Johnson, I feel comfortable with what he is in the Kellynmore offense in New Orleans. Now, Jake Ferguson, also in this tier, if Pickens comes back, he's definitely moving behind. Gadson, because Jake Ferguson splits with Pickens and CD Lamb playing healthy last year are absolutely terrible. So that's something that I would adjust. But when it comes to Gadsden,

I guess maybe I was lower on him because I was accrediting his second half falloff. I was kind of punishing him pretty dramatically for that. But I think that's probably being unfair to him just based on he was a rookie fifth round tight end that showed an immense ceiling in a couple of games to start the year. And I think maybe I was being too harsh when you look at, he had the same yards per route run as both Tyler Warren and Harold Fannett,

two guys that were going way ahead. of him, even though they all had. I mean, pretty strong, again, Gadsden didn't have as good a rookie as Howard Warren, Harold Fanon did, but when it comes to rookie tight end performances, I mean, Gadsden stacks up just not this particular class just because it was such a strong rookie tight end class. So I think that he's a player that I could probably move up a little bit more. I guess I was just concerned about how things really kind of derailed in the second half of the season, but that's probably more because of the offensive line and just the offense in general, not necessarily on Gadsden because during the year he showed a ceiling of four top 12 finishes.

And when it comes to the tight end, if you can just pop in a big way and make a difference, I think that's worth drafting. Also, too, if Keenan Allen is gone, Keenan Allen led this team in targets. So if they don't replace Keenan Allen with somebody else and it's just, well, Gadsden, Trey Harris will take a bigger step in year two. Well, you could see Gadsden if he has a full-time role in this Mike McDaniel offense. I mean, Darren, to your point, looked pretty good last year, especially in the red zone. So if Gadsden kind of takes over that red zone role,

then I would definitely need to move him up. See, that's where I'm excited about Gasson, because to me, he does give me a little bit of vibes of a younger version of Darren Waller. And I think that that kind of athlete fits really well into the kind of schemes that might be Daniel comes up with all the time. Go ahead, Jake. It seems like you want to say something about it.

Yeah, I was going to chime in that with the splits with and without Keenan Allen were tremendous because they actually, Gadsden plays a similar role to what Keenan brought to the team. and he also hurt Quentin Johnson at the same time when he was out there because of the touchdown equity that he took away from him. So he actually kind of takes away from two potential wire receivers where what we talked about in the other show, Joe, if all of a sudden this is, and Mike McDaniel likes to funnel down his offense. If this is Ladd-McConkie, Trey Harris and Gadsden next year, we're way. Yeah, Trey Harris, another guy we talked about on that last show with LaQuan about the sophomores. Check that out on the YouTube channel's a really great show.

All right. Dalton Kincaid is number nine on this list, but Jake, you have them outside of the top 12 at 16. Why is Dalton Kincaid not a tight end one this year? So if you want to go watch the RB show and see like, what is everybody's favorite thing in fantasy

is to hate on Karin Williams? Why is everybody's favorite thing at tight end to make Dalton Kincaid something he's not? Like he just had his best season, very touchdown reliant, by the way, because he even played the full season, but in points per game. And what did that get him?

Titan 12. because the freaking bills are 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, 12, and maybe that changes a little bit this year, but Dawson Knox is still owed 17. If they cut them, they can save 10, but he still owed seven dead cap. But even if not, they'll probably bring in another tight end and bring that up to also say Dalton Kincaid did all of that where the bills were looking for wide receipts. Anybody, somebody catch the damn ball because it's not Keon Coleman. It's Cleo Shakir is fine as a two, but not the clear number one.

And they were trying and trying and trying. and that's still the best we can get at Dalton Kincaid. Dalton Kincaid just understand this. The bill's tight end is just not a thing. He's going to need touchdowns, and maybe he can get 500 yards and eight touchdowns and be a tight end one fringe again, but that's fringe tight end one.

I would just rather chase potential top five options. And so I would include Mark Andrews with no likely. I would include Brent and Strange, Goddard potentially back with the Eagles and no AJ Brown. I just don't see the upside of Kincaid. Now, last year, nobody loved Tucker Kraft more than Andrew Erickson. expert consensus has him at five, but Andrew,

you've got them only at eight. Is it just coming off the injury? Is that why? I mean, that's the only thing I can pinpoint about Tucker Kraft that I don't like because he was a frigging monster last year. Tight end one through eight,

eight games, tight end two and points per game, let all tight ends yard job to the catch per reception. I just was really surprised that how aggressive ECR was. I remember when I did the first tight end ranking show earlier in the year,

I had him even lower. Had him at like 12. I'm like, yeah, well, this is a great. Buy, low. opportunity on Tucker Kraft. People are going to be writing him off. And that's not the case. I mean, where would he be if he didn't tears this? You just like tight end three instead of a tight end to tight end two.

So I guess I mean, you're not really getting much of an injury discount, I feel like. So that's, I guess, where I'm just pressing pause. And it's not even that he can't overcome this. I mean, he's a 25 year old freak athlete coming out of a torn ACL, which. But if he was. So you loved him. Yes. Let me let me ask you this. Andrew. I know this is kind of similar to the brace. question, but like, you love them. No, no, no, seriously. If you knew he was 100%, because I want to make the case to put him at three, if you knew he was 100%, obviously we don't. But if you knew he was, doesn't he have fewer questions than Loveland, Fanon, Warren, Leporta, Pitts, Gadsden, like, yeah. Okay, so, okay, and I think that's the case that you can make. But I like your question here because I think that it's framing it where if he does come back healthy, then maybe that's all I should be really concerned about when I'm ranking him. I'm just going to rank him like he's healthy to your point.

And that's where he would be my tight end three. And it's like, okay, if he's not healthy, well, then this is a busted pick. Titans bust all the time. But if it hits, oh, boom. I guess for me, it's, I'm not seeing as much value on him hitting now because do I go after Tucker Kraft as elite tight end with an injury risk or do I just try to find this year's Tucker craft in round nine, around 10. So I think the ranking is probably more reflective on like my tight end.

end strategy than actually how I view the specific players. Well, and there's guys outside of the top 12. There's guys like Brenton Strange. We'll see what Hunter Henry does. If he is back with the Patriots, they bring another tight end or draft another tight end with David. Kenyon Sadiq is a really interesting prospect. But I know one guy you both want to talk about is Isaiah likely because he is ranked

currently as the 20th tight end. So, Andrew, you've got him at tight end 12. Jake, you've got him at tight end 13. Jake, talk to me about why. You guys both like Isaiah Likeley. Jake, why don't you take it off first? Because Isaiah Likeley is going to a team where he's going to be the lead option. And we've seen him be the lead option with the Ravens and what that's done. And it's top 10 performances.

And that's really all. It's sometimes we don't need to say more. It's that simple. Isaiah likely is a severe matchup problem for defense. He's a very dynamic tight end. He's been buried behind Mark Andrews. He's also been an offense that doesn't utilize in the passing game consistently a number two or three option.

They kind of do it by committee. And he's going to go to a team because he's a free agent. Somebody's going to pay through the nose for him because he's the best tight end out there and potentially a top 10 talent out there in their free agency. And that's all you really need to say. Honestly, we could both sit here and argue that 12, 13 is too low because if he ends up on the right, right team, he'd have fewer questions. You could put him as high as three on the right team.

And I'd be like, you know what? I get it. All right. Andrew, what's your case for Mr. Likeley? I think that Jake makes the great points about where he goes is so dependent on what his rank he could be. You get Titan 5 or Titan 30? 5. Because he can go to a team where he's totally nuked in a three-man Titan committee and it's absolutely terrible.

Or he ends up going on a place where he can be the tight-in one. You know, it's going to be funny. He goes back with Harbaugh, and he timeshairs with Theo Johnson because that's what Harbaugh does. because that would be so fun. But you have to remember that before he got injured this past year, because this year was terrible for Isaiah likely. And I think actually played a reason in why Mark Andrews got the extension where Isaiah likely got hurt.

They were going to extend him. But then he got hurt at the end of the offseason, missed a couple games. And then he had just like these really weird touchdowns where he caught a touchdown but didn't count as a touchdown. He dropped the ball. Just a bad year overall for Isaiah likely. But you can't forget that when Mark Andrews has missed time and out his career, Isaiah likely has been a locked and loaded.

top five tight end in terms of points per game. So we always talk about chasing upside. And as I'm thinking about this more, I really feel like I do have to move Tucker Kraft up my tight end rankings because I just want to chase upside, right? If I can get a guy that can be tight end one, I almost want to throw the injury thing out out the window and be like, I don't care. Again, it's football.

Everybody has injury risks. But if Tucker craft could be tight end one, then maybe that is worth kicking into consideration where I need to move him up my rankings. But with Isaiah likely, right, he could be at the top. top five tight end just based on him playing without Mark Andrews if he can get into the right spot. So that's why I'm also high on him with Jake. Yeah, and a healthy Tucker Kraft goes a long way for liking Jordan Lovemore too, just saying for whether he's good looking or bad looking, depending on which version you get. But great debates here all the way around, but we love to hear

from you who are your favorite tight end quarterbacks. Who's too high? Who's too low in the ECR? Drop your comments below and go check out for yourself of fantasy bros.com slash rankings and subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast feed here at Fantasy Pros. That'll do it for us. But the story of the game goes on for Andrew Erickson and Jake Sealy from The Athletic. I'm Joey P. We'll see you next time, kids. Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football Podcast.

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