The Ringer NFL Show - Our Top Fantasy Targets of 2022

Episode Date: August 12, 2022

We run through the tentpole guys we are drafting in the early to middle rounds that we love building our teams around this year. We finish with another edition of Fantasy Court. (1:37) - CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys (5:57) - Dalvin Cook, Vikings (10:40) - Saquon Barkley, Giants (17:31) - Aaron Jones, Packers (18:26) - Leonard Fournette, Bucs (25:16) - Adam Thielen, Vikings (30:32) - Michael Pittman Jr., Colts (37:15) - AJ Dillon, Packers (44:09) - Courtland Sutton, Broncos (49:24) - Gabriel Davis, Bills (53:21) - Jameis Winston, Saints Check out The Ringer’s Fantasy Football Draft Guide for rankings, tiers, sleepers, and more! Email us! [e-mail]. Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck Producer: Craig Horlbeck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Welcome to the Ringer Fantasy Football Show. My name is Danny Hyatton. I am joined by Danny Kelly and Craig Korobach. And today, we are doing the top fantasy football targets for 2022. This is different than sleepers. Sleepers are guys later than draft that get big values. Guys maybe you've never heard of or vaguely know what they are. This is the opposite.

These are famous people. You're taking early. And when you get them, you're like, famous people. These are the big dogs. Kim Kardashian. No, these are the people you're like, I want to build my team around.

Yeah, I've also, Kim Kardashian is in a ranking. She's 12th. But, you know, maybe what you're not. Anyway, also, if I'm not. I sound weird. My microphone's broken, so I'm recording this with Zoom audio. Craig's really mad at me, but you know what? It's not my fault.

So, sorry if I sound off. Anyway, other than King Kardashian, D.K., give me your top fantasy football target for 2022, other than just the obvious celebrities we have first. Okay, so with the obvious caveat that I love Justin Jefferson, my other favorite receiver in this season in general, C.D. Lamb of the Cowboys. Oh!

Right now we've got him as our wide receiver five. 13th overall. He is the wide receiver 6 by ADP. So we're a little bit ahead of, I guess, like, consensus on him. But I just think he has the opportunity to go off. Mari Cooper, no longer in Dallas. James Washington broke his foot. Gallup is going to miss a little bit of time. Basically, the players he's battling for targets with are a third-round rookie

and Jaylon Tolbert, plus some random name-generated guys like semi-thahoko, Noah Brown, T.J. Vashor. I don't even actually know who's going to be starting in this offense. name? T.J. Vashar, which now that I say it, I'm like, not 100% sure I didn't make it up. I'm going to double check to make sure he's actually on the Dallas Cowboys.

I think he might be a celebrity. I think he's in Bollett. T.J. Vasher. He's there. Yeah. Anyway. I was who Kim Kardashian was with before Chris Humphreys. But I think that that's a good, I think that just explains why I'm so excited about C.D. Lamb is because he's going to be dominating

targets. He's going to potentially lead the NFL in targets. Like, there's a few guys I think that you could circle in as the favorites to lead the NFL and targets in the passing game and C.D. Lamb is one of them. Cowboys, by the way, were the fastest situation neutral team in 2021. They're second fastest in 2020 and 2019. They play fast. They throw a lot. They had the sixth most pass, six most passes in 2021, second most in 2020. So basically there's going to be a lot of volume here. There's going to be a lot of opportunity. And I think he's really good. He was an eighth in the NFL. Don't don't take

My word for it, gentlemen. Eighth among all receivers in PFF grade last year. So he is good also. I like that you ended with the end. And good at football. Well, because we do this so much during the preseason. It's like opportunity, opportunity, opportunity. That's all we talk about, targets and all that.

But like, it does make a difference, I think, if you really want the true, true ceiling if a guy is actually really good. Like Cooper Cup, Justin Jefferson. These guys are insanely good. Yeah. And I think C.D. Lamb could end up being kind of like in that stratosphere this year. It'll be interesting to see. if C.D. Lamb can actually become

like the man of the house, you know, in Dallas? Right. Because... The Big Dog, as Craig likes to say, yeah. Last year, he only had an 18% target share. I feel like the thing with CD has never been... His talent has never been in question. Every time he touches the ball, he's amazing.

Every time he gets thrown the ball, he's usually open. But, like, he just never got that much volume because there was a lot going on in Dallas, obviously, like, with all the people you named Gallup, Amari Cooper. So I'm curious to see if, like, he can actually get, like, a 24% target share. And if he can, A, hold up through the season

because you know how I feel about how skinny he is. And B, if he can command that much like Devante Adams, DeAndre Hopkins style volume, we'll see. It's so true. If he had a Jewish grandmother, they'd be like, eat your skin and bones. Yeah, you can't handle that many targets.

No, it's kind of like an arbitrage like Devante Adams from last year because Devante Adams and the Packers, it was always just, well, here's one superstar. And then here's like five other receivers who would all be a really great number four, but they have to cosplay as number two. And that's the Cowboys this year.

And it's just everyone's just, like, CEDY's not as good as D'A. It's CEDY's not as good as Devonte, and Dak isn't as good as Rodgers. But the backup receivers are just as good as the old Rema guys were. So it's actually a pretty similar situation in the target. I like this one, even though I'm a Giants fan.

And the one thing you left out, oh, the Cowboys pass a lot. They score a lot. Cowboys led the league in touchdowns last year. And I discovered this yesterday. I think I knew this in my heart. The Cowboys had 40 more touchdowns than the Giants last year. 40 more touchdowns

lost it. I lost it. Anyway. The other thing I wanted to bring up to that I think matters, it's not like the biggest deal necessarily, but he only played about 40% of his snaps last year in the slot. And I think that he's going to be moving all over the formation this year.

They're going to utilize him inside. Like what the Rams did last year with Cooper Cup, where Cooper Cup was getting an incredible amount of production from the slot. I could see them do that with CD Lamb too. He did that a bunch as a rookie and was really good. So that's another kind of just wrinkle to why I think he has potential to just absolutely go nuclear this year. Not enough to fit in a slot machine city land is. Okay, Craig, give me your top target for 2022.

It's Dalvin Cook running back for the Vikings. Since he became a starting running back, which was 2019, really, here's how he's finished in points per game. 2019, he was third, third best running back in the league, points per game. 2020, he was second. he was really first because McCaffrey was first but McCaffrey played three games. So he was really third, first, and last year he was 11th.

And it seems that we're all living off this recency bias with Dalvin Cook because he didn't live up to expectations last year because last year was like the year. He was number two in ADP last year. It was like McCaffrey, then it was Dalvin Cook. And he was 11th and points per game. But the guy sprained his ankle in week two.

He hurt his shoulder in week 12 still kind of managed to play 13 of 17 games. And he was still good. He averaged 4.6 yards of carry you know, the breaking tackles rate, elusive rate, he was still really good. He basically just didn't score that many touchdowns. He scored six on 280 touches. He had 15 goal line carries, which is fourth in the NFL. He only scored three times. So I think a lot of regression is coming for Dalvin Cook. He's averaged 16 touchdowns per game in those two seasons before. Sorry,

per season. Crazy if it was per game. 16 touchdowns per season over the last two years before 2021. So I just see a ton of regression coming back for Dalvin Cook. Like the Kevin O'Connell offense, I actually, that really doesn't have a ton to do with why I like Dalvin Cook this year. I just like him for regression reasons. I do think that he could catch more passes maybe in this offense. He's kind of been decreasing in catches per game in the Mike Zimmer offense.

And I think the Kevin O'Connell offense could use him more. He was running wide receiver routes and OTAs. I love that high fits, I know that Hyfitz loves that stuff. But, um... Fucking dumbest thing in the world. Yeah, I mean, Dalvin Cook's 27 years old, and he's going as the RB6. And to be honest, I don't know. I asked this question with Sequin, too, which I have a feeling we'll get into him later in the episode.

Like, what about Dalvin Cook's situation is worse than it was last year when he was the ADP RB2? What's worse? To me, everything's only better. I think the only argument you can make is maybe we're assuming that Dalvin Cook will just get like this insane workload again. And maybe the Kevin Connell team is more interested in like splitting him and Mattis more than we think. But honestly, it's like speculation. Like, honestly, no, there's nothing. It's, I completely, I mean, Dalvin Cook, we were all happy to like,

yeah, you should take him like second or third last year. And now it's like, ah, you know, he's like fringe first rounder? It's like, why? Why is he a fringe? What's changed? Yeah, it's true. I almost put Cook here too, Craig. So I agree with this.

I think you mentioned it. You kind of alluded to it, like in the passing game, too. I'm very curious to see if they start doing a bunch more screens and try and get them involved in the passing game because one of the, I don't know, like characteristics of the Todd Gurley era was they just had the best screen game in the NFL. The Rams haven't really been very screen heavy lately. They haven't given the running

backs a ton of... And Kevin O'Connell, the new head coach comes from the Rams for people who don't know. He was the former OC. For the context, yeah. I'm hoping that maybe. Yeah, I'm his blood brother. Yep. And I just think... That's the next in line to be a head coach.

Okay. Okay. Sorry, I was trying to talk football. Should I continue? Yeah, go ahead. I'm Sean McVeigh's brother and best friend. God damn it. Anyways, I like Dalvin Cook. Good one. Good one.

Oh, yeah, she's not going to do it now. No, I'm going to say what you were saying. No, I think I've basically finished. I'm just very curious to see if they're going to try and implement the screen game a bunch in Minnesota. Because I think, number one, it's like effective and he's really good in the screen game. The biggest fear, and it's why I hit all first round running backs is, I guess, injury. Dalvin actually has a pretty banged up shoulder that he seems to hurt every year. He's never played more than 14 games in a season.

That's the real issue. That's the problem. Yes. But find me a first round running back that doesn't have an injury concern. Echlor's been hurt a lot. McCaffrey's been hurt a lot. Nodgy's going to get 500 carries. Derek Henry's going to get 500 carries.

I'm not thrilled about any of them from a health standpoint. And also, there's a running back that I'm like, well, I would handcuff him and I'll sleep perfectly well. And it's Dalvin Cook because you can get Alex Madison if you're 11th run and pick. And basically you're like, I have a top five running back every week because

Dalvin Cook is the top five guy every week. But when he's out, Alex Madison is also like a top seven running back every week that Daven Cook is out. Which you can say with like Betty Snell on the Steelers. Like if Nodgy gets hurt, it's not the same. Same with Echler.

Exactly. It's really one of the last like one for one guy's left that it's actually going to be out well outside the top 100. So I completely agree with you, Craig. I love Dalvin Cook. I'm curious.

I have another guy in the Vikings or I have another running back similar to Dalvin. Would you rather hear about the Vikings or another running back? I want you to do the running back. Let's stay with the big dogs. All right.

Very similar to Dalvin Cook, but even cheaper. And I actually think a better option this year. it's Sequin Barclay. Easy to say, take everything I say with the great assault with the Giants. But honestly, anyone that knows me, not an optimistic Giants fan. I think this is the first nice thing that's upset about a giant player. This is a real sign of growth for you.

This is a big, big day. I was super out on Sequin Barkley coming back last year because everyone's like, cool, Sequin looking at the name, forgetting like the guys coming back from that ACL injury, it just so often kind of takes them the year to get back in the swing of things, get comfortable with the knee again. And that was Seekwan. I was out in him last year. It didn't work out from last year.

I'm so back in on the trade. Everyone who bought him to Saquan last year is so like gun-shy and it's creating this crazy opportunity. We have him 15th. I actually think that's almost low. But like we're so much higher on him than everyone else. ESPN has him 28th, right?

Or 31st, depending where you look. Like we're like twice as high on Saquan as some of these other places. It was crazy to me. He's back. He's got the juice. Once I don't worry about the injury, but it's like he's as back as you're going to ask for.

And here's the thing. If you just take out of your mind, if you just separate for a moment, the injury stuff and consider that, look, last year he wasn't back, but he's back now. This is a three down back. They've no one behind him. It's just Saquina. It's just Saquan going to play.

He is elite by elite athlete standards. He's an incredible receiver. I forgot, he had 91 catches when Seacquan was a rookie. 91. That was like 13th grade. He had more than Tyree Kill. He had more than Mike Evans that year. They all played the same amount of games.

Like, Seekwon is incredible. He is in the tippity top tier of like, potential workload being the best player in his offense, opportunity, goal like everything in an offense that, again, I seriously think could double their touchdown total. That sounds outrageous. But again, if the Giants doubled their touchdown total, they would be average.

That's like you're going from Jason Garrett to Brian DeBel's offensive coordinator, like the worst to last year, maybe one of the best offense coordinator. It's not crazy. They could double their touchdowns. Everything is stacking up in a way. Like, when you look for these top targets, I'm like, why are guys undervalued for multiple reasons? people are undervaluing how much better the Giants will be as a team

and they're undervaluing how much better Sequan will be as a player this year and how much healthier he is. This is a guy that if last year hadn't happened, I think everyone would be like, yay, probably he's like top fiveish player. And somehow you could get him in the middle of the second round. And in some places, he's a third round player. Everything about Seekwon this year to me is league winner.

League winner, league winner. I also really like the fact that Sequant's got a chip on his shoulder now. like he was kind of the chosen one for a long time. Second overall pick. Nobody doubted him. You know what I mean? Like everyone's like, yeah,

obviously he's like the most talented running back. He's clearly the most talented running back. Now I think people are like, is he that good? You know, I think even High Fitz has said that multiple times. Like, is he really that good?

Like, I don't know. He's got a chip on his shoulder, I think, and he wants to prove it. I'm bearing the lead. I went to Giants training camp this week. And I did talk to Saekwan for almost 10 minutes.

And I'm not sitting here like Seekwan's like, I'm back. And I'm like, cool, you're back. But that part is true because that did come up a little bit of like, Sequin was this incredible high school prospect. And then Sequin, like, Sequin's never actually been underrated. Like, Sequins never actually had real doubters in his real life. And it is the first time.

And he's a huge Kobe guy. And he's got the mom mentality and the idea that, like, basically there isn't like that Kobe-esque intensity when you talk to him. I'm trying to say like, you know, I'm trying to base my argument more on like, you know, actual reasons. and like, why I talk to him, and he seems really into football. But it's true. No, I get it.

I get it. I just like to see that little bit of, like, I don't know, extra drive there. Yeah, exactly. Basically, like, fuck all y'all. I'm coming back this year. And I'm just really excited about that. So I'm 100% on board with this. I know that it makes better radio when we all disagree on shit, but like, I absolutely

agree with Barkley. So do I. And if you didn't put him on your list, he would have 100% been on mine. I saw your list this morning. and I was going to have Seiquin of mine, and I was like, I'll let Hyfitz have it. But it's the same question with Dalvin Cook. What is worse?

This is the best environment Sequin has ever been in. He's in the year after the year after the ACL injury. He has the best coach of his career by far. Hyphids, wouldn't you say they have the best offensive line of his career by far? It's a low bar, but yeah, actually, that's a good point. I mean, that's another thing for the Giants to, that's a good point. I guess to put this all together. Stakein is like the cheapest he's ever been,

and it's the best situation he's had in a few years. Because to your point, Craig, the Giants had 30 free agents hit free agency this year. I was like two months ago. More than half of them weren't even signed, which what does that mean? 31 teams looked at the Giants players and were like, these are not NFL caliber players. Like the Giants, it's not just the coaching. The roster was so bad. I'm not saying the roster is great now, but it's better.

It's like closer to competent everywhere. I just like you cannot overstate or say it. enough how bad they were at scoring touchdowns. Like this is the bottom line like in football. Again, I've said this a million times, but I just cannot like stop saying it. They suck at scoring touchdowns. They've been the worst team at scoring touchdowns. Think about it this way.

Think about it this way. Just too old. Jason Garrett left the Cowboys. They left the Cowboys. They left the Cowboys. Judge had lasted touchdowns. And the Cowboys have 40 more touchdowns than Jason Garrett's tries. 40.

There's only 17 games. That's great. Jason Garrett is worth negative 40 touchdown. I think that's what we're getting to. Yeah. Approximately. That's, that's, that's, that's, uh, expected points. Yeah.

Detracted. I'm genuinely considering and kind of struggling to not make my top four running backs in my rankings. Number one, Jonathan Taylor, number two, McCaffrey. And three and four should be Delvin Cook and Sequin Barclay, in my opinion. I, I, in my bones, if somebody was like, would you rather have Sequin or Derek Henry? Or would you rather have Dalvin Cook or Austin Echler? I think I'm picking Sequin and, and, and, and, and, I think, and, and,

And Delvin. I agree. And this is informing so much of my draft strategy this year. I completely agree, Craig. I think that there's a cowardice by us and also a lot of fantasy people, but mostly us. I just want to put Sequin ahead of Austin Echler and Derek Kennedy, and I just won't. But I think that it informs my draft strategy because I'm so much more comfortable grabbing Justin Jefferson or Cooper Cup, but really Justin Jefferson because he's my number one receiver this year.

And you can get him like fifth or six. And you come back around and you can get Seekwan. That's a perfect start in my opinion. And then in the third round, maybe you grab Mark Andrews, you grab someone else and it's just as tight end. And it's just, Sequin feels like cheating this year.

Dalvin Cook has a lot of other running backs, but I feel, I don't know, DK, do you guys have any of the running backs in that kind of range? Because I'm at the point where I actually am so confident in the running backs

from 10 to like 30-ish, depending on who you're talking about, but I don't even need a first run running back this year compared to years past. The other guy who I'll flick at, well, this is the year of the 27-year-old running back, in my opinion, because you have Dalvin Cook,

you have Aaron Jones, who was another guy I absolutely love. Like, why is, what is the difference between Aaron Jones and Austin Echler this year? When Devonte, when Devonte Adams doesn't play, Aaron Jones averages almost 10 more PPR points per game when Devonte Adams does not play. And like, I have no problem with A.J. Dillon being there. When Devante is not in the field, Aaron Jones averages about five catches for 50 yards a game. Like, that's Austin Echler. I think Aaron Jones could easily lead the Packerson catches. Yes.

That is totally possible. And you can get him. He is middle of second round. And also, I'll throw out of the back, Leonard Fournette. Again, I don't feel strongly better in Jones or Fournett. Another 27-year-old running back. Fournette's, well, that's thing. It's kind of like super bad.

We were talking to him. It's like, you've been with an older guy? He's like, it's way, way better. I got Fernette on my list, so do you want me to just dive in? Oh, nice. So, first of all, he's felt. He is skinny again. He looks great.

He's in shape. I don't know how the fuck he did it, but it was like in two weeks, all of a sudden he looks skinny again. I heard he got breast reduction surgery. Got to catch a glimpse of these warlocks. She had back problems, man. At the end, after that scene, they're like coming back, walking back. He's like, yeah, she was able to like start jogging again and she ended up getting better shape. It's like so pure.

Anyway, this is letter for net right here. And with him, it's not just that he's felt and a very skinny, 240 pounds. He also is like going to get elite volume. And I think that's, of course, the name of the game in fantasy. As I said with CD Lamb, he's also a good player. He is trusted by Tom Brady in Paspro in the passing game. He finished last year as the RB7 in total points in half PPR and in points per game

in half PPR. And right now he's going as the RB15. So like, why? Like, why do you think? Is it just because of his reputation? Because he's fat, like, or got fat. over the off season. Now he's skinning again, by the way.

I know that. Fantasy fat shaming. Here's the deal. I just want to, I want every piece of this Buccaneers' offenses I can get, especially with, I think things are going to be even more concentrated to a few different guys because, you know,

you're obviously, Chris Godwin is going to be out for a little while to begin the season. Gronk is gone. The Buccaneers last year were second in points, second in yards, fourth in plays, first in pass attempts by a mile. But a lot.

I mean, most past attempts, in a season. I mean, they're the extra game, but even with that, even if just through 16 games, Tom Brady, I think, at the third or fourth most past since the season ever, period. Running backs got 157 targets in this offense last year, which was the second most among all teams.

That 20% target rate. With Godwin out for a little while and Gronk gone, like there's a world on which I could see that target rate go up this year. Fournet ran the fourth most routes last year. He tied for third in running back targets. Third in receptions. Like he is everything you want from a running back in fantasy. Basically, he's going to have all the ground game,

plus he's got a high, high volume of past targets and all that. So I don't know. I just don't really get why people are lower on him. I understand that there's a chance he could regress a little bit. This offense could regress a little bit from what we saw last year. And maybe Brady is going to fall off a slight cliff or whatever this year. And who knows. But we have to come back to practice to fall off a cliff.

Well, yeah, I don't know what he's doing right now. He's away from the team. They haven't really told us why. Pagan blood rituals. But yes, I think Farnett to me is a guy that I'm really targeting. Like, you can get him in the third round in some drafts. It's pretty crazy. Like, I think he's a second rounder.

I completely agree. And also to your point about the target, sometimes it sounds like we're talking at both sides of their mouth. We're like, they run more or they pass more. But a target is worth, depending on your scoring, like twice as much as a carry. Basically, if you're in, you know, half or half people, sometimes if you're in full people, sometimes, if you're in full PPR, sometimes more than a carry. So when you're saying, let it for net, maybe to be a full PPR, sometimes.

he's not even a full three down back, like I would say Sequin or Najee Harris says, Leonard Frette's a two and a half down back. He's not a two down back. Like Leonard Fonet, and that's the thing. There are so many running backs that if you can grab,

you can grab Justin Jefferson's first round, you can come back, you grab Sequin and second round. You might get Leonard Frenet in third round. Yeah. And then half of the season, you're like, oh, Sequin and Leonard Frenet could totally both be top five.

Again, like, this is Tom Brady with a three down back that he's targeting it. And like, say wherever you want it. There's like guys in the bucks backfield, like, like Tom Brady likes Leonard Furnett. He recruited him there. Leonard Furnett knows where to be. He's always known.

Tom Brady's always like Leonard Fonet. Like, I completely agree with you to care. I am at the point where value wise, I really have never been more confident not taking a first round running back because of the guys like Lennon Fornett and Staqon. Aaron Jones, as Craig just said. And honestly, the only running back I'm like truly,

truly psyched to take is what Craig said, is Dalvin Cook because you can get him so late. You can get Dalvin Cook with the ninth pick sometimes. That also feels like a crazy value. In Yahoo drafts, Nick Chubb is going 10 spots ahead of Leonard Fournette. It doesn't make sense to the name. It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense.

Nick Chub, D'Andre Swift, Javante Williams are all going ahead of Leonard Fornett. This whole thing's Zoolander. I'm taking crazy bills. Dude, drafting in fantasy football is mental fortitude. You need mental fortitude. You need to be able to stay away from the shiny quarters. You know why Austin Eccler is fifth in ADP or swear he is? It's because he scored 20 touchdowns last year.

If he scored 10, he'd be 12th right now in ADP. That's all that it is. Leonard Ford had a bad start to his career, and people can't get that bad taste out of their mouths. Dalvin Cook had a bad year last year. That's why he's late in the first round. It is as simple as the randomness of scoring touchdowns is why these people are ranked where they're ranked.

I completely agree. The NFL week one odds are out, and now's the time to try Fandul's Sportsbook, if you haven't already. Get in on the action early this season. Right now, new Fanddil Sportsbook customers can get a no-swet first bet up to one. thousand dollars looking at the week one lines russell wilson and the denver broncos are facing his old

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1-188-777 or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. 18777-7-70. Stop in Louisiana. Hope NY or text Hope NY, which is 467369, 369, Tennessee, 1-800-8-9-9-7-89, Tennessee, 1-800-2-4700, Wyoming, or visit www.1-800-gambler.net in West Virginia. Can I give you guys, I'm going to shift gears here. Okay. Can I give you guys, speaking of just, I don't know what to call this, but can I make you guys play a game?

And Craig, if you saw who this player is, because you saw my notes, I don't say anything. But I'm going to give you guys a pop quiz. Can you name, so for the first three quarters of last season, so like, you know, September, October, November, can you name the top eight wide receivers in points per game? This is not a, this is not a trick question. The top eight wide receivers in the points per game through the first three months of the season. Cooper Cup, Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase.

Yes. And now I'm starting. Tyreek Hill. Yes. Devante Adams. Yes, Devonte. Oh, that's you going to say DeAndre. I thought he meant DeAndre Hopkins.

Yeah, Devonte. I can give you the last. It was Devo Samuel. Yeah, Devo. Right. So literally those are the first seven people you would think of, right? Or the first six, the first six. You know who seventh was?

Who? Fucking Adam feeling. Yes. And then Stefan Diggs was eight. And Stefan Diggs was eight. So the top eight, just to list the people again, through the first three months of the season, Cooper Cup, Debo Samuel, Tyree Kill, Devante Adams, Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase, Adam feeling, Stefan Diggs, and then Mike Evans was ninth.

What's crazy is that those nine guys. Eight of the first nine, we've plugged in to our top nine guys entering this season. The only guy we added in was C.D. Lamb because Mark Cooper left. But the eight guys on that top nine list are just top nine for us again. Adam Thielen, we have like 50th. And the only crazy thing. We're ahead of consensus. We are so, I think that our rankings are higher on, this is because of me, but not, I did it,

but it's because it's telling me if I'm wrong. But our rankings are so much higher on Adam Thielen than. any other platform you will find. If you look at ESPNir-ahoo, Adam Philan's going like a hundredth. And I feel, again, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills because the thing with Adam Thielen is not only was he a top seven wide receiver through three months by points per game. I'm not like fussy with games, but points per game. Everything else about Adam Thielen seems like it got better, not worse. Like they're in a past heavy offense, number one, so he's probably can get more targets.

And then two, Adam Thielen's main, like the main calling card is he actually is in a elite, capital E, elite red zone connection with Kirk Cousins.

Adam Thielen and Kirk Cousins is the less sexy version of Rob Grancowski and Tom Brady in the red zone. Adam Thelan is the best one. Here's the thing. Even then, the Vikings were bottom three

in pass rate inside the 10 yard line. They were like barely passing inside the 10. And when they did, it went to the feeling. Now they're in a pass first offense, even if they go to league average,

I don't feel like it more redstone targets. Yes, there's like injury risk. He's older. He's 31, whatever he is. But he is, you can get him

and reach for him with like the 80th pick in some places. I'll reach for him in like the 70th pick and like, dude, he was eighth. Yeah.

I've been taking him so much too, High Fitz. I love dealing. What am I missing? This just came to my mind too. Wasn't, weren't the Rams like one of the most

past heavy teams inside the 10 yard line last year? I think the most. I think St. Daffer had the most Red Zone pass, or end zone passes. Granted, they don't have Dalvin Cook, I would give them that.

Like, they don't Dalvin Cook and Camacres got hurt and that does influence it. But regardless, you're talking bottom three versus top five. Like, there's a middle ground to make up there.

Everyone just assumes he's going to get hurt. So there's two things that are going against Thalen. Thielen's going to get hurt and his touchdown, like ridiculous outlier touchdown rate is going to drop off a cliff. Those are the things that people assume. Everybody keeps saying that,

but like, it never does. Three of his last four seasons, he's had nine or more. Right. And the one that he didn't, he got hurt. The only thing was him is he hasn't played a full season since 2018. He gets stinked up a bit. He's like that one took.

But he had 13 games last year, but he was playing hurt. But then 15 games two years ago. So like, you know, he missed one, he missed three games or four games last year. He missed two games. You got hurt. I get that. Him getting hurt is already priced in to what we have. I mean, we're way ahead of consensus on that.

That's a DK, you took, you said it even better than I could. The injuries are priced into our absurd. high evaluation of him. And if I am missing something, please email me at RingerFancies Football and Gmail.com because this is the single player on the entire rankings that we have. He's old. He's too old.

I don't understand it. He's too old. He'll be 32 in a couple weeks. I'm not saying take Thielen as a top 10 receiver. I'm saying the fact that he'll be there in like the eighth round for you and that you can get out of feeling as your fourth, you might really get Adam feeling as your fifth receiver. I think this is kind of like

the last couple guys that you've talked about, you know, if you are convicted and you believe us, like, you can get every one of these guys in a draft. Like, you could get Leonard for it if you're willing to get him. Yeah, you don't have to reach for any of these players, right? Because we're already a little bit ahead. And so basically these are the guys that were, like you said, planning a flag on. Like, we believe in these guys to outproduce where they're going. So yes, you can get Adam Thielen a little bit ahead of where his, like, he's going to be showing up on the ESPN ranks or the Yahoo ranks or whatever.

You have to be willing to like scroll down a little bit and reach on him, quote unquote, reach. But you can get this guy in every draft if you really. want to. I love. Craig or Dick or whatever, do you guys have a receiver you love? I think my favorite player in the draft is Michael Pittman on the Colts. Oh, interesting. One of the most under-discussed boring wide receivers in the NFL.

Nobody talks about Michael Pittman. This is his third year. He's at a USC. Last year, the Colts legitimately treated him like he was DeAndre Hopkins or Julio Jones. He ran around on 96% of offensive dropbacks. 96% of dropbacks. out. That was third to only Cooper Cup and Jemar Chase. He tied for the league's eighth highest target share at 24%. And the final six weeks of the season, he had a 31% target share. That is Devante Adams' numbers.

And the only reason nobody cares about Michael Pittman, because he had six touchdowns last year. He caught 88 balls. He had six touchdowns. He was the wide receiver 15 overall, despite having only six touchdowns. I like the guys who show promising numbers early on, but had low TDs because TDs create buzz, like we said with Austin Eckler. You know, they push guys up the ADP, the average draft position. If Pittman had 10 TDs last year, he'd be a round and a half higher right now in rankings, I guarantee it. But he had six.

So he's like the new DJ Moore, who I also like this year, by the way. But now he's Matt Ryan instead of Carson Wentz, who was one of the least accurate quarterbacks in the league last year. And speaking of accuracy, Matt Ryan's really damn accurate. He was eighth among 40 passers last year on on target percentage. Matt Ryan is a professional, former MVP, very good quarterback, who, by the way, has supported two pretty decent, receivers in the past,

Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley. And who else is on the Colts? Paris Campbell, rookie Alec Pierce, Kiki Kootie. Their tight end is Moe Alley Cox. And Jonathan Taylor are like, can catch passes.

They have Naeem Hines, sure. Also, the Colts' third easiest NFL schedule. I don't think that people aren't, maybe it's just because he's boring. He's just boring. But like,

this is one of the biggest moves in the off season. Like, period. Yes. Like this could swing the playoffs. This could legitimately, Yeah, Matt Ryan. Change that whole division.

Of course, it's not a very good division, but still, I think it's a huge move for the Colts. It's a huge move for the Colts skill players, particularly. And I think people in fantasy especially are underrating how much of a difference Matt Ryan can make overall guy like Wentz, or a guy like Philip Rivers from two years ago or any of the 17 different quarterbacks that they've had starting for them over the last like five years. So I think this is absolutely huge move for them. And I like this pitman thing. I think I've had like a blind spot for Pittman since he came into the NFL.

I know that he hasn't been in the NFL for very long, but like, I don't know, I just have never really gotten excited about him. And maybe that is just like he said because he's not super exciting or he doesn't have like a, you know, signature move or a signature like style, I guess, he's just kind of good.

He's not a, well, we were talking about this. He's not a famous receiver. And he seems like, you know, a respected nice dude. And it's just, he's not crazy. And so he's not famous. He's only in an apple's cults. He's got Matt Ryan.

I could not agree with this pickmore. I think that what we've been, I really believe that what we've been discussing here is like league winning shit. The Sequin stuff, Fournette, Aaron Jones, Dalvin, and then Thielen. But this is the other huge piece. I had Michael Pittman on my list to you, Craig. Hell yeah. Michael Pittman.

So big picture, two things. This is, again, when I'm looking for like a league winning guy, you need to find two or three reasons they're under underrated. And you want them to all kind of. line up and you're like it's not just one blind spot it's like two or three blind spots people have the first is as you said he's kind of boring like do you close your eyes do you actually know what Michael Pittman's face looks like he's not very famous this will be real it's part of it two people are still underestimating how big of the difference matt Ryan and Carson Wentz is the second half of

the season the cults and specifically Frank Wright the head coach so completely and utterly lost faith in Carson Wentz to to not screw up that they just stopped running their offense and just said Jonathan Taylor carry us. And he actually did. And they almost made the playoffs doing that. And it was so good. He actually disguised how bad Carson Wentz was, which is to say the big reason I love Michael Pittman is actually because I think Jonathan Taylor is almost overrated as the first

pick. Because Jonathan Taylor, it's not that he's like not going to be great. It's not that he's not safe. It's that his seal. it's like Jonathan Taylor had one of the most reds, like goal line touches of any running back of the last decade last year. But it was because they didn't trust Wence. Now that you have Matt Ryan,

you don't have to have a historic run read with the goal line because you're so afraid Carson Wence is going to throw a left-handed pass for a pick six when you're supposed to record touchdown. Greatest play at all time. Yeah, you have an adult who almost won a Super Bowl with Matt Ryan. And now there's so much more opportunity in this offense for Michael Pittman. As Craig said, there's no one else there. This to me, and also you can get him in like the 30s.

in mid-30s. And like, you can get everyone. You can get Justin Jefferson, Dalvin that first get Sequin. In the second, you get Flit and third. You can come back in the fourth round and get Michael Pittman. And he can be a top five guy.

Like, if I wasn't a wuss, I would take him over Tyree Kill straight up, I think. A.J. Brown, I take Michael Fimmitton straight up. Maybe even like Debo Samuel. Not A. Not AJ Brown, but I feel the way for Debo and Tyreek, I agree with you. Debo and Tyreek, I actually, gunned to my head,

I would have Pittman. I'm not saying you should take them in the second round because you want value. Again, I'm not saying like to take Michael Pittman. I know. I agree not like when you take him, but in terms of just like, if I had to bet who he finishes ahead of statistically this year, I'm ready to say like he's going to be a top seven wide receiver statistically in the league.

I don't know. I don't know why it would be. You can get him in the 30s is unbelievable. And again, that's like the kind of league winning stuff. And if you can start a receiver run where you take like five receivers and like seven picks from the 30s through like the 70s and like you start that run with Michael Pittman, I feel so good about, like, basically, if I had to, like, to boil down my fantasy thoughts this year to, like, one sentence, it's, like, grab a one of those running backs. We discussed Sequin, Four Night, Aaron Jones, whatever.

Grab them in the second or third round. If you can grab Pittman in, like, the fourth round, it just go five receivers until you get to Adam Thielin and, like, the eighth. I just feel like you're going to win. Basically, just don't draft anybody. No matter where you draft in the first round, just have it be Travis Kelsey, because there's so many good wide receivers and running backs after that. Just, I don't, you first pick in the draft, just take Travis Kelsey. Because all the other tight ends are worthless,

but there's a million running backs and wide receivers out there. Well, no, Mark Andrews is really good to. Did anyone pick Mark A. Andrews for this? Because I almost did. I didn't. Same vibe. It's just like, there's so many good players. Just grab the elite tight ends and get out of the buffering tight ends for the year.

Anyway, I love Michael Pittman. It's a great one, Craig. DK. Yo. You got another, you got another. Yes, I do. So in this sort of third tier of running backs, like, so basically, if you just,

to go like you just were saying a tight end early, maybe you grab a running back or a receiver in the second round, and then you need to tack on a few extra running backs just because you feel a little light at the position, like later in the draft. AJ Dylan is one of my favorite guys to do this with, like sort of in that middle range, like in the 50-60 area.

Here's why I like him a lot. Number one, I think he's going to have a lot of standalone value. Just 100%, like if AJ, or sorry, if Aaron Jones plays all year long, he does what we expect him to do. I still think AJ Dillon is going to get a pretty solid snapshot. He's going to get some opportunity in the passing game. They were already talking up as a pass catcher in like this training camp.

You know, he showcased it a little bit last year, which was always a big doubt for him coming into the league. I think there was a reason he was really underrated coming into the league is because he didn't catch passes in college. So everybody assumed he couldn't catch. And then he's shown that he's not only can he catch, but he's actually pretty talented in the passing game.

So I think they're going to get him involved in the passing game too. He was third last year in PFS rushing grade. He's a really good runner. He's not necessarily an explosive guy. He's going to get you like big plays, but he's very good at getting you those intermediate, like six, seven, eight yards runs where he's just crushing people, running him over, getting first downs, things like that.

And basically, it's easy for me to picture, based on the way that the Packers' offense is sort of constructor right now, like a, go back to two years ago when Nick Chubb and Cream Hunt were both top, both RB ones, like RB10, RB11, and Pee, PR. Go back a little further. You got Echler and Melvin Gordon. You got Camara and Melvin and Ingram. And then even further back like Devante Freeman and Tevin Coleman, like there's been multiple cases over the last five, six, seven years where one team will have two really highly rated running backs in fantasy. And I could see this being the year for the Packers where it's Aaron Jones

and A.G. Dillon are both, you know, at minimum in my mind, top 24 running backs. But there's a world in which they're both RB ones, you know what I mean? So because they're going to both be utilized in the passing game so much, and they're going to be a run-heavy team, and I think they're going to be pretty good at running. So I don't know, I just like AJ Dylan, then, by the way, if Aaron Jones gets hurt, like, A.J. Dillon is a top five running back.

So to me, he's like the perfect guy to pick in that little area because he has the floor and the ceiling. So the game that Aaron Jones got hurt last year was in week 10 against Seattle, and AJ Dillon came in and relief of him, got 21 carries and two touchdowns. Yeah. Yeah. He's a bowling ball. You always refer to Leonard Fernett as a kind of like a bowling ball of butcher knives. Rolling ball of butcher knives. A rolling ball of butcher knives. A kind of like A.G. Dillon runs very similarly.

I'm kind of getting new kitchen stuff. So I don't really have any butcher knives. I just really like it. I just like A.J. Dylan a lot too. I don't know. I just think he's a really good player. Again, he's not like super explosive, but he just crushes people. So it's why I like Tony Pollard, too, just because even if they're, even if Zieg. and Aaron Jones don't get hurt. They still are probably startable on your team. And if they do get hurt, if Aaron Jones or Zick do get hurt, I mean, when Zieg didn't play last year in one game,

Tony Pollard was the running back one. Yeah, he was incredible. Ridiculous upside if either these guys go down. And even if they don't, they're still startable fantasy running backs. Yes. Like, at worst, they're a flex. They're not going to take up a spot on your roster or whatever.

But anyways, I just, especially in an offense like this with the Packers where they don't have any like clear cut top tier receivers that are going to be like hoovering up targets or anything like that. There's probably going to be more instances where these guys get targeted in the passing game. So that's huge obviously in half PPR and PPR.

And yeah, I just really like Dylan. I think he's talented too. That's the big thing. The talent is there with the opportunity. There's a very few running backs I want to select where they're kind of going in drafts from like 30 to like 80, 30 to like 70. And AJ Dillon is one of that small.

Yeah. And I recognize he's probably in that running back dead zone that people talk about, and it is important. Like maybe the opportunity cost is going to be really high there because you got a receiver that you really like in that area. I get that. But depending on your build, if there's a build that you have where you're kind of light on running back

because you want other positions heavier in the draft, like to me, he's a good guy, sort of like in that range. And let's explain what I mean by that for a second. So if you use our rankings, the whole point is, if you kind of follow our rankings, you're going to get more of the players that we like and you're going to not get the players that we don't like. So, I mean, just to pick a random example,

Josh Jacobs. We have Josh Jacobs very low. We have Josh Jacobs, 84th. Now, we are Josh Jacobs's least favorite fantasy podcast, I think. We have Josh Jacobs 84th, because the general point is,

there's not really any reason where I want you to leave your right draft with Josh Jacobs. And you could argue, yes, there's some point where he becomes a value in that spot, maybe that's way too low. But the general point is, he's just not the kind of player

you win your leagues with because there's not much upside. there's a lot of downside. He's not that guy. You're not that guy, pal. And so we're structuring our rankings to get guys that we're like. Nobody knows that meant? No, no.

What was that? You don't know that? He's not that guy. You don't know that video of the dad in the grocery store? You're not that guy, pal. Dang. Yeah. People are.

I do, but why is that? Oh, wait. You know why? That's in the big booty mix. They slice that into one of the big booty 17 or one of them. We're like, you're not that guy, pal. Oh, do that? Do the drop.

I love the big booty mixes. I run to those all the time. Oh my God. Perfect, perfect pregame. DK, when you and Calvin are pre-gaming put that playlist on. They're really good. Shout out to you friends.

You know, unless at Reefatency Football, Gmail, like a comedy club. They're so good. Also, what's your favorite one, Craig, do you know?

I love, the one that starts with a... There's one that has a Randy Newman song in it. Bob O'Reilly. Oh, my favorite is the one that starts with Bob O'Reilly. It's just incredible. It's like 7, 8, 9, 10 is a really

good stretch. I like 17 and 13. A, D.K. is just so loft right now. It's unbelievable. Too busy. I'm off on Twitter reading Antonio Brown's just absolutely unhinged tweet today.

I have avoided Twitter. He said his biggest regret is not getting to watch himself play live, which is not a regret. That's not a regret. You can't regret that. Regret implies you had a chance. You had a choice.

It's like he chose a different path. He chose to not. watch himself live. He chose to not remove himself from his body and watch himself play. It's not a regret, Antonio. Somehow I don't think it's going to sink in for him. Sorry. This isn't going to trickle down to him, wake him up. All right. Let me do one right now, Cortland Sutton for the Broncos. This is the most talked about guy on our podcast this year, I think. I love Cortland's running. He better go off. That's all I can say. I will say this. He's definitely going high enough that at this point that I do think some of the values probably been sapped out of it. Like, I'll put it this way. I'm more confident Michael

Pittman at, like, 31 that I am at Cortland Sutton Sutton at like 41, like by a lot. But I also think that Cortland Sutton is underrated again for like overlapping underrated. One, because, again, close your eyes. Do you know what Cortland Sutton looks like, no, he's never been famous. He's like, he was like a very trendy sleeper entering 2020 to his ACL the first week, came back last year. Well, it didn't look quite the same. Drew Locke was his same quarterback. Like, just a lot of reasons to do that. His, like, so many people like immediately hyped up Jerry Judy when Russell Wilson came to Denver. I just really feel strongly that Quitlin Sutton better matches with Russ.

I feel stronger about that after going to Broncos camp. Like Quotlin Sutton just feels like the right guy for the Broncos offense. And the combo of him being better than people realize also mixed with, I really struggle with words to explain how much better Russell Wilson is than Drew Locke. Like it's really hard to convey, not just in the obvious of like throwing footballs, but in the preparation. Like, I literally, I talked to Quarling's side at a training camp as well.

And just like, having Quarland said, explain what Russell Wilson wants from you on the routes. And like all the Broncos players were very politely trying, like nobody had talked to just Drew Locke, but it was kind of like they were filling out the negative spaces of, right. Well, you know, compared to how it was before, basically very politely trying to say,

we didn't do any of this. Like, when you have me a quarterback competition between Drew Locke and I'm already, I blocked it out of my mind. Teddy, Bridgewater. no one has the authority to be like, I actually need to run your route like this. It's like the quarterbacks, you know what I mean?

Like one guy, Russ comes in and it's just like, do it this way. This is how I like it. You need to make your break and like the most interesting thing, not for quoting Sutton, but like Russ is telling them

when you make your break, when I say go to the 30, don't go to the middle of the 30. You need to cut your break at the bottom of the 30. Like you can't have that specificity when you have a quarterback competition. But when you have Russ stepping, like that's the margins in the NFL.

That's how you get open. That's a throwing window. Yeah. That's how you create it with the specificity of that stuff. I think Clinton Sutton's going to go off, and I do believe a lot in this Broncos offense. And he's the year after, the year after. Tori's his yellow in 2020.

Last year was the first year back. This is his second year back. I mean, the Broncos were just like a run-heavy team, horrible quarterback play. Sutton's, like, also the best deep threat on the team, which is what Russ excels in the most. Like, it just makes a lot of sense that Sutton is the D.K. Metcalfe in Denver. Yeah.

Poor means D. That's not a bad. It's not a good way to put it. I mean, could be a lot of it. a rich man's. Right now, hyphitz, who would you rather have in fantasy football? Cortland Sutton or D.K. Metcalfe. Dude, I think,

I kind of think it's Sutton in a way because that's really crazy to say because realistically, when you're playing with your friends, D.K. McCaff will get chosen before Cortland Sutton. So, like, you kind of want to get value right, because you can probably get both, you know? If you pick D.K. McCaff, Sutton probably falls to you because D.K. McCaff again, we say it all, like,

you laugh at me, but D. K. McCaff, very famous. Probably going to go first. But I bet Sutton has a better year. On DK, I don't know if you're, you disagree with the Sealks. They're not that far apart in Yahoo ADP right now. They're only nine parts, nine spots apart. Gino or Drew Locke, I don't believe it. I've got Sutton Ranked tire.

I'm still a big D.K. Metcalf believer, but you cannot discount the quarterback, like, variable. It's a massive, massive variable. And Russell Wilson has an opportunity to, like, really make this whole offense, like, take and have it blow up, because, I mean, not even, it doesn't even need to be, a super high volume, like completely changed the complexion that way. He's just going to be so much more insanely efficient than anything that the Broncos had last year, especially on those deep shots.

And Russell Wilson is so good at creating out of structure. I think that Sutton's probably going to be good there too because he's like a big guy, big target. We'll go up and get the ball. Yeah, I mean, it just, to me, the Russell Wilson factor is massive. You cannot discount it, even though I think Metcalf is a better player. his offense is so much worse. We are so much higher on Sutton than...

And I'm lower on Judy. I'm lower on Judy, too. I'm not saying this for everyone. It's funny. I feel like in fantasy, like people have object permanence. They don't like what they can't see or they don't like what they can't look back on for reference.

And it's like, why we're like, hey, Matt Ryan's in Indianapolis, guys. And they're like, yeah, but we haven't seen it before. We don't know what that's like. I can't remember that from last season. We're like, hey, Russell's now throwing into Cortland Sutton instead of Drew Locke. people can't see it, they can't visualize it.

We're on the right side of history by forecasting this stuff to the right side of history. We're on the right side of history for shit that hasn't happened yet. It's the right side of the future. Even like Mike Williams last year, we were like Herbert. People just don't look at shit that hasn't happened yet. And they like what they can see.

They like what they can look back on. When all these guys suck, can we keep that as a sound drop? We're on the right side of history. Yeah. All these guys are terrible. any other top targets for you guys. I'm so happy. We're on the same page honestly with all of these guys, which is a good sign.

There's one more guy I wanted to bring up who we've talked about a good amount on this on this podcast, but like Gabe Dave, this is the same deal with what Craig was just saying. You don't want to necessarily project what he or talk about what he's done because I think what he could do here. Let's get his full, Gabe Davis.

Gabriel Davis for the randomly talking about him two years ago. Gabriel Davis for the Buffalo Bills. So I was looking at the And again, this is about predicting. It's about looking into the future and projecting what a guy is going to do going forward, not necessarily what he's done in the past. Because last year, for the most part, he was behind Emmanuel Sanders.

Like they brought in this veteran guy because I think they trusted him a little bit more to be where he needed to be, basically just be more of a vet, be in the perfect spot every time he needed to be and make the offense run. But as we saw the year went on, they started to trust Gabriel Davis more. Manuel Sanders got banged up. And then when Davis was in, he was like outstanding. saw this in the playoffs. He was just like going absolutely bonkers. He had that four touchdown. Well, he had four touchdowns in that game or something like that. He was just absolutely ridiculous. And I was looking at the four for four has a splits like a stat thing where you can look at like

someone's stats when Gabe Davis's stats when Emmanuel Sanders was in and when Emmanuel Sanders was out of the lineup. So in the 13 games that Emmanuel Sanders played last year with Gabe Dave, Davis had a 41% snap share, so he played on like less than half of the snaps. He averaged three targets, 1.8 receptions, 29 yards receiving in those games. In the three games that Sanders did not play,

Davis averaged 89% snaps. So he was like a full-time player, eight targets, 3.7 receptions, 54 yards. Basically, he averaged 11.3 half pvr points per game, which, like, extrapolate that over a full season.

You're right there in the eight of the wide receiver 19, 18, 18, range. So he has, that's like, I think, by the way, it's kind of like his floor. Like, I think he's going to get better. I think he's going to be a bigger part of his offense going forward. So basically you were saying is he didn't have a role. And so his numbers look weird last year, but once he got a role, he was unbelievable. How did that crazy playoff game? And this year, he's the number two receiver in an offense. But that wasn't. It's like a high, like, a high octane passing offense. Obviously, you got Josh Allen, build in maybe a potential jump from him, like both in skill and like technique. And by the way, maybe like more chemistry.

with Josh Allen, blah, blah, blah. There's a lot of things where these numbers could really explode. And right now you can get him as he is the wide receiver 33 on fantasy pros in terms of their ADP. So like wide receiver 33, he would have been like if you projected around like wide receiver 20 if he would have played all season last year. And I think his ceiling is a lot higher than that too, though. Not just that the receiver position overall, though, where you're talking about getting

versus where he's going versus where you like him. We have him at 53 on our rankings. Yeah, and he's going like in the 70s according to like ADP. So we got them quite a bit higher so you will get him if you follow our ranks. And to be clear, we also, I think generally have a lot

of receivers are just higher. It's not just individual players. We basically are saying all the receivers in like the meeting middle of the top 100, we just kind of push up a lot because those are the players you should be targeting.

DK, do you think you're going to be on the right side of history with Gabriel Davis? I think so, yeah. This is like a little bit of a take lock, but it was really good to see him because last year I thought he was going to break out,

but then he just didn't really earn What did you just say? Take lock. I like that. I have a take and I'm sticking to it. You never heard that term before? It's like lockjaw. You can't unhinge.

By the way, I've had multiple people text me in the last couple days asking if we made up the term wish casting. Did you make that up? Because you've said it a lot lately. I think I wishcasted wishcasting. Yeah, you wishcast. Craig over here,

wishcasting for Tony Pollard to get the job. He's not going to happen. Did I make up the term? We came up with Bobby Trees, so... We didn't. We didn't. We didn't. Just say yes and take credit for it.

That would be the smart move, wouldn't it? I just want to flick at the Saints offense. If you're in a two-quarterback league, I think James is... I think James is an extremely viable 2QB option. He's pretty much just had shitty situations his whole career. He got drafted by Lovie Smith and he was gone. Then he had Dirk Cutter for three years. Nobody was on his team that was good except young Mike Evans.

He finally got Bruce Ariens and Chris Godwin, and he was fifth in points per game. James was in 20. 2019. Then he was the backup for Breeze. And then last year was Sean Peyton and Frickin Marquez Calloway Deontay Harris and Trequan Smith. He was the QB 14 in points per game. Can you see those names again of who they were throwing it to last year? Marquez Calloway, Deontay Harris, and Trequon Smith. And a banged up Camara. Marcus Calloway, was he an undrafted free agent? Yeah, I think he was. If not, he was like a late He says five foot, is Deontes here is five foot seven?

Deonti Hardy now he changed his name. But Deonti Hardy is, he is small. He is small. Five, six. Yes. So an undrafted free agent. And then another guy who's a great, great punt returner, but he's five foot six. And then who is the other, who is the last guy again?

Treyquan Smith. Trequan Smith. Everybody's favorite guy that never. Trey Kwan Smith. Unbelievable. His last year with Dirk cutter on the shitty bucks, he was 15th and points per game. then he went he got Bruce Ariens, he was fifth, and then last year with that receiving

Corr and the Saints, he was 14th. And now he's got Jarvis Landry, Michael Thomas, Chris Olave, a healthy O'Live. That's crazy! Like, I don't know why he can't be like a fringe, like, I don't know, quarterback 12 vibes. I think this has been lost in the off season, Craig. I think you're on to something.

This is one of the biggest top free receiving target upgrades year over year. I actually can remember. Maybe if you remember a better one, emails at Reinfrancy Football p.m.com, but undrafted free agent, five, six-part returner, Trequins Smith to Michael Thomas,

Jarvis Landry, Chris O'Lavit. I mean, I can't think of a bigger year-over-year upgrading. I'm telling you, people don't like what they can't look back on. They've never seen this. They can't visualize it. What do you do with this? You don't have James in a one-quarterback league. How are you acting on this, though?

Well, I said for two quarterback leagues. That way, you can, like, if you're in a two-quarterback league, I would say wait as long as you want and just draft Jamis at the very end, and you'll be just fine. Really good advice. if you're in a 16 or 14 team one QB league and you're a late round quarterback type of guy, pick up James.

I like that. I like that a lot. And then the receivers, how do we feel about Michael Thomas while we're on the subject? Because Michael Thomas is, I said this the other day to someone. But Michael Thomas is the player that I will feel the stupidest about if I'm high on him and I'm wrong. And the player I will feel the stupidest about if I'm low on him and I'm wrong.

Like, like, it's so obvious, it will be so obvious in retrospect if he's really good or really bad. I've gone full circle on Michael Thomas. Like, I started out the offseason being, like, sick of this guy. I don't trust it. Now I'm like, actually, you know what?

He's kind of like an insane value. Like, I want to draft all the saints. I want Olavé, Thomas, Winston, and Camara. Let's go. They're all so cheap. And you're right. If they're actually good passing offense, they're kind of like, they're all insanely cheap.

Yeah. You can stack the whole team if you want. like, and honestly have the best backup players is really well. Michael Thomas is not going to start with other than Camara. Now, Adam Tramon is a tight end. He still a sleeper. And Tatea L. He has a sleeper tight end. Hell yeah.

All right. So those are our top targets? Yes, sir. Yes, sir. I'm going to list them all again because I love this group. So we got Seekorn Barclay, Dalvin, Cook, A.J. Dillon at running back. We got Michael Pittman, Cortland, Sutton, Adam Thielen. C.D.

C. C.L. Lamb at receiver. Aaron Jones. James. Gabe Davis. Yes. Gabe Davis receiver, Aaron Jones at running back. I love all these guys.

We're all in lockstep about them, so that's a great sign. It's kind of like on the pregame show when everyone on Monday Night Football picks like team to win and then that team never wins. Someone's going to screen cap us and be like, Suck it. You hate my team. Yeah. Oh my God.

Yeah. So don't avoid all. Should we just title those players to avoid? Yeah. Should we just do that? We just fucking jinxed all these guys. Yeah. Players are on the wrong side.

of history about? God damn it. Oh my God. I would read the email right now. Fantasy court. Oh, rise. From?

Oh, my God. I cut the name off the accident. This is fantasy football fan. Actually, I don't think he, no, I don't think he wanted the name to be sure. It's from a fantasy football fan slash a Chris Ryan stand. Oh, CR head. Chris Ryan had?

Yeah, right. See our head. Too long don't read. It's a collusion for guys talking about sharing prize money. In my current main league, which for the past few seasons has been my only league I'm the most fringe guy of the group. This is why I opened the email

but those are really funny ways. My buddy got me in. The first step is admitting it. So good job, buddy. Yeah, I'm the fringe guy. My buddy who got me into the league was kicked out of the league during my first season

with some silly people with the commission. That's so funny. And he kind of goes on and seems self-conscious about being the fringe guy. Anyway, no offense. During this past off season, I was hanging with one guy left in the group that I ever occasionally talked to outside the confines of the league,

while shooting the shit, he mentioned that going into the semifinals this best season. Some or all of the other guys in the final four reached out about splitting the prize money evenly. Is this collusion? You know, I'm no legal expert, but this might be the definition of collusion, right? There's certainly colluding to share money.

It's funny how much we debate what collusion is on this podcast. In every sense, it's like it's always clear collusion. I have the worst fucking attorneys. I'm the worst attorneys. They can't arrest you if you're married to them. Oh my God. Yeah, this is fucking collusion. Well, here's the thing.

I wanted to do this. I don't know if Craig and I have ever told this story on the podcast. Oh, goodness. I know where you're going. I don't know if we've ever shared this. So at this point, oh my God, this was three years ago. Yeah. Sean Yu, who now we're in a Dynasty League.

Shout out, Sean you. and Craig and I used to co-manage a team in the Ringer League. And Craig and I made the finals against Sean Yu. And Sean Yu reaches out and says, hey, guys, I have basically the same team in two leagues, and it's in two championships. Oh, no, I forget exactly. And he said he's got to make certain decisions, blah, blah, blah.

He's like, I'm scared of, like, losing both leagues. So I want to play, like, a different team. No, it's the opposite. His team in the other league was very similar to our team in the Ringer League. And he was like, I don't want like the weird emotions of like rooting for players for beating me one championship from the other. So like, what if we just split the pot? We'll split it 50-50. And Craig and I DM each other.

And we're like, no, no, we're not splitting it. And then we think about it. We're like, wait, Sean did his math wrong. Yes. Because he offered to split it not equally among the three of us, but he offered to split it 50-50 among the teams, which be considering that Craig and I were splitting it. team was like just like the way that

the first and second place money the way it worked, Craig and I did the math. If Craig and I won and split the money in half versus if we took Sean's deal, the difference was like $11. We just took the money and split it and the outcome didn't matter.

Took the money. We just split the money. Who won? Sean won. But we split the money because even if we won, we're like, wait. This is like a Chipotle bowl worth of money that we're going to split. We're like, who cares? So we just took it.

This is something that happens in leagues that I've been into. Is this what the email is asking? No. If the two people... Well, he's asking this for the final four, which is crazy. Because I think what... This is nether level to it. This is a little non-competitive.

Because what he's saying is, I assume only the top two are really what makes sense is the top three people get paid out in some form. And so the top four people approach and are like, hey, what if we all split this evenly so everyone gets paid. Now, sounds like a coward move from somebody who doesn't think they're going to win in the semifinals. There's a difference between making it to the championship and having the conversation

and making it to the final four. Oh, I misunderstood what he was saying, though. I thought they were basically all like trying to gang up on him, this other guy. No, no, no, no, no. They're colluding to just split the pot money regardless of who wins. But he's the fringe guy, and the fringe guy is like, this sounds like horseshit, but like he doesn't know them in real life.

What's he going to do? Like, call out this group chat. people he doesn't know. This has happened in some of the leagues I've been in. This has happened where people just want to basically hedge and, you know, it's like selling your ticket before the game or whatever. Selling, selling like a bet you had or whatever. This happens a lot in other forms of game.

You're a survivor pool and you get to like week 16. Everyone kind of looks at each other and like, let's all take a grand and like, you know, fuck like, you know what I mean? But fantasy, it's in this case, it's not, that's not collusion then, is it? I misunderstood. I misunderstood. It is literally colluding, but I think the question is, is, we still don't know what collusion is so

that that's good. Maybe you don't explain well as bad faith and bad faith is when you're acting kind of like not in your own best interest like everyone involved and like in the context of the league like bad faith it's like if someone just doesn't care apathy that's not acting in good faith

oh I don't care about the league I don't care how I do sure just take Derek Henry because I don't actually care. Right, right. So this is more like I don't know I'm like a little like if you want to like take the heart of the game out. I don't know. At some point, first of all, you can't stop people from doing this, can you? No.

But doesn't it kind of ruin the fun now? Yeah, that's right. It's anti-competitive. Well, I think you do the honorable thing, which is what Craig and I did. And don't tell any one for three years so that the hype is preserved for everybody else. And don't let them know you made a shady background deal. But the only reason we did it was because Sean did the math wrong. I love that Sean has been involved in all of the major ringer fantasy league, like,

There's a YouTube video that we've made because Sean was such a ridiculous commissioner that he did a poll should the ringer league be half ppr full and God, what a... I hope Sean's listening. This is an insane move. The poll was tied 6-6. So Sean called it 0.75 PPR.

Love it. That's the most insane thing you can do in a great way. That's so funny. Sean is the best, by the life. We're doing a dynasty startup with Sean right now. Yeah, we are. We're currently drafting as we speak. No one cares about your league, guys.

No one cares. Wow. I just want to shout Sean out. Sean's the best. Yeah, shout out of Sean. Are you up? Who are you picking? I don't know.

I got offered a trade, so I got to figure it out. No one cares. All right. I think that's all we got. Thank you to everyone for listening. Go to fantasyf football. Dot the ringer.com. Shout out our rankings.

Fantasyfurtle. Dot the ringer.com. You can check in all our rankings. You can see where all these people are ranked. Thank you, everyone for listening. Thank you, DK. Thank you, Craig. Shout out, Sean, you. Sorry, we probably should have told you did the bathroom. Sorry, I'll buy your beer next time to see you.

Thank you, Lord. Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Remember when he played at Red Rocks? This is, I'm going back to the Antonio Brown unhinged tweet. I'm just going to read the end here. My biggest regret is that I'll never get to see me, Antonio Brown, play a game live. Sure, I can watch the game

afterwards, but can you imagine, but I can't imagine what it was like for all of you. to see something like that. Like watching the Beatles or Jesus perform at Red Rocks signed Antonio Brown. Wait, wait, I thought you were kidding. You tweeted this?

He said, like, watching the Beatles or Jesus perform at Red Rocks. I love that. That's very specific at Red Rocks. Do you think he clearly meant, you know, the Beatles performing at Red Rocks and Jesus, just seeing Jesus? I don't really get that. No, no, he clearly, no, he meant.

Watching the Beatles or Jesus perform at Red Rocks. It was like if Jesus, Jesus was in a band. He was the front man. Dude, that's like the end of town. It's like Caledega Nights when they're at the thing. And he's like, you know, I like to party. I'm like a tuxedo shirt because he's like to party. I'm just, I'm in the, like, Leonard Skinner and Jesus is there with an angel band.

And I'm in the front row. I like the picture of Jesus doing stand up at Red Rocks. You ever seen this show, man? Why am I even talking to you, man? Why do you want the TV and the stereo? at the same time. Because I like to party. Oh my God.

All right. Goodbye, everyone.