Handling the Baldwin injury, Washington Offense, Melvin Gordon and more

Did me just become best friends? Fantasy best Friends Forever? La la la la no no no no no no La la la la la no no no no no no La la la la la no no no no no no La la la la la no no no no no no. Yeah, we'll go to the Fantasy best Friends Forever Fantasy Sports Radio Network alongside Frankie Stample. I am Greg saw man Us here too. What is going on? Everybody? What's up? Prey now? Much crazy? What did? What did you? What did you think of our new open? That's uh,

maybe the most bizarre thing we were working on. Florida was gone, so we wanted to change it up a little bit. I don't know that we found the right beat yet. Working, keep keep keep working, keep working. Okay, it's not a song that you would drink some whiskey around the fire listening to. E Y. I'm we took

that one out of the rotation. I think, well as long as as long as it was in the rotation at one point, you know, the start I was trying to I was trying to be kind m hm, damn it all right, well man, alright, anyway, on the show today, really uh fun show because we have a lot of different things were kind of putting our hands into today, which is cool. Frank and Iri and Eric are gonna try to get to the bottom of the Melvin Gordon

heat because I don't I don't, I don't get it. Um, any of you will change as we get closer to actual draft days or the majority of draft days. But there's something going on, and I'm talking to a bunch of people about this, So the three of us gonna try to figure that out. Um. We're also going to talk about some of the PPR running backs because we mentioned tore coing a lot with Eric Chris Thompson, I'm all over. There's a bunch of other guys that people

are talking about theo Rick of course too. But where should you draft these guys? We spoke yesterday how I really liked Chris Thompson or two days ago Chris Thompson five rounds later or four hours later than Christi McCaffrey. But where are the other guys going? So we wanted to get into that as well. I have a strategy conversation I really want to ask Frank and Eric about. They don't know what it is, so they're gonna give us their honest and objective thoughts, and of course we're

gonna start of today's fact away Frank. Yeah, So it has to do with somebody who is in the news and part of the reason why I think a lot of people were very excited about him coming into the draft season, and that's has to do with Doug Baldwin. Last year, Russell Wilson had seventy three attempts in the red zone. Forty two of those red zone targets are gone.

Is if the eight percent of his red zone attempts that includes Jimmy Graham who had twenty six, Paul Richardson who had eleven, Luke Wilson who had five, fifty eight percent of the Seahawks red zones targets are gone from last season to this season. That's part of the reason why we were all very excited about Doug Baldwin. Now we kind of have to, I think, to flake that

a little bit with this knee injury news. Of course, the latest news is he hurt his knee, and from every beat reporter, from Pete Carroll, it's not a day to day thing. He's gonna be out for a couple of weeks. And when it comes to knee soreness, if the soreness doesn't and E y, you can certainly speak more to this, um, given you're much more sore than

we are. UM, but given these stories, if it doesn't I guess go down, the swelling doesn't go down, ultimately you're gonna have to have some sort of surgery, whether it's art arthur scot excuse me, arthroscopic or even more severe. How concerned should we be about this Doug Baldwin injury. I mean, I guess you gotta wait and to find out what it is. A knees or tricky, uh, especially for a wide receiver, I mean, anyone playing football knees tricky.

You know, he relies on that with his speed, his starting and stopping, his cutting in and out of routes and stuff like that. So I mean it's something that you know, maybe the most important joint a receiver has is his knee joint and it being hurt. Um. I'm not so scared of him missing a couple of weeks. I don't think Baldwin needed to play in the preseason. I don't. I mean, he knows the playbook. Kim and Russell have an obvious connection. If he misses the entire preseason,

I'm not scared of him. I still have him pretty high. But I'm you know, like this is making me cautious. I guess cautious. Okay, So Frank, let me kind of follow up Whateveric was saying. He knows the playbook. New offensive coordinator though, and we said all of last year we're going to note when there's new offensive coordinators and just not expect the same thing. We repeated the mantra over and over and over again, helping of a deal. It is is it for you that Dug Ballin's out

for the next three weeks or so? Listen, He's right, obviously, bald and Russell Wilson could do anything together. Just mind control. How serious is this for you? I'm worried and I tweeted about that yesterday. Drink. Any time a player misses time in training camp doesn't have the ability to get up to snuff physically, let alone, you know, not only learning the offense from Brian Schottenheimer what we expect to

be honestly a very boring offense. What's going to make it exciting is the fact that Russell Wilson is part of it. But Bryan Schottenheimer and interesting offense are two terms that we've never really put together. So it sucks a little bit that he's not going to be in there learning it. And I feel like any time players miss training camp, it's kind of like they start the actual regular season a little bit gimpie. Maybe they get

off the slow starts. Maybe you know what dr Ay tells us about guys coming back off injuries, maybe they start to compensate a little bit more. Right, so you're compensating for one knee, You're putting a little bit more pressure on one leg. That could lead to even more injuries. Eis absolutely right about like needing your knee as a wide receiver is probably the most important part of your leg at the position, I mean being able to cut, being able to jump and you know, catch these contested

passes and stuff. So I was very, very excited about Doug Baldwin. Um, I didn't think that he would get back to the fourteen touchdowns that he had three years ago, but I felt there was a chance for him to come close to that. I think, you know, double digit touchdowns could have been within reach, especially with all those red zone targets now available, not just red zone targets, all around targets. I mean, you know, Jimmy Graham had

ninety eight overall targets last season. Paul Richardson had eighty targets. So there were a lot of targets up for grads this year with Doug Baldwin, and I think we all kind of expect now that the Seahawks defense is not gonna be as good as it has been in years past, so they're gonna be in more shootouts. The forty niners have a good offense, the Rams have a good offense. There's gonna be higher scoring games in the NFC West that we're not really used to seeing. So I was

very very excited about Doug Baldwin. I've tempered expectations a little bit. I'm not gonna drop him too far in the rankings. Might move t Y Hilton ahead of him, but he's still going to be in that top twelve range. For me, it does worry me, and it honestly it does suck because he was a guy was targeting, so Eric, I want to throw it to you. How forward does he fall? I know you said gonna be a little

bit conservative. I was also targeting Doug Baldwin. And maybe there's a discount here, right like, maybe he falls far enough. There's a legitimate discount in the draft for him, given the connection with Russell Wilson, you feel comfortable taking him? Where? Where do you? Where is that spot right now? I know you're you're need even research. Where are you taking Doug Balding right now? I think I have my wide receiver fourteen. I'm not moving him at all at this point.

I mean, you know, we got to find out what it is. You know, is a c L, is an mc L? Is it bruising and swelling? You know? And and and each injury is different. You know, some guys bounced back quicker, like give me not. You know, I'm a person that has has always healed quickly. Um I've I'm always been a person that can still perform when I'm banged up, or when I'm sore, or even when I'm hurt. So you know, we don't know. I mean, I'm bald. Was the guy that you see is pre reliable.

He might be one of the most reliable wide receivers in the last five years. And uh, yeah, I'm not moving him. I'm not doing anything yet. You know, I know there's not a lot of stuff coming out of training camp is just getting going, and every time something happens, everyone wants to hit the panic button. But just just take a breath and relax. And if you've already drafted him and he's on your team, then maybe take two breaths. But you know it's uh, let's just wait and find

out and see what happens. Do you know the wise words relax? Yeah, And what Uy said about him being a reliable receiver to last season, he's finished between wide receiver eight and wide receiver thirteen. So he's been incredibly consistent and he's never exceeded a hundred and twenty five targets. To me, I thought that he was going to be on pace to shattered that this season, and given health, I could have seen him in the one and fifty

plus range this year. Even everything I said about the Seahawks defense and how I think they're gonna be in more shootouts this season. You know the phone lines before we continue, gentlemen, eight four, four, four, three seven nine, let's hit up Shan in New York. What's Sean? Hey? Guys, how are you doing? Great? Man? All right? I got two questions, if you guys can get to a real quick both about the NFC West. I asked this question before,

but I never got a solid answer. Why would Wilson so high as he's the third or fourth highest rated quarterback there if he doesn't have Paul Richardson or Jimmy Graham like last year and he's had a terrible offensive wine. All right, let's let's start there. Frank I, I'm gonna throw it to you. The offensive line improved, no doubt. D J. Flucker a good run blocker. Uh. They traded for Dwayne Brown last season. He's their left tackle. So

what about the other weapons that are gone? You named him all a few moments ago Jimmy Graham, Doug Ballin's hurt, Paul Richardson's gone, Tyler Locket's always hurt. Why is Russell Wilson rank so highly? Yeah, I have him ranked as my QB two right now, and I think part of it is the rushing floor that he gives you every single season. For me, at least four hundred eighty nine rushing yards in five of the six seasons he's played it. And not only that, he's include improved his passing attempts

two seasons in a row now. And given everything I just said, their defense is not gonna be great. I mean, Earl Thomas one South. This is not the legion and boom of boom defense that we've seen in years past. Russell Wilson finished as QB two last year in points per game, and that was before he lost even more pieces to this defense. So I think they're gonna be trailing. I think they're gonna have to put even more on

Russell Wilson. As much as they want to run the football, they might be more effective at doing that from just one running back this year, or Shad Penny I think will be that workhorse running back. But they're still going to have to put up points, and I think that's gonna fall on the back and the legs of Russell Wilson. I'm not really worried about the weapons. To me, the best quarterbacks make the weapons around them look even better, and I think Russell Wilson is already in that category.

Challenge a second question, But all right, and now sticking at the end of the quest, you know the Niners got a pretty good offense. Is Jimmy Garoppolo a top ten quarterback this year? You think with Carson and McKinnon as a pass catcher at the backfield, that one to use Jimmy g rank for you a top ten quarterback? No, I mean, I think that's I mean, I think it's insane people that are taking him that high crazy. I

mean it's a five game sample. And the big thing is this is when he comes in, he's been a backup quarterback his whole life. There is no tape on him. He didn't play, he's never played. So we had five games where there was no tape on him. He came in and like, look, I mean, he did look good and he looked like he had a good command of the offense. Even though just coming in and learning it right away. McKinnon is obviously an improvement. You know, I think Kittle has a big jump forward. Our song is

super reliable. Uh, Marky's good one, I think is gonna have a big year or you know, or a good year for for Marky's good one. But people that are driving him that higher, they're crazy. And everyone's saying, oh, well, ser frances is gonna have a good offense. That is that is death. That is. No one knows who's gonna be a good offense. No one knows who's going to be a good d ends and trying to predict it is insane, even harder on the defensive side. So just

just do it by skill and right now. Jimmy g is a good quarterback, but I mean driving him in the top ten to me is absolute insanity. All right, So there you go, Jimmy G not at outside quarterback according to Eric Young, Frank you a great I have him just outside my top time with him at twelve, But I will say I'll take him over guys like Matthew Stafford, Philip Rivers, Matt Ryan, guys that we've seen do it before. I think they're just yes. While they

have a higher floor. I just don't think Stafford Rivers have the ceiling. I'll take the unknown of Jimmy g over those guys, but he's not outside of my top ten. Right now, I have met wealth of the world. All right there, you'll continue on the phone lines and talk to Stephen in Massachusetts. What's going on, Steve? Uh? My question is about so I don't know if you guys noticed, uh,

Joss Stackson he got injured. And I know that you guys, especially on the show, like you guys are big on Jamison crowd or so I'm just wondering and if I can't like, because you know, drafts are usually about like a month away. If I can't get Jamison Crowder, is there somebody else that I should be looking into as far as like the passing game? Or is it just strictly Jamison Crowder. So, I think it's a great question. I think it leads into exactly what we wanted to

talk about here, Steve um And and that's Chris Thompson. Right. So Jamison Crowder is the number one guy. I think he fits really really well with Alex Smith. I know you I was high on HM last year. I think everybody was high on Jameson Crowder last year, and Josh Dockson is to me, frank much like DeVante Parker and much like for Sean Parriman. And they all stink, everyone of them. You don't have they Parker less, but they all, they all are not consistent enough to use. And I

was a Josh Dockson guy all of last year. He's are so the most logical player you'd go to replace him, as Paul Richardson. But Paul Richardson, from every thing that you have read coming out of Washington, he's really struggled. He's really struggled. And this offense with a new quarterback in Alex Smith is not meant for people in my opinion, like like Josh Dockson and like Paul Richardson, It's meant for Jamison crowd Jordan read if he's healthy, and then

Chris Thompson. But Chris Thompson is a more interesting case that unfortunately I want to even realize because I think he's uber talented. The dude knows how to catch a pass and just go. He's a heck of a pass blocker and he's awesome by all senses of the word. The problem is he's never been healthy back in college and in his first few years in the NFL, he has not been able to remain healthy, missing the second

half of last year. Now he's come back and you read a report coming out of practice saying he looks great, he looks really really awesome. But then he says, listen, I'm not close to and j Gruden says, yeah, I'm I'm working my way. I'm working my way back on him. But he looks good, and then the report goes, well, he looks amazing. The next report is he's not going

to be a hundred percent until November. What does all of this mean, Eric, when it comes to Chris Thompson, w it means like every year you gotta worry about him getting hurt. He's a small guy, uh, you know, and being a running back, a guy that's either going out and taking a tackle or or sitting in and and having you know, six ft linebackers run into him. I mean you're gonna get hurt. I mean he, like you said to your point, is he gets hurt. I

mean he's never been able to stay healthy. Uh. Last year I think they needed to rely on him more. P Rhyme was the guy that I was super high on. He let him down and they ended up playing Chris Thompson. They were running them between the tackles and stuff. If Darius Guys is who I think he's going to be and who who most people think he's going to be, then Chris Thompson is good. But him not saying he's not going to be a healthy until November, he's kind

of terrifying. Yeah, he's I get it. I completely get it. And a lot of people that are like you that feel the same way about Darius Guys. And that was the conversation when it came to Chris Thompson in that if Guys is this pass catcher and this good pass blocker, what is Thompson's role? How scared are you by the reports that you have read and the news on Guys, Frankie,

I am very worried about that. Specifically, something that he said is he was talking about he's gonna be worried to get tackled by bigger players, like any time that's already in the back of your mind as a running back. I mean, I mentioned it. This guy is only five eight, he's below two pounds. Yes, He's incredibly explosive. He scored a tough a ton of touchdowns. Last year. He was number one among running backs in yards per touch, so

we know how explosive he can be. But anytime you already have that mindset there that I have to worry about being tackled in the NFL, and you have to worry about, you know, making these jukes as a running back, you're worried about you know, Oh, am I gonna am I gonna sprain this ligament in my knee? Am I gonna worried about having a broken leg? That worries me a lot, man, especially when you look at a guy like him, his ADP. He's in the seventh eighth round.

So it's not like, al right, some of these not it's not nothing. It's not one of these other PPR backs that we're taken in the twelve thirte whatever. It might be some guys that we think have upside. You have to give some drift capital to get Chris Thompson. I'm pretty worried about this. We're gonna get more into that draft capital with the PTR running macks. A little bit later on we come back. I want to dive into Nolan Gordon because something is up here. I don't

know what it is. Maybe e Y as the answer, Maybe Frankie does. I certainly don't mean Gordon. Next. Fantasy Best Friends Forever. Did you know that you can listen to this show live on the award winning Fancy Sports Radio Network. Listen on the I Heart Radio app to tune in radio app, or download the Fancy Sports Radio Network app. The Fancy Sports Radio Network is the only totally free three sixty five fancy sports network of its

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fancy source twenty four hours a day. Back with you, Fantasy Best Friends Forever. Fantasy Scores Radio Network. Every young Frank stamfle Greg Susman here with you and I like at this time of the year, especially in my lead. That's an auction where do not have to worry about someone's sniping me in anyway I like to. I talked with a lot of my friends. I'm like, all right, what do you think about this guy? Would be about

that guy? How much does he go for? In a name that we we've thrown around recently has been Melvin Gordon. The way the thing about Melvin Gordon and the most common reaction that I get, I'm out on that guy. Oh why you? I don't know. You know, there's just a bunch of other guys I like better, like okay. And then I talked to somebody in my snake league who I'm most likely going to pick one pick ahead of him, and we're kind of talking. I have no

reason why I don't care. Who do you like? My honestly, if if Melvin Gordon is there, and depending on who's not there, like I would strongly consider Melvin Gordon, and I don't like him. I'd rather have Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette. And I'm trying to figure out why. Like Dalvin Cook coming off the A c L. I know that he's on everybody's hype train this year. I get it. Leonard Fournette. The entire Jacksonville offense runs around this guy.

Nobody gets more carries in the league than Leonard Fournette. And when gets where goal line carries Leonard Fournette and I get it. But Melvin Gordon all he has done the last two years but twelve touchdowns each year. He has seen his receptions increase each year. He has seen his yards per carry increase in this day the same right around three point nine. That's the big X, right, only three point nine yards of carry when you want running back to the average more like four and a half.

But with the amount of carries the Melvin Gordon gets the amount of touches that he gets, it doesn't matter. You could say that year two is a fluke, fine, but then he did it again in year three and there's no one on this team I'm worried about. I don't care about Austin Ekeler, I don't care about Damian Williams, I don't care about Justin Jackson. It means nothing to me. Melvin Gordon has gained the trust of this coaching staff with everybody loved last year with Anthony Lynn. He has

gained the trust of Philip Rivers. This dude's gonna be out there all three downs, touching the ball all three downs. He is more And we said this downstairs, Frank. He is closer to me with se Kwon Barkley and Kareem Harnt than he is to Leonard four Net and Dalvin Cook. What do you think you Yeah, I got him medicine running back for that might blow your mind, but like,

I'm on board with you. I heard him do an interview and I can't remember where it was, but he I mean, he said, you know the offense is gonna be everyone is high on the San Diego office, everyone including me. Well you know, okay, yes it does not run through Melvin Gordon, but he is the starting running back. And brother doesn't want to come off the field. He said, he gets piste off when they take him off the field. He wants to catch passes, he wants to pass block,

he wants to do those things. He wants to be the guy. That's the guy and the guy I want on my team. He's done it, you know every year that he's stayed healthy. And there is no running back that is immune to that, you know, to that to that analysis. Oh well, you know running backs get hurt. Yeah, well do So Melvin Gordon is a guy that I love. I mean, if there's other leagues out there that and there's a bunch of guys that don't want I want to play in those leagues because I want Melvin Gordon

on my team. So I couldn't agree more with him, frank right, Like, Okay, fine, he hasn't his RB four. Most people have him closer to RB six or seven. But if you believe it, a guy who cares, right, like, who are the three that were in front of America? Girly Bell and Johnson and I and I go back and forth on Zeke and him, but I just feel that San Diego's offense is going to be far superior

to Dallas. They're gonna stack the box. They don't have any receivers in Dallas that anyone is going to worry about. So to me, Gordon has got a much easier path to more production than Elliott. Alright, so fine, so he likes Melvin Gordon over Ezekiel Elliott. Fine. When we started this a couple of months ago, I had Melvin Gordon with Camara ahead of Barkley and with Hunt that was a three man crew for me. Since marketing suspension, Camara

has gone up. No exchange with cream Hunt. Everyone hates Andy Reid at some point because they're gonna screw over cream Hunt. That doesn't happen with Melvin Gordon. Sure, we saw some big games of Austin Ekeler, but you know, Melvin Gordon is the guy, and then they just lose the running game and the wise right, so this offense doesn't revolve around Melvin Gordon doesn't end. You know, he's the man. I don't get it, Frank, I don't get

it either. And what spurned this discussion was I was looking at nff C a d P over the last seven days. I mean, these are high stakes draft These are some of the best um drafters around really honestly, and his ADP slipping to twelve point four eight, He's now going to Ryan Leonard Fournette. He's going neck and neck with Dalvin Cook. Don't get me wrong, I love Dalvin Cook a ton. There's no way I could take

Dalvin Cook ahead of Melvin Gordon. You're you would be drafting Dalvin Cook and Leonard Fournette to do something we've already seen Melvin Gordon do. Last year he was the RB five. The year before he was RB seven, and he spoke about Leonard Fournette getting all these categories inside the twenty on the goal line. Last year, Melvin Gordon was top three in red zone rushing attempts inside the twenty, Top three in rushing attempts inside the ten, Top three

in rushing attempts inside the five. He is back to back years with twelve plus touchdowns. Last year he became more of a part in the passing game. He had over eighty targets. He had nearly sixty receptions, top ten running back in receptions, top ten running back in receiving yards, doesn't drop the ball, Oh, he does a score touchdowns. He was the third highest scores hit, the third most touchdowns of any running back in all of football last year.

And we're dropping this guy for what. Yeah, and look the offensive line, this guy needs to stay healthy. But they added Mike Pouncey because they're centered. We were talking about last year that when j I had Mike Pouncey as his center healthy with the Dolphins offensive line the year before, every single time he had and he was amazing. So you're telling me that the Chargers at a center with a caliber of Mike Pouncey if he can stay healthy.

And we're pushing Melvin Gordon down the draft board. But it surprise you one bit, Greg, if this year in a non PPR league, Melvin Gordon outscored Albun Kamara, not at all. It wouldn't and Camara over him, he would been everything he has as he has PPR understanding, right, right, right, PPR, I understand it might be different, Camark, I have eighty plus receptions. Do you think, guys that there is this there's always a bias against quote unquote non PPR guys, right,

guys who don't catch passes. I don't know why Melvin Gordon has his reputation. Is he had fifty eight receptions last year that was their first year without Danny Woodhead. Doesn't it make sense that his septions would have gone up and that's exactly what they did top ten in the NFL. I'm with you. I mean, like, look, every team is going to have a running back that backs up their workhorse too. Whatever, you'll take Melvin Gordon off

the field for a couple of plays per game. Austin Ekeler is gonna get five to seven touches whatever it might be. Like, that's it. I'm guys, I'm with you both. I'm really don't get it. I'm really interested to see where he goes like in that auction. My first auction is officially nineteen days away. Now that's all. I'll have some real data back it up. Obviously, the preseason will happen. Uh,

they'll begin. Hopefully we won't have any injuries. Of course, injuries do happen, um, But yeah, I think it's damn interesting, guys. And he helped me win two championships last year to the Flex League, which e Y and myself will now be participating against each other. And then in my home league. To remember, I lost David Johnson and Allen Robinson in the first week of the season. Both are those were both my keepers in my home league. Still won the

chip and part of that reason was Melvin Gordon. All right, so there there you go. Now we mentioned that this this phantom theory about Melvin Gordon not being able to catch passes, and it's quite frankly, as we said, it's not real. It's simply not real. And we said Danny Woodhead was gone. What it went to Baltimore last year

and got injured Week one. Now you always look for pass catching running backs and a late round fire as a pass catching running back, maybe Buck Allen, Right, like people talking about Conetiction, people going abou Kenetiction, they're talking about certainly Alex Collins, your boy should what people will be talking about Buck Allen. Yeah. I brought him up because because a DP, you're getting the guy dirt cheap,

and he's going at a DP two oh four. And last year, you know, as much as we wanted Alex Collins to be the workhorse, it really took until the second half of the season. Vorries Allan. Buck Allen was like a thorn in the side of all Alex Collins owners. For a large portion of last year. He had nearly fifty receptions. I think he's going to he's gonna have

a pass catching role once again. I still think it doesn't worry me much about Alex Collins because I think he'll be on the field so much that you know he'll fall into around forty receptions. But where Buck Allen is going compared to some of these other guys, Like you'll ask me Chris Thompson in the seventh or eighth round or Buck Allen outside the top two hundred. Who would rather take a shot on. It's like a PPR back this year. Take the value on Buck Allan ten

times out of ten. I know people want Kenneth Dixon to be a thing, but the guy has already banged up. He hasn't been able to stay healthy. I don't know how much trust this coaching staff has in him whatsoever. Buck Allen was getting red zone attempts last year. He was, you know, getting a ton of receptions. Might have not been getting a ton of yards, but they trust buck Allen.

I think there's something to be said for that. You want any injuries there in Buck Allen, Yeah, I mean some of you gotta be interested in a PBR for sure. He's proven that he's got those chops. He can catch the ball well out of the backfield. They trust him in past protection and when he was the guy, you know last year, I mean, he was a guy that he looked pretty good in kind of all aspects of the game. I think Collins is going to be the starter.

That's how they're gonna start out with. And I'm one of the guys that wants Dixon to be a thing too. He would flash and you would see him and he would just kind of like blow you away physically at what he could do. But he hasn't been able to put it together, and he's always hurt. Now he's they're saying he's hurt again already. So yeah, Buck Allen, like Frank was saying, the value is just it's too good to pass up. And you know someone like Thompson who's

already hurt. Um, you know, like I take Allen later on in the draft over him as well. Okay, So so so there you are taking about Allan over Chris Thompson, the guy that has already hurt. Go with other PPR guys. I want to try to figure out where we go. Eric, what are your guys? Last year was Terrek Cohen who came on strong and you bought in. I'm a Jordan Howard guy. Everybody knows that about me. But there's no reason that these two can't exist. I know you're a

Howard guy as well. Three. Cohen is going very very highly in draft. People are seeing what creem hunting in the passing game last year. They see Matt Neggie being the head coach and let listen to Rick Cohen's gonna be awesome. You how Highed you feel comfortable draft and Cohen, Yeah, I think he's getting a little too rich for my blood. I believe that that he is a special player. Um, but I don't think he's gonna get a guy that can touch the ball more than you know, ten times

a game. And you know, if you want to roll the dice and having high production, if a guy with a guy only touching the ball ten times, I think they're going to throw the ball a lot. I think they're going to use both tight ends. I think Howard is going to be the goal line guy. He's the guy that they're going to rely on to be the running back. And I believe that Trt Cone is going to be you know, there's gonna be times and I mean, we know this is gonna happen. He's gonna do something

in the preseason. He's gonna rip off some big screen pass for seventy five yards and everyone's gonna freak out. He's gonna go up even higher, which just means I'm just probably not gonna have him on any of my teams. I like watching him play football, and I think he's a special football player, but I think in that system, his body type, um, he's just not going to touch the ball enough for me to target him where he's going.

I like him, like, don't get me wrong, but it's just his his draft value is is it's way out of whack of what I think he's going to be. I agree with every word he just said, every word of it. Yeah, especially the price that you have to pay. I mean, he's going inside the top sixty right now in NFFC draft, so that would make him a fifth

round pick, which is crazy. But what people are looking at the template for him to pay off that draft price and maybe even surpass it, is looking at what guys like Duke Johnson did last year, Guys like Chris Thompson who on a per game basis, Chris Thompson was RB eleven regardless standard PPR because he scored a lot of touchdowns. He's incredibly explosive, and we know what kind

of explosiveness Trekon has. Remember last year, Gregg, in the first month, we were talking about should we trade Jordan Howard to get trek Cohen because of how explosive and how often a rate he was scoring touchdowns and how many targets he was getting in the past game. Last year, Duke Johnson in half point PPR formats finishes the RB fifteen. He needed ninety three targets, seventy four receptions, se receiving yards,

and seven total touchdowns to make it happened. It really comes down to do you think trereco and can come close to kind of duplicating numbers like that in this Bears offense. And I leaned towards what U I said. I think, Look, you don't bring in a guy like Allen Robinson, you don't bring in a Tray Burton, you

don't draft and Anthony Miller. You don't talk up Lorton Howard right now in training camps of three down back and then still expect those kind of numbers as Treco And so I'm kind of in the camp where you've got the star if you have to use a top sixty pick on Thorecon and that's just way too high in my opinion. But you wrote, U, Duke Johnson. You wrought up Duke Johnson and everything that he did last year, but everything needed to break right for Duke Johnson to

get there. I agree with you. Well, question, is canna happen again? Duke for Duke Johnson? Because I know, going in the last year, a bunch of people were off with Duke Johnson. They just kind of didn't want to get in on that, you know, and week one, the lines of it as a wide receiver, We're all like, what the hell is going on? And as the year went along, Frame mentioned it, everything felt right. The rounds were down in every game, and the utilize are passing

down back. But this Cleveland offense is very very different now, right that you have so many more weapons. You have Josh Gordon back, maybe, you have Jarvis Landry for sure, you have Carlos Hide, you have Nick Chubb, you have David and Joko Y're older, you have Tyrod Taylor. All this is just more. I don't it's quantity. I don't know what the quality will be. But I'll say this, I'm higher and Jarvis Landry than most. I want to

talk about that with you probably another day. But when it comes to Duke Johnson, Frankie, can he repeat, can everything goes right as it did last year to go where his draft stock currently is. I don't think that everything can go right as it did for Duke Johnson last year. I mentioned he had seven total touchdowns. Isaiic ll only had two touchdowns for the Browns last year. That's not gonna happen again. So they went out and they got Carlos Hide. They drafted Nick Chubb for a reason.

So those guys are I think, are gonna be in there closer to the goal line inside the twenties. Don't get me wrong, Duke Johnson will score his touchdowns. Maybe he'll get a handful of five or six. But I'll say this, at Duke Johnson's price at pick eighty nine right now, going around the top ninety and a PPR league, I'm much more apt to take him than I am

to take it to Ricon. And it's not a knock against the ricohen But I still think, like everything they've said about Duke Johnson is he's going to continue to have his role ninety three targets. That might be a little bit steep, but I still think sixty plus perceptions is within the within the realm of possibility for him. We've seen Tyrod Taylor throw a bunch of Shawn McCoy

when he was playing with Buffalo. Whether he's in there, Baker Mayfield, having a guy like Duke Johnson next to you as a security blanket, I don't worry about that. I just worry about him maybe replicating the touchdowns. I don't think he gets there. Maybe he gets four or five, but sixty plus perceptions is still doable for Duke Johnson. I'll say this, I don't even I don't even want him at that price. I think it's even rich from my blood both three around around, I'm gonna go into

the four point PPR and a half point. I understand why you might do it right, but in this nff C a d P, if you're getting him around pick ninety sixty plus reception and is out of a guy in the what would that be like the eighth ninth round as your flanks y R before. I'm fine with that. In a PPR league, I don't think he's getting sixty.

I mean, if you look at the team like, okay, yeah, Tyrod Taylor through to Lashaw Mccoyla Sean McCoy didn't come off the field, There's two running backs that are probably going to play in front of Duke Johnson, and who do they have catching short passes. Last year, nobody, nobody. So now they've got if Gordon plays and they got him on the outside, They've got Landry, they got Joeku. Carlo's hyde proof last year he can catch the ball.

So you mean I don't know, I don't. I don't think he even I don't think he'll even touch fifty. And for me, like he's another again the Duke Johnson is a player that I like. I think in the right system, on the right team, he's a guy that that could produce um. But this happens every year though, you know, because of circumstances. They get more plays, they get more touches, they get more looks. This year, I don't feel he's gonna get that just because of the

wealth of talent there now. He's not going to get that unless all those injuries happen again, which is something he can't bank on, but is now his draft stock is way up because of what he did last year, because of the perfect circumstances. It's not gonna happen again. I'm not gonna have him on any of my teams either, even though I like him as a player. What that doesn't know the one So I agree again everything you said.

The one caveat I have is they didn't give him a contract extension like the Browns despite signing Carlos I, despite drafting Nick Chump or before that, even they gave dud Johnson this pretty large extension. I have to imagine they're going to use him and utilize him as much as they should. Write you, why when they're paying the dude. I'm not having anything that Cleveland Browns do in the front office steer any of my decision. They drafted Johnny

Manzel number one, so like I don't. I mean, I'm sure you know it's all different staff and this, that and the other. I mean, they have never proven to me over the last ten years is that they can make a good decision. So until he's on the field, you know, fifty percent at a time, that to me is a stupid contract. Then you then go out and give all that money to Carlos hein and you drop

a running back, right. I just thinking at full point PPR on five with at half point guys that have the starting role like Lynch Jamal Williams, I'll lean that way full point. I get it back with your calls next. Have you ever wanted to have a fantasy expert in the palm of your hand. We're better yet, in the pocket of your capis. We'll check it out now you can. It's the Fantasy Sports Radio Network app. Download it down

to your phone. We promised, no weird viruses, no strange tracking things, just twenty four hours a day, seven days a week of pure fantasy knowledge dropping all over your head. It's a Fantasy Sports Radio Network app. Stop being a weirdo and streaming it online. Get it on your phone, take it with you ever where you go. Back with you fantasy best friends forever. Eric, y'all hanging out, Frank and I. We're gonna get to your calls in just a few moments at eight four four eight four three

seven nins. If you're hanging out on the line, Uh, stick with us, because I do want to hit to your calls. More PPR running backs and some updated news as well. But I wanted to hit into the strategy conversation that happened in my league last night, um because I thought we found him calling ground and they got text message from where my buddies. It was just like, this is stupid. Okay, you can have your opinion it's fine, like whatever, it's not that it's not that big of

a deal. This person likes to make most things a big deal. Whatever. So it really bothered some in our league that the last place team last season was playing a team that was fighting for a playoff spot. Last place. He's mathematically eliminated. He's out. It's literally week thirteen. He has quite a bit of his fab left. That's why he came in last He wasn't trying hard enough. Whatever. In week thirteen, he spends like sixty bucks on like Baltimore defense, which is the hot defense, and say that

week and everyone's like, are you kidding me? Like now, now you're spending your money on a freaking Baltimore defense. You're a last place, you're mathematically eliminated. There are obviously all the playoff found teams they wanted Baltimore defense. So I've always been in the camp and this is what I voted for that you have every right to play to the end. You play as hard as you can to the end you want. You're playing spoiler the whole deal, and they should be allowed to do that. There is

a last place punishment the whole deal. So the vote happened in my league to lock team's abilities to pick up players once they're mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Now that actually one, and everyone was up in arms, saying, wait, this is not how It is not what I meant, this is not what I wanted to vote for. I'm wrong, So can we change this? So the conversation went back and forth, and everyone agreed, you can't have a last

place punishment. You can't ask people to continue to look at their teams and compete if you limit their abilities to pick players. But what they ultimately decided was what we call the middle ground. You're allowed to pick up a player, but they're gonna wipe your once you're mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. The commission is gonna wipe your fab zero, not give it to anybody. They're gonna wipe

the fab zero. So the teams that are actually competing for the playoffs have the best chance at acquiring a player. That was the middle ground. That was a compromise, and that seems to be what's going to be instituted. I wanted to get both of your thoughts on that rule and on this process of what you guys think should happen. I'll start with you first off, is this a keeper or redraft? He's a redraft league, an auction redraft league, redraft league, all right, So yeah, I think it makes

more sense the way that you guys handled it. It's tough because like, as long as a person has FAB, like I truly believe, you shouldn't be able to take away their ability to do so. I mean we have a similar problem like that in our league, where because we have a consolation bracket in the playoffs, that matters. Yeah, it actually matters, Like the first and second place team of the constellation bracket get to choose their draft picks

the next season. So it's still that people are still interested playing in the playoffs playing out the rest of the season, but we had to implement a rule where, you know, people playing in the consolation bracket can't use their FAB. So very very similar. Yeah, but I mean it's it's similar, but not because you're still part of like the regular season, Like and you said that there's a last place punishment. So in the league like that, I don't know that you can completely take away the

use of someone's FAB. But like in a constellation bracket, I have no problem taking away fat because the people who were actually competing for the championship should have first and all DIBs at players available using their FAB and I think that it's the same scenario. Basically, you're just moving it up a little bit. You want teams that are fighting for the playoffs to have I'm saying you

could be I have no chance based on points making. Basically, mathematically, this guy had all FAB left because he didn't pay attention to all the year. If you have sixty dollars FAB left by week thirteen, that means you did something wrong and that's probably why you're in the position that you're in, right, So to use all of that on a defense, Yes, it was. It was. It was annoying, and I understand, I agree honestly what it is. So that's why we came up with the compromise. I'm not

saying I agree with it. I voted, especially if the reason why he did it was malissias. He wanted to screw the person over, and it makes that gives you even more of a reason to want to implement a rule. I don't have a problem with it to me, I mean, it's the right move to me, and that thing is, then kick that guy out of the league. I mean, if he's not paying attention, he's leaving all of us fat. He's not playing to come out of the league. The

fact that you have to implement these stupid rules. First of all, there there is a punishment for a last place, so then it shouldn't take away your ability to do anything at any time, at any point. And in the same if they're playing for the draft picks and the consolation, if you're still playing, I don't care. I could be twelve, I don't care. I still play every week like I'm trying to win. I've always played that way. Everyone should

play it that way. The right move in this instant is not make up stupid rules where you take away people's ability to play the game. I'm sure. I don't know if there's an entry fee, but maybe there is, maybe there's not. But the fact that there's a penalty for getting last place, okay, well there is, Well that guy paid. Yeah, the only right thing to do is to kick him out of the league. If it's not playing. To get rid of him, I'm sure you can find

somebody else to play. I mean, fantasy football is one of the most popular things in the United States right now, find another player. That guy's an idiot. So I guess text message from the person that was texting me about it last night he says, thank you very young, So there there, there you go. Um. And his argument was that, listen, if there's three teams finding the playoffs that you know, he the last place team was playing somebody, then it's

a huge impact in the playoff race. Even though he's mathematically eliminated, he has a huge, huge effect on the playoffs rate, on the playoff race. He should be allowed to do ever you can to affect it because that's teams that are in the playoff race that are boo hooing because this guy has fat. Well, then you should held on to your fab money sort of like you mean, like that's how it works. Like that's how it works. Sorry, Yeah, we can find you another player for your league, I

mean from Leland. I mean, we we have people around Greg. I agree, I listen, I agree with that. I'm never I'm never in enough leagues. Let's make I'm gonna make you come back to New York for it, though I'll be there all all weekend. That's that's the big That's the big topic is what are we doing? What are we getting into? I'm there Friday, Saturday, Sunday and until Monday at two o'clock. Just prepare, Just prepare yourselves. What are you doing next week? I think we're around Friday night.

I returned from Myrtle Beach Friday during the day, but I could probably be around during the nighttime. Saturday is my anniversary, so that's tough. Friday night, I could probably be around. I just realized you're not here a week next week. Huh, it's gonna be Greg and e y week next week has a job. This is this is a little bit more important than ours too, not more. It's not more important. It's just time consuming. It's just times exactly. See you. I'm gonna go out there and

say it's more important. What where is Floria Studio? If you're not in l A, corr you back and like, come on, I might have it, might be getting I don't even think he's he might be in l A by next week. I think he's there this week. Might call him after the show. Um, okay, we have about ten minutes left. I want to take your calls. Eight four four eight four three six seven nine. Let me start with Kevin in Chicago. What's up Kevin? Hey, guys,

three quick things. First of all, I love the show obviously, Um, happy anniversary or Frank just talking out heard definitely, and I love your work man anytime he was cutting a promo all about it. So that's all I wanted to say. They're yeah, and then just kind of seguing, um, what

you guys just talking about. I don't have a question about draft, but really quick, I'm always strict about the guys in my league playing being commissioner in one of my leagues, and I just really had to let go two guys because there's two years in a row they've just kind of messed it up. I'm not said lineups, um, and I just want to get you guys a quick to pay on this. As professioner, I always send a text to come Thursday morning or afternoon, Hey, set your

line up? Remember to set your line up? And and I do that even if the guy's playing me, because I want is that something that should be doing? Or yeah, you're a man, but you shouldn't have to send text. Get rid of those guys. I know it takes it with a phone like everyone's got a smartphone. It takes ten seconds. Get rid of those dominants that bother That bothers me more than anything. Like they blame the commissioner when someone does nothing their line up. It's something. It's

not a job. Man. You have a smart phone, and I know like e y is, as Frank just said, one of the busiest guys. We know. He's always he's always on the road, he's always working because that that's his job. But when he's not physically in the ring, he can very easily check his phone and just make sure dude is playing. It doesn't take that long. I'm sorry. No, you do not send out text messages. You shouldn't have to do that. That's not part of your job description

as the commissioner. If people are invested in your league, and they should be. If you play fantasy football, you should be in vested in your league. Whether you're oh and twelve like EU I said, you should still be invested. You're setting your lineups. This happened once in my league where I had to start texting the person. I thought I would never do it from the end of the season. The next year. This is my home league, the one that is as close as to my heart as possible.

I had to kick this guy out of the league. And he's one of my close friends as well, and I had to do it and he didn't understand why. And I'm like, look, dude, you didn't set your line up three weeks in a row while people are trying to play for the playoffs, and that could have made a difference. So if it comes down to we, you just got to get rid of those people in your league. You shouldn't be the one to have to send text messages out ever. Yeah, if I if I made up

bed Frank on that. No. I literally had to follow my buddy of mine. I grew up with this guy where four years old, we broke together and everything, and he's been in a league I'm running for the start of it, and uh, I had out him go and it was the most awkward phone conversation I've ever had. And uh, those two guys I had to cut. He was one of them. And I said, and it's two years in a row now, like we can't have it.

And you know, it was a little awkward at first, but you know what, at the end of the day, if I have a ten team league that's gonna play at ten teams. Sucks about twelve, but time quality guys that are playing I take any day over the twelve. You know you're more of a man than I am. Because you called the guy I did it over text. It was it was really hard to do. But uh, if I'm out of the the time, I understand you. It was called back in the day. Um, and I asked

that question about the draft. Let what was your question? Man, you're on the fello, let's go. It's up. Well, okay, now I'll be quick. Um. Yeah. So you know, when it comes to draft day, a lot of times, you know, especially with me, a lot of stuff you tell yourself calls out the one that when you're on the clock it's different. So let's say I'm sitting there in a full point PTR and I end up taking two receivers off of that, which is something I usually don't do.

But if that happens, what's someone in the third between third and fourth round that you guys feel really good about finger number one running back? Like, I know that there's guys still working around like McCoy and even Lynch. He's not going to somewhere in the fourth I believe, So I don't wanna. I don't want to um board in France's mouth, so I'll let you answer Frank. But now you mentioned Marshall Lynch there, Kevin and no Frase also stupidly high up on Alex Collins who who goes

around the same range as well. What are there any other names? Frank? Yeah, I like Kenyan Drake as well in the third fourth round swing. I worry a little bit about Frank Gore being there, and you mentioned Marshall Lynch fourth round. Now you can get him in the seventh, eighth round. Don't worry about that, especially in a ten team league. Even guys like Rare Shad Penny, the rookie there with the Seattle Seahawks. I'm not worried about Chris Carson.

I think he's gonna be the work horse there. And all this talk about Darius guys getting more work in the passing game, and we're talking about Chris Thompson, you know, being worried to run and get tackled by opposing players, and you know the injury history that he has. As much as Darius guy is gonna play, he can easily fall into thirty to forty receptions and in the PPR League, if he does that on top of the rushing production

and the touchdowns, we expect that of him. I think he's a fine third and fourth round pick as well. All Right, so there you go. It's Kevin in Chicago. You have a question for us or a comment based on uh the strate teager conversation we're talking about eight four four eight four three seven nine. Nember to join in is eight four four eight four three six eight

seven nine. I want to go into our our YouTube chat room now and ask you guys or answer a questions that you've had so we would get more into that. I would have Florio and and I want to stick to my word there. So, uh, if you have a question your emis quality fight four three seven nine, you can do that or you could ask it in the YouTube chat right now. Uh. First question we have really at you Frank Lynch in the fourth Can I please

join your league? Well that was at the caller's question because he mentioned Lynch in the fourth, But I think any once we get to the seventh round, I'm completely fine with Lynch. I've mentioned it before. I mean he's going outside the top thirty at running back right now. Last year only need two hundred and seven carries to finish this RB twenty, So I think he's gonna be in that to twenty to two D and forty carrie

range even that offensive line. As many touchdowns as he's gonna score, I think that will be fine enough for him to pay off top twenty four value this season. Eric, As I go back into the PPR running backs here, we had mentioned and you had mentioned specifically, um Jack McKinnon with San Francisco and how high everybody is and was on him. That leads me to Matt Brita, and we talk about PBR running backs and and Frank he believed if Floria leaves a chance Matt Brita sometime we'll

have more value than Jared mckinning. Where do you feel comfortable drafting Matt Brita. Jeez, that's tough. I I did uh see a report the other day that said all three backs including Joe Williams, is looking good. Um, but they said that Matt Brida is the best running back on the team right now, which is is pretty crazy to think, uh to me, I mean, I don't know the weights and stuff, but he looked even more slight than McKinnon. So, uh, that's something that that worries me.

At the running back position. He's a smaller guy and like look like m J D and you know guys like that. Like I'm not talking about short, I'm just talking about frame wise, Like he's a very slight human being. So that worries me. But Matt Breeda, if you're a guy that believes that San Francisco's offense is gonna be what everyone thinks it's gonna be, I'm not in that boat. Matt Breed is a guy that you can get in late rounds. That could be good. He could be the

past catcher. I don't know, but I mean with McKinnon there, I believe in McKinnon. I think he's gonna have a big year. Um he's a shorter guy too, but it is built Like I mean, you see all these videos of him in the weight room. He's a beast man. He's a beast. If he stays healthy, I think he has a big year. And I still have this weird feeling about Joe Williams. All right, Joelians your boy this year? Fair enough? Hey? Tamon Austin back up running back in Dallas.

He's gonna say, maybe maybe you were year early May. Who was a year early New Year? We're gonna find out. Let's go to Spencer in Baltimore. What's up Spence? Hey, guys, love the show, Thanks for having me. What's going on? Alright? So quick question? Um, that's just before, but it's kind of developing. I mean a ten man keeper league PPR. Okay, I have Kareem Hunt in the sixth round. Um, now my my dilema is I can go DJ and then

come back. But because of all the keepers, my number one receiver would be looking like Amari Cooper, t Y Hilton. But if I do an Tonio Brown, I could come back and snag Joe John may Sin and Darius guys. So I was trying to see where you guys have that on that if I should just go DJ, pair him up with Kareem and Frank you're the guy that kind of analyzed the picture. What what pick do you have in the draft? I have? Third, are those guys guaranteed to be there? Which David Johnson and Antonio Brown

are both guaranteed to be there? Yeah? Yeah, the first two are gonna go leve On and Todd Gurley. All right, So if you have Kareem Hunt as your sixth round pick as your keeper already, I have no problem taking Antonio Brown. I think Antonio Brown versus David Johnson is close enough in a PPR that if you pair Antonio Brown with Kareem Hunt and then come back and just take the best player available, whether it's running back, wide receiver, I like that a little bit more. Greg. I agree

with you wholeheartedly. Everybody. We have about two minutes left. I wanted to end with you because you were tweeting. I believe it was earlier this morning about your love for Bryce Butler this year, how let's not get carried away. It was not love. And I know when you put up stuff, everyone's like, oh, you can't pick. I'm talking about like the last pick. You know, you're in a in a in a deep you know, a twelve team,

a fourteen team, maybe a Best Ball league. I don't know who the other wide receiver I like to me like I used to like J. J. Nelson, but I think he's proven that he's not really a thing. He's not a very big guy. Someone's got to be on the outside. Someone's got to catch touchdowns. You know, I know Ricky Seals Jones. Uh, you know, I think he's gonna have a big step forward. But someone's gotta do

it a receiver. And Bryce Butler is a guy that I mean when you saw him when he played, which was very little for the Dallas Cowboys, he looked good. He's physically physically, he's a beast. He's tall, he's got a big body. He ran like a four three seven forties, so he can run. Uh And we don't know if you can catch or not because he's barely played. But I've got a real weird feeling about it. I'm talking second to last, you know, last round or you know,

or the first guy. You might pick him up on the waive wire, but I forgot a feeling after a week one, unless you got the number one priority, you're not gonna get him. So that's a guy just to keep on. Now. That's a real sleeper, not like oh like Tariko and you Y taking the stab with Brice Butler. I like it. I don't mind it. In the best ball format, you guys gotta take guys that you think have the upside, and that's your Scott Man alight. I

gonna appreciate, appreciate you coming on as always. We'll do it again soon for Frank Staffle. I'm Greg Susman to of US move back tomorrow, we hope