Thursday night kickoff preview, Inside Injuries with Dr. A, Week 1 picks, and more...

Fantasy best Friends Forever. H Yeah, this is the Fantasy best Friends Forever here on the Fantasy Sports Radio Network alongside Frankie Stample. I am Greg Sausman. Bragga, go on, man, Greggy football is back, my man, are you ready? I'm ready? Man, I'm I said, are you ready? Yea ready, I'm ready to rock. Things are good. It's awesome, man, it's I can't believe it. I kind of did. I kind of can't because we've been working really hard on it. Um.

It's been a grueling off season. It's been a grueling last season in particular, in particularly a grueling week for sure. Um, I just feel like we're just not stop doing stuff, which is awesome. And what's even cool about that is just just NonStop news breaking. That's the crazy part to me. There's NonStop news breaking all week long. And and really it starts and kind of ends with Lavi on Bell.

I read the tweet on the air yesterday. We we weren't sure if it was real, but people are believing that he's not coming back in the next ten games. His offensive line called him out and said, listen, you run behind us. We do your job before you and ultimately a lot of shock waves next can the shock wave is be resolved that he shows up today? For instance, I happen to think, so you've been our record, and and on Twitter certainly saying, hey, I think he's played

his last game in his Steelers uniform. You don't know that he can come back from this is Levy on Bell situations on the crazier ones. We've never seen advantage coupall. Yeah, and it's two years in a row now right where there's a polarizing situation involving a big name running back. Last year it was Ezekiel Elliott really threw us for a loop. We didn't know where to draft him because of that. Was he gonna get suspended six games? Was it going to be the start of the season. Was

it going to be the end of the season. It ended up being the middle of the year for Ezekiel Elliott. And and now we have this Levian Bell situation, And you're right, I tweeted it out yesterday. I don't think he plays another game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. I just think this has gone completely awry. I mean, his offensive

line calling him out now. I mean, maybe I'm just reading too much into it, maybe maybe I'm a sensitive Greg, But if these guys can find a way to just sweep it under the rug and Levian Bell comes back, I mean, if this team gets off to a slow start and they're like, look, we take back what we said. We need Levian Bell, and maybe they make amends rather quickly. But I just think it's gone. It's gone so south.

From the front office, the gm uh, Mike tomlin Um, the offensive lineman even calling him out Big Bend, it just seems like everyone has turned their back on Levy on bell Um, It's it's it's just crazy to say, like the verbage right, Like the way it sounds like they're turning their back on him, It's like taking sides. Did Levyan Bell turn his back on them. Uh, it's

it's tough. It's a tough situation. And it's like if if there were stillse drafts happening, which there are, there's some like big high stakes drafts that were going on. Like what do you do, Yeah, drafting tonighttand I we have auctions tonight going on. There's snake drafts still going on.

I don't know what to do. Like you were mentioning before, both on the air and off the air about James Conner and like how we've gone to the other side with James Conner treating in like Levy on Bell seeing this crazy crazy offers of of Aaron Rodgers for James Conner and the like, I mean, one of the craziest offers you've seen. I've seen a Green involved in some trades for James Conner. I think yesterday someone in the chat asses they were all for Tyreek Hill. I've seen

Dog Baldwin thrown out there. So this guy is James Conner is being valued as a near second third round value right now, especially for the Levian Bell owner. It's it's crazy. So you know it's interesting because like I get it right, Like we've seen it with the Steelers. That's really the difference in that we have seen it with the Steelers in that they are a workhorse running back team. When levy On Bell has been hurt or suspended, they give the ball to D'Angelo Williams five hundred times.

Like we've seen that, and I think people have that in their minds of James Connor. What I can't tell you, and I read you the stat this morning, I'm gonna do it again. If you're an Antonio Brown owner, you should feel pretty awesome right now because in the last sixteen games without Levan Bell, Antonio Brown has played has posted a re line of it is the sixteen games, so basically a full season one hundred six receptions, two

hundred targets, thousand and eighty yards, or thirteen touchdowns. That is good for four hundred and thirty five p p R points. This comes from Anthony Stags on Twitter. Brown has also played in thirteen games over the last three seasons without levy On Bell. If you want to extrapolate that to the sixteen games only, you know, three games extrapolation, it would lead to a hundred and fifty five receptions on nineteen targets over yards, fourteen touchdowns, and fifty five

PPR points. In theory, whenever Levian medals in play, Antonio Brown goes off. Yeah, while James Conner or whoever fills in for Levion Bell, we assume it's James Conner, He's going to be the workhorse for this team. I don't know that he's going to catch the ball as much as Levian Bell would have. Right, like Levian Bell sees at least, you know, six seven targets a game. He's around that, you know, five receptions of game pace, um,

you know, consistently seventy receptions plus per year. I'm not like James Conner is going to be the workhorse for this team, But I'm with you, especially with Antonio Brown stats. I mean, there are numbers to back it up. James Connor will catch the ball still, Yes, probably not as much as Levian Bell would have. And for that reason, those extra targets that are left behind are gonna go to Antonio Brown, They're gonna go to Jujus Smith schuster Um.

And ultimately, like James Connor isn't probably isn't going to be as dynamic as Levian Bell. So it just opens up the more more opportunity for Antonio Brown. So I agree with you on that front. Remember last time in two thousand and fifteen, Levion Bell played from week three through eight week nine on D'Angelo Williams. This is carries total week nine seven, Week ten, seventeen, Week eleven, by week twelve eight carries, Week thirteen, twenty six, Week fourteen,

twenty three, Week fifteen, fourteen, Week sixteen, seventeen carries. So I mean there were three games in that stretch where he had twenty three plus carries. That was D'Angelo Williams, and at that point he was general thirty three years old. Three James Connor is much younger than that, and he has looked very sprite in the preseason. So I look, I just hope that if you are a Levan Bell owner,

you have James Conner. Um. You know there's a league that I that I have Greg where I lost Jack McKinnon and now I lost Levian Bell and I don't have James Conner. So this will be the ultimate test to see if I can in my fourth picks. Right after me, I took Girly, he took Bell, you took McKinnon and I took Royce Spreeman and things are going well. Yeah, you're welcome, Greg. Things are things going very very well. Um,

it's crazy, this Levy on Bell thing. Like we knew the for instance, last year, the Ezekiel Elliott suspense, it was hanging over us. When players are suspended, it's hanging over Guys are always going to be injured. It happens every year. But this is the one year where we kind of ignored Leavian Bell being holding out. We saw it last year. We figured he'd just show up and

maybe he will. Like that's the craziest thing. Do you have a draft to night you see Levy on Bell just dropping and you're like, all right, at what point do I just do this? And you have it in your hand, I'll just take James Connor early. And in my league, Levyan Bell went to Overall. This this draft is on Tuesday night before the report broke yesterday, he went to Overall and they took James Conner in the eighth round. And it ultimately it doesn't matter when you

have to take James Connor. You just have to make sure you do it. And I was seeing Chris McCarroll tweet like I have a he has the tenth pick tonight because I don't. I don't. I don't know what to do. If Levian Mills staring at me at fick ten, what do I do? And I don't know the answer. I don't think anybody can. If you were drafting tonight, Greg, at what points you're like, what name do you need to see next to Levian Bell in the running back tab?

And be like, this is the time that I take Levia right at the time take Well, that's that's that's the question I is um from my draft rank purposes, I've moved him behind Christian McCaffrey, and obviously is he behind Leonard? For that? For you, yes, okay, so he's behind in front of Davante Freeman and Jordan Howard. That

means that's exactly where I've pushed them to. I think at that point, yeah, you you can take that risk, and then you get the next question you ask yourself is when do I take James Conner, which you know people were asking me yesterday. I know Truck tweeted at me and said he saw him go in the sixth round of a draft. So you pull the trigger in

the fifth the sixth round. You have to dedicate your maybe your late first early second round pick on Levian Bell and then your fifth or your sixth round pick on James Connor. Brutal. And you have to because if you into week one without your first second round pick and you know everybody and you know everybody in that draft is gonna be ten today jameson Connor throughout the draft. Yeah, you might go in the fourth round. You might go earlier than that, probably, I don't know how many. We

have a lot to get to today. Obviously, great, we're gonna we're gonna talk to h inside injuries about week one injury updates. We're gonna give you a prediction for tonight um start and sit for tonight's game. The Eagles first, the Falcons obviously, and we're gonna go through predictions as well. But if you have any crazy James con I want to hear it trades or Levy on Bell, trades or situations that you need to call in a four four eight, four, three,

six eight seven nine. I want to hear what some crazy stuff that's going on out there right now. I just don't I just don't know what to do. I it's crazy it's absolutely crazy. Oh my goodness, leaving on Bell News is just wild. Um. I don't blame I don't blame him at all. He could afford this is my opinion on it. He could afford to lose the money he's need a lot of money. Is a hip hop career as well, He's going to make a lot of money wherever he signs. I always take the side

of the player, and this is no different. Like I get your teammates are a peo to you, and this is this is the weird thing, right Whenever you have these players disputes, normally the players all back to you every single time. This is what's weird. Do you wonder if he like lied to them, if he's just like, yeah, I'll be back after labor dad. That's probably what it is though, because all along his agent was saying Levian Bell is bound for the best season of his career.

And there was a tweet that resurfaced yesterday that Levian Bell tweeted out back and I think it was May and he put the date like nine slash nine slash eighteen, like that's week one date or whatever, saying pretty much indicating like I'm gonna be there right, so you that that's what I think they're met there. They take that they take most to heart is that he misled them.

If he would have came out during May and he's like, look holding out, I'm not playing until week ten, and I think or if he said I'm not paying until I get paid, whatever, it's different. I think it's different. I think that's fair. I think that's fair. Man crazy, And maybe it was not even playing tonight. We have another couple of days. That's great. Tonight Eagles and Falcons kick us off. No Carson went which we speculated it on back in November, right when this team went started

this run. When he gets hurt tears z cl in that game against the Rams, and we speculated on it when he won the Super Bowl and I sat here, Frank talking to you, and I'm like, when Nick Foles starts week one and there's no by the way, guarantee or indication Carson Wentz is back in week two, that like he hasn't started practicing with contact yet, so there's no guarantee he's back next week. If Foles goes on this run again, it's gonna be our dimension. It's going

to be our dimension. I said it back in November. Y'all laughed at me, And I get how Nick Foles look in the preseason, like he looked terrible, But what did you say to me before we came up here? People are writing off the Eagles tonight. People are writing off Nick Foles like they always do. You see all the money going towards It was a trap game when they played Atlanta in the Divisional round last year. I think I think had opened at like four and a half.

It was a trap game when they played Minnesota at home last year. It was a trap game in the Super Bowl last year, and once again they're at home. It would not surprise me if all of a sudden, this is pick him in this in the Super Contest, it's a pick him game. It not surprised me if it gets there later. Tonight is game. It's down to one point. It opened at four and a half grade.

This is a trap, written all, and I understand Frank Reik's not there, and I understand that this is the guy that won the Super Bowl, But I'm telling you, this is such a trap. How about this Greg the Falcons money line or now it's now minus one time let's pick on that. Let's pick them. It's it's crazy, yeah, but it does have trap game written all over it. Um, Yeah, I'm worried. I don't think. I don't think there's a

lot of points scored in this game either. If I'm looking at the over under at forty four and a half. Actually looked at this last night a week one. The past three Thursday night games in Week one, three out of four of them have gone over barely. Last year, it was crazy how high scoring it was, and that was a huge shot Kansas City beating New England last year. But even even following that trend, I think I think we see more defense tonight than anything. I don't think

that is very good. Michael Benn will play um that no idea. The Falcon's defense has improved too, so maybe a little low, so maybe we are going lower in there. Well, I'm taking the under. Interesting, crazy, absolutely crazy. What's going on in the NFL right now? Eight four four eight four three six eight seven nine eight four four eight four three six eight seven nine that's the number to

join in? Um tonight, Frankie, Uh, I know j G I is not your guy, but do you think he's a major workhorse tonight without Carson Wentz, given that he does seem to be healthy, do you think he's a major workhorse or do we get a glimpse of what you were shared about all season, all off season long, with a GI with a mix of Corpy, Cummand and went will smaller and so on and so forth. Yeah, I think that's exactly it. I still have a GI ranked as a low end RB two right now, just

based on the rest of the matchups. I don't think this is great for him. Yes, the Falcons give up a lot of receptions and receiving yards two opposing running backs, but they only allowed six rushing touchdowns two running backs last year, so they actually don't allow out running backs to score all that much on the ground. I actually think this is a better game, a better matchup for guys like Corey Clement and Darren Sprowls. So I could see see all three of these guys getting mixed in. Again,

he's a low end RB two. I don't really want to have to trust him um and and plus he was nursing a foot injury which he just got cleared to play, so I'm not sure that he's on a full snap count either, He's probably in that twelve to fifteen touch range, so I think that makes him like a low n RB two, high end RB three. But I will say in a full PPR, I would start Darren Sprowls and Corey Coleman over to Tevin Colton tonight. Why don't you tonight? Just how potent the Eagles rushing

defense was last year. They were either number one or number two in the least amount of points allowed against running backs last year. I know the Vikings were up there as well, and all they did was make that defensive line better. They go out and get Michael Bennett, So I do think that it's gonna be hard to come by. I don't even love DeVonta Freeman. I still have him as like a solid to high end RB two.

He's not a top twelve running back from me this week, um, And I don't want to start Tevin Coleman if I could get away from him, if I could start one of those other guys instead, I could give you a couple of other names that I have ranked just ahead of him in a standard league. How about this, Greg, I would startle Garrett Blunt over Tevin Coleman. I think he has a chance to score against the Jets this week. Would you start Theorytic over Tevin Colan in the PPR League,

I would? Would you start Mike Gillisly over Tann Coleman. That's where That's where it becomes Harriet, I'd probably start Tevin Coleman, started Jordan Wilkins over Tarren Coleman. I would, I would start Jordan Wilkins. I think he I think Jordan Wilkins he's the starter in that game. I think

he probably gives you untill Christian Michael's starting. Probably, but I think we get like twelve plus touches out of Jordan Wilkinson that game, and at the touches tonight for Tevin Coleman, and just overall terrible Terraman over under three and a half catches with Calvin Ridley tonight and his debut over over nice can't kid for Calver Realley. Then I have him as a of like low end wide sea of four. It's like right around eight for me. So okay, enough, let's take a break. When we come back,

we joint by dr a inside injuries. That happens next Daily Rodo dot Com learned from the game's best DFS players. We don't just give you premier advice. We play every day, all major sports, all year round. We never stopped industry leading DFS tools and custom projections, and now the Daily Rodo dot Com optimize that in minutes, building optimized line up for cash games and turneys learned from the game's

best DFS players joined Daily Rodo dot Com. Is this directed waiting dr A for inside injuries and is normal Thursday spot for us. We have a ton of injuries we obviously want to get to today, and not just skill position players We've been talking a lot about Um, but also some of these offensive linement and defensive linemen that could affect who you were starting in sitting tomorrow, no doubt all your calls start to sit on the show straight out on a Friday. Obviously that comes your

way tomorrow. But as we wait Dr A, we will work to get him on. I want to go over some of the headlines and players that are practicing that we're not gonna get a chance to ask Dr A about Frank Um, and I want to start in Seattle with Doug Baldin, who is practicing in full. It's been an up and down ride For those that have drafted Doug Balbin this summer where you drafted him early. Great, you have this borderline wide receiver one. Then he gets hurt,

so you drop him a little bit. As all the optimism starts to rise for Doug Baldwin, he jumps back up. All right, cool, He comes out and has press conferences like listen, I'm not going to be a hundred percent all season long. I'm gonna be like eight. And back down he goes, And then things kind of settled where he rose again. Doug bald is practicing in full. We're gonna get a glimpse of what Doug Baldwin is this week. However,

very tough matchup against Detroit. I'm sorry. He gets Denver and a very good cornerback and Chris Harris who will be all over the field with Doug Baldwin. How do you feel about starting him this week? First of all, I'm encouraged that he's practicing in full, so that's a good sign for a week one of the season. But going up against Denver, like you mentioned, it is a tougher matchup, but you know they do move Doug Ballwin around a lot. He doesn't just play on the outside.

He doesn't just play on the inside. You know, they get pretty creative with him and they find ways to move him all over the field. I'm not sure that Chris Harris necessarily follows him inside the slot or whether it's Bradley Roby. They still do have talented corners there. Don't just think that because they lost a keep to leave that the secondary really, you know, they take a huge step back. I still think that this could be a very very strong defense. I think he's a solid

wide receiver too. I'm encouraged that he's practicing in full for week one. Great. Yeah, I think it's obviously a very encouraging cybery Doug Baldwin that he's a normal, normal work week for him, even if he gets these maintenance days on Wednesday. Going forward, all good, Let's see what he can do obviously on Sunday against Denver. Right, for what it's worth, um, they have they have the Atto

coverage matrix on the Pro Football Focus. It's that they have right and they show you every single week that a cornerback shadowed a player of an opposing team. Denver did not use one of their top corners as a shadow cover corner in any single game last year. Now, that might be because they had to keep Steve and they had Chris Harris, so they just figured, all right, no matter who you put on the outside of wide receiver,

we're gonna have strong corners to play against you. They probably still feel that way though, because Bradley Roby is very talented as well. Definitely, I'm not sure that they just put Chris Harris on Doug Baldwin in this game. I still kind of like him. I think he's a sneaky play, all right, Speaking of a wide receivers that were hurt all offseason. Then you get to Richard Matthews, who very mysterious injury which kind of lead to I believe it's r meniscus is what what the injury was for.

Richard Matthews gets a one year contract extension, like not really, there's nothing guaranteed, and he negotiated it. Not an agent. You shouldn't do that because it's a it's a lose money. But ultimately Richard Matthews practicing UH in full this week, which is great, but says may be on a snap count because like the rookies have looked good, the young guys.

The Corey Davis is the Taiwan Taylor's of the world, and you know Delaney Walker is going to play and he'll get his compliment of snaps before we get the dr Ray Frank, would you be hesitant start Richard Matthews this week? Yeah, there's no chance to have him in my starting lineup. I do think he's a sneaky stash right now because we know the report that he has with Marcus Mariotta. But I think we can see a very, very big Week one out of Corey Davis and Delaney Walker.

The Dolphins struggled mightily against the tight end last year, so with Richard Matthews on a pitch count, whether they're rolling Taiwan Taylor out there or throwing more to Dion Lewis, whatever it might be, I think we see a lot of Corey Davis and Delaney Walker in Week one, right there? You going with that? We have a lot more injured guys to talk about, so we're gonna do it with a good doctor here on a Thursday before the first NFL game of the season. It's dr Ay from Inside Injuries.

Good morning doctor, Good morning guys. How are you guys doing today. We're doing great. Thank you so much for joining us. And the big story over the weekend was Jered McKinnon tearing his e c L. I know we've talked a lot about the forty Niners throughout the off season when it comes to McKinnon and Brita and George Kittle, including last week with Virginia, but it takes a bigger precedence now without Jack McKinnon on the field all season long,

people are going to rely on Matt Breeda. He battled his own shoulder injury this summer. How much is he ready to go this weekend? So? Um, it's a Grade two shoulder sprain, which is you know, very very good in regards to uh not escalating to a grade three. So it looks like it's just a sprain, probably a rotator cuff sprain. Um, the optimal covery time for that was two weeks, so he should that should have been set for August twenty one. He should have healed from that.

There's no structural damage, which means translation, there's no actual tear. So our our prediction on grade two was likely correct. Right now, he's at low injury risk and peak health and so he should be ready to go to start the injury standpoint. Very good news from Matt Breed. He's ready to rock in Week one San Francisco. Top matchup though against Minnesota. Would you start breeding this week? I

have him ranked. Him and Alfred Moore is both ranked outside of my top thirty six, so they're not even in the flex discussion For me, I want to take a wait and see approach. Plus, it's just an absolute brutal matchup for the reasons I mentioned. I didn't like Keevin Coleman against the Eagles. Again, if Brita and Alfred Morris are taking away from each other, plus they're going up against the Vikings defense, I really don't like that.

What's going on? Doc? I wanted to ask you about Austin Sinfari and Jenkins, a very popular streaming tight end for Week one because he's going up against the New York Giants. We've consistently said, Greg, if you would have just played every tight end one against the Giants last year, you would have ended up with the number five overall tight end one year ago. So we like a s J as a Week one stream but now he's dealing

with a core muscle injury. He miss practiced yesterday, and Doug Marron said, quote, we're just going to be smart about it. I feel like he'll play, but you never know. That doesn't sound too good. What do you have about Austin's Farrian Jenkins this week? Yeah, that's translation for uh, it's a grade one core muscle injury, which is the lowest grade other than just a minimal superficial tweak. And so uh, you know, the optimal recovery time is two

weeks for that. And so even though the coach says that, um, what we're seeing, any core muscle injury in any football player, it definitely at a grade one level needs at least a week and a half to two weeks to heal completely. So we're looking at week three, September eighteen at the time where he should come back. If he does play in this game, he will be an elevated injury risk of that's pretty high, meaning it's not it's not but it's not nine percent, and so is uh is a

little bit too high. I don't think he should play in this game. If he does, he's you know, he's out that injury watch basically because um, and he may play significantly limited slash snaps because you know, if he doesn't look good in that first couple of snaps, they may not then they may not keep him in for the rest of the game, which kills any fantasy roster anyway. So not a great report they ever as Farren Jenkins,

especially in a fantastic matchup against the Giants. Yeah, so other streaming tight ends who are kind of right in that range that you know I'll boost ahead of him now, Tyler Eifer for sure, Ricky Steals Jones, where the Washington Redskins struggled mightily against the tight end one year ago. And then I think Ben Watson and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are also, you know, right ahead of him. Now.

We love the matchup for a s J but based on that report, um, you know, it sounds like he can easily re injure himself where he's not gonna be on a full snap count. I wouldn't trust it all. Since the Farion Jenkins a week one, Greg, let me stick with the tight ends here, Doc from a moment and ask you about a couple of more and in particular to two tight ends that are simply always injured,

Tyler Eiffert and Jordan Reid. Both are not even on the injury report this week, which is shocking because they're always on injury report. We talked about them from a draft perspective, and you almost laughed at us when we said we would consider drafting Tyler Eiffert and or Jordan Reid. I have now drafted Jordan Reid, Frank has drafted Jordan reading the league, um, and we're hoping that you just stay healthy at least for the going What do you think,

doc this week about Judian Reid and Tyler Eiffort. Well, so here's the good news. I seem you want the good news, but before the bad news first, right, kind of bad news first? Well, the bad news is these uh tyler efforts at elevate injury risks, he's not going to get any better than that. That is his best number that he's gonna get. But his HPF is at peak. So what that tells us is that he's recovered from his injuries. So no existing injury is going to impact

his play. But he has a one in five chance of getting injured right now. And uh so that means he's got when you multiply that by sixteen games, you know a fifth of the season right now, he's gonna miss no matter. I can tell you right now that the likelihood of him missing a fifth of the season is very high. So um Jordan Read varies these two percentage points better than Tyler Effort at elevated injury risk and again he's at peak health. He's at the same

exact number eight two percent. So these are elevated high reward type guys. You cannot rely on them as like the one or two. You gotta go down to three, four five for these guys. Look, these guys are healthy if they're dominant. But the issue again is that they've been you know, they they've they've been very cautionary with

them in the in the off season precincts. You haven't heard about any injuries in that cent But once that first game hits, do not be surprised if one or both of these guys are coming off the field due to an injury. And that's why I'm saying take them because, uh, you know, from that peak in peak HPF. But they're high risk, high reward type guys. And this is the fact that we all know this about Tyler Eiffort and

Jordan Reads that when they're healthy, they're dominant. Dr A just said, especially in the reserve with Tyler Eiffort, and really all across the board with Jordan read Um. Alex Smith has always utilized his head end from Burning Davis backing in San Francisco, certainly to Travis Kelsey in Kansas City. Jordan Reid is good to go. Jake Gruden said yesterday that yeah, that works some other guys in but Jordan reads healthy. And he said both guys, of course, saying

this as healthy as they felt in years. We'll see if they can they can be managed. I took your advice, Frank. I picked up Vernon Davis, John Alex Smith Um, and I'm handcuffing him. I'm crazy. I'm handcuffing my tight end and my wide receiver in Jonimo Allison Um and Vernon Davis. Now, I don't know if I have a I don't think I have a choice, um, but I'm banking on Tyler, on Tyler Eifert and Jordan read here this Sunday. Yeah.

The one thing I liked about Jordan Reid and Tyler Effort this draft season is that you finally got them at that discounted price. Right, Jordan read the customer. I mean the past couple of years, four fifth, sixth round pick. Now you're getting him in the nine round. Sometimes Tyler Eiffort even later than that. I mean, you could have got him with one of your last picks of the draft. So I'm going to talk to three. I think you

you play these guys while they're healthy. I think undoubtedly they're going to misstime at some point, but especially early on in the year, while these guys are healthy, not on the injury report, I go ahead and get them in my lineup. I think there's a lot of similarities between and cuffing their backup too, because Andy Dalton likes to throw the tight end a lot. Absolutely, something happens to effort. I think Tyler Craft steps in and he

will be Fantasy viable as well. Yeah, what one thing to look out Jordan read five plus concussions first game out. You know he's on concussion Watch. So just that's a tidbit there. Yeah. Absolutely, anytime you know he takes a big hit, you're gonna be holding your breath. Is he gonna leave that game? I mean, that is what you have to worry about. Being a Jordan read owner. Frankly, I've never owned him before because he never had that discount baked into his price, but this year he did,

so that's why I was willing to take that risk. Doctor, I wanted to ask you about a defensive player actually, which is something we don't normally do, but he has that much of an impact for fantasy. That's Xavier Rhodes. You've heard of Rhodes closed. He's dealing with a hamstring injury. He was limited and practice yesterday. He's questionable for Week one. The reason why we need to know about this is because if he plays, it seems more than likely he's

going to shadow Mark. He's goodwin in their matchup against the San Francisco forty niners, and we know that that's not a good thing. So what do you have on Xavier Roads and his availability for Week one? So the compliment to wide receiver for hamstring injuries is a cornerback for hamstring injuries. It is their achilles heel. And when I saw this, I said, oh, this is not good. Um grade one hamstring injury even though it's grade one for cornerback. That that is uh. You know, you'll see

when we talk about our big offensive tackle. But you know, for for cornerbacks and wide receivers, this is an impactful injury, even at grade one. Right now, I'm telling you, right now, he shouldn't play until week three. He does play. If he does play in this game, um, look out because right now he's at thirty one percention injury risk to to tweak it, to worsen it um if it's truly

a Grade one hamstring, which is what we're showing. So right now, September eighteen is when he should he should rest that because then he can be good to go for the rest of the season if he reactivates it, I mean re injuries it this game and maybe he may be out for half a year. And this is serious. This is serious, guys. This is hamstring injuries for wide receivers and corner backs. Is the most important thing from an injury perspective, especially for a team that has Super

Bowl aspirations in the Minnesota Vikings. Doctor, I just wanted to ask you if they risk Xavier Rhods playing this week based on the health the health risk factors that you have there, what percentage do you think he would be at if he's playing this week? Is it is like six sevent what would you say, thirty nine percent right now? Um, probably at game time if he has in the next uh three days to uh probably Hell,

maybe it'll go up to forty six seven percent. I don't think even he won't get to feel better about playing Mark. He's good. I was gonna say, because the player that he's going to guard is a burner, right like he's going to make him test that over and over and over again. Definitely feel a little bit better about starting Mark. He's good Win this weekend. Yeah, and Jimmy Garoppolo for that matter, and Jimmy Garoppolo, no doubt

about it. Although with quarterbacks is you probably have better option? I would think, Yeah, any Dalton that stream Murphy's available, I think you're still starting him over Jimmy g I'm gonna actually stick at the tight end where I was before because in Arizona we we've seen he will take shots on Ricky Seals Jones with the with the thought process being he's going to improve in in year two as a recognizable name. All that thought process was if

Jermaine Gresham remained hurt. Gresham came off the publist at the end of training camp because the team didn't think that he would miss six games. Well that was practicing this week. Is Jermaine Gresham ready to go? And could he play on Sunday? No, and he shouldn't play on Sunday right now. Our HTR shows in October fifteenth, which is week six basically, so I think he's off the publist because he will be utilizing all of that time. But I think week six is the one where he

should optimally come back. If he does come back before you know, again, you're taking a risk. He's that's still he's still high and he's at the borderline of elevated and high injury risk. And he's had a below average poor designation right now mainly because he's still US five to six weeks left to recover completely torn achilles on a tight end or any football player, I mean, so

it's like a forty week recovery basically. Okay, So nothing to worry about essentially, if you have Ricky Seels Jones, like you get a good matchup this week, play him over all since Verian Jane clearly now you're debating between those two. Yeah, and so in regards to another injury with that has to do other players as well. Sonny Michelle is back practicing for New England and we've heard Rex Brokehead could be eased in the action for New England, and the same goes to Sonny Michelle. Is he going

to play UF Sunday? He shouldn't. Um his HTR is in the middle of week two somewhere, so he should not play in this first game. He shouldn't, even though I think a lot of people want want to see him, Um, you know, it's just he's he's been injured a lot of Georgia and you know, I know a lot about him because he's in my hometown basically. But uh but yeah, no, a week two is kind of what we're looking at. His His numbers have improved as he's been rehabbing to

sixteen percent injury risk. It was at eight percent only two weeks ago, so he's improved to sixteen percent and he's gone from port or below average, so now he's escalating up to above average. So you know, just give it time. Week two he should be very close to low injury risk and back up to above average peak health. And I wouldn't be surprised one bit if they sit him this week. They have enough other options out there between Rex Burkhead, Jeremy hill Um, and James White, So

I think they have options. I think it would be smart for them to sit him as well. Doct Just one more question here. I asked you about Xavier Rhodes. I also wanted to ask you about Anthony Costanzo, left tackle for the Indianapolis Colt, who's covering the blindside for Andrew Luck who you know is recovering from the shoulder. He needs all the protection he can get. We only have one minute left, uh Cassanto dealing with the hamstring injury? Does he play this week? And if not, how does

that affect Andrew? Look So hamstring injuries to cornerbacks and wide receivers I told you are algorithms, uh point on that offensive tackles not so much so, you know, great to hamstring injury. He had it, then it then it reaggravated. Um and right now though he's still at low injury risk at nine percent peak help at this is not going to affect him too much. It's not a significant stabilis and muscle, his quadri steps and all these other

muscles and hips, loteral rotations, those are. These are the things that are will stabilize an offensive tackle. So he should be good to go. He I mean, he will experience some pain probably in it, but he's not at super high injury risk. You know, he should be good to go. That good news for Andrew Luck. There you go, Doc inside Injuries the Expert. It's Dr A rid of your Falcons tonight. Doc. Oh yeah, ready to go. I'm riting from to screw the Eagles. There we go. Football

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That's it? Yes, all right? What a be doing first? Gregor, were preview in the Thursday night game? Are we doing our season long previews? We'll take some calls. I feel like we got to do a little bit of rapid fire everything. We'll take some calls. Eight four four eight four three six seven nine's get to Pete in Florida started us off. What's up? Pete? Hey, what's up? Guys? Love the show? Awesome, appreciate it man, thank you for sticking with it. What's going on? Yeah? I got a

question a lot with this Bell drama trade question. He wants he wants Rex Rex burkehead from me and he'll be given me. I got leave Bell and he'll be given me. Connor and Duke Johnson and can I tell you my line up quick? Yes? My all my running backs, I'm a little thin. I got leave Bell, Birkhead, Marshawn Lynch, Penny, Aaron Jones, and Latavious Murray. But my wide receivers are stacked. I got a j Adams and Baldwin stack. Yeah, you know what Greg actually think. I don't. I don't think

the running back situation is all that bad, honest. Same uh, And I would do this trade. I would do this trade. I think I would do it as well. I think you're actually a really good position to do it. I make the move. Yeah, you get James Connor, your parent with Levian Bell. You played Connor until presumably Levian Bell returned. You have him in Marshall Lynches your RB one and two, and then you have a few stats candidates, guys that could pop off later on in the year, in Rashad

Penny and Aaron Jones. So I actually don't mind this. I agree. Let's go back to the phones at eight four four, eight four or three six seven nine to Joshua in Colorado. What's up, Joshua, what's so grad? How you guys doing? We're doing great? Man, what's happening? Great? So, um, I have a three part question here. I have Jordan Howard and Carlos Hide. But I guess my guru on UM NFL Fantasy, what I play Jordan Howard over Carlos Hide. What are you guys thinking there? I think it makes

sense to me. I'm going Jordan Howard over Carlos Hide. I like Carlos Hide a lot this week, but I'm still gonna keep Jordan Jordan Howard in the lineup Bears offensive line. Um. I think he's gonna have an opportunity to I think he's gonna get more touches overall in this game. But it's tough because they do look like all those hide a lot as well. Alrighty. In my second book question I would say here it would be

so I have take In and Rashown Matthews. There's saying to star roshown Matthews they had to take in, but the take In has a higher more projection. What do you guys stay there? Do you have anybody else he's from between those two guys, Well, let's see here John Ross Um, John Ross, Jeronimo Allison Um. But the rest of my two I have Antonio and Brandon Marque is good when already already starting, as well as Chris Hogan.

It's interesting because I like I think I like Ross and Alison both better than the two choices that you have. I would take the shot on John Ross. Match up against the Cold Sect doesn't get any better. Yea, with those the wide receivers he already has in his lineup. I agree, we'll we'll both take the shot on John Ross there. Before we get to our season long picks, Frank, I want to pick tonight's game Atlanta and the Philadelphia Eagles. The line is at one? Is that correct line is

at one? Philly is a one point favorite the defending Super Bowl champions at all move the Falcons are minus one? What the Falcons are minus one in this game? You know what I'm looking at? That's unbelievable. Yeah, I want to check the We're Gonna Fandue sports book here because that's what I'm looking at. Oh, do chan our graphic now that we made? Probably? Okay, actually we can't because we already talked about what the line was previously in the video, so we will not be changing the graphic.

Um wow, Okay, So the updated line is the Falcons are a one point favorite in this one against Eagles. Absolutely unbelievable. I'm taking the Eagles. Screw it, man, I think the Falcons win. But now I'm getting a point to not that you can I can push, so like that, I'm taking the Eagles. It's gone too far. This seems like a trap game. I'm gonna continue to choose the Falcons, but the more and more it goes the other way again, I feel like I feel like it could be a

trap break. So if if I'm taking a bet tonight, I'm taking the under at forty four and a half. I could see this game seventeen twenty. The question is do you think it gets to because that's the cut off that is right there at forty five forty four and a half. I think this game goes under. They know it's crazy. Man. Nick Foles looks so bad, Like remember in practice last year, before we started in practice, he looks so terrible. There were rumors are gonna starting

Ate Sudfeld, like we're gonna stick with Nick Foles. Anyone I would win a Super Bowl? Yeah, I want to go to the Eagles. Look, this game was fifteen to ten last year in the playoffs. You could argue both defensive got better. Totally, so totally if I'm taking a bet, tough conditions though in Philly that day, very very cold out. Obviously it will be beautiful today, very very hot actually

in Philadelphia. I think I need agrees today. If I have to choose a winner, I'll take the Falcon, but I'm taking the other, all right, I'll take the Eagles as my pick in this one. Speaking of picks, let's go through our picks, Frankie, all season long. Um, we're not all season long, all year long. We want to give you. We need picks every Friday. Of course, our our top five plays of the day. But we want to make our season long picks. Divisions, wild Cards, playoffs, champions,

blah blah blah blah blah. Let's start off in the Eagles division. Let's start off in the FC East. I will take the Eagles. But you know, I actually struggled with this a little bit last night. They were thirteen and three. Last year. I think they I think they bounce back. I think they fall come back to earth a little bit more so this year. I could see them at about ten and six, but it wouldn't be surprised that the Giants or Cowboys make a run here.

I could see the either the Giants at nine wins or the Cowboys surprising some people at eight or nine wins. Um So, I think that the one of those teams are going to be right on the Eagles this year, with Nick Foles and the uncertainty of Carson Wentz health and the Super Bowl hangover, I see the team at ten and six. They still win a division, but it's a lot closer than last year. I'll see the Giants.

I'm a homer, really, yeah, you know what the Giants can time I talked to your like, the Giants are last eight games this year, Now you're picking them to win the division. Well, let's remember when I did the rookie when I knew the pace picks previously, I picked Luis Savarino. I picked Labor torres. Um. You know, actually the world actually chose Jacob Degram to win. You did, It's right, you guys laughed at me, Yeah, because you

know my LMP. But didn't you wait? Did you do you like to grow more than because we were doing the fantasy rankings, you didn't have to grow. Did you have the ground that next. Okay, I had him like the highest of that. I chose, I chose, I chose Arnados n l Freddy Freeman. Who's your almv P? Rry Sanxious? There's an l v P and actually is Garry Absolutely, who's my m v P. Oh, it was Aaron Josh, which could have been based on the way that the Yankees are playing right now. He might be the most

notable player. You should win, all right? NFC North, Uh, Frankie, I'm gonna go with the Green Bay Packers here. I think Aaron Rodgers will stay healthy and I think this team will be I think the Vikings regressed just a little bit, so I'll say the Packers win the NFC North. I will also say the Packers. I think it's very close between them and the Vikings. Um, but all the Packers really needed that offensive line to stay healthy. They've made a ton of additions to that secondary to try

and show it up. In the off season. They bring back Tormon William who had a fine season in Arizona last year, and then they draft arguably two of the top three cornerbacks in the draft and Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson. So I can actually see the Green Bay Packers defense taking a New Orleans Saints kind of um, you know, transition from last year where we've never seen the Saints defense be good or adequate. I can see

the Packers doing that this year. In the NFC West, the Rams are your defending champions, had a fantastic year, but this could be a very very competitive division with the Rams and the Niners obviously looking up. I think the Cardinals will be a lot better, um, and we'll see what the Seahawks bring to me out of it. The Rams here, I just I just don't know if everybody else has enough off. As I said, I think

the fort Nighters can be good. I like the Cardinals too, you know, I love the Cardinals over We spoke about that on our Under show like a week's back. So I like the Rams to win this division. Like I think there's a lot of parody in this division outside of the Los Angeles Rams. I think the Rams dominate in this division. I can see them at eleven or twelve wins. They do have a very very tough scheduled, very but in terms of balance, I don't know that

there's a more well balanced team in the NFL. Right now from the elite players that they added to their defense. Again, there's a lot of personalities on that defense, so Sean McVeigh is gonna have his hands full. But just in terms of their offensive line, the running back, the improving quarterback play, and and their overall coaching. I like the Rams a lot this year. I take them to win

the division. I do think that the Cardinals, Seahawks, and forty Niners are all kind of close within like seven to nine wins. NFC South traditionally one of the toughest divisions to pick, with all four teams usually being pretty good. This year, the books look to be the worst, but you know, we'll see how it obviously turns out when Jameis Winston gets back from suspension. Saints were the wild

card team last year despite winning eleven games. Carolina won this division and Atlanta just two years ago when the NFC representatives in the Super Bowl, Who do you got in this one? Yeah? So I have the New Orleans Saints. I think they're gonna they're gonna come out hot this year after what happened in the miracle in Minneapolis last season, where you know they you know, what's what's left to be said about that. Um so yeah, I think the

Saints win this division. But again, I think there's there's a lot of parody. I think it's close between them and the Falcons. Before we sign off, YouTube will give you give me your wild cards in the NFC. I will take the Vikings, almost taking the Saints, by the ways, when I didn't, I didn't go further. I'm thinking the Saints as well. I'm taking the Vikings and the Falcons and the wild cards. Vikings and the Falcons. In the wild card, I am taking the Vikings as one of

my wild cards. The second wild card. It's tough, man. Um my second wild card. You took the Giants. I know, I'm looking. I'm looking at that. The Eagles are still out there. They are the Eagles are Eagles are are still out there. For my second wild card, I'm gonna go with the Arizona Cardinals. I like the Cardinals this year. I think there's probably all right, let's go over the board. You know some of these teams expressed alright, Oh man,

I like the Panthers too. Where are the Cardinals? Went on? Who You're second wild card? Would you say it wasn't get Falcons. Okay to alright, Uh, we'll sign off YouTube now. We'll get the a f C picks on radio and podcast only. We'll make our Super Bowl predictions there as well, So if you want those, you gotta listen to our podcast or turn on the f T s Y radio app right now my heart. Of course that will work as well. We appreciate you watching the fantasy football frenzy

comes your way. Next, it's gonna be a f C East here, Frankie. Um in the a f C East, well, we'll take the Patriots. We'll take I don't want to waste I don't want to waste time doing it. Um Ac North, the a f C North, it lose LEVI on Bell, but I still think this is the Pittsburgh Steler's division to lose. I agree. You also will take the Steelers there in the a f C West, Who do you got there? I think this will be our first differing choice, and I will take the Los Angeles Chargers.

Is very, very bullish on the Charges. It wasn't the first. I took the Giants. You do the Eagles. Yes, you're taking the Chargers. You're bullish on him. Everybody's bullish on the Chargers this year, and I'm gonna tell you what, Charges let you down every year. He's just not here. Give me Andy Reid. Give me the Chiefs. I know everyone who thinks their defense about letting you down every year, but in the playoffs, but that offense is going to be fun. Give me the Chiefs. Yeah, I think they

get washed in Week one by the Chargers. We'll see a FC South the Jaguars, the defending champions. They made it all the way to the ANFC Championship game. Do you like him to repeat? Do not have the It's a very risky It's a high risk, high reward play here. But if their defense stays healthy, if the Shawn Watson stays healthy, Houston Texans will win this division. Greg, I love Houston Texans, but I have them as a wild card in the a f C. I think Texans can

really do damage. I think they can make the Super Bowl in all honest day. But I think the Jaguars defense and their offense is improving. Also, we talked about well balanced team, um I think that the Rams are definitely the most balanced team potentially in the NFC. I think you can make a case the Jaguars are the most balanced team in the a f C. So I'm gonna make the Jaguars my division winner, with the Texans

being one of my wild card teams. The other wild card team is the team that's just They're always there. They always find a way to fight and get very very close under the Ravens was my second wild card team, Ravens. That's interesting. So I actually have three teams making the playoffs of the a f C South. I have the Texans winning the division, and then I have the Titans

and the Jacksonville Jaguars. I could see all three teams at nine and seven, or maybe the Texans at ten and six, but the other two there nine and ten. I think one of these. Um. It's interesting because the Colts are another competitive team that Andrew lux so I think this would be a very competitive division in the a f C South. Give me your super Bowl please. So you would have thought Michael Florio made these predictions after moving to l A. But I have the Rams

over the Chargers. I have the Battle of l A, and I not always tossing and turning in last night, I was actually thinking about this. I think the NFC is wide open I think there's a good chance that the Patriots get knocked off this year in the a f C. And if it does happen, it's from the Chargers. Love that defense, love that pass rush. They made improvements to the offensive line, they have Philip Rivers, they have a great running back in Melvin Gordon. I just think

there's a lot of balance on that Chargers team. And then for the Rams, once again, what it said balance that they have a ton of stars in that defense. I struggled between them and the Saints. I really it was the Rams of the Saints for me. But I'll do the battle of l A. The Rams winning all this year. It's amazing because I also have the Rams of my Super Bowl champion, because they are so well balanced.

As to me, um, I'm between two teams of who I think will win it, but you know what, the best team also, I'll go with the Rams over the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, all right, I'll go to the Rams are the Chiefs. I was really considering putting the Texans in there because I think they're balanced as well, but like the Jaguars too, and I think they'll cancel each other out. I'm gonna go with the Rams over

the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Who is your NFL m v P this year, Frank, the NFL m v P. If I had to choose one, who probably like a Tom Brady or whatever. You have to choose one. If if I was thrown down, bets, I would throw it down on either Philip Rivers or Todd Gurley. What's your pick? I gotta put it in here. I'll say Philip Rivers.

Say Philip Rivers, that's a mistake. He'll never win the MVP. Okay, I mean, if the Charges go twelve and four and he throws thirty touchdowns, he'll be the m v P. Rick, No, he won't be. You're good, Okay, that's Philips. Trading him away was the best thing that your franchise are. He's a loser. You eat your words this here, Greg, we'll find out my my NFL m v P. Um to me Aaron Rodgers. Come on, he's the favorite of plus four hundred. It's so boring, Greg, Yeah, I understand. Who

is your NFL rookie over the year. My take, Barkley, there's an offensive been a defensive offensive. I have sa Kwan, but I think a sneaky bet if some kind of injury injury were to strike the say Kwan, my Homer picked Sam Darden. Oh, you just need to get the jets in there somewhere. You have a defensive over giy in the year, you don't. I think Bradley Chubb. I think Bradley Chubb has a good chance of when a defensive Rookie of the Year playing opposite of von Miller.

There's gonna be lots of opportunities from this year. I don't really know any defensive rookies, So Ben's award, Bradley Chubb, either of the Peckers, neither of those guys. Now, I haven't I'll let you know what right now. I'll let you know right now the Rookie of the Year I haven't, haven't. I haven't found him yet. Anything else you want to pick um, No, that's pretty much it. I think you

know Philip Rivers and Todd Girl. If you're just throwing down a little bit for the MVP, plus the Rams and Chargers I believe are both plus twenty two hundreds, So you just throw it down a little bit on either one of those the chiefs that I can pull it up really quickly. Wait, show's not anything right, huh. Sprinkle Baby, Sprinkle Fantasy Football Frenzy with Corey Parson, Jim Day,

Chris Vner coming your way next. But Frankie Stample, I'm Greg sum will do it all again on a Football Friday tomorrow, we hope,