Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly, a production of iHeartRadio.
Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly source for the nation's best fantasy football advice, speculation, and whatever stupid stuff they decided to drop into the show. Now, here's your host, Paul Archi.
Everybody, it is a wild week of free agency trading, so many things to talk about. My co host today after a long layoff, Matt Harrison back, Hey buddy.
Hey charch Last time we talked, it was right ahead of the Super Bowl, and now that we're talking again, it's the super Bowl of free agent movement and just a frenzy of action this week maybe maybe one of the busiest weeks in the NFL ever.
Yeah, for sure. There's a temptation to say it every every year, like, wow, there's so much, so many things happening. No, but this is, I swear this is different, way more big. Definitely, Yeah, it really does. We're gonna highlight twenty plus guys that have moved and we'll talk through all the new spots now because we're doing twenty this is not gonna be the deepest dive you're gonna get on every one of
these guys. But Matt that my challenge to you with each guy is tell me if you think this person's situation represents an upgrade or a down grade from last year.
All right, I can do that.
I think we can do it. Let's start the quarterback position. We got five guys that I want to that I want to touch on that are all potential starters for this year, beginning with the big name, of course, Kirk Cousins now in Atlanta obviously no Justin Jefferson, and I think on that basis alone, you could consider this a downgrade for Cousins. But it's not like he doesn't have to he doesn't have weapons. You get Drake London, Kyle Pitts,
b John Robinson. Give me your thoughts on Kirk Cousins and whether or not you feel this is an upgrade or downgrade versus last year.
Well, I took a look at the way too early ADP's on Fantasy Pros right now, and Cousins was going number nineteen among quarterbacks. What wow, Okay, crazy.
He hasn't finished that low in about six seven years. That's that's wild.
Well. I so with this move, I think people are going to be all over this from a fantasy community aspect, because I think that everybody thinks that because it's Pits and London and Bijon Robinson, that because those guys were all top ten picks, automatically Cousins is in a better spot. So I think the fantasy community is gonna think he's in a better spot. I'm kind of with you. I think it's I think it's kind of a wash for
a spot. But I expect him to rise in ADP to I think he's going to be about eleventh when it all is said and done in August. I think he'll leap the guys in front of him right now that I was like, he'll jump over all these guys. It was Rogers stat effort, golf to uh, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields and Kyler Murray. And I think he jumps all of those guys.
Yeah, I think that's I think that's probably a fair assessment that ADP of nineteen had to be a lot of that's got to be pre draft. You know, we're pre trade, you know, baked in, but you didn't know where Kirk was going to end up, and you know, it could have been a much worse situation in Atlanta feels like an offense that's kind of ready to explode and take a next big step with with anything resembling competent quarterbacking because they haven't had it in so long,
that's uh. And the weapons they've got, you know, London, Pitts, and Robinson are all top They were all drafted in the like lottery pick, first round.
Right, top eight, all of them.
Yeah, right, so you know, a great opportunity for Kirk Cousins to walk in and do really no worse than he had been just no Jefferson. You know, he had Jefferson and Hockinson and Addison and those were some you know, great proven weapons. But it's easy to project London, Pitts and Robinson being roughly that good. All right, let's move over to Gardner Minshew going over to Las Vegas. As it stands at this moment, he would be your probable week one starter, but I think the Raiders likely make
a move in the draft. What are your thoughts, And you know he does have some weapons there as well, and you know, you can make a case for you know, in terms of weaponry about the same as what he had in Indianapolis. Do you view this as an upgrade or a downgrade for Gardner Minshew.
You know, I kind of look at this as as as a wash too, But if you have to put one on there, I think it's got to be an upgrade because I think he's got the opportunity to hold this job as long as he can. To me, the Raiders look like they're primed to take like the bow Knicks or Michael Pennix like in the second round and
have them as like a project quarterback. It to me, it looks like it's Gardner Minshew to DeVante Adams all day, every day in Las Vegas, all year and and if he can hold the job, and you know, Minshew's been a solid quarterback. He led the Colts to almost a playoff birth last year, and he's to me, he's like the best possible like bridge guy you can get in the league right now.
Not only DeVonta Adams but also Jacoby Myers, uh and Michael Mayer has the right to get better in your two right as a highly drafted rookie. So you know, there's you know, it's there is. I think the weaponry for Gardner Minshew is maybe even a little bit better here. You know, you know, Pittman was obviously very good downs had moments, but I feel like there's some really established good receiving talent for Gardner Minshew. Let's go to Sam Donald.
Currently your your Vikings starting quarterback, and Vikings probably put a draft pick at quarterback. Don't know where that'll be. Pick eleven's kind of a no man's land for for quarterbacks right now where the Vikings select in the NFL draft. So Donald could be your starter for Week one and beyond, but this has still got the got some areas to
change more interceptions and touchdowns throughout Sam Donald's career. Massive downgrade for Justin, Jefferson, Hockinson, and Addison now as they go from Kirk Cousins to Sam Donald at least for the moment. Or a rookie, you know, Bridge type rookie quarterback of some kind too is a possibility. What are your thoughts on Sam Donald personally? For Donald obviously a big upgrade going from a backup status to potential starter.
Well, I think the Vikings made it clear this morning when they made the trade to get pick number twenty three from the Texans that they are looking to move up. They're gonna bundle eleven and twenty three and either move up to four or five or six and get their quarterback that they want. Maybe it's even three with New
England and get one of the top three guys. So to me, I think, I think Donald is the safety valve and the backup, but it seems clear that Quasy is making moves to try to get their preferred quarterback in the future.
I think if you had to fight, you had to ask me right now who the Week one starter is, I would still have to say Sam Donald and Ntil I see them actually able to execute that trade and land their guy, which is not necessarily going to be
a given. Jacoby Brissett goes to New England, where he's at least for the moment the start her there but and should have been the starter at the end of last year after the shell shocked Sam Howell got beaten into submission over the course of a almost record setting level of sacks absorbed for him, Brissette seems unlikely to be the Week one starter. However, another scenario where picking at three New England likely goes with a quarterback.
So do you remember that the Patriots traded Brissette back in the day. So do you do you remember who they traded him for? Not anymore, no first round pick, wide receiver Philip Dorset.
Oh jesus wow. Wow.
So they the Patriots essentially got Philip Dorset for free for a while.
Really, well, that's a lateral move right there.
Yeah. I mean with mac Jones on the move to Jacksonville, I think Brissett is kind of the guy that's locked in there. And to me it it the Patriots need a lot of things to to get better, and it seems like they could go, you know what, we want to take Marvin Harrison Junior at pick three, or you
want to trade back and gather more picks. I think that there's a pretty real scenario that the Patriots go into this year and just go, we're gonna let Brissett be the quarterback this year, and we're gonna try to kind of rebuild this team with girod Mayo as the as the new coach and just kind of get that edge back before they try to go get the quarterback. So I think there's a real scenario that Brissett is the starter there.
I disagree, but we'll we'll find out as it goes. And it's obviously an upgrade for Jacoby Brissett. You know, the receiving group is so bad. Yeah do you do? Smith Schuster and Ken Kendrick Bourne and that's a that's about it. And you know for Brissette, who's played competent ball by the way throughout you know, the latter you know, the last two or three years of his career when he has been asked to play. You know, but this is uh, this might be the worst offensive football potentially.
I mean they just got Jalen Rager there in New England, right, Yeah, he's got that going for him.
Russell Wilson is your new starter in Pittsburgh and he will be the starter now after the Deontay Johnson trade. All he's got to throw to his George Pickens. Other than that, it's Des Fitzpatrick and Calvin Austin and maybe Pat Fryarmouth makes a step forward. Should be guard now. The Russ has never seemed to prioritize tight ends, has he I'm trying to leave, has any tight end just blossomed with Russell Wilson a quarterback.
Jimmy Graham in the Seahawks day, didn't he go back?
Didn't he kind of go backwards from where he was with the Saints.
Yeah, probably, I think so. I mean, if you ask me, it's the biggest winner in free agency so far as George Pickens right he got a upgrade at quarterback and he his co wide receiver one got shipped out of town. It seems like two hundred targets are a lock for George Fons right now.
So for Russell Wilson, is this an upgrade or a downgrade from where he was last year in Denver?
You know, it's probably a down grade. Well, you know what, I think it's an upgrade. I think just a fresh scenario for him. It never was working in Denver, and the wide receivers were obviously overrated because we're going to talk about Jerry Judy getting moved in the not too distant future. But you know, I think with the running game and the way that the Steelers are just gonna play and play bully ball, I think it's probably a
little bit of an upgrade for Russell Wilson. But he still won't be on many of my teams.
I'm on downgrade, But just because Courtland Sutton is so good and way better than what George Pickens has shown himself to be. But I do like the idea that Wilson's gonna play with a on his shoulder in a way that he never has before. I mean, he's playing for the veteran minimum. He got ignominiously thrown aside by his old team. I'm really curious to see how how this ends up working, and if it works at all,
I guess we'll we'll find out. Let's let's work in a quick break, Matt, Let's come back and talk running backs. Dus just I don't I can't remember so many big name running backs changing spots. We'll check in on Derrick Henry and all the rest when we come back. Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly, Paul Charchie and Matt Harris And Matt, you've already updated cheat sheets at Shock Fantasy.
Yeah, the the latest cheat sheet will be fresh up on the site later today Friday. So yeah, we're going to have the dynasty angles all covered for you. And I think I think I'm excited about making some dynasty trades right now. Yeah.
It's always a good time. It's always a good opportunity, isn't it. Because everybody in this week this is like the buzziest week of the whole offseason until training camp starts, and so a lot of opportunity to sort of get ahead of the curve on some of the big players that have moved, like Derreck Henry. Let's talk about him as he goes to Baltimore. I think this is an upgrade for Derrick Henry because you get a better offensive line. This is the PFF's six best run blocking offensive line
in Baltimore. He's got a potential thunder and lightning situation with Keaton Mitchell. But he's coming off the ACL in December. You know, his status very much up in the air. So this thing could be a Derek Henry could be your lead workhorse back at least for the beginning part of the season, and I'm really intriguing. I feel like this is one of the best possible landing spots for Derrick Henry.
I do too. I think it's the biggest boom or bust play in fantasy for the twenty twenty fourth season too. So Henry was PFF's number five graded running back last year, and what everybody kind of thought was a down year, he did pretty well. But I will note over the last six seasons. He's averaging two hundred and ninety carries per year, and in twenty twenty one, the year that he got hurt and missed eight games, he was on pace for four hundred and thirty eight carries that year.
He's got so much mileage. I know right now that that's the thing that just really worries me. For a thirty year old running back coming in on his eighth season, this will be his ninth season. Actually, yeah, I'm just a little nervous that it could be over real quick.
It could.
It could.
I mean, he didn't look like the same guy this past year, and you know, we know the end is coming. It's just how close can we can we grind out one more good season of Derrick Henry? And I want to believe you can.
This definitely isn't prime Derrick Henry. And I think people are going to draft him like it is prime Derrick Henry, and he's gonna be like the fifth or sixth running back off the board next year. But man, that that just seems scary to me.
He could still be sitting at twelve fourteen touchdowns though, just you know, even if he's not great, you know, even if he's four yards per carry with a good offensive line, all the other threats that defenses have to account for, including of course Lamar Jackson, and knowing that they don't use Lamar Jackson at the stripe Derek Henry obviously, you know, build perfectly for goal line. Use one of the best players that way. Ever, man, he could still be sitting on double digit touchdowns.
I agree. That's why it's going to be boom or bust. If he can stay healthy and stay on the field the whole year, with all the miles he's got on those legs, I think it could be he could be the number one running back in fantasy next year. Deandre's downside is he could he could be just destroyed.
It could be, it could be completely spent. At this point, DeAndre Swift gets a sizeable downgrade in my mind, going from the lead back in a powerful offense like the Eagles, now he goes to Chicago where he's in a muddy time share with Khalil Herbert and Roshawn Johnson. They're likely going to start over with a rookie quarterback who's going to learn on the job. This feels like a pretty sizable downgrade for DeAndre Swift to me, this is.
I mean, we're gonna start getting into a lot of these running backs. A lot of these running backs were graded pretty poorly by Pro Football Focus last year. Surprisingly, DeAndre Swift twenty seventh graded running back behind guys like AJ Dillon and Tyler l Jeer and Cheuba Hubbard. He's behind those guys. So here's why I think that this could be an upgrade. Though he was just completely blocked from ever scoring touchdowns. That is true. He only had
five rushing touchdowns last year. He had to break all those from deep. I think that the Bears are going to give Swift the opportunity to be a goal line back, something he wasn't in Detroit, something he wasn't in Philly. He's got an opportunity here that we've never seen him.
Have Zack moscoes to Cincinnati and a fascinating move for Zack Moss. He'll have to battle Chase Brown, who had some moments where he looked really he looked really good and he had some big plays for Cincinnati. But with Joe Mixon gone to Houston, we'll talk about him in a second. I think this is a this is an upgrade. Opportunity.
Zack Moss, who looked really good with Indy went in that first portion of the season before Jonathan Taylor came back, and head coach Zach Taylor usually has a workhorse back and he's not been a committee guy. I think Zach Mosks rolls in as the probable workhorse for week one. I see it as an upgrade. How do you see it?
Well, yeah, that's kind of what I was wondering. This offense has featured one back, but basically since Joe Mixon got there, and is Chase Brown the chosen one or Zack Moss the chosen one? That'll be the interesting thing is we near Jill in August to see how they treat these guys in training camp, to see who's playing in preseason games and how they're playing, to hear all the coach speak coming out of camp. To me right now, it's buyer beware on Zach Moss, just because I don't
know what I'm getting into. It could easily be Chase Brown's backfield.
Let's go to Joe Mixon, who then goes to Houston. This was a baffling move for Houston. Hated their decision making on this to let Devin Singletary go and we'll talk more about him in a minute, and then give a three year contract to Joe Mixon who just looked washed up and ineffective last year. Plus Houston ranked twenty fifth and rushes per game and either heavily pass oriented. I can't. I don't see m And I love the Texans.
They're like my second favorite team. I love what they've built, and there's so many things I love about what they're doing offensively defensively. But man, this is just such an uninspired, baffling move. I don't like it. But it's as for Joe Mixon personally, I think it might represent an actual upgrade over what he had in Cincinnati and how he looked in and that team last year. What do you think about Joe Mixon here?
I think it might be a downgrade. And here's why. There was a great tweet out there by Scott and Barrett, And one of the things that Barrett cited in this tweet is Bobby Slowek has a Shanahan influenced zone running scheme, and both Damian Pierce and Joe Mixon, while playing in man gap concept runs, they were both over four yards per carry but both were at least twenty percent worse in zone concept runs in the last two years. Joe Mixon a three point three yards per carry, Damian Pierce
the three point four yards per carry. So this just might be the wrong scheme for him. Maybe Joe Mixon is talented enough to overcome.
It, but I don't think so.
To me, Man, I just think that this might be an issue, and it could be a Pierce mix and split backfield. We could see Joe Mixon getting eleven twelve carries a game. That's it. And once you do that and we're having CJ. Stroud chuck the ball over the field, I think it's gonna be. I think it's just gonna be almost like the old Houston Oilers, and it's gonna be four wide receivers. Let's chuck the ball, run.
And shoot coming back. Let's go to Josh Jacobs as he moves to Green Bay in a bit of a surprise move. Overall, he gets a much better total offense with the Packers. The improbable signing re signing of AJ Dillon, which I did not see coming. I thought they were finally going to wash their hands of him. I don't think that impacts Josh Jacobs a lot. But Matt Lafleur has never used a workhorse back. He's always been a rotation guy. So Jacobs comes in off his worst season
by a mile, but still pretty young. I think he's twenty six years old. Green Bay not a great run blocking offensive line, the ranked twenty third and run blocking by Pro Football Focus sixteenth and run block win rate, so kind of middle of the pack, lower middle of the pack. But maybe Jacobs, who's always been a workhorse, maybe he'll be a workhorse here too. What are your thoughts on Jacobs is this? I think I view this
as an upgrade over his situation last year. Do you view it as an upgrade or a downgrade?
Well, it's got to be an upgrade just because Las Vegas just botched the offense seemingly all year. Last year. However, Jacobs, who was in twenty twenty two the top top rushing running back in the league. He was the number thirty one Pro Football Focus graded running back last year, and by the way, the Packers just jetted the number six ranked running back, Aaron Jones. So it could be that Aaron Jones, even though he's three years older, he might
have just been the better running back. And is Josh Jacobs just walking into an Aaron Jones role where it's like a sixty forty split with AJ Dillon. There seems like they know what they want him to do, they know what part of that offense they want him to be. So I just think that he's walking into a split backfield situation and he might not be as good as Aaron Jones.
Let's go to Aaron Jones goes to Minnesota. Yeah, Now, I think what hurts Aaron Jones here is Kevin O'Connell just doesn't run much. He's ranked twenty eighth and thirtieth in rushing attempts the past two years. Jones will open up some passing opportunities, but Kevin O'Connell hasn't thrown the running backs in the past either, Dalvin Cook, who was a capable receiver two years ago just thirty nine receptions, and last year Alexander Madison, who's not as good to
receiver just thirty catches. You know, Jones is better than any of those in both past protection and as a receiver, but I'm not sure that you know Kevin O'Connell hasn't shown a propensity to want to unlock that part of his running backs. I view this as a slight downgrade from last year for Aaron Jones.
How do you see it? You know, I think it might be an upgrade because we've seen two years of Kevin O'Connell and he had Dalvin Cook, who obviously, I mean pun intended, was kind of cooked. Like the Vikings knew at the end of the year, the metrics all said it. He just wasn't himself anymore in his last year in Minnesota, and Alexander Madison was the epitome of just a guy. He was a warm body out there.
Ty Chandler took over for him in the later part of the season, and Kevin O'Connell really hasn't had a good running back. If Aaron Jones shows anything, he might be the best running back that Kevin O'Connell's had as a head coach so far. And I think that having Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison and t J. Hawkinson when he comes back, I think that'll help open up the field for Aaron Jones and I think that they might
run a little bit more this year. And it's a one year deal for Jones in Minnesota, So they could just run him into the ground. They could just go, we're gonna give you two hundred and fifty carries this year. Have at it, bud Well.
I think he'd break down on that many because he gets hurt every year. So that's that. I think that's the other part way. I don't think he can be a workhorse back because you know, the history suggests that that he'll end up getting hurt. The knees, the constant knee injuries. I want to touch briefly and Gus Edwards. As the Charges have roomade their entire offense, I mean, no longer Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Eckler. Oh god, I mean this is you know, it is such a
different offense. Gus Edwards walks into a very possible starting role. He only has to beat out Isaiah Spiller to win the starting job. I think, I think the Chargers are primed to draft a running back, but in the moment, they haven't done that yet, and Gus Edwards is the presumed starter.
Yeah, and don't you think that this is quite obvious, Like Jim Harbaugh is gonna draft Blake Koram In like the third round. It does feel.
It does feel that way, doesn't it.
Yes, But you know, I think Edwards is I mean, right now, he's the only guy getting touches on the Chargers offense. There's no wide receivers to compete with. He already beat Isaiah Spiller just by showing up. There's there's nothing else right now. And you know, you know, the Chargers are definitely gonna draft somebody in probably the second
day or third day of the NFL Draft. But Gus Edwards surprisingly pretty decent twenty one last year on Pro Football, focuses rankings, so and he knows the staff well with it, with some Harbaugh remnants there in the I always want to call him the Clippers, LA see the Chargers. So let's go over to Austin James Harden. He's got Kawhi Leonard.
Let's go to Austin Eckler. Since we just mentioned him, he now goes to Washington. This is I think a pretty sizable downgrade in total total offense and probable role he's I think he becomes the receiving back with Brian Robinson as the lead back. Although Robinson it's not good. So maybe Eckler gets a bigger role than I think. But the offensive line also in Washington bad mediocre at best. I think they're bad. Watching well, far too much Commanders
football last year. I see Eckler as a as a change of pace pass catching guy, and you an ideal scenario could catch fifty passes in the season. But I just don't like the totality of that offense very much, and I'm worried about Eckler being more than just a flex level running back this year. You see this as the same downgrade I see it as.
Yeah, I see it as a downgrade definitely for Eckler personally, but I think it might it might help him because he definitely was wearing down being the lead back in Los Angeles over the last few years. And this might look almost more like when Melvin Gordon was kind of the lead back for the Chargers and Eckler was the change of pace guy, and Eckler was, you know, still a quality player at that point and a flex level starter. So that's the hope. But there's a lot of moving
pieces in Washington. There's a new head coach, Cliff Kingsbury is the new offensive coordinator. They're going to have a new quarterback at two, So a lot of different things are gonna fall here, and it's going to be very interesting to see how this all works out.
Let's go to Devin Singletary, who migrates over to the Giants. I again don't understand what Houston did here. They were able to utilize Singletary, you know, once they basically locked in on Singletary after Thanksgiving last year, the high usage rate, and I thought he looked pretty good doing most of the things that they wanted him to do. But then he goes they let Singletary walk, he goes to the Giants,
where everything's worse. I think this is a downgrade, right, Your quarterback is worse with the Giants, Your offensive line somehow worse than Houston, which is saying a lot wide receivers, just the whole offense worse. I just I don't love this move for anybody involved. I see it as a downgrade for Singletary.
Do you feel differently, I mean, the whole offense is definitely a word, that's definitely a downgrade. But the opportunity here, I think the opportunity here is really interesting. With Saquon Gone, I think Devin Singletary pops into almost a Saquon like role in a Brian Daball offense. And by the way, those two know each other from Buffalo when they were back there together. If Dabele thought Singletary was just a lame player, he wouldn't have brought him in.
So Yeah, but he didn't use him in Buffalo very much at all. He was just a rotational guy for day ball in Buffalo.
Yeah, I think that's true. But I kind of like this. I think this one's sneaky unless the Giants draft a running back. I think Singletary, out of all of these guys, might have the ability to be kind of like the sneaky bell cow out of this bunch.
Saquon Barkley, obviously gone from the Giants, goes over to Philadelphia, hated rival and really a surprise move I think in the minds of Benny So he goes from extremely high utilization in New York where he was basically the whole offense when Daniel Jones went down to a probable time share back in Philly because that's what they always have. Last year, Philadelphia running backs combined for seventy five receptions.
I like that Barkley could be sitting on a forty to fifty receiving yard year of reception year, and that part I like. But you know, we know that you have the downside of your quarterback housing your touchdowns anything up close. All the easy touchdowns get siphoned off to Jalen Hurts. That's a downer. I think almost every part of this is down grade other than offensive line for Saquon Barkley.
I don't know how you can think this is a downgrade. He went from a horrible Giants offensive line with no quarterback to a quarterback that is mobile and can move around. And really, who's he fighting with Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott for touches. They didn't bring in Saquon Barkley to give touches to Kenneth Gainwell. They brought him into carry the load here. I think he's gonna be a I think he's gonna be a bell cow here. But I have the same concern that you do. Will he get
the carries inside the five? I think that that's the biggest issue. The tush push has been so good for the Eagles, and Jalen Hurts has scored so many touchdowns on the ground that I kind of wonder are they bringing in Barkley because they think they can take some hits off of Jalen Hurts, Will will the the tush push work without Jason kelcey? Uh? I think I think
those are both both interesting things. So I think it's an upgrade for Barkley and I think that his stock is going to continue to rise throughout the offseason.
Tony Pollard gets I think will agree on this one a downgrade as he goes to Tennessee where he's gonna have to battle Tai J. Spears for time. Spears look dynamic, fast. I like him better as a sophomore potentially for doing a lot of the nuanced work do you want your running back to do? And last year prove that poly can't be a workhorse. So now he's he's back in a back in the time share a little bit like he was with Zeke a couple of years ago, where
Pollard was effective. But the totality of the Tennessee offense is a major bummer here, and I see, I think Spears is just playing better right now than Tony Bollard is.
Yeah, I think that there's no way that you can look at this and think that Pollard's going to get anything better than a fifty to fifty split here, right, Yeah, it just it just seems to me that they're going to try to have two guys, and they're gonna try to utilize them in different ways and try to keep them both fresh. So unfortunately, I think it's kind of a bummer for both Spears and Pollard because I think it makes it very difficult to feel confident in starting
either one of them in fantasy games. I was.
I acquired Spears in so many leagues last year, Dynasty and Empire leagues under the assumption that Henry was going to leave, which he did, and that Spears would have an opportunity to have a big role in this offense. Now I'm not so sure nervous about that. Let's take a break. When we come back wide receiver moves. We've got a handful of guys to talk through, including Marquise Brown, new Kansas City Chief. Let's talk through that and when
we come back. All right, Matt, you're ready to roll up your sleeves and wide outs.
Oh they're already rolled up. Let's go.
Yeah, I'm wearing short sleeves. That's how rolled up mine are. I almost didn't want to spend you know, we got to pick and choose our battles here. Let's just spend a second on Darnell Mooney, who goes to from Chicago to Atlanta where he gets a big upgrading quarterback, you know, right from fields to cousins, from passing acumen. It's not close. But he also drops to fourth or fifth in the pecking order for balls thrown his way for targets, and that worries me about Darnell.
Mooney well, and then they traded for ronde All Moore too, And I think those are two like completely perfect guys that defenses will have to account for, but fantasy players won't have to put on their rocks because they're they're never gonna get more than like three or four targets per game. They're just there to be decoy's draw the defenses away from Pitts in London. I think that it's a perfect landing spot for both, but not if you want to play them in fantasy.
Downgrade we agree, And you know what are is Rondell Moore gonna have three good games this year? Yes, is Darnel Mooney gonna have three good games this year. Yes, good luck finding when those are gonna happen. And and why would you roster those guys all season waiting for those those three games?
Yeah? At best, both of those guys are just best ball league flyers at the tail Indio draft.
Well, stated Deontay Johnson goes to Carolina. I'll be interested with whether or not you think this is an upgrade. Similar skill set to Adam Thielen, but we'll certainly start along with Adam Thielen. Bryce Young Scott the potential to be better than any quarterback that Deontay Johnson has had since Ben Roethlisberger if he improves, and I think you will, you know, presumably better coaching and Bryce second year for
Bryce Young, he'll get a little better. Do you think this is an upgrade or downgrade for Deontay Johnson?
You know, I kind of think it's an upgrade. I think that Bryce Young has to be better than Kenny Pickett. The Panthers did invest into two guards for their offensive line, so that should give him a little bit more time. And with both Johnson and Feelin out there, and Bryce Young hasn't been a guy who's like been looking for that downfield threat. Right now, it looks like the Panthers are going to kind of dink and dunk their way
down the field. It seems like each of these guys might be sitting on, you know, a hundred receptions this year, but they're all gonna be short. They're all gonna be within five yards of the line of scrimmage. And I think that that's the way Caroline is gonna play it and see if Deonta and Theelan can you know, use their skills to get past and to win some extra yardage.
Let's go to Jerry Judy gets traded to Cleveland. This is not a surprise. There was talk of him being traded at the deadline last year and then he kind of got iced out of the offense and he was in the doghouse. Sean Payton's doghouse is a freaking mansion. It is epically large, and once you're in it, there's no there's no reversing your way out of as Sean Payton doghouse. Now, what's interesting about this landing spot in Cleveland? Matt Jerry Judy runs primarily from the slot, so does
Elijah Moore. And while both of them can run outside, and they do run outside routes. You've always have felt like both of them have a natural position in the slot. Also in the into the consideration for Jerry Judy is he goes from Russell Wilson to Deshaun Watson. And I'm not sure if that's an upgrade or downgrade. It feels like roughly a lateral moved. I'm not a Deshaun Watson guy, even as a passer. So what are your thoughts here
on Jerry Judy? Is this an upgrade or a downgrade as he goes to Cleveland?
I mean it's from the doghouse to the dog pound? Right? Oh? Good?
Well, yeah, very nicely done. Nicely.
The Browns give up almost nothing to just kick the tires on Jerry Judy for a while. I mean the Browns have you know, Elijah Moore was a was a high draft pick, Marii Cooper was a high draft pick, and Jerry Judy was a high draft pick. And now they've acquired all three of these guys for you know, late round flyers. I kind of dig the way that they're just kind of checking out these guys and just trying to build an offense around in a cheap way, and they really have to with all the collateral they
gave up to get to Shaun Watson. Problem is, I think that you kind of stated it is Deshaun Watson any good. I don't know. I don't know if he is. I don't know if he's an upgrade over Russell Wilson right now. In fact, if I a whole between the two, I'd probably probably take Russell Wilson right now.
I can't say. I can't say that I blame you. I think the whole you know, obviously, Deshaun Watson was a good passer with Houston. I just think the whole, that whole two years just sort of broke him. And maybe he can come back from that psychologically, but I need to see it first. Speaking of broken players, Gabe Davis killing fantasy owners with a season that somehow last year was even more all or nothing than the previous ones. He'll fill in Jacksonville, he'll fill the void left by
Calvin Ridley, but I don't feel like he's that. Gabe Davis is any safer in Jacksonville then he was in Buffalo. He gets a downgraded quarterback, not that Trevor Lawrence is bad. Obviously, he's not bad, but he's not Josh Allen, who has one of the great long ball arms in the league. And that's Gabe Davis's deal. It's catching long bombs. So to me, this feels like a downgrade. Do you see the Gabe Davis moved to Jacksonville and he differently mat.
Yeah, I think it's a downgrade too. I mean, he replaces Ridley, but really what happened is Christian Kirk just took his number one wide receiver role back in that offense, and I think I think it's Kirk's offense, and I think Gabe Davis is just gonna be Gabe Davis. He's gonna pop off every once in a while and have a good game, and he's probably not gonna be very startable. He's another best ballflyer me.
Marquise Brown goes to Kansas City, where he might be the biggest gainer that we talk about out of this whole list. I think he brings speed back to the Chiefs wide receiver group. Always been a super streaky producer where you'd have a run of like three, three or four really good games and you're like, oh, it's starting to click for Marquis Brown, and then he'd go on like a half season long dry spell. Oh guy, killing fantasy owners. So the question matt Is can Andy Reid
and Patrick Mahomes help Marquise Brown gain consistency? Upgrade or downgrade for Marquis Brown, gotta be an upgrade.
It's one hundred percent in upgrade. Kansas City kind of just decided a while ago that they were going to try to gather up all the wide receivers in the league, and now they finally shed some of that dead weight with like Marquez Valdez scambling leaving and a few others. I think Marquis Brown is now like the solid wide receiver two there, and they might actually just be rolling out with two or three wide receivers instead of rotating six or seven into the game. So he signed there
in a one year deal. It's definitely a prove it deal. He's had one hundred targets in each of his last four seasons. Give him a hundred Patrick Mahomes targets now and see what he does with them. Yeah, it's going to be I Yeah, I think that we're looking at eighty catches and at least a thousand yards for Marquise Brown, and he's got the ability to break six or seven touchdowns.
So somebody in your league's going to draft him in the third round.
Marquise Brown in the third round, yep.
I think in every league you get twelve guys together, one of those twelve is going to be so tantalized by the upside of Marquise Brown catching balls from Patrick Mahomes that somebody's gonna take him that early.
Man.
I just think that there's so many good wide receivers right now that I mean, everybody knows that he's going to be the number two there, but I mean you're looking at him, you know, probably right around the twenty fourth, twenty fifth wide receiver off the board that should be right there, like Mike Evans, DK Metcalf, Tank Dell, DeVonta Smith, Amari Cooper, Drake London, like those guys are better than Marquis prot I.
Think so too. I just I just think somebody's I think in every league somebody's going to be really fascinated by and we'll find out. Calvin Ridley goes to Tennessee in what I view as a downgrade and a bad contract. I hate this move by Tennessee. You got you don't have into solution at quarterback. You sign a guy who was highly inconsistent last year to four years ninety two million, fifty million guaranteed. He goes from Trevor Lawrence to Will Levis at least the time being for Calvin Ridley.
Get this.
I got a great Calvin Ridley stat for you. He finished as a top ten wide out six games last year. Man in the other eleven games he averaged wide receiver fifty five with an average line of three catches for thirty six yards and zero point one touchdowns. That was it was? You know did he brought zero consistency to the Jacksonville offense and now he goes to undisputably a worse passing offense in Tennessee. I see this as a downgrade, do you yeah?
Absolutely? His Pro Football Focus grade he graded out similarly to Jacoby Myers, Elijah Moore's, Zey Flowers, Adam Felen. Those are the types of guys that you signed for like mid level contracts, and they just signed Calvin Ridley to premium money. And I think that that's just a big mistake. I don't think the Titans know what they're doing, and I think that they're going to be selecting a quarterback next year, very high in the NFL Draft.
Well by next year, we could be in April. I mean they could be going quarterback. What are they their pick?
The seven seven?
Yeah, that could that could be a quarterback selection right there. Final guy to talk about Keenan Allen in a shocker that really disappointed me. I wanted Keenan Allen to end his career where he started it, Hall of Fame level career. I wanted him to start and finish his career with the Chargers. I'm disappointed that this happened to him, and I you know, I don't know if it's something that
Keenan Allen wanted. Maybe he didn't want to be part of the Jim Harbaugh reboot, so maybe it's something that he wanted. But I just I love it when Hall of famers finished with their career where they started it. He goes to Chicago, where presumably he'll be matched with Caleb Williams, wh will learn on the job. And the great thing about Keenan Allen is he'll be exactly where you're supposed to be on the route and he'll catch
everything that they throw to him. And for a young quarterback, that is a that is a luxury to have somebody like Keenan Allen. But from a pure fantasy standpoint, I view this as a as a down grade move from where he was as Justin Herbert's lead lead receiver last year.
Yeah, I do too. He also turned thirty one in April, and he missed four games last year due to injury and seven the year before after pretty much having like a mostly injury free prior like eight or nine seasons. So I'm a little nervous that the age is catching up to him. But he's a just a route technician and his hands are as good as can be, So if he stays healthy, he's he's pretty much a lock for one hundred catches, don't you think.
Yeah, if you told me he's gonna get well hundreds a lot. Yeah, if you told me I'm gonna get seventeen games, then yes, I think he'd probably get there. But that's just I just don't think Keenan Allen is a seventeen game a season guy anymore. And you know, Chicago, look Chicago's on Chicago looks like a very promising overall offense, but bringing in an aged veteran to me still it feels like a bit of an odd move for them.
But again, he'll offer some value for Caleb Williams and that we love that part, all right, Matt, great job. We had a lot of fun talking through all these guys and it's just so much movement. Heads heads on a swivel, right, just like what is happening unbelievable every day.
The rest of the day today. I mean, I know we're recording this, you know, Friday around lunchtime, and by the time that people hear this, there could be six more moves today, So yest we better hit the button and get this one out. But I did want to note charts, there were no real good tight end movers. But your boy John U Smith is Miami. How do you feel about John who in Miami?
Well, it was the perfect landing spot for him. I mean, other than the fact that they've got other good receivers are gonna get most of the balls, but that is a I love. The athletic profile for John new Smith has always been off the charts, and they covet that in Miami. Man, do they love their their guys who are speed athletes, and that's what John who Smith is at the tight end position. So I'm really optimistic about John who Smith. You have a shock to learn.
Where's John Who's gonna rank next year? Too? Is he gonna too?
I'll tell you what I'm gonna John who Smith is my second tight end in a lot of leagues. I'll tell you that much. Absolutely, I have not refreshed my rankings, but I suspect he's gonna clock in and you have I think I'm gonna have him around tight end fifteen sixteen. Where do you Where do you have him right now?
Uh? Well, I don't have him in my redraft ranks yet. I just have him on on dynasty ranks. But okay, I think he's in the same range right now on the dynasty side. But I'm shocked that you're saying fifteen or sixteen and you're not eight right outside top ten there. And I think by by the time July and August comes, you will have him in the top ten. That is that way, that is very you're going to talk yourself into.
It me talk myself into some guy who I love the athletic profile on. Yeah, I can't imagine that happening. Uh. Thanks, Thanks Matt, it's been a ton of fun. Next week, we're going to go back to Thorne Eystrom and break down the rookie running back class next week. So very excited for that, and we encourage you to as always subscribe, keep listening to Fantasy Football Weekly all off season, and we'll talk to you soon, everybody. Fantasy Football Weekly is
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