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 decide to drop into the show. Now, here's your host, Paul Chargian.
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly. I am Paul Charchion, my co host, as he has been the last several weeks.
Kent Wyrock.
Hey, how are we doing, Paul, glad to be back.
Yeah, and welcome to the divisions. Welcome to the kitchen. Yeah, that's so, we're out of the closet.
We've come out of the closet and now we are in my kitchen.
We both got a little bit more space this week, so I think that's going to give us some room to breathe in terms of analysis and everything.
Yeah, that's great. I hope so too. I hope so too.
You know, for those I think the regular listeners know, in the middle of a move to Utah, I'm back in Minnesota. So we get for the moment anyway, so we get to we get to see each other face to face. We've done a lot of episodes of Fantasy Football Weekly for.
My kitchen, Kent. Yeah, I can imagine.
Yeah, there's a lot of history here and the smell of Matt Harrison is is still seeped into many of these barstools at the kitchen.
You know, I thought I picked that up when I walked in. I didn't want to say anything about it because you don't respect him and all that.
But no, yeah you walk in, you go sad Harrison. What's he doing here?
Yeah? Yeah, it lingers.
It takes a while, yes, for all that. Absolutely, Absolutely, Today we're breaking down what's new in the AFC and NFC South Kent and and by the way, before we start breaking down teams and what's new in the off season for each of these teams, and you know.
What we like, what we don't like.
Tush Push got officially voted down. I thought it was going to pass, and it almost did. I think it was like three short, shy, three votes shy. Obviously, Jalen Hurts is the huge beneficiary of this, and Saquon Barkley without the tush pus, Saquon Barkley, who was already going first in a lot of drafts for many people, I think it would have been first with a bullet at
that point. But you know now you know, now you know that erases twelve twelve rushing touchdowns that you know could have potentially gone to Barkley.
Well that's what we thought.
But last year Barkley did just find in the rushing touchdown category. So but you know, like we talked about last week, we saw that offense kind of go up to their stealing. We believe maybe so if they drop it down a little bit, that could be Barkley, who's the one suffering for sure?
Yeah, it could be, it could be.
You know, I'm still I was totally wrong at Barkley last year. I was like, Hey, if your quarterback is going to steal thirteen fourteen touchdowns, how does that? Where does that leave you? And I was nervous about Barkley. Totally wrong.
Now watched this year.
It'll end up happening. We'll find out, I hope not. We want good things for everybody, and that offense can feed more than one player. But interesting to note that that happened didn't have to change any rankings, which is which is really nice. And you can already find early season rankings at fantasylife dot com, which we encourage you to do a right Let's jump into the AFC South Kent. You are up first with Indianapolis, a team that in an offense that worries me at the quarterback position quite
a bit. They brought in Daniel Jones to either compete with or be the fallback plan for Anthony Richardson.
Yeah.
I mean, I don't know if they're going with golf scoring for how good their quarterbacks are going to be. But it's a bad challenging against bad here, So I'm gonna actually start at the top with the coaching changes. There's not a lot on the offensive side of the ball, but Gus Bradley was fired as defensive coordinator and they brought in lou Aron Umo. I believe I'm pronouncing that correct.
So this was a bottom ten offense last year and that's why Bradley was canned ultimately, But I think it's distinction without difference here because ana Arumo was also bottom ten four of the six years when he was with the Bengals. So if we're going to have any additional opportunity on the fantasy, you know, offensive side of the ball from the defense being bad, that's still in play. So you have that there, and then you know, in front of the quarterback, something that comes into play in
all phases of the game. Ryan Kelly and Will Fryes lost to in free agency, both to the Vikings.
So and this is a real loss.
I mean, yeah, well talking about this is the Vikings is one of the most improved offensive lines of football the Bears. But that you know, to come with that, this certainly hurts the Colts too.
Oh yeah, definitely.
And so the new center is expected to be Tanner Bordolini and he's a twenty twenty four fourth rounder showd promise but just limited action. Hasn't really done much yet in the league. And then right guard is Matt Gonclaves. He struggled but was coming off the bench. He filled in at left and right tackle last year, but now he's at right guard. So they've got a little bit of a mix up on the interior. I think that's going to a lot of challenging for Anthony Richards if
you face like pressure up the middle. So it's a tough look. But you know, going over to the quarterback position, honestly, the bigger news is they lost Joe Flacco, and that is saying something he's an agents wonder. I mean, his last couple of years, both in Cleveland and then up in Indianapolis, they've been really resurgent for him. So it's been a lot of fun to watch. But now he's north of forty, I think his time's finally done. Yeah,
they did bring in Daniel Jones. He hasn't had a touchdown rate above three point two percent since his rookie year or fifteen touchdowns. He absolutely does not have the.
Stuff, but that doesn't mean Richardson does.
No And I was just about to get to that.
I mean, you you have kind of the mystery box with Anthony Richardson, and I think that's the only thing you can hope for at this point. If you're switching over to Daniel Jones, that's a lost season. You have absolutely nothing to gain from that transaction. So it'll be interesting to see if they do make a switch at any point this year. They will, but you know, it's it's a lost loss situation in my opinion.
Well, you know, they made the switch last year and then everybody ever and I would have made the switch too. I was absolutely on board with the sich Richardson just was he was giving away wins, but the mentality seemed to have been, well, Okay, we're okay giving away wins because we want we want a longer look at Anthony Richardson.
Well, how long can you do that? You know it's sooner or later.
Your coaches have to protect their own job. I mean this, at the end of the day, you have to have wins. I'm I'm really really nervous about this offense. And you know the degree to with Anthony Richardson has to get better is dramatic. If Shane Stikeen is going to remain the head coach.
Yeah, and you know that that could not last very long either. He could be on the outs too if this season goes down in flames, which is very very possible.
All right, let's go to the tight end position. Tyler Warren is another notable change for this year.
Absolutely, it's a big addition. It's an improvement to the receiving corps. You know, they've gone through kind of the Will Moley Cox uh be the one careful to be through and to fulfill his sleeper status, but he never did. They resign him due to some cheap deal. He's he's on the back burner now. It's Tyler Warren's tight end room. And uh, you know, he's joining the same receiving corps of receivers that they had last year, so they at least have some continuity in the passing room with the
addition of Tyler Warren. So there's some improvement there. But the the the off said from the offensive line scares me a little bit more. And on the rushing side of the ball, if we looked at that, they you know, they have Jonathan Taylor, who's obviously great, but in terms of the backup or depth behind him situation, they had
Trace Sermon last year who was nothing. They dropped him, and they signed Khalil Herbert in free agency, who has had times periods where he looked like he could be a viable fantasy football running back but ultimately kind of fell short and wasn't able to give you any kind of consistent play. So it's They also drafted DJ Giddens in the fifth round. And I know that you and Thor like Giinn's I looked that up a little bit to make sure you know, I knew where you guys
were coming from on this. But he has an opportunity to climb the depth chart here. I think it's it's wide open behind Jonathan Taylor, but ultimately it's a handcuff situation at best.
Herbert is a nice all around utility guy, but he's not a splashy player.
And I'm very glad you didn't that.
Jelannie Woods did not catch a straight from you. I thought you were going to take a shot at my guy. I've been waiting for the breakout year for Johnny Woods for three seasons now, and my I want to believe there's some alternate reality right now where Jolnnie Woods is so good this team to not draft Tyler Warren, but Warren will be the starter and potentially an important piece of this offense because Michael Pierce are Alex Pierce and Michael Pittman and Josh Downs.
You know that's it. They're not bad, They're fine.
Yeah, there's no truly lead one here, And honestly, Tyler one could end up being the top targeted receiver in this group if we're being honest. Yeah, it'd be probably a low end outcome, but certainly in the in the range of possibilities. So overall, this team is in a worse situation just from the sake of the offensive line. It's gonna hurt the rushing, it's gonna hurt the passing, and they don't have a quarterback situation to account for
that either. So unless there's some huge strides in Anthony Richardson's game, it's it's much worse.
That's much I think this is. This team's in trouble, This offense is in trouble, and this is a stay away offense for me. A lot of people love Josh Downs, A lot of smart people football people think Josh Downs is a really good player who's been in a bad situation. We'll see maybe make a little more impact here. Let's go over to Tennessee. No meaningful changes, can't at running back or tight end, so nothing to really talk about there at all. Cam Ward will be your opening day starter.
And all I want, all I want from a Tennessee quarterback at this point is just give me stability, just you know, don't give games away and throw Hail Mary balls for interceptions. If he just brings stability in your one, that's a win for a lot of Tennessee fantasy players. And you know, Will Levis just spraying wobblers all over the field.
Was ugly last year.
Cam Ward, We've already broken broken him down on other shows. You know, you saw him in the draft, so you already know a lot about it. I'm not gonna spend a ton of time on him here, but high IQ player, lots of pre snap adjustments, good decision making, which is very important. He's got a good arm. He can be an aggressive passer without turning the ball over. So he's basically everything Will Levis isn't. For the most part, I don't think he's going to be a regular Fantasy contributor.
Definitely not this year in my mind for cam Ward Kent, and I'm not sure in the future either. He brings no rushing to the table the past, the arm, and the skill set for the quarterback position is good, not great. Had cam Ward been in last year's draft class, he would have been the seventh.
Quarterback off the board potentially for sure.
Yeah, so you know, I just you know, all I want here is just have somebody who who can put the rest of my Titans on the map and not erase those players. A couple of updates from the wide receiver room in Tennessee Kent Tyler Lockett's going to try to wring one more season out of his thirty two year old body.
He's going to turn thirty three in season.
You know, he just keeps going. I tried to kind of predict the downfall in a way that you're talking about him right now, but he seems to just keep performing in a solid NFL way.
If not.
Fantasy got phased out of the Seattle offense largely last year as Jackson Smith and Jigba got more and more and more attention. It all came out of Tyler Lockett's productivity. But no such problem here because this is a thin wide receiver room, and Lacka could easily end up being a starter. Despite declining yards in four straight years, declining receptions in three straight years. Van Jefferson is that he needs to beat out. I don't even know the Van Jefferson's gonna be on this team.
Got no, it certainly not YEA.
Now they've got two rookies fourth rounders, and they've got a primrose path to playing time in Tennessee, and I think at least for one of them, it may just be a matter of when. So the first was elick iomanor he went in the He was actually the second of the two taken, but by almost everybody's standards, he was the better of the two and the more promising opp receiver opportunity, and that was Thor's number six receiver. Yeah, and and Thor felt like that was a steal in
the fourth round for Tennessee. He hit national prominence when he roasted Colorado corner back Travis Hunter two years ago in a game, put up three hundred yards on Travis Hunter, and all of a sudden, whoa eleck Iomannor who's his? He's strong, he's physical, good speed, he's a four to four forty guy, good ball skills. He's he'll have an opportunity to get some reps I think at some point
this year, but probably not weak one. And then the other guy they took was a pure slot receiver named Chimmey ray d K. Chimurri ray DK a great name and I'm probably gonna butcher it like all season long, elite intangibles, high IQ guy.
Coaches raved about him.
He transfers to Florida his senior year, he gets voted captain and out of a transfer year. I mean, that's making a strong impact on your team in a very short time.
Walking in the door and just laying it out right away. Yeah, I'm in charge now.
So people love uh chimur ate DK's intangibles.
He's super fast.
I think he ran a four to three something forty and the slow receiver spot wide open in Tennessee, wide open, so he may find some playing time at some point, also worth.
Maybe thrown out. They also got Xavier Ristrepo as an undrafted free agent who fell, you know, thanks to a very slow forty time. But I think we know that in today's NFL, if you can you know, run technical routes or anything like that, you can still find an opportunity to play in time. So I agree in this particular receiving corps, I think there's at least a small chance.
Yeah, just because again super thin yep, dep chart. Okay, let's go to our next team, the Houston Texans, coming off a really disappointing season. I think there's I think this is there's some opportunity to buy low on Texans.
What do you think?
Yeah, I think there's pops possibly true, because I think the script has flipped so hard on CG.
Stroud.
You know, his first year, his rookie year, he was obviously awesome. Not so people reacted really really, you know, aggressively to that and wanted to acquire him in dynasty drafts and stuff like that. He went very, very high and then you know, kind of fell and had a tough year last year. But I think now people have gone a little bit too far on the opposite side of the pendulum.
So it's a good opportunity.
There's some you know, mix ups going on with their offensive line and stuff, and they don't.
Like, Yeah, they had to get better on the offensive line, and I don't feel like they put enough good resources.
Into it, and that worries me.
Ken No, they lost Laromie Tunsell who was traded to the Dolphins.
Okay, that does not worry me.
Okay, it went to the commanders from the Dolphins, but yes, you saying, And Tunsel to me was arguably the most overpaid player in the NFL, So I had no problem that they punted him, but I wanted him to backfill that offensive line more.
Yeah, they also lost Shack Mason. They brought in Cam Robinson who he's been around the block a little bit, Veteran Lake and Tomlinson, veteran Trent Brown, guys who've been solid, but they're just aging and yep, they're doing I guess a decent work with a limited value put into it. But as far as like overall improvement, I'm not seeing
it quite there. They also, by the way, had an offensive coordinator shift, so Bobby Slowik, who for a while I think people consider to be on the track towards like head coaching and stuff, and he really had a tough season to play calling last year. So they brought in Nick Cayley, who's a first time offensive coordinator tight ends coach for the Rams, So we'll find out how he does in the coming year or two. But also worth noting there.
Let's go to the receivers, because I don't believe Tank Dell's gonna play this year, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that Tank Dell ever plays again. Yeah, he had one of the most brutal knee injuries we've seen. So they spent second and third round picks in this draft at the wide receiver position.
Yeah, and two guys that were really high RADS scores nine point twenty nine point seven for Higgins and Nole. So that's Jayden Higgins who was drafted thirty fourth overall, Jalen Nole, who's drafted third round. We're talking about Jayden's and Jalen's and all sorts of players.
It's gonna confound us many times on the show. I forget every single time.
But yeah, both guys are you know once you know, Jayden Higgins is six', Four Jalen knowle is five, Ten so different that the spectrum of athleticism, here but certainly they're bringing some fresh blood into the receiving room and that's good to. See they also sign Just worth throwing Out Justin watson And Braxon barrios's depth guys, too just to find something to HELP. C. J stroud. Along BUT i HAVE i imagine that those rookies are going to get some significant playing time this.
YEAR i think they will.
Too Now Christian kirk they traded, for And kirk is the presumed slot. Starter, Yeah Jalen noel figures to some it's probably next. YEAR i think it's. ALL i Think Christian kirk's got one year on his. Deal, yes SO i think it's going to Be kirk at least to start this year because of the all the veteran advantages
that he's. Got and THEN i think they go To, noel who can be pretty electric after and AND i think, there you, know there's gonna be some opportunities down the road as a dynasty stash For, Noel BUT i think THAT'S i think his time is more likely next year than this. Year.
ABSOLUTELY i think after they struggle last, year they kind of recognized that they needed to build up this team AROUND. C. J, stroud make sure that they have a solid foundation in. Place they were kind of just kind of like a paper weapons style of offense where they just fell apart pretty. Quickly so they'll they'll make some overall, improvements AND i think you're right down the road that should be a really good.
Improvement AND i.
Want to talk running back for just a second while we're talking To, houston BECAUSE i really disliked WHAT i saw In Joe mixon's second half of the season when he ran out of gas and we saw his yards per carry dropped to ABOUT i don't have this in front of me right.
NOW i believe three and.
A half yards per, carry.
Which is not good.
Enough all the metrics went south hard on him And Joe, mixon And i'm really nervous. Here so you add together this offensive line that we didn't. Love they were thirtieth in run block win rate last, year twenty seventh in PFF's run blocking, rating and then over his final six, Games Joe mixon drooped to twenty ninth in rushing, yards thirty, first in yards per carry twenty, fifth and avoided tackle.
Rate and WHEN i.
Roll that together and you, know add, IN i think it's eighteen hundred career touches For joe Mix, yeah he's not super. Old he's twenty nine because he started so. Young you, remember he came into THE nfl like twenty one years, old maybe even younger. Twenty and BUT i just DON'T i don't. Know i'm nervous About mixing who might have he might be able to hang on for a, While AND i just, wonder BUT i don't know if
he can make it all. Season AND i wonder If Woody, marks the fourth rounder is in somebody who ends up making making a play for playing time here In houston at some.
Point, yeah so down the stretch was three point four yards the second half of the, Season so totally totally. Down my notes here on Mixin er said the biggest changes that he's one year OLDER i, mean there's virtually no. Improvement Damian pierce is still, there and you, KNOW i don't know if you Remember week, eighteen he had nineteen attempts for one hundred and seventy six rushing yards and a.
Touchdown james, appears he's.
Sure you, KNOW i don't know how many episodes Of Fantasy Football weekly listened to your, life but you, Know i'm A Damian pierce. Truth, yeah so wondered why he didn't get more. Run but you, know maybe.
If if mix and were to succumb to either, age injury or whatever else time, right Then Damian pierce or the rookie could get.
Some playing time.
There but, overall it's just not a particularly inspiring.
Group let's go over to speaking not, Inspiring let's go To. Jacksonville now there are some there are some changes worth, highlighting but only a. Couple Travis, hunter so the team on a wide. Receiver the team only otherwise Added Diami, brown, who by the, way.
Interesting last pick you're. Draft by the, Way Danny.
Brown he finally put together a good game in the playoffs last, year and The washington fans were waiting forever to.
Get a good.
GAME i remember being hopeful for, him and it just Never, yeah finally puts together a, huge a big playoff one of the, GAMES i don't know if it was the conference championship game or the divisional.
Round puts together a huge game like one hundred and fifty yards and then promptly.
Leaves. Yep so there is.
Him but Then Travis hunter is going to be likely to play wide receiver near full t and one of the Things thor had been, stressing AND i think he's.
Right when they do.
Rest Travis, hunter it's gonna be on running. SITUATIONS i think it's gonna be on you, know third and two and third and, one fourth and, one AND i think that's when they're gonna Give Travis hunter some breaks so that he can, Play he can play defense and and and not be completely.
Winded so you, KNOW i.
Think kent at this, point everybody knows About Traffs, hunter SO i don't need to tell you about the explosiveness and everything. ELSE i, mean you, know he was the biggest talker of the, draft So i'm not gonna spend a lot of time on, him BUT i will say, this love the fit With Brian Thomas. Junior Because hunter is gonna bring the, downfield big play, explosiveness And, thomas who's the big bodied body, control go up and get it, receiver is gonna be able to come down with more
of those balls underneath. Coverage and SO i THINK i Think hunter is going to Make Brian thomas that much.
Better, Yeah AND i, mean, look this is the last excuse here For Trevor lawrence. Too you Got liam going coming into, town supposed to be spicing up the offense for. Him they got good, receivers you. KNOW i think one guy to keep an eye On Breton strange now That Evan ingram's. Gone it could be a, sneaky you, know, sleeper second tight end type, guy but certainly someone to
keep an eye on if this offense does pick. Up BUT i gotta know, what what's your feelings on the running back situation over In.
Jacksonville, Well i've been a big Tank bigsby guy for a lot of, time And bigsby flashes signs or he looks great and way better Than TRAVIS.
Tn everybody's out IN etn right.
NOW i think THE i think finally everybody's realized.
He's just a. Guy Travis. Dans there's just there's.
Nothing there is not a single SPECIAL nfl trait in that. Body Tank bigsby has a few special. Traits you, know he can run with, power he can break. Tackles there Things tank can do THAT etn. Can't but just the reality everything we've seen in this offense at this, point they just they've never Given tank a heavy. Workload they Drafted Bacial, touton AND i think there's a lot of interest in.
Him fourth.
Rounder in a different, draft he probably would have been a third, rounder maybe even a second. Rounder super polarizing. Player early. Drafters people are doing best ball right. Now, Ken, yeah they're sniffing opportunity For. Tuton he's he is getting DRAFTED i think higher than he probably other we probably. Should but he was a combine. Star he ran there's a running. Back he ran a four three two forty yard, dash burning down the, field burning down the. Field that
Is devon A chan who ran the same. Thing tootin ran, it weighing thirty more poun definite, Right so it's a huge. Difference and he can. Catch he's a home run. Hitter he's gonna make some highlight. Plays AND i think the question is and Fantasy, universonne getting get frothy when he hits those when he hits those home run plays because of the, speed the question is really gonna be uh and for uh for a for a player who came from a very limited did offensive uh set In Virginia?
Tech for?
Example get, this they never ran him a single play with the quarterback under. CENTER i, mean so there's gonna Be there're gonna be things At Virginia. Tech they're gonna be things About. Tooton that's THAT i think are gonna take a while to manifest at THE nfl. Level but there's some opportunity here AND i think he can make some big, plays and for best ball, purposes he might he might be all, right.
Yeah zero running back target for. Sure.
Yep, okay let's go to THE Nfc. South but first we need to take a. Break we'll be back.
In just a few.
Moments welcome, Back segment number, Two Fantasy Football. Weekly Paul, Chargion, Kent Wyrock. Kent we're just AT Afc.
South just do THE Nfc.
South this is a this is a division THAT i feel Like tampa's gonna run away. With we'll get your thoughts on some of the other. Teams i'm really high In tampa coming into this. Year we'll talk more about them in a, minute but let's start. Here the at least of late nemesis of The bucks has been The Atlanta. Falcons at this time last, year we were all scoffing
at their selection Of Michael. Pennox turned out that in the brief window between when they Signed Kirk cousins In march and THE Nfl draft in Late, april they figured out we got a, problem, yeah and that they needed to go address the quarterback. Situation and it turned out to be a good thing that they.
Did Absolutely and you, know we talked about this a few episodes ago on The Best Ball, targets BUT i Think Michael pennix is an opportunity for a sleeper kind of candidate in the quarterback. Position, so you, know this is offense is coming back largely the. Same there's a little bit of difference in the offensive, line as there always is with these, teams BUT i think they did
an okay job replacing. Here the only problem is that they're going to have A udfa center who's going to, be you, know snapping the ball To penox and that's two kind of inexperienced guys working together at the snap that that might be a, Problem but the rest of the offensive line is still really, solid SO i don't have a ton of worry about. That but that's just a little bit of. Change so you, know we're looking at the same receiving corps coming. Back you, know Is
Kyle pitt's gonna do it this? Year we'll find, out we, Know, yeah we, Know but you know we can never move past that rookie, season can?
We?
No, Yeah Brian johnson. CAN'T i can tell you that. Much and you know that was still a rookie season with zero. Touchdowns but boy do people get lathered. Up AND i think there was reason for more optimism last year with the new coaching, staff new, quarterbacks and it's still didn't come together For Kyle. Pitts you know, What, Kent dude doesn't try that.
Hard, yeah, NO i definitely see. That and these last couple of years in, PARTICULAR i don't know if it got to. Him he had high expectations and then failed to meet him and then that kind of got to his psyche or. Something but, yes there were times WHERE i remember watching him play AND, i, dude just run out the play a little bit and you could have had that. Ball but, Again i'm sitting on my couch watching, this SO i don't know IF i can be too.
Much.
Yeah, otherwise there's not a lot of change in This falcons.
Offense.
No the only THING i Guess i'll comment on is, that you, know we still Have Kirk cousins sitting Behind Michael penix for. Now they Signed Eastern. Stick he's a backup, type nothing more than. That so for now It's Pennock's Cousins Eastern.
Stick.
Uh If cousins is, TRADED i expect him to sign another free agent quarterback to either put Above stick or maybe get a quarterback back in the, deal like some second or third. Stringer so but that all remains to be. Seen it could take a camp injury for someone to Want cousins on.
There that's what they're waiting for right.
Now they didn't Get falcons didn't get the draft equity they wanted From Kirk cousins before the. Draft, yeah so now they're doing the same Thing Aaron rodgers is, DOING i, think and just waiting for an.
Injury, yeah a big time injury out. THERE i just saw a.
Reporters The steelers are, like we'll Give Aaron rodgers a few more, weeks like like just an ex waiting for you to come. Back but you, know that's that's how it. Goes and these guys they're they're. Veterans they they have the ability to skip parts camp and be just fine when it comes to playing on the field On. Sundays but, regardless you, know they picked up some tight end depth as. Well but, yeah really no huge changes, here and then
no changes at all in the rushing. Category it's still B Jhon, Robinson tyler l. Years so overall for this, TEAM i think it's gonna be worse Because Frankly cousins went seven to seven last year and he threw for two hundred fifty yards a. GAME i, mean he wasn't a winning, quarterback but as far as someone who's able to get the offense, moving he did just. Fine and then being able to put it all together at the end of the, game that's where that's where they started to collapse a little.
Bit more, so.
There's an improved defensive component going on here, too bringing In Jeff ulbrich from The New York. Jets, yeah he's had the, third, third, third and fourth best defenses by points allowed the last four. Years SO i think things are gonna slow down for The Atlanta, falcons AND i think that that's gonna be one reason That pennix might not have huge, volume but should have some fun plays along the.
WAY i thought Jeff olbert had a tremendous, beard and you've got a tremendous. BEARD i THINK i can so, YEAH i think. THAT i think you're you can you, know you're. You're you can comment on that if you'd. LIKE i JUST i JUST i just respect a guy that can grow in a really nice. Beard Jeff aulbert can do. That that might not whether or not that helps your fantasy, team that's for you to figure.
Out.
UH i don't know that it's gonna help, mine BUT i do like having some kind of bonus points for excellent.
Beards let's go To.
CAROLINA i am super excited about this. Team love the turnaround that we saw on the second half of last. Season so you had you had a lot of losing and bad losing. Early they went back and forth last year from uh from at the quarterback, Position Andy dalton was, In Bryce young was. In you, know then it, was you, know back To dalton And Bryce young blah blah, blah.
And Then young really.
Stabilized Dave canalis is going to be a great.
Coach he already. IS i think. HE'S i.
Think you, know when you do it twice with two different, rosters and when you completely reverse a narrative Like Dave canalis did With Bryce, young you're in. BABY i think. HE i think he is a really good. Coach let's Talk ted McMillan so obviously went in a lottery pick level for this. Draft The panthers have they pants have put a ton of equity into the wide receiver position
and got nothing out of it. Before now you'll Remember Xavier legette round two last, year year before, That Jonathan mingo round two last, year before, that before, That Terris marshall round. TWO i, mean those are players who should be helping you right.
Now none of them.
Look like they're gonna pan. Out, now, again it's still super.
Early we don't have to fade McMillan for this, reason, RIGHT i mean we can we can Believe, yeah, okay, GOOD i was worried there for a.
Minute, no he's gonna be. Great likely Your week one starter on the, outside you. Know And i'm Not mingo, obviously not even on the. Team Terres MARSHALL'S i think out of the. League so or maybe he's sitting on somebody's deep chart. Somewhere legett could end up be battling At Adam feel for reps at some point out of the.
Slot but, like this is gonna be a tech.
McMillan led receiving group before very. Long even Though Adam field was great last year despite all the problems at, Quarterback Dave canalis proved he's got a pass, baby. Ye and maybe because the defense was bad and is going to stay bad this, year there is going to be a lot of passing. Here last, Year canalis ran the ninth highest passing play percentage despite the receivers that they had feeling out for a third of the year.
And all the other.
Problems so McMillan to, me you, know you know what you're getting an, him big, bodied sure handed. Receiver and For Bryce, YOUNG i think that's gonna be it's gonna be very comforting to him to know that he's got a guy like, that Like. Feeling you, know theling catches every and you throw to. Him that's gonna Be tech McMillan at this, level and he's gonna be a really nice dynasty player as, well optimistic about his long term.
Future and the only other THING i THINK i want to mention here In Carolina Rico dowell was not awful last year and particularly in the second half of the. Season now he comes At, Chuba hubbard's gonna.
Start he.
Should they gave him a new contract last. Year we deserve left it well. Deserved he was really really, good AND i Think cuba is gonna be even better this year in a better overall. Offense but let me just Mention dowbdles. Here From week nine forward he posted seven of his ten HIGHEST pff. Scores he gained half a
yard per carry after from week nine. Forward all four of his one hundred yard games from Were week nine forward last, year and he scored every rushing touchdown and he scored all last, year which was like three after week, nine so he was really. Surging and Then dallas lets him walk in free agency and they backfill him with, nobody.
So Dumb, KENT i DON'T i have no idea what they're gonna. DO i, Mean Givonti williams is not gonna Be.
He's not the.
Solution, yeah he is not the. Solution all, right let's. Go let's go to our next team as we stay in THE Nfc, south and that's The New Orleans.
Saints.
Ken, yeah so this is a fun one because we got some big changes going on all over the. Place Dennis allen was out last. Year Kellen moore hired in the. Offseason we know his track, Record he's been eyed as a potential head coach for years. Now top seven scoring offensive four out of his six. Seasons is an offensive coordinator, role so we're bringing some offensive firepower in terms of play.
Calling he's got a first time on offensive, coordinator But Kellen moore is gonna be the one call in the place, here so, sure yeah that that's not really actionable their offensive. Line they Lost Lucas, patrick who's just kind of a middling. Guy they Drafted Kelvin banks number nine overall, though, big very, important, yep and they're hopefully getting back in a Healthy eric.
McCoy last, year he had groin surgery after multiple injuries and an elbow injury at the end of the, year but he went to ir more probably as a precautionary thing. There it was a lost, season so they wanted to get him back.
To, well everybody was going ON, ir so you went at you too exactly and get AN, ir and you get AN ir and you get an.
Eye they were thirty second in the league in man games lost on offense last, year so they were totally out of the running in terms of having their entire squad on the.
Field and you, know Yer carr.
Gone forgive me for my previous opinions on him, starting but you know that's how it. Goes and, WELL i think most people did not see retirement In that was a bit of a.
Shock, yeah that was a bit of a.
Surprise, YEAH i, KNOW i think we may have discussed this a week or two, ago BUT i just Think Derek carr was. DONE i think he, was you know, what he had been through so, much really losing over the course of his. CAREER i just think he didn't have a love for the game. Anymore and you can't be in THE nfl without.
It, yeah he'd been through the ringer for. Sure so you know, that you know that Means tyler shuck, time, Baby tyler. Shock we're gonna lean in whether we like it or. Not he was drafted fortieth overall this, year so you, know still significant. Investment not quite the first, round but high up there in the second. Round he is a seven year player in the college, game and it goes back To Tommy. BOY a lot of people go to college for seven. Years, YEAH i, know they're called.
Doctors so hopefully he left with his doctorate. Degree but, regardless his last year he had about thirty two hundred passing, yards twenty three, touchdown six INDs For. Louisville SO i see him as a mixed bag twenty six year old rookie pocket. PASSER i, mean that's that's kind of.
What you're getting.
Here you can hope for some big arm development or something like, that but in terms of year, one it's it's a, tough tough.
SITUATION i don't my.
Hunches they're drafting a quarterback next.
YEAR i wouldn't doubt it for a.
Second, yeah, YEAH i Hope i'm wrong that at least that would be great talk to. Me Devin neil is a really interesting stash for. Me i'm taking him at the end Of Best ball. Drafts Alvin kamara is obviously old with a lot of a lot of Where i'm the tired.
NOW i THOUGHT i thought he passed the eye.
Test still last year he's still looked. Good but two, thousand two hundred career, RUSHES i still you, KNOW i still feel like He's kamara's good is still. Good he's never been a great inside. Runner Devin neil might get that work at the, strike tough yard Stuff neil can catch a little, Bit SO i don't, Know i'm kind of intrigued by him as a as a late round, stash just to just in case anything goes wrong With.
Kamara, YEAH i, mean he was drafted the sixth, rounds so he may not be immediately in a handcuff, situation BUT i believe he should be and probably will be by the end of the.
Season.
Uh you, Know Conry millers just doesn't really have a lot of. Juice Devin, neel like you, said in between the, tackles great, runner and then he's got a lot a lot of running under his belt, already seven hundred and sixty attempts in, college forty three hundred rushing, yards forty nine rushing touchdowns At, Kansas so he's gonna be a good guy to lean. On for early down. Work for. Sure he's got a modest receiving.
Profile, yeah he can't.
Catch fine four thinks that he was way underutilized receiver just because the offense that they. Ran and he thinks that That Devin niel's ability to catch could really blossom in the right. Offense and for A saints offense that you, know will throw To Alvin, kamara, right they're Gonna they're going to have schemes to get the ball to their running backs through the. Air, again if something happens To, kamara there's your there's your opportunity For.
Devinie.
Yeah and if you have a better guy that you can put behind a, quarterback then you can split, out you, know comeary into the slot or something else like that, too or do do two right running back. Sets so there's different ways that they could get him. Involved AND i think there's a path form for. Sure, uh not going to be a. Fact, No i'm not even going to analyze him at this. Point, YEAH i, mean even ever since he was drafted by The, CHIEFS I i never really saw the.
APPEAL i was VERY i thought he was a.
Bit of a, reach and, well you're, RIGHT i MEAN I, look we can be, wrong right and wrong all over the place in fantasy, football but, yeah certainly he whatever he did have is no longer there and he's he's probably not going to have much of an opportunity on this, offense even though it is one that doesn't have a lot of competition in the.
Backfield any Other saints you want to, Mention Taysom hill's. DONE i mean probably a career For Taysom, hill unfortunately not, expected a.
Very interesting, career very. Unique, yeah super fun, player but he's.
Gone.
Uh you Know Mark Valdan scantley who had some, weird huge games last, year he's.
Gone.
Uh they brought Back Brandon, cooks so you, know he's thirty one going out thirty two, now doesn't it it's it's not a lot of, interest but good. Support hopefully Hid she coming back. Healthy, YEAH i think one of the bigger. Things And Ala Chris olavey will be back. Healthy chris olav who's been. Solid you, know if you're if you're talking about a good receiving group to have for a rookie quarterback coming, in this is a pretty solid. One So i'm not gonna complain too. Much but uh,
no other major additions. Here that's that's pretty much the core of.
It remember the first two weeks of last year when The saints were the biggest talkers in THE.
Nfl oh, yeah.
And then just the wheels completely came off with all the. Injuries you, know car goes, down all the receivers go. Down we're breaking Down Mason tipton's games At.
Yale that Was that's what it came to for The.
Saints and, yeah it's The THE nfl season is always such a, journey and that The saints went.
On they went on on last.
Year all, right let's go to our final, Team Tampa. BAY i Mentioned I'm i'm really optimistic about this, team but there is one situation That I'm i'm very excited to talk through with you because it Is.
Thornnee.
Oh by the, Way Baker MAYFIELD mvp fifty to.
One that's a good. Bet so this.
Team if you Think tampa is a lot better than the rest of the, division AND i think you can make that. Case they power through the division with five or six wins out of their, division they pick up, another you, know seven wins the rest of the. Year now you got a thirteen win. Team Baker mayfield's THE mvp. DISCUSSION i think he you, know and we, know we know this offense can be. Explosive we Know baker's playing the best football of his. Career it's another season in
in this. OFFENSE i you, know we don't know what new offensive Coordinator Josh grizzard's gonna bring and there is some change there and that worries me a little, Bit but just don't live it.
Up, YEAH i mean this Is, look we Have Mike evans And Chris godwin if he's coming back, healthy and now we're adding And Mecha buka to this. Offense that's that's one of the top receiving cores in the league right.
Now all, right so let's talk through this thorny situation and This Chris godwin coming back from a dislocated. Ankle, now for wide, receivers this is extremely, rare and we don't have a lot of data about how this affects the rest of your. Career WHAT i can tell, You Des bryant suffered one at twenty two when he was still in, college came. Back, Okay Sammy watkins suffered when at, nineteen still in, college came back and played college and he was still. Okay but here's the. Thing Chris godwin
is thirty. ONE i want to, SAY i think thirty one years, old AND i could be wrong about, that BUT i Know i'm. Close he's not just twenty ninety, Nine thank you twenty. Nine godwin obviously best as a slot. Receiver two years ago they bleeped around and put him outside And godwin was a non.
Factor and then they last year they moved him right back to the.
Slot and it's, awesome right To godwin needs to be in the. Slot eggbuka ran eighty one percent of his routes At Ohio state from the. Slot so the problem is those two guys getting jammed. UP i now adding to this mystery on this to, me The bucks re Signed godwin to a three year contract extension In march worth sixty six million.
Dollars, yeah, well that at least should give you some confidence in the injury. FACTOR i, mean they've they've got the doctors looking at. Him if they're gonna give him a, contract they got to have some belief.
There they. Must, yeah, unless.
Okay but then why put a first rounder into A Mecca Abuka if you've got sixty six million dollars in three, years tied up into your slot receiver.
To lean into The Baker mayfield, Show, PAUL i guess they're going to leave IN i don't, know if you, know maybe they're gonna go four receiver sets a, Lot BUT i WILL i will throw.
This maybe this is this is a five percent. Chance but Maybe, kent this is just like The falcon situation that we just talked about earlier in the. Show maybe like The falcons did With Kirk cousins and then Drafting Michael. Pennix maybe between the time they Signed Chris godwin to The bucks in this new extension in Early march and then Late april rolls, around you're almost two months, later they saw things In godwin that made them believe that he's not going to be the same player he was.
Sure they're stuck on the, contract but they're, like you know, What godwin's not going to work out for whatever, reason they saw something they didn't. Like and just like The falcons Drafting, penis they draft they put first round equity Behind Chris.
Godwin, yeah and they could get out of The godwin contract after two. Years it looks like so it's not necessarily a full three year.
Deal yeah, yeah, yep all, Right, well thank great, Job, Ken, hey thank you.
Great welcome to the. Kitchen appreciate.
It, yeah you probably won't be back BECAUSE i won't be living here very much.
Longer, WELL i hope the new tenants enjoy The Matt. Harrison yeah, right that's.
Right we should have put that in THE mls listening smells Like Matt. Harrison that wouldn't be off the market. Immediately that would have been. SEE i could have raised, THAT i could have raised the. Price OH i really missed my opportunity on. That well, Done, Ken thanks for listening. Everybody we'll be back next week to break down THE afc AND Nfc north