Hello, everybody, Welcome into the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. I'm Ryan Warmley, joined by Pat fitz Morris and Andrew Erickson on this Thursday morning ahead of Week twelve. Fellas, we are talking starts and sits and guys. We added on waivers this week, and we'll do some touchdown calls at the end of the show. It is our typical Thursday episode. Quick reminder for everybody that all of our weekly consensus rankings and tiers can be found at fantasypros dot com
slash rankings. Ericson We were just talking before we started recording about how some of our teams are finally kind of going by the way I say finally, but we're kind of lightening the load a bit here as we get into week twelve and teams are starting to get eliminated. How is your overall fantasy season going?
Not great?
I mean draft Davion model, so that's been basically a dead pick on all my different fantasy teams. So that's unfortunate. But if anything, my main takeaway is I need to be in less leagues moving forward because it doesn't let me cater my expertise and my nurturing to towards enough teams because I have so many that have to check and said line, so I can't make enough trades where if I had half those teams, I could nurture them a little bit more and get them up to an
acceptable level. So that's something I'm trying to remind myself of because during the summertime, it's, oh, I want to be in as many leagues as humanly possible. This is so much fun. And then when you do waivers on Tuesday, and then I don't get to see my wife on Tuesday nights, it's very sad in the Erickson household.
So I am trying to shift gears for next year.
I gotta leave a post it note up my desk and says, hey, it's okay to say no to more leagues next year.
Well, you know what would help you is using the Multi League Assistant.
I mean I use it for imagine if I didn't.
Use it, Yeah, I actually look worth it would be it's as your season, treating.
You better in Redraft than Dynasty. I actually wish that maybe there was a little bit of a slow down with waivers and there were a few more teams I could let by the wayside. And I don't mean that as a humble brag, but like I've got a lot of It's not that I've got a lot of nine and two and eight and three teams. I've got a lot of six and five teams right now where it's it's getting down to brass tacks here. But one thing that's helped with the I've started doing waivers on Tuesday morning,
like first thing, while I'm having morning coffee. It means a later start to the work day, but it's so nice to have that out of the way early in the day rather than sitting there at you know, eleven pm at night and wishing I could go to bed. But I've still got to do waivers for eighteen more teams.
It's really the waivers that's the problem, right, Like I don't mind like negotiating trades across multiple leagues and sitting lineups across multile leagues. It's it's the sitting down Tuesdays for waivers that is where it becomes overwhelming. So so I don't know, maybe more best ball leagues next year, and if you were leagues you have to actually do that. For I have one league where they don't do waivers
at all. It's just always been like that. It's much more casual players and they just you wake up Tuesday, you can start picking up players. There's no waivers whatsoever. And I've grown to kind of appreciate it because I don't have to like set up a bunch of different claims. On the one hand, it's unfortunate if you get there late and somebody else be eat to it. So like it.
I'm not suggesting that for most people, but this is just the way the commissioner runs it, and it's kind of refreshing to not even have to think about claims or anything. It's just like you get up early. It's the first one you check. Oh cool, these players are available. I'll go get them, and you're done with that league. I can cross it off the list.
So I feel about my league.
Probably have no money left to bid on players, yes, And you can't have zero dollars zero dollar bids. It's like I can't bid if I can't bid even if I wanted to. So I just gonna wait to wake up, wait for the bids to run, and then I can slide in with my zero dollar bids because I have no money left.
Yeah, well, speaking of waivers, we always start off the Thursday show with some guys that were added on waivers this week and kind of posing the question to you guys if we're starting them in week twelve or not. Like I've been saying the last couple of weeks, not a ton of awesome options. I mean, again, this has
been a really consistent theme this year. But I threw a couple of names in here, one of them at quarterback Anthony Richardson, who was dropped in a lot of leagues when he was sent to the bench, you know several weeks ago. He is now back. We saw him rush for two touchdowns in week eleven. So is Anthony Richardson somebody that if you picked him back up, you are starting again in week twelve.
Probably not. I've got him rank quarterback sixteen. Really encouraging return to the starting lineup for Richardson last week. He was accurate and efficient as a passer. It seemed like Shane Stichn had a better game plan for him than he had sort of been giving Richardson earlier in the year. Twenty of thirty two hundred and seventy two yards, one touchdown and no interceptions, and he delivered the goods as a runner with a pair of touchdown runs.
The lines are such a tough matchup.
Though they've allowed the sixth fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks, they have the lowest the lowest opponent passer rating in the league. They have fourteen interceptions, and they've only allowed seven touchdown passes all season. I'd rather not start Richardson despite my overall bullishness on him.
What do you think Ericsone's QB fourteen in ECR so he's surrounded by names like CJ. Straud, Drake may Or right behind him, Jordan love Tua right ahead of him. What are you doing with Anthony Richardson this week?
I mean I have him right there as well, QB fourteen.
I think that if you're in a pinch, if your main quarterback is on a bye week, then I think that he's more than serviceable. But I think that the names ahead of him should be ahead of him. Like if you have Baker Mayfield, you're playing in Mayfield. If you have Geno, you're playing Geno.
You have two.
Again, a lot of those other quarterbacks are in pretty good spots where I don't feel the need to Hey, I got a Jamin Richardson because I missed out on last week. Well, it's the same story with Richardson, Like he scored two rushing touchdowns last week, and yes, the throwing was there last week.
Will it be this week? Who knows?
Because I don't think that he just fixed his entire mechanics and accuracy in one game. Again, He's going to be up and down. That's kind of what he's always going to be, at least this early in his career. So I think that he obviously has a lot of upside. I would rather play him than Drake May, for example, who hasn't been running as much since he had that concussion.
Richardson's going to run. So the optimistic look at Richardson is, hey, yes the lines are a tough matchup, but he's going to drop back to throw forty five times if the Cultu are giving up a ton of points, and that means rushing opportunities. So I don't think that you need to galaxy bring yourself to like, hey, I gotta put him in if you already have a really good option.
But Rock Perdy, he's questionable if he misses plug in Richardson, I would rather play Richardson than like Love or Stroud, like pocket passers that really haven't been amazing in terms of fantasy football the last couple weeks and not really rushers. So in that case, that's why I have Richardson at QB fourteen.
I've got a tight end here too, Will Disley, who is obviously coming him off a very good game. Four catches, eighty yards in a touchdown in that Sunday night game against Cincinnati. It's his best game of the year. It's only the second time he's been in double digit scoring in fantasy and half PPR. The other time was back in Week seven when he had eight catches for eighty one yards no touchdowns. There was his first touchdown last week.
So he is somebody that has got a lot of discussion this week, and a lot of people seem to be very excited about. He's ranked inside the top eight and he's tied in seven in our consensus rankings here for half PPR. Again, this was the best game of the season so far, So Fitzwill Disley, is he somebody that you're starting against the Ravens on Monday Night football?
I think so? He's tight end eight.
I am a little worried that the Will Disley enthusiasm is reaching a tipping point. I mean, because like, let's not totally go overboard here. He is really slow, Like if he ran a forty today, I'm not sure he could break five seconds. He's averaging nine point five yards per catch. But Disley has had four or more receptions
in five of his last six games. His quarterback Justin Herbert, is on fire, and Disley does have a really favorable matchup schedule down the stretch, including this week against the Ravens, who are tenth in terms of Fantasy points allowed to tight end tenth.
Most that is yeah, Ericson, is this like if you're excited to play Disley this week and I don't know that you are. Or is it because of the matchup or is it because of what we just saw last week?
Well, I mean it's more than just last week.
I mean last week he just happened to score a touchdown because it was a good matchup for him. But like Fitz said, it's another great matchup. Will you what did you talk about last week?
Right?
What's the Ravens weakness and why Russell Wilson wasn't good? Because it was all over the middle of the field, where's Will Disley in the middle of the field, That's where he's seeing all his targets. That's why the Ravens are going up so many points to tight ends this season and Will Disley. It's so weird because we're always looking for tight ends that are playing all the snaps, running a route on all the dropbacks.
That is not what Will Disley's doing.
But in the fifty percent of dropbacks that he does run a route, Herbert is throwing him the ball. That's seemingly every single time it's happening. And outside lat McConkey, you know who does he trust the most? Like, yes, Quinn Johnson keeps popping off with these touchdowns, but he caught two of his eight passes last week. Like, is that in thrilling confidence with Herbert? Like, I gotta keep going back to Johnston because he's not necessarily hauling in
all of his all of his targets. Where it's Disley, he's getting targeted and he's catching it. Like so, I mean, yeah, I think you got to go back to Disley.
I think that my single favorite bet of the entire season was the under on Ravens Steelers last week, I like tried to tell anybody who would listen that it was insane the total was as high as it was. Obviously I was proven correct. I'm not proven correct often, but I was then. I feel almost as strongly about the over in Ravens Chargers for the record, like even at fifty one, Like, I think that game is going
to be an absolute shootout. It's I know the Charges defense is good, It's a defense that Lamar tends to do well against. So by that logic, we should be wanting to start a lot of players in that game if we really think it's going to be a shootout. So I am kind of with Fits in the sense of, like I'm asking the question in my head of are we maybe getting a little too enthusiastic about Will Disley?
But having said that, I do think he is a smart start this week given a what we saw recently in b the matchup, Let's go to our plant our flag players. Fits. I'll start with you, who are you planting your flag on? In week twelve?
You just talked about the shootout potential in Ravens Chargers. How about Quentin Johnston, the big play machine. He is averaging sixteen point one yards per catch and a six touchdown in eight games this season. And oh hello, Baltimore Ravens pass defense. They have given up twenty two touchdown passes this season. The Ravens have and they have given up fifty completions of twenty yards or more. They've also given up more passing yards than any team in the league.
I know Quinton Johnston is not a heavy target guy, but he should only need six or seven targets to pop off a few big plays against the porous Ravens defense.
They haven't. The Chargers haven't played in many shootout obviously obviously this last week against the Bengals, but prior to that, have they played many shootouts this season? I feel like, anecdotally, I'm not looking at their game log right now, I don't really recall a lot of them. I think it's been a lot of lower scoring games or more one sided games. So I wonder if this really does play out the way I expect, and it is a very back and forth shootout, a fair if he does get
more volume. I mean, he has his season high targets last week against the Bengals, when they had one of their rare shootouts, So I wonder if we see something similar. I know he only had two catches, but if we see more like eight or nine targets this week fits yeah.
Plus Lad McConkie sort of dinged up his shoulder late in that game last week against the Bengals. I think he's going to be okay and able to play this week, but that's maybe something to watch. If McConkie doesn't play, that certainly would enhance Quentin Johnston's target profile.
Ericson what do you think about Johnson? He's ranked justin side the top thirty in ECR.
I think that the matchup calls for him to be in your liamup right. He's a big play specialist, doesn't catch all of his targets, but when he does, he catches them for big plays and touchdowns. And it's the best matchup you could ask four against the Baltimore Ravens. So in a week where there's six teams on by, I feel great browing. Quentin Johnson is my wide receiver
three flex. He's got a lot of upside and then we've seen that play out when he's capitalized on some of these downfield targets from me and he's got Justin Herbert's playing so well.
Like again, like you.
Said, Worm, this game's gonna shoot out, So play as many Chargers and Ravens as you can.
Yeah, ericson what do you do? And if you're player flag player, man, why do you keep doing this to yourself?
Because I'm gonna be right this week. That's why. Because it's fantasy football, dude, Like there are certain things with fantasy where you know last week, right, it's like, of course estimate is a total bust because Fantasy football, right mvs does it again?
Fantasy football. Jalen Waddele that's my flag plant this.
Week because as I said earlier, six teams on by are you gonna bench Jalen Waddle if you don't have any other options? I think that he's still a wide receiver three this week? You look at the matchup against the New England Patriots, or Christian zalz is going to shadow tyreey Kill. That's what happened the first time that these teams played each other. And what was a result of that. Jalen Waddle had a season high in targets against the New England Patriots. Last time I played, he
had eight targets. That was with Tyler Huntley at quarterback. So if it's ever going to be a game where Wattle is more involved, it's going to be against the Patriots. And the reason I think that as well is because, and just talking more about Waddle's role in this offense, well, he hasn't been used a lot because the Dolphins haven't had the need to really attack downfield.
Really.
Only time we saw Wattle get increase usagers in that Rams matchup, where it looked like he was going to have a monster game, he had to drop pass and they kind of just got away from him. So the Patriots don't have a pass rush, so there's an opportunity here where Tua can actually hold the ball a little bit longer because there's no pastors that's getting to him and let these downfield routes develop with Jalen Wattle, you
being used downfield without Christian gonzales On. We just saw two receivers pop off against the Patriots last week between Pooka and Akua and Cooper Cup a lot of big downfield plays. So the Patriots it's a good matchup. Sixth in receiving yards allowed per game to wide receivers. So yeah, maybe I'm I'm a what's the phrase for misery?
I love misery things like that.
But miser loves company Israel's company.
That's not the right phrase for it.
I don't know. But you're you're a masochist.
Is I'm a masochist?
But when people ask me, hey, do I play Wattle this week? I mean I'm probably gonna play him. I know I have him on a lot of the teams, and based on my other options, I think that he's still a viable wide receipt three play just because of the matchup fits you.
What do you think what goes through your mind when you see Ericson saying that he's going back to the well with Jane Warneck.
That we are Jack and Rose on the Titanic, We're going down with the ship together, Because I'm pretty much the same way. Hopefully I get to be Rose and stay afloat on the driftwood while Ericson goes under the water. But yeah, I mean I feel the same way, like it's a pretty good matchup for Wattle, and I just fundamentally feel like Jalen Wattle is still a really good player. The guy who was taking sixth overall in the draft, who had thousand yard seasons his first three years in
the league. Like, this guy's a really good player, and I know it hasn't worked out, but I'm going to keep going back.
To the well, where do you have him ranked?
Fits twenty wide receiver twenty six? He's just behind DeVante Smith and DeAndre Hopkins for me, and just ahead of one spot ahead of Quinton Johnston and Tank del.
Ericson did you say where you haven't ranked specifically same range wide receiver twenty five.
So so Fitz is taking Waddel over Johnston's Let's see, I was assuming you guys were just going to bash me immediately. I tried the process, is there?
That's all I'm saying.
I can live I can live with this, Okay if Waddle bombs again, like, hey, say, my process was okay?
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All right, guys, let's get into some player debates. We will start, as always with the running back position, and we will start with Rico Dawdell versus Isaiah Pachecko. This is obviously under the assumption that Pachecko does end up playing this week, it is, you know, earlier on in the week, it kind of seemed like he was trending that direction. We'll see if it ends up panning out
that way. But I wanted to get him included in here because I think it's a really interesting question if he's on the field, if you are playing Pachecko for some of these non obvious running back guys, so ericson, let's start with you aswimming he's on the field, Isaiah Pichecko or Rico Dawdell this week.
I think I'm still gonna play Rico Dawdell. I like his volume projection more. I think he also has a really good matchup. I mean, they're playing the Washington Commanders, one of the other worst run defenses in the NFL. Maybe it's not as bad as the Panthers, but I just I don't feel the need to be a hero with Pacheco. I have no idea what type of workload he's going to get. Obviously, the matchup is so salivating against the Carolina Panthers, but I'm okay, just kind of
waiting to see if Pacheco is healthy. How many snaps, does he play, does he get goal line work? I don't know, and doubtell. I feel like I can bank at least ten points in a full PPR in a good matchup, he gets volumes. Not like Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook, any of these guys are going to take away. I know Donald didn't play well last week, but it was a tougher matchup against Texans, So I'm just gonna take the points with Dowdell and I want to wait another week on Pacheco to be honest.
Fitz, what do you think when Pachecko's back in the field. Do you think it'll be a transition back to a full time role, whether it kind of ease him into it, or do you think if he's playing, he's going to be the Pacheco that we were all drafting in like the second or third round.
So my take is pretty similar to Ericson's on this, But give me a second to make a decision. I'm going to talk my way through this before I actually decide, because I'm really struggling with this one. The thing is with Dowbell, he's not getting heavy rushing volume, even though he probably should be. In this offense that has nothing else going for it. He's only in one game this
season with more than twelve carries. He doesn't have a touchdown run all season, doesn't have a run of twenty yards or longer all season, but he is averaging four point three yards per carry, gets it done a little bit as a pass catcher, does have three touchdown catches. I do tend to think the Chiefs are going to slow roll the return of Isaiah Pacheco. That probably makes the most sense since Kareem Hunt's been doing a nice job.
The Chiefs only have one loss.
They're playing the Panthers, so this is the softest possible comeback spot for Pachecko. Like not a bad idea to just get him five or six or seven carries and ease him back into action.
I think that's what's gonna happen.
And the crazy thing is, even if he only gets like six carries, which is probably what I'm you know, guessing he's going to get, his projection probably isn't that far below re o'dowdell's projection, and Dowdell is more or less the feature back for the Cowboys. It's just the matchup is so soft for Pichecko. What if we're wrong about this, and what if the Chiefs hand Kareem Haunte Starbucks gift certificate and send him on his way, Like, Pachecko,
You're You're back, it's your gig again. That's what I'm worried about, like underestimating that possibility. Like how mad would you be if you decided to play Rico Dowdell over Isaiah Picchecko and they wind up giving Isaiah Pacheco sixteen carries against the Panthers run defense. So right now, I've dowdle rank like a spot or two higher. I think I might move Pachecko one spot ahead of him. I think I'd played Pitchecko here.
It just feels to me. And the main reason why I would maybe lean Pachecko if he's on the field is that the Chiefs are one hundred percent playing for February, not even January, right, Like they don't care about anything
this season other than getting this three peat. They're not going to risk Pochecko if he's not ready, and especially like you said, against the matchup like the pan is, Like why not just say we're going to win this game with Kareem hunt If Pachecko's not fully one hundred percent, So if he's on the field, I tend to think this is a smart organization, Like they're only going to put him out there if he's really ready. And if
he's really ready, why not let him cook against the Panthers? Right, So that that's kind of maybe that'll be proven wrong, but that's kind of the mindset I have with Pachecko is why would they put him out there if he's still going to be limited? So if he's out there, he won't be limited. I mean, again, maybe that's flawed logic.
Can I throw out a quick counter argument to that? Like if the chiefs thought he might not be really ready, the medical staff wouldn't clear him to play at all and to dress, you know what I mean. Like, if he's suited up and out there and active, you have to think the medical staff.
Of the chiefs has said he is good to go.
So that's what I'm saying, we agree, that's what That's what Maybe I said my point poorly, it sounded like I was saying the opposite, But no, I totally that's my point is if he's out there, I'm thinking the medical staff saying he's good to go, so I totally with you for the record, are they? Are they playing tool on fantasypros dot Com has ISAPI check with eighty two percent chance to play. That's based on practice data, and he did limited practice all last week, So just
definitely keep an eye on it. But we are currently projecting through our are they playing tool that he is going to play this week. Let's go to another running back debate here, Rashad White versus Tony Pollard fits. I'll start with you on this one.
I'll go with Pollard.
Not an easy matchup against the Houston Texans. The Texans run defense ranks second in DVOA and has a lot of the six fewest fantasy points to running back spots.
Ty J.
Spears has a concussion. It seems like he's not gonna play this week.
He and Pollard had split snaps in week eleven, But with Spears, if he is in fact inactive, there's a chance Pollard gets workhorse type usage because I don't think they're gonna have him split snaps with Julius Chestnut. White isn't a bad play, but he's sharing snaps with Bucky Irving and maybe the Tampa offense is a little less RB centric this week with the return of Mike Evans.
By the way, that tool I just mentioned, are they playing tool Taja Spears twenty six percent chance to play as we projected this week, so not looking likely ericson Pollard or White this week.
I think you got to take Paul.
I mean, he's going to see an eighty percent plus snapshare because Spears isn't going to play with his concussion. So I think you just got to take the snaps the touches with a Tony Pollard versus White, who has.
Been on a hot streak with touchdowns.
If he doesn't score, then you're kind of concerned about, well, Bucky's the better rusher of the two, and we're not exactly sure what's going to help shake out that with that backfield. So I will agree with fits and go with Tony Pollard as well.
Do you see these guys as close or do you think there's like a pretty decent gap between Pollard and White.
I mean I think that it's close in terms of well, White has a better matchup, so I get that aspect of it. But in terms of just like raw projection and volume, I mean Pollard is the clear winner. So that's why I think that when in doubt, going with the guy that's going to see potentially twenty touches versus the guy that might see ten, I mean, you're going to be better off going with a guy with a twenty plus workload.
Yeah, let's see some wide receivers here. This is an interesting one. A couple of guys who are former teammates, Marvin Harrison Junior versus Jackson Smith and Jigba Ericson. Do you have a preference for a former Buckeye this week?
I mean, I think you should probably start both of them. I don't think that either should be on your bench. I think I have them both inside the top twenty, so I think both are really good plays. If you're making me pick one because that's what you have to do here on the show.
Well, I think based on where they were drafted, there's a chance people will have to make this decision in smaller leagues, where if they took JSN later and they have a strong wide receiver group at the top, that you could have to make. I agree that they're both strong starts. I think we're all are on the same page about that. But if you have to pick, because sometimes people do, it's to pick between two good players.
Ten ten team league where you're only required to start two receivers. This could well be a just dilemma people are facing.
So feel so bad for those people.
But if I'm in that situation, I meanwhile, I'm stuck here playing Genal Moadel again for another week. Great, so for me, I'm still gonna go. I mean with Marvin Harrison Junior. I mean, he was my bye on all the trade shows before their bye week. I think that he has been starting to heat up. You have rookies coming off the bye week to get more involved, so
I'm excited about Marvin Harrison Junior. You look at the Seahawks, a good matchup third most fantasy points allowed to wide receivers this season, and we look at the how Seattle deploys their defense a lot of press coverage, and that's where Marvin Harrison has been really good against press coverage this year. So I like Marvin Harrison to kind of have a This is gonna be the start of his kind of second half breakout here against the Seahawks. I
love this game overall. I think that this game is going to be a shootout between the Seahawks and the Cardinals. I think you're gonna see points from both sides, So similar to that Ravens Chargers game. I want to start as many Cardinals in Seahawks as I can.
You joke fits, but like half the questions I get from friends and family members like are in more casual leagues And they're like, yeah, it's like two receivers. Half of them don't even have a flex like smallly like it's it's I roll my eyes. That's something. I mean, not to look down. I mean, anybody can play whatever league they want, but some of these I'm like, there's such good players on your bench or river it's.
Almost harder that way.
It's like every week and I have side between Chase and Jefferson and I mean, yes.
My cousin is in a league. It's a it's a eight team league, no flexes. So she starts two running backs, two receivers, that's it. And I'm like, this is painful to help answer her questions every week.
Yeah, I would bet my left leg that there's someone in a league in Columbus, Ohio who is facing this dilemma.
Yes, they've got they've got a lave on. I r trying to pick between Jaysn and Harrison.
Do I start CJ. Stroud again?
Yeah, they've got their their dynasty shares gearing up for Traveon Henderson and Quinn Shawn Judkins h fits. But between these two guys, who was you take as a Buckeye hater Marvin Harrison Junior or Jackson's vie?
Excuse me?
I have a child at Ohio State right now, so I cannot go. So, So, Marvin Harrison has not had more than seven targets in any game since Week three, and he's playing a much different role than I expected him to play. I thought he was going to be this alpha receiver for the Cardinals. He's been more of a vertical threat. His average depth of target is fourteen yards, averaging fifteen point one yards per catch. I like the big play potential you get with these deeper targets downfield.
It just means, though, that there's kind of a lower floor when he's not getting all that many targets per game. So give me Jackson, Smith and Jigma and Erickson was just talking about like wanting to see the second half breakout from Marvin Harrison junior. We're getting a second half
breakout from Jackson Smith and jigba second year breakout. Also, I mean he we wanted to see what he could do with DK metcalf in the lineup, because two weeks ago, Jackson Smith and jig had this epic game against the Rams. Seven catches, one hundred and eighty yards, two touchdowns, but DK was out that game. DK comes back last week. JSN draws eleven targets, catches ten of them, and as one hundred and ten yards.
He just looks.
Really good lately, so I feel like he's turned the corner. I would rather have him than Harrison. I think he offers the safer floor, the much safer floor, and I think he might offer just his highest ceiling.
Do you agree, though, fits that these guys are both inside the top? Yes? What twenty twenty four? What is the number?
Yeah, I mean I've got JSN inside the top twenty. I have him, I believe wide receiver nineteen. Yes, indeed, wide receiver nineteen, and I have Marvin Harrison wide receiver twenty three.
So it's close.
Yeah, all right, another wide receiver debate here, Christian Watson versus Xavier Worthy, a couple of big play players. Saver Worthy just you know, it's been all over the place this year, mostly on the downside of the roller coaster rather than the upside. He did have sixty eight total yards you know, last week's game, first double digit scoring game since Week eight. You know, sixty one yards in a touchdown. He also had one rushing attempt. So fits,
I'll start with you this time. Worthy or Christian Watson coming off of his big performance.
Yeah, two guys who've cost their fantasy stakeholders some hair follicles this year probably, So I'm just a big believer in Watson, in his big play capability.
I mean, a dude who's six.
' four has sub four to four speed, as we saw last week, Like just special ball skills for this dude, Like he can go up and get it. He can make spectacular diving catches like he did last week. You just have to be willing to live with the risk because Watson has not been getting the sort of target counts that we'd.
Like to see, even if we exclude.
The game against the Vikings earlier this year where he got hurt early and played only nine snaps. Take that game out and he's still averaging only four point three targets, but it's kind of the same thing for Worthy too. He's averaging four point eight targets a game, and his target competition has gotten stiffer with the acquisition of DeAndre Hopkins. Juju Smith is healthy, Juju Smith Schuster is healthy again.
So similar Boombust profiles here. I think Watson ranks slightly higher in his team's target pecking order than Worthy does in his.
Ericson what do you think?
I think Watson is just I think among receivers you can trust. I think you can definitely trust Watson a little bit more. You look at the last three games that they played, Watson leads the Packers and targets air yards.
Catches and receiving yards. So it's funny.
Last week he was my touchdown call, and he should have been my flag plant because he didn't score touchdown. Anybody had a really good game. So I was excited about Watson last week. He obviously came through even on a pretty limited volument, only had believe four targets, caught all of them for a career high in receiving arts. So he's been efficient. He's starting to heat up so definitely Watson for me. I think it's a fun stat.
This is from Tom Strachan about Xavier Worthy. So there's only two receivers that have more touchdowns than he does this year, and it's chasing Amon Ross Brown because he has six. So I'm assuming if there's a bunch of receivers, I also have six touchdowns. But it's just a very unusual rookie year for Xavier Worthy, who in his first game, if we think back to Week one, he scored two touchdowns. He actually he could have scored three touchdowns in that
first game for the Kansas City Chiefs. So I am already gearing up for the off season debate about Xavier Worthy.
I did not realize that stat. That's a great one. Obviously two of those touchdowns came rushing, not receiving. But still that's a.
Very very unusual rookie season for Worthy. But yeah, for this for this debate, definitely Watson for me.
They're in this range. They're back to back in ECR. By the way, Watson and Worthy at watch here with thirty five and thirty six. You could throw in like, at why was her thirty four rom a duneesay you know Jalen waddles in that range. Like, it's a lot of guys who there's real reasons for question marks and also real reasons to you could kind of build the case for them. So it's a tough kind of range to pick a guy. Guys low testoster and effects about
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nine four nine five zero four zero. All right, Less you do the more rapid fire start state decisions fellas running back, Gus Edwards or hadric Estima not quite as exciting as some of these other debates we've had In terms of how interesting we are on these players, ericson, I'll start with you Edwards or Estime Estimay.
Obviously I'm going back to Estimate because fantasy football, right, this is just how this works. Right, the one week where we're all excited about Estimate, he bombs, and the next week we all mention he gets cut. It's gonna go off, like that's just how this stuff works. So again, Gus Edwards, he had six carries last week, so did Estimate,
except Stay also had targets. So in this particular debate, I actually thought Edwards might actually have better touchdown odds than Estim But I actually looked at the betting sites and it's actually Estime that has better touchdown odds. So he's got a better match up Edwards' touchdown or bus. But it seems like Estime again, if the Broncos are up big, you could see him getting some work in the fourth quarter.
Maybe finds the end zone.
So yeah, I'm willing to when it's at least specific against Edwards, I'll go back to Escimal.
I'll roll the dice again.
I mean, I think the case is if you were to say, hey, one of these guys is getting fourteen touches this week, It would be less surprising for that to be Estime then it would to be Edwards, just because of the way the Broncos like they could kind of spin the wheel and pick a different player each week as opposed to Edwards.
Has the expectation with Denver, the every endom guy.
Fitz, what do you think about this this you know, head to head matchup, but then also do you think the Chargers are the type of team to go into this game saying we want to get both Dobbins and Gus touchdowns against their former team or did they strike you as a team that is going to be that's interested in that?
Yeah, I mean, good luck with that, Like, because the Ravens run defense is hellish, and that's the reason I'm taking estimate here. Like, I'm not sure I agree with your assessment about the touch outlook, worm, Like, I think it's pretty similar for these guys. But yeah, the difference is that Gus has this hellish matchup against this rundy and you know he's only got that one path. He doesn't catch passes, so one path. The fantasy value in
that path runs into a brick wall basically, So with Estimate. Like, look, Sean Payton totally swerved us two weeks ago when Estima out carried Javante Williams fourteen to one, and we thought he was the new early down back for the Broncos.
And then last week, not the case.
Javante outsnapped Estimate thirty two to fourteen out carried him nine to six. The roles are still pretty ambiguous in the Denver backfield right now. But I will take the ambiguity in the good matchup against the Ravens rather than this really bad matchup against excuse me, the Raiders. Good matchup against the Raiders, bad match up against the Ravens.
Give me the guy in the better matchup.
How about a receiver here, fits, I'll start with you this time, Dj Moore or Jacobi Myers.
Oh man, it's really close.
Dj moorid's seven catches for sixty two yards last week. But in Thomas Brown's first game as the Bears interim offensive coordinator, he totally put the training wheels on Caleb Williams. Like it was all quick drops, quick releases. Nothing downfield that game, I mean nothing. I'm not sure if Caleb Williams had a ball within air.
Yards.
I'm not sure he threw a pass that traveled fifteen or more air yards last week, like it was that buttoned up. As far as the passing game for the Bears, I just worry that DJ Moore doesn't have much of a ceiling with the lack of verticality in this offense, even though he's really good after the catch. But I will still take him over Jacoby Myers because I mean you have to figure that Patrick Surtain Junior is gonna shadow Myers, right, Like who else is he gonna shadow in the Raiders passing game?
Brock Powers maybe? Uh, it just seems like.
Myers is gonna see a lot of certain and that's obviously a scary matchup with Gardner Minshew as your quarterback ericson what do you think.
I'm going with Joba Myers. I want no part of this Bears offense against the Minnesota Vikings. You talk about how the game plan changed with Thomas Brown calling the plays. The number one defense against quick passes is the Vikings this season, Like they're gonna these bubble screens. The DJ Moore is not gonna work, Like they're gonna get picked off.
So I am very concerned about DJ Moore. I don't think there's a ceiling with him, and I think that you're gonna we're gonna see this Bears offense revert to what it was before, where you can't really start any of these Bears wide receivers.
So I hate this matchup.
And yes, the matchup for Jacob Myers obviously not great, but they've put he was in this matchup earlier this year six just seventy two yards.
I'll take it. Just give you Jacoby Myers.
Let's do some flex debates here. Cuba Hubbard with Jonathan Brooks coming back this week, or Ladd mcconkeye in this game we've talked about as a shootout, Eric sid He, do you prefer Hubbard or McConkey.
McConkie for me again, Ravens Chargers, number one receiver on the Chargers.
Give me Lad Fits.
Yeah, Lad, Yeah, great matchup against the Ravens, and Lad has been terrific lately. Eighty seven eighty seven point five receiving yards over his last four games. He's averaging eighteen point four you heards per catch over that stretch, and you thought of him as the short area receiver, but like he's connecting on some big plays. Justin Herbert is
just totally clicking with his receivers. Right now, Hubbard has to go against the Chiefs run defense that ranks number one in DVLA and is giving up fifty two point two yards per game rushing to running back. So yeah, like guy in a great matchup versus a guy in a terrible matchup, I'll take LAD.
So we're all agreeing across the board that they are back to back in ecr in flexers is why I included them, because I thought that was off as well. I think Lad is the very clear play over Chuba Hubbard this week, so we are definitely all handholding there. How about Bucky Irving versus Courtland Sutton fits? What do you think about that one? Irving or Sutton?
Sutton red hot lately over his last four games, he has averaged nine point five targets, seven catches, ninety two point five receiving yards, and the matchup with the Raiders is by no means a scary one. Bucky Irving again, that split backfield, and you know, maybe we see Tampa Bay us lean on the backs a little less heavily than they have recently. Now that Mike Evans.
Is back, ericson Irving or Sutton.
I still like Bucky Irving here.
I just think the Giants run defense is they've just been horrible all season long, and if they're playing with positive game script, I mean, Bucky has just looked so good, so explosive, I think that they could lean on him a decent amount here. Yes, Mike Evans is back, but I still think that Bucky has the vice grip on the lead rushing role in the Buccaneers backfield. So and yes, again another player that I think that you're probably starting in most lineups.
But I believe when he played the Raiders.
Last time, I don't think he really had like a decent game like he wasn't that effective. So again, if you see the Raiders potentially, did you see the le.
Broncos run the ball a little bit more?
I mean yeah, against the Raiders he had two catches for thirty two yards. So do I expect that to happen again? No, because Bonix is playing obviously much better, but that's still in his range of outcomes. Again, I feel confident when it's a running back, I like a receiver like I feel more confident about Bucky getting more volume overall than Sudden, So I think it's close, but I'll go with Bucky.
Don't don't the worst game of the season.
Don't doubt for a minute that this decision has been influenced by all the Courtland, Sutton, scars Isssue, Ericson, has Well.
Ericson clearly doesn't mind going back to the well and these you know botches. He has less evidenced by Jalen Wattle, so he's uh, he's had.
I mean, I'm gonna be watching that game and every time Wonnald does, every time he's on the field, I'm just gonna be like throwing the ball.
Come on, Yeah, And I tend to lean towards Sutton, just like he's just giving you such a floor. At the last several weeks, he hit that won you know, goose egg in week seven, But outside of that, you know, the other five most recent games for him, he's been double digits, and you know he's been getting eight plus targets in most of those games. So I kind of lean with fits there. How about Austin Eckler or Calvin Ridley Ericson? Who do you like here?
Same thing for me? Here again?
Ridley and Sutton have kind of been similar in usage, similar targets, kind of guys that have improved over the last month plus of games. I just can't say no to running backs against Dallas like I just can't in my being, especially with Eckler Helevald. He is in the passing game besides Terry McLaurin the Commanders and I guess zach Ertz. I mean, Eckler is a big part of what they do in the passing game, So he catches passes. He's going to be a fishing against this Dallas run
defense that is absolutely horrible. So I think Ryan Robinson, Eckler, these both, both of these guys I think are gonna eat a decent amount. So I'm going to go with Eckler and Ridley does scare me just a little bit because if he doesn't like connect on that big one play. Houston has one of the best pass rushes in the NFL, and with Will Levis that can be a cost for concern.
If he doesn't get that giant play down field, they don't connect on it, then I feel like Redy's going to be underwhelming, Whereas Eklar feels safe about his floor in just such a great matchup.
What do you think fits Ridley for me?
Over the last five weeks wide receiver thirteen in PPR Fantasy points per game, and he's averaging almost almost ten yards to excuse me, ten targets per game over that stretch. I certainly don't mind Eckler. As Ericson mentioned, the matchup against the Cowboys is a really good one. Eckler obviously a pass catching threat, and the Cowboys have a lot of the sixth most receiving yards to running backs.
I just never know what.
Eckler's touch counts are going to look like, and that kind of concerns me. He's had seven or fewer carries in six of his ten games this year, and eight catches last week. Great that was the first time he's had more than four catches in a game this year. And of course you can live with four catches for running back. But maybe the pass catching ceiling isn't quite as high as it seems frostin Eckler, So I prefer the Titans Alpha receiver here.
One more flex Javonte Williams or Josh Downs.
Ericson don't trust the Broncos backfield.
Just when you feel like it's okay to get back into Javonte Williams pool. It's gonna be Sharks in that pool. So I just I guess it's a good matchup, but I'm afraid. And when I look at Josh Downs, he is clearly the guy that Anthony Richardson leads on the most. They have the best chemistry whenever Richard's dropping back the throat and the Lions are one of the worst defenses of the NFL and slot receivers. I've been targeting slot receivers against them all season long, and that's where Don's is.
That's his bread and butter is from the slot. So going back to Richardson as a starter or sit this week, He's gonna see a lot.
Of drop backs.
He's gonna have a decent amount of passing it time. So even if only half of his his pass at times are accurate, I think Down's going to see double digit targets in this matchup that is favorable for him. So I just don't feel confident going back to Jamonta even after we saw last week, because we've done this song and dance multiple times this year where oh he's made the Panthers this week. This is great, and then he is horrible after a good game. So I'm just
going to go back to Josh Downs. I just feel about more confident about him in this matchup versus Jamonte even though it is against the Raiders Fits.
You've been the guy fading Josh Downs for most of the season. Are you doing that again here? Or is the uncertainty in the Broncos backfield just too much and you're gonna stick with Downs?
I mean, I have him ranked in starter range.
Maybe I don't have him ranked as high as I thought wide receiver twenty nine, So I do still have trust issues with the Colts pass catchers with Anthony richards And I know it worked out well last week. Downs had five catches eighty four yards in a touchdown. Richardson completed twenty passes, But in Richardson's other starts, he's average like eleven completions, and that's a problem with you know, Michael Pittman back, Alec Pierce, Edna Mitchell is starting to
come on a little bit. So if you're chopping up only about a dozen completions between four guys, that's kind of a problem.
I don't know.
I mean Javonte seems like he's back to being the lead guy in the Denver backfield, and the matchup against the Raiders is good. Javontes already faced them and in Week five he had one hundred and eleven yards from scrimmage, including a season high fifty receiving yards. The Raiders have allowed the sixth most fantasy points to running back. So I'm gonna go with Javonte here. I think he's safer.
About a quarterback. Here. A couple of players that are definitely both ranked in starting range, but I think it's entirely possible there are teams out there with both of them, and we are ranking them both highly. Kyler Murray versus bo Nix, who is coming off his best passing game a bit, really his best game overall of his young career. Kyler also coming off of a strong game, you know, prior to the bye he had last week. Fits. I'll start with you this time, Kyler or bow Knicks. In Week twelve.
Bo Nicks.
The dude just keeps putting up fantasy points, and I think he does it more consistently than Kyler Murray. Since Week five, Knicks has averaged twenty one point six Fantasy points per game and not a lot of floor games with bow Knicks, like the floor has been pretty high for him. Kyler, on the other hand, he's had three games with twenty five or more Fantasy points this year, but he's also had games where he scored ten points, twelve points.
And four point eight points.
So I think you get a little more safety with bo Nicks Erickson.
I have a ranked back to back, so I mean, I think you could really start either guy, but I like Kyler because I think that I just think this game has a more likely chance of shooting out. I don't envision Broncos Raiders being a shootout game where Kyler how do you unlock his ceiling where he finished his top five or even QB one. Overall, it's when he's running around when they are playing from behind, and I think the Seahawks are going to score points on the Cardinals.
So for that reason, I just slightly leaned towards Kyler Murray. But I think that Fitzmison's due point where Nicks definitely comes with the safer floor because Kyle, we've seen where he has games where he's could be five, and then we have games where he's could be twenty five because they just decided to run the ball one hundred times games Connor and then he doesn't do anything. So I
think that what depending on what you need this week. Again, if you have a lot of guys on by week, maybe you shoot for the ceiling a little bit more with Kyler Murray. But if you feel, hey, my lineup started really good, I don't want to risk it, then I understand the play on bo.
Tight end here John new Smith or TJ. Hockenson ericson.
It's Johnnie Smith for me. I mean, he's the reason why Jalen Model has been horrible this year. He's the second receiver on the Miami Dolphins. And I can't say it's fluky because I mean last week he had the fluke touchdown where he was wide open. But his usage is off the charts right, like he is running a route on a ton you know, eighty percent or more
of the two of Tounguel Bowa dropbacks. So it's not really random that he's having this, you know, breakout this season because he's just so heavily involved in the offense, like they're getting him the ball in space, they're using him yards out to the catch. So he also again point out how Waddle had a lot of targets means the Patriots, so.
Did johnay Smith. Like JOHNA.
Smith still had a decent game even with Wattle more involved in that Patriots matchup. And then Hawkinson, he had good usage against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but then last week his routes were down and they're starting to use some of these other tight ends Johnny Munt, Josh Oliver, So Hawkinson, I'm not nearly as confident about. And when I look at Bears Vikings, that's a game that I think is just going to go through the mud. It's a game I don't think you're gonna see a lot of points.
It's gross. Every Bear's home game is gross. So I'm gonna go with with John new Smith fits.
I'll totally piggyback on Ericson here, and just to expand on the usage point that Erickson made with Hockinson, they're kind of slow rolling his return from this catastrophic injury that he suffered less than a calendar year ago. His snapchair has been between forty five percent and forty eight percent in his first three games back, So obviously, like
they have a man medt plan for Hockinson. And you know, since Hockinson's return, Vikings tight end Josh Oliver tight end fourteen in half point PPR fantasy scoring, Hockinson is tight end twenty three.
So yeah, they have been using other tight ends.
And of course they've got Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison.
John ou Smith.
I mean, we've we've seen otton Mania in Tampa Bay. Everyone's all excited about Will Disley. Now John who has quietly averaged six catches in seventy nine yards per game since Week five, like he has turned into a stud tight end.
I'm taking John U in this matchup, not even close.
I think it has been quite I think that's a great point by you. Fitz Is, Like all I hear about is is guys like Otten and Disley kind of coming out of nowhere. And I don't feel like up until this last week. I mean, obviously he had the huge game, you know, just a week ago, But up until that, I don't feel like I had heard as much discussion about Johnny's role in this offense.
I would be would be happy to discuss why Johnny was a big reason why my opponent in the Scott Fishball last week scored two hundred points and got avalanched by fifty John. I had John Hu and that's like a tight end super Premium league. I've got Brock Bowers and John new Smith. It was a pretty good week for those guys.
I was looking at the playoffs for scott Fishball, and I think you are the highest ranked Fantasy Pros representative unless I missaw that. So I congratulated youry. I think most a lot of Fantasy Pros folks are in the.
Playoffs your top five hundred, right.
Yeah, yeah, so I'm in that range. Yeah, I'm not like near the very top, but I'm in like the top five hundred or so. But you are. You are absolutely crushing it this year. Prog Powers, I'm sure has gone a long way towards that. Indeed, truthfully, did you know that feeding your lawn regularly builds a stronger, more resilient lawn that naturally crowds out weeds. Scott's Turf Builder products provide year round feeding with essential seasonal solutions for
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wrap up with the touchdown calls contest. Fits you're on running back this.
Week, Welcome back Isaiah Picchecko.
What better way to celebrate his return than with a touchdown against the Carolina defense that has given up seventeen touchdown runs this season. Not sure what the workload is going to be, but whether it's six or sixteen carries, one of them is going to finish in the end zone against the Panthers.
I am on receiver. I'm going Marvin Harrison Junior. I haven't picked a lot of big names. I've tried to kind of go you know, guys, maybe that are a little more dark horse candidates here, but I like Marvin Harrison Junior obviously the player, and I think this is going to be a shootout, so I wanted to pick a player in this game, maybe a less obvious one then one of the guys on the Seattle side, So
I went with Harrison. So we got Isaia pa check out running back Marvin Harrison junior at receiver, ericson who's your tight end?
Well, Justley got a touchdown last week and I think that he makes it two weeks in a row and a good matchup against the Ravens and game game. We want points, we want shootouts is where touchdowns come from. So going back to well Disney Monday night, let's go.
Say goodbye to start SIT dilemmas. With Fantasy Pro Start Sit Assisting. Within seconds, you'll know exactly who to play for optimal results each in every week. Leveraging insights from numerous experts, to Start SIT Assistant aligns your lineup decisions with the top minds in fantasy football, giving you a competitive edge. Maximize your lineup's potential with just a few clicks. Head to fantasypros dot com, slash my playbook and make winning decisions in no time. We will wrap up there.
Thank you everybody for tuning in. Best of luck with your start decisions in week twelve for Ericson and fits. I'm Ryan Warmley. Thank you everybody for tuning in and we'll see again next time. Thanks for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast. If you love the show, the best free way to support us is by leaving a positive review on Apple Podcasts at Fantasypros dot com
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