Hello, everybody, Welcome into the Fantasy pros Football Podcast. I'm Ryan Warmly, joined today by Pat fitz Morris and by Jake Seely. Guys, we are talking free agency predictions today now. Just to let everybody know, we are taping this before the Super Bowl has happened, because the week after the Super Bowl, Fitz and I are on the team trip. We are gonna be hanging out with our coworkers in
person all week, so we are pre recording this. The reason I am mentioning that is because we are obviously not going to be mentioning who won the Super Bowl or any possible takeaways from that. So I want to be clear that we are not just forgetting about the biggest game of the year. We are taping this early. In fact, Jake, this is the first show I've done with you. I'm looking forward to chatting with you.
No, I appreciate that. Yeah, And that's kind of something that's near and dear in the athletic. When I have this in mid BArch, I always have the article about free agency, so like the Impacts, so you have me already in my mind is this stuff.
There's really no offseason. It never sleeps with the NFL. You know, we're already jumping into thinking about what twenty twenty five might look like. It's a super fun conversation, you know, always fits. How are you doing? I feel like I haven't done a show with you in a minute.
I'm doing well, And you know, I'm just bummed we can't talk about the Super Bowl and recap Sky Moore's two hundred yard game for the Chiefs. But you know, I'm sure it's gonna be a good game or was a good game, since we're talking about this in the future.
For any of the ye it's Eagles. Yeah, yeah, do you guys have like I mean, are you are you pulling for the Eagles because you don't want to see the three pet just since we're still ahead of it and.
You are you going chick? Are you going for I could go either way? Yeah, I'm like, but I actually think the Eagles will or did win because I just go back to two years ago and how close it was, and just now the fact that they've been here a second time around, and then you have a safe one Barkley and have a defense and now watch while we're recording this, they probably lost thirty one to ten.
Or something like that. We're gonna pretend that we're correct as of right now. Just let everybody know as we get into kind of our twenty twenty five thinking. All of our consensus rankings and tiers as they're updated throughout the offseason can be found at fantasypros dot com slash rankings. Again, we are taping this early, so we're kind of a you know, if there's any stuff that happens between now and the Super Bowl, any news updates that would change
any of these. You know, this is early the week before that game. Let's dive in. We're going to go six to one from each analyst, going from kind of least confident to most confident free agency predictions, picking a player where we think they're going to end up. We can pick players that are going to stay with their same team, so you might see some of that, but you'll also see some players jumping around in our predictions. Jake, let's start with you as the guest, your number six prediction.
What do you got?
Yeah, I got Sam Darnald leaving the Vikings, and I have Sam Darnold in my mind. Of what are the options you've heard Jets, Giants and stuff, like that going
back to the Jets. But I think there's a team that makes a lot of sense that doesn't seem to get a lot of attention, And it's possibly because what people are thinking draft wise, I shouldever Sanders falls to the Raiders, But I actually think if you're bringing a Pete Carroll, Pete Carroll's not coming in with a ten year plan or even a seven year plan or even a five year plan. Pete Carroll's coming in to turn this organization around hopefully in one year, maybe two at
the most. And I think Sam donald actually profile is a lot like what is a Pete Carroll quarterback? Hint hint, there's another player that I have going to the Raiders and try to get that quick turnaround. And I think if you're looking with the Raiders' situation is in and having the money to be able to do this and not hope that one of the two quarterbacks falls to them, to being Ward and Sanders, I think Sam Donald to
the Raiders makes a lot of sense. And I initially thought the Vikings might pull the franchise just because JJ McCarthy might not, but you ready for week one. But the more we look into it and here beat reporters covering the Vikings. It sounds like they don't want to invest that much money even for a one year deal, given the way that their roster is constructed. So I think Sam Donald to the Raiders would be my and it's my least confident, but I'm still pretty confident in it.
Would you feel confident ranking Sam Donald if this happens, would you be interested in investing in him? In fantasy? I mean, if they don't take a quarterback with that early pick, maybe they take like a Teed McMillan or some other kind of pass catcher for Vegas at number six overall, and then you've got brock Bauers, You've got you know, Jacoby Myers. Is that at a situation to be interested in Sam Darnald's stepping into.
Sam Darnald?
And in that situation would fall too. So right now, lean over, I'm looking to I have my way to early rankings. I've been working on those for the day after the Super Bowl, which are already out now because technically this is but I had Donald just around sixteen seventeen, assuming he was back with the Vikings, I would knock him down to probably like the two tear the tier because it's still the Raiders. If they draft McMillan, that'd be great.
But I go back to the Pete Carroll thing, is the Pete Carroll offense is still going to be more run balanced, handt hint again, And I just think that this would be a little bit more conservative game plan than what you see with the Vikings. And it's not Jefferson, and yeah, I mean I love McMillan, but it's not Jefferson and Addison and all the rest. It's a rookie. And you know, Jacoby Myers brock Bowers probably put a tier below Fitz.
What do you think about this potential match?
I like it, and I like Jake's reasoning on the Pete Carroll thing. It does maybe make more sense for the Raiders to go out and get a veteran quarterback. Actually be pretty bullish on that as a landing spot, like, I think it might bode well for Donald's fantasy value because the Raiders' new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, really likes to push the pace. Donald would probably be among the
league leaders in pass attempts. I would imagine in a Chip Kelly offense, So you know, to me, that might put him like high end QB two.
Territory fit's what's your number six prediction?
Chris Godwin to the Cardinals now? As well as Jalen McMillan played for the Buccaneers down the stretch last season, it seems unlikely that Godwin would stay with the Buccaneers. Can we get the Cardinals a real slot receiver, one not named Rondell Moore or Greg Dortsch. I know Godwin is coming off a significant foot injury, but he wouldn't need to be a ten targeted game guy on a team that already has Trey McBride at tight end and
Marvin Harrison Junior as an outside receiver. The Cardinals have a lot of salary cap space, fourth most I think according to over the Cap, So Kyler Murray is McBride a tight end, Harrison Junior and Michael Wilson as the outside receivers, and Chris Godwin in the slot. That's a pretty nice group, and with that sort of pass catching arsenal, I think it would be fair for the Cardinals to make twenty twenty five a sort of referendum season for Kyler Murray. He still has a few years left on
his contract before. The Cardinals have to or have some sort of reasonable escape patch. But if Kyler can't get it done with a McBride Godwin Harrison trio, maybe it's time to start drawing up some sort of succession plans at the QB position.
Yeah, Jake, what would your reaction be to seeing this kind of fit?
Well, there goes my excitement about Marvin Harrison being in top twenty next year. I'm in for Marvin Harrison as a by low off of what happened this past season, but I think you bring in Godwin and the biggest concern you have for Kyler Murray is the same. This has nothing to do with this conversation, but when I was talking about Bryce Young on podcast earlier this year and the fact that's return coincided with what Bryce s youong,
but also Kyler Murray and Drew Brees years ago. What they need is they need slot options, reliable slot options, because you have to work the pocket different when you're short. It's a real thing. Like hype matters, and it also doesn't matter. But when it does matter is you have to work and find lanes to throw to instead of throwing over what you can see with the offensive line standing in front of you, which a Chris Godwin would
be perfect for Kyler Murray. And that's where I go to it is if you have Kyler with Godwin and McBride and Marvin Harrison. I actually feel like Marvion Harrison might be the least valuable of them, so I like to fit, but I feel bad for Marvin Harrison.
Yeah, it's I would be much more optimistic about what it does for Kyler than I would be for any of these receivers, right, I mean that's I would be more interested in Kyler than I and I am right now in terms of drafting him for next season. But yeah, it would be tough to kind of purk god Onin was so good before he got hurt this year. He was just having just such a great season. Such a
disappointment to see that injury. I do want to let everybody know that if you want a chance to win a signed Mike Evans Buccaneers helmet for free courtesy of our friends at Pristineauction dot com, all you need to do is head to fantasypros dot com slash contest, complete the form, and either download the Fantasy Pros my playbook app, leave a review for the podcast, or follow us on x Instagram or TikTok at Fantasy pros. The more actions you complete, the more entries you receive. We will be
announcing a winner right here on the podcast. If you're watching on YouTube, be sure to subscribe and turn on those notifications so you can be alerted when new episodes are up and to claim your prize. Again, that's a signed Mike Evans Buccaneers helmet for a free courtesy of Pristineauction dot Com. All right, Jake, what's your number five prediction?
So number five might not be super exciting for people to hear, but I feel like this is a good fit and what the Chargers are doing at running back and what is a team similar to what you just saw last year as a team that might take a chance on somebody coming off an injury and give him what he could do and also understanding might not be ready to be one hundred percent at the beginning of the season. And I think Nick Chubb looking for a new team next year, fits with like the harball what
we just saw with Dobbins. Maybe he's big in the second half of the season, and I don't think he'd be the other solution, the only solution, I should say. But if you JK. Dobbins a free agent, and I could see the Chargers saying, you know what, it's great that you vidalize your career. He goes. Dobbins goes for hopefully a big contract on his end, but the Chargers are like, well, then we'll let you have that. Because I'm Harball, I'm Roman like, we can do things with
other running backs and get Chubb on the cheap. So I could see that as a good fit for him, because it's hard to find too many teams where you can find a team that can wait and be patient also give a spot for Nick Chubb.
Yeah, I thought this is a really good fit, and especially the point you made about we just saw this a year ago with him taking on JK. Dobbins and being willing to take a chance on a guy coming off like a very crushing injury. Seeing it happen again, I don't think we'd be surprising at all, especially just giving kind of the culture of this team fits Nick Chubb on the Chargers. Would you like that or not?
I would, Although my dream is Ashton Genty somehow falling to the Chargers, but I don't think he's probably gonna fall that into the first round.
So yeah, I like.
It, And hopefully we see a different and more effective Nick Schubb this fall, when he'll be nearly two full years removed from that devastating injury because he just didn't have the same jeus last year. But then again, I don't know if a lot of us expected him to.
Yeah, what's your number five prediction? Fits?
I'm going to go with Stefan Diggs to the Patriots. The Patriots are just so thin at wide receiver that they will probably have to sign at least one and draft at least one. But New England does have a vast fortune to spend in free agency, So let's send Diggs back to the AFC East, but this time in New England instead of Buffalo. And when Diggs joined the Bills in twenty twenty, he helped Josh Allen become a superstar.
Like that was the breakthrough season for Josh Allen. In twenty nineteen, Allen had three thousand passing yards twenty TD passes. Then Digs showed up in Buffalo and in twenty twenty, Allen had forty five hundred passing yards thirty seven TV passes, So maybe Diggs can help. Drake may make a similar leap from toolesy prospect to NFL star, And of course I realized different circumstances. Now, Diggs was twenty six when
he signed with the Bills in twenty twenty. Now he's thirty one and coming off the torn ACL But he should be ready to go early in the twenty twenty five season, if not for the start of it. And I think a crafty rot runner like Diggs would be a pretty good fit for Josh McDaniel's system in New England.
Fits just kind of been talking through these first few names and looking at the names that are still to come on this show. It's a lot of guys on the wrong side of thirty. It's a lot of guys coming off injuries. Do you see this as a weak free agency class overall?
I mean overall or are we just talking about wide receiver in general?
Just overall? Do you view it as a strong free agency class where you can if you're an NFL team, you can pluggle out of holes and there's exciting, you know, opportunities for new guys for fantasy or is it just kind of a down like, less exciting class in general.
I mean for skill players, it's probably a down class like they're not Look how many running backs change teams, although I rallied some of them more trades. But I know last year was a pretty good running back free agent class. It just it does seem like it's a lot of guys on the wrong part of the bell curve as far as their career arct wide receiver and you know, not a not a real great draft class
at wide receiver. Running Backs can be interesting because the running back market has been pretty soft in free agency the last few years, and now we've got this monster class coming in. I forget who said it, but I remember someone mentioning on Twitter that they thought it was basically the talent of two running back classes packed into one class. And so I don't know what guys like Jalen Warren are going to find when they hit the
open market, you know. So, yeah, I mean, it's not a real lustrous free agent crop, at least for fantasy managers.
Well, speaking of those running backs, Jake, what's your next prediction?
Yeah, the hint is here. Now, remember four Najee Harris to the Raiders, go back to the Pete Carroll situation. If you're looking for somebody who has a lot of the makeup of a Kenneth Walker, who can you know Walker was brought in with Pete Carroll there. I think that there's similarities and that pretty good pass catchers, but really good between the tackles. And I know the complaints and fantasy for us was that, oh it's you know,
volume and Jim and Warren looks better. Why don't they give more to war But the fact is Naje Harris still a really good running back. It's just has some limitations, not everybody who's on the tier of Saquon Barkley and the rest. So I think the fit of again what the Raiders are trying to do here is Amir White that wasn't not anything this year, That backfield had some with a Mire Abdul at the end of the season,
and Alex Theren Madison is not the answer. So I think this is really Pete Carroll coming in, like I said, trying to remake this team quickly and say, you know, let's get one more playoff run, hopefully in my career at the end of it. Actually go back to something though fit said before, and I think that old chip
Kelly this is where it does great. Like old chip Kelly, I would agree, I think the Ohio State chip Kelly might be a little bit more run heavy, especially and I know he had Henderson and Judekins and that was a big factor that. But I just think that you might get a little bit more balanced with chip Kelly and that being Naje Harris end a piece, whether it continues to be Madison as part of that piece, or Abdullah or maybe they draft somebody. Because you are right,
this is a ridiculous draft class for running backs. I think Naje Harris and Sam Darnell would do a lot for the Raiders and then they can address the other side of the ball more so in the draft too. And free agency. To go back to your question, he asked fits. Unfortunately, defense is actually that's the answers if you needed answers on defense. The free agent class is good there.
Yeah, I really like this fit with Harris to the Raiders. I was looking at our early twenty twenty five consensus rankings and Harris is RB twenty five. He's at the top of tier five. Or see me, he's rbly twenty seven, he's at the top of Tier five. I will definitely be ranking him higher than that if he goes to the Raiders, just knowing we know about Pete Carroll and the opportunity that's there in this offense. I like this fit a lot fits. What do you think about it?
Yeah, maybe he can be Pete Carroll's mark. Shawn Lynch and I know a lot of people wanted to make Sincere McCormick a thing in fantasy late last year. They do have him under contract very cheaply for twenty twenty five, but you can't go into the twenty twenty five season with Sincere McCormick as your number one running back. So Nasee isn't the flashiest dude, but he is a pretty
reliable male carrier and catches passes ultra durable. Hasn't missed a single game in his four NFL season, so I would be on board with this.
He'll be twenty seven in March, so obviously that'll be his age for all of next season. If he goes to the Raiders. Fits put a number to it. Where do you think you'd have him ranked? Obviously it's really early in that process. But if you had to guess.
Yeah, still probably low end RB two, like somewhere in the RB twenty three range.
Maybe does that sound right to you?
I go a little bit higher, like I'm looking right now at my ranks. Is funny as you said twenty seven, twenty seven, whereas I have him checked in, not knowing where he would go, but looking at names that I have right now, like Kenneth Walker's at eighteen, and I'd probably take him over Kenneth Walker, knowing the split that's with Seattle again, Montgomery's at twenty right now. Again this
is my rankings. There's another name that I'll say because we're gonna talk about him at twenty one right now. But it's a lot of shared backfields, some uncertainty where I just know the volume that he would probably get here three hundred touches, So I'd say mid RB two, not that far from fits, but a little bit more aggressive.
Kind of last question on this range of running backs fits. Obviously ashon genty we would expect to be ranked higher than this, like pretty much irrespective of his landing spot for some of those other guys in this class that we keep talking about is super strong. Let's use Najie Harris theoretically on the Raiders as a barometer. Do you think guys like with Marion Hampton and Traveon Henderson and Judkins are or whoever it is that you're is kind of your RB two de jure? Would they be ranked
ahead of Harris for you? Or are they all kind of be gonna behind him? And depending on landing spot.
I'm a big o Marian Hampton fan, so I would probably have him ahead of Nausey and then like I'm the Ohio State guys and maybe some of the other guys because someone lands in the dream spot. If someone lands on the Chargers, for instance, which might be the most attractive setup for any rookie running back, I might put them ahead of Najee Harris. But so far only I think Genty and Hampton right now?
Do you have any thoughts on that, Jake, I'm not sure how much you've dived into the class yet.
No, that's actually the next thing after the free agents, is what I'm always doing. But I and I have some of my early rookie run running back rankings, and I so to give you an idea, I have Genty inside my top ten. But then as of doing my preseason ranking their offseason rankings, I have Hampton, Johnson, Henderson, and Judkins all back to back to back to back.
Ye kind of too well to your point right now, they're in the mid twenties, because it's they could end up in a spot where they'll jump inside the top twenty, even pushing top fifteen like you know Fits brought up, maybe would if genty doesn't go to the Cowboys like everybody expects, one of them goes to the Cowboys, so you can see that, or you can see some of
them end up in time shares. So I think any of those four, in my opinion, could be fringe RB one's top end RB twos, but all four of them could also be time shares and kind of like a lowen RB two RB three.
Yeah, it could be similar to like Sharbona where coming in there was a lot of interest in him and then he goes to Seattle and all of a sudden, dal he's nuked. All right, fits, what's your number four prediction?
DeAndre Hopkins to the Chargers, And it's it's kind of hard to figure out exactly where some of these veteran outside receivers are going to Land in free agency. T Higgins is the headliner, of course, but then you've got Hopkins, digs Amari Cooper. We were just talking about the age thing and how some of these guys are maybe on the wrong side of the age bell curve for wide receivers. But there are quite a few teams that could use
a veteran outside receiver. The Patriots, the Steelers, the Commanders, the Panthers, the Raiders, the Titans, But not a lot of those teams are ready to contend for a Super Bowl. One team that I think could contend for a Super Bowl appearance and needs a veteran outside receiver the Chargers. So Hopkins is going into his age thirty three season probably only has another bite or two at the apple.
Let's put DeAndre Hopkins on the ascendant Chargers and let him finish his career with Justin Herbert, an ultra talented quarterback who's just entering his prime. Chargers already have the terrific Lad McConkie in the slot, but they are weak in the outside. I think Quinton Johnston has been obviously
pretty inconsistent and drop prone. He may never become the players player the Chargers hoped he would be so signed DeAndre Hopkins, draft a tight end in the first round, either Tyler Warren or more likely since he played with Jim Harbaught Michigan, Colston Loveland, and draft another outside receiver on Day three is a developmental prospect. Chargers have some money to spend in free agency. I don't think they'd have to break the bank for a receiver who's in
the twilight of his career. I just I think this pairing makes a lot of sense.
Yeah, it is funny to think about, Like, Oh, DeAndre Hopkins, the guy who wants to get a ring. He may be coming off a Super Bowl victory as at the time this episode drops, but we don't know quite yet. DeAndre Hopkins in La Jake, Do you like that fit? I like the fit.
I don't love it for fantasy. I think this is going to be a situation. And I had nothing to do with Justin Herbert, But I think Justin Herbert in now the Harball slash Roman offense isn't the Herbert where we were thinking, Oh, forty five hundred yards and thirty plus touchdown shipy in play every single season. I think Lad McConkie is the answer and the worst scenario about
it is I agree with Fitz. I love it Draft Loveland too, but now it's like, the only person I'm interested is Lati McConkie, and whatever's in the backfield is not trying to figure out which week Hopkins is going to hit, because that's the Hopkins we're dealing with right now is it's basically touchdown our bus most week. So I like the fit for real life. Fantasy wise, it would be pretty much no interest.
Yeah, a lot of my are good for the quarterbacks but not so good for the other pass catchers involved.
This one might actually be good for the other pass catcher because I don't think it can definitely take away from Lad, so sure it would probably make me even more bullish on Lad if this is the receiver investment that the Chargers choose to make. I don't think Hopkins is taking anything away from, especially what we saw in the back half of the season this year in the playoff game, Like mcconkey's just really really good. Who is
scoring big in the NBA this season? You are with all the new ways to get in on the action At DraftKings Sportsbook, an official sports betting partner of the NBA, from monster Slams to dishing the rock to cleaning the glass. Get behind your favorite players and the prop bets you can make on DraftKings, the home of NBA player props. Ready to place your first bet, Try betting on something simple like picking how many points your favorite player will have.
Go to the DraftKings sports Book gap and make your pick. The odds shifted a bit after the blockbuster Luca trade a couple of weeks ago, but the two favorites to win it all this season are Boston at plus two forty and at plus two forty five. Next closest contender is Cleveland, all the way down at plus nine hundred, paired with the Knicks at the same odds. Lines and odds are subject to change, of course, but for now, it looks like we're barreling towards a Thunder Celtics Finals
matchup first time. Here's something special for you new DraftKings customers. Bet five dollars to get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets. Instantly take it to the rack with DraftKings sports Book, Every point Counts. Download the DraftKings sports Book app and use Code Fantasy Pros. That's code Fantasy Pros for new customers to get one hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets when he betches five bucks only on DraftKings. The Crown is yours.
Gambling problem called one eight hundred gambler In New York call eight seven seven eight hope and Y, or text hope and Y four six seven three six nine. In Connecticut. Help is available for problem gambling called eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven seven or visit CCPG dot org. Please play responsibly on behalf of Boothill Casino when resorting Kansas twenty one and over age in eligibility
varies by jurisdiction Voyd and Ontario. New customers only. Bonus bets expire one hundred and sixty eight hours after Ishie wins.
Four.
Additional terms and responsible gaming resources see dkang dot co slash audio.
All right, guys, we're into our top three predictions here for free agency twenty twenty five. Jake, what's your number three? Yeah?
I felt really good about this. After Ben Standig over The Athletic wrote up something and was talking about the commander's offseason plans, and one of them was the name that I was about to say, and I was talking about this a few weeks ago. This has been I feel so good about this, like I'll get a victory lap. The heck out of this have happened. I was like, look at the commanders. They need a number two wide receiver.
There's no question about it. And if you look at it, Noah Brown, Diami Brown, Zekias, I think at least two or three of them are two out of the three, even possibly all three are unrestricted free agents. I don't remember Noah Brown's exactly, but I think it might be all three. But they need an answer because of those three,
nobody was the true answer anyway. And I was like a lot of people want to say, maybe Hopkins, maybe they do something differently another slot, and I was just looking at Terry McLaurin, who kind of plays not a true big slot, but kind of that range where he can move around. And I was saying, if you want to really unleash things for jayde and Daniels, I know Amari Cooper was the other name that was thrown out by Ben, But the name that I was throwing out
that he also included was Hollywood Brown. You get that deep Bowl opened up too for Jaydon Daniels, as we've already seen with McLaurin, but even more so with Hollywood Brown and the real important thing that he brought up. And I know he's not the best. Actually this is one area that Cooper is better than he is, but they're both decent and is you also want somebody the reason they went the Noah Brown route as somebody who can block as a number two wide receiver if needed,
And Hollywood Brown is definitely not the worst. And I think he's just a really nice fit and checks all the boxes, but also checks the boxes where probably doesn't command as much as Cooper does in free agency and being younger, but also coming off the injury just recently.
I think a lot of factors here. Maybe he's coming off a Super Bowl win and a Super Bowl rang, but I think he just fits all the boxes where the commanders can also address other issues and not go too heavy like Cooper would command.
Fitz, what do you think about the fit of Hollywood Brown next to Terry McLaurin in that offense?
I like, I mean, durability obviously a big concern with Hollywood Brown, but giving Jade and Daniels a vertical receiver, especially with the way Jade and Daniels can buy time with his mobility. Good luck staying with Hollywood Brown for five seconds if Jade Daniels gets loose and starts scrambling around. So that is an exciting pairing. It's just one of these years. We need a fully healthy season from Hollywood Brown, especially when he's potentially paired with a good quarterback. That
would be fun to see. Just got to keep this.
Oh and the other thing too, sorry to jump back in. I was so excited about this, I forgot too the other reason I was tying this together. Oh, by the way, Cliff Kingsbury with the Cardinals had Hollywood Brown good points the connection there too as well.
That's a great point. It's so funny. It's just just how quickly some of these, like long term morabound franchises, all of a sudden, become really attractive landing spots for players. Just get the young core saw with the Texans a year ago, we're seeing with the Commanders this offseason. I expect, just get the good exciting quarter back in talent we'll want to flock there. So I like this fit a
lot too. Fits Your number three free agency prediction is one that we've talked about in a couple of shows here already, so I was not surprised to see you include it.
Yeah, Jake started the game of quarterback musical chairs with Sam Darnold to the Raiders, Let's put Justin Fields on the Jets. So the Jets do need some sort of plan B at quarterback in case Aaron Rodgers calls it quits. They're picking seventh in the draft, where they're pretty unlikely to get the quarterback of their choosing, and even if Rogers doesn't call it quits, signing Field Fields might still make some sense. He's probably not going to command an
exorbitant salary after being a backup last year. I could potentially serve as a backup for one more season or for as long as the Aaron Rodgers New York Jets marriage can last. And that would also reunite Justin Fields with Garrett Wilson, his old teammate at Ohio State. Wilson seemed pretty unhappy by the end of last season. This might be a good way to keep up his morale, and I still think Fields can be an above average starting quarterback. He has a good arm, he's extremely mobile.
His biggest flaw as an NFL QB so far is that he just takes too many sacks. So if Fields can get better at sack a voidance. I mean, now we're cooking with gas.
What would you do with the rest of the players in this offense? Fits If let's say Rogers is not there just for the sake of argument, Fields is their week one starter. Are you bumping up Breese Hall? Are you bumping up Garrett Wilson just because he'll be happier? Are you maybe bumping them down? Actually because like you know, you know, Fields doesn't have the most the best history of accuracy. Like, what are you doing with these other players?
Yeah? Probably status quote for everyone, but Garrett Wilson. I would have to give him.
A bomp Okay Fields to the Jets, Jake, do you like that?
Fantasy wise? It's funny that in my mind the best fantasy solution is the Jets for a lot of reasons for quarterbacks, but I would go for and this was rumored when we're doing this show, but the whole like sae Quon Barkley being like, hey, Jamis, why don't you go sign with the Giants and to the New York teams. I would rather Winston go to the Jets, too, So
it's whether Winston Fields or whoever it might be. Even though I don't think they're going to reconnect with Darnold, I think anybody that's with the Jets, if it's no Aaron Rodgers, I think would be a positive for us in fantasy. So I would like Fields there. I think he deserves another chance in the NFL. But I would like a lot of quarterbacks. Is my point here is that I would like a lot of them if they ended up with the Jets giving their weapons.
Jake, let's stick with you for your number two free agency prediction.
Yeah, I don't. Maybe this one's a little bit wish casting, but I'm sending T Higgins to the Jaguars because again, connections being made. Look, we have Liam Cullen coming in two ball, and then we've already heard at this time it might have happened the offensive coordinator quarterbacks coach over with the Rams. I'm not going to try and pronounce this last name is like shelle Hazy or something like whatever.
If that happened, you get the passing game narrowed down a lot to a third option, but a very aggressive passing game coming from McVeigh. But going back to this is like, if you're going to get Trevor Lawrence to work, Gabe Davis is not the answer. Christian Kirk can't stay healthy, similar to the Hollywood Brown situation. I think he's better served at this point just being the number three answer. So what's the answer at number two? The Jaguars have money,
as we know, you bring T Higgins. Oh, by the way, what was the best Trevor Lawrence we've ever seen college? Who is he playing with in college?
Oh?
T Higgins. Let's put them back together. Let's open up this offense with Brian Thomas T Higgins and get Trevor Lawrence to that generational talent that we were all wrong about so far to this point of his career. I know a lot of people want to put T Higgins in New England, and it makes sense because of all their money. But I think that if I'm T Higgins just thinking this again, I go play with Trevor Lawrence. Liam Cohen's a hot name. I see him as the
head coach. I see the Jaguars as much as things have gone wrong. If you told me which roster looks closer to it actually contending roster. I would say Jaguars over the Patriots, just in my opinion. So I think there's a lot that could go right with the Jaguars with the right coaching staff and the right pieces put in place, and I think one of them is T Higgins.
Man, I'm mad at myself that when I saw you put this in the show sheet, te Higgins the Jags, that my first thought wasn't their reunion with Trevor Lawrence. Like my thought was, oh Liam Cohen, like maybe he can use in the same way as Mike Evans, Like I didn't even think about the Clemson connections. So that's that now seems very obvious now that you mentioned it. But I love that a fit in that regard fits. You know, T Higgins is like the crown jewel of
this class. You know, I talked about how maybe it's a kind of a down free agency class. It is not the case with T Higgins. You know, he's obviously a very talented player when he's on the field. Is the Jaguars to you the best landing spot for T Higgins or is there another team that if you were picking a prediction for TA you would have gone with.
Yeah, not the Patriots, Jake, the team that test probably needs a wide receiver and has the most salary caps face in the league. Can't we can't we throw Drake may a bone here? No, like Jim Hopkins. Yeah, I mean Jake's Jake's reasoning makes a lot of sense, and this could help fully unlock Trevor Lawrence and the t Higgins Lawrence pairing would be really cool. And suddenly this, you know, looks a little bit like the Joe Burrow,
Jamar Chase t Higgins triumvirate in Cincinnati. I just the only thing is when Jake and I did the show a few weeks ago where we were talking about like who we've got as first round picks next year, I think both of us had Brian Thomas Junior inside round one. I think those are pretty much knock Brian Thomas Junior out of round one.
Oh, this is painful for me, Like I said, I got the sign football right behind me, like as a Brian Thomas Junior person, like I want it and don't want it at the same time.
Yeah, I in this scenario would be really hoping to get assuming the hype isn't too much for him. I would be hoping to get Trevor Lawrence in a lot of my leagues if he's thrown at both those you guys with Liam Cohen as head coach, that would be super fun, at least for the quarterback perspective. Fits What is your number prediction?
This is certainly not as sexy as t Higgins to the Jaguars, but Amari Cooper to the Steelers. The Steelers badly need more firepower at wide receiver. They still don't know what they have in Roman Wilson, their third round pick from last year. They brought in Mike Williams during the season. He didn't really offer much help and now
he's going to be an unrestricted free agent again. The one blue chip asset the Steelers have at wide receiver right now is George Pickens, who is abundantly talented but also troublingly immature. Now, Amari Cooper's had a very good ten yure career. Sure, he's probably not the player he was in his prime, but still only thirty years old, and he did have a twelve hundred yard season in twenty twenty three. Also, I think Cooper could serve as
sort of a role model for Pickins. By all account, Cooper has been a really good teammate wherever he's been, certainly not a diva type on the field. The Bills traded for Amari Cooper last year and then sort of grossly underutilized him Cooper complaint Like In the days before the Bills lost to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game, Cooper told the media he wasn't unhappy with his role and was just grateful to be on a winning team. So Mary Cooper would give the Steelers some much needed
stability at wide receiver. He and Pickens both have X receiver wide receiver versatility. I think it's a pretty good match.
Jake, what do you make of the disappointment from Amari Cooper after the trade to Buffalo. I was expecting a much bigger impact. It just fantasy production for the team on the field, non fantasy like all of it. I was expecting him to make a bigger difference than he did.
I was too, honestly, mostly because Keon Coleman, we've seen the rawness there. We've seen like as much as I'm a secure guy, like, he's not the answer to be their number one. And it's funny as there was a lot of these, you know, looking through free agency, and I'm like, Mayo, who's the answer for the Bills And it just seems stylistically fit. Is the answer really comes down to is they don't need anybody to be like
the guy. And I think that's just what happened, is that Cooper kind of had some redundancies to Shakiir, had some redundancies to everything else, and as Fitz said, he was just out there happy to be on a team and playing good football because it's that kind of guy. But I think it's just the Bills. We're just like, yeah, we don't really have like we don't need to force you into the number one role. You can do what
we do. And that's why I kind of steered away from them with a lot of the wide receiver predictions. It's just I don't maybe they grab one, but maybe lower level. I just don't know that they're in a place where they are concerned. Like Stephan Diggs when Fitz brought that up earlier, Stefan Diggs was the answer to help unlock Josh Allen early in his career. I think at this point it's now Josh Allen doesn't needed digs anymore.
Yeah, what would you make of Cooper and Pittsburgh, Jake?
I like it.
I think it comes down to who the quarterback is. Even if it's Russ I wouldn't mind him as a four at this point of his career. But also just because Russell Wilson can do thirty two to thirty three hundred yards, but it's not going to be a high octan, high passing offense. So I like it. It would be okay for fantasy. It wouldn't be one of the best, it wouldn't be one of the worst. So I think it's okay at least. Hey, it's better than anyone is with the Bills.
Yeah, hard to be worse. Uh, all right, Jake, your number one free agency prediction for twenty twenty five.
Yeah, were supposed to be going from least to most confident, and admittedly, like Higgins is kind of like I'm like again wish casting that's the most confident. I'd probably put them lower down, but this is my most confident, most confident, and it's kind of boring for everybody out there in fantasy. But I think Aaron Jones return into the Vikings is
just going to happen. You look at the Vikings now, I go back to the whole Sam Darnold's situation about the contracts and everything and how this roster is constructed. You know, maybe they try to wait and Aaron Jones happens after the draft, depending on if somebody fell to them. I could see the Vikings being like, oh, you know, somebody blank is still on the board in the third round because how deep this draft class is, and maybe
they pivot at that point. But I think that if you're looking to run most of everything back, and whether or not it's McCarthy is the answer week one or whatever it might be, I think they are just why not run everything back on the offense. There's not a whole lot of stuff that you can do to improve what you have there, And instead of going out one of them big names like Naje Harris, they don't need
Naje Harris, they don't need to risk JK. Dobbins, and hopefully that it could be slightly better because Aaron Jones was good with the Vikings and he can be good again. And I think that that's just a very easy Let's just make everything work again. I think he's probably happy there, because why not?
What do you think about this? On fits?
I'd love to see Aaron Jones stay with the Vikings. I mean I say that as a Green Bay Packers fan who doesn't love seeing, you know, a great ex packer playing with the hated rival. But it just worked, like he thrived in Kevin O'Connell's system. Eleven hundred rushing yards fifty one catches, four hundred receiving yards. Aaron Jones even stayed healthy and didn't miss a game. So I'm with Jake, let's run it back.
Yeah, I think I'm counting now twelve double digit scoring games in half PPR for him this year? Where Jake, do you have Jones ranked in your way too early?
Rankings twenty one low RB two like I would take Briest Hall and even the questions there above him. I would take Kenth Walker to go back to that split because similar splits, but Walker has a slightly higher ceiling. If there's one. Could he just stay healthy? Maybe this is the year that he finally does James Connor if
he stays healthy. But James Connor, even if I only get twelve games, we've seen James Connor put up fringe RB one numbers, so it's Aaron Jones feels more like, Hey, I took a gamble at my other running back or I went wide receiver heavy, and that's where I'm going to be taking Aaron Jones is It's like, cool, I got my consistency, but I understand that there's going to be a limited ceiling.
What do you think for a ranking fits.
I think I'm pretty much right in line with Jake, but that's sort of baking in the uncertainty of his free agency and if he goes back to the Vikings, I'm probably gonna tick him up a little bit to more mid few spots. Yeah, mid RB two range perhaps.
All right, Fitz. You also, for your number one prediction, went with a guy staying with his team from this past year.
Yeah, this is not the most elegant prediction in the world, but like, I do feel about ninety five percent sure this is going to happen. It's zach Ertz staying with the Commanders, and like, I just feel like this one is a layup. Ertz is thirty four, but he says he is not going to retire, and why would he, Like he was fantastic for the Commanders down the stretch, seven touchdowns in his last ten games, eleven catches in one hundred and four yards against the Eagles in the
NFC Championship Game. Ertz has talked about how he'd love to keep playing with Jayden Daniels, how he wishes he'd gotten to play with Daniels earlier in his career. The Commanders do have a pretty talented young tight ended Ben Sinnett, their second round pick from last year, but Sinnate had five catches during the regular season one catch in the playoffs. I don't know if the Commanders can count on him to play the sort of role that Ertz played this
past season. So let's go one more time. Run it back with the old guy one more year. I don't think it would cost Washington a lot to re up with Zach Ertz for one final season. Commanders have a lot of cap space. This wouldn't be hard. Let's get it done.
Jake, do you want to see this reunion for real life? Yeah?
And actually I think, without looking, I think Bates is a free agent too, so they're gonna need They're not going to just run out with or not like that's their only tight end next year. So yeah, artz makes a lot of sense, and he's saying all the right things, and I think it's part of the like you might see him sign one of those early year deals of like a one year five million just to stick around
with this team and understand what he had. So prediction wise, yeah, this would be a high confidence level, but not I fantasy excitement level.
I will say I was surprised again and looking kind of at our early ECR that he's tight end twenty if he returns to Washington. I'm not sure where I want to passionately make the case to move him up too specifically, but I feel like twenties too low.
Oh yeah, I think it would well go ahead, Viz. I was just gonna say, like somewhere low low end tight end one, high end tight end two feels more right.
Yeah, I'm gonna be down here in the twenties, assuming something happens with the wide receiver two position. Now, if they run it back and just try to cobble together at the wide receiver two position with McCaffrey in a second season and maybe some discounts, then I could be
more in on that. But you know, looking at it right now, I would take Loveland the rookie over him, just because it's ceiling, it's tight end, Like I don't want tight end fourteen, you know, and I could see him being tight end fourteen, Like I want somebody who can potentially be top seven. So I would take a
chance on both the rookies. I would take a chance Taysom Hill stays healthy and runs back his insanity, like, but I think Ertz is Florville floors like, yeah, you're I'm gonna get tight end fifteen fourteen, But I just I'm not drafting tight end fourteen or fifteen.
But I do think if you were going to punt the tight end position and not pay off, you could do worse than a combination of like Ertz and Loveland, like one kind of upside young guy.
Well, then let me give you a question to you, like, would you, as of right now just the random one, sorry to jump in and ask her that no more, just like like because I have him ranked higher, would you go Cole Comet with the new offense or would you go Zach Kertz Because I would just take a chance that Comet with a new offense happened.
I'd probably go for Comet too, with the way he made little portal work as a rookie, and I think Comett is really good and just kind of got buried in that offense this year.
So Comet's tight end eighteen for the record in early ECR again, zach Ertz tight end twenty. We actually have a minute, Jake. You gave an extra prediction just in case there was overlap with Fits on Aaron Jones. It is about Javante. I actually kind of want to hear you weigh in on that one too, So we have a moment. So a special thirteenth here prediction for the show, A.
Special thirteenth just in case Fits wanted to steal one of mine from me. Is trying to find an answer for where Javonte Williams might go. Yeah, like this is I'm looking down, I'm looking through the rosters and say, you know what, and you're asking this because we just brought up the Bears. Is Swift? Yeah, they spent on Swift, and but I think we've seen what we already knew is that Swift is not a bell cow. Swift has
his limitations. Switch is cool, but Swift also probably better with a decent option next to him, and the roster as its constructed. I know people like Roshawn Johnson, but I just don't think that's working. I think they're getting what they want from him. I just don't think it's working to the level of what we expected. I was high on Roshan Johnson too to a degree. I expected more from him. But you take a flyer like Javonte Williams, flyer, he's not gonna cost much of anything. I would assume
he gets a one year contract. But you take a roster that has you gotta look at Joonta Williams as in like probably a newer coach or a coach with a backfield that has questions that doesn't you know, I'd say maybe the Chargers are in play here too. Is just take a chance he's going to be cheap. Maybe you resurrect his career. I think the Bears are really nice fit for what he would bring alongside Swift and to that backfield with Kayleb Williams under bed Johnson.
Yeah, I wanted to dis squeeze this thing because I just find Chavante so fascinating in where he lands and what my interest level is gonna be I. He's somebody that I similar to you, Jake. I think I would kind of struggle to pick like a perfect spot for him. So I'm really intriguing to see where he goes fits. I know you you loved Javante maybe more than anybody pre that injury a couple of years ago. What would you think about this fit?
Yeah, I've said he's one of those guys who might go on my do not draft lists this year, but I think the Bears are actually a landing spot that could kind of rekindle interest. Because if the Bears did go out and sign anyone in free agency at running back, whether it was Javante or Jalen Warren, like you'd have to feel pretty excited about Ben Johnson telling Ryan Poles like, this guy would be a good fit for my system, let's go get him right and I'd do Montgomery, Yeah exactly.
And I do wonder if DeAndre Swift is going to be that guy for Ben Johnson because he wasn't before. So yeah, like that that would definitely perk up my interest in Javante.
All we gave everybody an extra prediction, so we'll wrap up there. Thanks everybody for tuning in thanks to Jake and Fitz for joining the ship. We will be back throughout the off season talk about other stuff. You know, when the free agency frenzy actually happens, will be reacting to that as well, so stick with us throughout the off season. For Jake and Fitz, I'm Ryan warmly thanks for tuning in. We'll see again next time and go birds. Hopefully that age as well. Thanks for listening to the
Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast. If you love the show, the best freeway to support us is by leaving a positive review on Apple podcasts at Fantasypros dot com, slash review, or on Spotify. Follow us on x, Instagram and TikTok at Fantasy Pros, and subscribe to our YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash Fantasypros