Hey everybody, It's Thursday, September fifth, twenty twenty four. Welcome to the NFL Fantasy Football Show where we're back Baby.
It's being your Man.
Name j Marcus Grand joined by Michael Flooryo and Lakwan Joe. They special short episode here on Thursday as we get ready for Chickoff Ravens Chiefs tonight. We've got Packers and Eagles from South Paulo on Friday, so we'll dive into some of our week one calls.
We'll give you.
Our top scores, we'll give you our favorite sleepers and the guys the Baby will let you down in Week one. But first, fellas, let's get started with a fantasy headline, and it's the same headline now that it has been for the last couple of days. Mostly keeping an eye on Jamar Chase and his situation, Floryo. As you pointed out before the show, the latest we have seen is Jamar Chase in pads, crossing the street, presumably without the help of a crossing guard as the Bengals go from
their workout facility to their actual practice field. Still don't know officially if he's going to be there for the Bengals season opener, they certainly have not come to any sort of contract agreement at the time of this recording. So Flora, I mean, I'll ask you, is there any scenario, Let's say he does somehow play, but we don't find out until maybe before kickoff.
Is there any scenario where you bench Jamar.
Chase if Jamar Chase plays, And I think it's learning to look more and more likely. Like I mean, back at practice two days in a row, Joe Burrow has already said like he kind of expects him to be out there, at least I read that last night. So I think if Jamar Chase plays, you play him in fantasy unless you have another stud option that you just like. If you're in like a shallower league than anything like twelve team or deeper, I think you roll with Chase.
My personal conundrum Nicolette's team, I have to decide do we start Jamar Chase or do we go Rashid Rice, who I do consider to be kind of a stud on the bench. So I've been going back and forth on that. If you're in that kind of situation, maybe you could get away, but otherwise I.
Think you have to go Chase. Nothing more.
Stressful than having to set the significant others, would you play.
Rice or Chase? Because I'm asking everyone.
That I was about to jump in, like that's the scenario I had as an example where I'd rather play Rice if you're worried about that slow start against a really good defense like the Patriots are still one of those defenses you have to prepare for, and that's kind of probably why he's been at practice these last two
days to prep for this game. So it's like if you have like another option that you could feel in because like a great example of having like a Cooper Cup or a Nico Collins as like you're one two three with Chase and it's like those are scenarios where like you could just plug and play both of those guys because they have.
Favorable matchups this week and it's only week one.
Like I'm not trying to be too stressed out saying line like I'm trying to enjoy football this week, so like avoid the headaches, man, Like, if you have other options, I'm starting the man, especially if the matchups are.
Great, especially with y'all talk about Rashet Rice.
Yeah, it's like a field goal or two might be enough to beat the Patriots.
You're not wrong about that. At least she Rice too.
There's no Marquise Brown, so that potentially means more opportunity.
For but she has my homes, so we got that stuff going on.
Then it's there, it's done. It's a wrap. You're starting with sheet Rice for sure. All let's get let's get into some of our big calls for week one. We're gonna start big. We're gonna start with club dub. Normally club dubs, the guys we think you're gonna score twenty points or more. But let's go with who we think is gonna be maybe the top scorer of the week.
Maybe it's a quarterback, maybe it's a wide receiver. Who will let me know who it is, Lakwan, Who is your number one scorer this week?
It's Josh Allen. Man, this is Florio's guy.
So I was just so surprised not to see him on your list on the show, sheet Man. But this Arizona Cardinals defense is trash. It's still trash.
No notable additions.
I mean, like Josh Allen's gonna go out there and like we were talking about it yesterday at breakfast of him putting that narrative, narrative, you know on his side for MVP, where it's like he's gonna go out there and show that he's still one of the elite quarterbacks out there, and like you're looking at this Cardinal secondary. They've been struggling, you know, from last season, and so it's like you have Curtis Sam, you have Kean Coleman,
you have Close Shakir. So this is going to be a defense that's gonna have a headache with this Joe Brady offense. Man, Like they were four and most fancy points allowed to quarterbacks third and most touchdowns to quarterbacks top ten and most rushing yards allowed to quarterbacks last season.
Josh Allen's going to be the Club dub winner this week.
I think it's gonna be so many points scored in that game. I like pretty much all the major pieces on both sides in that one.
Some great matchups.
Okay, so wait, now, Lakwan picks a Bill Florida, you pick a Ram. What the hell is happening on this show right now?
Not only like I know where this is an audio only show, but that's the sound of the money gun. I still have the money gun from Club dub baby, I gotta pick this all up now, and yeah, that's but you heard it. Yeah, I'm going with Cooper Cup. I might not be a Rams fan, but I love me some Cooper Cup. And he is healthy. He was a wide receiver one down the stretch last year. And look when the Lions played the Rams in the playoffs,
Matthew Stafford threw for three sixty seven and two. I think, just with everyone healthy, this is going to be one of the highest scoring games of the week. I went with the safe my safe pick here though, because the other name I was pretty I almost I had it typed out and then deleted. It was Malik Neighbors. But I thought that might be a little bit too bold for week one. I have a very bold prediction coming out later this week with him. But give me Cooper Cup. I think he eats in week one.
All right, So you're taking Cooper Cup, I'm gonna take the guy on the other side of that game, because this is what you're gonna hear.
If you're you're guarding this man, it's probably what you're gonna hear, very very.
Quietly, whispered Jamar ch Jaalen Waddell DeVonta Smith, Kadarius Tony, Rashad Bateman, Elijah Moore, Rondelle Moore, Dwayne Escrits two too well, Terrace Marshall Junior, Josh Palmer, Theammi Brown, a, Mario Rodgers, Nico Collins, Anthony Schwartz, Deskits Patrick It's I'm on Ross Saint Brown listing off the names of all the guys who were drafted ahead of him. I mean, he has been an absolute stud. Look at that draft class. Really, Jamar Chase is the only one that really compares to
him statistically so far in his career. He's gonna He's gonna light it up again and what's gonna be one of the higher scoring, more entertaining offensive games of the week. So give me ursba as Adam Rank or Patrick Claibonn might call him at this point. Moving on to the category we're calling the snore Lax, which made me chuckle when I saw it on the show sheet. It is our favorite Week one sleeper. Who are who are folks sleeping on this week?
Lakwan oh Man, the Mario Douglas Man one hundred percent, man, I love this matchup like it's so juicy to where like I wish I could force him into some of my starting lineups this week, because man, you're looking at the Cincinnati Bengals defense man, they have absolutely been on the trash radar as well, especially coming from a guy that's going to be playing the slot, and both of
their starting linebackers are terrible in covers. They allowed a seventy three percent and seventy eight percent completion rate when they're targeted. And you have a guy that's approven playmaker in this Patriots offense that can create after to catch sixty percent of his yards after to catch. Man, that is top five in the NFL. With notable guys like Deebo Samuel, you have guys like Rashid Rice, Like this is a top tier playmaker here that's going undrafted in
a lot of leagues. So he is the Snorlax as Floria would say this week for me.
Yeah, Pop Douglas Man. I think when we talk about Patriots receivers, his name hasn't come up a lot, but he does have a really good opportunity in this offense. Uh, you are going with a rookie as your your sleeper of the week, Floria, Yeah, get.
The poke flute out. I think that's what it was called. You need to wake up to wake up snoorlax. I like Brian Thomas Junior this week because look, I know he was drafted a lot of teams, but he's probably sitting on a lot of benches out there, and I was just thinking about, like, what game I think could be really high scoring this week and Dolphins Jags outside of a couple of primetime games, I think figures to be one of the most high scoring games of the week.
And if Dolphins are putting up lots of points, like I expect, the Jags are gonna have to throw the ball. They'll probably take a couple of deep shots. I think that'll go to Brian Thomas Junior. I'm hoping it's not Gabe Davis that kind of comes in and steals all of those targets. But Thomas, we know could play and everything obviously, like if you have Christian Kirk, you know
to play him. But I think Thomas, if he is the number two wide receiver in terms of targets, has a chance to go out and have himself a sneaky big game.
I'm curious to watch Brian Thomas.
I had him projected just kind of for a mild medium total or whatever, but I think if he scores a touchdown that can certainly change. And I like Evan Ingram And speaking of tight ends, my sleeper for the week is noa Fan and I like this one. I'm starting to get excited about the Seahawks offense. I'm starting to get excited about what Ryan Grubb can bring and at Washington he really did like featuring the tight end,
like using him over the middle of the field. And Fans is still an athletic player, has just never really been in a great situation offensively. A lot of his competition has gone no more Will Disley, no more Kobe Parkinson, so you don't have to worry about snare sharing those snaps and targets. So I think though Fan gets off to a good start, especially against the Broncos, who were absolutely awful. There was one thing that we knew last year.
Start your tight ends against the Denver Broncos. They will probably be a little bit better this year, but I'm still willing to take that shot in the early part of the season.
So those are sleepers for Week one.
Now let's talk about the guys who will be the duds, the big name players who may leave you disappointed.
And Lakwan, you went really really big here.
Yeah, I'm gonna go with Justin Jefferson, man, And like, I'm not telling you to go out there and bench him. I just want your expectations to be in order because his quarterback is Sam Darnold. And this Giants defense, man, this defensive line is under rated right now. They added Brian Burns, which is going to be a huge addition for them to get into the sack category because that's where they were at the bottom of the table. And
then they bring over defensive coordinator Shane Bowen from the Titans. Man, and we already know that Titans defense kept guys out of the end zone. So I'm not really banking on Justin Jefferson to be lighting it up this week. So, man, this is going to be a hard game, you know, for Justin Jefferson with Sam Darno as his quarterback.
Justin Jefferson, you heard it here.
First, I didn't say that panic there will be in the Twitter streets.
Just just panic in the Twitter streets if Justin Jefferson does not get off to a good start, for sure. So I said, I like the Seattle offense, but now you're saying that one of their guys is going to be a dud Florio.
I hope I'm wrong on this because I have him on a whole bunch of teams and I think he is going to have a breakout season. But DK metcalf has to line up opposite of Pat Sartan in Week one and shout out to Certain he got that Terry Rozier money.
Hey, I'm stealing that bit.
By the way, anytime an NFL player signs, I'm finding a mediocre NBA player who makes the exact same amount of money. But DK like he easily could have a big game if he catches like a long touchdown or something like that. But not only am I worried about Certain, I'm worried about the fact that the Broncos really struggled against the run last year. So I'm thinking this is a Kenneth Walker game. I think he's in for a
big Week one in a big season. I still think you start DK, just like Lakwan said with Justin Jefferson, just don't be surprised if he disappoints. And the thing is for DK, he's no one's won, he's most people's two, and in my bills, he's my three in a lot. So I'm okay taking the boombus risk with him as a three this week. But yeah, just just temper your expectation a little.
Bit, so instead of a full cup of coffee, you may be getting some decaf metcalf in. We want just be prepared for that one.
Yeah.
With that, we're gonna keep this big name wide receiver theme going. And I'm gonna say, Amari Cooper is gonna be a frustrating start in week one.
Uh.
We remember the end of the season and he was so much better with Joe Flacco at the end of the year versus with Deshaun Watson in the early part of the year. And you know, there has not been a whole lot of positive chatter around Deshaun Watson's on field performance, certainly in past season, but even in this this offseason, we haven't seen a lot of them. Just there's not a lot to really hang your hat on
with this group. Throwing the fact that you've got a cowboy pass rush that is going to be fierce, You've got a very aggressive ballhawking secondary, and yeah, it's.
A little bit of an a mari Cooper revenge game.
But you know, I just have a feeling that it may be tough to get the football to him. I don't know there's gonna be a lot of points scored in this Cowboys Browns game. I think it's going to be one of the lower scoring games of the week. So there will be better games for a Marii Cooper.
I just don't think they happen in Week one.
But sort of like your point there with DK Metcalf Florio, Cooper's not going to be a wide receiver one for a lot of teams.
He's a secondary option.
So maybe you have somebody on your bench in shallower leagues that you like better, or maybe there's just a way to kind of flex him and try to mitigate what could be a disappointing day for Mary Cooper.
Cooper might be the wide receiver I have on most rosters, so that one made me very sad.
Oh starting line side note though, why isn't Joe Flacco a starting quarterback in the NFL? Because, like you mentioned that A Marii Cooper was so much better, which he was with Joe Flacco, So it's like, why didn't the Raiders or somebody pick him up. Man like Devonte Adams will be a first round pick if Joe Flacco is starting quarterback going into no.
I mean, maybe you don't want a guy who was napping on the bench because you know he was up because he was up all night with the Like I get it. Like I'm not hating, like I understand, I understand how that goes. But you know, it's kind of hard hard to expect out of your starting quarterback.
For sure.
It's a short show we're doing, Like we're gonna do some short shows for you during the week, and not everyone will be the fully loaded shows that we normally do. Before we get out of here, Floyd, I'll start with you any last minute advice to get folks ready for week one, the big one.
Take a Thursday night and Friday night players out of your flex spot. Put them in your wide receiver or running back spot. I know it's week one and we don't have to worry about injuries as much, but it's just a good habit to get into to just in case you ever have to sub one someone in or out.
But I think when it comes to week one and I look, I tell people to draft rookies all the time and to take upside shots and stuff like that, But I think when it comes to setting your week one lineup, if you're debating between two players and one has like a clear cut safe role in their offense and the other one, we're not really sure of, go with the safer option in week one because we're figuring
out so much. I know, we all talk like we know all the answers to the test, but the first couple of weeks we learn so much about usage and play calling and everything that if you have a guy that has guaranteed touches and guaranteed volume, I I'm opting
to play those players in week one. I'll take my upside chances a little bit later in the season, but right now, I think if you want to start one to know, and a good way of doing that is just getting guys that you know are gonna be touching the ball and stepping on the field.
Any tips from you will Kwan enjoy week one, go with your gut, getting the habit of going with your gut, and don't overthink it.
Man.
It's just week one, man. I just want to enjoy the games this week I've said this so many times to like my friends, and they're texting me about, oh, should I start, Like dude, no, man, just enjoy the game. It's week one to get football back for the next five months. Man, I don't want people stressing out setting their lineups like this should be Christmas Day today. You know we're getting football that count. So man, go with your guys that you drafted, that you're excited about, and have fun.
I'm gonna say you just sort of treat it like the cheesecake factory menu, right, Like pick the thing you want and just close it. Don't sit there and like keep looking over stuff and overthinking it and that sort of thing.
Also, there is a Friday game. Remember that too.
If you have any Packers or Eagles, they play on Friday. It's not just Thursday to Sunday and Monday. Remember that and make sure you are paying attention to have some lineup set for the Friday games if you have any of those players that you want to start.
So there you go. It is live now.
The next time we talk to you, there will have been real football played.
So get excited, get ready for it.
It is going to be a long, but fun and hopefully prosperous season for a whole lot of folks out there. But that'll do it for this special edition of the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast.
They happy, safe and healthy, do good and live well.
Enjoy football tonight everybody, and we will talk to you again real soon.
Don't know, I don't know.