The Fantasy Footballers Podcast Recap Week 15
As we welcome in playoff weeks, remember to listen to The Fantasy Footballers Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Monday – Studs and Duds, Fantasy Sabotage, Monday Punday
It is best friend day with Mike and Jason! After getting sophisticated, the guys jump right into the news.
News
In Bengals news, Tyler Boyd left early on Sunday, and Tee Higgins played one snap in the same game and apparently hurt himself in the warm-ups. Deebo suffered what is believed to be a high ankle sprain, and with this recovery, he will probably be out for the rest of the fantasy season. Many concussions on Sunday – Russell Wilson, Tyler Huntley, Corey Davis, and Kenny Pickett all left their games. Dameon Pierce got hurt late in his game with an ankle issue, and Jeff Wilson was carted off with a hip injury last night. Mike Wright was massacred and kept coming back. In tonight’s game, Rondale Moore is out.
Studs
Trevor Lawrence was incredible and lit it up on Sunday, especially targeting Evan Engram. Jalen Hurts continues to be fantastic, and the Eagles seem unstoppable. Jared Goff, Mike’s start of the week, had a great game with over 300 passing yards. Oddly enough, Russell Wilson had a good day before he got concussed, and the San Francisco QB was Purdy good. Mr. Relevant. Kirk Cousins also delivered.
Jerick McKinnon highlights our RB studs, accumulating tons of yards in the passing game. CMC was Brock Purdy’s darling and has some wonderful playoff matchups. Miles Sanders continues his tremendous season, and Austin Ekeler continues doing Austin Ekeler things. Both Cowboys’ RBs delivered as well, and Derrick Henry was finally himself again. JK Dobbins, back from injury, had a great game hopping into the end zone. Zonovan Knight looks like the real deal. Bam!
Jerry Jeudy is the big WR stud for the week, enjoying a competent Russell Wilson for perhaps the first game ever. Justin Jefferson set the Minnesota franchise record for receiving yards in a game. He is good at football. Ja’Marr Chase had a great game, and Tyreek Hill keeps getting it done. The Chargers’ WRs were successful – both Mike Williams and Keenan Allen delivered. Waiver wire darling DJ Chark scored, and Ju-Ju had a great Sunday. Spot starter Zay Jones returned.
Mike’s champion Evan Engram is now the TE4 on the season. This probably will not last. Chig Okonkwo, Andy’s start of the week, had a great game, and he has solid matchups on the horizon. David Njoku came through, and Dawson Knox scored. The Muth also got moderately Luth.
Duds
Sending in the Carr on Thursday night was a horrible choice. Last night, Tua said hold my beer. He has a good baseline, but with some tough matchups coming, starting him might be a difficult choice. Even with an assumed game script, Dak did not deliver. On to RBs, and Saquon with a new neck injury highlights this section. He is not an auto start next week against Washington. Nick Chubb with Watson is trending downwards, and owners are nervous. D’Andre Swift popped up on the injury report again, and his usage correspondingly went down. Travis Etienne did not deliver in a tough matchup, the Bills’ RBs were terrible, and the Miami backfield was filled with confusion.
Jaylen Waddle was gross, but that was due to Tua’s poor performance. The Bills’ pass-catchers were sub-par in sub-zero temperatures, and the Cowboys’ WRs were terrible due to Dak. The Tampa Bay WRs are bad, and this team is bad. Where in the world is Mike Evans, and what do you do? Amari Cooper was on the road and clearly a letdown. Mark Andrews had a horrible game, and you wipe your tears and continue to start him. George Kittle also let us down, and Greg D. had eight targets but only caught three. The goose crew includes Mike Gesicki, Noah Fant, and Foster Moreau.
Good luck tonight!
Tuesday – Waivers and League Winners, Playoff Prep
You are either happy or sad right now, as it is playoff time! After briefly chatting about the Monday night game – Kyler’s injury, James Conner’s success, and Rhamondre going down – Andy, Mike, and Jason hit the news.
News
The Cowboys are signing TY Hilton, and Cole Beasly has unretired and was signed to the Buffalo Bills practice squad. Tee Higgins is day to day with his hamstring. Mike White and his ribs are still hindered, and Andy Dalton will continue to be the QB for the New Orleans Saints. Dameon Pierce will miss one or two weeks, and the team waived Eno Benjamin as a result. Ken Walker was estimated limited, but Jason thinks he will not play on Thursday. Deebo has a sprained ankle and MCL and will not be around for your fantasy playoffs.
Welcome to the Fold
Every year, players on the waiver wire win people championships, so if you have injured players on your team, do not give up! Take some shots, FootClan! Starting with WRs, DJ Chark is your first option. This week is a tough matchup, so proceed with caution if you need a win this week. Jason’s prime pickup is Elijah Moore if Corey Davis is out. Andy likes Chris Moore from the Houston Texans and reminds us to keep an eye on the New England WR room, which takes on the Raiders’ defense. Feel free to drop DJ Moore. It’s time.
Firstly, some heavily rostered RBs need to be checked on – Jerick McKinnon and Bam Knight. In deeper leagues, check for Chuba Hubbard on a team that could make the playoffs. Jordan Mason could be a league winner if CMC has anything to pull him down. Jason is avoiding all the Marlon Mack hype, even with Mike Boone out. When it comes to the New England backfield, Pierre Strong is your pickup unless Damien Harris is available. Finally, Mike is holding on to Gus Edwards, even with JK Dobbins having success.
Greg D. is finally an option this week against the Arizona Cardinals. Chig Okonkwo has been getting solid targets, so he is also worth a pickup. Hunter Henry could be a pivot as well. There are many defense options this week – Kansas City plays Houston, Green Bay is at home against the Rams, the Steelers are a good choice, and the New Orleans Saints are Andy’s favorite defense this week. If you have a bye this week, try to grab the Titans.
Streamers
Jason is starting Mike White against the Lions, Andy is playing Kirk Cousins, and Mike is strapping on his steel underpants to start Brock Purdy.
Wednesday – Trust your Studs, Ride or Die, TNF Preview
After Ride or Die, the guys start the show with the news.
News
Dallas Goedert can return, and Jason is super excited. It turned out the Muth played through a foot injury Sunday and is now dealing with it. Mike White should be ready to roll this week, and Romeo Doubs is expected to play on Monday. We learned that Cooper Kupp is done for the season. Remember, there are three Saturday games this week, so check on those injuries. Tyler Huntley was limited for Baltimore.
Thursday Night Breakdown
In a battle of the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks. Brock Purdy is expected to play, and Geno Smith has a chance to show that he is better than his Week 2 outing against the same team. Andy believes the Seahawks will not have the passing game success necessary while facing that pass rush, and he is leaning away from playing Geno. You can start Metcalf and Lockett, but San Francisco is great against the run. Ken Walker is not an auto-start in this matchup. Kittle and Aiuyk are a go.
Mailbag
As the guys tackle the mailbag, remember to check out the updated Start/Sit tool on the website. A flex question starts us off with Amon-Ra vs. Ken Walker, with Andy siding with St. Brown and a good floor. Next is someone inquiring about Evan Engram and Bam Knight. Engram’s best game is now behind him – go, Bam! Knight’s upside is huge. JK Dobbins and his confidence level come up next; the guys think that Baltimore will establish the run. A QB starting question follows, and the segment ends with positing what the deal is with Travis Etienne.
Thursday – Never Not Working, Starts of the Week, Week 15 Breakdown
It’s playoff time!
Never Not Working
Today we are continuing our look at dynasty leagues and veteran WRs who may have different situations next season. Cooper Kupp, turning 30 next year, may have a different QB, with Matthew Stafford getting older and more frequently injured. Deebo’s situation is entirely up in the air, and no one knows who will be the QB in San Francisco next season. Terry McLaurin was WR17 in dynasty startup drafts, and you will have to compare him with younger up-and-coming pass-catchers like Tee Higgins. The rookie WRs this year have been mostly successful, but they all have QB controversies. Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave seem to be in the best positions – Jason reminds us that first-round rookie WRs in dynasty leagues almost always hold their value.
News
Josh Jacobs was limited with another body part. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd were also limited, and Joe Burrow might be down a couple of WRs. It’s a rough situation in New England, with most players either limited or out, and no one has enough room on their bench to hold enough options. Treylon Burks still did not practice, so keep your eyes out for Chig Okonkwo.
Fantasy Forecast
The Colts head north to play the Vikings, and Minnesota can clinch their playoff berth with a win. The matchup is juicy for the Colts, but it is scary to start players on the Indy side. Big plays from the Indy receivers are possible, but Andy cannot trust Matt Ryan. You can still start Pitty City. Minnesota-wise, Mike is benching Adam Thielen. Next up is the Baltimore and Cleveland game, which will be gross. You have yet to witness a solid Amari Cooper game with Deshaun Watson under center. Nick Chubb has not been himself as of late. Mark Andrews has not been delivering for Baltimore, and he is no longer an auto-start, but he should be okay if Tyler Huntley returns. JK Dobbins is startable, even still building back from his injury. Miami heads up to Orchard Park to take on the Buffalo in what will be a “weather-full” day. Jaylen Waddle has been waddling the last few games, and rain could make it even harder for him to bounce back. Jason is a little pessimistic about any Dolphin who is not Tyreek Hill. The guys would prefer not to start a Bills RB.
Sunday starts with Philly versus Chicago, and the world wants a healthy Justin Fields for this game, who currently has the sniffles. You can play David Montgomery even just for volume, and you could start Cole Kmet in a pinch. Miles Sanders is a solid start, and if Dallas Goedert is back on the field, you could start him immediately. Atlanta plays New Orleans in a battle for the NFC South. Desmond Ridder makes his first NFL start, and the guys do not expect him to throw that much. The run game will be their bread and butter, but do not rush to start Corrdarelle Patterson for Atlanta. Looking at the New Orleans offense is frightening, but you are starting Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara.
The Detroit Lions play the New York Jets in another game with playoff implications. With no Corey Davis, Elijah Moore is in play; you are also starting Garrett Wilson. However, RBs are not putting up points against the Lions, so be cautious with Zonovan Knight. The Lions will have more issues getting the ball down the field against this defense, so you can start Amon-Ra but might want to shy away from other Detroit WRs. Pittsburgh plays Carolina in the next game, and the Panthers control their own destiny playoff-wise. Chuba Hubbard is an option to start if you are desperate at RB, and that is it for Carolina. On the other side of the ball, you might have Kenny Pickett available, and you are comfortable with Najee in a low-scoring game.
Starts of the Week
This week Andy is starting Mike White of the New York Jets, Isiah Pacheco, Keenan Allen, and Greg D. Jason is going with Dak, Alvin Kamara, Mike Williams, and David Njoku. Finally, Mike is starting Matt Ryan, Latavius Murray, Pitty City, and Tyler Conklin.
The show ends with Jason’s Boom Boom Kicker.
Friday – Matchups, Wheel of Shame, Mike Implodes
Thursday Night Recap
CMC had a massive workload last night as the Niners beat the Seattle Seahawks. The Brock Purdy/George Kittle stack broke Mike’s heart, and you were disappointed if you started any Seahawks. Purdy did a great job executing the system, but Mike is more nervous about him starting next week against a better Washington defense. Aiyuk was a disaster, and if you were expecting a bump with Deebo gone, you did not get it. Seattle-wise, Tyler Lockett broke his index finger leaving his season in question and making Geno Smith a questionable start moving forward. Ken Walker looked good but had problems against a stout San Francisco defense.
News
Just before the show started, the guys learned that Mike White was not medically cleared, and Zach Wilson will start for the Jets this weekend. Temper your expectations for all pass-catchers. Other injury news – Jeff Wilson is still limited, and in the same game, make sure to monitor the weather as it could impact Tua. Tyler Huntley cleared concussion protocol and will start. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are still limited, and Hollywood Brown was added to the injury report for Arizona.
Fantasy Forecast
As the guys finish up the matchups, Andy reminds us to take those Saturday players out of your flex spots. The Dallas Cowboys play the Jacksonville Jaguars to start us off today. The Jags have been keeping it competitive, and Andy is ok starting Trevor Lawrence, Christian Kirk, and even nervously, Travis Etienne. The Dallas side of the football is great – start your studs. Jason is not chasing Evan Engram. Kansas City plays Houston in our next matchup. The Texans are not a great matchup for QBs, which is part of the reason Andy made Pacheco his start of the week. You are still starting Mahomes and Kelce, and Jerick McKinnon could be a flex. With Dameon Pierce out, there are few, if any, options from Houston.
Arizona heads to the mile-high city to take on Denver. James Conner has been outstanding lately, and even with a good Bronco defense, you are starting him. Outside Hopkins, it is not clear who else will be a receiving option – steer clear. For Denver, the matchup is better; start Latavius Murray and Greg D., who are both Starts of the Week. New England flies to Sin City to play the Raiders in Andy’s almost upset of the week. Temper expectations for Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs against a tough, well-coached Patriot defense. It is unclear what players will even take the field on the New England side. Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller might return this week. The Tennessee Titans take on the Chargers in what should be a great game. The Yeti should have a game, and besides him, your only start is probably Chig Okonkwo. You are starting your stud Chargers and can even start the fringe players.
Cincinnati heads south to play Tampa Bay, and you are starting your Bengals on the road against the struggling Bucs. If Higgins is active, you will have to make some choices as he might have limitations. Lots of tough decisions on the Tampa side – with a strong Bengal defense, the guys like Rachaad White over Fournette. It is scary to start Mike Evans, but Andy does give a TD guarantee. Washington takes on the Giants in an NFC East battle, and the winner gets a leg up on the wild card race. If you must start any New York pass catcher, Darius Slayton is your guy, and you are obviously starting Saquon. Terry McLaurin historically torches these Giants, so start him with confidence. Mike reminds us to look at the Friday practice reports before we decide on the running backs.
Monday night brings us the Baker Mayfield-led Rams versus the Packers. Aaron Rodgers is a streaming option this week, with his entire stock of WRs available. Christian Watson is a go. Ben Skowronek is possible on the Los Angeles side, and if you like living on the edge, Cam Akers.
After Andy spins the Wheel of Shame, the guys share their DraftKings lineups. Good luck in the playoffs, FootClan!