The Fantasy Footballers Podcast Recap for Week 15
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Monday – Monday Punday, Fantasy Studs & Duds
Welcome into another week of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast! Even with one game left this week, many of you already know if you made the playoffs – hopefully, you did! The Rams play the Cards tonight for the last piece of the fantasy puzzle. Before all the breakdowns, Andy, Mike, and Jason get sophisticated.
News
Before the games, Rookie phenom Elijah Moore was placed on IR, and there are rumors out there that D’Andre Swift might join him. There were countless players out for Covid this week, and Andy reminds us that this will impact the fantasy playoffs. Keenan Allen should be back on Thursday night, hopefully with Austin Ekeler, who had an ankle injury this week. Lamar Jackson went down early, and Mike’s fantasy woes continue. Taylor Heinicke and Terry McLaurin both exited the game. Josh Allen has a “mild” case of turf toe, and allegedly Aaron Rodgers’ little piggy is getting worse.
Studs
Let’s discuss the players that may have solidified your playoff spot. Even though he started a little slow, Josh Allen had a great game, and Tom Brady is playing the best football of his career. Aaron Rodgers was outstanding, and Mike’s start of the week, Taysom Hill, ran his way to a solid fantasy finish. On to the RBs, and Dalvin Cook highlights this segment. Rashad Penny looked great, as well as Najee and both the Denver RBs. Alvin Kamara went super-Kamario, and Leonard Fournette might be a league winner. Tyler Lockett was one of the leaders this week in the WRs, and you must continue to roll with him. Ja’Marr Chase had a bounce-back week, and Hunter Renfrow is unstoppable. Davante Adams and Mike Evans also had classic great games, and Jalen Guyton caught his deep bomb. With the TEs, George Kittle was unstoppable. Mark Andrews is now TE1, and Dawson Knox is a secure start moving forward.
Duds
Even with bad back-to-back weeks, Jason is still not worried about Dak Prescott. RB disappointments start with James Robinson, and unfortunately, you will probably have to continue to start him. Antonio Gibson fumbled and was benched, and Ezekiel Elliot also had a horrid showing. Other disappointing RBs included Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon, and Josh Jacobs. On to the WR duds. DK Metcalf had a rough Sunday, and Darnell Mooney was horrible even with the Bears putting up points. Hollywood Brown, Jamison Crowder, and Julio Jones, fresh off IR, all had dud days. Kenny Golladay had yet another bad game. TEs with bad games included Travis Kelce, Ricky Seals-Jones, and Tyler Conklin. If you did not have Kittle or Andrews, chances are you had a rough day at the tight end position.
Enjoy the Monday Night Game!
Tuesday – Waivers, Streamers, Where There’s Smoke
Monday Night Recap
The guys have now discovered that Mike is the cause of the Cardinals’ home losses. Besides that, James Conner was a stud, especially as a WR. AJ Green led in receiving, and Hopkins had a pedestrian game with a big fourth-down drop. With no 100-yard games for Hopkins yet this season, you will need to reassess where you draft him next year. Matt Stafford was great on the Rams side, and Cooper Kupp is un-guardable. OBJ also had a productive game. It should be interesting to see what happens to Sony Michel when Darrell Henderson returns.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire
The first topic here centers around Mike Davis, who has recently had the best two weeks of his fantasy season. Andy quickly says smoke, as that Davis is unable to make fire. This week’s game script added to the opportunities, and he is a desperation RB. Speaking of desperation, Andy’s start of the week Big Ben is still smoke, despite a couple of serviceable weeks. Jason agrees and states that this is not who he “really” is, but you might be able to stream him this week.
News
The Covid lists are growing exponentially. Andy mentions that you must realize that this will happen to you, and some people may lose to lousy luck situations. Especially be vigilant with Sunday and Monday night games. To piggyback, Alexander Mattison is on the Covid list and will miss this week’s game. Josh Allen is day to day with a sprained foot, and Manny Sanders has a knee injury. Lamar is expected to play this week, and Michael Carter plans to return. TJ Hockenson and D’Andre Swift might be back this week as well.
Waivers
It is win-or-go home, friends, so let’s settle in. Starting with the WRs – Russell Gage and Devante Parker are options, even though they are widely rostered. KJ Osborn, Jamison Crowder, Rashod Bateman, and Gabe Davis are other strong possible pickups. You could also pick up Robby Anderson; just make sure to cross your fingers and toes. RBs are next. Rashad Penny is the big pick up here; however, keep in mind he is taking on the Rams this week. Jason likes Justin Jackson if Ekeler does not play. You can look at Duke Johnson and Malcolm Brown since all the RBs are on the Covid list when it comes to the Miami backfield. It is frustrating to have Jeff Wilson, yet he has a killer matchup this week, and remember to check out Rex Burkhead or Craig Reynolds from Detroit in super deep leagues. This week, Ricky Seals-Jones is Jason’s favorite TE pickup, and Mike likes Austin Hooper or Brevin Jordan in super deep leagues. Miami and Arizona are great defenses to pick up and check if the Eagles are available.
Streamers
Taysom Hill is another great streaming option going into the playoffs. Jason loves Jimmy G. to stream, and Mike is playing Justin Fields against Minnesota. Andy reminds us to not only play offense in the playoffs but play defense. If you have room on your bench for players that your competition might want to pick up, snag those players!
Wednesday – Buy or Sell, Thursday Night Breakdown, Dynasty Download, Mailbag
Buy or Sell
The first topic for Buy/Sell is Travis Kelce. Will he hit 70 receiving yards on Thursday night? Defense wins championships, but not fantasy championships. Kelce has had two “bad” weeks and has lost his TE1 status. Jason and Mike buy this – they are banking on the rebound game. Next up is James Robinson – will he be a top 20 RB against Houston? With all the hullabaloo surrounding this team, all the guys buy this, assuming the squeaky wheel will get the oil. Finally, buy or sell Stefon Diggs hitting seven receptions? Andy is concerned this game will not be competitive and therefore sells this.
News
The Chargers activated Keenan Allen, and he is on track to play on Thursday night. It is also looking like Ekeler will play. Tyler Higgbee’s Covid test was a false positive, so he is off the list, and OBJ tested positive, so he is on the list. The Cleveland Browns are in the middle of an outbreak, with Baker and Stefanski the latest to go down. Darren Waller is still not participating in practice, and Damien Harris was limited.
Thursday Night Breakdown – Chiefs at Chargers
A big AFC West game is taking place tomorrow, with the Chiefs taking on the Chargers. The last time these two played each other, it was a barnburner, but the Chiefs’ defense is looking strong. Jason is confident with all the Chargers pieces, and Justin Herbert will overcome. Fringe starting players include Darrel Williams, Mike Williams, and Jared Cook. If Ekeler is a surprise inactive, you may want to look the way of Justin Jackson.
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Dynasty Download
The guys play a game of “Who am I” and then discuss the revealed player. The first player discussed is Amari Cooper. Usurped by 27 years old CeeDee Lamb as the WR1, the guys feel that Cooper will be undervalued moving forward and can be a massive asset to fantasy teams. Andy and Jason would be willing to trade for Cooper moving forward – he could give you Adam Thielen-esque value.
Mailbag
The guys open up the mailbag and start with a TE discussion – Fant or the Muth? With the Broncos’ passing game being irrelevant, the Muth is definitely Luth. Next is an inquiry regarding locking non-playoff teams from making any adds or drops. The consensus is not to lock if you are in a dynasty or a keeper league. When it comes to redraft, Mike prefers nothing locking as it is valuable to continue playing during the last month of football to build knowledge for the following season. Zeke or Javonte this weekend is the next mailbag question. Both guys are in a timeshare, and with Zeke looking fragile, the guys are putting their money on Javonte.
Thursday – Never Not Working, Fantasy Forecast, Starts of the Week, Boom Boom Kicker
Never Not Working
It’s playoff time, and the guys jump in! This week it is all about Team Hefty Boys – the Offensive Line! This week the guys are looking at the biggest improvers and the teams that have taken the biggest slides. First up are the Chargers, who finished the season dead last in the PFF offensive line rankings. This year they are the fifth-best, and you can see how impactful the improvement can be for the overall team – Ekeler now is converting those goal-line opportunities. Conversely, the Colts are the most prominent slide from last season, going from ranked second to 29th. The Saints have diminished their offensive line power as well. Andy reminds us to pay attention to teams that make offensive line improvements in the off-season to gain fantasy strength in their offensive weapons.
News
So long, farewell Urban Meyer! Apparently, you cannot physically assault your employees and keep your job. Andy is genuinely optimistic for James Robinson and Marvin Jones for the rest of the year. Austin Ekeler is looking to play tonight but will allegedly not get a full workload. DeAndre Hopkins will miss the rest of the regular season with a knee injury and might return for the playoffs, and Michael Carter and Malcolm Brown are designated to return from IR. Javonte Williams was limited on Wednesday due to a knee issue, and Lamar Jackson did not practice.
Fantasy Forecast
The first matchup is the Raiders at the Covid decimated Browns. There is a chance of “little bit weather,” and this game will be a mess. Mike says this game is easy fantasy-wise – start Josh Jacobs and Hunter Renfrow on the Raiders side, and Nick Chubb and DPJ are your Browns options. Next up, the Pats play the Colts in a big AFC matchup. Jason is fine starting Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson but more cautious with the pass catchers. With the great Patriots defense, it is scary to visit Pitty City. Carolina heads east to take on the Bills in another low over/under. With the QB uncertainty in Carolina, Andy finds it hard to start a single Panther, and Chubba is a desperation start. On the Bills side, start your studs, with Knox and Gabe Davis also being options. Arizona heads to Detroit for the salve to heal their Monday night wounds. You are playing Kyler and Chase Edmonds if he is back, and if Connor is active, you will play him as well. You can start the Cards WRs, but the team just might not need them. Starting any Detroit Lion is a scary choice, but Mike likes Amon-Rah St. Brown as a possibility. Next, the Jets head to sunny Florida to play the Dolphins. The Jets have one of the worst defenses, but Miami is now Covid ridden as well. You can start whatever Dolphins RB is starting in this juicy matchup (whoever this may be), and Davante Parker should have a great game. Lean away from any Jet. The Cowboys play the Giants in the next game. Start your usual Cowboys, but Andy suggests pivoting from The Doctor. Even with his recent slide, the Zeke matchup looks excellent, so you still must start him. On the other side, it is Saquon and no one else. Finally, the Washington Football Team plays the Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC battle. Washington is decimated, and the Eagles defense is solid, therefore bench Terry McLaurin. Ricky Seals-Jones is startable. Hurts or Minshew is an option on the Eagles side, and DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert are also in the conversation.
Starts of the Week
Andy’s starts of the week include Tua (a floor playoff play), Sony Michel, Chase Claypool, and David Njoku. Jason likes Dak, James Robinson, and Ricky Seals-Jones. Finally, Mike is starting Jimmy G, D’Onta Foreman, Russell Gage, and Nick Vannett.
The episode ends with the eloquent prose of Jason’s Boom Boom Kicker.
Friday – Thursday Night Recap, FootClan Friday, Fantasy Forecast, Fantasy Faceoff & Wheel of Shame
Thursday Night Recap
The fantasy playoffs have begun, and Kelce started us off with a bang. Once Derwin James went down, Kelce had a free pass and went on to score two (almost three) TDs. Mahomes did not have a great game fantasy-wise for most of the game, but the last drive and the overtime helped immensely. The Chargers RB room had a great team effort, with Ekeler, Jackson, and Kelly looking solid. There were a couple of busts from this game – CEH and Mike Williams.
News
Taylor Heinicke and Case Keenum have both tested positive for Covid. Garrett Gilbert and Nick Mullens will start. Josh Allen is ready to go this week, and there are questions about DK Metcalf playing. Leonard Fournette did not practice today and make sure to check on the Injury Blitz Podcast with Matthew Betz to stay up to date with all the news. Jalen Hurts has a 50/50 shot at playing, and it looks like Myles Gaskin might be off the Covid list soon.
Fantasy Forecast
The Titans at the Steelers start off the last bunch of fantasy matchups for the week. Mike is a big fan of D’Onta Foreman in this game but be cautious with Julio Jones. On the other side, you start Diontae, Najee, and Andy’s start of the week, Chase Claypool. As Andy said, you are playing with fire if you start the Friar this week. The exciting Texans/Jags matchup is next. There is optimism around James Robinson, especially with Urban Meyer out. On the other side, it looks like David Johnson will be the guy. Jason’s start of the week Brandin Cooks is also a go. Next up is the Bengals at the Broncos. This game should be slow, and the guys say not to start any Denver pass catchers. Joe Burrow is a question mark with such a slow pace of play, but Joe Mixon is a start. The Falcons head west to take on the Niners, who are on a roll lately. Jimmy G. could be a good start, especially with a high implied total. Jeff Wilson was a fantasy hero last year, so hopefully, we will see more from him this week. Start Deebo and Kittle, and you can also throw Aiuyk into your lineups. For Atlanta, you can start Cordarrelle, Gage, and possibly Pitts.
In a critical NFC showdown, the Seahawks play the Rams. There are some great fantasy options here, so be super aware of the Covid situation in Los Angeles. Start your stud Rams, and you can still start Van Jefferson and possibly Tyler Higbee. Seattle wise, play Rashad Penny, and if Russell Wilson does not have Tyler Lockett, Mike is steering away from him. Next up, the Packers play the Ravens, and Lamar is a big question mark here. Andy says you must have the courage not to play Lamar against a great Packers defense. Start your primary Packers, yet there is caution surrounding Aaron Jones. The Sunday night matchup is the Saints at the Bucs. You are starting MVP front-runner Tom Brady and all his weapons. For the Saints, it is Taysom Hill and Kamara. Finally, the Vikings play the Bears on Monday night. Dalvin and Justin Jefferson are locked in, as well as David Montgomery. Non-locked players to consider are Kirk Cousins and KJ Osborne. You can also go full Moon.
Fantasy Faceoff & Wheel of Shame
The show ends with the reveal of Andy, Mike, and Jason’s DraftKings lineups, and Jason spins the Wheel of Shame!
Jason had to spin the *Wheel of Shame* during this week's Fantasy Faceoff segment presented by @DraftKings
Watch the full segment with our Week 15 #DFS lineups: https://t.co/Jbr4Go3G4J
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— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) December 17, 2021