The Fantasy Footballers Podcast Recap – Week 13

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Monday – Studs & Duds, Catch Child, Monday Punday

After reflecting on a tough fantasy week for one person in particular, Andy, Mike, and Jason get sophisticated.

News

Damien Harris exited with a thigh injury on Thursday, and Rhamondre gains more power as the season progresses. Aaron Rodgers left last night’s game with an oblique/rib injury and looked in pain. If the Packers are out of it, there seems to be only a slight chance he will return. Darnell Mooney looks to be done for the season, Allen Robinson will finish his season on the IR with foot surgery upcoming, and Elijah Mitchell should miss some time. Hopefully, Travis Etienne’s injury was minor, and we hope to see him next week.

Studs

We start with Josh Allen, who played on Thanksgiving – starting slow but finishing strong. Jalen Hurts had a monster rushing game and continues to be the backbone of many fantasy teams. Justin Herbert and Kyler both looked good in their matchups. Trevor Lawrence had the best game of his career, and it was a joy to see. Mike White had the highest passer rating among all QBs this week, filling in as Zach Wilson was grounded. Lamar was saved with Jacksonville making it a game, but Andy is nervous about trusting him during the fantasy playoffs. Derek Carr finally broke through with a three-TD game.

Josh Jacobs is the RB1 on the year, and even with a reaggravated calf, he went out to win it for the Raiders in overtime. James Conner was great, Austin Ekeler got it done, and Nick Chubb had a solid day. Brian Robinson also had a big week for Washington – it might have been a hot-hand situation. JaMycal Hasty filled in great – mainly with the passing game – and both Packers RBs looked excellent. Ken Walker scored twice, but his total yardage was nothing to write home about.

On to the WRs, who are highlighted with the Vikings’ pass catchers. Garrett Wilson is sending Mike White a thank you note, helping him to a monster game. Zay Jones, our favorite spot start, led the NFL in receiving this week. Tee Higgins delivered, and Ja’Marr Chase might return to the lineup next week. You cannot bench Christian Watson, who has proved his worth several weeks in a row. Hopkins and Keenan Allen also scored. Mike had to acknowledge a good DJ Moore game.

The Doctor was working on the holiday, scoring twice. Kelce and Hockenson scored, and Njoku had the catch of the year for TEs. Foster Moreau made Mike look good and saved the game for the Raiders.

Duds

What do you do if you are the Denver Broncos? They have made a horrible choice, and they have to bring in anyone to play QB if they stand a chance in the future. RB duds are highlighted with Alvin Kamara, who DOES have a great playoff schedule, but you have to get there first with him. Big names Dalvin Cook and Christian McCaffrey had mediocre days, and Tony Pollard finally slowed down. Dameon Pierce could not get anything done on Sunday, but the entire offense was putrid. Antonio Gibson also had a horrible week. Gibby’s teammate Terry McLaurin had a rough Sunday as well. Mike Evans only had nine targets and did not catch a TD to save himself. Deebo got a little banged up, Christian Kirk was overshadowed by Zay Jones, and JuJu was used sparingly. Gabe Davis was also disappointing on Thursday. Both Tyler Higbee and Juwan Johnson goosed, and Mike was sad. George Kittle also did not deliver, and Greg D. was a disaster.

Tuesday – Waivers and Fathomable Greatness, Full Stream Ahead

Monday Night Recap

We had the joy of watching the Steelers take on the Colts, and Matt Ryan was horrendous in the first half offensively. Pitty City returned to Mike’s great pleasure, and the Colts were big fans of throwing to the TE in the second half. He seemed deathly afraid of the pass rush. Najee was ruled out after his TD with an abdominal injury on the Pittsburgh side, and neither Pickens nor Johnson managed a TD.

News

Melvin Gordon is expected to sign with the Chiefs’ practice squad, and the 21-day window is open for JK Dobbins to return. Darnell Mooney will be out of the season, and Joe Mixon looks to get out of the concussion protocol this week, whereas Matt Stafford should stay in the protocol. Michael Carter is day to day with an ankle sprain, and say goodbye to Elijah Mitchell for the rest of the year.

Welcome to the Fold

We start off with WRs this week, and Zay Jones is the primary name here. The ultimate spot start becomes a go-to receiver for his QB, and they have a great matchup this week. Even after an average game last week, Donovan Peoples-Jones is also worth a look, especially with Deshaun Watson returning. Andy believes that Mack Hollins and Isaiah McKenzie might be trap adds. Jason’s deep targets are Deandre Carter and Skyy Moore.

The big RB signings are very contingent on late-week news that you will not know come waiver time. Therefore, you are going to have to shoot your shot and commit. Both the Jets’ and Steelers’ situations demand to be monitored. Benny Snell seems to be the best pickup if you are dealing with the Najee situation, but JaMycal Hasty is also a good option. Mike says Zonovan Knight is his favorite. If you are looking for a stash, go after those insurance RBs. It is a miserable time if you need a TE, and Hayden Hurst is at the top of the list. Hunter Henry and Foster Moreau could be used in a pinch.

Looking at defenses – Cleveland looks to have a good matchup against Houston, Tampa plays New Orleans, and you could start Green Bay against Chicago, especially if Justin Fields is out. Andy loves Seattle against the Los Angeles Rams.

Streamers

Jason is streaming Trevor Lawrence, who has been looking great as of late, Mike likes handsome Jimmy G., and Andy is streaming Mike White.

Wednesday – Ride or Die, Crucial Start/Sit Decisions, TNF Preview

J-Grizz joins Andy and Jason today, and the guys jump right in.

News

Aaron Rodgers has said he got good news about his scans and hopes to play this week. The status of Najee is still up in the air, so keep your ear to the ground. Good news coming out of Jacksonville – Travis Etienne looks good to go this weekend, and Daniel Bellinger in New York could return on Sunday.

Thursday Night Breakdown

The Patriots appear in another primetime game playing Buffalo this week. The Bills’ defense has struggled as of late, losing key players left and right. You are starting Diggs and Josh Allen, but Gabe Davis is not a guarantee. Isaiah McKenzie and Dawson Knox are dart throws, and Jason is leaning away from Devin Singletary. On the Pat’s side, Mac Jones has been looking strong lately, and Rhamondre looks incredible. Don’t go chasing Hunter Henry.

Mailbag

After a glorious mailbag drop, the guys tackle some listener questions. Andy and Jason are split on the first question – who to start at QB. Andy goes with Cousins, and Jason picks Mike White in the same game. The Mike Evans start question is next. Evans has been overdue for a big game, but Marshon Lattimore has been his Kryptonite. If Lattimore misses the game, Andy is starting Evans. On to a defensive question about who to stash for the playoffs, Jason likes the Titans, and Andy is targeting teams playing Denver, New Orleans, Houston, and the Rams. After some questions about Ja’Marr Chase, Chris Godwin, and Tony Pollard, the guys call it a day.

Thursday – Starts of the Week, Week 13 Breakdown, Reindeer Month

Never Not Working

Heading towards the playoff push, the guys wanted to take inventory of rookie WRs, what they have done so far this year, and what could follow. We took all rookie WRs since 2014 and looked at their metrics and how they performed. We do not have any outliers this season (i.e., Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson), but we do have the next tier – Olave, Watson, Wilson, and Pickens. Historically, 40% of them jump to the highest tier in the final month, and we wanted to see what these players had in common. WRs that average 23% in targets per route run gives a great gauge for a successful rookie WR. This happened for Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Using these metrics, Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, and perhaps Christian Watson might pop.

News

The Los Angeles Rams are having open tryouts for the rest of the season, with Matt Stafford and Aaron Donald being out this week. Lamar Jackson has a quad injury, and Andy is hesitant to start him. Ja’Marr Chase was limited in practice, and the team is still being cautious. Mike Williams is still sidelined, and CMC did not practice.

Fantasy Forecast

Pittsburgh against Atlanta starts off the forecast. This game looks ugly, but the Pittsburgh defense is in play. The RB room in Pittsburgh is in slight disarray, and if Jaylen Warren practices all week, he will usurp Benny Snell in the lead role if Najee is sidelined. The Muth has not been Luth lately, and with Kenny Pickett throwing him the ball, there is no guarantee. For Atlanta, pick your RB and move on. Green Bay takes on the Chicago Bears, a team that Aaron Rodgers traditionally owns. Justin Fields might return, and David Montgomery should get all the opportunities. With the Packers, Jason is starting WR Christian Watson and Aaron Jones and is not taking a shot on Allen Lazard. Rodgers coming off an injury is a risky start.

Jacksonville and Detroit are the next matchup, and both teams have some great fantasy options. Amon-Ra, Zay Jones, and Christian Kirk are good WR starts. Etienne expects to return, and Andy is ok starting D’Andre Swift. Jason even likes Evan Engram this week, and Trevor Lawrence and Jared Goff are great starts. The New York Jets take on the Minnesota Vikings in a game that many people will watch closely. The Jets’ defense has been excellent, so anyone past Justin Jefferson could give you pause. Garrett Wilson is a go, and Zonovan Knight could be the next guy up RB-wise. Bam! You can start Mike White in a two QB league.

Washington takes on the Giants in a divisional battle. Both defenses are solid, and Andy thinks it might be a gross game but straightforward for fantasy. Start Saquon for New York and move on. For the Commanders, you can start Terry McLaurin and Brian Robinson in a flex spot. The Titans fly east to play the Eagles, and Philly is not great against the run, so The Yeti should have a phenomenal game. Even in a less-than-ideal matchup, Treylon Burks is in the flex consideration. Play your Philly studs and monitor DeVonta Smith and his groin injury. Finally, Denver takes on Baltimore in a very low over/under. The Broncos are bad, and it is a scary ride starting any of them, Courtland Sutton included. Latavius Murray should get enough volume to be startable. You can start Lamar and Mark Andrews for Baltimore.

Starts of the Week

This week Andy is starting Jared Goff, D’Andre Swift, Keenan Allen, and Hayden Hurst. Jason likes Trevor Lawrence, David Montgomery, Garrett Wilson, and George Kittle.

The day ends with the elegant prose that is Jason’s Boom Boom Kicker.

Friday – Week 13 Matchups and Upside Downside, Wheel of Shame

Thursday Night Recap

Last night’s game did not go precisely as Andy hoped, with the Pats unable to cover and both Josh Allen and Rhamondre Stevenson being completely average. The New England offense was all over the place, with some apparent frustration from Mac Jones on the sideline. On the Buffalo side, RB James Cook looked solid, being better per carry than Devin Singletary. Gabe Davis looked very Gabe Davis with a low yardage total and a TD.

News

Justin Fields practiced in full on Thursday, and Andy is throwing him right back into his lineup. On the other side of health, it looks like Deebo will be doubtful against Miami. Kittle becomes a better option, and McCaffrey should get a full workload. Najee has not been practicing, and Benny Snell was added to the injury report – Jaylen Warren might be a sneaky start. Antonio Gibson has also been downgraded, and it could be the Brian Robinson show.

Fantasy Forecast

The guys start with Cleveland and Houston in the return of Voldemort, aka Deshaun Watson. This game is full of narratives, and the running games should prevail. Dameon Pierce has a good matchup, but as of late he has been disappointing, and it can be scary to start him. Jason does not expect big things from Amari Cooper with a rusty QB returning. You can avoid any other passing options in this game. The Seahawks head south to play the Rams in an NFC West battle. Los Angeles barely has a football team left – the Seahawks’ defense should be a smash start. You have no one to start on the offensive side of the ball for the Rams. Conversely, there are interesting options for the Seattle side with Ken Walker, Lockett, Metcalf, and Geno Smith.

A possible Super Bowl preview is up next, with San Francisco taking on Miami in Andy’s almost upset of the week. With Miami’s intimate knowledge of the 49ers’ offense, this game should be extremely exciting. The guys are starting Tua, but the Miami RBs are the big question marks. You might have to pivot from Jeff Wilson. You are starting your San Francisco studs, and George Kittle is Jason’s Start of the Week. The Chiefs versus Bengals looks to be another exciting matchup with lots of fantasy options. You can flex Isiah Pacheco. There will be a plethora of passing in this game but starting Ja’Marr Chase post-injury could be a gamble – if he plays, you are probably starting him. It is scary to pick the correct Chiefs’ pass catcher whose last name is not Kelce.

An AFC West battle is next – the Los Angeles Chargers against the Las Vegas Raiders. You are starting Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams for Vegas, and you can roll the dice on Foster Moreau if you need a TE. Keenan Allen is a superior start for the Chargers, Josh Palmer could be a good play with Mike Williams still not practicing, and Ekeler is always a go. Sunday night gives us the Colts and the Cowboys, with Dallas largely favored. With the Cowboys’ strong pass rush, it is hard for Jason to see a world where Matt Ryan has a great night. You could still start Pittman hoping he will simply get the volume. Start your Cowboy regulars. We end the week with an NFC South battle – the Saints against the Bucs. Chris Godwin is an auto-start. The RB room can be confusing with Fournette returning from injury and Rachaad White still finding his sea legs in this offense. Mike Evans is a scary start if Marshon Lattimore is playing. On the Saints’ side, Kamara and Olave would be your only starts.

Andy, Jason, and special guest Kyle reveal their DraftKings lineups, and Andy spins the Wheel of Shame to close out the show.

Good luck this week, FootClan!