The Fantasy Footballers Podcast Recap: Week 2

What a crazy Sunday that was! Welcome to the first Studs and Duds show of the season, and after Andy, Mike, and Jason spend a little time getting sophisticated, they jump right in.

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Monday- Week 1 Studs & Duds + Panic Players, Monday Punday

News

Darren Waller signed a three-year big-money contract extension and proceeded not to do much on Sunday. Dak Prescott will miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his thumb on Sunday Night Football. This leaves the Cowboys in even more disarray. Without a potential move for Jimmy G, it might be lights out early for dem boys. On to a plethora of hamstring news – Chris Godwin will miss some time, and Keenan Allen will have an MRI and will at least miss Thursday’s game. Elijah Mitchell went down with a knee injury, and Andy is actually freaking out about this. Tee Higgins has a concussion, Najee has a foot injury, and QB Mac Jones injured his back. The guys are terrified by most everyone on the Patriots offense.

Fantasy Studs

It is hard to believe, but there are some players that delivered in week one. Patrick Mahomes was atop of this list with five TDs. Josh Allen was also stellar, and (whisper) Carson Wentz was successful. Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert also shined, and even though he had a slow start, Lamar Jackson ended the day with a solid showing. The RB studs are highlighted with Saquon, who looked stellar and back to his old shenanigans. Vintage Saquon – he played 83% of snaps. JT was solid, D’Andre Swift had a great game despite Jamaal Williams taking a lot of goal-line carries, and Corrdarrelle Patterson jumped right in where he left off after Damian Williams went down. Kareem Hunt, CEH, and James Robinson all wowed us. Achilles -1, players – 1. Despite their offense, AJ Dillon still succeeded. At WR, it was the Justin Jefferson show – the Vikings look great. Feel free to share a little going forward, Justin. Davante Adams looked great with his new team, AJ Brown is Jalen’s new best friend, and Michael Thomas (might) be back. Jason suggests trading Thomas high. Pitty City also shined. The TEs had a rough go, with Taysom Hill returning to ruin your day. Gerald Everett looked like a stellar weapon for Justin Herbert, and the Muth was uber Luth.

Fantasy Duds

It was rough in the TE streets. It was pretty much just Kelce you were happy with. No one played OJ Howard or Taysom Hill, who had great weeks. Mark Andrews was average, and Kyle Pitts did not deliver even though he had a 22% target share. Better days are ahead. Hockenson, Kmet, Knox, and pretty much every other TE was bad. Jason is not concerned with Cole Kmet or David Njoku moving forward, as this level of TE will have bad games. The guys suggest cutting bait on Mike Gesicki. QB duds include Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Trey Lance, Joe Burrow, and more. Rodgers DOES own Chicago, who they play next week.

On to the RBs. Dameon Pierce was outshined by Rex Burkhead, who might end up being their RB1. Alvin Kamara seemed a bit off, but the guys are not concerned. The same applies to Austin Ekeler and Aaron Jones, who also had bad performances. Travis Etienne only had six touches which is not what you would hope for, and he missed the opportunity for two TDs. Andy would target him on the cheap. Neither RB in Miami produced well.

DJ Moore has a new QB but lands in the same spot again, the duds. CeeDee Lamb only caught two of his eleven targets, and without Dak, his future is in question. Mike Williams played 92% of snaps but only had four targets, yet he is not an overly consistent player. Adam Thielen, DeVonta Smith, and Darnell Mooney also had bad showings. Andy is also concerned about Robert Woods and Kadarius Toney, who had only three routes run.

Good luck with your Monday Night Miracles!

Tuesday- Week 2 Waivers + Full Stream Ahead, Players to Drop

It’s a full house, ducers and all, to celebrate Andy’s incredible call of the almost upset of the week. Seattle came in ready to play, and the Broncos could not hack it. Russ was fine, a light simmer perhaps, but Geno Smith was the real star. He could not have done it without Big Montana Will Dissly. We saw what the WR usage will look like this year in the Pacific Northwest, and you might be holding your breath for DK and Tyler Lockett. Javonte Williams had only seven carries but 11 receptions. Both Williams and Gordon fumbled goal-line touches. Sutton and Jeudy had decent days and two turntables, and a microphone TE Andrew Beck caught some big passes early on. If you have KJ Hamler as a flier, Andy suggests moving on.

News

Dak underwent hand surgery, and the Cowboys have chosen not to put him on IR, optimistic that he could return quickly. Jason questions this decision. If it is, in fact, eight weeks, you might have a CeeDee issue. Elijah Mitchell has been placed on IR with a sprained MCL and could be out for eight weeks. There is a good chance that Najee can play this week, but our injury expert Matthew Betz is concerned it might be a high ankle sprain. Saints coach Dennis Allen said Alvin Kamara was battling a rib issue in week one, which could explain the light usage. Yoohoo…. Chris Godwin and his hamstring. It will be a few weeks. Keenan Allen is uncertain to play this week, but the teams are optimistic.

Waivers  – Welcome to the Fold

You cannot pick up a player without dropping someone you had hopes for. Mike is holding MVS while all the guys are ready to drop Robert Woods, who was not involved on Sunday. Jason will not be dropping DeVonta Smith but is split with Kadarius Toney. Hopefully, the team was being cautious with Toney’s past injury. Keep Allen Robinson but drop Davante Parker.

Julio Jones tops the waivers this week but was heavily drafted, so make sure to check in your league. Jarvis Landry and Jahan Dotson are pick-up candidates, and potentially Curtis Samuel. Do not break the back on any of these guys except Julio. Moving on, there are some one-week starting potential players such as Josh Palmer and Tyler Boyd. DJ Chark ran 97% of routes and is another great candidate. Consider rookie Kyle Phillips as well, and Jason reminds us you could get the Cardinals Greg Dortsch basically for free.

The guys begrudgingly would drop Cam Akers if need be, and an upgrade exists. You can drop James Cook and Mike Davis. Jaylen Warren is the name to take a shot on if you need an RB. He played every snap after Najee went down, and should Najee miss the game, Warren could be start-worthy but still will not be ranked very high. The San Francisco situation brings us Jeff Wilson, Ty David Price, and Jordan Mason as options. Mike leans towards Wilson if you need that RB help – he projects him to be the starter. Kenny Gainwell, JD Mickissic, Rex Burkhead, and Jamaal Williams are all names to monitor. Finally, Jason is making a move on Raschad White.

Irv Smith and Albert O. could be dropped if you can upgrade to a Gerald Everett, Hayden Hurst, and Robert Tonyan. You might have to consider TD stealer Taysom Hill as well. The guys would go with Everett and Tonyan over David Njoku. Go pick up the Cincinnati Bengals, who have a great couple of weeks moving forward. Even with the Watt injury, the Steelers are still in play, and Andy likes New England this week.

Streamers

This week, Andy is streaming Derek Carr against the Arizona tertiary, as well as Jared Goff. Jason is leaning toward Carson Wentz, and Mike likes Justin Fields. Marcus Mariota and Matt Ryan are also possibilities.

Good luck on the wire!

Wednesday- Ride or Die + Withstanding Victories, TNF Preview

After much discussion on the importance of a backward snap-back hat, Andy, Mike, and Jason get into it.

News

The Patriots place 37% snap share Ty Montgomery on IR, which opens up some musings on Rhamondre Stevenson. According to Pete Carroll, Ken Walker will be active this week. Penny looked good in week one, even with just twelve carries, but be aware that Walker will get some of those carries. Joe Flacco will start week two for the Jets against the Browns. The Cleveland defense seems like a good option. Lovie Smith came out and said that they need to get Dameon Pierce more touches. Marlon Mack signed to the Niners practice squad, and Latavius Murray went to the Saints practice squad.

Thursday Night Preview

The LA Chargers head to Arrowhead to play the Kansas City Chiefs and they split the series last year with some exciting games. The Chargers will be down Keenan Allen, but Herbert still has many options. Jason wants pieces in this game, including Mike Williams, who had a down week in week one. He is a must-start. Josh Palmer has an opportunity here, and in a game without Keenan, he ran 94% of the routes. Andy thinks Gerald Everett is a great start here, and Austin Ekeler should also bounce back. You know the pass-catchers in Kansas City will be heavily involved, but unfortunately, you do not know who. It could vary weekly, whether it’s Ju-Ju, MVS, Mecole Hardman, or Skyy Moore. Jason is on Ju-Ju, and you start CEH.

Make sure to check out all of the rankings and the start/sit tool on the website!

Mailbag

We end the show with some mailbag and a question re a trade – Javonte Williams or Najee? The guys wholeheartedly say Javonte. The next question is, which Jags RB would you start this week? Jason and Andy are team Etienne, whereas Mike believes in James Robinson. Would you take advantage of Cordarrelle Patterson‘s big week by offering him in a Travis Etienne trade? Andy thinks this trade is too neutral and would not partake, even with his talent level – he would aim higher. Jason is on the Patterson side. The final question revolves around potentially trading Michael Thomas for Darren Waller. The guys are in on Michael Thomas, and they think this is a good trade.

Remember to drop it like it’s hot!

Thursday- Starts of the Week + Week 2 Breakdown, The Dump Truck

It’s football time!

Never Not Working

Today the guys wanted to dive into garbage time. Is garbage times really that valuable for your fantasy squad? Looking at data, it is not valuable to chase garbage time production – when a team’s win probability drops under 20%, they throw 70% of their plays, yet they do not get any more efficient. In these games, only 27% of QBs finished with 18 fantasy points, and the rest of the QBs had very little success. Conversely, in close losses, 57% of QBs in one-score losses finished with 18 plus fantasy points. What does this mean? Look at the spreads, and try to get pieces in these close games.

News

Keenan Allen is officially out for the Thursday night game, and he might have a good chance to return in week two. JK Dobbins returned to practice, which is good news for the Baltimore Ravens. Fantasy-wise, wait and see. D’Andre Swift did not practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury, and Justin Jackson was added from the practice squad. The TB receiving core is in disarray as most players did not practice. George Kittle also did not practice, Najee was limited, and The Lazard King returned to practice. Zach Ertz should have a more significant share this weekend. Michael Gallup is working his way back, but you shouldn’t start him before Dak.

Fantasy Forecast

Starting off with a bang – the Jets take on the Browns with a very low over/under. This will not be good – Brissett has very little, and the Browns can win this on the ground. The guys are shying away from any pass catcher. On the other side of the ball, although last week Breece Hall had some great targets, this week will be a slower pace, and Jason is moving away from Hall. Elijah Moore is startable. Next, up is the undefeated Washington Commanders taking on the Guns Mahoney-led Detroit Lions. There are a ton of fantasy opportunities here, with some young pieces. Obviously, you can start Antonio Gibson and D’Andre Swift. Jason also likes Jamaal Williams, Curtis Samuel, and Terry McLaurin. Amon-Ra is also a great start, and you might be able to stream one of the QBs here. In an NFC South battle, the Bucs play the Saints. As a Buc, Brady is 0-4 against the Saints. Fournette could have a great day with an abundance of dump-offs and look out to stash Rashaad White. Andy is questioning if we are in a situation with the Tampa WRs; if they are active, are we starting them? Even though Alvin Kamara had a dodgy week one for the Saints, the guys still believe in him. Jameis – even with risks – can be a spot start. And now, it’s time for Taysom Talk. We are reminded that Taysom can be a roller coaster, and you would have to buckle in tight.

Well that happened fast. pic.twitter.com/LqET4y5EHC

— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) September 15, 2022

Carolina takes on the NY Giants in the Ben Macadoo revenge game. This game should hit the under, and with that, you are only starting Saquon on the Giants side of the ball. With Carolina, you are starting DJ Moore, and there is some consideration to be paid to Robbie Anderson. CMC only had 14 opportunities, yet no worries exist. New England heads to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. You are starting Najee if he is active; Diontae Johnson is always in your lineup; the Muth also looks to be Luth. On the other side, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson could be flex options. The Colts head to sunny Florida to play the Jags in Andy’s almost upset of the week. The Jags have several pass catchers who can be fantasy options, along with James Robinson and Travis Etienne. Even with Matt Ryan looking somewhat inefficient, you are starting Pitty City and Taylor, but a much lower level of talent exists beyond these two players. Jason is sitting Nyheim Hines.

Starts of the Week

On to the starts of the week. Andy is starting Jameis Winston, Aaron Jones, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Gerald Everett. Mike is going with Matt Stafford, Jeff Wilson, Gabe Davis, and Tyler Higbee. Finally, Jason is picking Derek Carr, Antonio Gibson, Christian Kirk, and TE Robert Tonyan.

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

Friday- Week 2 Matchups + Market Corrections, Wheel of Shame

It’s FootClan Friday!

Thursday Night Recap

The guys open the show with their reaction to the Thursday night game. It did not turn out how we anticipated, but there was an abundance of market correction via Mike Williams. Great to see that. Not so great to see was Justin Herbert go down in intense pain. We are waiting on more info here, but what a tough guy. Austin Ekeler was a slight letdown as he did not find the endzone – garbage-esque time came for him at the end of the game. Jason reminds us that the Chargers are Super Bowl contenders, and it is clear that they want to keep him healthy. CEH had a good game on the Kansas City side with a few big plays. It is clear this season, the Chiefs will be simply going to who is open, and Andy is cutting all pass catchers not named Travis Kelce moving forward.

News

Zach Ertz was upgraded to a full practice, and Rondale Moore will not play on Sunday. Michael Pittman did not practice Thursday, and it might be Pitty Sitty this week. D’Andre Swift did not practice but will probably play. D’Andre Brisk. George Kittle also did not practice, and Allen Lazard will be a wait-and-see. If he is active, Jason is starting him. In the Bucs WR room segment of the day – Evans, Jones, Gage, and Fournette all returned to practice.

Fantasy Forecast

Miami heads to Baltimore in the first game being discussed. For the Ravens, you are starting Lamar and Andrews – wait and see on Dobbins coming back from injury. Jason has confidence in Bateman as well. On the Miami side, we will be watching to see how Chase Edmonds progresses. He is worth the start in a PPR league. Atlanta heads west to take on the angry LA Rams in what should be a get-right game for Sean McVay and his crew. Henderson should see a ton of touches here, and both Mike and Jason are willing to put Allen Robinson out there again. On the Falcons, Patterson, London, and Kyle Pitts are the start considerations.

Seattle and San Francisco play in a classic NFC West battle. Andy does not expect much from Geno Smith and company, and it would take an abundance of Trey Lance mistakes for Seattle to win. It looks like a running game with rainy weather, and Penny might be your only Seahawk start. Jeff Wilson will get the start for Kyle Shanahan, and you must keep an eye on him. Deebo is a clear start as well. Cincinnati takes on the Cooper Rush led Dallas Cowboys. Dalton Schultz could be a good friend to Mr. Rush during this game but proceed cautiously. Mike believes that Zeke will see a lot more work on the ground. You can start Joey B. and Joe Mixon – it might be a dump-off sort of game. CeeDee Lamb is a conundrum; the guys are starting a lot of other guys over him.

The Houston Texans play Denver, and Andy thinks Russ will cook at home. He is a strong start. This game should be a running game at the end, and Melvin Gordon could be a great start, along with Javonte. You are starting Sutton and Jeudy and passing on Albert O. You have to bench Dameon Pierce with his low usage from last week, and you could use Rex Burkhead in a pinch. The Arizona Cardinals travel to another desert to play the Vegas Raiders. You are starting Kyler with his rushing upside, and if he stands by his word, Hollywood should have a better game with more targets. Andy is targeting James Connor. On the Raiders side, start Derek Carr, Davante, and Waller. The Cardinals defense isn’t great, Bob.

Sunday Night Football concludes the weekend with the Bears versus the Packers. We all know Aaron Rodgers owns the Bears, and Fields might have a tough time. You can start Montgomery, but lower your expectations. You might want to steer clear of Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet in this matchup. Aaron Jones is Andy’s start of the week, and hopefully, with Allen Lazard back, Rodgers should be a good play.

The Monday Night Doubleheader includes the Titans playing the Bills. All of the Bills stars are locked in your lineup, and Singletary and Knox are options. Tennessee-wise, your only start is Derrick Henry, and the rookies continue to be wait and sees. The final game of week two is Minnesota against Philadelphia in what should be a solid game. Hurts and Brown are auto starts, while you bench Smith and consider benching Miles Sanders. With Minnesota, Justin Jefferson is a go, Dalvin Cook is a smash play, and the guys are mixed on Adam Thielen. You can start Captain Kirk.

After Mike spinning the wheel of shame, the guys sign off. Good luck in Week 2!

Is it just us or does Mikes’ head look smaller now?

Don’t miss todays episode! pic.twitter.com/O0nqRk6dEa

— Fantasy Footballers (@TheFFBallers) September 16, 2022