Wildcard Players + Diamonds in the Rough

Offseason Highlights 02:26

• The hosts discuss the football pre-season highlights that have been shared on social media.
• Despite the mediocre quality of the clips, they are still exciting to watch due to anticipation for the football season.
• Some of the highlights discussed include Garrett Wilson catching a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers, and Chica Conquo’s touchdown from Ryan Tannehill.

“And we’re on Instagram, youtube.com. We are entering the part of the offseason where we get to enjoy some very kind of mediocre highlight videos that are made into pretty much the best thing we’ve ever seen because we’re so hungry for football.” 02:26

“We thirsty boys.” 02:46

“I watched Garrett Wilson catch a touchdown from Aaron Rodgers in practice.” 02:46

“It was awesome.” 02:52

“I saw Chica Conquo with a nice touchdown catch from Ryan Tannehill.” 03:48

Importance of Player Development 04:34

• The hosts discuss JJ Watt’s video advocating for player development during the offseason.
• Watt argues that players need to have the freedom to try new things and make mistakes in order to improve.
• Overbearing scrutiny from social media and the public can inhibit player development.
• Jason suggests that players should simply try better moves and succeed with them in order to avoid negative criticism.

“No. He had a, I thought it was a wonderfully well-spoken video. Talking about what happens now with attendance to every single practice OTA camp, video on your phone, every player is being recorded at all times. And his point was like, please, for the love of God, let these players develop.” 04:34

“He’s like, let them develop.” 05:24

“Sounds to me like they should just try better new moves, you know, succeed with them. Then they’ll write about that.” 05:32

How important is ADP in fantasy drafts? 09:59

• Average draft position (ADP) plays a big role in draft decisions.
• One should never reach more than a full round in terms of ADP.
• ADP is an important factor to consider, especially when playing in a home league.

Drafting Strategy with ADP 10:34

• It is important to draft players based on tiers to ensure value and wait for players that are projected to be available later, without ignoring ADP.
• Average draft position (ADP) represents the market value of each player and can be used to determine the true value of a pick.
• ADP is particularly important during live drafts when drafting on a platform and when monitoring tiers of players.

“The ADP is incredibly important because it’s the market and that’s what you’re playing…ADP is incredibly important for actually knowing what is the value, the true value of a pick.” 12:09

Starting Round Players 15:33

• It is worth taking a risk with players available around ADP in earlier rounds.
• It is essential to add a remarkable piece to the team for the later rounds.
• The goal is to pair the earlier round player with the closer to ADP.

Brock Purdy 15:58

“NBC Sports reporting they expect Brock Purdy will start week one if he is ready to play football when the season rolls around” 15:58

• Brock Purdy has the possibility to start week 1 if he is fit to play.
• It is not being discussed that Lance will attain that position.
• The current belief among reporters is that Purdy will start week 1.

Commanders Quarterback Situation 17:01

“Commanders, head coach Ron Rivera, said Jacoby Brissett and Sam Howell are competing for the week one starting job” 17:01

• The head coach believes Jacoby Brissette and Sam Howell are both qualified to be the starting quarterback.
• Although Brissette is a better quarterback right now, he may not have the potential to get the team to playoffs.
• Brissette won games last year, supported the team and proved he can lead an offense.
• Hal is more mobile and has a better arm, which could make him a more special player if developed.
• The current belief is that Sam Howell will be the week one starter.
• Washington has a history of frequent changes among starting quarterbacks.
• The coaching team seems to have changed their faith in Sam Howell as the primary quarterback.

Fantasy football news and wildcards 20:19

• Gus Edwards and Michael Thomas will be ready for training camp; this is quick news that would be important to note for fantasy football managers.
• Rashad White expects a lot of balls to come his way in the passing game, which could increase his fantasy value.
• A healthy offensive line for the Vikings could lead to better opportunities in the backfield for whoever is running the football.
• Wes Phillips, the Vikings offensive coordinator, noted that Ty Chandler will have to be ready for an increased role, which is interesting given the Dalvin Cook situation.
• Ty Chandler is a player to watch as he could skyrocket in value if the Vikings move on from Dalvin Cook.

Wildcards in fantasy football 24:20

• Tua Tagovailoa is a wildcard player with a big range of outcomes. Though he was good last year, knowing the capability of the Miami offense, they could become the best offense in football and increase Tua’s fantasy value.
• It’s important to consider the cost and the confidence that you have in wildcard players when making fantasy football decisions.

Tua’s Potential Fantasy Impact 25:13

• Tua is the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.
• The team has an impressive lineup of receivers including Tyreek and Waddle.
• Tua has the potential to be the best quarterback in football and have a significant fantasy impact.
• Tua last year led the league in yards per attempt, passing yards on play-out, and the highest touchdown rate in the NFL.
• He had six touchdown week, showing his potential to be the best quarterback fantasy-wise.
• Tua is currently being drafted outside the top 10 in fantasy rankings.
• He has the potential to be a top-eight quarterback with the weapons he has.
• Some fantasy players leaned on Tua to be their starter at certain points last year.
• Tua is a player that is fairly under-ranked due to the injury situation.
  

  “I, I really like Tua. The, the, you know, I’ve got him statted out for 17 weeks. So the risk when you’re making that pick is certainly high, but I think Tua could easily be, you know, the top eight quarterback with the weapons he has.” (1616)

Tua’s Injuries and Wild Card Status 27:43

• Tua’s season last year was a mixed bag, marked with injuries and some dominant performances.
• On week two of his season, he was dominant.
• In week three, he played against Buffalo and finished as the 25th quarterback despite playing 93% of the snaps.
• Tua followed that up by being a top-five quarterback for a month before being injured again.
• After he returned, he played for five weeks and only had one game over 16 points.
• It’s unclear whether this happened because of his concussions or because defenses figured out how to stop his offense.
• Due to the short stretch of dominant performances, Tua is considered a wild card going into this season, and there are unanswered questions about his performance.
  

  “That’s all up in the air. It’s all part of the wild card equation for Tua is you didn’t have a long enough stretch, a healthy enough stretch to, to conclusively come in here and, and plant your flag and say, oh, he’s going to be better than Lamar.” 28:52

Quarterback and Running Back wildcard players 29:49

• Completing 55% of passes as a quarterback is not a route to success.
• A potential wildcard quarterback is not mentioned, but the focus shifts to running back Cameron Akers.
• Cam Akers was a wildcard last year, and his season was plagued by injuries and uncertainty.
• Akers played for 70% of the snaps for the Rams offense during the last six games of the season. This is a remarkable number, and only four other running backs achieved this in the last season.
• His points per game during that stretch were more than giants such as Derek Henry and Saquon Barkley.
• Cameron Akers looks promising, and his talent, opportunity, and depth chart are all in his favor.

Fantasy Football Wildcard Players 34:15

• Cam Akers is expected to build on how he finished the last season
• Cam Akers‘ ADP is similar to Antonio Gibson and Rashad White, but he has a higher range of outcomes
• Choosing a workhorse like Gibson is better when compared to Akers because Gibson won’t get that chance again
• Buccaneers’ offense is expected to recover more than Rams’ offense due to Matthew Stavros and Brady leaving the team
• A wildcard player is hard to come by, but finding one in the middle rounds can help in winning championships according to Mike

“When you can find a guy in those middle rounds that goes nuclear and is a top five back, you win championships.” 35:41

Drake London 35:48

• Drake London had excellent draft capital as a rookie and delivered high-level elite numbers
• He had a 27% target share and 2 yards per route run
• He is a candidate for being a true elite wide receiver in the NFL
• Nevertheless, the low pass volume of Atlanta Falcons may impact his volume of targets
• The average finish of wide receivers in teams with poor volume and high efficiency is a wide receiver 35
• Drake London proved all doubters wrong by running excellent routes and getting open
• It’s frustrating that we have to rely on targets per route run, yards per out, and target share for him

“And yet you had what, you had almost a conversation in the Twitter sphere of people saying, Oh, look at this tape. Look at this. He doesn’t look good. But it was absolutely deconstructable in terms of, you want to see a guy get open, watch the tape.” 38:46

Wildcard Players: Dalton Kincaid 39:17

• Brandon Aiyuk had a relatively low output in his rookie season, with only four good games during the year.
• Despite having similar target numbers as star wideouts Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, and AJ Brown, Aiyuk still didn’t live up to expectations.
• Aiyuk’s numbers from his rookie year are not bad, but the fantasy community may still have some hesitations about drafting him due to concerns about the inconsistent targets he may be afforded.

Drake London 40:20

• There is a potential for a big upcoming season for Drake London, but uncertainty regarding how he will perform.
• Andy and Jason discuss whether Drake London is a great wide receiver, with Andy expressing a belief that he has the potential to be a number one on a team if his offense provides the opportunity.
• Although there isn’t much consistency in London’s performance yet, he has produced good numbers for a rookie wide receiver.

“I think he’s capable in the right offense. If we we’re talking about Aaron Rodgers arriving and them changing to a passing offense, we’d be talking about Drake London the same way we’re talking about Garrel Wilson. So I think he’s that.” 41:13

Dalton Kincaid 41:24

• Dalton Kincaid is a rookie tight end/slot receiver who has excited the fantasy community due to his potential impact on a team that had very little depth beyond top NFL draft pick Stefon Diggs.
• With the rare combination of tight end and slot receiver skills and experience, there are many questions about Kincaid’s potential to become a top NFL tight end.
• Although there is not enough data to provide definite answers yet, Kincaid’s potential range of outcomes could result in him being anywhere from a top seven tight end to lower if things do not go well.

“He led the entire NCAA and slot wide receiver/tight end hybrid snaps. This is a capable athlete and I know we have a history of rookie tight ends, but I, I do struggle with that kind of sample because we don’t have…that type of tight end arriving at the NFL level very often.” 42:50

• He is being cited as a potential target for fantasy football teams due to his low cost.
• Currently, his underdog ADP is going to be higher than his redraft ADP for sure.
• He is the Tight End 11 right now in underdog.
• Cain had a 13th round and redraft where he is probably a top 12 tight end and underdog.
• Fantasy analysts differ on opinion, but he’s going ahead of some of those players.
  

  “He’s probably a top 12 tight end and underdog.” 44:56

Kadarius Toney: Permanent Wildcard 45:34

• Kadarius Toney, previously playing for the New York Giants, is now with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Tony is a permanent wildcard due to his lack of play time.
• However, whenever he has been running routes on the field, he has been awesome with a 25.8% target rate.
• This places him among only the top players in this category such as Stefan Diggs, Justin Jefferson, Hopkins among others.
• His lack of play time is a result of injuries, but if he wins the more permanent job, he could be a valuable fantasy football player.
  

  “The guy has been awesome when he has been running routes on the field.” 45:53 “Here are the players who hit that mark in 2022: Stefan Diggs, Justin Jefferson, Hopkins, Lamb, Olavi, Devonte Adams, Drake London, Cooper Cup, Amon Ross, St. Brown, and Tyree Kill.” 46:41

Brandin Cooks on the Dallas Cowboys 47:54

• Brandon Cooks, a top 20 wide receiver, will be the number two option for the Dallas Cowboys.
• He had a bad year with the Houston Texans last season, finishing as the wide receiver 49 in 13 games.
• Despite that, he has been a consistent performer in previous years, except for 2019 when he had a shortened year with the Rams and finished with mediocre stats.
• The question remains whether he is still a good player, but the Dallas Cowboys believe he is and signed him for the team.
• If Cooks is still a good performer, he could be a good value for fantasy football rankings.
• Cooks had a perfect 60 yard strike from Dak Prescott who has historically been a very accurate quarterback.
  

  “if Brandon Cooks really has anything left, I think that he is a screaming value right now in fantasy football rankings wise, you’re on Cooks Island.” 50:04

Wide Receiver Assignments 52:17

• CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks are being discussed
• CeeDee Lamb will most likely be the number one receiver for the Cowboys
• Brandin Cooks gets to be the alternate with Deshaun Watson possibly suspended for 2021
• Cooks’ age being 30 does not deter his fantasy football potential

“The cost is nothing,” says the speaker on the subject of drafting Brandon Cooks. 52:43

Best Ball Breakdown 52:54

• “Best ball” refers to a fantasy football format where the “best” players on a given gamer are chosen for one’s team, and cumulative scoring is evaluated at the end of the season
• Three “nasty boys”, or last-round picks that will likely perform well, are discussed:
  • Clyde Edwards-Helaire, a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, who is playing on a “high-powered” offense
  • Corey Davis, a wide receiver for the New York Jets, was generally good but not quite great on his previous teams
  • Michael Wilson, a rookie wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, was very talented in college and now has the opportunity to start in the NFL
• The advantages of selecting last-round picks include differentiation, since such players are not often drafted, and top 10 overall performance in some cases
• Clyde Edward-Helaire is compared to the number one last-round pick from last year – Jerick McKinnon

“Take the shot…I think in the last round [the three discussed players] are going to actually score fantasy points.” 54:56

Michael Wilson, Rookie Wide Receiver for Arizona 55:14

• Michael Wilson was drafted this year and, although he wasn’t hyped in the draft process and went undrafted in many leagues, he is talented
• He inherited a spot in Arizona left vacant by DeAndre Hopkins
• It is suggested that he only has to beat Zach Pascal for a spot in the starting lineup
• He would then likely be an outside receiver on two wide receiver sets
• If Kyler Murray comes back earlier than anticipated, Wilson would have “a decent opportunity” to prove himself

“This is a lost season, most likely for Arizona.” 56:35

Value of Backup Running Backs in Fantasy Football 56:42

• According to Michael Wilson, some backup running backs can be more valuable than other players.
• The Williams twins are two such players who should not be overlooked.
• Zero running back strategy can work because backup running backs gain value over the course of the season.
• Currently, Travion Williams of the Cincinnati Bengals is being talked up as the most likely player to fill in the backup running back role.

“Travion Williams of the Cincinnati Bengals has been talked up a lot.” 57:33

• Even though Joe Mixon is in front of him, Samaje Perine is gone and Trayveon Williams is likely to fill the backup role.
• Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams is another valuable backup running back to keep in mind.
• Cameron Acres was expected to be the starting running back last year but his injury opened doors for Kyron Williams.

“Unfortunately, Kyren Williams, because he was a rookie, was on special teams and he got a high ankle sprain.” 58:40

• Cameron Akers may not be a lock to start this year and Kyren Williams may feature heavily in the team’s plans.
• Available at the range of a best ball draft, Kyron Williams is a good pick.
• The Bengals have a backup player named Traveon Williams who has been with the team for four years.
• Joe Mixon missed games last year and during Weeks 12 and 13 when Mixon wasn’t active, Williams’ performance wasn’t impressive.
  

  “He had two for 18 and one for three.” 01:01:40

• Mike suggests looking at the backup players with potential opportunities. For example, Chase Brown from the Bengals.
  

  “Go target the backup with opportunity on a great team” 01:01:57