February 14, 2025 • 34 mins
As a homage to Drew Bennett's amazing finish in 2004, Charch and Brian break down the quarterbacks and running backs who blossomed in December. Was their late-season surge a trend or mirage?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly, a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly
source for the nation's best fantasy football advice, speculation, and
whatever stupid stuff they decided to drop into the show. Now,
here's your host, Paul Jarchian.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome to a February edition of Fantasy Football Weekly.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Or is it December?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Old time warp happening right here? That is the hum
of Brian Johnson, my co host today.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hey buddy, what up?
Speaker 4 (00:39):
George?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Great to talk to you.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
You're officially in Auason. It's last December, but we're gonna
discuss December.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
By the way, I mean, can we just please hang on?
Can we please becock a little bit? Last week's show,
we pretty much nailed the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I would say you did me not so much. My
juju props are looking great. A catch on each of
the first two drives. Yeah, just give me one more
and it's gravy nothing.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Well, he hit the over depending on where you bet him.
I you know, when it was thirteen and a half
as I saw him, he finished at sixteen yards.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yeah, he hit that over. But I was louder in him.
I was getting greedy, but no, you you spiked the
the Eagles ault line of whether it was minus thirteen
and a half fourteen, there was a room to spare
props to you. I should I almost bet it, but
I was like, Nah, Mahomes as much as I respect
Charge Mahomes man, Yeah, I lost to Mahomes, which is understanding.
(01:44):
Hindsight is twenty twenty, right, But I mean we on
the show, We're like, there's no edge here for.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
The cheeps, right, there's no edge on the field. Find
your edge.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
There wasn't one. Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
I saw someone saying, no, did anyone predict this? And
I'm like, Charge, did Charge predicted this? This blowout? So
good on you, Good on you. Charge.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Kind of take that peacock to the bank right there.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
You deserve it.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Today, we're gonna highlight this is the first of a
two parter. We're gonna highlight guys whose fantasy productions spiked
in December and then answer whether or not that December
production is a trend or a mirage. Now, in some
cases it's young guys and it just took them most
of the season before they really.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Came on strong at the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Other guys, it's just veterans who for whatever reason just
didn't show up in September, October, November, and then did
well down the stretch. I'm using December here, but you know,
we know there was also like a week eighteen was
in January. If you need to go back, you know,
into the final month of November.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
That's okay.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Do We're just we're really we're focusing on end of
season producers and whether or not it is a trend
or a mirage.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Now now, feel free to steal this for the for
the show notes that you might put on iHeart, but
I've named this this what we're doing. This is the
UH and for the for the the young ones out there,
they might not get this reference, but will educate you
real quick. I've I've dubbed what we're doing the Drew
the Drew Bennett exercise or the the Drew Bennett drill.
(03:22):
How's that that's more alliterative? Right?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
All right?
Speaker 4 (03:24):
So for those don't remember, Drew Bennett wide receiver for
the Tennessee Titans in two thousand and four, starting in December,
pretty much quiet all year. I'm just gonna read Drew
Bennett's stat lines and four Billy Voleck by.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
The way, Yeah, quarterback back Billy Bennett.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
And this was like, this was Aaron McNair, Steve McNair's
he must have been hurt. But I'm just gonna read
this off quick. One hundred and twenty four yards, three touchdowns,
two thirty three and three, one sixty and two. This
is all like insane prime December production. And I'm not
gonna go into this was a mirage. Drew Bennett was
a mirage, that's right, yes, into future seasons, but this
(04:09):
is what we're doing. Basically, we're gonna no one had
a Drew Bennett type December but close. But uh, this
is the Drew Bennett drill. I'm dubbing at that.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I like it, all right, Well we'll name the show
the Drew Bennett Drill.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
And I think broadly, the fantasy community spends the off
season putting a lot of weight on December performances, a
lot of weight.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
And probably remember it's fresh in our mind.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah that's right.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Well, absolutely, it's the most recent data points we have.
And then we've got a whole six month off season
to talk about our most recent data points. So I
think it's I think it's fair to break down these players.
Before I do that, I'm going to bring you into
the intrigue and drama that has happened in my fantasy
basketball league.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It is nothing to do with basketball.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
What whatball basketball?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I know fantasy basketball.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I used to play fantasy bas well. It's been quite
quite some time. But yeah, tell me what's going on.
I've got Luka Doncic.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
No, I've got a team that's in third place. It's
a good team out of fourteen, and I'm deep at center.
I got an offer to trade nas Reed for.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I know of him, you know of him? Yep, for
Devin Booker.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Now, most people would say Devin Booker is like an
A minus player and nas Reid is like a B player,
maybe a B plus player depending on thinkings. Break his
his way, And so we accepted the trade offer. The
commissioner vetoed it, oh no, unilatterally vetoted it himself. And
(05:43):
then and he's in first place, by the way, And
I won't say his name.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Thout to say, do him on the show. What's his address? Right?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And he is a longtime friend, you know, I've known
him for thirty years. And uh, I was extremely mad
and so then the way this has worked is after
I badgered him some and threatened to just quit the
league right there, right then and there, he said, Well,
(06:17):
after making a big deal about vetoing it, he said, well, okay,
why don't you offer it to him again? And now
if he still accepts it, then I'll let it go through,
to which I said, why would I need to do
that when we already agreed on a deal and he
has not pushed through the trade yet.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
So.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Veto's man vetos and friendships. I'm I'm still angry about this,
and who gives any one person the ability to decide
something like that? And obviously there's no chicanery, there's no
funny stuff right, There's no money going under the table,
nothing like that. This is just one guy who felt
(07:02):
like the trade was not as even as he wanted
it to be, and he he he nuked it.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Yeah, that's even though, Like I'm not too in the
know in basketball anymore, but I don't have any booker.
It was probably like the number one, number two shooting
guard preseason, right, and nas Reid fantasy wise was but
I'm sure Nass spiked since Julius doesn't matter. That's awful.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
That's yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah, the details I don't think matter, No.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
It doesn't. My opinion, no matter the sport. Veto's veto,
the veto. That's what we need to do.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Veto, the veto. Get it out of your leagues, everybody.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
And I'm serious that when I when I was talking like, okay,
do I need to quit now? It turned into a
friendship check at that point, and I'm still not sure
that I'm going to continue in the league.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Better.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Okay, point being I have veto in your league.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
I hope he's listening. It's Matt, isn't it. No, It's okay.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Today we're going to we're gonna break down these December players,
but we're gonna we're gonna break this into two parts.
We're gonna do quarterbacks and running backs today. The next
week we're gonna wide receivers and tight ends. But secretly
we're taping them both today because next Friday is Whiskey weekend.
Yeah yeah, so if there was some big thing that
(08:28):
happened next week, then we would not know about that.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
All right, let's jump in with the quarterbacks.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Do you want to start with justin air Bear do
I have an air bear sounder?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Speaking of speaking of Matt Well, it's his famous moniker. No,
there's a lot of a lot of animals.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Yeah, a lot of animals. That's a close I end
get as a duck, which is a.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Oh it was duck? What was duck? Hodges or the quarterback?
Is that why we have the fight?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
You might still be from that? Yes, good heavens.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
Justin that's in the UFL or something at this point. Yeah,
Justin Herbert. Let's talk about him December. To remember, he
was a top ten quarterback Fantasy wise, multiple passing touchdowns
in each of his last four games. He also cleared
two hundred and eighty passing yards in three of those
(09:20):
four games. So there was elite production from Herbert. And
for those who again we were saying, that's what's fresh
in our mind, but for those who had forgotten, the
start for Justin Herbert was fat, brutal. In nine of
his first thirteen games, he had zero or one passing touchdown.
His passing yards in his first four games were one
(09:42):
hundred and forty four, one hundred and thirty, one hundred
and twenty five in one seventy nine. I mean we
were just dropping him outright at that. He's like, this
guy is worthless and it comes to fantasy football, and
it's because Jim Harbaugh, you know, his first year head coach,
not first year in the NFL, but long track record
college NFL. He loves to run the rock and that's
(10:04):
what he came in and he did to start the season.
But the Chargers, you know, they swerved from that in December.
But can you trust that as a trend for the
team as a whole or a mirage. I'm leaning mirage
here for Herbert, who, by the way, right now people
are drafting already bestball teams. He's going off the board
(10:26):
as QB fourteen, and like every year, a quarterback is
very deep. So I am I'm calling his December a mirage,
especially when it comes to drafting him as a top
fourteen quarterback. I think the identity of the Chargers is
still going to be to run the ball.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Got to run better than they did last year, Brian.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
They do, but their line is I think they're going
to bolster that offensive line even more. Spent top five
pick on Joe Ault last year. I know as much
as I will say this about Herbert sneaky ground production too.
In December, yeah, and on the season as a whole,
he was just one of eight quarterbacks with more than
(11:11):
twenty passing touchdowns and more than three hundred rushing yards.
So I kind of cherry picked that stat a little bit.
But he's sneaky mobile. But I just feel that the
philosophy is still gonna be running the ball. So I'm
just this is a mirage for me. I don't see
the two eighty three hundred yards multiple passing touchdowns on
(11:31):
a consistent basis for Herbert. He's got that ability, but
I just don't think that's the identity of the Chargers.
So I'm going mirage.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
You know, I think the reason I was leaning trend,
although you've made a really good case and I'm rethinking
it now, it's just that all those young receivers getting
a year older, right, Lad McConkie looks very, very promising.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
We start talking about him and the wide receiver and.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Quinton Johnson as well, about both and those guys, and
you know, I think if you're going to give those
guys trend grades for their December and then then I
think you have to give Herbert the trend, but we'll
get to that next week. My quarterback Bryce Young Bryce Young.
In December, Brian was quarterback six six Bryce Young. Now,
(12:23):
part of it was dramatically improved passing in December nine
touchdowns against just three interceptions, which is great. Multiple touchdowns
in the final four games of his season, that was
good news. Nobody cares and remembers a Week eighteen, but
Bryce Young was the highest scoring quarterback in Week eighteen
(12:45):
across the board. That was a game in which Carolina
scored forty four points against a Falcons team that was
playing to win. They needed that. They needed that game
to get into the playoffs the and Bryce Young showed
up and beat them and scored a bunch of Fantasy
points doing it.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Now, I remember that game well because I had the
Falcons and two survivor pools, and of course what was
the last week cost me a couple grand.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Oh you didn't split them and go one Carolina one Atlanta, Well,
I had.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
I was in multiple, but the Falcons were the best
bet that week, even though I was skeptical about it.
Of course for good I mean atlant at home, I'm
steering us away. But anyway, I remember that game and yeah,
Bryce Young looked great.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Bryce ye great, he looked great. The bad news he
had four rushing touchdowns in the final five weeks, which
helped elevate that QB six status that I was talking
about in December, and he's just you know, he doesn't
have the mobility for you to be counting out a
lot of rushing touchdowns from Bryce Young on passing alone.
If we take those rushing touchdowns out, his QB six
(13:58):
probably would drop to like QB twelve, QB fifteen, something
like that. But trender mirage for Bryce Young, Brian, this
is a trend. First, Dave Canalis is awesome. I think
we now know that he is. He's a quarterback whisperer
is he is somebody who's going to get the best
out of the talents of his quarterbacks around him. I
love that Carolina almost certainly better improve their offensive line.
(14:23):
Their offensive line is garbage. Gotta get better in the offseason.
I think that will happen. Wide receiver, could you some
help and hopefully that'll happen too. You know, they've put
a lot of draft capital into the wide receiver position,
so it might not be as much help as I
want because They've already spent a bunch of money and picks.
Remember Terras Marshall was a second round pick three years ago,
(14:44):
Jonathan Mingo second round pick two years ago. They've gotten
nothing out of those guys, and obviously Mingo's gone for
a fourth rounder.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Thanks to the Cowboys.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Xavier Lagett had a few big moments last year, but
not enough really to feel great about him. But I'd
like to think he can get better in year two.
And then Jalen Coker splashed at the end of the year.
Thorn special, Yeah, so we're gonna keep an eye on him.
Adam Thielen looked great. We'll talk more about Adam Feeling
next week, as well as somebody that came alive in December.
(15:16):
So I'm on trend on Bryce Young.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
What do you thank you with me on this?
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I am men.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
He's going super late, and I mean he's going well
past Justin Herbert, who's QB fourteen. I mean Bryce Young
is like in the low twenties when you're baking in price.
I'm taking Young over Herbert all day long. And the
Panthers not a lock. They's somewhat said at wide receiver.
The three guys you mentioned, But there's one slam dunk
(15:42):
receiver in this draft class, Teed McMillan from Arizona, And
it's looking like it's either gonna be the Raiders at
six and then the Panthers are there at eight. Kind
of those look like the two teams that might scoop
him up if they somehow, If Carolina gets tet that
shoots Bryce Young stock, yeah, big time.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
That's very possible, right.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
Multiple rounds, right from where he's getting drafted right now.
So yeah, I think a lot to like about Bryce Young.
I think they're on the up and up in all
all aspects in Carolina.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
All right, let's go to the running backs.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I've got three, you've got two, so maybe I will
I will go first here Rico Dowdell. In December, he
was running back twenty four in ESPN scoring. Prior to that,
his prior months were in the forties. But where I'm
a little lukewarm on him here. By the metrics, Dowdell
didn't turn into a much better runner down the stretch.
(16:37):
He just got a lot more carries down the stretch.
So it wasn't that he was getting he was better.
He just had a lot more volume because Dak Prescott
went down, and you know, Jerry Jones tried running the ball,
Mike McCarthy tried running the ball. In weeks one through eleven,
Rico Dowdell had ten carries per game, and then weeks
(16:58):
twelve forward he averaged twenty carries a game. And if
you double the number of times a player is going
to touch the ball, you're going to see a spike
in fantasy points scored. Also with Dowdle only two touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Scored all year.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
So trand or mirage on Rico Dowdell.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
I am on mirage.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
The Cowboys are very likely to draft a runner, perhaps
his earliest pick twelve of the draft. And while Dowdell
had a few nice runs, and I don't want to
make him sound totally ordinary because there were there were
a few runs that he had during the season, I'm.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Like, that look pretty good.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
He still feels like a change of pace guy. He
doesn't feel like a lead back to me, even though
they were using him as a lead back. And also,
Rico Dawdle doesn't catch, and that limits his upside as well,
and and his and his floor obviously it gets affected
as well. So I'm on mirage on Rico Dowdell.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
What do you think, Yeah, I'm kind of with you.
He did look good, but it was it was kind
of volume. They didn't have much many options to go to.
Ezekiel Elliott clearly cooked. We won't see much of him
in Dallas. But like guys like Rigo and a couple
more we'll talk about in the coming minutes here who
are kind of lumped in that running back forty fifty
range and early ADP very nervous about all of them
(18:17):
because apparently this is like the deepest running back class
in the draft almost like ever. And of course you
and four will get into that, yeah, very soon. But yeah,
it feels like a mirage for Dowdell because Dallas will
whether it's through the draft or free agency, they're gonna
they could be one of the ones to take Ashton
(18:39):
Genie who that would just make doubtle borderline worthless. So
you have to you have to factor in those mitigated
risks whatever. So I'm with you, a mirage on Rico. Sadly,
even though he did come on, he was not a
league winner, but a big time helper.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
That's yeah, yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Uh, Okay, let's go to more running back and then
we'll take a break. Taja Spears with that nice December.
Bill Parsley on the ongoing nagging injuries that Tony Pollard suffered.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Yeah, I mean league winner. I mean Spears is the
closest thing to a league winner amongst all running backs.
Very unconventional path to get managers there, though. So in
week fifteen it really started for Dowbtle, which is kind
of like you know, the first week for most fantasy playoffs.
Four carries for five yards. You but he scored a
(19:32):
rushing touchdown. But he added six catches for eighty seven
yards touchdown that game too, so that's like RB one production.
Then in week sixteen, ten carries for twenty seven yards,
discussing two point seven yards for carry, but two rushing touchdowns.
Then he added three catches for thirty nine yards. That's
(19:53):
another touchdown basically in fantasy scoring.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Pollard played those two games two weeks fifteen and sixteen.
He was banged up, like you said, but he was
still taking fifty percent of the snaps. And in week seventeen,
Pollard sits out and it's all I'm sorry, it's all
Spears against Jacksonville and he has a kind of a
dud game. Twenty carries for ninety five yards, three catches
for eight yards, like his worst. But long story short,
(20:18):
I mean, when you're talking four carries five yards and
a touchdown, ten carries twenty seven yards, two touchdowns, you're
catching it's it's a total mirage sadly for Spears, who
you know, we were questioning him a couple of years ago.
He came in as a rookie because he kind of
has like no knees left right, like playing on no knees.
(20:39):
But like, this guy is not gonna last. He's still going,
and I hope it keeps going. But there's lots of
concerns with his lack of knees still and Pollard still
in the mix. Who knows who's gonna be the quarterback
for the Titans, how that offense is gonna look. And
he's not a belcow, So mirage for the thing.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
That's the thing on Spears. I think he's forever angel
pace guy.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Yeah, that's it. Be thankful for what you got for him.
In December in twenty twenty four, because hey, another Tennessee
Titan had to make the list and the Drew Bennett drill.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Right, that's a great point.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
I think we might have one more in the next
show too. Right, we're not done with Titans, but's badly
mirage for Spears and again another team, so many rookie
running backs. Worried about his job stability for sure, whether
it be the starter of the backup ringing the third
stringer with so many running backs coming in.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
So we'll take a break back in just a couple
of moments to continue with the December stars at the
running back position. Who's going to be good next year
and who won't We'll tell you when we come back.
(21:49):
Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly Segment number two.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Glad to have you with us.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Paul Chargie and Brian Johnson with you. We're working through
the running backs that had bigs and whether or not
that is a trend or mirage going forward. We've hit
ric O'doubdell Taj Spears earlier, quarterback Bryce Young, Justin Herbert.
I think we've got a yes, a no, a no,
(22:14):
and a no so far. Let's see what happens with
Zach Sharbonnet. He was running back eleven in ESPN scoring
in the month of December eleven.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
That's an RB one.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
His surge was really a reflection of Kenneth Walker and
who had ankle and calf injuries, and you know, he
was on and off the field. He missed some games,
he played hurt in some he got knocked out of
some games, and Walker just could never really get it
going all season because of the injuries and ultimately finished
the season on IR.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
I feel like Kenneth Walker like always has like a
hernia two or something like that, like some kind of
ailment with Kenneth Walker. Sadly, who's the elite when healthy,
but he is.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
He's so good when he's healthy. In those rare moments
Week one, you're like, oh my god, Kenneth Walker, So
trender mirage going forward on Zach Sharbonay is sadly a
mirage Charbs can catch, and he chipped in some help
through the air, but his aerial production was really rather limited,
and for Charbs it's just it's all about volume. In
(23:19):
games with more than eight carries, he averaged a very
healthy seventeen PPR Fantasy points, but in games with eight
or less carries, he only averaged five fantasy points. And
you can't win on five fantasy points from your running back.
So you had to know going into the game, was
is Sharbonay going to get a bunch of volume? And
really that's another way of just saying, is Kenneth Walker hurt?
(23:41):
And Kenneth Wacker is constantly hurt, but you got to
figure out if he's gonna play or not. Now, Seattle
brought in a new offensive coordinator, Clint Kubiak, I believe,
making his third stop as an offensive coordinator. In Kubiak's
introductory press conference earlier this week, Brian he raved about
Kenneth Walker. He referred to him specifically as the Seahawks'
(24:04):
best runner and said he wants to get him the
ball in as many ways as possible. That's all for
Kenneth Walker, not Zach Sharbonay, and Koubiak plans to run
his own scheme, and he says that Walker is a
perfect fit for a zone scheme run attack. So and
he barely mentioned Zach Scharbonay at all. So I think
(24:24):
sharbon Ay did did not do enough to move himself
into a meaningful time share or take the lead job
away from Kenneth Walker. And Walker rolls into next season
as the starter and that means that Zach Sharbonay's success
in December is a mirage.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, I'm with you. Yeah, you can't buy too much
into Charpenay's December back to Walker quick super intriguing. He's
coming at somewhat of a discount. He's already eighteen right now,
and the guy's going after him. A lot of question marks,
a lot of rookies, I don't know what to expect.
And then it's like David Montgomery, who's one bee, James
(25:04):
Connor who could fall up. So I like where Walker's
at right now. Even fifty eight was that it's like
mid fifth round. That seems like a good value. Just
speaking about Walker right now. If he stays healthy, he
could return round one, round two value for sure.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Let's go to Jerome Ford. You'll remember end of year
the Browns had to put Nick Chubb on injured reserve,
and that allowed Jerome Ford to get to get a
lot of carries and sometimes it worked.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Out sometimes, but really overall it didn't. It was really
just a nice two game stretch for Ford in weeks
fifteen and sixteen. Week fifteen against Kansas City, who pretty
much the best run defense in the league. Last year,
he had eighty four yards in a touchdown only on
(26:00):
seven carries, so there was some flukiness there. And then
a week sixteen at Cincinnati, he had eleven carries ninety
two yards in a touchdown. Cincinnati one of the worst
defenses in the league last year, so he can't read
into that too much. Then he got hurt in Week seventeen,
so super small sample size. So he had the two touchdowns,
(26:20):
one in Week fifteen, one in Week sixteen. Outside of
those two scores in the fantasy playoffs, Ford only had
one other touchdown all season last year, and that came
in Week one. Also, the only game Ford had more
than eleven carries all season, he had twelve in that
game in Week one, So clearly not a bell cow.
(26:43):
And as you said, Nick Chubb will be healthier next year.
And speaking of like question marks about like who is
going to lead this offense, how good are they going
to be? No idea who the quarterback is going to be.
There's a couple other at least one other Brown talk
about in the next episode. But as for now, trendor mirage,
(27:04):
I mean, you cannot gotta think Jerome Ford is on
trend right now. Ford is going off the board as
running back forty one, forty four. It pick one, give
me Nick Chubb four rounds later, all day long? Who's
going as RB fifty six?
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Wow? He's down to fifty six?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Yeah? Wow, Jubb. Chubb is a steel right now. If
you're an early best ball drafter like me, and just
like the other guys we mentioned before at running back,
Jerome Ford could easily be replaced. I like Jerome Ford,
but he seems a replacement level when it comes to
this incoming class of rookie running backs. You know, he's
still on a rookie deal, so I don't think he's
(27:47):
gonna be like cut or anything like that. But yeah,
I think someone could usurp him as as the number
two in Cleveland. He doesn't have lead back potential sadly,
especially that offense, probably not. Probably not. There's not enough
discount to even or value right now with four to
lean trend. So I just got to adamantly say, Mirage,
(28:09):
stay away right now.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
I'm going to give you two quick running backs that
I think are both pretty clear mirages.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
But we'll we'll just talk him through fast.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Isaac Grendo finished his running back nineteen despite playing only
four games in December, but he was the benefactor of
all those injuries to the other forty nine ers, CMC
Jordan Mason, the preseason injury to Elijah Mitchell. No idea
going forward. You know who out of that group will
be back and healthy at the beginning of the season
and where Grenda would slot in. But I'll mention this,
(28:41):
when given enough carries, Isaac Garrenda was pretty good in
his five games with nine or more carries. He's finished
as running back twenty five, running back ten, running back two,
running back twenty three, and running back ten.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
You know that's not bad.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
And the Niners offensive line was a disaster in December.
They were missing Trent Williams, so managed to be pretty
good when he could stay healthy, which was a big
problem for him along with the rest of the forty
nine ers runners. But I just think there's so much
chaos and pandemonium and different players coming and going out
of that that it seems unlikely that Isaac Grindo is
a trend.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
We will go mirage there.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
And then Jalil McLaughlin, the Denver running back not really
fantasy startable, but I'll note that he saw an uptakeing
work in December and finished the month with five and
a half yards per carry, a healthy twenty six percent
mistackle rate, and to my eyes, he looked like the
best of the languishing runners for Denver down the stretch
last year. He chipped in some receptions, but I swear
(29:39):
he can catch better than how much they throw to him.
I wish they'd throw to him more. He did not
score in December, and he only had three touchdowns all year.
Not really built for goal line use, but just to
re emphasize the usage pattern. In weeks one through eleven,
Jaleil McLoughlin averaged five carries for twenty one yards. Disaster
weeks twelve forward ten carries fifty one yards gets you
(30:03):
into flex territory. So you know, I think that Denver
overhauls their backfield this offseason because they weren't able to
get significant production, reliable production from anybody. Javonte Williams gave
him very little audric estimate, couldn't didn't wasn't able to
do much. It's just you know, Julian McLaughlin with his bill,
(30:24):
will never be a lead back, but maybe he has
cemented the number two role. You know, like, he'll be
the change of pace back behind whoever they draft, And
I believe the Broncos will draft another running back and
that guy will probably be the lead. McLaughlin might be
the change of pace guy.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Yeah. That Denver backfield's so tough to predict right now.
Audric Estimay was getting so much steam from Sean Payton
late in the year, right like, well, we're gonna see
a ton of estimate this week. He get like four.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Snaps right right and winning with him.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
And like and Javonte. Yeah, it is just like any
one of those guys could be cut Williams, Estima, McLaughlin.
They probably draft run. Yeah, I'm staying away from that
backfield at least until after the draft at the very earliest.
I'm with you on Mirage on McLoughlin and Corendo, who
if he gets if he gets the touches, like you said,
(31:19):
he can produce, but health competition, he kind of gots
got to stay away. I think, I will say McLoughlin
and Grendo they do come at a much cheaper cost
as of right now than the aforementioned running back spears
Ford Charbone. They're going multiple rounds before those guys, So
(31:40):
just stay away from the first three running backs without
a doubt.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Right, probably true? Probably true.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
All right, with that, let's put a wrap on this show.
We're gonna turn around and record next week's show, and
we're being transparent about that because I'm on vacation at
Whiskey Weekend next week and we'll hit the wide receivers
in the tight ends.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Sound good.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
We need to premature speculation like time machine.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Ah, yeah, we really do. I don't have that. I
don't have that sounder. I gotta really I gotta freshen
up the up the sounds because you know what, we
don't need anymore.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
Hey, it ain't so you never know, you never know.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Why don't we use it this year?
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I mean it's Trubisky hit the field this year as
a reminder, I think it was weak.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Aaron Rodgers is shopping if Aaron Rodgers is still a
viable quarterback, so it is Mitch Trubisky as part. I'm
concerned at this point.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
If I'm in best ball Aaron Rodgers route, how many
rounds they go? Like twenty twenty? Yeah, like pick twenty
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
Yeah, he's he's getting It's it's It's like him and
and Kirk Cousins are like the Dark Bros. Now the
old man going. And you won't like this in Minnesota
because Sam Darnold Ball had gone. I'm praying for for
the Raiders, but uh, Danny Dimes was later rounds two
(33:02):
sneaky sneaky value.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
I think I believe the quarterbacks who will be starting
for the world on roster for the Vikings next off
next camp will be Daniel Jones and JJ McCarthy, And
I think it'll be more of an open battle than
people think, just because McCarthy lost that rookie year and
was not able to do much of anything with it.
(33:25):
So you know, I there is a scenario here where
Daniel Jones starts the season and then who knows.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Yeah, I five hundred to one MVP odds. I put
a few bucks on it. Wow. Okay, people think I
dislike JJ McCarthy. Not the case. I just think he's
gonna take a little time. I don't think you're just
plugging JJ McCarthy and you're winning double digit games, Sorry too,
JJ McCarthy Nation mostly anyway, Yeah, Danny, Danny Dimes, Yeah,
(33:53):
I think it's gonna be like you said, I think
it's gonna be a competition, and I think he could
beat him out, and he's got skill. And if if
Koc is truly the quarterback whisper Daniel Jones gonna do
some damage with the Vikings, have him the chance.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Absolutely, absolutely so.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Cood JJ McCarthy too, don't get me wrong. But it's
going to be a competition.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Yeah, I think it will. All right, we will.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
We'll talk to you next week, everybody, and I hope
you enjoyed this podcast. Thanks for getting to the end
of it. We'll break down the December stars at wide
receiver and tight end and tell you if they are
trends or Mirage's Fantasy Football Weekly is a production of iHeartRadio.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly, a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from iHeartRadio, your weekly
source for the nation's best fantasy football advice, speculation, and
whatever stupid stuff they decided to drop into the show. Now,
here's your host, Paul Jarchian.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome to a February edition of Fantasy Football Weekly.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
Or is it December?
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Old time warp happening right here? That is the hum
of Brian Johnson, my co host today.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Hey buddy, what up?
Speaker 4 (00:39):
George?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Great to talk to you.
Speaker 4 (00:41):
You're officially in Auason. It's last December, but we're gonna
discuss December.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
By the way, I mean, can we just please hang on?
Can we please becock a little bit? Last week's show,
we pretty much nailed the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (01:02):
I would say you did me not so much. My
juju props are looking great. A catch on each of
the first two drives. Yeah, just give me one more
and it's gravy nothing.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Well, he hit the over depending on where you bet him.
I you know, when it was thirteen and a half
as I saw him, he finished at sixteen yards.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
Yeah, he hit that over. But I was louder in him.
I was getting greedy, but no, you you spiked the
the Eagles ault line of whether it was minus thirteen
and a half fourteen, there was a room to spare
props to you. I should I almost bet it, but
I was like, Nah, Mahomes as much as I respect
Charge Mahomes man, Yeah, I lost to Mahomes, which is understanding.
(01:44):
Hindsight is twenty twenty, right, But I mean we on
the show, We're like, there's no edge here for.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
The cheeps, right, there's no edge on the field. Find
your edge.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
There wasn't one. Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
I saw someone saying, no, did anyone predict this? And
I'm like, Charge, did Charge predicted this? This blowout? So
good on you, Good on you. Charge.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Kind of take that peacock to the bank right there.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
You deserve it.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Today, we're gonna highlight this is the first of a
two parter. We're gonna highlight guys whose fantasy productions spiked
in December and then answer whether or not that December
production is a trend or a mirage. Now, in some
cases it's young guys and it just took them most
of the season before they really.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Came on strong at the end of the year.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Other guys, it's just veterans who for whatever reason just
didn't show up in September, October, November, and then did
well down the stretch. I'm using December here, but you know,
we know there was also like a week eighteen was
in January. If you need to go back, you know,
into the final month of November.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
That's okay.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Do We're just we're really we're focusing on end of
season producers and whether or not it is a trend
or a mirage.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
Now now, feel free to steal this for the for
the show notes that you might put on iHeart, but
I've named this this what we're doing. This is the
UH and for the for the the young ones out there,
they might not get this reference, but will educate you
real quick. I've I've dubbed what we're doing the Drew
the Drew Bennett exercise or the the Drew Bennett drill.
(03:22):
How's that that's more alliterative? Right?
Speaker 3 (03:24):
All right?
Speaker 4 (03:24):
So for those don't remember, Drew Bennett wide receiver for
the Tennessee Titans in two thousand and four, starting in December,
pretty much quiet all year. I'm just gonna read Drew
Bennett's stat lines and four Billy Voleck by.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
The way, Yeah, quarterback back Billy Bennett.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
And this was like, this was Aaron McNair, Steve McNair's
he must have been hurt. But I'm just gonna read
this off quick. One hundred and twenty four yards, three touchdowns,
two thirty three and three, one sixty and two. This
is all like insane prime December production. And I'm not
gonna go into this was a mirage. Drew Bennett was
a mirage, that's right, yes, into future seasons, but this
(04:09):
is what we're doing. Basically, we're gonna no one had
a Drew Bennett type December but close. But uh, this
is the Drew Bennett drill. I'm dubbing at that.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I like it, all right, Well we'll name the show
the Drew Bennett Drill.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
And I think broadly, the fantasy community spends the off
season putting a lot of weight on December performances, a
lot of weight.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
And probably remember it's fresh in our mind.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah that's right.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Well, absolutely, it's the most recent data points we have.
And then we've got a whole six month off season
to talk about our most recent data points. So I
think it's I think it's fair to break down these players.
Before I do that, I'm going to bring you into
the intrigue and drama that has happened in my fantasy
basketball league.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
It is nothing to do with basketball.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
What whatball basketball?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I know fantasy basketball.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
I used to play fantasy bas well. It's been quite
quite some time. But yeah, tell me what's going on.
I've got Luka Doncic.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
No, I've got a team that's in third place. It's
a good team out of fourteen, and I'm deep at center.
I got an offer to trade nas Reed for.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I know of him, you know of him? Yep, for
Devin Booker.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Now, most people would say Devin Booker is like an
A minus player and nas Reid is like a B player,
maybe a B plus player depending on thinkings. Break his
his way, And so we accepted the trade offer. The
commissioner vetoed it, oh no, unilatterally vetoted it himself. And
(05:43):
then and he's in first place, by the way, And
I won't say his name.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Thout to say, do him on the show. What's his address? Right?
Speaker 1 (05:54):
And he is a longtime friend, you know, I've known
him for thirty years. And uh, I was extremely mad
and so then the way this has worked is after
I badgered him some and threatened to just quit the
league right there, right then and there, he said, Well,
(06:17):
after making a big deal about vetoing it, he said, well, okay,
why don't you offer it to him again? And now
if he still accepts it, then I'll let it go through,
to which I said, why would I need to do
that when we already agreed on a deal and he
has not pushed through the trade yet.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
So.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Veto's man vetos and friendships. I'm I'm still angry about this,
and who gives any one person the ability to decide
something like that? And obviously there's no chicanery, there's no
funny stuff right, There's no money going under the table,
nothing like that. This is just one guy who felt
(07:02):
like the trade was not as even as he wanted
it to be, and he he he nuked it.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Yeah, that's even though, Like I'm not too in the
know in basketball anymore, but I don't have any booker.
It was probably like the number one, number two shooting
guard preseason, right, and nas Reid fantasy wise was but
I'm sure Nass spiked since Julius doesn't matter. That's awful.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
That's yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah, the details I don't think matter, No.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
It doesn't. My opinion, no matter the sport. Veto's veto,
the veto. That's what we need to do.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Veto, the veto. Get it out of your leagues, everybody.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
And I'm serious that when I when I was talking like, okay,
do I need to quit now? It turned into a
friendship check at that point, and I'm still not sure
that I'm going to continue in the league.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Better.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Okay, point being I have veto in your league.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
I hope he's listening. It's Matt, isn't it. No, It's okay.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Today we're going to we're gonna break down these December players,
but we're gonna we're gonna break this into two parts.
We're gonna do quarterbacks and running backs today. The next
week we're gonna wide receivers and tight ends. But secretly
we're taping them both today because next Friday is Whiskey weekend.
Yeah yeah, so if there was some big thing that
(08:28):
happened next week, then we would not know about that.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
All right, let's jump in with the quarterbacks.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Do you want to start with justin air Bear do
I have an air bear sounder?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Speaking of speaking of Matt Well, it's his famous moniker. No,
there's a lot of a lot of animals.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Yeah, a lot of animals. That's a close I end
get as a duck, which is a.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Oh it was duck? What was duck? Hodges or the quarterback?
Is that why we have the fight?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
You might still be from that? Yes, good heavens.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
Justin that's in the UFL or something at this point. Yeah,
Justin Herbert. Let's talk about him December. To remember, he
was a top ten quarterback Fantasy wise, multiple passing touchdowns
in each of his last four games. He also cleared
two hundred and eighty passing yards in three of those
(09:20):
four games. So there was elite production from Herbert. And
for those who again we were saying, that's what's fresh
in our mind, but for those who had forgotten, the
start for Justin Herbert was fat, brutal. In nine of
his first thirteen games, he had zero or one passing touchdown.
His passing yards in his first four games were one
(09:42):
hundred and forty four, one hundred and thirty, one hundred
and twenty five in one seventy nine. I mean we
were just dropping him outright at that. He's like, this
guy is worthless and it comes to fantasy football, and
it's because Jim Harbaugh, you know, his first year head coach,
not first year in the NFL, but long track record
college NFL. He loves to run the rock and that's
(10:04):
what he came in and he did to start the season.
But the Chargers, you know, they swerved from that in December.
But can you trust that as a trend for the
team as a whole or a mirage. I'm leaning mirage
here for Herbert, who, by the way, right now people
are drafting already bestball teams. He's going off the board
(10:26):
as QB fourteen, and like every year, a quarterback is
very deep. So I am I'm calling his December a mirage,
especially when it comes to drafting him as a top
fourteen quarterback. I think the identity of the Chargers is
still going to be to run the ball.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Got to run better than they did last year, Brian.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
They do, but their line is I think they're going
to bolster that offensive line even more. Spent top five
pick on Joe Ault last year. I know as much
as I will say this about Herbert sneaky ground production too.
In December, yeah, and on the season as a whole,
he was just one of eight quarterbacks with more than
(11:11):
twenty passing touchdowns and more than three hundred rushing yards.
So I kind of cherry picked that stat a little bit.
But he's sneaky mobile. But I just feel that the
philosophy is still gonna be running the ball. So I'm
just this is a mirage for me. I don't see
the two eighty three hundred yards multiple passing touchdowns on
(11:31):
a consistent basis for Herbert. He's got that ability, but
I just don't think that's the identity of the Chargers.
So I'm going mirage.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
You know, I think the reason I was leaning trend,
although you've made a really good case and I'm rethinking
it now, it's just that all those young receivers getting
a year older, right, Lad McConkie looks very, very promising.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
We start talking about him and the wide receiver and.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
Quinton Johnson as well, about both and those guys, and
you know, I think if you're going to give those
guys trend grades for their December and then then I
think you have to give Herbert the trend, but we'll
get to that next week. My quarterback Bryce Young Bryce Young.
In December, Brian was quarterback six six Bryce Young. Now,
(12:23):
part of it was dramatically improved passing in December nine
touchdowns against just three interceptions, which is great. Multiple touchdowns
in the final four games of his season, that was
good news. Nobody cares and remembers a Week eighteen, but
Bryce Young was the highest scoring quarterback in Week eighteen
(12:45):
across the board. That was a game in which Carolina
scored forty four points against a Falcons team that was
playing to win. They needed that. They needed that game
to get into the playoffs the and Bryce Young showed
up and beat them and scored a bunch of Fantasy
points doing it.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Now, I remember that game well because I had the
Falcons and two survivor pools, and of course what was
the last week cost me a couple grand.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Oh you didn't split them and go one Carolina one Atlanta, Well,
I had.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
I was in multiple, but the Falcons were the best
bet that week, even though I was skeptical about it.
Of course for good I mean atlant at home, I'm
steering us away. But anyway, I remember that game and yeah,
Bryce Young looked great.
Speaker 1 (13:36):
Bryce ye great, he looked great. The bad news he
had four rushing touchdowns in the final five weeks, which
helped elevate that QB six status that I was talking
about in December, and he's just you know, he doesn't
have the mobility for you to be counting out a
lot of rushing touchdowns from Bryce Young on passing alone.
If we take those rushing touchdowns out, his QB six
(13:58):
probably would drop to like QB twelve, QB fifteen, something
like that. But trender mirage for Bryce Young, Brian, this
is a trend. First, Dave Canalis is awesome. I think
we now know that he is. He's a quarterback whisperer
is he is somebody who's going to get the best
out of the talents of his quarterbacks around him. I
love that Carolina almost certainly better improve their offensive line.
(14:23):
Their offensive line is garbage. Gotta get better in the offseason.
I think that will happen. Wide receiver, could you some
help and hopefully that'll happen too. You know, they've put
a lot of draft capital into the wide receiver position,
so it might not be as much help as I
want because They've already spent a bunch of money and picks.
Remember Terras Marshall was a second round pick three years ago,
(14:44):
Jonathan Mingo second round pick two years ago. They've gotten
nothing out of those guys, and obviously Mingo's gone for
a fourth rounder.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Thanks to the Cowboys.
Speaker 1 (14:54):
Xavier Lagett had a few big moments last year, but
not enough really to feel great about him. But I'd
like to think he can get better in year two.
And then Jalen Coker splashed at the end of the year.
Thorn special, Yeah, so we're gonna keep an eye on him.
Adam Thielen looked great. We'll talk more about Adam Feeling
next week, as well as somebody that came alive in December.
(15:16):
So I'm on trend on Bryce Young.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
What do you thank you with me on this?
Speaker 4 (15:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (15:20):
I am men.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
He's going super late, and I mean he's going well
past Justin Herbert, who's QB fourteen. I mean Bryce Young
is like in the low twenties when you're baking in price.
I'm taking Young over Herbert all day long. And the
Panthers not a lock. They's somewhat said at wide receiver.
The three guys you mentioned, But there's one slam dunk
(15:42):
receiver in this draft class, Teed McMillan from Arizona, And
it's looking like it's either gonna be the Raiders at
six and then the Panthers are there at eight. Kind
of those look like the two teams that might scoop
him up if they somehow, If Carolina gets tet that
shoots Bryce Young stock, yeah, big time.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
That's very possible, right.
Speaker 4 (16:05):
Multiple rounds, right from where he's getting drafted right now.
So yeah, I think a lot to like about Bryce Young.
I think they're on the up and up in all
all aspects in Carolina.
Speaker 3 (16:15):
All right, let's go to the running backs.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
I've got three, you've got two, so maybe I will
I will go first here Rico Dowdell. In December, he
was running back twenty four in ESPN scoring. Prior to that,
his prior months were in the forties. But where I'm
a little lukewarm on him here. By the metrics, Dowdell
didn't turn into a much better runner down the stretch.
(16:37):
He just got a lot more carries down the stretch.
So it wasn't that he was getting he was better.
He just had a lot more volume because Dak Prescott
went down, and you know, Jerry Jones tried running the ball,
Mike McCarthy tried running the ball. In weeks one through eleven,
Rico Dowdell had ten carries per game, and then weeks
(16:58):
twelve forward he averaged twenty carries a game. And if
you double the number of times a player is going
to touch the ball, you're going to see a spike
in fantasy points scored. Also with Dowdle only two touchdowns.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Scored all year.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
So trand or mirage on Rico Dowdell.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
I am on mirage.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
The Cowboys are very likely to draft a runner, perhaps
his earliest pick twelve of the draft. And while Dowdell
had a few nice runs, and I don't want to
make him sound totally ordinary because there were there were
a few runs that he had during the season, I'm.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Like, that look pretty good.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
He still feels like a change of pace guy. He
doesn't feel like a lead back to me, even though
they were using him as a lead back. And also,
Rico Dawdle doesn't catch, and that limits his upside as well,
and and his and his floor obviously it gets affected
as well. So I'm on mirage on Rico Dowdell.
Speaker 4 (17:53):
What do you think, Yeah, I'm kind of with you.
He did look good, but it was it was kind
of volume. They didn't have much many options to go to.
Ezekiel Elliott clearly cooked. We won't see much of him
in Dallas. But like guys like Rigo and a couple
more we'll talk about in the coming minutes here who
are kind of lumped in that running back forty fifty
range and early ADP very nervous about all of them
(18:17):
because apparently this is like the deepest running back class
in the draft almost like ever. And of course you
and four will get into that, yeah, very soon. But yeah,
it feels like a mirage for Dowdell because Dallas will
whether it's through the draft or free agency, they're gonna
they could be one of the ones to take Ashton
(18:39):
Genie who that would just make doubtle borderline worthless. So
you have to you have to factor in those mitigated
risks whatever. So I'm with you, a mirage on Rico. Sadly,
even though he did come on, he was not a
league winner, but a big time helper.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
That's yeah, yeah for sure.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Uh, Okay, let's go to more running back and then
we'll take a break. Taja Spears with that nice December.
Bill Parsley on the ongoing nagging injuries that Tony Pollard suffered.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Yeah, I mean league winner. I mean Spears is the
closest thing to a league winner amongst all running backs.
Very unconventional path to get managers there, though. So in
week fifteen it really started for Dowbtle, which is kind
of like you know, the first week for most fantasy playoffs.
Four carries for five yards. You but he scored a
(19:32):
rushing touchdown. But he added six catches for eighty seven
yards touchdown that game too, so that's like RB one production.
Then in week sixteen, ten carries for twenty seven yards,
discussing two point seven yards for carry, but two rushing touchdowns.
Then he added three catches for thirty nine yards. That's
(19:53):
another touchdown basically in fantasy scoring.
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (19:56):
Pollard played those two games two weeks fifteen and sixteen.
He was banged up, like you said, but he was
still taking fifty percent of the snaps. And in week seventeen,
Pollard sits out and it's all I'm sorry, it's all
Spears against Jacksonville and he has a kind of a
dud game. Twenty carries for ninety five yards, three catches
for eight yards, like his worst. But long story short,
(20:18):
I mean, when you're talking four carries five yards and
a touchdown, ten carries twenty seven yards, two touchdowns, you're
catching it's it's a total mirage sadly for Spears, who
you know, we were questioning him a couple of years ago.
He came in as a rookie because he kind of
has like no knees left right, like playing on no knees.
(20:39):
But like, this guy is not gonna last. He's still going,
and I hope it keeps going. But there's lots of
concerns with his lack of knees still and Pollard still
in the mix. Who knows who's gonna be the quarterback
for the Titans, how that offense is gonna look. And
he's not a belcow, So mirage for the thing.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
That's the thing on Spears. I think he's forever angel
pace guy.
Speaker 4 (21:01):
Yeah, that's it. Be thankful for what you got for him.
In December in twenty twenty four, because hey, another Tennessee
Titan had to make the list and the Drew Bennett drill.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Right, that's a great point.
Speaker 4 (21:12):
I think we might have one more in the next
show too. Right, we're not done with Titans, but's badly
mirage for Spears and again another team, so many rookie
running backs. Worried about his job stability for sure, whether
it be the starter of the backup ringing the third
stringer with so many running backs coming in.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
So we'll take a break back in just a couple
of moments to continue with the December stars at the
running back position. Who's going to be good next year
and who won't We'll tell you when we come back.
(21:49):
Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly Segment number two.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Glad to have you with us.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Paul Chargie and Brian Johnson with you. We're working through
the running backs that had bigs and whether or not
that is a trend or mirage going forward. We've hit
ric O'doubdell Taj Spears earlier, quarterback Bryce Young, Justin Herbert.
I think we've got a yes, a no, a no,
(22:14):
and a no so far. Let's see what happens with
Zach Sharbonnet. He was running back eleven in ESPN scoring
in the month of December eleven.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
That's an RB one.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
His surge was really a reflection of Kenneth Walker and
who had ankle and calf injuries, and you know, he
was on and off the field. He missed some games,
he played hurt in some he got knocked out of
some games, and Walker just could never really get it
going all season because of the injuries and ultimately finished
the season on IR.
Speaker 4 (22:46):
I feel like Kenneth Walker like always has like a
hernia two or something like that, like some kind of
ailment with Kenneth Walker. Sadly, who's the elite when healthy,
but he is.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
He's so good when he's healthy. In those rare moments
Week one, you're like, oh my god, Kenneth Walker, So
trender mirage going forward on Zach Sharbonay is sadly a
mirage Charbs can catch, and he chipped in some help
through the air, but his aerial production was really rather limited,
and for Charbs it's just it's all about volume. In
(23:19):
games with more than eight carries, he averaged a very
healthy seventeen PPR Fantasy points, but in games with eight
or less carries, he only averaged five fantasy points. And
you can't win on five fantasy points from your running back.
So you had to know going into the game, was
is Sharbonay going to get a bunch of volume? And
really that's another way of just saying, is Kenneth Walker hurt?
(23:41):
And Kenneth Wacker is constantly hurt, but you got to
figure out if he's gonna play or not. Now, Seattle
brought in a new offensive coordinator, Clint Kubiak, I believe,
making his third stop as an offensive coordinator. In Kubiak's
introductory press conference earlier this week, Brian he raved about
Kenneth Walker. He referred to him specifically as the Seahawks'
(24:04):
best runner and said he wants to get him the
ball in as many ways as possible. That's all for
Kenneth Walker, not Zach Sharbonay, and Koubiak plans to run
his own scheme, and he says that Walker is a
perfect fit for a zone scheme run attack. So and
he barely mentioned Zach Scharbonay at all. So I think
(24:24):
sharbon Ay did did not do enough to move himself
into a meaningful time share or take the lead job
away from Kenneth Walker. And Walker rolls into next season
as the starter and that means that Zach Sharbonay's success
in December is a mirage.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Yeah, I'm with you. Yeah, you can't buy too much
into Charpenay's December back to Walker quick super intriguing. He's
coming at somewhat of a discount. He's already eighteen right now,
and the guy's going after him. A lot of question marks,
a lot of rookies, I don't know what to expect.
And then it's like David Montgomery, who's one bee, James
(25:04):
Connor who could fall up. So I like where Walker's
at right now. Even fifty eight was that it's like
mid fifth round. That seems like a good value. Just
speaking about Walker right now. If he stays healthy, he
could return round one, round two value for sure.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Let's go to Jerome Ford. You'll remember end of year
the Browns had to put Nick Chubb on injured reserve,
and that allowed Jerome Ford to get to get a
lot of carries and sometimes it worked.
Speaker 4 (25:38):
Out sometimes, but really overall it didn't. It was really
just a nice two game stretch for Ford in weeks
fifteen and sixteen. Week fifteen against Kansas City, who pretty
much the best run defense in the league. Last year,
he had eighty four yards in a touchdown only on
(26:00):
seven carries, so there was some flukiness there. And then
a week sixteen at Cincinnati, he had eleven carries ninety
two yards in a touchdown. Cincinnati one of the worst
defenses in the league last year, so he can't read
into that too much. Then he got hurt in Week seventeen,
so super small sample size. So he had the two touchdowns,
(26:20):
one in Week fifteen, one in Week sixteen. Outside of
those two scores in the fantasy playoffs, Ford only had
one other touchdown all season last year, and that came
in Week one. Also, the only game Ford had more
than eleven carries all season, he had twelve in that
game in Week one, So clearly not a bell cow.
(26:43):
And as you said, Nick Chubb will be healthier next year.
And speaking of like question marks about like who is
going to lead this offense, how good are they going
to be? No idea who the quarterback is going to be.
There's a couple other at least one other Brown talk
about in the next episode. But as for now, trendor mirage,
(27:04):
I mean, you cannot gotta think Jerome Ford is on
trend right now. Ford is going off the board as
running back forty one, forty four. It pick one, give
me Nick Chubb four rounds later, all day long? Who's
going as RB fifty six?
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Wow? He's down to fifty six?
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Yeah? Wow, Jubb. Chubb is a steel right now. If
you're an early best ball drafter like me, and just
like the other guys we mentioned before at running back,
Jerome Ford could easily be replaced. I like Jerome Ford,
but he seems a replacement level when it comes to
this incoming class of rookie running backs. You know, he's
still on a rookie deal, so I don't think he's
(27:47):
gonna be like cut or anything like that. But yeah,
I think someone could usurp him as as the number
two in Cleveland. He doesn't have lead back potential sadly,
especially that offense, probably not. Probably not. There's not enough
discount to even or value right now with four to
lean trend. So I just got to adamantly say, Mirage,
(28:09):
stay away right now.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
I'm going to give you two quick running backs that
I think are both pretty clear mirages.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
But we'll we'll just talk him through fast.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Isaac Grendo finished his running back nineteen despite playing only
four games in December, but he was the benefactor of
all those injuries to the other forty nine ers, CMC
Jordan Mason, the preseason injury to Elijah Mitchell. No idea
going forward. You know who out of that group will
be back and healthy at the beginning of the season
and where Grenda would slot in. But I'll mention this,
(28:41):
when given enough carries, Isaac Garrenda was pretty good in
his five games with nine or more carries. He's finished
as running back twenty five, running back ten, running back two,
running back twenty three, and running back ten.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
You know that's not bad.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
And the Niners offensive line was a disaster in December.
They were missing Trent Williams, so managed to be pretty
good when he could stay healthy, which was a big
problem for him along with the rest of the forty
nine ers runners. But I just think there's so much
chaos and pandemonium and different players coming and going out
of that that it seems unlikely that Isaac Grindo is
a trend.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
We will go mirage there.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
And then Jalil McLaughlin, the Denver running back not really
fantasy startable, but I'll note that he saw an uptakeing
work in December and finished the month with five and
a half yards per carry, a healthy twenty six percent
mistackle rate, and to my eyes, he looked like the
best of the languishing runners for Denver down the stretch
last year. He chipped in some receptions, but I swear
(29:39):
he can catch better than how much they throw to him.
I wish they'd throw to him more. He did not
score in December, and he only had three touchdowns all year.
Not really built for goal line use, but just to
re emphasize the usage pattern. In weeks one through eleven,
Jaleil McLoughlin averaged five carries for twenty one yards. Disaster
weeks twelve forward ten carries fifty one yards gets you
(30:03):
into flex territory. So you know, I think that Denver
overhauls their backfield this offseason because they weren't able to
get significant production, reliable production from anybody. Javonte Williams gave
him very little audric estimate, couldn't didn't wasn't able to
do much. It's just you know, Julian McLaughlin with his bill,
(30:24):
will never be a lead back, but maybe he has
cemented the number two role. You know, like, he'll be
the change of pace back behind whoever they draft, And
I believe the Broncos will draft another running back and
that guy will probably be the lead. McLaughlin might be
the change of pace guy.
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Yeah. That Denver backfield's so tough to predict right now.
Audric Estimay was getting so much steam from Sean Payton
late in the year, right like, well, we're gonna see
a ton of estimate this week. He get like four.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
Snaps right right and winning with him.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
And like and Javonte. Yeah, it is just like any
one of those guys could be cut Williams, Estima, McLaughlin.
They probably draft run. Yeah, I'm staying away from that
backfield at least until after the draft at the very earliest.
I'm with you on Mirage on McLoughlin and Corendo, who
if he gets if he gets the touches, like you said,
(31:19):
he can produce, but health competition, he kind of gots
got to stay away. I think, I will say McLoughlin
and Grendo they do come at a much cheaper cost
as of right now than the aforementioned running back spears
Ford Charbone. They're going multiple rounds before those guys, So
(31:40):
just stay away from the first three running backs without
a doubt.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Right, probably true? Probably true.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
All right, with that, let's put a wrap on this show.
We're gonna turn around and record next week's show, and
we're being transparent about that because I'm on vacation at
Whiskey Weekend next week and we'll hit the wide receivers
in the tight ends.
Speaker 3 (31:58):
Sound good.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
We need to premature speculation like time machine.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Ah, yeah, we really do. I don't have that. I
don't have that sounder. I gotta really I gotta freshen
up the up the sounds because you know what, we
don't need anymore.
Speaker 4 (32:14):
Hey, it ain't so you never know, you never know.
Speaker 3 (32:16):
Why don't we use it this year?
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (32:19):
I mean it's Trubisky hit the field this year as
a reminder, I think it was weak.
Speaker 4 (32:24):
Aaron Rodgers is shopping if Aaron Rodgers is still a
viable quarterback, so it is Mitch Trubisky as part. I'm
concerned at this point.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
If I'm in best ball Aaron Rodgers route, how many
rounds they go? Like twenty twenty? Yeah, like pick twenty
Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 4 (32:40):
Yeah, he's he's getting It's it's It's like him and
and Kirk Cousins are like the Dark Bros. Now the
old man going. And you won't like this in Minnesota
because Sam Darnold Ball had gone. I'm praying for for
the Raiders, but uh, Danny Dimes was later rounds two
(33:02):
sneaky sneaky value.
Speaker 3 (33:04):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
I think I believe the quarterbacks who will be starting
for the world on roster for the Vikings next off
next camp will be Daniel Jones and JJ McCarthy, And
I think it'll be more of an open battle than
people think, just because McCarthy lost that rookie year and
was not able to do much of anything with it.
(33:25):
So you know, I there is a scenario here where
Daniel Jones starts the season and then who knows.
Speaker 4 (33:31):
Yeah, I five hundred to one MVP odds. I put
a few bucks on it. Wow. Okay, people think I
dislike JJ McCarthy. Not the case. I just think he's
gonna take a little time. I don't think you're just
plugging JJ McCarthy and you're winning double digit games, Sorry too,
JJ McCarthy Nation mostly anyway, Yeah, Danny, Danny Dimes, Yeah,
(33:53):
I think it's gonna be like you said, I think
it's gonna be a competition, and I think he could
beat him out, and he's got skill. And if if
Koc is truly the quarterback whisper Daniel Jones gonna do
some damage with the Vikings, have him the chance.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
Absolutely, absolutely so.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Cood JJ McCarthy too, don't get me wrong. But it's
going to be a competition.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Yeah, I think it will. All right, we will.
Speaker 1 (34:17):
We'll talk to you next week, everybody, and I hope
you enjoyed this podcast. Thanks for getting to the end
of it. We'll break down the December stars at wide
receiver and tight end and tell you if they are
trends or Mirage's Fantasy Football Weekly is a production of iHeartRadio.
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