Speaker 1: Wow, Hey, everybody, Welcome to Friday and another edition of
Speaker 1: the Stardom Centum Show. I'm Marcus Grant with Michael lef Florida,
Speaker 1: who writes the Stardom Citem column. You can find that
Speaker 1: every week at NFL dot com. Clash to Start sit
Speaker 1: and joined by Lakwan Jones, who does not write the
Speaker 1: Stardum Centum column. Yes, thoughts, we'd like to have him
Speaker 1: hang out with us and to offer some of those
Speaker 1: thoughts about what he is reading, hearing, seeing and all
Speaker 1: of the above. Florida. It is week ten. The countdown
Speaker 1: to the playoffs is really really on because we got
Speaker 1: what about five weeks or so six weeks until the
Speaker 1: Fantasy playoffs start. In most leagues usually it's a week fifteen,
Speaker 1: sixteen seventeen. So the clock is ticking, which means starts
Speaker 1: and sits become all that more important for everybody. So
Speaker 1: on that note, though, let's start with the quarterbacks. Who
Speaker 1: is up and who's down this week?
Speaker 2: Cannot believe it's already week ten? Already start, Jayden Daniels,
Speaker 2: I know a couple weeks ago I said too obvious
Speaker 2: that they start. I'm not going to be including him
Speaker 2: in this article, but he's facing the Steelers, so I
Speaker 2: just kind of wanted to be like everyone. It's okay,
Speaker 2: continues starting him. I'm starting Brock Purdy against the Bucks.
Speaker 2: Just a fantastic matchup. Same thing for Sam Darnold against
Speaker 2: the Jaguars. Those are the two best matchups a quarterback
Speaker 2: can have so far this season. I know the Bears
Speaker 2: are a tough matchup, but I'm a Drake May believer,
Speaker 2: so I'm starting him this week. I am also starting
Speaker 2: a former Ram and a current RAM, Jared Goff and
Speaker 2: Matthew Stafford. I like both of their matchups to kind
Speaker 2: of bounce back this week, and then my sits Patrick
Speaker 2: Mahomes coming off as two best games. But this is
Speaker 2: a tougher, much tougher matchup than he's had in recent weeks.
Speaker 2: C J. Stroud because I don't know if the Lions
Speaker 2: defense passing defense is getting enough credit. They have been elite,
Speaker 2: especially as of late. I'm sitting toa because Lakwan, your
Speaker 2: Rams defense deserve a lot of credit. They have definitely
Speaker 2: bounced back at bo Nick. I know we all believe
Speaker 2: in Bonnicks, but he's playing the Chiefs, so I'm going
Speaker 2: to get away from him there and then Caleb Williams.
Speaker 2: I know it's a good matchup, but he's had good
Speaker 2: matchups the last couple of weeks and has finished with
Speaker 2: single digit Fantasy points.
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's been it's been rough for Caleb Williams. We'll
Speaker 1: see what the Bears can do to try to get
Speaker 1: him back on track a little bit. But Lakwan c J.
Speaker 1: Stroud legitimately one of the bigger disappointments this year. Is
Speaker 1: this just a I don't have my receivers or is
Speaker 1: there something else, because it feels like this goes beyond
Speaker 1: just the injuries that he's had to deal with this year.
Speaker 3: It's the old line not being able to keep him
Speaker 3: up right, I mean, the second most sad quarterback this season.
Speaker 3: And like even when he did have the Trio wide
Speaker 3: receivers Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins, he wasn't
Speaker 3: lighting it up those first five weeks. So it wasn't
Speaker 3: like anything that you know that was going on on perimeter.
Speaker 3: It was more so that old line. He was without
Speaker 3: his center for a very long time, banged up, so
Speaker 3: therefore a lot of press sure is getting to him.
Speaker 3: So you have to give him time for some of
Speaker 3: these big plays to develop, because this Houston Texans offense
Speaker 3: they just want to go vertical and not being able
Speaker 3: to go verticals keeping him the underneaths and getting to
Speaker 3: the run game depending on Joe Mixon. So I can't
Speaker 3: really see CJ. Stroud in that same lens that we
Speaker 3: saw him last season surprising folks and lighting it up.
Speaker 3: And with Nico Collins possibly coming back, I don't know
Speaker 3: if this is going to be the right fix. You
Speaker 3: know that where the initial problem is is the offensive
Speaker 3: a line.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, it's just it has been. It has
Speaker 1: been underwhelming, to say the least so far. Maybe Nico
Speaker 1: Collins coming back helps that a little bit. But to
Speaker 1: your point, he does not block, he does not pass text.
Speaker 1: So that's that's sort of a problem there right now.
Speaker 1: I know, Florya, you or a Drake may stand. I
Speaker 1: think we're all sort of coming around to that. Is
Speaker 1: this How much of a test do you think this
Speaker 1: is against a good Bears defense this week?
Speaker 2: I think it's a big test. It's one I think
Speaker 2: he could pass for fantasy purposes because of what he
Speaker 2: does with his legs. But I mean, even like Jayden
Speaker 2: Daniels was held in check against his Bears defense till
Speaker 2: late in that game. Granted that was a week where
Speaker 2: he didn't practice and stuff, but yeah, the thing, though,
Speaker 2: I'll say is May has faced some tough defenses already,
Speaker 2: like he faced the Texans, the Titans, the Jets. I
Speaker 2: know he got knocked out early in that game. So
Speaker 2: just he's one of those quarterbacks I think because he
Speaker 2: runs so much, it makes a matchup proof.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think that's sort of the thing
Speaker 1: that's winning for him is just being able to run
Speaker 1: with the football for sure. So very curious to see
Speaker 1: how he performs against that Bears defense, which has been
Speaker 1: pretty good for most of the year. Over to running backs,
Speaker 1: who are your starts and sins this week?
Speaker 2: I know you like him as well. I have DeAndre Swift.
Speaker 2: I think he is a fantastic start against the Patriots.
Speaker 2: Tony Pollard continues to just get so much volume, so
Speaker 2: even in a tough matchup, I think you start him.
Speaker 2: Ramadre Stevenson. I know the Bears on papers seem like
Speaker 2: a tough matchup, but they allow a lot of explosive
Speaker 2: runs in over five yards per carry to running backs
Speaker 2: Najee Harris getting so much work. He is in the
Speaker 2: midst of his best fantasy stretch in probably two years.
Speaker 2: And the Commanders allow the most explosive runs to running backs.
Speaker 2: Tyrone Tracy Junior has taken over that backfield. Panthers allowed
Speaker 2: the most rushing yards, touchdowns, fantasy points to running backs.
Speaker 2: And then I'm sitting my bucks running backs if I
Speaker 2: can not only do they eat off of one another's plates.
Speaker 2: The forty nine is run defense has been great. I'm
Speaker 2: gonna get away from Tank Bigsby because the Vikings have
Speaker 2: been good against the run and if they're gonna be
Speaker 2: in ketchup mode, it'll be more Travis etn Javonte Williams.
Speaker 2: They keep saying they want to get estimated more involved
Speaker 2: in the Chiefs shut down running backs every single week.
Speaker 2: And then Raheem Moster. You'll like this one La Kwang
Speaker 2: because he's gotten some volume, but he's more of a
Speaker 2: like a floor play, I would say. And the Rams
Speaker 2: have been really good against the run as of late.
Speaker 2: And then lastly, my guy Jonathan Brooks. I'm very excited
Speaker 2: to see him play, but I don't want to just
Speaker 2: be getting him right into my lineups right A way
Speaker 2: more I want him on my roster, not in my
Speaker 2: starting lineups.
Speaker 1: I want to ask you about Jonathan Brooks right because
Speaker 1: we are all sort of sitting here waiting for the moment,
Speaker 1: right and he's active, although he may not play this
Speaker 1: week over in Munich against the Giants. But on top
Speaker 1: of it, the Panthers just went out and signed Chewba
Speaker 1: Hubber to an extension. Yeah what now, Like, what are
Speaker 1: we doing with Jonathan Brooks?
Speaker 2: I mean for redraft?
Speaker 3: You gotta be crying, you know, being that you know
Speaker 3: you waited this long to try to deploy him into
Speaker 3: starting lineups. But you know, I feel like, you know,
Speaker 3: this is kind of what it's been all season. Juba
Speaker 3: Hubber has been playing well and he's earned that contract,
Speaker 3: and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Speaker 1: You know.
Speaker 3: I feel like you take Chowba Hubber out of what
Speaker 3: he has momentum going right now in that backfield, it's
Speaker 3: gonna hurt the offense. When you're already hurting on the
Speaker 3: perimeter at wide receivers that are fully developed, and you
Speaker 3: lost a veteran Deontay Johnson. You need to keep something
Speaker 3: steady and intact. So I think more so for the
Speaker 3: future for Dynasty folks. It's not looking good for Jonathan Brooks.
Speaker 3: But I might disagree based on you know, we're seeing
Speaker 3: two running backs being able to be deployed in the
Speaker 3: same offense with David Montgommer, Jamir Gibbs and even in
Speaker 3: the past with Mike Anderson and Tatum Bell.
Speaker 1: You know, with the Broncos that won two punch it works.
Speaker 3: So you know, in modern day we seen Nick Chubb
Speaker 3: and Kareem Hunt both coexist. I think it could work
Speaker 3: over there in Carolina if they actually get that old
Speaker 3: line to be intact, get some wide receivers on parameters
Speaker 3: from veteran you know, approach, and then they should be fine.
Speaker 1: I love that you dip back into the Mike Anderson
Speaker 1: Tatum Bell years with the Denver Broncos. Speaking of Denver Broncos, Florio,
Speaker 1: do you really believe Sean Payton when he says we're
Speaker 1: gonna get audric estimate more touches.
Speaker 2: I don't know. He's been saying it for a couple
Speaker 2: of weeks now, right, I think is Julia McLaughlin going
Speaker 2: away either? It might just be like a three headed
Speaker 2: mess for fantasy.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean that I think is probably the most
Speaker 1: likely scenario, though, like everybody's I keep seeing tweets like, oh,
Speaker 1: he's gonna get more involved, and then like he gets
Speaker 1: like three snaps. I'm like, okay, Like he didn't lie.
Speaker 1: I mean, Bright had two people too. I mean like,
Speaker 1: but it's just it's the same thing as like, you know,
Speaker 1: Sean Payton, like we should really give Marvin Mims more involved.
Speaker 1: I'm like, you know, who has the power to do that?
Speaker 1: You Like, I don't even know who that is. He
Speaker 1: didn't even know what he looks like.
Speaker 2: Probably just he looks at a depth chart on paper.
Speaker 3: I'm like, oh, yeah, that guy, Yeah.
Speaker 1: That guy, Yeah, that guy. Sure whatever. Speaking of wide
Speaker 1: receivers for you, who's starting? Who's sitting this week?
Speaker 2: Brian Thomas Junior because he eats against zone and the
Speaker 2: Vikings play a lot of zone. But I will say
Speaker 2: I felt a whole lot better about that call when
Speaker 2: it looked like it would be Trevor Lawrence. But I
Speaker 2: still think he's in play with Mac Jones, George Pickens.
Speaker 2: The Commanders play a lot of man, and Pickens has
Speaker 2: done well against man this year. Josh Downs because he
Speaker 2: nine targets in two straight and five of his last
Speaker 2: six games. He's averaging nearly sixteen Fantasy points per game
Speaker 2: in that stretch. Must start option. I would say Khalil Shakir.
Speaker 2: He is the wide receiver that gets the most volume
Speaker 2: by far against zone coverage, and the Colts play zone
Speaker 2: at the second highest rate. Darnell Mooney. I know Lakwan
Speaker 2: was talking him up on today's show. I think he's
Speaker 2: a strong start this week. And Calvin Ridley because volume,
Speaker 2: like he's averaging ten targets per game in the last month.
Speaker 2: Marvin Harrison Junior. I know you spoke about potentially getting
Speaker 2: away from him yesterday on the show, Lakwan, I agree.
Speaker 2: I think this is a week where if you could
Speaker 2: get away from Harrison, you should. Jalen Waddle, he hasn't
Speaker 2: done anything since Week one, really fantasy wise, single digits
Speaker 2: every week since Week one. Courtland Sutton has been trending up,
Speaker 2: but now he gets a really tough matchup against the
Speaker 2: Chiefs and then Xavier Worthy. Just two targets last week.
Speaker 2: I know he was kind of boomer bust already, but
Speaker 2: with DeAndre Hopkins there, it looks like that's all he
Speaker 2: is going to be this season is very Boomer Bust.
Speaker 1: Ask you about George Pickens. I mean, I think this week.
Speaker 1: I think you're starting George Pickens mostly every week just
Speaker 1: because of the way the offense works. But you know,
Speaker 1: concern that Mike Williams is gonna start to take away
Speaker 1: a little bit about what he does.
Speaker 3: He might take away some vertical shots, but the good
Speaker 3: thing about Russell Wilson, He's gonna keep chucking it down,
Speaker 3: so there might be enough volume on a vertical threat,
Speaker 3: you know, to split it up between the two to
Speaker 3: keep the defense guessing. And like this Commander's defense just
Speaker 3: got a little bit stronger, you know, with their recent
Speaker 3: trade with Lattimore. I feel like the Commander's defense at
Speaker 3: home it's going to be a tough task for Pickings
Speaker 3: to begin with. So it's one of those things that
Speaker 3: you know, you're just hoping that Russell Wilson shows up
Speaker 3: to be Russell Wilson. That can you know, do to
Speaker 3: deep ball with the play action had the run game going.
Speaker 3: But I think more or less I wouldn't be too
Speaker 3: worried about Mike Williams taking away those deep shots that
Speaker 3: we love seeing George Pickens Doon.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's fair. They definitely need a second
Speaker 1: wide receiver. The Steelers have been in the market for
Speaker 1: one since the offseason, when they're really you know, when
Speaker 1: they were so heavily involved in all the potential Brandon
Speaker 1: Ayuk shenanigans that went on there.
Speaker 3: So I thought they were going to call Michael Thomas.
Speaker 3: But I think he's busy tweeting Derek Carter right now.
Speaker 1: His thumbs might be sore from all the tweeting he's doing.
Speaker 1: He might not be available to catch the football for
Speaker 1: anybody at this point. Finally tight ends Florio starts and
Speaker 1: sits there.
Speaker 2: And is as must start as must start could be
Speaker 2: right now, even in a tough matchup. Evan Ingram another one.
Speaker 2: I felt much better about this when it was supposed
Speaker 2: to be Trevor Lawrence, but probably still in play because
Speaker 2: of the tight ends. TJ Hockinson, great matchup. I think
Speaker 2: you could potentially get him in your lineup this week.
Speaker 2: Dalton Kincaid sees a lot of safe volume and it
Speaker 2: is a good matchup for him against the Colts and
Speaker 2: Hunter Henry. He looks like the option that Drake may
Speaker 2: trusts the most right now and then my sits sadly.
Speaker 2: Sam Laporter, he's averaging three point three targets per game
Speaker 2: and his production drops dramatically or his volume, I should say,
Speaker 2: when Jamison Williams plays Cole comet one target in his
Speaker 2: last two games combined, there's no way you could trust that.
Speaker 2: Pat Fryermuth has not done a whole bunch with Russell
Speaker 2: Wilson at all. Dalton Schultz disappointed last week without Diggs
Speaker 2: and Nico, and then the Lions are elite against tight
Speaker 2: ends and then zach Ertz eleven targets two weeks ago
Speaker 2: one last week, it's tough to trust in. The Steelers
Speaker 2: are a tough matchup.
Speaker 1: For sure. The Steelers are a very tough match Quan
Speaker 1: about Sam laporta more looking forward to next year. Obviously
Speaker 1: he's not going to be drafted as the number one
Speaker 1: tight end, that is for sure. Does he even creep
Speaker 1: into the top twelve tight ends after what we saw
Speaker 1: this year?
Speaker 3: Oh gosh, I mean he would have to probably at twelve,
Speaker 3: but very disappointing. But it's more so that this is
Speaker 3: what's elevating the Lions offense, you know, with Jameson Williams
Speaker 3: and them being able to stretch the field, he doesn't
Speaker 3: become that huge of a factor anymore. I mean, looking
Speaker 3: towards next year, I'll still draft him. You know, it
Speaker 3: won't be like as high of an investment as in
Speaker 3: previous years, but I still believe in the core talent
Speaker 3: in Saan Laporta, other than you know, looking elsewhere deep
Speaker 3: in the fantasy streets for a tight end that you
Speaker 3: know doesn't really have that much upside.
Speaker 1: Uh. Yeah, it's been It's just been a major major
Speaker 1: frustration with Sam Laporta this year. And even with the
Speaker 1: games with Jamison Williams wasn't playing, the numbers were just, yeah,
Speaker 1: they weren't even great even without without Jamison Williams. Loyer
Speaker 1: Dalton Kin Kate has sort of been frustrating too. He
Speaker 1: hasn't been as bad as the porter, but it hasn't
Speaker 1: been great. Do we see him maybe come alive down
Speaker 1: the stretcher? Is this just kind of a matchup based guy?
Speaker 2: Uh? I think it's kind of more of a matchup
Speaker 2: based right now. But I like encouraging is that he's
Speaker 2: had at least six targets in six straight games. He
Speaker 2: had ten last week, So like that sort of volume
Speaker 2: at is hard to ignore at the tight end position,
Speaker 2: especially considering the offense that he's tied to. But this
Speaker 2: this week especially is more matchup based. The Colts play
Speaker 2: a lot of zone kin Kate is heavily involved when
Speaker 2: against zone, and then they just allowed the third and
Speaker 2: most fantasy points to tight ends this year, so figure volume.
Speaker 2: Good matchup. Probably a week where you want to take
Speaker 2: the shot on kin Kid.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I definitely like him. Uh, you know, worked him
Speaker 1: into the sleeper's column this week because I do think
Speaker 1: this is a good matchup for him, but not what
Speaker 1: I thought it was gonna be. I thought it's not good.
Speaker 1: Has been number one target in the offense and it
Speaker 1: hasn't worked out that way.
Speaker 2: He is not the new Travis Kelsey like many said
Speaker 2: he was gonna be right.
Speaker 1: No, no, that only happened. He only did that against
Speaker 1: USC a couple of times.
Speaker 2: I've watched that a couple of times just to remind
Speaker 2: me of who he can be.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't want to watch it because I don't
Speaker 1: want to see it happen against against my school.
Speaker 2: But we were watching that live in the green room.
Speaker 1: Actually I remember, yeah, yeah, I was not having a
Speaker 1: good day that I meantime, though, this show has been
Speaker 1: great and the Stardom Cintam column is great, and go
Speaker 1: check that out at NFL dot com slash start sit
Speaker 1: to get the more in depth write ups on a
Speaker 1: lot of the names that Florio mentioned here on the show. Today.
Speaker 1: In the meantime, though, goods place for us to set
Speaker 1: it down for the week. That'll do it for this
Speaker 1: edition of the Stardom Cindam Show. Hopefully you have a healthy,
Speaker 1: happy and prosperous week ten. Everybody, enjoy the football. We
Speaker 1: will talk to you again real soon. I'll count help, Bob,
Speaker 1: I'll count help
Speaker 2: Yah.