WEBVTT - Wild Card Wilderness 0:00:00.840 --> 0:00:04.560 Welcome to Fantasy Football Weekly, a production of I Heart Radio. 0:00:06.920 --> 0:00:10.600 Time now for Fantasy Football Weekly from I Heart Radio, 0:00:11.000 --> 0:00:14.880 your weekly source for the nation's best fantasy speculation and advice. 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:18.760 Now along with the guys from fanball dot com. Here's 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.680 the host for Fantasy Football Weekly. It is Fantasy Football Weekly, 0:00:23.720 --> 0:00:25.560 and I am Paul Charchy and my co host today 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:30.360 is Matt Harrison at Explosive Output h Charch. We're gonna 0:00:30.360 --> 0:00:34.000 explode all over the playoffs, so we're gonna do excuse me, yes, 0:00:34.560 --> 0:00:38.400 very excited to break down the four playoff games fantasy style. 0:00:39.080 --> 0:00:40.600 You know. One of the great things that's really changed 0:00:40.640 --> 0:00:42.360 over the years, Matt, is how many people are playing 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:46.360 playoff fantasy football, but not just like redrafting and then 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:49.000 doing the same old, same old. You know. Mostly I 0:00:49.000 --> 0:00:51.120 think people are playing in pools. Now. Yeah, you run 0:00:51.120 --> 0:00:53.240 a pool with a hundred people in it. Yeah, it's 0:00:53.440 --> 0:00:55.520 uh where ours is? Ours is getting really big. It's 0:00:55.920 --> 0:01:00.400 kind of fun. Somebody's gonna win like nine yeah, so no, no, no, 0:01:00.520 --> 0:01:06.160 the I R S limit of the well, there's all 0:01:06.240 --> 0:01:09.640 donations too, Fantasy Cares involved, So that's the important all right, 0:01:09.680 --> 0:01:12.080 That's that's all that matters. We're gonna break down the 0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:15.479 game's fantasy style, as I mentioned, um from this weekend. Yeah, 0:01:15.520 --> 0:01:17.280 we all, we've got all got some of our own 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:20.240 our own leans here. I've got two upsets happening this weekend. 0:01:20.480 --> 0:01:24.240 I've got one. I think the second one I'm I'm 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.520 sadly not going to get. So all right, we'll find out. Yeah, 0:01:27.520 --> 0:01:29.040 we we'd like to get. We'd like to get one 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:30.920 end of it for for those of us in the 0:01:30.959 --> 0:01:34.280 Minnesota listening area. But that's the least likely of the 0:01:34.360 --> 0:01:37.240 upsets that happened by a mile. Well, they might cover, 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:41.080 they might cover. Let's begin with the Saturday morning that morning, 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.880 the Saturday, it's actually mid afternoon game, and that is 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.000 Buffalo takey on Houston. I've got this as an upset, Um, 0:01:47.160 --> 0:01:50.240 tell me, let's let's start it with the passing game 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:53.400 in Josh Allen, which I think is fascinating. He scored 0:01:53.440 --> 0:01:57.160 a touchdown in every game this year. Yeah, I uh, 0:01:57.160 --> 0:02:02.160 he's the third highest priced quarterback on fan ball. I 0:02:02.240 --> 0:02:05.320 have him as a B grade in this game. Um, 0:02:05.360 --> 0:02:08.200 he's had a down month basically due to facing some 0:02:08.240 --> 0:02:12.079 crazy good defenses all in a row. Denver, Dallas Baltimore Pittsburgh, 0:02:12.080 --> 0:02:14.440 New England from Week twelve the weeks sixteen. I mean 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:18.359 we were advising people it's time to sabotage drop Josh 0:02:18.520 --> 0:02:20.560 and going into your into your playoff run, and that 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:22.560 was the right thing to do. I happen to sabotage 0:02:22.600 --> 0:02:24.840 drop him in one of my leaks and uh, but 0:02:24.960 --> 0:02:27.200 now he gets the Texans, and the Texans have allowed 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:31.400 the fourth most passing yards and the seventh most quarterback 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.240 rushing yards on the season, and in fact, the Texans 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:37.720 have allowed either three passing yards or multiple passing scores 0:02:37.760 --> 0:02:40.880 to each of the last five quarterbacks they've faced outside 0:02:40.880 --> 0:02:44.120 of Week seventeen. UM. But J. J. Watt is back. 0:02:44.240 --> 0:02:46.880 He's returning from a peck injury. His legs should still 0:02:46.880 --> 0:02:49.240 be decent. I'm wondering if there's a little rust there, 0:02:49.600 --> 0:02:52.040 but that's concerning as the two legs. Yeah, as the 0:02:52.040 --> 0:02:55.080 pass rush will be a little bit better than Houston 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:56.760 has had in the last couple of weeks. From an 0:02:56.800 --> 0:03:01.280 injury standpoint, though, cornerbacks Bradley Roby and Jonathan Joseph both 0:03:01.320 --> 0:03:04.000 dealing with hamstring injuries. I think they both play, but 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:06.720 we've seen hamstring injuries can go belly up any time. 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:09.240 I mean, look at what Adam Feeland had came back 0:03:09.320 --> 0:03:11.720 for a play in that Kansas City game and then 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:14.960 sat on the shelf for another couple of months. That's right, Um, 0:03:15.120 --> 0:03:17.920 let's stay in the passing game. John Brown, he's another 0:03:17.919 --> 0:03:20.639 guy who had just bad brutal matchups for a long time. 0:03:20.639 --> 0:03:23.680 I'm giving him a B grade and he's six fanball. 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:28.600 Because the Texans hate facing wide receivers named Brown as 0:03:28.680 --> 0:03:31.120 a j Brown has torched them for over a hundred 0:03:31.160 --> 0:03:34.440 yards in a score twice in the last three weeks. Uh. 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:37.000 And that other week Brashod Perriman from the perimeter went 0:03:37.040 --> 0:03:40.080 over a hundred yards too. And Brown, John Brown is 0:03:40.160 --> 0:03:42.840 top ten in the league at twenty plus yard completions. 0:03:43.200 --> 0:03:46.880 The Texans are bottom ten defensively in that category. So 0:03:46.920 --> 0:03:49.240 it's a big play kind of a game. It is. Uh, 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.800 this is the Houston has struggled with big plays. John Brown, 0:03:52.920 --> 0:03:55.880 known for the deep speed, Josh Allen, known for the 0:03:55.880 --> 0:04:01.440 big arms. With hamstring injury, it's just it feels like 0:04:01.640 --> 0:04:04.480 might not want to get the long stride going. Uh. 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:07.280 You know that's a that is a stackable hook up 0:04:07.440 --> 0:04:09.680 right there. You know what. What else is a stackable 0:04:09.680 --> 0:04:12.120 hook up Cole Beasley, who also gets a B grade. 0:04:12.400 --> 0:04:15.360 He's only fifty seven hundred on Fanball. He leads the 0:04:15.360 --> 0:04:17.520 team in red zone targets and he runs most of 0:04:17.520 --> 0:04:19.760 his routes from the slot, so he matches up with 0:04:19.920 --> 0:04:23.880 Vernon Hargraves, the third who was cut by the Bucks 0:04:23.880 --> 0:04:26.520 earlier in the year and has given up five touchdowns 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:29.240 in his coverage this season, and four weeks ago, Julian 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:32.320 Edelman just torched him for six for one oh six 0:04:32.320 --> 0:04:35.440 in a score. Finally, Dawson Knox in the passing game 0:04:36.000 --> 0:04:37.880 of the Saturday tight Ends. I was looking at the 0:04:37.920 --> 0:04:42.719 Saturday slate on Fanball, there's no tight ends. Johnny Smith 0:04:42.800 --> 0:04:45.680 is the highest price tight end, but Dawson Knox is 0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:48.960 my favorite. Uh He's at thirty. Over the last four weeks, 0:04:49.040 --> 0:04:51.800 Knox is third on the team and targets, averaging just 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:54.280 about four per game. The problem as he's only had 0:04:54.360 --> 0:04:57.400 eight reception since Week twelve. But Houston is a bottom 0:04:57.440 --> 0:04:59.960 ten defense as far as tight end receiving yards this year, 0:05:00.400 --> 0:05:02.520 so Knox is kind of in play. Can I tell 0:05:02.520 --> 0:05:04.839 you how much I love Devin Singletary in this matchup 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:09.080 n Um Houston. Just Derrick Kenny just put up two 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:11.960 yards on him, So I mean there's that. But also, 0:05:12.160 --> 0:05:16.320 receiving runners have killed the Texans. They ranked dead last 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:20.280 in receiving touchdowns allowed to running back, second to last 0:05:20.480 --> 0:05:23.920 in yards allowed to running backs through the air. This 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.560 is and Devin Singletary is a good It's not like 0:05:27.720 --> 0:05:30.800 Dan Tomlins. You missed the league high eight receiving touchdowns. 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:35.800 They've given up receiving touchdowns allowed eight. That is the eight. 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:39.719 This is. I love Devin Singletary for fantasy purposes in 0:05:39.720 --> 0:05:44.159 this matchup. So the issue is Singletary hasn't been totally 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:46.920 utilized in the passing game yet. He did see eight 0:05:46.960 --> 0:05:49.800 targets and six receptions against the Ravens a few weeks back, 0:05:50.000 --> 0:05:52.520 but he's normally getting like three targets a game and 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:55.520 one catch and that's kind of a bummer. But the 0:05:55.560 --> 0:05:58.640 Texans have allowed almost five yards per carry to opposing 0:05:58.680 --> 0:06:01.799 backs over the last two months, and he had nine 0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:04.800 six percent of the snaps against the Pats in that 0:06:04.880 --> 0:06:07.320 Week six team game. That actually mattered. Frank Gore as 0:06:07.360 --> 0:06:10.760 an afterthought, I gave Devin Singletary in a grade He's 0:06:10.800 --> 0:06:12.719 one of my favorite running backs this week. He's the 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:15.120 fourth highest priced one on Fanball. Yeah, I like him 0:06:15.120 --> 0:06:16.640 a lot as well. If you flip over to the 0:06:16.680 --> 0:06:20.719 Houston passing game, what I find fascinating is just the 0:06:20.720 --> 0:06:23.520 the wide receiver situation for Houston is not good. You 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:25.600 got Will Fuller with the growing injury, Kenny Stills to 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:27.440 the knee injury, their question marks for this game. And 0:06:27.480 --> 0:06:29.480 then if you look at DeAndre Hopkins, He's gonna get 0:06:29.480 --> 0:06:32.920 trade abous White all game. So where does where does 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:35.479 that leave the passing game? I gave Hopkins only a 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:38.839 C grade in this and let's just not a respect 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:43.200 eight thousand, second highest wide receiver on Fanball, behind of course, 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:47.640 Michael Thomas. UM. Guess get this. Hopkins is completing his 0:06:47.720 --> 0:06:50.520 seventh season in the league. The Texans have made the 0:06:50.520 --> 0:06:53.960 playoffs in four of those seasons. This is DeAndre hopkins 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:57.560 second playoff game. His first one was last year against 0:06:57.560 --> 0:06:59.800 the Colts, where he had five catches for thirty seven yards. 0:06:59.800 --> 0:07:01.600 He's ring up the end of the year in all 0:07:01.640 --> 0:07:04.640 those years. Um, here are the wide receivers that have 0:07:04.680 --> 0:07:07.080 scored against the Bills in the first sixteen weeks of 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:10.080 the season. We're not counting week seventeen. They weren't they alright, 0:07:10.280 --> 0:07:13.720 t J. Jones in week two, Okay, Davante Parker in 0:07:13.760 --> 0:07:15.960 week seven, and that was when Preston Williams was still 0:07:15.960 --> 0:07:19.240 the top wide receiver there. Okay, Jarvis Landry and Richard 0:07:19.360 --> 0:07:23.200 Higgins in week ten, Okay, second and third receivers. Ventell 0:07:23.400 --> 0:07:29.640 Bryant in week thirteen. Do you know who he plays for? Nope, Dallas. Okay, 0:07:29.680 --> 0:07:32.840 it's like the fourth wide receiver, and Willie Sneed in 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:37.800 week fourteen. White wasn't covering any of those guys. That's 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:40.400 only six touchdowns allowed to wide receivers on the season. 0:07:40.440 --> 0:07:42.960 I don't think I'm gonna put Hopkins in any of 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:47.480 my DFS lineup. Expensive, too expensive. Even if he was 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:51.840 much less expensive, it would be hard to be hard 0:07:51.880 --> 0:07:55.760 to validate a DeAndre Hopkins angle. Here's the interesting thing. 0:07:55.960 --> 0:08:00.400 If somehow Kenny Stills doesn't go, and some how and 0:08:00.640 --> 0:08:03.960 it looks like will Fuller's not gonna go, what about 0:08:04.160 --> 0:08:08.880 Kiki Qti? It only all those second wide receivers he scored. 0:08:09.120 --> 0:08:12.720 Maybe that's the only angle here, but it's it's pretty 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:15.480 bad on the Texans side. I only gave Deshaun Watson 0:08:15.600 --> 0:08:18.800 a C grade as well. Uh, I just don't like 0:08:18.880 --> 0:08:21.080 any of it. Um. The Bills, as we know, pat 0:08:21.160 --> 0:08:23.640 top three past defense. They're also one of the best 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:25.960 in the league of defending against running quarterbacks. That held 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:30.440 Lamar Jackson to only eleven uh eleven carries for only 0:08:30.480 --> 0:08:33.760 forty yards, which is pretty good against Lamar Jackson, dak 0:08:33.760 --> 0:08:35.920 Wentzon Mariotta were held in check and the only two 0:08:36.000 --> 0:08:38.040 quarterbacks to score on the ground against them this year 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:41.199 we're Andy Dalton and Ryan Fitzpatrick. So they were surprised 0:08:41.240 --> 0:08:45.000 at those really were uh. And when Will Fuller's out, 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:48.520 Deshaun Watson's numbers up really suffer. And then finally the 0:08:48.600 --> 0:08:52.240 running game, I gave both Hide and Duke Johnson C grades. 0:08:52.320 --> 0:08:55.080 Hides still the top runner, even though Duke Johnson has 0:08:55.120 --> 0:08:57.640 looked like the better player for the last handful of weeks. 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:00.800 Over hides last four full games, he scored two that's good, 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:03.720 but he's been held under two yards per carrying two 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:07.760 of those games, including a ten for seventeen clunker against 0:09:07.840 --> 0:09:10.760 a similarly built defense in New England. And I bring 0:09:10.840 --> 0:09:14.360 that up because Houston won that game against New England, 0:09:14.440 --> 0:09:16.480 and what did they do in that game? They fed 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:19.800 the ball to Duke Johnson. Duke Johnson had nine rushing attempts, 0:09:19.800 --> 0:09:23.280 which was his season high, and he also had five 0:09:23.320 --> 0:09:25.480 receptions in that game. So we had fourteen touches, two 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:28.400 hides eleven. He had a hundred combo yards and a 0:09:28.480 --> 0:09:30.920 score in that game. So if they're going to use 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:32.920 one of these running backs and they're going to be successful, 0:09:33.280 --> 0:09:36.880 I like Duke Johnson, who's cheaper on fan ball over 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:39.280 Carlos Hide. I'll note, though, Buffalo has only given up 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:43.640 one running back receiving touchdowns since Week three, so you 0:09:43.640 --> 0:09:44.960 know they're not I don't know that you get a 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:48.000 touchdown out of Duke Johnson think you know, but he might. 0:09:48.080 --> 0:09:50.040 He might chip in enough PPR help that that's the 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:52.440 better way to go. I did have Darren Fells on 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:54.360 my list, but he's only scored one touchdown in the 0:09:54.440 --> 0:09:56.480 last seven weeks, and you're not playing him, I don't 0:09:56.480 --> 0:09:58.120 think so either. Let's go to the Vikings taking on 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:00.559 the Saints. Oh gosh, I'm really interest did in this one? 0:10:00.640 --> 0:10:04.360 Oh yeah, well, it's it's it's it's home. Um, there 0:10:04.520 --> 0:10:08.040 is a there's there's an opportunity to take Kirk Cousins here. Uh, 0:10:08.080 --> 0:10:10.320 it doesn't know it's a game when nobody feels like 0:10:10.360 --> 0:10:13.200 Kirk Cousins gonna step up and play well in because 0:10:13.280 --> 0:10:15.800 traditionally both Mike Zimmer and Kirk Cousins have not played 0:10:15.840 --> 0:10:17.880 well in big games. And obviously this is a this 0:10:17.960 --> 0:10:20.960 is a for you know, seasons over if this doesn't 0:10:20.960 --> 0:10:24.400 go well. But Kirk through for three sixty yards last 0:10:24.400 --> 0:10:27.200 time these teams met and two touchdowns last year and 0:10:27.840 --> 0:10:30.040 this season, the way that you've been able to beat 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:32.439 the Saints is through the air. They've given up multiple 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:35.880 passing touchdowns in six of seven games. In recent weeks, 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:39.880 they've given up three or four touchdowns to Jimmy Garoppolo, 0:10:40.280 --> 0:10:45.160 Ryan Tannehill, and Kyle Allen since benched. So I think 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:48.480 there's an opportunity for Kirk to put up a surprising 0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:51.480 game now and and it could be in catchup mode. 0:10:51.520 --> 0:10:54.360 If we're just looking at this from fantasy perspective, the 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.120 Vikings could be down by two or three scores early. 0:10:57.360 --> 0:11:00.640 That's gage could be all garbage time for cotting. You 0:11:00.720 --> 0:11:02.640 may be right about that, and abandoning the run is 0:11:02.679 --> 0:11:06.400 a viable option for the Vikings anyway, because the Saints 0:11:06.480 --> 0:11:10.160 run defense is so good, Stefon Diggs likely draws shadow 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:13.080 coverage on the outside from Marshawn Lattimore. If he lines 0:11:13.160 --> 0:11:16.160 up in the slot Diggs does, then it'll probably be 0:11:16.160 --> 0:11:19.200 Theeland who gets Lattimore because nobody bothers to double cover 0:11:19.320 --> 0:11:27.640 Lakwan Treadwall or shadow Laquon Twadwall so well. So, um, 0:11:27.679 --> 0:11:30.079 I'm nervous about Diggs. If Diggs is gonna get a 0:11:30.120 --> 0:11:32.640 lot of Marshall Latimore, it's game over. Latimore giving up 0:11:32.640 --> 0:11:34.719 an average of two catches for twenty two yards since 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:38.080 Week three. You know Diggs has the peacock on Lattimore though, 0:11:38.520 --> 0:11:42.360 and you remember the last time they met in the playoffs, 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:46.400 something good happen. Um, father, If Kirk gets this win, 0:11:46.840 --> 0:11:49.720 I can tell you the Viking fans. The Viking fans 0:11:49.720 --> 0:11:52.240 are gonna be like, oh yeah, big deal. Case Keenum 0:11:52.280 --> 0:11:54.240 gotta win and gets the Saints in the playoffs too, 0:11:54.800 --> 0:11:57.440 That's what they're gonna say. Adam Feeling gets more work 0:11:57.440 --> 0:12:00.600 out of the slot um that hopefully will allow him 0:12:00.640 --> 0:12:03.200 to avoid Lattimore and then gets get to what he 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:05.600 was doing through in weeks one through six before the injury, 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:08.160 when he was averaging almost a touchdown per game. Since 0:12:08.200 --> 0:12:11.920 Week six, he's caught four passes. So the worry for 0:12:12.000 --> 0:12:14.760 me is if they need to feed him because Latimore 0:12:14.800 --> 0:12:17.079 is taking digs out. I just hope he's up for it. 0:12:17.080 --> 0:12:18.800 I hope he's I we I hope they target him 0:12:18.840 --> 0:12:22.319 nine ten times in this game? How many times? That way? 0:12:22.360 --> 0:12:31.360 It's a hold on revenge show. Feeling does not need 0:12:31.400 --> 0:12:34.640 revenge because in the last game, last year's game against 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:37.000 the Saints, Theveland had over one yards and a touchdown. 0:12:37.160 --> 0:12:41.000 Yeah yeah, Um. Saints somewhat susceptible to tight ends. Since 0:12:41.040 --> 0:12:43.960 Week eight, they've allowed sizeable games to Charles Clay and 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:47.319 Cameron Brad and Jade and Graham and George Kittle and 0:12:47.400 --> 0:12:49.600 John hu Smith. By and large, those are not awesome 0:12:49.679 --> 0:12:53.480 tight ends. So maybe maybe cal Rodolph gets back to 0:12:53.520 --> 0:12:56.440 where he was a couple of months ago. Yeah. Uh. 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:57.959 For d Alvin Cook, it's a really tough game. He 0:12:57.960 --> 0:12:59.880 says he's full strength, which is great. He has not 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:02.280 had to run of more than nine yards since November tenth. 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:05.199 He has failed to top three point seven yards per 0:13:05.200 --> 0:13:07.880 carry in any game in the second half of the season, 0:13:08.720 --> 0:13:11.840 so the injuries have really affected him. At one point 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:14.880 he was in the m v P conversation not anymore. Um, 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:17.760 this is the Saints team that's good against the screen pass, 0:13:17.880 --> 0:13:20.560 and Cook has been viable as a screen pass guy 0:13:20.600 --> 0:13:22.880 of late, and that's that may not help. He may 0:13:22.880 --> 0:13:25.000 not be helped to pull that way either. And the 0:13:25.040 --> 0:13:27.560 Saints are so good as a run defense, giving up 0:13:27.559 --> 0:13:29.880 just three point six yards per carry. They haven't allowed 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:33.600 one hundred yard runner since Week eleven of twenty seventeen. 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:36.959 That's so well, that's a long time, two and a 0:13:36.960 --> 0:13:40.520 half years. Yes, So I don't like Dalvin Cook. What's 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:43.040 he What does he cost? On famble? Oh? Let me 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:47.320 pull that up right, Yeah he is. It's already too much. 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:50.280 That's already too much. Why why am I looking up 0:13:50.320 --> 0:13:54.080 weird things? I'm still looking looking up Kirk Cousins on this. Uh, 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:58.080 Dalvin Cook too much? I thank you? Avoid the Viking 0:13:58.160 --> 0:14:00.600 runner's the third highest running back in the week. So 0:14:01.240 --> 0:14:04.079 that's he's out. Uh for let's flip it over to 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:07.040 the Saints. Uh. Viking shutdown Drew Brees and last year's 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:10.840 meeting helding holding him to one hundred twenty yards one 0:14:10.960 --> 0:14:14.120 hundred twenty yards, his lowest output in almost two hundred 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:18.600 games last time they met. Um that said, he's had 0:14:18.640 --> 0:14:20.880 other games against the Vikings have been very good. Average 0:14:20.880 --> 0:14:23.760 passing game against Minnesota since Week eight is two hundred 0:14:23.800 --> 0:14:26.240 fifty yards in one touchdown. Michael Thomas, of course, is 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.320 going to get fed plenty in this game. How many 0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:30.680 targets does Michael Thomas get if you're gonna set an 0:14:30.680 --> 0:14:34.280 over under, I think it actually moves down. And I'll 0:14:34.280 --> 0:14:37.160 tell you why. Vikings are without their number three and 0:14:37.240 --> 0:14:41.200 number four cornerbacks Mike Hughes and in all probability Mackenzie 0:14:41.240 --> 0:14:43.920 Alexander not in. I think that's going to allow them 0:14:44.440 --> 0:14:46.920 to go to their second and third receivers more often, 0:14:46.960 --> 0:14:49.280 Ted Gin tray Kwon Smith more often than they would 0:14:49.280 --> 0:14:52.960 have had the Vikings secondary been healthy. So not that 0:14:53.080 --> 0:14:55.480 Hughes has been good, He's been bad, but um it 0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:58.080 is it's still you know, one less, one less quasi 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:01.800 starter for the Vikings, So there's there's some concern there. 0:15:01.800 --> 0:15:03.800 But I still think, you know, you figure Hughes is 0:15:03.800 --> 0:15:05.960 going to be targeted at least ten to twelve times 0:15:06.000 --> 0:15:08.360 and dozen every game. By the way, Michael Thomas the 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:11.960 most expensive player on the slate. I think, Mike, there's 0:15:12.000 --> 0:15:13.760 a real case to be made for Michael Thomas to 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:17.480 be the most valuable fantasy player throughout the playoffs Saints. 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.680 If the Saints are likely to be favorites every step 0:15:20.680 --> 0:15:22.920 of the way to the super Bowl, I believe they'll 0:15:22.960 --> 0:15:25.520 be favorite. They're already our favorites this week. Next week 0:15:25.520 --> 0:15:27.760 they'll travel to Green Bay, and they'll be favored the 0:15:27.760 --> 0:15:32.040 week after that, presumably San Francisco. In San Francisco, maybe 0:15:32.080 --> 0:15:34.360 favored or pick them or maybe you know, underdogs by 0:15:34.360 --> 0:15:37.080 a close. It was a two point game when they 0:15:37.120 --> 0:15:40.080 met just a few weeks ago, right, so that'll be uh, 0:15:40.160 --> 0:15:42.400 that'll be one worth watching. Michael Thomas is an obvious, 0:15:42.640 --> 0:15:45.520 obvious fine start here. If I were giving letter grades, 0:15:45.560 --> 0:15:47.720 which I didn't do because I'm tired of letter grades, 0:15:47.920 --> 0:15:49.840 so I just didn't do it, maybe you want to 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:51.760 try a plus their minds. Maybe that freshen it up 0:15:51.760 --> 0:15:53.840 with the plus. What if you just gave a plus 0:15:54.000 --> 0:15:57.840 or a minus grade, no letters, just he's a plus. 0:15:58.640 --> 0:16:01.200 Jared Cook is a plus, A merging as a major threat. 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:04.240 Since Week eleven, he's averaging twenty one yards per catch, 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:08.520 twenty one per catch, and one touchdown per game. That's 0:16:08.560 --> 0:16:11.920 crazy like last year's Jared Cook. It is, it's it's 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:14.040 it's all of a sudden taken off since Week eleven. 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:17.160 He's a fine start here. Pro Football Focus ranks the 0:16:17.240 --> 0:16:19.920 Saints number two and pass blocking, so I think there's 0:16:19.920 --> 0:16:21.960 gonna be plenty of time here against a good Vikings 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:25.240 pass rushed UM. As for as for the running game, 0:16:25.280 --> 0:16:27.480 I like Alvin Camara. It's been a bad season, but 0:16:27.520 --> 0:16:30.400 he looked better last week. They're averaging almost five yards 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:34.080 averaging almost five yards per carry last week. Mostly Minnesota's 0:16:34.080 --> 0:16:37.480 contained pass catching backs this year, UM, but only mostly. 0:16:37.840 --> 0:16:39.720 I still like Camara if I were to give him 0:16:39.720 --> 0:16:40.880 a letter grade, to be a B grade. And the 0:16:40.960 --> 0:16:44.960 Vikings UM have been suffering against runners since their Week 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:47.720 twelve by. They're giving up almost five yards per carry, 0:16:47.760 --> 0:16:50.120 which is not Viking like at all. So Camara to 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:53.240 me is a good start. It's nice that Camara seems 0:16:53.280 --> 0:16:56.120 to be heating up from a scoring standpoint. Four of 0:16:56.160 --> 0:16:59.760 his six touchdowns in the last two weeks. And and 0:16:59.760 --> 0:17:02.880 and this was a guy who back when mark Ingram 0:17:02.920 --> 0:17:05.800 was there too, it was he'd get ten to fifteen 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:07.720 touches a game, but he'd score on three or four 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:10.720 of them. That's right. So it's nice to see that 0:17:11.000 --> 0:17:14.080 working again. Coming back. Um, if Eric Kendricks, the Vikings 0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:17.879 middle linebacker, can't play, we expect him to go. But 0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:20.560 if he can't go, you can. You could upgrade Kimara 0:17:20.680 --> 0:17:22.400 and even I think at that point I'd start looking 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:25.560 at Lottavius Murray and my ground grind out a potential 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:28.560 lopsided victory for the Saints could be. Let's go to 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:31.760 Buffalo taking on Houston in just a minute, as could 0:17:31.760 --> 0:17:35.800 get a revenge doctor, that's possible. Well, we might have it. 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:39.680 We might have a little Do I have little revenge 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:42.960 doctor Latavius Murray? Uh, let's talk about the other two 0:17:43.000 --> 0:17:48.680 games in just a moment. All right, we're back Fantasy 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:52.200 Football Weekly. I am Paul Charchy and my co host 0:17:52.359 --> 0:17:55.320 is Matt Harrison at Explosive out put for you on Twitter. 0:17:55.359 --> 0:17:57.040 I am at Paul Charchy and you'll have to figure 0:17:57.040 --> 0:18:00.679 out the spelling yourself. Buffalo takes on Houston. This is 0:18:00.720 --> 0:18:03.639 my other upset of the day. Buffalo is the better 0:18:03.640 --> 0:18:06.879 team in many ways. Are we talked a Buffalo Houston already. Sorry, 0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:11.000 that's my Other upset of the day is Tennessee at 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:15.400 New England. Only three quarterbacks have one at Gillette Stadium 0:18:15.400 --> 0:18:17.840 in the last three years, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and 0:18:17.880 --> 0:18:20.960 Ryan Fitzpatrick. And people say the Patriots never lose at 0:18:21.000 --> 0:18:25.280 home in a critical game, except for last week when 0:18:25.320 --> 0:18:27.920 they lost to Miami at home in a critical game 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:31.240 that would have given them a bye. So don't tell 0:18:31.320 --> 0:18:34.080 I don't want to hear this mumbo jumbo about how 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:37.280 they can't possibly be beaten at home in July. There's 0:18:37.840 --> 0:18:42.040 there's definite mumbo jumbo here. Um. Ryan Tannehill knows the Patriots. 0:18:43.040 --> 0:18:46.879 This is his twelfth time he's faced Bill Belichick. Um, 0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:49.720 he was four and seven in his previous eleven games. 0:18:49.720 --> 0:18:52.560 So he's beaten the Patriots four times. That's that's fun. 0:18:53.040 --> 0:18:56.719 But the problem is two, the number two. The Patriots 0:18:56.720 --> 0:18:59.720 have given up two or more passing touchdowns in a 0:18:59.760 --> 0:19:03.720 game only two times this year. Wow, that's not very 0:19:03.720 --> 0:19:07.680 good for Ryan tan Hills prospects and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Stu 0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:10.960 Beard himself was the only quarterback to top three hundred 0:19:11.000 --> 0:19:14.680 yards against the Patriots this season. That was last week 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:18.720 basically on the final drive of the game. So Tannehill, 0:19:18.760 --> 0:19:22.439 I gave a a C grade to fan Ball. I'm 0:19:22.480 --> 0:19:26.159 probably avoiding him. I'm also avoiding his top wide receiver, 0:19:26.240 --> 0:19:30.240 A J. Brown. I gave him a a respect C grade. 0:19:30.600 --> 0:19:35.000 Uh seventy fan fan Ball should see Stephan Gilmore shadow 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:38.280 coverage all day and basically no one did anything against 0:19:38.320 --> 0:19:44.280 Gilmore all year except for DeVante Parker last week seven? 0:19:45.480 --> 0:19:48.200 Did the Patriots want to play an extra game this? 0:19:48.600 --> 0:19:51.320 Who knows? That's that's that's always the thing. Uh. Corey 0:19:51.400 --> 0:19:55.000 Davis on the bench only top sixty yards twice this season. However, 0:19:56.119 --> 0:19:59.960 Taj Sharp, wow C grade, here's your take a chance 0:20:00.080 --> 0:20:04.080 on me. He's playing from the slot in New England 0:20:04.080 --> 0:20:06.480 has shown a weakness to slot wide receivers this year. 0:20:06.840 --> 0:20:10.200 Cole Beasley, Golden Tape, Randall Cobb, and Juju Smith Schuster 0:20:10.320 --> 0:20:13.840 all topped seventy five yards. Beasley did that twice, So 0:20:14.200 --> 0:20:19.000 Taj Sharp, if you run out of money, Unfanball, that's 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:21.600 a guy. I think that's deep Now. John Nu Smith 0:20:21.640 --> 0:20:23.840 interested me more because half of the passing touchdown to 0:20:23.960 --> 0:20:25.879 New England has allowed has gone to tight ends. The 0:20:25.960 --> 0:20:30.160 problem is is Michael Pruitt is vulturing touchdown grabs from him, 0:20:30.160 --> 0:20:33.520 and Anthony Firkser has had almost as many targets as 0:20:33.600 --> 0:20:36.840 John Nu Smith over the last three weeks. So I'm 0:20:36.840 --> 0:20:39.280 not buying it, I think, John, I'm not buying John 0:20:39.400 --> 0:20:42.840 Hu Smith. No, he's not. He's just a guy. I know. 0:20:42.920 --> 0:20:45.600 I know that you put down your notes that got 0:20:45.680 --> 0:20:50.560 John Nu Smith. Yes, yes, I thought more athletic than 0:20:50.600 --> 0:20:54.040 I thought faster. Only two tight ends have topped forty 0:20:54.080 --> 0:20:57.080 five yards against the Pats since Week five, and you're 0:20:57.119 --> 0:20:59.360 totally reliant on a score if you want to play him. 0:20:59.400 --> 0:21:02.560 All of the six tight ends touchdowns allowed by the 0:21:02.600 --> 0:21:06.000 Patriots happened in Week eight or later, so that's positive. 0:21:06.080 --> 0:21:08.919