Fantasy industry vets Joe Dolan and Tom Brawley are bringing it all season long on the fantasy free agents podcast unrestricted, unaffiliated unparalleled fantasy football analysis. Well, Tom, fortunately nothing serious has happened in the last couple days after the bombshell that got dropped on Saturday night with Andrew Luck's retirement and Lamar Miller's injury so we can be kind of normal here on today's Fantasy free agent podcast in our week two preseason recap, but Tom fantasy football just like the NFL must go on despite some of the news that came out here and it went on for us you and I we had our big auction draft on Sunday night that we want to discuss and we'll discuss kind of basic cost reduction strategies. We were we have another one on Thursday night. That's another auction draft. So we figured this is a good time to discuss what we do in an auction kind of how we how we come up with the values that we have up at the site. So that's going to be fun to talk about a little bit later on the podcast. But first I want to get into the week two preseason recap after a little bit of an announcement that I have. In case you missed it, if you don't follow me on Twitter @ FG underscore Dolan. I will be joining a Ross Tucker on the fantasy Feast this year replacing Evan Silva who is concentrating on his work at establish the run. It's an awesome opportunity for me. It's an awesome. Awesome opportunity for our our little site here that Tom and I have going I also want you guys to know that the podcast no plans have changed. This thing with Ross has been in the works for a number of months. Keep a lid on it here and which if you know me, you know is not easy for me. But I've had to keep a lid on it. It's been in the works everything that we planned with fantasy free agents was already planned with the assumption that I was going to be working with Ross as well. So if you can't get enough of me opening my big freaking mouth. Well, you're going to have an opportunity to listen to me with Ross on the fantasy Feast podcast. We should be publishing twice a week during the NFL season starting next week Tom you and I I will still be going five times a week. Yeah. Yeah. Congratulations Joe, you know, we I've kind of known about this for a while just with you there. But you know, it's going to open us up to, you know, even more ears listening to the podcast and hopefully even more people going on to the site and enjoying our content. So congratulations to you and looking forward to you know, hopefully growing a little bit bigger audience here as well and I just want to mention that I got the NFC draft tonight. So all right. Yeah, so I know you You did yours last week. I got mine tonight. I'm looking forward to it and we'll probably talk a little bit about it on the Friday podcast. But if any of our listeners, you know or in the draft tonight, I'm ready. Let's bring it baby. You got the number one pick in third round wrestle. So I'm really interested to see what your what Your what your team looks like tonight. But Tama people don't care about our fantasy teams. They want us to help their fantasy team. So let's get into a little bit of a preseason. A week to recap here. Now. Obviously if you want to know our thoughts on Andrew Luck if you want to know our thoughts on the mar Miller Duke Johnson Jacoby percent anything that that was affected by Saturday's news. Go check out our emergency podcast Tom and I actually got up on a Sunday morning and recorded that I mean nobody's going to feel bad for us Tom, but we wanted to get that out there as quickly as possible. So we have that up already and our thoughts really haven't changed Tom. We might be tweaking the the cheat sheets today, though. Right. We I think we're yeah, that's the plan. Yeah after we I've been kind of tweaking the rankings that this morning and I know you have a little bit of an appointment or something later today, but we'll try to get that done sometime this afternoon and get those out because you know, we know everybody this is a huge week for drafting we got friends texting us that you know about drafts they're doing at night so we know how crazy it is. So we're trying to you know, not just do the Friday. We did update them on Sunday though. So it's not like they're completely out of date. Do you have do you have the August friends? Tom the people who the people remember you exist in August. Oh, yeah, they show up here. This is their time of year usually starts coming around like August 15th, and you know don't hang around here for a couple weeks and then they'll disappear once the season starts as well. Well, they were very excited to know they didn't have to subscribe to a site for us this year. I'll tell you that much. But yeah, I have my August friends. I always like to help the people out that they're not I never turn anybody down. I I enjoy doing this. I'll help. D. So yeah, it's not a big deal. I feel like a proud child when I can tell that somebody drafted a team using my rankings. Oh, yeah. Yeah, we were and my advice is we were talking to a friend about that yesterday and it's like yeah, he said to us he goes it was our friend Grand Bar field and goes. Yeah, when you see that that somebody drafted a 12-team team and that looks like an ATM or using your rankings you get it you got a tinge of Pride that doesn't happen for me. And you Tom I wonder what I'm doing wrong. Yeah. Well, that's because we're in a lot of legs together all of our our friends that we you know, they all use our wrecking. So it's like drafting against ourselves a lot of the times now while the let's let's let's just get into the preseason action here Tom because it's going to be it's going to be I guess nobody's really gonna play in the fourth preseason game. So I mean we're even seeing it now like the Bears gay. I mean there were quite a few week three games that featured no starter. So we're I mean the the days of the dress rehearsal, you know, it's kind of going out there. Window here. The preseason is going to be changing here. I think in the next collective bargaining agreement, but we are also covered the Thursday games and last week's pod to so, you know, if you want to go back to those five five games to check out the Friday pull the last last Friday's podcasts, of course, and and Tom I'm gonna be asking Greg Cosell about some of some of these other storylines on Thursdays podcast, but Greg and I as you might imagine Tom we're going to be focusing on Andrew Luck's retirement and the trickle-down effect of That and also we're going to be focusing on the Lamar Miller injury and I'll mix a couple other things in here that the people are interested in but certainly what we're going to be getting to big news with Greg on Thursdays podcast. Let's kick this off Greg Tom farts. Sorry Tom. I wish I was Greg man 40 years identify films. It's a pretty good living. Yeah, and he knows more about football than then you and I you Miku canis our entire our entire network combined. Yeah. How about I like when Greg says, you know, I'm not smarter than coaches and I just kind of want to say to him, you know, great. Yeah you are but I mean I can think of a couple coaches you're smarter than at least though, and we know that coaches talk to him, you know in the offseason and stuff like that. They want to pick his brain as well. Yeah, they respect him. So that that goes to tell you they don't think he's a he's a blowhard. Anyway, Tom, let's get into the 49ers and the Chiefs and there was a little a good bit of fantasy. I don't want to say news but but content from this game Jim Garoppolo very sharp in this game going 14 for 2488 yards and a touchdown Tom. It's just a I don't want to say that you shouldn't have been a little concerned that Garoppolo struggling in his first preseason game, but it was his first game back from an ACL as we learned with Andrew luck and as we've heard from players in the past, sometimes it's the mental aspect of getting over these injuries. That's even harder than the physical aspect. That's why Andrew Luck retired. I mean he he said the mental Fact of constantly having to rehab was really grinding on him. So I think we got to give guys a reprieve if they don't look a hundred percent in their first game back from an ACL. I know some do but some guys they just can't get over that hump. But Jimmy Garoppolo much sharper in his second action 14 for 2488 yards in a touchdown. He looks ready to go for the season. Yeah. I mean it didn't help and week to though either Bradley chub was breathing down his neck. He was playing a much tougher defense with the Denver Broncos. You know gets the Chiefs this week, you know, he looked a little frantic in the pocket and that week to game but much more poised and throwing down field and you know, he also had a full complement of receiver. So, you know, this is what you want to see. I mean, I'm still a little worried going into the season. I mean, you know, it's still coming off a major injury. I think we're going to have some ups and downs here the first month or two, but you know, if there were any doubts that you know, he was going to be the starter. I mean there was a little bit of talk that Maybe you know Shanahan will pull the plug and go with Nick Mullens, you know as the starter early in the season, but I think Jimmy G kind of Silence those little that that little bit of talk the whispering there with his performance in the dress rehearsal game. What's interesting here Tom is his wide receivers. Now, I want to point out that Dante pet is has been playing with the starters. It's not like he hasn't been he's been relegated to the bench, but there seems to be an interesting. A tional tactic or something going on behind the scenes here with Dante Pettis because Kyle Shanahan's like hey buddy, get your head out of your butt. Let's let's I want you to be the number one receiver. I don't know if it's motivational or not, but he doesn't look awful out there and he's been playing with the first team. So he to me has been one of the weirdest and hardest players to handicap for Fantasy Football. I got him in our auction draft. The other night is like my sixth receiver. I thought that was a worthwhile investment for a Little box at the end of my auction that being said, I mean if this does carry into the regular season, he's going to be one of the first guys I drop on my team. Yeah, I've we've had that move them down here a little bit. He's into the 40's now for us, you know, he started the the offseason as a high 30s pick in the wide receiver here, you know, it's twice now that Shana this isn't just the first time it earlier in August, you know, he basically said you got to earn this earn your starting position and you know, he hasn't played. Poorly in the games though. That's the thing. So it feels like this is kind of a behind the scenes, you know, he wants them to start putting more work in more practice time or effort and practice so it is bizarre but you know, we got to remember that they do you know, they have spent, you know on Jalen Hurd as well Depot Samuel. They've used some premium picks on receivers here. So he doesn't have the longest leash and more keys good one. I mean, he's kind of a guy that's just been totally. What about he's like the classic post type of sleeper type here. He got the starters treatment in that game. He played, you know, the first two or three series and was pulled out, you know to rest so, you know, he's a kind of guy. I he's sneaking onto the back end of my radar might be a last round pick for me because of all this Dante Pettis talk and a Devo Samuels another guy real interesting Prospect out of South Carolina that you know was a five-year guy there should be ready to play right away. And here's the thing with Goodwin Tom. And I think what you're talking post type. I totally agree with that because I do you remember early in the offseason early in training camp. We kind of got the hey Marcus Goodwin might not make this team and then everybody just kind of assumed he was going to get cut and he just fell off of everybody's draft boards and it seems like he is the guy who's locked up his spot in addition to a guy another guy. You want to talk post post post post post post post type. Jordan Matthews has been getting some praise they are too not that I'm telling you to draft Jordan Matthews. It just seems like those Guys are pretty much guaranteed to make the roster at sea. Oh, yeah, I could man if Jordan Matthews ends up like being a major factor in this offense. I think that would drive everybody nuts then has any kind of ownership in these 49ers receivers Tom. Let's go over to the Chiefs here with the Chiefs. Look they come out bread features said Darwin Thompson is the number two general manager. Brad feet says, hey, he's the guy he's the number two. All right, so he's past Carlos Hyde, it's official. It was the writing was on the wall. Lynn big red bold letters, but it's Now official that being said, how about Damien Williams scoring a 62-yard wheel route touchdown. And I know our friend Brad Ziegler the former MLB pitcher who now is like a full-time professional fantasy football player has been like dunking on people because he said wait a minute all offseason. He's like, this is the most talented guy here. He got the Kareem hunt Special Tom the wheel route touchdown Damien Williams pulled that off and if you'll remember I was talking to Greg Cosell. Speak about Darwin Thompson, and he said it's an interesting player because he's very small, but he isn't terribly explosive. He's more of kind of a grinding type Runner Damien Williams. However, this guy's got explosive talent. I got him in our auction the other night for a discount from some of the other quote unquote. Number one running backs. I wanted to take a shot on him because I do want to invest in this offense. He has been weird player to handicap, but this is exactly what you wanted to see if you've been investigating. Sting and Damian Williams. Yeah, and he's a truly Dynamic receiver. I mean, I put him up there with you know, just about anybody in the league as a receiver out of the backfield and he showed it on that wheel route. I mean totally dusted his his Defender there and and I don't think there's much doubt that he's now the number one guy. I think Darwin Thompson will be in the mix Carlos Hyde is just like please caught me already so I can go talk to Houston or talk to whoever you know, stop stop even playing me with the backups here just The hell out of town already. So if you know used to pick on Carlos Hyde, I'm sorry. I don't you obviously weren't using our rankings and stuff. But you know, it's Damien Williams and Darwin Thompson and a little Darrell Williams at the back end here in this backfield Browns in the Buccaneers Tom. This one was ugly. I know Chris God wouldn't made a play. I mean the the hype train is just that that left the station months ago. I'm Chris Godwin but Baker Mayfield had an awful game. I think it just 10 429 for like 80 yards and Jameis Winston got sacked five times behind what is still a problematic offensive line? And if you remember Bruce Arians final year with the Cardinals that problematic offensive line can be an issue for Bruce Arians offense because Bruce is going to run his shit. He's going to want to throw that ball down the field and he's going to ask the quarterback to do it whether the protections good or not. And that could be that's that's that's kind of a drawback of what Bruce Arians does. What did you see from this game? Yeah Louis, right? Actually had a nice little breakdown was watching on late night Friday TV there and Baker kind of mist is top receivers a lot in that game Richard Higgins, you know, it was a tough catch but it was one that probably should have been made in the end zone. You know what it kind of changed his stat line a little bit and there was another passed down down the sidelines. The Derrick will ease that should have been caught it would have been to gains over 20 yards. So Mayfield's line is a little deceiving but you know, Winston There's going to be some major issues here and I'll be taking five sects. He's always been a kind of a guy that holds on to the ball, you know, you know makes bad decisions. So this offensive line, you know coming into the season. We probably thought it was a bottom five bottom 10 offensive line and nothing has changed. I thought it was a little bit interesting. I was born sharp did some Personnel groupings and stuff like that off of the the new offensive coordinators. And you know, he said that they've been using a lot of two tight ends sets here. In the preseason so, you know, I would think that that's kind of a product of you know, getting the extra Blocker in to help this offensive line, you know to help his quarterback here a little bit but certainly didn't work in the third preseason game there. There are some potential issues. So I mean that could and that can really hurt you know, God went and I think Mike elk Heavens the most I mean, you know Winston needs to have time to get the ball down field where you know Evans really excels Tom. Let's go to let's go to the Hawks here Rashad Penny, he actually made a positive play at a for got to carry out a fourth and one scored a three yard touchdown on the fourth and one also Russell Wilson got out there with some rushing yards and Tyler Lockett to Big connections. I don't know if anybody in the NFL has better chemistry, maybe like Brady and Edelman but Wilson and lock it. They have the best downfield juice of any pair in the NFL. Yeah. They're they're really connecting in the preseason again, just like last year, you know, of course. I found out last week that David Moore suffered an injury. It looks like he's not he's going to avoid the IR to start the season but it looks like he could miss the first couple weeks of the Season DK Metcalf is already kind of questionable for Week 1 and so now they're down to drawn Brown as their number two receiver. So I think that means there's gonna be a whole lot of Tyler Lockett featured at least early in the season. So you like to see that connection and I thought it was important that we saw Russell Wilson run a little bit. It I mean he really didn't you know his Russian production kind of dip last year 376 yards on 67 carriers, which is well below, you know his career standards. So, you know, he was moving around must be feeling pretty good here early in the year and you know where shot Penny, you know, you know a lot of negative reports here. But you know, you converted the goal line touchdown Which is you know important going forward, you know, maybe he can get a little little bit more trust with that conversion at the goal. There has been no player in my opinion Tom has been more confusing to rank here and we've talked about a couple of them on this podcast, but going to the Steelers James Washington. I mean I saw you with anguish on your face watching that game the other night on Sunday night and you're like, oh my God, what do I do with this guy? Because Tommy keeps making plays, but the problem is he's making the plays with the second team. He has barely played. With the first team there seems to be a trust issue. I think there was was it an interception that Mason Rudolph through or an incomplete pass. That was an interception perception white Washington ran the wrong route and Tom with when you have a veteran quarterback and an old school coach like Mike Tomlin, if you're not going to run the right route, it doesn't matter how explosive you are if the quarterback can't trust you. He's not going to throw you the football or at worst. You're not going to be Out there. So James Washington is doing some really good things. But right now it really appears to see appears that the Steelers trust Dante Moncrief more. Yeah, he did start. It was a look like a deep come back and he kind of just stopped on his route and Rudolph did throw it. So I mean, you know still have an issue then this was right after the long 40 yard touchdown pass that he caught and legality brand right underneath that he's done that a couple times already this preseason. So I'm having a really tough time. I think he's clearly better than Donte Moncrief. If but if mon craves going to play 80 90 % of snaps and James Washington's going to play 30 to 40 percent. I mean, we have to rank Moncrief ahead of James Washington. So I had to move them down in our rankings. He was in the low to mid 40s, I think well before and you know, I was kind of holding their because we really haven't seen Ben Roethlisberger in the preseason. We finally got to see him on Sunday night and James Washington was still nowhere to be seen with the starters there, you know. Electing to go with the great Eli Rogers and Brian Switzer playing out of the slot, you know, so this even that decision I think you know hurts Juju Smith Schuster a little bit that you know, those guys are going to play pretty much exclusively out of the slot. That means you know, JuJu's going to be playing a lot more on the outside facing tougher, you know, that's where the better quarterbacks typically are on the outside. So, you know, this isn't even a good thing for Juju. I mean, I'm I'm not saying I'm worried about Juju, but you know When we get up to this higher end, you know, there's not a whole lot separated in them. So if he's not going to be playing as much as lat it does hurt him a little bit Vance McDonald James Conner. I don't think we need to really touch on these guys too much Tom, but they are I mean, they are locked into their roles. I think people were going a little overboard with Randy fichtner comment about Vance McDonald. He's not going to play a hundred percent of the snaps that the difference is when he's out there. He's going to be catching passes. Yeah, he's gonna play 80 to 90% of the snaps. That's still plenty. From you know where he was at, you know, he was a 45 to 55% snap guy week to week last year. So he's he's going to be seeing a Lion's Share of the snaps here going to be running a few more routes of game. So, you know, he the top ten love is much warranted and James Carter I think has been pretty enlightening that you know, how just how much he's been playing with the starters all preseason. Jalen Samuels has been pretty much nowhere to be seen. So, I mean, we've seen it in a teepee and stuff to him insane. Mills has started to slide down draft boards. But you know Mike Tomlin it looks like he's still sticking with his work horseback which we love to see, you know in the fantasy circles here with the Vikings Tom. I think I missed the boat a little bit on Dalvin cook not to say I haven't invested in him and best balls just probably not as much as I should we know what the issue with Dalvin cook is if the guy wasn't injured all the time, he'd be a top five pick if you don't think he's going to get hurt this year. You could probably draft them earlier than Then the consensus he has a long touchdown run Tom. He looks explosive. They're going to run the hell out of the football and I think in our auction Tom that it the price bear that out. I think he went very close to some of the top guys like even Berkeley Elliot and Chimera in that draft Yeah. He was a $49 guy. I'm seeing here. So, you know, he showed his elite elite, you know, he's a he's a top-end type of talent here. It's just all about health here, you know. They did upgrade the line and it looks like you know the Vikings really want to run the ball with Mike Zimmer, you know getting people up out of town here and they're going to they get they dropped the tight end or Smith in the second round. So all indications are they want to have two tight ends on the field. They want to run the ball a lot more. So Dalvin cook is you know, he's a great he's going to go down as a value in the second round if he manages to stay healthy, so or he could go down as a bust if he can't stay healthy, so he's a You know a big boom or a big bus guy and you know, everything is looking good here so far looking healthy with that long touchdown run. I want to get to one more update before we go to a break Tom. But let's let's do the Bengals here. AJ Green is still in one of those goofy nice Scooters or sliding around on the field. The athletic is reporting that they think he's progressing well, but that the best case scenario for AJ Green is week 3 at this point if you have drafted AJ Green and He's backed by week three at that would be a boy and I think at this point, I mean that would be I mean, that would be a surprise I think but oh my Lord if you drafted and he's back then for the prices. I've seen him go for Tom that that would be an absolute. That would be a steal at this point. But the best case scenario is week three. We're going to have to monitor this over the next couple weeks. Yeah the best cat. Yeah that would if it's week 3, that would be the best-case scenario for his owners. I mean just from this report, you know that he's still on the scooter not even you know, Around on his feet yet. This makes me think that he's out through September. I'm projecting now that you know for games so I slid them a little farther down our rankings. He's now on the in the low 30s. So, you know this he still has a long way to go and you know, I I think this could go more on the long end than the short end at this point. So, you know, I think 4 to 6 weeks is much more likely than two to four at this point Tom. I want to get to a big injury update. And an update on a retired player right after this message from our sponsors. What's up listeners? This has been kookiness producer of the fantasy free agents podcast on anchor FM podcasting. I've been producing podcast and chose for my friends and colleagues Joe Dolan and Tom Bradley for years now. So when we decided to start the fantasy free agents podcast, it was imperative. We find a hosting platform an app that was easy to use Quick to record and post and track our stats and that's exactly what we found in Anchor. It's the easiest way to make a podcast and Give you everything you need in one place from either your phone or your computer. Their creation. Tools makes my life easier and I felt great knowing that anchor handles the distribution of our podcast to their other platforms like Spotify Apple podcasts Google podcasts and many more and don't worry about any difficult process to monetize your podcast. You can easily make money with no minimum listenership. So go download the anchor app or go to Anchor dot f m-- to get started today and thanks for listening to the fantasy free agents podcast unrestricted. Unaffiliated unparalleled analysis for your fantasy football and bedding needs. Tom we've had a couple of big-time retirements this offseason first. I want to start with the New England Patriots center David Andrews. His season is in Jeopardy. He was in the hospital and thank God he's all right blood clots in his lungs. I don't know what else to say here Tom. I mean except that we're thinking of David Andrews. We want them to be healthy if there's anybody who can who can overcome the loss of a starting center a week before the season. Season kicks off its Dante scar nekia with the New England Patriots, but certainly something to think about if you're investing heavily in a guy who's been getting a lot of hype recently and Sony Michelle. Yeah. I was just about to say Sony Michelle looked really good in the preseason game the offensive line. There were some questions. They lost Trent Brown over the offseason. So, you know, maybe the offense of line wouldn't be nearly as a strong but now they suffer, you know, another big loss here if Andrews is unable to play this season. So, you know, I don't think we're going to It's up to you Joe, but I don't think we're going to really tweak it that much but there is something there is some downside now. If this sent this injury this health issue ends up being a bigger deal here. It does. It does hurt the depth of the offensive line and you know, the Patriots have one of the deepest, you know, you know the depth chart sat on along the offensive line, but it is a big loss for that me I'd PFF had him as a top 20 Center so last season so he it would be Be a big blow for Tom Brady and Sony Michelle in the middle of this offensive line. Well, they kept Ed Karis around this is his fourth season. He was a sixth-round pick four years ago Ted Karis out of at an Illinois and he's a he's a backup interior lineman. He's probably going to be the favorite here to be the center. But they also have y'all take a fro Holt the rookie fourth rounder from Arkansas the okay. Yeah. Okay. The the Norseman. Yeah. He's he's there as well. Tom with Sony Michelle, this is a guy I really have not invested in at all. And the thing about the Patriots backfield though is there's always production. It's just that they always seem to pull the rug out from under you with who you think's going to get the production and I am starting to be really concerned that I haven't invested enough in Sony Michelle. I am right there with you. He's looking healthy here, you know, they've been keeping him in bubble wrap, you know, basically all summer all spring and they finally let them out in the dress rehearsal game and He look good so a I'm right there with you. I'm a little concerned. I think we did bump them up a little bit after watching him in the preseason game in our last rankings update. But yeah, I'm starting to worry that I don't have enough ownership stakes in him. We'll see if that knee can hold up. I mean that's that's the issue. He can look good in spurts. But over the long run is he going to be able to you know withstand the grind of a 16-game season here? Alright, Tom and the other update and this is the one that fantasy players are actually actually going to focus on Rob. Held a press conference today and he announced yesterday that it was going to be for his next chapter and everybody's like. Oh my God. Is he going to be in the Fast and the Furious? Is he going to sign with the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Is he going to sign with WWE. Is he going to go be a pro wrestler? It's actually Tom a lot gentler than that and gentle is probably the operative word. Yes Rock says, he's signing with a CBD company to let's break it down. So it was this a good career move. It's a good Career move for Gronk and he's talking about the benefits of CBD and first and foremost. We know in the next CBA the CBA for the CBD. There are going to be they are one of the things that's absolutely going to be relaxed Tom is marijuana and I see what he did there relaxed and and and cannabis and CBD and all that stuff. We know those those that's going to be relaxed and maybe we even see what his old teammate here with Scored in here. I mean the handling of that whole situation over the last couple years has been a little, you know, a little less a little more lenient compared to years past whenever you know, he had his issues and Cleveland there right and look at Tom everybody freaks out when somebody gets busted for weed in the NFL. But the thing is it's collectively bargained. Okay, like that's the rule there's no open to interpretation here. My point is I think the rule is changing in the next CBA and if the NFL is going to be all about player pain management playerhealth. They have to relax these laws for something in cannabis. That's a lot safer than some of the opioids that's going on. So that's going to get relaxed. We know that but Rob Gronkowski also said when asked if there was a return to football he said, well not next week not next month, but if my body feels good and I'm paraphrasing if my body feels good and my passion for the game is restored. I am not ruling it out and I almost Grrrr now this Tom. I think it's going to be very very hard to say. Oh Andrew Luck's going to become a trend Andrew Luck made a shit ton of money. Grew up. Rich had a lot of injuries. The reality is Tom. There are way way more Joe schmo's in the NFL than there are Andrew Luck's and Rob Gronkowski's who can retire early but I do wonder if a bigger name player a guy who a guy who clearly has something left in the tank, but his body is failing. Him. I almost wonder if we might see more not necessarily retirements but sabbaticals in the NFL just to say hey, I got to get right and I want to make sure I'm healthy before I come back. I still love the game, but I can't do this right now. This is what I wonder if not not necessarily becomes a trend but becomes more common. Yeah, I think it probably is. I mean, it feels like we're trending in that direction and you know, I could totally see grown coming back at some point the next I don't know if it's some time this Season or in a season or two and you know, he said it today didn't roll it out. So yeah, I guys get worn out. I mean it's a I mean it's a year-long process basically at this point, you know, you're rehabbing injuries surgeries, you know, you have offseason workouts all throughout the the winter and spring and It's a Grind for these guys. So and then once you get to the fault, you take a beating on Sundays and it's a race to get you know close to 80 90. Sent and being ready to go for another game the next week so I can see how it wears on these guys and I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see, you know, this become a little bit of a trend where guys, you know, take a take a year off and come back then, you know and come back refreshed. I would think and this is just a me armchair psychology, which is probably stupid Tom, but from my perspective, it feels like Gronk is more likely to come back than Andrew Luck, although I although I wouldn't be shocked if either did. Yeah, I lucked feels more more set in stone. It feels like this guy, you know probably locks probably been thinking about this decision for you know, probably the last two years back to 2017 when he was dealing with the shoulder stuff. So I feel like this lock thing was a long long time coming Gronk. I drunk I feel like probably, you know goes more with his instincts and goes out in a whim, you know a little bit more than Andrew Lock Tom. Going to get to our auction strategies are auctioned discussion. But hey, we didn't hear from Ben kookiness for like six minutes and that's far too long. So I want been kookiness to talk to the people right now. What's up listeners? This has been kookiness producer of the fantasy free agents podcast. If you're listening to this you obviously like podcasts and I'll go out on a limb and say you like music too. It used to be looking for podcasts on one app and listening to music on another but now on Spotify you have all your listening needs including the fantasy free agents. It for free. No you don't need a premium account Spotify has a huge catalogue of podcasts on every topic and you can follow your favorite podcast. So you never miss an episode download episodes to listen offline, wherever you are and easily share what you're listening to with your friends via spotify's Integrations with social platforms, like Instagram spotify's the world's leading music streaming service, and now it can be your go to for podcast as well. Just search for the fantasy free agents on the Spotify app or browse podcasts in the EU or Tab and follow us so you never miss an episode and now back to the unrestricted unaffiliated unparalleled analysis of the fantasy free agents. Thank you Ben. Tom Ben was in our auction the other night by the way, I know we posted up the the little results on tff a fantasy at Twitter at TFA fantasy. It was not a three-team auction been just posted the three smack. Yeah. I saw we got a couple, you know tweet responses to that yesterday. I think people want oh, yeah, three team leg. You could have done a little better. Yeah. No. Yeah, I wasn't I yeah, I wasn't paying up for a Jared Cook in a three-team league guys, but Tom we were in a 12-team auction and I love this auction. I actually won it last year. I think me you and Ben have won it three out of the last four years. I've wondered why our opponents even play against us at this point, but we in this auction. It's a 12 Timur one quarterback two receivers to running backs to flex. Let me tell you something about multiple Flex spot. They're awesome. The it's just it you see so many builds Tom and you went crazy in this draft something. I've never seen you do. I went with a more balanced approach, but tell the people what you did in this auction draft and then we'll get more into General strategy. Well, this is generally something I didn't do but the yeah, I got Nick Chubb and Charlie James Conner at the top of my draft and I was actually just trying to bid up to Nick Chubb a little bit and I ended up, you know getting Stuck with them, you know terrible guy to get stuck with a top 10 top 15 player in the league. But you know, so I went with a real heavy build it running back and kind of pieced it together at my receiver positions and like you said, I really do like the format month you can use anybody at your Flex is here. It's not a super quarterback accepts those so I know Mark Andrews went for a really nice price at toward the end of the draft. I got him for a couple bucks three bucks. You know, he's a type of guy I can use in a flex and you know, I'm banking on a couple of my receiver stepping up. I have Tyler boy does my top receiver Hunter Henry's, you know, my next best price receiver and he's a tight end and then DD Westbrook Michael Gallop, Geronimo Allison Sammy Watkins and and Anthony Miller. So I took a couple of younger guys with some upside hoping that just one or two of them hits and pans out for me and you know helps wide receiver position there. So that's a 0 wide receiver approach the far less common brother 2-0 running back but up interesting on your part Tom. I went with a more balanced approach. I've Kyler Murray at quarterback Juju Smith Schuster Cooper cop who were both on my team last year at receiver Calvin Ridley is my third receiver. My running backs are carrion Johnson Damien Williams James White. I have Justice Hill and nayeem Hines on the bench on the bench at receiver. I have Jarvis Landry Dante Pettis entire L Williams Jared Cook and Delanie Walker my tight ends. I'm actually We happy with that team. It's a balanced approach. The only real star. I think I have is Juju but a but it's an approach that's worked for me in the past. But Tom has opposed to breaking down our team's I want to talk about kind of what we do here and I think in auctions for those of you wanting to get into an auction now, we have an auction cheat sheet up at Fantasy for agents.com. They are suggested values and I know some people have said yo you look at these auction cheat sheets elsewhere. And the values are wild and that Tom that's just because auctions are so hard to predict. They're just they're conservative. That's when I see most often that the pricing on other sites is a little more conservative than even the prices that we list to you know, I was thinking I'd be able to get carry on Johnson and Damian Williams for kind of Bargains and compared to say Quan Berkeley was going for sixty plus bucks. I guess I did but Johnson and Williams 38 37 bucks, you know, it was a sharp room here and you're going to have to at Some point it is it an advantage in an auction room Tom to have the most money absolutely but you have to buy a player at some point. You have to get good players on your team or you're not going to win if you leave the dreaded Tom you made a faux pas. Yeah, I screwed up. I mean I rarely do this but I left the most money on the table. I left nine dollars on the table. So I mean I screwed up I probably could have, you know paid up, you know for another receiver here and got another another, you know. Maybe a little higher wide receiver to or a better wide receiver three here Sunday. I screwed up. I look at the fact that I got Calvin Ridley for like 15 bucks and I'm like Tom if one of the your receivers that you bought for six bucks, you could a I don't want Calvin Ridley don't oh, okay. He's on my do not drown. Alright. Well use my third receiver. So I'm just saying just just says no, I know it's your said. Yeah, I one of these guys that I spent five or six bucks on, you know, I could have gotten a little bit better value with those types. All right. I'm James. White I got for nine dollars. So there's there's an example of a $9 player. But that here's the thing the price is always look crazy at the beginning and then all of a sudden Tom there's a there's a switch that gets flipped and then looks like everybody's a bargain. Yeah, and sometimes sometimes there's going to be bidding wars for players. You don't think there should be bidding wars for and that's only because the people in the room who have the most money have identified a certain player. R as the last guy they want for instance in our room that all the receivers kind of around Julian Edelman who would be going in a snake draft the the 10 picks before him and the 10 picks after him. We're all gone and we saw Julian Edelman on the board and they were two players in the draft who had a lot of money and needed a wide receiver. And we threw Julian Edelman out there and it was like dropping the cow into the Velociraptor pit and Jurassic Park like it was it was okay. Let's do this. We know that This is happening. So we and then we just sat back and watch those to go to town bidding up. Julian Edelman who ended up Tom probably going for a little bit more money than some of the quote-unquote better receivers, but that's just because of the flow of the draft where maybe they didn't get into a bidding war when they should have for a guy like digs or they didn't get into a bidding war when they should have for a guy like Amari Cooper and then Julian Edelman goes out onto the board and everybody is the the two or three guys who have the most money. We are trying to build them up and win them and then the guy who has the who just has the most gumption is going to be the one who gets them. Yeah, sometimes it pays to be out ahead of the tears get your guys early in tears as opposed to late because you know, once you get down to the one or two final guys, there might be five or six people that need a guy out of that tear. So you're really competing with other people for the for that one or two players that are left. So sometimes it pays to be early getting your guys, you know from tears. I think with the with the prices that the running backs were going for in this draft. Now. The first thing you need to know is in an auction everything. This is why it's so hard to do an auction draft plan because if you go into the room and the prices are lower than you anticipate for the top running backs. It's probably even if you didn't plan on getting involved in that bidding it's probably prudent to do so because you're like wait a minute. I thought say qualms is going to go for 65 bucks and he's sitting here and nobody wants to go. Go a dollar above 40 and you're like, holy crap. This is this is a huge value for me on the other hand. If you go into the room saying man, I really wants a quater. I really want Alvin Kamara and they're going for 70 bucks. It might be smart to Pivot to more of a balanced approach or to Pivot to the wide receiver position. So you really need to pay constant attention and read your room in an auction. Yeah, and the quarterback position is really interesting in our leg, you know each other. Makes it might not be you know, a lot of our top quarterbacks ended up going for a buck or two. I mean, I know my brother got Baker Mayfield for two bucks Matt Ryan went for a buck to believe Justin pain sermon. So it was really interesting our guy Ben Ben Louganis. Hey Abed. Are you ever gonna learn? He always pays up for a quarterback spent 20 bucks on Patrick Mahomes. I think I was next closest. I spent I think eight on DeShaun Watson. And so, you know quite the quite the drop off between the the top quarterbacks and you know in our Legacy that's pretty common every year that you can always get some good quarterbacks for just a buck to 3 bucks in our Lake. Yeah, so and I would not say Tom that this is going to be common for a league that's just starting an auction. You know, I got my guy Kyler Murray for two bucks and I feel really good about that. And then I saw Baker Mayfield go for two and Matt Ryan go for one now. I mean Extra Buck where you don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Kyler was up before those guys. And yeah, I want to guess the bigger Mayfield want for closer to four or five dollars. But I mean, that's that's why we do oxide. You don't know where these guys are going to go and for how much and I mean that was a great buy for for Baker and I didn't want to like put and here's the thing Tom when you have limited roster spots. I didn't I didn't want to bid up for Baker just because hey that's too cheap, you know, like I didn't want to blow a roster spot. Spot when I had players at other positions that I wanted to Target. So you already had a quarterback. I mean exactly. There's almost no reason to carry two quarterbacks. So I mean your why would you jump in there? So it was a kind of a, you know part of the timing as well as probably one Baker was nominated. We were probably I don't know eight to ten quarterbacks into that at that point. A lot of guys already had their quarterbacks. Yeah, so I don't think that's going to be common but the one thing I would tell the people if you're getting into auction and you want an auction strategy Not pay up for a quarterback because you are going to be stunned at how cheap you can get one and then you know, if somebody wants to buy two Elite quarterbacks. It's an annoying. Yes, but Tom let them because everybody in an auction has a finite cap and if they're going to say, oh, you know, I paid $25 for Patrick Mahomes, but I can't let DeShaun Watson go for 15. That's too cheap. Well let that guy because Tom not only do you have finite money. You have finite roster spaces while I was about to say, that's the thing if he takes one more quarterback. Back that means that's an extra running back or receiver that's left out in the board. And then you know that could maybe that could be the difference in a tear or two later in the draft. So it's not only money. It's you know, what roster spots are being used. So Tommy, I mean it's the thing with that that's the one thing I could say about auctions and you'll notice up at a fantasy for agents.com. Tom our auction cheat sheet. The prices on the quarterbacks are going to look cheap. I think we only have two guys who I project for over $10 at on the Low end and in our draft only one quarterback one for $10 or more in that was Patrick Mahomes and went for 20, which actually I mean notnot to rag on Ben. It doesn't look awful on the surface. But when you saw Baker Mayfield go for $2 patch Mahomes isn't 10 times better than Baker made. Yeah, that's the thing. Yeah, and you never know and in that was the first quarterback that was out. I mean Ben maybe I should know our room a little bit better. This is how many years we've been doing. This is their sixth or seventh year that we've been doing this. It's the same every year nobody drought, you know, nobody bids up for quarterbacks in our legs. So, you know, you can always get good deals and you know, even our our leg is getting sharper on the defense has now I don't think anybody spent two dollars or more on a defense as well. Yeah, sometimes early in an auction. The one thing that will get boring is throwing defense has out there. But but what guys want an auction Tom if you throw defense out early you want to get a $1 by at the defense position. So you have that roster spot filled you Little bit more better idea of how much cap you have to work with before getting to the end of the auction and saying, oh I have six bucks left. I really want to draft this guy. I've been eyeing up ah shit. I haven't bought my defense yet. So yeah, you're not Moyer ended up doing that. He put Chicago out in the second round of betting. I believe it was and you know, that's one of those like, well somebody bids it up. That means they're spending more money on a defense than I would be willing to spend and if not I get the best defense that's out there. Yeah. So, I mean the Barrett the problem with the Bears is they play their mortal enemy and one are not that that's one of the things I gave away on the fantasy Feast. I was like never drafty fences based off of ranking strapped them off of who they play in week 1 and ideally beyond that. That's always my thing that I do Tom and I got Baltimore plays Miami and week one, so I'm pretty excited about that. But that's what we do in an auction. There's always going to be guys who end up looking like values at the end of the draft, you know, you can't get yourself too much into that. But the one thing I will say for sure do Not spend up for quarterback because the question becomes would you rather have Baker Mayfield end Cooper cup or Patrick Mahomes and I'm always going to take the good receiver and the lower end quarterback over the great quarterback. Yeah, and we know the depth of the position. I mean if you wanted to wait till the very end and take the last quarterback drafted. I mean if you get like, you know, Josh Alan, you know that, you know our our QB 18 or 19. You'll be fine. Yeah, you'll be fine. Fine, you could you can stream them, you know, there's plenty of good options out there at quarterback. So that is one position not to spend up at. All. Right Tom II think that's going to wrap it up for this edition of the podcast. So people enjoy talking about this you and I have an auction on Thursday that maybe are our good friend. Josh Moyer will be in as well. But we have some guys in that auction. Whoo-hoo you've heard of and it's a fun League that you and I have had a lot of success in recently not yes not to brag too much. But you and I also have our big long-term draft on Sunday. We got to get ready for that. I have the ACI alumni draft Tom tonight. I've never been what does that even mean? I've never been in the ACI but like that there is a lot of turnover how you get me. Neither. Exactly. It's a very confused by this stuff holds honorary degree. All right, I guess I'm an honorary member of the ACI, even though I've never been in the ACI. I know the ACI drafts coming out I was watching. And some of those videos. Oh my Lord. Was that fun? By the way, if you don't know what the ACI is John Hanson and Adam Kaplan our erstwhile colleagues started that up at Sirius XM fantasy and it's at the Adam Kaplan Invitational and you have to do a video submission to get in and they were so freaking great ones this year and it's all those going out on the Sirius XM fantasy feed yesterday. I guess they were playing all the videos that from the people We got accepted into the league and there were some pretty good one. I'm in the alumni draft tonight, even though I it's an honorary degree from so there's the competition in the alumni. We got big rig. I think I think our girl Bonnie's in there. Okay, Bonnie. I hope you listen to podcasts till we got some good ones Tom. I mean, it's I don't know who else is in it, but I'm in it. I know that it's an 8:30 tonight. And I know you Tom are drafting at not fantasy Fabio's and even though he's in the ACI to he won the ACI last year. So he if you win the ACI which by the way, John Hanson won two years in a row, but she's Laird's if you have to be a CI you get to be in and again, otherwise, they turn it over. But but but anyway, I'm in that draft and Tom you are in the NFC tonight. I want to hear about your team. Yeah, I'm interested. I was gonna pluck. I've been kind of going through it picking first in the third round reverse. Also, if you know anybody that's not familiar with the third round reverse a lot means basically I get dropped to the back of the third round. I would usually pick first 24th 25th. I, instead pick first 24 36 and 37. So little bit different I'll you know, I'm hoping to get maybe a I don't know like a, you know, Stefon Diggs or Julian Edelman or somebody else for your plan out there Tom, whatever. I mean, it'll take them and I'll have a better player available. So So I see so yeah, it's a it's a little bit different strategy. But you know, it's not the spot. I wanted I'll be completely honest. I wish I was picking, you know, probably where you were. I think I would have preferred towards the back end of the draft. What do you have a torn? I had eight. Hey and David Johnson fell the me because that was on the heels of that awful preseason game and then of course, they ended up looking pretty good in their next one. So yeah, I'm really happy about that pic. Yeah, that's so I think I'd rather pick towards back. And but you know, I'll see how it goes. I'm very interested. I've never competed in an FF C regular season. I've done it a couple of the postseason last year. I know we did that, you know for them. So I'm very excited to get in this high-stakes leg and see what it's like to go against, you know, some some big money players. All right, Tom, I gotta get to the dentist. I have a dentist appointment. Oh, I hope your experience goes better than my dentist experience yesterday. So I aiso up. Uh, yeah. Well, I went February 26th last time so they scheduled me for August 26. Yeah, that sounds great six months, you know perfect so I get there and they tell me that dental insurance doesn't cover a cleaning unless it's six months and one day after your last appointment. So I'm literally six months and you know on the nose away from my last appointment. So today would have been perfect. Yesterday wasn't so I traveled 20 minutes to go get this frickin cleaning and they told me I have to show up again next week. So that's their fault. Well, I know but what the hell am I supposed to do like anyway, I gotta get to the dentist right now. So for Tom Rowley at Tom Rowley on Twitter. I am Joe Dolan at FT underscore Dolan. Thanks everybody. I got my first day of lectures tomorrow. I got to go to class. I my schedule is now packed make sure you subscribe to the fantasy Feast by the way on the Ross Tucker podcast Network because I will be the co-host this Year, it has been great talking to you guys. I hope everybody has a wonderful Tuesday. Join me on Thursday with Greg Cosell. Thanks for joining us on the fantasy free agents podcast. Remember to subscribe rate and review on the apple of your choice. Our next episode is just around the corner.
Joe Dolan (@FG_Dolan) and Tom Brolley (@TomBrolley) dig into all non-Andrew Luck/Lamar Miller talk following the third week of the preseason (7:15). They also hit on news regarding A.J. Green (23:05), the Patriots offensive line (24:35), and Rob Gronkowski (27:30) before finishing the pod with some tips to dominate your auction draft (32:15). Lastly, congrats to Joe for his new role as the lead analyst on the Fantasy Feast Podcast with Ross Tucker. A special congratulations to our own Joe Dolan for finishing #1 in Draft Accuracy for the 2018 season among 140+ sites and experts! This was Joe’s second #1 overall and third top-3 finish in the last 5 years, making his rankings THE most accurate preseason fantasy football draft rankings on average since 2015. Check out the complete list at fantasypros.com/nfl/accuracy/multi-year-draft.php. Joe’s draft was held on 8/20, but there’s still time to beat Tom! To draft against Tom, join the Rotowire Online Championship and select the online draft date and time of 8/27 at 9:30 PM Eastern. Play for the $200,000 grand prize! 