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. Tom our old colleague John Hanson, our close friend has has been saying for years that this coming weekend is the biggest weekend in the history of fantasy football. And while he is saying that as kind of a joke, there's always some truth to it Tom because each and every year more and more people play Fantasy Football and Tommy wouldn't recommend anybody go into their draft season without a plan and that's what we're wrapping up today. We are wrapping up our Of our draft plan here at the fantasy free agents podcast. I am Joe Dolan. He is Tom Brawley Tom. We did running backs and wide receivers earlier this week. They are our most popular episodes ever on a daily download basis. So I think we're really getting into what people want. They want the information. They want to know what's going to make their team's better. Now, we have all kinds of things to make to make teams better. We have great Cosell coming in but this is exactly what you need. Due to draft your team and we're going to wrap it up today with our quarterback and tight and draft plan. But Tom as we always do we're going to kick off the episode with some injury news and we are going to start with the Broly brothers who each have messed up their shoulders this year. Yeah. I just want to give a quick shout out to my brother Matt who's serving in the air force over in Korea South Korea somehow he managed to To outdo me. It was like we're back and being kids again. Well, he wanted to one-up my dislocated shoulder. He had a little accident going to get lunch on his bike the other week last week here and he severely dislocated his shoulder needed to go into surgery to get ligaments reattached and everything else. So he somehow managed to outdo my dislocated shoulder. I can't believe he did it. But now he's got a suddenly has a A free time and now he's picked up listening to the podcast. So we have a couple more listeners and he's one of just a few of our mutual friends that have been asking about when that one's the quarterback and tight and plans coming out. So here you go Matt, you're probably laid up, you know on whatever drugs you're you know, they gave you to kill the the shoulder pain, but I just want to give a quick shout out to my brother there who's in a little bit of pain right now. Well, you need a little bit of a drugs to listen to our podcast consistently now, Tom It's a more embarrassing injury your brother getting hurt and getting a severe shoulder injury that requires surgery while going to get lunch or you dislocated your shoulder hitting out of a bunker. Okay, I have discussed this with a couple people I think mine is still more embarrassing playing golf, you know a gentleman's game, you know, not not I don't know too many people that have gotten hurt on the golf course, but his was you know, he was out in the rain. It was a wet train track that he went over and kind of threw him side. But he certainly got the worst end in terms of needing surgery and he's going to be lucky to be using that shoulder and four to six months. So I think I got the worst end in terms of embarrassment but he got the injury side of it now Matt Brawley. Let me just throw this suggestion out here. Hopefully Tom his bidding finger works because he better be there for our auction draft in our favorite League that we do every year that's coming up next Sunday. He better be there even though he's what 12 13 13 hours ahead of us. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He might be there now because he'll be on medical leave. So right well, he better be doing some mock auction drafts because he's got to prepare for this and not by three defense has this year. He's got the time so he's probably in some Yahoo and ESPN mock draft legs right now. All right, Tom, so we got rid of that injury update. Now. Let's get into a couple others before we get into our quarterback and tight end Draft plans Keenan Allen Adam schefter reports has an ankle injury. He's not considered serious, but the Chargers are going to hold him out until week one. You never want to hear anything like this. But with the Melvin Gordon situation, the last thing the Chargers need to do is push Keenan Allen who has had injury problems in his career through an injury when he doesn't really need to practice Yeah, the details are kind of thin on this but the fact that they're already saying that they're just going to basically hold them out for the next three weeks until week one. I mean that that does worry me a little bit. Bit that maybe it's of the high ankle variety which you know, those can be aggravated pretty quickly it pretty easily. So not the best information here. Maybe we will maybe a little bit more will come out in the coming days here. But the fact that they roll them out already, you know, it could be either good or bad, you know, maybe they're just being extra cautious here, but you know, not not the best news. We just actually, you know moved him up here a little bit earlier this week what you know with the whole Hilton situation with lock and now might We consider putting Hilton back ahead of Keenan Allen here. Yeah, we will talk about Andrew Luck when we get into the quarterback draft plan. But there's another update their Tom. We also need to touch on the fact that Adam schefter says Melvin Gordon is prepared to miss games, even though he doesn't want to there have been no significant progress in talks with Melvin Gordon and the Chargers at this point. I mean, we knew we knew he was willing to miss games because he's holding out but just keep that in mind if you're drafting this weekend. That there is an inherent risk to drafting Melvin Gordon. That being said there is almost no scenario Tom. I can Envision in which Melvin Gordon misses the entire season because if he does he will not accrue a year of free agency. I think I think it's eight games he needs to play. So at the very least you're probably going to get him for bare minimum half the season. Yeah, I would still bet on him, you know being being in the Chargers Camp here for Week 1, but you know, it's not something I feel totally Lakeshore about which is why I basically I really haven't been drafted him. I would start considering them early third middle of forth. But usually somebody takes them before then but they're there is definitely a little bit of risk of him missing a few games here to start the season Tom, you know coaches life from time to time. I hope I'm not breaking news to you. No, not at all. Why and remember a couple weeks ago when everybody was freaking out because Andy Reid came out and said, oh Carlos Hyde, he looks good. Good. Oh baby, he's gonna be great. Well the athletic Kansas City chief beat writer Nate Taylor predicts. The Carlos Hyde is not going to make the final roster. That's hilarious. Now. That's just a prediction. I know but I mean, he's obviously probably has a you know connections with the squad here, you know, he's been watching practices, you know, probably seeing the same thing that we've seen the last couple years that Carlos Hyde can't play anymore. Yeah. He stinks got I mean that and that's the In time now if Carlos Hyde was going to get if you were to tell me the guys going to get a hundred and seventy five carries in the Kansas City offense. Well, of course, I'm going to say he's going to have fantasy value but we've been ranking Carlos Hyde this offseason based on the fact that we know he's not any good that Damien Williams and Darwin Thompson or more versatile my opinion Carlos Hyde's been a blown pick all summer long. I haven't drafted him once I've been drafting Williams and I've been drafting Thompson, especially Thompson since he's been cheaper, but right now, Tom I actually have a pretty good feeling about Damien Williams in this backfield. I know I almost pissed at this report came out I've you know doing the best ball drafts and stuff and I've seen Damien Williams start to slip into the the beginning of the third early, you know middle third. So I've been jumping on that. So now, you know, it's probably gonna you know, he's probably going to correct here back into the late second round, but you know, I took advantage of it for a couple days here Taro Darwin Thompson's continues to be a major value latent dress. He's you know, pretty he's got some like Torico and I'm and I'm a little bit here small guy, but Elusive and you know just ridiculous yards per carry yards per reception numbers at Utah State, you know, he could be a nice little value here at the end of giraffes. Especially if Carlos Hyde can't make the roster here. Yeah, I even saw and I did a fast rap last night and Darrell Williams was drafted as well. So people are yeah. I don't think the real Williams but you know people are starting to realize that Carlos. Hide might not be long for this roster. And it looks like it's going to be a couple Dee Williams in this backfield with Darwin Thompson and Darwin Thompson's a small guy. So I don't know if he's going to be the quote-unquote lead back. But the way Kansas City spreads things out he can he can have a lot of value but his atp's going to rise the sharp guys in the industry are already all over Darwin Thompson Tom obviously in our rankings that we're going to publish here. By the way, we're going to update all of our cheat sheets here on Friday. So you have not just the pie. Gasps but you have all the cheat sheets updated in our latest rankings Darwin Thompson is going to be well above Carlos Hyde Tom. I don't think I'm going to be breaking any news to you there either. I like it. Thank thank you for I think we've you know print been pretty high on Darwin Thompson all all preseason here. So let's have been knocked down hide a couple more spots. 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 gives you everything you need in one place from either your phone or your computer their creation. Also 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 four regions podcast unrestricted, unaffiliated unparalleled analysis for your fantasy football and bedding needs. Tom it is now time to get into our draft plan here and because our previous Draft plans running backs and wide receivers. We covered about 60 plus players in each. Well, we think we can group together the quarterback in the tight end draft plan because we're probably going to be covering about 60 players between the two and that might be generous given, you know, most leagues only start one at each position though. Some leaks have super flexes and we will touch on those a little bit at the end superflex for those of you. Who don't know means in addition to the traditional Flex you could play a quarterback there or many call it a to quarterback leak because most of the time you want to play a second quarterback and Tom and I will get into our strategies there. But Tom I'm looking at the ATP at the nff see over the last week at the quarterback position. And for the sake of this exercise both with the quarterback and the tight end position. We're going to assume this is a 12-team PPR League. This is for and for the draft plan that we're talking about initially. Let's presume. It's a one quarterback leak because that's what this ATP is according to latest ATP should be no surprise. Tom Patrick Mahomes is the earliest quarterback off the board Tom. He is going roughly 40 pics before the second quarterback comes off the board over the last week in the nff. See his average ATP is twenty seven point six eight with a minimum pick of 14. Look Tom Patrick Mahomes is our number one quarterback. He is going to continue to be our number one quarterback in one quarterback leagues. I will have no Patrick Mahomes this year. This is just way too high a price for me to pay for the quarterback position. And I'm I mean, I wish you would disagree so we would have some level of disagreement on this but I'm just not paying a second third round ATP for quarterback. No, no way. I'm actually surprised, you know, these are pretty sharp people that use this. You know use the nff C. So this data's, you know from the best players, you know, some of the best the sharpest players in you know that are playing fantasy football every August and I'm shocked that he has a third-round price right now. I really you know, the homes is the number one guy here. There's no denying it but I think the gap between my Holmes and Watson. I don't think it's as great as you know, even close to as great as this 35 to 40 pick range here, you know, I think maybe they're around or to remember Your round round and a half difference here, you know, I think they should be both probably going off in the fourth fifth round here around pick 50 around pick 60, but you know, you got to pay a premium price if you want Patrick my home and look there's no argument against him being the the number one quarterback in pre-draft rankings and maybe you can make the argument. Well the number the number one ATP cornerback hasn't actually finished number one at the quarterback position in I think it's been a I think it's been like close to in or eight years, but Patrick mom says the weapons. He's coming off a 50 touchdown pass season. He's young. He's athletic. I mean, he's got everything you want. But even if they added Prime Jerry Rice to this roster Tom, I'm taking the under on 50 touchdown passes. It's really freaking hard to do. Yeah, it's only happened twice. I mean, it's him and Peyton Manning with 50 touchdown passes and fight already did it to write? Oh Brady did hit OK he did it in. In 2007 with the Randy Moss undefeated. Okay. Well, yeah, I mean so it's a three band club. It's pretty Exclusive Company. I'm probably thinking Manning in my homes 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. So I mean there's there's almost zero chance that Mahomes duplicates what he did last year. I mean, I would you know, I'd wager, you know a large sum of money that he doesn't duplicate what he did again last year. So, I mean you're paying a premium price for something that he did last year. You know, we already kind of touched on there's some little bit of uncertainty, you know with Tyree kill situation, you know, you never know what could happen there and it's just it's just bound to regress here at 40 touchdowns. Forty five touchdowns would be a nice season from homes this year and nice. Yeah, but that's where we're at right now. I'd be alright, it'll be alright. Yeah, but so let's explain to the people why we're not paying the price for Patrick Mahomes because if you're listening to this and I mean we essentially have Patrick Patrick Mahomes package in our mouths right now the way we're talking about him. But why are we not drafting Patrick Mahomes Tom? Well, somebody's going to come out and say well I want my fantasy league last year because I had Patrick Mahomes. Here's the difference. You won your fantasy league last year drafting Patrick my homes in the ninth or tenth round. You won your fantasy league because you had Patrick Mahomes and a lot of guys who you drafted in the early rounds that were able to supplement. Lament that roster that were able to complement and enhance Patrick Mahomes. I am not telling you that having Patrick Mahomes isn't a massive advantage in fantasy football. I just don't think given the depth of the quarterback position, which is something we're definitely going to be getting into because there are a lot of these guys we love I just don't think the advantage to having Patrick Mahomes is worth paying essentially a four-round difference between him and DeShaun Watson or an 8-round difference between him and Cam Newton. It's the depth of the position is at an all-time high here earlier this summer on the podcast. I think we agreed that it kind of went 22 deep. I think you could make the argument. It is 23 Deep now and potentially 24. I think Donald is now, you know in that Echelon to be considered in the top twenty three, and if you think Derek Carr, I mean he's, you know had a nice little pre season so far couple nice passes last night you so you could go 24 deep at this point. So You know what kind of go into our strategy a little bit but I don't start considering a quarterback, you know until the 9th or 10th round in most leagues and I like I like to really hold out to The Bitter End here. I'm sure you're the kind of the same way here, but I'm pretty similar but we'll get into that Tom second off. The board is to Sean Watson sixty two point six eight that puts him right on the fifth sixth round cusp. Here is where I start to consider DeShaun Watson first and foremost. It'll be in the sixth round and sometimes if I'm in a league where people are playing chicken, he'll even fall to the early seventh and when I'm drafting a quarterback and let's throw Aaron Rodgers and Baker Mayfield into this mix because both of those guys are in the sixth round ATP as well. I kind of look at the draft board. And if I see on the draft board, you know what I already have my tight end. I drafted OJ Howard or Evan engram guys. I like this year. I have two good running backs. I feel good about I have two good receivers. I feel good about and I really don't like paying the price for the number three receiver the number three running back that's there or say more likely Tom. Well, I want a number three receiver, but there's five guys here that I actually feel good about and I have him rated similarly and Be okay with any one of those five. That's what I'm going to look at the quarterbacks and say is there somebody here who I believe I can create an advantage with is there somebody here? I'm like, you know what? I'd rather take DeShaun Watson and the fifth of that tier of receivers that I was talking about then wait a little bit take whatever receiver. I am and maybe it ends up being the same guy who's available in the next round for me, but I'll take whatever receiver. I like best and then I'll wait for Jared Goff. That's kind of how I Oh, I work through the the quarterback position in these leagues. I almost never draft one early. But when I do it's when I have a bunch of guys at other positions that I have rated similarly and then there's a quarterback who really sticks out like a sore thumb on the draft board. Yeah. It just doesn't happen very often for me though. Just um looking at guys that running backs guys like miles Sanders and Rashad Penny and Robbie Anderson at receiver. Cristian Kirk is another guy really? Like it's I have a tough time prioritizing a quarterback, you know even ones as good as Watson and Mayfield in Rogers to really, you know, if I get a mile Sanders there's an outside chance that he could be a top 10 top 12 running back if everything breaks, right? So that's why I have a tough time justifying taking a quarterback at that spot. Whenever I could I could pick up a running back that could be an upper echelon type player at its position right and this Is what I'm saying, it doesn't happen often, but sometimes if I'm in a particularly sharp room and all those guys that I have targeted are are taken like a mile Sanders Tom. It's not uncommon to see Sanders in a sharp room go in the fifth round now because because people are seeing what he did especially last night in the preseason. Oh, by the way, we will recap the preseason on Mondays podcast, but when I'm talking about that in all my targets are kind of sniped from me. That's what I consider it and it's a feel thing for me and unfortunately if you're listening to this, In your head spinning. I don't know if you're going to be able to do this as a feel thing. So you might want to take our advice and draft in the range where we typically draft one of these guys, but that's just how I approach it. And that's how sometimes I will have a baker Mayfield on my team. That being said Tom. I got to be I think Aaron Rodgers getting overdraft a little bit. I do too. He's about what the fourth guy off the board here in off the third guy. Yeah. I like Mayfield her here a little bit better. Lock I'd like better until you know, everything came out about his ankle here. So yeah, I think he's slightly overdrafted here, you know hasn't been a major fantasy producer here the last couple of years, you know learning a new offense here. Maybe you know, maybe that's why people are excited about it. You know, he's finally out from underneath Mike McCarthy weighing them down here. So but yeah, I would tend to lean towards Mayfield a little bit more over Rogers in the spot now fifth guy off the board over. The last week Tom is Andrew Luck and we know what's going With Andrew luck. They thought it was a calf injury and then they thought it was the Oz mess of pecans or whatever the hell that is. I don't know look it up they flattened or I don't know the origins of that word Latin, but that apparently that's a small bone issue that's hard to diagnose and they thought it was that and now they just think that they're it's a high ankle sprain or a high ankle injury for Andrew Luck. Now Chris Mortensen says the Chris Mortensen from ESPN says there is guarded optimism and that's a quote guarded optimism that Andrew Luck will be ready to play in week one sometimes I mix that makes me feel a lot better. Guarded optimism. Yeah. Well, that means they think there's a legitimate chance. He doesn't play right now. That's what yeah, it's kind of that. That kind of statement makes me think. Oh, he's 50/50 for Week 1 well every votes. So yeah. Hope he plays V quarterback off the board Tom. I'm probably not touching them until he's like the ninth or tenth quarterback off the board at this stage. And now I don't think this is something that is going to hold him out potentially for the entire season the way his shoulder injury did I'm not trying to freak people out in that way. The shoulder injury is way worse than a high ankle sprain as a matter of fact Tom Russell Wilson played through a high ankle sprain a couple years ago. Now his Effectiveness was down. He couldn't run but he still played through it. It I don't think the Colts want to do that with Andrew luck, especially since they have a good backup in Jacoby per set. But how are you approaching Andrew Luck right. Now? I moved him down to six. I'm going to consider moving them down even a little bit more on our rankings here before we put the cheat sheets out, but the fact that there's is a chance he plays in week one. It means to me that maybe I'm being naive because of the way they talk through the shoulder injury, but I'm just not as worried about an ankle injury as I would be about a shoulder for Andrew Luck. Yeah at this point though for me personally, like there's just so much depth at the position that you know ankle interest we touched on a little bit with Alan that you know, just you know, now he has it. It could be an issue, you know, it might not necessarily get cleared up this season that you know angle ankle injuries are easy to Easily Aggravated at this point. So, you know luck is a guy. I just cannot touch and drafts right now. I guess if he fell I'm looking at you know, we Got Cam Newton, Matt. Ryan golf Wilson, Marie. I think I would you know, maybe if he slips to the 11-12 range after Marie, I would start to consider them, but I just don't if there is any possibility that he's going to miss games. I just I just don't feel like it's worth using a pick on him. But the depth of the position. Yeah, and that's the thing. It's like it there's there's an argument to be made very much a strong argument to be made for stashing in AJ Green or stashing a Melvin Gordon, but stashing a Tom and that's eating up a roster spot and that's something you have to consider in your league. If you don't have deep benches, is it worth it to do that? I don't really think it is. I most of my redraft teams were talking about 15 16, you know man rosters. I typically especially early in the season. I'm only rostering one quarterback, you know, I hopefully have my go-to guy or you know, I'm kind of playing matchups and I prefer to only have one quarterback because I like to have you know, lots of running backs and lots of wide receivers early in the season to hopefully hit a lottery ticket with with one of those guys. So, you know, and if I'm draft and Andrew Luck that means maybe he's going to play early in the year. Maybe he's going to play while hurt so he's not going to be totally effective. So that's the kind of guy. I don't really want on my redraft team. Okay. So Andrew Luck is six seven three right now and ATP. However, I have to point out the people there is such a wide. Each of picks for Andrew Luck according to NFC data Tom. He's gone as late as the 11th round so that 123 overall that's that's ridiculous. So just depends on like where these guys were going and when you have a guy who has questions like luck, the range is going to be wider here. So ATP isn't always the most accurate representative even though it's kind of the best picture we have to describe where these guys are going in the seventh round Tom is the quarterback six Matt Ryan seventh eighth round cusp. Just a boring safe pick, but it's worth pointing out last year. His numbers were very similar to his MVP year in 2016. And I think it was pretty interesting last night the offensive line looked atrocious again last night. They spent the offseason trying to upgrade it, you know, if it continues to play that bad, I mean that ride might have to throw it a ton again. They had real issues running the ball last year and the offensive line has not looked improved through the pre first two preseason games. Yeah that and wide Did they leave him in there to get killed by the way? I have no idea that you know, took three sacks, you know was skittish all night because he had pressure, you know, right up the middle. So it was kind of bizarre. I'm with their I'm with you on that one that that one bothered me Tom, but Matt Ryan's just the boring old pick. Nobody is going to look at your roster and say wow, you have Matt Ryan, but we're sure as hell not going to look at your roster and say you have a weakness at quarterback. If you have Matt Ryan either know I might Ryan wasn't the guy was Pretty excited to take last year. He was going pretty late. But I'm now at this price. He he's priced right? I'm up looking a little farther down the list here to find some help at the position. You everybody knows who my most draft a quarterback this year is and that now the eighth the industry is catching up the sharps are catching up maybe the sharps have always been on it. But the quarterback 7 Tom in the eighth round and ATP is Carson Wentz. I think he's got an MVP caliber season on deck for us. I think he's got a chip on his shoulder. And his team is loaded with weapons and a great offensive line. I'm right there with you. He's been near the top of my most drafted list and I just love the combination of you know, I'll usually start looking for Carson Wentz in the eighth ninth round. I love being able to do the a little you know, DeSean Jackson Carson Wentz action, you know, a little double rainbow the stack action. So that's been one of my favorite draft combinations this year. This is now really the range time where I'm starting to look at my quarterback eighth round when the boring running backs like a Jordan Howard or coming off the board when people are are are cast Ronald Jones exactly at work, but people are casting their hopes that Ronald Jones isn't a complete piece of garbage this year. This is when I'm really starting to look at the position and now we have an interesting mix of quarterbacks here as well because there is a 10 pick gap between Carson Wentz and quarterback 8, but the quarterback 8 We're talking ninth round. Now. This is where most of the quarterbacks are starting to come off the board and the quarterback 8 is an interesting one. It's Kyler Murray and Tom. I gotta be honest. I'm not I never am I going to change my opinion based on a preseason game, but holy crap did the Arizona Cardinals look like hot garbage in Thursday's preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. They couldn't block anybody. They couldn't get a snap off without a without a penalty both start. Yeah. Tyler Murray got called for two. All starts himself for his sake of safety at first clap. He took a safety. They're calling balks on him. Even though he quit baseball. I mean Tom does this scare you a little bit now keep in mind. I thought they had the worst coaching staff. Maybe I've seen well since Jeff Fisher, but they had the worst coaching staff in the NFL last year, but let's not forget Kliff Kingsbury got fired at his alma mater that's really hard to do. So you got fired. From his alma mater and he failed upwards. I think they're going to be exciting offensively and I think they're going to have to run a ton of plays because their defense was even worse than the offense. But Kyler Murray at quarterback eight people have been ranking him aggressively all offseason. We at the fantasy free agents have not been this aggressive. We have them I think 11 or 12 right now. Does this give you the Willies and he's going off the board before Jared Goff and Cam Newton. Yeah. I haven't dabbled in Kyler's Murray at this year. I'm Mean I get it. I get here running upside. He has the huge passing upside if they're going to you know attempts over 600 passes. The defense could be atrocious. It looks like you know Cliff brought over the Texas Tech defense with them as well. He's got Robert Earl offered just you know, suggest suffered a significant leg injury so they could be in quite a few shootouts early in the season here. But you know, I know the offensive line still has some major issues. I'm just I just don't Of the price. I would like a lot of guys beneath them here that as you said the gulf. I've been a huge Cam Newton believer here. His price is ridiculously low. I see he's going 12 off the board and FFC it. I just there's a lot of good options around here and Kyler is usually going a little too high for me. Yeah, Kyler Murray's quarterback 8 once again we get it, but there is risk Jared Goff just consider him another version of Matt Ryan boring but probably is going to be just fine for you. He's quarterback nine. Also going in the ninth round. Basically going the pick after Jared Goff is Drew Brees. I'm a little concerned about that. Although the price isn't too high only because I don't think they have a ton of weapons. They have Michael Thomas Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook. I mean those are great weapons, but there's not a lot of depth there and I think they want to run the football more. Here's one that I want to talk about Tom first and foremost going ahead of Cam Newton in the nff. See over. The last week is Jameis Winston that I don't get I Get Jamis going ahead of Cam. But let's talk about Jane this because I know a lot of people are on him. I really haven't been because I've seen guys in this range that I like more and we'll get into that one of them being Cam Newton, but I get it with Winston. Everybody loves OJ Howard and Evans this year. Everybody loves God win this year. So Ergo if those three guys break out and do what they're supposed to do. Jamis is going to have a big year. I just I'm having a tough time reconciling the fact that Jameis Winston's going ahead of Cam Newton in a teepee. Yeah. I just I just don't trust him enough. I mean the turnovers have been there at his entire career. I mean, I think people are expecting Bruce Arians to work a little miracle here with them. And you know, I believe that he's going to be improved from last year. But you know, I I don't think what they were doing last year, you know throwing it so much as sustainable. I think you know Bruce Arians is going on when a lot little bit of a mix of running a little bit better mix of running past. Here. I just I don't like the price either, you know, if he was my second quarterback, I'd feel a little bit better go for the the huge upside. But you know, it's just that's not an option right now. He's being drafted, you know, people are being aggressive with them because of the potential for huge passing numbers if I am drafting my quarterback and as we mentioned Tom, this is typically the range that I'm looking 8th 9th 10th round to draft. My quarterback Cam Newton is the guy. I am circling I am highlighting. Lighting I'm putting a star next to his name. Not only does Cam Newton have the two breakout receivers. Everybody loves DJ more in Curtis Samuel Curtis. Annuals ATP is through the roof right now. He has those two guys. They love he has a great pass catching back in in Christian McCaffrey, but Cam Newton also has the pedigree Tom. He has the quarterback one overall season here. So we're not Wishing on a Star we know cam can do that. The question is Kenny's body hold up, but we know what kind of upside Newton has and at this price, I think it's a no-brainer pick. Yeah, I think people are forgetting that he was like a top three or top five fantasy guy until he screwed up his shoulder, you know, when he play in the Steelers and on that Thursday night game and then his numbers kind of started to dip from there. But he was a top Elite option. He has been pretty much a five out of seven years or six out of eight years at must be I think he broke in 2012. So I mean he is he's all lead option. I'm All the reports to I some Camp reports are saying that you know, his deep ball looks the best it's looked and and you know, since you know before the to shoulder injuries here the last three years so I had loved the the DJ more Curtis Samuel if you listen to the wide receiver podcast, you know that we love those guys and if he's got the Deep ball going it could be big things coming for the Panthers passing game. Now, if you're in the eighth ninth round and you're listening to this podcast and you're like, you know what I agree. Joe and Tom, I really want to wait for Cam Newton and Cam Newton get snapped up because somebody else agreed with us and he got snapped up just a little bit before you do not fret because top there are a lot of great options available in the double-digit rounds Quarterback 13 Russell Wilson, fine fine. They don't have a ton of weapons. They're going to run the football. Apparently, they want to throw their backs more which will help Russell Wilson's numbers out a little bit, but I'm not terribly enthused by Russell. Listen, just because of the low volume and we anybody who's had Russell Wilson for Fantasy knows that every year. He has those eleven 424 a hundred and seven yards and two interception games that just utterly kill you. Yeah there. Yeah, there's just a cut there's a couple warning signs with well, so I'm right there with you and the running has started to go down here a little bit, you know up up over 8% touchdown rate, you know only him and Patrick my homes last year. He's bound to regress. There you hope for more passing volume. It doesn't look like they want to but they're scheduled might force them into it. They have one of the toughest schedules going in to the season the load plain ol against a lot of tough cubies that which might help him out. But if there's just a lot of negative signs for Wilson here, so I haven't draft them too much. I don't think Ben Roethlisberger QB 14 is going to throw 700 times again, Tom, but no, I actually like him better than Wilson. Yeah, I tend to lean more towards Big been here, but you know, obviously he has a little bit of a red flag. Without brown here as well. So I think Juju will be making plays for him. But he's got to have one of the two guys behind them, you know, James Washington or Donte Moncrief really step up here and provide a another deep option. Here's somebody who's getting overdrafted in my opinion Philip Rivers quarterback 15. I mean just take a shot on somebody else at this point. He didn't throw a whole lot of passes last year now. He did have multiple touchdown passes in each of like the first 12 games last season, but He doesn't run they ran I think fewer plays than anybody in the NFL last year. So if they're not going to have the volume by the way, Keenan Allen is banged up right now. There's guys going after Philip Rivers. I like a lot more than Philip Rivers now, he's been he's been mr. Consistent. Basically the last eight to ten years. He's a, you know High floor type guy but no ceiling at all. He's gonna be probably in the QB 10 to QB 15 range, but you know, you're at least I take your the Same way we're both looking for upside when we're drafting down here. There's a lot more options here that you know, that could get into that QB 1 through 5, and I don't think Philip Rivers has that potential. I think I like Kirk Cousins better than Philip Rivers and Kirk Cousins is QB 16. Now, he's one of those guys on whom there's a perception discount Tom. Everybody thinks he stinks but look last year. We threw 30 touchdowns and had a 70 percent completion rate. He's got Stefon Diggs and Adam feeling Dalvin cook coming out of the backfield to if he stays healthy can catch the ball. So Kirk Cousins, A guy in this 11th 12th round range. I like better than Philip Rivers. I if I if my team around him was good. I would be totally fine with Kirk Cousins being my starting quarterback in a 12-team league. Yeah, and there's some good signs here. Kubiak is coming in. They're going to run little bit more play action offensive line should be a little bit improved. So I'm right there with you cousins. I think has a little bit more upside and you know, he showed it back in Washington last year. I mean if you consider last year at down year I Just the the scoring at the position was just so far up. I mean that's what you know knocked him down. You know, he was around the QB 20 or QB 18 last year, but his numbers were pretty similar to what he did in Washington in the four years previous. Let's talk Lamar Jackson QB 17, and I'm drafting right now in a high-stakes league with my cousin and we had Drew Brees Russell Wilson Roethlisberger on the board, but it's a high-stakes League. FPC and the first 12 weeks Tom our our our total points and then there's a seated playoffs and I said to my cousin, you know, what no risk get no biscuit take Lamar. We're going to take Lamar in the 10th round as our starting quarterback because there is there's palpable upside here that a guy like rivers and cousins don't have now those guys are way better thrower than Lamar Jackson now, I'm not saying Lamar won't improve as a thrower this year, but the guy Tom average like 18 carries. A game last year, he can lose half of his carries and still produce an outsize number at the while running the football at the quarterback position that is going to help you for Fantasy. This is one where you might have to separate fantasy from reality because there are going to be games where he just looks like he's incompetent as a pastor. I think he's got a lot of talent. I think he can improve but there are going to be games where he just does not look good as a passer. But in those games he could run for a hundred yards. In the touchdown and be just fine for Fantasy Lamar Jackson at quarterback 17. That's a value to me. I love it and and his price is probably going to go up here people saw that touchdown run that he had last night that was called back. I'm actually shocked that his prices this low on draft.com the best balls his he's been steadily Rising throughout the last month, you know, we're talking about our plans here that there's basically like for guys I am just locked in on once the ninth round starts to roll around and I'm you know, picking 9th 10th 11th 12 rounds here. I'm locked in on Carson Wentz a blocked in on Cam Newton a blocked on a Lamar Jackson and I'm locked on you know, Dak Prescott brisk that Dak Prescott. I didn't want it breast brisket. No biscuit. No basket hers, whatever that is, but I am locked on all four of those guys. I'm getting one of those four guys whenever I'm draft and I'd love Jackson's potential here and his you know, if his dust is a His accuracy just gets a little bit better if he gets one of these rookie receivers to step up and be a vertical threat there could be big things and I like what I've seen so far from him as a pastor so far in the preseason has been a little bit inaccurate at times but you know, they're being a little bit more aggressive. He's taking some shots downfield. So I'm liking what I'm seeing on the Jackson so far. His price is about to rise though. I think a lot of a lot of people in the community are going to start pushing them here and here's another one where I don't necessarily We'll look I think Tyler Marie is twice the prospect Lamar Jackson is but Tom there is a 40 pick difference between the to attend quarterback difference between the two and ATP. They should be a lot closer together. And as you said, I think they're going to be but I am totally cool with Lamar Jackson as my starter now maybe because you're worried about his frame getting injured what not you get enough a no nice number to to have on your bench or you're always proactive and searching the waiver wire. But the point of this quarterback draft plan is those guys are available and they're available very easily. Look at the next two guys in a teepee Mitchell Trio Biscay quarterback 18 Dak Prescott quarterback 19. I talked about the perception discount that we're getting on Kurt Cousins because people think he stinks. Well, it's the same thing with Mitchell true Biscay and Dak Prescott people think they stink or people think they're overrated and the fantasy numbers Tom. Just don't match up with these atp's Mitchell true. Biscay was a top-15 quarterback. Back in total scoring last year and he missed two games and Allen Robinson missed. A lot of time trade Burton wasn't a hundred percent last year. They get a better run game with David Montgomery. So that doesn't match up for me and Dak Prescott in my opinion is the best Zone read quarterback in the NFL. They're probably going to run him more in the Red Zone. I know Amari Cooper is banged up that might have something to do with it. But after they got Cooper last year Prescott was like a top seven quarterback and he's all the way down at quarterback 19. This is why we Vacate waiting in your one quarterback leaks because that Prescott has shown Tom that he'll top 10 quarterback and he's quarterback 19 and maybe pee I don't get Prescott being this low. He's been a top 12 quarterback in each of his first three seasons. He's you know, one of the you know, the most effective Red Zone Runner now at the quarterback position, you know, Cam Newton was that guy for a while but it's become Dak Prescott. He's has six rushing touchdowns in each of his first three seasons now, he's got Cooper, you know, as you said that the passing game started to open up a little bit in the second half of the year. They're running more plays. They freakin fired Scott Linehan. They brought in Kellen Moore. You know, Kellen Moore is a you know, younger than half the story in quarter three quarterbacks in the league. You think he's gonna run like the wing tea? No, he's going to be spreading the ball out. He's gonna be throwing it. I just don't get Prescott's price. He's been one of my favorite guys to draft in the 11th 12th round. Huge. Not Hugh I shouldn't say huge upside because Never going to be a team that's going to throw it 600 times. But you know, he's been a top 12 guy in his first three seasons and now they might open it up a little bit more. He's got a ceiling of being a top five fantasy quarterback QB 20 is Jimmy Garoppolo. And by the way, we're getting into like the 12th 13th rounds here. And as I've said on the previous podcast, this is where the rounds Tom really muddy together like somebody somebody's going to tell me at one point. Oh, I took Jimmy Garoppolo in the 10th round. Somebody else might tell you I took him in the fifth. 18th it just it just depends on how the draft board Falls at this point. I'm not thrilled that Jimmy garoppolo's price to be completely honest with you. Not the quarterback 20 is is is that something you're paying up for but there's guys going after my actually think I like better than them. Now. This is when we talk about the death of the quarterback position. Just listen to how ridiculous this phrase I'm about to say is and you'll understand why we talked about that ridiculous depth quarterback 21 off the board Tom Brady. I understand why he's not mobile. He doesn't have a lot of weapons right now. But he's Tom effing Brady and he's the 21st quarterback off the board Tom. Yeah, I mean the guys throughout his career. He's been one of the elite options. I did the post type article looking back an old ATP from last year. He was like the queue before I mean all of a sudden the guy wins a Super Bowl and you know now he's going 21st off the Border, you know, you know pretty deep into dress so, you know, That I love Brady here. But you know, he's been my QB to and a lot of a lot of best balls because you know, you need to get two or three quarterbacks in those. I mean, he'll be probably he'll probably go undrafted in a lot of legs and Andre drafts. It's kind of remarkable. But you know, he's a dance a decent little price. I think Josh Gordon will probably get reinstated at some point. Who knows about Gronk, you know, the whispers are, you know, maybe he'll show up in the second half of the year. You know, I think the kill Harry will be, you know a solid option. And by the time the second half of the rule the season rolls around so, you know, I'm not quite as down on the receiving Corps that Tom Brady has around them that as some are here entering the season Lamar Jackson after taxes Josh Allen and Tom you can argue. He's Lamar Jackson before taxes. He won me a championship last year and he want a lot of people championships last year. This guy was the number one fantasy quarterback over the last six weeks of the Season quarterback 22 now. Yeah again, I understand it. But he was the quarterback one for a six-week stretch and he's the 22nd quarterback off the board. Yeah. I'm I have a I've had a hard time knowing what to do with Alan. I just don't feel like his rushing will be as sustainable as Lamar Jackson's a lot of his rushing production came on broken plays last year a lot of scrambles. Where's Lamar Jacksons were mostly, you know, a lot of design plays so I have I thought I was gonna like Alan a lot more heading into the season but you know, he's been a guy that I really haven't touched just I don't have as much optimism for him. But I do like what they've done putting John Brown round them getting them a a slot receiver like Cole Beasley who can cook and move the chains, but there's just, you know, a guy down here a little little bit. You know lower here is Sam. Darn old. I think people have been kind of sleeping on him. He's he's a guy that's moving up my list here quickly in the preseason and I think Derek Carr might move up to because I actually think that Offense could be pretty decent if car is just solid and I think he can be he's quarterback 23 Donald's quarterback 24 Matthew Stafford's quarterback 25 Tom, even if you are in a to quarterback 12-team League, according to ATP Matthew Stafford who has a five thousand yard season to his name is not starting quarterback. There is the death of that the position that's pretty ridiculous, but I understand it. I mean if you look at You know what happened last year in Detroit started to really focus on the running Gabe Patricia's, you know wants to be a ground and pound and suffocate you with the their defense here. So the the pass attempts were I think he was down around 555 last year which you know, the is ridiculous. If you followed Stafford earlier in his career where he was leading the league in pass attempts some season, so it's a transitioning offense. No no more. The Tate here, so I kind of get it. I mean, I don't have any I don't have any Stafford this year. I probably won't because I just don't like where this offense is going right now. Okay presume. You're in a to quarterback League time. Now, let's get into those two quarterback leaks presume. You're in a to quarterback League even with 12 teams, according to ADP if everybody drafts two quarterbacks, these quarterbacks are going to go undrafted Matthew Stafford Nick Foles Andy Dalton Marcus Mariota. We know what my problems with Mario and are But just just for sake of argument Joe Flacco Eli Manning Dwayne Haskins, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh Rosen. These guys are going undrafted. So this is I mean, it just shows you the depth at the position and now I just want to talk about those two quarterback in superflex leaks the problem with with it is Tom. It's hard to do a catch-all draft plan in a concise time because League size is so important an 18-2 quarterback League. I'm going to approach the dip the the And way differently than I would in a 14 team to quarterback leaked the I'm gonna approach it way differently than I wouldn't have 12-team court to quarterback leak. But because the position is so deep. I'm more than likely going to wait for my first quarterback until the 6th to 10th guy are coming off the board and then I'm totally fine drafting a Dak Prescott or a Tom Brady or a Josh Allen as my number two guy. Now the one thing I would say if you are on one of the terms at me. Meaning you're picking at the beginning or the end of a round and you have the quick back-to-back picks. You want to be a little proactive because the last thing you want to do is get caught at the end of a quarterback run and then you're forced to take a guy that you don't want to take at a spot. You don't want to take in. So you want up you want to try to anticipate being ahead of those runs, but Tom, I don't think I'm going to approach the position differently the what I think it's a mistake this year given the depth to draft say two of the top five quarterbacks and into quarterback League. I just I think that's that's a it's a viable strategy but I don't think it's a smart one this season. Yeah, our good friend map around that was on the podcast two weeks ago. He's in a super Flex leg and you know, he was curious. What should he do? Should he go quarterback first? And you know, we kind of told him to wait probably until the third round her. So that's that's probably a good sweet spot. You obviously have to judge your leg, you know, if you're picking at the end of the first round and your leg comes out and you know, yeah Patrick my home's the song what know that everybody's going off the board. Maybe you need to get a quarterback in the second round there. But I think you know, you know just looking at a generally I think third or fourth round is probably where you can dive in at quarterback and your 2qb legs and still get a guy that's you know, probably in the eight to twelve eight to fourteen range at the position and then you can probably wait another couple rounds maybe to the to the sixth or seventh round and you know, pick up your second quarterback on your we touched on some of these guys that guy like Sam Donald I'm starting to feel a little bit better about You know and he's going off the board QB 24. So there's plenty of good options late. So I don't think you need to be too overly aggressive at the position and to QB legs. But you also don't want to wait around and you know, all of a sudden you got Jimmy Garoppolo and Tom Brady has your two quarterbacks either. Yeah. And by the way, Tom, so I actually did a two quarterback League we both did the Scott Fishbowl earlier this offseason. I took Carson Wentz in the fourth round and Cam Newton in the sixth round. Those are my two quarterbacks and then I Up stacking later because you want I mean ideally in the two quarterback lead you do want to have three starters so you can you know, mix and match by weeks or mix-and-match matchups. I then stacked Eli Manning and Daniel Jones. I mean, it's not I'm not way so no that leg has some really deep benches as well though. It's not might not be an option for some people if you're playing with a 16 to 18 bench, right but like it but here's the point where it's hard to do a super Flex draft plan because there's Sleek settings or so important and also, So your league is important we'll get Tom will get people saying to us. Well, I'm in a super Flex League where quarterbacks fly off the board for gone by the end of the first round and we'll get others who have a league who have the same exact settings and Mahomes doesn't go to the second round and then people are playing chicken before disarm Watson comes off the board. So it just all depends on your league the key here in a superflex league to me Tom is anticipate the runs and try to be ahead of them. Yeah that Exactly. If you're kind of at the end, you know, if you're picking maybe first overall and you have this second and third pick, you know back to back there. You probably aren't going to want to wait, you know, even if there hasn't been a QB run up until that point. You're not going to want to wait you maybe you're the guy that has to pull the trigger or guy. Matt Brown actually did that. You know, he picked did he pick Watson? I think he was one of the first guys to really start the quarterback Trend so you can't sometimes if your you got huge gaps in between Or picks, sometimes you have to be proactive because there could be a huge queue be run by the time you get a your next pick and you know say 1820 picks. So Tom, there's a full breakdown of the quarterback position. I'm gonna actually went longer than I thought we were going to yeah, we might have to kick the tight ends till Monday. What do you what do you what do you say here Joe? Absolutely not when we were Cloud ahead when we come back right after this little message from Ben kookiness by the way been cocaine is by the way, it doesn't kick ass. Are producing the podcast my mom is a loyal listener of the podcast and she told me she told me you have Greg Louganis doing ads. I'm like what? I thought I thought like anchor FM dropped in like Greg Louganis like doing a read or something for your product. She meant been here as oh my gosh, Greg Louganis. I love it. Thanks Deb. We love your your humor that you bring us. So after our message from from Greg Louganis, we will be back with our tight end draft plan. What's up listeners? This has been kookiness producer of the fantasy free agents podcast if you're listening, Into 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 podcast 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 spot. Sighs 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 Library 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 Greg Louganis for that wonderful advertisement and now Tom we're about to dive. In no to our draft plan did that for the tight ends. What do you think? I'd make them maybe all about to get out of the pool here with that kind of line. I'm proud of that one. Okay. Well, let's get right into it. Um, because we actually went a little bit longer on quarterbacks and I thought we were going to let's start at the tight end position now it is thin I think Tom they're great guys. I actually feel good about as a starter this year. I'm with her. I'm with the other with Act opposite of the quarterback where I was like, you know, what if it's some idiot is going to draft both Carson Wentz and and Cam Newton in my league and say we're going to trade one. I am okay going into the season with Kirk Cousins as my starter because I'm not going to fall for that bait the tight end position though Tom is totally different and I like to be proactive on drafting one you however like to be a little bit more proactive than even I do because I do not like drafting Travis Kelce in the first round or on the first second round cusp. He's a teepee. For the last week in the NFC 14 .81. He was taking his highest seventh as low as twenty first. That's where I would consider taking him when the running backs in the wide receivers start to thin out. But most of the time more often than not you're going to see him take in mid-to-late first early second round you have like doing that. I have not. I just don't like the way my team's look I feel like I'm drafting from behind when I do it, but why do you like doing that? I just and we kind of touched on wide receivers there a little bit. Bit at the end of the first round going wide receiver wide receiver. I don't mind going Kelsey and get a guy like Mike Thomas or Juju or you know, whoever it is and it does because I really like the depth at running back and the third and early fourth round. So I don't have a problem going with Kelsey. Let's say Mike Thomas and then getting Leonard fournette towards the end of the third round and a Josh Jacobs at the start of the fourth. I don't mind that start at all. Oh by the way, Josh Jacobs look pretty good last night. Yes, he did. He's he could be moving up here. Soon. Yeah, and what we'll get into that on Monday when we recap all the preseason action from this weekend, but Tom I am much more likely to draft say a running back in a receiver. Say I draft say I draft Le'Veon Bell and JuJu Smith Schuster or I have I'm picking at the top of the first round and I draft Alvin Kamara and I get Mike Evans in the second round. I'm much more likely to dive into George kid'll and Zach ertz in the third round although Zach ertz is getting knocked here recently because people like I just don't know where the targets are coming from and we went to do with Patrick Mahomes. Zach ertz is coming off of a record-setting season. Tommy called I think a hundred and twelve passes last year an all-time record for tight ends. You have to take the under on it. You have to there's just no logic and saying, oh he's going to do that again, but he can still catch 7580 passes and easily be a top three tight end. Yeah. See this is where we diverge a little bit because I just I feel like Kelsey's has a better much better chance of sustaining his high level of play and I have concerns about kid'll inner thigh. I generally haven't liked their price. I was dabble a little bit in kidal earlier their summer when he was like mid third late third, but I've kind of backed off both of those guys. So I just you know, Earth's is targets could go, you know, if this offense is significantly better at least the receivers are so I'm a little concerned there and It'll there's you know, there's Jimmy G concerns, you know, will they really haven't you know, they haven't really had a chance to play together a lot. But you know, it's been a with Nick Mullens in the back up. So I just have a little bit more concerned with Kittle and Earth sustaining their high level which is why I kind of backed off those guys in the third fourth round. I like drafting those guys in the third round, but it's not my favorite spot to pick a tight end my favorite spot to pick a tight end is these next three guys and Tom they've actually We've been kind of grouped together in a teepee in a tear recently, even though there was kind of a clear difference earlier on OJ Howard whose tight end for he used to be the no doubt. He was almost in a tier by himself. As a matter of fact when we went through our tight end two years earlier on the podcast. I think we put them in its here by himself, but by ATP he at tight end for Evan engram at tight end 5 and Hunter Henry at tight end six are all within 4 pics of each other all going at the beginning of the fifth round which makes a three-round difference between kid'll and hurts Howard and this tier of Howard and Graham and Henry. I like Howard's upside. I think Ingram has super high PPR upside because I think there's a legitimate shot. He leads the Giants and catches Howard's averaged over 16 yards a catch in each of his first two NFL seasons though. He's had injury problems and Hunter Henry here. I mean, he's almost in my opinion flying a little bit under the radar because of the ACL last Your but remember he recovered in time to play in the playoffs. So there's not the same kind of bounce back from the ACL that we would see from somebody typical. This Tom is my sweet spot for the tight end position. Yeah. I'm right there with you. I've been dabbling in all three of these guys. I kind of I kind of tear them this way. Like if I'm looking strictly seal ceiling, I'm going Howard Henry Ingram if I'm going to strictly I want the guy with the highest floor. I'm going Evan engram Henry Howard. I mean, that's that's generally how I look at this. This overall I go Howard Ingram Henry, but you know, all three guys are going relatively around the same place here. I'm actually kind of surprised that this ATP date on it. I haven't really seen Howard and Ingram really last of the sixth round much in my best balls and on draft.com, but you know Henry has been kind of in that early six round middle six rounds. So, you know, I'm fine with getting any of those three guys though about 50 to 60 picks in. Yeah, I would say Eight for the people even though the ATP were saying right now is 61 through 65, which is a sixth-round pick plan on drafting one of these guys in the fifth round if you want. Yeah, that's weird. It's Henry's the one guy that might slip into the sixth round typically in your draft. But yeah, if you want Howard, he's a he's an early 5th to Middle fifth round pick for me. Now. There's two more guys time that I actually feel comfortable with as my starting tight end heading into the season they are and the industry agrees the the drafters of Agree, because they're tight end 7 and tight N8 and these guys are 7th 8th round picks Jared Cook from New Orleans Vance McDonald from Pittsburgh. Those are the two that I feel good about as a true tight end one and then we get into the guys who I think we're we're really going to split hairs. The people are going to have disagreements about them. And that's fine. I do want to talk about those guys but cooking McDonald, I typically Tom I do not feel comfortable coming out of a draft. If I don't have one of these topic guys. Yeah. Don't get you know, it really falls off for me after Vance McDonald, you know, Jared Cook and Jared cooking McDonald or a little bit below, you know, that that nice group of three there with Howard Ingram and Henry, but after that, I'll really hold off on tight end. If I don't get one of those eight guys, you know, I just I don't really like the group after this it's made up of a Ebron and Joe Cooper and Hooper. I really don't like that group. They're really their eighth ninth round or so, so I typically bypassed that group and wait till the 10th 11th round to consider like Mark Andrews trade Burton Delaney Walker those guys. So Ingram and Joe Cooper and Hooper now, excuse me, Braun and joke Hooper Eric Ebron. Thanks for your service, man. You want me a ton of money? I love you too 14. He was my most drafted tight end last year. He's got 14 touchdowns. But once again regression, you're going to regress from 14 touchdowns. He didn't play a ton of snaps at the tight end position. Tom not all snap. Created equal. I understand that when Iran was out there. He was out there in the Red Zone. He was out there running routes because the Colts put them in a position to succeed. Well if Eric Ebron can't block. Okay, we're not gonna have them block. We're gonna put him in there to catch passes. That's what they did. But with the Andrew Luck situation the fact that his touchdowns are almost certainly going to regress. I'm weary of him at tight end 9 with David and Joko not only am I worried about the fact that he hasn't taken that next step developmentally not to say he's a bad player because he's not but but he's he hasn't taken that next step developmentally and there's a lot of mouths to feed in Cleveland. So I'm a little concerned about that Austin Hooper. He's kind of the tight end version of his quarterback. I want a floor guy if I want he caught 71 passes last year. You want to talk about the quietest Stephanie one passes. I know ever caught but he averaged nine yards a catch. He's to me, he's PPR only I'm Austin Hooper to me is nearly worthless and not PPR. Yeah. I just I can't get by him the hoop or pick. I mean a lot of his production came in three or four games as well. He had a couple like nine nine catch games. I just have not bought in at all. I just don't want a guy that's he can't even average 10 yards a catch, you know, it's not not a lot of calories there. So and yeah, I'm with you on on Joe coup and and Andy Brown they both have a lot more miles to feet here as well. You know eproms got you know, Devin funchess is a big body. He's going to be, you know, probably featured in the red zone now. They got Mo Ali Cox who's you know? No, a third tight end that they've been talking off avoid saying it. No, I can't the porn star film star Ali cocks. I shouldn't say the porn star is that is that I don't know that might give us an explicit rating on this podcast. You know, I can actually control that manually. Okay anybody? Yeah, I can talk. I can put the parental advisory warning up on our RSS. Oh, so if I get constant like Jon Gruden on Hard Knocks, if I you know, if I need to stop cussin, just let me know. I will I will I don't want to put the Parental Advisory sticker on. You know, so people can't listen to this any way that that range of three tight ends Tom Ebron and Joe Cooper and Hooper. I mean there's there's value in some of them and I'm not saying you can't win if you draft these guys, but I think for the sake of this podcast, I would tell people to ignore those three guys. That's that's generally what I've done. I've liked some of the receivers around in that group and that's and then they'd also coincides with our QB plan. I mean, that's the about the range where I start considering quarterback. So, you know, those three tight ends. I have not taken, you know, even once this year and I probably won't be as the summer goes along you and I have both already stated. We like to be aggressive on the tight end position. We like one of the top eight and if you and if you don't remember Kelsey kittel hurts Howard Ingram Henry cook and McDonald. Those are our top e you and I agree with all of that. We're in lock step on those top 8, but if you miss out on those guys, just the Run didn't The way you expected it to somebody took in McDonald in the sixth round. You were hoping to get him in the seventh there. Are you can still succeed don't worry because they're down here in like the 11th 12th round Mark Andrews. Tray Burton Delaney Walker Jordan Reed and Dallas Goddard come off the board now, that's a smorgasbord of names and I'm not I don't love them. All Mark Andrews is my favorite. He had a connection with Lamar Jackson last year and I think much like What the Colts do with Eric Ebron the Ravens put him in a position to succeed because they have so many tight ends. They don't necessarily play him a hundred percent of the snaps. But when he's out there they like to have him running routes Nick Boyle is they're blocking tight end and they're going to play boil a ton because they're going to run the ball a lot. But Mark Andrews is going to run a lot of routes Burton. I think could be due for a bounce back here presuming he gets on the field. He had sports hernia surgery anybody else you like in this range Tom because I'll tell you somebody I don't I've got I've like Delanie Walker quite a bit here too. I mean the QB concerns are definitely there but we've seen Mario to lean on him. I am a little concerned at his you know, he's getting up there isn't getting into his mid-30s here coming off a major ankle injury, but you know, at least it happened Week 1, you know, he's been practicing all training camp. So he's been another guy, you know, he was a top eight top 10 option here the last four years, you know up over 800 yards and up over 60 catches and all four seasons before last. You're so on he's another guy like in this room Mark Andrews is probably the best breakout candidate of this group. I'll tell you who I can't get behind Tom. I cannot get behind Jordan Reed. I just can't do it. I know some sharp people in the industry disagree with me, but I know he's not recovering from an injury. This this all season Tom those injuries have taken their toll. He couldn't move last year now. He didn't look good at all last year and the quarterback situation. I mean between Case Keenum Dwayne Haskins, there's plenty of reason to be a little it concerned that you know, the Redskins aren't exactly going to be a juggernaut offense as well. So I'm right there with you. I don't have much Jordan Reed, you know in the past. He was a ceiling type guy and it feels like all we've gotten from him the last two years or just floor. So not not feeling it. I'm right there with you Joe and I'm talking low floor from him Dallas Goddard. The talent is evident. He's got a calf injury, so he's not going to play the rest of the preseason. The question for Goddard is just how many balls is he? Catch and and you know, we've seen teams due to tight ends. Successfully. It's just rare. We think back to the Patriots with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez before things went awry there Tom to so to speak. Yes. We saw today that I think I think that your hope here, but the Eagles have thousand other weapons to Al Sean Jeffrey DeSean Jackson Nelson Aguilar, so it's hard for me to really view Goddard as a True fantasy of stud here. If hurts goes down got it's a top-five tight end but it's hasn't gone down. Yeah, and he's being drafted in the top 16. So I have a feeling like in the right match ups and I feel like he's gonna blow up a couple times this year. I feel like he might be a good DFS guy if he's in the right matchups and he's priced at you know, you know on DraftKings like 3,000 to 3,500. I feel like I might be using him in a little bit and DFS, but I'm not really feeling it for season-long right now. 10:17, Kyle Rudolph. No, thank you. Titan 18 is Chris Herndon now in redraft this is tricky because Herndon suspended the first four games of the season and the Jets have a week for by so Chris Herndon's not going to play until week 6, but he has shown up in the preseason. I think he's a very important player. I talked to a great Cosell about this on yesterday's podcast. There is a guy where if you miss out on one of those top eight or say you get one of those top eight and maybe Jericho hooks under performing a It keep an eye on your waiver wire because Chris Herndon people are going to be sick of stashing this guy. You don't want to stash a second tight end in a shallow bench League who you know isn't going to play until week 6, but I have a feeling that come week 4 5 he is going to be a popular waiver wire add because of the thinness of the tight end position and the upside Chris Herndon has yeah. I haven't I haven't touched them really invest Ball, but I could see in a redraft format if you go. Go with a Kelsey or you know, one of these Elite tight ends, you know kind of parent him up with her and then you know, you're going to start Kelsey every week. But you shoot for the moon. I think Herndon once he comes back I would think week 6 through week 16. I he's probably going to be a good bet to be a top 12 tight end. So if you have the if you invest, you know at the position early feel really good about your tight end. Maybe you take a shot on him sit it out, you know, you know having you know wasting a bench spot on you, but You're gonna put me playing Travis Kelce every week. So and then you go for the home run and hope that he is a top 12 option. Then it becomes trade bait or maybe a use them in a flex spot. If I'm taking one of these boring veterans in this range Tom tight end 19, Jimmy Graham stands out to me only for Touchdown upside. He can't move either but I think he could score touchdowns. Yeah. He had really bad luck in the the touchdown department. So I would think that he's a candidate to bounce back there and second season here with Aaron Rodgers Jack Doyle tight end 20 not very exciting. TJ Hawkinson at tight end 21 not somebody who's going to get drafted in most leagues. But certainly you want to keep an eye on how they're using them early in the season because this guy's got big-time ability. Yeah, it's just we kind of touched on Stafford earlier in the podcast, you know, there's suddenly, you know, I have Amendola here that got Jones they got called a there's a lot of mouths here. I'm just concerned about how many targets there was going to be a rep, you know to go around here if if they're going to keep Stafford that you know, 550 passes again any First thing Greg Olson at tight end 2200. I've drafted him a bit best ball kind of Paradigm with the and Thomas. There's a little bit farther down this list down at 29. I don't know if I'll be doing too much redraft though with him because you know, I don't want to hand it handcuffed a tight end on my redraft roster. So I probably won't be touching on much in redirect. So by the way, I want to point out that in terms of roster construction. We are getting into guys who in a lot of leagues are not going to be drafted Tom because See ya guys players in fantasy often will only draft one tight end and a redraft league and teams that draft to have probably already taken them their number two by the time we're getting to this range, but I do want to point out some guys for those of you in deeper leagues. Maybe you're in a tight end Premium League where you get a point and a half per hour per PPR for the tight ends two of the guys who I have drafted a bunch of Darren Waller of the Raiders at 23. He's been blowing up in Camp had a minor injury thing, but he played last night. He's a former wide receiver with the Ravens. They have converted to tight end and he is having success. Remember, they lost Jared Cook. So there are a lot of tight end targets available there and I've also drafted TJ Hawkins college teammate another rookie. No a Fanta lat simply because he's in Denver and Joe Flacco is proven to filter his targets to the tight end position. We're unified on that one. Those are my two guys that I've been taking shots on especially in best ball and I might Um, you know take a shot on Waller and Fant in some of my reader apps as well, you know another case where if I you know go tight end early and I'm looking for the high upside Guys. These are two guys that are as athletic as you're going to get at the position. It's just a wohlers, you know God that's been around for four or five years already with former receiver just huge and can run and jump Fant is you know, basically receiver playing tight end. So these guys have huge upsides, you know, probably a good chance that Not going to come through this year. But if they do they could be top 12 options. Anybody else Beyond this top 20 for Tom that you are drafting at. All. Mike is sticky at tight end 27 stands out to me Matt Le costs from the pager it because people figure the Patriots are going to get somebody out of here. He's tight end 30 anybody else that stands out to you. Not at all. I mean, I was on a sickie a little bit earlier in the summer, but I mean just bad report after bad report coming out at Dolphins Camp, so So I've completely backed off of that. Yeah, nobody else really, you know, I'm looking for upside if I'm dressing too tight on this late and I just don't see any guys that really have any maybe you know, I touched on Ian Thomas a little bit. But if you're kind of thinking that Greg Olson, you know good chance that you know, that foot isn't going to hold up here two straight Seasons with major foot injury, so he's a guy a little bit deeper. But I mean that would have to be a 1416 Team league that I would be in to consider drafting. In Thomas what Ian Thomas is interesting to me and I just want to bring this up before we wrap up the podcast because we have I mean we have really dealt on this Tom. This is been we've been going for over an hour here say Greg Olson were to go down. Say let's just say right now today Greg Olson retires to go be a broadcaster. Where are we moving in Thomas in our rankings? I would venture to guess we put them in our tops off. It would be close. I would probably put yeah, I'm looking up at the list here. I would put them probably in that and joke. Ooh Andrews range here, and he would be appealing to me because he showed some things last year. I know Greco cells pointed out that he's an interesting player for them. So yeah, I mean if Greg Olsen has problems with the feet Ian. Miss for those of you struggling a tight end. He is somebody to watch I'm not saying if you have a six-man bench and a 12 team League you need to drafty and Thomas, but if Greg Olson were to go down Tom this is going to be a very interesting player that I'd probably Vault into our top 12 at the yeah super talented. He got thrust into the position to early last year after Olson initially got her really struggled at the beginning of the season, but when Olsen got hurt again at the end of last year, he was a guy that you know, great for DFS great for just Plugging in off the waiver wire for people that were hurting and the fantasy Championship, you know fantasy playoffs. So he's a guy that has a lot of upside and you know, if you're in a dynasty leg or you know looking for guys that have a lot of Peel, you know, 2020 and Beyond Ian Thomas will be a gonna be looking at Tom that will wrap up our draft plan podcasts here at the fantasy free agents. I do want to throw one thing out there. Eliminate kickers from your league, but if you do have them last pick or two, that's it. Tom for defense has let's talk about how we draft them really quickly. We have two ranked defense has it's part of the job. However, Look at the early season schedule because you're not in this day and age. There's almost never a dominant defense that you start each and every week look at the early season schedule. I don't want to draft a really good defense that has a garbage matchup in week one. I want to draft. I'd rather have a mediocre defense that has a slammin matchup in week one. Mom. I'm zeroing in on to defense has both in the NFC East the Philadelphia Eagles play the Redskins in week one Redskins. Probably aren't going to have Trent. Hello, you can drop the Eagles before Atlanta and week two, but you can also Drive Dallas who opens with the Giants the Redskins and the Dolphins that yeah, that's how I draft. My defense has a couple more we kind of went over this on a podcast in the first two weeks. But here's I have the note still from that podcast that we got Buffalo. They played the at the Jets at the Giants Cincinnati in the first three weeks and I think the Buffalo is going to have a pretty good defense here Baltimore gets my am at my Yummy and versus Arizona that Arizona one, you know, they might turn into a sneaky team that you do want to play because you know, maybe you could get some sacks and some turnovers and and the Patriots have a really juicy opening first month of the first two months of the season after Pittsburgh. They get Pittsburgh then at Miami Jets Buffalo Washington Giants Jets. So I'll also in Cleveland as well. They they play Tennessee the Jets and then they get a couple tough matchups. So there are another interesting team. That's are looking a less appealing matchup of yeah, baby. Yeah, I did do this list back in early July. Maybe I shouldn't I did mention the Jets quite a bit on that list. Maybe I need to take them off the list of teams that you want to play. Yeah, so but I mean, that's just how we draft our defenses. There's no need to reach for one ask anybody who drafted the Jaguars in the 10th round last year how that worked out for him. So if you want to draft a defense in the 10th round don't and if you want to try to justify it to me, I'm I reserve the right to call you an idiot because it's stupid. Don't do it play your matchups. That's how you do it with the defense has Tom. This has been our draft plan. We have wrapped it up quarterbacks tight ends today. We went through running backs on Tuesday. We went through wide receivers on Wednesday. If you that is three hours of podcasts to get you prepared for your draft who we like who we don't like all the players where we draft them how we construct our rosters. We broke it all down for you. We're also going to have a lot of it in writing Tom with our cheat sheets. Those are going to be Today today is Friday. We're going to have them up by this afternoon. If you're drafting this weekend PPR positional with tears non-ppp are positional with tears top 150 PPR top 150 non PPR and an auction PPR cheat sheet with values and ranges also with tears. So those five cheat sheets. We have our rankings up Tom. You've been killing it with articles. I mean we and for free I think we're doing a pretty good job. Yeah people are you No, there's a lot of good stuff up on the website. We encourage you to go check it out drafting this weekend. Make sure you download those cheat sheets. If you have questions, you know hit us up on Twitter. Yeah, we're here for free and At Your Service if you want to drop a donation, that's okay, too. Yeah. Well, you'll see you'll see those links a telepath fantasy free agents.com, but we're not you're not you're not required to just we've been enjoying the response we've gotten so far. Okay Thomas we always do let's wrap up our our podcast. Our team two days. All right Tampa Bay Bucs there. They went five and eleven last year under their six-and-a-half win total finished third in total offense. 416 yards per game 24.8 points per game, which was 12 and sixty five point nine plays per game, which was sixth lost Adam Humphreys lost DeSean Jackson and lost Ryan Fitzpatrick key additions prashad prepared perriman on account of targets. Nine, which is fourth and the wind total for 2019 is set at six and a half with a little bit of money going towards the under it - 125 over at - 105 interesting team. I think Bruce Arians is the right coach for them. I think he's the right coach for Jameis Winston if Jameis Winston doesn't get it with Bruce Arians Tom. He's never going to get it. Yeah, they're they're you know low wind total here, but they're going to be a fun team for Fantasy, you know, Jameis Winston getting a Hype as we said, he's inside the top 12 picks at the position. But if there is some reason, you know to maybe be aggressive with them Joe. Oh Jay Howard Mike Evans Chris God when all guys going inside the top 60 picks at their position. So, you know just got to figure out that running pack running back position here. No clear-cut winner here so, you know so far through camp, but it could be one of the more fantasy friendly offenses and defenses here Tom. What? What the heck do we do with the Pittsburgh Steelers? I've seen projections that there could go to the Super Bowl others that they could miss the playoffs. The question is did the Antonio Brown distraction outweigh the talent interesting team to profile for this year. Yeah, they're coming off at nine six and one season disappointing missing the Playoffs under 10 and 1/2 winds 403 403 yards per game, which was 4th scoring offense 27 points per game sixth overall plays per game 66 One which was fourth key players lost em Tonio Brown Le'Veon Bell Jesse James Marcus Gilbert key additions Donte Moncrief deante Johnson and Benny Snell unaccounted targets 226, which was Fifth and their 2019 season win total is nine and it's getting split right down the middle. So that tells you right there, Joe people don't know what to do with the Steelers. I think it's a lot what you know that hold the vision is pretty wide open right now. I feel like I haven't seen Seen the division the division or money so far, but I think the browser now the clear favorites in the division ahead of the Steelers. The Ravens are kind of being undersold a little bit. They're going to be hanging around here and the Bengals had a rough season last year, but they still have you know, a lot of offensive talent and they have some guys on their defense as well. So it's a wide open and if AFC North this year, you're a user. You're a Pittsburgh. I well. Yeah, what are The Vibes coming out of Steelers Camp because they actually seem like they're pretty good right now. Yeah, it's been Pretty quiet Camp. I think that's exactly what the Steelers were wanting. You know, they've had the levy on bail mess the last two you off Seasons here, you know him wanting a contract. So that situation is out of the way and Antonio Brown, you know, we obviously have followed the helmet gate and the the foot foot issues in the the cryogenic tube there. So it's it's been a very quiet camp in Pittsburgh and I think everybody loves it around there, you know, it's quietly other than you know, they I had an unfortunate situation with the receivers coach passing away this past weekend, but you know, that's that's seems to have brought the team together even more here in the last couple days. So it's an interesting group. I wouldn't bet against them at this point right now. Yeah, best wishes going out to the family of Steelers wide receivers coach what derelict Darryl Drake? Yes, obviously an awful situation very much respected coach. Yeah, there were some moving pictures and Coming out of the can't you know, Juju was crying on the field and you know, Ben Roethlisberger consoling them and they you know, I've had some moments of Silence before practice and stuff like that. So, you know tough situation to go through but you know, this year's group is handling it probably better than last year's group and best wishes to his family best wishes to Matt Brawley as he recovers from shoulder surgery special. Thanks to Greg Louganis for his wonderful advertisement reads special things. What are we paying that Louganis guy? I hope nothing. Okay good. The exposure is good enough for him. So a special thanks to Tom Bradley for sitting with me for about an hour and a half today as we wrapped up our draft plan podcast, but most of all thank you to you for listening and thank you to you for donating supporting the podcast your ears are enough for us and your eyeballs at Fantasy free agents.com for Tom Rowley follow him on Twitter at Tom Bradley. I am Joe Dolan follow me on Twitter @ FG underscore Dolan. This has been the wrap-up edition of our fantasy free agents draft plan. Podcasts will be back with you on Monday to recap all the preseason action from week 2. Thanks for joining us. I'm 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) wrap up their Draft Plan series with their strategies for selecting quarterbacks (9:45) and tight ends (52:32). The guys start the podcast by discussing Keenan Allen's ankle injury (4:22) and the Chiefs backfield (6:43) before ending the podcast with another Team Two-A-Days segment on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1:18:00) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1:19:30). 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. To draft against Joe, join the Rotowire Online Championship and select the online draft time of 8/20 at 9:30 PM Eastern. To draft against Tom, do the same on 8/27 at 9:30 PM Eastern. Play for the $200,000 grand prize! 