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Big announcement this Monday – The Ballers will be live on Twitch for Thursday Night Football with a fantasy focus! Join Andy, Mike, and Jason this week. After the announcement, the gentlemen get sophisticated.
The Washington Commanders expect to activate Brian Robinson off the non-football injury list this week, coinciding with the lowest snap percentage for Antonio Gibson this season. Some spicy injury news, Jonathan Taylor exited with an ankle injury, and it is reported not to be too serious, but the Colts play in the Thursday night game. Javonte Williams, supposedly in the Thursday night game, was injured as well. Tests today will tell us more, but it will probably end his season. Daniel Jones and Jamison Crowder were also injured on Sunday. The Treylon Burks breakout is put on hold as he was seen leaving the locker room with crutches and a boot. Brian Hoyer exited the Pats game, and Bailey Zappe zapped the ball across the field.
Well, well, well, it’s Andy’s start of the week Jared Goff. Even without his stars, he had a fantastic game. His number-one-ranked scoring offense coupled with the worst defense in the league equals fantasy gold. In the same game, Geno Smith also shined and is currently QB9. Russell Wilson showed a faint heartbeat on Sunday, and we saw vintage Tom Brady. Patrick Mahomes had a fantastic game and Kyler Murray finally managed to turn it on. This week will be challenging, but afterward, the Cards have a delightful four-game stretch where he can shine.
On to the RBs. Josh Jacobs killed it with the highest snap rate of his career, and Austin Ekeler returned to Mike’s joy. Miles Sanders also looked great for Philly, Rashad Penny tore it up against Detroit, and Andy thinks he can be a solid play moving forward. Jamaal Williams, Dameon Pierce, and CEH close out the successful RBs for week four.
Thank heavens for Mike Evans. Vintage Evans came out to shine Sunday night, and the Bucs have a great schedule coming up. Justin Jefferson returned with a great game in London. Tee Higgins and Tyreek Hill excelled on Thursday night, and to many people’s surprise and at the expense of Christian Kirk, Jamal Agnew was a fantasy stud. CeeDee Lamb and DK “cart me to the bathroom” Metcalf also scored owners a good amount of fantasy points. Hollywood has been outstanding this year, and he had another solid game on Sunday. Josh Reynolds, Corey Davis, and Mike Williams all scored TDs, and Darnell Mooney is alive. Enjoy and move on.
Jason’s start of the week, TJ Hockenson, truly smashed when Detroit’s primary weapons were sidelined. A very shiny turd. Gigantor Mo Alie-Cox was the TE du jour, Kelce was great, and Gerald Everett scored. Big Montana also continued his successful run, but he is still too TD-dependent to start on a weekly basis.
There was some return to Earth with our superstar QBs – Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts. Both were somewhat unlikely with where the TDs went to. Andy says Marcus Mariota is awful, and it will be difficult for Kyle Pitts to succeed with Mariota under center. These two duds belong together, and they are leading you off a cliff. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about it. Insert Andy Holloway tilt here. Derek Carr and Trevor Lawrence also had terrible weeks, and Carson Wentz had a bad game in a tough matchup against Dallas.
RB-wise, Jonathan Taylor had one of his worst games ever, against what was the worst run defense going into the week. Javonte Williams was 10 for 28 before he went down with the injury and Melvin Gordon failed to make use of the opportunity. This was not the week to be a Jacksonville RB – they combined for only 16 carries and 50 total yards. Andy suggests this is an excellent opportunity to trade for James Robinson right now. The bet on James Conner looks to not be paying off, with the Cardinals struggling offensively to start the year. Najee Harris has also been inefficient in the Steelers backfield and they have a rough schedule coming up. Gabriel Davis, who has been battling an injury, might not be what we thought he was in the preseason. Jason is holding him. The guys are mildly worried about Pitty City and Diontae Johnson (especially with a new QB), but they are ok with Jaylen Waddle. As usual, there were a plethora of bad TE performances, including Dalton Schultz, Evan Engram, Darren Waller, and Mark Andrews.
The show starts off hot, with Andy’s tilting continuing, this time about Allen Robinson. It seems like he is invisible out there, and Sean McVay invested a boatload in the man, and it seems like it was a waste. The offensive line issues, the lack of a running game, and the loss of OBJ all come together to form a team that seems not to be firing on all cylinders. The Rams defense against Baker and the Panthers next week might be hard to watch if you are a Carolina fan. It was the Cooper Kupp show (as it usually is), and Tyler Higbee has become a PPR machine. Until there is another good option for this team, the offense will run through these two. On the Niners side, vintage Deebo made an appearance, making Jalen Ramsey look silly. Jeff Wilson also looked solid with a TD, while George Kittle has not been targeted as frequently as we would like.
Unfortunately, Javonte Williams has torn his ACL/LCL and is out for the season. His dynasty value is now brought into question with this major injury. Russell Wilson also dinged up his shoulder in the loss to the Raiders but is expected to play. Tua will not be playing this week – expect Teddy Bridgewater to start. It is Kenny Pickett time in Pittsburgh as the guys attempt to find a nickname. Expect some Pickett to Pickens at some point. In addition, Cordarrelle Patterson has been placed on the IR. In Commanders news – WR Jahan Dotson is expected to miss a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury and RB Brian Robinson is designated to return. Jonathan Taylor has a chance to play on Thursday; Andy expects to see him. Dak is not ready to return, and there is no rush to do so.
Welcome to the Fold – Waivers
Week 4 is in the books, and bye weeks are on the horizon. With Treylon Burks having turf toe and possibly being placed on IR, Robert Woods has become the de facto WR1 on a somewhat resurgent offense. George Pickens is Andy’s primary pickup heading into Week 5, while Jason is looking at Michael Gallup, who can be started as a flex option moving forward. Mike is picking up Isaiah McKenzie – who is currently in concussion protocol – who has the potential to take away a bunch of snaps. Rookie Khalil Shakir is another player to look at, and Devin Duvernay is a must-start if Rashod Bateman is to miss. If you would like to pick up a Giant, Wan’Dale Robinson is the player to target. You can consider dropping Allen Robinson, Chase Claypool, and Julio Jones for any of these players.
On to the RBs, and some of these guys might be a trap. If you are the JT owner, Nyheim Hines might be a target, but the way the offensive line is looking for Taylor, Hines should have even less of a chance to succeed if called upon. The guys suggest not breaking the bank. Brian Robinson was drafted and stashed on IR in many leagues, and it could still be several weeks until he is available. The Atlanta situation brings us Caleb Huntley and Rookie Tyler Allgeier. Allgeier would be the guy to own in this backfield, but keep in mind they are playing Tampa this week. Damien Williams will also be coming off IR soon. Mike Boone for the Denver Broncos is another target. He received more targets than Melvin Gordon, and Latavius Murray was just picked up in the mile-high city. If Melvin Gordon happens to be available, put in a claim. In Kansas City, the Isiah Pacheco train is gaining steam again. If TE David Njoku is available, he is the primary pickup for this position, with Robert Tonyan coming in second place. The guys suggest holding onto Dalton Schultz and George Kittle.
If you are in need of a defense, the Buffalo Bills might have been dropped, and they need to be owned. Jacksonville Jags are a great option if the Bills are rostered. In addition, Miami, Tennessee, and Kansas City are all good pickups.
Happy Wednesday! The guys start out chatting about how great this time of the season is to be building trade offers. A great example of this is Austin Ekeler, who had a huge week last Sunday after a few slow weeks. After Ride or Die, we break down the Thursday night game.
The Keenan Allen situation in Los Angeles is day-to-day, and it does not seem like he plays. Even if he does, Jason is not starting him. Tom Brady is not practicing today; probably a day of rest for the elder QB, yet he did sustain a big hit on Sunday. RB Gus Edwards is designated to return for Baltimore, and Brian Robinson has a great chance to take the field in week five for the Commanders. Russell Wilson was limited in practice, and Blake Bortles quietly retired.
The Colts take on the Denver Broncos on Thursday, and the guys will be live on Twitch breaking down the game, hopefully watching Jonathan Taylor play. These are two underperforming teams, and the Indy offense has been missing explosivity. Their defense and offense are both struggling, and the Denver Broncos defense has been stopping players left and right. Starting any Colts might be scary, even with Pitty City. That being said, he is necessary and getting the targets. If Taylor is out, Nyheim Hines is the next man up as a flex option, playing a team giving the second-highest yards per attempt to RBs. Russell Wilson against this struggling defense, without Javonte Williams now, might be the best chance to see him ride. Jason thinks he might be a trade for target. You are starting Courtland Sutton and possibly Jerry Jeudy.
It is time to start addressing bye weeks, and the guys want you to be prepared. You must approach each position differently, and over the last two years, during bye weeks of four or more teams, the average top-12 QB has a minimal point drop. Conversely, the average RB drops from 23 points to 19 points. You are in a good spot if you can get 28 combined touches on a bye week for your RB. A top-24 WR has a minimal drop as well, and they are easy to find on the waiver wire. RBs are the hardest to replace, so start looking for potential players to plug in now.
Jonathan Taylor has been ruled out for the game tonight against the Broncos, and this will be the first game he has ever missed due to injury. Alvin Kamara plans to return this Sunday, and Jason says to start him. Jaylen Waddle did not practice due to a groin injury, and the guys are worried he is not at one hundred percent. David Montgomery is still day to day, and our injury expert Matthew Betz thinks this injury will keep him out longer. In more exciting Kyle Pitts news, he did not practice due to a hamstring injury. Rashaad Penny and Marquise Brown also did not practice. D’Andre Swift is not likely to play this week, especially with a bye week for Detroit on the horizon.
We kick it off with the New York Giants taking on the Green Bay Packers in a very low over/under game in London. This one is easy; it is Saquon and no one else. Daniel Jones seems to be active, but he is injured, so do not expect much. The Giants defense has been keeping them in games, so you do have decisions to make on the Packers side. Andy is locking in Romeo Doubs and Allen Lazard, and Jason is happy to start both RBs. Finally, remember the Robert Tonyan TD guarantee is only good in the United States. Detroit takes on New England in the next matchup, and Mac Jones might be back under center. Jared Goff is currently QB5, and the Lions lack of defense has benefited him and his weapons. It might be a risky start this week against the Patriots. On the other side of the ball, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson should have big games and should both be started. Jakobi Meyers might be back as well.
Pittsburgh heads to Buffalo for a potential beating, and Kenny Pickett gets thrown into the fire. Jason will not take any Steeler not named Najee in this game. Andy is considering the Muth if you must. You are starting all your Buffalo studs, and this could be a get-right game for Gabe Davis. Houston heads east to play Jacksonville in the next game. Houston, there are some problems, but Dameon Pierce and Brandin Cooks are in your lineup. This is an excellent matchup for James Robinson – Travis Etienne might not get enough targets to be a viable start. Trevor Lawrence can be started. Next up is Atlanta at Tampa Bay, and thankfully Tom Brady is back to practice. The Falcons might get massacred here, and they need Kyle Pitts to be part of their game plan. The QB situation here is making it difficult to confidently start any Atlanta pass catcher, but if Pitts does not play because of his hamstring, you could consider Drake London. If you are starting an Atlanta RB, it is Tyler Allgeier. For Tampa, we might see the Chris Godwin breakout game.
Seattle and New Orleans headline the next matchup, and we are uncertain what QB is starting for the Saints at this point. For Seattle, you can still stream Geno Smith, who has been having a solid season so far. The New Orleans rushing defense is strong, so shy away from Rashaad Penny. WR Chris Olave is locked into your lineup, and Michael Thomas did not practice on Wednesday. The 2-2 Chargers take on the 2-2 Browns in Jason’s sneaky start game of the week. You are starting all your usual Chargers, but Joshua Palmer is slightly banged up, so you can hold back. For Cleveland, Chubb and Hunt should eat, and Amari Cooper can have a bounce-back performance.
Jason is starting Tom Brady, James Robinson against the Texans, Chris Olave, and Tyler Conklin. Mike is going with Joey B. against the Ravens, Damien Harris, Robert Woods, and Dallas Goedert against the Arizona Cardinals. Finally, Andy is starting Derek Carr, Kareem Hunt, Tee Higgins, and TJ Hockenson.
The show ends with the prose of Jason’s Boom Boom Kicker. Enjoy the Thursday night game!
It is FootClan Friday, and the guys start the show waxing lyrical about the incredible Thursday night game. It was a brutal watch, and you want to give credit to the defenses, but it was still horrifying to watch and caused a lot of sadness for fantasy players.
Jason starts us off by discussing Russ with disgust. There was no redeemable quality about Russell Wilson’s performance last night, and there is something not right about him. The combination of Nathanial Hackett’s “coaching” and Russell Wilson’s “playing” is equaling the worst cooked meal fantasy football players could ask for. Melvin Gordon and Mike Boone had several carries and were also involved in the passing game. Courtland Sutton was fine, and Jerry Jeudy should have had more. Melvin Gordon should be a solid RB2 moving forward. On the Indy side, Alec Pierce was more impressive than Pitty City, and owners are concerned. Matt Ryan had very little protection and was horrendous when he had a bad pocket.
Kyle Pitts has been ruled out with his hamstring injury, and owners are happy not to have to decide on him. Rashaad Penny returned to practice, but the matchup is rough this week, and you might want to consider benching him. Charger-wise, Keenan Allen is not practicing, Joshua Palmer is limited, and Gerald Everett is now questionable, so keep your ears to the ground. Jaylen Waddle was upgraded, and Tyreek Hill was added to the injury report. In the Lion’s den – Amon-Ra will practice this week, but it remains TBD if he plays. D’Andre Swift will have another week on the bench. Dawson Knox was ruled out for the Bills.
The Titans take on the Commanders in our first matchup of the day. Both of these defenses have given up a lot of points to the passing game, so Terry McLaurin could have a decent day. Brian Robinson might take the field Sunday, and the days are numbered to have Antonio Gibson in your lineup. Snow looks to be on the way, so the Yeti might be poised for a solid game. Robert Woods is Mike’s start of the week, and see if you can throw Kyle Philips on your bench. Miami heads to New York to take on the Jets in Andy’s almost upset of the week. Teddy Bridgewater is under center, and Chase Edmonds and Raheem Mostert have done a full Freaky Friday – swapping targets and pass-catching work. Andy is playing Mostert this week as someone who can take the load off Bridgewater. On the other side, Breece Hall is tied for the most targets at the RB position and has been a top-20 RB in his past three starts. Zach Wilson seems to love Corey Davis, so he is a possible start if you are desperate. Tyler Conklin is Jason’s start of the week.
The Chicago Bears stay up north to play the Minnesota Vikings. The Bears had a season-high 11 completions, so do not start a Chicago pass-catcher. With the RBs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert, you should start the starter. On the Vikings side, Jefferson and Cook are in, and Adam Thielen is worth consideration. The 49ers head east to take on the Carolina Panthers, where they are road favorites. Carolina-wise, it is CMC, and call it a day. We hope to see Jimmy G. get on the same page with George Kittle, but it is harder to do with Deebo and Brandon Aiyuk catching passes. Jeff Wilson should have solid volume, and he is in for Mike. The Eagles fly to the desert to play the Cardinals, who are abysmal at home. Philly has been a great performer for fantasy, so start your studs. Kyler is quietly the QB6 this year, leading a team that cannot seem to score during the first half of games. If you can get out of starting James Conner, you should do so, and Zach Ertz is solid at the TE position against his former team.
Dallas takes on the LA Rams in a game where the Dallas defense should be successful. Jason worries about all Rams options outside of Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee. We might see a redistribution of targets on Sunday, but that does not mean to start Allen Robinson. You should also be benching Stafford and the Rams RBs. With Dallas, Andy is trying to get out of starting Zeke. Sunday night football is Cincinnati playing Baltimore, and the winner takes control of the division. Joe Burrow is Mike’s start of the week in what could be a prime-time palette cleanser. Start all your studs as it should be a high-scoring affair. You could flex Tyler Boyd as well. Baltimore’s Rashod Bateman will miss the game, and Duvernay is an excellent start in his place. The Bengals defense is legit – JK Dobbins should stay on your bench. The week ends with the Raiders against the Chiefs in the highest over/under of the week. Mahomes owns the Raiders and stay in the flames with CEH. The WR room is still messy, and you should avoid it, but keep an eye on Skyy Moore. Derek Carr is a great start to go along with Davante Adams. Hunter Renfrow also returned to practice. Darren Waller still needs to be started but be prepared for a possible bust.
Andy spins the wheel of shame, and then the guys go over their DraftKings lineups to close the show.
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