Latest / Altitude Problems / 2026 Episode #12: Fantasy Sleepers, Recap on the Rox, and NFL Division Winners!

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2026 Episode #12: Fantasy Sleepers, Recap on the Rox, and NFL Division Winners! · Altitude Problems

• Big Country: Well main guys, this is episode twelve of the Altitude Problems Podcast. I'm your co host, Big Country, alongside my partner P V. How are we doing to this beautiful Wednesday night? PV: We are doing pretty good. How are you doing, big country? Big Country: You know, not too bad. kinda same old, same old last few weeks with just baseball going on, you know. Just watching that and staying up to date on pretty much all things Rockies. yeah, training camp, yeah. PV: Lot of training camp a lot of training camp news too. Yeah. Big Country: seeing a lot of, you know, overreactions, shit like that. But I'm I mean it's just getting me more and more excited for NFL. But Yeah. Obvious as your week, at least. PV: Yeah, it's been going pretty good. I've been paying loads of attention to training camp. I had a rough first year dynasty, so looking to kinda find some of those sleeper players further this year. hearing a lot of news, especially in the wide receiver category, 'cause that's where I'm lacking right now. So definitely seeing a lot of studs come come through in training camp. We'll see if that's the kind of if that news progresses through into the regular season. Big Country: Yeah, I mean, talk about struggling in Dynasty. I mean, I was right there with you last year. I know I had some injury luck, but I don't think I attacked Dynasty like I could've or should have last year. I should have paid a little bit more attention. as PV: Yeah, me too. Big Country: as my boy shout out Brandon, you know, as he told me to do. PV: Mm. Big Country: but you know, I mean, New Year, I got Jeremiah Love, first pick overall. Hoping he is like the reason my team is like in contention maybe next year. Let's be honest here. teams team's still not that good. You know, we got a lot of holes. And like you said, at wide receiver too. PV: Yeah, I've been I've been looking for a lot of receivers. I ended up picking up Jordan Tys or yeah, I picked up Jordan Tyson this year, fourth overall in our draft. and I've been kind of shuffling through a lot of players that have been either in good situations or have been getting good calls from training camp. A lot of names like Cyrus Allen was kind of one that no one was really talking about early on, but he kind of blew up in camp. thankfully the injury with him getting carted off was just the shin bruise, so he should be back soon. a lot of other players have been doing pretty well as well. You're hearing a lot from the Ravens wide receiver core, whether it's Elijah Surratt's getting a little less noise, but we did see that Jacoby Lane's been getting a lot of noise. he's been playing really well. He got a one handed catch. He seems to be a big threat there. Denzel Boston and KC Conception, both of them have been balling down in Cleveland. So a lot of rookie noise for sure. we'll see who really ends up being kind of the rookie stud to come out this year if it's a plethora of players even. Big Country: Yeah, definitely. as we're talking just fantasy here, I kinda just wanna if we're talking fantasy, let's just talk fantasy, you know. we'll get into the boring shit kinda later, but I'll just share my screen now. We'll get right into the bulk of what today is all about and that's just another segment about some sleepers. So I'll I'll kinda start off here. and talk about my sleepers. So these are mine. I'm gonna kinda go by one by one by one, but we saw Daniel Jones honestly like I mean he was the main reason why that Colts team was actually like good last year. I know everyone was like obviously like surprised by it, but Daniel Jones was doing very, very well. He was a top ten quarterback in fantasy, he's PPR wise. and the value can kinda get him at kinda you know, coming off the Achilles injury obviously. You know, there's some, you know, skepticism, some worry there, but I think Dan Jones could be really good, like late. round pickup around like, you know, around a hundred eighty p for super flex leagues. I thought we're in, kinda what we're basing it off of. But I think it'd be really good. But what do you think on that? PV: Yeah, I agree. I think especially towards the back end of the season, you know, obviously he had his injury and stuff, so he kinda starts losing a lot of the value. And I think that's where he went from being potentially a top pick this year to kind of dropping off. And so I do think I still think even with that injury, he still has a lot of support around him. He has the legs to get you those points in fantasy, which are always a lot more valuable than passing yards. So yeah, I I definitely agree, especially for his value. I think it's a good It's a good pick. it's especially if you get stuck not drafting a quarterback early on. Big Country: Yeah, and especially like, you know, super flex, your most like that is where the bulk of your points are coming up from your super flex and your quarterback position. So you need to nail that quarterback position. And when you can get, you know, essentially you're probably you're probably thinking he's gonna land around like, you know, ten to twenty when you're drafting him, like overall in the league. And that for that being your quarterback too, it's not the worst option. Obviously you want o see both your quarterbacks be in the top ten, but I think you could certainly settle on a Daniel Jones with upside too. his his running ability like you said. So no, and then I'll kind of feed into my next one. So we got Rico Dowdle. All I'm thinking is hearing is good things at a camp with the Steelers with Rico. he's back with Mike McCarthy where he had some success, you know, with Dallas and that's ultimately in why he got his big got a chance with the Panthers last year. And I s we also saw him do very well with the Panthers last year. So I think, you know, with touches I think he's better than Rambi was his name. Running back in PV: Jalen Warren. Big Country: Jalen Warren. I think he's more of a downhill runner. He's not gonna move side to side. I feel like he could be a big threat, you know, in the run game for the Steelers. And I don't think they're gonna go, you know, too pass heavy. The guy that would relieve some pressure off Rogers, you know. not let just everyone come after him. And I think Rico could maybe really just be the R B one there. I it's probably gonna be a tandem, but I feel like later in the year this might pay off. What do you think? PV: Yeah, I mean there's some things I agree with there, some things I disagree with there. last thing that you said, them being a tandem is probably what I agree with most. I think he'll be an RB one and a half alongside Jalen Warren. I think Jalen Warren is a significantly better blocker and significantly better in the passing game. So you'll definitely see him out there at least getting the blocks for Aaron Rodgers, getting those check downs Aaron Rodgers. But like you mentioned, I think to take a lot of the pressure from off of Aaron Rodgers' shoulders, you are gonna see a lot more of a run game kind of stuff it in their mouth type of thing. And so I do think that Rico Daldo is gonna kind of benefit from that and probably will get a lot of the red zone touches. So I do agree that he does actually have really good value for how late he's getting picked. I definitely think in PPR leagues he has a little less value just because Jalen Warren is gonna take those pass blocking reps from him, but I do think he's gonna be the main back getting those first down touches as well as those red zone touches. Big Country: Yeah, and one thing I'll kinda like counter like what you're saying, like pass downs. Kenneth Gainwell was a name pass down back for the Steelers last year. I'm not saying, you know, Jalen Warren won't be that this year, but I think it could be a mix of the two. maybe throwing Caleb Johnson. He's play apparently playing with the first team, but I also don't think he's that good in the passing game either. So you I mean it's whoever really wants it, whoever it's honestly whoever Rogers trusts. Too. That's a big thing with Rogers. I saw it all all for all seventeen, eighteen years of watching him play. He it's who he trusts. It's not really who's the best. So have to see. It's his first year with him as well, so something to do with it too. But either way, I'm kinda high on him, especially around that hundred eighty P mark again. something I will probably target. I think we targeted him last week at our best ball as well. PV: Yes, yeah we did. Big Country: too. Big playability. PV: Yes, I I do agree with you there. Big Country: Yeah. moving to Wandale. I mean we've we've kind of been high on the Titans offense. This feels like you know Cam Ward, Carnel Tate. But this is the digging dump guy. You know, the guy that would probably I would say you'd think he's gonna lead the team in targets. You know, he he'll be the guy to dump off. You know, he's not gonna beat you over the top. He's just gonna be crossing out slants, you know, in routes, curls, shit like that. I feel like he has a ton of upside for being at a hundred right now. I think he him and Carnell honestly could end up the same level. You're probably higher on Carnell than I am, but I truly feel like Wandell's a most valuable target in that offense, right? PV: Yeah, I mean I had Wandale at the end of last year. and with the Giants, he was getting upwards of ten targets a game near the end of the year. So, like you said, he was a PPR machine, dink dink and dunk type of a player. He got me twenty points in the championship game, solely off of ten catches for a hundred yards. So he was just getting those short catches. And I just I I actually do really like that. I do like this pick a lot because not only do you have Wandale Robinson here, but you have Brian DeBoole coaching that offense. And I do think Cam Ward, one of the things that one of the reasons the Titans struggled last year is he Kai Cam Ward would always make the right read, hit the right short pass, and everyone was dropping those damn short passes. So Wandale won't have that issue this year. Cam Ward's gonna have that guy to drop those short passes too. Cardinal Tate's gonna be his deep option. I am big on Cardinal Tate, but I'm more deep on him as like a as a higher ceiling type of player rather Big Country: Uh-huh. PV: than a consistent type of player. I would rather have Cardinal Tate obviously, but Wandale Big Country: Yeah. PV: is Wandale is much later value. so you can get some really good value out of Wandale. and so yeah, I d I definitely really like this pick. I'm high on almost every player from the Titans except s for maybe the running backs right now. so yeah, I don't I don't disagree at all here. Big Country: Yeah, and I also just like, you know, when you're looking at your, you know, ADP one hundred, tenth round, you kinda are looking for your slot. No, your slot, your flex, you know, PV: Your flex, yeah. Big Country: and a guy that could be as consistent as Wandell ha was for the Giants last year, obviously different quarterback, but same system as we saw, I feel like it could be really valuable for fantasy owners this year. And probably someone I'll target as well, but Hey man, as it says on the screen, big country approved. You know? PV: Yeah. Big Country: I love how AI does that. like I'll go straight into my next one, my last. kinda just one position here each, but Greg Dolchitch, Miami. yeah, everyone talks about how shit Miami's gonna be. You've said I don't know how many times you don't think Miami's gonna be that bad. I know I was a fan of Malik Willis when he stepped in for Jordan Love last year. I don't really see him like You know, obviously he's probably gonna be in a worse offensive scheme than what he was in Green Bay, 'cause he you know, offensive head coach up there. But who is he gonna have to throw to? The only guy that you really can name on the offense, and Greg Dolchich, and then I want to s I can't remember the other it's wide I wanna say something, Washington. Is the other wide receiver? PV: mike Washington? No. Hold on. But Malik, Malik Washington. Big Country: either way Malik Malik Washington, you know, s you gotta give the you gotta give him somewhere. I mean, Devon Tron's probably gonna have a monster season because he has gonna have so much out of the backfield and then he's just gonna be running the ball. But, you know, red zone, gotta throw it to someone big. Malik might be looking Dolce's way a multitude of time. So yeah. PV: Yeah, I mean I had Malik Willis in my championship game last year and what he thrived off of Big Country: I'm seeing some common themes here, bud. PV: what he thrived off of was his ability to not only scramble but make a decision and make that throw while he's scrambling. And so I think w one of the reasons why I don't think that Miami will be that bad fantasy wise, I think they'll be terrible when you when like as a team probably this year. But I think fantasy wise you're gonna see kind of some players get undervalued because I think it'll be kind of a scheme similar to the Ravens now, in that you have a fast player like Devonichan, and then you have a speedy quarterback like Malik Willis that still has the ability to launch the ball down the field. And so I think you're gonna see a lot of RPOs, I think you're gonna see a lot of fake quarterback runs and kind of just dumping off two players like the tight ends, and so in systems like Baltimore you have seen a lot of players benefit. You saw a double you saw a two tight end scheme with Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews. Mark Andrews had a couple of years of success. Isaiah Likely had some success other than his injuries in Baltimore. So I do think Greg Dolchich Greg Dolchich or really anyone from the Dolphins is going to be a sleeper this year. they're definitely a little tricky to figure out who's going to be the top receiver 'cause there's no really good like No one's really been standing out. that's kind of somewhere I I've been looking in Dynasty as well. I have Caleb Douglas in in my taxi squad right now because he's a rookie big guy. he's been putting up some decent performance in camp, so you never know. But Greg Dolkich is really him he's really the only name that I could tell you has been is anyone anywhere near consistent. So, you know, even Malik Washington is okay. He had a couple I don't know, maybe three or five point games. He maybe had an eight point game at some point last year. So Dulkage fantasy value is gonna be the most consistent on that team. So if they're gonna be able to produce, I could definitely see some good value in the late rounds from him. Big Country: Yeah. And I mean their OC is Bobby Slowick. I mean, I don't know if you remember him, but he's the he was the old Texans OC. And you know, you obviously saw some, you know, regression in that offense, you know, after CJ's first year. Let's say that's gonna happen again. Yeah, maybe fresh start, new players, you know, completely different style of players too might benefit his offense. I'll just wait and see. But either way, I'm high on him. especially where he's getting drafted. That's even lower than one hundred. I want to say it's at like one thirty to one sixty. Can't recall on exactly where he's getting drafted. But you know, as a guy that you could potentially stash, you know, Natalia's your tight end one, but could end up being your tight end one by the of the season. So yeah. But tell me about yours, man. PV: Yeah, my my sleepers are quite a bit deeper. they're more around one fifty each, except for Eli Raradon who is going undrafted most of the time. So Cam Ward. I've been talking about we've all we've both been talking about the Titans offense. I'm big on the Titans. I'm big on Cam Ward. Cam Ward's a leader. now he has a really good offensive coordinator with plenty of weapons. I think he's gonna figure it out this year. I think you're gonna see a big step up and so Seeing him being drafted as one of the lower quarterbacks, I definitely think he's a really high value, especially in a super flex league. But even in a regular league, if you get stuck not having a quarterback, I think Cam Ward is a wonderful, really, really late pick, and you can still have a lot of really good flexes, wide receivers, running backs, before even picking up someone who I think will end up being able to drop you twenty points a game this year. Big Country: Yeah, I you know, we always talk about like the the year two quarterback, you know, progression and him going in Dable system. I think he you did really see a huge jump here. Not you know, I'm not saying he's gonna be Trike Mayev year, you know, ending up as quarterback two, but very easily can sneak into a top ten quarterback finish, you know, given the receivers that he's gonna have around him this year. I mean running back's kinda But you know, you don't need that as much, I feel like, as good receivers. All those guys PV: Yeah, and it's not like he's a bad running back. I mean Tony Pollard's still solid. Big Country: Yeah, it's it's I'd say that's intermiss, but you know like I once again, we we've talked about Cam Mortis feels it feels like somewhat all se all off season. I feel like he could be a great ad at his pick right now. PV: Yeah. Now we'll move on to Kenneth Gainwell. this one's kind of an interesting one because I've been so high on Bucky Irving ever since his rookie year. but I d have seen this one is kind of a big part of this is gonna be the training camp rumbles, not necessarily because he's playing well, but more so the schemes that they're doing. we see a lot of running back two running back schemes out there right now. So we're seeing both Kenneth Gainwell and Bucky Irving out there. Bucky Irving got a lot of catches in the recent years, and I know that because I've had him on my fantasy team. He gets plenty of targets, but he does not produce too many yards out of those targets. I saw him produce maybe two big plays in the two years that I had him off catches, like two really big plays. He definitely had some still like, you know, 10, 20 yard catches, more than that. But I feel like Kenneth Gainwell's. Like you said, he was last year he was the pass down guy for the Steelers. He's he's got really solid blocking skills, he has a good catching ability. So I think as a PPR machine he's gonna be he's gonna be a pretty good value, especially if he's splitting reps out there. And I think Bucky Irving, you know, last year he was trying to take a lot of the carries, ended up getting injured. Sean Tucker ended up taking a big chunk of his he he took a big chunk of his carries, so I do think that Kenneth Gainwell still has an opportunity here. I think we will see a little bit of Sean Tucker maybe in the red zone, but I think in a PPR format Kenneth Gainwell dropping all the way down to around one fifty eighty P, maybe even further than that. I think he was a little lower. I think that's a solid value. Big Country: Yes, but that's I mean you're talking ten ten man, fifteenth round pick, you know, potential, you know, flex option given certain weeks. I mean, like you said, he he was the pass down back for Steelers. and I mean if he's taking a little bit of Bucky's role, that might help even Bucky's, you know, ability to like, you know, run the ball effectively, you know, you know, just and keep him healthy as well. PV: Yeah, we saw his yeah, we saw h we saw Bucky's rookie year, his which was his best year, obviously he's only had two years, but his rookie year he played alongside Richard White, who has who had that exact same role. He was the pass down back, splitting reps with him, getting a lot of those first team touches as well. But that was Bucky's best year. So yeah, I agree. It definitely could help take a load off and make him play better. Big Country: Yeah. Watch out for that early season when Baker looks like an MVP, bro. And then he falls off. PV: Yeah. Alrighty, so now I'll go to Josh Downs, the receiver for Daniel Jones that you talked about earlier. And Josh Downs, I think, is gonna be very similar to Wandale Robinson in that he's gonna get a lot of those dink and dump type of passes. So he's gonna be a PPR machine. I think especially with Michael Pittman being gone. Alec Pierce is gonna be their big guy, kind of with their downfield target. I think Tyler Warren is kind of a threat to take a lot of those targets away from him, but I still think that Josh Downs is going to get a significant amount of those short passes. He's been a great route runner. We've already seen him be the favorite target early in training camp. So I think with him falling as low as he has around that one fifty mark, a consistent what I would consider wide receiver one in that offense right now, at least at least a starting slot player in that offense, I would definitely be drafting him in those late rounds. Big Country: I don't mind that at all. I mean I'm trying to think of the other receiver and Indy and all the only thing that comes to mind is Tyler Warren and I feel like I'm missing someone big for the Colts. fucking Alec Pierce. I mean, yeah PV: Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren. Yeah, it's just Alec Pierce. Big Country: but like y when I look at Alec Pierce and Josh Downs, I honestly don't like see much different. You know? PV: Yeah, I think the thing with Alex Pierce is he was he was certainly the deep the downfield Big Country: Yes. PV: target. We saw him catch a lot of really deep balls. He was always the twenty yard twenty plus yard passes to him. So I don't think that he's gonna be much of a threat to take necessarily targets from Josh Downs because Josh Downs is that kind of short route. Sh get me like four or five yards a catch type of guy. Big Country: Yeah, definitely. I mean if he could be the Dink and Dumb guy for J for Daniel Jones, I mean he has significant fantasy PPR upside. and he produced a lot last year. For what role he was in, if it just gets expanded upon, I can see why he could PV: Yeah. Big Country: be really good. PV: Yeah, absolutely. And now the biggest surprise here, a lot a name that not a lot of people have probably heard about, Eli Raridon. This is one that you know, I've been looking around through Dynasty for big sleepers. This guy kinda popped out to me given that the Patriots were pretty big with their tight ends last year. Hunter Henry saw a lot of targets, ended up being tight end 19. he was pretty undervalued. I think he went undrafted in most leagues last year. And so with him, he's still gonna be tight end one this year, but he's getting a lot older. He's definitely getting up there in age. And Austin Hooper left, so they don't have a tight end two. So Eli Rarodon immediately slips into that tight end two role. We're already seeing them do a lot of tight end two sets in training camp, and he is a six foot six monster with solid speed. Rookie, I think he will get some good chemistry with Drake May. So this one's definitely a deep, deep sleeper. He's going undrafted in basically every league. but if you have an extra spot you have no idea who to waste it on and you need a backup tight end, I think that having a rookie who's immediately slotted into the tight end two position and a six foot six in a system that favors tight ends is absolutely a steal. Big Country: Yep. I can't say like he's is getting older Hunter Henry and you know, just developing that rapport, maybe being the starting tight end in the next few years. I I I see this as a very like, you know, good dynasty pick. Maybe not gonna be the league winner this year. I mean, in a rare, rare case where Hunter Henry maybe gets, you know, heard just because of old age and shit. But PV: Yeah, an injury or something. Yeah. Big Country: I do like the value if he can you know, maybe I mean, let's be honest, you're probably not drafting him. PV: Yeah, I mean you can snag him with the last pick. Big Country: Yeah. PV: Yeah. If if yeah, you know, it's one of if it's one of those picks where you're like, Yeah, I you're looking at all the players, you're like, I have no idea what I want. You need a backup tight end, here's a here's a solid option. Big Country: Yeah, and it's also someone you could be like, you know, keeping your eye on mid season because he could be a very good waiver wire pickup. you PV: Yeah. Exactly, yeah. Big Country: know, he might not be worth the fifteen scripture, but you never know. I mean in the eight man PV: Yeah. Or for any dynasty players like us, you know, definitely a really, really good pick here with an old tight end at that one position already sliding into two. Absolutely a solid pick. Big Country: Yeah, you could just s stash on your bench with a deep bench and kinda just wait and see, I guess. 'Cause that's essentially what you with a lot of Dynasty players. If you wait and see, there's a lot of At least w where we are in Dynasty, we don't you know, we don't compete. So we need these type of guys. PV: Yeah. Big Country: but yeah, that kind of just wraps up our like fantasy sleepers for for this week. PV: Yeah. So now take us through the Rockies news, a lot to go through with the trade deadline coming up. take us through the trades Big Country: Coming up. PV: and what you think of them coming up, sorry. Big Country: well it was on Monday. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. PV: Or no sorry, yeah, I didn't mean I didn't mean no yeah. I meant to say passing. You knew what I meant. Big Country: So deadline was on Monday. The Rockies ended up trading a total of four players, not all total on Monday, but they traded four totals in pla four total players in total over the you know the last like few weeks. So Seth Alverson, Antonio Santatella, Victor Vondick, and my boy Brandon Doyle. Yeah, I'm just my father. I I understand why we traded Doyle. I truly do. Which makes me really sad. And I also like some at some point I didn't really understand it because I felt like we had, you know, he's still under control and we also have other controllable assets, but you know, I kind of saw the vision, you know, that I thought the Rockies had, you know, going when we swept the Royals this past weekend of having three center fielders out there. Yeah, Cole Kerrigan Wright. Doyle in center and McCarthy in left. Three center fielders playing in a big ass outfield. It's what you need. And then we go and trade the best defensive outfielder we have. Sounds depressing. I mean Senza, I knew he was gonna trade it all along. It's just a matter of who he was gonna trade to, not a matter of when. and then Victor Vodek. you know, wish him nothing but the best. Nothing but the best for all these players. I love the Rockies. But Victor, he was struggling with us. And I'm glad we could get a little bit back. the White Sox gave they gave us their number eight prospect in return for Bretton Doyle. So, you know, he's kind of like an almost an MLB ready arm and the Rockies kind of need those pitchers as you know, they've gotten unhealthier and their team has gotten a little bit older over the past few years. So that'll be good. But yeah. I'm just sad about Britain, bro. But I saw that n those news on Monday morning, man. I it it just felt like I got shot, man. I was so sad. PV: Yeah, mean I do agree with you. It would have made more sense to have three center fielders. It was kind of interesting to see us get rid of him and then sign Mickey Moniac. I guess that means we're committed to having Mickey out there in one of those sides of the field and then probably Cole Carey Rome center. But Big Country: Yeah. PV: you know, it definitely sucks to see. Hopefully it pays off in the end. Hopefully it's not just another arm that ends up being a waste for us and we actually see some production out of it, so Big Country: Yeah, and and I don't know, like, you know I you know, like a lot of the trade deadline talk was like, Hey, are the Rockies who are they gonna trade? Because they had so many assets, you know, that people probably wanted. You know, but the probably what I liked about the Rockies, they they kept that asking price very high for all their players. You know, they said if you want come get 'cause they didn't have to get rid of All of were pretty much under control. And then, you know, and mo Moniac came out. In the media, he's like, I kind of don't want to be traded. Like he wants to stay in Denver, he likes Denver. And he put out a beautiful quote after he he re-upped for another two years. You know, it would mean the world to him if he could bring winning baseball back to Denver. I love that. I like what Mickey stands for. He's a Cortesfield merchant, low-key. But you know, we play Corsfield, we need those. So I'm happy we re-upped him. I mean, the future of our outfield looks kind of weird. 'Cause I don't think you Mickey's like an everyday guy. You kinda have to plete in him sometimes against lefkies 'cause he's not that good against him. And he's not PV: Yeah. Big Country: that good defensively. But, you know, he joining him in the D H or left field sounds like a pretty good option to me from the Rockies. And then you know, you have Jake Rome right or left, and then Cole Carrick's a stud. He j I feel like he just needs a little bit more time in center field. I mean, this is completely new to him really. He he's a shortstop, so I don't know if you saw this, but Tovar has been really good this this past series against the Rays. I know we lost all three games, but he was believe he had seven hits over the last three games. So good to see out of Toby. PV: well. Big Country: I'm happy to see him do well, man. He was four for four on Monday with Homer, so PV: Nice. Big Country: not saying, you know, he's gonna hit 300 by the end of the season, but we're we're trending in the right direction right now. Like I've that. PV: Hitting three hundred is not easy anymore. I think what is there, like twenty players total in the MLB now that hit are hitting three hundred or more? Big Country: No. I would gladly take a two fifty hitter from anyone right now. PV: Yeah. Big Country: That's just what the MLB is, unfortunately. So either way. now we just have to wait and see what their record is at the end of the season. We're not gonna make the playoffs and I think it's all just about growth at this point, you know. I don't know if they're gonna bring up any more young guys. They brought up back Jordan Beck this week. And they didn't they didn't have to like bring up like Condon or Zag Veen, so I thought that was kinda interesting. But maybe they want to keep them in the minors due to the impending lockout. Because if they add them to the forty man, then they can't interact with them if a lockout happens. Rather than if they're not in the forty man, they can interact with them because they're minor leaguer. So so that's gonna be interesting. I'm not gonna lie. But that's PV: Yeah, I mean, you know, it's like you said, us keeping the asking price high I feel like is a good sign for us Rockies fans. You know, it's means feels like we're less of a farm. Feels like we definitely wanna keep bring back that winning culture, so feels good. Big Country: Yeah, you know, let's get back to twenty eighteen Rockies, man. Twenty seventeen where we're 'cause it does feel like we are building something now. You know. I don't care what the record says. I mean, this team is entirely different from last year. even if we are the worst record in baseball still. PV: Mm-hmm. Big Country: Hey, we already surpassed our win total from last year, so that's really good. PV: Hell yeah. Big Country: but so stop talking about the depressing Rockies and We have football tomorrow. Hall of Fame game. Cardinals, Panthers. Never in my life would I say, Yeah, dude, I can't wait to watch Pickett and Beck. PV: gonna be it's gonna be cinema. Big Country: Hell yeah, dude. truthfully, not gonna watch. PV: Carson Beck has been looking pretty good. I'm gonna watch. I miss football too much not to watch. I'll definitely I'll be I'll be watching the first drive or two at least. Defin probably the first quarter at least. Big Country: I watch the clips. PV: Nah, I'll watch the game. I I especially Big Country: That's about it. PV: 'cause especially when you're a dynasty kind of a guy, you know, you need to find those Big Country: Who the hell are you gonna find from the Hall of Fame game? PV: sleeper guys. Actually, one of the one of the biggest Big Country: How ass are our teams in Nicey? It's a real question. PV: one of the biggest training camp into preseason rubblings was Cortland Sutton. I remember that. Cortland Sutton was getting some braves over training camp. He started one preseason game, did so well that he ended up getting a starting job now look where he is. Big Country: He was a second round pick. I kind of expected him to get some this point at some point. You know. I mean, Carson PV: Yeah, I guess, but still. Big Country: Beck I might th think of it, you know, he could be a starting quarterback for the Cardinals in the future. Maybe not this year, maybe by week seven, 'cause to be honest, Jacoby Verset's not that PV: No, I do think Big Country: good. PV: I do think Carson Beck will probably take it this year. I don't think well, I don't know why they paid Jacoby Brissett as much as they did. That's the only reason that maybe he might not. But yeah, that was a dumb contract. Big Country: Well did did Jacoby get a new contract? I can't remember. PV: Yeah, he I think he just signed one, didn't he? Big Country: I mean I don't remember seeing anything. he signed PV: Let's see here. Big Country: a fifteen and a half fully guaranteed. I mean, that's pretty low PV: it's a one year deal. So yeah, he probably I mean Big Country: for a quarterback to be honest. In this market. PV: He so yeah, I would say Carson Bank Carson Beck probably could start at some point in the season. Big Country: Yeah. And you know, what do the Cardinals have to lose, let's be honest here? PV: Yeah, exactly. But I do think, you know, maybe the Cardinals would just start Jacoby the whole year. Tank. Go get Jeremiah Smith. Big Country: Yeah, but like they don't need Jeremiah Smith, they need a fucking quarterback. Carn B Geor Carson Beck is not the answer. Carson Beck is not the answer. I think everyone PV: No, they have Carson Beck. Big Country: knows that. It's just no one's saying it to be somewhat nice. PV: You don't know that until you see it. Gotta see him fail Big Country: I know it. PV: first. Big Country: I know it. He's bugs. PV: He he was drafted around the same time as Shador. Actually he was drafted before Shador would have been. And you s and you're still high in Shador. Big Country: Yeah, but the NFL blacklisted Shador. So PV: Mm-hmm. Big Country: that's at least my personally, but you know. Trying to find what we're gonna talk about on the next session. Seth Sith PV: No, I don't think I don't think Karsten Beck is the future well, I don't know, I think but I but I won't I won't write him off just yet, you know. He's been looking good at training camp, so we'll see what he can do. Big Country: Yeah. I mean, it'll be interesting to see, but I just don't think he's that good. So I'm not gonna pretend like I think he is, you know. But I mean you never know. We always say, you know, like these things and then you know we end up being wrong, or I I end up being wrong. We end up being wrong on some things, you know. Well We'll see. Literally. We'll see. but let me pull up the good old division winners parlor that we're gonna make for this year. This probably will change, guarantee it will. But you know. Never can be too early with these things. AFC East, you know, Patriots won it last year. I mean PV: Give me the bills. Big Country: the let's be honest here. Patriots are due for a huge regression too. PV: I I'm not high on the Patriots this year, honestly. Big Country: They gotta have to play a bunch of good teams, you know. Every number one team from last year they're gonna be playing, kinda like the Broncos. PV: More more tape on their system, more tape on Drake May. I think Trayvon Henderson might see some regression. I think he had a lot of big plays that carried a lot of his yardage last year. I had him. So I know. I remember. Yeah, but I still think that those big plays fuel Big Country: I mean, but he was also a rookie, Pat. If anything he might be due for something bigger. PV: a lot but he got a lot of touches. It's it's not like he did he wasn't getting a lot of touches. He was getting plenty of touches. It's just that only w only like two or three of the touches Big Country: Remember we were saying all the time PV: in those games would actually be big. And then he would get like two three yard carries. Ramondre. Ramondre s Ramondre Stevenson Big Country: Dude, they need to stop giving so many touches to what was the other guy's name? Yeah, Ramondre's fucking ass. PV: was a yeah, he was actually also getting a lot of carries. But that's the thing, is they k they run the ball a lot. And I you know, Trevion Henderson wasn't the one that was picking up those consistent yards. It was Ramondre. That's why he was getting those touches. But Trevian got the big plays. So I don't Big Country: Yeah. PV: know. I I think that I think the Bills for one, they take a step up and two, I think the Patriots take a step back, and that's why I think the pa the Bills get back Big Country: Yeah. PV: into the division lead here. Big Country: agree. we're probably gonna have a different answer on the AFC North. I th you really can go all three ways. I I mean, guys, the Steelers are a harder pick, obviously. but it feels like every year, dude, the AFC North is just a crapshoot because you never know because no PV: Really? The Steelers? You're you're considering picking the Steelers? No, the Steelers Yeah Big Country: one fucking stays healthy. And that's exactly how the Steelers won out last year. So I'm not saying we're gonna take the Steelers here. PV: Y yeah Big Country: I'm really in between the Ravens and the Bengals. And I'm leaving Bengals just because I don't think the Ravens that good. But they choke. And they have Lamar. He's another quarterback. PV: Bengals Yeah you're right. The the Steelers always seem to almost be in the mix of winning that division for whatever reason. Even even if they're at five hundred every year. Big Country: Bagels if they are healthy and they have somebody It's that's so annoying. It really is. It's so hard to pick. Yeah. PV: I would honestly go with the Bengals here. I think Big Country: Yeah. PV: I think Joe Burrow, if he plays the full season, is enough to carry them to a winning season that's better than some of these other teams. and I think the Ravens Big Country: Yeah and PV: are lacking w weapons on offense right now. Big Country: Yeah, they just extended say flowers LeJounte Western. PV: They only have Zay Flowers and then everyone else is yeah, everyone else is kind of a toss up 'cause no see that's the thing is LeJante West is already l basically lost his job to Jacoby Lane. Yeah. And then after that it's Rashad Big Country: That's kind of the first thing actually. but yeah, like PV: Bateman and Rashad Bateman's Yeah. Big Country: I'm taking I'm taking the best team, you know. I I'm taking the most you know, the best offense and then a hopeful, you know, resurgent defense. PV: You know, one other thing. Yeah, exactly. The the resurgent defense, they went and got Dexter Lawrence. That is a humongous Big Country: That'll be huge. PV: addition, you know, especially with how much that those damn that damn D line struggled to get any type of pressure, having that pressure not only up the middle but being able to stop the run. I think that's gonna be a huge difference. So yeah, give me the Bengals in this division. Big Country: Yeah. Plus i I think it used to have like a really good like year from their corner DJ Turner last year. You know, and PV: Yeah. Big Country: if it wasn't you know they give him some pressure and force of air and throws, man, that dude could have a huge season. Not saying it's one side of the defense, but you never know. now for the real crapshoot division. Like st the AFC South. PV: Yeah, this one's a this one's a tough one. I honestly think though I think I really slightly like what I saw out of the Jags last year. I think I would take Big Country: Yeah. PV: the Jags in this division. I think their offense was extremely consistent last year. I think with Travis Hunter focusing on the defensive side of the ball, they're gonna have a lot better play in the air, especially if he just doesn't get hurt. Their wide receiver quarter this year is even better than it was last year, even though their offense was already being pretty consistent. The only loss that they took, I would say, is obviously losing Travis Etienne, but Big Country: Yeah. PV: I do think that the speed in Bacial Tutin and the toughness in Chris Rodriguez is enough to replace him anyway. So in this division I really like the Jags. Big Country: I mean you can't really go wrong with like the Titans either. They have that dominant defense. You might I'm not saying you're gonna get this out of CJ Strap, but we've seen it before. I'm not saying he's a complete poop, but he could be g they PV: Yeah. Big Country: they could they're a good team. The Colts should have won this division last year too. And Daniel Doves got. PV: Yeah, this one's this one's a tough one. but yeah, I think me personally I would take the Jacks. Big Country: Yeah, and honestly, like if you're you're sticking like straight like you know, maybe like value as a single bet, dude. What about the Titans? You never know. They're gonna have an easy schedule just PV: Yeah, plus eight hundred you never know with that whole new system sophomore. Big Country: like the Patriots did last year. Never know. But I like Jags here, honestly. Yeah. It's a solid pick. I keep I could honestly go with any one of these three. PV: gosh, holy cow, the division winners this year are fucking tough. Big Country: This is where I'm not taking the Broncos, I will say. Like I really don't think they're gonna win the division. I think it's gonna be the Chargers, to be honest. And that I that's you know I I think the Chiefs, yes, they're gonna be they're gonna be good again. Just kind of forced to think otherwise. But I think the Chargers we we've talked about the Chargers all the offseason. They're gonna have a great offense. Defense is always really s pretty solid. And it's not it's not a bad pick, man. It really isn't. PV: No, it's not. I don't think it's gonna be the Broncos either. Big Country: You think it's gonna be cheaps? PV: I do. Big Country: I mean I s I can see it, don't get me wrong. But the Chargers did beat the Chiefs last year. You know PV: I'm high on the charges this year, you've heard me say that, but for Big Country: Yeah. PV: whatever reason, that LA not even LA, just the Chargers name they just Big Country: Yeah, dude, they like to sell. PV: And the Chiefs they know how to win. Big Country: I do love to sell. They'd like to win, yes. But like man, man, man, fuck the Chiefs. PV: Well they know how to win is the thing. And they have the they have all the gadgets they need this year. Big Country: I I like I I I think we go with our, you know, what we've been talking about all offseason, man. Chargers. I mean, in reality, this is not PV: Like the Chargers, but do they win the division though? Big Country: gonna change our odds on this at all, really. kind of just like talking through it, but like I could definitely see a Chargers. You know. do we really have to like why are the cowboys this low? PV: Hold on, let me see. I'm gonna compare the schedules real quick. Big Country: I mean I I can kinda talk about it easier, but I mean Is there a word where the Eagles, you know, piss down their leg this year and don't, you know, win this division? Is it is it's theirs to lose, right? PV: yeah, I think it's the Eagles to lose. I think I don't think that the Cow the Cowboys might put up a fight, but I really I'm really not big on Dallas this year. Probably. Big Country: I mean the Dall Dallas will have a good offense probably, man. Their offense is gonna be humming probably. It always is humming. The problem is their is PV: Yeah. Big Country: is was their defense last year. But they did kind of shore up the defense this year. I mean we probably have always said that, but like they do have a good front. They have some good linebackers. I'm not it's is it enough for me to take them into division? No. But I could I could see them winning it. You know, I could see a sneaky Giants You know, add value obviously. you know, maybe maybe more wild card for them, but you know, you never know. Commanders that'd be a hu that'd be a tough one. PV: Like they're testing the AFC West like really hard. Big Country: Commanders would be tough, you know, coming off the injury with Jan Daniels, they just signed Stephon Diggs. Yeah, I guess. PV: Yeah, I do think I do think that the Commanders, you know, if they have another immaculate run like they did Jaden Daniels rookie season, they might be able to compete, but I think it's too hard not to take the Eagles here. you know. Big Country: And the commanders match up well against the Eagles too. They have PV: Yeah, they do. Big Country: for the last few years. So may I mean maybe. I mean we're obviously thinking like, you know, best team, healthy everything. You're probably taking Eagles here, I don't know. Like ninety percent of the time. And then the off chance summer gets PV: Yeah. Yeah, and I do think that getting rid of AJ Brown was a plus for them. I think he was a toxicity in that locker room and I do think he he moved that offense away from the identity that they really wanted to be. Big Country: Yeah. Get back to running the football, open up the pass game and just throw downfield to Mikhail Lamone and or Lemon, whatever the fuck you say his name. unsimedee. PV: Yeah, you know, short short RPO passes eventually throw a deep one downfield, not try to constantly lob it to AJ Brown. Big Country: So in a hot take here I think Jalen Hurts will be off the Eagles in two years. PV: I don't know, I think that's crazy. Big Country: That's why it's a hot take. PV: Ha ha Big Country: Got N C North. I'll let you take the reins on this one 'cause I'll be biased. So PV: Hmm. You know, I'm not too high on the Lions this year. Big Country: I don't know why they're favored. They finished third last year. No, they finished f were they fourth? PV: Yeah, I'm surprised they're favored. I'm surprised Chicago's so low. I honestly would I honestly would take Chicago here. I think I think Big Country: Talk to you. PV: Ben Johnson I think Ben Johnson is brilliant. I think another year with Caleb Williams is gonna help him out more. Caleb's getting more experience. Luther Burden plus Ramadunze is solid pairing. this guy. Big Country: Alright, hear me out, hear me out. Madden curse, right? That's something PV: Ha ha Big Country: that we gotta play into this bullshit, you know? And I'm not saying the Bears PV: Didn't Mahomes break it? Big Country: aren't aren't gonna be good this year 'cause they they do look pretty promising this year. But the Bears are the Bears. I know they won last year. I know. PV: But the the but what makes the Packers look so promising? Big Country: It that's the thing, they're not. That's let's make some dangers. No one's really PV: Exactly. That's that's Big Country: talking about Green Bay this year, man. The defense didn't get that much worse. PV: Because there's nothing that Big Country: But I think the offense is gonna be fucking really good. You know, you don't have as many mouths to feed this this year, bro. You got three solid wide receivers. Nah, bro. PV: That's a bad thing 'cause then you know where the ball's gonna go. Big Country: No, bro. You don't that's not so I'm saying you don't know where the ball's gonna go because you have three guys and no one's the number one again. You know you got you don't have no Dobbs and you don't have Wicks, but you got Golden who's gonna stretch the field, Watson who can stretch the field and breathe in the slot. Then you Savion Williams, bro, you know, playing that kind of like X Factor role. And then you got the the felon himself, PV: please. You got like eighty yards last year. Big Country: you know, you know, old ass Josh Jacobs. Bro, this team's gonna be nasty. What do you mean? PV: Josh Jacobs will probably get suspended. Big Country: Skyway. even know if they haven't said shit PV: Mm-hmm. Big Country: about him and it's kind of scaring me. I mean, I like PV: Mm-hmm. Big Country: to be honest with you, I could see the Bears winning it. But you could also say the Bears should have w lost every single game to the Green Bay last year. Same. PV: The Bears the Bears will win it, Green Bay will make wild card. That's what I think will happen. Big Country: You saying the same thing as last year? PV: Yeah. Big Country: I mean tell PV: I see a repeat. Big Country: tell tell me not. Green Bay with Micah Parsons healthy. They win the division. Dude, they were so they didn't win a PV: They that made them a lot better. They maybe, maybe. Big Country: single game after he got hurt. Do you know that? Thanks, by the way. Fucking Denver. I don't know when he's gonna come back because I feel like Jonathan Gannon's like kind of creating two different styles of defense, you know, one with Micah and one without. And then we're also getting Tucker Kraft back, dude. He's gonna be ready week one. PV: I think Tucker Kraft is gonna be I think a lot of people have been talking really highly on him and trust me, I I liked him last year and I think he was great, but I think I think that injury is gonna play a bigger it's gonna hurt him a lot more than a lot of people are realizing, I think. Big Country: You think he's gonna like just be worse off 'cause of it? PV: I think we're gonna see a slight regression. I think his I th yeah, I do think we're gonna he's gonna be a little worse off. Big Country: Well hopefully not. PV: Hopefully not, but Big Country: But I can't I can't pick the bear's thought. I mean you everyone else can. Probably the smart money will go there, but I just yeah, literally, bro. PV: I'll have to make my own parley. Big Country: sh should we just go with the lions to disagree? With our own thoughts. PV: No. Th I actually really don't think the Lions will take the division this year. Big Country: Matter of fact, the Vikings, bro, they could have a nasty S defense with Kyler, bro. Shit. That would that would be kind of crazy. PV: Kyler Murray has an MVP here. Hey, Sam Darnold did it with them, remember? Big Country: Yes, exactly, bro. You get a actually good quarterback in there, they might actually be really good. I don't feel like any th you're PV: Still got Justin Jefferson, so Big Country: looking at potentially the best division in football right here. Every team was positive last year. PV: Yeah, maybe. No, I think the AOC West. Big Country: Or you say that 'cause you fucking broke this one. PV: No, legitimately though. Like you think about how hard of a how hard of a decision it was to pick between those three Chiefs, Chargers, Denver, and then the Raiders might actually have a big step Big Country: I think it's pretty hard to pick a decision here. PV: up. It's n I don't think it's as hard as Chiefs Big Country: All these teams were plus last year. PV: Well, just look at the just look at the odds comparison. That's how you know. Big Country: there's no favorite in the Vegas' one five ten to one seventy. Look at your bum ass division. PV: Yeah, look look at the look at the odds in the AFC West. Big Country: Plus two thousand PV: Yeah, but look at the other three. Big Country: It's a three headed horse, is what I'm seeing. Or w sure. Yeah. Anyways, fuck it. Let's get to MC South. PV: Well then by your logic by your logic the NFC South is the best. Big Country: Well dude, the NC South is always the hardest one to pick 'cause you you literally have no idea. You you know, you they'll fuck around and put the Falcons in there somehow. this one I could I PV: It is the hardest one to pick though, yeah. They're always they're always at the same like seven and eight eight and eight record. Which is now nine and eight. Big Country: feel like you know the Buccane Buccaneers won't fuck around this year. PV: I think yeah, I agree, but just because Baker Mayfield is didn't Big Country: The way it's better. PV: get his contract. I think Baker Mayfield's gonna play with the fire under his ass. He's gonna be mad. He's gonna play for it Big Country: Yeah, you gonna be hungry. He is mad. PV: he's gonna play for a big contract for another team. Big Country: Yeah, I mean you saw the Saints obviously like, you know, turn up at the end of the year. And they could certainly do very well and end up like nine and eight. But so can the Bucks, so can the Panthers, and so can the Falcons. They're all gonna be like eight and PV: Yeah. Big Country: eight. But I can I can see a Where will the Panthers r run it back too. But I think that was kind of not a fluke, but you're not gonna see like crazy more out of Bryce Young than you did last year. So and then You know what's crazy saying, yeah, I'm not gonna pick the Super Bowl champs, but we're probably not picking the Super Bowl champs here. We're gonna take the forty PV: You don't think so? Big Country: Niners, bro. Dude, PV: I don't hate it. Big Country: right? Steve this division's good as shit too. I mean Cardinals, but it PV: But if the Rams are but if the Rams are really getting Aaron Donald, you're not gonna no. Aaron Donald and Miles gave not giving me the Rams. Big Country: Yeah. Ye yeah. Yeah. And the Niners too, the receivers are so old. PV: Yeah, I Rams have Puka, Devontae, Matthew, Stafford, Aaron, Donald, Miles, Kiry, yeah. Big Country: Mm-hmm. PV: Yeah. Big Country: But imagine twenty twenty five dollars on this and you went forty seven grand almost. PV: That would be nuts. Watch it just be the Packers that and don't Big Country: I mean it's never man, go fuck yourself. You should see the one I have with the Steelers winning it. But that kind of wraps it up for our week eleven podcast. No, week twelve podcast.