Latest / The Poi N Soy Podcast / The 5th Down: Fantasy Football Tier 1 Players

Transcript

The 5th Down: Fantasy Football Tier 1 Players · The Poi N Soy Podcast

• Keoni McKeague: Welcome back to the podcast. I'm your co-host, Kearney McKee, and with me today on the fifth down is my boy from the fifth down, Nolan Chang. Say what's up to the pod, Nolan: Hello everybody. Keoni McKeague: So we are here to talk some NFL fantasy football because as you know, this year is going by very quickly. So as we get closer and closer to the NFL draft, which will obviously change things, and especially with the things that we're talking about today. But ⁓ as we get closer and closer to that, we're going to start doing these rankings. So today we have tier one of our fantasy drafts. These are the players that we think should be prioritized in your drafts and are prioritized in ours as well. So. Nolan: Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: With that said, before we talk about that, we have to give a shout out to our partners over at W Energy. Fantastic tasting energy, all of the energy you need to get through your day. You head on over to w.gg or use the W Energy app in our promo code, is POI and SOI. That's P-O-I-N-S-O-I for 10 % off your order. Nolan, let's talk some NFL fantasy football. All right, so we are here to talk Tier 1 and like I threw out to Nolan, you know, we're going to be going off of fantasy pros. If you are watching this channel and if you are, you know, a fantasy person in general, fantasyprose.com. That's where it's at. Go there. They have consensus rankings of everything between ESPN, Yahoo, Sleeper, all of the major apps that you're probably using to do your fantasy drafts. It's one of the best tools out there. We're not sponsored by them. Goodness, if we were, though, that'd be dope, you know, like if they needed some new experts, you know what saying? ⁓ We haven't won yet, but. Nolan: But... like we've gotten close like you Keoni McKeague: Yeah, but like the players we say to pick up people pick them up, you know, so and then they win so Nolan: and because we didn't have the waiver claim that that was that's what Keoni McKeague: Yeah, you know, because we're too good winning and then they get because they're losers. They get the person first. So anyway, yeah, but we're not sponsored by them. But I'm just saying head out over to use that website. That's what we use. It's one of the best tools out there for you when you're trying to do fantasy drafts, specifically these fantasy football rankings that they're constantly updating. So, yeah, we're going to talk about the different positions where we have at least for our list, what players we have in our tier one. ⁓ And like I told Nolan too before we did this podcast is you're kind of putting players on here that you would prioritize over pretty much any other player below them in a different tier or in a different position. So ⁓ for me personally, I mean, I'm prioritizing running backs. I don't know what you're looking at this year. Last year was a I mean, I was going to ask you that because that it feels when you hear my list, you understand why this year. Prioritizing that position because last year, goodness, everybody who had them was not giving them up. So it was like impossible to find any sort of trade. So this year, that's where my mind is at. So Nolan, was there any position specifically before we get into it? Because I'm sure you'll discuss it when we get there, but that you were prioritizing this year. Nolan: I'm still with the wide receiver gang on that one. ⁓ Running back is mainly because I do feel there has been a lot of movement thus far in the off season of running backs and coaches who would affect the play style of these running backs, which is why I'm not necessarily prioritizing them first until we kind of get some more news in and out of the training camp and all that good stuff. ⁓ And then obviously seeing what the NFL ⁓ in real life draft looks like. Keoni McKeague: Mmm, got you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'm very excited to hear where these players fall because there's some that will definitely change depending on where they land. ⁓ Anyway, so let's start off with our tiers. We have tier one of the quarterback position according to Fantasy Pro. So for we're going to give context of what is there and then we'll give our answers for what we think should be tier one. Fantasy Pro's tier one quarterbacks are Josh Allen, Drake May and Lamar Jackson. ⁓ who just, I guess, recently got bumped up into that one. So I think last week it was just Josh Allen and Drake May. So I'm not sure what changed really. I mean, they added a few players along that offensive line, so maybe that helped out Lamar. But anyway, all that to say, Nolan, ⁓ where are you with your tier one quarterbacks? Does it differentiate? Is there anybody else? What is it for you? Nolan: Yes, it does differentiate. ⁓ So I did fade somebody and I will get to it as we kind of move forward. I only got four is my tier, tier one for quarterbacks right now. Josh Allen. I mean, I think that's a given. He is a fantasy darling. ⁓ It's, it's hard. It's hard to move him away from that. ⁓ I do think the play style and kind of the running it back of Keoni McKeague: Ooh. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Nolan: The New England Patriots has warranted me keeping Drake May as the two for my tier one. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: I don't know. thought that's what you're going to say. I was just like, yeah. Nolan: No, no, no, I you know, I was I was considering it I was like but I yeah, I think he's another year with him and variable and I mean you're really just swapping out digs for Dobbs right now and I don't think that's that's Yeah, yeah Number two, I actually have jade or three. Sorry. I have jaden Daniels ⁓ I pushed him up Keoni McKeague: Dicks for dobs. Nolan: I he is the dual threat quarterback. He has the ability to throw the ball really well. His running ability has also given him a lot more value in fantasy. They said that they're going to start working into it a little bit more with keeping him safe so they don't have as many run play options for him. But you know he's going to scramble at some point and get some extra yards that you're going to need. I do think that. given what their running back room looks like too. It may be more often than not considering. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: I know they're really hoping Jeremiah Love falls, but that's, don't know if he falls that far. Yeah. Like you have to get pretty lucky. Yeah. Nolan: Yeah, that's a yeah, you get a trade up for that one. ⁓ And then finally, to round out my tier one, I do have Yeah, to round it out, I have Joe burrow, I'm bringing him back up there like his offensive onslaught has not been tampered with at all. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: ⁓ that's right. Yeah, because you faded the other guy. ⁓ yeah. OK. Nolan: The hope is that they're going to strengthen their O-line and give each other a lot more opportunity in the pass game, a lot more opportunity for Chase Brown. If not, Joe Burrow is that check down quarterback for Chase Brown. ⁓ We saw what he did alone with Joe Flacco last year. I think Chase Brown's going to, spoiler alert, Brown's getting a little bit of a bump of where I'm looking at him when we do that. ⁓ but no, he's not that, sorry. When we get to that tier, I was like, well, hold on, hold on. Keoni McKeague: That's true. ⁓ ⁓ I was like, whoa. Whoa, from like tier three to tier one. You psycho. Nolan: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ so that does mean I did fade Lamar Jackson. ⁓ but yeah. ⁓ look, we have not seen anything spectacular from Lamar Jackson last season, the year prior to that. Keoni McKeague: ⁓ Go ahead defend it. Nolan: I, you know, he did a lot better, but it was, it just seemed like they were clicking a lot better than two as well. He's going to be getting a new coach. ⁓ his wide receiver core is still nothing to really write home about. He still has Derek Henry and I'm assuming that they're going to, try to utilize Derek Henry a lot more than like, cause they, kind of. Disrespected his play. I think last season with how much they took them off the field. Keoni McKeague: He did fumble a lot. like, he's like, yeah, I was like, he took himself off the field. He fumbled a lot last year. Nolan: If I have Derek... Huh? ⁓ you did. He did. But I was like... But I still think that, you know, Derek Henry is not is not someone you want to shy away from because if he does get those those big runs, it's going to it's going to hurt you guys more than not. But I don't think. I think given the amount of injuries he sustained, even if they're soft tissue ones or just ankle sprains or knee sprains or whatever it is, he's he's shying away more from his ability as a running quarterback. And I think that's what made Lamar Jackson very, very dangerous. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, agree. Nolan: Is that what this new coach is going to do with him? I don't know. I really don't. But there is enough for me evidence against him for me to drop him down from tier one, just given the fact that I don't know how consistently he's going to be able to produce the way Lamar Jackson used to produce. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, I don't disagree with that. mean, it's funny because I was in that same mindset of whether or not I wanted to drop him. ⁓ I didn't fade him. I did technically fade where he's at in the tier, but I didn't fade him out of the tier completely. ⁓ Just because there's like the familiarity of the team itself. mean, there's still. I mean, running it back with a lot of the same guys outside of Tyler, I mean, Tyler Lindemann is a big time loss. I mean, the only thing I will say in defense of like me keeping him in the tier was just his, his rushing upside. And the, the fact that, you know, he's has probably the best ability to get out from that backfield. Nolan: Yeah. Yeah. Keoni McKeague: when anybody's rushing him. I mean, he's going to have to do that a lot more this year because I mean, now, yeah, now they're going to be dealing with, you know, some of the better defenses getting even better this year. So ⁓ it'll be a tough division to be in. He's going to be running a lot. Really, that's my only defense for him. But I did put him at the fourth position in my tier. ⁓ The first two, think, are just locks. Josh Allen, Drake, May. I mean, I couldn't really fade either of them. Josh Allen already know, you know, he's like As much as I want to hate on him in real life, I still think that, you know, ultimately the Bills are going to flame out in the playoffs. I'm going to call it again this year, but. You can't I mean, he's he's one of the best fantasy quarterbacks. I think maybe even ever, ⁓ especially with his rushing ability. And then you got Drake May, who, like I said, I expect to take another step forward. The team only improved. I'm also hoping and. This is another conversation for another tier for another day. Nolan: Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: but I'm hoping that he'll add one more weapon to that wide receiver room. Hopefully it's Sir AJ Brown, but a lot of rumors coming out about that not happening until at least after June 1st, so it'll be a while before we hear about it, just because that's when the most money comes off of the Eagles books. ⁓ So yeah, all things told, it'll be a wait and see approach for Drake May's weapon room, but he did get dobs this weekend, or this year, this weekend. He did get dobs this year And obviously they improved all over the offensive line. They brought in Elijah very Tucker I think the blocking is gonna be really good Which means that you have a better chance at also getting some rushing opportunities when he wants to And then of course another year of Trevion Henderson in the system And then I did also put Jayden Daniels in this tier as my third quarterback. I agree with you wholeheartedly I don't think that there's any chance that somebody who Nolan: Yeah, this weekend. Okay. Keoni McKeague: I mean, is that mobile? I mean, he's a year away from what was, you know, one of the one of the best rookie campaigns ever. And I know a lot of people are like, ⁓ don't hype up the rookie season. But I mean, the kid still has all of the tools. He can still throw the ball. I don't know if everybody watched that video of him throw the ball from end zone to end zone at the flag football game. ⁓ You know, it was a nice ball. on top of that, I mean, he could run. So that's the main thing. Russian quarterback's definitely gonna be a priority for me this year and I'm bumping him up into the tier one. But Lamar Jackson is my fourth player in that tier, though I agree with all the things you said about Joe Burrow. ⁓ Anyway, was like, so not much variation for me there specifically. There was some variation in the next couple of ones, but let's move over to the running back position. according to Fantasy Pros, the top tier, tier one guys for running backs are Bijan Robinson. Jameer Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, and Jonathan Taylor, who I think took a bump up from last week. So, Nolan, these are the four that they have in that tier. Do you have any variations, positive or negative? Nolan: ⁓ mostly positive. mean, for the most part, you'll kind of understand it's not, wouldn't say I've faded anybody specifically, just some rearranging of the tides of that. ⁓ I have five for my tier one. I obviously have Bijan. I think that's kind of just, you guys were wondering this week is clearly the first couple of choices of each tier is going to be kind of, smooth. Yeah. Keoni McKeague: Yeah. on. Yeah. Like Josh Allen for quarterbacks, Buzan for running backs. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Tier 1 is going to be a lot less variation than the other tiers, Nolan: ⁓ Jameer Gibbs, clearly, you got rid of Monty, it's all set sail, steam ahead for Jameer Gibbs. But three, I actually did bump up JT. So JT is my running back three in the tier, ⁓ mainly because we don't know what the status of Daniel Jones is when he's going to return this season, if he does this season. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: ⁓ nice. Nolan: They're gonna have to rely on their running game, especially when they're figuring out what they're doing. Maybe it's Riley Leonard, maybe it's Anthony Richardson, who knows? ⁓ If it's the latter, that may nullify anything I just said about JT, because Anthony Richardson probably likes to run the ball a lot more. ⁓ But if it is Riley Leonard, he likes to sling it. And so I think that's gonna be a nice change of pace, and you're gonna get the JT that we started last season with. So that's the reason I pushed him up. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: Yeah. Yeah. spoilers that's why I faded him Nolan: ⁓ that's fair enough. mean, yeah. But two vantage points of it. I get it. ⁓ number four, have Keoni McKeague: Not out of the tier, but yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because if Anthony DeRiccio said starts, that's just... Sorry, Jonathan Taylor. Nolan: Please, please guys. What's their name? Ursays? Please don't do it. ⁓ Yeah, the daughter, sorry. You know what I meant. But yeah, number four, do have CMC. I think that it's, I mean, I doubted him last season. I'm not gonna, and he showed up and showed out and he, Keoni McKeague: Yeah, Jim mercy or no he's rest of peace. Jim mercy, my boy. ⁓ Yeah. Try. Yeah, I do too. I wish you on that train. Nolan: averaged more pass yards than he did rush yards. That's the reason I still have him as a tier 1, because they're going use him more out of the pass game than they will as the rush game. Not going to wish any ill will or mention ill will, but if he stays healthy this whole season, there's no reason why he should not be exactly the way he left last season. And to round out... Keoni McKeague: Yeah. Yeah. I agree. Nolan: Tier 5 or Tier 1, my fifth pick. Davon HN. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. This one was ⁓ my Tier 2, number 1. I was juggling between those two. ⁓ But I did move Davon up because there's nothing there. There's nothing there. Keoni McKeague: ⁓ that was not the take I was expecting to go. I was gonna ask you but I don't wanna spoil it so yeah. You have to tune in next week for that one. Nolan: But yeah, there's nothing there in Miami that's really nice to talk about. So I think this is another situation where he's just gonna get the ball 90 % of the time because he's fast. can... Keoni McKeague: Yeah, yeah. Do you like him more or less if he gets traded to the Seahawks? Nolan: Do I like him more if he gets treated like seahawk? Keoni McKeague: More or less, mean, yeah, which would do. Because there's a rumor that the Seahawks and the Cowboys are both trying to trade for him right now, yeah. Nolan: I think. Yeah. I think I do like him less on the Seahawks just because their offense is much more stout. think in the... I mean, spoiler alert for that, I dropped him out of everything. Keoni McKeague: Did you get a Charbonne? wow. Nolan: Because he's not going to be ready for this season. He got injured in playoffs. Yeah. But yeah, I think Devon is probably going to be their main point of offense for that team. ⁓ There's, it's probably going to be a wasteland. That's also, you know, a double edged sword because extra usage, extra miles on the legs, extra injuries, who knows, but if he's healthy, that guy's going to get you a ton of grip of points every week. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's funny. Ironically, that will get there as well. I was like, that was part of the reason I might have faded that guy as well. anyway, yeah, Yeah, no legit. Yeah, I went I have six players actually in my running back tier, tier one. Like I said, mentioned before, prioritizing the running back position. So for me, these are the guys that I like at that position, especially because. Nolan: Damn, I'm optimistic, you pessimistic. Keoni McKeague: There's just not a there's like a I feel like there's like a big gap in like the wide receiver position where like anybody from like 10 to like 30 can be decent. You know what I mean? Like this is one of those things where I'm like. Nolan: I see. I looked at my list right when he said that. was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. You right. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, like when I'm like looking at the guys there like but as far as running backs, like there's only so few that I like really want that can like carry my team. And I saw that last year with the way that my running backs played out. ⁓ Ironically, that did change my opinion on one of the guys that I put into this tier. But anyway, yeah, I think one or two locks for both of us. ⁓ I did have a quick second before, you know, the Tyler Alger signing that Maybe Jamir Gibbs was going to be number one. But yeah, then Tyler, I was here, signed away and now Bijon is all by himself over there. So Bijon, Jamir, one and two right there in the running backs, tier one. And then my number three, ⁓ like I said, I did Faye Jonathan Taylor. So he's actually my number six in this tier. ⁓ Really not for anything that he did, just for the fact that I don't know who the quarterback is going to be. And if the quarterback ends up being Anthony Richardson, we kind of saw what that did to JT's value when he was there. ⁓ Nolan: Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: It was just a lot of those plays that you expected a dump off to JT. It ended up being a run by Anthony Richardson and and or sack by Anthony Richardson. And then it was, you know, just one of those things where JT wasn't involved. So I did fade him slightly to the end of this year just because I don't know who the quarterback is going to be. When we find that out, that'll probably change my opinion on him. But for right now, he's at the bottom of tier one. He's still in tier one. So, you know, I mean, like I still would draft him if he's there. But anyway. My number three was actually Christian McCaffrey. With you on that train. ⁓ Last year I wouldn't say I necessarily doubted him. ⁓ I was one of the few that was willing to draft him. Yeah, yeah. was doubting the fact that he would come back fully healthy, but where I was in the draft last year, which was pick 12, same spot I'm in this year, ⁓ I was okay taking him where I was because I was like, end of the round, you risking it. Nolan: I was hesitant. Keoni McKeague: If he ends up being, you know, Christian McCaffrey of old, which has been, you know, historically one of the greatest players in fantasy football of all time. mean, you do take that risk. Um, so he was number three for me. Um, still sitting behind the other two and then the two that I brought into this tier, um, this is probably where it's going to get a little weird. Cause I know these are probably two names you're not expecting me to throw up into this tier, but number four, actually I've asked you in Gentie. Um, Nolan: Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: with all of the moves that were made for the Las Vegas Raiders and for how he performed last year. think they talked about how he was one of the most tackled behind the offensive line running backs in all of the NFL. And this year they went out and fixed that line. They got the best center in all of football in Tyler Lindner bomb. They got a couple of new guards in there. They're probably going to be drafting heavy for offensive tackles. But they improved all the way throughout. They brought in Clint Kubiak. They brought in a couple of tight ends. Nolan: Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: Of course, you're getting Brock Bowers back. Of course, you're getting ⁓ just new weapons all up and down. And then when you add your franchise quarterback in front of Fernando Mendoza, I think the Las Vegas Raiders are going to be that team that is tremendously improved this year. I'm not sure where they finish in that ⁓ conf or yeah, we're not conference. Also say conference or mixing up the leagues here. ⁓ I'm not sure where they're to finish in their. ⁓ Geez, what is it called? Division. There you go. Thank you. Nolan: Mm-hmm. I agree Division. Keoni McKeague: I'm not sure where they finished in that division, but I do think that they're going to be a team that's much improved. And I think that Ashen Gentile, who still finished last year, I think running back 16, with the crappy offensive line that he had and crappy quarterback play that he had and pretty much everything bad with the Raiders last year and a bad defense, everything's improved. They are going to be a much better team. I think that with that, you know, it's one of those, ⁓ all tides rise, all ships. type of scenario. So Ash and Genthe for me is going to be a tier one running back this year. ⁓ Moving on next is going to be another probably hot take because I usurped a couple of mainstays ⁓ from last year and from the year before, but it's going to be Omarion Hampton. ⁓ Yes, I'm putting Omarion Hampton as my number five running back this year because not only is Harbaugh notoriously, you know, one of the most run heavy quarter or Nolan: Ho! Keoni McKeague: excuse me, offensive minds. But now they added a offensive mind in Mike McDaniel, who's gonna be throwing out all sorts of things. I imagine Hampton's gonna get into sort of the Devon A. Chan role of his offense. He's gonna be doing a lot of things out of the backfield receiving. He was really good receiving in college, and that was something that they didn't really get to utilize too much last year, but I think it's gonna happen a lot more this year. ⁓ he has very good speed in that role as well. think that with the offensive mind of Mike McDaniels with Harbaugh being a very run heavy coach and with that team fixing its offensive line and actually being one of the best offensive lines right now on paper. ⁓ assuming everybody comes back fully healthy, which I mean, all things are pointing to Joel Alt coming back healthy. ⁓ and of course they added Tyler Biots in the off season. mean, this is going to be one of the best offensive lines. They also have one of the better offense or one of the better blocking tight ends. I just don't see how a Marion Hampton could fail this year. And he's going to be that guy that I am just saying is going to have sneaky upside as far as a tier one running back this year. And yeah, so that's that's my running back tier one guys. And of course, yeah, Jonathan Taylor was at the bottom of that one. But yeah, you know, it's funny. It's crazy the difference from last year to this year of like Like obviously we didn't talk about like Saekwon, we didn't talk about like Derrick Hendry, you know what There's a lot of guys who kind of got faded pretty far and we'll see how far they fall in our rankings. ⁓ anyway, moving on from the running back position, let's talk tier one wide receivers. So according to Fantasy Pros, we have Puka Nakua, Jamar Chase, and Jackson Smith and Jigba. Short and sweet and to the point, ⁓ and I'll think there's. Nolan: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: I mean, maybe for you, I don't know. But I was like, I don't think there's much arguing any of those names, but maybe you have a difference of opinion. I can't tell by your face. I mean, as far as like those three names being there, did you feed somebody? I'm curious. ⁓ God, was like, ⁓ my gosh, are you about to say something blast? Nolan: ⁓ They are both, all three of them are there. All three of are there. I did, so first two, I put them specifically in the order of the way I still saw them from the end of last season. Regardless of the irony of them matching up against each other. I have Pooka and Jackson as one and two. Just because you're still getting, yeah, yeah. Keoni McKeague: All right. Oh, Puka and Jackson has 1 and 2. Oh, so you did bump Jamar Chase. Yeah, okay. Nolan: I I did. Also, I should preface, I have six for this for this tier. ⁓ But yeah, I think that because they're out. yeah. Explain it as we get there. ⁓ Puka, you're getting a healthy Matthew Stafford back. You know, we we were all kind of on bated breath regarding what Matthew Stafford's back was going to look like as season went into it. He showed up, showed out healthy. Keoni McKeague: ⁓ I'm so curious to hear now. I'm excited. Let's go. I don't even think I could guess your six. That's why I'm like, I'm kind of looking at this. I'm like, who is it? Nolan: It's it's it they're they're hot takes. Oh, a little bit. A little bit. Yeah. But J.S.N. I mean, he is clear in a way Seattle's like Trump card. And there's a reason why they won the Super Bowl is because he was a big part of their season going into playoffs. He was a big part of their playoffs. And what that guy can do is is like if I could. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you go, you go. Do your thing, do your thing, sorry. Build it up, my bad. ⁓ yeah. Nolan: I go 1A, 1B with Puka and Jackson. You know what mean? That's where I'm looking at it from. Number three, Jamar Chase. It's nothing Jamar has done. ⁓ It's more of like, just need to see what the bangle situation looks like. ⁓ For all intents and purposes, there were a ton of games last season where T. Higgins was doing way better than Jamar was. And that's not anything against Jamar. It's just... Keoni McKeague: No, I agree. I agree. Hardly, yeah. Nolan: We need to see if this O-line can actually give them just a couple extra seconds. We'll see if Joe Burrow can stay healthy. We can see how the offense can actually run efficiently for them in a now heavy defensive division like you mentioned earlier. ⁓ And that's going to be the most dangerous part about this is because they're going to face, what is it, ⁓ six games, right? And that division alone. So that's already almost like almost a half the season of what you're going to be looking for for fantasy. Keoni McKeague: Yeah. Nolan: My number four. I got a Mons Raw. Saint Brown. I was gonna say a Mons Saint Brown but then I was like a Mons Raw. You know what I meant. Shut up! This is just because of... Shut up! You know, I quit. We're done here. Goodbye. Keoni McKeague: That's raw. I got a monstrosity. Nolan: What did you do? I got St. Brown, okay? Keoni McKeague: Anyway, sorry. If you know what real we're talking about, shout out to that dude. Nolan: And it's for the only reason is that their offense is falling apart, I think, in a big way. And Amon gets the quick out of the snap throws and he is available for it because he's a great round runner. He's got sure fire hands and he's going to get a lot of volume. And I think he showed last season that he gets a lot of volume when he needs to for when the team needs him. ⁓ Jared Goff, whether this is maybe like the full decline of this actual Lions team before they start rebuilding it into something different. I think Jared Goff is going to be using and abusing Amon the whole time because he's the only way that they can really push upfield in an efficient manner. ⁓ I hope not. Like, I hope that this team still has some fight in them for our own sake because I do have like a spot in my heart for that team just to see how they've like turned things around within the last five years. Yeah. Keoni McKeague: It's good for you. trash. Nolan: ⁓ So I'm on at four. At five. I got Justin Jefferson. Now this is because the addition of Kyler Murray, guy that we talked about last pod, Kyler Murray, a previously MVP caliber player, something where I don't think is his fall off specifically, but maybe the situation fall off that he was in with Arizona Cardinals. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: Mm-hmm. Yep. Nolan: And we've been waiting for this Justin Jefferson to come back. And my hot take is that this is going to be the season. They're going to have Kyler starting week one. They're going to try to push him and JJ to fight against each other. Or yeah, JJ McCarthy to fight against each other to see who really can be the starter for this Vikings team. And I think Kyler is going to be able to show up with a little bit more, what's the word, inspiration, motivation now that he's on a new franchise. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: Mm-hmm. Nolan: And he wants to prove something to himself as well as the people who've cared about him for the last some odd years and show that he's still got what it takes. And with a coach like Kevin O'Connell, with a team with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, ⁓ I think that this is a perfect spot for him to actually do that. And I think we're gonna finally get the Jeddas back that we've been waiting for for the past two seasons. Keoni McKeague: Yeah. Nolan: And finally... Keoni McKeague: All right. Nolan: This one's the real hot take I think. Drake London. I pushed him up. ⁓ He was a wide receiver one for the entirety of last season until he got injured with the PCL injury. He's getting a full season off season rest and now he's getting a quarterback who is notorious for making wide receiver ones look like wide receiver ones. Now is it different because it's not Mike Mcdonald's back there with him? Yeah. Is it a little bit different because now he's in a different situation and he's trying to fight back after so many years of injuries? Yeah. But I think Tua has an opportunity as well, just like Kyler does to get some inspiration and motivation to show himself as a starting quarterback for the league. One that can stay healthy. Yeah, exactly. And Drake London is a great receiver for like Keoni McKeague: Change the narrative a little bit. Nolan: go up and get it balls. ⁓ I think that he has the agility, has the route running, he makes difficult catches look easy and you're no longer competing with Mooney who, you know, not saying Mooney's on the same caliber as Drake London, but Call of Spade is spade. There were a lot of opportunities for Mooney when maybe Drake London should have been the one getting more looks. ⁓ So I think that this is going to be a fantastic jump point for Drake London as well as Tua. Keoni McKeague: I Nolan: ⁓ to actually get something going for this team. ⁓ Bajan and Kyle Pitts, both players who did fantastic last season. So I think the fact that you have three clear ones in each position player, yeah, each position player, I think that's gonna be fantastic for two moving forward as well as the Falcons. Keoni McKeague: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I agree wholeheartedly. They're one of the most approved teams. And I, my partner and I are almost exactly in sync. I only had one difference. I only have five players in this tier. and I didn't fade anybody from the tier technically, because obviously your tier wasn't the tier that we based it off of. But, ⁓ I did kind of go similarly, but I did leave the Pukka Nakua, Jamar Chase, Jackson Smith and Jigba in that order. ⁓ familiarity and new offensive coordinator was really the only big Nolan: Okay. Keoni McKeague: thing. ⁓ Jamar and Joe Burrow been together for how many years? mean, it's like the Travis Kelsey Patrick Mahomes connection, they can kind of do anything together. ⁓ And really just not having Clint Kubiak in Seattle right now is the one big worry for me. ⁓ I'm not sure that there's going to be much differences in how they utilize Jackson Smith and Jigbaugh. I'm just saying that I don't know if there's ever been a year where they lose somebody of that caliber and then come back the next year. Nolan: Yeah. Keoni McKeague: you know, wide receiver one immediately after losing that coordinator. But so I did leave him there at number three for me in that tier. ⁓ I did not bump up Amun Ra. And I know I said I was going to, you know, not keep disrespecting Amun Ra. But the more and more I was looking at that team. Yeah, Amun Ra. Yeah. Stupid. The more I looked at that team, the more I'm just not liking the situation that they're in. Nolan: It's Amman's raw, you know? Keoni McKeague: They no longer have the knuckles to Jamir Gibbs' Sonic and no, you are not it, Isaiah Pacheco. ⁓ They don't have the same offensive line that they've had in years past. That's two of their starting offensive linemen who have retired or left the team in the last two years. They Penesuo, but he took a step back this last year. There's just a lot of worries for me with Detroit in general. ⁓ It's not so much that I think that they won't be contenders, but I am thinking that there's a there's a shot they could completely fall apart. And when that does happen, I mean, I'm not super bought in on anybody from the Detroit Lions at that point. Hopefully they fight. Hopefully they prove me wrong. But that is a team that I'm just not super high on this year in general. And in fantasy specifically, I'm fading a lot of their players. ⁓ But yes, still believe still agree with you with everything you said about Amon Ra. I think that he's Just as talented as you said, still think that there's that connection between him and Jared Goff. I do think that they will be peppering him. I'm only worried about how often are we gonna see Jared Goff standing up in that ⁓ pocket. ⁓ With that said, my number four was Justin Jefferson. I agree wholeheartedly with that take. I put him in this tier two, ⁓ tier one, guess, but tier as well is what I meant. But yeah, so Justin Jefferson, I bumped him up to my number four spot. I mean, a couple years back, maybe even... Nolan: Yeah, I feel that. You Keoni McKeague: as early as last year. He was the first wide receiver off the board. mean, now we're looking at him in a situation where, you know, he won't have to deal with the J.J. McCarthy of all the, you know, all that drama that was happening this this last season. ⁓ He'll have a new quarterback in Kyler Murray. I think Kyler Murray is another player as we'll probably get to in the coming tears. But he's another one that I'm bumping up a lot higher than people are expecting just because you're right. He was an MVP candidate. How can you? Nolan: Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: you know, dock a guy like that who is not far removed from that time in his life. He's very athletic, very good. He'll get out of the pocket and get the ball to Justin Jefferson and Jordan. And I said, think that that's something that's going to add a really good dynamic. And I'm also, you know, liking other players from that team that we'll talk about on a future pod. But yeah, Justin Jefferson bumped him up to just way too talented not to be in this tier. And then Drake London, I also agreed that was my number five for. Tier 1. For all the reasons you said and more, I he's just too good. I also agree that he's going to be one of the best players. You're right. He doesn't really have anybody. I think that there's a chance they maybe draft, you know, his running mate, but it's not going to be somebody in the first round. I think that it's probably going to be somebody. Oh, actually, I don't even know if they have a first round pick this year. They did. Yeah, you're right. Yeah. OK, that was the pick 14. Yeah. Yeah. So I think that Nolan: Mm-hmm. No, they gave it to us for James Pierce. Keoni McKeague: they're going to be grabbing somebody in the maybe second or third round. And to me, that doesn't really say like somebody who's going to usurp Drake London. It's probably just going to be somebody who, you know, helps Drake London. So if anything, hopefully they get somebody, you know, very good. There's a there's a few receivers and we'll probably talk about them when we get to our draft podcast. But there's a few guys that like being opposite of Drake London in this offense. But yeah. And then, of course, Kyle Pitts and Bijon and all them boys. But anyway, yeah, that'll end tier one wide receivers. ⁓ Yeah, this is like I'm super curious to hear two and three now when we get there. anyway, let's move on to our tight end position. We obviously have our tier one guys and for sorry for fantasy pros, they have Trey McBride as number one, Brock Bowers, Colston Loveland and Tucker Kraft as the four in tier one. So Nolan differences. What do you got? Nolan: I only have three in tier one. I guess technically it's for the purposes of fading one of the guys. First two, stock standard. Trey McBride, Rock Bowers. Trey McBride just because of what he Keoni McKeague: Go ahead. Nolan: showed the last two seasons, ⁓ his usage as a tight end one, his productivity as a tight end one. Now he's going to start the season with Jacobi Percet, who absolutely loves him, ⁓ as well as Michael Wilson, you know, but I don't see any reason why he's not going to repeat. Keoni McKeague: It's funny, I thought that's who you're gonna say it to your wife when you're when you're like, I do have a hot take. was like, whoa. To the moon. Nolan: No, what? No, that would be insane. Or is it? ⁓ But yeah, number two Brock Bowers. Once again, another player just like Drake London who probably should have had the tight end one or two season last year, but given the situation of the Raiders, but he had the PCL injury, took him out for about six weeks. Then he had a couple of weeks of ramp up and it just, it took a while for Brock Bowers to get there. And I think he had one explosion game where it was like 30 something fantasy points. so, yeah, but Gino's not, so it didn't matter. ⁓ And you know, there's, there's always that kind of Keoni McKeague: He's back. Yeah. Yeah. ⁓ goodness. Yeah. Nolan: stereotype that new QBs, they're going to look to their, their tight end as they're kind of like safety net, especially when it comes to receiving and there's no better safety net that the Raiders could offer than Brock Bowers to for Nana Mendoza. So I do think that this is going to be a repeat, ⁓ top two year for him. ⁓ number three, I got Tucker craft. ⁓ so I did fade Colston Loveland. ⁓ Keoni McKeague: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. ⁓ Nolan: Not because Colson Lumlin isn't good, I just don't think he's there yet. I think there's a lot more for him to show in this Ben Johnson offense to be considered up as a tier 1. So, Tucker Kraft, potentially would have been also tight end 1 of all 1s last season if he didn't tear his ACL. He was on pace for that for first 8 weeks. Keoni McKeague: It's a small sample size, Yeah. Nolan: Reports are saying that he's going to be healthy for training camp and ready to go week one. And I'm assuming Tucker Kraft is going to come back very aggressively. And I think that it was probably for the better that he got injured earlier in the season ish ⁓ so that he had that opportunity to rehab correctly and come back. ⁓ And as a previous Tucker Kraft owner, I can tell you that if he returns the way he ended his season last year, he is going to be a force. Keoni McKeague: Mm-hmm. Nolan: and I would not be surprised if the order of these three tight ends shifted in some random manner by the end of season. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly. I was similar in this train. I did feed Colson Loveland a little bit, but I didn't bump him out of the tier completely. ⁓ So I did go kind of the same four stock standard names Trimic, Bride, Brock Bowers, Tucker Craft, then Colson Loveland. ⁓ My reasoning for bumping up Tucker Kraft really just comes out to the familiarity. Jordan love him. I mean, yeah, and I agree with you. I was also an owner of him before he went down with the injury. ⁓ Probably cost me my season, you know what mean? With the dude going down, because what I was getting out of that position definitely helped me for that league. Nolan: It was ironic because when I lost Tuckercraft I picked up Colston Loveland and that did not pan out the way I hoped it would. Keoni McKeague: I forgot who I picked up. was somebody that did not, definitely did not give me this. Oh, it was Jawan Johnson, I remember. Yeah, not bad numbers. wasn't, you know, Tucker Kraft numbers. anyway, yeah, I agree with you hardly if he comes back fully healthy. That's going to be the main concern. But I do have him up there as a tight end one. I don't think there's any disputing that what he did last year. ⁓ And for anybody who was, you know, still wondering if it's him or Luke Musgrave, it's him. mean, that that conversation ended last year definitively. And as far as keeping Colson Loveland in his tier, he was somebody I believed in last year. That's why I drafted him. I believed in the talent. I still believe in the ⁓ idea that ⁓ when a coach drafts they mean to utilize him. There's a reason why they drafted him. They used the first round pick on the kid. ⁓ So he's clearly somebody that they believe in being a big part of this team in the future. I think we finally got to see Ben Johnson used his offense the way that he wanted to use it more closer to like week eight and beyond. ⁓ He sort of faded Colcomet. We didn't see a lot of Colcomet in that offense as much. And Colston Loveland started to shine in that role. And that's something that, you know, he was very good using Sam Laporta before he departed Detroit. And now he has a new, much more athletic Colston Loveland in Chicago. And with Chicago's offense being one of the ones that I'm kind of buying in on this year as being one of the better offenses in the league. Coltson Loveland to the moon man for me at least. But yeah, I put him at the end of my tight end one tier one. So anyway, I think that will do it for our tier one conversation of players. Yeah, now, you know, the lines are forming a little bit. So I guess I'm starting to see where ish we're kind of, you know, we're similar. We're very similar. Tier one was going to be similar, though. Nolan: Mm-hmm Yeah. Keoni McKeague: I feel like tier two is where things are gonna get weird, ⁓ but definitely gonna be some differences for us in this, when it comes up to draft season. anyway, Nolan, do you have any last minute thoughts before we bounce out of the tier one conversation today? Nolan: I can't wait for football season. Keoni McKeague: I know, bro. I was like, we are mere meek or mere meeks. We are mere meek away. No, it's like we are mere weeks away from the NFL draft. So there will obviously be some changes, some variations to our tiers as we get there, because ⁓ there's going to be some players who are drafted in some fantastic spots. I'm sure everybody is wondering where Jeremiah Love is going to end up. ⁓ He's one of the guys that they are putting up high, even though they don't even know where he's going to land. So. Nolan: mere meek. Mm-hmm. Keoni McKeague: ⁓ It'll be an interesting time for us for the next couple of weeks and of course heading through this summer, but we will get into tier two next week ⁓ And yeah, I'm I am so stoked on football right now I cannot wait for the season to start Nolan's about to go on vacation in a month and then you know actually pretty much after that it's gonna be May and then it's two months away from our trip already so it's this year. Nolan: It's gonna be May and then you gotta look forward to some Spider-Man in July and then we... Keoni McKeague: ⁓ man, this jeez, know I was like looking at the movies because my dad's coming down in May. May is a terrible movie month, yeah, because yeah, he was like, he was like. Nolan: Yeah, normally it's good. If you want to hear more about movies, TV, and entertainment, go check out our post-credit segment as well on the Po and Zoe Podcasts. We're all... Sorry, good. Keoni McKeague: Yeah, he was like, what did say? was like, what movies are out? I was just like, Mortal Kombat. Nolan: Actually, I'm kind of high for that one. I don't know if I'm gonna go like immediately. Keoni McKeague: I actually I I want to go, but my dad doesn't want to go. then I also said the Mandalorian and Grogu, but you don't want to go see that either. I was just like, fine. Anyway, this is football talk. We're talk NFL fantasy football. But anyway, I think that'll do it for this very special episode of the fifth down. This will be a continual series. So you will hear us again next week bringing up tier two players. But with that said, it has been a pleasure. It's been a joy from all of us here at Poinsettia. Nolan: Hm. Hm-hm. Good vibes and love everybody. Keoni McKeague: Bang, bang.