Latest / Let's Talk Football - Married Edition / Bold Predictions + Season Picks - 2026 Fantasy Football Ep. 11
Transcript
- Amanda: What is up, guys? Welcome back to another episode of Let's Talk Football Married Edition, your favorite place for all things fantasy football. NFL hot takes, questionable opinions, maybe not that many questionable opinions, and a whole lot of marital disagreements, which they're gonna get thicker as season takes off, my friends. We are your hosts, Amanda and Drew, and we are recording this episode on September 3rd. Drafts are in full blown effect this weekend. Obviously, Labor Day weekend's the last time we can get these drafts done and ready before kickoff on September 9th, baby Wednesday. Kickoff is right around the corner, and I'm like geeked out, excited. Every time I see like a promo and a commercial and everything, I'm like, gosh, yes, finally I have an excuse to do absolutely nothing multiple days of the week. And the homebody in me is very, very excited for that. we're gonna do a little just quick update on on the podcast in general. So we released some information last week about podcast updates. I'm just gonna give you a little formal update again. Obviously, for this first week, we are going to be doing one gigantic mega episode before kickoff. So we'll release that episode on Tuesday this week. That way you are prepared and ready to go for all of your Wednesday and Thursday and Sunday matchups, of course. This is the only week that the podcast will look slightly different before our in-season flow then takes place. Where we always have a Tuesday podcast drop, we will have a Thursday podcast drop and a Saturday podcast drop. So three podcasts from us a week when we are in season. Not only that, if you haven't joined the Patreon yet, I don't know what you're doing. Stop what you're doing. Go to the bottom of the show notes. Join the Patreon right now. We've already dropped some questions in there for rating your overall draft and doing little draft audits for what we your team might need more of. You'll know very quickly who answers your question, either me or Drew, based on how we respond. But there was a great question that came up in our Patreon already. So I'm gonna have Drew kind of talk to us a little bit about how the difference in league size affects your overall roster construction and drafting. Drew: What's up, everybody? Welcome in. Happy Friday. yeah, so the 18, 8 team, 10 team, 12 team, 14 team diabolical people that are in 16 team leagues. anyway, the there there is a big difference, and I had a few questions, and I I realized we hadn't talked about it yet, between smaller team leagues and larger team leagues. The smaller team Team leagues, eight team and ten team, the smaller you are in the amount of managers you have, the more the onesie positions matter. Meaning that like elite tight ends and elite quarterbacks make a bigger difference in those leagues than it does in 12 team or 14 team leagues. the reason being is like eight eight team, that's a really hard thing to say. It sounds like eighteen. Yeah. Eight Amanda: I know. Eighteen. Drew: team leagues. All of the teams are gonna be stacked with players. The waiver wire is gonna be stacked with really good players. So like you're gonna move some people in and out of your lineup that are like, you know, Pro Bowl type players. It's a little bit less set and forget, but in a different way than like a 12 team is a little bit of a set and forget because like your bench typically isn't that good. But in an eight-team, your bench is really good. Everybody's got good players at every position. But the difference between the tight end one, two You know, maybe three or four versus the tight end eight, seven, eight is a massive difference. So same for quarterback like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, like when they score a bunch of points, they just they score so much more than like the quarterback six or seven. But in receivers and in running backs, like you might get one that like goes way above and beyond. But typically the difference, like you're still gonna get a lot of points out of the running back. 10, the running back 12, the running back running back 14, and or same for receiver. Like you're gonna get really good receivers that finish in the teens that get you a ton of points, but like tight end eight doesn't really get you a lot. So elite onesie positions are a little bit bumped up in value. So you really wanna make sure that you secure, you know, if you have the opportunity to get a Bowers or McBride early in one of those leagues or a Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, like pull the trigger on one of those guys. ten team, you know, a a little bit more like that. In a twelve team, especially a fourteen team league, you're gonna be having guys in your team that don't play full time for their teams. Like there are sixty percent snap share. You're gonna be starting wide receiver threes or fours on their NFL teams because like you just have to, right? So in like fourteen team leagues, you wanna look at a couple things. So you wanna look at like snap share, you wanna look at teams that have re Teams that score a lot. So like target teams that score a lot and target players that like have unusually high touchdowns compared to their like snap share. So like Isaac Tesla for the Lions, he had six touchdowns last year. He didn't play that much. But he's a really big body. He's a good red zone threat. And there are certain times and games where they will target him in the red zone. He has packages that are red zone packages where he'll be in. So in like a fourteen team league, he needs to be on a roster, where in a twelve team, he does not need to be on a roster because you might be able to play him. Or like a Kayshawn Boutet, who pla you know, he he's good he's been a good touchdown guy in his career. He's a good deep ball guy. He's tall, he can catch red zone targets. You know, he's gonna be in starting lineups in fourteen team leagues, and I think that's a valuable guy 'cause the Texans should score, you know, a decent amount of points. So Amanda: There's another one too. He plays for the Cowboys and I used to make bets on him last year and he would score and I'd win. Who is that? Obviously it's not Pickens and C Flo Flo yes, and I couldn't fucking say his last name. Yes, Floanoy. He's a good like niche one too because he he gets in the Drew: Flanoy. Flanoy. Yeah. He's their wide receiver three this year. And like, Amanda: end zone. Drew: yeah, a wide receiver three on a high powered offense like the Cowboys is very valuable. So like those are the type of guys that when you get a little bit deeper in drafts and you need to fill out your lineups for these twelve and four specifically fourteen or sixteen team leagues, you're gonna be looking for like wide receiver threes on really good offenses. Or another thing that I like to do as well is like Go after backup running backs that have bell cows in front of them and stash them on your roster. Like I'm talking big leagues, 14 and 16 team leagues. Like Tank Bigsby behind Saquon is a big one there because if Saquon were to go down with any significant injury, Tank Bigsby's going to take over a really good spot and he's gonna get the entire backfield. Like he's not gonna split it between two or three other guys. Where if you look at other rosters like the Buccaneers, Well, you've got Bucky and you've got Kenny and you've got Tucker. And if one of them goes down, there's still two other ones that are going to continue to split the backfield, which like, cool, I get a few points. It's fine to have on your roster. But like in 14 team leagues, like the people that win typically are the people that have these like stashes on their roster. Big injuries happen to these top guys because there aren't as many you the top guys are spread out, and then all of a sudden that team now has three really good players instead of two. Because it gets really thin with fourteen and sixteen team leagues. So those are the type of guys that I like to stash on the roster in those deeper leagues. Amanda: Yeah, absolutely. It definitely requires a little bit more. I think to me, honestly, eight to ten team leagues are in some way, shape or form harder because you have to decide your top players who to play and who to sit. And you're deciding between some elite dudes to put on your bench. Drew: Yeah. Amanda: And it's just like really like decision making is far higher for those small teams where in Drew: Yeah. Amanda: big team leagues you're just fucking taking shots on guys. It's fourteen teams, you're like, I don't know, maybe this works out. It's it's almost fun because like you've got nothing to lose and in those small leagues you have everything to lose with the wrong decision. Drew: Yeah, I prefer twelve. I think that's the sweet spot. I I think eight is too small because Amanda: Sweet spot, yeah. Drew: just like rosters are so so good that like I just I don't like every week having to decide between, you know, like do I play Amon Raw this week because he's got a bad matchup? Like, no, Almond Ross should just be played and I want to root for him. Amanda: Ha ha Drew: ten's okay. I like twelve. I've played in a fourteen before for two years and I did not I won one of those two years and I didn't like it. Like it was j Amanda: You hated it, yeah. Drew: it was it's just It's so hard to get points in leagues like that. Like you one injury to one Amanda: Yeah. Yeah. My girls only league. Drew: good player and your entire season's done. So like it sucks. Amanda: Yeah, yeah. Sucks. Yeah. My girls only league was ten team for a while. And honestly, like my indecision was just even higher at that point 'cause I'm like, I don't know. And Drew: Yeah. Amanda: the twelve team just it flows a little easier for me. All right, let's get into some news and updates. Anything that we need to be aware of before we jump in to the meat and potatoes of our episode this week. Drew: just one really. most of the you know, no major injuries. Most of the people that are expected to come back are still working their way. George Kittle flew to Australia, so he might play week one. We don't know yet. Look, we're we're still, you know, five days out from game from the first game, but we're over a week from most of the games. So like we won't get a whole lot of injury updates for week one until next week. the only big one is Michael Wilson, signed a three year extension with the Arizona Cardinals. it's a Pretty substantial extension. Three years, 75 million dollars and fifty mil or almost fifty mil is guaranteed. That that's a good amount of money. That means that he not only is sticking around in Arizona, they have plans to make him you know one of the focal points of the offense. So, you know, last year wasn't just a fluke. He earned the money and he earned, you know, a spot as a focal point in in the offense, which is, you know, something to think about. And right now ADP wise, him and Marv are, you know, right there next to each other. I don't know which one to choose. Just pick one if you want one of Go with your gut because it could be either one, and I can make a case for both. So but he's definitely, you know, gonna stick around in Arizona and be a big part of their of their future. But that's about all I have for the news and updates. I'm excited to get into the bold predictions. Amanda: Bold predictions, baby. So today we're gonna do some, what we just said, bold predictions. We're gonna call our shots of guys that, or some maybe slightly outlandish things that might happen. Drew: situations, some predictions that might be a little ridiculous, yeah. Amanda: And I'm gonna kick us off with my bold prediction number one. I have Deshaun Stribling leads every rookie ride rookie wide receiver and becomes the rookie of the year this year. Every rookie. Drew: Every Wookiee wide receiver? Can you make the noise? Amanda: N absolutely freaking not. No, I will not be doing that. No, me either, because I w it would just sound inappropriate and I'm not gonna do that. Deshaun Stribling leads Drew: I can't do it really either, but okay, so say it again 'cause Okay, so say it again. Amanda: every rookie wide receiver and becomes the rookie of the year. That is my bold prediction number one. Drew: Leads every rookie wide receiver in what? Fantasy points? Amanda: In yes, in fantasy points, correct. Drew: And fantasy points. Every Amanda: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Drew: rookie wide receiver in fantasy points. Okay. So we have not hurt each other, so I'm I'm reacting to it with you guys listening at home. Amanda: And becomes the rookie of the year. No. S letting it sink in, letting it sink in. Drew: let's see who I mean that's a big one. I mean he was picked Amanda: It's a big one. Drew: very high, but he's not expected to be, you know, the top one or two on his team. I don't I don't mind it with the the Amanda: But will he not be by the time the season's over? Hmm. Mm-hmm. Drew: substation taking out players left and right and Amanda: He's primed to be that guy. Yeah. Drew: Brock Purdy needing somebody to throw with? Okay. Amanda: Also, two preseason games. He caught 11 of 13 targets, 109 yards. Yeah. How huge. Drew: Very high target share, yeah. But the other guys didn't you know, those vets didn't really play much or at all. Amanda: you know what though? Or how long are they gonna be there anyway? So let's go. Rookie of the year. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Drew: Jordan Tyson's hurt. Makai Lemon might not be the main guy. Carnell Tate is is maybe the w he he's the most obvious one in my head that says, mmm, probably not. Amanda: Yeah. But who do we like more from a quarterback perspective? Who do we think could get him that yeah, right? Drew: Brock Purdy f Brock Purdy for sure, but Carnell Tate, like, he should lead the team in targets. DeJean Stribling shouldn't lead the the forty niners in targets. Like he could. Amanda: Let's go. Drew: But okay, okay. That's a that's pretty bold right there. And he's gonna win rookie of the year. And he'll win rookie of the year. Okay, so not Jeremiah not Jeremiah Love. Amanda: All right, give me yours. And he's gonna run rookie of the year, correct. Well, I can't say rookie apparently. No, no, no, no. Rookie of the year. Deshaun Stribling. Let's go. Drew: Rookie of the year. Okay. You got go to DraftKings, put a but put a bet down. I bet you get great odds on that. I bet you'll put great odds on that. All right. Amanda: I'll do it. Well, I don't I do yeah. Every time I do that though, my that the team ends up sty hockey, I did that. I did that for the Super Bowl. I got screwed every time, so Drew: Well I don't think you got screwed, I think you just guessed wrong. That's what gambling is. Amanda: I guess incorrectly, correct. You know what though? You take your bet on your guy, my guy. Let's go. Drew: Yeah. All right. My first bold prediction is that Jordan Love will finish as a top ten quarterback and the Packers will have two top twenty four wide receivers by the end of the year. Amanda: Who? Watson and? Drew: Don't know. Watson, Reed, Golden. There's your three. Two of them finish in the top twenty-four. So for a little perspective here, Jordan Love in six seasons has finished in the top ten one time. That was in 2023. It's the only time he's ever done it. He finishes quarterback seven. I think it was Amanda: Well, they're gonna have to throw the ball more, so Drew: in the league that I was, you know, the date I was looking for. Packers have one wide receiver that's ever finished in the top twenty four since Jordan Love has become the quarterback. Or it since they've been on the roster, excuse me. So like any receiver on their roster, only one of them has ever been a top twenty-four wide receiver, and only one of them has done it, and only one time. It was Jaden Reed in the 2023 season with Jordan Love. but he's the only one. Watson's never done it because he's never been healthy enough. Golden's never done it 'cause he's, you second year player, and Reed has been hurt. just and also like obviously the Josh Jacobs, you know, doing stupid things in elevators. He's gone. So Amanda: Mm. Drew: they're and I've said it, I said it in my last podcast, the one before, they're gonna have to throw the ball a little bit more. They were throwing the ball more before Josh Jacobs got there. He got there, their their identity changed a little bit. Also, their defense, they lost a few pieces this offseason, and Micah Parsons, he's already out for the first four games. I think it'll be longer than that. He's already come out and said like they're gonna take it slow and patient. The goal is for him to be ramped up by the time playoffs happen. They're gonna have to throw the ball. They're gonna give up a few more points than they're used to. So I think Jordan Love for me is a lock top ten. The two wide receivers, I mean, they're both bold. The two wide receivers is really bold because I'm counting on health, which, you know, hasn't been big for them. A a a slight Amanda: Oof, I know. Watson can't stay healthy, yeah. Drew: caveat to this, I would also ex accept a top twenty wide receiver and a top five tight end. So that's the old yeah. Amanda: Tucker craft, but I was gonna say, can you caveat it? Yeah. Drew: Either two either two top twenty four wide receivers or one of them will be top twenty and Tucker Kraft will be top five tight end. So top five tight to t yeah, but I also didn't like top five Amanda: You see how he's already a loophole in the secondary option for him to still get the W. Hm Drew: tight end, look at the names that are up there. That's really high for a tight end. So Amanda: No, I I get you, I get you. Just, you know, cheat in the system and it's fine. Drew: If I knew Tucker Kraft was healthy, I would have said one top twenty receiver and a top three tight end. So he's Amanda: Okay, okay. Drew: just I don't know when he's gonna play. Amanda: All right. I like it. I like it. Obviously, like you said, it's dependent on those wide receivers staying healthy, but I do agree that that offense will have to pass the ball more now that obviously injuries and idiotness Drew: Mm-hmm. Amanda: all at the same time, right? All right. My Drew: All what's your number two? Amanda: second bold prediction B. John Robinson becomes the first running back ever with 1,500 rushing yards and a thousand receiving yards and Scores 20 touchdowns on the season, baby. He's gonna Drew: No. Amanda: go all three. Yes, 100%. He almost did it Drew: No. Amanda: last year. He what had 1,478 rushing yards last year. Hear me Drew: Mm-hmm. Amanda: out. 79 receptions. Okay, cool. He had 820 receiving yards. All right. And Drew: Fantastic. Cool. Mm-hmm. Amanda: he didn't even get all of the red zone targets. He only scored 11 times because Tyler Argier decided to snipe touchdowns multiple times throughout the season. So we take Tyler's year out. We have a new offense coming in. into play short check Drew: Mm-hmm. Amanda: down rats to routes to B. John Robinson. Bijan Robinson is the dude. Drew: All right, not not gonna happen, but it'd be cool if it did. He in he No, he Amanda: Okay. We're it's really He was really close to fucking doing it last year. Drew: ha okay, he has the talent to do it. The offense is no. Amanda: Talent and offense and all Yeah. Offense is gonna scheme to him appropriately because they're not gonna be able to do anything jack shit else. Drew: Two words, Tua and Penix. That's it. Case closed. They're terrible. Amanda: Okay, Tua and A Chan did what last year? Short check down routes to A Chan? Tua and Asian. Okay. Drew: Tua and A Chan. Yeah, A Chan gets a got a ton of them. Yeah, but did he do what you said? Amanda: Regardless, I think Bijan is more talented and will be able to take those away and make be more productive. Drew: Yeah, a hundred percent. But the I don't think the team I don't think the first of all, the twenty touchdowns to me is is the hardest part of all of it because I Amanda: Outlandish. You said bold. Drew: the f correct, I just the Falcons they're not a good team. They're so bad. I think he could I the yards seem more possible, but that's also a lot of Amanda: But Bijan is the mustard man. I think the yards are a guarantee. Drew: touches without getting hurt. But all right. Amanda: Let's go, my man. We've seen CMC do it, so fuck it. Let's go. Drew: All right. my second bold prediction. Jamar Chase will win the triple crown for the second time in his career. For those of you that don't know, the triple crown is receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He has to lead the league in all three of so I believe he's gonna do that again, and Joe Burrow is gonna throw for forty five or more touchdowns and five thousand or more yards, and they will finish as the wide receiver one and quarterback one in fantasy. Amanda: My Lanta. You have all of your chips stacked on Joe Burrow Staying Healthy all year round. Got it. Okay. Drew: Yep. Yep. It's it's an odd Super Bowl year, so he's good. Jamar Chase did the triple crown. Amanda: man, I don't think what's it what do we call him? What does he look like? What's a famous Drew: What's that? Amanda: person he who's a famous person he looks like? Macaula Macaulay Cogan. He never has never stayed healthy. Yeah. Mm. Drew: Joe Burrow. Macaulay Calkin. Yeah. Home alone. Yes, he has. It's every other year. He's fine. all right, Chase Brown did the triple crown in twenty twenty four, led in fantasy points, so check mark there. He can do it. Joe Burrow was healthy then as well. Last year he ended up with more targets than he did in that season. They were just thrown by Joe Flacco and company, so it wasn't as good. So ver Amanda: But was T playing in twenty twenty four when Hagan when Chase did that? Okay. Okay. Okay. Drew: Yeah, I'm not worried about that though. Yeah, T doesn't eat into Jamar Chase. What happens is when they play to get so Jamar Chase's production isn't worse with T. T's production is just better with Chase out there because he gets secondary coverage instead Amanda: Jamar Chase. Less, yes. Drew: of primary coverage. But anyway, Joe Burrow in the same season, twenty twenty four, had forty nine hundred, a little over forty nine hundred passing yards, so he was almost at five thousand and he threw for forty three touchdowns. That's two more touchdowns. That's also an incredible season. Very rare for a quarterback to get over 45. I think it'll happen this year. I think they still have to score a bunch of points because their defense still isn't very good. It might be better than it was, but it's still not great. so I think both of those things happen again this year. And you know, more great things from the Bengals, which we'll talk about a little bit later on in the show. Amanda: Ew. Ugh, the bangles. All right. My final bold prediction here Trevor Lawrence finishes as a top three fantasy quarterback. Honestly, I think this is the least bold of all of my bold takes, if you personally ask me. We waited for Trevor Lawrence to become elite for a while, right? Now it happened, and everyone's treating it like it was one big damn fluke. It wasn't one big damn fluke. This is going to be a repeat season where Trevor Lawrence becomes even more dominant. This is the second year in that Cohen offense, which I think is only going to develop him even further. They're using him the correct way. Last year, 2025, he finished as the quarterback four overall in fantasy, but the full season finish didn't tell that whole story. Over the final 10 weeks, he was the quarterback one, averaging approximately 27 fantasy points per game. He generated 6.7 of those fantasy points. with just his legs during that stretch. So imagine that developed into another season. We're gonna see more in year two with that Liam Cohen offense. And he's still being drafted as a damn quarterback nine. And it's just unacceptable. Stop putting shame on my boy's name. He's gonna finish as a top three fantasy quarterback. Drew: It's bold. It's bold. Amanda: it's bold. I like it. I like I you know what? Apparently I was going through some different options and I had a whole nother Jaguir's option on there too and I was like, do I just like like the Jags? But no, I just think I like Drew: What was the other option? Amanda: Bichell Tutin. Doing big things. But you know, it's fine. Mm-hmm. well. I I agree with you. Drew: What a no I think it's possible. Let me check right here. F four Amanda: I'm just saying, I think that again. Drew: If I can find the history. here it is. All right. So Trevor Lawrence, he's finished as quarterback four last year. I this is in a six point passing, so the league I'm looking at. Fourth Amanda: Overall, in fantasy. huh. Drew: overall and eighth overall in twenty twenty two. So top three is definitely possible. I the big thing here is th that he had nine rushing touchdowns last year. He has to and almost, you know, eight three hundred and sixty yards. Amanda: No, I'm b honestly betting on a slight like could he have a slight touchdown regression? Sure, absolutely. But I think he's gonna get even more developed with his wide receivers this year too. Obviously we know like Drew: Well, I don't think it'll be a touchdown regression from passing. I mean he had twenty nine, it's fine. Amanda: No, not from passing, from him scoring his own touchdowns, maybe. Drew: Th that's not great, but the rushing touchdowns being nine, so he had thirty eight in total. I could see forty plus total. I mean s if he wants to be top three, he's gonna have to be forty plus. Especially when my boy Joe Burrow hit throws for forty five plus. Amanda: Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's okay. I'm apparently hedging all of my bets on Trevor Lawrence this year and it's fine. It's fine. I feel fairly confident in it. Alright, give me your li Drew: Yeah. That that can't possibly crash and burn. Amanda: It feels great. I love a good tape and glue underdog situation, so let's go. Drew: All right, speaking of players that we love, my third bold prediction this year. Omarion Hampton will finish as a top three running back this season. I've said it before, I'll say it again. Everything set up for him to be the new A-chan. He's got the same he the offensive corner, so it's the same offense. The offensive corner, Mike McDaniel with the Chargers, has been the head coach of the Dolphins. scheme fit fits Omar and Hampton very well, just like it did A Chan. They're fast guys that run outside zone scheme very well. They can both catch the ball. That's in their profile. both had yep obviously the quarterback's better. Like Justin Herbert's better than Tua. And Tua was very good before the last head injury that he had. He was very accurate. He just couldn't really push the ball down the field quite as well as Justin Herbert can. So that you have to respect the deep ball. The good receivers on the outside, so you can't just bring everybody up in the box. I mean, Tyreek and Waddle versus, you know, Ladd and Cube. Yeah, it's not quite the same in in In Los Angeles, but it's still good enough to keep the defense respectable. I I just think everything's there. To me, the only thing that stops it from happening is just health. That's it. Now we've had one season with Hampton and he got hurt last year. That's not indicative of future injuries. We've just only ever seen one season and saw injuries. So in the back of your mind, if you had him on your rosters, which I did on two of mine, it's like, mmm, I'm so scared about that. But like anybody, I mean CMC's gotten hurt multiple times in his career. And I still love CMC. He still wins people their league. So I also think, you know, he has the ability to be a steal in the very end of the first or early second, which is hard to do because not many people that slide even to that point can finish as the number one and can overtake a Gibbs or a Bichon. I I think that he is one that has the potential to finishes R B one. Now I I'm not calling R B one but top three I can I can see that this year. Amanda: He's like, not everyone, but definitely in the top three. No, I I hate to agree with you on it. Drew: Yeah, I I I find it hard to not say Gibbs. Amanda: No, I agree. I hate to agree with you on it. Like, obviously, I get it. and it it makes sense. All the all the stars have aligned to really give him that path, an opportunity, and to be used correctly. And I think that's the biggest thing is like when players are used correctly to favor their zones of genius and the offense, that's when Drew: Their strength. Amanda: the st their strength, that's when the stars align and good Drew: Mm-hmm. Amanda: things happen. And that's like all the stuff. the decks are stacked for that this year for Hampton. So I love it. All right. We're gonna do some fine our bold predictions. Yes. Well Drew: That was our bold predictions. Yep. Yep. Amanda: we're gonna finish off this episode with our what are we what are we what do we call this? our season picks. So just Drew: Just our our season pre our season picks, so our our division winners and you know who's gonna win the big game and hold that trophy at the end of the year. So I figure we could go division by division here and just see what we've got. So who do you have in the NFC East? Amanda: Yeah, I have the Cowboys in the NFC East. Who do you have in the NFC East? Did you put the Eagles? see that was it was my debate between those two. Drew: You know what? I almost put the Cowboys. I I promise you I had them ri I I did put Philly. I don't I don't love it. Yeah, I I don't know. I just looked at it and Philly's defense is just still so good. And Amanda: I know. Drew: their and their offensive line was a problem last year. And Lane Johnson's back like they're starting the season healthy again. So I put Philly, although I do think that the window is closing. because I think the Giants are on the come up. So I Amanda: yeah. Drew: don't think it'll be much longer, but one more year for Philly. but I almost had the Cowboys. So all right, NFC South. Who'd you have there? Amanda: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Who'd you pick? Drew: Lame. I am picking so every year at least one team goes from worst to first, meaning that they finish fourth in their division and and end up winning the division. I have two of them this year predict predicted. One of them is the New Orleans Saints. I have them going from worst to first in their division. One because Amanda: I don't hate it, so Drew: all four teams aren't very good. None of them are like awful, but none of them are very good either. So like it could be anybody. and they could win it at nine and eight, like easily could win nine and eight could win that division. So I have the Saints, Tyler Shuck taking a step forward, Kellen Moore in his second year under the at the helm. They just started out last year so bad was the only reason that they weren't in the mix. You know, I think they should have won the division the way they played at the end of the year. Amanda: Yeah. Honestly, I just took a bet on, you know, Baker Mayfield being in my opinion I mean other than Tyler Shuck, 'cause I believe in it being one of the most like confident, productive quarterbacks in that division. And we have like obviously Mike Evans being gone. We a Buca stepping up in that role. We've still got Chris Godwin there. Their offense is good. A healthy Baker Mayfield. He's playing for Drew: Sure. Amanda: a contract. I think all of it could show us some really good things from them this year. yes. Drew: Sure. Real quick before we move on, just for everybody that's out there listening, why we go over the division predic predictions and talk about this and like you know, why does it how does it relate to fantasy? Good teams produce good fantasy players. Good teams Amanda: Yeah, yeah. Drew: produce more good fantasy players than bad teams. So like Miami will have value somewhere, right? They're gonna produce points, but like Devon Achan and maybe one other person, and then you've Amanda: Mm. Drew: got guys that are on, you know, the NFC West. The Rams, the Forty Niners, the Seahawks, like really good teams, produce a lot of guys with a lot of fantasy. So, you know, that's that's also why, you know, I think New Orleans's gonna win. Well, I'm high on Tyler Shuck and I'm high on Travis Etchan Jr. and Chris Olave and so Amanda: Love A. Drew: you know, good teams, good offenses. So anyway, NFC West, Amanda: Good teams. Drew: who do you have? Pretty obvious here, isn't it? Yeah, it's the Rams. It's just the Rams. Amanda: The Rams. It's just the ra I mean, not only obviously the offense and and all of that, but like you've got they added Miles Garrett, you they brought Aaron Darnold Donald back. Like it's j it's just insane how much they have. Yeah. Drew: Donald back, yeah. They also traded a first round pick for Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs at corner. Like their team is just unfortunately it's Amanda: Insane. Drew: it feels like the which is weird. It feels like the Dodgers, which have who's basically ruined baseball by just buying everybody and like it's just I don't like baseball anymore. I haven't for a long time, but Amanda: Yeah, but how much more time do we have with Stafford at the helm here? Like Yeah. Yeah. I mean that it th and this Drew: Hop hopefully just this year 'cause I've got Ty Simpson on my dynasty team just waiting in the wings. Amanda: entire team, in my opinion, like lives and breathes on Stafford staying healthy. If he can stay healthy, Drew: sure. Amanda: amazing. If he gets hurt, I think we might have a awkward Drew: If Amanda: conversation. Drew: if he's if he gets hurt, I still think they're good enough to make a run. Amanda: Pull through. Drew: I don't think they're good enough to win a Super Bowl unless they can carry a rookie Ty Simpson to the, you know, to the game. But, you know, a young Tom Brady won a Super Bowl and like and everybody who doesn't remember, Tom Brady was not good when he was young. Like his rookie season was not very good. he wasn't supposed to play. Their defense was very good. So All right, NFC North rounding out the last division of the NFC. I think we got the same team. This is one of the hardest ones. Amanda: This one was hard. Do you? I have the lions. Drew: Yep, Detroit. Yep. So this is the this is another worst of first. Amanda: Okay. I thought you might pick Green Bay. Drew: No, this is another worst of first. They finished fourth last year. I believe they're gonna win this year. and this is probably the most popular one. Again, every year one of them happens. This is the most obvious one, but it is a very tough division. They were just killed with injuries last year at That's why they didn't win the division last year. Amanda: Yeah. Yeah. Love them. Excited to see it happen. Drew: With that, what wildcard teams do you have? What other three teams in the NFC do you have making the playoffs? I I have the Vikings, the aforementioned Packers, which you talked about, Amanda: It that's who I would go with. Drew: and the Seahawks. So the big glaring omission that I have, I do not have the 49ers making the playoffs this year. I think it's one of those seasons where which seem to happen every two or Amanda: I don't disagree with you. Drew: three with the Shanahan's teams, injuries are gonna pile up. Bosa's older and hurt again. I think CMC's hurt again. Like, he hasn't been practicing much and they're being real weird about it like they were two years ago. Like, I don't think it's that. And he didn't play like he played two games the whole season. Yeah. I Amanda: when it was it wasn't a problem, it wasn't a problem, it wasn't a problem and then he never played all season. Yes, I was like Drew: I'm a little worried about that. yeah. That scares me a little bit 'cause he hasn't the reports haven't been very clear. yeah. Amanda: He's just resting. He's just resting. Drew: Yeah, they also they just ran him into the ground last year too. Kittle coming back after being hurt, you know, Mike Evans, could he get hurt? I just they have a lot of question marks. But I have the Packers, Seahawks, and I do have the Vikings making a bounce back. The Vikings almost made the playoffs last year and they had Max Brosmer behind the helm and yeah, Amanda: and nothing. They had nothing. Yes, correct. Drew: so and they put a lot of draft picks into their defense and brought in maybe a competent quarterback. I guess we won't really know. So all right. Amanda: Who knows? All right, let's move to AFC East. Who you got? Drew: AFC East, I have the Buffalo Bills. Taken back over. Amanda: Yeah, so do I. You know, you gotta see Josh Allen just like i d I you I you wanna see the man win, you wanna see him make it all the way. He's just a hard guy not to cheer for in my opinion. Drew: I yeah, and I think the scheduling, like New England last year, had a much easier schedule. They're gonna have a first place schedule this year and I think it's gonna make a difference because I think they have a lot of holes on their team that weren't addressed even after that run last year. all right, AFC South. Amanda: The Jacksonville Jaguars, baby. Jags, baby. Let's go. Drew: I got the Houston Texans. Amanda: no, see, I I fully disagree with you on that one. Even though I would love to see D'Amico Ryan as long as I can on my television screen. I am going the Jags on that one. Drew: All right. AFC West. Amanda: Ooh, let's see. Your chargers. I picked the Chargers. Also pick Drew: I I pick Kansas City. Amanda: you pick Kansas. I couldn't do it. Like morally, I could not do it for myself. Sorry, not sorry. Drew: Mm-hmm. Yep. I picked Kansas City. I look last year, great teams, great quarterbacks, great coaches. Amanda: You are so hot on Hampton and you went Kansas City. Drew: No, I love the Chargers. It's a really tough division. Broncos are also in that division. Like I I just I don't know. I great Amanda: They have a shot too, but I yeah, I think Drew: quarterbacks and great coaches just find a way. And I I don't know. I just it's really hard to say no to them after seeing them dominate for so long. And last year just Everything went against them. All the one score games that they lost, which is not a sticky stat that typically reverses. They just for years always won those games. So I have Kansas City winning that again. how about the AFC North? Amanda: Yeah, so I have the Baltimore Ravens and I believe you might have the Bungles themselves. Drew: I do have the Cincinnati Bengals. yeah, I j I think Joe Burr is healthy this year and I think that's the difference. That's it. I think their offense is unstoppable. Amanda: I think Lamar Jackson in a new offense is the difference. So I think their offense could potentially be unstoppable as well. Drew: I think so I also have I have the Chargers and the Ravens both making the playoffs, which were two of your division picks. and then I have the Broncos also making it again 'cause their defense is very good. Amanda: Okay, okay. Yeah yeah. The Broncos, I like that. Yep. Let's just go ahead and just say it. Let's just say it. P Drew: Notably. Amanda: pull it in, Steelers. Let's go, baby! Drew: No, the Steelers will not make it. Notably I do not have New England in the play in the playoffs at all. I I I just I don't think they make it. I think their schedule being tougher. I I think they take a step Amanda: You know what? It's because Drew: back. Amanda: Daddy Vrabel t put himself, demoted himself from Daddy when he decided to be an idiot. So called him all year. Sorry about it. It's what happens. Drew: I just the A the AFC's yeah. The AFC is very tough. I don't have the Jaguars in the playoffs. I don't have the Patriots in the playoffs. Amanda: Yeah, that's absolutely crazy. Drew: Yeah, I have got one AFC South team and one AFC East team. And then, you know, the wild cards are split up amongst the others 'cause they're just better teams, I think. All right, so who do you have Amanda: All right, who's Drew: playing for the championship, the NFL trophy? Amanda: The big game, baby. I have the Los Angeles Rams and the Baltimore Ravens. Drew: All right, well I have the Los Angeles Rams. Amanda: Cincinnati bro Drew: And the Cincinnati Bengals. So same Amanda: Ha ha Drew: division. but I yeah, I've got again, I I think it's a rematch from a few years ago when they played each other, and I believe the outcome is the same. I think the Rams take it home. How about you? Amanda: gosh. This one was really hard. I do also believe that the Rams take it home. but it I predict like I think it'll be a super freaking tight game. Like Drew: Mm-hmm. Amanda: one of those epic Super Bowls, which I feel like we haven't quite had that like good, intense, on the edge of your seat Super Bowl. We've had a lot of like defensive Super Bowls recently, which are fine. Drew: Or ass beatings. Amanda: Or butt beatings, yeah. I like want like one of those ones where you're like, my gosh. And you're free and you can't go to bed and it's all in. Like that's that's so that's what I'm expecting from the Rams and the Ravens. Drew: Last time they played it came down to the very end. So yeah, I just I don't know. I'm just high on the Bengals this year. like they pulled that off a few years ago, was it twenty one, I think. Amanda: Yes. Drew: yeah, I don't I don't know. I don't even and look, I'm a Browns fan. We live in Ohio. We are not Bangles fans. I'm a Browns fan. Amanda's a Steelers fan. We don't like the Bengals. But half of my friends are Bengals fans. We always, you know, talk shit to each other. but Their teams I I just I think their offense is very good. And I think the defense will take a step in the right direction and surprise people this year and not be quite as terrible as they have been. All they need to do is be average and let that offense take where they need to go. So just not quite far enough 'cause, you know, you do need a defense to win a Super Bowl and or a the big game, sorry. What's supposed to say Super Bowl. anyway. Well, it's not me that yell, it's the NFL. anyway. Amanda: You you yelled at me, dude. Ugh, whatever. All Drew: That's what we got for our season predictions. Amanda: right. That's all we got for our season predictions. Well, that wraps up today's episode. Again, just a quick reminder next week it is the mega episode. So make sure you set some time Drew: Mega Amanda: aside. The mega I think of Mega Mind every time. The Mega Mind episode. Drew: Like the movie Megamind? Amanda: Yes. huh. Drew: Like the Will Farrell Megamind? Amanda: No, isn't there a cartoon, Mega? sorry. Then yeah, I you know I didn't know that's who played Mega Mind, Drew: Yeah, that's Will Farrell. He plays Mega Mind, I think. Amanda: but I don't know. Ignore me. I just that's what I think of every time. The Mega Mind episode, okay? so we'll be doing that next week. That'll be released on Tuesday, so you can be prepared as shit for your games, kicking off On Wednesday, my friends, make sure you give us a follow on all socials. We are on TikTok, we are on Instagram, we are on YouTube. If you're not following us, what are you doing? You should be doing that. Subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode. And if you haven't already joined our Patreon, it is now officially live. You can join in the show notes right now. And we are doing again. draft audits. So we're looking at your draft. We're talking about what holes you might need to be filled, strategies for the season. So get in there now. Be prepped ahead of the time. Throughout the entire season, we'll be doing exclusive waiver wire talk only in our Patreon for our members. So you can get the inside scoop. This is where leagues are won. We can also talk a lot about sit start strategies for your individual roster. So now is the time to jump in. And if you have any questions, make sure you give us a comment on social media and we'll be sure to answer that for you. Other than that, Have a great week and we'll see you next week for the mega episode. Bye guys. Drew: Tootles.