Join Ryan Wormeli, Pat Fitzmaurice and Derek Brown as they go through their biggest takeaways from each team in the NFC South!
Does Bucky Irving warrant 1st round consideration in 2025? Is there another level waiting to be unlocked with Drake London? Is Bryce Young now a legitimate NFL starter? Will Alvin Kamara finish as an RB1 again?
The pros have you covered!
Timestamps (may be off due to ads)
Intro - 0:00:00
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 0:00:23
Atlanta Falcons - 0:06:15
TJ Hockenson Helmet Giveaway - 0:09:54
Carolina Panthers - 0:10:31
New Orleans Saints - 0:16:38
Outro - 0:20:23
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everybody. Welcome into the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. I'm
Ryan Warmley, joined by Derek Brown and Pat Fitzmorris. Guys,
we are talking fantasy takeaways for the NFC South. This
is another in our series of divisional takeaways from the season.
We are running through each one in their own shorter episode.
Today is the NFC South. It starts at the top
(00:22):
with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who win yet again. Just
been ten and seven. Obviously a weaker division, that ten
wins was enough to take home the crown fits. What
was your takeaway from the Bucks this season?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Oh, that Bucky Irving is the absolute truth and that
he warrants first round consideration in twenty twenty five fantasy drafts,
at least in leagues that only require you to start
two wide receivers, which pushes up running back value in
those leagues. I think Bucky Irving might, maybe should, sneak
(00:55):
into the back end of the first round. He finished
with eleven hundred twenty two rushing yards and eight touchdowns,
even though he only averaged nine point two carries a game.
Over Tampa Bay's first nine games, Bucky averaged five point
four yards per carry, had a fifty five point one
success rate, which is just like off the charts for
(01:15):
running backs, phenomenal numbers. Good as a pass catcher forty
seven catches, three hundred and ninety two yards. Rashad White
actually had his best season as a runner by far,
and by the end of the season the Buccaneers had
basically benched him and made him Bucki's back up. Bucky
was just that good, like as good as that one
(01:36):
two punch for a while was I think the Buccaneers
realized they were just better off playing Bucky like seventy
five percent of the snaps. So the guy's just so
much fun to watch, Like his vision, the way he's
able to string together a series of moves and just
break ankles, contact balance. He is just a special player.
(01:57):
And I really regret him because he ran kind of
a sluggish forty at the combine, Like never again. Man,
I think the people who you know, some of the
Pac twelve folks rest in peace. PAC twelve, the true
believers who saw a lot of Bucky in college, like
(02:17):
they knew and they were the ones who benefited at
least in dynasty. But man, I'm not going to get
cheated out of Bucky Irving shares and redraft next year.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I was going to ask because he was going as like,
what like a late third early fourth rounder in Dynasty.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I mean he was probably somewhere late second, early third,
somewhere in the.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, I don't even know if I saw you.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
If you look back at Dynasty drafts and see some
of the guys who were picked ahead of Bucky Irving, like,
you're just going to be slapping your hair.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
So was there a lesson to be learned their fits?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah? Because I did the same thing with Kyrine Williams
and didn't learn my lesson, like, don't fade the undersized
backs who run a sluggish forty times, you know if
they had like really productive college careers, because like pay
attention to the production and not so much the measurables.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah, deebro, what are you doing with Bucky Irving next year?
I mean, when you hear first round consideration, does that
seem oh wow, that's pretty aggressive in your mind? Or
is your initial reaction?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, that's about right, It's about right. I have him
right now as RB six right now in my overall
he is fourteenth overall, although you could move him up
into the first round. I have a no problem with that.
I mean, and yeah, I mean pick whatever name you
want to evoke here. Kyron Williams two point zero fits.
(03:39):
Another good test case of this too is Tyler Algier,
a player that did not test really well. But I
think the lesson that we need to learn about Bucky
Irving is college tackle breaking metrics translate. They might not
translate as a strict one to one, but these guys,
because if you look at Bucky's profile, his tax breaking
(04:00):
metrics were fantastic. I think it was over the last
two to maybe three seasons, and the same thing could
be said for Kyroen, it could be set for Tyler Algier,
and really, if you can break tackles, you can freaking
break tackles man. Although I will also give a hat
tip to the Buccaneers because the one thing that like
when I was looking at Bucky as a prospect, that
(04:22):
I really hoped in the NFL, if you stuck Bucky
Irving in an outside zone scheme, he doesn't have that
type of lateral agility to where that would have fit
him really well. The Buccaneers said, look with Rashad White,
it hasn't worked with outside zone and stuff. We are
switching to gap and counter and getting downhill, much like
(04:43):
the Rams did to fit Kyron Williams. That was fantastic
because Bucky once you get him into the second level
and you get him moving downhill, that's where you see
the special runs and the things that he can do
into the second level and really really help himself. You
stuck him in an outside zone scheme and you asked
him to get lateral and really like the that's where
(05:05):
I think the shortcomings of the testing and some of
the physical stuff could show up. Buccaneers didn't do that, man,
But this all comes down to again putting a bow
on this. Believe in the collegiate tackle breaking metrics they
translate if.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I remember correctly fits. I think Bogman was in on
Bucky then after the combine was like you have to
be you just can't be in on him anymore. And
you know, like we said a few times, like there's
the lesson is to uh to kind of bell.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Well, and I think I think we're we're getting to
the point where the NFL is changing its tune about
size for these running backs like where we were in
that we I mean, come on, guys, like in the
last three to five years, we've been pigeonholed. Okay, well,
if you're not two hundred or two oh five or
two ten, then are you really going to get workhorse
type of work. Well. Devon h Chan said, okay, hold
(05:55):
my beer, Bucky Urban said, hold my beer. Kyrin Williams said,
hold my beer. And we got a six pack of
runbacks that are good that didn't fit that mold. So
we really need to kind of like crush that mold,
toss it in the trash and say, okay, we need
to learn from this.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
People were making those comments when Jamier Gibbs was having
his Crazy Sunday Night game in week eighteen the same thing. Debro,
what was your fantasy takeaway for the Atlanta Falcons who
went eight to nine last year.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
I am so not only excited because now we can
stop all the talk of is Drake London actually good
at football? Because he is, and he proved it by
catching one hundred balls this year. But with the addition
of Michael Pennix, we could see Drake London take off
and we have not seen the full ceiling for Drake London.
That's what I want everybody to take away from this,
(06:42):
you saw really really stinking good for Drake London in
twenty twenty four. That is not his true ceiling. We
could see that in twenty twenty five. And what we
saw in the difference between Kirk Cousins and how that
hampered and his health and his arm and all that
kind of stuff hampered that offense versus what he saw
with Michael Pennocks. We could see even better Drake London
(07:03):
in twenty twenty five, Like with Kirk Cousins, ten point
seven to a DOT, two point two four yards per
route run, he averaged sixty five receiving arts per game.
All of these metrics are really really good. With Michael
PENNOCKX And people could say it's a small sample, it's
a glorious sample. His ADOT went up to twelve point five.
(07:24):
He averaged one hundred and seventeen receiving yards per game.
I get it's a three game sample. He still had
two hundred yard days out of those three games. Three
point seven four yards per route run. We get Drake
London not just like eating up targets and gobbling up
volume in that short to intermediate range, but we get
him downfield and we've seen Michael PENICKX willing to throw
(07:46):
those type of balls to Drake London. Let's go, baby,
one hundred and ten catches top three wide receiver in
twenty twenty five. My body is ready.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Is that a bullet prediction or is that you are
ranking him as a top three receiver?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
That's my bowl prediction right now, Drake Lend right now,
in my early twenty twenty five ranks, he's gonna be
top six. I'm still kind of sifting through it, but
he's he's gonna be top six, Top.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Eight, Chase Jefferson pooka CD.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
He deserves to be in the conversation right next to
m and Ross Saint Brown.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I'll say that, Okay, okay, Fitz, what about you? You
kind of reacted in a way in hearing de Ro's
ranking that makes me think you might be a little
bit lower.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I'm a little bit lower, Like I've got him below
Thomas and Neighbors, who I think are potentially pretty special.
I think London could be special too, And I agree
with Debro's enthusiasm about the ability of Michael Pennox to
unlock London. Fully. I'll try to do this without speaking
(08:53):
ill of Kirk Cousins because I think I've done enough
of that already. But Pennix is just to watch that
guy throw the ball is so much fun. Like I mean,
that guy just zip's it like he can spin it
like nobody's business, and like that's a big part of it.
Like to finally get the right quarterback for London because
(09:16):
obviously it was a struggle with Desmond Ritter and Taylor
Heineke or whoever was in twenty twenty three, and then
you know, sort of over the hill Kirk Cousins in
twenty twenty four. Finally we saw what he can do
with a dude who's got crazy arm talent. I'm looking
forward to London's output in twenty twenty five is also.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Contract season for Drake London.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Let's go baby. Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
They might they might want to take care of them.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
They should.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
They should learn the lesson that the Cincinnati Bengals did
not learn and say, yeah, we probably need to do this.
Forere you reset your market.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
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The Carolina Panthers five and twelve a more fun back
(10:36):
half of the season for them than the first half fits.
What was your takeaway for Carolina?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, before I say what it is, can I ask
does the winner get a few long strands of TJ.
Howkinson's hair to go with the helmet as kind of
a value.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Dibro would definitely be an honored if they did. Oh,
we got ball jokes? Huh?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Okay, all right, let's see how it is.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Okay, I could help, all right?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
My take for the Panthers is that Dave Canalis is
indeed a QB whisper and has helped turn Bryce Young
into a legitimate NFL starter. Just a terrible start to
the season for Bryce Young, benched after two games, comes
back as the start in Week seven, and you know,
okay at first, and then it just got better and
(11:22):
better from there. By the end of the season, seven touchdowns,
three interceptions or no interceptions excuse me, in his last
three starts. I don't know if he's going to be
a star like next year or ever, but he is
at least a credible NFL quarterback that the Panthers can
start to build around. And you know, maybe a couple
(11:43):
of years down the road, they're going to realize he's
not the guy to take them to the Promised Land.
But there is hope now and you can thank Dave
Canalis for that. And there's also going to be hope
for Carolina pass catchers next year. And yeah, I'm even
kind of high on Debro's guy Jaalen.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
So I was gonna kind of ask, what's the larger
takeaway for you from for fantasy purposes. Is it Bryce
Young is a viable, if not maybe even good, you know,
super flex quarterback to have on your team next year,
or is it Bryce Young is not a fantasy viable quarterback.
But he is good enough to make Jalen Coker, Adam Thielen,
(12:24):
Juba Hubbard viable.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, Bryce Young is a worthwhile super flex quarterback. I
don't think anyone wants to have him as their QB
one in a one QB league, But there are some
leagues where, you know, because of the format, whether it's
you know, a really deep league, some leagues, it's actually
sensible to draft a backup quarterback, And I think in
(12:47):
those leagues, Bryce Young is worth having as a backup,
mainly more about him not being a drag on the
offense as a whole. Like, you know, Young's competence is
good for Chubaha, It's gonna be good for Jalen Cocher
and whoever else is there. We'll see about Xavier Legett.
I'm not entirely sold there. You know, maybe we see
(13:08):
a breakout for Jitavian Sanders next year. Like Young's improvement
gives me a little bit of optimism for JT. Sanders.
So we'll see. But like we don't have to worry
about you know how I talked on the AFC South
Show about the Titans offense being a sinkhole and probably
continuing to be a sinkhole in twenty twenty five. I
(13:30):
don't think we have the same fear as with the Panthers.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Bryce Young's bye week was week eleven. From that point on,
do you have it? Do you have a guess of
where he finished?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
I had it pulled up and I was just about
to bring it up. Yep. Fits take yes, weeks twelve
through eighteen, Fantasy points per game? Where was Bryce Young.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
For rank?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Promise you you're gonna guess too?
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Eleven?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Uh? Higher?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
No kidding?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Not top not top six, No QB nine and.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
So he's nine a points per game. He was QB
six actually in overall at total points. So obviously some
players had buy you know, their own bye weeks and
injuries and stuff. Or he didn't play a week eighteen,
but total scoring QB six per game QB nine since
his bye week in week eleven, so maybe even something
was short his weekly finish at the position QB fourteen
(14:24):
eight twenty eighteen, two nineteen and one. So it was
quite a finish from him, and maybe is even being
sold short a little, calling him, you know, more of
a passable you know, QB two option. I'm not saying
he's a guy who should be a QB one obviously,
but uh, you know, he played well. I mean, that's
(14:47):
certainly better than I expected. What really helps, though, is
the rushing touchdowns, and I'm very curious to see if
that ends up being sustainable for him or not. He's not,
you know, the body type you might typically think of
as this guy's going to add a ton of rushing value.
But he had five rushing touchdowns in the last six weeks.
That goes a long way.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Certainly lot, oh, definitly a lot.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
And best of all, I got to wipe the egg
off my face for having drafted Bryce Young ahead of c. J.
Stroud in two Dynasty Rookie Drive.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
I think a lot of people are feeling that way.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I feel a little bit better about that now. I
don't know if it was the right call, but I
do feel better.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Even jurists too, if they want to say, like, well,
we didn't play week eighteen and you know that monster game.
Even if you look just weeks twelve through seventeen, ruys
Sjung q BE twelve and Fantasy points per game.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Wow, Yeah, and he just quick thoughts in him overall
Debro No.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
I mean, I think he's He's definitely a really strong
super flex quarterback. Now. I think that obviously we're talking
about the rushing production is helping him a ton as
far as in his fantasy outlook, So I think some
of that's going to come back. So looking him at
the at the lens of Okay as a strong QB
(16:02):
two that can give me spike weeks for QB one
and depending on what this offense looks like, because again,
like this offense is trying to find its way, man, Like,
you know, what does this offense look like? In year
two of knelis with Chuba doing the things that he's done,
with Xaviri ol Get hopefully taking a step forward or heck,
(16:22):
Coca talked about the goat Jalen Coker, who has been
out targeting their FoST round pick Xavier ola Get on
a weekly basis. Can he step into that? Adam delen
roll in twenty twenty five we shall see Debrel.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Let's go to your New Orleans Saints five and twelve
as well for your takeaway.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I don't know if I want to claim them anymore.
I've kind of disavowed, like my fandom of this team
is done until Derek Carr is gone. When we get
to a point where I can find legitimacy of this
roster to root for. My fandom is on hiatus right now.
But to that point a move that I didn't agree with,
(17:07):
but New Orleans made it anyway, I'm not the GM
extending Alvin Kamara. I think we've gotten to a point
with Alvin Kamara at this point where he's a volume
vacuum man. And at this point, like I faded him
in ranks and was it going to be Kendre Miller,
Was it going to be Age? Was it gonna be
all these different things? It hasn't mattered Alvacamara in the
(17:28):
last two years RB three and RB five and Fantasy
points per game. He is going to soak up volume
and that's going to carry him to yet another RB
one season in twenty twenty five, whether we like it
or not.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
So fits is somebody who's not a fan of New
Orleans A right, actually not a fan of the Saints.
I don't know how I feel about the city.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Well who's not. Uh oh, we're gonna have a bigger
conversation about being a fan of New Orleans all the time.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I've never been to New Orleans. It is very high
on the list of American cities that I have not
been to that I want right.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
We're booking flat we're booking plane tickets right now. I
hope we can't get it together.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
You're there, Well, well, we have our team trip to
Vegas next month. That'll be my first time there. I'm
hoping maybe next year we can come across New Orleans
out list.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
But then we get you bailed out in time to
have the between New Orleans and eight year after that.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
So yeah, But you know, as somebody who's not colored
by your, you know, opinion of the Saints as a
fan fits, Uh, what do you think about this take
from Debra about Alvin Kamara and just the volume being
enough to not really worry about anything else.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
First of all, I haven't been to New Orleans either,
which seems like a great oversight.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Canning to me. Honestly, I would have thought, I know there, I.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Gotta get me some hurricanes and beignets, and so I.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Am messaging the powers that be New Orleans in next
year's team trip. Got it done?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yes, So no, I pretty much agree with Debro if
I think it'll actually be best for Alvin Kamara if
the Saints running back with Derek Carr, because Derek Carr
is so eager to dump off to Alvin Kamara and
keep his Like the ticket for Alvin Kamara to be
an RB one again is the passing game usage and
for him to have another seventy seventy five eighty catch season,
(19:07):
which I think he could very well do with Derek Carr.
If they somehow land some like hyper mobile quarterback who
isn't going to dump off that much, that's when you
need to pull the ripcord on Alvin Kamara. But considering
how capstrapped the Saints are, as per usual, pretty unlikely.
I think they change direction at quarterback, so I do
(19:29):
think Kamara probably needs a tag team partner on early downs.
I don't know if Kendre Miller is that guy. They
might have to go fishing in the draft again for
a new you know, potential air apparent at running back.
But yeah, I mean I have no issues with the
take that Alvin Kamara's going to be an RB one again.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Where will you be playing on drafting Alvin Kamara?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I think I do have him right on the RB
one RB two boys.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
But like what round sounds right for him.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Oh oh uh, maybe maybe three somewhere in the third.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
I was gonna say four he gets enticed into the fourth.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Three or four?
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yeah, I don't. I don't think he's gonna last to
the fourth in too many leagues, certainly not in too
many home leagues.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
He's not a stereotypical RB dead zone like name, but
that is, you know, kind of the range that we're talking.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
About, especially PPR leagues man with the value he brings
as a past catcher.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
All right, or wrap up the NFC South there. Uh,
thank you everybody for tuning in. Please be sure to
check out all of our divisional takeaway episodes. You can
find them on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Uh for Fits and Debro, I'm Ryan warmly, thanks again
for tuning in and we'll see you next time. Thanks
for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast. If
you love the show, the best free way to support
us is by leaving a positive review on Apple podcasts
(20:46):
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Fantasy Pros
Hello everybody. Welcome into the Fantasy Pros Football Podcast. I'm
Ryan Warmley, joined by Derek Brown and Pat Fitzmorris. Guys,
we are talking fantasy takeaways for the NFC South. This
is another in our series of divisional takeaways from the season.
We are running through each one in their own shorter episode.
Today is the NFC South. It starts at the top
(00:22):
with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who win yet again. Just
been ten and seven. Obviously a weaker division, that ten
wins was enough to take home the crown fits. What
was your takeaway from the Bucks this season?
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Oh, that Bucky Irving is the absolute truth and that
he warrants first round consideration in twenty twenty five fantasy drafts,
at least in leagues that only require you to start
two wide receivers, which pushes up running back value in
those leagues. I think Bucky Irving might, maybe should, sneak
(00:55):
into the back end of the first round. He finished
with eleven hundred twenty two rushing yards and eight touchdowns,
even though he only averaged nine point two carries a game.
Over Tampa Bay's first nine games, Bucky averaged five point
four yards per carry, had a fifty five point one
success rate, which is just like off the charts for
(01:15):
running backs, phenomenal numbers. Good as a pass catcher forty
seven catches, three hundred and ninety two yards. Rashad White
actually had his best season as a runner by far,
and by the end of the season the Buccaneers had
basically benched him and made him Bucki's back up. Bucky
was just that good, like as good as that one
(01:36):
two punch for a while was I think the Buccaneers
realized they were just better off playing Bucky like seventy
five percent of the snaps. So the guy's just so
much fun to watch, Like his vision, the way he's
able to string together a series of moves and just
break ankles, contact balance. He is just a special player.
(01:57):
And I really regret him because he ran kind of
a sluggish forty at the combine, Like never again. Man,
I think the people who you know, some of the
Pac twelve folks rest in peace. PAC twelve, the true
believers who saw a lot of Bucky in college, like
(02:17):
they knew and they were the ones who benefited at
least in dynasty. But man, I'm not going to get
cheated out of Bucky Irving shares and redraft next year.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I was going to ask because he was going as like,
what like a late third early fourth rounder in Dynasty.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
I mean he was probably somewhere late second, early third,
somewhere in the.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, I don't even know if I saw you.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
If you look back at Dynasty drafts and see some
of the guys who were picked ahead of Bucky Irving, like,
you're just going to be slapping your hair.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
So was there a lesson to be learned their fits?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah? Because I did the same thing with Kyrine Williams
and didn't learn my lesson, like, don't fade the undersized
backs who run a sluggish forty times, you know if
they had like really productive college careers, because like pay
attention to the production and not so much the measurables.
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Yeah, deebro, what are you doing with Bucky Irving next year?
I mean, when you hear first round consideration, does that
seem oh wow, that's pretty aggressive in your mind? Or
is your initial reaction?
Speaker 3 (03:17):
Yeah, that's about right, It's about right. I have him
right now as RB six right now in my overall
he is fourteenth overall, although you could move him up
into the first round. I have a no problem with that.
I mean, and yeah, I mean pick whatever name you
want to evoke here. Kyron Williams two point zero fits.
(03:39):
Another good test case of this too is Tyler Algier,
a player that did not test really well. But I
think the lesson that we need to learn about Bucky
Irving is college tackle breaking metrics translate. They might not
translate as a strict one to one, but these guys,
because if you look at Bucky's profile, his tax breaking
(04:00):
metrics were fantastic. I think it was over the last
two to maybe three seasons, and the same thing could
be said for Kyroen, it could be set for Tyler Algier,
and really, if you can break tackles, you can freaking
break tackles man. Although I will also give a hat
tip to the Buccaneers because the one thing that like
when I was looking at Bucky as a prospect, that
(04:22):
I really hoped in the NFL, if you stuck Bucky
Irving in an outside zone scheme, he doesn't have that
type of lateral agility to where that would have fit
him really well. The Buccaneers said, look with Rashad White,
it hasn't worked with outside zone and stuff. We are
switching to gap and counter and getting downhill, much like
(04:43):
the Rams did to fit Kyron Williams. That was fantastic
because Bucky once you get him into the second level
and you get him moving downhill, that's where you see
the special runs and the things that he can do
into the second level and really really help himself. You
stuck him in an outside zone scheme and you asked
him to get lateral and really like the that's where
(05:05):
I think the shortcomings of the testing and some of
the physical stuff could show up. Buccaneers didn't do that, man,
But this all comes down to again putting a bow
on this. Believe in the collegiate tackle breaking metrics they
translate if.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I remember correctly fits. I think Bogman was in on
Bucky then after the combine was like you have to
be you just can't be in on him anymore. And
you know, like we said a few times, like there's
the lesson is to uh to kind of bell.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Well, and I think I think we're we're getting to
the point where the NFL is changing its tune about
size for these running backs like where we were in
that we I mean, come on, guys, like in the
last three to five years, we've been pigeonholed. Okay, well,
if you're not two hundred or two oh five or
two ten, then are you really going to get workhorse
type of work. Well. Devon h Chan said, okay, hold
(05:55):
my beer, Bucky Urban said, hold my beer. Kyrin Williams said,
hold my beer. And we got a six pack of
runbacks that are good that didn't fit that mold. So
we really need to kind of like crush that mold,
toss it in the trash and say, okay, we need
to learn from this.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
People were making those comments when Jamier Gibbs was having
his Crazy Sunday Night game in week eighteen the same thing. Debro,
what was your fantasy takeaway for the Atlanta Falcons who
went eight to nine last year.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
I am so not only excited because now we can
stop all the talk of is Drake London actually good
at football? Because he is, and he proved it by
catching one hundred balls this year. But with the addition
of Michael Pennix, we could see Drake London take off
and we have not seen the full ceiling for Drake London.
That's what I want everybody to take away from this,
(06:42):
you saw really really stinking good for Drake London in
twenty twenty four. That is not his true ceiling. We
could see that in twenty twenty five. And what we
saw in the difference between Kirk Cousins and how that
hampered and his health and his arm and all that
kind of stuff hampered that offense versus what he saw
with Michael Pennocks. We could see even better Drake London
(07:03):
in twenty twenty five, Like with Kirk Cousins, ten point
seven to a DOT, two point two four yards per
route run, he averaged sixty five receiving arts per game.
All of these metrics are really really good. With Michael
PENNOCKX And people could say it's a small sample, it's
a glorious sample. His ADOT went up to twelve point five.
(07:24):
He averaged one hundred and seventeen receiving yards per game.
I get it's a three game sample. He still had
two hundred yard days out of those three games. Three
point seven four yards per route run. We get Drake
London not just like eating up targets and gobbling up
volume in that short to intermediate range, but we get
him downfield and we've seen Michael PENICKX willing to throw
(07:46):
those type of balls to Drake London. Let's go, baby,
one hundred and ten catches top three wide receiver in
twenty twenty five. My body is ready.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Is that a bullet prediction or is that you are
ranking him as a top three receiver?
Speaker 3 (08:00):
That's my bowl prediction right now, Drake Lend right now,
in my early twenty twenty five ranks, he's gonna be
top six. I'm still kind of sifting through it, but
he's he's gonna be top six, Top.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Eight, Chase Jefferson pooka CD.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
He deserves to be in the conversation right next to
m and Ross Saint Brown.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
I'll say that, Okay, okay, Fitz, what about you? You
kind of reacted in a way in hearing de Ro's
ranking that makes me think you might be a little
bit lower.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
I'm a little bit lower, Like I've got him below
Thomas and Neighbors, who I think are potentially pretty special.
I think London could be special too, And I agree
with Debro's enthusiasm about the ability of Michael Pennox to
unlock London. Fully. I'll try to do this without speaking
(08:53):
ill of Kirk Cousins because I think I've done enough
of that already. But Pennix is just to watch that
guy throw the ball is so much fun. Like I mean,
that guy just zip's it like he can spin it
like nobody's business, and like that's a big part of it.
Like to finally get the right quarterback for London because
(09:16):
obviously it was a struggle with Desmond Ritter and Taylor
Heineke or whoever was in twenty twenty three, and then
you know, sort of over the hill Kirk Cousins in
twenty twenty four. Finally we saw what he can do
with a dude who's got crazy arm talent. I'm looking
forward to London's output in twenty twenty five is also.
Speaker 3 (09:36):
Contract season for Drake London.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Let's go baby. Oh wow.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
They might they might want to take care of them.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
They should.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
They should learn the lesson that the Cincinnati Bengals did
not learn and say, yeah, we probably need to do this.
Forere you reset your market.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
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(10:16):
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The Carolina Panthers five and twelve a more fun back
(10:36):
half of the season for them than the first half fits.
What was your takeaway for Carolina?
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, before I say what it is, can I ask
does the winner get a few long strands of TJ.
Howkinson's hair to go with the helmet as kind of
a value.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Dibro would definitely be an honored if they did. Oh,
we got ball jokes? Huh?
Speaker 3 (10:55):
Okay, all right, let's see how it is.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Okay, I could help, all right?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
My take for the Panthers is that Dave Canalis is
indeed a QB whisper and has helped turn Bryce Young
into a legitimate NFL starter. Just a terrible start to
the season for Bryce Young, benched after two games, comes
back as the start in Week seven, and you know,
okay at first, and then it just got better and
(11:22):
better from there. By the end of the season, seven touchdowns,
three interceptions or no interceptions excuse me, in his last
three starts. I don't know if he's going to be
a star like next year or ever, but he is
at least a credible NFL quarterback that the Panthers can
start to build around. And you know, maybe a couple
(11:43):
of years down the road, they're going to realize he's
not the guy to take them to the Promised Land.
But there is hope now and you can thank Dave
Canalis for that. And there's also going to be hope
for Carolina pass catchers next year. And yeah, I'm even
kind of high on Debro's guy Jaalen.
Speaker 1 (12:01):
So I was gonna kind of ask, what's the larger
takeaway for you from for fantasy purposes. Is it Bryce
Young is a viable, if not maybe even good, you know,
super flex quarterback to have on your team next year,
or is it Bryce Young is not a fantasy viable quarterback.
But he is good enough to make Jalen Coker, Adam Thielen,
(12:24):
Juba Hubbard viable.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
Yeah, Bryce Young is a worthwhile super flex quarterback. I
don't think anyone wants to have him as their QB
one in a one QB league, But there are some
leagues where, you know, because of the format, whether it's
you know, a really deep league, some leagues, it's actually
sensible to draft a backup quarterback, And I think in
(12:47):
those leagues, Bryce Young is worth having as a backup,
mainly more about him not being a drag on the
offense as a whole. Like, you know, Young's competence is
good for Chubaha, It's gonna be good for Jalen Cocher
and whoever else is there. We'll see about Xavier Legett.
I'm not entirely sold there. You know, maybe we see
(13:08):
a breakout for Jitavian Sanders next year. Like Young's improvement
gives me a little bit of optimism for JT. Sanders.
So we'll see. But like we don't have to worry
about you know how I talked on the AFC South
Show about the Titans offense being a sinkhole and probably
continuing to be a sinkhole in twenty twenty five. I
(13:30):
don't think we have the same fear as with the Panthers.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Bryce Young's bye week was week eleven. From that point on,
do you have it? Do you have a guess of
where he finished?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
I had it pulled up and I was just about
to bring it up. Yep. Fits take yes, weeks twelve
through eighteen, Fantasy points per game? Where was Bryce Young.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
For rank?
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Promise you you're gonna guess too?
Speaker 2 (13:55):
Eleven?
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Uh? Higher?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
No kidding?
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Not top not top six, No QB nine and.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
So he's nine a points per game. He was QB
six actually in overall at total points. So obviously some
players had buy you know, their own bye weeks and
injuries and stuff. Or he didn't play a week eighteen,
but total scoring QB six per game QB nine since
his bye week in week eleven, so maybe even something
was short his weekly finish at the position QB fourteen
(14:24):
eight twenty eighteen, two nineteen and one. So it was
quite a finish from him, and maybe is even being
sold short a little, calling him, you know, more of
a passable you know, QB two option. I'm not saying
he's a guy who should be a QB one obviously,
but uh, you know, he played well. I mean, that's
(14:47):
certainly better than I expected. What really helps, though, is
the rushing touchdowns, and I'm very curious to see if
that ends up being sustainable for him or not. He's not,
you know, the body type you might typically think of
as this guy's going to add a ton of rushing value.
But he had five rushing touchdowns in the last six weeks.
That goes a long way.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
Certainly lot, oh, definitly a lot.
Speaker 2 (15:10):
And best of all, I got to wipe the egg
off my face for having drafted Bryce Young ahead of c. J.
Stroud in two Dynasty Rookie Drive.
Speaker 1 (15:18):
I think a lot of people are feeling that way.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
I feel a little bit better about that now. I
don't know if it was the right call, but I
do feel better.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Even jurists too, if they want to say, like, well,
we didn't play week eighteen and you know that monster game.
Even if you look just weeks twelve through seventeen, ruys
Sjung q BE twelve and Fantasy points per game.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Wow, Yeah, and he just quick thoughts in him overall
Debro No.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
I mean, I think he's He's definitely a really strong
super flex quarterback. Now. I think that obviously we're talking
about the rushing production is helping him a ton as
far as in his fantasy outlook, So I think some
of that's going to come back. So looking him at
the at the lens of Okay as a strong QB
(16:02):
two that can give me spike weeks for QB one
and depending on what this offense looks like, because again,
like this offense is trying to find its way, man, Like,
you know, what does this offense look like? In year
two of knelis with Chuba doing the things that he's done,
with Xaviri ol Get hopefully taking a step forward or heck,
(16:22):
Coca talked about the goat Jalen Coker, who has been
out targeting their FoST round pick Xavier ola Get on
a weekly basis. Can he step into that? Adam delen
roll in twenty twenty five we shall see Debrel.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Let's go to your New Orleans Saints five and twelve
as well for your takeaway.
Speaker 3 (16:44):
I don't know if I want to claim them anymore.
I've kind of disavowed, like my fandom of this team
is done until Derek Carr is gone. When we get
to a point where I can find legitimacy of this
roster to root for. My fandom is on hiatus right now.
But to that point a move that I didn't agree with,
(17:07):
but New Orleans made it anyway, I'm not the GM
extending Alvin Kamara. I think we've gotten to a point
with Alvin Kamara at this point where he's a volume
vacuum man. And at this point, like I faded him
in ranks and was it going to be Kendre Miller,
Was it going to be Age? Was it gonna be
all these different things? It hasn't mattered Alvacamara in the
(17:28):
last two years RB three and RB five and Fantasy
points per game. He is going to soak up volume
and that's going to carry him to yet another RB
one season in twenty twenty five, whether we like it
or not.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
So fits is somebody who's not a fan of New
Orleans A right, actually not a fan of the Saints.
I don't know how I feel about the city.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Well who's not. Uh oh, we're gonna have a bigger
conversation about being a fan of New Orleans all the time.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
I've never been to New Orleans. It is very high
on the list of American cities that I have not
been to that I want right.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
We're booking flat we're booking plane tickets right now. I
hope we can't get it together.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
You're there, Well, well, we have our team trip to
Vegas next month. That'll be my first time there. I'm
hoping maybe next year we can come across New Orleans
out list.
Speaker 3 (18:07):
But then we get you bailed out in time to
have the between New Orleans and eight year after that.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
So yeah, But you know, as somebody who's not colored
by your, you know, opinion of the Saints as a
fan fits, Uh, what do you think about this take
from Debra about Alvin Kamara and just the volume being
enough to not really worry about anything else.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
First of all, I haven't been to New Orleans either,
which seems like a great oversight.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Canning to me. Honestly, I would have thought, I know there, I.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Gotta get me some hurricanes and beignets, and so I.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Am messaging the powers that be New Orleans in next
year's team trip. Got it done?
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Yes, So no, I pretty much agree with Debro if
I think it'll actually be best for Alvin Kamara if
the Saints running back with Derek Carr, because Derek Carr
is so eager to dump off to Alvin Kamara and
keep his Like the ticket for Alvin Kamara to be
an RB one again is the passing game usage and
for him to have another seventy seventy five eighty catch season,
(19:07):
which I think he could very well do with Derek Carr.
If they somehow land some like hyper mobile quarterback who
isn't going to dump off that much, that's when you
need to pull the ripcord on Alvin Kamara. But considering
how capstrapped the Saints are, as per usual, pretty unlikely.
I think they change direction at quarterback, so I do
(19:29):
think Kamara probably needs a tag team partner on early downs.
I don't know if Kendre Miller is that guy. They
might have to go fishing in the draft again for
a new you know, potential air apparent at running back.
But yeah, I mean I have no issues with the
take that Alvin Kamara's going to be an RB one again.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Where will you be playing on drafting Alvin Kamara?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I think I do have him right on the RB
one RB two boys.
Speaker 1 (19:57):
But like what round sounds right for him.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Oh oh uh, maybe maybe three somewhere in the third.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
I was gonna say four he gets enticed into the fourth.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Three or four?
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Yeah, I don't. I don't think he's gonna last to
the fourth in too many leagues, certainly not in too
many home leagues.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
He's not a stereotypical RB dead zone like name, but
that is, you know, kind of the range that we're talking.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
About, especially PPR leagues man with the value he brings
as a past catcher.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
All right, or wrap up the NFC South there. Uh,
thank you everybody for tuning in. Please be sure to
check out all of our divisional takeaway episodes. You can
find them on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Uh for Fits and Debro, I'm Ryan warmly, thanks again
for tuning in and we'll see you next time. Thanks
for listening to the Fantasy Pros Fantasy Football podcast. If
you love the show, the best free way to support
us is by leaving a positive review on Apple podcasts
(20:46):
at Fantasypros dot com, slash review, or on Spotify, Follow
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Pat Fitzmaurice
Matthew Freedman
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