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2025 Fantasy Football Early Rankings Top 30 QBs, RBs, WRs & TEs (2QB Format Hot Takes)
7 Plays14 minutes ago
Welcome back to the Bush League Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast — your no-BS source for bold takes and sharp analysis that helps you win leagues.
In this episode, Fab, Rog, and Nacc reveal their early 2025 rankings across QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs in 2QB redraft formats — tackling big offseason shifts, rookie impact, and high-risk, high-reward players.
🔥 Debates include:
- Is Jaden Daniels already better than Jalen Hurts?
- Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Bijan for RB1
- Ladd McConkey as a surprise WR1
- The Tyreek Hill fade is real
- Where to draft Brock Bowers in tight end premium
🎯 Plus:
- Our biggest risers, fades, and sleepers
- QB tiers from Josh Allen to Bryce Young
- Is Christian McCaffrey a do-not-draft?
- Dak Prescott & Justin Herbert: league winners or fool’s gold?
If you’re prepping for redraft or dynasty, this is your early blueprint for 2025.
#FantasyFootball2025 #NFLFantasy #2QBLeague #JaydenDaniels #JahmyrGibbs #FantasyRankings #BushLeagueHuddle #FantasyFootballPodcast #DynastyFantasyFootball #FantasyFootballAdvice
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction
00:00:06
Speaker
Welcome back. Welcome back. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen, to another episode of the Bush League Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast. My name is Fab. I'm joined with Raj and Nak. We are here once again to bring you guys through a wonderful journey that is fantasy football. Thank you very much for coming along with the ride for us.
00:00:23
Speaker
Before we begin, please, please, please like, follow, subscribe to all of our social medias. We're on TikTok. We're on Twitter. We're on Instagram. We are on YouTube. We are on Spotify. We're on Apple Podcasts.
00:00:35
Speaker
You'll find us everywhere you listen to all of your social medias. So please find us, follow us, interact with us. We're always there to interact with our fans, which we really, really enjoy doing. So please take take a look and and go find us wherever you you get your fantasy football news because you're gonna be getting it from three wonderful individuals here who know exactly what they're doing most of the time.
Tribute to Jim Irsay
00:00:55
Speaker
Another before we begin, it's got a quick pour one out for Israe.
00:01:01
Speaker
ah He, he passed away the tender age of 65 years old, I believe over the last, over the weekend. i forget the day exactly, I know was recently, it was was ah following our last episode. um So that obviously leaves a very big void in the Indianapolis c Colts organization. He's been there.
00:01:17
Speaker
was like the youngest GM at one time ever. Yeah. So props to him for, for what he did in the organization, bringing them a super bowl and really putting indian Indianapolis as far as the culture concern on the map. So yeah,
00:01:31
Speaker
So rest in power, Jim Israe. Rest in power.
Fantasy Rankings Overview
00:01:35
Speaker
ah but But we have a fantastic episode ready for you guys to go into. We actually started doing a little bit of some early rankings right now, just to wet our beak a little bit, as we say when it comes to basketball, because no the draft happened.
00:01:52
Speaker
A lot of surprises, a lot of some good stuff, but it obviously impacts the rankings for the following season. So we we here at the Bush League How to Fantasy Football Podcast, we decided to do a little bit of an early ranking episode right now to give you guys a little bit of a taste as to how things are ah things might be next year, or this year rather, for the upcoming fantasy football season.
00:02:14
Speaker
We're going to be going over them. We're going to be Highlighting some of the some of the rankings that we might be, you know, a little bit a little bit of a discussion on where some guys might be a little bit higher on on than other guys.
Top Quarterback Rankings Discussion
00:02:27
Speaker
We're going to be having some very heat. um I don't want to say heated, but they're going to be some debates, I'm sure, like usual. And we're going to look into some of those consensus rankings versus our own little Bush League huddle takes. So what I guess, Raj, but without further ado, unless I missed something, guys, I'm sorry. But let's without further ado, let's let's just jump right into the the first set of rankings over here.
00:02:49
Speaker
Oh, look at that beautiful screen share. You better be watching this on YouTube. if you're listening to us If you're listening to us on Spotify right now, keep listening. That's fine. But just make sure at some point in time you do take a look at what we're ba going out on YouTube. we we we We get this on Spotify video as well.
00:03:05
Speaker
So they they could still on Spotify. We have Spotify video? we've We've been having Spotify video. Amazing. and just That's amazing. Look at this. Guys, we're at the forefront of technology. You might even realize it because I don't even realize it. We're at the forefront of technology right now. This is amazing.
00:03:19
Speaker
I was today years old when I found out Spotify. I was today years old. ah like Look at that. guy We're just breaking down all the barriers. um So we're going to, I mean, listen, number one, um don't think anyone's going to be really debating us. We have Josh Allen right there.
00:03:35
Speaker
boy or no deb but yeah No debate whatsoever. We got Lamar Jackson at number two. Jaden Daniels at number three. However, this is consensus ranking, and there is a little bit of a discrepancy as to where one individual had them versus the other two. Not a huge discrepancy.
00:03:52
Speaker
So Knack and Roger had have Jaden Daniels ranked as number three. I have him ranked as number five, so not a big, big gap. But before I jump into my reason as to why, ah want to get Knack and Rogers take so gonna start off with you Knack Jenny Daniels number three in your books he's the number three quarterback this year yeah um I think we saw what he did last year in his rookie year um all they did this summer was bolster giving him giving him some more weapons with Debo Samuel they also shored up that offensive line by making that trade for Laramie Tunsil
00:04:33
Speaker
So he's going to have protection, and he's as good a thrower as he is a runner, really, right? he's And he's not like, I wouldn't call him a Lamar Jackson runner, but he extends plays when he needs to, and and he does it remarkably well.
00:04:50
Speaker
um I know that there's been you know regression at times with quarterbacks in in year two, but I just think that he's a very special player and he's just going to continue to catapult forward. Sometimes you could just kind of tell from a player when like he has it, and Jaden Dynos is that player to me.
00:05:11
Speaker
Raj, what do you think? Yeah, it was between Daniels and Burrow the almost 900 rushing yards was too hard to pass up to rank Daniels ahead of him. And then i think for Hertz, like Hertz comes up after and I'm sure we'll talk about him.
00:05:27
Speaker
i just think already Daniels is a better passer than Hertz. As much as Hertz deserves so much credit for the Super Bowl, he played amazing. We all recall what those discussions discussions were about Hertz last year.
00:05:40
Speaker
i had those discussions too, right? He gets push back, so that's okay. But I think NAC, he mentioned all the points. Debo, Terry McLaurin, imagine he takes another step up as well.
00:05:52
Speaker
um The offensive line, Cliff Kingsbury being back, think that's a big thing as well. And um look out for Jalen Lane, too. Jalen Lane, he was ah one of the speedsters that came from, I believe, Virginia virginia Tech, and they brought back Zach Ertz. So I think all that combined, that brings me to having him third over Hertz and Burrow.
Quarterback Analysis: Herbert vs. Prescott
00:06:13
Speaker
But I wouldn't be, i would be also concerned with the sophomore slump, which we saw with CJ Stroud last year. Well, that's but very good takes. I don't disagree with any of those. And and and if somebody tells me tomorrow, Fab, you have to have my, like, ah I get it. You know, like Jaden Daniels at three, like, you're not crazy for saying that. I have Jalen Hurts at three instead of Jaden Daniels. Basically, I had him flip, and then I'm at Joe Burrow with four.
00:06:37
Speaker
The only reason why I have Hurts above Daniels, obviously a part of it is the sophomore slump, and maybe I'm a little bit jaded following the CJ following cd Shroud last year. But on top of that, Jalen Hurts averaged about the same amount of points per game than Jaden Daniels, who just played two less games.
00:06:57
Speaker
In addition to that, Jalen Hurts last year had probably, i don't want to say his worst statistical season, but he had 18 rushing touchdowns versus the usual 23 or 22 that he has. And he also threw for less than 3,000 yards last year. So...
00:07:09
Speaker
so I think last year was a bit of a down year for Jalen Hurts. And I also look at Jalen Hurts as more of a proven commodity. And I feel like when, because this is obviously, these are these are our rankings, but we're looking at this from a perspective of a two QB league.
00:07:24
Speaker
And when you're drafting your top quarterback, you want him to be safe. You want him to cash in those 21 points a week, those 22 points a week. You want to not have any concern about what you're going to be getting.
00:07:37
Speaker
Jaden Daniels just comes with that little bit more risk for me only because if it's a sophomore slump. And I also do think that, uh, I said Jaden, Jaden Daniels, excuse me, comes a little bit more risk for me because of that sophomore slump. And I feel like Jalen hurts will ascend to his usual point. Total usual rushing or total is passing or total.
00:08:00
Speaker
that I think last year was a bit of an outlier. And even with the outlier, we're talking about like very comparable statistics to Jaden Daniels. And again, I'm not going to beat my chest and say absolutely Jalen Hurts over Jaden Daniels. No, ah just if if I if I was given the two options at three, I think I would go Hurts. I would feel a little more comfortable with Hurts than I would with Jaden Daniels.
Running Back Rankings Debate
00:08:22
Speaker
It's the high variance games, I think, the 35 point, almost 40 point games that Daniels has. And to your point, Hertz has a better floor. Like i'm looking at his game log from last year and he only had one game where he was ah below double digits in fantasy points.
00:08:41
Speaker
I believe Daniels had like three or four. So it's like... Daniels was also a rookie, right? Yeah, he was also rookie. So you know I find that type of decision that type of decision will also depend on which quarterback you tether either Hertz or Daniels with in a 2QB league.
00:09:00
Speaker
you know, maybe with Daniels would go someone more safe as your second QB, but I don't think you could go wrong either way.
00:09:09
Speaker
Out of the rankings that we have over here right now on the screen, Rogers or any one of these guys that you think will really out, but because these are obviously preseason rankings, like OTA started today where we are May 27th, 2025.
00:09:23
Speaker
and you know a lot can happen between now and when training cram picks up and when preseason and all that stuff, right? So we we obviously might be a little bit higher on some of these guys or even lower. Is there any one of these guys you think that we're ranking way too low right now?
00:09:37
Speaker
So I had Justin Herbert sixth in my rankings. You guys had him eighth and ninth. i And i I think we talked about i talked about it in one of our previous episodes. I'm really high on him. I think this has to be the year that he really breaks out and becomes a bona fide top three to five QB.
00:09:55
Speaker
And for me, the reason being, it's what they did in the offseason. Trey Harris, you know, Amarion Hampton, getting getting Hampton, who can catch the ball. He's a really good pass ah catcher of the ball out of the backfield. i think that always helps Justin Herbert.
00:10:12
Speaker
think getting another guy ah ah india on the outside, Trey Harris, Ladd McConkie, expect him to to step up as well. I just think another year with him in that offense. Last year, they played it a little bit safe. It was more of a ball control offense, but throw it through a deep.
00:10:26
Speaker
I think this year, they're going to really let Herbert herbert Cook. I think he's going to have a um monster ah monster year.
00:10:34
Speaker
Yeah, no, i't I don't disagree with that. I mean, I was a little bit, I had my trepidations with Justin Herbert just for all the things you did mention. um but i would not be shocked if he does outperform what we have right now is ranked as eight i would not be shocked if he finished as a top five quarterback because you know you look at the top five right it's like who does he have to usurp ticket to jump in there maybe jalen hurts again if he has an off year i know i just spoke pretty highly about him right but it's not impossible if you repeats what happens last year and then but we say we say off year but he finished what third second hurts you're saying yeah hurts i think hurts finished and be nine last year hurts
00:11:10
Speaker
and yeah impossible Yeah, I'm looking at them. Total points? It also depends. Are you looking at our Bushly Cotto rankings or just overall? i'm looking at ah I'm looking at Fantasy Pros. I have ours, though. actually i have hours as well i see him as ninth as well because of... really I think it's the lack of passing nine yards. nine oh maybe maybe Very little. Only passing touchdowns.
00:11:37
Speaker
He played two less games as well. He played 15 games. So like if you, and like I said, on a per game basis, he matched up with Jaden Daniels. So he would have been finishing as QB five, let's say, you know, and also like we we talk about variants, Jalen hurts, right?
00:11:52
Speaker
Last year, QB two or three, the year before QB two or three, like, you know, and this year, if you would have played a full slate of games, we're going QB five, sorry, last year, QB five. So he's safe, man. like He has a pretty high floor and a pretty decent ceiling. like he's He's safe. for Yeah, totally.
00:12:08
Speaker
and And also, and not to harp too much on Jalen Hurts because we don't like the Philadelphia Eagles, but um from a tush push standpoint, i know, Rod, you mentioned a little bit earlier.
00:12:20
Speaker
like i wouldn't be surprised if like after the vote that happened and it didn't pass, they just go ham on the tush push. they just go They just go full yeah i wouldn't to the entire league. I just don't see a world...
00:12:32
Speaker
If all of these players stay healthy, which is Allen, Jackson, Daniels, Hertz, Burrow, and Mayfield, that Herbert will be able to pass any of those guys. I'm thinking like top six, if healthy, is pretty solidified. And it could, obviously the order could obviously could obviously change, but I think those six guys are... are I don't know, unless there's a a collapse somewhere from from one of these these guys. like Baker, most touchdowns the last two years. Burrow, him too, battles injuries. But like he could potentially regress points-wise. or Actually, he may not, because if they don't have defense, he's just going to be throwing the ball all kinds as well. So he'll catapult himself to those top five numbers as well. so i just I don't see where Herbert...
00:13:22
Speaker
I think right now we have him slot. He's a definitely top 10, but I just don't see how a world where he breaks the top six. So I'd be banking on the fact that he finished really strong. If you look at his last three games, 22, 24 and 28 fantasy points. And he started the training camp with plantar fasciitis, foot injury.
00:13:41
Speaker
And then he had the hand injury, right? i think it was like a broken hand or something midway through the season. Despite that, he was getting better and better. if you look at his first three games, 10 points, 11 points, 9 points, 4 games, 11 points.
00:13:55
Speaker
A horrible start. so i i would I would bank on him if he has a healthy training camp, healthy offseason, healthy start of the year. he has We know he has the talent. so yeah but I'm curious. Maybe just another one that I've i've mentioned was Drake May.
00:14:11
Speaker
Maybe not necessarily to top and I had mentioned top 10 in the past. Maybe that was, not maybe, that was very overzealous. Yeah, I don't see that. Very overzealous. But you if you think of like a second year player that might make a jump, I think that could be interesting.
00:14:27
Speaker
But like, I find, i don't know what you guys find, but they're like 11, and even I guess, factoring Kyler Murray, that like 10 to 17 glut of like Murray, Prescott, Goff, Love, Purdy, Caleb, Stroud, Fields. It's like,
00:14:43
Speaker
Guys who I think we all liked last year, especially love Prescott, Stroud. I don't know how to feel about them this year. know how to feel about them this year. think that was going to be my next point was, or my next player that I think has the potential to, to, you know, play better than his ranking would be, um,
00:15:02
Speaker
uh, Dak Prescott. We have them a hundred percent. We had them, we have them each at like his consensus 11. I think, I think, but under prescott yeah, yeah. But fantasy, I'm saying, I know yeah just saying even fantasy wise. I don't like him as a quarterback.
00:15:18
Speaker
There's a lot of quarterbacks. I don't like here as quarterbacks, no but i'm talking fantasy and fantay but fantasy, if he stays healthy now with two kind of alphas on the team, I mean, sky's the limit. Like, he was he was cooking with lamb when healthy, right? Like, yeah was he was a top play quarterback.
00:15:38
Speaker
This is a guy who, if he can play all 17 games, and he could easily have two 1,000-yard receivers and more with each having eight-plus touchdowns, just the wide receivers.
00:15:53
Speaker
I'm thinking, like, he's the dark horse that it's either going to go really well or... he's just going to get hurt again. And, but I think he has the potential. I hate to say this. have to push back a bit on the, I hate to say this was last year. Cause I looking at his numbers, like he had the one good game against Baltimore where they were down and came back.
00:16:12
Speaker
And then otherwise he was very average last year. And that was like all pre-injury. And then of course, Prescott, it's, bang on him getting injured. Like, that's the issue. That's that's what... yeah And I had i had him. i Remember, I had had double dipped on the on him and CeeDee Lamb, and it was a rough go early on in in the year with with him.
00:16:34
Speaker
Dak Prescott in 2023 when he played a full season and finished as QB3.
00:16:39
Speaker
yeah Dak Prescott, whenever he plays a full season, and I know that's a big asterisk. I know it's a very big if, and I'm not just... Hey, any player when they play full season is good, but I just said he has to stay healthy breco if he stays healthy.
00:16:57
Speaker
Dak Prescott is going to make some fantasy manager very happy when he gets when he drafts him, or she, excuse me, because we are an inclusive podcast. when When this person drafts Dak Prescott very late, And Dak Prescott ends up playing a full slate of of games this season and finishes as a potent. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if you finished as a top five quarterback.
00:17:18
Speaker
I would not be surprised. He slings it a lot. He has very good wide receivers. He has a very good tight end. He still has a very good O-line. And now he has a plethora of running backs, which most of them are pass-catching backs.
00:17:32
Speaker
Plethora. Or is it a plethora? I believe it's a plethora. Excuse me. Pardon me. Plethora. Tetroia. um So I just feel like it's, I don't know, Dak Prescott, fantasy
Tight End Value Discussion
00:17:43
Speaker
quarterback? He's a very good fantasy quarterback. like You want to argue about whether you want him as your franchise quarterback? No problem. I'm not going to debate you on that because, yeah, the arguments are all over the place.
00:17:52
Speaker
But from a fantasy perspective? I'd watch out for, if we have one time for one more here, I'd watch out for Bryce Young. Yes. Yes. I think that's a sneaky good pill. We have him as consensus 21 right now in our rankings. He can easily push for top 15 numbers, I believe.
00:18:11
Speaker
um Especially like, you know, Jordan Love was it inconsistent. Purdy now has got the contract. Caleb Williams, we don't know how he's going to be year two. CJ Stroud, too, struggled um year two. We'll see how he comes back year three. So,
00:18:25
Speaker
Even Kyler Murray, like Kyler Murray, I'm not 100% sure on, like exactly. Yep. um So with ah with a nice, solid season, I think he could crack the top 15 pretty easily.
00:18:37
Speaker
I agree with that, Nac. Like, Bryce is the type that I'd be very happy with taking as my second QB late. Like, late. People will think... Like, you'll end picking him thinking he's going to be ah your your backup QB and two QB, but i think he's going to outperform that. And I see the same with um Justin Fields.
00:18:56
Speaker
Like, 17. I'm not sure how late... um bryce young is gonna go though we're talking two qbs here <unk>s he's ranked right now in the top 21 so he's a he's a second qb right now for someone right in a 10-team league yeah but i don't know how i don't know how late he goes You're right. It's, I think, more so the history of what he's been in the past. Sure, sure, sure. He finished really well last year.
00:19:20
Speaker
i still think people have that. Well, it's still Bryce Young. It's still the Panthers. They've always been horrible. um But I think, like... He looked good with the McMillan yeah early on OTAs.
00:19:31
Speaker
Yeah. Sorry, sorry. De Troja. Troja. get Put some respect on his name. what do you guys think of Fields, though? He's looked bad, apparently. What? those yeah Those still shots on Twitter where they said, like, whoa, look at look at Justin Fields throwing to Garrett Wilson.
00:19:48
Speaker
i heard I heard that there was... I thought that meant he was amazing. He's the best he's ever looked in those still shots ever in his life. He's going to kill it. and i i was you know I heard the words concerning when throwing the ball um on Twitter.
00:20:06
Speaker
Interesting. um Again, again, i hate all of the yeah concerning and doesn't look good and doesn't look like guys it's, it's may like we're not even in June yet.
00:20:17
Speaker
And it's just, it's just to have, they need some type of news to talk about. Right. So I'm, I'm not, I think in in ah in in fantasy purposes, he's going to be a very service serviceable excuse me quarterback.
00:20:30
Speaker
So I don't think we'll have to ever worry. Even when he was bad with Chicago, he was he was a viable the rushing um yeah he was just he was a viable ah fantasy football option.
00:20:41
Speaker
Fantasy football-wise, I don't worry. Are the Jets going to be good? i don't i don't Probably not. but And I think he'll increase the value of Brees Hall as well. For sure.
00:20:54
Speaker
I reserve my opinion on that. I'm not sure about that. Actually, Bruce Hall has hurt me. Yes, he did. reals her He did. He did. He did. um He did. But this is a good, actually good segue into our next set of rankings. Hopefully it's a running backs.
00:21:09
Speaker
Perfect. Good timing.
00:21:13
Speaker
Wasn't going to be running backs or wide receivers, guys. um So, yeah. So, same thing with quarterbacks. why We're going to jump into running backs right now. Fab missed the yeah film study this week.
00:21:24
Speaker
there's There's a lot of things that I missed this week. There's a lot there's ah there's a lot of things that I this Who are the three amazing fantasy football analysts you were talking about aside from Nack and myself earlier in the intro?
00:21:38
Speaker
No, I was referring to myself. Listen, one of us has to be number three, Nack.
00:21:42
Speaker
the ranking.
00:21:45
Speaker
At least one of us is an animated host. but so So I think we're pretty much set. by this is this is a This is another one, actually. This is another very interesting set of rankings that we have. We're all pretty much even keel on Saquon Barkley.
00:22:01
Speaker
None of us think he's going to repeat as a number one fantasy running back like he did last year. But we're opposite when it comes to Jameer Gibbs and Brian Robinson. Specifically, i have Brian Robinson ranked one.
00:22:13
Speaker
You guys have Jameer Gibbs ranked as one. And then the opposite occurs. I have Jameer Gibbs ranked as three. And you guys have Brian Robinson ranked as three. I'll give you guys my take as to why I have Jameer Gibbs as three. mmo Which, again, we're s splitting hairs here, you know, but still. um my Honestly, my concern just comes from the fact that Ben Johnson's no longer there.
00:22:31
Speaker
And I'm not really exactly sure what the expectation is going to be from a running back standpoint or even from an offensive standpoint. I just have slightly more trepidation. Whereas with B. John Robinson, i think this is the year ah quarterback is different.
00:22:43
Speaker
We saw what he did last year when he really took the rock and really took took charge of the backfield. And he was putting up some solid, solid numbers. And if I had to put money on one of these guys finishing as RB1, I think it's going to be John Robinson. I think we're going to see his ah breakout year this season.
00:23:03
Speaker
I don't think just because Ben Johnson leaves, they forget that Gibbs is good at football. Like, that's that's how I look at it. And they still have his schemes there, right? Like, they're going to get the ball in his hands, and he's going to take it to the house like he did last year, i think.
00:23:21
Speaker
for me For me, it's a no-brainer. gibbs Gibbs is the number one running back taken in this year. um Again, depending on who's who's drafting where, maybe they like Barkley better, but for me, I think it's just no-brainer, especially the the the last his last six six games down the stretch. He had like 25-plus points in each game.
00:23:43
Speaker
Two touchdown games and everyone over 150 yards
00:23:50
Speaker
Were those the games that Montgomery was not playing? The last three games, Montgomery was not there. he was back. He was back, but it's not just that. The last three games, he wasn't there.
00:24:00
Speaker
Yeah, but and and it's not just that, Knack. It's also like the 23 carries against Chicago, 18 carries against San Francisco, 23 carries against Minnesota. Those are just carries. He touches the ball. He touches the ball 20 times a game, regardless of who's healthy there or not.
00:24:17
Speaker
For sure. I think it's more so there's always been a concern with Gibbs, maybe a bit more slender that you give more carries to David Montgomery and Gibbs is more of your change of pace guy. I think they're realizing that Gibbs is your freaking best player on the outside.
00:24:34
Speaker
Give him the ball. think he's the player on the team. And they didn't do that against the commanders and it burned them. He had 14 carries for 100 yards and I think 11 catches for 70 yards in that game.
00:24:47
Speaker
Like they could have given the ball 10 more times. So that's where I, for me, like i grew with knack where I just think he's so talented and I think they have to finally realize that's my assumption. They're going to realize that he is the guy to give the ball to way more than Montgomery change.
00:25:02
Speaker
Like every, every team now runs two running backs either way. Right. More often than not. true More often than not. I think, I think Gibbs should be getting way more of the touches and that's why I have him as my number one.
00:25:14
Speaker
Fair points. Fair points. I just feel like B. John Robinson is is prime for a breakout season. That's all. that's not That's all my two cents. But again, like it goes back to sort of the conversation we had about with the quarterbacks. um You want to put Jameer Gibson instead of B. John Robinson. and And if I'm there drafting at that spot, then I might end up switching my mind because for me, it's like 1A, 1B, or 1C, right? like You will not be unhappy with any one of those top three guys.
00:25:37
Speaker
I think after the top three is where gets a little bit tricky. um i mean, finally, is this the year that Derrick Henry falls off? I'm going to say no. I think we're all on the same page after last year. He proved everybody wrong and he ran for 1,900 Basically, it was a big FU. So until he falls off. He did go to the perfect game. Yeah, for sure.
00:25:56
Speaker
For sure. And we all said it too. Well, actually, i think I said it more. But we all said it to a degree. He was just primed in a great, great spot where, you know, running back and rushing the ball. Is he going to be 32 or 33 this year?
00:26:10
Speaker
I'm not saying it until I see it. I'm not going to say it again. What is his age this year? What's his age this year? 32? 31. He's 31. each one thirty one Maybe 32 weeks first of the season. I think right now he's 31. And guys, there's so there's still been a lot of backs who at age 32 got for like Tiki Barber got 1400 Thomas Jones.
00:26:31
Speaker
Like a ton of guys have still gotten 14, 1500 yards
Running Back Depth Strategies
00:26:33
Speaker
at that age 32. And if there's anyone who can do it, it's him. The man is the LeBron James of the NFL of running backs. Like he's not going to fall off until he falls off.
00:26:43
Speaker
yeah And we don't know when that is and it's fine. We're just going to keep on riding the train until it happens. Yeah, so Derek Henry, number four overall in our rankings. Hard to disagree with that. Christian McCaffrey at five. This was an interesting one. I'll be honest with you. I have, I have, I ranked them at five.
00:26:59
Speaker
ah You guys have them ranked around the same six and seven. Yeah, um my argument to this is ranking him slightly higher than you guys, but I think we're all not not that far apart. is just I just feel like Chris McCaffrey is going to be coming back healthy, and we're going to see the McCaffrey of old. I think he still has a few more seasons left in him, quite frankly. And you saw what happens when he gets injured and misses the season, then comes back and then just puts the just lights the world on fire.
00:27:26
Speaker
And that's what I'm expecting to happen again this year, too. Um, I'm not, I'm not expecting him to finish as number one overall, but I think he will bring you back. Back solid, solid RB one numbers on a week in week out basis. I wanted to rank him lower.
00:27:41
Speaker
I wanted to, I honestly, I was thinking about it. I just couldn't do it. Like I have, I know we have the consensus, Bucky Irving, uh, Laura, I had Bucky Irving as number four. Um, excuse me, even ahead of Derek Henry.
00:27:54
Speaker
Um, I think Ed Henry had five. Yep, you did. i was just I was scared, but then when you just looked at the tier below McCaffrey, like Irving McCaffrey, you get into Josh Jacobs, Gentey, Achan.
00:28:08
Speaker
it was just It was hard for me to do it, but I guess there's that name recognition part of me that just couldn't get him to go lower. but you know what I'm not going to be shocked if he finishes 10-11.
00:28:22
Speaker
I think the earliest I draft him is like if i I don't want want to touch him. I have massive PSG. Yeah, finish that thought. I want to hear this. ah Would you take McCaffrey over Devon A-Chain?
00:28:35
Speaker
ah No, I don't i don't not i don't like it. It's not that don't like HN. It's just that Miami offense. just I don't trust it. Okay, fair enough. well These are good questions. These are great answers. but i'm out i'm the I'm out on McDaniels. Oh, yeah, same. I'm so out on McDaniels. I haven't ranked as 9 HN. I think that's too high, personally. but And I think I was the...
00:28:57
Speaker
I think it was the running backs coach or the offense coordinator for the Dolphins. I saw it on Twitter on the CoachSpeak Twitter page that was saying Jalen Wright was looking good too.
00:29:08
Speaker
So, you know, they spent all this. I think they spent a pretty, pretty high draft pick on him. I want to say second. I want to say a third round pick. Second, third. Okay. Yeah. I want to say it's a third round pick, but I could be wrong on that. I don't think they use a second. on it But I also, I also want to know how late you wouldn't draft him before which round, Rog?
00:29:25
Speaker
McCaffrey. Yeah. Like, if I see him in the second round, I'm not i'm not taking him. Okay, so you only take him starting third round. he Honestly, he might be a do not draft for me. And i think we're goingnna think we'll talk about do not draft players like at some point.
00:29:41
Speaker
Yeah, we will. episodes like he's a He might be a do not draft. Unless it's crazy value like how you got... Was it Kyron Williams? Someone got Kyron Williams last year. Nick got Kyron Williams super late because going to be catching too many punts.
00:29:56
Speaker
That's the only way. that's that's like i think fifth is where like I reside on Kyron Williams. That was going to be next question. He'll definitely be gone before the fifth. um And I'll be fine with that. That's my next question, Roger. between You're stuck in a spot right now, let's say, in the fifth round or fourth round where you're where you're gonna be where're potentially might drive Christian McCaffrey.
00:30:15
Speaker
He's there next to Karen Williams, and there's nobody left after. Everybody else is everyone we have ranked after them. Karen Williams or Christian McCaffrey?
00:30:25
Speaker
and Neither. I'll take a wide receiver. You can't cop out of a question like this. Gun to your head. you Why can't I take turn why can't take shake take ah James Cook? why can't it take ah like Do you want James Cook who's already gonna who missed first OTAs and probably won't even come to training camp until he gets a new contract?
00:30:44
Speaker
OTAs is is nothing. fast But he seems he seems disgruntled enough where it's it's a bit worrisome. like He's been talking about that $20 million. yeah look look it's go'll be look Look, to answer your question, I don't want to cop out. It would be McCaffrey.
00:30:58
Speaker
it would be McCaffrey. um But I think the Kyron Williams situation at some point, like McVay, it seems like every two years has had a new running back in Los Angeles. It's funny. It's funny. You mentioned that actually, because i was looking at the, the, the age of the running back for an Eshawn McVay offense when more or less they start to fall off or, or would be the last year before they fall off.
00:31:25
Speaker
If you were to draft Kyra Williams, it would be this year because next year might not be him the guy anymore. And even that, like to your said that last year. but We said that last year too. They drafted Blake Quorum. Yeah, but Blake Quorum, don't think really moved the needle all that much. No, he didn't.
00:31:39
Speaker
No. You know what the problem with drafting McCaffrey is? Is that you you're going to have to draft his handcuff high. Yes. yeah You have no choice but to waste a high draft pick on a handcuff. That's a point. you know like you're Instead of grabbing him, like his handcuff won't be there in the 15th round. you know like You're going to have to go 11th, 11th round. You're going have to grab a handcuff that early rather than a positional piece because you just really have no choice. Yeah.
00:32:10
Speaker
It was tough to peg him though. I was just... ah Wow, that shouldn't that came out wrong. that one but I ranked him... We apologize for the most recent comment. that I ranked him 6 because I just couldn't couldn't drop him any further after that tier.
00:32:29
Speaker
think Nack's favorite pastime is S&D. So we are...
00:32:35
Speaker
Are we a little bit too low on Chuba Hubbard? Chuba, excuse me, Chuba Hubbard? I was looking at his ranking and the fact that it's basically be his backfield again this year, and he played really well last year.
00:32:48
Speaker
This is a low-end RB2, which is more or less where he finished last year. I think last year finished at around, like I think, running back 16, so we're not too too off where he finished versus where we're having ranked right now.
00:33:01
Speaker
I think I'll take him before joe Mixon.
00:33:08
Speaker
I can't disagree with that. yeah i don't know I think he's going to be one of the guys that like comess ah becomes a factor. yeah kind of like i think i i ah Yeah, he did.
00:33:21
Speaker
I think I'd go Chuba Hubbard over Kenneth Walker as well just because of the ivory the injury. yep And Charbonnet. Man, is Kamara really, really, really going to do it again?
00:33:35
Speaker
He does it every year, man. It's crazy. Every single year, he destroys his ADP. Him too. He destroys it. And this is the year, I think it's his last year, right, on his contract. So, like, they're probably, like, if they're going to want to use him, I mean, that team is, like, dumpster fire right now. So, I don't know how much, like...
00:33:51
Speaker
I wonder if he'd be a a mid-season trade candidate. Yeah, he probably will be. yeah Very, very, very possible. so So I think Hubbard's ranked pretty fairly. Like around the James Conner, you know, like he's going to get like 225 carries, 1,000 yards, 810 TDs. But just looking at some of the guys that are ranked, looking at some of the guys we have ranked before him, I agree with NAC. Like Kenneth Walker, no.
00:34:14
Speaker
Joe Mixon, no. James Cook, no. Like um I feel much more comfortable with Shuba Hubbard, to be honest with you. he's brown is James he's Brown is hard to rank for me. James Cook had an amazing year last year.
00:34:26
Speaker
But the the Cook had an amazing year. Crazy efficient year. such an album But I don't think it's... Yeah, I don't know if he's going to get 16 or 18 touchdowns again. ray Davis played really well. I think they still have Tyler tyler Johnson.
00:34:40
Speaker
So I, that's James Cook. I would, I temper drafting him as much as I enjoyed having him, but we, we, we, um we glossed over Gentie. Are we, are you, we're all good with just standard operating procedure with Gentie at eight for me. Yeah. Like, so my personal rankings where I have them, I have them at seven and I have like, yeah I have Dijon before him, Saquon, Jameer, Derek Henry, Christian McCaffrey,
00:35:08
Speaker
josh jacobs and then genti and then all the guys that come after i feel much more comfortable with genti as my rb1 man if i really look at this josh jacobs stan like i had him i just i i have my six that's all that's a homer of a ranking if i ever if i ever seen one i love that guy too no but he was good last year and he got the ball all the time and i'm a little bit more down on jordan love this year than than last year last year i was super high on him and and There's still no true wide receiver one, even though they drafted Marcus school marcus Golden.
00:35:40
Speaker
mad Matthew Golden. Matthew, but marcus Matthew, ah Luke John. Bible. ah So all that stuff, I just feel like they don't have a true wide receiver one, but they have Josh Jacobs. And I just feel like they they weren't throwing it all that much last year.
00:35:55
Speaker
So um um' i'm I'm with you, Roger. I'm actually pretty – I'm not as high as you, but I'm not too far behind. When I look at this again, i think my brain tells me Jonathan Taylor and Brees Hall above Ashton Gentile still.
00:36:11
Speaker
Man, I know. I'm still out on Taylor, man. It's tough, but like yeah yeah but even Taylor too. This guy doesn't patch anything, man. It's the injuries that really – But he played good down the stretch. Like when he came back from injury, he had really some solid games.
00:36:27
Speaker
Like, Gentie, it's his backfield, right? So that's what... It's just 18 catches, man. Like, he's such a good runner. why I would take Gentie over both of them is because I don't want to watch Colts games or Jets games. I'd rather watch Oakland, who's on the up and up. Like, that's where i that's where my brain it would would sway me.
00:36:48
Speaker
Because, like, watching a Colts game and watching Jonathan Taylor, like, I have no interest in that. If that's not a selling point, i don't know what is. Plus, we're going to Vegas. So having drafted Jen. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Crazy.
00:37:01
Speaker
Stop the presses. What's this now? Are we announcing to our viewers what's going on?
00:37:10
Speaker
Ladies gentlemen and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, the Bush League Huddle podcast are going mobile. yeah We are most likely because i don't think tickets haven't purchased yet, but we're looking to go watch the Las Vegas Raiders versus the Los Angeles Chargers.
00:37:30
Speaker
Live show. We got do live show. Live show. We're going to try to do a live show depending on how inebriated we are. Yeah.
00:37:38
Speaker
we're all over 21 so it's fine um yeah so just keep in mind keep we're gonna but when we get closer to the day we're gonna get more information so just you know let's relax don't get too excited there when you're listening to the podcast or watching on spotify um we're we're looking to take this this this episode live and in person at some point but we're definitely going to be there so it's yeah so to your point nak um You want to be ah even Omero Hampton. Like I might be looking to to draft him a little bit sooner than I normally should just for the fact that I get to see the guy i play live.
00:38:08
Speaker
I think on, in I think in hindsight, not in hindsight, I think looking back, I think Brees Hall might be a bit high. If I look at his season, um where he looked like he got outplayed by Braylon Allen, and he's still in the mix, and there was like some weird rumors about him getting traded.
00:38:25
Speaker
I think I would probably rank Chase Brown above Brees Hall. team was just a dumpster. It was a big dumpster. It was very, very... It was lot of question marks. lot question marks.
00:38:38
Speaker
Yeah, like when cur all we all had... Sorry, yeah nick we all had Chase Brown. but yeah like yeah mean, it's very close. We had Chase Brown next to Brees Hall pretty much in the rankings. Yeah, I don't know. it's He's hard to trust next year, ah this this upcoming season. He's very hard to trust. so He is hard to trust next year, and so is his wide receiver counterparty, which is where we're going to be jumping onto to the next time right now.
Wide Receiver Rankings Exploration
00:39:01
Speaker
We're going to be jumping into the wide receiver rankings, and obviously Garrett Wilson is... We have a rank right now kind of but low-ish, right? Like a low-end wide receiver one.
00:39:13
Speaker
um and This one was hard for me to rank, I'll be honest with you, because I feel like Garrett Wilson is always going to be that guy that's about to pop off and pop off. But, I mean, you guys haven't ranked as 12. I have him at 14. I'm not as high on him. Mind you, you guys aren't that high him either.
00:39:26
Speaker
This is one of those guys that might be fading him a little bit more just because of all the uncertainty we spoke about from the New York Jets in general. Like, I feel like there's so much variance from the Jets fantasy players this year.
00:39:38
Speaker
quarterback, running back, wide receiver, where we talk about how Justin Fields does have the college connection with Garrett Wilson as they played was for OH. h i o Thank you.
00:39:51
Speaker
ah And obviously, Brees Hall is just Brees Hall, but you don't know what to expect. The defensive head coach that came in, like i want to be high on Garrett Wilson, but he's going to have to be at a very good value spot for me to drop him next year.
00:40:08
Speaker
The OC came from the Lions. So that gives a bit of optimism. he needs to be He needs to be schemed. like The way Aaron Rodgers likes to play is no motion.
00:40:23
Speaker
It's very much one-on-one wide receiver beats corner. So he's not being schemed open. You would assume coming from the Lions, it's build scheme, build route concepts that will get the guy open. And he's very talented.
00:40:39
Speaker
But on the flip side, is the QB accurate enough? And can the QB read the defense well enough to get him open? It's like he's in the perfect offense, actually.
00:40:50
Speaker
But he doesn't like I don't know if Justin Fields is going to be able to deliver the ball the ball to him in this type of ah this is like not a Justin Fields type offense at all.
00:41:00
Speaker
It's going to be interesting to definitely see. i don't know. Garrett Wilson, i guess he you must be happier. He's got his, like you said, his Ohio State teammate back with him. They had some solid seasons um in college, but I think he's ranked ah appropriately. i don't think he should be in the top 10, especially looking at these names right now that we have. I think we're pretty consistent in our in our top 10 rankings. little bit of A little bit of a scramble.
00:41:32
Speaker
I think where it starts to take shape is more in the 15 to 20 range where we kind of flip-flop a little bit more. 10 to 17 was very, very difficult. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Very difficult. yeah I think our biggest variance was, uh, JSN.
00:41:50
Speaker
Actually, no, Adam, you had an 18 second biggest variance. Our first biggest variance was lab McConkie. Yeah. But JSN was right there. Right. So why do you have, this why do you have a lad, lad 10? I have a lad 10. Yeah.
00:42:04
Speaker
I have a 10. I'm super high on lad this year. i just, I just feel like it's go to be a lot of the from a PPR standpoint, obviously, um i feel like he's going to blow up again. I don't know. I just feel like he he is the guy. he is the guy in that offense. It runs through him. Justin Herbert's going to look for him. We spoke about how, yeah, they've they added Trey Harris they have a lot of nice weapons there, but he's a pristine route runner. Pristine route runner.
00:42:31
Speaker
christine route runner And I'm just very high. And I also, like, from a... You sounded like Mike Greenberg. When you said Pristine, you sounded like Mike Greenberg there. Pristine. Pristine. Also from a floor standpoint, right? Like, the only guy... Maybe I might have been a little bit overzealous with Lad.
00:42:45
Speaker
and I'm looking now. I had Tee Higgins at 12. Like, you can you can switch those two around. Okay, fine. Right? But I feel much more comfortable having Lad there instead of Tyreek Hill. instead of Garrett Wilson, instead of, instead of Devante Adams, we're going conversation about that. But, and right as of right now, as we're standing, as we're, as we're talking about this right now, i would, um I don't know what type of involvement Devante Adams is going to have in that offense because, you know, it's, it's Pukunukua's team, we would imagine.
00:43:13
Speaker
So, so I just feel comfortable with Lab McConkie from a floor perspective and we all know what a ceiling can be. And definitely, yeah, definitely above, Terry McLaurin. Yeah. Even even Terry McLaurin.
00:43:27
Speaker
He was seventh last year, man. We we gave him no respect whatsoever. Yeah, dude, I love I love scary. th You know, it's McLaurin and Adams. I don't think we gave enough. to McLaurin is like stuff. PTSD from like the.
00:43:41
Speaker
pre-Jaden Daniels years. I don't think I'll ever get over those years, but Adams, I would agree. like i I don't know why. I don't like we i was 16, Nacuere's 17, Fab is 15.
00:43:53
Speaker
That seems low for him. It does. it doesn't I don't think we're putting it enough respect on his name. He's been one of the most consistent wide receivers. I think I would take McLaurin ahead of Wilson and Higgins.
00:44:09
Speaker
Potentially Tyreek Hill, too. Definitely Tyreek Hill. Yeah, definitely Tyreek Hill. Tyreek Hill is very much a fade for me. Now that we're looking at this, really... I don't have to draft him. I don't really want to draft him.
00:44:23
Speaker
um There are some guys on this list that I'm looking at right now where it's like, if I can avoid, I will. And Tyreek Hill is definitely one of them. even You know the one that stood out to me, even though like I had him ranked pretty low as well, is x Xavier Worthy.
00:44:37
Speaker
Ah, now you like him, huh? Well, at 30, I feel like second year, he showed us a little bit. Hey, I was going it based off rookies, rookie numbers, okay? i was that's how That's how I was ranking him last year, okay?
00:44:51
Speaker
And I'm pretty sure I won the bet. for The skin of my teeth, but I won the bet. we have to We have to go through the archives, brother. Yeah, yeah, but i think i think I think I got that. It was very, very close, though. It was a lot closer than I expected. I'll give you that.
00:45:05
Speaker
But I think ranked 30 thirty was Seems a bit, seems a bit low. Yeah. i mean, especially with the Rishi rice uncertainty. Yeah. Those, those, they were both hard to rank. I felt, I felt, but I wouldn't be able to put them higher than 25, even with the Rishi rice uncertainty. Like, I don't know how I w I wouldn't be able to take him over DJ more over over DK Metcalf. Like you're going to take Travis. So I have a question. I have a question.
00:45:36
Speaker
Where does DK, is DK, are we are we putting DK at 25 based off Aaron Rodgers or like is he getting bumped once we once we know that Aaron Rodgers is 100% coming or is this based off, is or is this regardless?
00:45:51
Speaker
I think it stays same regardless. I don't think yeah it matters. I don't think it matters. You may bump him up a bit if it's Rodgers. Yeah, I would bump him to more of a low-end wide receiver too.
00:46:03
Speaker
Like you may take him ahead of Cortland and Flowers. Maybe um i even Devonta Smith. like I would take him even ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr. I can't stand owning Devonta Smith. That's what saying. like you you You may bump him into the top 20.
00:46:19
Speaker
twenty Great player. but He'd be a wide receiver too, basically, with Aaron Rodgers, I would say. Yeah, comfortably wide receiver too. Comfortably. that's how I would. And then like the other one I was thinking of is ah Marvin Harrison Jr. He was going.
00:46:36
Speaker
Was he going top eight wide receiver last year, if not earlier? He's like fourth wide receiver. That's crazy. No, was crazy last year. 11, something like 11. Yeah. He was going in first round in drafts.
00:46:48
Speaker
Yeah. He was going as low end wide receiver one. And he ended up as a wide receiver. Yeah, like a low, like he ended up as wide receiver three. He got yoked though. Very good value pick. Yeah, he did get yoked. He was massive. but I think that's a very good value pick yeah um around where he could go with a second year. Breakout season incoming.
00:47:12
Speaker
For sure. Are we, i have a have a question. that We didn't rank this guy. Calvin Ridley. With Cam Ward being there. He finished his wide receiver 25 last year. He finished his wide receiver 25 last year.
00:47:26
Speaker
Call that what it is. Not amazing, not horrible, but you know we haven't ranked him here and these we're looking at our top 30. I never draft Tennessee players. Never.
00:47:39
Speaker
I hate Tennessee players. That team is just too boring for my God. What has Tennessee done to you? ge I'm surprised you brought up Calvin. Really? You made him. He was a wide receiver six for you all year last year.
00:47:52
Speaker
We like to take this moment to apologize to our listeners from Nashville. Yeah. Very sorry. Mac's views do not represent the views of the podcast. i'm I'm very bullish on Cam Ward.
00:48:04
Speaker
I'm just going to say that. You just even you you love the cut of his jib. We didn't rank Pickens or Dunze. Khalil Shakir. No, we're not ranking Pickens. Pickens is going to get 900 yards. Who is he usurping, Mac?
00:48:21
Speaker
Yeah. We drafted. We we put Waddle in at 27. Like, like You can't tell me right now that George Pickens and Waddle can't switch?
00:48:32
Speaker
No, I have Waddle at 31. I do not believe in Waddle this year.
00:48:37
Speaker
This might be the year takes over. I don't... like we're We're talking about teams that we don't want to touch. like The Dolphins are up there right now. He's hurt a lot, too. Shakir, it's that communist wide receiver core where you just don't know who's... Shakir's going to burn it. Didn't they add Josh Palmer?
00:49:00
Speaker
Keon Coleman's still there. ah k Curtis Samuel's still there. like I like Shakir as a player, but I feel Josh Allen is... I feel he has so much PTSD from Stefan Giggs. He is like, I am just going to spread it.
00:49:12
Speaker
Whoever's over there. I am all over the field. I am not um keying on on one guy. Dunze, that's tough because Luther, they drafted Luther Burden. Yep.
00:49:23
Speaker
So that's that's a tough one. you know That's true. That's true. There's a lot of guys. Diggs, to your point, Ayuk, you know, Juwan Jennings. I really like Juwan Jennings. actually love reconning i still I still say Pickens has his best season as a pro in an offense with a quarterback.
00:49:42
Speaker
That's a lot of good guys, man. And that I could see it. I could see it. Yeah, i can it's not impossible to say. i just... Man, there's some guys, you're right, there's some guys on this list. it's like And, Nak, we go back to how like every single wide receiver that's ever left the Steelers has performed poorly after.
00:50:00
Speaker
Pickett going to be the one that bucked that trend?
00:50:04
Speaker
Who knows? think it's the last This is the youngest one to leave in his prime like this, like more prime. Yeah. Brown was a bit later. Wallace, I think it was a bit later. Deontay a little little later.
00:50:20
Speaker
The last thing I want to say is that I find the top seven for wide receivers is the easiest top seven of any position group to roll. Oh, yeah.
00:50:31
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, 100%. Yeah, I like it. Top seven, eight max. I think we're all aligned with with Brown. a mental brown and But we're all aligned with, like, like I think Brian Thomas Jr. is the jump off point and everyone else, like, we have, like, in the nine or ten range.
00:50:48
Speaker
Mm-hmm. I think this is like an amazing wide receiver core this year. I think there's a lot of wide re receivers this year. there's There's so much. like its It's like I feel like you're going to have a lot of running backs drafted a little earlier this year just because of the depth of the wide receiver position this year. There's a lot more depth than there's been in years.
00:51:07
Speaker
in years Yeah. The the thing that this thing about the wide receivers that wide receiver one is very much that I think we kind of know who the top 10 or 12 guys are going to be. But then after that wide receiver two or three, like they can just jump in one category to another. And even, but that's what i'm saying. Imagine you, you went heavy on your, ah on your running backs.
00:51:24
Speaker
And then you ended up with, like, Ladd McConkie, Terry McLaurin as your top two. Like, you wouldn't be very upset ah at that, right? No, at all. To that point, Nak, like, you could you could have Devante Adams as your WR1, Zay Flowers as your WR2, and, like...
00:51:42
Speaker
And you just said a George Pickens as your WR3. George Pickens, Jordan Addison, Diggs, Myers, Cooper Cup. There's a ton of guys. Shakur as your WR3. Michael Pittman Jr. There's so many. Jacoby Myers. There's so many.
00:51:58
Speaker
But we can we can talk about this all day. But there are some tight ends as well that we would actually want to take well before any of those guys. Talking about guys, they're to probably break the hundred, the hundred reception mark easily. We've got a top five. We've got a top five. There's one that made me laugh and, and, uh, Rogers, John who Smith ranking.
00:52:20
Speaker
I knew it was going to be high. But when I saw four, I was like, yeah, I had to look. I had to look again. I'm like, did he put the right person? I had to do a double take on that. John, ladies and gentlemen, Raj had John, who Smith. always have my guys. I always have my guys.
00:52:36
Speaker
Guys, do you want to? Would you rather that? Would you rather have Juwan Johnson at four? I'm so glad he wasn't. He wasn't right.
00:52:49
Speaker
Jeez. Clearly, Roger's the analytical expert.
00:52:54
Speaker
So, Roger, Jono Smith, go for it. You got the floor. I love the way he finished last year. And but i see that and I see that continuing. i don't trust Tyreek Hill anymore.
00:53:08
Speaker
Jalen Waddell is a walking injury. like Jono Smith finished as tight end four last year. Yeah, after only turning it on like the last like six weeks of the season.
00:53:19
Speaker
That was crazy. It was a crazy stretch. It was a ridiculous stretch. And it was a two ah stretch and um like it was with Tua. He had really good chemistry with Tua. He found the end zone.
00:53:31
Speaker
ah Eight touchdowns. I thought he had a fantastic season. And I don't see why. look the the Dolphins haven't had a good tight end in a long time. they've It's always been the position. like They tried with Gesicki.
00:53:43
Speaker
They tried with Fasano. They tried with all these guys, and they finally got got someone that really fits in to that system with McDaniel. And again, i just let's see what happens with Tyreek Hill. Waddle, again, can't trust. I think from a pure fantasy perspective, I don't see why he can't repeat it.
00:54:02
Speaker
And like if you look at if you look at who's like who did you guys have after him, Or like before or before him, sorry. So like after four, basically? yeah Yeah. I had Njoku ahead of him. i had by Hawkinson, Laporta. Throwing him the ball.
00:54:20
Speaker
Yeah, four QBs there, man. Rookies most likely. Rookies always go to their tight ends anyways. Njoku's a fantastic tight end, and we see what he can do when he injured. The problem he gets very injured too.
00:54:31
Speaker
He gets injured too. There's a lot of different wide receivers there as well. like there' ju Judy came on Tillman came on. i feel like they drafted someone too.
00:54:46
Speaker
Deontay Johnson. Okay, maybe not. Forget that.
00:54:52
Speaker
Kyle Pitts, guys. 15. Where is he? I can't see him. Is this the year, guys? Guys, his touchdowns have been going up every single year. I think he's only, what, 23 or 24 years old?
00:55:06
Speaker
Yeah, he's like 24. He's played like 60 games in the NFL or something. Like, it's stupid. I'm so out. I'm so out. I'm curious to see Loveland and Warren, how they finish this year.
00:55:19
Speaker
Yep, was just going to. um actually you know I'm curious to see Pat Firemoose. I think there's a lot of value there. I know you have him there very late. He's a low and tight end one.
00:55:29
Speaker
Then you ask yourself like who the hell is catching balls in Pittsburgh. He has to be involved in the offense to some degree. i would Apparently, yeah Roger's boy, Wilson, looks good early Roman.
00:55:44
Speaker
Roman. Roman Wilson? Way back to wide receivers? No, I'm just saying. he' He's saying who's sorry buts whos who's the other wide receivers? Apparently there's a... well I hope so. he was a third use was a third round drag round pick. yeah third non pick yeah Well, they got start using these guys. They don't have any other pass catchers. Calvin Austin came on too last year.
00:56:08
Speaker
that's up I don't know how good he is. Yeah, was yeah not now no we don't have to go into like... Look, you you could bump him up again. If Rodgers signs, you bump him up. If not, like... Maybe ahead of Kate Auden, though, because pass-catching room is... There's way too many people in there.
00:56:28
Speaker
What's tight end strategy now?
Tight End Draft Strategy Comparison
00:56:30
Speaker
Like with... with the way the tight end position is like Brock Bowers being the new Travis Kelsey, like what is, are we, are we, are we taking Lucas's strategy and and taking Brock Bowers first round pick?
00:56:44
Speaker
I think for me, I look at it from pass catching perspective. And if it's Brock Bowers and Trey McBride, you can argue are wide receiver ones. Yep.
00:56:56
Speaker
So if I'm at a point, yeah. If I'm at a point where I'm drafting guys like Marvin Harrison Jr., let's say, and I'm looking, okay, like but that's an exaggeration. But if I'm looking at a point where I'm drafting guys like you know like a Mike Evans, and for whatever reason, Trimmy Bright is still there, I'm going Trimmy Bright.
00:57:12
Speaker
I'm going for for for that point. i'm just um I'm ranking from them from a pass catcher standpoint. And it's even George Kittle I would put in there. I think i think the top three is is where...
00:57:24
Speaker
is where would end for me. um So George Kill, that means you would be open to draft, take him in the second round. you'd You'd be open to drafting him like a high-end wide receiver one. In in a two QB league, I don't think George Kill's there in the second round. going be there in the third.
00:57:39
Speaker
I think in a two QB league, you're looking at Brock Bowers and Trey McBride going in the second, unless there is somebody that wants to do a back-to-back tight end, which would just be ridiculous. But then at that point, they're overreaching for tight ends anyways, and not just happily take the players that are available.
00:57:54
Speaker
But I think George Kill, honestly, even Trey McBride might be there in a third round. And that's not to say that like he's not deserving of a second-round pick, more because we play in a two QB league, and quarterbacks typically go the first five picks for quarterbacks.
00:58:08
Speaker
I think that's what happened me last year with Kittle. He kind of like just fell in my lap. I think it was like the fifth or sixth round, and he was just being ignored. He fell to me, and I'm like, okay, like I'm going to grab him. But I think a Brock Bowers, like end of the first round, I think someone's got him on their roster.
00:58:29
Speaker
So i'm willing I'm willing to bet money that in the first round, Brock Bowers is not picked. If he slides to seven, he's going to be picked. In front of who? you're going to Hold on a second. let's just we Want to run down the top seven?
00:58:42
Speaker
So top three QBs, top three running backs, top three receivers. That's nine right there. You got to take Brock Bowers in front of any of those nine guys. Potentially. So let's take Brock Bowers in front of CD lamb, Justin Jefferson.
00:58:56
Speaker
You would take him in front of Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jameer Gibbs, Saquon, Josh Allen or Lamar. that not be there that i I would, I would, I would push back on that. Cause look, the gap between Bowers and let's say a Zach hurts is about,
00:59:12
Speaker
90 points. Yeah. The gap between... Zach Ertz is... Zach Ertz is... That's not the same. No, no, no. Hold on. The gap between Bowers and Ertz, 262 to 177. So, like, call it, what, 90 points or so? Almost 100 points.
00:59:26
Speaker
The gap between Brock Bowers and, let's say, who did you name? Like, a CD Lam. Justin Jefferson. A CD Lam is not going to be available to me at Seven?
00:59:37
Speaker
Seven? that's ah even if Even if you say like real like like three quarterbacks are taken, so you're saying Josh Allen, Lamar, and Daniels are gone. hundred percent 100%.
00:59:50
Speaker
Right? Josh Allen, Lamar, Daniels are gone. That's three. Okay.
00:59:56
Speaker
Because for me, it's a numbers game. It's not it's not a player game. For me, it's a numbers game. You have the top three players first yeah in every position. Definitely not a first. He could be 10. It's not impossible that he's 10. I just don't think it's likely.
01:00:08
Speaker
Because if you take the top three positions, top three players, whatever their names are, ABC, B, FG, all this stuff. more like More on the turn if you're picking at seven. where yeah is he well In the second round, he's gone. But that's that's what I'm saying.
01:00:21
Speaker
The gap between Bowers and like a mid-tier tight end is way bigger than the gap between Bowers and some of the top players from last year. Yeah, I agree. Yeah. Like the top players, for sure you don't take, but I wouldn't i wouldn't take a tight end that high. i just I just don't believe in taking a tight end that high. But there's a sound argument to take Bowers in that second in that second round because of what you're getting out of that position. sure.
01:00:45
Speaker
1 million percent. 1 million percent. I wouldn't disagree with that. If you take Bowers in the middle of a second, it's fine for me. I get it. you know like You're basically taking him over like Nico Collins. For me, year-to-year tight end reliance, aside from Kelsey, we haven't seen it. like We thought Laporta was a second coming.
01:01:03
Speaker
Yeah. yeah And now we're having the same car now we're having the same assumptions for Rock Bowers, and that could be wrong. I think Trey McBride's floor is much higher than Bowers. Nah, much higher. I think McBride is safer just because... I don't think so. I think Brock Bowers is the safest bet.
01:01:21
Speaker
Well, the only reason why I'm saying that is because this is his second year and there's a more body of work with Trey McBride. That's all. That's the only reason why this is an argument. Bowers has more yards after... Bowers is a bigger yard after catch guy, which I think he has a bit of a saver for.
01:01:34
Speaker
Fair. yeah like ah For me, Brock Bowers is ranked number one, Tramory probably is number two. like That's clear. There's no doubt about that. it's one sorry Clear as day.
01:01:44
Speaker
The only one that is, and then we're going to end off after this, is Evan Ingram. Polarizing right now. I know we all have him picked around 10, 11, 12, but would we be shocked if he finishes the top five? I don't think so.
01:02:00
Speaker
don't know if he's in that offense with Denver. I think top five is tough. I don't... i don't yeah and as as a but and But that means he has to finish ah but above John O. Smith, which is like, Roger, relax. He's got to stay healthy, like too.
01:02:13
Speaker
It's the perfect offense for him. Short passing, that is what Bo Nix excels at. It is the perfect offense for Ingram. Denver, not Jacksonville. that Yeah, please disregard the the the graphic for that.
01:02:27
Speaker
Oh, whatever. It's fine. Yeah, like that's... I don't know. But anyways, all this to say, this is our first iteration of rankings well before anything has even happened in training camp, well before even guys have shown up to OTAs.
Episode Conclusion
01:02:42
Speaker
So there's still a lot that changed between now and then. We just wanted to give you guys a little bit of a moose-boosh as to what could happen for the rest of the season right now. But as usual, guys, thank you very much for but sticking around with us.
01:02:55
Speaker
You guys could have been anywhere in the world, but you're here with us. So please, please, please don't forget to follow us. on Where did I hear that? It's a Jay-Z. What's up? Um, um, I think she pulled out of your aster and it's a PSA and that's a PSA.
01:03:10
Speaker
Thanks for coming out tonight. Y'all come anywhere in the world yeah that's here with us. We appreciate that. two two two two two Exactly. Um, so, uh, where was that? Yes. Uh, guys, please follow us on, on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, uh, watch us on Spotify.
01:03:24
Speaker
Uh, check us out, subscribe on all of our channels at, at the Bush league huddle. Um, We appreciate you all very much and thank you for sticking around with us and we're looking forward to the next episodes to come and to kill it this season. So Raj, please play us up, play that music.
01:03:39
Speaker
thank you
01:03:42
Speaker
Elvis. I like thought you were going to like play that funky music, white boy, and I'm like, wait a second. Oh, my Darren Pang? we get in it Can we get a Xavier Leggett? Come on, man. Darren Pang over there. going to do the white way or the right way. is Darren Pang.
01:03:59
Speaker
Come on, man. Get the raccoon. ah i can't say a short version of Roger Gets. little bit upset. You know what I'm saying?
01:04:09
Speaker
Peace out, everybody. How come get me on the rankings there, Bruce Lee Ho? Where's the rankings? That is just really on point, man.
01:04:20
Speaker
<unk>ce Bryce Young. My boy Brash. Nixon Six. Peace out, everyone. Goodbye. goodbye base