Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
NFC East Fantasy Preview: MVP Dak? Barkley’s Risk? Giants QB Mess? McLaurin Holdout?
16 Plays3 days ago
Rog and Nacc break down the NFC East for fantasy football, tackling Jalen Hurts' outlook, Saquon’s massive 2024 workload, and Jaden Daniels’ QB3 hype. We dig into Dak Prescott’s MVP buzz, CeeDee Lamb’s WR2 case, McLaurin’s risky holdout, and whether the Giants will ruin Malik Nabers. Plus: George Pickens breakout talk, confusing RB rooms, and the tight end fade list.
#FantasyFootball #NFCEast #DakPrescott #SaquonBarkley #JadenDaniels #NFLFantasy#MalikNabers
📍 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bushleaguehuddle
📍 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6VtfMzydvDyA39uh0ygWz1?si=b6f9ccfe21d04dfa
📍 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bush-league-huddle-fantasy-football-podcast/id1736359425
📍 Twitter/X (@BushLeagueHuddle): https://x.com/bushleaguehuddl
📍 Instagram (@BushLeagueHuddle): https://www.instagram.com/bushleaguehuddlefantasy/
📍 TikTok (@BushLeagueHuddle) https://www.tiktok.com/@thebushleaguehuddle
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Hosts
00:00:04
Roger Emeka
Welcome to the Bushley Cuddle Fantasy Football Podcast. I'm Raj. There's Knack. Our third co-host, Fab, is still on vacation. Fab, we miss you. Enjoy Greece and Italy.
NFC East Focus
00:00:15
Roger Emeka
We continue our fantasy football division previews with the NFC East today. We're going to go through the Eagles, the Commanders, TBD on the name, Cowboys and Giants.
00:00:26
Roger Emeka
Before we begin, please check out our AFC East and AFC North previews. You could also find on find and follow us on YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
Episode Breakdown
00:00:38
Roger Emeka
So it'll be the same agenda we've had over the past few episodes. We're going to do a quick breakdown of last year's record and team stats.
00:00:45
Roger Emeka
noteworthy additions or relevant draft picks. Then we'll go through position group by position group with the QBs, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. And maybe if we have some time, talk about breakup prospects or camp players to
Eagles' Season Review & Player Analysis
00:00:57
Roger Emeka
watch. So, Nak, without further ado, we're going to start with the world champion Philadelphia Eagles.
00:01:05
Nacc
World champs.
00:01:06
Roger Emeka
So they finished 14-3, obviously culminating in the amazing Super Bowl victory against the Chiefs, obviously. So in terms of team stats, they were second in the NFL in rushing yards per game at 184. Somehow they were second with that many rushing yards, the Ravens being first.
00:01:23
Roger Emeka
What was noteworthy was that they were 30th in the NFL in passing yards per game, but they relied so heavily on Saquon Barkley that they really didn't need to to throw the ball.
00:01:30
Nacc
On the run, yeah. Yep.
00:01:33
Roger Emeka
um I would say that the probably the main fantasy-relevant noteworthy addition is A.J. Dillon. They picked him up, picked up some running back depth out of the Packers, from the Packers, and he supplants Kenneth Gainwell, who's with Pittsburgh now. So, yeah.
00:01:48
Roger Emeka
Let's start off with the position groups in terms of the QBs with Jalen Hurts. So last four years, Hurts, he's been at QB9, QB2, QB3, and QB10.
00:02:01
Roger Emeka
I would say last year he was saved ah by the Tushbush. Nak, how are we feeling about Jalen Hurts maybe either having kind of a bounce back here on the passing front, or you know do we still feel he can be relied upon despite the fact that maybe the Tushbush might be something that isn't as prevalent as last year?
00:02:19
Nacc
Yeah, I don't know. I think at this point, Jalen Hurts is who he is. So I think you'll see that consistent um passing um and and passing stats, I would say. But I'm not looking at something to jump off the page in the area of, you know, 4,000 passing yards.
00:02:38
Nacc
you know, 30 touchdowns in the age. It's not who he is, right? We mentioned it to our running team. um It's kind of built for that. And he's, you know, he's the perfect, I would say QB for that.
00:02:50
Nacc
And again, saved by Tush Push, it's going to happen again, right? That play is not going away. When they get down to the one, it's automatic. He's getting the ball. They will do it four straight times if need be, and they will get in. So,
00:03:07
Nacc
Look, QB4 seems about right for me. Definitely, um you know, top five. But in terms of, I would say, like you said, passing yards and passing stats, I don't, you know, he's got a floor.
00:03:21
Nacc
He's got those 20 to what, 20 to 25 maybe passing touchdowns a year with like 3,000 to 3,500 yards.
00:03:25
Roger Emeka
yeah
00:03:28
Nacc
Like he, it's just, it's just who, that's, that's his game, right? So, I don't know. I'm i'm not seeing, i'm not looking for a Jalen Hurts if you're looking for passing.
00:03:39
Roger Emeka
Jalen Hurts regular season versus Jalen Hurts playoffs. It's like, you know, there's there's been so much talk about like the top 10 lists with Jalen Hurts and, you know, people debating Hurts and Herbert. Like Hurts is a top 10 QB, whether you like it or not if you look at the the the global but the global and totality of regular season and playoffs. When you just focus on playoffs, you can make a case he's a top five quarterback. So it's really it's really crazy when you look at the kind of the splits, but I would agree with you.
00:04:08
Roger Emeka
He is what he is. He will still have his flaws. He's not amazing in the short passing game, but he's going to be able to throw it deep. He's going to run with it, and he's a bull in terms of the red zone. So I think he's he's a locked and lowered QB5.
00:04:21
Roger Emeka
I think for the next few years, honestly, like, and as I mentioned, he's been consistently at the very least a top 10 QB ah year over year. So, No, no, no debates on that. I do want to have a debate with you when we get to our next QB ah with the commanders afterwards.
00:04:38
Roger Emeka
ah But let's stay with the Eagles. Let's move to the running back position. So Saquon Barkley, an absolutely amazing overall year, 482 touches. That's the second most touches all time in a full calendar season, including regular season and playoffs.
00:04:52
Nacc
It's incredible.
00:04:53
Roger Emeka
so
00:04:54
Nacc
And he missed the last game.
00:04:55
Roger Emeka
and he missed the last game. He basically punted on breaking Eric Dickerson's record. 2,500 rushing yards, 353 receiving yards. um There's been a lot of talk about his volume this offseason, the volume that he had last year. So there's this thing called the curse of 370.
00:05:15
Roger Emeka
So it's like kind of a statistical warning sign that running backs who exceed 370 carries in a single season almost always suffer the next year. so Some of the running backs who've dealt with that are Larry Johnson in 2006. He had 416 carries, 1,800 yards, only played games the after. Sean Alexander, he was the MVP in 2005, 1,800 yards, 370 carries, only 896 yards afterwards. Remember DeMarco Murray's amazing year the... Was it the or the... The Cowboys, yeah, he was fantastic.
00:05:38
Roger Emeka
eighteen hundred yards three hundred and seventy carries only eight hundred and ninety six yards afterwards remember de marco murray's amazing year with the ah was it with the cowboys or the the cowboys yeah he was fantastic
00:05:46
Nacc
Yeah, that was the ah Cowboys. The Cowboys. That offensive line was insane.
00:05:53
Roger Emeka
I think it's goingnna that Hall of Fame will send at least two or three Hall of Famers, right?
00:05:56
Nacc
Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:57
Roger Emeka
1,800 yards, 392 carries, only 702 yards the year before. And then one that is not as recent, but Dirty Bird, Jamal Anderson, 410 carries, 1,800 yards for the ah NFC Championship Atlanta Falcons. He tore his ACL the next season.
00:06:17
Roger Emeka
I ask you this, Nak. How weary of you... of this curse of 370 when it comes to Saquon Barkley as the RB1 or RB2?
00:06:29
Nacc
I'm honestly very worried if I'm if i'm being honest with you. um Look, he did get the the the Eagles seem to not be worried because they did give him that extension, right?
00:06:40
Nacc
um Well, they added, I think, two years and now he's making almost 20, 20 million a year
00:06:42
Roger Emeka
Yes, two years. Yeah.
00:06:45
Nacc
ah So he got a big raise. I don't think they're worried about it. But, yeah, I think I'm worried about it. Almost 500 touches for a running back is an insane amount. And he does have that that injury past, right?
00:06:57
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:06:58
Nacc
So, you know, he's torn an ACL twice. Twice he's done it. I think back in college did it as well, no? Was it in college?
00:07:06
Roger Emeka
Good call in the college for sure with the Giants, he's done it. And he was definitely injury prone the last like year, or year and a half.
00:07:12
Nacc
Ankles, ankles, knees.
00:07:13
Roger Emeka
Yeah, exactly.
00:07:15
Nacc
they really, they really like, they just ran the heck out of the ball last year. Like you said, 500 touches pretty much like that puts some wear on a body. And i'm I'm not saying he's super old, but I mean, that's definitely going to have some, you know, effect going into this year. I feel like I just,
00:07:37
Nacc
you named some pretty good names and some pretty some some some pretty good running backs on that uh on that list and a big one in in sean alexander there and they didn't come close to the amount of of of carries right or or touches that that saquon had i'm not ready to say hey he's not a top 10 running back in in fantasy football he he definitely is but I would be buyers beware of him going off the board, even like top three three running backs.
00:08:03
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:08:07
Nacc
I'd be scared to take him.
00:08:09
Roger Emeka
Like, I kind of agree with you, Nak. Like, if where I'm drafting in Bushley, i don't remember where you're at, but i'm ah I'm on the fourth spot, right? Like, think I'm well in play. for Saquon Barkley, and I'm very worried about drafting him that high.
00:08:21
Roger Emeka
The two things I'm looking at is game log and his stats from last year. I think one thing that maybe saves him, 70% of his rushing yards were before contact. So 1,300 of his 2,000 rushing yards were before contact.
00:08:35
Roger Emeka
That's a lot of yards before contact. That means he's still elusive.
00:08:36
Nacc
That's why
00:08:38
Roger Emeka
He's still cutting guys. So he's not taking as much of a pounding. at his body in his body and I think the AJ Dillon move actually to me shows a sign that they want another big body guy to help ease his load I think that'll be interesting thing to see during camp you know what does Nick Sirianni say about that front how do they use him in camp does he does Dillon play with a lot of the ones or is he mostly see with the twos but I definitely agree with you I'm i'm very weary of his um of ah that much volume ah last year
00:09:08
Nacc
I think they'd be very um smart to spell him. And look, AJ Dillon, not the flashiest name also dealt with his share of injuries in in Green Bay, right?
00:09:17
Roger Emeka
At all. Yeah.
00:09:22
Nacc
hasn't wasn't really reliable in the sense of staying on the field. But like, like you said, it's a, it's another bruising kind of back that can, you know, take some abuse and um yeah, they would be smart to definitely take, take some pressure off of Barkley because there's no way he's going another season with 482 touches and, and, and, you know, being successful.
00:09:41
Roger Emeka
No chance.
00:09:44
Roger Emeka
One thing's for sure, that running back room will have the best squat stats with those two quadzillas for sure. um Let's move on to the wide receivers for the Eagles. So there's AJ Brown, who's WR9, currently ranked. These are the composite rankings.
00:10:02
Roger Emeka
I should mention we're taking the composite rankings from fantasy pros. So AJ Brown, WR9. Devonta Smith, WR22. Brown, lower numbers last year. He was injured, but similar per-game stats as he's had over the past ah few years. So I think that, you know, when you look at his raw numbers, there's a bit of cause for concern, but I think the injuries...
00:10:24
Roger Emeka
probably add up to him having ah lower numbers. um I think he's still a stud. you know Does he benefit from Barkley having less touches last year? i don't know what you think about that, NAC. But i mean to me, AJ Brown, he's like very firmly in WR9 to WR11 territory now in this stage of his career, especially with the with the Eagles.
00:10:47
Nacc
Well, yeah, look, again, we've said it, we' we said it multiple times, they're a running team, right? So where you're a running team, for him to put up, like I said, he missed four games, right? For him to put up still 833 yards in those games, almost 70 catches and eight touchdowns.
00:11:04
Nacc
To me, that's pretty impressive showing... You know, like we just said, Jalen Hurts throws the ball when he needs to, but they are a run first team and they will continue to be a run first team.
00:11:16
Nacc
So I think his numbers are, like I said, they're solid, but you're not going to get those, you know, top five, top five finishes with AJ Brown, not in this offense.
00:11:29
Roger Emeka
yeah i
00:11:29
Nacc
Unfortunately, he has the talent, but it's just not the offense for it.
Commanders' Season Review & Player Analysis
00:11:32
Roger Emeka
i think in in this system like and you know he's gonna be with eagles at least for the next two three years i think he's done with the the titans type production and if we move quickly to davante smith wra 22 i know like
00:11:42
Roger Emeka
i don't know like He's such a good player in college. like you know did he Has he reached his peak? um He just seems like he's been in perpetual WR20 to 25 territory. you know I often joke, I still find he's he's very similar to like the Jalen Waddles and At one point he was lumped with Tee Higgins as well. I think Tee Higgins, at least from an explosive standpoint, has passed him.
00:12:07
Roger Emeka
But have we have we seen the highest from the most we can from from Slim Reaper? I guess it's kind of the same thing. It's a running offense, and there's just so many times that Jalen Hurts is going to throw the ball, right?
00:12:19
Nacc
Yeah, look, he and and he has his games, right? He has those games where he has like five catches, you know, 100 yards and two touchdowns, right?
00:12:22
Roger Emeka
Yeah, he does.
00:12:26
Nacc
Like you're going to get those games. That's when you obviously put them on your bench and you're and you're frustrated. But um yeah, for me, I feel like there's a lot there's a lot of juice in that 20 to 25 top right receiver, even like from 20 to 30. There's a lot of juice in there and players in there that – you know i might take a chance on and try to get that you know but extra from, whereas he gives you kind of a solid floor, I would say.
00:12:57
Nacc
But again, we just keep saying it over and over again, running team, running team, running team.
00:12:59
Roger Emeka
volatility yeah
00:13:02
Nacc
It's just, it's so hard to put so much stock into more guys. And like I said, they may not give Barkley 482 touches, but he's still going to get his fair share, right?
00:13:11
Roger Emeka
and he's gonna get catches too like i i see davante smith as a he's a real life wr2 like a fantastic really talented player and his his he's ranked he's always ranked as a w r two but truthfully to me
00:13:17
Nacc
Yeah.
00:13:23
Roger Emeka
based off his volatility, he feels like a WR3. Because to your point, like he has his games and he has his stinkers.
00:13:30
Nacc
Yeah.
00:13:30
Roger Emeka
um And then quickly at the tight end position, it felt like the Eagles have been trying to either trade or get rid of Dallas Goddard you know during last season, this offseason.
00:13:40
Nacc
Dallas Goddard.
00:13:42
Roger Emeka
Yeah, yeah. Godair, Godair. ah his His production has gotten worse since 2021. um and his production and with his other with like you know the other weapons on the team, I mean, like we talked about it already.
00:13:54
Roger Emeka
i mean, I think I'd rather take flyers elsewhere, like Colston Loveland, Tyler Warren, dare I say even Kyle Pitts. ah Legit, I would probably rather take a flyer on Pitts because there's just more of a potential there versus Godair. It just seems like an afterthought in this in this offense. Yeah.
00:14:10
Nacc
I think 13 is really high too.
00:14:13
Roger Emeka
It's super high.
00:14:13
Nacc
I find that really, really high.
00:14:15
Roger Emeka
It's super high.
00:14:16
Nacc
Like there's guys going after him that are like and'd I'd for sure go after before, before Godair. like, again, I I'm, I'm just, I'm, I'm trying like, like look at this offense really.
00:14:28
Nacc
Like there's a lot of players that are, you know, high up there in, in, in rankings. And it's just like, I don't know.
00:14:34
Roger Emeka
it's It's super high. I'm not sure what fantasy analysts are thinking in terms of that composite ranking. Mind you, like, again, there's way less, like, tight end, the tight end position, there's there's just less ah volume compared to, you know, wide receiver running back, but I would tend to agree with you, so.
00:14:51
Nacc
And the Eagles tend to come down to earth after winning a championship.
00:14:51
Roger Emeka
um
00:14:54
Nacc
Right. I think yeah even after the last one i don't even think they made the playoffs the year after they seem to have like a, like a hangover style in that, uh, in that building.
00:14:59
Roger Emeka
The Eagles, you're, yeah.
00:15:03
Roger Emeka
Well, especially with Carson Wentz with the injury and you know Nick Foles, that was like a flash in the pan type playoff run. And then we saw what happened with Wentz, right?
00:15:11
Nacc
Yeah.
00:15:12
Roger Emeka
like i think I think obviously Hurts has way more staying power. The offense line is still very much intact. The defense, like they know how to turn over the defense year over year with draft picks and just key signings. So um i'd be i'd be I'd be shocked if the Eagles don't have another great season and potential another Super Bowl run.
00:15:28
Roger Emeka
But ah Speaking of teams in the NFC that had a great season, albeit shockingly, the Commanders were 12-5 last year. So they they had a top five total offense. um It's the most points they scored by the team since 1991, the Joe Gibbs, Hog Molly days.
00:15:45
Roger Emeka
And then Jaden Daniels totaled 570 scramble yards at six yards a carry. I thought that was an interesting stat to show. And just overall, as a rookie of the year, he was an amazing, amazing revelation.
00:15:50
Nacc
wow
00:15:55
Roger Emeka
revelation ah In terms of key noteworthy additions, we have ah most notably Debo Samuel and Laramie Tunsil.
00:16:05
Roger Emeka
Obviously, Samuel added some juice to a a wide receiver core that desperately needed it. And Laramie Tunsil, they needed to shore up that left tackle spot. I think and another interesting aspect is just you know what's going to happen with Terry McLaurin. We'll talk about him when we move to the wide receiver core. So I teased it a little bit, Nak, when we talked about the Eagles.
00:16:25
Roger Emeka
ah Jaden Daniels is very firmly entrenched as the QB three. You are a little bit of the kind of so rookie or QB sophomore slump whisperer.
00:16:36
Roger Emeka
How are you feeling about Jaden Daniels' potential sophomore slumps? Are you are you that high in him on QB three or would you rather take a flyer or not take a flyer, but go with the more proven Jalen Hurts?
00:16:48
Nacc
The only thing that doesn't make me compare this to a Stroud year two is that Stroud didn't have any of that rushing upside.
00:17:00
Nacc
Right. Whereas obviously Jaden Daniels does. But again, to you like to your point, it's year two. The hype is gone. Now there's more tape on you. There's there's that you know teams that a whole off season to kind of scheme against you.
00:17:18
Nacc
Can he do this again? That's the real question and it's definitely going to be answered very shortly. But if I had to pick, if I was picking, let's say in a two QB league like ours, and usually the top three guys more often than not are QBs unless Roger picks in the top three.
00:17:37
Nacc
Um, This year, obviously, it'll be, again, Josh Allen, and then, you know, you have that maybe Lamar Jackson, and then you get to do I take Hertz, Burrow, or Daniels?
00:17:51
Nacc
And it's like, man, we just talked about it. i think I'd rather go with Hertz because he's more cemented and more he's more seasoned. you You know what you're going to get from him. he just won a Super Bowl.
00:18:04
Nacc
Burrow, again, I'm not sure, but it's just it's so tough with these these sophomore guys just because, like I said, there's just tape is is being studied for a whole offseason, and it's tough for a rookie to come back and do that to do that again.
00:18:07
Roger Emeka
Love Burrow, man.
00:18:21
Nacc
So if you're asking me do I trust him at that top three position, i don't know, probably not. I would look to – I would look to not even want, like I might even change my course and and do like you and take the wide receiver or the running back or, you know, exactly.
00:18:36
Roger Emeka
You trade out.
00:18:38
Nacc
If you if you do trades on on draft, they trade out of that spot because you're going to see him there at three and everyone, I would say nine out of 10 people are going to want to grab him.
00:18:50
Nacc
And it's just, again, he could be that generational talent, but I feel like there is some risk involved.
00:18:56
Roger Emeka
and well Great points. I know, know, we always talk about Stroud, but you know, there's also love, right? Like love theoretically last year was his sophomore season and we saw how he struggled.
00:19:03
Nacc
True. True.
00:19:06
Roger Emeka
Right. And, The things that worry me about Daniels a little bit are... Look, the stats were a bit inflated from a passing standpoint. It was a ton of quick passing to kind of get him in rhythm early on. And then eventually the deep passing came on. He takes a lot of hits.
00:19:21
Roger Emeka
He doesn't protect himself very well. He's a tough guy, but he's very slender. And i think, again, to your point, it's just another offseason. It's and more time for defensive coordinators to to look at them. So like I would tend to agree with you. I would probably personally...
00:19:36
Roger Emeka
I'm just a big Joe Burrow fan. i would love to own Joe Burrow, whether it's 2QB League or other QB or 1QB League as well.
00:19:45
Roger Emeka
But yeah, it'll be interesting for a lot of people who are in that position, especially in Superflex and 2QB, whether or not they they go with Jaden Daniels or Hertz or Burrow.
00:19:55
Nacc
And not for nothing, but I think this is the year that you're taking Joe Burrow in that three spot. And only because now even Hendrickson is not even reporting to camp. They didn't come to an agreement.
00:20:08
Nacc
Who do they have on that defense? Who are they stopping? Burrow is literally going to have to put up 40 points a game if he wants to win because that defense is getting shredded every Sunday.
00:20:19
Roger Emeka
Yeah, my argument that you know that they got a new defensive coordinator, they make some changes schematically, like it's it's not going to hold it in weight if they just don't have players, right? So it's to to your point, it's going to be bombs away because they're going to keep being behind.
00:20:28
Nacc
Yeah.
00:20:34
Roger Emeka
um We'll move on to the running backs now. I don't want to spend too much time on, to me, this is this might be the worst fantasy running back. position group in the league brian robertson jr rb 30 austin eckler rb 43 there was um some buzz around i think his name is jordan crosskey merit he had a pretty good rookie one year at arizona but then he was ineligible afterwards so there's been there's been some buzz about watching him at camp backfield to absolutely avoid um just not not a fun backfield to own
00:21:11
Nacc
Look, you're getting pretty good value, I would say, on Brian Robertson Jr. at RB30, however.
00:21:20
Roger Emeka
He's a flex.
00:21:20
Nacc
you're you're you're you're still
00:21:20
Roger Emeka
He's a flex.
00:21:21
Nacc
but's But you're still getting a starting running back on team, right?
00:21:21
Roger Emeka
He's a flex.
00:21:28
Nacc
Or sometimes like those running backs are... Like, he's running back 30. It doesn't mean... like This is a ah guy you're probably going to get in the 9th, 10th round of of of drafts if you're talking about running back 30.
00:21:42
Nacc
Like getting a ah starting running back at the ninth or 10th round is pretty, pretty difficult when it comes to fantasy football.
00:21:52
Roger Emeka
My issue with that is that he's lumped with Caleb Johnson, Travis Etienne, Najee Harris.
00:21:58
Nacc
Yeah. Yeah.
00:21:58
Roger Emeka
saw the TBD on that with his eye, Tyrone Tracy, Ramondre Stevenson. guy I want all of those guys over over Brian johnson j rabbi Robinson Jr. um i think there's more upside with like a Caleb Johnson.
00:22:11
Nacc
Those guys are going and but afternoon?
00:22:11
Roger Emeka
There's more upside.
00:22:14
Roger Emeka
they're going ma They're going after.
00:22:16
Nacc
Wow.
00:22:16
Roger Emeka
Like Tracy, and you know we're going to talk about Tracy afterwards with with the Giants, but... Even Javante Williams, we'll talk about him right after as we're going to talk about the Cowboys. But to me, it's just he's just a depth piece.
00:22:27
Roger Emeka
And he's a type of guy, to your point, yes, you have a starter, but you can't rely on when he's going to actually have his his his main game, especially with Eckler there.
00:22:32
Nacc
No.
00:22:36
Roger Emeka
Eckler is there as a third round, third down back, and he can still rush a little bit. um chris Chris Rodriguez is there. There was juror Jeremy McNichols. He was spelled too. And it feels like the way Robinson plays, he he does get injured quite a bit. He's ah he's a tough inside the the tackles runner.
00:22:53
Roger Emeka
um For me, it's it's a backfield to avoid totally, in my opinion.
00:22:58
Nacc
Yeah, I think I think I was trying I was looking at that as the half glass half full aspect and like looking at it again.
00:22:58
Roger Emeka
ah
00:23:03
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:23:06
Nacc
I think you're you're you're probably you're probably right.
00:23:07
Roger Emeka
He's depth.
00:23:08
Nacc
Yeah.
00:23:08
Roger Emeka
Yeah, he's he's bi-week filler to me.
00:23:10
Nacc
Yeah.
00:23:11
Roger Emeka
um More concerning for the commanders is the wider receiver position. So Terry McLaurin right now being ranked at WR13. The commanders opened camp today. Terry McLaurin was not there.
00:23:24
Roger Emeka
McLaurin has been a model citizen for the commanders year in and year out. He stuck with them and was a professional when they didn't have Jaden Daniels. They had... ah a barren list of quarterbacks.
00:23:35
Roger Emeka
And right now he just wants to get paid probably around the, you know, Jalen Waddle, you know, T Higgins, maybe area, which, you know, I think he deserves after the year he had DK Metcalf.
00:23:44
Nacc
DJ Metcalfe.
00:23:47
Roger Emeka
and That's, that's a great point. So I looked when you, it's not hard to look back at last year, right? Some of the wide receiver holdouts we had, there was Brendan Ayuk, there was cd lamb.
00:23:58
Roger Emeka
They finished below expectations. Knack. Are you worried about Terry McLaurin? If let's say by mid August, he's still holding out.
00:24:08
Nacc
Yes, so I would. and And you have a, we just mentioned it, a QB going into his second season. You want all the reps you you you can with your with your number one target, right? And if a guy like CeeDee Lamb could come in and struggle after...
00:24:25
Nacc
putting up WR1 numbers, overall numbers, the previous year, and he can come in and struggle with all of the time he had with Dak as well in previous years, right? We're not talking he had Dak for one season.
00:24:39
Roger Emeka
Yeah, that's a great point.
00:24:40
Nacc
So now we're talking he had Jaden Daniels for one year on a rookie as a rookie q b I think you want that like you want the most out of this. you want the You want as many reps as possible. So, again, you just alluded to two two pretty good wide receivers in this league, and i think I would agree. if if If he misses lots of time come August and he doesn't even miss, e he comes in, he signs right before the year, zero reps, zero nothing, I think i think it does hurt his value quite a bit.
00:25:16
Roger Emeka
And there's been other ones too. There's been Michael Thomas, Deebo Samuel with the Niners, Antonio Brown with the Raiders. That was that was a funny one. Even if McLaurin is back early,
00:25:29
Roger Emeka
There's cause for concern for his numbers. 82 catches, 1,096 yards. The 13 TDs were a big outlier. He's only done... So 2019, he had seven touchdowns, but every other year up until 2023, he didn't have more than five.
00:25:48
Roger Emeka
So...
00:25:48
Nacc
He's not had very many good QBs back there, right?
00:25:51
Roger Emeka
ah hundred 100%, 100%. fully agree with you. Just, I'm, and you know, maybe the next, you know, you go to the next point, which is Debo Samuel. Debo Samuel at WR41, I have been a big, um I've been quite critical on owning Debo Samuel. I don't think it's a very a very good move. He's always injured.
00:26:14
Roger Emeka
But at WR41, That is amazing, amazing value. um And you know he has the QB who can throw short short passing game.
00:26:25
Roger Emeka
He has the offensive coordinator who leverages you know crossing routes so that he could run without the ball, run with the ball. ah Looks like he's healthy. Looks like he lost weight. And if you think of WR41, he's nestled with you know Michael Pittman Jr. at 40, Jordan Addison at 42, Jacoby Myers at 43, who we we all like.
00:26:44
Roger Emeka
Even Ricky Purcell, his teammate at 44. So don't know about you, Nak, but I ah quite like Deebo Samuel at McLaurin.
00:26:52
Nacc
Yeah, but that that dumb that number of 41 could potentially change, right? i Could probably get closer to that wide receiver 30 with McLaurin dipping.
00:27:00
Roger Emeka
but mcorn
00:27:03
Nacc
Maybe McLaurin goes down to wide receiver 20 or 22, and then Samuel jumps close to him at like you know wide receiver 30, 32. So... Then you're getting a little bit higher up on a list here where I like him a little bit less um because when McLaurin does come back, he might struggle at the beginning of the year, right?
00:27:22
Nacc
Like that's where the struggles will happen. Weeks one to maybe six, you know you're starting to get your groove in, you're starting to get more practices in.
00:27:28
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:27:29
Nacc
But after that, it should be, you know, if if if Daniels is is playing like Jaden Daniels, then McLaurin, like, Don't get me wrong, his floor is not going to be 13 touchdowns. that's That's for sure. But, you know, a healthy Terry McLaurin could easily get you 7-8 for the foreseeable future.
00:27:47
Roger Emeka
Yeah, absolutely. And then um other wide receivers, is no they got Noah Brown, who's who's always been a really solid depth player. He had a really good, I would say, good solid WR3 within the Texans team a few years ago.
00:27:59
Roger Emeka
Jalen Lane is the name to watch. He was a rookie at Virginia Tech. 4'3", 4 speed, 40 inch vertical, 11 foot broad jump.
00:28:05
Nacc
Yeah. Yeah.
00:28:08
Roger Emeka
Extremely impressive athlete. And then I'm curious to see if they could get anything out of christian Christian McCaffrey's brother, Luke McCaffrey. ah in his second season with the Commanders.
00:28:20
Roger Emeka
Finally, at tight end, Zachary, it's such a solid player last year. think he finished around the mid-tier for tight ends. 66 catches, 654 yards, seven touchdowns. His most touchdowns since 2018 when he was with the with the Eagles. So um he's getting up there in age. And I know they drafted Ben Sinat out of tight end Iowa recently.
00:28:44
Roger Emeka
So it'll be interesting to see how they they factor in those
Cowboys' Season Review & Player Analysis
00:28:47
Roger Emeka
two players there. But I think hurt Ertz is... To me, I'd rather i' take Ertz than Goddard as an example.
00:28:55
Nacc
100%.
00:28:56
Nacc
That was going to be my point.
00:28:56
Roger Emeka
you know
00:28:58
Nacc
I'm going to be like, he's rated in the 20s, right?
00:28:58
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:29:01
Nacc
16. Okay.
00:29:02
Roger Emeka
he's he's ah Right now, he's tight end 16, Ertz.
00:29:04
Nacc
or sixteen okay
00:29:05
Roger Emeka
So that's perfect to me. He's he's right before... i mean Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland will get to Indianapolis and Chicago at some point, but I think i think those, especially Loveland, there could be some high upside depending considering how Ben Johnson uses tight ends.
00:29:19
Roger Emeka
But I think 16 is like the the kind of the high upper limit or high lower limit, however you want to say it, for Zacherts in the the tight end spectrum. Yeah.
00:29:30
Nacc
Yeah.
00:29:31
Roger Emeka
That'll do it for the Commanders. Moving on to America's favorite team, the team that everyone likes talking about, the team that I see on Twitter virtually since the first two days of training camp, yeah ESPN, the Dallas Cowboys. They finished seven and ten last year.
00:29:48
Roger Emeka
Somehow they were 10th in yards per game despite Dak being out around midseason. Where they really struggled was in the rushing game. They were 27th in rushing yards per game.
00:30:00
Roger Emeka
We do know Rico Dalot came on late in the season, but it felt like it was a be little too late.
00:30:04
Nacc
Yeah.
00:30:05
Roger Emeka
And then they got rid of him, which we'll talk about about a little bit afterwards. um George Pickens, obviously dynamic new wide receiver to pair with CeeDee Lamb. Lamb's been needing a WR2 next to him for a very long time.
00:30:19
Roger Emeka
And then they picked up at the running back positions, Javante Williams from the Broncos, Miles Sanders from the Panthers, and Jaden Blue from Texas, which has typically been a running back factory.
00:30:32
Roger Emeka
And then they drafted Tyler Booker to replace Zach Martin on the offensive line. Nak, there's been a lot of DAC MVP buzz today on social media.
00:30:43
Nacc
What?
00:30:43
Roger Emeka
once Once you... Yeah. Yeah. So you you you were you were visiting the zoo with with your kids. Great father you are.
00:30:51
Nacc
Like.
00:30:51
Roger Emeka
um While I was um doing my work break, looking at some training camp videos. There's been training camp videos of Dak Prescott looking happy. ah joy George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb looking happy. The vibes look good in Dallas.
00:31:06
Roger Emeka
And then one nice throw and then a few NFL and fantasy analysts are like, Dak Prescott MVP season? Look, the case is when Prescott has been fully healthy, which is 2021 and 2023, he was the QB6 and twenty twenty three was the cub six and q b three He's coming to camp the best shape of his life.
00:31:26
Roger Emeka
What say you about Dak Prescott's and MVP case and top five fantasy QB case?
00:31:37
Nacc
July 22nd, people. I just want to remind everyone listening, we were are recording this on July 22nd, and we've already heard DAC for MVP. Oh my God. it's going of It's the end of the world, man.
00:31:52
Nacc
I don't know.
00:31:52
Roger Emeka
Guido's gonna love this.
00:31:52
Nacc
The media just loves this circus surrounding the the Cowboys.
00:31:52
Roger Emeka
Yep.
00:31:57
Nacc
The other day it was you know Jerry Jones, again, diarrhea of the mouth, saying something he probably shouldn't say.
00:31:59
Roger Emeka
yeah
00:32:05
Nacc
Look, A healthy Dak does put up solid fantasy points. So
00:32:14
Nacc
I think I was a component of one of the guys who were saying that Dak can push four top five QB numbers. I believe I've said this a few weeks back on one of our episodes.
00:32:27
Nacc
He could definitely push for top five numbers. He does now have, we just mentioned another receiver for, um, You know, to throw to besides CeeDee Lamb, they've been searching for AWR2 for a long time.
00:32:40
Nacc
ah You know, the Tolbert's and the... Who was the guy last year that you really didn't like?
00:32:45
Roger Emeka
Turpin.
00:32:46
Nacc
Oh, Cooks. Cooks also. You know, they had Brandon Cooks.
00:32:48
Roger Emeka
Cooks, Turpin. I like, tober was Tober was not bad. There was the Turpin as well and Cooks.
00:32:51
Nacc
Yeah, but they were just never that guy, right?
00:32:52
Roger Emeka
Yeah, it's, yeah. Yeah.
00:32:54
Nacc
So, look... i We always say it, the best ability is is reliability, right? So if he plays 17 games, I have no doubt that he can put up those fantasy top five numbers.
00:33:01
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:33:10
Nacc
Now, as to the MVP of the league, I don't see it. There's just way too many guys ahead of him right now that I would take that could potentially win an MVP that I'm calling it right now. There's no shot.
00:33:26
Nacc
No shot.
00:33:29
Roger Emeka
Fantasy Pros has Anthony Richardson ahead of Dak Prescott in terms of the rankings. That is absolutely insane.
00:33:35
Nacc
What? what What is Dak Prescott rated?
00:33:40
Roger Emeka
21st. He's QB 21.
00:33:42
Nacc
Wow.
00:33:43
Roger Emeka
Dak Prescott is 21.
00:33:43
Nacc
Yeah, OK, so that's that's that's that's too low.
00:33:46
Roger Emeka
Dak Prescott is QB 21. And then you have JJ McCarthy right after. Tua right after. Michael Penix Jr. Bryce Young. Geno Smith.
00:33:54
Nacc
who are the Who are the three, four ahead of him?
00:33:55
Roger Emeka
Like...
00:34:00
Roger Emeka
there's Matthew Stafford at 18, Jordan Love at 19, Anthony Richardson at 20, and then Caleb Williams at 17. Even Trevor Lawrence.
00:34:07
Nacc
how How is a Anthony Richardson a top 20 fantasy option right now when he's planning and to start the season?
00:34:07
Roger Emeka
Like,
00:34:12
Roger Emeka
he's not even star He's not even going to start the season.
00:34:13
Nacc
and
00:34:16
Roger Emeka
um And what's interesting is like always always the thing with Dak is, you know, you really don't get any rushing upside.
00:34:22
Nacc
No.
00:34:23
Roger Emeka
um The year I faced you in the Bush League huddle finals, I had Dak. I believe I had Dak. You had Josh Allen.
00:34:35
Nacc
And I had CeeDee Lamb.
00:34:36
Roger Emeka
Like, it's, yeah, exactly. is So it's, like, and he had a great year. Just, like, at the end, it it just tailed off. I don't know. It's it's really the injury. if if If you could tell me Dak Prescott will play
00:34:50
Roger Emeka
100% of his games, I have no problem taking that QB 21 value.
00:34:52
Nacc
Yeah.
00:34:55
Roger Emeka
But as it is now, being snakebitten, and I had him back-to-back years. I remember I doubled down on Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb last year because I took CeeDee Lamb. I'm going to have the stack, and it was an absolute disaster.
00:35:06
Nacc
yeah
00:35:08
Roger Emeka
So the last question I'll pose to you, and I think you've talked about this in our in our podcast, Joe Milton is 45.
00:35:19
Roger Emeka
would you Would you be more comfortable taking Dak Prescott and then making sure you have Joel Milton, considering the arm he has, the weapons, how he looked against the Chargers?
00:35:33
Roger Emeka
think it was the Chargers or the Bills in the last game. I don't remember who they played the last game of the season. But he looked apparently, he not apparently, he really looked good.
00:35:40
Nacc
so this yeah sorry no mean to cut you off but um yeah this would mean this would require me to have four qbs on my roster however right this is one of those strategies where you know you take your three qbs and then you grab one of his backup qbs so you know for whatever reason it happens obviously you try to try to be strategic and get the most injury prone one
00:35:40
Roger Emeka
that something that would keep? Yeah, go ahead.
00:36:07
Nacc
um
00:36:08
Roger Emeka
Because Cooper Rush very serviceable for people who lost Dak year.
00:36:11
Nacc
Great serviceable. Exactly.
00:36:13
Roger Emeka
very serviceable for for for for people who lost da last year
00:36:13
Nacc
Yeah. Yeah.
00:36:19
Nacc
Yeah. Like I said, um, again, it would have to, I would have to, I would have to see how my board breaks and it would probably have to be my last pick in the draft. I would say to go that, that far.
00:36:35
Nacc
But yeah, you just with the injury history, it's it's you almost you almost have to do it if you draft Dak, I feel.
00:36:40
Roger Emeka
Yeah. Yeah.
00:36:43
Nacc
i don't think you have a choice, really.
00:36:46
Roger Emeka
it's ah It's going to be interesting discussion all throughout camp, all throughout preseason with the Cowboys. It's already starting, as as you said, January 22nd, MVP talks, Dak Prescott.
00:36:55
Nacc
July, July, July.
00:36:56
Roger Emeka
January, oh my God. I'm already ending the season. I'm already i'm already ending the Cowboys season and I'm clairvoyant and the Cowboys again finish.
00:37:05
Nacc
See, that makes more sense.
00:37:05
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:37:06
Nacc
If someone told me July 22nd, the Cowboys have had mathematically been eliminated from the playoffs, that would make a little bit more sense to me.
00:37:14
Roger Emeka
Um, let's move on to a running back room that makes absolutely no sense in my opinion. So we talked about the, the ending that Rico Dowddle had. He was on fire. He looked really good against the Steelers. He looked good in, you know, a lot of other games, I believe against the Eagles and Panthers too.
00:37:34
Roger Emeka
And then they just let him go. And instead they replaced him with Javante Williams, who is currently ranked RB 37, Miles Sanders, and,
00:37:44
Roger Emeka
Jaden Blue, who they drafted yeah in the late rounds of the nfl drafts so For me, Javante Williams, it feels like he's just been two years away from being two years away.
00:37:56
Roger Emeka
Meaning, like, it's enough with the excuses about the ACL.
00:37:57
Nacc
Yeah. Yeah.
00:38:00
Roger Emeka
He had the ACL 2022. Okay, you give him a pass in 2023. He couldn't fully beat out Audrick Esname last year. he couldn't fully beat out Jaleel McGoughlin. 3.6 and 3.7 yards per carry the last two years.
00:38:14
Roger Emeka
And then you have Miles Sanders, who was RB10 back in 2022. Yeah.
00:38:20
Roger Emeka
with the caveat being it's the Eagles' freaking O-line. You and me could be RB5 in the Eagles' freaking O-line, running behind you know Jordan Malata and all those guys.
00:38:23
Nacc
yeah
00:38:29
Roger Emeka
and you know so Lane Johnson, ah Jason Kelsey.
00:38:33
Nacc
you had kid kelsey there yeah
00:38:34
Roger Emeka
He had Kelsey, too. And then there's Jaden Blue. Texas running back. So running back sallic factory. Looks like an all-purpose menace. I think there's an opportunity at camp for him to make a name for himself.
00:38:45
Roger Emeka
What the hell are you doing with this running back room, Knack? Like...
00:38:50
Nacc
they literally traded well not even because if i would say i was going to use the expression they traded four quarters for a dollar but I think Rico Dotto looks better than anything that they have on the roster currently where Jaden blue might have that, that upside. And I, I feel like second half of the year, the backfield is his like,
00:39:12
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:39:13
Nacc
Like, would Jovante Williams going to, like, figure it out just just like that? and And Miles Sanders is not going to, you know, stub his toe when he gets out of bed in the morning? And like I'm just – I'm so curious as to why this happened because it's not like Rico Dowdle got paid all that much, you know? Like, I know that the Cowboys were strapped for for for money and for cap.
00:39:36
Nacc
um They still haven't paid Minka micka Parsons as well. So I thought maybe that's what they were doing is try to go for like a cheaper option in the backfield.
00:39:40
Roger Emeka
Like a pound. Yeah.
00:39:45
Nacc
Draft a you know um and a nice rookie. But Dowdle didn't get all that much. Where'd he go? Dowdle went to Panthers.
00:39:53
Roger Emeka
Panthers. Oh, sorry.
00:39:54
Nacc
That's it.
00:39:54
Roger Emeka
No, no. ah He went to the, yeah he went to the Panthers with Triple Hubbard.
00:39:57
Nacc
Panthers, yeah.
00:39:57
Roger Emeka
Yep.
00:39:57
Nacc
yeah um'm I'm just totally confused as to what they're doing there.
00:39:58
Roger Emeka
Yep.
00:40:04
Nacc
You can... Look, it's Jerry's world, right? um Jerry does what he wants. And can't make sense of it. I'm honestly lost for words on this one. I'm not sure where to go with this backfield. This is another one. we mentioned that We mentioned the the commanders having the worst one.
00:40:24
Roger Emeka
The commanders.
00:40:25
Nacc
This is a pretty close second.
00:40:28
Roger Emeka
Yeah, i mean, you know, honestly we're going to talk about the Giants even too it's afterwards. But um so Javante Williams, one-year deal, $1.5 million salary. Sanders, one-year $1.3 million, $1.17 million base salary.
00:40:40
Roger Emeka
massanders one year deal one point three million one point one seven base salary Those guys, I think what they're going to do is just going to use those two guys, see what they have out of them, see if maybe one of them breaks out, and then they'll figure it out next year.
00:40:59
Roger Emeka
The thing with that is that it's two injury-prone guys. So you're going to be like, hey, let's you guys just bang your heads to it. We don't really care. One-year deal is for you guys. Two guys who are very injury-prone.
00:41:11
Roger Emeka
Jaden Blue is going to come out of it, I think. So I agree with you.
00:41:13
Nacc
Where's where was he drafted fifth round?
00:41:16
Roger Emeka
Blue, I think it was like the fifth round. Yeah.
00:41:21
Nacc
Because I'm just like in my in in my head, I'm just laughing because he might be making more money than both of them.
00:41:21
Roger Emeka
and not like ah
00:41:28
Roger Emeka
ah ah yeah Yeah, not not far. $840,000 base salary.
00:41:33
Nacc
There you go.
00:41:34
Roger Emeka
like it's he's and he's He's really not that far.
00:41:35
Nacc
Yeah, that fifth round, it's a bit low, but yeah.
00:41:37
Roger Emeka
Yeah, in the fifth round. so ah To me, another backfield to ah to avoid.
00:41:39
Nacc
yeah
00:41:42
Roger Emeka
I don't know what to do on that front with that one. um We'll move on to the wide receivers. Fully entrenched. As a top three wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb. And in George Pickerins at WR37. I want to start with CeeDee Lamb.
00:41:57
Roger Emeka
Are we sure Lamb is the bona fide WR2 in fantasy to start the season?
00:42:06
Nacc
It's tough, man. it's It's super tough. I know we're going to get into Jamar Chase. Actually, we got into Jamar Chase last week, excuse me, and how to be weary about that WR1 overall again.
00:42:13
Roger Emeka
Yeah, we got, yeah.
00:42:21
Nacc
Then you have Lamb and then you have Jefferson, right? In my in my eyes, like these are the three that kind of that kind of gel. Again, it's going to depend on the reliability of Dak Prescott, right?
00:42:34
Nacc
If you're talking to me today, Again, July 22nd, where Dak is considered MVP. I will take Lam.
00:42:45
Nacc
I will take Lam at wide receiver to max three, I think. He's still got the talent there. And and honestly, with Pickens there now, I think things open up for him as well.
00:42:58
Nacc
Because you can't just leave Pickens one-on-one, right?
00:42:58
Roger Emeka
Totally.
00:43:01
Nacc
We've we all seen that he may not be able to separate, but he can make contested catches.
00:43:07
Roger Emeka
Totally. So you look at year over year, 2023, when, um CD had his all pro year, just some of the differences.
00:43:14
Nacc
Yep.
00:43:15
Roger Emeka
He went down a little bit in yards per reception. he had fewer TDs. He had 12 20, 23, six and um I think the big thing with just the yards per game, 102, 103 yards per game in 2023, only 80 in 2024.
00:43:31
Roger Emeka
How much is that is Dak? A lot. How much is that? How much of that is the training camp holdout? A little bit. How much of that is the injury? you know, he only missed two games, but there was some games where he was toughing out at the end.
00:43:44
Nacc
Right.
00:43:44
Roger Emeka
So if you factor in no camp holdout, Dak coming back fully healthy, you have to you have to factor that in. ah Hopefully no injury. I like him.
00:43:57
Roger Emeka
I think I like him a little bit more over JJ as the WR2. Sorry. Well, JJ. Yeah. JJ, Justin Jefferson, because of JJ McCarthy and him being a rookie, not being sure what to what what that situation is going to look like.
00:44:06
Nacc
right
00:44:12
Roger Emeka
JJ McCarthy, you know, not really used to throwing ah a ton in college. They're going to rely on the the running game, I think, a little bit. Yeah.
00:44:19
Nacc
Good point.
00:44:23
Roger Emeka
Yeah. And then you have George Pickens at WR37, which to me, and you know you know George Pickens more than more than anyone, NAC, that seems like good value. He's he's nestled in around you know Calvin Ridley, who's at WR36, Pickens 37, Diggs 38, Roman Dunze 39. And then we start to talk about some of the guys we mentioned around the Debo Samuel area, but...
00:44:47
Roger Emeka
I think this is prime opportunity me for Pickens to really make out considering having a bona fide WR1 next to him.
00:44:55
Nacc
And he's in a contract year. So, Manz wants to get paid for sure.
00:45:00
Roger Emeka
Yep.
00:45:01
Nacc
i said that as white as possible right there. Wow, that was very bad. That was very bad. ah For those of you listening on on Spotify, I am white, but that confirmed it.
00:45:15
Nacc
Man's wants to get paid. uh, it was good. i'm trying to try not to laugh a little bit more in my head. Um, great value. Yeah, no, but seriously, he he is in a contract year, ah purposely did not sign a contract extension. Not that I don't even think the Cowboys can afford him.
00:45:34
Nacc
Um, so I don't, I don't,
00:45:35
Roger Emeka
So you think it's a rent? think it's a rental?
00:45:37
Nacc
ah Yeah, it has to be. It has to be. Look, if if Parsons is going to get over what TJ Watt got, which is 41, so he's probably going to get, what, 41.5 or 42? You're paying Lamb close to that $35 million. You're paying DAX 60. You can't pay another receiver 30. It's impossible.
00:45:57
Nacc
um So I think, yeah, great value at 37. And like I said, he's not going to get – he's going to get less double coverage than he did last year, that's for sure. And as I mentioned, he's not a great separator, but he makes those contested catches. Yeah.
00:46:16
Roger Emeka
He's going to get to teams he's get the team's second second best cornerback.
00:46:20
Nacc
Yeah.
00:46:20
Roger Emeka
He's going to be off. cut He's going to be... like He's not going to have any press coverage. CeeDee Lamb plays a lot at the line. He plays a lot at the slot. Pickens is mostly going to be probably on the other side on the weak side where he's off he's off the line, right? So imagine Pickens with his speed off the line.
00:46:37
Roger Emeka
I saw a clip on Twitter today saying that you know the Cowboys are running way... Already in camp, they're running way more motion than they've had in the past. um Mike McCarthy is known to not run a lot of motion. So it looks like they're going to try to be a bit more creative this year. So, I mean, I've typically been someone who's not a big fan of George Pickens, but this is a prime situation for him. I think he's going to have a, I think both of them could have a monster season.
00:47:02
Roger Emeka
But again, we've said it like so many times now, it's all, it's all dependent on, on Dax, Dax health.
00:47:07
Nacc
And his MVP journey.
00:47:10
Roger Emeka
And his MVP journey, in indeed. um Lastly, Jake Ferguson, tight end 10. Bit of a down year. In 2023, he was 71 catches, 761 yards, five TDs, went down considerably. Again, Dak was out, a lot of turmoil with the team, no touchdowns though, and only 500 yards.
00:47:33
Roger Emeka
He's, as mentioned, tight end 10. So he's around the, you know, David Njoku, Mark Andrews, just before them before him, and then Tucker Craft and Jonu Smith. I'd definitely take him over Tucker Craft if I think he's going to have the type of 2023 season that he's had before.
00:47:50
Roger Emeka
like I think I'd probably like Jonu Smith a little bit more. And then we talk about Zacherts. i like him I like Ferguson more than Dallas Goddard. But it's interesting. It's almost like just the seedy lamb George Pickens makes Ferguson a little bit more weary to take.
00:48:08
Nacc
That's what I'm saying. I'm out on John Jake Ferguson. I think this year he came on and that, that, like you said, that 2023 year, but like there was something up, right? Like CD lamb did well, he did well. Like it was just like everything clicked for the Cowboys.
00:48:24
Nacc
How often does everything click for the Cowboys? Not very often. Right. So. And I think you made up a good point. They finally have that bonafide WR2 on the roster. So he's definitely going to take a hit. So I see more of those numbers, those yeah right around that, that 80 to 90 targets, 60 catches, you know, hovering on that 500 yards, but I'd give them maybe a couple, you know, two, three touchdowns this year as well.
00:48:52
Nacc
um I doubt he goes with a goose egg, but.
00:48:56
Roger Emeka
And quickly before we move on to the Giants, just to go quickly back to the running backs, Javante Williams still had 52 catches last year for the Broncos. So...
00:49:06
Nacc
That's Sean Payton offense, though.
00:49:09
Roger Emeka
That's Sean Payton. Yeah, you're right. That's Sean Payton. Well, actually, even his rookie year, he had 43 catches. And i don't think Payton was there in 2021. So it's it's just, Gervonta is, you know, he could catch the ball. You know, we'll see if maybe that has an impact on ah the the guys who catch the ball more in the intermediate short passing game.
00:49:25
Roger Emeka
But...
00:49:26
Nacc
Rookie QB as well. a lot of dump-offs last year.
00:49:28
Roger Emeka
Yeah. You're right. that's ah that's That's a fair point. But I think overall for the for the for the Cowboys, vibes look good in camp. Dak healthy. Pickens and Seedy look super motivated.
00:49:39
Nacc
curious curious to see them two together and like when one of them doesn't get the ball and the other one gets the ball i'm curious to see how how it looks
00:49:47
Roger Emeka
They're all saying the right things. Schoenheimer is saying he's overjoyed to have both of them. They're all saying the right things. But yeah, let's let's see how, you know, after week one, after after the you know the first game against the Eagles, first game against the Giants, how they they they fare on that front.
Giants' Season Review & Player Analysis
00:50:02
Roger Emeka
um Last but not least, we have my and Fab's 4-13 New York Giants.
00:50:10
Nacc
Thank God he's not here.
00:50:10
Roger Emeka
A brutal season. A brutal season that should have culminated in having the number one pick. Unfortunately, the Giants have no clue how to tank. They couldn't help themselves.
00:50:22
Roger Emeka
ah So they ended still, hey, look, still ended up with, what's his name again? Carter. My God, I'm drawing a blank. Abdul Carter. Thank you.
00:50:34
Roger Emeka
Abdul Carter. um Great pickup. And then he they ended up with Jackson Dart late in the first round.
00:50:40
Nacc
Love that name.
00:50:41
Roger Emeka
if you look at our team stats, 22nd in rushing yards per game. That sort of went up a little bit more when Tyrone Tracy Jr. took over the running back reins. 28th in passing yards per game.
00:50:54
Roger Emeka
The passing offense was an absolute disaster. be it with Daniel Jones, be it with Tommy DeVito, be it with Drew Locke.
00:51:05
Roger Emeka
Some of the noteworthy additions are, as mentioned, that Jackson Dart. There's also Cam Scadaboo that they drafted in the fourth round. And then there's Jameis Winston and Russell Winston as well.
00:51:21
Nacc
Wilson.
00:51:23
Roger Emeka
Russell, this podcast is going long for us.
00:51:23
Nacc
Russell Wilson.
00:51:26
Roger Emeka
There's a lot of Winston and Wilson's
00:51:28
Nacc
you're you're you're You're taking fab spot right now. You're doing an homage to fab. I love it. We love you fab.
00:51:35
Roger Emeka
Miss you, Fab. ah So, QBs. So, we have Russell Wilson, who looks like the presumptive starter. He is at QB 30 in the Fantasy Pros rankings.
00:51:47
Roger Emeka
Stranger enough, Jackson Dart is at QB 35 ahead of Jameis Winston. who's at QB 43. I guess that factors in some dynasty. i guess there's factoring in that maybe there's a chance that Dart starts later in the season.
00:52:01
Roger Emeka
i want to talk about the QBs and the wide receivers together, at NAC. The reason being is that I'm going to jump to the wide receivers right away, and then we could talk have a ah full discussion For me, Neighbors, Malik Neighbors at w r seven right now, to me, is fully entrenched as the kind of best of the tier two wide receivers. And by tier two wide receiver, I mean the guys after Chase, Lamb, Jefferson, Pukunakua, and I also had Amon Ross St. Brown.
00:52:31
Roger Emeka
I think Neighbors is better than Thomas. i think he's better than Nico Collins. and think he's better than AJ Brown. Who is the best quarterback to make sure that we unlock Malik neighbors and he continues to ascend and have a better season than last year?
00:52:46
Nacc
James Winston.
00:52:48
Roger Emeka
I'm very happy you said that.
00:52:51
Nacc
i don't like James Winston, but
00:52:54
Roger Emeka
Oh, we know.
00:52:55
Nacc
Yeah, I can't. I just can't stand him. i The people love him, and you know um that's that's their prerogative, but I just i can't i can' i can't stomach James Winston.
00:53:08
Nacc
But um look, we saw what Russell Wilson was, and you know what? He played for my Steelers last year, and I had to take some sort of blinders off because you made me notice that literally it's moon ball or bust with – with russell wilson and literally after you told me that i literally sat down watched the game and that's exactly what it was he's not that you know dart and go neighbors that's not that's not what type of player he is he's more refined he needs a guy who could you know kind of throw him the ball he's a great route runner um he's not a goal ball guy he'll catch that that long ball he could catch it don't get me wrong but he's not the guy that's you know
00:53:26
Roger Emeka
yeah
00:53:40
Roger Emeka
Yes. Yak. Yeah, yeah. Ton of yak too.
00:53:47
Roger Emeka
He can't, yeah.
00:53:52
Nacc
you pick last in gym class and like give me go long every, every single time. Right. Like that's not the type of player that he is. So in order for, I feel like neighbors to have his full potential, Jameis Winston has to be throwing him the ball.
00:54:06
Roger Emeka
It's fantastic analysis and I agree fully. um I'm honestly... When when we signed Winston, we were talking about it on our three-person group chat with Fab. I was like i was super ecstatic.
00:54:18
Roger Emeka
And when we signed Wilson, i was... why? What is the purpose?
00:54:23
Nacc
Yeah. Yeah.
00:54:24
Roger Emeka
Like, yes, he's a he's a fake good leader. You know, he smiles for the camera. kisses babies. That stuff is fine and dandy. It's great. But, like, it literally, like, literally.
00:54:34
Nacc
Kisses babies.
00:54:37
Roger Emeka
He's a great person. like and And, you know, listening to him in the Pat McAfee interview is actually, you know, it was very endearing. it was it was It made me see a different side of him. Maybe he's not as fake as you you think he is. But from a football perspective,
00:54:49
Roger Emeka
He is way past his prime. He is not running like he used to. he is not creating out of schedule like he used to As you mentioned, it's moonball or check down. It's check down to touchdown with him.
00:55:02
Roger Emeka
And I just am worried that he's not going to unlock Malik neighbors like we think he can be unlocked. And we talked about it last week in the AFC North episode, how Jameis Winston unlocked Jerry Judy.
00:55:14
Roger Emeka
They looked really good together. He even unlocked Cedric Tillman a little bit until Winston was injured, right? So, um
00:55:20
Nacc
And Judy's got that pretty good route running ability as well. Like that we're speaking of as I wouldn't leak neighbors, you know, so
00:55:23
Roger Emeka
ah yes.
00:55:27
Roger Emeka
Say what you will about Winston. When he's not he's not throwing it to the other team, he's he's he could he could get yardage. he's just He's just a yard getter for himself and for and for wide receivers. He's just flat out. You can't you can't deny it
00:55:43
Nacc
Look, the issue here is he obviously throws it a lot of times to the opposite team. um But in this situation, wouldn't you want to develop Malik neighbors more? Like, think about it.
00:55:57
Nacc
you're you want to russell wilson away from winning us a super bowl or or or contending right so that's where my head goes and i guess that's where your head went as well is when you signed james i guess they took him as insurance if they weren't going to land dart right because they did this before the draft if i'm not mistaken right this was way before the draft both of them were signed before the draft yes exactly so
00:56:00
Roger Emeka
Thank you. Thank you.
00:56:05
Roger Emeka
Yeah. yes
00:56:16
Roger Emeka
Yeah. yeah Well, It was Shador at first. it was Yeah. And like try try to trade up for Cam Ward.
00:56:23
Nacc
So that's what I'm saying. I think that's what happened is they went for the insurance factor and said, you know what, if we get, there was all these people talking, like I said, Shador, there was people talking about how the Steelers are going to lead Frog and how they were going to go after for this.
00:56:35
Roger Emeka
Milrow.
00:56:37
Nacc
but And it was just like, there was so much chatter out there that they felt, you know what, like let's sign Russell Wilson. If we can't get a QB in this draft, well, you know, the the the tank is, I guess, kind of on, but
00:56:53
Nacc
I'm not sure where I'm just what I'm confused about is where what direction is it they're going at?
00:56:57
Roger Emeka
What the vision is.
00:56:58
Nacc
Are they trying to win games? Are they trying to be 500? Are they trying to go back to being four and 13? It's just it was it was just strange from what the other pieces they had around them.
00:57:07
Roger Emeka
Yeah. And, and, you know last thing on this, and ah I guess we'll, we'll move on to the running backs if you don't have anything else, but I'll be really interesting to read the camp reports from giants beat writers, because to me, I'm, I'm going to call BS if, if they say that Russell Wilson is the best QB in camp, because I'm going to be curious, like what is that based out of? Is he, is he looking, you know, is he, is he looking at receivers over the middle?
00:57:33
Roger Emeka
you know is he is he look he's Is he going through his his reads? Is going through his progressions? Because he hasn't done that in three years. He didn't do that in in Denver. He didn't do that with the Steelers, with you guys.
00:57:45
Roger Emeka
Sure as hell ain't going to do that with the Giants. So to me, i'd be it's going to happen.
00:57:48
Nacc
Maybe.
00:57:50
Roger Emeka
i know i know he's going to start, but I'm going to call BS on it. And I think there's other factors to if Wilson starts over Winston.
00:58:00
Roger Emeka
And I don't... The last thing, I don't want to see Dart this year.
00:58:06
Nacc
That's where I, you see, like, that's where I think, like, if Wilson does go down or he plays poorly and it's like week eight and they're two and six or something,
00:58:06
Roger Emeka
I don't want to see
00:58:17
Nacc
I think they try Dart before they put Winston in there. Like Winston's that good backup guy. If he has to come in mid-game, can finish out a game.
00:58:24
Roger Emeka
You think?
00:58:25
Nacc
He can clean out a game. Oh, yeah.
00:58:27
Roger Emeka
I would go...
00:58:27
Nacc
I think they're for sure going to want to see what Jackson Dart has because if, for whatever reason, they tumble and they fall, right?
00:58:28
Roger Emeka
I would go Wilson...
00:58:37
Nacc
Let's say they they finish 2-15 and they get the first overall pick. You Nussmeyer available.
00:58:45
Roger Emeka
That's a good point.
00:58:45
Nacc
There's going to be a, you know, they're going Arizona Cardinals it, right?
00:58:47
Roger Emeka
Lenore Seller. Hmm.
00:58:49
Nacc
Like just because they took Dart. Well, look, Russell Wilson's out of the picture next year, right? It was a one-year deal. Jameis Winston easily cut if need be. And now you have a Nussmeyer and Dart in camp kind of muscling it out.
00:59:02
Nacc
Like you don't know with for what happens at that at that juncture. Like people could say, hey if Dart wasn't good, I'm going to pick a QB. And like they probably should, right?
00:59:09
Roger Emeka
That's, I didn't think of think that's a fantastic point. And there's Nussmeier from LSU. There's there's this little Norris Sellers from the South Carolina. Apparently he's going to be really good.
00:59:19
Roger Emeka
Drew Aller as well.
00:59:20
Nacc
Yeah.
00:59:21
Roger Emeka
So there's, yeah.
00:59:21
Nacc
Like, why, what do you, what do you, what are you losing out? Like, why wait on dark? Like, let's see what this kid got because or else we've got to pivot and pick another position.
00:59:27
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
00:59:29
Nacc
Right.
00:59:31
Roger Emeka
That's a great point. Good discussion on the QBs nestled with the wide, I mean, the other wide receivers, Wanda Robinson, Darius Slayton, they're like in the WR 60s, WR 70s.
00:59:41
Roger Emeka
I hope we could get to see something out of Jalen Hyatt this year, but nothing.
00:59:45
Nacc
Yeah. I think this is it for him though.
00:59:47
Roger Emeka
Sorry?
00:59:48
Nacc
This is like last last chance here, I feel.
00:59:50
Roger Emeka
It is. It is. And it hasn't been great in terms of just overall, not just production, but I think attitude as well. There's been some stuff around that. um The running backs, Tyrone Tracy. I thought it was interesting that Tyrone Tracy Jr. was ranked by Fantasy Pros as RB34.
01:00:06
Roger Emeka
And Cam Skadaboo at RB38. There's a four-player gap between Tracy, who i thought was and think we all thought he was was quite good last year, although struggled with fumbles, and then Skadaboo, who was picked in the fourth round. But you know is there some limitations with him as a player?
01:00:27
Roger Emeka
um Tracy, we talked a little bit about him when we were talking about some of the other running backs, but at RB34,
01:00:35
Roger Emeka
Travis Etienne Jr. and Najee Harris are ranked just above him. And then after him are Ramondre Stevenson at 35, Tank Bickesby at 36, Javante at 37, Skydebu at 38.
01:00:48
Roger Emeka
So this is kind of like the backup running back territory.
01:00:54
Roger Emeka
Another one to avoid, NAC.
01:00:58
Nacc
I'm not going to say completely avoid Singletary being still on this team still to me is kind of confusing as well.
01:01:05
Roger Emeka
Yeah. yeah
01:01:07
Nacc
I'm not sure as to why. Um, look, Scadabo, think is going to get a lot of short yardage work. So that means most likely, you know, touchdowns inside the, the, the five or inside the 10.
01:01:22
Nacc
And the problem with Tracy is now that there's Scadabo kind of like creeping and, and, you know, creeping down his neck one fumble and like, they're not going to stand for it. Right. Like they saw how many times he fumbled last year.
01:01:38
Nacc
how big is the leash on Tracy being your lead back?
01:01:40
Roger Emeka
Yeah.
01:01:42
Nacc
Like, again, we just spoke about it. It's not a season where they were, a you know, a player away from contending. And I don't think themselves, they think they can contend. So, but they don't want to be sloppy, right?
01:01:53
Nacc
Like they're not going to start ah guy who's fumbling the ball, you know, here and there.
01:01:54
Roger Emeka
yeah
01:01:59
Nacc
It's just not going to work. So I'm i'm worried about the leash he has with the fumbling issues.
01:02:05
Roger Emeka
And to your point, and I think it applies to the QBs, Brian Dable and Shane are, this is make or break for them. They need to win this year.
01:02:12
Nacc
Yep. yep
01:02:12
Roger Emeka
They absolutely need to win. So to that point, I don't think they're going to want to be sloppy with the team. And I think the interesting aspect about Scadaboo is a he had about almost 60 catches last year at Arizona State. he He doesn't have the frame of someone that you think could catch the ball a lot, ah but he did. yeah.
01:02:30
Roger Emeka
To me, like it's I think it's one I probably avoid. um Probably a lean towards Scadaboo as maybe a, like, take a flyer on him. ah But but it's ah it's this is this division doesn't have great running back rooms, to be honest.
01:02:45
Roger Emeka
Aside from the Eagles, obviously, it's it's really slim pickings.
01:02:45
Nacc
Aside from the Eagles, yeah.
01:02:50
Roger Emeka
And then finally, theo Johnson at tight end. i thought it was notable. I looked at his game log. Came along quite a bit after week four. He had ah about four five or six games of ah but above three catches. And most of those games, he was above 30 yards. Some of them, he was above 50 yards as well. So um they didn't bring back Bellinger. They didn't bring add to anyone else at that tight end room. I don't believe they did.
01:03:18
Roger Emeka
um could be an interesting Could be an interesting guy to watch, not only at camp, but as a like a really take a flyer on a tight end if you're you're one of those who doesn't want to spend much on that position.
01:03:30
Nacc
The only thing where I would interject on this is, again, QB throwing him the ball. Friermuth was supposed to be a high-end option and did not have a great year.
01:03:41
Nacc
Last year, fantasy rev relevance and Russell Wilson was throwing him the ball.
01:03:48
Roger Emeka
My God. I just... I don't understand why they signed him. It's... i feel if If he plays, I am going to be so frustrated. I was frustrated for you watching... I don't know. watch so
01:03:58
Nacc
Well, he's he's going to play.
01:03:59
Roger Emeka
We watched a lot of Steelers...
01:04:00
Nacc
He's going he's going to start. maybe Maybe you'll get lucky and have a ah sled accident accident like you did last year before camp started.
01:04:08
Roger Emeka
Like, just that's all you need to know about Russell Wilson. The freaking QB doing sled. Like, give me a break, dude. Like, that's just, that's for show. um That'll do it for today's episode on the NFC East Fantasy Preview.
01:04:23
Roger Emeka
You could check out our AFC East and and ah AFC North Fantasy Previews as well. As always, you could follow us on YouTube, Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Apple, and anywhere else you get your podcasts.
01:04:37
Roger Emeka
On behalf of NAC, I'm Raj, and catch us next week as we preview the and NFC North. Till we meet next time.
01:04:49
Nacc
Hey, want to know what the MVP odds are on Dak Prescott? 33 to 1.
01:04:56
Roger Emeka
um
01:04:57
Nacc
I had to scroll heavily to find those bad boys.
01:04:57
Roger Emeka
I'm putting money. I'm putting money. um I'm going to put money on it.
01:05:00
Nacc
Yeah, I put $100. put $100. Goodbye.
01:05:01
Roger Emeka
I'm putting money on it.
01:05:08
Roger Emeka
I'm waiting for your goodbyes.
01:05:10
Nacc
ah by
01:05:11
Roger Emeka
Peace.