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00:00Thank you for joining me, Mike. Football diehards, 10-10 XL in Jacksonville.
00:04Jacksonville, I think you might agree, one of the more interesting teams in fantasy football this year and in football
00:11in general.
00:12There are just maybe more questions about, at least here on the outside, I think it would be true,
00:18about some of their skill position players than maybe any other team has with the wide receivers
00:23and what the backfield breakdown will look like and other things.
00:27Has it been a fun team to talk about in that sort of context?
00:31Yeah, I mean, I think we've talked it out.
00:35My training can't please get here.
00:37But, you know, yes, in terms of if you like a little bit of mystery, I mean, we're talking about
00:42it today.
00:43We did a little poll on the show today who's going to lead the team in receiving yards.
00:48And it ended up being Parker Washington who won the poll, which I tend to agree with on yards.
00:53But, you know, I saw the reason I brought it up is because there was a post on one of
00:58the major sites today
00:59about ranking all the number two wide receivers.
01:02It might have been SI, I think, that had it.
01:04Each team's number two wide receiver.
01:06And they determined that Parker Washington is no better than the third receiver on the team,
01:12you know, despite the fact that he led the team in receiving last year.
01:16They ranked Jacoby Myers as the number two on the team.
01:20In fantasy, I'd rather, you know, it's kind of how you built your team.
01:24If you have a lot of high floor, high catch guys, I'm more willing to take the shot on Brian
01:29Thomas.
01:30And if you've got some of that volatility, if you've got like Jamison Williams and some of these other guys,
01:36maybe Christian Watson, what have you, then maybe you want Parker Washington for a little bit more stability.
01:41But I think those guys, not a whole lot separating them in terms of value this year.
01:46So I guess in these polls, Thomas is considered the number one.
01:51As for that, yeah, they listed that Brian Thomas was the number one, which I think is interesting, you know,
01:56as well.
01:57I mean, that's really, here's the thing.
01:59If they didn't need him on defense, I think Travis Hunter is the most talented wide receiver they have on
02:05the team.
02:06So they really do have a good four deep.
02:10They just don't have like a top two like Jamar Chase and Tee Higgins.
02:14But, you know, in terms of spreading the ball around, which points to the value and fantasy on this team,
02:19is Trevor Lawrence.
02:20That's the guy you want to have this year.
02:21I like that idea.
02:23I've been in drafts where Brian Thomas Jr. and Parker Washington go literally one after the other.
02:29I have as well.
02:30You know, really, really interesting.
02:31So Washington, it sounds by how you're talking that Washington has, you know, he's legitimate, that he showed enough, even
02:40if it was really just down the stretch last year where he came on.
02:43I mean, what was it that I heard the other night?
02:4617 catches through 10 games or something like that, and then, bam, down the stretch.
02:50And even in the playoff game, which he left and then went back into and caught a touchdown pass against
02:55the Bills.
02:56For you, is he like solid as a good NFL receiver?
03:01Oh, absolutely.
03:03I mean, you've probably seen the stat going around that other than Puka Nakua, George Pickens, and Michael Wilson Jr.,
03:11no player in the NFL, none, no receiver in the NFL, had more contested catches.
03:16This guy's 5'10", right?
03:18But he's built like a tank, and he can high point the ball.
03:22He's excellent in the open field because he's a punt returner.
03:25On top of that, you know, I absolutely think he's legit.
03:28I will not at all be surprised if we hear a contract extension announced before the Jags open training camp
03:35on July 29th.
03:37How about Brian Thomas?
03:38So to what extent do you think an injury held him back last year, or was it more than that?
03:44I think that's somewhat in there.
03:47I think it was just, you know, excuses had kind of been made for him in the offseason, right?
03:54Like his rookie season, like, ah, we don't quite see it yet.
03:58And then they had a joint practice with the Tampa Big Bucs in training camp, and the Bucs players came
04:02away like, wow, you guys have something.
04:05He hit some big plays that day, and then he was off to the races.
04:08Well, last year it was like, ah, it doesn't matter.
04:10He's not starting fast.
04:12Because remember, he did this in his rookie year, well, he carried it into the season, he had a ton
04:16of drops.
04:17I mean, that really was it.
04:18The timing, the confidence, I don't know what it was.
04:21Between he and Trevor Lawrence, was it there?
04:23And Liam Cohen's not playing around, you know?
04:26I mean, this is a new team, and he's trying to set the tone.
04:30Well, it's completely changed this offseason.
04:32You will not find anyone who covers a team that doesn't think Brian Thomas was the positive story of the
04:38offseason to this point.
04:39His chemistry with Trevor looks phenomenal.
04:40He's catching everything thrown his way.
04:43So, you know, sometimes, guys, I don't know if he got a little complacent.
04:47I can't say that he did, but something was off last year.
04:52And, you know, keep in mind, he had a really good friend from his college days pass away as well.
04:58And that could have affected him mentally last year.
05:01Again, I don't know him like that, to say, but I've seen that speculation.
05:05I know that he's the most talented receiver that they have.
05:09And if anyone's going to put together a monster season, he would be the one.
05:14Interesting.
05:15And then there's Hunter.
05:15Well, I guess there's Myers next.
05:18Is there any reason to see him as anything other than what he's been over his career, which is good?
05:24I mean, it's useful in fantasy, but, you know, sort of a high-floor option.
05:28Yeah, that's probably what he is.
05:30I mean, he had a ton of targets.
05:31He led the team at targets when he came over.
05:33You know, people I don't think would realize that, but he doesn't hit the explosive plays.
05:38But he is shorthanded.
05:39Trevor Lawrence trusts him.
05:40So, you know, and where he goes, he's like kind of a mid-to-low-end wide receiver four.
05:45I mean, that's the thing.
05:46You're paying up a little bit for Thomas in Washington.
05:50And, you know, Jacoby, you get at a discount.
05:53But he's the kind of guy that you don't want in your fantasy starting lineup on a regular basis.
05:58But in a pinch, yeah, he's fine.
06:00But, yeah, I think that pretty well describes him.
06:02Like, he is the guy we've always seen him be.
06:04In a bye week situation, maybe, something like that.
06:07Yeah, something like that, sure.
06:08How about Hunter?
06:09No doubt, everywhere you go in the media, somebody asks you a Travis Hunter question.
06:13Like, what to expect?
06:14As much of a dilemma as these other names might be, here's one where, you know, they say better in
06:21best ball, right?
06:22Maybe you get enough offense from him and there are spike weeks and you can sort of pay off the
06:27bet based on where you drafted him.
06:28But in a redraft league where you're setting lineups, what a headache.
06:33Yeah, I took him, what was it, about two weeks ago, I took him with my 15th round selection in
06:42a redraft.
06:42And my thinking was, well, out of all the guys who are available, none of them are as talented as
06:47he is at that point.
06:48And who knows what happens in training camp.
06:50You might have an injury.
06:51You know, so if you're drafting now, I think you take a late-round flyer on Hunter.
06:55But I think if you get into training camp, it's going to become evident he's going to play defense full
07:00-time or as close to full-time as he can.
07:04And James Gladstone, the GM, kind of pointed to this in the offseason.
07:07He said, look, look at the depth chart.
07:09Where do you think we need him more this year?
07:11And it's pretty obvious.
07:12You know, he slots in as their number one corner.
07:15And I do think he could be their number one receiver if they let him exclusively focus on that.
07:20But that's not going to be the case.
07:22So, look, he's too talented not to get the ball to.
07:25And he did, like, the first OTA I went out to, and, you know, he's not 100% participating at
07:30that point because coming off the LCL injury.
07:33But he spent all his time exclusively on offense.
07:37You know, so for people who don't think he's going to play offense, they're wrong.
07:41But I don't think the consistency is going to be there.
07:44You know, best ball, like you said, sure, take a shot on it.
07:47Still intriguing in Dynasty.
07:49But in a redraft situation, if you're drafting now, yes.
07:52Because a lot can happen between now and September.
07:55But likely, if you're drafting a week before the start of the season, he's going to be, you know, just
08:00a fun guy to have on your team.
08:02But one of the first guys you're going to drop when you need to make a move because you've got
08:06a couple of injuries.
08:07Yeah, speaking of his talent, I'm looking at the last FFPC redraft league that I drafted.
08:12And he went, he was a wide receiver picked after Jalen Naylor.
08:16So, you know, take your chances.
08:18Maybe.
08:19Right.
08:19What happened last year, Mike?
08:20Wasn't there an injury in the secondary, maybe in training camp, and then he was sort of slotted to play
08:26more defense?
08:26Or was that always the plan?
08:28No.
08:29Last year, Caleb Ransaw was their second draft pick, and he did get hurt in training camp.
08:35But he was going to play safety, not corner.
08:38And they had Tyson Campbell at that point in time, who they thought was their number one corner.
08:44And they had added Jordan Lewis.
08:46They had a few other young guys.
08:47So, the need wasn't as great on defense.
08:50And you didn't have Jacoby Myers at the beginning of the year.
08:53So, they thought it was going to be Brian Thomas, Travis Hunter as their top two guys.
08:57And it started to build towards that.
08:59If you remember when they played the Rams, a lot of it came in the second half, you know, after
09:03they were getting beat.
09:04But they had nine catches for over 100 yards and a touchdown.
09:07And it felt like, okay, this is the point they're going to start featuring him.
09:10And then he got hurt with a non-contact injury in practice.
09:13And, you know, that's the one thing people point to.
09:15Well, he's never going to stay healthy trying to play both ways.
09:17Well, he wasn't playing both ways.
09:19He was playing two-thirds on offense and a third on defense, which made him a full-time player.
09:24But it wasn't like he got caught with an incredible workload or he was taking too many hits.
09:30It was just a fluke kind of thing.
09:32Guys don't generally tear their LCLs.
09:34But he did.
09:35He's already back running 22 miles an hour.
09:39And, you know, he's going to be fine health-wise, I think, barring a setback.
09:44And, you know, he's intriguing.
09:46But he might always be one of these guys that's just frustrating because the Jags do plan to use him
09:52on both sides.
09:52So maybe he's never going to get the chance to commit as much to offense as you'd like to see.
09:58With Mike Dempsey.
10:00So you've mentioned already how bullish you might be on Lawrence this year.
10:04In fantasy drafts, right?
10:07In fantasy drafts, he goes in a pack of quarterbacks.
10:10Really, everybody's pretty cheap at that position in most drafts I've been in this year.
10:15Does Lawrence stand out for you as somebody that is, you know, going too late, so to speak?
10:24Um, that's too late is relative, right?
10:26Every draft is different.
10:28And some leagues that we're in just wait on the quarterback position forever.
10:33But, you know, last year he finished as quarterback four in fantasy in terms of total points on the season.
10:42And he was really the top quarterback down the stretch from, say, week 12 on, I think.
10:47He was number one in fantasy points.
10:50Um, yeah, he was number one over Matt Stafford, uh, averaging over 27 points a game during that stretch.
10:58And that's a stretch where they're, you know, Brian Thomas is struggling.
11:01They're acclimating to Jacoby Myers.
11:04They did not have Travis Hunter available to them.
11:07So I think the upside is tremendous with Trevor.
11:09I don't expect him to run for another nine touchdowns, but I'll put it this way.
11:14I'm very content.
11:15Now, you won't get this in Jacksonville, but up in Buffalo, you know, let people take the Dak Prescott to
11:21the world and all those other guys that are kind of bunched in there.
11:24And I think Trevor Lawrence can be every bit as effective.
11:28I'm not going to obviously draft him in the Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson or Joe Burrow range, but I
11:33think there's a chance that after those guys and maybe Stafford, you know, coming off an MVP season, that Trevor
11:39can push for top five fantasy relevancy at kind of a top 10 price.
11:43It is interesting how there is a pretty big group of guys there, and it really is kind of a
11:48pick your flavor, whether that's Prescott.
11:51Jalen Hurts can go in the ninth round.
11:53Jaden Daniels even can go in the ninth round.
11:55And then you have May, Caleb Williams.
11:59Herbert is hot this year.
12:01Like, there are a lot of ways you can play it.
12:02But I tend to just play it based on who my receivers are, and maybe I can find a stack
12:07there, which, you know, Jacksonville is certainly playable in that way, too.
12:11How about the running backs?
12:12Another really tough one around fantasy, Mike, to try to figure out what the plan is there.
12:19Well, I think you have to assume that Basil Tootin will be most valuable.
12:24But will he be five rounds more valuable than Chris Rodriguez?
12:28It's tough to know.
12:30You know, Basil Tootin, in the limited touch, has scored seven times last year.
12:34You know, people have asked, well, how do they replace Travis Achan?
12:38Well, maybe Basil Tootin just, you know, doubles his output.
12:42That's very possible.
12:43But they only brought in one free agent of note this year, and that was Chris Rodriguez.
12:50And he has a familiarity with Liam Cohen having played for him for a year at Kentucky.
12:55And, you know, they said despite the productivity they got, you know, when you look at some of the raw
12:59numbers, there was a stink in the running game.
13:01They couldn't run the ball down, let's say, the last six weeks when teams knew they wanted to on third
13:07and one, fourth and one, things like that.
13:10And Chris Rodriguez has brought in to do that.
13:12Well, where do you got a lot of third and ones?
13:13At the goal line, right?
13:14So if he becomes the primary goal linebacker, he's going to be a thorn in Tootin's side.
13:19I'll say this, like, Tootin's growing on me at the fifth-round price.
13:23I wouldn't pay anything higher than that.
13:25But equally, if I miss out on him, I'll take a swing on Chris Rodriguez in round 10.
13:31And I think, you know, you won't get the same upside, but you're not paying the same price.
13:35So I think if you're drafting in those kind of ranges, I'd ideally like to get Tootin in round six.
13:41But it's becoming more and more difficult to do that.
13:44And I do think if there was one guy that was going to go for 1,200 yards and 10
13:49or more touchdowns, it's overwhelmingly likely to be Basial, too.
13:53I don't know that you and I talked after the playoff meeting between the Jaguars and the Bills, but I
13:58do remember watching it thinking, we're in trouble if they keep giving the ball to that guy.
14:04Like, Tootin had a couple of –
14:06And they didn't.
14:06And they didn't.
14:07Yeah, I think –
14:07They didn't give it to him in the second half at all.
14:09It's crazy.
14:09I think the Bills were really lucky that they just – I don't know.
14:13They didn't really turn to him at all, like you said.
14:15So Bills got away with one there.
14:17Yeah, well, it's interesting.
14:18My co-host in Jacksonville, Tony Smith, you brought this up going a while back.
14:22And people are saying, you know, if we just had – if we could have gotten – we need more
14:27pass rush because we've gotten the Josh Allen one time.
14:30And Tony's point was, well, if somebody throws a block and Trevor Lawrence converts that fourth and two, then it
14:38might be a moot point.
14:39You know, and it's true, which kind of feeds into why they went with the tight ends in the draft
14:45and all that kind of stuff.
14:47But, yeah, Tootin, just to go back to your central point, four carries for 51 yards in that game.
14:53And so that is the lasting impression I think he has left in people's minds.
14:58And that's why he's being coveted right now in fantasy.
15:01Really interesting team, the Jaguars.
15:04Just in our last few minutes here, Mike, let's talk some more just general fantasy stuff.
15:08Almost every draft I'm in, and probably you as well, the top five names are the same.
15:13It's Gibbs and Robinson at one or two.
15:15And then it's three receivers, Chase, Nakua, JSN.
15:18Who do you like at 106 in a vacuum?
15:21I might like McCaffrey at 103.
15:24Okay.
15:25Honestly.
15:26I certainly like him at 106.
15:29Like is not a strong enough word.
15:32106.
15:33Because I've done a few of these, you know, whether it's best ball or anything else,
15:37and I've tried going the JSN route, given the choice.
15:41And I just don't like the – I like the options.
15:44I can get McCaffrey and like A.J. Brown.
15:48And a lot of times, you know, sometimes you get that start of the second round running back run,
15:53and you're kind of stuck, and you're like, oh, the best value is go wide receiver, wide receiver.
15:58Well, this year, that's becoming more and more problematic.
16:00I'm not one of these guys that's going to draft a bunch of backups and hope that two of them
16:04pop.
16:05I want at least to have my anchor running back in there.
16:08And, look, man, if we knew McCaffrey was going to stay healthy, if we knew everyone was,
16:13and we don't know Gibbs and Bijon, if they're going to stay healthy.
16:15We just don't.
16:17But if we knew McCaffrey was, I'd probably take him number one overall.
16:20I mean, it's the age that drops him down a little bit, but he is in a machine in point
16:25-per-reception leagues.
16:26I think he'll continue to be that, as it is now.
16:30I'd draft Gibbs number one slightly over Bijon, but, yeah, I could steam McCaffrey up to three very easily.
16:36That point, if you knew he was going to be healthy, we've been saying that for seven years now, literally,
16:41right?
16:41Like, just his production is so off the charts.
16:44But maybe it's been to our benefit.
16:46He had that stretch earlier in his career where he got hurt a couple of times,
16:50and that scared some drafters away from him, maybe forever.
16:53But, I mean, last year, holy cow, what?
16:56I mean, 413 touches regular season alone at age 29?
17:01But he is healthy now.
17:02Like, you know, there have been years where you're like, oh, he's heading into camp,
17:06and he's expected to be healthy by the start of camp or the start of the season.
17:10And you're like, okay, and we kind of close our eyes to it.
17:13But, you know, he's posting insane workout videos.
17:15I don't know, man.
17:16I just don't know if there's any particular reason.
17:19I get the whole workload thing, but, you know, we haven't seen the kind of workload that they're going to
17:24put on Jameer Gibbs this year.
17:26Does he hold up to it?
17:27We don't know, you know.
17:28But, again, we don't know anybody's going to be healthy.
17:31So I understand the inherent risk.
17:32And when you're drafting Chase or Puka or JSN, you're getting pretty much a short thing at wide receivers.
17:38I'm not faulting anybody who doesn't take him.
17:40Or if they want to take Amon Ross St. Brown over him at six, fine.
17:44But I would take McCaffrey over Jonathan Taylor, Ashton Gentry, or any other running back, James Cook, anybody being considered
17:51in the first round.
17:52As you mentioned, Cook, how do you feel about the Bills guys?
17:55D.J. Moore is the big wild card here this year, new to the team from the Bears.
17:59There's presumably Josh Allen's wide receiver one.
18:03It doesn't look like there's tons of love for him, even despite that.
18:06In drafts I'm in, he's like a sixth-round pick.
18:09Good.
18:10I think he's a great value, man.
18:13I'm like, I just don't, I was never a Cleo Shakir drafter.
18:18I think we've talked about this before.
18:20I think D.J. Moore is more talented.
18:22And I like it when teams go out and acquire a guy.
18:26They did it for a reason, right?
18:28I feel like they wanted to tilt the balance of that depth chart up in Buffalo.
18:33Now, you're a lot closer.
18:34You can correct me if I'm wrong on any of my misconceptions.
18:37But I think D.J. Moore is a steal this year in fantasy drafts.
18:43And, you know, you don't have to draft him as your number one.
18:46But if I build my team out with some running backs early, maybe I draft an elite tight end,
18:50I can live with D.J. Moore as my wide receiver two all day long.
18:54What do you think, last thing, what do you think of the negativity toward him?
18:58So, we had the excuse that he didn't have good quarterback play for much of his career.
19:03But this isn't that.
19:05I mean, his numbers dropped off in Chicago.
19:06He had some big games late, some big plays late.
19:10Does the counterargument to drafting D.J. Moore make sense to you?
19:16D.J. Moore has played with a lot of hot garbage at quarterback at times over the years.
19:24Now, granted, it didn't work out, you know, with Caleb Williams last year.
19:27But, look, prior to that, he had four 1,000-yard seasons, including a 1,300-yarder,
19:33another 966 in there in a six-year span, had 96 and 98 receptions.
19:41Luther Burden impacted things.
19:42Colston Loveland impacted things.
19:43I don't think D.J. Moore forgot how to play in one-off season.
19:47He's still on the right side of 30, although barely.
19:50I think D.J. Moore is going to be a 1,000-yard receiver this year.
19:54I can't, you know, the touchdowns are always a tough thing when Josh Allen and James Cook are hogging them.
20:00But he's never been a massive touchdown guy anyway.
20:02He's never had more than eight in a season.
20:04He's only done that once.
20:05So, if you're looking for 1,000 yards, six touchdowns, 80-plus catches,
20:11and I'll take that all day, if I'm, you know, being patient,
20:15you can get D.J. Moore just outside the top 24 wide receivers.
20:19I expect that kind of production out of him this year.
20:22Very good.
20:23Always a pleasure to speak with you, Mike.
20:24Thanks for your time.
20:26Likewise, brother.
20:26Anytime.
20:27All right.
20:27Mike Dempsey, 1010XL in Jacksonville and football diehards.
20:32You can hear him on satellite radio pretty much every weekend over there.
20:37How about you on D.J. Moore?
20:39Are you buying it?
20:41803-0550 if you want in.
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