Fantasy Football Podcast
Episode Guide To Help You Win Your Fantasy Football League!
9/3/21: 2021 Preseason Huggy & Baggy Awards
It's time to hand out the hardware! Let's nominate our favorites to win 2021 Fantasy Most Valuable Player and Least Valuable Player. Then let's have some fun with the kind of goofball awards you know and love: the tear-your-hair out player, the Chipotle lime-cutter, the favorite gum of all the players, and so much more. It's the Preseason Huggy and Baggy Awards! Get those tuxedos and ball gowns on, and let's go! Guest: Cousin Josh (@DetectiveFisch).
9/2/21: Listener Request Episode
Today we turn the Little Podcast That Could over to you! It's an annual tradition in which we field your questions about fantasy football, the NFL, life and possums. Come for the discussion of whether your league should change its scoring formats or positional requirements. Stay for the talk about our favorite animals and whether people get mad when we keep telling them their lives are a crutch argument. Guest: Jim McCormick of ESPN (@_JimmyMcCormick).
9/1/21: NFL Cutdown Day, Dynasty Strategy & Young Players To Grab
Let's talk dynasty! Today we'll discuss our favorite perspectives and strategies in our dynasty leagues. Should you always err on the side of younger players? Is it a good idea to get out too early on a running back who might be reaching the end? We'll also discuss some of our favorite young players for long-term fantasy, as well as the La Liga Lebowski fantasy football format. And finally: how about a conversation detailing Tuesday's NFL roster moves that will affect your team! Guest: Paul Perdichizzi of the Saturday2Sunday Podcast (@paulie23ny).
8/31/21: Late-Round Players We're Drafting
We're headed into the home stretch as we finish all our fantasy football drafts! Labor Day Weekend will be a *huge* one for drafts, and we've gotta get you ready with some running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and quarterbacks you can consider selecting in your double-digit rounds. You can benefit from our experience: we've done a whole lot of drafts already, and we can tell you some of the players *we* wind up taking over and over. Guest: Jake Ciely from The Athletic (@allinkid).
8/30/21: J.K. Dobbins & Players We're Worried We're Wrong About
J.K. Dobbins's torn ACL is a crusher for the Ravens and for fantasy football teams that drafted him. We'll talk about the fallout on today's podcast, including what to make of Gus Edwards and the Ty'Son Williams "news." We'll also mention injuries to T.Y. Hilton, Irv Smith and Evan Engram, and then get to our main event: a discussion of the players we're entrenched on, we *believe* our takes, but we acknowledge that there's some chance we wind up being wrong! Guest: Scott Fish of Fantasy Football Weekly on IHeartRadio (@ScottFish24).
8/27/21: Super-Deep Sleepers Part 2 & Warp Zone Players
Today we'll continue our list of NFL players who could become excellent waiver-wire additions to your fantasy football team once the season begins. These guys are probably a little too deep to get drafted in a 12-team redraft league, but could wind up being excellent in-season finds in 2021 plus might wind up becoming staples of your dynasty squad. Plus we'll also count down a list of players we might look back on in a month and decide the market was just way too low on them. Guest: Cousin Josh (@DetectiveFisch).
8/26/21: Super-Deep Sleepers For 2021 - Part 1
Don't draft these players! Today we're going to talk about fantasy football options you should *not* draft in a standard-sized league. But we think they have the potential to bust out in 2021 or some time thereafter. This is a yearly conversation we have that benefits dynasty players, and also alerts redraft players to names they should be ready to pounce on if the waiver-wire opportunity arrives. We'll count down 10 super-deep names today, with five more to follow tomorrow! Guest: Matt Harmon of Yahoo! Fantasy (@MattHarmon_BYB).
8/25/21: Fantasy Roster Construction & Handcuffing In 2021
Let's talk about risk, and what kinds of players are appropriate at what stages of your fantasy draft. Of course, there's no one-size-fits-all rule for when to take high-variance players, but we'll talk through some of our favorites and how your strategies might differ depending on your fantasy football league size. We'll also talk about how to approach handcuffing when it comes to drafting running backs in 2021. Guest: Scott Pianowski of Yahoo! Fantasy (@Scott_Pianowski).
8/24/21: Safe Players For 2021
Sometimes your fantasy football draft strategy calls for selecting some high-variance players in the early rounds: guys who embody the week-by-week "feast-or-famine" ethos. When that happens, it often makes sense to settle things down by soothing your roster with something safe. Today we'll list our nominees for some of the safest players you can select in the early rounds of your fantasy draft. Guest: Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports Edge (@RotoPat).
8/23/21: Fantasy Football Busts For 2021
What makes a fantasy football bust? Is it that he's a bad player? Usually no! Mostly we're talking about draft value. Do we agree with where a player is being drafted, or do we think it's too high? In the case of the guys we're listing on today's show, we just don't like them at their current fantasy football ADP price. We'll count 'em down, and advise you to stay away for 2021. Guest: JJ Zachariason of NumberFire and the Late Round Podcast (@LateRoundQB).
8/20/21: Flag Players 5 Thru 1 & Cousin Josh's Frag Players
If your fantasy football draft is this weekend, it's a little early, but fret not! We've got you covered with the remainder of our Flag Players list for 2021: a group of potential draft picks whose talent, situation and average draft position makes them exciting for the upcoming season. We'll count 'em down, and then the Prince Of Darkness will join to blow 'em up with has annual list of players who will frag your fantasy team. Guest: Cousin Josh (@DetectiveFisch).
8/19/21: Flag Players 10 Thru 6 & Offenses We Might Be Wrong About
It's time to take a fantasy football stand! Today is the first part of our Flag Players list for 2021: a fabled group Harris has anointed for more than a decade, picking *only* 10 players who represent the pinnacle of draftability. None of this "throw out a hundred guys" stuff...let's plant some flags on the draft stock of running backs and wide receivers. And let's also think outside the box a bit, and discuss a few NFL offenses we may simply be wrong about. Guest: Liz Loza of Yahoo! Fantasy (@LizLoza_FF).
8/18/21: Fantasy Draft Strategy & NFL Props
All anybody can talk about is how *flat* the fantasy draft pool is this year, and how tough it is to distinguish among same-seeming options when your turn to pick arrives. We'll discuss how that should influence your draft-day outlook, and give some guidance for both your first two rounds and also living with the risk that comes thereafter. In addition, we'll dip into the NFL futures market and find our best bets for team and player props for 2021. Guest: Chris Raybon of the Action Network (@ChrisRaybon).
8/17/21: ADP Surprises In 2021
Let's start finding where the value is in your 2021 fantasy football draft! Today we'll give first-blush impressions of where Average Draft Position is, by listing our biggest surprises. Where is the market overreacting to training camp news? Where isn't it reacting enough to good players? And where are we surprised that the fantasy draft world *hasn't* embraced a particular player? That's the theme today: breaking down the stuff that shocked us now that we're finally digging into ADP. Guest: Jim McCormick of ESPN (@_JimmyMcCormick).
8/16/21: Rookies For 2021
Where should Trevor Lawrence go in a fantasy football draft in 2021? How about Najee Harris and Ja'Marr Chase? We'll talk about all the rookies you need to know for your league this year, and discuss how their talents blend with their NFL landing spots. We'll also recount the Hall of Fantasy League draft over the weekend, and address some curious-seeming decision-making by your intrepid host. Guest: Matt Waldman of FootballGuys.com and the Rookie Scouting Portfolio (@MattWaldman).
8/13/21: Players We Love - 2021 Edition
Sometimes fantasy football just comes down to love. Today we will talk about players who -- for one reason or another -- we just love! It might be because we think they're going to be good bets for your fantasy draft in 2021. It might be because we think they're really fun and cool. And it might be because they're dang tall! We'll also preview this weekend's Hall Of Fantasy League draft! Guest: Sigmund Bloom of FootballGuys.com (@SigmundBloom).
8/12/21: Post-Hype Sleepers For 2021
The noise has died down. But is the player still good? On today's podcast, we'll try and find some potential fantasy football draft picks whose buzz is considerably lower than in the past, to see if we think the market being somewhat tired of them presents us with a good buying opportunity. Sleepers are obviously in the eye of the beholder, but we'll give you some interesting ideas for zigging when your league-mates zag. Guest: Jamey Eisenberg of CBS Fantasy (@JameyEisenberg).
8/11/21: Swing Players For 2021
Often fantasy football draft picks who come with immense, league-winning upside also give you the possibility of soul-crushing downside. Those are what we call "swing players"! Today we'll count down a list of 2021 fantasy's biggest swingers: the picks who could dominate all year long, or who could wind up scuttling your championship hopes. Guest: Andy Behrens of Yahoo! Fantasy (@andybehrens).
8/10/21: Hall Of Fantasy League & Late-Round Advice
Which late-round quarterbacks and tight ends might make the most sense if you wait like crazy on those positions? We'll give you some ideas for our favorite high-upside, low-floor options at the less-scarce fantasy positions, and also introduce you to the first professional fantasy football experts' league in which you can stake a team! Go Los Angeles Sidekicks! Guest: Mat Sposta of the Hall Of Fantasy League (@TheHOFLeague).
8/9/21: Film-Room Zeroes For 2021 & Auction Strategies
NFL players can't all be amazing! Yet that's often what we hear. Today, we'll nominate a list of players whose on-field performances don't align with their reputations. They may be legit pro players, and they certainly deserve to be on the field, but they're just not guaranteed the kinds of workloads you're told they're in line for. We'll also discuss our tactics for auction fantasy football drafts and play a great song! Guest: Brandon Funston of The Athletic (@BrandonFunston) with music from Laura Stevenson.
8/6/21: Acid-Reflux All-Stars For 2021
They might make you sick, but it doesn't mean you won't take them in your fantasy draft! Today we count down players who in some cases we like a lot, but we understand that they have downside that will give us a tummy ache. Even if we draft them at a price we like, we're still worried they'll give us the stress farts. Plus reviewing the Steelers preseason play-calling, a Kenny Golladay update, and a Snark Bag! Guest: Cousin Josh (@DetectiveFisch).
8/5/21: Film Room Heroes For 2021
Sometimes you just want to talk about NFL film you enjoyed watching. That's what we'll do on today's podcast: we're counting down our players we've most enjoyed crunching tape on over the summer, calling out the above-average abilities they've got and the surprises they gave us. It's a great topic for NFL fans, it'll help us for fantasy football, and also: it's just fun! We'll also discuss early negative reports for Joe Burrow out of Bengals training camp. Guest: Brett Kollmann of the Film Room (@BrettKollmann).
8/4/21: Important O-Lines For 2021 & August's Most Intriguing Profiles
It's hard to know which offensive lines might surprise for good or for bad in any given year and impact the skill players on their respective teams...but it's *easier* to know if you *played* offensive line! Today we'll talk to our expert and get the skinny. We'll also dwell on some profiles of players we're most hoping to hear news about -- for good or bad -- as August rolls along. Guest: Ross Tucker of the Ross Tucker Football Podcast (@RossTuckerNFL).
8/3/21: Five Players Who Might Lose Their Jobs & Dynasty Talk
Nobody knows for sure how August will play out, but when we cast our eyes on the skill players you're thinking about drafting for fantasy football in 2021, we see a few spots where an established veteran or presumptive starter could find himself in a bit of trouble. Today we'll talk through some such potential job-losers; we're not sure it'll happen, but we'll be paying attention! Also our thoughts on dynasty formats and strategies we love! Guest: Denny Carter of NBCSportsEdge (@CDCarter13).
8/2/21: Most Important August Storylines & Top Almanac Talents
We're back to weekdaily! It's five times a week for the Little Podcast That Could, and to get things rolling, we'll talk about the best talents that we saw on film when scouting for this year's Player Profile Almanac. We'll also discuss five important storylines from August that might wind up changing our opinions and also changing our fantasy football ranks! Guest: Dave Richard of CBS Fantasy (@daverichard).
7/30/21: AFC West Preview & Almanac Day Is Almost Here
Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce...well, they're "made guys" for 2021 fantasy football. But during training camp, can we learn about someone *else* on the Chiefs' great offense who might become fantasy worthy? Today, we'll preview training camps for the teams of the AFC West, and discuss what we might learn this August that could wind up changing our fantasy draft rankings of Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers and *especially* Broncos! Guest: Scott Pianowski of Yahoo! Fantasy and the Breakfast Table Podcast (@scott_pianowski).
7/27/21: NFC West Preview & Aaron Rodgers Returns
Aaron Rodgers is back! Wait, no he's not! Yes, now he is again! Scratch that, the Packers hate him! Wait, no, he hates the Packers! Today we'll talk about the nonsense filling your ears about the NFL MVP, and also preview training camps for teams of the NFC West. Is Trey Sermon gonna be a thing? Could positive Rashaad Penny news threaten our Chris Carson ranks? And there are so *many* things we're going to learn in August about the Rams! Guest: Jeff Erickson of Rotowire (@Jeff_Erickson) with music from The Glad Machine.
7/23/21: AFC South Preview & Michael Thomas Surgery
Michael Thomas will miss the beginning of the NFL regular season because of his June ankle surgery, which is news to us! We'll talk about the impact this news has on Thomas's draft stock, and then we'll also preview training camp for the teams of the AFC South. Will Ryan Tannehill live up to his great skill weapons? Can the Colts fix Carson Wentz? And will the Texans and Jaguars perform competently enough to give us every-week fantasy starters? Guest: Matt Harmon of Yahoo! Fantasy (@MattHarmon_BYB).
7/20/21: NFC South Preview & Cam Akers Injury
Ugh! Cam Akers has torn his Achilles' and will miss the 2021 season. What does this do to the Rams running back situation? Of course, we don't fully know yet, but we'll give first impressions of this fantasy-football-altering injury, plus we'll continue our division-by-division previews of August training camps by focusing on the teams of the NFC North, including what we'll be looking for with the Saints' QB battle and what the signs might be that Kyle Pitts is ready to be a major fantasy force. Guest: Jake Ciely of The Athletic (@allinkid).
7/16/21: AFC North Preview & Franchise Tag Fun
Are Najee Harris and Ja'Marr Chase really set to be superstars in Year 1? Is the Browns' passing offense terminally underrated? Why might glowing reports out of Ravens camp be a *bad* thing for Lamar Jackson? We'll preview how our opinions might change depending on how training camps go for the teams of the AFC North, and also review what some franchise tags have done to a couple stud wide receivers' 2020 fantasy value. Guest: Patrick Daugherty of NBC Sports Edge (@RotoPat).
7/13/21: NFC North Preview With Cousin Josh!
Aaron Rodgers might be kind of a big story this fall! In fact, he might completely make or break fantasy teams, depending on what happens with his potential...holdout? retirement? hissy fit? On today's pod, we'll preview the training camps for all four teams of the NFC North -- Packers, Bears, Vikings, Lions -- and talk about the storylines we'll care about and the ones we'll try to ignore as we careen toward our August fantasy football drafts! Guest: Cousin Josh (@DetectiveFisch).
7/9/21: AFC East Preview & Almanac Fun
Our preview of NFL training camps continues with a look at the teams of the AFC East...what should savvy fantasy managers be looking for when the Bills, Dolphins, Patriots and Jets begin their preparations for the season, as the media hype gets loud? How will we know if there's a second wide receiver worth rostering in Buffalo? Can we tell if things have changed for Tua Tagovailoa? Is Mac Jones going to be the answer in New England? We'll get you ready for the 2021 season! Guest: Andy Behrens of Yahoo! Fantasy (@andybehrens).
7/6/21: Welcome Back - NFC East Preview
Fantasy football is back, and so is the Little Podcast That Could! Time to break out of the groupthink that has plagued the fantasy world all summer and start talking about the players themselves and how they look on film. We'll begin our breakdown of training camps with a look at the teams of the NFC East: what could the next two months teach us that could change our opinions before we start drafting? We'll dig into it! Guest: Jim McCormick of ESPN (@_JimmyMcCormick).