0:00Are all batteries the same? That's like asking if all soccer players are the same.
0:05Take Messi, the most decorated player ever. Is there any other player who has achieved that?
0:11No, just him. Now take Duracell. Is there any other battery with power boost ingredients inside?
0:16No, just Duracell. Remember, goats only trust goats because they're built different and Messi only trusts Duracell.
0:22I'm going to list a bunch of names. You tell me what they all have in common.
0:28Tim Boyle, Trevor Simeon, Tyrod Taylor, Joe Flacco, Mike White, Zach Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Justin Fields.
0:34Hey, I'm Liz Loza. This is Facts vs. Feelings.
0:37And today's fact is that red flags can be fun.
0:40Hey, Top in a Box. Welcome back. I'm so glad you decided to return.
0:45Hey, Liz Loza. Thank you for letting me return.
0:48I'm very excited about it. We're doing a show on red flags today.
0:53I don't think I have any red flags, do I?
0:56Oh, no, girl. You are all green and beige.
0:59No problems here. Okay, I appreciate that because when I was telling Mom Adopt that's what our show was today, she said
1:07you had enough red flags for both of us, which I didn't really understand what that meant, but I assumed that you
1:14were just bound to full in that region for some reason.
1:18So, congratulations. I mean, I am bound to full, but I don't know about those red flags.
1:24I guess that just makes me more fun. Should we also have fun on this episode?
1:30Let's have some fun today. Yes. Let's dive into some players that may have some red flags.
1:35We'll start at the quarterback spot with Jaden Daniels looking to prove last year's injury history is behind him and that that
1:43rookie season where he was a top five guy was not a fluke.
1:48Liz Loza, it's 2026. Are you in on Jaden Daniels this year?
1:52I'm confident that he is going to prove that it was, as you said, not a fluke.
1:58Obviously, the expectations for Daniels were massive heading into his sophomore effort last year.
2:02He was the third quarterback coming off the board and then he got hurt early and hurt again and hurt again.
2:10In fact, he was limited to just four fully healthy games, but the injuries didn't stop at the quarterback position.
2:16They extended to the entire offense. Terry McLaurin, Austin Eckler, Zach Ertz all went down and missed significant time with injury, but things are better now.
2:25Everybody's everybody's better. There's been a refresh. Daniels himself is better and back to health.
2:31Terry McLaurin better and back to health. Austin Eckler has been replaced by Rashad White.
2:36Zach Ertz replaced by Chigo Conquo. Also, the team has added via the NFL draft Antonio Williams, who I think has the potential to light up the slot.
2:45So now it is a new year. It is a new dawn and Daniels can prove that he is legit.
2:52Liz, and obviously we don't just have that on the field replacements.
2:56We have an off the field replacement to David Blau taking over as the play caller and offensive coordinator for Washington here.
3:04Does that give you any more confidence in Jaden Daniels with Blau taking over as that guy?
3:10Excellent point. It does, in fact, make me more confident because Blau was promoted internally.
3:15He was formerly last year the quarterbacks coach in Washington.
3:19So there's some familiarity with Daniels both personally and professionally in terms of his playing style.
3:24And Blau has promised to put forth a positionally friendly scheme that protects Daniels.
3:29Now, I know people are going to say protects Daniels.
3:32That means a likely dip in rushing opportunities. That's not good for fantasy.
3:37Well, number one, it is if it keeps your elite talent actually healthy and on the field.
3:43And number two, even if Daniels rookie rushing season stats were halved, he would still finish as a top five producer at the position.
3:51So it is OK to take a little bit of volume away in order for him to actually remain on the field.
3:59So, yes, are the injury concerns legitimate? Yes, this is the NFL.
4:03People get hurt. This is what is going to happen.
4:06But I think that given the discount of Daniels going in the sixth round, it is a perfectly reasonable spot to lean
4:14in on a player who has proven to be a quick learner, an electric talent and offer top five positional upside.
4:21All right, let's look at the wide receiver position, Liz Loza, Rasheed Rice.
4:25Uh-huh. Questionable off the field history, unfortunately, including a probation violation that led to 30 days in jail this offseason, plus his
4:33own injury history that is of note. How are you feeling about Rasheed Rice heading into this season?
4:39I mean, I understand why people are nervous. Rice has missed more games than he has played over the last two seasons combined.
4:47But here's the giant asterisk. When he is on the field, he's absolutely money.
4:52Not only has he thrived as Patrick Mahomes' primary target, but he's also averaged nearly 19 fantasy points per game over 2024 and 2025.
5:00In fact, last year alone, just for additional context, Rice posted five top 12 fantasy finishes over eight starts, with three of
5:08those efforts ending in a top six or better result.
5:11So if he's available, he's producing. And I'm going to hope he stays available.
5:16I'm going to hope he stays available as well.
5:19But what about his quarterback, Liz? Patrick Mahomes went down late in the season last year with a big ACL injury.
5:26So you worried about that potentially impacting Rice? So, Dopp, are you a little bit unsure of all of the Pat Mahomes built different headlines?
5:35Are you telling me that maybe those could be a little bit biased and there is room for concern for Mahomes' health?
5:43Yes, maybe a little bit of concern is warranted.
5:46Okay. Well, even if he was potentially this Superman hampered by his knee, that makes Rice all the more valuable.
5:53Even if Mahomes' knee was an issue, it would just make him more reliant on the slot, which is where Rice dominates.
6:00So that, therefore, would secure, further secure, Rice's target share.
6:04So now we have a player who's gonna get fed.
6:07We know is healthy right now to start the season.
6:11That there aren't any thoughts or potential suspensions looming and that he has a lead upside.
6:16So, yeah, give me the discount. I love scooping him in the third round.
6:21All right. Let's talk about one more wide receiver.
6:24Garrett Wilson has had nothing but an uphill battle since arriving in East Rutherford.
6:29Liz Loza. Is there any reason to expect something different here in 2026?
6:33Well, first, let's just talk about the wasteland in which Wilson has had to perform.
6:38I'm gonna list a bunch of names. You tell me what they all have in common.
6:44Tim Boyle, Trevor Simeon, Tarod Taylor, Joe Flacco, Mike White, Zach Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Justin Field.
6:50I think they all work at the grocery store down the street from me, don't they?
6:55No. Well, unless Aaron Rodgers got a new job.
6:58It is a decent guess, though. It is a decent guess, though.
7:03This is a list of all of the NFL quarterbacks that Garrett Wilson has caught a pass from since entering the league in 2022.
7:11What a parade of mediocrity. And yet, Wilson has finished inside the top 30 fantasy players at the position in three of his last four seasons.
7:20Now, that outlier year was last year when a knee injury limited him to just seven games.
7:26But prior to getting hurt, got hurt in week six.
7:29Prior to that, Wilson was the wide receiver 10 in fantasy points per game and was on track to clear 1,100 yards while flirting with double-digit touchdowns.
7:38Liz Lowe's a parade of mediocrity is my new favorite band name of all time.
7:44I just need you to know that for what it's worth.
7:47But here's the thing. A lot of what he did last year, Wilson, was with volume.
7:53Now you've got a new rookie that's in town, Omar Cooper Jr.
7:57You also got the kid that's a tight end, Kenyon Sadiq.
8:01Are you worried they're going to maybe eat into that target share a little bit?
8:06I mean, maybe a little bit. But is anyone disputing that Wilson is the bonafide alpha of this offense?
8:13I think he's still going to get fed. And in Frank Reich's scheme, he's going to move all over the field.
8:20In fact, Wilson, who was actually smiling at a press conference for the Jets, said that he loved Reich's scheme because it, quote, made him feel empowered.
8:29So the confidence is here. The usage is going to remain.
8:33And even again, if his number of opportunities does go down a little bit, he should trade that for efficiency, especially when noting the change at quarterback.
8:42Now, Geno Smith, by no means a world beater, but should add stability to the talent under center and the offense as
8:50a whole, allowing Wilson to at least post top 15 positional fantasy numbers, which is more than reasonable given his overall ADP of 38.
8:58All right. Before we move on, don't forget to head on over to the NFL on ESPN YouTube page to subscribe to our channel.
9:06We are back every single week for the rest of the preseason.
9:10And if you listen to us as a podcast, please give us five stars wherever you get your podcast.
9:17And it is true. The rumors, in fact, have come true.
9:21The voicemail line is back. You can call us with your hot takes.
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10:37Ask for O'Reilly Veriscan today. This is a safe place.
10:40It's a place where we can feel free sharing our feelings.
10:44Now let's get comfortable on the couch and dive into some fantasy therapy.
10:49A safe space for all your fantasy football questions.
10:52Dopp, what do we have this week? Thank you very much, Liz.
10:56First question is from Carlos in Miami. Good morning.
10:59I'm Carlos from Miami, Florida. Calling to see where you think Devon A.
11:04Chan finishes this season with the new changes in Miami's offense.
11:07Well, Carlos, noting that you are from Miami, I'm going to be gentle when answering this question.
11:13Because obviously A. Chan is in a bit of a pickle.
11:17Last year, fewer than a quarter of his carries came against stacked boxes.
11:21Now without any field stretchers available, that number is going to grow.
11:26Which means that A. Chan's efficiency is bound to dip.
11:29Further buoying A. Chan's production was his work in the receiving game.
11:33Malik Willis, on the other hand, has yet to throw 25 passes in a single game.
11:39So with check down King Tuagon, the receiving work is also going to be limited.
11:44That means that while A. Chan remains an incredible home run hitter, his ceiling is lowered.
11:49I still have him inside my top 10, but I am relying a lot on his talent more than his situation for him to get there.
11:58All right, Liz, next question comes from Jay from Texas.
12:02Question. Hey, quick question. Do you think there's going to be another sweeper quarterback this year, like last year with Daniel Jones,
12:09just emerging in a lot of leagues? Thanks, Jay.
12:12So I already talked up Tyler Shuck a couple of episodes ago.
12:17I really love him in Kellen Moore's offense. I adore the surrounding talent that he'll have at his avail.
12:23And I dig his sneaky rushing upside. But if you want a newer name, one that's being less discussed, it's sophomore signal caller Cam Ward.
12:32I like his sleeper appeal. I think he is going to benefit from Brian Dable's offense.
12:37Dable obviously has a track record for developing young quarterbacks.
12:41And also, we saw Ward himself develop over the course of last year.
12:45Down the stretch, things did seem to click for him.
12:49And he posted three top 15 fantasy finishes from weeks 12 to 17.
12:53He also gets new surrounding talent. You've got Wondell Robinson, who's everybody's favorite safety valve, as well as Carnell Tate, who has
13:01been apparently looking ultra sharp and polished in OTAs.
13:04So I think Ward could be a sneaky sleeper at the position.
13:08Love that. All right, Liz, one more voicemail we have comes from Chuck from Chicago.
13:13Oh, I love a Chicagoan. Let's go. Hello. My name is Chuck.
13:17I'm from Chicago, Illinois. Good old windy city. I am in a half PPR league, keeper league.
13:23And I have the opportunity to choose between either keeping Luther Burden in round 11 or Drake May in round 12.
13:30We start three flex, one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end.
13:36No defense, no kickers. Okay, Chuck, let's start with value.
13:39Right now, Drake May is going in the fifth round and Luther Burden is going in the eighth round.
13:46So obviously, the better value for you is Drake May.
13:49I also think, you know, he's going to be a top end producer at the position because the addition of A.J.
13:56Brown will only help him. We talked about the marriage of skill sets between those two and how it should benefit both parties a lot last week.
14:06And, you know, Burden is interesting because this is a player who has understandably garnered a lot of buzz.
14:12But also, he's going to share targets with Colston Loveland and Romeo Doubs.
14:17Now, maybe he breaks out. But when I look at the value that you could have, I'm going to encourage you to
14:24lean into May as much as I appreciate the Windy City love and bear appreciation.
14:29All right, Liz, last one here. It's a DM from at Brody Bank says, I'm drafting from the nine hole in a 10 team snake draft.
14:38Thinking about taking James Cook and Drake London. Do you think that Cook will be as productive?
14:44And who do you think London's QB1 will be this season?
14:48Wow. OK, so there's some question marks there. So personally, if I'm being honest with you, Brody, I would rather go CeeDee
14:56Lamb at the nine spot per ADP. He should be available there and then get James Cook on the turn.
15:02I just feel like you've got more tier one upside with Lamb than you do with London, because to your point, there
15:10are question marks around who his quarterback is going to be.
15:14Though I do think Tua is going to end up winning that job.
15:18And we have seen London produce, regardless of subpar talent existing under center.
15:23As it pertains to James Cook's potential regression, like, yeah, probably his touchdowns are going to go down a little bit this year.
15:31But as long as Josh Allen is healthy, there will be plenty of lanes for Cook to, frankly, Cook through.
15:38So I think James Cook or if he doesn't fall to you after the turn, Ashton Gentty are perfectly reasonable options as well.
15:45That's it for fantasy therapy. But we want your voicemails again next week.
15:50Call us at the number three, two, three, three, nine, one, four, eight, five, five.
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16:51Tomorrow morning is knocking. Stock your fridge now. How about a creamy mocha frappuccino drink?
16:56Or a sweet vanilla? Smooth caramel, maybe. Or a white chocolate mocha.
17:01Whichever you choose, delicious coffee awaits. Find Starbucks frappuccino drinks wherever you buy your groceries.
17:06Now it's time for a special guest. Please welcome to the show, Mr.
17:10Kyle Soppe. He was previously a researcher at ESPN.
17:13That's how I met him. He is presently a fantasy and betting analyst at PFN.
17:19And he will always be one of my favorite calculator brains.
17:22Welcome to Facts Versus Feelings, Kyle. Thanks, Liz. Thanks for having me.
17:26This is a great time of year. We get the World Cup.
17:31That doesn't always happen. But we've got football, the American kind, on the doorsteps here.
17:36Teams are in camp in less than a month.
17:39I'm here to talk to Liz Loza. This is what summer's meant to be.
17:44Well, I love that you are racing towards the future.
17:47But let's pump those brakes for just a second and look in the rear view.
17:52Because I'm interested in learning what you learned the most in 2025.
17:56Yeah, I'm going quality over quantity at the wide receiver position in 2026.
18:01We saw a lot of breakout performances. A lot of stardom at wide receiver in 2025.
18:06But for this year, I'm kind of loading up on the top guys.
18:11We had nine players. Nine receivers averaged over 15 PPR points per game last season.
18:16And 26 fell in that 10 to 13 point per game bucket.
18:20There are a dime a dozen in that regard.
18:23I want one, if not two, star pass catchers on my roster through the first three rounds.
18:29So then how are you utilizing that finding while you are mock drafting for 2026?
18:34I'm going to grab one running back early. And that's pretty much it.
18:39Give me a running back either early in the first round, middle of the second round, however you want to do it.
18:46I'm getting one star receiver at a bare minimum.
18:50And there's guys I like in round three more than most.
18:53So I'll end up with two receivers and a running back through three rounds.
18:58That's kind of driving down the onesie positions for me a little bit.
19:03Do you want to share who some of those third round receivers you like are?
19:08I mean, it's all relative. How do you draft?
19:11As far as guys at the top of the board that I like a little bit more.
19:17I'm Nico Collins through and through. I was last year on this very program.
19:22I'm going to be again this year. I just think he gets it done.
19:26Finally, at the wide receiver one level, maybe he pushes into the top five producers at the position with CJ Stroud taking
19:34a step forward, even if, you know, maybe Stroud isn't a fantasy asset by himself.
19:39On this show, we like to play a game with guests called fact or feeling.
19:44I will read a statement and you will tell me whether that is a fact or a feeling.
19:51You ready? Deal. Hit me. All right. Number one, CJ Stroud will finish in the top 12 fantasy producers at the position.
19:58That's a feeling for me. I want him to for my Nico Collins bags.
20:03I just don't think he gets there. He doesn't have enough versatility.
20:07You're talking about a guy with a rushing ceiling in the neighborhood of 250 yards.
20:12That's a total that 14 quarterbacks got to last season.
20:16Never mind the passing downside that comes without Nico Collins.
20:19Beyond him, there's not a whole lot to like in Houston.
20:23CJ Stroud, I think he can get Nico Collins where he needs to be.
20:28Nobody else. I think he's closer to 15 than 12 this year.
20:32The World Cup will feature a rematch between France and Argentina.
20:36Yeah, I think taking the field in something like this is the place.
20:40I'm going to go feelings, but I'm going to tip it on its head and say neither one of those teams get there.
20:48They're both talented, both very good. Don't get me wrong.
20:52They have the upside to get there. But sign me up for a Spain-Norway finale in the World Cup.
20:58Spain-Norway is a hot take, though. I think plenty of Barcelona supporters would agree with you.
21:04Justin Jefferson will finish the season as wide receiver three overall or better?
21:08Feeling for me, he's going to be better. I mean, by nature of the quarterback position, he'll be better.
21:15But top three is such a high bar to clear.
21:18You look at the wide receiver four from last season.
21:22Amon Ross-Ampron, over 115 catches, 1,400 yards, and double-digit touchdowns.
21:25Wide receiver four. Do I think Jefferson can clear that?
21:28I don't. I don't. He's closer to 10 than he is three for me.
21:33All right. I don't hate that at all. Having cereal for breakfast every morning is a completely healthy and valid way to live.
21:41Valid more so than anything else. I'm not going to call it healthy here, but it's the way I live.
21:48It's the way I go about life. Cereal, three, every morning works for me.
21:53Twice a day on some days. Not against it.
21:56Cheerios, sign me up. This is the high floor way to start your day.
22:01All the commercials with the bee and everything. I'm here for all of it.
22:06Basically, having cereal for breakfast every day is like drafting Zay Flowers.
22:10You're getting 75 catches for 1,000 yards. Book it.
22:13You know what you're getting every single day. Cheerios, cereal, very high floor option.
22:18But are we going honey nut here? Maybe some pumpkin spice when the fall rolls around?
22:23Are we sticking to basic original version Cheerios? Tried and true.
22:27I'm as basic of a researcher as you're going to find.
22:31If you want to sprinkle in some fruit, if you want to sprinkle in some fruit, I'm here for it.
22:38You get some berries, apple, banana, whatever you want in there.
22:42But basic, good old, just standard Cheerios. I'm as boring a 36-year-old as you'll find.
22:47Okay. Well, I think I know where you're going to go with this next one.
22:52Tucker Craft is undervalued based on his current ADP.
22:55Give me the basic boring answer of? That's a big-time fact for me.
22:59Tucker Craft is a machine at the position. He's a yak monster.
23:04To me, he's a top five tight end. He's closer to Tier 2 than he is Tier 3.
23:10But he's being drafted as if he's not. He's just the same as your guy, Colston Loveland.
23:16Tyler Warren, my guy from Penn State. Tucker Craft is a guy I'm loading up in drafts right now.
23:22Well, you had a couple of warm takes while we played that game.
23:27But I want to ask you for your hottest take heading into 2026.
23:31I'm going to stick at the tight end position here.
23:35I'm going with the number one tight end this season in the NFC East.
23:39He's a top 10 overall tight end for me.
23:43Oh, wow. Give me some Isaiah Likely. All we did was ask for years for him to get more volume in Baltimore.
23:50Now nobody's drafting it. Now he's got his own tight end room.
23:54I get that there's some guys in New York there.
23:58I'm not worried about it. They brought him in to be the guy.
24:02Jackson Dart, a completely different quarterback when throwing beneath the chains as it was over the chains.
24:08They've got a ton of deep threats. I think he's PPR scamming his way to a top 10 finish.
24:15I'm looking at something like 75 catches, 900 to 1,000 yards, a handful of touchdowns.
24:20Basically what Kyle Pitts gave you last year. I think you're getting it from Isaiah Likely at a discount in 2026.
24:27I've been drafting a ton of Isaiah Likely late.
24:30I think that's a fantastic take. But I have to admit for a minute, I thought you were going to say Chigo Conquo.
24:38And I nearly lost the Wheaties that I ate for breakfast this morning.
24:43So you saved both of us, though I was, you know, it would have been worth it if you had said Chig.
24:50I'm still with you unlikely. It would have been fun and I don't mind Chig, but I'm not getting it in the top 10.
24:58That's a little rich for me. I think he's probably still just a stream.
25:03But anyway, you are not a stream. You are in fact a dream guest.
25:08Thank you so much for coming on the show.
25:11And I can't wait to talk to you throughout the season.
25:15Looking forward to it. Last call. Today we learned that Zay Flowers is the breakfast cereal of wide receivers, that Mama Dopp
25:23has apparently been praying for me, and that risk is always present.
25:27That's why balance is so essential. Because sometimes heartfelt hunches and gut feels push us past the red flags and straight into the arms of unexpected victory.
25:36Next week, speaking of victories, I'm going to be on vacation.
25:40So we will be back on July 16th. In the meantime, please remember to keep calling the voicemail line.
25:46You can hit us up at 323-391-4855. Until then, may your facts be solid, your feelings be right, and your busts be someone else's problem.
25:55Oh, a little Lamal fan here. I like it.
25:58All right. Lamine. Isn't his name Lamine, Yamal? Yamal, not Lamal.
26:02It's Yamal. All right. Wow, Spain, Norway, a little Yamine.
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