Welcome Back - Previewing NFC South
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
1 hr 5 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Jul 7, 2026
Published
Tue, July 7, 2026
19
Player insights
19
Players mentioned
Topics
AJ DillonAlvin KamaraBijan RobinsonBucky IrvingChris GodwinChris OlaveChuba HubbardDevin NealJ.K. DobbinsJalen CokerJalen McMillanJonathon BrooksJordyn TysonKenneth Gainwell
Player analysis
Player insights
AJ Dillon
NegativeDepth Chart17:00
Panthers signed RB Dillon in the offseason as a non-serious depth option. The source explicitly states 'A.J. Dillon, definitely not serious' and 'I'm not going to believe anything they say about how great AJ Dillon looks,' indicating the Panthers are not counting on him as a primary back and are instead banking on Jonathan Brooks.
Insight pageAlvin Kamara
NegativeDepth Chart56:40
The source has 'basically ignored the existence of Alvin Kamara' in rankings and the Almanac, expecting him to be cut or traded before training camp ends. The source cites $11 million in actual money owed (non-guaranteed) that the Saints likely do not want to pay. Kamara slowed down last year and missed significant time with injury; the source states 'I don't see a way he's on this team' and expects him to be ejected if the Saints find a trade partner.
Insight pageBijan Robinson
PositiveProjection43:54
The source expects Bijan Robinson to be the highest drafted Falcons player, likely going one or two in single-quarterback leagues. The source notes Robinson's draft position is relatively insulated from the QB situation—even with Michael Penix as the starter, Robinson remains a top-two option. With Tua Tagovailoa, Robinson would benefit from more predictable offensive patterns and could potentially catch around 100 balls, suggesting significant receiving upside in a concentration offense.
Insight pageBucky Irving
NegativeInjury30:05
The source lowered Bucky Irving in running back rankings due to injury concerns from last season. Irving suffered a foot injury against the Eagles that was initially reported as a sprain but later revealed to involve a shoulder injury requiring surgery. He missed significant time, out until week 13, and his injury history is complex and concerning. However, when he returned, he received the biggest workload, getting 20 touches per game at 195 pounds.
Insight pageChris Godwin
NegativeValue33:40
Chris Godwin is expected to be drafted in all leagues but the source views him as a pecking order guess behind Emeka Abuike. Godwin has burned people with injuries in the past (serious injury followed by another injury), and the source doesn't expect beat reporter excitement about him to change draft stock. However, if Abuike gets overdrafted due to camp hype, Godwin could be a value target as the second option in Tampa's three-receiver system.
Insight pageChris Olave
PositiveMatchup8:30
Saints WR Olave demonstrated significant upside when QB Tyler Shuck took over, posting 352 yards and 4 touchdowns in the fantasy playoffs. Shuck's mobility and ability to extend plays and get Olave clean looks unlocked the receiver's potential; the source notes that Olave 'perked up and went crazy' with a mobile QB who could operate off-platform and create opportunities.
Insight pageChuba Hubbard
NegativeBust17:00
Panthers RB Hubbard was the source's most wrong player last year; he planted a flag on him thinking he looked fantastic, but Hubbard got hurt and came back maybe too soon, which held him back when he was healthy. His role and value are directly tied to Jonathan Brooks' health and snap-count progression in August; if Brooks can't get off the sideline, Hubbard will be the primary back and could see significant volume, but if Brooks progresses well, Hubbard will split reps. The Panthers signed A.J. Dillon (non-serious depth) and had Trevor Etienne around, suggesting they're counting on Brooks, which means Hubbard's upside is capped unless Brooks falters.
Insight pageDevin Neal
NegativeRole61:40
The source mentions Devin Neal as a potential backup in the Saints backfield if Kamara is traded; the source notes Neal was pretty good last year and could serve as the lead back alternative, though the source prefers Neal over Kamara as a complementary piece because Kamara's presence creates ambiguity about snap distribution.
Insight pageJ.K. Dobbins
PositiveBreakout21:00
Dobbins is cited as a historical example of a player the source has written off before but shouldn't have. The lesson is that completely writing off injured players based on past injury history is not predictive; Dobbins' recovery and return to relevance demonstrates that injury recovery can work out, and players shouldn't be dismissed outright.
Insight pageJalen Coker
PositiveSleeper23:56
The source ranked Jalen Coker in the top 60 receivers as a super deep sleeper. Coker had 130 yards in a playoff game and possesses elite vertical ability and catch radius, though he was undrafted. However, he doesn't feel ready for a major role yet and a bad camp could complicate his depth chart standing.
Insight pageJalen McMillan
NegativeInjury32:00
Jalen McMillan suffered a broken neck in an exhibition game last year and missed almost the entire season but returned in December. The source assumes he is healthy since the team brought him back, but notes that it's unclear whether McMillan will be the third receiver in Tampa's three-receiver system. The source expects Tampa to draft Abuike way higher than Godwin and Godwin way higher than McMillan, but acknowledges that order could be wrong and won't be definitively known until week one.
Insight pageJonathon Brooks
NegativeInjury18:00
Panthers RB Brooks carries a troubling injury history: torn ACL in college, was a consensus potential top-10 pick but fell to second round, didn't play initially after being drafted, and has now suffered what appears to be a third major injury. The source was very bullish on Brooks entering last season but he suffered an injury and returned perhaps too soon, leading to ongoing health concerns. The source emphasizes that Brooks's health status in August is critical and must be monitored closely; news about his knee—'formerly wasn't attached, suddenly is attached'—is the kind of information you can believe in August. Brooks is currently ranked 54th among running backs, 'very low territory' in 'very deep flyer type' range, and his role will likely be methodical snap-count integration if he returns healthy.
Insight pageJordyn Tyson
NegativeBreakout51:27
The source researched Jordan Tyson extensively and describes him as exciting despite significant injury concerns (hamstring, knee reconstruction, broken collarbone, ankle problems). The source notes Tyson is a top 10 skill guy, and top 10 skill guys last year worked out, suggesting there is a chance for him to succeed. The source is not opposed to reaching on Tyson in the 6th round given receiver depth is flat and there is significant opportunity in the Saints offense; at that price, the upside is worth the durability risk.
Insight pageKenneth Gainwell
NegativeRole27:33
Kenneth Gainwell has joined Tampa Bay as a replacement for Rashad White. The source is skeptical of Gainwell's impact, calling him one of his 10th least favorite players in the league. The source expects Gainwell to take away third-down snaps (Rashad White was getting 75% of third-down snaps) and be an annoying depth piece that chips away at the lead back's workload rather than an independent variable worth rostering. The source notes Gainwell is not considered any kind of world beater and is there to take away your fun.
Insight pageKyle Pitts
NegativeBust43:00
The source is in 'complete stay away mode' on Kyle Pitts, ranking him tight end 10. The source states 'I don't think he's that great at football, basically,' and notes that no August news will change that stance; if anything, good news may make him less draftable as hype builds. While the source acknowledges the situation could be good for him with Tua Tagovailoa's more predictable, concentration-based offense, Pitts' inconsistency is the core concern: week 12 rank 22, then 11/166/3 TD in semifinals, then 2/16 yards in finals at 92% snap share demonstrates unreliability that the source cannot overlook.
Insight pageSean Tucker
NegativeRole28:38
Sean Tucker remains in Tampa Bay's backfield as a reserve option. The source notes that Tucker is still there but does not expect to learn much about his role or usage in August, as the backfield situation is largely set.
Insight pageTravis Etienne
PositiveProjection59:45
The source ranks Travis Etienne 16th among running backs in PPR, around third-round ADP (possibly fourth). The source has a 'pretty high' opinion of Etienne and notes he had a great year last year but a really bad year two years ago. The source acknowledges Etienne could get priced out if Alvin Kamara is traded and attention increases, but at current price the source is comfortable with the ranking.
Insight pageTrevor Etienne
NegativeRole17:00
Panthers RB Etienne was around the backfield in training camp but appears to be a minor contributor. The source mentions him in passing as a possible depth option ('I guess maybe a little on Travis, Trevor Etienne') but does not project significant role or fantasy relevance.
Insight pageTua Tagovailoa
PositiveProjection41:00
The source prefers Tua Tagovailoa over Michael Penix Jr. for the Falcons, believing Tua provides more predictability and accuracy in the offense. The source notes that while Penix has more arm talent and throws past seven yards, Tua's dink-and-dunk style would benefit skill players like Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts with more predictable patterns. The source acknowledges Tua had a difficult final three quarters of last season in Miami due to injury concerns, but believes he can be a good quarterback and prefers his concentration offense approach.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00It's the Harris Fantasy Football Podcast with your host, Christopher Harris.
0:04Welcome! Hey everybody, welcome in. My name is Chris and I haven't shouted like that for two months.
0:10Hello there. Oh my goodness, what is up? We are back.
0:13Thank you for being here. It's July. It's time.
0:16We are a podcast once more. It's truly my honor to get to talk to you.
0:21It's been exactly two months to the day since we did our most recent main show.
0:27That's a lot of time. I wonder, has anything happened in the world in the past exactly two months that maybe I wouldn't have foreseen?
0:35Wait, no, don't tell me. I'm gonna open this envelope here.
0:38Wait, we're gonna open this envelope. I wrote myself a letter predicting the future.
0:43Let's see. It says here, Brandon Ayuk acting totally normal.
0:46U.S. soccer team alive and well in the World Cup.
0:50A.J. Brown still on the Eagles. Miles Garrett still on the Browns.
0:54How'd I do? Well, there has been some excitement since May 7th, the last time that I did a show here on the free side.
1:02But yeah, there really isn't that much NFL excitement right now.
1:05We are certainly in the NFL dead period where the league can't even pretend to gin up a story to have Stephen A.
1:13shouting about. They've already suckered us into believing that releasing their regular season schedule deserves a week of coverage.
1:19But in early July, even the NFL guys are like wandering around the big computer at league headquarters, spinning dials and checking
1:26over their shoulder to see if we care. Hey, Brendan Sorsby isn't going to be in the supplemental draft.
1:33Is that anything? No, that is not anything. Good news is because we take a couple months off here on the show.
1:40We have not completely blown our takes and we can get started fresh on the new league year and on our fantasy football leagues for 2026.
1:49And truly, I am very stoked to be talking with you here today.
1:53This will be the first of eight shows here in July.
1:56Two per week, one show for each NFL division in which we preview training camps.
2:01The episodes will come out Tuesdays and Fridays. Now, for those of you in the Yacht Club, you'll keep getting an extra episode on Mondays as well.
2:10If you haven't yet listened to Monday's Yacht Club episode, it was, in fact, another episode of Stinky and the Pooh.
2:17That's right. While everybody else was sleeping, my fictitious sports radio talk show became a real thing.
2:23I am Stinky. Andy Behrens is the Pooh. And, you know, every so often we do our own hot takes on the other side there.
2:31Sports and NFL and stuff like that. Yesterday was fun.
2:34But anyway, here on the main show, Tuesdays and Fridays through July and then by August.
2:40Oh, you know, we'll be back to four episodes per week on the free side and one with Andy.
2:46And we will set the stage for our fantasy drafts, which are coming in less than two months.
2:52It should be, once again, a really fun ride.
2:55So even beside the show coming back, I have a lot of stuff going on.
3:00There's a new almanac coming out. First edition comes out August 1st.
3:04More on that in a moment. There's also my novel that I mentioned before we went on hiatus, Pound Foolish.
3:10That's officially going to be coming out September 1st.
3:13But it is done. It's got a cover. I'm excited to tell you lots more about it.
3:19You'll be able to preorder it here pretty soon.
3:22And I'll tell you about that when I have that worked out.
3:26And I'm going to be doing a mini tour.
3:29Many folks who listen to this show wrote in to volunteer to help with a reading tour.
3:34And I have taken a few of them up on it.
3:38We're going to do a few events at the end of August on the West Coast.
3:43Where I've never, other than LA, never done any events at all.
3:47I'll be announcing those soon as well. Pound Foolish.
3:50Did I mention the title? Pound Foolish. Pound Foolish.
3:53Not that I'm trying to get you to remember what it's called.
3:57Pound Foolish. It's about football. It's a murder mystery.
4:00There's a serial killer. He might actually be on the professional team.
4:04It's a sequel of sorts to my very first book, Slotback Rhapsody.
4:08If you read that one, Mouse is Back. So I think the topic should be right up.
4:13Everybody, here's Ali. And actually, right here, right now, you all can continue assisting me to hopefully spread the word about the new book.
4:21It's my first new book since 2018. And I am publishing this book myself.
4:26I did mention this back in May. I am the publisher.
4:29I started a publishing company specifically to publish this book.
4:33Do you remember what I called my new publishing company?
4:36Cumulative. Cumulative. That's what I want to say. That's right.
4:39It's called cumulative press. I say that word so much better these days.
4:43So I truly, as you can imagine, need all the help I can get.
4:48Whatever ownership any of you want to do, help spread the word here would be great.
4:53So actually, right now, I am asking you. I'm quite literally, literally asking if you have ideas for, you know, people you
5:01think should interview me about this book. Or people I should pitch to do like a review or print an excerpt.
5:07I'm talking podcasts or YouTube channels or print publications or websites.
5:11Any idea that you have for me that I can approach and see if they're willing to help cover Pound Foolish, please write me right now.
5:20While you're thinking about it, I would love the assistance.
5:23Hey, Harris at HarrisFootball.com. And then, of course, there is also an almanac.
5:27I have been doing so much writing because not only is there a new novel, but there is a new novel length preview of the 2026 fantasy season.
5:36I wrote it. The profiles are done. I'm finishing up the grades and the ranks ranges.
5:42And Cousin Josh is adding his touches this week.
5:45It's all coming together. And you can preorder that right now at HarrisFootball.com.
5:49I think I originally mentioned that I hoped there was a way I could sell you like a bundle of the book and the almanac together.
5:57And unfortunately, I just have not been able to figure out how to make that happen because I'm not going to be
6:05sending out individual copies of the book. I just can't do it.
6:09So you're going to have to order the book online.
6:12And that just complicates it way too much to try to do a bundle.
6:17So if you're able, you'll be able to get them separately.
6:20I know maybe not everybody has the disposable income to be buying two things from me within a few weeks.
6:27I completely get that. Whatever you can do. I appreciate it so much.
6:31The price of the almanac will be the same as last year.
6:35$22. That's been the same price since it's come back from COVID when I didn't write it there for a couple of years.
6:43It will get delivered to anybody who pre-orders it on August 1st.
6:46It officially has the number 233 player profiles, not counting defenses.
6:50I am proud of it. I think it'll make you laugh.
6:54And as I occasionally do here and there, let's read you a profile.
6:58We are talking NFC South on the podcast today.
7:01But actually, we're not going to talk that much about Tyler Shuck, the Saints quarterback.
7:06So let's read Tyler Shuck's profile. Tyler Shuck is so old, his social security number is one.
7:11Tyler Shuck is so old, he has a picture of Moses in his high school yearbook.
7:17He's so old, he used to babysit Yoda. He's so old, his game film says directed by Orson Welles.
7:23And oh, I am touching my fictional earpiece and am being told he turns 27 in September.
7:29That's not so very old after all. I can't tell you I'm positive Shuck is the Saints franchise quarterback for the next decade.
7:36He started half a season for a team that was already 1-7.
7:40His wins in 2025 came against the Panthers twice, Buccaneers, Jets, and Titans.
7:44We might look back at his decent rookie campaign and feel like we were watching Gardner Minshew circa 2019.
7:51But I can tell you when an analyst says the main reason Shuck is doomed to fail is that he's two years older than Bryce Young or whatever.
8:00That's pretty silly. Who cares? Do we think because he played so long in college, Shuck's brain got cooked and he simply can't learn anything new?
8:08Do we think because he probably won't play 15 years in the NFL, he's worthless?
8:13How'd Anthony Richardson entering the NFL at age 20 go?
8:17Shuck's rookie tape was most interesting for his escapability.
8:20Right away in that first Panthers game, you saw him wriggle free from a sure sack.
8:25You had a great scramble and an off-platform throw.
8:28Suddenly the Saints' offensive line didn't look so terrible when it had someone who moved around efficiently in the pocket.
8:34And when Shuck got clean looks, he was nails.
8:37Chris Olave perked up and went crazy in the fantasy playoffs, 352 yards, 4 touchdowns.
8:42As Shuck proved, he throws a mean spot fade.
8:45No question, whatever superflex appeal he has is enhanced by his wheels.
8:49He didn't post huge rushing numbers in 2025, but Shuck's mobility to throw can easily translate to 400 rush yards and 6 rushing touchdowns.
8:57But as I keep saying in these quarterback profiles, he'll need to do all the other quarterbacking stuff well to keep the
9:04job so as not to torpedo you on a day when he doesn't run.
9:09I have some doubts. There were times when Shuck looked like an unnecessary checkdown king.
9:14But if it turns out the Saints didn't find their next great quarterback in the draft's second round, I truly don't believe
9:21it'll be because he's so old that he was a waiter at the Last Supper.
9:26And then for Shuck, you also get film grades.
9:29Yeah, sure, I'll tell you. In his case, I gave him arm strength of B+, accuracy grade of B, like pretty generous grading, I think.
9:37Vision, B. Running, B. And for situation, I gave him a C+.
9:41Anyway, I know a lot of you have gotten the almanac in the past.
9:46I do appreciate that. If you'd like, you can pre-order right now.
9:50Set my little mind at ease at harrisfootball.com. Today's kickoff.
9:53Okay, as I mentioned, we're kicking off our training camp previews by talking teams of the NFC South.
9:59So that will be Panthers, Buccaneers, Falcons, and Saints.
10:02To help me with that. Hello. It'll be Jim McCormick.
10:05We'll talk about the things we will and won't pay attention to when training camps for those teams start up.
10:12I think it'll be fun, and I'm so thrilled to have you here listening today.
10:17We are sponsored again this season by my good friends at Leesa, the folks who make the mattress I sleep on, the
10:24mattress I wrote today's show on, the mattress I probably wrote about half the almanac profiles on.
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11:00And if it's not, they'll come pick it up and refund you.
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11:27Today's guest. Underscore Barron His jokes make me smile Lawsuits he's drafted Never meaning to file Poisons Rhode Island Poisons Rhode Island?
11:34Wait, who did I ask on the show? What in the world?
11:38That is, of course, one of the greatest walk-up songs anybody's ever had anywhere on any show ever.
11:44Because it is the Underscore Barron. One of the originals on this particular podcast from, dare I say, like 11 years ago?
11:5111, more than 11 years ago? Jim McCormick. You could probably find him some places on social media.
11:57He's not really doing. He's educating America. He's educating the youth of Philadelphia.
12:01And it's my pleasure and privilege to have him on.
12:05Hi, Jim. Yeah. I mean, I explain what deferred cap hits are to 10-year-olds.
12:09And it's just the only way. And they're just like, they nod their head.
12:14They're just like, Howie Roseman did it again. And then, yeah.
12:17But it's also, this is also at the end of like a pyramid scheme kind of whole thing that we're pulling off.
12:25So, you know, I would like, I would probably, you know, really in the business.
12:30You're a little in the business. You dabble here and there.
12:33But mostly you're a teacher and you're working at the summer with your kids.
12:38And you're living a completely different life. But I always, this time of year, I know I can get you.
12:44Yeah, because this just in will reveal a little magic.
12:48I may be recording this the evening before it comes out because Jim's busy in the morning.
12:53And he's busy lots and lots of mornings. And so you don't get to have him on all that often.
13:00We'll sneak him on in August one time. But, you know, after that, there's not a lot of chance.
13:06But, you know, I would do it with you every day if I could.
13:11What a pleasure to get to talk to you.
13:14And now that we've swapped A.J. Brown, I would imagine that you feel great.
13:18I mean, we traded A.J. Brown for Jalen Brown.
13:21It's the strangest trade. Just disgruntled Browns. Yeah, no, I feel great.
13:25I really do. My one contribution to the ESPN Fantasy Magazine was that I drafted both Eagles receivers.
13:31And in the chat, people were like, why did you draft both Eagles receivers?
13:36I was like, guys, wait. Come on. Yeah, one will not be here.
13:40Come on. One will not be here. But, yeah, I'm actually really fine with that.
13:45I'll miss A.J. Brown. I think it was an incredible Eagle.
13:48The best Eagles receiver I've ever seen, particularly because Terrell Owens was doing sit-ups like 18 months into it in his driveway.
13:56I also gave Terrell Owens – I cut out – he came to my school at one point.
14:02Like this is – I was teaching even back then.
14:05And he came to my school and I carved out a pumpkin with an eagle symbol.
14:10And I brought it up and he was like, oh, your kid did this.
14:15And I was like, yeah, yeah, my kid did this.
14:18So, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This is – Terrell, don't you appreciate the fine craftsmanship on this thing?
14:24I was like 23. I was like, yeah, sure.
14:27My son did this. My son. Yeah. But no, I will miss A.J.
14:31Brown. I do think he's going to have a fun year.
14:34So, yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, we're not talking about him today because I gave you the pick of the letter.
14:41You're the leadoff man for the July shows in which we are going to talk about things that people should and shouldn't
14:49pay attention to once the spigot of information overload starts hitting us all in the face.
14:54And so my goal in July, as I've already said, is to give everybody a sense of like, okay, you can safely
15:01ignore X and please pay attention to Y. And this just in, we are going to ignore more things than we are going to pay attention to.
15:10But I gave you, as we're going to do eight shows in July, your option.
15:15You got all eight divisions. You can pick whatever you want.
15:19Of course I thought you were going to go NFC East and you did not.
15:23You picked NFC South of all the divisions that you could have picked.
15:28What was your logic? I just – it's so murky.
15:31It's such a weird division. It's like the 500 divisions, like the Jeff Fisher Memorial.
15:36No, he's alive. I mean, the Jeff Fisher honorary division, it's just – you can't be 500 anymore, but they'll try.
15:43They're going to be like eight and a half and eight and a half.
15:47Or eight and one, right? Eight and one maybe.
15:50Get some ties in there. That's even better because it's possible.
15:54So I picked this division because of its parity, I suppose.
15:58It's just interesting to me. There's a lot of change.
16:01Sure. You just wanted to talk about these teams.
16:04Like there's a bunch of just – they're weird.
16:07There's some weird changes going on and I like it.
16:10And, of course, you are the first recipient in 2026 of the legendary fascist email, whose header I have now perfected and I don't even look at anymore.
16:19I don't even change it. I just copy and paste from the previous year.
16:24And I know you love all the bolding and underlining and stuff.
16:28Well, I mean, I have a cheat sheet that I keep.
16:32So it's like I already have this laminated. So I'm ready.
16:35Very good. The warning in the fascist email, of course, is simply to say, I don't really need your full take on these players.
16:43What I'm really looking for is what you will be paying attention to and not.
16:48And the answer of I don't really care what happens to this guy in August as long as he doesn't get hurt
16:55is a perfectly fine answer, as you know. And that's where we're headed.
17:00We're going to go team by team through the teams of the NFC North.
17:04And we'll do them in the order that they finished last year.
17:08So we'll start with the Carolina Panthers, who you may or may not remember, won that division last year, quote unquote, by losing, I believe.
17:16They won by losing. And it's actually a good place to start because it feels like the Carolina backfield is a place
17:24we actually might find, A, some value, but also just some information because they let Rico Dowdle walk.
17:29They only really signed A.J. Dillon. They had Trevor Etienne around.
17:33These are not serious people. I don't know about Etienne, to be honest.
17:37A.J. Dillon, definitely not serious, which makes me, and I've written profiles about these guys, makes me think they might actually be counting on Jonathan Brooks for something.
17:47And so therefore, probably there's a lot of ways the news on Brooks could go from the moment Panthers camp ends to
17:54the moment they get to the beginning of September.
17:57That probably could change the way we view him and Juba Hubbard.
18:01Yeah. I mean, this is both things. I mean, look, last year, the best rusher or their top rusher is gone.
18:08Obviously, you said that with Dowdle. So, but I guess my thing with this backfield is that how good was Brooks when he, before he got hurt, right?
18:17He was already sharing. Who was he sharing with back then?
18:20Was it a... I mean, he's never played. He's never played.
18:24The problem with Jonathan Brooks is he's just gotten hurt.
18:27He came in because he had the torn ACL in college.
18:31He was supposed to be like a consensus, potentially top 10 pick.
18:35Sure. And he gets hurt. And so he winds up going in the second round and then comes in and doesn't play at first.
18:43Finally, you know, we see it. We get to see what he looks like.
18:47And it just, it wasn't a lot. Right. And he did it right away.
18:52Right. I just remember even then, I suppose. It reminds me of then in that it was all about integration with him then.
19:00It was all about like snap counts and reading the reports.
19:03Oh, for sure. I just can't believe that he's...
19:06I suppose that's what can change. I suppose that's going to be a really, I suppose a really methodical buildup to get
19:13him back considering this is like, what is the third major injury?
19:17He just career. So, I mean, to me, it reads like you're just assuming, to me, I assume that it's like a
19:25one-man backfield with like, that they just, like based on how they've paid Chuba or Chuba or Chuba?
19:30I want to get this right. We call him Chuber around here.
19:34Chuber. That makes it a lot easier. Yeah. It's Chuba.
19:38Chuba. What's a great name? I mean, I'll just say like there's ways, there's a very clear path that this can take
19:45where if everybody kind of agrees that, oh boy, Jonathan Brooks can't even get off the side field.
19:51Then I agree with you. Then we're going to get nothing but Chuba Hubbard.
19:55And I'm not going to believe anything they say about how great AJ Dillon looks.
20:00I guess maybe a little on Travis, Trevor Etienne.
20:03It's possible. But if we get the, you know what?
20:07Jonathan Brooks, you know, took this whole year off.
20:10He missed, he missed all of 2025. And as much as we have suspicion that there, you know, he could get hurt
20:17again and the knee may never be right and it might swell and who knows, but he's practicing, he's splitting reps with Chuba Hubbard.
20:25And this is just kind of the way of the world.
20:28He's going to be the Rico Dowdle of this season.
20:32And if Hubbard stumbles again, he might be the guy who takes over.
20:36Like there's a way for me. I have Brooks right now, like 54th among running backs.
20:41That is very low. That's like, you know, very deep flyer type territory.
20:45There's a way for me to get him higher in the ranks.
20:49Is it you? I mean, that's what I'm saying.
20:52Like that kind of news about a person's knee that formerly wasn't attached suddenly is attached.
20:58I think you actually kind of can believe that in August.
21:01Yeah. And I suppose we have to consider like I've written players off before.
21:06And if you do that completely, you're not going to ever see JK Dobbins on your roster or even like Javante Williams,
21:13maybe meaning not the same stuff, but just like saying that this didn't work the first time or this last recovery.
21:20Cause it's not, that's not really predictive. Right. So I fall guilty.
21:24I fall victim to that often though. Like writing a player off.
21:28Yeah. And like, maybe this is even less about whether you're drafting Jonathan Brooks, because no matter what the news is in
21:35Jonathan Brooks, he's not going to go real high in a fantasy draft.
21:39The best you can aspire to is like, cool.
21:42Now he's my 10th round pick, but it might say something about how aggressively you want to be drafting Juba Hubbard who,
21:50you know, heaven knows he was probably my most wrong player last year.
21:54I was, I planted a flag on him. I thought he looked fantastic whether or not he got hurt himself and kind
22:01of came back to, so he did get hurt, but he came back maybe he says too soon.
22:07And that's why he doubt all just sort of like always held him off when he was healthy.
22:13I'll just, I'll just say, you know, the topic of this show is should we pay attention to situation X in August?
22:20And I don't really think it's arguable to say that we shouldn't pay attention to Jonathan Brooks's health in August.
22:27No, you have to, and I suppose you framed it, but like, I suppose that's the best way to frame it is
22:34that it's really mostly germane to the star and not him.
22:38But, but then again, like there was a reason he was drafted, but, but it's, I have Joel Embiid, like I just
22:45can't trust, like I have trust issues. So listen, I mean, that's obviously a way August could go.
22:51And at that point you go, okay, cool. I'm just going to drive Juba and he's probably undervalued and I'm, you know,
22:58but, uh, anyway, the point, the point being, it does feel like we're starting off with one where it's like, yeah, we
23:05kind of have to like check in every week.
23:08It does. Yeah. Yeah. It matters. Um, I'm looking for other stuff in Carolina's training camp that I really need to stay, stay tuned into.
23:16And it's like, Jim, you're never going to believe this, but I bet Teddero and McMillan is going to look even better
23:24as a second year receiver in camp. Like, cool.
23:27Like, cool. I guess. Is it best shape of his life or is it how many pounds did he put on?
23:34Which one is it? For him, it's going to be pounds.
23:37He put on pounds of muscle because, because he's like 22 years old or whatever.
23:42So his life hasn't been very long yet. Uh, the only other thing I could come up with for Carolina was they
23:49drafted a third round rookie receiver, Chris Brazel. And like, I did rank Jalen Coker in my top 60 receivers.
23:56He's, he's been a little bit of a binky of mine.
23:59I, as a super deep sleeper, I kind of liked him.
24:03I, I don't know. I'll just ask you, I'll ask you the question, which is to say, is there really, is there
24:10any news out of Carolina camp that could get you more than like 13th round jazzed about any Carolina receiver not named Teddero and McMillan?
24:19Uh, leaning to the no side Coker. I mean, he's proof that the playoff game did exist, right?
24:24Didn't he have like 130 yards? So he was great and he does have some things that stand out and it was
24:32like undrafted, but, uh, it's got like, like ridiculous, like, like cat, not catch radius, I suppose, but his ability to get up.
24:39Like he's got like some of the best vertical ability.
24:43Like he's really aerial. Uh, but the other thing is Chris Brazel, first of all, great Scrabble name, but he's, he's like
24:50a stretched out Devonta Smith without the Heisman. I mean, he's like 195 pounds, but he's six four.
24:56And he has all these things. He's the six four, four, four guy, but there's a lot of those guys now.
25:03Um, he just seems very like, like mims, like, like very like theoretical deep guy.
25:08Um, but that's what he's supposed to be. He's a third round receiver.
25:12So what am I saying? Uh, yeah, I don't think much could change other than I suppose that Coker just doesn't feel ready for it.
25:20If it was like a really bad camp, I don't know what that would mean for their depth chart because they don't
25:27really have competition for him, but I suppose it's almost like no news or just a normal camp is best for him.
25:35I mean, otherwise they might ruin it for us.
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26:41Okay, we're back with Jim and we are perusing the teams of the NFC South.
26:46It's our way of previewing training camps rather than get into the full-blooded takes, which my goodness, we're going to have so long to give as warranted.
26:54Instead, we're kind of previewing by saying what we will and won't be paying attention to when these training camps get going.
27:02Buccaneers are next on the list. And I would absolutely love to know what Tampa's plan is for that backfield because one
27:09of my least favorite players in the league, Rashad White, is gone.
27:13And one of my like 10th least favorite players in the league, Kenneth Gainwell, has joined.
27:18Sean Tucker is still there. Bucky Irving, the sprinter soldier, of course, still there.
27:23You know, it's a very interesting mix. And Gainwell as a white replacement is very interesting.
27:28And it all has a chance to really affect how fantasy teams work out this year.
27:33And I'm not sure I think I can learn a damn thing about it in August.
27:39No, because like Gainwell, you're just going to, it's like, I looked up Gainwell a little bit and like, I saw like
27:46three things about he's this amazing leader. And I was like, you just met him.
27:51Like, you've noticed, like, like Baker Mayfield was like incredible leader.
27:54I was like, what do you mean? And I checked.
27:58I literally did this. I was like, you've never been on the same team before.
28:03So like, is this like, were you in a group chat?
28:06Like, what was he leading? Like, in any case, like charity softball.
28:10But, but no, I suppose, I don't know if that's a slight.
28:14I don't think it is. I don't think Baker's saying that, that, you know, that Bucky Irving is a terrible leader.
28:21But, you know, I haven't met that many leaders named Bucky in my life.
28:26I'm not going to lie. But I will, I know, I will say that it just feels very, like, specialized at this point.
28:33And that's not what I thought last year coming in with Bucky Irving, right?
28:38We thought I drafted him really high or I kept him in, in, in our league together.
28:43And so, yeah, large. I retained him. So that didn't work out that well.
28:48But I suppose part of that is his first year as a feature guy.
28:53He couldn't handle the workload. All the way to Ramble is the main point is that I feel like they tried him out as something more.
29:01And he, like, fell right back. They fell right back into doing the specialized thing.
29:06I think they tried to give him more work.
29:09Maybe I'm making that up. Yeah, he got hurt.
29:12But he got hurt. But the real point is, is that they really do isolate.
29:17Like, their third down back, Rashad White's getting 75% of those snaps.
29:21And that, I think that's going to be gained well.
29:24So just very kind of annoyingly projectible. How many times have you gotten the fascist email?
29:29A lot. Would you say you've gotten it? Would you say, like, about 10 times, something like that?
29:35At least. And I'm still straying. Yeah, it's good.
29:38Still straying? Tell me what you're going to learn about the situation that you just described in August.
29:44Really, nothing. Other than, like, if Bucky Irving's healthy, it would be the only thing.
29:49His health would be what I'm watching. Sean Tucker, it just sounds like he, like, is a good guy.
29:55And, yeah. Gainwell's just going to be annoying. That's what he is.
29:59He's there to, like, take away your fun. So, I'm glad you brought it up, the health part.
30:05Because I actually lowered Irving in my running back ranks from when we first posted them, whenever that was, you know, end of April, beginning of May.
30:14And exactly because, like, I mean, his injury stuff last year was wild.
30:18I don't know if you remember him getting hurt against the Eagles.
30:22Do you remember that game? Was that the shoulder?
30:25You might not. Well, it was interesting because they said he sprained his foot in the game.
30:31Okay. In the broadcast, they sprained his foot. They said they didn't sprain it.
30:35He said he sprained it. He's ruled questionable to return with an injured foot.
30:40But immediately came back in the game and ran for a 72-yard little scramble drill, dump-off touchdown.
30:46And did not look hurt on that play. Made it through the entire rest of the game.
30:51Left the stadium in a walking boot. And we were told sprained foot.
30:56And then he was out for a long time.
30:58And week by week, they kept going, you know, it may not be the foot.
31:03It's actually, it's what you said. It actually is a shoulder.
31:07This is so, we're pretty optimistic about the foot, but the shoulder, oh boy.
31:12I don't know when he heard it. Clearly he did.
31:15I talked about the foot that became a shoulder on the podcast a lot.
31:20You know, he came back week 13. And, I mean, that's a long time to miss.
31:25What if he has a huge foot? Like, it's the biggest foot ever.
31:29They keep mistaking it for his shoulder. But, like, I hear what you're saying.
31:34That it feels like it's very compartmentalized. And yet, when I watched what happened from kind of late November on, they just
31:41kind of gave it all back to Bucky Irving.
31:44He still came back into, by far, the biggest kind of workload.
31:48Like, he's getting 20 touches a game. And, like, not that many people get 20 touches a game.
31:54It's like 195 pounds soaking wet. It's, you know, the bottom line is, I hear I'm doing it too.
32:00We're both veering away from the actual question, which is to say, other than Irving did have some sort of shoulder surgery,
32:07I don't know that anybody at this point expects him to be limited, but he's also probably not going to get tackled at all in training camp.
32:16We're not going to find any exposure to that, right?
32:19Yeah, so it's just, that's a tough one where I kind of feel like, we're take bunkered, like, wherever you landed when
32:27you first started thinking about this stuff. You're kind of just going to be, that's going to be your bunker for all
32:34of August, and you're either right or you're wrong.
32:37And it's really tough to know. I mean, I think you would, we would both agree, based on what you were saying,
32:44that Gainwell, we don't consider to be any kind of world beater, despite being in the wing in Pittsburgh last year.
32:51Yeah, he's not like this independent variable that I'd want to roster, or that I'd even think that's necessary to roster, like,
32:58even if I was invested in that backfield. It's just, he's annoying.
33:02He chips away. I don't know what it is.
33:05There's that, like, he trusts him. Again, he's already a leader, and they just met this guy.
33:11It's strange. All right. The other Buccaneer thing that I came up with, you know, is once again, we would love to
33:18know how the receivers are going to work out.
33:21Emeka Abuka, Chris Godwin, they're both, I think, going to get drafted in all leagues.
33:26And then, you know, Jalen McMillan had the terribly scary, like, broken neck in exhibition games last year and missed almost the
33:33entire season, but came back at the very, very end.
33:36Presumably he's healthy because, you know, while it was career-threatening, then it wasn't because they did bring him back in December.
33:43And, you know, there's no Mike Evans, but I don't know.
33:47First of all, I don't, you know, I'm not going to really care about who's in two receiver sets in Tampa because
33:54that's just not what they're ever going to run.
33:57They're always going to have three receivers on the field.
34:00And we might just have it wrong, and McMillan might be the right answer, but it'll be really tough in August to kind of definitively pin that down.
34:10To see if he's, like, an important part of the offense you're saying?
34:14Like, if he's healthy? Well, I think healthy, I'm okay on healthy.
34:18Like, we'll get a good sense of he's healthy.
34:21Sure, we're assuming that. But no, it's what you said.
34:24Like, we're going to, I think we're going to be drafting Ibuka, first of all, way higher than Godwin, and then we're
34:31going to be drafting Godwin way higher than McMillan.
34:34McMillan's a pretty good player, and that order could absolutely turn out to be wrong.
34:39It's just going to be a very tough thing to know that we're wrong about it until we see it play out
34:46week one, as opposed to learning anything in August.
34:49Yeah, there's not a time that's going to change this.
34:53I suppose, like, what I think could change the market, maybe not for me, but what could really change it is, like,
35:00if you just hear Ibuka looks amazing, and he's, like, taking over camp.
35:04What I'm saying with that, there is a lot of helium potential, I think, because of the void of Mike Evans.
35:11Like, the idea is that even if not much changes in terms of, like, the way this offense is run, the idea
35:18being that there's, like, this void or this candidacy to be, like, the main guy.
35:23Who gets the end zone the way Mike Evans got the end zone, and who gets the deep ball, yeah.
35:30And that might not even be something that really, obviously, is, like, one player acquires, obviously, right?
35:35Yeah, yeah. But I do think there's something to be said about, like, Ibuka's year, right?
35:41He had this incredible start, and yes, that was fueled by just the other guys, the older dude's not being available.
35:48But then the question is that second half, Mayfield was super hurt, so it's hard to tell, right?
35:53Because he had, like, the accuracy rate of, like, a punter at that point.
35:58Like, seriously, like, he had the worst, like, he had the worst on-target rate in the league, Ibuka did, from week, like, nine on.
36:06It was, like, 48% of his targets were on target.
36:09I don't love a lot of advanced stats. I don't know who's exactly saying target, but I'm guessing there's just a bunch
36:17of, like, I know he was throwing high and wide all the time last year.
36:21I'm sure that had to do with the AC, yeah, the shoulder injury, too, though.
36:26So, look, that doesn't mean that much, I suppose, other than the fact that I think Ibuka does have the helium here,
36:34like, that he's the guy, if you hear a lot about him, it's going to change his draft stock.
36:40It's not going to change so much what I think.
36:43I think he's already the guy that I want.
36:46Nothing's going to change, really, what I think so much about this.
36:50But he has a chance to get undraftable. He has a chance to get undrafted.
36:55Yes, that's what I'm saying. Yes. And so then I do want to get in on this offense at some point, just
37:02because I think there's enough volume there. I would look at Godwin then.
37:06It just seems like a pecking order thing that we're guessing on.
37:10So that would be my guess now. And like you said, it's not going to change based on any of this information we're going to see.
37:19So, no. Right. But by the same token, that's true.
37:22I can't imagine a lot of excitement from beat reporters about Chris Godwin.
37:27No. Is going to really, because Godwin has just burned a bunch of people, and people are going to be like, ugh, I don't want to do it.
37:36He's a good player, and he was a very, very serious injury, and then he got hurt again, and it was hard
37:43to come back from, and yada, yada. But I just don't think that's going to do anything.
37:49But a camp of, you don't understand. You remember what people were saying about JSN last summer?
37:54That's what Ibuka looks like this summer. That's what I'm saying, yeah.
37:58Yeah, yeah. Suddenly he's wide receiver 13, and you go, okay, I'm out.
38:02You know, I can't do that. I mean, and that might have, I mean, my point about wide receiver, as we go
38:10through all these teams, is going to wind up being, there's basically like three that I trust, or whatever the number you
38:17want to, you know, you want tiers at wide receiver?
38:20Cool. It's one through three, and four through 80.
38:23Is that cool? Is that all right? You know, like I don't, so actually Ibuka at 13 might not be disastrous.
38:30It's just not where I'm going to rank him.
38:33He had some hands problems, I have to say, Ibuka last year.
38:37He definitely got in his head, and Mayfield not have been, you know, but Ibuka had, he did not get a great hands grade in the forthcoming almanac.
38:46I thought you meant like aesthetically, like he's never going to be a hand model, like his hands up.
38:52It's beautiful. Beautiful hands. Let's move on to, you mentioned that you were interested in talking to the Falcons, who have undergone
39:00a coaching change, and Kevin Stefanski keeps getting away with it.
39:03Never really won anything, but he's got another five years to prove something in a different city.
39:09I guess paying attention to Michael Penix's potential recovery could be a key to learning and moving some ranks around in August.
39:16Let me ask it this way. There are two paths in front of you.
39:21It's a multiverse. It's a two-pronged multiverse about the Atlanta Falcons.
39:24On the one hand, Michael Penix, as expected, doesn't do very much in August.
39:29Everybody kind of assumes, yeah, this is going to be Tua Tungo-Vailoa's show for September, and then we'll revisit.
39:35There's that fork. And then there's the fork that says, Penix is actually ahead of schedule.
39:40He's taken a lot of reps with the ones, and there's a pretty darn good chance that he's the starting quarterback week one in September.
39:49I do think we could learn that. We could figure out which multiverse universe we live in, and would that change your
39:56assessment of the rest of the skill weapons on the Falcons?
39:59I think it would. It would. Not that I think it would.
40:03I'm saying it would. It would change what I believe.
40:07In the sense that going in right now, like you said, I assume that Tua is going to start the season, but
40:14I also just think, first of all, Stefanski looks like the guy on the front of a beard dye package.
40:21I say this because I've looked into beard dyes, and I'm just like, this is ridiculous.
40:26I've had a white beard for so long. It'd be so odd.
40:30I'd have to explain it to everybody. But in any case, that's what Stefanski looks like.
40:35And that guy looks like he makes good decisions, except that he's on the cover of a beard box, right?
40:42So it's like, how did you end up here?
40:45No wonder you wanted to do... I just figured out why you wanted to do the NFC South.
40:50It's because you had this whole bit on Kevin Stefanski.
40:54I literally just thought of it when you said his name.
40:57Because I was like, he's got such a... It looks like he sells inflatable...
41:02Not inflatable, like the sprayable rubber stuff. He looks like one of those guys, with the black beard and...
41:08Ryan Day. Sure, Ryan Day. There you go. Sell me something, my friend.
41:12But... The thought here... I mean, I think the thought here being is just, you would be concerned the longer Tua's reign
41:20might be in that offense, you think it limits everybody's upside.
41:23That's the feeling. No, I'm the opposite. I like Tua more.
41:27Yes. You prefer Tua? I prefer Tua. Yeah. I want it cleaner.
41:31Like, not that I want the report to be that Michael Penix just doesn't like football anymore.
41:37Or like, I don't need him to completely go away.
41:40It's more that... I just think, like... Well, I suppose it's what I'm interested...
41:44Like, I get there's more upside, I suppose, with Penix, and like the fact that he throws past seven yards.
41:51Yeah. The more... I guess the... I like the accuracy.
41:54I like the predictability. I think it's a concentration offense that I'd like...
41:59I think, for example, Bijan would catch like 100 balls.
42:02I have no idea what that means, but just like, I think there's more predictability.
42:07I think Pitts is better and all these things.
42:10So, I don't know. Maybe I'm thinking of of...
42:13Does Mike McDaniel... Oh, I see your point. No, no, I see your point.
42:17I... You know, the last, whatever, three quarters of a season of Tua in Miami was a death march, but I don't think you'd say...
42:26You could paint a story sometime in the future and look back and just say, yeah, they lost Tyreek Hill and half
42:33the defense and, you know, the Dolphins were terrified of having Tua even do a five-step drop back because they just were
42:40worried about him getting inconcussed and it just was like, became unworkable.
42:44I mean, heaven knows, three years ago, I was in the tank for Tua.
42:49No question about it. I get your point. The point is that in these two multiverses that I've painted, these two forking
42:56paths, one has this huge armed maniac who doesn't seem to be able to throw it to the broad side of a
43:03barn and the other one has this dink and dunk specialist that you kind of at least trust to keep the trains
43:10moving on time and it would at least like change which skill guys you might want to emphasize.
43:16Yeah, that's basically it. It's just a more predictable pattern and that's kind of what I'm looking for because I already trust
43:23the skilled players that are like there anyway. I don't think there's much room for anything else to happen.
43:30It's like a pretty narrow bandwidth in terms of I think like how well that would work out.
43:36It's just that I'm not sure like, I don't know, I've seen evidence and this is not the best way to play
43:43fantasy but I've seen evidence that Tua can be a good quarterback.
43:47I just don't know if Panix is even like can get to the league average level but I'm not sure that matters
43:54that much if they're willing to try it. It's just that I don't know, Matt Ryan just seems like he's just like
44:01I don't know, he just has never tried gazpacho or something.
44:05Like he's just, he's not going to take risk.
44:08He's ordering a turkey club and I think Tua although Polynesian like might like turkey clubs too.
44:13These guys seem pretty simple. Or the turkey mayo as it were.
44:17Yeah. Carlos Hyde, the turkey mayo. Was he the turkey mayo?
44:21I think he was. No, he was banana bread.
44:24He was banana bread Hyde. That works. So let me ask you, I think the highest drafted Falcon will obviously be Bajon Robinson and Sure.
44:32he's probably going one or two in a, you know, single quarterback league and it's, and I don't think, I don't think
44:39you're going to tell people that if Michael Penix is the quarterback, that means you should never take Bajon Robinson at two.
44:47No. So the guy who it probably influences the most is Drake London because Drake London is probably going to go in
44:54the second round, maybe third round, something like that.
44:57See where it shakes out. Whereas you think maybe for Pitts it'd be better to get Tua as the quarterback.
45:03Is, do you think London also it's better? It's just better for everybody because it gets more predictable.
45:09Well, I just think he's such a winner. Like he's such a physical receiver.
45:14I think he could like still win with Tua just like on a different way, like timing and slants and stuff like that.
45:21But I've also seen, again, I'm using, my mind's going back to like two or three years ago when, when there was
45:29a vertical offense in Miami that worked, you know, although I have no idea what level of, of, of the Tua we're getting here.
45:37Obviously it's probably, it's more than likely a much more, like a degraded version.
45:41Obviously that's all we've seen. I mean, so I still just stick with Tua.
45:46I think he's just like the better quarterback timing wise.
45:49So. Okay. I think I would maybe feel better about everybody if Penix won it because I, I still just worry that Tua shouldn't even be playing.
45:58Be out there. Right. Right. I mean, boy, oh boy.
46:01But this is an interesting perspective. I kind of expected you to come at from the other, other way.
46:07I love hearing the perspective. That's, that's awesome. You mentioned Kyle Pitts.
46:11Boy, oh boy. Like we, this, this escalated quickly.
46:14I think we could say like they gave him the franchise tag.
46:18He sprinted so fast to sign it that he did that Looney Tunes thing where his clothes didn't go with him at first.
46:26And then they joined him, you know, quickly as he sprinted to sign it.
46:31And then within, you know, a month or whatever, he gets the new contract.
46:35I, I imagine, I don't mean to put words in your mouth, but I imagine that you're not entirely convinced by December
46:42of last year when it came to Kyle Pitts.
46:45No, I mean, first of all, he's senior now, which is really big.
46:50Things change, you know, he had to change all his business cards.
46:54Think about that. That would take so long. That really changes the guy.
46:58Yeah, it does. It does. Especially if you've like that really nice, like white bone lettering.
47:03But, but, no, Pitts, I don't think he's that great at football, basically.
47:07But I think the situation could be really good for him.
47:11That's why I suppose, I don't have any, like, I'm not going in, like, I don't, I don't, I don't have many
47:18teams with keepers or anything like that. So I'm not going in brooding for any of these things to happen.
47:25It's more that, I think that would be like the most predictable, fun way.
47:29I don't know if fun is the way. I don't know if two is fun.
47:34Boy. But yeah, I didn't learn it. I didn't learn anything from, no, from that winner escapade from his Lee Evans moment.
47:42I didn't. Yeah, the Lee Evans moment, exactly. As of week 12 last year, Kyle Pitts was the number 22 tight end
47:49in fantasy and was not rostered in any leagues.
47:52And then, of course, we always tell people, quest for Tunyon, find somebody great.
47:56And if you found Kyle Pitts, fantastic. He went crazy.
48:00And of course, then, you know, he did in the fantasy semifinals, he does 11 for 166 and three touchdowns.
48:06You definitely win. And then here we go in the fantasy finals and he does, he plays 92% of the snaps and he goes, two catches, 16 yards.
48:15Just the perfect chef's kiss moment of Kyle Pitts.
48:18The answer about what the new, you know, what we should be doing with Kyle Pitts news in August is obviously, no
48:26matter what you think, I mean, I'm ranked tight end 10.
48:29I'm not going to get Kyle Pitts. No matter what, even if you're a complete believer and you have him tight end
48:36three or tight end four or something, you should throw any Kyle Pitts news in the circular file.
48:42It does not matter. In fact, kind of, for our purposes, I think what you said about Abuka kind of applies to Pitts.
48:50Like, there's a chance for the beat reporters to go, guys, you've never, you've never seen somebody so ready and changed and
48:57he's a leader on this team now and, you know, suddenly we'll get the Kyle Pitts tight end two.
49:03You know, how are you not taking him ahead of, you know, whatever powers.
49:08I'm in complete stay away mode and there's really nothing that can happen to me in August that's going to change that
49:15and, and if anything, I think he's going to get less draftable to me.
49:20Like, just as, as, and you mean in terms of like what you hear?
49:24Yeah, good news. Right, right, exactly. Right, exactly. Yeah, I can see that as well.
49:29I'm really excited because that's, I love the date, that dangerous information.
49:33It's like, just put more out there because I'm even, I might fall in love with Kyle Pitts.
49:39I just, I'm going to go back and play this again.
49:43I need a reminder. We are sponsored today by BetterHelp.
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50:02So, there is still a stigma about it. I'm here to tell you I do therapy online.
50:08I have no shame about it. Having someone to just externalize thoughts to, to hear yourself talking to, for me, it really helps.
50:15I don't think that every single person hearing the sound of my voice this very second needs therapy immediately.
50:22But I do think at some point we could all use an independent ear when we have personal stuff going on, when
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51:00All right, we are back with Jim. We've been having so much fun and we are talking about the teams of the
51:07NFC South and we have one more to go and they're fun and interesting too.
51:12It is a good division to talk about. I agree with you.
51:16The Saints ended the season well but played a murderer's row of suck in the ending of the season well so I'm
51:24not sure we really should buy all the way in but they seem respectable anyway.
51:28I kind of wanted to start by talking about do you have any college football experience with Jordan Tyson at all?
51:35A little bit. I mean, I definitely got into I researched him quite often this draft period I was pretty into receivers
51:43for the Eagles so there was a consideration he felt out of the Eagles range but I definitely was into him he
51:50just seems like a theory and he's like the Humpty Dumpty of prospects but yeah he's exciting I mostly also know about
51:57him because I know his brother really well like Jayla Tyson for the Cavs he's like a really good wing for the
52:04Cleveland Cavaliers so it's quite an athletic family it's just I just the only thing I know about Jordan Tyson is that
52:12he couldn't stay healthy yeah he's in like an Emily Chablon movie yeah he's Mr.
52:16Glass I mean he didn't he didn't ever run he didn't do anything in the draft process because he had a bad
52:24hamstring he's also had a knee reconstruction he's had a broken collarbone he's had an ankle problem all this sounds amazing he
52:31does turn into a top 10 NFL draft pick and like say what you want the top 10 skill guys last year
52:38kind of worked out and so there's a chance for this to work out and he's not going to cost enough where
52:45if somebody wanted to reach for him or even Makai Lennon I'm not going to get mad about that at all I
52:53don't I'm not going to get about Carnell Tate reaching because again I think receiver is so incredibly flat you can kind
53:00of just pick your poison and if you like great you blow you blow your 6th round pick on Jordan Tyson I
53:07don't look at ADP I have no idea what his ADP is it's too early for that stuff but like we blow
53:14our 6th round picks all the time so like I'm not going to get pound the table and say you're an idiot
53:22for elevating Jordan Tyson but were one so inclined what's the kind of stuff that you want to hear about him in
53:29training camp availability right that he's there like all the time just the attendance would be great I'm excited about him as
53:36a prospect it's just that I also feel like if he was drafted by the Eagles I would be like he's the
53:43most healthy like he's amazing like he's got they figured it out like we have a hamstring specialist like he's from Sweden
53:51but really it comes down to the optimism that would be like continue to grow because there is this huge opportunity that
53:58I understand people see between the idea of like pace pace offense I mean obviously Olave did great last year finishing but
54:05I think the idea is there's a lot of room and I think what you said is we do follow draft capital
54:12for a reason though because the league does right like a top 8 skill player gets the ball a lot generally so
54:19I think the opportunity is so what I'm trying to say is I don't think you're going to hear anything that's going
54:27to say something about his opportunity changing because they kind of already told us that it's more about his availability if you
54:34hear he's healthy he's going to continue to rise I'll continue to buy I think because I'm just into pain in general
54:41but like I do think the payoff is there like I do what you're saying is true though I think it's like
54:48last year's high end skill players or highly drafted skill players paid off I think that could happen again but receivers wise
54:56and Ibuka was on the way as well I mean he did pay off in a sense just for like six weeks
55:03yeah I am probably not going to rank him in a spot Tyson that is I'm not going to rank him in
55:10a spot where I'm likely to get him I'm going to guess just because that's how the rookie receiver stuff goes it's
55:17usually just a little too high I want a little more security in whatever the wide receiver two or the wide receiver
55:25three but there's I think that I think that really that's just my philosophy I don't think I'm definitively right I think
55:32there's a lot of ways to win and one of the ways is to stumble upon Ted McMillan at the moment in
55:39the sixth round when I'm sitting around taking last year's Keenan Allen or whatever you know like that's a mistake I need
55:46to be taking the higher upside guy there's theoretically less floor but there's theoretically more upside just because we've never seen him
55:54do it and you're right it's going to be worth paying attention to Tyson just to make sure that nothing happens to
56:01him if you get the you know missed a couple days with the hip pointer you know knee a little sore we're
56:08just taking it easy with him he's on the side fields I'm out because no that's that's what I'm saying yes I
56:15would check out especially if it's like soft tissue just yeah if it seems like this is Alshon Jeffrey's like friend then
56:22I'm out of here silly strings and sadness the hamstrings of old Alshon and then the Saints backfield I guess it's you
56:30know one question that will linger until the Saints do something about it which is just are you really going to do
56:37this with Alvin Kamara are you really going to like Jim I just I've been doing this for a long time this
56:44guy gets cut this guy gets cut before you get to the training camp before you get to the end of training
56:51camp he gets traded he gets traded to the Packers because Josh Jacobs isn't available for reasons you know or whatever I
56:59just I know there's no cap savings to getting rid of Alvin Kamara but there's like 11 million dollars in actual money
57:06that needs to get paid and I don't think the Saints have any design on paying that money and would like to
57:13find somebody it's not guaranteed so you know I have so far in my ranks in the Almanac and everything I've just
57:20basically ignored the existence of Alvin Kamara as much as I've enjoyed them in the past he really slowed down last year
57:28then he got hurt and missed like an ungodly amount of time this is a hard one to say what are you
57:35paying attention to because the answer is I'm just going to keep refreshing the page on which the Saints say we might
57:42keep Alvin Kamara until they stop saying that but how are you kind of just handicapping that whole August experience in that backfield?
57:50Yeah it would seem like a clean read with how much they paid Etienne right am I saying it right Travis?
57:57I'm probably not going to be able to handle that but I appreciate your effort correct me when you can he would
58:04be entirely annoying I think it's similar to like Gainwell except that he's like an institutional Gainwell like you know he's like
58:11yeah he's the I don't know the Troy Aikman of Gainwell's I don't know like he's he's he's just he's gonna be
58:18there see look yeah I look maybe I'm wrong but I looked it up and Gemini said that that they're not getting
58:25rid of him they did they were like no they're not getting rid of him and then he's just talking about Sean
58:33Payton and I was like go away Gemini would you like to hear about uh food on the bayou I can also
58:40plan out your yeah have you ever would you like to watch this movie with Kevin James get away from me um
58:47yeah I haven't really even one thing I will have to do if we get to mid August and Alvin Kamara's still
58:54on that roster I will have to metabolize the idea that he's on that roster and it will not be great for
59:02for Travis Steve and it will be and I will not really view Kamara as all that enticing an option as many
59:09times as I have viewed him as an enticing option I did not like what he looked like last year and certainly
59:16did not feel like he gutted it out I just I don't see a way he's on this team I don't think
59:23they're I think they're waiting for either someone to want to trade for him which no one's going to do with that
59:31contract or waiting for him to say you know what guys sure I'll pay for three million dollars which he's never going
59:38to do and so yeah I think he I think he's getting I think he's getting ejected at the back seat if
59:45there's no Kamara if we get some sanity in the next month and Kamara winds up being on another team and we
59:52get the run-up with Travis Etienne expensive free agent had a great year last year had a really bad year two years
60:00ago and then the remainder of what's in that backfield are the various you know Devin Neals and knee injury Kendrae Millers
60:07and yada yada I would imagine I would imagine Etienne might get priced out like our opinion of Etienne probably isn't going
60:14to change and my opinion of him is pretty high but like I can imagine at that point people start paying attention
60:21and maybe he starts getting priced above what we want to pay for him I suppose everybody needs a Gainwell what I
60:28mean by that is everybody needs like every team has like somebody to help out your lead back so I suppose there's
60:36an angle here that I would say that Kamara sticking around would be best case if you or one of the better
60:43cases if you wanted to invest in Etienne I'm going to keep saying I'm going to keep trying right I guess I
60:50understand what you're saying but I think better than that would be Devin Neal as your backup because it's what you said
60:57he's an institutional Gainwell people are going to be like yo man Kamara needs to play you lose a game and suddenly
61:05the questions are why is Alvin Kamara not playing more and I just feel like if that gets completely excised plus Kamara
61:12is a good receiver and probably would be the third down back he's competent right I see what you're saying he's a
61:19rogue situation but no they just paid this guy so there's not what I meant is that there's a cost certainty to
61:26like what Kamara does but that also is the problem I suppose is that they trust that too yeah yeah so I
61:34have ETN 16th among running backs and not too it's about that standard and PPR ish like right around that area and
61:41you know that's going to be a third round pick probably maybe it's possible he's a fourth can I see a world
61:48where Kamara gets excised they don't add anybody else they're like Kendra Miller's knee is okay and even if it's not Devin
61:55Neal was pretty good last year you know how Devin got hurt I can you imagine knowing how the fantasy market works
62:03how ADP can shift there in the second half of August does ETN start getting taken RB11 RB12 if there's no Kamara
62:10I don't know if there's room for that much but maybe there is because he can it's kind of fluid there yeah
62:17because it's like the Karin Williams Josh Jacobs world like Javante Williams world so yes there is a chance particularly because there
62:24could be a drum beat with this Saints thing I think there's always teams that people nominate because of the unknown and
62:31there's something to say about the quote unquote hot finish between the young quarterback and everything you know what I mean there's
62:39momentum in the season which is to say that I think there could be a group thing which I get in on
62:46I'm saying I think there could be some momentum driving that and I don't know how high he would think yeah well
62:53I don't think I would be in on him at that price but you know maybe at that price we're currently at
63:00maybe I'll be okay with it well this was very fun to get you on I'm going to you to show to
63:08but for now a pleasure to get to talk to you and of course you're one of my best friends in this
63:15industry because you are kind of off in another world of educating, of being a good person and educating people.
63:21But thanks so much for doing it and say goodbye to the folks.
63:26I will. Goodbye, everybody, and go birds. Thank you so much for listening.
63:30What a delight to have Jim back on the show and a delight to have you listening.
63:36Before I wrap up, let me thank the three sponsors that made today's show possible.
63:41We had Lisa, if you're interested in a new mattress.
63:44Raycon for these earbuds that I'm wearing, the Everyday Classics.
63:47Really check them out. They're great and especially great for the price and better help if you're interested in finding somebody to talk to.
63:55You can find information in today's show notes about today's three sponsors.
63:59All the current sponsors are listed at harrisfootball.com. Now remember, if you have an idea or ideas for people or channels or
64:06shows or publications you think might be interested in talking with me about my book, Pound Foolish, about football in general, about
64:13the morality of watching football, maybe a little bit, you know, the conflict that we sometimes feel between entertainment and whatever else
64:21the NFL is, I would love it if you'd send me an email.
64:25Hey, Harris at harrisfootball.com. I am doing this all on my own this time and I really do need your help.
64:32So any suggestions are very much appreciated. If you're planning on getting the Almanac, you can pre-order right now at harrisfootball.com.
64:39I appreciate you so much. Coming up on the podcast on Friday, we'll be talking Jags and Texans and Colts and Titans,
64:46the teams of the AFC South with Dave Kluge.
64:49You'll want to tune in for that one as well.
64:52Until then, thanks again so much for listening. Your hat is awesome.
64:56You're awesome for wearing it. I will talk to you on Friday.
65:00The Harris Football Podcast's opening theme is Under the Gun by Apex Manor.
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