0:00Well, less than a week away from the first teams, the Seahawks and the 49ers rookies report to training camp this coming weekend, Friday and Saturday, I
0:09believe, respectively. So, it's almost on, right? And uh and so are we. This is the Field Gulls [ __ ] podcast, ladies
0:16and gentlemen. [laughter] I am Bob Harris. He is Matt Waldman.
0:20You'll find me on the X at Football Diehards. Find him at Matt Waldman. Also at mattwaldman.com, where is which is the home of the RSP, the Rookie Scouting
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0:36>> Yeah, we're in the 21st year of publication. It is one of the most com- it is the most comprehensive look at
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0:47Um, you know, there are people in the NFL, whether it's scouts, personnel people, GMs, I've been told, who do use the RSP
0:55as a cross-checking device for their work. Um, I have contributed the work to quarterback and running back coaches and wide receiver people, um,
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2:56And then you get projections for every player who I think is going to be on a roster at those positions that I study.
3:03So, for about 50 bucks you get enough content for a website.
3:09>> [laughter] >> Basically, I will pay three times that only because I have friends who are are are bums. No, um but but I just I just
3:16give if we're being honest, I just give Matt one of I send him a copy of my credit card and he just charges however
3:22much he wants. It's usually the right amount, but I get everything.
3:25>> Right.
3:25>> Sometimes three times of everything.
3:27>> I flew to I flew to Chicago to see Adam Harstad this summer thanks to Bob's credit card. No, well, then again, you
3:35know, I mean Scott Miles did get us a $25 ticket, so I >> [laughter] >> I let's dive into that. By the way, both
3:44are work right now. You'll find rankings etc. at footballguys.com articles all the usual assortment of stuff. Get the Football Guys 2026 Draft
3:53Guide award-winning, uh you know, I want to say magazine, but it's not correct.
3:57It's more than a magazine. Order up and you'll check it out. We've got better shipping this year. USPS priority mail with tracking number. So,
4:06dive in on that people. It's a well worth your effort. Great article in there by Matt Waldman on planning your end game strategies in drafts. Don't
4:14think about the early part. Think about the whole damn draft. All right, Matt.
4:18Let's think about the early part of our draft for a brief moment. Jonathan Taylor going generally as running back four.
4:25The coal, he led the league with 323 rushes last season. The team would like to reduce it reduce his workload.
4:31We hear these things a lot.
4:33Shane Steichen might have said it best when he said it's hard to take him off the field when he's running so good.
4:39Adding to the confusion, there's not a lot behind him. Taylor's rushed for 1,400 and 1,500, almost 1,600 yards respectively in the past two seasons.
4:48What are the odds that they actually cut back on Jonathan Taylor in Indianapolis?
4:53>> The odds are [ __ ] that. That's what the odds [laughter] are.
4:56Yeah, I mean, certainly if they can get good quality running back to who they feel is compelling enough to in certain situational opportunities,
5:08say close out carries where they don't have to, you know, they're up by more than two touchdowns and they don't have to use
5:16Taylor to run things out. I think they would like that. And there's a chance that they could be that type of offense
5:22if Daniel Jones comes back healthy and they can find some receiver play.
5:28Though, I think there's a little more ifs to if to that offense than that. And I think they're going to have to lean
5:34pretty hard on Jonathan Taylor early on while Alec Pierce is recuperating cuz I don't think Ashton Dulin's going to be the answer there.
5:43So, you know, I I think they're going to need a great performance from one whoever they think running back two is
5:51going to be in camp to really drop down Taylor's value or they find a guy like, you know, Ulysses
6:00oh what is his name? Ulysses Bentley and maybe he can be an unsung third down player for them and maybe take Taylor
6:09off the field a little bit more, but I would hate to take Jonathan Taylor off the field because you want to give
6:14screen passes to Ulysses Bentley.
6:17>> This feels like this feels like a situation similar to San Francisco where every year they I mean they know, we
6:23have to we have we can't work these guys so hard yet they can't resist working them so hard because they are so good. I
6:30don't see anyone behind him that's going to force the issue. Let's talk about that for a second.
6:35We've got Seth McGowan rookie, we've got DJ Giddens second year guy.
6:40Does McGowan look like the running back two to you? Feel or [ __ ] it?
6:43>> I'm feeling that because Giddens is Giddens is probably the more physically talented player and they were I think that a lot of scouting sometimes
6:53focuses on the physical talents at the running back position, but not enough on the conceptual skills and the refined techniques and footwork that you need to
7:02see and the diagnostic skills with a running back. And when you watch DJ Giddens, you see all the physical traits, but the problem is is that the
7:12intellectual conceptual traits just aren't refined enough and he was one of those guys that it was like you'd see almost like every play there was always
7:22something lacking that when you project it to the NFL, it's you could see this guy just making repeat mistakes or just not being as a
7:32savvy or experienced enough as a runner when you're looking for what they require from the NFL level. And so I think people miss that with him. With
7:42McGowen, it's much more simple. He's kind of the hammer.
7:45Um he's a you know, he's a he's a straightforward, downhill runner with who attacks downhill. This is a gap style offense in terms of the running
7:55scheme, so it fits perfectly with what he does. He's got good speed, good size.
7:59I think he can catch in the short area.
8:02I think he'll win this job as the number two.
8:05Um and there will be people wanting to and they'll give him some chances early to see how he does. And if he and if he
8:12shows that he can build on that, then maybe they they provide Jonathan Taylor, the Bob Harris of the Indianapolis Colts um
8:20you know, a chance to to rest a little bit. But, I don't think Jonathan Taylor, like Bob Harris, really wants to rest
8:26all that much.
8:27>> I don't think he does, either. I've talked to him before, and that's been kind of his uh his point about everything is number
8:34one, he thinks he's Iron Man. Um but number two, he he wants to be out there.
8:38He's like all these backs. You talk to you know, the recent commentary around McCaffrey was, you know, want to dial back. McCaffrey's argument was, "Oh,
8:44yeah. Dial back in practice. Nobody's dialing back on game day when you have your best player on the field doing what
8:50best players do." By the way, DJ Giddens, apparently, according to the reports, Steven Holder of ESPN says he's kind of been underwhelming. Yeah, he
8:57hasn't developed as quickly as they hoped, so I think Matt has this right. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos quarterback, third-year man.
9:06Uh underrated feel or [ __ ] it?
9:08>> I'm feeling that, too. Um yeah. I mean, just by the virtue of the fact that they have upgraded their receiving core with Jaylen Waddle. Cuz
9:16Jaylen Waddle really kind of snaps into place what they wanted to get out of Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims. Um those guys
9:27are and never did. Exactly. Like Franklin was the closest, but neither of them are the level of route runner that Waddle is. And Waddle can play multiple
9:38positions. He's a go up and get it receiver in addition to that, so he can make the contested plays. He's a wide
9:45receiver one in terms of what he can do.
9:48Um and I think that what we're going to see is a co-wide receiver one situation between Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. And that's going to And they're
9:58going to create spacing problems as well for defenses, which is going to open the field for Evan Engram more. Um I think
10:05Evan Engram is capable of a bounce-back year, and as cheap as he is, you can try as your tight end two if you want to get
10:12a tight end two or a high-risk tight end one if you know that you can stream to find a tight end early in the season.
10:19And that also opens the field for, you know, Mims and Franklin. It may not make your um those guys may not be on your fantasy
10:29radar as anything more than um bye-week options and out of desperation with good match-ups, but they're going to get big plays because defenses going to have
10:38these binds with, you know, their top three receivers, the Waddle, Courtland Sutton, and Evan Engram. And what that means is Bo Nix is going to throw for a
10:49lot of yards. And I And I think that we're going to see Nix have increases with yardage and touchdowns this year.
10:55It would not surprise me at all if he is has another year as a top-five quarterback.
11:01>> I think we should look at the change too there, the big change that was kind of surprising, Sean Payton relinquishing
11:07play-calling to the quarterbacks coach, Davis Webb, probably keeping him from chasing head coaching jobs elsewhere. Um Webb has very limited experience as
11:16play-caller, but in the one game he called plays for the Broncos, 2025 preseason win over the Cardinals, Denver racked up 562 yards of total offense and
11:24averaged 7.8 yards per play. Also, in his first season as passing game coordinator last year, uh the passing offense went from was
11:3311th in the league and that it was 20th in the league the year before. So, you know, that relationship with a play
11:39caller who had been a position coach, I think it's a an ideal thing. And also >> had been a quarterback.
11:43>> Yeah, who was an NFL quarterback as well, right. So.
11:46>> he go ahead. Sorry.
11:48>> No, I just think it's interesting, you know, when Sean Payton is hand What was the last time Sean Payton didn't call plays? I do not remember.
11:54And maybe maybe it's, you know, we'll see how if he lets go over that sheet or, you know. Uh, but but it but yeah, I
12:01think this is a nice move and I think it's meant to to leverage Nixon's talents and his relationship with his position coach. I think it's good moves
12:08on both. He's finished as quarterback eight and nine respectively the last two years. I think if they can unlock a little more passing efficiency and
12:16Waddle should help with that. He could kind of ascend into the next tier. Uh, Tyrone Tracy, the story about his hands. We keep talking
12:23about his hands. Is the commentary overblown? Feel it or [ __ ] it.
12:26>> First, I want to just circle back to Webb and just note that one of the things with him is he was
12:31Webb was a was a compelling prospect at Cal as a quarterback and went to the Giants, but he was always too aggressive as a as
12:41a player. But I like guys with an aggressive mindset as a play caller. So, I think that this may work this career
12:48may work out well for Davis Webb. As far as Tracy, I get a little sick of seeing I get a little sick of seeing the Tyrone
12:57Tracy was a former receiver, therefore he has good hands. When I feel like what I've seen on tape was Tyrone Tracy a
13:03converted running back, yes. So, and Cam Scarbough has better hands than Tyrone Tracy. He's going to be featured a lot in the screen game. He's going to be
13:13featured a lot on on passes where he's swung out of the backfield. And I think that Tracy will get some of that. aren't
13:20awful for a running back, but they were awful for a receiver.
13:24Um, and I think that I think that Tracy's just going to be more of a change of pace with attempts, not so much as the passing game. I think
13:33they're going to want to keep [ __ ] in there as a receiver, and they're going to want to use Tracy more as a blocker
13:39and a runner who will get occasional touches or targets, but it's still Skat Abo's offense. I don't I don't think that this is I think this is more like
13:49um I I I would say it's more like um Derrick Henry We're going to see more Derrick Henry-esque touches for Skat [ __ ] and
13:59Tracy's going to be more Justice Hill.
14:01>> Yeah, I think Matt Nagy comes over from Kansas City called plays.
14:05The The Chiefs dialed up the sixth most running back screens in 2025.
14:10Tracy was dominant. My buddy Adam Feifer over at Fantasy Life pointed this out.
14:1515% target share and in 80% of the attempts inside the 5-yard line. Tyrone who?
14:23He'll be a bye week fill-in, but I'm with you. This is the This is the the Cam Skat [ __ ] show. Uh in Miami, it's the
14:30Devon Achane show, but are they ripe for a veteran running back or open to a young unsung running back to complement
14:37Achane?
14:38>> I think I think they are. I mean, and complement is a very low low bar. Just basically the running back
14:44two in case Achane gets hurt.
14:47But Ali Gordon hasn't shown that he's it.
14:51Certainly Jaylen Wright hasn't shown that he's it. They brought in you know, they brought in Edwards, the former Brandon Edwards, the former
15:01Michigan guy. They've talked about Anthony Hankerson out of Oregon State who was a South Florida prospect at one time.
15:10Um None of these guys really I I think what that is is a sign of is that this team's just looking for
15:18somebody to show some spark at running back two, and they've opened up the competition. And we don't know who's going to be the answer yet, and we don't
15:25know if the answer is going to be on this roster heading into training camp.
15:30Um it might be a veteran, and I think that that's likely the case. Um my biggest concern is you know, there's a lot of talk about H
15:39N in terms of is he going to be someone that we're overthinking and that we should drop? And I mean for for me, Bob,
15:47and I want to know what you think about it is with Malik Neighbors, when you watched what he did in Green Bay, it was he did
15:53a very good job executing the game plan.
15:56>> Malik Willis, excuse me, yeah. What what Malik Willis did executing the game plan was really good, but that game plan, if
16:02you ask me, was really bent on misdirection with one to two reads tops, reading one side of the field. That all
16:11can be very effective, and it's very effective in college and high school football. But in NFL football, I think that after a certain number of games,
16:19defenses adjust well to that, and they decide, you know what? We're going to, you know, look at Justin Fields. That's a good example of someone like that. Or
16:27early career Josh Allen, um before things really turned the corner. Is that after a while, they look at this and go,
16:34"We'll let you run all you want, cuz we're going to be up by 14, and that means you're not distribut- If you can
16:40keep the ball in your hands from the snap till the tackle, we win this game."
16:45And I think that that's likely the case with Malik Willis, and what that means is that we're not going to We might not
16:51see as many check-downs for H N. Um we're going to see more three and outs with this Miami offense if Willis
16:58doesn't show that he's better than what Green Bay did with him. And I thought Green Green Bay's scheme or game plan
17:06was a little bit more training wheels-like relative to what they gave to Jordan Love. And while that works in a in a small period of games before
17:16defenses adjust, it's kind of a false positive and I think that's the concern with Malik Willis and how that would impact agent.
17:24>> I think Achane the thing for him is the efficiency. He's been historically efficient since his rookie season. 5.62 yards per carry for his career the best
17:34mark of any running back in NFL history with at least 500 carries. So he's been very good. He's held up much better to
17:39the wear and tear although coming off some issues this off season. So he'll need to be you know, locked and loaded.
17:46Sounds like he will be it will be worth watching training camp. But the Dolphins just handed him a bunch of money to make
17:50him a foundational player. What's funny with John Eric Sullivan when he was hired on he named a handful five guys that were like what he called building
17:58block players. Traded one of them away Jayden Jaylen Waddle who we spoke about earlier. But the other ones including Jordan Brooks and
18:07and Devon Achane they're clearly looking to build around. So So I do think like I think he Achane will be perfectly fine.
18:16I don't know that we're under I I don't know that we're underrating him.
18:21He's been drafted like I see him go towards the middle of the second round.
18:24I feel like that's a value and I will take it every opportunity I take him every opportunity I get as a
18:30second round player.
18:31>> Yeah, I think that's a to me I think that's the baseline value that he should be at. I know you see him as a value and
18:37I can get that get with that. I I guess for me though I would probably say that's that's the baseline only just because
18:45his efficiencies are predicated on the run pass bind with a with a quarterback and with a receiving core and those two
18:53things are really unproven right now in Miami.
18:56>> Definitely true.
18:57>> So to me it's he's a he's an excellent running back on an offense that on an offense and an organization that's been
19:06kind of bass-ackwards about some things. So >> Well well hopefully that shifts. I mean it's a a new organization, but the same
19:14ownership, so we'll see. But, also I think this is kind of highlights the the schism here between, you know, the market inefficiencies and NFL approaches
19:24and what we had we view the NFL. Like, I view Devon Achane as a player going in the second round as a bit of a value
19:30because why? We're drafting everyone in that range at or near their ceiling, right? Does he have room to outproduce that? How much room? The lower they go,
19:38a guy that has that first round potential, the more likely you get upside out of that player if he hits the
19:44high end. That's the if every time for every player. Every player you draft in the first round, you're going to feel
19:51really good if they reach their ceiling which you drafted them to play at, and I think that's also true of a guy in the
19:56second round. So, I mean, that's the discussion is does he have the ability to hit that high end? He does. It's
20:02increasingly less likely given the circumstances and hence you get a little bit of a a little bit of a discount from where we would have been
20:10paying for him under previous circumstances. Feeling Bob Harris's logic, that's for sure.
20:15>> What did you go? More Tyjae Spears this year in Tennessee? Finally feel or [ __ ] it.
20:20>> Oh, I I I feel it, but not I but I'd say it for fantasy at this stage.
20:26>> it.
20:26>> Yeah. I it's a nice it's it's the whole it's it's the the the bizarro version of we need to limit Jonathan Taylor
20:35touches.
20:36You know, I think that this is one of those deals where this is a very talented player.
20:40For some reason I don't think the Titans fully trust him. I if they do say, "Look, we know he's got two bum ACLs or
20:46no ACLs or whatever it else, but and we just don't [ __ ] care right now. We're going to run his ass into the ground."
20:52If that's what's going to happen, that's towards the end of his contract, why not? I hope they do.
20:57>> I think that's what they're doing though with Tony Pollard who is a better player right?
21:02I think so, at least. I mean, there's reason And got the lead role.
21:06Pollard he's 29. They aren't going to get a lot more mileage out of him.
21:10Uh 300 plus touches in 2023, 2024. Had 275 last year. Uh he's capable of handling the high volume. We'll see if
21:18they start, you know, I mean, it just seems like if they were going to lighten the workload, they already would have.
21:22And now we have Nicholas Singleton coming in, the fifth round pick, you know, maybe muddies the waters a little further. I'm not I'm not in on Spears
21:30who, you know, like and I'm overlooking the injury possibilities for all these players. You know, if you like to take those things into account, he has
21:38struggled to stay healthy. Missed nine games the past two seasons. But, he's What Can we Can we say he's a near elite
21:45pass catcher?
21:46>> Yeah, he is. He's a near elite pass catcher. He's I mean, look, I I'm a big Tyjae Spears fan based on what I've seen. So, I I
21:55think I think talent alone, he's a starting running back caliber talent in the league and could be a high-end one, but we're we're not getting in that the
22:06Titans don't see it that way.
22:08>> The Titans don't see it that way and that's something we should always take into account, people.
22:11>> Yeah.
22:12>> How the teams view it and what the teams' desired outcomes are. He's a you know, probably a back you're drafting as
22:17a top 50 back, but but your expectations to be minimal unless there's some reason to get the contingent upside that every
22:24backup back has. And in this case, it's kind of like a little bit, you know, like I I'm kind of into Nicholas
22:31Singleton, but maybe too much so, so you know, the rookie lost uh thinking the optimism of the unknown, something cool could happen. Maybe not. Um
22:40Washington Commanders, a committee wide receiver two approach means that there is no wide receiver two in Washington. Feel it or it.
22:47>> [ __ ] yeah, I feel that. That's for sure.
22:50Um I'm in Treylon Burks, Jaylen Lane, and what, Dyami Brown and Luke McCaffrey?
22:56>> Antonio Williams.
22:58>> Antonio Williams, maybe they see him as wide receiver three. I don't know. Maybe they have a wide receiver three, but
23:03they don't have a wide receiver two.
23:05That would be kind of confounding. It would be like some sort of some sort of fantasy football cone to say that you
23:14Yeah definitely.
23:15>> [laughter] >> Yeah.
23:16I I mean, he's a His hands are an omission, but uh >> So so just given that like I and I agree
23:23with that. So Stefon Diggs, there's been some increasing chatter. He himself is proclaiming himself better than any wide receiver two in the entire NFL. Sounds
23:32like he's marketing and lobbying for a wide receiver two job.
23:37Washington may have one of those.
23:39>> If they were smart, they would get him.
23:41Yes. Look what he did last year in New England.
23:44Um that's an upgrade as a wide receiver two, wide receiver three, whatever you want to say. Whoever you're going to you're going to put after Terry
23:51McLaurin, Stefon Diggs could be that guy. He would be so helpful to a um to Jayden Daniels.
23:59I think uh the veteran presence.
24:01Whatever you think off the field or whatever he's had going on off the field, he certainly is a hell of an
24:07on-field talent. Um and I think that they could really get a lot of value out of him and elevate this offense using
24:15him in the slot or outside. And um the whole I know they were looking at Brandon Aiyuk, but that's just that that that
24:24certainly has gone south. Um and Yeah, and yeah And and my guy DeAndre Hopkins, he's pretty much said, "Look, I'm 34. I'm not
24:34expecting to be some um a main threat anywhere, but I can help out here."
24:42Yeah, and I get that. So I I'm fine with that, but Diggs at what, 32 years of age, he still probably has another
24:51season left in him where he could be an 800 to 1,100 yd talent. Maybe that's a wide range for some people. I'll say 900
24:58to 1,100 yards and in that offense and that could be really helpful for them for 1 year.
25:04>> I cosign on that except I have some shares in Chigo Okonkwo. Getting a very late in drafts. I thought I think
25:10surprisingly late is what is the uh going as what? Tight end 21 current ADP.
25:17He wants the role Zach Ertz has been very successful in Washington. Signed with Commanders people.
25:22Uh and Jayden Daniels seems having eye for the tight end position. New offensive coordinator. But Okonkwo is more explosive than Ertz. He's more
25:29dangerous runner after the catch. I mean, is he not a guy that maybe we should be more interested in than his
25:34current price suggests? Either [ __ ] >> I'm I feel it. I'm with you. I mean um if you give him the role that plays to
25:42his strengths, which is yards after the catch and underneath catches or or working him outside the the hash where he can work up the seams or up the
25:52flats. Um he has that burst where he can and tracking over his shoulder where he can become a nice weapon for them and
26:00because they're going to use a lot of play action in this offense under center, you could see him being that H-back who likes looks like he's going
26:08to block and runs the bullet routes and the wheel routes and ends up getting big yardage off of that. Um and
26:16if you listen to Tucker Kraft talk about Josh Whyle, um he said, "I don't know how the Titans let him go."
26:24Well, maybe he wouldn't maybe there are other people are going to say, "I don't know how they let Chigo Okonkwo go." Um
26:31so it it just >> Gunnar Helm is why.
26:33>> Gunnar Helm is why. And it's it's and usually these things have to do with fit. You know, either fit or off field
26:39or some or some sort of friction um with how the coaching staff use the player. But Okonkwo, I mean, he is
26:46undersized for a tight end. So you you need a specific fit with him. And the look, the Washington Commanders, whether you you know, I'm just going to have fun
26:55logo scouting. I don't mean it as much as this, but there may be some long-time people who were influential in that
27:01organization from the regime to regime who are like, you know, Fred Davis was undersized. Chris Cooley was undersized.
27:09Um, you know, um, they drafted Ben Sinnott. He was a little bit undersized. Maybe they like these undersized guys. His role sure is,
27:18I'm telling you. That's That's one that I I I'm disappointed about.
27:23>> Uh, let's And I'm with you there. We'll see what, you know, the blah I don't know that we have a really great understanding what
27:29David Blough's going to do. I mean, we know what his history is, but like maybe this will be a fresh approach to offense
27:35that that we've [snorts] seen in the past. Kliff Kingsbury, you know, kind of wears himself wears his welcome out after a year, and everyone figures it
27:43out. Maybe we saw that last year. Maybe injuries and attrition were the bigger deal. Uh, so there's a lot to like about
27:48the Commanders. Like the top end of things, but it's Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin and now Chigo Okonkwo are the guys with the most certain roles and
27:57the easiest ones to invest in without taking chances. Uh, especially when you can get Chigo Okonkwo in in tight end two territory.
28:05Uh, Sam LaPorta not going in tight end two territory.
28:09Um, is he being underrated? Feel or [ __ ] it?
28:11>> I mean, I think a little I think a little bit from the standpoint that because his production wasn't great due
28:16to injury and the fact that he's with uh, the coordinator in Drew Petzing who took advantage and leveraged Trey McBride. But I would also argue that
28:26um, Trey McBride was it's not that Trey McBride is so much better than Sam LaPorta. There will be people who will say that that's the
28:35case, but I think it's has a little bit more to do with the fact that the wide receiver pecking order was a little bit
28:42more established um, in Detroit and you have a a vastly better quarterback in Detroit than what Drew Petzing was working with the majority of the time in
28:54Arizona. A quarterback who actually makes multiple reads and stays in the pocket to to deliver and be efficient and that means that the ball gets spread
29:03around more and maybe LaPorta isn't as much the emphasis with Jameson Williams coming on and still having Amon-Ra St.
29:10Brown and you got Jahmyr Gibbs as a high-end pass-catcher out of the backfield. So I I would say I understand the reasons
29:19for LaPorta being a little bit underrated but also that back back injuries are tricky. And I, you know,
29:29I'm a little worried about that but >> I think that the consensus around Detroit is it's that that once everyone kind of got some clarity on what the
29:37situation was that he had to have a herniated disc repaired which is I I think the local observers think that's on the less worrisome end
29:44of the reasons a player has to have back surgery. So I talked to Tim Twentyman from the team site last week who I think
29:51is a pretty, you know, >> Best name as a beat writer ever.
29:54>> Best name as beat writer but also guy who's like, you know, there's a lot of these guys who go from newspaper jobs to
29:59the team's official websites. They kind of hold on to their some journalistic integrity. So talking to him I always feel pretty comfortable but he thought
30:06LaPorta's looking good and on track.
30:08It's easy to forget that I mean he LaPorta was the first of the great rookie tight ends in the fantasy of the
30:13current fantasy era of great rookie tight ends. He was tight end one as a rookie but he slowed down since then. Um
30:21but last year he was seventh in points per game before he went down. So I think I think he is probably being over
30:26underrated. I want to say what's his current what's his current ADP?
30:32Going on around seven or so. I mean it's not it's not a heavy price. He's going after all the top guys. You you get past
30:39the, you know, the two big names Cole Kmet and then you know, Bowers and McBride in case you're just dialing this
30:45in people.
30:46Uh Colston Loveland, Ty Warren, then you're going to see a mix of Harold Fannin and Tucker Kraft. Maybe after that, you get into the Kyle Pitts.
30:54>> With Kelsea.
30:56>> Yeah, and and then and and LaPorta is in going in that range pretty much with a with a with with those guys. So
31:02>> You can get You can get Okonkwo second, you know, if you can do the Bob Harris special and you can you can get LaPorta.
31:09>> and then once you get your position.
31:11>> Okonkwo, if you do it. Yeah.
31:12>> Khalif Raymond is the folks people see when they imagine Xavion Williams.
31:17>> Or Xavion Thomas, is it that one?
31:19>> Xavion Thomas is Chicago, I'm sorry.
31:20>> Yeah, that's my That's That's my fault.
31:22Um the uh Yeah, I would say Yeah, that's what they you know, neither of them are going to have a big role in
31:32Chicago in the passing game, if you ask me. You might see some big moments and if they happen early, everyone's going
31:38to be clamoring for Xavion Thomas. Or um they're just because of the speed factor and what we heard early in camp, but I
31:45think that Khalif Raymond is such a more polished player. He's a veteran. He knows the offense. Ben Johnson's worked with him before. He's just
31:55you know, Khalif Raymond was the guy they probably wanted when they ended up getting um Devin Duvernay and uh Ihmir Smith-Marsette last year. That was
32:06probably the the the the guy in Ben Johnson's mind in terms of who he was aiming for, but he he couldn't get him
32:14yet. So, I mean, to me, is that really going to be big fantasy value? No, but this is more about Xavion Thomas hype
32:22than it is about Khalif Raymond.
32:24>> Uh this is true and nobody should be excited about either of these players in your redraft leagues.
32:29They will be available on your waiver wire when the season begins, if anyone's doing anything. Um C.J. Stroud may get drafted, may not. Going kind of at the
32:38tail end of the quarterback twos.
32:41Um, is he being underrated? Feel or [ __ ] it?
32:43>> Oh, absolutely feeling this one. Um, mainly because if you look at CJ Stroud, and I wrote about this last week at
32:50Football Guys, you can find the Gut Check number 677.
32:54I said, is he the Kyle Pitts of um, quarterbacks?
32:58Um, where, you know, you look at Pitts, started strong, and then everybody had high expectations, and then for a couple for a few years, [clears throat] really
33:06even another three three to four years, he just really didn't do well. And now, last year, he ended up with career
33:13numbers in terms of targets, receptions, um, and and touchdowns. And now he's signed a lucrative second deal or an extension.
33:23And can we look forward to that with Stroud? And I would say that the parallels are very similar. Um, multiple offensive coordinators, multiple
33:32schemes, um, a rotating cast of important support players that are important. Yeah, and so for Stroud, it's offensive line issues. For Pitts, it was
33:43having multiple quarterbacks and and and way he was schemed. So, Stroud's had multiple schemes, he's had multiple offen- his offensive line hasn't been
33:53the same, and really Houston's offensive line hasn't really had any continuity since even since before Stroud got drafted. Um, so when you look at all put
34:03all that together, that impacts pressure and how you perform under pressure.
34:07Because, you know, he's good against the blitz. When you look at his stats against the blitz, they're strong. When you look at it against unadulterated
34:14pressure where they didn't expect um, somebody to get loose, but they did.
34:20Um, that's usually hard for every quarterback, but Stroud's numbers were markedly lower than the other pocket quarterbacks that I've looked at in the
34:28league. And that tells you that, you know, he's going to that offensive line needs to be better because yards per attempt, you know, the
34:37guys who are good under pressure have good yards per attempt. They score touchdowns. They find the big play. They see the opportunity and have the
34:46opportunity to execute it. And when you have a better offensive line, you have more opportunities to be able to execute against that pressure. And I think that
34:55this team, on paper, the offensive line looks much better. If that and with the receiving core that's young and and talented, I think that we could see C.J.
35:05Stroud be a borderline quarterback one this year if everything comes together.
35:10And if it really works out and his yards per attempt get into, you know, well over the eight yards per attempt range,
35:17like at 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, we might see him as a quarterback one this year again.
35:23>> Yeah, it's a you know, it's a it's a tough call because I don't know if they were going to, you know, if if the the
35:28high-end opportunity I I love the playmakers he has and I think he's capable. He hasn't hit more than 20 passing touchdowns in the last 2 years.
35:35He doesn't run for touchdowns. He runs to get hit. And when he gets hit, he gets concussions.
35:41And like, you know, I mean, there was a point where nobody was drafting Tua Tagovailoa basically because they were scared he was going to get touched in
35:48the head. And I don't know why you wouldn't view Stroud the same if that's how you viewed it. I don't view it like
35:53that. I mean, it's just it's football.
35:55Guys are going to get hurt or not. Uh so, I don't like shy away from players who have have that history. But when
36:01they do have that history, like if you're splitting hairs between two guys that you think are pretty equal, then that history comes into play. I think
36:06the offensive line's improved. I hope he improves, too. He a lot of uh a lot of positive discussion about him and the offensive coordinator, Nick
36:15Caley, being on the same page, communicating well, all those things.
36:18So, I'm hoping for the best cuz I'm more invested in the receivers. I like both Nico Collins and Jayden Higgins. And
36:24maybe Jaylen Noel can kind of make a push for some more, we'll see what Tank Dell does. Marvin Harrison Jr. His
36:30offseason work is noise and he can't find the signal. Feel it or [ __ ] it. I'm going to take a guess here.
36:36>> Yeah, I'm I I think everyone can take a guess. Drink, you know, that's basically the with that. I mean, it is. You look at
36:43what's going on for the past 2 years.
36:46Marvin Harrison's ripped. He's rocked up. He He's even bigger than he was last year. Um, you know, he's really been working hard
36:54in the weight room.
36:55>> I remember when they said that about David Boston. Oh, wait, that wasn't the weight room. That was That was the doctor's office. My bad.
37:00>> Yeah, that's right. Yeah, sorry.
37:01>> [laughter] >> You know, BALCO. Um, but uh But yeah, the I think he hasn't found the signal to what is going to change his game,
37:11which is how fluid of a route runner he can be with different routes than than the route tree they asked him to run
37:17early on so that he can be a little bit more versatile in terms of what he does. And if not that,
37:25get better at tracking the football when you're facing the quarterback and you have um you have a defender tied to you.
37:33Um and and be able to catch the ball with peerless, you know, technique.
37:39And those are things that have been missing from his game. He's a good NFL contributor.
37:45You would even say that he's a competent wide receiver two, but the expectation is that he was supposed to be an elite wide receiver
37:53one.
37:54And those things are what's missing from his game.
37:57And until he gets them, I don't see how you know, the Davant the Davante Adams role that they say he's going to have,
38:06it's it you know, it's going to be a half-baked Davante Adams role because he's not the route runner Adams is. He's
38:14not the pass catcher Adams is. That whereas [clears throat] I would say that Marvin or excuse me, Michael Wilson.
38:20five drops last year.
38:22>> I know. But But like Michael Wilson I would say is um probably a closer to a fully baked Puka Nacua than people realize.
38:32>> I like that. I want to circle back around cuz I missed something. I said I mentioned Jaylen Noel. Do you feel like
38:37he might be overrated second year receiver, former teammate of Higgins?
38:40>> No, [ __ ] that. I think he's underrated.
38:42I actually think he's I I think he's the best young receiver on this team. Um and you'll be happy to know Bob that 4.38 is like the 20
38:54you know you know 36-24-36 of of the of the fantasy football spectrum. Yeah, there we go. But yeah.
39:02>> [laughter] >> But Jaylen Noel certainly 4.38 speed. He is um can play multiple roles.
39:11He is excellent after the catch. He's a good route runner. CJ Stroud showed a lot of trust in him in certain
39:17situational football moments last year in the games that he played. I think that he could wind up being
39:26an 700 to 900 yard receiver in this offense. And if given a chance to to be like the clear-cut number two, he could
39:35be a thousand yard guy. Um so I I'm fully on board with taking this guy late and seeing what happens.
39:43>> Yeah, I I'm with you there. And and I think we're we're all hoping CJ Stroud can fuel all the fantasy fortunes of these
39:50players. Yeah. Keon Coleman has a great quarterback who seems to be in his corner. It's like everyone seems to be in Keon Coleman's corner. Stevie Johnson
40:00is now his corner man, uh the former Bills receiver, working with him to get him up to speed on all the
40:06professionalism and whatnot and on-field issues. Could he be the wide receiver three in Buffalo this year, Field to Pylon?
40:13>> Hugo's in his corner, too. So, >> [laughter] >> apparently. You like Keon Coleman, too?
40:18He's wagging his tail at me. But, uh So, so he thinks Keon Coleman's a dog.
40:23So I >> Oh, no.
40:25>> [laughter] >> Stevie Johnson, I mean, he did say the thing that was telling to me, and that could be Stevie Johnson's salesmanship,
40:34that he was such a good route runner, it might translate to his interviews, is that he said, "I you know, my expectation of
40:41Keon Coleman and what I thought he was going to be based on reputation and what he actually is were very different." And
40:49he said that he was a great student of the game, and that he saw a lot of he saw a lot of budding skills and the like
40:55the way that he looked at the game, and and all of that. So, maybe it's just more of a maturity thing with Coleman.
41:02Maybe Coleman felt like he was going to be able to lean on his ability, maybe he the limelight was a little bit, um,
41:10brighter for him early on in terms of off the field than what he should have been. I mean, it's it's possible that,
41:17you know, a lot of the You know how people, you know, you'll hear people say, "Yeah, my kid was such a good kid, then they went
41:23to college, and they went buck wild in college, and then like" and and then like they had to figure out how to calm down. Maybe for Coleman,
41:32maybe it was college they had monitors on everything that you do, pretty much. Maybe he went buck wild early on in the pros, and that
41:40was part of the problem, and now he's got to kind of rein it in and go, "All right, I'm a professional. I'm supposed to be
41:45making money. I'm going to lose this money, I can't have as much fun, and maybe I need to not fall asleep in meetings and
41:53be a little more attentive about things than what I was." And if that happens, it is.
41:59I'm thinking that's what it is, and if the team is that sold on him from top to bottom, it's either they're all mass
42:07deluding themselves, or there's some actual talent there. I'm going to go, based on the film, I'm going to say there's actual talent there and he's
42:14going to be the wide receiver three.
42:15>> And based on at least some level of institutional trust in the Buffalo Bills, there you know, there is rational thought behind what's going on there.
42:25At least it worked at quarterback and running back and we'll see about more.
42:29Maybe one day they'll make a Super Bowl.
42:31Maybe one day we'll go to the Super Bowl, Matt. [ __ ] that, we'll stay home and watch it on TV. I'm Bob Harris. He's
42:38Matt Waldman. We'll be back for another episode of Field or [ __ ] It next week.
42:42In the meantime, go to Football Guys, check out all our work there. My Fantasy Notebooks out every single day and then
42:47a big compilation at the end of the week. Matt's got Jets going up. Rankings are available. Matt has put great comments on all his players or on all
42:54the most pertinent players for sure. I'm trying to remember, is there someone who I have not seen a comment on? It's
42:59possible, but not many. So, check that out. It's super >> Miles Price, I think.
43:04>> All right, fair enough. And then go to the Matt Waldman.com, check out all the rookie scouting portfolio stuff. You'll thank us if you make the purchase and
43:13your opponents will curse you until the day you die. That's it. Over and out.
43:19>> Maybe we have a Super Bowl Maybe we go to a Super Bowl if it's in Cleveland.
43:22How about that?
43:24>> I've been to Cleveland. It's not that great.
43:25>> I'll see, there you go.
43:26>> Oh, sorry, Cleveland. My bad. [laughter] I love you, bye.
43:30>> Love you, bye.
