1 00:00:01,640 --> 00:00:06,440 There are no buys this week. It's also the fantasy play offs. 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:11,240 This is basically the first part of Fantasy Friday right here on 3 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:13,520 this Fantasy Football Almost Daily podcast. 4 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:18,000 You need to know who to start in every game, and that starts with 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,360 the Thursday night contest between the Falcons and the 6 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,080 Bucks. Then on Friday, it's the full 7 00:00:23,080 --> 00:00:25,800 Fantasy Friday on Fantasy Football Almost Daily. 8 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,480 We'll preview all 15 of the remaining games. 9 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:31,880 Talk about which guys you can roll the dice on. 10 00:00:32,119 --> 00:00:36,080 Crack a few tough nuts. My friend Trevor Jones and my 11 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,680 friend Kent Wyrock will join me this week. 12 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,520 You won't want to miss it, especially if you're in the 13 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:44,040 fantasy playoffs. Tell your friends and neighbors 14 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:45,360 to tune in. They got to get here. 15 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,160 Fantasy football almost daily is also brought to you by Fanball. 16 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,040 There's a Fanball 5 by 5 contest up right now for the Thursday 17 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,680 night Falcons Bucks game. It's only 5 bucks to play. 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:57,960 We'll preview that game on this episode. 19 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,600 By the way, all the players on sale, there's nobody that you 20 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,600 want in the $5 range. They're just fill up on 432 and 21 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:07,400 one. I'd go check it out. 22 00:01:08,160 --> 00:01:10,520 Today's episode also brought to you by Game Blazers. 23 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:15,520 Try Game Blazers this week to win your share of $36,000 in 24 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:19,040 prizes in free to play contests. You can sign up with referral 25 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:23,920 code FFAD for free. You get a free starter pack. 26 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,320 You get a free rare pack. You can start building lineups 27 00:01:26,320 --> 00:01:28,800 today. Learn more at gameblazers.com. 28 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:32,800 Today I'm going to preview the Thursday night contest between 29 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,760 the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 30 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:41,360 But first, Tate's intro music from the Sports Hub Games 31 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:49,320 Network. This is fantasy football almost 32 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,120 dated with your host, Matt Harrison. 33 00:02:01,250 --> 00:02:03,450 All right, guys, it's Matt Harrison back again. 34 00:02:03,450 --> 00:02:07,010 You can find me on Twitter or Blue Sky at Explosive Output. 35 00:02:07,010 --> 00:02:11,280 I've got a, a, a Twitter post up right now talking about 36 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,680 lightning round. If you want to be a part of the 37 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:18,200 lightning round this week on fantasy Friday, go over to 38 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:22,960 explosive output on Twitter, find my tweet and throw your 39 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:27,520 hardest decision between two players in the comments below 40 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:29,000 there. And we'll we'll see if we can 41 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:31,400 get to you help you out a little bit this week. 42 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,400 You can help us out if you're listening to this podcast, rate 43 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,960 it, review it, follow like subscribe 5 stars. 44 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,040 All the things comments are good too. 45 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,720 Who knows we we might respond to you on those comments, but we're 46 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,560 here to get the Thursday night game in. 47 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:55,080 Let's let's see what we're going to do for this podcast here. 48 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,640 I'm excited because it's retro jersey night in Tampa. 49 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:04,000 The old Falcon is on the red helmets, Bucko Bruce and the 50 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,400 Creamsicle uniforms are there for Tampa. 51 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:12,000 I'm excited to see this clash of two uniform Titans here and 52 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,400 we'll start on the Falcons side as we preview the game here and 53 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,080 we'll do it with Bijon. He's a gold grade in this game. 54 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:22,000 Another 22 touches last week for Bijon and he was in a really 55 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:23,640 tough match up against the Seahawks. 56 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:26,520 This is a much easier test against Tampa. 57 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,160 The Bucks have allowed 15 PPR points 7 times in the last eight 58 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,120 games to an opposing running back, which includes Devin Neil 59 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,560 going for 84 combo yards in a score last week on 20 touches. 60 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,760 And that right there seems like the floor for Bijan. 61 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:44,760 And his ceiling is obviously what he did in Week 13 where he 62 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,640 hit 193 combo yards in a score. And he might be the most 63 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,800 targeted player in the passing game this week as well because 64 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,040 Drake London, he's not going to go and Kyle Pitts is 65 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:58,280 questionable with a knee injury. I'll get to him a little bit 66 00:03:58,280 --> 00:03:59,480 later. And the rest of the wide 67 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:05,520 receivers are dog Doo Doo. Kirk Cousins in the passing game 68 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:07,840 are definitely tricky though. I'll throw bronze grade on 69 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:09,720 Cousins. I don't think many people are 70 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,000 starting him in a fantasy playoff week, and I think that's 71 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,640 about as high as we can go at this moment in time. 72 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,480 In his last three starts since Penex went down, he's averaging 73 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,400 198 yards and a score per game. That's not very good, but the 74 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:29,080 Bucks match up is super juicy. Last week, Tyler Shuck gouged 75 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,000 the Bucks on the ground, which Cousins won't do. 76 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:35,680 But before that, Tampa Bay had allowed at least 270 passing 77 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,920 yards and multiple touchdowns to each of the previous four 78 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:43,560 quarterbacks they faced. So it's a starting grade for 79 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:44,920 Cousins. Bronze. 80 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:48,800 Not great, but it's there. If Kyle Pitts goes, he's 81 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,480 questionable. The knee injury, he's probably 82 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:54,000 the most reliable passing option next to Bijan. 83 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:58,680 He's hit 82 and 90 yards in the last two weeks on 18 targets 84 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,240 over that time. The Bucks are middle of the pack 85 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:05,080 against the tight end, but Pitts is about it for options for 86 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:06,800 Cousins. It's going to be Bijan and it's 87 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,040 going to be Pitts because like I said, the rest of the wide 88 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,680 receiver is not good. Darnell Mooney, I guess if Pitts 89 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:17,680 is out, could be startable. But who's going to start Darnell 90 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,880 Mooney in a fantasy week that you are in a playoff week where 91 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:25,520 you need those points? Mooney's only managed 3 catches 92 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,800 for 31 scoreless yards over the last two games combined, so I'm 93 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:33,760 not very excited about him. Someone named Dylan Drummond LED 94 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,680 wide receivers and targets last week. 95 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:40,000 David Sills is also heavily involved in the passing game. 96 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,160 He didn't catch any of his four targets last week. 97 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,320 They just signed Malik Heath from the Packers. 98 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,120 This might be the worst wide receiver group in the league 99 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,320 right now and they got a great match up this week, so it's all 100 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:56,320 for waste. On the Buck side, it looks like 101 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:58,800 Mike Evans is going to return on Thursday night. 102 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,880 They've activated him from IR. He had a collarbone injury, so I 103 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:05,560 assume he's ready. There's not much risk for re 104 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:07,720 injury here and he should be pretty fresh. 105 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:09,440 His legs are going to be in pretty good shape. 106 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:13,680 It's not like he has to learn how to cut on a on a weird knee 107 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:16,720 or risk the hamstring injury or anything like that. 108 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:19,080 So right out of the gate, I'll throw a silver grade on Evans 109 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:22,760 and we'll go silver on both Godwin and Iguca as well. 110 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:27,000 Each of these guys gets to the slot about 30% of the time and 111 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:29,360 they move all over the field. They're always somewhere else. 112 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,920 The slot match up is the best against the Falcons that that 113 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,400 that way you're going against D Alford, who comes in at Pro 114 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,680 Football Focus's number 100 cornerback out of 111. 115 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,680 But on the outsides, Mike Hughes and AJ Terrell, they aren't much 116 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,880 better. They're 73 and 72 respectively. 117 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:53,920 The Falcons have been roasted in the passing game since Week 812. 118 00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:56,960 Different wide receivers have hit the double digit PPR mark in 119 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:00,720 those seven weeks, which includes 28 points to JSN last 120 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:06,040 week, 24 to AD Mitchell the week before, 33 to Ted McMillan in 121 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:07,920 Week 11. There's plenty to go around 122 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:09,800 here. So silver grades for all the 123 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,760 receivers, but the concern with the silver grades is Baker 124 00:07:13,760 --> 00:07:17,120 Mayfield hasn't been good for like well over a month. 125 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:20,280 In fact, it's been six games since he's been pretty bad. 126 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,160 He's hit the 200 yard mark only once in those six games. 127 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:28,000 Multiple touchdown passes also only once in those six games. 128 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:32,200 Now they have reduced the pass plays on offense and maybe it's 129 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,520 because Baker's left shoulder, his non throwing shoulder was 130 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,640 hurt. Maybe it's because Trifton 131 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:42,280 Tristan Werfs, his all world left tackle, was out for a 132 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:45,960 couple of games, or maybe it's because Mike Evans had been out. 133 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:50,160 But Werfs is back this week and Evans is back this week and 134 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:53,920 Bucky Irving's back for a third week in a row and Baker's 135 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,080 looking at his best match up that he's seen since Week 7. 136 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:03,600 So if you are a no risk it, no biscuit kind of guy or girl, 137 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,520 this is one of those match ups where I think you throw Baker 138 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,560 Mayfield in, I'm giving him a silver grade. 139 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,600 The Falcons have allowed 240 yards or multiple scores to 140 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:19,360 seven straight quarterbacks. That list includes Tua, Tyler 141 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:24,840 Shuck, Bryce Young, Tyrod Taylor, all guys who may or may 142 00:08:24,840 --> 00:08:27,160 not be full time starters next year. 143 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,360 So I think Baker Mayfield's a silver grade in this one. 144 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,720 You're not going to start K Dotton, too many receivers are 145 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:36,559 back and he's doubtful to play anyway. 146 00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:40,760 And finally, Bucky Irving, I'll give him a silver grade as well. 147 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:43,960 I wanted to give him a pewter just because of their helmet 148 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:47,480 color most of the time, but silver is a little bit better 149 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:52,320 than pewter since he's returned. 19 touches and 17 touches for 150 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:54,680 Bucky. He scored in both games. 151 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:59,760 He's had exactly 16.1 PPR points in both of those games. 152 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:05,160 But last week, Rashad White had 12 touches and Sean Tucker had 153 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:06,960 seven, and he vultured a touchdown. 154 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,800 The Falcons are a little worse than average against runners, 155 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:15,680 but a lot of that's been weighed down by two absolutely ginormous 156 00:09:15,680 --> 00:09:18,320 days. Jonathan Taylor and Christian 157 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,240 McCaffrey both played this team. CMC had 31 touches. 158 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:25,800 JT had 35. Both scored tons of points 159 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,680 against Atlanta. And Bucky won't hit that 160 00:09:28,680 --> 00:09:30,280 workload. He's not going to get over 30 161 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,640 touches. But the guys who've been at like 162 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:35,800 the 17 to 20 touch range against the Falcons, at least in the 163 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:41,280 last two months, they've got about 15 to 20 PPR points that 164 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,960 those are guys like Breece Hall, Rico Dowdell, Trayvon Henderson, 165 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:48,920 Devon A Chan, Those guys are all in the range of Bucky Irving 166 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,440 right now, I think. And that's where they landed in 167 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:52,920 the last two months against Atlanta. 168 00:09:52,920 --> 00:09:56,840 And 15 to 20 PPR points, that's solid enough for a silver grade 169 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,520 for me. Now, both Tucker and White, 170 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:01,560 they're good options when Bucky's out. 171 00:10:01,560 --> 00:10:03,760 But this is the playoffs, man. You're not starting either of 172 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,880 those guys, so just don't do it. And that is the whole match up 173 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:09,280 between the Falcons and the Bucks. 174 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:14,840 I'll give you a quick reminder on Game Blazers, there's $36,000 175 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:20,480 in free roll contests available and prizes in free roll contests 176 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:23,400 available right now. And they announced another 177 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:27,880 special $40,000 prize pool for contest for Christmas week. 178 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:32,760 That means we have over $100,000 up for grabs from now until the 179 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,040 end of Week 17. They go through the playoffs. 180 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:37,760 If you haven't tried Game Blazers yet, it's definitely not 181 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:41,120 too late to get started. It's free To get started, use a 182 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:44,480 referral code FFAD. When you register they'll give 183 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:46,880 you a free rare pack, which is kind of nice to have. 184 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:49,120 I play it a little bit on our internal contest. 185 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,240 Those rare packs are pretty nice. 186 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,160 And then you can do the spend 5 get 50 offer. 187 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:59,400 It'll get you 2 more rare packs for five bucks. 188 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,080 That's not bad at all. Download Game Blazers today, 189 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:03,560 give it a shot, I think you'll enjoy it. 190 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:06,800 We'll be back tomorrow with another show with Trevor Jones 191 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,240 as we preview this week's favorite DFS plays. 192 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:13,960 I can't wait. Trevor is on fire as always. 193 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,040 I did a lot better last week than I did in week 13. 194 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,560 Can't wait to talk to you about our DFS plays for this week on 195 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:22,400 tomorrow's Fantasy Football Almost Daily. 196 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:26,760 This was fantasy football almost daily. 197 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:29,880 Please subscribe and give us a five star rating wherever you 198 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:30,960 listen to podcasts.